Acr0ssTh3P0nd
First Post
Hey, everyone, I haven't posted in a while, but I hoping I could get some feedback on some player's options I've been working on.
Google Drive Link
Design Notes
Below are the goals and reasoning behind the design of the material. It's not me making excuses for failure, it's to help people give more accurate critique. If a goal seems at-odds with the rest of the class, tell me! If a mechanic seems like it doesn't reach the intended result, tell me!
Duelist
I wanted to try something different here and push the boundaries a little more. This character benefits the most from using one one-handed melee weapon, but is not required to do so to get the benefits of the subclass. This subclass focuses on single swashbuckling combat, but uses the fighter subclass to emphasize martial skill and consistency, over the rogue subclass's focus on skills and taking advantage of weakness for a single strike. If the Swashbuckler is Captain Jack Sparrow, the Duelist is Will Turner.
Combat Flourish
This option forms the core the subclass. I didn't want to go with a limited resource, as that would get close to being redundant with the Battlemaster. Additionally, the feeling of limited-resource mechanics often feels methodical and highly-planned, and I didn't want that for this archetype. Instead, I went with a mechanic that I feel really helps capture the improvisational, back-and-forth feeling of sword duels in films. When the character does well, they are rewarded for it with a resource. When they are at a disadvantage, they can spend that resource to help even the odds.
Flourishes
Deft Deflation provides a defensive edge, and can be used to cover a number of different situations, from a subtle parry to a hurtful jibe. Skillful Strike provides a boost to the duelist's damage. Artful Improvisation evokes the idea of, and provides motivation to emulate, the clever duelist with a free hand; however, it does not force this particular fighting style onto the character, and a character can gain the more combat-focused boosts of the subclass with any weapon, allowing for a larger number of character concepts.
Center of Attention
This feature provides motivation for a duelist to, you know, duel people, but does not increase the maximum damage of the character.
Athletic Combatant
This feature does two things. First, it grants a relevant skill boost. If a character already has both those skills, by 5e rules they just gain another one of their choice. No harm done.
It also grants the Duelist one more Flourish of their choice, which allows them to focus their character further.
Force of Expertise
By including this feature, it mitigates the chance for that one-level rogue dip for Expertise and makes the duelist good at climbing, jumping, balancing, etc. It can also improve the effects of the Flourish they chose at level 7.
Masterful Flourish
Capstone! Increases the Flourish die and boosts damage further. I'm not sure about the latter bit, but it's a capstone. I'll tone it down if need be.
Vigilante
Urban Ranger. Boom. Sketchy person using solid martial prowess and incredible cunning (and maybe a bit of magic) to keep the darkness and corruption away from innocents. Great at exploring the environment. Sounds like a ranger to me!
Bonus Proficiencies
Grants the ranger a Batman-y skill, and makes it so their first and most-defining ranger feature can be used in urban environments. Track down criminals! Move stealthily through the streets! Find good street-meat!
Martial Arts
Many cities might have laws that ban the open use of weapons. This helps mitigate that. Also, vigilantes beating up thugs with their bare hands.
Expert Vigilante
Extra focus on skills and cunning. Make it so you don't have to dip into rogue. The tool proficiency gets a boost from all the items I include at the end of the chapter, and makes it so you're good at using them. Main focus is still the skill Expertise.
Master Crime-Fighter
Vigilantes beating up all the thugs with their bare hands. BvS warehouse scene, except you can choose to not kill and thus be a more better Batman than ever appeared in that film.
More than Mortal
Part of being a vigilante is inspiring a legendary reputation, whether that legend is true or not. Veteran vigilantes are as much a symbol as they are a person.
Minstrel
Not much to say here. What if you want to support your allies with non-magic words and small things like a bard, but don't want to cast spells? Here you go. Doesn't reinvent the wheel, but expands the kinds of characters you can adventure with. Great for grittier games and campaigns that focus on intrigue and politics over combat.
Bonus Proficiencies
Play that music good. You get it later than a bard and in less quantities, so it doesn't step on the Bard's toes.
Inspiring Words
Bardic inspiration. Smaller die than the Bard, and it improves slower, so it doesn't step on the Bard's toes.
Easily Inspired
Get these effects later than the Bard, so it doesn't step on... you get the point.
Harmless Deception
Lets you do things like cower and go "Oh gawd, please don't hurt me! I'm just a musician tagging along, I didn't know!" Alternatively, you hold out a purse of gold and say "Do you know who I work for? There's more where this comes from!" Guarantees you to get an attempt. Lots of fun, not super-powerful. Again, great for intrigue games where combat won't be a focus.
Improved Inspiring Words
Effects are less powerful than the Bard's Superior Inspiration, so it doesn't step on... (etc., etc.)
Investigator
Again, not much to say here. Inquisitive from the Gothic Heroes UA, slimmed down and with more focus on RP and investigation and less on "You see everything, don't ever bother rolling." I don't like automatic success as a design trait - very hard to manage as a DM, and takes a lot of the decision-making and skill from the player's side of things, which are key for fulfilling that Detective fantasy. The Detective fantasy is based around the player having agency, being able to act like a detective and make decisions to help solve the mystery, not have that solution handed to them. You remove the roll, you remove the ability to gain boosts and suffer penalties based on the player's decisions.
Masked Persona Feat
Works great with the Vigilante, but represents something that can used by any character, particularly Bards, Rogues, and Paladins. That's what feats are for!
Poison Master
Simple, powerful, to the point. Increases the usefulness of Posioner's Kit.
Gear and Equipment
Stuff that will be useful in urban adventures! Increases the power of tool proficiencies! Encourages crafting! Gadgets! Huzzah!
Google Drive Link
Design Notes
Below are the goals and reasoning behind the design of the material. It's not me making excuses for failure, it's to help people give more accurate critique. If a goal seems at-odds with the rest of the class, tell me! If a mechanic seems like it doesn't reach the intended result, tell me!
Duelist
I wanted to try something different here and push the boundaries a little more. This character benefits the most from using one one-handed melee weapon, but is not required to do so to get the benefits of the subclass. This subclass focuses on single swashbuckling combat, but uses the fighter subclass to emphasize martial skill and consistency, over the rogue subclass's focus on skills and taking advantage of weakness for a single strike. If the Swashbuckler is Captain Jack Sparrow, the Duelist is Will Turner.
Combat Flourish
This option forms the core the subclass. I didn't want to go with a limited resource, as that would get close to being redundant with the Battlemaster. Additionally, the feeling of limited-resource mechanics often feels methodical and highly-planned, and I didn't want that for this archetype. Instead, I went with a mechanic that I feel really helps capture the improvisational, back-and-forth feeling of sword duels in films. When the character does well, they are rewarded for it with a resource. When they are at a disadvantage, they can spend that resource to help even the odds.
Flourishes
Deft Deflation provides a defensive edge, and can be used to cover a number of different situations, from a subtle parry to a hurtful jibe. Skillful Strike provides a boost to the duelist's damage. Artful Improvisation evokes the idea of, and provides motivation to emulate, the clever duelist with a free hand; however, it does not force this particular fighting style onto the character, and a character can gain the more combat-focused boosts of the subclass with any weapon, allowing for a larger number of character concepts.
Center of Attention
This feature provides motivation for a duelist to, you know, duel people, but does not increase the maximum damage of the character.
Athletic Combatant
This feature does two things. First, it grants a relevant skill boost. If a character already has both those skills, by 5e rules they just gain another one of their choice. No harm done.
It also grants the Duelist one more Flourish of their choice, which allows them to focus their character further.
Force of Expertise
By including this feature, it mitigates the chance for that one-level rogue dip for Expertise and makes the duelist good at climbing, jumping, balancing, etc. It can also improve the effects of the Flourish they chose at level 7.
Masterful Flourish
Capstone! Increases the Flourish die and boosts damage further. I'm not sure about the latter bit, but it's a capstone. I'll tone it down if need be.
Vigilante
Urban Ranger. Boom. Sketchy person using solid martial prowess and incredible cunning (and maybe a bit of magic) to keep the darkness and corruption away from innocents. Great at exploring the environment. Sounds like a ranger to me!
Bonus Proficiencies
Grants the ranger a Batman-y skill, and makes it so their first and most-defining ranger feature can be used in urban environments. Track down criminals! Move stealthily through the streets! Find good street-meat!
Martial Arts
Many cities might have laws that ban the open use of weapons. This helps mitigate that. Also, vigilantes beating up thugs with their bare hands.
Expert Vigilante
Extra focus on skills and cunning. Make it so you don't have to dip into rogue. The tool proficiency gets a boost from all the items I include at the end of the chapter, and makes it so you're good at using them. Main focus is still the skill Expertise.
Master Crime-Fighter
Vigilantes beating up all the thugs with their bare hands. BvS warehouse scene, except you can choose to not kill and thus be a more better Batman than ever appeared in that film.
More than Mortal
Part of being a vigilante is inspiring a legendary reputation, whether that legend is true or not. Veteran vigilantes are as much a symbol as they are a person.
Minstrel
Not much to say here. What if you want to support your allies with non-magic words and small things like a bard, but don't want to cast spells? Here you go. Doesn't reinvent the wheel, but expands the kinds of characters you can adventure with. Great for grittier games and campaigns that focus on intrigue and politics over combat.
Bonus Proficiencies
Play that music good. You get it later than a bard and in less quantities, so it doesn't step on the Bard's toes.
Inspiring Words
Bardic inspiration. Smaller die than the Bard, and it improves slower, so it doesn't step on the Bard's toes.
Easily Inspired
Get these effects later than the Bard, so it doesn't step on... you get the point.
Harmless Deception
Lets you do things like cower and go "Oh gawd, please don't hurt me! I'm just a musician tagging along, I didn't know!" Alternatively, you hold out a purse of gold and say "Do you know who I work for? There's more where this comes from!" Guarantees you to get an attempt. Lots of fun, not super-powerful. Again, great for intrigue games where combat won't be a focus.
Improved Inspiring Words
Effects are less powerful than the Bard's Superior Inspiration, so it doesn't step on... (etc., etc.)
Investigator
Again, not much to say here. Inquisitive from the Gothic Heroes UA, slimmed down and with more focus on RP and investigation and less on "You see everything, don't ever bother rolling." I don't like automatic success as a design trait - very hard to manage as a DM, and takes a lot of the decision-making and skill from the player's side of things, which are key for fulfilling that Detective fantasy. The Detective fantasy is based around the player having agency, being able to act like a detective and make decisions to help solve the mystery, not have that solution handed to them. You remove the roll, you remove the ability to gain boosts and suffer penalties based on the player's decisions.
Masked Persona Feat
Works great with the Vigilante, but represents something that can used by any character, particularly Bards, Rogues, and Paladins. That's what feats are for!
Poison Master
Simple, powerful, to the point. Increases the usefulness of Posioner's Kit.
Gear and Equipment
Stuff that will be useful in urban adventures! Increases the power of tool proficiencies! Encourages crafting! Gadgets! Huzzah!
