Base Class: Ranger
When you play as a slayer lord, you can not have levels in any other class.
The slayer lord is intended to be played as a unique class, not as a ranger subclass.
Defender of the People
They know no fear, they feel no rage, for it is the duty of a Slayer Lord to defend their people, no matter what beast they might have to face. When the snow on the mountain hides the toughest of beasts, the Slayer Lords will hold the gate. When the miners dig too greedily, too deep, the Slayer Lords will face the vengeance of the earth. Many Reclaimers, having to face down the most monstrous creatures this world has to offer, travel down the path of the slayer lord. Even the greatest beasts will lie beneath you when they're dead.
Creating a Slayer Lord
The slayer lord is a trained warrior not intended to be played at low levels. The slayer lord is intended for a campaign with a heavy, almost exclusive, focus on combat and resource management and thus might not be suitable to be played in a normal adventuring campaign.
When creating a slayer lord character, think about what drives them. Where does your character come from? Why are they a slayer? Talk with your DM about the setting and find an appropriate origin for your slayer lord. Did you join the party to gain experience? Are you on the way to a fallen hold that needs to be reclaimed? Did a great beast slay your previous party only to escape your grasp at the last minute?
QUICK BUILD
You can make an slayer lord quickly by following these suggestions: First, put your highest ability score in Dexterity, followed by Strength, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the outlander background. (If your campaign allows it)
The Slayer Lord Table
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Marks | Mark Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Favored Enemy, Marked Beast | 2 | +2 |
| 2nd | +2 | Slayer Techniques | 2 | +2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Stalk the Beast | 2 | +2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | +2 |
| 5th | +2 | - | 3 | +2 |
| 6th | +2 | Extra Attack | 3 | +2 |
| 7th | +3 | Defensive Slayer Tactics | 3 | +2 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | +3 |
| 9th | +3 | Killing Blow | 4 | +3 |
| 10th | +3 | Slayer's Evasion | 4 | +3 |
| 11th | +3 | Taste of Blood | 4 | +3 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | +3 |
| 13th | +4 | Exterminator | 4 | +4 |
| 14th | +4 | No Escape | 5 | +4 |
| 15th | +4 | Armorbreaker | 5 | +4 |
| 16th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | +4 |
| 17th | +4 | Unmatched Dexterity | 5 | +4 |
| 18th | +5 | Nimble | 5 | +4 |
| 19th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | +5 |
| 20th | +5 | Killing Shot | 6 | +5 |
Class Features
As a slayer lord, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per slayer lord level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per slayer lord level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Constitution
Skills: Nature and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) chain shirt or (b) leather armor
- (a) a handaxe or (b) a battleaxe
- (a) a heavy crossbow and 30 bolts or (b) a light crossbow and 50 bolts
- (If your background is not Reclaimer) (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
Favored Enemy
Beginning at 1st level, you have significant experience studying, tracking, hunting, and even talking to a certain type of enemy.
Choose a type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, constructs, dragons, elementals, giants, monstrosities, or undead. Alternatively, you can select two races of humanoid (such as gnolls and orcs) as favored enemies.
You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track your favored enemies, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
When you gain this feature, you also learn one language of your choice that is spoken by your favored enemies, if they speak one at all.
Marked Beast
Starting at 1st level, during your turn you can call out to mark a creature as your marked beast for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). To mark a creature it must be a non-humanoid or of the race of your favored enemy.
Whenever you hit a marked beast, add the Mark Damage, as shown in the Mark Damage column of the Slayer Lord Table, to your attack damage.
You can use this feature to mark a creature a number of times equal to your Marks, as shown in the Marks column of the Slayer Lord Table, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
If you slay a marked creature, you regain one expended use of your mark.
Only one creature can be marked at any given time.
Slayer Techniques
At 2nd level, your extensive training allows you to use whichever weapon works best for any given situation.
Near
You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with melee weapons against marked beasts.
Far
You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make for ranged attacks against marked beasts.
Fierce
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Stalk the Beast
Starting at 3rd level, when rolling for initiative but before the initiative order is made known, you can choose an enemy, it must be a non-humanoid or your favored enemy, and set your initiative to be immediately before the target.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 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.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Defensive Slayer Tactics
At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Escape the Horde
Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.
Multiattack Defense
When a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn.
Killing Blow
Beginning at 9th level, you've slain enough beasts to know exactly where to strike. When you use a melee attack on a marked beast that is prone and half of the maximum damage on hit, rounded down, would be equal to or higher than its current hit points, you can choose to kill it outright.
Slayer's Evasion
Starting from 10th level, you can quickly dodge out of the way of area effects. When you are subjected to an Effect that allows you to make a Dexterity or Strength saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw.
Taste of Blood
From 11th level onward, your lust to slay is starting to take over. Whenever you slay a creature, you can choose to change your Favored Enemy to that type of creature, gaining all benefits as if you chose that type at Slayer Lord level 1. As you change your Favored Enemy, you lose any benefits relating to your previous Favored Enemy.
Exterminator
Starting at 13th level, your knowledge of your favored enemy allows you to add your mark damage to any hit you make against a creature of that type, regardless of their marked beast status.
No Escape
Beginning at 14th level, you have developed the instincts of a true predator. When a creature turns its back on you, you strike. Opportunity attacks no longer require a reaction and are done at advantage.
Armorbreaker
At 15th level, tough hides or scales are no match for your slaying skills, you know exactly where the weak points are. Any non-magical attack you make against a marked beast that uses natural armor gets an additional d4 attack bonus.
On a successful hit, the target's AC is lowered by 1. This effect does not stack.
Unmatched Dexterity
Starting at 17th level, you ignore the reload trait when using any weapon. In addition to that, sheathing and unsheathing your weapons can be done without costing any kind of action.
Nimble
Beginning at 18th level, if your total for a Dexterity check is less than your Dexterity score, you can use that score in place of the total.
Killing Shot
At 20th level, every shot hits its mark. When you use a ranged attack on a marked beast that is prone and half of the maximum damage on hit, rounded down, would be equal to or higher than its current hit points, you can choose to kill it outright.
Slayer Lord Archetype Features
Choosing the archetype of the slayer lord, you gain the following archetype features.
| Ranger Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Marked Beast |
| 7th | Defensive Slayer Tactics |
| 11th | Stalk the Beast |
| 15th | Armorbreaker |
Marked Beast
Starting at 3rd level, during your turn you can call out to mark a creature as your marked beast for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). To mark a creature it must be a non-humanoid or of the race of your favored enemy.
Whenever you hit a marked beast, add the Mark Damage, as shown in the Mark Damage column of the Slayer Lord Table, to your attack damage.
You can use this feature to mark a creature a number of times equal to your Marks, as shown in the Marks column of the Slayer Lord Table, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
If you slay a marked creature, you regain one expended use of your mark.
Only one creature can be marked at any given time.
Defensive Slayer Tactics
At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Escape the Horde
Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.
Multiattack Defense
When a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn.
Stalk the Beast
Starting at 11th level, when rolling for initiative but before the initiative order is made known, you can choose an enemy, it must be a non-humanoid or your favored enemy, and set your initiative to be immediately before the target.
Armorbreaker
At 15th level, tough hides or scales are no match for your slaying skills, you know exactly where the weak points are. Any non-magical attack you make against a marked beast that uses natural armor gets an additional d4 attack bonus.
On a successful hit, the target's AC is lowered by 1. This effect does not stack.
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