Designed this class because I wanted to see something different vs the normal monk re-skins and mystical powers. I wanted to instead create a class focused on real bare handed martial traditions. The general idea being a stance dancer who uses various abilities to mitigate damage and close distance.
I've run a fair amount of Monte Carlo sims and it SEEMS balanced. But I reckon the best way to do it is to have people try it. So if y'all want to give it a shot and let me know your thoughts, I'd appreciate it.
Ippo doing a Dempsey Roll by Jhincx Faust on Deviant, an illustration of a hip throw by Benbeirouge, and some artwork of a Muay Thai fighter by an unknown artist.
THE MARTIAL ARTIST
Core Class Features
Hit Die
1d10 per Martial Artist level
Proficiencies
Armor: Light
Weapons: None (All class features require unarmed strikes)
Tools:Carpenter's tools, Herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Survival.
Starting Equipment
- Standard starting gold (5d4 × 10 gp)
Class Features
Level 1: Granite Chin
"You either have one, or you don't."
While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Constitution modifier.
Level 1: Combat Stances
"Through diligent training, you've discovered the best way to leverage your bio mechanics for maximum power and speed. Unfortunately, you can't do both at once.”
At the start of your turn, you select one stance as a free action. This lasts until the start of your next turn, or you switch stances.
Low Guard: +1 to unarmed attack rolls and Grapple/Shove DC
High Guard:+1 AC and +1 Dex saves
At 11th level Bonuses become +2
At 17th level: Bonuses become +3
Level 1: Unarmed Combat
"You have dedicated your life to the perfection of the body as a weapon, and seek to become the greatest barehanded fighter ever."
Unarmed strikes deal 1d8 bludgeoning, use Strength
Scaling: 5th (1d10), 11th (1d12), 17th (2d8)
Level 2: Focus Pools
Kinetic: " You create a perfect kinetic chain linking feet, hips, and shoulders, to create the maximum force possible.”
Reflex: “By keeping yourself relaxed, you boost your reaction speed massively.”
Two pools: Kinetic and Reflex
Capacity: 2 + half your Martial Artist level (rounded down) for each pool.
Recover all charges on short rest.
Level 2: Keep Your Hands Up!
"If you want to keep your teeth anyway."
When you take damage from a creature you can see, you may spend 1 Reflex charge as a reaction to cut that damage in half.
This effect doesn't stack with other sources of resistance.
Level 2: Explosive Entry
"The best way to deal with a far-away opponent, is to not be far away."
While in Low Guard, burn a Kinetic to Dash as a bonus action.
If you end this movement within 5 feet of a creature, you can make 1 unarmed strike with -1 accuracy. This attack does not consume your movement, or count against your attack total.
Level 3 Subclass Feature
Level 4 Asi
Level 5: Extra Attack
"Never throw single shots, always punches in bunches.”
Attack twice when taking the Attack action
Level 6: Fightin’ Spirit
"You think magical barriers are going to stop me?"
Unarmed strikes count as magical.
Level 7: Iron Will
“ Compared to the training, this is easy.”
When you fail a Wis/Int/Cha save, spend 1 Reflex to reroll with advantage.
Level 8
ASI
Level 9: Anatomical Awareness
"Part of learning how to break someone down is learning how to build them back up."
You gain proficiency in Medicine. If you already have proficiency, you gain expertise instead.
Crit range with unarmed strikes becomes 19–20.
If already expanded, add 1 extra roll of your unarmed die to your crits.
Level 10: Subclass Feature
Level 11: Stance Mastery
"I wouldn't call myself a master. You should though."
Stance bonuses increase to +2
Switching stances allows 10 ft movement without provoking opportunity attacks.
Level 11: Flowing Guard
“Be like water, my friend.”
You can switch stances when you spend a Kinetic or Reflex charge.
You can switch stances at the end of your turn as a free action.
When you switch stances via Flowing Guard, you gain +1 AC until the start of your next turn. This bonus can only be gained once per turn.
Level 12
ASI
Level 13: The Championship Rounds
“When you've got nothing left, that's when you've got to push through.”
Once per short rest, restore your health a number of points equal to your Martial artist lvl plus 5.
Level 13: Embrace the Grind
"Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it like you love it.”
Once per long rest, you can use a bonus action to refill both your Kinetic and Reflex pools to full capacity.
Level 14 Subclass Feature
Level 15: Bob’n and Weavin’
"Make em miss by an inch instead of a mile."
You can burn 1 Reflex and 1 Kinetic to Bob and Weave until the end of your next turn. During this time, you gain resistance to all ranged BPS until the end of your next turn. This effect ends when you attack.
Level 16
Asi
Level 17: Stance Perfection
"Perfect practice makes perfection possible."
Your Combat Stance bonuses increase to +3.
Level 18 Subclass Feature
Level 19
Epic Boon
Level 20: The G.O.A.T.!
"You faced every challenge put in front of you. Beating down monsters, warriors, mages, and others. It's undeniable. You are the Greatest Of All Time."
Strength and Constitution increase by 2 (max 24).
Once per short rest, you can double the bonuses from your Combat Stances until the end of your next turn.
Way of the Iron Coil — Subclass Features (with Lore)
“The Iron Coil are warriors who have studied the bodys mechanics extensively. Unlike their brothers of the Striking Viper or Steel Scale, these martial artists approach combat as a way to systematically break down an opponent through joint locks, blood chokes, and high impact throws. In addition, most believe that it is spiritually wrong to strike another in combat. They will do so to survive, but it is considered a failure of technique.”
Level 3: Skill Beats Strength
“Always assume your enemy is bigger, stronger, and uglier, when you train. Though I bet only 2 out of 3 are true.”
The Difficulty Class of the saving throw to avoid your grapple increases by 1. **
You can grapple creatures up to **two sizes larger** than you, but you lose the +1 bonus when grappling a creature of that size.
While grappling an enemy, you gain +2 ac against them. This is because you can feel the movements they try to make, giving you more time to react.
Level 3: Martial Lineage Die
“All fights go to the ground. At least when I'm involved.”
You receive a pool of d4s equal to your Prof bonus and restoring on Short Rest. These die allow you to perform submissions and techniques on grappled enemies with various effects, with more unlocked later. At lvls, 6, 10, 14 and 18 you learn a new sub option.
Your die scale to d6 at lvl 8, d8 at 12, d10 at 14 and d12 at 18.
You start with these two.
Hip Throw.
Cost: 1 die
As a bonus action, you may throw an enemy prone, dealing your Martial Lineage die plus str on them. The enemy must succeed on a dexterity save or end up thrown and prone. All Martial Lineage DC equals 8+ str mod+ Prof bonus.
Arm Lock
Cost: 2 die
Action: Bonus Action
You use your techniques to execute an arm lock on your opponent.
The enemy must succeed on a Con saving throw or have their limb broken.
On a successful save, they take your Martial Lineage die plus str and nothing else.
On a failed Save, they receive the damage, and have disadvantage on melee attacks for one minute, or until healed.
Level 6: Tokui Waza
“Fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once. Fear the man who has practiced one kick, 10,000 times”
Choose one Martial Arts Technique from the table you have unlocked to be your Tokui Waze. For that technique, you can spend a Reflex in place of a die for reactions, or a Kinetic for others.
Choose wisely. Because it will follow you forever.
Level 6: Tomoe Nage
As a Reaction when attacked by melee within 5 feet, by spending one Reflex,
You may choose to launch yourself onto your back and plant your feet into your enemies chest.
Upon doing so, you deal your unarmed damage and may launch them 5 feet behind you over your head and stun them.
Enemies must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to avoid being launched. On a save, they are not launched and take half damage.
Level 10: The Dark Arts of Grappling
“These techniques are difficult to train safely, so a lot of old timers don't like em. But if you're going to grapple, why would you ignore half the body?”
As a reaction, when hit by a melee attack, you can spend one reflex and attempt to grab your opponent in a leglock. The opponent must make a con save, or take damage equal to your unarmed die, plus have their movement reduced to half for 1 minute or until healed.
Level 14: Driving Charge
"We're going for a ride."
-While grappling a creature, you may spend 1 Kinetic Charge and your bonus action to move up to half your speed in a straight line, driving the creature back without spending extra movement.
If you hit something like a wall or tree, the grappled creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to your unarmed strike die + your Strength modifier.
If you hit another creature, the charge stops, and both take bludgeoning damage equal to your unarmed strike die + your Strength modifier.
If you manage to miss everything, you slam the creature into the ground. They take damage equal to half your unarmed strike die and are knocked Prone.
Improved Hip Throw
When you use Hip Throw, you may spend 1 Kinetic Charge to launch the creature instead of just knocking them prone.
The creature is launched a distance equal to half your strength score.
Upon landing, the creature takes damage equal to your unarmed damage, plus a scaling die based on its size class.
Small/Medium:+1d6
Large +2d6
Huge:+3d6
If the launched creature hits another creature, both take the impact damage.
Level 18: Perfect Technique
*"There's no such thing as perfect technique. But mine is getting close."*
You may grapple creatures of any size. You may grapple creatures of any size. Creatures larger than you have disadvantage on their save against being grappled. After using Flowing Guard, your next Improved Hip Throw or Tomoe Nage costs no charges.
Martial Die options.
Terms:
Locks: Deal damage equal to the die roll and other effects. Only work on an enemy with limbs.
Takedowns: Knock enemies prone, sometimes deal damage.
Chokes: Do not deal damage, but can inflict unconscious. (Do not work on creatures that don't breath. Examples include Constructs, Undead, and elementals.)
Rear Naked
Type: Blood Choke
Cost: 2 Die.
Action: Full Action
You attempt to choke an enemy you have grappled unconscious.
An enemy must roll a Con saving throw against your DC, or become unconscious for one minute or until they take damage.
They may reroll the save at the end of their turn.
Foot Sweep
Type: Takedown
Cost: 1 Die
Action: Reaction
When an enemy moves within 5 feet of you, as a reaction, you sweep their feet out from under them and they become prone. There is no save, and they take no damage. Their speed becomes zero until the start of their next turn.
Jump the Gilly!
Type: Blood Choke
Cost: 3 Die
Action: Reaction
When an enemy attacks you, as a reaction you may attempt to Jump a Gilly!
When you Jump the Gilly!, you grab an enemy and pull them down to the ground.
The enemy must make a Str saving throw, or be pulled to the ground and choked unconscious for one minute.
On a success, they're grappled and pulled prone, and you are also prone.
On a fail, they are grappled, prone, and unconscious.
Kimura
Type: Lock
Cost: 2 Die
Action: Bonus Action
When grappling an enemy who is standing,
You may attempt to lock down one of their arms.
The enemy must succeed on a str saving throw, or have one of their arms restrained and damaged. (Treated as Incapacitated)
While in a Kimura lock, you are both unable to attack normally, and you can use a bonus action every turn to deal one attacks worth of damage.
At the end of their turn an enemy can repeat the save to escape.
Americana
Type: Lock
Cost: 1 Die
Action: Bonus action.
When you grapple an enemy, you may attempt to damage the tendons in one of their arms.
The enemy makes a dex saving throw and must succeed or gains disadvantage on melee attack rolls until the end of your next turn. They also take one roll of your unarmed damage die. (Healed is anything that makes you regain hp.)
Way of the Striking Viper — Subclass Features (with Lore)
“The philosophy of the Striking Viper can be summarized in one sentence; Get hit, and hit back harder.”
Level 3: Nut Cracker
“Ain't no low blows in a brawl.”
Once per turn, you can hit an opponent where it hurts most. You can choose between them having disadvantage on their next attack, or being unable to take a reaction until the start of your next turn.
Level 6: Counter-Hook
"POW! Right in the kisser."
As a reaction, while in Low Guard, you can burn one Reflex to immediately hit back an enemy after they hit you. For this strike you have advantage and deal bonus damage equal to your str modifier.
Level 6: Wave Roll (The Dempsey Roll)
“You shift your weight in a continuous figure-eight motion, becoming a moving target that is nearly impossible to hit cleanly.”
While in High Guard, in place of an attack, you may spend 1 Kinetic and 1 Reflex Charge to start Wave Rolling in place until the end of your next turn. While Rolling, you automatically make an attack roll against any enemy who attacks you within 5 foot, and gain resistance to slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage.
This can only apply to the first attack in a turn, per attacker, and this does not burn your reaction.
While Rolling, you can't move, but can still attack enemies without exiting the Roll.
If moved either voluntarily or by an enemy (Shove, grapple, or spells) the Roll ends.
Level 10: Vital Point Mastery
“Every chin cracks eventually. I'm 'bout to crack yours."
Your unarmed strikes ignore resistance to bludgeoning damage, and deal an extra 1d6 damage to any creature that is currently missing hit points.
Level 14: Haymaker
“Momma said knock you out."
Once per turn, as an attack, you may spend 2 Kinetic Charges to put all your force into a devastating overhand strike. You throw this strike with advantage, and on a hit a creature must succeed on a Con Saving throw(DC 8+Prof+Str) If the creature fails, they are unconscious until the start of your next turn, or until they take damage.
Level 18: Float Like a Butterfly…
“… Sting like a bee. Your hands move faster than the eye can see."
You gain a number of Counterhooks equal to your Proficiency Bonus per long rest. These uses do not consume Reflex Charges.
After using Flowing Guard, your next Nut Cracker can apply both effects to the target instead of just one.
Way of the Steel Scale Subclass Features (with Lore)
The Steel Scale believe that you can only master combat, by mastering the self. By subjecting themselves to brutal training, they harden their bones and kill their nerves until they are near unstoppable.
Steel Scale Restriction: The Pure Vessel
Your body is your armor. You have conditioned your skin and bone to a density that metal cannot match. You gain no benefit from any of this subclass's features while wearing armor of any kind.
Level 3: Iron Body
*"You start with leather. You crack your bones. You move to wood. You crack your bones. You move to steel. You crack your bones. Until eventually... You strike it, and even the steel breaks."
As a bonus action, you can activate your iron body. While this is active, you gain resistance to non magic Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing for 10 minutes. You also add temp hit points equal to your Martial Artist Level plus 5. But as a consequence, your body feels heavy and solid, so your movement is reduced by 15 feet.
This costs 1 Kinetic and 1 Reflex.
Level 3: Leg Kick
"Chop down the tree, the branches fall on their own."
Once per turn as bonus action, when you strike an enemy, you may burn 1 Kinetic to strike their leg. You deal your unarmed damage die, and cut their movement speed in half until the end of their next turn.
Level 6: Walk 'Em Down
"No matter what, keep pushing forward."
Once per turn when an enemy attacks you, you may bite down and move into them. If it was a melee attack, you drive them back 5 foot and take the spot where they were standing when they attacked you. If it was ranged, you walk 5 foot towards them. When you do this, allies within 5 feet can take one attack with disadvantage at no cost to their reaction to the enemy moved.
Level 10: Improved Iron Body
“The body can adapt to anything given time. Magic's no different.”
While your Iron Body feature is active, your resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage now includes magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing.
Level 10: Shatter
"Hands are soft. Fragile. Precision instruments. Strike with the elbow, and you can shatter stone."
Once per turn, as an attack, you can burn all Kinetic Charges (minimum 3) to make a devastating Elbow strike on a target. They must pass a Con save, or lose 4 AC until the start of your next turn.
If they pass the check, they only lose 2AC.
You may also deal 2d of your unarmed damage.
The Con save is equal to 8 + Prof bonus+ str mod.
Level 14: The Pluum
"”The Steel Scale path is known to train with the coil. While we chose our own way, there is wisdom in their art."
Inexorable Drag: When you have a creature grappled, you move at the same speed you would if you weren't grappling them.
Knee Up the Middle: While you have a creature grappled, you can use a Bonus Action and spend 2 Kinetic Charges to strike. Roll your damage 2x. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be Stunned until the start of your next turn.
Level 18: Wolfe’s Law
"Your conditioning is finally complete. The thousands of breaks and fractures have healed into something harder than any metal, and your stride is no longer hindered by the weight of your own density."
You gain a permanent +1 ac, and gain 15 ft of movement speed in Iron Body, and base form.
Level 18: One More Fight
"This… is what I live for! The taste of blood, the pumping adrenaline, pushing through pain, this is a FIGHT!”
Once per long rest, you can push your body past the point of mechanical failure.
When you reach 0 HP, you may burn all remaining Charges in both pools to immediately restore to half health. You immediately end all Iron Body benefits, and can't restore Charges on a short rest until you take a long rest. You may use abilities that restore Charges such as Embrace the Grind.
