Brigand

In a world of constant warfare and rivalry among the upper crust, petty noblemen, knights, and hungry peasants, the brigand is often seen as the people’s true champion against debt collectors, excisemen, burgomasters, and finaglers. While brigands are undeniably bandits, robbers, and street thugs in their own right, these rascals are frequently much better for commoners than “their lordships”, who traditionally live off their backs like parasites.

Throughout the Kingdom there must be at least a hundred and one brigand companies. Among these, the most down-and-out can be as small as a mere trio of desperados on donkeyback. The better-organized are large and branched out like small armies or mercenary companies, and capable of keeping entire districts under control, as is common in Piccadora, Alazia, Tasinnanta, Spoletaria, and on the border between Quinotaria and Falcamonte.

The number of those who claim the title of “kings” or “queens” of the brigands is incalculable, so much so that this infamous honor is often referred to as the “Copper Crown”.

Brigands are highway and country thieves, experts on their own territory and of the outdoors, at ease in the mountains, forests, and deserted countryside. Because inferior numbers and weapons often place them at a disadvantage against guards and caravan wardens, they have become masters of setups and ambushes, and swift at appearing and vanishing into thin air.

The Brigand Table

Class Features
As a Brigand, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per brigand level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per brigand level after 1st

Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, dueling daggers, hand crossbows, rapiers, sabres, shortswords, throwing daggers
Tools: Disguise kit, poisoner's kit, thieves' tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Culture, Deception, Engineering, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment
You begin the game with 125 silver which you can spend on your knave's starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can only purchase shoddy quality equipment.

Level 1

Hide in the Shadows
You gain an knack die on Stealth checks. You can attempt to hide from creatures without darkvision while you are in an area of dim light. When a creature tries to enter your space, your position is revealed.

Sneak Attack
You fight with precision, taking advantage of momentary lapses in an opponent’s concentration.

Once per turn, you can deal extra weapon damage when you hit a creature with a finesse weapon or ranged weapon attack. The amount of extra damage is shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Brigand table.

In order to apply this damage, you must not have disadvantage on the attack and your target must be within 5 feet of another enemy of the target who is not incapacitated. Alternatively, you can apply sneak attack damage if you have advantage on the attack.

Level 2

Ambusher
When you begin your turn hidden from a creature, you gain advantage on melee attacks against it until the end of your turn.

Cunning Action
You use your mobility to weave through the battlefield.

Each turn in combat, you can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.

Swift Stance
You adopt a loose stance that gives you an extra bit of swiftness that can make all the difference in a fight or chase.

You use a bonus action to increase your Speed by 5 feet. This stance remains active until you are knocked unconscious, stunned, activate a different stance, begin a short rest, or choose to end it on your turn.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Level 3

Brigandage
You gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills.

Loot Runner
You gain a knack die on Athletics checks, your speed increases by 5 feet, and you can carry 2 extra bulky items.

The Fine Art of Ambushing
You become a master at catching your opponents by surprise.

You have advantage on initiative rolls and on any action taken during the first turn of each combat.

Level 4

Ability Score Improvement
You can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Covering Fire
Making haphazard shots to dissuade enemies, you force opponents onto the defensive by unleashing death from above so an ally can move into position.

You use your action to choose a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus that you can see within the normal range of your weapon. Until the start of your next turn, a chosen creature’s movement does not provoke opportunity attacks from creatures you can see as you pelt the area nearby with missiles. For each opportunity attack a chosen creature would have otherwise provoked, you expend one piece of ammunition or thrown weapon.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Veiled Threat
You gain a knack die on Intimidation checks. When you succeed on a verbal Intimidation check, creatures of your choice other than the target of your check don’t recognize your hostile intent.

Level 5

Aim
You learn to briefly focus and make the most out of your next strike.

If you haven’t yet moved on your turn, you can use your Cunning Action to Aim, gaining advantage on the next attack roll you make before the start of your next turn. If you do so, your Speed is reduced to 0 until the end of your turn.

Scout Leader
You gain a knack die on Stealth checks. When your party makes a group Stealth check, you may apply your result to yourself and one ally after seeing the results of all rolls. Additionally, when you are traveling, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.

Level 6

Tumbling Retreat
When a melee attack misses you, you can use your reaction to move up to half your speed. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Uncanny Dodge
When you are hit by an attacker that you can see, you can use your reaction to halve the damage from the attack.