Eldritch Knight
Not every warrior is content to rely on steel alone. Eldritch Knights have pursued a rigorous dual discipline, training their bodies to endure the rigors of combat while also bending their minds to the study of arcane magic. Where other fighters develop instinct and muscle memory, Eldritch Knights develop spell memory too—learning to channel evocations and protective wards in the same breath as a sword swing.
The path is demanding. Arcane magic does not bend easily to those whose first love is the blade, and most Eldritch Knights favor the direct, reliable schools of abjuration and evocation over subtler arts. But the rewards are considerable: a warrior who can shrug off magical attacks, rain fire on clustered enemies, and still drive a blade home with practiced ease is a fearsome thing to face.
Eldritch Knights tend to view magic as another tool in the arsenal rather than a calling in its own right. They are pragmatists first—soldiers who happened to discover that a well-placed shield spell or a burst of thunderwave can turn the tide of a fight that raw strength alone could not.
Eldritch Knight Table:
| Level | Subclass Features Gained |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Spellcasting, Weapon Bond |
| 7th | War Magic |
| 10th | Eldritch Strike |
| 15th | Arcane Charge |
| 18th | Improved War Magic |
Subclass Features
Spellcasting
3rd-level Eldritch Knight feature
You have learned to cast spells, drawing on the arcane tradition of wizards. Your spellcasting ability is Intelligence.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list.
Spell Slots. You gain a limited number of spell slots as shown on the Eldritch Knight Spellcasting table below. You regain all expended slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known. You know three wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Two of those spells must be from the abjuration or evocation schools. The third can be from any school on the wizard spell list.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of your known spells with another from the wizard spell list, subject to the same level restrictions. When you gain new spells known at higher levels (as shown on the table), at least two-thirds of those spells must be abjuration or evocation spells.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.
Eldritch Knight Spellcasting Table:
| Fighter Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 4th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 6th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 7th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 8th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 9th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 14th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 15th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 17th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 18th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 19th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Weapon Bond
3rd-level Eldritch Knight feature
You learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short or long rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual. You can bond with up to two weapons in this way.
Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you cannot be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence as you, you can summon it to your hand as a bonus action on your turn, regardless of where it is.
You can have up to two bonded weapons, but you can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two.
War Magic
7th-level Eldritch Knight feature
You have learned to make attacks in the same fluid motion as a cantrip. When you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Eldritch Strike
10th-level Eldritch Knight feature
You learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature's resistance to your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
Arcane Charge
15th-level Eldritch Knight feature
You have learned to weave teleportation magic into the surge of adrenaline that fuels your Action Surge. When you use Action Surge, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can do this either before or after the additional action granted by Action Surge.
Improved War Magic
18th-level Eldritch Knight feature
Your ability to blend spellcasting with weapon attacks reaches its fullest expression. When you use your action to cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.