There are those who spend much of their lives poring over ancient tomes and texts, unlocking the power of magic, and there are those who spend their time perfecting the use of one weapon, becoming a master without equal. The swordmage is at one time a student of both of these philosophies, while at the same time blending them into something entirely unique. The swordmage uses both spell and steel to devastating effect, casting spells and swinging blades with ease. Rising in power, the swordmage unlocks powerful techniques that allow him to merge his talents. At the pinnacles of power, the swordmage becomes a blur of steel and magic, a force that few foes would dare to stand against.

Alignment: Any
Armor Proficiencies: Light armor
Weapon Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons
Class Skills: Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Cosmology (Int), Dungeoneering (Int), Insight (Wis), Linguistics (Int), Trade (Int), Warfare (Int)

Combat Magic (Ex): At 1st level, a swordmage learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the swordmage must have one hand free or holding an implement (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the wizard spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). The swordmage provokes attacks of opportunity as normal when casting a spell in this manner, and must cast defensively in order to avoid these attacks of opportunity. A swordmage can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.

Light Armored Casting (Ex): A swordmage gains proficiency in light armor if he isn’t already, and ignores the arcane spell failure chance from wearing light armor. This benefit does not apply to shields.

Cantrips: A swordmage can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on the table above under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

Spellstrike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a swordmage casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the wizard spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a swordmage can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the swordmage makes this attack in concert with the combat magic ability, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by combat magic melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

Breach (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, the swordmage can more easily overcome the spell resistance of any opponent he successfully injures with a melee attack. If you have injured an opponent with a melee attack, you gain a +1 bonus on your caster level check to overcome that creature’s spell resistance until the beginning of your next turn. This bonus increases by an additional +1 at 6th level and every four levels after.

Weapon Sigils (Su): At 3rd level, a swordmage learns how to imbue his weapon with arcane magic, enhancing its abilities. By spending 1 hour of uninterrupted time with his weapon, a swordmage can invest spell points to inscribe arcane sigils onto his weapon, granting it special abilities and enhancements of his choosing. These special enhancements function only for the swordmage that inscribed the sigils. The enhancements last until the swordmage chooses to erase the sigils or is slain. A swordmage can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he attunes to another weapon, the sigils on the previous weapon disappear. Each sigil the swordmage places on his weapon requires a certain amount of spell points. The swordmage has a number of spell points equal to his swordmage level to spend on abilities. Each ability can only be purchased once unless its description says otherwise. The available enhancements are listed below:

• Bonding Sigil (1 point): The swordmage is able to summon his attuned weapon to his hand from anywhere on the same plane of existence as a move action.
• Elemental Sigil (2 points): The swordmage can add the corrosive , flaming , frost , or shock special property to his attuned weapon. The weapon cannot have more than one of these properties at a time. If the weapon already has one of these special properties, the swordmage can choose to replace it for the duration of the attunement.
• Sigil of Alchemy (1 point): The swordmage chooses either adamantine, cold iron, or silver and is able to treat his attuned weapon as if it were made of that substance for purposes of overcoming damage reduction. The weapon retains all other physical properties.
• Sigil of Awakening (2 points): The swordmage can grant a +1 enhancement bonus to an attuned weapon if it is non-magical. Note that a weapon must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus before it can be enchanted with special properties.
• Sigil of Deflection (1 point): While wielding his attuned weapon, the swordmage gains a +1 bonus to AC versus ranged touch spells and spell-like abilities. This ability can be purchased multiple times, granting an extra +1 bonus with each purchase (maximum +4).
• Sigil of Empowerment (3 points): Once per day as a free action, the swordmage can apply the Empower Spell feat to any one spell delivered through the weapon. Applying the metamagic feat in this way does not alters the spell’s level. This ability can be purchased multiple times, granting an extra use per day with each purchase.
• Sigil of Warding (3 points): While wielding his attuned weapon, the swordmage gains a +1 shield bonus to AC. This ability can be purchased multiple times, granting an extra +1 bonus with each purchase (maximum +4).

Swordmage Talent: As a swordmage gains experience, he acquires specific talents that allow him to specialize in certain forms of arcane combat. Starting at 4th level, a swordmage gains one swordmage talent. He gains an additional swordmage talent for every 4 levels of swordmage attained after 4th level. A swordmage cannot select an individual talent more than once. The available talents are listed below:

• Advanced Learning (Ex): The swordmage can add up to three spells to his spell list from the conjuration, divination, and enchantment schools, representing the result of broader magical studies. The spells must from the wizard spell list and of a level no higher than that of the highest-level spell the swordmage already knows. Once the spells are selected, they are forever added to the swordmage’s list and can be used just like any other spell on his list.
• Arcane Aegis (Su): The swordmage can expend one of his swordmage spells as an immediate action to gain damage reduction equal to twice the level of the spell sacrificed. The damage reduction lasts until the start of the swordmage’s next turn and cannot be overcome by any type of weapon.
• Arcing Spellstrike (Ex) : Once per day when the swordmage successfully hits a target with a spellstrike, the swordmage can target a number of enemies within 15 feet of the target equal to his Intelligence modifier with a ranged touch attack as a free action. Those struck suffer the effects of the channeled spell along with the original target. This talent may be selected multiple times, granting the swordmage an additional daily use of this ability each time it is selected.
• Combat Staff Mastery (Ex): The swordmage can activate a staff in place of casting a spell when using the combat magic ability. Additionally, whenever the swordmage wields a staff, he gains a +1 shield bonus to AC.
• Combat Wand Mastery (Ex): The swordmage can activate a wand in place of casting a spell when using the combat magic ability. Additionally, whenever the swordmage uses a wand, he calculates the DC for any spell it contains using his Intelligence modifier, instead of the minimum modifier needed to cast a spell of that level.
• Familiar (Ex): The swordmage gains a familiar, using his swordmage level as his effective wizard level. This familiar follows the rules for familiars presented in the wizard class.
• Insightful Spellstrike (Ex): When performing a spellstrike, the swordmage gains a bonus on the attack roll equal to his Intelligence modifier.
• Refocus Ray (Ex): The swordmage can deliver ray spells that feature a ranged touch attack as melee touch spells. He can use a ranged touch attack spell that targets more than one creature (such as scorching ray), but he makes only one melee touch attack to deliver one of these ranged touch effects; additional ranged touch attacks from that spell are wasted and have no effect. These spells can be used with the spellstrike class feature.
• Swift Spell (Ex): Once per day, the swordmage can cast any wizard spell he knows with a casting time of 1 standard action or less as a swift action. This talent may be selected multiple times, granting the swordmage an additional daily use of this ability each time it is selected.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level and again at 11th and 17th level, the swordmage gains a bonus combat, magic, metamagic, or maneuver feat. A swordmage must meet the prerequisites before taking the feat.

Medium Armored Casting (Ex): At 7th level, a swordmage gains proficiency in medium armor if he isn’t proficient already, and ignores the arcane spell failure chance from wearing medium armor. This benefit does not apply to shields.

Greater Weapon Sigils (Su): At 9th level, the swordmage learns how to infuse more magic into his weapon. Any weapon attuned to the swordmage has its special property capacity increased by +2. In addition, the swordmage now has access to the following abilities when attuning his weapon:

• Sigil of Alignment (5 points): The swordmage can add the anarchic, axiomatic, holy, or unholy special property to his attuned weapon. The weapon cannot have more than one of these properties at a time. If the weapon already has one of these special properties, the swordmage can choose to replace it for the duration of the attunement.
• Sigil of Elemental Focus (4 points): The swordmage can further enhance an attuned weapon with the corrosive, flaming, frost, or shock special property. Whenever the swordmage casts a spell that deals energy damage of the same type as the weapon’s enchantment, the spell deals bonus damage equal to the swordmage’s Int modifier.
• Sigil of Elemental Warding (4 points): The swordmage can further enhance an attuned weapon with the corrosive, flaming, frost, or shock special property. Whenever the swordmage wields his attuned weapon, he gains resistance 15 to the energy type associated with the weapon.
• Sigil of Maximizing (5 points): Once per day as a free action, the swordmage can apply the Maximize Spell feat to any one spell delivered through the weapon. Applying the metamagic feat in this way does not alters the spell’s level. This ability can be purchased multiple times, granting an extra use per day with each purchase.

Combat Magic Expertise (Ex): At 10th level, the swordmage gains the ability to seamlessly cast spells and make melee attacks. Whenever the swordmage casts defensively while using the combat magic ability, he gains a bonus on his Concentration checks equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Heavy Armored Casting (Ex): At 13th level, a swordmage gains proficiency in heavy armor if he isn’t proficient already, and ignores the arcane spell failure chance from wearing heavy armor. This benefit does not apply to shields.

Superior Weapon Sigils (Su): At 15th level, the swordmage perfects the art of sigil inscription. Any weapon attuned to the swordmage has its special property capacity increased by +4. In addition, the swordmage now has access to the following abilities when attuning his weapon:

• Sigil of Animation (8 points): The swordmage can add the dancing special property to his attuned weapon.
• Sigil of Quickening (7 points): Once per day as a free action, the swordmage can apply the Quicken Spell feat to any one spell delivered through the weapon. Applying the metamagic feat in this way does not alters the spell’s level. This ability can be purchased multiple times, granting an extra use per day with each purchase.
• Sigil of Reflection (6 points): Once per day as an immediate action, the swordmage can reflect a spell targeting him back at the original caster. This ability functions as per the spell turning spell, except it reflects only a single spell and not a certain number of spell levels.

Combat Magic Mastery (Ex): At 19th level, the swordmage becomes a master of spells and combat. Whenever he uses his spell combat ability, he suffers no penalty on his attack rolls and does not need to make a Concentration check to cast the spell defensively.

The practice of merging both sword and spell together in combat was originally practiced by the high elves, who were known as bladesingers. Bladesingers see themselves more as artists than warriors, blending graceful swordplay and arcane magic together into a harmonious whole. The bladesinger has all the standard swordmageclass features, except as noted below.