An affliction skirmisher is best when operating alone, they can work in teams but are a bad fit for conventional ones and are a bad choice to build a team around. They do best in misfit groups that focus on versatility. For an Affliction Skirmisher mentality is key. Affliction skirmishers are used to balancing on a sharp edge, so when things go wrong, they know how to handle it.

 

Inspired by the character Jason Asano from He Who Fights with Monsters. Art by Summer Jones on Artstation. Refined in conjunction with Beard9.

Affliction Skirmisher Magic

3rd-level Affliction Skirmisher feature

You learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Affliction Skirmisher Spells table. Each spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Affliction Skirmisher Spells

RANGER LEVEL	SPELLS
3rd	bane
5th	misty step
9th	bestow curse
13th	dimension door
17th	contagion

Afflicting Strikes

3rd-level Affliction Skirmisher Feature

Afflicting Strikes

Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can apply an Affliction to the target for 1 minute. At the start of each of the afflicted creature's turns, it takes 1d4 necrotic damage for each Affliction you have placed on it and it can then make a Constitution saving throw against your spellcasting DC, ending the effect of all such Afflictions on itself on a success. 

Affliction Specialist

3rd-level Affliction Skirmisher Feature

Affliction Specialist

Once per turn, when you apply an Affliction to a creature, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage to the strike and the creature gains a number of additional Afflictions equal to the spell slot expended. As Afflictions compound the creature begins to suffer additional effects as the Afflictions wrack their body as seen in the Afflictions table below.

Affliction Table

AFFLICTIONS	CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
2	The creature cannot take reactions.
4	The creature has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws.
6	The creature's movement is halved.
8	The creature takes an extra 1d4 damage from all weapon attacks.
10	The creature is incapacitated.

 

Feast of Absolution

7th-level Affliction Skirmisher feature

Feast of Absolution
As a bonus action, you can cleanse all afflictions from a hostile creature within 30 ft of you. You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 times the number of afflictions cleansed.

 You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Verdict

11th-Level Affliction Skirmisher feature

Verdict

As an action, you target a creature with at least one Affliction within 30 feet of you. That creature takes necrotic damage equal to the number of Afflictions it has times your Ranger level. This damage ignores resistance to necrotic damage. The creature is then cleansed of all Afflictions. If the creature has less hit points than its Constitution score when you use this action, it is slain instantly. 

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Legacy of Sin

11th-level Affliction Skirmisher feature

Legacy of Sin

Starting at 11th level, when you cleanse a creature of Affliction using your Feast of Absolution ability, you apply half that number(rounded down) of Penance to the creature. Penance is a Holy Affliction and still counts as an Affliction for the sake of Verdict.

Penance. A creature affected by Penance takes 1d4 radiant damage at the start of each of its turns for each instance of Penance it has for the next minute. Only a Lesser Restoration, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse or similar magic can end this effect. A creature affected by Penance cannot have new Afflictions applied to it.

 

Essence Harvest

15th-level Affliction Skirmisher feature

Essence Harvest

When a creature dies within 60 ft of you, you can use your reaction to siphon the remnant life forces of their body. You heal 5d10 plus the total number of hit dice the creature had. You also regain a number of spell slot levels equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down. You can use this ability twice and regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.