Swordmaster (5e Class)

Swordmaster

Not many deserve to wield a sword, but most choose the life anyway. The barbarians, they charge at the stranger with heated blood and reckless abandon. The paladins only see their swords as a tool for eradicating evil. And the rangers barely even give the weapon the respect it deserves. There is only one who is truly deserving of such an elegant masterpiece of a weapon: the swordmasters.

Creating a Swordmaster

First decide how your character came to appreciate a sword so. Did they craft them, and see them as more than a mere tool of war? Were they an exceptional soldier or bodyguard? Was their sword given to them, or a treasure they found? A swordmaster's passions revolve around their sword, first and foremost.

Quick Build

You can make a Swordmaster quickly by following these suggestions. First, strength should be your highest ability score, followed by dexterity. Second, choose the soldier background.

Class Features

As a Swordmaster you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Swordmaster level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Swordmaster level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, Martial weapons
Tools: Artisan’s Tools
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Sleight of Hand or Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) A scimitar or (b) A katana
• (a) A chain shirt or (b) Leather armor
• (a) Dungeoneer's pack or (b) Explorer's pack

Table: The Swordmaster

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Sword Hand, Sword Style
2nd	+2	Sweeper
3rd	+2	Swordmaster Discipline
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra attack
6th	+3	Rising Gale Force
7th	+3	Swordmaster Discipline Feature
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Myrmidon's Eye
10th	+4	Artful Dodger
11th	+4	Swordmaster Discipline Feature
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Eye for an Eye
14th	+5	Swordsmans Pride
15th	+5	Swordmaster Discipline Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Divine Wind
18th	+6	Swordmaster Discipline Feature
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Perfect Sword

Sword Hand

Even as a novice, you handle swords more deftly than most. You gain an extra +1 to your damage bonus, if you are wielding any sword.

Sword Style

You adopt a particular style of swordplay, allowing for interesting maneuvers on the battlefield. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Sword Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Bravado

Every attack you make is done with a shocking amount of flair, mocking your enemy’s efforts . When you use an attack action, and you are holding a sword, you may make an intimidation check of DC8 + your charisma modifier against a creature's wisdom. If a hostile creature that can see you within 20 feet fails the check, they focus their attention on you. The creature is then given disadvantage on their next attack if it is not against you.

Patience

If the Swordmaster has ended their turn without moving, they gain +2 AC. If they do not move on the next turn, they gain another +2 to AC for a maximum total of +4. This bonus is negated when the swordmaster moves.

Dervish

Once per turn as a bonus action, the Swordmaster can use a creature within 5ft of Medium size or smaller as a footstool. On an acrobatics check of DC 13, the targeted creature must make a successful DC 10 + Constitution Modifier constitution check, or take 1d4 damage. The swordmaster can then make a leaping attack to a target within 10ft of the creature they leapt from.

If you fail the Acrobatics Check, the Swordmaster becomes prone where he stood and takes 1d4 damage.

Tactician

Your cunning in battle allows you to make an appropriate knowledge check (Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion) once per encounter against a particular foe. If you beat its amount of Hit Dice/Level (take the highest of the group if there is one of that type that is higher) with your check, you gain insight against that creature type (Aberration, Humanoid, Monstrosity, etc) and your AC, saves, attack, and damage rolls are increased by 1 against those creatures.

Sweeper

Beginning at the 2nd level, as an action the Swordmaster can perform a wide swing in order to attack multiple targets within 5 feet. You must make a separate attack roll for each targeted creature. For each successful attack, the damage dealt is the same as your weapon damage, but without the damage bonus granted by the Sword Hand feature. You must be wielding a sword to use this feature.

Swordmaster Discipline

At 3rd level, you choose a discipline that determines your key role in the battlefield, either as a Skirmisher or an Assassin. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th and 18th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at the 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 the 5th level, you gain an extra attack when using the attack action.

Rising Gale Force

Beginning at the 6th level, the swordmaster gains immunity to ailments that reduce their speed or stop their movement.

Myrmidon's Eye

Beginning at the 9th level, you automatically succeed on Perception checks against creatures wielding swords that you are able to see. The check must be in some way related to the handling of the sword, or the sword itself.

Artful Dodger

Beginning at the 10th level, the Swordmaster can re-position themself in front of an enemy as an action. When a hostile creature within 5 feet of you attacks, you may use this feature as a reaction to force the opponent to re-roll their attack. If the second roll is lower than their first, the attack misses. You may use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + dexterity modifier (minimum of 1), and regain expended uses upon completing a short or a long rest.

Eye for an Eye

Beginning at the 13th level, you are able to counter opponents. If a hostile creature attacks you with a critical hit, you automatically strike back for half the damage they dealt to you, provided you have not been reduced to zero hit points. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Swordsmans Pride

Beginning at the 14th level, your skill at striking with a sword has become almost divine. Now, if you are wielding a sword, you land a critical hit when you roll 19-20.

Divine Wind

Beginning at the 17th level, your will to fight grows profound. Upon reaching 0 hit points, the Swordmaster regains 1d12 + CON modifier hit points and has +2 AC for 2 turns. You may use this feature 1 time, and regain expended uses upon completing a long rest.

Perfect Sword

At 20th level, the Swordmaster reaches the pinnacle of his swordplay and form. Once on each of your turns, you can add your DEX modifier to the attack roll or the damage roll of an attack. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied. (If Dex is added already then add it again). You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Skirmisher

The path of the Skirmisher is that of a warrior that functions in a team, and one that can protect fragile allies from harm.

Shove

At the 3rd level, if a friendly creature within 5ft of the Swordmaster is attacked, they can choose to be the receiver of the attack instead. However, the attacker will have advantage on their attack action. If the enemy already has disadvantage for this attack, then roll without either advantage or disadvantage.

Stalwart Blade

At the 7th level, using Shove no longer puts the incoming attack at an advantage. Also, while using Shove, the Swordmaster gains +1 AC. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Reflection

At the 11th level, time seems to slow down to a great extent, allowing the Swordmaster to clearly see objects as they move towards them. As a reaction, the Swordmaster can attempt to reflect any non-magical physical or ranged attack back at the attacker, with a DC of 26 - Swordmaster level. A successful roll to determine a hit must still be performed. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Duel Bladed

At the 15th level, if you are standing within 5 feet of a friendly creature who is holding a sword, whenever you make an attack action, the friendly creature next to you may attack as well, dealing damage equal to their attack bonus. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Mirror Edge

At the 18th level, you are now able to deflect magical attacks using your equipped weapon, with a DC of 28 - Swordmaster level. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Assassin

The path of the Assassin is that of a lone wolf, always seeking its prey.

Inevitable

At the 3rd level, the Swordmaster applies a slowing effect to their attack as an action, halving the target creature’s speed. You may use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). You regain expended uses upon completing a short or a long rest.

Dishonored

At the 7th level, every attack performed to a creature with its back turned has advantage. Any attack performed using this feature scores a critical hit on an 18-20. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Dance of Death

At the 11th level, the Swordmaster can leap to a target within the distance equal to his speed, dealing their normal attack damage + Dex modifier. To succeed in performing this action, the Swordmaster must pass an Acrobatics Check of DC 26 - Swordmaster level. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Ambush

At the 15th level, whenever you make an attack with initiative, your initiative bonus is doubled.

Razor’s Edge

At the 18th level, the Swordmaster applies a bleeding effect to any target that they deal weapon damage to. After a creature has been attacked, they take an extra 1d4 bleeding damage for a number of turns equal to your dexterity modifier. You must be wielding a sword in order to use this feature.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Swordmaster class, you must meet these prerequisites: Must have at least 11 Str, 13 Dex.

Proficiencies. When you multi-class into the Swordmaster class, you gain the following proficiencies: Martial weapons, Light armor

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