Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Veggiesama 02-23-07, 07:23 PM	This class is designed to re-balance the Swashbuckler (Comp.War., notorious for his suckitude past 3rd level) and make him more useful as a combatant. Charisma has been downplayed, and Intelligence has become far more useful for more abilities. Credits to Szatany's Ultimate Skirmisher (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=690116) and cthascott's New Swashbuckler (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=758370) for some of the ability ideas/outright thefts. Blue sentences are my otherwise unwritten comments on a certain ability. The Combat Fencer Hit Die: d8 Secondary monk-like warriors who rely on speed need lower than d10 Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex). +Spot, +Listen, -Bluff, -Diplomacy Skill Points: The combat fencer gains 4 + Int modifier skill points per level. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Combat fencers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor. All of the combat fencer's class features are negated if the combat fencer uses a shield, wears medium or heavy armor, or suffers from encumbrance. Shields are explicitly forbidden, unlike the rogue's/swashbuckler's implicit allowance for a MW buckler. Insightful Block and a slightly higher Dodge progression try to make up for the loss of a shield on this primarily warrior-based class. Good Reflex saves makes more sense than Fort. Also, I like the idea of "no dead levels" a lot. Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Dodge Bonus Fast Movement 1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Weapon Finesse +0 +0 ft 2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Acrobatic agility, always ready +1 +0 +0 ft 3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Insightful strike +0 +0 ft 4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Spring Attack +1 +0 ft 5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Insightful block +1 +5 ft 6th +6/+1 +2 +5 +2 Always ready +2, lucky 1/day +1 +5 ft 7th +7/+2 +2 +5 +2 Flying steps +1 +5 ft 8th +8/+3 +2 +6 +2 Improved flanking +2 +10 ft 9th +9/+4 +3 +6 +3 Chink in the armor +2 +10 ft 10th +10/+5 +3 +7 +3 Always ready +3 +2 +10 ft 11th +11/+6/+1 +4 +8 +4 Lucky 2/day +2 +15 ft 12th +12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +4 Bounding Assault +3 +15 ft 13th +13/+8/+3 +4 +9 +4 Weakening critical +3 +15 ft 14th +14/+9/+4 +5 +9 +5 Always ready +4 +3 +20 ft 15th +15/+10/+5 +5 +10 +5 Can't stand still +3 +20 ft 16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +5 Lucky 3/day +4 +20 ft 17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +6 +11 +6 Defensive roll +4 +25 ft 18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Always ready +5, Rapid Blitz +4 +25 ft 19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Wounding critical +4 +25 ft 20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Unparalleled agility +5 +30 ft Weapon Finesse (Ex): A combat fencer gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at 1st level even if she does not qualify for the feat. Acrobatic Agility (Ex): A combat fencer gains a competence bonus to all Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks equal to half of her class level, beginning at 2nd level. I like this better than a "automatically treated as doing X" sort of deal because it's gradual. Always Ready (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, the combat fencer gains a +1 competence bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level, +3 at 10th level, +4 at 14th level, and +5 at 18th level. This makes a good replacement for the "Grace" ability when looking at Swashbuckler-based feats (ex. Daring Outlaw from Comp.Scoundrel) Insightful Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, a combat fencer becomes able to place her finesse attacks where they deal greater damage. She applies one point of her Intelligence bonus (if any) per class level as a bonus on damage rolls (instead of any Strength bonus she may have) with any light weapon, as well as any other weapon that can be used with Weapon Finesse, such as a rapier, whip, or spiked chain. However, she still suffers a penalty to damage if her Strength bonus is negative. Works on creatures immune to crits/sneak attacks, but STR no longer is added to dmg. STR's still useful for carrying capacity and Jump/Climb/Swim skill checks, but that's about it. Also it attempts to limit dipping by limiting max INT bonus to class level (in this case, max of +3 INT added to dmg, which is on par with a rogue's sneak attack bonus if you wanted to dip into that class, but doesn't hurt a wimpy L3 swashbuckler begging for dmg). Dodge Bonus (Ex): Starting at 4th level, the combat fencer receives a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus increases by +1 every four levels after 4th (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th, +4 at 16th, +5 at 20th). Slightly bumped. Spring Attack (Ex): A combat fencer gains Spring Attack as a bonus feat at 4th level even if she does not qualify for the feat. The free Spring Attack/Bounding Assault (PHB2)/Rapid Blitz (PHB2) line of feats is one of the main strengths of this class, because they don't have to worry about Dodge+Mobility prereqs. I geared their gains to the BAB requirements. Fast Movement (Ex): A combat fencer learns to tactically hurl herself through the air and move with the lightness of a feather. At 5th level, she receives a +5 foot enhancement bonus to her base movement speed on land. Every three levels after that, the enhancement bonus increases by an additional +5 feet (+10 ft at 8th level, +15 at 11th, +20 at 14th, +25 at 17th, +30 at 20th). Helps make the most out of Spring Attack line Insightful Block (Ex): At 5th level, a combat fencer learns how to place her weapon in the most advantageous position to avoid injury. Whenever she damages a foe while fighting defensively or using the Combat Expertise feat (at a minimum of -2 penalty on attacks), she also applies her Intelligence bonus (if any) as a shield bonus to her armor class versus that foe until the beginning of her next turn. Helps make this into the "dodge tank" idea I want it to resemble. Lucky (Ex): A combat fencer may re-roll any failed attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. This ability is usable once per day at 6th level, twice per day at 11th level, and three times per day at 16th level. A progression on this seemed like a sensible thing to do. Flying Steps (Ex): At 7th level, a combat fencer refuses to stop moving. She gains two uses out of this ability. First, she can stand up from prone as a swift action without provoking attacks of opportunity. Second, she can reroll a saving throw against any spell, spell-like, or supernatural ability that inhibits or alters her movement in a way contrary to her wishes (e.g. cleric's hold person, dragon's fear aura, or ooze's paralysis). This second function is performed as a swift action, but only in her turn following the initial saving throw and only if she is aware of the changes (e.g. not petrified, dominated, or dead). Both of these abilities can be performed a combined total number of times equal to the combat fencer's Intelligence modifier. Improved Flanking (Ex): A combat fencer of 8th level or higher who is flanking an opponent gains a +4 bonus on attacks instead of a +2 bonus on attacks. (Other characters flanking with the combat fencer don't gain this increased bonus.) Chink in the Armor (Ex): As a swift action, a 9th level combat fencer can ignore the damage reduction or hardness of any foe for her next single attack. This ability is usable once per day per point of her Intelligence modifier. Necessary to help offset their rather low damage against critters with DR. Bounding Assault (Ex): A combat fencer gains Bounding Assault as a bonus feat at 12th level even if she does not qualify for the feat. Weakening Critical (Ex): A combat fencer of 13th level or higher who scores a critical hit against a creature also deals 2 points of Strength damage to the creature. Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect. Can't Stand Still (Ex): At 15th level, the combat fencer gains a +4 competence bonus on Escape Artist checks. Additionally, she may attempt to escape from a grapple as an attack action rather than a standard action, receiving her full skill bonus with each attempt. Helps versus those big bad dragons. Defensive Roll (Ex): At 17th level, the combat fencer can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the combat fencer can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rogue must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—-if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Evasion abilities obtained from other classes do not apply to the defensive roll. Makes more sense than "slippery mind". Rapid Blitz (Ex): A combat fencer gains Rapid Blitz as a bonus feat at 18th level even if she does not qualify for the feat. Wounding Critical (Ex): A combat fencer of 19th level or higher who scores a critical hit against a creature also deals 2 points of Constitution damage to the creature. (This damage is in addition to the Strength damage dealt by the combat fencer's weakening critical class feature.) Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect. Unparalleled Agility (Ex): At 20th level, a combat fencer can strike with lightning-fast thrusts and move with unprecedented speed. Once per day, the combat fencer may use a swift action to gain an additional turn at the end of her turn. Essentially, she may take two series of actions in a row in the same initiative round. This ability is usable once per day per point of her Intelligence modifier, but only once every 1d4+1 rounds.Probably not that powerful considering the high-level maneuvers out of Tome of Battle Thoughts/suggestions?
Gideon_Gideonson 02-23-07, 07:41 PM	Looks great! The only things I might fix are Flying Steps (Ex): At 7th level, a combat fencer becomes immune to trip attempts. She also receives a +2 bonus on any saving throws versus spells, spell-like, or supernatural abilities that would inhibit or alter her movement (e.g. hold person, slow, or forceful hand). Might be difficult to pin down what this bonus actually applies to? As a fencer myself, I know that I have no special ability not to be tripped. Also, it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the class to much, so I'd say you can afford to lose this. Also, your level 20 ability might need more uses. There's a manuever that does this already...and it can be used pretty much at will (well, recharge, but still) Otherwise, I like it
Veggiesama 02-24-07, 06:40 PM	As a fencer myself, I know that I have no special ability not to be tripped. Also, it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the class to much, so I'd say you can afford to lose this. I put this ability in there to represent how "quick on the feet" the fencer is. It's not so much that he's immune to being tripped, it's just that he springs back up instantaneously. Maybe it would be better to allow him to stand up from prone as a swift/immediate action (without AoO) INT bonus times per day? Also, your level 20 ability might need more uses. There's a manuever that does this already...and it can be used pretty much at will (well, recharge, but still) I was thinking about making this also INT times per day, but I imagine the L20 fencer would have 20-24ish INT at this point, so that'd be a LOT of uses. What about 1/encounter (or 1/min), then INT times per day? Thanks for your comments.
Gideon_Gideonson 02-24-07, 09:14 PM	1/encounter could work, but even once 5/rounds probably wouldn't be to overpowered. And springing back up could work nicely, but it might make more sense to allow him to roll Reflex saves twice and take the best result, or to give him evasion. Speaking personally, I'm much better at dodging attacks than jumping back up.
Veggiesama 02-26-07, 02:01 PM	I just updated Unparalleled Agility and Flying Steps. Unparalleled Agility - Now usable INT times per day rather than once. - Still, only usable once every 1d4+1 rounds (like a dragon's breath weapon). Flying Steps - Two different abilities that share the same pool of uses (INT/day). - 1) swift action to stand from prone (no AoO) - 2) reroll saving throw on following turn after an effect somehow alters your movement against your wishes (slow, entanglement, fear, etc.) I'm liking how this is turning out so far...
Gideon_Gideonson 02-26-07, 10:52 PM	No complaints now. Nice job!
Veggiesama 03-03-07, 09:11 PM	Does anyone else have any opinions about my changes to Insightful Strike? How do Swashbucklers normally gain damage as they rise in levels, since they normally lack any sort of sneak attack/skirmish/etc. bonus damage? Perhaps there are too many defensive abilities in this class?