Swordmage Class

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D&D 5e HOMEBREW

 

 

Swordmage

Channeling the last of their arcane energy into one final swing, a half-elf in scale armor drops the last of the trolls with their fiery longsword, an ability acquired by honing both their mind and body. They were sent to assault the troll den alone because no one else in town could compete.

A human, who believes in balance above all else, trains in arcane arts while also improving his martial prowess. In doing so, he becomes stronger by utilizing the strengths of each and combining them together.

A natural prodigy, with a flick of their wrist an eladrin wielding a rapier ensnares a group of goblins and then moves for the kill. Before they can a dragon attempts to swoop in and attack with its breath weapon, but the feeling of invigoration wells with their soul, allowing the eladrin the speed to dive out of the way.

Soul and Personality

A swordmage’s power comes from their very spirit; within every swordmage, even before they realized their abilities, lies a latent magical energy. This energy is generated by a person’s soul and can be driven to the surface by the force of one’s personality. The will of a swordmage is almost always a strong one.

Although many swordmages are valiant and brave, not every swordmage gets their power from that kind of personality. Some get their power from other emotions, such as fear. Examples could include an assualt style swordmage who is afraid of failure and therefore devotes themself to a perfectionist mentality. Or a shielding style swordmage whose powers awoke while their village was being attacked.

Other swordmages obtain their skills and spells through practice and dedication. A big driving force for a person’s spirit can be their determination. Once a person has either sufficient emotion to tap into their soul or becomes familiar enough with it through practice, then they are a swordmage.

The Blade and The Arcane

A swordmage is not bound to just one profession. Their ability to hone more than one style of combat is a testament to their versatility. The reason swordmages don’t specialize in the arcane alone is because the health of their soul is connected to the vitality of their body.

There are many instances of other people being able to use both melee weapons and spells, but what makes the swordmage unique is their ability to combine those two combat forms together. Swordmages can imbue their weapons with magic as they fight in order to combat their foes more efficiently, or they can more easily switch back and forth between the different kinds of combat.

 

 

Creating a Swordmage

When creating a swordmage, consider what kind of person they are. What’s the most defining feature of your personality? Many swordmages discover their abilities by necessity or happenstance, so what was the cause of that awakening within you? Another way swordmages can get their power is through dedication - maybe you studied under a wizard, fighter, or both.

The natural awakening route can be useful if you want your persona to be more like that of a barbarian or sorcerer, while the training and perseverance route might be more well-suited to a player who wants something like a noble background where they grew up being tutored in many different things.

Quickbuild

You can make a swordmage quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the noble background. Third, take the green-flame blade and lightning lure cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells chromatic orb and mage armor.

Class Features

As a swordmage, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d8 per swordmage level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per swordmage level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light armor, Medium armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, Greatswords, Longswords, Rapiers, Scimitars, Shortswords
• Tools: None

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• Saving Throws: Dexerity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion

Equipment

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

• (a) scale mail or (b) leather
• (a) a martial weapon or (b) a simple melee weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• Any simple weapon

Spellcasting

1st-level swordmage feature

Your connection to your soul and spirit grant you access to the latent magic within you. See chapter 10 of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the swordmage spell list. You learn additional swordmage cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Swordmage table.

Spell Slots

The Swordmage table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these swordmage spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast burning hands using either slot.

Spells Known 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the swordmage spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Swordmage table shows when you learn more swordmage spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the swordmage spells you know and replace it with another spell from the swordmage spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your swordmage spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a swordmage spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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• Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
• Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your swordmage spells, or if your DM allows it, you can use your weapon as an arcane focus.

 

 

Enchanted Blade

1st-level swordmage feature

You learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon and forge the bond.

Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can’t be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand. When you attack a bonded weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls.

You can have up to two bonded weapons, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two.

Fighting Style

2nd-level swordmage feature

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once.

Blind Fighting (t)

You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

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.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Interception (t)

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Two-Weapon Fighting

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

Elemental Blade

2nd-level swordmage feature

As a bonus action, you can imbue a bonded weapon with some of your innate magical power. When you make a melee weapon attack with an enchanted weapon, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to 1d6 cold, fire, or lightning damage (your choice). The type of damage is determined when you first place the enchantment and it lasts for 1 minute. If you also use your Channel Spell with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage of your Channel Spell.

You have two uses of this ability, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Arcane Sword Style

3rd-level swordmage feature

At 3rd level, you choose an arcane sword style that you strive to emulate in your combat skills and techniques. You can choose from: Assault, Ensnaring, or Shielding (all detailed at the end of the class description). The arcane sword style you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th and 15th level.

You also learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in these subclasses, as shown on the Expanded Spells table for each. Each of these spells counts as a swordmage spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of swordmage spells you know.

Channel Spell

3rd-level swordmage feature

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one swordmage spell slot to deal cold, fire, or lightning damage (your choice) to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d6 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d6.

 

 

Martial Versatility

4th-level swordmage feature

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the following, as you shift the focus of your martial practice:

• Replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to swordmages.

Extra Attack

5th-level swordmage feature

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.

Protective Personality

6th-level swordmage feature

Whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, you can use your reaction to grant the creature a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus.

Natural Teleporter

10th-level swordmage feature

As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Teleporting Combat

11th-level swordmage feature

You gain the ability to pass between the planes in the blink of an eye. When you take the Attack action, you can teleport up to 10 feet before each attack you make with a melee weapon to an unoccupied space you can see. If you attack at least two different creatures with the action, you can make one additional attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Improved Elemental Blade

13th-level swordmage feature

You are so suffused with arcane energy that all your melee weapon strikes carry magical power with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 2d6 cold, fire, lightning, necrotic or radiant damage (your choice). If you also use your Channel Spell with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage of your Channel Spell. This feature replaces the Elemental Blade feature.

Grand Reach

14th-level swordmage feature

As an action, you can release a wave of elemental energy with an enchanted weapon. The wave is a 60-foot cone, any creature within the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d8 cold, fire, or lightning damage (your choice) on a failed save or half as much on a sucessful one. This feature functions as a spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Archaic Rune of Restoration

16th-level swordmage feature

When damage reduces you to O hit points but does not kill you outright, a rune placed on yourself magically drops you to 1 hit point instead. Once this magic is triggered, you can’t benefit from it again until you finish a long rest.

Arcane Sword Burst

20th-level swordmage feature

As an action, you create a burst of intense arcane energy in 60-foot radius around yourself. Each creature within the radius must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 15d6 force damage, is knocked prone, and is frightened for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not frightened. This feature functions as a spell. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Arcane Sword Style

The soul inside every swordmage has a different nature. Depending on the nature of one’s soul, their are different arcane sword styles that best compliment that nature. Many swordmages have studied the nature of the soul, and although the generally accepted name is arcane sword style, some esoteric swordmages think of them more as naturally manifested from different configurations within the soul.

 

 

Assault Style

The Assault Style uses the sowrdmage’s inherent magic to improve the wielder’s dueling and offensive magic. This style teaches that it is best to strike down your opponents with deadly force. Some practitioneers are looked down upon by others of the Assault Style because of their overuse of hexes and curses, but they would say that they’re not dirty tricks if you win the fight.

Assault Expanded Spells

Swordmage level	Spells
3rd	hex, hunter’s mark
5th	blindness/deafness, magic weapon
9th	bestow curse, crusader’s mantle
13th	fire shield, ice storm
17th	hold monster, negative energy flood

Supernatural Focus

3rd-level assault style feature

You can use your training to strike with supernatural accuracy. As a bonus action, you can intensify your focus. While focusing, for 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Persistent Swordsman

7th-level assault style feature

The tenacity in your soul helps you close off a foe’s retreat. Creatures within 5 feet of you provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move half your speef immediately after the attack and as part of the same reaction.

Duelist Strike

15th-level assault style feature

You can see the openings in a creature’s attack patterns and exploit them. As a bonus action, you can mark one creature within 30 feet of you with a dueling rune. When a marked creature makes an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature if it is within range. The rune has a duration of 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Ensnaring Style

Those souls with a charming nature and the twisted who enjoy watching their victims squirm. The Ensnaring Style is a double sided blade, because while they can draw you in, swordmages of this style can also strike you when you least expect. Swordmages of this style focus on hindering enemy movements, hexing, and controlling the battlefield.

Ensnaring Expanded Spells

Swordmage level	Spells
3rd	arms of hadar, ensnaring strike
5th	hold person, spike growth
9th	plant growth, sleet storm
13th	evard’s black tentacles, grasping vine
17th	dominate person, wrath of nature

Debilitating Hex

3rd-level ensnaring style feature

As a bonus action, you can hex a creature within 30 feet of you. The hex lasts for 1 minute, while hexed the creature takes a minus on attack rolls equal to 1d4. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

At 11th level, increase the hex die to a d6, and if the hexed creature drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to move the hex to a new creature.

Spirit of Countercharms

7th-level ensnaring style feature

You gain the ability to use the power of your spirit to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can remove one frightened or charmed condition from an ally within 30ft. As a bonus action, you can remove one frightened or charmed condition from yourself.

Arcane Redirect

15th-level ensnaring style feature

You learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and redirect the attacks of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of this feature, rolling 1d10 and subtracting the number rolled from the creature’s roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it’s immune to being charmed.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

 

 

Shielding Style

Swordmages of the Shielding Style have the kindest souls of any style, but they will not stand for any harm coming to their allies. When those they love are in danger, swordmages of the Shielding Style are at their bravest. Those of this style use their power and presence to push back foes.

Shielding Expanded Spells

Swordmage level	Spells
3rd	sanctuary, shield of faith
5th	calm emotions, warding bond
9th	glyph of warding, remove curse
13th	death ward, guardian of faith
17th	circle of power, wall of force

Bonus Proficiencies

3rd-level shielding style feature

You gain proficiency with heavy armor and shields.

Arcane Wards

3rd-level shielding style feature

You can weave magic around yourself and others for protection. You have a pool of arcane energy residing within your soul that has ward points equal to your swordmage level x your Charisma modifier. This pool replenishes when you take a long rest.

As a bonus action, you can use a strand of your souls magic to create a magical ward on yourself or an ally you can see within 30ft. The ward has hit points equal to the amount of ward points used up to a maximum of 10 and remains until the warded creature finishes a long rest.

Whenever a warded creature takes damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, the warded creature takes any remaining damage and the ward is destroyed. If you place an additional ward on an already warded creature, increase the current ward’s hit points; if the total exceeds the maximum hit points for a ward, then the difference in ward points are unused.

At 11th level, the maximum hit points a ward can have increases to 20.

Aura of Shielding

7th-level shielding style feature

Magic dwells so heavily within you that it forms an eldritch ward. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to damage from spells.

At 18th level, the aura’s range increases to 30 feet.

Aura of Absorption

15th-level shielding style feature

Once per turn, when you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can reduce the damage that creature takes by 2d8.

 

 

Swordmage Spell List