A variant take on the Swashbuckler. [Archive] - Wizards Community

A variant take on the Swashbuckler. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Masker
05-28-07, 11:02 AM My take on the swashbuckler

So…the swashbuckler. Presented in Complete Warrior, it represents a common fantasy archetype, not really covered in D&D as it stands. Yeah, there is the duelist class. Yeah, you can multiclass rogue/fighter. But that still does not exactly fit the concept, especially since the 3.5 nerfing of the duelist.

So, the only use of a swashbuckler this day is a 3 level dip for insightful strike. To change that, I offer my own personal take on the swashbuckler.

The Swashbuckler
1-Quick to Act +1, Weapon Finesse
2- Canny Defense
3- Acrobatic Stunt
4- Lucky
5- Quick to Act +2
6- Bonus Feat
7- Critical Trick
8- Piercing Lunge (+2)
9- Insightful Strike
10-Quick to Act +3
11-Acrobatic Stunt
12- Bonus Feat
13- Critical Trick
14- Masterful Feint
15-Quick to Act +4
16- Piercing Lunge (+4)
17-Fated
18- Bonus Feat
19- Acrobatic Stunt, Critical Trick
20- Perfect Lunge, Quick to Act +5

Base Attack Bonus: Good (as fighter)
Saves: Reflex Good, Fortitude and Willl poor
Hit Dice: d8

Class skills
Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (local), Sense Motive, Swim, Tumble
Skill points per level: 4+Int

Armor and Weapon Proficiencies (Ex): Swashbucklers are proficient with all simple weapons and all melee one-handed and light martial weapons. They are proficient with light armor.

Quick to Act (Ex): A swashbuckler soon learns to trust his speed in battle. At 1st level, he gains a +1 bonus to Initiative checks. This bonus improves by +1 at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, as the reaction time of the swashbuckler improves with training.

Weapon Finesse: At first level, a swashbuckler gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.

Canny Defense (Ex): As his knowledge of battle grows, a swashbuckler learns how to apply his intellect to predict and counter attacks. He can add up to 1 point of his Intelligence modifier per every two swashbuckler class levels as a dodge bonus to armor class. He can not use this ability if he is wearing medium or heavier armor or carrying medium or heavy load.

Acrobatic Stunt (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a swashbuckler learns to train his body to react to specific situations by reflex alone, allowing him to make seemingly impossible feats of acrobatic skill or battle awareness.

At the beginning of each day, a swashbuckler can choose one of the following abilities. He gains it for the rest off the day

-Acrobatic Charge: When this ability is active, the swashbuckler can charge in difficult terrain. He may still need to do the appropriate checks to cover such ground, however (such as Balance, Climb, Jump or Tumble)
-Acrobatic Prowess: While this ability is active, the swashbuckler gains a bonus to Balance, Jump and Tumble checks equal to one-third his class level.
-Evasion: As the rogue ability
-Uncanny Dodge: As the rogue ability
-Skill Mastery: While this ability is active, the swashbuckler can always take 10 on Balance, Jump and Tumble checks.

At 11th level, a swashbuckler can select up to two different acrobatic stunts at a time. He can also choose to spend both uses to gain improved Uncanny Dodge or Improved Evasion for the whole day.

At 19th level, a swashbuckler can select up to 3 different acrobatic stunts at the beginning of each day (Improved Uncanny Dodge and Improved Evasion still use 2 of such “stunt slots” at a time).

Acrobatic stunts can only be used if the swashbuckler is not wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load.

Lucky (Ex): For some reason, fate loves swashbucklers. Once per day, they can re-roll any d20 roll they have made. The re-roll must be made after the result has been seen but before the effects of the roll are known. The swashbuckler must accept the effects of the second roll, even if they are worse than the first.

Bonus Feat: At 6th, 12 and 18th levels, a swashbuckler gains a bonus feat from the following list

Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Quick Draw, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack

Critical Trick (Ex): At levels 7, 13 and 19, a swashbuckler learns how to one of the following abilities.

Deadly critical: The swashbuckler increases the critical multiplier of any light or one handed weapon he wields by +1.

Exposing Strike: A creature struck by one of the swashbuckler’s critical hits takes a -5 penalty to armor class for 1 round. Multiple critical hits in one round do not stack.

Inhibiting Strike: A creature struck by one of the swashbuckler’s critical hits takes a -5 penalty to attack and damage rolls for 1 round. Multiple critical hits in one round do not stack.

Tactical Critical: When the swashbuckler successfully confirms a critical hit, he can also make a trip or disarm check against the attacked foe as a free action. He gains a +4 bonus on such checks and he does not risk being tripped or disarmed if his attempt fails.

Threatening feint: When attacked a foe denied of his Dexterity bonus, a swashbuckler increases the threat range of any light or one-handed melee weapon he wields by +2. This bonus is not doubled by the Improved Critical or Keen weapon enchantment, but it is applied after them. If the target has lost his Dexterity bonus to AC due to a successful feint from the Swashbuckler, the threat range is further increased by +2.

Weakening hit: A creature struck a a swashbuckler critical hit receives 1d6 point of Strength damage, in addition to any damage dealt.

Piercing Lunge (Ex): At 8 level, a swashbuckler precision and aim in battle allows him to ignore defenses he would otherwise stop his attacks. He ignores up to 2 points of armor or natural armor bonuses to AC when he attacks (the opponent armor bonus can only be reduced by up to 2 points by this ability). Also, he deals +2 points of damage against foes with damage reduction he is unable to bypass This bonus does not allows the swashbuckler to deal more damage with that what the damage reduction would negate, but it may negate it fully.

At 16th level, the swashbuckler ignores an extra 2 points of armor and natural bonuses to armor class and deals an extra +2 points of damage against foes with damage reduction that he can not bypass.

Example: an 8 level swashbuckler fighting against an iron golem (DR 15/adamantite) with a normal weapon, would deal an extra +2 damage per hit. The same character, when fighting against a 7th level barbarian (DR 1/-) would only deal an extra +1 point of damage, negating the barbarian’s damage reduction and dealing his normal damage.

Insightful Strike (Ex): From 9th level onwards, a swashbuckler learns how to apply logic and knowledge to deal damage to his foes. He adds his Intelligence modifier (in addition to his Strength modifier) to all damage rolls made while wielding any light weapon or any weapon that can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat.

It must be noted that the Intelligence modifier added to damage rolls is added to the Strength modifier and treated as a single modifier. This means, for example, that a weapon wielded in the off hand will only receive a bonus to damage rolls equal to (swashbuckler Strength modifier + swashbuckler’s Intelligence modifier)/2.

This ability can only be used if the swashbuckler is not wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load.

Masterful Feint (Ex): A 14th level swashbuckler can feint in combat as a move action. If he already has (or latter gains) the Improved Feint feat, he can instead feint in combat as a swift action.

Fated (Ex): A 17th level swashbuckler is able to make handstands at the edge of oblivion and come back to tell the story. He can use the re-roll ability of the Lucky class feature at will, but not more than once per round.

Perfect Lunge (Ex): At 20th level, a swashbuckler learns how to perform and elaborate, powerful attack that can kill a foe in a single hit. As a full round action, he can make a single melee attack with a any light weapon or any weapon that can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat. This attack is resolved as a touch attack and, if it hits, deals normal damage.

Alternatively, he can attempt to resolve the attack as if it was a normal attack. If it hits, the attack deals damage and all other effects as if it was a critical hit.

This special attack does not allow the d20 re-roll provided by the Fated or Lucky class features.
Masker
08-06-07, 05:39 PM :bump:

Serioulsy, no opinions? I expected a bit of flames or the like, at least.
Mojo_Rat
08-06-07, 05:55 PM Personally i dont see anythig wrong with the swashbuckler, i certainly never saw it as a 'three level dip' class. It might surprise alot of people but some players actualy stay for a class longer than 3 or 4 levels.

But with regards to what you presented here. Your 'acrobatic stunt' formula bit doesnt seem to make sense. You took some of the classes key abilities that required going deeper into the class. (acrobatic charge) for example and... made them accessable by level 3.

Secondly, the 'i choose it at the begining of the day' thing does not seem to make any sense at all for the abilities. You either know how to do them or you do not, there is no functional reason that because you decieed at six am that morning you wanted uncanny dodge that you sddenly have no idea at 10 pm that night when it becomes neccecary to swing on a chandalere how to do it.
Masker
08-06-07, 06:43 PM Personally i dont see anythig wrong with the swashbuckler, i certainly never saw it as a 'three level dip' class. It might surprise alot of people but some players actualy stay for a class longer than 3 or 4 levels.
I know that. The swashbuckler, as a concept and as a class, it is certainly interesting. However, it lacks power and uniqueness (something I consider extremely relevant for any base class) and it has certain issues that bother me. Thses includes the lack of good Reflex saves, for one. And the excessive overlaping with the Duelist.

But with regards to what you presented here. Your 'acrobatic stunt' formula bit doesnt seem to make sense. You took some of the classes key abilities that required going deeper into the class. (acrobatic charge) for example and... made them accessable by level 3.
Guilty of that. But I moved several abilities around, not just down but up. I sought to make the class appealing to all levels. And, acrobatic charge is certainly not that much of a key ability. Particulary when I added a lot of new key abilities of my own creation.

Secondly, the 'i choose it at the begining of the day' thing does not seem to make any sense at all for the abilities. You either know how to do them or you do not, there is no functional reason that because you decieed at six am that morning you wanted uncanny dodge that you sddenly have no idea at 10 pm that night when it becomes neccecary to swing on a chandalere how to do it.

Well, is a bit like TOB works. The warblade has the ability to swap weapon-specific feats after 1 hour of training. The swashbuckler chooses to swap a particular tricky work of acrobatics for other, after training. I must add that the ability is only gained after an hour of training, BTW.

As a mechanic, it encourages flexibility, customization and planning. I have considered changing that particular mechanic, however. Maybe changing it to a specific ability untilthe swashbuckler chooses to dedicate himself to another trick for a few days, when he can swap the chosen ability.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Masker 05-28-07, 11:02 AM	My take on the swashbuckler So…the swashbuckler. Presented in Complete Warrior, it represents a common fantasy archetype, not really covered in D&D as it stands. Yeah, there is the duelist class. Yeah, you can multiclass rogue/fighter. But that still does not exactly fit the concept, especially since the 3.5 nerfing of the duelist. So, the only use of a swashbuckler this day is a 3 level dip for insightful strike. To change that, I offer my own personal take on the swashbuckler. The Swashbuckler 1-Quick to Act +1, Weapon Finesse 2- Canny Defense 3- Acrobatic Stunt 4- Lucky 5- Quick to Act +2 6- Bonus Feat 7- Critical Trick 8- Piercing Lunge (+2) 9- Insightful Strike 10-Quick to Act +3 11-Acrobatic Stunt 12- Bonus Feat 13- Critical Trick 14- Masterful Feint 15-Quick to Act +4 16- Piercing Lunge (+4) 17-Fated 18- Bonus Feat 19- Acrobatic Stunt, Critical Trick 20- Perfect Lunge, Quick to Act +5 Base Attack Bonus: Good (as fighter) Saves: Reflex Good, Fortitude and Willl poor Hit Dice: d8 Class skills Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (local), Sense Motive, Swim, Tumble Skill points per level: 4+Int Armor and Weapon Proficiencies (Ex): Swashbucklers are proficient with all simple weapons and all melee one-handed and light martial weapons. They are proficient with light armor. Quick to Act (Ex): A swashbuckler soon learns to trust his speed in battle. At 1st level, he gains a +1 bonus to Initiative checks. This bonus improves by +1 at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, as the reaction time of the swashbuckler improves with training. Weapon Finesse: At first level, a swashbuckler gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. Canny Defense (Ex): As his knowledge of battle grows, a swashbuckler learns how to apply his intellect to predict and counter attacks. He can add up to 1 point of his Intelligence modifier per every two swashbuckler class levels as a dodge bonus to armor class. He can not use this ability if he is wearing medium or heavier armor or carrying medium or heavy load. Acrobatic Stunt (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a swashbuckler learns to train his body to react to specific situations by reflex alone, allowing him to make seemingly impossible feats of acrobatic skill or battle awareness. At the beginning of each day, a swashbuckler can choose one of the following abilities. He gains it for the rest off the day -Acrobatic Charge: When this ability is active, the swashbuckler can charge in difficult terrain. He may still need to do the appropriate checks to cover such ground, however (such as Balance, Climb, Jump or Tumble) -Acrobatic Prowess: While this ability is active, the swashbuckler gains a bonus to Balance, Jump and Tumble checks equal to one-third his class level. -Evasion: As the rogue ability -Uncanny Dodge: As the rogue ability -Skill Mastery: While this ability is active, the swashbuckler can always take 10 on Balance, Jump and Tumble checks. At 11th level, a swashbuckler can select up to two different acrobatic stunts at a time. He can also choose to spend both uses to gain improved Uncanny Dodge or Improved Evasion for the whole day. At 19th level, a swashbuckler can select up to 3 different acrobatic stunts at the beginning of each day (Improved Uncanny Dodge and Improved Evasion still use 2 of such “stunt slots” at a time). Acrobatic stunts can only be used if the swashbuckler is not wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load. Lucky (Ex): For some reason, fate loves swashbucklers. Once per day, they can re-roll any d20 roll they have made. The re-roll must be made after the result has been seen but before the effects of the roll are known. The swashbuckler must accept the effects of the second roll, even if they are worse than the first. Bonus Feat: At 6th, 12 and 18th levels, a swashbuckler gains a bonus feat from the following list Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Quick Draw, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack Critical Trick (Ex): At levels 7, 13 and 19, a swashbuckler learns how to one of the following abilities. Deadly critical: The swashbuckler increases the critical multiplier of any light or one handed weapon he wields by +1. Exposing Strike: A creature struck by one of the swashbuckler’s critical hits takes a -5 penalty to armor class for 1 round. Multiple critical hits in one round do not stack. Inhibiting Strike: A creature struck by one of the swashbuckler’s critical hits takes a -5 penalty to attack and damage rolls for 1 round. Multiple critical hits in one round do not stack. Tactical Critical: When the swashbuckler successfully confirms a critical hit, he can also make a trip or disarm check against the attacked foe as a free action. He gains a +4 bonus on such checks and he does not risk being tripped or disarmed if his attempt fails. Threatening feint: When attacked a foe denied of his Dexterity bonus, a swashbuckler increases the threat range of any light or one-handed melee weapon he wields by +2. This bonus is not doubled by the Improved Critical or Keen weapon enchantment, but it is applied after them. If the target has lost his Dexterity bonus to AC due to a successful feint from the Swashbuckler, the threat range is further increased by +2. Weakening hit: A creature struck a a swashbuckler critical hit receives 1d6 point of Strength damage, in addition to any damage dealt. Piercing Lunge (Ex): At 8 level, a swashbuckler precision and aim in battle allows him to ignore defenses he would otherwise stop his attacks. He ignores up to 2 points of armor or natural armor bonuses to AC when he attacks (the opponent armor bonus can only be reduced by up to 2 points by this ability). Also, he deals +2 points of damage against foes with damage reduction he is unable to bypass This bonus does not allows the swashbuckler to deal more damage with that what the damage reduction would negate, but it may negate it fully. At 16th level, the swashbuckler ignores an extra 2 points of armor and natural bonuses to armor class and deals an extra +2 points of damage against foes with damage reduction that he can not bypass. Example: an 8 level swashbuckler fighting against an iron golem (DR 15/adamantite) with a normal weapon, would deal an extra +2 damage per hit. The same character, when fighting against a 7th level barbarian (DR 1/-) would only deal an extra +1 point of damage, negating the barbarian’s damage reduction and dealing his normal damage. Insightful Strike (Ex): From 9th level onwards, a swashbuckler learns how to apply logic and knowledge to deal damage to his foes. He adds his Intelligence modifier (in addition to his Strength modifier) to all damage rolls made while wielding any light weapon or any weapon that can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat. It must be noted that the Intelligence modifier added to damage rolls is added to the Strength modifier and treated as a single modifier. This means, for example, that a weapon wielded in the off hand will only receive a bonus to damage rolls equal to (swashbuckler Strength modifier + swashbuckler’s Intelligence modifier)/2. This ability can only be used if the swashbuckler is not wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load. Masterful Feint (Ex): A 14th level swashbuckler can feint in combat as a move action. If he already has (or latter gains) the Improved Feint feat, he can instead feint in combat as a swift action. Fated (Ex): A 17th level swashbuckler is able to make handstands at the edge of oblivion and come back to tell the story. He can use the re-roll ability of the Lucky class feature at will, but not more than once per round. Perfect Lunge (Ex): At 20th level, a swashbuckler learns how to perform and elaborate, powerful attack that can kill a foe in a single hit. As a full round action, he can make a single melee attack with a any light weapon or any weapon that can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat. This attack is resolved as a touch attack and, if it hits, deals normal damage. Alternatively, he can attempt to resolve the attack as if it was a normal attack. If it hits, the attack deals damage and all other effects as if it was a critical hit. This special attack does not allow the d20 re-roll provided by the Fated or Lucky class features.
Masker 08-06-07, 05:39 PM	:bump: Serioulsy, no opinions? I expected a bit of flames or the like, at least.
Mojo_Rat 08-06-07, 05:55 PM	Personally i dont see anythig wrong with the swashbuckler, i certainly never saw it as a 'three level dip' class. It might surprise alot of people but some players actualy stay for a class longer than 3 or 4 levels. But with regards to what you presented here. Your 'acrobatic stunt' formula bit doesnt seem to make sense. You took some of the classes key abilities that required going deeper into the class. (acrobatic charge) for example and... made them accessable by level 3. Secondly, the 'i choose it at the begining of the day' thing does not seem to make any sense at all for the abilities. You either know how to do them or you do not, there is no functional reason that because you decieed at six am that morning you wanted uncanny dodge that you sddenly have no idea at 10 pm that night when it becomes neccecary to swing on a chandalere how to do it.
Masker 08-06-07, 06:43 PM	Personally i dont see anythig wrong with the swashbuckler, i certainly never saw it as a 'three level dip' class. It might surprise alot of people but some players actualy stay for a class longer than 3 or 4 levels. I know that. The swashbuckler, as a concept and as a class, it is certainly interesting. However, it lacks power and uniqueness (something I consider extremely relevant for any base class) and it has certain issues that bother me. Thses includes the lack of good Reflex saves, for one. And the excessive overlaping with the Duelist. But with regards to what you presented here. Your 'acrobatic stunt' formula bit doesnt seem to make sense. You took some of the classes key abilities that required going deeper into the class. (acrobatic charge) for example and... made them accessable by level 3. Guilty of that. But I moved several abilities around, not just down but up. I sought to make the class appealing to all levels. And, acrobatic charge is certainly not that much of a key ability. Particulary when I added a lot of new key abilities of my own creation. Secondly, the 'i choose it at the begining of the day' thing does not seem to make any sense at all for the abilities. You either know how to do them or you do not, there is no functional reason that because you decieed at six am that morning you wanted uncanny dodge that you sddenly have no idea at 10 pm that night when it becomes neccecary to swing on a chandalere how to do it. Well, is a bit like TOB works. The warblade has the ability to swap weapon-specific feats after 1 hour of training. The swashbuckler chooses to swap a particular tricky work of acrobatics for other, after training. I must add that the ability is only gained after an hour of training, BTW. As a mechanic, it encourages flexibility, customization and planning. I have considered changing that particular mechanic, however. Maybe changing it to a specific ability untilthe swashbuckler chooses to dedicate himself to another trick for a few days, when he can swap the chosen ability.