Burlesque Brawler

“The trick is not making them look. The trick is deciding what they see.”

Lore Overview

Burlesque Brawlers turn performance into pressure. Reinforced fans, veils, sashes, and breakaway costume pieces conceal timing and manufacture mistakes. A glance becomes a feint; a reveal becomes a challenge. The performance is their martial discipline, carried by the same Conviction that drives every Warbound.

A mobile striker and attention controller, the Brawler builds personal Arousal through chosen exposure, reversals, and the strain of holding an opponent’s attention. Enemies face mounting pressure of their own. Libido buys endurance and precise escalation; your own Climax becomes the Last Measure and, at the height of mastery, a Showstopper.

Subclass Features

Warbound Level	Feature
3rd	Stage Combatant
3rd	Fan Dance of Defiance
3rd	Ritual and Social Identity
7th	Never Break Character
7th	Misdirection
10th	Eyes on Me
15th	Leave Them Breathless
18th	Bring Down the House

Stage Combatant

3rd-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

You gain proficiency in Performance. If already proficient, double your proficiency bonus on ability checks using Performance. You are also proficient with improvised weapons made from theatrical props, such as canes, parasols, chairs, and weighted scarves. These retain the normal improvised-weapon rules; they gain no special reach or weapon properties.

A reinforced war fan is a martial melee weapon dealing 1d6 slashing damage, with the finesse and light properties. A closed fan deals bludgeoning damage instead. It counts as a weapon for your Martial Techniques.

Once on each of your turns, open or close one fan you hold without an action. While wielding an open reinforced war fan and no shield, gain +1 AC. Multiple fans do not increase this bonus. Opening a fan is not a reveal and does not itself grant Arousal.

Fan Dance of Defiance

3rd-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

When you finish a short or long rest, prepare up to six distinct cosmetic performance layers: gloves, veils, sashes, detachable sleeves, ribbons, masks, or decorative armor panels. Record which pieces are ready. Removing one never changes your AC, equipment statistics, or required coverage. You decide the degree of revelation; a routine can remain fully clothed.

Once on each of your turns, when you take the Attack action, you may expend one Technique Die and cast aside one prepared layer without an additional action. The die is expended without being rolled; it pays for the reveal’s control effects. Choose one hostile creature within 30 feet that can see you. Advance your reveal count by 1, to a maximum of 3, whether it succeeds or fails on its save. The reveal count resets when you roll initiative; discarded layers remain unavailable until a rest prepares them again or a feature reclaims one. You must actually have a ready layer to discard.

Use the saving throw and consequences for your play mode below. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of your next turn. At reveal count 2 or 3, it also cannot make opportunity attacks against you until the start of your next turn. At count 3, you may then move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks from that target; this movement does not use your normal movement. These benefits do not stack with themselves.

Classic Play. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw against your Technique Save DC. Apply the martial effects above on failure. No Arousal or Libido is tracked.

Veiled Play. The target makes an EROSave against your Technique Save DC. On failure, it gains 1 Arousal in addition to the martial effects. After resolving the reveal, you may gain 1 Arousal, whether the target saved or failed.

Unveiled Play. The target makes an EROSave against your Technique Save DC. On failure, it gains 1 Arousal in addition to the martial effects. After resolving the reveal, you may gain 1 Arousal, whether the target saved or failed. Alternatively, if you have at least 3 Arousal before the reveal, you may spend 1 Libido to make this reveal without discarding a layer; you must still have a ready layer, and this use grants you no voluntary Arousal. It advances your reveal count and obeys the normal once-per-turn limit.

A successful save prevents this feature’s target effects and makes the creature immune to Fan Dance of Defiance until the start of your next turn. Complete the target’s consequences, including any Climax, before resolving your optional personal Arousal gain. Each creature’s current Arousal determines its state; a reveal never assigns or downgrades a named state.

Ritual and Social Identity

3rd-Level Subclass Feature

During a short or long rest, you may lead willing companions through a 10-minute rehearsal of breath, timing, and freely chosen presentation while preparing your layers. Once per long rest, choose one participating companion. You both have advantage on your next Charisma (Performance) check made together within 8 hours. The rehearsal does not shorten the rest, restore extra Technique Dice or Libido, or change anyone’s Arousal.

Veiled Play. At the rehearsal’s end, you may gain 1 Arousal. Resolve any Climax normally, including your Last Measure; the rite does not extend its duration.

Unveiled Play. At the rehearsal’s end, you may choose to gain 1 Arousal or reduce your Arousal by 1. A reduction cannot interrupt a Climax already triggered.

In public rites, Brawlers serve as exhibition champions, ceremonial challengers, and protectors of performers. Their skill directs attention without establishing attraction or consent. Performance expertise supports their social role without creating a separate social-control subsystem.

Never Break Character

7th-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

When a creature you can see misses you with an attack, you may use your reaction and expend one Technique Die to choose one response. Expend the die without rolling it. If you choose False Reveal, roll the die and add it to the attack’s damage on a hit; the die remains expended if you miss.

Walk-Off. Move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks from that creature.
False Reveal. Make one weapon attack against the attacker if it is within that weapon’s range or reach. Normal attack restrictions apply.
Curtain Drop. Gain +2 AC against that creature’s subsequent attacks until the start of your next turn, interposing your fan or another held prop. This does not affect the triggering miss.

Veiled Play. After resolving your response, you may gain 1 Arousal. This does not grant another reaction or restore a use.

Unveiled Play. After resolving your response, you may gain 1 Arousal. Alternatively, when choosing False Reveal against an attacker that currently has at least 3 Arousal, you may spend 1 Libido before making the attack to gain advantage on it. Taking this alternative grants no voluntary Arousal from this feature. You cannot apply another Martial Technique to this reaction attack.

Misdirection

7th-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

Once per round, after a creature succeeds on its saving throw against your Fan Dance of Defiance, you may move up to 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks from that creature. No action is required, and the movement does not use your normal movement. A success still prevents the reveal’s target effects. Misdirection neither discards another layer nor generates additional Arousal. It uses the saving throw appropriate to the selected play mode.

Eyes on Me

10th-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

As a bonus action, designate one creature you can see within 30 feet that can see you as your Focused Audience. The designation lasts 1 minute, ending if you are incapacitated or designate another. You may designate an audience a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. It is not a charm and does not compel targeting.

The designation persists through lost sight or distance, but its benefits apply only while your audience is within 30 feet and can see you. While these conditions hold, it has disadvantage on opportunity attacks against creatures other than you. After it attacks another creature under those conditions, the next time you hit it with a weapon attack before the end of your next turn, you may expend one Technique Die to add its roll to the damage. You cannot apply another Martial Technique to that attack. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn; further attacks do not store additional bonuses.

Veiled Play. The first time each round your Focused Audience attacks a creature other than you while these conditions hold, you may gain 1 Arousal. You choose to turn the strain of protecting your companions into performance pressure.

Unveiled Play. The first time each round your Focused Audience attacks a creature other than you while these conditions hold, you may gain 1 Arousal. If it has at least 3 Arousal when you hit it with the extra-damage attack, you may spend 1 Libido to move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks after that attack. This movement does not use your normal movement.

Leave Them Breathless

15th-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

Once on each of your turns, when a creature fails its save against Fan Dance of Defiance, choose one additional effect: it cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn, or its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of its next turn. A speed reduction cannot reduce speed below 0. Resolve this choice as part of the reveal, before any triggered Climax resets Arousal.

Veiled Play. If that reveal causes the target to Climax, you may reclaim one discarded layer after resolving its Climax. The layer becomes ready without an action; this does not itself trigger another reveal. Each layer can be reclaimed only once between rests.

Unveiled Play. If the target had at least 3 Arousal immediately before that reveal’s gain, you may spend 1 Libido after resolving the target’s consequences to choose both additional effects instead of one. Alternatively, you may spend 1 Libido to reclaim one discarded layer after those consequences, with no minimum Arousal required. Choose only one expenditure per use of this feature. Each layer can be reclaimed only once between rests. Reclaiming a layer never triggers another reveal by itself.

Bring Down the House

18th-Level Warbound Martial Calling Feature

Once per long rest, unleash a Showstopper as a bonus action. Choose up to your proficiency bonus hostile creatures within 30 feet that can see you. Each must have failed a save against your Fan Dance of Defiance since you last rolled initiative. Each makes the save specified by your play mode. For each failure, choose one effect: disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of your next turn, or inability to take reactions until the start of your next turn. A successful save has no effect. The Showstopper itself grants no Arousal.

Classic Play. Each target makes a Wisdom saving throw against your Technique Save DC.

Veiled Play. After resolving your own Climax and entering your Last Measure, you may unleash this Showstopper immediately without a bonus action, provided its use is available. Targets make EROSaves against your Technique Save DC. This expends the same long-rest use; it is not an additional use. Your normal Last Measure benefits still apply once.

Unveiled Play. After resolving your own Climax and entering your Last Measure, you may unleash this Showstopper immediately without a bonus action, provided its use is available. Targets make EROSaves against your Technique Save DC. This expends the same long-rest use. You may spend 1 Libido after paying your Climax’s normal Libido loss to apply both effects to each target that fails. Your normal Last Measure benefits still apply once.

Encore. After the Showstopper resolves, you may open or close one held reinforced fan and move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks. No action is required. Encore grants no attack, reveal, Arousal, recovered resource, or additional Showstopper. It does not extend Last Measure’s duration.

Additional Information

Combat Identity

Mobile striker and attention controller whose stagecraft creates martial openings.

Desire Identity

Reveals and reversals build personal pressure toward Last Measure; Libido sustains deliberate escalation.

Class Integration

You gain these features at Warbound levels 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th, 18th. This subclass works through Conviction, Technique Dice, and the Last Measure. Use the costs, triggers, limits, and recovery stated in the individual features and parent class.

Ritual and Social Use

Rehearse timing and chosen presentation while respecting each performer’s boundaries. The Ritual and Social Identity feature gives the applicable observance and its complete benefits; this guidance adds no additional ritual reward.

Example of Play

On your turn, take the Attack action and spend a Technique Die and a prepared layer on Fan Dance of Defiance. Resolve the target’s save and the reveal’s effects, then decide whether to accept the permitted personal Arousal gain. That gain competes with the Calling’s other voluntary gains for the round; reaching 6 resolves your Climax and Last Measure rather than granting another turn.

Additional Rules

Calling-Specific Rules.

Performance pressure. You may voluntarily gain Arousal from only one Burlesque Brawler feature per round, refreshing at the start of your turn. Choose whether that gain comes from a reveal, a reversal, or your Focused Audience. This does not limit distinct Arousal gains granted by the Warbound class or incoming effects; the normal limit of 3 Arousal gained per turn still applies. A benefit requiring a gain requires that gain actually to occur.

Play modes. Use the ordinary feature text and only the paragraph for the selected mode. Veiled Play and Unveiled Play do not inherit one another’s riders. An EROSave uses the target’s choice of Constitution or Wisdom saving throw, including proficiency only if proficient in that save. These features use your Technique Save DC. Add Arousal to the existing total; that total determines the resulting state.

Last Measure. At 6 Arousal, resolve your Climax and the Warbound’s Last Measure for the selected mode. Pay any normal Libido loss and reset Arousal according to the main rules before resolving aftermath features. Your Last Measure recovers its normal Technique Die once; opponents’ Climax events do not trigger it. Bring Down the House adds its stated effects without extending Last Measure’s duration.

Resources. Fan Dance of Defiance, Never Break Character, and the bonus damage from Eyes on Me spend your existing Technique Dice. A discarded layer does not replace that cost. A single attack cannot receive more than one Martial Technique or Calling damage rider that spends a Technique Die. You cannot spend Libido you lack. Apply the normal Depletion rules at 0 Libido; ordinary martial features remain available. Showstopper and Encore grant only their stated actions and movement.

Play Modes and Desire Resolution

Classic Play. Use the baseline feature and any expressly stated Classic alternative, without Arousal or Libido. A feature that only modifies Desire has no additional Classic effect.

Veiled Play. Use the baseline and the feature’s Veiled paragraph. Add each stated Arousal gain to the creature’s current total; never assign Composed, Stirred, or Overwhelmed or replace its existing pressure. Resolve Climax immediately at 6. Do not use the Unveiled paragraph.

Unveiled Play. Use the baseline and the feature’s Unveiled paragraph, together with the website’s full Arousal, Libido, Climax, and Depletion rules. Do not inherit the Veiled paragraph. A Libido expenditure requires enough Libido to pay it. Spending the final point does not disable benefits without a Libido cost.

Each feature retains its stated actions, targets, duration, resource costs, and recharge. Changing play modes restores no uses. A gain-dependent benefit requires the Arousal actually to be gained. Unless explicitly excepted, a creature gains at most 3 Arousal per turn; reductions cannot go below 0. Resolve Climax before continuing a feature or applying any after-Climax benefit: the applicable Climax Effect, 1 Libido loss where tracked, Arousal reset to 0, then applicable aftermath triggers. Healing and Exhaustion occur only when an applicable rule grants or imposes them. An EROSave is the creature’s choice of Constitution or Wisdom saving throw, including proficiency only if proficient in that save. Basic Desire Actions retain their one-per-round limit unless an explicit feature overrides it.

Subclass EROSaves use your Technique Save DC: 8 + PB + the Strength or Dexterity modifier chosen for Technique Dice. Other saving throws retain any DC expressly stated in the feature.

Deity Alignment

This Calling resonates with Cyrillith through masks, theatrical identity, and emotional revelation; with Velyssara through embodied confidence and shared celebration; and with the Mirror Bride through chosen visibility and the courage to be seen. Worship is never required, and no performance requires intimacy or nudity.

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