Martial Archetype: Destroyer
Destroyers are fighters that rule the battlefield through pure power, wielding massive weapons that contain prodigious amounts power behind each strike, and each blow is made with the intent to overpower.
Destroyers are often found at the vanguard of an army, spearheading a push and fighting their way into enemy ranks. However, others put their strength to use as champions of lords, brandishing their might to challengers of their liege's authority. Still others fight enemies that are larger than life, their exploits heard in songs of bards.
While destroyers comes from all walks of life, they all leave destruction in their wake.
Calculated Violence
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you how to manipulate your weapon more skillfully and consistently. Once per turn, when you take the Attack action with a heavy melee weapon and miss, you can choose to have the target take half the damage the attack would have done. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Some of your features require targets to make saving throws to avoid or resist effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as followed:
Destroyer Feature DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
Realization of Destruction
Also at 3rd level, you have increased your ability to wreak havoc on your surroundings. You deal double damage to objects and structures.
Your prowess in destruction has also caused you to become more overbearing. Whenever you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Strength modifier.
Crushing Blows
At 7th level, you learn how to concentrate the weight of several attacks into a single Crushing Blow. When you make your first attack on your turn with a heavy melee weapon but before you make your attack roll, you can choose to forgo any number of extra attacks to empower it. For each attack you forgo, your attack deals bonus damage equal to your weapon's damage dice + your strength modifier. A Crushing Blow also deals extra damage equal to your Strength modifier.
A target hit by Crushing Blows must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
You can use this feature a number of times equal your Strength modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Disrupt Tempo
At 10th level, your powerful attacks can disrupt the flow of combat for your opponents. When you hit an enemy with a Crushing Blow attack empowered by at least one forgone attack, that creature has disadvantage on its attacks against you until the end of its next turn.
Shattering Mountain
At 15th level, your strikes can shatter the earth. When you miss a Crushing Blow, creatures other than yourself in a 10-foot-radius circle centered on your target must make a Strength saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to your weapon damage dice and be knocked prone.
Alternatively, you can use your action to shatter the earth. When you use your action to do so, the radius and damage is doubled.
This feature cannot be used with Calculated Violence.
Break the Ranks
At 18th level, your attacks are great enough to scatter armies. When you make a Crushing Blow against a target and hit, enemies adjacent to your target must make a Dexterity saving throw or take the half damage as your target. If you forgo at least two attacks, the creatures have disadvantage on the save.
Credits
Cover art: "Death Knight", by BramastAaji
Gmbinder and Wizards of the Coast for this theme.
Created and balanced by drogn#0797