Arcane Blade School (5e Subclass)
Arcane Blade School[edit]
Wizard School
Wizards who chose to study in the school of arcane blade learn how to infuse a sword with magic through the use of engraved runes. These mages are also called "Blade Inscribers", since they all carry bladed weapons: swords, axes and glaives to name a few, all inscribed with magical words. These weapons - called Runic Weapons - are both an encrypted magical book and a marvelous weapon that makes these wizards deadly at close combat.
- Runic Blade
Starting at 2nd level, you can spend 1 hour, that counts as light activity, to transform a weapon into a runic blade. The weapon can be any martial weapon that causes slashing damage, and the weapon must be within your touch through the entirety of the time.
You can have a single runic blade at any given time. When you create a new runic blade, your previous one loses its properties and all runes inscribed on it vanish. Your runic blade has the following properties:
- You can transfer spells from your spellbook to your runic blade. Each spell is inscribed in the form of a rune, and doing so requires the same time required to write a spell on a book (but not the gold). You can use the blade as a spell book, for the purpose of preparing spells.
- The runic blade is considered an arcane focus, for the purpose of casting spells written on it.
- When you make an attack with the runic blade, you may use your Intelligence modifier, rather than your Strength or Dexterity, for your attacks and damage rolls with it.
- Infused Swordsman
Also at 2nd level, while holding your Runic Sword, your body is bolstered and empowered by magic. When concentrating on a spell in which you are the target, you gain an arcane shield, that has temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) at the start of each of your turns.
If you currently have temporary hit points as a result of one of your wizard spells, and are at half your maximum hit points or lower, you regain that amount of hit points instead.
- Alive Blade
At 6th level, your runic blade almost fight for itself. Whenever you make an attack with it, you can attack twice, rather than once, when you take the Attack action. You can forgo one of these attacks to cast a wizard cantrip instead.
In addition, attacks made with the Runic Blade are considered magical, for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to magic.
- Charged Strike
At 10th level, you can activate one of the runes on your runic blade, charging your weapon with arcane power. As a bonus action, choose one spell inscribed on the blade, that causes damage and can target a single creature. For the next minute, or until you hit a creature, the weapon remains charged.
Keeping your weapon charged requires concentration. The charge is lost and the spell is wasted if you lose concentration on the spell, is incapacitated or is no longer holding the weapon.
When you hit a creature with the charged blade, you cause the damage of the attack and release the spell, causing all of its effects.
- Arcane Warrior
Starting at 14th level, you learn the Tenser's Transformation spell, that is added to both your runic blade and to your spellbook, is always prepared and doesn't count against your list of learned and prepared spells.
In addition, you can cast this spell once, without requiring a spell slot and as a bonus action. Once you do so, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.
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