Reaper Class

[Creyzi4j]

Here's a fighter martial archetype i made inspired by the whirling reaper in 3.5
Tell me what you guys think.

Reaper:
Level 3:
Scythe = the reaper gains +1 bonus to damage rolls when wielding a greataxe. (+2 at level 10, +3 at level 20)
When wielding the greataxe weapon. The name is changed to scythe and the greataxe receives the reach bonus.
All attacks at 5ft are at a disadvantage when wielding a greataxe. (no more disadvantage at level 10)

Level 7 = Whirling Reaper = if the reaper uses the extra attack function using a scythe, the reaper may chose to move 5ft.first before initiating the next attack. The movement doesn't provoke AoO.
(If the reaper attacks a target he has already attacked this turn using this ability then the attack is done at a disadvantage)

Level 10 = Cleaving Reaper = the reaper may spend both his move action and bonus action to move 5ft (optional) and gain one additional attck with a scythe. The attack gains advantage.
(If the reaper attacks a target he has already attacked this turn using this ability then the attack has no advantage/normal roll)

Level 15 = Tripping Reaper = Creatures hit by the reaper using AoO with a scythe must mke a STR save of (8+STR+prof.) or be knocked prone, take additional 1d4 fall dmg, and its movement becomes 0 until the start of its next turn


Level 18 = Scythe Barrage =
- If the reaper attacks with a scythe he gains +2 temporary AC. This AC bonus disappears until the reaper is attacked (hit or miss), restrained, grappled, knocked prone or moved involuntarily. (AC bonus does not stack)
- If the reaper suffers from disadvantage for an attack usinf a scythe. He may chose to remove the disadvantage and gain advantage instead. Can only be used once per long rest.

[GalacticAxekick]

Overall, I think you need to keep two things in mind:

Every archetype should have some clear function in mind. What is the Reaper supposed to do, and how do these features help them do it?
Every class in the game has some non-combat powers. For Fighters, these are granted through the 7th level features. Instead, you gave a combat feature, which limits your archetype outside of combat and risks making it overpowered in combat.

Now, more specifically


Level 3: = Scythe = the reaper gains +1 bonus to damage rolls when wielding a greataxe. (+2 at level 10, +3 at level 20)
When wielding the greataxe weapon. The name is changed to scythe and the greataxe receives the reach bonus.
All attacks at 5ft are at a disadvantage when wielding a greataxe. (no more disadvantage at level 10) This feature offers a reach weapon (which the Fighter probably already has if they really want one) as well as damage, which makes the Fighter better at what they're already doing (attacking with a reach weapon).

In other words, this feature doesn't change the role of the Fighter at all. Ask yourself "What do I want this subclass to do?" and write a feature that does it. Because 3.5e's Whirling Reaper focused on cleaving through crowds, and because no other characters have an Extra Attack by 3rd level, I'd make this subclass stand out by making Cleave its first feature.

Level 3 = Cleave = As an attack, the Reaper can cut down all surrounding foes with a slashing weapon. The Reaper makes melee weapon attack against each creature within 5 feet. Upon hit, each creature takes slashing damage equal to the weapon's damage die.

This feature is based on the cantrip Sword Burst, and hopefully just as balanced as a tool for AoE. Unlike Sword Burst, this feature does not gain damage dice as the user levels up, but because it is is an attack and not an action, it can be used more than once after acquiring the Extra Attack feature.

Level 3 = Whirling Defense = If the Reaper has not moved since the start of their last turn, they can make an opportunity attack when a creature they can see enters their reach.

In addition, as an action, the Reaper can begin to twirl a slashing weapon, donning a vortex of blades. Before the start of their next turn, the Reaper can make a number of reactions equal to the number of attacks they possess +1.

Along with Cleave, this cements the Reaper as the master of crowd control. The Reaper can hold their ground and make OAs against incoming enemies, or rush into the front lines to dish out AoE. Options, right off the bat!


Level 7 = Whirling Reaper = if the reaper uses the extra attack function using a scythe, the reaper may chose to move 5ft.first before initiating the next attack. The movement doesn't provoke AoO.
(If the reaper attacks a target he has already attacked this turn using this ability then the attack is done at a disadvantage)In 5e, you can already move between attacks, so all this feature really adds is 5 feet of safe movement. This is extremely weak, even before the unnecessary disadvantage. If I wanted to keep the feature, I'd replace it something like "when the Reaper makes a melee attack against a creature, they do not provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn." But then, I don't want to keep this feature, because a Fighter's 7th level feature is not supposed to be a combat feature.

Try to think of the flavour a Reaper uses. Do they take on the likeness of Death himself? Offer a feature pertaining to intimidation! Are they typically farmers by trade? Offer a feature pertaining to trade skills! Whatever it is, it should be either social or explorative.


Level 10 = Cleaving Reaper = the reaper may spend both his move action and bonus action to move 5ft (optional) and gain one additional attck with a scythe. The attack gains advantage.
(If the reaper attacks a target he has already attacked this turn using this ability then the attack has no advantage/normal roll)For one, there's no such thing as a "move action" in 5e. There's just movement, which can be broken up however you like during your turn.

But more importantly, reducing the Reaper's speed to 0 (the 5e equivalent to having no move action) and spending a bonus action to make one bonus attack is ludicrous when two-weapon fighters can make a bonus attack with just a bonus action. The advantage helps justify the high penalty, but why not streamline this whole thing and just offer a normal attack as a bonus action, or offer a normal attack in exchange for 0 speed? Not to mention the again-arbitrary penalty against attacks against an old target.

Even more importantly, though, "more damage!" isn't a necessary feature. The Fighter deals fantastic damage as is, thanks to 4 attacks, martial weapons, and access to many ASIs/feats. Instead, I want this feature to make the Reaper do something new:

Level 10 = Raze = When the Reaper uses their Cleave, and when the Reaper makes an opportunity attack, they can choose to shove or disarm a target rather than attacking them.

This alone lets the Reaper a shove a ring of hostiles back, knock a passerby prone, or disarm choice foes while attacking others, just to scratch the surface! This means on top of AoE, they have a robust set of tools for area control and nerfing masses.


Level 15 = Tripping Reaper = Creatures hit by the reaper using AoO with a scythe must mke a STR save of (8+STR+prof.) or be knocked prone, take additional 1d4 fall dmg, and its movement becomes 0 until the start of its next turn Too much going on here. This feature deals damage and bonus damage and controls space and dishes out nerfs. This doesn't demand for the Reaper to make any interesting decisions. It's just free power. Because I included tripping in the 10th level feature, let's look for an unrelated option: defense!

Level 15 = Improved Whirling Defense = The Reaper can cut attacks clean from the air in self defense. When an attack is rolled against them, before damage is rolled, the Reaper can use a reaction to add +2 to their AC against the one attack.

This is meant to synergize with Whirling Defense, of course: it allows the Reaper to deflect incoming attacks from all surrounding enemies if need be, or from a single aggressive foe. The Reaper can't take full advantage of this while taking the attack action, but it remains a powerful tool to close in on ranged enemies and to preoccupy a melee for, or to goad them into walking off (and provoking an OA!)


Level 18 = Scythe Barrage =
- If the reaper attacks with a scythe he gains +2 temporary AC. This AC bonus disappears until the reaper is attacked (hit or miss), restrained, grappled, knocked prone or moved involuntarily. (AC bonus does not stack)
- If the reaper suffers from disadvantage for an attack usinf a scythe. He may chose to remove the disadvantage and gain advantage instead. Can only be used once per long rest.Rewarding the Reaper with AC for attacking doesn't really make the Reaper better at its role; it just makes the Reaper better, period. Ditto, advantage for the sake of advantage. The archetype's capstone should encapsulate everything the archetype is about, which to me is crowd control.

We've covered offense, defense, area control and status effects. All that's left is mobility. Remember this old thing?

Level 18 = Wake = When the Reaper hits a creature with a melee attack, they do not provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn

With the Reaper's ability to hit so many enemies at a time, this essentially ensures them the freedom to wade through the front lines they call home.