Mystic Arms Campaign

The school of the Desert Wind focuses on speed, agility, and a biting defense. Maneuvers often draw inspiration from the scorching heat and harsh sandstorms of the desert.

Stance: When you start concentrating on this stance, choose one of fire, lightning, or cold. This is your stance element. You gain resistance to that type of damage while you concentrate on this stance. You can change this choice as a bonus action.

Burning Brand (*): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can create a burst of energy as a bonus action by spending 1 or more adept points. Each creature other than you within 5 feet of the attack’s target must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes damage of your stance element equal to 1d6 per adept point you spent + your adept ability modifier on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Holocaust Cloak (2): As an action, you can surround yourself in energy by spending 2 or more adept points. You gain 5 temporary hit points that last for 1 hour or until you lose concentration on this school. When a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack while you have these temporary hit points, it takes 5 damage of your stance element. For every 2 adept point you spend beyond 2, the temporary hit points and damage dealt increase by 5. 

Leaping Flame (3): When you are the target of a ranged attack by a creature you can see, you can use your reaction to teleport up to 100 feet to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the attacker. You teleport after the attack hits or misses you. You cannot use this maneuver if your speed is 0. 

Dragon’s Flame (3): As an action, you can spend 3 or more adept points to spit flames in a 15-foot cone. Creatures in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 4d6 damage of your stance element on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. This damage increases by 1d6 and the cone increases by 10 feet for each adept point you spend beyond 3.

Rising Phoenix (5): As an action, you generate a column of heated air beneath you. For the next hour while you concentrate on this school, you gain a flying speed of 60 feet. When the effect ends, you descend slowly at a rate of 30 feet per round.

Raging Sandstorm (7): As an action, you can send out streams of living energy at your enemies. Choose a number of creatures within 60 feet of you. Those creatures must make a Dexterity saving throw. Each target takes 8d6 damage of your stance element on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Those that fail this saving throw must then make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Once you use this maneuver, your adept maximum becomes 6 until you finish a long rest.

Faith and piety are not just for holy men. The school of the Devoted Spirit finds power in the purity of one’s body and mind, letting one’s essence reach out and effect the world around you.

Stance: While concentrating on this school’s stance, when you hit a hostile creature with a melee weapon attack, choose a friendly creature within 30 feet of you. You can target yourself with this ability. That creature regains hit points equal to your adept ability modifier.

Vanguard Strike (2): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can mark it as a prime target by spending 2 or more adept points. Your attack deals an extra 1d6 damage per adept point you spend. The next attack against that creature before the end of your next turn is made with advantage.

Shielding Spirit (2): When a creature within 10 feet of you, including yourself, is the target of a melee weapon attack that would hit it, you can use your reaction to give that creature a bonus to its AC equal to your adept ability modifier against that attack.

Entangling Blade (3): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can entangle it with your very spirit as a bonus action. Your attack deals an extra 3d8 damage. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s speed becomes 0 for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, it can make another save to end this effect early.

Daunting Strike (5): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can strike with unmatched ferocity as a bonus action. Your attack deals an extra 4d8 damage. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on all ability checks and attack rolls for 1 minute. The creature can make another save at the end of its turn to end this effect early.

Aura of Triumph (6): As a bonus action, pick a number of creatures within 30 feet of you. For the next minute while you concentrate on this school, each creature regains hit points equal to your adept ability modifier each time it makes a successful attack.

Strike of Righteous Vitality (7): When you drop a creature to 0 hit points with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can drain its spirit to bolster your own as a bonus action. The target immediately dies. You then gain a pool of points equal to the target’s hit point maximum, which you then immediately spend to restore hit points to yourself and any number of creatures within 30 feet of you. 

Once you use this maneuver, your adept maximum becomes 6 until you finish a long rest.

No matter how sharp the blade, a dull mind leads to sloppy cuts. The Diamond Mind’s students know this to be true. Perceptiveness and discipline of thought give you unmatched control of your body and the world around you. 

Stance: While concentrating on this school’s stance, when a creature misses you with an attack, it has disadvantage on its next attack against you before the start of your next turn.

Nightmare Blade (*): When you make a weapon attack on your turn, you can expend 1 or more adept points as a bonus action. Make a Wisdom (Insight) check with a DC equal to the creature’s AC. If you would have advantage on an attack against this creature, you can make this check with advantage.

On a success, your attack is made with advantage, dealing an extra 1d8 psychic damage for each adept point you spent. If you spend 3 or more adept points and hit, the creature must then make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If you fail the check, the attack is made as normal, dealing normal damage.

Bounding Assault (1): You can take the Dash action as a bonus action.

Disrupting Blow (3): When you hit with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can attempt to momentarily stun the target as a bonus action. Your attack deals an extra 3d8 damage. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is incapacitated until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this maneuver until you finish a long rest. 

Time Stands Still (5): You stop time around you for but a moment. You gain another action for this turn. Once you use this maneuver, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Avalanche of Blades (6): As an action, you can create a barrage of attacks against a single creature. Choose a creature within 5 feet of you. You can make melee weapon attacks against this creature until you miss with one, with each attack having a cumulative -2 penalty to its attack roll. Once you use this maneuver, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

The school of the Immortal Soldier focuses on resilience, confidence, and martial prowess.  Warriors of the Immortal Soldier fight with intensity and seem to shrug off even the deadliest of blows. 

Stance: Once per round, while you are concentrating on this stance, you may add 1d4 to any one Attack Roll, Saving Throw, or Ability Check.

Powerful Strike (*): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can empower the blow as a bonus action by spending 1 or more adept points. The creature takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon's type for each adept point you spent activating this maneuver.  If you spend at least 3 adept points, the weapon's damage also bypasses any resistances the target might have to the damage or your weapon.

Immortal's Breath (2): As a bonus action, you can draw in life energy to restore your wounds.  You heal your damage by 1d6 + your Wisdom Modifier.  You can increase this by an additional 1d6 for each adept point you spend beyond 2.

Counter (3): As an action, you take a stance - preparing to deliver a blow to the next fool that would try and strike you.  If a creature attempts to target you with a melee weapon attack before the beginning of your next turn and they are within your reach, you can unleash a strike to negate their own.  Before the creature makes its attack, make an attack roll of your own.  If you succeed, the damage from your weapon is doubled.  The attacking creature must then make a Constitution Saving Throw.  On a failure, their attack is negated and wasted.

Unyielding (5): As an reaction when damage from an attack or spell would bring you to 0 hit point, you can spend 5 or more adept points to remain on your feet.  You are still at 0 hit points but can act as normal until the end of your next turn.  Taking damage still gains you failed Death Saving Throws during this time period, but you cannot die while this maneuver is active.  If you spend additional adept points, you extend the benefits of this maneuver by an additional turn.  When this maneuver ends, if you are still at 0 hit points, you suffer the normal effects of falling to 0 hit points, as well as the results of any failed Death Saving Throws you may have had,.

Once you use this maneuver, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Retaliation (5): As an action, you deliver retribution upon your foe.  If a creature attacked and dealt damage to you after you previous turn with a weapon attack, you can attempt to deliver that damage back upon them.  Make a melee weapon attack against the creature.  If you hit, your attack deals your normal weapon damage plus additional damage equal to the damage you took from one of the creature's weapon attacks.

Power can be found in one’s very steel. A blade is itself the source of power for Iron Heart disciples, who concentrate on the reflections of their blades to perform superhuman feats with their weaponry.

Stance: While concentrating on your Iron Heart stance, your speed increases by 5 feet. Your reach with melee weapon attacks increases by 5 feet.

Steel Wind (*): As an action, you can spend 2 or more adept points to target multiple creatures with an attack. Choose a creature within your reach for each adept point you spend and make a melee weapon attack. Each creature you chose that the attack roll would hit takes damage from the attack plus an extra 1d8 damage. If you have advantage or disadvantage against any of the targets, roll a second attack roll. Use the higher of the two attack rolls against creatures you have advantage against, the lower for disadvantage, or the first for neither.

Disarming Strike (2): When you hit a creature wielding a weapon with a weapon attack on your turn, you can attempt to disarm it by spending 2 or more adept points. Your attack deals an extra 1d6 damage for each adept point you spend. Pick an item the creature is holding. The creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature drops the item. You can then use a bonus action to kick the item up to 30 feet away.

Wall of Blades (2): When you are the target of a melee weapon attack, you can react with a flurry of strikes. Make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If your attack hits, it deals an extra 1d8 damage and the target’s attack misses you.

Lightning Recovery (3): When you make a melee weapon attack on your turn using the Attack action and miss, you can use a bonus action to make the attack again with advantage. If you hit, the attack deals an extra 1d8 damage.

Iron Heart Endurance (3): You regain hit points equal to 2d10 + your adept ability modifier as a bonus action. Once you use this maneuver, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Iron Heart Surge (5): As an action, you can end one condition currently effecting you. You can do this even if a condition otherwise prevents you from taking actions, unless you are unconscious.

Strike of Perfect Clarity (7): When you make a weapon attack on your turn, you can strike with extreme precision.  Make the attack with advantage. If you hit, you can roll each of the damage dice for the attack three times. If the attack is a critical hit, you can roll each of the damage dice four times. 

Once you use this maneuver, your adept maximum becomes 6 until you finish a long rest.

To the students of the Setting Sun, strength is an illusion. Letting go of the idea of personal strength allows one to use an opponent’s strength against them, to great result.

Stance: While concentrating on this stance, when a creature attacks you with a weapon attack and misses or when you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can immediately move 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. You can move up to your speed in this manner each round.

Mighty Thrust (*): When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can spend 1 or more adept points to force them back. Your attack deals an extra 1d6 damage for each adept point you spend. The creature must make a Strength saving throw. The creature is pushed 5 feet away from you for each adept point you spent on a failed save. If the creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more and is pushed back at least 15 feet, it is also knocked prone.

Counter Charge (1): When a creature enters your reach, you can spend 1 adept point to make an opportunity attack against it as a reaction.

Clever Positioning (2): When a willing creature within 5 feet of you is the target of an attack, you can use your reaction to swap places with it. You become the target of the attack, which is made with disadvantage.

Mirrored Pursuit (3): When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you moves farther away from you, you can match its movement as a reaction. You can move up to your speed, following it along the quickest path. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Scorpion Parry (3): When you are the target of a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to aim the attack at another creature. Choose one creature within 5 feet of the attacking creature, including the attacking creature. That creature becomes the new target of the attack.

The power of deception is not to be underestimated. The Shadow Hand teaches that the most effective blow is one against an opponent who does not even know they are in danger.

Stance: While concentrating on this school’s stance, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack you have advantage on, you deal an extra 1d6 damage. You can add your adept ability modifier to your Dexterity-based skill checks.

One With Shadow (1): You can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

Shadow Jaunt (1): As an action while you are standing in a dim light or darkness, you can teleport to another area in dim light or darkness up to 50 feet away.

Enervating Shadow Strike (2): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can spend 2 or more adept points to drain them of energy. Your attack deals an extra 1d6 damage for each adept point you spend. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, its maximum hit points decrease by half the damage you dealt with the attack.

Death in the Dark (3): As an action, you can cast darkvision or invisibility, targeting yourself, or darkness. Darkness and invisibility , when cast in this way, have a duration of 1 minute and do not require concentration.

Hand of Death (5): When you hit a surprised creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can strike them with the fear of death as a bonus action. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is paralyzed for 1 minute and takes 4d8 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful save. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another saving throw to end the paralysis early.

Five-Shadow Creeping Ice Enervation Strike (7): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can pierce your enemy’s very soul as a bonus action. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws, and its speed and maximum hit points are halved. These effects last for 1 minute. The creature can attempt another save at the end of each of its turns to end these effects early.

Once you use this maneuver, your adept maximum becomes 6 until you finish a long rest.

Stone Dragon looks to the peaks of the world for inspiration, teaching the powers of strength and endurance to outlast and crush any foe.

Stance: At the beginning of your turn while you concentrate on this school, you can use your bonus action to gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus + your adept ability modifier. These temporary hit points last until the beginning of your next turn.

Stone Vise (2): When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can stop it in its tracks by spending 2 or more adept points. Your attack deals an extra 1d6 damage for each adept point you spend. The creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s speed becomes 0 until the end of its next turn.

Mountain Avalanche (3): When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can knock it to the ground with the power of your attack. Your attack deals an extra 3d8 points of damage. The creature must make a Strength saving throw or fall prone.

Earthquake Strike (5): As an action, you channel your martial power into the ground, causing the ground to shake. Creatures within 30 feet of you must make a Strength saving throw. Each creature takes 6d6 bludgeoning damage and falls prone on a failed save, or takes half as much damage on a successful one.

Stone Hide (6): As an action, you can harden your skin to be as strong as stone. For 1 minute while you concentrate on this school, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.  

Consciousness is the enemy of instinct. The Tiger Claw school teaches that victory is not found in the sphere of the mind but in the lower levels of one’s psyche, where a wild animal desires a hunt.

Stance: While concentrating on this stance, you gain smell-based blindsight out to 10 feet. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) to track creatures and Wisdom (Perception) checks related to smell.

Sudden Leap (*): As a bonus action, you can spend 1 or more adept points to make a long or high jump, with or without a running start. Your long jump is 5 feet per adept point spent, and your high jump is half as high. This movement does not provoke Opportunity Attacks.

Feral Movement (1): You can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.

Rabid Bear Strike (1): When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 adept point to charge into a temporary, reckless rage. Each attack you make on that turn is made with advantage and deals an extra 1d8 damage, but each attack against you before the start of your next turn is made with advantage as well.

Claw at the Moon (2): When you make a melee weapon attack after making a long or high jump on your turn, you can spend 2 adept points to deal an extra 1d8 point of damage plus an additional1d8 points of damage per 5 feet you traveled with that jump.

Natural Alteration (3): You can cast alter self , targeting yourself. This spell does not require concentration when cast in this way.

Fountain of Blood (5): You can attempt to strike fear in the heart of your enemies with a brutal display of bloodshed.  When you make a melee attack on your turn, you can activate this ability.  Your attack deals an extra 5d8 damage.  In addition, if you drop the creature to 0 hit points with your weapon attack the creature dies. Choose a number of creatures within 30 feet of you. Each of those creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, those creatures are frightened of you for 1 minute. At the end of a creature’s turn, it can make another saving throw to end the effect early.

Tear to Shreds (6): You unleash a devastating flurry of blows.  As a bonus action on your turn after using the Attack Action, you can use this ability to take a full Attack  action once more.  Once you use this maneuver, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Feral Death Blow (7): When you make a long or high jump before making a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can spend 7 adept points to slay the creature outright. If the attack hits, you deal damage as normal, and the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature drops to 0 hit points on a failed save, or takes an extra 8d8 necrotic damage on a successful one.

Once you use this maneuver, your adept maximum becomes 6 until you finish a long rest.

Strength in numbers is not to be underestimated. If you lead those willing to follow, their strength will make you great, and your leadership will bring them to greatness. The school of the White Raven focuses on such wisdom.

Stance: While concentrating on this stance, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, it cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.

Leading the Attack (*): When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can give an opening to your allies by spending 1 or more adept points. The next weapon attack against it by a creature other than you is made with advantage and deals an extra 1d6 damage per adept point you spend if it is made before the end of your next turn.

Bolstering Voice (2): Choose one creature that can hear you within 30 feet of you as a bonus action. That creature becomes bolstered until the end of its next turn. A bolstered creature can roll a d4 and add it to each saving throw, attack roll, and ability check it makes. Once you’ve bolstered a creature, it cannot be bolstered again until it completes a short rest.

Raven’s Piercing Glare (3): You can cast charm person or command as an action.

Swarm Tactics (3): As a bonus action, you can allow a creature of your choice within 30 feet of you that can hear you to move up to its speed or make a weapon attack as a reaction. If it makes an attack, the creature deals an extra 1d10 points of damage. You can choose one more creature for this benefit for each adept point you spend beyond 3.

White Raven Hammer (5): You hammer a foe with all your might. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 5 adept points as a bonus action. Your attack deals an extra 6d6 damage. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of the creature’s turns, it can make another saving throw to end the effect early. Once a creature makes a successful save, it is immune to this maneuver until you finish a long rest.