Gnomes2169
2017-06-09, 10:34 AM
The Legionnaire
“Survivors do not mourn together. They each mourn alone, even when in the same place. Grief is the most solitary of all feelings. Grief isolates, and every ritual, every gesture, every embrace, is a hopeless effort to break through that isolation.
None of it works. The forms crumble and dissolve.
To face death is to stand alone.”
-Toll the Hounds, Malazan Book of the Fallen
Not all beings are afraid of Death. For the broken, it is the final comfort, an end to all loss and pain. For others, it is a price to pay for glory and honor, a necessary sacrifice to make their mark on history, and a chance for immortality. But then there are those for whom Death and its heralds are masters, and they know the hollow promises of peace and immortality are but the dreams of a fool.
These are the individuals who form the ranks of the endless Legions, a collection of warriors, priests, mages and assassins that has served the natural order since time's dawning. While gods have come and gone, the Legion has endured, their soldiers serving to bring the ultimate balance to life's rampant growth by trimming it wherever it grows wild. Their loyalty belongs first and foremost to their cause, the gods of death that deign to lead them, and that greatest evil of all; Necessity. And oh, but has that banner soaked the earth in blood, time and time again.
Children of Grief The call of the Legionnaire is one that most will thankfully never hear, for it is a cry of desperation and utmost loss. Only those who are desperate for meaning, companionship or purpose would dare heed it's mournful cry, and yet for those broken souls this final position remains. The chance to serve Death, to bring about endings and to serve at the beck and call of the most terrible and necessary force of nature, is an offer for the forsaken. For some, this service is a final chance for redemption, for others, it is the last chance to make a mark on the world that will hopefully matter. Regardless of the reason, the soldiers of the Legion find new purpose, and a new cause to dedicate the rest of their life to.
Sworn to Death To join the ranks of the Legion is to swear an oath to Death itself. Whether it be at the behest and guidance of a patron deity, or a wordless offer from the indifferent universe itself, a Legionnaire must become beholden to the realms of the forgotten and its denizens. While this grants power, it is also a heavy cross to bear. No man should have to dream of the endless deaths of the companions who came before him, or know that the armor he dons is forged from the bones of Legionnaires who failed in their service. Only the strongest of minds can withstand this constant barrage, and the foolish swiftly fall to unyielding madness. But for the clever? Oh, for them every nightmare is a chance to learn, every success and failure a look into the weaknesses of their enemy, to train the focus required to land blows with perfect precision in the heart of combat and to actually discover the secrets of the world around them.
Because of this, it is known that to be a Legionnaire is to be counted among the most clever and learned people. For a stupid Legionnaire is one that will prove their helplessness and die far, far sooner than their companions.
Reaper of the Legion As part of the pact made with the powers beyond the veil, a Legionnaire agrees to gather to them fragments of the souls of those that they kill. For gods and other lieutenants of death, this gives a tally to tell them how useful their tool was in life, and thus allows them to grant an appropriate award once the Legionnaire's time in the world is done. However, for the Legionnaire, this holds a far more somber and, sometimes, humbling meaning. For every soul demands that it be complete when it crosses into the next world, and when their reaper dies, these souls gather for one last judgement of their slayer.
For every innocent slain and every unjust act shall the Legionnaire be held personally accountable, every act of valor and mercy shall they be lauded, and every mistake and failure made known. And the dead who bestow this judgement shall hold nothing back. After all, why should they? They are already dead, what reward or punishment could be delivered that is greater than one final swell of joy, or a blow of utmost regret and sorrow? The dead have no reason to lie, not to themselves or to any other, and so heroism will be rewarded by the villains, while villainy is damned by the heroes. Such is the irony of life and death.
Not every Legionnaire knows that this is their fate once they pass beyond the gates of the dead, and not every one cares. While many strive to be heroes, to serve the will of their gods and to do what is right, there are almost just as many, if not more, who are driven mad with their authority, and so think that they are beyond the judgement of those that they slay. To these individuals there is one final retribution, for the universe does not care what they or their gods might say, those who serve the Legion must face their final judgement, and suffer justice one last time.
In the end, one can only hope that they do not fill the abyss with their list of crimes.
LevelProficiencyFeatureBone ArmorBone Blade Enhancement Bonus
1+2Bone Armor (2/day), Bone Blade+2--
2+2Fighting Style, War Trance+2—
3+2Sworn Legion feature+2—
4+2Ability Score Increase+2—
5+3Bone Armor (3/day), Extra Attack+2—
6+3Runed bone+2+1
7+3Retaliatory Strike+2+1
8+3Ability Score increase+2+1
9+4Bone Armor (4/day), Graven Tutors, Sworn Legion feature+2+1
10+4Intellect Fortress+3+1
11+4Reaper’s Implement (int)+3+2
12+4Ability Score increase+3+2
13+5Bone armor (5/day), Sworn Legion feature+3+2
14+5Haunted Sight+3+2
15+5Sworn Legion feature+3+2
16+5Ability Score increase+3+3
17+6Bone Armor (6/day), Reaper’s Implement (2xInt)+4+3
18+6Graven Tutors, Imbued Bone+4+3
19+6Ability Score Increase+4+3
20+6Bone Armor (Unlimited), Reaper’s Gale+4+3
Building a Legionnaire
Legionnaires are the soldiers of Death itself, and as such they are often a humorless, broken or otherwise less-than-mortal bunch when compared to their adventuring companions. Despite this they still are living beings, and while even their mere presence can be unsettling to normal mortals, they do still feel, have motivations and goals, and quite possibly have dreams beyond the duty and powers to which they have sworn themselves.
Think about what kinds of quirks having sworn yourself to the service of a God of Death (or to the phenomena of Death itself) could have on your character. Perhaps you are a fatalist, always expecting the next fight to be your last. Perhaps your laughter is hollow, joyless, the mirth never lighting up your eyes. Perhaps you never take prisoners, your duty to reap a terrible toll having killed mercy in your heart long ago. Or on the other hand, the knowledge of life's worth brings you to tears whenever you are finally forced to shed blood. Whatever you come up with, keep it in mind while you role-play your character.
Quick build
Legionnaires are powerful and talented warriors who's talents harden their bodies and minds. First, make either Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence and thirdly Constitution. Finally, choose the Soldier background.
Class features
As a Legionnaire you gain the following class features.
Hit points
Hit dice: 1d10 per Legionnaire level.
Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at higher levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Legionnaire level after 1st
Proficiency
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor and shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, battleaxe, longsword, morning star, rapier, war hammer
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose any three from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, History, Medicine, Perception, Religion, Stealth, Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment provided by your background:
(a) Scale mail or (b) leather armor and a shortbow and 20 arrows
(a) A one-handed martial melee weapon and shield or (b) Two martial one-handed melee weapons
(a) A Dungeoneer's pack or (b) an Explorer's pack
4 daggers and a set of dice (knucklebones)
Alternately, you may start the game with 5d4x10 gold, in addition to the equipment provided by your background.
Multi-classing
To multi-class as a Legionnaire, you must have a minimum of 13 Strength or Dexterity, and you must have a minimum of 13 Intelligence.
Bone Armor
Starting at level 1, you are able to manifest a layer of chitin above your more mundane armor, providing you with a flexible layer of protection. You may don this carapace as a bonus action and it lasts for 1 minute. While your bone armor is active you gain a +2 bonus to your armor class and the whisper of spirits imbued in the bone gives you advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom checks. This bonus to your armor class increases as you level up, to +3 at level 10 and +4 at level 17.
You may use this ability twice, gaining an additional uses of this ability at levels 5, 9, 13, 17 and then 20 (where it becomes unlimited uses). You regain all expended uses after completing a long rest.
Bone Blade
Beginning at level 1, you are able to manifest a razor-sharp growth of bone that takes the shape of a weapon or claws. As an object interaction you may create your bone blade, choosing whether you manifest it as a 1-handed finesse melee weapon with a d8 damage die, or as a 2-handed heavy weapon with a 2d6 damage die. You choose whether your bone blade deals slashing or piercing damage when you manifest it. Regardless of which form you use, your bone blade has a reach of 5 feet. You are proficient with this weapon.
If you are attuned to a magical weapon, (such as, for example, a Firebrand,) your bone blade gains all magical properties that are part of that magical weapon, as long as those properties do not recharge at a time of day or night, on a long or short rest, or add to the weapon's attack or damage bonuses. These are in addition to the enchantment bonuses your Bone Blade will eventually gain. If you are attuned to multiple weapons, you choose one weapon for your bone blade to gain the properties of each time you manifest it. If you ever lose attunement to a weapon, your bone blade also loses all of the properties of that attuned weapon.
You may dismiss your bone blade as a free action, and it crumbles into dust if you ever let go of it. You may only have one bone blade at a time.
Fighting Style
Starting at level 2 you gain access to a fighting style. Choose one of the fighting styles to learn from the options below. Once made this choice cannot be changed, and an option already taken cannot be selected again even if another source gives you access to the same fighting style:
Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting: When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding in two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
War Trance
Starting at level 2, you are able to enter a state of absolute focus, momentarily allowing you to land your strikes with uncanny accuracy. As a bonus action you may gain advantage on melee attack rolls until the beginning of your next turn.
Sworn Legion
Also at level 3 you select the Legion that you belong to, denoting your motivations and specialization. You can choose from any of the legions denoted at the end of this class. You gain additional features at levels 9, 13 and 15.
Ability Score increase
When you reach level 4, and then again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can choose one ability score to increase by 2, or two ability scores to increase by 1. This feature may not increase an ability score above 20.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 5, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Runed Bone
Starting at level 6, small runes of magic can be seen grafted on your weapons of bone. Your bone blade becomes magical and you gain a +1 bonus to your attack and damage rolls with it.
This bonus increases as you level up, becoming +2 at level 11 and +3 at level 16.
Retaliatory Strike
Starting at level 7 you are adept at taking advantage of any opening your enemies give to you, even if it puts you at risk. Whenever an enemy in your weapon’s reach misses you with an attack, you may use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against them.
Graven Tutors
Starting at level 9, the spirits that you have reaped and bound to yourself begin to grant you insights into the nature of the world. You gain proficiency in one skill and two languages of your choice.
You gain proficiency in one additional skill and two additional languages at level 18.
Intellect Fortress
Beginning at level 10 you may add your Intelligence modifier (minimum +0) to all of your Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. This does mean you add your Intelligence modifier to any Intelligence saving throw you make twice.
Reaper’s Implement
Beginning at level 11, your bone blade begins to carry the essence of the veil in its edge, making it even more deadly to your foes. You may change the weapon damage of any attack you make with your Bone Blade into necrotic or radiant instead of its normal physical damage type, and you also increase any damage your blade does by your Intelligence modifier (minimum +0).
At level 17 you add double your Intelligence modifier to your bone blade’s damage instead.
Haunted Sight
Starting at level 14, your bone armor grants you enhanced sight as the spirits of those you have "collected" are used to see for you. Whenever you use your Bone Armor class feature, you gain Blindsight out to 10 feet.
Additionally, as a one minute long action, you may study a creature and discover up to three facts about it from the following list:
Is its CR higher or lower than your level?
Is it at full health, bloodied (1/2 max hp or less) or near death (1/4 max hp or less)?
What damage vulnerabilities does it have?
What damage resistances and immunities does it have?
How many years does it have until it dies of natural causes?
Is it diseased or poisoned, and if so what is the disease or poison?
Does the creature regenerate, and if so how is that regeneration overcome?
Is it possessed or was it possessed in the last year?
Imbued Bone
Starting at level 18, your bone armor wards you from the magic of your foes. Whenever you use your Bone Armor class feature, you gain resistance to damage from spells and magical sources (such as dragon breath weapons, beholder eye beams, magical ever-burning fire, etc).
If you are targeted by or within the area of effect for a spell, you may use your reaction to gain advantage on your saving throw against that spell. You may use this part of this class feature with or without your bone armor active.
Reaper’s Gale
Upon reaching level 20, you become a walking monument to death itself. Whenever one of your attacks kills a creature, you may make an additional attack with any of your equipped weapons and regain 2d6 lost hit points. You may gain any number of attacks from this ability.
The Bonehunters are a group of voluntary legionnaires. They are professional warriors who have sworn themselves to the deathly powers to give them abilities to hunt the living dead in all of their incarnations. Fearless, resilient to necromantic energies and tireless in their duty, this Legion calls only to those who would cleanse the world of the immortal and the unnatural, giving them a home and allies for as long as they serve. The bonehunters train their own in how to harness the weapons and power of death, creating true masters of their deadly art
LevelFeature
3Bone Smith, Mark for Death
9Embraced Mortality
13Withstand Death
15An End to Eternity
Bone Smith
Starting at level 3, you enhance the bonuses that your bone equipment gives to you. When you manifest your Bone Blade or Bone Armor, you gain the following bonuses:
When you manifest your Bone Blade, you may make it more deadly. Any 1-handed finesse blade you manifest uses a 1d10 damage die, while any 2-handed heavy blade you manifest uses a 2d8 damage die.
When you manifest your Bone Armor, you may gain resistance against one damage type of your choice. This resistance lasts until your armor's duration expires, or until you choose to manifest your armor again, whichever comes first.
Mark for Death
Also starting at level 3, you may choose a creature within 60 feet that you can see to become Marked for Death as a bonus action. Until the marked creature dies or the end of your next long or short rest, you have advantage on opportunity attacks against this creature, this creature cannot use the Disengage action, and if you make an opportunity attack against this creature you regain the use of your Reaction at the end of their turn.
After using this ability, you cannot use it again until your target dies or until you finish a long or short rest.
Grim Idol
From level 9, your armored visage represents the finality of all things, and strips away the fear of death from you and your allies. While your bone armor is active you and allies within 10 feet of you who can see you are immune to the Frightened condition.
Withstand Death
Starting at level 13, your chosen profession and exposure to necrotic energies have given you unparalleled resilience to the attacks of your quarry. You gain immunity to Necrotic and Poison damage, and you are immune to the Poisoned condition and all diseases.
An End to Eternity
Starting at level 15, your strikes disrupt the lives of even immortal creatures. Melee weapon attacks you make ignore all damage resistances and immunities a creature might have, and any creature you damage with a melee weapon attack cannot be healed by any means for one round. If you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you entrap a large fragment of their soul within yourself. Until you are slain or you relinquish this fragment, the creature cannot be resurrected by any spell other than Wish or natural reincarnation. Creatures such as a Vampire or Lich that resurrect themselves after being slain still reform as normal, but cannot use legendary actions until you relinquish the fragment you stole from them. Upon your death, all fragments gathered to you by this ability are relinquished.
Gods and other beings of their level are immune to this ability.
In their last, dying moments, some muderers, necromancers and their ilk are given an offer to atone, to divert their rightful punishment for faithful service. These are the souls assigned to the Punitive legion. A desperate, often unwilling, soldier corp, the members of the Punitive legion struggle like one with a sword of Damocles above their neck, refusing to fail and refusing to break, for dying before their task is accomplished is a failure of their vows, and the punishment awaiting them will not be diverted a second time. With such motivation, and no escape from their service possible, the Deathly Powers often abuse their authority over these poor souls, knowing that no matter what, their pawn must at least attempt the task, even if it proves impossible.
LevelFeature
3Arisen, Risen Resilience
9Unyielding
13Requiem
15Desperate Resolve
Arisen
Starting at level 3, your brush with death has given you reflexive resilience to being put down for any amount of time. You must only spend 5 feet of movement to stand up from being prone. Additionally, the first time you are reduced to 0 hit points by any source but you are not killed out-right, you may expend one of your unspent hit dice as if you had just finished a short rest and regain hit points equal to the amount rolled.
You must complete a long rest before you can expend a hit die in this manner again.
Risen Resilience
Dying once has inured you to the whole experience. Also starting at level 3, you increase your maximum hit points by 1 for every Legionnaire level you possess. You also regain 2 additional hit points each time a source would cause you to heal or regain hit points.
Unyielding
Starting at level 9, the pressure of your penance gives you resilience to effects that would sway your mind. You gain immunity to the Frightened and Charmed conditions.
Requiem
Starting at level 13, you are able to take on the appearance of one who is already dead. As a 10 minute ritual, you re-open the mortal wound that caused you to make the pact with death in the first place, and you become still and seemingly lifeless. You can remain in this state for a month. You are conscious the entire time, aware of the area 60 feet around you but are blind and deaf beyond that, do not need to eat, sleep or breathe, and do not take damage if your body comes to harm from any source short of disintegration. After concentrating for a minute you can repair all damage that was dealt to your body, regaining all lost limbs and flesh, reverting all rot, and awakening at full hit points.
You must finish a long rest after awakening from this state before you can use Requiem again.
Desperate Resolve
Starting at level 15, your desperate drive to accomplish your goal hardens you to your mounting injuries, and makes you far heartier in the thick of combat. At the beginning of your turn if you have at least 1 hit point, but fewer hit points than your maximum, you may use your reaction to regain a number of hit points equal to 5 + your Intelligence modifier. You may only use this ability if there is a hostile creature that is not incapacitated or dead within 60 feet of you.
The legion of the Tallyman have one goal, and one goal alone; To reap the souls of the living. Whether they serve a good and just cause, or merely serve the Deathly Powers for the joy of the slaughter, a Tallyman has sworn their service in exchange for power, and the price for that power is the lives of others. Ultimately, the concept of mercy has been forgotten by the Tallyman, making them one of the most brutal and cold of all of the legions. Is it any wonder that this legion calls to so many madmen?
LevelFeature
3War's Tempo
9Path of Slaughter
13Unsettling Grin
15Aspect of the Reaper
Frenzied Tally
Whenever you kill a creature with a melee attack and do not have a Tally token, you may choose to gain a Tally token. You may expend this token in one of the following ways:
You may add 1d8 to one damage roll.
You may gain advantage on one Strength or Dexterity check.
You may move 15 feet. This movement does not suffer penalties for difficult terrain.
You lose all un-expended Tally tokens whenever you finish a long or short rest.
War's Tempo
Starting at level 3, you are able to direct your ally's strikes to the most vulnerable point of your enemies. When an ally within 30 feet of you that can hear you makes an attack roll against a creature you can see, you may use your reaction to add 1d6 to your ally's attack roll. You must use this ability before discovering if your ally hit or missed.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). You regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
Path of Slaughter
Starting at level 9, spilling the blood of your enemies invigorates you, and allows you to advance to your next field of slaughter that much faster. Whenever you reduce a creature's hit points to 0 with a melee weapon attack, you may immediately move up to 15 feet without provoking an opportunity attack. You may only move in this manner once per round.
Unsettling Grin
Starting at level 13, your facial expression gives warning to the dangerous beast that lays just behind your eyes. You have advantage on all intimidation rolls, and may add your Intelligence modifier to your roll whenever you use Intimidation to frighten a creature. Even when you are not trying to frighten anyone, your mere presence is enough to put others on guard.
Aspect of the Reaper
Starting at level 15, you exude an aura of supernatural horror that allows you to prey upon the weak who fall victim to it. Enemies who start their turn or move into a space within 15 feet of you for the first time on their turn must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier), becoming Frightened of you for 1 round on a failed saving throw. You add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls against creatures who are frightened of you.
“Survivors do not mourn together. They each mourn alone, even when in the same place. Grief is the most solitary of all feelings. Grief isolates, and every ritual, every gesture, every embrace, is a hopeless effort to break through that isolation.
None of it works. The forms crumble and dissolve.
To face death is to stand alone.”
-Toll the Hounds, Malazan Book of the Fallen
Not all beings are afraid of Death. For the broken, it is the final comfort, an end to all loss and pain. For others, it is a price to pay for glory and honor, a necessary sacrifice to make their mark on history, and a chance for immortality. But then there are those for whom Death and its heralds are masters, and they know the hollow promises of peace and immortality are but the dreams of a fool.
These are the individuals who form the ranks of the endless Legions, a collection of warriors, priests, mages and assassins that has served the natural order since time's dawning. While gods have come and gone, the Legion has endured, their soldiers serving to bring the ultimate balance to life's rampant growth by trimming it wherever it grows wild. Their loyalty belongs first and foremost to their cause, the gods of death that deign to lead them, and that greatest evil of all; Necessity. And oh, but has that banner soaked the earth in blood, time and time again.
Children of Grief The call of the Legionnaire is one that most will thankfully never hear, for it is a cry of desperation and utmost loss. Only those who are desperate for meaning, companionship or purpose would dare heed it's mournful cry, and yet for those broken souls this final position remains. The chance to serve Death, to bring about endings and to serve at the beck and call of the most terrible and necessary force of nature, is an offer for the forsaken. For some, this service is a final chance for redemption, for others, it is the last chance to make a mark on the world that will hopefully matter. Regardless of the reason, the soldiers of the Legion find new purpose, and a new cause to dedicate the rest of their life to.
Sworn to Death To join the ranks of the Legion is to swear an oath to Death itself. Whether it be at the behest and guidance of a patron deity, or a wordless offer from the indifferent universe itself, a Legionnaire must become beholden to the realms of the forgotten and its denizens. While this grants power, it is also a heavy cross to bear. No man should have to dream of the endless deaths of the companions who came before him, or know that the armor he dons is forged from the bones of Legionnaires who failed in their service. Only the strongest of minds can withstand this constant barrage, and the foolish swiftly fall to unyielding madness. But for the clever? Oh, for them every nightmare is a chance to learn, every success and failure a look into the weaknesses of their enemy, to train the focus required to land blows with perfect precision in the heart of combat and to actually discover the secrets of the world around them.
Because of this, it is known that to be a Legionnaire is to be counted among the most clever and learned people. For a stupid Legionnaire is one that will prove their helplessness and die far, far sooner than their companions.
Reaper of the Legion As part of the pact made with the powers beyond the veil, a Legionnaire agrees to gather to them fragments of the souls of those that they kill. For gods and other lieutenants of death, this gives a tally to tell them how useful their tool was in life, and thus allows them to grant an appropriate award once the Legionnaire's time in the world is done. However, for the Legionnaire, this holds a far more somber and, sometimes, humbling meaning. For every soul demands that it be complete when it crosses into the next world, and when their reaper dies, these souls gather for one last judgement of their slayer.
For every innocent slain and every unjust act shall the Legionnaire be held personally accountable, every act of valor and mercy shall they be lauded, and every mistake and failure made known. And the dead who bestow this judgement shall hold nothing back. After all, why should they? They are already dead, what reward or punishment could be delivered that is greater than one final swell of joy, or a blow of utmost regret and sorrow? The dead have no reason to lie, not to themselves or to any other, and so heroism will be rewarded by the villains, while villainy is damned by the heroes. Such is the irony of life and death.
Not every Legionnaire knows that this is their fate once they pass beyond the gates of the dead, and not every one cares. While many strive to be heroes, to serve the will of their gods and to do what is right, there are almost just as many, if not more, who are driven mad with their authority, and so think that they are beyond the judgement of those that they slay. To these individuals there is one final retribution, for the universe does not care what they or their gods might say, those who serve the Legion must face their final judgement, and suffer justice one last time.
In the end, one can only hope that they do not fill the abyss with their list of crimes.
LevelProficiencyFeatureBone ArmorBone Blade Enhancement Bonus
1+2Bone Armor (2/day), Bone Blade+2--
2+2Fighting Style, War Trance+2—
3+2Sworn Legion feature+2—
4+2Ability Score Increase+2—
5+3Bone Armor (3/day), Extra Attack+2—
6+3Runed bone+2+1
7+3Retaliatory Strike+2+1
8+3Ability Score increase+2+1
9+4Bone Armor (4/day), Graven Tutors, Sworn Legion feature+2+1
10+4Intellect Fortress+3+1
11+4Reaper’s Implement (int)+3+2
12+4Ability Score increase+3+2
13+5Bone armor (5/day), Sworn Legion feature+3+2
14+5Haunted Sight+3+2
15+5Sworn Legion feature+3+2
16+5Ability Score increase+3+3
17+6Bone Armor (6/day), Reaper’s Implement (2xInt)+4+3
18+6Graven Tutors, Imbued Bone+4+3
19+6Ability Score Increase+4+3
20+6Bone Armor (Unlimited), Reaper’s Gale+4+3
Building a Legionnaire
Legionnaires are the soldiers of Death itself, and as such they are often a humorless, broken or otherwise less-than-mortal bunch when compared to their adventuring companions. Despite this they still are living beings, and while even their mere presence can be unsettling to normal mortals, they do still feel, have motivations and goals, and quite possibly have dreams beyond the duty and powers to which they have sworn themselves.
Think about what kinds of quirks having sworn yourself to the service of a God of Death (or to the phenomena of Death itself) could have on your character. Perhaps you are a fatalist, always expecting the next fight to be your last. Perhaps your laughter is hollow, joyless, the mirth never lighting up your eyes. Perhaps you never take prisoners, your duty to reap a terrible toll having killed mercy in your heart long ago. Or on the other hand, the knowledge of life's worth brings you to tears whenever you are finally forced to shed blood. Whatever you come up with, keep it in mind while you role-play your character.
Quick build
Legionnaires are powerful and talented warriors who's talents harden their bodies and minds. First, make either Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence and thirdly Constitution. Finally, choose the Soldier background.
Class features
As a Legionnaire you gain the following class features.
Hit points
Hit dice: 1d10 per Legionnaire level.
Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at higher levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Legionnaire level after 1st
Proficiency
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor and shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, battleaxe, longsword, morning star, rapier, war hammer
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose any three from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, History, Medicine, Perception, Religion, Stealth, Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment provided by your background:
(a) Scale mail or (b) leather armor and a shortbow and 20 arrows
(a) A one-handed martial melee weapon and shield or (b) Two martial one-handed melee weapons
(a) A Dungeoneer's pack or (b) an Explorer's pack
4 daggers and a set of dice (knucklebones)
Alternately, you may start the game with 5d4x10 gold, in addition to the equipment provided by your background.
Multi-classing
To multi-class as a Legionnaire, you must have a minimum of 13 Strength or Dexterity, and you must have a minimum of 13 Intelligence.
Bone Armor
Starting at level 1, you are able to manifest a layer of chitin above your more mundane armor, providing you with a flexible layer of protection. You may don this carapace as a bonus action and it lasts for 1 minute. While your bone armor is active you gain a +2 bonus to your armor class and the whisper of spirits imbued in the bone gives you advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom checks. This bonus to your armor class increases as you level up, to +3 at level 10 and +4 at level 17.
You may use this ability twice, gaining an additional uses of this ability at levels 5, 9, 13, 17 and then 20 (where it becomes unlimited uses). You regain all expended uses after completing a long rest.
Bone Blade
Beginning at level 1, you are able to manifest a razor-sharp growth of bone that takes the shape of a weapon or claws. As an object interaction you may create your bone blade, choosing whether you manifest it as a 1-handed finesse melee weapon with a d8 damage die, or as a 2-handed heavy weapon with a 2d6 damage die. You choose whether your bone blade deals slashing or piercing damage when you manifest it. Regardless of which form you use, your bone blade has a reach of 5 feet. You are proficient with this weapon.
If you are attuned to a magical weapon, (such as, for example, a Firebrand,) your bone blade gains all magical properties that are part of that magical weapon, as long as those properties do not recharge at a time of day or night, on a long or short rest, or add to the weapon's attack or damage bonuses. These are in addition to the enchantment bonuses your Bone Blade will eventually gain. If you are attuned to multiple weapons, you choose one weapon for your bone blade to gain the properties of each time you manifest it. If you ever lose attunement to a weapon, your bone blade also loses all of the properties of that attuned weapon.
You may dismiss your bone blade as a free action, and it crumbles into dust if you ever let go of it. You may only have one bone blade at a time.
Fighting Style
Starting at level 2 you gain access to a fighting style. Choose one of the fighting styles to learn from the options below. Once made this choice cannot be changed, and an option already taken cannot be selected again even if another source gives you access to the same fighting style:
Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting: When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding in two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
War Trance
Starting at level 2, you are able to enter a state of absolute focus, momentarily allowing you to land your strikes with uncanny accuracy. As a bonus action you may gain advantage on melee attack rolls until the beginning of your next turn.
Sworn Legion
Also at level 3 you select the Legion that you belong to, denoting your motivations and specialization. You can choose from any of the legions denoted at the end of this class. You gain additional features at levels 9, 13 and 15.
Ability Score increase
When you reach level 4, and then again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can choose one ability score to increase by 2, or two ability scores to increase by 1. This feature may not increase an ability score above 20.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 5, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Runed Bone
Starting at level 6, small runes of magic can be seen grafted on your weapons of bone. Your bone blade becomes magical and you gain a +1 bonus to your attack and damage rolls with it.
This bonus increases as you level up, becoming +2 at level 11 and +3 at level 16.
Retaliatory Strike
Starting at level 7 you are adept at taking advantage of any opening your enemies give to you, even if it puts you at risk. Whenever an enemy in your weapon’s reach misses you with an attack, you may use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against them.
Graven Tutors
Starting at level 9, the spirits that you have reaped and bound to yourself begin to grant you insights into the nature of the world. You gain proficiency in one skill and two languages of your choice.
You gain proficiency in one additional skill and two additional languages at level 18.
Intellect Fortress
Beginning at level 10 you may add your Intelligence modifier (minimum +0) to all of your Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. This does mean you add your Intelligence modifier to any Intelligence saving throw you make twice.
Reaper’s Implement
Beginning at level 11, your bone blade begins to carry the essence of the veil in its edge, making it even more deadly to your foes. You may change the weapon damage of any attack you make with your Bone Blade into necrotic or radiant instead of its normal physical damage type, and you also increase any damage your blade does by your Intelligence modifier (minimum +0).
At level 17 you add double your Intelligence modifier to your bone blade’s damage instead.
Haunted Sight
Starting at level 14, your bone armor grants you enhanced sight as the spirits of those you have "collected" are used to see for you. Whenever you use your Bone Armor class feature, you gain Blindsight out to 10 feet.
Additionally, as a one minute long action, you may study a creature and discover up to three facts about it from the following list:
Is its CR higher or lower than your level?
Is it at full health, bloodied (1/2 max hp or less) or near death (1/4 max hp or less)?
What damage vulnerabilities does it have?
What damage resistances and immunities does it have?
How many years does it have until it dies of natural causes?
Is it diseased or poisoned, and if so what is the disease or poison?
Does the creature regenerate, and if so how is that regeneration overcome?
Is it possessed or was it possessed in the last year?
Imbued Bone
Starting at level 18, your bone armor wards you from the magic of your foes. Whenever you use your Bone Armor class feature, you gain resistance to damage from spells and magical sources (such as dragon breath weapons, beholder eye beams, magical ever-burning fire, etc).
If you are targeted by or within the area of effect for a spell, you may use your reaction to gain advantage on your saving throw against that spell. You may use this part of this class feature with or without your bone armor active.
Reaper’s Gale
Upon reaching level 20, you become a walking monument to death itself. Whenever one of your attacks kills a creature, you may make an additional attack with any of your equipped weapons and regain 2d6 lost hit points. You may gain any number of attacks from this ability.
The Bonehunters are a group of voluntary legionnaires. They are professional warriors who have sworn themselves to the deathly powers to give them abilities to hunt the living dead in all of their incarnations. Fearless, resilient to necromantic energies and tireless in their duty, this Legion calls only to those who would cleanse the world of the immortal and the unnatural, giving them a home and allies for as long as they serve. The bonehunters train their own in how to harness the weapons and power of death, creating true masters of their deadly art
LevelFeature
3Bone Smith, Mark for Death
9Embraced Mortality
13Withstand Death
15An End to Eternity
Bone Smith
Starting at level 3, you enhance the bonuses that your bone equipment gives to you. When you manifest your Bone Blade or Bone Armor, you gain the following bonuses:
When you manifest your Bone Blade, you may make it more deadly. Any 1-handed finesse blade you manifest uses a 1d10 damage die, while any 2-handed heavy blade you manifest uses a 2d8 damage die.
When you manifest your Bone Armor, you may gain resistance against one damage type of your choice. This resistance lasts until your armor's duration expires, or until you choose to manifest your armor again, whichever comes first.
Mark for Death
Also starting at level 3, you may choose a creature within 60 feet that you can see to become Marked for Death as a bonus action. Until the marked creature dies or the end of your next long or short rest, you have advantage on opportunity attacks against this creature, this creature cannot use the Disengage action, and if you make an opportunity attack against this creature you regain the use of your Reaction at the end of their turn.
After using this ability, you cannot use it again until your target dies or until you finish a long or short rest.
Grim Idol
From level 9, your armored visage represents the finality of all things, and strips away the fear of death from you and your allies. While your bone armor is active you and allies within 10 feet of you who can see you are immune to the Frightened condition.
Withstand Death
Starting at level 13, your chosen profession and exposure to necrotic energies have given you unparalleled resilience to the attacks of your quarry. You gain immunity to Necrotic and Poison damage, and you are immune to the Poisoned condition and all diseases.
An End to Eternity
Starting at level 15, your strikes disrupt the lives of even immortal creatures. Melee weapon attacks you make ignore all damage resistances and immunities a creature might have, and any creature you damage with a melee weapon attack cannot be healed by any means for one round. If you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you entrap a large fragment of their soul within yourself. Until you are slain or you relinquish this fragment, the creature cannot be resurrected by any spell other than Wish or natural reincarnation. Creatures such as a Vampire or Lich that resurrect themselves after being slain still reform as normal, but cannot use legendary actions until you relinquish the fragment you stole from them. Upon your death, all fragments gathered to you by this ability are relinquished.
Gods and other beings of their level are immune to this ability.
In their last, dying moments, some muderers, necromancers and their ilk are given an offer to atone, to divert their rightful punishment for faithful service. These are the souls assigned to the Punitive legion. A desperate, often unwilling, soldier corp, the members of the Punitive legion struggle like one with a sword of Damocles above their neck, refusing to fail and refusing to break, for dying before their task is accomplished is a failure of their vows, and the punishment awaiting them will not be diverted a second time. With such motivation, and no escape from their service possible, the Deathly Powers often abuse their authority over these poor souls, knowing that no matter what, their pawn must at least attempt the task, even if it proves impossible.
LevelFeature
3Arisen, Risen Resilience
9Unyielding
13Requiem
15Desperate Resolve
Arisen
Starting at level 3, your brush with death has given you reflexive resilience to being put down for any amount of time. You must only spend 5 feet of movement to stand up from being prone. Additionally, the first time you are reduced to 0 hit points by any source but you are not killed out-right, you may expend one of your unspent hit dice as if you had just finished a short rest and regain hit points equal to the amount rolled.
You must complete a long rest before you can expend a hit die in this manner again.
Risen Resilience
Dying once has inured you to the whole experience. Also starting at level 3, you increase your maximum hit points by 1 for every Legionnaire level you possess. You also regain 2 additional hit points each time a source would cause you to heal or regain hit points.
Unyielding
Starting at level 9, the pressure of your penance gives you resilience to effects that would sway your mind. You gain immunity to the Frightened and Charmed conditions.
Requiem
Starting at level 13, you are able to take on the appearance of one who is already dead. As a 10 minute ritual, you re-open the mortal wound that caused you to make the pact with death in the first place, and you become still and seemingly lifeless. You can remain in this state for a month. You are conscious the entire time, aware of the area 60 feet around you but are blind and deaf beyond that, do not need to eat, sleep or breathe, and do not take damage if your body comes to harm from any source short of disintegration. After concentrating for a minute you can repair all damage that was dealt to your body, regaining all lost limbs and flesh, reverting all rot, and awakening at full hit points.
You must finish a long rest after awakening from this state before you can use Requiem again.
Desperate Resolve
Starting at level 15, your desperate drive to accomplish your goal hardens you to your mounting injuries, and makes you far heartier in the thick of combat. At the beginning of your turn if you have at least 1 hit point, but fewer hit points than your maximum, you may use your reaction to regain a number of hit points equal to 5 + your Intelligence modifier. You may only use this ability if there is a hostile creature that is not incapacitated or dead within 60 feet of you.
The legion of the Tallyman have one goal, and one goal alone; To reap the souls of the living. Whether they serve a good and just cause, or merely serve the Deathly Powers for the joy of the slaughter, a Tallyman has sworn their service in exchange for power, and the price for that power is the lives of others. Ultimately, the concept of mercy has been forgotten by the Tallyman, making them one of the most brutal and cold of all of the legions. Is it any wonder that this legion calls to so many madmen?
LevelFeature
3War's Tempo
9Path of Slaughter
13Unsettling Grin
15Aspect of the Reaper
Frenzied Tally
Whenever you kill a creature with a melee attack and do not have a Tally token, you may choose to gain a Tally token. You may expend this token in one of the following ways:
You may add 1d8 to one damage roll.
You may gain advantage on one Strength or Dexterity check.
You may move 15 feet. This movement does not suffer penalties for difficult terrain.
You lose all un-expended Tally tokens whenever you finish a long or short rest.
War's Tempo
Starting at level 3, you are able to direct your ally's strikes to the most vulnerable point of your enemies. When an ally within 30 feet of you that can hear you makes an attack roll against a creature you can see, you may use your reaction to add 1d6 to your ally's attack roll. You must use this ability before discovering if your ally hit or missed.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). You regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
Path of Slaughter
Starting at level 9, spilling the blood of your enemies invigorates you, and allows you to advance to your next field of slaughter that much faster. Whenever you reduce a creature's hit points to 0 with a melee weapon attack, you may immediately move up to 15 feet without provoking an opportunity attack. You may only move in this manner once per round.
Unsettling Grin
Starting at level 13, your facial expression gives warning to the dangerous beast that lays just behind your eyes. You have advantage on all intimidation rolls, and may add your Intelligence modifier to your roll whenever you use Intimidation to frighten a creature. Even when you are not trying to frighten anyone, your mere presence is enough to put others on guard.
Aspect of the Reaper
Starting at level 15, you exude an aura of supernatural horror that allows you to prey upon the weak who fall victim to it. Enemies who start their turn or move into a space within 15 feet of you for the first time on their turn must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier), becoming Frightened of you for 1 round on a failed saving throw. You add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls against creatures who are frightened of you.