Dread Saint

Fighter Martial Archetype

Ever-plotting, ever-charismatic, ever-ambitious; qualities Hughe Percival Lockcross is well known for. Yet for all his wiles and power, he is, as of yet, not omnipresent. His Darklings are countless, their hunger to please him ravenous, but one eldritch entity can only do so much. For his machinations to be fully realized, he would need others to take charge in his stead. Thus he mustered the terrifying vice-commanders of the Dark Carnival's armies: the Dread Saints.

The selection process of these would-be terrors of the battlefield is known only to the Dark Ringmaster, for it is only by his word they are placed in such a position of dark authority and by his hand they are trained. Initial conditioning involves promoting charismatic potential to legendary degrees, rivaled only by their mentor. After this much has been accomplished, the Dread Saints are taught how to rally and encourage their future Darkling subordinates -- from coordinating basic positioning maneuvers to inciting relentless blood frenzies. Finally, their bodies and minds are painfully engineered to be vehicles for the Dark Ringmaster's will by emulating his ideals of endurance, remorselessness, fearlessness, and an appetite to break entire worlds.

Although not the most fear-inducing to behold among the Dark Carnival, few would wish to confront these behemoths of murderous intent on the field of battle. Worse still, a Dread Saint never fights alone; even when they appear to march without a vanguard, one can always count on a cadre of Darklings waiting in their shadow for a chance to rend and tear any who would oppose the Dark Carnival.

Eccentric Quirks

The journey to hone terrifying command over the Dark Carnival's innumerable forces is a daunting one and filled with grueling trials. As such, the constant battery of tests and hurdles a Dread Saint must face honing their craft often leaves them with one or two scars in their mannerisms.

Eccentric Quirks

d6	Quirk
1	Your breathing patterns are unorthodox or unnatural.
2	The weight of your steps sounds much heavier than your weight suggests.
3	You use too many grim, macabre, or otherwise dreary adjectives when you speak.
4	Your armor must be entirely black and/or adorned with spikes. This is not up for debate.
5	You must always wear a mask or helmet to hide your face and, no, you won't answer why.
6	You feel your body fade beneath your armor. You are certain that, one day, there will be no physical proof of what you once were.

Dread Saint Features

Fighter Level	Feature
3rd	Bonus Proficiency, Make Them Bleed
7th	Get the Lead Out
10th	Bleak Resolve
15th	You're Not Done Yet
18th	Cry, Havoc!

Bonus Proficiency

The Dark Ringmaster personally saw to your training in the art of influencing negotiations with friend and foe alike. When you choose this archetype 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation.

Deception

You are proficient in deception. 

Intimidation

You are proficient in intimidation.

Persuasion

You are proficient in persuasion.

Make Them Bleed

At 3rd level, your strikes embolden an ally to match your ferocity. The first time you hit a creature with an attack on your turn, an ally within 5 feet can use their reaction immediately after the attack to make one weapon attack against a creature of your choice that you can see.

At 10th level, you can affect an ally within 15 feet with this feature.

Get The Lead Out

At 7th level, the power in your command incites your subordinates to fall in line. As an action, up to five allies of your choice within 60 feet of you that can hear you can use their reaction to move up to half your movement speed in any direction they choose.

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

Bleak Resolve

At 10th level, your twisted ambition has steeled your resolve against all horrors and coercions, making you immune to the frightened and charmed conditions.

 

You're Not Done Yet

Starting at 15th level, you reinforce the morale of your allies for another push to break your foes. As a bonus action, up to five allies of your choice within 30 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to your fighter level.

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

Cry, Havoc!

Starting at 18th level, you have mastered your dark authority to the point where your desire for bloody conquest is contagious with a single war cry. As a bonus action, you unleash a cacophonous scream that resonates in the minds and hearts of allies. Up to ten allies of your choice within 60 feet of you that can see or hear you can use their reaction to move up to half their movement speed and make a single attack against a creature of their choice within their range. If an ally is unable to attack their creature of choice with this feature, they gain advantage on their next attack roll before the end of their next turn against that creature.

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