Elemental Archer (5e Subclass)

Elemental Archer

Fighter Archetype

Ice Archer by Jaggu dada

It is said that, before the refined art of arcane archery was developed, some a more rudimentary and primitive technique already existed, consisting in use the raw power of the primordial planes, instead of the scientific and studied arcane magic. This tradition is still kept by more wild elven communities, such as that of wood elves, who claim the elemental archery as the truest form of magical archery.

Elemental archers can imbue their ammunition with volatile and untamed primordial energy, that can barely be contained by their projectiles, unleashing its natural destruction upon impact. Some magical traditions see elemental archers as brutish and savage, while others respect and fear them for the pure destruction they can unleash upon their enemies.

Primordial Attunement

At 3rd level, you learn how to connect yourself with the power that comes from the primordial plane, and draw their power. You learn how to speak, read and write in primordial.

In addition, when you finish a long rest, choose one of the following cantrips: control flames, druidcraft, gust, mold earth or shape water. You can cast that cantrip, and Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can replace the chosen cantrip with a different cantrip from the above list. Once you replace the cantrip, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.

Saving Throws. Some of your elemental archer features and spells require one or more targets to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC for these features and spells is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

Elemental Ammunition

Starting at 3rd level, whenever you make a ranged attack with a weapon, you can choose one of the following damage types: acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. You magically empower the projectile, causing it to deal damage from the chosen type if it hits, instead of its normal damage.

Explosive Projectile

At 3rd level, you can channel your ammunition with volatile elemental energy, that detonates after your attack. When you make an attack with an elemental ammunition during your attack action, you can make it an explosive projectile. Hit or miss, the energy explodes, destroying the projectile, and the target and all other creatures within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or take 2d4 damage of the Elemental Ammunition's type. On a hit, the target suffers attack's the normal effects and automatically fails the save. If the target is in your weapon's long range, all creatures not hit by the missile have advantage on the saving throw.

The damage increases to 2d6 at 7th level, 2d8 at 10th level, 3d10 at 15th level and 3d12 at 18th level.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain expended uses after completing a long rest. Alternatively, you can spend the use of your Second Wind to regain one use of your Explosive Projectile feature. Additionally, if you have your Indomitable feature, you can spend one use of it as a bonus action to regain one use of your Explosive Projectile feature.

Primordial Magic

Starting at 7th level, you can easily control your elemental power. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can now choose two cantrips from your Elemental Attunement options, instead of one. In addition, you can cast any of those cantrips as a bonus action on your turn.

Primordial Movement

At 10th level, when you use your Action Surge, you can ride the elemental power, firing up jets of fire or floating on air. Choose one type of movement: burrowing, climbing, flying or swimming. You have that movement speed, equal to twice your walking speed, until the end of your turn.

Alternatively, you can choose none of those options, and use your bonus action on this turn to gain the benefits of both the Dash and Disengage action.

Elemental Channeling

At 15th level, you can channel the elemental power you hold into your weapon or your own body. As a bonus action, you can use this ability in the following manners:

Elemental Barrage. You fire a volley of magically charged missiles. Choose one of the damage types from your Elemental Ammunition feature. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 5d8 damage from the chosen type on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Elemental Barrage consumes 5 pieces of ammunition.

Protected Body. Choose one of the damage types from your Elemental Ammunition feature and touch a willing creature, including yourself. The creature gains resistance to the chosen damage type until it completes a long rest.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Alternatively, you can spend one use of your Indomitable feature as a bonus action to regain one expended use of this feature.

Elemental Crack-shot

At 18th level, you reach the epitome of your primordial archery prowess. Your features gain the following enhancements:

Enhanced Missiles. When you hit a target with an Elemental Ammunition attack and roll for damage, you can reroll the elemental damage dice and use either total.

Destructive Ammunition. As an Action, you can fire an Explosive Projectile. If you do, the area of the explosion increases to a 20-foot radius, and each creature take 5d12 points of damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. On a hit, the target suffers the normal effects and automatically fails the save. If the target is in your weapon's long range, all creatures not hit by the missile have advantage on the saving throw.

Elemental Volley. When you use any of the Elemental Channeling options, you can fire a small volley of Elemental Ammunition as part of the same bonus action. They deal the same damage as the type chosen for your Elemental Channeling option. You can make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. On a hit, a target takes an additional 1d10 Elemental Ammunition damage. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.

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