D&D 5E (2024) Modular and reloadable cartrips, encounter powers and martial techniques.

LuisCarlos17f said:

Thank you for your participation.
The idea is the updated martial maneuvers should work like melee-attack spells. The main difference would be they aren't at-will but almost, simplely to spend an action to reload. It would be like in a videogame where you hold down the button to then launch a more powerful attack when you release it.
The martial maneuvers should be interesting for DMs because a boss with maneuvers could need more strategy to be defeated. For example there is an encounter with a hobgobling squad whose mini-boss would be a captain with "crusader's strike" and his two bodyguards carring tower-shields. After striking the captain would hide behind the bodyguards' tower-shields to reload.

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The problem is that in 5E combats are not enough rounds, so having a "charging ability" is not really worth it in this way. If you "live" 2-3 turns (live as in not being dead or save or sucked), then you dont want to spend 1 turn recharging even as a boss.

An ability like this can work in 13th age (there several player characters have such abilities), or 4E, but 5E has too short combats for this. Even if a boss has 2 helpers to protect, there will just be 1-3 casters doing fireball or meteorstorm etc. if 3 enemies sit next to each other.


If you want "recharging" abilities, I would much rather do it like 4E with enemies. They have strong 1 time use abilities which recharge when they are bloodied (and often are directly used as a reaction).


I definitly like strong non spell abilities (which is why I like 4E especially their monster design and martials), and I think you can do something similar in 5E, but you need to work with the limitations of the edition.

If fights are really fast, front loaded damage is important.

I didn't guess fights against bosses weren't so short and they could end so soon.

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How to find the right balance of power?

Let's imagine a player creates a halfling monk, and to hit taller enemies she uses a nerferd version of "jump" spell like at-will cartrip. It is weaker but this can be used at all. One year later the player has got an idea, "jump" like a martial maneuver. It is like like "lesser jump" cartrip but if the PC "spends" actions or a round to "reload" then the cartrip is stronger or better. The power balance shouldn't be broken and the combat shouldn't be lower because this.

Or a player chooses a minotaur PC and the horn traits as a natural weapon are uselles. Then she has got an idea, a nerferd version of the spell "Blood Wind" from "Savage Species". After some playtesting it has got an idea. "Lesser Blood Wind" is a martial maneuver. The range is shorter than the original but spending actions or a round the range is longer.

Boss fights can be done somewhat well in 5E.

Its about encointer design.

5.t monsters hit like a truck buy die easy if focus on.

The secret sauce is encounter design.

1. Dont use solos. Focus firrcannhiikates them.

2. Fodder eventually becomes CR-1-3. They have to many HP for fireball to do much. CR1 mane CR 2 can hit 70 hp and are only 450 xp iirc. CR 3 is 700 xp.

In your head you think a boss should be higher CR than the party and some Fodder to help out. Fodder dies fast boss gets soloed.

Try boss monster fight with boss closer to PCs in level with more midrange monsters for support.

8-12 critters like a pyramid.

1 boss
2 sub bosses
4 elite guards
8 Fodder

At level 3 for exampke I used 1 goblin hexer, 2 ogres and 4 goblin warriors with bows. The hexer is the big hitter plus spells.

Ogres have to many HP to chew through fast.

Goblins are mooks. But they use ranged attacks and mobility, Ogres are hit point sponges.

Sacking that up. 10000 xp budget.

1 CR 6 2300 iirc
2 CR 5s 1800
Just under 4000 xp left. That's 10 CR2s.
Probably to many HP the chew through.

4 CR 3s are 2800 xp last 1000 xp gets used on Fodder. 8 CR1s. Find sone archers or something.

Youll put out more danage than a 5000xp boss thats CR 8 or whatever with mooks.

CR 2s and 3s can have leve 3 spells. CR 6 xa have lvl 5 spells and can turn up around level 4. CR12 can have level 9 spells.

New monsters hit like a brick. Performers, mages, warriors, priests etc. A few get 2-4 attacks replace an attack with a spell. DC12-13 save or suck on CR 1-3 critters exist.

Reduce short rest to 1 minute and Battlemaster would work great.