The elf crouched down close to the dirty stone floor. She'd been told there was no way to track this beast, but she was no ordinary hunter. It had definitely come this way. Colored strings criss-crossed over the assortment of notes and documents covering the wall of the tiefling's study. He stood silently, fingers steepled in thought, before whispering to himself: "The coronation. He'll be posing as waitstaff. But so will I." The dwarf fled into the forest, panicked. He ran for several minutes before finally stopping to catch his breath and look around. There was no sign of his pursuer. Satisfied, he straightened up and smiled, then felt a blade in his back and the burning of poison throughout his body. He hit the ground without ever knowing who killed him.

The Hunt is On

The worlds of D&D tend to be dangerous places. Monsters stand above humanoids on the food chain, cultists perform foul rituals to wreak havoc on innocent people, and even extraplanar beings sometimes intervene in the events of history. Adventurers take all sorts of approaches to staying ahead of the specter of death. Some meet their foes in open combat while others use tricks and illusions to manipulate circumstances to their advantage. Still others identify a threat, track it down, and slay it — this is the path of the slayer. Slayers are cunning warriors, using their wits to hunt their prey and take them out efficiently. Some hunt monsters in the wilderness, some slip poison into a noble's drink, and some stab you in the back without ever being seen. Whatever the method, a slayer knows where you've been and where you're going, and has no intention of fighting fair.  

Grim Trackers

Slayers don't always have a shiny reputation. They have no sparkly magic tricks to impress people, and no gleaming armor covered in medals of valor. Their work is deadly and efficient, which can often lead others to look at them as amoral assassins. While this certainly does describe some slayers, others are just as heroic as any storied warrior — they've just chosen a more pragmatic method of operation. They might hunt down monsters or wanted fugitives to keep people safe, or they might serve as a scout and bodyguard for a noble whose work they believe in. The common thread among slayers is not their motives, but their methods. Whether for selfish or altruistic reasons, a slayer chooses a target and can track them nearly anywhere. Once the slayer catches up with their quarry, they strike with focused determination.  

Creating a Slayer

As you prepare to make your slayer character, consider what might drive them to choose such a path. Are they simply a very cautious adventurer, avoiding unnecessary risks by always trying to have the upper hand against monsters? Do they have a morbid fascination with poisons? Perhaps they hunt down criminals in pursuit of vigilante justice, or maybe they hunt monsters for money because they feel like that's the only thing they're good at. Once your character learned the first abilities of being a slayer, what motivated them to become an adventurer and join a party? Do they have an attachment to one of their party members? Is it a matter of practicality, wanting to have a group of allies for those times when sneaking up on your enemy isn't feasible? Or perhaps it was the only job they could find at the moment, or they were otherwise forced into an adventuring group by circumstance?    

Slayer's Specialties

Different slayers choose different approaches to their arts of hunting and slaying. The slayer's specialty you choose reflects your approach.

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Bounty Hunter

The bounty hunter stalks the most dangerous game. While you're certainly capable of making your way in the wild and tracking down animals, your specialty is in following the trails of persons of interest: wanted criminals, noble rivals, or even the target of your own personal grudge. You focus your talents on finding and apprehending intelligent creatures by sorting through webs of clues, following paper trails, and getting into the heads of your targets.   Greatest Detective
Starting when you choose this specialty at 3rd level, you have advantage on any Intelligence (Investigation) checks you make in relation to humanoids or other intelligent creatures. Additionally, whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) check, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the check.   The Game's Afoot
Also at 3rd level, you can use an action to designate a specific individual as your nemesis, as long as the individual has an Intelligence score of 6 or higher. You must have a specific individual in mind to select them, but you don't have to know their real name or true form. For example, you can't choose "whoever has been kidnapping the local children," but you could choose a locally infamous outlaw, even if they're known only by a pseudonym. You have advantage on all ability checks you make to learn, gather, or recall information about your nemesis. You can have only one nemesis at a time. Once you select a nemesis, you cannot select a new one until at least one week has passed. If you choose a new nemesis, the old one ceases to be your nemesis.   Insightful Combat
Starting at 7th level, if the target of your slayer's focus feature has an Intelligence score of 6 or higher, you can add your Intelligence modifier to a weapon attack roll you make against them, or use your reaction to add it to your AC against one of their attacks. You must make this choice after you see the roll but before determining the results. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.   Impostor
At 13th level, you gain the ability to unerringly mimic another person's speech, writing, and behavior. You must spend at least three hours studying these three components of the person's behavior, listening to speech, examining handwriting, and observing mannerisms. Your ruse is indiscernable to the casual observer. If a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check you make to avoid detection.   Checkmate
Beginning at 18th level, you are at your deadliest when you have time to track down and corner your nemesis. If you have completed at least one long rest since selecting your current nemesis, then you always know the location of that nemesis as long as they are within one mile of you. Additionally, the first time you hit a creature with a weapon attack after designating that creature as your nemesis, the attack deals an extra 1d8 damage for each long rest you have completed since they became your nemesis, up to a maximum of 7d8.  

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Monster Hunter

Slayers who specialize in hunting down massive beasts and terrible monsters follow the path of the monster hunter. Though you're certainly not incapable of tracking down a cultist or a thief, you're the one who steps forward when a town needs a hero to go out and slay whatever has been killing villagers in the forest.   Titan Slayer
Starting when you choose this specialty at 3rd level, you are especially adept at bringing down mighty prey. The bonus damage from your slayer's focus ability increases by 1d6 if your quarry is Large or larger.   Land's Stride
Starting at 7th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such as those created by the entangle spell.   Multiattack Defense
Beginning at 13th level, when a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn.   Tough as Nails
Starting at 18th level, whenever a Large or larger creature uses an ability that forces you to make a saving throw, you make that saving throw with advantage.

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Ninja

Slayers who supplement their tracking and slaying abilities with the art of stealth choose the path of the ninja, striking decisively from the shadows and then disappearing.   Unarmored Defense
Beginning when you choose this specialty at 3rd level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier.   Cunning Sneak
Also at 3rd level, whenever you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the check. You can use the Hide action as a bonus action.   Disappearance
At 7th level, you learn how to make yourself disappear. You can cast misty step without using any components. When you cast this spell in this way, you simultaneously become invisible until the end of your next turn. This invisibility ends early if you attack or cast a spell. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1 time). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.   Improved Disappearance
Beginning at 13th level, you can cast greater invisibility on yourself without using any components. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.   Death Strike
Starting at 18th level, you become a master of instant death. When you attack and hit a creature that is surprised, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against that creature.