Homebrew Magical Combatants - Three 1/3 Martial Archetypes with Prepared Maneuvers

[xiphumor]

The latest drafts of the archetypes I've been working on: the Weapon Dancer Bard, the War Beast Druid, and the newly revised Bladesworn Warlock. I appreciate your continued and candid feedback.

Magical Combatants

No description.

homebrewery.naturalcrit.com

Admittedly, they're pretty similar at low levels, but that might just be how things need to go. I will say I miss some of the fun features from the first draft of the Bladesworn Warlock, but I think that now a 1-level multiclass dip into it shouldn't be too different from becoming a War Cleric.

 

[VenerableBede]

The page wrapping makes it difficult to read - many class features are cut off.

 

[xiphumor]

The page wrapping makes it difficult to read - many class features are cut off.

Oh no! Let me post them separately.

 

[xiphumor]

Weapon Dancer Bard​

From elegant duelists to tribal warriors, from martial artists to performative marksmen, Weapon Dancers understand that few things inspire the same awful blend of admiration and fear as a weapon in hand.

Bonus Proficiency and Specialties​

Spoiler: Bonus Proficiency and Specialties

When you select this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Athletics or Acrobatics. If you are already proficient with your chosen skill, you instead gain an expertise die. In addition, you gain additional specialties in your chosen skill equal to your proficiency bonus, and you gain another specialty whenever your proficiency bonus increases.
In addition, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Magical Combatant​

Spoiler: Magical Combatant

Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in one combat tradition of your choice.
You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool.
You prepare the list of maneuvers that are available for you to use, choosing from the maneuvers in the combat traditions in which you are proficient. When you do so, choose a number of maneuvers whose combined degree levels do not exceed the Maneuver Total value for your level on the Weapon Dancer Bard table. The Maneuever Degree column on the Weapon Dancer Bard table shows the maximum maneuever degree you can prepare.
You can change your list of prepared maneuvers whenever you finish a long rest by rehearsing your dance for at least 1 minute per maneuver degree for each maneuver on your list.

Weapon Dancer Bard Table​

Spoiler: Weapon Dancer Bard Table

Level​	Maneuver Total​	Maneuver Degree​
3rd​	2​	1st​
4th​	2​	1st​
5th​	3​	1st​
6th​	3​	1st​
7th​	3​	1st​
8th​	3​	1st​
9th​	4​	2nd​
10th​	4​	2nd​
11th​	4​	2nd​
12th​	4​	2nd​
13th​	5​	2nd​
14th​	5​	2nd​
15th​	5​	2nd​
16th​	5​	2nd​
17th​	6​	3rd​
18th​	6​	3rd​
19th​	6​	3rd​
20th​	6​	3rd​

Extra Attack​

Spoiler: Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
In addition, you gain proficiency in one additional combat tradition of your choice.

Choreographer​

Spoiler: Choreographer

At 14th level, a creature can spend your Bardic Inspiration to activate a maneuver that either you or the creature have prepared or know without spending any exertion.

 

[xiphumor]

War Beast Druid​

War Beasts combine the raw physical power of their Wildshape forms with the cunning, strategy, and tactics of more intelligent creatures. While some employ their gifts in defense of their natural homes, others are drawn to serve in the conflicts of armies, factions, or secretive organizations.

Magical Combatant​

Spoiler: Magical Combatant

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in one combat tradition of your choice.
You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool.
You prepare the list of maneuvers that are available for you to use, choosing from the maneuvers in the combat traditions in which you are proficient. When you do so, choose a number of maneuvers whose combined degree levels do not exceed the Maneuver Total value for your level on the War Beast Druid table. The Maneuever Degree column on the War Beast Druid table shows the maximum maneuever degree you can prepare.
You can change your list of prepared maneuvers whenever you finish a long rest by communing with the spirits of nature for at least 1 minute per maneuver degree for each maneuver on your list.

Armed to the Teeth​

Spoiler: Armed to the Teeth

Also at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with all simple and martial weapons.
In addition, when you use a combat maneuver that requires a weapon with a particular property other than heavy, your attacks made using natural weapons while in a wild shape count as having that property. Your attacks count as having the heavy property if you are not Tiny or Small.
Finally, when you are using a wild shape and another creature with proficiency with at least one martial weapon is mounted on you, if you activate a maneuver or have activated a stance that refers to being mounted, you can treat the maneuver as though your rider had activated it instead. Doing so still spends your action, bonus action, or reaction, and you must satisfy any prerequisites for the maneuver.

Extra Attack​

Spoiler: Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
In addition, you gain proficiency in one additional combat tradition of your choice.

War Beast Druid Table​

Spoiler: War Beast Druid Table

Level​	Maneuver Total​	Maneuver Degree​
2nd​	2​	1st​
3rd​	2​	1st​
4th​	2​	1st​
5th​	3​	1st​
6th​	3​	1st​
7th​	3​	1st​
8th​	3​	1st​
9th​	4​	2nd​
10th​	4​	2nd​
11th​	4​	2nd​
12th​	4​	2nd​
13th​	5​	2nd​
14th​	5​	2nd​
15th​	5​	2nd​
16th​	5​	2nd​
17th​	6​	3rd​
18th​	6​	3rd​
19th​	6​	3rd​
20th​	6​	3rd​

Instinctual Maneuver​

Spoiler: Instinctual Maneuver

At 10th level, you can assign a maneuver you can prepare to each of your known wild shapes. Assigning a maneuver to one wildshape does not prevent you from assigning the same maneuver to another wild shape.
Whenever you use a wild shape, you are considered to have the maneuver assigned to that wild shape prepared, and it does not count toward your maneuver total. In addition, you can use the maneuver assigned to a wild shape once while using the wild shape without spending any exertion. You regain all uses of this feature after completing a short or long rest, or after expending another use of your wild shape feature.
Whenever you learn a new wild shape, you may assign a maneuver to it. In addition, whenever you gain a level in this class, you can change which maneuver is assigned to which wild shape.

Advanced Pack Tactics​

Spoiler: Advanced Pack Tactics

At 14th level, when you cast conjure animals (or any rare versions of the spell), the creatures you summon gain a single exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus which they all share. These creatures can use any combat maneuvers you know or have prepared as though they were wild shapes, but they do not gain Instinctual Maneuvers either from their own forms or from any wild shapes you adopt while the spell is active.

 

[xiphumor]

Bladesworn Warlock​

Unlike most Warlocks, the Bladesworn are not defined by their patron, but by their charge. Whether they serve a scheming fey, a vengeful fiend, or an inscrutable abberation, Bladesworn serve a martial role in their master’s grand plans, and are mystically imbued with physical prowess to achieve their mysterious ends.

Bladesworn Expanded Spells​

Spoiler: Bladesworn Expanded Spells

Spell Level​	Spells​
1st​	shield, thunderwave​
2nd​	blur, force of will​
3rd​	blink, haste​
4th​	freedom of movement, stoneskin​
5th​	storm kick, warrior’s instincts​

Shared Spell List (Note)​

Spoiler: Shared Spell List (Note)

Bladesworns share their expanded spell list with Mutant Warlocks (GPG #2, pg. 9). As with all Warlocks, you may choose another expanded spell list in its place.

Eldritch Warrior​

Spoiler: Eldritch Warrior

At 1st level, you gain Eldritch Warrior as a bonus invocation.

Bladesworn Warlock Table​

Spoiler: Bladesworn Warlock Table

Level​	Maneuver Total​	Maneuver Degree​
1st​	1​	1st​
2nd​	2​	1st​
3rd​	2​	1st​
4th​	2​	1st​
5th​	3​	1st​
6th​	3​	1st​
7th​	3​	1st​
8th​	3​	1st​
9th​	4​	2nd​
10th​	4​	2nd​
11th​	4​	2nd​
12th​	4​	2nd​
13th​	5​	2nd​
14th​	5​	2nd​
15th​	5​	2nd​
16th​	5​	2nd​
17th​	6​	3rd​
18th​	6​	3rd​
19th​	6​	3rd​
20th​	6​	3rd​

Magical Combatant​

Spoiler: Magical Combatant

Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in one combat tradition of your choice.

Spoiler: Magical Combatant

You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool.​

You prepare the list of maneuvers that are available for you to use, choosing from the maneuvers in the combat traditions in which you are proficient. When you do so, choose a number of maneuvers whose combined degree levels do not exceed the Maneuver Total value for your level on the Bladesworn Warlock table. The Maneuever Degree column on the Bladesworn Warlock table shows the maximum maneuever degree you can prepare.​

You can change your list of prepared maneuvers whenever you finish a long rest by communing with the your patron for at least 1 minute per maneuver degree for each maneuver on your list.​

Extra Attack​

Spoiler: Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the attack action on your turn. If any of your invocations would be made redundant by this feature (such as Thirsting Blade), you may replace it with another invocation you could learn at this level.

Spoiler: Extra Attack

In addition, you gain proficiency in one additional combat tradition of your choice.​

War Pact Boon​

Spoiler: War Pact Boon

At 10th level, you gain one of the following features depending on your choice of Pact Boon.

Battle Tome​

Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome feature​

Spoiler: Battle Tome

Select three maneuvers of 1st degree from any tradition. While your Book of Shadows is in your possession, you always have these maneuvers prepared and they do not count toward your maneuver total.

Martial Familiar​

Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature​

Spoiler: Martial Familiar

Your familiar gains the ability to use any combat maneuvers you have prepared. In addition, they gain an exertion pool equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. When your familiar uses a combat maneuver that requires a weapon with a particular property other than heavy, its attacks count as having that property. Its attacks count as having the heavy property if it not Tiny or Small.

Protean Weapon​

Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature​

Spoiler: Protean Weapon

Once per short rest, you can spend a bonus action to change the form of your Pact Weapon into any non-magical simple, martial, or rare weapon that you have held at least once. (This feature does not provide ammunition for weapons.) Magic weapons altered in this way retain any bonuses or drawbacks they had before if the weapon’s new form is physically capable of supporting the attribute. If not, the weapon regains such properties once its form permits it. Your Pact Weapon returns to its original form if you lose this feature or if it ceases to be your Pact Weapon.

Spoiler: Protean Weapon

In addition, conjuring your Pact Weapon no longer requires an action.​

Ultimate Weapon​

Spoiler: Ultimate Weapon

At 14th level, your patron bestows you with a magic weapon of your choice worth no more than 10,000 gold. If this weapon requires attunement, it does not cost you an attunement slot. Your patron collects this item when you die or if you lose this feature.

 

[xiphumor]

Multiclassing Magical Combatants​

If you gain the Magical Combatant or Combat Maneuvers features from more than one class or archetype, you gain any additional combat traditions or maneuvers the features provide but your exertion pool remains the same and does not stack.

Heralds. The herald is an exception to this rule. If your first levels are in the herald class, you gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus. You regain exertion spent from this pool at the end of a short or long rest.

You may learn or prepare maneuvers from any traditions you are proficient in from any source.

You use your class levels in every class that grants the Magical Combatant feature to determine the highest degree of combat maneuvers you can prepare, determined by the class with the greatest access. However, class levels in classes that grant the Combat Manevuers feature do not count toward the highest degree of maneuver you can prepare, nor toward your Maneuver Total. Likewise, class levels in classes that grant the Magical Combatant feature do not count toward the highest degree of maneuver you can learn.

 

[VenerableBede]

Weapon Dancer Bard​

From elegant duelists to tribal warriors, from martial artists to performative marksmen, Weapon Dancers understand that few things inspire the same awful blend of admiration and fear as a weapon in hand.

Bonus Proficiency and Specialties​

Spoiler: Bonus Proficiency and Specialties

When you select this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Athletics or Acrobatics. If you are already proficient with your chosen skill, you instead gain an expertise die. In addition, you gain additional specialties in your chosen skill equal to your proficiency bonus, and you gain another specialty whenever your proficiency bonus increases.
In addition, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Magical Combatant​

Spoiler: Magical Combatant

Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in one combat tradition of your choice.
You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool.
You prepare the list of maneuvers that are available for you to use, choosing from the maneuvers in the combat traditions in which you are proficient. When you do so, choose a number of maneuvers whose combined degree levels do not exceed the Maneuver Total value for your level on the Weapon Dancer Bard table. The Maneuever Degree column on the Weapon Dancer Bard table shows the maximum maneuever degree you can prepare.
You can change your list of prepared maneuvers whenever you finish a long rest by rehearsing your dance for at least 1 minute per maneuver degree for each maneuver on your list.

Weapon Dancer Bard Table​

Spoiler: Weapon Dancer Bard Table

Level​	Maneuver Total​	Maneuver Degree​
3rd​	2​	1st​
4th​	2​	1st​
5th​	3​	1st​
6th​	3​	1st​
7th​	3​	1st​
8th​	3​	1st​
9th​	4​	2nd​
10th​	4​	2nd​
11th​	4​	2nd​
12th​	4​	2nd​
13th​	5​	2nd​
14th​	5​	2nd​
15th​	5​	2nd​
16th​	5​	2nd​
17th​	6​	3rd​
18th​	6​	3rd​
19th​	6​	3rd​
20th​	6​	3rd​

Extra Attack​

Spoiler: Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
In addition, you gain proficiency in one additional combat tradition of your choice.

Choreographer​

Spoiler: Choreographer

At 14th level, a creature can spend your Bardic Inspiration to activate a maneuver that either you or the creature have prepared or know without spending any exertion.

My first thought when reading this: you commented that these are pretty similar at lower levels, and at least to me that suggests you want them to be more different/unique with their combat maneuvers. Herald proves, in the base rules, that unique access to Exertion for maneuvers using a class's existing resources is balanced, so why not try that here with the bard? Whenever you want you can sacrifice a Bardic Inspiration, roll it, and gain that much exertion. Less consistent than just having a flat pool of exertion, and sometimes it will result in more exertion than the average of other classes, but it also comes at the cost of a resource used to power other features, so I think it would be fine to have that trade-off. Just an idea.

That would conflict with the 14th level feature, Choreographer, a bit. Regardless, I think this feature should have you give a Bardic Inspiration to another creature to allow it to use a maneuver for free. I think the current reading could be interpreted that any creature can just take an Inspiration from you.

 

[VenerableBede]

War Beast Druid​

War Beasts combine the raw physical power of their Wildshape forms with the cunning, strategy, and tactics of more intelligent creatures. While some employ their gifts in defense of their natural homes, others are drawn to serve in the conflicts of armies, factions, or secretive organizations.

Magical Combatant​

Spoiler: Magical Combatant

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in one combat tradition of your choice.
You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool.
You prepare the list of maneuvers that are available for you to use, choosing from the maneuvers in the combat traditions in which you are proficient. When you do so, choose a number of maneuvers whose combined degree levels do not exceed the Maneuver Total value for your level on the War Beast Druid table. The Maneuever Degree column on the War Beast Druid table shows the maximum maneuever degree you can prepare.
You can change your list of prepared maneuvers whenever you finish a long rest by communing with the spirits of nature for at least 1 minute per maneuver degree for each maneuver on your list.

Armed to the Teeth​

Spoiler: Armed to the Teeth

Also at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with all simple and martial weapons.
In addition, when you use a combat maneuver that requires a weapon with a particular property other than heavy, your attacks made using natural weapons while in a wild shape count as having that property. Your attacks count as having the heavy property if you are not Tiny or Small.
Finally, when you are using a wild shape and another creature with proficiency with at least one martial weapon is mounted on you, if you activate a maneuver or have activated a stance that refers to being mounted, you can treat the maneuver as though your rider had activated it instead. Doing so still spends your action, bonus action, or reaction, and you must satisfy any prerequisites for the maneuver.

Extra Attack​

Spoiler: Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
In addition, you gain proficiency in one additional combat tradition of your choice.

War Beast Druid Table​

Spoiler: War Beast Druid Table

Level​	Maneuver Total​	Maneuver Degree​
2nd​	2​	1st​
3rd​	2​	1st​
4th​	2​	1st​
5th​	3​	1st​
6th​	3​	1st​
7th​	3​	1st​
8th​	3​	1st​
9th​	4​	2nd​
10th​	4​	2nd​
11th​	4​	2nd​
12th​	4​	2nd​
13th​	5​	2nd​
14th​	5​	2nd​
15th​	5​	2nd​
16th​	5​	2nd​
17th​	6​	3rd​
18th​	6​	3rd​
19th​	6​	3rd​
20th​	6​	3rd​

Instinctual Maneuver​

Spoiler: Instinctual Maneuver

At 10th level, you can assign a maneuver you can prepare to each of your known wild shapes. Assigning a maneuver to one wildshape does not prevent you from assigning the same maneuver to another wild shape.
Whenever you use a wild shape, you are considered to have the maneuver assigned to that wild shape prepared, and it does not count toward your maneuver total. In addition, you can use the maneuver assigned to a wild shape once while using the wild shape without spending any exertion. You regain all uses of this feature after completing a short or long rest, or after expending another use of your wild shape feature.
Whenever you learn a new wild shape, you may assign a maneuver to it. In addition, whenever you gain a level in this class, you can change which maneuver is assigned to which wild shape.

Advanced Pack Tactics​

Spoiler: Advanced Pack Tactics

At 14th level, when you cast conjure animals (or any rare versions of the spell), the creatures you summon gain a single exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus which they all share. These creatures can use any combat maneuvers you know or have prepared as though they were wild shapes, but they do not gain Instinctual Maneuvers either from their own forms or from any wild shapes you adopt while the spell is active.

I think "Armed to the Teeth" could use some rewording. It's not entirely clear when or why your natural weapon attacks count as Heavy for the purpose of using a combat maneuver.
I'm also curious how many wild shapes would actually be able to make use of the Mounted feature. Non-Skinchanger druids have much more limited Wild Shape options.
Regardless, if you can cause a creature mounting to use a maneuver you know, it probably should cost that creature's reaction. A comparable feature, the marshal's Commanding Presence, allows you to give up your attacks to let another creature attack, but it costs their reaction.
Maybe have Extra Attack also grant your natural weapons the ability to count as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction? It feels to me that you are going for a martial druid that stays in wild shape and uses combat maneuvers a lot, having combat maneuvers and extra attack (combined with the wild shape's temporary hit points and AC boost) to let this druid fill a martial role normally filled by a fighter wearing plate mail or a berserker with Rugged Defense, but that just won't work once creatures with resistance to nonmagical attacks become more common.
If I understand your intent, then I also am curious how this archetype will stand out from the Skinchanger. Combat maneuvers, obviously, but if both focus on using wild shape to fill a martial role, will combat maneuvers alone be enough to at least stand on even footing with the Skinchanger's faster animal transformation, increased creature CR, and better temporary hit points? (Food for thought to improve what I think is a solid seed idea, not intended to stop you from developing this archetype.)

 

[xiphumor]

My first thought when reading this: you commented that these are pretty similar at lower levels, and at least to me that suggests you want them to be more different/unique with their combat maneuvers. Herald proves, in the base rules, that unique access to Exertion for maneuvers using a class's existing resources is balanced, so why not try that here with the bard? Whenever you want you can sacrifice a Bardic Inspiration, roll it, and gain that much exertion. Less consistent than just having a flat pool of exertion, and sometimes it will result in more exertion than the average of other classes, but it also comes at the cost of a resource used to power other features, so I think it would be fine to have that trade-off. Just an idea.

That would conflict with the 14th level feature, Choreographer, a bit. Regardless, I think this feature should have you give a Bardic Inspiration to another creature to allow it to use a maneuver for free. I think the current reading could be interpreted that any creature can just take an Inspiration from you.

I'll have to consider that. At the very least, reducing the size/consistency of the exertion pool might be a way to free up some space for some more distinctive initial archetype features. However, it does result in the classic Herald problem of multiclassing fighter to suddenly have way, way more exertion than anyone else.

I'll definitely rewrite the latter bit as you suggest, assuming it ends up in the final draft.