Ashigaru are the master of swords from the long forgotten Falorian Empire. Once masters of the Northern region of Kruhovah, they were known as honorable fighters, living in an unhonourable land, with fields teeming with fruits and slaves that were captured in battle, mostly of the Tieflings who resided in the volcanic region to the north. As many such civilizations who made their gold through exploitation, this kingdom fell during the Tiefling Revolution, causing most remaining survivors to become simple nomads and mercenaries. A small number of these wandering souls look for a new land to reform their empire, but they have few allies with their dwindling numbers, and have chosen the Underdark as their new home. Still, some yet wander, forever marked by their own cruelty as Slaves, wandering around with their new masters...
They are best known for their capabilities as Combat Masters, wielding their Swords and Bows as if they were an extension of their bodies rather than their tools. Their abilities are well known to include various forms of movement tied to attacks and nimble strikes. A vast number of their elite rode upon horses and drakes, and could even summon them through their own willpower. The Ashigaru, or their foot soldiers, were said to be able to keep up with the horse-riding counterparts, making them a surprisingly dangerous surprise for their foes.

Choosing this class from the beginning, they gain the ability to use a Sword Style known as "Bushido", drawing upon its 8 virtues to give them increased capabilities inside and outside of combat. Afterwords, they begin training to keep up in combat with their Mounted counterparts. Those who make their cut can learn to further hone their battle techniques by specializing in certain aspects of combat, as well as increasing the speed of their attacks. Finally, those given the honor of Bushido Master are taught the greatest technique: Zantetsuken.

Bushido - 8 Virtues

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to embody the unspoken virtues of the Ashigaru Samurai: Bushido.

You can choose 3 of the 8 Virtues of the Bushido Code, and enhance yourself with them, improving your skills in combat, or abilities outside of combat. You can have 2 virtues at level 3, 3 at level 7, 4 at 11th level, and 5 at level 15. You can change each of these abilities out after a short or long rest.

Performing these abilities costs Bushido Points. You start off with 3+Prof, and gain one extra point at levels 7, 11, 15, and 17.

8 Virtues - Benevolence

When you have this virtue selected, you learn ways of pity and concern, letting you ease the pain of those around you. By spending points when you use your Second Wind feature, you can give an immediate use of Second Wind to your allies. You can spend up to 3 points this way to give it to 3 allies.

8 Virtues - Courage

With Courage selected, you find yourself feeling true courage, and can force yourself to act in spite of your fears. By spending a point, you have advantage on saving throws against Fear and Charmed effects from yourself for 8 hours. If you fail a save against Fear or Charm while this effect is being used, you can spend a second point to immediately remove the effects.

8 Virtues - Honesty

With this virtue selected, you gain the ability to have a better time detecting the honesty of others, in hopes they show you the same honesty. By spending a Bushido point, all creatures within 30 feet of you, including yourself, have disadvantage on Deception checks, and Advantage on Persuasion checks for 30 seconds.

8 Virtues - Honor

With this virtue selected, you bring out the biggest mantle for your abilities: Honor, for yourself, your allies, and your enemies. By spending 2 bushido points, you can choose a target within 60 feet of you. Neither you nor your target can suffer from Disadvantage, nor benefit from Advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws for 1d4 turns.

8 Virtues - Justice

While Justice is selected, you gain the ability to immediately justify actions taken by, or against, those around you. When an ally within 30 feet is hit by an attack at advantage, you can immediately use your reaction and 2 Bushido points to make an attack against that foe at advantage. As part of this reaction, if you do not have means to attack the foe from your current distance, you can move up to half your movement speed to reach them. This attack does not benefit from Extra Attack or bonus abilities. (EX: Battle Master Manuevers, additional Bushido skills, etc.)

8 Virtues - Loyalty

By taking this Virtue, you know the true power of your blade lies in those who wield it for. By spending 2 Bushido points, you can select one of your allies to form a bond of loyalty with a Bonus Action. Whenever you or your ally takes a hit that would reduce one of you to 0 hp, the bond partner can use their reaction to take the damage in the other's place. Doing so will break the bond.

8 Virtues - Politeness

With this virtue selected, you embody the Benevolence and Politeness that is expected of you, upon taking up this honor. Whenever you fail a Persuasion, Insight, or Performance skill check, you can spend a Bushido Point to re-roll it. You must take the rerolled number, and cannot do this more than once per check, although you can use this ability multiple times in a single social interaction.

8 Virtues - Self Control

By utilizing this Virtue, you gain an understanding of yourself, and can limit yourself. When you are performing a single ability check, you can spend a Bushido Point to interchange ability stats. DEX can be interchanged with STR, and CHA can be interchanged with INT or WIS.

(EX: Using your Dexterity modifier for Athletics, or your Strength for Acrobatics)

Steady Movement

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 7th level, your footwork increases in order to keep up in combat with the Falor mounted soldiers. You gain the following benefits:

• Your movement speed increases by 5 feet.
• You can switch between 3 weapons without using an action or bonus action in combat.
• You gain a +3 bonus to initiative.
• You gain an additional +1 bonus when you are wielding a single one-handed weapon with both hands, are using a 2-handed weapon, or are using a Bow.

Blade of War

At 10th level, you can choose to focus in on a single fighting style to increase your abilities as a Warrior. You can choose a different fighting style whenever you gain an additional Feat or Ability score increase.

Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu

A fighting style representing the combinations of 2 fighting styles into a single technique. When you are wielding 2 one-handed weapons, you gain the following benefits:

-You gain the +1 to your Damage rolls when dual wielding.

-Whenever you use for bonus action for an ability that isn't an attack, you can immediately use your reaction to make an attack. with your second weapon, or make an unarmed attack.

-Whenever you are grappling or restraining an opponent, you can attack your target with your second weapon, or make an unarmed attack.

-Bushido - 8 Virtues techniques can apply to your second weapon separately from your main weapon.

Kyūdō

With this style selected, you realize that your true weapon style lies not with your blade, but your bow. While using a Short or Longbow, attacks against targets at Long Range or Melee Range are no longer taken at disadvantage. Additionally, when you hit a foe, Roll a DC 10 check. On success, the arrow pierces the target and can strike another within the line of fire. Every enemy pierced this way adds +2 to the enemy AC and needed roll to pierce the next target.

Mugai-ryu

A form of Kenjustu combined with Iaijutsu, it takes the quick draw attack, and amplifies it with consecutive rapid strikes. During the first round of combat, you gain a +5 to hit with all your attacks, and if you defeat an enemy during your first turn, you can immediately deal a Critical Hit against a foe within 5 feet of the original target.

Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu

A form of swordplay, based off of Iaijutsu, focuses on the aspect of moving and drawing your weapon at the same time. With this fighting style selected, if you move your entire movement speed, you can make an Attack against a foe as a Free Action. This attack does not benefit from Extra Attack or the 8 Virtues features, but can be given advantage or disadvantage based off outside factors.

Ono-ha Itto-ryu

A style known formally as "One Sword." It focuses on unleashing quick and lethal attack with a single blow, ending a fight quickly. While holding a 1-handed sword with 2 hands, or are using a 2-handed slashing weapon, your attacks deal +3 Damage. If you kill an enemy with this ability activated, you can brutalize them, and use your reaction to Intimidate your foes. Enemies within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8+ Prof. + Attack modifier) or be frightened of you, and must immediately use the dash action to run away from you at the start of their next turn.

Tamiya-ryu

A sword style that focuses on using longer weapons for repeated attacks, and tripping foes up with hard-to-see attacks. When wielding a 2-handed weapon, your reach increases by 5 feet. Additionally, whenever you land a hit on a creature, their next weapon attack or spell against you has disadvantage.

 

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu

By selecting this style, you enable your abilities to be used for more than just your Swords and Bow. While this Fighting Style is active, you gain the following effects:

-Your Peerless Movement Prof. bonus now applies to Hit rolls.

-This bonus now applies to all weapons, including Unarmed Strikes and Crossbows.

-You can change and attack with different weapon types when using your Extra Attack features.

-Whenever you are attacking a foe with different kinds of weapons, your attacks deal additional damage. Your second weapon type deals +2, your third weapon deals +3, etc. This bonus type only applies to different weapon types. (IE: Unable to do +2 then +3 with 2 daggers.)

Yagyu Shinkage-ryu

A style of Sword-fighting based around disarming rather than killing a foe. Whenever you make an attack against an enemy wielding a melee weapon, you can replace one of your weapon attacks with a Disarming Slash. Creatures hit with the Disarming slash must make a STR saving through against your Attack roll, or be disarmed. Their weapon flies 5 X (the difference between their saving throw and your Attack roll) feet away in a random direction. If something is in the square it lands, (EX: a box, an ally, or an enemy fighter), this object or creature takes 1d6+DEX damage.

If attacking a target that doesn't have a weapon, your Disarming Slash instead instead lowers their next Attack roll by (the difference between their saving throw and your Attack roll).

Death of 1000 Cuts

Starting at 15th level, your skill with your weapons increases so much, you learn to Fire your Bow, and swing your Sword so fast, few can even notice its path. You can spend 4 Bushido Points when you make an attack to have all your Attacks follow the same Hit Roll. Doing so does not duplicate Critical Hits or Fails. 

(EX: at level 20, with +10 to hit, rolling a Nat 20 and using this ability means first hit is a Critical hit, all of the following attacks are now just 30 to hit. Likewise, Nat 1 first hit means the first is a critical fail, the rest are 11's to hit.)

Zantetsuken - Blade that cuts Iron

At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of combat prowess, and can cut through armor with a single attack. As a bonus action, you can spend half your maximum Bushido points to remove a foe's nonmagical AC bonuses. The target must made a Con Save (8+Prof+Attack modifier), or their armor becomes 10+Dex for attacks you make against them.