Strider (5e Class)

A Strider lives to hunt the most dangerous game, namely men. They spend their time honing their skills and becoming the most dangerous killer they can be, answering only to themselves and to Death, who holds their soul hostage against the many lives a Strider must take.

What made Death itself turn its eye on you? Did you cheat Death of its prize, or did you ask to become its avatar in the mortal world? Do you rail against what Death asks of you, or rejoice in the carnage that it has unleashed through you? These are the questions you must answer when creating a Strider.

Quick Build

You can make a Strider quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Urchin or Soldier background.

Class Features

As a Strider you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Strider level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Strider level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Longbow, Martial Melee Weapons
Tools: Thieves' tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Constitution
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Persuasion and Stealth

Equipment

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

• (a) Leather Armour or (b) Chain shirt
• (a) a Martial Melee Weapon or (b) a Simple Melee Weapon and Shield
• (a) Shortbow and 20 Arrows or (b) five (5) Daggers
• Explorers Pack and Thieves' Tools

A Strider has learned that brute strength is almost never the most effective answer. Starting at 1st level, all simple and martial melee weapons you wield have the finesse property. Does not include weapons with the heavy or two handed properties. You cannot benefit from this and the versatile property at the same time.

When you first became Death's hand in the mortal realm, you knew you would have to focus on one tool with which to become most adept at ending life. Choose a Strider's path starting at 1st level, and gain features in this path at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 17th level, as described at the end of the class description.

Starting at second level, your connection to Death and the art of the kill has given you power beyond your understanding. Starting at second level, choose one of the following Boon's. Gain a second Boon at 6th level, and a third at 15th level. You may only take a Boon once.

Wings of Dread

Whenever you move, it almost appears as if great black wings shimmer behind you, but seem to disappear upon closer inspection. Base movement speed is increased by 10 feet, and you can move over the surface of water, difficult terrain, and vertical surfaces without a penalty to movement.

Gravewalkers Gaze

Death has twisted your body to make it more welcome in the Void. Gain Darkvision up to 120 feet.

Dark Visage

Your connection to Death has given you a palpable aura of menace and danger, as well as a sly tongue. Gain proficiency in Intimidation and Deception. If already proficient, double your proficiency bonus for these skills.

Starting at level 3, Death has placed a fire in you, a cold fire from the Void. As an action unleash a bolt of black flame on any target within 15 feet. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Strider DC or take 2d6 fire damage, and half damage on a save. The damage increases to 3d6 at level 6 and 4d6 at level 11. You may use this ability once per day. At 8th level you may use this ability up to twice per day.

Your DC for certain Strider abilities is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

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.

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

Beginning at level 9, your base movement speed increases by 10 feet, and any movement past a creature does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If you expend all of your movement and stop within 10 feet of a creature, you can leap forward, make an attack, and then return to where your movement ended.

Beginning at level 10 your weapon attacks cause brutal and lasting damage. When you make an Attack action on your turn and hit the target, you cause bleeding damage that lasts for 2 of the creatures turns, or until the target expends an action to staunch the bleeding. The bleeding damage is 1d4, and increases by one die at 17th level (2d4). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier. You regain uses of this feature after a short or long rest.

Beginning at 13th level, your connection to Death has imbued you with a sliver of its essence, wanted or not. On your turn, you may use your bonus action to unleash a burst of the essence of Death, dealing an additional 4d8 necrotic damage on a target within 30 feet, this damage increasing to 6d8 at 19th level. This feature may be used once, regained upon a short rest.

To you, killing has become an expression of art, of pure beauty, but others see what you do and despair. Beginning at level 14, when you attack a target and kill it, you can choose to end them with brutality. When you do so, any creature that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Strider DC. On a failed save, target(s) becomes stunned until the end of their next turn. On a successful save, the target(s) lose their courage, and have half movement until the end of their next turn. After you use this feature, it cannot be used again until you take a long rest.

Death has offered a bargain for all the souls you have collected in its name. Beginning at level 18, Death has halted the hands on the clock of your life, and you no longer age, naturally or magically. Your body has also been spared from the ravages of hunger, disease, poison, or deadly temperatures.

When you reach level 20, you and Death have become so entwined that you can summon Death itself into your body, shaping yourself in its image. Death shapes itself based on the Path of the Strider you have chosen. You may only summon Death once before requiring a long rest to use this feature again.

Path of the Sword

Death appears as the Pale Rider, atop a skeletal mount and wielding the scythe that collects souls. Choose a target on the battlefield, regardless of range. That creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw against your Strider DC. On a failed save, the Pale Rider reaps the creatures soul, causing 5d6 slashing damage and 10d6 necrotic damage, . On a success, the target takes half as much damage.

Path of the Dagger

Death appears as an old man in a tattered black cloak bearing two blood soaked daggers. Choose three targets, and make one attack roll for all three. On a hit, Death disappears into shadow and reappears behind each, slashing out with its daggers and dealing twice your regular weapon damage plus 6d8 sneak attack damage. On a miss, deal only the weapon damage. On a critical hit, the target is paralyzed for 1d4+1 turns.

Path of the Bow

Death appears as a large a man, dressed in armor as black as the Void and bearing a bow taller than himself. Death shoots at up to 5 targets within 150 feet of you, dealing 3d12 damage to each. Choose one of the targets. The arrow that struck it bursts into a cloud of the pure essence of Death. All creatures that start or end their turn in the cloud must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Strider DC, or take 4d6 necrotic damage.

Path of the Bulwark

The Void manifests as a great wall. you may cast Prismatic Wall but all damage is necrotic, the wall is black, and it sheds no light.

The sword is an extension of your arm, and with it you lay waste to your enemies.

Void Blade

At 1st level, you have learned how to imbue your sword with the Void. You can choose on your turn as a bonus action to switch the type of damage your sword does from Slashing to Necrotic or visa versa. In addition, if you kill any creature with your sword, you regain hit points equal to the excess damage after knocking out your opponent.

Untouchable Void

Your endless devotion to Death, and to dealing death to your foes, has heightened your skills to unparalleled levels. Starting at level 3, you can use your reaction to deflect any missile. Reduce the damage of any missile by your Strider level + your Dexterity Modifier.

Feed the Void

The Void hungers for souls, and Death has given you the tools to collect those souls. Starting at level 7, you may coat your blade in hungering shadow as a bonus action, dealing an additional 1d6 of necrotic damage to every weapon strike. However, if the shadows do not consume any souls, the Void looks to you for the price of its power. If you fail to deal a killing blow during combat, the Void consumes 1d8 of your hit points.

Like a Scythe to Grain

Starting at level 11, whenever groups of enemies converge, you feel obliged to send them to the Void together. Whenever you make a weapon attack against a creature, you may reach out with a blade of darkness and strike any other creatures as long as they are within 10 feet of you. Attacks made after the first do not benefit from adding your ability modifier to your damage roll. You may use this feature once per long rest.

I Come With a Gift

At level 17 Death has a present for you, and will appear at the end of your next long rest bearing a gift.

Ever silent, the dagger is your fang, the flash in the night before sending your foe to the Void.

Hide of the Panther

At level 1, you are hard as hard to see as Death is in the darkness. You gain advantage on stealth checks when you are in the dark.You do not have advantage during the daylight hours unless inside, without light sources.

Closer to the Void

Starting at level 3, Death has granted you passage through his domain. Once per short rest, you may enter the Void and reappear anywhere within 60 feet. This can be used before or after your movement, and does not prompt attacks of opportunity.

The Endless Flow

Upon reaching 7th level, Death has taught you to attack in one continuous flow, a never ending stream of death flowing from your hands. When you make a weapon attack with one of Death's Hands, you may make a dual weapon attack with the other dagger without costing your bonus action. This feature may only be used once per turn.

Flickering Candle

Starting at level 11, you have mastered the art of existing on the edge of the Void at all times. As an action, your body begins to flicker between visible and not. When you make an attack, you do so at disadvantage, but gain your sneak attack damage on every successful attack. If you are in stealth when you attack, you are neither at advantage or disadvantage. You may use this feature once per long rest.

An Evening Appointment

The evening after reaching level 17, your will receive a letter to meet an old man, upon meeting him he will give you a package that when opened will reveal your new Weapons.

Born on the wings of your arrows, the Void shall have its fill of souls reaped and blood spilled.

Buy Any Means

Death shall have his souls. At 1st level all ranged weapons gain the finesse property while you wield them.

Void Quiver

Death has placed a small entrance to the Void in your quiver, leading to an endless sea of arrows. Starting at 3rd level, your arrows can never run out as long as you are wearing your quiver.

Hail of Death

Beginning at level 7, you can release an arrow made of the endless Void into the sky as an action. Pick a point within 150 feet of yourself. A storm of arrows falls from the sky, striking any target within 15feet of that point. Targets make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC of 16. On a failed save, target takes 2d12 piercing damage or half as much on a successful one.

Void Strike

Starting at 11th level, when you attack a target with a ranged attack, you can instead travel through the Void and make a melee attack that automatically hits. You may use this feature once per long rest

A Chance Meeting

After you reach 17th level you will have a chance meeting with a large man who wears black full plate armor and will give you a new quiver. when you next draw an arrow you will feel something odd and when you pull on it you realize it's a new bow

You stand alone against the strongest of foes, ever ready to send them to the Void

Guardian of the Void

Death has given you the knowledge to protect the Void, at level 1 you gain proficiency with heavy armor.

Shield of the Void

The Void comes to your defense, at 3 level you may use your reaction to cast Shield a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus -1, and regain all uses after long rest.

Fear of the Void

The Void has changed you for the better, at 7th level you may cast Fear a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus -1, and regain all uses after long rest.

Greed of the Void

The Void hungers for souls and you give it as many as possible. At 11th level, as an action you may deal double weapon damage in necrotic damage to a grappled creature and gain hit points equal to the damage dealt. You may only do this once per long rest.

Bulwark of the Void

The Void has made you its champion, at 17 level the next time you enter an area of darkness you gain a mysterious cloak.