Martial Archetype: Joyful Duelist

Joyful Duelists approach combat as an exchange of intent rather than brute force. By committing fully to one—or eventually two—opponents, they anticipate movement, read tells, and dictate the flow of battle through insight rather than force.

Level 3: Level 3: Predictive Duel

You possess a pool of Insight Dice, representing your accumulated understanding of enemy behavior.

• When you finish a long rest, you regain a number of Insight Dice equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1), up to your maximum.
• You can have a maximum number of Insight Dice equal to your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
• Your Insight Dice are d4s at 3rd level. 

Begin the Duel

As a bonus action, you enter a Predictive Duel with one creature you can see within 30 feet.

• The duel lasts for 1 minute.
• It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you choose to end it on your turn (no action required), or if you begin a Predictive Duel with a different creature.
• You can have only one Predictive Duel active at a time unless otherwise noted.

Predict

At the start of each of your turns while the duel is active, choose up to three predictions about the target’s behavior before the start of your next turn. Each prediction must be from a different category.

1. Action: Attack, cast a spell, move defensively (Dash, Disengage, or Dodge), use a special ability, or take no action
2. Bonus Action: Attack, use an ability, move, or take no bonus action
3. Reaction: Offensive, defensive, or none
4. Movement: Move closer to you, move farther from you, reposition without changing distance, or remain stationary

At the end of the creature’s turn, you gain one Insight Die for each correct prediction, up to your maximum.

If a creature’s behavior reasonably matches a prediction, it counts as correct.

Spending Insight Dice

While Predictive Duel is active, you may expend Insight Dice only against the duel target. You may spend a maximum number of Insight Dice on any single option equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).

1. Precision Strike. When you hit the target with a weapon attack, add the Insight Dice to the damage roll.
2. Defensive Read. When the target makes an attack against you, you may expend Insight Dice to gain a +2 bonus to AC per die spent against that attack, after the roll is made but before the result is determined.
3. Evasive Read. When you make a dexterity, constitution, or strength saving throw caused by the target, add the Insight Dice to the roll.

Level 3: Level 3: Studied Opponent

Outside of combat, if you spend at least 1 minute observing, sparring with, tracking, or gathering information about a specific creature, make a Wisdom (Insight) check against DC 13.

• On a success, you gain 2 Insight Dice that may be used against that creature during a future Predictive Duel.
• You may have only one studied creature at a time.

Scribed Analysis

If you spend 1 uninterrupted hour recording notes, diagrams, or observations about a studied creature, you retain that study indefinitely.

 

• When you later encounter that creature, you may immediately gain the Insight Dice from Studied Opponent without repeating the check.

• Significant changes to the creature may invalidate this analysis at the DM’s discretion.

 

 

Level 7: Level 7: Expanded Insight

You gain additional ways to spend Insight Dice while in Predictive Duel:

1. Footwork Read. When the target moves, you may expend 1 Insight Die to move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
2. Fractured Concentration. When you hit a creature concentrating on a spell, you may expend Insight Dice to impose disadvantage on the Constitution saving throw made to maintain concentration.
3. Unbreakable Focus. You may expend 1 Insight Die to automatic pass a Concentration for predictive dual 

Level 10: Level 10: Deep Analysis

• When you enter Predictive Duel, you immediately gain 2 Insight Die, assigned to the target.
• The size of your Insight Dice increases as you gain fighter levels: d6 at 10th level and d8 at 15th level.

Level 15: Level 15: Split Focus

When you begin Predictive Duel, you may choose up to two creatures you can see within 30 feet.

• You may make up to six predictions each turn, divided between the chosen creatures as you wish.
• Insight Dice gained are assigned to the creature whose behavior you correctly predicted.
• You may spend Insight Dice only on the creature to which they are assigned.
• All other rules of Predictive Duel apply normally.

If the Predictive Duel ends, it ends for both creatures.

Level 18: Level 18: Command the Outcome

While you are in Predictive Duel and have at least 3 Insight Dice assigned to a creature, you may expend 3 Insight Dice as a reaction to impose your will on that creature’s next turn.

At the start of the creature’s next turn, choose one of the following effects:

1. The creature must move closer to you or farther from you (your choice) any number of feet your choice up to their movement.
2. The creature must take the Attack action against a hostile creature of your choice.
3. The creature cannot take reactions this turn.

This effect cannot force actions that would result in obvious self-harm. A legendary creature may expend one legendary resistance to ignore this effect.

You may use this feature once per round.