Spellcaster Sidekick

A sidekick who becomes a Spellcaster walks the paths of magic. The sidekick might be a hedge wizard, a priest, a soothsayer, a magical performer, or a person with magic in their veins. To gain the Spellcaster class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak. A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels in this class, as summarized on the Spellcaster table.

When the sidekick joins this class, the sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following list: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion The sidekick gains proficiency with light armor, and if it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it also gains proficiency with all simple weapons.

At 1st level, the sidekick gains the ability to cast spells. (If the creature already has the Spellcasting trait, this feature replaces that trait.) Choose the Spellcaster's role: Mage, Healer, or Prodigy. This choice determines the spell list and spellcasting ability used by the sidekick, as shown on the Spellcasting table.

Spell Slots. The Spellcaster table shows how many spell slots the sidekick has to cast its spellcaster spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, the sidekick must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. The spellcaster regains all expended spell slots when it finishes a long rest.

Spells Known. The sidekick knows two cantrips and one 1st-level spell of your choice from its spell list. Here are recommendations for a 1st-level spellcaster of each role:

Mage: mage hand, ray of frost, thunder wave Healer: cure wounds, guidance, sacred flame Prodigy: eldritch blast, healing word, light

The Cantrips Known and Spells Known columns of the Spellcaster table shows when the sidekick learns more spells of your choice. Each of the spells in the Spells Known column must be of a level for which the sidekick has spell slots, as shown on the table. For instance, when the sidekick reaches 5th level in this class, it can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when the sidekick gains a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells it knows from this class and replace it with another spell from its spell list. The new spell must be a cantrip or of a level for which the sidekick has spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. The sidekick's spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the choice you made on the Spellcasting table. The sidekick uses its spellcasting ability whenever a spell refers to that ability. In addition, it uses its spellcasting ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell it casts and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + sidekick's proficiency bonus + spellcasting ability modifier

Spell attack modifier = sidekick's proficiency bonus+ spellcasting ability modifier

Spellcasting Focus. The sidekick can use a focus for its spells depending on the choice you made on the Spellcasting table. A Mage can use an arcane focus, a Healer can use a holy symbol, and a Prodigy can use an arcane focus or a musical instrument.

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 18th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Starting at 6th level, the sidekick can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals with any cantrip.

At 14th level, choose one school of magic. Whenever the sidekick casts a spell of that school by expending a spell slot, the sidekick can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the spell's damage roll or healing roll, if any.

At 20th level, Taking damage can't break the sidekick's concentration on a spell.