Strider (5e Class)

Strider

A human sights down his bow at a pack of Orcs, grins, and unleashes a hail of arrows that leaves every Orc dead with an arrow to the eye. An Elf, resigned to the carnage to follow, draws her sword and readies herself for the towering troll charging at her. The dwarf laughs as he draws his knife across the throat of the vampire he had been tracking for weeks, without ever having been noticed. A tiefling stands among a pile of charred husks, eyes closed as she pulls the energy of the Void back into herself.

Deadly Hunters

A Strider lives to hunt the most dangerous game, namely men. They spend their time honing their skills and becoming the most dangerous killer they can be, answering only to themselves and to Death, who holds their soul hostage against the many lives a Strider must take.

Creating a Strider

What made Death itself turn its eye on you? Did you cheat Death of its prize, or did you ask to become its avatar in the mortal world? Do you rail against what Death asks of you, or rejoice in the carnage that it has unleashed through you? These are the questions you must answer when creating a Strider.

Quick Build

You can make a Strider quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Urchin or Soldier background.

Class Features

As a Strider you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Strider level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Strider level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Longbow, Martial Melee Weapons
Tools: Thieves' tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Persuasion and Stealth

Equipment

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

• (a) Leather Armour or (b) Chain shirt
• (a) a Martial Melee Weapon or (b) a Simple Melee Weapon and Shield
• (a) Shortbow and 20 Arrows or (b) five (5) Daggers
• Explorers Pack and Thieves' Tools

Table: The Strider

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Killers Grace, Path of the Strider
2nd	+2	A Boon from Death
3rd	+2	Path Feature, Flames of the Void
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack
6th	+3	A Boon from Death
7th	+3	Path Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Void Walker
10th	+4	Lingering Death
11th	+4	Path Feature
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Cold Fingers
14th	+5	Beauty in Carnage
15th	+5	A Boon from Death
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Dread Strider
18th	+6	Deathless
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Path Feature

Killers Grace

A Strider has learned that brute strength is almost never the most effective answer. Starting at 1st level, you can use your Dexterity modifier, rather than your Strength, for attacks and damage rolls with melee weapons that lack the heavy or two-handed property.

Path of the Strider

When you first became Death's hand in the mortal realm, you knew you would have to focus on one tool with which to become most adept at ending life. Choose a Strider's path starting at 1st level, and gain features in this path at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 17th level, as described at the end of the class description.

A Boon from Death

Starting at 2nd level, your connection to Death and the art of the kill has given you power beyond your understanding. Starting at 2nd level, choose one of the following Boon's. Gain a second Boon at 6th level, and a third at 15th level.

Wings of Dread

Whenever you move, it almost appears as if great black wings shimmer behind you, but seem to disappear upon closer inspection. Your movement speed increases in 10 feet.

If you choose this boon twice, your movement ignores non-magical difficult terrain, and any fall damage you take is reduced by 5 x your Strider level.

If you choose this boon three times, you gain a flying speed equal to your movement speed and you can hover.

Gravewalkers Gaze

Death has twisted your body to make it more welcome in the Void. You gain darkvision up to a range of 60 feet.

If you choose this boon twice, you can see in normal or magical darkness up to a range of 120 feet, and can see into the ethereal plane up to a range of 60 feet.

If you choose this boon three times, you can see the true form of any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet of you and within line of sight.

Dark Visage

Your connection to Death has given you a palpable aura of menace and danger, as well as a sly tongue. Gain proficiency in Intimidation and Deception.

If you chose this boon twice, double your proficiency bonus in those checks.

If you choose this boon three times, you can cast charm person and cause fear at will, without spending spell slots. Whenever you use an action to cast either spell, you can make a single attack using a bonus action.

Flames of the Void

Starting at 3rd level, Death has placed a fire in you, a cold fire from the Void. You forgo one of your attacks to unleash a bolt of black flame on any target within 15 feet. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Strider save DC or take 2d6 fire damage, and half damage on a successful save. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level and 4d6 at 11th level.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, and regain your uses after finishing a long rest.

Your DC for certain Strider abilities is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma 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.

Void Walker

Beginning at 9th level, once per turn, while in dim light or darkness, you can move up to additional 10 feet, not counting against your maximum movement and without provoking opportunity attack. All the movement must be done inside an area of dim light or darkness.

In addition, if you end your movement within 10 feet of a hostile creature, and there's an unoccupied space within 5 feet of him that is covered in dim light or darkness, you can use your reaction to jump to that space, without provoking opportunity attacks.

Lingering Death

Beginning at 10th level, your weapon attacks cause brutal and lasting damage. When you make an Attack on your turn and hit the target, you cause bleeding damage that lasts for two of the creatures turns, or until the target expends an action to staunch the bleeding. The bleeding damage is 1d4, and increases by one die at 17th level (2d4).

You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum once). You regain uses of this feature after a short or long rest.

Cold Fingers

Beginning at 13th level, your connection to Death has imbued you with a sliver of its essence, wanted or not. On your turn, you may use your bonus action to unleash a burst of the essence of Death, dealing an additional 4d8 necrotic damage on a target within 30 feet, this damage increasing to 6d8 at 19th level.

This feature may be used once, regained upon a short or a long rest.

Beauty in Carnage

To you, killing has become an expression of art, of pure beauty, but others see what you do and despair. Beginning at 14th level, when you attack a target and kill it, you can choose to end them with brutality. When you do so, any creature that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Strider save DC. On a failed save, target becomes stunned until the end of their next turn. On a successful save, the target lose its courage, and have half movement until the end of their next turn.

After you use this feature, it cannot be used again until you take a long rest.

Deathless

Death has offered a bargain for all the souls you have collected in its name. Beginning at 18th level, Death has halted the hands on the clock of your life, and you no longer age, naturally or magically. Your body has also been spared from the ravages of hunger, thirst, disease, poison, suffocation or deadly temperatures, such as extreme cold or heat.

You also no longer needs to sleep. You gain the benefits of a long rest if you spend 8 hours doing light activity (such as keeping guard).

Dread Strider

When you reach 17th level, you and Death have become so entwined that you can summon Death itself into your body, shaping yourself in its image. Death shapes itself based on the Path of the Strider you have chosen. You may only summon Death once before requiring a long rest to use this feature again.

Path of the Sword

Death appears as the Pale Rider, atop a skeletal mount and wielding the scythe that collects souls. Choose a target on the battlefield, regardless of range. That creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw against your Strider DC. On a failed save, the Pale Rider reaps the creatures soul, causing 5d6 slashing damage and 10d6 necrotic damage. On a success, the target takes half as much damage.

Path of the Dagger

Death appears as an old man in a tattered black cloak bearing two blood soaked daggers. Choose three targets, and make one attack roll for all three. On a hit, Death disappears into shadow and reappears behind each, slashing out with its daggers and dealing twice your regular weapon damage plus 6d8 sneak attack damage. On a miss, deal only the weapon damage. On a critical hit, the target is paralyzed for 1d4+1 turns.

Path of the Bow

Death appears as a large a man, dressed in armor as black as the Void and bearing a bow taller than himself. Death shoots at up to 5 targets within 150 feet of you, dealing 3d12 damage to each. Choose one of the targets. The arrow that struck it bursts into a cloud of the pure essence of Death. All creatures that start or end their turn in the cloud must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Strider DC, or take 4d6 necrotic damage.

Path of the Bulwark

The Void manifests as a great wall. you may cast prismatic wall but all damage is necrotic, the wall is black, and it sheds no light.

Path of the Sword

The sword is an extension of your arm, and with it you lay waste to your enemies.

Void Blade

At 1st level, you have learned how to imbue your sword with the Void. When you make a melee weapon attack, you can choose to cause necrotic damage with the attack, rather than slashing. The choice must be made before the attack.

In addition, if you kill any creature with a melee weapon attack, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your Strider level.

Feed the Void

The Void hungers for souls, and Death has given you the tools to collect those souls. Starting at 3rd level, you can coat your blade in hungering shadow as a bonus action. Until the end of your turns, any successful melee attack using that weapon causes additional 1d6 necrotic damage.

On a miss, however, the void consumes your vitality, and you suffer 1d6 necrotic damage, that ignores resistance or immunity to necrotic.

Untouchable Void

Your endless devotion to Death, and to dealing death to your foes, has heightened your skills to unparalleled levels. Starting at 7th level, you can use your reaction to deflect any ranged attacks, causing the attack to be consumed by the void, reducing the damage of any ranged attack by 1d10 + your Charisma modifier + your Strider level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, at the start of your next turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to release the attack absorbed by the void. You use your ranged attack bonus, and the attack's range.

Like a Scythe to Grain

Starting at 11th level, whenever groups of enemies converge, you feel obliged to send them to the Void together. Using an Action, you can summon a blade of darkness and attack a number of creatures within 10 feet up to your proficiency bonus. You can't make more than one attack per creature, and the attack causes necrotic damage, rather than the normal damage for your weapon.

Death's Gift

At 20th level, Death has a present for you, and will appear at the end of your next long rest bearing a gift. You gain the Reaper's Toll, on its awakened state. You can summon or shun this weapon from the void using a bonus action, and the weapon always disappear when it leaves your grasp.

Path of the Dagger

Ever silent, the dagger is your fang, the flash in the night before sending your foe to the Void.

Hide of the Panther

At 1st level, while covered in darkness, you are hard to see as death itself. When you are in dim light or darkness, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action, and you have advantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.

Endless Flow

Starting at 3rd level, Death has taught you to attack in one continuous flow, a never ending stream of death flowing from your hands. When you are engaged in two-weapon fighting, you add your Dexterity modifier to the damage made with the attack made using your bonus action.

In addition, once per turn when you hit a creature with one of your weapons, you can attack another creature within 5 feet of the first one with another weapon, without using an action.

You must wield light and finesse weapons to benefit from this feature.

Void Step

Upon reaching 7th level, Death has granted you passage through his domain. You may enter the Void, teleporting to an unoccupied place you can see within 60 feet. Doing so don't require an action, but must be done on your turn.

Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you complete a short or a long rest.

Flickering Candle

Starting at 11th level, you have mastered the art of existing on the edge of the Void at all times. As an action, your body begins to flicker between visible and not. This works as the blink spell, and the first attack on each of your turns while under the effects of this feature cause additional +3d6 damage on a hit.

Once you use this ability, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest. At 20th level, you also regain a use of this feature after a short rest.

An Evening Appointment

The evening after reaching 20th level, your will receive a letter to meet an old man, upon meeting him he will give you a package that when opened will reveal your new Weapons.

Path of the Bow

Born on the wings of your arrows, the Void shall have its fill of souls reaped and blood spilled.

Void Quiver

Death has placed a small entrance to the Void in your quiver, leading to an endless sea of arrows. Starting at 1st level, when you finish a short or a long rest, you can touch a quiver of your choice, turning it into your Void Quiver.

Each time you make a ranged attack while carrying the void quiver, your quiver allows you to magically conjure an arrow on your bow or crossbow string, allowing you to attack without spending ammunition. The piece of ammunition disappears after hitting or missing the target.

By Any Means

Death shall have his souls. At 3rd level, you can choose to use either Strength or Dexterity modifier for attacks and damage rolls with ranged weapons.

In addition, once per turn when you miss a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you cause necrotic damage to that creature equal to your proficiency bonus.

Hail of Death

Beginning at 7th level, you can release an arrow made of the endless Void into the sky as an Action. Choose a point within 120 feet of yourself. A storm of arrows falls from the sky, striking any target within 10 feet of that point. Targets make a Dexterity saving throw against your Strider save DC. On a failed save, target takes 2d8 piercing damage, or half as much on a successful one.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier, regaining your uses after finishing a long rest.

Void Strike

Starting at 11th level, once per turn when you make a ranged weapon attack, you can travel through the Void, teleporting to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of your target, and immediately force him to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target takes 2d8 necrotic damage, as you strike him with the power of the void.

A Chance Meeting

After you reach 20th level you will have a chance meeting with a large man who wears black full plate armor and will give you a new quiver. when you next draw an arrow you will feel something odd and when you pull on it you realize it's a new bow

Path of the Bulwark

You stand alone against the strongest of foes, ever ready to send them to the Void

Guardian of the Void

Death has given you the knowledge to protect the Void, at 1st level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor. In addition, when you are in dim light or darkness, you ignore disadvantages on Dexterity (Stealth) check due to using armor.

Shield of the Void

The Void comes to your defense, at 3rd level, you can summon a veil of darkness that protect you from harm. As a reaction when you or a creature within 30 feet is hit by an attack, you can reduce the damage by 1d10. The die increases to 1d12 at 11th level.

In addition, you learn the blade ward cantrip.

Fear of the Void

At 7th level, you can awaken the terror of the void on your enemies. You can cast fear once, without spending spell slots. Once you do so, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.

You gain one additional use of this feature at 11th and 20th levels.

Greed of the Void

The Void hungers for souls and you give it as many as possible. At 11th level, once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you cause additional 1d8 necrotic damage.

In addition, if you are under half your maximum hit points, you regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage caused by this feature.

Bulwark of the Void

The Void has made you its champion, at 20th level the next time you enter an area of darkness you gain a mysterious cloak.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Strider class, you must meet these prerequisites: a Dexterity score of 16 and a Charisma score of 14

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Strider class, you gain the following proficiencies: Intimidation and Athletics

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