Swordmage (3pp)

The Swordmage

Contents

Swordmages combine arcane magic and swordplay to make their presence felt on the battlefield. Although they are not as physically strong as other melee combatants, they make up for it with powerful spells that protect themselves and their allies and rain fiery retribution on their enemies.

Their combat role is defender. With their Sigil power, they can lock down a powerful enemy on the battlefield and give them a strategic choice. Either target the well-protected swordmage, or face the consequences for attacking his allies. At the same time, swordmages are mobile and zip back and forth across the battlefield to be where they are needed.

Play Style: Even when swordmages are in the thick of things, they perceive battle through the lens of their sharpened intellect. They are always looking out to give their side a tactical edge through the well-timed use of a spell. Out of battle many prefer the role of an adviser, as they are well-educated but more rooted in reality than their ivory tower wizard brethren.

Ability Scores: Intelligence is the main ability score for Swordmages. A good Constitution is important when you are expected to take the brunt of enemy attacks, even if you have tricks to avoid damage at your disposal. Some of their talents and spells also benefit from Strength.

Races: Elves, especially high elves are renowned for combining swordplay and magic, although the Githyanki also have a claim to be the origin of this fighting style. Humans and tiefling swordmages are also common in the realms. Warforged who learned to harness and channel arcane reserves from their initial enchantment are formidable foes. Dwarves are much more rare, as they are suspicious of the arcane and prefer hammers and axes over swords.

Backgrounds: a cursed sword master has gained his arcane powers in a dark past; a magic smith has mastered crafting swords as well as using them; horizon guards are an elite troop of the Archmage; a runaway apprentice has picked up a sword to defend himself against the lackeys of his abusive master; a demon hunter is determined to fight back against what’s coming from the hell holes.

Gear

In your pockets, you start with 25 gp. You could also roll 1d6 x 10 gp, if you’re a sells-word to unreliable clients.

Armor

Through your Mage Armor class feature, you gain a +1 bonus to AC when your off-hand is empty, that is when not wielding a shield, a two-handed weapon, or two weapons.

Swordmage Armor and AC
Type Base AC Attack Penalty
None 15
Light 15
Heavy 15 -2
Shield +1
Empty off-hand +1  –

Empty off-hand means not wielding a shield, a two-handed weapon, or two weapons.

Weapons

As the class name already suggests, the signature weapon of a swordmage is a one-handed blade weapon, such as a longsword or scimitar. Rules-wise, there is nothing preventing you from using an axe or a flail instead.

Swordmage Melee Weapons
Size One-Handed Two-Handed
Small 1d4 knife 1d6 staff
Light or Simple 1d6 short sword, rapier 1d8 spear
Heavy or Martial 1d8 longsword, scimitar 1d10 greatsword
Swordmage Ranged Weapons
Size Thrown Crossbow Bow
Small 1d4 dagger 1d4 hand crossbow
Light or Simple 1d6 javelin, axe 1d6 light crossbow 1d6 shortbow
Heavy 1d8 heavy crossbow 1d8 longbow

Basic Attacks

Melee Attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Strength OR Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: Weapon + Strength OR Intelligence damage

MissDamage equal to your level

Ranged Attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC

Hit: Weapon + Dexterity damage

Miss: —

Swordmage Level Progression

Swordmages gain 3 talents at first level. They do not gain additional talents as they level up.

Swordmage
Level
Total Hit Points Total Feats Sigils Spells by level Level-up Ability Bonuses Damage Bonus from Ability Score
1st 3rd 5th 7th 9th
Level 1 multiclass Half of both classes As 1st level PC 1 2 Not affected ability modifier
Level 1 (7 + CON mod) x 3 1 adventurer 1 4   ability modifier
Level 2 (7 + CON mod) x 4 2 adventurer 1 5   ability modifier
Level 3 (7 + CON mod) x 5 3 adventurer 1 2 3   ability modifier
Level 4 (7 + CON mod) x 6 4 adventurer 1 6 +1 to 3 abilities ability modifier
Level 5 (7 + CON mod) x 8 4 adventurer 1 champion 2 3 3   2 x ability modifier
Level 6 (7 + CON mod) x 10 4 adventurer 2 champion 2 1 6   2 x ability modifier
Level 7 (7 + CON mod) x 12 4 adventurer 3 champion 2 4 3 +1 to 3 abilities 2 x ability modifier
Level 8 (7 + CON mod) x 16 4 adventurer 3 champion 1 epic 3 2 6   3 x ability modifier
Level 9 (7 + CON mod) x 20 4 adventurer 3 champion 2 epic 3 5 3   3 x ability modifier
Level 10 (7 + CON mod) x 24 4 adventurer 3 champion 3 epic 3 3 6 +1 to 3 abilities 3 x ability modifier

Swordmage Stats

Initiative, AC, PD, MD, Hit Points, Recovery Dice, Feats, and some Talents are level dependent.

Ability Bonus +2 Intelligence or Constitution (different from racial bonus)
Initiative Dex mod + Level
Armor Class (no armor) 15 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level
Physical Defense 10 + middle mod of Str/Con/Dex + Level
Mental Defense 12 + middle mod of Int/Wis/Cha + Level
Hit Points (7 + Con mod) x Level modifier (see level progression chart)
Recoveries (probably) 8
Recovery Dice (1d8 x Level) + Con mod
Backgrounds 8 points, max 5 in any one background
Icon Relationships 3 points (4 at 5th level, 5 at 8th)
Talents 3
Feats 1 per level

Class Features

Sigils

The sigils are your main defensive tool. You place them on an enemy with the Mark with Sigil spell. This does not require an attack roll.

Once this mark is placed on an enemy, that enemy has to focus its attacks on you or suffer the consequences. If the target attacks an ally, you can trigger a sigil effect as an interrupt action. Each sigil effect is different – one reduces the damage, one has a chance of preventing a hit, one punishes the target for attacking and the last one allows you to hit back. You start with one sigil, and learn more later in your career.

Remember that you are limited to one interrupt action between each of your turns. If the marked enemy makes more than one attack on its turn, you can only trigger your sigil against one of them.

Mark with Sigil

Close-quarters spell; Quick Action; At-will

Special: When you cast this spell, you end any other sigils you previously cast this battle.

Target: One nearby enemy.

Effect: You mark the target with one sigil you know, until the end of combat. Triggering the sigil does not end it; your target remains marked.

Champion feat: When you target a mook, the entire group is considered to be marked by your sigil.

Epic feat: When the escalation die is 2+, you can target two non-mook enemies with this spell. You are still limited to one interrupt action between turns.

Sigil list

You can trigger these powers with your aegis.

Blurring Sigil

Interrupt action; At-will

Trigger: The marked enemy makes an attack against an ally, and that attack does not also target you.

Effect: The aegis target must roll twice on the attack and take the lower result.

Adventurer feat: If either attack roll is a natural 1, you can force the target to attack its own ally with the higher roll.

Champion feat: If the attack had more than one target or attack roll, the attacker must roll twice and take the lower result on all of them.

Epic feat: While marked with this sigil, the target can’t make opportunity attacks against your allies.

Sigil of Blood

Interrupt action; At-will

Trigger: The marked enemy makes an attack against an ally, and that attack does not also target you.

Effect: Deal negative energy damage equal to Constitution modifier (x2 at 5th level; x3 at 8th) + level to the attacker, and heal hit points equal to that amount.

Adventurer feat: If you are at full hit points, you can grant the healing to any nearby ally.

Champion feat: If the attacker is staggered, deal double damage.

Epic feat: Once per battle, when this Sigil is triggered, you can spend a recovery to heal.

Sigil of Shielding

Interrupt; At-will

Trigger: The marked enemy makes an attack against an ally, and that attack does not also target you.

Effect: Your ally takes half damage from the attack.

Adventurer feat: The ally takes half damage from all attacks during the enemy’s turn.

Champion feat: You negate any non-damage effect from the attack.

Epic feat: If the attack roll was a natural 10 or lower, you negate all damage from the attack.

Sigil of Vengeance

Interrupt action; At-will

Trigger: The marked enemy makes an attack against an ally, and that attack does not also target you.

Effect: Teleport to engage the Aegis target and make a swordmage basic melee attack against it.

Adventurer feat: If the attack is a miss, deal additional fire damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (x2 at 5th level; x3 at 8th).

Champion feat: You can choose to teleport the target to you instead, after its attack is resolved.

Epic feat: You can use any single-target melee attack blade magic spell instead of a basic melee attack.

Blade Magic

Swordmages use arcane magic, similar to Wizards and Sorcerers. However, their magic is fused with their fighting style.

  • All swordmage spells are arcane spells. A wizard or a blue dragon can counter them with their Counter-magic ability.
  • You use melee weapons as implements, which means you gain the attack and damage bonus of a true magic item weapon with your spells.
  • Spells tagged as “melee attack” work like a melee attack. By default, the target is one enemy you are engaged with. The spell does not provoke opportunity attacks.
  • For spell damage, the number of WEAPON damage dice you roll is always your swordmage level, regardless of the spell level. Some spells add additional damage that depends on the spell level.
  • You can switch your known spells after each full heal-up, when you prepare your spells for the day. If you like, you can have your character carry a spellbook, but that’s up to you and how swordmage magic is flavored in your campaign.

Mage Armor

You gain a +5 bonus to your unarmored base armor class, for a total of 15. This is already reflected in the Swordmage stats tables.

When your off-hand is empty (i.e. when you are not using a shield, an off-hand weapon or a two-handed weapon) you gain a +1 bonus to AC by directing the magic of your mage armor like an invisible shield.

Access to Wizardry

Starting at 3rd level, you can take a wizard spell in place of a swordmage spell. The wizard spell must be two levels lower the spell it replaces.

Class Talents

Swordmages gain 3 talents at first level. They do not gain additional talents as they level up.

Academy Training

You gain 3 points towards a background that represents scholarly arcane training.

You gain the wizard‘s Cantrips class feature. You can use any cantrip in the core book on the fly. Like a Wizard, you can cast a number of cantrips equal to your Intelligence modifier each battle.

Adventurer feat: You can swap one swordmage spell for a wizard spell through the Access to Wizardry class feature without the 2-level penalty.

Champion feat: You gain a bonus spell slot, which works like the wizard’s Utility spell class feature.

Epic feat: You have the Overworld Advantage as per the wizard class feature.

Draconic Gift

Use Charisma instead of Intelligence to determine the attack and damage of your swordmage melee attacks and spells.

Choose sorcerer instead of wizard spells with your Access to Wizardry class feature.

Once per battle, you can Gather Power like a sorcerer. You gain the chaotic benefit like a sorcerer, and you can boost a swordmage spell with the gathered power to deal double damage.

Adventurer feat: You can choose one sorcerer spell through your Access to Wizardry class feature without the 2-level penalty.

Champion feat: When you Gather Power while staggered, you can also spend a recovery to heal.

Enhanced Reflexes

The permanent infusion of arcane magic into your body gives you lightning fast movement. When you are not surprised, you can take a quick action at the start of battle, before initiative is resolved.

Adventurer feat: Once per battle, you can take an additional interrupt action, above the limit of one between your turns.

Champion feat: You gain a +1 bonus to PD.

Epic feat: Roll twice on checks to disengage and take the better result.

Improved Mage Armor

Increase the AC bonus when your off-hand is empty from +1 to +2.

Adventurer feat: Also gain a +1 bonus to PD.

Champion feat: Once per battle, when you would take damage from a missed attack against AC or PD, take no damage instead.

Epic feat: Once per battle, turn a critical hit against your AC or PD into a normal hit.

Infused Body

Whenever you cast a spell that is not an at-will spell, you also heal hit points equal to the spell level.

Adventurer feat: If the spell is a daily spell, you heal twice the spell level in hit points instead.

Champion feat: You can rally as a quick action after casting a daily spell.

Epic feat: You can expend a daily spell to reroll a death save with a bonus equal to your Constitution modifier.

Sigil Mastery

You learn one additional sigil (see class features), for a total of two at adventurer tier, three at champion tier and four at epic tier.

Adventurer feat: Gain the adventurer feat benefit of any sigil you cast.

Champion feat: Gain the champion feat benefit of any sigil you cast.

Epic feat: Gain the epic feat benefit of any sigil you cast.

Skull Blade

You learn necromancer instead of wizard spells with your Access to Wizardry talent. Starting at first level, you can choose one necromancer spell at your level, without the -2 penalty.

Adventurer feat: You can use the necromancer’s Deathknell talent once per battle.

Champion feat: You gain a skeletal minion as per the necromancer talent, but at two levels lower than your current level.

Spell Recall

Once per battle, when you rally, you regain one expended once per battle spell OR make a recharge roll for a spell.

Adventurer feat: You gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll of the first spell you cast after rallying.

Champion feat: When you rally, gain a +2 bonus to all defenses until the end of your next turn.

Epic feat: Once per day, you can regain a daily spell instead.

Twin Blade Style

When you wield two weapons, you gain the two-weapon fighting benefit (reroll natural 2) with swordmage spells that deal WEAPON damage.

Adventurer feat: When wielding two weapons, and you roll a natural 2 on a spell attack, deal damage equal to your level to all enemies you are engaged with.

Champion feat: Once per battle, when you are attacked in melee, you can use an interrupt action to make a melee basic attack against the attacker.

Epic feat: You can use any single-target melee attack spell with the above interrupt.

Wandering Swordmage

You gain a 3 point background to represent your knowledge of the land, and you have the Linguist feat for free.

Once per day, when fighting a named enemy, you can make a skill check to recall legends and stories about the creature against a DC of 15 + its level. If you succeed, increase the escalation die by 1.

Adventurer feat: When making a skill check to identify a magic item, roll twice and take the better result.

Champion feat: Reduce the enemy lore DC to 10 + level.

Zweihander Wizard

When wielding a two-handed weapon, add half your Strength modifier (rounded up; x1 at 5th level, x1.5 at 8th) to damage with swordmage melee attacks and melee attack spells.

Champion feat: When wielding a two-handed weapon, reroll all natural 1 on WEAPON damage dice with swordmage attacks and spells.

Spells

1st Level Spells

Barrier Strike

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage. Until the end of your next turn, reduce all damage you take by your Constitution modifier.

Miss: Damage equal to your level

3rd level spell: Reduce damage by 4 + Con

5th level spell: Reduce damage by 6 + 2x Con

7th level spell: Reduce damage by 10 + 2x Con

9th level spell: Reduce damage by 20 +3x Con

Adventurer feat: You also gain the damage reduction effect on an even miss.

Champion feat: You can grant the damage reduction to a nearby ally instead of yourself.

Epic feat: Increase the damage reduction by 10.

Elemental Warding

Close-quarters spell; Once per battle; Interrupt action

Trigger: You take elemental damage (acid, cold, electricity, fire, lightning, poison or thunder).

Effect: Reduce the damage by 5 times the spell’s level. Until the end of battle, gain resistance against that damage type equal to 10 + the spell level.

Champion Feat: You can use this spell twice per battle, against different types of elemental damage.

Enchant Item

Close-quarters spell; Recharge 11+ after battle; Quick Action

Target: One nearby item

Effect: The item is considered an adventurer- level true magic item until the end of the battle. It grants the default bonus for an item of its chakra, such as +1 to attack and damage for a weapon.

5th level spell: Enchant as champion-level item

9th level spell: Enchant as epic-level item

Adventurer Feat: Prepare a list of item enchantments from the Core Book, the item chapter in this book, or another source, approved by the GM. Choose one per spell level. You can place one of these enchantments in addition to the default bonus with this spell.

Champion Feat: The spell is now Recharge 6+.

Flying Blade

Ranged Attack; Once per battle

Special: Use your melee weapon for this spell.

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage

Natural even hit: Deal 1d6 extra thunder damage.

Miss: —

3rd level spell: 2d6 thunder damage

5th level spell: 3d6 thunder damage

7th level spell: 5d6 thunder damage

9th level spell: 8d6 thunder damage

Champion feat: On a miss, make a second attack against a different nearby enemy (once).

Keen Blade

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Special: If the target has a swordmage sigil placed on it, roll twice to attack and choose the roll you prefer.

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage

Miss: Damage equal to your level

Adventurer feat: You can use this spell as a basic melee attack (but still only once per battle).

Champion Feat: You gain a +2 bonus to your critical threat range with the attack.

Thunder Blade

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage. If the target attempts to disengage, pop free or teleport away from you before the end of your next turn, it takes 1d8 + Constitution modifier (x2 at 5th level, x3 at 8th) thunder damage.

MissDamage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 2d8 thunder damage

5th level spell: 3d8 thunder damage

7th level spell: 4d8 thunder damage

9th level spell: 6d8 thunder damage

Adventurer feat: If the target has your sigil placed on it, increase the thunder damage die to d12.

Champion feat: If the thunder damage is not triggered by the start of your next turn, you regain this power.

Epic feat: If the target triggers the thunder damage, it is also dazed until the end of its next turn.

Whiteflame Blade

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage, and 1d6 fire damage to all enemies you are engaged with.

Miss: Your level + 1d6 fire damage

3rd level spell: 2d6 fire damage (hit and miss)

5th level spell: 3d6 fire damage (hit and miss)

7th level spell: 5d6 fire damage (hit and miss)

9th level spell: 8d6 fire damage (hit and miss)

Adventurer feat: Increase the secondary fire damage by your Strength modifier. Double at 5th level, triple at 8th.

Champion feat: Increase the fire damage dice to d8.

Epic feat: If the escalation die is 5+, you regain this spell at the start of your turn.

3rd Level Spells

Burning Leash

Close-quarters spell; Once per battle

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD

Hit: 3d6 + Intelligence fire damage, and you engage the target. The target takes a -5 penalty to disengage from you, and it can’t pop free or teleport. When the target attempts to disengage, it takes 2d6 fire damage.

MissDamage equal to your level.

5th level spell: 5d6 damage, and 3d6 on disengage.

7th level spell: 7d6 damage, and 5d6 on disengage.

9th level spell: 10d6 damage, and 7d6 on disengage.

Champion feat: If the target has your sigil placed on it, roll twice on the attack and take the better result.

Epic feat: You can cast this spell as a quick action.

Clouded Step

Close-quarters spell; Once per battle; Move Action

Effect: Teleport to a nearby location you can see. You can engage an enemy as part of the teleport. Until the end of your next turn, a ranged attacks against you with a natural odd roll are an automatic miss.

Champion feat: You can teleport to a far away location.

Freezing Strike

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence + 3d6 cold damage, and the target is stuck (save ends).

Miss: Half damage, and the target is stuck until the end of your next turn.

5th level spell: 5d6 cold damage

7th level spell: 8d6 cold damage

9th level spell: 1d6 x 15 cold damage

Adventurer feat: On a natural even hit, increase the cold damage dice to d10.

Champion feat: The target is also hampered until the end of your next turn.

Ghost Strike

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Target: One nearby enemy; you can pop free to engage the enemy as part of the attack. You can pass through solid objects while moving.

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence force damage.

Natural even hit: Until the end of your next turn, you become insubstantial and gain resist physical damage equal to 10 + the spell level.

Miss: Damage equal to your level

Adventurer feat: Deal half damage on a miss.

Champion feat: When you hit with the attack, the target cannot reduce the damage (such as through resistance).

Lingering Shield

Close-quarters spell; Recharge 16+ after battle; Interrupt action

Trigger: You are hit by a melee attack.

Effect: Take half damage from the attack. Until the end of battle, you convert critical hits against you into normal hits.

Adventurer feat: You can trigger the spell even if you already used your interrupt action for the sigil.

Champion feat: The spell is Recharge 11+.

Vampiric Blade

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage. Spend a recovery to heal and deal extra negative energy damage equal to the healed amount.

Miss: Half damage (no recovery)

7th level spell: On a natural 16+, the recovery is free.

Adventurer feat: On a miss you don’t expend the spell.

Viper Bite

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage. The target is weakened and takes 10 ongoing poison damage (save ends both).

Miss: Damage equal to your level, and the spell is not expended.

5th level spell: 15 ongoing damage

7th level spell: 25 ongoing damage

9th level spell: 40 ongoing damage

Adventurer feat: If the target is engaged with an ally, you can roll twice on the attack and take the better result.

Champion feat: On a natural 16+ attack roll, the save is a hard save (16+).

5th Level Spells

Blade Guardian

Close-quarters spell; Daily

Target: One weapon

Effect: You enchant the weapon to stand guard until the next dusk or dawn. When the condition set by you is met, for example when a creature other than you or an ally steps within a marked area, the weapon will sound an alarm and rush to attack.

It has an initiative bonus equal to the spell level, an attack bonus vs. AC equal to the spell level + 5, and deals 5 times the spell level damage on a hit. If it rolls a natural 1–5 on attack, the spell ends.

Champion feat: The spell ends on a natural 1–3 attack roll.

Burning Sigil

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage. You mark the target with your sigil, without ending any active sigils on other enemies. The target is also vulnerable to fire while the sigil is active (no save).

Miss: Fire damage equal to your level

Champion feat: While under the sigil effect, the target cannot use teleport or invisibility effects.

Corrosive Blade

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence + 2d8 acid damage

Effect: Until the end of the battle, when you hit or miss with a melee attack, deal 1d8 extra acid damage.

Miss: Half damage

7th level spell: 3d12 acid damage; 1d12 until end of battle

9th level spell: 8d10 acid damage; 2d10 until end of battle

Champion feat: Targets made of metal, or wearing metal armor, are vulnerable to this attack.

Counter-Force Shield

Close-quarters spell; Once per battle; Interrupt action

Trigger: An enemy hits you with a melee attack.

Effect: Roll a d20 and add your Constitution modifier. If your roll equals or beats the natural attack roll, the attack is now a miss, and you make a melee basic attack against the attacker as a free action. Don’t roll another die, use the number you just rolled.

Epic feat: Roll two d20 and use the result you like.

Raw Energy

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level -2 vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence + 5d10 lightning damage.

Miss: 1d6 per level lightning damage

Effect: All nearby creatures take 2d8 thunder damage.

7th level spell: 8d10 lightning damage on hit

9th level spell: 12d10 lightning damage on hit

Champion feat: Attack the lower of the target’s AC and PD.

Epic feat: Increase miss damage to 1d10 per level.

Shimmering Ward

Close-quarters spell; Daily; Quick action

Target: You or a nearby ally

Effect: Until the end of the battle, the target gains a 1d4 bonus to each defense (rolled separately for AC, PD and MD).

Champion feat: The spell is Recharge 16+.

Epic feat: You can grant a 1d4 bonus to one defense of your choice to three targets instead. For each 1 you roll, add an additional target.

Spinning Cut

Melee Attack; Once per battle

Target: All enemies you are engaged with

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence force damage.

Miss: Force damage equal to your level

Champion feat: On a natural even hit, you can force the target to pop free from you.

Epic feat: Deal half damage on a miss.

7th Level Spells

Abjurant Reflection

Close-quarters spell; Daily; Interrupt action

Trigger: An enemy attacks you with a ranged or close-quarters attack.

Effect: Roll a d20 and add your Constitution modifier. If your roll equals or beats the natural attack roll, you negate the effect and the attacker is hit with the full effect instead.

Epic feat: If the attack had multiple targets, your successful roll negates the attack against all targets (the attacker only suffers the effect once).

Black Jelly Strike

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage and 50 acid damage

Miss: Summon a small black ooze that attacks a different nearby enemy with spell level + 5 vs. PD and then vanishes. It does 50 acid damage on a hit.

9th level spell: 80 acid damage (hit and ooze)

Epic feat: Enemies hit by the attack or the ooze are hampered until the end of their next turn.

Chain Breaker

Close-quarters spell; Daily; No action (you can use this spell even if stunned or otherwise unable to take actions)

Effect: End any effects on you that impose the following conditions: grabbed, stuck, stunned, and petrified. Until the end of the battle, you gain a +5 bonus to saving throws against any effects that include those conditions.

Champion feat: The spell ends all conditions imposed by enemy attacks.

Death’s Seal

Melee Attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: The target loses any temporary hit points, and then takes WEAPON + Intelligence damage and 25 ongoing negative energy damage. While the target is taking ongoing damage, it cannot be healed, regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

Miss: 15 ongoing negative energy damage.

Epic feat: Gain a +2 bonus to hit against staggered enemies.

Hasted Lightning Strike

Melee attack; Daily

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence lightning damage

Miss: Lightning damage equal to your level

Effect: Teleport to engage a nearby enemy, and make a second attack.

Epic feat: You can teleport to a far away enemy.

Ice Crown

Close-quarters spell; Daily; Quick action

Target: You or a nearby ally.

Effect: Enemies engaged with the target at the start of the target’s turn take 10 cold damage.

9th level spell: 20 cold damage.

Epic feat: Also deal the damage against enemies who make a melee attack against the target.

Planar Vortex

Close-quarters spell; Daily; Interrupt action

Trigger: An enemy attacks an ally with a melee attack.

Target: The attacker

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD

Hit: You teleport the target to a nearby location and specify a new target for the attack.

Miss: Force damage equal to your level

Champion feat: On an even miss, teleport the target adjacent to you. You are the new target of the attack.

Epic feat: On an odd miss, regain the spell at the end of the battle.

9th Level Spells

Animated Clone

Close-quarters spell; Daily

Effect: You create a clone of yourself. Spend a recovery without healing; the result of the recovery roll is your clone’s hit point total. All other stats of the clone are the same as yours. Your clone can act before or after you on the same initiative. Both of you have a separate set of actions. However, the clone and you share the same power pool; if your clone uses once per battle or daily power, that power is expended for you too, and vice versa. If you or the clone is reduced to zero hit points, the spell ends and the surviving body is the new you. The other body vanishes.

Epic feat: Double the initial hit point total of your clone.

Brain Slicer

Close-quarters spell; Once per battle

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD

Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn. If the target is already dazed, it is stunned instead.

Natural even roll: Repeat the attack once against the same target.

Miss: Psychic damage equal to your level

Epic feat: Deal half damage on a miss.

Prismatic Blade

Close-quarters spell; Daily; Quick Action

Target: One melee weapon you are holding

Effect: Until the end of the battle, whenever you hit with a basic melee attack, roll a d8 on the table below for an additional effect.

1. Red. The target takes 1d6 x 5 fire damage.

2. Orange. The target takes 1d4 x 10 acid damage.

3. Yellow. The target takes 1d6 x 10 lightning damage.

4. Green. The target takes 15 ongoing poison damage.

5. Blue. The target takes 15 ongoing cold damage and it is stuck (save ends both).

6. Indigo. The target is weakened and starts making last gap saves (16+). On the fourth failed save, it is turned to stone.

7. Violet. At the end of its next turn, the target must succeed at a saving throw, or it is sent to another plane. (Typically, a creature that is on a plane that isn’t its home plane is banished home, while other creatures are usually cast into the Astral or Ethereal planes.)

8. Ultraviolet. The target is confused and takes 10 ongoing psychic damage (save ends both). On its fourth failed save, it is rendered permanently insane.

Epic feat: The weapon deals extra 1d4 fire, 1d6 acid and 1d8 lightning damage on a miss.

Rising Phoenix

Close-quarters spell; Daily

Special: When you make a death save and the roll is a natural even, you can cast this spell as a free action.

Effect: Spend a recovery to heal and add one recovery die per point of escalation die. Until the end of the battle, you can fly with giant, fiery wings. Enemies who start their turn engaged with you take 20 fire damage.

Sword Storm

Close-quarters spell; Daily

Target: 2d4 nearby enemies OR 3 attacks against one enemy

Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON damage

Miss: Half damage

Epic feat: Roll twice to attack against enemies marked by your Sigil.

Ultimate Block

Close-quarters spell; Daily; Interrupt action

Trigger: An enemy attacks you with a melee attack.

Effect: Roll a d20 and add your Constitution modifier. If your roll equals or beats the natural attack roll, you negate the attack and the target is stunned until the end of its next turn.

Epic feat: If the d20 roll fails, you don’t expend this power.

Swordmage Multiclass

See Multiclassing for general multiclassing rules.

Level Progression: Multiclass swordmages are one level behind in the spellcasting and sigil columns of the level table. They start with two swordmage spells and one sigil at first level.

Weapon Damage Penalty: Swordmages count as skilled warriors, so you do not suffer a weapon damage penalty if your other class is also a skilled warrior class.

Multiclass Mage Armor: Your swordmage base armor class is 14 for no, light, and heavy armor, one lower than for single-class swordmages.

Key Modifiers

Key Modifier Other class
Str/Int Abomination, Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Savage
Dex/Int Monk, Ranger, Rogue
Int/Wis Cleric, Druid, Fateweaver
Int/Cha Bard, Chaos Mage, Commander, Necromancer, Occultist, Sorcerer, Warlock

Errata

[P84] Swordmage Armor and AC: Changed AC in heavy armor from 16 to 15, to avoid an issue with Cleric / Swordmage multiclass.

[P86] Sigil of Vengeance: “Effect: Teleport to engage the Aegis target and make a swordmage basic melee attack against it.” (added “swordmage”)

[P87] Draconic Gift: “Use Charisma instead of Intelligence to determine the attack and damage effects of your swordmage spells.” -> “Use Charisma instead of Intelligence to determine the attack and damage of your swordmage melee attacks and spells.”

[P87] Infused Body: “heal hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (x2 at 5th level, x3 at 8th).” -> “hit points equal the spell’s level”.
Adventurer feat: Replaced with “If the spell is a daily spell, you heal twice the spell level in hit points instead.”

[P88] Skull Blade: This talent now correctly refers to the Access to Wizardry class feature.

[P88] Zweihander Wizard: “add both your Strength and Intelligence modifier to damage with basic melee attacks and melee attack spells.” -> “add half your Strength modifier (rounded up; x1 at 5th level, x1.5 at 8th) to damage with swordmage melee attacks and melee attack spells.”

[P90] Flying Blade: Add “3rd level: 2d6 extra damage” above the 5th level entry

[P90] Keen Blade: Removed natural even hit effect.

[P91] White Flame Blade: Change hit entry to “WEAPON + Intelligence damage, and 1d6 fire damage to all enemies you are engaged with.” The weapon damage part does not deal fire damage. The adventurer feat only adds the Strength modifier to the secondary damage part as well as miss damage.

[P92] Vampiric Blade, Miss: Added “(no recovery)”

[P93] Raw Energy: “Once per battle” -> “Daily”
“Attack: Intelligence + Level – 4 vs. AC” -> “Attack: Intelligence + Level – 2 vs. AC”

[P96] Swordmage multiclass: Added “Multiclass Mage Armor” entry. Reduced base AC of multiclass swordmages to 14.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Dark Pacts & Ancient Secrets © 2017 Author Martin Killmann

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