Reaver

Please read the short article about the Reavers before choosing this background

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Prerequisites Male dwarf OR male gnome cleric of Arbas
Skill Proficiencies Religion and one skill of your choice
Tool Proficiencies One type of gaming set OR a musical instrument, and land vehicles
Weapon Proficiencies Spear, mace, dagger
Equipment An insignia of rank magically tattooed to your body, a holy symbol of Arbas, a type of gaming set OR a musical instrument depending on your chosen proficiency, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Feature: Feared and Revered

As a member of the holy order of the god of righteous sacrifice, you are well respected among those who worship the Chained gods, and the markings on your body makes sure everybody knows who you are. Common folk may be hesitant to approach you in fear of your powers, but soldiers within the military, a town guard, or a friendly mercenary will regard you as a brother, and may offer shelter within camps or fortresses, or supplies when you're in need.

Profession

Though most reavers are simply known as holy warriors, there are many roles within the order that must be filled. Roll, or pick your profession from the table below. It is common for reavers to forego their name and only use their title when outside of the Gorlovoye Wastelands.

1d8	Role
1	Armorer
2	Commander
3	Priest
4	Scout
5	Siege Engineer
6	Stone Mason
7	Ritualist (healer)
8	Support Staff (cooks, cleaners, and the like)

Suggested Characteristics

The reavers live through many hardships in the Gorlovoye Wastelands where strict discipline is a necessity, and where constant war is life. Many are left scarred both physically and mentally, and all cope with their harsh reality in different ways. Traits and motivations from the soldier background in the player handbook may also be appropriate with a few modifications.

1d8	Personality Trait
1	I always appear to be angry, my voice is loud, my expression stern.
2	I have trouble remaining focused, and I’m known for my thousand-yard stare.
3	My humor is very dark, and no subject is sacred.
4	I live for the honor of making sacrifices in the name of Arbas!
5	I’m filled with confidence! No task is too small, and there’s no problem that can’t be solved.
6	I always try to make the best out of any situation, good or bad.
7	I don’t get enough recognition for the sacrifices I’ve made.
8	I’m oblivious to social etiquette outside of the Gorlovoye Wastelands.

1d6	Ideal
1	Greater good. Being a reaver means you are willing to die so that others may live. (Good)
2	Power. Empowering myself through the slaying of others is the only thing that matters to me. (Evil)
3	Responsibility. I have a duty to uphold the laws of my order, and to obey those above me in rank. (Lawful)
4	People. Serving the people of the land is all that matters. (Any)
5	Uncertainty. One never knows what might happen, so I live every day as if it was my last. (Chaotic)
6	Destiny. Becoming a reaver is answering to higher calling, and I am destined for greatness. (Any)

1d6	Bond
1	I renounced my family name when I became a reaver.
2	I owe my life to my brothers-in-arms.
3	Once I have done my duty, I will return to my former life.
4	I still have a good relationship with my family, despite us being distant from one another right now.
5	I have lost many possessions on the battlefield, and I aim to find them again.
6	I have saved many lives throughout the years, and there are plenty of people around who feel they owe me.

1d8	Flaw
1	I struggle with adapting to life outside the Gorlovoye Wastelands.
2	Being outnumbered does not matter to me, I will fight until I can fight no more.
3	My grudges last for life. I may forget, but I never forgive.
4	I have severe anger issues.
5	I have become a bit obsessed by blood after years of reaver rituals. I want to see it, I want to feel it.
6	I am slow to trust those who aren’t reavers.
7	Visions of battles of the past keep me awake at night.
8	My hatred for goblinoids consumes my mind every waking moment.

Reaver Feats

Reavers are anything but ordinary. Each marking on their bodies represent a power they possess, achieved through personal sacrifice. When you reach a new level where you can increase you ability score or pick a feat, you may instead pick a feat from the list below. In case of multiclassing, any feat that would add to or change something about your class' hit dice pool or the like, will affect you highest available hit dice (for example, a wizard/fighter with the Endurant Sacrificer feat would gain more fighter hit dice (d10) equal to their prof. bonus). 

Reaver Toughness

Utilizing blood magic powered by your own injuries, your body can withstand more damage than ever before. Appearing as a moving river of blood swirling around the surface of your skin, this magical tattoo grants the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Whenever you are at less than half of your total hit points (rounded up), you gain a temporary 2 AC. The temporary AC is lost when you regain enough hit points to have at least half your total hit points back.

Armor of Arbas

With new markings appearing on your forearms depicting the scales of a dragon, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You now calculate your AC by using your Constitution modifier instead of Dexterity.
• While you are not wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Constitution modifier.

Righteous Sacrifice

By sacrificing some of your own life force, taking the life force of another will be easier. Your holy symbol of Arbas is now tattooed to your upper arm, and you gain the following ability:

• When you hit a creature with a melee attack you may choose to expend one of your class' hit die. Roll the die. The result + your Constitution modifier is added to the damage dealt as force damage, but you also take the damage. The damage you take can not be reduced by any means, such as for example resistances or immunities, or an arcane ward.

Reaver Siege Engineer

You have a keen eye for physics and you are knowledgeable about the practices of the defenses of the Gorlovoyan fortresses. Earning marks on your forehead reminiscent of decorative metal engravings, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with Carpenter's Tools.
• You gain proficiency with heavy crossbows and siege weaponry, such as cannons, catapults, trebuchets, and ballistas. You use your Wisdom modifier on attacks and damage rolls with these weapons.
• When using a siege weapon that would require more than 1 action to use, your action counts as 2 actions.

Ritualist

You have the ability to use your own life force to heal another. Simple markings of different kinds of people are spread across your chest, a reminder of the lives you have saved. You gain the following benefits:

• Using your action you can stabilize a dying creature without making a medicine check. By doing so you take 1 point of nonreductional force damage, but the stabilized creature regains 1 hit point.
• You may use you action to expend one of your class' hit die to heal a creature. Roll the die. The result + your Constitution modifier is the amount of hit points healed, but you also take the same amount of hit points as force damage. The damage you take can not be reduced by any means, such as for example resistances or immunities, or an arcane ward.

Endurant Sacrificer

Prerequisite: Ritualist OR Righteous Sacrifice
Being accustomed to giving of your own life to heal or harm others, you enhance your life force so that you may sacrifice even more. If you already have the markings of a Ritualist, you now gain lines like intricate knotworks weaving in between your Ritualist markings. If you already have the markings of Righteous Sacrifice, your tattooed holy symbol is now pierced by markings of pulsating, thorny vines. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You add a number of hit dice to your class' hit dice pool equal to your proficiency bonus. This does not increase your max HP.

Reaver Born

Prerequisites: NOT Barbarian, feat only available at character creation, can not be taken later
You were destined to be a reaver from birth, and come out of the womb stronger than your average dwarf. Your birthmark resembles a tattoo of a chain decorated in dwarven runes going around your waist, granting you the following benefit:

• Your class' hit dice is replaced with hit dice that is one level higher than normal. I.e if you normally start with a d6, your replace it with a d8. You replace a d8 with a d10, and a d10 with a d12.

Reaver Reborn

Prerequisites: Only available at character creation OR at some point after character resurrection
Some reavers are simply too driven to stay dead, and those who fall in battle might come back through strange rituals. In death you were tattooed by a cleric of Arbas, branding the image of your own skull upon your face. You gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on death saving throws.
• Upon rolling a 20 on a death saving throw you may immediately expend a hit dice and heal the rolled amount.

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