Highwayman

Stand and Deliver!

You are an infamous and re-known terror upon the highways and byways of the land. Oft embellished tales of your audacious adventures precede you, and are frequently exchanged in hushed tones in the taverns and bars of rural districts. Your true identity however, may well be shrouded in confusion and distortion, (perhaps you are even the source of this misinformation), only adding to your mystery and you may need to adopt multiple noms de plume to stay one step ahead of the law. Robbery is part of your very nature, but remember, robbery is nothing if not performed with dashing style!

To the down trodden and underclasses you may well be seen as a gallant hero. Maybe even fair impressionable young maids swoon at the merest whisper of your name,  but to the authorities you are more likely to be seen at the very least an inconvenience, or more likely a menace and threat to civilized society that needs to be dealt with.

Many a highwaymans story ends inevitably with an appointment with the gallows, but perhaps you will be more fortunate and escape scot-free, only to have tales of your exploits passed on by word of mouth on cold winters nights, gathered around a warm hearth over a mug of strong ale, becoming more audacious with each retelling...

With acknowledgements to Matthew Mercer, for the elements adapted from the Gunslinger class.

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.   

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.   

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,   

And the highwayman came riding—

         Riding—riding—

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

 

He’d a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,   

A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin.

They fitted with never a wrinkle. His boots were up to the thigh.   

And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,

         His pistol butts a-twinkle,

His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

 

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard.

He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred.   

He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there   

But the landlord’s black-eyed daughter,

         Bess, the landlord’s daughter,

Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

 

From "The Highwayman", by Alfred Noyes.

Ambush Master

Starting at 3rd level, you excel at leading ambushes and acting first in a fight.

You have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, the first creature you hit during the first round of a combat becomes easier for you and others to strike; attack rolls against that target have advantage until the start of your next turn.

 

Expert Horseman

Starting at 3rd level, your mastery as a rider becomes apparent. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you’re not incapacitated.

You gain proficiency in Animal Handling. This only applies to creatures that can be used as a mount.

You can also cast Find Steed, once per long rest. You summon a Riding Horse instead of a Warhorse.

Finally, mounting or dismounting a creature costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.

 

Firearm Proficiency and Gunsmith

Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms, allowing you to add your proficiency bonus to attacks made with firearms

You also gain proficiency with Tinker's Tools. You may use them to craft ammunition at half the cost, repair damaged firearms, or even draft and create new ones (DM’s discretion). Some extremely experimental and intricate firearms are only available through crafting.

You may also dual wield any single handed firearms

Firearm Properties

Firearms are a new and volatile technology, and as such bring their own unique set of weapon properties. Some properties are followed by a number, and this number signifies an element of that property (outlined below). These properties replace the optional ones presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Firearms are ranged weapons.

Reload. The weapon can be fired a number of times equal to its Reload score before you must spend 1 attack or 1 action to reload. You must have one free hand to reload a firearm.

Misfire. Whenever you make an attack roll with a firearm, and the dice roll is equal to or lower than the weapon’s Misfire score, the weapon misfires. The attack misses, and the weapon cannot be used again until you spend an action to try and repair it. To repair your firearm, you must make a successful Tinker’s Tools check (DC equal to 8 + misfire score). If your check fails, the weapon is broken and must be mended out of combat at a quarter of the cost of the firearm. Creatures who use a firearm without being proficient increase the weapon’s misfire score by 1.

Explosive. Upon a hit, everything within 5 ft of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or suffer 1d8 fire damage. If the weapon misses, the ammunition fails to detonate, or bounces away harmlessly before doing so.

Ammunition

All firearms require ammunition to make an attack, and due to their rare nature, ammunition may be near impossible to find or purchase. However, if materials are gathered, you can craft ammunition yourself using your Tinker’s Tools at half the cost. Each firearm uses its own unique ammunition and is generally sold or crafted in batches listed below next to the price.

Firearms

Name	Cost	Ammo	Damage	Weight	Range	Properties
Palm Pistol	50g	2g (20)	1d8 piercing	1 lb.	(40/160)	Light, reload 1, misfire 1
Pistol	150g	4g (20)	1d10 piercing	3 lb.	(60/240)	Reload 4, misfire 1
Musket	300g	5g (20)	1d12 piercing	10 lb.	(120/480)	Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 2
Pepperbox	250g	4g (20)	1d10 piercing	5 lb.	(80/320)	Reload 6, misfire 2
Blunderbuss	300g	5g (5)	2d8 piercing	10 lb.	(15/60)	Reload 1, misfire 2
Bad News	Crafted	10g (5)	2d12 piercing	25 lb.	(200/800)	Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 3
Hand Mortar	Crafted	10g (1)	2d8 fire	10 lb.	(30/60)	Reload 1, misfire 3, explosive

Rakish Audacity

Starting at 9th level, your confidence propels you into battle. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.

You also gain an additional way to use your Sneak Attack; you don’t need advantage on the attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, no other creatures are within 5 feet of you, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

 

Adept Marksman

When you choose this archetype at 9th level, you learn to perform two powerful trick shots to disable or damage your opponents using your firearms.

Trick Shots. You learn two trick shots of your choice, which are detailed under “Trick Shots” below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. Each use of a trick shot must be declared before the attack roll is made. You can use only one trick shot per attack.

You learn an additional trick shot of your choice at 13th and 17th level. Each time you learn a new trick shot, you can also replace one trick shot you know with a different one.

Grit. You gain a number of grit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). You regain 1 expended grit point each time you roll a 20 on the d20 roll for an attack with a firearm, or deal a killing blow with a firearm to a creature of significant threat (DM’s discretion). You regain all expended grit points after a short or long rest.

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

   Trick Shot save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Rapid Reload. You are able to reload firearms as a bonus action

 

Panache

At 13th level, your charm becomes extraordinarily beguiling. As an action, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by a creature’s Wisdom (Insight) check. The creature must be able to hear you, and the two of you must share a language.

If you succeed on the check and the creature is hostile to you, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you and can’t make opportunity attacks against targets other than you. This effect lasts for 1 minute, until one of your companions attacks the target or affects it with a spell, or until you and the target are more than 60 feet apart.

If you succeed on the check and the creature isn’t hostile to you, it is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed, it regards you as a friendly acquaintance. This effect ends immediately if you or your companions do anything harmful to it.

 

Rapid Repair

Upon reaching 13th level, you learn how to quickly attempt to fix a jammed gun. You can spend a grit point to attempt to repair a misfired (but not broken) firearm as a bonus action.

 

Multiple Trickshots

By 17th level, you have become so adept with firearms that you can expend two grit points to combine two trick shots in one action or bonus action

 

Trick Shots

These trick shots are presented in alphabetical order.

Bullying Shot

You can use the powerful blast and thundering sound of your firearm to shake the resolve of a creature. You can expend one grit point while making a Charisma (Intimidation) check to gain advantage on the roll.

Dazing Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to dizzy your opponent. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on attacks until the end of their next turn.

Deadeye Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to gain advantage on the attack roll.

Disarming Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to shoot an object from their hands. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or drop 1 held object of your choice and have that object be pushed 10 feet away from you.

Forceful Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to trip them up and force them back. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from you.

Point Blank Shot

You've learned that while it's key to strike first, staying on the front lines a good way to get killed. If you take the disengage action, you can make an attack with a single handed ranged weapon against the enemy from which you are disengaging without incurring disadvantage.

Winging Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to topple a moving target. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.