Creating a Vigilante

As you create a vigilante character, think about the methods they employ to carry out their crusade. Do they brutalise and terrify, forcing their enemies to submit? Do they rely on their own righteousness, hoping to convince evildoers of their wrongs?

Perhaps you have embraced some measure of darkness, relying on your wits and violent impulses to burn away that which you hope to never become?

Further, ponder why your vigilante chose to become a bastion of justice. Were they raised to be kinder and better than those around them, feeling they had a responsibility to do good in the world? Were they raised and indoctrinated into an organisation that taught them of the existence of a greater conflict? Or perhaps they experienced injustice themselves, and their entire life has been built around this pursuit of retribution.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, why do they continue? You are not suffused with divine power and righteousness like a paladin, but aware of the evils of the world.

What is stopping your vigilante from finally submitting, and becoming that which they loathe most?

Class Features

As a vigilante, you gain the following class features

Proficiencies

• Armor: light armor
• Weapons: simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: Alchemist's Supplies, Tinkerer's Tools, or Thieve’s Tools

• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose three from acrobatics, athletics, deception, insight, intimidation, investigation, stealth, perception, persuasion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background

• (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
• (a) a longsword, battleaxe, or warhammer and a shortsword or (b) a longbow and a quiver with 20 arrows
• (a) three daggers or (b) 10 darts
• (a) a burglar's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack,
• A set of thieves tools, a hood with a cloak, and a mask,

Cantrips

As a student of all breeds of magic that aid you in your pursuit of justice, you have learned a number of spells you can cast innately. At 1st level, you learn two cantrips of your choice from the Vigilante spell list.

You learn additional cantrips as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the cantrips known column of the class table, as well as the bonus spell list of your class Vow.

See the ‘spellcasting’ section of of the class description for the vigilante spellcasting rules.

Justice Dice

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike swiftly and exploit a situation for your and your allies benefit. You gain a pool of dice, which are d4s, equal to your charisma modifier + half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) (minimum 2).

You can expend these dice one at a time on various maneuvers, as outlined below. These dice increase in size as you gain levels in this class, as outlined in the Justice Dice column on the class table. You regain all of your justice dice at the end of a long rest.

At 1st level, you know two justice maneuvers, which are detailed under "Maneuvers" below. You learn an additional maneuver of your choice at 6th level, and again at 10th, 14th and 18th level. When you learn a new maneuver in this way, you can replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Some of the maneuvers below can affect the outcome of certain ability checks and saving throws. You may use the maneuver, expending the die as normal, before or after making the check or saving throw, but before any effect is applied.

Spellcasting

When you reach 2nd level, you have learned to channel vengeful magics fueled by your quest to stamp out injustice, allowing you to cast vigilante spells. See chapter 10 of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and this document for the avenger spell list.

Spell Slots

The Vigilante table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your vigilante spells of 1st level or higher, 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 shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast shield using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the vigilante spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Vigilante table shows when you learn more vigilante spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 6th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the vigilante spells you know and replace it with another spell from the vigilante spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for vigilante spells. Your spells are fueled by the strength of you convictions in your crusade for justice. You use your Charisma whenever a vigilante spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

In addition, you use your charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a vigilante spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast a vigilante spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have learned the spell.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook) as a spellcasting focus for your vigilante spells.

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty, 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.

Close Quarters Shooter

When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover against targets within 30 feet of you. Finally, you have a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls against targets within 30 feet of you.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Versatile Fighter

For you, weapons that have the versatile property also have the finesse property. Additionally, you can don and doff a shield as a bonus action.

Vigilante's Vow

At 3rd level, you choose a Vow: the Vow of Wrath, the Vow of Valiance, or the Vow of Contradiction. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 9th, 13th and 17th level.

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.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Villain Mark

By 6th level, you have learned how to undercut a single enemy’s effectiveness in battle. As a bonus action, you may mark a creature within 30 feet of you.

For the next 8 hours, until you fall unconcious, or choose to end your mark prematurely, you gain a bonus to any check made to track this creature equal to your charisma modifier, and advantage on any charisma-based ability check made to gather information about that creature. You have two uses of this ability, which you regain over a long rest. You gain an additional use of this ability at 11th level and again at 18th level.

At 11th level, the range of this ability increases to 60 feet. Also starting at 11th level, if you enter combat against that creature, you have advantage on your initiative roll and the first attack roll you make against that creature before the end of your first turn.

Vigilante Strike

Starting at 7th level, you have learned to channel your fury into a single, destructive strike. As an action, you target one creature within 30 feet of you. As a part of this action, which counts as an attack, you expend one spell-slot of your choice. That creature must succeed on a dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, or fall prone and suffer damage equal to the weapon’s regular damage plus 2d4, plus 1d4 for each spell slot level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d6. On a successful save, the creature suffers only half damage and is not knocked prone. You can use this ability once, regaining the ability to do so after a short rest. You gain an additional use of this ability at 14th level.

The damage dice of this feature increase in size as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the justice dice column of the class table.

Additionally, at 18th level, the range of this ability increases to 60 feet, and if your target is under the effects of your Villain Mark ability, they have disadvantage on the initial saving throw.

Every Hero needs one

At 15th level, your heroic persona has transcended your use of the title. Over the course of a short rest, you can designate one creature friendly to you as your sidekick. Until one of you dies, or 7 days passes, the two of you gain the following bonuses:

• You are considered proficient in any skill the other is proficient in,
• While within 30 feet of each other, if the two of you target the same creature with an attack role, the creature that deals damage from an attack second in the same turn gains a bonus to the damage roll equal to the other’s proficiency bonus,
• If one of you drops to 0hp while within 60ft of each other, they can choose to drop to 1hp instead, regaining the ability to do so after a long rest,
• The two of you roughly know where the other is while the two of you are on the same plane of existence,
• If the sidekick dies while the creature that possesses this ability is on the same plane of existence as them, the latter can choose to switch places with the sidekick,

You cannot designate more than one creature with this feature at once. Once a creature has been affected by this ability, they cannot benefit from it again until 30 days have passed.

Ever-Vigilant

At 20th level, if you roll initiative and have no jusice dice remaining, you regain two justice dice.

Vigilant Vows

Different vigilantes choose different approaches to fighting evil and meting out justice. The Vow you make reflects your method of pursuing justice.

The Vow of Wrath

Vigilantes who make the Vow of Wrath have suffered a great injustice in their lives, and have made a promise to punish those who have performed a great evil. When agents of villainy use their power to slaughter the innocent, betray the good or wrong the masses, a vengeful vigor may grow within a vigilante.

To these vigilantes, the crusade is everything, as they themselves become suffused with the power of their moral code, remaining unwavering even in the face of certain defeat. They see it as their duty to punish the evil and dole out justice on their own terms.

The Vow

Though the specific words may vary depending on the specifics of the injustice they aim to correct, Vigilantes who make the Vow of Wrath share some beliefs,

A Code I vow to remain faithful to my morality, and to be unconvinced of any folly in my crusade.

Break before Bending I am iron, as is my mission. None can dissuade me from my pursuit of justice, and I will never be pulled from the righteous path.

Because it is Hard It would be easy to commit the same vile acts in the name of justice. I am better, and I will not become those whom I punish.

Vow Spells

You gain vow spells at the Vigilante levels listed. These do not count against your number of spells and cantrips known.

Vigilante Level	Spell
3	Minor Illusion
3	Cause Fear, Hex
6	Shadow Blade, Darkness
10	Conjure Barrage, Fear
14	Staggering Smite, Phantasmal Killer

Gothic Observer

Your pursuit of justice takes you into treetops and to the tops of towers so you may observe the lands you protect, knowing you must detach yourself from those you protect so you can properly carry out your crusade. When you take this vow at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in your choice of either the acrobatics or perception skills if you don’t already have it, and you gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Source of Terror

In your crusade against evil, you have become adept at terrifying those you fight against. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the intimidation skill if you don’t already have it, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.

Additionally, you learn the following justice maneuver.

Terrifying Presence As an action on your turn, you expel your fury and anger at all creatures within a 30 ft radius of you. Those creatures must succeed on a wisdom saving throw, where the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your charisma modifier. On a failure, a creature is frightened of you for one minute. Creatures that fail this saving throw can make the saving throw again at the end of their turn, ending the effect on a success. When you use this maneuver, roll your justice die. A number of creatures of your choice equal to the justice die result make their initial saving throw with either advantage or disadvantage (you decide before you use this maneuver).

Starting at 13th level, you have advantage on weapon attack rolls against creatures that are afraid of you as a result of using this ability.

Crenellated Defender

By 9th level, your experience with heights has made you experienced with high falls and moving among high locations. You gain a gliding speed equal to half your walking speed as long as you are not encumbered or wearing heavy armor, and you have advantage on any perception check made to find a creature that is at least 30 feet below you. See the end of the class description for the rules for gliding.

Additionally, you have advantage on any stealth check you make to avoid detection from a creature you are tracking in this way.

Gliding Speed

A creature with the ability to glide can move equal to their gliding speed for every five feet they fall, and falls at a rate of 30 feet per round. Additionally, a gliding creature must succeed on a DC 15 dexterity saving throw when they reach the ground, or fall prone and suffer 1d6 damage for every 30 feet they have fallen. A gliding creature take no damage on a successful save and does not fall prone.

Dikephobia

At 13th level, your ability to terrify criminals and agents of injustice is made more potent. When you cast a spell that forces creatures to make a saving throw against becoming afraid of you, a number of creatures equal to 1 + the spell's level make this saving throw with disadvantage.

Additionally, your allies can no longer become afraid of you.

Master of Fear

By 17th level, your desire for vengeance makes those that fear you more vulnerable to your wrath. If you have used your action to make a creature afraid of you, you can use your bonus action to make a weapon attack against a creature that is afraid of you.

Additionally, any creature that is afraid of you suffers additional psychic damage at the start of each of their turns equal to your charisma modifier (minimum 1).

The Vow of Valiance

Vigilantes who make the vow of valiance have acknowledged that those who are superior in mind and body have a responsibility to the world around them, regardless of the fear and hate they may be subjected to for possessing those same advantages.

Despite their power, these sentinels of righteousness use their strength and determination only as a last resort, using their abilities for the benefit of all, not merely the victims they protect. Through their paladin-like abilities, those who make the vow of valiance hold close the knowledge that there is good within us all.

The Power of Words

In your pursuit of justice, you acknowledge the power of words to inspire others, while also feeding off the inspiration they give you. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in either the persuasion or performance skill if you don’t already have it, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses your chosen skill.

Additionally, you learn the following justice maneuver.

Soaring Speeches As an action, you attempt to inspire the people, as you describe how you are inspired by the common people, and how you may inspire them. Make a charisma (persuasion) or charisma (performance) check against a creature or creatures' insight check that are all within 30 ft. of you and can understand you.

On a success, in addition to gaining new allies (DM’s discretion) expend one justice die; each of those creatures gains temporary hit points equal to the result on the die + your charisma modifier. Whether you succeed or fail, a creature cannot benefit from this effect again until the end of their next long rest.

Starting at 13th level, you can expend up to two dice when you use this ability, and a justice die is only expended if you succeed on the first charisma (persuasion) or charisma (performance) check.

Heroic Persona

By 9th level, your righteousness and the strength of your beliefs have begun to suffuse your attacks. Once per turn, when you hit a target with a melee attack, you can choose to deal additional radiant damage equal to your justice die + your charisma modifier.

If a creature is reduced to 0hp as a result of this attack, you have advantage on the next charisma (persuasion) or charisma (intimidation) check you make against a creature that saw that creature's defeat.

Scion of Heroism

Starting at 13th level, your pursuit of redemption for evildoers as well as you iron-fisted grip on hope fills you with the power of good. If you did not take the attack action of your previous turn, the next creature that attempts to attack you must succeed on a wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, that creature fails to attack you, and must choose to either lose the attack or target another creature within range. On a success, you have resistance to the damage dealt by the attack if it hits you, and the creature that hits you suffers radiant damage equal to your vigilante level + your charisma modifier.

When a creature bypasses this effect and hits you, this effect is broken until you do not take the attack action again.

Guardian of Hope

Even in the face of imminent defeat, you know that the fight is not over, and that you and your allies will succeed. As an action once you reach 17th level, you choose a number of creatures within range equal to 2 + your charisma modifier (minimum 3). These creatures each regain a number of hit points equal to your vigilante level + your charisma modifier.

You and these allies then have advantage on the first attack roll, ability check, or saving throw they make before the end of your next turn. You can use this ability twice, regaining all uses when you finish a long rest.

The Vow of Contradiction

Vigilantes that choose the vow of contradictions are much more aware of the evil they fight: their struggle is against a much greater injustice, something far more obscure than the mortals that they protect are aware of. In spite of, or perhaps because of, the risk to the individual, these vigilantes are usually ostracised and pursued by do-gooders all their own.

These individuals are not self-righteous or morally superior, but pragmatic. They believe that a tireless commitment to any cause must come with a few caveats, chief among them being that to truly make a difference, one must be willing to take a life. Their's is an understanding that there is always a greater threat.

Metropolitan Stealth

When you choose this vow at 3rd level, you have learned to use your abilities to deceive and obscure yourself in plain sight. If you are within 15 ft. of at least 2 other creatures, you gain a bonus to any dexterity (stealth) check equal to your charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Further, if a creature detects you as a result of beating your dexterity (stealth) check with their wisdom (perception) or intelligence (investigation) check, you can immediately use your reaction to either make a weapon attack roll against that creature, or make an additional dexterity (stealth) check.

Combat Opportunist

At 9th level, you have learned how to strike quickly, removing your targets with dizzying efficiency. When a creature that is hostile to you attacks you or ends its turn within 5 feet of you, you can immediately use your reaction to take the dash, dodge, or disengage action. You can also use this reaction to make a single weapon attack against that creature.

Deceiver’s Justice

Beginning at 13th level, your abilities to perceive and create falsehoods have become much stronger. You can disseminate lies or unearth a long-held or deeply believed falsehood in a community or settlement.

To do so, make a charisma (deception) or wisdom (insight) check. The DC starts at 20, and is lowered by 1 for every day you spend in that location, to a minimum DC of 13.

This DC may increase at the DM's discretion

Additionally, you have trained your keen eye to be prepared for incoming attacks, and pouncing on the opportunities missed attacks can create. If a creature misses you with an attack roll, you can use your ability granted by your combat opportunist feature to make a weapon attack against that creature.

Master of Fate

At 17th level, you have held congress with the cosmos, as you learn that it is rife with contradictions. Whenever you fail an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can can choose to succeed instead. You can use this ability after you have failed, but before any of the effects of the failure are applied.

You have two uses of this ability, regaining both at the end of your next long rest.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Multiclassing

If your DM allows, you may choose to multiclass into the Vigilante class. If you do, you must meet the following prerequisites.

You also gain the following proficiencies if you multiclass into the Vigilante class.

Spells

This section of the supplement lists the spells that you have access to as a vigilante, which use your vigilante spellcasting ability and spell save DC (see the spellcasting section in the class description above). The spells are listed alphabetically and by level, with spells from all Fifth Edition official content published by Wizards of the Coast.

Artist Credits

Gothic Skyline by Jonas de Ro, https://jonasdero.artstation.com/projects/Pwzo3

The Messenger by Nefellim, https://www.deviantart.com/nefillim/art/The-Messenger-479126906

Bellatrix's Dagger Barry Wilkinson, Props Master for Warner Bros. Studios London

Falconer by Cristi-B, DeviantArt https://www.deviantart.com/cristi-b/art/Falconer-349601676

Holy Symbol of Ravenkind by Wizards of the Coast, LLC

The Stranger by TomEdwardsConcepts, DeviantArt https://www.deviantart.com/tomedwardsconcepts/art/The-Stranger-334851059