3/22/2019 The Homebrewery - NaturalCrit
Sharpshooter Redux
A Martial Archetype
for the Fighter Class
The Sharpshooter is an interesting archetype in Dungeons
and Dragons. Logic does dictate that there must be archers
who do not follow the path of magic — not everyone can be
an Arcane Archer or a Ranger. However, the Unearthed
Arcana Sharpshooter Martial Archetype was poorly received
— fairly so.
Presented here is my take on the archetype. My goal was to
capture a similar feeling to that of the original Sharpshooter
subclass, while removing the limited uses and applicability of
the archetype's features and removing class features that
stepped on the toes of the Sharpshooter and Crossbow
Expert features. By decreasing the power of certain features
and increasing the power of others, the subclass takes a net
decrease in burst impact but gains consistency and
applicability.
In this second attempt at revising the Archetype, I have
focused my efforts on making the class consistent. I've toned
back the stealth abilities present in my previous version of the
Archetype, to avoid edging into more Roguish territory. I've
also greatly simplified the capstone features and adjusted the
order and power of the lower level features, all as follows:
The Steady Aim feature now grants a static bonus to hit
and damage rolls.
The Patient and Thorough feature has been moved to
tenth level and renamed In Position. It's been toned back
in terms of power focuses on your ability to get to and
then stay in optimal positioning, without undue
stealth/assassin implications.
The Unflappable feature has been moved to seventh level
and renamed Evasive. It now doesn't grant resistance to
fear. It's paired with Keen Eyesight, essentially a ribbon
ability meant to emphasize your mastery of ranged
combat without extensive mechanical power.
The Unfailing Archer feature has been removed entirely
and been replaced with the Volley multiattack option from
the Ranger's Hunter subclass, but with a slightly buffed
radius. The previous feature was situational and
unnecessary, and probably only affected characters in
overly realistic games. The new feature will be more
applicable, and is meant to be representative of the
prevalent fantasy trope of archers nocking large numbers
of arrows simultaneously.
The Snap Shot feature remains in place, but has been
entirely reworked. The previous version was weighed
down by extensive conditions that, while relatively
representative of the actual nature of archery, would
ultimately serve to complicate and unnecessarily slow
gameplay. The new version allows the Sharpshooter to
use the Ready action as a bonus action when preparing to
make reactive shots, which prevents it from over-
burdening the flow of combat. To counteract the ability's
increased cost in the action economy, you now also gain
advantage on these reaction attack.
Enjoy my take on the Sharpshooter!
— The Huntsman
https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/print?dialog=true&local=print
Sharpshooter Features
Fighter Level Features
3rd Steady Aim
7th Evasive, Keen Eyesight
10th In Position
15th Volley
18th Snap Shot
Steady Aim
Starting when you choose this archetype at third level, you
are capable of executing immense feats of marksmanship. As
a bonus action on your turn, you may take careful aim against
a single creature within the range of your weapon. Your
ranged attacks against that creature this turn have an
additional +1 bonus to their hit and damage rolls.
Evasive
Starting at seventh level, if your hit a creature within five feet
of you with an attack on your turn, that creature can't make
opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.
Keen Eyesight
Also starting at seventh level, your training in ranged combat
has honed your sight. You can see up to 1 mile away with no
difficulty, able to discern even fine details as though looking
at something no more than 100 feet away from you.
Additionally, dim light doesn't impose disadvantage on your
Wisdom (Perception) checks.
In Position
By the time you reach tenth level, you have developed both
patience and intuition, enabling you to seemingly always be
in the right place at the right time. A number of times equal to
your Dexterity modifier, you may use a bonus action to take
either the Dash action or the Hide action. You regain
expended uses of this ability when you finish a short or long
rest.
Volley
When you reach fifteenth level, you are capable of launching
devestating barrages by chaining rapid attacks across an
area. As an action, you can make a ranged weapon attack
against any number of creatures within fifteen 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.
Snap Shot
Starting at eighteenth level, your rapid reflexes enable you to
make opportunity attacks with a ranged weapon. On your
turn, you may ready an attack with a ranged weapon that you
are holding as a bonus action.
If you make the readied ranged attack, you do so with
advantage.
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