Fighter: Slayer
A homebrew fighter subclass by DragonZaid.
Fighters of the slayer archetype are versatile warriors dedicated to the study of monsters and how to identify and take advantage of their weaknesses effectively. Some slayers focus their training on a particular type of monster, but most are flexible, always ready with the right weapon or tool for the kill. Slayers can identify weak points and blunders—a gap in a kalphite's chitin, a charging troll's momentum, or a swordsman's predictable feint—in the rush of combat and exploit them with ease. Many of the most skilled slayers on Gielinor are renowned as Slayer Masters, forming a loose association which seeks to train more members in their craft through tutelage and monster-slaying challenges.
The Right Weapon for the Task
At 3rd level, you're always ready with the best weapon with which to slay your foes. If you use your object interaction on your turn to draw or stow a weapon, you can draw or stow any number of weapons as part of that interaction.
Identified Vulnerabilities
| d6 | Vulnerability |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Bludgeoning |
| 3-4 | Piercing |
| 5-6 | Slashing |
Slayer's Opportunity
Also at 3rd level, you can identify additional weaknesses in your targets in the heat of combat. As a bonus action, you can choose a creature you can see within 60 feet, scanning it for gaps in its defenses. Roll a d6. The next time
you hit the creature with an attack that deals
the corresponding damage type in the
Identified Vulnerabilities table by the end
of your next turn, the creature is considered
vulnerable to that type of damage for that
attack. If the creature is normally resistant to
that damage type, it loses that resistance for the
attack instead. If it is normally immune, it is
resistant for the attack instead.
You can use this feature a number of times
equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain any
expended charges after you finish a short or
long rest. Once you use this feature on a
creature, it is immune to its effects for 1 hour.
At 15th level, you can choose the identified
vulnerability when you use this feature
instead of rolling.
Eye for Weakness
Also at 3rd level, you can observe a
creature you can see within 30 feet as a
bonus action, discerning information about its strengths
and weaknesses. The GM tells you your choice of all the creature's immunities, all the creature's resistances, or all the creature's vulnerabilities, if it has any.
Slayer Equipment
At 7th level, you've studied specialized crafting techniques used by slayers. You gain proficiency with one set of artisan's tools of your choice.
When you gain this feature, pick three items from the Slayer Equipment List to craft. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one of the crafted pieces of equipment with a new one. Some equipment requires a prerequisite item to craft, which is returned in its original state if you replace the slayer equipment. If the item requires attunement, you can attune yourself to it the instant you craft the item. If you decide to attune to the item later, you must do so using the normal process for attunement (see the attunement rules in your GM's guide). Each item requires careful upkeep to keep it in working condition, and you cannot maintain more than three items at a time. Your crafted items remain indefinitely, but when you die, they lose their unique effects after 1 day. If you try to exceed your maximum number of crafted pieces of slayer equipment, the oldest item loses its effects, and then the new item is crafted.
The maximum number of pieces of slayer equipment you can craft and maintain at once increases to four at 10th level and five at 15th level.
Dirty Fighting
At 10th level, your quick hands allow you to deploy useful equipment in the midst of combat in order to get the upper hand. You can operate the following equipment using a bonus action instead of an action: alchemist's fire, ball bearings, caltrops, fungicide, holy water, hunting trap, oil flask, salt shaker, tinderbox, torches, lanterns and other light sources, vial of acid, weapon poisons, and other equipment as determined by the GM.
Slayer Master
At 18th level, you have honed your martial prowess on par with Gielinor's most renowned Slayer Masters. When you reduce a creature to zero hit points, you regain one use of your Slayer's Opportunity feature. Additionally, creatures are never immune to Slayer's Opportunity.
Slayer Equipment List
The following slayer equipment is available for you to craft.
Bane Weapon
Required item: any melee weapon or up to 20 pieces of ammunition (requires attunement)
This weapon or ammunition has been specifically modified to be effective against a particular creature type, which is chosen when it is crafted: aberrations, demons, elementals, giants, monstrosities, or undead. The item deals 1d6 extra damage to creatures of the chosen type.
Broad Ammunition
Required item: up to 20 arrows or crossbow bolts
This ammunition has been fitted with large tips. The ammunition deals bludgeoning damage instead of piercing damage when fired.
Bug Lantern
Required item: any lamp or lantern
This lantern has been modified to keep swarms of bugs and other pests at bay. While wielding this lantern, a creature has resistance against damage dealt by swarms of tiny creatures within 5 feet.
Earmuffs
Required item: a handful of cotton or feathers
These earmuffs protect from harmful noises without too heavily dampening the wearer's hearing. While wearing these earmuffs, a creature has advantage on saving throws against being deafened as well as other sound-based effects at the discretion of the GM, such as the wail of a banshee or the scream of a cave horror.
Enchanted Gem
Required item: a sapphire worth at least 100 gp
The gem is attuned to one creature type, which is chosen upon crafting it: aberrations, beasts, celestials, demons, elementals, giants, humanoids, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. The gem glows faintly when any creature of the chosen type is within 1 mile, and brightly when a creature is within 100 feet. When you finish a long rest, you can change the creature type to another of your choice.
Face Mask
Required item: a strip of cloth
This cloth mask carefully covers the nose and mouth, helping to prevent breathing and ingesting harmful substances. The wearer has advantage on saving throws against poison.
Fungicide
Required item: a vial of acid
Using an action, a harmful acid mixture can be hurled at a plant or plant creature within 10 feet to deal 3d8 acid damage, ignoring any resistance or immunity. This item can be used in this way three times, after which a new one must be crafted.
Headband of Lucidity
Required item: a strip of leather
This headband is fashioned in a particular way so as to constrict the temple, focusing the mind against deceitful mental attacks. A creature wearing the headband has advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Insulated Boots
Required items: a pair of non-metal boots and a large strip of leather (requires attunement)
These boots prevent the wearer from receiving the full force of lightning-based attacks. A creature wearing these boots has resistance to lightning damage.
Leaf-bladed Ammunition
Required item: up to 20 arrows or crossbow bolts
This ammunition has been tipped with carefully crafted leaf-blades. The ammunition deals slashing damage instead of piercing damage when fired, and grants advantage on attack rolls against kurasks and turoths.
Leaf-bladed Weapons
Required item: any melee weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage
This weapon has been fitted with a delicate leaf-blade. The weapon grants advantage on attacks against kurasks and turoths.
Mirror Shield
Required items: any shield, a flask of oil
This shield has been polished with hot oil, giving it a mirror finish that can reflect back the petrifying gaze of creatures such as basilisks. While holding this shield, a creature has advantage on saving throws against petrification.
Reinforced Goggles
Required items: a pair of small glass discs
These goggles are secured over the wearer's eyes, protecting them from harmful debris and other effects. A creature wearing the goggles has advantage on saving throws against being blinded.
Rock Hammer
Required item: any light hammer, warhammer, or maul
This weapon has been specially modified for pulverizing rocks and creatures made from similar materials. The weapon grants advantage on attack rolls against creatures and objects made of stone, crystal or similar inorganic materials.
Salt Shaker
Required item: a bag of salt
Using an action, salt from the shaker can be hurled at an ooze, rock slug, snail or similar creature at the discretion of the GM within 10 feet to deal 3d8 acid damage, ignoring any resistance or immunity. This item can be used in this way three times, after which a new one must be crafted.
Slayer Bell
Required item: a small bell
The bell can be rung using an action. Each creature of the user's choice within 60 feet that can hear it must succeed on a saving throw with DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (you choose) or lose the spider climb, web walker, and web sense abilities if they have them, immediately falling if not securely positioned.
Slayer Gloves
Required item: a pair of gloves
These gloves help to prevent contact with creatures and objects carrying diseases. While wearing these gloves, a creature has advantage on saving throws against diseases and magical contagions.
Witchwood Icon
Required items: a small chunk of wood and a string
This carved wooden symbol is hung around the neck and wards off the terrifying effects of some monsters. A creature wearing the icon has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
