Fighter Archetype: The Legionnaire
Wanting to create a fighter archetype that had a little of the feeling of military groups within Tekumél. The main thing I though was the ability to Assist your group of people. I’ve seen other designs that was about shielding and adding to peoples AC and\or saving throws, but I feel that doesn’t allow for the assistance that armed forces provide when in action, not just on the battle field and not only well holding a shield.
This simple approach allows Heavy\Medium legions with shields to work as well as light\crossbow\slinger legions who don’t have shields. It could end up working much like Pack Tactics (adv. on attacks when adjacent to an ally), but also allows the legionnaire to assist searching a room for clues, help open the locked door quietly, etc.
The concept is basically a Fighter\Battle Master with the Help action as a bonus action similar to the Rogue\Mastermind. I wanted something that added versatility but wasn’t overpowered.
I’ve then slapped together some additional options on so each time the fighter gets an additional Martial Archetype feature, there are additional options to more customize the Legionnaire.
Thus I present:
The Legionnaire
You are a part of a legion and have learned martial techniques trained into you by generations of soldiers before you. You’re not a loan warrior, but a piece of a greater whole that can overcome any obstetrical.
Centuriones Exercitatore
Starting at 3rd level, you can use the Help Action as a bonus action.
Help (PHB)
You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task. When you take the Help action, the creature you aid gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check before the start of your next turn.
Alternatively, you can aid a friendly creature in attacking a creature within 5 feet of you. You feint, distract the target, or in some other way team up to make your ally’s attack more effective. If your ally attacks the target before your next turn, the first attack roll is made with advantage.
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” in the PHB. 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 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Each time you learn new maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.
Superiority Dice. You have four superiority dice, which are d8s. 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 7th, 15th, and 18th level.
Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)
Teamwork
At 7th level, your ability work with others as a team shows in both military and social events. You can use the Help action to aid an ally within 10 feet of you, rather than 5 feet of you, as long as the target can see or hear you.
Also as a reaction, you can use your Superiority dice to assist an ally within 10 feet. The dice can be added to an Ability or Skill check, Initiative, Attack roll, or Saving throw. The ally must be able to see or hear you, and must be used before the result of the roll(s) is announced.
Improved Resourcefulness
At 10th level you can chose one of the following additional abilities:
a) Improved Combat Superiority
At 10th level, your superiority dice turn into d10s.
b) Improved Second Wind
You can now expend one Hit Dice to regain hit points as a Bonus action.
c) Improved Action Surge
+10 movement until end of your turn. Also, the area within 5 feet of you is considered as difficult terrain for hostile creatures.
c) Improved Indomitable
You can add a Superiority dice to your re-rolled saving throw.
Relentless Warrior
Starting at 15th level, you can choose one of the following options:
a) Relentless
When you roll initiative and have no superiority dice remaining, you regain 1 superiority die.
b) Anticipate and Move
The first opportunity attack you make each round does not use up your reaction.
c) More Resourceful
Choose an additional Improved Resourcefulness ability.
Stand United
At 18th level, you and all allies within 30 feet of you gain 10 temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns as long as you are conscious, and they can see or hear you.
Other Takes on the Fighter Subclass
Well looking for other’s ideas on I came across a few, but nothing really stood out. The closest would be:
Grand Marshal – 7th) bonus action: allies and you move toward a hostile, and make a weapon attack. 18th) Stand United: You and allies within 30 feet of you gain 10 temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns while you are conscious. [Liked this so much I added it!]
Hoplite – I do like the idea of Shield Wall: everyone joined into the shield wall gets the benefit as if they took the Dodge Action, but more likely is everyone joined in the Shield Wall gets Half Cover.
Dodge
When you take the Dodge action, you focus entirely on avoiding attacks. Until the start of your next turn, any attack roll made against you has disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make Dexterity saving throws with advantage. You lose this benefit if you are incapacitated (as explained in appendix PH-A) or if your speed drops to 0.
A target with half cover has a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws. A target has half cover if an obstacle blocks at least half of its body. The obstacle might be a low wall, a large piece of furniture, a narrow tree trunk, or a creature, whether that creature is an enemy or a friend.
Vanguard – 10th) Increase to whats recovered when using Second Wind [this is a great idea]. 18th) When knocked to 0 HP, immediately make 5 attacks before going unconscious.
I like the ideas of improving Second Wind at highter levels, but don’t think it meets my interests. And the multi-attack before being knocked unconscious is pretty cool but fighters commonly have 120HP or more by level 18.
I do like the use of the maneuver’s, but they can only be done as a reaction on the first round of combat. After which you can’t use the maneuver’s. I also like the idea that the melee threat-range of the warrior is difficult terrain for hostile creatures – very cool idea. Then at 18th level some additions to Action Surge: +10 movement until end of turn, and the use of a Vanguard Maneuver. – like the idea but would mean more sooner, say 7th or 15th level, as it does require the use of Action Surge.
Additionally
Some other sub-classes that I checked but had little to offer:
Warlord – neat ideas but I don’t feel they work for what I’m trying to create.
Mercenary – modified Champion Fighter.Setup for ranged combat only.
Elite Mercenary – 15th) first opportunity attack you make each round does not use up your reaction. – a cool idea!
