in Chapter 3 - Feats Index

Martial Training

Martial Training is a new system that encompasses weapon Proficiency, weapon mastery, Fighting Styles, Armour Training, and some Feats that interface with weapons and armour. Proficiency and Expertise in Parrying and Blocking are also part of this system, as are other features relating to AC-less Defence generally.

This rework is motivated by three reasons. Firstly, with the Hit DC being largely unchanging with level and being quite low especially with larger creatures, there's not as large of a benefit in adding the Proficiency Bonus to ones attack rolls. This opens up the possibility of allowing players to decide against adding this Proficiency Bonus in favor of other benefits for offence or defence. One of these benefits aptly allows players to bypass parts of an enemies Damage Reduction, scaling with the Proficiency Bonus, so that there are now options to ease hitting enemies and to ease damaging them through armour, mirroring the separation of Armor Class into Hit DC and Damage Reduction.

Secondly, the new defensive reactions introduced in this ruleset should be something a character can specialize in. In previous versions of this ruleset, this was enabled through changes to general feats and through connections with Expertise class features. Both of those are limited in their accessibility, and especially fighters should be able to access special defensive features more than other classes, while not themselves having access to Expertise. Thus, by introducing these features here, martial classes actually have prioritized access to the new martial features.

Thirdly, the 2024 rules saw the introduction of weapon mastery properties. These were introduced as weapon-specific features that can be chosen by martials to increase their battlefield prowess, which can be assumed to be intended to lessen the infamous martial caster divide. Structurally, these mastery properties do not separate themselves from benefits that are obtainable through feats, while introducing a whole new feature list a martial can choose from. Next to Fighting Style feats and general feats, this is now the third feature list for martials. Through the rearrangement of those lists into one singular list, the flexibility and potential power of martials is further accentuated. Additionally, adding new features to this list is a new straightforward way to give feature options to martials specifically without having to restrict the features to Fighting Style feats, general feats or weapon mastery properties that martial classes tend to have quite limited access to.

Core Changes

Martial Training: When you receive Martial Training, choose one of the features listed in the following sections that you qualify for.

Fighting Styles: Fighting Style feats are now Martial Training features. Whenever you would gain a Fighting Style feat, you receive Martial Training instead.

Weapon Masteries: Weapon Masteries are now Martial Training features. Whenever you would gain access to a mastery property, you receive Martial Training instead.

Feats: The benefits of a selection of general feats are now Martial Training features. There's now a new general feat that allows the player to receive Martial Training twice.

Opportunity Attacks: You now need the Opportunist feature to be able to make Opportunity Attacks.

Weapon Training

Instead of working primarily through Proficiency, weapons now also utilize Training, similar to how it is established for Armour. When using a weapon that you lack training with, you have Disadvantage on any D20 Test that relies on that weapon. The following features can give you training with weapons:

Starting Proficiency Conversion: You no longer start with Proficiency in weapon attacks with the weapons listed in your class descriptions. Instead, you are trained with the weapons that you would otherwise have Proficiency in.

When you receive Martial Training, you can choose the Accuracy feature described in the section on weapon features to add your Proficiency Bonus to certain attack rolls again.

Simple Melee Weapon Training: You gain training with Simple Melee weapons.

Simple Ranged Weapon Training: You gain training with Simple Ranged weapons.

Martial Melee Weapon Training: Requires training with Simple Melee weapons. You gain training with Martial Melee weapons.

Martial Ranged Weapon Training: Requires training with Simple Ranged weapons. You gain training with Martial Ranged weapons.

Weapon Features

Accuracy: Choose a weapon property. You add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls with weapons with that property. You can pick this feature multiple times, but only for different weapon properties, and it does not stack with itself on weapons with multiple properties that you have this feature for.

Archery: You gain a bonus to attack rolls with Ranged weapons equal to your Wisdom modifier (at least 1).

C-C-Combo: Your weapon attacks deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus for every time you've hit with a weapon attack since the start of your turn.

Cleave: Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee attack using a weapon that has the Heavy property and deals Slashing damage, you can make a melee attack roll with the weapon against a second creature within 5 feet of the first that is also within your reach. On a hit, the second creature takes the weapons damage, but you don't add your ability modifier to that damage unless that modifier is negative.

Dueling: When you are holding a Melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a bonus to damage rolls with that weapon equal to your Dexterity modifier (at least 1).

Enhanced Critical - Bludgeoning: Choose either Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. When you score a Critical Hit that deals damage of that damage type, you ignore the targets Damage Reduction and gain the benefit associated with that damage type:

You can pick this feature multiple times, but only for different damage types.

Enhanced Dual Wielding: When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a weapon that has the Light property, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn with a different weapon, which must be a Melee weapon that lacks the Two-Handed property. You don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless that modifier is negative.

Firing in Melee: Being within 5 feet of an enemy doesn't impose Disadvantage on your attack rolls with Ranged weapons.

Graze: When you miss a creature with a melee attack using a weapon that has the Two-Handed property and deals Slashing damage, you can deal Slashing damage to that creature equal to the ability modifier you used to make the attack roll.

Great Weapon Fighting: When you roll damage for an attack you make with a Melee weapon that you are holding with two hands, you can treat any 1 or 2 on a damage die as a 3. The weapon must have the Two-Handed or Versatile property to gain this benefit.

Guardian: Requires Opportunist - Melee. Immediately after a creature within 5 feet of you takes the Disengage action or hits a target other than you with an attack, you can make a melee Opportunity Attack against that creature.

Halt: Requires Opportunist. When you hit a creature with an Opportunity Attack, the creature's Speed becomes 0 for the rest of the current turn.

Hamstring: Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack using a Melee weapon that deals Slashing damage or using a Ranged weapon, you can reduce the Speed of that creature by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

Heavy Weapon Master: When you hit a target with a weapon that has the Heavy property as part of the Attack action on your turn, you deal additional damage equal to your Strength modifier (at least 1).

Hew: Immediately after you score a Critical Hit with a Melee weapon with the Heavy property or reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with one, you can make one attack with the same weapon as a Bonus Action.

Ignore Loading: You ignore the Loading property and can load a piece of ammunition into weapons with that property even without a free hand.

Long Shots: Attacking at long range doesn't impose Disadvantage on your attack rolls with Ranged weapons.

Nick: When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.

Opportunist: Pick one option:

You can pick this feature again to pick the other option.

Overpower: When you hit a target with a weapon that deals Bludgeoning damage, you deal 1 extra damage for every size category the target is smaller than you.

Penetration: Choose a damage type. Your damage with weapons that deal that type of damage ignores an amount of Damage Reduction equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You can pick this feature multiple times, but only for different damage types.

Pole Strike: Immediately after you take the Attack action and attack with a Quarterstaff, a Spear, or a weapon that has the Heavy and Reach properties, you can use a Bonus Action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. The attack deals Bludgeoning damage, and the damage die for this attack is a d4.

Push: When you hit a target with an attack using a weapon without the Light property that deals Bludgeoning damage, you can push the target up to 10 feet straight away from you to an unoccupied space if it is no more than one size larger than you.

Prey on the Vulnerable: If a creature that you can see and that is within your Melee range receives the Incapacitated condition, you can take a Reaction to make a Melee weapon attack against that creature.

Puncture: Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack that deals Piercing damage, you can reroll one of the attacks damage dice, and you must use the new roll.

Quick Draw: You can draw or stow two weapons that lack the Two-Handed property when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.

Reactive Strike: While you're holding a Quarterstaff, a Spear, or a weapon that has the Heavy and Reach properties, you can take a Reaction to make one attack with that weapon against a creature that enters the reach you have with it.

Sap: When you hit a creature with a melee attack using a weapon without the Heavy property that deals Bludgeoning or Piercing damage, that creature has Disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of your next turn.

Thrown Weapon Fighting: When you hit with a ranged attack using a weapon that has the Thrown property, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Topple: When you hit a creature with a melee attack using a weapon with the Versatile or Two-Handed property, you can force the creature to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 plus the ability modifier used to make the attack roll and your Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, the creature has the Prone condition.

Two Weapon Fighting: When you make an extra attack as a result of using a weapon that has the Light property, you add your ability modifier to the damage of that attack.

Vex: When you hit a creature with a Ranged weapon or a weapon that has the Light property, you have Advantage on your next attack roll against that creature before the end of your next turn.

Armour Features

Light Armour Training: You gain training with Light Armour.

Happy Feet: While wearing Light Armour or no Armour, your armour-based Dodging modifier is +5 instead of +2.

Medium Armour Training: Requires training with Light Armour. You gain training with Medium Armour.

Medium Armour Master: Requires training with Medium Armour. While wearing Medium Armour, your armour-based Dodging modifier is +2 instead of +0.

Heavy Armour Training: Requires training with Medium Armour. You gain training with Heavy Armour.

Heavy Armour Master: Requires training with Heavy Armour. You can use your Reaction to block an attack you can see and that targets you with one of your Heavy Armour pieces, using a Blocking Modifier of +6. When blocking this way successfully, the damage of the attack is not negated completely, but the Damage Reduction of the used armour piece is doubled against it.

If you have Proficiency in Blocking, you also add your Proficiency Bonus to your Damage Reduction against this attack. If you have Expertise in Blocking, you add it twice instead.

Defence: You gain an additional +1 bonus to Damage Reduction on all body parts covered in armour you are trained with.

Dodging Features

Areal Awareness: You can now also use Dodge & Roll against areas of effect that target you, potentially moving you out of their area and avoiding a required saving throw. If your Dodging check is at least as high as the DC of the effect, it succeeds. If your movement makes you leave the area of the area effect, you are not affected. If you remain inside the area effect and it required a Dexterity saving throw, you automatically succeed on the saving throw. If you remain inside it and it required another saving throw, make the other saving throw as usual.

Dodging Adept: You gain Proficiency in Acrobatics.

Dodging Expert: Requires Proficiency in Acrobatics. You gain Expertise in Acrobatics.

Nimble Attack: Whenever you successfully dodge an attack with a Dodge & Roll, you can take a Free Reaction or Reaction mid-roll to make a ranged attack with one of your weapons with the Finesse and Thrown properties against a creature of your choice within range that you can see.

Prediction: Once per round, when you use a Reaction to Dodge an attack and roll the Dodging check with Advantage, you can Dodge another attack you can see before the start of your turn without using a Reaction. You have to use the lower die of the previous roll as the roll for the Dodging check.

Untraceable: Whenever you successfully dodge an attack, the next attack against you before the start of your next turn is rolled with Disadvantage.

Shield & Blocking Features

Blocking Adept: Requires training with Shields. You gain Proficiency in Blocking.

Blocking Expert: Requires Proficiency in Blocking. You gain Expertise in Blocking.

Free Hand Enhancement: You ignore the Disadvantage imposed on D20 Tests by the Free Hand shield property.

Interpose Shield: Requires training with Shields and you to wield a Shield. If you’re subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can take a Reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw.

Protection: Requires Proficiency in Blocking. When a creature you can see attacks another creature within 5 feet of you, you can take a Reaction to block that attack, potentially reducing the damage the target creature takes and giving them the cover your shield provides instead of yourself.

Shield Bash: Requires training with Shields and you to wield a Shield. If you hit a creature within 5 feet of you as part of the Attack action, you can immediately bash the target with your Shield, making a shove attack. You can use this benefit only once on each of your turns.

Shield Training: You gain training with Shields.

Parrying Features

Arrow Splitting: Requires Expertise in Parrying and Proficiency in Perception. You can parry Ranged weapon attacks that you can see and that target you. If you have the Interception feature, you can also parry Ranged weapon attacks targeting other creatures within 5 feet of you.

Cross-parry: Requires Proficiency in Parrying. If you are wielding more than one melee weapon, you can parry using multiple of those weapons at once. If the parry is successful, reduce the attacks damage by the sum of the Parrying Powers of all used weapons instead.

Elegant Parry: Requires Proficiency in Parrying. When you are using at least one Finesse weapon with which you are trained to parry, make the Parry Check with Advantage.

Interception: When a creature you can see attacks another creature within 5 feet of you with a Melee weapon, you can take a Reaction to parry that attack, potentially reducing the damage the target creature takes. You must be holding a Melee weapon to use this Reaction.

Parrying Adept: You gain Proficiency in Parrying. If you are not trained with the weapon you are using to parry, you also do not add your Proficiency Bonus to the Parrying check.

Parrying Expert: Requires Proficiency in Parrying. You gain Expertise in Parrying. If you are not trained with the weapon you are using to parry, you do not add this bonus.

Potent Parry: Requires Proficiency in Parrying. You add your Proficiency Bonus to the Parrying Power of your Finesse weapons. If you have Expertise in Parrying, you add it twice instead.

Vengeful Parry: Whenever you successfully parry an attack, you can take a Free Reaction or Reaction to make an attack against the attacker with one weapon you are wielding that was not part of your parry.

Weapon Locking: Requires Proficiency in Parrying. If you reduce a parried melee weapon attacks damage to 0, your parry weapon locks with the attackers weapon, giving the attacker Disadvantage on their attack rolls until either of you make an attack with their locked weapon or either of you moves out of the others range.

Other Features

Blind Fighting: You have Blindsight with a range of 10 feet.

Immaculate Aim: When making an Aimed Strike, add either half of the Hit DC increase or your Proficiency Bonus to the attack roll, whichever is lower.

Knowing the Spot: When you hit a target with an Aimed Strike, you deal extra damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (at least 1).

My Body is a Weapon: Your Unarmed Strikes now also count as Melee weapon attacks. While you are not holding anything in your hand, it counts as a Light Melee weapon.

Pattern Recognition: Requires Proficiency in Perception. When you successfully block, dodge or parry the attack of a creature, you gain Advantage on your next Blocking, Dodging or Parrying check against that same creature this combat.

Reliable Aim: When making an Aimed Strike with Advantage and missing the target part, you can still hit the larger target with a normal attack, if using the lower die roll for the attack roll instead of the higher one results in a hit against the larger target. This hit does not count as an Aimed Strike and thus will not trigger a Wound save.

Unarmed Fighting: You gain the following benefits:

Wounding Critical: When you score a Critical Hit on an attack that is not an Aimed Strike, you may choose a body part to wound regardless, forcing the target to roll a Wound save as if the attack had been an Aimed Strike.

in Chapter 3 - Feats Index