Grim Reaper, Fighter Archetype
Overview on Creating a Grim Reaper
Warriors who have witnessed the horrors of the battlefield know that Death is everywhere. Once you have seen Death most try and avoid it, Others seek it out. Some brave souls even try speak to it. Sometimes Death speaks back. Death is a powerful force, some try to take the power for themselves. However they are never seen again. War veterans speak of Warriors, with Scythe in hand. Which are the embodiment of Death it's self.
Bonus proficiencies
- Gain proficiency with the Martial Weapons- Hand-Scythes, Great-Scythes, and War-Scythes.
- Able to Cast Speak with Dead once a day. (At Level 10, If the target of the spell is someone you've slain and has a challenge rating of 2 or less, they are compelled to talk and answer truthfully.)
Grim Reaper's Scythe
At Level 3 gain access to the following features:
- Weapon-SoulBond- You can attune to one Scythe and infuse some of your Soul into it. Weapon is magical to overcome resistant to nonmagical attacks. (Your Scythe is your spellcasting focus, if you have spells.) (AntiMagic fields do not affect Weapon-SoulBond.)
- As a bonus action: You coat your weapon in thick aura changing the weapon's damage into an element. Your alignment determines your weapon's element. Good-Radiant, Neutral-Force, Evil-Necrotic. Weapon damage stays this element until cancelled as a bonus action or you become unconscious.
- As a bonus action: Your SoulBonded-Scythe teleports to your hand instantly.
- Gain access to Reaper Flourishes (See Page4)
Dancing with Death
At Level 7 gain the following features: You become a Warrior so fluid at killing you practically dance across the battlefield slaying all in your path.
- Reaper's Waltz- When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you may use your movement to move directly to a new target that you haven't attacked yet. This movement only uses half of the movement required. This feature can only activate once per turn. (Twice per turn, at Level 15.) (This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.)
- Grim Reaper Criticals- As a bonus action: You may spend one Reaper Point to imbue more of your Soul into your Scythe's edge: Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18 - 20 for 1 Minute, also add 1 additional weapon die to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Reaper Reflex
At 10th Level gain the following feature:
When you're struck with a Critical Hit; Spend 1 Reaper Point, it becomes a normal hit. After your foe's attack is complete; You may use your reaction to execute a Reaper Flourish.
Surge of Death
At 15th Level gain the following feature:
During the turn you Action Surge, you gain one additional weapon attack for each creature you kill on that turn.
Killing Spree
At 18th Level gain the following feature:
If you have no Reaper Points and you kill a creature, regain (1D4+ 1) Reaper Points. Grim Reaper Criticals is activated Immediately for half the time but without cost. During the next 5 rounds, If you reduce a creature's hp to 0 with a Critical Hit; gain temporary HP equal to any leftover Critical Damage.
(You may not use this feature again until after a long rest.)
Reaper Flourishes
Starting at 3rd Level you gain access to Reaper Flourishes and Reaper Points. When you kill a creature or you Roll a Critical hit for an attack roll with a Scythe; you may use 1 Reaper Point to perform a Reaper Flourish. Flourishes happen after damage calculation for the attack, as a secondary effect unless otherwise stated. If a Flourish is a bonus action you can choose to finish all attacks before executing your bonus action. However if you Land another Critical hit and you choose another bonus action flourish, it will cost another Reaper Point. During a short rest you replenish 2 Reaper Points. All Expended Reaper Points are replenished after a long rest.
Reaper flourish chart by Level
| Level | -Reaper Points Total- | Flourish Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 3 | Fear the Reaper / Blinded by Blood |
| 7th | 4 | Sweep the Legs / Guillotine Hold |
| 10th | 4 | Compounding Wounds / Rend Health |
| 15th | 5 | Whirlwind / Staggering Soul |
| 18th | 5 | Reckless Slaughter |
| 20th | 6 | Dismember / Absolute Severance |
Grim Reaper Weapons
| Name | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-Scythe | 5gp | 1D6 | 4lbs | Light, Finesse, Thrown(Range 20-60) |
| Great-Scythe | 10gp | 1D8 | 12lbs | Heavy, Reach, Versatile (1d10) |
| War-Scythe | 20gp | 1D12 | 20lbs | (Requires 20 Strength) Heavy, Reach, Two-Handed |
Scythe Facts
Great-Scythe can be thrown with Strength 20. (Range 20-30) Great-Scythe and War-Scythe are considered Polearms.
The Death God's Ritual
Veteran Warriors speak of a ritual that doesn't require the user to be practical with magic, but to possess an unshakable courage to face Death and not falter. A ritual which will require any type of Scythe, and Sigils written in your own blood in order to Summon a God of Death. Since the summoner has weak magical capabilities, the god of death cannot manifest for too long. which is the key to success to gain the desired result. A single touch, Death can remove a persons Soul. It's this power the God of Death uses to pull your Soul from deep within you, pulls it up to the surface. You must have a Will of Iron to survive long enough. Instantly taking on 5 stages of exhaustion, causing the summoner to lose consciousness and ending the ritual. A couple days later you awake, you can feel your own Aura pouring off you in a stable manner. Although you've always had this power you've never had access to it. Allowing you to manifest your Soul at will, you are now able to cover your Scythe in your Soul's Aura.
Grim Reaper Archetype
Overview on --------Reaper Flourishes
You gain new flourishes every Archetype improvement. When you kill a creature or Roll a Critical hit for an attack roll with a Scythe; you may use 1 Reaper Point to perform a Reaper Flourish. Flourishes happen after damage calculation for the attack, as a secondary effect to the same target unless otherwise stated.
Reaper Points
Flourish Save DC
Flourishes by Level
Level 3 Flourishes
- Fear the Reaper- As a bonus action: Target a creature you've already attacked, creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d6 psychic damage and becomes frightened of you for 1 min. The creature can use their action to make a Wisdom saving throw against (Save DC) to steel its resolve and end this effect.
- Blinded by Blood- As a bonus action: You fling blood off your Scythe into the target creature's eyes: 10ft range, the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or takes 1d6 necrotic damage and becomes blinded for 1 min. The creature can use their action to wipe the blood from their eyes to unblind themselves.
Level 7 Flourishes
- Sweep the Legs - As a bonus action: make a weapon attack roll, swing your scythe low at a target's feet. on a hit, creature takes additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage. A creature must succeed a Strength save, or fall prone and have their movement reduced to 0 until the end of their next turn. Creatures a size larger then you have advantage on the save.
- Guillotine Hold- As a bonus action: you attempt to Restrain a target using your Scythe, target makes a Dexterity saving throw. on a fail- Deal 1D10 Weapon Damage and creature is restrained. They may use their action to attempt to escape during their turn. You may use your Attack action with your Scythe to attack the grappled target, but cannot attack other targets without ending the Hold as a result.
Reaper Waltz and Flourish
If you kill a creature or you land a Critical hit on a creature and you spend a Reaper Point but the creature died; Reaper's Waltz is triggered by the creature's death therefore you may move before executing a Flourish Effect.
Level 10 Flourishes
-
Compounding Wounds- This effect is applied as a secondary effect of a Critical Hit. The creature must succeed a Constitution Saving Throw. On a fail: creature takes a 1D10 necrotic damage, and gains 1 wound. Target will also gain 1 wound at the end of each of their turns, until the Wounds condition has been ended. A creature suffering from wounds takes 1d10 necrotic damage for each wound at the start of their turn. (A creature must use their action to make a medicine check vs your Save DC to end the Wounds condition.)
-
Rend Health- As a bonus action: Your potent Soul Energy fills your Scythe. At the start of your next turn the following effect is applied: All attacks this turn have advantage, Hit Points lost to your weapon’s damage this turn can only be regained through a Short or Long Rest, rather than by regeneration, magic, or any other means.
Level 15 Flourishes
- Whirlwind- This Flourish costs 2 Reaper Points to use. As a bonus action, Spin your Scythe around you as your Soul extends your reach. Make a weapon attack roll and apply the result to the AC of all creatures within double your weapon's reach around you. Apply weapon damage to any creature hit by this attack roll.
- Staggering Soul- This effect is applied as a secondary effect of the Critical Hit. The target must make a Constitution Saving Throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can’t take reactions, until the end of its next turn.
Level 18 Flourishes
- Reckless Slaughter- At the start of your next turn, choose a direction. You charge forward 30ft, you may perform a single weapon attack on each creature that enters your "Scythe's melee range" .
(You may only activate this Flourish once per long rest.) (Enemies can make opportunity attacks against you.) (Reaper Waltz cannot activate during this movement.) (This uses all of your movement for the turn.)
Level 20 Flourishes (Bonus)
When you Roll a Natural 20 on a Attack Roll, you may spend a Reaper Point to Roll another D20. Apply One of the following effects:
- Dismember- If you Rolled a single Natural 20 on the Attack roll: You lop off one of the target’s limbs. If the creature has no limb to sever, you lop off a portion of its body instead. The effect of such loss determined by the GM.
- Absolute Severance- If you Rolled both D20s and got both Natural 20s: Your Scythe glows bright with your Soul's energy and the blade extends, Cut off the head of the creature you targeted. The cut so clean that it's as if the head was never actually attached to the body to begin with. This Effect inflicts Damage to the Soul more so then the body. (Ethereal Beings are affected by this attack.)
Absolute Severance
The head may not be returned to the body to be healed naturally or magically outside the use of a wish spell. This skill does not work if the creature has legendary actions, or doesn't have a head in general.
- If the target is still alive, they take 1 Stage of Exhaustion.
Disclaimer
I did not create any of the artwork myself,
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