SonsOfSauron
2015-05-12, 08:04 PM
Gladiator
The gladiator is a warrior that revels in the life-and-death struggle of combat and the cries of admiration from onlookers of their bloody art. Adept at dueling and battles royale, the gladiator simply enjoys the thrill of combat and the warm spray of blood.
Bonus Proficiencies
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, and are proficient with improvised weapons.
Gladiatorial Combat
Starting at 3rd level, you develop a flair for the dramatic, mastering unorthodox weapons and turning battle into a spectacle. You may treat shields as improvised weapons. Additionally, when you hit a creature with a whip, an improvised weapon, or a weapon with the thrown property, the next attack made against that creature has advantage.
Crowd’s Favor
By 3rd level you are an incorrigible ham, and treat life or death situations as a spectacle of entertainment. When you roll initiative, you can also make a Performance check. You can use the higher of the two rolls for your initiative that combat.
Adrenaline Rush
By 7th level you laugh in the face of danger, and have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Additionally while you're not wearing heavy armor, if a hostile creature damages you with a critical hit, damages you with an opportunity attack, or attempts to frighten you with an effect, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your Constitution modifier. These temporary hit points last until you finish a short or long rest.
Brutal Combat
Starting at 10th level, your weapon attacks become more brutal as you suffer wounds of your own. As long as your current hit points are less than or equal to half of your hit point maximum, you roll an additional weapon damage die on attack rolls made with advantage.
Thirst for Battle
By 15th level, bloodshed sustains you even as you stand at death’s door. Whenever you reduce a creature that dealt damage to you this combat to 0 hit points, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 2d10 + your Constitution modifier. These hit points last until you finish a short or long rest.
Showstopper
At 18th level, you turn critical hits into grand finales. Whenever you score a critical hit, you roll the damage dice three times instead of twice. Additionally, the target must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, your choice). On a failed save, the target is stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature with legendary actions can also repeat this saving throw as a legendary action.
I added a clarification that you're proficient with improvised weapons, and can treat shields as such. Setting the damage die is unnecessary; if the weapon resembles an existing weapon, it uses that weapon's properties. Otherwise, it deals 1d4 damage. (Plus, the Tavern Brawler feat doesn't specify damage dice, so I'm going based on that template.)
Slightly tuned Gladiatorial Combat to better work with spears, javelins, and tridents, as well hand axes, daggers, throwing hammers... we'll see how it works out.
Still like Crowd's Favor as a ribbon.
Adrenaline rush was clarified to trigger upon damage being dealt by hostile creatures, and went ahead and cleaned up the language on being frightened. Also reduced the temporary hit points gained to curb shenanigans and ensure you're still taking damage, and you just have a buffer.
Kept brutal combat the same, as the things that give you free advantage are d4 and d6 weapons (d8 if trident/spear are used in two hands... but I don't think a d8 weapon is going to make things obnoxious every other hit).
Adjusted the temporary hit points gained by thirst for battle. Stronger than Adrenaline Rush, but just so that it's an actual reward for killing things. And unless you're fighting hordes of chumps, you shouldn't be killing something every turn. (and even then you're capped at 25 temporary hit points for the most part).
Added a ribbon about legendary actions to Showstopper, to keep it from making BBEGs too swingy.
Gladiator
The gladiator is a warrior that revels in the life-and-death struggle of combat and the cries of admiration from onlookers of their bloody art. Adept at dueling and battles royale, the gladiator simply enjoys the thrill of combat and the warm spray of blood.
Bonus Proficiencies
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, and are proficient with shields used as improvised weapons, and add your ability modifier to the damage. Not sure if this is actually a necessary addendum, though it's not exactly clear in the PHB
Gladiatorial Combat
Starting at 3rd level, you develop a flair for the dramatic, mastering unorthodox weapons and turning battle into a spectacle. When you hit a creature with a shield, whip, or thrown weapon attack, the next attack made against that creature has advantage.
Crowd’s Favor
By 3rd level you are an incorrigible ham, and treat life or death situations as a spectacle of entertainment. When you roll initiative, you can also make a Charisma (Performance) check. You can use the higher of the two rolls for your initiative that combat.
Adrenaline Rush
By 7th level you laugh in the face of danger. While you're not wearing heavy armor, if a creature scores a critical hit against you, hits you with an opportunity attack, or you would be frightened by an effect, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your level in this class and are not frightened.
Brutal Combat
Starting at 10th level, your weapon attacks become more brutal as you suffer wounds of your own. As long as you are not at full hit points, you roll an additional weapon damage die on attack rolls made with advantage.
Thirst for Battle
By 15th level, bloodshed sustains you even as you stand at death’s door. Whenever you reduce a creature that dealt damage to you this combat to 0 hit points, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your level in this class.
Showstopper
At 18th level, you turn critical hits into grand finales. Whenever you score a critical hit, you roll the damage dice three times instead of twice. Addtionally, the target must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, your choice). On a failed save, the target is stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
- - - - - - - - - -
I wanted to make an archetype reminiscent of the Battlerager fighter from 4e, though admittedly less broken (I was SORELY TEMPTED to have a teeny bit of temporary hp stacking but... I was able to hold fast). I wonder if adopting the Reckless Attack feature from Barbarian would be a good fit; I didn't want to steal their thunder, but it would be really flavorful (and the idea of you gaining temporary HP constantly would help mitigate the damage). Possibly a feature that lets you gain an ability modifier or proficiency temporary hit points per hit? Please feel free to leave some feedback!
The gladiator is a warrior that revels in the life-and-death struggle of combat and the cries of admiration from onlookers of their bloody art. Adept at dueling and battles royale, the gladiator simply enjoys the thrill of combat and the warm spray of blood.
Bonus Proficiencies
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, and are proficient with improvised weapons.
Gladiatorial Combat
Starting at 3rd level, you develop a flair for the dramatic, mastering unorthodox weapons and turning battle into a spectacle. You may treat shields as improvised weapons. Additionally, when you hit a creature with a whip, an improvised weapon, or a weapon with the thrown property, the next attack made against that creature has advantage.
Crowd’s Favor
By 3rd level you are an incorrigible ham, and treat life or death situations as a spectacle of entertainment. When you roll initiative, you can also make a Performance check. You can use the higher of the two rolls for your initiative that combat.
Adrenaline Rush
By 7th level you laugh in the face of danger, and have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Additionally while you're not wearing heavy armor, if a hostile creature damages you with a critical hit, damages you with an opportunity attack, or attempts to frighten you with an effect, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your Constitution modifier. These temporary hit points last until you finish a short or long rest.
Brutal Combat
Starting at 10th level, your weapon attacks become more brutal as you suffer wounds of your own. As long as your current hit points are less than or equal to half of your hit point maximum, you roll an additional weapon damage die on attack rolls made with advantage.
Thirst for Battle
By 15th level, bloodshed sustains you even as you stand at death’s door. Whenever you reduce a creature that dealt damage to you this combat to 0 hit points, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 2d10 + your Constitution modifier. These hit points last until you finish a short or long rest.
Showstopper
At 18th level, you turn critical hits into grand finales. Whenever you score a critical hit, you roll the damage dice three times instead of twice. Additionally, the target must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, your choice). On a failed save, the target is stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature with legendary actions can also repeat this saving throw as a legendary action.
I added a clarification that you're proficient with improvised weapons, and can treat shields as such. Setting the damage die is unnecessary; if the weapon resembles an existing weapon, it uses that weapon's properties. Otherwise, it deals 1d4 damage. (Plus, the Tavern Brawler feat doesn't specify damage dice, so I'm going based on that template.)
Slightly tuned Gladiatorial Combat to better work with spears, javelins, and tridents, as well hand axes, daggers, throwing hammers... we'll see how it works out.
Still like Crowd's Favor as a ribbon.
Adrenaline rush was clarified to trigger upon damage being dealt by hostile creatures, and went ahead and cleaned up the language on being frightened. Also reduced the temporary hit points gained to curb shenanigans and ensure you're still taking damage, and you just have a buffer.
Kept brutal combat the same, as the things that give you free advantage are d4 and d6 weapons (d8 if trident/spear are used in two hands... but I don't think a d8 weapon is going to make things obnoxious every other hit).
Adjusted the temporary hit points gained by thirst for battle. Stronger than Adrenaline Rush, but just so that it's an actual reward for killing things. And unless you're fighting hordes of chumps, you shouldn't be killing something every turn. (and even then you're capped at 25 temporary hit points for the most part).
Added a ribbon about legendary actions to Showstopper, to keep it from making BBEGs too swingy.
Gladiator
The gladiator is a warrior that revels in the life-and-death struggle of combat and the cries of admiration from onlookers of their bloody art. Adept at dueling and battles royale, the gladiator simply enjoys the thrill of combat and the warm spray of blood.
Bonus Proficiencies
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, and are proficient with shields used as improvised weapons, and add your ability modifier to the damage. Not sure if this is actually a necessary addendum, though it's not exactly clear in the PHB
Gladiatorial Combat
Starting at 3rd level, you develop a flair for the dramatic, mastering unorthodox weapons and turning battle into a spectacle. When you hit a creature with a shield, whip, or thrown weapon attack, the next attack made against that creature has advantage.
Crowd’s Favor
By 3rd level you are an incorrigible ham, and treat life or death situations as a spectacle of entertainment. When you roll initiative, you can also make a Charisma (Performance) check. You can use the higher of the two rolls for your initiative that combat.
Adrenaline Rush
By 7th level you laugh in the face of danger. While you're not wearing heavy armor, if a creature scores a critical hit against you, hits you with an opportunity attack, or you would be frightened by an effect, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your level in this class and are not frightened.
Brutal Combat
Starting at 10th level, your weapon attacks become more brutal as you suffer wounds of your own. As long as you are not at full hit points, you roll an additional weapon damage die on attack rolls made with advantage.
Thirst for Battle
By 15th level, bloodshed sustains you even as you stand at death’s door. Whenever you reduce a creature that dealt damage to you this combat to 0 hit points, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your level in this class.
Showstopper
At 18th level, you turn critical hits into grand finales. Whenever you score a critical hit, you roll the damage dice three times instead of twice. Addtionally, the target must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, your choice). On a failed save, the target is stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
- - - - - - - - - -
I wanted to make an archetype reminiscent of the Battlerager fighter from 4e, though admittedly less broken (I was SORELY TEMPTED to have a teeny bit of temporary hp stacking but... I was able to hold fast). I wonder if adopting the Reckless Attack feature from Barbarian would be a good fit; I didn't want to steal their thunder, but it would be really flavorful (and the idea of you gaining temporary HP constantly would help mitigate the damage). Possibly a feature that lets you gain an ability modifier or proficiency temporary hit points per hit? Please feel free to leave some feedback!