Carnifex

The Carnifex is aimed at targeting individual enemies and cutting them down where they stand. Don a terrifying visage that grants you ghoulish magic and hack down the competition.

 

(Important Note: I am brand new to Homebrew. I love writing subclass concepts and want to realize them for everyone to potentially use. Unfortunately, I am not very good at the finer details, but I would like to still lay out the groundwork for cool subclasses.)

Mask of Power

You wear a magical mask that grants you ghoulish powers. Twice per short rest, you can cast your choice of Dissonant Whispers, Sleep, Command, or Speak with Dead. You will gain a new pair of spells every subclass upgrade level. You cast with your Wisdom modifier. Your spell save DC is (10 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.)

Executioner’s Ire

As a Bonus Action, you may mark an enemy within 50ft with Executioner’s Ire. If you land the final blow against that enemy, you recover (2d6 + your WIS modifier) HP. You also gain a buff that allows you to add 1d4 to your to hit and damage rolls for 5 rounds. These bonuses will scale later on.

For the duration of the buff, you can not reapply Executioner’s Ire. When the buff ends, you must kill an enemy to regain Executioner’s Ire.

Painful Implements

When you make a melee attack against an enemy marked by your Executioner’s Ire, depending on the damage type dealt, your attack will have different effects. You may make this modified attack only once until you mark a new target.

Slashing: Grievous Cut; You freely apply Hemorrhage to an enemy. Hemorrhage is a new debuff that lasts for 3 rounds and causes an enemy to lose any temporary HP and prevents them from gaining any more until Hemorrhage ends. In addition, they lose 10% of their current HP every round.

Bludgeoning: Fracture; Force your enemy to make a DC (10 + your STR or DEX modifier, your pick + your proficiency bonus) CON saving throw. On a fail, they are stunned for 1 round. 

Piercing: Impale; When you stab a marked enemy, you may choose between 2 options. 

Twist the Wound; You twist your weapon while it’s embedded, rolling your damage die twice. 

Reposition; You may move the enemy 10 feet in any direction.

 

If you would like, you could suggest to your DM that you want to use one of the effects over the others. Perhaps if you want to stun an enemy, but your weapon of choice is a greataxe, you could justify it as hitting an enemy with the broad side of the axe. 

Ghastly Gaze

You gain proficiency in Intimidation. If you are already proficient, you gain expertise in it.

During combat, when you apply Executioner’s Ire, you can force the opponent to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become Frightened and unable to move for 2 turns.

Memento Mori

Twice per short rest, when you kill an enemy marked by your Executioner’s Ire, you can force all creatures of your choice within 15 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become Frightened of you for 2 rounds. If this is not useful, you may instead choose to recover an exhaustion state when killing a marked enemy.

Blood Bath

Once per long rest, when an enemy marked by your Ire is below 20% of their max HP, you may perform an execution. You can make this as gruesome or as tame as you want. 

You instantly kill the enemy, regain double the HP you normally would, and your bonus die become 4d6. You may immediately reapply your Ire.