Tactician

T
acticians subscribe to the idea of fighting
smarter, not harder. They use their deep
knowledge of combat styles and techniques to The Tactician
find flaws in their opponents, before efficiently Proficiency Observation
exploiting those flaws. Tacticians are valuable Level Bonus Features Die
allies on the battlefield, using their brains to
bring victory where brawn alone cannot. 1st +2 Battlefield Observations,
Specialised Assistant
d4

2nd +2 Shared Insights, Fighting d4

Class Features Style
As a Tactician, you gain the following class features 3rd +2 Tactical Speciality d4
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement d4
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Tactician level 5th +3 Social Observations, d6
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Proficiency Ongoing Observations
Level Bonus Features
Observation
Die
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constituion 6th +3 Tactical Speciality Feature d6
modifier per Tactician level after 1st 7th +3 Defensive Observations d6
Proficiencies 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement d6
Armor: Light and medium armour, shields
Weapons: Simple and martial weapons 9th +4 Second Glance d6
Tools: Lenses and maps 10th +4 Tactical Speciality Feature d6
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom 11th +4 Calculated Strikes d8
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement d8
Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine,
Perception, or Persuasion. 13th +5 Tactical Response d8
Multiclassing: In order to multiclass as a Tactician, you 14th +5 Superior Assistant d8
require at least 13 Intelligence. If multiclassing into 15th +5 Tactical Speciality Feature d8
Tactician, you only gain proficiency in light armour, shields,
simple and martial weapons, and lenses and maps. 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement d8
Equipment 17th +6 Superior Foresight d10
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the 18th Proficiency
+6 Tactical Speciality Feature Observation
d10
equipment granted by your background: Level
19th Bonus
+6 Features
Ability Score Improvement Die
d10
(a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial 20th +6 Tactical Genius d10
weapons
(a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
(a) an explorers' pack or (b) a diplomats' pack
a spyglass
Battlefield Observations
Tacticians are defined by their ability to rapidly find
advantages in combat. They can indentify weaknesses in
their opponent's armour, or find flaws in their techniques.
From 1st level, you have a pool of Observation dice, which
are d4s. You can use these to perform Observations, where
you closely inspect your foe's weaponry, armour, and tactics.
You can perform Observations against a creature that you can
see clearly (either within 60 feet, or within 300 feet with a
telescope). The result is then added as a bonus on certain
rolls. You know how to perform Armour Observations from
1st level, and learn other options at 3rd, 5th and 7th levels.
To perform an Armour Observation, as an action, choose
a creature you can observe, and expend an Observation die.
Add the roll on the Observation die as a bonus to all attack
rolls you make against that creature.
An Observation die lasts until it is discarded (you can
discard it at anytime as a free action). You can have multiple
Observations active at once, and against the same target, but
you cannot have multiple Observations of the same type
against the same creature at once. (For example, if you have
an Armour Observation against a creature, you cannot have a
second Armour Observation against that creature at the
same time, though you could have one against its ally).
If you make a new observation which is a repeat of an
existing one, the previous Observation die is discarded.
An Observation die is discarded if the conditions for it to
apply are no longer met. For example, if an opponent changes
weapons, removes its armour, or changes tactics from melee
to ranged combat, an observation could no longer be relevant.
All active observation dice are also discarded when you are
knocked unconscious or incapacitated, or whenever you
finish a short or long rest.
You have a number of Observation dice equal to your
Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended
dice whenever you finish a long rest. The size of your
Observation dice increases to a d6 at 5th level, a d8 at 11th
level, and a d10 at 17th level.
Specialised Assistant
Also from 1st level, your experience in supporting your allies
means you are better at creating openings for them to exploit.
When you use your action to perform the Help Action to grant
advantage on the next attack against a target, you can target a
creature up to 10 feet away from you.
Shared Insights
Starting at 2nd level, you can share your observations with an
ally. As a bonus action on your turn, you can verbally explain
the findings of one of your observations to a nearby friendly
creature. They gain the same bonus that you do from the
Observation. In order to gain this bonus, you must be able to
speak, they must be within 30 feet of you, and able to hear
you. (If you have the ability to communicate telepathically, you
can ignore all of those criteria in that instance.)
You can grant multiple creatures the same knowledge on
separate turns. Each other creature can benefit from a
maximum number of Observations equal to its Intelligence
modifier at once (minimum of 1).
Fighting Style
Also at 2nd level, you undertake training in combat as
befitting your role on the battlefield. Choose one of the
following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more
than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged
weapons.
Duelling
While you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no
other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that
weapon.
Protection
When a creature that you can see attacks a target other than
you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to
impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wearing
a shield.
Two Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two weapon fighting, you can add your
ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Tactical Speciality
Also at 3rd level, you choose a form of tactics in which to
specialise: choose one of the Commander, the Sapper, or the
Arcanist. This speciality grants you features at 3rd level, and
again at 6th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 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.
Social Observations
Starting at 5th level, you can perform Social Observations.
To perform a Social Observation, as an action, choose a
creature you can observe, and expend an Observation die.
Add the roll on the Observation die as a bonus to the next
Charisma check made against that creature. If this
Observation is passed to an ally with Shared Insights, the
bonus only applies to the first check that either creature
makes. The observation is discarded once a check is made.
Ongoing Observations
Also starting at 5th level, you regain all expended Observation
dice whenever you finish a short or long rest.
Defensive Observations
Starting at 7th level, you can perform Technique
Observations.
To perform a Technique Observation, as an action, choose
a creature you can observe, and expend an Observation die.
Add the roll on the Observation die as a bonus to your AC
against melee attacks from that creature.
Second Glance
Starting at 9th level, your experience in finding flaws in your
opponents means you quickly realise when you have missed
something crucial. Whenever you roll a 1 or 2 with an
Observation die, you may choose to reroll it, and must keep
the new roll.
Calculated Strikes
Starting at 11th level, you may add your Intelligence modifier
as a bonus to your damage rolls against targets for which you
have an Armour or Technique Observation.
Tactical Response
From 13th level, your rapid thinking enables you to respond
to threats faster. You gain advantage on initiative checks.
Superior Assistant
Starting at 14th level, your experience in creating openings
for your allies to exploit has become second nature. When
you use your action to perform the Help Action to grant
advantage on the next attack against a target, you can target
two creatures, granting advantage on the next attack against
each of them.
Superior Foresight
At 17th level, your tactical expertise enables you to forsee
possibilities and probabilities on the fly. Before taking your
turn, you may choose to use your Superior Foresight. If you
do, perform all attacks, movement, and other actions and
bonus actions you wish to undertake, including making all
associated checks, saves and damage rolls that result from
these actions (this includes attacks, checks, and saves made
by creatures other than you). Then, decide whether or not you
wish to undertake this set of actions. If you do, you then
perform all of the predicted actions, using the rolls you made
as part of Superior Foresight. Otherwise, take your turn as
normal, making new choices and rolls.
Such a flurry of mental activity is taxing. Once you use this
feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long
rest.
Tactical Genius
At 20th level, whenever you use your Action to make an
Observation, you may make two Observations instead. You
roll and expend a separate Observation die for each.
Tactical Specialities
Each Tactician chooses a speciality, enabling them greater
capacity to adapt to the situations they must deal with. The
speciality you choose reflects your preferred approach to
warfare.
Commander
Natural leaders, Commanders are experts in ensuring each
of their allies is able to perform to 100%. They adapt to
situations on the fly, ensuring their allies are able to utilise
weaknesses the enemy presents.
Commander's Strike
When you choose this archtype at 3rd level, you gain the
ability to direct your allies to make assaults using a
Commander's Strike. Once per turn when you take the
Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks
to direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so,
choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you and
expend one Observation die. That creature can immediately
use its reaction to make one weapon attack, adding the
Observation die to the attack's damage roll.
Extra Attack
Starting at 6th level, whenever you take the Attack action on
your turn, you can attack twice.
Commander's Manoeuvres
Starting at 10th level, when you forgo an attack and order a
Commander's Strike, if you also forgo your movement, that
creature can move up to half its speed without triggering
opportunity attacks before making the attack as part of the
same reaction.
Rallying Cry
Starting at 15th level, your dedication to warfare inspires and
bolsters your allies. As an action, you can let out a battlecry.
Each friendly creature within 30 feet that can hear you gains
temporary hit points equal to your Tactician level.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you
finish a long rest.
Squad Tactics
Starting at 18th level, when a creature is hit with an attack
from your Commander's Strike, attacks made against that
creature gain advantage until your next turn.
Sapper
Sappers specialise in using their environment to gain an edge
over their foes, and in overcoming their foes' environmental
advantages. By laying explosives and fortifications, Sappers
can win an impossible fight given enough time to prepare.
Tinker
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the
ability to perform Mechanical Observations.
To perform a Mechanical Observation, as an action,
choose a either natural or constructed structure or landmark
you can see, expend an Observation die, and choose one of
the following:
Make an INT check to determine the best location to place
an explosive as to bring down or breach the structure
Make a tinkerers' tools check to quickly construct a ladder
or some other device that will grant you rapid and reliable
access up or over the structure
You add the Observation die as a bonus to the check.
In addition, you gain proficiency in blacksmiths',
carpenters' and tinkerers' tools, and aquire a tinkerers'
toolkit.
You can use this to produce explosives to use in
demolitions at a cost of 50gp in materials (a mix of iron,
copper, saltpeter, charcoal and suplhur) per device. It takes
several hours to produce each device and a corresponding
trigger mechanism (due to the finesse required for working
with explosives, you cannot use resting time for this). You can
either rig a timed charge that will detonate after a certain
time, or rig a charge with a tripwire. Each device weighs 2
pounds when completed. You can have a number of devices
active equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
If you are dealt fire damage while carrying a device, make a
Dexterity saving throw with DC equal to the amount of fire
damage taken. On a fail, the devices you are carrying detonate
prematurely. A device not being carried will detonate if dealt
any fire damage.
A creature within 20 feet of a blast takes a number of d10s
in force damage equal to 1 + your proficiency bonus, or half
as much damage if they succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw.
Fortify
Starting at 6th level, you can quickly prepare a small but
effective fortification. By using pieces of stone, wood, and
other solid junk, you can construct a palisade large enough to
enclose a number of creatures equal to your Tactician level. It
takes 5 minutes per creature it can enclose to construct.
Enemies attacking over the palisade have disadvantage on
attack rolls for melee attacks. Enemies sneaking into the
palisade must make a Dexterity (Stealth) check with
disadvantage to avoid detection. Enemies can climb over the
palisade, but it is treated as difficult terrain, and if they are
affected by the difficult terrain, they provoke an opportunity
attack from adjacent creatures when entering.
Each 5 foot section of the palisade has 40 hit points, AC 12,
and immunity to psychic and poison damage. A section can
also be destroyed by a successful DC 20 Strength check.
Pristine Condition
Starting at 10th level, you can turn your eye for minutiae
towards your allies and yourself. You can spend one minute
fixing and adjusting a friendly creature's armour and clothing.
That creature gains temporary Hit Points equal to your
proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. Once a
creature gains temporary Hit Points in this way, it cannot
benefit from this ability again until it finishes a long rest. (You
can target yourself with this ability.)
Quick Tinkerer
Starting at 15th level, your skill in handling explosives has
improved to the point that you can rapidly alter your bombs.
As an action, you can make a tinkerers' tool check to change
the trigger on one of your bombs from a timer to a tripwire, or
vice-versa.
Finely Tuned
Starting at 18th level, the blast radius of your explosive
devices increases to 30 feet, and the Dexterity save DC
increases to 20.
Also, each section of your fortifications is built with 80 hit
points, and the DC of the Strength check to pull it down
increases to 25.
Arcanist
Arcanists supplement their tactical insights with illusions to
distract their foes, and train in anti-magic to defend their
allies from opposing spellcasters. Unlike wizards, Arcanists
dedicate a few spells to memory, rather than using a
spellbook.
Spellcraft Resistance
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to
recognise ways to resist magical effects. You gain the ability
to perform Spellcraft Observations.
To perform a Spellcraft Observation, as an action, choose
a creature you can observe, and expend an Observation die.
Add the roll on the Observation die as a bonus to all saving
throws you make against spells that creature casts.
Spellcasting
Also when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you
augment your tactical expertise with the ability to cast spells.
See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and
chapter 11 for the wizard spell list.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the
wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of
your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Arcanist Spellcasting table shows how
many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and
higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of
the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots
when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-
level spell silent image and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level
spell slot available, you can cast silent image using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-
level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must
choose from the abjuration and illusion spells on the wizard Arcanist
spell list. The Spells Known column of the Arcanist Tactician Cantrips Spells
Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells Level Known Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an
abjuration or illusion spell of your choice, and must be of a 3rd 2 3 2 - - -
level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you 4th 2 4 3 - - -
reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 5th 2 4 3 - - -
1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th
level can come from any school of magic. Whenever you gain 6th 2 4 3 - - -
a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells 7th 2 5 4 2 - -
you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard
spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have 8th 2 6 4 2 - -
spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or illusion spell, 9th 2 6 4 2 - -
unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 10th 3 7 4 3 - -
20th level.
Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting 11th 3 8 3 3 - -
ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells 12th 3 8 3 3 - -
through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence
whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In 13th 3 9 4 3 2 -
addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the 14th 3 10 4 3 2 -
saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making 15th 3 12* 4 3 2 -
an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your 16th 3 12 3 3 3 -
Intelligence modifer. 17th 3 13 3 3 3 -
Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your
Intelligence modifier 18th 3 13 4 3 3 -
19th 3 14 4 3 3 1
Arcane Understanding 20th 3 15 4 3 3 1
Arcanists emphasise the Tacticians' value of understanding.
Starting at 6th level, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill.
You may double your proficiency bonus when making an
Arcana check. If you already have proficiency in Arcana, gain
proficiency in one of History, Insight, Medicine, or Perception
instead. Magic Denial
At 15th level, you learn the spells counterspell and dispel
Arcane Trickery magic. If you already know either spell, you instead learn an
Starting at 10th level, your experience in reading situations abjuration or illusion spell from the wizard spell list for which
lets you tune your illusions to your foes. When a creature you you have slots. (Included in spells known on the Arcanist
have a Social Observation against would make a check or a Spellcasting table). Additionally, whenever you make a check
saving throw against an Illusion spell you control, you may as part of casting counterspell or dispel magic, you have
discard that Observation to add the roll as a bonus to your advantage on that roll.
Spell Save DC for that check or saving throw. You need to
decide if you will discard the Observation before the saving Hexproof
throw is made. Starting at 18th level, your years spent fighting with and
against magic has hardened you in unnatural ways. You gain
resistance to damage from spells.
Credits
Original Tactician concept: Argothair, GantitP
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?395308-
Tactician-Class-(PEACH)
Art used without permission. Art by Grzegorz Rutkowski,
Vablo on Deviantart, and Manuel Castanon.
The Tactician class as seen here was developed into its
current form by TheGentlemanDM.