Slayer
The pain of loss sewn to his heart, an inseparable reminder of his purpose, the goliath would not rest until the Ordning was demolished, and the storm giants hunted to extinction for their crimes against his family.
Bodies strewn around her like red moss on the forest floor, the half-orc rose her head to the ancient black dragon that had invaded her home. She drew the maul from her back, as a red aura of wrath encased it, and silently, she stood.
As screams of the damned echoed around him, the legions of the Nine Hells ravaging the city, the human picked up his helmet, holding it for a brief moment before donning it. He picked up his quiver, and pulled the back the string of his crossbow, until it clicked into place with an audible malice.
Slayers are imbued with a hatred so powerful, it bends the weave itself to their will. This hatred may come from a divine charge, a cosmic effort to re-orient the natural order, or simply from within. Wherever it originates, the slayer did not ask for this power, they do not want it, but they will use it, and they will stop at nothing until the source of their hatred has been eradicated.
Unending Wrath
Whether it be the result of warring deities, inscrutable ripples in the cosmos, or a soul so powerful the very universe gives way, hatred is what fuels the slayer. This wrath sustains them, even renews them, as they gain strength from seeing their prey fall in battle like rats down a storm drain in heavy rain. It may be that the slayer absorbs the souls of their fallen enemies, or simply that seeing their vengeance enacted is enough to push them ever further. Whatever fuels their conquest, they do not yield, until it is done.
Few individuals have the force of will necessary to walk the path of the perpetual torment. A slayer finds no peace. Those cursed with the charge of ravenous vengeance have no thought to a life after their crusade. They seek one thing, and nothing short of death, potentially, will end the destruction of their wrath.
Cosmic Reckoners
A slayer cares not what their purpose in the greater universe may be. They know only their hatred, and pay no mind to what consequence their actions may have on the balance of the world. Most often however, a slayer is the manifestation of a cosmic balancing act. Their ability to cull hordes of opponents is convenient when a powerful divine entity seeks genocide on a cosmic scale.
The slayer does not stop for respite. Death to their enemies is what the slayer's life entails, and as such they do not settle. If the slayer's will is enacted, when the last of their demons has fallen, they may just as soon die themselves, their purpose complete. A slayer who lives beyond what they sought to accomplish has likely become someone else entirely from the person that began their quest for vengeance. A powerful entity may even seize the opportunity to seal them away, storing them for the next time their will is needed.
Creating a Slayer
When creating a slayer, you must first choose the type of creature that has caused your hatred. Their complete destruction will be your only goal.
Once you have chosen your hated enemy, what they did to ignite your wrath? How does your slayer view relationships with others when not on the battlefield? Do they welcome any help to their cause, or must every demon die by their hand alone? Is there a specific goal to your vengeance, such as stopping a specific plan of your enemy, or is it outright genocide to the last? What was your slayer's life before they became a slayer, and what, if anything, carries over to their new life?
Quick Build
You can make a slayer quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Charisma, followed by Strength or Dexterity. Second, choose the knight of the order background.
Class Features
As a slayer, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per slayer level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per slayer level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: All armor
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Investigation, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) chain mail or (b) scale mail
- a heavy crossbow and 20 bolts
- (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) an dungeoneer's pack
- (a) a greatsword or maul or (b) any martial weapon
Vengeful Arsenal
Your divine hatred enhances your weapons, represented by your Vengeance die, a d4, which changes as you gain slayer levels, as shown in the Vengeance Die column of the Slayer table. You have a number of these dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended Vengeance dice when you finish a long rest. In addition, as a bonus action, you can regain one expended Vengeance die, but you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Some features will require a target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Vengeance save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Charisma modifier.
When you take the attack action, if you are at least 15 feet from where you started your turn, you can choose to use your Charisma modifier for all weapon attack rolls you make this turn. When you make a weapon attack roll using your Charisma modifier, you can expend one Vengeance die to use one of the following features for that attack, before the results of the attack roll are determined:
Wrath. Add your Vengeance die to the damage roll on a hit if you are within 15 feet of the target.
Fury. Add your Vengeance die to the attack roll if you are at least 30 feet from the target.
Additionally, you ignore the loading property of ranged weapons with the two-handed property, and once on each of your turns, if you are wielding a weapon with the two-handed property, you may stow that weapon and draw a different weapon with the two-handed property as a free action.
The Slayer
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Vengeance Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Vengeful Arsenal, Hated Enemy | 1d4 |
| 2nd | +2 | Blistered Soul, Terrible Power | 1d4 |
| 3rd | +2 | Wrath Manifestation, Unyielding | 1d4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Siphon Essence | 1d6 |
| 6th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Divine Hatred | 1d6 |
| 7th | +3 | Manifestation Feature | 1d6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 |
| 9th | +4 | Dread Sentinel | 1d8 |
| 10th | +4 | Manifestation Feature | 1d8 |
| 11th | +4 | Seraphim | 1d8 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 |
| 13th | +5 | Additional Hated Enemy | 1d10 |
| 14th | +5 | Manifestation Feature | 1d10 |
| 15th | +5 | Extra Attack (2) | 1d10 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 |
| 17th | +6 | Relentless Crusade | 1d12 |
| 18th | +6 | Manifestation Feature | 1d12 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d12 |
| 20th | +6 | Doom | 1d12 |
Hated Enemy
Choose a creature type from among Aberration, Celestial, Dragon, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Monstrosity, and Undead. That creature type is your Hated Enemy, which you are hellbent on destroying.
As a bonus action, you can know if there are creatures of your Hated Enemy type within 60 feet of you, as well as where those creatures are located. Once you use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, you can't use it again until finish a long rest, unless you expend a Vengeance die to do so.
Additionally, the first time on each of your turns that you make a weapon attack against a creature of your Hated Enemy type, you gain a bonus to the attack roll equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded down.
Blistered Soul
At 2nd level, those around you feel the sear of hatred that brands your soul. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill if you weren't already proficient, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.
Additionally, you cannot sleep, and you cannot be put to sleep by magical means, although you still require rest to reduce exhaustion and still benefit from finishing short and long rests.
Terrible Power
Also at 2nd level, when you make a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you may instead make a Charisma saving throw. You may do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Additionally, you can use your Charisma score to determine how much you can carry, push, drag, and lift.
Wrath Manifestation
At 3rd level, your wrath manifests into physical form. Choose one of the Wrath Manifestations listed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels.
Unyielding
Also at 3rd level, your speed increases by 10 feet, and opportunity attacks against you are made at disadvantage. If you end your turn at least 30 feet from where you started it, your AC increases by 1 until the beginning of your next turn.
In addition, you regain expended Vengeance die equal to your proficiency bonus when you finish a short rest.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 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
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Siphon Essence
Also at 5th level, you siphon power from your slain foes. When you drop a hostile creature within 60 feet of you to 0 hit points, you may gain benefits based on the damage types dealt to them this turn:
| Damage Type | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Force, Thunder | Regain hit points |
| Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Piercing, Poison, Radiant | Gain temporary hit points |
| Bludgeoning, Slashing | Regain Vengeance dice |
Hit points and temporary hit points gained from this feature equal your Vengeance die. If the creature was of your Hated Enemy type, roll two of your Vengeance die and pick the higher result.
The number of Vengeance dice regained equals half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, or your proficiency bonus if the creature was of your Hated Enemy type.
If the creature was dealt multiple damage types that grant the same benefit, that benefit is granted only once.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Divine Hatred
Starting at 6th level, attacks you make with two-handed weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Additionally, when you roll initiative while you can see a creature of your Hated Enemy type, you regain one Vengeance die.
Dread Sentinel
By 9th level, your will has proven unshakable. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and creatures of your Hated Enemy type cannot cause you to become Frightened.
Additionally, you gain resistance to one or more damage types based on your Hated Enemy type, as shown in the table below.
| Hated Enemy | Damage Resistance |
|---|---|
| Aberration | Psychic |
| Celestial | Radiant |
| Dragon | Choose two from Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, and Poison |
| Fey | Psychic |
| Fiend | Fire, Poison |
| Giant | Fire, Lightning |
| Monstrosity | Acid, Poison |
| Undead | Necrotic |
Seraphim
When you reach 11th level, the ascended spirit of battle eternal sustains your being. You no longer require food or water, and you regian one use of your Siphon Essence feature when you finish a short rest. When you use your Siphon Essence feature, your exhaustion level is reduced by one.
In addition, when you roll your Vengeance die, treat any roll less than your Charisma modifier as your Charisma modifier.
Additional Hated Enemy
At 13th level, you turn your divine hatred towards a new enemy. You may choose an additional Hated Enemy type, granting you additional resistances from your Sentinel feature.
In addition, creatures of your Hated Enemy types cannot be resistant to damage you deal. Creatures of those types that would be immune to damage you deal are instead resistant.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 15th level, you can attack three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Relentless Crusade
At 17th level you can cut through the hordes with terrifying ability. You regain all expended uses of Siphon Essence when you finish a short rest.
Doom
When you reach 20th level, your foes see doom in your approach. The maximum for your Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma scores is now 26, and they each increase by 2. When you gain this feature, you may reselect the choices you made for your Ability Score Increases and/or feats.
Additionally, when you roll for initiative, you can cause all creature types to become your Hated Enemy. If you do, you regain any expended Vengeance dice. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If you use the optional multiclassing rule in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose slayer as one of your classes.
- Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character you must have a Charisma score of at least 13 and either a Strength or Dexterity of at least 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you already are a Slayer.
- Proficiencies Gained. If slayer is not your initial class, you only gain proficiency with light armor, medium armor, simple weapons and martial weapons.
Wrath Manifestations
Each slayer's hatred manifests in its own way, often related to that slayer's weapons of choice. The more of their prey that the slayer takes down, the stronger their manifestations of wrath become.
Ardent Blade
Slayers who favor the blade can manifest an aura of radiant arcane hatred around their weapons, ripping and tearing the very essence of their foes.
Ardent Aura
3rd-level Ardent Blade feature
As a bonus action, You can manifest your hatred as an intense magical aura around a two-handed melee weapon you are currently wielding. When you attack a creature with that weapon while your Ardent Aura is active, use may use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls.
The first time on each of your turns that you attack a creature of your Hated Enemy type while the aura is active, you have advantage on the attack roll.
The aura dissipates when you stow the weapon you activated it with, or when you dismiss it as a bonus action.
Ardent Smite
7th-level Ardent Blade feature
Once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with a two-handed weapon while your Ardent Aura is active, you may roll your Vengeance die a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. The target takes extra magical force damage equal to the total rolled.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest, and you regain one use when you roll for initiative while you can see a creature of your Hated Enemy type.
Reap the Fallen
10th-level Ardent Blade feature
When you drop a hostile creature to 0 hit points with Ardent Smite, you regain one use of your Siphon Essence feature, which you can use immediately.
Rip
14th-level Ardent Blade feature
The first time on each of your turns that you hit a creature with a weapon attack while your Ardent Aura is active, you can add your Vengeance die to the damage roll. If the target is of your Hated Enemy type, add an additional Vengeance die.
Tear
18th-level Ardent Blade feature
When you use your Ardent Smite feature, before damage from the attack is dealt, you can expend five uses in any combination from your Siphon Essence and Terrible Power features to force the target to make a Charisma saving throw against your Vengeance save DC.
On a failed save, the target takes magical force damage equal to six of your Vengeance dice, or half as much damage on a success. If the target is a creature of your Hated Enemy types with 100 hit points or fewer, they die instead of taking damage on a failed save.
Ardent Hammer
A slayer who wields their hatred with a tempered hand can release enormous power at the moment of contact, stunning their enemies and giving the slayer a window to bring the hammer down.
Ardent Smash
3rd-level Ardent Hammer feature
When you make a melee weapon attack roll using your Charisma modifier, you can channel your wrath into an intense burst of magical force. After the attack roll, each creature within 5 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the beginning of your next turn. If the attack hits, the target of the attack has disadvantage on the saving thow. Creatures of your Hated Enemy type also have disadvantage on the saving throw.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus + 1, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Malice Eruption
7th-level Ardent Hammer feature
You can cast shatter as a bonus action at a level equal to your proficiency bonus, without using a spell slot or any material components. The DC equals your Vengeance save DC. Any creatures of your Hated Enemy type have disadvantage on the saving throw and are stunned until the begin of your next turn on a failure. You can use this feature twice, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
When you reach 14th level, you can use this feature three times between long rests.
Dread Dance
10th-level Ardent Hammer feature
When you are hit by an attack, you can expend one use of Terrible Power to roll your Vengeance die and add half the number rolled to your AC, potentially causing the triggering attack to miss. You can then move up to 20 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Ardent Eruption
14th-level Ardent Hammer feature
When you cast shatter with your Malice Eruption feature, or when you use your Ardent Smash feature, any creature that fails the saving throw takes magical thunder damage equal to your Vengeance die and is stunned for one minute. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn, ending this effect on themselves on a success.
Destroyer
18th-level Ardent Hammer feature
When you make a weapon attack against a stunned creature, that creature takes additional magical force damage equal to your Vengeance die on a hit, and you score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20, or 15-20 if the target is of your Hated Enemy types.
Ardent Wrath
A slayer confident with ranged weapons is able to unleash a tirade of wrath from any distance, bringing death to their enemies at every end of the battlefield.
Ardent Arsenal
3rd-level Ardent Wrath feature
You can augment your weapons with different damage types. You gain the following features:
Lightning Wrath. When you use Wrath, add your Charisma modifier to the affected damage roll. You may have that damage roll and any other weapon attacks you make this turn deal lightning damage instead of their normal damage types.
Radiant Fury. When you use Fury, add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll of the affected attack. You may have that attack and any other weapon attacks you make this turn deal radiant damage instead of their normal damage types.
Divine Wrath
7th-level Ardent Wrath feature
When you use Wrath, if the attack roll would be made without disadvantage, you may choose to make the roll at disadvantage by expending an additional Vengeance die. If the attack hits, it is a critical hit.
Malice Inferno
10th-level Ardent Wrath feature
You can cast aganazzar’s scorcher as a bonus action at a level equal to your proficiency bonus, without using a spell slot or any material components. The DC equals your Vengeance save DC. Any creatures of your Hated Enemy type have disadvantage on the saving throw and take extra damage equal to your Vengeance die on a failure. You can use this feature twice, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
Unending Fury
14th-level Ardent Wrath feature
When you use Fury, you may use your bonus action that turn to expend one Vengeance die and make an attack against the same target with the same weapon at disadvantage, using your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. On a hit, you can make another attack at disadvantage. You may repeat this process until you miss, or until you have made six attacks with this bonus action.
Ardent Balefire
18th-level Ardent Wrath feature
You can expend nine of any combination of Vengeance dice, Siphon Essence uses, and Terrible Power uses to launch a furious magical maelstrom in a direction you choose. The maelstrom moves in a 150-foot-long and 60-foot-wide line from your location, forcing each creature in the affected area to make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes force damage equal to 10 Vengeance dice on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. Creatures of your Hated Enemy types automatically fail the saving throw.
Ardent Fist
Those slayers whose hatred sits closest to their heart prefer to get up close and personal, rending flesh and taking in the torment of their prey.
Ardent Strike
3rd-level Ardent Fist feature
While wielding a weapon with the two-handed property, you can use your bonus action to expend one use of Terrible Power and make a magical unarmed strike that deals force damage equal to your Vengeance die instead of your normal unarmed strike damage. Use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls, and on a hit, the next attack made against the target before the beginning of your next turn has advantage.
You have advantage on the attack roll if the target is a creature of your Hated Enemy type.
Berseker
7th-level Ardent Fist feature
You can expend one use of Terrible Power to cast haste on yourself without using a spell slot or any material components. Until the spell ends, you can attack with your Ardent Strike when you take the Attack action. It counts as a magical melee weapon with the two-handed property.
You can use this feature once, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
Adamantine Strength
10th-level Ardent Fist feature
When you hit a creature with your Ardent Strike, each creature within 5 feet of the target takes thunder damage equal to your Vengeance die.
Additionally, you regain expended uses of Terrible Power equal to half your proficiency bonus when you finish a short rest.
Meathook
14th-level Ardent Fist feature
You eject a flaming ethereal chain that pulls you to your prey. When you take the Attack action, you can expend one Vengeance die to replace one of your attacks with forcing a medium or larger creature that you can see within 30 feet of you to make a Dexterity saving throw against your Vengeance save DC. On a failed save, the target takes fire damage equal to your the expended die, you fly up to 30 feet in a straight line towards the target, and you have advantage on any weapon attacks you make against the target this turn.
If the target is of your Hated Enemy type, they have disadvantage on the saving throw.
The only thing they fear
18th-level Ardent Fist feature
When you use your Berserker feature, each hostile creature that can see or hear you within 120 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Vengeance save DC or become frightened of you for one minute. Creatures of your Hated Enemy types automatically fail the saving throw.
In addition, you regain the use of your Berserker feature when you finish a short or long rest.
Credits
& Change Log
Change Log
v1.4
- Slightly altered starting equipment.
- Switched Vengeance die pool to twice proficiency bonus.
- Wrath only requires being within 15 ft of target
- Added bonus action to regain one Vengeance die.
- Removed Construct from Hated Enemy list.
- Added ability to use a Vengeance die to use Hated Enemy detection again.
- Changed Terrible Power to scale with prof.
v1.3:
- Removed Musical Instrument from tool proficiencies.
- Removed light crossbow from starting equipment.
- Removed ignoring ammunition property from Vengeful Arsenal
- Overhauled Vengeful Arsenal.
- Changed uses of Hated Enemy to Chr per long rest, and hit bonus to half prof.
- Removed Ability Checks from Terrible Power.
- Added short rest die recovery to unyielding.
- Removed Wrathsaw feature.
- Removed Extra Ammunition feature.
- Added Divine Hatred feature.
- Reordered resistances given by Dread Sentinel.
- Renamed and retooled Ardent Wrath features.
v1.2:
- Added back heavy armor proficiency.
- Buffed Scatter shot to add two vengeance dice.
- Added cold and Necrotic to Siphon Essence table as temp health.
- Changed Relentless Crusade to regaining all uses of siphon essence on a short rest.
- Restricted Ardent Blade's Ardent Aura to melee weapons.
- Buffed Ardent Blade's Rip
- Altered Ardent Blade's Tear to require a combination of 5 uses from listed features
- Buffed Ardent Wrath's Lightning and Radiant shot
- Altered Ardent Wrath's Bale Fury Genocide to require a combination of 9 uses from listed features.
v1.1:
- Changed armor proficiencies to just light and medium, replaced chain mail with leather in Equipment.
- Changed saving throw proficiencies to Dexterity and Charisma.
- Renamed Slayer die to Vengeance die.
- Changed Vengeance die progression to start as a d4 and end as a d20
- Renamed Cluster Shot to Scatter Shot, now has uses equal to Str intstead of Chr, requires using Chr for attack and damage rolls, increased range to 15ft.
- Renamed Heavy Shot to Burst Shot, must now use Chr for attack and damage rolls, but only applies to bonus action attack. crit chance also only applies to bonus attack.
- Removed Scout and recovery table, uses of Scatter and Burst shot regain on long rest
- Move Wrathsaw to its own feature at 5th level, now has uses equal to half prof, regaining all uses on long rest, adv against hated enemy, doubles regained vengeful arsenal uses with Siphon Essence.
- Moved Blistered Soul to 2nd level.
- Moved Siphon Essence to 4th level, creature must now be killed by you, removed Con from temp/hit points gained, rearranged damage type benefits. Regain Vengeful Arsenal uses directly instead of rolling.
- Moved Malice Inferno to Ardent Wrath Subclass, replacing Explosive Shot, and changed uses to twice per long rest.
- Moved Extra Ammunition to 6th level, added regaining expended Vengeful Arsenal uses equal to prof total on a short rest.
- Ardent blade now gives adv on first attack against hated enemy instead of interacting with Wrathsaw.
- Ardent Smite now regains all uses on long rest.
- Increased cost of using Tear to 3 uses of listed features, and increased damage to 6 vengeance die.
- Changed uses of Malice Eruption to twice per long rest, 3 at level 14.
- Reduced regained uses of Vengeful Arsenal features with Ardent Arsenal to just one each per short rest.
- Altered Chain Shot to required bonus action attack to hit.
- Ardent Strike now requires a use of Terrible Power.
v1.0:
- Initial class creation.
The Slayer
By u/23BLUENINJA
- Bethesda Softworks owns all artwork used - Slayers Club.