Martial Techniques

<div class='cover-header'>Martial Techniques and More</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Over 45 Martial, Primal, Esoteric, and Spellsword Techniques to level up your Martials!</div>

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Warmtail. </div>

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# Martial Techniques
### Learned, Not Given
	
  The martial techniques listed are not intended to be given to every character at character creation, and instead should be seen more as Magic Items than anything else. These are designed to be given to a character as a reward, typically by NPCs who have some kind of martial training. This encourages characters to forge bonds with those within the world. As an example, a character can gain one of these martial techniques by helping out a veteran so they may offer to train a character with one of their signature moves they used in war, completing a contract for a wounded mercenary who specialized in a specific style of fighting, or giving exotic monster parts to an experienced monster hunter in exchange for knowledge of their specific moveset that they use when fighting massive monsters.

This is one of the most common ways for a character to learn a martial technique, but they may be offered through different means such as an ancient stone that has the wellspring of knowledge of thousands of ancestral fighters granting a character an otherworldly boon and insight into fighting through a martial technique. Regardless, these techniques should be treated as a magic item or as an upgrade to a martial character.

### Requirements for a Technique

Although each martial technique is different, and some may use light weapons or heavy weapons, all martial techniques require for the character to have proficiency in at least one martial weapon. Furthermore, for a character to use a martial technique, they must be proficient in the weapon that they are using.

If a martial technique requires a saving throw, the DC for the saving throw is equal to 8 + the character’s proficiency bonus + their Dexterity or Strength modifier (their choice).

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### Time it Takes to Learn

Unless the martial technique is learned through otherworldly or magical means, a character can typically learn a single martial technique through the Training downtime activity listed in Downtime Revisited in Xanthar’s Guide to Everything.

### Martial Technique Rarities

Some martial techniques are more powerful and potent than others, and as such, these are represented by rarities. Although these rarities do not have any effect on how long it takes to master such a technique, the higher rarity techniques are seldom known and require extensive combat experience to understand and utilize them effectively. Because of this, common techniques may be well known to many veterans and mercenaries, but rare and very rare techniques may be known only by a select few grandmasters of arms.

### Techniques Known and Prepared

A character can only hold a repository of so many techniques within their martial moveset. Although a character can be trained in an infinite amount of Techniques, a character can only perform an amount of Martial Techniques at a time equal to 1 + their Proficiency bonus. This is representative of the kind of stances, skills, and mindsets needed to utilize such techniques, and one can only focus on so many at a time. If a character wishes to swap one of their known techniques with one of their prepared techniques, they must spend 1 hour per technique they wish to swap training or sparring. This can be done during a short rest.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by EDGE Studios. </div>

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### Brace

*Common Martial Technique*

Commonly used by guards to form defensive positions, you’ve learned to make the most of an enemy’s momentum. When you are readying your action to make an attack with a melee weapon and a creature moves at least 10 feet before they trigger this readied attack, you can deal additional damage equal to a roll of the weapon’s damage die on hit and force the creature to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

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### Cleave

*Common Martial Technique*

Unwieldy and heavy weapons are often difficult to control, but you’ve learned to use that momentum to its fullest in combat. Once per turn, whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon with the heavy property, you can make one additional attack against a target within 5 feet of your original target, only dealing half damage on hit.

### Close Quarters

*Common Martial Technique*

You’ve taken notes from assassins and brawlers and you’ve learned how to make quick jabs when your reach is normally closed off and limited. You can make a melee weapon attack with a one handed weapon against a creature you are grappling as a bonus action.

### Crippling Strikes

*Common Martial Technique*

You’ve learned to capitalize when a creature’s defenses drop by using precise strikes to leave crippling wounds. Once per turn, if you exceed a creature's AC by 5 with a melee weapon attack, you can choose to leave a crippling wound.  A creature with a crippling wound has its speed reduced by 10 feet and only gains half as much movement as they normally would when taking the dash action. This effect ends if the creature is magically healed or a Wisdom (Medicine) check of 10 is made an action to staunch the bleeding.

### Glancing Blow

*Common Martial Technique*

You have learned to use the weight of your weapon to its fullest potential to deflect the impact of incoming blows. While you are holding a melee weapon in two hands and you are hit with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack roll with your weapon to attempt to deflect the attack. If the result of your attack roll exceeds the total of their attack roll, you only take half of the weapon's damage, or if it was a critical hit, it is instead a normal hit.

### Hemorrhaging Strikes

*Common Martial Technique*

You have learned how to effectively use piercing and slashing weapons to open deadly wounds. Once per turn, if you exceed a creature's AC by 5 with a melee attack with a piercing or slashing weapon, you can choose to leave a hemorrhaging wound. A creature with a hemorrhaging wound takes slashing damage equal to your proficiency bonus at the start of each of their turns and whenever they take the Dash action. This effect ends if the creature is magically healed or a Wisdom (Medicine) check of 10 is made an action to staunch the bleeding.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Warmtail. </div>

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### Iaijutsu

*Common Martial Technique*

Your reflexes and reaction times have been sharpened to a razor sharp point, and your quick movements often catch many off-guard. You can draw a melee weapon as part of the attack action or as part of an attack of opportunity. Additionally, whenever you make an attack with a melee weapon that deals slashing damage outside of your turn, you gain a bonus to your attack rolls and damage rolls equal to your Proficiency bonus.

### Impaling Charge

*Common Martial Technique*

You’ve learned how to best utilize the reach of longer weapons. Once per turn when you take the attack action with a spear, glaive, or pike, you can make an impaling charge. When making this impaling charge, your reach increases by 5 feet and you can move up to 10 feet before making this attack.

### Impaling Thrust

*Common Martial Technique*

Once per turn when you take the attack action you can make an especially powerful attack with a piercing melee weapon. When making this impaling thrust you do not add your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll, you ignore any additions to AC due to shields, and deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus on hit.

### Ironhand Grip

*Common Martial Technique*

You have been familiarized with the most detrimental areas to squeeze and tighten when grappling a creature. When you are grappling a creature, at the start of each of the creature's turns, they take bludgeoning damage equal to your Proficiency bonus.

### Parrying Step

*Common Martial Technique*

You have learned to take the momentum of incoming strikes and redirect it with minimal effort, provided you have the grace and agility to do so. If you are hit with a melee weapon attack and you are holding a melee weapon in one hand and you are not holding a weapon or shield in your other hand, you can use your reaction to make an attack roll with your weapon. If the result of your attack roll exceeds the total of their attack toll, their attack misses you and you can move up to 5 feet.

### Vaultbreaker

*Common Martial Technique*

You have learned how to maximize your strength and force when striking objects. Whenever you deal damage to an object with a weapon attack, you deal additional damage equal to two times your Proficiency bonus.

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### Coup de Grace

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

You’ve mastered the art of striking a creature when they’re down. Once per turn, whenever you hit a creature with a weapon attack who is prone or incapacitated, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus. Furthermore, if you make a melee weapon attack against a creature who is prone or incapacitated, and your attack roll exceeds the target’s current hit point total, it is an automatic critical hit.

### Frenzied Toss

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

As a bonus action, you can throw an object you are holding up to 30 feet away towards a creature you can see. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to your strength modifier plus your Proficiency bonus. Whether or not the creature succeeds or fails, the object thrown takes this damage as well.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by EDGE Studios. </div>

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### Lion's Leap

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

Taking primal inspiration from the king of the jungle, you’ve learned to use your leaps to bring deadly momentum to your swings. Once per turn when you take the attack action, before making an attack you can leap forward up to 15 feet towards your target. On hit, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus.

### Spinning Flourish

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

You’ve learned how to extend the reach of your weapons to create a flailing and thrashing that is incredibly dangerous to be around, most often used by flails as well as ball and chain weapons. Once per turn you can replace one of your attacks with wide spinning flourishes or dangerous thrashing, and each creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage equal to your Proficiency bonus, depending on the weapon being used.

### Spinning Slashes

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

Used by bladedancers and dervishes, you’ve learned a spinning flourish that is as graceful as it is deadly. Once per turn, when you take the attack action, are holding two light melee weapons, and have made a weapon attack with one of these weapons as a bonus action, you can immediately make an additional attack with one of these weapons against a creature you have not hit with an attack with this turn.

### Stomping Slash

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

Inspired by Giant-Hunter fighting, you’ve learned how to ground yourself and release powerful, upward slashes. Once per turn when you take the attack action, you can stomp your foot down and strike upwards with a melee weapon with the heavy property. Your speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of your turn, but if you hit, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and they are pushed 5 feet in the air. If the creature is Huge or larger, they are not pushed and instead the additional damage dealt is doubled.

### Stomping Sweep

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

Inspired by Giant fighting, you’ve learned how to ground yourself and release powerful, horizontal slashes. Once per turn when you take the attack action, you can stomp your foot down and strike in a wide sweeping motion with a melee weapon with the heavy property. Your speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of your turn, but if you hit, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and they are pushed 10 feet to the left or right of you.

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### Momentum

*Uncommon Martial Technique*

Once per turn when you miss a melee attack with a melee weapon you are holding in two hands, you can use your bonus action to reroll the attack in an attempt to hit as you use the momentum of your missed strike to lead into another.

### Sundering Strikes

*Rare Martial Technique*

You’ve learned to capitalize on an enemy when their defenses are down to strike with extreme force. Once per turn, if you exceed a creature's AC by 5 with a melee weapon that you are wielding in two hands, you can deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and knock the target prone, provided they are no more than one size category larger than you.

### Unyielding Stance

*Rare Martial Technique*

As a bonus action, you can plant your feet in an unwavering and unyielding stance. Until you move again, any creature that attempts to move through your space must first succeed on a Strength saving throw, or fail to move past you. Furthermore, when a creature attempts to Shove you, they must succeed on a Strength saving throw or automatically fail their Shove attempt.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Warmtail. </div>

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# Primal Techniques

Primal techniques extend beyond the capacity of mortaldom form and mortal strength. Most often used by barbarians and rangers; these techniques draw upon the innate and raw power of nature, and are often more powerful and rare than traditional techniques.

A primal technique’s saving throw, time taken to learn, and requirements are the same as martial techniques.

### Bellow of the Tarrasque

*Uncommon Primal Technique*

Once per turn you can replace one of your attacks with the Shove action that can affect a creature up to 30 feet away as you release a massive roar that produces a blast of sonic energy.

### Concussive Slam

*Uncommon Primal Technique*

Once per turn, when making a melee weapon attack with two hands you can attempt to make a concussive slam. On hit, the impact of your attack can be heard from up to 100 feet away and the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become Deafened until the end of their next turn.

### Cragbound Strike

*Uncommon Primal Technique*

Once per turn, as a bonus action, you can slam your weapon into the ground and cause heavy stone and earth to magnetize to your weapon for your next strike. Your next attack with this weapon will shatter the rock and stone, dealing extra bludgeoning damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and allowing you to immediately take the Shove action against the target as part of the same attack.

### Undertow

*Uncommon Primal Technique*

Once per turn when taking the attack action you can replace an attack with a vortex of primal winds, where each creature within 15 feet of you must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pulled 10 feet closer to you. Creatures who are a size category larger than you have advantage on this saving throw.

### Windslash

*Uncommon Primal Technique*

Once per turn when you make a melee attack, you can choose to send an arc of cutting wind, extending the reach of the attack by 30 feet and dealing additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus on hit.

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### Earthshatter

*Rare Primal Technique*

As an action, provided you are holding a heavy weapon, you can slam the ground and create massive shockwaves around you. You create as many shockwaves as you can make Attacks from the attack action. For each shockwave, each creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to your Proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. A creature who fails this saving throw by 5 or more is also knocked prone. If the area around you is loose earth or stone, it becomes difficult terrain until an action is taken to clear it.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Warmtail. </div>

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### Stormstrike

*Rare Primal Technique*

Once per turn before making a melee weapon attack, you can charge your weapon with the electrical power of the storms above. This special attack does not add your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll but on hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw or be unable to take reactions until the start of their next turn and have their speed reduced by 10 feet. If the target is wearing metal armor, is holding a metal shield, or is mostly composed of metal, they also take additional lightning damage equal to two times your Proficiency bonus.

### Tornado Leap

*Rare Primal Technique*

Once per turn you can replace one of your attacks with an empowered leap that creates a miniature vortex in your wake. You immediately leap to an unoccupied space you can see within 15 feet of you, and each creature that was within 20 feet of you before you made this leap must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and be pulled up to 15 feet closer to the space you previously occupied.

### Driftstep Slash

*Very rare Primal Technique*

Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon that you are holding in one hand that does not have the heavy property, you can somersault backwards up to 15 feet high and 15 feet back without provoking attacks of opportunity as the wind guides your descent.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Aaron Lee. </div>

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# Esoteric Techniques

Esoteric techniques utilize darker magics, often used by Blood Hunters, those that find themselves within the fields of necromancy, and those that pull their power from darker entities. These techniques are often more volatile and powerful, and are most often found from deals with darker orders or even darker powers.

An esoteric technique’s saving throw, time taken to learn, and requirements are the same as martial techniques.

### Cruel Lash

*Uncommon Esoteric Technique*

Once per turn, if you exceed a creature's AC by 5 with a melee weapon attack, you can choose for the wound to be incredibly painful and crippling. The creature takes additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and has disadvantage on its next Wisdom, Strength, or Dexterity check made within the next minute.

### Bloodwell Pulse

*Rare Esoteric Technique*

Once per turn you can replace one of your attacks with a pulse of hemomatic energy, where each creature that has blood within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be pulled 20 feet closer to you.

### Mageslayer’s Strike

*Rare Esoteric Technique*

Once per turn, when you make an attack with a weapon, you can choose to make it a Mageslayer’s Strike, where you do not add your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll. On hit, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus, and if the target is concentrating on a spell, they must make their Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on their spell with disadvantage.

### Siphoning Strike

*Rare Esoteric Technique*

Once per turn when taking the attack action you can replace 2 of your attacks with a deadly Siphoning Strike. If you cannot make more than one attack with the attack action, you cannot use this technique. When making a Siphoning Strike, you do not add your Proficiency bonus to this attack roll, but on hit, you gain temporary hit points equal to half of the damage dealt that last for 1 minute.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Christof Grobelski. </div>

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### Bloodrite

*Very rare Esoteric Technique*

As an action you can roll a hit die and take necrotic damage equal to the number rolled which cannot be reduced in any way as you pull from your own lifeforce to empower your weapon. Doing so coats a single weapon of your choice that you are holding with hemomatic energy and once per turn when you hit a creature with this weapon, you deal additional necrotic damage equal to your Proficiency bonus. A weapon remains imbued in this way for 10 minutes before fading.

### Hunter's Ire

*Very rare Esoteric Technique*

You have learned the deadly technique used often by assassins with otherworldly boons to strike quickly and swiftly when your enemies are recovering. When a creature you can see within the range of the weapon you are holding regains hit points, you can immediately make a weapon attack against the creature with the weapon you are holding. On hit, the creature only regains half as many hit points as they normally would.

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### Psychic Spike

*Very rare Esoteric Technique*

Once per turn when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can leave a scarring psychic spike in their mind driven by hatred and pain. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take psychic damage equal to your Proficiency bonus and have disadvantage on their next Wisdom or Charisma saving throw made within the next minute.

### Soulstrike

*Very rare Esoteric Technique*

Once per turn when you have taken the attack action, you can choose to make a Soulstrike, where you forcibly rip your soul from your body; which mimics your movements and attacks with a shadowy replica of your weapon. You make an additional attack from an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet of you where your soul resides that does not add your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll, before your soul rushes back to you at the end of the attack.

<br>

> ##### The Cost of Forbidden Knowledge
> If the requirements of the esoteric techniques is not edgy enough for you, or you want to really emphasize how these are lost, esoteric, and dangerous techniques, you can always implement this optional rule of **The Cost of Forbidden Knowledge.** 
>
> The knowledge and understanding of an esoteric technique has a unique hold over your physiology and constitution, and for every esoteric technique that you know, your hit dice total is also permanently reduced by 1.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Warmtail. </div>

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# Spellsword Techniques

Rather than draw upon dark magics or the primal aspects of nature, Spellsword Techniques (as the name implies), are often used by those who combine their martial prowess alongside with the casting of spells, be it arcane or divine.

A spellsword’s technique’s time taken to learn is the same as martial techniques, but it requires you to have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature and when calculating a spellsword technique saving throw, you can use your Dexterity, Strength, or Spellcasting Ability modifier.

### Arcane Piercer

*Uncommon Spellsword Technique*

Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can extend the tip of the blade into a sharp arcane projection and make an additional melee attack as part of the attack against a creature who is 5 feet directly behind the creature you hit. If you hit with this special arcane attack, they take force damage as opposed to the normal damage type of your weapon.

### Focusblade

*Uncommon Spellsword Technique*

When you cast a spell that uses the weapon you are holding as its material component, the weapon is enhanced by its residual magic and you have advantage on your next attack roll that uses this weapon. This residual boon lasts until the end of your next turn.

### Focusing Stance

*Rare Spellsword Technique*

You have learned to use your weapon as a focal point and guide to expand your magical auras. As a bonus action, you can assume a channeling stance and perform a magical flourish with your weapon. Until you move again, any auras or spells that have a radius centered on you have their range increased by 10 feet.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM. Art by Warmtail. </div>

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### Spellsword’s Phanlax

*Rare Spellsword Technique*

You have learned to alter your stance and attacks to act as minor somatic components, allowing you to use your residual magical energy to conjure brief spectral blades. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack or a melee spell attack, as a bonus action you can conjure a brief spectral blade to deal additional force damage equal to your Proficiency bonus against the creature you had hit.

### Spellwrought Barrage

*Rare Spellsword Technique*

Once per turn you can replace one of your attacks with a Spellwrought Barrage, where you coat a melee weapon you are holding with arcane power and pierce the ground below you, causing a barrage of spectral copies of your weapon to erupt from you in a 10 foot wide, 20 foot long line. Each creature caught within this line must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take Force damage equal to your Proficiency bonus plus your Spellcasting Ability Modifier.

### Spellwrought Cleave

*Rare Spellsword Technique*

Once per turn when taking the attack action you can replace 2 of your attacks with an Arcane Cleave by extending the blade of your weapon with a force-projected copy of itself. If you cannot make more than one attack with the attack action, you cannot use this technique. Make up to three melee weapon attacks against separate creatures within 15 feet of you, where you do not add your Proficiency bonus to these attack rolls, but you deal additional Force damage equal to your Proficiency bonus on each hit.

### Spellsword Mastery

*Very rare Spellsword Technique*

When you cast a spell that requires a melee spell attack, you can replace the melee spell attack with a melee weapon attack; dealing weapon damage on hit as well as applying the effects of the spell casted as if you had hit the creature with the spell.

### Spellwrought Parry

*Rare Spellsword Technique*

When you have taken damage from a spell attack, as a reaction you can make a weapon attack roll to attempt to parry the spell's energy as you use residual magic to perform an abjurative somatic stance. If your attack roll total is higher than the spell attack roll total, you only take half of the damage you would’ve normally taken as you partially deflect the incoming spell energy.

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## Changelog
- Version 1.2
    - Added art
    - Even more grammatical fixes
    - Added further flavor text
    - Stomping Slash now does additional damage against giants and does not push Huge creatures
    - Siphoning Strike temporary hit points now last 1 minute to avoid squirrel-killing before combat
    - Spellwrought Barrage changed from Action to Attack replacement
    - Spellwrought Parry changed from on hit to upon taking damage from a spell attack to account for on hit spells that don't deal damage
- Version 1.1
    - Added the Martial Technique Rarities section
    - Gave rarities to various Techniques
    - Added the Martial Techniques, Ironhand Grip, Vaultbreaker, Frenzied Toss, and Unyielding Stance 
    - Added 9 Primal Techniques
    - Added 8 Esoteric Techniques
    - Added 8 Spellsword Techniques
- Version 1.0
    - Initial release

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### More

This homebrew was made by KoatheDM, and you can find more homebrew content on [Patreon!](https://www.patreon.com/koathedm) I also have an [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/koathedm/) account, [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/keonikoa) account where I post and tease other homebrew content by the name of KoatheDM, and a [Twitter](https://twitter.com/koa_dm) where I also tease upcoming content! This document was made through GMBinder. Art by EDGE Studios, Aaron Lee, Christof Grobelski, and Warmtail.

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.

<div class='footnote'> By KoatheDM </div>