Ranger, Windwalker Archetype

Overview & Creation

The practice of Windwalking is a tradition passed down by enthusiasts, professionals, award-winning athletes, and military programs. From a young age, many Svindilians are introduced to the Zephyr rune, a rune that when engraved into a board and imbued with the user’s aura functions like a hoverboard. This board is then referred to as a 'Zephyr Board' but many tend to give their personal boards a nickname. A spiritual, artisanal culture surrounds Windwalking, as creating your own board is viewed as sharing a small piece of your soul and trust with this magical instrument to become one with the air and go with the flow of the currents.

However, once the sport was big enough to catch the attention of world leaders, the practice was snatched up for royal armies across the realm, most notably so within Halos*. Skilled Windwalkers picked up archery midair, becoming perfect eagle-eye sharpshooters, deadly alone and in numbers.

Class Features

At Level 3, Choose one:

- Eagle’s Eye: Gain advantage on perception checks from the sky with a +2 bonus. Increases to +3 at level 10, +4 at level 15.

- Owl’s Stealth: When tracking a target from the air, gain advantage on stealth checks. When in an open terrain, you may also hide in plain sight in the air, spending a bonus action to hide amongst treetops, clouds, or other obstacles.   Level 7 feat, Falcon’s Dive: Thrice per long rest, you may perform a Dive attack as an action from the sky. Choose a target below, and on impact (roll to hit with proficiency) the target takes 2d10 Force Damage, increasing +1d10 at levels 10 and 15, and DC 15 Dexterity save or fall prone.   Level 11 feat, Volley: You can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.   At Level 15, Choose one:

- Evasion: When you are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

- Roc’s Strength: Thrice per long rest, you may perform a Drop attack as an action from the sky. Choose a target below, equal or smaller to your own size, and on a failed DC 17 dexterity check, lift the creature your full movement up into the air and drop them. They land prone and take the appropriate impact damage.

- Uncanny Dodge: When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
 

Starting Equipment

(a) scale mail or (b) leather armor

(a) two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows

Wood Carving tools

Zephyr Board (at 3rd Level)

Spellcasting

Casting: Proficiency bonus + your Aura modifier   Saves: 8 + Proficiency bonus + your Aura modifier

Subclass Options

Archetype Prerequisite:

- Cut down a tree within the Aerial realm.

- Shape this tree into an aerodynamic board with traditional carving tools. Carve the rune into the topside of the board, beneath where the dominant foot will stand.

- Create a stain of pure rainwater, distilled aura, and the user’s blood. Pour into the rune carving’s lines at dawn atop a windy hill.

Archetype Additions:

Favored terrain may now include Sky

Naturally cast Fog Cloud, Gust of Wind, and Wind Wall.

When on their board, a character’s Flying Speed equals 50ft.

Best suited for Aerial races, especially Aashamir or Leykari.