Arcane Blade (5e Subclass)

Arcane Blade (melee conversion of the Arcane Archer)

Fighter Subclass

Derived from the techniques that led to the arcane archer, the arcane blade tradition is made for those who desire a more personal and intimate way to slay their opponents. After studying the principles of the arcane, arcane blades are capable of imbuing magic into their melee weapons and creating spell-like effects with their weapon attacks.

Magic Blade

At 3rd level, one non-magical melee weapon that you are holding becomes magical with a +1 to hit and to damage while in your possession.

Arcane Strike

At 3rd level, you learn to unleash special magical effects with some of your attacks. When you gain this feature, you learn two Arcane Strike options of your choice (see the “Arcane Strike Options” section below).

Once per turn when you attack with a melee weapon as part of the Attack action, you can apply one of your Arcane Strike options to that attack. You decide to use the option when the attack hits, unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll. You have two uses of this ability, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain one more Arcane Strike option at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

Arcane Blade's Lore

Also at 3rd level, you learn magical theory or some of the secrets of the arcane tradition—typical for practitioners of this martial tradition. You gain proficiency in either the Arcana, History, or Investigation skill.

Trailing Strike

At 7th level, you learn how to redirect an errant blow toward a new target. When you make an attack roll with your magic blade and miss, you can use a bonus action to reroll the attack roll against a different target within your reach.

Ever-Ready Strike

At 15th level, your magical combat ability is ever available to you when you need it most. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Arcane Strike remaining, you regain one use of it.

Improved Arcane Strike

At 18th level, the amount of damage done by your Arcane Strikes increases (see "Arcane Strike Options" list below).

Arcane Strike Options

The Arcane Strike feature lets you choose options for it at certain levels. The options are presented here in alphabetical order. They are all magical effects, and each one is associated with one of the schools of magic.

If an option requires a saving throw, your Arcane Strike save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

• Baleful Strike. You weave necromantic magic into your attack. If the attack hits a creature, the target takes an extra 2d6 necrotic damage, and it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the damage of the target’s attacks is halved until the start of your next turn. The necrotic damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

• Banishing Strike. You use abjuration magic to try to temporarily banish your target to the Ethereal Plane. If the attack hits a creature, then the target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished. While banished in this way, its speed is 0, and it is incapacitated. At the end of its next turn, the target reappears in the space it vacated or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. After you reach 18th level in this class, a target also takes 2d6 force damage when hit.

• Confounding Strike. Your enchantment magic causes this attack to temporarily beguile its target. Choose one creature within 30 feet of the target. If the attack hits its target, the target takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or it can’t attack the chosen creature or include it in a harmful area of effect until the start of your next turn. This effect ends early if the chosen creature deals any damage to the target. The psychic damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

• Coruscating Strike. You weave illusion magic into your weapon, causing it to radiate light and occlude your foe’s vision with its cascading shimmer. If the attack hits a creature, the target takes an extra 2d6 radiant damage, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or blinded until the end of its next turn next turn. The radiant damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

• Dowsing Strike. Using divination magic, your weapon gains the ability to direct itself in order to strike at concealed enemies while remaining in your grasp. This attack ignores cover, bypasses any concealing illusion such as Invisibility, Blur, Mirror Image, etc, and is independent of your senses. You do not make an attack roll for this attack. Instead, at the beginning of your turn, you choose a creature that you have seen in the last minute. If at any point until the start of your next turn that creature comes within reach, you can use your reaction to attack. The creature must then make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage as if it were hit by the weapon, plus an extra 1d6 force damage, and the target is revealed to everyone within sight until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and its exact location remains unknown. The force damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

• Phantom Strike. You use transmutation magic to give your weapon an ethereal quality. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead you swing the weapon in a complete circle around you. The weapon passes harmlessly through objects and ignores cover. Each creature within your weapon’s reach must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes damage as if it were hit by the weapon, plus an extra 1d6 slashing damage. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage. The slashing damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

• Piercing Strike. When this attack strikes its target, conjuration magic creates a barrage of poisoned daggers that impale the target. If the attack hits a creature, the target takes an extra 2d6 piercing damage, its speed is reduced by 10 feet, and it takes an additional 2d6 poison damage the first time on each turn it moves 1 foot or more without teleporting. The target or any creature that can reach it can use its action to remove the daggers with a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your Arcane Strike save DC. Otherwise, the daggers last for 1 minute or until you use this option again. The piercing and poison damage both increase to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

• Sundering Strike. You imbue your attack with a blast of force energy drawn from the school of evocation to deliver a mighty overhead blow capable of splitting enemy formations in two. If the attack hits a creature, the target and each creature within 15 feet in line behind the target take 2d6 force damage each. The force damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

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