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.
To gain the expert 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, as summarized on the Expert table.
| The Expert | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | ||
| 1st | +2 | 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 (1d6) | ||
| 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 | ||
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 5 skills of your choice, and it gains proficiency in light armor. If it is a humanoid or has simple or martial weapons in its stat block, it also gains proficiency in all simple weapons and with two tools of your choice.
1st-level Expert feature
The sidekick is adept at giving well-timed assistance; the sidekick can take the Help action as a bonus action.
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.
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 the chosen proficiencies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
18th-level Expert feature
The sidekick gains proficiency in one of the following saving throws of your choice: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
20th-level Expert feature
At 20th level, the bonus dice granted by the sidekick's Inspiring Help increases to 2d6.