Duelist

An honorable duelist values courage, respect, and integrity. They will gladly stake their life on their honor and tend to do so regularly. They are proud and boisterous warriors. A Duelist's wits are just as sharp as their blades, and they are as fierce as they are charming. Duelists are always looking to hone their swordplay techniques. As such, they fight defensively, allowing their opponent to reveal their hand before going in for the kill. They favor precise cuts and counters over sheer force.

 

Credit goes to U/Tandra_Boy from the Buccaneer full Class as the basis of this subclass with a few tweaks.

Bonus Proficiency

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: History, Insight, [Tooltip Not Found], or Stealth.

Quick Steps

Banter

What's swordplay without a little wordplay? At the 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to attack a creature's pride. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw against your DC (10 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma Modifier) if they can see or hear you. On a failed save, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls that target creatures other than you, and takes an extra 1d6 damage whenever you hit them with an attack using a finesse weapon. This effect lasts for 1 minute but ends early if the creature damages you.

Momentum

At the 7th level, while you are not wearing heavy armor and are not wielding a shield, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC. When you hit a creature with an attack using a finesse weapon this bonus increases by 1, up to a maximum bonus equal to half your Charisma modifier rounded up (minimum bonus of +1). This bonus lasts until the beginning of your next turn ending early if you take damage.

Vexation

By the 10th level, you are rather fond of adding insult to injury. Once per turn after you deal damage to a creature with an attack using a finesse weapon, you can target that creature with your Banter feature as part of the same attack.

En Garde!

At the 15th level, at the start of combat when rolling initiative, but before each creature's initiative has been determined, you can choose a hostile creature you can see that is also rolling initiative. Your initiative becomes the creature's initiative +1. You must target the chosen creature with attacks or spells during your first turn in combat.

Reprisal

By the 18th level, you can make the most of any opening. If you score a critical hit against a creature that is not incapacitated with a melee attack using a finesse weapon, you can target that creature with another melee attack as a part of the same action. Also, your Momentum Bonus AC cap is now your full CHA Modifier.