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The Vigilante Class (Updated 01/01/2019)

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The Vigilante Class (Updated 01/01/2019)

Design by Mark Hulmes, Art by Joma Cueto, Editing by Erica Heathrow

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Inspired by character archetypes like Batman, the Punisher, Zorro, John Wick, Kill Bill's The Bride, Black Canary, Elektra, and many more, the Vigilante is a martial character who focuses on taking down the targets of their Mark of Vengeance and using crippling attacks, intellect and their signature weapons to dispatch their foes.

Outside of combat, a Vigilante is a highly skilled character that can track and investigate their targets.

This class has been updated significantly on January 1st 2019, following feedback from here on DMs Guild and playtesters across the globe. The changes bring more functionality and balance to the class as well as improve the overall quality of the product itself.

For full discloser, I have decided to set a fixed price for the Vigilante due to the costs of providing high-quality design and artwork, as well as the time invested into editing, writing and designing the class. All of my previous work has been "pay what you want" but in order to ensure I cover costs, I have set the price at $2, which is a similar pricing scheme to DnD Beyond and other DMG titles.

Thank you!

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Reviews (8)
Discussions (24)
Customer avatar
Tyler S November 24, 2019 3:49 am UTC
PURCHASER
I've finally had the opportunity to play this class for a little while and I can't help feeling that the technological might could use a little bit of a power boost. Either through more uses of the gadgets per day or by giving more of them as level increases. Otherwise the rework has massively improved the class. Great work Mark!
Customer avatar
Miles L March 20, 2019 4:52 am UTC
PURCHASER
I purchased this and have tried downloading it 3 times. But it always looks like the PDF is missing a ton of stuff. Parts of the columns of text are just not there, and there's a page that's entirely blank except for a picture of an orc woman holding a bloody knife.
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Customer avatar
David J June 23, 2019 5:53 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I also have this issue!
Customer avatar
Slox N March 11, 2019 1:55 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hi Mark, and Dang ! Nice job! I love this class its really quite brilliant! I just wish there was some sort of ability to bring out the unarmed hand to hand combat that we see in Batman, Nightwing, Black Canary, Arrow and other vigilantes, perhaps a subclass for it? Also in the ability score improvements feature it says you get one at 10th level but its not noted in the class table. I personally really think the class could use a stealth based ability maybe a vanishing feature like Batman and Arrow use or expertise?
Customer avatar
January 01, 2019 10:31 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Two versions are available for download, and while both have the word "Optimized" in their file name, the v1.1 file has "Complete" in the file name and has Poisoned Weapons and no Extra Attack (but has Brutal Strikes), and the v3 file has Extra Attack and no Poisoned Weapons. I assume the v3 one is the one we want since you mentioned you planned to rework Poisoned Weapons and this is the one that does not have it at all.
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Customer avatar
Mark H January 01, 2019 11:58 pm UTC
CREATOR
Bizarre, on the back end there is only the one file.

V3 is the correct one. I'll contact DriveThru and see if I can get the old one fully removed.

Thanks for letting me know!
Customer avatar
Mark H January 01, 2019 4:03 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hello everyone,

Thank you for your patience, but I'm very happy to say that the Vigilante has now been fully updated and revised following various sources of feedback (including comments and reviews here!).

I hope the changes bring the class much more in-line with your expectations and delivers a quality product!
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Customer avatar
Victoria F January 31, 2019 6:59 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Wow! When you said you fixed it you really meant it. Everything is so much simpler and ties together so much better. Now if only one of your players will play this class on one of your streams!
Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:55 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hey everyone. I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to respond to feedback and make adjustments to this class yet, I've been extremely busy with other projects and am only now just getting a chance to properly look at the Vigilante and fix some of the issues mentioned. I can't do a full change log, as I am still working on things but some notes on what I'm looking to change:

- Fix Mark of Vengeance so it no longer forces character into melee.
- Increase overall damage to bring Vigilante in line with other classes.
- Clarify wording on Tech abilities.
- Revise Poison Weapons entirely.
- Fix various format issues. Add ABS text. Add Multiclass information.

Cheers!
Customer avatar
Ty S August 19, 2018 6:55 am UTC
I think this class was destined to be sub-classes for other pre-established classes. I will always be grateful to it for inspiring my current character, but the core abilities are very underwhelming. I think the specs you pick at level 3 would be better suited as a Rogue, Warrior, Ranger spec (etc) and the core class abilities are a little dull. Some of them are literally just feats you could pick instead.
Customer avatar
Curtis R July 12, 2018 4:09 am UTC
PURCHASER
Also you have the vigilante method get a feature at lv.11, while in the class table it says lv.10
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:33 pm UTC
CREATOR
Noted! I'm *finally* getting some time to go in and make adjustments for the Vigilante.
Customer avatar
Curtis R July 12, 2018 3:41 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hello Mark, What stats would be required to multi-class into Vigilante?, and what proficiency's would you gain if any?
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:36 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hi Curtis. Good shout, I will add this in somewhere to the official document. I suspect I'll go with either Dex or Int as the required ability score, and you'd likely gain Light Armour, a few weapons (tbd). Need to figure it out!
Customer avatar
Víctor Hugo A June 06, 2018 9:08 am UTC
PURCHASER
First time I pay for a single class here. Even though it was cheap (€ 1.7), I regret it. The so loved vigilante-hero archetype: an interesting premise with a lot of potential unsatisfactorily executed.
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:36 pm UTC
CREATOR
Sorry to hear. Not sure how RPGdrivethru handles refunds but if you can request one please do. I'd love to hear more specifics on what exactly you feel is unsatisfactory about the class.
Customer avatar
Morgan H June 04, 2018 7:35 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I wish I had this three months ago. The character I've got now would definitely be one of them. Still, even if I won't be using it for months to come, I think I'll get it anyway.
Customer avatar
Cartola C April 14, 2018 6:54 am UTC
PURCHASER
I've written a review about the class, but in a few words: don't hype it. Inquisitive rogue will do what you're thinking.
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:38 pm UTC
CREATOR
I'll personally disagree, but thanks for checking it out. Sorry you didn't enjoy the class.
Customer avatar
Wesley K April 13, 2018 4:19 pm UTC
PURCHASER
The class is missing the ability score improvement section in it's class features.
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:38 pm UTC
CREATOR
Noted. Will add this in.
Customer avatar
Victoria F April 06, 2018 11:35 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Another suggestion is that while the movement reduction aspect of the Mark of Vengeance feature requires you to be within five feet of your quarry to do the crippling strike, it should probably be extended to 20 feet if you are wielding a ranged weapon. That's most likely how I'm to going to rule it in my homebrew campaign anyway. This would do a lot to enable vigilantes to be as flexible with their choice of weapons as the class otherwise seems to intend that they be.
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:42 pm UTC
CREATOR
I've made some changes to Mark of Vengeance to make it a bit more impactful. But good note! Thanks for the feedback!
Customer avatar
Victoria F April 05, 2018 5:52 am UTC
PURCHASER
I think this class is genius. I do have a question about the Terrifying Blows feature of the Nightmare Tactics archetype though. Is the 15 ft. distance limit for creatures that can be frightened measured from where you are or from where the creature hit with the attack is? If it is distance from the creature hit then it would go a long way to alleviate the concern that some seem to have about vigilantes being forced into melee to use their class features when they are not built to be tanks like fighters are. The idea being you could fire a bow and those near the creature hit with the arrow would have to make the Wisdom saving throw.

As far as errors go, I didn't see any except for one you've probably already noticed. The description for Frenzy Elixir has an extra empty line between "your" and "vigilante level". Great feature by the way. It's nice that they have some damage mitigation in addition to everything else. The second paragraph of the Nightmare Tactics description is...See more
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:41 pm UTC
CREATOR
Great clarification. I'll need to think about it, but my gut says it's from the target (helps solidify the "batman" vibe too). I'll do a pass on the other abilities, as all of them should work with ranged weapons (entirely the point of the class that it should function in both melee and ranged).

Cheers for the other errors! Finally getting time to fix this stuff!
Customer avatar
Alexandru N March 26, 2018 3:28 am UTC
PURCHASER
Honestly, the class seems underwhelming. In order for the class to do any sort of decent damage the enemy has to have one of the aformentioned conditions, however, fight a boss, or just get unlucky with the saves, suddenly you are doing a single attack per turn with no extra stuff, and even if you do get the condition, you only deal an extra 1d8. That seems pitiful, especially since you can think that clerics get that on a normal hit, and i am pretty sure they have more options for causing debilitating effects. In the quickbuild you say that you can use ranged weapons, but you would be a terrible ranged fighter. Why? because of mark of vengeance. What you wanna use it? Better pull out a melee weapon. What? Your DM says that you have to use an action to change weapons? Tough. The class forces you to be on the frontline if you want to use your stuff, and you are quite easy to hit, and you aren't tanky at all. You have a 1d10, hey good job, but nothing else to reduce chance of getting hit like a shield, or something...See more
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Customer avatar
Victoria F April 05, 2018 4:06 am UTC
PURCHASER
Invest in some poisoned ranged ammunition and you no longer have to be on the front line to use Mark of Vengeance. Both subclasses also have means to trigger the extra damage on a marked creature from Brutal Strikes. I agree that the Poisoned Weapons feature you get at level 11 from the Nightmare Tactics archetype needs some work. How about every long rest you can concoct a dose of superior poison which ignores resistance and immunity to poison, the potency of which only lasts 24 hours?
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Customer avatar
Alexandru N April 06, 2018 1:47 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Why do you think that having poisoned ranged ammunition takes away the need to be on the front line. You still need to be in melee to use Mark of Vengeance, you have to be within 5 feet of the enemy to use it.
Also for the 1st subclass if you are fighting a single person you can not use the 3rd level feature on them. The class seems poorly designed to me, and not worth the price tag. The class does not make up for losing an extra attack.
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Customer avatar
Victoria F April 06, 2018 2:52 pm UTC
PURCHASER
That's only for the movement reduction which is way less important than the extra damage you get later on. In fact, the main reason you want to reduce an enemy's movement is so you can get the extra damage but you can shortcut that if they are already poisoned. Getting to level 3 isn't that hard in any case. I think it's an awesome class and lots of fun. Each to their own.
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Customer avatar
Alexandru N April 07, 2018 12:03 am UTC
PURCHASER
Do you really think that getting an extra 1d8 of damage, is worth losing an extra attack. They don't have better CC than other classes, they don't have better skills than other classes, they just seem like they fall behind in all aspect when compared to other classes. And the fact stands, that you have a rather useless feature if you want to go a ranged attacker and the class should not claim that it can be built as ranged. I have seen homebrew classes that were made to be too strong, this one is the complete opposite in that it is too weak.
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Customer avatar
Victoria F April 07, 2018 8:04 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I think the one d8 extra damage is fine and it does scale up as you level. Combine that with the extra attack you get from Mark of Vengeance and you will be dealing damage aplenty, and that's not even taking into account the extra damage on melee critical hits. The real appeal of the vigilante is getting to play a martial class that allows you to use Intelligence as a key ability so you can more easily play a detective or investigator type who can still scrap. Clever use of your archetype features will give you lots of advantages in combat, not just crowd control but defensive and offensive benefits as well.

As written it's not perfect yet. I expect it will go through many iterations before it's truly finished, the same way Matt Mercer's Blood Hunter class did, which is now one of my all time favorites. I can already see the tweaks I'd like them to make. Even if that doesn't happen the core material is good enough to easily fix with just a few homebrew rules.
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Customer avatar
Alexandru N April 11, 2018 9:42 pm UTC
PURCHASER
My problem with this, is that i do not think it is done, and yet we had to pay for it. If it had been pay what you want like the blood hunter you mentioned, then yes, i would have understood. However as it is, if I pay for something, I expect it to be better done and actually finished, if not it should have been pay what you want and I would have paid after it actually was finished. You also talk as if it is easy to get your second attack(for which you have to pay a reaction for) or that you can easely just apply a crowd control on a target, keep in mind that most of the time you will have to use an action to do it. If you want to play a detective character play an arcane trickster, or an inquisitor, they are better designed and actually finished.
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Customer avatar
Victoria F June 23, 2018 10:24 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I'm just of an entirely different mindset. No class is ever "finished" and I often look for ways to tweak even the official ones from Wizards or wherever, as a player or DM. That's part of the fun of the game which is based on collaboration and shared works of imagination. I paid for the Blood Hunter and it's just been improved yet again. DM's Guild gives you the updated version for free.
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Customer avatar
Miller T June 24, 2018 1:39 pm UTC
Undecided about this class at the moment but whatever problems it has I don't see damage output being one of them. Just the ability reroll 1s on your damage die if wielding one of your signature weapons can make a huge difference. I'd like to see it play tested but I suspect that with everything combined vigillantes will do damage comparable with other warrior classes.
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Customer avatar
Mark H October 02, 2018 11:47 pm UTC
CREATOR
Appreciate the feedback. When I was playtesting the class, giving the Vigilante more attacks was seen as being too strong, and reducing it's other abilities just made the class feel too much like a Rogue or Fighter with a subclass. I wanted to make a class that IS focused on conditions, and whilst the Vigilante may struggle against a creature with Legendary Resistances, the idea is that they are meant to find clever ways around their enemies, work with allies and similar effects.

I have finally got some time to revise the class and I have now changed the abilities so that using Ranged is just as viable as melee. I've also increased Brutal Strikes damage, and given additional damaging effects to other abilities.

I'll take a good look at the poisoned weapons feature, none of the stuff you mentioned came up in playtests but it makes sense and I can see your point.
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This title was added to our catalog on March 10, 2018.