Fisherman (5e Class)
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Fisherman[edit]
Fishing is amongst the most ancient practices of food gathering, and have central to the survival of many civilizations throughout history. For this reason, Fisherman fit a vital role by gathering aquatic creatures on both rivers and seas.
Focus and Patience[edit]
Fishing is generally a task that requires patience, forcing those who engage in it to remain silent and still for long periods of time, awaiting for the target creature to take the bait, for the perfect opportunity to catch the fish. Hence, fisherman have steel nerves and deep focus, and are able to really attune to their own senses in order to detect their prey, being ready when the time to capture the fish comes.
Luring Tactics[edit]
Baiting is one of the most important skills a fisherman needs to learn, and using movements from their bodies and tools, chamative - and sometimes living - bait, goading aquatic creatures to devote their attention to them and rush into a bite. Experienced fisherman can use those tactics to even goad non-aquatic creatures, making them an invaluable asset in an adventuring party, to attract the attention of powerful foes away from the most squishy members of the group.
Powerful Bodies[edit]
Fisherman are extremely enduring and resistant, capable of spending days under harsh climates while maneuvering an aquatic vessel, and still focused and concentrated on their task to catch fish. They also have strong arms and legs, that enables them to pull heavy nets filled with fish, drag big fishes with their rods, butcher gigantic sea creatures and carry heavy fishes on their backs.
Creating a Fisherman[edit]
- Quick Build
You can build a fisherman quickly by following these suggestions: Constitution and Wisdom should be your highest scores, followed by Strength. Choose the Fisher or the Sailor background. Finally, choose the net and leather armor, spear, explorer's pack, dagger, fishing tackle and cook utensils as your starting equipment.
Class Features
As a Fisherman you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d12 per Fisherman level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Fisherman level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Simple weapons, net, harpoon, trident
Weapons: Light armor
Tools: Marine vehicles, cook's utensils
Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
Skills: Choose three from Athletics, Animal Handling, Insight, Nature, Perception, or Survival.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- net and leather armor
- (a) handaxe or (b) spear
- (a) explorer's pack or (b) dungeoneer's pack
- dagger, fishing tackle, cook utensils
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Fishing Practice, Patience |
| 2nd | +2 | Baiting, Strong Arms |
| 3rd | +2 | Fishing Style |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack |
| 6th | +3 | Fishing Style Feature |
| 7th | +3 | Fisherman Resilience |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Natural Swimmer |
| 10th | +4 | Fishing Style Feature |
| 11th | +4 | Sharp Reflexes |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Attentive |
| 14th | +5 | Fishing Style Feature |
| 15th | +5 | Improved Resilience |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Superior Reflexes |
| 18th | +6 | Improved Baiting |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Legendary Fisherman |
Fishing Practice[edit]
At 1st level, you have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and (Survival) checks made to track, capture or notice aquatic creatures, and those creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks contested against your Dexterity (Stealth).
In addition, your opportunity attacks and attacks using reaction against aquatic creatures underwater are made at Advantage.
Patience[edit]
Starting at 1st level, you have calm and patience that make for great fisherman. You can take the Ready action using a Bonus Action on your turn.
In addition, when you Ready an Action, you can keep that Action readied for as long as you want, as long as you don't move.
Baiting[edit]
At 2nd level, you excel at baiting your targets. As an Action, you can force one creature you can see within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. On a failed save, the target will perform an action that trigger one of your readied actions.
If you have no readied action, the target will move towards you on its next turn take the attack, or multiattack action against you. Creatures that succeed the save, trigger a readied action or that are immune to the charmed condition are immune to this feature.
Strong Arms[edit]
At 2nd level, you have sturdy and strong arms, used to drag your fishes. You have Advantage on all contested Strength checks, and ignore benefits of creatures Larger than you for the purpose of Strength checks.
In addition, you can move weight as if you were a creature of one size larger than your actual size.
Fishing Style[edit]
At 3rd level, you can specialize on one of the many existing fishing styles. You can choose between the Hand-gathering or Netting. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th and 14th levels.
Ability Score Improvement[edit]
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[edit]
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, when you take the Attack action. Alternatively, you can forgo one attack to bait a creature.
Fisherman Resilience[edit]
At 7th level, you develop the endurance and sturdiness required to resist the elements and the dangers from rivers and seas. Whenever you take non-magical damage, you can make a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to half the damage taken. On a success, you don't take that damage, storing it instead.
Record the damage taken. You can store damage up to 5 x your Fisherman level. All damage stored is suffered instantly if you surpass your limit of storing damage, or after 1 minute unless you start a rest. In that case, the damage is suffered after you complete a rest.
Natural Swimmer[edit]
At 9th level, you gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed, and you are unaffected by difficult terrain provoked by liquid water.
In addition, you can hold your breath underwater for twice the regular duration, can see in the darkness as if it were dim light and on dim light as if it were bright light under the water.
Sharp Reflexes[edit]
At 11th level, you can use one additional Action in each turn. You can take any Action that is not the Attack or Cast a Spell action.
Attentive[edit]
At 13th level, you have deep focus and mental sharpness, required to capture fish. When you use your Patience feature, you also gain the benefits of the Search action.
In addition, if you haven't moved since your last turn, you can detect creatures within 30 feet of you without relying on sight. Double that range if you are standing or immersed on water.
Improved Resilience[edit]
At 15th level, whenever you successfully use your Fisherman Resilience, you can spend a hit die and regain hit points as if you had completed a rest. In addition, you gain temporary hit points equal to the same amount of hit points regained, lasting until the end of your next turn.
Superior Reflexes[edit]
At 17th level, you can take one additional reaction (to a total of two) during each round. You can still take only one reaction in each turn.
Improved Baiting[edit]
At 18th level, you can repeatedly cause a creature to fall for your goading. Creatures no longer become immune to this feature.
Legendary Fisherman[edit]
At 20th level, you ignore benefits or limitations of size for any contested Strength checks and for Actions that can't be taken against creatures bigger than Large.
Fishing Style[edit]
Hand Gathering[edit]
Hand gathering is probably the oldest method of fishing, and involves using your own bare hands to catch the fish. Thus, these hand gatherers have extremely fast reflexes and strong grasps, being able to catch and crush fishes necks with extreme speed.
- Quick Snatching
Starting at 3rd level, you can move your hands at breaknecking speed in order to catch a fish. Whenever you use a readied Grapple action while unarmed, you automatically grapple the target.
- Noodling
Starting at 6th level, you learn how to use your own arms and hands as bait to an attack. When you goad a creature while unarmed, you can force that creature to move towards you and attack you once using a reaction. This movement provokes opportunity attacks.
- Agile Hands
At 10th level, you can use a Bonus Action in each turn to take the Use an Object action, to make a grapple attempt, or to make an unarmed strike.
- Crushing Hands
At 14th level, you can violently crush your captured fish. Whenever you succeed on a grapple attempt, you instantly cause 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
In addition, the target of your grapple takes additional 1d6 damage at the start of each turn and 1d6 damage whenever it fails to escape the grapple.
Netting[edit]
Casting nets to catch fish is an efficient method to catch large amounts of fishes in a single throw, or a single big fish. Fisherman specialized in netting use modified and reinforced nets in combat, ensnaring their targets to finish them off with weapon strikes.
- Net Casting
Starting at 3rd level, you are extremely adept at casting nets. When using a net as a weapon, the save DC to escape it is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier, unless the next has a higher DC. In addition, you can catch more creatures than one, if they are medium sized or smaller, and are adjacent to one another: two medium sized creatures, four small creatures, eight tiny creatures.
You can move creatures captured by your net as if you were grappling them.
- Reinforced Nets
At 6th level, you can repair or reinforce one of your nets when you complete a short rest with it. After the rest ends, a damaged net is repaired, and a non-damaged net will have 15 hit points, and an AC of 13.
In addition, reinforced nets can be used to capture Huge creatures.
- Dragging Nets
At 10th level, your modified nets are attached to a rope, which you can use to drag your targets closer. Whenever a creature is restrained by the net, you can pull it towards you (no action required), at the start of your turns.
In addition, the range of your modified nets double.
- Violent Pull
At 14th level, whenever you pull a creature towards you with your net, you can instantly make an attack with a weapon you are holding as a Bonus Action or a Reaction.
In addition, you can now capture gargantuan creatures with the modified net.
Multiclassing[edit]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Fisherman class, you must meet these prerequisites: Constitution 13, Wisdom 13.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Fisherman class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, simple weapons, water vehicles, cook utensils, one skill.
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