Cage Fighter

If you, like me, are an MMA fighter who looked at the martial artist fighter subclass and thought, "I could armbar that guy", when trying to find out how to play Khabib Nurmagomedov in DnD, then look no further. This is the martial artist-est martial artist, created by a fighter for fighters, with proper combat that won't make you cringe your eyeballs out, or make you want to roundhouse some guy in the ribs, or ankle-pick him, when he spends six seconds making ONE GODDAMNED ATTACK. 

Cage fighters are some of the toughest people alive. To willingly endure such physical misery in the pursuit of little more than elevated adrenaline and dopamine is nothing short of insanity. However, they are also strategic masterminds, maintaining their presence of mind during adverse encounters, and employing deft and subtle tactics. Rodtang, Mighty Mouse, Khabib, Conor, Pereira, Nate Diaz, and Ngannou are just some of the legends that have come out of the sport, and they would surely have no issues navigating a high fantasy setting in which combat plays an integral role. This class is not for the mindless brute - timing, cunning, and tactics are key, but there is no end to the prowess of the skilled martial artist. 

Natural Armour

Your armour class is 10 plus your Dexterity modifier plus your proficiency bonus

Martial Arts

When you choose this subclass at level 3, and for each additional level you gain after that, you can choose to gain a level of proficiency in a martial art. There are two martial arts to choose from; Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (grappling art), and Muay Thai (striking art). Each martial art has five levels of proficiency, each unlocking different features. Each technique you use costs a certain number of technique points. Based on your fighter level, you can use a specific number of technique points per round. This replaces using multiple attacks.

Technique points per round:

Level 3: 4, Level 5: 5, Level 11: 6, Level 20: 7

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (grappling):

• White Belt
  • You can use the Basic techniques in combat.
  • You have advantage on grappling checks.
  • You can use Dexterity for grappling instead of strength.
  • Making a grappling check costs 1 technique point.
• Blue Belt
  • When you succeed a grappling check, the target is knocked prone.
  • Double your damage dice when using Basic techniques.
  • Add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls.
• Purple Belt
  • You can use the Intermediate techniques in combat.
  • You have expertise in grappling checks.
  • When you succeed a grappling check, you can immediately deal 2d8 bludgeoning damage to the target.
• Brown Belt
  • Triple your damage dice when using Basic techniques.
  • Double your damage dice when using Intermediate techniques.
  • When you succeed a grappling check, the target must succeed a Constitution saving throw, DC 8 + proficiency + Dex modifier, or is under the Stunned condition. At the end of their turn, they may make another Constitution saving throw.
• Black Belt
  • You can use the Advanced techniques in combat.
  • Quadruple your damage dice when using Basic techniques.
  • Triple your damage dice when using Intermediate techniques.
  • If you roll below a 10 on a grapple check, you can replace the roll with a 10.

Any time you make an opposed grapple check which deals damage, treat a natural 20 as you would a normal critical hit.

• Basic Techniques
  • Ankle pick (2 technique points): Make an opposed grapple check. If you equal the other score, they are prone and grappled. If you beat the other score by 2, you can go into full mount. If you beat the other score by 4, you can take their back. You deal 1d4 + Dex modifier damage. 
  • Armbar (2 technique points): You must be in full mount. Make a grapple check opposed by the target's constitution save. On a success, you break the target's arm, dealing 2d12 + Dex modifier bludgeoning damage. The target is then stunned, and must make a constitution save against 8 + Dex + proficiency at the end of each of their turns to break the condition. On a failure, the target takes half damage, and is not stunned.
  • Transition (1 technique point): The target must be grappled. Make an opposed grapple check. If you beat the other score by 2, you can go into full mount. If you beat the other score by 4, you can take the target's back. 
  • Rear naked choke (2 technique points): You must have taken the target's back. Make a grapple check opposed by the target's constitution save. On a success, the target falls unconscious for 1d4 hours. On a failure, the target takes 2d12 + Dex modifier bludgeoning damage. 
  • Ground and pound (1 technique point): You must be in full mount. Make a Dex-based attack roll with advantage and proficiency. On a hit, you deal 1d6+Dex modifier bludgeoning damage.
• Intermediate Techniques
  • Superior Transition (1 technique point): Make an opposed grapple check. On a success, you can transition to full mount, closed guard, or rubber guard. If you beat the opponent's score by 2, you can transition to a back take. 
  • Triangle choke (2 technique points): You must be in rubber guard or closed guard. Make an opposed grapple check. On a success, make a grapple check opposed by the opponent's constitution save.  On a success, the opponent falls unconscious for 1d4 hours. On a failure, the opponent takes 3d12 + Dex modifier bludgeoning damage, and has disadvantage on their next save against this choke.
  • Leg lock (2 technique points): You must be in closed guard or full mount. Make an opposed grapple check. On a success, if your roll exceeds the opponent's strength score, you break their leg, dealing 5d12+Dex modifier bludgeoning damage. If not, this is halved. On a failure, halve this again.
• Advanced Techniques
  • Unbeatable stamina (1 technique point): The opponent must be grappled. Make a grapple check opposed by the opponent's constitution save. On a success, the opponent takes 1 level of exhaustion, and 4d12 + Dex modifier piercing damage. On a failure, the opponent takes half damage and no exhaustion.
  • Shoulder roll (1 technique point): Take the Disengage action.
  • Flying attacks: Any submission can be done as a flying attack. Your range increases by 10 ft for these attacks, and you must first succeed a DC 17 acrobatics check to make the attack. On a failure, you are prone. On a success, you can attempt the submission as normal, but add an extra damage die. If the submission fails, the target is still grappled.

Muay Thai (striking):

•  Beginner 
  • Damage die: d4
  • Jab (1 technique point): Dex attack, 1 damage die + Dex bludgeoning damage. The next attack has advantage.
  • Cross (1 technique point): Dex attack, 2 damage dice + dex bludgeoning damage.
  • Roundhouse (2 technique points): Dex attack,  3 damage dice + dex + proficiency bludgeoning damage
• Novice
  • Elbow (1 technique point): Dex attack, 1 damage die + dex bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed a DC 8 + dex + proficiency con save or be blinded by blood in their eyes.
  • Teep (1 technique point): Dex attack, 2 damage dice + dex bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target is pushed 10 feet backwards.
  • Clinch (2 technique points): Make an opposed grapple check. Benefits from BJJ apply. On a success, you clinch the target. All attacks on the target have advantage until the target is free. 
• Intermediate 
  • Damage die: d8
  • Knee (2 technique points): Dex attack, 2 damage dice + dex bludgeoning damage. On a hit, you can make the target make a con save against 8 + dex + proficiency or be stunned. The  saving throw can be repeated at the end of their next turn. This can be used as many times as your proficiency bonus. 
  • Sweep (3 technique points): Dex attack, 2 damage dice + dex bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target must make an opposed dex check. On a success, the target is knocked prone and takes 2 extra damage dice of bludgeoning damage. If you are at least a blue belt in BJJ, you can immediately grapple them.
  • Low kick (2 technique points): Dex attack, 3 damage dice + dex bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target must make a con save against 8 + dex + proficiency. If the target fails this save twice within 10 minutes, then they lose the ability to move one of their legs for 1d4 hours. Their speed is halved, and they take an additional 2 damage dice bludgeoning damage.
• Advanced
  • Spinning attacks: Any attack can be done as a spinning attack. You must first succeed a DC 17 acrobatics check. On a failure, you are prone. On a success, the target must make a constitution save against 8 + dex + proficiency. On a failure, the target is knocked unconscious for 1d4 rounds. If they die during that time, they are permanently dead.
  • Flying attacks: Any attack can be done as a spinning attack. You must first succeed a DC 17 acrobatics check. On a failure, you are prone. On a success, the target must make a strength save against 8 + dex + proficiency. On a failure, the target is knocked prone and 10 ft away from you. This is cumulative with the Teep.
• Saenchai
  • Damage die: d10
  • Cartwheel kick (4 technique points): Your reach for this kick is 15 ft. You must make a DC 15 acrobatics check. On a failure, you are prone. On a success, make a dex attack with advantage. On a hit, the target takes 5 damage dice + dex bludgeoning damage. 

Magical Hands

You have trained long enough in martial arts that the bones in your hands, arms and legs have become hardened beyond their usual density. Your martial arts attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities. You also gain the ability to channel the discipline that you have learned. When you crit, once per long rest, you can add 2d12 to your attack. 

Improved Martial Arts

At level 10, choose one of the following features:

• Unpassable Guard:
  • You gain +3 to your Natural Armour AC.
• Unrivaled Grappler:
  • Your grappling attacks gain +5 damage.
• Blitz:
  • When you use action surge to make melee attacks, you can use two additional technique points.

Pull Counter

At 15th level, you gain the ability to anticipate your opponent's strikes to the level that you can successfully dodge and counter. When an enemy makes an attack against you, before the dice are rolled, you may choose to pull counter. You gain a +2 to your AC for that attack, and if it misses, you can use your reaction to make attacks equal to 2 technique points at advantage. This feature can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. 

Down, But Not Out

At level 18, whenever you fall to 0 HP due to a creature that is within your reach, you may make choose to make a grapple attack against that creature. If you hit, then you fall to 1 HP instead, and the creature is grappled. If you miss, you immediately fail a death saving throw.