The College of Swords teaches that blade mastery can be an art in itself and can be used to awe and entertain. These bards are often simply referred to as "Blades". They perform martial stunts like cutting an apple in half in mid air, or mock combats in addition to more classic bard activities such as sword swallowing and juggling. However, beyond their careers as entertainers Blades are skilled warriors and frequently hire themselves out as mercenaries, assassins or adventuring heroes when not performing. They are typically well respected among other entertainers for their ability to protect their fellow entertainers and the control they can impose on rowdy audiences.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Swords at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and finesse martial melee weapons.

If you’re proficient with a simple or martial melee weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

Fighting Style

At 3rd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if something in the game lets you choose again.

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.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Level 3: Blade Flourishes

At 3rd level, you learn to perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed.

Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn and are not wearing Heavy Armor nor using a Shield, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a melee weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.

During long rests you can spend time practicing your sword work to swap one flourish for another. At level 3, choice 3 flourishes. At 9th and 13th level you gain an additional flourish.

 

Agile Flourish

Deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die,  your movement speed increases by 15 ft and you do not provoke Attacks of Opportunity until the end of your turn.

Arcane Flourish

Prerequisite: Level 9+ Bard

Deal additional damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die, and before the end of your next turn, you can add half the rolled Bardic Inspiration die (rounded up) to the spell save DC on a spell that you cast on the target.

Banishing Flourish

Prerequisite: Level 11+ Bard

Deal additional damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die and the target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spellcasting DC or be banished to a harmless demiplane until the start of your next turn. It reappears in the location it vanished from or the closest unoccupied space.

Beguiling Flourish

Prerequisite: Level 13+ Bard

Deal additional damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die and the target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spellcasting DC or be charmed by you until the start of your next turn.

Crippling Flourish

Prerequisite: Level 9+ Bard

Deal additional damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die and the target's movement speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn, and it must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spellcasting DC or fall prone.

Defensive Flourish

Deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die to the target and gain a bonus to your armor class equal to your Charisma modifier until the start of your next turn.

Inspiring Flourish

Prerequisite: Level 7+ Bard

Deal additional damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die, and one creature of your choice that can see you gains Temporary Hit Points equal to your Bardic Inspiration die.

Intimidating Flourish

Prerequisite: Level 7+ Bard

Deal additional damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save the target becomes frightened of you until the start of your next turn.

Juggling Flourish

Deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die. You can throw a weapon with the Thrown and Light property at a different target within 20 feet. If the attack hits, that target's movement is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

Reckless Flourish

Deal additional damage equal to two rolls of your bardic inspiration die, but the target can make an opportunity attack against you.

Sweeping Flourish

Deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die to the target and to each creature of your choice within reach of your weapon. Each creature that takes damage from ability is also pushed 5ft away from you.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

In addition, you can cast one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action in place of one of those attacks.

Flourishing Taunt

As a bonus action, flourish your blade and viciously mock all enemies around that your are the better fighter. All enemies within 30 feet must make a wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on attacks against targets other than you. Once you do so, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.