D&D 4E The True Swordmage

[Garthanos]

I still think there's room for a class where Arcane Magic is understood not as a bookish thing, nor as a Pact, nor even as innate, but something coming from bodily and martial discipline - where movement of weapon and casting of spell are one the same. The weapon and weave. It's almost more like a Kensei Monk, than anything, but I think the concept itself is just barely unique enough to be separate from the Monk chassis and its Ki. I also think it's separate from the Paladin's concept of magic, where regardless of Oath, the Paladin draws inner strength from their devotion to a platonic ideal, and how closely they align with and meet that ideal. Such a Swordmage might have codes in their Arcane Knightly Orders, but the codes don't make the magic.

Interestingly I think it is not JUST a bookish thing it is both just as many martial types IRL encoded their maneuvers with flowery names and illustrated them in books a swordmage encoding his arcane/martial maneuvers in books makes sense too.

Perhaps some inspiration from battlemaster maneuvers could be involved mechanically? These are an admixture of arcane and martial.

I liked a lot of your description and there is definitely a Kensei flavor element involved but with Intelligence backing rather than wisdom ... I admit thinking in terms of an ideal where a merger between physical and intellect is perhaps the platonic ideal in question. Perhaps using Intelligence for to hit and initiative might support this while leaving a physical for the base damage is good.

I see the weapon as ones carver of reality ...
It cuts and stabs and pins at a distance not just close. (moderate range even with sword)
it cuts reality and the elements which compose the planes stream in its wake.
It cuts through space and time - sure all the teleports, but also swordburst in an at-will could be seen as this and a paragon path at high levels allowed some incredible area of effect but low damage (easily seen that way).
The weapon is your reality sculptor's tool - one that can do metamorphing of enemies to harm them. (this is beyond the 4e swordmage) but still within the paradigm of the blade being a reality sculptor.
The weapon creates dangerous terrains and barriers ( perhaps you run along and the barrier is streaming out beside you where your weapon cuts.)

 

[NotAYakk]

So here is the 1/2 caster template with a level 1 subclass.

Level 1: Subclass, Intro feature
Level 2: Spellcasting, Feature
Level 3: Feature, Spell Slot
Level 4: ASI
Level 5: Major offensive feature, Spell Level
Level 6: Feature
Level 7: Feature, Spell slot
Level 8: ASI
Level 9: Spell Level
Level 10: Feature
Level 11: Major offensive feature, Spell slot
Level 12: ASI
Level 13: Spell Level
Level 14: Feature
Level 15: Feature, Spell Slot
Level 16: ASI
Level 17: Spell Level
Level 18: Feature
Level 19: Spell Slot, ASI
Level 20: Feature

In level 17-20, one Major offensive feature

The subclass needs to determine 2-3 additional features.

Naturally the subclass would also give additional spells available or even preped? This should be a spellbook-prep caster like the wizard I think.

Into Features:

Weapon Bond: At 1st level, a Spellguard can bond a melee slashing weapon. When a weapon is bonded to the Spellguard, they may use Intelligence instead of Dexterity or Strength for attack rolls, but continue to use Dexterity or Strength for damage. As a bonus action, a Spellguard can summon their bonded weapon to their hand from anywhere on the same plane of existence, or on subplanes connected to the same plane of existence.

Spellguard's Ward: ??? Just 10+int+dex when unarmored?

That does make the class overly tempting to dip for a wizard.

 

[Weiley31]

I think the Stone Sorcerer's "refluffed" version, Ancient Weapon origin, from a DMguilds subclass guide is something like that.

It has Aegis and the ability to teleport around, like the Swordmage, if I'm not too off.

I'm at work right now, but I'll take a quick look at it on my laptop once I get home later tonight.

 

[Marandahir]

I think the Stone Sorcerer's "refluffed" version, Ancient Weapon origin, from a DMguilds subclass guide is something like that.

It has Aegis and the ability to teleport around, like the Swordmage, if I'm not too off.

I'm at work right now, but I'll take a quick look at it on my laptop once I get home later tonight.

Stone Sorcerer with the aegis was from Unearthed Arcana. It didn't do well enough to go to print because it wasn't sufficient as a substitute for the people who want a Swordmage and it wasn't sufficient as an earthbender for the people who want an Earth Sorcerer.

 

[Garthanos]

Spellguard's Ward: ??? Just 10+int+dex when unarmored?

That does make the class overly tempting to dip for a wizard.

10 + int +con would give a build with no preference for Str/Dex weaponry. and represent life force sustaining the shielding. Swordmages in 4e often had Int/Con builds I was actually missing some value in the Int/Str ones. even though I liked some where it touched.
Still tempting for the Wizard though so not a solution in that regards.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

How do we turn it from a "you are use a sword and magic" into a story?

Wizard story: "you collect and find magic and study it".
Rogue story is subclass based.
Paladin has a story.
Barbarian has a (default) story.
Ranger, Druid, Cleric all have stories.
Monk, Warlock, Sorcerer all have stories.
Bard, Artificer has a story.
Fighter is a big light on story (even with subclasses). "You know how to fight" and "here is how you fight".

Do we go Rogue, and attach the story to subclasses? Make the base class something like "Spellguard" -- you use magic with weapons.

Spellguard -- Exemplar (1/3 paladin, you are specialist trained by an order to execute their will.)
Spellguard -- Bodyguard (1/3 fighter, you where trained in arcane magic to protect someone.)
Spellguard -- Bounty Hunter (1/3 ranger, you are an expert at tracking down and capturing people.)
Spellguard -- Cursed (1/3 warlock, your magic comes from your cursed blade.)
Spellguard -- Dancer (1/3 bard, you are a trained entertainer with magic.)

that is a possible framework.

Make it a 1/2 caster, and fill the subclass with appropriate utility spells.

For a unique mechanic, allow it to learn a limited list of concentration spells to imbue its weapon with. Also, make a melee attack as part the action to cast a spell (including a cantrip); sort of like EK on steroids that way (but doesn't get the rest of the fighter chassis, like extra attacks at 11 and 20).

In terms of class story that fits in with the half-caster structure, there might be a case for Swordmage being a subclass of Artificer.

Rather than long-term enchantments of multiple items and support spells, the Swordmage focuses on rapid imbuements of a single weapon, often lasting only for a single strike.

Enhanced cantrips would seem to be the fitting scaling at-will damage option. Allowing them to deliver a cantrip with a weapon attack, including substituting any saving throw for the weapon attack roll would fit. At higher levels, dealing weapon damage in addition to the cantrip damage, and "echoing" the cantrip rider into a second attack could work.

 

[Marandahir]

In terms of class story that fits in with the half-caster structure, there might be a case for Swordmage being a subclass of Artificer.

Rather than long-term enchantments of multiple items and support spells, the Swordmage focuses on rapid imbuements of a single weapon, often lasting only for a single strike.

Enhanced cantrips would seem to be the fitting scaling at-will damage option. Allowing them to deliver a cantrip with a weapon attack, including substituting any saving throw for the weapon attack roll would fit. At higher levels, dealing weapon damage in addition to the cantrip damage, and "echoing" the cantrip rider into a second attack could work.

I've been leaning in this direction lately, given the Battle Smith and the Armorer. I originally was testing an Armorer-like subclass for my Swordmage homebrew, but then UA came out with one for the Artificer, which seems like an even better fit.

If the Swordmage is an arcanist who casts through magical weapons, then that does fit within the purview of the Artificer.