D&D 5E Maneuvers to everyone

[Anth]

I'm used to that everyone can use combat maneuvers.

What would be a good house rule if I don't want to nerf the subclass Battlemaster or the feat Martial Adept?

Is this balanced?
Everyone have access to all maneuvers, but with no superiority dice and no proficiency.
(this also mean that the Battle Master and Martial Adept can use their maneuvers with proficiency as often as they wish, but, their superiority dice are still limited)

 

[HEEGZ]

I've been toying with the idea of dropping feats, and allowing more options for all characters. I'm not sure how to balance it yet though, and the same goes for your idea.

 

[ExploderWizard]

If everyone has access to the maneuvers without superiority dice then you may as well just get rid of the battle master subclass and martial adept feat altogether.

Also, without the dice would everyone still roll a d8 to determine the effectiveness of a maneuver? For example evasive footwork improves your AC by he amount rolled on the die. If you have no die then what it would do exactly? Just about every maneuver uses that superiority die to determine something about the maneuver.

If there are no superiority dice and all maneuvers can be used at will, why would anyone NOT use evasive footwork every single round?

 

[fuindordm]

I've been toying with this idea too. It doesn't make sense for all maneuvers, but some like disarm and trip provide a success mechanic that anyone could use. The superiority die just adds bonus damage on top of the effect.
I've heard the DMG has some rules for resolving this sort of thing in combat without maneuvers.

 

[Kryx]

Disarm is already an option in the DMG. You could try to make similar things for some of the others. Some will be easier than others.

Most will be turned into an action using some skill contested by the enemies' skill.

 

[Thyrwyn]

Everyone have access to all maneuvers, but with no superiority dice and no proficiency.
(this also mean that the Battle Master and Martial Adept can use their maneuvers with proficiency as often as they wish, but, their superiority dice are still limited)

The problem with the Proficiency aspect, is that most maneuvers can be declared after the attack roll has been made, unless you change it so that maneuvers have to be declared before the attack roll. Either way, you seriously inhibit the Battlemaster: either everyone is as good as he is (except he does more damage on a limited basis); or, the Battlemaster now has to declare his maneuvers ahead of time, which he doesn't now.

 

[Nine Hands]

How about giving players the Martial Adept feat for free. This gives them a small ability to use maneuvers, albeit a limited subset but they can do it once in a while. Additionally it allows the Battlemaster to gain access to his abilities a little earlier and then transitions into an extra die when he picks up his archetype.

 

[Heavy3p0]

If was going to do something like that in my game i would likely allow anyone to perform a maneuver as an action that doesn't include an attack but allow the Battle Master and MA feat to function as the currently do. that way the Battle Master isn't invalidated. i.e. the Battle Master gets to perform an attack with bonus damage from the superiority die that also disarms (etc.) while anyone else can perform an action that does nothing more than disarm the target. that way the party can be more tactical and perform trips (etc.) to gain advantages for the rest of the group but the Battle master will still shine as the superior tactician in this regard.

 

[Kryx]

If was going to do something like that in my game i would likely allow anyone to perform a maneuver as an action that doesn't include an attack but allow the Battle Master and MA feat to function as the currently do. that way the Battle Master isn't invalidated. i.e. the Battle Master gets to perform an attack with bonus damage from the superiority die that also disarms (etc.) while anyone else can perform an action that does nothing more than disarm the target. that way the party can be more tactical and perform trips (etc.) to gain advantages for the rest of the group but the Battle master will still shine as the superior tactician in this regard.

This is what I was suggesting as well. It's probably the best method without invalidating the Battle Master or making Manuevers OP.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Option: spend Inspiration to be able to perform a Maneuver otherwise prohibited to your class/race.

Another option: Racial maneuvers. Example: Race (Halfling) Maneuver (Dodge); Race (Hedgehog) Maneuver (Barrel Roll).