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D&D 5E Blood Hunter base class

Gimul

Explorer
Matt Mercer has put a lot of time and effort into creating this, but I feel it's not necessarily a 5th edition creation, more his background in Pathfinder coming through a little strong.

Firstly I'd like to see Medium Armour removed from a Blood Hunter. I think any class who gets Medium Armour is also given shields, which I don't feel fit with this character. Limiting them to Light Armour seems a better fit.

Secondly, by removing medium armour you could justify giving a third skill choice for Blood Hunter. Adding Animal Handling (most hunters need access to animals such as hunting dogs or just horses to ride the distances) and Perception.

Thirdly the Starting Equipment should be leather armour, not studded. No-one is given Studded (I don't agree with it, but the PHB is mean like that) Scale would no longer be given because they were losing medium armour proficiency.

I would change Fighting Styles to eliminate great weapon fighting and replace it with defense - I don't see any reason a hunter wouldn't be prepared to be defensive to ensure surrival as they wear down their prey.

Blood Curses is something where I feel his Pathfinder expeditions have led him to neglect how much stock 5th edition puts into Adv/Disadv. Anywhere it says "add your wisdom" really should just use the Adv/Disadv system instead.

Blood Curse of the Mutual Suffering needs a Constitution saving throw each time they would suffer the damage, otherwise it's very powerful for a multi-turn ability. I would change it to 1 turn, since it only requires a Bonus Action, and the amplify extends the duration by a number of turns equal to your wisdom modifier.
Blood Curse of the Transfusion seems like a good place to use blood rite damage, so you take damage equal to half your level an heal them for an amount equal to twice your blood rite damage, plus wisdom modifier. (so at level 20 you're looking at taking 10 damage to heal someone for 6d4+5, assuming your wisdom was 20)

Enduring Death Form seems underpowered, it would've been better to simply say "you have advantage on death saving throws."

I wont go too much into the Archetypes, but needless to say cleaning up for 5th, wherein they very rarely use "a number of turns equal to an ability modifier" anymore, so Supernal Flurry would just become 1 minute instead.

Obviously when you look at the Multiclassing box it would become "Light, Simple, Martial and one skill from the blood hunter list" to keep it in line with other classes of similar bent.

Overall I'm not sure the Blood Curses are adding much depth to the class, I feel if you eliminated them entirely the busy feeling would diminish heavily (as well as simplifying the blood rite damage dice)
Shield is its own proficiency; it is not bundled with medium armor.

I agree that the starting light armor should be leather; as studded leather is essentially the top tier light armor.

Disagree with changes to fighting styles, number of proficiencies, armor proficiencies, etc.
 

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dmnqwk

Explorer
Shield is its own proficiency; it is not bundled with medium armor.

I agree that the starting light armor should be leather; as studded leather is essentially the top tier light armor.

Disagree with changes to fighting styles, number of proficiencies, armor proficiencies, etc.

In the PHB there is a single example of an entity granting medium armour proficiency and NOT shield proficiency and that is Mountain Dwarf, every class or feat that grants medium armour also offers shield proficiency. While they are separate, they are also intrinsically linked, so to not offer proficiency in them is deliberately ignoring the rest of the book (and I don't believe there is a justifiable reason not to grant it). Having said that.

The reason classes gain additional skill proficiencies is related to their focus/ethos demanding they focus on skills to augment their chosen careers/class. As a "hunter" it would be implied that they are required to be capable of "hunting", which is a skill as part of the Survival package. I don't feel that Witch Hunter would suffer any more than Ranger in the skill demands. If you would like to opine why Rangers get a third skill but Witch Hunters do not, I am definitely open to your suggestive reasoning.

The fact you do not state why you feel the curses being based on "wisdom modifier" instead of the adv/disadv system inherently found within 5th edition is something that puzzles me. I mean, I can understand you disagreeing but you do not state why you feel it is a better fit for 5th edition.

I, personally, do not feel there is a need to create these blood curses (having never played the witcher series) and since I agree there is too much going on for a 5th edition character, I think this is one of the lines which can be cut, and still allow a robust playing experience for people using this class.
 

I haven't been able to compare and contrast to the previous Witch Hunter, but I am still quite impressed with the thought and care that has been put into this.

If anything it really makes me want to see more core/basic classes each with a bit more flavor. I am pretty happy with the variety offered through subclasses in 5e, but that only goes so far. I would much rather see some full classes like this over prestige classes.
 

Kite474

Explorer
I like it! It seems fun and its nice to have a class that has alot of meat to it. Which odly is unpopular around here..... Weird.
 

PnPgamer

Explorer
...this guy?
ZyXiRmYv.jpg
 

Kite474

Explorer
Sort of. From what ive been reading so far it takes some aspects from it. But it feels more like an Inquisitor/Crusader class than what Witchers are which are a hodgepodge of fighter/alchemist with a bunch of bonuses in nature. Geralt also took a level in bard for mad persuasion bonuses.
 

Gimul

Explorer
In the PHB there is a single example of an entity granting medium armour proficiency and NOT shield proficiency and that is Mountain Dwarf, every class or feat that grants medium armour also offers shield proficiency. While they are separate, they are also intrinsically linked, so to not offer proficiency in them is deliberately ignoring the rest of the book (and I don't believe there is a justifiable reason not to grant it). Having said that.

The reason classes gain additional skill proficiencies is related to their focus/ethos demanding they focus on skills to augment their chosen careers/class. As a "hunter" it would be implied that they are required to be capable of "hunting", which is a skill as part of the Survival package. I don't feel that Witch Hunter would suffer any more than Ranger in the skill demands. If you would like to opine why Rangers get a third skill but Witch Hunters do not, I am definitely open to your suggestive reasoning.

The fact you do not state why you feel the curses being based on "wisdom modifier" instead of the adv/disadv system inherently found within 5th edition is something that puzzles me. I mean, I can understand you disagreeing but you do not state why you feel it is a better fit for 5th edition.

I, personally, do not feel there is a need to create these blood curses (having never played the witcher series) and since I agree there is too much going on for a 5th edition character, I think this is one of the lines which can be cut, and still allow a robust playing experience for people using this class.
There is more than one example, the moderately armored feat does not grant proficiency in shields. As stated they are separate proficiencies and there is no need to bundle them.

They don't need extra proficiencies because they have a great deal of their budget devoted to the combat sphere. Note that ranger (fighting style) and rogue (sneak attack), each have a single base class feature devoted to combat. That is what allows them to have additional proficiencies.

Edit: Correction, rangers also get extra attack. Point still stands, blood hunters have 4 base class features focused on combat.

I didn't specifically comment on the blood curses; but basing it on the wisdom modifier is very much in line with other class features (Agonizing Blast for example) that grant a modifier based damage bonus.
 
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choryukami

First Post
I'm letting a player use it in my homebrew, reflavored as an Alchemist, who uses dangerous forbidden concoctions and techniques. I felt the 'something hunter' was very niche and not broad enough, especially in a setting where there is an undead 'race,' magic is commonplace and even warlocks and necromancers can legally practice their magic (with the right permit). At first level sacrificing your own health is just asking to die with your single digit HP. Seems to be working fine though.
 
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