gloryblaze
2021-10-23, 02:12 PM
Primal Path: Path of the Shotgun Messenger
The deserts, barrens, and wild places of the world are dangerous, and travel through them is often deadly—monsters, bandits, and more can threaten the lives of city folk traveling the open road. Luckily for them, they need not travel alone. Shotgun messengers are barbarians who specialize in escorting stagecoaches and other vehicles through the wilds of the world, fending off danger with nothing but pure grit and a 12-gauge.
Bonus Proficiencies:
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms and land vehicles.
Additionally, when you attack with a shotgun, you can use your Strength modifier, instead of Dexterity, for its attack and damage rolls, you can use your Reckless Attack feature to give advantage to your ranged weapon attacks with shotguns, and if you are raging, you can add your Rage damage bonus to your ranged weapon attacks with shotguns.
Bodyguard:
Starting at 3rd level, you can channel your inner rage into the burning desire to protect those near you. While you are raging, whenever an enemy within the range or reach of a weapon you are wielding makes an attack against an ally within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against that enemy. If you hit, the enemy's attack roll has disadvantage.
Buckshot Blast:
Beginning at 6th level, you learn to blow away multiple enemies at once with a single shotgun blast. As an action, you can launch a 15-foot cone of buckshot from a shotgun you are wielding. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). A creature takes piercing damage equal to 2d8 + your Strength modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This damage increases to 4d8 + twice your Strength modifier if you are raging.
This action consumes one piece of ammunition, or two if you're raging.
Warning Shots:
By 10th level, you learn to ward away enemies with well-timed blasts. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you can reduce that creature's speed by half until the end of its next turn.
Additionally, you gain proficiency with Charisma (Intimidation) checks if you didn't already have it, and you can add double your proficiency bonus to such checks. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks if you have fired a shotgun since the start of your last turn.
Angel with a Shotgun:
At 14th level, you're a guardian angel to those who rely on you for protection. You can use your Bodyguard feature once per turn while you're raging, even if you've already used your reaction.
Working on subclasses for a Wild West setting. Just using the DMG firearms, no fancy custom firearm rules. Comments and criticism appreciated!
Decided not to go the stereotypical route and make the barbarian subclass into a tomahawk thrower or something else inspired by indigenous cultures (and besides, a player who wants to go that route can take Totem Warrior already!) Instead, this is meant to be an alternate take on the "tank barbarian" that we've previously seen with the Ancestral Guardian. Pick a squishy and stay within 5 feet of them to abuse your Bodyguard reaction. Use a ranged weapon to stay relevant even though your positioning is limited by wanting to stay within 5 feet of said squishy. Use Warning Shots to keep melee enemies away from your squishy, and if you and your squishy buddy do end up mobbed by mooks, blow them all away at once with Buckshot Blast.
The deserts, barrens, and wild places of the world are dangerous, and travel through them is often deadly—monsters, bandits, and more can threaten the lives of city folk traveling the open road. Luckily for them, they need not travel alone. Shotgun messengers are barbarians who specialize in escorting stagecoaches and other vehicles through the wilds of the world, fending off danger with nothing but pure grit and a 12-gauge.
Bonus Proficiencies:
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms and land vehicles.
Additionally, when you attack with a shotgun, you can use your Strength modifier, instead of Dexterity, for its attack and damage rolls, you can use your Reckless Attack feature to give advantage to your ranged weapon attacks with shotguns, and if you are raging, you can add your Rage damage bonus to your ranged weapon attacks with shotguns.
Bodyguard:
Starting at 3rd level, you can channel your inner rage into the burning desire to protect those near you. While you are raging, whenever an enemy within the range or reach of a weapon you are wielding makes an attack against an ally within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against that enemy. If you hit, the enemy's attack roll has disadvantage.
Buckshot Blast:
Beginning at 6th level, you learn to blow away multiple enemies at once with a single shotgun blast. As an action, you can launch a 15-foot cone of buckshot from a shotgun you are wielding. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). A creature takes piercing damage equal to 2d8 + your Strength modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This damage increases to 4d8 + twice your Strength modifier if you are raging.
This action consumes one piece of ammunition, or two if you're raging.
Warning Shots:
By 10th level, you learn to ward away enemies with well-timed blasts. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you can reduce that creature's speed by half until the end of its next turn.
Additionally, you gain proficiency with Charisma (Intimidation) checks if you didn't already have it, and you can add double your proficiency bonus to such checks. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks if you have fired a shotgun since the start of your last turn.
Angel with a Shotgun:
At 14th level, you're a guardian angel to those who rely on you for protection. You can use your Bodyguard feature once per turn while you're raging, even if you've already used your reaction.
Working on subclasses for a Wild West setting. Just using the DMG firearms, no fancy custom firearm rules. Comments and criticism appreciated!
Decided not to go the stereotypical route and make the barbarian subclass into a tomahawk thrower or something else inspired by indigenous cultures (and besides, a player who wants to go that route can take Totem Warrior already!) Instead, this is meant to be an alternate take on the "tank barbarian" that we've previously seen with the Ancestral Guardian. Pick a squishy and stay within 5 feet of them to abuse your Bodyguard reaction. Use a ranged weapon to stay relevant even though your positioning is limited by wanting to stay within 5 feet of said squishy. Use Warning Shots to keep melee enemies away from your squishy, and if you and your squishy buddy do end up mobbed by mooks, blow them all away at once with Buckshot Blast.