u/ItIsNotAUsername

I decided to buff martials, and here is my buff for the Fighter — the largest and most complex one, since I’m biased and love Fighter. I haven’t really played Barbarian or Rogue, and I’ve only played Monk with multiclassing and homebrew, so I’m not sure how well I could buff them.

As for the Fighter, it gains a system of abilities similar to Eldritch Invocations, called “Martial Doctrines.”

Martial Doctrines are a system that allows each Fighter to select abilities (hereafter called doctrines) from a list, provided they meet the prerequisites. This functions similarly to the Warlock’s invocation system. The Fighter gains this feature at 1st level, and it replaces the Fighting Style feature. However, Fighting Styles can still be selected as one of the doctrine options.

Regarding the Champion subclass and its 6th-level feature that grants a Fighting Style: nothing changes. The Champion still gains a Fighting Style feat, and this will often allow them to free up one of their doctrine selections for a more advanced option.

Doctrine Progression

At 1st level, the Fighter gains 1 doctrine. This remains the case until 4th level, when they gain a second.

Levels 1–3: 1 doctrine

Levels 4–6: 2 doctrines

Levels 7–9: 3 doctrines

Levels 10–12: 4 doctrines

Levels 13–16: 5 doctrines

Levels 17–20: 6 doctrines

Doctrines are divided into three tiers:

those with no level requirement,

those available at 7th level,

those available at 13th level.

I do not expect all doctrines to be equally balanced against each other, but they should function similarly to Warlock invocations, where different builds prioritize different options. For example, a Warlock focused on weapon use will naturally take Pact of the Blade and its upgrades, while a Warlock focused on Eldritch Blast will instead prioritize Agonizing Blast. Likewise, as a Fighter progresses along one of several optimal “branches,” they can also pick up auxiliary abilities that are not central to the build but are still broadly useful.

List of Doctrines

Fighting Style

You learn a Fighting Style feat.

You can select this doctrine multiple times, choosing a different Fighting Style each time.

Fencing Mastery

Any weapon that lacks the Heavy or Ammunition property gains the Finesse property for you.

Martial Presence

When you make an Intimidation check, you can use your Strength modifier instead of Charisma.

Mighty Projectile

You can make attacks with a Longbow using Strength instead of Dexterity.

You do not have disadvantage on thrown weapon attacks or Longbow long-range attacks made using Strength.

You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with thrown weapons and Longbows.

Athletic Movement

Once on each of your turns, you can jump up to 30 feet by spending 10 feet of movement.

Sweeping Strike (Prerequisite: 7th level)

When you use the Cleave Weapon Mastery, the additional target can be anywhere within your weapon’s reach.

You also add your ability modifier to the damage dealt to the additional target.

Devastating Strike (Prerequisite: 7th level, Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting)

You learn the Devastating Strike Weapon Mastery. Before making an attack, you can replace the weapon’s mastery with Devastating Strike, provided the weapon has the Heavy property.

Devastating Strike: Before making a melee attack, you can take a −5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the damage roll.

Superior Defense(Prerequisite: 7th level, Fighting Style: Defense)

While you are wearing armor or wielding a shield, you can reduce bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage you take by 1d10 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (no action required).

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until the start of your next turn.

Perfect Protection (Prerequisite: 7th level, Fighting Style: Protection)

You can use the reaction granted by the Protection Fighting Style even if you are not within 5 feet of the target of the attack, provided the target is within a distance equal to your Speed.

You can move to the target as part of that reaction.

Combat Awareness (Prerequisite: 7th level, Fighting Style: Blind Fighting)

You can’t be surprised.

Your blindsight range increases to 20 feet.

Disorienting Strike (Prerequisite: 7th level)

When you use the Sap Weapon Mastery, the target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or be unable to take reactions until the start of its next turn, and it takes psychic damage equal to one weapon damage die.

Regardless of the result, the target is immune to this effect until the start of your next turn.

Advanced Mobility (Prerequisite: 7th level)

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.

When you use Tactical Movement, you can move up to your full Speed instead of half your Speed.

Tactical Movement also triggers when you use Action Surge.

Volley (Prerequisite: 7th level)

You learn the Volley Weapon Mastery. Before making an attack, you can replace the weapon’s mastery with Volley, provided the weapon has the Ammunition property.

Volley: You gain the Volley action. As part of this action, choose a number of targets equal to your Proficiency Bonus. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other and within your weapon’s range. Each target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking damage equal to two weapon damage dice + your attack ability modifier on a failed save.

Minor Surge (Prerequisite: 13th level)

Once per turn you can expend one use of Second Wind to gain an additional Bonus Action on your turn.

You cannot use this feature again until you use your Action Surge feature.

Sending a message (Prerequisite: 13th level, Mighty Projectile)

The normal and long ranges of your thrown weapons and Longbow attacks increase by a number of feet equal to 30 × your Fighter level.

In addition, you can use a thrown weapon or a Longbow to deliver messages across vast distances. When you do so, you can target a location or creature you are familiar with at a distance of up to 100 miles.

When you make such a throw or shot, roll a d100 and consult the table below:

1: You miss entirely, and the projectile strikes a random creature.

2–15: The projectile lands in an incorrect location where it is unlikely to be found by the intended recipient.

16–30: The projectile lands near the intended destination, but not precisely at it.

31–95: The projectile arrives at the intended destination in a location where the recipient can reasonably find it.

96–100: The projectile lands at the feet of the intended recipient, or strikes them directly if you choose. If it strikes the target, it deals five times the weapon’s normal damage.

Currenly i am at a bit of a loss regarding other 13th level Doctrines. The idead well is running dry.

main concerns would be the Devastating Strike + GWM because new GWM sucks, but having both is probably too much, so if i was to use this, i probably wouldnt allow having both on one character.

Regarding other martials like barbarian.
Personally i'd just say that rage damage isnt just +2 or =3 its +2d6 or +3d6, and for berserg i'd just apgrade it to d8's or d10's. Also probably should be a feature to buff survivabilty and saves at about 7-9th levels.

For rogues... i mean they do have a lot already, and the only concern is damage so i'd bump sneak attack it from d6's to d8's or even d10's.

And for monks... i just dont know.