D&D 5E How would you do the sword mage in 5e?
- Thread starter Shades of Eternity
- Start date
FallenRX
Adventurer
I think Mage Hand Press, Warmage is the best rendition because it actually offers something unique outside of basically being a Paladin with Wizard Spells.
It handles the concept of a Swordmage by making it a Cantrip only focused caster, where you can flexible make the concepts around various aspects of cantrips, from spellblade cantrips, to just being a simple cantrip blasters, to straight up being a magical knight where you evoke your own sword and shields of magic, also has straight up support cantrip casting abilities.
This is actually new design space and unlike any other class in the game.
It handles the concept of a Swordmage by making it a Cantrip only focused caster, where you can flexible make the concepts around various aspects of cantrips, from spellblade cantrips, to just being a simple cantrip blasters, to straight up being a magical knight where you evoke your own sword and shields of magic, also has straight up support cantrip casting abilities.
This is actually new design space and unlike any other class in the game.
LuisCarlos17f
Legend
Sometimes I think the sword-mage should be recycled as an arcane swordsage, the martial adept. Then the "arcane maneuvers" would be in the middle between at-will catrip and once-encounter "incarnation". With a Concentration check the "psionic focus" is reloaded, and this can be spent again to cast arcane maneuvers. Some special effects would spend "aggro points". These are like psionic power points, but these are only loaded after a succesful attack (or the pool totally full if the barbarian activate frenzy). After a complete turn without facing an enemy menace the aggro points are lost
Of course the update of the martial adepts would need a lot of work and feedup, because the new players would rather it to be fast and simple, at least to can be used as mini-bosses.
Of course the update of the martial adepts would need a lot of work and feedup, because the new players would rather it to be fast and simple, at least to can be used as mini-bosses.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
Turns out that I was looking at an older version of my Arcknight class. In the latest version I give them the ability to enchant a weapon at 1st level, making it magical and granting it the arcane keyword (allows you to use your Intelligence instead of strength or dexterity for attack and damage rolls). This improves at 7th level granting a +1 to hit/damage, the heavy keyword, increased reach, returning, increased crit range, or additional crit damage. At 11th you can imbue your rune weapon with an additional d8 energy damage, chosen after a long rest.
CreamCloud0
Hero
if i'm allowed to shill my own attempts at a swordmage concept here's what i came up with for one a while back
<D&D 5E - My Swordmage Homebrew, Any thoughts On It?>
but just in general what i would want from a swordmage concept is a concept of a warrior who has totally synergised weapons and magic into a single style, inflicting elemental damage and magic status effects through weapon attacks, the teleport spam i've seen from some other people's manifestations isn't central to what i imagine it to be but i don't not want it to be part of their build design.
Where most other existing gish concepts fail at meeting my expectations is that they feel like they are wielding magic and weaponry at the same time but as separate entities, not unified into a single whole.
<D&D 5E - My Swordmage Homebrew, Any thoughts On It?>
but just in general what i would want from a swordmage concept is a concept of a warrior who has totally synergised weapons and magic into a single style, inflicting elemental damage and magic status effects through weapon attacks, the teleport spam i've seen from some other people's manifestations isn't central to what i imagine it to be but i don't not want it to be part of their build design.
Where most other existing gish concepts fail at meeting my expectations is that they feel like they are wielding magic and weaponry at the same time but as separate entities, not unified into a single whole.
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This really depends on what you want from a Gish class.
More specifically, what do you want from it that isn't covered by:
Bladesinger
Blade/Valor Bard
Eldritch Knight
Paladin
Hexblade Warlock
or, honestly, multiclass mixes of above, or the above plus dips.
This is a bunch of "I cast spells and can use a sword" archetypes above with a variety of gear and weapon layouts and spell lists. Any "arcane blade" will end up overlapping a bunch with the above.
I mean, do you want all of the features of Eldritch Knight + all of the features of Bladesinger + Paladin smites + Hexblade like attribute subsitution? Or what subset do you want?
...
Arcane Knight
1/2 spell caster (round up like artificer). Uses Sorcerer spell list.
d8 HD
Heavy armor, shields, all melee weapons, simple ranged weapons
L1: Spellcasting. Int based. Uses spellbook.
L1: Spellblade. When you cast an AK spell with a level, your weapon gains a bonus to damage equal to the level of the spell slot used. Damage type is (choose from list). If damage type matches, double bonus. This lasts for 10 minutes, or until you use this feature again.
L1: Subclass
L2: Can end Spellblade effect for extra damage or protection.
L3: Subclass feature
L4: ASI
L5: Bladesinger style extra attack
L6: Feature that modifies spellcasting. Imbue items with spells?
L7: Defensive feature
L8: ASI
L9: Subclass feature
L10: Utility feature (extra attunement slot?)
L11: Attack+Spell feature (like EK7ish), or automatic quicken spell?
L12: ASI
L13: Improved Spellblade (extra [W] maybe?)
L14: Subclass feature
L15: Defensive feature
L16: ASI
L17: Feature that modifies spellcasting
L18: Utility feature
L19: ASI
L20: Subclass feature
Or something like that?
More specifically, what do you want from it that isn't covered by:
Bladesinger
Blade/Valor Bard
Eldritch Knight
Paladin
Hexblade Warlock
or, honestly, multiclass mixes of above, or the above plus dips.
This is a bunch of "I cast spells and can use a sword" archetypes above with a variety of gear and weapon layouts and spell lists. Any "arcane blade" will end up overlapping a bunch with the above.
I mean, do you want all of the features of Eldritch Knight + all of the features of Bladesinger + Paladin smites + Hexblade like attribute subsitution? Or what subset do you want?
...
Arcane Knight
1/2 spell caster (round up like artificer). Uses Sorcerer spell list.
d8 HD
Heavy armor, shields, all melee weapons, simple ranged weapons
L1: Spellcasting. Int based. Uses spellbook.
L1: Spellblade. When you cast an AK spell with a level, your weapon gains a bonus to damage equal to the level of the spell slot used. Damage type is (choose from list). If damage type matches, double bonus. This lasts for 10 minutes, or until you use this feature again.
L1: Subclass
L2: Can end Spellblade effect for extra damage or protection.
L3: Subclass feature
L4: ASI
L5: Bladesinger style extra attack
L6: Feature that modifies spellcasting. Imbue items with spells?
L7: Defensive feature
L8: ASI
L9: Subclass feature
L10: Utility feature (extra attunement slot?)
L11: Attack+Spell feature (like EK7ish), or automatic quicken spell?
L12: ASI
L13: Improved Spellblade (extra [W] maybe?)
L14: Subclass feature
L15: Defensive feature
L16: ASI
L17: Feature that modifies spellcasting
L18: Utility feature
L19: ASI
L20: Subclass feature
Or something like that?
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I think the niche "I can cast spells and I can fight" is pretty well covered by existing options. What I want is someone who fights in a magical way, rather than casting spells. The closest class to what I want is the Arcane Archer, who delivers various magical effects along with their shots. But of course cooler. A high-level swordmage should look something like Thor fighting the hordes of Hel on the Bifrost bridge in Thor: Ragnarok, although perhaps with some variety other than lightning.
In other words, I don't want a Swordmage to cast lightning bolt. I want them to turn into a bolt of lightning that zaps across the battlefield to a targeted foe, damaging all that stand in their way, until they reach their target and then they hit that target with a lightning-empowered weapon attack.
In other words, I don't want a Swordmage to cast lightning bolt. I want them to turn into a bolt of lightning that zaps across the battlefield to a targeted foe, damaging all that stand in their way, until they reach their target and then they hit that target with a lightning-empowered weapon attack.
Alexi Lyonhart
Explorer
I wouldn't, I'd resurrect Duskblade instead. Gimme them on weapon hit touch spells.
Quickleaf
Legend
I remember someone doing a conversion of the 4e swordmage to 5e, complete with all the different Aegis options... ah! here it is: Swordmage - 5e Half-Caster based on Warlock Pact Casting by.
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