Adept

 

Power of Discipline

Adepts harness mental and physical power through training, an energy they call focus. While this can be fuel for supernatural feats, in essence it is nothing more than the innate potential every living being has. Adepts channel this power within themselves to accomplish the impossible and surpass the limitations of their bodies, allowing them to be as deadly unarmed as a trained warrior is with sharp blades. As they grow more powerful, they learn several new ways of using their focus.

Masters and Students

The art of the adept is old and personal, often taught by one master to a single student, and though the path to perfection is always long, each chooses their own different way to reach it. However they are all united by the generations of adepts that came before them, the ones who discovered these secrets and passed them forward. Adepts are always ready to learn, both when it comes to their own abilities and about the world around them. They are also always ready to teach, for they know their craft will never survive unless more adepts are trained like they were.

Creating an Adept

When creating an adept, ask yourself the following questions. Where did you meet your master? Why did they choose to train you? How was your relationship while you were training? Is your master still alive? Do they have enemies that might know about you? How ingrained are you with the adept community? Are you familiar with other adepts? Have you visited other masters, maybe even trained under them? Do you have any friends or rivals in other schools? Do you have any scars, whether physical or emotional, from engaging in battle with your peers?

Why have you chosen to walk the path to perfection? Have you suffered a crushing defeat due to your lack of martial prowess, or lost a loved one because you were not able to defend them? Did you witness a true master in action and hoped you could be like them? Are you the reincarnation of a legendary martial arts prodigy?

>Level	Proficiency Bonus	Martial Arts	Features	Techniques Known	Focus Features	Bonus Exertion	Maneuvers Known	Maneuver Degree
1st	+2	1d4	Adroit Defense, Martial Arts	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	1d4	Combat Maneuvers, Exertion Focus, Practiced Techniques	1	—	—	2	1st
3rd	+2	1d4	Adept Archetype, Battlefield Etiquette	1	1	—	2	1st
4th	+2	1d4	Ability Score Improvement	2	2	1	3	2nd
5th	+3	1d6	Extra Attack	2	3	1	3	2nd
6th	+3	1d6	Tradition Feature	3	4	2	4	2nd
7th	+3	1d6	Empty Mind	3	5	3	4	2nd
8th	+3	1d6	Ability Score Improvement	4	6	3	5	3rd
9th	+4	1d6	—	4	7	4	5	3rd
10th	+4	1d6	—	5	8	4	6	3rd
11th	+4	1d8	Tradition Feature	5	9	5	6	3rd
12th	+4	1d8	Ability Score Improvement	6	10	5	6	3rd
13th	+5	1d8	Acquired Knowledge	6	11	6	7	4th
14th	+5	1d8	—	7	12	7	7	4th
15th	+5	1d8	Great Reputation	7	13	7	8	4th
16th	+5	1d10	Ability Score Improvement	8	14	8	8	4th
17th	+6	1d10	Tradition Feature	8	15	8	9	5th
18th	+6	1d10	—	9	16	9	9	5th
19th	+6	1d10	Ability Score Improvement	9	17	9	10	5th
20th	+6	1d10	Grandmaster	10	18	10	10	5th

 

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CLASS FEATURES

As an adept, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per adept level 

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier 

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per adept level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None

Weapons: Simple weapons, punching daggers, shortswords, throwing daggers

Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Perception, Religion and Stealth

Equipment

You begin the game with 30 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.

• Dungeoneer's Set (Cost 18 gold): Quarterstaff, 10 darts, dungeoneer’s pack
• Explorer’s Set (Cost 25 gold): Shortsword, 10 darts, explorer’s pack

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Adroit Defense

At 1st level, you learn special defensive techniques. Choose one of the following options.

Agile Defense

While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Brutal Defense

You are proficient with light armor. While you are wearing light armor, you replace your Dexterity modifier with your Strength modifier for AC. If you know the Adept Speed practiced technique or any other that has it as a requirement, you can use them while wearing light armor.

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Martial Arts

At 1st level, your trail to perfection gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and adept weapons, which are quarterstaffs, punching daggers, shortswords, and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property. 

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only adept weapons and you aren’t wielding a shield:

• You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and adept weapons.
• You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or adept weapon. This die changes as you gain adept levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Adept table.
• When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or an adept weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn.

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Combat Maneuvers

Starting at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers . You gain proficiency in two combat traditions from the following list: Mirror’s Glint, Rapid Current, Razor’s Edge, Unending Wheel. You learn two maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.

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. The Maneuvers Known column of the Adept table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level.

Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver of the same degree from a tradition you are proficient with.

As an adept, you gain +1 to your maneuver DC.

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Exertion Focus

At 2nd level, your training allows you to harness your mental energy into a supernatural state of focus. Some cultures refer to this energy as axé, prana, pneuma, or ki. Your access to this energy is represented by your exertion pool. 

You can spend exertion points to fuel various focus features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Long Step, and Patient Defense. You learn more focus features as you gain levels in this class.

Some of your focus features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: 

Focus save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Flurry of Blows

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 exertion to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.

Long Step

You can spend 1 exertion to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

Patient Defense

You can spend 1 exertion to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.

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Practiced Techniques

You have picked up a number of tricks in your path towards perfection. At 2nd level you gain a practiced technique of your choice. Your practiced techniques are detailed at the end of the class description. The Techniques Known column of the Adept table shows when you learn more practiced techniques. Unless otherwise noted, you can gain each technique only once.

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Adept Archetype

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to an adept archetype: a specialization that defines how you train your body to perfection. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

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Focus Feature

Focus features stem from the mastery of your internal energies. At 3rd level, and again every level after that, choose one option from the list below. Some features have requirements, such as minimum adept level or another focus feature. You must meet those requirements before you choose that focus feature.

Additional Attack

Requirement: 11th level

You can attack three times, instead of twice, when you take the Attack action.

Adept Weaponry

Requirement: 5th level

Choose two weapons or one rare weapon. If you are not proficient with them, you become proficient with them. They count as adept weapons for you.

Battering Shield

Requirement: 11th level

Your weapon attacks blend together so aggressively that your assault acts almost as a shield. When you hit a creature with two or more melee attacks in the same round, you gain a +2 bonus to AC against it until the beginning of your next turn.

Battle Dance

You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. As a bonus action, you can spend 2 exertion to bob and sway, starting a battle dance. Until the end of your turn, your Speed increases by 20 feet and opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage . When an opportunity attack misses you, you can use your reaction to retaliate with an unarmed strike.

Battle Meditation

As an action, you can spend 1 Hit Die to regain 1d4 exertion. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .

Beyond Size

Requirement: 11th level

You have learned to use your opponents’ size against them. You can use basic maneuvers against creatures of any size. If a creature is larger than you, when it saves against your basic maneuver you can use your reaction to give it disadvantage .

Closed Soul

Requirement: 9th level

When you make a saving throw , you can use your reaction and spend 2 exertion to gain advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects until the beginning of your next turn.

Dancing Maneuver

Requirement: 11th level, any dance

When you use a bonus action to activate a combat maneuver , you can spend 2 exertion to start one of your dances as part of the same bonus action.

Deflect Missiles

You can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your adept level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 exertion to make a ranged weapon attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as an adept weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

Deflect Spells

Requirement: Deflect Missiles, 9th level

When you are hit by a ranged spell attack that deals damage, you can use your reaction and spend 2 exertion to deflect the magic. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 2d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your adept level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can spend 1 exertion to redirect the spell to another target within 30 feet of you as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency using your Wisdom modifier.

Distant Death Dance

Requirement: 5th level

As a bonus action, you can inhale air slowly and spend 2 exertion to start the distant death dance. Until the end of your turn, your reach with unarmed strikes increases to 60 feet. You have disadvantage on melee attacks against creatures more than 20 feet away from you. 

Dual Stance

Requirement: 11th level, know at least 2 stance combat maneuvers

Your martial stances don’t end when you start another stance. You can have two stances active at the same time. If you are knocked unconscious , stunned , or begin a long rest both stances end.

Eye for Detail

Requirement: Proficiency with the Insight skill

You notice patterns others cannot. As an action, you can spend 1 exertion to study a creature you have watched speak for at least 1 minute. You can ask the Narrator one of these questions:

Is the creature hiding any strong emotions?

Does the creature have a secret agenda?

Did the creature lie in the last minute?

Is the creature hiding their true heritage and/or culture? 

  The Narrator must give you a truthful answer.  

Focused Strikes

Requirement: 5th level

Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Forbidden Strike

Requirement: 7th level

When you hit an opponent with at least one attack from a Flurry of Blows, you can spend 1 exertion to deal additional damage equal to your martial arts die.

Hooked Swords Dance

When you are fighting with a shortsword in each hand, you use a bonus action and spend 2 exertion to hook them together to start a hooked swords dance. Until the end of your next turn, your shortswords gain the reach property. If you hit a target with both swords in the same turn, the target takes an additional 1d10 slashing damage.

Last Dance

Requirement: any dance

When the duration of one of your dances ends, you can spend 2 exertion to make the effect last until the end of your next turn.
In addition, if you know two or more dance focus features you can spend 3 additional exertion to activate two dances using the same bonus action.

Magic Resistance

Requirement: 15th level, Closed Soul

You have advantage on saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.

Maneuver Rush

Requirement: 7th level

When you hit with a maneuver that requires 2 attacks from your Attack action, you can use another maneuver that requires 1 or 2 attacks from your Attack action as part of the same Attack action. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .

Mind Over Body

You can use a bonus action and spend 2 exertion to gain temporary hit points equal to your martial arts die plus your adept level. 

Mirage Dance

Requirement: 5th level

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 exertion to swiftly start a mirage dance. Until the end of your next turn, you are under the effect of the mirror image spell. 

Paralyzing Strike

Requirement: 9th level

You can deal paralyzing blows. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 2 exertion to attempt a paralyzing strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of your next turn.

Powerful Blow

Requirement: 5th level

As a bonus action, you prepare a crushing blow. If you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack before the end of your next turn, you can spend 1 exertion to deal additional damage equal to your martial arts die.

Pressure Point Secrets

Requirements: Stunning Strike or Paralyzing Strike

When you use one of the focus features required, you can spend 2 additional exertion. If you do, your target has disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the focus feature.

Purity of Body

Requirement: 7th level

You can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be poisoned or diseased .

Share Focus

Requirement: 11th level

As an action, you can share your spiritual fortitude with others. Choose a creature. That creature can add your martial arts die to its next saving throw . You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .

Shockwave

Requirement: 5th level

You can use an action and spend 3 exertion to hit the ground so hard it sends a shockwave in a 40-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw . A creature takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and falls prone on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Stillness of Mind

Requirement: 7th level

You can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened .

Stunning Strike

Requirement: 5th level

You can deal incapacitating blows. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 exertion to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Total Combat

Requirement: 11th level

When you deal basic melee damage from using a basic maneuver, you deal additional damage equal to your martial arts die.

Undefeated

Requirement: 11th level

When a creature would drop you to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against any enemy within your reach. On a hit, you can spend 1 exertion to roll your martial arts die and gain that many temporary hit points. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .

Unlikely Wield

Requirement: 11th level

You can wield three weapons with the dual-wielding property at once. Typically this is done with a dagger wielded between toes, but it has been known to be done with the mouth (or even a tail for combatants that have one). When you engage in two weapon fighting, you can use the third weapon to make an additional weapon attack. 

Vengeful Spirit

Requirement: 15th level

When you make a death saving throw, you can choose to set your own spirit loose as a vengeful ghost to stalk your prey. The spirit acts on your initiative, has your statistics, ethereal copies of your equipment, full hit points, and half your exertion pool. Your vengeful spirit is resistant to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons. It can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain , but it takes 1d10 force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. 

The vengeful spirit targets only the creature who reduced you to 0 hit points. When the creature is defeated, the spirit returns to your body. While the vengeful spirit is active, you don’t need to make death saving throws, but you still suffer automatic failures if you are hit. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest .

Warding Dance

Requirement: 5th level

When you are fighting unarmed or with one weapon in one hand and nothing in the other, you can use a bonus action and spend 2 exertion to start a warding dance. Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.

Weapon Skill

Choose a martial weapon that does not have the Heavy or Special properties. You become proficient with that weapon and it counts as an adept weapon for you.

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Battlefield Etiquette

Also at 3rd level, you learn the unwritten rules of the battlefield. After you have fought beside (or against) a martial artist for one encounter, you have advantage on Charisma checks against it. Any creature that has a martial arts die, proficiency with a combat tradition, or an exertion pool is considered to be a martial artist.

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Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

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Bonus Exertion

Also at 4th level, your self-awareness and discipline allow you to draw upon deeper reserves of willpower than other warriors. Your exertion pool increases by the amount listed in the Bonus Exertion column of Table: Adept. For example, at 4th level your exertion pool increases to 5, at 5th level when your proficiency bonus increases your exertion pool becomes 7, at 6th level your exertion pool becomes 8, and so on.

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Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

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Archetype Feature

At 6th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Empty Mind

Starting at 7th level, you can empty your mind and easily disguise your emotions. As an action, you can spend 1 exertion to enter a meditative empty mind state. This lasts for 1 hour. While in this state, Insight checks against you have disadvantage .

In addition, you gain advantage on saving throws made against enchantment spells and resistance to psychic damage.  

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Archetype Feature

At 11th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Acquired Knowledge

Starting at 13th level, your study of different martial arts traditions and foreign cultures pays off in unexpected ways. Choose a language and a tool you are not proficient with. You become proficient with both.

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Great Reputation

Starting at 15th level, your reputation spreads and you become famous (or infamous) among the adept community. When you interact with martial artists, their initial attitude towards you is friendly.

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Archetype Feature

At 17th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Grandmaster

At 20th level, you finally achieve true mastery and become more than adept—you are a grandmaster. You gain the following features.

Death Blow

You learn how to strike with incredible force at your target’s very life force. When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can choose to make your attack a critical hit that deals maximum damage. In addition, if the target is a creature it makes a Constitution saving throw or it is reduced to 0 hit points. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .

Perfection Achieved

At 20th level, you finally achieve true mastery. Any time you roll your martial arts die, you can spend 1 exertion to roll a d12 instead. If you roll a 12 on this die, you can roll another d12 and add it to the result.

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Practiced Techniques

When you gain access to a new practiced technique, choose one of the following. Some techniques have requirements, such as minimum adept level or another technique. You must meet those requirements before you choose that technique.

Adept Speed

Your Speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. You can choose this technique more than once. Its effects stack.

Focus Speech

Requirement: 15th level

A combination of your knowledge of body language and your spiritual awareness allows you to understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

Gale Walk

Requirement: Adept Speed, proficiency with Athletics

You have advantage on Athletics checks made to jump. On your turn, you can spend 1 exertion to triple your jump distances until the start of your next turn.

Hurricane Walk

Requirement: Gale Walk

Your step is so light you seem to float in the air. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion to cast fly on yourself. You also have advantage on Stealth checks related to noise. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Instant Step

Requirement: Adept Speed, 11th level

You can move so fast you seem to teleport. You can use an action to spend 4 exertion and choose an unoccupied space you can see within 500 feet. You teleport and arrive at exactly the spot desired. You can bring along your gear, carried items smaller than your arm, and a single creature of your size category or smaller. In addition, you become invisible until the beginning of your next turn.

Marathon Runner

You are used to running long distances. When you move at a fast pace, you don’t suffer a penalty to your passive Perception. In addition, you add your martial arts die when making a Constitution saving throw for a forced march.

Nimble Athlete

You can always choose to use your Dexterity modifier for Athletics checks.

Power Tumble

You can always choose to use your Strength modifier for Acrobatics checks.

Religious Training

You are proficient with the Religion skill. When you are in contact with a holy relic, religious artifact, or any kind of similar object or structure, you can spend 2 exertion to learn something about it. You receive a correct answer from the Narrator for a question about the object that can be answered with a yes or no.

Shadow Walk

Requirement: 11th level, proficiency with Stealth

You can step into a shadow and come out of another. When you are in dim light or darkness , as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You have advantage on Stealth checks until the beginning of your next turn.

Sixth Sense

Requirement: 11th level

You have advantage on initiative checks. In addition, you can always choose to use your Wisdom for Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, and Religion checks.

Slow Fall

You can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your adept level.

Wall Walk

Requirement: Adept Speed, proficiency with Acrobatics

You gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces on your turn without falling during the move. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion to cast spider climb on yourself. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Warrior’s Awareness

Requirement: Proficiency with Survival

Your honed battlefield awareness is unmatched even in the wilderness. When you make a Survival check to avoid being lost, you ignore penalties for moving at a fast pace and gain a bonus to the check equal to your martial arts die.

Water Walk

Requirement: Adept Speed

You gain the ability to move across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion to cast water walk on yourself. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Wilderness Training

You are proficient with the Survival skill. For the purposes of adept class features, you consider beasts to be martial artists.