Swordbearer (Edge of Humanity Supplement)

Swordbearer

Swordsmen and swordswomen are individuals who have chosen the path of the blade, dedicating themselves to mastering sword techniques and defending humanity from monstrous threats. These warriors, known for their strength, resolve, and discipline, are often seen as the last line of defense against the horrors that plague the land. Those who wield a sword are usually trained from a young age, either under a seasoned master or through rigorous self-training. Some, however, are born with an innate talent for combat, setting them apart from the ordinary and earning them a reputation among their peers. In this world, swordsmen and swordswomen are classified by their combat style and technique. Those who fall to darker paths are known as “Fallen Blades,” while those who are still human, though highly skilled, are simply known as “Warriors.”

Class Features

As a Swordbearer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength or Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, Perception, Insight and Intimidation

Equipment

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

• (a) Dungeoneer’s pack or (b) Explorer’s pack
• (a) 2 Wakizachi or (b) 1 Katana or (c) 1 Nodachi
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4x10 in funds.

Table: The Swordbearer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Positive Energy
1st	+2	Positive Energy, Basic Positive Energy Infusions	2 + con
2nd	+2	Positive Energy Channeling	4 + con
3rd	+2	Positive Energy Paths, lvl 3 subclass feature	6 + con
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	8 + con
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Soulspan, Vows and Contracts	10 + con
6th	+3	Renewed Light, lvl 6 subclass feature	12 + con
7th	+3	—	14 + con
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	16 + con
9th	+4	—	18 + con
10th	+4	—	20 + con
11th	+4	—	22 + con
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	24 + con
13th	+5	—	26 + con
14th	+5	—	28 + con
15th	+5	—	30 + con
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	32 + con
17th	+6	—	34 + con
18th	+6	—	36 + con
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	38 + con
20th	+6	—	40 + con

Positive Energy

Through rigorous training or a challenging situation, you’ve achieved a breakthrough, grasping the essence of Positive Energy. This energy, the natural opposite of Negative Energy, possesses properties that are not fully known to you. However, you understand that it’s not a holy or divine power but a force that harms creatures of Negative Energy while protecting you from the same. This energy manifests as a white aura, symbolizing its positive nature.

Positive Energy Pool

With your newfound ability to sense and understand Positive Energy, you can store this energy within yourself for later use. You have Positive Energy Points (PEP) equal to 2 + your Constitution modifier, gaining an additional 2 points at each level.

Basic Positive Energy Infusions

Starting at 1st level, you’ve developed the ability to sense and harness Positive Energy. Although your control is limited, you can perform the following infusions:

Basic Weapon Infusion

As a bonus action, you can spend 1 PEP to do an additional 1d8 weapon damage. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Basic Body Enhancement

As a bonus action, you can spend 1 PEP to reduce damage 2. You can also either spend an additional 1 PEP or just 1 PEP to increase your movement speed by 10 feet. Both effects last until the start of your next turn.

Basic Positive Energy Attack

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 PEP, you can make a ranged attack using your Positive Energy, dealing 1d6 weapon damage and has a range of 15 feet. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Positive Energy Channeling

At 2nd level, your understanding of Positive Energy deepens, allowing you to channel it in focused ways to achieve various effects. You can use your Positive Energy Points (PEP) to activate one of the following abilities:

Energy Surge

As a free action, you can spend 1 PEP to channel your Positive Energy to boost your physical prowess:

• Enhanced Reflexes: You can add 1d4 to a saving throw or ability check. You can decide to use this after seeing the roll but before knowing the outcome.

Shield of Light

As a reaction, you can spend 1 PEP when you are hit by an attack, you can channel Positive Energy to form a protective barrier:

• Temporary Shield: You reduce the damage taken by 1d6.

Rejuvenating Pulse

As an action, you can spend 2 PEP to channel Positive Energy to restore vitality to yourself or an ally within 10 feet:

• Minor Healing: You restore hit points equal to 1d6 to a creature you touch.

Positive Energy Paths

Starting at 3rd level, choose one of the following paths: Way of the Radiant Blade, Way of the Sanctified Body, or Way of the Celestial Strike. This choice determines how you focus and enhance your use of Positive Energy.

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.

You may also ignore this increase to instead gain a Swordsman Feat that you meet the prerequisite of.

Extra Attack

Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action during your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 17th level.

Soulspan

Soulspan represents the essence of your very life force, the tangible representation of your soul’s energy. Your Soulspan is linked to your lifespan, and its depletion means the end of your life. Soulspan is a limited resource, and the more you use it, the closer you come to your end. Primarily, devils will make use of this resource to form contracts, drawing upon your soul's energy to grant you dark powers. However, there are rare cases where angels may also require Soulspan to finalize certain vows.

Soulspan Calculation Your Soulspan is calculated as twice your current lifespan. For example, if your lifespan is 80 years, your maximum Soulspan would be 160 points.

Vows and Contracts

Starting at 5th level, you gain the ability to form Vows and Contracts with angels and devils only if the being's favorability is high enough, entering into agreements that offer various rewards or abilities.

Vows: Vows are made with angels and are subject to conditions. These are sacred promises, where both the person and the angel must fulfill specific actions or requirements. In exchange for fulfilling these conditions, you gain divine rewards, such as healing, increased power, or other boons.

Example: Vow of Radiant Resolve

• Prerequisite: Kill a low-level entity with Negative Energy.
• Method to Activate: Successfully land 2 strikes on an enemy in one turn.
• Reward: Regain 1 Positive Energy Point.

Contracts: Contracts are formed with devils using your Soulspan, and in exchange for this sacrifice, you receive dark boons or enhancements. These agreements come with risk: if you fail to meet the terms of the contract, you may lose Soulspan or suffer additional consequences.

Example: Contract of the Devouring Prey

• Offer: 10 Soulspan points.
• Gain: When in an encounter, mark an enemy as your prey, dealing an additional 1d6 damage against it. However, if you fail to deal the killing blow, you lose half the Soulspan used to form the contract as hit points, taken by anyone who delivers the final blow to your prey.

Renewed Light

Starting at 6th level, you have learned to manipulate both Positive and Negative Energy with greater control, channeling it through your weapon and even recycling the remnants of Negative Energy into Positive Energy. You gain the following benefits:

• Your melee attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance.
• As an action, you can absorb the residual Negative Energy from a slain creature, transforming it into 3 Positive Energy. This ability can only be used once per creature slain with Negative Energy.

Positive Energy Paths

Way of the Radiant Blade

Swordsmen who channel Positive Energy into their blades, enhancing their damage and cutting through even the toughest foes.

Holy Blade

At 3th level, As a bonus action, spend 2 PEP to channel positive energy into your sword. For 1 minute gain the following effects:

• Deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage on each successful hit.
• Activate your Basic Sword Infusion as a free action.

Light of the Eternal Edge

At 6th level, As an action, spend 6 PEP to charge your katana with pure light. For 1 minute, your katana gains the following benefits:

• If you miss an attack while within 5 feet of an enemy, you can deal half of your weapon's damage to that enemy.
• You can make a second attack with your katana as part of the same attack action.
• If a creature is reduced to 0 HP by your katana’s radiant damage, you gain 2d6 temporary hit points.

Way of the Sanctified Body

Enhance your body with Positive Energy, bolstering your defenses against Negative Energy attacks.

Sanctified Body

At 3th level, As a reaction when taking damage from a creature with Negative Energy, spend 2 PEP and then for 1 minute gain the following effects:

• Reduce negative energy damage dealt to you by 3.
• Gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier each time you're targeted by an attack.
• You now can activate your Basic Body Enhancement ability as a free action.

Aura of the Blessed Shield

At 6th level, you gain the ability to exude a protective aura that shields yourself and your allies. As a bonus action, you can spend 3 PEP to activate the aura. The aura lasts for 1 minute and extends 10 feet from you, granting the following benefits:

• All creatures within the aura have resistance to Negative Energy damage.
• When an ally within the aura is reduced to below half their hit points, they gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier at the start of their turn.

Way of the Celestial Strike

Harness Positive Energy to unleash potent ranged attacks imbued with celestial force.

Enlightening Strike

As a bonus action, spend 4 PEP to empower your ranged attacks. For 1 minute:

• Deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage with you're Basic Positive Energy Attack attack.
• Your range for Positive Energy attacks increases by 15 feet.
• You now can activate your Basic Positive Energy Attack ability as a free action also having its cost reduced by 1.

Heaven's Wrath

At 6th level, you can tap into the celestial forces within you to call down devastating radiant strikes that strike from afar with precision and force. You gain the following abilities:

• Celestial Bolt: As an action, spend 6 PEP to launch a radiant projectile imbued with the power of the heavens. The bolt travels up to 30 feet and deals 3d6 radiant damage to the first target it strikes. If the target is a creature with Negative Energy, they must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they are blinded until the end of their next turn.

• Radiant Surge: As a bonus action, spend 2 PEP to unleash a wave of celestial energy in a 10-foot radius centered on you. Creatures within this area must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, they are pushed 10 feet away from you and take 2d6 radiant damage. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not pushed.