DUSKBLADE Duskblades blend their study of martial and magical arts to unleash devistating forces on their enemies. Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 1st +2 Fighting Style - - - - - 2nd +2 Spellcasting, Elemental Smite 2 - - - - 3rd +2 Archetype, Metamagic 3 - - - - 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 - - - - 5th +3 Extra Attack 4 2 - - - 6th +3 Arcane Strike 4 2 - - - 7th +3 Archetype Feature 4 3 - - - 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 - - - 9th +4 - 4 3 2 - - 10th +4 Arcane Recovery 4 3 2 - - 11th +4 Metamagic 4 3 3 - - 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 - - 13th +5 - 4 3 3 1 - 14th +5 Combat Casting 4 3 3 1 - 15th +5 Archetype Feature 4 3 3 2 - 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 2 - 17th +6 - 4 3 3 3 1 18th +6 Metamagic 4 3 3 3 1 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 3 2 20th +6 Archetype Feature 4 3 3 3 2 Class Features As a Duskblade, you gain the following class features Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per duskblade level

1d8 per duskblade level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5 ) + your Constitution modifier per duskblade level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light armor

Light armor Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Dexterity

Intelligence, Dexterity Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Investigation, History, and Stealth Equipment You may start with either 3d4x10 gp or the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: To be determined Fighting Style Chose one of the fighting styles below as your specialty. You can't take a Fighting Style more than once, even if you later get to chose again. Archery You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons. Dueling When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. Great Weapon Fighting When you roll a 1 or a 2 on a damage dice for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the dice and must use the new roll, even if it is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the versatile or two-handed property for you to gain this benefit. Two-Weapon Fighting When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. Spellcasting At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. Use your Intelligence modifier for attack rolls, and to determine the save DC. You write your spells in a spellbook. You have 6 1st-level spells at level 1, and gain one more spells of a level you can cast each time you level up. You can prepare a number of spells equal to your Intelligence modifer plus half your Duskblade level (rounded down). You may cast any duskblade spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag and is in your spellbook. You don't need to have the spell prepared. You may use any weapon you are proficient in as a spellcasting focus.

Elemental Strike Starting at 2nd level, you can use your magic to increase the power of your sword strikes. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you may expend a spell slot and choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. The target takes an additional 3d6 damage of the type you chose when you expend a 1st-level spell slot, plus an additional 1d6 for each level higher than 1st (to a maximum of 6d6). Elemental Training At 3rd level, you begin to focus on a specific element in your spellcasting. Chose from Thunder Blade, Frost Blade, or Flame Blade. Your choice grants you access to new elemental spells, and additional features at 3rd, 7th, 15th, and 20th level. Elemental Spells Each school of elemental training has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the element's description. Once you gain access to an element spell, you always have it prepared, and you may copy it into your spellbook for 1 hour and 10 gp of fine inks for each level of the spell. An element spells don't count against the number of spells that you can prepare each day. If you gain an element spell that doesn't appear on the class's spell list, the spell is nonetheless a duskblade spell for you. Metamagic Also at 3rd level, you learn how to bolster the power of your spells. Once per turn when you cast a spell, you can expend an additional spell slot to gain a number of sorcery points equal to the level of the spell slot expended. In addition, you learn one metamagic from the list (eventually below; for now, use the Sorcerer list, and replace Charisma modifier with Intelligence modifier in Careful and Empowered spell). Any unused sorcery points disappear at the beginning of your next turn. You learn an additional metamagic option at 11th level, and a third one at 18th level. Ability Score Improvement At 4th, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one of your ability scores by 2 or two by 1. As usual, you can't increase any of your ability scores over 20 using this feature. Extra Attack Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Arcane Strike Starting at 6th level, your arcane energy has begun to suffuse the weapons you touch. Any weapons you wield count as magical for the purposes of overcomig resistance to non-magical damage. Arcane Recovery At 10th level, you've learned a set of meditation techniques that allows you to maximize the number of spells you can cast. Once per day when you take a short rest, you can chose a number of spell slots to recover. The spell slots must have a combined level that is equal to or less than your Duskblade level divided by 4 (rounded down). Combat Casting Starting at 14th level, when you cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, you can make a single weapon attack as a bonus action. THE BLADES Duskblades categorize themselves by the element they are most comfortable with. In many regions, the local guild of duskblades have all trained to master the same element. In others, a master will examine a student and test his magical ability to determine which element he has the greatest aptitude with, training him in the general knowledge all duskblades require and letting him discover the intricacies of his own element at his own pace. Thunderblades Thunderblades focus on dealing large amounts of damage in as short of a time as possible. Thunderblade Spells Duskblade level Spells 3rd Witchbolt, Thunderous Smite 5th Warding Wind, Shatter 9th Call Lightning, Lightning Arrow 13th Staggering Smite, Storm Sphere 17th Hold Monster, Destructive Wave Amped Up At 3rd level, you learn the shocking grasp cantrip. You may add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll. Enhanced Smite At 7th level, you've learned how to send electricity crackling into a target's weak points. When you deal lightning damage with your Elemental Smite, you may reroll any 1s on the damage dice. You must use the new roll, even if it is a 1.

Overload Starting at 15th level, after a damage roll that deals lightning damage with a spell, you can instead chose to deal the maximum damage possible. For example, if a spell says you would deal 3d12 lightning damage and you originally rolled a total of 14, you could elect to deal 36 lightning damage to your target instead. The first time you use this ability, you take the original damage you would have dealt immidiately after casting the spell (in the above example, your target would take 36 lightning damge, and you would take 14 lightning damage). When you use this ability again before your next long rest, roll 2d6 and add it to the damage you take. Each time you use this feature again before you complete a long rest, roll an additional d6 and add it to the damage you take. This self-inflicted damage cannot be reduced in any way. Aura of Thunder When you reach 20th level, you can cast investure of thunder once without using a spell slot. You cannot do so again until you finish a long rest. Frostblades Frostblades focus on slowing and hampering their enemies, giving them ample time to whack them Frostblade Spells Duskblade level Spells 3rd Ice Knife, Shield 5th Sniloc's Snowball Swarm, Freeze Metal^ 9th Sleet Storm, Wall of Water 13th Control Water, Ice Storm 17th Cone of Cold, Hold Monster Unstable Surface When you reach 3rd level, you can make the ground too slippery to walk on. As an action, you can create a number of 5-foot diameter patches of ice within 60 feet of you equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). When a creature other than you enters one of these patches of ice for the first time in a round or ends its turn there, it must make a Dexterity saving throw equal to your duskblade spell save DC or fall prone. These patches of ice last for 1 hour or until you use this feature again. Enhanced Smite Starting at 7th level, your Elemental Smite can slow your enemies down. When you deal cold damage to a creature with your elemental strike, it must make a saving throw against your duskblade spell save DC or have its speed halved until the end of its next turn. Slippery Body Starting at 15th level, you have advantage on saves against any effect that would restrain you or reduce your speed. Aura of Frost You can cast investure of ice once without using a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again. Flameblades Flameblades concentrate on using the heat of their element to overclock their bodies, and tend to be more martial than other flameblades Flameblade spell list Spell level Spells 3rd Expeditious Retreat, Searing Smite 5th Enhance Ability, Heat Metal 9th Fireball, Haste 13th Fire Shield, Wall of Fire 17th Flame Strike, Immolation Martial Stance At 3rd level, you have learned how to imitate the fighting styles of other martial adventurers. Chose one of the four stances below. Stance of the Sage - You may Disengage as a bonus action on your turn

Stance of the Rampager - As a bonus action, you can give your weapon attacks advantage until the start of your next turn, but attack rolls against you also have advantage.

Stance of the Hero - As a bonus action, you can make yourself a stalwart defender. You gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) that last until the beginning of your next turn.

Stance of the Thief - As a bonus action, you can make your attacks more precise. Until the start of your next turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to a creature you hit with a weapon attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. You learn another stance at 15th level. Enhanced Smite Starting at 7th level, you can redirect the power of your Elemental Smite into increasing the speed of your strikes. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can expend a spell slot to make one weapon attack as a bonus action. If you expend a spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, you can make two weapon attacks as a bonus action. If you expend a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can make three weapon attacks as a bonus action. Arcane Engine From your initial training as a Flameblade, you have known how to convert your internal flame into physical power. Starting at 15th level, you can convert external heat into arcane energy. When you take fire damage, you gain a number of sorcery points equal to the hit points you lost divided by 10 (rounded down). These sorcery points disappear at the end of your next turn. Aura of Flame You may cast investure of fire once without using a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Investure of Thunder 6th-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V,S Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes Sparks race up and down your body, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. The sparks don't harm you. Until the spell ends, you gain the following benefits; You are immune to lightning damge and have resistance to thunder damage.

Any creature that moves within 5 feet of you for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there takes 1d10 lightning damage.

You can use your action to make a ranged spell attack against a target within 30 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes 4d10 lightning damage. You can use your action on subsequent turns to automatically deal this damage, provided the target is not more than 30 feet away from your or has total cover from you at the beginning of your turn.

Duskblade Spell List 1st level Absorb Elements

Burning Hands

Chromatic Orb

Color Spray

Comprehend Languages

Create/Destroy Water

Detect Magic

Detect Poison

Digsuise Self

Earth Tremor

Expeditious Retreat

Faerie Fire

Grease

Ice Knife

Identify

Jump

Longstrider

Mage Armor

Magic Missile

Shield

Thunderwave

Witchbolt 2nd Level Blur

Continual Flame

Cloud of Daggers

Darkvision

Detect Thoughts

Enhance Ability

Gust of Wind

Heat Metal

Invisibility

Magic Weapon

Mirror Image

See Invisibility 3rd Level Blink

Call Lightning

Counterspell

Create Food/Water

Daylight

Dispel Magic

Elemental Weapon

Fireball

Haste

Lightning Bolt

Magic Circle

Meld Into Stone

Protection from Energy

Sleet Storm

Vampiric Touch

Water Breathing

Water Walk

Wind Wall 4th Level Conjure Minor Elementals

Control Water

Dimension Door

Fire Shield

Freedom of Movement

Greater Invisibility

Ice Storm

Stone Shape

Wall of Fire 5th Level Animate Objects

Bigby's Hand

Cloudkill

Cone of Cold

Conjure Elemental

Conjure Volley

Creation

Flame Strike

Swift Quiver

Wall of Stone

Design notes or: my process Understand that I went into this project with no real understanding of how a Duskblde actually worked (aside from their central mechanic of channeling spells through sword strikes). This is my primary design principle, as I feel knowing the basics of how the class played in its original release without knowing the nitty-gritty (at least initially) lets me design something that plays like it was designed in 5e, instead of poorly ported using outdated terminology and mechanics. You can always go back and revise things to fit the original concept better if you need to. There's two reasons I wanted to design a duskblade. Some conversations across reddit (mostly on /r/DnD and /r/UnearthedArcana) about how there's really no good option for playing a wizard who can swing a sword. Aside from multiclassing (which isn't as satisfying in this edition), your only other options are the spell-anemic Eldritch Knight, the d6 HD Bladesigner, or the Valor Bard who, let's face it, is a Bard. I was reading a WotC article about how paladins are designed to be defensive, with the different auras they get, Lay on Hands, and their higher hit dice contributing to their roll as a tank who can deliver lots of burst damage with Divine Smite. So that pretty much laid out my design goals for the Duskblade A martial character with Some spellcasting and A strong specialization in dealing lots of damage quickly. Essentially, a frailer paladin who trades defense for offense. Since one of my design goals was to make this play kinda like a paladin, I started by taking some of the skeleton the paladin uses - half-caster progression and the appropriate dead levels, Fighting Style and Extra Attack, Divine Smite (renamed to Elemental Smite), and a similar archetype progression. Divine Sense ties in with the paladin's religious theming, and Lay on Hands is tied both to the religious theming and the paladin's defensive playstyle, so I moved Fighting Styles down to 1st level to compensate. Since the duskblade will be more offensively-focused, I took out the Defense and Protection fighting styles, replacing them with Archery and Two-weapon fighting. This focus on maximizing damage output is also why the duskblade only has a d8 hit dice and no heavy armor - your best strategy to make it through the fight is to hit hard before your enemies can hit you hard. Warning: Wall of Text This postscript is essentially a massive documentation of my entire design philosophy. If you just want to play a Duskblade, you can stop reading. If you want to know my process for how I designed it, feel free to keep reading. Elemental Smite is essentially Divine Smite with a different dice roll. Divine Smite is anywhere from 2d8 up to 5d8 extra damage. Elemental Smite is anywhere from 3d6 to 6d6 extra damage. That averages out to; Spell Level Divine Smite Avg Elemental Smite Avg 1st 9 10.5 2nd 13.5 14 3rd 18 17.5 4th 22.5 21 That's pretty close for my liking; though the duskblade gets more damage out of their lower-level spell slots, a duskblade who uses all of his spell slots to use Elemental Smite will deal about the same damage as a paladin who does the same. Besides, at 11th level, the paladins get Improved Divine Smite, which gives them a constant 1d8 added to their damage. The focus around elements is my addition to the class, since I don't know anything about the lore behind duskblades. It also prevents them from being "less sucky Eldtritch Knight", and gives me options for archetypes by having each one focus on a different element. In addition to getting their archetype, paladins also get an immunity to diseases at 3rd level. To replace that feature, I gave them access to a limited form of metamagic. The idea was to do the same thing for spellcasting that Elemental Smite does for melee attacks. Granted, the additional metamagic choice might make the class a pre-requisite for some sorcerers, so I may end up scrapping it entirely, but it fills some holes left at 11th level (since I was loath to directly copy Improved Divine Smite) and 18th level (which boosts the power of your paladin auras, which I was going to take out anyway).