| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Race | High Elves |
| Role | Tank |
| Armor | Heavy |
| Weapons | 1h Sword, 2h Sword, Shield |
| Special Mechanic | Blade Dance |
| Mirror Career | Black Orc |
| Gender | Both |
| Abbrevations | SM |
Class Information
Archetype: Tank
Special Mechanic: Blade Dance
Class Details: Fighters specializing in magical attacks, Sword Masters string together short chains of attacks in a graceful Blade Dance. With each swing of their weapons they step into a more balance fighting position allowing them to use more powerful attacks and increase their balance even further. With magical enchantments to bolster the strength of their attacks, Sword Masters are deadly front-line warriors.
The Swordmaster is a juggernaut of skill and prowess. From birth, swordmasters are trained to be one with their swords. They use sword and shield styles of fighting to overcome their enemies with sheer skill. Swordmasters are the absolute best swordsmen in the world, as they train for centuries to become one with the blade. They combine dance with martial arts to make a deadly marriage of art and death.
Career Masteries
The Swordmaster fights with magical enchantments to bolster the strength of his attacks and is a deadly front-line warrior. Surprisingly agile with his finely-crafted Elven Greatsword, the Swordmaster is the vanguard of any Elf army. The Swordmaster strings together short chains of attacks in a graceful Blade Dance. With each swing of his weapon he steps into a more balanced fighting position, which allows him to use more powerful attacks, which then increase his balance even further.
Path of Khaine
The Path of Khaine focuses on the Sword master’s signature Elf Great sword, a massive but exquisite weapon which he can swing with deceptive speed. While no High Elf would ever worship the God of Warfare, a Master of this path acknowledges Khaine as a potent and necessary figure, and the Sword master brings swift death to any who stand in his way.
Path of Vaul
The Path of Vaul is primarily focused on defense, and a Master of this path may very well be temped to lay aside his Great sword in favor of an elegant Elf-crafted shield instead. The Sword master who specializes in this path will be the core that the lines of battle form around.
Path of Hoeth
The Path of Hoeth is for Sword masters who have spent much longer amounts of time in the White Tower, honing their innate magical skills and learning how to smoothly work magical power into their attacks. A Master of this path will learn subtle ways to both expose weaknesses in their foes, and to shield themselves in battle.
Important Stats
As a Swordmaster you will need the following statistics which you can improve using armor sets, weapons, rings, talismans and renown points.
Block: Increases your chance to defend against all attacks with a shield.
Wounds: Increases your overall HP. You can never have enough HP.
Toughness: Reduces damage dealt to you by opponents.
Parry: Increases your chance to defend against melee attacks.
Acquiring Gear
There are many ways to get gear:
- Open RvR: The gear and weapons you get here are for your main spec. When you kill or lock a zone you will be given a number of War Crests according to your level which you can trade for armor and weapons. At the end of a zone if you roll high enough you will be give a color bag with may contain certain tokens that you can trade and get a jewel set. Engineers don’t have defensive jewels set like other classes.
- Scenarios: Scenarios remain a very strong source of gear. You continue to earn War Crests at the end of every scenario, which are then traded with vendors in Altdorf (Order) or the Inevitable City (Destruction) for armor and weapons. The quality of gear from scenarios can still be among the best in the game, making them a crucial part of gearing up.
- Achievements & Tokens: The Tome of Knowledge is still a vital system. By completing achievements (e.g., killing a certain number of creatures, collecting specific items, or exploring areas), you unlock entries in your Tome. These unlocks can reward tokens that are then traded in the library in Altdorf or the Inevitable City for unique jewels or tactics. Some very desirable sets and bonuses can be acquired this way. The development team has continued to add more Tome Achievement Unlocks, including some tied to Live Events as of 2025.
- Tier 4 epic quests: The epic quest lines in each area continue to be a source of significant rewards. Upon completing these lengthy, multi-step quest chains, you are typically given a choice of a powerful item, often with unique appearances or stats. These quests are a reliable way to get high-quality gear.
- Dungeons & Lairs: Dungeons and lairs are still important for acquiring gear, weapons, and jewels, both while leveling up and for end-game progression. The RoR team has been actively updating and even adding new PvE content. For example, as of early 2025, there’s a “Lost Vale” dungeon update introducing new armor sets (Dark Promise sets, including main spec, off-spec, and hybrid options), and materials for crafting permanent rings.
- Ward System: The game utilizes a “Ward” system where you often need to unlock lower-tier Ward sets before being able to equip higher-tier dungeon gear (e.g., Gunbad -> City -> Bastion Stair).
- Public Quests (PQs): While not strictly “dungeons,” PQs are large-scale PvE events that can also provide gear through loot bags. RoR has implemented different difficulties for PQs (Easy, Normal, Hard) which scale with the recommended number of players and offer varying loot quality.
