Revised Monk

Monks are a tricky thing to pin down, and not just because they tend to high-dexterity builds - Most obviously the class has roots in the both the thrilling and exciting world of Martial Arts movies that grew out of the sixties and seventies - particularly Shaw Brothers productions, but also, unfortunately, orientalism and exploitative material. That's not to say every execution of these tropes ends up that way, but it is the starting point. These movies and TV shows gave way to comic books like Master of Kung Fu, starring the first incarnation of Shang-Chi, but also the spate of white saviors doing the same thing but better (See Iron Fist ) and led into admixtures of Chop-Socky, Bruceploitation and and Blaxploitation that shaped a lot of the style and feel of these stories for the following decades.

With that in mind, my goal with this revision of the Monk class is less a cultural one and more a mechanical one. There is a lot of fun to be had in playing within these tropes, in particular, and also in going outside of them - ascetic warriors are found in other media and culture as well, and there's room for it all, here - flavor is free. The following are my mechanical aims:

1. Superiority Dice and Maneuvers.

Among the mechanics presented within this edition, I had fallen in love with that of the Battlemaster fighter. Originally the superiority dice were an element of all martial classes, not just one archetype within one class. While this document only covers Monk, my aim was to bring the idea of a skilled combatant more to the forefront of the class as a whole, making maneuvers a core part of the class, to give all martials a common mechanical language and meaningful choices they can make turn to turn to better interact with the rules at large. The flavor of such maneuvers varies as much as your imagination allows.

2. Ki.

My own experience with Monks, and a resounding amount of the feedback I see around monks, is that Ki isn't appropriately balanced in terms of amount of it / what things cost / the effectiveness of it. To that end, I have altered the level 20 ability of Monks, and brought it to level 3. This, combined with the maneuvers above should provide players with the ability to use their class features roughly on par with casters.

3. MAD.

PHB Monks have a problem with having too many ability scores as required for them to do what they want to do - Dexterity, Wisdom, Constution. Grapplers will also want strength. While this is addressed to an extent in the revision, My goal was to address it via making the things it can already do, more versatile and more potent, so there wouldn't be as much reliance on being perfectly crafted. With that being said...

4. Perfectly Crafted.

Monks and martial artists in pop culture tend to be seen as physically and mentally perfect. To be clear, I mean that for all body types, too - Sammo Hung is one of the all time greats and his characters were very much not cut from Bruce Lee's mould, but were believably and excitingly active and powerful. To this end, I've updated the 20th level ability to reflect the end result of mastering oneself, exceeding normal limits.

Class Features

As a monk, you gain the following class features

Unarmored Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity or Strength modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Martial Arts

Your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield.

• You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
• You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
• When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.

Ki

Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.

You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.

When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.

Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

• Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
• Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
• Form Mastery. You can use 1 ki point instead of a superiority die to use a maneuver you know. If used in this way, instead of rolling the superiority die for any numerical effects, the effect is equal to half of your proficiency bonus.

Step of the Wind.

You can take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. if you do, your jump distance is doubled until the end of your turn.

Martial Superiority

At 2nd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called superiority dice.

Maneuvers. You learn two maneuvers of your choice, which are listed under "Monk Maneuvers" below. Martial Archetypes allow selection from an expanded list of additional Maneuvers, found in the master list at the end of the document. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. Unless otherwise noted, you can use only one maneuver per attack. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level.

Superiority Dice. You gain a number of superiority dice equal to 2 + your proficiency bonus. These dice are d6s. A superiority die is expended when you use it, and you regain all expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Unarmored Movement

Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 ft. while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases to 15 ft. at 5th level, 20 ft. at 9th level, 25ft. at 13th level, and 30 ft. at 17th level.

Deflect Missiles

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack (range 20/60 feet) with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.

Monastic Tradition

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition, chosen from the list of available traditions. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Wellspring

Whatever the source of your internal power, be it unlocked Chakra, demonic posession, or just pure martial training, you never enter battle unready. At 3rd level, when you roll for initiative, you regain a number of ki points equal to your proficiency bonus.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th levels, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

Slow Fall

Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 17th level in this class.

Stunning Strike

Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Additionally, you learn the Uppercut maneuver

Ki-Empowered Strikes

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Evasion

At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Stillness of Mind

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.

Unarmored Movement Improvement

At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

Purity of Body

At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon

Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

Diamond Soul

Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.

Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.

Strength of Spirit

At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, when you make a Constiution saving throw to avoid exhaustion during a forced march, the dc does not increase hourly, and when you roll hit dice to regain hit points during a short rest, you roll d12s instead of d8s.

Monastic Tradition Feature

At 17th level, you gain one feature granted by your Monastic Tradition.

Transcendent Practice

Beginning at 18th level, you can see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you.

Additionally, at the end of a long rest, you can spend 8 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. You can take a number of creatures up with you equal to your wisdom bonus.

Apotheosis

At 20th level, you have achieved perfect Harmony between your body, mind, and spirit. Your ability scores each increase by 2. The maximum for your ability scores is now 22.

Updated Monastic Traditions

As the core identity and capability of the Monk class is altered in this variant, So too have some Monastic Traditions been updated. Some Monastic Traditions do not receive any changes at this point and will be noted as such. Others may gain access to unique maneuvers or ways to interact with the Martial Superiority mechanics.

The following pages describe these changes and additions to existing Monastic Traditions

Way of the Ascendant Dragon (FTD, pg. 13)

Way of the Astral Self (TCE, pg. 50)

Drunken Master (XGE pg. 33)

Way of the Four Elements (PHB pg. 72)

Bonus Maneuver

You learn the Elemental Shot Maneuver, and you can use it without spending a maneuver die. When done in this way you do not add any additional damage, simply convert the attack's damage to the element of choice. Additionally, you may use this maneuver on unarmed strike attacks made using Martial Arts.

Four Elements Maneuvers

As a Master of the Four Elements, whenever you select a maneuver for your Martial Superiority class feature, you may also select from the following
Arcane Instinct
Crippling Attack
Great Fortitude
Great Leap
Quick Toss
Sweeping Attackt

Way of the Kensei (XGE pg 34)

Way of the Living Weapon (ExE pg. 219)

Way of Long Death (SCAG pg. 130)

Way of Mercy (SCAG pg. 128)

Way of the Open Hand (PHB pg. 79)

New Martial Archetypes

The following Martial Archetypes are new, created for myself or my players to fulfill a particular fantasy. Some are completely new, others are based on previous editions or altered from other class subclass options.

You may notice archetypes that share a name with subclasses for other classes - As a rule of thumb, a player character may not take a subclass with the same name as another subclass they currently have (Current Example being Hexblade - You cannot be both a Warlock hexblade and a Fighter Hexblade, as this can cause mechanical issues with named features)

Adept

A master of martial maneuvers, the Adept is an artisan with weaponry — a blade wizard whose knowledge of the combined arms techniques lets him unlock potent abilities.

Disciplines

Destroyer

Destroyers are hulking brawlers and titans on the battlefield. While many also use weapons, most Destroyers would prefer to tear down the stone towers of their enemies with bare hands. Destroyers can often be found making coin in fighting pits, mercenary companies, and as living siege weapons - crumbling fortifications is something they are expert at, and they are Uniquely capable of enhancing their already formidable abilities by absorbing magical weapons.

Instruments of Destruction

At 18th level, your ferocity is unmatched. When you take a penalty to your attack roll using your Fists of Stone feature, The bonus damage on a hit is triple your proficiency bonus instead of double, and your target must make a Constitution saving throw against a save DC of 8+Strength modifier + proficiency bonus or suffer one level of exhaustion. A target may receive multiple levels of exhaustion in this way, all of which end at the start of your next turn. This effect cannot make a target exceed three levels.

Additionally, you treat constructs as objects for purposes of attack and damage resolution with your unarmed strikes.

Ironblooded

Ironblooded are anathema to creatures of magic. They don't intrinsically hate magic, but rather accutely aware of it's impact on the world - and are inured to it's potency. Ironblooded are often loners, but most welcome companionship and are potent allies.

Salt and Stone

At 18th level, You become resistant to damage from any magical source. Additionally, any time you hit with a melee attack, if the target is capable of casting spells, under the effect of any spells, or currently possesses any magical items, You deal an additional 1d8 force damage to your target.

Maneuvers

The following is an listing of all available maneuvers. This is a living document,
though, and more maneuvers may show
up here (and listed in the various primal
path lists!) It can be a good idea to
record your selected Maneuvers on
your character sheet for
ease of use!

This section provides a reference for
where to find the existing maneuvers
and new additions - either
modifications of existing
maneuvers or entirely new
maneuvers that you can use
to enact your most brutal
of martial dreams.

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty

Existing Maneuvers

The following Maneuvers are found in the Player's Handbook, p73. These function as normal and are not modified in any way.

New Maneuvers

Guardian Stance

As a bonus action, you can expend a superiority die to enter a stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in this stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty

Iron Will

When you make a saving throw against being charmed or frightened, or against taking psychic damage, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the save, but before any consequences of the roll take effect.

Knock Away

When you attempt to shove a creature, you can expend one superiority die and add it to your Strength (Athletics) check. You can then attempt to push another creature within 5 feet of the original target as part of the same motion. If your original check beats the creature's contested check, you successfully shove the second creature as well.

Revitalising Surge

When you use your Second Wind class feature, you may expend a superiority die to bolster your reserves. Roll the superiority die, and add the number rolled to the number of hit points you recover from the second wind. You also gain this many temporary hit points.

Steely Restoration

When you use your Second Wind class feature, you may expend a superiority die to defend yourself as you recover. Roll the superiority die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your AC until you the start of your next turn, or you move (voluntarily or non-voluntarily).

Spring Attack

When you take the Disengage or Dodge action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to expend one superiority die and make a single weapon attack. If you hit, add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

Surprising Combination

As a bonus action, you can expend one superiority die and make an unarmed strike at a target within your reach. If you hit, add the superiority die to the weapon's damage roll and gain advantage on your next attack against the same target this turn.

Survivalist

When you make an Intelligence (Nature), a Wisdom (Animal Handling), or a Wisdom (Survival) check, you can expend one superiority die and add the superiority die to the ability check.

Sweeping Attack (updated)

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number you roll on your superiority die plus your Strength modifier. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.

Throat Strike

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike you made with advantage, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to silence the target. You add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is silenced, as per the silence spell until the end of it's next turn. If this attack causes a concentration check, that check is made at disadvantage.

Uppercut

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike you made with advantage, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to disorient the target. You add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is stunned until the start of it's next turn.

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty

Martial Feats

The feats in this section are either
modified from the original or
completely new, to provide better
mechanical choices for Martial
characters - though unless
otherwise noted these feats are
indeed available to anyone
who meets the prerequisites.

As with the maneuvers list, this is a
living document and more feats will be
added as I finish, playtest, and
format them.

A series of feats have been added
as a sort of experiment in bringing the
class-like style differentiation between
gladiators in to 5e. These are meant to
be seperate from the rest of the feats
as an optional plug-in. I would love to
hear your feedback!

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty

Martial Feats

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty

Martial Adept (updated)

You have martial training that allows you to perform special combat maneuvers. You gain the following benefits:

• You learn two maneuvers of your choice from among those available to the Fighter class and to the Battle Master archetype in the fighter class. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice). If you have maneuvers from your class, these do not count against the number of maneuvers known.
• You gain two superiority dice, which are d6es (these dice are added to any superiority dice you have from another source). These dice are used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Martial Dilletante

Prerequisites: 4th level, Must have at least one Maneuver

You do not limit yourself to the maneuvers of your chosen path.

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn two maneuvers of your choice. If you have maneuvers from your class, these do not count against the number of maneuvers known.
• Once per turn, after rolling superiority dice, you may reroll the dice after seeing the result

Massive

You are very large. This comes with the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain the powerful build trait.
• As a bonus action, you can choose to spend a Hit Die. Roll the die and regain hit points equal to the total plus your Consitution modifier. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any Hit Dice spent in this way when you finish a long rest

Medium Armor Master (updated)

Prerequisites: Proficiency with medium armor

You have practiced moving in medium armor to gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Wearing medium armor doesn't impose disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• When you wear medium armor, you can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher.
• While you are wearing medium armor, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from nonmagical weapons is reduced by your half of your proficiency bonus.

Mounted Combatant (updated)

You are a dangerous foe to face while mounted. While you are mounted and aren't incapacitated, you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any unmounted creature that is smaller than your mount.
• You can force an attack targeted at your mount to target you instead.
• If your mount is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
• at the end of a short rest, you may select a suitable creature as a mount, that gains a bonus to it's HP equal to 3x your level + your proficiency bonus, and it gains a bonus to its Armor Class equal to your proficiency bonus. These bonuses remain until the mount dies or you select a different creature as a mount.

Polearm Master (updated)

You can keep your enemies at bay with reach weapons. You gain the following benefits:

• When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, pike quarterstaff, trident or spear, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon; this attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4, and the attack deals bludgeoning damage.
• While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, trident or spear, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter the reach you have with that weapon.

Sharpshooter (updated)

You have mastered ranged weapons and can make shots that others find impossible. You gain the following benefits:

• Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
• Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a penalty equal to your proficiency bonus to the attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals additional damage equal to twice your proficiency bonus.

Tandem Tactician (by Badooga1)

Prerequisite: Intelligence 13 or higher
Your presence in a scrap tends to elevate your comrades. You gain the following benefits:

• You can use the Help action as a bonus action. If you could already do this, you can take the Help action twice as a part of the same bonus action.
• When you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, increase the range of the Help action by 10 feet. Additionally, you can help an additional ally that is targeting the same creature within range when you use the Help action this way.

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty

Gladiator Feats

Latin? in my fantasy game?

While not a panoply of the different types of gladiators, the following feats represent broad gladiator archetypes. Please don't look for historical accuracy here, that's not the aim. These feats are intended to open up dramatic methodologies that aren't universally applicable, but can be potent under the right circumstances. This section includes both the more recognizable gladiators such as the Retiarius or Secutor, and some of the more esoteric methodologies, such as the Bestarius, but it also includes some of the supporting staff that keep the ludus in fighting shape.

Bestarius (Gladiator)

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Animal Handling

Your ability to understand and train animals has been put to use in the arena - When dangerous game enters the arena, it is you that directs their teeth and claws.

• Increase your Wisdom Score by 1 to a maximum of 20
• You add double your proficiency bonus to Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks.
• You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidate) and Wisdom (Insight) checks made against creatures of the beast type.
• You can use a bonus action on your turn to command one friendly beast within 60 feet of you that can hear you and isn't currently following the command of someone else. You decide now what action the beast will take during it's next turn, or you issue a general command that lasts for 1 minute, such as to guard a particular area.

Carnifex (Gladiator)

Prerequisites: Proficiency with Martial Weapons and Shields

As a Carnifex, you are the finisher; the executioner. When a gladiator is beyond saving, beyond fighting back, you are called in to speed their passage. Your visage is feared, for it always spells doom to the injured.

• On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength bonus) or take an additional 2d4 necrotic damage
• When you hit a prone creature with a Warhammer, Maul, Battle Axe, or Great Axe, their movement is reduced to zero until the end of their next turn, while you are adjacent to them.
• When you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, you gain Temporary hp equal to the number of allies and enemies that can see you, with a maximum number equal to your Charisma score.

Cestus (Gladiator)

Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher

Used to fighting in small clothes or even completely nude, you are adept at grappling and deadly accurate punches that can cause brutal internal bleeding and broken bones.

• While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.
• While you have an opponent grappled, you can attempt to restrain your opponent. as an attack, make a new Strength (Athletics) roll as if you were attempting a grapple. If successful, your opponent is restrained until the grapple is broken. While restraining your opponent you are grappled by them.
• While you have an opponent grappled or restrained, your unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d4 necrotic damage to them.

Hoplomachus (Gladiator)

Prerequisites: Proficiency with Martial Weapons and Shields

With Spear, Shield, and Dagger, your skills mirror that of professional soldiers.

• You can wield a light weapon in the same hand as a shield with no penalty
• When you wield a versatile weapon, it gains the Reach trait, and its damage and its versatile damage both increase by one die step
• Allies may not be targeted by opportunity attacks while adjacent to you.

Medicus (Gladiator)

Prerequisite: Proficiency in Medicine

Arena fights are rarely to the death. That makes for a short season. You are skilled at patching up your fellow gladiators, but are also capable of shedding blood.

• Increase your Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You add double your proficiency bonus to Wisdom (Medicine) checks.
• During a short rest, you can clean and bind the wounds of up to six willing beasts and humanoids. Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check for each creature. on a success, if a creature spends a hit die during this rest, that creature can forgo the roll and instead regain the maximum number of hit points the die can restore. A creature may use this for a number of hit dice equal to your proficiency modifier.
• You can add additional 1d4 necrotic damage when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack made with a
  piercing weapon.

Luctator (Gladiator)

Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher

You are a skilled and powerful wrestler, able to control your foes with your mighty techniques

• When you successfully grapple or push an opponent, they must make a strength saving throw (save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failure they are knocked prone and take 1d10+ your Strength modifier damage.
• When you win an ability contest to shove a creature prone or to avoid being shoved by a creature, you can choose to push that creature up to 5 feet away from you.
• When you push a creature, instead of directly away from you, you can choose to push them to any space you are adjacent to.

Retiarius (Gladiator)

Prerequisites: Proficiency with Martial Weapons and Shields

You've mastered the ability to control your opponent, keeping them at range or entangled in your net using clever rope tricks and leverage.

• You treat nets as having a range of 10/20 and being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls made with a net, when that creature is the target of the attack. When attacking with a net you are no longer limited to only one attack per action.
• When restraining an enemy with a net, the escape DC is 8 + your Strength bonus + your proficiency bonus.
• When you wield a trident, its damage and its versatile damage both increase by one die step, and the distance of your pushes is increased by 5 feet.

Scutarius (Gladiator)

Prerequisites: Proficiency with Martial Weapons and Shields

You intentionally draw out fights to spur the cheering of the crowd, being a master of your large shield, useful both in defense and offense.

• When you take the dodge action, your shield bonus is doubled from 2 to 4.
• You can attack with your shield as a bonus action. for the purposes of the attack, your shield is a martial melee weapon with the Heavy property. it deals 1d8 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage.
• You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) rolls made to shove opponents.

Secutor (Gladiator)

Prerequisites: Proficiency with Martial Weapons and Shields

As a secutor, you chase your opponents down, drawing blood over and over while close in to slake the blood-thirsty sands of the arena.

• Your speed increases by 5 feet.
• When grappling or being grappled by an opponent, the damage of daggers you wield increases by one die step (1d4->1d6)
• When you have a shield equipped, if not holding anything else, your shield arm is an open hand for the purposes of grappling.

Superstes (Gladiator)

Prerequisite: At least one other gladiator feat

You are a veteran of many battles, and you have the scars to show it.

• When a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to negate the advantage. No attack roll has advantage against you until the end of the current turn, including the triggering attack. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• When you win an ability contest to shove a creature or to avoid being shoved by a creature, you can choose to push that creature up to 5 feet away from you (no reaction required).
• When you take the dodge action, you may make one melee weapon attack.

Venator (Gladiator)

Prerequisite: Proficiency in Survival

You have spent time hunting creatures, both in and out of the arena, gaining the following benefits:

• You add double your proficiency bonus to Wisdom (Survival) checks.
• You know the hunter’s mark spell, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it. You can use it a certain number of times without expending a spell slot equal to your Proficiency modifier. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you use this ability against a creature of the (Beast) subtype, it does not expend one of your uses.
• You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track and hunt beasts and other creatures with Intelligence score 8 or lower.

Tyrannus (Gladiator)

Prerequisite: Proficiency in Intimidation

You are a fearsome competitor, your strikes sow fear in even the bravest foes.

• Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You add double your proficiency bonus to Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
• When you score a critical hit, If the target can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + double your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Art Credits

Watercolor Stains
Cover Art: Prophet of the Flames, by Ver
Page 5: Warcraft - Harbingers by Jake Panian
Page 6: Kebi, by Xib Vaine
Page 7: Ymru the Elementalist, by Tazio Bettin
Page 8: Mexican Warrior by Namh
Page 9: Reign of Steel by Alejandro Moreno González (Magnozz)
Page 10: Demon Bear by Bill Sienkiewicz
Page 11: Lupa by Yasmine Putri
Page 12: 184 by Pavel Shut
Page 13: Celtic Warrior by Jian Li
Page 14: Naumia, by Dreamcatcher81
Page 15: Ulrich by Slawomir Maniak
Page 16: Arlinn's Wolf by Kimonas
Page 17: Tarzan by Boris Vallejo
Page 18: Half Orc Barbarian by Frost Llamzon
Page 19: Hjordis - Ranger by Filipe Pagliuso
Page 21: Skinwalkers by Michael Ivan
Page 22: Conan, by Memed
Page 25: GLADIATORS by Leo Hao
Page 25: Iason by Yasmin Putri
Back Page: Air Genasi Monk by Wildcard24
All art used without permission, not for profit. This document is presented as a fan work and not to be sold or printed. I will respect the wishes of any artists who request art be removed, and offer my greatest thanks for the inspiration and creativity they bring to our hobby.

Special thanks:

A lot of this work (especially the indomitable change, which has been stolen whole cloth, and many of the new maneuvers) comes from conversations with Badooga, so special thanks to this gal. u/Badooga1. Her work can be found Here

Also, Fungus for giving me, and others, a place to bounce ideas off of one another, and providing valuable feedback and advice with both content and formatting.

Additional thanks:

To the various clever, creative folks on the various discords I frequent:
Kroth#4109, Toni, Snake Holder#6754, DrGoo282#5334, El Joscar Magnifico#6353, i_suppose#4479
And especially to my patient and loving partner, without whom I would probably have left this in an unformatted notepad mess.

Fite me on discord:

You can get in touch with me at Dave#7137 on Discord. Most of my homebrewing happens at the Fungal Brewery Discord. If you have any suggestions, criticisms, or other feedback, I'm happy to hear it. If you have any ideas for you'd like to work with me on, by all means - but be aware this document is not now nor will it ever be a for-profit piece of work..

Thank you for reading the credits!

Revised Barbarian (V0.9) - More Than Mighty