# DnD 5.5e, reviewing and updating rules ## Contents * **Understanding the reasoning behind an Update** * **A simple quality of Life change, Building a Lexicon** * **Notes on Changes Made** * **Core Attack rule update, the use of Proficiency** * **New Action for Strength based characters, *Brace*!** * **New Feat system, disentangled from ASIs** * **New system of Martial progression, Martial Mastery** * **New system to slow down higher level spell casting** ### Understanding the reasoning behind an Update Dungeons and Dragons 5e has made some great strides at making Tabletop games accessible and available to all sorts of demographics and the system overall doesn't need much in the way of improvement. That said, it does fail in a number of points. * 5e fails spectacularly at giving players options for further building their characters after 3rd level. At this point all/almost all classes have an option to swap out spells they may no longer want, or class/subclass features they wish to change given enough time. Once you hit 3rd level and have chosen your subclass, there are few to no decisions to make for your character and their advancement is relegated to just the accumulation of Experience. More character options at higher levels is a primary focus of this revision. * Not all of the attribute scores are created equal. Many tables forgo detailed tracking of encumbrance (the bag of holding being a common solution to the problem) and as such the most significant impact that Strength has on characters who aren't making strength based attacks is mostly ignored or avoided. Additionally, most of the functions of the Athletics skill, the only straight Strength based skill, can be emulated via 1st or 2nd level spells. At the same time, Intelligence improves the most number of skill checks, but it's use is very much up to the campaign and the DM running it if any of those skills will actually be useful. Unless you're a Wizard or an Artificer, Intelligence offers little to no meaningful benefit and even the Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster can get away with a low score here. * There is a moderate to large power disparity across classes at higher tier play (level 11 to 20), particularly Martial classes versus spellcasters. Spellcasters can often be seen bending reality to their whim at this level, whereas Martial classes are still stuck doing the same thing they did at lower levels, just more of it. This is less of an issue for Hybrid classes (Martial/Spellcaster mixes like the Paladin) but still needs to be addressed. Furthermore, this makes for rather uninteresting gameplay for martial classes as their choices for actions are much narrower than those of a spellcaster. ### Notes on changes made Periodically there will be notes throughout the changes proposed by this document. These notes specifically discuss why these changes are made in particular. This revision is still in a draft phase, so please keep that in mind when discussing changes. Numbers will NOT have been playtested, so if you would like to playtest them at your table, please do so! ### Building a Lexicon When anything becomes sufficiently popular and a community develops around it, a Lexicon, or series of common terms used, will naturally evolve. Some things, such as dX for different dice sizes, are already adopted into previous handbooks. This document will lean more into that, adopting more terms and using some even as Keywords to indicate certain effects. One of the most common examples of this is referring to a character who can add double their proficiency bonus to a proficient skill as having Expertise in that skill. It is a simple and common enough rule that there's no reason not to use it to cut down on wording. As this is still an early draft of this document, an Appendix will be added later with more keywords and terminology that may be used. \pagebreak ### Core Attack Rule update The following text below the Proficiency Bonus paragraph of page 194 of the Player's Handbook now reads: You Add your proficiency bonus to your attack **or damage** roll when you attack using a weapon with which you have proficiency. You declare which roll it is added to before seeing the results of the attack roll. **You add your proficiency bonus only to the attack roll when you attack with a spell** > #### Why this? > This change is focused on addressing the issues around the Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter Feats. Players no longer need to take a specific feat to keep up with spellcasters in damage. It is now baked into the system, and naturally scales with level so the above mentioned feats are no longer core to builds using those weapons. Those feats are still very useful, but not essential. Finally, all martial characters now have at least 1 interesting decision to make on a turn to turn basis even when all other resources are expended. ### The Brace Action The following is added to the list of actions players can take in Combat using a standard action: #### Brace When you take the Brace Action on your turn you prepare yourself for incoming attacks, reducing the damage they deal to you. Until the start of your next turn, reduce all damage dealt to you by an amount equal to 1+ your Strength modifier (minimum of 1). Additionally, if an effect would cause you to make a Dexterity Saving Throw, you may choose to make a Strength saving throw against the effect instead. Damage reduction from the Brace Action applies after any other effects are applied, and cannot reduce the damage you take to less than 1. Finally, the Brace Action is added to the list of actions you can take with a Hasted Action. > #### Note: > One of the major weaknesses that Strength has against Dexterity is that it offers no additional defensive tools to your character. Dexterity is the most common saving throw against most damaging effects, and Dexterity also improves your AC, on top of being a competitive Ability for damage output. Because Strength offers no defensive benefits, something needed to be added to address that. While the Brace action does occupy some of your action economy, it is a valid option to allow for low Dexterity, High Strength builds. #### Readiness (Optional 6th level fighter class feature) You are always ready to take a hit. You can take the Brace Action as a Bonus action. Additionally, when you use your Second Wind feature, you take the Brace Action as part of that action. > #### Note: > The Readiness optional feature is here to help the Fighter class keep up with other classes that do a better job at taking hits, specifically the Barbarian. The Fighter doesn't really excel at being able to absorb damage any more than the Barbarian does, which really doesn't make much sense given the much greater offenseive capability the Barbarian Class features offer. While I don't consider Readiness a core change, I believe it would help allow a 'Sword and Board' style play actually feel much more like they are capable of defending their allies or standing up to enemies. \pagebreak ### New Feat System #### Disentangling Feats from ASIs One of the things that often goes hand in hand with DnD is feats. 3.0, 3.5, and 4e all relied heavily on feats as customization tools for players. Unfortunately, the large amount of errata released for all of these editions ended up with some very complicated and messy situations when it came to building a character. 5e strove to cut down on this by making feats an optional feature, but also tying them in with your Ability Scores, limiting the amount of power a given player can gain as they only have a very limited number of ASIs that they will gain. Sadly, tying feats in with ASIs had the end result of making it so when DMs do allow feats, they aren't often taken over maxing out your primary ability score first, meaning barring some exceptional ones, feats wouldn't actually see much play until about 12th level. As a result, players often end up with the feeling that after 3rd level a character no longer has any meaningful choices to make, mechanically speaking. Finally, feats in 5e have wildly varying levels of power. They are **suppposed** to be roughly equivalent to +2 to a given attribute score, but rarely ever land there. This revision works to fix the issues above. In this version, feats are considered a core rule and ***excluding*** them is considered optional. > #### Note: >With this new draft I have further delved into older editions, other games (such as Pathfinder) and other Homebrews in an effort to improve this system that I wasn't particularly enamored with by default. This new system draws heavily on Treantmonk's revision to feats, with only a few modifications to better disentangle feats from ASIs and to adapt to other changes in this document. #### Ability Score Increase change The Ability score increase feature now reads as follows: When you reach 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 18th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 1, or you can reduce one ability score of your choice by 1 to instead increase another ability score of your choice by 2. You cannot reduce an ability score this way below 8, nor increase an ability score above 20. #### Feats A feat represents an area of expertise that gives a character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides. Starting at second level, and on every level thereafter which you do **not** gain an ability score increase, you may choose a feat from a Focus you have learned. You learn your first Focus at level 2 and you learn a new focus at 5th and 13th levels. The Focus options and feats available are listed in an Appendix at the end of this document. \columnbreak ### New approach to Martial Progression, Martial Prowess #### Creating a comparable system to Spellcasting While there are rules in game for characters that have Spellcasting features from multiple classes, there is no corresponding feature for characters who have multiple classes that focus on engaging their foes with weapons. Additionally, martial classes suffer from a drought of turn to turn options often being relegated to just picking a target and hitting it. This revision focuses on taking on both of these issues: #### New Class feature: Martial Prowess The following classes now have a **Martial Prowess** class feature at 1st level: Paladin, Fighter, Ranger, Monk, and Barbarian. This feature also ***replaces*** the Extra Attack feature that these classes have. While not all of these features are identical, they all share a name and offer advancement in the **Martial Prowess table** below. The text common to **Martial Prowess** features is as follows: Practice, training and ingenuity have made you particularly skilled at the use of weapons and physical combat. **Maneuvers** You learn a number of maneuvers from the Battlemaster list of Maneuvers equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (Minimum of 1) and will learn more maneuvers as you gain levels in this class. You can only use 1 Maneuver per attack. **Superiority Die** You have a number of Superiority die equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended Superiority Die when you finish a **long rest**. **Saving Throws** Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: <div style='margin-top:20px'></div> <font face='scalysans' size='2'> <center> **Manevuer Save DC** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> 8 + your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <div style='margin-top:12px'></div> <center> your Strength or Dexterity modifier (Your choice) </center> </font> **Prowess Level** You progress on the following table based on your chosen class. If you have levels in multiple classes that have a Martial Prowess feature, you add them together to determine your Prowess Level. Your Prowess level is detemined as follows <div style='margin-top:20px'></div> <font face='scalysans' size='2'> <center> **Prowess Level** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> (half your **Fighter Level** + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <div style='margin-top:12px'></div> <center> one fourth your Barbarian, Monk, Ranger, and Paladin Levels) (The level total is rounded up) </center> </font> For example, Jhonny the Mighty is a 3rd level Barbarian and a 2nd level Fighter. Jhonny's Prowess level is 2 (1.75 rounded up (Half of his Fighter level + One Fourth of his Barbarian level)). \pagebreak ### The Prowess Table | Prowess Level | Feature | |:--------------:|:-------:| | 1 | Martial Prowess | | 2 | Extra Attack(1)* | | 3 | Increase your Superiority dice size by 1 step , Practiced Efficiency| | 4 | +2 Maneuvers Known| | 5 | +1 Maneuver Known, Expert Maneuver| | 6 | Extra Attack(2), Dual Weapon Flurry | | 7 | +1 Maneuver Known, Increase your Superiority dice size by 1 step | | 8 | +1 Maneuver Known, Relentless | | 9 | Extra Attack(3) | | 10 | +2 Maneuvers Known | Gaining Martial Prowess also grants additional features. The additional features mentioned in the table above are detailed here: #### Extra Attack When you gain this feature, you can make an additional attack when you take the Attack action on your turn. This feature improves at higher Prowess Levels to grant a number of additional attacks equal to the number next to the feature on the Martial Prowess table. *You cannot benefit from this feature if your total character level is 4 or lower. #### Practiced Efficiency You now regain expended superiority when you finish a short or long rest. #### Expert Maneuver Once, you may use 2 maneuvers on an attack instead of 1. Once you've used this feature you must finish a short or long rest to do so again. #### Dual Weapon Flurry When you engage in two weapon fighting to make an attack with your bonus action, you may make one additional attack as part of that action. #### Relentless When you roll initiative and have no superiority dice remaining, you regain 1 superiority die. \columnbreak #### Determining the size of your Superiority Die Each class has different sizes of Superiority die to start with. | Class | Superiority Die Size | |:------:|:----:| |Barbarian| d6| |Ranger| d6| |Paladin| d6| |Monk| Martial Arts Die Size| |Fighter| d8| ### Monks, unlike other classes with a Martial Prowess feature, do not benefit from when the Prowess Level indicates they would increase the size of their Superiority Die. Instead, the size of their superiority die is equal to the size of their Martial Arts Die. If you have different Martial Prowess features from classes with different Superiority Die sizes, use the smallest. #### Other features which grant Extra Attack Some subclasses, such as the College of Valor Bard, offer an Extra Attack feature. The Extra Attack feature these subclasses grant is replaced with a **Martial Prowess** feature, granting a static Prowess Level 2. If you already have a **Martial Prowess** Feature of equal or higher Prowess level you instead increase your Prowess Level by 1 when you would gain one of these features. The ***Bladesinger***'s unique Extra Attack feature is listed as a secondary effect. The **Thirsting Blade** Warlock Invocation now gives the Warlock the Martial Prowess feature, granting Prowess Level 2 Any other features which grant the Extra Attack feature that aren't mentioned here are treated in the same way. \pagebreak ### Slowing Down high level spellcasting Consistent are the woes of DMs who play long campaigns that end up with PCs above 9th level with spellcasters who begin solving all of the challenges and puzzles thrown at them with a single spell. While some of this is a good thing (Spellcasters should feel like their magic can solve some problems) being able to do so too often can be problematic. While often this can be somewhat resolved by making sure the party has enough encounters per Long Rest, the default resting rules make it difficult to justify 4-6 Encounters per day that may require the use of spells. At the same time, Gritty Realism resting rules slow down the pace of a game to a crawl which may not be what you are looking for in your game. The following new feature, Spellstrain, is designed to help pace out higher level spellcasters in an attempt to encourage players to treat their highest level spells not necessarily as a first resort but as something of an Ace in the Hole only used when they know it will succeed. #### Spellstrain Casting high level spells is exhausting, even for those who have spent the time and/or devotion to uncover such secrets and boons. While the expenditure of a Spellslot represents a Creature's mystical capacity to cast a spell, Spellstrain represents an additional physical, mental, and spiritual drain that otherwise is absent. Spellstrain is designed as a Parallel to Exhaustion. The Spellstrain table is cumulative in it's effects as you gain Spellstrain Levels, and while initial penalties aren't particularly disastrous each subsequent level makes things substantially worse. Spellstrain is accumulated when a Creature casts a spell of 6th level or higher. When a 6th or 7th level spell is cast, the Caster suffers 1 level of Spellstrain ***after*** the effects of the spell end. The same occurs when an 8th or 9th level spell is cast, but 2 levels of Spellstrain are suffered instead. The Caster reduces their level of Spellstrain by 1 after finishing a Long Rest. While Spellstrain is only accumulated by casting a spell that has it's lowest level of 6th or above, the effects of Spellstrain persist to ALL spells cast by the person who suffers from it. Finally, if a Creature expends a spellslot of 6th level or higher on a lower level spell, they do ***not*** suffer a level of Spellstrain.(i.e spending a 6th level spellslot to cast Fireball) \columnbreak #### Spellstrain Table | Level | Effect | |:------:|:----:| |1| You make all Concentration checks with Disadvantage| |2| Saving throws made against your spell effects are made with Advantage. Your Spell attack rolls are made at Disadvantage.| |3| When you attempt to cast a spell, you must succeed on a Concentration check(DC10+ the level of the Spell) or else the spell fails and the spellslot is expended. | |4| Whenever you cast a spell, you must expend an additional spellslot of equal level or higher to do so. If you don't have the additional spellslot available, you cannot cast the spell| |5| You can no longer regain expended Spellslots. Unlike other levels of Spellstrain, this effect persists until you no longer suffer from **any** level of Spellstrain| |6| You Die. Your soul is consumed by the Weave, and you can only be resurrected by a Wish spell or it's equivalent.| #### Spellstrain in your Campaign While many DMs find a serious imbalance between spellcasters and martial players in their campaigns, not everyone does. If you are using the Gritty Realism resting rules for your campaign, or you just don't have this problem feel free not to use Spellstrain. Alternatively, you may decide that you want to use Spellstrain more regularly for a more Low Magic campaign or to act as a counterbalance to homebrew features you grant. For instance, consider the following examples: #### Example Optional Eldritch Knight 10th level Subclass Feature: Eldritch Empowerment At 10th level, when you expend a 1st or 2nd level spellslot to cast one of your Wizard Evocation or Abjuration spells you may treat the spellslot expend as though it were 4 levels higher than the one expended. When you use this feature, you suffer a level of Spellstrain after the end of the spell's effects. #### Example Low Magic Setting Ruling All spells above 3rd level cause the caster to suffer a level of Spellstrain. Casting spells of 6th level or higher cause the caster to suffer an additional level of Spellstrain above the normal levels suffered. \pagebreak # Appendix A ## Feats and Focus Options Listed below are the different Focus options with each feat listed as a bullet point below them. You must meet any prerequisite specified in a Focus to take a feat listed below it, and if you ever lose a Focus' prerequisite, you can’t use any feats under that Focus until you regain the prerequisite. A feature may only be selected once, unless the description says otherwise. Whenever you gain a level, you may change one of your selections. ### Armor Specialist: You have studied the use of armor, and have improved your ability to use armor effectively. * **Light Armor Proficiency** You gain proficiency in light armor. * **Light Armor Mastery** While wearing light armor which you are proficient in, and you are damaged by a melee attack, you can use your reaction to move 5 feet in any direction without provoking an opportunity attack. * **Light Armor Versatility** You may wear a Chain Shirt or Hide armor as light armor for the sake of determining proficiency. When wearing a Chain Shirt or Hide armor, you can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher. * **Light Armor Mobility** While wearing light armor, opportunity attacks are made against you with disadvantage * **Light Armor Defense** While wearing light armor, you may add your armor's AC bonus to your Dexterity saving throws. * **Medium Armor Proficiency** You gain proficiency in medium armor (you must be proficient in light armor through a source other than this feat to choose this feature). * **Armored Stealth** Wearing medium or heavy armor which you are proficient in doesn't impose disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks. * **Armored Agility** When you wear medium armor you are proficient in, you can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher. * **Heavy Armor Proficiency** You gain proficiency in heavy armor (you must be proficient in medium armor from a source other than this feat to choose this feature). * **Armor Mastery** While you are wearing medium or heavy armor you are proficient in, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from nonmagical weapons is reduced by your proficiency bonus. If you select this feature a second time, the damage reduction applies to all bludgeoning, piercing or slashing weapons. * **Heavy Armor Mobility** You may ignore the minimum Strength requirement of heavy armor you are proficient in. * **Shield Proficiency** You gain proficiency in shields. ### Battle Magic: **Prerequisite:** Ability to cast at least one spell Your magic has been honed to use in combat, your quick thinking and specialized training provide certain advantages while fighting with spells. * **Elemental Adept** Choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder. Spells you cast ignore resistance to damage of the chosen type. You may select this feature more than once with your three selections, if you do so you choose a different damage type. Alternatively, if you select this feature a second time, creatures with immunity to the damage type selected with a previous selection of this feature may be damaged as if they had resistance instead. * **Reliable Spells** When you roll damage for a spell you cast, you can treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2. * **Spell Sniper** When you cast a spell that requires you to make an attack roll, the spell’s range is doubled. * **Spell Accuracy** Your ranged spell attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover. * **Mystical Sharpshooter** Up to once on your turn you may add twice your Proficiency bonus to the damage roll of a spell attack you make instead of adding your proficiency bonus to the attack roll. * **Hardy Concentration** You have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage. * **Warcaster** You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands. * **Battlecaster** When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only that creature. \pagebreak ### Combat Reflexes: **Prerequisite:** Dexterity 13 or higher You are especially quick and nimble, and this provides you with benefits in your movement and reactions. * **Nimble** When you are prone, standing up uses only 5 feet of your movement. Climbing doesn’t cost you extra movement, and you can make a running long or high jump after moving only 5 feet on foot, rather than 10 feet. * **Fast Reflexes** You gain a +5 bonus to initiative. * **Alert** You can't be surprised while you are conscious. * **Uncanny Senses** Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you. * **Fleet** Your speed increases by 10 feet. * **Light Footed** Difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement. * **Combat Mobility** You may take the disengage action as a bonus action. If you select this feature a second time, your movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from creatures you can see. ### Dual Weapon Specialist: You are a master of fighting with two weapons at once. Your specialized training has provided you with certain advantages when employing two weapon fighting. * **Heavy Dual Wielder** You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren’t light. * **Defensive Dual Wielder** You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand. * **Quick Dual Wielding** Whenever you use your interact with an object to draw or stow a weapon, you may do so with two one handed weapons at the same time. If you select this feature a second time, you may also stow an object you are holding or draw it as part of the same interaction. * **Bonus Attacks** You may use your bonus action to make an attack with a light weapon you are holding on your turn as long as you made a weapon attack with a different light weapon you are holding, even if you didn’t take the Attack Action. If you have the Heavy Dual Wielder feature, you may ignore the light weapon restriction. * **Multi Attacker** **(Prerequisite: The Extra Attack Feature)** You gain the Dual Weapon Flurry feature from the Martial Prowess table. * **Weapon Versatility** You gain proficiency in three one handed weapons of your choice. \columnbreak ### Educated: You have studied with a capable teacher, or at a college, perhaps learning lore, languages, or perhaps learning other skills through a mentor. * **Linguist** You learn three languages of your choice. Your understanding of communication allows you to communicate with a creature who speaks a language you don’t know on a rudimentary level after 10 minutes of interaction. In addition you may decipher a written language you don’t know on a rudimentary level after 10 minutes of study. * **Coder** You can ably create written ciphers. Others can't decipher a code you create unless you teach them, they succeed on an Intelligence check (DC equal to your Intelligence score + your proficiency bonus), or they use magic to decipher it. Your spellbook, if you have one, may be written in such ciphers preventing it from being copied by anyone who you have not taught the cypher to. * **Skill Training** Gain proficiency in a skill in which you are not proficient. This feature may be selected more than once. * **Tool Training** Gain proficiency in three sets of tools for which you are not proficient. You may add half your proficiency modifier on any ability check to use a set of tools for which you are not proficient. * **Expert Education** Gain expertise in a skill or tools for which you are proficient. * **Studied** You gain advantage on any intelligence ability check to recall information about any type of creature. ### Magical Training: You have learned the basics of magic, either through a teacher, or on your own initiative. This has given you rudimentary magic skills and/or the training to deal with spellcasters. * **Magical Adept** Choose one 1st-level spell from any spell list. You learn that spell and can cast it at its lowest level. Once you cast it, you must finish a long rest before you can cast it again using this feat. You use the same ability score as the class from which list you chose the spell. You may select this feature more than once. * **Hedge Magic** Choose 2 cantrips from any one spell list. You may cast those cantrips using the same ability score as the class from which you chose the cantrips. You may select this feature more than once. * **Ritual Caster** You gain the ability to cast 2 1st-level spells of your choice as a ritual. Choose one of the following classes: bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You must choose your spells from that class's spell list, and the spells you choose must have the ritual tag. The class you choose also determines your spellcasting ability for these spells: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard. If you select this feature a second time, you may also select a 2nd level ritual spell from the same class that you may cast as a ritual. \pagebreak * **Ritual Book** You have learned to cast wizard rituals from a ritual book that you possess. if you come across a wizard spell in written form, such as a magical spell scroll or spellbook, you might be able to add it to your ritual book. The spell must be no higher than half your level (rounded up), and it must have the ritual tag. The process of copying the spell into your ritual book takes 2 hours per level of the spell, and costs 50 gp per level. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. If you select this feature a second time, you may select another ritual casting class and may add their ritual spells to your ritual book. The spellcasting ability used for these rituals matches the class for which the rituals belong. * **Mage Slayer** When a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. If you select this feature a second time the reaction can be taken while the creature is in the process of casting a spell, and the attack hits, the spell is lost. * **Spell Interruption** When you damage a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration. * **Universal Spell Focus** If you have the Spellcasting Focus feature from a class you have levels in, that spellcasting focus becomes an applicable focus for all spells from any class. ### Mounted Combat Specialist: You are a master of fighting while mounted. Your specialized training has provided you with certain advantages when fighting on horseback or another applicable mount. * **Cavalry Attack** You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any unmounted creature that is smaller than your mount. If you select this feature a second time, you also have advantage against unmounted creatures of equal size to your mount. * **Mount Defender** You can force an attack targeted at your mount to target you instead. If you select this feature a second time, that attack is made with disadvantage. * **Durable Mount** If your mount is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. It may use your saving throw modifier if it is higher. If you select this feature a second time, your mount gains the same benefit against effects that allow it to make a Constitution saving throw. * **Lance Charge** If your mount moves at least 10 feet towards an enemy on your turn and you use the attack action to attack that enemy with a lance, you can choose to forgo your proficiency modifier to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add twice your proficiency modifier to the damage. If you hit with your initial attack and have the extra attack feature, you may forgo your second attack and the hit is considered a critical hit and the enemy is knocked prone if they are no larger than your mount. * **Mounted Combat Mastery** If your mount is controlled, it is not restricted in the actions you can have it make. (normally a controlled mount is restricted to the Dodge, Dash or Disengage actions). If you select this feature a second time, you may control a mount even if it is not trained for combat. * **Weapon Versatility** You gain proficiency in the Lance, and two other martial weapons of your choice. ### Ranged Combat Specialist: You are a master in the art of ranged attacks in combat. Your specialized training has provided you with certain advantages when using weapons that attack at range. * **Fast Loader** You ignore the loading property of ranged weapons with which you are proficient. * **Point Blank Shot** Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls. * **Fast Firing** When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a one handed ranged weapon or thrown weapon that you are holding or may draw as part of the bonus action. * **Long Range Sniper** Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls and your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover. If you select this feature a second time, you may attack with your weapon up to twice the weapons maximum range, attacks over the maximum range of the weapon impose disadvantage on the attack roll. * **Deadly Aim** When you add your Proficiency bonus to the damage roll of a ranged weapon you are using, you may instead add twice your Proficiency bonus to the roll. * **Fast Thrower** You may draw weapons with the thrown property as part of the attack with that weapon. * **Weapon Versatility** You gain proficiency in three ranged weapons or weapons with the thrown property. \pagebreak ### Savage Combatant: **Prerequisite:** Strength 13 or higher You are a crazed attacker on the battlefield. Your bloodlust has granted you certain advantages while fighting with unmatched zeal. * **Brutal Charge** When you use your action to take the Dash action and end your movement within range of a target with a melee weapon you are holding, you may make the attack action as part of the same action. If you chose to shove a creature with the attack action gained as part of a Dash, you may choose to shove the creature up to 10 feet and knock them prone with the same shove attack. * **Street Fighter** You are proficient with improvised weapons and your unarmed strike uses a d4 for damage. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to shove the target. * **Grappler** You may use a bonus action to grapple an opponent that is prone. * **Athlete** You gain proficiency in Athletics, if you are already proficient, you gain expertise. * **Savage Attack** Once per turn when you roll damage for a melee weapon attack, you may roll the weapon’s damage dice twice and select the better result. If you are adding additional dice to the damage roll (such as after scoring a critical hit or a sneak attack), those dice are rolled normally. If you select this feature a second time, you may inflict the maximum possible result of the weapon’s damage dice rather than rolling, though once you have used this feature you must finish a short or long rest before you can do so again. ### Sharp Intellect: Your mind is always working, allowing you to notice the finer details, remember relevant facts, the speech and mannerisms of others, and process your thoughts quickly. * **Perfect Memory** You always know the number of hours left before the next sunrise or sunset, and you always know which way is north, you have advantage on any ability checks to avoid getting lost, in addition, you can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past month. If you select this feature a second time, your memory becomes so acute you can accurately recall even the most finite details of anything you’ve seen or heard within the last month to the point that you could duplicate a key or a spellbook that you have observed. * **Lip Reader** If you can see a creature’s mouth while it is speaking a language you understand, you can interpret what it’s saying by reading its lips. In addition, you can mimic the speech of another person or the sounds made by other creatures. You must have heard the person speaking, or heard the creature make the sound, for at least 1 minute. A successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check allows a listener to determine that the effect is faked. * **Intuitive Assessment** If you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to it's Intelligence and Wisdom scores. If you select this feature a second time, you may know precisely the Intelligence and Wisdom scores of an observed creature, as well as it's Proficiency Bonus and any Vulnerabilities it may have. * **Arcane Intellect** You understand the nature of magic, allowing you to identify spells when cast by a spellcaster. If you perceive a spell being cast, the spell’s effect, or both, you can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check to identify the spell being cast. The DC equals 15 + the spell’s level. If you select this feature a second time, you make the roll with advantage. ### Single Handed Weapon Specialist: You are a master of fighting with one handed melee weapons and versatile weapons. Your specialized training has provided you with certain advantages when employing these weapons. * **Nimble Warrior** When you use a melee weapon one handed, and nothing in the other, it is treated as if it had the finesse property. * **Disable** Before you make a melee attack with a weapon that you are proficient with, and you are holding nothing in your other hand, you can choose to forgo your proficiency modifier to the attack roll. If the attack hits, the target of the attack suffers disadvantage on the next weapon attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. If you select this feature a second time, the target of the attack suffers disadvantage on its next two weapon attack rolls it makes before the end of its next turn. * **Parry** When you are wielding a weapon with which you are proficient and nothing in your other hand, and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you. If you select this feature a second time, after you use this feature, you retain a +2 to your AC against melee attacks until the beginning of your next turn. * **Deadly Swing** When you add your Proficiency bonus to the damage roll of a versatile weapon you are using, you may instead add twice your Proficiency bonus to the roll. \pagebreak * **Extended Reach** When you make an attack roll with a melee weapon with the versatile property and holding nothing in your other hand, you may make the attack as if the weapon had the reach property. * **Parry Missile** When wielding a melee weapon that lacks the heavy or two handed property, you may use the weapon to attempt to deflect a missile attack. After the attack roll is made, you may use your reaction to add your proficiency modifier to your AC against that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you. If you select this feature a second time, after you use this feature, you retain a +2 to your AC against ranged attacks until the beginning of your next turn. * **Close Quarters Fighting** After making an attack with the benefit of your proficiency modifier against a creature within 5 feet with a melee weapon you are holding in one hand, you may use your bonus action to make a shove or grapple attack with your free hand. * **Weapon Versatility** You gain proficiency in three one handed weapons of your choice. ### Skulker: You are an expert at skulking and scouting in dangerous locations, like dungeons, dark hallways in an enemy lair, or caverns. * **Stealthy** You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill, if you already have proficiency, you gain expertise. If you select this feature a second time, moving stealthily does not hamper your movement. * **Inventive Sneaking** You can try to hide when you are lightly obscured from the creature from which you are hiding. * **Hidden Sniper** When you are hidden from a creature and miss it with a ranged weapon attack, making the attack doesn't reveal your position. If you select this feature a second time, you may use your reaction to make another hide check if your position is revealed after hitting with a ranged weapon attack. * **See in the Shadows** Dim light doesn't impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight. If you select this feature a second time, you may see in darkness as if you had darkvision (60 feet), or if you already have darkvision, the range is increased by 30 feet. * **Sharp Hearing** You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sound. * **Trap Avoidance** You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or resist traps. * **Trap Resistance** You have resistance to the damage dealt by traps. * **Alert Traveler** Traveling at a fast pace doesn't impose the normal −5 penalty on your passive Wisdom (Perception) score. \columnbreak ### Survivor: You have a knack for surviving the most harrowing of situations, and you have a talent for keeping those in your care alive. * **Combat Medic** When you use a healer's kit to stabilize a dying creature, that creature also regains 1 hit point. * **Doctor** As an action, you can spend one use of a healer's kit to tend to a creature and restore 1d6 + 4 hit points to it, plus additional hit points equal to the creature's maximum number of Hit Dice. The creature can't regain hit points from this feat again until it finishes a short or long rest. * **Inspiring Leader** You can spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, shoring up their resolve to fight. When you do so, choose up to six friendly creatures (which can include yourself) within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you and who can understand you. Each creature can gain temporary hit points equal to ½ your level (rounded up). A creature can't gain temporary hit points from this feat again until it has finished a short or long rest. If you select this feature twice, the temporary hit points are equal to your level. If you select this feature three times, the temporary hit points are equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. * **Fortunate** You have a luck point. Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend the luck point to roll an additional d20. You can choose to spend your luck point after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose whether to use your roll or the initial result. You can also spend your luck point when an attack roll is made against you. Roll a d20, and then choose whether the attack uses the attacker’s roll or yours. If more than one creature spends a luck point to influence the outcome of a roll, the points cancel each other out; no additional dice are rolled. You regain your expended luck point when you finish a long rest. You may select this feature more than once. ### Tactician: In combat you are careful and employ enhanced tactics that make you especially deadly. * **Combat Tactician** You gain the Martial Prowess feature with a Prowess Level of 1, though you may not add your Intelligence modifier to the number of Maneuvers you know. You may take this feature a second time. If you do, you may add your Intelligence modifier to the number of Maneuvers you know and if you have a Martial Prowess feature from another source, you may increase your Prowess Level by 1. * **Disabling Strike** When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn. \pagebreak * **Immovable** When you take the Brace action on your turn, the amount of reduced damage you take is equal to your Proficiency Bonus + your Strength Modifier, instead of 1 + your Strength Modifier. * **Sentinel** Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach. * **Opportunist** When a creature within range of a melee weapon you are holding makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature. * **Patient Combatant** **(Prerequisite: The Extra Attack Feature)** When you ready the Attack action on your turn, you may make as many attacks as your Extra Attack feature allows when you perform that readied action. ### Tough as Nails: **Prerequisite:** Constitution 13 or higher You are especially hardy, you are wounded less and irrepressible even when wounded, recovering with surprising speed. * **Tough** Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your level when you select this feature. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional one hit point. You may select this feature twice, if you do so, you gain twice the benefit. * **Immovable** When you take the Brace action on your turn, the amount of reduced damage you take is equal to your Proficiency Bonus + your Strength Modifier, instead of 1 + your Strength Modifier. * **Durable** When you spend Hit Dice to recover Hit Points, instead of rolling, you heal the maximum possible result. For example, if a Cleric (d8) spends 2 Hit Dice on healing, they automatically regain 16 Hit Points plus their modifier for Con on both dice. * **Tenacious** Any saving throw to prevent your HP maximum from being lowered automatically succeeds. * **Hardy** You do not suffer exhaustion when you fall to 0 Hit Points. If you select this feature a second time, you may recover up to two levels of exhaustion on a long rest. * **Resilient** You gain proficiency in saving throws in the ability score of your choice. ### Two Handed Weapon Specialist: **Prerequisite:** Strength 13 or higher You are a master of fighting with a weapon held in two hands. Your specialized training has provided you with certain advantages when employing a weapon this way. * **Ferocious Strike** When you add your Proficiency bonus to the damage roll of a melee weapon you are using with two hands, you may instead add twice your Proficiency bonus to the roll. * **Merciless** On your turn, when you score a critical hit or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a weapon held in two hands, you can immediately make one more melee weapon attack using your bonus action. If you select this option a second time, you may make the additional attack without using your bonus action. You may only benefit from Merciless once on your turn. * **Pommel Strike** When you take the attack action and make all attacks with a melee weapon you are holding in two hands with the benefit of your proficiency modifier, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with another part of the weapon. This attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4, and it deals bludgeoning damage. * **Readied Weapon** While you are wielding a reach weapon you are holding in two hands, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach. The weapon that provoked the attack must be used to make the attack in order to use this feature. * **Weapon Versatility** You gain proficiency in three weapons with the two handed or versatile property. ### Weapon and Shield Specialist: **Prerequisite:** Proficiency in shields You are a master of fighting with a weapon and shield. Your specialized training has provided you with certain advantages when employing weapon combat while you have a shield equipped. * **Shield Shove** You can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet of you with your shield. If you select this option a second time, you may, with a successful shove, both push the creature 5 feet and knock them prone. * **Shielded Position** If you aren’t incapacitated, you can add your shield’s AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a spell or other harmful effect that targets you, and if that effect would inflict half damage on a successful saving throw, you can use your reaction to take no damage instead if you succeed on the saving throw. If you select this option a second time, you take only half damage if you fail the saving throw. * **Shield Bash** You are proficient in the use of a shield as an improvised weapon, the shield has the light property and inflicts 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. If you select this option a second time, a magical shield is considered a magical weapon for the purposes of overcoming resistance to bludgeoning damage. \pagebreak * **Rapid Ready** You may equip or stow a shield with the same interact with an object you use to equip or stow a weapon. If you select this option a second time, you may stow a previously held weapon or draw it with the same interact with an object. * **Defensive Fighting** Before you make a melee attack with a weapon that you are holding while wielding a shield in your other hand, you can choose to forgo your proficiency modifier to the attack roll. If the attack hits, the target of the attack has disadvantage on any attack rolls against you until the beginning of your next turn. * **Weapon Versatility** You gain proficiency in three one handed weapons of your choice.