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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Zen Archer - a roguish archetype



Theodoxus
2018-05-17, 05:39 PM
Please help me balance this concept:

Rogue Archetype: Zen Archer [A ranged "swashbuckler"]3rd level:Unarmored Defense: Starting at 3rd level, while you are not wearing any armor and not wielding a shield, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

You also gain proficiency in Longbow and Heavy Crossbow.
3rd level:Distraction: Use a bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to distract an opponent within 60 feet that has no one adjacent to it, allowing you to sneak attack the target.
9th level:Zenlike Grace: Starting at 9th level, your speed increases by 5 feet and if you fall, you reduce the falling damage by 2 times your rogue level.
13th level:Arrow Catching: Starting at 13th level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier + your rogue level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch an arrow or bolt in this way, you can make a ranged attack with the piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction if you're wielding a bow or crossbow.
17th level:Zen Archery: At 17th level, you have mastered the way of the bow. Whenever you successfully deal sneak attack damage, you can make a second ranged attack, adding your Wisdom modifier to both hit and damage. On a successful hit, you can't use this ability again until you take a short or long rest.

GalacticAxekick
2018-05-17, 08:16 PM
I have to ask, why make this a rogue archetype instead of a monk way? It seems thematically in line with the monk and spends a few features just acquiring monk fundamentals.

Theodoxus
2018-05-17, 10:15 PM
The question was asked "how do you make a ranged swashbuckler". I figured, with Arcane Trickster going the Int route and Swashbuckler going the Cha route, why not build a Wis based rogue that was unique from Inquisitive, focusing on combat rather than exploration.

From there, it seemed a perfect meld of ideas - besides, with Kensai, there's really no need to recreate a monk version, outside of even more bow specialization...

Lalliman
2018-05-18, 03:00 AM
Aside from, as Axekick said, the initial confusion of this being a rogue archetype, this actually seems perfectly good, I like it. Distraction especially is a nice touch because it gives a reason to not Dash or Hide every single round, and thus takes you out of the extremely kite-y style that ranged rogues fall into. I do wonder if you could rename it to something more thematically appropriate. It's hard to imagine how you would distract someone who's 60 feet away. I might call it Curving Arrow if the Arcane Archer didn't already have that.