Bladedancer A stern human dressed in somber clothes moves slowly and deliberately as he faces his foe, a brawny orc. The orc swings with a mighty axe, but the man sways slightly, avoiding the blow, and almost casually strikes back with his rapier. Spinning wildly, a flamboyant tiefling dances through a crowd of confused enemies, her slashing scimitars seamlessly integrated into her dance. An elegant half-elf faces a group of goblins. As they approach, his blade flashes too quickly to see, and half of them fall dead as the rest flee in terror. All of these heroes are bladedancers, warriors and performers who fight while effortlessly dancing away from blows and mesmerising their enemies with their swift motions. The Bladedancer Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st +2 Sword Dance, Fighting Style 2nd +2 Dancing Style 3rd +2 - 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 Extra Attack 6th +3 Dancing Style feature 7th +3 Flow of the Dance 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 Stylish Strike 10th +4 - 11th +4 Dancing Style feature 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 - 14th +5 Extra Attack (2) 15th +5 Dancing Style feature 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 - 18th +6 - 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 Effortless Dance Creating a Bladedancer Bladedancers' skills rely upon their specific style of dancing, and how your character formed their style is the most important part of making a bladedancer. Many bladedancers learned their skills from others, but for some it comes naturally. Are you a noble who learned their skills from a hired teacher? Did you grow up in a monastery where the art is taught by a venerable master? Perhaps you are a follower of a god to whom dancing is holy. Or did you simply learn to dance because you love to, and then found a way to work your weapon of choice into it? Quick Build You can make a bladedancer quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the entertainer background. Class Features As a bladedancer, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per bladedancer level

1d8 per bladedancer level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bladedancer level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None

None Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion Equipment You start with the following equipment in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a rapier and 10 darts or (b) two martial finesse weapons

(a) an explorer's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack

(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two daggers Blade Dance Beginning at 1st level, while you are wielding only finesse weapons and no shield, and wearing no armor, you can use a bonus action to enter a special state called a Blade Dance. The Blade Dance lasts one minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don armor, use a shield or any non-finesse weapons, or become incapacitated or unconscious. You can also choose to end it early, no action required. If your Blade Dance ends without you deciding to end it, you cannot enter it again for 12 seconds.

While in a Blade Dance, you gain the following benefits: Your AC is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.

Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.

You can add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls.

You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and Charisma (Performance) checks. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest. Fighting Style You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Dueling When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. Two-Weapon Fighting When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. Dancing Style At 2nd level, you choose a dancing style that represents your unique approach to the techniques of bladedancing. Choose the Style of Meditation, the Style of Performance, or the Style of Quickness, all detailed at the end of the class description. The archetype you choose grants you features at 2nd level, and again at 6th, 11th, and 15th levels. Some Dancing Style features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Dancing Style save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 14th level in this class. Flow of the Dance Beginning at 7th level, while in Blade Dance, after making a melee weapon attack, you can move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks against you. Evasion Also at 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity save to take only half damage, you instead take no damageif you succeed on the saving throw, and only take half damage if you fail. Stylish Strike Beginning at 9th level, while in Blade Dance, you can add your Charisma modifier to your melee weapon damage rolls. Effortless Dance At 20th level, you can use your Blade Dance an unlimited number of times. The physical toning of your body and the incredible amount of control, mental and physical, that you have developed means that you age at half the normal rate. Dancing Styles The Dancing Style you choose reflects your unique approach to the discipline of bladedancing. While all styles of bladedancing rely on the same basic techniques, the paths diverge quickly as you develop your skills in the manner you choose. Style of Meditation Adepts of the Meditation Style of bladedancing use their dance to focus their minds and bodies, providing an incredible element of control over their mental and physical functions. Unbreakable Flow When you choose this style at 2nd level, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws for maintaining your Blade Dance. Implacable Mind Beginning at 6th level, while in Blade Dance, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Bastion of Calm Beginning at 11th level, while in Blade Dance, your resolve is such that your allies also have advantage on saves against being charmed or frightened while within 30 feet out you and able to see you. Calm Lake Beginning at 15th level, while in Blade Dance, you can reroll any saving throw that you fail or have the DM reroll any attack roll that hits you. You must keep the new roll. A new attack roll that is a natural 20 does not automatically hit and does not score a critical hit. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest. Style of Performance Those bladedancers who choose the Style of Performance dance just as much to display to others as to benefit themselves.