Outlaw
Foundations | |
Required Abilities | Dex, Kno, Per |
Axiom | Servant |
Affinity | Null |
Spell Casting | Wis |
Spell Attack | Con |
Saving Throws | Dex, Kno, Cha |
Hit Dice | D8 |
HP @ Lvl 1 | Your Con Modifier + 1d8 or 5. |
HP @ Higher Lvls | Your Con Modifier + 1d8 / Level After 1st |
Introduction
We don’t exist.
We aren’t acknowledged as professionals, we aren’t seen as proper, we aren’t said to sit beside you in a tavern and earn your respect for a hard day’s work.
Like the secret guild to which we belong beside the Corsairs and their flashy ways and the Envoys and their shadows, everyone knows we are there (we prove it oft enough) but few will ever think that we should be acknowledged, for we do something they will never dare.
We like our sob stories, our downtrodden and fallen upon the hard times, the desperation of survival stories. They sell well, they give pause just long enough, and just as often they are true, but we are not all one thing nor another.
We don’t seek to make a name or to serve a Lord. We seek to live on our own terms and serve none but ourselves. For every Envoy there are two dozen of us, and they are never as sneaky as they think; for every Corsair there are a dozen of us, and while sometimes we might follow them, other times we will ignore them.
The final truth, after all, is always an axe or a noose.
Where there is wealth, there are those who have it and those who do not. We like to even that score just a bit.
And then sit beside you in a tavern and quietly celebrate a day’s hard work done well.
Outlaws are those folks who live and operate outside the law. Footpads, cutpurses, burglars, thieves. Unlike Corsairs and Envoys, they lack the particular gift of being able to store Mana, and are resistant to magic as a whole, so the path they tread is a different one from the rest of those who operate beneath the Miscreants Guild.
Outlaws have a code, a set of rules for operating and dealing with others in operations, and that code is hw they escape, evade, and entangle those who seek to stop their trade.
Outlaws are not only found in cities and towns, however. Indeed, the nature of their work and vocation is one that encourages a bit of adventure and daring and travel, for there are Reeves and Watchmen and Guards everywhere.
The Adventurer’s Guild often uses euphemisms for Outlaws. They might be called Rogues, or Porters, and described as “useful to have around in a pinch”. This is done as much for the Guild’s benefit as the Outlaws, because no one wants to openly admit to hiring or partnering with someone who most consider the life’s work to be that of a criminal.
Yet Outlaws usually have skills and talents that are difficult to acquire otherwise. In circumstances where deftness of hand or nimbleness of foot are needed, they excel beyond even that of Corsairs, and only Envoys are better at vanishing from sight and giving you a surprise.
Outlaws are often accused of being weak and of limited value, which for the most part Outlaws don’t mind at all.
After all, it is better to be underestimated.
Role
Proficiencies | |
Skills (Pick 2) | Acrobatics, Athlectics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Juggling, Tumbling, |
Spell Proficiency | None |
Armor Training | Standard |
Weapon Training | Simple, Common, Specialist |
Outlaws are often described as being Ruffians or Bullies, and the distinction is fairly narrow: Bullies are generally considered to be less sharp minded, larger, and more about brute strength than Ruffians, who are inclined to be more agile in mind and body. As a result, Bullies often tend to work for others in groups, particularly the Syndicates, whose memberships often include many Outlaws of assorted nature.
This, in turn, allows the Burglars the sort of free reign they prefer, reducing notice, and helping to obscure their presence.
Outlaw Code
There is a code of honor among Outlaws. Outlaws are bound by a sense of loyalty, respect, and integrity that is unique to their way of life. While their actions may be illegal and their methods may be questionable, there is still a sense of honor and dignity that is expected to be maintained. This is what sets outlaws apart from common criminals and is what allows them to operate within their own set of rules and principles.
Loyalty Above All Else
Outlaws are fiercely loyal to their own kind, and they will do whatever it takes to protect and defend their fellow outlaws. This loyalty extends beyond just their immediate group of associates and often includes all outlaws, regardless of their affiliation. This principle allows outlaws to form alliances and work together towards common goals, even if they would normally be enemies.
Keep Your Word
Outlaws are known for their word being their bond, and this is reflected in the code of conduct. When an outlaw makes a promise or agreement, they are expected to keep it, no matter what. Breaking your word is considered a grave offense in the outlaw community and can result in being ostracized or even killed. This principle is essential to maintaining trust and respect among outlaws and is a cornerstone of the code of conduct.
Respect for Other Outlaws
Outlaws live in a world where respect is earned, not given. However, there is a baseline level of respect that is expected amongst outlaws. This includes not interfering with another outlaw’s business, not stealing from other outlaws, and not causing unnecessary harm to other outlaws. While there may be rivalries and conflicts between different groups of outlaws, there is still a level of respect that is expected to be maintained.
Keep Your Business Private
Outlaws are known for their secrecy and their ability to keep their business private. This is reflected in the code of conduct, where it is considered unacceptable to share information about another outlaw’s business or dealings with anyone outside of the outlaw community. This principle is essential to maintaining the safety and security of the outlaw community and ensures that outlaws can continue to operate without interference from law enforcement or other outside forces.
Retaliation is Acceptable
While outlaws generally try to avoid violence and conflict, there are times when retaliation is necessary. If an outlaw is wronged or harmed in some way, they are expected to retaliate in kind. This includes both physical and non-physical retaliation, such as stealing from or sabotaging the offender. However, this principle is not an excuse for senseless violence, and outlaws are expected to use discretion when deciding when and how to retaliate – and never against those with whom they are currently fellow travelers. That can wait for when they are no longer.
Fortes
Skullduggery
Outlaws are outlaws in part because they make it their profession to engage in acts that are often underhanded and unscrupulous. It isn’t because they are dishonest or untrustworthy, it is because they have gifts to do so. This skullduggery gives them certain benefits.
At 1st Level, Your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide actions, unless it is one of the choices below.
- As a Bonus action, you give yourself advantage on your next attack roll on the current turn. You can use this bonus action only if you haven’t moved during this turn, and after you use the bonus action, your speed is 0 until the end of the current turn.
- You can use the bonus action granted by your skullduggery to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your thieves’ tools to disarm a trap or open a lock, or take the Use an Object action.
At 5th Level, You gain the ability to climb faster than normal; climbing no longer costs you extra movement. In addition, when you make a running jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Dexterity modifier.
Sneaky
All Outlaws know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction.
Beginning at 1st Level, Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a simple or common one-handed melee weapon or ranged weapon.
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class.
At 5th Level, you can strike with deadly speed. If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action. This attack can benefit from your Sneak Attack even if you have already used it this turn, but you can’t use your Sneak Attack against the same target more than once in a turn.
At 9th Level, you have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, the first creature you hit during the first round of a combat becomes easier for you and others to strike; attack rolls against that target have advantage until the start of your next turn.
Cunning
At 1st Level, You gain the ability to come up with solutions under pressure. When you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an ability check or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your Intelligence modifier to the roll.
At 5th Level, you master the art of the ambush. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.
At 9th Level, you can take two turns during the first round of any combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your initiative minus 10. You can’t use this feature when you are surprised.
At 13th Level, at the start of your first turn of each combat, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, which lasts until the end of that turn. If you take the Attack action on that turn, you can make one additional weapon attack as part of that action. If that attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon’s damage type.
You can use these features a number of times equal to your Knowledge modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Elusive
At 1st Level, You have advantage on a Dexterity (Stealth) check if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.
At 5th Level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
At 9th Level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated.
At 13th Level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as an ancient red dragon’s fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
At 17th Level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat the d20 roll as a 20.
Once you use these features, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Talented
At 5th Level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves’ tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 9th Level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves’ tools) to gain this benefit.
At 13th Level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of you.
At 17th Level, you have refined your chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Apprenticeship
Starting Gear | |
Gear | Small Backpack, Tinderbox, Large Sack, 30’ Rope, Waterskin |
Tools or Kit | Choose two from: Thieves Tools, Forgery, Disguise, Climbers, Burglars |
Focus | None |
Armor | Any Standard |
Weaponry | And 1 allowed Melee or any 1 allowed Ranged. |
Wealth Bonus | 20 |
The story goes that no one chooses to be an outlaw they are made an outlaw. Regardless of your other background choices, you gain the Criminal background as an addition, with an effect on your Ability Scores as below:
- Bully: +1 Str, -1 Kno (Also called Jaks, they are the toughs, and gain an additional slot in Intimidation.)
- Ruffian: +1 Str, -1 Wis (Also called Ruffs, they are often independents involved with small gangs, with an additional slot in Athletics.)
- Burglar: +1 Dex, -1 Con (Thieves who focus on the art of the steal, with an additional slot in Stealth or Climbing.)
- Smuggler: +1 Per, -1 Str (Those who move goods and people, with an extra slot in Persuasion.)
- Shammer: +1 Per, -1 Con (Confidence artists with an additional slot in sleight of hand.)
Like all affiliates of the Miscreant’s Guild who operate around and beneath the law, you learned the Shadow’ Cant, a secret mix of idiom, metaphor, aphorism, jargon, and code; as well as a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory and location of a Miscreants Hall, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run. Shadow Cant allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation or mark a space for others later, and it is a secret way of talking and sharing. Only another creature that knows Shadow Cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
Outlaws are best known for their ability to move in, out, and through spaces while learning more about them than the average person might. They are particularly aware of their surroundings and gifted with a talent for traps and tricks and the subtleties of hiding wealth and treasure, as well as picking up on things that people value and how they think.
The ways that an Outlaw becomes an outlaw always involve a teacher, a mentor, a Pedant in the arts, who helps them to learn the subtle tricks and arts, before they strike out on their own.
Aspects
Orders
At 1st Level, you can specialize in one weapon type.
At 5th Level, you can specialize in a second weapon type.
At 9th Level, you 1 First Order.
At 13th level, you can choose 1 Second Order or 2 First Order
At 17th Level, you can choose 1 Third Order or 1 Second Order or 1 First Order
Precepts
At 3rd Level, you can choose one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 7th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 11th Level you can choose one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 15th Level you can choose one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 19th Level you can choose one aspect from the Alumni list, or one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
Maxims
At 4th Level, you can choose one Dedicated Maxim.
At 8th Level you can choose one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 12th Level you can choose one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 16th Level you can choose one Unyielding Maxim or one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 20th Level you can choose one Absolutist Maxim or one Unyielding Maxim or one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
Esoterica
At 2nd Level, you can choose one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 6th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 10th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 14th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 18th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Alumni list, or one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
Mysteries
Affinity | Axiom | Cipher | Manifestation | Orgone |
Null | Sensate | — | — | — |
Affinity Score | Axiom Score | Spell | Spell Book | Focal |
Con | Per | — | — | — |
Outlaws are Nulls.
Proficiencies
At 2nd Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
At 6th Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
At 10th Level, you gain 3 proficiency slots.
At 14th Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
At 18th Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
Ability Score Increases
At 3rd Level, You gain 2 points.
At 7th Level, You gain 2 points.
At 11th Level, You gain 3 points.
At 15th Level, You gain 2 points.
At 19th Level, You gain 1 point.
Leveling Table
Level | Mastery | Prof Bonus | Skill | Forte | ASI | Maxims | Precepts | Mysteries | Orders | Esoterica |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Novice | 0 | Yes | Simple | First | |||||
2 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
3 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
4 | +1 | Yes | Rudiments | |||||||
5 | Yeoman / Doyen | +1 | Yes | Second | ||||||
6 | +1 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
7 | +1 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
8 | +2 | Yes | Medial | |||||||
9 | Adept | +2 | Yes | Third | ||||||
10 | +2 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
11 | +2 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
12 | +3 | Yes | Advanced | |||||||
13 | Master | +3 | Yes | Fourth | ||||||
14 | +3 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
15 | +3 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
16 | +4 | Yes | Expert | |||||||
17 | Grand Master | +4 | Yes | Fifth | ||||||
18 | +4 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
19 | +4 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
20 | +5 | Yes |
