Dune Warrior

Dune Warriors are mystical fighters capable of tapping into ancient magics practiced amongst the burning sand of unending deserts. They are often dreaded and feared for their capabilities, tales of these warriors conjuring terrifying hands and claws of sand have spread amongst the lands, as well as stories of admiration to these warriors for weakening great beasts as they strike them dead. Dune Warriors harness both the burning and debilitating, almost unstoppable, might of the deserts, as well as the resilience and unwavering nature required for mortals to survive such harsh environments.

Dune Walker

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn the Mold Earth and Mage Hand cantrips if you don’t know them already. Constitution is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.

Additionally, you suffer no effects from extreme heat, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and you only need an eighth of the normal water intake required to survive.

Claw of Attrition

Also at 3rd level, you learn to conjure a weapon only Dune Warriors are capable of using, as you transform one of your hands into a gnarly claw of sand, in a flourish of mystical magic. You can conjure the claw as an action on your turn, or as a reaction to rolling initiative, and it lasts until you finish a short or long rest. The claw counts as a martial weapon that uses your Strength or Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls (your choice), and on a hit, it deals 1d8 magical slashing damage.

Whenever you deal damage to a creature with the claw, you apply a level of Attrition to that creature, which can have up to 4 levels of Attrition, as seen in the Attrition table. The effects last as long a creature has that many Attrition levels, and a creature with 4 levels of Attrition isn’t applied more levels on any subsequent hits. A creature loses all levels of Attrition if they aren’t hit by the claw for a number of turns equal to your Constitution modifier. Creatures that are immune to the effects of extreme heat suffer no drawbacks from levels of Attrition.  

The Claw’s damage and the fire damage from the second level of Attrition increase when you reach certain levels in this class, to 1d10 at 9th level, and 1d12 at 15th level.

Attrition Table

Level	Effect
1	The creature’s walking speed is decreased by 10 feet.
2	At the beginning of its turn, the creature takes 1d8 + your Constitution modifier fire damage.
3	The creature has a penalty to attack rolls and ability checks equal to your Constitution modifier.
4	The creature has a penalty to saving throws equal to your Constitution modifier.

Sands of Endurance

Starting at 7th level, you gain resistance to fire damage.

Additionally, as a reaction to an attack roll made against you that hits or as an action on your turn, you may choose to call forth a layer of protective sand to your body. Your exhaustion level, if any, decreases by 1, and you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to two times your Fighter Level + double your Constitution Modifier. If the attack roll is a critical hit, the attacker treats the roll as if it wasn’t one, though the attack still hits. The temporary hit points granted by this feature vanish, as the sand does from your body, at the end of your next turn.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Shattering Claw

At 10th level, your Claw of Attrition becomes more powerful. It gains the Reach property (it adds 5 feet to your reach when you Attack with it, as well as when determining your reach for Opportunity Attacks with it), and the next time the first creature you hit with the claw on your last turn deals damage, roll the damage dice from the claw. They must subtract the number rolled from the damage roll.

Additionally, when you inflict the fourth level of Attrition to a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Sands of Dispersal

When you reach 15th level, you can discorporate into sand when needed. Whenever you use your Action Surge or Second Wind features, you may crumble into a pile of sand, teleporting to an unoccupied space you can see within 45 feet (no action required).

Rise of the Desert

By the time you reach 18th level, your mystical control over sand becomes unmatched. You can cast the Arcane Hand at will, without expending a spell slot. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Dealing damage with the spell inflicts one level of Attrition, as if it were your claw, and you have advantage on any Constitution saving throw made to maintain concentration on this spell.