Fechtmeister

Fighter Martial Archetype

A Fechtmeister is a master of the sword who has devoted years to the disciplined study of combat. Through precise footwork, carefully chosen guards, and practiced counters, they control the distance and tempo of a fight rather than relying on brute strength or heavy armor. A Fechtmeister reads an opponent's movements, exploits openings, and turns attacks back upon their wielder.

Their greatest strength lies in versatility: shifting seamlessly between guards and adapting their techniques to meet whatever threat stands before them. To a Fechtmeister, the sword is not merely a weapon—it is a discipline perfected through study, practice, and experience.

Level 3: Sword Training

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor if you do not already have it.

You also gain proficiency with longswords, shortswords, and greatswords if you do not already have it.

Swords

For the purposes of this subclass, a sword is a straight, double-edged weapon equipped with a cross-guard.

Your Techniques can only be used while:

• wielding a sword;
• wearing light or medium armor.

The following standard weapons qualify:

• Shortsword
• Longsword
• Greatsword

A DM may allow other weapons to qualify if they meet the same physical characteristics.

Level 3: The Six Guards

At 3rd level, you learn six fundamental Guards. Each represents a different tactical position.

Entering a Guard requires a bonus action.

You remain in that Guard until you enter another Guard, become incapacitated, or voluntarily leave it.

You can only benefit from one Guard at a time.

Certain features allow you to change Guards without using a bonus action.

Vom Tag 

Aggression

You hold your sword high, preparing a powerful descending strike.

While in Vom Tag:

• Your first sword attack on each of your turns has advantage.
• Attack rolls made against you have advantage.

Vom Tag represents an aggressive position that gives you a powerful opening while deliberately exposing you to counterattack.

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Ochs

Point Control

You hold the sword near your head with the point directed toward your opponent.

While in Ochs:

• You gain +2 AC.

Point Threat

When a hostile creature enters your sword's reach, you may use your reaction to make one normal attack against it.

On a hit, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its turn.

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Pflug 

Flow and Defense

You hold the sword low, with the point threatening the opponent.

While in Pflug:

• You gain +2 AC.

Flowing Step

When a creature within your sword's reach attacks you, you may move 5 feet without provoking an opportunity attack from that creature.

You may do this whether the attack hits or misses.

If this movement takes you out of the creature's reach, you may immediately change to Vom Tag without using a bonus action.

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Alber 

Bait and Defense

You deliberately lower your sword, inviting your opponent to attack.

While in Alber:

• You gain +2 AC.

Alber's strength lies in encouraging an opponent to commit to an attack that you are prepared to counter.

Invitation

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, they receive disadvantage on their next attack, and you may immediately change to Vom Tag without using a bonus action.

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Nebenhut

Crowd Fighting

You hold your sword to the side, prepared to deliver powerful horizontal cuts.

When you take the Attack action while in Nebenhut, you may replace one of your attacks with a Sweeping Cut.

Choose up to two creatures within your reach and make a separate attack roll against each.

On a hit, a target takes the weapon's normal damage.

You do not add your ability modifier to the damage dealt to the second target.

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Langenort

Distance Control

You extend your sword directly toward your opponent.

While in Langenort:

• Your sword's reach increases by 5 feet.
• You have disadvantage on attacks made against creatures within 5 feet of you.

Point Threat

When a hostile creature enters your sword's reach, you may make an attack of opportunity and the creatures speed is reduced by 5 feet until the end of its turn.

On successful hit, you deal normal weapon damage, and can switch to Vom Tag without using a bonus action.

Langenort is extremely effective at maintaining distance, but becomes less effective once an opponent gets inside your point.

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Changing Guards

Wechsel — Changing

You can change from your current Guard to another Guard as a bonus action.

Certain Guard abilities and Master Strikes allow you to change Guards without using a bonus action.

A Guard is not intended to be a permanent stance. A skilled swordsman constantly changes position in response to the actions of their opponent.

Technique Dice

Technique Dice

Beginning at 3rd level, you gain a pool of Technique Dice that fuel your Master Strikes.

You have a number of Technique Dice equal to your proficiency bonus.

Your Technique Die is a d8.

It becomes a d10 at 10th level and a d12 at 18th level.

You regain all expended Technique Dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Unless otherwise specified, using a Master Strike requires your reaction and expending one Technique Die.

Your Master Strikes can only be used while wielding a sword.

Level 3: Master Strikes

At 3rd level, you learn three Master Strikes. You learn one additional Master Strike at 7th level.

Every Master Strike can be performed from any Guard.

However, your current Guard changes the way the Master Strike functions.

This allows a swordsman to respond to the same attack in different ways depending on their current position.

Technique Save DC : 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Zornhau — Wrath Strike

Reaction — 1 Technique Die

When a creature within your sword's reach makes a melee attack against you, you can use your reaction to make a sword attack against that creature.

If you hit, roll your Technique Die and subtract the result from the triggering attack roll.

You must use Zornhau after seeing the attack roll but before determining whether the attack hits.

Guard Benefits

Vom Tag — Mighty Strike
If your Zornhau hits, roll your Technique Die and add the result to the Master Strike's damage.

Ochs — Point in Line
If your Zornhau hits, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its turn.

Pflug — Closing
After resolving Zornhau, you may move 5 feet toward the attacking creature without provoking an opportunity attack from it.

Alber — Invitation
If Zornhau causes the triggering attack to miss, you gain +2 AC against that creature until the beginning of your next turn.

Nebenhut — Clearing Cut
If Zornhau hits, you may move another creature within your reach 5 feet to an unoccupied space adjacent to you.

Langenort — Keep the Point
If Zornhau hits, the creature cannot willingly move closer to you until the beginning of your next turn.

Krumphau — Crooked Strike

Reaction — 1 Technique Die

When a creature within your sword's reach makes a melee weapon attack, you can make a sword attack against its weapon or weapon arm.

On a hit, roll your Technique Die. The target must make a Strength or Constitution saving throw against your Technique save DC.

On a failure, choose one of the following:

Disable

The creature has disadvantage on weapon attacks made using the arm you struck until the beginning of your next turn.

Disarm

The creature drops the weapon it used to make the triggering attack at its feet.

Beat the Blade

The triggering attack is made with disadvantage.

Guard Benefits

Vom Tag — Descending Krumphau
If you choose Disable, the target also cannot make opportunity attacks until the beginning of your next turn.

Ochs — Point and Hand
If you choose Disarm, you may kick the dropped weapon up to 5 feet away.

Pflug — Withdraw
After Krumphau resolves, you may move 5 feet without provoking an opportunity attack from the target.

Alber — Baited Hand
If the creature fails its saving throw, you gain +2 AC against that creature until the beginning of your next turn.

Nebenhut — Clearing the Line
If you successfully Disable or Disarm the target, you may immediately make a sword attack against a different creature within your reach. You do not add your ability modifier to the damage of this additional attack.

Langenort — Long Point
If you choose Disable, the target's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the beginning of your next turn.

Zwerchhau — Cross Strike

Reaction — 1 Technique Die

When a creature within your sword's reach makes a melee attack against you, you can make a sword attack against it.

On a hit, roll your Technique Die and add the result to your AC against the triggering attack.

Guard Benefits

Vom Tag — Counter from Above
If the triggering attack misses, you may immediately change to Nebenhut without using a bonus action.

Ochs — Crossing Point
If your attack hits, the target cannot make opportunity attacks until the beginning of your next turn.

Pflug — Passing Step
After resolving Zwerchhau, you may move 5 feet without provoking an opportunity attack from the attacking creature.

Alber — The Invitation
If the triggering attack misses, you have advantage on your next sword attack against that creature before the end of your next turn.

Nebenhut — Crossing the Line
If your attack hits, you may move 5 feet to either side of the target without provoking an opportunity attack from it.

Langenort — Extended Counter
You may make the Zwerchhau against a creature up to 10 feet away from you.

Absetzen — Setting Aside

Reaction — 1 Technique Die

When a creature within your sword's reach makes a melee attack against you, you can make a sword attack against it.

On a hit, roll your Technique Die and reduce the triggering attack's damage by the amount rolled.

If this reduces the damage to 0, the triggering attack misses entirely.

Guard Benefits

Vom Tag — Powerful Reprisal
If you reduce the triggering attack's damage to 0, your next sword attack against that creature before the end of your next turn has advantage.

Ochs — Point in the Bind
If you reduce the damage to 0, the creature cannot make opportunity attacks until the beginning of your next turn.

Pflug — Passing Step
You may move 5 feet away from the attacking creature without provoking an opportunity attack from it.

Alber — Strong Defense
You gain +2 AC against the triggering attack.

Nebenhut — Redirect
If the attacking creature is using a melee weapon and there is another creature within its reach, you may redirect the attack toward that creature. The new target is attacked using the original attack roll.

Langenort — Maintaining Distance
If you reduce the triggering attack's damage to 0, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the beginning of your next turn.

Level 7: The Bind

At 7th level, you learn to fight from the Bind, the moment when your blade and your opponent's weapon meet.

When you hit a creature wielding a melee weapon, you may choose to enter a Bind instead of dealing your weapon's damage.

The Bind lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

While you are Bound:

• You and the creature cannot willingly move more than 5 feet away from one another.
• The creature has disadvantage on attacks against creatures other than you.
• You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made against the creature.

You can only have one creature Bound at a time.

While in a Bind, you gain the following options based on your current Guard.

Vom Tag — Winden

As a bonus action, make an attack against the Bound creature.

On a hit, deal normal weapon damage and gain +2 AC against that creature until the beginning of your next turn.

Ochs — Thrust

As a bonus action, make an attack against the Bound creature.

On a hit, its speed becomes 0 until the beginning of your next turn.

Pflug — Displace

As a bonus action, make an Athletics check contested by the creature's Athletics or Acrobatics.

On a success, push the creature 5 feet.

Alber — Throw

As a bonus action, make an Athletics check contested by the creature's Athletics or Acrobatics.

On a success, you trip the creature and they become prone.

Nebenhut — Cut Around

As a bonus action, make a sword attack against another creature within your reach.

Langenort — Withdraw

As a bonus action, end the Bind and move up to 10 feet without provoking an opportunity attack from the Bound creature.

Level 10: Indes

You have learned to act in the instant between your opponent's movements.

Once per round, when a creature within your sword's reach:

• enters your reach;
• leaves your reach;
• attacks you;
• attacks an ally within your reach; or
• stands from prone;

you may change Guards without using a bonus action.

You may then use a reaction granted by your new Guard if one is applicable.

This feature grants you an additional reaction.

Level 15: Vor/Nach - Before/After

You have mastered the three fundamental concepts of initiative in the fight.

Vor — Before

When you are the aggressor, you act before your opponent can establish their position.

Your first sword attack on your turn gains +5 to its attack roll if you have not been damaged since the beginning of your previous turn.

Nach — After

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, your next sword attack against that creature before the end of your next turn deals an additional 2d8 damage.

Level 18: Master of the Blade

You have reached the highest level of conventional swordsmanship.

Perfect Wechsel

You may change Guards twice per turn without using a bonus action.

Master of the Bind

You may have two creatures Bound simultaneously.

Relentless Measure

When you hit a creature with a sword, you may move up to 5 feet without provoking an opportunity attack from that creature.

Six Guards, One Art

Whenever you change Guards, you gain the following benefit until the beginning of your next turn:

Vom Tag: Your next sword attack deals an additional 1d8 damage.

Ochs: You gain +2 AC.

Pflug: Your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks from one creature of your choice.

Alber: You gain advantage on your next opportunity attack.

Nebenhut: Your next Sweeping Cut can target three creatures instead of two.

Langenort: Your next sword attack gains an additional 5 feet of reach.