Ranger Conclave - Smallfolk Sling Master
The humble halfling is often overlooked when it comes to martial prowess. Famed more for their genial nature, luck, and mercantile skills, it's easy to look instead to dragonborn or elves as warriors and fighters, yet the halfling have a strong history of mastery of the equally humble sling, displaying prowess with it through trained techniques far beyond what other tallfolk might be able to muster.
These sling masters inevitably learn a number of special sling tricks with which to strike and hobble the enemies, learn how to enchant their own slings, and channel their own luck into the bullets they throw. Small and humble though they might be, a Smallfolk Sling Master is no slouch when it comes to combat.
The Smallfolk Sling Master subclass is intended only for use with halfling characters, and references their Lucky trait throughout; a DM may need to adjust these features if they wish to make the subclass available to non-halflings.
Sling Master Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the table below. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know. You may Ritual cast any appropriate spells from this list.
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Heroism, Zephyr Strike |
| 5th | Enhance Ability, Kinetic Jaunt |
| 9th | Minute Meteors, Phantom Steed |
| 13th | Death Ward, Freedom of Movement |
| 17th | Banishing Smite, Swift Quiver |
Nimble Sling
When you take this subclass at 3rd level, your mastery over the humble sling improves. You deal an additional 1d4 damage with your sling attacks, and you can reload it one handed, allowing you to wield a shield or another weapon in your other hand.
Sling Tricks
By reaching 7th level you learn a number of special Sling Tricks you can use once per turn when you make an attack with your sling. You learn two tricks at 7th level, and then a further trick every 4th level beyond that (11th, 15th, 19th). Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can exchange one Sling Trick for another you do not know. At 20th level you can exchange these on completion of a long rest.
You can use a Sling Trick a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and it must be declared before you make the attack. You regain one expended use on a short rest and all on a long rest. The DCs for your Sling tricks are 8 + your proficiency bonus + your dexterity modifier.
Your Sling Trick options are as follows:-
Befuddling Strike. If you hit, you can immediately make a Stealth ability check at no action cost, even if you are not behind cover. If you beat their passive perception, you are treated as being Hidden from the target until the end of your next turn, until you make an attack, move, or cast a spell.
Bend Shot. When an enemy is behind total cover, but you could feasibly reach them with a curved bullet (such as around a corner or hiding behind a tall wall), you can use this Sling Trick to attack them. Instead of benefiting from total cover, they instead only benefit from half-cover.
Blinding Shot. If you hit, the target must succeed on a Constitution save or be blinded until the end of your next turn.
Hobble Leg. If you hit, the target's speed using their legs are halved until the end of your next turn.
Hobble Arm. If you hit the target's attack rolls have disadvantage using one of their arms (your choice). In addition, if they try to cast a spell with a Somatic component, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Sling Trick DC, or lose the spell, along with the action and any spell slot expended.
Lingering Bruise. Your sling hits especially hard. If you hit, the target is left bruised. The next time they take damage before the start of your next turn, the damage is increased by 2d4 damage.
Muting Shot. If you hit, the target struggles to speak clearly. If they try to cast a spell with a verbal component, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Sling Trick DC, or lose the spell, along with the action and any spell slot expended.
Two for One. You ricochet a shot between your target and another creature. If you hit with the initial attack roll, you can choose to deal the same amount of damage to another creature within 10ft of your initial target.
Enchant Sling
When you complete a long rest, you can choose to expend some of your magical energy to enchant a sling in your possession. This makes it magical, if it was not already magical. At 7th level you can expend a 1st level spell slot to add a +1 bonus to its attack and damage rolls. From 13th level you can expend a 2nd level spell slot to add a +2 to bonus, and from 18th level you can expend a 4th level spell slot to add a +3 bonus.
This bonus stacks with an existing magical enchantment, but only to a maximum of +3 in total.
Enchant Sling's magic only works for you, and is suppressed when the weapon is in another's possession. It lasts until you complete a long rest.
Master of Slings
From 11th level you become even better at slinging stones. You no longer suffer disadvantage on Sling attack rolls when a hostile creature is adjacent to you, you do not suffer long range penalties when attacking up to 120ft away, and your sling attacks now ignore half-cover.
Lucky Sling
From 15th level whenever you reroll an attack roll for your sling with your Lucky feature, you reroll it with Advantage.
In addition, if your rolled damage on the 2d4 for your sling total to 7 (before your ability modifier) you can roll a further d4 and add it to the total damage dealt.
Finally, when you use a Sling Trick and hit, roll another d20. If you roll a 20, you immediately regain a use of your Sling Trick feature.
Opportunist's Sling
At 15th level, whenever a hostile creature moves to within 15ft of you, you can use your reaction to make one sling attack against them. If this hits, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Sling Trick DC or have their speeds reduced to 0 until the end of their current turn.
True Bravery
Replaces Feral Senses
From 18th level you gain Immunity to the Frightened condition. In addition, whenever a creature attempts to Frighten you, they take 2d6 psychic damage from the potency of your mind.
Luckiest Halfling
Replaces Foe Slayer
From 20th level your Lucky feature is even better! You reroll Sling attack rolls on rolls of 1, 2, or 3, and all other attack rolls, saving throws, or ability checks on rolls of 1 or 2.