Stillheart — Way of the Unveiling Dance

“The moment is mine to reveal.”

Lore Overview

Stillhearts of the Unveiling Dance practice pole dance and striptease as disciplines of balance, anticipation, and self-possession. A climb becomes a declaration of confidence; a suspended inversion turns vulnerability into control. They learn that the moment before a veil falls can command as much attention as the revelation itself.

The tradition belongs in pleasure houses, traveling shows, intimate salons, and sacred celebrations alike. Some practitioners dance professionally; others carry its techniques into adventuring. Their mastery lies in choosing how they are seen, directing attention through movement, and deciding when a held moment should finally open.

A mobile controller and martial performer, this Stillheart creates an axis around which a confrontation turns. In Unveiled Play, an audience’s failed EROSaves build Arousal, the dancer’s own rising Arousal extends movement, and Libido sustains more demanding performances. Climax transforms the end of one phrase into an opening for companions.

Using This Tradition. Gain these features at Stillheart levels 3, 6, 11, and 17. They use your existing Ki Points, Martial Arts die, and Ki Save DC (8 + PB + Wisdom modifier). PB means Proficiency Bonus. All subclass combat features require no armor and no shield. An EROSave uses the target’s choice of Constitution or Wisdom saving throw, adding proficiency only if proficient in the chosen save.

Modes of Play. Classic Play uses baseline features without Arousal or Libido; an EROSave becomes the named ordinary saving throw, or Wisdom if none is named. Veiled Play applies the listed Arousal gains to the creature’s existing total and resolves Climax at the threshold. A feature never assigns a lower Desire state or replaces accumulated Arousal with a descriptive label. Unveiled Play adds its expressly listed resource choices and tactical effects. Use only your current mode’s paragraph for each feature. An EROSave uses Constitution or Wisdom, chosen for each save, with proficiency only when proficient in the chosen saving throw. See the Mechanics of Desire for the underlying rules.

Desire Resolution. Add each listed Arousal gain to the current total; resolve the applicable Climax Effect when the total reaches 6. Arousal decreases only when a rule expressly reduces it or Climax resets it. Apply the normal per-turn gain limit and the stage effects used by the table’s mode. Resolve the Climax Effect, reduce Libido by 1 if Libido is being tracked, reset Arousal to 0, then resolve after-Climax features. Climax does not automatically heal or grant Exhaustion. Where Libido is tracked, 0 Libido causes Depletion rather than disabling class features; use the normal Depletion rules for further Climax. A Libido expenditure requires enough to pay, but may spend the final point.

Way of the Unveiling Dance Features

The Dancer’s Axis

3rd-Level Way of the Unveiling Dance Feature

Gain proficiency in Acrobatics or Performance. If already proficient in both, gain proficiency with one musical instrument. You can use Dexterity instead of Charisma for Performance checks involving pole dance, aerial holds, or striptease. This proficiency does not compel an audience’s response.

Dance Pole. Once on your turn, as your object interaction, you can touch a nonmagical quarterstaff you hold to a solid surface within 5 feet. It extends into a vertical dance pole up to 10 feet tall, anchored by your Ki for 1 minute. This requires a clear vertical space and an unoccupied, level 5-foot space. You can have only one such pole. It supports you and your carried equipment, but cannot hold doors, restrain creatures, or support other structures. You can release it to quarterstaff form by touching it as an object interaction; it also reverts if you become Incapacitated, move more than 30 feet away, or its duration ends.

Support and Durability. Your Ki-anchored pole is a magical object with AC 15, hit points equal to twice your Stillheart level, and immunity to Poison and Psychic damage. It takes damage only from attacks and effects that can damage objects; effects targeting only creatures do not affect it. While anchored, it cannot be moved or knocked over unless its supporting surface moves, breaks, or becomes unable to support your weight. It moves with an intact supporting surface. If that support fails, the pole immediately reverts to a quarterstaff and falls with the surface. If reduced to 0 hit points, the quarterstaff breaks and cannot be deployed again until repaired or replaced. Releasing or redeploying the same quarterstaff does not restore its hit points; it regains all lost hit points after your Long Rest if it is not broken. These statistics apply only while Ki-anchored; an ordinary secured pole uses its own object statistics.

While within 5 feet of your pole, you can climb it without an ability check and have a Climb Speed equal to your walking Speed on it. Once on each of your turns, after taking the Attack action or using Patient Defense, you can move up to 10 feet around or along the pole without provoking Opportunity Attacks. This movement uses your Speed, must remain within 5 feet of the pole, and requires one free hand or a leg hold established with a free hand during that movement. A leg hold can support you until you release it; it grants no extra attacks, reach, or cover. An ordinary secured pole that can support you can serve the same purpose.

Dislodging and Falling. A hand grip or leg hold does not make you immune to forced movement, the Grappled condition, or the Prone condition. If an effect moves you beyond your reach of the pole, you lose your hold. If you become Incapacitated, fall Prone while suspended, release your last hold, or lose the pole’s support, you immediately fall unless another effect supports you. Resolve normal falling damage and landing conditions; Slow Fall may reduce that damage if you can use its Reaction. You retain your hold when your Speed becomes 0 unless another effect dislodges you; you simply cannot climb or use the Dancer’s Axis movement. A free hand is required to establish a new hold, but you may attack using a leg hold already established.

Veiled Play. Once on your turn after Dancer’s Axis movement, choose one creature within 15 feet that can see and meaningfully respond to your performance. It makes an EROSave against your Ki Save DC. On a failure, it gains 1 Arousal and has Disadvantage on its next Opportunity Attack before the start of your next turn. Add that point to its existing Arousal and resolve Climax if triggered. Success has no effect. You can attempt this PB times per Long Rest. In Classic Play, use a Wisdom saving throw and apply only the attack penalty on a failure.

Unveiled Play. Use the same range, targets, EROSave, PB-per-Long-Rest limit, 1 Arousal gain, and Opportunity Attack penalty as the Veiled version. This is one resolution, not two separate Arousal gains. These are subclass effects rather than additional basic Desire Actions; the normal per-turn Arousal cap still applies.

The Art of Anticipation

6th-Level Way of the Unveiling Dance Feature

Once on each of your turns when you use Dancer’s Axis movement, you can expend 1 Ki Point to perform a feinting spin, suspended hold, or controlled reveal. Choose one creature within 15 feet that can see and meaningfully respond to it. In Classic Play it makes a Wisdom saving throw against your Ki Save DC. On a failure, it has Disadvantage on its next attack roll against a creature other than you before the start of your next turn. Success has no effect. Whether it succeeds or fails, that creature is then immune to The Art of Anticipation until the start of your next turn.

A reveal can be the removal of an outer veil, a change in silhouette, or a deliberate pause within the dance. No clothing removal or exposure is required. Your technique directs attention without imposing attraction or controlling the target’s actions.

Sustained Phrase. Your dance is sustained if you used at least 5 feet of Dancer’s Axis movement on your previous turn and have remained within 5 feet of the same usable pole without becoming Incapacitated since that movement ended. The pole must still support you, and your Speed must be greater than 0 when you claim a sustained benefit. Changing poles or being forced outside that distance breaks the phrase. This is a condition checked from your previous turn, not a pool of points; it never stacks. Ordinary damage does not break the phrase unless it causes one of those interruptions.

When you use The Art of Anticipation during a sustained phrase, a target that fails its saving throw has Disadvantage on all attack rolls against creatures other than you until the start of your next turn, instead of only its next such attack. It can still attack you normally, move away, or use other actions. Each target must fail its own save, including any additional target granted in Unveiled Play. The sustained benefit adds no saving throw or extra use of Dancer’s Axis.

Veiled Play. Replace the Wisdom save with an EROSave against your Ki Save DC. On a failure, the target gains 1 Arousal and suffers the listed attack penalty. Add the gain to its existing total; resolve Climax if triggered. If you have 1–5 Arousal when you begin the technique, add 5 feet to its Dancer’s Axis movement, using your Speed and obeying its other restrictions. This benefit does not reduce your Arousal.

Unveiled Play. Replace the Wisdom save with an EROSave against your Ki Save DC. On a failure, the target gains 1 Arousal and suffers the listed attack penalty. You may spend 1 Libido when using this technique to target two eligible creatures instead of one, with separate saves. If you are at Arousal 3–5 when you begin the technique, add 5 feet to its Dancer’s Axis movement. The normal Ki cost applies. These benefits do not require a minimum Libido reserve beyond any cost you choose to pay.

The Unveiling Moment

11th-Level Way of the Unveiling Dance Feature

As a Bonus Action while within 5 feet of your pole, expend 2 Ki Points to perform a decisive spin and release. Choose yourself and up to PB willing creatures within 15 feet that can see you. Each chosen creature can move up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks; creatures other than you must use their Reaction. This movement follows normal terrain and occupancy rules. Your movement need not remain beside the pole. If your dance is sustained immediately before you activate this feature, increase this movement to 15 feet for every chosen creature. This applies to either the Ki-funded or Climax-triggered activation and does not require another expenditure. Check the sustained condition before any creature moves; leaving the pole afterward does not cancel movement already granted.

Veiled Play and Unveiled Play. Immediately after resolving your own Climax while conscious and within 5 feet of your pole, you may use The Unveiling Moment without its Bonus Action or Ki cost. Resolve the Climax Effect and its normal resource changes before this benefit. You can do so once per Short or Long Rest, shared across modes. Neither mode grants an extra use of the same event. Becoming Depleted does not prevent the free use.

Ritual of the Chosen Veil. At the end of a Short or Long Rest, you may lead up to PB willing creatures through 10 minutes of dance, breath, and freely chosen symbolic unveiling. Choose yourself or one participant: once before its next rest, it can add your Martial Arts die to a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Charisma (Performance) check, after rolling but before the outcome is announced. A creature can hold only one benefit from this rite.

Veiled Play. The chosen participant may use the rite’s single die on an EROSave instead of its listed skill check. Unveiled Play. You may spend 1 Libido when the rite ends to offer the same option. The die remains one use. The rite neither replaces required ritual components nor grants automatic successes.

Every Eye, My Choosing

17th-Level Way of the Unveiling Dance Feature

As a Bonus Action, expend 4 Ki Points to begin a performance lasting 1 minute. It ends early if you become Incapacitated. During it, your Dancer’s Axis movement increases to 20 feet, still using your Speed. The Art of Anticipation costs no Ki, but can be used only once on each of your turns; its optional Unveiled expenditure still costs 1 Libido.

Once per round during the performance, when you resolve Deflect while within 5 feet of your pole, you can immediately make one unarmed strike against the triggering attacker if it is within your normal unarmed reach. This strike is part of the same Reaction, costs no additional Ki, and cannot occur more than once against the same event. Resolve any Flow or Reflect benefits normally; Perfect Redirection and Perfect Harmony do not duplicate this subclass strike.

Veiled Play and Unveiled Play. Once during this performance, after resolving your own Climax, you can regain The Unveiling Moment’s free use if it was already expended. This is one recovery per performance, shared across modes. The Unveiling Moment can activate only once from a single Climax, even if this recovery occurs during that event. The recovered use remains available until spent or your next Short or Long Rest.

At the Table. On your first turn, anchor your pole, take the Attack action or Patient Defense, and use at least 5 feet of Dancer’s Axis movement. Remain beside that pole through the intervening turns. On your next turn, a sustained Art of Anticipation can protect companions against several attacks on a failed save. At 11th level, you can instead cash in that sustained positioning for The Unveiling Moment’s 15-foot movement. An enemy can disrupt the setup by dislodging you or breaking the pole, while damage alone need not end your dance.