Roguish Archetype: Blademaster
Blademasters are rogues who focus less on stealth and subtlety, preferring to hone their combat skills. However, unlike a swashbuckler, who's combat often appears to be a performance, the blademaster focuses on forcing openings in their opponents, and using those to strike with lethal precision.
Rogue's Parry
Starting at 3rd level, your reflexes are sharpened, allowing you to turn aside deadly blows. When another creature damages you with a melee attack while you are wielding a melee weapon with the finesse property, you can use your reaction to roll half the number of Sneak Attack dice for your level (round up). You reduce the damage by the total rolled plus your Rogue level.
Exploit Opening
Also at 3rd level, if you reduce the damage of an attack to 0 using Rogue's Parry, you may make an attack against that creature using a melee weapon with the finesse property that you are holding, as part of the same reaction. On a hit, you can deal your Sneak Attack damage to the creature, even if there are no other creatures within 5 feet of it or you don't have advantage, so long as you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.
Duelist's Stances
At 9th level, you've learned stances to take in combat to provide different benefits. After using Rogue's Parry, you can choose to use one of the following stances:
- Battering Stance. If you reduce the damage of an attack to 0 using Rogue's Parry, you can choose to use this stance instead of Exploit Opening, knocking aside your opponent's defenses. The creature takes a penalty to its AC equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) until the start of your next turn.
- Evading Stance. If you still take damage from an attack after reducing it using Rogue's Parry, you can take this stance, quickly repositioning somewhere advantageous. You may immediately move up to your speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.
- Flowing Stance. If you still take damage from an attack after reducing it using Rogue's Parry, you can take this stance, quickening your footwork to better respond to further threats. Until the start of your next turn, you gain the benefits of the Dodge action.
- Striking Stance. If you reduce the damage of an attack to 0 using Rogue's Parry, you can choose to take this stance before using Exploit Opening, striking with vicious speed. Your Exploit Opening attack roll is made at advantage.
Regardless of which option you choose, you can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Master's Reflexes
Starting at 13th level, your reflexes are unrivaled, and you're always ready for an attack. You gain an additional reaction each round, which can only be used for Rogue's Parry. You can only take one reaction per turn.
Perfect Parry
At 17th level, your precision and timing allows you to turn aside even the most lethal blows, and respond with equal force. When you use Rogue's Parry, you can choose to reduce the damage of the incoming attack to 0, instead of rolling. If you hit with your Exploit Opening attack, it is automatically considered a critical hit.
Once you've used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.