D&D 5E Giving the arcane gish an identity.

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

For fun sake, I just looked a the thesaurus for all words starting with G.I.S.H

A good example of why running with something from the 1E Fiend Folio and trying to make it a more meaningful word was a bad idea.

It'd be better to come up with a term -- one not loaded with unfortunate associations -- that exists in the real world. As non-sexy as "swordmage" is, it explains the concept pretty well.

 

[Mannahnin]

1.) Make this a wizard subclass.
2.) At 2nd level they gain martial weapons, medium armor and shields. They also gain a single elemental power they can emanate from their weapon (flaming sword, etc...) for an extra d4 (that grows to d6 at 6th, d8 at 11th, and finally d10 at 17th). In addition to lighting on fire, they'd also be able to do something (cold slows 10 feet, fire provides light and can ignite, acid does double damage to objects, etc... Additionally, they gain temp hps whenever they cast a spell (to make up for their low wizard hps).
3.) Give it access to unique 'spellstrike' spells at lower levels similar to the smite spells of the paladin. Also allow them to concentrate on two spells at once when both spells target only them.
4.) At 6th level, give them the ability to cast a spell as a bonus action, but only on a target that has been hit by their weapon attack that round. They would not get multiattack. They also gain heavy armor here.
5.) At 10th level they get resistance to damage from spells.
6.) At 14th they can concentrate on as many spells as they wish, so long as the spells target only them.

This is a pretty darn solid writeup.

I think it would be nice to have it as its own class, but this as a Wizard subclass, and Hexblade under Warlock seem like a pretty solid pair of options.

I think Swordmage is a pretty solid name, but Spellblade could be another good option.

 

[Istbor]

I like the idea of a Gish. Mostly because I usually favor melee when I get to play, but really REALLY want to try out magic as I get older. However, I don't want to just grow tired of slinging spells and wish for the bygone days of hitting things in their face like typically happens.

So something that can do both is welcome. I haven't played an Eldritch Knight yet, but I have had a pile of fun as a bladesinger that was tweaked to stand up in melee more than some would agree with.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So something that can do both is welcome. I haven't played an Eldritch Knight yet, but I have had a pile of fun as a bladesinger that was tweaked to stand up in melee more than some would agree with.

Eldritch Knight, IME, is really underwhelming. I'm sort of bemused that it made the 5E PHB. It doesn't offer the fantasy of a spell-slinging sword-wielder, so much as a sword-wielder who does some buffs and the like beforehand. There's little practical difference, IMO, between being an Eldritch Knight or a fighter with the Ritual Caster feat.

Bladesinger, on the other hand, is a lot closer to the fantasy, but it only kicks in at level 2. That's a fast bit of leveling, but unless you play an elf, it does mean you're not stabbing or slashing anyone when you first start.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

A good example of why running with something from the 1E Fiend Folio and trying to make it a more meaningful word was a bad idea.

It'd be better to come up with a term -- one not loaded with unfortunate associations -- that exists in the real world. As non-sexy as "swordmage" is, it explains the concept pretty well.

yeah, I was like: '' @J-H is right, Janissary might have negative connotation, I wonder what words I can find with the GISH letters in it that would fit the class '' ....then I saw: Birth of a Nation...Excision....''Nope''

I agree that the name Swordmage could be good enough if the lore behind the class has more identity than ''a mage with a sword''. Take Ranger for example, the name itself is pretty generic, but the actual class is a pretty niche and D&D specific creation.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Ok, I created a thing

Arcanatoi!

Mix of Arcana, spartoi (mystical greek soldiers born already armed and ready to fight from a dragon teeth sown in the earth) and athanatoi (Greco-persian mythic deathless protectors of emperors aka Immortals).

So tough, elite mystic soldiers protecting arcane and planar nobility, formed in academies founded by sage astral dragons through the Planes.

 

[Stormonu]

I'm of the mind it doesn't need a "story", that comes from the player who builds one.

I've settled with a base class called Eldritch Warrior, though that is a mouthful of a name. Didn't want to go with <Weapon name>mage as that implies they only use that particular weapon, and I wanted to see wizard/fighters that wield everything from knives, axes, clubs, and spears to bows, bolas, nets and even unarmed attacks.

This has let me build the following subclasses:

• Bladesinger - an unarmored F/M-U who uses Perform, movement, stunts and a mix of offensive/defensive magic
• Arcane Blade - a lightly armored F/M-U who channels magic through their sword (or other melee weapon)
• Arcane Archer - a F/M-U skirmisher who enchants arrows or thrown weapons with magical effects
• Eldritch Knight - a heavily armored F/M-U with an arcane smite
• Chi Warrior - a F/M-U based on Wuxia supernaturally powered ability enhancements and alterations
• Death Warrior - a F/M-U who uses necromancy based on a Death Knight
• Dusk Blade - a F/M-U who uses stealth and illusions to get in sneak attacks
• Gish - a F/M-U mercenary who is skilled with weapons, armor and magic
• Golembound - a F/M-U who fights with a golem sidekick
• Mystic Warrior - a F/M-U with mental/pschic powers ala a Jedi/Sith Knight
• Sorcerous Blade - a F/M-U with moderate armor who can use martial weapons and employ sorcerous metamagic

I'd been thinking of also making a subclass with Nordic skills and a proclivity for axes, and I think the Rune Knight could be put in this "base" class as a subclass. Maybe even the Hexblade, though it'd need some tweaking.

 

[Mind of tempest]

we would also need ways to make it simply easy to tell it apart from its equivalents the ranger and paladin, what about armourless like monk and barbarian?

 

[Stormonu]

we would also need ways to make it simply easy to tell it apart from its equivalents the ranger and paladin, what about armourless like monk and barbarian?

With the likes of spells like Mage Armor and Shield available, the default should probably be no or light armor proficiency (and no shield) - they can pick up the spell(s) for protection. Subclasses could add in heavier armor proficiencies like some domains do for clerics.

 

[jmartkdr2]

In a previous thread, I suggested the name Janissary, the arcane equivalent to Paladin.
In lore, they would be planar bodyguard in charge of protecting Elemental and other Planar big shots. A Geni-lord's bodyguard, if you want. Seeking to guard portals linking its liege's domain against incursion from other planar travelers.

In terms of thematic, a mix of Horizon walker, Crown paladin and Genie-blade-lock would be the desired result.

What I especially like about this is you can play with the identity a lot of ways (it boils down to "warrior who was granted some magic to aid in some specific task") - and that fact mean you need flexible mechanics, which in turn makes it easy to remove the presented flavor and apply your own.

Kinda like how warlock is currently.