Inheritor of Ouroboros

---

"A flame burns in my heart too. A flame that cannot be quenched no matter how hard I try. It calls out to know, and to destroy."

-- Hanabi, an Inheritor of Ouroboros.

Ouroboros, Snake of Flame

A being of primordial power and flame, the eternal snake Ouroboros has existed as an originator of fire since time immemorial. Typically, Ouroboros is portrayed either as a serpent eating its own tail or bound back on itself in a ∞ symbol, and often appears to be encircling the world(s). Ancient, unknowable, and utterly alien, Ouroboros exists in the far reaches as being of pure flame that incinerates all who come close, and against whom even the gods fear to cross.

It is said that while encircling the world it sheds it scales which fall down upon the land, granting those lucky - or unluky - enough to be touched by it a fragment of its powers. These are the Inheritors of Ouroboros. Coming from all walks of life and all backgrounds, their powers often manifest early in life, frequently to disastrous results.

Some believe that Ouroboros is a herald of the end, of an eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth, and that its Inheritors are heralds of this, while others view them as those affected by a curse and in need of help.

Mastery of the Mind, Mastery of the Body

Only by understanding one's own self, and their position in the world, can an Inheritor learn to master their strange powers. An Inheritor of Ouroboros focuses on training their mind and body both, and it is for this reason that they are often more intellectual than one might think. Inheritors are frequently philosophers (as they've been forced to consider their own place in the universe) or scientists, seeking out greater secrets of the universe.

Some speak of those who attained mastery of their powers and came to Know Ouroboros in a way beyond mortal ken. These masters inevitably turn out to be crazed at best, and dead at worst. Yet, such tales do not deter the Inheritors, for in their heart they always seek to learn more.

Disparate, but Disciplined

Frequently ostracised for their power's emergence, an Inheritor of Ouroboros often try to learn from others of their own kind, though such meetups are difficult to arrange due to requiring some secrecy. Many Inheritors put their knowledge to paper, in the hopes that it will succeed them and that others can learn from their own findings. It is these tomes which have formed the Disciplines that an Inheritor will subscribe to, with each new Inheritor adding their own pieces of knowledge to the works.

Sometimes a Discipline will split off, or reform, and there are always new tomes being discovered and created as more Inheritors offer their own perspectives.

Class Features

As an inheritor of Ouroboros, you gain the following class features.

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Inheritor level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per inheritor level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None

Weapons: None

Tools: Two tools or musical instruments of your choice

Languages: Ignan (Primordial), and one language of your choice.

Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from the following list: Athletics, Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

Equipment

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

• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

Fists of the Fire Snake

The most basic manifestation of the Ouroboros' power. At 1st level you can surround your fists with flaming snake heads. This allows your Unarmed Strikes that use your fists to use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for attack rolls. They also now deal 1d6 + your intelligence modifier damage. While active, you cannot hold any other objects or wear a shield, due to the searing flames.

The damage of Fists of the Fists Snake improves as you reach levels 7 (1d8), 13 (1d10) and 19 (1d12) in this class.

Fists of the Fire Snake can be activated and deactivated at no action cost on your turn.

Some features and manifestations of the Inheritor require saving throws. The DC for these is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your intelligence modifier.

Aegis of Ouroboros

Your skin hardens in response to physical trauma. From 1st level in this class you can calculate your armour class as 10 + your constitution modifier + your intelligence modifier while not wearing armour or a shield.

Manifestations

At 1st level in this class you begin to learn how to modify the Ouroboros' power. This takes the form of Manifestations which grant you passive bonuses. You learn 3 Manifestations at 1st level, and gain additional Manifestationas as you gain more levels in this class. You may only have one Manifestation active to start with, though this likewise improves as you gain levels.

Some manifestations have prerequisites to learn them - either a certain amount of levels in this class or another Manifestation. Whenever you gain a level in this class you may exchange one of your know Manifestations for another one. If you unlearn a manifestation that served as a prerequisite for another one, you cannot use that manifestation until you relearn the prerequisite.

As standard you can change your active Manifestations as an action on your turn, unless otherwise specified. Manifestations are listed at the end of this class description.

Gaze of the Serpent

Your eyes take on a more serpentine appearance. You gain darkvision out to 60ft. If you already had this, its range is instead increased by 30ft. This darkvision sees everything in fiery tints, instead of its normal colours.

Inheritor Discipline

At 3rd level you choose an Inheritor Discipline, representing your chosen path to follow the Ouroboros. This manifests in one of three manners - the Medusa Style, the Charmer Style, or the Slither Style. These subclasses are detailed at the end of this class description.

Extra Attack

When you take the Attack action on your turn you make two attacks instead of one.

Rapid Remanifest

From 7th level you can more swiftly change your manifestations active. You can do so as a bonus action instead of an action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, refreshing on a long rest.

Heart of the Serpent

From 9th level your body takes another step closer to the one you inherited power from. You gain fire resistance. In addition, as a reaction to being affected by an ability that depends on your creature type you can change your type to Elemental for 1 minute, or until you use a bonus action to revert back to your original type.

Searing Fists

From 11th level your Fists flames are especially punishing. Any fire damage you deal reduces the creature's maximum hit points by the same amount of damage dealt. In addition, once per turn when you hit with a Fists of the Fire Snake strike, you can deal one additional dice of damage.

Shifting Mind of the Serpent

From 15th level you're able to twist your mind in knots that others can't even begin to understand. You apply your Intelligence modifier to Wisdom ability checks and saving throws, and your Wisdom modifier to Intelligence ability checks and saving throws.

Improved Heart of the Serpent

From 18th level you are now immune to fire damage. In addition, whenever you expend a hit dice to heal yourself you add your Intelligence modifier to the roll in addition to your Constitution modifier.

Aspect of Ouroboros

At 20th level you learn to become the Snake itself. You can manifest this as an action on your turn, transforming into a massive snake. While in this form you do not benefit from any of your statistics, racial, or class features, and instead use the below statistics only.

---

Aspect of Ouroboros

Huge Elemental

---

• Armor Class 18 (natural armour)
• Hit Points 200 (19d10 + 95)
• Speed 50ft

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	18 (+4)	20 (+5)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	22 (+6)

---

• Saving Throws Dexteriy +10, Constitution +11, Intelligence +9
• Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks, cold, thunder, lightning, poison
• Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned, Prone
• Senses passive Perception 14, Darkvision 120', Tremorsense 20ft.
• Languages Common, Ignan (Primordial)

---

Veil of Flame. Whenever a creature attacks the Aspect of Ouroboros or targets it with a hostile spell or similar feature (such as a Dragon's Breath), a blast of scorching flame retaliates, dealing 1d8 fire damage.

Primordial Flame. Aspect of Ouroboros' flames are particularly scorching. They bypass fire resistance entirely, and pierce fire immunity - though they only deal half damage to fire immune creatures. In addition, any fire damage it deals reduces the creature's maximum hit points by the same amount. This can only be reverted by use of a Greater Restoration spell or similarly strong magics.

---

Enflamed Form. Whenever the Aspect of Ouroboros would would take fire damage the damage is reduced to zero, and instead it heals for the original amount of damage.

Ascent. Though the Aspect lacks a flight speed, so long as they use 20ft of movement on the ground in a straight line they can convert their remaining movement into flight. This flight ends at the end of their turn.

Actions

Fire Fang. Melee Spell Attack +12 to hit, range 15ft., one target. Hit: 37 (5d8+6) fire damage

Bonus Actions

Wrap. Melee Spell Attack +12 to hit, range 20ft., one target. Hit: Target is Grappled (DC18 to Escape). The Aspect can only have one creature Grappled with Wrap at a time.

Swallow Whole. Melee Spell Attack +12 to hit, range 10ft., one target. The Aspect attempts to swallow a creature it has Grappled. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the Aspect, and it takes 13 (4d8) fire damage at the start of each of the Aspect's turns. Swallow Whole ends when the Aspect vanishes.

Aspect of Ouroboros ends either after 1 minute or when reduced to 0 hit points, at which point you immediately return to your normal form as you were before your transformation.

Aspect of Ouroboros can be used once, refreshing on a long rest.

Inheritor Disciplines

Medusa Style

Taking cues from the monsters of legend, the Medusa Style inheritors manifest their Ouroboros powers in the form of a crown of snakes to safeguard their back, and unleash piercing gaze attacks against their foes.

Serpent Wreath

From 3rd level while your Fists of the Fire Snake is active you grow a mass of slithering serpents from your head. These let you apply your intelligence modifier to Initiative checks, and you can no longer be Surprised.

You also gain proficiency in the Perception or Insight skill (your choice), if you did not already have it.

Discerning Gaze

From 6th level your eyes see more than the average person's. As a bonus action on your turn you can look at a creature and learn one of the following aspects, in addition to its creature type:

• One Ability Score of your choice.
• Armour Class
• Current hit points
• One damage resistance, immunity or vulnerability, at random.
• One condition immunity, at random.
• One Action or Legendary Action that the creature has, at random.

At 10th, 14th, and 17th level you learn an additional detail of your choice when you use Discerning Gaze.

Arresting Gaze

From 10th level as a bonus action on your turn you can focus your gaze on a creature you can see. They must succeed on a wisdom saving throw or momentarily lose focus on creatures other than you. Until the end of their next turn all other creatures except you are treated as being invisible and hidden from the target. They can only perceive you, and you alone, and will act accordingly.

If they take damage, this effect immediately ends.

Arresting Gaze can be used a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain one use on a short rest and all uses on a long rest.

Medusal Sight

From 14th level when you use one of your Gaze features from your Medusa Style, you gain Truesight (10ft) until the start of your next turn.

Piercing Gaze

Your eyes can see through to the very core of a creature. From 17th level as a bonus action on your turn you can look upon a creature to attempt to lay them bare. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be Restrained, and lose all damage resistances and immunities until the end of your next turn.

Piercing Gaze can be used a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain one use on a short rest and all uses on a long rest.

Charmer Style

Utilising the graceful movements of a dancer, Charmer Style inheritors weave their way across the battlefield and turning every fight into a glorious performance in honour of Ouroboros.

Distracting Motion

From 3rd level you gain the ability to use the Help action as a bonus action on your turn, but only for attacking other creatures. The range on this is equal to that of your Fists of the Fire Snake Range/Reach.

You also gain proficiency in the Performance or Persuasion skill (your choice), if you did not already have it.

Swift Cauterisation

From 6th level as a reaction at the end of a turn when a friendly creature took damage within 30ft of you, you can throw a Firesnake to the wound. They regain hit points equal to half the damage they took during that turn.

Smooth Motion

From 10th level you are no longer affected by difficult terrain, as you dance your way across the battlefield. Your movement speed also increases by 15ft, and opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage.

Soothing Cauterisation

From 14th level when you use Swift Cauterisation on a creature, they also gain temporary hit points equal to the amount you healed. These last for 1 minute.

Serpent's Encore

From 17th level when a friendly creature within 30ft, casts a spell of up to 4th level that deals damage or takes the attack action, you can use your reaction to copy that action with a fire-snake duplicate of the original. This copies the original perfectly (including Extra Attack, Sneak Attack, or similar features), uses the original creature's statistics for attack and damage rolls, and must target the same creature. The only difference is that it deals Fire Damage, instead of the normal damage type(s).

Serpent's Encore can be used once, refreshing on a short or long rest.

Slither Style

Those of the Slither Style are the most forward of all Inheritors, slipping into the cracks of the fight to strike where enemies are most vulnerable.

Snakefang Strike

From 3rd level if you hit an adjacent creature with your Fists of the Fire Snake, you may use your bonus action to grapple the creature, without making an ability check.

You also gain proficiency in the Acrobatics or Athletics skill (your choice), if you did not already have it.

Slithering Speed

From 6th you learn how to slither through time itself...if only slightly. When you roll initiative, you can swap your roll (after modifiers) with one other creature you can see. If this is an unwilling creature, they can make a Charisma saving throw to negate the effect. Your movement speed also increases by 15ft.

Improved Snakefang Strike

From 10th level while you have a creature grappled from your Snakefang Strike, they are Blinded by one of your snakes ensnaring their eyes.

Slither Through Flame

From 14th level after you are attacked, you can use your reaction to teleport up to 60ft in a puff of flame. Alternatively, when after an ally of yours is attacked within 60ft, you can use your reaction to teleport adjacent to them.

Bonds of Ouroboros

From 17th level when you grapple a creature with Snakefang Strike, you can attempt to also restrain them. They must make a Strength saving throw or be Restrained as long as they are grappled. In addition, they take 2d8 fire damage at the end of each of your turns while the grapple is maintained.

Bonds of Ouroboros can be used a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain one use on a short rest and all uses on a long rest.

Manifestations

Blazing Fists

While your Fists of the Fire Snake are active you shed bright light out to 10ft and dim light a further 10ft beyond that. This increases by 10ft for each light intensity for every 3 levels you have in this class (so 20ft at 3rd level, 30ft at 6th level, and so on).

Flailing Whip

Your unarmed strike Reach increases by 5ft. At 11th level this can be increased by a further 5ft, if you so choose.

This manifestation cannot be active at the same time as Snake Toss or True Fangs.

Grasping Whip

Prerequisite: Flailing Whip

If you hit with your Fists of the Fire Snake while Flailing Whips is active you can force the target to make a Strength Save. If they fail, they are pulled adjacent to you.

Lingering Toss

Prerequisite: Snake Toss

Once per turn when you hit with your Fists of the Fire Snake while Snake Toss is active, the snake attempts to latch onto the target. They must make a successful Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, the snake makes them panic and move 10ft in a random direction. The snake then dislodges itself and vanishes.

Revealing Fists

Prerequisite: Blazing Fists

If a creature is Invisible and ends their turn within the bright light from Blazing Fists, they must make a dexterity saving throw or lose their invisibility until the end of their next turn.

Scales of the Snake

Your manifestation focuses on defense instead of offense. You gain an additional +2 to your AC, but your Fist of the Fire Snake damage reduces by one dice size (eg. d6 becomes a d4).

Slithershoes

While this manifestation is active you can use your bonus action to Disengage on your turn. You also reduce damage from falling by 1d6 for every 3 Inheritor levels you posses (minimum 1d6).

Snake Charmer

While this manifestation is active you have advantage on Animal Handling and Persuasion ability checks. If the creature you are dealing with is serpentine in nature (be it an actual snake or snake-kin such as a Yuan-Ti), you instead roll 3d20 and choose the highest roll.

Snake Toss

Your unarmed strike becomes a ranged attack with a range of 60ft instead of a melee attack.

This manifestation cannot be active at the same time as Flailing Whips or True Fangs.

True Fangs

This manifestation moves your Fists of the Fire Snake to your mouth, turning it into a bite attack. This allows you to hold items in your hands even while your Fists are active.

Venomous Bite

Prerequisite: True Fangs

If you hit with your Fists of the Fire Snake while True Fangs is active, the creatures movement speeds are reduced by 10ft until the end of its next turn. This cannot stack with itself.

Fists of the Storm Snake

Prerequisite: 5th level

Though Ouroboros is the snake of fire, lightning is one of its descendant powers, and by channeling your focus, you can change the damage type of your Fists of the Fire Snake to Lightning instead of Fire. This manifestation cannot be active at the same time as Piercing Fang.

Piercing Fang

Prerequisite: 5th Level

By solidifying the Ouroboros' power, you turn the flames into a solid fang around your fist. Your Fists of the Fire Snake damage changes from Fire to Piercing. The magic of the Ouruboros means this damage is counted as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities.

This manifestation cannot be active at the same time as Fists of the Storm Snake.

Enhanced Fangs

Prerequisite: 7th level

Your Fists of the Fire Snake gain an additional +1 to their attack and damage rolls. This increases by a further +1 at 12th and 17th level.

Mind Aflame

Prerequisite: 7th level

While this manifestation is active your mind becomes serpentine and alien. Any creature attempting to scry you or read your thoughts must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw in order to do so. If they fail, the backlash deals 2d8 fire damage to them.

Adamant Aegis

Prerequisite: 9th level

While this manifestation is active, you are immune to critical hits.

Coiling Spring

Prerequisite: 9th level, Slithershoes

Your jump distances are tripled while this manifestation is active.

Shimmering Feet

Prerequisite: 9th level, Slithershoes

As a bonus action on your turn you can take the Hide action while this manifestation is active.

Disrupting Fists

Prerequisite: 11th level

While this manifestation is active, Concentration checks on spells from your Fists of the Fire Snake damage have a minimum of 6 + the damage you dealt.

Dread Fangs

Prerequisite: 11th level

When you hit a creature with your Fists of the Fire Snake, they must make a wisdom saving throw or be Frightened of you for 1 minute. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each turn to end the effect early. Once a creature has made a saving throw against Dread Fangs, it cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.

Snakelegs

Prerequisite: 11th level

This manifestation morphs your legs into a single snake tail of flame. You are immune to the Prone condition while this is active.

Explosive Fangs

Prerequisite: 15th level

Once per turn when you hit with your Fists of the Fire Snake you can cause the flames to explode out from the target creature. Adjacent creatures (other than you) take half as much damage as the initial hit dealt.

Fists of Unmaking

Prerequisite: Disrupting Fists, 15th level

Once per turn when you hit a creature with your Fists of the Fire Snake, you can affect the creature with the Dispel Magic spell. This only removes spells of 3rd level or lower, and cannot remove spells of 4th level or higher.

Greater Gaze of the Serpent

Prerequisite: 15th level

Your darkvision range is increased by 30ft. You also gain Tremorsense out to 10ft.

Warping Flames

Prerequisite: 15th level

Flames that seem to twist reality itself form around you. Instead of moving as normal, you can now choose to expend your movement to teleport a distance equal to have the amount you expended.