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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Rock, paper, scissors: three new subclasses. PEACH!



Ninja_Prawn
2017-02-24, 09:08 AM
So this is just a bit of fun that I came up with yesterday. Three archetypes, one each to represent the three signs of rock-paper-scissors. A lot of this was thrown together off the cuff, so I'd like to hear any thoughts you may have regarding balance; I expect there will be some issues in there.

Roguish Archetype: Rockstar

With their ultra-cool look, lavish lifestyle and legions of adoring fans, it is no surprise that everyone wants to be a rockstar. Of the lucky few who do make it, most are charming rogues who leverage their superior charisma to the maximum, overpowering everyone in the room by the sheer force of their presence.

All rockstars are involved in the music business, but not all play rock music: it is entirely possible for a pop diva, legendary producer or multi-talented celebrity to possess the hallmarks of this archetype.

Hero with a Guitar
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and one musical instrument of your choice.

Stage Presence
Also at 3rd level, your flair and personal magnetism is so strong that people around have trouble focusing on anything else. You can use your bonus action to force a hostile creature within 30 feet of you that can see you to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus) or be unable to target anyone other than you with attacks, spells or other abilities until the start of your next turn.

The Power of Rock
When you reach 9th level, your fame (or infamy) is sufficient for you to be able overawe people simply by projecting the power of rock that dwells within you. If a creature succeeds on a saving throw you imposed on it or wins a contest against you, you can use this ability to reverse the result.

Once you have used this ability, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.

Trash the Set
By 13th level, your reckless abandon knows no bounds! As an action, you can wreck stuff up in a 20-foot radius around you, making the area into difficult terrain for everyone other than you. Each five-foot square of wreckage can be cleared as an action.

Encore
At 17th level, you begin to save the best for last. At the end of each round of combat, after everyone has acted, you can take one additional action. This action is not considered to be part of any turn; hence abilities that can be used 'on your turn' or 'once per turn' cannot be activated; nor do you get any additional movement, bonus actions or object interactions.
Monastic Tradition: Way of the Folded Crane

The monks of the folded crane are tranquil and contemplative, even by the standards of other monks. Sitting in silence, they spend their days in solitary meditation, practising their famous paper-folding arts as a way of focussing the mind and shutting out worldly concerns.

To the folded crane monks, life is filled with possibilities: blank sheets of paper that, through careful and measured manipulation, can become almost anything the mind can imagine. With discipline and patience, they work to remake the world into a more peaceful and beautiful place.

Not everyone agrees with the goals or methods of the folded crane monks, however. In particular, a clan of aggressive warriors calling themselves the 'couturiers' have declared paper-folding to be an abomination, claiming that true beauty can only be expressed through clothing. A secret war between these two groups of aesthetes has been ongoing for years, showing no signs of abating yet.

Folded Crane Stance
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can utilise a unique combat technique that allows you to 'fold' your opponents. When you attempt to grapple a target, you may make a Dexterity (Athletics) check instead of Strength (Athletics).

Improvisational Origami
Also at 3rd level, you can use your action to fold a sheet of paper or parchment into an inanimate object. This object can be no larger than 1 foot on a side and weighs 0.1 pounds, and its form must be that of a nonmagical object that you have seen. If you make a weapon or piece of ammunition, it is treated as an improvised weapon for everyone other than you (you treat it as a normal instance of whatever weapon it is).

The object functions normally 1 minute or until it takes any damage, at which it becomes crumpled an useless. The sheet cannot be recovered.

Paper Cut
At 6th level, you can inflict intense pain, even without dealing significant damage. Whenever a creature makes a melee attack against you, you can use your reaction to force it to make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failure, it is incapacitated until the beginning of your next turn.

Once a creature has been affected by this ability, they are immune to it for the next 4 hours.

Senbazuru
By 11th level, your dedication to the way of the folded crane brings you supernaturally good luck. Whenever you roll dice for any reason, you can spend 1 ki point to re-roll a die; if it is a d20 roll you must choose to re-roll after the dice are rolled, but before you know the result. You must accept the new result; each die can only be re-rolled once; but you may spend multiple ki points to re-roll several dice at the same time.

Living Origami
When you reach 17th level, you learn secret techniques for bringing folded paper to life. You can spend 6 ki points to cast the Animate Objects spell on any origami object(s) you have created, and you can spend 8 ki points to cast Simulacrum, creating a paper copy of the target creature that lasts for 24 hours. You can only sustain one origami simulacrum at a time, and each one requires 100 sheets of paper or parchment to make.
Martial Archetype: Grand Couturier

The warriors who call themselves 'couturiers' are a colourful and creative band, placing a heavy emphasis on fashion and beauty. They go to extreme lengths to design and make the most impressive clothes imaginable, believing that there is no point to anything if you do not look fabulous while doing it.

In battle, they employ strange and fantastical weapons to cut their enemies down to size, turning their dressmaking skills to violent and bloody ends. Couturiers are quick to violence, being naturally expressive and passionate sorts, and they often come into conflict with those who would try to keep the peace and restore order - such as the ridiculous 'folded crane' monks, whose repetitive motifs drive the couturiers into a berserker frenzy.

Bonus Proficiency
Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with tailor's tools, which allow you to make and modify fabric-based items such as clothing, bags or dolls. Furthermore, you can add twice your proficiency bonus to any ability checks relating to clothes, fashion or dressmaking.

Dressmaker's Cut
Also at 3rd level, your ability to cut things is sharpened to an incredible degree. When you use a weapon to deal slashing damage, that damage counts as magical and ignores resistance and immunity to slashing damage. In addition, whenever you use your action to attack with a one-handed slashing weapon and your other hand is empty, you can use your bonus action to make another melee attack, stabbing a target with needles and pins. This attack's damage die is a d4 and it deals piercing damage.

Rapid Suturing
Starting at 7th level, you can use your Second Wind on any willing creature within 5 feet of you, allowing them to regain the hit points instead of you.

Mental Refitting
At 10th level, you become immune to being charmed or frightened. Once per short rest, if a creature you can see within 60 feet would be subjected to either of those conditions, you can use your reaction to extend this benefit to them for 1 minute.

Dye it Red
At 15th level, you are so sick of your clothes being ruined by bloodstains that you decide to give up and enjoy the bloodletting. You have advantage on any melee weapon attack against a creature that doesn't have all of its hit points.

Fibre-Reinforced Body
At 18th level, you sew high-strength fibres into your skin, granting you immunity to critical hits and resistance to slashing damage.

The grand couturiers are famous for their bizarre and outlandish weapons. Always developing new ways of combating their foes, they have proven beyond doubt that creativity can be deadly.

Martial Melee Weapons
These weapons are available to grand couturiers only.



Drastic Measure
1d6 slashing
Reach


Scissor Blade
1d10 slashing
Heavy, versatile (1d12)


Magic Items

Acupuncture Needles
Weapon (ammunition), uncommon

These magical blowgun needles disrupt the harmony of the target's body rhythms. They grant a +1 bonus to damage rolls and if the target has ki points, they lose one point for each needle that hits them.

Bolt of Starching
Weapon (ammunition), common

These magical crossbow bolts cause any clothing they hit to become stiff and uncomfortable, slowing the wearer. Any target that is wearing clothes that is hit by one of these bolts has its base speed reduced by 10 feet until it uses an action to smooth out its clothing.

Goku Uniform, 1-, 2- or 3-star
Armour (medium), rare (1-star), very rare (2-star) or legendary (3-star) (requires attunement)

This expertly-tailored uniform acts as a suit of medium armour that grants an AC of 14 + your Dexterity modifier (to a maximum of 2), weighs 1 lb. and can be donned or doffed as an action. Furthermore, each suit grants a magical bonus (equal to its number of stars) to your AC and any Athletics checks you make while wearing it.

Rending Scissors
Weapon (scissor blade), rare

This pair of magical scissors must be wielded with both hands, but grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. When you roll a 20 on your attack roll with this weapon against a target that is wearing clothing or artificial armour, one item of clothing or piece of armour of your choice can be cut apart, rendering it useless until it can be repaired.

Sariel Vailo
2017-02-24, 10:31 AM
why does the scisors archetype feel like nui from kill la kill

Ninja_Prawn
2017-02-24, 10:35 AM
why does the scisors archetype feel like nui from kill la kill

Because that's who it's based on? The reference is meant to be transparent.

Sariel Vailo
2017-02-24, 10:42 AM
either way scisors i might use

RazDelacroix
2017-02-24, 11:15 AM
Incoming Bad Joke: *Ahem* So, when do we see an archetype for Lizard & Spock?

Ninja_Prawn
2017-02-24, 11:19 AM
Incoming Bad Joke: *Ahem* So, when do we see an archetype for Lizard & Spock?

As it happens, two of the big releases we've got planned for our Patreon backers in the next couple of months are themed after dragons and sci-fi, so... :smallwink::smalltongue:

Stan
2017-02-24, 02:34 PM
Stage presence feels like a tank ability - rogues are less likely to want to attract damage. How about one of the following:
1. On their next turn, target to take only 2 of (action, move, bonus action)
2. Target cannot use reactions until your next turn.

Depending on the campaign, Dressmaker's cut could be weak, not on the scale of getting battle master maneuver's or the EK's spells. It could be useful, but it's usefulness is largely out of the hands of the player as it's dependent on the foes faced. +1 to hit/damage for sharpness could be done but it's not exciting. How about a bonus action for scissors or pin attack (1d4 S or P) after using a slashing weapon, even if the first weapon doesn't normally work for two wpn fighting?

Ninja_Prawn
2017-02-24, 02:49 PM
Stage presence feels like a tank ability - rogues are less likely to want to attract damage. How about one of the following:
1. On their next turn, target to take only 2 of (action, move, bonus action)
2. Target cannot use reactions until your next turn.

Depending on the campaign, Dressmaker's cut could be weak, not on the scale of getting battle master maneuver's or the EK's spells. It could be useful, but it's usefulness is largely out of the hands of the player as it's dependent on the foes faced. +1 to hit/damage for sharpness could be done but it's not exciting. How about a bonus action for scissors or pin attack (1d4 S or P) after using a slashing weapon, even if the first weapon doesn't normally work for two wpn fighting?

Haven't you heard? Tanky rogues are the new laser clerics! I'm happy with the archetype favouring tankiness, I think.

As to Dressmaker's Cut, you're probably right. Fighters need a damage boost at third level and bypassing resistance isn't enough. A d4 'pin stab' is a good idea.

aimlessPolymath
2017-02-24, 04:00 PM
0/10 subclasses do not counter each other (actually, Rock can use Power of Rock to block Paper Cut, hilariously)

Sariel Vailo
2017-02-26, 12:26 PM
9/10 the kill la kill refs got me wet