Scoundrel

Honor is a poor shield against a low blow or a handful of sand, and you've found that you've been much more effective since you discarded it. With heavier armor and more brutish weapons, some may say you lack the subtlety that other rogues employ, but they wouldn't say it to your face.

Tools of the Trade

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you become a more ruthless combatant:

• You gain proficiency with medium armor, heavy armor, and improvised weapons.
• While not wielding a shield, medium armor that you wear no longer has a Dexterity modifier cap when calculating the AC it grants you.
• You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and improvised weapon attacks.
• Your unarmed strikes, attacks made with improvised weapons, and attacks made with simple weapons without the Versatile or Two-Handed properties can benefit from Sneak Attack.

Underhanded Tactics

Starting at 3rd level, you learn how to leverage your guile to win by any means necessary.

Cheap Shot. When you take the attack action, you can make an attack with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon as a bonus action.

Guile. You have four guile points. These points can be spent on various ploys, and are replenished after a short or long rest.

You gain two more guile points at 9th level and two more at 17th level.

Ploys. You learn four ploys of your choice, which are detailed below. You can only use one ploy per attack, and cannot use similar features from other classes, such as a Battle Master's maneuver, on the same attack as a ploy.

You learn an additional ploy of your choice at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn a new ploy, you can also replace one ploy you know with a different one.

Saving Throws. Some of your ploys require your target to make a saving throw to resist the ploy's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

• Ploy save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

Dirty Trick

As a bonus action, you can spend 1 guile point to throw something into an adversary's eyes in an attempt to blind them. A creature of your choice within 5 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, that creature is blinded until the beginning of your next turn.

Gang Up

While grappling a creature, you can use your bonus action and spend 1 guile point to hold them steady for an ally's attack. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can use their reaction to make an attack against the creature you are grappling. This attack can benefit from your Sneak Attack feature.

Headbutt

Whenever you make the Attack action, you can make a special unarmed strike with your head as a bonus action. If that attack hits, you take 1d4 bludgeoning damage and your target takes damage as normal, but they must also make a Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the target cannot use their reaction until the beginning of their next turn. On a failed save, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn.

Low Blow

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon, you can spend 1 guile point to attempt to knock the target down. If the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

Ring the Bell

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon, you can spend 1 guile point to attempt to hit a creature's head. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is deafened until the beginning of its next turn. Concentration checks caused by this attack have disadvantage.

Rude Gesture

As a bonus action, you may spend 1 guile point to provoke a creature that you can see. If the creature can hear you and understands a language that you can speak, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attacks made against targets other than you until the end of your next turn, and if available, must use its reaction to move as far as its speed allows towards you. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit

Running Tackle

When you use your action to Dash and move up to 20 feet in a straight line, you can use your bonus action and spend 1 guile to attempt to tackle a creature to the ground. If the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength of Dexterity saving throw (whichever is higher). If it fails, the target is grappled, and both you and the target are knocked prone.

Smother

If you are grappling a creature, you can use your action and spend 1 guile point to attempt to cover the creature's airways with your other hand. To do so, you attempt another grapple check. If you succeed, the target cannot breathe or speak until the grapple ends or until you use one of your hands to do something else.

Sucker Punch

When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and spend 1 guile point to make an unarmed strike against the creature. This attack has advantage.

Terrorize

You can spend 1 guile point to gain advantage on an Intimidation skill check.

Heavy-Handed

Starting at 9th level, you can roll 1d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strikes while wearing medium or heavy armor.

Sadistic

Starting at 13 level, whenever you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can regain 1 expended guile point or gain temporary hit points equal to your rogue level.

Extra Attack

Starting at 17th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.