Explorator

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Overview & Creation

Mindful of her footing, a small but brave tiefling carefully steps on the floor tiles marked with an open eye of the cold, dark ruins. If she were to step on any of the other floor tiles, she would set off a trap that would almost surely seal her doom. Perhaps flames would shoot out from the floor, or poisoned arrows would shoot from out of the mossy walls, or maybe thousands of enchanted deadly spiders would fall on her from a trapdoor in the ceiling of the crumbling temple, lost to history long ago.   She makes it to the end of the tile trap and trudges through the narrow halls of the forgotten ruins that once served as an ancient civilization of dwarves' temple to the dwarven deity, Moradin.   The treasure she sought was a jeweled crown that belonged to the centuries-old dwarven king, Maghadon. A treasure so valuable, she could buy an entire city, surely. Perhaps two, now that she though of it. But it wasn't the wealth that motivated her, it was the fame. With such a discovery, she would be known far and wide as the greatest adventurer of all Termulitis.   As she carefully entered the crypt that held the coffin of King Maghadon, she made sure as to not set off anymore unexpected traps. When she reached the coffin, she struggled to open the sealed lid, but with a puff, managed to lift off the heavy stone lid and slid it off, onto the floor with an echoing thud! She reached into the cold stone sarcophagus and gently pulled the embroidered crown from off of the dead king's head.   The excited tiefling glowed with excitement. She carefully put the crown on top of her head in delight. The tiefling was so full of emotions, she didn't notice the long dead dwarven king sit up with glowing eyes and put his decomposing hand on her shoulder.   Explorators are life-long adventurers, ready to take up an intriguing quest with promise of a reward with courage and excitement. They wander the land in search of fame, fortune, and stories to tell their grandchildren, whether it's the one where you single-handedly defeated the evil dragon of Khardos Peak, or when you helped a secluded drow community save their leader from the greedy goblin king, Szorn.    

Courageous Adventurers

  An explorator's main ambition is to seek out the most exciting, dangerous, and noble quests and adventures. They live for the thrill of living on the edge, and often put themselves in unnecessary danger from either trying to make their success even more exciting, or just sheer overconfidence. When an explorator makes it out of a daunting quest - especially if it was a very dangerous one - they will often believe they can handle anything, and will immediately seek out a more challenging quest that often leads to their demise.   They often start adventuring as soon as they leave their parents, but many only partake adventuring once they are old and bored, and realize their life needs some excitement. Some very old people become explorators just to go out with a bang and die a hero's death.    

Experience is Key

  A beginning explorator usually has little to no experience with adventuring. They may have had some basic sword lessons, but other than that, explorators become great at what they do by starting with small adventures, and working their way up. They will travel to far lands, and learn many new things that will help them on their adventures. As they explore new lands, or old ruins, they will almost always leave a quest wiser and smarter than as they started. They will learn almost everything they need to adventure and explore from their defeats and shortcomings, and always push themselves to be better, and that is what separates an explorator from just another aspiring adventurer; most people will try to save some village from some evil force, fail miserably, and go home. But a true explorator never throws in the towel. They learn new techniques and master their mental and physical states to overcome any challenge thrown their way. They will always aspire to get stronger, be smarter, or work harder than they had previously, and often by training or simply going on more adventures, they meet these goals.    

Creating an Explorator

  As you create your explorator, think about why you became an adventurer? It may seem like an obvious question, but with explorators, there is more to consider. For instance, the answer: "life was boring and I wanted to become an adventurer" is an acceptable answer, but it lacks uniqueness. It lacks the spark that explorators need. People don't just leave their families and jobs to defeat dragons whenever life gets boring. As an explorator, you need more reasons. Perhaps there a famous adventurer you idolized as a child. Maybe you raised an adventurer, or you even got amnesia and suddenly decided you wanted to become an explorer.   What motivates you to succeed? Do you have family, or another loved one back at home? Or are you wandering around until you find a nice place to settle down and start a family? How long have you been an adventurer? Are you new, and fresh out of your home village, or are you well known for your victories all throughout your land? Do you just stay in one place, completing any adventure that may face you, or are you constantly moving forward? Do you travel alone, or is there a partner or a group of people who travel alongside you? If so, are you all well known, or have you just recently joined this infamous group of adventurers? Whether you have a complex nature as to why you adventure, or whether it's as black and white as "I wanted to", explorators can be difficult yet fun characters to play, in in the right imagination.

QUICK BUILD   You can make an explorator quickly by following these suggestions. First, strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the outlander background. If you are going to choose the outlandish mage as your adventurous goal, choose Intelligence as your highest ability score.

 

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Class Features

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Expertise, What Doesn't Kill You
2nd	+2	Adventurous Charm, Explorer's Agility
3rd	+2	Adventurous Goal
4th	+2	Ability Score Increase
5th	+3	Adaptability
6th	+3	What Doesn't Kill You Improvement, Expertise Improvement
7th	+3	Adventurous Goal Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Increase
9th	+4	Senses of Nature
10th	+4	Battle Training
11th	+4	Adventurous Goal Feature
12th	+4	Ability Score Increase
13th	+5	Explorer's Endurance
14th	+5	What Doesn't Kill You Improvement
15th	+5	Adventurous Goal Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Increase
17th	+6	-
18th	+6	Master Survivalist
19th	+6	Ability Score Increase
20th	+6	Uncanny Intuition

Expertise   Starting at 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.   At 6th level, you can choose two more of your skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.     What Doesn't Kill You   Beginning at 1st level, you can learn and remember attributes from fallen foes. For every creature you aid in killing, you can learn it's hit points, armor class, resistances and immunities. You also learn any attacks and/or abilities it used during combat. You have proficiency with tracking a kind of creature you've killed before, as well as an advantage on attack rolls against it.   At 6th level, creature's who you've killed before have a disadvantage on attack rolls against you.   At 14th level, you have an advantage on animal handling (if it is an animal), deception, insight, intimidation, investigation, persuasion, sleight of hand and stealth checks that have to do with a creature you have killed before, as well trying to charm or frighten them, and they have a disadvantage on all these checks against you.     Adventurous Charm   At 2nd level, your natural charm can affect the way people treat you. You can add your proficiency bonus to any charisma-related skill checks against humanoids. Additionally, you can add your proficiency bonus when attempting to get information from someone, or when bargaining a price with someone.     Explorer's Agility   Starting at 2nd level, you learn that speed is a beneficial attribute for an explorer. You may either take the mobile feat, or increase your base walking speed by 5 and increase your Dexterity score by 1.   Mobile Feat:   • Your speed increases by 10 feet.   • When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn't cost extra movement on that turn.   • When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.     Adventurous Goal   At 3rd level, you choose an adventurous goal that determines how you explore/adventure: the Free Soul, the Hero, the Outlandish Mage or the Tempest Master that are detailed at the end of the class description or one from another source. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.     Ability Score Improvement   When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.   Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.     Adaptability   Beginning at 5th level, when in combat, if a creature has targeted you two or more times in a row, and hasn't moved from it's position, it has a disadvantage on attack and damage rolls against you until it moves.     Senses of Nature   When you reach 9th level, whenever you are in the wilderness, you may add your proficiency bonus to your passive perception. Additionally, you have advantage on all saving throws when in the wilderness, as well.     Battle Training   At level 10, you become proficient in any weapon you have used to kill a creature before.     Explorer's Endurance   Starting at 13th level, you can regain all lost hit points after only a short rest. Additionally, the amount of time you can go without eating before suffering from levels of exhaustion is equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier (minimum 1). You also aren't slowed down or have disadvantage with stealth ability checks when wearing heavy armor.     Master Survivalist   At 18th level, you gain an advantage on Constitution saving throws, and your hit point maximum is increased by your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).     Uncanny Intuition   At level 20, your advanced experience in exploring and adventuring has lead you to become extremely adept in predicting what is about to happen. Whenever a creature tries to hit you, they have a disadvantage on that attack roll, and if they rolled under a 10, treat that roll as a natural 1. That creature also can't roll a natural 20 on attack rolls against you, but only 19 or under.   Whenever you try to attack any creature, you have an advantage on the attack roll, and if you roll above a 17, treat that roll as a natural 20. You also can't roll a natural 1 on attack rolls, but rather a 2 or higher.

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Starting Equipment

(a) scale mail or (b) any light armor (a) a longbow, a quiver of 20 arrows and a dagger, (b) a shortwsord and a whip or (c) one simple weapon and one simple or martial melee weapon (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack A set of traveler's clothes and an adventuring journal

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Subclass Options

Adventurous Goal

  Explorators can have a variety of different reasons why they became explorers and adventurers. Your adventurous goal determines why you are an explorator and what you do as one.    

FREE SOUL

  You travel far and wide, taking on any adventure that piques your interest. Your goal is only to discover. You are not bound to a certain land, and don't become too attached to anything (or anyone), knowing you will have to continue without it (or them) if something were to happen. You are truly a vagabond, doing what you wish, when you wish it, and how you wish it.     Experienced Wanderer   When you choose this adventurous goal at 3rd level, your speed is increased by 5. You also have advantage on saving throws against taking levels of exhaustion, and can cure all levels of exhaustion in only a short rest, provided you have ingested some food and drink. You also always know which direction are North, East, South and West at all times (unless your sense of direction is tampered with by magical means) by looking at the direction if the sun, or maybe noticing which side moss is growing on trees.     Explorer's Reward   At 7th level, you may choose either one ability score to increase by 2 and take a feat, or choose two ability scores to increase by 2.     Sustainability   Beginning at 11th level, if a creature you have already killed brings you down to 0 or less hit points, you instead only drop to 1, unless they would immediately kill you by equaling or exceeding your hit point maximum after brining you to 0 hit points. If you are currently at 1 or less hit points, you cannot use this feature.     Call of the Swarm   When you reach 15th level, your bond with life, peace, and the natural world allow you to call upon a swarm of locusts to aid you in battle. You may cast the 5th level spell insect plague without the need of components or spell slots as an action once. You may only use this feature if your are outdoors, or have access to outdoors, such as an open door or a window. The spell's effects last for 10 minutes. You may use this spell again after you finish a long rest.   Insect plague details: Swarming, biting locusts fill a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range. The sphere spreads around corners. The sphere remains for the duration, and its area is lightly obscured. The sphere's area is difficult terrain. When the area appears, each creature in it must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 4d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature must also make this saving throw when it enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.      

HERO

  From defeating the fiercest dragon in the land, to freeing a clan of Leonin from an Evil Demilich, everything you do is to become a hero of the people. You tell great tales of your adventures, and are motivated by the enthusiasm of the people. Traveling from town to town, spreading the word of your accomplishments, you aim to become the greatest hero your world has ever seen.     Heroic Leadership   When you choose this adventurous goal at 3rd level, when you spend at least 1 hour with an ally, they can add an extra 1d4 to any roll they make, as well as having advantage, as long as you are with them. Once you part ways, they have 1 hour to use this 1d4 bonus. Once they expend this bonus, they must spend another 1 hour with you to regain it.     Courageous Presence   When you reach 7th level, you can add your proficiency bonus to all Charisma-related skill checks and when trying to charm a creature. If you are already proficient in a Charisma skill check, or otherwise add your proficiency bonus, you may add it again. Additionally, you have an advantage on saving throws against being frightened.     Double Attack   Starting at 11th level, if you attack a creature you have killed before, on that turn, you can make an attack against the same creature, using the same weapon a second time as a bonus action, and deal an extra 1d4 damage of the damage type you are inflicting.     Battlecry   When you reach level 15, when in combat, you can pump-up you and your allies, while also negatively affecting your enemies by crying out in fearlessness. As an action, you can use your battlecry once per long rest. When you do, you and all of your allies in a 60-foot radius gain advantage on all attack rolls, a +5 bonus on all damage dealt, 5 temporary hitpoints, temporarily loose 1 level of exhaustion (if applicable) and have an advantage on all saving throws for 10 minutes. Additionally, your all enemies in a 60-foot radius have a disadvantage on attack rolls and must succeed a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 10 minutes (you are the source of their fright). Once the effects of your battlecry wear off, all bonuses and penalties are lost, and all lost levels of exhaustion come back. Your enemies' fright also wears off, as long as thye were frightened by you first, and if not, they are still frightened of the original source until that effect wears off.      

OUTLANDISH MAGE

  Living on the outskirts of society, constantly changing residence to a new town, you use magic to aid you on your adventures. You have learned spells similar to how a wizard would, having a spellbook handy at all times, and practicing each of them in your free time to perfection.     Spellcasting   At 3rd level, when you choose this adventurous goal, you can learn, prepare and cast spells. You have a spellbook containing spells that you know and can prepare. You can also add spells to this spellbook. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the explorator spell list. Add a spellbook and an arcane focus to your gear.   Cantrips At 3rd level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the explorator spell list. You learn additional explorator cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the outlandish mage table below.   Spellbook At 3rd level, you have a spellbook containing three 1st-level explorator spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the explorator spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.   Preparing and Casting Spells The outlandish mage table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your explorator spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.   You prepare the list of explorator spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to half your Intelligence modifier (rounding up) + your explorator level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.   For example, if you’re a 5th-level explorator, you have 3 1st-level and 1 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include seven spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell absorb elements, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells, you just expend 1 spell slot of the slot level you casted it with.   You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of explorator spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.   Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your explorator spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization on your journeys. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a explorator spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier   Ritual Casting You can cast an explorator spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don’t need to have the spell prepared.   Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your explorator spells.   Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher Each time you gain an explorator level, you can add two explorator spells of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the outlandish mage table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook (see the “Your Spellbook” sidebar).

YOUR SPELLBOOK   The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct on your own as you traverse the planet, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard’s chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library.   Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find an explorator spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.   Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the spellcaster who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.   For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 25 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.   Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You only need spend 1 hour and 5 gp for each level of the copied spell.   If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that you have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires you to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many spellcasters in need of a spellbook keep backup spellbooks in a safe place.   The Book’s Appearance. Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that you received as a gift from a master you once had, a finely bound gilt-edged tome you found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap.

OUTLANDISH MAGE TABLE

|	| - Spell Slots per Pell Level - |

Level	Cantrips Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
3rd	2	3
4th	2	3	1
5th	2	3	1
6th	2	3	1
7th	3	3	1	1
8th	3	3	2	1
9th	3	3	2	1	1
10th	3	3	2	1	1
11th	4	3	2	2	2
12th	4	3	2	2	2	1
13th	4	3	3	2	2	1
14th	4	3	3	2	2	1
15th	5	3	3	2	2	1	1
16th	5	3	3	3	3	2	1
17th	5	3	3	3	3	2	1	1
18th	5	3	3	3	3	2	1	1
19th	6	3	3	3	3	2	2	1
20th	6	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

      Advanced Knowledge   Starting at 7th level, you gain an advantage on Arcana checks, and other magic-related checks. You also learn the exact nature of any spell casted on you, such as it's level, which classes it is available to, it's effects, it's requirements, etc.     Arcane Infusion   At 11th level, if a creature you have killed before makes a magical attack against you, you only take half the total magical damage (rounding up).   Additionally, if you took half damage this way, on your next turn, you may roll 1d6 and add that amount of magical damage to your damage on your attack that turn. The damage type of the 1d6 magical damage you deal is determined by the last magical attack's damage type you took half of this way.     Spell Snatcher   At 15th level, your superior knowledge of the arcane arts allows you to benefit even more from the types of creatures you've slain. If a creature with an challenge rating of 10 or more you have killed before casts a spell on you of any kind, you learn that spell (unless it is a level 9 spell, or otherwise not available to explorators or wizards), and the creature who cast it forgets it, unless they have it written down in a spellbook, where they will have to re-prepare the spell. You also cannot learn this spell if it is exclusive to a person, or you lack certain requirements to learn it.   You still must copy this spell into your spellbook, however it will only take 1 hour and 10 gp, as you have it magically memorized.      

TEMPEST MASTER

  Thunderclouds circle overhead, your eyes alive with the strength of a lightning bolt, you have mastered the ability to control the weather. Your adventuring had lead you to find some ancient relic imbued with stormy magic. Arcane abilities run in your blood but never fully manifested into sorcery. You have studied under the influences of a generous storm giant. No matter the reason, you now find yourself with the power to command the skies to do your bidding.     Charged Metal   When you choose this adventurous goal at 3rd level, you can imbue electric power into your weapon. You can choose one weapon you are holding that is made of metal to deal an extra 1d6 lightning damage for 10 minutes. You can also end the effect early as a bonus action. The weapon can also be the head of an arrow, but it can only be one arrow, not the bow itself.   Alternatively, you can choose a metal or partially metal set of armor you are wearing to use this feature on. When you do, you have resistance to lightning damage for 10 minutes as long as you are wearing at least one piece of the armor set. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses after you finish a long rest.     Weather Caster   Also at 3rd level, at any time, you can change the current weather into a new type of weather. Such weather includes: sunny, overcast, rain or stormy. If it is winter, or otherwise below freezing point, rain might be snow or hail, instead. Any of these weather conditions must be harmless, meaning the rain isn't freezing cold and the only lightning during a storm is distant. This also means you can't change hostile weather conditions into a harmless one, such as extreme weather.     Storm's Constitution   When you reach 7th level, you gain resistance to all acid, cold fire, lightning and thunder damage dealt by a creature you have killed before.     Lightning Rod   Beginning at 11th level, you can summon a bolt of lightning on a creature you have killed before, forcing them to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 4d10 lightning or thunder (your choice) damage, and half as much damage on a successful one. If it is grappling another creature, or being grappled by another creature, the two creatures each take half of the full damage (rounding up).     Wrath of the Storm   At 15th level, you can call upon the skies to generate a mighty storm. The storm has a 30-foot-radius and a 100-foot-height and lasts for 10 minutes, or until you end it early as a bonus action. You gain a flying speed equal to you walking speed for the duration of this feature, for as long as you are inside the area of the storm. If an effect of a storm ever asks a creature to make a saving throw, the DC for that saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. Creatures you have killed before have a disadvantage on all saving throws related to the storm's effects. As an action, you can choose one of the following storms to appear in the skies above:   Acid Rain: Grey clouds circle overhead as the sky turns a sickening green. At the beginning of each creature's turn, they make a Constitution saving throw. They take 2d6 acid damage on a fail, and half as much on a success. Plants have a disadvantage on the saving throw.   Blizzard: A cold chill falls over the land as colors begin to fade and heavy snow and hail pounds the ground. At the beginning of each creatures turn within the area for the duration, they make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 cold damage on a fail, and half as much damage on a success. Also during the duration of the effect, the area is in dim light, and colors cannot be discerned (unless they are created by magical means, such as by a spell).   Hurricane: Heavy rain pours down, drenching all creatures below. All non-magical ranged weapon attacks have a disadvantage when rolling to hit, and only have half their normal and long range. All creatures within the area are also deafened for the duration due to the heavy pounding of rain and the are of the storm is in dim light.   Fire Storm: Orange and red clouds roll overhead as an immense heat begins to take place. As a bonus action, you can send three hurling balls of fire to each hit a target from the skies. The targets must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 fire damage. Multiple fire balls can be aimed at a single target, but the target makes an individual saving throw for each fire ball.   Thunder Storm: Dark and swirling clouds cover the skies as a light rain begins to fall. As a bonus action, you can attempt to strike a single target with a bolt of lightning. The target makes a Dexterity saving throw, and takes 4d10 lightning or thunder damage (your choice) on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. If they are hit, they are deafened for 1 round. If the target was grappling another creature or being grappled by another creature, the two creatures each take half the damage (rounding up) and are both deafened for 1 round.   When you call the storm, you can also make a couple of creatures immune to the environmental damage they may take during the storm. The number of creatures you can make immune is equal to your proficiency bonus, and they are each immune to the damage of the acid rain and blizzard storms, which affect each creature each round. They are also immune to the fire balls and lightning bolts of the fire storm and thunder storm, even when the are the one grappling or being grappled by another creature in the case of the thunder storm (but the other creature will then take full damage as opposed to the half damage it would normally take). You are always immune to all damage dealt by storms you create and don't count against the number of creatures you make immune, as well.   The storm vanishes in 1d4 rounds after you drop to 0 hit points, fall unconscious, or die before the duration ends.