Need advice on whether or not to allow homebrew class

[Williamnot]

Hello! One of my players would like to play the homebrewed Reaper class (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Reaper_(5e_Class)) from dandwiki.com. I took a look and it seems alright, albeit slightly underwhelming. The class seems to like doing low but guaranteed and consistent damage. I do find it odd with it's inconsistency on whether it wants to be constitution based or charisma based, and that it wants to be a little tanky but uses d6s for hit dice.
Any advice for alterations to fix/improve the class?

[Jervis]

Hello! One of my players would like to play the homebrewed Reaper class (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Reaper_(5e_Class)) from dandwiki.com. I took a look and it seems alright, albeit slightly underwhelming. The class seems to like doing low but guaranteed and consistent damage. I do find it odd with it's inconsistency on whether it wants to be constitution based or charisma based, and that it wants to be a little tanky but uses d6s for hit dice.
Any advice for alterations to fix/improve the class?

Honestly I’d make this a rogue subclass. Just give it another way to deal sneak attack on a hit and change the damage to necrotic. As is it stays somewhat in like with the warlock baseline in terms of DPR when you factor in miss chance. Well it goes below when you factor in Hex but that’s a spell slot so, eh. It’s 90% non-combat features that’s create a bit of a mess.

[GentlemanVoodoo]

After looking at this I would ban the thing outright as there is to much to rework to at least make it some what balanced.

For instance the Death Scythe power is an auto hit Sneak Attack with scaling damage level. Even if the die is 1d4 that means at later levels, say level 5, it is an automatic 5d4 damage. At level 2 the Grim Harvest ability doubles the damage Death Scythe is doing. So at level 5, 5d4 become 10d4 essentially even though it is for so many uses per day which is regained in both short and long rest.

More so the Mark of Death ability is granting instant location finding on top of bonus teleportation when at maximum of 120 feet from the target. This one ability is essentially combining the Hunter's Mark and Far Step spells with none of the down sides like concentration, spell slots, etc. There isn't any form of limiters other than just 1 hour or remarking a target.

I would have a discussion with the player as to why they want to play this class. If it is the Grim Reaper motif then several other classes have this already covered like the Grave & Death domain Clerics, Oath Breaker Paladin, Undead & Undying Warlocks etc. If it is something else I would find a class that works for whatever they are trying to do an save yourself some headache.

[thoroughlyS]

I would like to point out that Eternity is crazy strong for a 1st level feature, especially if you allow them to multiclass (this would be a crazy buff for paladin).

[Jervis]

I would like to point out that Eternity is crazy strong for a 1st level feature, especially if you allow them to multiclass (this would be a crazy buff for paladin).

Oh wow I missed that. I was skimming it when I found that and assumed it was a ribbon so I missed the end bit. That’s just crazy

[Breccia]

"As a Reaper, you can naturally bring creatures closer to their inevitable death. As an Action on your turn, you can target a creature within 5 feet of you for your Death Scythe, harvesting a part of their life force. The Death Scythe hits automatically with no attack rolls and deals 1d4 necrotic damage per level in this class."

No.

Run.

EDIT: Just to be clear, at 7th level, "Not even the undead can escape death. Starting at 7th level your attacks ignore resistance and immunity to necrotic damage. " So there's no handwaving this class with "well just throw in some undead".

This class is broken.

[BerzerkerUnit]

"As a Reaper, you can naturally bring creatures closer to their inevitable death. As an Action on your turn, you can target a creature within 5 feet of you for your Death Scythe, harvesting a part of their life force. The Death Scythe hits automatically with no attack rolls and deals 1d4 necrotic damage per level in this class."

No.

Run.

EDIT: Just to be clear, at 7th level, "Not even the undead can escape death. Starting at 7th level your attacks ignore resistance and immunity to necrotic damage. " So there's no handwaving this class with "well just throw in some undead".

This class is broken.

So what do we have? A broken mess, not unsalvageable.

Let's see: Don't allow multiclassing. Make this a "you died, you're allowed back on earth as long as you do this job" requirement. You could be the devil's bounty hunter or someone sent to bring a peaceful end to the suffering.

Reaper blah blah, inevitable death. Assume if I don't mention something below, I think it should be removed.

Hit dice: d8s
Proficiencies: no armor or shields, yes to Great Axe, Glaives, Halberds, sickles


Unarmored Defense:
Beginning at 1st level when you are not wearing armor or using a shield your body seems to flicker in and out of existence in combat, like a ghost or shadow. You can calculate your AC as 10+Dex modifier+Charisma Modifier. (This makes the class MAD bc its weapon selection is all Strength and since I recommend not allowing Multiclassing, you don't have to worry about Hexblade Cheese. The various movement powers and ephemeral movement make up for it.)

Death Scythe
at 1st level you can move a creature inexorably towards death. When you hit a creature with an attack on your turn you can use a bonus action to deal an additional 1d10 necrotic damage. This damage increases at levels 5, 11, 17, and 20. (this may seem stronger than sneak attack, I assure you it is not. It loses due to action economy out of the gate but it will feel strong due to crits and bigger dice. Feeling strong while being weaker is good.)
**

Extra Attack
Replaces Visage of Death (move visage of death to a subclass)

Phantom Scythe
Beginning at 6th level your ability to carry a creature toward its doom increases. When a creature you can see within 30 feet takes damage, you can use your Death Scythe feature as a reaction to increases the damage it takes.

Sibling to Death
At 7th level many mortal frailties no longer concern you. You do not have to eat, sleep, drink, or breathe. You must still limit yourself to light activity for an 8 hour period to gain the benefit of a long rest.

Death Cloud is fine.

Ghostwalk... fine.

Spectral Sight- Move to 2nd level**. replace Everything with See Invisible for 1 min, proficiency times per day. Have it upgrade at 14th to see through walls and objects like a Ring of X-Ray Vision or the warlock invocation.

Death's Cloak, fine, competes with Phantom Scythe above.

Soul Ripper is a lot weaker than I expected considering the absolute cocaine the author seemed to be on for the 1st 6 levels, 1 PW Kill per day is fine at 20th.

Subclasses
Replace Soul Leeching with the Soul Token feature from the rogue subclass. Move Soul tokens to 3rd, allow them to fuel Visage of Dead and Angel of Death.

Nemesis subclass is right out. The rewritten Death Scythe already allows for your own attacks with bows.

[Breccia]

Also while we're talking about it, that third subclass:


Enemy of Life
At 18th level, when you use your Grim Harvest feature, you cause maximum damage, instead of rolling for damage.

That's 144 damage that cannot be resisted or immune, which if you want to can be done twice (Death Surge) with a range of 60 feet and never misses.

That...sounds high, even for a capstone.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Hello! One of my players would like to play the homebrewed Reaper class (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Reaper_(5e_Class)) from dandwiki.com. I took a look and it seems alright, albeit slightly underwhelming. The class seems to like doing low but guaranteed and consistent damage. I do find it odd with it's inconsistency on whether it wants to be constitution based or charisma based, and that it wants to be a little tanky but uses d6s for hit dice.
Any advice for alterations to fix/improve the class?

Here's a complete rework. Clearly we've transitioned from "rework" to "new class inspired by." Have a look and if it isn't objectionable, feel free to let your player use it!


The Reaper
A dark elf wields a sickle in each hand, where blade touches flesh, gouts of horror inducing gore issue forth from even the most minor wound. Dancing between arrows, thrusts and slashes she winnows down the numbers of her foes till all is still and quiet.

Dulara saw the old man in the alley, gasping for breath, desperate for succor. Age and illness and drink had caught up to him. Despite his state he spat curses and jibes, refusing to show weakness before a woman. Receding into the shadows Dulara masked herself as a priest of the local temple, she wove magic to ease his troubled mind and with a touch, he was gone.

Across the multiverse the forces of entropy have waxed and waned in an everlasting cycle, chaos giving rise to order, order giving way to chaos. As this endless cycle perpetuates, some small fraction of mortals become caught up, becoming conduits for such forces. These select few can master terrible power over life and death.
Some gifted to light the paths of doomed, lamplighters that travel between worlds to usher the fallen to the next phase and make room for those that will come after.
Others are peacebringers, whose gifts can allow those close to the end to transition without fear or pain.
Reapers all, gifted in the act of driving creatures inexorably toward the final terminus awaiting us all.

How these few are empowered is a mystery, what binds them to order and chaos may be divine will, unholy intervention, or pure chance. Whatever the case, these Reapers will always walk a thorny path, drawn into conflicts where their gifts make them desirable pawns.

The question can never be will they reap, but rather when, and for whom will they raise the Reaper’s Scythe or the Headsman’s Axe.

Class features
Hit Dice: D8
Save Proficiencies: Con, Charisma
Weapon Proficiencies: Sickles, Battle Axe, Great Axe, Scythes (Glaives)
Armor Proficiency: Light Armor
Skill Proficiencies: Choose 2 from Athletics, Arcana, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Stealth
Tool Proficiency: One Gaming Set of your choice or Cooking Utensils or Weaver's Tools

Class Table: The Reaper




Level

Prof
Bonus
Class Features

Mortal
Scythe



1st

+2
Mortal Scythe, Unarmored Defense

1d10



2nd

+2
Spirit Sight

1d10



3rd

+2
Subclass feature

1d10



4th

+2
Ability Score Improvement

1d10



5th

+3
Extra Attack

2d10



6th

+3
Subclass feature

2d10



7th

+3
Faces of Death

2d10



8th

+3
Ability Score Improvement

2d10



9th

+4
Phantom Scythe

2d10



10th

+4
Subclass feature

3d10



11th

+4
Spectral Step

3d10



12th

+4
Ability Score Improvement

3d10



13th

+5
Dooms Assured and Averted

3d10



14th

+5
Subclass feature

3d10



15th

+5
Eternity, Unleash Doom

4d10



16th

+5
Ability Score Improvement

4d10



17th

+6
Know Fate

4d10



18th

+6
Step of Moments

4d10



19th

+6
Ability Score Improvement

4d10



20th

+6
Endbringer

5d10


Mortal Scythe
Beginning at first level you can channel the power of death to push creatures inexorably toward their end. Often manifesting as a Grim Reaper rising from the shadow of your target or a spectral scythe whirling chaotically around you, when you hit a creature with an attack you can use a bonus action to deal 1d10 necrotic damage to them. This damage increases as you gain levels in the class, to 2d10 at 5th level, 3d10 at 10th, 4d10 at 15th, and 5d10 at 20th.

Unarmored Defense
Also at 1st level, when you are threatened you may appear to fade into shadows, flicker in and out of existence, or move in a stilted, unpredictable and unnatural fashion. When not wearing armor or using a shield you can calculate your AC as 10+Dexterity modifier+Charisma modifier.

Spirit Sight
Beginning at 2nd level your attunement to spiritual forces increases allowing you to see more than mere mortals. You can cast See Invisible without components a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus. You regain all uses of this feature after a long rest.

Subclass features
At 3rd level you choose between the Lamplighter and Peacebringer archetypes. You gain additional archetype features at levels 6, 10, and 14.

ASI
At 4th you get an ASI. More at 8, 12, 16, and 19.

Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, when you take the attack action on your turn you can attack twice instead of once.

Faces of Death
At 7th level you learn to twist fate and transform your Temporal Scythe’s damage into another form such as Slashing, Fire, or Acid. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Phantom Scythe
Beginning at 9th level, the scope of your role as a bringer of doom expands. When a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage on a turn not your own, you can use your reaction to use your Mortal Scythe Feature. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Spectral Step
At 11th level and beyond your ability to embrace the ephemeral allows you to assume a spectral form. At the start of your turn, when you are not wearing armor or using a shield, you can become intangible, able to move through other creatures and objects as if they were rough terrain. You gain a fly speed equal to your speed, resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and your attacks deal force damage. You remain intangible until the end of your turn, if you end your turn in another creature’s space or within a solid object you are shunted to the nearest empty space and take 2d10 force damage. If you do not end your turn in a space that can support you, you fall. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Dooms Assured and Averted
At 13th level your capacity to manipulate the fates of creatures around you grows to shield your allies and hinder your foes. When a creature you can see within 10 feet makes a saving throw, after the roll but before the result is known, you can use your reaction and roll a d6 adding or subtracting the result from their total. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Eternity
At 15th level you cease aging and all efforts to magically age you fail.

Unleash Doom
At 15th level the need to bring a creature to its ultimate end reaches an unfathomable depth. When you use your Mortal Scythe feature you can choose to forego rolling, allowing its manifestation to magnify its inescapable attack, dealing maximum damage. You can use this feature once and regain its use after a short or long rest.

Know Fate
Beginning at 17th level you can focus on a creature to ascertain its most and least likely ends. As an action you can determine if a creature you can see has resistances, immunities, or vulnerabilities and choose to learn of one. Each additional action you spend in this way grants you knowledge of another resistance, immunity, or vulnerability the creature has.

Step of Moments
At 18th level even time can be shredded by your all-cutting Scythe. Once during each of your turns you may teleport as part of your movement to a place you can see. The distance teleported counts toward your normal limit of movement, you can move normally before and after you teleport provided you have movement remaining.

Endbringer
At 20th level your conduit to the forces of entropy and death is perfected and the manifestation of your Mortal Scythe may literally tear the soul from your victim and consign it to whatever eternity awaits. When you use your Mortal Scythe feature on a creature with 100 or fewer hit points you can choose to forego rolling dice and instead slay the target outright. You can use this feature once and regain its use after a long rest.

Subclasses
As a lamplighter your gifts are best suited to guiding those that have lost their path, guiding them toward a good death or back to their rightful end if undeath has diverted their soul’s journey. For those souls burning brightly in your lantern, a karmic exchange is occurring. The power they grant you is intended to uphold the natural order of transitions and they are in turn purified in some small way, perhaps avoiding simple oblivion or even escaping eternal torments.

Cantrips
You learn the Light and Sacred Flame Cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When creature fails its saving throw against this Sacred Flame cantrip it counts as a hit for the purpose of using your Mortal Scythe feature.

Soulfire Lantern
Beginning at 3rd level you craft a Soulfire Lantern, a special device intended to shepherd souls into the afterlife. This object need not be a lantern, it can instead be a torch, candle, or similar lightbearing thing. Regardless of form, it has an AC of 18 and hit points equal to twice your class level. If it is lost or destroyed you can perform a one hour ritual on another object to transform it into a replacement. When you, do the original is rendered a mundane object of its kind.

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points you can use your reaction to collect a soul mote. This mote ignites the lantern and will burn until you snuff it. The lantern illuminates as appropriate for its type during this time though the color of the light may vary wildly according to the nature of the soul. You can have only one Soul Mote at a time and must snuff the lantern before another can be collected. While the lantern burns you benefit from the following feature:
- Fortune of the Fallen. Once per turn, when you roll an ability check you can add 1d4 to the roll. When you have used this benefit a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus the lantern is snuffed.

On Black Wings
Beginning at 6th level you can snuff your Soulfire Lantern as a bonus action. No longer illuminated by the light of a soul being purified, the shadows can form black wings that grant you a flying speed equal to your speed for 10 minutes.

Fallen Knowledge
Beginning at 10th level you can gain greater wisdom from those souls in your lantern. While the Lantern burns you can gain proficiency in a Language, Tool, or an Intelligence or Wisdom based skill the creature had in life. Alternatively you can snuff the lantern to cast Speak with Dead on the creature without requiring the its body.

Light the Path
At 14th level your spirit awakens to the secret knowledge of the paths souls walk to meet their gods, suffer their punishments, or be reborn. As one of the living you can traverse these paths in a more limited fashion and lead your living allies. You can cast Arcane Gate without components. You can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest. Alternatively, if you have all uses of this feature available, you can expend all of them to cast Planeshift normally.
As a Peacebringer your gifts grant those near death a measure of peace, allowing them to meet their ends with dignity.

Call Home
At 3rd level after choosing this archetype you learn to soothe the hearts of those around you. As an action you can cast Calm Emotions. You can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Never Alone
Additionally at 3rd level, you can adopt familiar or more comforting visages to ease the passing of those near death. Many Peacebringers find this feature has far more diverse applications. You can cast Disguise Self without components a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Confessor’s Promise
At 6th level you master means of unburdening the dying’s mind so they leave the world without attachments. You gain proficiency in the Insight Skill. If you are already proficient you can double your proficiency bonus unless another feature provides such a benefit. Additionally, you can cast Detect Thoughts as an action requiring no components. You can cast the spell in this way twice and regain all uses after a short or long rest.

Peace of the Grave
Beginning at 10th level you can impart a measure of the peace only the dead know to allies. You can cast Meld into Stone on yourself and up to 8 willing creatures. When cast in this way you can meld into earth or stone. You can cast this spell once and regain the ability to do so after completing a long rest.

Night Parade
At 14th level your ability to surround the ailing with friends and family reaches its apex. When you use your Never Alone feature you can instead cast Seeming.

[nickl_2000]

Original, absolutely not. No, no way, nu-uh. Auto hit = bad, bonus to all saving throws at level 1 = bad and I haven't even gotten past the first levels.

I haven't gotten in depth with BerzerkerUnit's class, but from the skimming it looks much better and much more balanced (and most of the stuff I've read from BerzerkerUnit is very well writter).

[BerzerkerUnit]

Original, absolutely not. No, no way, nu-uh. Auto hit = bad, bonus to all saving throws at level 1 = bad and I haven't even gotten past the first levels.

I haven't gotten in depth with BerzerkerUnit's class, but from the skimming it looks much better and much more balanced (and most of the stuff I've read from BerzerkerUnit is very well writter).
Thanks so much, I appreciate the compliment!
Ach, I did forget the fluff immortality feature at 15.

[thoroughlyS]

Your table seemed to be unformatted, so I made one to make things clearer.




Level

Prof
Bonus
Class Features

Mortal
Scythe



1st

+2
Mortal Scythe, Unarmored Defense

1d10



2nd

+2
Spirit Sight

1d10



3rd

+2
Subclass feature

1d10



4th

+2
Ability Score Improvement

1d10



5th

+3
Extra Attack

2d10



6th

+3
Subclass feature

2d10



7th

+3
Faces of Death

2d10



8th

+3
Ability Score Improvement

2d10



9th

+4
Phantom Scythe

2d10



10th

+4
Subclass feature

3d10



11th

+4
Spectral Step

3d10



12th

+4
Ability Score Improvement

3d10



13th

+5
Dooms Assured and Averted

3d10



14th

+5
Subclass feature

3d10



15th

+5
Eternity, Unleash Doom

4d10



16th

+5
Ability Score Improvement

4d10



17th

+6
Know Fate

4d10



18th

+6
Step of Moments

4d10



19th

+6
Ability Score Improvement

4d10



20th

+6
Endbringer

5d10



Class features
Hit Dice: D8
Save Proficiencies: Con, Charisma
Weapon Proficiencies: Sickles, Battle Axe, Great Axe, Glaive
Armor Proficiency: Light Armor
Skill Roficiencies: Choose 2 from Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Stealth
Tool Proficiency: Gaming Set Cards or Dice, or cooking utensils
I dislike the weapon proficiencies given. Firstly, you have an axe theme going on, so why include the glaive but not the halberd? Secondly, you might as well give proficiency with simple weapons since you're including three martial weapons already. After that, I don't really get the inclusion of acrobatics on the skill list. It doesn't seem particularly useful or thematic. I would rather include insight or intimidation as were listed on the original. Finally, classes don't normally give tools, and when they do, they are thematic (druids and monks giving herbalism and an artisan's tool/instrument) or required (artificers, bards, and rogues giving tools they have class features for). I don't see what a reaper would need game pieces for, and especially what they would need cookware for. These are the kinds of things a player can get through their background.

Mortal Scythe
Beginning at first level you can channel the power of death to push creatures inexorably toward their end. Often manifesting as a Grim Reaper rising from the shadow of your target or a spectral scythe whirling chaotically around you, when you hit a creature with an attack you can use a bonus action to deal 1d10 necrotic damage to them. This damage increases as you gain levels in the class, to 2d10 at 5th level, 3d10 at 10th, 4d10 at 15th, and 5d10 at 20th.
This feature does actually provide some really reliable damage across all levels. Reapers deal slightly more damage than two-weapon fighting rogues at early levels, and then slightly more than raging and recklessly attacking barbarians after 5th level. It's not an overwhelming amount, but basically this gives the best unoptimized damage of the three.

Faces of Death
At 7th level you learn to twist fate and transform your Temporal Scythe’s damage into another form such as Slashing, Fire, or Acid. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.
This feature would be a ribbon even if you could use it at-will, so I see no reason for the limited usage.

Spectral Step
At 11th level and beyond your ability to embrace the ephemeral allows you to assume a spectral form. At the start of your turn you can become intangible, able to move through other creatures and objects as if they were rough terrain. You gain a fly speed equal to your speed and your attacks deal force damage. You remain intangible until the end of your turn, if you end your turn in another creature’s space or within a solid object you are shunted to the nearest empty space and take 2d10 force damage. If you do not end your turn in a space that can support you, you fall.
Am I correct in understanding that this is an always on feature? That seems a little strong.

Unleash Doom
At 15th level the need to bring a creature to its ultimate end reaches an unfathomable depth. When you use your Temporal Scythe feature you can choose to forego rolling and instead deal maximum damage. You can use this feature once and regain its use after a short or long rest.
This is a kind of boring boost to damage consistency. Like, it's just "more numbers".

Know Fate
Beginning at 17th level you can focus on a creature you can see to ascertain its most and least likely ends. As an action you can ascertain if a creature has resistances, immunities, or vulnerabilities and choose to learn of one. Each additional action you spend in this way grants you knowledge of another resistance, immunity, or vulnerability the creature has.
Given that this just provides information, I'm surprised at how late it comes. I would give this in Tier 2.

Step of Moments
At 18th level even time can be shredded by your all-cutting scythe. Once during each of your turns you may teleport as part of your movement to a place you can see. The distance teleported counts toward your normal limit of movement, you can move normally before and after you teleport provided you have movement remaining.
Given that you can already fly and move through creatures and objects, this basically just lets you disengage for free? I mean, horizon walkers get something like this at 11th level. Yes, they teleport a shorter distance, but it provides about the same utility to them as this does to reapers.

Endbringer
At 20th level your conduit to the forces of entropy and death is perfected. When you use your Mortal Scythe feature on a creature with 100 or fewer hit points you can choose to forego rolling dice and instead slay the target outright. You can use this feature once and regain its use after a long rest.
This is like Unleash Doom. Just a pretty boring damage consistency boost.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Your table seemed to be unformatted, <snip>...

Aloha,

As a courtesy to the posters concerned with this thread, I've responded to your comments in a thread for PEACHing the Reaper here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?640326-5e-Pls-PEACH-Reaper-Class-(lots-of-inspirations)).

I did take some of your notes and encourage you to follow up there, time permitting.