Netslinger

The halfling gladiator darts nimbly around the arena, then pulls down his heavily armored opponent with his net, closing in with his trident. The elf hunter chases her quarry through the woods, ensnares it with a net, and finishes it off with her spear. The fisherman turned monster hunter tangles a demonic shark in his net then runs it through with his harpoon. The dwarf guard chases a wanted murderer, heading him off at an alley, catching him in a net and subduing him with her truncheon. The frontier rancher ambushes the goblin that has been stealing their village's livestock, netting the thief to be hauled off to the sheriff. All of these characters are netslingers.

 

The archetypal netslinger fights with a net in one hand, and a light weapon or versatile polearm in the other. They are highly maneuverable, trading the benefits of heavier armor for agility. Instead of making highly focused attacks or relying on heavy hits, they use their nets to restrain targets before closing in with their other weapons.

Superior Net Technique

When you choose this martial archetype at 3rd level, you have developed advanced techniques for fighting with a net, allowing you to throw a net and attack with your other weapons in the same round. While wielding either only a net or a light finesse weapon in one hand and a net in the other, you use the following rules for attacking with a net instead of those in the Basic Rules or Player’s Handbook.

 

Once on each of your turns, when you take the attack action or when use a bonus action or reaction that grants an attack, you can make an attack with a net. A large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make a Strength check to escape the net. The DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. The net can also be attacked and destroyed. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) frees a restrained creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net.

Net-Fighting Weapons

At 3rd level, you have mastered the use of traditional arms and armor employed alongside the net. While wearing light armor or no armor, spears and tridents have the finesse and light properties when you wield them.

Net Maneuvers

Starting at 7th level, you have mastered new techniques with your net that give you additional tactical advantages. When you hit a creature of size large or smaller with your net and are no more than 5 feet away from the target, instead of restraining the target you may choose one of the following effects:

 

 

Disarming Net. You wrap the net around something the target is holding in their hand, such as a weapon or a shield, and pull it out of their hands. The item falls in an unoccupied space five feet away from you (your choice).

 

 

Grappling Net. You use your net to draw the target in to grab them. The target is grappled by you (no contesting roll).

 

 

Blinding Net. You wrap the net around your target’s head, covering their eyes and disorientating them. The target is blinded until freed.

 

 

Trip Net. You make a sharp tug on the target after catching them in the net, pulling them to the ground. The target is knocked prone.

Reel 'em In

Starting at 10th level, you have learned to throw nets accurately over longer distances and to quickly advance on your ensnared victim. Your range with nets increases to 10/25. Additionally, after you make an attack with a net as part of the attack action, you may use up to 15 feet of your movement before making extra attacks, so long as each 5 foot segment of this movement brings you closer to the target you hit with your net.

Distracting Net

Starting at 15th level, you have learned to use your net to distract your targets, even those too large to be restrained by the net. When you hit a creature of any size with a net, you may choose to tangle up the creature instead of restraining it. For example, the net might cover a giant’s face, or weigh down a dragon’s wing, or get tangled in the legs of a orc marauder. Until freed, the creature takes disadvantage on Dexterity-based attacks and saving throws. On its turn, the creature may use its action to remove the net, ending this effect.

Net Master

Starting at 18th level, you have learned to throw nets with the same facility as any other throwing weapon. You may make an attack with a net whenever you are granted an attack by an action, bonus action, reaction, class feature, or feature of the game.