Spirit Sworn

In the islands there are two main fighting traditions that are defined by the relationship between the fighter and the spirit that inhabits their weapons, these being the Dance of Flowers and the Spirit Shackles. The Stances practiced by the Dance of Flowers focus on fluidity and cooperation between user and weapon as the spirit is willing inhabiting the weapon to help the fighter accomplish a goal. The Spirit Shackles tradition on the other hand, focuses on powerful single blows as the fighter is forcibly using the power of the spirit to accomplish its goals.

Spirit Weapons

As a Spirit Sworn fighter you have the power of a being of the ethereal plane inhabiting your weapon. When you reach 3rd level you choose a weapon of your choice to be the vessel for the spirit you will be working with. You perform a ritual over 1 hour that binds the spirit to the weapon. You gain proficiency with the bonded weapon, you always know its location as long as you are in the same plane as it and attacks made with the weapon count as magical when it comes to overcoming non-magical resistance.

When the spirit binds with the weapon, the weapon changes color and shape to reflect the nature of the spirit, and its relationship with the user. If the spirit was forced to bond, the weapon will have jagged or sharp features and engravings, and if the spirit bonded willingly, the features become smooth and fluid. The color of the weapons however is defined by the nature of the spirit, each color has different properties as shown below:

Red: The weapon damage modifier deals fire damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Orange: The weapon damage modifier deals acid damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Blue: The weapon damage modifier deals lightning damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Cyan: The weapon damage modifier deals force damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Gray: You emit fog in a 30 feet radius around that lightly obscures the area 

Purple: The weapon damage modifier deals psychic damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Yellow: The weapon damage modifier deals radiant damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Black: The weapon damage modifier deals necrotic damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

Green: The weapon damage modifier deals poison damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

White: The weapon damage modifier deals cold damage instead of the usual damage of the weapon

 

When you reach 15th level in this class, the spirit that is bonded to your weapon has grown more accustomed to its situation and is able to pronounce more of its innate abilities. The color and features of the weapon becomes more intense, and it gains benefits as shown below: 

Red: Enemies hit by the weapon are set ablaze and take an additional 1d8 fire damage. If the creature or a flammable object takes more than 10 fire damage on a hit, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 2d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns.

Orange:  Your attacks deal 1d8 additional acid damage and any nonmagical armor made of metal or wood that you hit corrodes. Whenever you deal more than 10 acid damage on a hit and the enemy creature is wearing non magical armor, the armor suffers a -1 penalty to armor class. If the creature has a shield, the shield suffers instead. When the penalty reaches -2 for the shield or -5 for the armor, the object is destroyed.

Blue:  Your attacks deal 1d8 additional lightning damage as you cause electricity to surge on the enemy creature. Whenever you deal more than 10 lightning damage on a hit, the creature must make constitution saving throw DC equal to your Fighter level or be stunned on a failure.

Cyan: Your attacks deal 2d6 additional force damage as your weapon becomes imbued with the spirits magical energy. Whenever you critically strike, you deal 1d6 additional force damage.

Gray: Part mist that surrounds you coalesces in your blade increasing its size. Attacks made with the spirit weapon have an additional 5 feet range. As an action you can cause the mist around you to thicken heavily obscuring the original area for one minute, you can appoint a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus to be unaffected by the mist. Once you use this feature you can't do so again until you take a short or long rest.    

Purple: Your attacks deal 1d8 additional psychic damage as you overwhelm the creatures mind with the spirits energy. Whenever you deal 10 psychic damage on a hit, the creature must make a wisdom saving throw DC equal to your Fighter level, being frightened and having disadvantage on its saving throws until the end of its turn on a failure.

Yellow: Your attacks deal 1d8 additional radiant damage as you strike the creature with the spirits scorching light. Whenever you deal 10 radiant damage on a hit, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw DC equal to your Fighter level, being blinded on a failure. Additionally you can cause your weapon to shine as in the light spell at will and use it to cast the daylight spell once a day.

Black: Your attacks deal 1d8 additional necrotic damage as you fill the creature with necrotic energy. Whenever you deal more than 10 necrotic damage on a hit you are able to syphon the creature's life force healing yourself for the amount of necrotic damage done.

Green: Your attacks deal 1d8 additional poison damage as you inject your enemy with deadly venom. Whenever you deal 10 poison damage in one hit the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw DC equal to your Fighter level, or be poisoned. When poisoned this way the creature has disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability Checks, takes 1d6 poison damage at the beginning of its turn and all healing received by the creature is halved. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn to get rid of the condition.

White: Your attacks deal 1d8 additional cold damage as shards of ice and cold coalesce on the creature you hit. Whenever you deal more than 10 cold damage on a hit, the enemy creature must make a Constitution saving throw DC equal to your Fighter level. O a Failure the creature is unable to move or take reactions on its turn, on a success it is only unable to take reactions.

 

First Form

Starting at 3rd level, you are able to perform special maneuvers in combat depending on your spirit sworn doctrine being the Blossoming Waltz for the Dance of Flowers and the Devouring Chains for the Spirit Shackle.

Dance of Flowers - Blossoming Waltz

If you choose to abide by the Dance of Flowers doctrine, starting at 3rd level as part of your attack action, you can choose a creature that is within 30 feet of you and teleport behind them. All of your following attacks on your turn against the creature have advantage. Once you use this feature you can`t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spirit Shackle - Devouring Chains

If you choose to abide by the Spirit Shackle doctrine, starting at 3rd level as part of your attack action, you can choose a creature that is within 30 feet of you and bring them to you using spiritual chains. The creature must succeed on a strength saving throw with a DC equal to 8 plus your Strength modifier plus your proficiency bonus or be pulled towards 5 feet of you. All attacks made against the creature have advantage until the beginning of your next turn. Once you use this feature you can`t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spectral Senses

When you reach 7th level with this class, the connection with the spirit in your blade allows you to meditate and sense beings that are not originally from the material plane. You can spend 10 minutes in a meditative state to extend your consciousness over a 300 feet radius. For the duration of the ritual you are able to sense any creature that is not native from the material plane. If you sense any foreign creature you can tell if they are hostile or not, and know how they are moving during the ritual.Once you use this feature you can`t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Second Form

Starting at 10th level, you gain the ability to use one more maneuver of the doctrine you abide by. If you chose the Dance of Flowers you can use use the flowing frond technique while if you chose the Spirit Shackle you can use the Binding Strike Technique.

Dance of Flowers - Flowing Frond

If you choose to abide by the Dance of Flowers doctrine, starting at 10th level you are able to chase mystical creatures even when they attempt to teleport away. Whenever a creature attempts to leave your melee range by either teleporting away, or shifting into a different plane, as a reaction you can make an attack against the creature. On a hit you teleport with the creature towards its destination and leave an ethereal sapling on your original location. The sapling lasts for a minute and as a bonus action you can return to where it is regardless of the distance or if it is in another plane of existence, with the sapling disappearing when you return. You can have up to 3 saplings at any time.

Spirit Shackle - Binding Strike

If you choose to abide by the Spirit Shackle doctrine, starting at 10th level you are able to prevent mystical creatures from escaping your grasp when they attempt to teleport away. Whenever a creature attempts to leave your melee range by either teleporting away, or shifting into a different plane, as a reaction you can make an attack against the creature. On a hit the creature remains where it is as spiritual shackles bind the creature making it unable to move. The creature is restrained until the end of your next turn and it is unable to teleport or shift planes of existence for the next minute.

Misty Shift

When you reach 15th level in this class you are able to enter the surface and deep ethereal plane: As an action you can teleport you and up to 8 willing creatures into the surface ethereal plane, if you are already in the surface ethereal plane when using this ability, you can teleport back into the material plane or move into the deep ethereal. You cannot use this feature to leave the deep ethereal to the prime material, only to the surface ethereal. Once you use this feature you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Third Form

At 18th level you learn the ultimate technique of your doctrine, that being the Cleansing blow of the Dance of Flowers and the Soul Strike of the Spirit Shackle

Cleansing Blow

If you choose to abide by the Dance of Flowers doctrine, starting at 18th level you are able to bypass a creature's natural defense and directly strike its spirit. Before making an attack roll, you can cause your weapon to bypass any armor or natural defenses a creature has (this does not mean the attack hits, this means you ignore bonuses to armor class granted by natural armor, armor, or unarmored defense). On a hit the attack is considered a critical hit and deals an additional 4d12 force damage. This attack dispels any charms or curses placed onto the creature and if  the target to drop to or below 0 hit points, the creature's soul is purified and permanently altered, if the creature has an evil alignment you can force the creature's alignment to shift to good. Once you use this feature you can`t do so again until your next long rest.

Spirit Shackle - Soul Strike

If you choose to abide by the Spirit Shackle doctrine, starting at 18th level you are able to bypass a creature's natural defense and directly strike its spirit. Before making an attack roll, you can cause your weapon to bypass any armor or natural defenses a creature has (this does not mean the attack hits, this means you ignore bonuses to armor class granted by natural armor, armor, or unarmored defense) if the attack hits it is considered a critical hit and you deal an additional 8d12 force damage. If this attack causes the target to drop to or below 0 hit points, the soul of the target is obliterated and can only be brought back through a Wish spell. Once you use this feature you can`t do so again until your next long rest.