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.”

Quick Build

To make a Swordbearer quickly, prioritize Constitution as your highest ability score, as it fuels most of your abilities. Your second-highest should be Strength or Dexterity, depending on your combat style.

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 and medium armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength or Dexterity and Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, Perception and Stealth

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
• (a) 1 Leather armor or (b) 1 Hide armor
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4x10 in funds.

Table: The Swordbearer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Divine Flow
1st	+2	Divine Flow, Basic Divine Flow Infusions, Adaptive Combatant	2 + con
2nd	+2	Divine Flow Channeling, Renewed Light	4 + con
3rd	+2	Fighting styles, Divine Flow Paths, Subclass feature	6 + con
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	8 + con
5th	+3	Extra Attack	10 + con
6th	+3	Favor of the Divine, Soulspan, Oaths and Bargains, Subclass feature	12 + con
7th	+3	Relentless Initiative	14 + con
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Divine Flow Core	16 + con
9th	+4	Resistant	18 + con
10th	+4	Boundless Initiative, Subclass feature	20 + con
11th	+4	—	22 + con
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	24 + con
13th	+5	—	26 + con
14th	+5	Subclass feature	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

Divine Flow

Through rigorous training or a challenging situation, you’ve achieved a breakthrough, grasping the essence of Divine Flow. 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.

Divine Flow Pool

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

Adaptive Combatant

At 1st level, you possess an innate ability to adapt and evolve through combat experiences. When you encounter a new challenge, you can attempt to learn and replicate features or techniques from those you face. Work with your DM to determine the specific conditions or actions required to gain new features or abilities, which may include studying a creature's behavior, succeeding on skill checks, or other in-game criteria. Here is a list of features that can be learned and their pre-requisite to learn them Adaptive Evolution.

Basic Divine Flow Infusions

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

Basic Weapon Infusion

• As a bonus action, you can spend up to your proficiency in DF to do an additional 1d8 weapon damage for every DF. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Basic Body Enhancement

• As a bonus action, you can spend up to your proficiency in DF to reduce incoming melee damage by 2 until the start of your next turn.

• As a bonus action, you can spend up to your proficiency in DF to increase your movement speed by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

• As a free action, you can spend 3 DF to take the dodge action as a bonus action.

Basic Divine Flow Attack

• As a bonus action, you can spend up to your proficiency + 1 in DF, you can make a ranged attack using your Divine Flow with a base range of 30, dealing 1d6 weapon damage and has a range of x feet, Where x is the amount of DF spent. 1 DF being 10 feet. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Divine Flow Channeling

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

Energy Surge

• As a free action, you can spend up to your proficiency in DF to channel your Divine Flow to boost your physical prowess: You can add 1d4 per DF spent 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 up to your proficiency in DF when you are hit by an attack, you can channel Divine Flow to form a protective barrier: You reduce the damage taken by 1d6 per DF spent.

Rejuvenating Pulse

• As an action, you can spend up to your proficiency +1 in DF to channel Divine Flow to restore vitality to yourself or an ally within 10 feet: You restore hit points equal to 1d6 per DF spent to a creature you touch.

Renewed Light

Starting at 2nd level, As an action, you can absorb the residual necrotic Energy from a slain creature, transforming it into Divine Flow. The amount of Divine Flow you gain depends on the type of creature:

• For creatures not made up of necrotic flow, you gain Divine Flow equal to the creature's Challenge Rating (minimum of 1).
• For creatures made up of necrotic flow, you gain Divine Flow equal to the creature's level/CR plus your Constitution modifier.

Fighting styles

Starting at 3rd level, you have grown accustomed to fighting in a certain way due to your training with weapons, acquiring your very own fighting style. You can choose one of the following fighting styles below:

• Dual Wielding. When you take the Attack action while two-weapon fighting, you can make the single bonus attack with your off-hand weapon as part of your Attack action, instead of your bonus action, adding your ability modifier to the damage of this attack.
• Heavy Weapon Mastery. You add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls with Heavy Weapons.
• Protector. When a creature you can see hits you, or a target within 5 feet, with a melee attack, you can use a reaction to add your proficiency bonus to the target's Armor Class against that attack. You must be wielding a shield or a melee weapon.
• Point Blank Shooter. When making a ranged attack with a ranged weapon while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks with ranged weapons ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you.
• Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
• Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Divine Flow Paths

Starting at 3rd level, choose one of the following schools: Way of the Radiant Blade, Way of the Sanctified Body, Way of the Celestial Strike, Way of the Vital Radiance, or Way of the Sacred Beast.. This choice determines how you focus and enhance your use of Divine Flow.

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 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. Additionally features that take a free action to activate do not trigger extra attack unless a feature says otherwise

Favor of the Divine

Starting at 6th level you gain the following: To gain blessings from the angels, you must prove your worth through actions reflecting determination, strength, and righteousness. Mere victories over weak malborne creatures will suffice only temporarily; as your journey progresses, you must confront greater challenges, facing stronger foes to earn the angels’ unwavering trust. Each act of valor and determination furthers your favor, unlocking the potential to form deeper, more powerful Oaths.

Additionally, as you accumulate Favor, your maximum Divine Flow (DF) increases. For every 10 Favor you obtain, your maximum DF increases by 2, up to a cap of +50 DF at 250 Favor.

Soulspan

Starting at 6th level you gain the following:

The Soul

This essence is 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 bargains, drawing upon your soul's energy to grant you dark powers.

Soulspan Calculation

Your Soulspan is calculated as twice your current lifespan which is 100. For example, if your lifespan is 80 years, your maximum Soulspan would be 160 points.

Erosion of the Soul

The consequences of forging bargainsgrow dire as your soul deteriorates. Each tier of contract invoked imposes cumulative deficits, reflecting the gradual fading of your essence. For example, reaching the 6th tier of soul erosion. subjects you to all prior deficits except for the temporary health loss, each stacking as your soul edges closer to oblivion. This relentless decay mirrors the cost of boundless power and the price of tempting fate.

Look here for the deficits for reaching the different levels of Soul Erosion.

Oaths and Bargains

Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to form Oaths and bargains with angels and devils only if the being's favorability is high enough, entering into agreements that offer various rewards or abilities.

Oath: Oaths 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 durability, 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 Divine Flow Point.

bargains: bargains are formed with devils using your Soulspan, and in exchange for this sacrifice, you receive dark boons, enhancements or power. 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.

To calculate what level of Soul Erosion you have depends on the price of the contract. Example: You have 200 Soulspan points and a contract requires 25 this will cost a bit more than 10 percent of your Soulspan points meaning you will enter the first stage of Soul Erosion.

In general oath will grant defensive and supportive boons while on the other hand bargains will provide offensive and dark related boons enhancment. Here you can find the available Oaths and Bargains.

Relentless Initiative

At 7th level, your mastery of Divine Flow allows you to act with unparalleled swiftness.

• Bonus Action Surge: As a free action on your turn, spend 3 Divine Flow to gain an additional bonus action on your turn.
• Reactive Instinct: As a free action on your turn, spend 3 Divine Flow to gain an extra reaction until the start of your next turn.

Divine Flow Core

At 8th level, during a long rest, you can spend a significant amount of Divine Flow to develop a Divine Flow Core within yourself. This core enhances one specific aspect of your body, granting a permanent boon. Once you choose one of the cores, you cannot change it during the same long rest.

• Strength Core: Spend 15 Divine Flow. Gain +2 Strength and increase your maximum for this score by 2. Additionally, you can spend 3 DF to gain advantage on one Strength-based attack roll or saving throw which can be used once per turn.

• Dexterity Core: Spend 15 Divine Flow. Gain +2 Dexterity and increase your maximum for this score by 2. Additionaly, you can spend 3 DF to add +3 to your AC against a single attack which can be used once per turn.

• Constitution Core: Spend 15 Divine Flow. Gain +2 Constitution and increase your maximum for this score by 2. You can spend 3 DF to gain resistance to the next instance of damage you take which can be used once per turn.

• Intelligence Core: Spend 15 Divine Flow. Gain +2 Intelligence and increase your maximum Intelligence score by 2. Additionally, you can spend 3 DF to gain a slight glimpse into the immediate future, allowing you to reroll an Intelligence check, attack roll, or saving throw, which can be used once per turn.

• Wisdom Core: Spend 15 Divine Flow. Gain +2 Wisdom and increase your maximum Wisdom score by 2. Additionally, you can spend 3 DF to extend your perception beyond normal limits, granting advantage on Wisdom (Perception) check or Wisdom saving throws, which can be used once per turn. Additionally add your proficiency onto your ranged attack rolls

Resistant

At 9th level, your strength as a sorcerer allows you to resist certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. Choose one of the following ability scores:

• Brawn - Strength
• Evasion - Dexterity
• Endurance - Constitution
• Discernment - Intelligence
• Intuition - Wisdom

You can only choose the option associated with a certain ability score if you have a 16 or higher in that ability score. If none of your ability scores except Charisma are at or above 16 you may only choose the one that is your highest, or any of your highest in the case of a tie. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a saving throw of the chosen ability to only take half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. At 20th level, you can choose one additional saving throw.

Boundless Initiative

At 10th level, your mastery over Divine Flow enhances your ability to act decisively in battle.

• Action Surge: As a free action, spend 6 Divine Flow to gain an additional action on your turn.

• Enhanced Initiative: At the start of combat, you can as a free action spend Divine Flow to increase your initiative roll by an amount equal to the number of points spent, up to your proficiency bonus.

Divine Flow School

Way of the Radiant Blade

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

Holy Blade

At 3rd level, As a bonus action, spend 2 DF to channel Divine Flow into your sword. For 1 minute gain the following effects:

• Deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage on each successful hit.
• You add your proficiency an additional time to your attack roles.
• Activate your Basic Weapon Infusion as a free action.

Light of the Eternal Edge

As an action, you can spend 5 DF to make a melee attack with your weapon. If the attack hits, you deal your normal damage, and your weapon becomes charged with pure light for 1 minute. During this time, it 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 weapon as part of the same attack action.
• If a creature is reduced to 0 HP by your weapon's radiant damage, you gain 2d6 temporary hit points.

Way of the Sanctified Body

Enhance your body with Divine Flow, bolstering your defenses against attacks.

Sanctified Body

At 3th level, As a reaction when taking damage from a creature you can spend 2 DF and then for 1 minute gain the following effects:

• Gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier when its your turn again.
• 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 DF to activate the aura. The aura lasts for 1 minute and extends 10 feet from you, granting the following benefits:

• All allies within the aura have resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, slashing and piercing 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 Divine Flow to unleash potent ranged attacks imbued with celestial force.

Enlightening Strike

At 3rd level, As a bonus action, spend 4 DF to empower your ranged attacks. For 1 minute:

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

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 DF 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 DF 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.

Way of the Vital Radiance

Radiant Pylon

At 3rd level, As an action, you can spend 2 DF to enter a state of heightened restorative power for 1 minute, gaining the following benefits:

• You can activate Rejuvenating Pulse as a free action.
• You can spend an additional x amount of DF up to your proficiency bonus when using any healing ability to enhance its effects adding the base healing of the ability additional times equal to the amount of DF spent.
• As a bonus action, you can spend up to 2 DF to create a Link between yourself and a target within range. The maximum range of this link is 5 feet × (your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus). While a target is linked, you can use a bonus action to send Rejuvenating Pulse through one of the active links. Each linked target heals Xd4 hit points, where X = your Constitution modifier + the DF spent to activate this ability.

Divine Channels

At 6th level, You have mastered the art of divine linking, allowing you to forge different types of Links beyond simple healing. When you create a Link, you can now choose one of the following link types:

Each creature can have only one active link at a time and cannot be linked to more than once simultaneously. You can maintain a number of different types of links equal to your proficiency bonus at a time. For example, if your proficiency bonus is 2, you can have up to two different types of links active simultaneously.

• Vital Link (Healing)

Allows you to send Rejuvenating Pulse through all linked targets as a bonus action, instead of only previously being able to send pulses through one link.

Increases the healing die by one die tier. example d4 goes to d6

When creating the link if you make it a vital link then you can create it has a free action.

• Empowering Link (Attack Boost)

Linked allies gain +X radiant damage on their weapon attacks, where X = your Constitution modifier + the DF spent (minimum 1).

• Swift Link (Speed & Mobility)

Linked allies gain +x feet of movement speed and ignore difficult terrain while linked. X = your Constitution modifier + the DF spent (minimum 1).

• Guardian Link (Defensive)

Linked allies gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + the DF spent (minimum 1). If a linked ally is reduced to 0 HP, the link automatically breaks, preventing the ally from falling unconscious and instead leaving them at 1 HP (this can only occur once per long rest per ally).

Way of the Sacred Beast

Pact of the Wild Bond

You gain the ability to tame and bond with a wild beast.

At 3rd level you gain the following abilities:

• As an action, you can attempt to tame a beast with a CR equal to or lower than your proficiency bonus. The creature must not be hostile to you and must be within 30 feet.
• Make an Animal Handling check (DC = 10 + the creature’s CR). On a success, the creature becomes tame and will not act aggressively toward you.
• Over a long rest or as an action, you can spend a number of Divine Flow equal to the beast’s CR + your proficiency bonus to form a permanent bond with the creature.
• While bonded, you gain one of the creature’s innate traits (such as Keen Senses, Pack Tactics, or Darkvision). You can only be bonded with one creature at a time, and bonding with a new creature replaces the old bond.
• If your bonded beast dies, you can either:

Bond to a new creature following the normal bonding rules.

Restore your fallen companion by spending Divine Flow equal to three times the creature’s CR over a long rest. This revives the creature with full hit points, but the Divine Flow spent in this way cannot be regained until your next long rest.

Fusion of Fang and Steel

Your bond deepens, allowing you to channel the essence of your companion into powerful weaponry.

At 6th level you gain the following abilites:

As a bonus action, you can transform your bonded beast into a weapon for 1 minute you cannot gain the benifits from extra attack while using these weapons, spending an amount of Divine Flow equal to half the creature’s CR (minimum 1). The weapon takes on aspects of the creature’s abilities, granting one of the following benefits:

• Predator’s Fang: Gain a melee weapon with a damage die equal to your bonded creature’s natural attack die. If the creature had Multiattack, you can attack twice when using this weapon.
• Guardian’s Hide: Instead of forming a weapon, you can reinforce your body. Gain temporary hit points equal to your bonded creature’s maximum hit dice.
• Stormcaller’s Talon: If the bonded creature had a flying speed, your attacks with the weapon deal an extra 1d6 lightning or wind damage (your choice).

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