QUICK BUILD

You can make a duelist quickly by following these suggestions. First make either strength or dexterity your highest ability score (depending on whether you want to use finesse weapons), your next highest ability score should be in constitution. Second choose the folk hero background.

Class Features

As a duelist, you gain the following class features

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a longsword, (b) a rapier, or (c) a sabre
• (a) chain shirt or (b) studded leather armor
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• Five daggers and one type of gaming set.

Alternatively, you may start with 5d4 × 10 gp to buy your own equipment.

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Martial Advantage

Begining at 1st level you know how to take advantage of a distracted target and excel at one on one combat.

Once per turn you may add 2d6 to the damage of your attack, if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it and that enemy isn't incapacitated. You may also add the damage against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it and no other creatures are within 5 feet of you. You cannot use a weapon with the heavy property. Nor can you use this feature if you have disadvantage on your attack.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Martial Advantage column of the Duelist table.

Daring

Whenever you make an ability check using acrobatics or Athletics you do so with advantage.

Light-Footed

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash or Disengage action.

Brave

You are immune to being frightened.

Combat Expertise

When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to fight defensively. You can choose to take disadvantage on all your attacks, by doing so you impose disadvantage on all attacks against you.

Dueling Archetype

Choose an archetype to further define your skills as a duelist. Be you a blade, a mask, or acrobat.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Critical Strikes

Critical hits with a melee weapon attack inflict a condition, special affect, or Damage over time. At 5th level pick two types of critical strike, pick another one at 9th and 14th level.

Whenever you score a critical hit you may apply one of the options you have selected.

Bleeding Strike. Target takes an additional 1d10 damage at the end of its next turn.

Blinding Strike. Target is blinded. Effect lasts until the end of your next turn

Stunning Strike. Target is stunned. Effect lasts until the end of your next turn

Menacing strike. Target is frightened. Effect lasts until the end of your next turn

Sweeping Strike. You may make another attack against a different enemy in your reach.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Determined

Beginning at 7th level, you can reroll any attack, skill check, or saving throw that you fail. If you do so, You must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 11th level, three times between long rests starting at 15th level, and four times between long rests at 18th level.

Steely Determination

If you have no uses of Determined when you roll initiative, you regain 1 use.

Duelist Archetypes

Duelists come in a variety of flavors and styles. Listed below are three of the most common. The blade, master of swordfighting. The mask, all about subterfuge, and the acrobat, quick and mobile.

The Blade

The blade is unmatched in swordsmanship able to do things with their weapon others can only dream of. When you pick this Archetype you gain Proficiency in Shields. All of these features only work with longsword, rapier, dagger, short sword, scimitar, and saber.

Pinpoint Strikes

At 3rd level your weapon attacks score a critical hit on 19 or 20, in addition when you use your martial advantage feature instead of adding to damage you may instead add any number of the dice to your attack roll.

Additional Fighting Style

At 6th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.

Warding Blades

Starting at 6th level, when another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add 1 + your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.

Riposte

Starting at 13th level, When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature.

Perfect Strikes

At 17th level your weapon attacks critical hit on 18, 19, or 20. If you miss with an attack roll, you can roll it again with advantage. Once you do so, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

The Mask

Some masks wear a physical mask, others hide their true intentions behind lies and half-truths. When you pick this Archetype you gain proficiency in Disguise kit, and either Deception or Stealth.

Expertise

At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

En Garde

Also at 3rd level, as a bonus action, you may make an Charisma (intimidation) check against a creature you can see that isn't incapacitated, contested by the target's Wisdom (insight) check. If you succeed the target is frightened until the end of your next turn. Whether they succeed of fail, each creature can only be targeted by this affect once before you take a short or long rest.

Seen it, Done It, Lived It

Starting at 6th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.

The Hearts of Men

In addition, at 6th level, if you make a successful insight check on a creature you may roll any deception or persuasion roll against them with advantage.

Superior Skill

At 13th level, instead of rolling a d20, you may roll your martial advantage dice for your skill check. You may use this feature twice before needing a long rest.

Who Knows What Lies…

Starting at 17th level, you have become so good at disguises, deception and stealth that any insight, perception or investigation check made to discover who or where you are is made with disadvantage.

The Acrobat

Acrobats hone their movement to help the most in combat, quick and deadly; they are constantly dodging out of the way and turning deadly strikes into glancing blows with their quick movements. When you pick this archetype you gain proficiency in acrobatics or athletics. You also can now add your proficiency bonus to any skill check using a rope.

Elusive

At 17th level, you become so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't incapacitated.