Marksman (Alternate)

(This alternate fighter subclass was created by Laserllama on GM binder.)

While all fighters learn to draw a bow or hurl a javelin, those who train as Marksmen dedicate themselves to mastering ranged weapons of all types. Often, their deadly skills are backed up with an unmistakable swagger and unshakable confidence. Relying on their innate talents and signature grit, there are few challenges a true Marksman cannot overcome.

Martial Exploits

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn exploits that are fueled by exploit dice. The number of known exploits and exploit dice is shown in the table below:

Level	Exploits Known	Exploit Die	Exploit Dice
3rd	3	d6	2
4th	3	d6	3
5th	4	d8	3
6th	4	d8	3
7th	5	d8	3
8th	5	d8	4
9th	6	d8	4
10th	6	d8	4
11th	7	d10	4
12th	7	d10	5
13th	8	d10	5
14th	8	d10	5
15th	9	d10	5
16th	9	d10	6
17th	10	d12	6
18th	10	d12	6
19th	10	d12	6
20th	10	d12	6

 

Exploits. You learn three exploits of your choice, which are detailed under 'Exploits' below. Many exploits enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one exploit per attack.

Exploit Die. You have two exploit dice, which start as d6s. An exploit die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended exploit dice when you finish a short or long rest.

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

Exploit save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

 

Marksman Exploits

You learn certain Exploits at the fighter levels noted in the table below. They don't count against your total number of Exploits Known and can't be switched upon gaining a level.

Fighter Level	Exploit
3rd	crippling strike, keen observation
5th	flaming shot, volley
9th	thunderous shot

Exploits

The exploits are presented by alphabetical order, then by level. You learn 2nd-degree exploits at level 5, 3rd-dgree exploits at level 9, 4th-degree exploits at level 13, and 5th-degree exploits at level 17. 3rd-degree exploits and higher can each only be used once per short rest.

Aggressive Sprint

As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend an Exploit Die to draw upon your battle fury and move up to your full speed toward a hostile creature you can see.

Blinding Debree

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die and force a creature within 10 feet to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes piercing damage equal to your Exploit Die and is blinded until the start of your next turn.

Brace Up

Prerequisites: Constitution of 11

You steel yourself for combat, preparing to take incoming blows. As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die to gain temporary hit points equal to 1 + your Exploit Die.

Charlatan's Guile

Prerequisites: Dexterity or Charisma of 11

Whenever you make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand), Charisma (Deception), or a Charisma (Performance) check, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the result of your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you whether you succeed or fail.

Commander's Presence

Prerequisites: Intelligence or Charisma of 11

Whenever you make a Charisma (Intimidation), Charisma (Persuasion), or Intelligence (History) check, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Concussive Blow

Prerequisite: 5th level, Strength of 13

When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to empower your attack, and force it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target suffers the following effects until the beginning of your next turn:

• Its speed is reduced to 0.
• It can speak only falteringly.
• It cannot take actions, bonus actions, or reactions.
• It has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Crushing Strike

Prerequisites: 5th level, Strength of 13

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and force it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes extra damage equal
to your Exploit Die, and its Armor Class is reduced by 1 until its defenses are repaired, or it finishes a short or long rest.

Defensive Stance

Prerequisites: 5th level

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die to enter a defensive stance which lasts until the start of your next turn. Each time a creature that you can see hits you with an attack while you are in your defensive stance, you roll your Exploit Die and add it to your Armor Class against the attack.

Dirty Hit

Prerequisites: 5th level, Dexterity of 13

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and force it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes additional damage equal to your Exploit Die, and until the start of your next turn it cannot take reactions and its speed is halved.

Disarm

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to force it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, it takes additional damage equal to your Exploit Die, and it drops an item of your choice it is holding.

Disorienting Blow

Prerequisites: 9th level, Strength of 15

When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to strike with overwhelming force. The creature takes additional damage equal to twice your Exploit Die and it suffers the following effects for 1 minute:

• Its speed is halved.
• It cannot take reactions.
• Its Armor Class is reduced by 2.
• Its Dexterity saving throw bonus is reduced by 2.
• On its turn it can only take an action or a bonus action.
• It cannot make more then one attack during its turn.

The creature can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effects of this Exploit on a successful save.

This Exploit's effects do not stack with slow.

Execute

Prerequisites: 5th level, Strength of 13

In place of an attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to try to execute an incapacitated or prone creature within 5 feet of you. Make an attack roll with a melee weapon and add your Exploit die to the attack roll. If your attack roll exceeds the target's remaining hit points, its hit points are reduced to 0.

Expert Determination

Prerequisites: 13th level

As an action, you can expend an Exploit Die to focus your mind and temporarily sharpen one of your skills. Choose a skill or tool that you are proficient in. For the next hour, you can add your Exploit Die to any check you make that uses the chosen skill, without expending one of your Exploit Dice.

Feat of Strength

Prerequisites: Strength or Constitution of 11

Whenever you make a Strength or Constitution-based ability check or saving throw, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the result of your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know whether you succeed or fail.

Feint

When you make a melee weapon attack against a creature that can see you, you can expend an Exploit Die to attempt a feint as part of that attack. The target of your attack must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or you add your Exploit Die to both your attack roll and damage roll for that attack.

First Aid

As an action, you can touch a conscious and willing creature and expend an Exploit Die to heal them. As a reaction, the target can expend a Hit Die to regain hit points equal to its Hit Die + its Constitution modifier + your Exploit Die.

Fluid Movements

Prerequisites: 13th level, Dexterity of 17

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die to enter a heightened state of movement which you must concentrate on as if you were concentrating on a spell. For 1 minute, or until you lose concentration, you gain the following benefits:

• Your movement is unaffected by difficult terrain.
• You can use a bonus action on your turn to gain the benefits of both the Dash and Disengage action.
• Spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the your speed nor cause you to be paralyzed or restrained.
• You can spend 5 feet of movement to instantly escape from nonmagical restraints like manacles or a grapple.
• Swimming or being underwater imposes no penalties on your movements or your attack rolls.

Heroic Focus

Prerequisites: 9th level

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die to enter a heightened state of combat focus which you must concentrate on as if you were concentrating on a spell. For the next minute, or until you lose your concentration, you gain the following benefits:

• Your speed is doubled.
• You gain a +2 bonus to your Armor Class.
• You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
• You gain an additional action on each of your turns. It can only be used to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, Search, or Use an Object action.

When the effect ends, you can’t move or take actions until after your next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over you.

This Exploit's effects do not stack with the haste spell.

Heroic Fortitude

Whenever you are forced to make a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the result of your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know whether you succeed or fail.

Heroic Will

Prerequisites: 5th level

Whenever you are forced to make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the result of your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Hurl

Prerequisites: Strength of 11

In place of an attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to throw an object you are holding at a target you can see within 60 feet, forcing it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, both the object and target take bludgeoning damage equal to your Exploit Die + your Strength modifier.

Lightstep

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11

Whenever you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Dexterity (Stealth) check, or roll initiative, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know whether you succeed or fail.

Martial Focus

Prerequisites: 5th level

When you make a weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die as part of the attack to grant yourself advantage on your attack roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know whether your attack hits or misses your target.

Menacing Shout

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die and force a creature within 30 feet that can see or hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you for one minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

The fear effect ends early for the target if the frightened creature sees you take damage of any kind.

Mighty Leap

Prerequisites: Strength of 11

When you make a running or standing jump, you can expend an Exploit Die to increase your jump distance by a number of feet equal to 5 times the Exploit Die roll (minimum of 5 feet), even if this distance would exceed your remaining speed.

Mighty Thrust

Prerequisites: Strength of 11

In place of an attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to force a creature within reach to make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, it is pushed away from you a number of feet equal to 5 times your Strength modifier. Creatures more than one size larger than you have advantage on the saving throw.

Mythic Athleticism

Prerequisites: 9th level, Strength or Constitution of 15

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die to enter a heightened state of physical performance which you must concentrate on as if you were concentrating on a spell. For the next 10 minutes, you gain the benefits listed below:

• Whenever you make a Strength or Constitution check, you can treat a roll of 9 or lower on the d20 as a 10.
• Your speed increases by a number of feet equal to 5 times your Strength modifier (minimum of 5 feet).
• You count as one size larger for the purposes of carrying capacity and the size of creatures that you can grapple.
• Both your long and high jump distances double, even if that distance would exceed your remaining movement.

When the effects of this Exploit would end you can expend one of your Hit Dice to increase the duration by 10 minutes.

Precision Strike

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11

When you make a weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the attack roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know if the attack hits or misses.

Quick Draw

Prerequisites: 13th level, Dexterity of 17

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die and enter into a heightened state of focus which you must concentrate on as if concentrating on a spell. For the next minute, or until you lose concentration, you can use a bonus action to make two ranged weapon attacks so long as you have ammunition.

This Exploit's effects don't stack with the swift quiver spell.

Redirect

Prerequisites: 5th level

As a reaction when a creature you can see misses you with a melee attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and force it to repeat its attack against a target of your choice within reach. On hit, it deals additional damage equal to your Exploit Die.

Reposition

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die to switch places with a conscious and willing creature within 5 feet of you, without either of you provoking opportunity attacks.

Moreover, the first one of you that gets hit with an attack before the beginning of your next turn gains a bonus to their Armor Class against that attack equal to your Exploit Die.

Resilient Body

Prerequisites: 9th level, Constitution of 15

When you take damage from a source you can see, you can expend an Exploit Die to reduce the damage by twice your Exploit Die + your Constitution modifier. Any hit points not consumed by the attack become temporary hit points.

Riposte

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11

As a reaction when a creature you can see targets you with a melee attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to your Armor Class against the attack. If the attack misses, you can immediately make a weapon attack against your attacker.

Ruthless Strike

Prerequisites: Strength of 11

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the damage of the attack. You can use this Exploit after you know if your attack hits.

Scholar's Insight

Prerequisites: Intelligence of 11

Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (Nature), or Intelligence (Religion) check, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Shield Impact

Prerequisites: 5th level

As a reaction when a creature you can see hits you with an attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to reduce the damage by an amount equal to your Exploit Die + your Constitution modifier. You must be wielding a shield to use this Exploit.

Skilled Rider

Prerequisites: Wisdom of 11

When you are riding a trained mount and the mount makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, or you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to control it, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to the roll. You can use this Exploit after roll, but before you know if it succeed or failed.

Staggering Blow

Prerequisites: 13th level, Strength of 17

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to strike with near-supernatural force. The creature takes additional bludgeoning damage equal to three times your Exploit Die, and it has disadvantage attack rolls and ability checks, and can't take reactions for 1 minute.

The creature can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending these effects on a success.

Steel Wind Slash

Prerequisites: 17th level, Strength or Dexterity of 19

In place of an attack, you expend an Exploit Die and flourish your melee weapon then vanish. Choose up to five creatures you can see within 30 feet of, making a melee weapon attack against each one. On a hit, each target takes damage of your weapon's type equal to four rolls of your Exploit Die + either your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

You then appear in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets of this Exploit.

Storm of Arrows

Prerequisites: 17th level, Dexterity of 19

In place of an attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to fire a volley of ammunition at a point you can see within the range of your weapon. Creatures of your choice within 30 feet of that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. Targets take piercing damage equal to four rolls of your Exploit Die + your Dexterity modifier on a failed save, and half on a success.

You must have enough ammunition to hit each target.

Suppressing Strike

Prerequisites: 5th level

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and force it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes additional damage equal to your Exploit Die, and it is blinded, deafened, or muted (your choice) until the start of your next turn.

Survivalist's Craft

Prerequisites: Wisdom of 11

Whenever you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling), Wisdom (Medicine), or Wisdom (Survival) check, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to your roll. You can use this Exploit after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Sweeping Strike

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend an Exploit Die to force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it falls prone and takes bludgeoning damage equal to your Exploit Die. Creatures more than one size larger than you have advantage on their saving throw.

Take Cover

Prerequisites: 5th level

As a reaction when a creature you can see targets you with a ranged attack or forces you to make a Dexterity saving throw, you can expend an Exploit Die to immediately fall prone and gain temporary hit points equal to your Exploit Die.

Unbreakable

Prerequisites: 13th level, Constitution of 17

When you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, even if that damage would kill you outright, you can use your reaction to expend an Exploit Die to fall to 1 hit point.

War Cry

Prerequisites: 9th level

As an action, you can expend an Exploit Die and issue a mighty war cry, forcing any creatures in an adjacent 30 foot cone that can hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, creatures drop whatever they are holding and are frightened of you for one minute. If a creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Warrior's Challange

Prerequisites: 5th level

As a bonus action, you can expend an Exploit Die and force a creature within 30 feet that can see or hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on any attack roll it makes against targets other than you for one minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This effect ends early if you attack a creature other then the target.

Whirlwind Strike

Prerequisites: 5th level, Strength or Dexterity of 13

In place of an attack, you can expend an Exploit Die and force each creature within range of melee weapon you are wielding to make a Dexterity saving throw. They take damage equal to your Exploit Die + either your Strength or Dexterity modifier on a failure, and half as much on a successful save.

Elite Training

Your training has enhanced your reaction times. Starting at 3rd level, when you make a Dexterity check or saving throw, you can expend an Exploit Die and add it to your roll. You can do so after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Marksman's Focus

You can quiet your body so as to fire with deadly accuracy. Beginning at 3rd level, when you start your turn and are not surprised or incapacitated, you can choose to Focus, granting you the following benefits until the end of your current turn:

• Your speed is reduced to 0 feet.
• Until you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you have advantage on all ranged weapon attack rolls.
• When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a ranged weapon, you can re-roll the die. You must use this new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.

At 18th level, when you use Marksman's Focus, the benefits last for 1 minute, and you have advantage on all ranged weapon attacks for the duration. Your Focus only ends early if you move more then 10 feet in a turn, or you are incapacitated.

Cunning Shot

You react to danger at a moment's notice. Beginning at 7th level, you add your proficiency bonus to your Initiative rolls.

Your elite marksmanship allows you to exploit even the smallest weakness in your enemy's defenses. Your ranged weapon attacks ignore any resistance to piercing damage.

Know Your Enemy

Beginning at 7th level, you can measure the skills of others in comparison to your own. As an action, choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. You learn if it is your equal, superior, or inferior in regards to one of the following attributes:

Armor Class	Strength Score
Current or Total Hit Points	Dexterity Score
Proficiency Bonus	Constitution Score
Fighter Class Levels	Exploits Known

Tactical Reposition

Starting at 10th level, when you use your Second Wind, your speed increases by 10 feet and any opportunity attacks targeting you have disadvantage until the end of your turn.

Reliable Shot

You make even impossible shots with ease. Beginning at 15th level, your normal and long range for ranged weapon attacks increases by a number of feet equal to 10 times your level.

In addition, once per turn, when you have advantage on a ranged weapon attack, you can forgo advantage and make one additional ranged weapon attack against that creature.

Legendary Marksman

Your marksmanship is supernatural in precision. Starting at 18th level, when you use Marksman's Focus, the benefits last for 1 minute, and you have advantage on all ranged weapon attacks for the duration. Your Focus only ends early if you move more then 10 feet in a turn, or you are incapacitated.