Sekiro (5e Class)

Work In Progress

Sekiro

Shinobi

The classic appearance of a full-fledged Sekiro

A human shinobi creeps through the tall grass, nothing but a shadow cast upon a backdrop of darkness. His blade already unsheathed; he makes his way around the enemy camp where the orc soldiers are stationed. When one of them wanders into the foliage to relieve himself, the shinobi pulls him to the ground and slits his throat in one swift motion, the only sound being a gurgling of blood in the orc's open wound. With their ranks thinned by one, the two remaining orcs are left at a disadvantage when the shinobi descends upon them. He appears behind one and sheathes his katana in the warrior's heart. The other has little time to react and a short duel ensues. Their blades clash and the shinobi react swiftly, slicing through the orc's throat and leaving him to bleed out. When the next patrol arrives, the shinobi is long gone, the only trace of his existence being a trio of dispatched soldiers.

The halfling, having underestimated her foes, finds herself outmatched. The tabaxi guards before her sneer in their premature celebration, unaware of her hidden fang. She raises her wooden arm as they approach and the mechanism inside whirs to life. Firecrackers burst from her arm and exploded in a wide cone before her. The guards shield their eyes and recoil, giving the intruder valuable reaction time. A thin, strong rope springs from the shinobi's prosthetic arm and attaches to the top of the nearby gate. The Halfling is pulled over the heads of her enemies. When they uncover their eyes and regain their composure, she is gone. Sekiro Shinobi are skilled warriors who use both stealth and superior combat prowess to their advantage. They are loathe to be struck by enemies, as they cannot absorb much damage, but their unrivaled skills on the battlefield compensate nicely.

Creating a Sekiro

As you make your Sekiro Shinobi, consider how they lost their arms. Who were they when they were a simple shinobi? What was their mission and how did they lose their arm? Do they fall while defending their master in combat? Did they unknowingly lead bandits to the hamlet they were sworn to protect, later losing a limb in their efforts to prevent its destruction? This event is what drives them to push forward in their search for redemption and/or revenge.

What attitude do you take toward your rebirth? Do you solemnly return to your duties and attempt to make amends, or are you swallowed up in anger and driven to seek revenge on those responsible for your downfall? Do you regard your prosthetic arm as a tool that will prove useful in your quest or is it simply a grim totem that acts as a monument to your failures? Perhaps both are true in their own way.

Quick Build

You can make a Shinobi quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the Hermit background. Third, choose A katana, 6 shuriken and Explorer's Pack

Class Features

As a Sekiro you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per Sekiro level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Sekiro level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple and Martial Weapons
Tools: Herbalism Kit, Poisoners kit, Disguise kit, and Forgery kit, Carpenter’s tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Religion, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) Katana or (b) Wakizashi
• (a) An Explorer's Pack or (b) Dungeoneering Pack
• (a) 7 Shuriken or (b) 4 Daggers
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10gp in funds in funds.

Table: The Sekiro

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Deflect Die	Counter Attack	Max Spirit Emblems	Combat Arts	Passive Arts
1st	+2	Deflect, Fighting Style, Unarmored Defense	d4	1d8	-	-	-
2nd	+2	Shinobi Prosthetic, Spirit Emblems, Cunning Action	d4	1d8	2	-	-
3rd	+2	Shadow Die Twice, Tree Arts	d4	2d8	3	2	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	d4	2d8	4	2	2
5th	+3	Extra attack, Posture Break	d4	3d8	5	2	2
6th	+3	Sixth Sense	d6	3d8	6	4	3
7th	+3	Evasion, Shadow Die Twice (2)	d6	4d8	7	4	3
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	d6	4d8	8	4	3
9th	+4	Deathblow	d6	5d8	9	6	4
10th	+4	Shinobi Combat	d8	5d8	10	6	4
11th	+4	Spirit Thief	d8	6d8	11	6	4
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	d8	6d8	12	8	5
13th	+5	Willful Fortitude	d8	7d8	13	8	5
14th	+5	—	d10	7d8	14	8	5
15th	+5	—	d10	8d8	15	10	6
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	d10	8d8	16	10	6
17th	+6	Unerring Strike	d10	9d8	17	10	6
18th	+6	Skilled Warrior	d12	9d8	18	12	7
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	d12	10d8	19	12	7
20th	+6	Legendary Shinobi	d12	10d8	20	12	7

Deflect

A shinobi does not train their body to sponge attacks, he instead elects to avoid the damage entirely by using his weapon to deflect strikes.

At 1st level, as a reaction when you are holding a weapon, you can attempt to deflect a weapon attack that hits you. Reduce the damage of the attack by 1d4 + your Dexterity modifier. If this reduces the damage of the attack to 0, you gain an additional reaction that can only be used to deflect again. Once you have gained this additional reaction, you cannot gain it again until the start of your next turn. If it does not reduce the damage to 0, you take any remaining damage. Your deflection die increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the deflection die column of the Sekiro class table. You cannot use deflect if you are concentrating on a spell, wearing heavy armor, or are in a state were concentrating on a spell would be impossible (Such as the barbarian’s rage.)

When you successfully reduce the damage of an attack to 0, your enemy is thrown off balance, giving you an opening for a powerful Counter Attack. Your next attack against that enemy deals an additional 1d8 damage matching your weapon. This damage increases by 1d8 every other level.

(Editor’s note; Counter Attack counts as Sneak attack for the purpose of using feats, features and items that used or requires Sneak Attack.)

Fighting Style

At second level, you master a fighting style that you’ve been training in. Choose one of the following fighting styles:

• Ashina Style- During your first round of combat the first attack you make that turn will be made at advantage. Additionally, all damage you deal with a melee weapons that deal slashing damage will add an additional die of damage to their attacks for the remainder of that turn. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.
• Shinobi Style- You gain a +2 to your Stealth and Deception checks. Additionally, as an action you can make a melee attack against as many creatures within your reach equal to your dexterity modifier. You make a separate attack roll for each creature.
• Prosthetic Style- You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with Prosthetic Tool attacks. Whenever you take the dash or disengage action, you may also make a ranged attack with one Prosthetic Tool as a part of that action. Additionally, you can forgo your proficiency bonus to attack, but if your attack lands, you deal extra damage equal to double your proficiency bonus. Finally, ranged attacks with a Prosthetic Tool ignore half and three-quarters cover.
• Temple Style- Your unarmed attacks deal 1d4 damage, this damage increases to 1d6 at 5th, d8 11th, and 1d10 at 17th levels. In addition, you can Deflect and Counter Attack features with your unarmed strikes. Finally, When you make a weapon attack using a Prosthetic Tool you may make an unarmed strike as a bonus action. This effect also works vice versa when using an unarmed attack, allowing you to make one weapon attack with your Prosthetic Tool. Additionally, when using a Prosthetic Tool, you no longer attack at disadvantage when within 5ft of a creature.

Unarmored Defense

Starting at 1st level, your reflexes and keen senses allow you to block and dodge attacks as if the behavior were second nature. When you are not wearing armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + Dexterity modifier + Intelligence modifier.

Shinobi Prosthetic

Every shinobi has a set tool he uses to gain the edge in combat. These tools are usually contained and used by a prosthetic that is designed to activate the tools the Shinobi loads into them. Whether using black powder to blind enemies in front of you, or using a grappling hook to traverse sheer slopes, the Prosthetic is what allows a shinobi to fight and survive against groups of enemies, and to relinquish it would mean certain death. Starting at 2nd level, you gain the grappling hook tool, as well as 2 tools of your choice that you can load into your prosthetic. When you finish a long rest, you may load any number of different tools into your prosthetic. Once a tool has been loaded, it can be used once (unless the tool specifies otherwise) but can be reloaded on a short or long rest. You can have up to 2 tools loaded into your prosthetic at any given time, but you can swap one tool out for another when you finish a long rest. All of the tools can be upgraded beyond their standard level. You know the upgrades for all the tools you know, so long as you meet the upgrade’s prerequisites. You may upgrade a tool as part of the same long rest where you load it. At 2nd level, you can have one upgraded tool. This increases to 2 at 5th level, 3 at 9th level, 4 at 13th level and 5 at 17th level. If you were to lose your prosthetic, you must spend one week and 100gp worth of materials to make a new one. You gain an additional tool of your choice at 6th, 10th and 18th level.

You use your intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Shinobi tool and when Making an Attack roll with one.

Your Prosthetic Tools save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Attack Bonus- your proficiency bonus + your intelligence modifier

Spirit Emblems

Starting at 2nd level, the souls of the departed are drawn to you. They enable you to activate tools that you have installed in your shinobi prosthetic and are represented by Spirit Emblems. You have 2 Spirit Emblems, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Spirit Emblems column of the Sekiro table. You regain all spent Spirit Emblems when you finish a long rest.

Cunning Action

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Shadows Die Twice

Starting at 3rd level, your blood has been touched by both life and death, leaving it lingering in between. When you roll death saving throws, you roll with advantage. Any effects that would cause you to make these saves with disadvantage simply nullify your advantage. Once you've passed all your death saves, you are stabilized at 0 Hit Points, you may choose to immediately regain a number of Hit Points equal to half of your maximum. Furthermore, if you are killed outright (exp: Someone exactly dealing damage equal to your max hit points or over) you do not count as being killed outright but count as being at 0 hit points. After you heal in this way, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest. You may use this feature an additional time per long rest at level 7th. Additionally, this feature makes you immune to disease and resistant to poison. You are also no longer die of old age and no longer age by normal means, making you somewhat immortal.

Tree Arts

As a Shinobi, your ability to survive rests solely on your abilities. Reliance on others leads to death, and as such honing your own skills is crucial. At 3rd level, you learn a number of Combat and Passives Arts shown above the table. Some tree arts are innately magical, and these arts are powered by spirit emblems. You craft your spirit emblems with your carpenter’s tools when you finish a long rest. These spirit emblems are small humanoid paper cutouts that are imbued with trace amounts of divine energy.

Your Tree Arts save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Attack Bonus- your proficiency bonus + your dexterity modifier

Ability Score Increase

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

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

Posture Break

Your relentless strikes have the potential to throw your enemies off balance. A barrage of attacks will surely eventually break even the most masterful warrior, opening him up for critical strikes.

Starting at 5th level, while in combat every hostile creature has a posture bar against you. Every time you deal damage to a creature, they also take 1 point of posture damage. Once the posture reaches zero their posture breaks and they become knocked prone and incapacitated until the start of their next turn or until they take damage. Once a creature no longer incapacitated their posture is reset and back to full. If you cause a creature to make a strength save against being knocked prone and fail, they take an additional 2 points of posture damage. If you cause a creature to make a strength save against being pushed and fail, they take 1 additional posture damage for every 10 feet moved rounding up. Creatures that's at half health loses a total of 3 to their maximum posture. If the creature is hit with damage, they are vulnerable to, they lose one additional point of posture damage. In addition, if you use the Deflect class feature and reduce a creature's damage to zero they take 1 point of posture damage. finally, if a creature that hasn't taken damage before the start of their next turn gain posture equal to their constitution modifier. These mechanics are laid out more explicitly as follows:

Enemy posture

Use the table below to calculate posture for enemies.

Posture Table Condition Bonus Base Strength bonus CL higher than 1 + Proficency bonus Creature is tiny -2 Large +2 Huge +4 Gargantuan +8 Multiattack +2 Shield +2 (Editor’s note; If using the Posture Mechanic, once a creature's posture reaches 0 by you, they become incapacitated) Sixth Sense Starting at 6th level, your training has made you more alert to danger, You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. At 10th level, you've learned how to sense a fight before it begins. You have advantage on initiative rolls. Furthermore, if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren't incapacitated, you can act normally on your turn. Evasion At 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an ice storm 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. Deathblow Starting at 9th level, you learn to recognize weakness in your targets, and find openings for killing blows as their vitality is drained. When you score a critical hit or a Counter Attack against a creature with a melee weapon attack, if the creature’s hit points are below a certain threshold after the damage is dealt, you can instantly kill them. This threshold is equal to double your strength modifier (minimum of 2). In addition, if you deal damage to a creature that as its posture broken from the Posture Break class feature the threshold is equal to 10x your strength modifier. Finally, when you land a deathblow against a creature, the damage reduction of your next deflect is doubled. Shinobi Combat Starting at 10th level, you’ve mastered wielding your weapon from your travels. When attacking with weapons that you’re proficient with, you make attacks that turn immunities into resistances and resistances into normal damage. Additionally, you can turn slashing damage weapons into piercing that you're proficient with. Spirit Thief Beginning at 11th level, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points on your turn, you can siphon a portion of their spirit to create one additional spirit emblem. If you land a deathblow on your turn, you may instead siphon enough of their soul for 2. You still cannot have more than your maximum at any given. Willful Fortitude At 13th level, you gain proficiency in your choice of either Constitution saving throws or Wisdom saving throws. Unerring Strike At 17th level, your strikes never falter. If you would have disadvantage on your attack roll, you can use your bonus action to negate any disadvantage your attack rolls would have until the end of your turn. Skilled Warrior At 18th level, choose two ability scores between Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom and increase them by +4. In addition, increase the ability score maximum to 24. Legendary Shinobi When you reach 20th level, your lethality climbs to new heights and you are able to discern and target specific vitals on creatures in an instant, dealing lethal damage. The threshold for your deathblow is now equal to your dexterity modifier (minimum of 2) and triggers on any hit. Additionally, you score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20. Tree Arts & Prosthetic Tools Ashina Arts Temple Arts Shinobi Arts Prosthetic Arts Mushin Arts Prosthetic Tools Class Supplements Feats Items Posture Mechanics Multiclassing Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Sekiro class, you must meet these prerequisites:Dex 13, Int 13 Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Sekiro class, you gain the following proficiencies: Stealth, Acrobatics 5.00 (4 votes) Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes This page may resemble content endorsed by, sponsored by, and/or affiliated with the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice franchise, and/or include content directly affiliated with and/or owned by Activision. D&D Wiki neither claims nor implies any rights to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice copyrights, trademarks, or logos, nor any owned by Activision. This site is for non profit use only. Furthermore, the following content is a derivative work that falls under, and the use of which is protected by, the Fair Use designation of US Copyright and Trademark Law. We ask you to please add the {{needsadmin}} template if there is a violation to this disclaimer within this page.