How to make a real world US Marine 0311: the Basic Rifleman Fighter Archetype

[sengmeng]

So myself and another veteran discussed the lack of support for how gunfights actually go in DnD, and we came up with this, a guy who uses real life tactics without having to change the rules for those who don't want to.

BASIC RIFLEMAN ARCHETYPE


TACTICAL MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING
When you take this subclass at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms. You also gain advantage on any attack made with a firearm if your target doesn't have cover (negating disadvantage if firing at your weapon's long range).

SUPPRESSING FIRE
beginning at 7th level, when you are armed with a loaded firearm, you may make an attack with that firearm as a reaction to an enemy moving through your firearm's normal range, unless that enemy's movement starts or ends in cover.

TACTICAL MANEUVER
Beginning at 10th level, when you use your action to attack with a firearm, you may dash, disengage, or reload a firearm as a bonus action.

PINNING
Beginning at 15th level, you may use your tactical maneuver to make an intimidate check against an enemy you targeted with a firearm attack, with advantage if you hit them with the attack.

DOUBLE TAP
Beginning at 18th level, when you attack with advantage and both dice rolls would have been hits, you may choose to consume another piece of ammunition, if your weapon has enough remaining ammunition, to count the attack as a critical hit.

[JNAProductions]

Tactical Marksmanship Training is way too good. Even if Sharpshooter's "Ignore Cover" doesn't combo with it, it's still absolutely bonkers with the -5/+10 part of that feat.

Suppressing Fire seems a little too good. It's a pretty easy off-turn attack. Combine with Rogue for Sneak Attack, and, well, it gets more nuts.

Tactical Maneuver is similar to Cunning Action, so probably fine.

Pinning does nothing, by default. There aren't really any codified rules for Intimidate checks.

Double Tap is probably too good, since you're usually shooting at +13 (+8 if using Sharpshooter).

For reference, at level 15, a Champion has a 15% crit rate.
You have a similar crit rate against AC 27 (22 with Sharpshooter). It gets moderately worse at higher ACs, though never worse than 9.75%, and MASSIVELY better against lower ACs.

[sengmeng]

Well I'm not saying your criticism is wrong, but I made it to reflect the absolute slaughter that would happen if people with premodern arms and armor went up against a guy with an automatic rifle in open terrain. Besides, most of it doesn't work without a weapon with a high capacity magazine; with a flintlock, he's firing, bonus action reload, firing again, and missing any more attacks on his turn and the reaction attack.

But how can a bonus action intimidate do nothing by default, unless your DM doesn't have the Intimidate skill ever do anything?

[SandyAndy]

Needs more crayons. Not enough motivation, they need to gain inspiration from spouting random, motivotional quotes. Also, the Marine subclass should have their own language that revolves around gutteral noises, drinking, and "Hoorah."

Source: I was a Soldier that got stationed in a Marine barracks for a year. I love you guys but you got some stuff going on.

[The Glyphstone]

Well I'm not saying your criticism is wrong, but I made it to reflect the absolute slaughter that would happen if people with premodern arms and armor went up against a guy with an automatic rifle in open terrain. Besides, most of it doesn't work without a weapon with a high capacity magazine; with a flintlock, he's firing, bonus action reload, firing again, and missing any more attacks on his turn and the reaction attack.

But how can a bonus action intimidate do nothing by default, unless your DM doesn't have the Intimidate skill ever do anything?

None of that has to do with the subclass itself though, it would be a piece of homebrewed equipment/magic item that is providing all the deadliness. If the class doesn't work without an item, that item should be integral to the class itself, which would make it something more like a Artificer subclass than a Fighter subclass.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Well I'm not saying your criticism is wrong, but I made it to reflect the absolute slaughter that would happen if people with premodern arms and armor went up against a guy with an automatic rifle in open terrain.
Which is fine, though mildly contradictory with how I read this:


we came up with this, a guy who uses real life tactics without having to change the rules for those who don't want to.
I think the mechanics look pretty good from a simulation point of view, but while they may work within the rules of d&d5, they don't necessarily work within the world of d&d5, for the reason you stated: it simulates a slaughter when the enemy is not using certain weapons and tactics. In general d&d and bonuses are based on what your character does, you get advantage when you shoot from hiding, or when you flank with your companion. This class gets their main bonuses from when the opposing characters don't do certain stuff. So the DM can conform to how this guy wants to play, or have their encounters slaughtered/make them too strong vs the rest of the party.

That said, I think this ruleset could work great for having a blast doing an all riflemen game, or when combining it with similar modern homebrew ideas. Maybe even bring some of those abilities to lower levels when you're playing the game that way, so you get to use them. When everyone knows what they're signing up for completely changing combat for everybody can be a good thing.


But how can a bonus action intimidate do nothing by default, unless your DM doesn't have the Intimidate skill ever do anything?

What does an enemy do when intimidated? The name of the class feature implies they have to stay in place, but there is no standard rule for that. The DM could rule they run away, jump up and give you an opportunity attack, get their movement halved when they advance but doubled if they retreat instead, just shrug it off or go into a barbarian rage of hopeless glory. I also don't think there is any kind of standard DC for intimidating opponents in combat. So this feature might need to dictate these things: what do you need to roll, and what is the effect? And actually, now that I think about it, the most standard d&d way to do this might be a wisdom save. The enemy you shot at needs to make a wisdom save at your save DC based on the stat you used to fire the weapon (dexterity, I presume), so 8+dex+competence. If they fail they either cannot move or cannot move out of cover until after their next turn. It's like a bonus action hold person kinda cantrip, a pretty sweet deal.

[Stattick]

I agree with everyone else, that your subclass seems very overpowered. Perhaps something like the following would be closer to the power level a subclass should be, while still capturing the spirit you're looking for?

BASIC RIFLEMAN ARCHETYPE


TACTICAL MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING
When you take this subclass at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms.

TAKE AIM
Beginning at 3rd level, as a bonus action when using a loaded firearm, you give yourself advantage on your next attack roll on the current turn. You can use this bonus action only if you haven't moved during this turn, and after you use the bonus action, your speed is 0 until the end of the current turn.

TAKE COVER
Beginning at 7th level, as a reaction to being attacked with a ranged weapon, you can move up to half your movement rate to cover, or drop prone where you are at. The penalties for ranged attacks apply to your attacker.

TACTICAL MANEUVER
Beginning at 10th level, when you use your action to attack with a firearm, you may dash, disengage, or reload a firearm as a bonus action.

SUPPRESSING FIRE
Beginning at 15th level, when using a loaded firearm, you attack to diminish the effectiveness of your foe. Pick an adversary. Your attacks are made at disadvantage against that adversary, but until the end of your next turn, their attacks are also at disadvantage, and they are considered to be moving through difficult terrain.

PINNING
Beginning at 18th level, you've become an expert at controlling others through intimidation by shooting at them. As a bonus action, make one attack with disadvantage against a target. Regardless of whether you hit or miss, they must make a Wisdom Save vs DC 15. If they fail their save, they must immediate move up to half their movement to cover, move away from you, or drop prone. On their next turn, they may only use their action to dash, disengage, or hide.