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Kumori
2010-09-21, 02:59 AM
I think I've got this finished now. As such I mostly seek advice on balancing, though other feedback is still greatly appreciated.

Please allow me to present the Blademaster:

Third Revision:

Requirements
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Any Sword), Power Attack or Combat Expertise
Base Attack: +5
Martial Maneuvers: Must know any 3 Martial Maneuvers or Stances

{table=head]Level|BAB|F|R|W|Special
1|+1|+2|+2|+0|Defensive Blade +1, Know Your Foe, Martial Advancement
2|+2|+3|+3|+0|Defensive Blade +2, Sharpened Edge
3|+3|+3|+3|+1|Fighter Feat, Follow Through
4|+4|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +3
5|+5|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +4
6|+6|+5|+5|+2|Fighter Feat, Flawless Form
7|+7|+5|+5|+2|Defensive Blade +5
8|+8|+6|+6|+2|Defensive Blade +6
9|+9|+6|+6|+3|Fighter Feat
10|+10|+7|+7|+3|Defensive Blade +7, Perfect Form[/table]

Class Features
Hit Dice: d8

Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Martial Lore, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble.

Skills per level: 4 + Int / level

MARTIAL ADVANCEMENT If, upon taking your first level of Blademaser, you have levels in another martial adept class, your martial progression within that class continues to advance with your Blademaster level as though you continued to gain levels in that class. You do not gain any other benefits of that class. If not, your martial progression is as follows:
At each odd level you learn an additional maneuver from any discipline in which you know a maneuver or stance. At every 3rd level, you may ready an additional maneuver. At 4th and 8th levels, you learn a stance from any discipline from in which you know a maneuver or stance. Your initiator level is equal to your Blademaster level plus half your level in other classes.

{table=head]Level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Ready|Stances Known
1|
1|
0|
0

2|
0|
0|
0

3|
1|
1|
0

4|
0|
0|
1

5|
1|
0|
0

6|
0|
1|
0

7|
1|
0|
0

8|
0|
0|
1

9|
1|
1|
0

10|
0|
0|
0[/table]


DEFENSIVE BLADE (Ex) When unarmored and using a sword in melee, you gain a shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies only against melee attacks and is lost any time you are denied your Dex modifier to AC.
The bonus is +1 at first level and increases as shown in the table, though it is reduced by one for each opponent who threatens your square in combat beyond the first (minimum +1).

KNOW YOUR FOE (Ex) You learn through battle how to better defeat your enemies. When you attack an opponent with a sword and miss, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus to attack rolls against that same opponent. This bonus can only increase by 1 each round and is limited by both your Blademaster class level and your Int bonus. This bonus is lost if you attack another target or if a round passes and you don't attack that opponent.

SHARPENED EDGE (Ex) When you use either Power Attack or Combat Expertise, if you are unarmored and unencumbered, you gain an extra bonus from that feat as though the penalty to your attack roll was higher. The extra bonus is equal to half your Blademaster class level (rounded down) or your weapons enhancement bonus, whichever is higher. You must be using a sword to gain this extra bonus. When using both feats, this bonus applies only to one or the other.

FIGHTER FEAT At every 3rd level, you gain a bonus feat from the fighters' bonus feat list. Your class levels as a Blademaster stack with your Fighter level (if any) to determine eligibility for fighter only feats.

FOLLOW THROUGH (Ex) When a Blademaster successfully lands a melee attack against an opponent, he creates an opening. Once each round, when you land an attack you may make an attack of opportunity against the same target. Through this ability, you may only make one extra attack each round, even with Combat Reflexes.

FLAWLESS FORM (Ex) A Blademaster's skill with the sword allows him to more greatly injure his opponents. When using a sword, a Blademaster's critical hit multiplier increases by one.

PERFECT FORM (Ex) A 10th level Blademaster has perfected his skills with a sword. His strikes find their targets more easily and land more heavily than those of others. When using a sword, a Blademaster deals damage as though the sword were one size category larger. Additionally, once every 1d4 rounds, when using the attack or full attack action, or when activating a maneuver, a Blademaster may choose to make a single attack as a melee touch attack instead of a regular melee attack.

Kumori
2010-09-21, 04:46 AM
Version History:Second Revision
Requirements
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Any Sword), Power Attack or Combat Expertise
Base Attack: +5
Martial Maneuvers: Must know any 3 Martial Maneuvers or Stances

{table=head]Level|BAB|F|R|W|Special
1|+1|+2|+2|+0|Defensive Blade +1, Know Your Foe, Martial Advancement
2|+2|+3|+3|+0|Defensive Blade +2, Sharpened Edge, Bladecraft
3|+3|+3|+3|+1|Fighter Feat, Follow Through
4|+4|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +3
5|+5|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +4
6|+6|+5|+5|+2|Fighter Feat
7|+7|+5|+5|+2|Defensive Blade +5
8|+8|+6|+6|+2|Defensive Blade +6
9|+9|+6|+6|+3|Fighter Feat
10|+10|+7|+7|+3|Defensive Blade +7, Master of the Blade[/table]

Class Features
Hit Dice: d8

Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Martial Lore, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble.

Skills per level: 4 + Int / level

MARTIAL ADVANCEMENT At each odd level, you learn an additional maneuver from any discipline from which you knew a maneuver or stance previously. At every 3rd level, you may ready an additional maneuver. At 4th and 8th levels, you learn an additional stance from any discipline from which you knew a maneuver or stance previously.
You add your full Blademaster levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest level maneuvers known.

{table=head]Level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Ready|Stances Known
1|
1|
0|
0

2|
0|
0|
0

3|
1|
1|
0

4|
0|
0|
1

5|
1|
0|
0

6|
0|
1|
0

7|
1|
0|
0

8|
0|
0|
1

9|
1|
1|
0

10|
0|
0|
0[/table]


DEFENSIVE BLADE (Ex) When unarmored and using a sword in melee, you gain a shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies only against melee attacks and is lost any time you are denied your Dex modifier to AC.
The bonus is +1 at first level and increases as shown in the table, though it is reduced by one for each opponent who threatens your square in combat beyond the first (minimum +1).

KNOW YOUR FOE (Ex) You learn through battle how to better defeat your enemies. When you attack an opponent with a sword and miss, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus to attack rolls against that same opponent. This bonus can only increase by 1 each round and is limited by both your Blademaster level and your Int bonus. This bonus is lost if you attack another target or if a round passes and you don't attack that opponent.

SHARPENED EDGE (Ex) When you use either Power Attack or Combat Expertise, if you are unarmored and unencumbered, you gain an extra bonus from that feat as though the penalty to your attack roll was higher. The extra bonus is equal to half your class level (rounded down) or your weapons enhancement bonus, whichever is higher. You must be using a sword to gain this extra bonus. When using both feats, this bonus applies only to one or the other.

BLADECRAFT (Ex) A Blademaster gains a bonus equal to his class level to all sword related craft checks.

FIGHTER FEAT At every 3rd level, you gain a bonus feat from the fighters' bonus feat list. Your class levels as a Blademaster stack with your Fighter level (if any) to determine eligibility for fighter only feats.

FOLLOW THROUGH (Ex) When a Blademaster successfully lands a melee attack against an opponent, he creates an opening. Once each round, when you land an attack you may make an attack of opportunity against the same target. Through this ability, you may only make one extra attack each round, even with Combat Reflexes.

MASTER OF THE BLADE (Ex) A Blademaster of 10th level gains such a true understanding of what a sword is that he can create a true masterpiece. Each sword created by a blademaster is given a unique name when created, often named after the creator himself, but in any case has the following attributes:

{table=head]|
Cost|
Dmg (S)|
Dmg (M)|
Critical|
Range|
Weight|
Type|
Related Weapon1
Light Weapon|
600gp2|
1d6|
1d8|
18-20/x3|
-|
2 lb.|
Slashing|
Short Sword
One-Handed Weapon|
900gp2|
1d8|
1d10|
18-20/x3|
-|
4 lb.|
Slashing|
Longsword
Two-Handed Weapon|
1500gp2|
2d6|
2d8|
18-20/x3|
-|
8 lb.|
Slashing|
Greatsword
Double Weapon|
1500gp2|
1d8/1d8|
1d10/1d10|
18-20/x3|
-|
10 lb.|
Slashing|
Two-Bladed Sword

{colsp=9}1If used by someone other than a tenth level Blademaster, treat each weapon as though it is it's related weapon of masterwork quality in all respects.
{colsp=9}2These weapons, if sold, sell as though they were their related weapons. Only a Blademaster can recognize them as exceptional, and no Blademaster would sell one for such a low price as the related weapon.[/table]

These weapons may be created using the basic Craft skill rules, except that only a 10th level blademaster can make them. The craft DC is 30. The creator need not worry about the masterwork component, as that is subsumed by the higher DC of the base item.
Each sword created by a blademaster is of such high quality that only a blademaster can make any extra modifications to it. Were anyone else to try, the item would degrade to being it's related weapon. Masterwork and magic qualities would remain, but the item would no longer be a special blademaster item. This means that to enchant it, a blademaster must do it himself. Only a rare few blademasters multiclass as spell casters enough to do this.
A blademaster can, however, continue to refine his blade through the craft skill, emulating a limited number of possible magic effects. The following effects can be added to any of the above swords:
- Enhancement bonus, up to +5 (must be at least +1 to have any other effects)
- Defending
- Keen
- Mighty Cleaving
- Throwing
- Vicious
- Disruption
- Wounding
- Speed
- Brilliant Energy

To add these effects, follow the basic craft rules. The DC is 30 + 2 times the enhancement bonus of the final product. To find the price compare the weapons cost before adding these effects to the equivalent magic item cost of the final product.
If a weapon is enhanced in this way and is magical, the combined weapon bonus cannot exceed 10, the weapon's combined enhancement bonus does not stack beyond 5, and other similar effects do not stack. At your DMs option, other effects may be allowed to be added to the weapon.First Revision[b]Requirements
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Any Sword), Power Attack or Combat Expertise
Base Attack: +5
Martial Maneuvers: Must know any 3 Martial Maneuvers or Stances

{table=head]Level|BAB|F|R|W|Special
1|+1|+2|+2|+0|Defensive Blade +1, Know Your Foe, Martial Advancement
2|+2|+3|+3|+0|Defensive Blade +2, Sharpened Edge
3|+3|+3|+3|+1|Fighter Feat, Follow Through
4|+4|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +3
5|+5|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +4
6|+6|+5|+5|+2|Fighter Feat
7|+7|+5|+5|+2|Defensive Blade +5
8|+8|+6|+6|+2|Defensive Blade +6
9|+9|+6|+6|+3|Fighter Feat
10|+10|+7|+7|+3|Defensive Blade +7[/table]

Class Features
Hit Dice: d8

Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Martial Lore, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble.

Skills per level: 4 + Int / level

MARTIAL ADVANCEMENT At each odd level, you learn an additional maneuver from any discipline from which you knew a maneuver or stance previously. At every 3rd level, you may ready an additional maneuver. At 4th and 8th levels, you learn an additional stance from any discipline from which you knew a maneuver or stance previously.
You add your full Blademaster levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest level maneuvers known.

{table=head]Level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Ready|Stances Known
1|
1|
0|
0

2|
0|
0|
0

3|
1|
1|
0

4|
0|
0|
1

5|
1|
0|
0

6|
0|
1|
0

7|
1|
0|
0

8|
0|
0|
1

9|
1|
1|
0

10|
0|
0|
0[/table]


DEFENSIVE BLADE (Ex) When unarmored and using a sword in melee, you gain a shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies only against melee attacks and is lost any time you are denied your Dex modifier to AC.
The bonus is +1 at first level and increases as shown in the table, though it is reduced by one for each opponent who threatens your square in combat beyond the first (minimum +1).

KNOW YOUR FOE (Ex) You learn through battle how to better defeat your enemies. When you attack an opponent with a sword and miss, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus to attack rolls against that same opponent. This bonus can only increase by 1 each round and is limited by both your Blademaster level and your Int bonus. This bonus is lost if you attack another target or if a round passes and you don't attack that opponent.

SHARPENED EDGE (Ex) When you use either Power Attack or Combat Expertise, if you are unarmored and unencumbered, you gain an extra bonus from that feat as though the penalty to your attack roll was higher. The extra bonus is equal to half your class level (rounded down) or your weapons enhancement bonus, whichever is higher. You must be using a sword to gain this extra bonus. When using both feats, this bonus applies only to one or the other.

FIGHTER FEAT At every 3rd level, you gain a bonus feat from the fighters' bonus feat list. Your class levels as a Blademaster stack with your Fighter level (if any) to determine eligibility for fighter only feats.

FOLLOW THROUGH (Ex) When a Blademaster successfully lands a melee attack against an opponent, he creates an opening. Once each round, when you land an attack you may make an attack of opportunity against the same target. Through this ability, you may only make one extra attack each round, even with Combat Reflexes.OriginalRequirements
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Any Sword), Power Attack or Combat Expertise
Base Attack: +6

{table=head]Level|BAB|F|R|W|Special
1|+1|+2|+2|+0|Defensive Blade +1, Sharpened Edge
2|+2|+3|+3|+0|Know Your Foe
3|+3|+3|+3|+1|Defensive Blade +2
4|+4|+4|+4|+1|Fighter Feat
5|+5|+4|+4|+1|Defensive Blade +3
6|+6|+5|+5|+2|Follow Through
7|+7|+5|+5|+2|Defensive Blade +4
8|+8|+6|+6|+2|Fighter Feat
9|+9|+6|+6|+3|Defensive Blade +5
10|+10|+7|+7|+3|[/table]

Class Features
Hit Dice: d8

Class Skills: Balance, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble.

Skills per level: 4 + Int / level

DEFENSIVE BLADE (Ex) When unarmored and using a sword in melee, you gain a shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies only against melee attacks and is lost any time you are denied your Dex modifier to AC.
The bonus is +1 at first level and increases every second level thereafter, though it is reduced by one for each opponent who threatens your square in combat beyond the first (minimum +1).

SHARPENED EDGE (Ex) When you use either Power Attack or Combat Expertise, if you are unarmored and unencumbered, you gain an extra bonus from that feat as though the penalty to your attack roll was one higher. You must be using a sword to gain this extra bonus. When using both feats, this bonus applies only to one or the other.

KNOW YOUR FOE (Ex) Starting at second level, you learn through battle how to better defeat your enemies. When you attack an opponent with a sword and miss, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus to attack rolls against that same opponent. This bonus can only increase by 1 each round and is limited by both your Blademaster level and your Int bonus. This bonus is lost if you attack another target or if a round passes and you don't attack that opponent.

FIGHTER FEAT At 4th and 8th level, you gain a bonus feat from the fighters' bonus feat list. Your class levels as a Blademaster stack with your Fighter level (if any) to determine eligibility for fighter only feats.

FOLLOW THROUGH (Ex) When a Blademaster successfully lands a melee attack against an opponent, he creates an opening. Once each round, when you land an attack you may make an attack of opportunity against the same target. Through this ability, you may only make one extra attack each round, even with Combat Reflexes.


Base Class:
- Start with the Fighter
- Lose the first 2 feats, armor prof, shield prof
- Reduce HD to d8
- Add Monk AC bonus (Int based) and Fast Movement
- Increase Skills to 4/level
- Add to class skills: Balance, Concentration, Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble

Character:
I am playing the party's primary melee character. Decent AC and damage, with a good to-hit, and one level of Crusader allow me to tank well and dish out a fair amount of damage. I'd like to see that I maintain this role.

Mongoose87
2010-09-21, 09:22 AM
Way too weak. I'm not sure any of the abilities are really worth even giving up Fighter feats for, and, on top of that, a dead level at 10.

Cidolfas
2010-09-21, 11:17 AM
Basically in agreement with Mongoose, my first thought was a dip for sharpened edge, but given that it only functions as an attack roll of one higher the benefit is minimalized.

My other concern would be the fighter variant in post #2. The first two bonus feats are really the only things that make fighter worth taking for a couple levels, and replacing that with what is basically the first level of monk but without the flurry of blows seems to be a major let-down (and this is the monk we're talking here, not a particularly powerful class as it is). Especially since losing the two bonus feats doesn't give you an optimal level to enter the prestige class.

Back to the matter at hand, you could basically shrink this whole prestige class into one or two levels, especially since prestige classes can be based off your character level to enhance their usefulness even in the lower levels. That's not what I'm suggesting you use here, but the precedent has been set before. My point is that you don't really have enough to make it a full PrC yet.

My 1-level version of this, with potential for scaling:

Defensive Blade: When wielding a sword, you gain a shield bonus to Armor Class equal to its enhancement bonus or your class level, whichever is higher.

Sharpened Edge: When you use Combat Expertise or Power Attack, you may add Armor Class or damage as if your attack roll was +1 higher than it actually was. Increase this bonus by an additional +1 at every odd-numbered class level.

Know Your Foe is actually pretty good mechanically, but from a practical perspective I would hope that a character would be hitting most of the time anyway, thus rendering it not an issue.

Some food for thought. Hope it helps.

Kumori
2010-09-21, 07:33 PM
First revision complete:
- Improved Defensive Blade. I felt adjusting it to being equal to your class level was too much, so it's 2/3 instead.
- Improved Sharpened Edge. Again, I felt equal to class level was too much, so I went with half.
- Adjusted when abilities are learned, granting the abilities earlier.
- Made bonus feats more frequent
- Added Martial Progression

I'm still wanting a good ability for 10th level. It wasn't a dead level in the first version for any reason other than that I couldn't think of anything to put there. Suggestions for that are welcome.

Thank-you to Cidolfas for the input and Mongoose87 for the feedback.

Mongoose87
2010-09-21, 07:43 PM
Martial progression makes it much better. Don't forget to mention that it stack for initiator level. Consider adding a maneuvers know/readied and stances known table.

Kumori
2010-09-21, 10:01 PM
Table added, and stacking mentioned. Also added Martial Lore to skill list.

Kumori
2010-09-22, 02:01 AM
One hundred forty four views, and input only from 2 people? Hardly more than a single percent have anything to say...

Any suggestions for more swordsman-type abilities?
Anything to add to the current ones?
Any kind of feedback at all?
Any... well, anything?

Kumori
2010-09-24, 03:52 AM
Just had a thought for a level 10 class feature for this class:

MASTER OF THE BLADE (Ex) Whenever a Blademaster successfully lands a critical hit while using a sword, the critical multiplier is applied to all non-magical damage bonuses (if any) and to the sword's enhancement bonus (if any) in addition to the weapons base damage and the Blademaster's strength modifier, such as bonuses to damage from weapon specialization and power attack. This bonus does not apply to precision damage, such as from sneak attack, or to elemental damage, such as from a flaming weapon.

That might be too good though... I donno...
Opinions?

Edit: Apparently I don't know the rules...

Cidolfas
2010-09-24, 10:44 AM
I actually didn't even though that those things were not normally applied to a critical hit, so that sort of threw me for a loop. But as far as power as concerned, I don't really think it's that big a deal given that you still have to roll confirmation and you still don't multiply SA or skirmish or basically anything else that adds d6's in larger numbers.

Kumori
2010-09-24, 12:17 PM
Let's do the math and see how much it can add, assuming a x2 multiplier and nothing epic:
+5 enhancement bonus
+6 feats (weapon spec, greater spec, melee weapon mastery)
+20 power attack (5 points plus Sharpened Edge, doubled for 2-hands)


That's 31 extra damage on every crit, and I'm sure there's more. By ECL 15 that isn't all that much, so I guess it's not as good as I feared.

Pechvarry
2010-09-24, 12:43 PM
That sounds an awful lot like how crits are supposed to work. Typically, ALL static numbers (as well as base weapon damage) are multiplied. If your DM doesn't play that way, then maybe it's not too bad of an idea. But simply upping the crit multiplier might be easier.

Kumori
2010-09-24, 01:13 PM
That sounds an awful lot like how crits are supposed to work. Typically, ALL static numbers (as well as base weapon damage) are multiplied. If your DM doesn't play that way, then maybe it's not too bad of an idea. But simply upping the crit multiplier might be easier.

:smalleek: I am fail....

I have been playing this game for years. I know the PHB and DMG almost verbatim. Somehow, I have always had that wrong.

I've even convinced others that they were wrong about this rule.... Thank you, Pechvarry, for pointing this out to me. I feel silly now... :smallfrown:

Increasing the crit multiplier might be easier, but it feels a little to simple... I'll use that if I can't come up with anything else.

Kumori
2010-09-25, 03:56 AM
Finished my new lv10 ability. Added a smaller one at lv2 to grant a bonus to crafting swords. I think that just about finishes the class!