Background: Intellectual

It’s not a matter of how smart you are but more your choice to never stifle your curiosity about the world. You always asked questions. If parents didn’t satisfy, you pestered teachers, and when they failed, you took matters in your own hands and embraced books or online sources. Regardless of your capacity to solve problems or retain complex theories, you refused to accept an explanation without evidence. This may act in opposition to your upbringing or the environment in which you lived, where ignorance and blind faith can be the norm. This may not lead to a life of science, but simply one that embraces change.
Skill Proficiencies. Engineering or Science
Languages. Two languages or your choice
Equipment. A set of common clothes, a handful of textbooks, $15 in a wallet

Dwarfism

The accepted term is "little person." You choose whether you are size Medium or Small, but your speed is reduced by 5 ft. either way.

Eidetic Memory

You remember nearly every- thing. You automatically pass any Intelligence checks to recall any information you have been exposed to.

Extreme Fortitude

You gain 2 additional hit points at 1st level, plus 1 additional hit point every additional level.

Empathy

You’ve always been able to understand someone’s emotional state, allowing for sympathy or manipulation. You gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom (Insight).

Ladder: Runner

Key Abilities. Dexterity

Power To Weight Ratio

Beginning when you choose this ladder at 1st level, you can always choose to use Dexterity instead of Strength for the Athletics skill, and Intelligence instead of Wisdom for the Perception skill. You can also use Dexterity in place of Strength for attack or damage rolls and when setting save DCs with all weapons without the heavy property, and you have proficiency with Dexterity (Acrobatics) Select either Dexterity or Intelligence as your primary runner ability.

Cat Balance

At 4th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 1. You can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature except for your primary runner ability, which has a maximum value of 22.
Additionally, your speed also increases by +5 feet and if you move at least 10 feet while moving towards a wall, your remaining movement becomes a climb speed until the end of your turn. This movement can be in any direction as long as it follows a vertical surface.

Saute De Precision

At 8th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 1. You can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature except for your primary runner ability, which has a maximum value of 22.
Additionally, if you use the Dash action, your movement increases by 1.5 times your speed (round down). You also add both your Dexterity and your Intelligence modifier to all Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

5th Level. You gain a +1 bonus to AC when not wearing heavy or exo-armor.

Darkslinger

To you, the dark is less a mystery and more just a means to an end. You employ it as you would any other tool. You may lack the discipline of others, and by consequence, the proficiency in the dark arts, but that doesn’t equate ignorance. It’s less lack of interest and a desire to focus within a specific path—the integration of magic with everyday items, often weapons. In many circles, you are the one most feared, the one believed to have made a deal with supernatural forces to gain an edge in combat. You can be a member of a secret order or skilled vagabond wandering the land with the world often oblivious to what you can do.

Proficiencies

You have proficiency with one-handed and two-handed small arms. You also gain proficiency with Vigor (Induce).

Dark Precision

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can invest energy from your vessel into your ranged weapons. As a free action, before making a ranged non-auto attack, you can spend 2 points from your vessel to have advantage on your next attack roll. You can also spend up to 3 points before making an attack to add that much bonus damage. If you spend any quantity of dark on an attack, the attack is also counted as being magical. If you have not selected the magus class, you also gain a +2 bonus to your vessel.

Ways Of The Shadow

Starting at 7th level, if you spend any dark on a ranged attack via your Dark Precision feature, that attack gains the AP property and is counted as silver and adamantine; you also no longer suffer disadvantage when firing beyond normal range. The amount of points you can spend to add damage with Dark Precision is increased to 5. If you have not selected the magus class, you also gain a +2 bonus to your vessel.

Magus Lv 10

You look around and chuckle at the banality of the world. You occasionally sympathize with those that witness their surroundings in simple terms, colorblind to the full spectrum of the cosmos. From an early age, you could understand the workings of reality, what existed beneath the surface. There was an ocean, an expanse of shadow and secrets, knowledge mortals were forbidden to comprehend. Perhaps it was for their own good—as looking into the abyss has driven many insane. You can’t claim immunity to the effects of that infinite darkness, and friends often worry.
It has become an obsession, learning about the mechanisms that control seemingly random events, that instruct the universe on how to work. To know a thing is to control a thing. Through instruction and natural talent, you can shape reality as you see fit, to accomplish something previously reserved by those in myth. Throughout it all, you can’t escape the thought that while you were peering below that surface into that darkness, that something was staring back, tolerating your presence. You wonder what that force was, and if it will make its presence known.

Playing A Magus
There’s no denying you will appear peculiar to those around. Friends consider you the oddball, the eccentric; this assumes you have friends. Magus in the modern world fall into three categories—those brandishing the emblems of an organization, those slowly slipping away from sanity while secretly experimenting within hidden laboratories, and those struggling with a knowledge and talent they often wish they could forget.

No one is immune to the effects of the dark—people assume it’s a simple lack of illumination. You know better; it’s an abyss, a universe stripped of nature. You know that ignoring its apparent contradiction, this void contains structure, a dimension without form. Within the dark resides infinite potential unrestrained by physics, chemistry, or sanity. More than a few magus found themselves institutionalized. Many turned to suicide while others became so fearful of mortality, they shut themselves off from the world. Others turned to chemicals to compensate, to steady their hands. Only a scant few ever appear normal on the surface.

As a magus, your personality may often chafe against those you call friends. They don’t understand what you have seen and could never. You probably think it’s for the best. You work towards a common goal because either you require distraction, possess loyalty to your last group of compassionate friends, or you believe your path is compulsory due to some vision experienced in your studies. Your origin was cursed by a single moment of clarity when you glimpsed a brief moment of that darkness. So many people claim to know how the cosmos works by claiming piety or science. Occasionally, you envy their ignorance.

Class Features
As a magus, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
Hit Dice. 1d6 per magus level
Hit Points at 1st level. 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels. 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per magus level after 1st.

Proficiencies
Armor. None
Weapons. Simple weapons
Tools. All ground vehicles
Saving Throws. Intelligence, Vigor
Skills. Select three skills from Commune, Computer Use, Detection, History, Induce, Insight, Perception

Path of Technology

Path Cost. 2
Path Benefit. You are proficient with the Engineering skill and can use your Vigor score instead of Intelligence for checks involving technology.
Synergy Path. Path of Creation.
Traits. These spells allow you to access technology magically and involves a combination of various techniques to perform them.

Root-Refurbishment (Ritual)

Make a Vigor (Engineering) check against an object that has hit points. It recovers hit points equal to the result of your skill check -10. This can be modified per usual by using an Engineering kit.

Sacrifice: Spend 1 hit die.

Root-Construction (Ritual)

You can now use present refined metals to aid in the construction of technology similar to crafting with Intelligence (Engineering). This spell counts as you possessing a TL5 Engineering kit. When you cast the spell, you are also counted as +3 levels higher when calculating how far you can advance in your build schedule. Additionally, 20% of the $ spent that day is paid by the spell without spending resources or money. If you decide to make an Intelligence (Engineering) check for crafting, this check has advantage.

Sacrifice: Spend 1 hit die.

Tier 1-Eyes of SOL (Ritual)

You access an array of special satellites placed in orbit by your magical order. You gain a bird’s eye view of any location you select. It may take as much as 2d4 minutes for a satellite to reach a position, but when it does, it gives you a detailed view out to as much as a mile or as close as six feet. It must be outside, but SOL has access to darkvision and see invisible creatures in range.

Sacrifice: Spend 2 hit dice.

Tier 1-EMP

You send out an electromagnetic pulse that affects all electronic devices and anything that uses a battery in range. These items stop functioning unless they have shielding. For every additional 2 dark spent upon casting, increase the range by 5 feet (max +20 feet).

Tier 1-Access (Ritual)

You can access and control an electronic device lacking an input (like a keyboard) you touch. The electronic device only acts within its parameters and cannot act outside of its function. You cannot access robots with this spell, just electronic devices. You can touch an electronic storage device and read document files on it. You can touch a computer and use it, but you do not override password locks. There can be as much as six inches between your hand and the electronics of the device.

Boost (DC 20): Increase the range from touch to 60 ft.

Sacrifice: Spend 1 hit die.

Tier 1-Magic Firearm (Ritual)

Touch any type of firearm; the weapon gains the AP property and is counted as magic.

Sacrifice: Spend 1 hit die.

Path of Creation

Path Cost. 2
Path Benefit. You gain a +2 bonus to your vessel.
Synergy Path. Path of Technology
Traits. With creation spells, hand movements are modest and don’t account more than a hand passing over a subject. A few words spoken may be confused as an unrecognized prayer.

Tier 1-Create Elemental

You gather natural elements and inject them with a modicum of intelligence. You create an elemental of challenge rating 2 or lower. An elemental created by this spell disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends. The elemental is friendly to you and your companions. It obeys verbal commands that you issue (no action required by you). For every 3 additional dark spent before casting, increase the challenge rating of the created elemental by 1 (Max CR 5).

Tier 1-Chef (Ritual)

You create appetizing food and clean water for five people in range. The meals takes an hour to enjoy and to have any effect. The food vanishes if not eaten after an hour, though the water remains.

Sacrifice: Spend 2 hit points.

Boost (DC 15): Double the range you can create the elemental.

Root-Purify (Ritual)

All food and drink within range is purified and rendered free of poison and disease.

Sacrifice: Spend 1 hit point.

Root-Mending (Ritual)

This spell makes necessary repairs on objects, and each minute in use further aids in the mending. The spell leaves no trace of damage. This spell can physically repair a magic item or construct but can’t restore magic to such an object. Each minute will also recover 1d4 hit points to an object without requiring widgets or a skill check.

Sacrifice: Spend 1 hit point.

Path Of Protection

Path Cost. 2 Path
Benefit. If an opponent scores a critical hit on you, your vessel regains 2.
Synergy Path. Path of Might
Traits. Protection spells encompass a wide variety of effects requiring little to no expression.

Tier 4-Invulnerability

You are immune to all damage until the end of your next turn. If placed it your river, you can use this spell as a reaction against an incoming hit. Weapons that reduce immunity to resistance still apply. Boost (DC 20): You can extend this spell for one additional turn. You can repeat this check up to 5 times or until you fail a check.

Tier 3-Colossus

Until the spell ends, you have resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Tier 2-Alienation (Ritual)

You create a magic circle on the ground (up to 20 feet in radius) and specify a type or specific creature. The creature can’t willingly enter the cylinder by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to do so, it must first succeed on a Charisma or Vigor saving throw. The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets within the cylinder. Targets within the cylinder can’t be charmed, frightened, or possessed by the creature. When you cast this spell, you can elect to cause its magic to operate in the reverse direction, preventing a creature of the specified type from leaving the cylinder and protecting targets outside it. You can temporarily deactivate or activate the circle’s effects as a bonus action on your turn or as a reaction to a creature entering it. A creature can attack the protective field; it has an AC of 10 and 200 hit points.

Boost (DC 20): On your turn, while the spell is in effect, you can attempt this check to increase the HP of the field by 50. Sacrifice: At the beginning each of your turns while the spell is in effect, you suffer 1 point of damage.

Tier 1-Shield

You have a +2 bonus to AC. If placed it your river, you can use this spell as a reaction against an incoming hit. For every 3 additional dark spent, increase the bonus by 1 (to a maximum of +4).

Boost (DC 20): Make this check as a reaction while the spell is in effect to increase the bonus by 2 against one attack.

Root-Reprisal

If a creature hits you with a melee attack, it takes your Vigor modifier force damage, and you have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature. For every 2 additional dark spent, increase the damage inflicted by 1 ( max +5 damage).

Root-Magic Armor

Your base AC becomes 13 + your Vigor modifier. The spell ends if you don armor or if you dismiss the spell as an action. You can spend 6 total dark to increase the base AC to 16, but your maximum Vigor modifier is reduced to 2.

Path Of Might

Path Cost. 2
Path Benefit. You have proficiency with all melee weapons.
Synergy Path. Path of Protection
Traits. Spells from this path are often subtle and often come as a result of combat. To outsiders, strange things appear to happen around you. Your somatic movements are often patterns you make with weapons.

Tier 3-Magic Weapon (Ritual)

The same as the tier 2 spell, tier 3 increases the bonus to a +2 to attack and damage rolls until the spell ends (it does not stack with tier 2).

Sacrifice: You suffer disadvantage with Wisdom-based ability checks until you finish a long rest.

Tier 2-Wrath

Your next hit with a melee or ranged weapon during this spell’s duration deals an extra 1d4 + Vigor modifier psychic damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom or Vigor saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends. As an action, the creature can make a Wisdom or Vigor check against your spell save DC to steel its resolve and end this spell. For every 2 additional dark spent, increase dice by 1 (max +3 dice).

Boost (DC 20). Increase damage to d8.

Tier 2-Magic Weapon (Ritual)

Touch a non-magical weapon. While you wield the weapon, it becomes magical with a +1 to attack and damage rolls until the spell ends.

Sacrifice: You suffer disadvantage with Wisdom-based ability checks until you finish a long rest.

Tier 1-Compression

You can make a single ranged or melee attack as part of this spell.

Boost (DC 25). You can use compression one additional time this same turn (only once per turn).

Tier 1-Paranormal Aim

Your next attack roll before the end of this turn automatically hits.

Boost (DC 15). You can use paranormal aim again time this same turn. This DC increases by 2 each additional time you use paranormal aim (max DC 21).

Root-Pinpoint

You gain advantage on your first attack roll as long as you make that attack before the end of this turn.

Boost (DC 15). You can use pinpoint again time this same turn. This DC increases by 2 each additional time you use pinpoint (max DC 21)

Skill: Commune

To commune means to communicate with another living individual you know in a non-vocal manner. You must have met the target physically at some point previously. As an action, you can establish a psychic connection with the target and communicate for up to a minute before requiring an additional check. The base DC is 10. If the target is considered a friend, the DC decreases by 5; if the target is a loved one or relative, the DC decreases by 10. Distance plays a factor—if you can see the target, the DC is unmodified. If the target is within 10 miles, the DC increases by 5, and if within 50 miles increases by 5 again. Up to 100 miles, the DC reaches its ceiling, increasing by another 5; anything further requires a spell. You must share a language with the target, or the target must be able to understand you (like a trained pet). Once a connection is made, the target can communicate back (if they share a language) regardless if he or she is gifted in Vigor without making a check. The recipient knows who you are upon receiving the connection but cannot locate you.

Skill: Detection

Being endowed in Vigor allows you to be naturally receptive to its effects around you. This is similar to Perception except that it is narrowed to only detect fluctuation in the dark. You may ask, or a GM may request that you make a Vigor (Detection) check to analyze the level of dark around you. Depending on the difficulty of the task (set by the GM) you can attempt to detect the following within 30 feet of you:
--Natural regions strong in dark.
--Increased Vigor in living targets (those with an ability score of higher than 12).
--Artifacts or mechanisms either bottling the resource or otherwise strong in dark.
--Messages between individuals employing the Commune skill.
This ability can penetrate most barriers but is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. Contrary to popular conspiracy theory, aluminum foil alone will not suffice.

Collective Spell-Dispel

Choose one creature or object, or magical effect within range affected by or casting a spell. Make a Vigor check. The DC equals 10 + (the spell’s tier x 2). Root spells = tier 0. On a successful check, the spell ends.
Note: If you place this spell in your river, it’s spell cost can be reduced to a reaction if the target is within 60 feet.