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Jallorn
2010-06-16, 04:01 AM
The Swashbuckler

Hit Dice:d10

Skill Points:4+Int (x4 at first level)

Skills:Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis) Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Weapon Finesse, Art of the Sword, Weapon Focus

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Dexterous Strike

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|Dodge bonus +1, Evasion

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|Parry, Insightful Attack

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Quick Draw, Improved Feint, Weapon Specialization

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+2|Dodge bonus +2, Improved Disarm

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+2|Applied Dexterity

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+2|Uncanny Dodge, Insightful Strike

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+3|Dodge bonus +3

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+3|Greater Weapon Focus

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+3|Improved Evasion

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+4|Dodge bonus +4, Skilled Parry

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+4|Flèche Lunge

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+4|Energy Surge

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+5|Dodge bonus +5, Greater Weapon Specialization

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+5|Improved Uncanny Dodge

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+5|Riposte

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+6|Dodge bonus +6

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+6|Precise Strike

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+6|Masterful Parry[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: As normal Swashbuckler + any one exotic sword, finesseable weapon, or bucklers.

Weapon Finesse: Swashbucklers get Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at level one.

Art of the Sword: Swashbucklers have a skill with the sword that allows them to use a sword's balance to effectively lighten it in combat. Any sword that the Swashbuckler can hold in one hand may have the Weapon Finesse feat applied to it, even if that weapon cannot normally be finessed.

Dodge Bonus: At first level,the Swashbuckler gains a dodge bonus to their AC equal to their Int bonus. This bonus applies against all enemies so long as the Swashbuckler wears light or no armor, and is lost any time the Swashbuckler loses their Dex bonus to AC. This bonus increases by one at third level and every three levels thereafter.

Weapon Focus: At first level, the Swashbuckler gains Weapon Focus as a bonus feat with any weapon she may use Weapon Finesse with.

Dextrous Attack: Swashbucklers are masters of speed. At second level, a Swashbuckler may add her Dex bonus to damage instead of Str to any weapon that she may use Weapon Finesse with.

Evasion: At third level and higher, a Swashbuckler can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Swashbuckler does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Parry: Beginning at fourth level, the Swashbuckler knows how to move her foe's attacks so as to lessen their impact. Whenever she takes melee damage, she may make an attack role opposed by the result of the attack that did damage. If her attack roll is greater than the opposed roll, she takes only half damage from the attack. Each successive attack is effected as if an iterative attack, but there is no limit to the number of times a Swashbuckler may attempt to parry. A Swashbuckler may only use this ability when she is wearing light or no armor, and wielding a weapon that she may use Weapon Finesse with. She also may not use this ability when she is unaware of the attack, or against opponents two or more sizes larger than herself, or four or more sizes smaller.

Insightful Attack: From fourth level on, a Swashbuckler may add their Int bonus to attack rolls made with any weapon the Swashbuckler may use Weapon Finesse with. She can only use this ability while wearing light or no armor.

Quick Draw: At fifth level, the Swashbuckler gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat.

Improved Feint: The Swashbuckler gains Improved Feint as a bonus feat at fifth level.

Weapon Specialization: At fifth level, the Swashbuckler gains Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat with any weapon she may use Weapon Finesse with.

Improved Disarm: At sixth level, the Swashbuckler gains Improved Disarm as a bonus feat.

Applied Dexterity: After much practice, the Swashbuckler's dexterity with a sword begins to blend onto the rest of her life. As of seventh level, she gets a bonus to all Dex based rolls or skills equal to half her class level. She can only use this ability while wearing light or no armor.

Uncanny Dodge: Starting at eighth level, a Swashbuckler can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dex bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dex bonus to AC if immobilized.

Insightful Strike: Starting at eighth level, a Swashbuckler may add her Int bonus to damage. She can only use this ability while wielding a weapon with which she may use Weapon Finesse with and while wearing light or no armor.

Greater Weapon Focus: At tenth level, a Swashbuckler gains Greater Weapon Focus as a bonus feat with any weapon she may use Weapon Finesse with.

Improved Evasion: Gained at eleventh level, this ability works like evasion, except that while the Swashbuckler still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Skilled Parry: At twelfth level, the Swashbuckler becomes even better at parrying, taking no damage on a successful check. A Swashbuckler may only use this ability when she is wearing light or no armor, and wielding a weapon that she may use Weapon Finesse with. She also may not use this ability when she is unaware of the attack, or against opponents two or more sizes larger than herself, or four or more sizes smaller.

Flèche Lunge: As a standard action at level thirteen, a Swashbuckler may make an attack against one opponent at twice their normal reach. If the attack hits, it also deals additional damage equal to her class level.

Energy Surge: At fourteenth level, a Swashbuckler can move much faster than most. As a free action, she may gain a move action. Once this ability is used, it cannot be used again for 1d6 rounds.

Greater Weapon Specialization: At level fifteen, a Swashbuckler gains Greater Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat with any weapon she may use Weapon Finesse with.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: A Swashbuckler of sixteenth level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies rogues the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Riposte: After level seventeen, any time a Swashbuckler takes no damage from an attack as a result of Parry, she may make a single attack against the opponent who attacked as an immediate action or a disarm check. The attack receives a +3 bonus, and the disarm check receives a +6 bonus.

Precise Strike: At level nineteen, the Swashbuckler becomes more accurate with their attacks. The critical threat range of any weapon the Swashbuckler may use Weapon Finesse with is doubled. This stacks with other modifiers to the critical threat range, but is always applied first. In addition, the critical multiplier of the weapon is increased by one.

Masterful Parry: At twentieth level, the Swashbuckler truly becomes a master of the parry. As an immediate action, the Swashbuckler may declare that she is making a Masterful Parry. It works exactly like a Skilled Parry, but on a failure she only takes half damage. The Swashbuckler may still use Skilled Parry, but cannot declare a parry masterful after making a check. A Swashbuckler may only use this ability when she is wearing light or no armor, and wielding a weapon that she may use Weapon Finesse with. She also may not use this ability when she is unaware of the attack, or against opponents two or more sizes larger than herself, or four or more sizes smaller.

___________________________

Removes any Str dependency, making Dex and Int the most important one. Fulfills the goal of the Swashbuckler: a skillful swordsman who is very hard to hit. Does a little about only being useful in combat, but not much. All told I'd say a high tier four, maybe tier three class now.

Glimbur
2010-06-16, 11:09 AM
Parry seems fairly useless. At fourth level, your parry check is 1d20+2. CR 4 monsters from core: Brown Bear has an attack bonus of +11/+11/+6. Giant Crocodile hits at +11. Griffons attack at +11/+8/+8. Owlbears attack at +9/+9/+4. This means, against an equal CR opponent, parry has low odds of working. I would make it a straight up opposed attack roll, but make it an immediate action. This does mean you would need a new capstone...

Once you improve parry, it means you take half damage from every melee attack that you are aware of. This seems... too strong.

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 01:47 PM
Yeah, I'm not entirely happy with parry. I'm thinking of making it three steps instead of four. First step is a save for half damage, second a save for no damage, and third automatically take half damage, still save for no damage.

Seems like a strong capstone. Although it does only work against melee attacks.

Maybe I should add something that says it doesn't work against enemies more than a certain number of sizes larger than you.

Yeah, I think I'll do all of that.

Stompy
2010-06-16, 02:49 PM
Dextrous Attack: Swashbucklers are masters of speed. At second level, a Swashbuckler may add her Dex bonus to damage instead of Str to any weapon that can normally be effected by Weapon Finesse. This does not include swords that are now effected due to the Swashbuckler's Art of the Sword ability.


Insightful Strike: Starting at tenth level, a Swashbuckler may add her Int bonus to damage. She can only use this ability while wielding a weapon with which she may normally use Weapon Finesse and while wearing light or no armor. This ability does not apply to weapons that can be used with weapon finesse due to Art of the Sword.

Assuming the wielder is going to have DEX > STR, (and a decent INT), why are the italics there? At 1st level, you'll let me finesse with a 1-handed weapon, but if I can't get the bonus damage from this I may as well go back to a real finesse-able weapon.


Improved Feint: The Swashbuckler gains Improved Disarm as a bonus feat at seventh level.

Misprint. :smalltongue:

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 02:52 PM
Assuming the wielder is going to have DEX > STR, (and a decent INT), why are the italics there? At 1st level, you'll let me finesse with a 1-handed weapon, but if I can't get the bonus damage from this I may as well go back to a real finesse-able weapon.



Misprint. :smalltongue:

Well it was a case of "Yeah, they're good with all swords, but they're more effective with weapons that are made for finesse.

I guess I could switch it to half bonus.

Cespenar
2010-06-16, 02:54 PM
I'm sorry, make way, grammar nazi coming through.

It's actually "Flèche", not "Fleshe".

Okay, carry on. :smalltongue:

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 02:55 PM
I'm sorry, make way, grammar nazi coming through.

It's actually "Flèche", not "Fleshe".

Okay, carry on. :smalltongue:

Nah, that's cool, my family is a bunch of grammar nazis too. I got the idea from someone else and didn't bother to look it up.

DragoonWraith
2010-06-16, 03:04 PM
What's your balance point? It seems Tier 4-ish. Maybe Tier 5. You reduce MAD but ultimately it's not really doing anything all that special. Waiting until 5th to gain Int to damage seems kinda rough, since you'll presumably want the Int but have to wait four levels to use it properly. Improved Disarm and Improved Feint coming so late seems weak. Dextrous Attack is weaker than what people get with two-handers by default. Parry is decent, but I could see that slowing down combat with all that rolling. The Dodge bonus is worse than the Swordsage's since you don't get any stat to it.

Stompy
2010-06-16, 03:14 PM
Well it was a case of "Yeah, they're good with all swords, but they're more effective with weapons that are made for finesse.

I guess I could switch it to half bonus.

You're going to make me use a spiked chain. :smalltongue:

So using a bigger sword (short sword to long sword) only gives you 1 more damage on average (discounting criticals, which doesn't drive the average damage function much higher.)

It is true that you can power attack with the longsword, and that it is harder to disarm off of you, but you are trading in +1 damage for DEX+INT-STR damage. It seems like a bunk deal to me, especially if I end up going two-weapon fighting with the class.

EDIT: I'm suggesting either the removal of that clause entirely, or getting rid of the finesse with a 1 handed sword ability.

EDIT2: It needs weapon and armor proficiencies.

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 03:38 PM
I moved some stuff around, made abilities a bit stronger and others a little weaker, and added some stuff. Might have an error or two between level on table and level in text, but all the abilities do what I want them to do for now.

The class seems a little top heavy though.

DragoonWraith
2010-06-16, 03:41 PM
The class seems a little top heavy though.
I agree - you need more high-level abilities in there. A riposte seems appropriate.

The focus on Rapiers seems odd, given the abilities that are supposed to open them up to using a variety of weapons.

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 03:45 PM
I agree - you need more high-level abilities in there. A riposte seems appropriate.

The focus on Rapiers seems odd, given the abilities that are supposed to open them up to using a variety of weapons.

I just can't shake the idea that since rapiers are crafted for this type of fighting it should be better with them.

And a riposte is an excellent idea. I'm thinking around level 17, busy now though, so I'll add it later.

DragoonWraith
2010-06-16, 03:47 PM
Mm, I know what you mean - my Dualist class originally focused on Rapiers, because that's how I would play the class. However, I think it is best to allow players to make their own choices about these things - I'd instead recommend just offering Weapon Focus feats in a one-handed weapon of the player's choice.

Actually, on that note, you might consider looking at my Dualist class, it has a fair number of similar ideas.

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 04:18 PM
Alright, I've added Riposte.

Still need something for level 19.

Amros Aldarion
2010-06-16, 05:29 PM
For levels 17 and 19, I would recommend some kind of blur effect. At higher levels, the attack ability of monsters and other high BAB characters becomes fairly ridiculous, to the point where AC is nice, but generally not insuperable. Therefore, I think that something that allows a % dodge ability would be cool - perhaps an ability granted only when wielding a finesse-able weapon and only when fighting defensively or taking a total defense action.

Alternatively, you could give the Swashbuckler precise strike at these levels, granting him increased damage. If that doesn't suit your fancy but higher damage does, then I recommend increasing the swashbuckler's critical range.

I might also recommend an ability based on the demi and the volt, which would react to charge attacks by dodging them entirely while still dealing multiplied damage.

Jallorn
2010-06-16, 05:35 PM
For levels 17 and 19, I would recommend some kind of blur effect. At higher levels, the attack ability of monsters and other high BAB characters becomes fairly ridiculous, to the point where AC is nice, but generally not insuperable. Therefore, I think that something that allows a % dodge ability would be cool - perhaps an ability granted only when wielding a finesse-able weapon and only when fighting defensively or taking a total defense action.

Alternatively, you could give the Swashbuckler precise strike at these levels, granting him increased damage. If that doesn't suit your fancy but higher damage does, then I recommend increasing the swashbuckler's critical range.

I might also recommend an ability based on the demi and the volt, which would react to charge attacks by dodging them entirely while still dealing multiplied damage.

We already have an ability that improves the Swashbuckler's defensive abilities. I do think an increase to crits would be good though. Not sure what you're talking about in that last paragraph though.

Amros Aldarion
2010-06-16, 11:55 PM
Having thought over what the parry ability does, I realized that this class is mostly defensive. Giants seem to be a problem for it, however (granted all you need is one enlarge person and you should be good to go).

As for that last paragraph, I was taking this armed combat class where we worked with rapier style, and there are two moves called the demi and the volt. The demi is a half turn (well, generally, a half-volt) and a volt is essentially pivoting, ducking, and thrusting in one go. A demivolt is halfway pivoting while doing this.

In D&D terms, this would give the wielder the same ability as a spear wielder when readying for a charge, multiplying the weapon's damage upon impact, only it would also allow the Swashbuckler, through fancy footwork, to avoid the oncoming attack while delivering the blow.