Martial Artist (5e Subclass)

Martial Artist

Fighter Subclass

Those who emulate the archetypal Martial Artist employ martial techniques passed down through generations. Martial Artists utilize Chi to power their techniques. The Martial Artist can take many paths, she can restrain foes with ease, disable her opponent, make her opponent miss attacks, or simply use her Chi to do devastating damage. Martial Artists are devastating foes and even the most battle-hardened explorers would think twice about fighting one.

Chi Mastery.

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to access your chi network and the chi network of the world around you. Utilizing this power, you are capable of advanced techniques.

• Techniques: Each time you learn new techniques, you can also replace one technique of the same category, that you know, with a different one.

• Basic Techniques: You learn two Basic Techniques of your choice. You learn one additional Basic Technique of your choice at 7th and 10th levels.

• Advanced Techniques: At 7th level you learn one Advanced Technique. You learn one additional Advanced Technique at 10th and 15th levels.

• Ultimate Techniques: At 15th level you learn one Ultimate Technique. You learn one additional Ultimate Technique at 18th level.

• Chi Dice: You have five Chi dice, which are d6s. A Chi Die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended Chi dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain two additional Chi Dice at 7th, 10th, and 15th levels.

• Saving Throws: Some of your techniques require your target to make a saving throw to resist the technique's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Technique Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence Modifier

Martial Arts

At 3rd level your Martial Arts training has caused your hands and feet to harden. Your unarmed strikes now do 1d4 + Str or Dex (your choice) bludgeoning damage. You may make an unarmed attack even when holding a weapon.

Fighter Level:	Unarmed Damage:
3rd	1d4
5th	1d6
11th	1d8
17th	1d10

Your intelligence plays a large role in your Martial Arts training. The skilled Martial Artist is able to defend herself based on her ability to make evasive decisions while fighting. While you are not wearing armor you have AC 10 + Dex Mod + Int Mod.

Experienced Fighter
At 7th level you can use your experience as a fighter to learn about an opponent. If you spend at least 1 minute observing a creature doing a physical activity (anything other than sitting/standing still or lying down) you may learn which of its physical characteristics is best. The DM tells you if the target has higher Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score.

Chi-Empowered Strikes
At 7th level your mastery of Chi can enhance your unarmed strikes. When you have unexpended Chi dice your unarmed strikes are counted as magical damage for calculations involving resistance or immunity.

Enhanced Chi Dice
At 10th level, your Basic Chi Dice turn into d8s. At 18th level they turn into d10s.

Meditation Expert
At 10th level you can commune with nature to recharge your chi. Through meditation, the martial artist connects to the Chi network of the world around her and recharges herself. Once per short rest, you can spend 10 minutes meditating to restore 1d4 + Int Modifier of your Basic Chi Dice. At 18th level you regain 1d6 + Int Modifier Chi Dice after meditating.

Ultimate Techniques
At 15th level you learn one Ultimate Technique. You learn one additional technique at 18th level.

Chi Reserves
At 18th you always have enough reserved Chi to enhance your strikes. Your unarmed attacks count as magical even when you have no remaining Chi Dice.

Basic Techniques.

Counter-Offensive: When an opponent makes an attack at you, you may expend one Chi Dice to avoid damage and perform a reactionary technique. Roll your Chi Dice and subtract it from their attack roll. If this number is lower than your AC you avoid all damage. You take half damage otherwise. Regardless of the outcome the chosen effect is activated. Your opponent takes full damage if you successfully dodge their attack and half otherwise. Some effects only happen when you avoid all damage.
You may only use one Reactionary Technique per opponent per round.

• Hip Toss. You move into your opponent’s square and they move one square back as you throw them over your hip. They take 2d8 bludgeoning damage when they hit the ground and are prone. If you avoided all damage then they must succeed on a Constitution save or be stunned until the end of their next turn.
• Counter Strike. You may make two unarmed attacks against the attacking opponent. If you avoided all damage then these attacks are made at advantage. (These are kicks, elbows or knee strikes, you do not need to drop your weapon to perform them.)
• Judo Roll. When an opponent moves at least five feet toward you before attacking you may perform a Judo Roll. Your opponent is moved into the square behind you (in the same direction they were travelling). They take damage from an unarmed strike as you plant your foot into their chest to throw them. Finally, they take 1d8 bludgeoning damage as they land. They must succeed on a Dex save or have their movement speed reduced to zero for the rest of their turn.

Clinch Fighting: The dirty boxer is trained at fighting from the grapple. Each of these can be triggered when you make an attack or grapple check.

• Clinch. You may expend one Chi Dice when you make a grapple attempt. Add the roll of that dice to your grapple check. If you fail, your opponent is clinched (grappled for every purpose other than Martial Artist Techniques) and can use their reaction to make an attack at disadvantage. If you succeed, your opponent is clinched and you can make an unarmed attack at advantage.
• Bull-Whip. If you have your opponent clinched you can pull them around by their neck to create ideal striking opportunities for yourself. Expend one Chi Dice and add the outcome to the attack roll and damage roll of your next unarmed attack. If the attack hits they must make a Dex saving throw or be stunned until the end of their next turn.
• Dirty Boxing. If you have your opponent clinched you can take advantage of the close range. When you make an attack you may expend one Chi Dice to make two unarmed attacks. (Can be done once per attack in the Attack action.) Add the result of the Chi Dice to one of the attack rolls (your choice, can be made after the d20 is rolled but before the outcome is determined.)

Reactionary: The Martial Artist can see a weakness in his opponent’s fighting skills. Certain actions in combat trigger the Martial Artist’s instincts and she may use her Chi Dice to perform a Reactionary Technique. These Techniques use your reaction. As such, only one may be used per round.

• Ally Defense. When a creature you can see within half your movement speed makes an attack at an ally you can expend one Chi Dice to use your reaction to move half your movement speed and make an unarmed attack at the triggering creature. If the d20 + chi dice exceeds your Critical Strike threshold, this attack is a critical strike.
• False-Sacrifice. When a creature within 5ft of you makes an attack at an ally (other than yourself) you may use your reaction expend one Chi Dice to interfere with their attack. You use up to half of your movement speed to take your ally’s place. If you make it to their square, they are pushed to an adjacent unoccupied square of your choice and the triggering attack is now directed at you. You may activate either the Hip Toss or Counter Strike techniques (provided you know them.) The Chi Dice expended for False-Sacrifice is used for the chosen technique.
• Arrow Punch. When an ally within half of your movement speed is attacked with a melee attack then you may use your reaction to expend a Chi Dice to perform an Arrow Punch at the attacker. Roll your Chi Dice and subtract it from the attacker’s roll. The outcome of the attack is determined with this adjustment. You move in a straight line (provoking opportunity attacks) toward the attacker. Then you perform an Arrow Punch. Make an attack Roll as you lunge through the air and punch the attacker in the face. Make a second attack roll as you make a knee strike to the attacker. If both strikes hit the target must make a Con save or be stunned until the end of their next turn.

Offensive: The Martial Artist can see a weakness in his opponent’s defenses. When attacking a creature, the Martial Artist may expend one of its Chi Dice to activate the following effects.

• Stunning Strike. The Martial Artist can expend a Chi Dice when making an attack to penetrate his foe’s defenses and stun them with his next strike. Add the Chi Dice to your Attack and Damage Rolls for the next attack. On a hit the target must make a Con Save or be stunned until the end of their next turn. <\li>
• Joint Lock. The Martial Artist can expend one Chi Dice when making an Grapple Check. Add the Chi Dice to the Grapple Check roll. If the Martial Artist succeeds then the creature is caught in a joint lock. They are grappled and restrained until they escape (Grapple Check). For each escape attempt the Martial Artist can expend one Chi Dice to increase his roll. The Martial Artist is grappled during the duration of the Joint Lock. The joint is randomly selected by the DM.
• Disable. When the Martial Artist has a creature caught in a Joint Lock she may expend a Chi Dice to attempt to Disable the Joint as a Bonus Action. The Martial Artist makes a grapple check and adds her Chi Dice to the result. On a success the target creature takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage. The creature must make a Con Save. On a failure they lose the ability to use the Small Joint that is trapped. (They lose the ability to make Melee attacks with that part of their body. If they have a leg disabled then they lose 10 ft of movement. They lose 15ft for each additional leg that is disabled.) Joint Lock Targets can include, but are not limited to, wrists, ankles, elbow, knee, neck, hip. For Medium or Smaller creatures a failed Con Save on a neck lock will kill.

Advanced Techniques.

The experienced Martial Artist can use her Chi Mastery to conjure powerful elemental effects or to enhance her body and abilities for a short time. Only one Advanced Technique may be used per round. The Martial Artist must expend at least two Chi Dice and up to five to perform any Advanced Technique. The number of Chi Dice expended will be referred to as
n.
Some of these abilities last 1 + n + Int Mod rounds or attacks. We’ll refer to this number as x.
Any prior Advanced Technique is ended when the Martial Artist activates one.

Fire Style: The Martial Artist that follows the Fire Style traditions learns to conjure various fire-based attacks. These are all activated in place of an attack.

• Fire Breath. The martial artist channels her Chi into her stomach. A warm glow emanates from her eyes as she raises one hand to her mouth and releases and [5 + n * 5] ft cone of Fire. Any creature caught in the cone must make a Dex save. On a failed save they take 2 + n Chi Dice, on a successful save they take half damage. Every creature who fails the save catches fire. While on Fire, at the beginning of each of their turns they take 2 additional Chi Dice of Fire Damage. They may spend an action trying to put out the fire. They must succeed on a Dex, Wisdom, or Intelligence check to do so.
• Fire Blade. The Martial Artist focuses her Chi on her hands. She forms a Flaming Chi blade around each hand. For x attacks her unarmed Strikes do an additional ‘n’ Chi Dice fire damage.
• Fire Whip. The Martial Artist conjures a Flaming Chi Whip. The Chi Whip has x charges. A charge can be used to make an attack. This attack has the reach feature. It does n Chi Dice fire damage. In place of an attack, the whip may be used to restrain a creature. The creature must make a Dex Save or be restrained. If restrained, they take n Chi Dice Fire damage. At the beginning of each turn the creature is restrained it takes n Chi Dice fire damage and one charge is consumed. At the end of each of its turns, the restrained creature can attempt to break out. It must succeed on a Dex or Str save to do so. The Martial Artist can make unarmed attacks while restraining a creature in this way.

Wind Style: The Martial Artist who follows the Wind tradition can channel her Chi to conjure Wind-based effects. Each of these can be activated as a bonus action or reaction to attack.

• Wind Shield. The Martial Artist summons a wind storm that makes Her harder to hit. Wind whirls around her for n rounds. During each of her rounds her AC for melee attacks is increased by 1 Chi Dice. Projectile attacks treat this roll as if it is maxed.
• Wind Dagger. As a Bonus Action the Martial Artists channels her Chi into her hands. The Martial Artist has x Wind Dagger charges. On each attack she may expend one Charge to throw a Wind Dagger at an opponent. This attack has range 40/120. Each throw expends one Chi Dice. Add the value of the expended Chi Dice to the attack Roll. Each hit does n/2 Chi Dice Piercing Damage. Any target hit by a Wind Dagger cannot take a reaction until the end of its next turn.
• Flurry. As a bonus action the Martial Artist uses the wind to make her swift. The Martial Artist has x Flurry Charges. Once per turn when taking the attack action the Martial Artist can expend up to n charges to perform an additional unarmed strike per charge. When one of these strikes hits the Martial Artist may expend one Flurry Charge stun the creature. The creature makes a Con Save. On a failed save the creature is stunned until the end of its next turn.

Ultimate Techniques.

The Martial Artist who has perfected her Chi Mastery can now perform amazing feats through Chi Control. She must expend between three and six Chi Dice to perform an Ultimate Technique. The number of expended dice will be referred to as “n”. Ultimate Techniques are hard on the Martial Artist.

Ultimate Techniques are Recharge 5-6 abilities.

Some of these abilities last 1 + n + Int Mod rounds or attacks. We’ll refer to this number as x.

Any prior Ultimate Technique is ended when the Martial Artist activates one.
Fire Style: The Martial Artist that follows the Fire Style traditions learns to conjure various fire-based attacks. These are all activated in place of an attack.

• Flaming Sphere. The martial artist channels her Chi into her stomach. A warm glow emanates from her eyes as she raises one hand to her chest and emits a Fire Blast. A flaming sphere is created on the Martial Artist with radius [5 + n * 5] ft. Any creature caught in the blast must make a Dex save. On a failed save they take n Chi Dice + Int Mod fire Damage. On a successful save the damage is halved. The Sphere lasts x rounds. A creature who begins its turn in the Sphere takes n Chi Dice + Int Mod Fire damage. The Martial Artist can select Int Mod creatures to be immune to this technique.

Wind Style: The Martial Artist who follows the Wind tradition can channel her Chi to conjure Wind-based effects.

• Instant Transmission. As an action the Martial Artist fills herself with the Wind energy. She picks a spot within 30ft. She then makes 2 unarmed attacks on each creature within 10 + 5n ft of that spot. Each creature hit this way must make a Con save or be stunned until the end of their next turn or knocked back 5n ft, the Martial Artist chooses.
• Wind Armor. The Martial Artist summons a wind storm that makes Her harder to hit. Wind whirls around her for x rounds. During each of her rounds her AC for melee attacks is increased by 1 Chi Dice, reroll 1s or 2s. Projectile attacks automatically miss while Wind Armor is active.

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