User:Zhenra-Khal/Z's Blade Magic (5e Sourcebook)/Mechanics

Blade Magic Mechanics

Here are the basic mechanics of my Blade Magic system.

Martial Arts

Martial classes come in many forms, ranging from the breadth of the Monk, to the depth of the Peregrine, and all the nuances between. However, each of them utilizes the same mechanics - Martial Arts.

Table: Martial Arts

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Martial Arts			Maneuver Slots per Tier				Stances Known
		Initiator Level	Martial Arts Die	Flourishes Known	Nov.	Ini.	Adp.	Mst.
1st	+2	1	1d6	2	2	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	2	1d6	2	3	-	-	-	1
3rd	+2	3	1d6	2	4	-	-	-	1
4th	+2	4	1d6	3	5	-	-	-	1
5th	+3	5	1d8	3	5	2	-	-	2
6th	+3	6	1d8	3	5	3	-	-	2
7th	+3	7	1d8	3	5	3	-	-	2
8th	+3	8	1d8	3	5	3	-	-	2
9th	+4	9	1d8	3	6	4	-	-	3
10th	+4	10	1d8	4	6	4	-	-	3
11th	+4	11	1d10	4	6	4	1	-	3
12th	+4	12	1d10	4	6	4	1	-	3
13th	+5	13	1d10	4	6	5	1	-	4
14th	+5	14	1d10	5	7	5	2	-	4
15th	+5	15	1d10	5	7	5	2	-	4
16th	+5	16	1d10	5	7	5	2	-	4
17th	+6	17	1d12	5	7	5	3	1	5
18th	+6	18	1d12	5	7	5	3	1	5
19th	+6	19	1d12	5	7	5	3	1	5
20th	+6	20	1d12	5	7	5	3	1	5

Initiator Level

This column is denoted for simplicity and quick reference, especially when multiclassing between multiple classes with the Martial Arts feature. When multiclassing, add together your Initiator Level from all of your classes, and consult the table above to determine your Martial Arts Die and number of Maneuver Slots.

Martial Arts Die

When a character with the Martial Arts feature makes a weapon attack with which they are proficient, they may use their Martial arts die to determine the damage dealt by the weapon, in place of the weapon's normal damage die.

Additionally, most maneuvers utilize your Martial arts die in some fashion, as do many class features.

Maneuver Tiers

Each Maneuver has a Tier - The equivalent of a spell's level. These tiers are Novice, Initiate, Adept, and Master, abbreviated as Nov., Ini., Adp., and Mst., respectively.

• Novice maneuvers are the first you learn, and are roughly equivalent to 1st-level spells. For numerical purposes, a Novice maneuver or maneuver slot is Tier 1.

• Initiate maneuvers are your first power spike, being roughly equivalent to 2nd- and 3rd-level spells. For numerical purposes, an Initiate maneuver or maneuver slot is Tier 2.

• Adept maneuvers are very strong, being roughly equivalent to 4th- and 5th-level spells. For numerical purposes, an Adept maneuver or maneuver slot is Tier 3.

• Master maneuvers are rare, but powerful, being roughly equivalent to 6th-level spells. For numerical purposes, a Master maneuver or maneuver slot is Tier 4.

To learn, ready or initiate a maneuver of a specific Tier, you must possess a certain level of skill - Specifically, a minimum required Initiator Level - As shown on the table below.

Maneuver Tier Requirements

Maneuver Tier	Minimum Initiator Level
Novice	1st
Initiate	5th
Adept	11th
Master	17th

Maneuver Slots

In order to initiate a maneuver that is not a Flourish or Stance, you must expend a Maneuver Slot, which is mechanically equivalent to a spell slot. The Tier of the maneuver slot expended must be equal to or greater than the Tier of the maneuver you're using it to initiate - For example, you could initiate an Initiate-tier maneuver by expending an Initiate, Adept or Master maneuver slot, but not by expending a Novice maneuver slot.

Many maneuvers gain an improved benefit when initiated using a higher-tier maneuver slot, as noted in the "At Higher Levels" section of the maneuver's description.

The Martial arts table above denotes how many maneuver slots a multiclassed Martial Initiator possesses, based on their total Initiator Level.

Maneuver Types

While spells are sorted into schools of magic based on what the spell does and how it does what it does, maneuvers are sorted into categories, and occasionally given tags, based on what they do. These are as follows.

Boost

A Boost is a maneuver that empowers the user, typically only for a single round. A Peregrine who lowers their posture and centers themselves before charging into a foe is an example of a Boost.

Most Boosts are initiated using your Bonus Action, but exceptions exist.

Counter

A Counter is a reactive maneuver, and is usually defensive in nature. A Champion who perfectly parries an enemy's attack is an example of a Counter.

Almost all Counters are initiated using your Reaction.

Strike

A Strike is an offensive maneuver, almost always utilizing a weapon to do so. A Magus that brings their sword down in an explosion of fire is an example of a Strike.

Most Strikes are initiated using your Action, but exceptions exist.

Technique

A Technique is a miscellaneous maneuver that provides a benefit that cannot be considered a Boost, Counter or Strike. A Warden that stomps the ground, causing it to shudder and break, is an example of a Technique.

Techniques are as varied in activation as they are in effect, but the majority of them are initiated using your Action.

Stance

A Stance is a special maneuver centered on the self, which grants some constant benefit to the initiator. A Crusader who channels their conviction into a hindering, radiant aura is an example of a Stance.

Initiating a Stance is always a Bonus Action, never requires the expenditure of a maneuver slot, and only one Stance may be maintained at any given time, unless a feature specifies otherwise. Once initiated, a Stance lasts until the initiator: Uses their Bonus Action to end the Stance; Falls unconscious; Takes a Short or Long Rest; Or initiates another Stance, in which case the effects of the old stance end, and the new Stance takes its place.

Maintaining a Stance requires a modicum of your attention - Not enough to be concentrated on, as if it were a spell, but enough to interfere with such. You cannot concentrate on a spell and maintain a Stance at the same time, unless a feature specifies otherwise.

Finally, in order to learn a Stance from a particular Martial Discipline, you must have the Stance Mastery feature, and know at least one maneuver from that Discipline that is of the same or better Tier as the Stance you wish to learn.

Maneuver Tags

Flourish

A Flourish is a basic maneuver, which can be repeated over and over, without the expenditure of a maneuver slot - The equivalent of a Cantrip. A Kismet who relentlessly attacks a target in the same way repeatedly is an example of a Flourish.

A Flourish maneuver does not have a Tier, having "Flourish" instead; For all numerical intents, such as applying Metacombat options, a Flourish is Tier 0.

Most Flourishes gain an improved benefit as your character level - Not just your initiator level - Improves, as noted in the "At Higher Levels" section of the maneuver's description.

A Flourish cannot also be a Stance, nor can a Flourish possess the Strategy tag.

In order to learn a Flourish from a particular Martial Discipline, you must know at least one maneuver from that Discipline.

Rush

A Rush is a maneuver that involves movement, such as charging into the fray or kiting a foe. A maneuver with the Rush tag includes movement during its initiation, which may or may not count against the initiator's movement for the turn, as designated in the maneuver's description. A Hunter who tumbles away from his foes before firing is an example of a Rush.

You cannot initiate a Rush if your movement speed is 0.

Additionally, there are two specialized forms of Rush, which have additional restrictions.

Leap

A Leap maneuver is a specialized form of Rush, in which the user jumps into the air. A Monk who jumps unnaturally high above his foes to escape their grasp is an example of a Leap maneuver.

In order to initiate a Leap maneuver, your movement speed cannot be 0, and you must have at least 20ft of open, unobstructed vertical space above you, which must be large enough to accommodate your body without squeezing (Such as an open field or a high ceiling, but not a cramped dungeon corridor). This open space must be within 10ft of you horizontally.

Dive

A Dive maneuver is a specialized form of Rush, in which the user falls from a height to a solid surface. A Peregrine who leaps from above and slams into his foe using the momentum of his fall is an example of a Dive.

Any fall damage incurred by initiating a Dive maneuver is reduced by half - Thus, while the maximum damage a fall of 20ft could cause is 12, the maximum damage one could take by Diving 20ft is 6.

In order to initiate a Dive maneuver, your movement speed cannot be 0, and you must have at least 20ft of open, unobstructed vertical space below you, which must be large enough to accommodate your body without squeezing (Such as jumping from a balcony or falling from a cliff, but not squeezing down a tight chimney). This open space must be within 10ft of you horizontally.

Strategy

Some maneuvers have a special tag: Strategy. Such a maneuver can be initiated following the normal rules for initiating a maneuver, or it may be initiated as a Strategy. The Strategy version of a maneuver must be be prepared by taking 5 minutes to prepare it. Once prepared, it may be initiated once in its Strategy state; When initiated in this state, it also doesn't expend a maneuver slot, which means the Strategy version of a maneuver cannot be initiated at a higher tier than normal.

You can only prepare one Strategy maneuver in this way at any given time; Preparing another Strategy before the first is used causes the first Strategy to be lost. Once the Strategy version of a maneuver is lost in this way, in order to use it as a Strategy, you must again spend 5 minutes preparing it.

To initiate a maneuver as a Strategy, an initiator must have a feature that grants the ability to do so. The initiator must also have the maneuver readied, or on his or her list of maneuvers known, unless the character’s strategy feature specifies otherwise.

Supernatural

A Supernatural maneuver is just that - Supernatural. It draws on some mystic art to create a magical effect. Such effects are not spells, and thus cannot be counterspelled or dispelled, but they are magical, and as such, Detect Magic will detect them, and they do not function within the area of an antimagic field.

Maneuver Components

Much like spells, maneuvers come with components that must be fulfilled in order to initiate them.

A maneuver’s components are the physical requirements you must meet in order to initiate it. Each maneuver’s description indicates whether it requires verbal (V), somatic (S), material (M), or weapon (W) components. If you can’t provide one or more of a maneuver’s components, you are unable to initiate the maneuver.

Somatic (S)

Most maneuvers require movement on some sort, be they simple combat movements, forceful gesticulation, or an intricate set of occult gestures. If a maneuver requires a somatic component, the initiator must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures.

Weapon (W)

Many maneuvers require the initiator to be wielding and/or use a weapon of some sort. If a type of weapon is required (Melee, ranged, thrown, etc.) or a specific weapon is required (Such as a Longsword or Shield), this will be denoted in the maneuver's description. In order to initiate a maneuver with a weapon component, the initiator must be proficient with the weapon used.

Unlike other Material components, a Martial Focus or Component Pouch cannot be substituted for a Weapon component.

Verbal (V)

Some maneuvers require the initiator to speak, yell, chant, or otherwise verbally express themselves. Thus, a character who is gagged or in an area of silence, such as one created by the Silence spell, can’t initiate a maneuver with a verbal component.

Material (M)

Initiating some maneuvers requires particular objects, specified in parentheses in the component entry. A character can use a Component Pouch or a Martial Focus in place of the components specified for a maneuver. But if a cost is indicated for a component, a character must have that specific component before he or she can initiate the maneuver.

If a maneuver states that a material component is consumed by the maneuver, the initiator must provide this component for each initiation of the maneuver.

An initiator must have a hand free to access a maneuver’s material components — Or to hold an initiating focus — But it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.

Fighting Styles

Each martial initiator gains access to the Fighting Style feature, which grants them one Fighting Style option, chosen from the list below. You cannot choose the same Fighting Style more than once, even if you gain the Fighting Style feature multiple times.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons that you are proficient with.

Armor Mastery

While you are wearing armor you are proficient with, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Blind Fighting

You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Devastation

When you score a critical hit with a weapon you are proficient with, the weapon deals additional damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts Die.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon you are proficient with in one hand, and not using a shield or any other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls made with that weapon.

When you are wielding a melee weapon you are proficient with in two hands, if the weapon possesses the versatile property, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Flourish Mastery

You learn two Flourish maneuvers of your choice; These must be from a Discipline you know and from which you are eligible to learn Flourishes, and do not count against your number of Flourishes known.

If you exchange your Fighting Style, you lose access to these Flourishes, as you no longer "know" them.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you make an attack with a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are wielding with two hands, you can roll your Martial Arts die twice to determine the weapon's damage, instead of using the weapon's normal damage dice. For example, when using a Greatsword as an initiator of 5th level or higher, with this fighting style, the weapon would deal 2d8 damage, rather than 2d6.

The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Guardian

When a creature you can see, other than yourself, within 5 feet of you meets the triggering criteria for a Counter you currently have known, readied and otherwise available, you may use your reaction to Guard the creature who met the criteria, and in doing so, initiate the Counter. When you do so, the Counter is resolved as if the creature you are Guarding initiated the Counter,

For example: An ally within 5ft of you is hit by a weapon attack, which is the criteria for a Counter you have available. You choose to Guard the creature, initiating the Counter. The ally gains the benefits of the Counter - In this case, moving 10ft and imposing a penalty on the triggering attack roll. The Guarded ally is the one who moves, even though you initiated the maneuver. This can be roleplayed, for example, as shoving the ally out of the way of the triggering attack.

Hurler

You can draw a weapon that has the Thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.

In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon you are proficient with, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Interception

When a creature you can see damages a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to roll your Martial arts die once, and reduce the damage the target takes by the number rolled on the die + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage).

You must be wielding a shield you are proficient with, or a simple or martial weapon you are proficient with, to use this reaction.

Lethality

Once per turn, when you land a successful weapon attack, you may use this Fighting Style to deal additional damage of your weapon's type to the target, equal to one roll of your Martial Arts Die. In order to deal this extra damage, you must be proficient with the weapon, the weapon used must possess the Finesse, Ranged or Thrown property, and one of the following criteria must be met:

• First, you must have advantage on the triggering attack roll made with the eligible weapon.

• Or, at least one of your allies must be within 5 feet of the target and must not be incapacitated, and you must lack disadvantage on the triggering attack roll made with the eligible weapon.

Metacombat Mastery

You learn two Metacombat Options of your choice.

If you exchange your Fighting Style, you lose access to these Metacombat Options, as you no longer "know" them.

Nimble

You may take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. When you do so, your movement speed increases by 10ft until the end of your next turn.

Pugilist

You may roll your Martial Arts Die to determine the damage of your unarmed strikes, in place of their normal damage die. Additionally, you may use either your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes. You must use the same modifier for both rolls

If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make an unarmed, the unarmed attack gains a +2 bonus to its damage rolls.

Additionally, at the start of each of your turns, you can deal bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you, equal to one roll of your Martial Arts Die.

Preparation

Whenever you take the Dodge action on your turn, you may immediately Ready an Action using your Bonus Action.

Sentinel

While wielding a melee weapon you are proficient with, when a creature you can see moves into, out of, or otherwise within your reach, you can choose for each foot it moves to cost 3 feet of it movement speed.

Tactician

When you use the Help action to grant an ally you can see advantage on an attack roll against a target, you may do so as a bonus action.

Tempest

You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.

Additionally, when you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Unarmored Grace

While wearing no armor and not using a shield, you gain a +2 bonus to AC.

Metacombat Options

Much like a Sorcerer's Metamagic, here are a few tricks you can apply to the abilities presented in this sourcebook.

You can use only one Metacombat option on a maneuver when you initiate it, unless otherwise noted.

Each Metacombat Option denotes a Metacombat Cost, which must be paid in order to use the option in question. This cost may be paid in the following ways:

• Better Slot: Using this method, you pay the Metacombat Cost by initiating the maneuver from a maneuver slot of a higher tier than normal; The maneuver gains the normal benefit from being initiated from a higher-tier slot. The slot must be a number of tiers higher than the maneuver's normal tier; This number is equal to the Metacombat option's Metacombat Cost.

For example, when initiating a Novice maneuver (Tier 1) and applying a Metacombat option with a Metacombat cost of 2, you could pay the cost by expending a maneuver slot of Adept (Tier 3) or Master (Tier 4) value, instead of a Novice slot.

• Additional Slot: Using this method, you pay the Metacombat Cost by expending an additional maneuver slot, whose numeric Tier must equal or exceed the Metacombat option's Metacombat Cost.

For example, when initiating a Novice maneuver (Tier 1) and applying a Metacombat option with a Metacombat cost of 2, you could pay the cost by expending an additional Initiate (Tier 2) or better maneuver slot.

• Resource Pool: Using this method, you pay the Metacombat Cost by expending a number of resource points, such as Ki Points, as noted in the resource's description. The resource description must specify that it can be expended to fuel Metacombat options.

Careful Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 1

When you initiate a maneuver that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can use this Metacombat Option to protect some of those creature's from the maneuver's force. In doing so, choose a number of creatures equal to your Initiating Modifier (Minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds its saving throw against the maneuver.

Empowered Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 1

When you roll damage for a maneuver, you can use this Metacombat Option to reroll a number of the damage dice up to a number equal to your Initiating Modifier (Minimum of one). You must use the new rolls.

You can use Empowered Maneuver even if you have already used a different Metacombat Option during the initiation of the maneuver.

Extended Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 1

When you initiate a Boost or Stance, you can use this Metacombat option to increase its duration. You gain the benefits of the maneuver in question for 1 additional round after the maneuver ends.

Heightened Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 2

When you initiate a maneuver that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can activate this Metacombat Option to give one target of the maneuver disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the maneuver.

Quickened Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 2

When you initiate a maneuver with an initiation time of 1 Action, you may use this Metacombat Option to change the initiation time to 1 Bonus Action for this initiation.

Seeking Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 2

If you make an attack roll for a maneuver and miss, you can use this Metacombat Action to reroll the d20. You must use the new roll.

You can use Seeking Maneuver even if you have already used a different Metacombat Option during the initiation of the maneuver.

Transmuted Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: 1

When you initiate a maneuver that deals a type of damage from the following list, you can spend use this Metacombat Option to change that damage type to one of the other listed types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, Thunder.

Twinned Maneuver

• Metacombat Cost: Special

When you initiate a maneuver that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of Self, you can use this Metacombat Option to target a second creature with the maneuver. To be eligible, the maneuver must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the maneuver's current tier.

The Metacombat Cost of this option is equal to the numeric tier of the maneuver in question, or 1 if the maneuver is a Flourish.