Prophet
A sickly human child stains her bed sheets red, as she coughs blood. She cries no more tears, she is too tired. She has only the effort to live for one final prayer. She closes her eyes and speaks kind words for her family, and asks her god to grant a vision, evidence that all will be well. Her eyes snap open and shine a brilliant blue, as she is cured of her disease and granted images of a long, healthy life.
A half-orc sits in quiet contemplation. He allows his senses to do what they’ve never been allowed: rest. He is calm and smells the mist of ocean spray, as the water depths seem to speak to him. He wakes to find he has been in this meditative state for hours, and with knowledge of things to come, knowledge nobody will believe.
An old dwarf pulls himself by a cane into a group of lively youths. He looks to one that has been the subject of his dreams and touches her belly. He speaks an incantation, and a pain she has suffered for weeks subsides.
Prophets are the instruments by which divine or cosmic forces influence the world. Whether they have devoted their life into the service of a god who has granted them vision and purpose, or have tapped into the idle intelligence of the universe itself by way of study, all prophets go forth and weave - or unweave - the threads of fate. It is their knowledge of unpredictable events and unknowable secrets that gives them power.
Fear for the Future
The multiverse is an unpredictable and volatile amalgam of places and events. Chaos and order are in conflict more often than not, and almost always counter to what the denizens of these universes would like. Because of this, a prophet is seldom granted visions of a perfect future where all is well. Instead, these gifted few are cursed with knowledge of lovecraftian horrors and dystopian politics.
Once granted these powers, prophets are compelled to see their visions through to an end - usually with the intentions of fostering a better tomorrow. Prophets spend years tugging at the threads of fate that have been revealed to them until one unravels and splits. Then, these augers go forward and tip dominoes and fluster butterflies until the cascading effects, known only to them, bring about something better.
Crazed and Unused
Prophets are almost always unheaded by their planar peers. They are as much a victim of fate as they are a herald of it, and find themselves alone with their knowledge. Most prophets are travelers until the day they find the one or two people who believe their words and take on the cosmic quest that lay between a future of ruin and one of providence.
Stories of the mumbling, homeless man that lives on the outskirts between civilization and the forest overflow throughout the world, but when these stories also speak of strange magic and ubiquitous characters, they certainly describe a prophet.
If a prophet can study and learn to manage their new powers, it is possible for them to avoid the mind crumbling pressure that turns many of their kind into mindless, crazy doomsayers; and, instead, into captains of circumstance and masters of kismet.
Creating a Prophet
As you make your prophet, take the time to think about from where their divine insight stems. Did a god or extra-planar entity grant them access to their well of knowledge? Were they practicing magic and stumbled into a font of power defined by the unknowable things it could explain? Perhaps they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a rift between what is and what could be touched their mind, and now their brain has been downloaded with a library's worth of unorganized, raw data!
Work with your DM to determine what, if anything, your character can know about the campaign ahead of time without ruining the fun! What you know can be anything from campaign altering to just convenient.
What kind of relationship do you have with this gift? Maybe being crazy, but intelligent beyond comparison is fun. Would you rather command your power over fate and draw on the lesser knowledge of the world to help you in your day-to-day life?
How do you access this new power? Do visions come to you, or must you scry and use the power of your intent to see the things to come?
Class Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Prophet level
Hit points at first level: 8 + your constitution modifier.
Hit points at higher levels: 1d8 + your constitution modifier per prophet level after 1st.
Proph-iciencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: None
Saving throws: Intelligence, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two skills from Religion, Arcana, History, Insight, and Medicine
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to that which is provided by your background.
One simple weapon and a staff
A scholar’s pack OR a diplomat’s pack
Leather armor
A component pouch OR an arcane focus
Class Features
A Second’s Glance
Starting at first level, you are provided random glimpses into your future. These glimpses are of only a few seconds yet to come, but give you enough time to avoid danger or place a perfect strike.
Your AC equals 10 + double your intelligence modifier.
You may use your intelligence modifier instead of strength when making your attack rolls with simple, melee weapons.
At second level, you may cast Shillelagh on any simple, melee weapon.
Portent
Starting at first level, you dream of things to come, sometimes small victories for you and your allies, or failures for your enemies. You may roll five foretelling dice (D4s) when you finish a long rest - or up to two when you finish a short rest - and record these numbers. Before your next rest, you may decide to add or subtract any sum of these numbers to any attack roll, saving throw or ability check of a creature you can see. This is a free action, and you can choose to do so after that creature’s dice is rolled, but before the outcome is described.
For example, if you have foretelling dice of 2, 2, 3 and 4 and you would like to bring an ally’s attack roll from 9 to beat an enemy AC of 16, you may add the 4 and the 3 to your ally’s roll. Then, you lose those two foretelling dice.
Once you use a fortelling dice in this way, it is lost until you reroll and regain it after your next rest. You lose any unspent foretelling dice if you begin a long rest without using it.
You get an additional foretelling dice at 4th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th level.
Gifts of the Prophet
At second level, your recollections of the future have imbued you with knowledge that affords you a talent with magical abilities.
You know the amount of cantrips and spells described in the Prophet Table above. The table also shows you the amount of spell slots and what level those slots are.
When you level up, and you can learn a new spell, you may choose to learn a spell from the spell list in appendix A with a spell level equal to or less than your spell slot level.
As you level up, whenever you are allowed to learn spells in this way, you may exchange spells you know for another spell you wish to know - which can be of any level equal to or less than the spell slot level available to you.
Spell casting ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability, and you use your intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability, when setting saving throw DCs for your spells, and when making spell attack rolls.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your intelligence modifier
Spell Attack Modifier = Your Proficiency bonus + your intelligence modifier
Prophetic Insight
Starting at third level, your destiny has become intertwined with the destiny of all things around you. You have developed a knack for sussing out the fate of things and reading between the lines of your visions and dreams. This growing talent imbues your magic with peculiar abilities known as insights.
The Prophet table indicates how many insights you may know at a given level. You choose two at third level, then again at every level where the insights known are increased in the prophet table. Whenever you would learn an insight in this way, you may also choose to replace an existing insight with another.
Alternatively, you may spend an attunement ritual (a six hour focused, non-resting block of time) to replace an insight with another.
See Appendix B for a list and description of the insights available to you.
Ability Score Improvement
At fourth level - then again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th - you can increase one ability score of your choice by two OR two ability scores by one. You cannot increase an ability score above 20 in this way.
Visions of Combat
Beginning at 6th level, your visions of what is to come are far more detailed. You can react twice per round - either normally or from the reactions listed below.
When a creature you can see within 5 ft. of you is dealt damage, the veil of time is lifted, and you see what could have been done to avoid the pain. You may use a reaction to enlighten the creature and reduce the damage dealt by half.
When a creature you can see ends their turn in the area of an effect that would harm them at the start of their next turn - and they are not grappled or otherwise unable to move - you get a vision of the pain they are about to endure. You provide them up to 10 ft. of extra movement to move as far out of the affected area as possible - or as close to the edge as they can get - that they may use immediately as a free action if they so desire.
You’ve known how the creatures around you are going to act before they do. As a reaction, you may take an attack of opportunity when a hostile creature enters your threatened area.
Final Destiny
Beginning at 7th level you sense all the forces of death that surround you, and your allies. You meditate on these visions briefly upon waking each day, and choose a single fate to avoid.
You select a damage type and gain resistance to it - from non magical sources - until you choose a different one after a long rest. Furthermore, you may sacrifice any amount of foretelling dice and grant that amount of allies the same resistance for 24 hours.
Evasion
Starting at 10th level, your visions are more profound and even more detailed. Time seems to stop as you analyse these pre-collections and whenever an effect allows you to roll to take half damage, you take no damage on a success.
Possibilities and Timelines
Starting at eleventh level, you realize that what you see is not always the future you experience - evidenced by how often you have changed the course of history. Instead, you are seeing possible futures that may or may not be. You reach into these possible futures and take a fraction of their insight and power!
When you roll your foretelling dice after a long rest, if any are 4s, you may create a temporary foretelling dice that is also equal to four that lasts for as long as you do not use it. Temporary foretelling dice created in this way are not lost in any way other than spending or sacrificing them as a resource.
Herald of the Divine
Beginning at 14th level, you begin to glint at the nature of your powers. You have become familiar with the god that bestowed them upon you, or understand the fundamental underpinnings of the nature of time and perception. Either way, your gift is that of an intermediary between the mortals of your world and the forces that command them.
Twice between long rests you may cast a 4th level spell from the cleric spell list. Spells cast in this way are cast as 4th level spells and cannot be affected by your foretelling dice (not even spells that exist on the prophet spell list as well). Doing so in this way does not cost a spell slot or count against your spells known.
Master Diviner
Beginning at 15th level, divination magic has soaked into your essence, mind, and body. Casting such magic is second nature and you literally do it in your sleep.
Whenever you cast a divination spell, you may create a temporary foretelling dice with a value equal to your highest existing, non-temporary foretelling dice. Temporary dice created in this way are lost at the start of a long rest.
All that is Secret is Known
Starting at 18th level, you command the fates to deliver unto you information. You scry through the various windows into the future to learn what you need to win or survive.
Once between long rests you may choose to learn one thing from the list of options below.
Alternatively, you may ask the fates three yes or no questions that they (the DM) must answer truthfully with a ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘unknowable’. If you choose to do this, you must ask all three questions immediately in a row.
Doing either of these during combat counts as an action.
The list of actions a target creature with a CR 6 or less has available.
One ability of a creature with a CR 6 or less. What is revealed may be decided by a dice roll or the DM’s discretion.
The direction of a creature you have both seen and know by name. If that creature is within 10 miles, you know its location exactly.
The current thought, immediate plan, or feeling of a creature you can see.
The relationships among a group of 7 or less creatures you can see. (i.e. who is friends with whom, and what might happen if you kill a creature’s leader or lover). The extent of this information can be determined by dice roll or DM discretion. The DM must provide at least one scrap of information per creature, but not necessarily for each creature.
Greater Portent
Starting at 20th level, the tapestry of fate has been revealed to you all but entirely! You see how each path of destiny twists, turns, and connects. Half your foretelling dice are now D8s and your possibilities and timelines feature triggers whenever you roll an 8 and/or a 4.
Appendix A: Prophet Spell List
Cantrips:
Resistance
Guidance
True strike
Spare the dying
Shillelagh
Thaumaturgy
Message
Level 1:
Shield of faith
Alarm
Heroism
Detect Poison and Disease
Detect Evil and Good
Bless
Hunter’s mark
Identify
Protection from Evil and Good
Divine favor
Faerie Fire
Level 2
Aid
Augury
Branding smite
Darkness
Darkvision
Continual flame
Detect thoughts
Find traps
Gust of wind
Levitate
Misty step
Level 3
Clairvoyance
Fear
Hypnotic pattern
Major Image
Plant growth
Water walk
Dispel magic
Counter spell
Level 4
Banishment
Blight
Locate creature
Wall of fire
Divination
Level 5
Awaken
Insect plague
Scrying
Level 6
Sunbeam
Word of recall
Chain Lightning
Level 7
Resurrection
Prismatic spray
Appendix B: Insights
An insight can be used only once between long rests.
There is a difference between spending a dice and sacrificing it.
When you spend a dice, you roll it and the resource is the number indicated. When you sacrifice a dice, the resource is the dice as a unit and when a description refers to the number of sacrificed dice, a sacrificed dice is only worth 1 - and two dice worth 2 and so on.
Reveal Advantage
After you cast true strike, you may give the spell’s insight and advantage to another willing creature you can see.
Disciples of the Faith
You may spend up to one foretelling dice when you cast shield of faith and target that many more creatures.
Unwavering Fate
When a creature you can see is affected by an ability that would allow them to make a saving roll to take only half damage, you may spend any amount of foretelling dice on them. That creature takes full damage, even if they still succeed their save with the decrease from your foretelling dice. You must declare this insight BEFORE being told if the target creature succeeded in their save.
‘I Said Rise!’
When you cast levitate, you may spend up to one foretelling dice and target that many more creatures.
Minor Fate
If any of your foretelling dice are equal to 1 after a long rest, you gain two additional, temporary foretelling dice that are also equal to 1.
Specter of Future Self
You call on the fate of a creature you can see with a CR or level equal to or less than your spell slot level. You summon their future self to fight alongside you.
You cast Major Image on a creature, and you may sacrifice five foretelling dice and grant the image a stat block from a CR 1 creature of the same type with attack roll statistics equal to the target creature’s. The duration of the spell drops from ten minutes to 40 seconds (four rounds), and acts on its own initiative. When the spell ends or the image’s health is reduced to 0, the image of future self fades back from whence it came.
‘Whirlwind is My Way!’
You may cast Gust of Wind by spending two foretelling dice instead of a spell slot. This increases the distance a creature is pushed by an amount of feet equal to 5 x the largest foretelling dice spent in this way. Furthermore, all creatures that are in the line of the spell make their first strength saving throw immediately at the end of your turn.
Fate Fearing
You may sacrifice two foretelling dice after you cast Fear. If you do, you may target creatures within two 30 ft. cones - one on two opposite sides of you. If you used a sixth level slot to cast the spell, you target creatures all around you.
Miraculous Teleportation
You may spend no less than two foretelling dice, and add an amount of feet to your next misty step equal to 5 x the largest foretelling dice sacrificed in this way.
Truth Speaker
Once per day, you look into a creature’s future regarding their personal life. You gain advantage on insight checks to detect if that creature is lying.
You may spend one foretelling dice and do this again that many more times before your next long rest.
‘Left, right, jump!’
You may cast shilelagh on another creature’s simple weapon without spending a spell slot.
‘Look out!’
As a reaction, you may spend one foretelling dice and increase a willing creature’s AC by that amount for four rounds OR 40 seconds. You must be able to see this creature, and this creature must not be suffering a condition that would prevent it from hearing you.
The Future has no place for the likes of you
You may sacrifice any amount of foretelling dice when you cast Banish. If you do, you may target that many more creatures - 1 who all only make a single spell save and suffer the same fate.
This insight stacks with the ‘at higher levels’ effect described in the spell.
Sherlokken’s Gaze
As a reaction, when a creature lands a hit you may spend any amount of foretelling dice and add that number to a target creature's damage roll.
Sure Footed
You pause and before you a future surrogate reveals the path of least resistance. You may spend a foretelling dice and increase your movement speed by that number times 5 ft. for one minute.
By Tomorrow’s Light
You call upon the light that once filled - or will come to fill - a dark space, and gain 60 ft. of darkvision for an amount of minutes equal to spent foretelling dice.
Even Surer Footed
You may sacrifice a foretelling dice. For an hour, you can move through difficult terrain as if it was normal terrain.
Second Chance
As a reaction, when your health is reduced to zero, you may spend up to two foretelling dice and be revived with that many hit points.
The Future Holds
You may spend any amount of foretelling dice, and apply it to a concentration spell. You may subtract your foretelling dice from the concentration, and the spell does not require concentration for the latter amount of the time.
Favor Granted
You may cast divine favor on another willing creature you can see and who can hear you. You may spend a foretelling dice to apply the divine favor to that many more willing creatures.
Divine resurrection
If you have an unused 7th level spell slot, and 10 non-temporary foretelling dice when you die, you automatically cast resurrection on yourself and sacrifice the slot and dice.