Swordmage 1.1 (1/2 Caster, 5 Archetypes) [PEACH]

**SonsOfSauron** · 2015-05-02, 02:41 AM (ISO 8601)

The Swordmage
Adorned with little more than a well-worn breastplate and a lovingly-maintained greatsword, a half-orc surveys the battle below. With a glint in their eye, arcane energy ripples from their blade, and they dive into the fray.

A gnome finds herself surrounded, as gnolls close in from every corner. With an adrenaline-fueled grin, she moves with the speed of the wind, and dozens of her enemies fall int he blink of an eye.

An elf stands between his comrades and a bulette, who has already claimed one of their own. The ground buckles beneath him as his flesh turns as hard as stone, and he stands as a bulwark against the monstrosity.

Scholars of Sword and Sorcerery
Even the most innocent child stands in awe before the blade. Many know of their terrible killing power, of their inspiring symbolism, and of the skill it takes to master it. Few understand that there is even more to the sword, however: those with a penchant for the arcane can forge a bond with their weapon that awakens something, both within them and within their blade.

Swordmages are arcane spellcasters, though their study focuses on the power of the aegis, a manifestation of the swordmages' bond with their weapon. Many choose to learn of the aegis through the application of martial principles, while others focus entirely on its arcane nature, and still others learn to manipulate their aegis in more unorthodox manners.

The Swordmage

Mysterious Power
Swordmages often find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Many find themselves drawn to the adventuring life as mercenaries, guards, and bounty hunters. Others adventure for their own purposes, using life-and-death situations to test their magical and martial prowess. Regarldess, every swordmage has an instinct to explore and battle, a drive that they all share to master the curious power within them.

Creating a Swordmage
No two swordmages are alike, but a single thread ties them together: their first swordbond, and the awakening of their aegis. Many swordmages accidentally awaken this potential within their weapons, whereas some purposefully seek out this power from the blade. How did your character awaken their aegis? Why were you first drawn to the sword? Are you an old soldier, a once-desperate urchin, or a simply a wanderer?

What occurred to draw you from your daily life to the life of an adventurer? Did awakening your aegis give you a new lease on life? Or did this manifestation of magic make you a pariah among your community? Perhaps you're simply itching to see just how sharp you can make your sword.

Quick Build
You can make a swordmage quickly by following these suggestions. First, choose Strength or Dexterity as your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence or Constitution. Strength gives you access to greatswords, while Dexterity lets you improve both your Armor Class and offensive proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and scimitars. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability, and many of your swordmage abilities rely on it, while constitution adds to your survivability. Arcanists and Embranglers prefer high Intelligence, Defenders and Dervishes tend to focus more on Dexterity, and Vanguards make better use of longswords and greatswords. Second, choose the soldier background. Third, choose the firebolt and prestidigitation cantrips to supplement your melee attacks.

Class Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Swordmage level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per swordmage level after 1st

Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Scimitars, shortswords, longswords, greatswords, rapiers
Tools: none

Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Religion

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

• (a) a greatsword, (b) a longsword, (c) a rapier, (d) two shortswords, or (e) two scimitars
• (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• (a) leather armor or (b) a chain shirt

Spoiler: Core Class Features

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Sword Bond
At 1st level, you learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one sword, which are scimitars, shortswords, longswords, greatswords, or rapiers. 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. While wielding your bonded weapon, you can use an action to cause the blade to emit bright light for 20 feet, and dim light for an additional 20 feet. You can end this as part of any other action.

You can have one bonded sword, or two if both of those swords have the light property. If you try to bond to another sword, you must break the bond with one of the others.

Aegis
Magical energy resonates within your blade, known as an aegis. The aegis is an arcane manifestation of the bond you have with your weapon, and you have the ability to manipulate it in different ways. In its most basic form, the aegis provides a measure of protection for you. Beginning at 1st level, your aegis grants you a +1 bonus to your AC while you are conscious and holding a sword to which you are bonded, you aren’t wearing heavy armor, and you are not using a shield.

Arcane Initiate
You are familiar with the basics of arcane magic. You know two cantrips of your choice from the swordmage spell list. You learn an additional swordmage cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Fighting Style
Starting 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.

Dueling
When you are wielding a bonded sword 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 bonded sword 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.

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

Spellcasting
By 2nd level, you have learned to combine sorcery and swordplay, and your aegis thrums with power. You can harness this energy to cast spells or augument your weapon and skills. See Chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and further into this document for the swordmage spell list.

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 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.

Spells Known of 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, as shown on the table. 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
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your swordmage spells. Your magic comes from intense study of the arcane and how to meld it with swordplay. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a swordmage spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spellcasting Focus
You can use a weapon to which you are bonded (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your swordmage spells.

Arcane Strike
Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack with your bonded weapon, you can expend one swordmage spell slot to deal force damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8.

Arcane Discipline
At 3rd level, you focus your studies of sword magic on a particular discipline. Choose Defender or Vanguard, both detailed at the end of the class description. The discipline you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level.

Invocations of the Blade
At 3rd level, you gain two invocations of the blade of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain swordmage levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Swordmage table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.

Ability Score Improvement
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 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.

Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, whenever you take the attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack.

Ascendant Aegis
By 6th level, your aegis permeates your blade throughout. If your bonded weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical.

Improved Arcane Strike
Your aegis is a conduit of magic, and arcane energy effortlessly flows through your blade. Whenever you hit a creature with a bonded sword, the creature takes an additional 1d8 force damage. If you also use your Arcane Strike with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage of your Arcane Strike.

Master of Invocations
Starting at 18th level, whenever you cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action with any of your Sword Invocation features, you may instead cast that spell with a casting time of 1 bonus action.

Spoiler: Arcane Discipline

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Arcanist
As an arcanist, you dedicate your study of swordmagic to maximizing the arcane potential of your aegis.

Aegis of Recovery
When you select this discipline at 3rd level, you learn to recapture arcane energy expended through your aegis. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal or less than one quarter fo your swordmage level (rounded up).

For example, if you’re a 6th-level swordmage, you can recover up to 2 levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots.

Bladework Knowledge
By 3rd level your aegis gives you an intuitive understanding of the curious power of swords in historical, magical, or religious contexts. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (History), or Intelligence (Religion) check related to swords, you are considered proficient in those skills and you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Expanded Invocations
When you reach 7th level, and again at 15th level, you gain an additional invocation of the blade. These invocations don’t count against the number of invocations you know.

Expanded Spells
When you reach 7th level, you learn two additional spells from the swordmage spell list: one 1st-level spell and one 2nd-level spell. You learn an additional two spells at 15th level: one 3rd-level spell and one 4th-level spell.

Transmute Blade: Purespell Sword
At 20th level, your aegis allows you to transform your sword into a legendary weapon as a bonus action on your turn. The sword retains its properties, except it has the abilities listed below. The transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you drop or sheathe the weapon. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this magic weapon. This bonus doesn’t stack with any enhancement bonuses the sword already has.

Whenever you use this feature, choose a swordmage spell of 2nd level or lower that you know. The spell must require your bonded weapon as a material component. You can cast that spell at will as a 2nd-level spell, without expending a spell slot, for the duration of this feature. You add your sword’s enhancement bonus to any spell attack rolls or your spell save DC for this spell.

Defender
The defender specializes in manipulating the defensive abilities of their aegis, making an impenetrable bulwark around which their allies can rally.

Aegis of Defense.
Your aegis is more finely tuned towards protecting yourself. The AC bonus from your aegis increases to +2, instead of +1.

Luring Aegis
Starting at 7th level, you are able to impart a fraction of your aegis into other creatures, making it difficult for them to strike at other foes. Whenver you hit a creature with a melee attack with a bonded sword, you can use a bonus action to force that creature to attack you. Until the start of your next turn, any attacks that creature makes that don’t include you have disadvantage.

Aegis of Spell Resistance
At 15th level your aegis is bolstered against opposing magic, reducing the effectiveness of those spells. You have advantage on saving throws against magical effects, and spell attacks against you are made with disadvanatage.

Transmute Blade: Defender
At 20th level, your aegis allows you to transform your sword into a legendary weapon as a bonus action on your turn. The sword retains its properties, except it has the abilities listed below. The transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you drop or sheathe the weapon. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this magic weapon. This bonus doesn’t stack with any enhancement bonuses the sword already has. The first time you attack with the sword on each of your turns, you can transfer some or all of the sword’s bonus to your Armor Class, instead of using the bonus on any attacks that turn. For example, you could reduce the bonus to your attack and damage rolls to +1 and gain a +2 bonus to AC. The adjusted bonuses remain in effect until the start of your next turn, although you must hold the sword to gain a bonus to AC from it.

Dervish
The dervish is a warrior focused on agility and speed, whose aegis grants them supernatural mobility.

Aegis of Mobility
Your aegis grants you a supernatural speed. Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain a +1 bonus to AC during any movement you make on your turn.

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.

Impulse
By 15th level, you have learned to channel your aegis to empower supernatural feats of dexterity and speed. As an action, choose Uncountable Strikes or Godspeed:

Uncountable Strikes. You make a number of attacks up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once). You can’t expend spell slots using your Arcane Strike feature on these attacks.

Godspeed. You may freely use the Dash action a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once).

Once you have used this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Transmute Blade: Sword of Speed
At 20th level, your aegis allows you to transform your sword into a legendary weapon as a bonus action on your turn. The sword retains its properties, except it has the abilities listed below. The transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you drop or sheathe the weapon. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this magic weapon. This bonus doesn’t stack with any enhancement bonuses the sword already has. In addition, you can make one attack with it as a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns.

Embrangler
The embrangler is a peculiar swordmage, whose aegis takes the form of a spectral chain extending from their blade. With a thought, they can ensnare creatures as they strike at them in combat, and are adept at maneuvering them around the battlefield. Embranglers make excellent guards, bounty hunters, and hunters, able to ensnare and subdue the staunchest foes.

Aegis of Chains
You are able to phsyically manifest your aegis as an extension of your sword in the form of a spectral chain. Whenever you hit a Medium or smaller creature with your bonded weapon, you can force them to make a Strength or Dexterity save (the creature’s choice) against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature is grappled by your weapon.

While grappled in this way, you can’t attack other creatures with the grappling bonded weapon. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once). You regain expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.

Effortless Embranglement
Beginning when you reach 7th level, you regain all of your expended uses of your Aegis of Chains when you finish a short or long rest.

Chain Jail
Beginning at 15th level, whenever a creature fails its saving throw against your Aegis of Chains feature, you can expend another use of that feature. If you do, the target is restrained as long as it’s grappled.

Transmute Blade: Dancing Chains
At 20th level, your aegis allows you to transform your sword into a legendary weapon as a bonus action on your turn. The sword retains its properties, except it has the abilities listed below. The transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you sheathe the weapon. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this magic weapon. This bonus doesn’t stack with any enhancement bonuses the sword already has.

The tip of your blade ends in three spectral chains. As an action, you can direct each chain to attack a creature within 15 feet of you. For each chain, make a melee weapon attack roll using your bonded weapon. These attacks deal bludgeoning damage instead of the weapon’s normal damage type. If you hit a target with all three tentacles, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it suffers the effect of the slow spell for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Vanguard
The vanguard utilizes their aegis to rip apart their enemies with raw magical power.

Aegis of Assault
You are able to channel the aegis within your blade as a damaging aura. Whenever you hit with a melee weapon attack using a weapon to which you are bonded, you deal an additional 2 damage.

Aegis of Regeneration
The arcane energy within your blade is deeply linked to your own spirit. Whenever you regain hit points, you add your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) to the hit points regained.

Unstoppable Aegis
At 15th level, your aegis begins to overpower even the staunchest of defenses. If a creature has resistance to a damage type that would be dealt by your bonded sword or a spell cast through it, you ignore that resistance. If a creature is immune to a damage type that would be dealt by your bonded sword or a spell cast through it, you instead treat that immunity as a resistance to that damage type.

Transmute Blade: Vorpal Sword
At 20th level, your aegis allows you to transform your sword into a legendary weapon as a bonus action on your turn. The sword retains its properties, except it has the abilities listed below. The transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you drop or sheathe the weapon. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this magic weapon. This bonus doesn’t stack with any enhancement bonuses the sword already has. In addition, the weapon ignores resistance to either slashing or piercing damage, based on the original weapon. When you attack a creature that has at least one head with this weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll one of the following occurs: you cut off one of the creature’s heads if you deal slashing damage, or your pierce its skull and impale its brain if you deal piercing damage. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing or piercing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the DM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing or piercing damage from the hit.

Spoiler: Invocations of the Blade

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If an invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites.

Aegis Armor. You can cast the mage armor spell at-will without expending a spell slot, but you can only target yourself.

Aegis of Apparition. Prerequisites: 6th level. You can cast the misty step spell once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Aegis of Nondetection. Prerequisite: 10th level. You can cast the nondetection spell at will, without expending a spell slot. You can target yourself and/or your bonded weapon, but nothing else.

Aegis of Reflections. Prerequisite: 6th level. You can cast the mirror image spell once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Aegis of the Bastion. Prerequisite: 14th level, Aegis of Defense feature. The bonus to AC granted by your aegis increaes to +3.

Aegis of the Ravager. Prerequisites: 14th level, Aegis of Assault feature. The bonus damage granted by your Aegis of Assault feature increases to +3.

Aegis of the Tower. Prerequisites: 10th level. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack using your bonded sword, if that creature knows at least one language, you and that creature gain the ability to understand what each other say, regardless of what languages you speak, for 1 hour. Alternatively, you may perform a 1-minute ritual with a creature by touching your bonded sword and a weapon of theirs for the duration of the ritual, achieving the same effect.

Aegis of the Warden. Prerequisites: 14th level, Aegis of Chains feature. Creatures that are one size larger than you don't automatically succeed on checks to escape the grapple of your Aegis of Chains. Additionally, when dragging creatures grappled by your Aegis of Chains, you only suffer a penalty to your speed if the creature is two sizes larger than you.

Aegis of The Wind. Prerequisites: 14th level, Aegis of Mobility feature. The bonus to speed granted by your Aegis of Mobility feature increases to +20 feet. Additionally, you ignore the first 20 feet of difficult terrain you encounter on your turn.

Aegis Scourge. Prerequisites: 6th level, Aegis of Chains feature. As an action, you can expend a use of your Aegis of Chains feature to lash your foe with a spectral chain. For 1 minute, the reach of your bonded weapon increases by 5 feet, and it deals bludgeoning damage instead of its normal damage type.

Apocalypse Blade. Prerequisite: 18th level. Whenever you use your Arcane Strike, you can expend a slot of 5th-level, dealing no damage. If you do, you cast the disintegrate spell as a bonus action, targeting that creature.

Once you have used this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Arcane Overload. Prerequisite: 18th level. Whenever you roll a critical hit, you roll the damage dice three times, instead of twice.

Aura of Defense. Prerequisite: 6th level, Aegis of Defense feature. As long as you’re not incapacitated, melee weapon attacks made by hostile creatures within 5 feet of you against non-hostile creatures within 5 feet of you have disadvantage.

Awareness. As long as your bonded weapon is within 5 feet of you, you can’t be surprised, and you have advantage on initiative rolls.

Blade Barrier. Prerequisite: 18th level. You can cast the blade barrier spell once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Blade of Dispelling. Prerequisite: 10th level. Whenever you hit a creature, an object, or magical effect with a weapon attack using your bonded sword, you can cast the dispel magic spell as a bonus action through your blade, using a swordmage spell slot. You must target the creature, object, or magical effect you strike with your sword.

Blade of Enduring Terror. Prerequisite: 14th level. Whenever hit a creature with a melee weapon attack using your bonded sword, you can cast the phantasmal killer spell as a bonus action using a swordmage spell slot, targeting that creature.

Blade of Honor’s Price. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack made with a bonded sword, you can cast the compelled duel spell as a bonus action using a swordmage spell slot, targeting that creature.

Blade of Lingering Anguish. Prerequisite: 6th level. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack using your bonded sword, you may cast the cloud of daggers spell as a bonus action using a swordmage spell slot, except the spell deals the same damage dealt by your bonded sword. You must choose a point that includes the creature hit by your bonded sword.

Blade of the Unending Moment. Prerequisite: 10th level. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack made with your bonded sword, you may cast the slow spell once as a bonus action, targeting that creature. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Blade of Truth. Prerequisites: 18th level. While your bonded sword is on your person, you have truesight out to 30 feet.

Cleaving Aegis. Prerequisite: 6th level, must be bonded to a sword that deals slashing damage. Once per turn when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a bonded sword that deals slashing damage, choose a creature within 5 feet of that creature and within reach of your weapon. If the attack would hit the second target, you deal any remaining damage from that attack to that creature.

Chains of the Confessor. Prerequisites: 10th level, Aegis of Chains feature. You can cast the zone of truth spell at-will, except you only affect a creature grappled by your bonded sword. If the creature is restrained by your Chain Jail feature, it makes its Charisma saving throw with disadvantage.

Disrupting Strike. Prerequisite: 10th level. Whenever you deal damage to a creature using your Arcane Strike feature, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw against the next spell you cast, until the end of your next turn.

Dousing Blade. Your aegis allows you to subconsciously discern hidden truths and objects. As an action, you hold your weapon in front of you and describe a particular condition or object, such as “the nearest source of water” or “the liar amongst this group of people.” Your weapon will point in the direction of the condition or object you described. If you use this feature again before finishing a long rest, there is a cumulative 25% chance of a false reading occurring.

Giant’s Stance. Prerequisite: 6th level. You can cast the enlarge/reduce spell once without expending a spell slot, but only targeting yourself, and only using the enlarge option. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

History of the Blade. You can cast the identify spell using a swordmage spell slot. If the target is a sword with which you are proficient, you can do so without expending a spell slot. In addition to the sword’s magical properties, you learn its original creator, its intended purpose, and the last person to bear the weapon.

Intuitive Blade Magic. Prerequisite: 6th level. Choose a spell of 1st level from the swordmage spell list when you gain this feature. The spell must require your bonded sword as a material component. You may cast that spell once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest. You can choose this invocation multiple times, each time selecting a new spell. At 14th level, you can select a spell of 2nd level or higher.

Inured to Darkness. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, your darkvision is increased by a futher 60 feet instead.

Leaping Blade. Prerequisite: 6th level. Whenever you make a melee weapon attack with your bonded sword, your reach for that attack is increased by 5 feet.

Mercurial Stance. Prerequisite: 10th level. You can cast the haste spell once without expending a spell slot, but you can only target yourself. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Mountain’s Stance. Prerequisite: 14th level. You can cast the stoneskin spell once without expending a spell slot and eschewing material components. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Piercing Aegis. Prerequisites: 6th level, must be bonded to a sword that deals piercing damage. Your bonded sword attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 if the bonded sword deals piercing damage.

Riposte Stance. Prerequisite: 6th level. You adopt this stance as part of any other action. Whenever a creature makes a melee attack against you, you can use your reaction to make a single melee weapon attack against it. If you reduce the creature to 0 hit points, the attack made against you misses. This stance lasts for as long as you maintain concentration, up to 1 minute (as if concentrating on a spell). You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Sharpen. Whenever you make a melee attack roll with your bonded sword, you may add your Intelligence modifier to the roll. You can wait until after you roll the d20, but must decide before the DM says the whether the roll succeeds or fails.

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

Stance of Blurred Movement. Prerequisite: 6th level. You can cast the blur spell once without expending a spell slot. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Stance of Free Movement. Prerequisite: 14th level. You can cast the freedom of movement spell once without expending a spell slot, but you can only target yourself. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

[/b]Stance of the Crucible of Worlds.[b] Prerequisite: 18th level. You can cast the primordial ward spell once without expending a spell slot. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Stance of the Hero. You can cast the heroism spell at-will without expending a spell slot, but you can only target yourself.

Stance of Tactical Withdrawal. Prerequisite: 10th level. You can cast the expeditious reatreat spell at will, without expending a spell slot.

Warrior’s Bond. Prerequisite: 14th level. You can cast the locate creature spell at-will, without expending a spell slot. You are limited to searching for creatures that fit one or more of the following criteria:
• you have dealt the creature damage with your bonded sword
• you and the creature have been under the effects of the compelled duel spell
• you and the creature have performed the ritual of the Aegis of the Tower invocation

Spoiler: Swordmage Spells ( * spells are found at the end of this document )

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Cantrips
Acid Splash (conjuration)
Blade Ward (abjuration)
Fire Bolt (evocation)
Prestidigitation (transmutation)
Ray of Frost (evocation)
True Strike (divination)

1st-level
*Boomerang Blade (evocation)
Burning Hands (evocation)
Detect Magic (divination)
Fog Cloud (conjuration)
*Greenflame Blade (evocation)
Jump (transmutation)
*Mind Stab (illusion)
*Poisonous Blade (Conjuration)
Shield (abjuration)
Thunderwave (evocation)

2nd-level
*Frostfire Blade (evocation)
Heat Metal (transmutation)
*Ice Spikes (conjuration)
*Magnetized Blade (evocation)
Misty Step (conjuration)
Scorching Ray (evocation)
Shatter (evocation)
Spider Climb (transmutation)

3rd-level
*1,000 Blades (conjuration)
Blink (transmutation)
Counterspell (abjuration)
*Displaced Strike (conjuration)
Fireball (evocation)
Lightning Bolt (evocation)
*Lightning Thrust (evocation)
Protection from Energy (abjuration)
Water Walk (transmutation)

4th-level
Dimension Door (conjuration)
*Dissolving Blade (conjuration)
Fire Shield (evocation)
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (evocation)
Stoneskin (transmutation)
Wall of Fire (evocation)
*Voidstrike (necromancy)
*Windborne Strikes (transmutation)

5th-level
*Aurora Stance (transmutation)
Cloudkill (conjuration)
*Shockwave Slash (evocation)
*Thunder Blade (evocation)
Wall of Force (evocation)
Wall of Stone (evocation)

1,000 Blades
3rd-level Conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30-foot cone)
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Instantaneous

You point your weapon at your foes, and one thousand miniscule clones of it erupt forth in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 12d4 damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The damage shares the damage type of the bonded weapon used to cast this spell.

At Higher Levels. Whenever you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 2d4 for each level above 3rd.

Aurora Stance
5th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You focus on your aegis, and arcane energy begins to radiate from your body. You begin to shimmer with different colors of light, leaving after images in the wake of your movements. These after images follow the gradient of the rainbow, and last for 1 second before harmlessly dissipating.

Until the spell ends, whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, roll a d8 to determine which color blade affects it.

1. Red. The target takes an additional 1d10 fire damage.
2. Orange. The target takes an additional 1d10 acid damage.
3. Yellow. The target takes an additional 1d10 lightning damage.
4. Green. The target takes an additional 1d10 poison damage.
5. Blue. The target takes an additional 1d10 cold damage.
6. Indigo. The target takes an additional 1d10 psychic damage.
7. Violet. The target takes an additional 1d10 force damage.
8. Special. The target takes an additional 1d10 radiant damage, and is affected by another color blade. Roll once more, rerolling any 8.

Once you have hit with 7 color blades, the spell ends.

Boomerang Blade
1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

You toss your weapon at the enemy. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to the weapon’s damage dice. You may repeat this attack against two more creatures, one at a time. Each additional target must be within 30 feet of the previous target, and within range of this spell. After attacking the last target, the weapon returns to your grasp.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slots of 2nd level or higher, you can repeat the attack against another target for each level above 1st.

Displaced Strike
3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Instantaneous

You send the tip or edge of your blade through a pocket dimension, and you strike your foe from afar. Make a melee weapon attack against a target in range using your bonded weapon. The weapon deals an additional 1d6 force damage on a hit.

Dissolving Blade
4th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

The weapon in your hand begins to ooze a powerful acid. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. The weapon deals an additional 3d6 acid damage on a hit. Additionally on a hit, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they are coated with the blade’s acid, taking 2d6 acid damage at the start of their turn.

The target can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns. The first time they succeed on this saving throw, the damage is reduced to 1d6 acid damage at the start of their turn. The second time they succeed on this saving throw, the effect ends.

Frostfire Blade
2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (one or two weapons to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Instantaneous

If you cast this spell using one weapon, it begins to vacillate between burning frost and freezing flame. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. On a hit, it deals an additional 1d12 fire damage plus 1d12 cold damage.

Alternatively if you cast this spell using two weapons, one glows with flame and chilling frost forms on the other. Make a melee weapon attack with each weapon. You can move between these attacks. On a hit, each weapon deals an additional 1d12 fire or cold damage, respectively.

Greenflame Blade
1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

The weapon in your hand glows with green flame, which explodes as you strike your target. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. The weapon deals an additional 1d6 fire damage on a hit. On a hit or miss, the target and each creature within 5 feet of it (except you) must make Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slots of 2nd level or higher, the secondary fire damage increases by 1d6 for each level above first.

Ice Spikes
2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15-foot cube)
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A deep chill emanates from your blade. As you thrust it downwards, spikes of magical ice erupt around you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 cold damage and is restrained for the duration of the spell. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and is not restrained.

While you maintain concentration on this spell, your speed is reduced to 0, and you gain no benefit from a bonus to your speed.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the cold damage increases by 1d8 for each level above 2nd.

Lightning Thrust
3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (one piercing weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

Electricity cackles about your weapon, and your blade becomes a wieldable bolt of lightning. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. The weapon deals an additional 1d10 lightning damage on a hit. On a hit or miss, a small bolt of lightning erupts from your blade, striking the original target and creatures behind it. Each creature in a 5-foot-wide, 25-foot-long line must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Magnetized Blade
2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Your sword hums as electricity courses throughout it. Whenever you make a melee weapon attack using this weapon, the attack has advantage if the target is made of metal or wearing armor made of metal.

Mind Stab
1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

You point your weapon at your enemy, and their imminent death flashes across their thoughts. One creature in range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 3d4 psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the condition on them on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each level above 1st.

Poisonous Blade
1st-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-foot-radius)
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Poisonous gas emanates from your blade, and the weapon deals an additional 1d4 poison damage on a hit for the duration. A 5-foot-radius translucent cloud of poison surrounds you, and follows you as you move. The poison lingers in the air behind you for 1 round. Creatures and objects within the cloud are lightly obscured.

The first time another creature enters the poison’s area on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 1d4 poison damage on a failed save.

At Higher Levels. Whenever you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd-level or higher, the damage dealt by the poisonous cloud increases by 2d4 for each spell slot above 1st.

Shockwave Slash
5th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch; Self (15-foot cone)
Components: V, S, M (one slashing weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

The smell of ozone fills the air as your blade becomes lightning. You slash with the speed of a thunderbolt, releasing a devastating peal of thunder. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. The weapon deals an additional 1d10 lightning damage on a hit. On a hit or miss, each creature in a 15-foot cone that includes the original target must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature is deafened and takes 8d8 thunder damage on a failed save. A creature takes half as much damage and is not deafened on a successful save.

Thunder Blade
5th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

The weapon in your hand vibrates with intensity. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. The weapon deals an additional 2d6 thunder damage on a hit. On a hit or miss, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 5d10 thunder damage and is deafened and stunned for 1 minute on a failed save. The target can repeat the saving throw against the stunned condition at the end of each of its turns. A creature takes half as much damage and is not deafened or stunned on a successful save.

Windborne Strikes
4th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (one weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: instantaneous

With a burst of supernatural speed, you strike at your foes. You move a number of feet up to your speed. Opportunity attacks provoked by this movement have disadvantage. Whenever you move to within 5 feet of a creature for the first time during this movement, you can make a single melee weapon attack against that creature. You make the attack before you continue your movement.

Voidstrike
4th-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (one slashing weapon to which you are bonded and wielding)
Duration: Instantaneous

With an incantation the blade in your hand turns as black as void, and the air cackles at its raw destructive power. Make a melee weapon attack using this weapon. You treat the target’s armor class as 10 + their Dexterity modifier, ignoring any natural or worn armor.

**Leuku** · 2015-05-02, 04:51 AM (ISO 8601)

First off, thank you for taking the time to make this homebrew. If I don't mention a feature, it means I have I like it/have no problem with it.

Weapons: Interesting. Went quite literal with the "Sword" part of swordmage, eh? One thing I like about 5e as opposed to 4e is that 5e does not lock any class or subclass in to specific weapons, nor even weapon groups. A Greatweapon Fighter could be wielding a Greatsword one day, a Maul the next, and a haldberd the day after, and still remain competitive throughout the week.

Battlemaster Fighters can use any weapon with their maneuvers, the only restriction being melee vs. ranged.

So on and so forth. Anyways,

Swordbond: Why does it matter if the weapon is sentient/an artifact?

Also, are you automatically disincentivising Two Weapon Fighting? All Magic Weapon Bonds in 5e allow for bonding up to 2 weapons. Something I love about 5e is that Two-Weapon Fighting is available to everyone. While it's obviously less valuable to full casters, any martial-y class can't go too wrong with it. It is later noted in Aegis that the Swordmage doesn't even need to keep a hand free to maintain Aegis, so I see no reason for disincentivising TWF.

Aegis of Defense: Woah woah woah! Holy Bounded AC Breaking Batman! You're giving a 16 Dex, 16 Int 3rd level Swordmage the equivalent of Platemail without 1) the weight, 2) the Str requirement, 3) the cost, 4) probably the Stealth disadvantage (don't have my books with me right now).

Best Light Armor: AC 12 + 3 dex + 2 (aegis) + 2 (16 int) = 19! 19!. At level 3!

Sure, AC 19 doesn't in and of itself doesn't break the Bounded AC, but it lacks the restrictions that makes AC 19+ difficult to achieve in the first place. I recommend changing the flat Aegis +2 bonus to a +3, no scaling.

Aegis of Protection: Until the start of your next or until the end of your next turn?

Aegis of Assault: Avoid double-modding, even if it's just half rounded up. The only class that gets to double mod is the Ranger, and that's at 20th level. Double-modding was a frequent thing in 4e and is virtually nonexistent in 5e.

Aegis of Kinesics: Considering you can do this for free every round, it looks like it may slow down combat by a significant deal. Nobody is going to give up a chance to get free advantage. And considering that this is a Intelligence-centric class, and most creatures in the MM have middle to low to very low intelligence, you're basically giving this class free advantage for most encounters.

Also, I'm noticing a lack of utility/fluff/exploration features.

Empowering Aegis: Applying that to spells is pretty damn powerful? Does a wizard subclass get to do this, or is this the first time anybody can do this?

**Dhavaer** · 2015-05-02, 05:05 AM (ISO 8601)