Blademaster Arts
The arts of a blademaster are similar to the spells of a magic-user or cleric, but draw on the wielder’s inner strength and training rather than arcane or celestial powers. They cannot normally be Dispelled or otherwise suppressed, and require no gesticulations or special incantations to trigger.
Invoking a prepared art takes more or less time, depending on the art. Instant arts may be invoked at any time, even when it’s not the blademaster’s turn, and do not consume the user’s action. Action arts take up the PC’s action for the round, though they can still move normally.
Constant arts are always available to the blademaster as long as they’ve been prepared. Once per Day arts can be used only once each day. Once per Fight arts can be used once in any given fight. If used outside combat, it takes about fifteen minutes of calm before the blademaster can use it again.
The blademaster can fill their allowed preparation slots with any arts of the appropriate level. The same art cannot be prepared twice. Preparation requires no more than a few minutes of meditation, but can be done only once per day, usually after the blademaster wakes.
Arts are learned from other blademasters or special tomes of instruction, requiring a week’s teaching per level of the art. A blademaster can learn any art they are capable of preparing, whether or not it is part of their school’s traditional list. Foreign techniques mesh poorly with the blademaster’s martial training, however, and each art prepared by the blademaster that is not on their school’s list inflicts a cumulative -1 hit penalty for the rest of the day.
Blademasters begin play knowing two 1st level arts from their school’s list. They may learn more with the Studied Art class ability or by seeking out tutors and teaching scrolls.
Creating New Arts and Schools
Two schools are provided here as examples for the GM and players. PCs might be from these schools, or work with the GM to create new ones. As a rule of thumb, a school’s student mystery should be modest but widely-useful, their adept mystery should be very useful in a narrow case, and their master’s mystery should be a Once per Day effect roughly as powerful as a 5th level spell.
In the same vein, arts that mimic existing spells should either be Once per Fight for weak or situational spells, and Once per Day for widely-useful effects. Constant effects should provide either weak general perks or large, narrow benefits.
Blademasters and Fighters
A blademaster who dedicates all their arts and class abilities towards mimicking a fighter should still be slightly inferior to the genuine article in normal combat conditions. Instead, the blademaster is intended to trade some of the fighter’s raw martial prowess for a bigger bag of situationally-superior tricks. Much like the magic-user, the blademaster is able to adjust their choice of abilities to suit expected situations, and can pull off tricks that would be completely impossible without some touch of magic to their martial discipline. Keep this in mind when designing new arts and schools.
The School of the Maker’s Edge
The grim mercenaries of Eirengard have cultivated many martial arts, not least of them the school of the Maker’s Edge. These red-handed warriors prefer large, two-handed weapons, with the greatsword a particular favorite. Traditionally, these blademasters were valued members of the Eirengard pike formations and used their special abilities to break open enemy lines and smash the defenses of the foe’s champions.
These days, the constant bloodletting in the western lands have cost many masters their lives. It becomes harder to find a true teacher of the Maker’s Edge, and the old traditions of stern Makerite piety are beginning to go by the wayside as the remaining instructors are willing to take less pious pupils, if only to keep the tradition alive. Not all agree with this laxity, however, and some students seek to purge their beloved art of its “blasphemous” practitioners.
Mysteries of the Maker’s EdgeStudents of the school are trained in wearing the same heavy armor that the pike squares favor. These blademasters can wear even the heaviest armor without hindering their arts, though they still may not use shields.
Adepts of the school are expert at turning uniform weaponry into a disadvantage. Once per fight, they can negate a successful hit on them by a foe using the same type of weapon the blademaster uses. The similarity must be close, but need not be perfect; any sword will block any other sword, and any spear will block any other spear.
Masters of the school are veterans of a hundred bloody battles, and have learned to tap their inner resolve. As an instant action, they may heal up to 4d8 damage on themselves once per day or automatically succeed at a failed saving throw.
Break the Line Level 4
Action Once per Day
With a tremendous shout, the blademaster blasts open the enemy line of battle. The shout affects an area 40 feet wide and is 10 feet long per level. It does 1d6 damage for every two full levels of the blademaster and shoves every ogre-sized or smaller object or combatant out of the area of effect. Victims may make a saving throw to take half damage and keep their position.
Cleaving the Iron Level 2
Action Once per Fight
The blademaster focuses their will into a single inexorable strike. The attack does no extra damage but treats the target as unarmored and AC 9. The blow can cut or strike through any non-magical object no larger than a door.
Guardian Arm Level 3
Instant Once per Fight
The blademaster leaps to instantly interpose between an ally and an impending blow. As an instant action, the PC can move to defend any ally within 60 feet, receiving the damage that they would otherwise suffer from an attack. This defense may be undertaken after the damage is rolled.
Helmbreaker Level 4
Instant Once per Day
When the blademaster strikes a foe, they may trigger this art as an instant action, tearing open gaps in their armor and hindering their evasion. For the remainder of the fight, the victim is treated as unarmored to all assailants, with AC 9. This blow inflicts no damage on the target.
Know the Banner Level 2
Instant Constant
With a glance, the blademaster can pick out the leader of an organized group or warband. They can also use this art to instantly determine the Morale score of a person or group.
Last Stand Level 1
Instant Once per Fight
The blademaster buys himself a second chance at life with a desperate parry. After receiving a physical blow that would reduce them to zero hit points, the blademaster can trigger this power to force the attack’s hit and damage roll to be rolled again. The results of the second roll stand.
On Your Feet Level 4
Instant Constant
The blademaster fortifies their determination with the ancient prayers of their ancestors. Their maximum hit points increase by +1 per level. They can continue to act normally for one round after being reduced to zero hit points.
Rallying Shout Level 3
Instant Once per Day
The blademaster infuses his rallying cry with the supernatural vigor of his arts. All allies within earshot regain 2d6 lost hit points, and if a Morale check has been failed in the last round it is treated as successful instead.
Shatterpike Level 1
Instant Once per Day
The blademaster may trigger this art on a successful hit. In addition to inflicting normal damage, any non-magical weapon being used by the target is smashed to pieces.
Spear Ward Level 1
Instant Constant
The Maker’s Edge have fought pike formations for centuries, and know all the subtle ways of foiling a spearman. While this art is prepared, no attack from a spear, pike, or javelin can do more than 1 point of damage to the blademaster.
Sudden Deflection Level 2
Instant Once per Fight
The blademaster swiftly flicks an arrow from the air or a sword from their throat. One weapon attack is automatically foiled, but this art must be used before the attack is rolled.
Thundering Charge Level 2
Action Once per Day
The blademaster lunges across the field in a flurry of blows. They may move up to 60 feet in a straight line, striking all foes within 5 feet of either side of them for 2d6 damage. This charge is powerful enough to smash through anything less sturdy than a stone wall.
Tireless March Level 3
Instant Constant
The blademaster knows the secrets of long marching. While this art is in mind, the blademaster and up to twelve of their companions and their mounts may count travel as restful as good sleep. If they travel at least ten miles away from their starting point each day, they need not eat or drink, either.
Typhoon of Iron Level 3
Action Once per Day
The blademaster releases an explosive frenzy of martial force, hacking and slashing at every foe around them. All enemies within 30 feet of the blademaster suffer 1d6 damage per level, with a saving throw for half. The blademaster can end their fury in any position within 30 feet.
Unstoppable Advance Level 1
Instant Constant
The blademaster defies all attempts to restrain them on the battlefield. They never draw free attacks from foes they move by in combat, and need not make a fighting withdrawal from a melee foe. They cannot be blocked or hindered on a battlefield so long as there is enough physical room for them to pass by.