Hunter, Variant (5e Class)
Hunter, Variant
The sound of clanging blades rings out. Armies in plate mail charge each other. But in the forest beside the battlefield, a click rings out, in its own, silent way. The click of an arrow being knocked on a bow. The string is pulled back, the bow turned towards the army general. A twanging sound, the arrow released, intent on its target. A thud, the general falls off of his horse, and like that, the battle is over.
Sneak and Surprise
Hunter, Variants are people of stealth, using that ability to exterminate opponents. Like combinations of fighters and rogues, Hunter, Variants combine stealth and fighting prowess, making a deadly combination.
Creating a Hunter, Variant
As you create a hunter, think of how you were trained. Were you originally a street urchin, learning the ways of a rogue, and then stealing enough money to receive martial training? Did you begin as a noble, trained by a professional fighter, but then ending up on the streets? Or did you teach yourself?
- Quick Build
You can make a Hunter, Variant quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution to shore up your defences, if you prefer more utility then Intelligence if you want to excel at investigation, or Wisdom if you want to excel at tracking. Second, choose the Urchin background.
Class Features
As a Hunter, Variant you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Hunter, Variant level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Hunter, Variant level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: light, medium
Weapons: simple, martial
Tools: thieve's tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom
Skills: Stealth and choose two additional skills from Athletics, Acrobatics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) any bow and a quiver of 20 arrows or (b) any crossbow and a case of 20 bolts
- (a) any martial weapon or (b) thieve's tools
- leather armor and two concealed daggers
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Surprise Attack | Swiftness |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +2 | Fighting Style, Mark Target Sneak, Attack | 1d6 | _ |
2nd | +2 | Swiftness | 1d6 | 10 feet |
3rd | +2 | Archetype Feature | 1d6 | 10 feet |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 | 10 feet |
5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 2d6 | 15 feet |
6th | +3 | Archetype Feature | 2d6 | 15 feet |
7th | +3 | Evasion | 2d6 | 15 feet |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2d6 | 15 feet |
9th | +4 | Reliable Talent | 3d6 | 20 feet |
10th | +4 | Archetype Feature | 3d6 | 20 feet |
11th | +4 | Versatility | 3d6 | 20 feet |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3d6 | 20 feet |
13th | +5 | Ambush | 3d6 | 25 feet |
14th | +5 | Archetype Feature | 4d6 | 25 feet |
15th | +5 | Elusive | 4d6 | 25 feet |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4d6 | 25 feet |
17th | +6 | Ambush Master | 4d6 | 25 feet |
18th | +6 | Sudden Strike | 4d6 | 30 feet |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4d6 | 30 feet |
20th | +6 | Master Hunter | 5d6 | 30 feet |
Fighting Style
At first level, choose a fighting style from the following:
- Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
- Dueling
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.
- Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
- Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Marked Target
Starting at 1st level, your years of tracking have granted you the ability to mark a creature as your favored enemy. As a bonus action on your turn you may choose one creature within 30ft of you as your target, your mark last for one hour or until the target drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious, at which point you regain controle of this feature.
You gain the following benefits while you are wearing light armor and not weilding a shield.
•you may make melee atacks against your target with advantage.
•you may use wisdom instead of strength or dexterity for the attack and damage rolls of your melee weapon.
Sneak Attack
Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foes distraction. Once per turn you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack that you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use finesse or a ranged weapon. You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Swiftness
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are in combat. You do not provoke opportunity attacks while using swiftness. This bonus increases as you gain more levels in this class, as shown on the Hunter, Variant table. At 13th level, you are always affected by swiftness, in combat or not.
Hunter, Variant Archetype
At 3rd level you choose a Hunter, Variant archetype. This choice grants you additional features at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 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.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class.
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a Fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Reliable Talent
At 9th level, you have refined your chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Versatility
At 11th level your weapon attacks now score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Ambush
At 13th level, When you land a critical strike you deal x3 damage instead of x2.
Elusive
Beginning at 15th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't incapacitated.
Sudden Strike
Starting at 18th level, you can strike with deadly speed. If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action. This attack can benefit from your Sneak Attack even if you have already used it this turn, but only if the attack is the only one you make against the target this turn.
Master Hunter
At 20th level, you learn to exploit a creature’s weaknesses by carefully studying its tactics and movement. Your Sneak Attack damage against that creature increases by 3d6.
Hunter, Variant Archetypes
Blademaster
Masters of melee, becoming whirlwinds of blades in battle.
- Multiattack Defense
At 3rd level, 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.
- Whirlwind
At 6th level, you can use your action to make a melee attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target. You cannot use surprise attack while using this feature.
- Surprise Whirlwind
At 10th level you can use surprise attack while using whirlwind. You can only effect two creatures in this way. Whirlwind radius is increases by 5 feet.
- Blade Tornado
At 14th level you can hit creatures multiple times when using whirlwind. Once per turn when you use whirlwind, you deal an additinol 1d10 damage.
Bowmaster
Masters of ranged weapons, picking enemies off from afar.
- Precise Aim
At 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to, until the start of you next turn, double your Dexterity modifier when determining your ranged attack rolls. You can use this feature an amount of times equal to half your level per short or long rest. (Round down)
- Volley
At 6th level, you can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target. You can use this feature a number of times a day equal to your Dexterity modifier (rounded down)
- Surprise Volley
At 10th level you can use Volley to Sneak Attack one extra target. Volley gains an increased radius to 15 feet of a point you can see within your weapons range.
- Arrow Storm
At 14th level you can hit creatures multiple times when using volley. When you use volley, you do 2d12 + your Dexterity modifier damage, plus the usual amount of damage dealt by that weapon.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Hunter, Variant class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Hunter, Variant class, you gain the following proficiencies: simple weapons, martial weapons, light armor, stealth, Dexterity saving throws.
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