This is a class that takes most of its inspiration from League of legends characters Darius and Draven. I am semi new to DND 5e but have played DND 3.5 for years so I may have over tuned or over complicated the concept I am going after. Please feel free to leave constructive comments, questions or concerns about the class so I can perfect this for my players and balance it a little better so other people can use it in their own games.

Additional notes: The non piercing throwing weapon is to make the class more believable in a RPG setting, I don't think it makes much sense for a weapon that is supposed to "pierce" a target should be able to bounce off of it after it deals damage and make it back to the Adoration based Executioner. Its made to be a glass cannon at early to mid levels that can take the spotlight on single kills but isn’t going to have a fun time if they get flanked or surrounded.

And the Adoration skill “Projectile Prediction” may seem a little too strong at first glance but if they fumble 1 attack roll they are now down a weapon and do no not gain any bonuses. So they either have to go retrieve their weapon over 2 actions or take a action to ready a new weapon that still might miss. 

Executioner Version 3.0

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per executioner level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8+ your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per executioner level after 1st

 

Proficiencies

Weapon: Simple weapons, Two handed Martial weapons 

Armor: Light Armor 

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma or Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion.

 

Equipment 

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

 

• (a) Great Axe or (b) 2 Hand Axes 

• (a) Great Sword or (b) 2 light hammers

• Leather armor 

 

 

                                    Level                                                                  Proficiency Bonus                                           Features      

1st	+2	Bloodlust, Stand Aside
2nd	+2	Condemned, Death Sentence
3rd	+2	Hemorrhage/Projectile Prediction 1d6
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+2	Unflinching, Stand Aside/2
6th	+3	Confrontation/ Adoration Ability
7th	+3	Hemorrhage/Projectile Prediction 2d6
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+3	Blood Frenzy, Confrontation/ Adoration Ability
10th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
11th	+4	Hemorrhage/Projectile Prediction 4d6
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+4	Confrontation/ Adoration Ability
14th	+4	Death's Dance
15th	+5	Hemorrhage/Projectile Prediction 6d6
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+5	Straining Strikes
18th	+6	Stand Aside/3
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Judgement

 

 

Bloodlust

The heat of combat and a glorious kill is where the Executioner thrives. 

Once per turn if an Executioner  makes a successful attack against an enemy the Executioner gains 1 bonus action to attack that enemy again.

 

Stand Aside

Executioner’s have perfect control over how much force they exert when attacking with their weapons. 

Starting at 1st level Once per day they can declare a stand aside attack. The Executioner must make a successful attack roll to the target who must then make a Constitution saving throw of  DC6+ The Executioners Proficiency and Strength Mod. or become stunned for 1 turn. 

(The target can take reactions after their stunned turn.) Missing the attack roll or if the enemy beats the DC they will ignore the stun. 

Executioners will gain an additional daily use of this ability at 5th and 18th levels.  

 

Condemned

At 2nd level If an Executioner has decided to fight, then they are going for the kill. 

Executioner’s can attack an enemy that is attempting to exit their current melee and ranged weapons attack range. They may use an attack reaction that does not count as their main reaction. (Also Works against disengage like abilities).  

 

Death Sentence

At level 2 If an enemy that is your size or smaller is being grappled or is incapasitated and the target's head and neck are exposed the Executioner may attempt a melee decapitation attack on the grappled target. The grappled target must make a Strength saving throw against the grappler, if they fail the saving throw they are decapitated. (some creatures can fight and function without their heads and some creatures don't have separable heads).

 

Confrontation or Adoration

At 3rd level the Executioner chooses The path of either:

 The Confrontation Executioner focuses on his 2 handed weapons, they are bloodthirsty and deadly to any enemy who opposes them. They use their Strength and Constitution abilities to bring down important targets.

Or The Adoration Executioner who turns killing into a sport, everything they do in combat is to make themselves look good and demoralize the enemy. They use Dexterity and Charisma to attack from a distance and make any battlefield their Stage to perform on.

You choose a new ability from your chosen Path at 6th, 9th, and 13th levels

 

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 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.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

 

Unflinching

At 5th level an Executioner has hardened their nerves and set their mind to only killing.

During combat they have advantage on all Intimidation, Fear, Charm, and Persuasion Checks and saving throws made against them. 

(Confrontation Executioners also gain advantage when using Intimidation in Combat). 

 

Blood Frenzy

At 9th level you have a sense for blood, after wounding a creature you can smell their blood up to 60ft. 

If you bloody a creature you can use a bonus action to go into a frenzy for 1d4 rounds or until the bloodied creature dies

If you become bloodied you must make a wisdom saving throw of 15 or you go into the frenzy state for 1d4 rounds. At the end of the 1d4 turn you must make another saving throw, if failed you go another 1d4 round in this state. when you are in the frenzy state you gain:

advantage on strength and dex saving throws

resistant to bludgeoning attacks

consume blood to gain 1d6 of health

does not work on undead

 

Death's Dance

At 14th level an Executioner has turned their battle skills into a dance, cutting enemies down has become nothing more than a pattern to them.

After they make the killing attack on a target they increase their AC by 1 temporarily until combat ends.

 

Straining Strikes 

At 17th level an Executioners can attack with deadly force in exchange for damaging their own bodies in the hope of the perfect execution. 

Once per turn when an executioner declares to attack they can roll up to 6d8’s and lose that many Hit Points and add the total to their damage on the declared attack. (They must use the abilities cost before they roll to hit). (If the attack crits they must reroll the same amount of d8’s and lose that many Hit points again).

 

Judgment

At 20th level the Executioner has gained the powers of the Judge and the Jury.

Once per day the Executioner can cast judgment on all enemies in a 60ft radius. The enemies inside the circle must make a Wisdom saving throw against the Executioner. All enemies who fail the saving throw now take disadvantage on attacks and saving throws against the Executioner and the Executioner gains advantage on attacks and saving throws against the affected enemies. The Executioner also adds their Charisma modifier to Critical hit checks against the affected enemies.

 

 

Confrontation Abilities

 

Hemorrhage

At 3rd level The Executioner strikes with such might it can cause internal and external bleeding for anyone unfortunate enough to be hit by them.

If an Executioner made a successful attack on an enemy, then at the start of that targets turn they must make a Hemorrhage check as a Constitution saving throw of DC6+ The Executioners Proficiency and Strength Mod. If the target fails the Constitution save they will take 1d6 bleeding damage at the start of each of their turns unless treated. This effect does not stack. (Lvl 7 2d6, Lvl 11 4d6, Lvl 15 6d6).

 

Guillotine

Combining their ferocity and physique with their weapon can cause deadly results. 

Once per day as their first and only action of that turn an Executioner can declare a Guillotine Full melee attack: With a running start leap into the air and slam the weight of your body behind your weapon letting gravity force you down into your target. This attack has advantage as long as the target is not behind cover or invisible and is within a 3x your movement, It deals your weapon damage + Strength modifier + 3d6 force damage and causes a Constitution saving throw DC 8+ The Executioners Proficiency and Strength mod. Or the target becomes stunned for 2 Turns. 

(The target can take reactions after their stunned turn.)

 

Decimate

Strikes from an Executioner's weapon can be devastating to armored foes.

Whenever an Executioner fails an attack roll against a target that target must make a Dexterity saving throw of DC10+ The Executioner's Proficiency  or have its AC is reduced by 1 each time for the remainder of combat.

 

Crippling Strike

Once per day An Executioner can make a Crippling Strike attack against a target, if the attack roll is successful the target must make a Constitution saving throw of DC6+ The Executioners Proficiency and Strength Mod. and a Strength saving throw against the Executioner.  Being hit by the attack and each failed roll will apply a level of Daze to the target for 1d4 rounds.

Daze:

 

• Disadvantage on ability checks/Disadvantage on attack rolls

• Movement speed halved

• Disadvantage on saving throws

 

 

 

Adoration Abilities

 

Projectile Prediction 

At 3rd level The Executioner is a master of throwing weapons and can add their Dexterity modifiers to the damage from their thrown weapons. 

Successful attack rolls with a non piercing thrown weapon will add an additional 1d6 weapon damage that will then ricochet off the target returning it to the Executioners hands. Missed attacks require a Dexterity saving throw DC13 to catch the ricocheting weapon. 

(Lvl 7 2d6, Lvl 11 4d6, Lvl 15 6d6)

 

Cut Down

Attacking at long range with their proficient weapons doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.

Your thrown weapons can bounce off hard surfaces to hit targets with half cover and three-quarters cover. (ignore half and three-quarters cover)

You can now gain flanking when attacking with your ranged weapons.

  

Disrespecting Strike

Executioners attempt to demoralize enemies when they fight as they showboat around in the middle of battles.

Once per turn before you make a throwing attack with a ranged weapon with which they are proficient, an Executioner can make an attack roll without proficiency to add your Charisma Modifier x2 to that attacks damage.

 

Whirling Death

Once per day an Executioner can declare a Whirling Death ranged attack: A powerful ranged attack is thrown by the executioner, this attack gains advantage to hit and deals your weapons damage +Strength and Dexterity Modifiers. When checking for a critical hit on this attack the Executioner adds their Proficiency bonus and their Charisma modifier to the Critical Roll check.

   

Looks good! Although the proficiencies are a bit odd... I understand what you're saying about the thrown weapons, since you have a specific plan for how their abilities work. I think it still makes sense to give them more the standard proficiencies... either proficient in all simple and martial weapons, or something like Simple Weapons and call out specific martial weapons they're proficient in (similar to how Bards are proficient in all simple weapons, plus rapiers and longswords). I think instead the ability itself should call out that it can't be used with any weapons that deal piercing damage. So nothing would be stopping them from throwing a javelin, but they get few benefits from it.

I agree I will definitely tinker with the phrasing  so they can use other weapons in a pinch.

Still, there's really solid theming on this class. I don't know if it's completely balanced, but it feels like it's interesting enough to not just feel like it's a reskinned fighter, but not so complicated that it feels too daunting to attempt.

I hope you stay in the conversation as I update and refine it and if you play test or have players play the class I’d love to hear how it goes.

lol I'd love to play test but unfortunately I don't get a lot of chances to play. Probably why I tend to hang out on this forum so much lol it's a way for me to vent my interest in the game between sessions.

I totally get it I’m almost always a permanent DM but I enjoy making home brew stuff for my players, they have an itch to play something so I try to make it. 

After 2 overhauls I think I am getting a very balanced and playable class.