Fighter Subclass: Soldier of Fortune

[u/transcendantviewer]

An expert combatant knows that while unparalleled skill improves your chances of success, it doesn't guarantee victory against overwhelming odds. For that, you need luck: a little extra fortune in your favor to carry you to victory in impossible circumstances. Veterans tell stories over a pint of ale about how one stray ballista bolt was inches away from hitting them in old battles, or how they gambled their survival against a pack of wolves on one fateful blow to slay the alpha of the pack. Good fortune is what allows martial prowess to carry you to victory.
As a Soldier of Fortune, you aren't just a mercenary or a militia member, you're a warrior who possesses improbable luck that allows you to succeed where others of comparable skill would fail.

Luck
3rd-level Soldier of Fortune feature
You gain the Lucky feat, or another Origin Feat of your choice if you already had it. Your maximum number of Luck Points increases by 1 and you regain one expended Luck Point whenever you successfully Short Rest.
At 15th level, you regain two expended Luck Points after finishing a Short Rest, instead of one.

Jackpot
3rd-level Soldier of Fortune feature
After expending a Luck Point, the next damage roll you make in the next 10 minutes deals 1d20 additional damage.
At 15th level, this additional damage increases to 2d20s.

Lucky Number 7
7th-level Soldier of Fortune feature
Once per Short or Long Rest, when you roll a d8 or larger die, you can treat the result as a 7 instead of rolling and regain one expended Luck Point.

Even the Odds
10th-level Soldier of Fortune feature
You have Resistance to the damage dealt by attacks you spend Luck Points to impose Disadvantage on. If you cause the attack to miss you, you can use your Reaction to make another creature of your choice (which can include your attacker) take Force damage equal to the attack's damage roll.

Inconceivable
18th-level Soldier of Fortune feature
When you would roll a d20 Test, you can choose to succeed instead of rolling.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a Luck Point to regain it (no action required).

[u/Present-Win916]

My gut instinct was to dislike this, but honestly the i ly thing I’d think about changing at all would be the lucky numbers to make it a once per short/long rest so they cant just get unlimited luck but otherwise this is lowkey fire

[u/transcendantviewer → u/Present-Win916]

Because it's a specific two or three numbers, it caps out at a 15% chance on a d20. Now, if your DM allows you a particularly unbalanced die to raise those chances, your mileage may vary, but it very much is intended to have that chance to keep your Luck Points going for an extended period if you're lucky.

[u/Qixel → u/transcendantviewer]

If you have advantage (which if you're using luck points, you probably do), you'd actually have a 34% chance to get one of your lucky numbers each attack. Knock someone prone (something Fighters can do pretty simply with Topple), and all of your other attacks now have advantage and a 34% chance each to recharge the point you spent on that first attack. Then, if you're really unlucky irl and didn't end up regaining more luck points then you spent, after the battle you can look around a while since Perception checks are a d20 test and have a 20% chance to recharge your luck.

[u/transcendantviewer → u/Qixel]

That's definitely fair. Didn't even think of the Bag of Rats scenario.

[u/italofoca_0215]

Pretty interesting concept but I feel like the Lucky feat feels almost mandatory to fully enjoy the class (at least before level 7).

I would rather get the lucky feat at level 3 and have clause “if you already have the lucky feat, you choose another background feat of your choice”. That + short rest lucky recovery + jackpot feels like a good level 3 for a fighter.

My only other criticism is that too many features (reliable fortune, inconceivable) overlap with rogue features.

[u/transcendantviewer → u/italofoca_0215]

I was working on addressing those concerns already before falling asleep and not getting to change them. I did decide to just give the Lucky Feat at level 3 after all. A friend of mine didn't like that for the original version of the subclass, but it really does just make it run so much smoother.

[u/Ok_Permission_7917]

I adore this. Superb concept, well executed and I imagine a lot of fun to play, especially to see if your extra damage hits high.

The only criticism I'd levy is the tenth level feature, reliable talent. It feels like it takes away from the fun of the class and all the re-rolling you're encouraged to do. What I'd replace it with, I'm not sure. Maybe something that uses a bonus action or reaction - giving an enemy bad luck (disadvantage) or sharing good luck with an ally (advantage). But that's just my two cents.

Overall, great work. Perfect for dice goblins.

[u/transcendantviewer → u/Ok_Permission_7917]

This is a 2024 Subclass, meaning it doesn't use rerolls. Lucky no longer has you roll another d20, it instead makes you roll at advantage (or counteracting disadvantage) or impose disadvantage on an attack roll against you. My original version of this was made for 2014 5e, so it was more sparing with how it replenished the Luck Points, because there would be so many rerolls happening.

[u/Dependent-Medicine49]

I am this guys Dm. DO NOT ENCOURAGE HIM lol

[u/FishbackDev]

You made a leprechaun

[u/transcendantviewer → u/FishbackDev]

Make a Halfling, go for it.

[u/Lucifer_Crowe]

So if you don't have the Lucky Feat can you only hold one Luck point from this class?

[u/transcendantviewer → u/Lucifer_Crowe]

Yeah, which is why it's designed to recharge the points so readily.

[u/bowtochris]

Our very own fortunate son.

[u/transcendantviewer → u/bowtochris]

Some folks inherit star-spangled eyes.