SPELLSWORD

Spellswords are spellcasting specialists trained to support Imperial troops in skirmish and in battle. Veteran spellswords are prized as mercenaries, and well-suited for careers as adventurers and soldiers-of-fortune. With a weapon in one hand and a spell in the other, spellswords should never be underestimated.

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QUICK BUILD

You can make a spellsword quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Agility your highest attribute score, depending on whether you want to focus on melee weapons or on archery (or finesse weapons). Your next highest score should be Intelligence. Second, choose the soldier background. Third, choose the green flame blade and eldritch blast cantrips, along with the 1st level spells hex and shield.

 

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 + your Endurance modifier

Hit Points At higher levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Endurance modifier per spellsword level after 1st

 

PROFICIENCIES

Armor: Light armor, medium armor

Weapons: Marksman, Short Blade, and Long Blade

Tools: None

 

Saving Throws: Endurance, Willpower

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight and Medicine

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EQUIPMENT

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

• (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor

• (a) a short blade or i a long blade

• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

• A hand crossbow and 20 bolts

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WEAPON BOND

At 1st level, you can perform a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and a weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can been done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon and forge the bond.

    Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand.

    You can have up to two bonded weapons, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two.

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IMBUE MAGIC

Also at 1st level, you learn to invoke powerful magic within your weapon. You choose to learn one Elemental Imbuement listed below.

    As a bonus action, you infuse a single weapon with the magical energy of a known Elemental Imbuement for up to 8 hours. While active, attacks with this weapon deal an additional 1d4 damage of the chosen damage type. This damage is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

    The damage dealt by your Imbue Magic feature increases as you gain Spellsword levels, as shown in the Imbue Magic column of the Spellsword table. Your enchantment lasts until the spell ends, but it can end early if the weapon is wielded by another creature, or if you fall unconscious.

    If you use this ability to imbue the same weapon again, your current enchantment leaves and is replaced by the new enchantment.

You learn an additional Elemental Imbuement at 6th level and again at 11th level, and you can choose 1 Arcane Imbuement at 14th level.

 

ELEMENTAL IMBUEMENTS

Choose from the following:

Flame. You enchant your weapon with the elemental damage of fire.

Glacier. You enchant your weapon with the elemental damage of cold.

Storm. You enchant your weapon with the elemental damage of lightning.

Venom. You enchant your weapon with the elemental damage of poison.

 

ARCANE IMBUEMENTS

Choose from the following:

Decay. You enchant your weapon with the magical damage of necrotic.

Gloom. You enchant your weapon with the magical damage of psychic.

Light. You enchant your weapon with the magical damage of radiant.

Mystic. You enchant your weapon with the magical damage of force.

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SPELLCASTING

By 2nd level, your arcane research grants you the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the spellsword spell list.

 

CANTRIPS

You know two cantrips of your choice from the spellsword spell list. You learn additional spellsword cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Spellsword table.

 

MAGICKA

The Spellsword table shows how much magicka you have to cast your spellsword spells of 1st level and higher. The table also shows what the level spells you can cast. To cast one of your spellsword spells of 1st level or higher, must expend magicka, as noted in the spell's description and the Magicka Cost table found in chapter 10. You regain all expended magicka when you finish a long rest.

    For example, if you know the 1st-level spell witch bolt and have a Spell Level of 2nd, you can cast witch bolt using magicka to cast it at either level.

 

SPELLS KNOWN OF 1ST LEVEL AND HIGHER

At 2nd level, you know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the spellsword spell list.

    The Spells Known column of the spellsword table shows when you learn more spellsword spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you can cast, as shown on the table's Spell Level column for your level. When you reach 6th level, for example, you learn a new spellsword spell, which can be 1st or 2nd level.

    Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the spellsword spells you know and replace it with another spell from the spellsword spell list, which also must be of a level for which you can cast.

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SPELLCASTING ATTRIBUTE

Intelligence is your spellcasting attribute for your spellsword spells, so you use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting attribute. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spellsword spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your Intelligence modifier

 

MYSTIC PATH

At 3rd level, you choose a mystic path. Choose either Battlemage, Warlock, or Witch Blade, which are detailed at the end of the class description. Your path grants you features at 3rd level, and then again at 6th, 14th, and 20th level.

 

ATTRIBUTE SCORE IMPROVEMENT

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one attribute score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two attribute scores by one

 

EXTRA ATTACK

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

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SPELL WEAVING

Beginning at 7th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

 

RELIABLE KNOWLEDGE

When you reach 10th level, you gain a specific talent for understanding the world around you. Whenever you make an Intelligence ability check, you can treat a d20 roll of a 9 or lower as a 10.

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ELDRITCH STRIKE

At 11th level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature's ability to resist your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

 

ARCANE MIGHT

At 15th level, you can draw upon the arcane to heighten your physical capabilities. When you make a Strength, Agility, or Endurance ability check, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the roll.

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

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IMPROVED SPELL WEAVING

Starting at 18th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

 

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MYSTIC PATH

Spellswords specialize in different forms of protection and offense, which is reflected by their chosen mystic path.

 

BATTLEMAGE

Battlemages are wizard-warriors, trained in both lethal spellcasting and heavily armored combat. They sacrifice mobility and versatility for the ability to supplement melee and ranged attacks with elemental damage and summoned creatures.

 

BATTLEMAGE MASTERY

When you choose this focus at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Heavy Armor

 

IMBUE DEFENSE

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Imbue Magic feature to invoke powerful magic within your armor instead of your weapon. You learn the following Battle Imbuement.

 

BATTLE IMBUEMENT

Defense. You gain a +1 bonus to your AC. When you reach 13th level, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC.

 

As a bonus action, you can imbue a set of armor with the energy of a known Arcane Imbuement, Battle Imbuement, or Elemental Imbument for up to 8 hours. While active, you gain resistance to all attacks made against you with this type of damage. Your enchantment ends if you remove your armor or if you fall unconscious.

    If you use this ability to imbue the same armor again, your current enchantment leaves and is replaced by the new enchantment.

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BATTLE WARD

Also at 3rd level, as a reaction you can create a magical ward on a number of friendly creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you, including yourself. A creature gains a ward from 1d6 to 3d6 hit points (your choice). You have a total pool of 3d6 that you can expend. Subtract the dice given with each use from that total.

    The wards last until the end of your next turn. When a warded creature is targeted with an attack that deals damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If the ward is reduced to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to the creature being attacked. The ward does not benefit from any resistances from you or the warded creature.

    This pool increases to 6d6 at 11th level, 9d6 at 14th level, and 12d6 at 18th level.

    You regain all expended dice from your pool when you finish a long rest.

 

BATTLE AURA

At 6th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to damage from spells.

    At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

 

SPELL REFLECT

Starting at 14th level, while wearing heavy armor, your arcane expertise allows you to redirect harmful spells back at your enemies.

    When you are required to make a Willpower saving throw against a magical spell, you can use your reaction to attempt to reflect the spell back to the caster. On a successful save you reflect the harmful effect back to the caster. On a failed save, you are unable to reflect the spell.

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

 

DRAINING AURA

At 20th level, you can drain the life force of others around you to heal yourself. As an action, you create a 30-foot-radius sphere of draining aura, centered on yourself. Any number of creatures of your choice within the aura must make a Willpower saving throw. On a failed save, the aura drains 1d6 hit points. A creature can choose to fail the saving throw. You are healed for the total amount of hit points drained.

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

 

 

WITCH BLADE

Witch Blades create unique bonds with their weapons, being able to conjure them at will. This allows them to be armed at the slightest thought, never having to be worried about being caught off guard, and making them the perfect assassin.

 

MYSTIC BINDING

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you have discovered an esoteric arcane art that allows you to master an ethereal weapon called the witch blade. As a bonus action you can summon this weapon in your empty hand. You can chose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (Choose any weapon from the long blade or short blade weapon list in Chapter 5). You are proficient with it while you wield it.

    Your witch blade disappears if it is more than 5 feet 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 transform one magic weapon into your witch 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. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into a realm of oblivion, and it appears whenever you summon your witch blade thereafter. You can't affect an artifact or sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases being your witch blade 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 weapon appears at your feet if it is in its realm of oblivion when the bond breaks.

    Additionally, you gain the following benefits.

• You learn the Mystic Arcane Imbuement

• When the witch blade is formed, it gains the benefits of your Weapon Bond feature.

• If you can throw your witch blade, you can choose to teleport to wherever the blade impacts.

• Attacks with your witch blade count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

 

ETHEREAL STEP

At 6th level, you learn to step through the Ethereal Plane. As a bonus action on your turn, you can cast the etherealness spell with this feature, but the spell ends at the end of the current turn. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

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DISTANT STRIKE

At 14th level, you gain the ability to step between the planes in a blink of an eye. When you use the Attack action, you can teleport up to 10 feet before each attack. You must be able to see the destination of the teleportation.

    If you attack at least two different creatures with the action, you can make one additional attack with it against a third creature.

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SUPERNATURAL REVISAL

At 20th level, your witch blade has the ability to turn failure into success. If an attack made with your bound weapon misses a target within range, you can turn this miss into a hit.

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

 

 

WARLOCK

Experts in arcane secrets, Warlocks have unlocked esoteric knowledge that gives them the upper hand by augmenting common spells to create powerful and unexpected effects.

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BOOK OF SHADOWS

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you learn how to weave magic into a grimoire of spells, known as a Book of Shadows. Choose three cantrips from any class's spell list (the three needn't be from the same list). While this book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will. If they don't appear on your Spellsword list, they are nonetheless Spellsword spells for you.

    At 6th level, you learn how to inscribe magical rituals into your Book of Shadows. Choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class's spell list (the two needn't be from the same list). With your Book of Shadows in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can't cast the spells except as rituals, unless you've learned them by some other means. You can also cast a Spellsword spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

    On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your Book of Shadows. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell's level is equal to or less than half your Spellsword level (rounded up) and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 200 septims for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

    If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to create a replacement. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous book. The book turns to ash when you die.

 

ELDRITCH INVOCATIONS

In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

    At 6th level, you gain 3 Eldritch Invocations of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed below. You learn 2 additional invocations at 11th level, and again at 17th level.

    Additionally, when you gain a Spellsword level, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.

 

FIENDISH RESILIENCE

Starting at 14th level, you can choose one damage type when you finish a short or long rest. You gain resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature. Damage from magical weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.

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ELDRITCH MASTER

At 20th level, you can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power. You can spend 1 minute meditating to regain magicka equal to your 4 times your intelligence modifier. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

 

 

ELDRITCH INVOCATIONS

If an eldritch invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in the class.

 

Agonizing Blast

Prerequisite: eldtricth blast cantrip

When you cast eldritch blast, add your Intelligence modifier to the damage it deals on a hit.

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Armor of Shadows

You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending magicka.

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Ascendant Step

Prerequisite: 9th level

You can cast levitate on yourself at will, without expending magicka.

 

Aspect of the Dreamstride

You have gained Vaermina's favor. You no longer need to sleep and can’t be forced to sleep by any means. To gain the benefits of a long rest, you can spend all 8 hours doing light activity, such as reading and keeping watch.

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Azura's Embrace

Whenever you regain hit points, you treat any dice rolled to determine the hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value.

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Beast Speech

You can cast speak with animals at will, without expending magicka.

 

Beguiling Influence

You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills.

 

Bewitching Whispers

Prerequisite: 7th level

You can cast compulsion once using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

 

Boethia’s Deception

You gain proficiency in the Deception and Stealth skills, and you have advantage on attack rolls against charmed creatures.

 

Claws of Apocrypha

Your melee weapon infused with your Imbue Magic feature spawns a pair of grasping tentacles. The weapon gains the reach property, if it did not already have it. When you hit a creature with it, you can expend magicka to deal an additional 2d8 necrotic damage to the target per spell level, and you can reduce the creature’s speed to 0 feet until the end of your next turn.

 

Cloak of Peryite

As a bonus action, you can conjure a swarm of buzzing flies around you. The swarm lasts until you're incapacitated or you miss it as a bonus action.

    The swarm grants you advantage on Personality (Intimidation) checks but disadvantage on all other Personality checks. In addition, any other creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of you takes poison damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 0 damage).

    Once you use this invocation, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

 

Destruction of Dagon

Prerequisite: 5th level, eldritch blast cantrip

You can channel the fires of the Deadlands through your eldritch blast. When you hit a creature with that cantrip, you can cast fireball as a bonus action using magicka as normal. However, the spell must be centered on a creature you hit with eldritch blast.

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Devil's Sight

You can see normally in darkness, both magical and non-magical, to a distance of 120 feet.

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Dreadful Word

Prerequisite: 7th level

You can cast confusion once using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

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Eldritch Sight

You can cast detect magic at will, without expending magicka.

 

Eldritch Spear

Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip

When you cast eldritch blast, its range is 300 feet.

 

Eyes of the Rune Keeper

You can read all writing.

 

Fiendish Vigor

You can cast false life on yourself at will as a 1st-level spell, without expending magicka.

 

Gaze of Two Minds

You can use your action to touch a willing humanoid and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature’s senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, and you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.

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Grasp of Molag Bal

Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip

Once during your turn when you hit a creature with your eldritch blast cantrip, you can move that creature in a straight line 10 feet closer to yourself.

 

Hand of Namira

You can place a corpse’s hand or similar appendage on your Book of Shadows and ask one question aloud. After 1 minute, the answer appears written in blood in your book. The answer is provided by the dead creature’s spirit to the best of its knowledge and is translated into a language of your choice. You must use this ability within 1 minute of a creature’s death, and a given creature can only be asked one question in this manner.

 

Lifedrinker

Prerequisite: 12th level

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the

creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

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Mask of Many Faces

You can cast disguise self at will, without expending magicka.

 

Master of Myriad Forms

Prerequisite: 15th level

You can cast alter self at will, without expending magicka.

 

Meridia's Light

When you make a ranged weapon attack with a weapon infused with your Imbue Magic feature, you have advantage on attack rolls against lycanthropes with the weapon. Additionally, when you hit a creature with it, you can expend a magicka to deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage to the target per spell level.

 

Minions of Chaos

Prerequisite: 9th level

You can cast conjure elemental once using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you

finish a long rest.

 

Mire the Mind

Prerequisite: 5th level

You can cast slow once using using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

 

Misty Visions

You can cast silent image at will, without expending magicka or material components.

 

One with Shadows

Prerequisite: 5th level

When you are in an area o f dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or a reaction.

 

Otherworldly Leap

Prerequisite: 9th level

You can cast jump on yourself at will, without expending magicka.

 

Repelling Blast

Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip

When you hit a creature with eldritch blast, you can push the creature up to 10 feet away from you in a straight line.

 

Sculptor of Flesh

Prerequisite: 7th level

You can cast polymorph once using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

 

Seeker’s Speech

Your quest for knowledge allows you to master any spoken language. When you complete a long rest, you can pick two languages. You gain the ability to speak, read, and write the chosen languages until you finish your next long rest.

 

Shroud of Nocturnal

Prerequisite: 17th level

As an action, you can turn invisible for 1 minute. If you attack, deal damage, or force a creature to make a saving throw, you become visible at the end of the current turn.

 

Sign of Ill Omen

Prerequisite: 5th level

You can cast bestow curse once using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

 

Thief of Five Fates

You can cast bane once using magicka as normal. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

 

Vile's Gamble

Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip

When you score a critical hit with your eldritch blast cantrip, pick yourself or an ally you can see within 30 feet of you. The chosen creature can immediately expend a Hit Die to regain hit points equal to the roll + the creature’s Endurance modifier (minimum of 1 hit point).

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Visions of Distant Realms

Prerequisite: 15th level

You can cast arcane eye at will, without expending magicka.

 

Webspinner's Gift

You can breathe underwater, and you gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. You can also cast spider climb using magicka as normal.

    Once you cast it using this invocation, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

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Whisper of the Grave

Prerequisite: 9th level

You can cast speak with dead at will, without expending magicka.

 

Witch Sight

Prerequisite: 15th level

You can see the true form o f any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet o f you and within line of sight.

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