Slayer, Variant (5e Class)

Slayer (W.I.P.)[edit]

A monster in their own right, made to combat hordes and fell mighty beasts twice their size, only known to fall after their mission is complete. Born to tragedy, known as keepers of peace they wield mighty strength and unusual tactics compared to their fellow adventurer, though after their escapades are spread through rumor throughout the realm, some may begin to think their unorthodox strategies may have some merit.

Born in Flesh, Made in Rage[edit]

As a Slayer you are a skilled combatant made to fight on through hardship, your anger and lust for battle push you onward making you a unbeatable force. Slayers were often wronged by some foul creature, thus creating a vendetta buried deep into the Slayer's heart. Slayers aren't naturally good, but they despise evil and punish it at every turn, those who do not stand in the way of the Slayer nor harbor ill intent will more often be ignored than anything else given that Slayers are known to be the silent type.

The title of Slayer is neither given nor earned, it is bestowed upon you by those you slay as you become infamous among those who have tasted your blade, the creatures you hunt think of you as a nightmare they tell to their children as a scare tactic to make them behave. You are not feared by those you hunt, but once they feel your presence they quickly understand why you have your title.

Creating a Slayer[edit]


A Slayer in Action (Artist: E.E. Rawls?)

Slaying is no easy task, it is done by hardened hearts and painful pasts.

Before creating your Slayer, first think why they've become a slayer, did they lose a loved one from a raid on their home by goblins? Did demons ransack their home they had spent their life cultivating? Are they simply acting as pest control to a creature that's far more dangerous than people realize? Your past is just as important as the weapon you wield, whether it's a bow, sword, great axe, or even a gun. Do they wield the magic arts? Do they like getting close and personal? Do they plan ahead and set traps accordingly? Make sure you understand exactly who your Slayer is before you make any decisions.

Quick Build

You can make a Slayer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Marine background.

Class Features

As a Slayer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: All Armor
Weapons: All Martial and Simple Weapons, Improvised Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
Skills: Choose 2 from the following: Athletics, Acrobatics, Intimidation, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival.

Equipment

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

(a) chain mail or (b) leather armor and 2 handaxe
(a) A Martial Weapon and a shield or (b) 2 Martial Weapons
(a) Pistol with 20 Bullets (DM Discretion) or (b) 2 crossbow, hand with arrows (20)
(a) Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) Explorer's Pack

Table: The Slayer
Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Bloodlust
1st	+2	Fighting Style, BloodLust	1
2nd	+2	Path of Torment, Ravenous Hatred	1
3rd	+2	Slayer Path	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, , Martial Versatility (Optional)	2
5th	+3	Extra Attack (x1)	2
6th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	3
7th	+3	Slayer Path Feature	3
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, , Martial Versatility (Optional)	3
9th	+4	Down not Out	4
10th	+4	Slayer Path Feature	4
11th	+4	Extra Attack (x2)	4
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, , Martial Versatility (Optional)	5
13th	+5	Down not Out Improvement	5
14th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	5
15th	+5	Slayer Path Feature	5
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, , Martial Versatility (Optional)	6
17th	+6	Frightening Presence, Down not Out Improvement	6
18th	+6	Slayer Path Feature	7
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement, , Martial Versatility (Optional)	7
20th	+6	Slayer Path Feature	8

Fighting Style[edit]

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

Archery (PHB). You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Blind Fighting (TCE). You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Defense (PHB). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling (PHB). When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting (PHB). When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Interception (TCE). When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Protection (PHB). When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Superior Technique (TCE). You learn one maneuver of your choice from among those available to the Battle Master archetype. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice.) You gain one superiority die, which is a d6 (this die is added to any superiority dice you have from another source). This die is used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

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.

Two-Weapon Fighting (PHB). When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Unarmed Fighting (TCE). Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8. At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Close Quarters Shooter (UA). When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.

Mariner (UA). As long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.

Tunnel Fighter (UA). As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.

Flexible Fighting (SGEH). You can engage in two-weapon fighting with any weapons you can wield in one hand, including one-handed ranged weapons and weapons without the light property. When you do so, you gain a +1 bonus to the damage rolls of both weapons.

Bloodlust[edit]

Your hunger for combat brings you a greater yield in battle after each kill, you have 1 Bloodlust starting at level 1 and gain more at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level. You can spend X Blood Lust to add Xd8 damage to your attack, you regain 1 Blood Lust after killing a creature if the CR rating of the combat was higher or equal to your party's average level, and all of it after a long rest.

If a creature is successfully killed using Blood Lust, you gain an extra 5ft of movement and can make an attack action, however you do not regain a Blood Lust for that kill.

Path of Torment[edit]

Starting at 2nd level you can feel your body become accustomed to your method of judgment, you gain an additional 5ft of movement which increases by 5ft at 6th, 12th, and 20th level.

Ravenous Hatred[edit]

Starting at level 2, you gain the ability to execute a favored creature type (You can change the creature type on a long rest). When you hit a creature within 5ft and it falls to 10 or fewer hit points, you can force the target to make a Dexterity saving throw (DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + Strength modifier) on a fail you execute the target, reducing their hit points to 0. At 10th level this threshold increases to 20 or fewer hit points and at 19th level it increases to 30 or fewer hit points. (affects enemies at DM’s Discretion)

Slayer Path[edit]

Doom Slayer

The bane of hell spawn, a force that can push back the efforts of hell without breaking a sweat. Having an immense skill at dispatching threats with swift and destructive force, known to eradicate armies within hours. As a Doom Slayer it has become your duty to vanquish the threat before you, rip and tear until it is done. (Speed & Damage)

Goblin Slayer

A threat gone unnoticed by all, except for you. The smaller threats are always underestimated, left to fester into a threat unlike any other, unfortunately for them you see through their ruse. Having dealt with large crowds of these wretched creatures, you know their ticks and tactics, with traps, you won’t let anyone roll the dice. (Gimmicks & Crowd Control)

Demon Slayer

Once a simple being made powerful from taking the souls of the damned, use what they give you and become unwavering. Through the fog emerges strength, strength which you’ll wield to save those who believe in you. Though weakened, your skill will yield results, you have a heart of gold, don’t let them take it from you. (Punish Self & Punish them Harder)

Dragon Slayer

Marked for death, your only hope being your will to carry on. Your strength is your muse, let your blade do the rest, though the world may be against you at this moment, your will is the power that carries you through. Your blade has seen countless battles and stands none the less, it was too big to be called a sword, it was a heap of raw iron. (Run the Ones & Beat the Strong)

God Slayer

Trained by the best, those who taught you have given you the powers and skills to defeat even them. You were taught magic through the fathers of these elements themselves, and now you stand ready to defeat them when the time comes. If you run out of power today, then borrow some from tomorrow. (Elemental Power & Magic-esc)

Ghoul Slayer

A veteran given a second chance, brought into a hellscape of rot and death. Your power is your mind as well as the advancements of your time, given the items you need to survive a nuclear apocalypse. Fighting through hordes can only be made easy through constant damage in combat. War, War never changes. (Dots & Defense)

Ability Score Improvement[edit]

When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 17th 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.

Martial Versatility (Optional)[edit]

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the following, as you shift the focus of your martial practice:

Replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to fighters.

If you know any maneuvers from the Battle Master archetype, you can replace one maneuver you know with a different maneuver.

Extra Attack[edit]

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 11th level in this class.

Down not Out[edit]

At 9th level you no longer fear death and instead embrace it while you continue your rampage. On your turn while you are at 0 hp and are in the downed state you can make an attack action, you can not recover hp however as a result of this action.

At 13th level you’ll also be able to move half of your movement, and at 17th level you’ll be able to make an additional attack.

Frightening Presence[edit]

At 17th level your presence alone has your opponents quivering in terror, any hostile creature within 10ft of you must make a Charisma Saving throw against your Terror DC (8 + Intimidation + Proficiency) and if a creature is of your favored creature type it has disadvantage. On a fail the creature is frightened for one turn.