Fighter Martial Archetype
Lord
All knights and Lords of any renown are long used to having underlings attending their various needs. While serfs and men at arms serve an important function in their domain, perhaps no retainer is more important to a fighting Lord than his squire. From servicing their arms and armor to aiding them on the battlefield, no true Lord will ever be as effective without his trusted apprentice, steward and companion.
Squire
At 3rd level, you’ve become worthy enough to attract the service of a squire who wishes to learn from your example and share in your glory. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions by verbally giving it commands. If you are incapacitated or absent your squire acts on its own.
As the squire’s lord, you are honor bound to provide for its needs and wellbeing. In addition to supplying it with arms and armor, you are expected to provide provisions and shelter as well as a stipend of 3 GP each week.
Squire
Medium humanoid (any race, any alignment)
- Armor Class (armor worn + dex bonus)
- Hit Points 28 (3d10+6)
- Speed 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) ? (+?) ? (+?) ? (+?)
- Saving throws proficient in all saving throws
- Skills any two of your choice
- Senses passive Perception 12
- Languages two of your choice
- Proficiencies all armor, all weapons, shields, blacksmithing tools, seweing kit
Let me mend that M'Lord. If the squire has access to his blacksmithing tools and sewing kit he may take the time to mend non-magical gear. If the squire spends (1 minute times the GP value of the item being repaired, up to an hour) it may benefit from the effects of the Mending cantrip.
Tis but a scratch M’lord. The squire may use one charge of a healers kit per long rest to recover all of its hitpoints.
Opportunistic. The squire makes attacks of opportunity with advantage.
Actions
Attack. The squire makes one attack with an equipped weapon. Attack: +X to hit (ability bonus + your proficiency bonus), Hit: (Weapon damage dice + ability modifier + your proficiency bonus).
Useful. The squire may make the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Ready, or use an object action (including administer a potion). Alternatively the squire may grapple a creature that is already grappled without requiring a roll.
Fleet of Foot. If no attack action was made this turn, the squire may use it’s bonus action to use the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action.
Try This M'Lord. If the squire has at least one hand free, it can use it’s action to both take an item, weapon or shield from you and replace it with an alternative weapon that it is carrying.
Second Wind. On its turn the squire can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level. Once the squire uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.
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Your squire has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your squire uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, your squire also adds its proficiency bonus to its damage rolls.
Your squire has predetermined ability scores for strength, agility and constitution. To determine its starting intelligence, wisdom and charisma ability scores roll 1d8+7 for each ability.
For each level you gain after 3rd, your squire gains additional hitpoints (6+ it’s constitution bonus).
Whenever you gain the ability score improvement class feature (4th, 6th, 8th, 12, 14th, 16 & 19th level), your squire’s abilities also improve. Your squire increases its wisdom by 1 and any one ability score of your choice by 1. As normal, your squire can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Your squire has proficiency in two skills of your choice and is proficient with smithing tools and a sewing kit. Your squire may use and wield magical items, but may only be attuned to one magical item at a time.
When your squire drops to 0 hit points, it makes death saving throws as would a player character and can be revived any usual means. If your squire is slain, you are bound to honor its remains. After one week of mourning you may seek out a new squire to accompany you.
DM's Note
It is up to you how to best incorporate the squire into your campaign. Perhaps the squire was a foster from a rival house, a young noble seeking training before being knighted, a penniless orphan who dreams of being knighted or even the Lord's own kin. It is up to the DM’s discretion as to manner of introduction, as well as the replacement if a squire is slain.
Hand of the Lord
Starting at 7th level your squire becomes an invaluable asset on the battlefield. As long as your squire is within 10 feet of you it gains the following abilities:
Defend the Lord. When a creature the squire can see attacks you and your squire is within 5 feet of you, it can use it’s reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. The squire must be wielding a shield to use this ability.
Coup de Grace. The squire quickly dispatches fallen foes. When the squire makes a melee attack against a prone target that is within 10 feet of you, if the attack hits it it is automatically a critical hit. You may reroll the damage dice and use either total.
Indomitable Ally
Starting at 10th level your squire has seen enough action at your side to survive the most deadly encounters. As long as your squire is within 10 feet of you it becomes resistant to all non-magical damage and has advantage on all saving throws.
Miracle Worker
Starting at 15th level your squire has learned how to be useful in every situation. The squire learns the “Alert”, “Healer”, “Keen Mind” and “Mobile” feats.
Masterful Service
Starting at 18th level your squire has fully mastered the duty of service to his Lord and his allies. When the squire uses the help action in combat, all attack rolls against any targets within 10 feet of the squire are made with advantage until the the squires next turn.
DM's Note
This martial archetype is simple to reflavor. Example: Undead Squire. You’ve raised an undead servant to serve it’s dark lord on the battlefield. Your undead squire gains the “undead” subtype, immunity to poison damage, vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, disadvantage on charisma ability checks and no longer requires sleep. Your undead squire no longer requires a healers kit charge for it’s “Tis but a scratch M’lord” ability and cannot be healed by traditional means. When your undead squire is reduced to 0 hitpoints it is slain without making death saving throws. If your undead squire’s remains are within 100 feet of you when you take a short or long rest, it re-animates and will serve you as usual.
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