Dashing through the dense forest, a lithe elven figure in a green and gold half cloak gracefully leaps from branch to branch. With unparalleled speed and agility, they close in on their fleeing prey, ready to strike with blinding swiftness. Amidst a chaotic battlefield, a nimble human woman weaves through the ranks of her adversaries, sidestepping their blows with ease. She changes the grip on her blade, dives into the fray, and becomes a whirlwind of lethal steel. With cutlass in hand, a tabaxi man in a tattered naval coat ducks and tumbles across the enemy ship's deck, striking down foes with lightning-quick slashes. In a flash of gunpowder smoke, a well-placed shot from his pistol takes down yet another enemy sailor before they even realize the danger they're in. Swiftblades are masters of agility and speed, harnessing their innate talents or training and their varied stances to achieve a masterfully destructive style of combat. With swift reflexes and an agressive fighting style, they deliver vicious strikes that leave opponents reeling. Whether they are elegant duelists, nimble assassins, or acrobatic warriors, swiftblades embody the essence of rapidity and finesse. ### Versatile Stances In the heat of battle, swiftblades exhibit a remarkable versatility that sets them apart from their peers. With their ability to effortlessly switch between stances, a swiftblade can adapt their approach to suit the needs of the moment, seamlessly transitioning from offense to defense or from speed to precision. These warriors are a whirlwind of calculated chaos, leaving their enemies bewildered and outmatched. However, a swiftblade's stances are more than just techniques; they are a manifestation of their fluid combat style and masterful dueling prowess. The versatility they offer is a testament to the swiftblade's mastery over the art of swift and aggressive melee combat, making them a force to be reckoned with on any battlefield. \columnbreak ### Featherweight Combat In the realm of combat, swiftblades dance upon the edge of danger. Unburdened by the weight of armor that plagues their adversaries, swiftblades instead rely on their lightning-quick reflexes and mobility to avoid danger. An opponent might find themselves unable to land a single blow against a focused swiftblade. Swiftblades treat combat as an art form, a dance of finesse and calculated aggression. It is this mastery of lightweight combat that grants the swiftblade an unparalleled edge, making them a formidable force to be reckoned with. Foes that underestmimate a swiftblade will quickly discover that their precision and mobility more than make up for their lack of heartiness. ### Creating a Swiftblade As you create your swiftblade character, think about why your character learned to fight? What led you to master stances and lightweight combat? Is there a person or group that you often fought against or for? A mentor or lack of a mentor, an unfortunate situation in life, or a former target or occupation could all have been factors. You might have lost family or friends and mastered your skills as a means of getting revenge. Perhaps your father was a strict noble who insisted that you learn to fight in a sophisticated manner. You could've learned your abilities from a sage that studied that studied the art of combat and formulated complex combat stances. Maybe you've been fighting since since you were a young and these abilities simply suited your style of fighting. Whatever circumstances might have molded you into a swiftblade, you've become a skilled, versatile and efficient combatant as a result. #### Quick Build You can make a swiftblade quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by your choice of Charisma or Intelligence. Whichever mental stat you choose should also be used for your Combat Training feature. Second, choose the charlatan or noble background, depending on your training. \pagebreak