The Sniper Sphere is the other big ranged combat sphere, focusing on range and accuracy. Its default ability is Deadly Aim, where you can reroll one of the d20s of ranged attack rolls made with advantage. You can make a Special Attack known as a snipe shot which (snipe) talents can modify, including options such as pushing a target 5 feet and knocking them prone if they hit a solid surface, grappling a foe until they take an action to remove the weapon/ammunition if they fail a DEX save, and piercing through a target and hitting another target behind them (and a potential third target after that). The untagged talents include taking a -5 penalty on the ranged attack roll of a snipe shot to deal +10 damage on a hit, ignoring disadvantage on attack rolls when attacking at long range, and expending martial focus to disable a trap with a ranged attack roll. The Legendary Talents include causing a target reduced to 0 HP to explode in a shower of blinding gore, firing a “phasic shot” that ignores cover and effects that hinder ranged abilities, and can attack targets up to 1 mile away albeit with disadvantage.
Combos: The Glue and Solvent Legendary Talent of the Alchemy sphere can be an effective option when combined with ammo and a talent that imposes a penalty on a target unless they remove the struck ammunition, effectively becoming a permanent duration debuff. The Bouncing Shot talent and Star Scraper Legendary Talent can be further enhanced with means of locating one’s target if they’re not within line of sight, such as via the Divination sphere’s Scrying Advanced Talent, the Light sphere’s Periscope talent, and Scout’s True Sight Legendary Talent. The Far Shot talent removing disadvantage on long range attack rolls is very useful for extending the effective range of weapons, and the Barroom sphere’s Bottle Rocket talent for thrown weapons and the Tinkerer sphere’s Ranged Weapon Improvement can stack nicely with this. The Scout sphere’s Wind Reader lets one ignore disadvantage from weather sources, which is situational but can be useful depending on the campaign and environment.
Existing Comparisons: The -5 attack/+10 damage is similar to one of the Sharpshooter feat abilities, as is the talent ignoring disadvantage on long range rolls. The Weapon Shot talent’s ability to disarm a held item is similar to the Battlemaster Fighter’s Disarming Attack, although the Maneuver requires an STR save while the Sniper talent forces a DEX save. The Intercepting Shot talent is a ranged attack version of Retribution’s Intercepting Strike.
The Tinkerer Sphere grants knowledge of how to build advanced technology. The flavor can vary, from steampunk to magitech to futuristic technology depending on the setting, with a few suggestions. This sphere is like Alchemy in that it grants you a number of items you can build every short or long rest, but unlike Alchemy most are persistent objects rather than consumables. The sphere’s default feature grants proficiency with tinker’s tools and one (gadget) talent of choice (and an additional talent if already proficient). This sphere is notable in its tags: (gadget) signifies any sort of device built with this sphere, while (accessory) is something which can be added onto an existing piece of equipment in order to enhance it. Virtually every talent has the (gadget) tag, and many of those talents also have (accessory), making a good amount of talents dual-tagged.
Most Tinkerer talents provide a list of potential pieces of equipment rather than just one ability, and include options such as footwear which can grant alternate movement speeds, handheld detonators which can explode based on a time-based trigger, a pseudo-hookshot which can grab and retrieve objects from a distance and also allow reel the character in to a hooked surface, walkie-talkie like devices that allow for long-distance communication, goggles which can grant alternative visual senses and advantage on rolls for certain visual activities, accessories for one’s weapons which can alter the damage type, remove disadvantageous qualities such as Heavy or Loading, or treating them as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance. The Legendary Talents mostly cover devices from Renaissance to Futuristic eras, and if not playing in a campaign of that style then certain Tinkerer talents are required as prerequisites in order for the character to properly discover/invent the desired Legendary Talent. It goes without saying, but the weapons of more advanced eras are explicitly better than earlier-era ones, barring cases such as the relatively short ranges of Renaissance firearms or where a laser gun’s energy damage type may be disadvantageous in comparison to physical damage types. Modern Firearms have better range and deal more damage than Renaissance Firearms, while Futuristic Firearms can deal a whopping 3d6/3d8/6d8 damage per shot depending on the weapon. But melee-lovers can rejoice, for we also have options like stun batons and gravity hammers which have their own special abilities on top of straight damage!
Combos: The nature of the Tinkerer sphere means that it’s best taken in conjunction with other builds rather than focusing on the sphere in and of itself. But for a few specific examples: the Trap sphere’s snare ability mentions that consumable items from the Tinkerer (as well as Alchemy) spheres can be used for it, while the Detonator application of the Artillerist Gadgets talent can be used with poisons and alchemical items. Integrated Weapon is good for taking advantage of the Shield sphere given it can combine a weapon and object in a way that both items can be used at once, Ranged Weapon Improvement can get rid of the Loading property of weapons to let them be used with the Barrage sphere more easily, the Suit Improvement’s Camouflage application is good for users of the Scout sphere and stealthy characters in general for hiding, Ranged Weapon Improvement’s Far Sight Scope used on a shield with the Equipment sphere’s Throw Shield and the Shield sphere’s Cover Ally talent can apply the +2 AC and (deflect) talents to allies up to 40 feet away, or 80 feet with the Barroom sphere’s Bottle Rocket talent. Weapon Damage Pack is a great way to take advantage of enemy Vulnerabilities and Resistances by altering a weapon’s damage type. The Artillerist Gadgets Detonator application along with the Scoundrel’s Switcheroo talent can put the detonator on a person and set it to explode at a later time. The Detonator can also be activated or deactivated at will via the Remote Control talent. A Prosthetic’s granting of advantage on ability checks related to the replaced limb is useful for the Athletics, Brute and Wrestling spheres as well as any class feature or talent that covers the use of skills involving physical activities. The Rucksack’s Turtle Shell application combined with the Athletics sphere’s Capoeira Spin and Tumbling Recovery removes many negative conditions of being prone. Pressurized Liquid Applicator specifically calls out the device as being compatible with alchemical weapons and thus talents from the Alchemy sphere.
Existing Comparisons: As far as I can tell, the majority of these talents are original in the applications of what they can do. However, the Legendary Talents granting one the ability to build advanced era equipment more or less copied the rules for Firearms and Explosives from the Dungeon Master’s Guide, albeit the Modern and Futuristic Melee Weaponry options are original.
The Trap Sphere is an unconventional sphere in that its best applications are not performed in the middle of combat. It grants proficiency in thieves’ tools (or +1 talent if already proficient) and allows a character to spend 1 minute creating a trap (or an action by expending martial focus) which has a trigger zone of 1-4 5-foot cubes based on level. By default the sphere grants knowledge of how to build dart traps which deal damage to whoever triggers it, and snares which can be a tripwire that renders the victim prone or an activation trap which triggers some kind of consumable item. Said items can include items built from the Alchemy and Tinkerer spheres as well as magic items. (dart) talents grant new and improved modifications to dart traps such as creating a restraining net, dealing more damage, altering the damage type, or rendering it nonlethal. (snare) talents grant new types of snares, such as a blinding flash, a loud discernable noise for alarms, a choking noose, or the creation of difficult terrain. (trigger) talents can change how the trap is triggered, including aerial opponents, remote-control, and allies never trigger it unless they choose to. There’s quite a bit of untagged talents such as making a reaction attack against someone who triggers one of your traps, expending martial focus to place a trap on a ranged weapon to be launched from a distance, expending martial focus to place a trap in a square you move over when taking the Disengage action, and expending martial focus to place a trap onto a shield which is triggered when someone misses the shield-wielder in melee. There’s only two Legendary Talents: one treats damage dealt by a trap as magical for overcoming damage resistance and immunities, while the other allows for the creation of a dart that emits an antimagic field on a struck target or area.
As you can tell, quite a bit of talents require expending martial focus, and using traps in battle more or less requires this. Due to this the Trap sphere is unorthodox in that it requires a certain playstyle most advantageous to PCs who have more freedom to choose their battles and where they take place.
Combos: The default snare ability already specifies its use with Alchemy and Tinkerer sphere items. Using Illusion spells and sphere effects to better disguise the location of one’s traps is a good idea, while the Light sphere’s Hypnotic Light talent can be used to lure enemies into triggering a trap. The Aimed Shot talent allows one to use Sniper sphere (snipe) talents with the triggering dart. The Magic Trigger talent can conceivably be used to trigger magic sphere effects via instilled objects if the Physical Magic boon for Casting Traditions is taken. The Scoundrel sphere’s Improved Grifting adds double proficiency to Sleight of Hand checks, letting one better hide traps via the Sneaky Trapper talent. Trapped Shield calls out the use of the Shield sphere and its (deflect) talents. This is a more theoretical option depending on GM leeway, but combining Thaumic Sink’s antimagic dart with the Alchemy sphere’s Glue and Solvent talent can be a good way of more reliably sticking the antimagic field onto a target. However, as sovereign glue is a magic item this may be subject to GM fiat. The bond itself can only be broken via a list of 3 ways, which doesn’t include an antimagic field as an option, so YMMV.
Existing Comparisons: Where else can one compare this sphere than to traps in the official rules? One thing notable about the Trap sphere is that its maximum potential damage is quite limited in comparison to the official ones unless combined with some damaging magic items/spells. Another notable thing is that the various DCs for spotting and disarming traps depend on the character’s sphere DC, and attack rolls made with traps use the character’s proficiency bonus + Key Ability Modifier. The Trap sphere doesn’t have traps roll on their own initiative nor do they cost money to set up. The Falling Net is similar to the Net talent, although the official one has more wording in its rules while the sphere talent is comparatively vague. For example, Falling Net has a set amount of damage, while the talent merely mentions “destroying the trap via damage” as a way to get out.
The Warleader Sphere makes use of speeches and tactics to enhance the fighting prowess of one’s companions. It’s different from Leadership in that Warleader focuses on buffing the companions one has, while Leadership grants the character new NPC minions. Oddly enough Warleader grants no training in any skill proficiencies, and its two default abilities include tactics which are activated and maintained every round as a bonus action, and shouts which can benefit the character as well as allies via an immediate or short-duration effect. Tactics require allies to be within 20 feet of the Warleader upon initial activation, and shouts 10 feet. (shout) talents grant ways of using shout that require expending martial focus save for one exception, such as restoring the martial focus of allies, allowing affected allies to make a new saving throw vs a negative effect, and advantage on saves vs charmed and frightened condition effects for 1 minute. (tactic) talents grant new forms of using tactics, such as allowing allies to perform the Help action on each other as a reaction, using a reaction to let an ally ignore one source of disadvantage on a roll, and gaining +2 bonus on saving throws vs certain kinds of negative effects. Untagged talents include things such as increasing the AoE of shouts and tactics, choosing to increase one’s exhaustion level for 1 minute in order to shout without expending martial focus, and allowing allies benefitting from one’s shout or tactics to grant martial focus to the Warleader by spending an action. The Legendary Talents include some rather cool things, such as a shout that revives a recently-dead creature, a tactic that grants temporary hit points to an ally who would be reduced to 0 HP, and a shout that is an AoE attack that deals thunder damage and can push over and deafen targets.
Combos: Like Tinkerer, Warleader is primarily an “enhance existing capabilities” sphere, rendering the discussion of combos a bit open-ended in this regard. Healing magic and the Life sphere’s Greater Restore can be a good means of countering Roaring Reservoir’s exhaustion-inducing effect, although its 1 minute duration means that expending a Spell Point or spell slot is costlier than usual. The Verbal Commands talent combined with long-distance communication such as the Tinkerer sphere’s Communication Devices and the Mind sphere’s Project Thoughts can allow one to issue tactics to characters from far away. Frightful Roar’s imposition of the Frightened condition can work well with the Gladiator sphere’s (fear) talent benefits. Deadly Herdsman’s granting of shove as a bonus action works well for users of the Brute and Gladiator spheres. The Master’s Aura Legendary Talent works well with the Wrestling sphere by effectively charming those you grapple, and can further benefit via the Prodigy class’ Imbue Sequence with the Mind sphere by reducing a grappled target’s saving throw result.
Existing Comparisons: The Glamour Bard’s Mantle of Inspiration and the Rally Battlemaster maneuver do similar things as the Rousing Claxon talent in granting temporary hit points. Harangue’s allowance in rerolling a failed saving throw is similar to the Bannaret/Purple Dragon Knight Fighter’s Bulwalk feature, albeit the talent can be multitarget. The Courier’s Dash talent’s speed boost increase is similar to the Oath of Glory Paladin’s Aura of Alacrity, although the talent can have a longer duration if bonus actions are maintained. The Preparation talent grants a bonus to allies equal to the character’s proficiency bonus, and one of the rare ones that requires targets to refresh on a long rest in order to benefit again. The Oath of the Watchers Paladin has an aura that grants the same bonus, albeit it’s effectively unlimited-use.
The Wrestling Sphere focuses on grappling. It has no default effect, instead granting 1 (slam) talent upon unlocking. (slam) talents can be applied as a bonus action when initiating a grapple or starting one’s turn grappling a creature, and our options include ending the grapple to throw the target 10 feet away, forcing a target to suffocate and fall to 0 HP after being grappled for a number of rounds equal to their CON modifier, and picking up the target and swinging them around as a melee weapon that deals damage to both the grappled target and those hit by them. Untyped talents include such options as shoving a grappled target as a bonus action or as a reaction if a target grapples you, grappling a target as a bonus action if you deal damage to them with a weapon, and imposing the restrained condition on a grappled target and being able to restrain them with ropes/manacles/cuffs if you restrain them for 1 round. The Legendary Talents include ending the grapple by slamming a target through the earth, removing a non-vital limb, and treating a grapple check as the result for a dispel magic effect.
Combos: Athletics’ Mighty Conditioning allows a Dexterity-based grappler to be a reality. Athletics’ Training talent and Brute’s Greater Brute can grant proficiency/double proficiency on Athletics, which is vital for grappling. The Piledriver talent has to be used with an unarmed strike, so talents such as Unarmed Training and Mystic Fists are nigh-essential. Pummeler grants advantage on attack rolls against targets one grapples, which goes nicely with the Fencing sphere’s Fatal Thrust, while that sphere’s Bind Weapon talent can initiate a pseudo-grapple via a disarm attempt. The Gladiator sphere’s default abilities can be activated more frequently via shoves and grapples and is more effective when paired with this sphere and/or Brute. Brute’s Muscular Surge allows you to be treated as one size larger for determining who you can grapple, and the Conscript’s Brawler subclass has similar stackable features. Ground Game’s granting of a shove as a bonus action while grappling can work with the Brute sphere’s various talents. Talents that help maintain grapples can be combined with effects that deal additional damage from close contact such as the Destruction sphere’s Aura blast shape. Athletics’ Scale Foe has uses for those who possess the Wrestling sphere. As mentioned under Beastmastery, the granting of Wrestling sphere talents to animal companions via the Drill Sergeant Commander class can be useful, particularly for ones with very high Strength scores and natural attack damage. The Conjuration sphere’s Undead talent and summoned companions with the Ravenous Creature talent have special attacks which are initiated via a grapple and can similarly benefit from such talents. The Earth-Shattering Slam and Tombstone Burial Legendary Talents have Shatter Earth from the Berserker sphere as a prerequisite. Targets picked up via the Living Weapon talent can be turned into thrown weapons as per the Equipment sphere’s Rock Toss talent. The Alteration sphere has many great choices for grapplers: the shock trait from the Aquan talent says that the ability can be used as a reaction on a successful grapple, the Serpentine talent grants new attacks when grappling, the Tendril trait of the Aberrant Body talent allows one to make grapples at a distance, the Stinging Tail trait of Additional Limbs can be used in a grapple as a bonus action, and the Prickly talent’s Spines trait deal additional piercing damage against those who attempt to grapple you.
Existing Comparisons: Two talents simulate the benefits of the Grappler feat from the PHB. The Pin talent is similar to imposing the restrained condition, but also has the added benefit of being able to apply rope, manacles, and other binding items during the grapple to keep them restrained even when it ends.
Thoughts So Far: The final five spheres have an interesting mix of abilities. Sniper is a very strong option given the effectiveness of ranged combat, and the debuffs one can impose via targeted shots with the right talents are a cool touch. Tinkerer is a bit mixed in that there are several talents and gadgets which can be very useful for all manner of builds and parties, although a few are rather situational. I can see the Weapon Damage Pack being popular, while Communications Gadgets can make sending a rogue/familiar/etc to scout the dungeon a less risky proposition. Trap rates rather low for me: as mentioned before, it’s most effective for a certain play-stye and is best used with other talents for the most versatility, and I would’ve liked to see more complicated traps being built via Legendary Talents. Darts and snares are functional, but it would’ve been cool to have things like rolling boulders, spiked pits, pendulum scythes, and the like. Warleader has a good assortment of group-based buffs, and being able to give and receive martial focus between the character and allies allows for some great set-ups. Frightful Roar is a bit underpowered given that it needs to be taken twice in order to act as a long-term fear debuff, and the shouts in general requiring martial focus means that they either require some generous allies to give it back to you via the Focusing Tactics talent or to take a talent yourself that can restore it via a bonus action or reaction. Finally, Wrestling has a lot of good options for grapplers, although the Choke Hold talent’s “reduce to 0 HP” after a set duration seems potentially powerful. However, it’s most effective against low Constitution enemies; those with bonuses of +3 or more can last quite a while over the span of a typical 5e combat. Given that the grappler is forcing themselves to maintain a grapple and giving up a bonus action each round on that enemy only, and that it can’t be used on creatures that don’t need to breathe, those things act as a limiter.
Join us next time as we finish up this book with the Leadership sphere, new equipment, and some more character conversions!
Blank Form shenanigans? Outsider traits?
