Hit Points (HP)

Proficiencies

Blackguard Table

Equipment

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

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon
• (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Chain mail and an arcane focus

Or, you could choose to start with 5d4 × 10 gp and purchase your equipment.

Creating a Blackguard

As you create your Blackguard, spend some time thinking through your patron and what your pact with them imposes on you. What led you to make your pact and how did you make contact with your patron? Were you seduced into summoning a devil, or did you seek out the ritual that would allow you to make contact with an alien elder god? Did you search for your patron, or did your patron find and choose you? Do you serve resentfully under the obligations of your pact, or do you serve joyfully in anticipation of the rewards promised to you? And as you serve, do you do so selfishly, or in protection of others? And how do your desires align with your patron's?

Quick Build

You can make a Blackguard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma and Constitution. Second, choose the Soldier background. Third, learn the Syphon Strike skill from the Lifedrinker tree.

Equipment

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

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) five javelins or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Chain mail and an arcane focus

Class Abilities

Otherworldly Patron

At 1st Level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice: The Archfey, the Archomental, the Celestial, or the Fiend. Your choice grants you features at 3rd Level, and again at 11th and 15th Level.

Darkside

Using your power from your patron, as you strike your enemies, you build a reservoir of dark energy within you from the force of your blow – a reservoir from which you can call upon to empower other attacks or Blackguard features and abilities. This is known as your Darkside Gauge.

When you roll for Initiative, you gain DP equal to half of your Blackguard Level (rounded up). For every 5 points of damage that you deal to hostile creatures with your melee weapon attacks in the heat of combat, your Darkside Gauge gains one Darkside Point (DP), to a maximum indicated by the Blackguard Table. For every 10 points of damage that you receive while in the heat of combat, you gain one DP.

You can expend DP to activate certain abilities, learning generic Darkside abilities at 1st and 2nd Level, and one specific to your patron at 14th Level. Your Darkside Gauge is reduced to 0 at the end of combat.

Darkside: Vehemence

You gain the ability to use your mystical powers granted by your patron to empower your strikes at the cost of your defence. On your turn, provided that you have at least 3 DP, whenever you make a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can choose to activate this feature. You expend 2 DP, and for the rest of this turn, your melee weapon attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. Furthermore, until the start of your next turn, weapon attacks deal 1d6 extra damage to you.

If you are below half of your HP, you roll twice as many damage dice from this ability.

Amplify: If you have at least 7 DP, you can expend 4 DP instead, and your melee weapon attacks deal 1d12 extra damage, but weapon attacks deal 1d8 extra damage to you.

Fighting Style

At Level 2, 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.

Duelling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons (a shield does not count as a weapon), you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Interception

When a creature you can see hits a target that is within 4m of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to move within 2m of the target if you aren't already, and reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your Level + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You take half of the damage that you prevented (rounded down). You must be wielding a shield, or a simple or martial melee weapon to use this reaction.

Two-weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one. You can use two-weapon fighting even when your main-hand weapon is non-Light, provided that your off-hand weapon is a Dagger.

Pact Magick

Spell Slots

The table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of these Blackguard spells, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest. For example, when you are 5th Level, you have two 2nd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell Dark, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

At 2nd level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Blackguard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Blackguard table shows when you learn more Blackguard spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what's shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 5th level, for example, you learn a new Blackguard spell, which can be 1st, or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Blackguard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Blackguard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Blackguard spells, since the power of your magick relies on your force of conviction of the deal that you made with your patron. You use your CHA whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your CHA modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Blackguard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your Blackguard spells.

Pact Spell List

Your patron grants you magickal prowess, allowing you to learn the following spells at the specified Level without counting towards your spells known.

The Archfey

Level	Spells Known
2	Fairy Fire
5	Calmness
9	Plant Growth

The Archomental

Level	Spells Known
2	Null Element
5	Reflect
9	Elemental Armour

The Celestial

Level	Spells Known
2	Cure
5	Cleanse
9	Daylight

The Fiend

Level	Spells Known
2	Command
5	Blind / Deafen
9	Fira

Darkside: Soul Eater

Beginning at 2nd Level, you gain the ability to unleash a torrent of dark energy. As an action, provided you have at least 5 DP, you can expend all of your DP to use this ability. With your palm outstretched, you unleash a wave of dark energy that strikes at a creature's mental fortitude. All creatures within a 6m Cone originating from you must make a WIS saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they take DARK damage equal to 3d6 + twice the amount of DP you expended, and become

Stunned

You take DARK damage equal to half the amount of damage, which cannot be reduced by any form of resistance you might have to DARK damage, but also cannot bring you below 1 HP. Thereafter, you gain temporary HP equal to this same amount until the end of your next turn.

Amplify: If you expended at least 10 DP, the area of effect becomes a 12m Cone instead.

Pact Boon

Beginning at 3rd Level, and again at 11th and 14th Level, you gain the following boons from your patron.

The Archfey

Fey Presence – 3rd Level

Starting at 3rd Level, your patron bestows upon you the ability to project the beguiling and fearsome presence of the fey.

As an action, you can cause each creature of your choice in a 6m radius Sphere originating from you to make a WIS saving throw against your spell save DC. The creatures that fail their saving throws are all

Charmed

, or

Frightened

by you (your choice) until the end of your next turn.

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

Beguiling Defenses – 11th Level

Beginning at 11th level, your patron teaches you how to turn the mind-affecting magick of your enemies against them. You are Immune to being

Charmed

, and when another creature attempts to charm you, you can use your reaction to attempt to turn the charm back on that creature. The creature must succeed on a WIS saving throw against your spell save DC or be

Charmed

by you for 1 minute or until the creature takes any damage.

Darkside: Dark Delirium – 14th Level

Starting at 14th Level, you can plunge a creature into an illusory realm.

As a bonus action, provided that you have at least 8 DP, you can expend all of your DP and choose a creature that you can see within 10m of you. It must make a WIS saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it is

Charmed

, or

Frightened

by you (your choice) for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken (as if you are concentrating on a spell). This effect ends early if the creature takes any damage. A creature who saves against this effect, or who is freed from this effect, cannot be affected by this feature for 24 hours.

Until this illusion ends, the creature thinks it is lost in a misty realm, the appearance of which you choose. The creature can see and hear only itself, you, and the illusion.

After using this feature, your maximum HP is temporarily reduced by 15 – the amount of DP you expended. This reduction is removed after you complete a short or long rest.

Amplify: If you expend at least 15 DP, the range of this feature becomes 50m, the creature makes the initial saving throw with Disadvantage, and the creature is not freed from the effect early if they take damage, instead repeating the WIS saving throw, ending the effect on a successful save.

The Archomental

Primordial Step – 3rd Level

Starting at 3rd Level, you can disperse your body into elemental particles before forming again elsewhere. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn

Invisible

and teleport up to 6m to an unoccupied space you can see. You remain Invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack or cast a spell.

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

Elemental Ascendant – 11th Level

At 11th level, You begin to take on characteristics of your patron's kind. You gain 1 stage of resistance to a damage type determined by your patron's affinity: EARTH, FIRE, ICE, LIGHTNING, WATER, or WIND.

In addition, as a bonus action, you can give yourself a flying speed of 10m that lasts for 10 minutes, during which you can hover. While this feature is active, small particle effects surround you based on the elemental nature of your patron. For example, it might manifest itself in light, swirling winds; or small, moving water droplets.

You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your CHA modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Darkside: Manipulate Ley Lines – 14th Level

Starting at 14th Level, you are able to channel your patron's power to highlight the natural ley lines in an area, manipulating them to augment your attacks.

As a bonus action, provided that you have at least 8 DP, you can expend all of your DP and cause the ley lines in an 8m radius Sphere centred on you to glow faintly and exude a light Mist, with a colour corresponding to the elemental nature of your patron. The area sheds dim light out to 6m from the area. This area does not move with you, and it lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken (as with a spell).

While you are within the area of the glowing ley lines, whenever you hit with a weapon attack, you can choose to deal an extra 1d8 ELEMENTAL damage corresponding to the nature of your patron. Furthermore, you gain 10 temporary hit points (doesn't stack with itself) when you start your turn in the area or when you enter the area for the first time on a turn, manifesting itself in visible elemental armour, and any creature that hits you with a melee weapon attack takes 1d8 ELEMENTAL damage.

This field also allows you to quicken your spellcasting – while within the area, spells that have a casting time of 1 action now have a casting time of 1 bonus action.

After using this feature, your maximum HP is temporarily reduced by 15 – the amount of DP you expended. This reduction is removed after you complete a long rest.

Amplify: If you expend at least 15 DP, this feature no longer requires your concentration. Furthermore, you are now able to grant a smaller bonus to allies within the Sphere; they only receive 5 temporary hit points, and the ELEMENTAL damage from both instances is only 1d4.

The Celestial

Healing Light – 3rd Level

At 3rd Level, you gain the ability to channel celestial energy to heal wounds. You have a pool of d8s that you spend to fuel this healing. The number of dice in the pool equals 1 + your Blackguard Level.

As a bonus action, you can heal one creature you can see within 20m of you, spending dice from the pool. The maximum number of dice you can spend at once equals your CHA modifier (minimum of one die). Roll the dice you spend, add them together, and restore a number of hit points equal to the total + your CHA modifier.

Your pool regains all expended dice when you finish a long rest.

Celestial Resistance – 11th Level

Starting at 11th Level, you gain temporary HP whenever you finish a short or long rest. These temporary hit points equal your Blackguard Level + your CHA modifier. Additionally, choose up to five creatures you can see at the end of the rest. Those creatures each gain temporary hit points equal to half of your Blackguard Level + your CHA modifier.

Darkside: Searing Vengeance – 14th Level

Starting at 14th Level, the radiant energy you channel allows you or your allies to resist death.

When an ally (including yourself) within 10m of you has to make a death saving throw at the start of their turn, provided you have at least 8 DP, you can instead expend all of your DP and cause the creature to spring back to your feet with a burst of radiant energy. The creature regains HP equal to one quarter of their maximum HP, and then they stand up if they so choose. Each creature of your choice that is within 10m of that creature takes HOLY damage equal to 2d8 + your CHA modifier, and is

Blinded

until the end of the current turn.

After using this feature, your maximum HP is temporarily reduced by 30 – the amount of DP you expended. This reduction is removed after you complete a long rest.

Amplify: If you expend at least 15 DP, they regain HP equal to half of their maximum HP instead of one quarter, and they take HOLY damage equal to 4d8 + your CHA modifier instead.

The Fiend

Soul Syphon – 3rd Level

Starting at 3rd Level, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 HP, you gain temporary HP equal to twice your CHA modifier + half of your Blackguard Level (rounded up), which lasts until you complete a long rest. This temporary HP doesn't stack with itself.

Fiendish Resilience – 11th Level

Starting at 11th level, you can choose one damage type when you finish a short or long rest. Your resistance stage to that damage type becomes at least Resist until you choose a different one with this feature. Damage from magickal weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.

Darkside: Hurl through Hell – 14th Level

Starting at 14th level, provided you have at least 8 DP, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend all of your DP and use this feature to force the creature to make a CHA saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they are instantly transported through the lower planes; the creature disappears and hurtles through a nightmare landscape.

At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not a Fiend, it takes 6d10 PSYCHIC damage as it reels from its horrific experience.

After using this feature and the targeted creature gets successfully transported, your maximum HP is temporarily reduced by 30 – the amount of DP you expended. This reduction is removed after you complete a long rest.

Amplify: If you expend at least 15 DP, the creature doesn't make a saving throw, and instead automatically gets transported when you use this feature.

Martial Maneuver

At Levels 3, 7, 10, and 15, you can learn some techniques that you can employ in combat which show your martial prowess. See the Martial Maneuvers page.

Ability Score Improvement

At Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, 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 skill.

You can forgo taking this feature to take a Feat of your choice instead.

Extra Attack

At Level 5, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Empowering Sacrifice

At 6th Level, you can sacrifice some of your life force to tap into your dark power quicker. Provided that you were not Surprised, at the start of your first turn in combat, you can choose to take Xd6 unaspected damage (where the maximum of X is 5) to gain X DP.

Attack of Opportunity*

From 6th Level onwards, you are able to train yourself to take advantage of any drop in guard of your enemies. You can choose to forgo spending a skill point to learn the Attack of Opportunity reaction below:

Reaction Trigger: A creature within your reach makes a ranged attack, leaves a square during its movement, or casts a spell with somatic (S) or material (M) components.

Effect: Make a melee weapon attack against the creature.

*Attack of Opportunity variant: You can only learn this feature if you are using this variant.

Living Shadow

At 9th Level, you gain the ability to create a shadowy simulacrum of yourself, drawing upon threads of shadow from the Void.

As an action, you can form this shadow in an area of dim light or darkness within 4m of you, which lasts for 1 hour or until you're Incapacitated, but can be dismissed earlier as a bonus action. This shadow is a magickal, dark gray silhouette-like image of yourself, with aspects of your patron's nature being manifested in its image.

It counts as a creature of the Construct type, and it has AC equal to 15 + your CHA modifier, 1 HP, and Immunity to all conditions. If it has to make a saving throw, it uses your saving throw bonus for the roll. Once it is reduced to 0 HP, or if it is ever further than 40m from you at the end of your turn, it is destroyed and is dispersed in a stream of shadows.

On your turn, you can mentally command the shadow to move up to 10m in any direction (no action required). You also gain the following options:

• As a bonus action, you can teleport, magickally swapping places with your shadow at a cost of 6m of your movement, regardless of the distance between the two of you.
• When you take the Attack action on your turn, any attack you make with that action can originate from your space or the shadow's space. You make this choice for each attack.
• When a creature that you can see within 2m of your shadow moves at least 2m away from it, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against that creature as if you were in the shadow's space.

After using this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

At 18th Level, you can draw upon the shadowy energy from the Void more effortlessly. There is no longer any restriction for the number of times you can use this feature, and you can now activate it as a bonus action.

Shadow Surge

At 20th Level, you can build up dark energy at a faster pace, being quicker to unleash the force of your might unto your enemies. You now gain two Darkside Points for every 5 points of damage that you deal to hostile creatures with your melee weapon attacks, and two Darkside Points for every 10 points of damage that you receive in the heat of combat.