Fighter Archetype: Bladebound

Those who emulate the ancient masters of the edge and point, will find the essence of swordplay. Through a mystic bond with the steel, the honed edge becomes invincible. They are fearsome warriors who bat arrows out of the air, and bisect men where they stand.

Blade Bond

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can bond with a number of bladed weapons — short swords, long swords, greatswords, rapiers, or daggers.

Establishing this bond takes 10 minutes and can be done as part of a short rest; for a wondrous item that requires attunement, establishing a bond can be done as part of the attunement process.

The maximum number of blades you can bond with at any time is equal to your fighter level. You always know exactly where each and every blade you have bonded with is, so long as you and it are on the same plane of existence.

All bladebound abilities function only using weapons you have bonded to. The bond fades if you do not touch or carry a bonded blade for more than a month, or bond with more blades than your fighter level allows, which removes the oldest bond first.

Vorpal Combat

You learn vorpal techniques, fueled by vorpal power.

Vorpal Power. You have four uses of vorpal power, and regain all expended uses on a long rest. You gain an additional use of vorpal power at 7th level, for a total of five, and again at 15th level, for a total of six.

Vorpal Techniques. You master a series of martial abilities, which are fueled by your vorpal power. Not all vorpal techniques requires an expenditure of vorpal power. The list of vorpal techniques is in the opposite column; there are fifteen in total, and you learn all of them in the course of your evolution as a bladebound fighter.

Wondrous Bond. If you bond with a weapon that has a +1 or greater bonus to attack rolls and damage, your uses of vorpal power are increased by that bonus as well. If you are bonded to multiple weapons, all with a bonus, only the weapon with the greatest bonus applies this benefit.

Superior Bond

Beginning at 10th level, you regain one use of your vorpal power whenever you reduce an enemy to zero hit points with a blade attack.

Beginning at 18th level, you regain all uses of your vorpal power whenever you finish a short or long rest.

Credits Bladebound concept is derived from the web serial Worth the Candle by Alexander Wales. Execution and writeup by Everything Narrative.

Neonate

Taking up the blade bond, you learn the following basic vorpal techniques at 3rd level:

Cut Steel. When attacking an object, you may expend a use of your vorpal power to make the attack be an automatic critical hit, and deal the maximum possible damage on the damage roll.

Deflect Blow. When a friendly creature within melee range is targeted by a melee attack, you can use your reaction to increase their AC by your proficiency bonus for that attack.

Passing Swipe. When taking the dodge, disengage, or dash action, you may make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.

Initiate

With increased mastery of your stance, you learn the following intermediate vorpal techniques at 7th level:

Critical Enhancement. When you roll a 17, 18, or 19 on an attack roll, you may expend a use of your vorpal power to make the attack a critical hit.

Cut Arrows. When you or a friendly creature within melee range are hit by a ranged attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your fighter level.

Solid Footwork. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid being knocked prone.

Adept

As you become a true adept, you learn the following foundational vorpal techniques at 10th level:

Call Blade. As a bonus action, you can teleport one of your bonded weapons to your hand.

Cut Bone. When you reduce a creature to zero hit points with a melee attack, you may choose to kill them instantly.

Swordpoint Augury. You can expend a use of your vorpal power to make an attack of opportunity or use a reaction-based vorpal technique, without needing to use your reaction.

Veteran

Seasoning your skills further, you learn the following advanced vorpal techniques at 15th level:

Area Denial. Enemy creatures provoke attacks of opportunity from you when they enter your melee range.

Cut Fire. Whenever you are targeted by an effect that lets you make a Dexterity or Constituion saving throw to avoid damage, you may expend your reaction and a use of your vorpal power to automatically succeed on the saving throw.

Deadly Critical. You deal triple damage on a critical hit.

Master

Rising to the true title of master, you learn the following transcendent vorpal techniques at 18th level:

Cut God. Your blade attacks ignore resistance and immunity to slashing damage.

Killing Intent. You can expend one use of your vorpal techniques to cast the fear spell, with a spell save DC of 20, without using verbal, somatic, or material components.

Wind Edge. Your bonded weapons have the reach property.