Living Blade (2024)

The bloodlines of the ancient heroes of the Valikan sagas have all been lost, save one: that of the hero known as the Living Blade. Sylfrván was said to have been one with her blade. Both bore the same name, and neither was separable from the other. You are of her bloodline, and the magic that runs through your blood prickles when you grasp a blade’s hilt.
Living Blades are famous across Valika, but rare—the power of Sylfrván is passed down in a matrilineal line, becoming more apparent as these scions age. Occasionally the bloodline lays dormant and skips a few generations, but typically, a family will know they are descendants of Sylfrván. Often they live in isolation, ready to train new Blades as they appear. In recent years, others outside the bloodline, even those who aren’t women, have displayed the talents of the Living Blade, for reasons none can explain.

Martial Maneuvers

You have trained in the manner of heroes from the old sagas, and now you can perform certain martial maneuvers. A maneuver requires you to spend maneuver points to use it.
You know two maneuvers of your choice from the list below. You learn additional maneuvers at 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn a maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one you can learn.

Maneuver Points
Channeling the heroes from the old sagas is no easy task, and your pool of maneuver points represents the limit of your abilities to do so. Your class level determines the number of maneuver points you have, as shown in the Maneuver Points column in the Living Blade Sorcerous Origin table below. You regain all spent maneuver points at the end of a long rest.
Your sorcerer magic can bolster your capacity to use maneuvers. As a bonus action, you can expend one sorcerer spell slot to gain additional maneuver points. You can convert sorcerer spell slots you have into maneuver points based on the table below. These additional points are lost if unused after a long rest.

Spell Slots	Maneuver Points
1st-3rd	2
4th-5th	3
6th-7th	4
8th-9th	5

Sorcery Points
Your sorcery points can also be spent to power your maneuvers. Whenever you spend maneuver points, you can choose to spend sorcery points instead, but at twice the cost. For example, if a maneuver costs 2 maneuver points, you can instead pay 4 sorcery points to used it. You can split point costs across your maneuver and sorcery points, too. For example, if a maneuver costs 8 maneuver points, you can pay 7 maneuver points and 2 sorcery points to make up the deficit.

Using Maneuvers
You can use one maneuver during each turn. Some maneuvers require concentration, as if concentrating on a spell, or certain conditions to use. Some maneuvers will require your
target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. Martial Maneuver save DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier 

Living Blade

Sorcerer Level	Maneuver Points	Maneuvers Known
1	1	2
2	2	2
3	3	3
4	4	3
5	5	4
6	5	4
7	6	4
8	6	4
9	7	5
10	7	5
11	8	5
12	8	5
13	9	6
14	9	6
15	10	6
16	10	6
17	11	7
18	11	7
19	12	7
20	12	7

Atomizing Blast (6 points)

As a reaction to a creature making a melee attack against you, you can spend 6 maneuver points to add +5 to your AC against that attack. If this causes the attack to miss, you catch it with your blade, creating an intense discharge of atomic energy at the moment of impact. Creatures within 20 feet of you, excluding you, take 5d8 radiant damage, and must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Creatures that fail the saving throw are also pushed 20 feet away from you. If this maneuver reduces a creature to 0 hit points, they disintegrate. A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine gray dust. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.

Bitter Vortex (3 points)

As an action, you can spend 3 maneuver points to raise your weapon above your head, summoning a blast of cold that painfully slows your enemies. All creatures within 15 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 4d8 cold damage on a failed save, and half as much on a success. Creatures that fail the save also have their speed halved until the end of their next turn.

Blade of the Wyrmslayer (2 points)

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 maneuver points to chant the ancient ballad of Sýr, granting you the power of the deathrunes placed on his blade by the first sorceress. You can maintain this maneuver by concentrating on it as if it were a spell, and by paying the point cost at the start of each subsequent turn as a bonus action. While this maneuver is active, one sword you wield deals an extra 3d6 necrotic damage on a hit, and creatures hit by the blade cannot regain hit points until the maneuver ends.

Bolt of Destruction (6 points)

You leap forward with incredible speed, streaking across the battlefield like a flash of lightning, before striking at your target with extreme precision. As an action, you can spend 6 maneuver points to target one creature or object you can see within 90 feet. You move in a straight line towards the target, ignoring creatures of your size or smaller, landing in the target’s space. The target is pushed 5 feet horizontally into an unoccupied space, and then you can make an attack against them with advantage. If this attack hits, it deals an additional 8d6 lightning damage. Any creatures in your path when you leap to your target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 lightning damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Objects in your path when you leap to your target automatically take 8d6 lightning damage, and 4d6 force damage. If this reduces them to 0 hit points, they are obliterated and you pass directly through them. If this does not reduce them to 0 hit points, you take 4d6 force damage and stop moving.

Dimensional Skewer (3 points)

You pull a creature through a dimensional portal into your waiting blade. As an action, you can spend 3 maneuver points to target one creature within 90 feet you can see. The target creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw, or it vanishes and reappears in an empty space within 5 feet of you, and you can make one attack against it with advantage. Additionally, if the target creature is Large or smaller, it is stuck on your sword and grappled until you use your weapon to make another attack.

Electric Lash (1 point)

Your strike delivers a bolt of lightning to the target that arcs from foe to foe. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can spend 1 maneuver point to deal an extra 1d6 lightning damage to them and up to three other enemy creatures within 5 feet of the target.

Elemental Gift (2 points)

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 maneuver points to magically bind the elements to the weapons of your party. Choose one of: fire, cold, or lightning. Until the end of your next turn, creatures of your choice within 15 feet deal an extra 1d8 damage of the chosen type whenever they hit with a weapon attack.

Gyrfalcon Strike (2 points)

As an action, you can spend 2 maneuver points to hurl your blade at a creature and have it magically return to your grasp. Make a melee weapon attack against one target creature within 60 feet as if the target was in reach. You cannot use melee weapons that are attached to you, such as claws. If you have the Extra Attack feature, you can catch your weapon and then magically throw it again to make your second attack.

Hypnotizing Blade (8 points)

As an action, you spend 8 maneuver points to weave a scintillating pattern in the air with your sword, mesmerizing your foes. One creature of your choice within 30 feet who can see you takes 2d8 psychic damage, and must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes blind (as per the blinded condition) to all other creatures except you until the start of your next turn. Additionally, at the start of your next turn, you can use an action to force the creature to make another Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is stunned until the start of your next turn. This stun ends for a creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor.

Keen Backswing (2 points)

You and your weapon work in perfect harmony, turning a miss into a deadly opportunity. When you miss with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction and spend 2 maneuver points to make another attack against the same target with advantage.

Lethal Orbit (8 points)

As a bonus action, you can spend 8 maneuver points to cause your weapons to float around you, spinning in a ring. For 1 minute, or until you lose concentration, you have advantage on melee attacks and your melee attacks deal an additional 1d8 damage. Whenever a creature moves within 5 feet of you, you can make a melee attack against that creature (no action required). Additionally, you gain an extra action on each of your turns. This action can be used only to take the Attack action.

Phaseshift Strike (4 points)

Unleash a blow that temporarily knocks an enemy out of phase with the material plane. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 4 maneuver points to deal an additional 4d6 force damage to the target creature, and they are also knocked into another dimension, reappearing 15 feet directly away from you. They must make a Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage when they reappear or fall prone. If a creature teleported by this maneuver reappears inside solid material, such as within the wall of a cave, they take another 3d10 force damage and are instantly shunted to the nearest available space.

Quantum Exchange (2 points)

As an action, you can spend 2 maneuver points to magically reach out with your mind and switch the dimensional properties of two of your allies. Two allied creatures you can see within 30 feet swap positions

Spacecleave (3 points)

Your weapon splits the fabric of space itself, allowing you to conjure an ally through the tear it leaves behind. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 3 maneuver points to target one Large or smaller ally within 60 feet and teleport them to an empty space within 10 feet of you. The allied creature can then make one melee attack with advantage.

Sunder Spell (3 points)

This maneuver allows you to destroy magical effects with your weapon. When you hit a creature or an object with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 3 maneuver points to end one spell of 3rd level or lower on the target. To attempt to end a spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a successful check, the spell ends.

Thunderous Shunt (1 point)

At the moment of impact, your weapon creates a concussive shock that causes your enemy to stagger back. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 maneuver point to deal an extra 1d6 thunder damage, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away from you.

Viper Parry (1 point)

You magically enhance the speed and potency of your blade, using the reflexes of a viper to interrupt an advancing enemy. As a reaction to a creature coming within reach of your weapon, you can spend 1 maneuver point to make one melee weapon attack against them and move 5 feet. If the attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d6 poison damage, and they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or their speed drops to 0 for the rest of their turn.

Warptether Mark (1 point)

Your strike magically binds you to a creature with space-warping energy. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 maneuver point to mark the target. If the marked creature is still within 30 feet of you at the start of your next turn, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of them without using any movement (no action required).

Whispering Blades (1 point)

The sigh of a blade slicing the air speaks to you, allowing you to intuit an imminent mistake. As a reaction to an enemy creature missing you or one of your allies with a weapon attack, you can spend 1 maneuver point to make a weapon attack with advantage against the attacking creature if they are within reach.

Wrathful Flame (3 points)

You reach through the spirit of an enemy to the essence of their weapon, instilling it with burning rage. As an action, you can spend 3 maneuver points to target one enemy creature
you can see within 60 feet. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, their weapon bursts into flame, dealing 5d6 fire damage to them, and forcing them to drop the weapon. If the creature is not wielding a weapon, or has a weapon stowed, nothing happens.

Sharpened Soul

You gain proficiency with shortswords, longswords, and scimitars, and you can use any of these weapons as an arcane focus for your spells. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can spend one of your
sorcery points to summon any sword you can see within 30 feet to your hand. If another creature is holding the weapon, you can attempt to magically disarm them by forcing them to make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the sword flies into your hand.

Stance of Spell and Steel

Your magical birthright allows you to learn the two battle stances below. When you roll initiative, you can choose to enter a stance that you know. You can also change between stances you know as a bonus action. You can only enter a stance as long as you’re not wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Knife Which Sails Through the Air
Your innate magic lifts you and your weapon into the air so your feet barely brush the ground as you soar across the battlefield, and the hilt of your weapon floats just beyond your fingertips. While in this stance, your speed is increased by 10 feet, you ignore difficult terrain, and you gain an additional 5 feet of reach when wielding a melee weapon

Crossed Blades of the Defender
You and your blade act as one, prowling defensively like a wolf defending her den. While in this stance, your speed is reduced by 10 feet, you cannot be disarmed, and you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier.

Extra Attack

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Additionally, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.

Resonant Edge

When you cast a spell while holding a sword, the blade becomes charged with arcane magic. Each spell you cast charges the blade with force damage equal to twice the level of the spell. The total amount of force damage you can store in your blade is equal to ten times your proficiency bonus. The next time you hit a creature with a charged weapon, the weapon deals additional damage equal to the stored force damage and the charged damage resets to 0. You can also spend a sorcery point to release all charged energy from your blade, making a ranged spell attack as a bonus action. This attack fires a magical projectile from your weapon with a range of 60 feet. On a hit, it deals force damage equal to the total energy you released.

Spirit of the Living Blade

You gain the ability to call upon the enduring essence of your ancestor to aid you in battle. As a bonus action, you can transform one blade in your hand into the legendary weapon. For 1 minute, it becomes a magical longsword with a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier, and it sheds silvery light that emanates as bright light from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light for 30 feet beyond that. You and any allied creatures within 60 feet cannot be frightened, and gain temporary hit points equal to 1d4 + your Charisma modifier at the start of each of your turns. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.