Creating a 5e Slayer

[CTurbo]

I never got to play a 4e Essentials Slayer, but I always wanted to. I'd like to try to create a 5e Fighter Slayer subclass. I envision it being perhaps THE superior melee option without being too overpowered of course. I think it would be a cross between the Champion and the Barbarian with a touch of Hunter Ranger. I think the class should focus on 2 handed fighting or two weapon fighting and it's features would reflect that. A shield seems out of place for such a class as does archery. A Slayer would be a high offense, med defense, low utility character.

Or would it be better to just make the Slayer it's very own class? Hmm....

Here is what I'm thinking so far-

Fighter level 3 - Slayer subclass

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can now add your Str + Dex modifiers to your damage dealt by melee attacks.

Level 7 - Starting at level 7, Whenever you score a critical hit or drop an enemy to 0 hp, you regain hp equal to your Con mod, your speed increases by +10ft, and opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.

Level 10 - Starting at level 10, you choose one of the following benefits.
a) Once per turn, when you attack with a 2 handed weapon and miss, you can make an unarmed attack against the same target.
b) When you use your bonus action to make a melee attack with your offhand, you can make a second offhand attack against a different creature.

Level 15 - At the 15th level - Whenever you score a critical hit or drop an enemy to 0 hp, you regain hp equal to twice your Con mod. You also choose from one of the following benefits.
a) When using a 2 handed weapon, you can use your bonus action to attack again, but attacks rolls made against you have advantage until your next turn.
b) If you are wielding 2 weapons, and a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against the creature,

Level 18 - At 18th level, you cannot be frightened or charmed, and when you attack a creature you cannot see, your inability to see it does not impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.




What do you think? Too good? Too one-dimensional?

 

[Xeviat]

On the surface, too good. What about the Champion doesn't do it for you?


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[abirdcall]

Yeah, sounds like Champion is what you want.

 

[Caliban]

Way too good. Most paths give you one ability a lvls 3, 7, 10, 15, and 18. You are giving multiple abilities at each of those levels, including adding two stats to damage (at lvl 3!), permanent Con increases and free in-combat healing.

 

[CTurbo]

Ok I took out the two Con boosts and the extra 10ft of movement. I like the Con mod hp regen. The gain is small and situational.

 

[Krachek]

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can now add your Str + Dex modifiers to your damage dealt by melee attacks.

Be carefull in your wording, people will try out to be a all dex slayer. Rapier + 10 is probably not what you intended.

 

[bganon]

I'm going to second what others have said: the subclass just doesn't seem to me that much different from a Champion plus a few Feats (like Martial Adept and GWM). The main distinctive feature from 4E (doubling up on the damage bonus) is really not a good idea in 5E. It's like an always-on Barbarian rage damage bonus, except it scales even better.

 

[Staccat0]

How about:


Level 3 - Blood Lust - Starting at level 3, Whenever you score a critical hit or drop an enemy to 0 hp, you regain hp equal to your Con mod. (x2 at some higher level)

Level 7 - Blood Rage - Starting at level 7, Whenever you score a critical hit or drop an enemy to 0 hp, you may use the Dash Action as a Reaction and opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.

Level 15 - Slayer's Hunger - Whenever you score a critical hit or drop an enemy to 0 hp, you regain hp equal to twice your Con mod. You also choose from one of the following benefits.

Level 18 - When your Hp is reduced to 0 you may immediately use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against an adjacent creature, if able. (thus giving you a chance to not actually drop)

 

[Tony Vargas]

I never got to play a 4e Essentials Slayer, but I always wanted to. I'd like to try to create a 5e Fighter Slayer subclass.

Aside from the name and using extra attack instead of power attack & DEX bonus to pour on the damage, the Champion is the 5e Slayer (or, perhaps it might be more accurate to say that the Champion and Slayer were both trying to be the 2e fighter).

A shield seems out of place for such a class as does archery.

I did get to play a few Slayers in Encounters, and one of them was an Archer, and a fairly deadly one since he doubled-up on DEX bonus to damage. FWIW.

A Slayer would be a high offense, med defense, low utility character.

Still sounds like a fighter, maybe one that doesn't prioritize CON and doesn't choose heavy armor & shield... (especially, sadly, the 'low utility' bit).

Fighter level 3 - Slayer subclass

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can now add your Str + Dex modifiers to your damage dealt by melee attacks.

While this worked in Essentials, where sneaking in a second attack as a Slayer would have been pretty tough, it'd break your hypothetical sub-class right off the bat in 5e via TWF and, later, Extra Attack. 5e has to be very careful about static damage mods because it does make heavy use of multiple attacks.

Level 10 - Starting at level 10, you choose one of the following benefits.
a) Once per turn, when you attack with a 2 handed weapon and miss, you can make an unarmed attack against the same target.

Like that one, very action-movie. Should probably be a bonus action.

b) When you use your bonus action to make a melee attack with your offhand, you can make a second offhand attack against a different creature.

'...against a different creature' helps, a little.

 

[CTurbo]

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can now add your Str + Dex modifiers to your damage dealt by melee attacks.

Be carefull in your wording, people will try out to be a all dex slayer. Rapier + 10 is probably not what you intended.

Yeah that's why I said Str + Dex and not just "add Dex mod". I was trying to avoid the all Dex build.








I figured it's probably too overpowered. The goal was to make the ultimate melee machine. I'm now thinking that my idea would have probably been better off as it's own class instead of a Fighter subclass. I would have to come up with at least 2 if not 3 archetypes for a Slayer class though, and that might be hard.


I think the Dex + Str to damage could potentially work. It's only REALLY broken if you rolled for stats and got ridiculously high scores. Even so, maybe a better alternative would be just start with a +1 boost to damage, and have it scale to +2 later, and then +3, and possibly cap at +4.

I also like the flavor of the Con mod regen, and I definitely don't think it's OP. This is really weak compared to what the Monk can get. The Monk's Way of the Long Death gets Wis mod + Monk level temp hp at level 3! That's likely 6 hp everytime a Monk drops an enemy to 0 at level 3. THAT's OP. I know because I'm playing a 5th level Long Death Monk and it's one of the most OP characters I have ever had. I get 9 temp hp everytime I kill something lol



The Champion is just too bland. It doesn't get any tricks really. The extra crit is about it's best feature. It's regen comes on way too late. It just doesn't capture the SLAYER ideology to me.



I appreciate the input and responses though.