Arbiter

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Overview & Creation

(Need a blurb added here that encompasses both the good and evil, law and chaos of being a gun slinging lawman)

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Tricks	Knacks
1st	+2	Gunstyle, Tricks	2	-
2nd	+2	Knacks	2	2
3rd	+2	Judge Soul	2	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	2
5th	+3		3	3
6th	+3	Gunstyle Feature	3	3
7th	+3		3	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	3	4
9th	+4		3	5
10th	+4	Gunstyle Feature	4	5
11th	+4		4	5
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	4	6
13th	+5	Vigilance	4	6
14th	+5	Gunstyle Feature	4	6
15th	+5		4	7
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4	7
17th	+6		4	7
18th	+6	Gunstyle Feature	4	8
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	4	8
20th	+6	Execute Justice	4	8

 

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Class Features

Trick Shots

Instead of firing a volley of arrows, or swinging a sword a half dozen times, Arbiters make the most out of every shot they fire. This is represented as what is called a trick shot. As an action, instead of making a ranged attack with a firearm, an Arbiter may instead use a trick shot. Each trick shot uses the same stat to attack as if making a normal attack with their firearm. The damage type is based on the weapon you are firing. Any bonus effects the firearm has applies to the attack and damage of these attacks.  When you use a trick shot, one round of ammo is used from the firearm.   Saving Throws. Some of your Trick Shots require your target to make a saving throw to resist the shot’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Trick shot save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier     Ricochet Shot - You can make use of various surfaces, to shoot around cover. Your attack ignores all cover as long as you know where your target is at. If you hit, you deal 1d8+DEX in damage.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8+DEX), 11th level (3d8+DEX), and 17th level (4d8+DEX)     Leg Shot - You are practiced in shooting someone in the leg, preventing them from moving quickly. If you hit a target with this shot, their speed is reduced by half until the end of your next turn and you deal 1d8+DEX in damage.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8+DEX), 11th level (3d8+DEX), and 17th level (4d8+DEX)     Arm Shot - You are practiced in shooting someone in the arms, potentially causing them to drop any items they hold and you deal 1d8+DEX in damage. After dealing the damage, they must make a Dexterity saving throw, or drop all items they are holding, flinging the item 5 feet away.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8+DEX), 11th level (3d8+DEX), and 17th level (4d8+DEX)[/quote]     Brutal Shot - You shoot for the weakest spot you can to maximize your damage. If you hit a target with this shot you deal 2d6+DEX in damage.

This shot’s damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6+DEX), 11th level (6d6+DEX), and 17th level (8d6+DEX)     Setup Shot - This is a trick to help setup advantage for yourself or an ally. If you hit a target with this shot, you may choose an ally (including yourself) to get advantage on an attack roll versus the target before the end of your next turn. You also deal 1d4+DEX in damage.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4+DEX), 11th level (3d4+DEX), and 17th level (4d4+DEX)     Walloping Shot - Instead of aiming to maximize damage, you aim for well armored spots, in an attempt to knock down your target. If you hit a target with this shot you deal 1d6+DEX in damage. After dealing the damage, they must make a Strength saving throw, or be knocked prone.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6+DEX), 11th level (3d6+DEX), and 17th level (4d6+DEX)     Intimidating Shot - As you fire at your target, you focus on scaring them rather than hurting. Maybe you say some intimidating words, maybe it's your demeanour, or possibly its that handcannon you have pointed at them. If you hit a target with this shot you deal 1d4+DEX in damage. After dealing the damage, they must make a Wisdom saving throw, or be frightened of you until the end of their next turn.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4+DEX), 11th level (3d4+DEX), and 17th level (4d4+DEX)     Retreating Shot - You fire while carefully moving, making sure to not be hit by retaliation. You get the benefits of a disengage action, and if you hit a target with this shot you deal 1d6+DEX in damage.

This shot’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6+DEX), 11th level (3d6+DEX), and 17th level (4d6+DEX)  

Knacks

Knacks are things you have picked up over the years as things you can do that goes beyond just your competency with a firearm. If a Knack has a prerequisite, you must meet that before picking that knack. When you level up, you may replace a knack with another that you qualify for.   Saving Throws. Some of your knacks require your target to make a saving throw to resist the shot’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Knack save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier   Deft Agility
You are particularly agile and hard to hit. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier.   Bolos
You have outfitted your firearm with a bolo attachment. As an Action you may fire a bolo at a target. As long as the target is within the short range of your firearm, the target makes a Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they fall prone and are restrained until they use an action to pass a Strength saving throw, DC 15 to escape.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you spend 5 minutes reloading the bolos back into their launcher.   Quick Draw
You are skilled at drawing fast and shooting first. You gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in any other skill of your choice. You may roll a Sleight of Hand check instead of Initiative. When you do this, you may draw your weapon without it taking an action, or using your free item interaction for the turn.   Tough Hombre
You are just one tough person to hurt. Your hit point maximum increases by 1 for each level you have in this class and when you gain a level in this class, make sure you incorporate the bonus hitpoint to your new total.   Intimidating Demeanor
You have mastered the art of instilling fear in your opponents, and being unafraid of them in return. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in any other skill of your choice. You also have advantage on any check or save to resist intimidation, fear, or frightened effects.   Ear for the Truth
You have a knack for knowing when people are telling the truth. You can pick a target, and as an action have them make a Charisma saving throw. If they fail the saving throw, for the next ten minutes, you know with every statement they make, if what they believe what they are saying is true or false. You can also compel them to answer 1 question fully, truthfully, and without obfuscation within that time. If they succeed the saving throw, they are immune to this knack for 24 hours.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.   Eye of an Eagle
You have advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) skill checks that rely on sight.   I Ain’t Dead Yet
Beat to hell, shot and stabbed, you are hard to kill. If you would fail your final death save, instead you gain 1 hp, and may immediately take an action or bonus action as a reaction.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.   Hidden Shotgun
You keep a sawed off shotgun hidden ‘just in case’. As an Action you may pull out and fire a shotgun blast. Each creature in a 15 foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they take 3d6 piercing damage and are knocked away 5 feet and prone. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not knocked back or prone.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you spend an action reloading the shotgun.   Deploy Decoy
Prerequisite: 5th level
You quickly deploy a decoy, and dodge out of the way of an attack. As a reaction to an attack hitting you, you can teleport up to 30 feet, stepping out from behind cover there, causing the attack to instead miss.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.   I’ve Got a Bad Feeling About This
Prerequisite: 5th level
While not in initiative, you can grant advantage for the next minute to the next initiative check up to twice your Dex modifier in allies (minimum 1) and advantage to their next attack roll.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.   I am Here!
Prerequisite: 5th level
You flash a emblem of your authority (a badge, a gun, a warrant, etc) and help calm people down. You may cast the spell ‘Calm Emotions’ by using a few calming words, and that emblem as the verbal and somatic components.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.   Deputize
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can deputize someone and press them into serving you for a time. Target a humanoid to charm, They can make a Wis save. If they are aggressive towards you, they have advantage on the save. If they choose to not make the wis save, or on a failure, they are charmed by you for 1 hour. While charmed by you, they will attempt to aid you, unless you or your allies attack them (which would cause the charm to immediately end. After the hour is up, they are no longer charmed, but may choose to continue helping you if they wish as a deputy. While being a deputy, their AC becomes 16 if it's already less than 16, and they are proficient with the first weapon you hand to them. You can only have a total number of deputies equal to your proficiency bonus.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.   Nothing Can Hold Me
Prerequisite: 7th level
You are particularly good at escaping from any cage or bond. While conscious, at the beginning of your turn, you can roll survival to shrug off one of the following effects: grappled, paralyzed, petrified, restrained. You may also use this check to use whatever you have on hand to break out of objects caging or holding you (if the cage was created by a spell like force cage, the spell must be lvl 5 or lower for you to be able to break out). If you succeed this check, it uses your bonus action for that turn. The DC is either 10, or the save DC that caused the condition, or the skill DC that would be needed to unlock or disable the device holding you (whichever is higher)

You can use this knack a number of times equal to your Dex modifier. You regain all uses at the end of a long rest.   Holdout Pistol
Prerequisite: 7th level
You keep a small holdout pistol on your person. You can quickly draw it from its hiding spot and fire it as a bonus action. Make an attack against a target. On a hit, you do 1d4+DEX damage. This shot’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4+DEX), 11th level (3d4+DEX), and 17th level (4d4+DEX). It takes 1 action to reload this tiny, single bullet gun. You can use any of your trick shots with this firearm, but still have to use an action to reload.

Firearm (Ranged)	Damage	Weight	Properties
Holdout Pistol	1d4 Piercing	-	Ammunition (1 shots), Range 20/60, Reload (1 action)

Also, unless you are completely stripped, for someone to find this gun, and up to 6 ammo for it, it is a contested roll of your sleight of hand vs their investigation.   I Am Just That Good
Prerequisite: 9th level
When you finish a short or long rest, you may pick any skill to become proficient in, or any skill you are already proficient in to gain Expertise, until you use this feature again. When you use this skill, you may also add 1d4 to the outcome.   Fleet of Foot
Prerequisite: 9th level
Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you can use the dash, dodge, or disengage action as a bonus action.   This One I Keep For Just Such an Occasion
Prerequisite: 12th level
You pull out a special bullet you keep for this sort of situation and quickly load it into your gun. As an action you load and fire this bullet. As long as you know where the target is, the target makes a Dexterity save. If the target is behind cover, or a wall (including a wall of force), a 5ft hole is destroyed as the bullet passes through the barrier. On a failure to the saving throw the target takes 15d6 force damage, and is knocked prone. If this bullet would bring the target to 0 hp, they automatically fail a death saving throw. If the target succeeds the saving throw, the bullet misses and does no damage to them (but the cover still has a hole in it).

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.   Piercing Gaze
Prerequisite: 12th level
You can see things no one else can see. As a bonus action you can grant yourself truesight for 1 minute. At the end of 1 minute, you can keep truesight going for another minute, until you have run out of time for the day.

You can use this knack for a total of one hour. This time resets at the end of a long rest.   Only a Flesh Wound
Prerequisite: 15th level
Any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit and you gain resistance against that hit. Also when you take a short rest, regain half of your missing hitpoints before spending any hit dice.   Made You Flinch
Prerequisite: 15th level
When you see someone casting a spell, you may use a reaction to fire off a round, and make them lose their spell. As a reaction to them using a spell that has verbal, somatic, or material components, you may use one of your trick shots against them. If it hits, you also interrupt the spell and they must make a concentration check, DC equals 8 + your DEX Modifier + the Spell Level, or the spell has no effect.

Once you use this Knack, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.  

Judge Soul

At 3rd level, your training in law allows you to see into the heart of the guilty. If you spend a minute observing someone, you can make an Insight check against 10+the target’s Charisma Modifier. If successful, you know their guilt. You know how many crimes they have committed in the past 1 day per point you beat the check by, both in local laws, and your personal code of law. You also gain advantage on any saving throw you make due to a spell or effect the target creates for 24 hours.

Once you successfully use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest  

Vigilance

At 13th level, an Arbiter is attentive and observant. They have advantage to resist the effects of any spell or effect that would be in the schools of Illusion or Enchantment. Also anytime they are under the effect of spells or effects of those schools, they may attempt a save at the beginning of their turn to shrug off the effect.  

Execute Justice

At 20th level, you can execute your own personal justice on those you have deemed guilty. When you enact a sentence on a creature, they make a Charisma saving throw vs 8 + your proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier. The creature takes 100 damage on a failed saving throw as you pull the trigger and implement your will. If this reduces the target to 0, you can decide to have them die, or stabilize, unconscious until they can get a long rest.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest

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Starting Equipment

Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) Single Action Pistol or (b) Lever Action Rifle (a) Rapier or (b) Shortsword or (c) Bayonet (a) a Diplomat's Pack or (b) an explorer's pack (a) a Gun Holster or (b) a Rifle Sling 20 ball shot, Two Dagger, Leather Armor

Firearm (Ranged)	Damage	Weight	Properties
Lever Action Rifle	2d6 Piercing	10 lbs	Ammunition (7 shots), Range 80/240, Reload (1 minute), 2 handed
Single Action Pistol	1d10 Piercing	2lbs	Ammunition (5 shots), Range 40/120, Reload (1 minute)

Attachment	Damage	Weight	Properties
Bayonet	1d8	1	Affixed*, Finesse

*Affixed: Must be affixed to a firearm to be used. If so, it can be used as a melee weapon.

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Subclass Options

Gunstyle

Arbiters tend to be more than firearm experts. They are at their core, the living will of law, and even ones that are Chaotic alignments, still often have some sort of code they follow and expect others to follow. They see themselves as the law, and it is their duty to enforce their will on the lawless, expecting everyone else to live by their code. As such, they have to be ready for the eventuality that others will not follow the law or code of conduct the Arbiter enforces, and so, each Arbiter has a style of combat that has become their way of surviving that witch wants them dead.

Equalizer

Your gunstyle blends firearms and melee combat, using off hand weapons, gunblades, even the butt of a gun, to beat your opponents into submission.  

Pistolwhip

At 1st level, you are proficient in using a firearm as an improvised melee weapon, thus making firearms in your hands both melee and ranged weapons. When you wish to use a firearm as an improvised weapon, it has the finesse trait. If the firearm is one handed, the damage is 1d6 bludgeoning, and if it is 2 handed, the damage is 1d8 bludgeoning.  

Gun Brawler

When you choose Equalizer at level 1, when you make a trickshot or attack with a firearm, you may make a melee attack with a melee weapon you are wielding as a bonus action. When wielding a firearm, you gain a +1 shield bonus to AC. Also you may draw a firearm and another item as a single item interaction.  

Hit and Split

Once you reach 6th level, when you take damage from an attack, you may use your reaction to gain +2 AC until the end of your next turn against any further attacks, and you may move 10 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all uses at the end of a short or long rest.  

Snake Eyes

At 10th level, you have learned how to exploit the failings of an enemy to force further failure. When an enemy rolls a nat 1 on an attack or saving throw, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the next attack or saving throw that enemy makes before the end of its next turn.  

Unload (AKA Fan the Hammer)

At 14th level, you have mastered your firearm. As an action, you may target any number of enemies in a 60 ft cone originating from you that have less than 3/4 cover. All targets must make a Dexterity saving throw against 8 + your proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier. On a failure, they take 8d8 piercing damage as the bullets find exposed weak areas on each enemy, and the targets that failed also have their movement cut in half until the end of your next turn. Your firearm will be out of ammo once this action is done.

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

Hold the Line

At 18th level, you can plant yourself in place and vow no enemy shall get past you. For the next minute, as long as you don’t move and are able to take actions, you do not run out of ammo, and do not need to reload. Draw a line 60 feet on either side of you. This line may curve, as long as it is continuous, and is no more than 60 feet. You must be able to see the entire line. If an enemy tries to go past that line, they must make a Charisma saving throw against 8 + your proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier, or take damage equal to your firearm’s base damage, and be pushed back 10 feet from the line. You do not fall unconscious when you drop to 0 hp, and you do not make death saves. Instead, record all damage taken while at 0, and if at any point the damage you have taken at 0 totals your hit point maximum, you instantly die.

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

Runeshot

A runeshot is an arbiter that has learned the secrets of blending magic and firearms. As such, they are able to quickly imbue their ammo with arcane energy.  

Spellcasting

At 1st level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and below for the Arbiter spell list.   Preparing and Casting Spells The Runeshot table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Runeshot spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

You prepare the list of Runeshot spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Runeshot spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Runeshot spells equal to your Charisma modifier + your Arbiter level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.   Spellcasting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Runeshot spells. Your magic comes from the runes you etch into your bullets and gun, as a means of imposing your authority and will on reality around you. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Runeshot spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

  Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

  Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

  Spellcasting Focus
You can use your firearm or badge as a spellcasting focus for your Runeshot spells. If you use your firearm as your spellcasting focus, when you pull the trigger, the bullet becomes imbued with the spell. The bullet generally will not do any of its normal damage, being taken over by the spell used. The range of the spell becomes the short range of the firearm used (even allowing touch spells to be used at range), and the point the bullet would impact a target, becomes the origin of the spell effect.

For example, if you were to cast charm person with your firearm, you would shoot your target, it would impact them,but instead of harming them, they would have to make a saving throw as per the normal spell being cast. Likewise, if you were cast burning hands with a firearm that has a 30 foot range, you could aim at an enemy, and fire, and when the bullet would have reached its target, the spell would be cast as a cone, from the point of impact.  

Runeshot Spellcasting

Level	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	2	-	-	-	-
2nd	2	-	-	-	-
3rd	3	-	-	-	-
4th	3	-	-	-	-
5th	4	2	-	-	-
6th	4	2	-	-	-
7th	4	3	-	-	-
8th	4	3	-	-	-
9th	4	3	2	-	-
10th	4	3	2	-	-
11th	4	3	3	-	-
12th	4	3	3	-	-
13th	4	3	3	1	-
14th	4	3	3	1	-
15th	4	3	3	2	-
16th	4	3	3	3	-
17th	4	3	3	3	1
18th	4	3	3	3	1
19th	4	3	3	3	2
20th	4	3	3	3	2

Bonus Cantrips

At 1st level, you learn the Prestidigitation and Thaumaturgy cantrips. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them.  

Smite the Lawless

Starting at 6nd level, when you hit a creature with a Trickshot, you can expend one spell slot to deal Thunder damage to the primary target, in addition to the Trickshot's damage. The extra damage is 1d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st.  

Elemental Tricks

At 10th level, anytime you use a trickshot or cast a Runeshot spell, you can change the all damage dealt by the attack or spell to one from the following list: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder  

Boosted Runes

When you reach 14th level, you can add extra arcane energy you make your Trickshots and Runeshot spells harder to avoid or save against. When you use a Trickshot, or cast a Runeshot spell you may choose to use this feature. When you do, the triggering shot or spell gains advantage on any attack rolls against the primary target, and the primary target suffers disadvantage on saving throws that the triggering trickshot or spell forces them to make.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your CHA modifier. You regain all uses at the end of a long rest.  

Spell Wake

You fire a trickshot, and it creates a path of arcane energy in the wake of the shot to manifest arcane spell energy. At 18th level, when you use a trickshot as an action, you can follow up by casting a Runeshot spell that requires an action, as a bonus action, without needing verbal, somatic, or material components that cost more than 10 gold.

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

Runeshot Spell List

1st

• Bane
• Burning Hands
• Cause Fear
• Chaos Bolt
• Charm Person
• Color Spray
• Compelled Duel
• Cure Wounds
• Entangle
• Farie Fire
• Guiding Bolt
• Hunter's Mark
• Hideous Laughter
• Inflict Wounds
• Magic Missile
• Magnify GravityThunderwave

2nd

• Acid Arrow
• Aganazzar's Scorcher
• Blindness/Deafness
• Calm Emotions
• Darkness
• Earthbind
• Enlarge/Reduce
• Gust of Wind
• Heat Metal
• Hold Person
• Maximilian's Earthen Grasp
• Phantasmal Force
• Ray of Enfeeblement
• Scorching Ray
• Shatter
• Silence
• Spike Growth
• Suggestion
• Zone of Truth

  3rd

• Bestow Curse
• Conjure Barrage
• Daylight
• Dispel Magic
• Enemies Abound
• Erupting Earth
• Fast Friends
• Fear
• Fireball
• Lightning Bolt
• Pulse Wave
• Slow
• Tidal Wave
• Vampiric Touch
• Wind Wall

  4th

• Banishment
• Black Tentacles
• Blight
• Charm Monster
• Elemental Bane
• Freedom of Movement
• Ice Storm
• Phantasmal Killer
• Polymorph
• Storm Sphere
• Vitriolic Sphere
• Wall of Fire

  5th

• Bigby's Hand
• Cloudkill
• Cone of Cold
• Conjure Volley
• Destructive Wave
• Dominate Person
• Flame Strike
• Geas
• Hold Monster
• Modify Memory
• Telekinesis
• Transmute RockWall of Force