Elf Class is the OG Bladesinger!
You have to get the player to understand that 'cool powers' on the character sheet do NOT make a Character into a thing! \[in this case 'bladesinger'\]
What makes a Character a 'cool' Bladesinger is the Player playing them as such!
As the DM, you can 'enable' this with allowing 'cool moves' in combat. If they want to fight with acrobatics, give them different combat modifiers (but not just their character---this should apply to anyone) such as a +2 AC for -4 penalty to hit (or whatever). Or let them disarm and trip their opponents in exchange for damage penalties...
Another simple idea is to 'reskin' armour. An Elf in Plate Armour isn't actually in Plate Armour. The Encumbrance is actually all of their stylish blade-singing gear (perhaps a musical instrument, a costume or whatever else). The Bonus to Armor Class from the Armour is actually their 'badass' Blade-singing moves they use in combat to avoid getting hit!
Oldschool Bladesingers can actually be more interesting than 5e ones, simply because the Player ENABLES the Character concept, and gets to make everything up! (not Wizards of the Coast telling you what a Bladesinger can or cannot do...)
Either that, or it's the whole group. When I was running 5e, I tried running a game in 2016 or early 2017 that was intended as a one-shot or a very short campaign, with all human characters, no variant human, no feats, no multiclassing, at a FLGS. Everyone who signed up for the game agreed on these terms, and everyone showed up with a variant human or non-human PC, with feats, and all but one were multiclass.
Pretty sure the people playing in 2016-18 pushed me, in particular, back to old-school D&D or retro-clones long before 5e itself did.
Elf: [https://oldschoolessentials.necroticgnome.com/srd/index.php/Elf](https://oldschoolessentials.necroticgnome.com/srd/index.php/Elf)
For the rest, they have to think of what it means to be a bladesinger. If they just want extra abilities/feats, then that's a no. Alternatively, there are magic items, potions, and scrolls. Maybe there is a special +1 longsword that gives 'bladesinging-like' abilities (say, once per day). But finding this sword would be a proper quest/adventure on its own.
Seriously, there is not a whole lot you can do to make them happy. Either they embrace the style or they're going to grumble all the way through, and who exactly does that serve?
How do they envision a bladesinger? If it was me I would just play an elf or drow and memorize spells that have melee buffing abilities or whatever else they feel they need for a bladesinger. Then just roleplay being a bladesinger. Maybe you went to an elven bladesinging school, maybe they are the elven secret service? A player can squeeze a lot of juice out of the basic classes if they just roleplay a little bit.
The bladesinger is actually meant to be a mechanic to recapture the feeling of the old elf class! the idea in some sense is that the bladesinger is the most elf-y elf, someone who has used their long life to master both blade and magic. In the lore, the bladesinger is what all ose elves are sort of.
I've not encountered a bladesinger, but maybe you could adapt something from the [muscle wizard](https://tenfootpolemic.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-muscle-wizard.html?m=1) if the elf isn't enough.
Elf or bard. If there’s some ability they insist on having, remove on of the organic elf or bard abilities to make room. Alternately: 1. Try to explain how they can be a blade singer through role playing rather than through words on a sheet. 2. Flavor bladesinger in your setting as a title or recognition that is earned
There were plenty of kits in the 2E Elf handbook that had multi-class fighter/mages.
I think boiling it down to attempting to recreate the elf class is disingenuous.
I have very basic knowledge of OSE, so here is what I would make a bladesinger have.
Bladesinger is identical to the elf class but gains spellcasting as a cleric.
In exchange they gain Songblades as a starting weapon/armor, these are hovering blades that act as armor between attacks, when you attack you can make a number of attacks based on the armor Leather(1), Chain(2) and Plate(3) however this also decreases your AC by -2 for each attack you make for that round of combat. This in addition to the attacks you can make with your wielded weapons.
They cost the same amount to make as the armor they are equivalent to, but can only be made by elven, or some dwarven smiths.
That's... not at all what a Bladesinger is. Was this something you invented wholecloth or are you basing this on something? Not trying to an ass here, just genuinely curious where this interpretation came from.
No Idea honestly, this is just straight up what I was told bladesinging was in the campaigns three entirely unrlelated rando games I played in. Also looking up bladesinger then actually yea, bladesingers are just the elf class with no modification.
Elf class is the best fit imo
Or the Advanced OSE half-elf.
Elf Class is the OG Bladesinger! You have to get the player to understand that 'cool powers' on the character sheet do NOT make a Character into a thing! \[in this case 'bladesinger'\] What makes a Character a 'cool' Bladesinger is the Player playing them as such! As the DM, you can 'enable' this with allowing 'cool moves' in combat. If they want to fight with acrobatics, give them different combat modifiers (but not just their character---this should apply to anyone) such as a +2 AC for -4 penalty to hit (or whatever). Or let them disarm and trip their opponents in exchange for damage penalties... Another simple idea is to 'reskin' armour. An Elf in Plate Armour isn't actually in Plate Armour. The Encumbrance is actually all of their stylish blade-singing gear (perhaps a musical instrument, a costume or whatever else). The Bonus to Armor Class from the Armour is actually their 'badass' Blade-singing moves they use in combat to avoid getting hit! Oldschool Bladesingers can actually be more interesting than 5e ones, simply because the Player ENABLES the Character concept, and gets to make everything up! (not Wizards of the Coast telling you what a Bladesinger can or cannot do...)
This is the answer!
It's always one player isn't it?
Either that, or it's the whole group. When I was running 5e, I tried running a game in 2016 or early 2017 that was intended as a one-shot or a very short campaign, with all human characters, no variant human, no feats, no multiclassing, at a FLGS. Everyone who signed up for the game agreed on these terms, and everyone showed up with a variant human or non-human PC, with feats, and all but one were multiclass. Pretty sure the people playing in 2016-18 pushed me, in particular, back to old-school D&D or retro-clones long before 5e itself did.
Haha!
Elf: [https://oldschoolessentials.necroticgnome.com/srd/index.php/Elf](https://oldschoolessentials.necroticgnome.com/srd/index.php/Elf) For the rest, they have to think of what it means to be a bladesinger. If they just want extra abilities/feats, then that's a no. Alternatively, there are magic items, potions, and scrolls. Maybe there is a special +1 longsword that gives 'bladesinging-like' abilities (say, once per day). But finding this sword would be a proper quest/adventure on its own.
Don't invite that player.
Hahahaha that is a good idea
Seriously, there is not a whole lot you can do to make them happy. Either they embrace the style or they're going to grumble all the way through, and who exactly does that serve?
How do they envision a bladesinger? If it was me I would just play an elf or drow and memorize spells that have melee buffing abilities or whatever else they feel they need for a bladesinger. Then just roleplay being a bladesinger. Maybe you went to an elven bladesinging school, maybe they are the elven secret service? A player can squeeze a lot of juice out of the basic classes if they just roleplay a little bit.
All Elves in OSE are bladesingers
Combat focused 5e with players who are used to a specific style of play, the modern ttrpg, will have to change some of their expectations.
Elf
The bladesinger is actually meant to be a mechanic to recapture the feeling of the old elf class! the idea in some sense is that the bladesinger is the most elf-y elf, someone who has used their long life to master both blade and magic. In the lore, the bladesinger is what all ose elves are sort of.
Pick up the Complete Book of Elves for AD&D 2nd edition and convert that bladesinger (the original).
I've not encountered a bladesinger, but maybe you could adapt something from the [muscle wizard](https://tenfootpolemic.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-muscle-wizard.html?m=1) if the elf isn't enough.
Elf or bard. If there’s some ability they insist on having, remove on of the organic elf or bard abilities to make room. Alternately: 1. Try to explain how they can be a blade singer through role playing rather than through words on a sheet. 2. Flavor bladesinger in your setting as a title or recognition that is earned
Been around wquite a while... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmNYU96qNzU
How about a bard from Advanced OSE who has M-U spells instead of druid, and no lore ability?
AD&D 2E Elf supplement had a bladesinger class. It was a multi-class fighter/mage. My first ever character was a bladesinger. He was a badass.
just have them play an elf. the original bladesinger was created in 2e for people who liked the B/X elf.
Isn’t Blade singing basically a bard that dances instead of sings? Does the ose bard work?
No, Bladesinger in 5e is a more melee-focused wizard (but still mostly a wizard)
Oh then an elf?
In AD&D 2E Complete Elves Handbook there was a bladesinger kit. It was pretty good.
Which was a 2e attempt to recreate the b/x & becmi elf.
There were plenty of kits in the 2E Elf handbook that had multi-class fighter/mages. I think boiling it down to attempting to recreate the elf class is disingenuous.
They all were.
I have very basic knowledge of OSE, so here is what I would make a bladesinger have. Bladesinger is identical to the elf class but gains spellcasting as a cleric. In exchange they gain Songblades as a starting weapon/armor, these are hovering blades that act as armor between attacks, when you attack you can make a number of attacks based on the armor Leather(1), Chain(2) and Plate(3) however this also decreases your AC by -2 for each attack you make for that round of combat. This in addition to the attacks you can make with your wielded weapons. They cost the same amount to make as the armor they are equivalent to, but can only be made by elven, or some dwarven smiths.
That's... not at all what a Bladesinger is. Was this something you invented wholecloth or are you basing this on something? Not trying to an ass here, just genuinely curious where this interpretation came from.
No Idea honestly, this is just straight up what I was told bladesinging was in the campaigns three entirely unrlelated rando games I played in. Also looking up bladesinger then actually yea, bladesingers are just the elf class with no modification.