Martial Maneuvers for Mad Monks

Fighters of all stripes need cool abilities that set them apart from spellcasters, and perhaps the best way to model that is maneuvers that mimic martial arts or various fighting styles.

Martial Arts are split into three categories: techniques, which are specialized training and are active all the time; stances, which are battlefield postures and patterns that aide certain styles of fighting; and maneuvers, which are individual moves and attacks a fighter can use.

Techniques

Improved Trip: You double your proficiency bonus on Strength (Athletics) checks to trip a target.

Improved Shove: You double your proficiency bonus on Strength (Athletics) checks to shove a target.

Improved Grapple: You gain advantage on attack rolls against creatures you are grappling.

• Pin: When you are grappling a target you can use an action to pin them, rendering them restrained as long as they are grappled.

• Crushing Grip: You can use a bonus action each turn to deal your unarmed damage to a creature you are grappling.

Improved Disarm: You double your proficiency bonus on checks made to disarm a target.

Ambusher: You gain advantage on attacks against creatures that are surprised, or that have not yet acted in combat.

Brace: When you use the ready action to prepare an attack against an enemy and that enemy moves more than 10 ft toward you immediately prior to your attack you gain advantage on the attack and roll one extra damage die if you hit.

Steer: When you shove a target you choose the direction they move, rather than moving them directly away from you. Further, when you are grappling a target using joint lock you can move up to your normal speed or the creature's normal speed, whichever is lesser, when you are moving.

Follow: When you shove an enemy you can move up to 5 ft as part of the action, provided you move in the direction of the creature.

Ground Fighter: You do not suffer Disadvantage on melee attacks against creatures within 5 ft of you for being prone. Creatures do not gain Advantage on attacks against you due to you being prone.

Archery: +2 on ranged weapon attacks.

• Contact Archer: You do not suffer Disadvantage while within 5 ft. of an opponent.

Two-Weapon Fighting: Add Str or Dex to off-hand weapon's damage.

• Dual Wielder: You can ignore light requirement for off-hand weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting:

Dueling: If you only make attacks with a one-handed melee weapon you gain a +2 bonus to the damage of those attacks.

• Defensive Duelist: If you carry a dagger, sai, or other light melee weapon in your off hand you gain a +1 bonus to AC. If you make no attacks with this off-hand weapon the bonus increases to +3 until the beginning of your next turn.

Medium Armor Mastery: Dex bonus cap increased to +3

• Heavy Armor Mastery: Gain DR 3

Crusher:

Piercer:

Slasher:

Polearm Master: off-hand attack only

Skulker: Missing a creature with a ranged attack doesn't reveal your position.

Tumbler: You can treat spaces occupied by enemies as difficult terrain. You still provoke opportunity attacks as normal.

Brawler: You add your proficiency bonus to improvised weapon attacks.

Armor Specialist: +1 AC while wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Blind Fighting: Gain blindsight 10 ft.

Martial Arts: Your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage and count as weapon attacks.

Below find miscellaneous maneuvers that fighters can use to be cooler.

Maneuvers are fueled by Focus. A fighter gets Focus equal to their proficiency bonus, and regains their full Focus on finishing a short rest.

Battlefield Intimidation (free): You can use an action to intimidate an enemy. They must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

• Intimidating Attack (1 Focus): When you land an attack on a creature you may spend one Focus to attempt to frighten it, as though you had used your Battlefield Intimidation on it.

• Lingering Caution (1 Focus): As a bonus action on your turn you can spend one Focus to extend the duration of a fear effect affecting one creature afraid of you.

• Terrible Display (1 Focus): When you use your Battlefield Intimidation you can spend one Focus to affect a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus, rather than a single target.

Goad (free): You can use an action to taunt and harass an enemy. They must make a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you until the end of your next turn. While they are charmed this way they do not regard you kindly, but hate you; and have Disadvantage on attacks against targets other than you.

• Goading Attack (1 Focus):

• Lingering Taunt (1 Focus):

• Jeer (1 Focus):

Charge (1 Focus): You execute a rush toward your enemy. You must move at least 10 ft toward them in a straight line, which cannot incorporate difficult terrain. If, at the end of that movement, you make a melee attack against that creature your first attack gains a +5 bonus to damage.

• Tackle: Rather than attacking at the end of a Charge you can make a shove attempt, pushing the target back 10 ft on a success and/or knocking them prone.

• Leaping Charge: You can Charge even over obstacles and difficult terrain, or incorporating a jump into your run-up.

• Flying Strike (1 Focus): You can shorten your Charge to 5 ft. by incorporating a high jump. This costs one additional Focus.

• Mad Dash: If you use your action to Dash and end your movement adjacent to a creature you can use a bonus action to make a single melee attack against that creature.

Lock-Trip (1 Focus, prerequisite: improved grapple, joint lock): When you successfully trip a creature you can also put it into a lock, grappling it at the same time.

Tripping Attack (1 Focus, prerequisite: improved trip): When you hit a target with an appropriate weapon (whip, polearm, chain weapon) you can make a trip attempt as part of the attack. The target must make a Str or Dex save or be knocked prone.

Shoving Attack (1 Focus): When you strike a target with a bludgeoning weapon or polearm you can attempt to shove the target as part of the attack.

Grab (1 Focus): When you disarm a target and have a free hand you can choose to grab and hold the item you've removed from the target of the disarm.

Fling (1 Focus): When you disarm a target you can choose to launch the object up to 30 ft in a direction of your choice.

Disarming Strike (1 Focus, prerequisite: improved disarm): When you make a successful weapon attack against a target you can spend one Focus to attempt to disarm them as well. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or drop the item they're holding.

Joint Lock (1 Focus, prerequisite: improved grapple): When you grapple an enemy you can choose to put them into a joint lock rather than wrestling them. This requires only one hand, allowing you to continue using a weapon or attacking other targets with your off hand. Your target has advantage on their checks to escape. You can use a bonus action on your turn to reinforce the lock and remove the advantage for any joint-locked targets until the end of your next turn.

• Multi-lock: You can grapple up to two targets, provided you use joint lock to grapple both.

Distracting Strike (1 Focus): When you hit an enemy with a weapon attack you can harry them. The next weapon attack against the target before the beginning of your next turn by anyone other than you gains Advantage.

• Delay (1 Focus): When you land a Distracting Strike on a target that has not yet acted this round you move their Initiative to 1 for the current round.

• Stunning Strike (1 Focus): When you land a Distracting Strike on a target they must make a Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the beginning of your next turn.

Evasive Footwork (1 Focus): When you use the Dash or Disengage action you gain the benefits of the Dodge action as well.

• Quick-footed (1 Focus): You can use the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action, provided you do not use the same action for your normal action.

• Evasive Roll (1 Focus): When you are the target of an attack you can use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on the attack, and move up to 10 ft if the attack misses. You must move at least 5 ft. You cannot use this reaction if your Speed is 0, or if there is nowhere you can move.

Feint (1 Focus): You can use a bonus action to feint and fake out a target w/in reach. They must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failure the next weapon attack against them is made with Advantage.

Lunge: When you make a melee weapon attack you can move 5 ft before executing the attack, and you then immediately move 5 ft back to your starting position. Opportunity attacks made against you as part of either movement are made with Disadvantage.

Parry (1 Focus): As a reaction to a melee weapon attack you can roll 1d10 and add it to your Armor Class against that attack.

• Deflect Missile (1 Focus): As a reaction to being hit by a thrown or ranged weapon attack you can reduce its damage by 1d10 + your Dex. If this reduces it to 0 and you have a free hand you can catch the weapon.

• Riposte (1 Focus): When a melee weapon attack misses you, you can use your reaction to make one melee weapon attack on the original attacker. If you used Parry to avoid the attack you can use Riposte as part of the same reaction.

Guard (1 Focus): You commit to defending an area from attackers until the start of your next turn. For that time you may make one opportunity attack against any creature that enters your reach without expending your reaction.

Hamstring (1 Focus): When you hit a creature with a weapon attack you reduce its speed by 10 ft. until the end of its turn.

Cripple (1 Focus): When you Hamstring a creature you can reduce its speed to 0 until the end of its turn.

Quick Toss (1 Focus): When you make an Attack with a thrown weapon you can make an additional attack with a thrown weapon.

• Hidden Toss (Free): If you make an Attack with a thrown weapon and one or more of the attacks from that action misses, you gain Advantage on your Quick Toss attack.

Draw-Cut (1 Focus): When you roll initiative you can make a single melee attack against a creature within reach.

• Dash-Cut (1 Focus): You can move up to half your speed before making a Draw-cut attack.

• Zanshin: Attacks made against you before you have taken an action in combat are made with Disadvantage.

• Iaido Master (1 Focus): Your Draw-cut attack is made with advantage. If it hits you roll an additional die of damage.

Cleave (1 Focus): If you reduce a creature to 0 hp with a melee weapon attack you can immediately make an attack against an adjacent creature using the same weapon.

• Whirlwind Attack (2 Focus): As an action you can make a single melee weapon attack against all creatures within reach. Make a single roll for this attack, comparing it to individual creatures' AC to determine whether it hit. Effects that grant a bonus to your attack roll, such as bardic inspiration, are applied only to the attack's result against a single target of your choice.

Shield Bash (1 Focus): When you use your action to Attack you can use a bonus action to make an off-hand weapon with your shield (1d4 bludgeoning) or make a shove attempt.

Broken-Winged Heron Stance: When you adopt this stance you lash out recklessly, accepting your own weakness in return. As a bonus action you can spend one Focus and enter this stance. If you start your turn in this stance spend one Focus or immediately use your bonus action to exit the stance. While in the stance your weapon attacks are made with Advantage, and all attacks against you are made with Advantage as well. You can use Lunge and Goading Attack without spending Focus while in this stance. You can exit this stance as a bonus action on your turn.

Eastern Guardian Stance: In this stance you reach out to protect your allies and charges. As a bonus action you can spend one Focus and enter this stance. If you start your turn in this stance spend one Focus or immediately use your bonus action to exit the stance. While in this stance and wielding a shield, staff, polearm, or club melee attacks against creatures of your choice adjacent to you are made with Disadvantage. While in this stance you can use Disarming Strike without spending Focus and your AC improves by 1. You can use You can exit this stance as a bonus action on your turn.

Wolf Stance: In this posture you prepare yourself to take advantage of any opening or opportunity, working with allies to bring down a stronger enemy. As a bonus action you can spend one Focus and enter this stance. If you start your turn in this stance spend one Focus or immediately use your bonus action to exit the stance. While in this stance you can use Hamstring and Distracting Strike without spending Focus. When a creature within 5 ft of you makes an attack against a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that target. You can exit this stance as a bonus action on your turn.

Mountain Stance: Advantage vs. trip, shove, or other attempts to move. Guard and Shield Bash for free.

Crane Stance: Can activate when you roll Init. Free parry, evasive footwork.

Crab Stance: Free joint-lock, riposte. Attacks against you by an opponent you grapple are made w/ Disadvantage.

Dragon Stance: Add Wis to Intimidation checks. Free cleave, intimidating attack.

River Stance: Opportunity attacks against you have Disadvantage. Free trip, fling.

Boar Stance: Add proficiency to AC when you move at least 10 ft on your turn. Free charge, feint.

Lion Stance: Intimidating display when you roll initiative. Free charge, intimidating strike.

Wind Stance: You can make a Hide check as bonus action when you Attack. Free quick toss, distracting strike.

No Stance: You gain proficiency to any saving throws you're not proficient in already. Free disarm.

Blossom Stance: Increase move by 10 ft. Free parry, feint.

Snake Stance: Piercing and slashing deal 1d6 damage next turn. Free lunge, distracting strike.

Cat Stance: When you ready an Attack you gain Dodge as well. Free feint, charge.

Fire Stance: Gain DR

1. Free parry, riposte.

Thunderstrike Stance: Use reaction to gain Advantage on save versus magic. Free shoving attack.

Wasp Stance: Add pro bonus to AC vs ranged attacks. Free quick toss, hamstring.