Survivor

A man is stuck out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but what the wilderness has to offer to keep him alive. Most would give up in that moment and except their inevitable demise. But he's been through to much and survivor more than almost anyone to just give up now. With not a moment to waste, he gets to work scavenging resources. He makes a fire by rubbing to sticks together to create a spark. And the heat from that fire is able to keep him from freezing to death.

Not everyone has what it takes to Survive in a world ruled by the dead. But Survivors can come from anywhere. No matter who you are, no matter what your story is, you are a natural born survivor. You were born for this world. You are willing to do whatever it takes to keep you and your loved ones alive.

### **When the Shit Hits the Fan**

You constantly live life on the edge. When you seem safe, you always know to remember one thing: There is no safe, only safer. You expect things to go south at a moments notice and when that day comes, you will be ready to grab any supplies you can and get you and your friends and family out as fast as you can. You go from "safehouse" to "safehouse" and never end up staying in the same place for very long. Soon or later, every safe haven you've stayed at ends up being overrun by hoards of Infected, or attacked by a hostile group of Survivors. But that's just the way things go in a world ruled by the already deceased.

### **A Life of Danger**

As a Survivor, you are constantly having to escape unspeakable odds. Day after day, you are narrowly escaping death. But each time, you live to fight another day. You have encountered death more times than you can count and you are getting tired. But you've come too far to just give up now. You continue to fight on in hopes of one day seeing a brighter future and a better life for you and those who have helped you all these years surviving in a world gone to shit.

## **Creating a Survivor**

When creating a Survivor, you should consider what made your character such a natural adept at Survival. Did they need to adapt quickly after the world went to shit? Or did something happen in the early days of the apocalypse that hardened their heart, making them willing to do just about anything in order to stay alive? Just what lengths are they willing to go to keep themselves alive? Are they willing to eat insects and bugs in order to keep themselves from starving to death? Are they willing to kill their friends and family? What was their story of survival? Build a strong backstory for your character based around this central experience.

#### **Quick Build**

You can make a Survivor quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength. Second, choose the Hunter Background. Third, choose Endurance and Athletics for class skills. And Finally, choose a Handgun and 20 Bullets and a Baseball Bat for your equipment.

## **Class Features**

As a Survivor you gain the following class features.

### **Hit Points**

* **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Survivor level
* **Hit points at 1st level:** 8 + Constitution modifier
* **Hit points at higher levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Survivor level after 1st

### **Proficiencies**

* **Armor:** Light Armor, Medium Armor
* **Weapons:** Improvised Weapons, Handguns
* **Tools:** Navigators Tools
* **Saving Throws:** Strength and Constitution
* **Skills:** Survival and choose two others from Endurance, Nature, Stealth, Acrobatics, Athletics, Animal Handling, Firearms, and Perception

### **Equipment**

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your Background:

* (a) Two knives of your choice or (b) A Handgun and 10 bullets
* (a) A Machete or (b) A Baseball Bat
* (a) An Explorer's Pack or (b) A Climber's Kit
* An Improvised Weapon of your choice

### **Survival Points**

At 1st level, you get 3 survival points. This increases by 1 every 4 levels. Survival points have a number of uses. One includes you being able to spend 3 survival point to gain a success on a death saving throw. Another includes you being able to spend one survival point to reroll a survival check. When you do this, you must use the reroll. All expended survival points are regained after you finish a long rest.

### **Survival Roulette**

You can take a pretty good gander at what your opponents may attempt, and so better prepare yourself against it. Beginning at 1st level, you can take the dodge action as a bonus action on your turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity Modifier (Minimum of Once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

### **Expertise**

You gain Expertise in two of your Skill Proficiencies of your choice. Survival, Athletics, Endurance, and Firearms are all iconic choices for a Survivor if you have Proficiency in them. You gain expertise in one additional skill proficiency of your choice at 5th and 9th levels.

### **Survivor Archetype**

As a survivor, you select one archetype that sums up your skills, talents, and function at 3rd level. Choose one from Strong Survivor, Fast Survivor, Tough Survivor, Smart Survivor, Dedicated Survivor, Charismatic Survivor, Scarred Survivor, Feral Survivor, or Cannibal. The archetype you choose gives you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

### **Ability Score Improvement**

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

### **Survivor Advantage**

At 6th level, you gain an advantage that helps you in the cruel, post-apocalyptic world you now live in. You start with two such advantages: Will to Live and an effect determined by your archetype. Some archetypes grant you additional effects as you advance in level, as noted in the archetype description.

When you use your Survivor Advantage, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Survivor Advantage again.

Some Survivor Advantage effects require saving throws. The DC is listed below:

* **Talent save DC =** 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

##### **Survivor Advantage:** **Will to Live.**

You can use your Survivor Advantage to reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll.

### **Unrelenting Will**

Your Will to Live and push through overwhelming odds has become staggering. When you reach 11th level, you gain proficiency in Death Saving Throws.

### **Precise Strike**

Beginning at the 13th level, your attacks count as critical hits when you roll a 19 or 20 on the d20.

### **Adaptability**

You have become an expert at adapting to your situation. Once you reach 14th level, upon finishing a long rest, you can choose one skill you are proficient with and switch it out with a different skill. You skill proficiency goes back to normal after you finish a long rest. You regain expended uses after a short or long rest after your proficiencies go back to normal.

### **True Survivor**

You are a true master of the art of survival. When you reach 20th level, when an attack would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can instead drop to 1 hit point. You may use this feature equal times to your Constitution modifier, regaining all uses after you finish a long rest.

## **Multiclassing**

* **Prerequisites.** To qualify for multiclassing into the Survivor class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength 13 or Constitution 13.
* **Proficiencies.** When you multiclass into the Survivor class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light Armor, Improvised Weapons, Survival, and Endurance.