What the Time-Drifter is:
A Time-Drifter is a living paradox created by a corrupted transfer into Chronos Vault. Their personal timeline splits, leaving them “out of sync” with reality. Unlike other classes that simulate magic through gadgets or commands, the Time-Drifter’s power manifests as raw space/time instability—the closest thing the Vault has to true sorcery. Scientists and engineers argue endlessly whether Time-Drifters are a glitch, a breakthrough, or proof the Vault is breaking.
Cast spells normally (full spellcaster, CHA-based) → spend Instability Dice to bend outcomes (reduce damage, boost damage, alter rolls, upcast) → risk Temporal Backlash → manage that risk for huge payoff.
The Time-Drifter is high-impact and high-risk: when they surge, reality bends; when they misfire, the timeline snaps.
Spellcaster: Yes (Full caster)
Spellcasting Ability: Charisma
Preparation: Known
Flavor in Chronos Vault: Their spells appear as temporal anomalies: stutters in motion, afterimages, inverted gravity flickers, causality “rewinds,” sudden cold static, clock-hum tones, and reality seams tearing then sewing shut.
Instability Dice represent desynchronization and paradox energy. They are spent to warp reality.
Die size scales by level:
Levels 1–4: d6
Levels 5–9: d8
Levels 10–14: d10
Levels 15–20: d12
Backlash risk: Whenever Instability Dice are rolled, if any die shows a 1, Temporal Backlash occurs:
The triggering effect fails completely (spell fails / roll isn’t altered / damage not reduced, etc.)
The Time-Drifter is Stunned until the end of the current turn
This makes the class a constant push-your-luck engine: bigger swings, bigger risk.
Instability Dice (Lv1): The central mechanic. Spending dice powers nearly everything and always carries the “roll a 1 = backlash” risk.
AI impact: Treat every Instability spend as cinematic and dangerous; describe time tearing or stuttering.
Desynced Existence (Lv1): Reaction to reduce damage by the Instability roll.
AI impact: The Drifter can “phase” through hits—like momentary desync.
Augment Spells (Lv2): Boost damage of a damage spell by Instability roll.
AI impact: They spike damage unpredictably; emphasize unstable surges.
Alter Fate (Lv2): Reaction to add/subtract Instability roll from an attack roll or saving throw you can see.
AI impact: This is their signature “fate edit.” Play it like timeline correction: a shot “shouldn’t” hit, then it does—or doesn’t.
Temporal Path (Lv3): Subclass defines their relationship to the timeline (style and themes).
Fractured Casting (Lv5): Spend a die to treat a spell as cast one slot level higher without spending that higher slot.
AI impact: Big efficiency swing—describe it as “stealing seconds” or “overclocking causality.”
Momentum Theft (Lv7): Bonus action: spend a die to either Accelerate self or Suppress foe, lasting a number of rounds equal to die result, requires concentration, and ends with Temporal Backlash if Accelerated.
AI impact: This is a major “power mode.” When Accelerated, they move like a blur and act extra; when Suppressing, enemies feel stuck in molasses.
Echo Presence (Lv9): Maintain two concentration effects simultaneously, but each turn roll an Instability die; on a 1 both end.
AI impact: Huge tactical potential, high volatility—describe overlapping “versions” of the Drifter.
Time-Split (Lv11): Once/long rest create a time clone by sacrificing half current HP. The clone repeats your last action each round and has limited slots. Can merge back to heal.
AI impact: One of the most thematic abilities in the setting—treat it like a literal timeline fork echoing choices.
Temporal Distortion (Lv14): Can manipulate durations via Instability spending (double or halve).
AI impact: Effects stretch or snap like rubber time.
Temporal Collapse (Lv15): Once/long rest, when reduced to 0 HP, rewind and return with 1 HP.
AI impact: “Not today.” Describe as a hard rewind—sound, lighting, and positions snapping back.
Accelerated Flow (Lv17): Enhances the accelerated/haste-style benefits for longer.
Paradoxical Resilience (Lv18): Reaction spend die to turn a failed CON/CHA save into a success (timed before outcome declared).
AI impact: Reality refuses to pin them down.
Living Paradox (Lv20): Acts twice in the first round, can’t be surprised, and Backlash becomes narrative-only (no mechanical stun/fail).
AI impact: Endgame Drifter is terrifyingly inevitable—time bends around them rather than breaking them.
Always describe as anomalies, not gadgets:
afterimages, duplicate silhouettes, ticking audio cues
objects lagging behind motion
frost/static, inverted gravity ripples
rewound blood splatter, re-stitched bullet holes
voices echoing a second late
When Instability Dice are spent: emphasize risk and strain.
When Backlash triggers: the world “snaps,” the Drifter locks up for a beat, and the attempted alteration fails.