Harrier Martial Archetype
There are many fighters who claim mastery over swordplay, polearms, axes, and hammers. There are even those who have mastered the use of shields as weapons, or gone back to basics and focused on their fists and their own martial prowess. There are few, however, who can claim mastery over ranged weaponry. Many know the basics of a crossbow, or how to use a sling, but Harriers are the true masters. Dedicated to the art of ranged combat, Harriers can hit an apple atop a head at one hundred paces with ease, or take the helmet off of an enemy general at one hundred yards. Also known as Slingers, Sharpshooters, or even Meteor Knights for those in a professional military, none compare to their ability with something thrown, shot, slung, or anything in between.
Specialized Ammunition
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn trick shots that are fueled by special resources called trick points.
Trick Shots. You learn three trick shots of your choice. Your trick shots still deal your weapon’s damage. You can only use one trick shot per turn, and using a shot during your reaction counts as your shot for your next turn. You can not use a trick shot on the same attack you use a piece of elemental ammo. You learn two additional trick shots of your choice at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. During each long rest, you can choose to change which trick shots you have prepared.
Trick Points. You have three trick points. A trick point is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended trick points when you finish a short or long rest. You gain four more trick points at levels 7 and 15, for a total of eleven points.
Saving Throws. Some of your trick shots require your target to make a saving throw to resist the shot's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Trick Shot save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier
Ranged Mastery
Starting at 3rd level, you have learned the nuances of every ranged weapon you know. You ignore the loading property on weapons that have it, you are able to use your Dexterity modifier for thrown weapons, in place of your Strength modifier, and thrown weapons are also able to be thrown to their maximum range with no disadvantage, as well.
Elemental Ammunition
At 7th level, you gain proficiency with Tinker’s Tools. Crafting your own ammunition costs half as much, and once per long rest, you are able to take five pieces of ammunition and change their damage to elemental. Choose from this list: Cold, Fire, Thunder, Lightning, Acid, or Poison. You can only have 5 pieces of ammo for each element. You must announce before you make an attack roll if you are using a piece of elemental ammo, and this shot cannot be recovered.
Hunter's Instinct
Starting at 7th level, you have learned to always be prepared. You can change one of the trick shots you have prepared during a short rest. At 15th level, you can change two of the trick shots you have prepared during a short rest. Also, all of your ranged or thrown weapon attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Focus Fire
At 10th level, a life in combat has taught you to stay focused on your target. Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. Also, you can spend one trick point on any attack to remove disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls from being within 5 feet of a hostile creature.
Tactical Sense
Starting at 15th level, after a life of combat, you know to always be prepared. If you roll initiative and you have no Trick points remaining, you gain 3 trick points.
Magical Ammunition
At 15th level, your study of ammunition has paid off. You are now able to craft ammunition that does Radiant, Force, Necrotic, or Psychic damage, under the same rules as your Elemental Ammunition feature.
Deadeye
At 18th level, your proficiency in ranged weapons is rivaled only by your tactical senses. Your Shot Save DC is a minimum of 20.
Art Source:
- Daybreak Ranger by Steve Prescott
- Fantasy Muskeeter by Unknown
Trick Shots
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Slug Shot. This piece of ammunition has a solid metal core, allowing it to pierce through any target, at the cost of range. Your attack is replaced with a 60ft long, 5ft wide line. Any creatures that are within this line have to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take damage equal to the number you roll on your weapon's damage die, and on a success, they take half of that. This shot does the same damage as your standard shot.
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Routing Shot. A much heavier, domed piece of ammunition, this shot pushes your target backwards. Your target must make a Strength saving throw, and on a failure, they are pushed backwards 15ft, as well as taking normal damage.
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Flare Shot. You shoot a flare into the sky, illuminating a 10ft by 10ft square within your weapon's normal range. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker that isn't you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.
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Whistling Shot. You've carved channels into this piece of ammunition in such a way that it whistles as it flies, distracting your enemies. Your target must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failure, they have disadvantage on their attacks until your next turn.
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Drill Shot. You fire a piece of ammunition that has a spiral pattern cut into it, like a drill. Your attack ignores cover.
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Sharpnel Shot. You fire a small cylinder that contains dozens of ball bearings. If you hit your target, all creatures within 5 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 1d6 damage, and no damage on a success. The original target does not take this damage.
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Snap Shot. Using your reaction, you make a normal attack against an enemy that just attacked your ally.
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Intercepting Shot. Using your reaction, you fire off a special, conical piece of ammunition towards an incoming ranged attack. This can be a ranged weapon or a ranged spell attack. The target must make a save with their Attack or Spellcasting stat, and on a failure, your shot intercepts their attack, canceling it.
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Disarming Shot. You aim at an item the target is holding or carrying, or a piece of their gear. Your target must make a Dexterity save, and on a failure, they drop one item of your choice.
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Disabling Shot. You aim to disrupt the target's balance. They must make a Dexterity save, and on a failure, are knocked prone.
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Chained Shot. You have modified this piece of ammunition to be wound in wire that will unwind when it hits a target. Your target must make a Dexterity safe, and on a failure, they are restrained until your next turn.
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Duplex Shot. This piece of ammunition has a second piece of ammunition attached behind it, that splinters off as it flies. If you miss your shot, you are allowed to reroll your attack. You can use this after you roll to hit.
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Vital Shot. You fire at your target's vital points. When you roll the weapon damage for this attack, you deal maximum damage, instead of rolling.
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Precision Shot. You take a moment to steady your aim. You gain advantage for this attack.
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Volley Shot. You fire a barrage of shots towards your target. You make one additional weapon attack this turn.
Change Log
Version 1.3
- Added the 'Magical Ammunition' feat at level 15, as there was no provision for magical attacks, and being allowed to make radiant bullets or arrows of force or a necrotic throwing ax is neat, and helps the subclass stay relevant at later levels.
- Removing disadvantage at close ranged has become a class feature that costs a Trick point, to make it so the Crossbow Expert fat still has relevance for this class
- 'Long Shot' has been changed to 'Focus Fire', where it gained the above skill
- 'Hunter's Instinct" has changed to allow you to change one shot during a short rest
- Added 'Designer Intent' to make it clear that thrown weapons can be used with this class and all of it's features.
- The most important change is that you can no longer know all your shots at 18th level. I'm personally still very torn on this, but that was the most consistent piece of feedback I got from the r/UnearthedArcana Discord server. Also, thanks for all the help!
Version 1.2:
- Scatter Shot has been replaced with Grape Shot, and the damage has been lowered to 1d6 instead of 2d4
- More fun wording and small balancing changes
- Grapnel Shot has been replaced with 'Drill Shot'
Version 1.1:
- Syntax, Grammar, and Wording has been changed to better reflect the style of the PHB.
- Two new shots have been added; 'Volley Shot', and 'Grapnel Shot'
- Head Shot has been renamed to 'Vital Shot'
- Aimed Shot has been renamed to 'Precision Shot'
- Piercing Shot has been renamed to 'Slug Shot'
- Overwatch Shot has been renamed to 'Snap Shot'
- Restraining Shot has been renamed to 'Chained Shot'
- Some of the features have been reworked slightly, to add more flavor and out of combat potential.
Designer Intent
The intention behind this class is simple; there is no dedicated ranged fighter subclass, besides maybe the Gunslinger, but that has it's own problems, like being focused on firearms and not all campaigns have firearms. This subclass solves that gap, allowing any fighter to focus on any ranged weapon, from a sling to a heavy crossbow, to firearms and javelins. I wrote this subclass in such a way that if someone wanted to use just throwing weapons, they could. While the features in this class do not map perfectly onto throwing weapons, the designer intent is that one throwing weapon is considered one piece of ammunition for the Harrier's features. Talk to your GM, of course, but that is the designer intent.