Skullsplitter

Whether it be curving an arrow around a corner to crack the skull of an unsuspecting goblin, jumping a bugbear from behind and wrapping their bowstring tight around their throat to take them down without a sound, or firing down a barrage of arrows to skewer a pack of wolves with a single snap of the bow, the Skullsplitters are truly deadly adversaries. Trained to kill their enemies with trickery and precision, Skullsplitters are renowned for their talent at wiping out entire bandit camps without a single arrow being wasted.

Well Travelled

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your experience and training has taken you from overgrown forests to the mountain peaks and back again scouting out your prey. You gain proficiency in Survival and Stealth. You may also learn one language of your choice.

Varied Violence

Starting at 3rd level, you have been trained extensively in the art of death, dealing critical blows from afar or slitting throats from behind. You have access to special dice called skull dice, D6s, and can spend them on the different tactics listed below. You can only use one tactic per attack. You regain all skull dice after a short or long rest. You start with 5, and will gain an additional skull dice at levels 7, 11 and 15.

Saving Throws. Some of your tactics require your target to make a saving throw to resist the tactic’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Tactic save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.

Tactics:

Curved Shot

When a creature you are targeting is behind partial or total cover you can expend one skull die to roll the attack as normal, ignoring the AC bonus provided by the cover unless they are completely encompassed from every angle by said cover. If this attack hits, whatever you roll on the skull die will be added to the damage.

Opportunist

When a creature moves within melee range of another creature in a 60ft area around you, you can expend one skull die to make an opportunity attack against them. If the attack hits, you and the creature must roll one skull die. If you roll higher, they will have disadvantage to hit you on their next turn.

Bullseye

When taking aim on a target with a ranged attack, you can expend one skull die and add the number to your roll to hit. This can be added before or after the roll.

Disarming Shot

When you hit a creature with a ranged attack,  you can expend one skull die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it's holding. You add the skull die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.

Discreet

When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check or an initiative roll, you can expend one skull die and add the die to the roll, provided you aren’t incapacitated.

Trip Shot

When you hit a creature with a ranged attack, you can expend one skull die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the skull die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

Spotter

As a bonus action you can direct one of your companions to strike a weak point on an enemy. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you and expend one skull die. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one attack, adding the skull die to the attack's damage roll.

Parry

When another creature damages you with a melee or ranged attack, you can use your reaction and expend one skull die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your skull die + your Dexterity modifier.

Negotiator

When you make a Charisma (Intimidation), a Charisma (Performance), or a Charisma (Persuasion) check, you can expend one skull die and add the skull die to the ability check.

Knockback

As a bonus action you can expend one skull die and attempt to knock a creature back with your bow. One creature you choose within 5ft of you must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked back 10ft, and take bludgeoning damage equal to your skull die + your strength modifier.

Twofold

When shooting your bow, you can expend one skull die to fire an additional arrow at the same time. This arrow attempts to hit the same target as the first arrow, and has it's own roll to hit. If it hits, you may add the skull die to the damage.

Stranglehold

At 7th level, you have learned that not just your arrows can kill, but your bow too. When within melee range of a creature, you can attempt to grapple them with your bow and choke them out. You must make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, and the target must match or beat it with a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or a Strength (Athletics) check. If the creature is unaware of you or is unsuspecting of an attack, they have disadvantage on the check.

If they fail the creature becomes grappled, the creature will take 2d6 Slashing damage, and will increase by 1d6 for each of your turns they spend in this state. They can attempt to escape at the end of your and their turns.

A creature can last for a number of rounds equal to it's Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) before it starts to perish. At the start of it's next turn, it falls Unconscious and drops to 1 hit point.

When a creature is grappled in this way, they cannot speak, therefore verbal components or callouts to their friends will not work. In addition you can drag the creature when you move, your movement speed only being reduced to 2/3rds. For example, if you have a movement speed of 30ft, you can move 20ft when holding a creature.

A creature without a neck or is 2 sizes larger than you is unable to be targeted by this action.

This technique is exhausting, and can be used a number times equal to your proficiency bonus.

Tactical Mind

At 11th level, your tactics have been tested in and out of the field, and rigorous training has grown your skill at wielding them. Your skull dice have increased to d8s.

In addition, your proficiency bonus is now added to your initiative rolls.

Rain of Steel

At 15th level, your speed with a bow has become unmatched and deadly to any enemy. At the start of your turn, you can spend a bonus action to nock multiple arrows, and fire them all at once. With this prepared, you can fire 2 arrows for every attack you make with your bow, each having their own roll to hit and can target the same or a different enemy. Each arrow you fire can have their own tactic, but will still cost a skull dice per tactic used.

After using this ability, you must long rest before you can use it again.

In addition, you gain expertise in one of these skills: Perception, Stealth, or Acrobatics.

Acrobatics

Your Dexterity (Acrobatics) check covers your attempt to stay on your feet in a tricky situation, such as when you're trying to run across a sheet of ice, balance on a tightrope, or stay upright on a rocking ship's deck. The DM might also call for a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to see if you can perform acrobatic stunts, including dives, rolls, somersaults, and flips.

Perception

Your Wisdom (Perception) check lets you spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of something. It measures your general awareness of your surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For example, you might try to hear a conversation through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear monsters moving stealthily in the forest. Or you might try to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, whether they are orcs lying in ambush on a road, thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, or candlelight under a closed secret door.

Stealth

Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check when you attempt to conceal yourself from enemies, slink past guards, slip away without being noticed, or sneak up on someone without being seen or heard.