Desperado

An ace who lives for the perfect shot, in a standoff at the edge of the world.

(A Note: this subclass was made on the premise that the sharpshooter feat’s power attack does not exist, as a way to provide a less “one note” play experience. The sharpshooter power attack warps the play pattern of ranged martial characters, and as such is being removed by WotC in the next edition of Dungeons and Dragons. This subclass is made in anticipation of this, and in an effort to see to the balance of the subclass, it is not to be paired with the sharpshooter power attack, having been built with enough power in itself to be viable, not requiring the aforementioned auto-include “one note” gameplay warping sharpshooter feat in order to approach relevancy, as that is the purpose of removing the sharpshooter power attack, it having become the entire point of being a ranged damage dealer, regardless of class, which is not good design for a game seeking to provide and exhibit a variety of power fantasies.

This subclass seeks to provide an engaging, thematic, and tactically viable power fantasy in a post-sharpshooter world on a battlefield already dominated by spell-casters, with an already apparent lack of seriousness on the part of the developers with regard to martial characters. This subclass may seem more complicated than other martial subclasses, and that is intentional, as this subclass also seeks to equal the variability and choice provided to spell-casters in their selection and preparation of spells in and out of combat. In that spirit, it should be known that another beneficial homebrew change that was kept in mind by yours truly in making this subclass was the idea that all fighters would gain the combat superiority feature of the fighter battle master at its base level, with a number of superiority dice (d8) equal to the modifier of the chosen primary combat ability stat (Strength or Dexterity), again in an effort to make the martial character more than simply just an attack bot, wether that be a ranged, sneak, or frontline attack bot, and to increase their power in a fun and engaging way, beyond just making their numbers bigger. Perhaps a given subclass would provide specific or even unique maneuvers that fit its playstyle and theme. The entire Martial cast of classes ought not be trapped by a chronically myopic and never ending notion of “training wheels” being held over the head of every square inch of these classes as the casters get to be awesome. Thank you, and may Christ’s light shine upon you.)

Sincerely,

UlyssesC6

Hammer and Tongs

3rd-level Desperado feature

Your metallurgical pursuits have led you to create weapons some might perceive as being magic having somehow been wrought from steel and fire.  You gain the knowledge to forge one type of firearm of your choice from three options, provided you possess enough weight of steel, wood, and any other applicable materials, smith’s tools, and 1 day’s time.  These choice firearms are the revolver, hunting rifle, and shotgun.

If you have gained proficiency with firearms, you gain the following benefits when wielding one of your personally forged firearms.

Fan the Hammer. The revolver now has a range of 40 feet, and a long range of 80 feet.  When you take the attack action on your turn while wielding the revolver, you may use your bonus action to make a number of additional attacks of your choosing at half the normal range.  Attacks made in this way suffer -2 attack for each such attack you make in a turn, and they each inflict a -5 to your base movement speed for the turn.

Quigley’s Soul. The hunting rifle now has a range of a half of a mile, and a long range of a mile. When you take the attack action on your turn, you may use a bonus action to give yourself +5 to attack and damage on your next attack, but your movement is halved for the turn, needing time to pause for the shot.

The Heater: The shotgun now has a normal range of 15 feet and a long range of 30 feet.  It’s damage is 3d8.  When you take the attack action on your turn, you may use your bonus action to make a special area of effect weapon attack that targets all creatures in a 15 foot long 45 degree slice out from the shotgun.  You make a single attack roll to contest each target’s AC, with a -1 penalty to the damage roll for each creature beyond 1, caught in the blast. 

You also gain the ability to create ammunition, concocting the necessary powder through your own inscrutable and otherworldly technique.  Once per week, you may make a number of cartridges or shells equal to triple the product of your fighter level and proficiency score.

Combat Superiority

Starting at 3rd level, you begin to learn to leverage your superior skill and experience in battle. You now have Combat Superiority dice that can be used to perform special combat maneuvers.  These dice are d8s and you have a number of them equal to your Dexterity modifier. Your combat maneuver DC is 8+your proficiency bonus+your Dexterity modifier.  You have access to the following set of fighter maneuvers and one unique Desperado Maneuver:

Piercing Shot: When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one Superiority die to attempt to fire through multiple targets. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and you roll the superiority due to determine the number of targets penetrated.  You then make an attack roll with disadvantage against each creature in a line behind the target within the original shot’s initial range until the target limit is reached or there are no more targets.

Trip Attack: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

Precision Attack: When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

Lead Poisoning

7th-level Desperado feature

Your designs turn to the make of your valuable ammunition.  Also, you now have the knowledge to forge another of the three choice firearms, in addition to the one already chosen.

Deep Pockets. When you create ammunition for the revolver, you may make twice as much as you otherwise would be able to. They weigh half as much.

Loaded for Bear.  When making ammunition for the rifle or revolver , you may choose between armor piercing rounds which give the rifle +4 to hit, but -2 to damage and +2/-1 to the revolver, and hollow point rounds, which provide -2 to hit but +4 to damage to the rifle, and -1/+2 to the revolver, or regular standard rounds.

Hell’s Shells. When making ammunition for the shotgun, you may choose between slugs and buckshot.  Slugs provide +3 to attack and damage and they double the range you would have otherwise, but when you create them, you can only make a half of what you otherwise would be able to, and they weigh twice as much, due to their mass.  Buckshot brings a -3 to attack and +3 to damage, but attacks made within 5 feet of the targeted creature automatically hit, bypassing AC.

Hazard of the Cast

10th-level Desperado feature
Your reputation precedes you. You gain advantage on Intimidation checks as long as you are carrying a firearm.
Your weaponry related machinations reach their height. You now have the necessary knowledge and skill to forge all of the three choice firearms, and additionally, one special firearm modification of your choice, doubling down on its original design and intended ethos, reaching its final form.

Hunting Rifle

Telescopic Sights: With unparalleled accuracy, you pick apart and harry your targets from a distance. Wielding this weapon while prone or with a stationary gun rest provides +3 to attack. You also now double your proficiency on perception checks to acquire targets using the telescopic sights at range if you are proficient. Additionally, if you choose not to use your allotted movement on your turn, you may make an additional attack when taking the attack action on that turn, and if you make this choice, you may make another additional attack when taking the attack action on that turn if you limit all your chosen targets to a single 45 degree angle slice out from your location.

Revovler

Fever Dream Belt-Fed Revolver Mod: On your turn, when you take the attack action while wielding the revolver, you may make the following gambit, if you so desire:

Reduce your speed to zero for the turn, enemy attacks targeting you gain advantage until the start of your next turn, and you suffer one level of exhaustion. The Fan the Hammer attack penalty is halved this turn.

Shotgun

Triple Barrel Sawn-Off Mod: If an attack is made at 1 foot from the target or less, you fire all three barrels, consume three rounds of ammunition in this single attack, automatically hit, bypassing the target’s AC, and also cause the attack to deal automatic critical damage.

High Noon

When making a successful attack roll against a creature that you have not dealt attack damage to this turn, you may choose to gain +1 to attack or attack damage until the end of the turn.  Also, you gain the knowledge to create a second of the Desperado weapon modifications, in addition to your first choice.

Last Stand

By 18th level, you and death have come to an understanding, being acquaintances and all. If you take damage that reduces you to 0 hit points and doesn’t kill you outright, you can use your reaction to delay falling unconscious, and you can immediately take an extra turn, interrupting the current turn. While you have 0 hit points during that extra turn, taking damage causes death saving throw failures as normal, and three death saving throw failures can still kill you. When the extra turn ends, you fall unconscious if you still have 0 hit points.

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

Also, you now finish your designs and are able to craft all of the Desperado weapon modifications. Good Hunting.