The New DnD 2024 Bladesinger Wizard (Subclass Deep Dive)

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Combining sword and sorcery into an elegant dance of death, the Bladesinger subclass was first introduced to DnD in 2015 in the pages of the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide before later being slightly revised and rereleased in 2020 for Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Since then, the subclass has remained incredibly popular, offering a more martial take on the traditional DnD 5e Wizard.

Now, the Bladesinger is back and reforged for the DnD 2024 rules. In fact, after being initially overlooked in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Wizards of the Coast has announced that they’re one of eight new subclasses appearing in the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, with an early draft of the subclass revealed in an Unearthed Arcana playtest in January 2025.

So are these masters of steel and spell still as deadly in DnD 2024? Below, we slice apart all the details.

What’s changed in the new 2024 Bladesinger?

Below are all the changes to the 2024 Bladesinger for DnD 5e. For ease of reference we’ve included the level of each feature and whether or not it’s changed from the previous Legacy Bladesinger that was featured back in 2020 in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.

Bladesinger Feature	Level	Changed from 2020?	Changes to the 2024 DnD Bladesinger
Subclass Access	3	Yes	In the 2014 rules, Wizards could access subclasses (known as “Arcane Traditions”) at Level 2. In the DnD 2024 rules, all subclasses for all classes (including Wizards) are now granted at Level 3.
Bladesong	3	No	In the 2024 version, you now use your Intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls while the song is active (this replaces the 2020 feature that gave you advantage on Acrobatics check). Additionally, the number of uses of the feature is now tied to your Intelligence modifier (in the 2020 version, the number of uses was equal to your proficiency bonus). All other features are exactly the same.
Training in War and Song	3	Yes	In the 2024 version, you gain proficiency with all Melee Martial weapons (that aren’t two-handed or heavy), can use a melee weapon as a Spellcasting Focus and gain proficiency in your choice of Acrobatics, Athletics, Performance or Persuasion. (In the 2020 version you only gained proficiency with light armor, a one-handed melee weapon of your choice and the Performance skill).
Extra Attack	6	No	N/A
Song of Defense	10	No	N/A
Song of Victory	14	Yes	Now allows you to make a weapon attack as a Bonus Action after casting a spell with an Action. This replaces the 2020 version of this feature that allowed you to add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of your melee weapon attacks while your Bladesong is active.

What are the 2024 DnD Bladesinger features?

Bladesingers master a tradition of wizardry that incorporates swordplay and dance. In combat, a Bladesinger uses a series of intricate, elegant maneuvers that fend off harm and allow them to channel magic into devastating attacks and a cunning defense. Many who have observed a Bladesinger at work remember the display as one of the most beautiful experiences in their life—a glorious dance accompanied by a singing blade.

Bladesinging is strongly associated with the ancient elven societies that first mastered the art and coined the term. Even today, most Bladesingers still hail from old elven realms, such as Cormanthyr, or from non-elven societies that share land and history with elves, such as the Silver Marches. Wherever they come from, Bladesingers are known for taking their talents across the Realms to help common people and perform heroic deeds. Few communities greet the arrival of a Bladesinger as anything but a good omen.

Level 3: Bladesong

As a Bonus Action, you invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided you aren’t wearing armor or using a shield. The Bladesong lasts for 1 minute and ends early if you are Incapacitated, if you don armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make a weapon attack. You can dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required). While the Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits. You can invoke the Bladesong a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

• Agility: You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1), and your Speed increases by 10 feet.
• Bladework: Whenever you attack with a weapon with which you have proficiency, you can use your Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls instead of Strength or Dexterity.
• Focus: When you make a Constitution saving throw to maintain Concentration, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the total.

Level 3: Training in War and Song

You gain proficiency with all Melee Martial weapons that don’t have the Two-Handed or Heavy property. You can use a melee weapon with which you have proficiency as a Spellcasting Focus for your Wizard spells. You also gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Athletics, Performance, or Persuasion.

Level 6: Extra Attack

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your Wizard cantrips that has a casting time of an Action in place of one of those attacks.

Level 10: Song of Defense

When you take damage while your Bladesong is active, you can use your Reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce the damage taken by an amount equal to five times the spell slot’s level.

Level 14: Song of Victory

After you cast a spell that has a casting time of an Action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a Bonus Action.

Is the New 2024 Bladesinger worth playing?

The Bladesinger is easily one of the most popular DnD subclasses of all time and many fans were surprised that it wasn’t included in the new 2024 Player’s Handbook. That’s something Wizards of the Coast is clearly addressing via the upcoming the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. And while the new 2024 Bladesinger is still in the playtest phase, what we’ve seen so far are changes that have made the subclass even better. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to the Bladesong feature, which now far more deadly and versatile. The new Training in War and Song feature also packs a much bigger punch and offers a far wider range of tactical options and ability bumps. In short, the Bladesinger is even more powerful, which players will love, but might be a little overpowered for some DMs. If it stays in its current form, however, it’s easily one of the best options for the new 2024 Wizard class.

That being said, we won’t actually see the final Bladesinger until the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide launches in November 2025. In the meantime, if you’re dying to get your hands on this new and improved DnD 2024 version, you can download it directly from the Unearthed Arcana playtest.

Below is also a video from the official Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel with DnD lead designer Makenzie De Armas. For ease of referenced, we’ve timestamped to where she discusses the new 2024 DnD Bladesinger subclass.

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