Blackblade (5e Class)

Blackblade

A human wanders the city, wearing a cloak and wielding a mysterious dark blade. He notices sounds approaching from an alleyway, piquing his interest. Within lies two criminals attempting to steal from an easily deceived merchant. The swordsman, upon learning of the situation, decides to take matters into his own hands. With a fiery sweep, he cleaves the criminals in half, then enchants his blade with holy energy to resurrect them. The criminals, unharmed yet terrified, swiftly retreat from the area. The swordsman scolds the merchant for his naivety, then promptly disappears to continue his journey.

Enchanted Swordsmen

Blackblades are wielders of a special, exceedingly rare sword, known as an aterius. Ateriuses are magical swords with exceptional potential resting within, which can be awakened exclusively by one who has devoted themselves to their blade. The bond between a blackblade and an aterius is almost sacred; they are ritualistically bound together when the blackblade bestows a name upon the aterius. When this occurs, the blackblade cannot stray from their path, lest they sever the bond between them eternally.

Creating a Blackblade

When creating a blackblade, consider your history and relationship with your aterius. Was your blade passed down by your family as an heirloom of manners, obliging you to honor your familial tradition and wield the aterius? Did you uncover the blade on an adventure, swiftly forming a connection with the sword before eventually devoting yourself to it? Perhaps the aterius was simply a blade that you purchased from an artifact collector, bearing little to no sentimental value to you? The aterius is integral to the blackblade, and as such, consider the importance of your blade to you.

Quick Build

You can make a blackblade quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the far traveler background. Third, choose the chain mail, the explorer's pack, and the aterius.

Class Features

As a Blackblade you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: All armors
Weapons: Simple weapons, battleaxe, greataxe, greatsword, longsword, scimitar
Tools: One tool of your choice
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion

Equipment

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

• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4 × 10 in funds.

Table: The Blackblade

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Blessings of Battle
1st	+2	Black Blade, Mystical Slashes, Blessings of Battle	1
2nd	+2	Sable Sorcery	1
3rd	+2	Awakening	1
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	1
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Aterius Expertise	1
6th	+3	Magical Blade, Double Awareness	2
7th	+3	Awakening Feature	2
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	2
9th	+4	Sharpened Edge (19-20)	3
10th	+4	Awakening Feature	3
11th	+4	Augmented Slashes	3
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	3
13th	+5	Sharpened Edge (18-20)	4
14th	+5	Blood Charges	4
15th	+5	Awakening Feature	4
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4
17th	+6	Sharpened Edge (17-20)	5
18th	+6	Awakening Feature	5
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	5
20th	+6	Awakening Feature, True Awakening	5

Black Blade

Starting at 1st level, you can use your action to conjure your black blade in your empty hand. You can choose to shape it in the form of a battleaxe, longsword, greataxe, greatsword or scimitar. You are proficient with it while you wield it.

Your black blade disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die.

You can absorb the powers of one magic weapon with your black blade by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest.

That weapon then becomes a non-magical weapon, and your black blade gains the power of that magical weapon whenever you summon it thereafter, even if used for a ritual. You can't affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way.

The magical properties are lost if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The magical powers return to the weapon that was absorbed, if that weapon still exists.

Mystical Slashes

At 1st level, you learn how to charge your blade with the weapon's dormant power for a powerful strike. You must declare an Mystical Slashes before making the attack. When you do so, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of a hostile creature you can see within 60 feet and make an attack.

This attack ignores resistances and immunities to non-magical damage, and cause additional 1d6 slashing damage on a hit.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to twice your Charisma modifier (minimum twice). You regain a number of uses of this feature equal to your Charisma modifier after a short or a long rest.

Blessings of Battle

At 1st level, your bond with the aterius blesses you with enhanced combat abilities. You can choose one of the Blessings of Battle described at the end of the class description, and gain more as you gain levels in this class, as shown on the Blessings of Battle column on the Blackblade table.

After choosing a blessing, you can't replace it for another.

if multiclassing, you gain a number of blessings equal to your proficiency bonus while under level 5 in this class.

Sable Sorcery

Starting at 2nd level, you learn how to unleash the magical abilities sealed within your aterius. You learn sable sorceries, which are enchanted attacks created by your blade and fueled by your dark charges.

Sorceries Known

You start knowing two sorceries, learning an additional one at 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th levels.

When you make an attack with the Aterius, you can choose a slash to infuse that attack with. On a hit from the Aterius, the effects of that slash take place.

Dark Charges

• You have a number of Dark Charges equal to half your Blackblade level, rounded down.
• Or a number of Dark Charges equal to the greater of half your character level, rounded down, or 6 (whichever is greater), if multiclassing into this class.

You regain all your Dark Charges after finishing a long rest.

The maximum amount of charges you can use in a single attack equal your proficiency bonus.

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.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Aterius Expertise

At 5th level, if you hit a Mystical Slash you cause additional 2d6 slashing damage. This grows to 4d6 at 9th level, 6d6 at 13th level and 8d6 at 17th level.

Magical Blade

Starting at 6th level, the damage caused with your Magical Blade is considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunity to non-magical damage.

Double Awareness

Starting at 6th level, your Aterius start to develop senses, being able to perceive the world around it and, in turn, give you that perception. While wielding the Aterius, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks not reliant on your sense of sight or smell.

Sharpened Edge

Starting at 9th level, you score critical hits on a roll of a 19 or 20 with your mystical slashes. This increases to 18-20 at 13th level and 17-20 at 17th level.

Augmented Slashes

At 11th level, when you use your Mystical Slashes, you gain a bonus equal to half your Charisma modifier to your attack roll. This bonus equals your Charisma modifier instead, if you use a sable sorcery.

Blood Charges

At 14th level, you can use your own vitality to create Dark Charges. You can use an Action to regain a number of charges up to your proficiency bonus, spending a hit die per charge regained.

True Awakening

When you reach the 20th level, your Aterius becomes sentient. Roll 4d6 and remove the lower die to determine its Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. The blade have blindsight up to a range of 60 feet, but it is considered blind beyond that point.

The blade can communicate telepathically with you, and you can let it take control over you for a brief moment, allowing the sword to speak through you (you can reclaim the control at any moment).

Its personality, alignment and special abilities are determined by your chosen Awakening.

Awakening

Awakening of the Executor

Executor black blades were created, as the name implies, to deliver a swift death to those who face their edge. These weapons are generally two-handed, with a ceremonial appearance, although some are of simple and brutal design. Wielders of the executor are often stern and merciless warriors, striking down surrendered opponents with maestral might.

Coup de Grace

Starting at 3rd level, you are specialized in delivering killing blows to your opponents. You add a bonus to your attacks equal to half your proficiency bonus against opponents that are prone, restrained or incapacitated.

Execution

Also at 3rd level, you can aim your attacks with deadly precision against opponents in a disadvantageous position. When you hit a melee attack made with Advantage against a creature that is prone, restrained, incapacitated, frightened, blind, surprised or grappled, that attack is a critical.

Slicer

Starting at 7th level, your strikes are methodical and powerful, and can cut through anything. Your Mystical Slash against non-magical objects are always critical hits.

Descending Death

At 10th level, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from the Arterius, you can attempt to Shove that creature without using an action. You can also use a Bonus Action to attempt to Shove a creature.

Finally, you roll one additional die when you score critical hits against prone creatures.

Unstoppable Cut

At 15th level, your Mystical Slash with the Arterius ignore any resistance or immunity to slashing damage.

In addition, you roll one additional die when you score a critical hit with the Arterius.

Vorpal Strike

At 18th level, you can decapitate your foes with a swift strike. When you score a critical hit against a creature using your Arterius, you can force that creature to succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Sorcery save DC. On a failed save, that creature loses his head, and die if it can't live without a head. On a successful save, or if decapitation doesn't kill that creature, you cause additional 10d10 slashing damage on a hit.

If you don't kill a creature using this attack, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. If your attack kills the target, you can't use it again for the next 7 days.

Awakening of the Blademaster

Blademaster's black blades are Ateriuses that hold in them the desire for a honorable and glorious duel. Holders of those blades have respect and passion for challenging combats, finding joy in battling a skilled opponent.

Superior Slash

Starting at 3rd level, when you use your Mystical Slash feature and attack a creature with no of your allies within 10 feet of it, the quantity of d6s rolled increase by a number equal to your proficiency bonus.

Dark Riposte

Starting at 7th level, you can anticipate the attacks of your enemies. Whenever a creature you can see makes a melee attack against you while within your blade reach, you can make an opportunity attack against it using the black blade.

The effects of your attack are applied before your opponent's attack effects.

Intercepting Blade

Starting at 10th level, whenever you use your Dark Riposte and hit your target with an attack, you reduce the damage taken by its attack by an amount equal to your blackblade level.

Superior Counter

Starting at 15th level, whenever you hit with your Dark Riposte, you cause your enemy's attack to automatically miss you.

True Mastery

Starting at 18th level, you become an unrivalled master of the blade. Once in each round, when you miss an attack, you can reroll it, choosing the new result.

Awakening of the Assassin

The swift blades of the assassin were created to eliminate targets with the cover of darkness and shade, bringing death to the unaware. Those bonded with this blade become silent, stealthy and fast as their blades require, bringing death before their opponents even notice their presence.

Shadow Jaunt

Starting at 3rd level, you can attack or retreat by moving through the darkness. As a bonus action when you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can teleport to another area of dim light or darkness you can see within 30 feet. When you do so, the next attack made with the Aterius until the start of your next turn have Advantage.

After making the attack, the space occupied by you become obscured by shadows, as if that area were covered by magical darkness, until the start of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining your uses after finishing a short or a long rest.

Skirmisher

Starting at 7th level, you can quickly and easily retreat from your charges towards your opponents. When you attack a creature, that creature can't take opportunity attacks against you.

In addition, as long as you are within an area of dim light or darkness, opportunity attacks against you have Disadvantage.

Assassin Jaunt

At 10th level, when you use Shadow Jaunt before making an Mystical Slash, you cause additional 3d6 damage with that strike.

Death Cloud

At 15th level, when you are covered by darkness after using Shadow Jaunt, you gain the benefits of the gaseous form spell for the duration.

Shade Form

When you reach 18th level, you can assume the form of a pure being of shadow. As an action, you gain the following benefits for the next minute:

• You have resistance to all damage except force and radiant damage.

• You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 5 force damage if you end your turn inside an object.

• You can become invisible as a bonus action, when you start your turn in an area of dim light or darkness. You lose your invisibility if you make an attack or cast a spell.

Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.

Blessings of Battle

Sightless Eye

You gain blindsight up to a range of 10 feet.

Cutting Winds

Your Aterius gain the reach property.

Avenging Rage

You gain advantage on your first attack against a creature that has damaged you since your last turn.

Blood Sight

As a bonus action, you can see creatures that have blood and are under their maximum number of hit points, regardless of them being invisible or heavily obscured, up to a range of 30 feet. This last until the start of your next turn.

Floating Blade

As long as you are within 60 feet of your Aterius, you can make attacks from the sword position as if you were there. As a bonus action, you can move the blade telekinetically up to 30 feet in any direction.

Hunting Edge

Choose a creature type when you pick this blessing. If you choose humanoid, you must choose to specific subtypes. You have Advantage on your Intelligence checks to recall information about this type of creature and on Wisdom checks to track them.

Also, during the first round of any combat against your chosen foes, your attack rolls against any of them have advantage.

Dark Stalker

You can see normally in normal or magical darkness, up to a range of 120 feet.

Relentless Resistance

prerequisite: 9th level

You can use a bonus action to reroll a saving throw against an ongoing effect you have failed since your last turn.

Flowing Blade

prerequisite: 9th level

When you miss an Mystical Slashes, you can reroll that attack with Advantage using a bonus action. You can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

Sable Sorceries

Bleeding Slash

You spend up to 6 dark charges to sharpen the blade of your weapon, causing its cuts to bleed profusely. On a hit, your target will lose 1d6 hit point per charge used at the start of each of its turns.

Alternatively, a creature can choose to lose a hit dice per charge spent, per turn, instead of taking the damage.

A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or regaining 1 hit point, will stop the bleeding.

Wind Slash

You spend 1 dark charge to cause your strike to send forth a wave of cutting winds towards your target. All attacks you make until the start of your next turn with the Aterius have +10 feet of reach, and the first attack until the start of your next turn cause additional 1d6 slashing damage.

Rending Slash

You can spend up to 6 dark charges, you can cut your target's muscles and tendons rendering it unable to move. Your target's movement speed is reduced by 10 feet on a hit, plus 15 feet for each dark charge spent after the first.

In addition, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw to avoid fall prone after being hit by this slash.

Frightening Slash

You can spend 1 dark charge to scare your target. You force your target to make a Wisdom saving throw, or that creature is frightened on a failure. The creature can make a saving throw at the end of each of its turns to attempt to end the effect on itself.

Sickening Slash

You can spend 1 charge to infuse your blade with a sickly green energy. On a hit, you cause additional 2d6 poison damage with the attack and the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failure the target is poisoned. The target can perform a Constitution saving throw on each of their turns to end the condition.

Slayer Slash

You can spend 1 charge to make an attack against a creature with Advantage. On a hit, you cause additional 2d6 slashing damage and you gain Advantage on all attacks made against this creature until the end of your next turn.

Blinding Slash

You can spend 2 charges to cause your target to be temporarily blind with your attack. On a hit, you cast blindness/deafness on your target.

Avenging Slash

When you take damage from an attack, you can spend 1 charge as a reaction to make an opportunity attack against your attacker, if within range of your Aterius. On a hit, you cause additional damage to that target equal to the damage caused to you.

Sacred Slash

You can spend 1 dark charge to channel positive energy on your blade. When you hit a creature with this slash, you cause no damage. Instead your target regains a number of hit points equal to your Blackblade level and temporary hit points equal to twice your Charisma modifier.

Commander Slash

You can spend 2 dark charges to infuse your allies with bravery. This slash causes no damage, but all creatures of your choice within 30 feet gain a bonus to their attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier, lasting until the start of your next turn.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the blackblade class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength or Dexterity 13,

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the blackblade class, you gain the following proficiencies: light armor, medium armor, simple weapons.

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