Unlocking all seven Swordmastery abilities in The Blood of Dawnwalker will significantly expand your combat capabilities while in human form. While most skill manuals appear to drop randomly, the specific Swordmastery ability manuals are fixed in their locations, allowing for dedicated pursuit. You begin with the 'Dirty Trick' ability already unlocked. The remaining six can be acquired through specific quests or by locating manuals, which are often found in Bandit Camps, Soldier Camps, or purchased from Swordmastery trainers.
Swordmastery Trainers
Several trainers can provide access to manuals. Ursul can be found at his camp after completing the 'Ambrus Prisoners: Lucky Crossing' quest north of Svartrau. Ocha, an Uriashi sword teacher, becomes available only after specific endings of 'The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants' quest in Svartrau. Drogos is unlocked by progressing through the 'Manumit' questline, which begins with 'The Firebrand' and includes 'Shadows in the Woods' and 'Where Loyalty Lies'.
Additional manuals are required to upgrade abilities beyond their initial level. These can often be found in regions accessible after Laslea, particularly in St. Tyna's Grove, which is also a key area for the 'Anca's Echoes of Silenced Bells' quest.
Charge Manuals
The 'Charge' ability, which damages and stuns targets along with any enemies in its path, is initially awarded as a quest reward. You receive this manual in the prologue by completing the 'Like Father, Like Son' quest, which itself becomes available after finishing the main quest 'Withering Away'. It is not necessary to defeat your father in the associated fight to obtain the reward.
An additional 'Charge' manual can be found in a chest within the Soldier Camp located to the east of Parlita in the Boar's Back region. Ocha also sells a manual after you complete 'The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants' quest at the tavern in Altenmarkt, northwest Svartrau. Furthermore, Drogos offers a manual if you join the Manumits in the 'Where Loyalty Lies' quest and complete 'What Moves the Dead'.
Broad Swing Manuals
The 'Broad Swing' ability, which allows you to damage all enemies in a circular area, can be found in a Bandit Camp situated east of Laslea, uphill and near the Outlaw's Gorge shrine. While this can be acquired in the prologue, tackling it later might be more time-efficient.
Another 'Broad Swing' manual is located in the Soldier Camp south of Maragir in the Maragir Wealds, adjacent to the Lower Maragir Wealds shrine. Completing 'The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants' quest in Altenmarkt will also grant access to a manual, which can be purchased from Ocha. Drogos also provides two 'Broad Swing' manuals for those who follow the Manumit questline up to 'What Moves the Dead'.
Swiftness Manuals
'Swiftness', an ability that boosts attack speed after a Perfect Block, can be looted from a chest in the Bandit Camp northwest of Stoneward Post in the Briar Sloughs region, southwest of Laslea. Another manual is found in a chest within the room where you fight Svetlana, The Dark Prodigy, in Silts Tower, located in the southern part of The Silts region. Ocha sells a manual after 'The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants' quest, and Drogos offers one for completing 'What Moves the Dead' within the Manumit questline.
Adrenaline Rush Manuals
To obtain the 'Adrenaline Rush' manual, which increases attack damage after using active abilities, search a Bandit Camp in the far south of the Maragir Wealds, southeast of the Eerie Knoll shrine. Ocha sells this manual after 'The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants', and Drogos provides it as part of the Manumit quest progression.
Artery Strike Manuals
'Artery Strike', a critical strike ability with a chance to decapitate the target, can be found in a Soldier Camp on the road in north St. Tyna's Grove, southeast of the main road towards the convent and directly north of a large Ambrus fort. This manual can also be acquired by progressing the 'Buried Past' quest and sparring with Volk, a quest initiated by speaking to the grocer in Maragir. Ocha and Drogos also offer this manual under the same quest conditions as previously mentioned.
Walking Fortress Manuals
The 'Walking Fortress' manual, which restores a portion of Activation Charge on a Perfect Block, is located in a Soldier Camp north of the convent and inn in St. Tyna's Grove. An alternative acquisition method involves freeing Ursul from the 'Ambrus Prisoners: Lucky Crossing' quest north of Svartrau. After his release, he will invite you to his camp and sell various manuals, including 'Walking Fortress'. Ocha and Drogos are also listed as vendors for this manual.