Priests of Athas

ATHAS IS FULL OF STORIES OF ITS OLD past, when the world was once a verdant paradise, with vast forests and fertile valleys, beneath a life-giving yellow sun. It was a time of honour and abundance and all the races lived in peace and prospered. It was a time when people would raise their hands to the sky and pray to divine entities for all the goods in their lives.

Of course, the stories can be as vague and wild as their storytellers. None has lived long enough to prove of such a time, and even the halfling myths are taken with a grain of salt. It is also widely known amongst sages that Athas had never had any such divine entity claim power over the world and, most importantly, it never will. The astral conduits that allow powers to draw strength from their worshipers don't exist on Athas. Without these astral conduits, divine power can't be attained or sustained. So priestly magic on Athas comes from two lesser sources: the elemental planes and the sorcerer-kings. Clerics and druids draw their power from the elemental planes while templars draw theirs directly from the sorcerer-kings who, ironically, claim to possess divine power.

Clerics are free-willed priests, tending the needs of the local people with their particular talents. They pay homage to one of the four elemental planes: air, earth, fire, or water. As long as they keep the pact they made with their elemental patron, they continue to receive spells to use in that element's service. These elemental clerics have no all-encompassing hierarchy, no great temples to call worshipers to, no holy books to draw knowledge and inspiration from. They tend to be loners and wanderers who travel the world in the service of the elements they revere.

Druids are priests who work to save the dying world. A druid serves nature and the ecological balance by selecting a particular natural feature or aspect of Athas to bind with. Through the Tablelands, unique geographical features are guarded by spirits of the land, and the druids serve these supernatural guardians, gaining access to primal magic. Like clerics, druids are loners, fiercely protecting their land and occasionally venturing forth to avenge defilers.

Templars are regimented warrior-priests devoted to a single sorcerer-king (or sorcerer-queen, in two occasions). Such disciples work within the hierarchy of that particular sorcerer-king's city-state, advancing in power and position, all the while promoting his or her power. The sorcerer-kings present themselves as gods and benefactors in their city-state, and templars draw their magical energy through them, which manifests as some sort of twisted divine magic.

Note that the spells the priests cast, with the exception of certain templars who dabble in arcane magic, never adversely affect the ecosystem in and of itself, as it happens in the case of arcane magic. The effects of a spell may have an impact on the environment (such as control weather or entangle), but the use of the magical energy itself doesn't destroy the environment like defiling magic. In game terms, clerics, druids, and templars follow the same rules for preparation and casting of spells, as detailed in the Player's Handbook. While the sources may be different, the effects are the same.


Athasian Priests

The term priest on Athas has come to refer to those persons who deal with the spiritual and philosophical matters of the world. Clerics babble about the teachings of their elemental patron, templars enforce the will of their sorcerer-king or queen, and tight-lipped druids struggle to protect the last remaining areas of life in the Tablelands, while hunting down all who oppose them.

Even though wizards study similar fields, they should not be treated as priests. Their approach is rather academic and they tend to keep the knowledge for themselves; οn the contrary, priests wish to speak from the heart (or the whip, for templars) and do not refrain from sharing their knowledge of the world. Besides, wizards are notorious for bringing Athas in its current state, through the destructive use of arcane magic, and are swiftly executed when found.

Sages have long debated the differences between these three types of priests, but they all agree that the powers they receive share some common traits: they are being manifested through patrons, do not affect negatively the ecosystem in any way, and they are firmly connected with spiritualism and the primordial elements. For these reasons, the sources of elemental and divine magic these priests tap into are collectively known on Athas as primal magic.



Presented here are the three "priest" classes of Athas. While the druid is mostly unaffected, now following Paths in the absence of Druid Circles, the cleric is widely different from its counterpart in the Player's Handbook, borrowing more from the warlock class in that clerics receive their spells and powers from elemental patrons for their obedience and promotion of their element's philosophy. The templar might seem like a new class, but it is actually a reflavoured paladin, a fanatical holy warrior sworn to uphold the tenets of his or her sorcerer-king. Instead of Oaths, templars gain Devotions that grant them certain positions amongst the ranks of their corrupted bureaucracy.

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Cleric

Unlike other worlds of the multiverse, true gods never existed on Athas, and never will. People do not revere or pray to any patron deity; instead, clerics who inhabit the wastes of Athas pledge themselves to the very powers that dwell on the elemental planes, gaining access to primal magic.

These elemental clerics are devout followers to one of the four elemental forces: air, earth, fire, or water. The forces are like the desert itself, neither benevolent nor malevolent, caring only that their natural forms be preserved in the material world. This is the source of their power, and the impending ecological collapse in this realm has created an unusual and dynamic power struggle on the inner planes of the elementals. The clerics of Athas are the pawns of this titanic struggle.

To the elemental beings of the inner planes, the raw condition of natural elements on Athas is fodder – food and sustainance. Since the destruction of the land, these elements are now barren and lifeless, like the heart of a sorcerer-king, and the elemental spirits are upset with the meager fare being set before them. For these reasons, the elemental beings have deigned to forge a pact with a few selected creatures. Through these few clerics, the elemental powers hope to replenish the decaying planet of Athas and return to the ancient, carefree days of power.

The Pact of the Elements

Before a pact is made between the elemental powers and the cleric, the petitioner must first undergo a special initiation that involves communication with its master, as well as enduring the raw forces that shape the cosmos. Thus, air clerics fall off cliffs to embrace the winds, earth clerics are buried alive under loose earth, fire clerics step into blazing bonfires, and water clerics are submersed into murky waters.

The pact is "signed" during the candidate's initiation, if he or she succeeds – failure means insanity, death, and occasionally even worse fates. Even violations of the various pacts are dealt with quickly and without pity.

The pact forged by the elemental powers with the mortals who serve them is a strange and terrible contract. The elementals demand nothing less than the entire lives of the clerics, spent in total service and obedience to these primal entities. In exchange, the elementals bestow what powers they have to give upon their priests. Some are great, some weak, but all of them demand the clerics' total commitment.

Elemental Agents

The clerics who do the elementals' bidding are a strange and varied lot. Some teach crop rotation in order to protect and restore the earth of the harsh planet. Others command the power of flame for little more than vengeance's sake and yet others are merely power-hungry. Whatever their motivations, each cleric is a force to be reckoned with, bound and sworn to preserve his or her elemental patron in the physical realm. Few ever renounce the solemn agreement – to forsake the Primal Pact is to incur the wrath of beings who possess the raw power of the elements.

Powerful as they might sound, these elementals are limited and dwindling in power over the world of Athas. Because of








































this, they grant access to primal
magic to a mere few. Clerics do not
recruit vast numbers of followers, nor
are there mighty cathedrals or lonely monasteries dedicated to the worship of the primal entities. Only through the subtle lessons taught by campfire tales and in isolated, secret shrines can the desperate message of preservation survive in the cold shadow cast by the sorcerer-kings.

Sometimes hunted, often ignored, rarely appreciated, these few are Athas's last hope. And like the sands of the earth, they strive to slip through the defilers' iron fingers and work the transformation of Athas through their primal magic... or die in the attempt.

Creating a Cleric

As you create your Athasian cleric, you should take into consideration two primary objectives: your duty and your goal, although these two can sometimes be one and the same.

Your duty is to live up to the pact you made with your patron. Water clerics, for instance, must often preserve water and try to encourage others to do the same. Fire clerics wish to replenish the mighty forests and cities, but only so that their patrons can revel and feed in the flaming construction.

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The Cleric
Level Proficiency
Bonus
Features Cantrips
Known
Spells
Known
Spell
Slots
Slot
Level
Incantations
Known
1st +2 Elemental Patron, Pact Magic 2 2 1 1st
2nd +2 Primal Incantations 2 3 2 1st 2
3rd +2 Primal Boon 2 4 2 2nd 2
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 5 2 2nd 2
5th +3 3 6 2 3rd 3
6th +3 Elemental Patron feature 3 7 2 3rd 3
7th +3 3 8 2 4th 4
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 9 2 4th 4
9th +4 3 10 2 5th 5
10th +4 Elemental Patron feature 4 10 2 5th 5
11th +4 Primordial Mysterium (6th level) 4 11 3 5th 5
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 11 3 5th 6
13th +5 Primordial Mysterium (7th level) 4 12 3 5th 6
14th +5 Elemental Patron feature 4 12 3 5th 6
15th +5 Primordial Mysterium (8th level) 4 13 3 5th 7
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 13 3 5th 7
17th +6 Primordial Mysterium (9th level) 4 14 4 5th 7
18th +6 4 14 4 5th 8
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 15 4 5th 8
20th +6 Elemental Master 4 15 4 5th 8

Your cleric should likewise encourage the spread of your particular element and preserve and protect whatever quantity remains.

Your goal is what motivated you to call on the elemental planes in the first place. The vast majority are concerned about the fate of Athas and wish to stop the devastating practices of the sorcerer-kings and the reckless defilers. Others have different motives. You could seek revenge for real or imagined wrongs, wish to protect your lands and tribes, or simply crave the staggering power offered by the desperate elementals.

Through pacts made with the mystical beings of the elemental planes, you are imbued with primal magic, and you strive to embody the handiwork of your elemental patron. You combine the helpful magic of healing and inspiring your allies with spells that harm and hinder foes, or gain access to minor but lasting alterations to your being (such as the ability to see in the dark or to read any language). Pursuing the duties of your elemental patron often involves braving dangers within and beyond the walls of civilisation.

Quick Build

You can make a cleric quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the Hermit background or Nomad social rank.

Class Features

As a cleric, you gain the following features.

Hit points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per cleric level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per cleric level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light armor
  • Weapons: All simple weapons
  • Tools: None
  • Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Persuasion, Religion, and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background or social rank:

  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) leather armor and two daggers or (b) a nomad's pack
  • Any simple weapon and your holy element

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Elemental Patron

At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with an elemental patron of your choice: Air, Earth, Fire, or Water, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. In addition, you learn to read and write Primordial. The damage you deal with spells and powers, and the elemental symbol that you carry with you are of a type associated with your element:

  • Air: lightning damage; a vial of cool breeze
  • Earth: bludgeoning damage; a chunk of ore or gemstone
  • Fire: fire damage; a piece of obsidian
  • Water: cold damage; a vial of pure water

Pact Magic

Your elemental patron has bestowed you with access to primal magic. See the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. The cleric spell list is detailed at the end of this chapter.

Cantrips

You know two cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You learn additional cantrips and at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known of the Cleric table.

Spell Slots

The Cleric table shows how many spell slots you have and what the level those slots is; all of your spell slots are of the same level. To cast one of your cleric spells of 1st level and higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

At 1st level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the cleric spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Cleric table shows when you learn more cleric spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what's shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the cleric spells you know and replace it with another spell from the cleric spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells, so you use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a cleric spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use your elemental symbol as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells.


Primal Incantations

As part of your mystical connection with your elemental patron, you unlock certain primal incantations, fragments of primeval knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

At 2nd level, you gain two primal incantations of your choice, detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain cleric levels, you gain additional incantations of your choice, as shown in the Incantations Known column of the Cleric table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the incantations you know and replace it with another incantation that you could learn at that level.

Primal Boon

At 3rd level, your elemental patron bestows a gift upon you for your loyal service. You gain one of the following features of your choice.

Pact of the Beast

You learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn't count against your number of spells known.

When you cast the spell, your familiar gets the form of a mephit that combines your associated element and the element with the strongest presence nearby. If you are an air cleric, for example, and you stand in a vast desert, your familiar takes the form of a dust mephit. When you are in an oasis, your familiar becomes an ice mephit, and if you stand next to a huge bonfire or a volcano, the familiar you summon takes the form of a smoke mephit. It is also considered an elemental.

Additionally, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack of its own. When you let your familiar attack, it does so with its reaction.

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Pact of the Hand

You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. It takes the form of a blade made of your elemental patron and deals 1d6 damage of your associated element You are proficient with it while you wield it. This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

While wielding your pact weapon, you cannot be disarmed. Your pact weapon disappears however if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you are incapacitated or dead.

Pact of the Ancients

Your patron gives you a Bone Staff with ancient knowledge inscribed on it. When you gain this feature, choose three cantrips from any class's spell list. These spells are considered cleric spells for you. While the staff is in your person, you can cast those cantrips at will. They don't count against your number of cantrips known.

If you lose your Bone Staff, you can perform an 8-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed once a day only, and it destroys the previous staff. The staff turns to dust when you die.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th, you can increase one ability score of your choice by two points, or two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Primordial Mysterium

At 11th level, your patron bestows upon you a primordial secret called a mysterium. Choose one 6th-level spell from the cleric spell list as your mysterium.

You can cast this mysterium once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

At higher levels, you gain more cleric spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Primordial Mysterium when you finish a long rest.

Elemental Master

At 20th level, you can draw on you inner reserve of elemental power while entreating your patron to regain expended slots. You can spend 1 minute pleading your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.


Elemental Patrons

The mystical beings that call the elemental planes home possess enormous strength. Those who commune with them, however, say they complain incessantly about the dryness of the earth, the scarcity of cool breezes, and roar louder than thunder when defiling magic begins to eat at their souls like leprosy. When clerics tap their patron plane for spells and powers, they have no idea which of these entinties will answer the call. Rarely do the spirits reveal their identities, but somehow the dwellers of the planes always seem to know whether their servants have fulfilled their Pact, and they grant or deny them access accordingly.

Air

Clerics who make pacts with the denizens of the Plane of Air are usually wanderers, diviners, travelers, and mystics. Some call them frauds, but most villagers and nomads ask them to peer into the future and tell whether their crops will succeed or fail, of prospective marriages, and fate.

Like the winds, their minds are constantly wandering, and they rarely seem focused on a current problem or situation. Some say that is because they are empowered by flighty patrons, while others claim that repetitive viewing of the future drives one mad.

The single most important principle of the beings of air and their initiates is freedom. Like their patrons, air clerics generally loathe restriction in their movement, personalities, belief, practices, and clothing, and they rebel against any attempts to impose limitations. This makes them enemies of all forms of bondage and slavery, a trait that gets them more often than not in trouble with the city-states.

Expanded Spell List

The element of Air lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a cleric spell. The following spells are added to the cleric spell for you. In addition, you learn the lightning lash* and gust cantrips, and they don't count against the number of cantrips you know.

Spell Level Spells
1st feather fall, ray of shock*
2nd dust devil, warding wind
3rd create smoke, wind wall
4th freedom of movement, storm sphere
5th control winds, shocking wave*

Aspect of Air

Starting at 1st level, you gain advantage on saving throws against spells or magical effects that deal lightning damage, and wind-based spells and magical effects.

Refreshing Breeze

Starting at 6th level, you are constantly covered by a refreshing breeze, and your skin is always cool to the touch. You only need half the amount of water per day. Additionally, you add your Charisma modifier when expending Hit Dice on a short rest.

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Power of Wind

Starting at 10th level, you gain resistance to lightning damage from spells or magical effects.

Control Missiles

Starting at 14th level, you can gain control of missiles by harnessing the winds to block or guide them. Whenever you or an ally that you can see within 30 feet is attacked by a ranged weapon, you can use your reaction and cause the attack to automatically fail. Alternatively, you can use your bonus action to guide yours or your ally's missiles. Any ranged attacks you or one ally of your choice makes until the start of your next turn gain +10 to the attack roll.

Earth

For clerics devoted to the Plane of Earth, everything of earth is raw material: rock, sand, trees. It is their duty to protect and preserve these, and they constantly strive to enrich and shield the harsh wastes of Athas.

Earth clerics tend to be defensive. Earth endures, and like the mountains and the drying plains, they must bear the brunt of the fight for Athas's survival. Closely tied to nature, the devotees of earth understand the true meaning of the cycle of life. When something dies, its organic material is returned to the soil to provide life for another. An earth cleric's outlook on life is thus utilitarian; the loss of a companion, though tragic, is simply one stage in nature's endless chain of creation and annihilation.

Perhaps the most important task of an earth cleric is to oppose defilers – they may never travel with a known defiler, work with one, or allow a defiler cast any spell in their presence. Due to their defensive nature, however, they do not hunt them down, like druids do. Instead, they try to reform them or limit their destruction of the land. Other than that, they usually teach the nature of the life cycle, and proper agricultural techniques to the Athasians.

Expanded Spell List

The element of Earth lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a cleric spell. The following spells are added to the cleric spell for you.


In addition, you learn the stunning stone* and move earth cantrips, and they don't count against the number of cantrips you know.

Spell Level Spells
1st earth tremor, rock servant*
2nd barkskin, earthbind
3rd erupting earth, wall of sand
4th stone shape, vitriolic sphere
5th transmute rock, wall of stone

Aspect of Earth

Starting at 1st level, you gain advantage on saving throws against spells or magical effects that affect you movement speed in any way. In addition, you are immune to the prone condition.

Encasement

Starting at 6th level, you can magically bury yourself beneath earth to get cured of any ailments or wounds. You must be


standing on loose earth and use your action to meld into the ground. Afterwards, you must spend at least 1 minute concentrating while buried before you can remove one disease, the poisoned condition, or heal a number of hit points equal to you Charisma modifier + half your cleric level.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Hard as Stone

Starting at 10th level, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.

Attuned to the Land

Starting at 14th level, you can cast pass without trace on yourself at will. In addition, whenever a defiler within 30 feet of you casts a spell, you may use your reaction to block the defiler from accessing the necessary magical energy and empower the spell. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the defiler's spell is negated, but you take psychic damage equal to twice the spell slot of the spell.

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Fire

The most feared and unpredictable of the Athasian clerics are those of the Plane of Fire. Some say these individuals lose their mind during initiation, while others believe one must be insane to petition to the destructive beings of flame in the first place. Whatever the reason for their erratic nature, fire clerics are the most destructive of the elemental priests.

Fire clerics have earned their reputation for two reasons, one being their aggresive and offensive behaviour; they will laugh maniacally while their enemies are incinerated, and they appear to thrive only when everything around them is being devoured by the fiery appetites of their patrons. The other being the sorcerer-kings and the defilers, who are horrified by their destructive nature. Many people see fire clerics as wandering madmen who squander their resources for no discernable reason, yet they are often asked to slay marauding creatures or to eliminate bands of raiders.

A large part of fire clerics is dedicated to the defeat of the sorcerer-kings and all defilers. Wielding the power of the inferno, they are in constant need of fertile land, for they know that forests and plains destroyed by their flaming touch will grow back stronger than before. Since defilers ruin these lands, it is only fitting for fire clerics to be natural enemies. While they share the teaching of life cycle like earth clerics, it is their overzealous behaviour that worries the rest of their erstwhile associates.

Expanded Spell List

The element of Fire lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a cleric spell. The following spells are added to the cleric spell for you. In addition, you learn the control flames and produce flame cantrips, and they don't count against the number of cantrips you know.

Spell Level Spells
1st obsidian knife*, radiant glow*
2nd continual flame, pyrotechnics
3rd create smoke, flame arrows
4th fire shield, wall of fire
5th flame strike, immolation

Aspect of Fire

Starting at 1st level, you gain advantage on saving throws against spells or magical effects that deal fire damage.

Cleansing Flame

Starting at 6th level, you can step into magical fire to heal you of any wounds. You can cast a special create bonfire with a duration of 1 round on yourself; you don't make a saving throw and you instantly restore a number of hit points equal to the spell's damage roll + your Charisma modifier.

Once you use that feature, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Flame-Touched

Starting at 10th level, you gain resistance to fire damage from spells or magical effects.


Reign of Fire

Starting at 14th level, you master the magic to harness the raw elements from your patron and can increase the power of your spells, at the cost of getting yourself burnt out. When you cast a cleric spell that deals fire damage, you can deal maximum damage with that spell.

The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 2d12 psychic damage for each level of the spell, immediately after you cast it. Each time you use this feature again before finishing a long rest, the psychic damage per spell level increases by 1d12. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.

Water

None are more desperate among the elemental brotherhood than the devotees of the Plane of Water. Screaming for each drop lost to the parched earth, water clerics know that they must quench the thirst of the land, but every spilled drop of water is yielded grudgingly, since water on Athas has nearly perished.

Water clerics may seem desperate and vengeful against those who waste their sacred element. Still, they perform the age-old functions of water as healer and bringer of life. They offer aid to those in need, try to cure the ill and the wounded, and provide help to the thirsty lands. Most people view them as saviours when they arrive, for they hold the power of surviving the burning lands of           Athas. But the sorcerer-kings and the templars loathe             them and strive to see them executed. Water clerics                 know they are in danger when in proximity of                              a city-state, so they go into great pains                                         to hide their identity.

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Even though they perform their sacred tasks grudgingly, water clerics know it's their duty to provide Athas with perhaps the most valuable material – water. The only ones who are denied the healing powers of a water cleric are those wasting it and defilers, who are mostly the target of their cruel vengeance. Apart from that, the elemental beings demand that their clerics preserve and protect the water that remains. This involves irrigation, conservation, and the cleansing of existing water supplies. Unfortunately, it also means frequent conflict with defilers and the lackeys of the sorcerer-kings.

Expanded Spell List

The element of Water lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a cleric spell. The following spells are added to the cleric spell for you. In addition, you learn the ray of frost and shape water cantrips, and they don't count against the number of cantrips you know.

Spell Level Spells
1st armour of frost*, create or destroy water*
2nd coat mist*, frostblade*
3rd circle of life*, water walk
4th aura of purity, control water
5th greater restoration, mass cure wounds

Aspect of Water

Starting at 1st level, you gain advantage on spells or magical effects that deal cold damage, and water-based spells or magical effects.

Healing Draught

Starting at 6th level, you can bestow healing magic on a flask of water. Once per day, you can spend 1 hour to create a healing draught that has a pool of hit points that you can restore, equal to your cleric level x 5. As an action, you can drink from it or administer it to a creature of your choice and restore a number of hit points, up to the maximum remaining in your pool. Alternatively, you can expend 5 hit points from your pool of healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralise one poison affecting it. A creature healed in this way does not to need water for the rest of the day.

You can only create one such healing draught; if you create a new one, the old one turns into dust.

Inured to Cold

Starting at 10th level, you gain resistance to cold damage from spells or magical effects.

Watery Nature

Starting at 14th level, whenever you are hit by acid, fire, or poison damage, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to this type of damage for 1 minute. You can only have resistance to one damage type, however. In addition, you are immune to petrified and poisoned conditions.


Primal Incantations

If a primal incantation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the incantations at the same time you meet its prerequisites. If a level requirement is detailed, it refers to cleric level, not character level.

Armour of the Ancients

You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Auspex

Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast divination once using a cleric spell slot. Once you cast the spell, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Beast Speech

You can cast speak with animals at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Beguiling Words

Prerequisite: 15th level
You can cast suggestion at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Cosmic Sight

You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Defiler's Bane

You can cast bane once using a cleric spell slot. Defilers and undead make the saving throw with disadvantage. Once you cast the spell, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Elemental Blast

Prerequisite: 9th level
You can channel through energy from your associated element and shape it into a devastating blast. You expend a cleric spell slot and create a 60-foot cone; each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 8d8 damage of the associated type on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Elemental Fervour

Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Hand feature
When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Elemental Force

When you cast a damaging cantrip, add your Charisma to the damage it deals on a hit.

Elemental Spear

When you cast a damaging cantrip with a range more than 5 feet, its range becomes 300 feet.

Elfrunner

You can cast longstrider at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

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Eyes of the Ancients

You can read all writing.

Eyes of Vigilance

You can cast alarm at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Gaze of Two Minds

You can use your action to touch a willing humanoid and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature's senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, but you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.

Lure of the Inner Planes

Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast hypnotic pattern once using a cleric spell slot. Once you cast the spell, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Misty Visions

You can cast silent image at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

One with the Elements

Prerequisite: 5th level
When you are close to an element associated with your elemental patron, you can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or reaction. The element must fill at least a 5-foot area (a brazier or bonfire, a pool of water or mud, a gust of wind, loose earth or sand).

Otherworldly Leap

Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast jump on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Peering Mind

Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast detect thoughts at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Primeval Force

When you hit a creature with a damaging cantrip, you can push the creature up to 10 feet away from you in a straight line.

Primeval Vigour

You can cast false life on yourself at will as a 1st-level spell, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Shield of Life

Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast death ward once using a cleric spell slot. Once you cast the spell, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.


Sight of the Primordials

Prerequisite: 15th level
You can see the true form of any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet of you and within line of sight.

Skin of the Elements

Prerequisite: 7th level
You can imbue your flesh or that of a willing creature with the resolve of elementals. You expend a cleric spell slot and gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for 1 hour. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Soothing Words

You gain proficiency in Animal Handling and Persuasion.

Tongue of the Ancient Secrets

Prerequisite: Pact of the Ancients feature
You can now inscribe magical rituals on your Bone Staff. Choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class's spell list. The spells appear in the staff and don't count against the number of spells you know. With your Bone Staff in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can't cast the spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. You can also cast a cleric spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

Visions of Distant Realms

Prerequisite: 15th level
You can cast locate creature at will, without expending a spell slot.

Voice of the Beast Master

Prerequisite: Pact of the Beast feature
You can communicate telepathically with your familiar and perceive through your familiar's senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your familiar's senses, you can also speak through your familiar in your own voice, even if your familiar is normally incapable of speech.

Whispers of the Elements

Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast speak with elements* at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Druid

Athasian druids differ from the loosely organised worshipers of ancient nature gods commonly found in other worlds. The harsh conditions of the wastes and the absence of divine powers have forced the druids to turn to other means of obtaining power and protecting nature, by allying with the whimsical spirits of the wastelands.

The druids of Athas are solitary creatures that concentrate their considerable abilities in a single area – their guarded lands. Through a mystical initiation that involves deep meditation and communication with the spirits of the land, the druid is able to power his or her magical abilities to defend and restore the dying world, as well as exact revenge on those responsible for its demise.

Bane of Sorcerer-Kings

Legends say that the mysterious druid circles turned to face the sorcerer-kings and their constant defiling of the land, when they began their reign of terror. While at first the resistance was fierce and fearsome, eventually, the primal folk were no match for the sheer power of these dark sorcerers; their blood ran freely over their guarded lands in what has come to be called the Eradication. They were hunted to virtual extinction, and many thought that their order had vanished from Athas forever.

Now, the few druids who remain to this day insist that they are biding their time in their guarded lands. In the mountains, the deserts, or the valleys of Athas where these brooding and vengeful folk reside, they train for battle, learning to fight the defilers' magic, and carefully rebuilding their ranks. One day, they claim, they will rise from the earth with the spirits of their ancient, fallen brothers and sisters and erase the mark of the sorcerer-kings from Athas; only then will they purge their bitter memories.

Time of Wandering

Druids usually spend their days in contemplation of nature, and tending their guarded lands; one may watch over a particular stretch of open desert, another may protect a belt of scrub grass in the middle of a rocky badland, while still another might watch over a small oasis that lies within an expanse of stony barrens, always hidden and alway watching.





















More often than not, however, druids embark on a long journey, known as the Time of Wandering. During that time, they travel around the wastes to learn about Athas, to protect nature, and to further their own aims. As wanderers, they hunt down powerful defilers who despoil the lands. As visionaries, they perform similar duties like the clerics, offering healing and teaching the local population how to properly cultivate the land and live in harmony with their surroundings. Athasian druids fight for an almost lost cause, and it matters not if that cause is revenge against those who destroyed the land and friends or a ceaseless desire to bring green and hope to Athas.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Creating a Druid

The druid class on Athas follows the same rules and mechanics, as found in the Player's Handbook. There are a few notable exceptions, though:

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light armor
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, scimitars
  • Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background or social rank:

  • (a) a scimitar or (b) four javelins
  • (a) a leather armor or (b) a nomad's pack
  • (a) a sling or (b) two daggers

Wild Shape

Not all the beasts in the Player's Handbook and Monster Manual are present in the barren wastes of Athas. The following table lists the beasts that are available with the Wild Shape feature. Creatures marked with an asterisk are described later in this chapter.

Challenge Rating Beasts
0 Bat, giant fire beetle, lizard, rat, scorpion, spider
1/8 Giant rat, jankx*, kes'trekel*, poisonous snake
1/4 Baazrag*, constrictor snake, erdlu*, giant bat, giant centipede, giant lizard, giant poisonous snake, giant wolf spider, jhakar*, kank*, panther
1/2 Crodlu*, screamer beetle*, wezer*
1 Cha'thrang*, giant spider, kluzd*, lirr*

Primal Paths

As mentioned earlier, Athasian druids are not part of any druidic society that spans the wastes, or belong to certain druid circles. Instead, they adhere to primal paths that lead them to unique perspectives on nature, balance, and the way of the druid. While the primal paths are many and varied, the two most common are presented here: the Path of the Land, and the Path of the Beast.

Path of the Land is basically Circle of the Land; the only differences noted are the types of land and their respective path spell lists. Silt Basin includes mudflats, estuaries and the shores of the Sea of Silt.

Forest
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd barksin, spider climb
5th plant growth, spirit guardian
7th freedom of movement, grasping vine
9th commune with nature, tree stride

Mountain
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd spider climb, earthbind
5th lightning bolt, meld into stone
7th stone shape, stoneskin
9th passwall, wall of stone
Rocky Badlands
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd spider climb, spiked growth
5th clairvoyance, meld into stone
7th freedom of movement, locate creature
9th passwall, transmute rock
Salt Flats
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd levitate, protection from poison
5th water breathing, water walk
7th freedom of movement, giant insect
9th antilife shell, insect plague
Sandy Waste
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd blur, dust devil
5th protection from energy, wall of sand
7th blight, hallucinatory terrain
9th control winds, mislead
Scrub Plain
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd invisibility, pass without trace
5th haste, phantom steed
7th dimension door, greater invisibility
9th commune with nature, control winds
Silt Basin
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd levitate, misty step
5th water walk, slow
7th freedom of movement, dominate beast
9th transmute rock, hold monster
Stony Barrens
Druid Level Path Spells
3rd spiked growth, locate animals or plants
5th meld into stone, erupting earth
7th freedom of movement, stone shape
9th transmute rock, wall of stone

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Path of the Beast

Druids of the Path of the Beast commune with the spirits of nature, especially the spirits of beasts, and call to them for aid. These druids firmly believe that the beasts are the perfect embodiment of living spirits on Athas, and are sworn to defend them. If there is a natural means for Athas to protect itself against defilers, it is through these creatures, who are resistant enough to their defiling magic. The ecological devastation, however, that has been caused due to their sinister efforts for power, drastically affects these unfortunate creatures and, along with relentless hunters and monstrous predators, beasts face threats that they cannot defend against. It is the druid's charge then to secure a better life for these beasts, warding off their enemies.

Followers of this path become adventurers to oppose forces that threaten their charges or to seek knowledge and power that will help them safeguard their charges better. Wherever these druids go, the spirits of the wilderness are with them.

Speech of the Beast

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to converse with beasts. They can understand your speech and you can decipher their noises and motions. Most beasts lack the intelligence to convey or understand sophisticated concepts, but a friendly beast could relay what it has seen or heard in the recent past. This ability doesn't grant you friendship with beasts, though you can combine this ability with gifts to curry favour with them as you would with any NPC.

Spirit Totem

Starting at 2nd level, you can call forth nature spirits to influence the world around you. As a bonus action, you can magically summon an incorporeal spirit to a point you can see within 60 feet of you. The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents.

As a bonus action, you can move the spirit up to 60 feet to a point you can see.

The spirit persists for 1 minute or until you're incapacitated. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

The effect of the spirit's aura depends on the type of spirit you summon from the options below.

Klar Spirit. The klar spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.

Kes'trekel Spirit. The kes'trekel spirit is a consummate hunter, aiding you and your allies with its keen sight. When a creature makes an attack roll against a target in the spirit’s aura, you can use your reaction to grant advantage to that attack roll. In addition, you and your allies have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while in the aura.

Rasclinn Spirit. The rasclinn spirit lends its protection to those nearby. You and your allies gain advantage on all ability checks made to detect creatures in the spirit’s aura. In addition, if you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to any creature inside or outside the aura, each creature of your choice in the aura also regains hit points equal to your druid level.

Mighty Summoner

Starting at 6th level, beasts that you conjure are more resilient than normal. Any beast summoned or created by a spell that you cast gains the following benefits:

  • The creature appears with more hit points than normal: 2 extra hit points per Hit Die it has.
  • The damage from its natural weapons is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Guardian Spirit

Beginning at 10th level, your Spirit Totem safeguards the beasts that you call forth with your magic. When a beast that you summoned or created with a spell ends its turn in your Spirit Totem aura, that creature regains a number of hit points equal to half your druid level.

Faithful Summons

Starting at 14th level, the nature spirits you commune with protect you when you are the most defenseless. If you are reduced to 0 hit points or are incapacitated against your will, you can immediately gain the benefits of conjure animals as if it were cast using a 9th-level spell slot. It summons four beasts of your choice that are challenge rating 2 or lower. The conjured beasts appear within 20 feet of you. If they receive no commands from you, they protect you from harm and attack your foes. The spell lasts for 1 hour, requiring no concentration, or until you dismiss it (no action required).

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Templar

Judges, officials, and enforcers of the king’s laws, templars are the embodiment of civic authority in the city-states of Athas. They form a privileged meritocracy of individuals who serve as the sorcerer-king’s eyes, ears, and mouth among the populace — and, as circumstances require, the heavy hand of crushing tyranny. Given broad discretion to enforce the king’s will as they see fit, templars are often brutal and corrupt, using their positions to wring ruinous taxes and bribes from all who fall under their power. A sorcerer-king doesn’t care about templars being corrupt, as long as they keep the city in good order.

All templars are members of a city-state's templar hierarchy and have trained both their combat skills as well as their aptitude towards magic — a twisted form of divine power, bestowed upon them by the sorcerer-kings. They fiercely defend and enforce the will of their master, but always work their way towards the top of the hierarchy, not hesitating to betray and exploit the people around them.

Being the sworn warriors of the sorcerer-kings, low-ranking templars occupy the garrison of temples, palaces, and the cities. As one rises in ranks, though, she or he has the chance to follow different aspects of the templar bureaucracy, either embracing the rank of the priests or following the defiling way of the sorcerers.

Ruthless Warrior-Priests

While the templars of Athas are technically considered to belong to the priest class, given their religious connection and ceremonies to their sorcerer-king, their great power, superior training, and often twisted nature might suprise those who think they are anything like clerics or druids.

Indeed, templars are often seen as the fierce warrior-priests of the city-states, carrying out the edicts of their sorcerer-kings and imposing their beliefs on the citizens. Some even venture out of the walls to hunt down enemies of their city-state or do dealings with various persons, but extreme caution must be taken while outdoors, since not a few wish to exact vengeance on them for countless reasons.























Twisted Divine Magic

Templars do not have direct access to the elemental planes. Instead, they appeal to their monarchs to receive their spells and minor powers. The sorcerer-king or queen then taps into the elemental planes, forms and twists the magical energy and funnels it into the disciple.

Interestingly enough, the sorcerer-kings have no pacts with the elementals; instead they have mystically attached themselves to the raw elemental vortices that touch this dying world, siphoning their power and then redirecting it to the templars. As for the elementals themselves, they are far too powerless, detached, and chaotic to stop the theft of their diminishing energies.

Adept Defilers

Templars commonly enjoy broad powers to arrest wrongdoers, impose fines, and command soldiers or city guards to do their bidding in their home city-states. Though the civic powers granted to them are formidable in their own right, templars are not simply bureaucrats or commanders — in fact, many are also fearsome spellcasters, sanctioned to wield the terrible magic of the sorcerer-kings in the pursuit of their duties. In many cities, templars are trained in arcane magic in formal academies and are bestowed with the ability to call upon their sorcerer-king's magical might through lengthy pacts.

Quick Build

You can make a templar quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score. Second, pick Strength if you opt for a martial build, or between Intelligence and Wisdom if you strive for a spellcasting templar. Third, choose the Templar background or social rank.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Class Features

As a templar, you gain the following features.

Hit points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per templar level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per templar level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
  • Weapons: All simple weapons
  • Tools: None
  • Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background or social rank:

  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) carru leather, (b) mekillot hide or (c) inix shell armor
  • (a) any simple weapon or (b) a noble's pack
  • A templar's insignia and ceremonial vestments

Commanding Presence

The authority of a templar is powerful enough that none would dare defy or reject any sort of interaction. Whenever you make a Charisma (Deception), a Charisma (Intimidation) or a Charisma (Persuasion) check, you may choose to gain advantage on that check. You can't use Commanding Presence on templars of a higher level than yours.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain all uses of this feature.

Touch of Pain

Your oppresive fist can cause dreadful pain. You have a pool of psychic power, due to your connection with your sorcerer-king, that replenishes when you take a long rest. With that pool, you can inflict a total number of psychic damage equal to your templar level x 5.

As an action, you can attempt to touch a creature and draw power from the pool to inflict a number of psychic damage to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool. You make a melee spell attack (see Spellcasting), and if you hit, the creature can't take any reactions until the start of its next turn.

This feature has no effect on undead and constructs.

Spellcasting

By 2nd level, you have learned to draw on some sort of twisted divine magic through your connection with your master. You gain the ability of meditation and prayer to cast spells as a cleric does.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Templar table shows how many spells slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your templar spells of 1st level



Templar Class

For such a corrupt and brutal class, with access to one of the most powerful factions on Athas and being prone to backstabbing and exploiting, the templar might seem inappropriate as a character class. Unless the campaign focuses on corruption, betrayal, and oppression of the weak, the DM should consider using the templar as a villainous option, rather than enable players from selecting it. After all, templars make for excellent villains.

Still, templar characters could be played out, since not all are ruthless and sadistic. Some are truly concerned with what's best for their cities and their fellow citizens while others seek to moderate the excesses of the system. You should always discuss with your DM when creating a templar character, so you can better define its characteristics and how it can fit with the rest of the party.


or higher, 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 templar spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the templar spell list. When you do so, choose a number of templar spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your templar level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 5th-level templar, you have four lst-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, 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 can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of templar spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your templar spells, since their power derives from the strength of your devotion. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a templar spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use your sorcerer-king's or queen's insignia as a spellcasting focus for your templar spells.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

The Templar
Level Proficiency Bonus Features ─Spell Slots per Level─      1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st +2 Commanding Presence, Touch of Pain
2nd +2 Spellcasting, Templar Devotion 2
3rd +2 Channel Arcanum 3
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3
5th +3 Devotion feature 4 2
6th +3 Aura of Dominance 4 2
7th +3 4 3
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 3
9th +4 4 3 2
10th +4 Aura of Courage 4 3 2
11th +4 Devotion feature 4 3 3
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3
13th +5 4 3 3 1
14th +5 Touch of Purge 4 3 3 1
15th +5 Improved Channel Arcanum 4 3 3 2
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 2
17th +6 4 3 3 3 1
18th +6 Aura improvements 4 3 3 3 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 3 2
20th +6 Devotion feature 4 3 3 3 2

Devotion

When you reach 2nd level, you focus on a devotion that binds you forever with a certain hierarchy amongst the templar bureaucracy. Up to this time you have been in a preparatory stage, commited to the path but not yet fully embracing it. Now you choose the Devotion of War, the Devotion of Sorcery, or the Devotion of Clergy, all detailed at the end of the class description.

Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 5th, 11th, and 20th level. Those features include the Channel Arcanum feature, that you gain access to at 3rd level.

Channel Arcanum

Your devotion allows you to channel divine energy from your sorcerer-king or queen to fuel magical effects. Each Channel Arcanum option provided by your devotion explains how to use it.

When you use your Channel Arcanum, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Some Channel Arcanum effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your templar spell save DC.


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.

Aura of Dominance

Starting at 6th level, whenever an enemy within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a penalty to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum of 1). You must be conscious to grant this penalty.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Aura of Courage

Starting at 10th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be frightened while you are conscious.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Touch of Purge

Beginning at 14th level, your Touch of Pain can also end one beneficial spell on a creature that you touch. Alternatively, you can use 5 points of damage to end one harmful spell on yourself.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Devotions

Becoming a templar is an extraordinary feat, reserved only for the most prestigious, ambitious, or those the sorcerer-kings deem worthy. But adhering to a certain list of practices amongst the ranks of templars is the culmination of all the templar's training and preparation for the higher ranks of the templar bureaucracy. Some characters in this class don't consider themselves true templars until they have selected a devotion from the three available. Yet for others, the actual ceremony of devotion is a mere formality, an official stamp enabling them to follow their ambitions unchecked.

Devotion of War

Templars devoted to the department of War are supreme strategists, excellent warriors, and fierce enforcers of law and order in the cities. They are tasked with the organisation of city watch, patrols around the fertile lands surrounding the city-states. In times of war, they command the vast armies of undead and are responsible for all warfare.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you take this devotion at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in martial weapons and heavy armor.

Templar Smite

Also at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal necrotic damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if you are within the walls of your city-state.

Channel Arcanum

Starting at 3rd level, your devotion grants you with the following Channel Arcanum option.

Dreadful Aspect. As an action, you channel your master's darkest emotions and focus them into a burst of magical menace. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw if it can see you. On a failed save, the target is frightened of you for 1 minute. If a creature frightened by this effect ends its turn more than 30 feet away from you, it can attempt another saving throw to end the effect on it.

When you reach 15th level, the power of your channelling is so immense that creatures gain disadvantage on their saving throws when attempting to evade the effects of your Channel Arcanum.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Improved Templar Smite

By 11th level, you are so suffused with dreadful might that all your melee weapon strikes carry divine power with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 necrotic damage. If you also use your Templar Smite with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage of your Templar Smite.


Dreaded Templar

At 20th-level, as an action, you can surround yourself with an aura of gloom that lasts for 1 minute. The aura reduces any bright light in a 30-foot radius around you to dim light. Whenever an enemy that is frightened by you starts its turn in the aura, it takes 4dl0 psychic damage. Additionally, you and creatures you chooses in the aura are draped in deeper shadow. Creatures that rely on sight have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures draped in this shadow.

While the aura lasts, you can use a bonus action on your turn to cause the shadows in the aura to attack one creature. You make a melee spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the target takes necrotic damage equal to 3d10 + your Charisma modifier.

After activating the aura, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Devotion of Clergy

Templars who adhere to the devotion of Clergy are tasked with most of city's administration, and are held responsible for ceremonies, function and maintenance of temples, and discussions (or imposing) of religious matters. While the majority can be found in temples and offices, there are enough templars of this devotion scouring the wastelands for lost treasures or fragments of ancient history.

Devotion Spells

When you choose this devotion at 2nd level, you gain access to a list of spells associated with your devotion, at the levels specified in the following table. Once you gain access to a devotion spell, you always have it prepared. Devotion spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

If you gain a devotion spell that doesn't appear on the templar spell list, the spell is nonetheless considered a templar spell for you.

Devotion of Clergy Spells
Templar Level Spells
2nd command, charm person
5th suggestion, zone of truth
9th dispel magic, speak with dead
13th compulsion, death ward
17th dominate person, raise dead

Channel Arcanum

Starting at 3rd level, your devotion grants you with the following Channel Arcanum option.

Control Undead. As an action, you target one undead creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey your commands for the next 24 hours or until you use this Channel Arcanum option again. An undead whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than your level is immune to this effect.

When you reach 15th level, you can target three undead creatures that you can see within 30 feet of you.

Create Undead

Starting at 11th level, you have mastered the mystical arts of necromancy and the undead. You can cast the create undead spell without any material components. Once you use this feature, you can't use it until you finish a long rest.

Gift of Unlife

When you reach 20th level, your deep understanding of the dead and your strong connection with your sorcerer-king or queen has bestowed you with a portion of unlife. You are immune to disease, poison damage, and the poisoned condition. In addition, you gain resistance to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum can't be reduced.

Devotion of Sorcery

Templars who follow the devotion of Sorcery are the eyes and ears of the sorcerer-kings and queens. They usually gather information for people, merchants, noble houses, and organisations within the city walls, but also venture out to spy on other city-states, client villages, or tribal communities. They are often sent as envoys or diplomats, to discuss matters with other political figures, all the while keeping an eye for weaknesses or vices to exploit.

Devotion Spells

When you choose this devotion at 2nd level, you gain access to a list of spells associated with your devotion, at the levels specified in the following table. Once you gain access to a devotion spell, you always have it prepared. Devotion spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

If you gain a devotion spell that doesn't appear on the templar spell list, the spell is nonetheless considered a templar spell for you.

Devotion of Sorcery Spells
Templar Level Spells
2nd bane, hex
5th crown of madness, hold person
9th bestow curse, vampiric touch
13th banishment, confusion
17th circle of power, hold monster

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Channel Arcanum

Starting at 3rd level, your devotion grants you with the following Channel Arcanum option.

Touch of Enervation. When you hit a creature with a spell attack, you can use Channel Arcanum to momentarily siphon its life essence. You gain half the damage you deal as temporary hit points for 1 minute.

When you reach 15th level, your Touch of Enervation is so potent that creatures close to your target suffer from its effects. Every enemy creature within 5 feet of your target takes 1d8 necrotic damage.

Defiling Magic

Starting at 5th level, your sorcerer-king or queen grants you with a small portion of defiling magic. At the end of a long rest, you can defile the land around you to gain an amount of Defiler Points equal to half your templar level. An area with a radius equal to five feet per templar level originating from you becomes Defiled. Unused defiler points are lost at the end of a long rest, and you can never have more defiler points than your templar level.

You can use your defiler points to gain additional spell slots. You also receive new options to use your defiler points as you gain levels.

Creating Spell Slots. As a bonus action on your turn, you can transform unexpended defiler points into one spell slot. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell cost of a given level. You cannot create spell slots higher than 3rd level. Any created spell slots are immediately lost at the end of a long rest.

Creating Spell Slots
Spell Slot
Level
Defiler
Point Cost
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 5

Defiled Land

The ash created by defiler magic is black and grey, completely devoid of life. Nothing will grow in an area of ash for years. The ash itself is very light and usually blows away, leaving behind a lifeless, circular scar on the ground. Even with the ash gone, though, the defiler's magic has leeched all life-giving nutrients from the soil; such a defiled area may take a decade to recover life, if it ever does. For game purposes, treat each defiled area as Barren terrain.

Life Drain

Starting at 11th level, you can use your action and expend an amount of defiler points to create a 60-foot radius sphere of negative energy that ripples out from you. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes 1d6 necrotic damage for each defiler point expended, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Dragon Essence

At 20th level, you can assume the form of a dreaded dragon. Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 hour, you gain the following benefits:

  • You grow dragon scales that grant you with a +2 bonus to AC and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
  • You emanate an aura of dread in a 30-foot radius. The first time any enemy creature enters the aura or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you. The frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its next turns, ending the condition on a successful roll. A frightened creature by you that starts its turn within 30 feet of you takes 1d10 psychic damage.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Spells

This chapter describes the spells that clerics, druids, and templars gain through their devotion to the elementals, spirits, and sorcerer-kings, respectively. Spells marked with an asterisk are detailed in the Spell Description list.

Cleric Spells

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Guidance
  • Light
  • Mending
  • Resistance
  • Sacred Element*
  • Spare the Dying
  • Thaumaturgy
1st Level
  • Absorb Elements
  • Bane
  • Bless
  • Command
  • Cure Wounds
  • Detect Evil or Good
  • Detect Magic
  • Detect Poison and Disease
  • Guiding Bolt
  • Healing Word
  • Inflict Wounds
  • Primordial Shield*
  • Protection from Evil and Good
  • Purify Food and Drink
  • Sanctuary
  • Ward Nature*
2nd Level
  • Aid
  • Augury
  • Blindness/Deafness
  • Calm Emotions
  • Enhance Ability
  • Find Traps
  • Gentle Repose
  • Hold Person
  • Lesser Restoration
  • Locate Object
  • Prayer of Healing
  • Protection from Poison
  • Silence
  • Spiritual Weapon
  • Warding Bond
  • Zone of Truth
3rd Level
  • Beacon of Hope
  • Bestow Curse
  • Clairvoyance
  • Create Food*
  • Daylight
  • Dispel Magic
  • Elemental Weapon
  • Feign Death
  • Glyph of Warding
  • Magic Circle
  • Mass Healing Word
  • Meld into Element*
  • Protection from Energy
  • Remove Curse
  • Revivify
  • Sending
  • Speak with Dead
  • Speak with Elements*
  • Spirit Guardians
  • Tongues
4th Level
  • Banishment
  • Conjure Minor Elementals
  • Elemental Bane
  • Hallucinatory Terrain
  • Primeval Guardian*
5th Level
  • Commune with Element*
  • Conjure Elemental
  • Dispel Evil and Good
  • Legend Lore
  • Scrying
6th Level
  • Elemental Barrier*
  • Find the Path
  • Primordial Ward*
  • True Seeing
  • Word of Recall
7th Level
  • Etherealness
  • Elemental Storm*
  • Primeval Word*
  • Plane Shift
  • Symbol
8th Level
  • Antimagic Field
  • Control Weather
  • Earthquake
  • Primal Aura*
  • Sunburst
9th Level
  • Foresight
  • Imprisonment
  • Shapechange
  • Turn into Element*

Druid Spells

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Create Bonfire
  • Druidcraft
  • Guidance
  • Frostbite
  • Magic Stone
  • Mending
  • Poison Spray
  • Resistance
  • Shillelagh
  • Thorn Whip
  • Thunderclap
1st Level
  • Absord Elements
  • Animal Friendship
  • Beast Bond
  • Charm Person
  • Detect Magic
  • Detect Poison and Disease
  • Earth Tremor
  • Entangle
  • Goodberry
  • Healing Word
  • Jump
  • Longstrider
  • Purify Food and Drink
  • Speak with Animals
  • Thunderwave
2nd Level
  • Animal Messenger
  • Barkskin
  • Beast Sense
  • Darkvision
  • Enhance Ability
  • Find Traps
  • Flame Blade
  • Flaming Sphere
  • Gust of Wind
  • Hold Person
  • Lesser Restoration
  • Locate Animals or Plants
  • Locate Object
  • Pass without Trace
  • Protection from Poison
  • Spike Growth
  • Warding Wind
3rd Level
  • Call Lightning
  • Conjure Animals
  • Daylight
  • Dispel Magic
  • Erupting Earth
  • Feign Death
  • Flame Arrows
  • Protection from Energy
  • Speak with Plants
  • Water Walk
  • Wind Wall
4th Level
  • Blight
  • Confusion
  • Conjure Wasteland Beings
  • Dominate Beast
  • Elemental Bane
  • Freedom of Movement
  • Giant Insect
  • Grasping Vine
  • Hallucinatory Terrain
  • Locate Creature
  • Polymorph
  • Stoneskin
  • Wall of Fire

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5th Level
  • Awaken
  • Commune with Nature
  • Contagion
  • Control Winds
  • Geas
  • Greater Restoration
  • Insect Plague
  • Life Shell
  • Reincarnate
  • Scrying
  • Transmute Rock
  • Tree Stride
  • Wall of Stone
6th Level
  • Bones of the Earth
  • Conjure Spirit*
  • Elemental Investiture*
  • Find the Path
  • Heroes' Feast
  • Primordial Ward
  • Sunbeam
  • Transport via Plants
  • Wall of Thorns
  • Wind Walk
7th Level
  • Elemental Storm*
  • Mirage Arcane
  • Regenerate
  • Whirlwind
8th Level
  • Animal Shapes
  • Antipathy/Sympathy
  • Control Weather
  • Earthquake
  • Feeblemind
  • Sunburst
9th Level
  • Foresight
  • Meteor Swarm
  • Shapechange
  • Storm of Vengeance

Templar Spells

1st Level
  • Bane
  • Bless
  • Command
  • Compelled Duel
  • Cure Wounds
  • Detect Evil and Good
  • Detect Magic
  • Detect Poison and Disease
  • Divine Favor
  • Heroism
  • Inflict Wounds
  • Protection from Evil and Good
  • Purify Food and Drink
  • Searing Smite
  • Shield of Faith
  • Thunderous Smite
  • Wrathful Smite
2nd Level
  • Aid
  • Branding Smite
  • Blindness/Deafness
  • Hold Person
  • Lesser Restoration
  • Locate Object
  • Magic Weapon
  • Protection from Poison
  • Zone of Truth
3rd Level
  • Aura of Enervation*
  • Bestow Curse
  • Blinding Smite
  • Create Food and Water
  • Dispel Magic
  • Elemental Weapon
  • Magic Circle
  • Remove Curse
  • Revivify
  • Templar's Mantle*
4th Level
  • Aura of Death*
  • Aura of Decay*
  • Banishment
  • Death Ward
  • Locate Creature
  • Staggering Smite
5th Level
  • Banishing Smite
  • Circle of Power
  • Destructive Wave
  • Dispel Evil and Good
  • Geas
  • Raise Dead


DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Spell Descriptions

The spells are presented in alphabetical order.

Armour of Frost

1st-level Abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a cup of water)
  • Duration: 1 hour

A protective magical force surrounds you, manifesting as an aura of frost that covers you and your gear. You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these hit points, the creature takes 5 cold damage.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, both the temporary hit points and the cold damage increase by 5 for each slot level above 1st.

Aura of Death

4th-level Necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot radius)
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Life-devouring magic energy radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centred on you. Each hostile creature in the aura has vulnerability to necrotic damage, and can't be the recipient of healing magic. In addition, a nonhostile, controlled undead creature regains 1 hit point when it starts its turn in the aura with 0 hit points.

Aura of Decay

4th-level Necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot radius)
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Putrifying energy radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centred on you. Each hostile creature that starts its turn or enters in the aura must make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. In addition, any hostile creature in the aura has vulnerability to poison damage and disadvantage on saving throws against effects that cause any of the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, and stunned.

Aura of Enervation

3rd-level Necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot radius)
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Life-sapping energy radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centred on you. You can use a bonus action to cause one creature in the aura to succeed on a Constitution saving


throw or take 2d6 necrotic damage.

Circle of Life

3rd-level Abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 24 hours

Choose up to three willing creatures. As long as they remain within range of you, they only require half the amount of water to sustain themselves and gain double their hit dice when resting.

Coat of Mist

2nd-level Abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You touch a willing creature and surround it with a magical mist. The creature gains a +2 bonus to AC and resistance to fire damage for the duration.

Commune with Element

5th-level Divination


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (incense and a vial of holy element)
  • Duration: 1 minute

You contact your elemental patron and ask up to three questions that can be answered with a yes or no. You must ask your questions before the spell ends. You receive a correct answer for each question. Elemental patrons aren't necessarily omniscient, so you might receive "unclear" as an answer if a question pertains to information that lies beyond the patron's knowledge. In a case where a one-word answer could be misleading or contrary to the patron's interests, the DM might offer a short phrase as an answer instead.

If you cast the spell two or more times before finishing your next long rest, there is a cumulative 25 percent chance for each casting after the first that you get no answer. The DM makes this roll in secret.

Conjure Spirit

6th-level Conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Components: V,S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You summon a spirit that takes the form of a beast of challenge rating 6 or lower. It appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The spirit disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

The spirit is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the creature, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action require by you), as long as they don't violate its alignment. If you don't ussue any commands to the spirit,

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

If your concentration is broken, the spirit doesn't disappear. Instead, you lose control of the creature, it becomes hostile toward you and your companions, and it might attack. An uncontrolled spirit can't be dismissed by you, and it disappears 1 hour after you summoned it.

The DM has the spirit's statistics.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the challenge rating increases by 1 for each slot level above 6th.

Create Food

3rd-level Conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You create 5 pounds of food on the ground or in containers within range, enough to sustain up to five humanoids or one steed for 24 hours. The food is bland but nourishing, and spoils if uneaten after 24 hours.

Create or Destroy Water

1st-level Transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a drop of water if creating water, or a few grains of sand if destroying it)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You either create or destroy water. If creating, up to 1 gallon of clean water is created within range in an open container. If destroying, up to 10 gallons of water within range turn to dust.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you create an additional gallon of water or destroy 10 additional gallons for each slot level above 1st.

Elemental Barrier

6th-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You create a vertical wall of whirling, magical objects of your associated element (sheets of wind, chunks of earth, balls of fire, streams of water etc). The wall appears within range and lasts for the duration. You can make a straight wall up to 100 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick, or a ringed wall up to 60 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick. The wall provides three-quarters cover to creatures behind it, and its space is difficult terrain.

When a creature enters the wall's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creatures takes 6d10 damage of a type associated with your element, or half as much damage on a successful one.


Elemental Storm

7th-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 150 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

A storm made up of your associated element appears in a location you choose within range. The area of the storm consists of up to ten 10-foot cubes, which you can arrange as you wish. Each cube must have at least one face adjacent to the face of another cube. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 7d10 damage of a type associated with your element on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures who failed their save also suffer the following effects:

  • Air: pushed 10 feet away to a direction of your choice
  • Earth: knocked prone
  • Fire: AC lowered by 2 until the start of your next turn
  • Water: speed reduced by 10 for 1 minute

Frostblade

2nd-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (leaf of hibiscus)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You evoke an icy blade in your free hand. The blade is similar in size and shape to a shortsword, but you have proficiency wielding it. It lasts for the duration, and you can let go and evoke the blade again as a bonus action.

You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the icy blade. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 cold damage.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for every two slot levels above 2nd.

Lightning Lash

Evocation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You create a lash of lightning energy that strikes at one creature of your choice that you can see within range. Make a melee spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the target takes 1d18 lightning damage, and can't take reactions until the start of its next turn.

The spell's damage increases by 1d18 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Meld into Element

3rd-level Transmutation (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 8 hours

You step into an area of your associated element large enough to fully contain your body, melding yourself and all the equipment you carry with the object or surface for the duration. Such an object can be a medium-sized rock, a harmless twister, a brazier full of fire, or a small pool of mud. Nothing of your presence remains visible or otherwise detectable by nonmagical senses.

While merged with the element, you can't see what occurs outside it, and any Wisdom (Perception) checks you make to hear sounds outside it are made with disadvantage. You remain aware of the passage of time and can cast spells on yourself while merged in the element. You can use your movement to leave the element where you entered it, which ends the spell. You otherwise can't move.

If expelled due to magic, damage of the element you have merged with or a change in its state (fire dowsed in sand, rock smashed etc.), you take 6d6 psychic damage and fall prone in an unoccupied space closest to where you first entered.

Obsidian Knife

1st-level Conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (an obsidian stone)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You create a shard of obsidian and fling it at one creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 piercing damage. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of the point where the obsidian exploded must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 fire damage.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the fire damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Primal Aura

8th-level Abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a tiny fragment from a true elemental worth at least 1,000 cp, such as a piece from the heart of a true earth elemental, or the ashes from a true fire elemental)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Cosmic light washes out from you and coalescces in a soft radiance in a 30-foot radius around you. Creatures of your choice in that radius when you cast this spell shed dim light in a 5-foot radius and have advantage on all saving throws, and other creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against them until the spell ends. In addition, when a defiler or an undead hits an affected creature with a melee attack, the aura flashes with brilliant light.


The attacker must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the spell ends.

Primeval Guardian

4th-level Conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V
  • Duration: 8 hours

A Large ethereal guardian appears and hovers for the duration in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within range. The guardian occupies that space and is indistinct except for a sword and a shield made of your associated element. Any creature hostile to you that moves to a space within 10 feet of the guardian for the first time on a turn must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 20 damage of your associated element on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The guardian vanishes when it has dealt a total of 60 damage.

Primeval Word

7th-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You utter a primeval word, imbued with the power that shaped the world at the dawn of creation. Choose any number of creatures you can see within range. Each creature that can hear you must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature suffers an effect based on its current hit points:

  • 50 hit points or fewer: deafened for 1 minute
  • 40 hit points or fewer: deafened and blinded for 10 minutes
  • 30 hit points or fewer: blinded, deafened, and stunned for 1 hour
  • 20 hit points or fewer: killed instantly

Regardless of its current hit points, an elemental or undead that fails its save is forced back to its plane of origin (if it isn't there already) and can't return to your current plane for 24 hours by any means short of a wish spell.

Primordial Shield

1st-level Abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a small pebble with a primordial rune of your associated element inscribed on it)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

A shimmering field appears and surrounds a creature of your choice within range, granting it a +2 bonus to AC for the duration.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Radiant Glow

1st-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Each object in a 20-foot cube within range is outlined in a soft, glowing light. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast is also outlined in light if it fails a Dexterity saving throw. For the duration, objects and affected creatures shed dim light in a 10-foot radius.

Any attack rolls against an affected creature or object has advantage if the attacker can see it, and the affected creature or object can't benefit from being invisible.

Ray of Shock

1st-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a small copper pin)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

A beam of crackling energy lances out towards a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 lightning damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is also stunned until the end of your next turn.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot above 1st.

Rock Servant

1st-level Conjuration (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a piece of string and a bit of wood)
  • Duration: 1 hour

This spell creates a mindless, shapeless force made of rock that performs simple tasks at your command until the spell ends. The servant springs into existence in an unoccupied space on the ground within range. It has AC 10, 1 hit point, and a Strength of 2, and it can't attack. If it drops to 0 hit points, the spell ends.

Once on each of your turns as a bonus action, you can mentally command the servant to move up to 15 feet and interact with an object. The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine. Once you give the command, the servant performs the task to the best of its ability until it completes the task, then waits for your next command.

If you command the servant to perform a task that would move it more than 60 feet away from you, the spell ends.

Sacred Element

Evocation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Ethereal sheets of your element descend on a creature that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 damage of your associated element. The target gains no benefit from cover for this saving throw.

The spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Shocking Wave

5th-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot radius)
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You harness the raw power of wind, creating a spark of lightning energy that ripples outwards from you. Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 5d6 lightning damage, as well as 5d6 force damage and be knocked prone. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and isn't knocked prone.

Speak with Elements

3rd-level Transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot radius)
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 10 minutes

You imbue items of your associated element (a small gust of wind or sand, a pile of rocks, a bonfire or burning ashes, a small pool of water or mud) within 30 feet of you with limited sentience and animation, giving them the ability to communicate with you and follow your simple commands. You can question elements about events in the spell's area within the past day, gaining information about creatures that have passed, weather, and other circumstances.

These elements might be able to perform other tasks on your behalf, at the DM's discretion. The spell doesn't enable the items to move or fly about, but they can freely move parts of themselves (gasp of air, pebble, fire spark, splash of water).

Stunning Stone

Conjuration cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You hurl a magic stone with tremendous speed at a creature you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, it takes 1d8 bludgeoning damage, and is stunned until the start of your next turn.

The spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Templar's Mantle

3rd-level Evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

The power of your sorcerer-king or sorcerer-queen radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius, awakening wickedness in friendly creatures. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centred on you. While in the aura, each nonhostile creature in the aura (including you) deals an extra 1d4 necrotic damage when it hits with a weapon attack.

Turn into Element

9th-level Transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a silver circlet studded with gems associated with your element worth at least 1,500 cp, which you must place on your head before you cast the spell)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You assume the form of a true elemental of your associated element for the duration. Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the chosen elemental, though you retain your alignment and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the elemental. If the elemental has the same proficiency as you and the bonus listed in its statistics is higher than yours, use the elemental's bonus in place of yours. You can't use any legendary actions or lair actions of the new form.

You assume the hit points and Hit Dice of the new form, as well as any resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities it has. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form.


As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconcsious.

You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them, provided that your new form is physically capable of doing so. You can't use any special senses you have (for example, darkvision) unless your new form also has that sense.

When you transform, you choose whether your equipment falls to the ground, merges into the new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal. The DM determines whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the elemental's form. Your equipment doesn't change shape or size to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge into your new form. Equipment that merges has no effect in that state.

Ward Nature

1st-level Abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You create a magical zone that wards the natural environment against defiling magic, in a 10-foot-radius sphere centred on a point of your choice within range. Until the spell ends, a creature who is within this warded area cannot use defiling magic or affect the terrain in any way.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the area increases by 10 feet for every slot above 1st. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level, the duration is concentration, 1 hour. If you use a spell slot of 3rd level, the duration is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 4th level, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a spell slot of 5th level, the duration is 1 week. Using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher grants a duration that doesn't require concentration.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

Creature Statistics

CREATURES PRESENTED HERE REFER TO some of the many beasts a druid can transform into with the Wild Shape feature. Statistics for such creatures are grouped here, for ease of convenience. For information on how to read a stat block, see the Monster Manual.


Baazrag

Small beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 10 (3d6 + 3)
  • Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)

  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Pack Tactics. The baazrag has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the baazrag's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 2 (1d4) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. While poisoned, the target can't recover any hit points. The creature can make another saving throw after a long rest, ending the effect on a successful roll.

One of the smallest omnivores in the stony barren regions, baazrag are vermin that call holes in broken crags and tiny caves home. They generally attempt to flee or hide rather than engage in combat, but defend their homes and packs fiercely when cornered. Caution must be taken when encountering these vermin, for they usually swarm intruders.




Cha'thrang

Medium beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7)
  • Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)

  • Skills Perception +2
  • Senses passive Perception 12
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1 (200 XP)

False Appearance. While the cha'thrang remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a patch of dead shrub or reeds.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d10+2) piercing damage.

Tethered Darts. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit 3 (1d6) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the cha'thrang can bite only the grappled creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so.

A cha'thrang looks like an outsized tortoise, its back covered with reedlike protrusions. When hiding, the beast is frequently mistaken for a patch of dead plant growth. The reedlike tubes shoot quills covered in a sticky toxin, and are attached to the beast by a sinewy cord by which it immobilizes its quarry. Cha'thrang prey on small flying birds or insects, but they capture land-dwelling prey if nothing else is available.

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Crodlu

Large beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 16 (3d10)
  • Speed 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)

  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/2 (100XP)

Keen Smell. The crodlu has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Pounce. If the crodlu moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the crodlu can make one beak attack against it as a bonus action.

Actions

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d8+1) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 4 (1d6+1) slashing damage.

Roaming the wastes in small herds, crodlu are vicious           reptiles that resemble featherless birds with powerful             legs and clawed forelimbs instead of wings. They are               often bred and trained as mounts, and can even be                used in combat.




Erdlu

Medium beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
  • Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)

  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Nimble Escape. The erdlu can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 2 (1d4) piercing damage.

Erdlu are large, flightless birds, covered in flexible scales and feathers in various colours from gray to brown. Related to crodlu, they are a common herd animal, with many uses.


Jankx

Tiny beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 2 (1d4)
  • Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (-4) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)

  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Actions

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 1 slashing damage, and the target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Jankx are small, groundhog-like furred mammals that live in burrow communities in the desert. They are prized for their fur, but most people avoid these creatures, for their claws inject a poison that deals tremendous pain to the unwary.

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Jhakar

Small beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 16 (3d6 + 6)
  • Speed 30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)

  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Grappler. The jhakar has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.

Keen Smell. The jhakar has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the jhakar can bite only the grappled creature.

Small and squat, a jhakar is a powerful reptilian predator resembling a scaled canine, with keen senses and a vicious streak. These traits make jhakar exceptional guards and hunting beasts, though their pugnacious nature makes them a bane to humanoids and animals alike.


Kank

Large beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 19 (3d10 + 3)
  • Speed 40ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)

  • Skills Perception +2
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. A creature poisoned in this way is also paralyzed.

Kanks are large docile insects often used as mounts by the people of the Tablelands. A black exoskeleton of chitin covers their segmented bodies. Some breeds produce globules of green honey which is highly nutritious and travellers often use these beasts for long journeys.





























Kes'trekel

Small beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 7 (2d6)
  • Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 14 (+2) 5 (-3)

  • Skills Perception +4
  • Senses passive Perception 14
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Keen Sight. The kes'trekel has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Pack Tactics. The kes'trekel has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kes'trekel's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Actions

Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 4 (1d4+2) slashing damage.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS

The scourge of the Tablelands, kes'trekel are vile avian creatures that feast upon desert carrion. Although they are weak and cowardly when alone or in small groups, kes'trekel can become a devastating force when in large numbers.


Kluzd

Large beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 39 (6d10 + 6)
  • Speed 30ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)

  • Skills Perception +2
  • Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 12
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the kluzd can't constrict another target.

Kluzd are snake-like reptiles that inhabit mudflats and other muddy areas. They are distinguished from other constrictor snakes by their series of elongated, feather-like scales around the back of their heads.




Lirr

Large beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 26 (4d10 + 4)
  • Speed 50ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)

  • Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6
  • Senses passive Perception 13
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Keen Smell. The lirr has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Pack Tactics. The lirr has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the lirr's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Running Leap. With a 10-foot running start, the lirr can long jump up to 25 feet.

Actions

Multiattack. The lirr makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage.

Roar (Recharge 5-6). The lirr lets go a forceful roar in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (3d8) thunder damage and be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Lirr are large reptilian creatures that resemble lions. With a bright web-like membrane around their neck and tail contrasting their dark gray scaled skin, lirr hunt in packs. Fast and fierce, they possess a powerful roar that can stun their prey. The coloured membrane is used to communicate with others of their species.

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Screamer Beetle

Medium beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 13 (3d8)
  • Speed 30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 3 (-4)

  • Senses tremorsense 5 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Actions

Mandibles. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d8+1) slashing damage.

Psychic Blast (Recharge 5-6). The screamer beetle emits psychic energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw or take 13 (3d8) psychic damage and be stunned until the end of its next turn. Screamer beetles are immune to this attack.

The multicoloured chitinous shells of screamer beetles are greatly prized by art collectors and alchemists, but the creatures themselves are quite deadly. They have earned their name from the piercing blasts of sound that they generate from their abdomen when hunting. Packs of screamer beetles are usually found deep within caverns and rocky areas.



Wezer

Medium beast, unaligned


  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 13 (3d8)
  • Speed 10 ft., fly 50ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 10 (+1) 3 (-4)

  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Actions

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Wezers are enormous flying insects that make underground hives in the desert wastelands. They are highly social creatures, structured into several distinct classes by both social function and physical characteristics. All wezers possess wings, multifaceted eyes, and six thin limbs extending from their abdomen.

DARK SUN | CLERICS OF ATHAS