ascetic

Ascetic — Path to Perfection

In Inazria, Ascetics pursue mortal perfection through disciplined practice, each tradition tied to a cultural or philosophical inheritance older than any single Realm. Through unwavering focus and precise execution, they maintain their Flow and produce extraordinary feats. However, one misstep can shatter the rhythm, forcing them back to square one. As with all classes in Inazria, your context supplies most of your identity and mechanics; the base class provides the core engine.

An Ascetic’s training is inseparable from their tradition’s temple: a cloistered community of fellow practitioners, bound by shared discipline as much as by shared technique. You train among other Ascetics of your context — Tammuzian acolytes in their burning temples, Nityamar monks at the world’s most hostile extremes, Khalseth brothers in their cloisters — often for years before anyone considers you ready to walk the road alone. The Nehushtani alone keep no temple at all; their tradition passes from a single elder to a single apprentice, in secret, one lifetime at a time. A character may only ever choose one primal class and one Ascetic context, for life. Discuss the origin of your training with your GM; typically, you take this class at 1st level. You may multiclass freely into any civil class thereafter.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Strength
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, Stealth

Equipment

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

(a) a quarterstaff or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
10 darts

Class Rules

Ongoing Features and Concentration. If a feature creates a lasting zone, form, or summoned ally, you concentrate on it as if concentrating on a spell, unless the feature says otherwise.
Once on Each of Your Turns. When a feature could trigger multiple times in a round (such as an aura or additional effect), it can do so no more than once on each of your turns unless the feature says otherwise.
Limited Uses. If a feature has a limited number of uses and doesn’t specify a recharge, you can use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Multiclassing. You may take levels in as many civil classes and contexts as you wish, up to 20 total character levels. You may have only one primal class and one primal context, ever. Features from different classes stack unless they say otherwise, but overlapping resources do not replace one another: you must operate both systems independently.

Core Class Features

The Flowing Path (1st Level). You pursue perfection through precise execution. Your performance in combat is measured by your Flow, which ranges from -3 (Disrupted) to +3 (Flawless). You begin each day at 1 Flow.
- You gain 1 Flow boost when you:
  - Score a critical hit with an attack roll
  - Cause an attack against you to miss (including attacks you impose disadvantage upon or cause to miss through abilities)
  - Succeed on a saving throw by 5 or more
  - Reduce a creature to less than 1 hit point
- You lose 1 Flow boost when:
  - You fail a saving throw
  - You take damage that remains equal to or greater than your proficiency bonus after applying resistances, immunities, and temporary hit points — a scratch doesn’t break your rhythm, but a real blow does. You can lose Flow this way only once per turn, no matter how many separate instances of damage you take.
  - You make an attack roll and deal no damage by the end of your turn
- You can have a maximum of +3 Flow. If you would gain Flow above +3, your Flow remains at +3. Your Flow can drop as low as -3. When your Flow is at -1 or lower, you are Disrupted. When your Flow is at +3, you are Flawless.
Unarmored Defense (1st Level). While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. (Some contexts substitute a different ability score for this second modifier; if so, that context says so explicitly.) If you are Disrupted (Flow at -1 or lower), your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier only.
Flow Techniques (1st Level). While Flowing (0 or higher Flow), you can spend Flow to execute precise techniques. You can spend Flow immediately when you gain a Flow boost, or on your turn as part of another action. While Disrupted, you cannot use Flow techniques.
- Flowing Strike (1 Flow, immediate when you score a critical hit). You add your Wisdom modifier to the damage roll and choose one of the following effects: knock the target prone, push the target 10 feet away from you, or cause the target to bleed (it takes 1d4 damage at the start of each of its turns for 1 minute; the target or a creature within 5 feet of it can use an action to stanch the wound, ending the effect).
- Flowing Counter (2 Flow, immediate reaction when an attack against you misses). You make one weapon attack against the attacker if it is within your reach. This attack scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
- Flowing Maneuver (1 Flow, on your turn). You move up to your speed without provoking opportunity attacks. You can move through spaces occupied by hostile creatures during this movement.
Disciplined Movement (2nd Level). Your speed increases by 10 feet while you are Flowing (0 or higher Flow) and you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain ascetic levels: to 15 feet at 6th level, 20 feet at 10th level, 25 feet at 14th level, and 30 feet at 18th level. If you are Disrupted, you do not gain this speed bonus.
Find Your Flow (2nd Level). You can use a bonus action to focus your mind and body. Until the start of your next turn, you have advantage on attack rolls, and each time you hit with an attack or an attack against you misses, you gain 1 Flow boost. If you are Disrupted when you use this feature, you gain at most 1 Flow boost from it in total, no matter how many times you qualify — the rhythm returns in fits, not all at once. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Martial Precision (2nd Level). You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of simple weapons.
Ability Score Improvement (4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 19th Levels). Increase one ability score by 2, or two ability scores by 1 (to a maximum of 20).
Extra Attack (5th Level). When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can attack twice instead of once. If you are Flawless (Flow at +3) when you take the Attack action, you can make three attacks instead of two.
Mental Fortress (7th Level). While you are Flowing (0 or higher Flow), you can’t be charmed or frightened.
Calm Mind (7th Level). You can use your action to end one condition on yourself (charmed, frightened, stunned, or paralyzed) and gain 1 Flow boost. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Reactive Mastery (11th Level). Your instincts sharpen beyond ordinary reflex. You can take one additional reaction each round, for two reactions total. This additional reaction can only be used for Flow techniques or abilities granted by your context. A context’s capstone feature is the only kind of feature that could ever grant you a further reaction beyond this one — none of the traditions below do, and no context stacks reactions to three or four per round.
Flowing Deflection (11th Level). When you are hit by a ranged weapon attack, you can use your reaction to spend 1 Flow and deflect the projectile. The damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your ascetic level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the projectile if you have a free hand.
Transcendent Form (15th Level). You no longer age, you require no food or water, and you are immune to disease and poison. While you are Flawless (Flow at +3), you regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier at the start of each of your turns.
Flow Mastery (20th Level). Your Dexterity and Wisdom scores each increase by 2. Your maximum for those scores increases to 22. Your maximum Flow increases to +4. When you reach +4 Flow, you gain all benefits of being Flawless, and your critical hit range increases to 18-20. When you roll initiative, if your Flow is 0 or lower, you gain 1 Flow boost.

Flawless State Benefits

When your Flow is at +3 (or +4 at 20th level), you are Flawless. You gain the following benefits:

Your critical hit range increases by 1 (you score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20)
You gain a +2 bonus to AC
You have advantage on initiative rolls
You can make three attacks instead of two when you take the Attack action (from Extra Attack)
At 20th level, when you reach +4 Flow, your critical hit range becomes 18-20

Disrupted State Limitations

When your Flow is at -1 or lower, you are Disrupted. You suffer the following limitations:

You cannot use Flow techniques (you have no Flow to spend)
Your Unarmored Defense becomes 10 + Dexterity modifier only (you lose the second ability modifier to your AC, whether that is Wisdom or a modifier your context substitutes for it)
You do not gain the speed bonus from Disciplined Movement
You do not gain the benefits of Mental Fortress (you can be charmed or frightened)
You do not gain any benefits from being Flawless

While Disrupted, you still retain your base combat capabilities (attack rolls, damage, reactions, and Extra Attack). You must rely on solid fundamentals and the aid of your allies to climb back into positive Flow. Allies can use the Help action to grant you advantage on attacks, increasing your chance to hit and gain Flow boosts.

Contexts

Acolytes of Tammuzia

The Tammuzians hold that perfection is reached through purifying sacred flame and divine illumination. Fire, to them, is both literal and metaphorical: it cleanses impurity, breathes life, reveals truth, and stands for the divine presence within. Combat becomes a rather carefully measured devotion: each movement like a prayer, each strike like an offering. Yet Tammuzian power is controlled and restorative as often as it is fierce. They are wandering mystics, healers, and warriors of light who move like flickering flame across the field.

Tammuzian communities cluster in places like active volcanoes and sweltering arid deserts, where fires burn their brightest. Their acolytes are drawn overwhelmingly from the Dalvas, Orcs, Cahokari, Keldale, and Guphati: peoples who made their peace with heat long before they made peace with the flame.

Philosophy: Purity through sacred flame; devotion through motion; healing through divine light.

Flow Gain — Divine Favor. You gain 1 Flow boost when you restore hit points to an ally (including yourself) with a spell or class feature (once per turn), or when you reduce a fiend or undead to 0 hit points.

Flow Spend — Sacred Techniques. You learn additional ways to spend Flow unique to your tradition:

Purifying Touch (2 Flow, action or immediate on a critical roll). Touch one creature within 5 feet. If it’s an ally, it regains hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your ascetic level and you can end one condition affecting it (blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or diseased). If it’s an enemy, it takes radiant damage equal to your Wisdom modifier + your ascetic level and must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier) or be blinded until the end of your next turn.
Ember Step (1 Flow, on your turn). You teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see, leaving a trail of harmless sacred flame. Each ally you pass within 5 feet of during this teleportation gains temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier and has their speed increased by 10 feet until the end of their next turn.

Inner Flame (1st Level). The sacred fire burns within you, sustained by your devotion — dimmer when your rhythm falters, but never fully extinguished. Even while Disrupted (Flow at -1 or lower), you shed dim light in a 10-foot radius; the flame gutters, but it does not go out, and Disrupted allies who huddle close still find their way by it. While you are Flowing (0 or higher Flow), you instead shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet, and you can suppress or restore this light as a bonus action; allies within your bright light have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. While Flawless (3+ Flow), the radius increases to 20 feet bright / 20 feet dim, and allies in your bright light also gain resistance to necrotic damage.

Devotional Forms (3rd Level). You learn sacred combat techniques passed down through your order. Choose one of the following forms. You can switch forms as a bonus action:

Form of the Flickering Fire: When you hit with a melee attack, you can move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. This movement can occur before or after the attack.
Form of the Purifying Light: When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can choose to deal radiant damage instead of the weapon’s normal damage type. If you do, you gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage dealt (minimum 1).
Form of the Eternal Vigil: When an ally within 10 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage they take by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Radiant Strikes (5th Level). Your unarmed strikes and simple weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity. Once per turn when you hit a fiend or undead creature with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d6 radiant damage — the sacred flame answers such creatures whether or not you are Flowing. This damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level and 3d6 at 17th level.

Beacon of Hope (6th Level). While Flowing (0+ Flow), allies within 10 feet of you gain a bonus to saving throws equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum +1). Additionally, when you use Purifying Touch to heal an ally, you can spend an additional Flow boost to also restore hit points to all allies within 10 feet equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Shared Light. Sacred flame doesn’t burn any brighter for being borrowed twice. When a creature would benefit from more than one bonus of the same kind granted by divine radiance — your Beacon of Hope, a Paladin’s aura, a Thaumaturge’s blessing, or another Tammuzian’s own flame — sacred flame does not combine with other sources of divine radiance; use the higher bonus only.

Sacred Resilience (9th Level). You gain resistance to fire and radiant damage. While Flawless (3+ Flow), you have immunity to fire damage instead. Additionally, when you take fire or radiant damage from any source, you can use your reaction to gain 1 Flow boost as you channel the energy into divine purpose.

Whirling Dervish (11th Level). When you use your action to Attack while Flowing (0+ Flow), you can forgo one of your attacks to spin in a sacred dance. Each creature of your choice within 5 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier). On a failed save, a creature takes 3d8 radiant or fire damage (your choice) and is pushed 5 feet away from you. On a successful save, it takes half damage and isn’t pushed. Allies within 10 feet of you when you use this feature regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. You can forgo this healing; if you do, each fiend, undead, or corrupted creature that fails its save instead takes an extra 2d8 radiant or fire damage (your choice, made once for the whole burst).

Pillar of Faith (14th Level). While at 2+ Flow, you emanate an aura of divine presence. Hostile creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on attack rolls against your allies. Additionally, when you are reduced to 0 hit points while Flowing (0+ Flow), you can immediately spend all your remaining Flow (minimum 1) to drop to 1 hit point instead and shed blinding light; each hostile creature within 20 feet must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier) or be blinded until the end of their next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Eternal Flame (18th Level). Your devotion has made you a beacon of sacred power. You gain the following benefits:

Your Inner Flame radius permanently increases to 20 feet bright / 20 feet dim (30 feet / 30 feet while Flawless)
Allies that start their turn in your bright light regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier
When you use Purifying Touch on an ally, you can target up to three creatures within 5 feet of you simultaneously (spending Flow only once)
Miracle of the Sacred Flame (once per long rest): When you or an ally you can see within 30 feet would be reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to spend 3 Flow. The target instead drops to 1 hit point, regains hit points equal to twice your ascetic level, and is cured of all conditions and diseases. A pillar of radiant flame briefly illuminates the area, and all allies within 20 feet of the target regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier and gain advantage on their next attack roll or saving throw.

Nityamar

The Nityamar hold that perfection and mortality are fundamentally opposed. To approach the ideal, one must shed the weaknesses of mortal life: hunger, pain, gravity, and even the need for physical form. Through rigorous discipline, Nityamar monks forge a connection to Kwata, a perfect plane where suffering, limitation, and imperfection do not exist. They are elite warriors who need no weapons or armor, as their bodies and wills alone are sufficient. Each breakthrough in their practice brings them closer to Kwata, allowing them to impose its stillness upon the material world.

The Nityamar seek out the world’s cruelest extremes on purpose to dwell among: the ocean floor, the smoldering heart of the Marram, the crushing depths of the Veldt, or the polar caps at the bottom of the world are such examples. Only in those places does mortal weakness announce itself loudly enough to be renounced. Elves, Kelanari, Humans, Palcha, and Dramkhani count among their most devoted.

Philosophy: Perfection through denial of mortal limitations; power through connection to Kwata; freedom through transcendence.

Flow Gain — Transcendent Discipline. You gain 1 Flow boost when you succeed on a saving throw while you have half your hit points or fewer, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points using only an unarmed strike, or when you hit with two or more unarmed strikes against the same creature on your turn.

Flow Spend — Kwata Techniques. You learn additional ways to spend Flow unique to your tradition:

Step Between Worlds (1 Flow, on your turn). You partially phase into Kwata, becoming incorporeal until the end of your turn. You can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, taking 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. Opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage, and you have resistance to all damage except psychic and force damage until the end of your turn.
Perfect Strike (2 Flow, immediate when you hit with an unarmed strike, or 3 Flow to apply both effects below). Your strike channels Kwata’s absolute nature. Choose one of the following (or both, if you spent 3 Flow):
- The attack automatically becomes a critical hit. You can also choose to deal force damage instead of bludgeoning damage.
- The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier) or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Unarmed Mastery (1st Level). Your unarmed strikes are weapons of pure technique. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage. This die increases as you gain ascetic levels: to 1d8 at 5th level, 1d10 at 11th level, and 1d12 at 17th level. Additionally, when you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike on your turn, you can make one additional unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Shed the Mortal Form (1st Level). You begin to transcend physical limitations. While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield:

You can use your Dexterity modifier instead of Strength for grapple checks and Strength (Athletics) checks to escape grapples.
When you are Flowing (0+ Flow), you take half damage from falling.
While your Flow is +2 or higher, you gain a +2 bonus to AC (this stacks with Unarmored Defense) — full transcendence is a threshold, not a given, and it slips away the moment your rhythm does.
At 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity.

Kwata Connection (3rd Level). Your bond with the perfect plane deepens. You gain the following benefits based on your current Flow:

At 1+ Flow: You can walk on vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. If you end your turn on a vertical surface or liquid, you fall unless you have another means of staying aloft.
At 2+ Flow: You have advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed, restrained, or stunned.
At 3+ Flow (Flawless): You can take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on your turn.

Flurry of Blows (5th Level). When you use your bonus action to make an unarmed strike (from Unarmed Mastery), you can spend 1 Flow to make two unarmed strikes instead of one.

Deny Mortality (6th Level). Your connection to Kwata allows you to reject mortal weakness. You gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against being poisoned or diseased. Additionally, you require only half as much food and water as normal, and you can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to your Wisdom modifier × 10 (minimum 10 minutes).

Ethereal Step (9th Level). You can briefly step fully into Kwata. As a bonus action, you can spend 2 Flow to cast misty step without components. When you use this feature, you become invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack or cast a spell. Additionally, when you use Step Between Worlds, you can spend an additional Flow boost to remain incorporeal until the start of your next turn instead of until the end of your current turn.

Stillness of Kwata (11th Level). When you take damage while Flowing (0+ Flow), you can use your reaction to enter a state of perfect stillness, reducing the damage by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier + your ascetic level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you gain 1 Flow boost as you channel the attack’s energy into your connection to Kwata.

Empty Body (17th Level). You can achieve near-total transcendence. As an action, you can spend 4 Flow to become invisible for 1 minute. During this time, you also have resistance to all damage except force damage. While invisible in this way, you can spend an additional Flow boost at the start of your turn to gain the benefits of Step Between Worlds until the start of your next turn without using your action.

Quivering Palm (17th Level). You learn to strike the boundary between life and death. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 Flow to start imperceptible vibrations that last for a number of days equal to your ascetic level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use your action to end the vibrations, the target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier). On a failed save, it is reduced to 0 hit points. On a successful save, it takes 10d10 force damage. You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.

Oneness with Kwata (18th Level). You exist partially in both worlds simultaneously. You gain the following permanent benefits:

Your unarmed strikes deal force damage instead of bludgeoning damage, representing your connection to Kwata’s perfect essence
You can use Step Between Worlds without spending Flow, but you can do so only once per turn
When you use Flurry of Blows, you can make three unarmed strikes instead of two (spending 1 Flow as normal)
Perfect Liberation (once per long rest): When you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you can choose to instead fully enter Kwata for 1 minute. While in Kwata, you are invisible, incorporeal, and immune to all damage, but you cannot affect the material world in any way — you can’t attack, cast spells, interact with objects, or restore hit points to any creature. If anything would force you to deal damage to a creature or restore hit points to a creature while you are in Kwata, you are immediately drawn back to the material plane into the nearest unoccupied space you can see, and that effect resolves normally once you return. Otherwise, you can move at your normal speed, passing through creatures and objects freely, and you regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier at the start of each of your turns while in Kwata. You can return to the material plane voluntarily, in an unoccupied space you can see, as a bonus action. When you return, you gain the benefits of being Flawless (3+ Flow) for 1 minute, regardless of your actual Flow.

Nehushtani

The Nehushtani hold that perfection cannot be found in a single form or philosophy, but in the ability to become whatever the moment requires. They are combat analysts who study their enemies, steal their strengths, and turn those strengths back against them. Through careful observation and precise mimicry, a Nehushtani learns to counter a threat, exploit a weakness, and adapt mid-fight. They are mirrors that reflect and counter, thieves who borrow power, and chameleons who become the answer the situation demands.

Adaptation, Not Annihilation. A Nehushtani doesn’t burn magic out of the world the way a Varnic Knight’s counter-glyphs do, and doesn’t spin illusions of their own the way a Purple Mage does; they borrow, echo, and repurpose what already exists in front of them. Where a Varnic Knight ends a spell for good, a Nehushtani merely turns it, briefly, into something they can use themselves — and only after they’ve studied the caster closely enough to do so. A distinction that matters greatly to anyone trying to counter one.

Philosophy: Perfection through adaptability; power through understanding your enemy; mastery through becoming the answer to any threat.

Flow Gain — Analytical Combat. You gain 1 Flow boost when you:

Successfully use a reaction to counter, mitigate, or redirect an enemy action (such as Flowing Counter, Mirror the Working, or Reflected Power)
Succeed on a saving throw against a spell or magical effect
Hit a creature with Adaptive Strike and learn information about it
Successfully use a stolen or mimicked ability

Flow Spend — Mirror Techniques. You learn additional ways to spend Flow unique to your tradition:

Mirror the Working (2 Flow, reaction when a creature you have studied with Combat Analysis this combat casts a spell within 60 feet). You attempt to read the working closely enough to turn it aside. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier). On a failed save, the spell fails and has no effect, and you learn a downgraded echo of it: you can cast that spell once, at 2 levels lower than the level it was cast at (minimum 1st level), using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability and requiring no components. You can hold echoes of several different spells at once; each echo can be cast once per long rest, independently of the others. Once you use this feature to attempt a Mirror, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Exploit Weakness (1 Flow, on your turn when you attack a creature you’ve hit with Adaptive Strike). You exploit what you’ve learned. Your attack has advantage, and on a hit, you deal extra damage equal to 1d6 for every piece of information you’ve learned about that creature through Adaptive Strike, to a maximum number of dice equal to your proficiency bonus.

Thousand Faces (1st Level). You can perfectly mimic the appearance, voice, and mannerisms of any humanoid you have observed for at least 1 minute. This transformation lasts until you choose to end it (no action required) or until you are incapacitated. Creatures can attempt a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check to see through your disguise if they have reason to be suspicious. While disguised as a specific individual, you have advantage on Charisma checks to impersonate them and on your first attack roll against a creature that believes you are the person you’re impersonating.

Combat Analysis (1st Level). You excel at identifying patterns and weaknesses in combat. You gain proficiency in Insight if you don’t already have it. If you do, you gain expertise in it (double your proficiency bonus). Additionally, as a bonus action while Flowing (0+ Flow), you can study one creature you can see within 30 feet. Until the end of your next turn, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, and you learn its highest and lowest ability scores. Studying a creature this way is a prerequisite for Mirror the Working to work against it later in the same combat.

Mimic and Master (3rd Level). When a creature you can see within 30 feet hits you or an ally with an attack, you learn the attack’s damage type and any special properties (such as additional effects or conditions). Until the end of your next turn, your weapon attacks can deal that damage type instead of their normal damage. Additionally, if the attack had a special property (such as knocking prone, causing a condition, or dealing extra damage on a failed save), you can spend 1 Flow when you hit with a weapon attack to apply that same property to your attack (the target makes the same saving throw with the same DC, or automatically suffers the effect if no save was allowed).

Adaptive Strike (5th Level). Once per turn when you hit a creature with a weapon attack while Flowing (0+ Flow), you can adapt your strike to exploit weakness. You deal an extra 1d6 damage, and you learn one piece of information about the target: its current hit points, one damage resistance or immunity, one damage vulnerability, or one condition immunity. Each time you hit the same creature with Adaptive Strike, you learn an additional piece of information. This extra damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level and 3d6 at 17th level.

Tactical Versatility (6th Level). Your adaptability grants you access to diverse techniques. You learn three techniques of your choice from the Fighter’s technique catalog (see Fighter, Combat Techniques) at Familiar rank, treating your Wisdom modifier as your ability modifier for their effects and any Exertion-gated Improvised Use. You don’t gain Exertion from this feature; if a technique would normally cost Exertion to use untrained, you instead spend 1 Flow.

Reflected Power (9th Level). When you are targeted by a spell that targets only you (whether it requires an attack roll or saving throw), you can use your reaction to attempt to reflect it back at the caster. Make a Wisdom saving throw against the spell’s save DC (or against DC 10 + spell level if it requires an attack roll). On a success, you take no damage or effect from the spell, and you can redirect it to target the caster or another creature within range, using the caster’s spell attack bonus or save DC. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Adaptive Defense (11th Level). When you succeed on a saving throw against a spell or magical effect while Flowing (0+ Flow), you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Wisdom modifier. Additionally, you gain resistance to the spell’s damage type (if any) until the end of your next turn. If you take damage of that type before the resistance ends, you gain 1 Flow boost.

Siphon Power (13th Level). You can temporarily rob enemies of their finest technique. As an action while Flowing (0+ Flow), you target one creature within 30 feet that you can see. It must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier). On a failed save, choose one martial technique or innate, non-spell trait you have witnessed the creature use this combat — a fighter-style maneuver, a monstrous natural weapon, a breath weapon, or another innate trait that isn’t a spell, spell slot, or legendary action. For the next 10 minutes, the creature cannot use that technique or trait, and you gain the ability to use it once, replicating its effects (using your own ability scores and proficiency bonus, and its original saving throw DC formula if it forces one). You can only have one siphoned ability at a time. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Reactive Superiority (14th Level). Your analytical mind processes threats faster than others can react. When you use a reaction to successfully counter, mitigate, or avoid an attack or spell (such as causing an attack to miss, succeeding on a save, or using Reflected Power or Mirror the Working), you can move up to 15 feet without provoking opportunity attacks as part of that reaction, and you regain 1 Flow boost (once per round). You still have at most two reactions per round (from Reactive Mastery).

Master Thief (17th Level). Your power-stealing abilities improve dramatically. You can attempt Mirror the Working twice before needing a short or long rest, and its downgraded echoes are cast at only 1 level lower than the spell’s original casting level (minimum 1st) instead of 2. Your Siphon Power can now copy two techniques or traits at once (from the same creature, or from two different creatures you’ve analyzed this combat), and you can use each siphoned ability twice before it returns to its source.

Perfect Adaptation (18th Level). You become the ultimate mirror and counter-fighter. You gain the following benefits:

Your Wisdom score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22.
Whenever you gain 1 Flow boost, you can choose to gain 2 Flow boosts instead. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Choose one martial technique or innate non-spell trait you have copied with Siphon Power; you retain it permanently instead of losing it after 10 minutes. You can change which ability is stored this way whenever you use Siphon Power again.
The Living Weapon (once per long rest): As an action, you can spend 3 Flow to enter a state of perfect adaptation for 1 minute. While in this state, you gain the following benefits:
- You can use Mirror the Working and Reflected Power without expending a limited use.
- When you use Mirror the Working or Reflected Power, you don’t need to spend Flow.
- Whenever a creature within 60 feet uses a spell or a martial technique or innate trait, you immediately learn what it is and gain advantage on any saving throws against it.
- Your Adaptive Strike bonus damage increases by 2d6.
- You gain a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws.
When this state ends, you retain all information you learned about creatures during it, and any ability siphoned with Siphon Power during this state can be used one additional time.

Khalseth

The Khalseth are an order of Ascetics founded in the 2nd Generation by one known only as the Exemplar. Uttering his true name is strictly forbidden. The Exemplar taught that speech is the natural extension of knowledge, and that knowledge of the divine is sacred and must be set apart. The Khalseth hold that the divine is perfection, and that a mortal may approach it by living as the Exemplar lived.

They realized early that all speech is knowledge, and thus sacred. If they are to speak, it must be only from dire necessity — or as an Extol, the divine speech the Exemplar discovered could be channeled to a Khalseth’s will. Three laws bind the practice: Silence (utter no speech unless absolutely necessary), Andaq ( bind your life to protecting a person to whom you are indebted), and Fidanza (loyal attention — hear fully, answer rarely). Wind instruments (brass ones, in particular) pleased the Exemplar, as they communicate rich ideas through beutiful symphonic movements without speaking a single word. The Khalseth are famously fond of them.

Khalseth communicate in a writing form of their own making, full of words and concepts that must not (and at times, literally cannot) be spoken aloud. They also use a limited but surprisingly deep cant of gestures whose meaning depends on the martial Stance they hold. Fighting in a certain way is, for them, an expression in more ways than one. Outsiders generally do not understand any of it. Humans, Orcs, Dwarves, and Halflings enter the cloisters in roughly equal measure, though any man is welcome so long as they lay at the Exemplar’s feet.

Long ago the order schismed. Among the Amaghai of Bisengal and Zilwynbar (the original orders founded by the Exemplar himself), speech is taboo unless it is an Extol or some other stark necessity; they write very often. Several hundreds of years later, the Rimayan cloisters in the western Realms broadened what could be considered necessity, including things such as aid to the needy, last words to the dying, or judgment in a courtroom. The two branches fought several wars and battles over these differences. In very recent years, a third schism, called the Jalanko, arose in a handful of places around Azergad. They teach just the opposite: all speech is sacred and should be shared, since everyone deserves to experience the Divine. Both older sects persecute them. Most towns conform to one view or another. When you choose this context, you must also choose the schism with which you belong to; it shapes what speech costs you, and how far your Extols can climb.

Philosophy: Perfection through living as the Exemplar lived; Silence kept; Andaq held; Fidanza unbroken.

Flow Gain — Exemplar’s Vigil. You gain 1 Flow boost when you:

Prevent your Andaq from dropping below half their hit points (such as by healing them, granting temporary hit points, or reducing damage they would take), once per turn
Complete a declared Stance cadence (once per turn, or once per short rest if you are Jalanko)
Are the last conscious member of your party still standing in combat (once per combat)
Succeed on a Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Insight) check in combat (once per turn)
(Amaghai) End your turn in combat having spoken only Extols or not at all (once per combat)
(Rimayan) End a hostile confrontation without a kill by using necessary speech (once per short rest)
(Jalanko) Succeed on a Charisma (Persuasion) check using your voice (once per turn)

Flow Spend — Quiet Rites. You learn additional ways to spend Flow unique to your tradition:

Interpose (1 Flow, reaction when an ally within 5 feet is hit by an attack). You place yourself between your ally and the attack. The attack targets you instead, and you gain resistance to the attack’s damage. While you are in Ward Stance, Interpose costs 0 Flow once per round when the ally is your Andaq.
Bar the Path (1 Flow, when you hit with a weapon attack). Your target can’t willingly move within 5 feet of your Andaq until the start of your next turn.

Way of the Exemplar (1st Level). You have sworn the Exemplar’s three laws. You gain the following benefits:

You can use Charisma instead of Wisdom for your Unarmored Defense (AC = 10 + Dexterity modifier + Charisma modifier).
You gain proficiency in Persuasion, Insight, and Perception. If you already have proficiency in any of these skills, you gain expertise in that skill instead.
You gain proficiency with one wind instrument of your choice (such as a horn, trumpet, flute, etc.). Certain short musical phrases convey limited practical meaning among Khalseth, but others hear only music.
You can read and write Khalseth script and understand stance gestures. Creatures without Khalseth training cannot decipher either without magical aid or lengthy study.
Silence. You do not speak except to utter an Extol or for a purpose your schism treats as necessary (see Schisms below). If you speak without necessity, you incur one Tongue Debt. While you have any Tongue Debt, you cannot speak or utter Extols; gestures, writing, and brass remain allowed. Each Debt lasts 24 hours, stacking. At dawn, you may perform a 10-minute Quiet Rite to clear one Debt.
When you make an attack roll against a creature that has not attacked, forced a saving throw upon, or dealt damage to you, your Andaq, or an ally since this combat began, you lose 1 Flow boost (potentially becoming Disrupted) — violence, like speech, is spent only when necessary.
If your Andaq calls for aid within earshot and you ignore it, you lose 1 Flow boost.
Schism. Choose Amaghai, Rimayan, or Jalanko. This choice is permanent.

Taking the Andaq (1st Level). As a bonus action, or over the course of 1 minute out of combat, you name one willing creature as your Andaq. You can have only one Andaq at a time. You can change your Andaq when you finish a long rest, or immediately if your Andaq dies. While you are Flowing (0+ Flow) and within 5 feet of your Andaq, that creature gains a +1 bonus to AC.

Quiet Mark (1st Level). As a bonus action while Flowing (0+ Flow), you accuse one creature you can see within 30 feet with a gesture, marking it until the start of your next turn. While a creature is Marked by you:

It has disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you.
Allies have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made against it.
When it hits you with an attack, you gain 1 Flow boost (once per turn).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Exemplar Stances (3rd Level). As a bonus action, you enter one of the following Stances or switch to a different one. While in a Stance, its gesture vocabulary is available for communication, and you gain its combat benefit. As a free action on your turn (once per turn, or once per short rest if you are Jalanko), you can declare that Stance’s cadence. If you complete the cadence’s condition before the start of your next turn, you gain 1 Flow boost (see Exemplar’s Vigil):

Ward: Declare by taking a guarding stance. Complete by ending your turn within 5 feet of your Andaq, or by using Interpose for them. Benefit: you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Measure: Declare by studying the field. Complete when an ally within 30 feet succeeds on a saving throw, or when you succeed on a Wisdom (Insight) check against a foe. Benefit: you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks, and if you studied a creature with a bonus action this turn, Quiet Mark against that creature does not expend a use.
Fidanza: Declare by turning your full attention outward. Complete when you or an ally within 30 feet succeeds on a Wisdom (Perception) check, or when you detect a hidden creature. Benefit: you add your Wisdom modifier to Wisdom (Perception) checks. Additionally, if you take the Ready action to protect your Andaq, you do not lose Flow for ending your turn without dealing damage.

First Words (5th Level). You learn to utter Extols (see Extols below). You can use Word Extols while your Flow is 0 or higher, unless Disrupted, Debted, or silenced. You know all Word Extols listed below.

Presence of Silence (6th Level). While you are Flowing, you radiate composed quiet. Choose one of the following benefits for allies within 10 feet of you; you can change your choice as a bonus action:

Allies gain a +1 bonus to saving throws.
Allies gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Additionally, when you are reduced to half your hit points or fewer, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your ascetic level. Once you gain these temporary hit points this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Phrase Extols (9th Level). If you are Amaghai or Rimayan, you can utter Phrase Extols while your Flow is 2 or higher. If you are Jalanko, you instead gain this benefit at 14th level, and each Phrase Extol costs 1 additional Flow.

Marked Thunder (9th Level). Once per turn when you hit a creature Marked by your Quiet Mark with a weapon attack, you deal extra thunder or radiant damage (your choice) equal to your proficiency bonus, and that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.

Unmoved Measure (11th Level). While you are Flowing, you can’t be moved against your will or knocked prone by an effect created by a creature within 10 feet of you, and difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement. Additionally, once per long rest, when you use Interpose, you can protect your Andaq and one other ally struck by the same attack.

Iron Quiet (13th Level). You gain proficiency in all saving throws. Additionally, when you fail a saving throw while Flowing (0+ Flow), you can choose to succeed instead. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Sentence Extols (14th Level). If you are Amaghai, you can utter Sentence Extols while Flawless. If you are Rimayan, you gain this benefit at 17th level instead. Jalanko Khalseth never gain Sentence Extols.

Echo Mark (17th Level). You can Mark up to two creatures simultaneously with Quiet Mark. Additionally, you can use Quiet Mark as a reaction when a creature enters melee range of you or your Andaq within 30 feet, instead of only as a bonus action; when you do, you can Mark that creature or any other creature within 30 feet of you.

Voice of the Exemplar (18th Level). You have become what your schism swears by. You gain the following benefits:

Your Charisma score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22.
You can use Quiet Mark without expending a limited use.
Your Presence of Silence range increases to 15 feet.
A schism climax:
- Amaghai — Brilliant Extol (once per long rest): While Flawless, you can utter a Brilliant Extol (see Extols).
- Rimayan — Quiet Intercession (once per long rest): When an ally within 30 feet of you that you can see would be reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of that ally. The triggering attack or effect strikes you instead, and you gain resistance to that instance of damage. This climax is silent; it is not an Extol.
- Jalanko — Open Word (once per long rest): As an action, you speak a short blessing allies can hear. Until the start of your next turn, each ally of your choice within 30 feet who heard you gains advantage on their next attack roll or saving throw. This is speech, not an Extol, and does not incur Tongue Debt.

Schisms

Schism	Necessity (no Tongue Debt)	Extol access
Amaghai	Extols; speech to your Andaq in mortal peril; last words of the dying	Words 5 / Phrases 9 / Sentences 14 / Brilliant Extol 18
Rimayan	Amaghai necessities, plus aid to the needy, courtroom judgment, and speech that calms a fight without bloodshed	Words 5 / Phrases 9 / Sentences 17; no Brilliant Extol (Quiet Intercession at 18)
Jalanko	Compassionate teaching, comfort, and honest counsel (boasts and gossip still Debt)	Words 5; Phrases 14 at +1 Flow; no Sentences or Brilliant Extol

Extols

Extols are divine speech. To utter one, you must speak aloud (this breaks stealth as normal speech). An Extol uses your action unless it says otherwise. The save DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

Flow gates. You cannot utter Extols while Disrupted, while you have Tongue Debt, or while silenced by an external effect (you may still gesture). At Flow −3, your voice is sealed even if you are somehow not Debted. Word Extols require Flow 0+; Phrase Extols require Flow 2+ (and schism access); Sentence Extols require Flawless and schism access; Brilliant Extol requires Flawless, Amaghai schism, and 18th level.

Costs. Word: 1 Flow. Phrase: 2 Flow (3 Flow if you are Jalanko). Sentence: 3 Flow. Brilliant: 3 Flow and its 1/long-rest use.

Word Extols (5th). You know all of the following:

Hold (reaction). When a creature you can see within 30 feet makes an attack roll or ability check, that roll is made with disadvantage. If the roll was an attack roll, it misses because of this disadvantage, and the attacker is within your reach, you can make one melee weapon attack against it as part of the same reaction.
Hear Me. You Quiet Mark one creature within 30 feet without expending a use of Quiet Mark.
Enough. Each creature of your choice within 10 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d8 + your Charisma modifier thunder damage; on a success, half as much.
Still. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of your next turn.

Phrase Extols (9th or 14th). When you gain access, you know all of the following:

Turn to Me. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you until the end of your next turn. If it makes an attack while affected, it must include you as a target if able.
Flee at Once. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Cut the Tongue. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be unable to speak or cast spells with verbal components until the end of your next turn.
Stand With Me (1/short rest). Your Andaq and any number of allies of your choice within 10 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your ascetic level.

Sentence Extols (14th or 17th; not Jalanko). When you gain access, you know all of the following:

Confusion of Breath. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or, on its next turn, waste its action (it can still move) or attack a randomly determined creature within reach (GM’s choice of which), until the end of that turn.
Speak Truth. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be unable to knowingly lie for 1 minute and must answer one question you ask as part of this Extol truthfully (to the best of its knowledge).
Kneel. One creature Marked by your Quiet Mark must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn and take radiant or thunder damage (your choice) equal to your ascetic level. On a success, it takes half the damage and isn’t stunned. Once you use Kneel, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Symphony of Destruction (1/short rest). If you are holding a wind instrument and play it, each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d8 + your Charisma modifier thunder damage; on a success, half as much.

Brilliant Extol (Amaghai 18th, 1/long rest, Flawless). Choose one:

Each creature of your choice within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. While frightened this way, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns unless there is nowhere to move. A creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns.
A 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you can see within 60 feet becomes magically silent for 1 minute (as the silence spell). You can still utter Extols while inside this silence.
Allies of your choice within 30 feet gain a +2 bonus to AC and temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier for 1 minute.
Each creature of your choice within 30 feet must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 6d10 thunder damage; on a success, half as much.

Inazria Player's Guide

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