D&D 5E Building a Better Brute

[Guest 6801328]

I posted a first draft of this in the thread on the latest Unearthed Arcana, but that discussion seems to have turned into a debate about gnomes.

I didn't think WotC's Brute was very...interesting. I suspect one of their goals is providing easy-to-use classes for beginners (or for those who just don't want to fiddle with mechanics) but even so just adding some dice to every roll feels too dull.

So, without further ado...


The Brute

Bigger Hammer
Starting at 3rd level, you’re able to strike with your weapons with especially brutal force...as long as you don’t overthink things. Whenever you hit with a weapon that you’re proficient with and deal damage, and your unmodified attack roll is greater than your Intelligence score, the weapon’s damage is increased by an amount based on your level in this class, as shown on the Brute Bonus Damage table.

Level / Bonus
3rd / 1d4
8th / 1d6
13th / 1d8
18th / 1d10

You Are the Brute Squad
Also at 3rd level you gain proficiency in Intimidation. If you already have proficiency you gain Expertise.

Too Stubborn to Die
Beginning at 7th level, your sheer mule-headedness helps you muddle through all sorts of unpleasantries. When you fail any saving throw other than Constitution you may choose to re-roll it as a Constitution saving throw. If you use this ability on a death saving throw, any result greater than 20 counts as a natural 20. You may do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum once), and regain all uses at the end of a short rest.

Walk and Chew Gum
You gain one additional fighting style.

Staggering Blows
Starting at 15th level, when you score a critical hit your target must make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the beginning of your next turn. The DC is equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency modifier, and is further increased by 2 if using a weapon two-handed, or by -2 for offhand attacks.

All Out of Bubblegum
Although usually you’re really quite reasonable, uncooperative enemies can, on occasion, upset you. When this happens you grit your remaining teeth, block out discomfort (what others might call “pain”), and start knocking heads together. At 19th level, if your HP are below half of their maximum, as a bonus action you may enter a Bad Mood. In this state you have resistance to all forms of damage, you have Advantage on saving throws and ability checks versus spells and effects that would impose a condition on you, and when you are attacked by a melee attack you may use your reaction to Shove the attacker. However, your movement speed is halved and you cannot use the Dash action. Lasts for 1 minute, and after you use this ability you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

EDIT: (just leaving notes for myself for future reference without bumping the thread)
Another idea for an ability would to be to get Advantage on any Strength check, perhaps as a bonus action. Or perhaps to simply get Proficiency bonus on any Strength check, even if it's not specifically a skill.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Not that anybody seems to care (no...really...I'm fine) but I added half movement speed, and no Dash, to All Out of Bubblegum. I don't think it's necessary for balance, but it just seemed flavorful.

 

[i_dont_meta]

Well played, Elfcrusher! I attribute the lack of responses to your post simply to the fact that most of us found the Brute to be underwhelmingly boorish (or so it seems) and clicking on your thread may seem like swimming in oatmeal. Great work nonetheless, I really dig your style!

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Well played, Elfcrusher! I attribute the lack of responses to your post simply to the fact that most of us found the Brute to be underwhelmingly boorish (or so it seems) and clicking on your thread may seem like swimming in oatmeal. Great work nonetheless, I really dig your style!

I think serious feedback on it might rather ruin the joke.

The naming and descriptions of the abilities are good, and I like the way that the main abilities really push the stereotype that its designed to portray rather than allowing varied expressions of character concept.

Overall, its a pretty cool and well-thought satire of something that wasn't initially well-received by some people.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I think serious feedback on it might rather ruin the joke.

The naming and descriptions of the abilities are good, and I like the way that the main abilities really push the stereotype that its designed to portray rather than allowing varied expressions of character concept.

Overall, its a pretty cool and well-thought satire of something that wasn't initially well-received by some people.

Ha! The the highlighted part was awesome ironic satire itself.

I just can't resist, here and elsewhere, fanciful ability names*, but I'm actually quite serious about the mechanics. I would love to play this Brute. (Usually I design subclasses I want to play.)

If I had keyed an ability off of a high Intelligence score and then otherwise described the sub-class as "clever", "intelligent", "calculating" nobody would have batted an eye. Instead I keyed an ability off of low Intelligence, and elsewhere referred to him (or her!) as not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Or, as the Brute might say, "Not the bluntest hammer in the toolbox."

*The ability name that got cut was "You'll Just Make Him Mad". I love that reference.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

On a more serious note though, I think actively penalising a character for not dumping an ability is a very bad mechanic. You have an ability in there that encourages a decent Charisma, and Str or Dex and Constitution are going to be more useful, but Bigger Hammer's mechanics should be rethought. Its one thing to not encourage use of a stat, its another to outright push the subclass into a narrow and comedic stereotype by penalising an intelligent character.

I don't think that halving speed is necessary during Bad Mood. Its a once-per-long rest ability that you can't activate in a lot of circumstances, at a level that most characters won't reach.

Overall however, my issue with the UA Brute was the lack of out of combat options. This version seems to have generally worse abilities than the UA, without actually addressing much of the actual problem. The Intimidation Expertise is cool, and an improvement, but I don't think that it goes far enough.

 

[Guest 6801328]

On a more serious note though, I think actively penalising a character for not dumping an ability is a very bad mechanic. You have an ability in there that encourages a decent Charisma, and Str or Dex and Constitution are going to be more useful, but Bigger Hammer's mechanics should be rethought. Its one thing to not encourage use of a stat, its another to outright push the subclass into a narrow and comedic stereotype by penalising an intelligent character.

Hmm. You make an excellent point. And yet...it's a great stereotype. I can think of two solutions:
1) Another, "twin" subclass that rewards Intelligence.
2) Two mechanics in the same class, one of which keys off high INT, and one that keys of low INT. Since you can't have both at once you have to decide which you're going to optimize for.

Overall however, my issue with the UA Brute was the lack of out of combat options. This version seems to have generally worse abilities than the UA, without actually addressing much of the actual problem. The Intimidation Expertise is cool, and an improvement, but I don't think that it goes far enough.

That's also a fair criticism, and it's been a complaint about the Fighter and its subclasses in general. It's a worthy thing to consider, but I think it's also ok to have a simple-to-play, combat oriented subclass. As long as there are also other options.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Guest 6801328]

Sorry to necro my own thread, but I have a SRD/courtesy question: anybody know if it would be kosher to put something like this...a modification of UA content...up on dmsguild? If it were advertised clearly as what it is? Perhaps as part of a bundle of sub-classes?

 

[Ancalagon]

... I have no idea.

I'll make a comment about the brute as a GM though - it's *great* for enemies. Not mooks, but for a BBEG, or the BBEG's chief bodyguard, it works fantastic. You don't need a lot of work to make the character, the bonus damage is significant (I hit the paladin for 19 without GWM or a crit and I saw the fear in his eyes!) and the bonus to saves removes the big "a fighter? hold person lol" factor...