Theme: Mixed Martial Artist (MMA)

## Win by Any Mean Necessary with Mixed Martial Arts

The Mixed Martial Artist of MMA Theme represents Brutes who have a talent for practicing a range of different forms of Martial Arts. Brutes who choose this Theme may immediately learn two Stances from the Pugilist and/or Martial Arts lists, and may utilize these Stances as part of the Brute's Rage feature. Additionally MMAs are experienced Grapplers, and are able to not only target the weaknesses of their enemies, but at higher levels may quickly take opponents to the ground as part of a grapple. MMAs also learn features which make them supremely capable in ground combat, able to continue fights on the ground provided they can maintain the upperhand on their opponents, and eventually gain the ability to incapacitate grounded Characters they have grappled.

This Theme and the Stances utilized within it are inspired by real world Boxing and Martial Arts, the inspirations for which are explored in the Martial Artist and Pugilist Themes. In the MMA theme we offer a way for Characters to combine these two schools of hand-to-hand combat through the lens of an MMA fighter. In addition to being able to combine the benefits of a range of different Martial Arts, we also provide mechanics which emphasize the strategies prevalent in MMA, including Grappling, taking combatants to the ground, and maintaining holds on their opponents.

Unlike Martial Arts and Boxing, MMA has yet to see a widely known fictional work based upon the sport, however the larger than life personalities of this emergent sport provide more than enough inspiration in their own right. From the trash-talking Conor McGregor to those who have also seen tenures in American Professional Wrestling such as Brock Lesner and Ronda Rousey. Players looking to bring this exciting sport into their roleplaying experience will find the mechanics to support this fantasy in this Theme.

## Prerequisites

The MMA Theme is available to the Brute Archetype.

This Theme is particularly well suited to Settings primarily focused around gritty, realistic combat.

## Level 3 Features

At Level 3 your Character gains the following features:

### Mixed Martial Arts

* Your Unarmed Strikes deal damage equal to one roll of your Martial Die.
* Additionally you learn two Stances. The Stances may both be from the Pugilist Stance List, the Martial Arts Stance List, or one from each List. The benefits of these Stances are described at the end of this Theme.

### Resilient Fighter

* When you enter your Rage, choose one Pugilist or Martial Arts Stance you know. You gain the benefits of that Stance without the need to Concentrate on the Stance while you are in a Rage.
	+ You may not gain the benefits of a Pugilist Stance while you are holding a Weapon or a Shield
	+ You may not gain the benefits of a Martial Arts Stance while you are holding a Shield

### Experienced Grappler

* When you attempt to initiate a Grapple against a Character, you may choose whether the Target must make a Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw against the effect.

## Level 6 Features

At level 6 your Character gains the following features:

### Unblockable

* The Damage caused by your Unarmed Strikes ignore resistances and immunity to Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing Damage.

### Additional Stance

* You learn one additional Pugilist Stance or Martial Arts Stance.

### Stance Shift

* While you are in a Rage, you may as a Bonus Action End the Stance you are currently benefiting from and choose a different Pugilist or Martial Arts Stance you know to benefit from.
	+ Changing Stances in this way does not expend Stamina.

## Level 10

### Quick Take Down

* When you Successfully initiate a Grapple, as part of the same Attack you may choose for both yourself and your opponent to go Prone.
* You do not have Disadvantage on your Melee Attacks while Prone, provided you have Grappled the Target of these Attacks.

### Ground Pound

* When you Attack a Character who is Prone, your Unarmed Strikes are considered a Critical Hit on a d20 roll of 19 or higher.

## Level 14

### Additional Stance

* You learn one additional Pugilist Stance or Martial Arts Stance.

### Submission Hold

* While you maintain a Grapple against a Prone Target, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Stance Save DC at the Start of each of their Turns.
* If they Fail this Saving Throw, they are Incapacitated until the Start of their Next Turn.

## 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)

## Pugilist Stances

The Pugilist Stances are available to Heroes which take the Pugilist Theme. They are also available to Characters which take the Combat Mastery Theme or Feat.

The benefits granted by Pugilist Stances are inspired by the prevailing styles of boxing, Swarmer, Slugger, Out-Boxer and Counter-Boxer.

Pugilist Stances may only grant benefits while you are not holding weapons or wearing shields.

### Swarmer

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* The Old One-Two: Until the Stance Ends, Once Per Turn when you make an Unarmed Strike against a Character you may instead make two consecutive Unarmed Strikes against the same Character.
* Deadly Combo: If both these Attacks hit, the second successful Unarmed Strike you made is automatically considered a Critical Hit.
* Restriction: You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are holding a Weapon or wearing a Shield.

#### Out-Boxer

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* At Arms Length: Until the Stance Ends the Reach of your Unarmed Strikes is increased by 5ft. Additionally whenever a Character enters your Reach you may as a Reaction make an Unarmed Strike against them.
* Butterfly Step: Whenever a Melee Attack you can see is made against you, you may use your Reaction to cause the Attack to have Disadvantage. Immediately after the effects of this Attack are determined, you may as part of this Reaction move 10ft. This movement does not expend your Movement or provoke Attacks of Opportunity.
* Restriction: You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are holding a Weapon or wearing a Shield.

#### Slugger

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* Powerful Strike: Until the Stance Ends you have Advantage on the first Unarmed Strike you make each Turn.
* Knockout Punch: When you hit a Character with an Unarmed Strike which is a Critical Hit they must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Stance Saving Throw DC. If they Fail this Saving Throw, they are Stunned for 1 Minute. They may repeat this Saving Throw at the Start of Each of their Turns, ending the Stunned Condition on a Successful Save.
* Restriction: You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are holding a Weapon or wearing a Shield.

#### Counter-Boxer

*Basic Stance, Costs 2 Stamina.*

* Bob and Weave: Until the Stance Ends, Melee Attacks you can see which are made against you have Disadvantage. If you are Hit by a Melee Attack, this benefit is suppressed until the Start of your Next Turn.
* Counter-Punch: If a Melee Attack misses you you may as a Reaction make an Unarmed Strike with Advantage against the Attacker.
* Restriction: You lose the benefits of this Stance while you are holding a Weapon or wearing a Shield.

## 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