Stance Fighter

This Fighter Martial Archetype focuses on different, mode-like, fighting forms and techniques called fighting stances.

Fighting Stances

When you choose this martial archetype at 3rd level, you learn two fighting stances of your choice from the list of stances at the end of this archetype. You can choose one additional stance at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th levels.

On your turn, as a bonus action, you can enter a fighting stance which grants you special abilities for as long as you are in that stance. You can only have one fighting stance active at a time. You can end your current stance or enter a new stance as a bonus action. Your fighting stance ends if you are incapacitated.

Ready for Action

At 7th level, when you roll initiative, you can instantly enter a stance, no action required.

Innovative Techniques

At 10th level, you can now have two different stances active at the same time.

Adamantine Discipline

At 15th level, you are immune to fear and charm effects.

Stance Master

By 18th level, you've made one fighting stance part of your being. Pick one stance you know. You always gain the benefits of this stance and it doesn’t count against the number of stances you can have active at once. You cannot enter this stance twice and stack the benefits.

Fighting Stances

Turtle

You plant your feet firmly on the ground and take a deep breath, readying yourself for an opponent’s attack. While you are in this stance, you gain +2 to AC and can use your reaction to deflect one ranged attack that would have hit you, as long as it wasn’t a critical hit, causing it to deal no damage to you. The ranged attack must have required an attack roll. In addition, on your turn, you can use your action to spend hit dice to recover HP.

Snake

You study your enemy’s movements and strike where it hurts most. While in this stance, you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and, once per round, you can add 1d6 extra damage when you hit with a weapon attack.

Rabbit

You raise up on your toes and become more nimble, almost weightless. While in this stance, you have a 10-foot bonus to your speed. When you move, you do not provoke opportunity attacks. While in this stance, none of your attacks may add your ability modifiers to damage. However, when you use your action to make a weapon attack, you can make one extra attack.

Scorpion

You raise your weapon high and lash out with fury, harnessing your forward momentum to force your weapon to hit its mark. While in this stance you gain a cumulative +2 to melee weapon attack and damage rolls each round, but attack rolls against you have advantage.

Monkey

You prepare to use your enemy’s momentum against them. When a creature you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to cause the attack to miss you, as long as it wasn’t a critical hit. As part of that reaction, if the attacker is Large or smaller, you can move the attacker to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, and cause the attacker either to repeat the attack against another creature within its reach or you can attempt to grapple the attacker.

Hyena

Your posture becomes straight and tall, as you take on an air of confidence and bravado. You lure enemies to their doom with goading words or gestures. While in this stance, when you use your action to attack, you can first make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the Wisdom (Insight) check of a creature within 30 feet of you that can see or hear you. If you succeed, you can make your next attack against the creature before the end of your turn with advantage.

Elephant

You stretch your limbs and prepare to make wide, sweeping blows. When you make a melee weapon attack, you can use the same attack roll on simultaneous attacks against a number of creatures equal to your Strength modifier. These creatures must still be within range of the initial attack.

Rat

You use dirty street-fighting techniques to hinder your foes, bashing with pommels, jabbing at eyes, battering ears, or slashing calves. As an action, make a weapon attack against a creature. If the attack hits, the creature must make a Constitution save (DC = 8 + your Strength or Dexterity bonus + your proficiency bonus) or suffer one of the following conditions of your choice until the end of your next turn: blinded, deafened, restrained, or stunned.

Hound

You steel yourself to incoming blows to protect yourself and your allies. While in this stance, you resist nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. As a reaction, you can intercept an attack that would have hit that ally within 5 feet of you, causing you to take the damage and any additional effects, instead of the ally.