The Illrigger is a custom class created by Matt Colville for Anna's character in the Chain, Judge. This class shares some similarities to the Paladin, but focuses more on spellcasting and invoking seals upon their enemies.
The Illrigger
The Lords of the Nine Cities of Hell scheme and plot endlessly, eternally. Each seeks to bring the others to heel, and ascend to the Throne of Hell, uniting the nine cities and every infernal thing that lives there, leading an infinite army of devils across the timescape until all worlds burn.
Their elite shock troops, the terror-commandos of Hell, are the Illriggers. Knights of Hell, they are high charisma counter-paladins who master devils and cast their own unique spells.
The Order of Desolation
Acceptance into the Order of Illriggers makes you a comrade with every other illrigger, regardless of which Archdevil you serve. Each Archdevil has churches, underground fanes, secret societies, cults. All with leaders manically devoted to the Archdevil who grants them their power. But the association of Illriggers consider themselves each more alike to the others in the order than to the priests and warlocks who serve the same master.
Members of the Order of Desolation, also known as the Desolate or the Knights of Desecration, are expected to be intelligent, resourceful, tactical, manipulative. A temple or cult may believe that the presence of an Illrigger in their midst is a sign that their Archdevil approves on their actions, but the Illriggers are independent. They serve no order, no hierarchy, no authority but the Archdevil themselves and pride themselves on being separate from all other organizations. It is not unusual, therefore, for a member of the Order of Desolation to seek help, and find it, from other members of order first, even from Illriggers who serve other Archdevils before going to any church, cult, or temple to their own archdevil.
Class Features
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | - Spell Slots per Spell Level - | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |||
| 1 | +2 | Forked Tongue, Infernal Conduit | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Baleful Interdict | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | +2 | Knight of Hell, Hellsight | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 5 | +3 | Extra Attack | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 6 | +3 | Marquis of Hell | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 7 | +3 | Baleful Interdict Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - |
| 9 | +4 | Internal Conduit Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 10 | +4 | Duke of Hell | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 11 | +4 | Improved Baleful Interdict | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 13 | +5 | Infernal Conduit Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 14 | +5 | - | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 15 | +5 | Baleful Interdict Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 17 | +6 | - | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18 | +6 | Aura Improvements | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19 | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20 | +6 | Baleful Interdict Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
As an Illrigger you gain the following class features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per illrigger level Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per illrigger level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons or (c) a two-handed martial weapon
- (a) chain shirt or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
- (a) a priest’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
- A holy symbol and five javelins
Forked Tongue
You double your proficiency bonus when making a Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion check.
[This version of the ability is as is from the MCDM site. While Matt has made soft changes and suggestions this reddit post confirms that the ability should read "Choose either Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion. You double your proficiency bonus when making the chosen check."]
Infernal Conduit
There is a well of infernal power within you that replenishes after you take a long rest. With this well you can transfer up to your level x 3 hit points between your Illrigger and other targets.
As an action, touch another creature. If the creature is unwilling it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your charisma modifier + your proficiency modifier). If they succeed, this ability does not affect them and you may not attempt it on them again for 24 hours. If they fail, they know you have created a conduit between you.
Upon touching an affected target you may transfer hit points between you. Either draining hit points from the subject and healing yourself by the same amount, or draining your hit points and healing the subject by the same amount. In both instances the limit is the maximum amount remaining in your well. The conduit closes at the end of your turn.
If you are fully healed, you may use this power to gain temporary hit points. You cannot give another creature temporary hit points.
At 9th level, your Infernal Conduit allows you to remove a level of exhaustion from an ally, or inflict a level of exhaustion on an enemy.
At 13th level, your Infernal Conduit allows you to know the thoughts of an affected creature. Gaining insight into its reasoning (if any), its emotional state, and something that looms large in its mind (such as something it worries over, loves, or hates).
Fighting Style
At 2nd level you choose an Illrigger Fighting Style;
Treachery
When you flank an enemy, or attack a surprised enemy, you add 1d6 to your damage against them.
Bravado
While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Schemes
While you wield a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you may use your reaction to attack an adjacent enemy who hits you with a melee weapon.
Lies
While wielding a two-handed weapon, you may choose to use your Strength or Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Baleful Interdict
Upon reaching 2nd level, you learn how to use the power granted by your Archdevil to censure other creatures. As a bonus action, burn a spell slot to place a seal on a target within 30 feet. You can do this a number of times equal to your charisma modifier. You replenish all your seals after a long rest.
When you or an ally hits a target you can see with a seal on them, you may consume the seals, inflicting 2d6 necrotic damage on the target per seal. If you are within 30 feet of the target, you heal one point of damage for each die of damage your seals inflict.
Seals evaporate if not used after one minute. Only the illrigger who placed the seal knows it’s there, it appears in the illrigger’s sight as a glowing glyph on the creature’s forehead.
[This version of the ability is as is from the MCDM site. While Matt has made soft changes and suggestions this reddit post confirms that the ability should no longer consume spell slots.]
Spellcasting
By 2nd level, you have learned to compel your patron Archdevil to grant you arcane magic to cast spells.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The illrigger table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your illrigger spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of illrigger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the illrigger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of illrigger spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your illrigger level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level illrigger, you have four 1st-level and three 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell hell’s lash, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of illrigger spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your illrigger spells, since their power derives from your ability to command the attention of your patron archdevil. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an illrigger spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modfiier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a holy symbol (found in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook) as a spellcasting focus for your illrigger spells.
Hellsight
By 3rd level, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice disguised, hidden, or invisible creatures.
Marquise of Hell
Starting at 6th level, devils will not attack you. As an action, choose a devil you can see within 30 feet. It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your charisma modifier + your proficiency modifier) or you become its master and it behaves as though you summoned it. If it succeeds, you cannot use this ability on it for 24 hours.
Improved Baleful Interdict
Upon reaching 11th level you feel your connection to your Archdevil increase. Your seals inflict an extra 1d6 damage. While you have unspent seals, your weapon attacks inflict an additional 1d6 damage.
Duke of Hell
Upon reaching 10th level, you gain the ability to summon a devil to serve you for one minute as an action once a week. The Devil is bound to you and must obey your commands to the best of its ability.
It acts on the same initiative you act on, and may both act and move on the turn you summon it. If you die or fall unconscious, the devil returns to Hell.
| D12 Result | Devil |
|---|---|
| 1-7 | Barbed Devil |
| 8-11 | Chain Devil |
| 12 | Bone Devil |
Knight of Hell
Upon reaching 3rd level you pledge your soul to the service of an archdevil and are welcomed into the Order of Desolation, becoming an illrigger. You gain the Invoke Authority ability and choose either Shadowmaster (Moloch), Painkiller (Dispater) or Architect of Ruin (Asmodeus) as your specialty.
Furthermore, you are a noble in the lists of Hell and will be accorded fine treatment and hospitality anywhere in hell you travel, even to cities ruled by enemy Archdevils. More cosmopolitan cities in the timescape--like Alloy, the City of Brass--will also respect your noble rank.
Authority Spells
Each of the Lords of Hell grant different spells to their elite death commandos. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the Invoke Authority description. Once you gain access to an oath spell, you always have it prepared. Authority spells don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.
If you gain an authority spell that doesn’t appear on the illrigger spell list, the spell is nonetheless an illrigger spell for you.
Invoke Authority
You invoke the authority granted you by your Archdevil lord, channelling baleful energy to fuel magical effects. Each Invoke Authority option provided by your Archdevil explains how to use it.
When you use your Invoke Authority, you choose which option to use. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Invoke Authority again.
Some Invoke Authority effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your illrigger spell save DC.