Eldritch Marksman
An Eldritch Marksman studies a unique elven method of marksmanship that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Eldritch Marksman are some of the most elite warriors among the elves. They stand watch over the fringes of elven domains, keeping a keen eye out for trespassers and using magic-infused arrows to defeat monsters and invaders before they can reach elven settlements. Over the centuries, the methods of these elf archers have been learned by members of other races who can also balance magical aptitude with marksmanship.
Eldritch Marksman Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Eldritch Marksman Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Eldritch Marksman Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | detect magic |
| 2nd | invisibility |
| 3rd | lightning arrow |
| 4th | elemental bane |
| 5th | conjure volley |
Eldritch Marksman Lore
At 3rd level, you learn magical theory or some of the secrets of nature — typical for practitioners of this martial tradition. You choose to gain proficiency in either the Arcana or the Nature skill, and you learn the prestidigitation and the druidcraft cantrips.
Eldritch Shot
At 3rd level, you learn to unleash special magical effects with some of your shots. When you gain this feature, you learn two Eldritch Shot options of your choice (see “Eldritch Shot Options” below).
Once per turn when you fire a piece of ammunition from a ranged weapon as part of the Attack action, you can apply one of your Eldritch Shot options to that piece of ammunition. You decide to use the option when the piece of ammunition hits a creature, unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
You gain an additional Eldritch Shot option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 7th, 11th, and 15th level. Each option also improves when you become an 11th-level.
Magical Shot Readiness
At 7th level, your eldritch shots are available whenever battle starts. If you roll initiative and the remaining number of uses of Eldritch Shots remaining are less than half your proficiency (rounded up), you regain a number of uses up to half your proficiency (rounded up). Additionally, you gain the ability to infuse ammunition with magic. Whenever you fire a nonmagical piece of ammunition from a ranged weapon, you can make it magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. The magic fades from the piece of ammunition immediately after it hits or misses its target.
Enchanted Munitions
At 11th level, you learn the spell Flame Arrows. It counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of spells you know. You can also cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
Whenever you start casting the spell, you can modify it so that it doesn’t require concentration. Moreover, you can alter the damage type of the spell to one of the listed types: fire, cold, lightning, or psychic.
Eldritch Mark
At 15th level, you learn to create enchanted marks that focus your own magic while draining your target's resistance to your magical effects. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see. The target is magically marked for 1 minute. The mark ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the mark ends, you gain the following benefits:
- The marked target has disadvantage on saving throws against your Eldritch Shots or Ranger Spells.
- You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects generated by the marked target.
- If the marked target forces you to make a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, you can choose to end the mark pre-emptively and empower yourself with the remaining magic allowing you to automatically succeed on the save. You can choose to trigger this effect after you have rolled for the saving throw but before you know its outcome.
You have two uses of this ability, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Eldritch Shot Options
The Eldritch Shot feature lets you choose options for it at certain levels. The options are presented here in alphabetical order. They are all magical effects, and each one is associated with one of the schools of magic.
If an option requires a saving throw, your Eldritch Shot save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
Banishing Shot
You use abjuration magic to try to temporarily banish your target to a harmless location in the Feywild. The creature hit by the piece of ammunition takes an extra 1d6 force damage. The target must also succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished. While banished in this way, the target’s speed is 0, and it is incapacitated. At the end of its next turn, the target reappears in the space it vacated or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
The force damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Bewildering Shot
Your enchantment magic causes this shot to temporarily bewilder its target. The creature hit by the piece of ammunition takes an extra 1d6 psychic damage. The target must also succeed on an Intelligence saving throw, or subtract 1d6 from the next saving throw it makes.
The psychic damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Bursting Shot
You imbue a piece of ammunition with force energy drawn from the school of evocation. The energy detonates after your attack. Immediately after the piece of ammunition hits the creature, the target and all other creatures within 10 feet of it take 2d6 force damage each.
The force damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 11th-level in this class.
Enfeebling Shot
You weave necromantic magic into a piece of ammunition. The creature hit by the piece of ammunition takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage. The target must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the damage dealt by its weapon attacks is halved until the start of your next turn.
The necrotic damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Grasping Shot
When this piece of ammunition strikes its target, conjuration magic creates grasping, magical loops, which wrap around the target. The creature hit by the piece of ammunition takes an extra 1d6 bludgeoning damage. The target must also succeed on a Strength Saving throw, or have its speed is reduced to 0 feet until the start of your next turn.
The bludgeoning damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Piercing Shot
You use transmutation magic to give a piece of ammunition an ethereal quality. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, the piece of ammunition shoots forward in a line, which is 1 foot wide and 30 feet long, before disappearing. The piece of ammunition passes harmlessly through objects, ignoring cover. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes damage as if it were hit by the piece of ammunition, plus an extra 2d6 piercing damage. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage.
The piercing damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Seeking Shot
Using divination magic, you grant a piece of ammunition the ability to seek out a target. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, choose one creature you have seen in the past minute. The piece of ammunition flies toward that creature, moving around corners if necessary and ignoring three-quarters cover and half cover. If the target is within the weapon’s range and there is a path large enough for the piece of ammunition to travel to the target, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. Otherwise, the piece of ammunition disappears after traveling as far as it can. On a failed save, the target takes damage as if it were hit by the piece of ammunition, plus an extra 2d6 force damage, and you learn the target’s current location. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and you don’t learn its location.
The force damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Shadow Shot
You weave illusion magic into a piece of ammunition, causing it to occlude your foe’s vision with shadows. The creature hit by the piece of ammunition takes an extra 1d6 psychic damage, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be unable to see anything farther than 5 feet away until the start of your next turn.
The psychic damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 11th level in this class.
Credits
Created by /u/pawgabo
Created in GM Binder
Arts Credits Note
Plase note that do not own any of the art used in the creation of this homebrew. The respective art works and artists are credited to the right and I encourage all interested viewers to look into these. If you are an artis and wish to have your piece removed from this please DM me through the reddit account through which this was posted.
Disclaimer
The Eldritch Marksman is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. POrtions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Art Acknowledgements
Cover Art: Imperial Ranger by Connor Burke
Page 2: Archer Elf” by Yanporfirio
Page 3: Ardenai by sensevessel
Page 4: Ñoldoran Scout by Charles E J Downman