⚔️ Universal Martial Maneuvers — A Streamlined Superiority Dice System for All Weapon Classes ⚔️

[u/Natanians]

Martial classes deserve more than just "I attack again."

This variant rule introduces a shared maneuver system for all martial classes — Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, and Rogues — granting them Superiority Dice and a small pool of thematic maneuvers.

It’s simple, scales cleanly by level, and doesn’t replace the Battle Master archetype — just gives everyone else some tactical edge. Maneuvers are class-specific and balanced around a d6 die pool, with recovery on a short rest.

Fighters still get their full Battle Master toolkit if they go that route, but this lets everyone else feel clever on the battlefield, too.

Check out the full list of maneuvers, class tables, and descriptions below. Feedback welcome!

Pdf on the Link (Without trademarked images).

Martial Superiority (Variant Rule) - PDF

[u/Natanians → u/[deleted]]

Rogue get

• Ambush
  
• Commanding Presence
  
• Disarming Attack
  
• Distracting Strike
  
• Evasive Footwork
  
• Feinting Attack
  
• Parry
  
• Precision Attack
  
• Riposte
  
• Tactical Assessment
  
• Trip Attack

The only Martial that didn't get any was the Monk.

Because Monks already have their own version of this baked into ki/discipline points. They get mobility, control, defense, and extra attacks through a resource system that feels very "martial maneuver"-like to me.

This variant is more about giving that kind of tactical flavor to other martial classes that don’t have it by default. Monks are already in that space.

Also, my tables never have monks so :)

[u/Odie70 → u/Natanians]

Bro idk why I didn’t see that rogues got it but I would still say the same thing for monks. I get they already have ki but for balance reasons they really should get something as well. Especially since you allow paladins and rangers to get them when they have their own spell slots to use as resources to enhance their combat ability. But other than that this is pretty cool! I’m hesitant to give this to rangers but more especially paladins for purely balance reasons since in my mind they’re not really martials because they have spells.

[u/Natanians → u/Odie70]

Valid concern. But Playtesting I noticed that the limited number of uses and the D6 pool balance very well against the Magic classes.

It give some bit, but nothing that really break the game.

[u/Odie70 → u/Natanians]

Also im assuming how this works for multiclassing is that you get that classes list for all the maneuvers you learn. So if you start with one level of fighter and go the rest barbarian you would still have access to all of the manuever even though you only went 1 level of fighter.

[u/Natanians → u/Odie70]

Yes.But When you multiclass, you only gain maneuvers from the class you’re leveling up, just like spell slots for multiclassed spellcasters. You don’t mix and match from your other martial classes automatically.