Slinger (5e Class)
Slinger
A lone shepherd boy steps forward into the battlefield, facing a huge and mighty man with nothing but a sling. The man laughed at the boy, thinking that the boy can do nothing against him and his mighty armor. The man charges at the boy with his sword, screaming in full battle fury. The boy was unperturbed by this as he loaded his sling and started to spin it around. As the man grew closer, the boy let go of his sling, the stone hurtling towards the man with great speed. The shot strike true, the man now lying unconscious from the blow. The boy merely stepped over his fallen foe and decapitated him with his own swords.
Contrary to popular belief, the humble Sling is one of the mightiest weapons in all of history and this is made even more apparent by the men and women who wield them with great mastery, who are called Slingers. With great skill, they can hurl a bullet at a foe up to 400m away at speeds clocking in at around 100km/h.
Working mostly as skirmishers, these Slingers hurl their stones at the enemy, screening them before falling back and letting the frontlines deal with them. With their great skill and experience, they show the world that all it takes to change the battlefield is but just a few stones.
Creating a Slinger
How did your character become a Slinger? Were they raised to wield a Sling at a very young age? Were they inspired by another Slinger and wished to follow their footsteps? Have they just found the weapon to be to their liking and wanted to further their skills in it? These are some of the things that you can ask yourself when creating a Slinger.
- Quick Build
You can make a Slinger quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Lastly, pick the Soldier Background.
Class Features
As a Slinger you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Slinger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Slinger level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, and Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Constitution
Skills: Choose three from the following: Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- Sling with 30 Bullets
- Leather Armor
- (a) Spear and Shield or (b) Shortsword and Shield
- (a) Explorer's Pack or (b) Dungeoneer's Pack
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Sling Mastery I |
| 2nd | +2 | Skirmisher |
| 3rd | +2 | Slinger Archetype I |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Stunning Blow, Extra Attack I, Sling Mastery II |
| 6th | +3 | Slinger Archetype II |
| 7th | +3 | Agile |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Volley |
| 9th | +4 | Slinger Archetype III |
| 10th | +4 | Sling Mastery III |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack II |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Marked for Death |
| 14th | +5 | Slinger Archetype IV |
| 15th | +5 | Sling Mastery IV |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Supreme Aim |
| 18th | +6 | Legendary Slinger |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Swing of the Century |
Sling Mastery
Starting at Level 1, you gain a level of mastery over the Sling. You are able to load ammunition into the sling without requiring a free hand to do so. When wielding a Sling, the range of it increases to (150/400). In addition, when wielding a Sling, the damage die increases by one tier (d4 -> d6). This further increases at Levels 5 (d6 -> d8), 10 (d8 -> d10), and 15 (d10 -> d12).
Skirmish Tactics
Starting at Level 2, you have come to properly learn your role as a Slinger, that being a Skirmisher. You can now Dash and Disengage as a Bonus action.
Slinger Archetype
Starting at Level 3, your character can now specialize in a role that he/she would be known for The roles that can be picked are: Boulder Slinger and Runic Slinger. Your choice grant features at the 3rd level, and again at the 6th, 9th, and 14th.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach the 4th Level, and again at 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
Starting 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 at 11th level in this class.
Stunning Shot
Starting at Level 5, your sling attacks can now effectively Stun the enemy. Once per round, when you managed to hit a creature with a Sling attack, you can turn that hit into a Stunning Shot. The target must succeed on a DC (8 + Proficiency + Dexterity) Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
Agile
Starting at Level 7, you have learned to move more efficiently with less energy. Your Movement Speed is increased by 15ft and you are no longer hampered by nonmagical difficult terrain.
Volley
Starting at Level 8, you are now able to rapidly fire shots at your enemies. You can use your Action to make a single ranged attack on each enemy inside a 45ft cone. You must have ammunition for each target as normal and you make a separate attack roll for each target. You may use this feature once before needing a long rest.
Marked for Death
Starting at Level 13, you have learned to effectively study a target and mark him for death. You can now use your Bonus action to mark a single target. You now have advantage on all attack rolls towards that target. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier before needing a short/long rest.
Supreme Aim
Starting at Level 17, your aim is so great that no one can compare to you. You can now use your Bonus action to grant yourself Advantage for all attacks on the same turn. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier before needing a long rest.
Legendary Slinger
Starting at Level 18, the actions and feats you have accrued as a Slinger have made you a legend amongst Slingers, cementing your life as an inspiration and story to be passed along for generations. You have now gained +3 to all Attack and Damage rolls while using a Sling.
Swing of the Century
Starting at Level 20, none can compare to you in the use of a Sling. Each attack that you make would spawn a legend of its own. Once per turn, you can declare one of your attacks to be the Swing of the Century. You must do so before the DM can tell you if the attack hits. If that attack hits, you may double the result of the damage roll. If it's a critical, you may triple the result of the damage roll.
Slinger Archetypes
Boulder Slinger
- Heavy Rocks
Starting at Level 3, the rocks you sling are much more heavier than your regular counterparts. You can now add an additional 1d6 Damage to all Sling attacks.
- Traumatic Shot
Starting at Level 6, the weight of your ammunition causes more trauma. Your Stunning Shot is now instead Traumatic Shot, the DC now being a DC (10 + Proficiency + Dexterity) Constitution saving throw or be Stunned until the end of your next turn.
- Strong Back
Starting at Level 9, you have grown used to carrying heavy loads. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
- Heavy Swings
Starting at Level 14, you have learned to effectively use your strength to fuel your swings. While using a Sling, you can now add half(rounded up) of your Strength modifier to all Damage rolls (minimum bonus of +1).
Runic Slinger
- Runed Ammunition
Starting at Level 3, you now have learned the ancient art of runes. You can now make runes on your sling ammunition to make them magical, allowing them to either do Fire, Cold, or Lightning damage. You can convert 10 regular sling ammunition into 10 Runed sling ammunition for 1 hour.
- Stunning Curse
Starting at Level 6, your shots don't just deal trauma, but curses as well. Your Stunning Shot now deals an extra effect on a success depending on the damage type the Runed ammunition used.
- Fire: Stuns for one turn and Frightens the target for one turn afterwards.
- Cold: Stuns for one turn and Restrains the target for one turn afterwards.
- Lightning: Stuns for one turn and Blinds the target for one turn afterwards.
- Advanced Runed Ammunition
Starting at Level 9, you have come to learn new runes that you can etch into your ammunition. You can now make your Runed Ammunition do Force, Radiant, or Necrotic damage.
- Advanced Curses
Starting at Level 14, you have come to unlock the curses in your new runes as well. Your Stunning Shot now deals an extra effect on a success depending on the damage type the Runed ammunition used.
- Force: Stuns for two turns.
- Radiant: Stuns for one turn, and Restrains and Blinds the target for one turn afterwards.
- Necrotic: Stuns for one turn, and Frightens and Poisons the target for one turn afterwards.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Slinger class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dex 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Slinger class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple Weapons, Light and Medium Armor
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