Swordmage
The Swordmage
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Aegis, Weapon Bond | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Arcane Smite, Fighting Style, Spellcasting | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Spellsight, Swordmage Order Features | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Mind Over Matter | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Swordmage Order Feature | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Aftermagic | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Keen Edge | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Overchannel | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Swordmage Order Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Aura improvements | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Swordmage Order Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As a swordmage you gain the following 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: Simple weapons, Martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a rapier or (b) two shortswords
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- (a) leather armor or (b) chain mail
- component pouch and a spellbook
Aegis
Weaving subtle arcane wards with every move of their weapon, Swordmages are experts at combining martial prowess and raw magic in to a form of impenetrable defense.
Starting at 1st level, while you are not wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield, you gain a bonus to your AC while you have your bonded weapon in your hand. This bonus equals half your Intelligence modifier, rounded up, and doesn't stack if you are wielding more than one bonded weapon at the same time.
Weapon Bond
You learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and a weapon you are proficient with. 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.
Additionally, if the weaponed is damaged or destroyed, you can spend 1 hour and half of the weapon's cost in materials to restore the weapon completely.
You can have a number of bonded weapons equal to your Intelligence modifier, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a new weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two.
Arcane Smite
Beginning at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to do deal additional cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage to the target, your choice. 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. The damage increases by 1d6 if the target is currently concentrating on a spell.
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.
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. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Spellcasting
By 2nd level, your studies of arcane magic have begun to come to fruition. You have a spellbook containing spells that you have recorded.
Cantrips
You learn 2 Cantrips of your choice from the Swordmage list of cantrips. This number further increases as you gain levels in this class.
Spellbook
At 2nd level, you have a spellbook containing four 1st-level swordmage spells of your choice.
Preparing and Casting Spells
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 slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of swordmage spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of swordmage spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your swordmage level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Casting a spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest.
- Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
- Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can any weapon which you are bonded to with your Weapon Bond class feature as a spellcasting focus for your Swordmage spells.
Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Each time you gain a swordmage level, you can add one swordmage spell of your choice to your spellbook. This spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Swordmage table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook.
Spellsight
By 3rd level, you may cast the Detect magic and Identify spells a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier, without using a spell slot or requiring any components.
Swordmage Order
At 3rd level, you choose a Swordmage Order, defining your style of blade magic through one of two schools: Duskblade or Magus.
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, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Mind Over Matter
Subtly manipulating the material plane is second nature to you as the physical realm seems to always slightly adjust to your favor.
Starting at 6th level, you and all creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you may add your Intelligence modifier on any Strength, Dexterity or Constitution check they make.
The range of this ability increases to 30 feet once you reach level 18 in this class.
Aftermagic
Beginning at 10th level, whenever you expend a spell slot, you can choose a creature within 10 feet of you to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the spells level + your Intelligence modifier.
Keen Edge
By 11th level, you may add your Intelligence modifier to damage rolls you make using a bonded weapon.
Overchannel
Starting at 14th level, whenever you use your Arcane Smite class feature, you may invoke an additional effect, depending on the damage you chose to deal to the target:
- Cold damage. The target's speed is halved until the end of it's next turn.
- Fire damage. The target takes an additional 2d6 fire damage at the start of it's next turn.
- Lightning. The target can't take reactions until the end of it's next turn.
- Thunder. The target is pushed in a straight line 10 feet away from you.
Swordmage Order
Magus
Magus are notorious for being hard to take down, imposing a one man barrier between the enemy lines and their allies.
Aethershield
Starting at 3rd level, when you see a creature being attacked within 30 feet of you, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. If the attack still hits, it deals half damage.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Arcane Sentinel
Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to channel excess arcane energy into a barrier protecting your mind and body. For one minute, you may reduce all damage you take by an amount equal to your Intelligence modifier and you are immune to being charmed or frightened.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Aura of Arcane Resonance
At 7th level, you and all creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you have advantage on Constitutions saving throws made in order to keep concentrating on a spell.
The range of this ability increases to 30 feet when you reach the 18th level in this class.
Eldritch Enervation
Beginning at 15th level, any creature that you hit with your bonded weapon or with a Swordmage spell has disadvantage on the first attack roll it makes before the start of your next turn.
Arcane Siphoning
You have developed the supernatural ability to null the effects of spells cast against you and use some of their powers for your own benefit.
By 20th level, you may add your Intelligence modifier as a bonus on all saving throws you make against spells. Additionally, when you succeed on a saving throw versus a spell, you regain a number of hit points equal to the spell level.
Duskblade
Duskblades are supremely mobile warriors that dart around the battlefield disrupting enemy lines in many ways.
Aetherstrike
Starting at 3rd level, when you see a creature being attacked within 30 feet of you, you may use your reaction to teleport to a space adjacent to the attacker and make one weapon attack against that creature.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Weapon of the Weave
As part of your training from joining this order at 3rd level, you gained the ability to imbue one of your bonded weapons with Arcane Might as a bonus action. For 1 minute, you may add your Intelligence 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 can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Aura of Arcane Dissonance
Starting at 7th level, all creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on Constitutions saving throws made in order to keep concentrating on a spell. Furthermore, if you are currently concentrating on spell and hit a creature within the range of this aura using your bonded weapon, you deal additional psychic damage on the attack equal to the level of the spell you are concentrating on.
The range of this ability increases to 30 feet when you reach the 18th level in this class.
Dimension Warp
Starting at 15th level, whenever you roll a Dexterity (Initiative) check, but before the results are known, you may select a number of creatures up to your Intelligence modifier that you can see within 30 feet of you. As a reaction, you may instantly teleport each of the chosen creatures to a space one of the other chosen targets currently inhibits. Creatures must make a Charisma saving against your Swordmage Spell save DC in order to resist this ability, but may choose to fail the save if they wish to. If one of the chosen targets succeeds on the saving throw, the ability fails.
Aetherstep
At 20th level, you may substitute any part of your movement for a teleportation of the equivalent distance. Once per round, when you teleport adjacent to a creature, you have advantage on the first weapon attack you make against that target before the start of your next turn.
Swordmage Spells
Cantrips
- Acid Splash
- Blade Ward
- Booming Blade
- Chill Touch
- Control Flames
- Dancing Lights
- Fire Bolt
- Frostbite
- Green-flame Blade
- Gust
- Light
- Lightning Lure
- Mage Hand
- Mending
- Message
- Minor Illusion
- Mold Earth
- Prestidigitation
- Ray of Frost
- Shape Water
- Shocking Grasp
- Sword Burst
- Thunderclap
- True Strike
1st Level
- Absorb Elements
- Armor of Agathys
- Burning Hands
- Catapult
- Chromatic Orb
- Color Spray
- Compelled Duel
- Detect Magic
- Earth Tremor
- False Life
- Feather Fall
- Find Familiar
- Fog Cloud
- Ice Knife
- Identify
- Jump
- Longstrider
- Mage Armor
- Magic Missile
- Ray of Sickness
- Shield
- Sleep
- Thunderwave
2nd Level
- Aganazzar's Scorcher
- Arcane Lock
- Blur
- Cloud of Daggers
- Darkvision
- Dragon's Breath
- Earthbind
- Enlarge/Reduce
- Flaming Sphere
- Hold Person
- Invisibility
- Knock
- Levitate
- Locate Object
- Magic Weapon
- Maximilian's Earthen Grasp
- Melf's Acid Arrow
- Mirror Image
- Misty Step
- Phantasmal Force
- Pyrotechnics
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Scorching Ray
- Shadow Blade
- See Invisibility
- Shatter
- Suggestion
- Warding Bond
- Warding Wind
3rd Level
- Counterspell
- Dispel Magic
- Elemental Weapon
- Enemies Abound
- Fear
- Fireball
- Fly
- Glyph of Warding
- Haste
- Life Transference
- Lightning Bolt
- Melf's Minute Meteors
- Nondetection
- Phantom Steed
- Protection from Energy
- Remove Curse
- Sending
- Sleet Storm
- Slow
- Thunder Step
- Vampiric Touch
- Wall of Sand
- Wall of Water
4th Level
- Arcane Eye
- Banishment
- Confusion
- Dimension Door
- Elemental Bane
- Fire Shield
- Greater Invisibility
- Ice Storm
- Otiluke's Resilient Sphere
- Phantasmal Killer
- Polymorph
- Stone Skin
- Storm Sphere
- Wall of Fire
- Vitriolic Sphere
- Watery Sphere
5th Level
- Animate Objects
- Bigby's Hand
- Cloudkill
- Cone of Cold
- Destructive Wave
- Far Step
- Hold Monster
- Immolation
- Maelstrom
- Scrying
- Skill Empowerment
- Steel wind Strike
- Telekinesis
- Teleportation Circle
- Wall of Light
Credits
This is a document in the early phases of its making and was inspired by various Swordmage, Magus, Duskblade and Similar class homebrews. When the full class is up and ready, I'll make sure to include each of the influences in the credits. For now, message me on reddit at /Levistej if you think you see your work reflected in this document and want me to change or remove any part you please.