The Fechter

A melee combat class inspired by historical european martial arts and koryuu

Written by: Ordoala Publishing

Editing: Chris "The Kind GM" Karelis

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, FORGOTTEN REALMS, THE DRAGON AMPERSAND, PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, MONSTER
MANUAL, DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE, D&D ADVENTURERS LEAGUE, ALL OTHER WIZARDS OF THE COAST PRODUCT NAMES, AND THEIR
RESPECTIVE LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST IN THE USA AND OTHER COUNTRIES. ALL CHARACTERS AND THEIR
DISTINCTIVE LIKENESSES ARE PROPERTY OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST. THIS MATERIAL IS PROTECTED UNDER THE COPYRIGHT LAWS OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ANY REPRODUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE MATERIAL OR ARTWORK CONTAINED HEREIN IS
PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST.
 
COPYRIGHT 2016 WIZARDS OF THE COAST LLC, PO BOX 707, RENTON, WA 98057-0707, USA. MANUFACTURED BY HASBRO SA, RUE EMILE-
BOÉCHAT 31, 2800 DELÉMONT, CH. REPRESENTED BY HASBRO EUROPE, 4 THE SQUARE, STOCKLEY PARK, UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, UB11 1ET,
UK.
 
ALL OTHER ORIGINAL MATERIAL IN THIS WORK IS COPYRIGHT 2019 BY ORDOALEA PUBLISHING AND PUBLISHED UNDER THE
COMMUNITY CONTENT AGREEMENT FOR DUNGEON MASTERS GUILD.
 
NOT FOR RESALE. PERMISSION GRANTED TO PRINT OR PHOTOCOPY THIS COMPLETE DOCUMENT FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.
 The Fechter

J
ung Ritter lere / got lip haben frawen io ere / So
wechst dein ere / Uebe ritterschaft und lere /
kunst dy dich zyret und in krigen sere hofiret / The Fechter
Ringes guet fesser / Glefen sper swert / vnd Proficiency
messer / Mandleich bederben / vnd In andern Level Bonus Sapa Features
henden verderben
1st +2 - Blossfechten
-Johannes Lichtenauer 2nd +2 2 Maisterhau (d4)
The rhythmic beating of the drum. The echoes of orders 3rd +2 2 School of the Sword
barked at you. Hew! Wind! Void! The repetition of strikes 4th +2 2 Ability Score
against pellwood. The echoes of feders across. Iron masks Improvement
and padded clothes. Cracking of wood on wood. The
distinct sweaty smell of the Salle. That is all that defines 5th +3 2 Extra Attack
you as a Fechter. Someone of the feather and blade! 6th +3 3 Tempered momentum
7th +3 3 School Teaching
Learned in the Salle, tested in the
8th +3 3 Ability Score
Field Improvement
You were trained from youth by a school or guild dedicated 9th +4 4 Maisterhau (d6)
to the art of combat. Both mind and body honed as the
greatest weapon of all times. With or without armour, and 10th +4 4 School Teaching
with a multitude of weapons, you stride both battlefields 11th +4 4 Peak Skill (d8)
and tournaments alike with ardent fervour! 12th +4 5 Maisterhau (d8)
Duerch kunts, Zorn! 13th +5 5 Tempered in Combat
While other combatants place their trust into strength and 14th +5 5 School Teaching
prowess, you value your skill at arms more than brute 15th +5 6 Maisterhau (d10)
force. Therefore, you fight with forethought and grace. You 16th +5 6 Ability Score
place your faith in your learned skills that can be applied at Improvement
a moment’s notice to stop an enemy’s advance
17th +6 6 School Teaching
Creating a Fechter 18th +6 7 Maisterhau (d12)
As you build your Fechter, think wisely. Are they going to 19th +6 7 Ability Score
fight without armour? Will it be a wandering fencer? Self- Improvement
taught? Do they have a mentor? Did they attend a school or 20th +6 7 Sword Mastery
guild? Are they still a part of the guild? How did your
background bring you into the shoes of a fencer? Did
something happen to make them pick up the sword? Or did
it start with a childhood dream, as you were welding a
wooden sword, pretending to be a knight or a mighty saint? Proficiencies
Whatever the reasons were, you are not only versed in Armor: Light and Medium armour, Shields
combat, but also in otherworldly arts. As the most Weapons: Simple weapons, Martial weapons
prominent way to learn the sword was to study the Tools: none
treatises and bury yourself into tomes of the masters.
Saving Throws: Dexerity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two skills from Athletics, History, Nature,
Class Features Insight, Intimidation, Perception Performance, and
As a Fechter, you gain the following class features Survival
Equipment
Hit Points You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Fechter level equipment granted by your background:
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your (a) scale mail or (b) melee weapon and a buckler
Constitution modifier per Fechter level after 1st (a) longbow and 20 arrows or (b) a lance
a longsword
(a) dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

THE FECHTER
2
Blossfechten
You are trained from the beginning to fight with skill and
knowledge. Due to that training you gain the following
benefits:
When not wearing any armour, you may add your
Intelligence modifier to your Armour Class
When wielding any melee weapon, that does not have
the Heavy property, you can use your Dexterity modifier
instead of your Strength modifier for both attack and
damage rolls.
Maisterhau
Reaching the 2nd level, you have trained enough to be
proficient in the Maisterhaus.
Maisterhaus: These moves allow you to perform various
specialised techniques that require timing and planning.
Maisterhau Dice: All Maisterhaus deal an additional
1d4 damage of the same type as the weapon you are
wielding. This die increases at level 6, level 9, level 12, level
15, and level 18; as described in The Fechter table above.
Sapa: Your Sapa, or breath, is determined by your level.
You have 2 points of Sapa at the 2nd level. All points of
Sapa are recovered after a short or a long rest. An attack
can be declared as only one Maisterhau.
Using Maisterhaus: To use a Maisterhau, declare an
attack a Maisterhau and spend 1 point of Sapa. You can
only use one Maisterhau per turn. You have access to the
following five Maisterhaus. You may gain more of them
depending on your school:
Zornhau: When declaring an attack a Zornhau, if the
target has already made an attack this round, you gain
advantage on this attack roll against them. Additionally,
you add your Maisterhau die to the attack roll.
Krumphau: When declaring an attack a Krumphau, the
target has disadvantage on its next attack. Additionally,
you add your Maisterhau die to the attack roll.
Twerhau: When declaring an attack a Twerhau, you can
use the Dodge action as a bonus action. Additionally,
you add your Maisterhau die to the attack roll.
Schielhau: As a reaction, make an attack against an
enemy that moves into your weapon’s reach. If your
attack succeeds the enemy stops their movement in
front of you. Additionally, you add your Maisterhau die
to the attack roll.
Scheitelhau: When declaring an attack a Scheitelhau,
you can use the Disengage action as a bonus action.
Additionally, you add your Maisterhau die to the attack
roll.
School of the Sword
At the 3rd level pick a school that your character
specialises in. The following styles are available to you:
Marxbrüder: Master the combat in heavy armour and
with heavy weapons while being the judge, jury, and
executioner.
Freifechter: Focus your attention on the art of duelling
and tournaments, by being an observant judge of the
situation.
Jigen-Ryuu: Master the motion of the sword by
neglecting additional attacks. There’s only one swing on
your mind, and if you miss you might as well be dead.
Armiraze: There’s no such thing as dirty fighting.
History is written by the winning side.
These Schools of the sword can be found at the end of
the class document.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 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.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of
once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Tempered Momentum
When you reach the 6th level you can add your Intelligence
Modifier to your Initiative.
Peak Skill
At the 11th level you gain insight into the art of combat.
Any successful melee weapon attack deals an additional
1d8 damage of the same type as the weapon you are
wielding.
Tempered in Combat
Beginning at the 13th level, you gain 1 point of Sapa if you
have less than half of your Sapa(rounded down) at the
beginning of a combat encounter.
Sword Mastery
When you attain level 20, you gain the following benefits.
These represent your intense training and dedication to the
art of the sword:
You generate 1 point of Sapa every turn you made a
successful melee attack
Select one Maisterhau you know. This maisterhau does
not cost you a point of Sapa when used.
You are no longer limited to using only one Maisterhau
per turn.
THE FECHTER - Class features
3
 Schools of the Sword
T
hroughout history there have been many a
sword school. Here are a few prominent
ones that made their impact on history itself.
Marxbrueder
You are a part of a long-standing tradition of Fechters.
Besides being trained in the art of combat, you are also an
instructor, someone the students look up. And by the
Emperor’s Decree you can demand double pay.
Harnischfechten
The skill at arms you learned in your school enables you to
fight more effectively on the field of battle. At the 3rd level
you gain the following bonuses:
You are proficient with heavy armour.
Your Blossfechten applies to any kind of melee weapon,
even the ones with the Heavy property.
Furthermore,you gain the following two Maisterhaus:
Mordhau: This Maisterhau can only be used with a
longsword or greatsword. You grip the sword by the
blade and strike your opponent with the pommel or
crossguard. The type of damage changes into Blunt and
deals additional damage equal to the Maisterhau die. If
the opponent wears heavy armour, you have advantage
on this attack.
THE FECHTER - Marxbrueder
4
Sprachfenster: As a reaction you can add your
Maisterhau die to your AC. If that would bring your AC
above the opponent’s attack roll, the attack fails. This
has to be used before the DM declares the result.
Hand of the Law
Starting at the 7th level you are trained in understanding
the intricacies of the law. If you don’t already have it, you
gain proficiency in the History skill. Whenever you are
using the History skill for anything Law related you add
double your proficiency bonus to the roll.
The Short Sword
From the 10th level onwards, when using a longsword or
greatsword your attacks ignore damage resistance as if
your weapon was magical.
Doppelsoldner
Starting at 14th level, your training with grand weapons
makes you a force to reckon with. Any two handed weapon
that already doesn’t have a Reach property gains the Reach
property.
Lion of crown and sword
On the 17th level, you have reached the epitome of your
skill as a Marxbrüder. When wearing heavy armour of any
kind you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing damage.

Freifechter
The fechtschule is your lifeblood. You have been practicing
for tournaments since you joined the school, and from that
you draw knowledge on duelling and single combat. Being
a judge at the local tournaments has sharpened your vision
and allows you to spot minuscule details.
Compelled Duel
At the 3rd level your training allows you to expand one
point of Sapa to target one opponent and to force them into
a duel with you. This lasts for 1 minute, or until you
designate a new target. While the opponent is forced into a
duel, they receive the following drawbacks:
If they make an attack against anyone besides you, they
have disadvantage on that attack.
The opponent must make a Wisdom Saving throw equal
to 10+Proficiency+Intelligence Modifier to use the
Disengage action to move away from you. On a failed
save they cannot disengage, and you gain a free attack
against them, adding your Maisterhau die to the
damage.
Master Judge
Starting at the 7th level you are trained in observing
sparring and duels. If you don’t already have it, you gain
proficiency in the Perception skill. Also, you add double
your proficiency bonus to your Perception Skill.
Square and Sword
From the 10th level and onwards you can pick one fighting
style from the following list due to your practice with
weapons
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no
other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with
that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you
make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two
hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll,
even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the
two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this
benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your
ability modifier to the damage of the second attack
Tournament Pressure
From the 14th level onwards you can use 1 point of Sapa
as a bonus action to force the creature that is under the
effects of your Compelled Duel feature to focus solely on
you. The next saving throw made by the target has
disadvantage.
Grand Tournament
At the 17th level you have mastered the ring. Even if the
opponent tries to use the Disengage action to get away
from you, you can use 1 point of Sapa to make an attack
against the opponent as a reaction. If you succeed, the
target is stunned until the end of its next turn.
THE FECHTER - Freifechter
5
 Jigen-Ryuu
You are one with the sword and that is the only thing you
need. One swing. To the point that you are willing to bet
your life on that single hew. A distinct high stance and
repeated training strikes are what mark this school.
Tonbo-no-Kamae
The distinct style of swordsmanship allows you to tap into
the abilities of your school. From the 3rd level onwards you
gain the following Maisterhau:
Enkyō: As an action you release a terrifying kiai. A
construct or an undead is immune to this effect. The
target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or
become frightened of you for up to one minute. The
frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end
of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success. The DC for this ability is equal to 10 + your
Proficiency Bonus + your Intelligence Modifier. Using
this ability costs you 1 point of Sapa.
Furthermore, you gain the option to boost your damage
by 1d8 for an additional point of Sapa spent as part of the
attack. The damage is of the same type as the weapon you
are wielding. This can be used only once per attack, and
can be combined with a Maisterhau.
Sword and Performance mastered
At the 7th level you gain proficiency with the Disguise Kit
due to your knowledge of theatre. Furthermore you gain
double your proficiency when using the Disguise Kit and
the Performance skill.
One strike one kill
At the 10th level you can decide to forfeit your second
attack during your turn to add a bonus 1d8 of damage to
your first attack. This bonus damage increases to 2d8 at
level 14 and to 3d8 at level 17. Furthermore, when using
this feature, you ignore any disadvantage.
Give flesh to sever bone
On level 14 you gain the ability to increase the critical
range of an attack. On any round where you take damage,
your attacks score a critical hit on a dice roll of 17 to 20.
Ultimate Strike
From the 17th level onwards, when you forfeit the second
attack, your Maisterhau dice are doubled for the attack.

THE FECHTER - Jigen-Ryuu

6
Armiraze Lottare l’spada
You hail from a pragmatic school of fencers where the only From the 14th level and onwards you can expend 1 point of
important thing is to win and survive. And these skills that Sapa to make an additional attack as a bonus action. This
you learned there are what keep you alive on your attack is an unarmed attack that deals damage equal to
adventures. your Maisterhau die plus your Strength or Dexterity
Flower of Battle modifier. Furthermore, if you have already attacked an
opponent with your weapon this turn, this attack has
You combat training gives you the following bonuses on the advantage.
3rd level, enabling you to fight more easily:
The maximum Dexterity Modifier applied to medium Golden brand
armour is increased from +2 to +3. At the 17th level you become a force to be reckoned with.
You gain proficiency in the Poisoner’s Kit. Any damage roll that is a 1, 2, or 3 can be rerolled. You have
to take the new roll, even if it’s worse than the first one.
Furthermore, you gain the following maisterhaus:
Lanzzare: As an attack action you can make a ranged
attack with the weapon you are wielding, regardless of
whether that weapon has the Thrown property. The
range of that attack is 20ft. Additionally, you add your
Maisterhau die to the damage roll of the attack.
Barchino: As a bonus action you can strike an opponent
within 5ft of you. They make a Strength save against a
DC equal to 10 + your Dexterity Modifier + your
Proficiency Modifier. If they fail the save they take Blunt
damage equal to your Maisterhau die and have
disadvantage on all attacks against you until the end of
your next turn. On a successful save they only take the
Maisterhau die of damage.
Battle Advantage
On the 7th level you gain proficiency in the Deception and
Stealth skills. Furthermore you do not gain the
disadvantage to stealth when using Medium armour.
Master’s Instructions
From the 10th level onwards you add double your
proficiency bonus to the use of the Poisoner’s Kit.
Furthermore you add your proficiency bonus to the poison’s
DC.

THE FECHTER - Armiraze

7
 Appendix: Weapons

W
hat is the master without his tools? What is  
a fencer without swords to use? In this
appendix you will find several historical
weapons that you can use for your fencer. Other Weapons
These weapons are intended to be accurate It would have been too much to include every
representations of actual historical weapons weapon from every historical manuscript, so we
used by the fenchinf schools described decided to keep only those that aren't mentioned
above. These weapons can be used with conjunction of the in the Player's Handbook
ones in the Player's Handbook or with the Basic Rules. If you need further weapons, feel free to take
Weapons presented here are thematically tied to the any from the Player's Handbook or the Basic
Marxbrueder and Freifechter subclasses. These are Rules and rename them to fit the weapon you
traditional weapons used by the fencers in the historical need for your Fechter!
schools.
 
 
Historical Weapons
Name Cost Damage Weight Properties
Simple Weapons
   Buckler 1gp d4 bludgeoning 2lb. Light
   Dussack 4gp d6 slashing 2lb. —
   Federschwert 5gp d6 bludgeoning 3lb. Versatile (d8)
Marial Weapons
   Langmesser 20gp d6 slashing 3lb. Light
   Kriegsmesser 20gp d10 slashing 3lb. Finesse, two-handed

Social links
If you like this class feel free to check out the social links of
everyone involved:
 
Ordoalea Publishing Twitter
The Kind GM Twitter

APPENDIX - Weapons
8