Way of the Combo Master

What separates a brawler from a martial artist? Skill. How do you achieve skill? Practice. Practice and dedication, repetition until the movements become second nature. Until you completely overwhelm and trap your foes in an endless rain of blows. That is the way of the Combo Master.

... I'll be honest. I can't think of a good flavor-text intro to this subclass. It's a Monk idea I thought up after watching too many EVO/Fighting Game highlights.

Combo Master Features Monk Level Features 3rd Combo Chain 6th Reversal Combo 11th Combo Reset 17th Infinite Combo

Combo Chain When you select this Monastic Tradition at 3rd level, you learn to link your strikes in ways that leave your foes with little room to escape or react. When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 2 ki points to trap your target in a combo. The target must be one size larger than you or smaller. For example, as a standard Medium human, you can only combo Large or smaller targets. While in your combo the target is considered Restrained, and your melee attacks deal 1 additional damage die when you hit the target. On the target's turn, it can make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to escape your combo (DC = 8+ your proficiency modifier + your Dexterity bonus) if it is capable of doing so. Your combo ends if the target breaks free with the above check, if you successfully hit the target a number of times equal to your Dexterity bonus + your Wisdom bonus (minimum of 2), or if one of your attack rolls misses the target. Your combo also ends if you attack another target besides the one currently stuck in your combo, or if you are incapacitated.

Reversal Combo Starting at 6th level, you learn how to counter an enemy's attacks and link your retaliating strike into your combo chain. When an enemy you can see within melee reach of you rolls an attack against you, you can use your reaction to attack them with a counter blow. If successful, you are resistant to the damage dealt by their attack if it hits, and you can spend 2 ki points to begin a combo chain on the target.

Combo Reset At 11th level, you have learned to roll with unexpected situations and pick up combos when they are interrupted or cut short. When your combo is ended early due to one of your attacks missing, if you hit with another melee attack within the same turn of the combo dropping you can spend 1 ki point to resume the combo where you had left off.