Tag: subclasses

Is this homebrew Sea Domain Cleric balanced compared to the other subclasses? [closed]

I am making a compendium of homebrew Cleric subclasses, spells and feats, but I want to make sure it is actually balanced and there are no glaring loopholes or broken combos with existing feats, spells, and subclasses before I release it. Is this homebrew Sea Domain balanced compared to the other cleric subclasses?

Sea Domain

The landlubber cultures see the sea as an unconquerable force, so why not harness it to your advantage? The gods of the sea include Umberlee, Posiedon, Habbakuk, and Njord.

Domain Spells

Level
1st Create or Destroy Water, Earth Tremor
3nd Find Steed, Protection from Poison
5th Tidal Wave, Wall of Water
7th Control Water, Watery Sphere
9th Commune with Nature, Steel Wind Strike

Bonus Proficiencies

You gain proficiency in Aquan, martial weapons, and Vehicles(sea).

Sea Master

You become more adapted to life in the water. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, you can breath underwater, and you know the Shape Water cantrip and can cast it as a bonus action. You add twice your proficiency bonus to any check to navigate at sea.

Channel Divinity: Heart of the Sea

At 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to bolster yourself with the strength of the sea. As an action while you are fully submersed in water, you can spend a use of Channel Divinity to make yourself resistant to all nonmagical damage for one minute. This resistance ends if you begin a turn not fully submersed in water. At 16th level, this ability conveys resistance to magical damage as well.

Channel Divinity: Grace of the Dolphin

At level 6, you can meditate for 10 minutes and use your channel divinity to gain the following benefits until you take a long rest:

  • Your jump distance is tripled while you are swimming.
  • When you are piloting a sea vessel, it moves at twice its normal speed.
  • You can communicate with aquatic beasts, and you have advantage on Charisma checks involving them.
  • You can dash as a bonus action while swimming.

Divine Strike

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with the divine energy of a crashing wave. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 bludgeoning damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, a creature hit by the attack must also make a strength saving throw or fall prone.

Wrath of Poseidon

At 17th level, as an action, you can summon a whirlpool of watery whips around you. The whirlpool is a sphere centered on you that is 20 feet in radius. It counts as difficult terrain for all creatures except you. Ranged weapon attacks made from outside the cylinder automatically miss any target inside the cylinder. Any creature other than you who starts their turn inside your whirlpool must make a dexterity saving throw, taking 1d10 bludgeoning damage and being pushed 20 feet away on a failed save or take half as much damage and not be pushed on a successful one. You cannot concentrate on spells while your whirlpool is summoned. You can dismiss your whirlwind as a bonus action. Additionally, you learn the Tsunami and Earthquake spells and always have them prepared.

Is this homebrew Chaos domain balanced compared to the official subclasses?

I am making a compendium of homebrew Cleric subclasses, spells and feats, but I want to make sure it is actually balanced and there are no glaring loopholes or broken combos with existing feats, spells, and subclasses before I release it. Is this homebrew Chaos Domain balanced compared to the other cleric subclasses?

Chaos Domain

While most gods create some from of order, others prefer its destruction and embrace entropy and unexpectedness at all times. Gods of chaos include Eris, Sutr, Zurguth, and Mask, though many clerics worship Chaos itself.

Domain Spells

Level
1st Chaos Bolt, Grease
3rd Crown of Madness, Knock
5th Bestow Curse, Summon Lesser Demons
7th Confusion, Hallucinatory Terrain
9th Mislead, Maelstrom

Constant Flux

Before you roll any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you may flip a coin. On a heads, you gain advantage on the roll, on a tails, you gain disadvantage.

Cantrip Substitution

You learn one cantrip of your choice from any spell list, it counts as a cleric cantrip for you. Whenever you finish a long rest, you may swap it with a different cantrip.

Channel Divinity: Baleful Transposition

At 2nd level, as a reaction at any time, including during your turn, you can use your channel divinity and select any creature within 30 feet of yourself. The creature must make a charisma saving throw. You and the creature switch posisitions on a failed save.

Channel Divinity: Chaotic Casting

At 6th level, whenever you cast a spell, you can use your channel divinity to roll twice on the Wild Magic table. Choose which one of the effects you rolled happens.

Potent Spellcasting

Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.

Random Magic

At 17th level, as an action, you can choose 12 9th level spells with a casting time of 1 action that lack costly material components. Assign each a number 1-12. Roll a d12. You cast that spell as a cleric spell without expending a spell slot. Once you use this ability you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Is this Poetry Bard balanced compared to other Bard subclasses?

In all honesty, a lot of this class arose from the goal of having themed feature descriptions which were drafted and then refined over time to make them have a more cohesive internal-theme as well (standard wordings of feature descriptions are found in the spoiler blocks). That theme developed from "generic poet" into "controls your audience". As such, the features follow a progression of benefitting allies, harming enemies, and finally, controlling everyone.

I wanted the subclass to have a rather extreme playstyle where features can rarely ever be used or only last a short amount of time, but where, in either case, they are quite powerful. This is something I find very little of in 5e and it is something I like because it makes using the features a much more strategic decision. Unfortunately, it can also lead to a class feeling lack-luster or lack they are a one-and-done kind of show, which is why I added in the learned spells in the latter two features which are not in poetry form.

Perhaps even more unfortunately, this sort of design can also lead to major imbalances, or at least, very swingy sorts of battles. This is primarily what I am worried about with this subclass, that when it does succeed, it will put even the Monk’s Stunning Strike to shame.

After each feature are two spoiler blocks, the first is the feature written out in more standard wording. The second is the explanation of the feature’s structure.

College of Poetry

You’ve spent your life mastering the art of poetry: meter, rhyme, hidden meanings and more. You’ve found unique ways to inspire your allies, befuddle your foes, and perhaps, some day, you’ll enrapture all those around you with your timeless performances.

The road you walk’s less travelled, but you walk it nonetheless;
Pen and paper are your guide, your lyrics bring unmatched finesse.

3rd level feature: Roundel of Inspiration

You know how to do it, to turn the battle’s tide;
To make all foes soon quit, and rally all your friends.
An action’s perfectly fit, one must be applied.
Now use it quickly friends, ‘fore inspiration ends!

Costing but one die; a small price the bard expends.
Help six who hear the cry, and still remain allied;
And help them to get by, as combat still extends.

They’ll activate it soon, six seconds and it’s died.
Alas, this piece does zoom, its timing never bends;
One turn within this tune, the magic will have dried.
Now use it quickly friends, ‘fore inspiration ends.

6th level feature: Tongue Twister

Entrapping enemies, ensnaring entities.
Visible vermin vexed; vocalize various vulnerabilities.
Sic six souls, Sapiēns saves send; six squares seen, sixty seconds set.
A magic making modifier makes malevolents maintaining might a mountain not meekly met.
Daily dumbing delusions dance, dealing doubled dodecahedral dice;
Fear festers, frolics, feters, finds foes facing forcèd frights.
Shackled, shockèd, shaking, shooked.
Halted, heelless, hellbound, hooked.
Tries to terminate transpire: taking trauma; turn by turn.
Blithering baddies’ battles bent to burn.

Additionally, you learn the tongues spell; it counts as a Bard spell for you and does not count against the number of Bard spells you know.

14th level feature: Magnum Opus

Metrical Allegations Grant Numerous Uncontrollable Maledictions. Overwhelm Puny Unfortunates Seen.
Action’s Graciously Needed, Undertaking’s Met. Oppress, Possess, Usurp Sizeable Manipulation.
Gremlins Now Unhurt Me! Overturn Perils, Unmake Sins! Misdoings Agleam.
Now Use Mentality; Otherwise Perceive Unmentionable Sights Making Actions Genuflection!
Unfortunate Many! Oh Poor Underlings Suffer My Afflictions! Gracious None!
Mine! Overruled, Powerless, Uncasting, Silenced, Maddened And Gnawing; Next Undone!

Overcoming’s Pointless, Useless, Silly! My Attack Goes Nowhere, Unneeded Mortal!
Precise Undulations Sent! Many Anguish, Gnash; None Use Magic Over!
Ultimate Spell! Minutes Accrue; Going Nowhere Until Maledictions Occlude Portal!
Suffer! My Anguish Grants Neverfound Unfetterings… My Own Pain, Underexposure!

Additionally, you learn the mass suggestion; it counts as a Bard spell for you and does not count against the number of Bard spells you know.

Are XGtE subclasses compatible with the UA ranger

My games use the UA ranger instead of the PHB variant. The question did not previously come to mind, because until now my players either chose hunter or beast master, both of which have their variant in the UA. Now the question did come up:

Are the XGtE ranger archetypes compatible with the base ranger class from unearthed arcana?

The reason I suspect it might not (at least not as written) is the fact that extra attack got relegated to the subclasses (except for the beast master who now lacks it). I further assume that the XGtE subclasses where created with the original PHB ranger in mind which means they would suddenly be seriously downgraded because they lost the extra attack.

By compatible I mean:

  1. Is it correct that I would need to add extra attack to assure that the class is balanced with other classes?

  2. Are there other differences with a similar high impact that I would need to consider?

Clarification: I want to combine the base class (the part without the subclass which is common to all rangers) from the UA with a subclass from XGtE rather than one which is also from the UA.

Is my adaptation of the Battle Master as a Wizard subclass balanced relative to other Wizard subclasses and to the original Battle Master?


Background Motivation

I wanted to create a subclass for Wizard that uses an expendable die resource to augment its magic and benefit its allies, similar to how the Battle Master Fighter expends superiority dice to fuel maneuvers which augments its attacks and benefit its allies.

Design Process

The following were some significant steps and motivations in my design process.

  • I called the subclass the School of Pedagogy because, thematically, a Wizard of this subclass is an academic who studies magic at a theoretical level. I called the equivalent of Battle Master maneuvers “theorems” for the Pedagogy Wizard and the equivalent of superiority dice “savant dice.”
  • I evolved the Pedagogy concept from the Unearthed Arcana Lore Master and School of Invention, but almost nothing from those inspirations remains.
  • I ported the Battle Master subclass features (at 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th Fighter levels) into the chassis of the Wizard (at 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 14th Wizard levels), trying to keep a similar pacing of improvements.
  • I reduced the die size progression and the utility/skill features for the Pedagogy Wizard to include only d8 and d10 savant dice to account for Wizards generally being more powerful than Fighters at higher levels and for Wizards generally having more skills.
  • I ported many of the Battle Master maneuvers directly into theorems with minimal changes to apply the benefits to spells and magical effects. However, not every maneuver was sensible to port, so I excluded some. Then I created original theorems to fill unique magical needs that exist for a Wizard but not for a Fighter.
  • I compared the resulting theorems to all subclass features of other Wizard subclasses to avoid stepping on their toes. Some features and theorems are inspired by class/subclass features from other classes, in which case I tried to avoid impeding on those as well. I specifically avoided duplicating any Sorcerer Metamagic features.
  • For wording all theorems that add or subtract a die on an attack, check, or save, I tried to use wording identical to that used in Battle Master maneuvers, Bardic Inspiration, and the bless and bane spells: if the intent is that you can add/subtract before or after the roll is resolved, it’s explicitly stated; otherwise, you add it when you make the roll.
  • I iterated the subclass many times using feedback from several other DM’s. We will be playtesting the subclass for two Wizard characters in two campaigns (one where I am the DM and one where I play the Wizard), but it hasn’t made it to the table as of this posting.

Text of the Subclass (version 1.0)

The following is the result of my design effort.

Arcane Expertise

At 2nd level, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill if you aren’t already proficient in it, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Arcana.

Magical Savant

When you choose this school at 2nd level, you learn magical theorems that are fueled by special dice called savant dice.

Theorems. You learn three theorems of your choice, which are detailed under “Theorems” below. Many theorems enhance a spell or other magical effect in some way. You can use only one theorem per effect.

You learn two additional theorems of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. Each time you learn new theorems, you can also replace one theorem you know with a different one.

Savant Dice. You have four savant dice, which are d8s. A savant die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended savant dice when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain another savant die at 6th level and one more at 14th level.

Theorems

The theorems are presented in alphabetical order.

Applied Studies

When you make an Intelligence (Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion) check, you can expend one savant die to add it to the check. Alternatively, when you or a friendly creature who can see or hear you makes an Intelligence (Investigation) check, you can use your reaction and expend one savant die to add it to the check before or after making the check, but before any effects of the check are applied.

Beguiling Spell

When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a Wisdom saving throw against being charmed or frightened, you can expend one savant die to make the spell especially beguiling and hard to ignore. Subtract the savant die from that creature’s first saving throw against the condition.

Damping Defense

When a creature damages you with a weapon attack, you can use your reaction and expend one savant die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your savant die + your Constitution modifier.

Distracting Spell

When you hit a creature with a spell attack, you can expend one savant die to distract that creature, giving your allies an opening. You add the savant die to the attack’s damage roll. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.

Dual Strike

When you cast a spell with a duration of Instantaneous and it deals damage to a creature on your turn, you can use a bonus action to direct one of your companions to strike in tandem. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you and expend one savant die. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack against the same target, adding the savant die to its attack roll.

Elemental Flux

When you cast a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can expend one savant die and choose one of the spell’s damage types from that list to substitute for another type from that list for the spell’s duration. The first time you roll damage for the spell using the substituted type, add the savant die to the damage roll.

Focusing Oration

When a friendly creature that can see or hear you misses with an attack, you can use your reaction and expend one savant die to refocus that creature’s efforts. Add the savant die to the attack roll, possibly changing the outcome.

Galvanizing Oration

When a friendly creature that can see or hear you makes a saving throw to end an ongoing effect on itself or to maintain concentration, you can use your reaction and expend one savant die to add it to the saving throw.

Maneuvering Spell

When you cast a spell with an area of effect, you can expend one savant die to direct one of your comrades to exit the area. Choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you in the area. Before the spell takes effect, that creature can use its reaction to move up to its speed, adding the savant die to its AC until it stops moving.

Mental Agility

When you roll initiative at the start of combat, you can expend one savant die to add it to the roll. When you use this theorem and aren’t incapacitated, you can’t be surprised on your first turn in combat.

Merciful Spell

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a spell and the target isn’t killed outright, you can expend one savant die to hold back some of the spell’s energy and merely knock the target out. The target falls unconscious and is stable. You gain temporary hit points equal to the savant die roll + your Wisdom modifier.

Precision Spell

When you make a spell attack against a creature, you can expend one savant die to add it to the attack roll. You can use this theorem before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

Reactive Cantrip

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one savant die to cast a damaging cantrip that targets only that creature and has a duration of Instantaneous. Add the savant die to the cantrip’s damage roll.

Stirring Oration

When you cast a spell with verbal components on your turn, you can use a bonus action and expend one savant die to encourage one of your companions with an insightful speech woven into your spellcasting. Choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to the savant die roll + your Charisma modifier.

Swift Spell

When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a Dexterity saving throw, you can expend one savant die to make the spell especially swift and hard to avoid. Subtract the savant die from that creature’s first saving throw against the spell.

Tough Spell

When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a Constitution saving throw, you can expend one savant die to make the spell especially tough and hard to withstand. Subtract the savant die from that creature’s first saving throw against the spell. This theorem can’t hinder a Constitution saving throw made to maintain concentration.

Expeditious Research

Starting at 6th level, you can use the Search action as a bonus action.

Improved Magical Savant

At 10th level, your savant dice turn into d10s.

Timely Epiphany

Starting at 14th level, when you roll initiative and have no savant dice remaining, you regain one savant die.

Question

Is this Wizard School of Pedagogy balanced relative to other Wizard subclasses and to the original Fighter Battle Master that inspired it? In other words, can the School of Pedagogy coexist with those other subclasses as a useful, distinct, and coequal option without impinging on their design? Things to watch for…

  • Flawed language with ambiguity or unintended consequences.
  • Features that are not level-comparable with similar features from other classes/subclasses.
  • Features granting benefits that are too powerful relative to existing options.
  • Features that are game-breaking within the game’s existing design.
  • Features that are so niche or unhelpful they would never be chosen or used.

I am not at all concerned with whether the Pedagogy Wizard seems thematically or mechanically similar to the Sorcerer, so any similarity between the concept of theorems and of metamagic isn’t considered to be infringing on the use case of Sorcerers for purposes of my question, unless a theorem directly replicates a particular Sorcerer metamagic option.

(To the best of my ability, I’ve followed the recommendations on Meta for how to present a homebrew balancing question. I’m happy to accommodate actionable suggestions for improvement of the question. However, if I need to iterate the subclass design again after reviewing the answers, that will be done in a separate question. Finally, sorry for the wall of text. I hope it’s easy to follow.)

Buffing the Storm Sorcerer from SCAG to be on par with other Sorcerer Subclasses

The Storm Sorcery subclass from SCAG is widely regarded as the weakest of the sorcerer subclasses, see here. We – as in my Dnd group – mainly play without multiclassing, so combinations like this don’t help the problem.

To buff the class I thought of the following:

  1. Include the casting of Cantrips for triggering Tempestous Magic
  2. Include the casting of Cantrips with lighting/thunder effects for triggering Heart of the Storm

This would synergies especially with the Thunderclap Cantrip:

You create a burst of thunderous sound that can be heard up to 100 feet away. Each creature within range, other than you, must make a Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 thunder damage.

The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Is the Storm Sorcery Subclass with this buff still balanced, especially compared to the other Sorcerer Subclasses?

What would be the balance implications of allowing multiclassing with the same class (e.g. for access to multiple subclasses)?

The rules for Multiclassing on page 163 of the PHB state:

With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in level, instead of gaining a level in your current class.

By RAW, it seems clear you cannot start out at level 1 again in your current class in order to achieve something like a Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline) 1 / Sorcerer (Divine Soul) 1.

Would it be balanced to allow this anyway? Which problems would occur?

Assume that all other rules for multiclassing remain intact, such as the spell slot calculation or the limitation of multiple instances of Extra Attack.

Related: the same question for Pathfinder, clarification that this is not allowed by RAW

Is this revised homebrew Way of the Force monk subclass balanced compared to the official monk subclasses?

This is a monk to emulate be a force user, as from the Star Wars universe.
There is a spoiler from The Last Jedi film. I thought that the ability to telekinetically affect your environment is too cool a concept to be left to a couple of spells, so I wanted to create a martial class that could utilise these concepts.

The homebrew subclass in this question was finally playtested, so I can come back and try and refine it.

However, it was not an extensive playtest, so assessment from the community is appreciated. Prior to playing, I removed the multiple concentration feature of Force Prowess, leaving just the increased cost for more targets component.

The main issues seen were:

  • the contested checks resulted in both more rolling and more swinginess in whether the ability worked
  • using contested checks instead of saves meant that boss targets couldn’t circumvent the abilities
  • the ability to force something prone from range or to restrain something were both very powerful (especially against flying targets)

It was also unsatisfying to attempt to use an effect, just for it to fail, and my limited resource be wasted. As I was playtesting, I also found myself unwilling to use the Greater Telekinesis feature that lets you move creatures as an attack – maybe this was just due to the situations I was in, but it could just be a quirk of the combats I found myself in.

Additionally, I made some changes to Force Choke, but was unable to test it.

The changes I’ve made off the back of the above issues are changing all of the contested checks to Strength saving throws. This simplifies the text, and lets legendary creatures save from the effects, as well as reduce the amount of rolling. I also switched to using the player’s wisdom modifier instead of proficiency modifier for effects that I wanted to have a limited number of targets; I don’t think this should change too much, however.

I am still worried about the balance and feel of this subclass. It still has the issue that, quite often, a turn can be wasted trying to get a target to succumb to a force effect, and you fail consistently, wasting a lot of resources. Other subclasses get features they can use without resources; currently, this subclass only has Life Sense for that. Additionally, the ability to force something prone, or to restrain a target, from range gives a large incentive to just keep trying to get these powerful effects. The use of Strength saving throws instead of Dexterity saving throws is also a tad worrying; I’m not sure how unbalanced that is, though.

How balanced does this subclass seem in relation to officially published monk subclasses? What ways could it be improved to increase player satisfaction, with regards to resource expenditure, that official subclasses take into account?

Way of the Force

Monks that follow the Way of the Force have learnt how to use their ki to manipulate their surroundings with their mind, tapping into the energy that inhabits all things.

Telekinesis

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to telekinetically manipulate the world around you. You gain the mage hand cantrip if you don’t already know it, and it is invisible.

Force Radius. A force radius of 30 ft that is centered on you defines where you can use ki specific force features. Your force radius increases to 60′ at level 11, and increases to 120 ft at level 17.

When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to spend 1 ki point to achieve one of the following effects against a Large or smaller creature, or an object, in your force radius.

  • Force Shove. The target must make a Strength saving throw. If they fail the save, you can do one of the following: knock the target prone, push the target up to half your Force Radius directly away from you, or pull the target up to half your Force Radius directly towards you. Unattended objects automatically fail this contested check, and if an object is held by a creature the creature makes the check.

  • Force Grab. The target must make a Strength saving throw. If the target fails the saving throw, it is grappled for one minute while you concentrate on the effect (as if concentrating on a spell). The target can use an action to try and break the grapple, repeating the saving throw.
    Unattended objects automatically fail this saving throw, and if an object is held by a creature the creature makes the save. An object held in this way can be moved to a location within your force radius up to half your force radius away from its origin point as an object interaction, and stay aloft in the air at the end of the move if you wish.

Greater Force Connection

Mind Powers. At level 6 your connection to the Force grows. You gain the ability to cast Charm Person (1 ki point) and Suggestion (2 ki points) using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability modifier. You can cast Charm Person at higher levels by spending one ki point for every level above first level you wish to cast it at, to a maximum total number of ki points equal to your wisdom modifier.

Life Sense. You can concentrate for a minute and learn the number of creatures within double your force radius, as well as their locations relative to your own. You do not learn any further information about these creatures, such as creature type or identity. You cannot detect either undead creatures or constructs with this feature.

Greater Telekinesis. Your Telekinesis abilities now work on Huge or smaller creatures and objects, and you can move creatures with Force Grab as well as objects. When moved in this way, you must use an attack to force the creature to make a Strength saving throw. If they fail, they are moved to a location of your choice within your force radius, following the same rules as moving objects with Force Grab. If they succeed, they are not moved.

Force Prowess

At 11th level you can apply the effects of Telekinesis to additional creatures and objects beyond the first by spending one ki point for each additional creature, up to a maximum of your wisdom modifier. When moving objects using Telekinesis, you can move any number of held objects using a single object interaction.
Your Telekinesis abilities now work on Gargantuan or smaller creatures and objects.
Finally, when you attempt to Force Grab a creature, you can increase the number of ki points you spend to 3 ki points and try to hold a creature more fully. Instead of being grappled when you succeed on the contested Force Grab check, a target is restrained, and repeats the contested check at the end of each of their turns. When you target additional creatures with this effect you must spend 3 additional ki points for each additional creature.

Force Mastery

At 17th level your mastery over your ki and the ki of others is legendary.

  • The radius of your life sense increases to 1 mile, and you can tell the creature type of each detected creature.
  • Creatures remain unaware of the effect you have had on their mind when you use Greater Force Connection abilities on them.

In addition to the features above, you can choose to gain one of the following features:

  • Force Choke. When a creature is held and restrained by your Force Grab, you can choose to start choking them if they are within half of your force radius. As an action on your turn, you can choose one creature that is under the effects of your Force Grab, and start choking them. They begin choking, and they become paralyzed for a minute. If they take any damage while paralyzed in this way, this effect ends on them. Additionally, you can use an action on following turns to crush the windpipe of any creature that has started choking in this way. They have to make a Constitution saving throw, or be reduced to 0 hit points. Creatures that don’t need to breathe cannot be reduced to 0 hit points in this way, but can still be paralyzed by this feature. If a creature manages to escape your Force Grab, they are no longer under any of the effects from this feature.

  • Force Lightning. As an action on your turn, you can spend 5 ki points to start spewing lightning at your foes, concentrating on this effect for up to one minute. A beam of lightning flashes out from your hand in a 5-foot-wide, 120-foot-long line. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 10d6 lightning damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. You can create a new line of lightning as your bonus action on any subsequent turn until your concentration ends, without having to spend further ki points. These lines of lightning vanish at the end of your turn.

  • Force Projection. As an action on your turn, you can cast Mislead by spending 5 ki points. Instead of the duplicate appearing where you are, however, you can choose to make the duplicate appear within 30ft of an ally you are aware of on the same plane of existence as yourself.

Why do all subclasses only use spells from the Player’s Handbook? [closed]

Some of the subclasses from classes like the sorcerer, cleric, warlock, paladin and druid gain addditional spells based on the subclass that they choose. These sometimes involve spells that aren’t usually part of the class’ spell list. However, when looking through the subclasses in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, I’ve noticed that all the subclasses only gain additional spells from the Player’s Handbook. Once I noticed the pattern, I checked subclasses from other sources and noticed that they too only use spells that are in the Player’s Handbook.

Is this an intentional design? It seems like a waste to make 50-or-so new spells, to not use a single one in any of your subclasses. I could imagine you don’t want to cross-reference spells from multiple expansion books other than the PHB, but once you’ve got the book, you’ve got both the spells and the subclasses, right?