Truly wise adventurers are always wary of unarmed opponents, for such adversaries are usually more than they seem. Such an opponent might even be a reaping mauler - the worst nightmare of a character who depends on weapon skills to win. Anyone who dares to wield a weapon against a reaping mauler had better make use of it quickly, because the opportunity won’t last long.

Reaping maulers are the back-breakers, the limb-twisters, and the neck-snappers among pit fighters. Grapplers of the highest order, they wear nothing heavier than light armor in combat to maximize their flexibility, and they use no weapons to achieve their gruesome victories, for they prefer the intimacy of a barehanded kill. A reaping mauler wants to be close enough to taunt his opponent with whispers while crushing the life out of it, to smell its fear, and to watch the despair creep over its face when the opponent realizes just how useless its weapons are during a grapple.

NPC reaping maulers are burly, rowdy individuals who carry themselves with an air of invulnerability. When it comes to the simple pleasures of life - drink and food - they believe the world exists for their convenience. In a reaping mauler’s mind, there is no problem that can’t be solved with brawn. If something can be taken by force, they feel that it must naturally belong to them, and rarely does anyone openly oppose this concept.

Hit Dice: 1d10

• Armor: Light
• Weapons: None
• Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
• Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Performance, and Intimidation

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

(a) a disguise kit or (b) a fine performer's costume

A reaping mauler adds +2 to all grapple checks.

You can easily move through a dangerous melee.

If you take the Dash action, you are not hindered by difficult terrain that turn.

When you exit a creature’s threatened area, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

You can move through a number of enemy squares equal to your Dexterity bonus each round as though they were friendly.

When the mauler shoves an opponent prone, or grapples an already prone opponent, that opponent is considered Pinned.

A Pinned character cannot stand without first ending the grapple, and has disadvantage on attack rolls. All attacks against the character (including the maulers if they have a free hand) are made with advantage.

This is the same as the normal effect of being grappled and prone, included here for reference. It is also important to track when using Sleeper Lock or Devastating Grapple.

Beginning at 2nd level, a reaping mauler wearing light or no armor who escapes an opponent's grapple may make a grapple attempt against that target as a bonus action.

At 3rd level, a mauler wearing light or no armor gains advantage on all grapples (advantage on a grapple you would normally have disadvantage on becomes a normal roll).

At 4th level, a reaping mauler learns how to render an opponent unconscious with pressure. If the character pins his opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for 1 full round, the opponent must make a CON save (DC 10 + the reaping mauler’s class level + the reaping mauler’s WIS modifier) at the end of the round or become Incapacitated for 1d3 rounds. A creature with no discernible anatomy has immunity to this effect.

Beginning at 6th level, a mauler who begins their turn at zero hit points or below may automatically stabilize and return to the fight with a number of hit points equal to their CON mod.

The mauler must be fully healed before they may use this ability again.

At 8th level, a reaping mauler who begins their turn with an opponent grappled can release their opponent violently. Make an opposed strength check. If the mauler's check beats their opponent's, move the opponent 5 times the number of feet of the difference. Any creatures whose square the opponent passes through must make a DEX save (DC 10+ the mauler's proficiency mod) or be knocked prone. If the opponent would move into a square occupied by a solid object, they stop immediately and take damage equal to d6 + the mauler's strength mod.

If the mauler's check is lower, move the opponent into the nearest unoccupied square.

If a 10th-level reaping mauler pins their opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for 3 consecutive rounds, the opponent must make a CON save (DC 10 + the reaping mauler’s class level + the reaping mauler’s Wis modifier) at the end of the third round or die. A creature with no discernible anatomy is immune to the effect of this ability.