Steel Hawk

Powerful, nimble soldiers from the mountain city of Heavensteppe, Steel Hawks use explosive bursts of speed to launch themselves great distances to reach faraway threats. Despite their often heavy armour, those who follow this archetype leap and strike with the agility of seasoned assassins, becoming every inch the fearsome birds of prey their name would suggest.

Launch

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to magically launch yourself with a mighty leap. While standing on a solid surface, you can use a bonus action to leap horizontally, vertically, or a combination of both, up to a combined distance that totals no more than 30 feet. For - example, you can choose to leap 20 feet horizontally and 10 feet vertically, potentially allowing you to avoid a dangerous trap or barricade blocking your path. When you reach the 7th level in this class, the leap’s distance can total up to 60 feet. You can’t use this feature if your speed is 0, and if you leap completely horizontally, you still leap 1 foot off the ground. Leaping in this way doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks, and if you fall immediately after using this feature, you can subtract up to 30 feet from the fall when calculating falling damage. You can use this feature 10 times, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest. Beginning at the 7th level, you can use this feature four times between rests, and beginning at the 15th level, you can use it five times between rests. Leaping in this way can also strengthen your strikes by using the force of your momentum. If you make a melee weapon attack immediately after using Launch, you have an advantage on the attack roll, and if the attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d10 damage of the weapon’s type. At the 10th level, this extra damage becomes 1d12, and at the 18th level, it becomes 1d20. The attack can be made immediately after you land at the end of the leap or during the leap’s movement.

Nimble Lancer

Starting at 3rd level, you are remarkably light on your feet and capable of counterbalancing even some of the most awkward of equipment. Lances and pikes have versatile properties for you while you’re not mounted, dealing 1d8 piercing damage on a hit when held with one hand and 1d12 piercing damage when wielded with two. When you use your Launch feature and immediately hit your opponent with a melee attack using a lance or a pike, it counts as if you’re wielding it with two hands. If you hit a creature within 5 feet of you using a lance or a pike, you can immediately move up to 5 feet away from it, without provoking an opportunity attack from the target. You must be standing and have movement remaining to move in this way.

Steel Grace

Starting at the 7th level, wearing armour doesn’t impose a disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks or have a strength requirement. In addition, whenever you make a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your Launch feature as a reaction. When you do so, you take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Eagle Eye

Beginning at the 10th level, your attack made immediately after or during your Launch scores a critical hit on a roll of 18, 19 or 20. When you hit a creature with this attack, it must also make a Strength saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failed save, its speed is reduced to 0 feet until the start of its next turn. In addition, you gain proficiency in the Perception skill if you don’t already have it, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Wisdom (Perception) check you make that relies on sight.

Predatory Instinct

Starting at the 15th level, you have an advantage on initiative rolls, and when you roll initiative and have no uses of Launch remaining, you regain all uses.

Agile Hunter

Your walking speed increases by 10, difficult terrain no longer affects you, you no longer provoke opportunity attacks, and you can impose a disadvantage on ranged attacks towards you as a reaction. Additionally, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits when you use your Launch feature. When you do, your leap can total a maximum of 90 feet, instead of 30, and you don’t suffer any damage from falling until you land again. Once you use this feature, you shouldn’t do so again before you finish a short or long rest. Each time you do, you suffer one level of exhaustion. You can’t use this feature in this way if you’re suffering from two or more levels of exhaustion.