The Summoner Class¶
Summoner¶
You are the armada. The kings of old would trade armies for your abilities. You've undertaken the tradition that conjures an endless supply of warriors. You are the summoner, the mage who takes their dreams and makes them manifest.
You call forth minions to trudge fearlessly into the fray and provide support, holding the enemy at bay while you and your fellow heroes ready the counteroffensive. Your minions serve unflinchingly, unerringly, to their death or to yours.
You can also take advantage of powerful magic to buff your allies, whittle down your enemies, or enlist the fallen into your ranks. And when push comes to shove, you can call upon your champion to finish the fight.
Basics¶
Basics
Starting Characteristics: You start with a Reason of 2, and you can choose one of the following arrays for your other characteristics scores:
- 2, 2, -1, -1
- 2, 1, 1, -1
- 2, 1, 0, 0
- 1, 1, 1, 0
Starting Stamina at 1st Level: 15
Stamina Gained at 2nd and Higher Levels: 6
Recoveries: 8
Skills: You gain the Magic and Strategy skills and can choose any two skills from the intrigue or lore skill groups. (Quick Build: Eavesdrop, Magic, Monsters, Strategy.)
Summoner Advancement
Draw Steel Master Classes¶
The summoner is an example of a master class in Draw Steel. Master classes are intended for players who are familiar with the game and have played a few sessions already. They are not recommended for first time players—you need to know the rules before we start breaking them on you!
If you are new to Draw Steel, we recommend checking out The Delian Tomb starter adventure, which includes a step-by-step tutorial on how to play the game and breaks down all the working parts of a hero. Save Broadhurst first, and then you hurry back here!
1st-Level Features¶
As a summoner, you gain the following features.
Summoner Circle¶
Summoner Circle
You've learned the art of summoning from a member of a loose network of summoners called a circle. Each circle specializes in a distinct portfolio of creatures you can call into existence. Choose a summoner circle from the following options, each of which grants you a communication feature (Quick Build: Circle of Graves.)
Circle of Blight: You are a demonologist who calls forth demons from the Abyssal Waste. Your portfolio includes shapechanging demons that grow in hunger and power over time. You can communicate with creatures that have the Abyssal keyword even if you don't share a language.
Circle of Graves: You are a necromancer who raises undead creatures from the Necropolitan Ruin. The corporeal and incorporeal creatures under your command are hardy and many. You can communicate with creatures that have the Undead keyword even if you don't share a language.
Circle of Spring: You are a feybright who beckons pixies, nixies, and sprites from Arcadia. Your portfolio features ephemeral fey spirits surrounded by weird and powerful magic. You can communicate with creatures that have the Fey keyword even if you don't share a language.
Circle of Storms: You are a storm caster who summons elementals from Quintessence. This portfolio contains forces of nature that leave a big impact on the environment. You can communicate with creatures that have the Elemental keyword even if you don't share a language.
Your choice of circle decides the portfolio from which you summon minions, as well as many of the features you'll gain from this class. Your circle is your subclass.
Minions¶
Minions
The creatures you control are called minions. You can summon and maintain up to a maximum of 8 minions. Your minions are considered allies at your level.
You can manage up to two squads of minions. Newly summoned minions can either be organized into a new squad or be distributed into other squads under your control. A squad can't contain more than eight minions, and all minions in the squad must have the same name.
The maximum distance that you can summon minions and use specific conjuring abilities is called your Summoner's Range. Your Summoner's Range is equal to 5 + your Reason score. You must have line of effect to summon and give commands to minions within your Summoner's Range. Commanding a minion to take a main action or a maneuver while hidden reveals you.
You also have special minions at your disposal called signature minions, low-cost creatures that you've become accustomed to summoning often. See Portfolio for more details about the types of minions you can summon.
Minions in Combat
Start of Combat: At the start of a combat encounter or some other stressful situation tracked in combat rounds (as determined by the Director), you can summon up to two of your signature minions at no cost into unoccupied spaces within your Summoner's Range (no action required).
Start of Turn: At the start of each of your turns during combat, you can summon up to three of your signature minions at no cost into unoccupied spaces within your Summoner's Range (no action required).
Summoning: Each minion is summoned on the ground unless they can fly or hover. Unless an ability specifies, you can't summon any new minions beyond your minion maximum until the same number of existing minions are dismissed or destroyed.
Stamina: Minions in a squad pool their Stamina together. Whenever a minion in a squad takes damage, the squad's Stamina pool is reduced by a number equal to the damage taken. Each time the pool is reduced by an amount equal to a single squad member's Stamina, one minion dies (starting with the minion that took damage, followed by the next nearest minion). If there is any excess damage after all minions in the squad are dead, you take damage equal to 2 + your level. Minions can't be winded, can't regain Stamina, and can't gain temporary Stamina.
Area Effects: The damage from an area effect dealt to a squad's Stamina pool can only kill up to the minions in its area. Any excess damage is ignored.
Strikes with Multiple Targets: A squad's Stamina pool only takes the largest single instance of damage from a strike that targets two or more minions in that squad. Any additional effects still affect the minions targeted by the strike.
Conditions: You resolve any saving throws on conditions affecting one or more of your minions. Treat saving throws as if you had one instance of each condition.
Damage Immunity and Weakness: If any minion in a squad has damage immunity or weakness to a particular damage type, apply that effect to the entire squad only once, regardless of how many minions share the same trait.
Actions: Minions in a squad act together on your turn in any order, before, in-between, and/or after any of your actions. They can either take a move action and a main action (excluding Heal and Defend), a move action and a maneuver, or two move actions. Individual minions can also make opportunity attacks.
Free Strikes: Unless otherwise specified, a minion's free strike has a distance of Melee 1 or Ranged 5 and deals the damage value listed on the stat block. The minion can choose to deal untyped damage or the damage type next to the damage value.
Damage: Whenever multiple minions strike the same target simultaneously, the damage is added together and treated as a single strike. Minions in a squad targeting the same target with a signature ability only apply one instance of the signature ability while each additional minion increases the damage by a number equal to their free strike value.
Surges: Your minions share your pool of surges and can apply them to their strikes. Whenever one or more of your minions would gain a surge during a turn, you gain that surge instead.
Maneuvers: Unless otherwise specified on the minions' stat block, a squad uses their maneuver together as a unit. If a maneuver targets a single creature, all minions in the squad target the same creature. If a maneuver requires a power roll, the result is equal to 8 + the minions' characteristic + the number of squad members within distance of the maneuver.
Individual Maneuvers: An individual minion can use a maneuver to alleviate their own circumstances, such as getting up from prone or escaping a grab. If they do, they can't take part in their squad's main action or maneuver.
Characteristics: Your minions have their own characteristics for the purposes of resisting potencies, maneuvers, and making tests. You use your own characteristics where a minion's stat block refers to an R or uses a potency (such as M < WEAK).
Unconscious: If you are unconscious or unable to act on your turn, you can't summon new minions. Additionally, your remaining minions can't deal damage; they can only act to bring you to safety.
End of Combat: At the end of combat, your minions finish their tasks (such as carrying someone to safety) and are then dismissed.
Minions Outside of Combat
While outside of combat, you can have up to 4 minions summoned without spending essence. You can freely summon your signature minions this way. For other minions, while you have a number of Victories equal to the minion's essence cost or more, you can summon up to the set number of minions listed on their stat block.
Each of your minions can be given a simple task and a destination you've previously visited and they'll fulfill it to the best of their ability. Example tasks include sending messages, scouting, and carrying supplies. Your minions aren't followers and can't make project rolls until you can summon specialists (see Minion Machinations).
When combat begins, any of your minions who were summoned outside of combat finish their tasks and are then dismissed.
> Soul-y Moley! > > Your minions are manifestations of the magic you weave and don't harbor any souls of their own. They are expressions of your own soul and are more akin to dreams than sapient creatures. > > Treat your minions as if they had your soul whenever they are targeted by abilities that affect souls. Ignore any effects that trigger when a creature with a soul dies unless you're the one being targeted.
Essence¶
Essence
You and your minions have a unique reserve of essence as your Heroic Resource. You use this magic to sculpt your forces and maintain control over the battlefield.
Essence in Combat
At the start of a combat encounter or some other stressful situation tracked in combat rounds (as determined by the Director), you gain essence equal to your Victories.
At the start of each of your turns during combat, you gain 2 essence.
The first time each round that any minion (either yours or an enemy) dies unwillingly within your Summoner's Range, you gain 1 essence.
Whenever you use a heroic ability or call forth a minion that costs essence, you can willingly sacrifice one or more of your minions within your Summoner's Range to reduce the cost by 1. You can't kill minions this way if they used a main action or maneuver during the turn. You can sacrifice more minions than you would reduce the cost by.
You lose any remaining essence at the end of the encounter.
Essence Outside of Combat
Though you can't gain essence outside of combat, you can use your heroic abilities and effects that cost essence without spending it. Whenever you use an ability or effect outside of combat that costs essence, you can't use that same ability or effect outside of combat again until you gain at least 1 Victory or finish a respite.
> More Wielders of Quintessence > > Essence is the "stuff of creation." Just as the elementalist uses essence to conjure fire, lightning, or warp space and time, the summoner uses essence to manifest skeletons, conjure pixies, and call forth demons from the Abyssal Waste. > > There may be more magicians in the future that also rely on essence for their magic.
Summoner Strike¶
Summoner Strike
You have the following ability, which replaces both your melee and ranged free strikes.
Summoner Strike
A sudden burst of energy erupts from your implement and shocks your foes' nerves.
This ability has the Charge keyword when it's used as a melee strike.
Strike For Me¶
Strike For Me
You have the following free triggered action.
Strike for Me
Your minions fight in your stead.
You use a triggered action to make a free strike or use a signature ability.
On a natural 19 or 20, each target makes a free strike.
Your minions act in place of you making a free strike or using a signature ability. If you were granted the triggered action against a specific target, your minions must strike the same target. If the triggered action granted you a signature ability, you have an edge on the power roll.
Your Minions Deal the Damage
By normal Draw Steel rules, everyone gets access to free strikes. As a summoner, you have a free strike equivalent in addition to minions who have their own free strikes. Changing how you attack allows your minions to shine in battle while keeping your damage output in line with your fellow heroes. The static damage you and most of your minions deal also keeps your turns fast and flowing.
Call Forth¶
Call Forth
You have the following ability.
Call Forth (1+ Essence)
My power is yours, and yours, mine. I summon thee.
You summon one or more minions from your portfolio into unoccupied spaces within distance. Choose one of the following options:
You summon one signature minion for each essence you spend on this ability.
You summon the set number of minions listed on the stat block for their essence cost.
Minion Bridge¶
Minion Bridge
You have the following maneuver.
Minion Bridge
Your minions do everything in their power to form a safe path for you to cross.
You shift into a square adjacent to the target, including vertically.
You can shift into squares that contain one of your minions, even if they occupy difficult terrain. Each time you shift into a square that contains one of your minions while using this maneuver, you can shift an additional square.
An adjacent ally can shift alongside you during this movement. They must end their movement in an unoccupied square adjacent to the last minion you moved through.
1st-Level Circle Features¶
1st-Level Circle Features
Your circle grants you features as shown on the 1st-Level Summoner Circle Features table.
1st-Level Summoner Circle Features
| Circle | Feature |
|---|---|
| Blight | Death Snap, Soulsense |
| Graves | Dead Men Tell All Tales, Rise! |
| Spring | Fairy Whispers, Pixie Dust |
| Storms | Elemental Affinity, Heart of Nature |
Dead Men Tell All Tales
You can touch the corpse of a creature who died within the past week and ask them a question. The corpse can choose to answer the question to the best of their ability. Each additional question you ask the corpse requires a medium Reason test, where failure or consequence breaks your connection with the corpse permanently.
The corpse can also choose to refuse to answer or lie, especially if you were the one to kill them in the first place.
Death Snap
Whenever one of your demon minions would die unwillingly, they can deal damage to an adjacent creature equal to their free strike value before dying.
Elemental Affinity
Whenever you use Call Forth to summon one or more non-signature elemental minions, you can summon one bonus signature minion at no cost. You can choose between a signature minion that shares an Element keyword with the minions you summoned (such as Fire, Earth, or Air) or an elemental mote.
Fairy Whispers
Whenever you send a minion to perform a task for you outside of combat, they can bring back a rumor from the destination to which you sent them. When the minion returns, make a Reason test:
You gain a bane on the test for each subsequent rumor you collect either on the same day or in the same location.
Heart of Nature
Pixie Dust
Increase your number of Recoveries by 2.
Whenever one of your fey minions dies within your Summoner's Range, you can spend a Recovery to give temporary Stamina equal to twice your Reason score to each non-minion ally adjacent to the minion when they died.
Rise!
Once per round, when a creature dies unwillingly within your Summoner's Range, you can use a triggered action to summon a signature undead minion in their space at no cost, even if you're at your minion maximum, but only if they can be organized into one of your squads. The new minion can't act until the start of your next turn.
This ability becomes a free triggered action if the target was a minion (either yours or an enemy).
Soulsense
While you have line of effect to a creature with a soul, you can perceive a trail of where the creature has been in the last number of minutes equal to 5 × your level.
When you finish a respite, you can always perceive the soul trails of each creature that took the respite with you until your next respite.
Formation¶
Formation
You've practiced a specific formation for your minions. Choose one of the following formations: horde, platoon, elite, or leader. You can change your formation along with your quick command (see Quick Command) by performing intense study as a respite activity. (Quick Build: Platoon Formation.)
Horde Formation
Your maximum number of minions increases by 4 and you summon up to four of your signature minions at the start of each of your turns instead of three.
Platoon Formation
Elite Formation
Leader Formation
You aren't affected by excess damage after all minions in a squad are dead. If your minion is within your Summoner's Range when they take damage, you can choose to take damage in place of the minion.
Additionally, you can use light armor treasures and light weapon treasures while you don't have a kit.
Quick Command¶
Quick Command
You have a special command you can issue to your minions. Choose one of the following quick commands. You can change your quick command along with your formation (see Formation) by performing intense study as a respite activity. (Quick Build: Shield!)
Focus Fire!
You have the following triggered action.
Focus Fire!
You ensure the enemy can't escape the incoming attack.
The target deals damage to another creature.
Halt!
You have the following triggered action.
Halt!
You order a minion to get in the way.
The target starts their turn, moves, or is force moved.
You summon a signature minion in an unoccupied space adjacent to the target. If the target is force moved into the minion, you can choose to make the target take no damage from the collision.
Not Yet!
You have the following triggered action.
Not Yet!
I command you to not die.
The target receives enough damage to die or be destroyed.
If the target is a minion, they must be the only minion remaining in their squad.
Shield!
You have the following triggered action.
Shield!
You call upon a minion to use their body to dampen the blow.
The target is targeted by a strike.
Portfolio¶
Your portfolio comprises the minions you've learned to summon. Each summoner circle specializes in a portfolio of creatures with which the summoner can build their armies, as shown on the Summoner Circle Portfolio table. Your circle allows you to select minions to add to your own portfolio.
Summoner Circle Portfolio¶
| Circle | Portfolio |
|---|---|
| Blight | Demon Portfolio |
| Graves | Undead Portfolio |
| Spring | Fey Portfolio |
| Storms | Elemental Portfolio |
Demon Portfolio Signature Minion¶
Select two of the following signature minions. Signature minions are summoned at the start of combat and at the start of your turn for free. You can also use Call Forth to summon any number of signature minions for their essence cost.
Ensnarer¶
Ensnarer
Extended Barbed Strike
The ensnarer's melee free strikes have a distance of 3 and inflict pull 1. The pull distance increases by 1 for each additional ensnarer striking the same target. Choose the ensnarer that the target is being pulled to before applying forced movement.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the ensnarer can't be hidden from them.
Rasquine¶
Rasquine
Skulker
Once per turn, the rasquine can hide as a free maneuver after teleporting.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the rasquine can't be hidden from them.
Razor¶
Razor
Demon Portfolio 3-Essence Minion¶
Choose two of the following minions. You can use Call Forth to summon the listed number of 3-Essence minions for their essence cost.
Archer Spittlich¶
Archer Spittlich
Splash Strike
The spittlich's ranged free strikes have a distance of 10 and deal 2 poison damage to an enemy adjacent to the target. Creatures that take poison damage from this spittlich can't shift until the start of the spittlich's next turn.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the spittlich can't be hidden from them.
Fanged Musilex¶
Fanged Musilex
Mawful Strike
The musilex's melee free strikes have a distance of 2 + R and inflict pull 2. The pull distance increases by 2 for each additional musilex striking the same target. Choose the musilex that the target is being pulled to before applying forced movement. If the target is pulled adjacent to the musilex, the musilex either deals an additional 2 damage or grabs them.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the musilex can't be hidden from them.
Twisted Bengrul¶
Twisted Bengrul
Mind Twist
A twisted target can't take advantage of edges or search for hidden creatures until the condition ends.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the ensnarer can't be hidden from them.
Elemental Portfolio Signature Minion¶
You gain the elemental mote and can choose one of the following signature minions. Signature minions are summoned at the start of combat and at the start of your turn for free. You can also use Call Forth to summon any number of signature minions for their essence cost.
Elemental Mote¶
Elemental Mote
Dweomer Burst
When the mote is reduced to 0 Stamina, each enemy adjacent to the mote has a bane on their next strike.
Catalyst
Once per turn, the mote can transform into an adjacent allied signature minion, maintaining their current Stamina. The minion must be reassigned to a new squad if their new name differs from the other squad members. Alternatively, you can spend 1 essence to transform the mote into any signature minion in the elemental portfolio you don't have, as if you summoned the new minion into the mote's space.
Brisk Gale¶
Brisk Gale
Cutting the Air
The gale doesn't provoke opportunity attacks by moving.
Whirlwind
When the gale is reduced to 0 Stamina, winds whip in their space until the end of the encounter. You or an ally that enters this space or starts their turn there can immediately shift (including vertically).
Fire Plume¶
Fire Plume
Spitfire Strike
The plume's ranged free strikes have a distance of 10.
Pyre
When the plume is reduced to 0 Stamina, their space becomes wreathed in flames until the end of the encounter. An enemy that enters this space or starts their turn there takes 2 fire damage.
Walking Boulder¶
Walking Boulder
Obstruct
The boulder obstructs line of effect for enemies.
Elemental Portfolio 3-Essence Minion¶
Choose two of the following minions. You can use Call Forth to summon the listed number of 3-Essence minions for their essence cost.
Crux of Ash¶
Crux of Ash
Soot Strike
The crux's melee free strikes M < AVERAGE automatically hide each ally from the target until the start of the crux's next turn, until the target uses a maneuver to clear the soot, until the crux takes damage, or until the crux is destroyed.
Flow of Magma¶
Flow of Magma
Molten Strike
Each square that the flow shifts into becomes wreathed in flames until the start of the flow's next turn. An enemy that enters an affected square takes 2 damage.
Desolation of Sand¶
Desolation of Sand
Burying Strike
The desolation's free strikes inflict M < AVERAGE slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, then they are M < STRONG restrained (EoT).
Sand Through Your Fingers
The desolation doesn't provoke opportunity attacks by moving.
Fey Portfolio Signature Minion¶
Select two of the following signature minions. Signature minions are summoned at the start of combat and at the start of your turn for free. You can also use Call Forth to summon any number of signature minions for their essence cost.
Nixie Soakreed¶
Nixie Soakreed
Water Weird
Once per turn during their move action, each nixie under your control can teleport to a body of water within 5. The soakreed can't teleport into water created by their own soaking bog.
Soaking Bog
The area within 1 square of the soakreed is filled with swampy water. An enemy that starts their turn in the area is A < WEAK slowed (EoT). The potency increases by 1 for each additional soaking bog the target occupies (maximum +2).
Minuscule
The soakreed has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Pixie Bellringer¶
Pixie Bellringer
Ringing Strike
The bellringer's free strikes grant an edge to the next strike made against the target, or a double edge if two or more bellringers strike the same target.
Fairy Chime
Each ally within 1 square of a bellringer has a +1 to saving throws. Each enemy within 1 square of a bellringer has a -1 to saving throws.
Minuscule
The bellringer has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Sprite Dandeknight¶
Sprite Dandeknight
Magic Strike
When the dandeknight strikes, you can choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, corruption, fire, lightning, poison, or sonic. The strike deals that damage.
Staccato Swings
When the dandeknight makes a free strike, they can make two free strikes instead. The damage is added together and treated as a single strike if both strikes hit the same target.
Minuscule
The dandeknight has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Fey Portfolio 3-Essence Minion¶
Choose two of the following minions. You can use Call Forth to summon the listed number of 3-Essence minions for their essence cost.
Pixie Hydrain¶
Pixie Hydrain
Burning/Healing Rain
Minuscule
The hydrain has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Pixie Loftlilly¶
Pixie Loftlilly
Floating Toxins
The area within 1 square of the loftlilly causes each enemy and object with a size equal to your Reason or smaller to float 1 square off the ground until they leave the area. A floating enemy that can't fly is unable to shift, moves 2 additional squares from forced movement, and has a bane on strikes.
Minuscule
The loftlilly has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Sprite Orchiguard¶
Sprite Orchiguard
Fairy Guard
Each non-orchiguard ally takes half damage from abilities while within 1 square of the orchiguard. Whenever the orchiguard reduces damage this way, they take damage equal to half their maximum Stamina and their free strike damage increases by 1.
Minuscule
The orchiguard has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Undead Portfolio Signature Minion¶
Select two of the following signature minions. Signature minions are summoned at the start of combat and at the start of your turn for free. You can also use Call Forth to summon any number of signature minions for their essence cost. (Quick Build: Skeleton, Husk.)
Husk¶
Husk
Rotting Strike
The husk's melee free strikes inflict M < WEAK slowed (EoT). The potency increases by 1 for each additional husk adjacent to the target (maximum +2).
Shrieker¶
Shrieker
Howling Strike
The shrieker's ranged free strikes have a distance of 12.
Shrill Alarm
Each enemy within 2 squares of the shrieker can't hide or be hidden.
Skeleton¶
Skeleton
Bonetrops
When the skeleton is reduced to 0 Stamina, their square becomes difficult terrain for enemies. The first time any enemy enters this space, they take 2 damage and end this effect.
Undead Portfolio 3-Essence Minion¶
Choose two of the following minions. You can use Call Forth to summon the listed number of 3-Essence minions for their essence cost. (Quick Build: Stalker Shade, Grave Knight.)
Grave Knight¶
Grave Knight
Knight Strike
To the Grave
When the grave knight is reduced to 0 Stamina, they can make a melee free strike before being destroyed.
Stalker Shade¶
Stalker Shade
Shadow Strike
The stalker shade turns invisible, shifts 3 squares, and reappears after making a strike.
Shadow Phasing
The stalker shade can move through other creatures and objects at normal speed. The first time in a round that the stalker shade passes through a creature, that creature takes 2 corruption damage. The stalker shade doesn't take damage from being force moved into objects.
Zombie Lumberer¶
Zombie Lumberer
Zombie Clutch
The lumberer's melee free strikes inflict A < AVERAGE grabbed. A creature or object that starts their turn grabbed by the lumberer takes corruption damage equal to your Reason.
Death Grasp
When the lumberer is reduced to 0 Stamina, they can latch onto an adjacent enemy before being destroyed. The enemy is M < STRONG restrained (EoT).
Summoner Abilities¶
Summoner Abilities
Your own abilities focus on support and enable you to position and outfit your allies for success.
Heroic Abilities
Breaking down your essence into pure power can lead to devastating effects. Your heroic abilities enable you to punctuate your army's efforts.
5-Essence Ability
Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 5 essence to use. (Quick Build: Rallying Cry.)
Essence Transfer
You pierce your foe and repurpose some of that 'fiber of their being' they weren't using.
You can spend charges to activate one of the following effects. You can activate an effect multiple times. All charges disappear after using this ability.
Explosive Parade
Your minions swell with energy until they can no longer exist in this realm.
The minions are summoned within distance regardless of your minion maximum and without organizing them into squads. Each newly summoned minion immediately moves up to their speed toward a creature or object.
If they move adjacent to their target, become targeted by an opportunity attack, or stop moving, they explode, dealing 2 damage to one adjacent creature or object and pushing them 1 square. If a target is affected by two or more minions' explosions, the effects stack. These minions activate no effects upon death, and you gain no essence from their deaths.
Distraction Tactics
Your minions do the work to draw the heat away from your allies.
Rallying Cry
"Show them what you're made of!"
Shields of Essence
You call forth protective forces to keep you all from harm.
Until the end of the encounter, each target can use a free triggered action whenever they take damage to reduce the incoming damage by half and then lose this effect.
Summoner's Sword
You draw your strength from the army you surround yourself with and summon a hot blade of energy and fervor.
2nd-Level Features¶
As a 2nd-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Perk¶
Perk
Summoner's Dominion¶
Your circle allows you to call forth a piece of your portfolio's dominion like any minion.
Once per encounter, you can use a maneuver to summon a fixture from your minions' native manifold or origin into an unoccupied space on the ground within your Summoner's Range. You can spend 1 essence to relocate the fixture as a free maneuver on your turn. The fixture stays until the end of the encounter, until its Stamina is reduced to 0, or until you become dying.
Your fixture gains additional features at 5th and 9th level.
Demon Portfolio Fixture¶
The boil arises from the chaotic depths of the Abyssal Waste, concentrated into a heaving mass by the pressure of a coherent reality. As it slushes and threatens to burst, the noises drive nearby demons into a frenzy.
The Boil¶
The Boil
Hunger Thrush
Oh, It Pops
The Boil Advancement Features¶
The Boil Advancement Features¶
The Boil Advancement Features
Soul Rancor
Elemental Portfolio Fixture¶
The storm of elements from Quintessence coalesce into a hardened, crystalline structure. It magnifies the elemental composition of any matter that passes through it and emits supernatural colors while doing so.
Primordial Crystal¶
Primordial Crystal
Magnetic Pull
Elemental Boost
Primordial Crystal Advancement Features¶
Primordial Crystal Advancement Features¶
Primordial Crystal Advancement Features
Terra Resonance
Fey Portfolio Fixture¶
The vibrant waters of Arcadia pour through a hole in reality and pool into a verdant cup of paradise. As the pond babbles, it causes the surrounding flora to grow and provides the fey places to hide.
Glade Pond¶
Glade Pond
Bubbling Boost
Overgrowth
Glade Pond Advancement Features¶
Glade Pond Advancement Features¶
Glade Pond Advancement Features
Garden of Jest
Size Increase
Folly Field
Undead Portfolio Fixture¶
Tall iron gates from the Necropolitan Ruins arise from the earth as wailing spirits swirl around its bars. The undead refuse to stop moving while near the threshold of oblivion.
Barrow Gates¶
Barrow Gates
The Bell Tolls
Undead Dominion
Barrow Gates Advancement Features¶
Barrow Gates Advancement Features¶
Barrow Gates Advancement Features
Memento Mori
Size Increase
Open the Gates
New Portfolio Minion¶
Your circle allows you to select new minions to add to your portfolio.
Demon Portfolio 5-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Gushing Spewler¶
Gushing Spewler
Gushing Strike
The spewler's ranged free strikes have a distance of 10 and slides the target R + 2 squares.
Spew Slide
Each time the spewler takes damage, the spewler shifts 2 after all effects resolve. Each square they exit during this movement is covered in slime until the end of the encounter. An enemy has a bane on strikes while occupying a slimed square.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the spewler can't be hidden from them.
Hulking Chimor¶
Hulking Chimor
Mercurial Strike
The chimor's melee free strikes inflict M < WEAK weakened (EoT). The potency is increased by the current round number.
Evershifting
The chimor doesn't provoke opportunity attacks by moving.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the chimor can't be hidden from them.
Violent¶
Violent
Transforming Strike
The violent's melee free strikes deal an additional 2 damage to each adjacent enemy from whom they were hidden. The violent loses their disguise after striking.
Mimicry
The violent uses the Hide maneuver at the start of their turn as a free maneuver, disguising themselves as a a size 1M or smaller object.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the violent can't be hidden from them.
Elemental Portfolio 5-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Dancing Silk¶
Dancing Silk
Entangling Strike
The silk's ranged free strikes inflict A < AVERAGE restrained (EoT). Each creature adjacent to the target is A < WEAK slowed (EoT).
Principle of the Swamp¶
Principle of the Swamp
Quiet of Snow¶
Quiet of Snow
Freezing Howl
Cold Surge
When the quiet is reduced to 0 Stamina, they launch a refreshing blast of air into an area equal to their size + 1 within 5 before being destroyed. Each ally in the affected area gains a surge.
Fey Portfolio 5-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Nixie Hemloche¶
Nixie Hemloche
Water Weird
Once per turn during their move action, each nixie under your control can teleport to a body of water within 6. The hemloche can't teleport into water created by their own whirling waves.
Whirling Waves
The area within 1 square of the hemloche is filled with churning water and is considered difficult terrain. At the end of the hemloche's turn, the hemloche can choose to slide each enemy in the affected area 3 squares. An enemy that takes damage while being force moved is also M < AVERAGE knocked prone.
Minuscule
The hemloche has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Sprite Foxglow¶
Sprite Foxglow
Flash Strike
The foxglow's melee strikes inflict I < STRONG dazed (EoT) if they were hidden when they make the strike.
Quiet Flight
The area within 2 squares of the foxglow is completely silent. Each enemy has a bane on tests made to search for the foxglow and allies hidden in the affected area.
Minuscule
The foxglow has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Pixie Rosenthall¶
Pixie Rosenthall
Stickerbush Symphony
Swarm
The rosenthall can move through squares as if they were size 1T, and can occupy other creatures' spaces. At the start of the rosenthall's turn, they deal 2 damage to each enemy whose space they share.
Undead Portfolio 5-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Accursed Mummy¶
Accursed Mummy
Ceaseless Mournling¶
Ceaseless Mournling
Always Crying
At the end of the mournling's turn, each enemy within 1 of the mournling takes 2 sonic damage and can't shift until the start of the mournling's next turn.
Immutable Form
The mournling's shape can't change via any external effects.
Rupture
The first time the mournling burrows out of the ground on their turn, they can make a free strike against each adjacent enemy.
Phase Ghoul¶
Phase Ghoul
3rd-Level Features¶
As a 3rd-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Summoner's Kit¶
Summoner's Kit
You conjure a kit for yourself. This kit includes an implement, such as a rod or a baton, which grants you the following benefits:
- The damage of your Summoner Strike ability increases to twice your Reason score.
- The potency of your Summoner Strike ability increases to R < AVERAGE.
- The distance of your Summoner Strike ability is now equal to your Summoner's Range.
Your kit also comes with wards like magic armor and transient minion forces. Choose one of the following wards.
Conjured Ward
Emergency Ward
The first time each round you take damage, you can use a free triggered action to shift 1 after the triggering effect resolves and summon a signature minion into the square you left (as long as there is enough space).
Howling Ward
Snare Ward
Whenever an adjacent creature deals damage to you, you can use a free triggered action to pull that creature toward one of your minions within your Summoner's Range a number of squares equal to your Reason score.
7-Essence Ability¶
7-Essence Ability
Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 7 essence to use.
Blitz Tactics
Rush 'em! CRUSH 'EM!
Until the end of the encounter or you are dying, each minion under your control during the encounter is the target of the following effect. The first time on a turn that the target moves through an enemy's space, the enemy can choose to shift 1 square or be M < WEAK (or M < AVERAGE if the target is larger than the enemy) knocked prone. The potency increases by 1 for each subsequent target that moves through the enemy's space during the same move action.
Cavalry Call
A lone squad appears to disrupt the enemy's plans and peels off their forces, one by one.
You summon a temporary squad containing 6 of your signature minions regardless of your minion maximum within distance. Whenever one of these minions deals damage to an enemy, the enemy is R < AVERAGE compelled to move 5 squares toward the source of the damage (provoking opportunity attacks). The potency increases by 1 for enemies targeted by two or more of these minions.
These minions die at the end of your turn, activate no effects upon death, and you gain no essence from their deaths.
Essence Funnel
You rapidly summon and sacrifice minions in order to power a devastating blast of magic.
You can choose to kill any number of your minions within your Summoner's Range as a part of this ability, provided they haven't used a main action or maneuver during the turn. Each target takes an additional 1 damage, plus 1 damage for each minion killed this way. These minions activate no effects upon death, and you gain no essence from their deaths.
Lead By Example
Your minions watch as your implement crackles with power, ready to slam unbelievable force into your foe.
4th-Level Features¶
As a 4th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Characteristic Increase¶
Characteristic Increase
Your Reason score becomes 3. Additionally, you can increase one of your characteristic scores by 1, to a maximum score of 3.
Minion Improvement¶
Minion Improvement
Your maximum number of minions increases by 4.
You can increase each of your minions' Stamina as shown on the 4th-Level Minion Stamina Increase table. Additionally, each minion that receives a Stamina boost can treat their characteristics as one higher for the purposes of resisting potencies (to a maximum value of 3).
These benefits are not reflected in the stat blocks of new minions you acquire.
4th-Level Minion Stamina Increase
| Minion | Stamina Increase |
|---|---|
| Signature Minion | Stamina +1 |
| 3-Essence Minion | Stamina +3 |
| 5-Essence Minion | Stamina +2 |
Essence Salvage¶
Essence Salvage
The first time each combat round that any minion unwillingly dies within your Summoner's Range, you gain 2 essence instead of 1.
Minion Chain¶
Minion Chain
Whenever you use Minion Bridge as a maneuver, each of your minions within your Summoner's Range can shift up to their speed before the maneuver takes effect, as long as each minion that shifts ends their movement adjacent to another one of your minions.
Additionally, your minions can chain themselves together to function as a ladder or a swinging rope. When your minions move as a part of using Minion Bridge, each minion can use this movement to shift into a position directly beneath another one of your minions, hoisting them and each other minion they have hoisted, until they form a chain. The chain can then choose to fall across an unoccupied space and/or the topmost minion grabs an object to keep the chain steady.
The chain lasts until the start of your next turn or until the chain is no longer steady. The chain can also end when a minion in the chain is destroyed or when you command your minions to let go as a free maneuver. All size 1 minions count as one square when determining the chain's length.
Perk¶
Perk
You gain any one perk of your choice. See Perks in Draw Steel: Heroes for more information.
Skill¶
Skill
You gain one skill of your choice.
5th-Level Features¶
As a 5th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
5th-Level Circle Feature¶
Your circle grants you a feature as shown on the 5th-Level Summoner Circle Features table.
5th-Level Summoner Circle Features¶
| Circle | Feature |
|---|---|
| Blight | Shaping, Soul Flense |
| Graves | Channel, Dread March |
| Spring | Flash Powder, Pixie Lift |
| Storms | Nature Watch, Split |
Channel¶
Channel
You can spend 1 uninterrupted minute to perform a ritual and use your body as a host for a willing spirit of a creature who died in the area. While hosting the spirit, you have access to their memories of the 24 hours leading up to their death and any skills they knew in life. You can also magically change your appearance to look like them while they were alive.
You can attempt to stop channeling the spirit at any time. If the spirit is hostile to you or you've hosted them for at least 1 hour, you must make a medium Presence test. On success, the spirit leaves your body. On failure, you become fully possessed by a haunt; you have no access to your skills and you can't get above a tier 2 result on power rolls until you exorcise the haunt either by completing the Find a Cure downtime project in Draw Steel: Heroes or taking a respite with an exorcist.
After you stop channeling their spirit, you can't use this feature to channel the same creature again.
Dread March¶
Dread March
You and your undead minions don't spend additional speed to move through difficult terrain. If one or more of your undead minions would die while using their move action, they can choose to not die until the end of your turn.
Flash Powder¶
Flash Powder
Each ally that gains temporary Stamina from your Pixie Dust feature also gains one of the following effects until the end of their next turn (or for 10 minutes if used outside of combat):
Nature Watch¶
Nature Watch
You can spend 1 uninterrupted minute each day to perform a ritual and summon a special elemental mote called a beacon to patrol the area. This mote telepathically communicates any hostile creatures, hazards, or traps within 20 squares of them to you no matter how far away you are. You know the number of nearby hazards and which direction they're in relative to where the beacon is, but not their exact position. You can have a number of beacons active equal to your level.
Pixie Lift¶
Pixie Lift
Your speed gains the Fly and Hover keywords. You lose the Hover keyword from this feature while you are dazed, dying, or you fly more than 1 square above the surface of the ground.
If your speed previously had the Fly keyword, you can now fly while sneaking an additional number of squares equal to your Reason.
Shaping¶
Shaping
You can spend 1 uninterrupted minute to perform a ritual that causes one of your minions to fold their shape and disguise themself to look like a duplicate of you, including speaking basic Caelian, allowing them to (potentially) freely move through civilization while completing their tasks. You can have a number of minions disguised at the same time equal to your Reason score.
Split¶
Split
Once during your turn, you can use a free maneuver to deal damage to one of your elemental minions equal to half their maximum Stamina in order to create one additional copy of that minion in an adjacent unoccupied space and add them to their squad, even if you're at your minion maximum. You can't use this feature if it would kill one or more of the minions in the squad.
Soul Flense¶
Soul Flense
As a maneuver, you can command one or more of your demon minions to each deal damage equal to their free strike value to an adjacent ally. This damage can't be reduced. The ally then ends a condition affecting them and confers it to the demon that attacked them.
Additionally, whenever one of your demon minions Death Snaps, their target is P < WEAK affected by a condition the minion was suffering from. The potency increases by 1 on each subsequent Death Snap the target takes damage from in the same turn (maximum +2).
New Portfolio Minion¶
Your circle allows you to select new minions to add to your portfolio.
Demon Portfolio 7-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Faded Blightling¶
Faded Blightling
Blighted Strike
Wilted Wings
The blightling must land on the ground at the end of their turn or fall prone.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the blightling can't be hidden from them.
Gorrre¶
Gorrre
Gorrring Strike
The gorrre must charge before making a strike. The target is M < STRONG knocked prone if the gorrre moved through an enemy or object other than the target during the charge.
Devastating Charge
The gorrre ignores difficult terrain while charging and destroys unattended, size 1 objects in their path. Each enemy they move through during a charge takes 3 damage.
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the gorrre can't be hidden from them.
Vicisittante¶
Vicisittante
Cerebral Flay
Soulsight
Each creature adjacent to the vicisittante can't be hidden from them.
Elemental Portfolio 7-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Iron Reaver¶
Iron Reaver
Decentralized Segments
The reaver has cover while adjacent to another reaver they were summoned with. Whenever they receive an effect that allows them to move or shift outside of their move action, they share the effect with each adjacent reaver they were summoned with.
Bladed Strike
The reaver's free strikes inflict M < WEAK bleeding (save ends). Each time the reaver inflicts bleeding on a creature, they can shift 2 and make an additional free strike on a new target.
Knight of Blood¶
Knight of Blood
Light of the Sun¶
Light of the Sun
Solar Blade
Fey Portfolio 7-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
Nixie Corallia¶
Nixie Corallia
Water Weird
Once per turn during their move action, each nixie under your control can teleport to a body of water within 6. The corallia can't teleport into water created by their own seafoam pool.
Seafoam Pool
The area within 2 squares of the corallia is filled with purifying saltwater that disables the effects of difficult terrain created by enemies. At the end of the corallia's turn, the corallia can scrub you or an ally in the affected area and end one condition.
Minuscule
The coralia has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Pixie Belladonix¶
Pixie Belladonix
A Thorn, Woe to the Pricked
A target restrained by this ability is trapped in a poison-fueled haze and considers each creature within 1 square of them to be an enemy until the condition ends.
Minuscule
The belladonix has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Sprite Olyender¶
Sprite Olyender
Warrior's Toss
The olyender's melee strikes inflict push 4. If the target is force moved into an object, they are M < AVERAGE knocked prone and can't stand (save ends).
Use Their Might
When targeting a creature with a grab or forced movement, the olyender's size is considered one larger than the target.
Minuscule
The olyender has cover while occupying a larger creature's space.
Undead Portfolio 7-Essence Minion¶
Choose one of the following minions.
False Vampire¶
False Vampire
Proboscis Strike
The false vampire's melee free strikes have a distance of 2 and inflict M < AVERAGE restrained (EoT). The false vampire can move the target while they are restrained this way. At the start of a restrained creature's turn, they take acid damage equal to your Reason.
Bloodthirsty
The false vampire has a speed of 10 while a creature is bleeding within 10.
Phantom of the Ripper¶
Phantom of the Ripper
Plunge of the Knife
Ripping Phase
The phantom can move through other creatures and objects at normal speed. The first time in a round that the phantom passes through a creature, that creature takes 3 corruption damage and has a bane on their next strike. The phantom doesn't take damage from being force moved into objects.
Zombie Titan¶
Zombie Titan
Big Stomp
The titan's melee free strikes M < STRONG knock the target prone.
Overwhelming Size
The titan can move through enemies at normal speed. If the titan ends their turn in a prone size 2 or smaller creature's space, the creature can't stand.
Flesh to Mountains
When the titan is reduced to 0 Stamina, their space becomes difficult terrain. If a creature was prone underneath the titan when the titan is killed, they take 10 damage and are restrained (save ends).
6th-Level Features¶
As a 6th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Perk¶
Perk
You gain an interpersonal, lore, or supernatural perk of your choice. See Perks in Draw Steel: Heroes for more information.
Return to the Source¶
Return to the Source
You can translate yourself and your allies into the space that your minions come from, as if summoning in reverse.
When you take a respite, you teleport to your circle's source manifold or point of origin, as shown on the Circle's Source Manifold table. You can bring along any allies to gather resources or research details about that location's denizens. You are seen as a native resident of the location, but your allies might be seen as intruders.
Circle's Source Manifold
| Circle | Manifold or Point of Origin |
|---|---|
| Blight | Abyssal Waste |
| Graves | Necropolitan Ruins (located within the Abyssal Waste) |
| Spring | Arcadia |
| Storms | Quintessence |
At the end of the respite, you and everyone you brought with you immediately teleports back into the same location from which you made the portal.
Minion Machinations¶
Minion Machinations
Your maximum number of followers increases by 2.
You can summon and recruit an artisan follower and a sage follower that share a keyword with a minion you can summon. These followers can be creatures from your portfolio or preexisting denizens of your circle's source manifold. See Follower Types under Attract Followers in Draw Steel: Heroes for information on constructing your followers' stats.
Kit Improvement¶
Kit Improvement
You can choose one additional ward from your Summoner's Kit.
Additionally, whenever you reduce an enemy to 0 Stamina with your Summoner Strike ability, you can use Call Forth as a free maneuver. Minions summoned this way are unable to act during this turn.
9-Essence Ability¶
9-Essence Ability
You can summon the assistance of your future champion (see Portfolio Champion) and allow them to show off a brief display of their power. Select one of the following heroic abilities, each of which costs 9 essence to use.
A Champion's Cry
Your champion unleashes a bellow that shakes you to your core.
You can use this ability as if in the space of one of your minions within your Summoner's Range.
Army's Idol
Your champion's appearance has an enchanting impact on you and your allies.
You can use this ability as if in the space of one of your minions within your Summoner's Range.
Until the end of the encounter or you become dying, each target has a +2 bonus to saving throws.
Each target can immediately make each of their saving throws and stand up from prone.
The Champion Slams the Earth
Your champion lays their fury upon those unfortunate enough to be in their wake.
You can use this ability as if in the space of one of your minions within your Summoner's Range.
You can change the damage type to be a type that your champion deals on their stat block (see Portfolio Champion).
Their Pall Shrouds All
Your champion fills the area with a thick haze hiding friend from foe.
You can use this ability as if in the space of one of your minions within your Summoner's Range.
Each target is R < AVERAGE weakened (save ends).
Until the end of the encounter, whenever a target gets a tier 1 result on a strike, they deal half damage. If a target was striking a creature adjacent to one of their allies, they target their ally instead.
7th-Level Features¶
As a 7th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Characteristic Increase¶
Characteristic Increase
All of your characteristics increase by 1, to a maximum score of 4.
Minion Improvement¶
Minion Improvement
At the start of each of your turns during combat, you can summon one additional signature minion at no cost into an unoccupied space within your Summoner's Range (no action required).
Additionally, you can increase each of your minions' Stamina as shown on the 7th-Level Minion Stamina Increase table. Additionally, each minion that receives a Stamina boost can treat their characteristics as one higher for the purposes of resisting potencies (to a maximum value of 4).
These benefits are not reflected in the stat blocks of new minions you acquire.
7th-Level Minion Stamina Increase
| Minion | Stamina Increase |
|---|---|
| Signature Minion | Stamina +1 (to a total of +2) |
| 3-Essence Minion | Stamina +3 (to a total of +6) |
| 5-Essence Minion | Stamina +2 (to a total of +4) |
| 7-Essence Minion | Stamina +5 |
Font of Creation¶
Font of Creation
When you gain essence at the start of each of your turns during combat, you gain 3 essence instead of 2.
Their Life for Mine¶
Their Life for Mine
If you or an ally within your Summoner's Range would die from an effect that isn't age related, you sacrifice all your active minions (minimum 1) and spend all your essence (minimum 1) as a free triggered action to bring the target back to life, reconstructing the damaged parts of their body with summoned material related to your portfolio. The target comes back with 0 Stamina plus 1 Stamina for each minion and essence used in the effect. You must have at least one fragment of the creature's remains, and the creature's soul must be willing to return to life for the effect to work.
You can't use this feature again until you gain a new level, or until you spend 3 eidos to use it (see Eidos).
Skill¶
Skill
You gain one skill of your choice.
8th-Level Features¶
As an 8th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Perk¶
Perk
You gain any one perk of your choice. See Perks in Draw Steel: Heroes for more information.
8th-Level Circle Feature¶
8th-Level Circle Feature
Your circle grants you a feature as shown on the 8th-Level Summoner Circle Features table.
8th-Level Summoner Circle Features
| Circle | Feature |
|---|---|
| Blight | Abyssal Evolution |
| Graves | Kill the Pain |
| Spring | Celestial Grace |
| Storms | Control the Elements |
Abyssal Evolution¶
Abyssal Evolution
At the start of each of your turns, you can transform up to two of your demon minions within your Summoner's Range. A demon can transform into a different demon minion within your Summoner's Range, maintaining their current Stamina. Starting from round 2, a demon can transform any demon minion you can call forth for half the essence cost, as if you summoned the new minion into the demon's space.
The minions must be reassigned to a new squad if their new name differs from the other squad members.
Celestial Grace¶
Celestial Grace
Your number of Recoveries further increases by 2.
Additionally, the area affected by your Pixie Dust feature and any of your fey minions' traits that affect adjacent creatures and/or the area within 1 or more squares of them increase that distance by 1 square.
Control the Elements¶
Control the Elements
Whenever you use Call Forth, you can spend essence to change the size of one elemental minion you summon as shown on the following table.
Control the Elements
| Essence Cost | Size Change |
|---|---|
| 1 | The minion becomes size 2. |
| 3 | The minion becomes size 3. |
| 5 | The minion becomes size 4. |
Kill the Pain¶
Kill the Pain
Portfolio Champion¶
Your circle now allows you to add a champion to your portfolio. Champions follow the same rules as your other minions, with the following exceptions:
- You can only summon and command one instance of your champion.
- Your champion is in their own squad that does not count toward your maximum number of squads.
- Your champion can regain Stamina and gain temporary Stamina.
- Your champion uses your Recoveries to regain Stamina.
- Your champion can take the Heal and Defend Actions.
- Your champion uses the normal rules for maneuvers.
- You have an edge whenever you use an ability with the Champion keyword from your Champion's space.
- Your champion refuses to be referred to as a minion.
After summoning a champion, you can't summon them again until you earn a Victory.
Your champion gains additional features at 10th level. This includes a special Champion Action ability that costs eidos to use (see Eidos). This ability can be activated once per encounter at the end of any other creature's turn.
Demon Portfolio Champion¶
Your champion is an Aspect of a demon lord. They have borne witness to your exploits and struck a deal with you: Allow their children to feed and you can call forth a modicum of their power. Morality is none of their concern, but certainly a hero is enough of an arbiter of whose souls deserve to be fed to demons, right?
The demon lord's Aspect enjoys bringing enemies in close with their appendages or flinging victims and throwing them to the gnashing horde. They're willing to put your connection to this world at risk if it means taking one more bite.
Demon Lord's Aspect¶
Demon Lord's Aspect
Grasping Appendages
Warping Strike
The Aspect's free strikes teleport the target 5 squares.
Champion's Ire
If the Aspect only targets one creature or object with a strike, they deal additional damage to the target equal to your Reason.
I Like Your Taste
The Aspect takes damage from an enemy.
The Aspect has a double edge on their next power roll. They can choose to give this benefit to an ally within your Summoner's Range instead.
Frenzy
When the Aspect is reduced to 0 Stamina, they make a free strike against each adjacent enemy before dying.
Size Increase
The Aspect is now size 3.
Reality Flense
Champion Action
Elemental Portfolio Champion¶
Your champion is a Portent of a dragon yet to manifest. Through defending the innocent, you have made yourself and your elementals a close neighbor to the malice that threatens them. The dragon desires you bring their creation about and lends you strength to see your justice through.
As a harbinger of ruin, the dragon's Portent has incredibly potent impact and control of the environment. Their final shape has yet to be determined; use this to your advantage and call upon the affinity that will end conflict the quickest.
Dragon's Portent¶
Dragon's Portent
Affinity
The Portent selects an affinity for one of the following damage types when they are summoned: acid, cold, corruption, fire, lightning, or poison. This type determines the Portent's affinity immunity and the damage type of their abilities.
Elemental Tail Swing
Sealing Strike
The Portent's free strikes inflict M < STRONG slowed (save ends). While slowed this way, the target takes 1d6 affinity damage at the start of each of their turns.
Champion's Ire
If the Portent only targets one creature or object with a strike, they deal additional damage to the target equal to your Reason.
Searing Wyrmscale
Whenever an adjacent creature deals damage to the Portent, they take 4 affinity damage.
Dragon Heart
Once per turn, the Portent can take 10 damage to allow you or an ally within your Summoner's Range to gain 1 heroic resource. This damage can't be reduced in any way.
Size Increase
The Portent is now size 3.
A Breath Felt in a Hurricane
9 affinity damage. The damage ignores immunity. The affected area becomes difficult terrain. An enemy has affinity weakness 5 while occupying an affected square.
Champion Action
Fey Portfolio Champion¶
Your champion is an Attendant of a celestial. Whenever you call on their assistance, you must formally welcome and introduce them to the occasion. You can't be certain if this is truly the blessing of a celestial you've previously allied yourself with, or if you've received someone else's power—neither circumstance puts you in any less danger.
The celestial Attendant wants to swarm the map with pixies while limiting their foes' ability to do anything about it. A single neurotoxic strike is all it takes to move everyone into position.
Celestial Attendant¶
Celestial Attendant
Pixie Swarm
An ally targeted by this ability can, instead, spend Recovery and shift the slide amount.
Neurotoxic Strike
A creature that takes damage from the Attendant's free strike is I < AVERAGE unable to establish line of effect beyond 3 squares (EoT).
Champion's Ire
If the Attendant only targets one creature or object with a strike, they deal additional damage to the target equal to your Reason.
Celestial Bell
The Attendant takes damage from an enemy.
The Attendant rings a bell, and you summon a signature minion into an unoccupied space adjacent to the Attendant.
Pixie Bouquet
The Attendant starts their turn with temporary Stamina equal to 2 × the number of fey minions within 1 square of them. This temporary Stamina lasts until the start of their next turn.
Size Increase
The Attendant is now size 3.
A Shower of Dust
Each target gains 20 temporary Stamina and receives the benefits of one of your Flash Powder effects until the end of their next turn.
Champion Action
Undead Portfolio Champion¶
Your champion is an Avatar of death. The number of creatures you and your army have laid to rest now hangs above your head and threatens to crush your skull at any moment. You were unable to gain the power of the ultimate force of nature without a memento mori to keep you humble.
The Avatar of death weighs down their foes with conditions so their army can take care of the rest. If an enemy can't handle it, well then maybe they should just die.
Avatar of Death¶
Avatar of Death
Culling Scythe
If the target is a creature that isn't a leader or a solo and they are still bleeding at the end of the encounter, they instantly die.
Revelation Strike
The Avatar's melee free strikes P < WEAK instantly reduce a winded non-leader or solo creature to 0 Stamina, including targets winded by the strike.
Champion's Ire
If the Avatar only targets one creature or object with a strike, they deal additional damage to the target equal to your Reason.
Dust and Rot
The Avatar takes damage.
Drifting Spirit
The Avatar is unaffected by difficult terrain and damage from forced movement.
Size Increase
The Avatar is now size 3.
Gravemaker
9 holy damage. Each target is vertically pulled a number of squares equal to their size straight down, ignoring stability. If the target would be force moved into the ground, they are buried beneath the ground instead.
Champion Action
9th-Level Features¶
As a 9th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Kit Improvement¶
Kit Improvement
You've conjured your kit into its ultimate form. You have the following benefits:
- The potency of your Summoner Strike ability increases to R < STRONG.
- You can choose one additional ward from your Summoner's Kit.
- You have a double edge on tests made to dissuade or scare enemy minions or lackeys.
- Your clothing and equipment become adorned with distinct and elaborate regalia to make you stand out from your army, like massive rib cage pauldrons, a tooth crested helmet, or a billowing mantle of fire.
Steward of Two Worlds¶
Steward of Two Worlds
You and your allies are now welcome in your circle's source manifold. Negotiations with native denizens of your circle's source manifold have their patience increased by 2.
11-Essence Ability¶
11-Essence Ability
Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 11 essence to use.
10,000 Minions
The battle is now a war. Your entire army storms the field.
Until the end of the encounter or you are dying, each square on the ground is considered teeming with minions. An enemy that ends their turn in an affected square takes 5 damage. This damage can't be reduced.
Additionally, you can use Minion Bridge treating each affected square as an eligible minion (up to a maximum of 10 additional squares).
Bodyguard Tactics
You surround your allies with a nigh-endless supply of summons that stand in the way of all impacts.
Until the end of the encounter or you are dying, each target has damage immunity 5 and can use a free triggered action once per turn whenever they are force moved to reduce the distance by half.
I Abjure Thee
Cast those not affixed to this manifold into the void of a minion's existence.
Each enemy minion in the area is permanently removed from the encounter map. Up to three non-leader or non-solo enemies in the area are removed from the encounter for 1 round.
A leader or a solo enemy in the area that has R, I, or P < AVERAGE is weakened and slowed (save ends) as they are partially removed from the manifold. You can increase the potency by 1 for each of your minions adjacent to the target you choose to sacrifice as a part of using this ability.
The Champion's Wrath
Your champion appears and goes into a rampage, clearing the way for your minions to march forth.
You can use this ability as if in the space of one of your minions within your Summoner's Range.
You can change the damage type to be a type that your champion deals on their stat block (see Portfolio Champion). For each enemy reduced to 0 Stamina by this ability, an ally within distance can move up to their speed.
10th-Level Features¶
As a 10th-level summoner, you gain the following features.
Characteristic Increase¶
Characteristic Increase
Your Reason score becomes 5. Additionally, you can increase one of your characteristic scores by 1, to a maximum score of 5.
Minion Improvement¶
Minion Improvement
You now start encounters and round-tracked situations by summoning up to two additional minions for every two Victories you have (in addition to the two you normally summon).
Each of your minions' Stamina improves as shown on the 10th-Level Minion Stamina Increase table. Additionally, each minion that receives a Stamina boost can treat their characteristics as one higher for the purposes of resisting potencies (to a maximum value of 5).
10th-Level Minion Stamina Increase
| Minion | Stamina Increase |
|---|---|
| Signature Minion | Stamina +1 (to a total of +3) |
| 3-Essence Minion | Stamina +3 (to a total of +9) |
| 5-Essence Minion | Stamina +2 (to a total of +6) |
| 7-Essence Minion | Stamina +5 (to a total of +10) |
Eidos¶
Eidos
You gain an epic resource called eidos. When you take a respite, you gain eidos equal to the XP you gain. You can spend eidos as if it were essence on minions and abilities you have. When you do, you summon up to two bonus signature minions into unoccupied spaces within your Summoner's Range.
You and your champion also have access to abilities that can be used by spending eidos (see Their Life for Mine and Portfolio Champion).
Eidos remains until you spend it.
No Matter the Cost¶
No Matter the Cost
Whenever you sacrifice minions, you now reduce the cost of a heroic ability or minion by the same amount (to a minimum of 1) instead of only reducing the cost by 1.
Among Our Ranks¶
Among Our Ranks
As a respite activity, you summon a willing and not-restrained NPC or player ally to join your party, regardless of distance or manifold. The target stays until the start of your next respite or until they are killed, in which they are immediately dismissed to the place from which they were summoned. You can't have more than one character summoned in this way.
Perk¶
Perk
You gain an intrigue, interpersonal, or supernatural perk of your choice. See Perks in Draw Steel: Heroes for more information.
Skill¶
Skill
You gain one skill of your choice.