The Swordmaster

An attractive and charismatic half-elf raising sword to dispute a tournament, aware that she has already won even before unsheathing her sword. She doesn't falter, eyes fixed on her target, a bell rings, it was in a matter of seconds, her rapier reaches its target's throat without even the slightiest wound performed, she smiles carefreely as she is declared victor.

A tough, battle-hardened half-orc gladiator in an arena, confidently demanding the favor and love of the people while belittles his next challenger, the round begins, three lions are freed simultaneously and surround him soonly after, prowling and awaiting to attack, the half-orc unlike a moment ago, is focused and silent, he just waits for the right moment. He finally makes his move, a clean sweep, another, and another one. His sword is coathed in blood, three clean cuts, three dead enemies.

A lone human swordsman who throughout the the years of for wisdom and wandering throughout the world has endless tales from his life journey, just as he has unmatched presicion on every movement he does with his sword. as much as he yearns for a last opponent to test his sword with, he had decided that his legacy should be transmited to someone he could deem worthy. A young elf, in awe and showing absolute respect, gets prepared to start the same journey his master started vaguely forty years ago.

Swordmasters are specialized fighters of admirable dedication. Unlike most fighters, swordmasters are rarely soldiers, instead, they are mostly travelers with no particular interest in politics or riches, but instead, thirsting for experience and wisdom about the ways of the world. A hard self-imposed task can only be achieved by those willing to accept the sacrifice it entails, but for those who remain, their technique is considered unmatched.

Class Features

As a Swordmaster, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light Armor
• Weapons: Simple melee weapons, any sword weapon
• Tools: Smith's Tools.

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• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Insight, Perception, Medicine, Survival or Intimidation.

Equipment

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

• (a) any simple melee weapon or (b) a longsword
• (a) any one handed sword or (b) three daggers
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• leather armor

Disciple of the Sword

Starting at level 1, your constant exercise in the use of the sword allows you to wield any type of sword with great control, your specialization however, comes at the cost of versatility. You can't get proficiency in any new kind of weapon nor shields, regardless of race, multiclass or feats. While you are wielding only swords, your weapons gain the finesse property, if you are wielding a single one-handed sword, you can use your bonus action to perform an attack with the same weapon but without adding your ability modifier to the damage roll.

Battle Stance

Upon reaching 2nd level, you learn two battle stances and one more at levels 10th and 15th. During combat, at the beggining of your turn you adopt a battle stance, gaining passive bonuses depending on the chosen stance. You can spend adrenaline rush during an attack roll to enhance it. You start with two uses of adrenaline rush, you get another at 6th level, 11th and 16th. You can use adrenaline rush once per round. You regain two uses on a short rest, and all uses on a long rest.

Draw Stance

A comfortable stance from which you can easily react. You gain +1 AC for as long as you remain in this stance. If adrenaline rush is spent, You may take the dodge action as a bonus action.

Low Guard

When you attack a creature with a melee weapon you are proficient with and succesfully hit, that creature's walking and swimming movement is halved until the end of his next turn. If adrenaline rush is spent, you forego the passive effect and instead, the enemy must roll a dexterity saving throw, falling prone if failed. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your dexterity modifier.

High Guard

When you perform an attack with a melee weapon you are proficient with, you gain +1 to your attack rolls. Whenever you land a critical hit you can spend an adrenaline rush to deal bonus damage equal to your swordmaster's level + your dexterity modifier.

Guarding Stance

You must be wielding a melee weapon you are proficient with. When a creature you see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the roll. If the target ally is hit by the attack, you can opt to spend adrenaline rush and reduce the damage received by your ally by 1d6 + your dexterity modifier, increasing to 1d8 at level 10, and again to 1d10 at level 15.

Martial Discipline

At 3rd level, you choose a martial discipline that represents your combat style and tactics. Choose either the Trueblade, or the Duelist, both detailed at the end of the class description. The discipline chosen grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 9th, 13th and 17th level.

Ability Score Increase

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 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, when you take the attack action. The number of attacks increases to three at level 14.

Wanderer

Upon reaching level 6, you are so accustomed to traveling that you are able to find some comfort even away from civilization. If you are traveling alone, you can't be tracked unless through magical sources. If you are away from civilization, you and anyone accompanying you can walk at normal pace while your awareness and ability to search or perceive is accounted as if you were walking at slow pace.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects. such as a red dragon's fiery breath, or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Vantage

Starting at 10th level, when you are below half your hit point maximum and a hostile creature makes an attack roll against you, you may use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against them before they deal damage.

Swordfaire

Starting at 11th level, your mastery of the blade allows you to strike your opponent with maximum effectiveness. Your attacks with swords are considered magical for the sake of bypassing resistance to physical damage. Also, Whenever you land a hit on an enemy you deal bonus damage equal to your wisdom modifier on each attack.

Keen Eye

At 14th Level, you have become capable of perceiving and understanding the misteries in your area of knowledge. You can try to investigate a bladed weapon's status and origin withing 30 feet. You can also know the damage dice of the weapon and if you can touch a bladed weapon that is magical you can learn its properties and how to use it. But if it is being wielded by another creature, you must spend a bonus action to make a Wisdom (Insight) check against the wielder's Charisma (Deception) in order to get that information.

Pressure Point

Beggining at 15th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a 19 or 20.

Flawless Technique

When you reach 18th level, When you roll for initiative and have no remaining uses of adrenaline rush, you regain one use. You also ignore race restrictions for any sword.

Astra

At 20th level, you have reached the paragon in the art of the sword, far beyond the capabilies of mere mortals. Whenever you land a critical hit, you inmediately proceed to perform two strikes towards the same target, each attack has its final damage halved, These attacks are made with advantage but they can't be critical hits. This feature can only be activated once per round.

Martial Disciplines

When a swordmaster comes to mind, there are two main styles in practice: the Trueblade, and the Duelist.

Trueblade

The way of the so known trueblades is more a phylosophy and a lifestyle as a whole than just a fighting style. Only those who seek for the perfection in the art of the sword and are ultimately determined to commit themselves to the sword, and only to the sword, can ever become trueblades.

Unyielding Spirit

Starting at level 3, once per long rest. You can reroll a failed saving throw, and you get a bonus for that reroll equal to your dexterity modifier if it's either strength, dexterity or constitution, or wisdom modifier if it's either intelligence, wisdom or charisma. You must take this new value regardless of its result. At level 13th you gain another use of this feature.

Superior Discipline

Upon reaching level 9, your will has become still and unshakable. You gain proficiency in wisdom saving throws and you get advantage on saving throws against being feared.

Honed Senses

Beggining at level 13th, your training has enhanced your physical capacities and perception to perceive what most people would not. If you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or Invisible creature within 15 feet of you (You know the creature's location but if you can't see it you still have disadvantage). addiotionally, you can double your proficiency bonus in Perception if you already have proficiency on it, or get proficiency if you don't have it already.

Resolve

Learned as soon as you reach level 17. When wounded, a swordmaster's resolution burns with passion. With their pride at stake, they hold onto life by overexerting their body to their very limits. Once the swordmaster's hit points equal or below half, you can opt to get half your wisdom modifier (rounded up) as a bonus to your AC and attack rolls. This treat can only be used once per long rest. This bonus fades if either your hit points rise above half your maximum or after three turns, If this bonus was active at least two turns, you get a level of exhaustion upon finishing combat.

Duelist

Those who practice the art of fencing and combine their martial techniques with tactics to outplay their opponents are known as duelists. Known as elusive fighters with a keen eye for opportunities and openings on their opponents.

Crippling Strikes

Inmediately upon choosing this discipline, Whenever you land a melee hit on a creature, that creature receives a -1 penalty to its attack rolls against you in its next turn, with stacking effects.

The People's Champion

Once you reach 9th level, you gain proficiency in two of either deception, intimidation or performance, alternatively, you can choose to get expertise in only one of said skills.

Nimble Footwork

Upon reaching level 13, Whenever you land a hit on an enemy, you can use your reaction to move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

Locate Vitals

Starting at 17th level, you are an expert at finding your opponents' weaknesses and making them suffer for those weaknesses. As a bonus action you can choose a creature within 30 feet that you can see. Make a Wisdom (Insight) check against the target's AC. If you succeed on your roll, you have advantage on your attack rolls against that creature until the end of your turn, this feature can be used equal amount of times to your wisdom modifier, you regain one use per short rest, and all uses after a long rest.