Mist Walker

The Elf exhales a final breath to ready herself. In a flash she disappears, only to reappear behind the unexpecting headsman. A shroud of mist covers her true actions, and in a matter of seconds she and the doomed man she was hired to save are running along the rooftops, making their way to the safehouse.

Recovering quickly from the initial blast, the tiefling scans the ambushers for the origin of the assault. Spotting a robed half-orc wielding a glowing staff, she reaches out her hand and soon a red swirl of mist appears around her and the half-orc. She can feel the magical exchange of life easing the pain from her fresh burns and a smile spreads across her face as the half-orc lets out a howling scream of anguish.

Whatever the origin of their connection to the mists, one thing is for sure, those who can tap into and harness the ability to walk the mists, leave both devastation and confusion in their wake.

Cunning Warriors

To be counted among those who can walk the mists is no easy feat and as such, Mist Walkers are incredibly dedicated warriors. Focusing their mind to absorb the entirety of their surroundings they track their enemies and engage them at blinding speeds— often from behind.

The mental fortitude it takes to harness the power of the mists, while engaged in the throes of combat is significant.

Mist walkers strike fast and hard against their most dangerous foes, and just as abruptly as they appear, they’re gone— already calculating their next attack. Speed and surprise are a Mist Walker’s greatest asset, which is probably why so many favor a pair of shorter blades— though some Mist Walkers still prefer to fight with shield, knowing that they so often find themselves behind enemy lines.

Still some prefer to further engage their enemies from a distance, mixing their skill with a bow with the ability to manipulate the mists to cripple their foes and aid their allies.

Battlefield Strikers

Due to the nature of their abilities and intellectual aptitude, Mist Walkers excel at two professions in particular: that of the soldier, and assassin.

Mist Walkers have been rumored to be responsible for armies suddenly finding themselves without a commanding officer— whether on the field of battle, or during the night before a siege— where the lines between soldier and assassin become blurred.

Naturally those organizations who deal in death for profit, attract Mist Walkers who have less-than-honorable morals, and likewise Mist Walkers often find those particular organizations eager to give them an opportunity to prove their worth.

Creating a Mist Walker

Mist Walking is not something innate, but rather a skill that is studied, practiced and honed. Not only do Mist Walkers have to learn how to harness the raw energy of the mist, but they also go through rigorous martial training. Bringing the two arts together is still a feat in itself. As such, most Mist Walkers receive some form of formal training— whether through their service in a standing army, an apprenticeship in an order of assassins, or perhaps they were cultivated from birth in the ancient traditions of their remote mountain village.

When creating a Mist Walker consider their upbringing and how they might have had access to such unique training. The environment in which they were trained, as well as their instructors, will typically have a significant impact on their personality and overall worldview.

Perhaps the artform of Mist Walking was not passed down from a formal instructor but rather something you discovered in an ancient tome— with your Mist Walker spending countless hours pouring over the text and practicing it’s teachings. How would your Mist Walker decide to put this new power to use? Why would they feel the need to study an, ultimately, deadly martial art form? Is it to gain an edge over a rival? Or perhaps it’s because they had a specific use in mind, and they needed a way to escape quickly.

Quick Build

You can make a Mist Walker quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score if you plan on wielding two light weapons, or Strength if you plan on using one weapon and a shield (Some Mist Walkers who focus on two-weapon fighting make Strength higher than Dexterity). Your next-highest score should be Intelligence, or Constitution if you plan to take the Conviction of the Blade. Second, choose a background for your character.

Class Features

As a Mist Walker you gain the following benefits.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Mist Walker level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier.
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your constitution modifier.

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords, Scimitars, Rapiers
Skills: Poisoner’s Kit
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth.

Equipment

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

• (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
• (a) Shield or (b) a shortsword
• (a) an Explorers Pack or (b) a Dungeoneer’s Pack
• Leather Armor, two Daggers, and Poisoner’s Kit
• a pouch holding 5d4 x 10 gp.

Class Features

Mist Walk

Beginning at 1st level, you gain the ability to Mist Walk, allowing you to teleport short distances. As part of your movement, you may teleport to another empty space you can see within your Mist Walk distance as shown in the Mist Walk column of the Mist Walker table. The distance you can Mist Walk increases as you gain levels in the class. Using Mist Walk does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

You may choose instead to break up your movement by moving up to half your movement speed and using your Mist Walk ability for up to half your current Mist Walk Distance. You may take these forms of movement in any order, and you may still take additional actions between these movements as normal. You can only Mist Walk once per turn as part of your movement (this excludes shroud abilities). You may not combine your Mist Walk ability with a Dash action.

Upon reaching 5th level in this class, you can additionally teleport up to half of your Mist Walk distance if you have used your Mist Walk ability as part of your move action this turn, or your full Mist Walk Distance if you have not, as a Bonus Action.

Unarmored Defense

While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a fighting style from the list of optional features. You can’t take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other Weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to Damage Rolls, with that weapon.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Shroud

Beginning at 2nd level, you tap further into the secrets of mist, giving you access to manifest and manipulate it as a tangible force, called the shroud.

Shroud Points

You have 2 shroud points and you gain additional shroud points as you level, as represented by the Shroud Points column of the Mist Walker table. Shroud points are spent to activate your shroud abilities. You regain all expended shroud points whenever you complete a long rest.

Some of your Shroud Abilities require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Shroud Ability save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Shroud Abilities

When reaching 2nd level in this class you gain access to the following Shroud Abilities.

Cloaking Mist

As an action, you may spend 1 shroud point to create a 30-foot-radius sphere of dark mist centered on yourself.

The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.

Veiled Shield

As a reaction, whenever another creature hits you with a melee attack, you may spend 1 shroud point to add a +2 bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you. This bonus increases to +3 when you reach level 10th in this class, and to a +4 when you reach level 20 in this class.

Jaunt

As a reaction, you may spend 1 shroud point to Mist Walk up to half your Mist Walk Distance to another unoccupied space, whenever you take damage. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Methodical Strikes

Beginning at 3rd level you can feel the Mist guiding your attacks. Whenever you Mist Walk, you gain a +1 bonus to your next melee attack before the end of the turn. This bonus increases to a +2 at 11th level and +3 at 18th level.

Conviction

At 3rd level, you choose a Conviction to follow to best understand how to use the ebb and flow of the Mist to aid you. Choose Conviction of the Blade, Conviction of the Mind, or Conviction of the Shroud, all are detailed at the end of the class description. The conviction you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and at 15th.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 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.

Extra Attack

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

Expansive Mind

Starting at 6th level, whenever you make an ability check using Intelligence, after you see the roll, but before the outcome is determined, you may roll an additional d20 and take the highest result.

Once you’ve used this ability you cannot use it again until you complete a short rest.

Misty Escape

Beginning at 7th level, your instinctive connection to the Mist allows you escape from the danger of certain area effects, such as a Red Dragon’s Fiery-breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, if you succeed on the saving throw you may use your reaction to Mist Walk to the nearest unoccupied square, up to half your Mist Walk distance, and instead you take no damage.

Tactical Precision

Starting at 9th level you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of your weapon attacks.

Honed Mind

Beginning at 10th level, your keen mind has become a valuable asset to keep you safe. Whenever you make either a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw, you may choose to add your Intelligence modifier to your saving throw. You can do this a number of times per day equal to half your Intelligence modifier.

Misty Vision

At 13th level, fighting in heavily obscured areas no longer troubles you. You gain blindsight up to 15 feet.

Misty Form

Starting at 17th level, you move so fluidly through the Mist, it is difficult for your foes to track you. When you use Mist Walk as part of a move action, you may then cast mirror image as a bonus action without requiring spell components. These duplicates move with you as normal, even when using Mist Walk. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Greater Mist Walk

Starting at 18th level, as an action, you may use the teleport spell as though you have cast it, without requiring spell components. If you target only yourself, you regain use of this ability after a long rest. If you target two or more creatures, you regain use of this ability after 1d6 days.

Mist Clone

At 20th level, you can shape the Mist around you to form a tangible duplicate of yourself to aid you in combat. As an action, choose an unoccupied space within your Mist Walk Distance. A clone of yourself appears in that square and is physically identical to you in appearance, including carried equipment— with the exception that all carried equipment on the clone has no magical properties. This ability lasts for 1 minute and cannot be used again until you finish a long rest.

The clone’s ability scores, hit points, proficiency bonus and AC are identical to your stats at the moment of activating this ability, excluding any additional magic bonus(es) you might have had active— with the exception that the damage it deals is magical for the purpose overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

In addition it uses your Intelligence modifier for all attack and damage rolls, and any attacks that the clone makes use only the base damage for the weapon it is wielding, regardless if the weapon(s) you were wielding had additional magical properties when activating this ability.

For example, if you were wielding a magic +2 shortsword when activating this ability, the clone’s shortsword would be identical to yours in appearance, but deal 1d6 magic damage.

If the clone is required to make a saving throw, roll a d20 and add your Intelligence modifier to determine whether it succeeds or fails.

As the clone is formed through your deep connection to the Mist, it can fight alongside you without requiring actions to issue it commands. Acting on your turn, you may have the duplicate take the following actions, in addition to its move action:

• The clone can take the attack action, including an extra attack, and can take a bonus action to attack if you were wielding two weapons when you created the duplicate.
• The clone can interact with an object.
• The clone can Mist Walk up to half of your Mist Walk distance as part of an action.
• The clone can take the Help action

The clone cannot speak or take any additional actions, reaction, or bonus actions other than the ones listed above, except actions taken in attempt to free itself from a spell or condition— like escaping a grapple or trying to break free from a web spell.

If the clone’s hit points drop to 0 or if a spell or effect would cause it to no longer be on the same plane of existence as you, it is destroyed. It is also immune to being charmed, frightened, petrified, poisoned and paralyzed.

Mist Walker Convictions

The mental fortitude and dedication it takes to become a Mist Walker is incredibly demanding on those who truly wish to master the art in combat. As such, Mist Walkers know that they must commit their focus on how best to harness the Mist’s extraordinary power to suit their individual capabilities.

Conviction of the Blade

Some Mist Walkers believe that the Mist is a tool to gain an advantage over their foes in combat. It allows them to strike hard at a specific target to confuse their enemies. By cutting the head off of the snake for an enemy force, the remaining opponents often become panicked and disorganized, making them much easier to deal with. Thus by focusing their time to master the blade, they can truly become deadly warriors on the battlefield.

Additional Shroud Ability

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following additional Shroud Ability:

Forceful Jaunt (Shroud Ability)

As bonus action, you may spend 3 Shroud Points to choose one medium-sized or smaller creature you can see within 5 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or it is teleported through the Mist to another empty square you can see within half your current Mist Walk Distance, that you choose.

When the target appears at the chosen space, any creatures within 5 feet may use their reaction to make a single attack against the target. If the target succeeds it’s saving throw, nothing happens.

Violent Jaunt

Beginning at 3rd level whenever you score a critical hit on a medium-sized or smaller creature, you may immediately use Forceful Jaunt without expending any Shroud points. The target still attempts a saving throw.

Mist Imbued Weapons

Starting at 7th level, your weapons and ammunition become become shrouded in a thin veil of mist when wielded. Your attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Misty Mark

At 11th Level, as an action you make a single attack. If successful, you mark the target with mist only you can see. If the target moves more than 150 feet from you the mark disappears. Whenever you hit a target that has been marked this way, you deal an additional 1d10 force damage.

Devastating Assault

Starting at 15th level, you can make a calculated strike against a foe in an attempt to exploit their defenses. As a bonus action you can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check of DC 15 to study one creature you can see within 50 feet of you. You make this check at disadvantage if the creature is an Aberration or a Construct. This check only determines any openings in the target’s defense and does not yield any additional information like resistances the creature may have. This effect ends at the end of combat.

The next time you successfully hit the target with a weapon attack, you deal an additional 12d10 force damage. Once you have successfully triggered the additional force damage, you may not use this ability again until you finish a short rest.

Conviction of the Mind

Some Mist Walkers believe that only by strengthening their allies, can they achieve total dominance over their opponents. These Mist Walkers spend countless hours perfecting their ability to walk the Mist— so much so that they gain the ability to guide their allies through the Mist, and eventually their foes as well. For these Mist Walkers, the key to swift victory, is understanding the battlefield in its entirety, and controlling the positioning and flow of combat.

Additional Shroud Abilities

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following additional Shroud Abilities:

Oppressive Haze (Shroud Ability)

As bonus action, you may spend 3 Shroud Points to choose one creature you can see within 10 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or else it is surrounded in an oppressive gray mist, which lasts for 1 minute.

An affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a ?2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.

If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted.

A creature affected by this ability makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the effect ends for it.

Disarming Mist (Shroud Ability)

As a bonus action, whenever you hit a creature with an attack, you may spend 2 Shroud Points to attempt to disarm your opponent using the Mist to aid you. The target makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid having a weapon that it is currently wielding be teleported through the Mist to a space of your choosing within 30 feet. If the target succeeds its saving throw, nothing happens.

Obstructing Shroud (Shroud Ability)

As a bonus action, you may spend 2 Shroud Points to choose one large size or smaller creature you can see within 10 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or else it has disadvantage on attacks until the end of its next turn.

Swift Guidance

As a bonus action, choose any number of creatures you can see within your Mist Walk Distance. You may spend 1 Shroud Point per target to give them an additional 15 feet of movement speed until the end of their next turn.

Tenacious Mind

Beginning at 3rd level, you can now recuperate your expended Shroud Points after a short rest once per day.

Calculated Exchange

Beginning at 3rd Level, as an action, choose two willing medium sized or smaller creatures that you can see within half your Mist Walk Distance. Those creatures swap places. This does not provoke an opportunity attack for the moved creatures.

Veiled Ferry

Beginning at 7th level, you touch a willing creature and can have them accompany you when you Mist Walk. The target must be Medium size or smaller, and appears in an unoccupied square next to your target square. If there isn’t an unoccupied space within 5 feet of your arrival point, the target is moved to the nearest unoccupied square and takes 2d6 points of force damage, for every 5 feet it is forced to move.

The creature has advantage on the next attack it makes before the end of its next turn. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier.

When you reach 13th level in this class, you can use this ability a number of times per day equal to twice your Intelligence modifier.

Vigilant Response

At 11th level, your ability to track multiple enemies on the battlefield is uncanny. Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you, that you can see and hear, begins to cast a spell, you can use your reaction to teleport to an unoccupied space next to the target and make a single attack against them. If you hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw as normal or lose the spell.

You cannot use this ability again until you complete a short rest.

Veiled Subterfuge

Beginning at 15th level, whenever an ally that you can see that is within your Mist Walk Distance is the target of an attack, after the die is rolled, but before the Dungeon Master declares whether the hit was successful, you can, as a reaction attempt to swap the places of that ally and another creature of your choice— potentially having the new creature take the attack instead.

Choose one medium sized or smaller creature within your Mist Walk Distance that you can see. If the target is a willing target, switch the target’s position with your ally.

Then, apply the original attack to the new creature, using its AC to determine the success or failure of the attack. If it hits, the attack deals damage to the new creature and applies any additional abilities, conditions, saving throws, etc. to the new creature as normal. If the target is an unwilling creature, it must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or be forced to swap places with your ally and take the attack. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a short rest.

Conviction of the Shroud

Some Mist Walkers delve so deeply into their studies of the Mist, that they learn to manifest its raw energy with added effects. These Mist Walkers manipulate the mist to their advantage and push the boundaries of its true capabilities. As much scholars as warriors, these Mist Walkers frequently become obsessed with unraveling the Mist’s secrets and often feel a call to explore the ruins of lost civilizations and ancient tombs in search of unlocking its mystery.

Additional Shroud Ability

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following additional Shroud Ability:

Soothing Mist (Shroud Ability)

As an action you can spend 3 Shroud Points to cause a cooling mist to surround you and your allies. Choose a number of creatures within 10 feet of you. They gain a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier.

This number increases to twice your Intelligence modifier when you reach 9th level, and three times your Intelligence modifier at 15th level.

Vanishing Step

At 3rd level, whenever you Mist Walk as part of your movement, you may immediately attempt to Hide as a bonus action.

Vital Transference

Beginning at 3rd level you have learned to tap into the more mystic forces of the Mist to aid your allies at the cost of your own life essence. As an action you may touch one creature and transfer part of your life force to them. Roll 1d6 and add your Intelligence modifier, the target creature regains hit points equal to the total. You then take 1d6 necrotic damage, this damage may not be prevented in any way. If the necrotic damage would reduce your hit points to 0, you drop to 1 hit point instead and your target receives no healing benefit from this ability.

The amount of life force you can transfer to your allies with this ability increases as you level. When reaching 7th level, you may choose to roll 2d6 for both rolls instead of 1d6, at 11th level you may choose to roll up to 3d6 for each roll, at 15th level you may choose to roll up to 4d6 for both rolls, and at 19th level you may choose to roll up to 5d6 for each roll. You still add the Intelligence modifier to the amount of hit points the target gains if you decide to add additional dice this way.

You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to twice your Intelligence modifier.

Toxic Mist

At 7th level, as an action you can exude a wave of poisonous green mist around you. You create a 30 foot sphere of mist centered on your space that lasts for 1 minute.

Each creature that is completely within the mist at the start of its turn must make a Constitution saving throw or become unable to breathe, while coughing and gasping uncontrollably. A creature affected in this way is incapacitated and suffocating. Creatures that don’t need to breathe or are immune to poison automatically succeed on this saving throw.

A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the mist after 3 rounds. A strong wind (at least 20 miles per hour) disperses it after 1 round.

You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to twice your Intelligence modifier.

Vampiric Transference

Beginning at 11th level, as an action you can manifest a brief wave of necrotic mist around you. You create a 30 foot sphere of mist centered on your space that lasts for 1 round.

Choose any number of creatures within the affected area. Those creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw or have their life force ripped from them. Each target takes 4d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Then, any number of creatures within the mist may ain hit points equal to the total damage dealt by this ability.

The total number of hit points gained this way, must be divided among the new targets, in a manner of your choosing.

You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Dauntless Mist

Starting at 15th level, you can harness the raw power of the Mist to bolster you and your allies. As an action choose a number of creatures equal to your Intelligence modifier within your Mist Walk Distance. Those creatures become sheathed in a dark purple mist.

Whenever one of those creatures starts their turn within half your Mist Walk Distance from you, that creature gains a +2 bonus to their AC, and additional 1d4 temporary hit points, and they cannot be magically slowed. This effect lasts for 1 minute.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Multiclassing as a Mist Walker

In order to meet the prerequisites for Multiclassing into a Mist Walker you must have either a Strength or Dexterity score of at least 13, and you must have an Intelligence score of at least 13.

When you multiclass into Mist Walker from another class you gain proficiency with Short Swords, Scimitars, Rapiers and the Poisoner’s Kit.