Theme: Martial Artist

## The Path to Self Improvement through Martial Arts

The Martial Artist Theme represents Warriors who have opted to focus on developing their skills in hand-to-hand combat. Warriors who choose this Theme may learn a Martial Stance and use it freely without expending Stamina or indeed without need to focus on using it. As Warriors advance through this Theme, they learn to strike harder with their Unarmed Strikes, and also learn how to apply the lessons they learn from their training outside of combat. The most experienced Martial Artists learn to diversify their fighting style by learning an additional Martial Arts, which they may seamless utilize as a part of their own unique style of fighting.

This Theme and the Stances utilized within it are inspired by real world Martial Arts, and offer a way for Players to bring to life Characters which rely on Martial Arts. The use of Martial Arts in fiction is prevalent, from the Kung Fu cinema of Bruce Lee and later Jackie Chan, to the numerous films and animated works which were in turn inspired by them. The Stances presented each provide mechanics which aim to represent the effects and styles of fighting a number of Martial Arts represent, including among their influences Judo, Karate, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Aikido, Krav Maga, Drunken Boxing and Capoeira. Additionally Mixed Martial Arts styles are also represented in the higher level features of the Theme where Martial Arts Stances may be swapped between.

## Prerequisites

The Martial Artist Theme is available to the Warrior Archetype.

This Theme is particularly well suited to Settings primarily focused around cinematic combat.

## Level 3 Features

At Level 3 your Character gains the following features:

### Ready for the Fight

* You learn one of the Martial Arts Stances, described at the End of this Theme: Way of the Gentle Hand, Way of the Empty Hand, Way of the Empty Hand, Way of Harmony and the Way of the Tumbler.
* While you are not Incapacitated, Concentrating on another Stance or effect or holding a Shield, you are considered to be Concentrating on this Martial Arts Stance.
	+ If you know multiple Martial Arts Stances, you may decide which Stance benefits from this feature whenever you finish a Long or Short Rest

### Precise Maneuvers

* You may use either your Awareness, Strength or Dexterity (your choice) to determine the DC for Saving Throws for your Martial Arts Stances, your Warrior Maneuvers and for initiating and maintaining Grapples.

## Level 6 Features

At level 6 your Character gains the following features:

### Lethal Strikes

* Once per Turn, when you hit a Target with an Unarmed Strike, you may add one roll of your Martial Die to the result.
* When you reach Level 10 in this Theme, you may apply this effect to all Unarmed Strikes .
* You must be receiving the benefits of a Martial Arts Stance to use this benefit.

### Applied Learning

* You have learned to apply your Martial Arts Training to in your day-to-day life.
* When you make an Athletics Skill Check, you may expend one Stamina point to add a roll of your Martial Die to the result of that Check (no Action Required).
	+ You may use this feature whether the Skill Check is a Fail or a Success, potentially changing the Failure into a Success, or a Success into a Spectacular Success.
* You may also use this Feature for additional Skills depending upon which Martial Arts Stance you have learned.
	+ **Way of the Gentle Hand:** You may use Applied Learning on Survival Skill Checks
	+ **Way of the Empty Hand:** You may use Applied Learning on Trickery Skill Checks
	+ **Way of Harmony:** You may use Applied Learning on Communication Skill Checks
	+ **Way of the Tumbler:** You may use Applied Learning on Creativity Skill Checks

## Level 10

### Additional Stance

* You learn one additional Martial Arts Stance

### Martial Arts Savant

* As a Bonus Action, you may enter any Martial Arts Stance you know, without expending Stamina to enter that Stance.

## Level 14

### Improved Lethal Strikes

* Whenever you hit a Target with an Unarmed Strike, you may add one roll of your Martial Die to the result.
* You must be receiving the benefits of a Martial Arts Stance to use this benefit.

### Mastered Martial Arts

* You have Mastered the Martial Arts Stances you have learned through this Theme. While in a Martial Arts Stance you learned from this Theme, you gain the following benefits:
* **Way of the Gentle Hand:** While in this Stance you are considered two size categories larger than your current Size Category for the purposes of Grappling Characters and being Grappled.
* **Way of the Empty Hand:** While in this Stance Characters which are more than one size category larger than you no longer automatically succeed on their saving throws against the effects of this Stance.
* **Way of Harmony:** While in this Stance Characters which are more than one size category larger than you no longer automatically succeed on their saving throws against the effects of this Stance.
* **Way of the Tumbler:** While in this Stance **y**ou do not expend additional Movement to move while Prone.

## Stances

Full rules on the use of Stances may be found in the Martial Stances section.

Rules pertinent to their use in this Theme are included below.

### Concentration

Using a Stance requires great focus. When you use a Stance you are considered to be Concentrating on the Stance.

Any previous effects relying on your Concentration, such as other Stances or Spells immediately end when you enter into a Stance.

Damage and Environmental effects do not provoke Concentration Checks to maintain a Stance (you have practiced to maintain a Stance in the heat of battle) however effects which would otherwise end your Concentration, such as the Incapacitated condition, will end your Concentration.

### Stance Save DC

If a Stance requires a Saving Throw be made, the DC is set by either your Character's Strength or Dexterity Modifier(your choice):

Stance Save DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Your Strength or Dexterity Modifier (Your Choice)

In this Theme, Martial Artists may also use their Awareness for this Modifier, provided the Stance is a Martial Arts Stance.

## Martial Arts Stances

The Martial Arts Stances are available to Warriors which take the Martial Artist Theme. They are also available to Characters which take the Combat Mastery Theme or Feat.

Martial Arts Stances may only grant benefits while you are not wearing a shield.

The Way of the Gentle Hand is inspired by Martial Arts which specialize in grappling, such as Judo.

The Way of the Empty Hand is inspired by Martial Arts which specialize in making attacks with a combination of punches and kicks, such as various iterations of Karate and Kung Fu.

The Way of Harmony is inspired by Martial Arts which specialize in redirecting attacks and self defense, such as Tai Chi, Aikido and Krav Maga.

The Way of the Tumbler is inspired by Martial Arts which specialize in moving in an unconventional manner, such as Drunken Boxing and Capoeira.

#### Way of the Gentle Hand

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* **Gentle Hand:** Until the Stance Ends, when you Hit a Character with an Unarmed Strike you may forgo the Damage on the Attack to instead Grapple them. You must have a free hand with which to Grapple them.
	+ A friendly Character may allow the Grapple to be automatically initiated against them without the need for a successful Attack roll.
	+ You may not Grapple a Character which is more than one Size Category larger than you.
* **Guiding Hand:** You do not expend additional Movement when moving a Grappled Character which is the same Size Category as you or smaller. Additionally you may forgo one Unarmed Strike to knock Prone a Character you have Grappled. Doing so does not end the Grappled condition.
* **Restriction:** You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are wearing a Shield.

#### Way of the Empty Hand

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* **Empty Hand Maneuvers:** Until the Stance Ends, when you Hit a Character with an Unarmed Strike you can cause one of the following effects. These effects are considered Martial Maneuvers and so may not be used in addition to another Maneuver which is used as part of an Attack.
	+ **Flinch:** The Character cannot use Reactions until the End of your Next Turn.
	+ **Trip:** The Character must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Stance Saving Throw DC. If they fail this Saving Throw they fall Prone.
		- Characters which are more than one Size Categories larger than you automatically Succeed on this Saving Throw.
		- A Character which Succeeds on their Saving Throw against this effect is immune to this effect until the Start of your Next Turn.
	+ **Move:** The Character must make a Strength Saving Throw against your Stance Saving Throw DC. If they fail this Saving Throw they are moved 15ft to a position of your choice.
		- This movement may not move the Target upwards against gravity unless they are already airborne.
		- Characters which are more than one Size Categories larger than you automatically Succeed on this Saving Throw.
		- A Character which Succeeds on their Saving Throw against this effect is immune to this effect until the Start of your Next Turn.
	+ **Disarm:** The Character must make a Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw (their choice) against your Stance Saving Throw DC. If they fail this Saving Throw they drop one item they are holding of your Choice.
		- You may choose to grab the dropped item in a free hand as part of this Attack.
		- Characters which are more than one Size Categories larger than you automatically Succeed on this Saving Throw.
		- A Character which Succeeds on their Saving Throw against this effect is immune to this effect until the Start of your Next Turn.
* **Restriction:** You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are wearing a Shield.

#### Way of Harmony

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* **Redirect Attack:** Whenever a Character Hits you with a Melee Attack you may as a Reaction cause one of the following effects:
	+ **Switch:** The Attacker must make an Awareness Saving Throw against your Stance Save DC. If they fail, treat the Attack as having Targeted another Character you can see (other than the Attacker) who is within 5ft of you, hitting them if the original Attack would have met or exceeded their AC.
		- If there is no other Character within 5ft of you, the Attack simply misses.
	+ **Trip:** The Attacker must make a Dexterity Saving throw against your Stance Save DC. If they fail, the Attack misses and they fall prone.
		- Characters which are more than one Size Categories larger than you automatically Succeed on this Saving Throw.
	+ **Move:** The Attacker must make a Strength Saving throw against your Stance Save DC. If they fail, the Attack misses and they are moved 15ft to a position of your choice.
		- This movement may not move them upwards against gravity unless the Target is already airborne
		- Characters which are more than one Size Categories larger than you automatically Succeed on this Saving Throw.
	+ **Disarm:** The Character must make a Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw (their choice) against your Stance Saving Throw DC. If they fail this Saving Throw the Attack misses and drop one item they are holding of your Choice. You may choose to grab the dropped item in a free hand as part of this Reaction.
		- Characters which are more than one Size Categories larger than you automatically Succeed on this Saving Throw.
* **Restriction:** You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are wearing a Shield.

#### Way of the Tumbler

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* **Tumbler:** While you are Prone, you do not have Disadvantage on your Melee Attacks and Melee Attacks made against you do not have Advantage. Additionally you only expend 5ft of Movement when you stand up from being Prone.
* **Unexpected Fall:** Whenever a Melee Attack you can see is made against you, you may use your Reaction to cause the Attack to have Disadvantage. You must be standing up to use this feature and you immediately fall Prone as part of this Reaction.
* **Infuriating Opponent:** Whenever a Character misses you with a Melee Attack, they have Disadvantage on the next Attack they make against you and you have Advantage on the Next Melee Attack you make against them before the End of your Next Turn.
* **Restriction:** You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are wearing a Shield.

## Copyright Notice

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

## Credit this Work

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This work includes material taken from "7e” by Peter Rees and materials taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC. Both "7e" and the "SRD5.1" are Licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode