The Scholar and the Thief

Two skill-monkeys, both alike in dignity. Well, on second thought, not so alike in dignity. One hobnobs with society and spouts pseudophilosophical bullshyte, the other stabs the first between the ribs and takes all their stuff. Credit to Type1Ninja at Two Goblins in a Trenchcoat for the base of the Thief.

The Scholar

Beware of hemlock.

Scholar A: Rhetoric, 1 field of choice, 1 field at random

Scholar B: Educator, +1 field of choice

Scholar C: Font of Knowledge, +1 field of choice

Scholar D: +2 fields of choice

Fields: You have the listed ability and also gain the appropriate Skill. All chances-in-6 increase by 1 for each additional Scholar template you have. Failure on these chance-in-6 rolls does not mean that nothing happens, it means that you get a plausible answer that has (d4: 1. a minor detail wrong, 2. a major detail wrong, 3. only a minor detail correct, 4. entirely false). The GM rolls the d4 secretly.

Rhetoric: You can convince a layman of anything with a long enough debate. Someone else might be able to convince them back. Educated persons such as other scholars, certain nobles, or young wizards (though not more experienced wizards) get a save.

Educator: You can, during a daily or long rest, give up to [level]*2 people enough training in a Field you have to give them the associated skill. Every time they sleep, they must save vs. forgetting what you've taught them.

Font of Knowledge: You've read and learned so much that whenever you examine something, you can remember additional trivia about it on a 3-in-6 (like a Field roll).

Fields

1. Alchemy: You can identify substances and know how to handle them safely. You know how to mix poultices that give +1 HP when healing, and potions that imbue the drinker with effects of their ingredients on a 2-in-6. Tools: Box of glassware, tongs, goggles, thick gloves

2. Anthropology: You know the customs of other civilizations both ancient and modern, and can make predictions about their culture on a 2-in-6. You can deduce the general meaning of their writings on a 2-in-6. Tools: 3 small trinkets from other cultures, dead language guide
3. Architecture: You can make accurate mental maps and sketch them perfectly. You know the general plan of any building you see, as well which walls are load-bearing, and where the designer may have hidden secrets. Tools: Measuring tape, calipers, level, mapping paper, set of pens
4. Art: You can paint photorealistic paintings (takes 1 hr). Reproduce accurately from memory on a 3-in-6. You can sell your paintings in town. Tools: Portable canvases, paint set, brush set
5. Astronomy: You can navigate by the stars, and make astronomical predictions about the weather (accurate on 3-in-6) or the future (accurate on 1-in-6, get 1 cryptic detail from the positions of the stars) once per night. Tools: Warm heavy coat, spyglass, sextant, astrogation charts
6. Etiquette: You know how to compose yourself and seem like you belong, no matter the social scene. Nobles do not get saves vs. your Rhetoric. Tools: Sewing kit, makeup set, 2 sets of fancy clothing
7. Journalism: You can scribe in any handwriting, and you can write prose that will be believed by the masses no matter what twists in the truth it may contain (as Rhetoric). Tools: Field notebook, set of fancy pens and inks
8. Law: You can, on a 3-in-6, argue yourself out of legal charges, and on a 2-in-6 argue others out of legal charges. Failure might make you enemies, or get you out given stipulations. You can write legally-binding contracts, and can on a 2-in-6 slip in clauses that the other side won't notice (on failure, there might be unintended loopholes). Tools: Book of law, a friend in the local legal system
9. Linguistics: You speak and are literate in 2 additional languages (+1 for each Scholar template), and with a day of exposure to a new language, you can speak it crudely (2-in-6). A week lets you speak it conversationally (4-in-6). A month lets you speak it fluently. Tools: Translation dictionary, field notebook, quill and ink
10. Mathematics: You can perform advanced algebra in your head, predict the flight paths of objects with perfect accuracy, accurately eyeball measurements, and judge the amount of strength (and length of lever) you would need to lift any object. Tools: Abacus, book of reference tables
11. Medicine: Anyone you tend to during a rest gets to roll HD with advantage, and you can heal an additional wound of theirs, or give them advantage on a save vs. disease. This forgoes your own chance to heal during the rest. Tools: Scalpel set, thick gloves, long coat, jar of leeches
12. Music: You can sing and play music that can powerfully evoke an emotion of your choice in all listeners. When you stop performing, the effect stops. You also have perfect phonographic recall, and can mimic tunes (and some natural sounds) from memory. Tools: Instrument of choice, mechanical metronome, pile of assorted sheet music
13. Occult: You can identify whether an item or effect is magical. You can read magical runes and scripts. Tools: Vials of esoteric powders, robe with inlaid sigils
14. Oratory: You can get and hold a crowd's attention for as long as you're speaking. Your voice carries over distances of up to a mile. If you shout, you can distract people in earshot, who get disadvantage on whatever they're doing. This only works if it's surprising. Tools: [level]d6 fans whenever you return to town to give speeches
15. Philosophy: You can cast 1 random spell as a Wizard's cantrip. You can spend a long rest studying and retraining your mind to learn a new random spell to replace that one. You can convince wizards that they can't cast spells on a 2-in-6. Failure causes both you and the wizard to roll on the Flux table. Tools: a set of logic puzzle toys
16. Research: You can guess where in the town/region/world you might find a particular piece of information on a 2-in-6. You have a 1-in-6 of having already read something about it. You can read 30 pages per minute, with perfect recall. Tools: 3 random books
17. Tactics: With ten minutes of observation, you learn the tactics a group of foes will use on a 2-in-6. While traveling, you can stretch supplies for double their duration OR you can make the party travel at double speed. Each round in combat, you can give someone within earshot an extra action. Your party has +1 initiative. Tools: Random ornamental weapon (step down damage die), spyglass, maps of area, compass
18. Theology: You know a Domain and can invoke 1 miracle as Cleric. You can obey the letter, rather than the spirit, of your domain's Commands. Tools: Holy book with accompanying annotations, various sacred incenses
19. Who's Whom: always know someone's name and social standing if matter of public record. If you've spent more than an hour in someone's company or read sufficient biographical information you have a 2-in-6 to predict their reaction to any given event (increases by 1-in-6 for spending a week/month/year in their company). Tools: Book of geneaology and noble crests, an unspecified favor from a local official
20. Zoology: You can identify mundane creatures, their dangers, and how they are valuable and/or best-prepared to eat. You can calm them on a 1-in-6 if they are hostile, and tame them on a further 1-in-6. Failure means they won't stay that way for long. Tools: Thick gloves, magnifying glass, net, lantern, 3 syringes of tranquilizer

Equipment

Scholar A: Notepapers, sketching charcoal, 3 random (ordinary) books, relevant field tools, walking stick

Scholar B: Diploma, unfinished thesis manuscript, relevant field tools, random additional field tools

Skills (d3): 1. Merchant, 2. Pilgrim, 3. Scribe

The Thief

A treasure stolen is a treasure earned.

Thief A: Con Artist, Second Story Worker, pick 1 talent, roll an extra class skill

Thief B: Pick 1 Talent, roll 1 talent, roll an extra class skill

Thief C: Roll 2 talents, Con Artist duration becomes hours, pick an extra class skill

Thief D: Pick 1 talent, roll 1 talent, Con Artist duration becomes days, pick any skill of your choice

Con Artist: So long as no one can verify what you’re saying is wrong, you can lie through your teeth and they’ll believe you for at least d6 minutes.

Second Story Worker: You climb just as well without climbing gear as with it. If a climb would be trivial using gear, you don’t need to roll, even if you’re free-climbing. If a climb would be impossible using gear, you can roll anyway.

Starting Equipment

Thief A: Cloak with many pockets (extra 3 Encumbrance), dagger, lockpicks, roll two random items

Thief B: Disguise kit, 3 stilettos, roll a random item

Skills (d20):

1. Lookout

2. Forger

3. Poisoner

4. Gambler

5. Pickpocket

6. Casanova/Seductress/Them Fatale

7. Doctor

8. Merchant

9. Hunter

10. Cartographer

11. Musician

12. Bully

13. Cook

14. Jailor

15. Duelist

16. Fop

17. Cultist

18. Sailor

19. Gladiator

20. Animal Handler

Talents

1. Acrobat: You can move an extra 15’ per round (45’ total). You can jump 20’ instead of 10’. Treat your falls as 20’ shorter.

2. Actor: Anyone can use makeup and do an accent, but your makeup and accents are impeccable. You don’t have to roll to impersonate someone in casual conversation, but gaps in your knowledge can still reveal you. 

3. Cat’s Eyes: As long as there’s a little bit of light, you can see 30’ in darkness (no color). 

4. Coward: Cover grants an additional +1 AC

5. Divine Grunt: 1/day Issue an irresistible one-word command. Only affects: d4 1 Undead, 2 Animals, 3 Plants, 4 Furniture

6. Fashionable: Fancy clothes provide +1 AC and don’t encumber you.

7. Getaway Horse: You start with a horse. Horses you train can DEX test for stealth with advantage, understand abstract directions, and follow a schedule to the minute.

8. Lucky: 1/day, reroll one of your d20 rolls. 

9. Dog Whisperer: You start with a dog. Dogs you train can DEX test for stealth with advantage, communicate if an area is obviously dangerous, and track a week-old trail by scent without fail (barring magical concealment). 

10. Opportunist: When you have a situational attack bonus, deal an extra 1d6 damage. 

11. Quick Fingers: You have advantage on DEX tests to pickpocket people. You can steal things directly out of someone’s hands with a DEX test. 

12. Recorder Crow: You start with a crow. It can make and play auditory recordings. It responds to Record, Stop Recording, Play, Pause, Rewind, and Fast Forward. Max storage: 1 hour. It’s very smart. 

13. Redirect: Once per round, when an enemy attacks you, you can roll DEX to redirect their attack to another enemy they can hit. 

14. Second Chance: Once per lifetime, cheat death. 

15. Square Meal: Lunch heals you to full HP provided you pair it with alcohol. 

16. Tongues: 1/day Speak with d4: 1 Weapons, 2 Doors, 3 Birds, 4 Clothing

17. Tricky: Advantage on Stunts. 

18. Urchin: A street rat demands to learn under you. They’re a very sneaky hireling that doesn’t ask for pay. If you lose your urchin, you can recruit another wherever urchins are plentiful, but it will be difficult if you have a reputation for getting them killed. 

19. Watchful: You have +1 initiative and a 50% chance of acting in surprise rounds. You can’t be snuck past. 

20. Wizardly Initiate: By tasting an object, you can tell whether or not it is magical. You know one cantrip.

The Adept and the Barbarian

Two more classes for Mimics & Miscreants! Which I swear is coming out before Friday, at least as a first rough draft.

The Adept

"Pree Aesma, Ys-Asram (the Blooded One), Ys-Prama, Hansa, and Prat Payam (who temper my heart), YISUN Atru Vyam, forgive me for this violence I am about to inflict."

Adept A: Harmonious Motion, 2 Fighting Styles

Adept B: Flurry of Blows, Natural Student, +1 Style, +1 HP

Adept C: Iron Body, +1 Active Style, +1 HP

Adept D: Diamond Mind, Dojo, +1 HP

Adept Fighting Styles: Only active if unarmed, can only have one active at once, takes 10 minutes of uninterrupted meditation to switch your style.

Harmonious Motion: You can move twice as fast as normal, take fall damage at half the normal rate, and ignore difficult terrain. You are also incredibly flexible, and can escape from mundane restraints or cram yourself through gaps half your size.

Flurry of Blows: Whenever you hit with an unarmed attack, you can make another attack against the same target and step up the damage die (to a max of d12), but take disadvantage on the attack roll.

Natural Student: When you fight and are greatly injured by a strong foe, you can learn a new style over a long rest that gives you two of the following: one of its movement types, one of its abilities, one of its attacks.

Iron Body: You have advantage on Constitution and Dexterity saves, and can save to resist half of any environmental damage.

Diamond Mind: You have advantage on Wisdom and Charisma saves, and can save each turn to break charm, possession, and domination effects.

Dojo: In town you can start a Dojo to train students in your fighting styles. [level]d4 students will come to study under you each time you are in town, and d4 will be eager enough to join you on your quests. They gain fighting styles via Natural Student, and gain their first adept level when they learn their second style.

Equipment

Adept A: Robes, bandages, meditation focus, staff

Adept B: Tea set, rare tea collection

Skills (d3): 1. Poet, 2. Artist, 3. Philosopher

Fighting Styles

1. Absorbing Ooze

You can squeeze through spaces the size of your head.

When you hit an enemy, you can automatically steal an item they’re carrying, including pieces of armor.

2. Charging Wurm

You can burrow through loose earth and breathe underground for 30 minutes.

When you attack an enemy from below, step up your damage die and they save vs. being grappled (can’t move unless you let them go).

3. Flailing Kraken

You can swim in any conditions and hold your breath underwater for 10 minutes.

You can make as many attacks per round as you have free limbs; step down your damage die for all of those attacks once for each extra attack you're making.

4. Glaring Tyrant

You can’t be surprised.

As a reaction, with eye contact, you can force a creature to save vs. countering an ability it’s trying to use. This only works once per round, but you can try until it works.

5. Keening Wraith

You can astrally project while meditating.

Your astral body is intangible, transparent (though not invisible), and cannot go further than [level]*100ft away from your body. You can attack and be attacked while astrally projecting, which deals damage in the form of increasing your Stress. When you Crack, you stop projecting. (what's Stress and Cracking? wait for my trauma rules or substitute your own)

6. Lurking Basilisk

Your movement and unarmed attacks are silent.

With eye contact, you can force a creature to save vs. paralyzation. If they succeed, it doesn’t work on them again.

7. Nesting Owlbear

You can climb rough vertical surfaces as quickly as you run.

You can parry attacks targeting your allies, and can riposte immediately afterward at disadvantage but with a stepped up damage die.

8. Patient Mimic

With a minute of prep-time, you can create a camouflage disguise that blends you into the environment until you move.

You can make an unarmed strike that imitates the mundane attack that an enemy just hit you with.

9. Ruling Dragon
You can jump as high as you can move in a round. Falling from this jump doesn’t inflict fall damage.
You can dual-wield weapons without stepping down your damage dice, and switch between them between attacks. These weapons work for Flurry of Blows.

10. Stalking Displacer
You can split into two copies of yourself, each of which you control independently. One copy is an illusion. Choose which is real when you want to interact with something or something tries to hit one of the copies. When you choose which is real, the other disappears.
If both you and your copy are teaming up on the same enemy, you get advantage on the attacks.

11. Striding Giant
You travel overland at double speed.
You can treat your Strength as 20 for anything besides fighting.

12. Thirsting Stirge
You can skim over the ground, without leaving footprints or applying pressure until you end your move.
When you wound someone, you can drain their vitality and restore d[level] HP.

The Barbarian

"What is best in life?" "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!"

Barbarian A: Danger Sense, Loincloth Armor, Rage, d12 HD

Barbarian B: Berserker State, 3-in-6 to end Rage, +d12 HD

Barbarian C: Battle Rage, 4-in-6 to end Rage, +d12 HD

Barbarian D: Leader of Men and Beasts, 5-in-6 to end Rage, +d12 HD

Danger Sense: You have a 50% chance to act in surprise rounds.

Loincloth Armor: For every 2 AC of armor you’re wearing, step down your hit die size. If you put armor on after you roll your hit points, scale down your hit points proportionately (putting on 2 AC of armor and going from AC 10 to AC 12 scales down your rolled HP from, say, 16 (out of 24) to 13 (out of 20).

Rage: You can choose to enter a rage at any time. While in a rage, you have +1 Attack, +1 Damage, and are immune to pain and fear. While raging, you cannot do anything defensive, curative, tactical, or cooperate with your allies, and must pursue fleeing enemies and kill those that have surrendered. All you can do is attempt to kill things. Anyone who injures you during a rage counts as an enemy. You can try to leave a rage whenever you are hurt, or on your turn. You have a 2-of-6 chance of successfully ending your rage (increases by 1 for each additional Barbarian template you have).

Berserker State: When you are in an altered state brought on by external forces like drugs, alcohol, spells, possession, etc, your rage bonuses double and you can treat your Strength as 20 while you rage. If you do, when the rage ends so does the altered state, and you crash twice as hard when the altered state ends.

Battle Rage: Pick a fighting style from the Fighter or Adept lists. When you’re raging, you can use that fighting style.

Leader of Men and Beasts: Anyone and any creature you best in single combat, or who you make fear you more than death will follow you unto death. You can deliver a rousing speech to a crowd in town; the toughest [level]d4 will join your cause for a share of the spoils.

Equipment

Barbarian A: Enough cloth to maintain bare minimum of decency, weapon of choice, random weapon, pelt

Barbarian B: Horse, 3 portions of drugs (d4: 1. hallucinogens, 2. stimulants, 3. hard liquor, 4. painkillers)

Skills (d3): 1. Mountaineer, 2. Sailor, 3. Rider

Cleric Domains Vol. 2

6 more Cleric domains to play with at your leisure! This all started because one of my players for my upcoming game wanted to play a Mohist Engineer/Forge Cleric dedicated to bringing about universal peace through liberal application of siege weaponry, and that was too cool a concept to deny. Also, expect a Volume 3 at some point with 6 more domains, to round it off to an even 20.

image by Julie Dillon

[Animal]*
Commands
1. Protect your animal and its environment
2. Act as your animal does in its place in the ecosystem
3. Promote the societal virtues your animal embodies
4. Defend your animal's honor

Miracles
1. Bestow Shape
Range: touch/self; Target: 1 willing creature; Duration: [dice] hours
Target can speak with animals, who will treat target as a strange kind of [chosen animal]. Target also gains +2 to a relevant stat, and gains either a relevant sense, a natural weapon attack that deals d8+(STR or DEX) damage, or a resistance that [chosen animal] has. If [dice] is 2 or greater, the target becomes that animal. If [dice] is 3 or greater, the target can become a size category larger or smaller than the animal usually is, or become a pack/flock of that animal. If [dice] is 4 or greater, you can force an unwilling creature to save vs. becoming that animal.

2. Summon Animal
Range: N/A; Target: N/A; Duration: [sum]*10 minutes
[sum] [dice]HD [chosen animal] flock to you. They will follow simple instructions that are in line with your Commands for [sum]*10 minutes

3. Survival Instinct
Range: touch/self; Target: 1 creature; Duration: [sum] hours
Target has Advantageous Terrain as a Ranger for your chosen animal's home terrain. When foraging for food, they know what is edible, and can gain sustenance from anything your chosen animal could eat. Target knows the tracks of local predators and prey and can follow them unerringly. Target cannot get lost in this terrain.

*pick an animal when you get this domain. You can pick this domain more than once, and take a different animal for its commands and miracles.

Death
Commands
1. Let none cheat death
2. Help others pass on in peace when their time comes
3. Remind others that death will come for them
4. Release trapped souls from the world

Miracles
1. Speak With Dead
Range: touch; Target: 1 corpse, dead or undead; Duration: [sum] minutes
Animate the targeted corpse's skull and ask it [sum] questions. It must answer truthfully, if cryptically. If [dice] is 2 or greater, you can force an undead to stop all other tasks and answer your questions instead. If [dice] is 3 or greater, you can issue commands to an undead in addition to asking it questions. If [dice] is 4 or greater, you can raise the targeted corpse as an undead under your command for the duration of the spell.

2. Blight
Range: touch; Touch: creature or up to [sum] acres of land; Duration: [sum] days
Either inflict or lift a blighting curse, which significantly diminishes crop growth, befouls wells, turns milk sour, weakens animals and children, lowers fertility of both soil and people. Any creature born under a Blight must save or roll a permanent mutation. Blighted creatures treat their Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution modifiers as -[dice], cannot heal wounds, and have disadvantage on saves vs. disease or poison.

3. Exorcise
Range: within a drawn circle; Target: circle; Duration: [sum] hours
Spirits, undead, and (if you so desire) unbelievers cannot enter the circle. All such within the circle must save (on cast/each hour/each minute/each turn, [dice] = 1/2/3/4) vs. being violently expelled from the circle, taking [dice]d8 damage. If the circle is broken, the effect ends.

Fate
Commands
1. Ensure that prophecy comes to pass
2. Prevent the misuse of magic, for it oft damages the strings of fate
3. Be the hand of karmic balance in the world
4. Uncover the past, in order to better know the future

Miracles
1. Second Chance
Range: 100ft; Target 1 creature; Duration: instant
Target rerolls a die that rolled its worst possible value. This works on the GM too.

2. Foretell
Range: N/A; Target: something you have a sympathetic link to; Duration: instant
You can ask one question about the future of the target within the next [sum] days/months/years/decades ([dice] = 1/2/3/4). When you next sleep, the answer is revealed to you metaphorically in a dream.

3. Snip Fatestrings
Range: 100ft; Target: 1 creature; Duration: instant
Target loses [sum]*[dice] years off their life. The shock of this forces them to save vs. fear. If this brings their lifespan to less than their current age, they save vs. death. If they pass that save, you can't cast this on them anymore, and their existence is a karmic imbalance that you must personally correct.

Forge
Commands
1. Create masterworks
2. Practice what you preach
3. Build to last
4. Take no shortcuts

Miracles
1. Find Materials
Range: N/A; Target: material; Duration: [sum] hours
You learn the direction to the nearest source of a material that you can name or describe. If [dice] is 2 or greater, you also learn how large that source is.

2. Shape Metal
Range: touch; Target: N/A; Duration: [dice] minutes
Your hands can mold metal as if it was clay, or cut it like knives through butter.

3. Improve
Range: touch; Target: constructed item; Duration: [sum] minutes
Give the target item [dice] of the following bonuses of your choice:
- a Blacksmith bonus as Engineer (can choose multiple times)
- Change the special ability of a mundane weapon
- Halve the duration that a function of the item takes
- +1 to one function of the item (can choose multiple times, but not stack)

Greed
Commands
1. Acquire wealth
2. Flaunt your wealth
3. Protect your wealth
4. Compel others to acquire wealth

Miracles
1. Command Coins
Range: [dice]*20ft; Target: all coins; Duration: [sum] turns
You have mental control over all coins within range. You can move them as you wish, so long as they stay within range. If you fling them rapidly as projectiles, they deal d4 damage to those hit by at least 1gp, stepped up once for every 10 coins you're hitting them with. If you use them to manipulate objects, they have Strength 4*[dice] and Dexterity 1. If you form them into a shield or armor, it gives +[dice] AC to whatever they're protecting. You can do [dice] things per turn with the coins.

2. Assay
Range: 200ft; Target: one thing; Duration: instant
You know how much the target is worth. If [dice] is 2 or more, you know how much you, personally, could sell it for. If [dice] is 3 or more, you know who made it and how. If [dice] is 4 or more, you know how much it will be worth at all points in the future.

3. Moneychange
Range: touch; Target: item, or creature with HD [dice] or less; Duration: instant
[sum]*5% of the target is rendered into the equivalent % of its value in coinage. If the target is a creature, it gets to save against this effect.

Storm
Commands
1. Follow your instincts
2. Embody the raw power of nature
3. Humble the mighty
4. There's no kill like overkill

Miracles
1. Control Weather
Range: 1 mile; Target: the sky; Duration: [sum] minutes
Change the weather within the radius. You can call or banish any mundane, common weather. 2 or more dice lets you call or banish magical or regional weather. 3 or more dice makes it last [sum] hours. 4 or more dice lets you call natural disasters.

2. Lightning Bolt
Range: 200ft; Target: any; Duration: instant
Target takes [dice]d8 damage. If target is a creature, they get a save. If target is conductive, everything it touches also takes [dice]d8 damage.

3. Command Water
Range: [sum]*20ft; Target: all water; Duration: [sum] rounds
You have mental control over all water within range (no, blood doesn't count as water). You can move it as you wish, so long as it stays within range. If you use it to attack, it deals d4 damage, stepped up once for each gallon you're hitting them with. If you use it to manipulate objects, it has Strength 3*[dice] and Dexterity 6*[dice]. If you use it to make a shield, it steps down the damage of any attack passing through it. You can do [dice] things per turn with the water.

For Hire: Murder Hobos, Never Paid

20 fellow warriors you can find at the local tavern, what they want you to pay them for their service, and what they're hiding from you...

d20 Murderhobos
1. Ex-gladiator who vowed never to be at another's mercy again
2. Trapper who knows the surrounding wilderness, has dark stories, swears they're all true
3. Bounty hunter between jobs, just caught the wrong guy
4. Mountain tribesman with a weapon larger than you are
5. Local watchman off shift, getting paid shit-all
6. Old soldier who served in the last war, has seen too much
7. Young farmhand with surprising skill with a sword
8. Bandit captain whose gang has just been slaughtered by a different group of adventurers
9. Hermit come down into town for their annual visit
10. Assassin with too much free time
11. Swordsage from a foreign land, knows your customs better than you do
12. Cutpurse, tried and failed to cut yours and is impressed
13. Mercenary kicked out of their company for being too brutal
14. Pilgrim-soldier en route to holy land
15. Fast-talking gambler swearing up and down they're right for the job
16. Inventor eager to try out new device on targets
17. Noble heir, drunk, showing off their fancy bladework
18. Young soldier in too-large armor, looking for a taste of battle
19. Laborer loudly complaining about boss, describes grievances in gory detail
20. Roll twice, they're buddies and come as a package deal

d20 Payments Demanded (in addition to a share of the loot)
1. Foreign coinage
2. To impress their crush
3. You to leave the area and never return
4. The most powerful magic item that the party finds
5. A map of the area
6. Your loyalty in return
7. An unspecified favor
8. A tale told about their heroism
9. The right to kill a specific NPC the party is going to encounter
10. A favor, demanded in advance
11. Drugs
12. To lead the group on the adventure
13. Conversion to their religion
14. An honorable death
15. All the credit
16. A permanent position
17. Safe passage home, guarded by the party
18. Books
19. Lovers
20. Roll twice, they want both

d20 Dark Secrets
1. Noble heir trying to flee their inheritance
2. Actually doesn't have any class levels and is faking it all
3. Possessed by d4: 1. a ghost, 2. their weapon, 3. a devil, 4. a saint
4. Bounty on their head
5. Hunting a bounty on one of the PCs' heads
6. Has history with one of the NPCs the party is going to encounter
7. Actually a different one of the above characters, masquerading as the first one you rolled
8. Wants double pay, won't mention this until they think they can extort it out of you
9. Working at cross purposes to the party
10. Keeping an eye on the party for their employer
11. Leading the party into an ambush
12. Actually an illusion conjured by a powerful wizard
13. Has deep-seated religious beliefs that will conflict with the party's behavior at some point
14. Wants to die gloriously in battle
15. This is their last adventure before the plague takes them, you better hope it's not contagious
16. Knows exactly how this adventure is going to turn out
17. Actually a polymorphed d6: 1-3. animal, 4. powerful wizard, 5. dragon, 6. NPC the party has history with
18. Addicted to d6: 1-3. a powerful narcotic, 4. lying, 5. magic, 6. mortal flesh
19. Flies into barbarian-style rages in combat and can't differentiate friend and foe
20. Roll twice, both are true

The Fighter

Fighters are boring. You have a stick and you hit people with it. Sometimes you can also take hits real good. This has been axiomatic through pretty much every edition of D&D, especially 3.5e and most of 5e. The best thing to ever happen to fighters, ironically, was when 4th edition decided they should be able to do something besides simply hit people with sticks, and maybe hit them in unique and creative ways. 5e, unfortunately, backed off this everywhere besides the Battlemaster, which honestly baffles me - they clearly saw Maneuvers as worthy of inclusion, so why did they restrict the most interesting part of being a fighter to a single subclass?

I'm not WOTC, nor am I designing for 5e, but that idea that fighters are getting the short end of the options stick has informed my design choices for Mimics & Miscreants, which I swear is gonna get posted sometime in the next week or two before my game starts in earnest. With no further ado, I present:

The Fighter

"If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight." - Sun Tzu, inventor and subsequent perfector of fighting

Fighter A: Cleave, Push Through, 2 Fighting Styles, d8 HD

Fighter B: Threat Assessment, Tools of the Trade, +1 Fighting Style, +d8 HD

Fighter C: Commander, +1 Fighting Style, +d8 HD

Fighter D: Lord of War, +1 Fighting Style

Fighting Styles: When wielding the appropriate weapon, you get the bonuses of relevant styles you know. If you are wielding weapons that qualify for multiple styles, all applicable styles apply. If you’re wielding 2 weapons that qualify for different styles, the styles only apply for their specific weapons.

Cleave: When you kill a creature or roll max damage, you can make another attack.

Push Through: Once per day, when you would be reduced to or below 0 hit points, you can be knocked prone and go to 1 hit point instead. In addition, at any time, you may take your turn to spend a hit die and regain that many hit points.

Threat Assessment: You can ask one question about the capabilities of an enemy you either have 5 interrupted minutes to observe, or hit in combat.

Tools of the Trade: You can switch weapons once per turn for free.

Commander: When in town, you can hire up to [level]d4 soldiers, d[level] of which have 1 level in a martial class (fighter, thief, barbarian, ranger, or adept). As a group, they demand equal shares of the loot, but will follow your orders. Here's some of the fine folks willing to accompany you.

Lord of War: Whenever you personally kill a creature with more than twice your hit dice, gain a mundane ability it has or 1HD.

Equipment

Fighter A: Chain OR leather shirt, chain OR leather pants, buckler OR light shield, weapons of choice needed for fighting styles, whetstone
Fighter B: Scar with history, horse OR dog, helmet, gauntlets, random weapon

Skills (d3): 1. Tactician, 2. First Aid, 3. Guard

Fighting Styles

1. Archer (bow)

You can shoot inanimate targets within range without making a roll.

Your bow attacks pierce targets, dealing half damage to whoever’s behind them.

2. Brawler (unarmed)

Step up the die for your unarmed attacks and add STR to damage.

If you hit a target with an unarmed Stunt, you can make an additional non-stunt attack against them.

3. Crusher (bludgeoning weapon)

Reroll 1s for damage with bludgeoning weapons.

When you deal 6+ damage with a bludgeoning weapon, you can destroy one item the target is carrying or reduce their AC by 1.

4. Dual Wielding (two weapons)

Don’t step down damage dice when dual wielding.

If you hit a target with one weapon, get advantage on stunting against them with your other attack.

5. Duelist (one-handed sword)

You get an additional +1 AC when parrying.

If you hit on an attack after a parry, you crit.

6. Exotic Warrior (exotic weapons)

If you’re wielding a weapon that your enemy has never heard of, you can stunt without losing damage on a miss.

7. Greatshield (light or heavy shield)

When you absorb all the damage of an attack with your armor and shield, you have advantage on your next attack against that enemy.

Shields only count for one encumbrance.

8. Great Weapon (two-handed weapon)

Your Cleave bonus attacks automatically wound.

If you hit a target, you can attack another target adjacent to them. You can’t chain this back to a target you’ve already hit this round, but can keep going until you miss.

9. Improvised (anything not a weapon)

Crit range with improvised weapons is 1-3.

Misses on stunts with an improvised weapon still do STR damage.

10. Reaver (slashing weapon)

Your attacks leave scars in patterns of your choice.

When you deal 6+ damage with a slashing weapon, you can automatically make the target bleed as Wound 2.

11. Spearwall (piercing weapon)

When you’re wielding a piercing weapon, adjacent allies get +1 AC.

You have double reach with piercing weapons.

12. Throwing (throwing weapon)

You can throw any weapon with no penalties, but only specifically throwing weapons work for your fighting style.

You can accurately hit inanimate targets with throwing weapons without making a roll.

You can throw a throwing weapon on your person as a bonus attack on your turn if you have a free hand.