Base Class: Monk
The Way of the Iron Mantis is a merciless fighting style that blends the spectacle and dominance of a masked wrestler with the precision of a predatory insect. Practitioners do not simply trade blows. They seize control of the battlefield through grapples, pins, throws, limb destruction, and sudden explosive finishers.
Iron Mantis monks close distance fast, break posture, trap movement, and punish weakness. Their style is built on momentum. Once they get their hands on a target, they do not let go until bone, breath, or will gives out.
These monks are feared in pits, arenas, back-alley fights, and warbands alike. To face one is to be dragged into a contest of control, where every failed movement becomes an opening, every opening becomes pain, and pain becomes defeat.
Mantis Grip
Your grappling style relies on speed, leverage, and precision rather than brute strength.
You gain the following benefits:
• You can use Dexterity (Acrobatics) instead of Strength (Athletics) when making checks to grapple or maintain a grapple.
• When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to grapple it as part of the same attack, provided you have a free hand. You can do this once per turn.
• While you are grappling a creature:
– You have advantage on attack rolls against that creature.
– That creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against you.
(Grapple DC is 8+Strength Modifier+your Proficiency bonus)
Iron Lock
When you successfully grapple a creature, you can spend 1 focus Point to apply a Lock. The target must be no more than one size larger than you.
Choose one of the following Lock effects.
Breaker Lock
The target takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage immediately.
This damage increases as you gain levels in this class:
• 2d6 at 6th level
• 3d6 at 11th level
• 4d6 at 17th level
Crippling Lock
The target has disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.
If the target already has disadvantage from another feature, it instead takes a –2 penalty to damage rolls until the start of your next turn.
Pin Lock
The target is restrained until the start of your next turn.
The creature can attempt to escape the grapple as normal on its turn. (Grapple DC is 8+Strength Modifier+your Proficiency bonus)
Throw Technique
If you are grappling a creature, you can use your action to throw it.
Choose one of the following effects:
• Throw the creature up to 10 feet to a space you can see
• Throw the creature up to 15 feet if it is your size or smaller
• Knock the creature prone
• Deal 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier bludgeoning damage
A thrown creature lands prone unless it succeeds on a Dexterity saving throw against your focus save DC (save DC equals 8 plus your Wisdom modifier and Proficiency Bonus).
If the creature collides with a surface or another creature, it takes an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage. The struck creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
Predator Instinct
Once per combat, when a creature you can see falls to half its hit points or fewer, you can enter a predatory rhythm.
Until the end of your next turn:
• You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature
• The first time you hit it, you deal extra damage
The bonus damage increases as you gain levels in this class:
• +2 at 3rd level
• +4 at 6th level
• +6 at 11th level
• +8 at 17th level
Crushing Clinch
At the start of each of your turns, a creature grappled by you takes bludgeoning damage equal to your Martial Arts die.
Additionally:
• Your speed is not halved when moving a grappled creature, unless it is more than one size larger than you
• Grappled creatures cannot benefit from bonuses to speed
Reversal Step
When a creature within 5 feet misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to do one of the following:
• Move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks from that creature
• Attempt to grapple that creature
• If you are already grappling it, you may immediately use Throw Technique (no action required)
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier per long rest, or spend 1 Focus Point to use it again.
Execution Hold
When you have a creature grappled, you can spend 2 focus Points as a bonus action to force it into a devastating hold.
The target must make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (its choice) against your Focus save DC.(The save DC equals 8 plus your Wisdom modifier and Proficiency Bonus.)
Choose one of the following effects.
Break Hold
The creature takes damage equal to three rolls of your Martial Arts die and its speed becomes 0 until the end of your next turn.
Choke Hold
The creature cannot speak above a whisper and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until the start of your next turn.
Submission Hold
The creature is restrained and has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws until the start of your next turn.
Predator’s Chain
When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, or when a grappled creature escapes you, you may immediately:
• Move up to half your speed
• Make one unarmed strike
• Attempt to grapple a new creature within reach
This movement or action does not require an action.
Apex Predator of the Ring
You gain the following benefits:
• Creatures have disadvantage on checks and saving throws made to escape your grapple
• Your Throw Technique range increases to 20 feet
• Your Throw Technique damage becomes two rolls of your Martial Arts die + your Dexterity modifier
• If a thrown creature collides with a surface or creature, it takes additional damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die
• Creatures grappled by you cannot make opportunity attacks
• Their speed becomes 0
• They have disadvantage on saving throws against your Iron Mantis features
Additionally, when you hit a creature that is grappled by you, restrained, prone, or below half its hit points, you can spend 3 Focus Points:
The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save:
• It takes damage equal to five rolls of your Martial Arts die
• It is stunned until the end of your next turn
On a success, it takes half damage and is not stunned.