Skirmisher

A skirmisher is a fighter that specializes in seizing and exploiting the initiative of combat. Lurking snipers, tribal hunters, mobile harriers, formal duelists, clever assassins, and unscrupulous rogues are all found in this class.

Hit Points

With each skirmisher level, a hero’s maximum hit points increase by 5 + their Constitution modifier and they add a d8 to their pool of hit dice.

Multiclassing

A hero must have a Dexterity score of at least 13 to multiclass as a skirmisher.

Starting Equipment

If a hero begins their adventures as a skirmisher, they begin the game with two knives, a traveler’s pack, a toolset that they are proficient with, and two additional weapons that they are proficient with.

Armaments

At 1^st level, a skirmisher gains proficiency with light and versatile melee weapons, thrown weapons, projectile weapons, and staves.

Expertise

At 1^st level, and again at 11^th level, a skirmisher gains proficiency with an additional skill and an additional language or toolset of their choice. In addition, they choose two one skill or toolset that they are proficient with, and learn the associated Discovery from the expert class.

Footwork

At 1^st level, a skirmisher learns to move efficiently in combat. Unless they are incapacitated or overloaded, they add their proficiency bonus to Defense and initiative checks.

Pack Tactics

Starting at 1st level, a skirmisher gains advantage on attack rolls made against enemies they can see who are threatened by another creature.

For another creature to threaten an enemy, that enemy must be within their reach, they must be wielding a melee weapon that they are proficient with, they must be able to see that enemy, they must be able to see that enemy, and they must not be incapacitated, off-guard, or prone.

Sneak Attack

Starting at 1^st level, a skirmisher that is not encumbered can strike subtly and decisively. Once per turn, when they hit an enemy with a light, thrown, or projectile weapon that they are proficient with, they can add 1d6 to the damage roll if they have advantage on their attack roll.

A creature threatens all enemies within their reach if they are wielding a melee weapon (or proficient with unarmed attacks), can see that enemy, are hostile towards that enemy, and are not incapacitated, off-guard, or prone.

The extra damage dealt by this feature increases by 1d6 when the skirmisher reaches 3^rd level, and again when they reach 5^th, 7^th, 9^th, and 11^th levels. This extra damage is cumulative with other Sneak Attack features.

Cunning Action

Starting at 2^nd level, a skirmisher’s quick thinking and agility allow them to use a bonus action to Dash, Disengage, Escape, or Hide.

Skirmisher Ilk

When a skirmisher reaches 3^rd level, the fall into a particular ilk of skirmishing, which provides them class features at 3^rd, 6^th, and 9^th levels. These ilk are described in the links to the right.

Blackguard
Duelist
Harrier
Mastermind
Raider
Rogue
Scout
Shiner

Ability Improvement

At 4^th level, and again at 8^th and 12^th level, a skirmisher can either increase one ability score by 2, increase two ability scores by 1, or gain a talent (described in Chapter 1 – Hero Creation).

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 5^th level, when a skirmisher is hit by an attacker that they can see, they can use their reaction to halve the attack’s damage against themselves.

Evasion

Starting at 7^th level, a skirmisher can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects. When they are subject to an effect that allows them to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, they instead take no damage on a passed saving throw and half damage on a failed saving throw.

Starting at 10^th level, this benefit applies to all saving throws that allow them to take only half damage, not just Dexterity saving throws.

Last Resort

At 10^th level, a skirmisher gains an impressive measure of persistence and adaptability. Whenever they make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, and dislike the result, they can reroll it.

Alternatively, when a skirmisher of this level is hit by an attack, they can use a reaction to force the attacker to reroll the attack, possibly causing it to miss. If the attack still hits, the skirmisher takes only half damage.

Once a skirmisher has used this feature, they can’t use it again until they finish a short rest.