Gauntleteer

Prosthetic limbs are still an experimental technology, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work. Especially skilled artificers and mages are beginning to create arcane arms that not only work as well as the real thing, but have additional features. It’s also pretty cool if they just add on to normal, boring, biological arms.

Bonus Proficiency

When you choose this subclass at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Athletics.

Powerful Fists

Starting at 3rd level, you have powerful mechanically enhanced fists that allow you to punch with great strength. Your unarmed attacks deal 1d8 + Your strength modifier for damage. Because of the size of these gauntlets, you are unable to wield shields.

Superior Build

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you get augmentations that are fueled by special dice called tech dice.

Augmentations. You choose one augmentation of your choice, which is detailed under “Augmentations” below. Each augmentation modifies your gauntlets in some way.

You choose an additional augmentation of your choice at 7th and 15th level.

Tech Dice. You have four tech dice, which are d6s. A tech die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended tech dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Your tech die increases to a d8 at 7th level and to a d10 at 15th level.

Augmentations

The augmentations are presented in alphabetical order.

Assistance

You modify your gauntlets to assist your allies, whether through a flashy display distracting your enemies, or by empowering your allies. When an ally makes an attack roll and misses, you can use your reaction to expend a tech die, adding the rolled number to your ally’s attack roll.

Defense

Your gauntlets in some way become usable as shields, whether by being larger, or something like panels on the side that could expand outwards. As a reaction when attacked, you can expend a tech die to increase your Armor Class by the number rolled on the die, which lasts until the start of your next turn.

Power

You add a mechanism to your gauntlets that allows you to punch with more force, maybe small jets or just more weight. When you hit an opponent with an attack, you can expend a tech die to knock them back 5 feet, and add the number rolled on the die to the damage of your attack.

Range

You add some sort of ranged weapon to your fists. This can be a small firearm hidden within them, a method of launching and retrieving your fist itself, or something else. You can expend a tech die to gain 30 foot reach on a gauntlet attack, adding the rolled number on the die to your attack roll.

Resilience

Your gauntlets are augmented to help protect you from unavoidable damage. Whenever you take damage, you may use a tech die to reduce the amount of damage taken by the number you roll on the die.

Empowered Gauntlets

Starting at 7th level, your gauntlets deal 1d10 + Your strength modifier bludgeoning damage. Your unarmed strikes now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances or immunities. Additionally, you can position your gauntlets to help you deflect attacks. You gain an additional +1 to your Armor Class. 

Brawler

Starting at 10th level, as an action, you can raise your gauntlets and refrain from attacking, adding 3 to your Armor Class until the start of your next turn or until an enemy misses an attack against you. If you lose this bonus because an enemy missed you, you can use your reaction to make an attack against that enemy which automatically hits, and deals an additional 5 bludgeoning damage.

You may use this feature twice, then you must take a long rest to regain use of it.

Rushing In

Starting at 15th level, your speed increases by 10 feet.

First Move

Starting at 18th level, your first attack after rolling initiative deals an additional 10 damage.

Additionally, the first time an enemy attacks you after rolling initiative, you may force them to miss their attack.