Nightblade

In the long dark of the night there are many more terrifying things at work than the humble rogue. Among these are the ancient thirsting undead known as vampires. Whether through intentional training in closely guarded dark arts or a nightmarish, narrow escape from a fanged foe, you have absorbed some of their hungering essence into you and now you seek to master its power.

Such an amalgamation of stealth and cunning and necromantic power is known as a Nightblade. Eschewing the forged steel of their peers, Nightblades can manifest vampiric fangs and claws to strike their foes. Fully mature Nightblades take on much of the nature of their vampiric source, learning to absorb their foes' life force and channel it into supernatural powers. Though not true vampires, Nightblades are generally feared or at least held in contempt by every day society. Particularly zealous Paladins or Clerics might cause difficulties if they discover a rogue practices the arts of the Nightblade.

Night Weapons

Starting at level 3, your physical form is enhanced by vampiric energy and you gain access to their natural weapons.

Bite. Your mouth is filled with terrible, sharp fangs. Your bite deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit.

Claws. Your nails sharpen into claws, which deal 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. When you take the Attack action on your turn and make an attack with your claws, you can make one additional attack using your claws as a bonus action.

Hungering Strike

Since learning these techniques you are always hungry, always thirsty. Starting at 3rd level. When you catch a foe distracted or unawares you can draw out their living essence and add it to your own. When you perform a sneak attack, deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage and gain that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last until you take a long rest and stack with themselves up to a maximum of your rogue level + your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). The necrotic damage increases to 2d6 at level 11 and 3d6 at level 17.

Paid in Blood

You have learned to use your own vitality to fuel vampiric powers. Starting at 9th level you gain access to the following abilities:

Seeing Red

As a bonus action your eyes turn red and you gain Darkvision 120 ft. In addition you can see red silhouettes of living creatures or any creature which contains flesh or blood and you intuitively know how many hit points they have remaining. Within 30 ft. this sight extends through solid objects. You take damage equal to 1/3 of your class level (round down). This ability lasts for 1 minute.

Defy Gravity

As an action you can gain the ability to move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free. You also gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. You take damage equal to 1/2 your character level (round down).

Unearthly Step

As a bonus action, you can dissolve into red mist and teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. You take damage equal to 1/2 your character level (round down).

Power in the Blood

Beginning at 13th level, your mastery over your dark powers grows even stronger. You gain the following abilities:

Unseen Hunter

As an action you become invisible for up to an hour. The spell ends if you attack or cast a spell. You take damage equal to your class level.

Slip the Bonds

As an action you sprout red veined shadowy wings and gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. You take damage equal to your class level.

Blood-Crazed

The more of your life force you expend the more vampiric power you can summon and the harder it becomes to control your hunger. Starting at 17th level, when you are at half health or lower you have advantage on melee attacks with your claw or bite natural weapons, your hungering strike damage increases by 2d6 and your walking speed increases by 30 ft.

If you attempt to use your action for anything other than a bite or claw attack you must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure you are compelled to use your action to make a bite or claw attack against a random creature within reach. If you succeed on this saving throw you are immune to this effect until you take hit point damage again.