The Carrion Dancer

A master of combat as performance, the Carrion Dancer transforms battle into an intricate, macabre dance. Weaving through foes with the grace of a raven in flight, they ensnare enemies in elegant, deadly movements, controlling the battlefield with a predator’s precision and a performer’s flair. Their fighting style is both mesmerizing and horrifying—reminiscent of a carrion bird leading the dying in their final waltz.

Level 3: Level 3: Dancer’s Grasp

You refine combat into an art of control, seamlessly weaving between strikes and holds. You gain the following benefits:

• You can use Acrobatics instead of Athletics for grapple checks.
• You can grapple a creature as a bonus action after hitting them with a melee weapon attack.
• If you hit a creature with a Sneak Attack, they automatically fail the next grapple check you make against them that turn.
• A creature has disadvantage on saving throws to resist your grapple if they have been hit by a melee weapon attack in the same turn.
• You can apply Sneak Attack against a grappled creature regardless of circumstances.

Level 3: Level 3: The Fourfold Dance

After successfully grappling a creature, you can seamlessly transition into one of four signature dances, controlling their movement and fate. As a reaction immediately after grappling, you may perform one of the following effects:

1. Waltz of the Silver Guillotine
   • After successfully grappling a creature, their AC is reduced by 1 until the start of your next turn.
   • If you land a critical hit on the grappled creature you can immediately move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
2. Twirl of the Broken Marionette
   • You may immediately throw the grappled creature up to 10 feet in any direction.
   • If they collide with another creature, both must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency + Dexterity modifier) or take damage equal to your Sneak Attack dice.
3. The Dagger’s Embrace
   • You immediately make a melee weapon attack against the grappled creature with advantage.
   • If this attack lands, the next attack against the target before the start of your next turn also has advantage.
4. The Vulture’s Requiem
   • When an enemy makes an attack against you, you can attempt to interpose your dance partner (the grappled target) between you and the strike.
   • The attacker must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency + Dexterity modifier).
   • On a failure, the grappled creature takes the damage instead of you.

Level 9: Level 9: Wings of the Carrion Lord

Your art has become something truly supernatural. When you are grappling a creature, you manifest ephemeral black wings of shadow and crimson mist, carrying you both into a deadly performance.

• After using Twirl of the Broken Marionette, you may immediately swap places with the thrown creature without expending movement.
• If a grappled creature attempts to attack you and misses, you may use your reaction to redirect the attack to another creature within 5 feet of them.
• You can automatically break free from a grapple or restraint at the start of your turn by taking psychic damage equal to half your Rogue level.

Level 13: Level 13: The Crimson Performance

Your dancing flourishes into a deadly spectacle, akin to a carrion bird leading prey to ruin:

• You can now choose two different dances when grappling a creature instead of one.
• The range of Twirl of the Broken Marionette increases to 15 feet.
• When teleporting with Wings of the Carrion Lord you may immediately attempt to grapple any creatures within 5 feet.

Level 17: Level 17: The Grand Finale

At the pinnacle of your art, you dictate the battlefield with every step, leading a gruesome danse macabre:

• Grappling a creature no longer reduces your speed.
• You can use a dance as a free action instead of a reaction once per turn.
• When you reduce a grappled creature to 0 HP, you may immediately attempt to grapple another creature within 10 feet without expending an action.