Weapon Master

The Weapon Master takes full advantage of all the fine details of any given weapon. More than any other fighter, the Weapon Master perfects the use of their full arsenal not only offensively, but also defensively. When faced with a challenge, they look to their swords and bows like a craftsman to their tools. If a Battle Master views combat as a scholarly study, then the Weapon Master sees it as a tactical trade.

Weapon Techniques

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you begin to learn techniques, or ways to more effectively use your weapons based on their form and properties. You learn 2 techniques of your choice from the "Techniques" list on the next page. You also learn an additional technique at certain levels in this class: 7th, 10th, and 15th.

Active Rearming

Starting at level 3, your prowess with weapons allows you to quickly arm yourself for the right occasion. As a bonus action, you can stow a weapon or shield and draw a different weapon or shield. You can also draw or stow two one-handed weapons instead of only one.

Warrior's Arsenal

Starting at 7th level, you choose one weapon within 5 feet of you when you start a long rest. You hone that weapon for coming use, giving you a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when wielding it. This bonus increases to +2 to attack and damage rolls when you reach 18th level in this class. The weapon keeps this bonus until you choose another weapon with this feature. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon. A weapon that receives this bonus is not considered magical.

You also gain proficiency with smith’s tools if you don’t already have it.

Additional Fighting Style

At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.

Skillful Block

Starting at 15th level, your weapon skills help you block or dodge an oncoming attack or effect. When you are forced to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw while you have a weapon in your hand, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on that saving throw.

Superior Style

At 18th level, you have mastered your use of a particular form of weapon. Choose one of the following:

Master Overwatch. While wielding a ranged weapon, if you see a creature within the weapon’s range making a weapon attack against another creature, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against that creature to disarm it. If it hits, that creature must make a Strength saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier). On a failed save, it drops the weapon it was attacking with at its feet and the attack is wasted.

Titan’s Wrath. While wielding a melee weapon with the two-handed or versatile property with two hands, you can use your bonus action to gain advantage on all attack rolls with that weapon this turn. You also gain a bonus to damage rolls on those attacks equal to your Strength modifier. You can use this feature up to a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of once) and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Unmatched Duelist. If you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons and you are within 5 feet of a creature with no other creatures within 5 feet of you or that creature, you can use your bonus action focus entirely on that creature, gaining advantage on attacks you make with that weapon against that creature and imposing disadvantage on attacks that creature makes against you until your next turn or until another creature comes within 5 feet of you or that creature.

Whir of Blades. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can make your additional attack as part of the same action instead of as a bonus action and can make any number of those attacks with either weapon. You can also use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren’t light.

Credit

Those who helped contribute to this:

LucysHips - Concept

"Fox" - Wording, fitting into the system

(Most of the work, honestly.)

SenpaiPolish + Others - Adjusting ideas, general

tweaking/suggestions.

Techniques

The techniques are presented in alphabetical order.

Brutal Edge. Whenever you have disadvantage on a melee attack roll you make with a handaxe, battleaxe, or greataxe, the target takes slashing damage equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of 0) if the attack misses but the higher of the two d20 rolls would have hit.

Crushing Blows. Once per turn, when you deal bludgeoning damage with a weapon to a creature, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier on melee attacks or Dexterity modifier on ranged attacks). On a failed save, the creature’s AC is reduced by an amount equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down until your next turn.

Flying Kick. While wielding a pike, glaive, halberd, spear, or quarterstaff, you can use your bonus action to use your weapon as a counterbalance and make a kicking attack at a creature within the weapon’s reach. The attack counts as an unarmed strike, dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage + your Strength modifier. When you hit a creature with this attack, you can push it up to 5 + your Strength modifier feet away from you.

Grievous Cut. Once per turn, when you deal slashing damage with a weapon to a creature, all subsequent attacks that deal slashing damage to that creature deal an additional 1d4 slashing damage to them until the end of your turn.

Guardian Arms. While you are wielding a weapon with the Reach property, you have half cover against attacks and spells from creatures within 5 feet of you.

Parrying Stance. On your turn, if you are wielding a dagger, shortsword, longsword, scimitar, greatsword, or rapier, you can use your reaction to assume a parrying stance, provided you have the weapon in hand. Doing so grants you a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn or until you’re not holding the weapon.

Pounding Strikes. Whenever you have advantage on a melee attack roll you make with a light hammer, warhammer, maul, morningstar, or flail, and hit, you can knock the target prone if the lower of the two d20 rolls would also hit the target.

Precise Stings. Your weapon attacks with weapons that deal piercing damage score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Quickdraw. When you make an attack with a melee weapon that you didn’t have in hand at the start of your turn, you gain a +2 bonus on the first attack roll you make with that weapon this turn.

Shield Bash. While you are holding a shield, you can make a melee weapon attack with it as a bonus action. You are considered proficient with it and it deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage. When you hit a creature with this attack, it must make a strength saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, your choice). On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone.

Sniper Shot. As a bonus action, you can give yourself advantage on the first attack roll you make this turn with a light crossbow, heavy crossbow, or hand crossbow.

Thousand Arrows. When you use the Attack action and attack with a shortbow or longbow, you can use your bonus action to attack with that weapon again.

Throwing Master. While wielding a weapon that is light, it gains the Thrown property with a normal range of 20 feet and a maximum range of 60 feet if it doesn’t already have it. If it does, its normal and maximum ranges are doubled for you when making a ranged attack with it.