Gritty No Magic D&D

The following rules replace the existing rules found in the D&D 5E Player's Handbook.

Short Rest

A short rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps for at least 6 hours and performs no more than 2 hours of light activity such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity, fighting, at least 1 hour of walking, or similar activities, the character must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

At the end of a short rest, a character can spend any number of Stamina Dice to heal, up to however many they have.

A character can spend Stamina Die to either heal, as per normal, or reduce their current level of exhaustion by 1 per stamina die spent. For every stamina die spent during a short rest, on either healing or reducing exhaustion, a character reduces their current Stress (see Madness) by 1.

A character can't benefit from more than one short rest in a 24-hour period, and they must have at least 1 health at the start of the rest to gain its benefits. If a character has not eaten enough food or drank enough water in the last 24 hours, they can’t benefit from a short rest.

Long Rest

A long rest is a period of 7 days of Downtime Activity. This period can include even strenuous activities such as dueling or training, but can't include proper "adventuring" activity or overland travel.

Each day of the long rest is split into two 8 hour chunks, each of which can be dedicated to a Downtime Activity of a character's choice. For example, they can commit 8 hours a day to training for the whole rest, then spend 8 hours on four days days carousing, and 8 hours on the last three days practicing a profession. Smaller activities such as shopping do not count against the number of downtime activities a character can accomplish. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity, at least 1 hour of "adventuring" activity, they must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

Additionally, for every day that passes a character reduces their Stress (see Madness) by 1. A character can remove additional Stress by indulging in a vice such as drinking or wenching during a period of Downtime. For every period of Downtime they do so they can roll a d4, removing 1 Stress on a roll of 1-2 and 2 Stress on a 3-4. Indulging a vice will often require some monetary investment or other "price" depending on their chosen vice.

At the end of a long rest a character regains all of their Health, Stamina and Stamina Dice, and their exhaustion is reduced by 1.

In order to take a long rest, the characters must be in a settlement that is non-hostile towards them.

Sleeping in Armour

Sleeping in light armour has no adverse effect on the wearer, but sleeping in medium or heavy armour makes it difficult to recover fully during a short rest.

When a character finishes a short rest during which they slept in medium or heavy armour, they half any stamina they recover and do not reduce their Stress as a result of spending Stamina Die. If a character has any levels of exhaustion, they cannot choose to reduce it by spending Stamina Die.

Going Without a Short Rest

A short rest is never mandatory, but going without sleep does have its consequences.

Whenever a character ends a 24-hour period without finishing a short rest, they gain 1 Stress (see Madness) and must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.

It becomes harder to fight off exhaustion if a character stays awake for multiple days. After the first 24 hours, the DC increases by 5 and the amount of Stress gains increases by 1 for each consecutive 24-hour period without a short rest. The DC and Stress gained resets to 10 and 1 respectively when the character finishes a short or long rest.

Grit

A Constitution (Grit) skill check is used when a character tries to persevere through physical trauma or overcome challenges through sheer endurance.

Occultism

An Intelligence (Occultism) skill check is used when a character tries to recall obscure information not founded in historical accounts or religious doctrine, or to divine meaning from supposedly "preternatural" events or objects (such as the ramblings of an accused witch or the nature of a heretical idol).

This skill replaces the Intelligence (Arcana) skill.

Gritty Injuries

Damage in standard 5E D&D normally leaves no lingering effects. The following rules introduce the potential for long-term injuries.

A creature gains a gritty injury under the following circumstances:

• When it takes a critical hit.
• When it rolls a natural 1 on a saving throw of a damaging effect (such as a volley of arrows).
• When it rolls a natural 1 on a death saving throw.

When one of these conditions is fulfilled a creature will then roll on the appropriate Gritty Injury table, determined by the damage type of the critical hit, in conjunction with the location table. A d10 is used when rolling on a Gritty Injury table. Whenever a creature receives a critical hit, that creature gains Stress equal to the number rolled on the d10.

Stamina Shock

A character can lose their composure should they get the wind knocked out of them. Similar to System Shock, when a creature takes damage to their Stamina from a single source that reduces them to 0 Stamina, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution (Grit) check or become Winded until the end of its next turn.

Falling to 0 Health

Whenever a creature is reduced to 0 Health but not killed outright, it gains a level of exhaustion and an amount of Stress equal to any damage that was left over after reducing the creature to 0 health.

Failing Death Saving Throws

Every time a creature fails a death saving throw it gains 1 Stress.

Additionally, rolling a 1 on the d20 for a Death Saving Throw no longer gives 2 failures. Instead, the creature gains a Death Saving Throw Gritty Injury.

Instant Death

A devastating blow can end a creature's life instantly. When damage reduces a creature to 0 Heath and there is damage remaining, the creature dies if the remaining damage equals or exceeds their Health maximum.

Facing

At the start of their turn when a creature is being flanked, it chooses one of the creatures flanking it to face. After the flanked creature makes this choice, the flanker it is not facing gains advantage on all melee attack rolls it makes against the flanked creature, while the flanker the flanked creature chose to face does not.

Give Ground

When a creature first begins to flank a target, the target can use its reaction to Give Ground. When it chooses to do so, the target makes a Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the flanking creature's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a success, the target sees the creature coming and can move 5ft away from it. In addition, the creature cannot flank the target until the start of its next turn. On a failure, the creature can flank the target as normal.

Winded

A creature suffering from the Winded condition gains the following penalties:

• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s Attack rolls have disadvantage.
• The creature looses their Reaction for that round.

Staggered

A creature suffering from the Staggered condition gains the following penalties:

• The creature has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws.
• The creature’s movement speed is halved.
• The creature does not add its Dexterity modifier to its AC unless it’s a negative value.
• The creature does not add its Ability Modifier to weapon attacks and damage rolls unless it’s a negative value.

Stress

A creature exposed to uncomfortable situations, extreme mental exertion, soul-shivering horror, torture, or bearing witness to unspeakable acts or sights can potentially suffer Stress.

Some environmental effects can inflict Stress, such as surviving a particularly nasty battle or spending several days without food. Stress can also be generated by encountering certain powerful creatures/beings/people.

Affliction

An Affliction is a short term but alarming negative change in a character's mental state.

What Affliction a character gains is determined by rolling on the Affliction Table. When rolling on the table, reroll any result that would give a character an Affliction they are already suffering from.

Afflictions are removed once a character's Stress is reduced to 0 and they complete a short or long rest.

Trauma

A Trauma is the long term repercussion of a character not processing Stress before their psyche cracks under the immense pressure.

The Trauma a character gains is determined by rolling on the Trauma Table.

The effects of Trauma are removed after a long rest, though the Trauma itself persists and has a chance of resurfacing whenever the character gains Stress over their Resolve. When this happens, the character must succeed a DC 10 Intelligence saving throw or have the Trauma resurface and begin bearing its effects again. This saving throw is made for each Trauma a character has but is not currently suffering from.

Individual Traumas must be removed through a therapeutic process that takes 6 +1d4 (which the GM rolls in secret) days worth of effort per Trauma with an appropriate professional. A character cannot benefit from a long rest during this time.

NPC Stress and Sanity

Player characters are not the only ones who suffer the misery of Stress. Non-player characters controlled by the GM also have Sanity and can therefore fall into madness just as easily as player characters. However, since many NPC's rarely resurface after encountering player characters, the long term consequences of Stress scarcely apply to them.

As a result, to simplify the bookkeeping surrounding Stress and Sanity for multiple NPC's, and to encourage player characters to use Stress as a weapon against their enemies, feel free to use a combination of the following optional rules instead:

• Fallout Vulnerability: Whenever an NPC first becomes Distressed or Tormented, they automatically fail their saving throws against Affliction and Trauma. Additionally, when a NPC is On the Brink they make only a single Sanity Saving Throw. Success grants an Insanity and failure a Ruin.
• Predictable Afflictions: Whenever an NPC would gain an Affliction they instantly gain their Personal Affliction (as seen on their statblock) instead of rolling.
• NPC Stress Levels: NPCs of the GM's choosing use the Stress Levels rule variant (see page 14) instead of the standard rules.

Elation of Slaughter

If the characters slaughter their enemies in combat with brutal efficiency they can instead be invigorated by their success. If the combat lasted for 3 rounds or less, and the characters are without substantial injuries, they instead gain no Stress and can make a DC 10 Charisma saving throw, removing 1 Stress on a success.

Travel

The medieval world is a huge place, so much so that characters will spend a lot of time simply traversing it. Well trodden cobblestone roads are a rarity, and gravel roads or paths worn down by constant use don't always lead to where characters need to go.

The following rules attempt to represent this reality mechanically.

Navigator

The Navigator makes sure that the warband, caravan, or group of wanders are heading in the right direction. They keep track of their current location in relation to their destination though landmarks, maps, memory, instinct, or a mixture thereof.

A Navigator makes either a Intelligence (Investigation) check or an Intelligence (Navigator's Tool) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including terrain, weather, available roads, and the size of the group they are leading.

Succeeding on their check allows the Navigator to keep the group on track to their destination. Failure causes the Navigator to make a mistake and cause to group to go off course for 1/2 a day.

Gatherer

The Gatherer finds what the party lacks as they travel, scavenging/hunting for supplies in the wilderness. They may find berries, some good fire wood, or locate a dry place to set up camp - whatever the group needs most in that moment.

A Gatherer makes either an Intelligence (Nature) or a Wisdom (Survival) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including the availability of game, the season, the terrain, and if civilisation has a hold in the lands being traveled.

Succeeding on their check allows the Gatherer to find 1d6 Supply, with the Gatherer describing what they brought back to the group. Failure means that the Gatherer did not find anything.

Stockpiler

The Stockpiler manages their groups baggage, rationing out and keeping track of Supply while making sure everyone has what they need. They pack bags, arrange camp, maintain traveling equipment, feed the pack animals, and make sure there is enough of everything to go around.

A Stockpiler makes a Wisdom (Insight) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including the seasons, weather, presence of pests, and the size of the group they are managing the supplies for.

Succeeding on their check allows the Stockpiler to manage the Supply of the group properly. Failure causes the Stockpiler to misjudge the groups expenditure of supplies, loosing 1d6 Supply in the process.

Additionally, every three days of travel that pass the Stockpiler rolls a d20 on the Supply Event table (see page 20).

Watcher

The Watcher keeps an eye on the horizon, making sure their group is safe. They are ever vigilant in their duty, scouting ahead for hidden dangers and warning the warband in advance should they spot anything. The lives of a traveling group often lies in the hands of the Watcher.

A Watcher makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including visibility, the terrain, how well the group knows the location, and the level of danger posed by potential enemies.

Succeeding on their check allows the Watcher to spot danger before it befalls the group, giving them time (even if it is but a few seconds) to prepare. Failure renders the group unaware of the potential danger they are in until it is to late.

Needs

A Need is one of the requirements for a character's base physical survival. In the wilderness, meeting these Needs is not a guarantee, and thus characters must rely on their preparation or perseverance in order to meet their Needs. There are three Needs a character must meet while at Camp: the need for Food/Water, Warmth, and Shelter.

In order to meet these Needs a character can either make a Camp Roll, a skill check or saving throw depending on the Need, or can make use of their groups Supply or their own Provisions.

• Using Supply: Before a character makes the Camp Roll to see if they meet a Need, they can choose to spend 1 Supply to gain an automatic success on the Camp Roll.
• Using Provisions: Should a character fail the Camp Roll to meet one or more of their Needs, they can choose to roll their Provisions Die (Rations for Food/Water, Kindling for Warmth, and Tents for Shelter). On a roll of 1 or 2, the Provision Die is reduced by 1 step (d6>d4 etc.). Should a d4 roll a 1 or 2, then the Provision is consumed entirely and destroyed. Regardless of what is rolled, the Need is considered to have been met.

Travel Roles

In the description of each Travel Role is a brief rundown of what factors might effect their DC. Generally speaking however, the more inhospitable the environment, the higher the DC.

A Navigator in a thick forest might not be able to see any landmarks and end up setting lost in the sea of trees. A Gatherer will have a hard time finding food during the winter. A Stockpiler might not be able to properly secure the baggage on a treacherous mountain road. And the Watcher might be unable to spot nearby danger due to the unfamiliar terrain.

Below is a table with some example DCs to reference.

Camp Rolls

The DCs for Camp Rolls is determined by the accessibility of natural resources used to fulfill the Needs of a group of characters. A swamp is not the most comfortable places to sleep, but you won't want for food. A mountainside path is bound to have caves to shelter in, but food is likely scarce. The GM should think about the environment the character's are traveling though and assign the DCs appropriately.

Below is a table with some example DCs to reference.

Frostbite

Frostbite is the grizzly reality of a character being exposed to freezing temperatures for too long.

When a character travels through a cold environment, such as the arctic or a snowy forest during winter, they must make a Constitution saving throw during the day and again at night. The DC for this saving throw is 10 during the day, while the DC for night is covered by the Warmth Camp Roll. If the character is not wearing the appropriate cold weather gear, then they gain disadvantage on this saving throw. Blizzards or similar weather grant a -5 penalty to the saving throw.

Should the character fail the Constitution saving throw, then they increase the stage of their Frostbite by 1. Additionally they take an amount of cold damage equal to the stage of Frostbite they gained.

A character reduces their Frostbite by spending a short rest completely out of the elements in a warm place, such as a house with a fireplace. Doing so reduces their Frostbite by 1. After a long rest a character reduces their Frostbite by 7 if they spent most of their time inside someplace warm.

The stages of Frostbite are detailed below.

Stages of Heatstroke

• Stage 1: The character sweats profusely, weak and exhausted from dehydration. You gain disadvantage on Strength checks and saving throws.
• Stage 2: The character vomits as a severe headache renders them delirious and confused. You gain 1d6 Stress and take a -2 penalty to any Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks or saving throws you make.
• Stage 3: The character turns pale as they begin to convulse and eventually faint. You must immediately make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious. On a success you instead fall unconscious if you fail a saving throw against Heatstroke. Once unconscious you can only be awoken once your stage of Heatstroke is reduced below 3.
• Stage 4: The character suffers minor brain damage and shock as they begin to suffocate due to heart failure. You are rendered Unconscious until your stage of Heatstroke becomes 2 or lower. You must then roll a d6 (1-2 representing your Intelligence score, 3-4 your Wisdom score, and 5-6 your Charisma score), permanently reducing the rolled Ability Score by 1.
• Stage 5: The character suffers major brain damage as they suffocate to death. You roll 1d2 three times and permanently deduct the result in order from your Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores.
• Stage 6: The character's muscles become rigid as they die instantly. You die.

Item Conditions

Similar to the conditions creatures experience, Item Conditions represent the wear and tear of equipment, specifically weapons and armour.

There are three different Item Conditions that an item can be: Undamaged, Damaged, and Broken. The degradation of an item's Item Condition is different for both weapons and armour.

Weapon Degradation. Weapons simply reduce their Item Condition whenever they roll a natural 1 on an attack roll, becoming Damaged before eventually becoming Broken.

Armour Degradation. Armour on the other hand requires the wearer to purposefully allow their armour to be sundered in the name of self preservation for its condition to decrease. When a creature wearing medium or heavy armour would be hit by a critical hit, they can choose to activate their armours Scuff property (See Armour). Light armours Item Condition is automatically reduced then the wearer is critically hit.

The details of the three different Item Conditions are listed below:

Specially Crafted Arms and Armour

Armour and weapons receive bonuses or penalties depending on their make. There are four separate Properties that can affect items depending on how they were crafted: Standard, Poorcraft, Finecraft, and Mastercraft.

These Properties, as described in the below, are applied to weapons and armour when they are made under certain circumstances. Items of unremarkable make are considered Standard. It is assumed that, unless stated, all items are of Standard make.

Poorcraft

A piece of equipment of noticeably less quality than the standard as a result of its poor craftsmanship.

Weapons

Poorcraft weapons take a -1 Penalty to attack and damage rolls made with it.

Armour

Poorcraft armour takes a -1 Penalty to its AC.

Properties

Poorcraft equipment has the following properties:

Penalty. The Penalty can increase depending on how poorly the item was constructed, to a maximum of -3.

Price. The base market price of Poorcraft equipment is reduced by a percentage equal to 25% x its Penalty (max 75%).

Availability. Poorcraft equipment can be acquired just as readily, if not more so, as Standard grade equipment.

Weapons

Finecraft weapons have either a +1 Bonus to attack rolls or a +1 to damage rolls made with it.

Armour

Finecraft armour has a +1 Bonus to its AC.

Properties

Finecraft equipment has the following properties:

Bonus. The Bonus can increase depending on how well the item was constructed, to a maximum of +3.

Price. The base market price of Finecraft equipment is increased by a percentage equal to 100% x its Bonus (max 300%).

Availability. Finecraft equipment is harder to find than standard equipment and might require commissioning an expert of the craft to obtain, or taking it from a person of importance.

Weapons

Mastercraft weapons have a +1 Bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it and causes Gritty Injuries sustained from the weapon to gain +1 Severity.

Armour

Mastercraft armour has a +1 Bonus to its AC and gains the Resistant (1) property or increases its existing Resistant property by 1.

Properties

Mastercraft equipment has the following properties:

Bonus. The Bonus can increase depending on how excellently the item was constructed, to a maximum of +3. Additionally, while wielding a Mastercraft weapon or wearing Mastercraft armour, creatures add its Bonus to any Charisma check they make. Only one such Bonus can be gained at any time.

Price. The base market price of Mastercraft equipment is increased by a percentage equal to 200% x its Bonus (max 600%).

Availability. Mastercraft equipment is impossible to come across and must be custom made by a legendary practitioner of the craft or taken from the likes of kings and emperors. Mastercraft items always seem to have a name and a story surrounding them.

Repairing Weapons

Repairing a Damaged weapon requires Smith's Tools and a successful check using these tools. The DC of this check is determined by the type of Weapon being repaired.

On a success, the weapon's Item Condition is improved by 1. If this would increase a Damaged weapon to an Undamaged weapon, the Repair Cost must be spent. The Repair Cost for a Weapon is a number of Supply who's cumulative base market value (3gp per Supply) equals that of half the Weapons base market value, rounded up. For example, a Longsword costs 15gp so it's Repair Cost would be 3 Supply (half of 15 is 7.5 /3 for the cost of Supply = 2.5 which rounded up = 3).

Repairing Armour

Repairing a piece of Damaged armour requires Leatherworker's Tools and Smith's Tools, as well as a successful check using these tools. The DC of this check and the tools needed are determined by the type of Armour being repaired.

On a success, the Repair Cost is spent as the armour's Item Condition is improved by 1. Heavy Amrour requires both a successful Smith's and Leatherworker's Tools check in order to increase it's Item Condition. The Repair Cost for armour is a number of Supply who's cumulative base market value (3gp per Supply) equals that of half the armours base market value, rounded up. For example, Chainmail costs 75gp so it's Repair Cost would be 13 Supply (half of 75 is 37.5 /3 for the cost of Supply = 12.5 which rounded up = 13).

Heavy Armour

Mailcoats and metal plates offer a great amount of protection to their wearers. As a result, all heavy armour types gain the Resistant property.

Scuff

Armour made from thick and/or sturdy materials are better at turning blows away from their wearer. All Medium and Heavy armour types gain the Scuff property.

Shields

Shields are the most common defensive commodity of the medieval battlefield, and for good reason. A killing strike can be turned away by a sturdy shield. As such, shields gain the Splinter property.

Helmets

An invaluable piece of equipment, a helmet protects the wearer's head. Coming in many styles, from the purely functional to the mostly decorative, helmets are essential for any who wish to survive a battle.

Donning or doffing a helmet requires an action. However, a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Slight of Hand) check can be made as a bonus action to quickly remove the helmet should the need arise.

A Helmet will protect its wearer’s head should it be struck by a brutal blow, and so gains the Absorb property.

Determining Encumbrance

When a creature is carrying an amount of Stone over their carrying capacity, they are considered Encumbered. When a creature is carrying more than double their carrying capacity, they are also considered Heavily Encumbered. It can be assumed that creatures able to set gear down temporarily when needed but in situations where they are unable or unwilling to, such a during a surprise round or when carrying gear up a rope ladder, they receive he following penalties:

Carrying Capacity and Size

A creatures carrying capacity is also altered by their size, as seen on the table below.

A Shady and Brutal Living

Brigands make their living by joining raiding parties and other unsavoury organisations for coin, though lone wolf Brigands are not uncommon. It is rare for a Brigand to be in an honest line of work, the closest being a mercenary sworn to a lord. Even then the role they play in their lords warband often deals with the dirty and distasteful affairs of politics and battle.

Brigands are far closer than most folk to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and they have survived so far by disregarding the rules of society to get one step ahead. Though the price of survival often requires more than mere indifference to the rules of honourable men, which is sure to turn them into foes.

Better you than Me

Brigands devote as much effort to mastering the use of a variety of skills as they do to perfecting their dirty combat abilities, giving them expertise that few others can match. Many focus on stealth and deception, befitting of those called Brigand, while others refine the skills that help them in combat. Precise footing and a keen eye for weakness can easily compete with raw strength.

When it comes to combat Brigands would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the most, then wear an opponent down with a barrage of attacks. The less time spent in a battle, the less likely you are to die yourself. This mentality gives Brigands a knack for avoiding danger derived from this calculating nature, or cowardice.

Stamina

• Stamina Dice: 1d6 per Brigand level
• Stamina at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
• Stamina at Higher Levels: 1 + your Constitution modifier per Brigand level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armour: Light
• Weapons: Simple Weapons, rapiers, shortswords
• Tools: Thieves Tools
• Saving Throws: Dexterity & Intelligence
• Skills: Choose three from: Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment

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

• (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a burglar's pack, (b) a dungeoneer's pack, or (c) an explorer's pack
• Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves' tools

Close and Personal

You violently close the distance between you and the target. You attempt to grapple the target. On a success, the target is grappled by you and takes bludgeoning damage equal to the points spent. This tactic can only be used if the triggering attack was a melee attack.

Eye Thief

You attempt to gouge your fingers into the target's eyes, throw dirt in their face, or otherwise attempt to blind your foe. You make a contested Dexterity check against the target of the attack. Targets wearing helmets have advantage on the contest. On a success, the target is blinded for a number of turns equal to the number of points spent. The target can make a Constitution (Grit) check as a bonus action on their turn to end the effect early.

Shin Sweep

You lash out at the target’s shin or stomp on their toe. The target of the attack makes a Constitution (Grit) check with a penalty equal to the number of points spent. On a failure, the target falls prone.

Visceral Attack

You drive your attack into one of the target's vital points. The target makes a Dexterity saving throw. On a fail you deal 1d6 damage per point spent to the target, or half as much on a success. The damage type dealt is that of the weapon you're currently wielding.

Nose Cracker

You thrust forward with the blunt end of your weapon or with your head, hitting the target in the nose. You must spend two or more points to trigger this tactic. The target of the attack must make a Constitution (Grit) check with a penalty equal to the number of points spent or become Staggered until the end of its next turn. This tactic can only be used if the triggering attack was a melee attack.

Uncanny Dodge

You ready yourself against your target's retaliation. The damage of the next attack the target hits you with is reduced by an amount equal to 1 + the number of points spent. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

Wind ‘em

You drive your attack into the targets weak point, winding them. You must spend two or more points to trigger this tactic. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or become Winded for a number of turns equal to the number of points spent on a failure. The target can make a Constitution (Grit) check at the end of its turn to end the effect early.

Cruel Twist

You cruelly twist your attack as it drives into the target, causing painful bleeding. The target must make a Constitution saving throw or begin to take necrotic damage equal to the number of points pent at the end of each of their turns. Either the target or someone else can end this effect with a successful Wisdom (Medicine) check.

Low Blow

You strike out dishonorably against your target's groin. You must spend three or more points to trigger this tactic. You make an additional attack roll against the target. On a hit the target gains a level of exhaustion. This level of exhaustion can be removed if the target uses their action and all their movement to catch their breath. A creature's level of exhaustion cannot be increased above 4 from this source. This tactic can only be used if the triggering attack was a melee attack.

Well Connected

Starting at 1st level, if you spend at least 1 hour carousing a populated area, you can find one of the following:

• Affordable lodgings for you and your companions.
• Information regarding the location of persons of interest.
• Access to rare/illegal goods and services.

Discern Weakness

Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to decipher an opponent’s tactics and develop a counter to them. As an action, you make a Wisdom (Insight) check against a creature you can see that isn’t incapacitated, opposed by the target’s Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed you may add your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier to the damage of your next Underhanded Assault against the targeted creature, as long as you maintain concentration. A creature that succeeds against you cannot be targeted again for 1 minute.

Finally, your Underhanded Assault save DC can be calculated with either your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (your choice).

Secrets Gleaned

You are adept at observing the plans and weapons of your enemies. Starting at 3rd level, if you spy on an enemy without being detected for at least 10 minutes, you may pick one of the following benefits:

• The GM gives you a clue about the enemy’s plans or destination.
• You spot a potential weakness in the enemy, giving you (or an ally you advise) advantage on the first attack you make against foes of that kind.
• You gain a +1 bonus to AC against attacks made by enemies of the kind you are observing. This benefit lasts until you next take a short rest.
• You gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) ability checks made against enemies of this kind. This benefit lasts until you next take a short rest.
• You closely observe the enemy and can describe their appearance, gear and tactics in sufficient detail that when you give your report, other player characters gain advantage on their next check to obtain more information about the enemy.

Honeyed Words

Starting at 6th level, you have mastered the art of gaining trust. When you spend at least 10 minutes persuading a creature of your good intentions, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Underhanded Assault save DC or become Charmed by you.

This charmed state lasts until you give the creature reason to doubt your sincerity or until a long rest. Another creature can attempt to break a Charmed creature from your influence but has disadvantage on their appropriate social interaction roll if you are present.

Expert Guile

Starting at 9th level, your ability to convince others borders on the preternatural. You may issue commands to any creature that you have charmed with your Honeyed Words feature and that creature must carry them out to the best of its ability.

If the command is something that the creature would have an aversion to, then it gets another Wisdom saving throw against the DC for your Honeyed Words feature.

If you are attempting to compel the creature to do something abhorrent to its nature, then it has advantage on its saving throw.

Equipped for War

Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency in medium armour, shields, and four weapons of your choice.

Additionally, your stamina maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.

Brutal Blows

Also at 1st level, you can use an Underhanded Assault with any weapon you are proficient in, not just light, finesse or ranged weapons. The other requirements for Underhanded Assault still need to be met.

Additionally, your Underhanded Assault save DC can be calculated with either your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

Martial Skill

Starting at 3rd level, you learn two Martial Skills of your choice from the Warrior class feature of the same name. Your Martial Skill options are detailed at the end of the Warrior class description.

You learn one additional Martial Skill of your choice at 6th and 9th level. Each time you learn a new Martial Skill, you can also replace one Martial Skill you know with a different one.

Some of your Martial Skill may require your target to make a saving throw to resist the Martial Skill's effects. The saving throw DC is equal to your Underhanded Assault save DC.

Square Up

Starting at 6th level, you can use your bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to impose disadvantage on the next melee attack that targets you until the start of your next turn. When you do so, you also gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Brigand level.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Strength or Dexterity modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Brutal Killer

Starting at 9th level, you take advantage of your foe's weakness and strike to dispatch them as brutally as possible. Whenever you hit a creature with an Underhanded Assault or Martial Skill that is bloodied, broken or incapacitated, you deal an extra 5 damage. This damage ignores the Resistant properties of armour and shields.

Guerrilla Fighter

Starting at 1st level, you dart into the fray bringing death upon two blades. If you move 20 feet before attacking a creature with an off-hand attack, you can use an Underhanded Assault against that creature without meeting any of the other criteria of Underhanded Assault.

Additionally, your movement speed is increased by 5 feet, and increases by 5 feet again at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level.

Twin Talons

Starting at 3rd level, the weapon in each of your hands are like the killing tools of a great predator. You gain the following benefits while two-weapon fighting:

• You can add your ability modifier to the damage of your off-hand attacks.
• If you take the Attack action and trigger an Underhanded Assault while engaged in two-weapon fighting, you may use your bonus action to make two attacks with your offhand weapon instead of one.

Blade Wall

Starting at 6th level, you need no shield wall to guard yourself from harm. You gain the following benefits while two-weapon fighting:

• You gain a +1 bonus to your AC.
• Opportunity attacks against you are made at disadvantage.

Whirlwind

Starting at 9th level, while two-weapon fighting, you can use an action to make a single weapon attack against all creatures, friend or foe, within 5 feet of you. If you miss an attack, you can choose to make a single off-hand attack against the same creature at disadvantage. As a result all attack rolls against you have advantage until the start of your next turn.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

However, on your turn you may spend 2 Stamina die and all your movement for that turn as a bonus action to regain the use of Whirlwind. After doing so you gain 2 Stress.

Tools of the Craft

Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency in martial weapons.

Killer’s Intent

You lash out at your foes with unrivaled deadliness. Also at 1st level, whenever you roll a 1 on one of your d6s when performing a Visceral Attack, you can reroll the die.

At 6th level you may reroll 2s as well.

Pig Sticker

Starting at 3rd level, you know how to come in low and skewer your foes on the end of your weapon. When you hit a creature with an Underhanded Assault and spend all available points on Visceral Attack, you also roll a d10. On a roll of 9 or 10 on this d10, you double the damage of Visceral Attack against that creature. On a roll of 8 or lower however, you gain 1 Stress.

Once you use this feature, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again. You can, however, regain the use of this feature if you reduce a humanoid creature to 0 health using damage from Visceral Attack while in combat.

Butcher

Starting at 6th level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet.

Killing Strike

Starting at 9th level, you become a master of instant death. When you attack and hit a creature that is surprised or stunned, it must make a Constitution saving throw against your Underhanded Assault save DC. On a failed save, the hit becomes a critical hit.

Marksmen

Starting at 1st level, you are a master of the inglorious killing tool. You gain proficiency with longbows, if you are not already proficient in them, and gain a +2 bonus to all ranged attack rolls.

Additionally, due to your ranged approach to combat, the Close and Personal Underhanded Tactic is replaced with the following new Underhanded Tactic:

• Pin: The shot hits your quarry's foot, knee, or hip, possibly stifling their movement. The target must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check contested by your Wisdom (Perception) check or have their movement speed reduced by 10 x the number of points spent feet until the end of their next turn. Creatures who's movement speed is reduced to 0 in this way are considered Restrained by the projectile until they succeed on a Constitution (Grit) check to remove it as a bonus action. This tactic can only be used if the triggering attack was a ranged attack.

Eagle-Eye

Starting at 3rd level, your sharp eyes and steady fingers allow you to make shots others would deem impossible. While wielding a ranged weapon you can make a special attack if you did not move during your last turn. As an action, choose a creature within range of your weapon. That creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Underhanded Assault save DC. On a failure the creature takes your weapon's normal damage + your Brigand level, or half as much on a success. This damage ignores the Resistant property of armour and shields.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of once). You regain all spent uses after you complete a long rest.

Quickdraw

Starting at 6th level, you learn to shoot first and ask questions later. When initiative is being rolled and you have a ranged weapon in hand, you can make a single ranged weapon attack before combat starts. You can use this feature even if you are surprised.

This attack is considered to activate the Pin Underhanded Tactic as if 1 point were spent on it, regardless of if the attack could trigger an Underhanded Assault or not. If this attack does meet the prerequisites to trigger an Underhanded Assault, the aforementioned spent point does not effect the number of points you can spend on Underhanded Tactics.

Bullseye

Starting at 9th level, no matter what guards a target your arrows will find purchase. When you make a ranged weapon attack and would miss, you can choose to add a +10 bonus to the attack roll, potentially causing the attack to hit. You can do this before or after the roll is made, but before the outcome is determined. Once you do so, you must complete a short rest before you can do so again.

Additionally, you may spend Underhanded Assault points on either the Visceral Attack or Pin tactics when you use your Eagle-eye feature, even though it is not an attack that would trigger an Underhanded Assault.

Defender

Starting at 1st level, while you are wielding a shield, whenever 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. If the attack still hits, the damage taken is reduced by an amount equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Bearer of the Shield

Also at 1st level, you gain proficiency in shields and gain a shield as a part of your starting equipment.

Aegis

As a Shield Bearer it is your job to ready the bulwark that guards you or your allies from harm. Starting at 3rd level, over the course of a short rest you can spend your time maintaining and reinforcing a shield, making it your Aegis. You spend any number of Underhanded Assault points on the shield to increase its protective ability. After doing so, whenever a creature wielding your Aegis takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage they can, as a reaction, roll a number of d6s equal to the spent Underhanded Assault points and reduce the damage taken by the total result of the roll.

This can be done a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, after which your Aegis becomes a regular shield again. This cannot be used to reduce the damage of a critical hit, unless the creature wielding your Aegis uses the shields Splinter feature.

However, while you have a Aegis, your Assault Potency is decreased by the number of points spent on your Aegis until the Aegis runs out of uses.

You can only have one Aegis at a time. If you make another shield your Aegis, the previous shield loses all its bonuses.

Untiring Arm

Starting at 6th level, a shield does not burden you but aids you instead. When using a shield, its weight does not count towards your encumbrance.

Additionally, while wielding a shield you have advantage on checks and saving throws against being shoved.

Shield that Guards

Starting at 9th level, you do your best to protect yourself and those around you. Your Aegis gains a number of additional uses of Splinter equal to the number of Underhanded Assault points spent on the Aegis. Additionally, whenever you use your Defender ability against a critical hit, you can use your own shields Splinter ability to negate the Gritty Injury if the attack still hits.

Unarmed Savage

Starting at 1st level, you fight like a cornered animal. Your unarmed attacks are now considered light finesse weapons. Whenever you hit a creature with an unarmed strike and use an Underhanded Assault, you deal additional bludgeoning damage to that creature equal to your Dexterity modifier.

You add a d4 to this extra damage at 4th level and again at 8th level.

Animal Strength

Also at 1st level, whenever you hit a creature with an unarmed attack and attempt the Close and Personal or Shin Sweep Underhanded Assault you can treat your grapple check/change the DC of the Constitution (Grit) check to equal your Strength Score. You must do this before any rolls are made, after which you gain 1 Stress.

Finally, your Underhanded Assault save DC can be calculated with either your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

Filed Teeth and Sharpened Claws

Starting at 3rd level, you hone the weapons given to you at birth - your teeth and fists. You need nothing else. While you are unarmed, creatures have disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws against your Underhanded Assault features.

Pursuit Predator

You follow your prey for days, tiring it out, until finally it can flee no longer. Starting at 6th level, you can track other creatures and move stealthily while traveling at a fast pace. You also gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) and Wisdom (Survival) checks made in natural environments.

Additionally, the unarmed strikes you make on the first round of combat against a creature you have been pursuing/hunting for at least a day have advantage.

Go for the Throat

Like an animal you go for your prey's exposed throat to finish the kill, savoring the metallic taste of their blood. Starting at 9th level, when you score a critical hit against a creature you can choose to regain 2d6 stamina and cause your next successful unarmed attack against the same creature to deal an additional 2d6 damage.

Once you use this feature, you gain 2 Stress and cannot do so again until you complete a short rest.

Leaders of Men

Maintaining control and dominance in dangerous situations is often what decides who lives and dies. In this regard, Marshals are masterful commanders. A Marshal often requires those they lead to share a common goal, moral code, a willingness to work together, or at least an unwavering ability to take orders. Regardless, a Marshal makes an exceptional and often much needed addition to any group pursuing a dangerous or glorious endeavour.

The ways in which a Marshal can command those under them vary greatly from person to person. However, all Marshals spend their time barking orders, issuing commands, and leading their followers with their inspiring presence. Through extensive preparation, meticulous training, and flawless coordination; a warband led by a skilled Marshal is capable of magnitudes more than a common fighting force and will be able to fell foes several times greater than themselves.

Force of Character

A Marshal often starts out as a soldier or some member of a larger group. However, they rise above the rest. Not by honing skill with weapons, but by their ability to draw greatness out of others, whether consciously or not. When an individual with such talents surfaces, they are often thrust into positions of leadership by those they are asked to lead.

However, not all Marshals are warriors. A village elder, longship captain, or even the head of a gang of outlaws make equally viable Marshals. The key similarity among them all is that they all possess a magnetic personality that makes men flock to them and a strong force of character that allows them to inspire great acts in others when others could not. Thus, those who a Marshal is leading are often surprised that they must find a way to accommodate such a strong-willed personality being added to their number.

Stamina

• Stamina Dice: 1d6 per Marshal level
• Stamina at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
• Stamina at Higher Levels: 2 + your Constitution modifier per Marshal level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armour: Light and Medium, Shields
• Weapons: Simple Weapons, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords.
• Tools: None
• Saving Throws: Dexterity & Charisma
• Skills: Choose any three

Equipment

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

• (a) a chain shirt or (b) leather armour, a shortbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a spear and a shield or (b) a longsword
• (a) a dipomat’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• a simple weapon and a skullcap

Commands

Additionally, each Leader’s Presence also has two Commands listed in their description. You can use an action to give a Command on your turn. You can do this a number of times as seen in the Command column of the Marshal class table. You regain all spend uses after you complete a long rest. If you are out of uses but still wish to give a Command, you can spend a Stamina die and gain 1 Stress to regain a use.

Commands only effect creatures in range of your Leader's Presence.

Some Commands require a target to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Bearer of the Banner

You carry the banner bearing a great heraldry, inspiring those who serve under it. Starting at 1st level, you gain a banner as a part of your starting equipment. This banner can be wielded one or two handed, though wielding it one handed halves your movement speed due to its cumbersome length and top heavy weight.

When you roll initiative and are wielding this banner you may choose one Ability Score. All allies that can see the banner gain advantage on skill checks and saving throws made with the chosen Ability Score for the duration of the combat. You must be wielding the banner for your allies to get this benefit.

At 5th and again at 9th level, you may choose an additional Ability Score to grant this benefit to as well.

Lay Claim

Starting at 3rd level, you can raise your banner and plant it in the blood-soaked battlefield, laying claim to the land. For 1 minute, 20 feet around the planted banner is considered difficult terrain for enemies. At the start of your turn while you stand within this space, you grant any allies also within this space 1d4 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points stack with each other, up to a maximum of your Charisma score, and last until the effect ends. Moving the banner also ends this effect.

Allies still gain the benefit of your Bearer of the Banner feature (and later your Renowned Emblem feature) even though you are not holding the banner while this ability is active.

Once this feature is used, it cannot be used again until you have finished a short or long rest.

Renowned Emblem

Starting at 6th level, you banner sways above the din of war, inspiring all that lay their eyes upon it. While holding your banner your Leader’s Presence range increases to 60 feet.

Bannerlord

Starting at 9th level, your Lay Claim feature can be used a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum of twice) per short or long rest.

Open Ears

Starting at 1st level, you make a point of keeping up with the latest news both local and from afar, as well as making an effort to know the wise and the powerful. If you can freely travel about an area talking with locals and passing travelers for a few hours, you hear all the latest local news, including news of trouble, without raising suspicion.

War of Words

If you can keep yourself aloof enough, one can begin to see that most wars are prompted by the words of one powerful person to another. An insult given, a declaration made, an oath sworn - people have killed for less. You know this, and know how to shape history by uttering the right words to the right people.

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to generate Counsel Points. Once gained, they are lost after a number of weeks equal to your Marshal Level have passed or you spend them.

You gain 1 Counsel Point if you carry out a difficult order given to you by a superior such as collecting taxes from a disloyal village, when you successfully shift the balance of political power in a settlement to your advantage, when you give useful advice to a superior that later ends up playing a big role in securing victory, or when you spend 1 period of downtime every day for a week improving your relationship with a superior/high ranking official of the local settlement. All of these conditions may require one or more ability checks to complete, with DCs set by the GM.

You can spend Counsel Points to activate the following abilities, paying the stated number of points in order to do so:

• Favors Owed (1 Point). Choose one non-hostile NPC that you know. That NPC now owes you a favor. They will not risk injury to themselves of their allies while returning this favor.

• Gleaned Secrets (2 Points). Choose an NPC that you know. After spending 4 periods of downtime collecting information on them, you learn a secret about them that they would rather keep hidden. The chosen NPC is aware that you know this secret if the NPC succeeds on a Wisdom (Insight) check made against your Command Save DC after you learn the secret.

• Plots Thwarted (3 Points). You spend 1 period of downtime each day for a week searching for plots against you or your superiors. Should one or more be present, you become aware of one of the GMs choosing. After doing so, you gain advantage on the first ability check you make to stop this plot.

  If there are no plots present, the spent Counsel Points are refunded.

Tools of War

You gain proficiency in Heavy armour and 4 weapons of your choice.

Bring Forth the Slaughter

Starting at 1st level, when an ally that you can see scores a critical hit on a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to spit curses and inspire fear into your foes. All hostile creatures within 10 feet of the ally who scored the critical hit must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or become frightened of you and the ally until the end of their next turn.

At 2nd level the DC for the Charisma saving throw becomes your Command Save DC.

Leader of the Wolf Pack

Starting at 3rd level, you lead your pack of comrades with every strike. You gain the following features:

• If you hit a creature with a melee attack, the next attack made by one of your allies against the same creature gains advantage.
• If you hit a creature with a ranged or thrown weapon attack, that creature gains disadvantage on opportunity attacks until the start of your next turn.
• If an enemy deals damage to one of your allies, you can use your reaction to bellow insults at them. If you do, you deal 1d4 psychic damage to that creature. This damage increases to 2d4 at 7th level.

Lead from the Front

Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Additionally, if you use an Action to issue an Order or Command, you can use your bonus action to make a single weapon attack.

Let Slip the Dogs of War

Starting at 9th level, your leadership methods have bred violence and bloodlust into your warband. These wolves need only your command to lose themselves in the slaughter. You can use your action to command your allies to send the weak to a shallow grave. Each ally within 120 feet of you can use their reaction to make a single attack with a bonus to its damage roll equal to your Charisma modifier.

Once you use this feature, you gain 2 Stress and cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Learned Commander

A dull mind is far more detrimental to a warrior than a dull blade, though a sharp one is a far greater weapon then any axe. Starting at 1st level, you may add your Intelligence modifier to your Initiative rolls in addition to your Dexterity modifier.

Additionally, when an Order, Command, or Leader's Presence states to use your Charisma modifier for an effect, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead. Your Command Save DC is also now calculated using your Intelligence modifier instead of your Charisma modifier.

Cunning Strategist

At 3rd level, your keen mind for the logistics of warfare allows you to best organize your allies and prepare plans for the battles ahead. You gain an additional Order.

Additionally, over the course of a long rest you can choose one Order you know and replace it with another.

Anticipate

Starting at 6th level, your knowledge and experience in leadership and planning almost give you a sixth sense when it comes to anticipating things that might go wrong. Once per long rest, if you have spent at least an hour pondering a course of action, the GM gives you some insight on one or more likely problems with your contemplated course of action. This could be a particularly stubborn diplomat, an insufficient number of troops to accomplish a goal or even the lack of an ally's resolve to see a plan through.

This feature does not give you access to any information that you would not reasonably know.

Veteran Tactician

The carnage of battle is little more than a bloody chess board. The pieces move to your order as your grand strategy unfolds. Starting at 9th level, if an Order requires you to use an action to issue it, you can issue another Order (for a total of two) as apart of the same action.

Inspiring Leader

Starting at 1st level, you bring your leadership talents to bear in every situation. Just as you look over the battlefield and give orders to your warriors, you survey your lands and tell the people how to work it. You gain proficiency in Charisma (Persuasion) if you did not already have it. You can add double your proficiency bonus to Charisma (Persuasion) checks when attempting to recruit allies or give orders.

Levys

You are a minor lord; a landowner and commander. Through this influence, you can sway the rabble to your side and call peasants to fight beside you. Starting at 3rd level, while in a settlement of village size or larger in which the populace is non-hostile towards you, you can attract a number of Levys equal to your proficiency bonus.

These freemen swear allegiance to you and will serve you loyally and even fight for you, at no cost besides basic lifestyle expenses and assurance of safety and comfort in your holdings and the holdings of your superiors. However, they might desert or even mutiny against you if they are treated poorly or exposed to moral breaking experiences.

In combat, the Levys share your initiative count, but take their turns immediately after yours. They can move and use their reactions on their own, but the only Action they take on their turn is the Dodge action unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command them to take one of the actions in their stat block or the Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide, or Search action. Unless commanded to otherwise, Levys will always remain within 5 feet of each other. Additionally, all Levies make saving throws as a single creature if multiple of them are targeted by an effect.

Over a Long rest, you can run your Levys through combat drills and other marital training to keep them in fighting shape. Doing so requires 5 periods of Downtime. If these drills are preformed, until your next long rest the Levys add your proficiency bonus to their AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, and your Marshal level to their Stamina maximum.

Air of Dominance

You are a domineering force on the battlefield. Your battle brothers and sisters strike harder as to not earn your ire. All allies in range that can see and hear you can re-roll all 1s on their damage rolls.

No Quarter: You command your allies to cut deeper. For 1 minute, all allies in range that can see and hear you can re-roll all 2s and 3s on their damage rolls. This Command requires you to maintain Concentration.

Intimidation Tactics: You command the attention of all in the shield-shake, causing foes to falter at your power. For 1 minute, all enemies in range that can see and hear you roll their damage die twice and take the lower result. This Command requires you to maintain Concentration.

Always Ready

You have a keen sense for spotting the fight before it begins. All allies in range that can hear you gain a bonus to their initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.

Get Ready: You command your warriors to make a lasting first impression on your foes. All allies in range that can hear you gain a bonus to their first attack roll, ability check, and saving throw they make on the first round of combat equal to your Marshal level.

No Surprises: You command your allies to remain vigilant. For 10 minutes all allies in range cannot be surprised and creatures cannot gain advantage on attack rolls against them as a result of being hidden. This Command requires you to maintain Concentration.

By Example

You don't keep back and order from a distance. You lead from in the midst of the battlefield, inspiring your men to fight. While you are engaged with an enemy, all allies in range gain a bonus to Strength and Wisdom saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier.

Keep Fighting: You command those around you to fight on despite their wounds. For 1 minute, while you are engaged with an enemy, all allies in range gain advantage on Constitution (Grit) checks.

Shield Brothers: You command your battle brothers to keep their shields up as they fight beside you. For 1 minute, while you are engaged with an enemy, all allies in range gain a +1 bonus to their AC and damage rolls.

Cull the Weak

In your presence, wholesale slaughter is common. Enemies in range that receive a critical hit gain a penalty to their Gritty Injury roll equal to your Charisma modifier.

Feed the Worms: You command your allies to slaughter them all, down to the last. For 1 minute, whenever an ally in range that can see and hear you scores a critical hit against a creature, they add your Marshal level to the damage of the attack. This Command requires you to maintain Concentration.

Death: You command your men to end your foes. Until the beginning of your next turn all allies in range that can see you can make an additional attack when they take the Attack action on their turn.

Dirty Hands

War is a grim thing. As such you inspire your men to win the fight, by what ever means necessary. All allies that can see you in range that are Flanking a creature may use their reaction to make an opportunity attack against the flanked creature should that creature take the Attack action on their turn and not target all flanking creatures with an attack. This only provokes an opportunity attack for the non-targeted flanking creatures.

Kick 'em While They're Down: You command those around you to curb stomp fallen enemies. For 1 minute all allies that can see you in range add your Charisma modifier to damage rolls made against prone or incapacitated creatures. This Command requires you to maintain Concentration.

Impaling Insult: You command your foes to stick their weapons were the sun don't shine. Choose a number of humanoid enemies in range that can hear you equal to your Charisma modifier. The chosen targets must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d6 + your proficiency bonus psychic damage and take a -2 penalty to their AC for 1 minute as they drop their guard in response to your scathing comment. Effected targets can reattempt the saving throw at the end of their turn, ending the effect on a success.

Great Minds

Scholars are people who make their living primarily by preforming secretarial and administrative duties such as dictation and keeping business, judicial, and historical records for lords, ship captains and cities. They are among the few in the civilized world who can read and write, but are unique in their endless desire to learn. This coupled with an ability to apply their intelligence to nearly any task, Scholars use their vast reservoir of knowledge to resolve the various challenges that confront them.

While most Scholars have broad intellectual interests, all of them pursue a particular field of expertise to which they have likely dedicated their entire lives to study. As a result, no one undertakes the mantle of Scholar without some ambition in mind. While many scholarly types are happy simply contemplating the theoretical, Scholars will use their knowledge as a tool that has a tangible effect on the world around them. Beyond the obvious application of their craft, a Scholar often has a higher purpose they strive towards, a reason to scorn the violent ways of many of their companions in favour of the quill and inkwell.

Knowledge is Power

A Scholar's devotion is to the understanding of knowledge. Real intelligence that pushes beyond trivia, ranging from the what to the why and how. This distinction is a defining aspect of the curiosity that drives them to learn. The wisest among them realizes that while there may be no unsolvable mysteries, no single man can hope to solve them all. And so they know that learning is a lifelong pursuit.

The invention of paper has made recording and storing the wisdom of the past much easier, but much of what is known has yet to be written down and mass producing such works is near impossible with current technology. As a result, Scholars occupy a unique place within the world. They know things that many are not privy too, simply as a result of being able to read and correlate dissociated information gathered by themselves and other Scholars.

Stamina

• Stamina Dice: 1d4 per Scholar level
• Stamina at 1st Level: 4 + your Constitution modifier
• Stamina at Higher Levels: 1 + your Constitution modifier per Scholar level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armour: None
• Weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Slings, Spears, Staffs
• Tools: An artisan’s tool of your choice
• Saving Throws: Intelligence & Wisdom
• Skills: Four of your choice from: History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Occultism, Religion, Sleight of Hand, or Survival.

Equipment

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

• (a) a staff or (b) a sling with 20 stone bullets
• (a) an artisan’s tool of your choice or (b) a dagger
• A scholar’s pack
• A book, quill, and a full inkwell

Hands of a Healer

Starting at 1st level, you know how to treat wounds, illness and poison. You have a pool of healing techniques that replenishes when you take a long rest. With this pool, you can restore a total number of health equal to your Analysis Modifier x 5.

As an action, you can touch a creature to begin binding their wounds and on your subsequent turn use another action to expend a use of a healer’s kit. After taking the initial action, you must concentrate and remain within 5 feet of the target until you take the next action. Additionally, during this time the target creature cannot take actions of any kind, or your concentration will be broken. Successfully doing so restores a number of health to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool.

The DC to resist breaking concentration for this ability is 8 + number from the pool spent or the damage of the attack that triggered the saving throw, whichever is higher.

If instead you tend the creature for at least 1 hour, binding their wounds, treating them with herbs and poultices, then you may add your Intelligence modifier to the amount of health healed.

Life Saver

Starting at 3rd level, you know how to sustain the life of the mortally wounded. When you successfully stabilize a dying creature they regain 1 Health, immediately waking from unconsciousness.

Additionally, when a creature would die in a certain number of rounds due to a Gritty Injury, you can use your action while tending to their wounds to make a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a success you roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the number of rounds before the creature dies. A creature can only benefit from this ability once per short rest.

Battlefield Surgeon

There is no better teacher than the blood-soaked battlefield, though you have learned different lessons than a warrior would from it. Starting at 6th level, you have advantage on Wisdom (Medicine) checks made to tend to open and festering wounds and other injuries or effects caused by a Gritty Injury.

Healer of Great Burdens

Starting at 9th level, such is your skill that those you tend too know that they'll never succumb to their wounds while in your care. When you use your Hands of a Healer feature on a creature currently suffering from a Gritty Injury, the healing it receives is doubled.

Words of Comfort

Starting at 1st level, you have studied how to sooth the mind and rid it of distress. As an action, you can target a willing creature within 15 feet of you and speak words of comfort to them, reducing their current Stress by an amount equal to your Intelligence modifier. This requires the creature to be able to hear and understand you.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all spent uses after you complete a long rest.

Psychological Warfare

Starting at 3rd level, just as you can encourage or rally an ally, you can use your knowledge of emotions to distract, confuse and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others.

You can target a hostile creature with your Academic Analysis ability should they meet the prerequisites to do so. However, instead of adding your Analysis Modifier to their result, they minus it from their result instead as you speak unsettling words to shatter their resolve.

Mend the Broken

Starting at 6th level, you become dedicated to mending those broken by the stresses of the world. You are considered a trained professional in terms of curing creatures of any Traumas they are suffering from.

At 8th level you can cure Insanities as well.

Additionally, using your Words of Comfort feature on a Distressed creature reduces an additional 1 Stress, on a Tormented creature by 2, and a creature that is On the Brink by 3.

Break the Mind

Starting at 9th level, as you have mastered how to cure and ease the burdens upon the mind, you have also learnt how to inflict such mental wounds. As an action you can force one creature of your choice that can hear and understand you to make an Intelligence saving throw. The DC for this saving throw = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

On a failure, that creature takes 4d6 + your Intelligence modifier psychic damage, or half as much on a success. When a creature takes this damage it gains an amount of Stress equal to half the damage taken.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Wise Counsel

Starting at 1st level, your experiences and wisdom can assist those who are willing to listen. When you take the Help action to assist an ally, you can do so at a range of 30 feet and that creature adds your Wisdom modifier to their d20 roll as long as it can hear and understand you.

Worldly

Starting at 3rd level, your exposure to so many people has led you to a good understanding of how people think and act. From now on, whenever another person is lying to you or is withholding the truth, you will always suspect that something is amiss, regardless of how accomplished a liar they are.

A Wisdom (Insight) check would be required to gain a better idea of exactly what it is they are withholding or lying about.

To Dwell and to Act

You have been many places, and thus know many things. You know well how to apply your wealth of knowledge to benefit you in most situations. Starting at 6th level, you can spend 1 minute pondering a specific course of action you plan to undertake within the next day. After doing so, the GM provides you with one of the following predictions about the action:

• Weal. A good outcome.
• Woe. A bad outcome.
• Weal and Woe. Both a good and bad outcome.
• Nothing. The outcome is not specifically good or bad.

Your predictions do not account for any possible circumstances that might change after you ponder the action, like the gain or loss of an ally.

Every time you use this feature before completing a long rest, there is a cumulative 20 percent chance for each use after the first that you get an incorrect prediction. The GM makes this roll (a d100) in secret.

Inhuman Wisdom

Starting at 9th level, your dedication to developing your mind has honed you into a true genius. The sum total of your experiences lends you an insight that is unmatched. Your Wisdom score increases by 4 and your maximum Wisdom increases to from 20 to 24.

Additionally, you can add your Wisdom modifier to Intelligence ability checks and saving throws you make and vice versa.

Agricultural Application

Prerequisite: None.

You have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) and Intelligence (Nature) checks made in relation to farming. Additionally, the damage die for farming implements that you use as a weapon increases by one step (d4>d6 etc.).

Animal Husbandry

Prerequisite: None.

You gain a faithful dog, cat, or raven companion. Your companion has the same stats as the base animal, but it’s Intelligence score is 4 and can understand (but not speak) the basics of one language that you speak. Should your companion die, you can find a stray to replace them after one period of Downtime of searching in any town or city.

Astute Defence

Prerequisite: Military Advisor.

While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Banes of the Mind

Prerequisite: Psychologist.

Instead of using Words of Comfort to reduce a creatures Stress, you can instead use one use to remove one condition affecting the target creature. The conditions you can remove using this feature are the Charmed, Frightened, or Winded conditions. You cannot remove any conditions in this way that you are currently suffering from.

Bear the Burden

Prerequisite: Psychologist.

When you use your Words of Comfort feature you can choose to reduce a creature's Stress by an additional amount equal to your Analysis Modifier. If you choose to do so however, you gain an equal amount of Stress.

Calculated Response

Prerequisite: Military Advisor, Level 4.

When you would make a Dexterity saving throw, you can instead make an Intelligence saving throw. You can use this Lore a number of times equal to your Analysis Modifier. You regain all expended uses of this lore when you complete a long rest.

Clean Living

Prerequisite: None.

Over the course of 10 minutes you can administer beneficial herbs to yourself and up to your Intelligence modifier in other creatures. When you do you and each creature you choose gains resistance to poison damage and has advantage on saving throws against poison, disease, festering wounds, and infection for the next 24 hours. You can't use this again until you complete a short rest.

Combat Efficiency

Prerequisite: Military Advisor, Level 6.

You and allies within 30 feet of you have advantage on initiative rolls and on the first attack roll they make in an encounter.

Eidetic Memory

Prerequisite: Loremaster, Level 6.

You can accurately recall with perfect detail anything you have seen, heard, experienced, or pondered. Ever.

Emotional Conditioning

Prerequisite: Psychologist, Level 6.

You can use your bonus action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened. You gain 1 Stress after doing so.

Ever the Student

Prerequisite: None.

When you finish a short or long rest, you can choose a combination of two skills, tools, or weapons you are not proficient in. You must spend at least 30 minutes training yourself with another character who is proficient with the chosen skills, tools, or weapons, who is willing to teach you. Until use this Lore again, whenever you make an ability check that involves the chosen skill or tool, or make an attack roll with the chosen weapon, you add your Analysis Modifier to the roll.

Experienced Assistance

Prerequisite: Wiseman.

You can use your bonus action to take the Help action if the action you are assisting in is a skill check that you are proficient in.

Field Research

Prerequisite: Level 4.

If you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside of combat, you can learn information about its capabilities. Choose a reference creature of the same type that you have seen, and the GM tells you if the creature you are researching is equal, superior, or inferior to the reference creature in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice:

• Strength score
• Dexterity score
• Constitution score
• Intelligence score
• Armor Class
• Maximum stamina
• Total class levels (if any)

Buying Painkillers

Painkillers can be found in most large city centres, where they are sold by a variety of individuals. Court healers, herbalists, and even drug dealers can supply characters with this valuable resource. Painkillers can be bought for 40 gp per dose plus any additional fees the seller may charge.

A Life of War

Slayers are warriors without peers. War is their life, for often a Slayer knows nothing else. They seek it like a starving mutt, whether consciously or not, for what else is a Slayer good for other than killing? Even if a Slayer began their life as a farmhand, fishermen, or even a craftsmen of some kind, all those skills have been long forgotten. Lost to the gore tide of battle. Many find comfort in the certainty of war. The strong live and the weak perish. And Slayers are strong, without compromise.

Often from a young age Slayers learn nothing other than how to swing a blade and fight in battle. This is different to the martial training granted to eager youths who wish to become warriors. A Slayer's training, if it could be called that, often consists of being thrust into danger against insurmountable odds with only one objective: Kill or die. This violent upbringing paves the way for a lifetime of bloody conflict.

Living Weapons

The mettle of a Slayer is forged through hardship and strife. They train their bodies endlessly, and thus are often well muscled and hard faced. However, the strength of their body pales in comparison to the strength of their mind. The Battle Trance, as it is known, is a window into the mind of a Slayer. Their Battle Trance enables a Slayer to make their dreadful will manifest in combat.

It can be a state of pure unbridled rage, a state of hyper focus, a numbing lucid experience, an adrenaline rush that brings ecstasy with every kill, or something else entirely. Regardless Slayers make use of this ability to push their body to inhuman feats. A Slayer cannot draw upon their trance without consequence. A Battle Trance puts such a strain on body and mind that a lesser warrior who attempted similar feats to an entranced Slayer might be sent into madness or to the afterlife.

Stamina

• Stamina Dice: 1d10 per Slayer level
• Stamina at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Stamina at Higher Levels: 3 + your Constitution modifier per Slayer level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armour: Light and Medium, Shields
• Weapons: All Weapons
• Tools: None
• Saving Throws: Strength & Constitution
• Skills: Choose two from: Athletics, Grit, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) scale mail or (b) padded armour, four javelins
• (a) a greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon
• two handaxes
• An explorer’s pack, any simple weapon, and a skullcap

You can enter a Battle Trance twice between rests at 7th level. If you enter a Battle Trance multiple times between rests, you do not suffer the above penalties while in a Battle Trance, though the AC penalty does stack for every additional Battle Trance after the first.

Berserkergang

Your rage is mindless, known by all as the Berserkergang. While walking the Berserkergang you know not of pain; only destruction. Starting at 1st level, while in a Battle Trance, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to Strength based damage rolls. This bonus increases to +2 at 4th level and +3 at 8th level.
• You have advantage on Constitution (Grit) checks.

Fury

Starting at 3rd level, your rage can push you to incredible feats in combat, should you give in to the fury. You gain a set of abilities that are fueled by a pool of special points called Fury.

You have a number of Fury equal to your Slayer level. You can spend Fury to fuel various abilities, which are detailed below.

Fury is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended Fury when you finish a short or long rest.

You can use Fury to activate the following abilities.

• Bear Strength: Your rage struggles against the contrasting weakness of your body. You can spend Fury at the beginning on your turn as a bonus action to add a bonus to all Strength based attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the end of your next turn equal to 2 x the amount of Fury spent.
• Cull the Weak: Rage consumes you as you cut down the weak. After hitting a creature with a melee attack, you can spend 2 Fury to add 1d8 to the damage of the attack.
• Push Through: You refuse to feel pain. As a reaction to being subjected to the Winded or Staggered condition you can spend Fury to ignore the effect for a number of rounds equal to the amount of Fury spent, after which you are subjected to the effect as per normal and gain 1 Stress.
• Revenge: None strike you without consequence, your rage will not allow it. As a reaction to being hit with a melee attack you can expend 1 Fury to retaliate. You deal your Strength modifier + half your Slayer level damage to the creature that attacked you. The damage type dealt is that of the weapon you're currently wielding.

Rekindled Rage

The Berserkergang is unending while your fury persists. Starting at 6th level, you can use an action to spend 5 Fury to regain a use of Battle Trance, which you immediately enter after doing so, either preforming the 1 minute ritual or spending a Stamina Die to enter the trance as an Action. Once this Battle Trance ends, you gain one level of exhaustion.

After using this ability, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.

Undying Fury

Rage pulses through your body with every heartbeat like a war drum. While you walk the Berserkergang, the fury will never leave you. Starting at 9th level, whenever you enter a Battle Trance and don't have any Fury remaining, you regain 2 Fury.

Additionally, you are no longer required to spend Stamina die if you wish to enter a Battle Trance on your turn.

Step into the Ring

The dueling arts are known to you, giving you an advantage over those who would face you one-on-one. Starting at 1st level, while in a Battle Trance, you gain the following benefits:

• When you are engaged with a humanoid target and there are no other creatures within 5 feet of you or the target, your attack rolls against them gain a +2 bonus.
• If you take the Dodge Action on your turn you can use your reaction to make a single melee weapon attack with disadvantage.

Expert Duelist

Starting at 3rd level, you excel at fighting one-on-one where you can best take advantage of your foes missteps. Creatures provoke opportunity attack from you if they target you with a melee weapon attack and miss, as long as they are the only creature within 5 feet of you.

Additionally, while in a Battle Trance you gain an additional reaction each round. This extra reaction can only be used to make an opportunity attack.

Renowned Fighter

Your talent as an exceptional combatant has given you a reputation that you can exploit for your benefit. Starting at 6th level, at the start of initiative you can select one humanoid target within 30 feet of you that can see, hear and understand you. That creature must succeed on a DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier Wisdom saving throw as you boast of your skill and past duels. On a failure, the target gains Stress equal to your Resolve and has disadvantage on attack rolls until it uses an action to make the saving throw again and succeeds. It has advantage on this saving throw if it has hit you with an attack since the start of combat. If the target succeeds the initial saving throw however, you gain 2 Stress instead.

Additionally, your dueling prowess is apparent or known and most who would be willing to settle their disputes with you by duel will often be driven to compromise instead of violence.

Honour Duel

You have mastered fighting in duels. Many times have you faced down a foe, and many times have you walked away. Starting at 9th level, when you are engaged with a humanoid target and there are no other creatures within 5 feet of you or the target, you gain the following benefits:

• When you hit the target with an opportunity attack it takes an additional 1d4 damage.
• At the beginning of your turn you can spend 30 feet of movement to gain advantage on your next attack roll against your target.

Steelwind

Your speed and nimble strides gift power to your attacks. Those you strike wonder if your blades glide upon the wind itself. Starting at 1st level, while in a Battle Trance and not wearing Heavy armour, you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
• If you move at least 15 feet in your turn, your melee weapon attacks made with light or finesse weapons deal an additional 1d4 damage if made on the same turn. If you move at least 30 feet, the damage becomes 1d8.

Focus

You have learned how to combine swift movements with quick thinking, allowing you focus in combat in order to dart in and out of combat at incredible speeds in order to gain the upper hand. Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to generate Focus when in combat. You create 1 Focus whenever you successfully hit a creature with a light or finesse melee weapon attack, when you first enter your Battle Trance, or when you take the Dodge action. All Focus gained is lost when combat ends or you become incapacitated.

On your turn you can spend 1 Focus to take the Disengage action as a bonus action, or double your movement speed until the end of your turn.

Additionally, when you make a weapon attack, you can spend 2 Focus to grant yourself advantage on that attack; if you do so, that attack cannot generate Focus.

Rapid Strikes

Starting at 6th level, your speed allows you to forgo precision for the sake of striking rapidly. If you have advantage on an attack roll made with a light or finesse weapon, you can forgo that advantage and use a reaction to make a single melee weapon attack against the same target. Neither of these attacks generate Focus.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of once) per short rest.

Deadly Momentum

Starting at 9th level, you become a blur in combat, your strikes dismembering your foes before they can react. While in a Battle Trance and not wearing heavy armour, you gain the following benefits:

• If you take the Dodge action you generate 2 Focus instead of 1.
• If you move at least 15 feet in your turn, your melee weapon attacks made with light or finesse weapons deal an additional 1d6 damage, instead of 1d4, if made on the same turn. If you move at least 30 feet, the damage becomes 1d10, instead of 1d8.

Indomitable Behemoth

When fully clad in the armaments of war, you are near unstoppable. Starting at 1st level, while in a Battle Trance and wearing Heavy armour, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws made against damaging effects. At 7th level, this bonus increases to +2.
• You can activate the Scuff and Splinter properties of armour and shields without reducing the Item Condition of the armour or breaking the shield. This can only be done once per Battle Trance for each piece of equipment.

Armoured for War

Also at 1st level, you gain proficiency in Heavy armour, and gain a set of Ring Mail as apart of your starting equipment in place of either scale mail or leather armour and four javelins.

Iron Resolve

While your armour may be strong, your mettle is forged of things far stronger. Starting at 3rd level, you have a pool of delayed damage that allows you to forestall the effects of your injuries. When you take damage, this damage is added to your Delayed Damage Pool, instead of being subtracted from your health or stamina. At the end of your turn, you take damage equal to the total stored in your delayed damage pool, which then resets to 0.

At 3rd level, your delayed damage pool can hold up to 5 points of damage. Any damage beyond that comes off your health or stamina as normal. The maximum damage your pool holds increases by 5 at 6th (10 points) and 9th (15 points) level.

When your health or stamina is healed while you have damage in your delayed damage pool, you choose whether it reduces your damage pool, or restores your health or stamina normally, or both (you can split the amount of healing as you wish).

Additionally, when you have damage stored in your delayed damage pool, you can trigger one of the following two abilities: Return the Favour or Walk it Off. You can do so a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier per long rest.

Living Tank

Starting at 6th level, your endurance becomes phenominal. Once per turn when an attacker that you can see hits you with an Attack while you are wearing Heavy armour, you can reduce the attack's damage against you by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier.

Die Hard

Starting at 9th level, you have become exceptionally hard to kill. You cannot suffer instant death from taking damage exceeding your health and stamina maximum. In addition, instead of falling unconscious when you are reduced to 0 health, you are instead considered winded and staggered, and are unable to take the Dash action. Death and death saving throws otherwise function as normal.

Animalistic Trance

Primal instinct is what fuels your trance. As such you have no use for the armaments of men. Starting at 1st level, while in a Battle Trance and not wearing Medium or Heavy armour, you gain the following benefits:

• You add both your Strength and Dexterity modifier to the damage of your unarmed strikes.
• While wearing an animal pelt cloak, you add you Constitution modifier to your AC.

Bone Breaker, Flesh Ripper

Also at 1st level, your unarmed strikes are considered light finesse weapons, and you may add your ability modifier to offhand attacks made with them. Additionally, you can choose to deal either bludgeoning or slashing damage when you hit with an unarmed strike.

Bestial Veneration

Starting at 3rd level, you focus your worship of beasts onto a specific animal in hopes of gaining their power. Choose one of the following animals: the Bear, Eagle, or Wolf. Over the course of a long rest, you can hunt down and make a cloak of the chosen animal if you do not already have one. While wearing this cloak and not wearing Medium or Heavy armour, you gain the benefits associated with the animal.

• Bear. While wearing a bear skin, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC.
• Eagle. While wearing a cloak of eagle feathers, you do not provoke opportunity attacks from spending movement and creatures that you can see have disadvantage on ranged attack rolls made against you.
• Wolf. While wearing a wolf pelt, you can attempt to knock a Medium or smaller creature prone as a reaction to damaging them with an unarmed strike, as per the shove action.

Bestial Embodiment

Starting at 6th level, you further seek to embody the beast that you draw your primal power from. You file your teeth, sharpen your nails, grow your hair out, and scarify animal symbols onto your flesh. While wearing your animal cloak in a Battle Trance while not wearing Medium or Heavy armour, you gain the benefits associated with your chosen animal.

• Bear. While wearing a bear skin, you increase your AC by 2.
• Eagle. While wearing a cloak of eagle feathers, creatures cannot gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of flanking you or from being hidden from you.
• Wolf. While wearing a wolf pelt, you can make one additional unarmed strike when you use your bonus action to make an offhand attack with your unarmed strike.

Rip and Tear

Such is your savagery that you will not stop fighting until your prey lay in pieces at your feet. Starting at 9th level, you can decide to keep attacking until you run out of steam and your fists are stained red with blood. After you make your normal number of attacks, you can choose to attack again. If this attack hits, then you can attack again with a -1 penalty, and so on with a cumulative -1 penalty until you miss. Once you miss an attack, you become Winded until the end of your next turn and gain 3 Stress.

Once you use this feature, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.

Warmonger's Trance

Your weapon's deadly swings are embowered as you seek out more enemies to slay. Starting at 1st level, while in a Battle Trance, you gain the following benefits:

• When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack while wielding weapon that deals slashing damage in two hands, all creatures within 5 feet of the creature but still within your reach take slashing damage equal to your Strength modifier.
• While wielding a weapon in two hands your critical hit damage ignores the Resistant property of armour and shields.

Tempest

You have mastered the vicious swing of your weapon. Utilizing its size and weight you sweep your weapon around you, spinning to increase your weapons momentum, cleaving through multiple foes in a single attack. Starting at 3rd level, while wielding a melee weapon that deals slashing damage in two hands, you can use your action to perform a Tempest attack.

When you do so, you make an attack roll against two targets within 5 feet of you. There cannot be any form of cover between these targets, or you will attack the cover in place of one of your targets. On a hit, the targets take your normal weapons damage plus two times your Strength modifier.

Performing a Tempest attack leaves you open, giving enemies advantage on attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn.

You can target 3 targets with this feature at 5th level, 4 at 7th level, and 5 at 9th level.

Once you make a Tempest attack, you cannot do so again until you complete a short rest. However, once per Battle Trance you can expend a Stamina die and your full movement for your turn as a bonus action to regain the ability to make a Tempest attack.

Brutal Cleave

Starting at 6th level, your mighty strikes carve through your foes with sickening ease. While wielding a weapon in two hands you score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Dreadful Storm

Your Tempest is fearsome like the storms that gave it it's name. Starting at 9th level, whenever you perform a Tempest attack, you can choose to force all creatures within 15 feet of you to make a DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier Charisma saving throw, becoming frightened of you until the end of their next turn and gaining 3 Stress on a failure. A creature frightened in this way must use their turn to move away from you, and cannot willingly end their turn in a space within 15 feet of you. On a success a creature only gains the Stress and is not frightened.

Once this feature is used, it cannot be used again until you have finished a short rest.

Land Walkers

The world is a cruel place. In order to survive, humanity must cling to its holdfasts lest they be devoured by the countless dangers of the wilderness. Roaming beasts, marauding reavers, outlaw gangs, and the wilderness itself can and will kill without remorse. Yet travel is a necessity of life. You cannot trade, forge alliances, or wage war without traversing the land. As such Wanderers fill the need for those who know how to best travel effectively and safely.

Wanderers have traveled far across the world and spent many years on the road and in the wilderness. Their experience in the ways of travel and their perseverance when undertaking journeys is unmatched. They know that traversing the unclaimed wilderness often requires a degree of luck to make it to their destination alive, for no plan truly survives contact with adversity.

Capable Vagabonds

To traverse this dangerous world and all its hazards is a great undertaking and it is unwise to do so without means to defend oneself. All Wanderers, no matter their reason for wandering, know how to fight in some capacity. This paired with their unmatched skill at journeying across the land makes a Wanderer a prized commodity among travelers. Nomadic tribes, merchant caravans, and standing armies all benefit from the wisdom of a Wanderer.

The safety afforded by the walls of a city cannot be understated, so to choose to live within the fickle confines of nature is to some a puzzling decision. Though there are many callings that require folk to do so however. All these callings require those who answer them to become more than the average vagabond, woodsmen, or fighter. A Wanderer must be able to survive whatever dangers the wilds throw at them.

Stamina

• Stamina Dice: 1d8 per Wanderer level
• Stamina at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Stamina at Higher Levels: 2 + your Constitution modifier per Wanderer level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armour: Light and Medium, Shields
• Weapons: All Weapons
• Tools: Navigator's Tools
• Saving Throws: Strength & Dexterity
• Skills: Survival, plus choose two from; Animal Handling, Athletics, Grit, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, and Stealth

Equipment

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

• (a) a chain shirt or (b) leather armor
• (a) two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• A skullcap
• A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows

Sworn Enemy

You wander the world in search of those who have wronged you in order to enact vengeance upon them. Starting at 1st level, you choose your Sworn Enemy. This Sworn Enemy can be anything from a king, a mercenary company, or an entire tribe of marauders. Discuss with the GM the specifics of your enemy and how they will be integrated into the world and campaign.

You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with weapon attacks against your Sworn Enemy and agents who serve them.

You also learn one language spoken by your Sworn Enemy or creatures associated with it, and you have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.

If your Sworn Enemy is defeated you may choose another. After doing so you gain the above benefits, excluding the additional language, against your new sworn enemy. When choosing this new enemy think upon those who have wronged you on your past quest for vengeance and decide whether or not they deserve your ire.

Vendetta State

Starting at 3rd level, you can enter into a state during battle where your lust for revenge takes over completely as you personally act upon your vendettas. As an action you can enter a Vendetta State. While in this Vendetta State, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain an amount of temporary hit points equal to your Wanderer level.
• Whenever a creature hits you with an attack you gain a +1 bonus to your next damage roll against that creature. This effect stacks up to a maximum of +3. Once you hit that creature the damage bonus is lost.
• As a reaction to a creature targeting you with an attack, you can choose to gain advantage on attack rolls against the attacking creature until the end for your next turn at the cost of having disadvantage on attack rolls against all other creatures until the end of your next turn.

The Vendetta State lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven't attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end this state on your turn as a bonus action. Once this Vendetta state ends you gain 1 Stress.

You can enter this Vendetta State a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum once). You regain expended uses when you complete a long rest.

Sworn Destruction

Starting at 6th level, your bonus to damage rolls against your Sworn Enemies increases to +4.

Additionally, you gain advantage on saving throws against abilities used by your Sworn Enemy while in a Vendetta State.

Revenge

Starting at 9th level, none can wrong you without facing retribution. Once per turn when an attacker that you can see successfully hits you with an attack, you automatically get to make a single attack against them in return.

If you are in a Vendetta State and the target of this attack is a Sworn Enemy, you double the damage gained from your Vendetta State's cumulative damage bonus for this attack.

Run to Ground

Hunters can track their quarry across many miles and bring it down with a well-placed arrow or swift blow. Starting at 1st level, if you spend a day stalking a foe before attacking, that foe gains 1 level of exhaustion and you may make one additional attack when you take the Attack action against that creature on the first round of combat.

If you spend three days, the foe gains two levels of exhaustion and you may make one additional attack against that creature and gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when you take the Attack action against that creature on the first round of combat.

If you spend a week, the foe suffers three levels of exhaustion and you may make one additional attack against that creature and gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls when you take the Attack action against that creature on the first round of combat.

Exhaustion gained in this way can be reduced by if the creature spends entire turn doing nothing but catching their breath. This reduces the creatures exhaustion by 1.

Mark Prey

At 3rd level you learn to read your prey, allowing you to strike deeper and truer. As a bonus action on your turn, you can choose a creature you can see within 60 feet of you and mark it as your prey. You can maintain this mark for a number of hours equal to half your Wanderer level. You deal an extra 1d6 damage of the weapon's type to the marked target whenever you hit it with a weapon attack, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check you make to find it.

This effect ends if you fall unconscious, use it on another creature, or dismiss it as a bonus action.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Deadly Mark

Starting at 6th level, weapon attacks you make against creatures marked by your Marked Prey feature are a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.

Hunter's Respite

Starting at 9th level, the thrill of the hunt comes to an end when the prey falls. When the thrill leaves, a calm takes it's place. When you bring down (kill or incapacitate) a creature you have marked with Mark Prey you can choose to regain any number of Stamina Die up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

Once you've used this ability, you cannot do so again until you've finished a long rest.

Longstrider

Starting at 1st level, the many journeys you have undertaken have quickened your steps. Your movement speed increases by 5 feet and increases by 5 feet again at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level.

Mentor of the Road

Also at 1st level, you know that long travels are made shorter by sharing the knowledge of the land and how to best traverse it. Over the course of a short rest you can give a number of allies equal to your Wisdom modifier the benefits of your Wanderer class feature. The benefits last until you take a short or long rest.

Starting at 2nd level you can spend a long rest tutoring one of your allies in your more specialized talents. After doing so, choose one Ranging Talent that you know, the chosen ally gains that Ranging Talent until you take another long rest.

Momentum Transfer

Nomads know that when embarking upon a journey one should only stop for respite as necessary. For often the momentum of travel can carry one further if left unhindered. You know well that this knowledge can also be applied in combat. Starting at 3rd level, for each 10 feet you move on your turn, you gain a +1 bonus to either your attack or damage rolls (your choice per activation of this feature) until the start of your next turn.

Fast Travel

Starting at 6th level, you have traveled many paths and always know the best route to safe harbor. While you are the Navigator, if you are traveling to a place that you have previously spent at least a short rest in, you can reach this destination in half the usual time if the group you travel with consists of a number of creatures no greater than your Wanderer level + your proficiency bonus.

Home on the Road

For a Nomad, whose only home is the road, it is easy for them find respite despite the often grueling journeys they undertake. Starting at 9th level, if you travel for a week without entering combat you are considered to have taken a long rest and your allies a short rest.

Rugged Survival

Used to living rough in the woods, you have become adept at sleeping with one eye open and with your gear on you. Starting at 1st level, while sleeping you remain aware of your surroundings and you do not suffer any penalties from resting in armour or going 24 hours without taking a short rest.

False Identity

Also at 1st level, you have managed to build a false identity that allows you to enter settlements and interact with other folk without fear of execution. You have advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks made to hide your true identity.

Hidden Blade

Starting at 3rd level, you keep hidden from those who would harm you and strike against them should they find you. When you hit a creature from which you are hidden with a weapon attack, you can add your Wisdom modifier + Wanderer level to the damage of the attack.

Additionally you can attempt to hide when only lightly obscured by natural phenomena.

Paranoid Fugitive

Starting at 6th level, your violent lifestyle affects you in ways you haven't anticipated, causing you to constantly be on edge for potential threats. You gain the following traits:

• You can't be surprised while you are conscious.
• Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being hidden from you.
• Dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight.
• You have advantage on all saving throws you make in the first round of combat.

Woodland Stalker

So long have you spent hiding that you can become near undetectable to those who would seek you out. Starting at 9th level, while in dim light or darkness, like the shade of a forested area, you can use your bonus action to become undetectable to those trying to find you. You are considered invisible to any creature that tries to perceive you. This effect lasts for 1 minute or until you make an attack or move into bright light.

Keen Eye

Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency in the Wisdom (Perception) skill. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the Wisdom (Perception) skill.

Go Ahead

As a Scout you know when to advance and when to hang back. Also at 1st level, after Initiative is rolled but before the first round begins, you can swap places in Initiative with another willing creature of your choice as long as they can hear you and you are not incapacitated.

Read the Earth

At 3rd level you have learned to read signs of recent events in the terrain. After you spend 1 minute studying an area you identify some of the following events that occurred here in the past 24 hours. Choose a number of questions equal to your Proficiency Bonus to be answered by the GM:

• What the type and number of creatures that passed through here?
• What were the lowest and the highest exhaustion levels of all creatures that passed through here?
• What was the heaviest armor type worn by creatures that passed through here?
• In what directions did creatures travel after passing through here?
• What were the weather conditions?

After using this ability you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Ambusher

Starting at 6th level, you excel at leading ambushes and avoiding unnecessary fights. If you surprise your enemies, you grant each ally who can see you a bonus to their initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom Modifier.

Additionally, allies gain a bonus to damage rolls against surprised creatures during a surprise round equal to your Wisdom Modifier.

Alternatively, should you successfully scout the enemy ahead of time and choose to hide or flee instead, you automatically succeed in doing so without requiring the rest of your company to roll for Dexterity (Stealth) check.

Equipment Maintenance

Starting at 1st level, you know the importance of maintaining equipment. You gain proficiency in Smiths Tools and Leatherworker's Tools.

Additionally, over the course of a short rest you can repair an additional number of weapons or pieces of armour per 2 hour period equal to your Wisdom Modifier (minimum of +0).

Efficient Packer

Also at 1st level, by distributing weight and using space efficiently, your carrying capacity is doubled. When you finish a long rest you can extend this benefit to a number of other creatures equal to your Proficiency bonus by packing their things for them.

Supply Manager

Quartermasters make note of every supply in their stockpile, meticulously maintaining and rationing out resources to their caravan or group. Starting at 3rd level, when your group rolls on the Supply Event Table while traveling, you can choose to roll twice and take the higher result. You can only use this feature before any rolls are made.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you have completed the journey you are on and have taken a short or long rest. You gain an additional use per journey at 5th and 7th level.

Additionally, should you fail the Wisdom (Insight) check while you are the Stockpiler you loose a d4 Supply instead of a d6.

Finally, you can always recognize when something has been added or removed from your person or a container you are carrying since the last time you've carried it.

Deep Pockets

Starting at 6th level, your pack always seems to contain exactly the tool you need for the task in front of you. By using your action to reach into your pack you can produce any entirely generic item (subject to GM approval). The item must be able to fit into your pack. Though it functions perfectly, the item is so battered by its time in the recesses of your pack that merchants and traders will consider it valueless.

This ability cannot recharge until the item produced has been entirely used, discarded, or returned to your backpack (where you cannot find it again without expending another use of Deep Pockets).

Once the item has been expended or returned you cannot produce another item using this feature until you finish a short rest.

Flawless Maintenance

Starting at 9th level, your ability to maintain equipment is unparalleled. Over the course of a short rest you can maintain one piece of armour or weapon. Preforming maintenance on a piece of armour gives it the Resistant (1) property or increases it the value of it's Resistant property by 1. Preforming maintenance on a weapon gives it a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

The chosen piece of armour or weapon maintains this bonus until you take short rest.

Masters of Arms

Whether they are questing knights, conquering overlords, royal champions, elite foot soldiers, hardened mercenaries, or bandit kings, as Warriors they all share a thorough knowledge of the skills of combat and an unparalleled mastery with weapons and armor.

Every Warrior can swing an axe, wield a sword or spear, and use a bow with some skill. Likewise, a Warrior is adept with shields and every form of armour. Beyond this basic degree of familiarity, each Warrior specializes in a certain style of combat. This combination of broad general ability and extensive specialization makes Warrior dangerous combatants on the battlefield.

A Bloody Tradition

Over countless generations the grim art of war has been honed to a keen edge. This grand tradition of warfare and widow-making is carried and honoured by every Warrior in some capacity. Warriors are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and staring it defiantly in the face.

The skill of a Warrior can be attributed to a degree of natural talent, though even the most gifted of fighters will have been taught something from someone. The bloody lessons of battle often teach themselves, however the more deadly lessons can be learnt beforehand though a more experienced Warrior. Battle hardened commanders, old soldiers turned trainers, and long-gazed raiders from distant shores all have tales to tell of battles fought and lost. Each tale carries a warning of what can save a Warrior’s life and what can end it.

Stamina

• Stamina Dice: 1d8 per Warrior level
• Stamina at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Stamina at Higher Levels: 2 + your Constitution modifier per Warrior level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armour: All armour, Shields
• Weapons: All weapons
• Tools: None
• Saving Throws: Strength & Constitution
• Skills: Choose any two from; Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Grit, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) ring mail or (b) leather, light crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• A spangenhelm

Student of War

Starting at 1st level, you know that pain is the greatest teacher. You are therefore quick to learn from your mistakes. Whenever you miss a creature with a weapon attack the next attack roll you make against that creature gains a +1 bonus. This effect stacks up to a maximum of +3. Once you hit that creature the bonus is lost. If you attack another creature the bonus is also lost.

Battle Ward

Also at 1st level, you leave no openings for your foes to take advantage of. Creatures have disadvantage on checks made to Flank you. Additionally, if you are Flanked and are attacked by a creature you are not Facing you can use your reaction to Face them instead, negating their advantage.

Superior Martial Skill

Starting at 3rd level, your ability adapt your Martial Skill to match any fight exceeds that of most other Warriors. You gain an extra Martial Skill of your choice.

Additionally, over the course of a long rest you can choose one Martial Skill you know and replace it with another if you spend a period of Downtime each day training.

Know Your Enemy

Starting at 6th level, you know that only half a war is fought with steel. The other half is fought with the mind. If you use an action while observing or interacting with another creature, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The GM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to a number of the following characteristics of your choice equal to your Intelligence modifier + 2 (minimum of 1):

• Strength score
• Dexterity score
• Constitution score
• Armor Class
• Current Health and Stamina
• Current Stress
• Total class levels (if any)

Once you use this feature against a creature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Master of War

Starting at 9th level, the student has become the master. The bonus from Student of war now also applies to your damage rolls against the creature. Additionally, the bonus is no longer lost upon hitting the creature with an attack.

Pillar of the Wall

Starting at 1st level, you are the strong foundation upon which the warband is built. While you are wielding a shield, you give any ally within 5 feet of you that is also wielding a shield a +1 bonus to their AC.

Additionally, while wielding a shield you reduce all damage dealt to you, except psychic damage, by an amount equal to the number of allies within 5 feet of you that are also wielding a shield.

Iron Wall

Starting at 3rd level, you can brace yourself against incoming blows. As an action, you can enter a defensive stance that resists the damage of attackers. While in this stance you reduce any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage you take by 3. However, while in this stance your attack and damage rolls do not add your Strength or Dexterity modifiers, your movement speed is reduced to 5 feet and you have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saving throws.

You exit this stance if you are knocked prone, incapacitated, or you choose to exit the stance as a bonus action.

Builder and Breaker

One should be weary of the builder, for what they build they know how to break. Starting at 6th level, when you critically hit someone with a melee weapon attack you can force the target to either Splinter their shield or Scuff their armour. The target gains no benefit from doing so in this manner.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once). You regain all spent uses once you complete a long rest.

Steel Fortress

Starting at 9th level, when you hunker down you become unmovable. The damage reduced while using your Iron Wall feature increases to 5 and you have advantage on checks to resist being shoved.

Cry Havoc

Dogs of War are emboldened when the bloodshed starts. Starting at 1st level, whenever you or an ally rolls a critical hit against a hostile creature or reduces a hostile creature to 0 health you can use your reaction to give you and all allies within 30 feet of you that can hear you a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls until the end of their next turn. If you use this feature again during the same combat encounter, the bonus increases by +1 each time.

You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Warrior level. You regain all spent uses after you finish a short or long rest.

Carrion Looter

Also at 1st level, you have a morbid knack for sniffing out valuables and useful resources from the dead and dying. You have advantage on checks made to loot corpses or find hidden material wealth.

Amidst Battle

Starting at 3rd level, you have become fully accustomed to the harrowing environment of the battlefield, able to trample over the half dead bodies of the freshly fallen and push through crowds of bloodcrazed warriors lost in blood lust to end your foe. While in combat you gain the following benefits:

• Your movement speed is not impacted by difficult terrain caused by battlefield conditions, such as the spilled guts of a fallen combatant.
• Whenever you successfully Overrun a creature you deal bludgeoning damage to that creature equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of 1) and do not provoke opportunity attacks from it as a result of moving out of its reach until the start of your next turn.
• You have advantage on checks made to Flank a creature.

Sellsword's Brutality

You don't fight your foes - you butcher them. Starting at 6th level, when a melee attack you make reduces a creature's health or stamina to less than or equal to your proficiency bonus, it is instead reduced to 0 health or stamina respectively.

War Wolf

Starting at 9th level, you become lost in the bloodshed like a wolf on the hunt, your attacks fueled by murderous intent. Whenever you hit a creature with an attack while under the effects of Cry Havoc with a bonus of at least +3, you can choose to turn that hit into a critical hit. Creatures critically hit in this way add the current bonus of your Cry Havoc feature to the Severity of their Gritty Injury roll. After doing so you gain 1 Stress.

You must complete a short rest before you can use this feature again.

Bloody Flail

Starting at 1st level, you strike rapidly with fury, your weapon flailing against the battered defences of your foe. While wielding a melee weapon in one hand you can use an action to make three separate melee weapon attacks with the weapon against a creature. On a hit you deal damage to the target equal to your weapons damage modifier (minimum of 1). For every attack that hits, the target's AC is reduced by 1 until the start of their next turn.

The number of attacks you make when you use your Bloody Flail feature increases to 4 at 6th level, and 5 at 10th level.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Strength or Dexterity modifier (minimum of once) per short rest.

Guts and Glory

Starting at 3rd level, you charge headlong into the fray in spite of your safety, hacking and slashing as you do so. On the first round of combat, after initiative is rolled but before anyone acts, you can take your turn. Doing so gives you advantage on attack rolls until the end of your turn. Additionally, when you roll your weapons damage die you can choose to reroll the die but you must use this new roll, even if the new roll is lower than the first. You cannot use this feature if you are surprised or incapacitated.

After this round, intuitive returns to normal and all attacks against you have advantage until the start of your next turn.

Blood!

Starting at 6th level, your heart beats loudly like the hammering blows of your weapon as crimson life-blood coats your face. Whenever you deal health damage to a creature in combat you regain 1 stamina.

Witness Me!

At 9th level, at the start of your turn you can choose to allow enemies to have advantage on attack rolls against you until the beginning of the next round of combat. At the start of the next round of combat, you gain the benefits of your Guts and Glory feature with the following additional benefits which last until the end of that round:

• The amount of Stamina healed by your Blood! feature equals half the health damage dealt by an attack, instead of 1.
• You regain a use of Bloody Flail, or gain an additional use that can be used before the end of the current combat.
• If you are Bloodied or Broken, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

You must complete a long rest before you can use this feature again. However, on your turn you may spend 4 Stamina die as an action to regain the use of this feature.

Ferocious Athlete

Starting at 1st level, you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Additionally, you can use your Strength modifier for Charisma (Intimidation) checks instead of your Charisma modifier.

Brute Force

You leverage your brutish strength to hit harder. Also at 1st level, you gain three Brute Die, which are d6s. a Brute Die is expended when you use it. You regain all spent Brute Die when you finish a long rest. Alternatively, you can spend a Stamina Die during a short rest to regain a Brute Die.

When you make a melee attack using Strength you can spend 1 Brute Die and roll it, adding the result to your damage total.

Feats of Strength

Starting at 3rd level, you can become an imposing and overbearing figure on the battlefield. Your especially brutal force put to grim use. You gain the following new ways to spend Brute Die.

• Big Bastard. At the start of your turn you can roll 1 Brute Die. You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the result and 1 Stress. While you have these temporary hit points, you gain advantage on Strength (Intimidation) rolls and deal 1d4 extra damage to creatures who's Strength score is lower than yours.
• Stone Muscle. As a reaction to taking damage you can roll 1 Brute Die. Should the result of the roll be higher than the damage taken, you negate the damage you would have taken.
• Sundering Impact. Whenever you take the shove action you can roll 1 Brute Die. You add the result to your Strength (Athletics) check to Shove the target. Should the shove attempt be successful, you deal bludgeoning damage to the target equal to the result and the target is pushed back 5 feet and knocked prone.

Improved Brute Die

Starting at 6th level, your Brute Die become d8s. Additionally, you gain an extra Brute Die and another at 9th level.

Overwhelming Threat

Starting at 9th level, your size and strength allows you to enter any fray without worry. You may add your Strength modifier to the result of any Brute Die you roll.

Armour

Technique

Bone-Breaker

When you score a critical hit with an attack that deals bludgeoning damage, you can choose to not add your Strength modifier to your damage roll to instead add it to the result of the gritty injury the target would gain.

Changes

This ruleset necessitates several changes to the standard Statblocks of base Dungeons & Dragons. These changes are detailed below:

Alignment. This ruleset does not use creature Alignment.

Health and Stamina. In place of Hit Points, each creature has Health and Stamina. These are used to determine the characters current Physical State (see below) and if they are currently alive or dead.

Sanity and Resolve. Intelligent creatures have a Sanity and Resolve score. This is used to determine how much Stress they can gain before suffering Fallout. Unintelligent creatures, such as animals, do not have Sanity or Resolve and thus are unaffected by mechanical Stress. Animals are far more likely to just flee if should they become stressed.

Physical and Mental States. The Physical States are used to determine the Severity Modifier of add to Gritty Injuries the creature receives and the Mental States are used to determine what Fallout the creature gets when they gain a certain amount of Stress. These numbers are based on a creatures Stamina, Health, and Sanity.

Personal Affliction. Each creature has a Personal Affliction that they gain should they roll a 11-12 on the Affliction table. For simplicity's sake, if a creature would gain an Affliction the GM can simply choose to have the creature suffer from their Personal Affliction instead of rolling.

Challenge Rating. This rulseset assumes that player progression is done through Milestone Leveling. As a result a creatures Challenge Rating is not listed on their Statblock. GMs using XP leveling should reference the Dungeon Masters Guide for tips on assigning Challenge Ratings to the following creatures.

Template

Brown Bear

Large Beast

---

• Armor Class 13
• Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
• Senses passive perception 14

---

• Health 24 (16+3+5)

• Stamina 28 (4d8+12)

• Sanity -

• Resolve -

Physical State	H/S
Bruised (S)	27
Battered (S)	14
Bloodied (H)	23
Broken (H)	12

Mental State	Stress
Distressed	-
Tormented	-
On the Brink	-

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19(+4)	10(+0)	16(+3)	5(-3)	12(+1)	7(-2)

---

• Skills Athletics +7, Grit +6, Perception +4

---

Thick Pelt. The Brown Bear adds it's Constitution modifier to it's AC instead of it's Dexterity modifier.

Keen Smell. The Brown Bear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Maul. If the Brown Bear hits a Prone creature with a Claws attack, that creature takes an additional 2d4 bludgeoning damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The Bear makes two attacks: one with its Claws, and one with its Bite.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+4) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+4) slashing damage and the target must succeed on either a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked Prone.

Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus)

Large Beast

---

• Armor Class 15
• Speed 40 ft.
• Senses passive perception 14

---

• Health 32 (21+6+5)

• Stamina 48 (6d8+30)

• Sanity -

• Resolve -

Physical State	H/S
Bruised (S)	47
Battered (S)	24
Bloodied (H)	31
Broken (H)	16

Mental State	Stress
Distressed	-
Tormented	-
On the Brink	-

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
25(+7)	10(+0)	21(+5)	5(-3)	12(+1)	7(-2)

---

• Saving Throws Strength +10
• Skills Athletics +10, Grit +8, Perception +4

---

Thick Pelt. The Cave Bear adds it's Constitution modifier to it's AC instead of it's Dexterity modifier.

Keen Smell. The Cave Bear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Maul. If the Cave Bear hits a Prone creature with a Claws attack, that creature takes an additional 2d8 bludgeoning damage.

Imposing Visage. Any creature that ends it's turn within 15 feet of the Cave Bear and can see it must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened of the Cave Bear until the end of their next turn. On a success the creature is immune to the Cave Bear's Imposing Visage for the next 24 hours.

Actions

Multiattack. The Cave Bear makes two attacks: one with its Claws, and one with its Bite.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+7) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (1d12+7) slashing damage and the target must succeed on either a DC 18 Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked Prone.