Black Swordsman (5e Class)
Black Swordsman
”I'm used to fighting to survive. But what grows worse daily is the pressure not to die. Have I ever before wielded a sword so heavy?” - a black swordsman
Strength in Weakness
Black swordsmen are unable to harness magic in any sense. Instead, they draw their strength from within; from their humanity.
Creating a Black Swordsman
- Quick Build
You can make a black swordsman quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution.
Class Features
As a Black Swordsman you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d12 per Black Swordsman level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Black Swordsman level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: All Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Melee Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose 3 skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) One heavy armor or (b) One light armor and 2 pieces of partial armor
- (a) a martial weapon and a simple ranged weapon or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) 10 thrown weapons or (b) 5 thrown weapons and 10 pieces of ammunition or (c) 20 pieces of ammunition
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Fighting Style |
| 2nd | +2 | Swordsman’s Archetype |
| 3rd | +2 | Swordsman’s Archetype |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack |
| 6th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 7th | +3 | Grit Your Teeth, Swordman’s Archetype |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Indomitable (one use) |
| 10th | +4 | Haphazard Counter |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack (2) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Indomitable (two uses) |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 15th | +5 | Grit Your Teeth (two uses) |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Indomitable (three uses) |
| 18th | +6 | Swordsman’s Archetype |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Extra Attack (3), Leaping Fish |
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular 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 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.
- Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make the attack target you instead. If the attack hits, you take half as much damage.
- Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Swordsman’s Archetype
At 2nd level, you choose a Swordsman’s Archetype. You must choose between the Struggler, Battler, Contender, and Grinder, all detailed at the end of this class. You gain additional features at 3rd, 7th, and 18th level.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or 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
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.
Grit Your Teeth
At 7th level, as an action, you can gain proficiency in 1 saving throw of your choice for 1 minute. If you choose a saving throw you already have proficiency in, you may double your proficiency bonus on it. You gain an additional use at 15th level. You regain all uses at the end of a long rest.
Indomitable
Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.
Haphazard Counter
At 10th level, as a reaction, you can grant one creature advantage to hit with attacks until the end of their turn. If they hit, you gain advantage against them on attack rolls or grappling checks until the end of your next turn. This can be done up to 3 times, regaining use at the end of a long rest.
Leaping Fish
At 20th level, you have broken from fate itself. You have advantage against the effects of all spells, spells made against you have disadvantage, and you are immune to the effects of magic missile.
Struggler
Burden to Bear
At 2nd level, when you attack using a heavy martial melee weapon, your attack rolls are increased by +2.
Unyielding
At 3rd level, you refuse to die by any means, the approaching threat only pushing you farther away. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may instead drop to 1d10 + your Constitution modifier hit points. You may use this once, regaining all uses at the end of a long rest. You gain 1 additional use of this feature at 7th (2) and 18th (3) level.
Spring Flower of Days Long Passed
At 7th level, the weight of both your weapon and life have scarred you. You may choose one Charisma skill. Any checks of this skill made against you automatically fail.
Black Dog
At 18th level, as a bonus action when you have no uses of Unyielding remaining, you become resistant to all non-magical damage and one magical damage type of your choosing, and you may cast fear non-magically once using Strength as your spellcasting ability for 1 minute. You may use this once, regaining use at the end of a long rest.
Battler
Swift Striker
At 2nd level, When you engage in two-weapon fighting, your attack and damage rolls have a +1 bonus.
Upward Strike
At 3rd level, when attacking a creature at least 1 size category larger than you, you have advantage on one attack roll of your choice once per turn.
Fight or Flight
At 7th level, when you are below half your hit point maximum, you gain the following for 1 minute or until you are healed above half your hit point maximum. You may use this once, regaining use at the end of a long rest.
- Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
- You gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.
- You gain +1 to attack and damage rolls.
- You ignore difficult terrain.
Dark Horse
At 18th level, Fight or Flight no longer has a time limit and may be used while above half your hit point maximum.
Contender
Refined Warfare
At 2nd level, 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.
Parry
At 3rd level, as a reaction when a creature attacks you, you can grant that creature disadvantage on attack rolls against you and decrease their AC by 2 until the end of your next turn.
Inspire
At 7th level, as a bonus action, you may inspire one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can add 1d6+1 to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can use this before or after the roll, but must decide before the GM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Ash Crow
At 18th level, you can wield any weapon without the heavy property in one hand. Additionally, once per turn when you make a melee attack, you can target 2 creatures instead of one.
Grinder
Knight
At 2nd level, while wielding a shield in one hand and a weapon in the other, you gain +1 AC and +1 to attack and damage rolls.
Scarred Body
At 3rd level, you have survived things no mortal man should. You are immune to being poisoned, and you gain resistance to one non-magical damage type of your choice.
All the king’s horses...
At 7th level, while you are mounted and aren’t incapacitated, you gain the following:
- You add +1 to attack rolls against any unmounted creature that is smaller than your mount.
- If you are subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you may instead make a Strength or Constitution saving throw.
Interdimensional Blade
At 18th level, as an action, you may cloak your weapon in the refined remains of the supernatural beasts you’ve slain. For 1 minute, it gains +10 feet of reach and deals force damage, and you may cast Dispel Magic non-magically 3 times and Dimension Door once. You regain use of this at the end of a long rest.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the black swordsman class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength 13, Constitution 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the black swordsman class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, simple weapons, martial weapons, one skill from the class’s skill list.
Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes
 |  |