Path of Heavy Ordnance

Among the many pieces of Giff wisdom gleaned from untold centuries of evolving warfare in Wildspace, perhaps the most poignant is this; while a Barbarian on the field is to be respected as a formidable opponent, a Barbarian with a firearm is to be feared. The Giff were the first species to discover a way to channel a Barbarian's rage into the firearm they carry. Simply give them a weapon that no normal individual could reasonably carry, let alone fire, and the rest will work itself out. These warriors are a veritable force of nature, artists of their craft who shape the battlefield according to their whims in a hail of bullets, laser fire, and (of course) explosions. 

Level 3: Fog of War

when you select this subclass at level three, you learn to channel your rage into the firearms you wield. while raging, you gain proficiency with all ranged weapons, and may apply your Rage bonus to any firearm you are proficient in. 

Level 3: Combat Specialization

At third level, you may select a specialization. These determine what type of weaponry you are able to use effectively while raging. 

Gunbreaker Duelist

You are an expert of mixed-range combat. Your rage allows you to wield a special Melee Weapon called a Binary Hullbreaker alongside a Pistol. The melee weapon you receive from this fighting style is a special Heavy Melee weapon, capable of transforming into an Aether Axe (2d6 Slashing + 1d6 Radiant + STR Modifier, Cleave Mastery Attribute) or a Grav-Maul (2d6 Crushing + 1d6 Force + STR Modifier, Topple Mastery Attribute). It is a free action in combat to transform the weapon. You wield your Binary Hullbreaker in your main hand, and are able to equip a one handed firearm in your offhand. A pistol wielded in this manner ignores the loading property of firearms, and the penalty to short range use.

While utilizing the Gunbreaker Duelist Archetype, if a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack. If your attack roll equals or exceeds the triggering attack roll, you parry the blow. If you successfully parry an attack in this manner, you may immediately make one ranged weapon attack against the creature that triggered this reaction. 

Heavy Gunner

You are a master of heavy weaponry, and are able to wield machinery that normally would require an emplacement to be built to accommodate it with your bare hands. You gain access to a Heavy Cannon, which must be wielded with both hands. In order to effectively wield this weapon, you must plant your feet and brace to compensate for its intense recoil. A creature attempting to move in the same turn as firing the weapon must succeed a Strength or Constitution saving throw (DC 17) or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The cannon does either [6d4(Rotary Cannon) or 3d12 (Plasma Cannon)] + STR Modifier Radiant damage. You may use the cannon itself as a bludgeoning weapon, dealing 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. 

Unstoppable Bulwark

Twin Impact Ramparts
You are a prodigy of defensive tactics and offensive maneuvers. You receive access to a special pair of shields called Twin Impact Ramparts. These can be dual wielded, and each provide +2 to your armor class while equipped. You may attack with these as though they were held melee weapons, dealing 2d6 Bludgeoning damage on a successful hit.

Impact Reserves
Your Twin Impact Ramparts store kinetic energy from each attack you manage to block. Each time an enemy attacks you and fails to meet or exceed your armor class, you receive 1d6 Impact Dice. You also receive 1d6 Impact Dice by reducing your damage to 0 (if you have access to feats or features that allow this.) These dice may be expended upon successful melee hits to bolster damage and push enemies back. You can bank up to 5 Impact Dice at any given time.

Impact Counter
When you succeed on a melee attack with your Ramparts, you may expend 1d6 Impact Die per melee attack, dealing 1d6 additional force damage and prompting the affected creature to succeed on a STR saving throw or be pushed 20 feet back. Additionally, if a creature succeeds on a melee attack roll against you, you may expend your reaction to make a melee weapon attack. If your attack roll equals or exceeds the triggering attack roll, you parry the blow, reducing its damage to zero and awarding you an Impact Die.

Rampart Shockwave
You may expend 3 to 5 Impact Dice as an action, causing each creature in a 15-foot cone to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes force damage equaling the number of d6 expended from your Impact Reserves and is pushed 20 feet away from you. If you expend all 5 Impact Dice, creatures that fail the save are also knocked prone.

Level 6: Advanced Military Hardware

You have spent enough time with your specialized equipment that you know exactly how to get the most out of it - and what additional equipment could improve it. You gain your choice of one of three additional pieces of equipment to compliment your arsenal. 

Howler Jump Pack

You gain access to a Mk. 47 Howler Jump Pack, a feat of engineering from the Giff that has been designed to lift even the largest Giff Mercenaries (and their heaviest equipment) into the air with grace and ease. As a bonus action, you may activate the jets, gaining a flight speed of 60 for the next minute. Additionally, while the jets are active, if you take the dash action and fly in a straight line for at least 30 feet, you may make an attack at your destination, causing all creatures in a 10 foot radius from the point of impact to make a STR saving throw or take 2d10 Bludgeoning Damage and be knocked prone. You may do this twice per Jet Activation, and may activate your jets a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. All expended uses recharge on a short rest. 

Tactical Repulsor Shield

You have rounded out your kit with a personal forcefield worn on your back. It provides a passive +3 to your armor class. Additionally, as a reaction, you can overclock your shield, causing it to instead provide an additional +5 (on top of the +3) until the beginning of your next turn. While the shield is overclocked in this manner, you take no damage from Magic Missile. You may do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. All charges are restored on a long rest.

Void-Surge Rally Beacon

As an action, you plant your Void-surge Rally Beacon in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. The Beacon occupies that space and cannot move or be moved. It lasts for 1 minute, until you fall unconscious, or until you choose to end the effect.

While within 15 feet of the beacon:

Allies gain:

• Advantage on saving throws against being frightened
• Temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1) at the start of their turn (The first time they enter the aura or start their turn there)
• A +1 bonus to attack rolls

Enemies suffer:

• Disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you

You gain:

• Resistance to force damage

 

Wrath Fueled Recovery

Your rage twists pain into stolen vitality. When a creature deals damage to you, you take the damage as normal, but you also gain temporary hit points equal to the damage taken. These temporary hit points last until the end of your next turn. If you take damage again before then, the new temporary hit points replace any you currently have.

While you have temporary hit points gained from this feature, you can reclaim that stolen vitality through force. When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can expend one of your Hit Dice to regain hit points equal to the damage you deal to it. You can’t regain more hit points than the number of temporary hit points you currently have, and recovering any hit points in this manner immediately removes the same number of temporary hit points.

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

Level 14: Hellion's Hot Potato

Your battle fury sharpens into explosive instinct. While you are raging, you can use a bonus action to hurl a specially prepared demolition charge at a point you can see within 30 feet. The charge detonates on impact. Each creature within 10 feet of that point must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). A creature takes 4d8 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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

The demolition charge counts as an improvised weapon for the purpose of interacting with other features, but it is not a spell and does not require material components.