Mixed Martial Artist

Crack, Crack, Crack. The blows came quick and violently. Fists slammed into the mans stomach, kidney and then his face. He barely had time to suck air into his broken nose, his fractured ribs screaming, before he was kicked in the chest and sent flying across the sandy arena. Blood spat out of his mouth as what little air was left was forced from his lungs. He landed hard, his head hitting the packed ground. Dazed, he pulled himself to his feet and looked over at the goliath stalking the ring around him, glaring menacingly. The goliath stopped, brought up his bloody fists, and roared with bloody glee. The man swiftly pissed himself, kneeled in the sand wet with blood and urine, and tapped hoping the jeering crowed and laughing referees would let it end before he was beaten to death.

The young woman jeered at the bandits as they encricled her, "So many big strong men just to fight little me. How about this? I'll go easy on you, fists only". Slipping on her knuckle dusters and licking her lips she dashed forward faster than the men could react. Her spinning kick knocking two to the floor in a single motion. "I guess maybe feet too, my bad". Her next two strikes knocked the two prone figures unconcious. She quickly ducked behind the last man, wrapped and arm around his throat and brought him to the ground, crushing his windpipe and putting him to sleep.

The minotaur charged the bulette, his horns gorging the front of its face. It bit at him, he ducked back out of its reach quickly. His ally struck at it with their axe, glancing off its hide. The minotaur threw his companion out of the way as the bulette quickly snapped in their direction. The minotaur smacked its hands against the side of the bulettes head, dazing it before he jammed his thumbs in its eyes. A headbutt, goring its face again. The blinded and deafened bulette reared and went to leap away, but the minotaur and his ally quickly made strikes against it while it couldn't see, and the life left its eyes. 

 

The Mixed Martial Artist is a specially trained hand-to-hand combatant. Some have come from the streets, underground fighting clubs, and gladiatorial rings. Others have been trained in the martial arts formally, but chose to give up on the spiritual aspects of fighting to become the ultimate brawlers. Others learned by taking beatings and dishing them out in taverns across the realms. However they got here, these fighters put weapons aside and work instead on pummeling their enemies with fists, kicks, elbows, and headbutts. More than that, they have learned how to trip, grapple and manipulate their enemies into submissions. Beware their keen eyes and tight grips.

Mixed Martial Artist

Starting when you take this Martial Archetype at 3rd level, you gian the following benefits. You learn the Unarmed Fighting style. If you have already learnt it, you learn the Blind Fighitng style instead.  

While you are unarmed and you aren’t wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield, when you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike or attempt to grapple a creature as a bonus action.

Martial Art Maneuvers

You learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called Martial Arts dice.

You learn three maneuvers of your choice, which are detailed under “Maneuvers” below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack.

You learn one additional maneuver of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Martial Arts Dice. You have four Martial Arts dice, which are d8s. A Martial Arts die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended martial arts dice when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain another Martial Arts die at 7th level and one more at 15th level. At level 10 and 18, your martial arts dice become d10s and d12s, respectively.

Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC, unless otherwise stated, is calculated as follows:

Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Blind Fighting

You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Unarmed Fighting

Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.

At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Martial Art Maneuvers

You learn a number of manuevers depending on your level. The maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order. 

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you may replace one maneuver you know with a different maneuver.

Box their Ears or Gouge their Eyes

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can expend one martial arts die to strike the creature around its head or stick your thumbs in their eyes. You add the martial arts die to the attack’s damage roll. The target makes a Constitution saving throw, on a fail the creature is deafened or blinded, and incapacitated until the start of your next turn.

Choke Out

When a creature takes damage due to being grappled by you, you can roll a martial arts die and add the roll plus your Strength modifier to the damage. 

Disarming Attack

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can expend one martial arts die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding. You add the martial arts die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object either lands at its feet. If both your hands are free you may make a contested Strength check with disadvantage against the targets Strength saving throw. On a success, you steal the item from the creature.

Duck and Weave

When you take the Dash, Dodge, or Disengage actions, you can expend one martial arts die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.

Feinting Attack

You can expend one martial arts die and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature this turn. If that attack hits, add the martial arts die to the attack’s damage roll.

In and Out

When you miss with an attack, you can use your reaction and expend a martial arts die to move up to half your movement without provoking opportunity attacks. 

Intimidating Presence

As a bonus action, you can expend one martial arts die to make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, adding the martial arts die to the ability check. All creatures that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Charisma (Intimidation) check. On a fail, the creature is frightened of you for 1 minute. The creature can make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC at the end of each of their turns to end this effect. If you are within 5ft of the creature, or have attacked them this turn, they have disadvantage on their Wisdom save.

Out of the Way

When you’re within 5 feet of a creature on your turn, you can expend one martial arts die and switch places with that creature, provided you spend at least 5 feet of movement and the creature is willing and isn’t incapacitated. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Roll the martial arts die. Until the start of your next turn, you or the other creature (your choice) gains a bonus to AC equal to the number rolled.

Precision Attack

When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one martial arts die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before knowing if this attack hits or any other effects of the attack are applied.

Push Kick

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can expend one martial arts die to attempt to drive the target back. You add the martial arts die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is no more than one size larger than you, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you push the target up to 15 feet away from you.

Quick Clinch

When a creature you can see moves into melee with you, you can use your reaction to expend one martial arts die and attempt to grapple that creature, adding the martial arts die to the your Strength (Athletics) check. 

Rapid Block

When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one martial arts die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your martial arts die + your Dexterity modifier.

Shoulder Throw

As a reaction, when a creature within 5ft misses you with an attack you can expend one martial arts die and make an unarmed strike against that creature. If you hit, you deal damage to them, adding the martial arts die to the damage roll. You may also move the creature to an unnocupied space within 5ft of you. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

Smack Talk

As a bonus action, you can smack talk a number of creature within 60ft equal to the number of martial arts die you chose to expend. Make a Charisma (Performance) check, adding the roll of one martial arts die to the check, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your check. On a failed save, the target creatures have disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.

Spinning Kick

When you make an unarmed strike when two or more creatures are within 5ft of you, you can expend one martial arts die to attempt to damage all creatures within your reach. Make a single attack roll, all creatures within 5ft of you who are hit by this attack take damage from your unarmed strike. 

Throw the First Punch

When you make an initiative roll, you can expend one martial arts die and add the die to the roll, provided you aren’t incapacitated. If you are surprised when you roll initiative and use this manuever, you can use your reaction to roll a d8, on a 7 or 8 you are not surprised.

Fast Hands

Starting at 7th level, you have gained considerable speed as a striker.

Whenever you use your bonus action to make an unarmed strike, you make two unarmed strikes rather than one.
Whenever you grapple a creature as a bonus action, you may make one unarmed strike as part of that grapple.

Take Down and Submission Master

At 10th level, you have mastered take downs and submissions. Whenever you successfully grapple a creature you may choose to use a take down on that creature by making another grapple check with advantage. If you succeed, you and the creature are both prone until the grapple ends.

While a creature is grappled by you it has disadvantage on saving throws to escape the grapple and takes 1d8 blundgeoning damage at the start of its turn.

Reversal Techniques

Starting at 15th level, you have mastered your fighting style and trained your body to better withstand harmful effects and conditions. You have advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws against negative conditions, including being grappled, incapacitated, paralyzed, forced prone, restrained, or stunned. 

Combat Ready

When you roll initiative, if you have no martial arts dice, you regain 2 martial arts dice.