Spellsword (5e Class)

Spellsword

Introduction

Spellswords focus on a balance between martial prowess and arcane power. Both of these skills require discipline, so Spellswords are naturally lawful characters.

Creating a Spellsword

Why do you choose to balance the two skills? Who trained you? Was it two people, a mage and a soldier, or another Spellsword?

Quick Build

You can make a Spellsword quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the soldier or sage background.

Class Features

As a Spellsword you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Spellsword level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Spellsword level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, Medium, shields
Weapons: Martial and Simple
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Investigation, Perception, or Religion

Equipment

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

• (a) scale mail or (b) studded leather and a shield
• (a) one martial weapon or (b) two simple weapons
• (a) five javelins or (b) a longbow and twenty arrows
• (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Table: The Spellsword

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Cantrips Known	Features	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
				1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	-	Battle Stance	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	2	Spellcasting, Fighting Style, Martial Casting	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	2	School of Battle	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	2	Ability Score Improvement	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	2	Extra Attack	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	3	Empowered Cantrip	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	3	School of Battle Feature, Extra Battle Stance	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	3	—	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	3	Aura of Brilliance	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	3	Arcane Strikes	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	4	—	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	4	Magical Defense, Extra Battle Stance	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	4	School of Battle Feature	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	4	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	4	—	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	4	Favored Cantrip	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	4	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	4	School of Battle Feature	4	3	3	3	2

Battle Stance

At first level, you learn to use magic to enhance your fighting. When you roll initiative or as an action, you may enter a Battle Stance. Whenever you enter a new Battle Stance, all benefits from the old Battle Stance are lost. At first level, you may choose two Battle Stances to know. At 7th and 14th levels, you choose another Battle Stance to know.

Offensive

Gain a +1 to attack rolls and damage rolls.

Defensive

At the start of each of your turns, if you have less than 3 temporary hit points, you may set your temporary hit points to 3.

Berserker

You make all attack rolls at advantage and add d4 bonus force damage to damage rolls. All attack rolls made against you are at advantage.

Tactical

Whenever an enemy within reach makes an attack roll against a friendly creature you can see, you may attack that enemy as a reaction.

Arcane Shield

You have advantage on saving throws against spells.

Spellcasting

Half caster, prepared spells. Intelligence is your spell casting modifier. You gain a spellbook with six spells in it. Every time you level, add a new spell to it. No ritual casting. Your spell list comes from the wizard's spell list

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a fighting style from the list of optional features. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.

Archery

Increase your ranged attack rolls by +2.

Dueling

Whenever you land an attack with a one-handed melee weapon while holding no other weapons, deal +2 bonus damage.

Great Weapon Fighting

Whenever you roll a 1 or a 2 on a two-handed melee weapon, you may reroll it, but you must accept the new result.

Protection

When an attack is made against a friendly character within 5 feet of you, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be holding a shield to use this feature.

Well Armored

While you are wearing armor you are proficient in, gain +1 AC.

Martial Casting

After you make an attack action or a dodge action, you may cast an action spell as a bonus action, but you must spend a spell slot of one level higher. You may cast a cantrip with a first level spell slot. When casting a cantrip this way, it does not scale with your level. (Ex: You can make an attack action, then cast burning hands with a 2nd level spell slot or shocking grasp with a 1st level spell slot).

School of Battle

At 3rd level, choose a school of battle. Choose between Blademaster, and Bladesinger, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd, and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th levels.

Empowered Cantrips

From 6th level, whenever you deal damage with a cantrip that doesn’t add your spellcasting modifier to the damage, add your spellcasting modifier to the damage of a single target.

Aura of Brilliance

At 10th level, whenever a creature within 10 feet of you would be affected by a spell, you may use your reaction to exempt them from its effects if the caster allows it.

Arcane Strikes

At 11th level, your weapon attacks are magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities and they deal an additional 1d8 force damage on a hit.

Magical Defense

At 14th level, you may cast shield as though you had it prepared without using a spellslot. Once you used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Favored Cantrip

At 18th level, choose a cantrip you know. You may cast it using your Martial Casting without expending a first level spell slot. In addition, all cantrips cast with your Martial Casting feature increase in potency as if you were 5th level.

Blademaster

A Blademaster focuses more on using the magic to empower their attacks, and less casting spells as directly.

Additional Battle Stance

At 3rd level, when you choose this school, learn an additional Battle Stance.

Flexible Fighting

At the start of your turn, before any other actions or movement, you may change Battle Stances as a bonus action.

Favored Battle Stance

At 7th level, choose a Battle Stance you know and upgrade it.

Offensive

Increase your attack rolls by 3. Before you roll an attack, you may reduce its attack bonus by up to 3 to increase its damage bonus by the amount dropped.

Defensive

Whenever you start your turn with less than 4 temporary hit points, set your temporary hit points to 4. Gain +1 AC.

Berserker

You make all attack rolls at advantage and add 2d4 bonus damage to all damage rolls. Attack rolls against you are made at advantage.

Tactical

Whenever an enemy within reach makes an attack roll against a friendly creature you can see, you may attack that enemy as a reaction. If you hit the creature, they make that attack at disadvantage.

Arcane Shield

You have advantage on all saving throws against spells. As a reaction, you may give yourself resistance to damage from a single spell.

Dual Stances

At 15th level, you may hold two Battle Stances at the same time. You may only change one Battle Stance at a time.

Extra Attack

At 20th level, you may make three attacks as part of an attack action.

Bladesinger

A Bladesinger prefers to balance their casting with their fighting, and focuses more on spellcasting than their Blademaster counterparts.

Expanded Spellbook

When you choose this school at 3rd level, choose 3 spells and add them to your spellbook. Choose one additional bonus spell to add at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.

Ritual Casting

When you choose this school at 3rd level, you learn ritual casting, like a Wizard. You may ritual cast a spell in your spellbook that you do not have prepared.

Arcane Recovery

From third level, during a short rest, you can regain up to one quarter(rounding up) of your Spellsword level in spell slots.

Arcane Protection

From 7th level, whenever you cast a spell of 1st level, gain bonus AC equal to the spell’s base level until the start of your next turn.

Favored Spell

At 15th level, choose a 1st level spell in your spellbook that requires an action to cast. You know this spell and do not need to prepare it, nor does it count against you when you prepare spells. Casting this spell with you Martial Casting feature doesn’t require using a higher level spell slot. You may cast this spell without your Martial Casting feature once per short or long rest without expending a spell slot.

Arcane Recycle

At 20th level, whenever you cast a spell of 2nd level or higher without your Martial Casting feature, you may regain a spell slot that is one level lower.(so if you cast fireball at 3rd level, you gain a 2nd level spell slot). Once you gain 5+your Intelligence modifier levels of spell slots back with this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest. You cannot gain more slots of a particular level than your maximum(so you can’t have more than four 1st level spell slots available).

Multiclassing

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

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the spellsword class, you gain the following proficiencies: Arcana, Athletics, Light armor, medium armor, shields, Simple weapons and martial weapons.

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