Class: Swordmage by

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# Swordmage
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*"Why settle for just stabbing your foes when you can roast them alive in a gout of arcane fire?"*

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*— Marcurio, swordmage for hire of Tamriel*

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Swordmages are among the most renowned and competent artisans of war. Combining inherent talents and numerous practices of both martial and magical warfare, a swordmage roams the battlefield with arcane tricks.

### Creating a Swordmage
To create a swordmage is to find the middle point of a fighter and a wizard. Normally, it would be uncommon to find an individual to excel both in martial maneuvers and magical expertise; to become a swordmage, one has to delve into both fields and learn how to combine the two into a unique style of combat. To you, what was first: the martial practices, or magical trainings? What was your motivation behind becoming a swordmage, instead of a warrior or a wizard?

#### Quick Build
You can make a swordmage quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on your combat styles and weapons of your choice. The second highest ability score should be Intelligence. Third, choose the soldier background.

## Class Features
As a swordmage, you gain the following class features.

#### Hit Points
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- **Hit Dice:** 1d6 per swordmage level
- **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 6 + your Constitution modifier
- **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per swordmage level after 1st

#### Proficiencies
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- **Armor:** Light armor
- **Weapons:** Simple weapons, four martial weapons of your choice
- **Tools:** None

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- **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Intelligence
- **Skills:** Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana, History, Perception, and Religion

#### Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- *(a)* a martial weapon you are proficient in or *(b)* two simple weapons
- *(a)* a light crossbow and 20 bolts or *(b)* five javelins
- *(a)* a dungeoneer's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack
- Leather armor

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##### Table: The Swordmage
| Level | Proficiency<br>Bonus | Features | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
| 1st | +2 | Arcane Aegis, Arcane Buffer | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Arcane Stride | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Swordmage Style | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Arcane Assault | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Swordmage Style feature | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Arcane Buffer Feedback | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Thunderbolt Stride | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Reactive Arcane Buffer | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Swordmage Style feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Swordmage Style feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Paragon Swordmage | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |

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### Arcane Aegis
Combining your arcane expertise with martial capabilities, you can utilize a special variation of divination magic to track down your foe's movement for swift counterattack and timely protection.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can place a magic warding upon one creature you can see within 10 feet of you. The ward lasts for 1 minute or until you lose concentration (as if concentrating on a spell). The ward also disappears when either you or the target moves away from 30 feet of each other, or when you mark another creature with this feature.

When a warded creature makes an attack against a target other than you, you can use a reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.

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

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### Arcane Buffer
As a part of your expertise on both martial and magical techniques, you are protected by a special variation of abjuration magic called the arcane buffer that protects yourself from outer harm.

The buffer has hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier + twice your swordmage level (minimum of 1). Whenever you take damage other than force or psychic, the buffer takes the damage instead. If the damage reduces the buffer to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage.

While the buffer has 0 hit points, it cannot absorb damage, but its magic remains. The buffer regains all hit points whenever you finish a long rest.

The buffer can be damaged by effects that dispels magic. When you are affected by *dispel magic* spell or other similar effect that ends magic, the buffer takes 4d6 force damage, if it has any hit points left. If this damage reduces the buffer to 0 hit points, you do not take any remaining damage.

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### Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You cannot take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

#### Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.

#### 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 gain this benefit.

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

### Spellcasting
Also starting at 2nd level, your knowledge on arcane magic allows you to cast a number of spells.

#### Swordmage's Journal
Your spells are stored in your journal, which serves as an annotated version of spellbook. At 2nd level, your journal contains six 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 spell 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 journal equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your swordmage level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which have spell slots.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of swordmage spells requires time spent studying your journal and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spells: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

#### Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your swordmage spells. 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.

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

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#### Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus 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 journal for free. The spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

On your adventure, when you find a swordmage spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your journal if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

### Arcane Stride
*Also* starting at 2nd level, with your understanding on conjuration magic, you can channel your magical power to warp the dimension around you, instantly relocating your position to your proximity.

As a bonus action, you can expend one spell slot to teleport into an unoccupied space you can see. The maximum distance of the teleportation equals 10 feet for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 5 feet per each spell slot level above 1st, to a a maximum of 30 feet.

### Swordmage Style
At 3th level, you choose one of the three notable styles of the swordmage's maneuvers. Choose one of the following options: Abjurant Champion, Arcanamach, and Spellsword. Your choice grants features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 15th, and 18th 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 cannot increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

### Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

### Arcane Assault
Starting at 6th level, you can take advantage of the sudden strike that follows immediately after the teleportation. When you teleport into a space within 5 feet of a creature with your Arcane Stride, you can make one melee weapon attack against that creature as a part of the same bonus action. If this attack hits, the creature takes an extra 1d6 force damage from the attack.

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### Arcane Buffer Feedback
Starting at 10th level, your magical energy forms a stable loop around you, fueling your arcane buffer with remainder from your spells. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell or use your swordmage class feature, your buffer regains hit points equal to 8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 4 per each spell slot level above 1st, to a maximum of 20.

### Thunderbolt Stride
When you reach 11th level, immediately after you use Arcane Stride, you can create a shockwave from the point of your destination. Each creature within 5 feet of you must make a Strength saving throw against your swordmage spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes thunder damage and becomes knocked prone if it is Large or smaller. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not knocked prone. The thunder damage depends on the spell slot you expended for your Arcane Stride; 2d6 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 per each spell slot level above 1st, to a maximum of 5d6.

### Reactive Arcane Buffer
By 14th level, when your arcane buffer drops to 0 hit points, you can cause it to drop to 1 hit point instead.

If you do so, you can create a fierce vortex from the buffer that repulses other creatures in your proximity. Each creature within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your swordmage spell save DC or becomes pushed back up to 15 feet in a straight line. Creatures that are Large or larger automatically succeed on this saving throw.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

### Paragon Swordmage
At 20th level, you are the pinnacle of those who shares the similar practices. Whenever you finish a short rest, you regain two uses of your Arcane Aegis.

Additionally, whenever you regain hit points by spending Hit Dice at the end of the short rest, for each Hit Dice you spent, your arcane buffer regains 2 hit points.

## Swordmage Styles
Swordmage is already an uncommon sight, and yet there are many branches of practices among those few swordmages. Some adapt the fighting style of supporting their combat maneuvers with magic tricks; some starts as a mage and picked up some weapon trainings for personal defenses.

### Abjurant Champion
The Abjurant Champion style of swordmage can be found among ranks of soldiers and warlords, who fight in groups rather than alone. By delving even deeper to the abjuration magic, the Abjurant Champion style can provide a reliable protection to a group of squad and teammates.

Swordmages who practice the Abjurant Champion style are often team players than solitary adventurer. Because of the immense benefit an Abjurant Champion can provide, they are popular among military groups and troops, and some may be recruited to an army for a handsome price.

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#### Abjurant Champion Warding
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this style, when a friendly creature you can see within 10 feet of you is targeted by an attack, you can use a reaction to teleport into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the targeted creature.

Immediately after you teleport with this feature, if the targeted creature is willing, you and the creature can swap places. If you do so, you become the target for the triggering attack instead.

#### Enervating Aegis
Also starting at 3rd level, when you impose disadvantage on attack roll with your Arcane Aegis and the attack still hits the target, the damage dealt to the target is halved.

#### Protective Stride
By 7th level, immediately after you use Arcane Stride, you can channel the excess magical energy to grant a temporary protection for one friendly creature within 5 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, the protected creature gains a bonus to its Armor Class and all saving throws equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

When you reach 11th level in this class and gain the Thunderbolt Stride class feature, the protected creature automatically succeeds on the Strength saving throw for your Thunderbolt Stride and takes no damage instead.

#### Fortifying Ritual
When you reach 15th level, when you take a long rest, you can perform a 1-hour ritual that conjures a simple ward for your allies. If you do so, choose up to five creatures you can see at the end of the rest. The chosen creatures each gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your swordmage level (minimum of 1).

#### Arcane Shieldbearer
At 18th level, you can use your reaction for your Abjurant Champion Warding even if you have already expended your reaction this round, but not if you have already used your reaction this turn.

### Arcanamach
The Arcanamach style of swordmage is a bane to their own kind: a mage that specializes in fighting against other mages. With the extensive research on magic and the harm it induces, the Arcanamach style focuses on how to effectively dampen magical damage, and by extension, dispose of the source of such harmful magic. Because of this obsessively coordinated fighting style, a swordmage who practices the Arcanamach style is often shunned by their fellow mages.

In the world of Greyhawk, the Suel Empire was notorious for its practice of the Arcanamach style. In the ancient empire ruled by archmages, Suel Arcanamachs served as the bodyguards for the arcane despots, with their capability of negating any harmful magic that would harm their masters, followed by a deadly strike against the offender.

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#### Arcanamach Warding
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this style, you can conjure a quick and temporary protection against harmful magic for your allies. When a creature other than you that you can see within 10 feet of you is subjected by a spell or other magical effect that allows a saving throw to avoid or resist its effect, you can use a reaction to grant advantage on the first saving throw for that creature.

#### Dispelling Aegis
Also starting at 3rd level, when a creature marked with your Arcane Aegis casts a spell, you can use a reaction to interrupt its spellcasting process.

If the creature is casting a cantrip, the cantrip fails and has no effect. If it is casting a spell of 1st to 5th level, make an Intelligence check against the creature's spell save DC. On a successful check, the spell fails and has no effect.

This feature has no effect if the creature is casting a spell of 6th level and higher.

#### Dampening Buffer
When you reach 7th level, as long as your arcane buffer has at least 1 hit point left, when you are subjected to a spell that allows you to make a saving throw to take half damage, you instead take no damage on a successful save, and only half damage on a failed save.

#### Antimagic Buffer
By 15th level, your arcane buffer gains resistance against damage from spells.

#### Bane of Mage
At 18th level, you can use your reaction for your Arcanamach Warding and Dispelling Aegis even if you have already expended your reaction this round, but not if you have already used your reaction this turn.

### Spellsword
The Spellsword style of swordmage usually starts with martial background prior to their devotion to arcane studies. The Spellsword style focuses more on close-quarter combats, and use their magical proficiencies to aid their fighting styles.

In par with the general swordmage, the Spellsword style is not strictly limited to swords for the preferred weapons. A swordmage may wield an axe or spear and still take the best of their Spellsword style. The naming convention is entirely because of the stylistic reasons; according to one renowned practitioner of the Spellsword style, "The word *Spellaxe* or *Spellspear* just doesn't sound right."

#### Spellsword Warding
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this style, you can further fortify your defense with your magical aptitude.

As long as you are concentrating on a swordmage spell or your Arcane Aegis, you gain a bonus to your Armor Class equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). You cannot gain this benefit while you are wearing medium or heavy armor.

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#### Offensive Aegis
Also starting at 3rd level, once on each of your turn when you hit a creature marked with your Arcane Aegis with a melee weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d6 force damage with the attack. The extra damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level.

#### Abjurant Feedback
When you reach 7th level, when you expend a spell slot to cast a spell or use your Arcane Stride, you gain a +2 bonus to your Armor Class against the next attack that targets you before the start of your next turn.

Additionally, as long as you are concentrating on a swordmage spell or your Arcane Aegis, you gain a +2 bonus to all saving throws that does not already adds your proficiency bonus.

You cannot gain these benefits while you are wearing medium or heavy armor.

#### Arcane Bulwark
Starting at 15th level, your arcane buffer gains resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

#### Improved Arcane Assault
By 18th level, the extra damage you deal with your Arcane Assault increases to 2d6.

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## Multiclassing
On the DM's discretion, you can multiclass in the swordmage class, as described in *Player's Handbook* (page 163-165). If you do so, the following rules are applied.

### Proficiencies
To qualify for the swordmage class, you must meed the ability score prerequisites for the swordmage class, as shown in the table below.

##### Table: Multiclassing Prerequisites
| Class | Ability Score Minimum |
|:---|:---|
| Swordmage | Strength 13 or Dexterity 13,<br>Intelligence 13 |

### Proficiency Bonus
When you multiclass into the swordmage class, you gain the following proficiencies as whon in the table below.

##### Table: Multiclassing Proficiencies
| Class | Proficiencies Granted |
|:---|:---|
| Swordmage | Light armor, simple weapons |

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## Credits
All contents are created by [Weirdo Whoever](https://weirdowhoever.blogspot.com) unless noted otherwise. Special thanks to [D&D Wiki](https://www.dandwiki.com), [NaturalCrit Homebrewery tool](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com), and [GM Binder](https://www.gmbinder.com) for providing the templates for my imaginations.

***Class and Subclasses.*** The class and subclasses are all (however loosely) based on classes and prestige classes from the past editions, as follows:
- **Swordmage** is based on the class of the same name from 4th edition supplement *Forgotten Realms Player's Guide.*
- **Abjurant Champion** is *very* loosely based on the prestige class of the same name from 3.5rd edition supplement *Complete Mage.*
- **Arcanamach** is based on the Suel Arcanamach prestige class from 3.5rd edition supplement *Complete Arcane.*
- **Spellsword** is *very* loosely based on the prestige class of the same name from 3.5rd edition supplement *Complete Warrior.*

***Quote.*** The quote at the top of the class description is stolen directly from the videogame *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.*

***Artwork.*** Credit for the awesome art goes to the following artists:
- ["BattleMage, Fury of the NorthMen"](https://www.deviantart.com/stuartstudios/art/BattleMage-Fury-of-the-NorthMen-658363578) by [StuArtStudios](https://www.deviantart.com/stuartstudios).
- ["Magic swordsman"](https://www.deviantart.com/xiaobotong/art/Magic-swordsman-307503599) by [XiaoBotong](https://www.deviantart.com/xiaobotong).

***Watercolor.*** Credit for the clever watercolor goes to [Full Page Watercolor Stains](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L4Yt8ZSxmhwqt--yNRT/-L7R9b8fhdvRhtbJvpY6) by fellow GM Binder users.

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# Swordmage Spells
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##### 1st Level
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- *detect magic*
- *disguise self*
- *earth tremor*
- *fog cloud*
- *jump*
- *longstrider*
- *magic missile*
- *protection from evil and good*
- *shield*
- *silent image*
- *sleep*
- *Tasha's hideous laughter*
- *thunderwave*
- *unseen servant*
- *zephyr strike*

##### 2nd Level
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- *alter self*
- *cloud of daggers*
- *darkness*
- *earthbind*
- *hold person*
- *levitate*
- *magic weapon*
- *mirror image*
- *shadow blade*
- *spider climb*
- *suggestion*
- *warding wind*

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##### 3rd Level
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- *blink*
- *counterspell*
- *dispel magic*
- *gaseous form*
- *haste*
- *major image*
- *slow*
- *tongues*
- *vampiric touch*

##### 4th Level
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- *arcane eye*
- *banishment*
- *charm monster*
- *dimension door*
- *phantasmal killer*
- *storm sphere*
- *vitriolic sphere*

##### 5th Level
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- *dominate person*
- *hold monster*
- *mislead*
- *passwall*
- *scrying*
- *steel wind strike*
- *telekinesis*