D&D 5E Grognard Class?

[Zardnaar]

Well there are a lot of stupid 3pp classes for 5E so let's add one more.

The stereo typical grognard as a class. What should it be good at/do.

Whatever it does it has to be simple IMHO so champion might be a good place to start conceptually.

Grognards never die so the 5E Barbarian and 4E warden conceptually could be a good place to start.

Having good saving throws is another OSR place to look. The 5E monk gets proficiency in all saves.

So some type of martial class, good at tanking damage, ends up proficient in all saves and mostly passive abilities.

Oh a weapon style probably level 2.

d12 hit dice, not rage that reduces damage, perhaps proficient in strength and wisdom saves as it's difficult to change their minds because AD&D and B/X are just that damn good.

As silly as this may sound it's better than a few class concepts IMHO.

Brainstorm thread.

 

[Xenonnonex]

Grognards complain. And get belligerent and heated in their complaints. This is best represented with the rage mechanic.
They are the loudest complainers and will attack the viewpoints of others in their complaints. This is best represented with thunderwave and vicious mockery.

Grognards are stuck in the past. Their viewpoints are set in stone. This is best represented with resistance to suggestion or other mind affecting abilities. Any thing attempting to do so or look into the mind of a grognard takes psychic damage.

 

[LordEntrails]

Well, given the above, they should be lousy at accepting new data and drawing any new conclusions, so they should subtract proficiency from investigation, insight and maybe perception

 

[Lanefan]

So far, by these write-ups you could substitute "Dwarf" for "Grognard" and not be far off the mark.

 

[Shiroiken]

Grognards are incredibly durable, resistant to force, poison, and psychic damage, immune to radiant and necrotic damage (as they refuse to accept they exist), and immune to the charmed and frightened condition. However, they only have 1d6 HP per level, and the constituion modifier for HP is halved. They are only proficient in 1 weapon (any type), gaining proficiency in another weapon at every even level thereafter, but those weapons only deal 1d6 damage, halving the strength modifier and cannot use the finesse property. They are proficient in all saving throws, except Charisma, because that should only be used to determine followers and initial attitude.

The Grognard has several special abilities that can each be used a number of times per day equal to 1/10 their age in years (convered to human standard). The DC for saving throws is equal to 10+ the difference in number of HD between the affected creature and the Grognard. Note, these abilities affect all creatures, even allies and deafened creatures.

Rules/story argument: by arguing about why everything is wrong, all creatures within 50 feet of the Grognard must make a Wisdom Save or suffer the effects of the Confusion spell for 1 minute (no attempt to save at the end of the turn allowed).

Boring Story: by telling a long winded tale about the good old days, all creatures within 50 feet of the Grognard must make a Constitution Save or fall asleep (becoming unconscious) for 1 minute.

Historical Superiority: by talking about how he played in the "real" Greyhawk campaign run by Gary, one creature must make an Intelligence Save or be charmed by the Grognard for 24 hours (a new save can be made whenever the Grognard uses any of these special abilities). Once the save is made, or 24 hours have passed, the affected creature realizes the Grognard is full of it, and becomes immune to all Grognard special abilities by this Grognard permanently.

 

[R_J_K75]

Weapon of Choice: Ancient Dice whose corners have long since rounded and the white grease crayon has worn away. They roll forever and even if they stopped they're impossible to read.

 

[bedir than]

Grognards are notoriously frail in their early years, often dying by cat or rat.

This manifests at latter levels as they have disadvantage on initiative, attack rolls, and saving throws against all cat- and rat-like creatures.

Every Grognard lost at least 2 friends inside a door with a gaping maw. Ask them for this tale and they will speak of the event for the next 2d10+1d4 minutes. They cannot make a saving throw, unless a cat is involved.

 

[Coroc]

Grognards already have class, they do not have to return to school

 

[Lanefan]

Grognards are notoriously frail in their early years, often dying by cat or rat.

However, the early years of a Grognard must not last long, for any ever encountered in the wild are invariably fully matured if not trending toward old; and by that time they're tough as nails. This added toughness is reflected by their gaining of 1 h.p. per year of age, above and beyond their class h.p.