Dancer Archetype
The Performance of Discipline
Through a lifetime of practice in physical movement, you have learned to blend the effortless grace of dance with the violent ferocity of combat.
Subclass Features
Take the Stage
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your fluidity and grace in practiced movement belies a strength in combat that can delight an audience and challenge a foe in equal measure. You gain Proficiency in Performance and with Cobbler's tools. At 7th level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for checks made with these skills and tools.
School of Dance
Beginning when you take this archetype at 3rd level, you adopt a particular school of dance as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a School of Dance option more than once, even when you choose a second School at level 15.
Each school provides a skill proficiency, a cantrip, and a Footwork action unique to that school. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your school of dance cantrips. Your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the performance of your dance. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for the Footwork action for your school, should that action require it.
Footwork save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Cantrip attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Footwork focus You can using your dancing shoes as a focus for your school of dance cantrips and Footwork actions. Your Footwork actions last until your concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell), to a maximum of 1 minute.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
- Formal Dance. The Formal Dance is a style often performed in large groups, rigidly arranged, and with predefined steps, focused on moving together in time. It is a favorite of nobles at official functions or aristocratic balls. You gain proficiency in History, the Dancing Lights cantrip, and the Footwork action Choreographer.
Choreographer. As an action, you begin a precise dance with coordinated steps, moving in time with others on the dance floor. Once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, attempt to maneuver the target in a direction of your choice. If the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you maneuver the target up to 15 feet in any direction of your choice, and can move up to your speed to pursue it and end within 5 feet of the target.
- Narrative Dance. The Narrative Dance is a type of performative dance often performed with musical accompaniment, and using elaborate costumes and staging, with the intent of telling a story. It can, however, also be performed without these things, relying on the movements alone to convey a tone or message. You gain proficiency in Persuasion, the Friends cantrip, and the Footwork action Engrossing Tale.
Engrossing Tale. As an action, you begin a performance that tells a story so engaging that enemies have difficulty interrupting it before it ends. Until the performance ends, any creature who targets the dancer with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This spell doesn't protect the warded creature from area effects, such as the explosion of a fireball. This performance can incorporate attacks without ending, but if you attack a creature during the dance, that creature has advantage on the next saving throw it makes when attacking you.
- Partnered Dance. The Partnered Dance is a form of dance intended specifically for two, relying on the pair to support and move together in coordinated movements. You gain proficiency in Medicine, the Spare the Dying cantrip, and the Footwork action Lead and Follow.
Lead and Follow. As an action, you designate a willing creature of your choice and begin to move together in tandem. This harmony grants the two of you temporary HP equal to 1d6 + your CHA modifier at the beginning of each of your turns for as long as the dance lasts, and as long as the two of you remain within 15 feet of each other. If you and your designated partner move more than 15 feet apart, the dance does not end (unless the duration is exceed or concentration is lost), but you do not gain the benefits of those temporary HP until you move back within range of each other.
- Prophetic Dance. The Prophetic Dance is a ritual dance in which the purpose is to obtain a communication from or to a god or spirits in order to receive a favorable response. You gain proficiency in Insight, the Guidance cantrip, and the Footwork action Maestral Fortune.
Maestral Fortune. As an action, you begin to move in a trance-like manner intended to invite a god or spirits into your body so that they may grant favor to you and those around you. Once per turn, when an ally you can see within 30 feet of you fails an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll.
- War Dance. The War Dance is a ceremonial dance or challenge performed with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment. When you select this school of dance at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Intimidation, the Primal Savagery cantrip, and the Footwork action Taunting Stomp.
Taunting Stomp. As an action, you vigorously stomp your feet and issue a shouted challenge, which compels all creatures you choose that you can see within 15 feet to see you as their only opponent. These creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creatures are drawn to you, compelled by your savage taunt. For the duration, they have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you, and must make a Wisdom saving throw each time they attempt to move to a space that is more than 30 feet away from you; if they succeeds on this saving throw, this spell doesn’t restrict the target’s movement for that turn.
- Whirling Dance. The Whirling Dance is a form of physically active meditation distinguished by the use of a multicolored skirt and spinning one's body in repetitive circles, which has been seen as a symbolic imitation of the Planes of the multiverse. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics, the Blade Ward cantrip, and the Footwork action Vertiginous Spin.
Vertiginous spin. As an action, you begin to rapidly turn in place, distracting and disorienting your foes, making you much harder to hit. You must pass a DC 10 CON saving throw to stave off dizziness as you begin to whirl. On a success, you are able to Disengage or Dodge as a bonus action on each of your turns for the duration. On a failure, you fall prone for the remainder of your turn, and the action and use of Footwork are wasted. When you reach level 7 in this class, you have advantage on this saving throw.
Quickstep
Your time in dance has given you the practice and expertise needed to move quickly from place to place. At 7th level, your walking speed increases by 10, and you can Dash as a bonus action.
Agile Recovery
Though everyone stumbles, you have learned to correct mistakes so quickly that an observer might not have noticed yours at all. By 10th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
Advanced School of Dance
At 15th level, you can choose a second option from the School of Dance class feature.
Big Finish
You have practiced so exhaustively and so long in your chosen styles that they have become effortless. The Footwork features from your Schools of Dance no longer require concentration to maintain, and any time you roll initiative with no uses of your Footwork remaining, you regain one use of it.