# Forum > Gaming > Homebrew Design >  Screwball Mage (5e class)

## Bhu

These are intended to be the mad scientists of the Wizarding world.  I await feedback on the base class, and if o one has any isseus I'll do up the spells/mutations this weekend, and then move on to the subclasses

*SCREWBALL MAGE*
 You were popular in Wizard school.  Popular, not good.  You shenaniganed so hard you broke the space/time continuum, and as a result turned your friends into a lot of enemies who would plague you in the future.  You've been collecting enemies ever since.  You've even literally made a few of them.  Because while you weren't great at learning spells, you were supremely talented at pursuing avenues of arcane research anyone else would have the common sense to leave alone.  Things like what makes a living being actually living?  How does one define a soul?  How many mind altering substances can I mix trying to chase epiphany before I wake up in an Outer Plane staring at some gibbering horror?  Your habits have offended Gawds and society alike.  You have tried resurrecting the dead without divine power, tried to create life itself without divine power, etc.  This makes the Gawds certain you intend to usurp their position in the scheme of things, and makes everyone else nervous as no one knows when your Smiting is finally on it's way.

So lets be honest: you aren't a hero.  You aren't even a murderhobo, other than by chance or madness induced stupor.  You are an affront to Gawds, human(oid)kind, and even Hell itself.  You are an epic level fool whose delusions of grandeur threaten existence.  You know how to party in other words.  And you party a lot.  You have boogied with the Titans.  You'd stop, but lets be honest, you've gotten used to the chaos and blind panics.  Life is too dull without them.

*CREATING SCREWBALL MAGES* 
As you create your Screwball Mage, think about how you will survive the shenanigans you intend to pull.  What is your delusion of choice, and why?  How have you lived this long?  Were you accepted, or cast out by your Wizarding school for crimes against the universe?  How many entities have a lien on your soul?  Did you remember to pay the minions, and turn on the alarms on the Land Squid Vats?  What are you on the run from, and how did you meet up with a band of Adventurers, let alone convince them not to murder you in your sleep?

*Quick Build* 
You can make a Screwball Mage quickly by following these suggestions.  First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity.  Second, choose the Delusional Madman background.  Third, bribe your DM in advance for all the egregious stuff you're about to do.



```
   Proficiency Bonus  Features
1. +2   Field of Study, Spellcasting
2. +2   Mutations
3. +2   Crazy? I Was Crazy Once
4. +2   Ability Score Improvement
5. +3       
6. +3   Field of Study
7. +3    
8. +3   Ability Score Improvement
9. +4        
10.+4   Field of Study
11.+4   Emergency Spells (6th)
12.+4   Ability Score Improvement
13.+5   Emergency Spells (7th)
14.+5   Field of Study
15.+5   Emergency Spells (8th)
16.+5   Ability Score Improvement
17.+6   Emergency Spells (9th)
18.+6        
19.+6  Ability Score Improvement
20.+6  Field of Study
```





```
   Cantrips Known  Spells Known  Spell Slots  Spell Level  Mutations Known/Usable
1.      2               2           1              1st     -
2.      2               3           2              1st     2/1
3.      2               4           2              2nd     2/1     
4.      3               5           2              2nd     2/1     
5.      3               6           2              3rd     3/1     
6.      3               7           2              3rd     3/1     
7.      3               8           2              4th     4/2    
8.      3               9           2              4th     4/2    
9.      3               10          2              5th     5/2     
10.     4               10          3              5th     5/2     
11.     4               11          3              5th     5/2     
12.     4               11          3              5th     6/3     
13.     4               12          3              5th     6/3     
14.     4               12          3              5th     6/3     
15.     4               13          3              5th     7/3     
16.     4               13          3              5th     7/3     
17.     4               14          4              5th     7/3     
18.     4               14          4              5th     8/4     
19.     4               15          4              5th     8/4     
20.     4               15          4              5th     8/4
```


*CLASS FEATURES* 
As a Screwball Mage you gain the following features: 

*HIT POINTS* 
*Hit Dice:* 1d8 per (Screwball Mage) Level
*Hit Points at 1st Level:* x 8 your Constitution Modifier
*Hit Points at Higher Levels:* 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution Modifier per Screwball Mage Level after 1st

*PROFICIENCIES* 
*Armor:* None
*Weapons:* Simple Weapons, Martial Ranged Weapons (including firearms)
*Tools:* Alchemists Tools
*Saving Throws:* Dexterity, Intelligence
*Skills:* Choose 2 from Arcana, Deception, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Persuasion, Stealth, 

*EQUIPMENT* 
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
[li](a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon[/li]
[li](a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus[/li]
[li](a) a scholar's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack[/li]
[li]10 GP, any simple weapon, and two daggers[/li]


*FIELD OF STUDY* 
At 1st level, you choose what Abominations you will be foisting upon the world. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th and 20th level.

*SPELLCASTING* 
You may cast spells beginning at 1st Level (see Chapter 10 of Player's Handbook for rules on spellcasting, and see below for the Screwball Mage spell list).
*Cantrips.* You learn two Screwball Mage Cantrips of your choice.
*Spell Slots.* The Screwball Mage table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Screwball Mage spells of 1st through 5th level. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your Screwball Mage spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.  For example, when you are 5th level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell.
*Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher.* At 1st level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the warlock spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Screwball Mage table shows when you learn more Screwball Mage spells of your choice of 1st level or higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what's shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 6th level, for example, you learn a new Screwball Mage spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Screwball Mage spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Screwball Mage spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
*Spellcasting Ability.* Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Screwball Mage spells, since your spells rely upon study. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Screwball Mage spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

*Spell save DC = 8* + your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier

*Spell attack modifier* = your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier

*Ritual Casting.* You can cast a Screwball Mage spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

*Spellcasting Focus.* You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your Screwball Mage spells.

*MUTATIONS* 
At 2nd level, you've gained the ability to imbue living beings with certain magical mutations, giving them new abilities.

*Mutations Known*
When you gain this feature, pick two Screwball Mage Mutations to learn. You learn additional Mutations of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Mutations Known column of the Screwball Mage table.  Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the Screwball Mage Mutations you learned with a new one.

*Mutating Your Friends*
Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a creature and infect it with one of your Screwball Mage Mutations. A Mutation may work on only certain kinds of creatures, as specified in the Mutation's description.  Your Mutation remains in a creature indefinitely, unless it is removed.  You can Mutate more than one creature at the end of a long rest; the maximum number of creatures appears in the Mutations Usable column of the Screwball Mage table. You must touch each of the creatures, and each of your Mutations can be in only one creature at a time. Moreover, no creature can bear more than one of your Mutations at a time. If you try to exceed your maximum number of Mutations, nothing happens.  The exception is yourself, you may use all your usable Mutations on yourself.

*CRAZY?  I WAS CRAZY ONCE* 
At 3rd Level you gain one of the following abilities, depending on how your abilities develop:

*Hard Studying* When you gain this feature, you permanently gain one extra spell slot.

*Making Friends* You may cast Create Homunculus as a Ritual once per week without using a spell slot.

*Paranoia Is A Harsh Mistress* You use your Intelligence Modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage rolls.

*Protolife Power* When you gain this feature, you permanently gain one extra usable Mutation..


*ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT* 
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

*EMERGENCY SPELLS* 
At 11th level, you learn spells that may be necessary in an emergency (or just useful for your goals). Choose one 6th-level spell from the spell list.

You can cast this spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

At higher levels, you gain more spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Emergency Spells when you finish a long rest.

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## Bhu

*Delusional Madman*
    Reality and you parted ways some time back.  Maybe it's a curse, maybe it's PTSD, or maybe it's years of hard drugs and liquor.  But you see and hear things that aren't always there.  You have "brilliant" ideas.  Like the (redacted by the current Government for the good of the populace).  The town mayor still hasn't forgiven you for that one.

*Skill Proficiencies:* Deception, Stealth
*Tool Proficiencies:* Disguise Kit
*Equipment:* A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a belt pouch containing 15 GP

Feature: (Forbidden Knowledge)
    When you attempt to learn or recall secret or forbidden knowledge, if you don't know that information, you know where and from whom you can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from another madman's laboratory, or sometimes from a library, a university, or other supernatural being. Knowing where the information can be found doesn't automatically enable you to learn it; you might need to offer bribes, favors, or other incentives to induce people to reveal their secrets.  Or just kill them, and burn the place down.

    Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in an inaccessible place, or that it simply can't be found. Unearthing the deepest secrets of the multiverse can require an adventure or even a whole campaign.

Suggested Characteristics
    You don't see the world in a way that makes sense to others, and your idea of ethics/morality (if you have any) is wildly outside the mainstream.  You have long accepted that society hates and fears you, and instead of trying to change that, you merely factor  it into your plans.

*d8     Personality Trait*

        1: I'm haunted by the ghost of a former lover (and for once I'm not responsible for her being a ghost).
        2: I can't settle down in one place for very long (mostly because pitchfork mobs keep trying to burn me at the stake).
        3: I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong (that is inevitably, wildly insufficient).
        4: I never stop smiling (mostly due to an alchemical accident).  People find it disturbing.
        5: I don't pay attention to the risks in a situation, after all, I've beaten the odds every other time (and eldritch beings owe me favors).
        6: When I have a new idea, I get wildly excited about it (until it tries to get up off the table and kill me).
        7: I am no common criminal, and I will not be treated as such (and if you try I know where your bodies are buried).
        8: I blow up at the slightest insult due to anger management issues from my treatment at the hands of society (also I may be just a little crazy).

*d6     Ideal*

        1: *Knowledge.* The path to power and success is through knowledge. (Neutral)
        2: *Independence.* I am a free spirit  no one tells me what to do. (Chaotic)
        3: *Hedonist.* Life is short. I live my life to the fullest, as I know any day could be my last. (Chaotic)
        4: *Survivor.* No matter the cost, I will take any action necessary to survive. (Any)
        5: *Obsession.* Once I have a goal, I will tirelessly pursue it, even though Hell itself should bar the path. (Any)
        6: *Revenge.* I will do whatever it takes to get what I want, regardless of the harm it might cause. (Evil)

*d6     Bond*

        1: I fleeced the wrong eldritch being and must work to ensure that this creature never crosses paths with me or those I care about.
        2: I have an ancient text that holds terrible secrets that must not fall into the wrong hands (i.e. mine).
        3: I stand in opposition, to what I'm not exactly sure (a little bit of everything really).
        4: I owe everything to my mentor  a horrible person who's probably living as an amoeba somewhere.
        5: I've been searching my whole life for the answer to a certain question
        6: I sold my soul for knowledge.  Multiple times, actually.  There will be a free-for-all when I pass.  Hell, I may be immortal as a consequence.

*d6     Flaws*

        1: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization (there will always be more civilizations anyway).
        2: I think the whole multiverse is out to get me (mostly because it is).
        3: When faced with a choice between my research and my friends, I usually choose the research (until it tries to lay it's eggs in my small intestines).
        4: I believe everyone has a price and am cynical toward those who present themselves as virtuous (because I've learned even Gods have a price).
        5: I turn tail and run when things look bad (i.e. at least once a week).
        6: I have few vices (but the ones I do have are well outside the mainstream).

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## JNAProductions

First off, helpful link for formatting.

Second off, the actual critique.

*Basic Features*
Hit die is d8.
No armor... Feels fragile already.
All simple and all ranged, interesting.
Tools, saves, and skills, all good.

*Casting*
Warlock style, cool.

*Mutations*
The ability to use them on others is interesting, but I don't see them yet. Assuming they're later down.

*Crazy?*
That's a 50% boost in spell casting until level 11. It's VASTLY better than a once per week saving a single spell slot, and probably a lot better than the other two too.
I wouldn't leave this as-is.

*ASIs*
Normal.

*Emergency Spells*
Mystic Arcanum by another name, okay.

*Overall*
This isn't complete enough to comment on.
There's no spell list, no mutations, and no subclass features. Like... This could be insanely busted (three _Fireballs_ every short rest at level 5, with a mutation that makes it do double damage and friendly fire okay) or it could be bad as heck (no useful spells, mutations are barely worth it).

As-is for the moment, it's not playable.

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## Bhu

> First off, helpful link for formatting.


  Thanks!!







> This isn't complete enough to comment on.
> There's no spell list, no mutations, and no subclass features. Like... This could be insanely busted (three _Fireballs_ every short rest at level 5, with a mutation that makes it do double damage and friendly fire okay) or it could be bad as heck (no useful spells, mutations are barely worth it).
> 
> As-is for the moment, it's not playable.


Nor is it intended to be.  As mentioned above, the rest will be forthcoming soon, I just posted the basic class to see if anyone had concerns (and you have).  So I need to adjust that bit, and then move on to the spells/mutations.

Regarding crazy: There are several new spells for this class that let it make monsters, without also giving you control over them (you need other spells for that).  These new spells are rituals only, meaning you have to cast them as a ritual.  Would it be acceptable to restrict the extra spell to one of them?  For example, you could merge an owl and a bear to create an owlbear, but when it wakes up it does not recognize you as a friend or creator.

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## faustin

> *Crazy?*
> That's a 50% boost in spell casting until level 11. It's VASTLY better than a once per week saving a single spell slot, and probably a lot better than the other two too.
> I wouldn't leave this as-is.


I would replace "Hard Studyin'' for "Wait, Wrong Textbook?"

Add a spell from another class list to your spellbook. After leveling up you can replace that spell for another from the same list.

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## Bhu

> I would replace "Hard Studyin'' for "Wait, Wrong Textbook?"
> 
> Add a spell from another class list to your spellbook. After leveling up you can replace that spell for another from the same list.


I like  this!

I'm trying to hammer out the spells/mutations as fast as i can.  With luck I get at least one set done tomorrow.

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