JRDS Revised Unearthed Arcana: Fighter

JRDS Revision

Most of the material here is straight from WotC and as such they are the proper owners of that material. Revisions made by me are due to community feedback as well as my own thoughts. Revisions by me can be considered open source. Forgiveness please, my ability to write good fluff isn't the best. This was designed on/for Chrome.

Martial Archetypes

At 3rd level, a fighter gains the Martial Archetype feature. Here are new options for that feature: Arcane Archer, Defender, Focused Fighter, and Marksman.

Arcane Archer

An Arcane Archer studies a unique elven method of archery that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Among elves, Arcane Archers are some of their most elite warriors. These archers 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 arcane aptitude with archery.

Arcane Arrow

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to channel magic into your attacks with a longbow or shortbow.

Create Magic Arrow. As a bonus action on your turn, you can create one magic arrow in your hand. The arrow lasts until the end of the turn or until it hits or misses a target. You can fire the arrow from a shortbow or longbow. The arrow is a magic weapon that deals an additional 1d8 force damage on hit.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Arcane Shot. When you gain this feature, you learn two Arcane Shot options of your choice (see the Arcane Shots section below). Whenever you create a magic arrow with this feature, you can apply the benefits of one of your Arcane Shot options to that arrow.

You gain an additional Arcane Shot option of your choice at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

Arcane Lore

At 3rd level, you learn some lore necessary to the creation of your arcane arrows. You gain proficiency with the Arcana skill.

Enchant Arrow

At 7th level, you learn how to embue nonmagical arrows with arcane energy. As an action, you can turn 10 nonmagical ammunition into magical ammunition. This enchantment lasts for 10 minutes or until you use this feature again.

Deadly Arrow

At 10th level, your Arcane Arrow’s bonus damage increases to 1d10 force damage. At 18th level, it further increases to 1d12 force damage.

Ever-Ready Arrow

Starting at 15th level, you can conjure forth a magic-infused arrow more often than before. One minute after expending your last remaining use of Arcane Arrow, you regain one use of it.

Arcane Shots

The Arcane Arrow feature lets you choose Arcane Shot options at certain levels. The options are presented here in alphabetical order. These are all magical effects. You use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an Arcane Shot effect.

Beguiling Arrow. Your enchantment magic causes this arrow to temporarily beguile its target. Choose one of your allies within 30 feet of the target. If the arrow hits the target, the target can’t attack the chosen ally or include that ally in a harmful area of effect until the end of your next turn. The target ignores this effect if it is immune to the charmed condition. This effect also ends if the chosen ally deals any damage to the target.

Brute Bane Arrow. You weave necromatic magic into your arrow. If a creature is hit by the arrow, any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage dealt by the creature’s attacks is halved until the end of your next turn. The target ignores this effect if they are immune to necrotic damage. When initially hit, the target can make a Consitution saving throw. On a success, they ignore this effect.

Bursting Arrow. You imbue your arrow with a blast of force energy drawn from the school of evocation. If you hit a creature with this arrow, each creature within 10 feet of it takes 2d6 force damage.

Defending Arrow. You use abjuration magic to weave a charm that disrupts your enemy’s magic. A creature hit by this arrow suffers disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of your next turn.

Grasping Arrow. When this arrow strikes its target, conjuration magic creates grasping, thorny brambles that wrap around the target. The target hit by the arrow takes a –10 penalty to speed, and it takes 2d6 slashing damage if it moves 1 foot or more without teleporting. The target or any creature that can touch it can use its action to try to remove the brambles, which requires a successful DC 10 Strength check. Otherwise, the brambles last for 1 minute.

Piercing Arrow. You use transmutation magic to transform your arrow into an ethereal dart that passes through its targets. When you attack with this arrow, it fires forward in a line that is 1 foot wide and 30 feet long. You make a separate attack using your Arcane Arrow against each creature in that line.

Seeking Arrow. Using divination magic, you grant your arrow the ability to seek out your target, allowing the arrow to curve and twist its path in search of its prey. As an action, choose one creature you have seen in the past minute and make a ranged attack against it using the Arcane Arrow. The arrow flies around corners if necessary, ignoring three-quarters cover, half cover, and disadvantage caused by the target being out of sight or being at long range. The attack automatically misses if the target is out of the weapon’s range or if there is no path large enough for the arrow to travel to the target. If the arrow hits its target, you know it, but you don’t learn the target’s location unless it’s within your line of sight.

Shadow Arrow. You weave illusion magic into your arrow, causing it to occlude your foe’s vision with grasping shadows. Until the end of your next turn, the target hit by the arrow can’t see more than 30 feet away. If the target can see through magical darkness, it ignores this effect.

The changes and the reasoning

The damage is lowered for the Arcane Arrow but the uses per rest are increased. The damage dice is increased at level 10 and again at level 18, following the progression of superiority dice.

So that level 7 isn't a wasted level in campaigns that ignore ammunition counts, I swapped the ability to conjure arrows to create your own magical ammunition. These magical ammunition have no benefit except for overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical damage.

Since the number of Arcane Arrow uses have increased, there are extra ways for a few of them to be ignored.

Basing the number of the Arcane Arrow uses on Intelligence modifier matches the flavor of the subclass, allows for another way to progress in the subclass via increasing your Intelligence Score, and it doesn't make the subclass too MAD because the fighter class gets the most ASIs as it is. We give a minimum of 2 uses for Arcane Arrow to further combat the subclass being MAD.

Lastly, the skill proficiencies at level 3 was reduced to a single skill proficiency. Instead of being giving a choice, proficiency in Arcana was given. This matches the flavor of the subclass and also doesn't step on the toes of the Bard or Rogue classes.

Defender

The archetypal Defender is the bulwark of their company. They focus on defending not themselves, but others. They work to hinder enemies and keep their allies standing through action and deed.

Call Out

Starting at 3rd level when you select this archetype, you gain the ability to single out a creature in combat. As a bonus action on your turn, select a single creature that you can see and make it known to that creature either by deed or word that you are coming for it and its death will be swift. You gain advantage on all Intimidation checks made against the creature, and any attack the creature makes against a target that isn't you is made at disadvantage.

As a Defender you are always ready to harry the enemy. If the creature you called out enters or exits an area 5 feet away from you or is within that area and makes an attack against someone that isn't you, you can as a reaction make a weapon attack against that target. This attack is made with advantage.

You can make this special attack even if you have already expended your reaction this round, but not if you have already used your reaction this turn. You can make this attack a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 2), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest. Making this special attack when you haven't already expended your reaction this round doesn't count against your uses of the ability.

Creatures that are immune to being frightened ignore this ability.

Personality of Will

When you reach 7th level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion.

Alternatively, you learn one language of your choice.

Encouraging Shout

When you reach 7th level, you can use your force of personality and your willpower to bolster your allies. As a bonus action on your turn select one ally and shout words of encouragement to them, giving them temporary health equal to your Charisma modifier plus half your fighter level. The temporary health lasts for 1 minute.

Alternatively, as a bonus action you can goad enemies to attack you; select an enemy that you can see and force them to make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. If they fail, they must attempt to attack you and only you on their next turn and must move toward you if necessary for them to do so.

You can make use of this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Encouraging Shout

When you reach 10th level, you can use your force of personality and your willpower to bolster your allies. As a bonus action on your turn select one ally and shout words of encouragement to them, giving them temporary health equal to your Charisma modifier plus half your fighter level. The temporary health lasts for 1 minute.

You can make use of this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Charisma of the Victor

Beginning at 15th level, an enemy under the effects of your Call Out ability dies, you regain one use of the ability.

Hold the Line

Once you've reached 18th level as a Defender, your ability to influence the outcome of battle by hindering your foe has reached its apex. When an enemy within range of your weapon attack makes an attack roll against an ally of yours but before you find out if the attack roll was successful or not, as a reaction, you can make a weapon attack against them as long as the attack wouldn't have disadvantage. If you successfully hit and deal damage, the enemy's attack fails. You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and you regain all expended uses after a long rest.

The changes and the reasoning

The name change is explained below. Since I removed the name Knight, I also removed the mount related abilities.

The changes to the 3rd level ability gives more opportunities for the player to hamper the movement and the actions of the enemy, bases the special attacks on Charisma, and also decreases the damage of the special attack. However, since the special attack can be used more often I think this is a fair trade. Again to combat the MAD nature of basing an ability off a tetriary ability, the minimum uses is set to 2 instead of 1 and the player can make the attack once per round if they haven't used their reaction without burning a use of the ability.

I again narrowed the potential skill selections but instead of forcing one as I did with the Arcane Archer, I gave an option of one of the various Charisma related skills. I also kept the alternative to learn a language because I thought that it was a good game design choice. Plus, you might already have proficiency with all of those Charisma related skills.

The 10th level ability allows the player to help an ally in need by giving them temporary health. Encouraging your alles . I'm not sure of the wording I used allows it, but the temporary HP is supposed to be able to be applied to the Defender using the ability if they desire it.

Defender's Mind seems like a natural progression of the 3rd level ability, and the new Hold the Line ability is not only a good capstone, it also gives the subclass a new tool to defend allies.

My main concern about this revision is that I feel it is more powerful than what was presented by WotC, and I don't intend to make anything OP.

Focus Fighter

An archetypal Focus Fighter is one that trains their body and their spirit to work together, their willpower empowering them to do fantastic feats. When a seasoned Focus Fighter draws their weapon, everyone on the battlefield feels a chill in their heart due to the sheer pressure of the fighter's will.

Fighting Spirit

Starting at 3rd level, the might of your willpower can shield you and help you strike true. As a bonus action on your turn, you can give yourself two benefits: advantage on all attack rolls and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. These benefits last until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Verbal Resolve

Starting at level 7, your dedication to your art allows you to improve your ability to converse with others. You can add your Wisdom modifier to Charisma checks to persuade someone, and when making use of your Fighting Spirit feature, you can also add your Wisdom modifier to checks to intimidate someone.

Unbreakable Will

At 10th level, your superior willpower allows you to shrug off mind-assaulting effects. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (choose one).

Rapid Strike

Starting at 15th level, you learn to trade accuracy for swift strikes. If you have advantage on a weapon attack against a target on your turn, you can forgo that advantage to immediately make an additional weapon attack against the same target with no further action required by you. You can only make use of this special attack once per turn.

Strength Before Death

Starting at 18th level, your fighting spirit can delay the grasp of death. If you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can delay that damage and immediately take a bonus turn, interrupting the current turn. You don’t take the damage until the bonus turn ends. It is possible to do things, such as gaining resistance, that change how much of that damage you take.Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

The changes and the reasoning

The name change is explained above. Since I removed the name Samurai, I also removed the noble-specific related ability at level 7, and instead gave a straight Persuasion boost. I also added synergy with the level 3 feature, which gives the level 3 feature some roleplay usage.

Two main changes to the 3rd level ability were changing it to last only until the start of your next turn instead of the end of your next turn, and I changed the uses from three per rest to being based off your Wisdom modifier.

I left the rest of the abilities alone except for Rapid Strike. There, in order to maintain its synergy with Fighting Spirit, I changed the ability to require no action but only capable of being used once per turn. Note the use of the word turn and not round, so it works similarly to the Rogue's sneak attack.

Scout

The Sharpshooter is a master of ranged combat. An excellent sniper and eagle-eyed advance adventurer, this fighter is a perilous foe who can defeat an entire war band so long as they are kept at range.

Fast Movement

Beginning at level 3 when you take this archetype, your speed increases by 5 feet. When you reach level 10 it increases by a further 5 feet.

Steady Aim

Beginning at 3rd level, your aim becomes deadly. As a bonus action on your turn, you can take careful aim at a creature you can see that is within range of a ranged weapon you’re wielding. Until the end of this turn, your ranged attacks with that weapon gain two benefits against the target:

• The attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover.

• On each hit, the weapon deals additional damage to the target equal to 2 + half your fighter level.

You can use this feature three times. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Careful Eyes

Starting at 7th level, you excel at picking out hidden enemies and other threats. You can take the Search action as a bonus action.

You also gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Perception, Investigation, or Survival.

Armored Stealth

Upon reaching 10th level, you've learned how to still your movements and remain stealthy even when wearing armor. Wearing armor that normally gives you disadvantage on Stealth checks no longer does so if you aren't moving and also doesn't do so if you only move at half the speed you are able to.

Snap Shot

Starting at 15th level, you are ever ready to spring into action. If you take the Attack action on your first turn of a combat, you can make one additional ranged weapon attack as part of that action.

Ammunition Hail

Once you've reached 18th level, you've reached the apex of your ability to fire quick and deadly shots. At the beginning of your turn you can declare that you are going to release a hail of ammunition. For that turn you can make a single ranged weapon attack at each enemy within range, as long as you have ammunition for it. Each of these attacks has the benefits of your Steady Aim feature, even if you are out of uses for it. You cannot do anything else on a turn you make use of this ability, including moving.

You can make use of this ability once and can do so again after a long rest.

The changes and the reasoning

This time the name change is because I personally think that a subclass named "Sharpshooter" should be for the Ranger or Rogue classes.

I left most of this class alone. I removed Rapid Strike because we already used that mechanic for the Focus Fighter and it has no inbuilt synergy with any of the other classes mechanics. I moved Snap Shot down to take its place.

Due to complaints about the subclasses in the UA giving feats in the place of truly new subclass abilities, I also removed Close-Quarters Shooting.

I added Fast Movement, which increases in increments, in order to give the Scout some flavorful abilities. It also works very well with the new level 10 ability, Armored Stealth. This is also a flavorful ability for the Scout subclass.

Ammunition Hail is an experiment, and brings back the idea from 3.5 of a full attack action. I look forward to receiving feedback regarding the mechanic. Since it is limited to once per long rest, I don't think it is too overpowered but I might be wrong. It is certainly only useful in certain types of encounters since you cannot take the usual 3-4 attacks on a single target when you use it.

Credits

Created by https://www.reddit.com/user/Jaridase_Zasmyocl/

Using the Homebrewery from http://naturalcrit.com

Based off Unearthed Arcana: Fighter by Wizards of the Coast, found here: https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/fighter