PDA

View Full Version : Contest D&D Subclass Contest IV: I Read This in a Book, Once



MoleMage
2018-10-01, 12:01 PM
It's time for our next subclass contest! Subclass Contest IV: I Read This in a Book, Once


The class must fit the theme of the contest. For our fourth contest, the theme is other media. Your subclass must be inspired by or based on a character, profession, system of magic, combat style, or other form from another media source. TV shows, movies, music, other RPGs, video games, board games, comics, and last but definitely not least, books are all valid sources, and if you have another form of media you'd like to use that's okay too. This contest does carry a special rule: you must give credit to the source that inspired your subclass. Tell us where your subclass hails from originally. Other than that, anything is fair. Want to make Channelers from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time? What about mutants from the X-men comics and movies? Maybe you think MacGyver or Captain Picard need to step out of the TV and onto your character sheets? Do it!
Your class must be posted in this thread. If you wish, you can use external formatting, such as Google Docs or Homebrewery, though I recommend sharing it as a PDF to ensure that it works on most computers.
You may only create one subclass, which must follow the normal progression for the class it belongs to. Please specify what class it is for. You can use any base class published in official material (including the Unearthed Arcana posts), or any existing homebrew class (don't make a whole base class just for your submission). If you are going to use a homebrew base class, make sure you get permission from its original creator and post a link so we know where to find it! Failure to get permission will be grounds for disqualification.
Until the contest is finished, do not post your subclass anywhere else. If you are found to have done so, that subclass will be disqualified (though you will be allowed to post a new one if you wish, within reason).
Your subclass must be complete by 11:59 PM Central Standard Time on Sunday October 28. After that, I will put up a voting thread. Any submissions or edits after that point will be considered invalid.
Have fun, be respectful.

Vogie
2018-10-01, 12:46 PM
That basically describes nearly all of my homebrew... so I'll just post the one I was working on most recently - a Barbarian Archetype based on the League of Legends Champion, Singed!

Path of the Mad Chemist

For some barbarians, rage is a derangement of normally intelligent individuals—channeling their own madness into chemical weaponry. The Path of the Mad Chemist is a path of sharing the madness to others on the battlefield. Mad Chemists use alchemical tools to share the pain with those in the battlefield through spewing poison or releasing toxic insects.

https://art-of-lol.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/4AE-736x1030.jpg

Empowered Bulwark
Starting at 3rd level, When you are wielding a shield in one hand and either a light weapon or no other weapons, you can treat the shield as a light melee weapon dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage + your Strength modifier on a hit. You are proficient in using your shield as a weapon in this way.

Trailing Cloud
Staring when you choose this path at 3rd level, you also choose between a chemical tank or hive. You gain this object, and wear it on your back, regardless of the armor you wear. It does not take up an equipment slot. When you rage, you begin releasing a cloud around or behind you, based on the choice made.

Chemical Tank: You release a poison cloud that assault all hostile creatures. Those creatures must succeed on a constitution saving throw or take 1d12 poison damage. This damage increases by 1d12 with you reach 5th, 11th, and 17th level. This cloud that lingers until the end of your next turn in each of the 5ft squares you had stood in or traveled through.
Hive: You release a cloud of insects that assault all hostile creatures. Those creatures take poison damage equal to your proficiency bonus and must succeed a Constitution Saving throw, or move 5 ft in a random direction, if it can move and it's speed is at least 5 feet. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks by creatures other than you. This cloud spreads and acts as a 5 ft aura.
Only creatures that enter the area or start their turn in the area are effected by the cloud. The DC for these Saving throws equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence Modifier

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-Cj4w7sjXFPBS8keiX_vxrftlHg=/0x0:1215x717/920x613/filters:focal(717x110:911x304):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56620819/Singed_Splash_9.1505151287.jpg

Fling
Starting at 6th level, when you use Reckless attack feature while raging, you also gain advantage on making a grapple attack. If the grappled creature is Large or smaller, you may choose to have your next melee attack this turn a special attack to throw a creature grappled by you 10 feet in any direction. If you throw the creature behind you, it automatically is hit by your Trailing Cloud ability, and makes saving throws at disadvantage until the beginning of it's next turn. You can successfully throw a creature in this way up to once per rage.

Adhesive Bomb
Starting at 10th level, you can create and toss an adhesive bomb. This bomb can be thrown, as an attack, to a point within a 40 ft, and otherwise acts as the spell grease. You regain the use of this feature after a short or long rest


Insanity Potion
At 14th level, You can consume a potion that drives you insane when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you gain the following:
You may use your Fling feature an additional time during the duration.
You gain a number of temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns. The number equals half your barbarian level. When the Rage ends, you lose any temporary hit points you gained from it.
The damage of trailing cloud feature is increased by your intelligence modifier.
You have disadvantage on Constitution, intelligence and charisma saving throws.
You regain the use of this feature when you finish a long rest.

pygmybatrider
2018-10-01, 07:42 PM
Fighter Martial Archetype: The Bulwark
A subclass designed to be an effective user of thrown weapons while providing offensive and defensive bonuses for a ranged ally. Based on Telamonian Ajax from Homer's Iliad and his unique method of coordinated fighting with his half-brother, the legendary archer Teucer.

Homebrewery link: http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/r1Ssbp-om


https://i.imgur.com/Si7M4IA.jpg
The Bulwark
Fighters of great renown are often associated with particular places, taking titles and honorifics from battlefields where they won decisive military victories, the lands they have conquered, or cities they have defended. Bulwark is a title bestowed upon a fighter - by a town, a city, or a group of people - who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their protection. Bulwarks are defensive giants, using sword, javelin and shield in equal measure to ward away blows while offering tactical advantage to their allies.

Tower Shield
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your mastery over your shield allows you to use it protect your allies as well as yourself.

You can confer three-quarters cover to one willing creature within 5 feet of you. This cover is ignored by enemies who are within 5 feet of the creature to whom you are conferring cover.


Mighty Throw
Beginning at 3rd level, you can add your brutal power to your attacks with thrown weapons. You gain the following benefits while making a ranged weapon attack with a weapon that has the thrown property:


You can double the normal and longe ranges of weapons with the thrown property.
Before you make a ranged weapon attack with a weapon with the thrown property that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage.




Steadying Influence
Beginning at 7th level, you emanate an aura of confidence. Any creature to which you are conferring cover can make the first ranged spell or weapon attack roll on each of its turns with advantage.

Mobile Cover
Beginning at 10th level, you can coordinate your movement with your allies as you shield them from attacks. Whenever a creature to which you are conferring cover moves on their turn, you can use your reaction to move with them, up to a maximum distance equal to half your speed.

Immovable Object
Beginning at 15th level, you cannot be shoved or knocked prone.

Aristeia
Beginning at 18th level, you can mark a moment in time as an opportunity to display your excellence in battle.

You can activate this feature using an action. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:


You and any creature to which you are conferring cover gain temporary hit points equal to your Strength modifier at the beginning of each of your turns.
You gain advantage on all attack rolls made against a creature that has taken damage from a creature to which you confer cover in the previous round.
Once per turn, you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage done by one of your thrown weapon attacks.


Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

gloryblaze
2018-10-02, 12:54 AM
Otherworldly Patron: The Heart of the Cards (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!)
You've dedicated your life to card games. Some would call you a compulsive gambler, but you believe there's more to cards than just luck - you deal the cards as a meditation, looking for their true meaning: the sacred geometry of chance, the hidden law of a probable outcome. You know when to hold 'em and you know when to fold 'em. You know that the cards will never do you wrong. As a result of your dedication to card games, you've been blessed by the inscrutable supernatural force referred to in hushed whispers by dedicated card sharks as "the heart of the cards" - you're able to channel your magic through playing cards of any variety, and you know that you'll always be able to topdeck the perfect card for any situation.

Expanded Spell List:


Spell Level
Spells


1st
bane, bless


2nd
augury, detect thoughts


3rd
bestow curse, conjure animals


4th
conjure minor elementals, conjure woodland beings


5th
Bigby's hand, conjure elemental




Card Shark:
At 1st level, you've mastered all of the mundane secrets and techniques that a deck of cards has to offer, from second dealing to double lifting to false cutting. You gain proficiency with the playing card set and Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks.

Spell Cards:
At 1st level, you carry a deck of playing cards that depict the spells you know. Create a physical deck of different playing cards, choosing one to represent each spell that you know with a casting time of one action (for example, you might say that the ace of spades represents armor of Agathys and the two of spades represents arms of Hadar). Each time you learn a new warlock spell of 5th level or lower with a casting time of one action, choose a new playing card to represent that spell and add it to your spell card deck. As a bonus action on your turn, you can draw one card from your spell card deck and add it to your hand. You can have up to five cards in your hand at any time. If you have five cards in your hand, you cannot draw a new card until you play a card from your hand. As an action on your turn, you can play a spell card from your hand to cast the spell it represents at its lowest level without spending a spell slot. Do not return played spell cards to your hand or spell card deck. Once you have played a number of spell cards representing spells whose combined level is equal to your Charisma modifier or your Warlock level (whichever is lower), you may not play any more spell cards until you finish a long rest. When you do finish a long rest, shuffle all cards in your hand and all played cards back into your spell card deck.

Monster Card:
Starting at 6th level, you have mastered the art of conjuring creatures to fight for you using your spell cards. If you cast conjure animals, conjure woodland beings, danse macabre, summon greater demon, or summon lesser demons using a spell card, it counts as a spell of one level lower for the purposes of your spell card limit. If you know any of the spells conjure elemental, conjure minor elementals, or infernal calling as warlock spells, you can add them to your spell card deck as spell cards and cast them using your Spell Cards feature as though they had a casting time of one action. They retain their normal casting times when cast with a spell slot.

Trap Card:
By 10th level, you have learned to use your spell cards responsively in order to confound and befuddle your foes. When you finish a long rest, you can select a number of spell cards equal to your Charisma modifier and designate them as trap cards until the end of your next long rest. When you designate a card as a trap card, you can choose a trigger in response to which you can activate the trap card. If the trigger occurs while the trap card is in your hand, you can use your reaction to cast the spell on the trap card as per your Spell Cards feature. For example, you might create a trap card containing the spell Bigby's hand with a trigger of "when I am targeted by a ranged attack", so that you can use the Interposing Hand effect to grant yourself cover. You cannot cast the spell on a trap card using your Spell Cards feature except in response to the designated trigger, but you can cast it using a spell slot as normal.

Destiny Draw:
When you reach 14th level, your belief in the heart of the cards becomes so powerful that you are able to draw the precise card you need in the most critical of moments. As an action, you can look through all of your spell cards (both from your hand and your deck) and choose one. You immediately cast that spell as if from a 6th level spell slot. This does not expend a spell slot or a use of your Mystic Arcanum feature, nor does it count against your spell card limit. After your destiny draw, shuffle all cards from your hand and all played cards back into your spell card deck. You may not use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

nickl_2000
2018-10-02, 07:27 AM
So this is based on media, although a song/play instead of a book. Either way, I bring you the Pinball Wizard

This is a wizard arcane tradition based on the song/play/rock opera,Pinball Wizard from The Who's Tommy. The defining feature of the class is that when you miss with a spell, you get another chance to use it again.


Personal Google Drive PDF - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1H8shL-rvpC2u0d6UiERbZVx6ahKgBS_i
Homebrewry Link - http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/BJ-BngVp_m

MoleMage
2018-10-08, 09:10 PM
For my inspiration, I have chosen none other than that most creepy of questgivers, the Happy Mask Salesman, especially the version from Majora's Mask (with assorted other mask effects thrown in for effect). Enjoy!

Otherworldly Patron: Master of Masks
You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you.

Stories abound of a strange worldhopper, who carries an enormous pack upon his back hung with a great number of all-too-realistic masks. Warlocks who pledge themselves to his service learn to capture the very essence of fallen foes in magic masks to borrow of their power. Eventually, their use of this power will lead them to become just like their patron...whether they wish it or not.

Master of Masks Expanded Spells


Spell Level
Spells


1
False Life, Hideous Laughter


2
Arcanist's Magic Aura, Gentle Repose


3
Bestow Curse, Speak with Dead


4
Polymorph, Hallucinatory Terrain


5
Geas, Legend Lore



Maker of Masks
The most important skill for a future Happy Mask Salesman is the making of masks of surpassing realism. You can hold a number of Masks equal to the your Pact Magic spell slot level plus your Charisma bonus. In order to create a mask, you must reduce a creature to 0 hit points, then use your Reaction to capture their essence. The Mask's Essence can be one of the following types (the GM will choose the one most appropriate to the fallen creature): Sagely, Brutish, Cunning, Sorrowful, or Swift.

You can don a Mask each time you complete a short or a long rest. Doing so replaces your previous Mask, if you are wearing one. While you wear a mask, you gain proficiency in one of its related skills (chosen each time you don the mask). If you already have proficiency in that skill, you instead add double your proficiency modifier to checks using that skill.


Sagely: History or Medicine
Brutish: Athletics or Intimidate
Cunning: Investigate or Deception
Sorrowful: Insight or Animal Handling
Swift: Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand



Empty Face
Behind the mask you wear is nothing but an empty soulless vessel. Beginning at 6th level when you make a saving throw or are targeted by an attack, you can use your Reaction to shatter the Mask you are currently wearing. If you do so, the Mask is destroyed and you ignore the source of the saving throw or attack. When a Mask is destroyed in this way, you cannot reclaim it and lose any benefits it grants you. You cannot use this feature again until you don a new mask following a short or a long rest.

Masksoul
At 10th level, your constant wearing of other creatures’ essence allows you to mingle your souls to theirs. While wearing a mask, you gain resistance to two types of damage depending on the type of mask you wear.


Sagely: Psychic and Piercing
Brutish: Slashing and Fire
Cunning: Lightning and Poison
Sorrowful: Bludgeoning and Necrotic
Swift: Thunder and Cold



Whenever you change your mask following a short or a long rest, your damage resistances similarly change to that of your new mask.

Perfected Masks

At 14th level your Masks let you borrow certain physical features of the creatures you borrow them from. Each time you don a Mask, you may choose one of the following options and gain that feature until you change Masks.


Sagely: +1 to spell attacks OR cantrips deal +1 damage
Brutish: Proficient in Martial Weapons OR proficient in Medium Armor and Shields
Cunning: +1 to spell save DCs OR expertise in two skills which you are proficient in
Sorrowful: Darkvision 120ft OR +1 to saving throws
Swift: Move speed increases by 10 feet OR +1 to weapon attack rolls



New Invocations
Masks of Forms
Prerequisite: Mask of Many Faces, Maker of Masks Patron

Whenever you use magic to disguise or change your form (such as with disguise self or alter self), you can choose to take the form of a perfect replica of one of your masks, provided that mask’s form could be assumed with the spell. You have advantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks to convince others you are that individual. Additionally, all magic recognizes you as that creature, detecting your race, thoughts, alignment, and any other feature as though you were them.

Fierce Deity’s Mask
Prerequiste: level 12, Maker of Masks Patron

You have found an impossible mask, containing the essence of an angry warrior god (known as the Fierce Deity's Mask). You learn the spell Tenser's transformation and may cast it once without consuming a spell slot. You regain the ability to do so whenever you complete a long rest.

You must have the Fierce Deity's Mask in your possession in order to use this feature. It does not count as one of your masks for the purposes of your Maker of Masks features.

Majora’s Curse
Prerequisite: 5th level, Maker of Masks Patron

You have found an impossible mask, containing the very essence of a cursed land (known as Majora's Mask). You can cast the hex spell once as a 1st level spell without consuming a spell slot. If you do, you do not need to concentrate on that spell. You regain the use of this feature whenever you complete a long rest.

You must have Majora's Mask in your possession in order to use this invocation. It does not count as one of your masks for the purposes of your Maker of Masks features.

Ninja_Prawn
2018-10-13, 03:10 PM
Martial Archetype: Final Hero
A tribute to Final Fantasy, especially VII, VIII, X and XIII

You are the chosen one of destiny, the unlikely champion with the tragic backstory who will one day save the world. Armed with a fantastical sword, industrial-strength hair gel, a motley band of allies and a magitech airship, you are perfectly equipped to grind down legions of monsters, collect 100% of all the loot in existence and finally beat that one really tough boss. Seriously, what is with that jerk?

Unreasonably Large Weapons
At 3rd level, Any melee weapon you wield gains the reach property if it does not already have it. Additionally, you can ignore the heavy property of weapons.

Crisis Mode
Also at 3rd level, you are able to bring out hidden powers when you are badly injured. If your current hit points are less than half of your maximum hit points, your base movement speed increases by 5 feet and once per turn you can add your proficiency bonus to a single weapon damage roll.

Hero's Angst
By the time you reach 7th level, your angst has become a force to be reckoned with. No one can ever truly understand you or the burdens you bear. Consequently, your thoughts cannot be read by any means, including magic or telepathy, unless you allow it.

The Truth Revealed
At 10th level, a dramatic plot twist gives you new purpose and boosts your determination, just when all hope seemed lost. You can ignore the effect of exhaustion up to level 5, suffering no ill effects until that point.

Limit Break
By 15th level, you learn the ultimate technique that allows you to break through all limits and deal incredible amounts of damage. When you use your Action Surge, you can choose to deploy your limit break, thus gaining two additional actions instead of one.
Once you have performed a limit break, you must complete a long rest before you can do so again (you can perform additional, non-limit-breaking Action Surges as normal).

Chosen One
When you reach 18th level, you are finally ready to fulfill your destiny and become a true legend. Chose any one ability score. Your maximum for that score is now 22.


Changelog: 14/10/2018: Crisis Mode adds prof bonus not Cha mod, Limit Break 1/long rest.
15/10/2018: Limit Break no longer gives extra bonus action.
17/10/2018: Limit Break deployment is optional when using Action Surge.

SleeplessWriter
2018-10-20, 08:40 AM
Combat Medic
The inspiration for this fighter subclass was at least partially Bones from Star Trek, but I also wanted it to be able to be used for any mundane medic who could still throw a punch, which isn’t really supported in D&D very well.

Combat Medicine: when you choose this archetype at third level you gain proficiency with the medical skill and the herbalism kit, if you are already proficient with these you instead add double your proficiency bonus to checks made for them.
Combat Superiority: You start with four superiority dice, which are d8s, and you expend one whenever you use a maneuver. You regain them all when you finish a short or long rest.
You have three special maneuvers that you can use by expending a superiority die.

Rough Healer: If you make an attack you may expend one superiority die to replace it with an attempt to heal the target if they are within 5ft. Roll the die and add your wisdom modifier to the roll to heal the target.
Imposing Defender: As a bonus action you may expend a superiority die to assume a defensive stance to protect your allies. Enemies have disadvantage on attack rolls against all allies within 5ft of you until the end of your next turn. You may also roll your superiority die and add the number rolled to your AC or to that of an incapacitated ally within 5ft.
Staunch the Bleeding: If an unconscious ally within 5ft of you rolls a saving throw you may expend a superiority die as a reaction to add that number to their roll.
You gain another superiority die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.
Reckless Rush: At 7th level when one of your allies falls unconscious as a reaction you can move up to your speed towards that ally and make a single attack. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of once) and you regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
Improved Combat Superiority: At 10th level, your superiority dice turn into d10s. At 18th level, they turn into d12s.
Relentless: Starting at 15th level, when you roll initiative and have no superiority dice remaining, you regain one superiority die.

Ivellius
2018-10-28, 07:46 PM
Gluttony Domain
Hunger is a powerful motivator, and some otherworldy entities encourage their followers to consume all they can. Divinities who might offer this domain include Tahm Kench, the River King; Doresain, the King of Ghouls; or Malar, the Beastlo

Gluttony Domain Spells
• 1st – goodberry, purify food and drink
• 3rd – enlarge/reduce (enlarge only), protection from poison
• 5th – create food and water, hunger of Hadar
• 7th – control water, resilient sphere
• 9th – animate objects, creation

Gastronome
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor and your choice of brewer’s supplies or cook’s utensils. If you already have proficiency with that tool, you can add double your proficiency modifier to checks made with that tool instead.

Acquired Taste
Also at 1st level, you can strike more swiftly when you spill a foe’s blood. After you make a successful melee attack on your turn, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Channel Divinity: Engulf
At 2nd level, you can channel divine energy to swallow a nearby creature, temporarily sending them to a divine demiplane. As an action, you expend your Channel Divinity and choose a Medium or smaller creature that you can see within 10 feet of you. You swallow the creature and protect it from harm, preventing any ongoing damage from affecting it and stabilizing it if it is dying for 1 round. On your next turn, you must choose an adjacent empty space to which you return the engulfed creature. If there is no available space, the creature appears in your square, causing you to take 4d10 force damage and knocking both of you prone. If the creature is an enemy, it must also make a Charisma saving throw against your cleric spell save DC when it reappears. On a failure, it takes psychic damage equal to 2d10 + your cleric level (half if it succeeds).

Channel Divinity: Healthy Eating
At 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity after finishing a short or long rest to provide temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier to up to 10 creatures who spent the short rest with you, including yourself. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour. Additionally, a creature who spent Hit Dice to recover health during this rest regains additional hit points equal to its Constitution modifier.

Divine Strike
At 8th level, once on each of your turns you can infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy, causing the attack to deal an extra 1d8 necrotic or poison damage. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Pinnacle of Corpulence
At 17th level, you gain resistance to cold, necrotic, and poison damage. As a bonus action if you have not moved on your turn, you can channel divine energy into the ground, giving yourself advantage on saving throws against effects that would move you from your position and resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage for 1 turn. Your speed also reduces to 10 feet. You must be standing on solid ground to use this benefit.

MoleMage
2018-10-29, 07:52 AM
Time is up, pencils down!

Contest is closed and the voting thread is up!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?572472-D-amp-D-Subclass-Contest-IV-Voting-Thread&p=23469858#post23469858

Now go vote!