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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Fighter Subclass: Specialist (WIP) PEACH



LordFluffy
2016-06-01, 01:44 PM
Champions wish to prove their prowess. Eldritch Knights to prove they are clever. Battlemasters are tacticians and strategists.

A Specialist wants one thing: To strike the perfect blow, wielding a weapon with which they have become one. They devote themselves to the study of one particular weapon, both mind and body, until it is an extension of their very being.

3rd:

Weapon Mastery:

Chosen Weapon: A specialist must choose one simple weapon, one martial weapon or unarmed strikes. All of the specialists abilities are tied to that weapon.
Mastery Die: At 3rd level, the specialist gains two Mastery die. These dice are 1d4. A Mastery die is expended when it is used. You regain all of your expended Mastery dice on a short or long rest.
Master Strike: When you make an attack with your Chosen Weapon, after the to hit die is rolled but before you roll damage, you may choose to use a Mastery die. If you do, add the die to your to hit roll. If the total is 20 or higher, the attack is a critical hit.


Always Ready: Drawing or sheathing the Specialist's chosen weapon is not an object interaction. The Specialist's chosen weapon may be drawn or sheathed as a reaction, even if the Specialist is surprised.
Respect the masters: Any History checks made about the Specialist's chosen weapon or people who have preferred that weapon are made with advantage.

7th:
Clearer Focus: You gain two additional Mastery dice. You gain two more 15th level.
Single Purpose: You have advantage on savings throws to avoid being frightened while holding your weapon.
Master's Strike: Whenever you make a critical hit, additional effects may come from your attack. Choose one of the following effects.

Blade Shield: Your ac is improved by +2 until the end of your next turn.
Tripping Strike: The target of your attack, if they are no larger than Large, must make a Dexterity savings throw versus the result of your attack roll or become Prone.
Mighty Blow: The target of your attack is pushed back 10 feet.
Intimidating Display: The target of your attack must make a Charisma save versus the result of your attack roll or become Frightened until the end of their next turn.


10th:
Increased Focus: You Mastery dice increase to 1d6. At Level 18, they increase to 1d8.
Forged of Spirit: At this point, the Specialist's bond with their weapon has crossed the border into the mystic and they gain the following benefits.

Their Chosen Weapon is considered magical for purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to nonmagical weapons or damage when wielded by the Specialist.
They may bond themselves to one specific weapon (or matched set of two weapons) which must be their Chosen Weapon. This bonding takes 1 hour of practice with the weapon(s) and may be performed during a short rest. Once bonded, the weapon(s) may be summoned to their hand(s) as a bonus action so long as they are on the same plane of existence. If a specialist later wishes to bond to one or more different weapons, they must go through the process again.
The Specialist may expend and rolling a Mastery die to cast the spell Compelled Duel, the target rolling their saving's throw versus (10+your proficiency bonus+the result of the Mastery die). If the target is wielding the same weapon as the Specialist, the save is made at disadvantage.
If an attack with the Specialist's Chosen Weapon would be made with disadvantage, it is made without disadvantage instead. If an attack is made under conditions where it would have both disadvantage and advantage, it is made with advantage.


15th:
Mystical Strike: Whenever you make a critical strike, you may add one of the following effects. If the result of the Mastery Die is required and no Mastery Die was used to gain the critical strike, the Specialist may expend one to gain the effect. This is in addition to any effect from the Master's Strike.

Elemental Damage: Before rolling damage, you may choose to have your weapon deal one of the following damage types instead of it's usual damage type: Fire, Cold, Lightning, Thunder or Acid. You may add the result of your Mastery die to the damage roll.
Alternately, you may add a second effect from the Master's Strike list instead.
As Sure As Steel: When you roll damage for a critical hit, you may reroll up to 2 dice if their unmodified result is a 1, taking the new results instead. (This means you could re-roll a d10 once if it were a 1, and again if the second result were a 1. Alternately, a 2d6 weapon that rolled 2 1's could both be rerolled). If a third 1 is rolled, this ability provides no additional benefit.


18th:
Always the Master:
The specialist is immune to the effects Frightened and Charmed. If the Specialist rolls initiative and has no Mastery dice, he gains two.

Final Hyena
2016-06-01, 01:57 PM
Always Ready: Drawing or sheathing the Specialist's chosen weapon is not an object interaction. The Specialist's chosen weapon may be drawn or sheathed as a reaction, even if the Specialist is surprised.
This could be read to mean that it is always a reaction.
You should specify that it is no action rather than not an object interaction.

Rerem115
2016-06-01, 02:59 PM
Balance wise, most of this class is spot on; nothing too crazy. Unfortunately, the core ability, Master's Strike, is way too strong.

For explanation, here's a not improbable scenario: You have a Dexterity based, Wood Elf fighter who specializes in longbows. Point buy and racial bonuses give her 17 Dexterity. She takes the Archery fighting style, and at third level, decides to become a Specialist. With her +7+1d4 to-hit, she now has an on demand, guaranteed critical every time she rolls at least a 12. As she levels up, her to-hit eventually becomes +13+1d8, and can critically strike whenever she rolls at least a 6. I know that this is limited to 2, scaling up to 6, uses per short rest, but that's still 6 guaranteed critical strikes. To give an idea on the kind of nova potential this sub-class has, here's an example. That same Wood Elf is now level 11. Her Dexterity is 20, and she has the Magic Initiate (Hex). Combat looks something like this:

Bonus Action-Hex
Attack Action: 3 Attacks, rolls 8, 15 and 11. She uses Master's strike, and with the minimum +12 to-hit, they all crit.
Total Damage: 6d8+6d6+15, average of 71.
She then Action Surges, and does the same thing again, but can only use Master's Strike once, for a total damage of about 120 for the round. Now, her nova is all used up, but, she's still a fighter and can attack three times each turn until the fight is over.

Critical Strikes on demand are just too strong, and I can't think of a way to nerf this without making it useless. I'd suggest coming up with a new concept for Master's Strike; maybe treat it like a Battlemaster's dice? Also, with the Battlemaster in mind, AFAIK, those dice only increase damage, not to-hit.

Also, "If an attack with the Specialist's Chosen Weapon would be made with disadvantage, it is made without disadvantage instead. If an attack is made under conditions where it would have both disadvantage and advantage, it is made with advantage." is ludicrously strong. The only class that gets anything that resembles this is the Thief, with Elusive, and that's their capstone. You already get enough stuff at 10th level; this is quite frankly unnecessary, and I'd recommend dropping it from their kit.

LordFluffy
2016-06-01, 03:59 PM
This could be read to mean that it is always a reaction.
You should specify that it is no action rather than not an object interaction.

The reason I termed it the way I did is reactions only take place on someone else's turn or if you have an ability that triggers a reaction. What I was shooting for was that you could draw your weapon and still have your object interaction and if you were jumped, you could draw it in response.

LordFluffy
2016-06-01, 04:43 PM
Bonus Action-Hex
Attack Action: 3 Attacks, rolls 8, 15 and 11. She uses Master's strike, and with the minimum +12 to-hit, they all crit.
Total Damage: 6d8+6d6+15, average of 71.
She then Action Surges, and does the same thing again, for a total damage of about 142 for the round. Now, her nova is all used up, but, she's still a fighter and can attack three times each turn until the fight is over.
To compare a Battle master of the same level, same scenario:

Pops 3 Superiority Dice. We'll say on an Intimidating Strike, A Disarming Strike and a Push Attack
Total Damage: 3d8 (bow) + 3d10 (damage from superiority die) + 6d6 + 15, still hitting pretty much at will with a +12 to hit.

The Specialist will have only 4 Mastery dice at this point, so she can't do it next round, exactly. The BattleMaster has 5 Superiority dice and more options, including Riposte. They seem pretty close to me, though I think I made the save DC for the Specialist's abilities a little too high. Also, keep in mind that if anyone closes with your Archer, she's at disadvantage, but can simply switch weapons and still use her abilities. The Specialist doesn't have that option.


I'd suggest coming up with a new concept for Master's Strike; maybe treat it like a Battlemaster's dice? Also, with the Battlemaster in mind, AFAIK, those dice only increase damage, not to-hit.
There's Precision strike that increases to hit, but it doesn't add to damage (though works well with Sharpshooter).


Also, "If an attack with the Specialist's Chosen Weapon would be made with disadvantage, it is made without disadvantage instead. If an attack is made under conditions where it would have both disadvantage and advantage, it is made with advantage." is ludicrously strong. The only class that gets anything that resembles this is the Thief, with Elusive, and that's their capstone. You already get enough stuff at 10th level; this is quite frankly unnecessary, and I'd recommend dropping it from their kit.
I'll take a second look at it, maybe move it to 18th. Again, it's limited in combat, not all abilities, and it doesn't auto succeed, it just keeps you from bad situations.

Thanks for the feedback. This might be worth taking to the playtest phase.

Final Hyena
2016-06-01, 05:29 PM
The reason I termed it the way I did is reactions only take place on someone else's turn or if you have an ability that triggers a reaction. What I was shooting for was that you could draw your weapon and still have your object interaction and if you were jumped, you could draw it in response.
I understand the intent, the issue is the first sentence, you simply state;

Drawing or sheathing the Specialist's chosen weapon is not an object interaction.
You do not state what action it is.
For an example cunning action says that dash, hide and disengage can be done with a bonus action. it doesn't say they are no longer an action.

LordFluffy
2016-06-02, 08:28 AM
You do not state what action it is.
For an example cunning action says that dash, hide and disengage can be done with a bonus action. it doesn't say they are no longer an action.
Well, 5e doesn't have free actions (using 3.5 terminology). My point is that it doesn't take an action at all, just can be drawn or sheathed at will. I'm not sure how to better phrase that in 5e terminology.

barbecube
2016-06-02, 09:26 AM
I can think of two ways to go about this:

Always Ready: On your turn you can draw or sheathe your weapon as part of another action, rather than using your object interaction. On other creatures' turns, you can draw or sheathe your weapon as a reaction, even if you are surprised.

Always Ready: On your turn you can draw or sheathe your weapon at will, without using any action, rather than using your object interaction. On other creatures' turns, you can draw or sheathe your weapon as a reaction, even if you are surprised.

I don't know if there is precedent for "without using any action" but it is my best attempt to emulate PHB style phrasing. This still doesn't specify as a reaction to what however, and that is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Final Hyena
2016-06-02, 09:46 AM
(no action required)
or
(no action required by you)

There are multiple example of these phrases being used throughout the PHB.

This be Richard
2016-06-02, 10:17 AM
I'd contend that Master Strike is too strong.

Even if it comes out comparable to a Battle Master's damage output when you look at it alone, you need to remember that there are other features that bolster critical hits more than conventional attacks.
Half orcs and Barbarians each get an extra damage die on crits.
Savage Attackers can reroll a weapon's damage dice, with greater potential impact on crits.
Great Weapon Fighting lets you reroll 1s and 2s, to especially significant effects with greatsword or maul criticals. This can be used for every roll -- and thus every crit.
Rogues dipping into Specialist Fighter for mastery dice would be able to use them on sneak attacks, reliably doubling their sneak attack damage.
And that's just what I can think of off the top of my head.

And you get enough of them that, at most levels, the Specialist can nova for two full rounds... after which they'll still be strong contributors.
And since you can add the mastery die after the roll but before damage, you could be pretty sure that every mastery die would be a crit -- not just an increased chance to hit -- even before attack bonuses got big enough to guarantee a crit every single time you feel like dropping a die on your swing.

I'd advise thinking very carefully before introducing anything that increases critical frequency. And I'd definitely avoid anything that allows you to pretty much guarantee them.