A creed of swordsmen, sworn to stand against the monstrosities and aberrations of the lower planes. Zantetsuken is a precise and hard learned technique passed on to a rare, willing few whom are able to submit their bodies and will to it's rigorous demands. The reward is precisely placed strikes, delivered with power and grace when combined with near other-worldly reflexes. As the creed is stated: "When the arm of darkness reaches forth the 'sword that cuts steel' stands defiant and willing to sever it." 

When you enter the Zantetsuken Stance your melee weapon erupts into an ethereal long sword. The Zantetsuken Blade has a sheen like steel but rather than metal it almost appears to be forged from the cosmos itself. This sword deals only slashing damage and functions as both a magical and non-magical weapon. To the untrained eye, it seems a weapon without any real damaging power due to its near weightlessness but to witness the "steel" dance would tell a vastly different story.

The Zantetsuken Stance

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn the Zantetsuken Stance which is complimented by Maneuvers that work in tandem to deliver a flurry of strikes in quick succession.

Zantetsuken Stance. When you enter the Zantetsuken Stance your melee weapon erupts into an ethereal long sword which functions as a magical and non-magical weapon simultaneously. You may enter the Zantetsuken Stance as a bonus action on your turn and once you do so your melee weapon damage is halved but ignores resistance to slashing damage. When in the Zantetsuken Stance you have 3 Zantetsuken Charges in the Zantetsuken Gauge. At 3rd level, you have a max of 3 charges, 1d8 each, that are not halved and can be used to add to your damage roll, you may use 1, 2, or all 3 charges on a single damage roll. Alternatively, you may use one of the Zantetsuken Charges to use a Combat Maneuver.

You will stay in the Zantetsuken Stance until you use a bonus action to leave it, are knocked prone, or the battle ends.

You regain one Zantetsuken Charge upon killing an enemy. All Charges fully replenish on a short rest.

At 7th level, the Zantetsuken Gauge increases to 4 and each Zantetsuken Charge becomes a 1d10, at 15th level the Zantetsuken Gauge increases to 5 and each Zantetsuken Charge becomes a 1d12. 

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuvers. At 3rd level, you may also choose two Combat Maneuvers. Many maneuvers enhance the Zantetsuken Stance in some way. By expending a Zantetsuken Charge you may use a Combat Maneuver. When all of your Zantetsuken Charges have been expended you may no longer use Maneuvers.

You learn additional Maneuvers of your choice at 7th and 15th level.

Steel Balestra

When you make a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can increase your reach for that attack by 5ft. 

Steel Bind

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you may attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it's holding. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.

Steel Charge

As a reaction, when a creature attempts a melee attack against you, you may roll a d20. If the roll matches or exceeds the creatures attack roll, before modifiers, you parry the attack and charge the creature with your shoulder pushing the creature 5ft away from you.

Steel Counter

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. 

Steel Flash

When a creature makes an attack against you, you may use your reaction to instantly dodge the attack and move 5ft to the side of the creature while remaining within your melee weapon attack range.

Steel Invitation

As your reaction, when a creature moves within 10ft of one of your comrades, you attempt to draw attention to yourself instead. The creature must make a DC Wisdom saving throw and on a failed save, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against any other targets other than you for 1 minute.

Steel Magnolias

As your reaction, if you are within 5ft of one of your comrades, and either you or your comrade are targeted for an attack you force the attacking creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature cannot overcome the overwhelming friendship vibes you and your comrade are giving off and has disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of the creatures next turn.

Steel Moulinet

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you may attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5ft of the original target and within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the original target. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.

Steel Resolve

As your action you concentrate on all that motivates you and use it as fuel to push you past your limits. For 1 minute, you can add your proficiency bonus to your AC. While not a spell this maneuver does require concentration to keep active.

Steel Tactics

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you may maneuver one of your comrades into a more advantageous position. Choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you, that creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of your attack.

The Goliath Technique

A technique made solely for combating Large or larger targets. Your attack roll only affects the target of the attack for 5d20, but the windfall requires a Constitution saving throw from Medium or smaller creatures in the 40ft cone to the left and right sides of the you respectively. On a failed save, those creatures are pushed back 10ft and are knocked prone. On a successful save, those creatures are only pushed back 5ft and are not knocked prone. This technique can only be used once per long rest.

 

Berserker Spirit

Beginning at 7th level, when you use a Combat Maneuver that does not deal damage (except for Steel Invitation), for the next minute, your proficiency for any of your melee weapon attack roll increases by 1. This can stack up to 3 times per battle. This effect ends when the battle ends.

Reflexive Reprisal

Beginning at 10th level, when you miss a target on your attack roll you may reroll in an attempt to hit it again. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. 

You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 15th level.

The Zantetsuken Stance Improved

The Improved Zantetsuken Stance increases the Zantetsuken Gauge to 4 and the striking power of your Zantetsuken Charges to 1d10 each.

At 15th level, the Zantetsuken Gauge increases to 5 and the power of each Zantetsuken Charge increases to 1d12.

The Zantetsuken Stance Mastered

Upon mastering the Zantetsuken Stance, the Zantetsuken Gauge increases to 5 and the striking power of your Zantetsuken Charges to 1d12 each.