Nightblade
| Class | Description | Hit Die | Primary Attribute | Saving Throw Proficiencies | Armor and Weapon Proficiencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nightblade | A spellcaster that uses their magics to enhance mobility, concealment, and stealthy close combat. | d8 | Agility & Personality | Agility & Personality | Light armor, marksman, short blade, and long blade |
Unexpectedly, the viscount blurts out the location of the missing dauphin, when moments earlier he seemed disinterested in helping. With a wave of her hand, an Altmer smiles slyly, thanks the aid, and confidently leaves the castle.
Suppressing a giggle, a Breton waggles her fingers and magically lifts the key ring from the guard’s belt. In a moment, the keys are in her hand, the cell door is open, and she and her companions are free to make their escape.
Navigating the dark alleys in near silence, an Argonian dressed in black dyed leather heads towards the back side of the mayor's villa. Noticing an open window on the second-story, he fades into the shadows and with a puff of black smoke reappears in the unlit room.
Every nightblade has given themselves to the shadow, exploiting the ancient magic found within the darkness. They use the arcane arts to enhance their skills of stealth and to manipulate the minds of others.
Mischievous Opportunist
Whichever path they choose, nightblades have a sinister reputation that follows. They are known to be clever pickpockets and burglars, but also pranksters and mischief-makers. Not all nightblades are scoundrels, however. Many use their talents to become incredibly successful investigators, undercover operatives, or royal inquisitors.
When it comes to getting in and out unnoticed, nightblades are unrivaled. They're natural talent with stealth, combined with magical concealment means a capable nightblade is hardly ever seen. Unlike studious mages, nightblades supplement their magic with their skillful blade and light armor.
Conflict and Misfortune
The life of a nightblade is a dangerous one. Whatever their motivations, slinking through alleyways, spying on suspects, and liberating goods is a risky business. Sometimes considered agents of misery, most nightblades have become inured to the woe's of others, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are unaffected by their actions.
Typically driven by the need to learn more about the dark arts of shadow magic, or to discover the inner workings of black markets, nightblades often find themselves flirting on the edge of morality to get what they want.
Creating a Nightblade
As you create your nightblade character, consider it's relationship with the shadow. Have you completely given in to the darkness are do you skirt around the edges, taking only what you need? Do you struggle with the harmful magic, or have you learned to balance the dangerous power? Perhaps you believe that light shines brightest in the darkness and use this gift to fend off the forces of evil.
What was your life like before you started your adventure? Were you a lowly thief or an esteemed agent of the Empire? Or maybe you started out as a illusionist and realized you can use your magic prowess to take what you want. How did you learn about the obscure shadow magic? Were you selected by a mentor who noticed your talents or did you happen across a mystic tome during a heist?
Consider why you've joined a group of adventurers. Are you in search of more powerful knowledge that you can't manage on your own? Does your greed drive you, are you interested in honing your skills, or are you investigating nefarious villains.
The Nightblade
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Class Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | Magicka Points | Spell Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Spellcasting, Path of Darkness | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1st |
| 2 | +2 | Cunning Action, Shadowhand | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1st |
| 3 | +2 | Night Eye | 2 | 4 | 7 | 2nd |
| 4 | +2 | Attribute Score Improvement | 3 | 5 | 9 | 2nd |
| 5 | +3 | Shadow Step | 3 | 6 | 14 | 3rd |
| 6 | +3 | Path of Darkness Feature | 3 | 7 | 17 | 3rd |
| 7 | +3 | - | 3 | 8 | 23 | 4th |
| 8 | +3 | Attribute Score Improvement | 3 | 9 | 24 | 4th |
| 9 | +4 | Magical Ambush | 3 | 10 | 26 | 5th |
| 10 | +4 | Path of Darkness Feature | 4 | 10 | 32 | 5th |
| 11 | +4 | Night Magic (6th level) | 4 | 11 | 33 | 5th |
| 12 | +4 | Attribute Score Improvement | 4 | 11 | 34 | 5th |
| 13 | +5 | Night Magic (7th level), Versatile Trickster | 4 | 12 | 35 | 5th |
| 14 | +5 | Path of Darkness Feature | 4 | 12 | 36 | 5th |
| 15 | +5 | Night Magic (8th level) | 4 | 13 | 37 | 5th |
| 16 | +5 | Attribute Score Improvement | 4 | 13 | 38 | 5th |
| 17 | +6 | Night Magic (9th level) | 4 | 14 | 39 | 5th |
| 18 | +6 | Spell Thief | 4 | 14 | 40 | 5th |
| 19 | +6 | Attribute Score Improvement | 4 | 15 | 41 | 5th |
| 20 | +6 | Shade | 4 | 15 | 42 | 5th |
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
Quick Build
You can make a nightblade quickly by following these suggestions. First, Personality should be your highest attribute score, followed by Endurance. Second, use the charlatan background. Third, choose the chill touch and eldritch blast cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells charm person and witch bolt.
Class Features
As a nightblade, you gain the following class features.
Spellcasting
1st-level nightblade feature
Your arcane research grants you the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of theBasic Rulesfor the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for thenightblade spell list.
See also: Spellcasting
Cantrips (0-Level Spells)
You know two cantrips of your choice from the nightblade spell list. You learn additional nightblade cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Nightblade table.
Magicka
The Nightblade table shows how much magicka you have to cast your nightblade spells of 1st level and higher. The table also shows what the level spells you can cast. To cast one of your nightblade spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend magicka, as noted in the spell's description and the Magicka Cost table found in chapter 10 of the Basic Rules. You regain all expended magicka when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spellwitch boltand have a spell level of 2nd, you can use magicka to castwitch boltat either level.
See also: Spellcasting
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the nightblade spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Nightblade table shows when you learn more nightblade spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table's Spell Level column for your level. When you reach 6th level, for example, you learn a new nightblade spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the nightblade spells you know and replace it with another spell from the nightblade spell list, which also must be of a level that you can cast.
Spellcasting Attribute
Personality is your spellcasting attribute for your nightblade spells, so you use your Personality whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting attribute. In addition, you use your Personality modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a nightblade spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Personality modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Personality modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (see chapter 5, “Equipment” of the 5e Core Rules) as a spellcasting focus for your nightblade spells.
Path of Darkness
1st-level nightblade feature
Choose a path of darkness, which describes your devotion as a nightblade. Choose either Betrayer, Deathless, Seeker, Shadowmage, or Trickster, which are detailed at the end of the class description. Your path grants you features at 1st level, and then again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
| Path of Darkness | Source |
|---|---|
| Betrayer | Basic Rules |
| Deathless | Basic Rules |
| Night Mother’s Shadow | Legionnaire's Guide to Cyrodiil |
| Phantomblade | Legionnaire's Guide to Cyrodiil |
| Seeker | Basic Rules |
| Shadowmage | Basic Rules |
| Trickster | Basic Rules |
Cunning Action
2nd-level nightblade feature
Your quick thinking and agility allows you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Shadowhand
2nd-level nightblade feature
You learn the mage hand cantrip. If you already know this cantrip, you learn a different cantrip of your choice from the nightblade spell list. This cantrip doesn't count against your number of cantrips known.
When you cast mage hand, you can make the spectral hand invisible, and you can perform the following additional tasks with it:
- You can stow one object the hand is holding in a container worn or carried by another creature.
- You can retrieve an object in a container worn or carried by another creature.
- You can use thieves’ tools to pick locks and disarm traps at range.
You can perform one of these tasks without being noticed by a creature if you succeed on an Agility (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the creature’s Willpower (Perception) check.
In addition, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to control the hand.
Night Eye
3rd-level nightblade feature
You have naturally adjusted to being in darkness. You gain darkvision and can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Attribute Score Improvement
4th-level nightblade feature
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one attribute score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two attribute scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an attribute score above 20 using this feature.
Further information: Attributes
Further information: Feats
Shadow Step
5th-level nightblade feature
You gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.
Additionally, you can teleport into a shadow cast by another creature within range when you are not in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of your turn.
Magical Ambush
9th-level nightblade feature
If you are hidden from a creature when you cast a spell on it, the creature has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against the spell this turn.
Night Magic
11th-level nightblade feature
Your continued research in the esoteric studies of shadow magic has unlocked an arcane secret known as night magic. Choose one 6th-level spell from the nightblade spell list. You can cast this unique spell once without expending any magicka. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain more nightblade spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Night Magic spells when you finish a long rest.
Versatile Trickster
13th-level nightblade feature
You gain the ability to distract targets with your mage hand. As a bonus action on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. Doing so gives you advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of the turn.
Spell Thief
18th-level nightblade feature
You gain the ability to magically steal the knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spellcaster.
Immediately after a creature casts a spell that targets you or includes you in its area of effect, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make a saving throw with it's spellcasting attribute modifier. The DC equals your spell save DC. On a failed save, you negate the spell effect against you, and you steal the knowledge of the spell if it is at least 1st level and of a level that you can cast (it doesn't need to be a nightblade spell). For the next 8 hours, you know the spell and can cast it, using magicka as normal. The creature can't cast that spell until 8 hours have passed.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Shade
20th-level nightblade feature
You have mastered the dark arts of shadow magic, allowing you to call into the shadow realms and bring forth your own shadow. As a bonus action on your turn, you can summon a shadowy version of yourself which appears from your shadow. This creature shares all of your statistics, including your current hit points, and is wearing the same equipment as you. The shade can communicate with you telepathically, knows everything that you know, and shares your alignment, background, and motivations. The shade disappears when it drops to 0 hit points, or you use a bonus action to dismiss it back to the shadow realm.
As a part of your turn, you can direct the shade to move a distance equal to your speed. You can also direct the shade to make one weapon attack.
Additionally, as a bonus action on your turn, you can swap places with your shade, as long as you are within 60 feet of each other. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
| Hit Points | |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 1d8 per Nightblade level |
| HP at 1st Level | 8 + your Endurance modifier |
| HP at Higher Levels | 1d8 (or 5) + your Endurance modifier per Nightblade level after 1st |
| Proficiencies | |
| Armor | Light armor |
| Weapons | Long blade, marksman, short blade |
| Tools | Choose one from disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit or thieves' tools |
| Saving Throws | Agility, Personality |
| Skills | Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Investigation, History, Perception, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth. |
| Equipment | |
| You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: | Leather armor, any bladed weapon, and two daggers (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a long blade (a) a burglar's pack, (b) a scholar's pack, or (c) an explorer's pack |
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