Expert Sidekick
Source: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything p. 142
Class and Feature Progression
Level PB Features 1st +2 Sidekick Class, Bonus Proficiencies, Helpful 2nd +2 Cunning Action 3rd +2 Expertise 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 6th +3 Coordinated Strike 7th +3 Evasion 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 10th +4 Ability Score Improvement 11th +4 Inspiring Help 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 14th +5 Reliable Talent 15th +5 Expertise 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 18th +6 Sharp Mind 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 Inspiring Help Improvement
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: x = hit dice specified in the sidekick’s statblock (human, gnome, kobold, etc.)
- Hit Points at First Level: x + CON
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: add 1dx + CON (minimum of 1)
Starting Expert Sidekick
- Saving Throws: One saving throw of your choice: Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma.
- Armor: Light armor
- Weapons: All simple weapons if humanoid
- Tools: Two tools of your choice if humanoid
- Skills: Five skills of your choice
Expert Sidekick
The Expert is a master of certain tasks or knowledge, favoring cunning over brawn. It might be a scout, a musician, a librarian, a clever street kid, a wily merchant, or a burglar.
Class Features
Sidekick Class (Level 1)
To gain the Expert class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak.
Note
Note: this class is intended for NPC sidekicks.
Bonus Proficiencies (Level 1)
1st-level Expert feature
The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma.
In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in five skills of your choice, and it gains proficiency with light armor. If it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it also gains proficiency with all simple weapons and with two tools of your choice.
Helpful (Level 1)
1st-level Expert feature
The sidekick is adept at giving well-timed assistance; the sidekick can take the Help action as a bonus action.
Cunning Action (Level 2)
2nd-level Expert feature
The sidekick’s agility or quick thinking allows it to act speedily. On its turn in combat, it can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action.
Expertise (Level 3)
3rd-level Expert feature
Choose two of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies. The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check it makes that uses any of the chosen proficiencies.
At 15th level, choose two more of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.
Ability Score Improvement (Level 4)
4th-level Expert feature
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.
If your DM allows the use of feats, the sidekick may instead take a feat.
Coordinated Strike (Level 6)
6th-level Expert feature
The sidekick is adept at fighting in concert with a companion. When the sidekick uses its Helpful feature to aid an ally in attacking a creature, that target can be up to 30 feet away from the sidekick, and the sidekick can deal an extra 2d6 damage to it the next time the sidekick hits it with an attack roll before the end of the current turn. The extra damage is the same type of damage dealt by the attack.
Evasion (Level 7)
7th-level Expert feature
Because of extraordinary good luck, the sidekick is skilled at avoiding danger. When the sidekick is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it failed. The sidekick doesn’t benefit from this feature while incapacitated.
Ability Score Improvement (Level 8)
8th-level Expert feature
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.
If your DM allows the use of feats, the sidekick may instead take a feat.
Ability Score Improvement (Level 10)
10th-level Expert feature
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.
If your DM allows the use of feats, the sidekick may instead take a feat.
Inspiring Help (Level 11)
11th-level Expert feature
When the sidekick takes the Help action, the creature who receives the help also gains a 1d6 bonus to the d20 roll. If that roll is an attack roll, the creature can forgo adding the bonus to it, and then if the attack hits, the creature can add the bonus to the attack’s damage roll against one target.
At 20th level, the bonus increases to 2d6.
Ability Score Improvement (Level 12)
12th-level Expert feature
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.
If your DM allows the use of feats, the sidekick may instead take a feat.
Reliable Talent (Level 14)
14th-level Expert feature
The sidekick has refined its skills to an exceptional degree. Whenever the sidekick makes an ability check that includes its whole proficiency bonus, it can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Expertise (Level 15)
15th-level Expert feature
Choose two of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies. The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check it makes that uses any of the chosen proficiencies.
Ability Score Improvement (Level 16)
16th-level Expert feature
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.
If your DM allows the use of feats, the sidekick may instead take a feat.
Sharp Mind (Level 18)
18th-level Expert feature
The sidekick gains proficiency in one of the following saving throws of your choice: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
Ability Score Improvement (Level 19)
19th-level Expert feature
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.
If your DM allows the use of feats, the sidekick may instead take a feat.
Inspiring Help Improvement (Level 20)
20th-level Expert feature
At 20th level, the bonus dice granted by the sidekick’s Inspiring Help increases to 2d6.