Way of the MMA (5e Subclass)
Way of the MMA[edit]
Monastic Tradition
Monks who follow the way of the mixed martial arts are masters of their own style. They see martial traditions as pieces of a puzzle they need to solve to achieve martial mastery, as a ingredients in a recipe to prepare the most efficient way of fighting, the best suited to their bodies and preferences.
A mixed martial artist does not seek perfection or mastery over a style, but the mastery over fight itself. And to become the best fighter they can be, they draw from multiple sources, and learn how to use their bodies to the fullest to strike, push, grab and twist their enemies using each fiber of muscle inside their bodies.
- Soft Grappling
Starting at 3rd level, you rely on technique over strength to grapple and wrestle your targets. You can use your Dexterity, instead of Strength, for your contested Strength (Athletics) checks.
In addition, whenever you grapple or shove a target, or whenever a creature end its turn grappled by you, it takes damage equal to your martial arts die.
- Styles
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can choose two martial art styles from the list of Styles bellow. You can choose one additional style at 6th, 11th and 17th levels.
Each style gives you a passive benefit. In addition, each style also gives you a different ki feature, that can be used by spending 1 ki point.
Whenever a style require a bonus action to be used, if you use your flurry of blows you can replace one of your attacks by the effect of that style.
- Versatile Combat
At 6th level, you learn how to seamlessly combine striking, pushing, kicking and grappling. You can make grapple and shove attempts as part of the Attack action.
In addition, you can use your Deflect Projectiles features to deflect melee weapon attacks and unarmed strikes. Reducing these types of attacks to 0 damage allow you to make an unarmed strike, a grapple or a shove attempt as part of the same reaction.
- Multiple Ranges Specialist
Starting at 11th level, you are in full control over the three ranges of combat: kicking, punching and grappling. You gain the following benefits:
- Kicking. You can make unarmed strikes against targets within 10 feet.
- Punching. You can make fast attacks with your fists. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can make one additional attack as part of the flurry.
- Grappling. You add your Dexterity modifier to the damage of your Soft Grappling feature.
- King of the Octagon
At 17th level, you become a specialist in merging multiple styles together. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense or Step of the Wind, you can use one of your Style ki features without spending ki.
Styles[edit]
- Boxing
When you take the Attack action and hit an unarmed strike, your next unarmed strike or contested Strength (Athletics) check is made at advantage.
- Ki feature. You can bob and weave. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Patient Defense as a reaction (for a total of 2 ki points).
- Muay Thai
Once in each turn, you deal additional damage with your unarmed strikes equal to your martial arts die.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point to deal additional damage equal to two rolls of your martial arts die.
- Kickboxing
Once per turn when you hit a creature with a unarmed strike made as part of the Attack action, you can make another unarmed strike against the same creature.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point to make a side kick, pushing the target 10 feet back.
- Judo
When you succeed on a grapple attempt, you can choose to knock the target prone using your bonus action.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point to knock the creature prone as a reaction.
- Aikido
When you succeed on a grapple attempt, you can choose to push the target 10 feet using your bonus action.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point to push the creature 10 feet as a reaction.
- Jiu Jitsu
When you succeed on a grapple attempt, you can restrain your target using your bonus action. If you do so, you are also restrained and both fall prone. A restrained target must succeed on a contested grapple check to return to grappled.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point while restrained to choke the creature. The creature is choking for the duration of the grapple.
- Tae Kwon Do
Once per turn when you have advantage on a unarmed strike, you can forgo the advantage to make two unarmed strikes instead. Alternatively, you can forgo one unarmed strike to make two, at disadvantage.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point to deliver a flying kick. You can fly up to your movement speed, and must end your movement within 5 feet of an enemy to make an unarmed strike, at advantage.
- Karate
You can forgo one of your attacks made on your turn to make an unarmed strike. On a hit, you double the damage of that attack.
- Ki feture. You can spend 1 ki point when you hit a creature to cause the creature to be instantly knocked prone.
- Sumo
You can use your bonus action to give yourself advantage on all Strength checks and saving throws made until the end of your turn.
- Ki feature. You can spend 1 ki point when you hit a creature, to palm strike. If you do so, you can move up to your movement speed forward, pushing the target the same distance back.
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