Base Class: Ranger
Telekinetic Duelist Ranger Subclass
The Telekinetic Duelist is a master of precision and mental focus, blending the physical discipline of a ranger with an extraordinary telekinetic gift. They transcend traditional combat, wielding blades and bolts not with brute strength but with the force of their mind. This discipline turns the battlefield into their stage, where swords whirl through the air in a deadly dance and crossbow bolts strike true from impossible angles.
Whether they honed their skills through innate psychic talent, mysterious training, or exposure to powerful arcane forces, these rangers wield their telekinetic abilities with finesse, transforming combat into a seamless flow of lethal strikes.
Telekinetic Arsenal
3rd-level Telekinetic Duelist feature
Your mind becomes an extension of your weapons. Through intense focus and control, you learn to telekinetically wield two melee weapons with the Light property without physically holding them. These weapons count as wielded for all purposes, such as attacks and abilities, and hover around you with a precision that belies their lack of physical connection.
While wielding weapons telekinetically:
- You can use your Intelligence modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage rolls.
- You gain a +1 bonus to AC due to your ability to mentally manipulate your weapons defensively.
- You can attack as if your weapons were in melee range, even if the target is up to 30 feet away from you.
Additionally, your telekinetic focus allows you to use a bonus action to fire two hand crossbows you are carrying, provided they are equipped and loaded.
Dual Strikes
3rd-level Telekinetic Duelist feature
Your mental coordination lets you unleash a flurry of attacks. Whenever you take the Attack action with a telekinetically wielded weapon, you can use a bonus action to make an additional attack with a different telekinetically wielded weapon or a hand crossbow.
This feature ensures that you can maintain an offensive tempo, whether at close range or while harrying foes with ranged weapons.
Telekinetic Momentum
7th-level Telekinetic Duelist feature
Your telekinesis extends beyond simple strikes, giving you control over the flow of combat. When you hit a creature with a telekinetically wielded melee weapon, you can attempt to shove the target 10 feet in any direction. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature is moved to a position of your choice.
In addition, your growing connection to the unseen forces of the world grants you proficiency in the Arcana skill, reflecting your deeper understanding of psychic and telekinetic energies.
Dancing Blades
11th-level Telekinetic Duelist feature
Your telekinetic mastery allows you to create a whirling storm of steel. As an action, you can direct your telekinetically wielded melee weapons to attack all creatures within 10 feet of you. Each creature in this area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes damage equal to 3d10 + your Intelligence modifier. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage.
Your weapons hover back into position around you after the assault, ready for your next command. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Master of the Mind’s Edge
15th-level Telekinetic Duelist feature
Your telekinetic power evolves to its pinnacle, granting you unparalleled versatility. You can now telekinetically wield melee weapons with the Two-Handed property, allowing you to manipulate even larger and more devastating weapons with ease. Additionally, the range at which you can attack with telekinetically wielded melee weapons increases to 60 feet.
When using your bonus action to attack with hand crossbows, you can fire twice instead of once, making you a whirlwind of ranged and melee strikes.
Finally, your mastery of telekinetic combat sharpens your focus in critical moments. When you roll initiative and have no uses of Dancing Blades remaining, you regain one use.
Telekinetic Duelist: Lore and Origins
Telekinetic Duelists are rare individuals, often born with a spark of psychic potential that manifests early in life. While most rangers connect to nature and survival, these warriors develop an almost preternatural control over their surroundings through sheer mental force. Scholars and sages debate whether this power comes from a latent psionic bloodline, exposure to planar energies, or a unique bond with the Weave itself.
Possible Origins:
- Psionic Legacy: You are the descendant of a powerful psychic being, such as a githzerai or an aberration like a mind flayer. The mental discipline you inherited has shaped your ability to manipulate weapons and control the battlefield.
- Arcane Accident: During your early adventures, you encountered an ancient artifact or spell that awakened your latent telekinetic abilities. The incident altered the course of your life, drawing you toward this unique path.
- Planar Infusion: Exposure to the Far Realm, Astral Plane, or even the psionic resonance of the Underdark imprinted telekinetic abilities onto your mind. Your combat style reflects this strange, otherworldly power.
- Disciplined Training: You studied under a secretive order of psychic monks or warriors, where you honed both your body and mind. Their teachings focused on telekinetic mastery as a martial art, blending mental and physical strength.
Role in the World
- Psionic Defenders: Telekinetic Duelists are often seen as protectors against extraplanar threats or ancient evils. Their unique abilities make them excellent tacticians and warriors against enemies who rely on physical force.
- Reluctant Heroes: Some duelists struggle with the stigma surrounding psychic abilities, especially in societies that fear mental intrusion or view psionics as unnatural.
- Adventurers and Explorers: Their telekinetic talents make them adept at solving puzzles, navigating complex terrains, and protecting allies in dangerous environments.
Spell Access
As part of their unique connection to mental energy, Telekinetic Duelists gain access to spells that enhance their combat style and battlefield control. Add the following spells to the ranger spell list for this subclass:
Bonus Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Mage Hand, Catapult |
| 5th | Levitate, Hold Person |
| 9th | Fly, Counterspell |
| 13th | Greater Invisibility, Telekinesis |
| 17th | Hold Monster, Wall of Force |
Telekinetic Utility
Mage Hand Enhancement: At 3rd level, your use of Mage Hand reflects your telekinetic skill. Its range increases to 60 feet, it becomes invisible, and it can interact with objects weighing up to 30 pounds.
Class Bonuses and Features
Psionic Resilience
7th-level feature (additional)
Your mental discipline fortifies you against psychic assaults and fear. You gain resistance to psychic damage and advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
Mental Strike
11th-level feature (additional)
When you deal damage with a telekinetically wielded melee weapon, you can deal an extra 1d6 psychic damage once per turn.
Psychic Adaptation
15th-level feature (additional)
Your telekinetic abilities allow you to manipulate even intangible forces. You can interact with incorporeal creatures and objects (such as ghosts or ethereal items) using your telekinetic weapons, allowing you to damage or grapple them as though they were physical.
Playstyle and Personality
The Telekinetic Duelist embodies a ranger who wields both weapons and psychic power to maximum effect. This subclass rewards creativity in positioning and tactics, allowing players to manipulate the battlefield in ways few other martial characters can. Whether you envision your character as a disciplined psychic warrior, an arcane-infused combatant, or a mysterious figure who channels unseen forces, the Telekinetic Duelist adds a dramatic, versatile option to the ranger class.
Telekinetic Arsenal
You can telekinetically wield two melee weapons with the Light property. These weapons count as wielded but do not occupy your hands. While wielding telekinetic weapons:
- You can use your Intelligence modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage rolls.
- You gain a +1 bonus to AC.
- You can attack targets within 30 feet with telekinetically wielded melee weapons.
Additionally, as a bonus action, you can attack with two hand crossbows you have equipped and loaded.
Dual Strikes
When you take the Attack action with a telekinetically wielded weapon, you can use a bonus action to make an additional attack with a different telekinetically wielded weapon or a hand crossbow.
Telekinetic Momentum
When you hit a creature with a telekinetically wielded melee weapon, you can attempt to shove it 10 feet in any direction. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be moved.
You also gain proficiency in the Arcana skill.
Dancing Blades
As an action, direct your telekinetically wielded melee weapons to attack all creatures within 10 feet. Each creature in this area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 + your Intelligence modifier damage. On a successful save, it takes half damage.
You may use this feature 2 times per short or long rest.
Master of the Mind's Edge
You can telekinetically wield melee weapons with the Two-Handed property. The range of your telekinetic melee attacks increases to 60 feet.
When you use your bonus action to attack with hand crossbows, you can fire twice instead of once.
Additionally, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Dancing Blades remaining, you regain one use.
Psionic Spellcaster
Your telekinetic abilities grant you access to spells that reflect your mental discipline and mastery of psionic energy. You can channel your mind's power to manipulate the world around you, augmenting your combat style and battlefield control.
At 3rd level, you gain access to additional spells as part of your Psionic Spellcaster feature. These spells are always prepared and do not count against the number of ranger spells you can prepare. They are considered ranger spells for you, and you use Intelligence as your spellcasting ability for these spells.
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