Rusted Knight

The Rusted Knight archetype is followed by warriors and knights that investigate the lore and history of their worlds, using gear long forgotten, like rusty swords and tarnished armor. Despite that, their martial prowess leads them to success, even with their ruined gear.

Some Rusted Knights let their ancestors and history guide them to the correct decisions, and tell the stories of heroes of old, as they inspire the knights to be better people and teach them about honour, justice and mercy. Other Rusted Knights use their ancestral weapons and armor for evil purposes, conquering lands high and low just to see the world as they desire it to be, like the times of old...

Rusty Armor

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your armor has been infected by rust and dust. Whenever you get hit by a melee attack, the attacker takes poison damage equal to twice your Constitution modifier. You also gain proficiency in Intelligence (History) checks.

Tarnished Strikes

At 3rd level, you learn to use the rusted and oxidized metal that surrounds you to harm your enemies. When you hit an enemy with a melee or ranged weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d6 acid damage. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest. You can only deal this damage once per round.

The additional damage dealt by this feature increases to 2d6 at 7th level, 3d6 at 10th level, 4d6 at 15th level and 5d6 at 18th level.

Master in Decay

Starting at 7th level, you gain resistance to poison and acid damage. Also at 7th level, you have advantage in saving throws against being poisoned or charmed.

Oxidized Strikes

When you reach 7th level, you master the effects of rusty weaponry. Whenever you use your Tarnished Strikes feature, one of this effects applies, when the right kind of weapon is used:

• If you deal damage with a bludgeoning weapon, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or move up to 10 feet horizontally to a direction other than yours, as a crushing force pushes them. The DC of the saving throw equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

• If you deal damage with a slashing weapon, the target recieves 1d4 poison damage at the start of each of their turns, as the wound caused by the attack gets infected. The target can get rid of this condition by succeeding on a Constitution saving throw, that they can do as a bonus action on their turn. The effect also dissappears after 1 minute. The DC of the saving throw equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

 • If you deal damage with a piercing weapon, you can choose a creature within 10 feet of the target, and deal 1d6 acid damage to that creature, as rust and decay splash from your target.

Oxidating Aura

At 10th level, the rust in your weapons has led to an aura of decay appearing around you. When a creature ends their turn within 20 feet of you, you can use your reaction to deal poison damage equal to your proficiency bonus, or twice if the creature is a construct.

Rusted Resilience

At 15th level, whenever you use your Tarnished Strikes feature, you can choose to use your Second Wind as a free bonus action in your turn.

Tarnished Master

Starting at 18th level, when you roll for initiative and have no uses of Tarnished Strikes left, you regain half of them.