Covenant
The blade found you. You didn't choose this. But you chose to stay.
Archetype: Bonded magic blade carrier
You carry an AetherBlade — Essa-forged magic steel that only resonates with one in a hundred thousand people. The blade generates its own EP. You are never fully out of fuel. Between vials, between rests, the blade keeps giving. Force manipulation flows through the steel the same way the cutting edge does. The Empire declared this discipline contraband. Being Covenant is not a career. It's a status.
In the World
AetherBlade bonding was declared illegal after the Pulse Wars — too hard to track, invisible to standard Rig licensing. The Citadel of Essa-forged steel was destroyed. Blades that survived are scattered. Most carriers don't know what they have until the resonance starts. The Empire's preferred response to discovery is containment.
Key Mechanic: Internal Reserve
The AetherBlade generates EP per Short Rest without burning a vial. T1 Techniques only (base effect, no enhancements). No Feedback Save on Internal Reserve activations. Recharges on Short Rest. For enhanced Techniques, burn a standard vial.
Essa Interaction
No Burn Buffer — the AetherBlade is not a Rig and does not absorb Burn. External vial activations follow standard Feedback Save rules. Internal Reserve activations produce no Feedback Save and generate no Burn. The blade's Force Edge deals bonus force damage on every hit (no vial).
Techniques
AetherBlade deals bonus force damage on every hit equal to Blade Grade. No vial. No Feedback Save. Stacks with Iron Overcharge.
Weapon attack. Internal: +1d8 force, no Feedback Save. Vial: +EP × 1d8 force, standard Feedback Save. Replaces any attack in chain.
Force barrier from the blade. Internal: 8 + CON HP. Vial: EP × 8 + CON HP. Reaction costs Channel Slot.
Drive force through blade downward, launch EP × 15 ft. No opportunity attacks. Advantage on next attack if landing adjacent.
Levitate creature or object within 60 ft. Max EP × 200 lbs. STR save or Restrained while Lifted.
Incapacitate a creature. Attacks have advantage; hits from 5 ft are crits. CON save negates. Concentration up to 1 min.
Class Features
Level Progression
| Level | Features | Channel Slots | Blade Forge Tier | Internal Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | AetherBlade, Internal Reserve, Pulse Strike, Barrier, Leap, Fear | 2 | T1 | 2 EP/SR |
| 5 | Iron Overcharge, Step, Phase, Blade Tier 2 | 3 | T2 | 3 EP/SR |
| 7 | Bleed, Lift, Bond Deepening | 3 | T2 | 3 EP/SR |
| 9 | Blade Tier 3 | 4 | T3 | 4 EP/SR |
| 10 | Hold, Disarm, Rig Resonance | 4 | T3 | 4 EP/SR |
| 13 | Blade Tier 4 | 5 | T4 | 5 EP/SR |
| 15 | Chain, Bind Threshold | 5 | T4 | 5 EP/SR |
| 17 | Blade Tier 5 | 6 | T5 | 6 EP/SR |
| 18 | Blade Ascendance, Apex Calibration | 6 | T5 | 12 EP/SR |