Bravely Default: Swordmaster Job Guide

Swordmaster master the art of Bushido. This makes them similar to Samurai and their skill with Katanas shows it. They use patience and counters to endure enemy attacks and pay them back with more damage. If you want to make enemies pay for attacking you, Swordmaster is your job.

This guide will cover everything about Swordmaster including:

• Unlocking Swordmaster: How to unlock the job.
• Equipment Guide: What they use, and the optimal equips.
• Ability List: What level they get them.
• Cross Job Tips: Which jobs fit well with Swordmaster.
• Special Moves: Which are best suited for Swordmaster.
• Combat Tips: Being most effective in battle.

Unlocking Swordmaster

You unlock Swordmaster in Chapter 3 by defeating Kamiizumi.

• Go to Starkfort after clearing the Temple of fire.
• Go up the middle stairs until you reach the top floor to fight Kamiizumi.

Equipment Guide

Swordmasters have an S aptitude for Katanas.

Armor

• Get items that raise Physical and Magic Defense a lot. Even though their counter attacks reduce damage, you will want to get hit often.

Weapons

• Use Katanas. You can use a Lore support ability for another weapon, but it would just take up a needed slot.

Ability List

Swordmasters have the Counter Specialty.

• Counter – Has a 60% chance to counterattack, when taking a single-target physical attack, and does the same damage as a normal attack.

Level 1

• Nothing Ventured – Halves the damage you take when hit by a physical attack during that turn. You counterattack with double the damage of a normal attack.

Level 2

• Abate Earth – Support ability that reduces the damage taken from Earth attacks.

Level 3

• Katana Lore – Support ability that raises aptitude for Katanas to S.

Level 4

• Squeaky Wheel – Reduces the target’s BP by 1. The success rate falls to 30% on bosses. Costs an extra BP to use.

Level 5

• Multitask – Support ability that has a 25% chance to do an extra attack when doing a normal attack.

Level 6

• Counter– Support ability that lets you use the Swordmaster’s Specialty on other Jobs.

Level 7

• Confuse Immunity – Support ability makes you immune to Confuse.

Level 8

• Before Swine – Halves the damage you take when hit by a magic attack during that turn. You counterattack with triple the damage of a normal attack. Does not work on Reflected magic damage.

Level 9

• Counter Amp – Raises the damage of counterattacks by 1.5 times.

Level 10

• Know Thine Enemy – Counterattack with 4 times the damage of a normal attack when hit by a single-target attack from the selected enemy during that turn.

Level 11

• Redoubled Effort – Support ability that raises Physical Attack based on how much BP you have.
• 0 BP or less – No effect.
• 1 BP – 1.1 times normal damage.
• 2 BP – 1.21 times normal damage.
• 3 BP – 1.33 times normal damage.
• 4 Bp – 1.46 times normal damage.

Level 12

• The Worm Turns – Counterattack with 7.5 times the damage of a normal attack if hit by an enemy attack when your HP is below 20% during that turn.

Level 13

• Slow and Steady – Support ability that raises Speed to the max for 2 turns when using Default.

Level 14

• Free Lunch – Sets MP cost to Zero for 2 turns.

Cross Job Tips

The Swordmaster is a decent damage dealer and decent tank.

• Pirates give Provoke. You can use this to increase the chance for enemies to attack you.
• Monks are good for extra HP to last longer.
• Knights also work well for tanking. They can give you extra Physical Defense.
• Templars can raise your Physical Defense while using Default and raise the max BP to 4.
• Red Mages are great for their BP increasing abilities. This will allow you to constantly get extra BP to counter any attack.

Special Moves

Katana

• Level 1 – Default 5 times.
• Moonshadow– Attacks one enemy and inflicts Stop. Raises Physical Attack for all allies.

• Level 2 – Default 10 times.
• Breaking Wave – Attacks all with Water. Raises Crit Rate for all allies.

• Level 3 – Default 15 times.
• Petal Swirl – Attacks one enemy. Raises Speed for all allies.

Combat Tips

Swordmasters are all about countering enemy attacks. They also benefit from using Default.

• Default to the max to save up BP. This allows you to take less damage and save up for the Katana special move.
• With Redoubled Effort, you will do much more damage with high BP.
• This also allows you to use both counters for physical and magic attacks if you need to.

This wraps up the Swordmaster guide. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or suggestions. Check out my Bravely Default Master Guide List if you need any other tips or guides.