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5E Savage Coast Fighting Schools

by Eric Anondson

Been away for a long while, but I've gotten back into DMing lately. 5e specifically. I've been bringing in all sorts of inspiration to the game I'm running with more than a lot from my beloved Mystara products. The campaign grew out of an impromptu homebrew, none of us sure 5e would last, yet it has and we're up to 12th level now and no sign of slowing. The campaign has been on the periphery of a region of swashbuckling pirates, and I had been throwing in names from Red Steel at the players.

The campaign slowly grew a need to fill in some details to those names, so I have been mad-scrambling to cut-paste more Red Steel. I was drawn in to see if I could make the opponents they'll be up against more interesting than standard. A bit of new backgrounds here and there, but these beginner players are having their fun interacting on the battle mat. So it seemed to me the Red Steel fighting schools would be ripe for mining for flavor and mechanics.

This is my first pass at converting the Savage Coast Fighting Schools into 5e. I'll gladly take any suggested edits because by now my eyes have glazed over. But I still wanted to share more widely in case anyone might find something worth borrowing.

Savage Coast Fighting Schools

Each rank of secret passes are be taken as feats. You can only learn a rank from this school from a willing master. Schools only maintain a few masters, who learn all the passes, and other instructors, who learn most of them. No one is allowed to join more than one school, though stealing passes from practitioners is possible.
Fighting schools teach sword fighting. Rapiers are the most appropriate weapon but any one-handed sword (dagger, shortsword, longsword, scimitar). Membership requires annual dues of 100 gp per year. Masters have their own fees or demands before revealing a secret pass.
Schools each have secret phrases or signals that lets members identify one another. Someone who performs a secret pass and cannot identify as a member of a school is going to be in danger.

Fighting School Saving Throws: Some secret passes require your target to make a saving throw to resist the pass's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Secret Pass Save DC = 10 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence modifier (your choice)

Secret Pass Exceptional Hits: When attacking with a fighting school secret pass, instead of rolling critical hits, you roll exceptional hits. Rapiers are considered the most appropriate weapon for these maneuvers, but any one-handed sword suffices.
You must declare before rolling that you intend to use a secret pass. By rolling well enough, you can then choose whether use a maneuver or not in your attack. If there are too many witnesses, or an appropriate move is not available, you can choose a normal hit. A natural 20 will be an automatic hit but still not a critical hit.

Exceptional hits must succeed the attack roll by:

Secret Pass	Rapier	Sword
Basic	5	6
Difficult	6	7
Master Stroke	7	8
Death Move	8	9

Stealing a pass: If you are the target of a secret pass and you know passes of that rank (basic passes, difficult passes, master strokes, or death moves) or lower, you may make an Intelligence saving throw with disadvantage. On a success, you may attempt to learn the secret pass.
To learn the pass, you spend downtime training. After the downtime training is completed, you make an Intelligence saving throw. On a success, you add the maneuver to your list when you gain your next level.
On a failed save, you do not learn the pass but may re-attempt Intelligence saving throws for each previous failed steal attempt when you gain your next level. With a saving throw success you add the pass to your list on the subsequent gained level.
Secret Pass Steal DC

Secret Pass	DC
Basic	8
Difficult	10
Master Stroke	12
Death Move	14

Dominguez Secret Passes

This school focuses on two-weapon fighting, so to be a member of this school a character must demonstrate aptitude in this style.

Dominguez Basic Passes
Prerequisites: Two-Weapon fighting style or selected the Dual Wielder feat, member of the Dominguez fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Dominguez fighting school selected you as a student to learn a basic pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one basic pass from the following list that only work with two-weapon fighting with swords:

• Torreóner Two Step: Can only be used with the first attack roll and you forgo your normal other weapon attack. After this attack hits, use your bonus action to make a ranged throwing attack with your other weapon, roll a d4 and add that number rolled to the attack roll then immediately draw another weapon. Weapons thrown with this pass are thrown as if they had the thrown property. Damage from this thrown attack also adds your Intelligence modifier.
• Swift Sting: This attack inflicts a wound to the opponent’s attacking limb. The target must now roll a d4 and subtract that number rolled from the attack roll with that limb. Each extra strike with this pass increase the die to d6, then d8, d10, and finally d12. Upon the sixth strike with this pass the target loses all use of that attacking limb.
• Slow Counter-step: Your attack puts the target off balance. The attack deals no damage. Until the end of the target’s next turn, attacks on the target roll a d4 and add that number rolled to the attack roll.
• Dominguez Double-Dive: Can only be used with the first attack roll and you forgo your other weapon attack, instead striking twice with the attack roll. Roll the damage twice and add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll, but no less than +1.

• You may gain extra basic passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a basic pass from the Dominguez fighting school or stealing a pass from another practitioner.

Dominguez Difficult Passes
Prerequisites: Two-Weapon fighting style or selected the Dual Wielder feat, knows 2 basic passes, member of Dominguez fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Dominguez fighting school selected you as a student to learn a difficult pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one difficult pass from the following list that only work with two-weapon fighting with swords:

• Kiss of Steel: You hit with your weapon hilt. The target must make a Strength saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target is stunned until the end of their next turn.
• Morales Ironsnap: You deal no damage but pin one weapon of the target's. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the next attack automatically hits dealing maximum damage. If it was a nonmagical weapon it immediately breaks.
• Two-handed Farewell: No matter which attack this was rolled for, both attacks deal maximum damage.

• You may gain extra difficult passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a difficult pass from the Dominguez fighting school or stealing a difficult pass from another practitioner. You must know more basic passes than difficult passes.

Dominguez Master Strokes
Prerequisites: Two-Weapon fighting style or selected the Dual Wielder feat, knows 2 difficult passes, member of Dominguez fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Dominguez fighting school selected you as a student to learn a master stroke of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20,
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one master stroke from the following list that only work with two-weapon fighting with swords:

• Torreóner Block and Strike: The main attack deals no damage, but the off hand deals maximum damage if it hits. All attacks you make against the target the following round have advantage. The target’s next attacks have disadvantage until the end of their next turn.
• Manzanas Blurring Tower: You whirl your blades so quickly the target is confused. The target cannot make attack actions until the end of their next turn and all attacks made against the target may role a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll.

• You may gain extra master strokes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a master stroke from the Dominguez fighting school or stealing a master stroke from another practitioner. You must know more difficult passes than master strokes.

Dominguez Death Moves
Prerequisites: Two-Weapon fighting style or selected the Dual Wielder feat, knows 2 master strokes, member of Dominguez fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Dominguez fighting school selected you as a student to learn a death move of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20,
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Dominguez Necktie: You attack with both swords, opening vital organs. The target can no longer make reactions or attack actions and will die in 3 rounds unless a 3rd level cure wounds spell or greater is used.
• You may gain extra death moves by stealing a pass from another practitioner. You must know more master strokes than death moves.

Cavalcante Secret Passes

This school focuses on force, so to be a member of this school a character must succeed in tests of strength. Practitioners prefer moves that display might and power.

Cavalcante Basic Passes
Prerequisites: Strength 13 or higher, member of the Cavalcante fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Cavalcante fighting school selected you as a student to learn a basic pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one basic pass from the following list that only work with swords:

• Agueira’s Salute: The attack is a crushing blow to the target’s head dealing an extra 1d4 points of damage, plus the target must make a Constitution save with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target is stunned until the end of its next turn.
• Cavalcante’s Charge: A target size Large or smaller must make a Strength save with disadvantage. On a failed save, you may force the target to move 10 feet in the direction of your choosing.
• Baronial Masquerade: You distract the target and rush in knocking the foe’s weapon to the ground and the target must make a Strength saving throw. If the weapon was held by two or more hands the saving throw is made with advantage. On a failed save the weapon lands at its feet.
• Texeiran Trounce: You attack forcefully enough to knock the target off balance. A Large or smaller target makes a Strength saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

• You may gain extra basic passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a basic pass from the Cavalcante fighting school or stealing a pass from another practitioner.

Cavalcante Difficult Passes
Prerequisites: Strength 15 or higher, knows 2 basic passes, member of Cavalcante fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Cavalcante fighting school selected you as a student to learn a difficult pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one difficult pass from the following list that only work with swords:

• Iron Lunge: Your attack deals double damage.
• Battle Royal: Your attack deals maximum damage. The target must also make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
• Shattering Ram: This attack deals no damage to the target. Instead your sword strikes a target’s weapon with massive force. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the weapon is destroyed.

• You may gain extra difficult passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a difficult pass from the Cavalcante fighting school or stealing a difficult pass from another practitioner. You must know more basic passes than difficult passes.

Cavalcante Master Strokes
Prerequisites: Strength 17 or higher, knows 2 difficult passes, member of Cavalcante fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Cavalcante fighting school selected you as a student to learn a master stroke of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one master stroke from the following list that only work with swords:

• Scarlet Veil: Your attack gouges out one of the target’s eyes. Attacks made against the target roll a d4 and adds the number to the attack roll. Attacks by the target roll a d4 and subtract the number from the attack roll. If all eyes are gouged out, the target is blinded instead of the penalties above.
• Sudden Squall: Your attack successfully hits for maximum damage and you grab a nearby object striking the target for an additional 1d8 plus your Strength bonus.

• You may gain extra master strokes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a master stroke from the Cavalcante fighting school or stealing a master stroke from another practitioner. You must know more difficult passes than master strokes.

Cavalcante Death Moves
Prerequisites: Strength 19 or higher, knows 2 master strokes, member of Cavalcante fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Cavalcante fighting school selected you as a student to learn a death move of their sword fighting style. You gain the a following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use fighting school secret pass.
• Surgeon’s Knife: Your sword attack disembowels the target. The target can no longer make reactions or attack actions and will die in 3 rounds unless a 3rd level cure wound spell or higher heals them.
• You may gain extra death moves by stealing a pass from another practitioner. You must know more master strokes than death moves.

Moncorvo Secret Passes

This school is favored by swashbucklers and duelists, so a member of the school must succeed in tests of acrobatic daring. The use of the shield is sometimes favored.

Moncorvo Basic Passes
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Duelist fighting style or rakish audacity, member of the Moncorvo fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Moncorvo fighting school selected you as a student to learn a basic pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one basic pass from the following list that only work with swords:

• Hidalgo Deathwish: This attack inflicts a wound to the target’s vital organs. Whenever attacks are made against the target, the attacker rolls a d4 and adds the number to the attack roll. Each extra strike with this pass increase the die to d6, then d8, d10, and finally d12. Upon the sixth strike with this pass, all attacks on the target are automatic maximum damage.
• Rapier’s Harvest: You can cut any single nonliving object within reach, such as a pouch, rope, candle, belt, or any object that can normally be cut by a rapier. You may then grab this object as part of the attack, if you choose. This attack inflicts no damage.
• Baronial Panache: Your spectacular skill frightens the target and they must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
• Silk and Steel: You attack and twirl your cloak, confusing your target and entangling the target’s weapon. Until the end of the target’s next turn, they cannot make reactions to attack or attack actions.

• You may gain extra basic passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a basic pass from the Moncorvo fighting school or stealing a pass from another practitioner.

Moncorvo Difficult Passes
Prerequisites: Dexterity 15, member of Moncorvo fighting school, knows 2 basic passes, member of Moncorvo fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Moncorvo fighting school selected you as a student to learn a difficult pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one difficult pass from the following list that only work with swords:

• Master Seal: Your attack carves a personal mark into the foe’s forehead or clothing. Until the end of your next turn, opportunity attacks against the target have advantage. This scar can only be removed by regenerate.
• Duelist's Gambit: You dodge past a target’s attack. You deal an extra 1d6 damage.
• Vilaverdan Slip: You skillfully move through a target’s space as part of your attack. Until the end of your next turn, you may roll a d4 and add the number to every attack roll against the target.

•You may gain extra difficult passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a difficult pass from the Moncorvo fighting school or stealing a difficult pass from another practitioner. You must know more basic passes than difficult passes.

Moncorvo Master Strokes
Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, member of Moncorvo fighting school, knows 2 difficult passes, member of Moncorvo fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Moncorvo fighting school selected you as a student to learn a master stroke of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one master stroke from the following list that only work with swords:

• Inigo’s Rebuke: Your attack creates an opening for two immediate extra attacks.
• Swashbuckler’s Eyebrow: Your attack slashes above target’s eyes. Your attack inflicts maximum damage and the target is blind for 1d4 rounds.

• You may gain extra master strokes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a master stroke from the Moncorvo fighting school or stealing a master stroke from another practitioner. You must know more difficult passes than master strokes.

Moncorvo Death Moves
Prerequisites: Dexterity 19, member of Moncorvo fighting school, knows 2 master strokes, member of Moncorvo fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Moncorvo fighting school selected you as a student to learn a death move of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Moncorvo’s Heartbreak: Your sword pierces through the opponent’s heart. The target can no longer make reactions or attack actions and will die in 3 rounds if not healed by a 3rd level cure wounds or higher.
• You may gain extra death moves by stealing one from another practitioner. You must know more master strokes than death moves.

Verdegild Secret Passes

This school focuses on superior skill through control. It is popular with paladins and Honorbound companies.

Verdegild Basic Passes
Prerequisites: Strength 13, Duelist fighting style or rakish audacity, member of the Verdegild fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Verdegild fighting school selected you as a student to learn a basic pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Intelligence, or Wisdom by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one basic pass from the following list that only work with swords:

• Corsair’s Handshake: You disarm a size Large or smaller target of all weapons. The target must make a Strength saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target drops all weapons. This attack deals no damage.
• Paladin’s Reverence: This attack inflicts a wound to target's leg or wing reducing movement by 5 feet. This reduction is cumulative with each pass up to 30 feet penalty, then the opponent loses use of the leg or wing.
• Precision Slice: You can cut any single nonliving object within reach, such as a pouch, rope, candle, belt, or any object that can normally be cut by a rapier. You may then grab this object as part of the attack, if you choose. This attack inflicts no damage.
• Show of Force: The size Large or smaller target must make a Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target is knocked prone. You can choose to deal no damage.

• You may gain extra basic passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a basic pass from the Verdegild fighting school or stealing a pass from another practitioner.

Verdegild Difficult Passes
Prerequisites: Strength 13, member of Verdegild fighting school, knows 2 basic passes, member of Verdegild fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Verdegild fighting school selected you as a student to learn a difficult pass of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Intelligence, or Wisdom by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one difficult pass from the following list that only work with swords:

• Royal Display: Your superior skill frightens the target and they must make a Wisdom saving throw or surrender asking for mercy.
• Knight’s Accolade: The attack damages the target’s weapon wielding limb. The target’s attacks roll a d6 and subtract that number from the attack roll. The next strike with this pass increases the die to d12. After the third attack with this pass, the target can no longer use that limb to attack.
• Eusdrian Standoff: You lock swords with a size Large or smaller target’s weapon, closing in face to face. You cannot make attacks but the target is also prevented from making attacks until someone steps away first, and the target is prevented from making the disengage action. If the target wants to move away they must make a Strength saving throw with disadvantage. If the save succeeds, they may move away but you may make an opportunity attack. On a failed save, you may make an opportunity attack with advantage, plus your attacks next round have advantage.

• You may gain extra difficult passes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a difficult pass from the Verdegild fighting school or stealing a difficult pass from another practitioner. You must know more basic passes than difficult passes.

Verdegild Master Strokes
Prerequisites: Strength 13, member of Verdegild fighting school, knows 2 difficult passes, member of Verdegild fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Verdegild fighting school selected you as a student to learn a master stroke of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Intelligence, or Wisdom by 1, to a maximum of 20,
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Select one master stroke from the following list that only work with swords:

• Musketeer Sundown: The attack inflicts a blow to the side of the target’s head. The target must make a Constitution saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target is knocked unconscious for 10 minutes. You may choose to inflict half damage instead of full damage.
• Honorbound Courtesy: The attack disarms the target and shreds their garments over a vital area. The target must make a Strength saving throw, if the weapon was held by one hand the saving throw is made with disadvantage. On a failed save the weapon lands at its feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage or be frightened of you for 10 minutes. They must flee (if there is room) or surrender. You can choose that this attack deals no damage.

• You may gain extra master strokes by either finding a master swordsman to teach a master stroke from the Verdegild fighting school or stealing a master stroke from another practitioner. You must know more difficult passes than master strokes.

Verdegild Death Moves
Prerequisites: Strength 13, member of Verdegild fighting school, knows 2 master strokes, member of Verdegild fighting school.
A master sword fighter from the Verdegild fighting school selected you as a student to learn a death move of their sword fighting style. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Strength, Intelligence, or Wisdom by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• An attack roll of 20 is still an automatic hit but you no longer benefit from critical hits, you instead roll exceptional hits. Exceptional hits allow you to use a fighting school secret pass.
• Verdegild’s Sentence: The target’s weapon limb is severed (or at least completely disabled) at the elbow; the target’s maximum hit points are halved until they spend a long rest and remaining hit points are halved. The target must make a Constitution saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target becomes unconscious for an hour. They continue losing 1 hit point per round bleeding.
• You may gain extra death moves by stealing one from another practitioner. You must know more master strokes than death moves.