Skulduggery Maneuvers
Underhanded, Deceptive, Deceitful
Making the wrong move in a fight can be fatal—particularly when an opponent causes such a misstep. Warriors that rely on Skulduggery maneuvers are confounding foes that play mental games amidst battle, feinting and leading their enemies into crucial mistakes they are all too ready to exploit.
Classes: Adept, Fighter, Marshal, Rogue
1st Degree Maneuvers
Deceptive Stance | 1 focus | 1st degree Skulduggery bonus action (stance) While you maintain this stance, you have advantage on Deception (Charisma) and Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks during combat. |
Skulk | 1 focus | 1st degree Skulduggery free action When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can gauge how effective your concealment is. You immediately learn what your result was if you didn’t know it, and you learn if any creatures you are aware of can still sense you. If they can, you can spend an additional focus to reroll the Dexterity (Stealth) check. If you do this, you must take the new result. |
Undermine | 1 focus | 1st degree Skulduggery action (attack) Take the Attack action. As long as all of your attacks on your turn are melee weapon attacks that target the same creature, that creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn. |
Watch the Birdie | 1 focus | 1st degree Skulduggery reaction When a creature targets you with a melee attack, and you have a free hand, you can use your reaction to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the creature’s passive Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) scores, whichever is higher. On a success, you take one item that isn’t being held from the target. As long as your check also exceeds the target’s passive Perception score, they do not know you took it. |
2nd Degree Maneuvers
Fake Out | 2 focus | 2nd degree Skulduggery action (attack) Take the Attack action, replacing one of your attacks with a false attack. Make a Charisma (Deception) check. If your check exceeds the target’s passive Wisdom (Insight) score, the creature must choose one of the following: it spends its reaction and grants the next attack made against it before the end of your next turn advantage OR it reduces the number of attacks it can make using the Extra Attack or Multiattack actions by 1 on its next turn OR spends 1 Legendary action (your choice). |
Feint | 1 focus | 2nd degree Skulduggery bonus action Choose a creature within your reach. You have advantage on your next weapon attack roll against it. |
Mug | 1 focus | 2nd degree Skulduggery bonus action If you hit a creature with a melee attack on your turn, you can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the creature’s passive Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) scores, whichever is higher. On a success, you take one item that isn’t being held from the target. As long as your check also exceeds the target’s passive Perception score, they do not know you took it. |
3rd Degree Maneuvers
Adroit Strike | 2 focus | 3rd degree Skulduggery action Make a melee weapon attack roll using the result of a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check instead of your attack bonus. If the attack hits, and you have the Sneak Attack class feature, you can deal the extra damage as long as you didn’t have disadvantage on the Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. |
Misdirect | 2 focus | 3rd degree Skulduggery reaction When you hide from a creature who is aware of your presence, you can use your reaction to further befuddle their perception of the battlefield. Make a Charisma (Deception) check against the creature’s passive Wisdom (Insight) score. On a success, choose a location where you could have hidden within 30 feet of any space you occupied on this turn. As long as you remain hidden from that creature, it believes you are hiding in that location, instead of where you are. |
Stalking Stance | 1 focus | 3rd degree Skulduggery bonus action (stance) While you maintain this stance, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to see you. |
4th Degree Maneuvers
Guileful Celerity | 1-3 focus | 4th degree Skulduggery free action When you take one of the bonus actions granted to you with Cunning Action, you can perform additional options on the same turn, spending 1 focus for each action you perform as a part of the same bonus action. If you do not have Cunning Action, you may instead spend 2 focus to Dash, Disengage, or Hide. |
Steal Momentum | 2 focus | 4th degree Skulduggery reaction When you roll initiative, you can use your reaction to steal the momentum of another creature you can see within 30 feet of you. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check with a DC equal to the creature’s initiative (minimum 15). If you succeed, reduce the target’s initiative by the amount your check exceeded the DC, and add the same amount to your own initiative roll. |
Toxic Strike | 3 focus | 4th degree Skulduggery action (attack) Take the Attack action. The first time you hit a creature on your turn, you can dose your weapon with an injury or contact poison in your possession right before injuring the creature. If your weapon is already poisoned, the creature saves against both poisons. |
5th Degree Maneuvers
Armor Lock | 2 focus | 5th degree Skulduggery action (attack) Take the Attack action, replacing one of your attacks with a quick maneuver to sabotage heavily-armored opponents. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the AC of a creature within reach that is wearing heavy armor, restraining it on a success. At the end of each of its turns, a creature restrained by this maneuver can make a Strength saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. |
Pilfer Object | 3 focus | 5th degree Skulduggery reaction When a creature you can see uses an item, you can use your reaction to move up to half your speed towards that creature. If you end your movement within 5 feet of the creature, you can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the creature’s passive Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics), whichever is higher. If you succeed, you take the item and may immediately use it. |