Weapon Arts

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Weapon Arts are special techniques that characters can use in combat. They are divided into: Melee Strikes, Ranged Strikes, Reactions, and Special Actions:

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Melee and Ranged Strikes. These Weapon Arts simply modify any attack that you make. They must be declared before you make that attack, and you can use only one melee or ranged strike each turn when you take the Attack action.

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Reactions and Special Actions. These Weapon Arts do not directly modify attacks. They are new reactions and actions that you can take in combat.

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Focus Points

A character has a pool of Focus Points which are consumed to use a Weapon Art. You have a number of Focus Points equal to twice your proficiency bonus, using any Weapon Art costs 1 Focus Point, and you regain all expended Focus Points at the end of a long rest.

Known Weapon Arts

A character knows only a certain number of weapon arts according to its class. The specifics are detailed below:

• Martial Classes: Barbarians, Fighters, Monks, Paladins, Rangers, and Rogues know a number equal to their proficiency bonus + their Intelligence modifier.
• Magical Classes: Artificers, Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards know a number equal to half their proficiency bonus (rounded down) + their Intelligence modifier, if negative.

Multiclassing Fix

When multiclassing between Martial and Magical classes, use the following logic to determine the number of known Weapon Arts:

• Determine which of your class levels are Martial and which are Magical. For example, a Fighter 3/Wizard 3 has 3 Martial and 3 Magical levels.
• Now determine your effective Martial levels. Each Magical level is equivalent to half of a Martial level. So 3 Magical levels is equal to 1.5 Martial levels, meaning you have 4.5 Martial levels. Round your effective Martial levels down to the nearest whole number and use this for determining your number of known Weapon Arts as if you were a Martial class. In this case, you have 4 Martial levels, which grants you 2 known Weapon Arts.
• Now multiply your Intelligence modifier by the ratio of Martial to Magical levels, round down, and add that number to your known Weapon Arts.
• You can consult the Known Weapon Arts Table at the bottom of this document to help you with these calculations.

Requirements

The requirements for every Weapon Art are listed at the top of the ability descriptions under the tag "Requirements." Although certain Weapon Arts are called "Melee Strikes" or "Ranged Strikes," this label has no mechanical implications. As long as an attack qualifies for a Weapon Art per the exact description of that specific Weapon Art, it can be used. This is particularly relevant for something like a thrown weapon. A thrown attack with a dagger can be used to make a Concealed Strike, for example, because Concealed Strike only requires one to make an attack with a dagger.

Prebuilt Combat Styles

If you are overwhelmed by the amount of Weapon Art options available, consider picking one of the following prebuilt combat styles that best fits your preferred fighting method instead. You don't need to stick to these options; they are just suggestions with modest synergies.

• Archer. Aim, Double Shot, Roll. An able archer that can roll away from foes in a pinch.
• Bandit. Dirty Fighting, Execute, Puncture. Uses disabling techniques to hinder enemies.
• Berserker. Grevious Throw, Flurry, Slaughterhouse. A berserker that massacres enemies with a maelstrom of attacks.
• Cavalier. Lunge, Brace, Sentry. A spearmaster that controls the battlefield and harries enemies.
• Duelist. Feint, Quick Step, Counter. A dextrous fencer that uses guile and cunning to kill his foes.
• Warrior. Power Attack, Cleave, Ignore Pain. An all-rounder that can adapt to any kind of circumstance.

Weapon Art List

Melee Strikes

Cleave

Requirements: A slashing melee weapon
Effect: You swing your weapon in a wide, vicious arc. As part of a melee attack, choose up to two other creatures within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon. You can then immediately make another weapon attack with the same weapon against a chosen creature.

Concealed Strike

Requirements: A dagger
Effect: You strike from the shadows with a hidden dagger. As part of an attack, make a Sleight of Hand check against a creature's Passive Perception. On a success, you make your attack roll with advantage and your attack deals bonus damage equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Additionally, this attack was made completely unseen, although creatures might still be suspicious of you due to your proximity.

Concussive Blow

Requirements: A bludgeoning melee weapon or a shield
Effect: You can make a strike aimed to give a nasty concussion. As part of an attack, you inflict the Dazed condition upon your target until the end of its next turn. While Dazed, the creature can't maintain concentration on spells and has disadvantage on any Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws.

Dirty Fighting

Requirements: One free hand
Effect: As part of a grapple attack, you can replace your usual grapple to instead make a dirty fighting move from the list below. A creature can only be affected by each move once per encounter.

• Headlock. The target is Grappled and Restrained by you. It is also Suffocating until the Grapple is broken.
• Disarm. The target drops its weapon in an adjacent square of your choice. You may also pick the weapon up or toss it 10 feet in a direction of your choice.
• Eyejab. The target is Blinded until the end of its next turn. You may also Shove or Grapple the creature.
• Groin shot. The target falls Prone and is Incapacitated until the end of its next turn.

Execute

Requirements: A melee weapon
Effect: You can attempt to finish off an enemy. As part of an attack against an Incapacitated foe, you deal additional damage equal to three times your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

Feint

Requirements: A finesse melee weapon
Effect: You can perform a dextrous feint with your weapon to deceive your target. You gain advantage on your attack, and if you hit, all subsequent attacks you make against this creature have advantage until the end of your current turn.

Flurry

Requirements: One melee weapon in each hand
Effect: You can strike with a flurry of simultaneous blows. As part of an attack, you make one additional attack with a different weapon in your other hand.

Hook

Requirements: An axe, polearm, or whip
Effect: You can use your weapon in creative ways. Whenever you initiate a contested Athletics check with another creature, you can instead make that check using a melee attack roll with an axe, polearm, or whip. You can also use your weapon's reach for this check if it is appropriate, such as to Shove, Grapple, or Disarm from more than 5 feet away.

Lunge

Requirements: A piercing melee weapon
Effect: As part of an attack, you brandish your weapon and lunge forward up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. Your attack also deals bonus damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Mending Strike

Requirements: A melee weapon
Effect: You gain a burst of vigor. As part of an attack, you can expend a number of Hit Dice equal to your proficiency bonus to heal.

Overpower

Requirements: A bludgeoning melee weapon or a shield
Effect: You can throw your full body weight into an attack as part of your strike. As part of an attack, before or after your weapon swing, you attempt an Athletics check with advantage to Shove your target.

Power Attack

Requirements: A melee weapon held in two-hands
Effect: You can put more of your raw strength behind a powerful blow. Your attack deals bonus damage equal to twice your Strength modifier.

Puncture

Requirements: A piercing or slashing melee weapon
Effect: You can make a strike that punctures a creature's vital areas. As part of an attack, you inflict the Bleeding condition upon your target until the end of its next short rest. While Bleeding, a creature cannot regain lost hit points.

Quick Step

Requirements: A finesse melee weapon
Effect: You can deftly step around nearby foes. Immediately after making an attack, you can move 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

Rally

Requirements: A melee weapon
Effect: You inspire valor and renewed courage in nearby allies with your presence. As part of an attack, you grant any number of allies of your choice that can hear or see you temporary hit points from a pool equal to the damage roll + twice your Charisma modifier (minimum of 0) for 1 minute, divided evenly among them. While a creature has any temporary hit points from this effect, they are immune to the Frightened condition.

Shatter Defenses

Requirements: A warpick, flail, or morningstar
Effect: Some weapons are particularly vicious, able to shatter the most protective armors. As part of an attack, you ignore up to 5 AC gained from worn armor, shields, or natural armor. On a critical hit, the opponent's armor also suffers a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to its AC.

Slaughterhouse

Requirements: A melee weapon
Effect: You make a terrifying strike against a target, attempting to frighten foes with your menacing presence. As part of an attack, you assault your target with a vicious frenzy. Any hostile creature that can see or hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 10 + your Intimidation modifier) or be Frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If you make this attack against a dead or unconscious enemy, creatures have disadvantage on this saving throw.

Spell Strike

Requirements: A melee or ranged weapon
Effect: You can infuse your weapon with magical energy. As part of an attack, you deal additional damage equal to your Strength or Dexterity modifier of a damage type corresponding to a known spell or cantrip.

Sunder Armor

Requirements: A heavy or bludgeoning melee weapon
Effect: You make a special attack that attempts to sunder a foe's armor. As part of an attack, the opponent's armor also suffers a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to its AC. On a critical hit, this penalty is increased to -2.

Tactician's Gambit

Requirements: A melee or ranged weapon
Effect: You experiment, trying to deduce the obvious tactical implications of the current combat situation from empirical evidence. As part of an attack, you grant yourself and up to two allies a bonus to hit equal to your Intelligence modifier on the next attack roll you and they make against this target by the end of your next turn.

Thunderdome

Requirements: Two free hands
Effect: You can replace an attack on your turn to instead hurl a bulky projectile at a target within 30 feet. This projectile can be a creature you are grappling, something you are holding, or an object (such as a table or rock) within reach of you, and it must not weigh more than your carrying capacity. If your target is a creature, make a ranged weapon attack using your Strength modifier. Otherwise, anything struck by this projectile takes bludgeoning damage equal to your Strength modifier plus the projectile's weight divided by 10. Additionally, any creature thrown by this attack automatically takes this damage and must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or land Prone.

Tomb Raider

Requirements: A lit torch
Effect: You always carry your trusty torch. As part of an attack, you can make an additional attack with a torch, dealing 1d4 fire damage and setting the target aflame on a hit. While burning in this way, the target takes half your level in fire damage at the start of each of its turns, and if it has an Intelligence score less than or equal to 4, it is Frightened while on fire. This burning can be ended if a creature uses its action to extinguish the flames.

Tip: Indexes

Tables are available at the bottom of this document which index each Weapon Art by requirement and present a table of known Weapon Arts by level.

Ranged Weapon Strikes

Aim

Requirements: A ranged or thrown weapon
Effect: You can stand still, hold your breath, and take aim at a creature. Your ranged attack has advantage and deals additional damage equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Double Shot

Requirements: A ranged or thrown weapon that does not have the loading property
Effect: You can fire off two shots in fast succession. As part of a ranged attack against a target, you immediately fire off a second ranged attack at a different target. If this attack hits, the target only takes damage equal to twice your Dexterity modifier.

Grievous Throw

Requirements: A thrown axe or hammer
Effect: You throw your weapon in a vicious arc, richocheting between nearby foes. As part of an attack, choose up to three other targets within range, each of which are within 20 feet of the first target, to also strike with that same attack, making a separate attack and damage roll for each target. If you are below half your maximum hit points, these attacks also deal bonus damage equal to your Strength modifier to each target struck.

Pinning Shot

Requirements: A ranged or thrown weapon
Effect: You can try to aim for the heel or equivalent of your target. As part of an attack, you also reduce your target's speed to 0 until the end of its next turn. Until the target recovers its speed, it cannot use the Dodge action.

Point-Blank Shot

Requirements: A longbow or heavy crossbow
Effect: As part of a ranged attack, you can attempt to knock away your foe. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on this ranged attack, and any creature struck by the attack must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away. If you choose to do so, on failure the target is also knocked Prone.

Power Shot

Requirements: A shortbow or longbow
Effect: Before you make a ranged attack with a bow, you can attempt to pull back your bow string with all your might. If the attack hits, you add three times your Strength modifier as bonus damage to the attack.

True Shot

Requirements: A ranged or thrown weapon
Effect: With your knowledge of simply geometry, you can line up an unerring shot. You cannot miss with this attack, but the attack deals only half its normal damage.

Reactions

Counter Attack

Requirements: A melee weapon
Effect: When a creature you can see misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to perform a single melee attack against that creature.

Determination

Requirements: None
Effect: When you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you fails a saving throw that results in it becoming Stunned, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, or Prone, you can use your reaction to allow that creature to reroll its saving throw.

Ignore Pain

Requirements: Any heavy armor
Effect: When a creature deals damage to you, you can use your reaction to fight through the pain. You reduce any damage taken by an amount equal to your Constitution score.

Raise Shield

Requirements: A shield
Effect: When a creature you can see hits you or an ally within 5 feet of you with an attack, you may use your reaction to interpose your shield in front of the attack. You cannot be critically hit for this attack and your AC is increased by 5, potentially causing it to miss. If you protected an ally, you now become the new target of the attack.

Roll

Requirements: None
Effect: When a creature you can see hits you with an attack and you have a speed above 0, you can use your reaction to dodge 5 feet away from the creature into another square, increasing your AC by your Dexterity modifier for the attack and potentially causing it to miss. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Sentry

Requirements: A melee weapon
Effect: When a creature you can see enters, exits, or moves while in your reach, you can make a special opportunity attack against that creature which also reduces its speed to 0 until the start of its next turn.

Spell Reflect

Requirements: A shield
Effect: When a creature you can see hits you with a spell attack, a line spell, or magic missiles, you can use your reaction to reflect the spell back at the caster as though it originated from you, turning the caster into the target. This spell can be of a level no higher than your proficiency bonus.

Special Actions

Ambush

Requirements: None
Effect: You can use the Ambush action, allowing you to assassinate your foes. As part of this action, make an attack roll against a helpless creature, such as one that is Unconscious, Paralyzed, or otherwise completely incapable of fighting back. If you hit the creature's AC without their Dexterity modifier included, the creature takes damage equal to its current hit points and is dying. If you miss, the creature instead takes damage equal to half its current hit points.

Brace

Requirements: A polearm
Effect: You can use the Brace action, allowing you to guard against incoming foes. You can make an opportunity attack against any number of visible creatures that enter your weapon's reach before your next turn without consuming your reaction, even if they took the Disengage action. A creature struck has its speed reduced to 0 for the rest of its turn, and a mounted creature must also succeed on DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall Prone off its mount. If you are moved against your will before your next turn, you are no longer considered bracing.

Brandish

Requirements: A lit torch
Effect: You can use the Brandish action, allowng you to brighten even the darkest of dungeons. You wave your torch in the air for up to 10 minutes, extending the radius of its bright light by 10 feet and its dim light by 10 feet. Any creature with an Intelligence score less than or equal to 4 that can see you while you Brandish must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + an ability score of your choice. On a failure, a creature drops whatever it is holding and becomes Frightened as long as you are brandishing your torch. While Frightened in this way, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If a creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn't have line of sight of your torch, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Charge

Requirements: None
Effect: You can use the Charge action, allowing you to run down distant foes. After using the Charge action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line and finish your movement within reach of this target, you can Shove it and make a melee attack against it. Your melee attack deals additional damage equal to the distance you moved divided by 3 (up to a maximum of your Strength score). If you hit with your Shove, you can push the creature a number of feet equal to the distance you moved (up to a maximum of your Strength score) and knock it prone. While riding a mounted creature, you can use its statistics for any of these calculations.

What are Axes, Hammers, and Polearms?

These aren't weapon types in 5e D&D, but the meaning is intuitive. A polearm is any quarterstaff, spear, javelin, trident, halberd, glaive or pike. An axe is any handaxe, battleaxe, greataxe. A hammer is any light hammer, warhammer, or maul.

What are Thrown Weapons?

Any instance of "thrown" in this document refers specifically to the Thrown weapon property. Thus, a "thrown weapon" is one which has the thrown property, not simply any weapon which has been thrown.

Index

Change Log version 2.1

• Indexes: Added two indexes

• Breaks: Removed references to this mechanic

• Multiclassing: Reworked multiclassing rules to be simpler.

• Requirements: Strikes can now only be used on the Attack action and can only be used once per turn.

• Sharpshooter: Removed.

• Shield Toss: Removed.

• Herculean Prowess: Removed.

• True Shot: Added.

• Power Shot: Added.

• Point-Blank Shot: Added.

• Determination: Added.

• Quick Step: Added.

• Slaughterhouse: Changed. Removed temp HP component, modified how Frighten works.

• Cleave: Changed. Now separate attack/damage rolls for each target

• Lunge: Changed. Now moves you up to 10 feet, rather than extending your weapon's reach by 5. Now works with daggers.

• Sunder Armor: Changed. No longer dependent on creature AC. Now a flat AC penalty. Also, now deals damage.

• Thunderdome: Changed. Added rules for throwing creatures and clarified math for attack roll + DC.

• Hook: Changed. Now also works with whips.

• Overpower: Changed. Now also works with shields.

• Pinning Shot: Changed and greatly simplified the movement speed reduction effect.

• Ignore Pain: Changed. Removed breakage mechanic. Now is based off Constitution score.

• Execute: Reworked entirely. No longer a critical hit nor causes breaks. Now flat damage and requires conditional.

• Overpower: Nerfed. Removed stun component.

• Double Shot: Nerfed. Can no longer be used against the same target used to trigger the shot.

• Shatter Defenses: Nerfed. No longer ignores all AC, now ignores only up to a set amount.

• Spellstrike: Nerfed and reworked entirely. Removed casting a cantrip and is now just flat damage to a melee attack.

• Tactician's Gambit: Nerfed. Lost advantage and bonus damage. Now bonus to hit equal to Intelligence modifier.

• Groin Shot (Dirty Fighting): Nerfed. Removed stun component, added Incapacitate

• Flurry: Nerfed. No longer two attacks. Now one attack, but doesn't suffer penalties for two weapon fighting.

• Tomb Raider: Nerfed damage.

• Grevious Throw: Nerfed. Now requires hammer/axe, halved Strength scaling, separate attack/damage rolls for each target. Also buffed slightly. Target cap increased to three, but target's must be within a certain distance from the first target.

• Concealed Strike: Nerfed. Removed half the Dex scaling to make Feint more competitive against it.

• Concussive Blow: Nerfed. Removed Strength scaling. Daze is quite strong, and this makes it more comparable to Puncture. Now also works with shields.

• Sentinel: Renamed to Sentry.

To-Do List

• Saving Throws: Not Implemented. Standardize saving throw DC math to 8 + PB + ability score.

• Damage: Consider changing damage from ability modifiers to something else.

• Focus Points: Consider reworking into Stamina Points. You have 2? Stamina points, and you regain 1 Stamina point at the start of your turn. Each weapon art costs 1 stamina point, one or two may cost 2 stamina points. 22% -> 36% increase in character damage expected (20 attacks per long rest, power attack as baseline).

• Warlord's? Strike: Support ability. Buff to ally? or Target has disadvantage on attacks made until end of next turn?

• Determination: Reconsider.

Artist Credits:

Page 1: Bounty Hunter by jdtmart
Page 5: Cavalry by ManthosLappas