Composed of orphans ripped from life in the slums and trained from an early age at the Black Academy in Palaceport, the Empire of Tyr's Black Guard are among the most effective operatives in all of Vontilar. Though less than 50% of Grey Cadets survive the excruciating process of Augmentation, those that do possess physical abilities beyond any ordinary soldier. The combat superiority and clandestine abilities possessed by fully-trained Blackguards strike fear into any who oppose the Empire.

NOTES: This subclass can only be selected with your DM's permission and must be chosen at 1st level. On top of that, you are prohibited from multiclassing with the Rogue class and cannot multiclass in any way until you have at least 5 levels in Fighter. Certain subclass abilities replace Fighter class features at certain levels. Additionally, there are prerequisites/requirements that must be met prior to selection of the Blackguard subclass:

• Dexterity 14, Strength 14, Intelligence 14
• Two-Weapon Fighting Style
• Proficiency in Athletics and Acrobatics
• Weapon Mastery with Dagger, Shortsword, Light Crossbow (these must be maintained throughout gameplay)
• Soldier, Charlatan, Criminal, or Wayfarer backgrounds ONLY
• Human ONLY
• Upon reaching 3rd level, you must forego the Origin feat from your Background.

Covert Operative

Not only are they highly-skilled combatants, Blackguards are proficient at clandestine operations as well. When you take this subclass at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Stealth and Sleight of Hand skills. If you are already proficient in either of these skills, you may select another skill from the Rogue skill list.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in Thieves' Tools and with one of the following tools (Player's choice): Disguise Kit, Poisoner's Kit, Forgery Kit.

Mutagenic Augmentation

Soon after they begin their training, Grey Cadets are subjected to the harrowing process of Augmentation. For months, they must suffer through countless mutagenic injections and exposures to painful and noxious stimuli. Those that survive possess traits beyond that of any ordinary soldier.

When you select the Blackguard subclass at 3rd level, you gain the following traits:

• You possess Darkvision up to 30'.
• You have Advantage on Perception and Investigation checks related to hearing.
• You gain 1 extra hit point per Fighter level.
• You can give yourself Advantage on a saving throw to resist exhaustion once per long rest. This advantage does not apply if you have less than 25% of your total hit points or if the saving throw is related to the use of one of your other abilities.
• You can Dash as a Bonus Action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. You cannot perform this if you possess more than one level of exhaustion, and if you choose to use it while suffering from exhaustion, you must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer an additional level of exhaustion immediately.

Precision Strike

Blackguards are adept at exploiting their opponent's weaknesses and taking advantage of distractions to make deadlier attacks. At 3rd level, you gain the ability to perform Precision Strikes. 

Once per turn, you can multiply your main hand's damage die by your proficiency bonus against one creature you hit with an attack roll if you have Advantage on the roll and the attack uses a Finesse, Light, or Ranged weapon. The extra damage’s type is the same as the weapon’s type. This cannot be stacked with any other ability that allows you to increase damage to your attacks and you may not use the weapon's Mastery property with this attack. If there is a magical property to your weapon or an active spell that adds additional damage, this is still applied but is not influenced by the multiplier.

You don’t need Advantage on the attack roll if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the target, the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition, and you don’t have Disadvantage on the attack roll.

You may use this ability a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) per short rest unless you choose to spend a Second Wind charge.

NOTE: This REPLACES the Ability Score Improvement at level 4.

Amplifier Stimulants

Starting at 7th level, Blackguards learn to create and use powerful stimulant injections. You gain proficiency in Alchemist's Supplies, and can concoct Amplifier Stimulants that temporarily enhance physical and mental capabilities, but often have serious side effects. These can only be used by their creator or another Blackguard. Their alchemical structure is somewhat unstable, so new stimulants must be created after each long rest. To do this, you must pass a DC 15 Alchemist's Supplies check to recreate them. If you fail, you must complete a short rest before attempting to do this again. No stimulants can be used if you are wearing heavy armor.

When you gain this feature, you know the formulas for 3 stimulants and can use them twice per long rest. This number increases as you increase in level according to the following table. Each time you gain a Fighter level, you can change out your formulas but only if you pass an Alchemist's Supplies check with a DC 15. If you fail, you must wait until your next level up to change again. After the duration of the stimulant expires, you must pass a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. If you are already suffering from exhaustion, you make this saving throw at disadvantage. If you have more than one level of exhaustion, you cannot use an Amplifier Stimulant. The side effects stack unless you pass a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, which is rolled with Disadvantage. After the duration of effect is complete, stimulant side effects can be removed via Lesser Restoration spell. However, the exhaustion can only be improved via the Greater Restoration spell (or similar spell of level 5 or above) or by taking a long rest.

Fighter Level	Stimulant Uses	Stimulants Known
7th	2	3
10th	3	4
15th	3	6
18th	4	7
20th	5	All

 

Stimulants:

• Berserker Stimulant (Ragestim) - grants the ability of a Barbarian's rage for 1 minute, but without the damage resistance. Instead, if you are wearing light armor or no armor, you gain a  bonus to your AC equal to half your Constitution modifier (round down). If a multiclass with Barbarian, this stim adds 1 minute of duration to your Rage and you do not need to use any other abilities to maintain your rage (but no other effects). However, you have disadvantage on all Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws until your next short rest. Your rage bonus is +2 initially but increases to +3 at 15th level.
• Durability Stimulant (Durastim) - grant resistance to nonmagical piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing and poison damage for 1 minute. At the end of the duration, you take 2d10 necrotic damage and your hit point maximum is reduced by the amount of damage taken until your next short rest. This damage cannot be reduced in any way and if it drops your HP to zero, you have disadvantage on your Death saving throws. Additionally, you gain vulnerability to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (DM's choice) until your next short rest.
• Healer's Stimulant (Healstim) - gain temporary hit points equal to 2d8 + your Constitution modifier + 1/2 your Fighter level. Once these hit points are expended, the exhaustion saving throw must be rolled. Unfortunately, your movement speed is reduced by 10' during the duration and you have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until your next short rest.
• Sharpshooter Stimulant (Sharpstim) - gain +1 to attack and damage and advantage on ranged attack rolls for 1 minute. You can also use the "Steady Aim"  feature from the Rogue class during the duration. However, you have disadvantage on all melee attack rolls until your next short rest. 
• Quickening Stimulant (Fastim) - gain +2 to your Dexterity score (and your maximum), increase movement speed by 10' and gain advantage on Acrobatics/Athletics related to running/jumping/etc for 1 minute. In combat, you can Dash or Disengage as bonus actions. If used out of combat, these benefits last for 1 hour. However, you have disadvantage on Constitution and Strength saving throws until your next short rest.
• Stealth Stimulant (Quietstim) - gain advantage on all Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks for 1 hour (or 1 minute if used in combat). Can take the Hide action as a bonus action. However, your movement speed is reduced by 10' until the duration is complete and by 5' until your next short rest.
• Assassin Stimulant (Killstim) - gain advantage on initiative rolls and attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. Your number to reach for a critical hit decreases by 1 for 1 minute. Creatures brought to 0HP while this stimulant is active have disadvantage on their Death saving throws. However, you have disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma saving throws until your next short rest.
• Expertise Stimulant (Exstim) - gain expertise in a skill of your choice in which you are already proficient for 1 hour. You also have advantage on a number of skill checks of this skill equal to half your proficiency bonus (round down). You may not use this on a skill with which you already possess expertise and after the duration ends, you have disadvantage on checks with that skill until your next short rest.
• Regeneration Stimulant (Regstim) - for 1 minute, you regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus + your Constitution bonus at the start of each round. However, you have disadvantage on Dexterity and Constitution saving throws until your next short rest.

Improved Precision Strike

At 10th level, your ability to wreak havoc on any opponent by striking surgically improves. You can now do any of the following if you expend one use of your Precision Strike and your attack roll hits. You forgo any extra damage from the Precision Strike when using these abilities, but retain your weapon's damage. Some of these require a saving throw. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + 1/2 your Fighter level.

• Hamstring - your opponent must pass a Constitution saving throw or have its movement speed reduced by 10' + 1/2 your Fighter level for the next 3 turns. (Melee or Ranged attack)
• Takedown - your opponent must pass a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. It must pass one more saving throw to stand up (with advantage) or the condition continues for 1 more round. No third saving throw is required. (Melee attack only)
• Poison - your opponent must pass a Constitution saving throw or take 1d8 + your proficiency bonus poison damage and become Poisoned for 1 minute. This damage increases to 2d8 at 15th level and 3d8 at 20th level. (Melee or Ranged attack)
• Stun - your opponent must pass a Constitution saving throw or become Stunned until the start of your next turn. (Melee attack only)

Precision Strike Mastery

Starting at 15th level, when you use your Precision Strike and the attack hits, you may replace the extra damage with any of the following effects. The DC for these effects is 8 + your proficiency bonus + 1/2 your fighter level.

• Eyestrike - your opponent must pass a Dexterity saving throw or become Blinded until the start of your next turn. It must pass another to end the condition or it goes on for an additional turn. The second saving throw is made with advantage. No third saving throw is required. (Melee or Ranged attack)
• Knockback - your opponent must pass a Strength saving throw or take 2d8 weapon damage and be pushed 15' away from you. On a successful save, it still takes half damage. (Melee attack only)
• Double Up - if two enemies are within 5' of one another, you can strike both of them with a single attack action. The attack roll is only made once, but weapon damage must be rolled twice and the second attack does not add your Ability Score bonus to the damage roll. (Melee or Ranged attack)
• Tonguecutter - your opponent must pass a Constitution saving throw or become Silenced until the start of your next turn.It must pass another to end the condition or it goes on for an additional turn. The second saving throw is made with advantage. No third saving throw is required. (Melee attack only)

Unstoppable Killer

You gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws and advantage on Death saving throws. Once per short rest, you can end the charmed, frightened, dominated, or any other conditions that influence your mind. When you roll initiative and have no uses of your Amplifier Stimulants or Precision Strike left, you immediately gain 1 use of each. Additionally, your number needed for rolling a critical hit is reduced by 1, or 2 if you have less than 50% of your hit points remaining.

NOTE: This replaces the Ability Score Improvement at 16th level.