5e - Spellblade (KibblesTasty)

by KibblesTasty

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Spellblade 0.2

One day a player dreamed of holding sword in one hand and a spell in the other hand. And then bonking an enemy with both of them. At the same time.

Insert flavorful and epic stories here that convince people that Spellblades make sense aren't just super gluing a Fighter to a Wizard and calling it a day. Ideally they show that despite the class name literally being the "weapon" + "magic" stapled together it

The Art of Bonking with Swords

Spellblades like swords.

The Mystery of Bonking with Magic

They also use magic.

Very Unique

They are somehow very unique special people.

This is an Alpha

This class is now being made for the better or the worse, and has had some effort put into balance and design, but it is not a finished class. This is playtest content, and by playing it, you are promising any complaints about how it's bullshit or terrible will be formatted as useful feedback instead of blaming Kibbles for ruining your campaign.

Well, that wasn't what this art for originally, but I have it, and it does look like a Spellblade, don't it?

The Spellblade
Level Proficiency
Bonus
Features Cantrips
Known
Spells
Known
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st +2 Arcane Surge (2 uses)
2nd +2 Spellcasting, Spellstrike, Aegis (Optional) 2 3 2
3rd +2 Spellblade Technique 2 4 3
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 4 3
5th +3 Empowered Strike, Arcane Surge (3 uses) 4 5 4 2
6th +3 Arcane Recuperation, Magical Warding 4 5 4 2
7th +3 Specialization Feature 4 6 4 3
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 6 4 3
9th +4 Arcane Surge (4 uses) 5 7 4 3 2
10th +4 Archetypal Magic 5 7 4 3 2
11th +4 Unerring Spellstrike 5 8 4 3 3
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 8 4 3 3
13th +5 Arcane Surge (5 uses) 6 9 4 3 3 1
14th +5 Surging Focus, Magical Sensitivity 6 9 4 3 3 1
15th +5 Specialization Feature 6 10 4 3 3 2
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 6 10 4 3 3 2
17th +6 Arcane Surge (6 uses) 7 11 4 3 3 3 1
18th +6 Point Blank Mage 7 11 4 3 3 3 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 7 12 4 3 3 3 2
20th +6 Specialization Feature 7 12 4 3 3 3 2

Creating an Spellblade

When a Wizard and a Fighter love each other very much..

Sometimes known as half-wizards or half-fighters due to the lineage.

Quick Build

You can make an Spellblade quickly by following these suggestions. Acquire a point hat. Then (and this is the tricky bit) also a sword.

Class Features

  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per sword mage level
  • Hit Points at 1st: Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Spellblade 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, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Equipment

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

  • (a) a martial weapon
  • (a) a light crossbow and quiver of 20 bolts or (b) any two simple weapons.
  • (a) scale mail, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail.
  • (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Arcane Surge

Your affinity for magic gives you a pool of arcane surges. Once per turn , you can expend an Arcane Surge to do any of the following:

  • Cast detect magic without expending a spell slot.
  • Cast shield without expending a spell slot.
  • Gain advantage on an attack roll (no action required).
  • Add your Intelligence modifier to a Strength or Dexterity ability check (no action required).
  • Teleport up 5 feet to an unoccupied space you can see as a bonus action. This distance increases by 5 at 5th (10 feet), 9th (15 feet), and 13th (20 feet), and 17th (25 feet) level.

You can use this feature twice. You can regain expended uses when you complete a long rest. You can use this feature an additional time before completing a long rest at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. As you level, you main gain additional uses for your arcane surges.

Spellcasting

As part of your study of magic, you gain the ability to cast spells at 2nd level. The spells you learn are limited in scope, primarily concerned with enhancing your abilities and devastating your foes.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the Spellblade spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Wizard table

Spell Slots

The Spellblade table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Spellblade spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of your Spellblade 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 three 1st-level spells of your choice from the Spellblade spell list. The Spells Known column of the Spellblade table shows when you learn more Spellblade spells of your choice.

Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Spellblade spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Spellblade spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

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

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

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your Spellblade spells. See chapter 5, "Equipment" in the Player’s Handbook for various arcane focus options.

Spellstrike

Starting at 2nd level, you can infuse spells into your weapon. When you cast a 1st level or higher Spellblade spell with a casting time of 1 action, you can infuse it into a melee weapon as a bonus action. The next time you make an attack with that weapon before the end of your turn, the spell is cast against the target of the attack. The spell fizzles if you cast another spell before attacking.

If the spell requires an attack roll (melee or ranged) it automatically hits the target if the weapon attack hits and misses the target if the weapon attack misses. If the spell has a saving throw, it automatically deals damage as if they failed saving throw against the spell on hit, but if it has any effects besides dealing damage, the target makes the save against those effects as normal for being targeted by the spell (regardless if the attack hits or misses). If a spell does half damage to targets that pass their save, they take half damage on a missed attack, treating it as if they had passed their saving throw. If a spell always hits (such as magic missile), the spell hits regardless if you hit or miss your attack.

If the spell has an area of effect, that area of effect is triggered from the target's space (for example, a cone spell would hit the target as part of the attack, and then cast the cone area behind them, while a radius spell would be centered on the target, casting the area of effect around them with them at the center). Other creatures caught in the area of effect treat the spell as if you had cast it normally. The target is not affected by the spell again (having already resolved as part of the attack).

Spells that have multiple attack rolls (such as scorching ray or crackleK) tie the outcome of only the first attack roll to the melee weapon attack. You resolve all subsequent attack rolls of the spell as if you had cast the spell, but can ignore the disadvantage on ranged attack rolls from being within 5 feet of hostile creatures when doing so.

Spellblade Spells

You can only cast spells you've learned through the Spellblade class, and can only cast them at a level you can cast them as a Spellblade, though you can use any spell slot you have available to cast the spell.

Aegis

Additionally at 2nd level you can select an Aegis of semi-permanent spells, empowering yourself with Aegis Spells. The Aegis spells are listed at the end of the class. Aegis Spells are a unique kind of effect available to the Spellblade. They count as a spell known and sacrifice a spell slot (of a level listed on the spell) to gain a long term benefit (lasting until you select a different Aegis Benefit or reclaim your spell slot during a long rest). You can add or remove Aegis effects when you complete a long rest. You can have a maximum number of Aegis spell levels spent this way equal to your Spellblade level divided by four (rounded up, meaning you can have a 2 levels of them at level 5), but are not required to select any.

Spellblade Archetype

When you reach 3rd level, you select a specialization for your powers. You can choose from the Classic, Aethersword, or Guardian archetypes, each of which grants you additional features.

Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th 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.

Empowered Strike

Beginning at 5th level, you can use cantrips gained from the Spellblade class with Spellstrike.

You learn 2 additional cantrips of your choice, selecting the options from the Spellblade cantrip list, and an additional cantrip at 9th, 13th, and 17th level (these additional cantrips are included on the Spellblade table).

Math: Is this good?

Well, the most basic form of this is going to be Firebolt + Longsword. This takes your bonus action and action to do 3d10 + Int (or Strength, depending on subclass), which comes out to around 20.5. A Fighter or Paladin with a Greatsword is doing 24.6, while a Hexblade is doing 22, a Rogue is doing 15 (though with advantage), and a standard EB Warlock is doing 19.

As we can see, this puts it on the lower half of the range, but this exists in less basic forms. For example, Shocking Grasp + Longsword does only 18.5 damage, but strips the targets of reactions without a save, while Chill Touch + Longsword does the same 18.5 but makes them unable to regain hit points, while Poison Spray + Longsword brings the damage up to 22.5 (falling closer to the middle of the pack), but with a generally inferior damage type (though one that can be worked around due to multiple cantrip options).

Arcane Recuperation

Starting at 6th level, when you complete a short rest, you regain 1 expended use of Arcane Surge. This increases to regaining 2 expended uses at 9th level, and 3 expended uses at 17th level.

Additionally, as a bonus action you can expend a spell slot to regain Arcane Surges equal to the level of spell slots spent.

Magical Warding

Additionally at 6th level, you gain proficiency in your choice of Wisdom or Charisma saving throws, and you automatically pass saving throws against your own spells.

Archetypal Magic

At 10th level, you can cast each of your the spells granted by your archetype without expending a spell slot once. After you cast a spell that way, you cannot cast it that way again until you complete a long rest.

Improved Spellstrike

Beginning at 11th level, when you use Spellstrike, you can add 1d4 to the next attack and damage rolls of the empowered weapon.

Surging Focus

Start at 14th level, if you fail a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on a spell, you can spend an Arcane Surge to succeed instead.

Magical Sensitivity

Additionally at 14th level, you learn the detect magic spell, and it does not count against your spells known, and the detect magic spell no longer requires concentration for you.

For the duration of detect magic, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient in the arcana skill, for the duration you gain expertise, allowing you to add double your proficiency bonus to ability checks made using the Arcana skill.

Blast Zone Immunity

Starting at 18th level, you are immune to the area of effect of your own spells. When you pass the saving throw against them you take no damage or other effects on a passed saving throw.

Battlemage Technique

It does the thing with the swords and the spells.

Battlemage Spells

You learn the following spells at the following levels. The following are Spellblade spells for you, but do not count against your spells known.

Spellblade Level Spells Learned
3rd burning hands
5th mirror image
9th lightning bolt
13th dimension door
17th hold monster

Arcane Warrior

Starting at 3rd level when you select this archetype, whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.

Blurring Surge

Starting at 3rd level, when you use an Arcane Surge, attacks against you have disadvantage until the start of your next turn (if you use it as a reaction to being attacked, this includes the triggering attack). An attacker is immune to this effect if it doesn't rely on sight, as with blindsight, or can see through illusions, as with truesight.

Quickening Surge

At 7th level, you can expend an Arcane Surge to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action.

Blinking Surges

Starting at 15th level, when you use an Arcane Surge, you can also teleport as if you'd spent an Arcane Surge to do that as part of the same action (even if that option does not require an action or is a reaction). This works even if you use Arcane Surge to teleport, allowing you to teleport twice as part of the same action.

Unlimited Surges

Starting at 20th level, you can enter a state of perfect arcane resonance for 1 minute (no action required). During this state the first Arcane Surge you use on your turn does not consume a use of your Arcane Surge feature.

Aethersword Technique

But what if you had a big glowing sword instead of a lame pointy metal sword? Making zwooppping and zwooming noises when you swing your sword is considered mandatory.

Aethersword Spellblade Spells

You learn the following spells at the following levels. The following are Spellblade spells for you, but do not count against your spells known.

Spellblade Level Spells Learned
3rd magic missile
5th star dustK
9th aetherlanceK
13th resilient sphere
17th aetherstormK

Aethersword

Starting at 3rd level when you select this archetype, when you roll initiative or as a bonus action at any time, you can manifest an oversized melee weapon of pure force energy. This counts as a melee weapon you are proficient with, and deals 1d10 force damage.

When you attack with this weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier (in place of your Strength) for attack and damage rolls. This weapon lasts until you let go of it, become incapacitated, or dismiss it as a bonus action.

While this weapon is temporary and magical, it counts as having a value of 1 sp for purposes of being treated as a material component in spells.

As a ritual taking 1 hour, you can absorb the power from a magical weapon with a bonus to attack and damage rolls. This cannot target artifacts, sentient weapons, or cursed items. At your DMs discrection, this might not work other weapons depending on their origin and type. This drains the power from the weapon, leaving it as a mundane weapon, but your Aethersword gains the bonus to attack and damage rolls previously possessed by the magical weapon.

Advantageous Surge

Starting at 3rd level, when you spend an Arcane Surge, you gain advantage on the next attack made with your Aethersword before the end of your next turn.

Sweeping Blade

Starting at 7th level, the aether weapon manifested by Aethersword grows larger and more powerful. Its damage increases to 1d12, and it gains the reach property.

Additionally, when you make a melee weapon attack with your Aethersword, you can target a second creature within range with the same attack roll. If the attack roll would hit the second target as well, the second target takes damage equal to half the weapon damage of the first target.

Ethereal Strikes

Starting at 15th level, when you gain advantage from Advantageous Surge, your blade sweeps through all enemy defenses. You ignore all non-magical armor and defenses to treat their AC as 10 + their dexterity for that attack (magical defenses like mage armor or shield are not bypassed)

Massive Blade

Starting at 20th level, you can overcharge your Aethersword for 1 minute (no action required). Your Aethersword deals an additional die of damage, and its reach increases by an additional 5 feet. When you use Sweeping Blade during this effect, it deals full damage to the second target. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Guardian Technique

You get a shield. Rejoice, you've broken bounded accuracy. The Spellblade that pretends to remember this was for some reason a defender in 4e. Basically, this is an EK with some bells and whistles, MADness and all.

Quite obnoxious to kill, but only moderate aggro tools.

Guardian Spellblade Spells

You learn the following spells at the following levels. The following are Spellblade spells for you, but do not count against your spells known.

Spellblade Level Spells Learned
3rd shield
5th warding bond
9th haste
13th resilient sphere
17th wall of stone

Guardian Proficiency

Starting at 3rd level when you select this archetype, you gain proficiency in heavy armor and shields. Additionally, you can use your a melee weapon as your arcane focus, and when you do so you can perform somatic components with the hand holding your arcane focus (even for spells without a material component).

Projected Barrier

At 3rd level, as a reaction to an allied creature within 30 feet being hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell, you use an Arcane Surge to cast shield, granting that creature the AC bonus instead of yourself.

Fortifying Surges

Additionally at 3rd level, when you expend an Arcane Surge, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + Intelligence modifier.

Booming Spellstrike

Starting at 7th level, when you hit a creature with a Spellstrike, you infuse additional power binding them. Their movement speed is reduced by 10 feet, and if that creature moves before the start of your next turn, they take an additional 1d8 force damage. This increases by 1d8 damage at 11th (to 2d8 damage) and 17th (to 3d8 damage) level.

Swapping Surge

Starting at 15th level, when you use your Arcane Surge to teleport, you can instead swap positions with a willing creature within range, teleporting to their space and teleporting them to your space. When you do so, both you and them gain the temporary hit points from Fortifying Surges.

Resilient Aegis

At 20th level, you can fortify yourself with magic for 1 minute (no action required). For the duration, you have resistance to all damage. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Swiftblade Technique

You can do most of your Spellblade stuff with two weapons. I'm not making another whole class for this, so...

Stabby Striker.

Swiftblade Spellblade Spells

You learn the following spells at the following levels. The following are Spellblade spells for you, but do not count against your spells known.

Swiftblade Level Spells Learned
3rd inflict wounds
5th poison dartK
9th spider biteK
13th blightK
17th mislead

Fighting Style

Starting at 3rd level when you gain this archetype, you gain the Two Weapon Fighting Fighting Style.

Two-Weapon Fighting

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

Swift Casting

3rd level you can use Spellstrike as part of the Attack action before making a melee weapon attack. Additionally, you can use your a melee weapon as your arcane focus, and when you do so you can perform somatic components with the hand holding your arcane focus (even for spells without a material component).

Rapid Surge

Starting at 3rd level, when you expend an Arcane Surge, your movement speed is increased by 30 feet until the end of your turn (that being your next turn if used as a reaction, or current turn if used during your turn).

Relentless Spellstrike

At 7th level, if you miss an attack empowered by a Spellstrike, you can choose to not trigger the effect. When you do so, your next attack before the end of your turn will trigger it instead.

Vanishing Surge

Starting at 15th level, when you expend an Arcane Surge, you are invisible until the until of your next turn.

Infinite Strikes

At 20th level, you draw on your magic to hasten yourself to blinding speeds (no action required). For one minute, any time you make an attack with an action or bonus action, you can immediately make another attack with the same weapon. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Arcane Archer

You can do most of your Spellblade stuff with a bow. I mean, why not. It cannot be worse than what we got the first time around.

Arcane Archer Spellblade Spells

You learn the following spells at the following levels. The following are Spellblade spells for you, but do not count against your spells known.

Spellblade Level Spells Learned
3rd gale boltK
5th misty step
9th lightning bolt
13th greater invisibility
17th pressure cutterK

Ranged Spellstrike

Starting at 3rd level when you select this archetype, you gain the ability to apply your Spellstrike to ranged weapons as well as melee weapons.

Spells infused into a ranged weapon target the target of the ranged weapon when fired, but only have a range equal to the range of the spell or the normal range of the weapon (whichever is shorter range). If you attack a target beyond that range, the spell fails and is lost.

Reflective Surge

Starting at 3rd level, when you expend an Arcane Surge, you gain one illusory duplicate (as per the mirror image spell, including effect and duration). You cannot have more than one illusory duplicate from this effect, but if you are under the effect of the mirror image spell this duplicate counts as an additional 3rd duplicate, and is always destroyed first.

Distant Spellstrike

At 7th level, the range of any spell you infuse into a ranged weapon with Spellstrike gains a range equal to your weapon's normal range (including melee or touch spells).

When you reach 15th level, the range of any spell you infuse into a ranged weapon with Spellstrike gains a range equal to your weapon's long range.

Transmuted Ammunition

Additionally at 7th level, when you infuse a spell with range of self (line area of effect), you can transmute your ammunition into the spell effect, releasing the spell in a line from you as if you had cast it, but using your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice) in place of your Intelligence modifier for the spell save DC. When you do this, you add your weapon damage (including modifier) to the spell's damage roll.

Transmuted Ammunition Example

For example, if you Spellstrike using arctic breathK, you can choose to transmute the ammunition into a blast of freezing wind instead of firing it normally and triggering the effect on hit, firing it in a 30 foot line. All targets in would make a Dexterity saving throw against 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus, and the spells damage would be 2d8 (from the spell) + 1d8 + your Dexterity modifier (from your weapon attack).


Spells This Works With
  • Arctic Breath
  • Aether Lance
  • Lightning Bolt
  • Pressure Cutter
  • ...Uh... more spells I guess I'll have to make?

Perceptive Surges

Starting at 15th level, when you use an Arcane Surge, you gain truesight with a range of 120 feet until the start of your next turn. When you use use an Arcane Surge to cast detect magic, this truesight persists for the duration of the detect magic spell instead.

Arcane Bolts

Additionally at 15th level, you can always generate ammunition out of arcane force energy when you fire a ranged weapon. When you do so, you consume no ammunition when firing an ranged weapon with the ammunition property, and your weapon damage becomes force damage.

Ribbon Alert

This here is a ribbon (coming at 15th level). Don't over think it. I just wanted to give them this at some point.

Infinite Mirrors

Starting at 20th level, you can begin a cascade of illusions and teleportations rendering your nearly untouchable for one minute (no action required). For the duration, at the end of each of your turns, creature an illusory duplicate of yourself at a point within 60 feet. This duplicate cannot move or act, has an AC of 10 + your dexterity modifier, and is destroyed if it takes any damage. At the start of your turns for the duration, you can swap point with any illusory duplicate created by this effect that still persists.

Spellblade Aegis Spells

The level listed for an Aegis spell is the level of spell slot sacrificed to gain the feature. A spell slot sacrificed for an Aegis feature cannot be regained until the Aegis Spell effect is removed during a long rest. You must know an Aegis Spell to select its power during a long rest. Aegis Spells count as spells known, and can be learned or forgotten when you gain a level in the class like normal Spellblade spells.

You can have a maximum number of spell slot levels sacrificed equal one fourth of your Spellblade class level. You can only sacrifice spell slots you have, and have gained from the Spellblade class.

1st Level Aegis Spells

Arcane Style

While this Aegis Spell is active, you gain one Fighting Style option of your choice from the fighter class. If you already have a style, the one you choose must be different.


Arcane Agility

You are under the effect of the jump spell during the effect.


Arcane Swiftness

You are under the effect of the longstrider spell during the effect.


Arcane Armor

You are under the effect of the mage armor spell during the effect.


Enchanted Shield

You touch a shield making it easy to wield. You have proficiency with that shield during the effect.


Weapon Focus

You turn your weapon into an arcane focus for your Spellblade spells.

2nd Level Aegis Spells

Arcane Eyes You gain the ability to see in the dark. You have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet during the effect.


Loyal Weapon

A weapon you touch as part of selecting this Aegis Spell is under the effect of returning weaponK.


Illusionary Ally

When you roll of initiative, you create a single duplicate as per the mirror image spell. You can only have one duplicate at a time from this effect. If you cast mirror image during the effect, the spell remains the same, but the first time an image is lost, this duplicate is destroyed instead.

3rd Level Aegis Spells

Aether Barrier (prerequisite: Aethersword only)

When you deal damage with your Aethersword, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier.


Arcane Shield

You can create a shield of arcane power that protects you, blocking incoming attacks. You gain a +2 to AC as if you had a shield equipped. This counts as an equipped shield, and you cannot benefit from both this and an equipped shield.


4th Level Aegis Spells

Arcane Resistance

You gain resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage during the effect.


Contingent Blink

The first time you would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, then you instead drop to 1 hit point, and vanish from your plane of existence, appearing on the Ethereal Plane. At the start of your turn, you return to an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of the space you vanished from. Once triggered, this cannot be triggered until you complete a long rest.

5th Level Aegis Spells

Arcane Flight

You gain a flying speed of 30 feet during the effect.


Runic Strength

Your Strength score becomes equal to your Intelligence score during the effect.


Spellblade Spell List

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Acid Splash
  • Chill Touch
  • Dancing Lights
  • Decaying TouchK
  • Fire Bolt
  • Light
  • Mage Hand
  • Message
  • Minor Illusion
  • Poison Spray
  • Prestidigitation
  • Produce Flame
  • Ray of Frost
  • Shocking Grasp
  • True Strike
1st Level
  • Alarm
  • Arcane AblationK
  • Arcane WeaponK
  • Arctic BreathK
  • Bane
  • Burning Hands
  • Crashing WaveK
  • Crippling AgonyK
  • ElectifyK
  • Faerie Fire
  • Feather Fall
  • Fog Cloud
  • Gale BoltK
  • Grease
  • Inflict Wounds
  • Lightning TendrilK
  • Longstrider
  • Mage Armor
  • Magic Missile
  • Ray of Sickness
  • Shield
  • Tasha's Hideous Laughter
  • Thunderwave
  • Unseen Servant
2nd Level
  • AlacrityK
  • Become FireK
  • Become StoneK
  • Become WaterK
  • Become WindK
  • Blindness DeafnessK
  • Blur
  • Boil Blood
  • Cold SnapK
  • CrackleK
  • DisorientK
  • Darkness
  • Darkvision
  • Earth RippleK
  • FlingK
  • Hold Person
  • Invisibility
  • Hurricane SlashK
  • Iron Wind StrikeK
  • Mirror Image
  • Misty Step
  • Poison DartK
  • Ray of Enfeeblement
  • Web
  • Wind CutterK
3rd Level
  • Aether LanceK
  • Blink
  • Counterspell
  • Dispel Magic
  • ElectrocuteK
  • ErodeK
  • Fireball
  • Flash FreezeK
  • Fly
  • Haste
  • Lightning Bolt
  • Sleet Storm
  • Spider BiteK
  • Tongues
  • Vortex BlastK
  • Water Breathing
  • Water CannonK
  • Water Walk
4th Level
  • Aero BarrageK
  • Arcane Eye
  • Banishment
  • Black Tentacles
  • Blight
  • Conusion
  • Dimension CutterK
  • Dimension Door
  • Echoing LanceK
  • Fire Shield
  • Force BladeK
  • Freedom of Movement
  • GeyserK
  • Greater Invisibility
  • Ice SpikeK
  • Ice Storm
  • Juping Jolt
  • Orbital StonesK
  • Phantasmal Killer
  • Poison PuffK
  • Stoneskin
  • SuffocateK
  • Wall of Fire
5th Level
  • Acid RainK
  • Aether StormK
  • Anvil DropK
  • Cloudkill
  • Cone of Cold
  • Deglove CreatureK
  • FissureK
  • Hold Monster
  • Martial Steel Wind Strike
  • Mislead
  • Passwall
  • Pressure CutterK
  • Scrying
  • Sky BurstK
  • Sonic ShriekK
  • TornadoK
  • ShockwaveK

Template

3rd - Weapon Skill

Make good at bonking with some kind of weapon.

3rd - Arcane Surge Enhancement

Give a benefit to using Arcane Surge.

7th - Wild Card

Anything goes.

15th - Arcane Surge Enhancement

More benefits Arcane Surge.

20th - 1/day Overpowered Captstone Ability

Design Notes/FAQ

  • Why not use Blade Cantrips like Booming Blade?

They aren't SRD/OGL, so they'd eventually need to be removed, and ultimately I'd prefer Spellstrike to more flexible work with cantrips to give more options rather than be a more static menu of prebaked options. It's just cleaner to use existing cantrips then it is to try to create enough new blade cantrips to be equally as interesting.

  • Why cannot you spend spell slots to get back Arcane Surges until 6th level?

I know what you're going for. It it isn't happening. I'm not giving you unlimited shield with a 1 level dip. Shoo! Begone! Look what you've done. You got shield moved to 3rd level just so you'd stop dipping 1 into it for free shields.

  • What are Aegis Spells and why do the exist?

Because I'm literally incapable of writing a class without upgrades, and the class had no budget left for upgrades, so it optionally lets you spend some of your spellcasting budget on upgrades. It's an idea I stole, but I stole it from myself, so... (it comes from the Cultist/Ritualist subclass of Occultist).

Basically they let you customize your character, but cost you spellcasting power.

  • ...You know what the word "Aegis" means, right?

Shush, you. We are in fantasy land where it means "cool Spellblade thing" now.

  • Why does this get a subclass at level 3? That's not how Kibbles' classes work

Look, buddy, I'm just here to copy paste the Paladin into an arcane half caster so people stop complaining at me about the lack of symmetry between primal and divine getting half casters and arcane not because apparently Artificer/Inventor doesn't count, not to think up something new.

The reasons it actually works that way is that dipping it is already obnoxiously good, to keep symmetry with the other half casters (including trying and failing to replicate being f'ing terrible at level 1), to simplify the features, and because it's already got a fair bit going on at 1 and 2, so giving them all the extra stuff at 3 feels better.

Changelog 0.1

  • Purging Surge was removed. Replaced
  • Unerring Spellstrike no longer grants advantage, and was renamed Improved Spellstrike. This is a large nerf that is made up for in other places.

Changelog 0.2

  • Magic Sensitivity revised - it's now more powerful in a narrow windows, but still requires committing to the use of it rather than simply using it all the time.
  • Arcane Archer added.
  • Improved Spellstrike revised - it now adds 1d4 to the attack roll and damage roll instead of 1d8 to the damage roll. This is a slightly stronger bonus overall, and helps resolve a spellblade having only one attack per turn.
  • Spellstrike now fizzles if you cast another spell before attacking. This is block it combining with blade Cantrips gained through multiclassing (for example booming blade). Stacking those spells generally proves too effective, while assuming their use restricts class design too much.
  • Weapon Focus removed and folded into the features of Guardian and Swiftblade subclasses.
  • Weapon Focus added as an Aegis Spell for people that really want it on the other subclasses.
 

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