Rogue

Rogue Archetype: Veilpiercer

"The mind is a lock. I am the key. But every lock has its defenses, and sometimes, picking that lock shatters more than just the tumblers, and the echoes linger." — A Veilpiercer operative, his eyes momentarily clouded with psychic static after a deep probe, a faint hum of residual energy around him.

Veilpiercers are elite infiltrators who specialize in mental intrusion, sensory manipulation, and the subversion of magical and psychic defenses. They are capable of slipping through arcane wards and unraveling secrets with surgical precision, not through traditional arcane study, but through an innate or cultivated connection to the raw psychic energies that permeate Novendragos's cosmic dreamscape and leyline network. Whether operating as saboteurs in Platinus, dream-thieves in Nelamdra, or agents for powerful Dragon Overlords, Veilpiercers are feared not for their blades—but for their silence and their terrifying ability to unlock the secrets of the mind and bypass unseen barriers. Their unique abilities make them invaluable, yet often unsettling, figures in the world's power struggles, for their very presence can disrupt the delicate balance of arcane security.

Core Rogue Traits

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

• (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a shortbow and quiver with 20 arrows or (b) two daggers
• (a) a burglar’s pack, (b) a dungeoneer’s pack, or (c) an explorer’s pack
• Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves’ tools

Veilpiercer Features

Psionic Veil (3rd Level)

You learn to shield your presence with raw psychic energy and subtly manipulate the minds of others.

• You can cast detect thoughts once per long rest without using a spell slot or components. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
• You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed. Additionally, you have advantage on any ability check made to avoid being detected by divination magic, and on saving throws against spells or effects that would read your thoughts.
• You can communicate telepathically with any creature you can see within 30 feet that understands a language. This telepathy is often tinged with faint, dreamlike whispers or fleeting images.

Mindblade (3rd Level)

You can manifest a weapon of pure psychic force. As a bonus action, you can create a mindblade in one or both of your empty hands. These are finesse, light weapons that deal 1d6 psychic damage and count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance. When you manifest them, they might appear as shimmering blades of pure thought, or solid weapons crafted from solidified psychic resonance.

When you hit a creature with a mindblade, you can deal Sneak Attack damage even if you don’t have advantage on the attack roll, as long as no other creature is within 5 feet of your target, and you have not used your bonus action to Hide this turn.

You can throw a mindblade (range 20/60). It dissipates after the attack.

Leyline Ghost (9th Level)

You can phase through magical defenses and energy barriers with supernatural ease, understanding their underlying resonance.

• You can move through non-magical wards, glyphs, or alarm spells without triggering them. This also applies to magical alarms or wards that rely on simple magical presence (DM's discretion).
• You can cast misty step once per short or long rest.
• When you use your Cunning Action to Dash, you become lightly obscured until the start of your next turn, as your form subtly blurs with psychic energy.

Psychic Strain (9th Level)

Pushing your mind to pierce veils and manipulate thoughts carries a significant, escalating toll. Each time you use your Psionic Veil (to cast detect thoughts) or Leyline Ghost (to cast misty step) feature, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 10 + the number of times you have used either of these features since your last long rest) or suffer one of the effects from the Psychic Strain Table (d4).

• Psychic Strain Table (d4)
• 1: Mental Static. You have disadvantage on all Intelligence and Wisdom (Perception) checks until the end of your next turn.
• 2: Disorienting Flash. You are blinded until the end of your next turn.
• 3: Psychic Bleed. You take 2d6 psychic damage.
• 4: Lost in Echoes. You have disadvantage on your next attack roll or ability check.

This burden reflects the unpredictable nature of the psychic currents and the escalating strain of manipulating them.

Neural Disruption (13th Level)

Your mindblade strikes can scramble a creature’s mind, disrupting its very cognitive functions. Once per turn when you deal Sneak Attack damage with a mindblade, you can force the target to make an Intelligence saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier). On a failed save, choose one of the following effects:

• The target is stunned until the end of its next turn. This option has no effect on constructs or creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or less.
• The target forgets the last 6 seconds (1 round) and cannot take reactions until the end of its next turn. This effect is particularly unsettling, leaving the target with a blank space in their memory.
• The target is blinded and deafened until the start of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) per long rest.

Thoughtstealer (17th Level)

You can extract and weaponize the thoughts of others, even from the dying, leaving a permanent mark on their essence. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a mindblade, you can immediately do one of the following:

• Steal Memory: You learn one fact the creature knew (at the DM’s discretion, relevant to the immediate situation or ongoing plot). This might manifest as a brief, vivid psychic echo in your mind.
• Echo Reflex: You can use the creature’s reaction to make an attack or cast a cantrip (if it had one prepared) against a target of your choice within range.
• Mental Mirage: You create an illusory double of yourself for 1 minute. It mimics your movements and grants you advantage on Dexterity saving throws and Stealth checks.

You can use this feature once per short or long rest. After using this feature, you must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion, as the act of manipulating a dying mind strains your connection to the dreamscape. This exhaustion can only be removed by a long rest. If you fail this save by 5 or more, you also suffer a temporary psychic scar (e.g., occasional random telepathic whispers, disadvantage on Insight checks for 1d4 days, or a recurring, unsettling dream).

Design Notes

This subclass is a psionic rogue with a focus on mental intrusion and leyline disruption, perfect for Novendragos's unique blend of arcane engineering and psychic metaphysics. It offers a unique playstyle focused on psychic damage, mental manipulation, and stealth through magical defenses. It’s ideal for characters who are telepathic infiltrators, dragon-sanctioned spies, or psionic assassins, navigating the dangerous currents of the world's collective mind, always aware of the inherent risks of their power.