[Magic Lore] Arcane Spellblade

[Gaea]

"The art of being a Spellblade is where the mind of the mage meets the lethal precision of a warrior, and every strike is a brushstroke on the canvas of combat."

Spellblades are a fusion of grace, intellect, and martial prowess. Warriors who blend the art of magic with the finesse of swordplay. They are not mere spellcasters or swordsmen; they are the epitome of their convergence. Spellblades are the epitome of versatility, with a repertoire that includes both arcane spells and swordplay, adapting to any situation. In their hands, a sword becomes an extension of magic, and every movement is a choreographed display of mastery.

What sets a spellblade apart is not just their skill in combat but the sheer control with which they execute every maneuver with. Using their magical abilities, they can enhance their physical prowess, allowing them to imbue both power and finesse into their movements. 

Being a spellblade is a journey of self-discovery and refinement. It's not just about defeating enemies; it's about the pursuit of perfection, the quest to attain a level of mastery that transcends the limitations of mere mortals. To embody the essence of a spellblade is to embrace the beauty of the arcane, the elegance of the blade, and the unyielding pursuit of excellence in both.

- Becoming a Spellblade uses [1] slot.

- Synergizes with any magic unless stated otherwise.

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Mana Armaments

"Weapons wrought from mana, borne from thought and forged in magic, the tool of choice for the spellblade."

A cornerstone ability of the Spellblade is to summon weapons crafted from mana, glowing with a magical light. With a simple thought, they can conjure ethereal weapons, mirroring the strength of steel weaponry. These mana weapons, though seemingly intangible, mimic the weight, balance, and sharpness of their physical counterparts. When in battle, a Spellblade can wield these radiant blades with the same skill and precision as any common weapon, leaving trails of magical energy with each swing. These conjurations provide Spellblades with flexibility in various situations, letting them adapt to challenges.

Mechanics:

To summon a weapon(s) takes 2 emotes (1 connect, 1 cast). The weapons can take on any color or shape, and will only seem to be made entirely of mana. However, they are not limited to summoning just one weapon, as they summon forth as many as they wish at once, should they have the means to handle them all. These weapons, while tangible, are unable to be wielded or controlled by any other than its creator.

- While a Spellblade may summon as many weapons as they wish, they can only manipulate weapons as though they were wielding them, ie 1 spear or 2 shortswords.

- All summoned weapons emulate the weight of steel counterparts and thus must be within the acceptable design limits of said weapon (no 10 foot swords).

- While one can summon more weapons than they can wield at any one given point, all excess weaponry is stored in ‘reserve’ and cannot be used for combative advantage, but can be easily swapped between to best fit any given moment.

- Mana Armaments may be cast using traditional casting methods before the Spellblade enters tempo. Emotes spent casting Mana Armaments are not counted towards Tempo.

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Tempo

"In battle, tempo is the heartbeat of strategy, dictating the pace of triumph or defeat."

Close combat on its own is no easy feat, many a warrior spending their entire lives mastering its techniques alone. To add spells as a variable within this up close quarters, a Spellblade must be mindful of their control of their mana while fighting. To compensate for the delicate focus that is spell concentration, a Spellblade instead opts to slowly build up their mana at the expense of the casting speed and initial spell levels. However, as a trade off, the concentration of a Spellblade is much more difficult to break. However, they are not bound to these rules, and may opt to cast their spells at the same speed as any other mage, at the risk of being disconnected.

Mechanics:

If a spellblade chooses to use Tempo connection, their initial casting tell will be dull and gradually grow in visibility and energy as combat continues.  While using tempo, they may use their emote to both make a melee attack and charge up a spell, however they cannot attack and cast the spell on the same emote. While in Tempo, should the Spellblade take damage greater than a small cut, they must roll a d20, should they roll 1-3 out of 20, their connection will be broken.

[1st emote round - 3rd emote round] A spellblade can only charge spells, unable to gather enough mana to cast.

[4th emote round - 6th emote round] A spellblade can only cast spells that take 3 or less emotes to cast.

[7+ emote rounds] A spellblade may cast any spell while engaged in combat.

- A Spellblade may connect only using Tempo while in combat and are unable to cast traditionally.

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Spells

Augment Strength/Speed:

A simple spell that allows a Spellblade to move at higher speeds or strike with greater strength. To cast takes [3] emotes to cast [1 connection, 1 charge, 1 cast], on the emote of casting the spellblades may either make a melee attack if they choose strength, striking at twice their normal strength. If they choose to augment their speed, they may instead double their movement in the casting emote, as well as deliver an attack, should they so choose. When casting, their mana will focus around the arms when augmenting strength, and around the legs for speed.

Weapon Control:

The Spellblade is not bound to wielding their weaponry with only their body, and may add [1] emote to the summoning of their mana armaments to apply a telekinetic control over the weapons they summoned with the exception of shields. A spellblade only has limited control over their weapons in this way, only able to control them within melee range of themselves. However, they may use a throwing motion to propel a mana weapon like a hand ax to act as a thrown weapon, though their control over it ends after the throwing motion. If they exhibit their control over more than one weapon, they may move them around as they like, but can only strike with as many as their physical body would be able to proficiently control.

-Weapon Control may be cast using traditional casting methods before the Spellblade enters tempo and after casting Mana Armaments. Emotes spent casting Weapon Control are not counted towards Tempo.

Misty Step:

A staple of the melee mages, this spell can be casted in [2] emotes (1 connect, 1 cast). On the cast emote, the Spellblade may use their mana to alter their position to anywhere within 15 meters in a straight line, given they can see their destination. The Spellblade will seem to phase out of existence, reappearing at their chosen location. Upon arrival, should a target be near, the Spellblade can unleash an attack upon them. However, this rapid motion will leave the Spellblades leg’s a little wobbly, unable to move on the emote they cast this spell. Additionally, the sickness caused by the step makes it impossible to blink several times in a row, requiring [2] emotes of recovery before blinking again.

Sword Burst:

A spell to effectively cull creatures who rely on swarming tactics, or as a device to bail out overwhelmed Spellblades. Takes [4] emotes to cast (1 connect, 2 charge, 1 cast). Upon casting, a wave of mana will explode forth around the Spellblade in a wave of swords, cutting and slashing foes too close. The burst occupies all blocks adjacent to the Spellblade, including diagonals; those within this radius will be struck by a blow of equivalent strength of the Spellblade with a longsword.

Blur:

An oddity of a spell, when cast, the Spellblade creates essentially 2 projections that mirror the motion of the spellblade, offset by only a few inches. This spell takes [3] emotes to cast (1 connection, 1 charge, 1 cast). Upon casting, the Spellblade will be difficult to precisely perceive for [3] emotes, similar to being looked at through a piece of mostly opaque glass. The spellblade and their projections move tightly to each other, only slightly offset in motion. This makes them difficult to strike precisely, blows often landing in unintended places, or missing entirely. Should a blow successfully strike a Spellblade, the attacker must roll out of [3].

- On a one, the blow will entirely miss.

- On a two, the blow will either land on an extremity, or have reduced effectiveness; at the discretion of the Spellblade.

- On a three, the blow will land where it was intended.

Improvised Ward:

To keep themselves healthy, the Spellblades adapted other arcane arts to better fit their style. This spell takes [2] emotes to cast (1 connection, 1 cast). Upon casting, the Spellblade can summon a small ward of arcane energy the size of a buckler on their person, which lasts for [1] emote, and is only capable of blocking the force of a single blow with a melee weapon.

[MeteorDragon]

Approved.