Fighter: Duelist

For Fighters who prefer the intricacies of combat, especially with one opponent. A more renowned and noble fighting style, for those with stuck-up noses or fencers alike, these fighters excel at fighting one-on-one with one opponent, but can adapt to deal with multiple.

This subclass is designed for all settings.

Duelist Stance

When you choose this archetype, you can move into dueling stances while in combat. Once per turn, when you strike an opponent in combat, you can choose to enter a dueling stance until the end of your next turn. Alternatively, you can activate a known stance as a bonus action. Choose two of the dueling stances available.

• Offensive Stance: You strike harder, but are more vulnerable. You deal an additional die of damage on a hit. However, you take an additional die of damage whenever struck by a number of attacks equal to the number you successfully made in offensive stance (minimum of 1).
  • If you make an attack in Offensive stance and switch stances, this effect still applies.
• Defensive Stance: You are more defensive, but do not strike as hard. You gain a +2 AC, but deal 2 less damage on all attacks.
• Fencing Stance: You enter a stance, ready to strike at creatures who fail to attack you. When a creature misses 2 or all its attacks against you, you can make an opportunity attack against it as a reaction. If you have no reaction, you can still reposte, only dealing the ability modifier used in damage on a hit.
• Evasive Stance: When struck by an attack, you can use your reaction to move up to half your move speed without provoking opportunity attacks, regardless of whether the attack hits or not.
• Reaching Stance: Your reach increases by 5 feet.

To enter a dueling stance, you must not be wearing heavy armor and must be wielding a melee weapon without the Heavy or Two-Handed properties The exceptions to this rule are the Double-Bladed Scimitar and the War Staff.

Duelist’s Challenge

Additionally, when you choose this archetype, you can challenge opponents to duels. As a bonus action, you can challenge a creature you can see that can hear you to a duel. The target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw (DC 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength or Dexterity modifier) or have disadvantage on attack rolls against anyone other than you for the next minute. A creature can willingly fail this save by accepting the duel. The target must be able to understand what duel entails to duel you.

If you defeat the creature (whether by it dropping to 0, surrendering, or fleeing) in a number of rounds equal to twice your Proficiency Bonus, you win the duel, you immediately gain the benefits of your Second Wind. This does not use up your use of Second Wind.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus per day.

Virtuoso Stance

Starting at 7th level, you learn a new stance called the Virtuoso stance. When you kill an enemy in combat, you can choose to enter this stance, which lasts until you hit a creature with a melee attack or switch stances. When you strike a creature while in Virtuoso stance, it becomes a critical hit that does the maximum possible damage.

If you roll a manual critical hit while in Virtuoso stance, it deals triple dice instead of double.

Additionally, you can choose one additional stance to learn from the available stances.

Throw Down the Gauntlet

Starting at 10th level, you can insult your enemies to encourage them to duel you. You gain expertise in Intimidation, or Deception (your choice). If a creature succeeds in the Wisdom saving throw against your Duelist’s Challenge, you can follow up with a Facedown check for free. You gain no penalties if you fail this check (they are unhonorable, after all), and the creature is forced into a duel with you if they fail, Facedown penalties applying. If the creature fails the check and surrenders/flees, you gain the benefits of succeeding a duel.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you take a short rest.

Flow State

Beginning at 15th level, your swordsmanship has reached a master level, so much so that you can flow effortlessly between stances. You learn all dueling stances and can switch between them whenever you make a melee attack. You gain the following benefits when you end your turn in a specific stance:

• Offensive Stance: You do not take an extra die of damage from up to half of the attacks that deal extra damage from you attacking in Offensive stance (minimum of 1).
• Defensive Stance: Your AC increases by +4 until the start of your next turn.
• Fencing Stance: Your Ripostes now deal your weapon’s full damage.
• Evasive Stance: The first time you are attacked, you can move up to your move speed without provoking opportunity attacks for free.
• Reaching Stance: You have 2 additional reactions that can only be used for making opportunity attacks against creatures that enter your reach.
• Virtuoso Stance: You gain the benefits of 2 of the above stances of your choice.