Half-Swordsman

A fighter can grip the blade of any sword-like weapon (excluding daggers) to harness it’s full potential. Her sword can now be used to deal bludgeoning or piercing damage in place of the normal slashing damage. The fighter can take advantage of the awkward wielding of the blade to throw her opponents off in combat.

Half-Swording

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can select from 3 stances while wielding a sword. Changing your stance requires a standard action.

Standard: You wield your sword as normal, dealing slashing damage. 
Quickstep: Gain an additional 5 feet of movement while in standard stance.

Ricasso: You put one hand on the blade of your sword and wield it like a spear, dealing piercing damage.
Exploit: Target a gap in your opponent’s armor dealing an additional +1 damage for every size category larger than Small. 

Mordhau: You grip your sword by the blade with both hands and strike enemies with the pommel and hilt, dealing bludgeoning damage.
Crush: Making full use of the weight of your blade, hitting an opponent allows you to move the them 5 feet in any direction. Target must roll a strength save to resist DC=14. (Can only be used once per turn)

 

 

Overwhelming Strength

Starting at 7th level, you gain the ability to grab an incoming weapon with your hand, reducing the damage taken by 1d4 + your strength modifier. This ability is a reaction and can be used an amount of times equal to you constitution modifier (minimum of 1) per day.

In addition, you can add you strength modifier to intimidate or persuasion when threatening someone with violence.

Sword Dancer

At 10th level, after hitting an enemy you can roll with disadvantage to hit another enemy within 5 feet in your attack range.

In addition, when you change stances in between attacks, the damage dice for the second attack becomes one size larger.

Butcher’s Brand

Starting at 15th level, you learn a deadly ability in each of your fighting stances. They can be used 1+ your wisdom modifier per long rest. 

Standard: Dirt Throw: When making an attack, use the end of your sword to flick dirt or sand into your enemy’s eyes. If your melee attack hits then opponent must make a constitution saving throw DC = 10+ 1/2 your fighter level. On a fail the enemy is blinded until they pass the check (can make one every turn), the DC is reduced by 3 every attempt.

Ricasso: Stake: When an enemy is prone in your attack range you can use your attack to stake your opponent to the ground dealing normal damage and grappling them to the ground. A rivaled athletics can be made to escape. On a fail or whenever another action is taken the pinned opponent takes half of a normal damage roll for your weapon.

Mordhau: Crippling Strike: Targeting limbs can temporarily disable your opponent. When targeting legs the opponent must roll a dexterity saving throw, on a fail the opponent is knocked prone. When targeting arms the opponent must make a strength saving throw, on a fail the opponent is disarmed. When targeting the head the the opponent must make a constitution saving throw, on a fail the opponent makes their attacks with disadvantage on their next turn. The save DC is 10+ 1/2 your fighter level.

Steel Devastator

Flawless Sword-Dance: At 18th level, your Sword Dancer ability is no longer rolled with disadvantage and you gain +1 hit point for every hit on an enemy while below half health.

Execution: Once per day make an attempt to execute a target. Target an enemy that is within one size category of you and is sleeping, unconscious, restrained, or grappled (if the target is restrained or not grappled by you, you must first land your attack). If the target is below 100 hit points they die instantly, if not they take 100 points of damage.