Role: These are the mystic blades of the elven nations. They are the epitome of warfare and the empowered blades they wield will forever smite the elven enemies!
In order to be a True Blade, an elf must first be non-evil in alignment, complete a quest for the overall good of the elven nations given to him or her by the council of the Seldarine as a whole, then achieve his racial level maximum in his chosen class or classes; which may be significantly less if the elf in question has exceptional ability scores or natural talents already.
For every statistic, which is 16 or higher, the character gains a bonus to become a True Blade. Any of the following ability statistics are counted in determining the bonus an elf receives: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Charisma. If any of these five abilities are a 16 or above, the elf character receives the following bonuses, which are taken off of his maximum level limit (lowest level limit is chosen in the case of multi-class elves) for the purposes of becoming a True Blade:
| Ability Score | Bonus* |
| 16 | +1 |
| 17 | +2 |
| 18 | +3 |
| 19+ | +4 |
* If one or more of the elf's abilities are exceptional he gains an additional +1 bonus, no matter what the score is.
Thus, an elven 5th-level fighter with a 17 Strength would only need to achieve 10th-level to become a True Blade, instead of the normal 12th-level.
| Level | Experience | THAC0 | Weapon Profs | Nonweapon Profs | Abilities | |
The "*" indicates that stating true blades have hit points equal to the highest level they achieved before becoming a True Blade in his or her former class(es), instead of a mere 1d4; in addition they also receive their normal bonuses or penalties to Hit Dice according to their Constitution score.
Ability Scores: Much like the 1st Edition Cavalier, the ability scores of a True Blade increase as they advance in level. All ability scores but Comeliness increase at a rate of 3d12 100th's of a point per level. They keep increasing way beyond the normal ranges for elven ability scores. They increase to the following maximums: Strength 23, Dexterity 25, Constitution 20, Intelligence 22, Wisdom 21, Charisma 24, and Comeliness 30 (the increase for Comeliness is 1 point for every point gained in Charisma).
NOTES: The ability score improvement continues even after a True Blade attains 16th-level and then continues on in his former class(es). Weapon and nonweapon proficiencies are not lost in becoming a True Blade, but nor does a 1st-level True Blade gain any proficiencies until advancing to 3rd level. (In all other respects the True Blade is a dual classed elf; thus the character will go by the dual-class rules for humans.)
A True Blade can choose his innate abilities from any source of spell lore that the DM or his other player's have access to; in other words the character can choose any spell from any book or location that he can find, although the final decision is left up to the DM, as far as whether he will allow the spell in his campaign. (Note also that True Blades can use any spell that any other elf can use without any penalties associated with its casting as one of their innate special abilities, even High Magic!)
Equipment: The True Blade is always identifiable by his weapon of choice. The blade is always ornate and beautiful, enhancing his appearance in battle.
Distinctive Appearance: Not only are they easily identifiable by their weapon of choice and intense glowing eyes, True Blades are decorated with a distinctive tattoo (similar to Bladesingers). Each True Blade has a separate and unique tattoo depicting his style of weapon through an animal representation and often their family symbol(s) interlaced into one large or detailed tattoo.
In addition to this distinctive tattoo, the True Blade's eyes begin to glow with power as he advances through to 16th-level. At 12th-level the character's eye-shine (as it is commonly called by the True Blades) can disrupt the infravision of the non-elven races (including drow and other evil elves) if they fail a saving throw vs. breath weapon. Every level above 12th gives the victims of this eye-shine a cumulative -1 penalty to their saving throw (-1 at 13th, -2 at 14th, -3 at 15th and finally -4 at 16th-level). In the heat of battle the True Blade's tattoo often glows with the same color and intensity as his eyes.
Special Benefits: Elves who finally become True Blades are totally cleansed of all deformities and are given the gifts of longevity and perfect health from Labelas. These elves gain immunity to normal diseases and other afflictions as if under the constant effects of an elixir of health, and they need never sleep and gain double their Dexterity bonuses to dodge or avoid any and all spells and traps (including all similar bad situations); furthermore, thereafter they age at only half the normal rate, whether naturally or due to a magical effect.
They need only eat once a week to sustain themselves under normal conditions; after a great hunt or combat they may require some form of food to aid in the recovery of their energy. After becoming a True Blade, the elf character would begin regaining the benefits of any and all class related abilities he lost by becoming 1st-level again. For example, the True Blade would regain spellcasting abilities as he advanced in level, if he were formerly a mage.
True Blades also gain an innate spell ability--special to their kind--beginning at 1st-level and again every time a mage would gain a spell of the next level (see Table 1 below). These innate spells can be used once every day, need no material components, and are automatically remembered after 24 hours after their use. As innate abilities, the spells don't require memorization, as the True Blade instinctively knows how to use them. Furthermore, these spell-like abilities each only have a casting time of 4, regardless of the abilities normal spell level.
For example, if burning hands were cast, the True Blade would automatically remember and be able to cast it again 24 hours later.
Upon achieving 16th-level as a True Blade, the elf character may return to his former class(es) and begin to advance to 16th-level (earning triple experience to do so) from the point where he became a True Blade. At the 16th-level of experience in his original class(es) the True Blade gains the 9th level innate ability of split form. (If, however, the character was above 16th-level before becoming a True Blade, he or she will then have to complete a quest--much like that of a paladin--in order to gain this 9th level spell-like ability.)
A True Blade can also begin to learn the blade of truth proficiency beginning at 3rd-level.
Special Hindrances: All other non-Seldarine augmentations and corruptions to the elf's body, mind, and soul are likewise forever banished from him (including all magical changes in abilities--bonuses or penalties, level increases or decreases, etc.; even those bestowed by a deck of many things)!
Furthermore, elves becoming True Blades must restart their character at 1st-level with as many hit points as their highest level achieved in their former class(es); they then begin to gain hit points by Hit Die at 2nd-level up until 10th-level, thereafter they receive a number of hit points every level after 10th-level equal to the hit point bonus they receive from having a high Constitution (and as this ability score improves, so will the True Blade's overall hit point total).
True Blades rarely use magical weapons that they did not gain through a quest of great adventure in the name of the elven nations, as they can't use their Blade of Truth proficiency with an enchanted blade, unless they created or quested (again similar to the quest of a paladin) for it themselves. Upon becoming a True Blade, the character must seek out an elaborate non-magical sword (or other bladed-weapon) to make his weapon of choice. The elf gains no experience in this quest, nor does he advance in levels until he finds his chosen blade. Once found the blade must make a saving throw vs. disintegration with any bonuses the blade (as a nonmagical weapon) may have. In addition, this blade's save has a penalty equal to the magical attack bonus of the True Blade's Wisdom score.
With all other weapons the True Blade suffers a -1 to hit (same as a Bladesinger; if the elf was a former Bladesinger this penalty does not increase to -2 to hit). If the save is successful the blade remains as it is found, but if the save fails it is immediately enchanted with the build upon honor** spell, which is commonly open to only the Bladesingers.
Thereafter, the True Blade gains 4's for Hit Dice + Constitution bonus (if any) at every level up to 10th-level. After rising above 10th level, a True Blade gains only their Constitution bonus up to their maximum (16th-level); and once they achieve a higher level in their original class(es) they still receive their Constitution bonus as they rise in levels above the level that they achieved as a True Blade (16th-level).
To be a True Blade an elf must be of either Good, Lawful or Neutral in alignment, and after becoming a True Blade, must gain twice the number of experience points needed for a Bladesinger (fighter & mage experience combined) to gain each new level; needless to say, not since the height of Myth Drannor has an elf achieved 16th-level as a True Blade; perfection of the blade, body, mind & soul! The loss of all class and experience based abilities are justified in the fact that the character's body is becoming a better receptacle of the power if the Seldarine, Thus the character must relearn how to move and act with the new-found power and abilities!
Wealth Options: True Blades have already adventured for a long time to become a True Blade, so they receive no extra money upon becoming 1st level.
Suggested Elf Subraces: Gold (grey) elf, Moon (high) elf, Wild (sylvan) elf.
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