Martial Archetype: The Ronin
In a society built around honor, what happens to those whose honor fails? What happens to a samurai who betrays their word or oath, one who fails an assigned task, or one who will not follow their lord into death? These are the ronin - outlaws, wanderers, mercenaries, survivors by nature, excellent warriors by necessity. A true ronin always has one more enemy than he thinks, and one more weapon than they think. Ronin often eschew shields as too cumbersome and slow to equip when they are inevitably ambushed, preferring to leave a hand free to exploit any advantage or opportunity.
Bonus Proficiencies
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in improvised weapons, as well as the poisoner's kit or one of the following skills of your choice: Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth.
Sneak Attack
Starting at 3rd level, you learn to strike mercilessly and exploit every advantage. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the Attack roll.
The amount of the extra damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 7th, 10th and 18th level in this class. If you have the Sneak Attack feature from another source (such as levels in the rogue class), add the dice together.
Dishonorable Maneuver
By 7th level, you pick up a few underhanded tricks to help you secure the upper hand in a desperate fight. You learn two dishonorable maneuvers of your choice, and you learn an additional one at 10th, 15th and 18th level. Each time you learn a new maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.
When you make an attack on your turn, if the attack is eligible for sneak attack damage, instead of dealing that damage you may perform one of your dishonorable maneuvers. You make this decision after the attack hits or misses, but before any of its effects are applied. Each maneuver has an associated cost, which you pay by reducing the damage dealt by your sneak attack feature until the start of your next turn.
Deceptive Strike
At 10th level, you learn to distract your enemy with one weapon while readying another they don't expect. You gain an additional way to use your sneak attack; when you make an attack against a creature on your turn, your next attack on that turn against that creature is eligible for sneak attack, provided you do not have disadvantage on that attack roll, and it is made with a weapon with the light property which you were not wielding during the first attack. You are still limited to dealing this damage once per turn.
Opportune Strike
Starting at 15th level, you become adept at switching between weapons. You can draw or grab a suitable weapon as part of the bonus action used to fight with two weapons, and you can do so even if none of the attacks made during the Attack action were made with a light, one-handed, or melee weapon. If you are able to make that attack without this feature, you instead gain advantage on the attack roll.
Cheat Death
By 18th level, your resolve to survive has reached inhuman levels. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to three times your constitution score, which last for one minute or until you receive magical healing. While you have these temporary hit points, taking damage does not cause you to take additional death saving throw failures, and you have advantage on death saving throws.
Additionally, while at 0 hit points, you can use your second wind feature (no action required) if available. If you do, you lose the benefits of this feature until you finish a long rest.
Dishonorable Maneuvers
The maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order.
Bash. Expend 2d6 when you hit with a melee attack. You may immediately attempt to shove the target as part of the same action.
Bully. Expend 1d6 when you make a melee or ranged attack. Until the start of your next turn, the target makes the first melee or ranged (as above) attack against you with disadvantage. This has no effect on creatures immune to the frightened condition.
Disembowel. Expend all dice when you critically hit with an attack. Make the attack roll again; if the new result is a miss, the attack is a normal hit. If the new result is a hit, the attack is a critical hit and deals an additional 3d6 damage for each expended dice. If the new roll is a natural 20, this increases to 4d6 damage.
Grab. Expend 2d6 when you hit with a melee attack. You may immediately attempt to grapple the target as part of the same action, provided you have a free hand or drop an item.
Hamstring. Expend 1d6 when you hit with an attack. The target's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.
Opening Gambit. Expend 1d6 when you make an attack. The target cannot take reactions until the end of your turn, including against this attack.
Plan B. Expend 2d6 when you miss with a melee attack. You may immediately make an unarmed attack against the target as part of the same action.
Second Chance. Expend 1d6 or more when you miss with an attack. Add 1 to the attack roll for each expended dice. If you hit, you may deal any remaining sneak attack damage.
Silence. Expend 2d6 when you hit with an attack. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be unable to speak for 1 minute. The DC for this save is 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity bonus. The target may repeat the save at the end of its turn to end the effect.