## Powder Mage High in his crow's nest, the lone soldier takes his aim. His target is far off, barely a blur in the distance. Reaching into his pocket he pulls a small package of paper. In one motion he tears it open with his teeth and pours the grainy powder across his tongue. His vision sharpens, the once blurry image focuses into the shape of a man. The soldier readies his rifle and takes the shot. The bullet flies forward but starts to drift. The soldier reaches out with his mind towards the bundle of packaged powder in his coat. With a thought he ignites one. He pushes the explosive force onto the speeding bullet, pushing it forward, correcting its course. It slams into the enemy captain and the man falls. ___

Across the field a battle rages. A woman takes aim and fires into the swarm of bodies around her. She swipes down with her sword in the same instance, the blast of her pistol adding its power to the stroke. A ball of fire comes racing towards her until another man sends an ignition of powder outward, dissipating the magic. Closer to the enemy line, a man finds their stores of gunpowder. He ignites it all and directs the force to the center of the enemy forces. The blast decimates them and the battle is won. The invention of Black Powder and the discovery of its anti-magical properties has wrought change across the whole of the world. One such change is the emergence of Powder Mages, warriors that have aligned their souls with the explosive substance. Powder Mages have learned to tap into gunpowder’s explosive and anti-magic powers to wield in battle. ___ ### Black Powder Powder Mages draw their power from a spiritual connection with black powder also known as gunpowder. Black powder is magically inert and possesses anti-magical properties. It is toxic to anyone that possesses arcane power. Items coated with the powder are resistant to spell casting and enchantments. Powder Mages harness both the explosive and anti-magic power of gunpowder to fuel their abilities. By harnessing the explosive power, they can increase the force of their attacks, direct massive explosions, or adjust the trajectory of in-flight missiles. By consuming the powder, the mage enhances their senses and speed. Tapping into the arcane sink hole black powder creates, Powder Mages are able to nullify spells and resist magical effects. ___ ### Soldier by Heart Not every soldier is a Powder Mage but every Powder Mage is a soldier. Trained in the use of pistols, muskets, and bombs, these mages are one-man armies. These men and women are usually more comfortable in a war camp than they are in their homes. Battle hardened and full of grit, powder mages are every soldier and arcane user's nightmare Most Powder Mages discover their abilities after first enlisting in the military, where it has become common practice to test for the trait. A Powder Mage is not aware of their status until they first consume black powder. Some wealthier families are able to afford the expensive substance and test their children themselves. Such individuals usually grow up to join the military as officers or strike their luck as adventures or sell swords. ###### *You must have an Constitution score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.*

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##### The Powder Mage | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Powder Charges | Features | Powder Trance Bonus| |:---:|:---:|:---:|:---|:---:| | 1st | +2 | 2 | Firearm Proficiency, Powder Charges | ─ | | 2nd | +2 | 2 | Powder Trance | +1 | | 3rd | +2 | 3 | Munitions Expertise | +1 | | 4th | +2 | 4 | Ability Score Improvement, Deflect Missile | +1 | | 5th | +3 | 5 | Extra Attack | +1 | | 6th | +3 | 6 | Expertise Feature | +1 | | 7th | +3 | 7 | Powder Sickness Improvement | +1 | | 8th | +3 | 8 | Ability Score Improvement | +2 | | 9th | +4 | 9 | Trance Clarity | +2 | | 10th | +4 | 10 | Rapid Reload | +2 | | 11th | +4 | 11 | Redirect Bullet | +2 | | 12th | +4 | 12 | Ability Score Improvement, Guiding Trance | +2 | | 13th | +5 | 13 | Powder Sickness Improvement | +2 | | 14th | +5 | 14 | Expertise Feature | +3 | | 15th | +5 | 15 | Barrage | +3 | | 16th | +5 | 16 | Ability Score Improvement | +3 | | 17th | +6 | 17 | Powder Sickness Improvement | +3 | | 18th | +6 | 18 | Expertise Feature | +3 | | 19th | +6 | 19 | Ability Score Improvement | +3 | | 20th | +6 | - | Powder Sage | +4 |

### Creating a Powder Mage As you build your Powder Mage, consider two important questions: how you discovered your abilities and where did you get your training? Are you a noble's son, trained by the best marksmen that money could buy? A camp follower traveling with the army, watching them train and emulating their actions? Or perhaps a commoner who joined a Lord's army and was found to have the trait? You might be a lowly village woman whose food had been contaminated with black powder and trained by the local gunsmith once your powers manifested. Why did you decide to seek adventure? Was it the draw of riches? Or are you simply a war hero that grew bored of their retired life. No matter your decision, the one truth that is constant amongst powder mages is the love for their firearm and the constant stumbling into trouble. #### Quick Build You can make a Powder Mage quickly by following these suggestions. First make Constitution your highest ability score. Your next-highest score should be either Dexterity or Strength, depending on whether you want to focus on firearms or branch into sword play. Finally choose the soldier background. ## Class Features As a Powder Mage, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per powder mage level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per powder mage level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light armor, medium armor - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, firearms - **Tools:** Tinker's tools - **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Intelligence - **Skills:** Choose two from Sleight of Hand, Insight, Perception, Acrobatics, Performance, Athletics #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: ___ - *(a)* a simple weapon and a pistol or *(b)* Musket and bayonet - *(a)* twenty pistol ammo or *(b)* twenty musket ammo - Leather armor - *(a)* a dungeoneer's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack - a set of Tinker's tools

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### Combustive Mind You have a spiritual connection to black powder. You can sense the location of black powder within a range of 120 feet as well as mentally command the powder you can see within 60 feet to ignite. Additionally you can use your CON modifier instead of DEX when attacking with a firearms and add CON to the damage roll. (*Note: Any feature that refrence firearms can be applied to lauchers as well*) If a feature requires a saving throw, the DC is calculated as follows: ____ - **Powder save DC**: 8 + Proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier #### Kickback Mentally igniting black powder does not come without its dangers. If the number of damage die caused by the explosion is greater than your Constitution modifier you take 1d4 psychic damage per die over the max. ___ ### Powder Charges Starting at 1st level, you can prepare *Powder Charges*, paper wrapped packets of gunpowder. You can burn them to fuel various powder features. You know two to start: ___ **Empowered Shot.** Once per turn, as part of your attack action you can burn a number of *Powder Charges* to increase your firearm’s damage. You roll an additional 1d4 per charge expended. You must declare this intent and number of charges before rolling attack. You can uses as many charges as you have available but each charge after the first increases the firearms misfire by one ___ **Manage Misfire.** If your firearm misfires you can use your reaction to burn two *Powder Charges* to ignore the negative effects. ___ #### Powder Sickness Burning *Powder Charges* puts a strain on your body. You can only use the number of charges as shown on the Powder Mage table, each additional charge used gives you a level of exhaustion. Uses reset after a short or long rest. Starting at level 7 you make a CON saving throw at disadvantage, DC 10 + current levels of exhaustion + number of charges over max, before gaining a level of exhaustion on a failed save. Starting at level 13 you roll without disadvantage and with advantage at level 17.

``` ``` ### Powder Trance Starting at level 2 you can use a bonus action to consume a *Powder Charge* and enter a trance. While in a *Powder Trance* you gain the following benefits: - You have advantage on all Dexterity checks and saving throws. - You gain a bonus to ranged attack rolls and damage as shown on the Powder Trance Bonus column of the Powder mage table. - You can add your proficiency bonus twice to passive Perception (Wisdom) and Perception checks. You can see clearly to a distance of 1 mile, can make out fine details up to 100 feet away, and gain Darkvision out to a range of 30 feet. - *Optional* If using the optional *Powder Sickness* rules defined in the Appendix you can ignore the exhaustion caused by *Powder Sickness* while in a *Powder Trance*. ### Munitions Expertise At 3rd level, you choose an expertise that you strive to master: Rifleman, Bombardier, Combatant, or Powder Adept. Your expertise grants you additional features at levels 3, 6, 14, and 18. ### 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 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. Additionally, instead of increasing ability scores chose to take a Feat. ### Divert Missile At 4th level, you can use your reaction to burn one *Powder Charge* to divert the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage is reduced by 1d10 + your Powder Mage level. ### Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. ### Trance Clarity At 9th level, while in a *Powder Trance* you are immune to being charmed or frightened.

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### Rapid Reload Beginning at 10th level, you can use your bonus action to reload a firearm. ### Redirect Bullet Starting at 11th level, if an attack from your firearm misses the target you can use your reaction to burn two *Powder Charges* to reroll the attack against a new target as long as they are not in front of the original one. ### Guiding Trance At 12th level, as an action you can burn a *Powder Charge* to enter a special trance that focuses your mind and body on a single task. While in this trance chose one ability. You now have advantage on all ability checks made with the chosen ability for one hour. ### Barrage Starting at level 15, once per turn you can spend your entire action firing all shots in your firearm or launcher. Doing so only requires one attack roll but damage must be rolled separately for each shot. Your firearm imdeiatly suffers the effects of a misfire at the end of your turn regardless of the roll. ### Powder Sage At level 18, you have mastered the use of black powder, it courses through your blood with every heart beat. You no longer need to consume a *Powder Charge* to enter a *Powder Trance* or *Guiding Trance*. When entering combate with no uses of *Powder Charges* left, you gain five back.

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## Munitions Expertise The style and uses of firearms are wide and varied. The average soldier only learns to use the most basic of these tools. As a Powder Mage you have the unique opportunity to unlock the true potential of these tools and even the power of black powder itself. Once at 3rd level a Powder Mage chooses which of these tools they wish to master. ### Rifleman Rifleman have learned to use their muskets and gunpowder to extend their senses. They are masters of long ranged firearms. Able to make seemingly impossible shots no matter how far away the target. These Powder Mages have learned to use gunpowder to modify and adjust the course of their bullets in mid flight. #### Ghillie Suit When you take this expertise at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with stealth checks and you can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. #### Float Shot Starting at 3rd level, you can spend a *Powder Charge* to double the range of your firearm. #### Ignite Ward At 6th level, you can use your Deflect Missile feature on any creature you can see within 60 feet by burning an additional *Powder Charge*. #### Focused Trance Beginning at level 14th, while in a *Powder Trance* you gain the additional benefits: - You ignore cover when using your firearm. - You can shoot from behind cover without breaking it. #### Course Adjust At 18th level your marksmanship has no equal, you can burn three *Powder Charges* to double your Proficiency Bonus when making an attack with a firearm. ### Bombardier The explosive power in black powder is nearly limitless and can be used for more than just Rifles. The Bombardier has learned to control this power and direct it as they see fit. Crafting bombs and other explosives for devesting affect #### Explosives Proficiency When you take this expertise at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with explosives such as bombs and the ability to craft them.

``` ``` #### Powder Attuned Also at 3rd level your connection to black powder is strengthened, you gain the following benefits. - You no longer need to see black powder to ignite it using your *Combustive Mind* feature. - You can absorb the explosive energy and can use your action on the same turn to unleash it in a spot you can see within 60 feet. - You can add your Constitution modifier to the splash damage of your explosives. - Your Proficiency bonus can be added to reduce the number of damage die before you suffer kickback damage #### Empowered Explosives At level 3 you can burn *Powder Charges* as part of your attack action to increase the splash damage of your bombs by 1d4 per charge. #### Careful Explosions Starting at 6th level, you can gain finer control over your explosives. When using *Combustive Mind* or one of your bombs you can choose to guide the explosive force around creatures. You choose a number of creatures you see up to your Constitution modifier to ignore the damage. Additionally, you can burn *Powder Charges* to ignore more creatures. #### Elemental Bombs At 14th level, you can imbue your bombs with elemental damage. When you burn a *Powder Charges* for *Empowered Explosives* you can decide to change the damage from force to fire, cold, lightning, necrotic, or radiant. #### Big Bang At level 18, your control of black powder is perfectly tuned. You gain the following benefits - You can add half your proficiency bonus to the *Careful Explosions* feature. - The radius of your bombs splash range increases by 5 feet. ### Combatant Not every soldier has the luxury of fighting from the back line, some are front line and center. These combatants must use swords and guns to keep the enemy at bay. Combatants have learned to add the power of black powder to their firearms as well as their martial weapons. #### Weapon Proficiency When you take this expertise at 3rd level you gain proficiency with martial weapons that lack the two-handed or heavy properties. #### Akimbo You can dual wield a material melee weapon and a firearm, or two firearms as long as neither have the heavy or two-handed property.

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#### Empowered Strike At 3rd level, once per turn, as part of your attack action, while wielding a sword and gun, you can burn a number of *Powder Charges* to increase your melee weapon damage. You roll an additional 1d4 per charge expended. You must declare this intent and number of charges before rolling attack. Doing this causes your weapon to gain the misfire property, equal to 1 + the number of charges spent. #### Battle Trance Beginning at level 6th, while in a *Powder Trance* you gain the additional benefits: - When making a ranged attack with a firearm that lacks the two-handed property while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. - You may take a bonus action attack with an off-hand firearm. #### Divert Weapon At 14th level, you can use your *Deflect Missile* feature on weapon attacks made against you by burning an additional *Powder Charge*. #### Storm of Steel and Lead Your mastery of blade and gun are unmatched. Beginning at 18th level, you may take a *Potshot* as part of your bonus action attack. ___ - **Potshot.** a normal ranged attack that does not add your bonuses to the attack or damage rolls. ___ ### Powder Adept Black powder is more than just a source of explosive power. It also has anti-magical properties. Powder Adepts choose to focus on this making them the scourge of magic users everywhere. #### Anti-magic Trance When you take this expertise at 3rd level, you have learned to tap into the anti-magic properties of black powder. While in a *Powder Trance* you gain the following ability: - You can burn a *Powder Charge* to gain advantage on the saving throw required by a spell. #### Divert Magic At 6th level, you can use your *Divert Missile* feature on spell attacks made against you by burning an additional charge. Additionally when you are subjected to a magical effect or spell that allows you to make a saving throw to take only half damage, you can burn two *Powder Charges* to instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. You must decalre this before making the roll. #### Magic Sinkhole Beginning at 14th level, you can use three *Powder Charges* to cast Counterspell or Dispel Magic at 5th level. You can burn additional charges to cast the spell at higher ‘levels’. ``` ``` #### Aura of Grit At level 18 your ability to disrupt the arcane extends beyond your body. An anti-magic aura extends 15 feet from you in all directions. Anyone in the aura gains the following benefits - Those you deem an ally gain the benefits for your *Anti-magic Trance* and you no longer need to burn additonal charges to gain advantage on saving throws. - You can use *Divert Magic* on any creature in the aura. - Those you deem an ally gain the effects for your *Trance Clarity* against spells that induce the conditions. Natural abilities such as a Dragon’s Frightful Presence are not protected by the aura.

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# Appendix ## Firearms Firearms are considered finesse weapons, as such they use DEX for attack rolls. Damage done by firearms is considered to be done by the ammo, as such no modifier is added to the damage roll except for Powder Mages who can add CON to the damage roll. ### Misfire Whenever you make an attack roll with a firearm, and the dice roll is equal to or lower than the weapon’s Misfire score, the weapon misfires. The attack misses, and the weapon cannot be used again until you spend an action to try and repair it. To repair your firearm, you must make a successful Tinker’s Tools check (DC equal to 8 + misfire score). If your check fails, you can keep trying each turn. Creatures who use a firearm without being proficient increase the weapon’s misfire score by 2. ``` ``` ### Reload The weapon can be fired a number of times equal to its reload score before you must spend 1 attack or 1 action to reload. You must have one free hand to reload a firearm. ### Explosive Whether or not the weapon hits, everything within the splash radius of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your powder save DC or suffer the weapons splash damage. If the weapon misfires, the ammunition fails to detonate. If using a launcher the explosives misfire value is replaced by the launchers. ### Ammunition All firearms require ammunition to make an attack, and due to their rare nature, ammunition may be near impossible to find or purchase. However, if materials are gathered, you can craft ammunition yourself using your Tinker’s Tools at half the cost. Each firearm uses its own unique ammunition and is generally sold or crafted in batches listed below next to the price.

___

#### Launchers | Name | Cost | Ammo | Range | Weight | Properties | |:----:|:-----:|:----:|:------:| :--------------------------------------------:| | Sling | 1 sp | Gernade, Hand Bomb | 30/120 | ─ | See ammo's properties | Flintlock | 450 gp | Grenade | 60/120 | 3 lb | Reload 2, misfire 1 | | Bomber | 600 gp | Bomb | 60/120 | 15 lb | Heavy, two-handed, reload 1, misfire 2 | | Hand Mortar | 1000 gp | Large Bomb | 30/600 | 10 lb | Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 3 |

#### Firearms | Name | Cost | Ammo | Damage | Weight | Range | Properties | |:----:||:---:|:----:|:------:|:------:|:-----:|:-----------------------------------: | Palm Pistol | 50 gp | 2 gp (20) | 1d10 piercing | 1 lb | 40/160 | Light, reload 1, misfire 1 | | Pistol | 150 gp | 4 gp (20) | 1d12 piercing | 3 lb | 60/240 | Reload 4, misfire 1 | | Musket | 300 gp | 5 gp (20) | 2d8 piercing | 10 lb | 120/480 | Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 2 | | Long Rifle | 600 gp | 10 gp (10) | 3d12 piercing | 15 lb | 300/600 | Heavy, two-handed, reload 1, misfire 5 | | Pepperbox | 250 gp | 4 gp (20) | 1d10 piercing | 5 lb | 80/320 | Reload 6, misfire 2 | | Blunderbuss | 300 gp | 5 gp (5) | 6d4 piercing | 10 lb | 15/60 | Reload 1, misfire 2 | | Halfbuss | 350 gp | 5 gp (5) | 6d4 piercing | 8 lb | 10/30 | Reload 2, misfire 3 |

#### Melee Attachments | Name | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties | |:----:||:---:|:----:|:------:|:------:|:-----:|:-----------------------------------: | Bayonet | 3 gp | 1d6 piercing | 1 lb | Attaches to musket, reach when attached |

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## A World of Powder A world with gunpowder and magic can offer a plethora of fun optional and house rules. Here are a few that I, the author, like. ### Potions Black powder can make an exellect addition in potions. Depending on the other ingredients gunpowder can be used as a catalyst to increase thier potencey or bring out unique attributes, even from the powder itself. ##### Black Powder Potions | Potion | Effect | |:------:|:-------| | Health Potion | Adds CON modifier to roll | | Grit Oil | Deals extra damage to magic users when applied to a weapon, or reduces spell damage when applied to armor | | Potion of Hieghtened Sight | Increases passive preception and range of sight | | Potion of Anti-magic | Splash potion that acts like the Dispel Magic spell | | Arcane Posion | Posion that only affects magic users. Reduces the number of spell slots or spell level one can cast | ### Enchantments Powder can be worked directly into metal, cloth, and leather giving them special properties. ##### Powder Infused Items | Item | Properties | |:----:|:-----------| | Mage Slayer Armor | Gives advantage on spell saving throws | | Explosive Weapon | Deals extra force damage on hit | | White Powder Amulate | Negates the negative affects black powder has on magic users | | Blast Bow | Bow that shots with the force of a gun | ### Gunpowder Allergy All those connected to the arcane have adverse reactions to black powder. This can manifest as a horrible allergy. Rashes develope from physicall contact with the material, constant sneezing or itching eyes around gun fire, and general discomfort when around Powder Mages. In extrem cases, and with enough black powder, an arcane user can find themselves complete cut off from thier powers or even comatose. ``` ``` ## Powder Afflictions ### Powder Sickness *Powder Sickness* is a constant problem that Powder Mages must deal with. Exactly when the sickness will hit them is a science that would be mages must learn to master. An optional rule can be used to allow powder mages to temporarily ignore the effects of *Powder Sickness* for 1 hour by ingesting a *Powder Charge*. Using this optional feature to many times may lead to *Powder Addiction* ### Powder Addiction (Optional Rule) Powder Mages that constantly suffer from *Powder Sickness* may become dependent on black powder to function normally. The conditions needed to become addicted are set by the DM, but a good rule of thumb is either 3 levels of exhaustion in one day or curing the sickness 3 times in one day, 5 times in 3 days, or 7 times in 1 week. Powder addicted mages permanently suffer from *Powder Sickness*, either 1 level of exhaustion or *Powder Blindness*, unless they consume a *Powder Charge* every 4 hrs. ### Powder Blind (Optional Rule) Powder blindness can be a symptom of powder sickness or replace exhaustion. When a powder mage becomes *Powder Blind*, they lose the use of two of their Powder Mage class features, determined by the DM. The feature lost cannot be the *Powder Trance* feature, but the Powder Mage loses the Perception and sight benefits granted by the trance. The Powder Mage loses use of an additional feature for each day that passes without having cured themselves of their blindness. Powder blindness may be cured by not ingesting any black powder for 2 days, for each feature the Mage has lost use of. Powder blindness is not affected by any effect that grants disease immunity. If a *Powder Blind* Mage is affected by a magical effect that cures disease, the powder blindness is cured. ```` ````

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