Bowmaster (5e Class)
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Bowmaster
The bowmaster is a specialist in ranged combat focusing on mastering the bow. Performing amazing feats of accuracy and precision, the bowmaster ability can be easily mistaken as a supernatural talent for casual observers. For the bowmaster, the path of the bow is almost a religion, and they approach this practice with zealous devotion.
Creating a
When creating a bowmaster, ask yourself the following questions: how did you become a bowmaster? Is this a family tradition, passed trough generations? Or maybe are you part of a monastery who pursues the tradition of zen archery? A master with a keen eye for talent have discovered in you the potential to become a bowmaster? Or did you hone your skills alone, training by yourself and carefully crafting your technique?
Bowmasters can fill lots of roles in society, so think about your place and path in the world, and how do you employ your archery skills. Do you use your archery for battle, specializing in long ranged combat, maybe as a soldier or mercenary? Maybe you are a trickshooter, traveling with a circus or pursuing competitions to amaze the crowd with your skill. Maybe you try to keep this tradition alive, looking for a disciple to share the knowledge of the bow. And some bowmasters, just as monk, seek perfection on the art they dedicate their lives to.
- Quick Build
You can make a bowmaster quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Acolyte, Hermit or Soldier background.
Class Features
As a Bowmaster you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Bowmaster level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Bowmaster level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light
Weapons: Simple Weapons, longbow
Tools: Carpenter's tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Nature, Perception, Religion or Stealth
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Archery Tricks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Eagles Eye, Bowmaster Techniques | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Archery Tricks, Fighting Style | 3 |
| 3rd | +2 | Archery School | 4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Steady Shot | 5 |
| 6th | +3 | Ambuscade | 5 |
| 7th | +3 | Archery School | 6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 |
| 9th | +4 | Careful Aim | 7 |
| 10th | +4 | Dexterous Hands | 7 |
| 11th | +4 | Archery School | 8 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 13th | +5 | Marksman Shot | 9 |
| 14th | +5 | Archery School | 9 |
| 15th | +5 | Raptor's Eye | 10 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 10 |
| 17th | +6 | Bow Mastery | 11 |
| 18th | +6 | Archery School | 11 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 |
| 20th | +6 | Trickshot Specialist | 12 |
Bowmaster Techniques
As a bowmaster, you have special techniques with an almost supernatural nature to it. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you must choose one of the following techniques to be prepared, and you can change the chosen technique after completing a rest. You can prepare two of those techniques at the same time at 9th level and three at 17th level.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
- Sustained Fire
As an action, you can chose to rain arrows on an area of 10-foot in a point within your bow short range. For 1 minute, you can constantly rain down arrows on that area, without spending an action, as long as you remain within range. The sustained fire ends earlier if you run out of arrows.
You must concentrate to keep this ability active, as if you were concentrating on a spell.
Any creature in the area when you use this feature, and whenever a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to your bow damage die (without any modifiers). The damage increases in 2 die at 5th level, 3 die at 11th level and 4 die at 17th level. Each additional die increase the amount of spent arrows in one.
- Reactive Shooting
If you are not surprised, immediately after initiative is rolled, but before anyone acts, you can make one attack with your bow. This attack is made at advantage.
- Warden Shot
Whenever an allied creature within your bow's range falls to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack.
In addition, when an allied creature within range is with 0 hit points, whenever a creature approaches within 5 feet of it, or makes an attack against it, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack.
Eagles Eye
Starting at 1st level, you can use your keen sight to analyze a target, identifying its weaknesses and gaps in their defense. You can use your bonus action and make a Insight check against the opponents AC to discover one of the following information's:
- One of its ability scores.
- The AC value.
- Its movement speed.
- A condition immunity.
- A resistance or immunity to damage.
- The maximum amount of hit points the target has.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Archery Tricks
What differentiate the bowmaster from a regular archer is how they are able to elevate the archery art with tricks. An archery trick is almost supernatural in nature, requiring several years to fully domain.
At 2nd level, choose one archery trick, detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain Bowmaster levels, you discover new tricks, as shown on the Archery Tricks Known column of the Bowmaster table.
In addition, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the tricks you know and replace it with another trick.
- Accuracy
You can use your accuracy to perform almost supernatural feats of archery. Your access to your accuracy is represented by a number of accuracy points. You have a number of accuracy points equal to your proficiency bonus.
You can spend these points to fuel various bowmaster techniques granted by your specializations. When you spend a accuracy point, it becomes unavailable. You can regain your accuracy points by spending one turn without using your action or moving.
In addition, whenever you roll a 20 on attack roll or reduce a creature to 0 hit points when you don't have any accuracy points left, you can use your bonus action to regain 1 accuracy point.
- Accuracy Ability
Dexterity is the key ability for tricks. Some of your tricks features require for your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Trick save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Double Shot. Whenever you make an attack with a bow as an action, you can make a second as a bonus action. This second attack doesn't add your ability modifier to the attack and damage.
Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Superior Technique. You learn one maneuver of your choice from among those available to the Battle Master archetype of the Fighter class. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice.)
You gain one superiority die, which is a d6 (this die is added to any superiority dice you have from another source). This die is used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.
Close Quarters Shooter (UA). When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
Mariner (UA). As long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.
Archery School
At 3rd level, you must choose an archery school that defines your special techniques with your bow. The schools you can choose are detailed on the end of the class article. Your choice of archery school grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, 14th, and 18th levels.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Steady Shot
Starting at 5th level, you can use your bonus action to ignore disadvantage to your ranged attack rolls.
Ambuscade
At 6th level, on your first turn of combat, you can make a single attack roll against one creature that haven't taken an action on the turn yet. On a hit, the attack is a critical hit.
Careful Aim
At 9th level, if you don't move more than half your movement speed, you can give yourself advantage on your next attack roll as a bonus action. When you do so, you ignore half and three quarters cover.
Dexterous Hands
Starting at 10th level, your Dexterity ability score maximum is equal to 24.
Marksman Shot
Starting at 13th level, whenever you have advantage on a ranged attack roll, you roll three dies, instead of two.
Raptor's Eye
At 15th level, you are no longer affected by lightly obscured areas, seeing normally in those conditions, and you see in darkness as if you were in dim light.
In addition, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check that relies on sight.
Bow Mastery
At 17th level, you regain all expended uses of your Bowmaster Techniques when you finish a short or long rest.
Trickshot Specialist
At 20th level, choose a number of archery tricks you know equal to your Dexterity modifier. When using those tricks, you spend 1 less accuracy point (to a minimum of 1).
Archery School
Order of the Bow School
Also called zen archers, those who seek the order of the bow, see in the art of archery a way to express their own inner self, treating the bow mastery as a form of moving meditation.
- Zen Archer
When you roll initiative, or as a bonus action on your turn, you can clear your mind to enter in a zen state, for 1 minute. Make an attack roll at advantage. On a hit, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage of that roll.
In addition, while in the zen state, you can only move at half your movement speed.
At 5th level, you can make one attack with advantage, instead of two attacks, while in your zen state. On a hit, you double the damage of your attack. Starting at 11th level, you can triple the damage of your attack while in the zen state.
- Meditative Bowmaster
Starting at 7th level, you become really dedicated to the philosophical aspects of the bow archery, and your meditation lead you to reach deeper conclusions. You can add your Wisdom modifier, instead of your Nature, Religion or Arcana checks.
In addition, whenever make a Wisdom check, you can use your reaction to reroll a failed result. Once you do this, you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
- Astute Mind
Starting at 11th level, whenever a creature enter the short range of your bow for the first time, or leave the short range of your bow without taking the disengage action, you can make an opportunity attack against that creature.
In addition, whenever you miss an attack roll with a bow, you can use your reaction to reroll the result. You must use the new result.
- Eyes of the Soul
Starting at 14th level, whenever you are in your zen state, you can use your bonus action to sense the presence of creatures within 60 feet. You sense their numbers, but not their position.
You can choose to reveal one of those creatures, chosen by the DM, to be revealed for the duration of your zen state, or until you choose to reveal another, as a bonus action. You can see the revealed creature, and can't have disadvantage on attack rolls against it.
- Release the Self
Starting at 18th level, your shots with a bow become the true expression of your self. You can choose to deal either necrotic or force damage with your attacks from a bow or from your trick shots, instead of piercing damage.
In addition, you no longer lose any movement while in your zen state.
Guerrilla School
Bowmasters trained on the guerrilla schools are specialized in ambush and sneak tactics, relying on precise and silent shots from hidden positions.
- Glancing Shot
When you choose this school at 3rd level, you no longer misses your shots. Whenever you make a ranged attack with a bow and misses, you can cause the creature to take piercing damage equal to your Dexterity modifier.
- Predator
Also at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Stealth skill if you don't already have it, and you add twice your proficiency bonus to checks made with this skill if you already have this proficiency.
- Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
- Unseen Danger
At 11th level, whenever you hit a creature with a ranged attack, you roll the damage die of your bow twice, instead of once, when calculating damage. If you are hidden or if your attack is a critical hit, you roll the damage die of your bow three times.
In addition, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
- Sniper Nest
At 14th level you can create a spot to hide and wait for your targets using the surrounding environment. You can use your action to give yourself advantage on your Hide action. In addition, you can also use your action to create a stable place for you to stand and shoot on otherwise plain vertical surfaces. When doing so, you can stand on the vertical surface and shoot with your bow with disadvantage.
In addition, you gain climbing speed equal to your movement speed.
- Natural Wanderer
At 18th level, At 18th level, you no longer is affected for difficult terrain, and have advantage on any saving throws against effects that would otherwise limit your movement.
In addition, whenever you are on natural environments or on your sniper nest, if you don't move, you can use your bonus action to become invisible until you make an attack roll.
Arcane School
Bowmasters that learn from the arcane school learn how to create arrows made out of pure arcane energy, and unleash magical destruction upon their opponents.
- Magic Bow
Starting when you choose this school at 3rd level, you learn to create a magical bow, carving it with arcane glyphs an symbols. You must bind to your bow, in a process that takes 1 hour of meditation and work on the carving of the bow, which can be accomplished over the course of a short or long rest.
When you make an attack with your magic bow, you summon arrows from thin air when you draw the string of the bow. You can choose to deal elemental damage, instead of the regular damage for this weapon.
When binding with your bow, you also must choose two damage types from the following list: cold, fire or poison. When you make an attack with a summoned arrow, you can choose to deal damage from the chosen types, instead of the regular piercing damage, as a bonus action. You need to spend another bonus action on your turn to change the damage type again.
You can choose additional damage types as you gain levels in this class, gaining one additional type for each proficiency bonus point you gain over 2. Each time you gain a new damage type, you can replace one of the ones you know.
At 5th level, your list expand to include as options lighting and acid damage; at 9th to include thunder, necrotic and psychic; and finally at 13th to include radiant and force damage.
- Guided Shot
Starting at 3rd level, when attacking with your magic bow, you can use your bonus action to magically direct the arrows. When doing so, your ranged attacks made with this bow do not suffer disadvantage due to attacking at long range or being within 5 feet of a hostile creature and ignore half cover and three-quarters cover until the end of this round.
- Magical Senses
At 7th level, you can cast detect magic and identify a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain your uses of this feature after completing a short or a long rest.
- Arcane Destruction
Starting at 11th level, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, choose one damage type you currently have access to trough your magic bow. Until the end of the turn, you deal additional 1d8 damage from the chosen type.
- Arrow Blink
At 14th level, you have learned how to used your arrows to open gates allowing you to transverse the space. You can make one attack against a target within 30 feet. On a hit, you can use your movement to teleport to that position. You can use this feature only once in each of your turns.
- Elemental Rage
At 18th level, you can summon all the strength of your arcane power in a single shot. As an action, you shoot your arrow into the sky, that multiplies into 6 arrows, one for each damage type you currently control with your magic bow feature.
Choose 6 targets within your arrow range. The target and all creatures within 5 feet must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or take 14d6 damage from the chosen type. On a success, the creature take half damage.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Archery Tricks
- Acrobatic Evasion
When a creature moves within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction and spend 1 accuracy point to try to dodge the attacks of that creature. Make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the Strength (Athletics) of the attack. On a win, all attacks it makes against you until the end of your next turn have a penalty equal to your Dexterity modifier.
- Bullying Shot
When a creature you can see within the short range of your bow damages you or forces you to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction and spend 2 accuracy points to make an attack against it. On a hit, you don't add your ability modifier to the damage and the creature is frightened until the end of your next turn.
- Dodge
When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction and spend 2 accuracy points to gain an AC bonus equal to your Dexterity modifier against that attack, potentially causing it to miss.
- Heavy Draw
When you take the Attack action, you can spend 1 accuracy point to pull the string of your bow with all your strength. The first successful attack you make until the end of your turn deal additional damage equal to your Strength modifier plus your Dexterity modifier.
- Knee Shot
You can forgo a weapon attack on your turn and spend at least 1 accuracy point to shoot the knees of the opponent and making it fall. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target falls prone and takes 1d8 piercing damage for each accuracy point spent.
- Pinning Shot
When you hit a target with an attack from your bow, you can use your bonus action and spend up to 5 accuracy points. The target is pushed backwards 5 feet for every point of accuracy you spent. If this movement would force the target to impact a creature, object, or structure, then both the creature and the point of impact take 1d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet of forced movement remaining and the target is restrained until it uses its action to remove the arrow.
- Provocation Shot
When you hit a creature with an attack from your bow, you can use your bonus action and spend 1 accuracy point to provoke the target. The first attack it makes until the start of your next turn is made at disadvantage if it is against a target other than you.
- Tripping Shot
When you hit a creature with an attack from your bow, you can spend 2 accuracy points to make the creature fall. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is knocked prone.
- Charged Shot
Prerequisite: 5th Level, Arcane School
You can use your action and spend any amount of accuracy points to swing your weapon and charge a magical arrow with arcane energy. Choose up to 3 targets within your bow's short range, and make one attack against each. On a hit, you deal damage, the target takes 1d8 damage for each point you spend, or half as much on a success. The damage type is the same of that of your bow.
- Spell Shot
Prerequisite: Arcane School
You can learn spells that modify or increase the power of your arrows with magic. You can choose one 1st-level spell when you first choose this trick, but you can choose this trick multiple times, once for each spell you wish to learn. You spend 2 accuracy points to cast the spell, and Dexterity is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You need to wield your magic bow to cast these spells.
The maximum number of spells you can cast is equal to your proficiency bonus, and you need to finish a long rest before being able to cast spells again.
You can choose more powerful spells when you gain levels on this class: 2nd level spells at 7th level (3 accuracy points to cast), 3rd level spells at 13th (5 accuracy points) and 4th level spells at 4th (6 accuracy points).
When you gain a new level in this class you can also choose to replace any spell you know for a new one.
You can choose from the following list: 1st. hail of thorns, hex, zephyr strike; 2nd. branding smite, magic weapon; 3rd. conjure barrage, elemental weapon, flame arrows, lightning arrow; 4th. elemental bane, freedom of movement.
- Arrow Storm
Prerequisite: 5th Level
As an action, you can spend 5 accuracy points to make hundreds of arrows fall in a 60 foot-tall, 10 foot radius cylinder, centered on a point you can see within your bow's short range. Any creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 10d6 piercing damage, or half of that damage on a success.
- Ambush
Prerequisite: 5th Level
As an action, you can spend up to 5 accuracy points to hide in plain sight, effectively becoming invisible for 1 minute. If you make an attack while you are invisible, you deal additional damage equal to 1d8 for each accuracy point spent. The invisibility ends when you make an attack, if you use this technique again, or if you use your action to regain accuracy.
- Defensive Retreat
Prerequisite: 5th Level
Whenever you are damaged by a hostile creature within 5 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction and spend 2 accuracy points to move up to twice your movement speed.
- Restraining Shot
Prerequisite: 5th Level
You can use your bonus and spend 2 accuracy points to make a ranged attack against a creature within your bow's short rest. On a hit, you don't cause damage and the creature is paralyzed until the start of your next turn.
- Piercing Shot
Prerequisite: 5th Level
As an action, you can spend 3 accuracy points to hit all creatures in 20-foot long and 5-foot wide line. Make one ranged weapon attack with your bow for each target in the line, as the arrow pierce trough the targets.
In addition, if you reduce a creature to a number of hit points equal to your Bowmaster level or lower, the creature is slain.
- Close Quarter's Combat
Prerequisite: 11th Level
At the start of your turn, you can spend 2 accuracy points to increase your reflexes and defend yourself from close threats. Until the start of your next turn, you can use your reaction to reduce any nonmagical slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage to half.
In addition, you can automatically shoot any creature that hits you with a melee attack (no attack roll required). The attacker takes the damage of your bow (without any bonuses or modifiers).
- Exploitative Attack
Prerequisite: 11th Level
Whenever you hit a creature with an attack from your bow, you can use your bonus action and spend 3 accuracy points to prepare to exploit a weakness in the target defense. When a creature makes an attack against your chosen target, you can use your reaction to make an attack with your bow against that same target, ending this effect.
- Arcane Dash
Prerequisite: Arcane School, 11th Level
As a bonus action, you can spend 3 accuracy points to be engulfed by a powerful force aura that grants you resistance to all types of damage and you can fly up to your movement speed until the start of your next turn or until you make an attack or force a creature to make a saving throw.
- Debilitating Shot
Prerequisite: 11th Level
Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with your bow, you can spend 1 accuracy point to force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its speed is halved, and it has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws until the end of its next turn.
- Flurry of Arrows
Prerequisite: 11th Level
As an action, you can spend 3 accuracy points and make an attack with a bow against every creature within your bows short range (up to 3). If any of these creatures is Large or larger, it takes additional damage equal to your weapon's damage die.
- Surge
Prerequisite: 11th Level
As an action, you can spend 1 accuracy point to use increase your speed and reflexes for a short period. Until the start of your next turn, all attacks against you are made at disadvantage, you don't suffer opportunity attacks and you can make one attack with your bow against any creature that enters in your short bows range.
- Revenge Shot
Prerequisite: 17th Level
Whenever you see a creature reduce an allied creature to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction and spend 4 accuracy points to make one attack against the attacking creature. On a hit, you deal additional damage equal to your level and the attacker is pushed 5 feet back and knocked prone.
- Arrow Barrage
Prerequisite: 17th Level
When you hit a creature a ranged attack from your bow, you can use your bonus action and spend 3 to 5 accuracy points to fire several arrows in one shot, causing them to rain down on an area. Every creature in a 15-foot cone centered on you, increased by 15 feet for every accuracy point spent above 3, must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 6d6 piercing damage.
- Volley
Prerequisite: 17th Level
As an action, you can spend 4 accuracy points to choose up to 5 targets within your short range. You can make one attack against each one of the chosen targets. On a hit, this attack deals an additional 2d6 damage.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the bowmaster class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the bowmaster class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, Martial weapons
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