Gunslinger Archetype: Deadeye

For my Aurikesh campaign, way back in 2012 for D&D Next, I wrote a Seeker class (several iterations appear in this blog) for a creepy occultist gunslinger concept, very much taken from Torchlight 2’s Outlander. In the years since then, Tribality has created a gunslinger class (now found in Seas of Vodari). In this post I’m bringing that creepy occultist theme to Tribality’s class. Other names I’m considering for this subclass include the Harvester or Soul Harvester.

Edited to add: The version of this posted in Harbinger of Doom is called the Soulbinder, and is substantially reworked with help from Shawn Ellsworth.

Deadeye

Whether you made a bargain with an unclean spirit at a crossroads or you etched eldritch sigils into the barrel of your gun in your sleep, your mind is filled with sinister knowledge that you apply to your gunslinging. Many who possess such knowledge pledge themselves to a noble cause, knowing better than most how their souls teeter on the edge of darkness. Deadeyes manipulate the souls of those who die near them to accomplish their deeds.

Occult Deeds
3rd-level Deadeye feature

One must be fearless when dealing with the uncanny or sinister powers of the world. You use your bravado to accomplish deeds of magic.

Harvester of Souls. When a creature dies within 60 feet of you, or within 1 minute afterward, you can use your reaction and spend 1 bravado point to bind its soul to a weapon you are wielding. The soul remains bound to that weapon until you finish a long rest. When you hit with an attack using a weapon that has a soul bound to it, you deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage, your attack ignores resistance or immunity to nonmagical piercing damage, and your attacks leave a visible trail of darkness through the air for a moment. A creature whose soul is bound to your weapon can’t be returned to life against your will. You can bind a number of souls to your weapon at one time up to your proficiency bonus.

Dread Shot. When you hit with an attack using a ranged weapon, you can spend 1 bravado to force the creature that you hit and one creature that can see your target to roll a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are frightened for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, a target can make another Wisdom saving throw, ending the frightened condition on a success.

Seal Upon the Soul. You learn protection from evil and good, and you can spend 1 bravado point or release a soul from a weapon you are wielding to cast it without expending a spell slot. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. When you fail a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on this spell, you can spend 1 bravado point to succeed instead.

Pallid Guard
6th-level Deadeye feature

You have learned secret wards against harm. You gain resistance to necrotic damage, and you have advantage on saving throws against effects that deal necrotic damage.

Mortal Wager
10th-level Deadeye feature

As part of a short rest, you can make a wager with an elemental, fey, fiendish, or undead spirit. You can risk up to as many souls as are currently bound to your weapons. Roll that number of d6s. If none of the dice roll a 5 or 6, you lose all of the souls you risked and have disadvantage on saving throws until you finish a long rest. For each 5 or 6 result, you gain one additional bravado point, regain 5 hit points, and gain 5 temporary hit points. Bravado points above your normal maximum are lost when you finish a long rest. Temporary hit points from this feature stack, up to a maximum of 30.

Deeds of the Occult Master
15th-level Deadeye feature

You gain the following bravado deeds.

Shadow-Shot.When you take the Attack action, you can spend 2 bravado points to make an additional attack against a creature within 30 feet of a target of your attacks. If this additional attack hits, all of the damage it deals is necrotic. This attack does not consume ammunition.

Fiend’s Fortunes. When you roll a 1 on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can spend 1 bravado point or release a soul bound to your weapon to roll again.

Midnight Binding
18th-level Deadeye feature

Souls bound to your weapons are not released when you finish a long rest, as long as the weapons remain in your possession throughout the long rest.

When you roll initiative, you can release a soul bound to your weapons to regain up to 4 bravado points.

Design Notes

This is very much a first draft, and if it’s anything like my other gunslinger subclasses it’ll change a lot between now and a full release. I want this to feel like something out of Preacher, Supernatural, or Deadlands, without directly lifting from any of them.

I’m hoping that adding a second currency to the gunslinger isn’t just a disaster. If it is, well, I need to rework the whole concept.

Working through this has reminded me of how long it’s been since I’ve written a new subclass of any kind. I’m a bit out of practice. Anyway, I hope you like it, all the same.

The subclass name is almost certainly not final.