This is the Way - The Mandalorian Subclass
With season 3 of the Mandalorian TV series coming early next year, I'm going to add my two cents for creating a Mandalorian subclass. There are some pretty good ones out there, but I felt the need to do one myself. I have truly enjoyed the show since it has come out, and it gives me hope for the future of the Star Wars universe. The show has been something I looked forward to being able to watch on Friday morning.
The first question that needed to be answered was, what is the Mandalorian a subclass of? I don't want this to become an article about lore and canon in Star Wars, which it could very quickly become, depending on how far down you want to drill on the topic of the Mandalorian. The primary pieces of Mandalorian lore I considered when coming up with this subclass were this.
They shouldn't be pigeon-holed as Bounty Hunters. The most famous Mandalorians most people know were bounty hunters, but that doesn't mean that all of them followed that career path. Depending on your source, more Mandalorians became soldiers of fortune than bounty hunters.
They were highly skilled warriors that trained for years before they could be considered proper Mandalorians.
Their armor and weapons are essential to them. In the most recent TV show, the main character's armor is constantly upgraded and spoken about throughout the series. New weapons are found and utilized. (Sorry, no Darksaber.)
Their weapons and fighting style have been developed over centuries, directly resulting from their conflicts with the Jedi.
Finally, while everyone loves the new TV show (myself included), Mando belongs to a small sect within the Mandalorian culture that prevents him from taking his helmet off. Most Mandalorians do not follow this rule.
I narrowed the choices to two classes: the fighter and paladin. The paladin was an intriguing idea. Paladins, like the Mandalorians, must train for years to learn combat skills. Paladins take an oath, and it is this oath that they live by. During this time, the paladin learns and masters almost every type of weapon and armor. I loved the idea of how this was tied to a code the Mandalorian sect followed and lived by. But there were some issues I could not get past. Looking at Mandalorians through the lens of being a mercenary, the paladin seemed all wrong. Plus, the Mandalorian has nothing resembling arcane powers. In fact, as noted above, their fight style and weapons were developed to combat the mystical powers of the Jedi. Giving them spells just didn't feel right.
Along with the fact that I wanted to base the subclass on more than just the TV show, I decided against the paladin. Nothing says you have to be a paladin if you take an oath. Anyone can believe in something bigger than themselves.
The Mandalorian - a Fighter Subclass
Part battlemaster, part gunslinger, with a dash of samurai, the Mandalorian is a blend of existing archetypes while being wholly unique. Being a Mandalorian doesn't mean you must be born with Mandalorian blood flowing through your veins. Mandalorians are a clan-based cultural group of members from various races bound by a common creed, language, and code. A Mandalorian is skilled in countless styles of battle, legendary armor, and weapons unique to them.
Your 3rd level features are as follows:
Tools of the Trade. You gain proficiency in one of the artisan tools of your choice: Alchemist Supplies, Smith's Tools, or Tinker Tools.
Mandalorian Gear. Your journey into the ways of the Mandalorian has begun. You learn to use the skills and weapons of these warriors. Choose one weapon and one skill to specialize in from a list provided in the download. Each weapon has four tiers of expertise, starting at tier 1 when you initially choose the weapon. Increase your tier level for your chosen weapon to tier 2 at the 7th, tier 3 at the 10th, and tier 4 at the 15th level.
One of the nice things about this feature is it allows you some flexibility. You can forgo increasing your tier in your chosen weapon at the appropriate levels instead of gaining tier 1 with another weapon or gaining a skill specialization of your choice.
As we make our way to the 7th level, the Mandalorian gains these new features:
Mandalorian Armor. As stated earlier, a Mandalorian's armor is vital to their existence. At the 7th level, you have earned your signet and learned how to use your armor to its fullest potential. A signet is a symbol, usually engraved on your armor, denoting a worthy kill or conquest that's used to identify what Mandalorian clan you belong to. Talk to your DM about what creature your signet may be. If you are wearing heavy armor, you can use your armor to lessen the blow of an enemy's attack. As a reaction, you reduce the damage of a melee attack dealt to you by 1d10 + your Proficiency bonus. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
In addition, you can doff or don the armor as an action. Sure, it may be hard to explain, considering you're probably wearing plate mail, but it's the land of magic, so go with it.
Huh, you're still alive? Here are your 10th-level features:
Mandalorian Mobility. Your movement speed increases by 5 feet, and getting up from prone only costs 5 ft of your movement. Monks everywhere glare at you.
They Told Us There'd be Jetpacks. Soar through the sky like a majestic bird. You don't actually get a jetpack, instead an alchemical pair of rockets attached to a backpack fortified by adamantium. You gain a 60-foot fly speed for up to one minute, after which you'll plummet to the ground if still aloft unless you can stop the fall. Make sure to stick the landing. One last little bonus; heavy armor no longer imposes disadvantage on stealth checks. Now rogues everywhere are glaring at you too.
You're now a Mandalorian of great prowess, famous throughout the planes. At the 18th level, you get one last feature, and it's a doozy.
Arcane Rockets. Your jet pack, not a jet pack, now comes equipped with two alchemical missiles. As an action, you may fire one missile at a space within 120 feet of you. Anyone caught in the 20-foot radius blast must make a Constitution or take up to 48 points of damage and get knocked on their ass. Even making the saving throw hurts, but at least you'll stay on your feet.
I hope you enjoy the Mandalorian subclass. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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