Somn

Ploys of the 1st-degree are minor techniques slightly more complicated than swinging a weapon. They can be learned by Blackguards with modest training and have no level prerequisite.

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11
When you fall, you can use a reaction to expend a Ploy Die to control your fall. You reduce any falling damage that you would take by an amount equal to five times your level, and when you land, you can choose to land on your feet.

Prerequisites: Intelligence of 11
When you make an alchemist's supplies, herbalism kit, or poisoner's kit check, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

When you hit a target with a weapon attack, you can expend one Ploy Die and force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it takes bonus damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die and its speed is 0 until the start of your next turn.

Prerequisites: Charisma or Strength of 11
When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) check, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed. Also, whenever you would make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, you can make a Strength (Intimidation) check instead.

Prerequisites: Wisdom of 11
Whenever you make a Wisdom (Perception) or a Wisdom (Survival) check, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend a Ploy Die to force it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it takes additional damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die, and it drops one item of your choice that it is currently holding on the ground at its feet.

Prerequisites: Intelligence of 11
Whenever you would normally make a Charisma (Deception) or Charisma (Persuasion) check, you can choose to use your Intelligence in place of Charisma for that ability check. Also, whenever you make an Intelligence (Deception) or Intelligence (Persuasion) check, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed.

As a bonus action, you can expend one Ploy Die to feint, forcing a creature that can see you within 15 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you have advantage on your attacks against it until the end of your current turn.

As an action, you can touch a creature that has at least 1 hit point and expend Ploy Dice (up to your proficiency bonus), roll those dice, and that creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total roll + its Constitution modifier.

Prerequisites: Intelligence or Wisdom of 11
When you make an Intelligence (Investigation) or a Wisdom (Insight) check, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11
When you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Prerequisites: Intelligence of 11
Whenever you make an ability check with a set of thieves' tools or tinker's tools, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Prerequisites: proficiency with tinker's or thieves' tools
As an action, you can expend one Ploy Die and use either tinker's or thieves' tools to make adjustments to one trap or lock that you can touch. The DC of that trap or lock changes to equal your Ploy save DC, or increases by 5 (your choice).

Prerequisites: Dexterity of 11
As part of a weapon attack, you can expend one Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your attack roll. You can use this Ploy after you roll, but before you know if you hit or miss.

Prerequisites: Intelligence or Charisma of 11
While speaking, you can expend a Ploy Die to tell a short joke, quip, or another humorous anecdote. Creatures of your choice within 10 feet that can both hear and understand you forget everything you said during the 10 seconds preceding this Ploy, and instead only remember your quip. Creatures that are immune to being charmed are immune to this Ploy. Once you use this Ploy on a creature, it is immune to the effects of this Ploy for the next 24 hours.

Whenever you make an ability check using a skill or tool that you are proficient in and roll a 7 or lower on the d20, you can expend one Ploy Die to treat the d20 roll as an 8.

Prerequisites: Charisma of 11
As an action, you can expend a Ploy Die and force a creature within 10 feet that can hear and understand you to make a Wisdom saving throw, and it does so with advantage if you or your allies are fighting it. On a failure, it is charmed by you for 1 hour, and regards you as a friendly acquaintance for the duration. Though, it will not risk its life for you. This effect immediately ends if you or your companions do anything harmful to the creature, and when the effect ends this way, the target realizes that it was deceived by you. Once a creature succeeds on its saving throw against this Ploy, it is immune to this Ploy for the next 24 hours.

Prerequisites: Wisdom of 11
When you make an Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Animal Handling), or Wisdom (Medicine) check, you can expend a Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your ability check. You can do so after you roll, but before you know the result.

Prerequisites: Intelligence of 11
Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (History), or Intelligence (Religion) check, you can expend a Ploy Die, roll it, and add the result to your check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Prerequisite: Dexterity or Charisma of 11 or higher
When you make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand), Charisma (Deception), or Charisma (Performance) check, you can expend a Ploy Die, roll it and add it to your check. You can do so after you roll the d20, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend a Ploy Die and force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it takes bludgeoning damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die and falls prone. A creature more than one size larger than you has advantage on its saving throw.

Ploys of this degree represent the absolute peak of blackguard skill that is achievable without dedicated training. 2nd-degree Ploys can be learned by any Blackguard of 5th level or higher.

Prerequisites: 5th level, proficiency with alchemist's supplies
As an action, you can expend one Ploy Die and use your alchemist's supplies to craft a vial of Alchemical Oil, which retains its potency until the end of your next long rest. Upon creation, you choose either acid, cold, fire, or lightning as the damage type for that vial of oil. You cannot regain the Ploy Die spent on this oil until you expend this Alchemical Oil.

Prerequisites: 5th level, Dexterity of 13
As a bonus action, you can expend a Ploy Die to attempt to blind a creature with debris. A creature you can see within 10 feet must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take piercing damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die and be blinded until the start of your next turn.

Prerequisites: 5th level, proficiency with poisoner's kit
As an action, you can expend one Ploy Die and use your poisoner's kit to craft one vial of Minor Poison, which retains its potency until the end of your next long rest. However, you cannot regain this Ploy Die until you expend this poison.

Prerequisites: 5th level
When you hit a target with a weapon attack, you can expend a Ploy Die to cripple one of its senses. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or it takes additional damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die and is blinded, deafened, or cannot speak (your choice) until the start of your next turn.

Prerequisites: 5th level, Dexterity of 13
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend a Ploy Die to strike at a vulnerable area. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or it takes additional damage equal to a roll of your Ploy Die, it falls prone, and it cannot take reactions until the start of your next turn.

Prerequisites: 5th level
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend a Ploy Die to temporarily weaken it. The first attack made against that creature before the beginning of your next turn has advantage, and on hit, that attack deals additional damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die.

Prerequisites: 5th level
When you make a melee weapon attack and miss, you can expend one Ploy Die to instantly repeat your attack against another target within the reach of your weapon.

Prerequisite: 5th level, Wisdom of 13
In place of an attack, you can expend Ploy Dice (up to your proficiency bonus) to touch a creature, attempting to knock it out. For each Ploy Die that you spent, you roll three Ploy Dice, adding your Wisdom modifier to the total of all the dice. If the total meets or exceeds the creature's remaining hit points, it instantly falls asleep, and is unconscious for 10 minutes.

Prerequisites: 5th level
When you make an ability check that doesn't include your proficiency bonus, you can expend a Ploy Die and add it to your roll. You can use this Ploy after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail.

Prerequisites: 5th level, Charisma of 13
As an action, you can expend a Ploy Die and speak to all creatures that can hear and understand you within 20 feet, and force them to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, creatures become indifferent toward creatures of your choice that they are currently hostile toward for 10 minutes.

Prerequisite: 5th level, Dexterity or Intelligence of 13
You can expend a Ploy Die to spend 10 minutes carefully examining a room you currently occupy. At the end of the 10 minutes, you gain knowledge about three of the following: One trap in the area, one active spell in the area, or one secret compartment, door, or passageway.

Prerequisites: 5th level, Dexterity or Intelligence of 13
As a bonus action, you can expend a Ploy Die to make a special ranged weapon attack with a weapon that has both the finesse and thrown properties. This attack ignores the benefits of cover and on hit, it deals additional damage equal to one roll of your Ploy Die.