Dark Envoy

Rogues who study the way of the Dark Envoy are masters of betrayal, styling themselves after Morgöng Shadestrider, the legendary diplomat and assassin. Cloaked in pleasing illusions, they grow close to their enemies and sever their trust—and their lives.

In recent times, an ambitious cult of Venin, Arch Daemon of Deception co-opted the martial techniques of Morgöng Shadestrider. This schism within students of the Dark Envoy saga is known to few Valikans. To them, assassins are all the same sort: dishonorable, cruel, and sometimes useful to have around in a raid, so long as no one finds out. The faction loyal to Shadestrider’s legacy uses their talents to fortify their clans against its enemies while those following Venin seek influence and power for their own sake.

Martial Maneuvers

You can perform martial maneuvers using maneuver points.

You have trained in the manner of heroes from the old sagas, and now you can perform certain martial maneuvers. A maneuver requires you to spend maneuver points to use it.

You know three maneuvers of your choice from the Dark Envoy Maneuvers list. You learn an additional maneuver at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn a maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one you can learn.

Dark Envoy Maneuvers The Saga of the Dark Envoy recalls the exploits of Morgöng Shadestrider. Although a diplomat, Morgöng excelled in ending problems before they began—often in complete silence and under the cover of darkness. While others in Kentigern’s company sought glory and honor, Morgöng achieved success with subtlety and efficiency. Practitioners of the Saga of the Dark Envoy employ the same discretion and ruthlessness. They enfeeble their opponents, striking with a hail of attacks to end fights as quickly as they began. Masters of this saga learn to manipulate shadows and illusions, keeping their enemies too disoriented to strike back in the brief time they have left.

Blade of Obscuring Shadow (2 points) You can envelop your weapon with writhing shadows ready to blind your foes. Spend 2 maneuver points and use an action to make a single melee attack or a ranged attack with a thrown weapon against a creature. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn. Caitiff’s Gambit (2 points) When a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to seize that moment of weakness. Make a single weapon attack with advantage against the same creature.

Cunning Dodge (2 points) You can use a bonus action and spend 2 maneuver points to take the Dodge action. Cunning Plot (2 points) You can use a bonus action and spend 2 maneuver points to take the Ready action.

Death’s Door (4 points) You can use a bonus action and spend 4 maneuver points to become a conduit between the world of the living and the dead, allowing you to usher your enemies into the afterlife with greater speed. When you do, roll 5d6 and record the result as your threshold. Immediately after you deal damage to a creature with a weapon attack, if its current hit points are equal to or less than your threshold, the creature immediately dies and this maneuver ends. Unless it ends early as a result of causing a creature to die, this maneuver lasts for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). Until this maneuver ends, roll 2d6 at the start of each of your turns and add the result to your threshold.

Enshadowed Celerity (2 points) When you roll initiative, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to move with supernatural speed. When you do, add your proficiency bonus to the initiative result. For the next 10 minutes, your speed increases by 10 feet. 

Entropic Needle (5 points) You can use an action and spend 5 maneuver points to choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. A thin needle of black miasma shoots off in its direction. Make a weapon attack against the creature with this shadowy needle, which is considered a simple weapon that deals 1d4 piercing damage, and has the finesse and thrown weapon properties. On a hit, the needle buries itself into the creature for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). During this time, the creature takes an additional 1d6 necrotic damage whenever it takes damage from any attack. If the creature’s current hit points are below half of its hit point maximum, the additional damage increases to 2d6.

Felling Sweep (1 point or more) You can use a bonus action and spend 1 or more maneuver points to sweep low to the ground, attempting to knock your enemies off balance. Choose a number of creatures equal to the maneuver points you spent that are within 5 feet of you and which are no more than one size category larger than you. Each chosen creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or fall prone.

Flickering Shadow Evasion (2 points) When you are hit by a melee attack, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to flicker away. Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the result is higher than the creature's attack roll against you, the attack misses, and you can teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.

Hail of Needles (5 points) You can use an action and spend 5 maneuver points to cause nearby shadows to coalesce into a swarm of needles and rain down on your enemies. Choose a point within 90 feet. Creatures within 10 feet of the chosen point must make a Dexterity saving throw. This saving throw is made with disadvantage if the creature is in dim light or darkness. The creature takes 5d10 piercing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

Heart-stopping Strike (5 points) When a creature starts its turn within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction and spend 5 maneuver points to strike before it acts. Make a weapon attack against the creature. On a hit, your attack deals damage as normal, and the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature's turn immediately ends.

Mirror Blade Technique (3 points) You can use an action and spend 3 maneuver points to conjure an illusory double of your blade, which strikes in unison with your own before vanishing. Make a single melee weapon attack or a thrown ranged weapon attack against a creature with advantage. The attack deals an additional 1d6 cold damage, or an additional 3d6 cold damage if both rolls would have hit.

Phantom Needles (3 points) You can use an action and spend 3 maneuver points to cause shadows to coalesce around your hand, creating four phantasmal needles. Make four weapon attacks, one with each of the needles, which are considered simple weapons that deal 1 piercing damage and have the light, finesse, and thrown (30/60) properties. If all four needles hit the same creature, the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the creature either falls prone or is restrained against an adjacent solid surface (your choice) until the start of your next turn.

Phantom Step (1 point) You can use a bonus action and expend 1 maneuver point to walk with spectral grace, moving up to your speed. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks, and you can move through creatures provided you do not end your move in the same space as a creature.

Shadow Army (2, 4, 6, or 8 points) You can use an action and to spend up to 8 maneuver points, summoning one shadow copy of yourself with every 2 points spent. Each shadow appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within 60 feet. Your shadows exist for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). Your shadows' AC is equal to your own. They are your size and use your bonuses for ability checks and saving throws. If a shadow takes damage, roll 1d4. On a result of 1, the shadow is destroyed. Otherwise, the shadow takes no damage. Your shadows are immune to all conditions. For the duration of the maneuver, you can use a bonus action to silently control your shadows, causing each to move up to 30 feet as you wish and make one melee weapon attack against a creature within 5 feet of the shadow. Your shadows attack using your attack bonus as if it used a nonmagical copy of a weapon you hold. Additionally, creatures adjacent to your shadows can provoke opportunity attacks from them using your reaction if they move more than 5 feet away from your shadows.

Shadow Striking Technique (2 points) You can use a bonus action and spend 2 maneuver points to bind a shadow to your weapon. For the next 10 minutes, your attacks with this weapon deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage and its reach increases by 5 feet.

Shape of Darkness (8 points) You can use an action and spend 8 points to make your body turn ethereal, transforming into pure darkness. For the next 10 minutes, you gain the following benefits: • You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet. • You have resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. • While you are in dim light or darkness, each turn you can use a bonus action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet that is also in dim light or darkness.

Killer Instinct

Your intimate familiarity with death has given you insight into how to quickly end the lives of your enemies. Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a result of 19 or 20 on the d20 roll.

Deadly Focus

You can spend 1 minute patiently observing an area, tracking the movements of all creatures within it and readying yourself to eliminate them all in a single instant. You become focused and must concentrate to maintain your focus as if concentrating on a spell or maneuver. Your focus ends when you spend it, when you lose concentration, or after 10 minutes pass.

You can spend your focus when you deal Sneak Attack damage on your turn (no action required). You can deal damage equal to a roll of your Sneak Attack dice to two additional creatures you observed using this feature. The damage is of the same type as the initial attack, and the additional targets must be within reach of the melee weapon or within range of the ranged weapon you used in the initial attack. The number of additional creatures taking this damage increases to three at 14th level and four at 18th level.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Level 13: Tenebrous Step

When you start your turn in dim light or darkness, your speed increases by 10 feet until the end of your turn.

Improved Deadly Focus

You can gain focus for your Deadly Focus feature as an action instead of spending 1 minute to do so.

Level 3: Dark Envoy Maneuvers

You have trained in the manner of heroes from the old sagas, and now you can perform certain martial maneuvers. A maneuver requires you to spend maneuver points to use it.

You know three maneuvers of your choice from the list below. You learn an additional maneuver at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn a maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one you can learn.

Maneuver Points
Channeling the heroes from the old sagas is no easy task, and your pool of maneuver points represents the limit of your abilities to do so. Your class level determines the number of maneuver points you have, as shown in the Maneuver Points column in the Dark Envoy table below. You regain all spent maneuver points at the end of a long rest.

Using Maneuvers
You can use one maneuver during each turn. Some maneuvers require concentration, as if concentrating on a spell, or certain conditions to use. Some maneuvers will require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects.

Martial Maneuver save DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Dark Envoy
Rogue Level | Maneuver Points | Maneuvers Known
3rd | 6 | 3
4th | 8 | 3
5th | 10 | 3
6th | 12 | 3
7th | 14 | 3
8th | 16 | 3
9th | 18 | 4
10th | 20 | 4
11th | 22 | 4
12th | 24 | 4
13th | 26 | 5
14th | 28 | 5
15th | 30 | 5
16th | 32 | 5
17th | 34 | 6
18th | 36 | 6
19th | 38 | 6
20th | 40 | 6

Blade of Obscuring Shadow (2 points)

You can envelop your weapon with writhing shadows ready to blind your foes. Spend 2 maneuver points and use an action to make a single melee attack or a ranged attack with a thrown weapon against a creature. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.

Caitiff’s Gambit (2 points)

When a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to seize that moment of weakness. Make a single weapon attack with advantage against the same creature.

Cunning Dodge (2 points)

You can use a bonus action and spend 2 maneuver points to take the Dodge action

Cunning Plot (2 points)

You can use a bonus action and spend 2 maneuver points to take the Ready action.

Death’s Door (4 points)

You can use a bonus action and spend 4 maneuver points to become a conduit between the world of the living and the dead, allowing you to usher your enemies into the afterlife with greater speed. When you do, roll 5d6 and record the result as your threshold. Immediately after you deal damage to a creature with a weapon attack, if its current hit points are equal to or less than your threshold, the creature immediately dies and this maneuver ends.

Unless it ends early as a result of causing a creature to die, this maneuver lasts for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). Until this maneuver ends, roll 2d6 at the start of each of your turns and add the result to your threshold.

Enshadowed Celerity (2 points)

When you roll initiative, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to move with supernatural speed. When you do, add your proficiency bonus to the initiative result. For the next 10 minutes, your speed increases by 10 feet.

Entropic Needle (5 points)

You can use an action and spend 5 maneuver points to choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. A thin needle of black miasma shoots off in its direction. Make a weapon attack against the creature with this shadowy needle, which is considered a simple weapon that deals 1d4 piercing damage, and has the finesse and thrown weapon properties.

On a hit, the needle buries itself into the creature for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). During this time, the creature takes an additional 1d6 necrotic damage whenever it takes damage from any attack.

If the creature’s current hit points are below half of its hit point maximum, the additional damage increases to 2d6.

Felling Sweep (1 point or more)

You can use a bonus action and spend 1 or more maneuver points to sweep low to the ground, attempting to knock your enemies off balance. Choose a number of creatures equal to the maneuver points you spent that are within 5 feet of you and which are no more than one size category larger than you. Each chosen creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or fall prone.

Flickering Shadow Evasion (2 points)

When you are hit by a melee attack, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to flicker away. Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the result is higher than the creature’s attack roll against you, the attack misses, and you can teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.

Hail of Needles (5 points)

You can use an action and spend 5 maneuver points to cause nearby shadows to coalesce into a swarm of needles and rain down on your enemies. Choose a point within 90 feet. Creatures within 10 feet of the chosen point must make a Dexterity saving throw. This saving throw is made with disadvantage if the creature is in dim light or darkness.

A creature takes 5d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails the saving throw is also blinded until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw has its speed reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.

Heart-stopping Strike (5 points)

When a creature starts its turn within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction and spend 5 maneuver points to strike before it acts. Make a weapon attack against the creature. On a hit, your attack deals damage as normal, and the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature’s turn immediately ends.

Mirror Blade Technique (3 points)

You can use an bonus action and spend 3 maneuver points to conjure an illusory double of your blade, which strikes in unison with your own before vanishing. Make a single melee weapon attack or a thrown ranged weapon attack against a creature with advantage. The attack deals an additional 1d6 cold damage, or an additional 3d6 cold damage if both rolls would have hit.

Phantom Needles (3 points)

You can use an action and spend 3 maneuver points to cause shadows to coalesce around your hand, creating four phantasmal needles. Make four weapon attacks, one with each of the needles, which are considered simple weapons that deal 1 piercing damage and have the light, finesse, and thrown (30/60) properties.

If all four needles hit the same creature, the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the creature either falls prone or is restrained against an adjacent solid surface (your choice) until the start of your next turn

Phantom Step (1 point)

You can use a bonus action and expend 1 maneuver point to walk with spectral grace, moving up to your speed. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks, and you can move through creatures provided you do not end your move in the same space as a creature.

Shadow Army (2, 4, 6, or 8 points)

You can use an action and spend up to 8 maneuver points, summoning one shadow copy of yourself with every 2 points spent. Each shadow appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within 60 feet. Your shadows exist for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).

Your shadows’ AC is equal to your own. They are your size and use your bonuses for ability checks and saving throws. If a shadow takes damage, roll 1d4. On a result of 1, the shadow is destroyed. Otherwise, the shadow takes no damage. Your shadows are immune to all conditions.

For the duration of the maneuver, you can use a bonus action to silently control your shadows, causing each to move up to 30 feet as you wish and make one melee weapon attack against a creature within 5 feet of the shadow. Your shadows attack using your attack bonus as if they used a nonmagical copy of a weapon you hold. The shadows can benefit from your Sneak Attack once per turn (if the conditions for Sneak Attack are met).

When a shadow hits a creature, that creature has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes against you before the start of your next turn.

Additionally, creatures adjacent to your shadows can provoke opportunity attacks from them using your reaction if they move more than 5 feet away from your shadows.

Shape of Darkness (8 points)

You can use an action and spend 8 points to make your body turn ethereal, transforming into pure darkness. For the next 10 minutes, you gain the following benefits:

• You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet. • You have resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. • While you are in dim light or darkness, each turn you can use a bonus action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet that is also in dim light or darkness