Halted Striker

In the distant past, a spiritual temple dedicated to the worship of Torm, the god of courage and self-sacrifice, found itself in the path of a since-forgotten evil. Little more is known of these worshippers, and the only remnant of the temple’s existence is a particular style of combat that was scribed into the history books, which is still taught to this day. The spiritual people of this temple did not have the ability to deviate from their worship, and in preparation for the onslaught at their doorstep, they invited great warriors to collaborate, to establish a means of fending off these invaders. Through many months of joint training, laced with a number of spiritual exercises and teachings provided by the residents of the temple, a unique form of fighting was developed. One which relied on the knowledge that an opponent was coming, and that waiting for the aggressor to strike first would allow for a swift victory through brutal retaliation. It was then that the Halted Striker style was created, and has since been refined to an art by fighters of the modern era. It lacks the vicious proactiveness of many a common fighting style, but enables the combatant to calmly face situations, that may seem overwhelming to any other fighter, with the reflexes to react at the perfect moment, and the wisdom to cast an analytic eye on a battlefield, determining exactly how to nullify an enemy's power.

Instinctual Defenses

Upon reaching 3rd level, you begin to adopt the style of the Halted Striker. In combat, this manifests in the form of heightened awareness of the observable situation, and an enhanced ability to respond to threats. You gain the following two options to be used in combat as reactions.

You can use this feature four times, and regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Evasive Manoeuvrability

You are instinctively able to respond rapidly when approached by a hostile creature. Whenever a creature you see voluntarily moves into your melee attack range, you may attempt to sidestep their swing. This imposes disadvantage on their attack roll, and if the attack misses, you may choose to move up to 5 feet away from the creature without provoking opportunity attacks.

Projectile Parry

You have the ability to reflexively attempt to either slice at a projectile fired at you, or to shoot it out of the air as it approaches. When an enemy makes a ranged weapon attack against you, you can use your reaction to make a contested attack roll with any ranged or melee weapon, as long as it does not have the Heavy or Special properties. If you succeed, the enemy’s projectile is deflected or destroyed before it reaches you, and you take no damage from the attack. If you fail, you take half damage from the attack.

Improved Mental Fortitude

At 3rd level, you’ve begun to incorporate the many meditative and breathing exercises of the Halted Striker style into your daily routine. This causes a lasting impact outside of combat, as you find yourself noticing many of the smaller things that you might otherwise overlook. You gain expertise in your choice of Insight or Perception checks.

Verbal Jab

Relying on your enemies to approach first may not always work, especially against more cautious opponents. Thus, a helpful skill that you've developed is the ability to mock a creature with enough intensity to enrage them.

By 7th level, if you are aware of the presence of a creature near you, you may attempt to verbally assault them, maddening them and causing them to direct their anger towards you. This has no effect if the creature cannot understand the language you use to insult it. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw contested by your Intimidation check. If a creature fails this save during combat, they may only use their movement to approach you, and any attack made against a creature that is not you suffers disadvantage. If a creature fails this save outside of combat, they suffer disadvantage on any Wisdom saving throws, as well as on Insight and Perception checks. In either situation, the effects of this taunt last for 1 minute.

Muscle Memory

At 10th level, you've begun to display a level of rigour in training your combative skills, and as such, your reactions have developed acutely beyond a typical fighter. Employing this precise reactivity in combination with your heightened awareness, you can expend additional energy at precise moments to perform additional reactions.

This draws from a reserve of additional reactions equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). This feature can be used once per round. You can regain expended uses of this feature with a short or long rest.

Mastery of Mental Fortitude

The regular inclusion of meditation and breathing exercises into your training routine has shown an even greater impact on your abilities. At 10th level, you gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.

Amplified Instinctual Defenses

Starting at 15th level, you have shown immense aptitude in using the heightened awareness you have developed through training in the Halted Striker style, and the manner in which you instinctually fend off enemies has evolved into a fluid set of movements.

As such, you can now perform improved Instinctual Defenses features, which are used in combat as reactions, and draw from the same pool as the 3rd level ability.

Improved Evasive Manoeuvrability

When Evasive Manoeuvrability would allow you to move away from an enemy, you may move up to 15 feet instead of 5 feet.

Improved Projectile Parry

When using the Projectile Parry reaction, you add your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) to the contested attack roll.

Torm's Stance of the Unmoving

You have shown a level of dedication to the style of the Halted Striker that few reach, and have almost achieved mastery of the style. This is evidenced in the final technique taught to students of the fighting style. The story, according to all known literature, is that the head of the temple of Torm that housed this fighting style was granted a vision a week before the inevitable onslaught. Though he himself was a frail, older human, he was able to convey the depth of power and technique required to perform the stance that was shown to him by Torm himself, and the most adept fighters were able to use it in the battle that would soon follow.

At 18th level, you are able to accomplish a similar feat, and can maintain the same stance for short periods of time. At the end of your turn, as long as you have not moved this turn, you may use your bonus action to quickly perform the sacred mantra, and enter a state of extreme presence of mind. This provides you with a +2 bonus to your AC, further enhancing your ability to react instantaneously to any threat that approaches you, as well as giving you advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

This ability lasts for 1 minute, or until you physically move a distance greater than 5 feet in one turn. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.