New Class: Nightblade
The next and final class of The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Tabletop Role Playing Game is the Nightblade. This is by far one of my personal favourite classes. Throughout Skyrim, my most played character was an assassin illusion mage (Always Imperial). In Oblivion and Morrowind, I made sure my character would always seek out as much camouflage gear as I could get my hands on. But I digress...
As with the Spellsword, the Nightblade had already been a subclass to the Rogue. Although that worked just fine, the Nightblade is a much deeper class than a subclass.
CONCEPT
Spell and Shadow are a nightblades best friends. In the darkness, they move with haste, casting magic to benefit their circumstances. Those that have mastered the shadows have managed to unlock eldritch secrets, lost to most mages who refuse to delve into such obscene arcane arts. The strongest of which, have found ways to manipulate their own shadows to transport themselves into the shadow realm.
Much like thieves, they are creatures of the night who are able to use their considerable powers to help them in their nocturnal activities. They have perfected their arts to help in activities such as infiltration, spying, and stealth. Through their mastery of illusion, a nightblade is rarely seen, but their actions are clearly felt.
Subjects, such as morality, may become blurred to many nightblades, as practising with such dark magic can change a beings perspective profoundly. The closer one gets to the darkness, the easier it is to succumb to the evil that lies within.
NIGHTBLADE
Nightblades are spellcasters who use their magics to enhance mobility, concealment, and stealthy close combat. They have a sinister reputation, since many nightblades are thieves, enforcers, assassins, or covert agents.
CLASS FEATURES
As a nightblade, you gain the following class features.
HIT POINTS
Hit Die: 1d8 per nightblade level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Endurance modifier
Hit Points At higher levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Endurance modifier per nightblade level after 1st
PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light armor
Weapon: Marksman, Short Blade, and Long Blade
Saving Throws: Agility, Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Investigation, Lock Picking, Lore, Perception, Pickpocket, Sneak
Schools of Magic: Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism, Shadow
SPELLCASTING
Your arcane research grants you the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting.
Known Spells
Starting at 1st level, you know 2 cantrips and 2 novice level spells of your choice from the schools of magic you are proficient in.
Each time you gain a new skill level in spellcasting, you learn 1 spell of your choice from a school you are proficient in. For example, at 9th level, you can choose one 5th level or lower spell from your any school of magic you are proficient in.
You can learn additional spells by hiring a spell trainer, usually found in settlements throughout Tamriel, or by finding spell books.
Casting Spells
The nightblade's table shows how much magicka you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend magicka, as noted in the spell's description. Some spells can be cast at a higher level, however, you can only cast a spell up to the maximum spell level you know, determined by your class level.
Regaining Magicka
You regain magicka limited to your Intelligence modifier while resting. The amount of magicka you regenerate is equal to half your Intelligence modifier, rounding down (minimum of 1) for each hour spent resting during a short rest, and you regain an amount magicka equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) when you complete a long rest.
Governing Attribute
Each school of magic is governed by a specific attribute, which determines the effectiveness of your spell.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
the school's Governing Attribute modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
the school's Governing Attribute modifier
PATH OF DARKNESS
At 1st level, choose a path of darkness, which describes your devotion as a nightblade. Choose either Deathless, 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.
CUNNING ACTION
Starting at 2nd level, 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, Disengange, or Hide action.
SHADOWHAND
Starting at 2nd level, 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 (Sneak) check contested by the creature’s Intelligence (Perception) check.
In addition, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to control the hand.
NIGHTEYE
At 3rd level, you have naturally adjusted to being in darkness. You 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
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 by one
SHADOW STEP
At 5th level, 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 60 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
At 9th level, 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
At 11th level, 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
At 13th level, 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
At 18th level, you gain the ability to magically steal the knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spell caster.
Immediately after a creature casts a spell on you, or if you are within it's area of affect, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make a saving throw with it's spellcasting attribute. 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
When you reach 20th level, you have mastered the dark arts of shadow magic, allowing you to call into the shadow realms to summon another version of yourself. 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.
DEATHLESS
Those that are considered Deathless have uncovered secrets to weave shadow magic into their illusions, blurring the lines between life and death.
AMONG THE DEAD
Starting at 1st level, you learn the spare the dying cantrip, which counts as a nightblade cantrip for you. You also have advantage on saving throws against disease.
Additionally, undead have difficulty harming you. If an undead targets you directly with an attack or a harmful spell, that creature must make a Willpower saving throw against your spell save DC (an undead needn't make the save when it includes you in an area effect, such as the explosion of fireball). On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or forfeit targeting someone instead of you, potentially wasting the attack or spell. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. An undead is also immune to this effect for 24 hours if you target it with an attack or a harmful spell.
DEFY DEATH
Starting at 6th level, you can give yourself vitality when you cheat death or when you help someone else cheat it. You regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your Endurance modifier (minimum of 1 hit point) when you succeed on a death saving throw or when you stabilize a creature with spare the dying.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
UNDYING NATURE
Beginning at 10th level, you can hold your breath indefinitely, and you don't require food, water, or sleep, although you still require rest to reduce exhaustion and still benefit from finishing short and long rests.
In addition, you age at a slower rate. For every 10 years that pass, you body only ages 1 year, and you are immune to being magically aged.
INDESTRUCTIBE LIFE
When you reach 14th level, you partake of some of the true secrets of the deathless. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your nightblade level. Additionally, if you put a severed body part of yours back in place when you use this feature, the part reattaches.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
SHADOWMAGE
With skill and patience, Shadowmages can read the shadows, manipulating them and the object or force that cast it. They are skilled at translocation by stepping through the shdaows, and by absorbing the life essence of their foes.
DRAIN ESSENCE
Starting at 1st level, your study of the dark arts allows you to extract vitality from another creature as it nears its demise. When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Willpower modifier + your nightblade level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point)
CHILD OF DARKNESS
Also at 1st level, you find yourself being the most comfortable while surrounded in darkness. While you are in dim light, darkness, or magical darkness, you gain the following benefits:
You ignore difficult terrain.
You have advantage on initiative rolls.
On your first turn during combat, you have advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have not yet acted.
SHADOWY ESCAPE
Starting at 6th level, you can vanish in a puff of smoke in response to harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack or cast a spell.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
CLOAK OF SHADOWS
By 10th level, you have learned to become one with the shadows. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light.
DELERIUM
Starting at 14th level, you can plunge a creature into an illusory shadow realm. As an action, choose a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you. It must make a Willpower saving throw against your nightblade spell save DC. On a failed save, it is charmed or frightened by you (your choice) for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken (as if you are concentrating on a spell). This effect ends early if the creature takes any damage.
Until this illusion ends, the creature thinks it is lost in a shadow realm, the appearance of which you choose. The creature can see and hear only itself, you, and the illusion.
You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.
TRICKSTER
Tricksters use illusion to magically entrance and beguile other creatures. Whether they use their skills to become peacemakers who bewitch the violent to lay down their arms, or become tyrants who magically bind the unwilling into their service, Tricksters rely on manipulating the minds of others.
DARK PRESENCE
Starting at 1st level, you have the ability to project the beguiling and fearsome presence of the darkness. As an action, you can cause each creature in a 10-foot cube originating from you to make a Willpower saving throw against your nightblade spell save DC. The creatures that fail their saving throws are all charmed or frightened by you (your choice) until the end of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
ENTROPIC WARD
At 6th level, you learn to magically ward yourself against attack and to turn an enemy’s failed strike into good luck for yourself. When a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that roll. If the attack misses you, your next attack roll against the creature has advantage if you make it before the end of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
SHADOWY DEFENSES
Beginning at 10th level, your learn how to turn the mind-affecting magic of your enemies against them. You are immune to being charmed, and when another creature attempts to charm you, you can use your reaction to attempt to turn the charm back on that creature. The creature must succeed on a Willpower saving throw against your nightblade spell save DC or be charmed by you for 1 minute or until the creature takes any damage.
MIND TAKING
At 14th level, you gain the ability to make a creature unaware of your magical influence on it. When you cast a spell or use an ability to charm one or more creatures, you can alter one creature's understanding so that it remains unaware that it is being charmed.
Additionally, once before the spell or effect expires, you can use your action to try to modify the chosen creature's memory of some of the time it spent while charmed. The creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw against your nightblade spell save DC. On a failed save, you can modify a number of hours of its memories equal to 1 + your Personality modifier (minimum 1). You can choose to modify less time if desired, and the amount of time can't exceed the duration of your illusion spell.
A modified memory doesn’t necessarily affect how a creature behaves, particularly if the memory contradicts the creature’s natural inclinations, alignment, or beliefs. An illogical modified memory, such as implanting a memory of how much the creature enjoyed dousing itself in acid, is dismissed, perhaps as a bad dream. The DM might deem a modified memory too nonsensical to affect a creature in a significant manner.
