Meatshield, Variant (5e Class)

Work In Progress

The Way of the Meatshield

“	I'm not the sharpest tool in the box, but I'm the biggest, heaviest and most likely to smash someones head in.	”
—Leodor Steakhammer, Master Meatshield

Meatshields are disciplined warriors, devoted to protecting others no matter the cost. Lead by Leodor Steakhammer, Meatshields live in a world of honour and smashing monsters heads in. XP no object, they willfully risk their lives to slay dragons and demon lords just because they were told to. Often Meatshields are hired to become primary fighters in adventuring parties around the world, their perseverance and abundant hit points a valuable asset to any adventurer.

Creating a Meatshield

Meatshields are the ultimate fighter, masters of running into battle, kicking ass, taking damage and letting other people kill-steal. Meatshields are trained in The Way of the Meatshield, to take and deal as much damage as possible. Almost all Meatshields are Lawful Stupid.

Quick Build

You can make a Meatshield quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength and Constitution should be your highest ability scores, Charisma and Intelligence should be the lowest. Second, choose the | City Guard background. Third, choose heavy-duty damage dealing weapons and heavy armour. From now on it's you job to haemorrhage hit points so buckle up.

Class Features

As a Meatshield you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d12 per Meatshield level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Meatshield level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: All armour, shields
Weapons: All martial and simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) heavy armour or (b) medium armour and a shield
• (a) a great weapon or (b) two melee weapons
• (a) a crossbow and 15 bolts or (b) two handaxes
• (a) dungeoneer's pack or (b) explorer's pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 6d4x10 in funds.

Table: The Meatshield

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Unflinching, Stoic Recovery, Strong Like Bull
2nd	+2	Bull-headed Resillience
3rd	+2	Battle Hardened, Meatshield School Feature
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Pack Mule, School Feature
6th	+3	Extra Attack
7th	+3	Tough Skin, Headstrong
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, School Feature
9th	+4	Hammer Hands, Meaty
10th	+4	Extra Attack, School Feature
11th	+4	Killing Blow, Hard Headed
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Meat Shield, Hammer Hands
14th	+5	Final stand, School Feature
15th	+5	Meat Shield, HeadStrong
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Meat Shield, Hammer Hands
18th	+6	Extra Attack
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Ultimate Tank

Strong Like Bull

You can raise your Strength and Constitution ability scores to 22 using Ability Score Increase.

Unflinching

You cannot be suprised and gain advantage on attacks during a suprise combat round.

Stoic Recovery

At first level you have a number of stoic points equal to your strength modifier+constitution modifier+level. Each stoic point is equal to five temporary hit points. You regain half of your stoic points per long rest (rounded up) up to your stoic point maximum. Stoic points can also be used for subclass features.

Bull-headed Resillience

At second level, you can expend 3 stoic points to reduce an attack's damage by 1d6+Strength Modifier. Every further stoic point used decreases the damage by an extra 1d4.

Battle Hardened

At third level your years of battle experience has toughened you against weapons. Choose one of Slashing, Bludgeoning or Piercing damage, you are resistant to your chosen damage.

Schools of the Meatshield

At third level, you must choose a School of the Meatshield to master. Your chosen School grants you features at 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th and 14th level.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 3, or you can increase three ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Pack Mule

At fifth level you are not affected by encumberance and can carry three times your weight. Difficult terrain does not affect you either.

Extra Attack

Starting at level 6 you can attack one more time during your turn, this increases by one at 10th level, and 18th level.

Thick Skin

At 7th level your skin seems to thicken from years of battle, making your AC without armour equal to 10+Strength modifier. While unarmoured, you have resistance to piercing damage.

Headstrong

At 7th level when a enemy would bring you down to 0 HP, you can expend up to five stoic points as a free action.

Hammer Hands

Starting at level 9 your hands have become as solid as a rock, your unarmed attack does 1D6 + 3 or your strength modifier. This increases to 1D8 + 3 at 13th level and 2D6 + 3 at 17th level.

Meaty

Starting at 9th level, you can add an extra 1d4 HP to your hit point total.

Killing Blow

At eleventh level, if a creature you have dealt damage to is at under 20 hit points, you can use an action to deal the killing blow. The attack roll automatically succeeds and the creature is reduced to zero hit points. You need to finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.

Hard Headed

At eleventh level, you have advantage against being knocked prone.

Meat Shield

By 13th level your arms have become as strong as a shield. This grants you +2 AC when NOT using a shield.

Final Stand

At 14th level, you can use an action to compel all hostile creatures within 60ft. to use the dash action to run towards you. You have advantage on attacks to these creatures and gain +1 AC.

Ultimate Tank

At twentieth level you are resistant to Slashing, Bludgeoning and Piercing damage.

The School of Shielding Meats

The School of Shielding Meats are paragons of virtue, rushing into battle to protect others at their own risk. They believe that another adventurer's life is sacred, and others must never be hurt. The School of Shielding Meats is only for the truest of hearts, the lawfulest of the stupid.

Meaty Protector

At third level, you have gained the ability to use your own body as a shield, choose a number of creatures up to half your level rounded up. Attacking creatures gain an advantage on hitting you, but the creatures you are protecting gain +1 AC and an advantage to dodge enemy attacks.

The School of the Kicked Door

The School of the Kicked Door believes that to truly be a meatshield, you must destroy doors. That's basically it, whenever you enter a room, you kick down a door, sending monsters running.

Splintering Kick

At third level, you have honed your ability to destroy inanimate objects to an art form. You deal double damage to inanimate objects such as doors. Once you have destroyed a door, all creatures within the room take 1d6 damage from flying splinters and you gain suprise.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Meatshield class, you must meet these prerequisites: 15 strength and 13 constitution

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Meatshield class, you gain the following proficiencies: Acrobatics, Athletics and Survival

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