Sleighmaster

Wintry Warriors

Survivors of the harshest colds the world has to offer, sleigh-masters thrive in conditions likely to be fatal to most others. Working hand in hand with their team of sleigh animals, they track their prey - whether it be beast or human - across any and all terrain. They are masters at co-ordinated combat, fighting from the back of their sleighs with spears and long-hafted battleaxes, while at the same time commanding their team with both word and gesture. The bond between a sleigh-master and their team is a mystic and unbreakable one, and the sleigh-master is imbued with the power to bind their faithful spirits into new bodies should they fall in battle.

Quick Build

You can make a sleighmaster quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability score, or Dexterity if you plan on choosing the reindeer sledding team, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the outlander background.

Class Features

As a sleighmaster, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, medium armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: Land vehicles
• Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) leather armor or (b) scale mail
• four javelins and any martial melee weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

Sleigh

At 1st level, you gain access to your sleigh, which you have learned to travel and fight from. Your sleigh is a Large object with an AC equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency modifier, and a number of hit points equal to 10 + five times your sleighmaster level. It is pulled by a team of animals, who cannot be separated from the sleigh by any means, and whose hit points are included in the sleigh's total.

While mounted within your sleigh, you gain the following benefits:

• Your gain a +1 bonus to AC.
• You have advantage on all checks to resist being shoved or knocked prone.
• When you take the attack action, you can use a bonus action to make a melee weapon attack gainst aa creature within 5 feet of your sleigh with your sleigh animals. Roll a d20 and add your Strength modifier and a your proficiency modifier. On a hit, the target takes an additional 1d4 slashing damage from your animals' teeth, claws, hooves or horns.

Controlling your sleigh requires one hand to hold the reins. If you remove your hand from the sleigh for any reason, you suffer the following effects until the start of your next turn:

• Your movement speed is reduced to 0.
• All attacks made against you are made with advantage.
• All attacks and saving throws you make are made with disadvantage.

If your sleigh is destroyed, you can create another one and summon a new team of animals over the course of a long rest. Doing so consumes 100gp of materials.

Sledding Team

Also at 1st level, you choose the team of mystical beasts that will pull your sleigh - wolves, reindeer, or bears. A sleighmaster's choice of animal is often reflective of their personality, and their abilities and fighting style match those of their sledding team. Your choice of sledding team grants you benefits at 1st level, and again at 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th level.

Powered Movement

Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are mounted in your sleigh. This bonus increases when you reach certain sleighmaster levels, as shown in the Sleighmaster table.

Powder Snow

Also at 2nd level, your sleigh animals churn up snow as you move, leaving a trail of mist behind them. Whenever you move more than 10 feet in a turn, all attacks made against your sleigh (but not its occupants) are made at disadvantage.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 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.

Extra Attack

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

Biting Cold

At 6th level, the attacks of your sleigh animals are imbued with magical power. The damage of your sleigh attacks increases to 2d4, and the damage type changes to cold.

Mush

Beginning at 9th level, you can command your sleigh animals on through even the harshest of conditions. As a bonus action, you can choose to ignore difficult terrain until the start of your next turn.

Stampede

From 11th level, your sleigh animals can work themselves into a stampede, crushing over enemies and snow alike on their way to battle. Your sleigh attack damage increases to 3d4.

In addition, whenever you use your action to Dash, any creature whose space you move through must must pass a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency modifier) or take cold damage equal to your sleigh attack damage. Creatures who take damage from this feature cannot make opportunity attacks against you until the start of their next turn.

Thick Skin

Starting at 13th level, your skin has hardened itself to the elements. You gain resistance to cold damage.

Relentless Pursuit

From 14th level, you and your sleigh animals embody the spirit of the hunt. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of your sleigh moves more than 5 feet, you can immediately use your reaction to follow them, up to a maximum distance of half your speed.

Pack Leader

At 17th level, you have mastered the ability to control your sleigh animals with verbal commands alone. You no longer need to use one hand to hold the reigns of your sleigh.

Lord of Winter

At 20th level, you have become the embodiment of primal cold. You gain immunity to cold damage. In addition, the damage of your sleigh attacks increases to 4d4.

Sledding Team

A sleighmaster's sledding team is more than just a working party. They are their companions, friends, and partners in battle. Many people who have encountered sleighmasters have said that the longer a sleighmaster spends with their team, the more their attitude and behaviours seem to reflect those of their chosen animal. The most common beasts chosen for sledding teams are wolves, reindeer, and bears.

Wolf

Wolves are a common choice for sleighmasters, as they are natural pack animals with great stamina as well as surprising agility. Sleighmasters who use wolves are often wolf-like themselves, taking their role as pack leader very seriously, and often finding it easier to build relationships with their wolves than with other people.

Keen Senses

Beginning at 1st level, you gain advantage on Initiative rolls and Wisdom (Perception) rolls that rely on hearing or smell.

Pack Tactics

From 3rd level, you gain advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Hamstring

Starting at 7th level, creatures you hit with melee weapon attacks are unable to Disengage until the start of your next turn.

Improved Pack Tactics

From 10th level, your allies gain advantage on attack rolls against a creature that is within 5 feet of your sleigh and you aren't incapacitated.

Improved Hamstring

Beginning at 15th level, creatures you hit with melee weapon attacks have their speed reduced to 0 until the start of their next turn.

Marked for Blood

Beginning at 18th level, the first creature you hit each round is marked for blood until the start of your next turn. Whenever an ally deals damage to a creature marked in this way, the creature takes additional damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Reindeer

Rarer among the animals chosen by sleighmasters to pull their sleighs are the reindeer. These magically imbued beasts are incredibly light on their feet, and are known to serve as beacons guiding the way as their sleighs are pulled through the snowy night.

Cervine Grace

Beginning at 1st level, you know the light cantrip and can cast it at will. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for the cantrip. You also gain proficiency in the persuasion skill.

In addition, whenever a sleighmaster feature refers to your Strength modifier, such as your sleigh attacks or the DC for your Stampede feature, you can choose to your Dexterity modifier in its place.

Mystic Glide

Beginning at 3rd level, you gain a flying speed equal to your movement speed, not including your Powered Movement bonus. If you end your turn in the air, you and your sleigh immediately begin to fall at a rate of 60 feet per round.

Raise Spirits

From 7th level, you can use your action to rally your allies. When you activate this feature, all willing creatures you choose within 30 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your level.

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

Greater Glide

At 10th level, you can add your Powered Movement bonus to your flying speed.

Winter Cheer

From 15th level, whenever you use your Raise Cheer feature, the amount of temporary hit points gained increases to twice your Charisma modifier + your level.

Powered Flight

At 18th level, you and your sleigh no longer begin to fall if you finish your turn in the air.

Bear

Sleighmasters who use teams of bears to pull their sleighs often embody a primal physical power. They tend to be large and rugged themselves, and take pride in their prowess in battle. Their sleigh animals are hardy and tough, and imposing enough to strike fear into the hearts of lesser enemies.

Ursine Fortitude

At 1st level, both you and your sleigh immediately gain 1 hit point, and you each gain an additional hit point every time you take another level in this class.

In addition, you can add your Strength modifier to the damage dealt by your sleigh attacks.

Thick Hide

Beginning at 3rd level, whenever you take damage from a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d12 + your Constitution modifier.

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

Battle Roar

Beginning at 7th level, you can command your bears to let out a threatening roar. Each creature you choose within a 15 feet square in front of your sleigh must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency

modifier) or become frightened of you for one minute. A creature frightened by this feature can repeat the saving throw whenever they take damage.

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

Shrug it Off

Beginning at 10th level, whenever you use your Thick Hide feature, you regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier.

Snowfury

From 15th level, after using your Battle Roar feature, you can use your bonus action to make a sleigh attack against each creature who failed their saving throw.

Resilience

Starting at 18th level, whenever you use your Thick Hide feature, you gain resistance to all damage until the end of your next turn.

Credits

Art Credits

Silver Warrior by Frank Frazetta: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bd/c2/d8/bdc2d827ef60fb51349fb6fcf7260d3f.jpg
Forbidden Valley by Brad Fraunfelter: https://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Heroic-Fantasy-Quarterly-Q27.jpg
White Witch concept art, Chronicles of Narnia: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/8b/5d/1e8b5d643bcd011e7de24a4af55018f9.jpg

Made by pygmybatrider