Martial Archetype: The Paragon

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The Paragon

A homebrew Fighter subclass for the world's greatest roleplaying game!

Martial Archetype:

The Paragon

Not every mortal chosen by the gods becomes a cleric or paladin. Some become heroes. The archetypal Paragon includes half-gods like Heracles and Cú Chulainn, prodigies like Odysseus, and zealous knights like Roland who inspire legends with their incredible feats of prowess and bravery. Each are favored by a god or gods, who aid and bless them along the way.

Destined Bearing

3rd-level Paragon feature

When you choose this archetype, the gods themselves recognize your heroic destiny, laying upon you the mantle of their favor, imbuing you with their blessings. But be wary, hero - The gods are fickle and quick to anger. Watch thyself, maintain thy faith, and curb thy hubris.

You gain three Divine Blessings at 3rd level; either Prodigious Strikes or Iron Skin, and two others of your choice from the Divine Blessings list (see "Divine Blessings" at the end of the document). You gain another feature from this list at 7th and 10th level:

Prodigious Strikes. You have a +1 bonus to damage rolls with one handed weapons. When you are wielding a weapon without the finesse property in one hand and no other weapons, you can expend a use of this feature to deal an additional 1d4 damage with that weapon for 1 minute.

This increases to 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 9th level, and 1d10 at 13th level. The additional damage is the same as the weapon's damage type.

You can use this feature three times. Beginning at 7th level, you can use your Prodigious Strikes feature four times, and at 15th level you can use it five times between rests. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Iron Skin. If you aren't wearing heavy armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. Whenever you take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d8 + your Constitution modifier + half your Fighter level (rounded up). Alternatively, as a bonus action, you can expend a use of this feature to roll 2d8 + your Constitution modifier, and gain temporary hit points equal to the result. The die for both features increases to d10 at 10th level, and d12 at 18th level.

You can use this feature four times. Beginning at 7th level, you can use your Iron Skin feature five times, and at 15th level you can use it six times between rests. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Heroic Physicality

3rd-level Paragon feature

You gain proficiency in the Athletics skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

In addition, on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple a creature. When you successfully start a grapple, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to the grappled creature.

Paragon's Vitality

7th-level Paragon feature

Your body is one of perfection. When you make a Strength or Dexterity check that you are proficient in, you add double your proficiency bonus to that check. In addition, whenever you make a Strength or Constitution saving throw, you can roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the ability check.

Superior Fighting

10th-level Paragon feature

Your mastery of your fighting style deepens. You can choose a second option from the Fighting Style feature you gain at 2nd level, or you can choose an improved version of a fighting style you already know as detailed below. These do not stack.

Superior Archery. You gain a +3 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Superior Defense. While you are wearing armour, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. You also gain a +1 bonus to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws.

Superior Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +4 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Superior Protection. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll and add your proficiency bonus to the target's AC until the beginning of your next turn. You must be wielding a shield.

Blessed Might

15th-level Paragon feature

The favor bestowed upon you increases your prowess in combat, raising your legend ever higher. Whenever you score a critical hit or reduce a creature to zero hit points, you can make one additional attack with the same weapon, or a thrown weapon.

Heroic Reclaimation

15th-level Paragon feature

Whenever you roll initiative and you have less than your maximum amount of uses for your Prodigious Strikes or Iron Skin feature, you regain one use.

Exalted Paragon

18th-level Paragon feature

The gods have crowned you with a laurel wreath, marking you as one of the exalted few. You and allied creatures within 60 feet of you can roll the damage dice for their attacks twice and choose the higher result.

Finally, whenever you take the Attack action, you can forgo an attack to make a single melee attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.

Divine Blessings

Battle Awareness. You have advantage on initiative rolls. Additionally, once per turn when you make a weapon attack with a one handed weapon, you can choose to gain advantage on that attack.

Boon of Health. You are immune to disease, and your hit point maximum increases by your fighter level and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.

Bronze Skin. You can cast false life on yourself at will as a 1st-level spell, without expending a spell slot or material components. When you cast it using this ability, you can cast it using a bonus action or an action, and it is considered a transmutation spell. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You cannot take this blessing if you have chosen the Iron Skin blessing.

Divine Strength. You are capable of grappling and shoving creatures that are up to two sizes larger than you, and you count as two sizes larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

In addition, whenever you grapple a creature, you can throw it a distance up to your movement speed horizontally as part of the same action.

Hoplite. While you are wielding a shield, you are alert to attacks made against nearby allies. Whenever a creature attacks an ally standing within 5 feet of you with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to make a melee opportunity attack against the offending creature.

Linebreaker. When you make an attack with a one handed weapon, you may use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. This attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4, and it deals bludgeoning damage. You can choose to forgo the damage, instead causing the target to be staggered. The next attack roll made against the target has advantage.

Myrmidon. Your movement speed increases by 10 feet. In addition, your damage dice with spears, tridents, and javelins increases to d8 (d10 when wielded with two hands), and your melee attack range with these weapons is increased to 10 feet. The thrown range of these weapons becomes (30/120). When making a ranged attack with these weapons while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Valiant Blows. When you are wielding a weapon without the finesse property in one hand and no other weapons, you deal additional damage equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down). You cannot take this blessing if you have chosen the Prodigious Strikes blessing.

Spells

Illuminate

Evocation cantrip

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 10 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You release a cloud of shimmering gas at a creature you can see within range. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d8 radiant damage, and has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can't benefit from being invisible until the start of your next turn.

This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Jolt

Evocation cantrip

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

A fraction of the storm's power can give life, or take it.

Sparks fly from your fingertips, shocking a creature within range. If the target is unconscious and reduced to 0 hit points, they gain advantage on their next death saving throw, and any ability check made to aid them also gains advantage. If you target a hostile creature, they must make a Constitution saving throw. If they fail, they take 1d8 lightning damage.

This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Divine Arm

1st-level transmutation

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a non-magical weapon)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Your deity imbues a melee weapon you currently possess with an essence of their power and launches it at a foe within 60 feet. Make a melee weapon attack against a creature you can see within range. If successful, the target takes the weapon's normal damage plus an additional 2d10 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice). The weapon returns to your hand after it is used in this manner.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for every two slot levels above 1st.

Credits

The Edited C0rebrew Fighter/ The Fighter Remastered

If you use either of the mentioned Fighter reworks, replace the uses for Prodigious Strikes and Iron Skin with superiority dice, and remove the Heroic Reclaimation feature. For the purposes of additional known maneuvers, treat this subclass as the Champion Fighter archetype.

The Fighter reworks can be found here: Edited C0rebrew Fighter, The Fighter, Remastered

Additional Divine Blessings

If you want to add some magical flair to your Paragon, you may take this Divine Blessing.

Faith-bound Boon. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the following list: booming blade, friends, green-flame blade, guidance, illuminate, jolt, light, mending, message, minor illusion, prestidigitation, spare the dying, and thaumaturgy.

In addition, you can cast divine arm, divine favor, and shield of faith (targeting yourself only), each at their lowest level without expending a spell slot or material components.

Once you cast one of these spells, you can't cast that same spell again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

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