Farmer (5e Class)

Farmer

Though not typically thought of as a warrior or adventurer, working in the field all day when the sun is hot and high in the sky certainly makes a person far tougher than most. A fight against one of these individuals is sure to be a long one that not many can endure.

Work Until You Drop

Now when most think about a Farmer, they don’t exactly think of some complete badass going out to slay dragons, rescue consistently imperiled nobility, and save the day. More often than not they’re simply seen as peasant; background individuals that are not much of a threat. However, they can be a lot tougher than expected.

As a Farmer, you aren’t made to deal massive amount of damage right away. However, what you excel at is delivering constant damage and wearing an opponent out over time. You’re used to playing the waiting game, and fighting creatures is no different for you. Every encounter with you is an endurance match that others don’t often succeed in, as you are made to withstand quite a good deal of damage and frequently hinder your enemies.

Whether or not you’re some Joe Schmo that got roped into traveling with a band of adventurers one way or another, or a commoner who got fed up with the troubles you and your fellow peasants face and decided to solve them yourself: you are a formidable foe and constant nuisance to enemies you face, while being a humble teammate to work alongside of.

Creating a Farmer

Peasant, n-a-S-t-u, https://n-a-s-t-u.deviantart.com/art/Peasant-554604001

When creating a Farmer, it is important to remember that is it not a class typically seen as the brave heroes out to save the world. You are usually the typical peasant or commoner that stays to the background while more flamboyant members of society move about the world and make an impact in it.

As such, some important questions to ask would be: Why is your Farmer adventuring? Did they accidentally get roped into traveling with other adventurers and it’s too hard to get out of it now? Did you want a life outside of working in the field all day? Or were you fed up with the everyday troubles your fellow peasants faced and decided to go out on your own to solve them?

You can further expand on this depending on the campaign’s background: Are there many troubles that you commoners face? Is the ruling body of where you live corrupt? Did you start out as a commoner? Or did you escape some other life and decide to settle down, only to somehow be pulled into drama once more?

Quick Build

You can make a Farmer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength. Second, choose the Outlander background. Third, choose a pitchfork and an explorer's pack as your starting equipment.

Class Features

As a Farmer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d12 per Farmer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Farmer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, Medium Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand-Crossbows, Nets, Tridents
Tools: Herbalism Kit
Saving Throws: Constitution, Strength
Skills: Pick 3 from Nature, Survival, Animal Handling, Medicine, Athletics, Perception.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) A pitchfork (see below) or (b) A sickle or (c) A hand-crossbow with 20 bolts
• (a) A shield or (b) An Explorer’s pack
• Leather Armor
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 3d6 x10 in funds.

Table: The Farmer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Endurance Dice
1st	+2	Tools of the Trade, Out-Endure Them	1 + Your Constitution Modifier
2nd	+2	Reap What You Sow	1 + Your Constitution Modifier
3rd	+2	Path of the Farmer	2 + Your Constitution Modifier
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	2 + Your Constitution Modifier
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Beast Foe	3 + Your Constitution Modifier
6th	+3	Path Feature, Ability Score Improvement	3 + Your Constitution Modifier
7th	+3	Landtender, Live Off the Land	3 + Your Constitution Modifier
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4 + Your Constitution Modifier
9th	+4	Get 'Em By the Roots	4 + Your Constitution Modifier
10th	+4	Path Feature	4 + Your Constitution Modifier
11th	+4	One With the Earth	4 + Your Constitution Modifier
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	4 + Your Constitution Modifier
13th	+5	Careful Eye and Quick Hands	5 + Your Constitution Modifier
14th	+5	Path Feature, Ability Score Improvement	5 + Your Constitution Modifier
15th	+5	Precise Cuts	5 + Your Constitution Modifier
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	5 + Your Constitution Modifier
17th	+6	Disabling Wounds	5 + Your Constitution Modifier
18th	+6	Heart Carver	6 + Your Constitution Modifier
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	6 + Your Constitution Modifier
20th	+6	Path Feature	7 + Your Constitution Modifier

Tools of the Trade

As a Farmer, there are some tools you simply know how to utilize better than anyone. When using a Sickle, the damage die for the weapon is a 1d6 rather than a 1d4. In addition, you can use a Pitchfork as a weapon.

You are also proficient whenever setting up hunting traps, or disarming them.

Pitchfork

A weapon that only Farmers use. A pitchfork is a two-handed weapon that deals 1d10 piercing damage and can be thrown (range 30/80ft). You are proficient with this weapon.

Out-Endure Them

You might not be the heaviest hitter or the burliest fighter out there but toiling away in the fields all day has taught you a thing or two about endurance. At 1st level, you gain Endurance Dice, seen in the chart above.

As a bonus action, you can expend any number of Endurance Dice, you then gain 1d6 + your Constitution modifier worth of temporary hit points per die for 4 hours. You regain all expended Endurance Dice after completing a Long Rest.

The die increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, 1d12 at 15th level and 2d8 at 20th level.

In addition, you can use your bonus action to expend Endurance die to suppress the effect of one level of exhaustion indefinitely. The cost is one Endurance die per suppressed level of exhaustion you already have plus one. However, you still die if you have 6 levels of exhaustion you just don't suffer the other effects from the exhaustion condition.

Reap What You Sow

Some features will ask for a bleed save which is a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier

You know life’s not all about getting what you want right away; all things take time and dedication. This mindset shows through your fighting style. At 2nd level, when you make a successful attack against a creature they must make a bleed save. If they fail the save, then at the beginning of each of their turns they take half your level (rounded down) in necrotic (bleeding) damage. At the end of their turn, they may reroll the save to end the effect.

Creatures cannot be affected by this feature if they have no blood in their bodies (E.G Skeleton), or they are already under its effect, meaning that this feature does not stack. If an affected creature regains hit points equal or more than the bleeding then the effect ends.

You must be using a pitchfork or sickle to use this feature.

Paths of the Farmer

At 3rd level, you choose to go down the path of the Fieldhand or Reaper.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 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.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Extra Attack

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

Beast Foe

You’ve had to deal with your fair share of beasts, and it shows. At 5th level, Intimidation checks made against beasts are done with advantage. Attack and damage rolls you make against beasts gain a +1 bonus, and you can use your action to force a beast within 30ft to make a Wisdom save against 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. If they fail the save they use their reaction to move their speed away from you and are frightened of you for 1 minute, at the end of their turns they can reroll the save to end the effect, when they succeed a save, they have advantage on saves against this feature for 24 hours.

Landtender

Working with nature has made you incredibly familiar with it. As such, you can get the most out of it and know how to traverse it. At 7th level, choose either Survival or Nature to gain proficiency in the skill. If you are already proficient, double your proficiency modifier and when you make skill checks with either to gather food, herbal ingredients, identify ingredients, you do so with advantage.

You also treat any difficult terrain not created magically as normal terrain.

Live Off the Land

Tending the land is hungry work, so you’ve learned to really appreciate whatever you manage to get your hands on. At 7th level, you are able to drink potions as a bonus action. In addition, you can now use an action to consume food (1 ration) and regain hit points equal to 2d8 + your Constitution modifier. once you have done so you cannot regain hit points from this feature until you complete a short rest or a long rest.

The hit points you regain increases to 3d8 at 11th level, 4d8 at 15th level, and 5d8 at 19th level.

Get ‘Em By the Roots

Plants? People? They’ve both got one thing in common: get them by their roots and they’ll go down. At 9th level, when you hit with an attack you can choose to make it a Uprooting Strike. Where in addition to the normal effects, the target must make a Dexterity save against your bleed save DC or be knocked prone. You cannot do this to creatures more than one size larger than you.

You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this ability.

If you choose to make a attack an Uprooting Strike then it cannot be a Precise Cut, a Disabling Wound attack or a Heart Carving Strike

One With the Earth

You have become as solid as the ground you tend. At 11th level, any attempts to knock you prone or move you are done with disadvantage and you have advantage to resist such attempts. This feature is not active when your character is not touching the ground (for instance, if they are affected by a Fly spell).

You also treat all difficult terrain as normal terrain.

Careful Eye and Quick Hands

Days of watching your fields and keeping beasts out have made you a cautious one. At 13th level, you gain proficiency in Perception. If you already have proficiency in this skill, double the proficiency modifier. You can no longer be surprised by enemies so long as you are conscious. Lastly, you have advantage in Initiative rolls.

If you have taken the Alert feat, you add an additional +2 to your passive perception and 10ft blindsense

Precise Cuts

Knowing just where to cut for your crops has started to transition over to fighting your enemies. At 15th level, you can use your bonus action when you hit a creature to make it a Precise Cut attack. In addition the normal effects, your target must make a bleed save. If they fail then you manage to cripple them and their movement speed is now halved. At the end of each of their turns, they can make the same save to regain their movement.

You can only use this feature a number of times equal to your Strength modifier, regaining spent uses after completing a long rest.

The effect caused by this strike works similar to the “Reap What You Sow” feature. In that, it cannot stack with itself and is removed when they are healed. If you choose to make an attack a Precise Cut then it cannot be an Uprooting Strike, a Disabling Wound attack or a Heart Carving Strike. They make separate Constitution saves for the Reap What You Sow, Precise Cuts and Disabling Wounds features. You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this feature.

Disabling Wounds

You’re getting even better at making just the right sort of attacks to hinder your enemies in the worst of ways. At 17th level, you can use your bonus action when you hit with an Attack to make it a Disabling Wound attack. In addition the normal effects, your target must make a bleed save. If they fail then you manage to make their attacks less effective. Their melee attacks are made with disadvantage. At the end of each of their turns, they can make the same save to remove the effect.

You can only use this feature a number of times equal to your Strength modifier, regaining spent uses after completing a long rest. When a creature succeeds on a save against this feature, they have advantage on saves against this feature for 24 hours.

The effect caused by this strike works similar to the “Reap What You Sow” feature. In that, it cannot stack with itself and is removed when they are healed. If you choose to make an attack a Precise Cut then it cannot be an Uprooting Strike, a Disabling Wound attack or a Heart Carving Strike. They make separate Constitution saves for the Reap What You Sow, Precise Cuts and Disabling Wounds features. You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this feature.

Heart Carver

If you want to cut something down, you should go for the core. And that’s exactly what you do. At 18th level, you can use your bonus action when you hit with an Attack to make it a Heart Carving Strike. In addition the normal effects, they make a bleed save. If they succeed, they still gain the bleed effect from your “Reap What You Sow” feature as if they failed the normal save. If they fail, then the damage from your bleed effect is quadrupled. They continue to take this higher amount of damage until they succeed a bleed save at the end of their turn. However, once they do that they still receive the normal amount of bleed damage until they make another successful bleed save. Meaning they must make two successful Constitution saves to completely remove the bleed effect.

If the target uses a potion, is healed, or makes the save, then that counts for one of the saves. They must do this again to completely get rid of the effects.

You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this ability.

Fieldhand

From working away endlessly in the fields all day, you’ve become a pretty sturdy individual who can endure quite a lot. Those that face you know they’re in for a long and grueling fight.

Sturdy Build

You’ve withstood a lot of toil, so it takes quite a bit to take you down. At 3rd level, you become resistant to non magical Slashing, Bludgeoning, and Piercing damage.

At 9th level you are also resistant to cold and poison damage and at 15th level you are also resistant to fire and acid damage. At 20th level, you are resistant to all damage.

Hardworking Kinsmanship

Your humble profession and clear hardworking ethic makes you easily relate to your fellow common man. At 6th level, any Persuasion (Charisma) checks you make when talking to a fellow commoner/peasant are done with advantage. Furthermore, if you spend at least a day assisting them with their own farm work, they will normally reward you with at least 1d6 rations or equivalent and lodgings.

Sheer Determination

There aren’t as many who are quite so devoted and motivated as you are to completing a task. At 10th level, you can spend Two Endurance die to add your Constitution modifier to a skill check, attack roll, or saving throw, after you roll but before you know the results.

Death Defying Stubbornness

You’re already so used to taking a beating from your typical profession; no way are you going to let someone knock you down so easily. At 14th level, when you drop to zero hit points, you can spend an Endurance die without using an action and regain hit points instead of temporary hit points. You can use this feature once, regaining the use after completing a short or long rest.

As Strong As An Ox

There are a scant few who can match you when it comes to stamina and Endurance, either in combat or out. At 20th level, whenever you are gaining hit points or temporary hit points you gain the maximum possible (e.g. instead of rolling 1d12, you just get 12). Furthermore, when you spend Endurance dice to add to a skill check, saving throw, or attack roll, you can add your proficiency bonus if you do not already.

Reaper

You’re used to being completely dug into your work and disappearing into the crops you harvest. Cuts you make are precise and carefully thought out to make the most of what you reap, and this has transferred over to your fighting style.

The Scarecrow

Countless days spent working in the thick of the fields has made you used to working silently and often going unnoticed. Unless you’re scaring off some pest who’s snuck into your domain. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Stealth. If you are already proficient in Stealth, then double your proficiency bonus. If you are traveling through a field, then you make the roll with advantage.

In addition, you are capable of performing a Scarecrow Strike if you manage to attack an enemy without them being aware of your presence. For a Scarecrow Strike you gain advantage on your attack to hit when coming out of stealth like normal. But in addition if you manage to hit, then your target must make a Charisma save with DC 8 + Charisma modifier + proficiency. Should they fail, then they are rattled by your sudden appearance. All attacks made against the target are done so with advantage until the target’s turn and the target is frightened of you for 1 minute.

You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this ability.

Light Feet

You’ve actually gotten pretty good with this whole hiding thing, and maneuvering around your fields has made you a lot more careful with your footing. At 6th level you are able to use your Bonus Action to Hide, Dash, Dodge, or Disengage.

Long Range Reaping

Though you’ve never had to deal with crops that have run away, you’ve learned how to deal with flightier creatures now. At 10th level, you can attach a chain to your weapon that allows you to pull it back. Now you can perform a unique Attack called a Snatching Shot. If a target is within 60 feet, roll for a normal attack with your weapon. If it hits, your target must make a Strength save against your bleed DC or be pulled to your location.

You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this ability.

Feast of Crows

Perhaps it’s some strange connection you have with the earth after tending to it for so long, but the typical pests that used to haunt your fields now come at your beck and call. At 14th, you are now able to cast “Speak with Animals” as a cantrip but would have to spend an additional Endurance Die to do it again. In particular, you have advantage on any Charisma checks against rodents or critters (meaning crows, rats, mice, rabbits, etc.).

In addition, once per day, you are able to summon a swarm of crows to attack your enemies. The crows fill a 15 by 15 foot square that is within 60 feet from you and all creatures of your choice within it must make a Constitution save with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your charisma modifier. If they fail the save they take 6d10 + your Charisma modifier of slashing damage and half that if they succeed as the birds ruthlessly attack those in the square. The swarm remains for three turns and any enemy that starts its turn within the swarm must make the save and take damage. Using your action, you can move the swarm to move up to 30 feet. After 3 turns, the swarm disperses. You cannot do this in any place crows cannot enter.

Bloody Harvest

Much like how the soil can constantly give, you’ve learned that creatures can too. At 20th level, your Reap What You Sow feature can now stack with itself, with the damage increasing each time they fail the initial save when you hit them, but when they succeed the bleed save at the end of their turn it ends all of the bleed damage. if they are under the effect of heart carver then all of the damage is quadrupled and the first resave just removes the multiplier.

You must be wielding a sickle or pitchfork to use this ability.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Farmer class, you must meet these prerequisites: Str 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Farmer class, you gain the following proficiencies: light and medium armour, handcrossbows, pitchfork, simple weapons, one skill from class list and herbalism kit.

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