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Zman
2015-11-12, 05:36 PM
Spellsword

The Spellsword is a near seamless blend of mystic and warrior renown for their ability to channel their arcane magics through their blade and spending their lives focused on their own self improvement. Spellswords are naturally inclined towards spells that enhance their physical and martial prowess, learning other spells by shear necessity. Few rare spellswords posses the capacity to expand their workings to other forms of magecraft.




The Spellsword

Spells Per Day


Level
Features
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th


1st
Arcane Sword, Arcane Defenses
—
—
—
—
—


2nd
Fighting Style, Spell-casting, Arcane Strike
2
—
—
—
—


3rd
Arcane Tradition
3
—
—
—
—


4th
Ability Score Improvement
3
—
—
—
—


5th
Extra Attack
4
2
—
—
—


6th
Ability Score Improvement
4
2
—
—
—


7th
Arcane Tradition Feature
4
3
—
—
—


8th
Ability Score Improvement
4
3
—
—
—


9th
—
4
3
2
—
—


10th
Arcane Tradition Feature
4
3
2
—
—


11th
Improved Arcane Strike
4
3
3
—
—


12th
Ability Score Improvement
4
3
3
—
—


13th
—
4
3
3
1
—


14th
Ability Score Improvement
4
3
3
1
—


15th
Arcane Mantle
4
3
3
2
—


16th
Ability Score Improvement,
4
3
3
2
—


17th
—
4
3
3
3
1


18th
Arcane Tradition Feature
4
3
3
3
1


19th
Ability Score Improvement
4
3
3
3
2


20th
Arcane Might
4
3
3
3
2



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

Proficiency
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, and Persuasion.

Arcane Sword
As a Bonus action the Spellsword imbues his weapon(s), including ammunition, with his arcane energies. The weapon(s) count as magical. The weapon(s) gains a bonus to hit and to damage equal to 1/4 the Spellsword's class level rounded down and cannot exceed the Spellsword's Charisma Modifier. This effect lasts until the start of the Spellsword's next turn. The benefits of Arcane Sword do not stack with those granted by Magic Weapons, including the spell Magic Weapon.

Arcane Defenses
While unarmored the Spellsword's AC is equal to 10 +Dex Mod + Cha Mod. Also, as a Reaction the Spellsword can create a shield of force in either hand, it lasts until urban start of the Spellsword's next turn. The shield grants +2 AC, its bonus does not stack with a physical shield.

Arcane Strike
At 2nd level when using Arcane Blade you may sacrifice a spell slot gaining a bonus to damage on a successful hit equal to a D6 per spell level sacrificed in this way.

Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery- You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
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 re-roll 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 get this benefit.

Spell-casting Ability
Charisma is your spell-casting ability for your Spellsword. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spell-casting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Spellsword spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell Save DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

A spellsword knows a number of Cantrips equal to their Charisma Modifier. A Spellsword knows a number of spells equal to their Spellsword level, these spells must be 1st level or higher, of a level the Spellsword can cast, and must be chosen from the Spellsword's spell-list.

Spell-casting Focus
You can attune a weapon to act as an arcane focus. While held the weapon allows the Spellsword to use the arcane focus to complete somatic components for spells drawn from the Spellsword list. Two weapons or a weapon and a shield can be attuned this way. Any weapon or shield so attuned can be summoned from anywhere to the Spellsword's hand so long as it is on the same plane as the Spellsword.

Arcane Tradition
At level 3 a Spellsword is able to pick their arcane tradition.


WIP



Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Improved Arcane Strike

At 11th level a Spellsword's Arcane Strike Damage dice increase to D10s.

Arcane Mantle

At 15th level a Spellsword gains advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Arcane Might

At 20th level a Spellsword gains the ability to concentrate on two spells at once. The total levels of spells, the value to all concentrated spell levels added together, cannot exceed 5. While concentrating on two spells at once the Spellsword has disadvantage on Constitution saves for concentration.


Blade Ward
Eldritch Blast
Light
Mage Hand
Prestigitation



Catapult
Detect Magic
Expeditious Retreat
Feather Fall
Magic Missile
Shield



Blurr
Enhance Ability
Magic Weapon



CounterSpell
Dispel Magic
Fly
Haste



Banishment
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere



Telekinesis
Wall of Force

Zman
2015-11-12, 05:37 PM
Change Log

11-12-15
Removed Two-weapon fighting options from Arcane Blade and Fighting a Styles.
Made Arcane Defense's shield a reaction.
Arcane a Strike to D6s/D10s. Only triggers on hit.

11-13-15
Hit Dice to D8
Arcane Blade bonus 1/4th Spellsword class level rounded down, cannot exceed Cha Modifier
Removed Heavy Armor Proficiency.

PoeticDwarf
2015-11-13, 11:22 AM
It is cool, but low level too strong with for example a +1 weapon on level 2. Also, add spells on the spell list, it isn't fun if your whole spell list doesn't contain more than 25 spells.

Zman
2015-11-13, 11:29 AM
It is cool, but low level too strong with for example a +1 weapon on level 2. Also, add spells on the spell list, it isn't fun if your whole spell list doesn't contain more than 25 spells.

Thank you for giving it a read!

I'm not sure low level is quite too strong, sure it gets +1 at level 2 but that comes at the cost of it's bonus action every single turn. A 3rd level Wizard can cast Magic Weapon for a +1 to a character's weapon. Archery grants +2 to Hit, Barbarians can already gain Advantage. It does fair a bit better than the Fighter at the cost of not having Action Surge... I need to tone something down or delay it a bit, or drop the HD down to a D8 which is what I'm thinking. Another thought was making Arcane Blade 1/4 Level rounded down so at 4th Level it is +1, 8th level it is +2, 12th level it is +3, 16th level it is +4 and 20th level it is +5. That would delay it's early level strength a bit.

One of the Sublcasses will allow a broader range of spells, though I am not quite sure what I want to do with them quite yet. I don't want a large variety of spells, the core of the class is about self buffing and combat. One subclass will offer a ton of Evocation spells. One Subclass will offer a wide variety of Sorcerer/Wizard spells and maybe change the class to Int. And one more subclass likely.

Thanks again.

Turtlemancer
2015-11-15, 01:50 PM
You know what I would like to see from this?

A Slick Beguiler (Illusionist Trickster)

and an Awesome Duskknight (Channel touch spells into your melee attacks)

If you looking for Archetype ideas.

Though a Battlemaster-Necromancer(Or Summoner) Hybrid Might be an interesting idea.

Mr.Moron
2015-11-16, 04:55 PM
I don't like Arcane Sword as written because permanent +/- modifiers feel like they should stay in the realm of magic weapons/optional rules, but this is probably a minor gripe.
I would like to see the spell list expanded and arcane strike buffed. Unless the archetype bonuses are stellar this feels a lot like watered-down paladin.

EDIT: The wording on Arcane Might is super wonky. Consider an editing pass.

Zman
2015-11-16, 05:03 PM
I don't like Arcane Sword as written because permanent +/- modifiers feel like they should stay in the realm of magic weapons/optional rules, but this is probably a minor gripe.
I would like to see the spell list expanded and arcane strike buffed. Unless the archetype bonuses are stellar this feels a lot like watered-down paladin.

EDIT: The wording on Arcane Might is super wonky. Consider an editing pass.

Thank you for the read through.

Arcane Sword isn't really a permanent bonus, it requires a Bonus action every turn and I envision it as the Spellsword channeling their innate arcane energy into the blade infusing it with a temporary burst of magic. The standard magic item bonuses seemed appropriate. Plus, it should always be preceeding what is available through magic weapons and be able to outpace even legendary items for a static bonus.

The Archetype bonuses will almost be exclusively expanded spell lists, or at least two of the three will. The other will be more martial and possibly focused on Arcane Blade. I'm thinking one might change the spellcasting stat to Int and allow almost open access at certain levels to the Wizard Spell List.

Haha, the whole thing needs an editing pass.


In some ways it is very similar to a Paladin, though unlikely to achieve the massive damage Paladins can achieve.

Mr.Moron
2015-11-16, 05:18 PM
Thank you for the read through.

Arcane Sword isn't really a permanent bonus, it requires a Bonus action every turn and I envision it as the Spellsword channeling their innate arcane energy into the blade infusing it with a temporary burst of magic. The standard magic item bonuses seemed appropriate. Plus, it should always be preceeding what is available through magic weapons and be able to outpace even legendary items for a static bonus.
...
The Archetype bonuses will almost be exclusively expanded spell lists, or at least two of the three will.

I feel like there is more interesting design space to explore here. Particularly if you're going to make the Archetypes "Mostly just spells", the class just doesn't have a lot of buttons to push. You've got free spots on the chart 9, 13 and 17. Have you considered fleshing this out into something a little more involved?

Without considering balance, contrast that paladin archetypes give you:

Channel Divinity
Spell List Expansions
Auras


From the baseline they've also got Lay on Hands, which gains functions over time! In the end you wind up with 3-4 actives on top of your smite and spells, along with several passives.

This class gets 1 fairly vanilla active ability and then nothing until 15 when they give a passive. Even if the Archetypes add a laundry list of spells the whole thing is just going to feel a bit lacking in "WOW" factor if they're exclusively spell list expansions. Even the full casters get cool active use class features peppered throughout, many of them quite powerful. No reason this guy shouldn't.

Zman
2015-11-16, 05:20 PM
I feel like there is more interesting design space to explore here. Particularly if you're going to make the Archetypes "Mostly just spells", the class just doesn't have a lot of buttons to push. You've got free spots on the chart 9, 13 and 17. Have you considered fleshing this out into something a little more involved?

Without considering balance, contrast that paladin archetypes give you:

Channel Divinity
Spell List Expansions
Auras


From the baseline they've also got Lay on Hands, which gains functions over time! In the end you wind up with 3-4 actives on top of your smite and spells, along with several passives.

This class gets 1 fairly vanilla active ability and then nothing until 15 when they give a passive. Even if the Archetypes add a laundry list of spells the whole thing is just going to feel a bit lacking in "WOW" factor if they're exclusively spell list expansions. Even the full casters get cool active use class features peppered throughout, many of them quite powerful. No reason this guy shouldn't.

You misunderstood, I did not say the Archtypes would only be spells, but that would be an important part of each one. Of course there would be other class features that would be added, but expanding the spell list will also be a large part of it.

Each of those levels you mentioned gain a new level of spellcasting and mirrors the Paladin. IMO balance must be considered as the Paladin has some abilities that are quite powerful, for instance the Vow that grants Advantage for a bonus action.

This class will feel similar to an arcane paladin and the Archtypes will add to the class.

Ivellius
2015-12-01, 04:12 PM
I'd comment more, but it's just incomplete.

Also, considering that Arcane Sword doesn't kick in until 4th level, it shouldn't show up until then.

Zman
2015-12-01, 04:21 PM
I'd comment more, but it's just incomplete.

Also, considering that Arcane Sword doesn't kick in until 4th level, it shouldn't show up until then.

Yes, the class is incomplete and hasn't been commented on in over two weeks. It is obviously incomplete and honestly probably won't be completed, why commen?

PS Arcane Sword does have an effect, creates a magic weapon, right out of the gate. For low level characters there are enemies where this would make a big different, Gargoyles, Wearwolves, Helmed Horror, etc.

Ivellius
2015-12-01, 08:32 PM
Yes, the class is incomplete and hasn't been commented on in over two weeks. It is obviously incomplete and honestly probably won't be completed, why commen?

PS Arcane Sword does have an effect, creates a magic weapon, right out of the gate. For low level characters there are enemies where this would make a big different, Gargoyles, Wearwolves, Helmed Horror, etc.

Because you had a link in the Base Class Contest and I wanted to go comment on everyone who was participating. Why would you look for feedback if you don't care about it and don't want to finish it?

I hadn't thought about the weapon counting as magical coming in immediately (consider it a remnant of 3e thinking). Still not really worth giving them at 1st level, I wouldn't think--you could provide a stronger class feature out of the gate.