Emerging from the ranks of Darth Revan's Sith Empire's most skilled Sith assassins, the Bladeborn were a dissident Sith group. Their core belief centered on the idea that bladed weapons offered a superior channel for focusing the dark side of the Force compared to lightsabers. Consequently, their training heavily emphasized combat proficiency with steel swords. Certain Bladeborn members achieved the esteemed rank of masterblade, earning the right to wield cortosis-enhanced Sith Tremor Swords.
Stemming from the Sith tradition of Force-users, the Bladeborn were an organization. Composed of Human Sith blademasters, they held the conviction that edged weaponry surpassed lightsabers as a means to concentrate the dark side of the Force. As a result, the Bladeborn dedicated themselves to mastering combat using steel swords. Attaining the rank of masterblade was a rare feat, reserved for those who had survived at least ten duels against opponents wielding lightsabers.
The Bladeborn donned Sith masks and utilized stealth field generators alongside infra-goggles for enhanced vision in dim environments. They carried concealed hold-out blasters and specialized vibroblades, including the Sith Tremor Sword. The latter, reinforced with lightsaber-resistant cortosis ore, was awarded to masterblades to signify their prowess and standing. Double-bladed lightsabers were also utilized by the Bladeborn, though even less frequently than Sith Tremor Swords.
Bladeborn members were known for their exceptional acrobatics and stealth, exhibiting mastery in melee weapons like swords and lightsabers, as well as proficiency with blaster pistols. Being Force-sensitive, they could draw upon the Force to amplify their combat skills, channel the dark side into a state of rage, and enhance their speed and jumping abilities. The Bladeborn communicated in both Galactic Basic Standard and the Sith languages.
Within Darth Revan's empire, the Bladeborn began as the most skilled Sith assassins under the Dark Lord of the Sith's command, sometime between 3959 BBY and 3957 BBY. By 3956 BBY, they had evolved into a distinct Sith splinter faction, remaining active until at least 990 BBY. In that year, Restelly Quist, the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Order, referenced the group in The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force, a guidebook for Jedi trainees.
The Bladeborn first appeared in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a video game developed by BioWare in 2003. The 2010 sourcebook The Unknown Regions, published by Wizards of the Coast for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, featured the mini-adventure "The Mask of Darth Nihilus." This adventure included Collan Eislo, a noble who led the Apex Society Sith cult. Eislo's character was portrayed as a skilled melee combatant wielding a Sith sword, with the mini-adventure suggesting the use of Bladeborn Sith assassin statistics for his roleplaying profile.