The Fool

“The journeyman knows which way to turn when he walks a path well-trodden; the fool guesses at the way forwards, sometimes he’s wrong, sometimes he finds a shortcut. Either way it pays to trust your instincts.”  - Collector, the Dreamweaver

 The Fool’s power isn’t recklessness for its own sake—it’s the wisdom of knowing that risks are necessary to unlock new possibilities. To others, their choices might seem careless, but to them, it’s all part of the grand design. They live by an unspoken trust in the flow of fate, an intuition that the universe rewards those bold enough to embrace its chaos. Every step, no matter how precarious, is an opportunity to discover something extraordinary, even if the path ahead is shrouded in uncertainty.

This philosophy defines their actions, not as impulsive but as acts of faith. They believe that standing still is a greater danger than leaping forward into the unknown. Whether it’s vaulting into a fight they seem unlikely to win, trusting a foe’s bluff, or making a seemingly foolish gamble, these choices are deliberate, driven by an understanding that life’s greatest rewards are hidden behind the veil of risk.

What others see as foolishness is, in fact, a calculated surrender to possibility. The Fool teaches that by relinquishing control and embracing vulnerability, one can uncover hidden truths, forge unexpected alliances, or turn the tides of fate itself. It’s not about perfection or meticulous strategy—it’s about harnessing the magic that comes from embracing imperfection and uncertainty.

For a rogue of this archetype, luck isn’t random—it’s a force they draw upon, shaped by their daring spirit. Every card they throw, every feint they make, carries with it the energy of boundless potential. The Fool knows that sometimes, the greatest wisdom is found in trusting your instincts, leaping without a safety net, and letting the winds of fortune guide you to the next adventure.

Additional Proficiency

Starting when you take this class at level 3 you gain proficiency in Playing Card Set.

Reversed

Starting when you take this subclass at third level, you are still unwise to the ways of stealth and subterfuge. You gain 5 arcane cards. Once per turn, when you have advantage on an attack roll, you may choose to roll 1d6 and subtract one from the total (minimum of one). You then reveal one of the cards below based on your result and fall under its effects.  After a card is revealed, it is removed from your hand. If you should roll a card that has already been revealed, then nothing happens. Once all cards have been removed from your hand this feature cannot be used again until you roll initiative or complete a short rest. These cards have the following effects:

If a card requires a saving throw to be made then it uses your Fool save DC (8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier).

1: You leave yourself wide open. Enemies have advantage to attack you until the start of your next turn.
2: Your attack misses.
3: Your sneak attack deals no damage.
4: You expose a weakness in the enemy's defense, giving your allies advantage until the start of your target's next turn.
5: You feast on the pain you inflict. You heal for half the damage dealt by your sneak attack.

Upright

Starting when you reach level 9 in this class, you know that you’re doing the right thing. Your training pushes you forward and you understand the ways of your body and adapt to the shadows. You add two additional arcane cards to your hand. The card drawn is now determined by 1d8-1 (minimum of 1). The additional cards have the following effect

6: Your subtlety is the fear of men, the shadow of a vulture; you can target an additional creature within a number of feet of you equal to your movement speed, and then deal half your sneak attack damage to them.
7: When you draw this card, you may hold onto it until the conditions are met. When an enemy within a number of feet of you equal to your movement speed reaches half their maximum health, you may expend your reaction and this card to force that target to make a Constitution saving throw against your Fool save DC or be paralyzed for the next minute. A creature paralyzed in this way can repeat this saving throw at the start of each of its turns.

I of XXII

Starting when you reach level 13 in this class you learn how to manipulate the game in your favor. You have expertise when using a playing card set. You can use an action to stack the deck, making a contested Sleight of Hand check against the other player's Perception to give yourself advantage when playing. If you fail the ability contest, the creature is aware that you tried to cheat.

Additionally, before all cards have been removed from your hand you can expend your reaction to refill your arcane cards. You can do this a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus, however; cards 7-9 are specialty cards and become replaced with wild cards. When you land on a wild card roll a d6 and subtract one from the score (minimum of 1) to determine the effect from your original five arcane cards.

Exaltant

Starting when you reach 17th level in this class, you are a master in the way of death, deception, and subterfuge. You add two additional arcane cards to your hand. The card drawn is now determined by a roll of a 1d10-1 (minimum of 1). The additional cards have the following effect:

8: After you draw this card if you land a successful hit against the enemy you can immediately use the Hide action as if it were a free action to disappear into the ether. If your roll is higher than the creature's passive perception you are considered undetectable until the end of your next turn.
9: When this card is drawn you hold onto it until the conditions are met. When a creature within a number of feet equal to your movement speed reaches one quarter of its health you may use your reaction to expend this card. The creature must succeed on both a Wisdom saving throw and a Constitution saving throw against your Fool save DC. If the target fails the Wisdom saving throw, it becomes incapacitated until the end of its next turn and its Intelligence score becomes three for the next minute. A creature with an Intelligence score of three or lower is immune to this effect. If the creature fails the Constitution saving throw it begins to suffocate for the next minute, a creature suffocating in this way can repeat this saving throw at the start of each of its turns. A creature suffocating in this way has disadvantage on attack rolls. Creatures that don’t need to breathe are immune to this effect.