Stormflash

A tabaxi grooms her fur, eyes locked on her target three stories below. She smiles, licking her fangs as the rope of arcane glyphs wrapped around her arm crackles to life in a flash of blue lightning. Her hand wraps around a now flickering to life dagger as the rope flies off her arm. As she throws the blade, her form shifts and flies along the attached rope, appearing behind the noble, his body crumpling behind her. She disappears in a flash and clap of thunder, befuddled guards rushing to the place she once was.

Stormflash capture the speed and power of lightning itself to crash into their target, often forgoing stealth in the attack, choosing instead to run away before being noticed. The art of becoming a stormflash is centered around the creation of the chained lightning, a special rope that allows them to harness the lightning they are known for. The creation of chained lightning is kept secret from those not apprenticed to the stormflash, but what is understood is the intricate use of runes and glyphs in its design.

As a member of the stormflash guild, your job is whatever pulls in the most coin. Although their skills are wonderfully suited to assassination, theft is another of their specialties. Paying the guild dues is always at the forefront of a stormflash's mind. 

The last rule is simple, you must never reveal how to create the chained lightning. If you do, know that death would have been a better choice.

Chained Lightning

3rd-level Stormflash feature

Your rope harbors a violent storm within it. This energy is represented by your chained lightning dice, which are each a d6. You have a number of these dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and they fuel various Stormflash features you have, which are detailed below.

Some of your powers expend the chained lightning die they use, as specified in a power’s description, and you can’t use a power if it requires you to use a die when your dice are all expended. You regain all your expended chained lightning dice when you finish a long rest.

When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your chained lightning dice increases: at 5th level (d8), 11th level (d10), and 17th level (d12). The powers below use your chained lightning dice.

Binding Lightning. When you hit with a shock knife attack, you may use one of your chained lightning dice to attempt a grapple check, adding your die to the roll. If you succeed, they are stunned until the end of your next turn and you can use your action on subsequent turns to keep them stunned, dealing lightning damage equal to 2 rolls of your chained lightning dice + int. A creature that has resistance to lightning damage has advantage on their roll and a creature that is immune automatically succeeds.

Thunderous Roar. As an action, you can expend a chained lightning die and tame the crash of thunder, focusing it on a single target within 60ft of you. Your target must make an intelligence save equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your intelligence. On a failed save, the target takes damage equal to your sneak attack and is deafened. Additionally, if they fail by 5 or more, they are stunned until the start of your next turn. They take half damage and are not deafened on a success.

Shocking Blade

3rd-level Stormflash feature

You can summon a thin line of lightning to your hand at the end of your chained lightning which flies faster than any knife. As a bonus action, you can use a chained lightning die to bring forth your shocking blade for 1 minute. It deals lightning damage equal to your chained lightning die + your DEX modifier. This blade has a range of 20/60ft which increases to 60/120ft at 11th level. After making an attack, your blade flashes back to your hand with frightening speed as a free action. 

You may use this feature without expending a Chained Lightning die once per long rest.

Augmented Lightning

9th-level Stormflash feature

Your mastery of your Chained Lightning has allowed you to weave in runes that let you shift your shocking blade into new forms. When you summon your shocking blade, you can expend another chained lightning die to alter the shape of the blade giving you new abilities:

Crackling Tether. Your shocking blade extends to a beautiful spear which has a range of 60ft. It deals lightning damage equal to two rolls of your chained lightning die. If the target is one size category larger than you or less, it must make a strength saving throw with a dc equal to your chained lightning die + your intelligence + your proficiency bonus or be pulled in a number of feet equal to 5 times your chained lightning die. Additionally, if the target ends its turn within 5ft of you, you can use your reaction to summon a shocking blade and make an additional attack.

Searing Arc Blade. Your shocking blade reaches out in an arc with a scream, covering your forearm with a piece of your Chained Lightning. Your blade appears to take the form of a long scimitar as your body seems to move on its own. While out, your AC is increased by 2 and your movement speed is increased by 15. Additionally, you can make an additional attack with your blade on a second target if you move 20ft as part of the same action, activating your sneak attack for both damage rolls. Lastly, if you dash as a bonus action, you can add one roll of your chained lightning die to your AC.

Storm Runner

13th-level Stormflash feature

You have learned to become one with your Chained Lightning and run along it as fast as the lightning you channel, appearing to flash to the end of your rope as if teleporting. The crash of thunder follows you as you run along the rope, pulling the end up behind you. The true marker of a Storm Runner comes with the skill to hold two storm blades as they dash, cutting anything in their path.

As a bonus action, you can use a chained lightning die and throw your storm blade up to 120ft away and run along the tightened line of your Chained Lightning, appearing to teleport to the end of the line. Additionally, once per short rest, you can hold two additional storm blades and strike at anyone you pass by. Creatures of your choice within 5ft of your line take damage equal to your storm blade and your sneak attack on a successful hit.

Blue Hydra

17th-level Stormblade feature

You can imbue the true nature of Chained Lightning through your weapon to create a branching image of a terrifying beast with eight monstrous heads. When you make an attack while the hydra is awake, you can add an additional 8d4 lightning damage to a single target and force them to make a wis save or be stunned until the end of your turn. You must use a bonus action to burn 2 chained lightning dice in order to summon the Hydra. Every turn it is active, you must burn 2 chained lightning dice to keep it active. You can end this effect whenever you choose.

You can activate this feature once per long rest.