Way of CQC

CQC, or close quarters combat, is a combat style designed during times of war to aid in both lethal and non-lethal close quarters infiltration. Designed for both armed and unarmed combat, it utilizes a variety of grabs, chokeholds, and strikes while still allowing for ranged strikes with offhand weapons.

CQC Basics

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn the basics of CQC.

CQC Restrain. When you perform a grapple, you can instead make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check instead of a strength check. This also applies when a creature is attempting to escape your grapple. Additionally, when you make an unarmed strike as part of your flurry of blows, any of those strikes can be attempts to grapple instead.

CQC Throw. When you perform a shove, you can instead make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check instead of a strength check. When you make an unarmed strike as part of your flurry of blows, any of those strikes can be attempts to shove instead. You have advantage on the check if you are shoving a creature you are currently grappling.

CQC Weapon Training - You gain proficiency in hand crossbows if you do not have it already, and they are considered a monk weapon to you. If your Dungeon Master allows it, you also gain proficiency in firearms. Additionally, you can still grapple a creature even if you are wielding weapons in both hands, provided they both have the light property. You can only grapple one creature at a time this way.

Improved CQC

At 6th level, you have learned to improve your repertoire of CQC maneuvers.

CQC Chokehold. When you take the attack action against a creature you are currently grappling, you can choose to spend 1 ki point and use the stunning strike ability. Instead of making an attack, the creature must immediately make the constitution saving throw. Furthermore, they have disadvantage on the saving throw. This ability does not work on creatures that do not need air or do not breathe.

CQC Interrogate. Creatures you are grappling have disadvantage on charisma (deception) checks against you, and you have advantage on wisdom (insight) checks and charisma (intimidation) checks against that creature.

CQC Disarm. As a bonus action you can disarm one creature you are grappling or have just shoved.

Ethereal Restrain

At 11th level, you have learned to augment your CQC abilities with ki, improving on them drastically. You can now grapple and shove any creature, regardless of size. You also ignore creatures' immunity to the grappled and prone condition. Additionally, your CQC chokehold works on any creature, regardless of whether they need air or not.

CQC Master

At 17th level, you have mastered all there is to know about CQC. Some refer to you as even the boss of CQC. You learn the following CQC abilities.

CQC Bodyshield. When you are grappling a creature, you are considered as having soft cover against the ranged attack, using their body as a shield. Any attack that misses you instead hits the creature.

CQC Throat Slit. When you are grappling a creature, you can attempt to strike a creature's weak point. When you attack that grappled creature, you can spend 3 ki points to deal the maximum damage instead of rolling. Additionally, you can critically strike that grappled creature. You can only critically strike a creature this way once, unless they have regained all their hit points.