Demon Slayer
Being a Demon Slayer involves placing your life on the line to stop the spread of the demon plague. As part of your training, you will need to learn a stance of combat and a breathing technique to engage your enemies in battle.
Creating a Demon Slayer
As you build your Demon Slayer, remember that you need to have had a special kind of training to become one.
Usually, a slayer possesses enhanced strength, speed, stamina, agility, mobility of the joints, or extreme resistance to pain. It's even common for some of the swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps to have naturally enhanced senses, which they use in combination with existing breathing styles or to develop new breathing styles.
Breathing Styles are specific patterns of concentrated breath used to increase the user's lung capacity and the amount of oxygen in the blood. This increase allows the slayer to enhance their physical abilities and mental concentration, enabling them to fight on par with Demons, whose physical prowess surpasses that of the average human.
Focused Breathing is also capable of clotting wounds from severe injuries and slowing down the circulation of poison in the bloodstream. All known Breathing Styles currently taught within the Demon Slayer Corps are derived from the Sun Breathing, the first one ever created.
The most important breathing styles
All known Breathing Styles currently taught within the Demon Slayer Corps derived from the Sun Breathing, the first one ever created.
Breathing Hybridization
It's possible for a swordsman to use more than one Breathing Style technique at a time, allowing the slayer to take advantage of the advantageous aspects of both techniques.
It's a well-known fact that no slayer has ever used three breathing styles at the same time, it's considered an impossible feat for a human.
Demon Slayer
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Breathing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Combat Stance, Breathing, Nichirin Blade | 1 |
| 2nd | +2 | Action Surge (one use), Combat Stance Feature |
1 |
| 3rd | +2 | Breathing Style | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Improved Breathing, Extra Attack |
3 |
| 6th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | Total Concentration Breathing | 4 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 9th | +4 | — | 5 |
| 10th | +4 | Combat Stance Feature | 5 |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack (2) | 6 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | Path to the 5th Rank | 7 |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 |
| 15th | +5 | Total Concentration Constant | 8 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 17th | +6 | Action Surge (two uses) | 9 |
| 18th | +6 | Combat Stance Feature | 9 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 10 |
| 20th | +6 | Extra Attack (3) | 10 |
Class Features
Every basic stance comes with a different combination of hit points and proficiencies. Formally there are only five stances, but there are stories of a sixth one that only a few chosen slayer know. These are the five common stances:
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per slayer level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your
Constitution modifier per slayer level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
- Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Determined by your Stance
- Skills: Athletics
Equipment
- A Leather Armor or a Chain Shirt
- A Nichirin Blade
- A Dungeoneer's Pack or an Explorer's Pack
- A Healer's kit
Breathing
You begin to learn the basics of a slayer, breathing is only the first step on a long staircase. On your turn, you can use Breathing as a bonus action.
While Breathing, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor:
Your Breathing lasts for 1 minute (10 rounds). It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or you can end it on your turn as a bonus action. Some breathing techniques may end your breathing early.
Once you have used Breathing the number of times shown for your demon slayer level in the Breathing column of the demon slayer table, you must finish a long rest before you can use Breathing again.
Combat Stance
You adopt a particular combat stance as your specialty and describes how you fight. You choose between five different stances, all detailed at the end of the class description.
Nichirin Blade
Your blade is one of the essential features that makes you different from a common swordsman.
When making an attack with a Nichirin Blade, you use the ability score modifier of your stance for the Attack and Damage Rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Every weapon made with Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand or Scarlet Crimson Ore counts for this feature.
Action Surge
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.
Breathing Style
Beginning at 3rd level, you start to learn the techniques of a specific breathing style. Choose a breathing style available to your chosen combat stance and gain access to the related breathing techniques.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th Level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 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.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking that feature to take a feat of your choice instead. You can take each feat only once unless the feat’s description says otherwise.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th Level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.
Improved Breathing
Starting at 5th Level, while breathing is activated, you gain the additional following benefits:
- Your senses become preternaturally attuned to the scent of demons. While you are Breathing, you're able to detect the approximate number of demons within 18 m (60 ft) of you by smell.
- You have an advantage on all the skill checks made with the ability score of your chosen combat stance.
- You have an advantage on saving throws against poison.
Total Concentration Breathing
By 7th level, you can reach a new level of concentration. When you activate Breathing, you can gain the following benefits until the end of the effect, then you suffer one level of exhaustion:
- You gain 3 m (10 ft) to your movement speed
- You add an additional damage die to all your Breathing Style Techniques.
Path to the 5th Rank
Starting at 13th level, when your last charge of breathing ends, you can make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save your Breathing lasts for 1 extra minute. You can repeat this saving throw each time the duration expires until you fail on the saving throw.
Total Concentration Constant
Starting at 15th level, you no longer suffer from a level of exhaustion when using the effects of Total Concentration Breathing to increase your movement speed.
However, if you add an additional damage die to all your Breathing Style Techniques, you still suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of breathing.
Combat Stance
You adopt a particular combat stance as your specialty. Choose one of the following options, you won't get to choose again in the future, so you can't take multiple options.
Strength Stance
The strength stance focuses on the might of your blows. The harder you can hit the faster your enemies will crumble.
Compatible Breathing Styles: Moon, Flame, and Stone.
Toughness
At 1st level, your maximum hit points increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Skill Profiency
At 1st level choose one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, and Survival. You are now proficient in that skill.
Stance Training
You spent time training on your stance, to improve your survivability. At 2nd level choose one of the following:
- 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.
- Improved Critical: Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Retaliation
At 10th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 1,5 m (5 ft) of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
Strength Before Death
At 18th level, Your fighting spirit can delay the grasp of death. If you take damage that reduces you to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to delay falling unconscious, and you can immediately take an extra turn. While you have 0 hit points during that extra turn, taking damage causes death saving throw failures as normal, and three death saving throw failures can still kill you. When the extra turn ends, you fall unconscious if you still have 0 hit points. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Dexterity Stance
The dexterity stance focuses on the speed of your blows. The quicker you can hit the faster your enemies will crumble.
Compatible Breathing Styles: Water, Flame, and Thunder.
Toughness
At 1st level, your maximum hit points increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Skill Profiency
At 1st level choose one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, and Survival. You are now proficient in that skill.
Stance Training
You spent time training on your stance, to improve your survivability. At 2nd level choose one of the following:
- Two-Weapon Fighting: When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the second attack.
- Fast Movement: Your speed increases by 3 m (10 ft) while you are not wearing medium armor.
Whirlwind Attack
At 10th level, you can use your action to make a melee attack against any number of creatures within 1,5 m (5 ft) of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.
Stalker's Flurry
Starting at 18th level, you learn to attack with such unexpected speed that you can turn a miss into another strike. Once on each of your turns when you miss a weapon attack, you can make another weapon attack as part of the same action.
Constitution Stance
The constitution stance focuses on your endurance. The longer you can last the higher you're chances of winning.
Compatible Breathing Styles: Moon, Flame and Stone
Endurance
At 1st level, your maximum hit points increases by 2 and increases by 2 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Skill Profiency
At 1st level choose one of the following skills: Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival. You are now proficient in that skill.
Stance Training
You spent time training on your stance, to improve your survivability. At 2nd level choose one of the following:
- Protection: When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 1,5 m (5 ft) of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
- Multiattack Defense: When a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn. You can use this feature on a number of creatures at the same time, equal to your constitution modifier.
Warding Maneuver
At 10th level, you learn to fend off strikes directed at you, your mount, or other creatures nearby. If you or a creature you can see within 3 m (10 ft) of you is hit by an attack, you can roll 1d8 as a reaction if you're wielding a melee weapon. Roll the die, and add the number rolled to the target's AC against that attack. If the attack still hits, the target takes half of the attack's damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Survivor
You attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain Hit Points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your Hit Points left. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 Hit Points.
Intelligence Stance
The intelligence stance focuses on never being predictable. The faster you can think the higher you're chances of winning.
Compatible Breathing Styles: Water, Wind, and Thunder.
Skill Profiencies
At 1st level choose two of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, or Survival. You are now proficient in those skills.
Stance Training
You spent time training on your stance, to improve your survivability. At 2nd level choose one of the following:
- Escape the Horde: Opportunity Attacks against you are made with a disadvantage.
- Know Your Enemy: If you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, AC, HP, Total levels.
Stand Against the Tide
At 10th level, when a Hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature in his range (other than itself) of your choice.
Slayer’s Reflexes
Starting at 18th level, you have become adept at laying ambushes and quickly escaping danger. You can take two turns during the first round of any Combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your Initiative roll minus 10. You can’t use this feature when you are surprised.
Wisdom Stance
The wisdom stance focuses on never being hit and learning from every mistake. The more experience you accumulate the higher you're chances of winning.
Compatible Breathing Styles: Water, Wind, and Thunder.
Skill Profiencies
At 1st level choose two of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, or Survival. You are now proficient in those skills.
Stance Training
You spent time training on your stance, to improve your survivability. At 2nd level choose one of the following:
- Favored Enemy. You have significant experience studying, tracking, and hunting Demons. You have an advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track your favored enemy, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
- Insightful Fighting. You gain the ability to decipher an opponent’s tactics and develop a counter to them. As a bonus action, you make a Wisdom (Insight) check against a creature you can see that isn’t incapacitated, contested by the target’s Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed, you get +2 AC on the creature's next attack.
Uncanny Dodge
At 10th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
Eye for Weakness
Starting at 18th level, you learn to exploit a creature’s weaknesses by carefully studying its tactics and movement for at least 1 minute. You add an additional die to the damage of all your Breathing Style Techniques against that creature.
Nichirin Blades
Nichirin Blades are extraordinary swords made specifically for the Demon Slayer Corps to slay Demons. They are forged from a unique ore that can only be found in a mountain that constantly absorbs sunlight, one of the only major weaknesses of Demons.
Nichirin Blades are forged with Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore, both of which are found on high mountains like the Sunlight Mountain, which is perpetually bathed in sunlight throughout the year.
Demon Slayer recruits choose their ore after successfully passing the Final Selection. The ore will then be used by a swordsmith of the Swordsmith Village during the forging process, and the swordsmith will personally bring the weapon to the Demon Slayer.
A Nichirin Blade is most commonly a 1d8 slashing sword with the Versatile property that weighs around 1,5 kg (3 lbs).
Some of the higher-ranked slayers changed their style to use a different kind of weapon. They are still formally considered nichirn weapons.
Crows
The Demon Slayer Corps possess special crows that can memorize the location of multiple places and understand where to go just by listening to their master.
They are mainly used to deliver quests for the demon slayer they have been assigned to.
Every slayer gets assigned to one after passing their Final Selection.
Final Selection
The Final Selection is an entrance exam for individuals who seek to become a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps. The exam takes place on a hill, where Wisteria flowers bloom every season from the mountain's foot to its slope.
The area around the mountaintop does not have any Wisteria flowers and is infested with Demons, which were caught alive and placed on the mountain by existing Demon Slayers. Since Wisteria is poisonous to Demons, the Demons remain trapped on the mountain top and cannot leave.
The exam requires the examinee to survive seven nights on the hill, without any outside aid. Candidates who successfully survive the seven nights are then permitted to become official members of the Demon Slayer Corps. At the end of the exam, they get to choose their ore and, additionally, receive their own uniform and a specially trained crow.
Ranks
The Demon Slayer Corps are divided into 5 ranks. After passing the Final Selection, the starting rank is the 1st one. After some time of training and when their demon-slaying has reached a certain point, the leaders of the corps may decide to move the slayer to a higher rank.
Most of the slayers reside in the 1st and 2nd rank since the difference in strength becomes noticeable in the 3rd rank. Only a few exceptional slayers, mostly veterans, are allowed at the 4th rank. The ones who are strong enough to reach the 5th rank are called "Pillars" of their breathing styles, the most valuable Demon Slayer of the organization.
- 1st Rank (Level 1-5)
Every novice slayer that was strong enough to pass the Final Selection. They are usually given more trivial quests such as defeating a single demon or being a guard to ordinary people. - 2nd Rank (Level 6-10)
More skilled slayers that have defeated several demons. They are mostly assigned to defeat groups of demons that may cause harm. - 3rd Rank (Level 11-15)
Usually only talented people reach the 3rd rank. They are usually assigned to lead groups of slayers. - 4th Rank (Level 16-19)
A few select numbers of talented and experienced veterans has reached the 4th rank. They usually become leaders of the Demon Slayer Corps because they can't fight as they could in the past. - 5th Rank (Level 20)
This rank is only for exceptional people that have reached new heights in terms of fighting skill and breathing techniques. They usually work by themself and travel around the world to find the most powerful demons to defeat them.
Final Notes
As anyone could notice, this class was made to be played in a Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) campaign. I endorse you to read the original source of this content, the manga created by Koyoharu Gotōge.
Most of this class was created using already existing content, you can safely assume that I found the feature somewhere and adapted it to fit my needs.
You can find on my profiles all the breathing styles that I have created.
Of course, I do not own any of the Demon Slayer or Dungeons and Dragons related content.