1 . Soulknife A woman clad in light leather stands alone before a troll, seemingly unarmed. With a thought, a pair of blades of glowing silver wreathed in blue energy leap to her hand from nowhere - just in time to parry an incoming blow. The monster reels, swinging again, and the woman lunges back, carving a hole in the fabric of the world to make her escape. An instant later, she re-appears in a final cut, and the crackling blades carve through the neck of the beast. An unarmed elf is confronted by a pair of orcs, who advance menacingly. He grins, and dozens of wickedly-sharp knives spiral around him, blades hovering in midair. Both orcs scream as a pair of those jagged shards impale them and discharge psionic power, burning their eyes out from within. These are soulknives: powerful warriors who make use of a unique weapon known as a Mindblade. Summoned by an act of will, the Mindblade is a physical manifestation of a soulknife's determination and aptitude in battle. Master of the Mindblade Each Mindblade is unique, as it reflects the soulknife who manifests it. While they can take any form, most are clearly otherworldly - many glow with sinister energies, shine with radiant power, or seem to pull at the eye like a hole in the world. Those that appear seemingly ordinary often react strangely to things like heat, light, darkness, or freshly-shed blood. Mindblades come in multiple varieties, and each operates in very different ways. Most come directly from the mind

of the wielder, but others are gifted or loaned, and may

come at a high price. The four outlined here include

the Focused Blade, which forms a more

traditional melee weapon, the Divine

Instrument, which calls an exotic, god-gifted

weapon, and the Fractured Edge, which

manifests as a floating swarm of blades or

a bow of assembled shards, while the Ebon

Lurk acts as a fearsome thief of lives and

faces; a deadly assassin with unnatural

psionic powers.

2 The Soulknife Level Proficiency Bonus Features Psionic Prowess Points Maximum Points per Round Blade Tech's Known 1st +2 Mindblade, Imbuement, Mindblade Expression - - - 2nd +2 Psionic Prowess 2 1 - 3rd +2 Blade Techniques, Mindblade Expression feature 3 1 1 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 1 1 5th +3 Extra Attack 5 1 2 6th +3 Rend Strider 6 2 2 7th +3 - 7 2 3 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 8 2 3 9th +4 Mental Utility 9 2 4 10th +4 Ever-Adaptable, Mindblade Expression feature 10 2 4 11th +4 Knife to the Soul 11 3 5 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 12 3 5 13th +5 - 13 3 6 14th +5 Mindblade Expression feature 14 3 6 15th +5 - 15 4 7 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 16 4 7 17th +6 Rend Reaper 17 4 7 18th +6 - 18 4 8 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 19 4 8 20th +6 Soulknife Ascendant 20 5 8 Psychic Warriors While the Mindblade is a formidable weapon alone, the true power of the soulknife comes from their ability to empower themselves with psychic energy. They can use this psychic energy to perform impossible feats and devastating attacks as well as more utilitarian actions. These alternative uses are known as Blade Techniques, and come in a variety of forms. Over time, they can even learn to carve through reality itself, and teleport around the battlefield to deliver punishing blows. Creating a Soulknife When creating a soulknife, consider a few important elements. First, how did they gain their abilities? Were they trained formally at a school, instructed under a master, or awakened by some event? Is there an emotion or state of mind that they associate more closely with their Mindblade? Next, consider the style of their Mindblade - what does it look like? Is it wicked and barbed, or pure and clean? Does it appear more conventional, or is it barely recognizable as a weapon? These are important to consider, as the Mindblade shows something of the heart of the soulknife. Quick Build You can rapidly create a soulknife by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on whether you'd like to focus on larger weapons or lighter ones. Your second highest should be Constitution, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the Soldier background. Then, select the Focused Blade Expression. Class Features As a soulknife, you gain the following class features: Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per soulknife level

1d8 per soulknife 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 soulknife level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light armor

Light armor Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence

Dexterity, Intelligence Skills: Choose three from Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Arcana, Insight, Perception, and Intimidation Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) a burglar's pack

(a) leather armor or (b) scale mail and a shield

3 Mindblade At 1st level, you learn to summon your Mindblade. The following rules hold true for all Mindblades, unless otherwise noted by your Mindblade Expression description. The soulknife can conjure a unique weapon, known as a Mindblade, into an available hand whenever they could normally draw a weapon. The Mindblade deals either bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage, chosen each time it is conjured. If you release your grip on the Mindblade, it will dissipate within seconds, making it impossible to give away unless you spend an action each round focusing on maintaining it. If you throw your Mindblade, it will dissipate after the attack. The Mindblade does not normally count as a magical weapon for the purposes of resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Additionally, Mindblades can still be summoned and used in antimagic fields, but lose any magical properties granted by Imbuement. Imbuement Imbuement is the process of psionically transfering the magical properties of a magical weapon to your Mindblade. Imbuement can be performed during a long rest. Some Mindblade Expressions have different features associated with Imbuement. The following is true for all Mindblades unless otherwise stated in the Expression description. Should you obtain a magical weapon, you can perform an Imbuement that allows you to permanently transfer the magical properties of the weapon to your Mindblade, consuming the weapon. If you perform this more than once, you can select which weapon to gain the benefits from at the end of a long rest. You cannot have the magical properties of more than one weapon that is Imbued into a Mindblade active at the same time. Should you Imbue to a non-magical weapon made of a special substance, such as silver, the weapon is consumed by the Mindblade and is selectable as though it were a magical weapon using Imbuement. Weapons that require attunement must be attuned before you can Imbue them into your Mindblade. While a weapon is not active, it does not require attunement, but if you re-activate it, you must be able to attune the weapon, but don't have to fulfill any special requirements. Some powerful magical weapons and artifacts may not be available for Imbuement. The DM has the final say on what weapons you can Imbue into your Mindblade. If the soulknife dies, the consumed weapons are expelled from the Mindblade near their body over the course of one minute. Mindblade Expression At 1st level, a select a Mindblade Expression. This will determine the shape and properties of your Mindblade, as well as the effects of Imbuement. Your choice will also grant you additional features at 3rd, 10th, and 14th level. Psionic Abilities Some soulknife class features and Blade Techniques call for saving throws. Use 8 + your Intelligence Modifier + your proficiency bonus to determine the save DC. If it requires a spellcasting attack roll, use your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. For any spells granted by class features, Intelligence is your spellcasting ability. Psionic Prowess At 2nd level, you gain a pool of Psionic Prowess points equal to your soulknife class level. You can only use a certain number of points each round, as indicated in the maximum points per round column of the soulknife class table; this number resets at the start of each of your turns. This limit also includes how many can be used for reactions granted by Blade Techniques. You can use 1 point per round at 2nd level, and this increases to 2 points at 6th level, 3 points at 11th level, 4 points at 15th level, and 5 points at 20th level. Psionic Prowess points are recovered after a short or long rest. Psychic Strike At 2nd level, you learn to psychokinetically burn your enemies. Whenever you hit an enemy with your Mindblade, you can choose to unleash damaging psychic energy into the target, expending one point of Psionic Prowess. Each Psychic Strike deals 1d6 psychic damage at 1st level, and this damage increases to 2d6 at 8th level and to 3d6 at 16th level. Blade Technique At 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 18th levels you learn special psionic actions called Blade Techniques. You learn one technique at each of these levels. Whenever you gain a soulknife level, you can exchange your Blade Techniques for others that you meet the prerequisites for. 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 of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

4 Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Rend Strider At 6th level, you’ve learned to carve through space and time by focusing your Mindblade. In place of all movement during your turn, or as an action, you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess to teleport up to 5 feet per soulknife level to a location of your choosing - if you cannot arrive within 5 feet of the specified location, you instead take 1d12 force damage and the attempt is wasted. Mental Utility At 9th level, you have learned to shape your Mindblade into useful objects, tools, and other ordinary devices that weigh less than 10 lbs. and cost less than 10 gp. Some things may be beyond your talents, at the DM's discretion. As an action, you can also transform your Mindblade into a 100-foot silk rope with grappling hook, a 10-foot ladder, or a spyglass; these items fade after one minute if you stop touching them or if you re-summon your Mindblade. Additionally, you gain proficiency in one set of tools, and can create them using this feature. Ever-Adaptable At 10th level, once per long rest, you can use autohypnotic meditation to forget up to three of your known Blade Techniques and replace them with ones you don't know that you meet the prerequisites for. You can't increase your total techniques known with this feature. Knife to the Soul At 11th level, you’ve learned cut directly into the mind of a creature. When expending Psionic Prowess to deal damage using Psychic Strike, you can instead choose to impose one of the following ailments for one round. This can only be used once per round per target. Targets immune to psychic damage are immune to this effect. Spellscour: The target suffers disadvantage on their next spell attack roll, or your allies have advantage against the target's next spell that requires a saving throw.

Frailmind: The target suffers disadvantage on their next Wisdom, Charisma, or Intelligence saving throw.

Shatterbrain: When the target attempts to cast a spell, they take damage equal to twice your Psychic Strike damage before the spell is cast. They are aware of this effect. Rend Reaper At 17th level, you can expend all your remaining points of Psionic Prowess for this round as an action to teleport multiple times around the battlefield, and make a number of single attacks with your Mindblade equal to the number of points expended minus one. You have advantage on these attacks and can travel up to the maximum distance allowed by Rend Strider between each attack. You can make these attacks from any point you could reach with Rend Strider, but end the effect at the last place you attacked from. Soulknife Ascendant At 20th level, whenever you roll for initative and have no Psionic Prowess points, you instantly regain points equal to your Intelligence modifier. Additionally, whenever you use Knife to the Soul, you can also choose from the following ailments. Heartbreaker: The target suffers disadvantage on their next Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw.

Lifetaker: The next time the target takes psychic damage, the target takes the maximum possible damage per die.

Soulshaker: The target suffers disadvantage on their attacks during their turn. Mindblade Expressions Different Soulknives manifest their Mindblades in different ways. The Expression you choose determines the general form and function of your Mindblade. Focused Blade The Focused Blade uses psychic energy to form melee weapons and use them to devastating effect against their enemies. They learn to generate one or two incredibly stable Mindblades that they use to fight in melee, and are more durable than other soulknives due to psychometabolic enhancement techniques and armor training.

5 Medium Armor Proficiency The Focused Blade trains for combat in a more conventional manner, and has learned to wear medium armor to protect themselves against the dangers of close combat. At 1st level, you gain proficiency in medium armor and shields. Focused Mindblade Your Mindblade can appear as any type of melee weapon, dealing damage equal to that weapon and gaining any other special properties inherent to that weapon type. The weapon type cannot be selected when summoned – instead, it is selected by using the Imbuement feature. For example, a Mindblade in the shape of a longsword would deal 1d8 damage and have the Versatile property, but could deal bludgeoning damage. A Mindblade in the shape of a glaive would deal 1d10 damage and have the Heavy, Reach, and Two-handed properties, but could deal piercing damage. Mindblade Imbuement The Focused Blade soulknife can change the type of weapon that the Mindblade resembles through the Imbuement process whenever they finish a long rest. This allows you to select a new weapon type for the Mindblade, and this changes the damage and the additional properties of the Mindblade. For example, you can choose to Imbue a Flaming Longsword, but shape your Mindblade as a pike, causing it to act as a Flaming Pike, and its inherent damage type can be selected whenever it is summoned. Mindblade Style At 1st level, you can select a Mindblade Style. Choose one of the following options: Mental Shield: You gain the ability to summon a shield in the same way as your Mindblade. The shield can be Imbued just like your Mindblade, but using magical shields instead of weapons. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must have your shield summoned to use this feature.

Refined Blade – When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with your Mindblade, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or 2. Twin Blades – You gain the ability to summon a second Mindblade, and can summon both simultaneously. This Mindblade is Imbued separately from the first. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. Psychic Deflection At 3rd level, you learn how to deflect and avoid damage by using your psychic abilities to toughen yourself. Whenever you finish a long rest, choose either bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage. Until you choose a different one with this feature, whenever you take damage of that type from an attack made with a non-magical weapon you can subtract your Intelligence modifier from the damage taken. Fast Shaping At 10th level, your mastery over the form of your Mindblade improves. As a bonus action, you can increase the reach of your Mindblade by 5 feet until the start of your next turn. Additionally, you can use an action to change the weapon type of the Mindblade, modifying damage and properties as normal. If you have two Mindblades, you can change both with the same bonus action or action, respectively. Imbuement now can also be performed during a short rest. Psychic Vampirism At 14th level, you can now choose to expend one point of Psionic Prowess to heal yourself whenever you deal damage using Psychic Strike, regaining hit points equal to half the amount of damage that Psychic Strike dealt. You can only do this once per round. Fractured Edge Rather than create a single powerful Mindblade, the Fractured Edge manifests dozens of blades that hover in a swarm around them. Scorning melee combat, the Fractured Edge propels the blades to wreak havoc among enemies from afar, and can wield other useful telekinetic skills. Fractured Mindblade The Fractured Edge can conjure a large swarm of semi-ethereal blades into being, known as a Fracture, and use them to attack by throwing them psionically or physically at enemies. The weapons that make up the Fracture are known as shards, and can have any appearance you choose. As they are merely mental constructs, your Fracture can contain an unlimited number of them - doing so provides no tangible benefit, as they require careful focus to use effectively and cannot be used for any purpose that a normal weapon with the same properties could not be used for. Your Fracture is a manifestation of two different types of weapons at once – Light Shards and Heavy Shards. Regardless of their appearance, each shard type deals either blunt, piercing, or slashing damage, separately chosen when the Fracture summoned.

6 Light Shards can be used to attack targets up to 50 feet away and deal 1d4 damage.



can be used to attack targets up to 50 feet away and deal 1d4 damage. Heavy Shards can be used to attack targets up to 20 feet away and deal 1d8 damage. Shards from the Fracture do not have a range increment – either they can reach, or they cannot. When a shard flies out of range, it vanishes due to insufficient connection with the wielder. You can choose to use either Strength, Intelligence, or Dexterity when applying bonuses to attack and damage for the Fracture. For all other purposes, the Fracture counts as a ranged weapon, but it cannot be removed from your possession by conventional means and ignores the effects of being underwater. When applying poisons, oils, and similar substances, you can apply a single dose to each shard type and the substance lasts for the standard number of uses. You cannot equip another weapon or use any similar object while the Fracture is summoned, but can equip and use shields if you are proficient with them. Any reference to a Soulknife’s Mindblade also refers to the Fracture, unless specified. Fractured Imbuement You can manipulate your Fracture’s composition and abilities through the Imbuement process. The process can be performed during a long rest. If you obtain a magical weapon, you can associate it with a shard category within the Fracture through the Imbuement process. This causes the weapon to permanently lose the magical effects it has, and the Shard you’ve chosen gains the effects instead. For example, if you obtain a Flaming Longsword, you can Imbue that to one of the Shards, creating a Flaming Heavy Shard. If you obtain a +1 Dagger, you can apply that to another Shard, creating a +1 Light Shard. Fracture Style Also at 1st level, you gain a Fracture Style, which reflects the way you intend to fight using your Fracture. Choose one of the following options: Expansive Fracture – The range on your Fracture increases: Light Shards can be used up to 180 feet and Heavy Shards can be used up to 45 feet. Additionally, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with your Fracture. Forceful Blades – Whenever an enemy is struck by an attack from your Fracture, you can choose to push them up to 5 feet horizontally in a direction of your choosing. You do not suffer disadvantage from using your Fracture while within 5 feet of an enemy.

Shardswarm – Whenever an enemy enters the attack range of a Light or Heavy Shard or moves at least 5 feet while within range, you can choose to use your reaction to make a single attack with the appropriate shard against that enemy. You cannot do this if the enemy takes the Disengage or Dash action. Shard Telekinetics At 3rd level, you can perform basic actions with your Fracture. You can cast mage hand, except the hand is made of shards. This does function in areas where magic does not function if you spend 1 Psionic Prowess point each round it is active. Shard Cycling At 10th level, you can now attune one additional magical object. Additionally, you can cycle the Imbuements associated with each shard as an action, effectively swapping the Imbuements between the shards. Finally, you can Imbue your shards during a short rest. Telekinetic Mastery At 14th level, your control over your Fracture is unmatched. You can use an action to cast Bigby's hand as a 5th level spell by spending 3 Psionic Prowess points, but with these differences: The spell has a maximum duration of 3 rounds and doesn't require verbal or material components. The hand is formed by your Fracture, and you can't use your Fracture for anything else during that time. This functions in antimagic fields. Whenever the hand deals damage, you can choose one set of Shards to apply Imbuement bonuses from to the attack. Divine Instrument Unlike other Soulknives, Divine Instruments call upon the power of a deity to grant them their Mindblade. They gain a Mindblade that has a single fixed form, as it is an extension of the will of their god. With time, they can learn to use it in different ways, and to call upon more power from the sacred artifact. Blade of Divinity At 1st level, you learn to summon a fragment of divine essence from your chosen deity. This weapon counts as a Mindblade for all class features, but it behaves differently than an ordinary Mindblade. Firstly, the form of the Mindblade is fixed, and cannot be changed without first petitioning your deity and making an appropriate offering determined by your DM. Divine Mindblades often take the shape of weapons that would not be feasible or even possible to wield by ordinary warriors. To create a Blade of Divinity, perform the following steps. Determine if it is a one-handed weapon or a two-handed weapon. If it is one-handed, it deals 2d4 damage. If it is two-handed, it deals 2d6 damage. Choose one of the following damage types for the weapon: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. If the weapon is one-handed, you can add the Finesse property and can also add either the Light property or the Versatile property (1d12 damage). If the weapon is two-handed, you add the Heavy property, and can also add either the Reach property or the Finesse property. Divine Imbuement Also at 1st level, you can learn to call upon your deity to empower your weapon with the magical properties of other magical weapons in your possession. When you Imbue a magical weapon, all properties are always active.

7 Also, note that the DM has the final word on properties added to your Mindblade using this feature, and may impose additional restrictions on its use. You can disable any set of magical properties and requirements (such as attunement) added to your Blade of Divinity at any time, but only if they all originate from the same weapon or weapons. Divine Blade Fighting Style At 1st level, your connection with the Blade of Divinity enables you to access the power of the weapon. Choose one of the following options. Duality of Divinity: You gain the ability to summon a second Mindblade, and can summon both simultaneously. This Mindblade is Imbued separately from the first. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Fragment of Purity: When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with your Mindblade, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll's result is a 1 or 2.

Shield of Faith: You gain proficiency with shields. You gain the ability to summon a shield in the same way as your Mindblade. The shield can be Imbued just like your Blade of Divinity, but using magical shields instead. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must have your shield summoned to use this ability.

Wrath of the Storm: Your Blade of Divinity gains the Thrown property with a range of 30/60. Additionally, you can summon your Mindblade as part of making an attack with it. Finally, you can choose to count your Blade of Divinity as a ranged weapon whenever you throw it. Blessed Barrier At 3rd level, you gain a bonus to your AC equal to half your Wisdom modifier, rounded down. This feature ceases functioning while you have a shield equipped or if you are wearing medium or heavy armor. Holy Techniques Also at 3rd level, your soulknife abilities are powered by your faith rather than your mind alone. You can choose to use your Wisdom modifier rather than your Intelligence modifier when determining your Blade Technique save DC, and for any other soulknife class features that reference your Intelligence modifier. Power of the Unseen At 10th level, your deity empowers your attacks. When you use Psychic Strike, you can choose to change the damage type to necrotic or radiant instead of psychic. Additionally, whenever you deal radiant or necrotic damage to an enemy using this feature, they have disadvantage on their first attack against a target other than you. Finally, you can also perform Imbuement during a short rest. . Embrace of the Deity At 14th level, you are suffused with the power of your god. Whenever you use Rend Strider, you and allies within 5 feet of your destination recover hit points equal to your Wisdom Modifier. When you use Rend Reaper, you recover hit points equal to your Wisdom Modifier per Psionic Prowess point spent. Ebon Lurk While many soulknives relish the joy of open combat, those who follow the shrouded path of the Ebon Lurk find themselves more often hidden in the shadows than on the battlefield. Masters of disguise and subterfuge, they manifest Mindblades of pure force that can be overcharged with psionic energy, allowing them to deal incredible damage to vulnerable targets. Shrouded Blade At 1st level, you learn to manifest Mindblades called Shrouded Blades, which are one-handed melee weapons that deal 1d6 force damage and have the light, finesse, and thrown (30/60) properties. You can summon one or more Shrouded Blades as part of making an attack with them. Additionally, your Shrouded Blades can still be summoned and used in antimagic fields, and do not lose any magical properties granted by Imbuement due to their unique nature - something feared by wizards and psions alike. You can conjure up to three different Shrouded Blades, but each is Imbued seperately. Shrouded Blade Imbuement During a long rest, you can Imbue your Shrouded Blades with one magical weapon each, permanently transferring the magical properties of the item to the Mindblade and consuming the weapon. This feature functions as described in the Imbuement class feature.

Mind Stealer At 1st level, you can steal information directly from the mind of your victims. Whenever you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, you can learn certain details from the subject's mind. You can ask the DM up to 3 questions, which they must answer to the best of the subject's knowledge. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Shrouded Strike At 3rd level, you learn to exploit the vulnerabilies of enemies. Whenever you make an attack with advantage using your Mindblade and hit, you deal an extra 1d6 psychic damage. You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, the enemy isn't unconcious, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can benefit from this once per turn at 3rd level, and twice per turn at 13th level. Liar's Techniques Also at 3rd level, your own devotion to your cause or creed empowers your abilities. You can choose to use your Charisma modifier rather than your Intelligence modifier when determining your Blade Technique save DC, and for any other soulknife class features that reference your Intelligence modifier. Additionally, you gain proficiency in Charisma (Deception). Face Thief At 10th level, you learn to twist your features to match your prey. Whenever you reduce a humanoid creature to 0 hit points using your Shrouded Blade, you can choose to instantly adopt their appearance by expending 2 points of Psionic Prowess. This is a physical, ectopsionic transformation that is difficult to detect with magic. Anyone attempting to determine the truth must make a Wisdom (Insight) check versus your Blade Technique DC. If they fail, their magical detection does not register you as altered. Your height, weight, facial features, the sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any, change to match that of the creature. Your race also changes, although none of your statistics change. You can't use this to adopt the form of a creature of a different size than you are, and your basic shape stays the same. This lasts until you choose to end the effect as an action. You can only have one stolen form at a time, and you can choose to re-assume it as an action. Your previous stolen form is lost if you gain a new one. Additionally, you can Imbue your Mindblade during a short rest. Cloud Mind At 14th level, whenever you take the Hide action, you can spend Psionic Prowess points and target one creature within 30 feet per point spent. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw; if you select more than one target, all targets have advantage on the saving throw. If the target fails, and you are out of sight at the start of their turn, they will forget that they have seen you within the past minute. If you were unknown to the subject before then, they are filled with a strong sense of unease, and may decide that they were simply imagining things. If the subject was aware of you before then, they will become confused, and may attempt to search the area. If the target has been attacked in the past minute, they have advantage on their saving throw. If you attacked the target in the past minute and damaged them, this ability does not function. Finally, the first time each round that you hit any surprised target or any target that has not acted yet during the combat with your Shrouded Blade, the attack is automatically a critical hit. Blade Techniques The following is a list of Blade Techniques. Each technique cannot be taken more than once unless specified. Level prerequisites refer to your soulknife class level, not your total class level. Adjusted Aptitude You focus your efforts on learning to autohypnotically dismiss unneeded information to align your physical and mental state to be more effective in your situation. Whenever you take a long rest, you can choose to lose one of the skill proficiencies you have from the soulknife skill list and replace it with a different one from the list. You cannot obtain a skill not on the list using this feature. If you lose this Blade Technique, your skills return to their original configuration. Avarice of the Dragon Whenever you spend one or more points of Psionic Prowess, roll a d4. If the result is a 4, you recover one point of Psionic Prowess. When this happens, you cannot use this Blade Technique again until after the start of your next turn. 8

Binding Chains Whenever you could use Psychic Strike, you can instead expend one point of Psionic Prowess. The struck enemy must make an Intelligence saving throw. If they fail, transparent chains of energy hold them to the ground, sparking with psionic power. Their speed is reduced to zero for one round, and they take psychic damage equal to half the amount of feet traveled if they are forcibly moved during that time. Blade Precision You can expend points of Psionic Prowess to re-roll missed attacks, as your Mindblade warps and twists to strike at the foe. After making an attack with your Mindblade that misses, expend one point of Psionic Prowess and re-roll the missed attack. Each attack cannot be re-rolled more than once. Fearsome Strike Whenever you hit an enemy with your Mindblade, you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess to cause horrible visions within their mind. The subject must make a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they are frightened for one round, and will attempt to move as far away from you as they safely can during their turn. Arc of Damnation Prerequisite: Fearsome Strike Whenever you kill an enemy with an attack empowered by Fearsome Strike, their eyes burn out from within and they unleash a terrifying shriek. All enemies within 30 feet who can see or hear the dying enemy must make a Wisdom saving throw. Those who fail are frightened, and attempt to move as far away from you as they safely can during their turn. Fog of War As a bonus action, you can select a creature within 60 feet. That target must make an Intelligence saving throw. If they fail, you are considered invisible to that target until you perform a hostile action against them or target they can see, or until the beginning of your next turn. Fog of Despair Prerequisite: 11th level, Fog of War Whenever you use Fog of War, you can select up to 3 creatures, instead of just one. Additionally, you are not immediately revealed whenever you perform a hostile action; each creature other than the one attacked must repeat their Intelligence saving throw. If they fail, you are still treated as invisible to them Fog of Nightmares Prerequisite: 18th level, Fog of War, Shrouded Blade Whenever you use Fog of War, if you attack a creature that is subject to Fog of War, consider it as surprised for the purposes of class features and abilities. Psychic Evasion When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can choose to expend one point of Psionic Prowess as a reaction. You then take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw. If you succeed, you can immediately move up to half your movement speed. Quick Flourish Prerequisite: Focused Mindblade The first time you attack with your Mindblade after rolling for initiative, you have advantage on the attack and if you hit it deals extra damage equal to half your soulknife class level. Quiet Stance As a bonus action, you can spend one point of Psionic Prowess to enhance your hearing. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing for 10 minutes, and you cannot be surprised during this time. Additionally, you can increase your passive Perception by 5 while this is active. Wraith Stance Prerequisite: Quiet Stance, Shrouded Blade Whenever you use Quiet Stance, you can also choose to take the Hide action as part of the same bonus action. You also gain advantage on Stealth checks to remain unheard while this Technique is active. Raw Determination You can expend one point of Psionic Prowess as a reaction to gain advantage on one saving throw. This can be used after the die is rolled, but must be used before the DM announces the result. 19

Pure Defiance Prerequisite: 7th level, Focused Mindblade, Raw Determination Whenever you use Raw Determination, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Intelligence modifier. Read the Soul As a bonus action, you can attempt to discern the physical and mental power of an enemy. The DM tells you if the subject is inferior, equal, or superior to you regarding one of the following characteristics of your choice: Strength score

Dexterity score

Intelligence score

Wisdom score Read the Fate Prerequisite: 7th level, Blade of Divinity, Read the Soul Whenever you use Read the Soul, you gain advantage on your next attack against the target if you attack them within the next round. Additionally, they have disadvantage on their first saving throw that uses the measured characteristic if you are the one forcing them to make it. Soulbow Prerequisite: Fractured Mindblade As a bonus action, you can form a Soulbow using your Fracture - a ranged weapon you can use to attack targets within 300 feet that deals 1d8 damage. This weapon counts as your Mindblade, and each time you summon it you can choose to use the Imbuement from your Light Shard or your Heavy Shard to determine its damage type and special abilities, if any. You can use your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls with your Soulbow. The Fracture remains in this form until you dismiss it and resummon it in the original form. Ricochet Shot Prerequisite: 7th level, Fractured Mindblade, Soulbow While you have your Soulbow equipped, and you take the Attack action, if you hit a target and used Psychic Strike you can make one additional attack as a bonus action against a different target as though you were attacking from the location of the struck enemy. You can momentarily percieve through all of the senses of the enemy you hit in order to make this attack. Soul Arrow Prerequisite: 11th level, Fractured Mindblade, Soulbow As an action while you are wielding your Soulbow, you can manifest and fire an ethereal Soul Arrow at a target within range by spending two Psionic Prowess points. This attack deals 2d8 force damage plus your ability score modifier. Until the end of your action, you can see through walls and obstacles out to 60 feet, and this attack phases through them and those beyond unless they are made of force, such as a wall of force. This attack ignores cover and it is made with advantage against creatures that are not wearing magical armor. . Mental Bombardment Prerequisite: 13th level, Fractured Mindblade, Soulbow While you have your Soulbow, you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess to unleash a volley of arrows against all enemies within a 10-foot radius up to 200 feet away. The targets must make a Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they take damage equal to your attack damage, and you can expend another point of Psionic Prowess to inflict Psychic Strike against all targets who failed their saving throw. If they succeed, they take half as much damage and are not subject to Psychic Strike. Hail of Suffering Prerequisite: 18th level, Fractured Mindblade, Soulbow While your Soulbow is deployed, you can use your action and expend 4 points of Psionic Prowess to launch a mass of psionically created arrows towards a target point. Choose either a 100-foot line, a 20-foot cone, or a cylinder 30 feet tall and 15 feet across that is within 200 feet. All creatures within the area must make an Intelligence saving throw. If they fail, they take 8d6 psychic damage, or half as much damage if they succeed. Synchronized Assault Whenever you could expend a point of Psionic Prowess to damage an enemy using Psychic Strike, you can instead choose to cause the first attack against the target to have advantage by expending one Psionic Prowess point. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn. Commander's Order Prerequisite: Synchronized Assault, Blade of Divinity Whenever you use Synchronized Assault, choose one ally within melee range of the enemy. That ally can use their reaction to make an opportunity attack against the target. 10

Tear the Flesh Prerequisite: Fractured Mindblade Whenever you hit at least one enemy with one or more attacks during your turn using your Fracture, you can use a bonus action to rip your shards free from all hit targets. Each takes slashing damage equal to your proficiency bonus for each attack that had hit them. Telekinetic Athletics You can gain advantage on both Athletics and Acrobatics checks for one round by using a bonus action and spending one Psionic Prowess point. While this is active, your jumping height and distance is doubled, and you can move up and along walls as though you were moving on the ground, but you must end your movement on solid ground or immediately fall. Telepathic Touch You can communicate telepathically with creatures that can speak a language within 20 feet per Soulknife level while you have points of Psionic Prowess remaining in your pool. You need to share a common language to communicate effectively. Additionally, you can detect the alignment of creatures you make direct eye contact with. Wicked Intent Whenever you critically hit an enemy, you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess - when you do so, add 2d6 psychic damage to the total, and deal the total damage to the target and to all other enemies within 5 feet of the target. You cannot select this Technique if you have a Shrouded Blade. Blinding Knife Prerequisite: 7th level, Shrouded Blade Whenever you hit an enemy with your Mindblade, you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess to cause a disconnect in their occipital lobe. The subject must make an Intelligence saving throw. If they fail, they are blinded until the start of your next turn. Defensive Focus Prerequisite: 7th level When attacked, you can choose to expend two points of Psionic Prowess as a reaction to add a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier until your next turn. If the attack misses, you can make a single attack with your Mindblade against the attacker if they are within range. Fracture Dervish Prerequisite: 7th level, Fracture Mindblade Whenever you take the Attack action and attack with your Fracture, you can use a bonus action to make one attack using your Light Shard. You can still use this ability even if your Fracture is in a different form, such as a Soulbow. Harvesting Blade Prerequisite: 7th level When you reduce an enemy’s hit points to 0 with an attack from your Mindblade, it devours a fraction your enemy's psyche. You gain a single point of Psionic Prowess. This can cause you to exceed the maximum amount of Psychic Prowess points you can obtain, but you cannot ever have more than twice your maximum value. Excess points are lost whenever you take a short or long rest. Vampiric Resolve Prerequisite: 15th level, Focused Mindblade, Harvesting Blade Whenever you recover Psionic Prowess points due to Harvesting Blade, you choose to regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier plus your Intelligence modifier instead of regaining a Psionic Prowess point. Lethal Edge Prerequisite: 7th level While you have Psionic Prowess points remaining, your Mindblade attacks have a critical range of 19-20. If you have zero points of Psionic Prowess remaining for use this round or overall, your Mindblade attacks have a critical range of 18-20. Hatred of Obsidius Prerequisite: 15th level, Focused Mindblade, Lethal Edge Whenever you score a critical hit, the subject must make a Constitution saving throw. If they fail, all damage dice involved in the attack are treated as though they rolled the maximum value. Unify Fracture Prerequisite: 7th level, Fractured Mindblade As an action, you can expend two points of Psionic Prowess to assemble your Fracture into a completed whole for a number of rounds equal to twice your Intelligence modifier, minimum two. While in that state, it is a melee Mindblade with the two-handed and finesse properties, and it deals 3d6 slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage (your choice). The magical properties granted by Imbuement are applied to this weapon from both shards, but enhancement bonuses to attack and damage do not stack. You can choose to use your Intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls for this weapon. You can end this effect early as a bonus action. Vicious Will Prerequisite: 7th level As a bonus action, you can spend one point of Psionic Prowess to make a ranged spell attack against an enemy within 60 feet using Intelligence as your spellcasting ability. This attack ignores cover. If it hits, the target takes damage as though hit by your Psychic Strike. Wrath of God Prerequisite: 15th level, Vicious Will, Blade of Divinity Whenever you use Vicious Will, you can have the attack deal radiant or necrotic damage (your choice). This attack has advantage against celestials, fiends, outsiders, aberrations, fae, and undead. 11

Creatures of these types that take damage from this attack must make a Charisma saving throw. If they fail, they are knocked prone and are also blinded until the end of your next turn. A creature that has failed their saving throw automatically succeeds saving throws against this Technique for 1 hour afterward. Incision Enhancement Prerequisite: 9th level Your Mindblade is especially deadly. The damage dice of the Mindblade increase by one step. (1d6 becomes 1d8, 1d8 becomes 1d10, 1d10 becomes 1d12, 1d12 becomes 2d6, and 2d6 becomes 2d8.) If you possess a Fracture, both Shards have their damage increase by one step. One-handed Blades of Divinity and Shrouded Blades have their damage dice changed to 1d10. Additionally, you can choose to have your Mindblade deal force damage when selecting its damage type. Truthseeker's Resolution Prerequisite: 15th level, Incision Enhancement, Shrouded Blade Your Shrouded Strike deals additional damage equal to your Charisma modifier. Perfect Parry Prerequisite: 9th level You can expend one points of Psionic Prowess as a reaction to attempt to counter an opponent’s melee or ranged attack. Make a single attack roll with your Mindblade – if the result is greater than your attacker’s, you cause their attack to miss and they take psychic damage equal to your Psychic Strike damage dice. If they took psychic damage, they have disadvantage the first attack they make against you until their next turn. Masterful Flourish Prerequisite: 13th level, Quick Flourish, Perfect Parry Whenever you use Perfect Parry and cause damage to the enemy, you gain the benefit of Quick Flourish on your first attack the following round. Twinblade Triumph Prerequisite: 9th level Whenever you use a Blade Technique that requires a bonus action and you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can make a single attack as part of the same action. If you have a Shrouded Blade, when you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. Righteous Spiral Prerequisite: 11th level, melee Mindblade As an action, you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess to make a single attack against all enemies within your melee attack range. Roll a separate attack for each target. Serpentine Stance Prerequisite: 11th level, melee Mindblade Whenever you take the Attack action and attack with your Mindblade in melee, you can choose to instantly teleport to an open location within 5 feet of the target after you hit or miss. If you hit once and teleport, the target has disadvantage on opportunity attacks against you until the start of your next turn. If you hit twice or more and teleport each time, the target cannot make opportunity attacks against you until the stat of your next turn. Viper's Coil Prerequisite: Serpentine Stance, melee Mindblade Whenever you teleport using Serpentine Stance, you can spend one Psionic Prowess point as a bonus action to attempt to trip an enemy within 5 feet. The subject must make a Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they are knocked prone. Asp Fang Prerequisite: 15th level, Shrouded Blade, Serpentine Stance Whenever you strike an enemy twice during an Attack action with your Mindblade, you inject an ectopsionic venom into their body. The subject is poisoned until the start of your next turn. Spell Shield Prerequisite: 11th level You can expend three points of Psionic Prowess to cast counterspell as though using a 3rd level spell slot. You may only do this if the spell is targeting you directly and the spell functions against only one target when cast at its lowest level. You can spend additional Psionic Prowess points to cast counterspell at a higher level – each additional point spent increases the spell slot level by one. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Twist the Heretical Prerequisite: 15th level, Blade of Divinity, Spell Shield Whenever you use Spell Shield to successfully negate a spell, you can choose to instantly cast the spell you just negated at a target of your choice within 60 feet of you as part of the same reaction. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Chilltongue Cut Prerequisite: 13th level When an enemy is casting a spell within range of your Mindblade (including thrown attacks), you can expend one point of Psionic Prowess as a reaction to instantly make an attack against that enemy using your Mindblade – on a hit, you can choose to expend an additional point to interrupt the spell: The target must make a Constitution saving throw with disadvantage. If they fail, the spell fails and has no effect, and they cannot cast spells until after the end of their next turn. Dispelling Blade Prerequisite: 13th level Whenever you could use Psychic Strike to deal damage, you can instead expend one point of Psionic Prowess to strip a struck enemy of beneficial magical effects, as though you had cast dispel magic from a 3rd level spell slot using your Intelligence as your spellcasting ability. For each additional point of Psionic Prowess spent, you can increase the spell slot level by one. This feature has no effect if used on the same enemy again within 1 minute. 12

Magebane Slash Prerequisite: 15th level, Focused Mindblade, Chilltongue Cut, Dispelling Blade Whenever you use Chilltongue Cut and hit the target, you can also choose to use Dispelling Blade as though it generated dispel magic using a 5th level spell slot without paying the Psionic Prowess cost. Reactive Rend Prerequisite: 13th level After an attack hits or misses you, you can expend 2 points of Psionic Prowess as a reaction to instantly use Rend Strider. The enemy still gets to take any remaining attacks against valid targets within range. Exploitive Escape Prerequisite: 13th level, Fractured Mindblade, Reactive Rend, Psychic Evasion Whenever you use Psychic Evasion, you can use Rend Strider as part of the same reaction in place of the granted movement without spending any additional Psionic Prowess points. Whenever you use Reactive Rend, you can make a single attack with a Light Shard against your attacker if they are in range. Shard Vortex Prerequisite: 13th level, Fractured Mindblade As an action, you can expend two points of Psionic Prowess to direct your Fracture to occupy a 10-foot radius up to 40 feet away. Enemies within the radius and those that enter the radius during their turns must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 6d6 damage of the same type as your Heavy Shards. Those who succeed take half as much damage. Each round after it is deployed, you can expend one additional point of Psionic Prowess as a bonus action to maintain the vortex and cause it to move up to 30 feet from its previous location. You can re-summon your Fracture and wield it as normal while a Shard Vortex is deployed, but you only have access to Light Shards during that time. You can only summon one vortex at a time. Asunder by Heaven's Steel Prerequisite: 18th level, Blade of Divinity Whenever you use Rend Reaper, enemies within 10 feet of your attacked target, and the target itself, take 5 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice) applied for each attack. Fist of the Legion Prerequisite: 18th level, Fractured Mindblade Whenever you cast Bigby's hand using Telekinetic Mastery, you can use your action to control the hand, in addition to your bonus action. When you use your action to control the hand, increase any damage dealt using it by one die. Finally, the hand now lasts for four rounds instead of three. Flicker Strike Prerequisite: 18th level, Shrouded Blade Whenever you use Rend Reaper, you can add your Shrouded Strike bonus damage to every attack made during Rend Reaper. You cannot add this bonus damage to any other attacks made until your next turn. Furious Onslaught Prerequisite: 18th level, Focused Mindblade You overcharge your Mindblade with psychic power, causing it to multiply into additional blades that mimic the original. Whenever you use Rend Reaper, you can make three additional attacks during your action if you expended four or more Psionic Prowess points to activate Rend Reaper. Feat Options Advanced Psionic Talent Prerequisite: Minor Psionic Talent You have improved your mental abilities, and can call more deeply upon them. You gain blindsight out to 10 feet, and can cast detect thoughts once per short or long rest without material components using Intelligence as your spellcasting ability. Masterful Psionic Talent Prerequisite: Advanced Psionic Talent Your psionic powers grow further. You can designate up to 3 other creatures that you are deeply familiar with, and establish a telepathic bond with them during a long rest. Until your next long rest, you can all communicate telepathically through the bond without needing a common language. As an action, you can see through the senses of one of the members of the group, or share your own with the others. Those observing in this way have their own body's senses muffled, and have disadvantage on all checks to perceive or detect. Mental Ram Prerequisite: Access to a spell or class feature that deals psychic damage Your psychic attacks are more effective. Psychic damage you deal ignores resistance. Creatures that have immunity to psychic damage take half damage instead. Creatures that are immune to the charmed or frightened conditions are treated as not immune when the condition is generated by your spells or class features, but do have advantage on their saving throws to resist these conditions. Minor Psionic Talent Prerequisite: Intelligence 13 or higher You've learned to harness the power of your mind and have unlocked certain psionic abilities. You can cast minor illusion and message without material components using Intelligence as your spellcasting ability. Additionally, you gain advantage on skill or ability checks to discern the magical effects of items. Psychokinetic Prerequisite: Access to a spell or class feature that deals psychic damage You've learned to manipulate the energies of psychic attacks into a more tangible force. Whenever you would inflict psychic damage, you can choose to inflict fire, cold, or lightning damage instead. You can increase the amount of damage dealt by 1d4 once per turn when you change the damage type. 13

Multiclassing Prerequisites: Dexterity 13 or Strength 13 and Intelligence 13 Proficiencies Gained: light armor, simple weapons, martial weapons Soulknife Tips and Advice Psionic Prowess Remember to keep track of the number of Psionic Prowess points you have in your pool, and the number you can use this round. One easy way to track the current amount of Psionic Prowess points you have available is to keep a special d6 around and count them using it, or use several small coins as tokens. Rend Strider You don't need to be able to see your destination while using Rending Stride, but don't forget that jumping into an unknown location can be perilous, or even deadly. Rending Stride can be used in place of all your movement during your turn, but not during movement granted by other class features or by spells. Rending Stride does not provoke opportunity attacks, but cannot be used when you are bound or otherwise prevented from moving. You must have your Mindblade or Fracture summoned to use Rending Stride, but can summon it as part of the same movement. Author's Notes Why the Soulknife? A couple years back, I was inspired by the Soulknife displayed by Dreamscarred Press in Pathfinder. While mechanically it was fairly trash - a full action to gain less-than-sneak-attack damage, insufficient base attack score, and other glaring issues - it had a certain flair and style that I just couldn't pass up. After I looked into the splatbooks for it; Psionics Augmented: Soulknives being the primary one, I came across two very important things that enabled me to really bring the vision together. First was the Psychic Armory - the precursor to my own Fractured Edge. It was pretty much better in every way than an ordinary Soulknife, and had even more sweet flavor to boot. The second, even more interestingly, was a little Blade Skill that counted as dimension door but in a shorter range. The great thing about it was this: with a really specific, useless-to-everyone-else feat chain, you could teleport around and carve the world into tiny little bits. It was great, and really cool conceptually. So, I took that, tried to condense the bizarre psionic focus rules and psychic strike rules into one thing while maintaining that "only so much at once" feel, added in the nifty teleportation, tossed together the archetypes that made sense, and here it is. The feat options exist because most of the feats available in the PHB don't really provide much to the class, but feel free to discard them if you don't like them. Also, tremendous thanks to the artists featured in this - without people like you, life wouldn't be anywhere near as cool. Thoughts in Soulknife Design Mindblades and Archetypes: I knew I couldn't separate the archetypes any other way right from the start. Fractures and normal mindblades were too different to try to keep as one, and later adding the Ebon Lurk and Divine Instrument really allowed for diversification in the types available. Now you've got the normal warrior with better armor and durability, the ranged attacker with good area attacks, the "I've got a weird weapon" guy, and the spooky scary sneaky guy. Psionic Prowess and Psychic Strike: While this used to be one weird combination, it's since been renamed from Psionic Focus in order to differ from the Mystic that Wizards has released to my relative disappointment (seriously, not even a single discipline? The homebrew Mystic posted about has some great ones, even if it was somewhat unbalanced.) and complaints aside, I tried to have it work half-as-well as a rogue's sneak attack, and the limit on the number of uses per round really brings it back into the right. It may compare to a paladin in terms of burst damage, but it's not going to overshadow one unless the situation is just right - or at least that's the hope. Rend Strider: Yay, the slightly-worse version of the only thing the Shadow Path monk has that anyone really cares about! I tried to keep it fairly tame despite the ease at which one can use it; in place of all movement really shuts down the whole "poke in jump out" opportunities, especially given how quick the costs of that plus full combat can add up. Mental Utility: It's a ribbon! But it's a fun one and more than what Wizards gave their Soulknife. Ever-Adaptable: Used to be weak, now it's worthy of being a full feature. Since there are so many Blade Techniques available, I wanted a way to let the player try them all out and decide what works. Knife to the Soul: Hey, the cool signature ability that the Soulknives of the past had, except its only so cool and isn't anywhere near as complicated. Giving up the option for damage in exchange for the feature really brings it back into line. Rend Reaper: The new, beautiful, signature move. A wonderful combat technique that will also destroy your ability to use cool reactions, psychic strike, or use anything that relies on Prowess until the start of your next turn. All in! Focused Blade AKA Normal McNormalson: Ohh, you can get a weapon and can change the damage type to another physical type! So scary. Upsides, you get better armor and don't HAVE to focus Dex as much. Plus reach if you like that, and a little healing that's quite expensive despite being good. Fractured Edge AKA Soulbowkinetic: Fractures used to be more complicated. I'm not sure about the pushing available as a style, but now that it has melee goodness it might be ok. Telekinetic abilities and Bigby's replaced a mediocre damage upgrade. 14