The Myrmidon

A Rogue who has dispensed with cloak-and-dagger to better be able to stand in the throes of melee, a Myrmidon wades into battle with little or no armor as a specialist with a blade, focusing on speed and awareness for their defense, making them a tricky target, and a deadly combatant.

History vs Modernity vs Fantasy

Historically speaking, Myrmidons are Thessalonian hoplites(?) that were led into battle by Achilles in the Illiad - so armor-wearing, shield-wielding warriors. So, something quite different than the unarmored lone-wolf-type skilled mercenaries presented here.

If we look at the 'modern' definition of the word is "a loyal follower or devotee" (though usually used to say they follow orders unquestioningly or without scruples).

However, I personally am making this for a Fire Emblem style game that my personal group is playing, so this follows more closely to the game's fantastical interpretation of the Myrmidon.

Though perhaps you look at this and think "how does this fit into Dungeons and Dragons broadly speaking? Why not play a Kensei or a Swashbuckler or even just a fighter?"

My answer is the interpretation of the definition of the modern word as meaning that they are a loyal devotee to the sword and the kind of life that goes with that devotion - including the unsavory parts. I believe the Myrmidon falls somewhere between the monastic pursuit of mastery in weapon martial arts and the feats of rakish acrobatics and swashbuckling swordplay and becomes something distinct enough to warrant its own mechanics.

Speed and Skill

A myrmidon is a warrior who has eschewed training with all other weapons and even the restriction of heavier forms of armor to achieve an almost unparalleled mastery with their sword. This, however, leaves their defenses somewhat lacking forcing them to develop an equally formidable speed and battlefield awareness to evade incoming blows.

This means that, unlike normal Rogues, a Myrmidon does not have a deep or broad expertise in many skills, and generally lack the penchant for more social forms of deception.

It's a Living

Many Myrmidon begin their careers as lone travellers with some kind of goal in mind. Whether searching for a certain someone, trying to get revenge on the invaders who slaughtered your people but spared you, attempting to understand the plight of the commonfolk, or just plain wanting to be the best, a Myrmidon usually begins their career alone.

However, their particular skillsets, and lack of (most) morals leads to them ending up working in theives' troups, in bandit groups, or working in unscrupulous mercenary companies in an attempt to earn a living with, or advance, their sword skills. Most still have enough of a conscience that a convincing argument might get them to switch sides.

Though, of course, there are some Myrmidons who work on the right side of the law, selling their services as bodyguards, or joining up with an adventuring party, and in some cases even joining the local army.

Creating a Myrmidon

As you create your character, consider carefully that character's impetus for being out in world. What makes them want to be an adventurer? What do they get out of it that they can't get in a less dangerous profession? This can be as       simple as a poor swordsman looking for the big payouts                      that usually comes with the adventurer's lifestyle.                       It could also be complicated, with many layers of                           complexity and emotion, like searching for the                             brother who killed your parents to steal the
                                   family's treasure and disappeared with it.

                Consider your myrmidon's relationship with the             law. Have they always been on the up-and-up? Or      perhaps they have a stained past (or even present). Maybe   the bandits she used to run with are angry about losing her       sword arm and are looking to teach her a lesson. Did he    get caught during a botched robbery, leaving his
  ex-companions behind and now the guards know his face?   And what about the people he left behind to get caught? Could the old captain of the merc company that saved her life be looking to cash in the favor-or her life instead?

Class Features

As a Myrmidon you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

---

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Myrmidon level.

Hit Point at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution Modifier.

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Myrmidon level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor

Weapons: Daggers, shortswords, scimitars, rapiers, and longswords.

Tools: Thieves' Tools.

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence.

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, and Survival.

Equipment

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

• (a) a rapier or (b) a longsword.
• (a) a scimitar or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a scimitar or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Studded leather armor, two daggers, thieves' tools.

Expertise

At 1st level, choose one of your skill proficiencies, or your proficiency with thieves' tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency.

At 6th level, you can choose one more of your proficiencies in a skill, or with thieves' tools to gain this benefit.

Duelist's Blow

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike presicely and exploit a foe's open defenses. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a weapon without the reach or two-handed properties.

You don't need advantage on the attack roll to use your Duelist's Blow against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, no other creatures are within 5 feet of you, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Duelist's Blow column of the Myrmidon table.

Fighting Style

At second level you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a fighting style from the list of optional features. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Cunning Action

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Myrmidon Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you emulate in the exercise of your Myrmidon abilities: Swordmaster or Assassin detailed at the end of the class description. Your archetype choice grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Reliable Talent

By 11th level, you have refined your chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Blindsense

Starting at 14th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of you.

Slippery Mind

By 15th level, you have acquired greater mental strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.

Elusive

Beginning at 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't incapacitated.

Stroke of Luck

At 20th level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat the d20 roll as a 20.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Myrmidon Archetypes

Swordmaster

Where as a myrmidon can be said to be the disciple or the follower of the blade, a swordmaster is just that, somebody who has

Sword Fighter

At 3rd level, you are proficient with greatswords, and shortbows. This replaces any weapons proficiencies you would normally gain from the Rogue class.

In addition, you can deal your sneak attack damage with any weapon which you are proficient with, if you meet the requirements for being able to do so (Having advantage on the attack roll, or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.)

Unarmored Defense

At 3rd level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Combat Superiority

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called superiority dice.

Maneuvers. You learn three maneuvers of your choice, which are detailed under "Maneuvers" below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Superiority Dice. You have three superiority dice, which are d6s. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another superiority die at 9th level , 13th level and one more at 17th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Battlefield Instinct

At 9th level you add your Wisdom modifier to your initiative rolls.

Improved Combat Superiority (d8)

At 13th level your Combat Superiority dice turn into d8s.

Relentless

At 13th level, when you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points with an attack, you regain 1 superiority dice. You may only benefit from this feature once per combat.

Improved Combat Superiority (d10)

At 17th level your Combat Superiority dice turn into d10s.

Improved Critical

At 17th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Maneuvers

Astra. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you may spend three superiority die. If you do make another attack this turn. You must be at least 9th level to learn this maneuver.

At 17th level, you may spend six superiority dice. If you do, make two additional attacks this turn.

Evasive Footwork. When you move, you can expend one superiority die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your AC until you stop moving.

Feinting Attack. You can expend one superiority die and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll this turn against that creature. If that attack hits, add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

Focus the Mind. When you make an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this feature only before you learn if the save succeeded or failed.

Myrmidon's Dodge. If you are hit by an attack while wearing no or light armor, you can expend one superiority die as a reaction, adding the number rolled to your AC. If the attack still hits, you take half damage from it.

Parry. When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your superiority die + your Dexterity modifier.

Precision Attack. When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

Riposte. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If you hit, you add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

Changelog v. 2.0

After throwing a lot of ideas at this in vain at it as a subclass of Rogue, I realized that it just wasn't going to work that way. Therefore I am changing it into a modified base class.

v2.1

Uncanny Dodge replaced with Extra Attack

With the Swordmaster gaining Battlemaster maneuvers, and the Assassin focusing on ranged combat, or disengage/re-engage combat, Uncanny Dodge felt extranious. Might add it back in later.

Added Fighting Style

v2.0

Proficiencies and Skill

Pretty much completely reworked.

Sneak Attack becomes Duelist's Blow

Basically just Swashbuckler's Sneak Attack.

Changed Expertise

Only gain Expertise in one skill at 1st and 6th level, for a total of two.

No more Thieves Cant

A ribbon ability that no longer fits the fluff. (Did this ever actually get used by anyone?)