D&D (2024) Brawler is out. What subclass should replace it?

[Mirrorrorrim]

Well... there are ways to reduce dice rolls. Fireball for instance, you roll damage once.

So maybe something like.
1000 cuts.
You must be wielding 2 daggers. When you take the attack action, you can make twice the number of attacks, but each attack deals minimum damage.

Instead of (attack roll +damage roll) * 4 = 8 rolls
You get attack roll * 8 = 8 rolls.

Death Blossom
While you are wielding a Light weapon in each of two hands, you may take an Action to attack many nearby enemies with each of those weapons. Make a single attack roll using your primary Light weapon, and compare it to the ACs of each of up to 8 creatures adjacent to you, dealing damage with that weapon. Then make a second attack roll using your secondary Light weapon against the same 8 creatures if they are still within reach, dealing damage with that weapon.

This basically gives you 2 attacks against each adjacent enemy. If you hit twice on an enemy you can deal 2d6+10 with two short swords? That's not too crazy.

I don't think the templating is very good. But I don't think it's broken as a moderate-level special attack.

 

[Remathilis]

Isn't that the truth. I wish we could actually have a 'one move, one action, done' combat, not one move split into multiple steps, and one action spawning off into multiple attacks, then your bonus action gets triggered, and maybe your reaction too, and then the rest of the party jumps in with their reactions.

Oh look, up next, it's the turn of the Druid who summoned 32 wolves, all with their individual actions.

I find the best way to handle druids who do conjuring of animals like that is repeated merciless fireballs.

 

[Scott Christian]

That's probably not a good choice for the PHB. You want something more general for the base.

Agreed. It was just something I came up with. And my brain definitely wasn't considering all the requirements for the PHB.

 

[Minigiant]

This is the rewrite of the Brute I made. It would not need external testing. WOTC would just have to adjust the numbers to match their formulae.

Brute Force​

Starting at 3rd level, you’re able to strike with your weapons with especially brutal force.

Brute Dice: You have Brute Dice, which start at d6, You gain a number of Brute Dice equal to your Constitution score. A Brute die is expended when you expend it. Brute Dice increases by an amount based on your level in this class, as shown on the Brute Dice table.

When you finish a short rest, you roll a Brute die and regain that many expended Brute dice. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish long rest.

Brutal Strike: You’re able to strike with your weapons with especially brutal force. Whenever you hit with a weapon that you’re proficient with and deal damage, you can expend a Brute Dice to roll it and add it to your damage roll.

Fighter Level	Brute Die Size
3rd	1d6
10th	1d8
16th	1d10
20th	1d12

Brutish Durability​

Beginning at 7th level, your toughness allows you to shrug off assaults that would devastate others. Whenever you make a saving throw, you can expend a Brute die to roll it and add the die to your saving throw total. If applying this bonus to a death saving throw increases the total to 20 or higher, you gain the benefits of rolling a 20 on the d20.

Brutish Image​

Also at the 7th level, look of a hulking brute is almost inescapable. Whenever you make a Strength or Charisma check, you can expend a Brute die to roll it and add the die to your check total

Brutish Luck​

At 10th level, even when you are lucky the results can be such brutal displays, they invigorate you. Whenever you roll a 20 on an attack, skill check, or saving throw, you roll a Brute die and regain that many Brute die.

Overwhelming Critical​

Starting at 15th level, when you score a critical hit with an attack and expend a Brute die, you roll all your damage dice two additional times. You regain a number of Brute dice equal to the sum of the value of the Brute dice rolled.

Brutal Survivor​

At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in brutilaty. At the start of each of your turns in combat, you can roll 2 Brute Dice and regain than many hit points (minimum of 1 hit point). You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points or if you have more than half of your hit points left.

 

[CreamCloud0]

IMO, I don't want to watch someone roll 1000 times to kill something.

very true, then maybe there could be a subclass mechanic that lets you hold over your attack roll for multiple attacks?

one attack roll for all your x2 number of attacks, a fighting style that provides a reasonable to-hit bonus, and half damage if your miss by a threshold,

or would it be better to go the route of average damage when they hit rather than one attack roll perhaps?

 

[mamba]

The thought crossed my mind too. But it would be odd to call the Ranger an "Arcane" Archer.

but calling a Fighter that makes perfect sense?

 

[Kurotowa]

but calling a Fighter that makes perfect sense?

The Fighter is a neutral base to which any magical type can be applied. The Ranger already has a built in magical type, with which "Arcane" would conflict. So, yes.

 

[Incenjucar]

Death by a Thousand Cuts can just let you turn a dagger into a 3d4 damage weapon, and now a fighter can do dagger damage like 27 times a round.

 

[mellored]

Cavalier has caught up with Psi.
Which puts Cavalier + PDK well ahead.

So here's my attempt to combine and simplify it a bit.

Purple Dragon Cavalier

Level 3
Guardian
While a creature is within 5 feet of you, it has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you.

Rallying Cry​

As a bonus action, you can expend a use of your second wind to choose a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) who are within 60 feet of you. They gain temporary hit points equal to your fighter level. These last until the creature loses sight of you.

First Aid
As a bonus action, you can expend a use of your second wind to give an creature within reach hit points equal to twice your fighter level. If they are prone, you also help them stand up.

Level 7
Bonus Proficiency
You gain proficiency in Performance, Intimidation, or Persuasion. You gained expertise in on of those skills.

Warding Maneuver​

If a creature within 5' of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to give that creature resistance to that damage.


Level 10

Inspiring Surge​

As a reaction on another creatures turn while they are within 60', you may expend your Action Surge to give them a bonus action. That extra action can not be a Magic action.

Hold the Line​

Enemies who start their turn within 5' of you have their speed reduce by half until the end of their turn.


Level 15

Bulwark​

When you and at least one other creature make a saving throw against the same effect, such as a fireball, you can expend a use of Indomitable to give all the targets of that effect advantage on that saving throw with a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier.
If the effect causes multiple saving throws, this only applies to the first one each creature makes.


Level 18

Vigilant Defender​

In combat, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to make an opportunity attack or Warding Maneuver, and you can't use it on the same turn that you take your normal reaction.


Team Work Fighting Style
Level 1 feat.
When you would make a weapon or unarmed attack, you may chose to feint in order to provide an opening for an ally. You do not make an attack roll, instead chose a willing ally. They immediately use their reaction to make a weapon or unarmed attack against your target.

 

[deganawida]

Cavalier has caught up with Psi.
Which puts Cavalier + PDK well ahead.

So here's my attempt to combine and simplify it a bit.

Purple Dragon Cavalier

Level 3
Guardian
While a creature is within 5 feet of you, it has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you.

Rallying Cry​

As a bonus action, you can expend a use of your second wind to choose a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) who are within 60 feet of you. They gain temporary hit points equal to your fighter level. These last until the creature loses sight of you.

First Aid
As a bonus action, you can expend a use of your second wind to give an creature within reach hit points equal to twice your fighter level. If they are prone, you also help them stand up.

Level 7
Bonus Proficiency
You gain proficiency in Performance, Intimidation, or Persuasion. You gained expertise in on of those skills.

Warding Maneuver​

If a creature within 5' of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to give that creature resistance to that damage.


Level 10

Inspiring Surge​

As a reaction on another creatures turn while they are within 60', you may expend your Action Surge to give them a bonus action. That extra action can not be a Magic action.

Hold the Line​

When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.
If you have the Sentinel feat, you may retrain it to another feat.


Level 15

Bulwark​

When you and at least one other creature make a saving throw against the same effect, such as a fireball, you can expend a use of Indomitable to give all the targets of that effect advantage on that saving throw with a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier.
If the effect causes multiple saving throws, this only applies to the first one each creature makes.


Level 18

Vigilant Defender​

In combat, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to make an opportunity attack or Warding Maneuver, and you can't use it on the same turn that you take your normal reaction.


Team Work Fighting Style
Level 1 feat.
When you would make a weapon or unarmed attack, you may chose to feint in order to provide an opening for an ally. You do not make an attack roll, instead chose a willing ally. They immediately use their reaction to make a weapon or unarmed attack against your target.

Love it! Including this would also be a bone to throw to those of us who enjoyed 4th Edition Fighters and Warlords.