Munitioner (5e Class)

Munitioner

Far from everyone has the opportunity to learn magic the old-fashioned way like wizards, some people have to work with what they have and use the tools at hand. Munitioners are taught in the way of magical crafting and mechanical interaction, their magical prowess requires specific tools to work, usually in the form of a ranged weapon, and they often prefer gunpowder weapons for the extra kick they bring with them. No fancy spells or magical wands for them, instead they prepare and craft cartridges, ammunition and barrels to gain the effect they desire, usually destruction.

The core of the craft is in the Cartridges and the Mechanical Arcanum. The Cartridges store the magical power that Munitioners carry with them, and the Mechanical Arcanum are the special infusions that a Munitioner has learned on their travels. Some are commonly known among their peers, some come from their attitude towards combat, while others still are unique to them. Munitioners are likely to pack a punch and a surprise in their arsenal.

A War Criminal in the Making

Never formally established as a school of the magical arts, Munitioning came to be on the battlefield due to war and the needs of war efforts. Talent was used as talent could be used, and when someone with a talent for magic can only be taught the basics and is given a gun for their protection, eventually that gun will be where the magic happens. People who would have been wizards became devastating sources of destruction in a modern way, leaving devastation in their wake and generals begging them for assistance. While the craft may have been born on the battlefield as a result of lack, their ability spoke for itself and the practice soon became an attractive alternative to wizardry.

Creating a Munitioner

A Munitioner prepared for battle Image Source

When you create your Munitioner, consider whether they were taught the hard way or in a school, are they a battle-tested soldier, or a learned scholar of the craft? Do they like their craft or would they have preferred wizardry? Do they enjoy the mayhem they can make or do they see it as a necessary evil?

Quick Build

You can make a Munitioner quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the Soldier or Sage background, depending on where they learned.

Class Features

As a Munitioner you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Munitioner level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Munitioner level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, and martial weapons
Tools: Tinker's tools, smith's tools, woodcarver's tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Constitution
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Perception, Investigation, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Survival.

Equipment

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

• (a) heavy crossbow and 30 bolts(similar gun and bullets if your setting has them) or (b) 2 Hand Crossbows and 30 bolts(similar guns and bullets if your setting has them)
• (a) breastplate armor or (b) leather armor and 1 simple melee weapon
• (a) explorer's kit or (b) dungeoneer's kit
• Tinker's tools, smith's tool and woodcarver's tools
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d6 gp in funds.

Table: The Munitioner

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Mechanical Arcanum	Cartridges
1st	+2	Manufactor, Fighting Style	—	—
2nd	+2	Range Expert, Cartridges, Mechanical Arcanum	1	2
3rd	+2	Combat Attitude	1	3
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Tool Expertise	2	4
5th	+3	Extra Attack (1), Cartridge Expansion	2	4
6th	+3	Take Cover, Gun Smith	2	5
7th	+3	Combat Attitude Feature, Extra Load	3	6
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	3	7
9th	+4	Aim, Cartridge Expansion Advancement	3	7
10th	+4	Return Fire	3	8
11th	+4	Combat Attitude Feature	4	8
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Extra Attack (2)	4	9
13th	+5	Cartridge Expansion Advancement	4	10
14th	+5	Combat Attitude Feature	4	10
15th	+5	Spell Cartridge	5	11
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	5	11
17th	+6	Cartridge Expansion Advancement	5	12
18th	+6	Combat Attitude Feature	6	12
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	6	13
20th	+6	Extra Powder	6	14

Manufactor

Starting at 1st Level, you have a small bag of reagents and necessities for crafting, and you are able to craft ammunition and weapons with tinker's tools, smith's tools and woodcarver's tools as long as you have the bag and other required materials. The bag contains enough materials to produce 30 of any regular ammunition per day, and minor components for crafting and modifying weapons.

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your speciality. 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.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Thrown Weapon Fighting(TCE)

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Range Expert

At 2nd Level, you are more adept with range weapons than most professional soldiers, and you suffer no penalties when attacking enemies within melee range with a ranged weapon, and you may ignore regular loading on a weapon. If there is a unique loading feature on the weapon, discuss the specifics with your DM. You also ignore long-range disadvantage.

Cartridges

Beginning at 2nd Level, you are able to use Cartridges(C for short) to increase your firepower and influence on the battlefield. When you utilise a cartridge, your damage is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance. When you use a cartridge, you must declare it before you roll the attack, unless otherwise stated. You gain access to 3 effects at level 2, but more become available at higher levels and for specific subclasses. You regain all Cartridges after a long rest, and whenever you score a critical hit or kill a hostile creature you regain 1 cartridge as well.

If a Cartridge effect has a saving throw, the DC is your 8 + your proficiency + your intelligence modifier.

The Cartridge options(Cartridge cost in parentheses) at level 2 are:

Seeking Shot(1 C)

Called before attacking. You may reroll attacks that are part of your attack action this turn, after you know the result, if you choose to reroll, you must use the new roll. If you do not use the reroll at all, you regain the Cartridge spent.

Impact Shot(1 C)

Called before attacking. You add 1d6 to the damage of attacks made as part of your attack action.

Booming Shot(1 C)

Called before attacking. When an attack hits this turn, the creature must make a strength-saving throw against your Cartridge DC, or be moved 10 ft in the direction of your choice.

Mechanical Arcanum

Also at 2nd Level, you gain access to Mechanical Arcanum, a number of features that you can choose from to augment your weapons, ammunition and combat prowess, including new options for Cartridges.

At this level, you gain access to 1 Arcanum of your choice. Your arcanum options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain Munitioner levels, you gain additional arcanum of your choice, as shown in the Mechanical Arcanum column of the Munitioner table.

Combat Attitude

Starting at 3rd Level, you choose one of three Combat Attitudes. Choose between Attitude of the Sharpshooter, Attitude of the Desperado, and Attitude of the Trenchsweeper. All are detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, 7th level, 11th level, 14th level, and 18th level.

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.

Tool Expertise

At 4th Level, you have forgotten more about using tools than most craftsmen know. When you have proficiency in a tool, you treat that proficiency as expertise instead.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th Level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 12th level in this class.

Cartridge Expansion

Also at 5th Level, you may choose 1 more option for your cartridges from the list below. At 9th, 13th and 17th level, you may pick one more option, respectively, From the list. When you level up, you may exchange one of these choices for another option available to you. You cannot pick the same cartridge twice.

Elemental Shot(1 C)

Called before attacking. Choose either acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder or poison damage. You add 1d6 of that damage type to the damage of attacks made as part of your attack action.

Smoke Shot(1 C)

Called before an attack, it affects that attack. Causes a 20-foot-sphere of smoke to form where the attack hits, and does not have to be fired at a creature to work. Only one smoke cloud can be created, regardless of the number of attacks made. The smoke clouds function like Fog Cloud, and last for 10 minutes.

Piercing Shot(1 C)

Called before attacking. Attacks in your attack action are considered line attacks of the short range of your weapon. You roll to hit the target of your attack, anyone in the line of that attack is also hit if the attack hits their AC, and takes half the damage of the main attack.

Explosive Shot(2 C) (requires 9th Level)

Called when an attack hits, it affects that attack. The target hit by the attack takes the attack's damage and every creature within 15 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Cartridge DC or take 4d6 fire damage. On a successful save, the damage is halved.

Debilitating Shot(1 C)

When an attack hits, you may pay 1 cartridge and make it a Debilitating Shot. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw or lose half its speed until the end of your next turn.

High Caliber(1 C) (requires 13th Level)

Called before attacking. You add 1d8 force damage to the damage of attacks made as part of your attack action.

Fan Shots(2 C) (requires 9th Level)

Called before an attack is rolled, it affects that attack. Instead of rolling an attack roll, roll the damage for the attack instead, including any extra damage effects, such as Elemental Weapon to the damage as well. Every creature in a 30-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Cartridge DC or take the damage. On a successful save, the damage is halved.

Take Cover

At 6th Level, when you are targeted with a ranged attack, you can use your reaction to Take Cover. When you do, you gain one more level of cover than you currently have towards attack from that creature, so no cover becomes half cover, half cover becomes three-quarters cover, and three-quarters cover becomes total cover. This cover effect is only applied to the creature you take cover from.

Gun Smith

Also at 6th Level, you have tinkered with enough weapons to know how to build and improve them beyond what a normal craftsman could do. You may craft any weapon that you have the gold for if you spend 8 hours working on it. Time and price may vary depending on the weapon, where you are, and what resources you can get. Additionally, you may tinker with a weapon to change its properties, enchanting it or giving it special abilities. Typical effects can be +X to attack and damage, permanent elemental damage, increases to skill and the like. Discuss these crafts and improvements with your DM regarding options and costs.

Extra Load

At 7th Level, you throw caution to the wind, and you can use multiple cartridges per turn. Otherwise, the same rules apply. Cartridges that directly augment damage may not be used simultaneously, for example, Impact Shot cannot be used at the same time as Elemental Shot.

Aim

At 9th Level, you have realized that if you aim properly, you can avoid any unwanted side effects, plus you hit better. When you make an attack, you can choose to Aim, giving you advantage on the attack roll, and if the attack has an area of effect, creatures of your choice are not affected. You can aim a number of times equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier(minimum of 1). You regain Aim charges after a short or long rest. You may only Aim once per turn.

Return Fire

At 10th Level, once per turn when you are in cover, including the effects of Take Cover, and an attack misses you, you may return fire and attack the creature that missed you. This does not cost a reaction, but critical hits made with this feature do not generate cartridge charges. You can do this a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier(minimum of 1) per short rest. If you have your reaction available, you can use that to make the shot instead of using a charge of this ability.

Spell Cartridge

At 15th Level, your ability to pack magical power into your cartridges has improved significantly, and you can now cause full spell effects with your cartridges. When you gain this feature you may pick 3 spells of levels 1, 2, or 3 from the wizard spell list. Instead of doing your full attack on your turn, you may instead choose to pay a number of cartridges equal to the spell's level and cast it. When you level up you may change one of these chosen spells. The spells use your Cartridge DC for saves, but your weapon attacks for spell attacks.

Extra Powder

At 20th Level, when you finish a short rest, you regain half of your cartridges. If you enter combat with no available cartridges, you regain 3 cartridges.

Attitude of the Sharpshooter

A Sharpshooter Munitioner in battle Image Source

Long Shooter

At 3rd Level, you may treat range weapons as if their long-range is doubled. Additionally, you may ignore half and three-quarters cover and you are not affected by effects that block vision by obscuring line of sight like Fog Cloud or Blur. This does not include effects like invisbility or Darkness that completely block you from seeing a creature affected by the spell.

Surefire Shot

At 7th Level, when you are about to roll for an attack you can instead take a Surefire Shot for the price of 1 cartridge, giving you an automatic hit. This attack cannot be a critical hit and it cannot affect abilities that do not require attack rolls.

One Shot, One Kill

At 11th Level, When you take the attack action, you can pay 2 cartridges to take a single shot instead. When you do this, roll all your attacks as normal, if any of them hit, they all hit and you roll damage for all the attacks, and if it is a critical hit, you roll critical damage for all the attacks. A critical hit with this feature does not let you regain a cartridge. Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again before taking a short or long rest. Aim will only give you advantage on one of the attack rolls if used with this feature and advantage in general will only apply for one attack roll. Surefire Shot may not be used with this feature.

The Art of Precision

At 14th Level, When you use the Aim feature, you can instead of gaining advantage, choose to deal maximum damage on a hit. This feature will only maximize one attack roll's damage if used with One Shot, One Kill.

Two Shots

At 18th Level, You may use One Shot, One Kill twice between rests.

Attitude of the Desperado

A Desperado Munitioner in battle Image Source

Two is Better Than One

At 3rd Level, when you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different one-handed ranged weapon you are holding. Additionally, when you have used this feature's additional attack, you may move without causing attacks of opportunity against you. This bonus shot is not affected by cartridge effects that apply only to the attack actions.

Additionally, you gain Gusto, which may be used to execute Desperado-specific features or the Seeking Shot cartridge feature. You have a number of Gusto points equal to your Charisma modifier(minimum of 1). Gusto recharges on a short rest.

Duel at High Noon

Also At 3rd Level, you may declare a rivalry towards a creature you can see within your attack range as a bonus action. The rivalry lasts for 1 minute or until the rival creature dies. While the rivalry is active, you may add your Charisma Modifier(minimum of 0) to the damage. If you kill the rival creature, you regain 2 cartridges. You may not declare a new rival until you have finished a short or long rest, unless you pay 1 Gusto.

Right Between the Eyes

At 7th Level, For 1 Gusto you may give yourself advantage on one attack, or for free if it is against a rival creature. You may use this feature once per turn.

Another One, For Good Measure

At 11th Level, when you use the Two is Better Than One feature, you may spend 2 Gusto or Cartridges to perform a second attack as part of the bonus action attack.

Surrounded, Good

At 14th Level, on your turn, whenever you attack a creature you have not attack on this turn, you may add your Charisma modifier to the damage. This damage gets added to Duel at High Noon's rivalry damage.

Fan the Hammer

At 18th Level, you may use both your action and your bonus action to Fan the Hammer, making 6 attacks in one turn, however, you cannot move once you have used this feature. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you have finished a long rest.

Attitude of the Trenchsweeper

A Trenchsweeper Munitioner with his trusty gun Image Source

Up Close

At 3rd Level, you specialise in fighting your enemies up close. When you make a range attack while within the target's melee range, you can add 1d6 damage to one attack that hits. This damage can stack with effects like Impact Shot.

And Personal

At 7th Level, when you hit with an attack within the melee range of a hostile creature, you can spend 1 cartridge to have them make a Strength saving throw, falling prone on a failure. Additionally, your ranged attacks do not suffer disadvantage against prone targets, and you have advantage against prone targets within 10 feet of you.

The Hardcore

At 11th Level, you can spend a bonus action and 2 cartridges to give yourself temporary hit points equal to your Munitioner level + Intelligence modifier. You may only do this once per short or long rest.

Suppression

At 14th Level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you may spend 1 cartridge to give them disadvantage on attacks against all creatures other than you until the end of your next turn.

Blow it Up

At 18th Level, you may, as a bonus action, spend 1 cartridge to throw an explosive at a target within 60 feet. The explosion damage is the same as Explosive Shot and the saving rules are the same. You may do this a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier between long rests.

Mechanical Arcanum

Intimidating Display

When you roll a charisma check to either persuade, deceive or intimidate, you may gain advantage by brandishing your weapon. Keep in mind that this will likely be considered a hostile action on a failure.

Indepth Expertise

You gain proficiency in Investigation and Arcana. If you already have proficiency in one or both of these skills, those proficiencies become expertise.

Covering Fire

When a creature within your weapon's range attacks another creature other than you, you may use your reaction to lay down covering fire, giving the creature disadvantage on the attacks made against that creature.

Recon Specialist

You gain proficiency in Perception and Stealth. If you already have proficiency in one or both of these skills, those proficiencies become expertise.

Dive for Cover

If you are out of movement on your turn, you may use your bonus action to dive for cover, allowing you to move up to half your movement speed.

Extra Cartridge

You gain an extra cartridge charge.

High Ground

While you are at least 10 feet above the target of your attack, you may add +1 to your attack roll.

Gadget Maker

You may spend time and resources creating gadgets during rest or downtime. These gadgets can mimic spell effects or other effects of your choice. Due to the wide variety of effects gadgets can have, discuss with your DM if you can make a specific gadget and what it would require. You may craft up to 10 gp worth of value per hour spent crafting, increasing to 20 gp once you gain the Tool Expertise feature.

Example Gadgets

Deployable Cover(200 GP): Drop as a bonus action to gain half cover in that location until recovered. It can be made cheaper by making it single-use(50 GP).

Elevator(200 GP): Drop a controllable platform as a bonus action. While on it you may move upwards up to 30 feet and remain in the air. The elevator can only move upwards, so if you move in any direction other than down(lowering the elevator), you fall off the elevator.

Smoke Grenade(100 GP): As an action, drop a Fog Cloud effect at a location of your choice within 60 feet.

Fix Bayonet

(Requires Trenchsweeper)

When you attack a creature within 10 feet of you with a ranged weapon, that attack is also considered a melee attack for related effects. Additionally, if you move at least 20 feet on your turn before attacking a creature within 10 feet of you, you may consider that attack a charge attack, and add +5 to the damage of the first attack against the target.

Trick Shot

(Requires Desperado)

When one of your ranged attacks hits, you may pay 1 cartridge to make it a trick shot. Choose a different creature within 30 feet of the original target and roll another attack against that creature. If it hits, the target takes the same damage as the original target. You may only perform 1 trick shot per turn, and it cannot land a critical hit. If you do roll a critical hit on the trick shot, you regain the cartridge spent on it.

Precision Shooter

(Requires Sharpshooter)

On your turn, before rolling any attacks, you can choose to make Precision attacks this turn. You may not regain cartridges during this turn, but you score critical hits on a 19 or 20. You may only use this ability once before taking a short or long rest.

Ambush Tactics

(Requires 5th Level)

You may use your bonus action to hide.

Concussive Shot

(Requires 5th Level)

Called when an attack hits, it affects that attack. You may spend 1 cartridge to make the target must make a Constitution saving throw against your Cartridge DC or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Versatile Shooter

(Requires 5th Level)

You may pick an additional cartridge option from the class list.

Homing Shot

(Requires 5th Level)

Called before attacking with a ranged weapon. You may spend 1 cartridge to make the shots homing. Homing shots ignore half cover and three-quarters cover and treat total cover as half cover.

Blinding Shot

(Requires 7th Level)

Called when an attack hits, it affects that attack. You may spend 1 cartridge to make the target must make a Constitution saving throw against your Cartridge DC or be Blinded for 1 minute. The blinded creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn.

Spell Bullet

(Requires 9th Level)

When you finish a long rest, you may choose a spell of up to 2nd level with one attack roll(meaning spells such as Scorching Ray would not be available) from the wizard spell list. You may create a bullet that contains that spell. When you make an attack, before rolling the attack roll, you can call that you are using this Spell Bullet. If the bullet hits the target, that target is hit by the spell as well and takes the related effects. The bullet still deals damage as normal too. You may only have one Spell Bullet at a time. The spell effect of a spell bullet may only affect the same creature once.

Extra Spell Power

(Requires 17th Level)

For the Spell Cartridge feature, you may pick an additional spell to add to your arsenal. This additional spell may be of up to 4th level, and the cartridge cost of the spell will be the same as the spell's level.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into Munitioner, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Munitioner class, you gain the following proficiencies: All Range Weapons

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