Azorius Archetypes: Elocutor & Justiciar

Now that we're done revising the Strixhaven cross-class subclasses, it's time to turn our attention to another beloved Magic setting - Ravnica! 

I alluded to this in my first article on cross-class subclasses, but this model is particularly suitable for settings that has a number of factions with distinct themes and identities that:

• can be best explored using the subclass format; and
• don't map cleanly to the thirteen base classes of 5e.

Ravnica certainly meets these requirements, having 10 guilds that each include members that could come from a number of different base classes, but are united under one guild identity. Today, we look at the Azorius Senate, aligned with the colors of white and blue, and charged with upholding law and order across Ravnica.

Azorius Elocutor

Illustrated by G-host Lee 

Azorius Spells

Level 1+ Azorius Elocutor Feature

You learn the friends cantrip and the 1st-level spell ensnare. You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Azorius Spells table.

Each of these spells counts as a class spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of spells you know. If you are a cleric, you always have the spells prepared, and they don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you are a wizard, you can add these spells to your spellbook upon learning them, without expending any gold, and prepare them as normal.

Azorius Spells

Speaker of the Senate

Level 1+ Azorius Elocutor Feature 

You become proficient in one of the following skills: Persuasion, Insight or Investigation. Additionally, when you make an ability check using any of these skills, you may use your spellcasting ability modifier in place of the normal ability modifier for that skill.

Illustrated by Ryan Yee

Lawmage’s Decree

Level 1+ Azorius Elocutor Feature 

As an action, you can proclaim a decree that forbids certain acts. The decree takes the form of a circle of glowing runes that hover 20 feet above you (or as high as possible), providing bright illumination in a 30-foot radius around you. The decree moves with you, and lasts 1 minute. Any creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher that can see the runes understands what acts are forbidden under the decree. When you use this feature, choose an act to forbid from the table below. If a hostile creature within 30 feet of the decree would perform an act forbidden under the decree, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, that creature cannot perform that act, and must do something else. On a successful save, the creature can act as normal, but takes psychic damage equal to your proficiency bonus as the decree punishes its infraction.

While your decree is in effect, you can use an action to change what acts are forbidden, or expend another use of this feature to choose another forbidden act and add it to the decree. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. 

As you advance in power, you gain the authority to forbid additional classes of activity.

Illustrated by Wayne Reynolds

Channel Divinity: Secure the Scene

Level 2 Azorius Elocutor Feature (Cleric)

You can use your Channel Divinity to detain suspects, forcing them to submit to your authority. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each creature of your choice (up to your proficiency bonus) that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become incapacitated until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds on the save is marked as a recalcitrant, granting you advantage on attack rolls against them until the end of your next turn.

Restraining Order

Level 3 Azorius Elocutor Feature (Bard only)

At your word, mystical restraints spring up around a miscreant, arresting them so that you may bring them to justice. As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. Roll the Bardic Inspiration die and subtract it from their saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes incapacitated until the end of their next turn. If the creature succeeds on the save, they take psychic damage equal to the result of the Bardic Inspiration roll plus your proficiency bonus.

Diplomatic Immunity

Level 6+ Azorius Elocutor Feature

You are cloaked in the authority of your office at all times, imbuing your acts with legitimacy. You are continually under the effect of the sanctuary spell, even if you perform an act that would normally end the spell. 

Illustrated by G-host Lee

Quia Timet

Level 10 Azorius Elocutor Feature (Wizard)

As a reaction when a hostile creature within 30 feet of you that you can see makes an attack against you or a friendly creature, you can invoke injunctive relief against the attacker, imposing disadvantage on the attack roll. The attacker must then make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it becomes incapacitated until the end of its next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. 

Illustrated by Chris Rallis

Emergency Powers

Level 14+ Azorius Elocutor Feature 

In times of dire need, you are authorised to impose harsher restrictions for the public good. You can use Lawmage’s Decree as a reaction when you roll initiative, and choose up to two acts to forbid each time you expend a use of Lawmage’s Decree.

Azorius Justiciar

Illustrated by Tyler Jacobson

Azorius Spells

Level 3+ Azorius Justiciar Feature (Paladin and Ranger)

You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Azorius Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a class spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of spells you know. If you’re a Ranger, you learn only the first spell listed in each row. If you’re a Paladin, you learn both listed spells. You always have the spells prepared, and they don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

Thin Blue Line

Level 3+ Azorius Justiciar Feature (Fighter and Ranger)

You become proficient in two of the following skills of your choice: Insight, Investigation, and Intimidation. If you’re already proficient in a chosen skill, you double your proficiency bonus for any ability check you make that uses it.

Illustrated by Ekaterina Burmak

Arrester’s Authority

Level 3+ Azorius Justiciar Feature (Fighter and Ranger)

As a bonus action, you can make a special melee attack to grapple a hostile creature. Additionally, whenever you successfully cause a creature to become grappled or restrained, you can choose to bind it in mystical restraints, rendering it incapacitated until the end of its next turn. You can use this binding a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Channel Divinity: Secure the Scene

Level 3 Azorius Justiciar Feature (Paladin)

You can use your Channel Divinity to detain suspects, forcing them to submit to your authority. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each creature of your choice (up to your proficiency bonus) that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become incapacitated until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds on the save is marked as a recalcitrant, granting you advantage on attack rolls against them until the end of your next turn.

Channel Divinity: Without Fear or Favor

Level 3 Azorius Justiciar Feature (Paladin)

You can use your Channel Divinity to bolster your squad against undue influence. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and choose any number of friendly creatures within 60 feet of you that can see you. Each chosen creature becomes immune to the charmed and frightened conditions for 1 minute.

Illustrated by Zezhou Chen

Overwatch

Level 7+ Azorius Justiciar Feature

When you end your turn, mark a hostile creature within 30 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, if that creature moves out of the space it was in when you marked it, you may use your reaction to move up to your speed towards that creature and make an attack against that creature.

If you’re a Paladin, friendly creatures within 10 feet of you are deputized to act on your behalf, and can use their reaction to move and attack the marked creature. At 18th level, friendly creatures within 30 feet of you are deputized.

Strike Down

Level 10+ Azorius Justiciar Feature (Fighter and Ranger)

As a reaction when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell, you may attempt to strike it down. Make a weapon attack against 10 + the spell’s level. If the spell is cast using a higher level spell slot, use the higher number. If you hit, the creature’s spell fails and has no effect. If you miss, the magic of your strike is directed to the creature instead. You deal damage to the creature as though you had hit it with the weapon attack, except that the damage type is radiant instead of its regular type. The damage is dealt before the spell resolves.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Illustrated by Even Amundsen

Writ of Passage

Level 15+ Azorius Justiciar Feature 

In the pursuit of justice, none may stand in your way. As a bonus action, you can grant yourself the benefit of the freedom of movement spell until the end of your turn. Additionally, when you move this turn, you may move through creatures and objects. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Illustrated by Daarken

High Alert

Level 18+ Azorius Justiciar Feature (Fighter and Paladin)

You can declare a state of emergency over the battlefield, gaining authorization to implement strict measures to take control of the situation. As a bonus action, you gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

• A declaration of emergency manifests as a circle of glowing runes that hovers 20 feet above you (or as high as possible), providing bright illumination in a 30-foot radius around you. The circle moves with you, and you have truesight within the illumination.
• A hostile creature that starts its turn within the illumination must make a Wisdom save against your spell save DC or become incapacitated until the end of its turn. If you’re a Fighter, choose Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma to use as your spellcasting ability for this feature. 
• When you cause a creature to become incapacitated, you may move that creature up to 20 feet to an unoccupied space.