AC 20 (full plate, medium shield)
HP 256 (27d8 + 135; bloodied 128)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency +6; Maneuver DC 19
Saving Throws Con +11, Int +11, Wis +8
Skills Arcana +11 (+1d4), Athletics +11 (+1d4)
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages any six
Duelist. When the blademaster is wielding a single melee weapon, their weapon attacks deal an extra 2 damage (included below).
Magic Resistance. The blademaster has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.
Steel Focus. The blademaster has advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on spells.
Spellcasting. The arcane blademaster is a 20th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). The arcane blademaster has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): acid splash , fire bolt , shocking grasp , true strike
1st-level (4 slots): burning hands , charm person , magic missile , sleep
2nd-level (3 slots): magic weapon , misty step , see invisibility
3rd-level (3 slots): dispel magic , fireball , fly , lightning bolt , tongues
4th-level (3 slots): fire shield , stoneskin , wall of fire
5th-level (3 slots): cone of cold , conjure elemental , hold monster , telekinesis
6th-level (2 slots): globe of invulnerability , sunbeam
7th-level (2 slots): teleport , unholy star
8th-level (1 slot): power word stun
9th-level (1 slot): meteor swarm
Superior Heavy Armor Master. While wearing heavy armor, the blademaster reduces any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage they take from nonmagical weapons by 5.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The arcane blademaster attacks four times and casts a cantrip.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Composite Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage.
Shocking Grasp (Cantrip; V, S). Melee Spell Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d8) lightning damage, and the target can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Fire Bolt (Cantrip; V, S). Ranged Spell Attack: +11 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10) fire damage.
Globe of Invulnerability (6th-Level; V, S, M, Concentration). A glimmering 10-foot-radius sphere appears around the blademaster. It remains for 1 minute and doesn’t move with the blademaster. Any 5th-level or lower spell cast from outside the sphere can’t affect anything inside the sphere, even if cast with a higher level spell slot. Targeting something inside the sphere or including the sphere’s space in an area has no effect on anything inside.
Teleport (7th-Level; V). The blademaster teleports to a location they are familiar with on the same plane of existence.
Unholy Star (7th-Level; V, S). A meteor explodes at a point the blademaster can see 100 feet directly above them. Each creature within 120 feet that can see the meteor (other than the blademaster) makes a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw . On a failure, it is blinded until the end of the blademaster’s next turn. Four fiery chunks of the meteor then plummet to the ground at different points chosen by the blademaster that are within range, to explode in 5-foot-radius areas. Each creature in an area makes a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage and 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save or half damage on a successful one. A creature in more than one area is affected only once. Flammable unattended objects catch fire.
Power Word Stun (8th-Level; V). The blademaster utters a powerful word that stuns one creature that has 150 hit points or less and is within 60 feet (if it has more hit points, it is instead rattled until the end of its next turn). The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Meteor Swarm (9th-Level; V, S). Scorching 40-foot-radius spheres of flame strike the ground at 4 different points chosen by the blademaster within 1 mile. The effects of a sphere reach around corners. Creatures and objects in the area make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw , taking 49 (14d6) fire damage and 49 (14d6) bludgeoning damage on a failure or half damage on a success. A creature in more than one area is affected only once. Flammable unattended objects catch fire.
BONUS ACTIONS
Improved War Magic. When the blademaster uses an action to cast a spell, they can make one weapon attack.
Misty Step (2nd-Level; V). The blademaster teleports to an unoccupied space they can see within 30 feet. The blademaster can’t cast this spell and a 1st-level or higher spell on the same turn.
Varied Spellbooks
Besides the spells listed in the mage, archmage, or arcane blademaster’s stat block, they may also know one of the following spells:
1 find familiar , and has a familiar
2 magic mouth , and has cast lots of magic mouths in the area
3 alter self , and is in disguise
4 detect thoughts , and uses it irresponsibly
5 animate dead , and has a pet zombie or skeleton
6 glyph of warding , and has cast Explosive Runes
7 nondetection , and is on the run
8 polymorph , and often transforms into a hawk or rat
9 scrying , and has been watching you
10 animate objects , and has several animated pieces of furniture
Years of practicing magic and combat are not enough to make an arcane blademaster. Only those rare individuals with a talent for both spells and swordplay have that potential, and even they must undergo decades of training to master the weaving of combat and magic.
CR 0–2 1 or 2 apprentice mages ; apprentice mage with acolyte , grimalkin , owl , or quasit
Treasure 8 pp, spellbook, spell scroll of unseen servant , 1 wand of the war mage (sentient, named Mentor, with Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores of 14; speaks 6 languages; lectures its owner on the right way to do everything)
CR 5–10 mage ; mage with 1 or 2 apprentice mages ; mage with animated armor , elemental , gargoyle , grimalkin , or imp ; forest gnome illusionist with faerie dragon or scout ; necromancer with 1d8 skeletons or zombies ; shadow elf mage with 1d10 shadow elf warriors ; shadow elf mage with shadow elf champion warrior
Treasure jade and onyx chessboard (250 gp), tiny gold chess pieces (750 gp), spellbook, spell scroll of magic mouth , winged boots , twisted iron wand which acts as a ring of spell storing
CR 11–16 archmage ; 2 mages ; archmage with elemental ; mage with clay guardian , bone devil , giant elemental , invisible stalker , or shield guardian ; necromancer with skeleton horde , zombie horde , skeletal tyrannosaurus rex , or 2 skeletal champions
Treasure 700 gp, ceremonial gold skullcap (2,500 gp), spellbook, spell scrolls of fire shield and secret chest , ring of mind shielding , cracked crystal ball which displays a flickering image of its user near any scrying sensor it creates
CR 17–22 arcane blademaster ; 2 archmages ; archmage with djinni , giant elemental , mage , shield guardian , or stone guardian
Treasure 3 emeralds (1,000 gp each), pseudodragon egg (5,000 gp), spellbook, potion of clairvoyance , spell scrolls of circle of death and eyebite , ring of free action , staff of power
CR 23–30 arcane blademaster with 3 knights ; archmage with 5 or 6 ghasts , hell hounds , knights , mummies , or ogre zombies
Treasure 8,000 gp, vial of powdered diamond (5,000 gp), copper dragon egg (10,000 gp), spellbook, 2 potions of supreme healing , spell scrolls of prismatic wall and sunburst , ring of mind shielding , robe of the archmagi (archmage) or dwarven plate (arcane blademaster)
Humanoids include a number of different intelligent, language-using bipeds of Small or Medium size. Humans and elves are humanoids, and so are orcs and goblins. Humanoids may employ magic but are not fundamentally magical—a characteristic that distinguishes them from bipedal, language-using fey, fiends, and other monsters. Humanoids have no inherent alignment, meaning that no humanoid ancestry is naturally good or evil, lawful or chaotic.