Lix Lorn
2013-09-14, 07:37 PM
Emblem Myrmidon
‘So as I pray: Unlimited Blade Works.’ – A powerful Swordmaster known as Archer.
Background: A Myrmidon is a warrior who relies on speed and wits above all else. Wielding a blade, he cuts with speed and skill, tearing foes apart.
Races: Elves are common on the path of the Myrmidon, as are Kobolds. Combative fey are also common adherents, while orcs and dwarves tend to scoff at the idea.
Other Classes: Myrmidons are well paired with Fighters and Barbarians, who can defend them from enemy attack. They often have a rivalry with the Mercenary class, who approach the use of the sword in a very different way to their own.
Role: A Myrmidon, while not particularly tough, is a frontline combatant, relying on wits and skill to slay his foes.
Myrmidons in the World: Myrmidons are one of the most common classes to find on the path of the adventurer, their often-self-obsessed natures finding it difficult for them to accept authority. Those few that do are excellent soldiers.
Inspiration: Fire Emblem.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
All Emblem classes have the same starting gold and age – their ranks vary wildly.
Class Skills-The Myrmidon’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
The Myrmidon and the Swordmaster
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0 Master of Evasion, Blade Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0 Blade Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1 Blade Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1 Blade Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1 Blade Talent
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+2 Blade Talent
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+2 Vantage, Blade Talent
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+2 Blade Talent
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+3 Blade Talent
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+3 Blade Talent
P1st
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+3Astra, Greater Blade Talent
2nd
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+4 Greater Blade Talent
3rd
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+4 Greater Blade Talent
4th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+4 Greater Blade Talent
5th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+5 Greater Blade Talent
6th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+5 Greater Blade Talent
7th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5 Greater Blade Talent
8th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6 Greater Blade Talent
9th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6 Greater Blade Talent
10th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6 Greater Blade Talent, Swordfaire
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Myrmidon is proficient with all swords and with light armour.
Master of Evasion: A Myrmidon can dodge with consummate ease. He possesses the Evasion ability, exactly as a rogue. It also grants them a dodge bonus to AC equal to 1+1 per five effective character levels, and the Mobility feat, regardless of whether they meet the prerequisites. (This ability also counts as the Dodge feat for the purposes of prerequisites.)
Blade Talents: At each level, a Myrmidon chooses a Talent from the following list.
Blade Artist: A Proud Warrior with this ability is beautiful-or terrifying to watch in action. Whenever they fight, they may make a Perform (Dance) check. Any character that watches them fight must make a will save with DC as follows, or have their attitude increased by one step. At the Warrior’s option, this may be due to intimidation or admiration.
Perform Result
DC
1-10
9+1/2 Class Level
11-15
11+1/2 Class Level
16-20
12+1/2 Class Level
21-30
13+1/2 Class Level
31-40
14+1/2 Class Level
Each +10 range
+1
This may only ever improve the attitude of any given character by one stage. As a note, enemies affected by this ability do not stop fighting, although they may be more easily persuaded-whether through fear or adoration-to stop fighting.
In addition, they gain a +2 competence bonus on Perform (Dance) checks.
Alternate versions of this ability could exist for other perform checks-a condescending speech delivered as one carves a contingent of troops to shreds holds a lot of power. Alternatively, Intimidate could be substituted.
Blade Expertise Requires: Character level 5, DM Adjudication
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than two. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to five talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels.
Coiled Blade Approach Requires: Blade Expertise
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than three. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Secrets Requires: Blade Expertise, Character level 9
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than four. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making nine.
Blade Guardian
You receive the Combat Reflexes feat, and may add one plus the highest Enhancement bonus amongst weapons you wield to your AC as a shield bonus.
Protective Vigilance Requires: Blade Guardian
You grant a shield bonus equal to your own to adjacent allies.
Blade of Shadows
You gain Sneak Attack 1d6, exactly as the rogue ability.
Assassin’s Strike Requires: BAB +10, Blade of Shadows
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 2d6 damage.
Blade Tempest
You may wield a second one-handed or light weapon in your off-hand, suffering a -2 penalty to all attacks made with it. If you do, you may make one additional attack in a full attack, albeit with a -2 penalty. This counts as the Two Weapon Fighting feat for the purposes of prerequisites, and replaces the normal rules of Two Weapon Fighting for a character who has it.
Bloodletting
You gain the Cleave and Greater Cleave feats.
Dancing On The Sky
Your agility surpasses all others. You gain a competence bonus to all movement speeds, as well as to Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks, equal to 10, plus 10 more for each seven effective character levels you possess.
Ability stolen from Jiriku’s monk fix.
Distant Step
As a move action, you may teleport to a spot within 10ft and line of sight. At ECL 6, you no longer require line of sight.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex Mod rounds, minimum two.
Dramatic Entrance
A character with this skill is immune to broken glass, as well as any other nonmagical hazard caused by entering a scene in a way that is more dangerous, but more awesome than the alternatives.
Shimmer Step Requires: Distant Step, ECL 5
Distant Step’s range is increased to 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels.
Expert Strike
Attacks you make add two to their final critical threat range, after all other effects.
I Got Perfection Requires: Expert Strike
Critical threats you achieve are automatically confirmed.
Some people houserule critical threats away - if so, remove this talent.
Fast Talking: Proud Warriors are renowned for being able to lie their way out of everything. With this ability, a Proud Warrior may attempt to feint in combat as a swift action.
They also gain a +2 competence bonus to bluff and diplomacy checks.
Find the Gap
As an attack action, the character makes a strike aimed for the chinks in the foe’s armour. If they hit, they ignore points of Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Resist, or other damage-reducing effects equal to twice their dexterity modifier, as well as dealing lethal damage regardless of regeneration.
After using this ability, the character may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Furious Flurry (Ex)
With lightning speed, you strike repeatedly. This talent allows you to make one additional attack in a full attack. After making a flurry, you may not use another one for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Gale’s Vanguard (Ex)
When a Myrmidon makes a charge attack, they do not need to move directly towards the target. They may move in any straight line that brings them within range of the foe at some point. This charge never provokes attacks of opportunity from the target. When using this ability, they may only move their normal speed, rather than doubling it. Like Spring Attack, you make your attack from any point in this move. This ability counts as Spring Attack, Shot on the Run, and Flyby Attack for purposes of prerequisites.
Impossible Balance (Ex)
You can stand on water and other liquids as if dry land.
Spidercat’s Grace Requires: Impossible Balance
You can stand on walls and ceilings without penalty.
Instant Dash
Sometimes, you need to move now. By using this ability, you gain an additional move action. On your next turn, you may not take any actions, as if dazed. This applies even if immune to dazing. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Instant Strike Requires: Instant Dash
When you use your Instant Dash ability, you gain an additional standard action instead.
Legion of One
As a full round action, you may move with such colossal speed that you appear to be in several places at once. You may make a move action, followed by a standard attack action, and repeat this action twice, for three targets. No single target may be attacked by this ability more than once.
After using this ability, you must wait for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two, before using it again.
Inspired by the Demented One’s discipline, Army of One.
Lightning Strike (Ex)
You gain the Skirmish ability, dealing 1d6 damage and gaining +1 AC, exactly like a Scout.
Bolt From The Blue (Ex) Requires: BAB +10, Lightning Strike
Your Skirmish ability increases to 2d6 damage and +2 AC.
Not Even There (Ex) Requires: Reflex save +11
You gain the Improved Evasion ability, as a rogue.
Perfected Weapon
As a ritual, taking one hour, you may bind a weapon to yourself. It gains a weapon enhancement bonus equal to a fifth of your class level, which may be any legal combination of weapon abilities and enhancement bonus, and cannot be changed. Abilities stack with actual abilities, and you use the higher enhancement bonus. This ability may not increase an enhancement bonus beyond five, or the total bonus beyond ten.
Applying this ritual to a new weapon removes the benefits on the old one, unless you could wield all enhanced weapons simultaneously.
Pinpoint Strikes
When making attack rolls with weapons you are proficient with, you may use your dexterity modifier rather than your strength modifier.
A Thousand Cuts Requires: Pinpoint Strikes
On each attack, you deal bonus damage equal to your dexterity modifier. This damage is precision damage.
Quip
With this talent, you can make a witty comment as they strike their foes, allowing their force of personality to enhance their blow. The first time in a round they strike a foe, they may make a Perform (Comedy) roll, opposed by any of the enemy's perform talents. If they succeed, they replace their strength modifier with their charisma modifier for damage rolls until the beginning of their next round. If they fail, they consider their charisma modifier to be one lower for the purposes of Quip until the end of the encounter.
If your players are cool enough, consider letting them actually make quips, and giving bonuses for good ones. Also, allow them to swap out perform talents, as long as they can justify it.
Rising Tide (Ex)
You strike repeatedly, each attack striking with greater force.
As a free action, you may make each attack you make until your next turn deal bonus damage equal to the number of attacks you have made since the beginning of your turn. After using Rising Tide, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
This includes attacks of opportunity, bonus full attacks, etcetera. It resets when a full round of actions have passed.
Spiral Strike (Ex)
You gain the Whirlwind attack feat, except that using it uses up only the attacks you gain from your BAB. Other attacks you could make in a full attack are made as normal. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Sword Artist (Su)
A character with this talent moves like they are in a dance, truly magnificent to see. He can fascinate one character, plus one character for each third effective character level he possesses, with a single performance. This may be as part of a combat (although he may not fascinate those he fights), and has a DC equal to the result of the highest attack roll he makes that round - make an attack roll if he uses the ability without being in combat. They remain fascinated for as long as the character continues to ‘perform’, but the effect is broken if hostile action is taken towards them. If they pass their save, they are immune for 24 hours. After ceasing this ability, you may not do so again for 20-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
This is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability.
Beautiful Blade (Ex) Requires: Sword Artist OR Blade Artist
They may make an Intimidate or a Diplomacy check as part of a round containing at least one attack, attempting to influence anyone they have not attacked in that fight. They may use their highest attack roll that round instead of a skill check. A character can only be influenced once in a 24 hour period by a character’s use of this ability.
This is a mind-affecting ability.
Dashing Blade (Su) Requires: Sword Artist OR Blade Artist
Once a day, as part of using Sword Artist or Blade Artist, you may target one affected member with a Charm Person effect. At ECL 6 or higher, this upgrades to a Charm Monster effect. The save DC is based on your Dexterity modifier.
Uncanny Reflexes
You gain the Uncanny Dodge ability, as a rogue.
Perfect Paranoia Requires: Uncanny Reflexes, BAB+8
You gain Improved Uncanny Dodge, using your character level as your rogue level.
Unrivalled Agility
Focussing on your speed, you gain a +2 competence bonus to your dexterity score.
Void Sheath
As a full round action, you may banish a weapon you own to an inaccessible extradimensional plane named Elsewhere. It is safe from all known effects there - only an ability that specifically references this ability or the name Elsewhere can interact with it.
You may recover the weapon as easily as drawing a weapon. Quick Draw applies.
You may not banish more weapons in this way than your dexterity modifier.
Most weapons can remain stored indefinitely, although they are freed by your death, but powerful artifacts are rarely content to be quiescent for long periods of time - and doing so with an artifact of enough importance is likely to cause a sudden increase in people trying to kill you.
This is intended to stop people simply using it as a safe deposit box for mcguffins. Magic wants to be free, and items want to be used.
Wind Blade (Su)
As a standard action, you can strike a foe at a distance with your blade. This has a range of 25ft, +5ft per point of Dexterity modifier. It is in all ways except range treated as a normal melee attack.
In addition, you can make a full attack at range this way. If you do, you may not do so again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Vantage: When a foe attacks you, you may make a full attack as an immediate action, targeting only them. If they survive, they then make their attacks as normal. After using Vantage, you may not use it again for 15-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
The Swordmaster
For a Myrmidon, the Swordmaster is merely the continuation of their base class. They continue taking levels exactly as if levels 1-10 of Swordmaster were levels 11-20 of Myrmidon, including having a single class level between the two.
Other classes may take Swordmaster levels as a prestige class, beginning with P1st, if they meet the following requirements.
Swordmaster Prerequisites
BAB: +10
Base Reflex Save: +7
Proficiency: Swords.
The Swordmaster has the same class chassis as the Myrmidon, bad fort and will saves, good BaB and reflex saves, and 4 skill points per level.
Astra: A Swordmaster has the ability to strike half a dozen times in the blink of an eye. When you use this ability, you may make a number of bonus attacks this round whenever you take an action containing at least one attack (such as a charge, spring attack, full attack, or a standard attack) equal to a fifth of your character level. All these attacks are made at your full BAB, but with a -2 penalty. After using Astra, you may not use it again for 15-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Greater Blade Talent: At each level, a Swordmaster chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Myrmidon list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Army of One Requires: Legion of One
When using Legion of One, your standard actions are instead full attacks. No foe can be struck by attacks from more than one full attack. Finally, reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Inspired by the Demented One’s discipline of the same name.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 13
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Blade Avatar Requires: Blade Mastery, Perfect Blade Aegis, Character level 19
You may choose a single martial maneuver or stance you qualify for. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Chain Lightning (Ex) Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Deep Cuts Requires: A Thousand Cuts
Weapons you wield are treated as if they had the Wounding property.
Enraptured Audience Requires: Beautiful Blade
A number of times per day equal to your dexterity modifier, you may attempt to cause a Suggestion effect in a fascinated subject. They are entitled to a saving throw as normal.
At ECL 17, this upgrades to Mass Suggestion.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Grand Flurry Requires: Furious Flurry
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Chaos Blade Requires: Grand Flurry
You may use a full round action to make a number of attacks equal to the number you would be entitled to in a full attack. Each one uses your full base attack bonus, with a -2 penalty, rather than suffering iterative attack penalties. They do suffer other penalties, such as TWF penalties, as normal.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Hero’s Blade Requires: Dashing Blade
You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Dexterity modifier.
Hero’s Command Requires: Hero’s Blade
By using two uses of Hero’s Blade, you may cause a Dominate person effect instead. At ECL 17, you may instead cause a Dominate Monster effect.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
As a side benefit, the character gains the Pounce ability.
This talent is compatible with Spiral Strike, although the whirlwind attack is made from a single square during the movement.
Moving Circles Requires: Blade Tempest
You may make as many attacks with your off-hand as you do with your primary hand from a high base attack bonus, and at the same bonuses, except that attacks made with your off-hand have a -2 penalty. This counts as the Greater and Improved Two Weapon Fighting feats for the purposes of prerequisites.
Opportunity Knocks Requires: Blade Guardian
Whenever an ally successfully strikes a foe within range, that foe provokes an Attack of Opportunity.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Laughing at Gravity Requires: Striding on the Sky
You no longer need to end and begin a round on the ground - you may walk in three dimensions at will.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Tornado Slash Requires: Spiral Strike
Your Spiral Strike ability can be used as a standard action, although if you do so, you only make the whirlwind attack, and not any bonus attacks or benefits from making a full attack. In addition, lower that ability’s cooldown by two, minimum one.
A Standard action Spiral Strike is compatible with Gale’s Vanguard.
Blade Waltz Requires: Tornado Slash, Shimmer Step
As a full round action, you may vanish in a whirl of blades, blood, and pain, unleashing a hail of blows on nearby foes.
Make a single melee attack, at your full BAB, against every foe within 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels. This is a teleportation effect.
As a side benefit, you gain 50% miss chance for one round, due to the difficulty of pinpointing your location.
Trail of Death Requires: Bloodletting
By declaring the use of this ability, whenever you use your cleave ability that round, you may immediately move your speed before making your free attack. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Tsunami Strikes Requires: Rising Tide
When using Rising Tide, each attack in a full attack after the second adds the previous two bonus damages together. This results in a series of five attacks dealing 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 bonus damage. Finally, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum one.
Note that this upgrade improves full attacks. Attacks made outside of full attacks do bonus damage only equal to their number in the chain.
Obviously, if you make more than one full attack, the base numbers that are added together will be higher.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes and precision damage are effective even against foes normally immune to them, although the bonus damage is halved.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage, and A Thousand Cuts provides only half of your Dexterity in bonus damage.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After this ability triggers, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Unlimited Blade Works Requires: Perfected Weapon, Void Sheath
You may spend a full round action concentrating your inner talents, before massively increasing the potency of weapons you wield, even generating new ones at will. Weapons you wield increase their enhancement bonus by a quarter of your character level, which may be as Enhancement bonus or via weapon abilities. The total bonus may not surpass 10, unless you have an effective character level higher than twenty. This ability stacks with Perfected Blade, and lasts for a number of rounds equal to your dexterity modifier, and cannot be reactivated until 20-Dex mod rounds after it ends.
In addition, as a passive benefit, you may create as many swords or bladed weapons that you could wield at once as a swift action. These copies are inferior to properly crafted weapons, and break after Dex mod rounds of not being actively used. They are masterwork, and can be crafted of any material your character can work, but otherwise mundane.
You also gain the Craft Arms and Armor feat as a bonus feat, and use your Character Level as your caster level as long as you craft swords or sword related items.
Gates of Babylon Requires: Unlimited Blade Works
Remove the limitation on how many weapons you may store with Void Sheath.
In addition, you may unleash a cascade of blades from your extradimensional storage. This cascade has a range of 10ft+5ft/effective character level, and deals 1d6 damage per two effective character levels. It allows a reflex save for half damage. After using this ability, you may not reactivate it for 20-Dex mod rounds.
This talent and the one before blatantly inspired by Fate Stay Night.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike, BAB +15
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
World Stride Requires: Shimmer Step
You may use Distant Step to move as far as ten miles per effective character level. You may even take allies with you, but you divide your maximum distance per step by the number of characters of your size that you take. You must either know your destination well, or else move ‘that way’ in a straight line.
Eternal Step Requires: World Stride, ECL 14
You may use Distant Step to mimic Plane Shift, although you have no control over where on the plane you appear.
Swordfaire (Ex): A Swordmaster is the greatest wielder of swords among all warriors, wielding it with perfect skill. At tenth level, they increase the damage of attacks with sword of all types as if the weapon had increased by one size.
Emblem Assassin
‘And so it ends.’
Background: An Assassin, despite the name, does not always mean a hooded, dark figure who kills in the night. Rather, it can refer to anyone who uses stealth, subtlety, and vicious, sudden attacks.
Of course, those who kill in the night are well versed in these skills.
Races: Assassins are commonly wielded by evil races, and are very common amongst the drow.
Other Classes: Assassins are often distrusted. Generally, to prove their loyalty, they need to achieve heroism that other classes would rarely need to.
Role: An Assassin is a melee character, more like a Myrmidon or a Swordmaster than a Thief. They retain much of their ability in the Thief’s ways, but their advancement focuses on killing.
Assassins in the World: Assassins, as well as the obvious, titular profession, make good bodyguards and elite warriors, capable of tearing through even armoured opponents like wet tissue paper.
Prerequisites
Skills: Hide 13 ranks
BAB: +7
Special: Sneak Attack +2d6
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills-The Assassin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 6+ Int Modifier
Assassin
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0 Pass, Knife Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0 Knife Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1Knife Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1 Knife Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1Knife Talent
6th
+6
+2
+5
+2 Knife Talent
7th
+7
+2
+5
+2Knife Talent
8th
+8
+2
+6
+2 Knife Talent
9th
+9
+3
+6
+3Knife Talent
10th
+10
+3
+7
+3Lethality, Knife Talent
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Assassin gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies.
Pass (Ex): An Assassin can maneuver past and through foes with ease. They may move past and through foes without provoking an attack of opportunity. The only exception is if they begin the turn within a foe’s threat range, in which case they provoke an AoO when they leave.
Knife Talent At each level, an Assassin chooses a Talent from the following list*. They may instead choose a talent from the Thief list*, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
*As the Thief class doesn’t exist yet, this class is looking a little sorry. Apologies for that.
Army of One Requires: Legion of One
When using Legion of One, your standard actions are instead full attacks. No foe can be struck by attacks from more than one full attack. Finally, reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Inspired by the Demented One’s discipline of the same name.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 14
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Chain Lightning (Ex): Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Deep Cuts Requires: A Thousand Cuts
Weapons you wield are treated as if they had the Wounding property.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Face to Face Requires: Defensive Shot
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for using ranged weapons while in a threatened square.
Flawless Aim Requires: Perfect Aim, BAB +15
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to three dice.
Grand Flurry Requires: Furious Flurry
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Chaos Blade Requires: Grand Flurry
You may use a full round action to make a number of attacks equal to the number you would be entitled to in a full attack. Each one uses your full base attack bonus, with a -2 penalty, rather than suffering iterative attack penalties. They do suffer other penalties, such as TWF penalties, as normal.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
As a side benefit, the character gains the Pounce ability.
This talent is compatible with Spiral Strike, although the whirlwind attack is made from a single square during the movement.
Moving Circles Requires: Blade Tempest
You may make as many attacks with your off-hand as you do with your primary hand from a high base attack bonus, and at the same bonuses, except that attacks made with your off-hand have a -2 penalty.
Opportunity Knocks Requires: Blade Guardian
Whenever an ally successfully strikes a foe within range, that foe provokes an Attack of Opportunity.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Shadow Step Requires: Shimmer Step
You double the range of your Distant Step if you travel from and to an area of deep shadow.
Sight Beyond (Ex) Requires: See Deception
By using a full round action, you may cast an extraordinary True Seeing at will, even when not mounted.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Laughing at Gravity Requires: Striding on the Sky
You no longer need to end and begin a round on the ground - you may walk in three dimensions at will.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Tornado Slash Requires: Spiral Strike
Your Spiral Strike ability can be used as a standard action, although if you do so, you only make the whirlwind attack, and not any bonus attacks or benefits from making a full attack. In addition, lower that ability’s cooldown by two, minimum one.
A Standard action Spiral Strike is compatible with Gale’s Vanguard.
Blade Waltz Requires: Tornado Slash, Shimmer Step
As a full round action, you may vanish in a whirl of blades, blood, and pain, unleashing a hail of blows on nearby foes.
Make a single melee attack, at your full BAB, against every foe within 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels. This is a teleportation effect.
As a side benefit, you gain 50% miss chance for one round, due to the difficulty of pinpointing your location.
Trail of Death Requires: Bloodletting
By declaring the use of this ability, whenever you use your cleave ability that round, you may immediately move your speed before making your free attack. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes and precision damage are effective even against foes normally immune to them, although the bonus damage is halved.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage, and A Thousand Cuts provides only half of your Dexterity in bonus damage.
Vengeful Shadow Requires: Meld Into Darkness
Your Invisibility ability is now Greater Invisibility.
Ghostly Presence Requires: Vengeful Shadow, Hide 18 ranks
You may now cast Ethereal Jaunt instead of Greater Invisibility. If you do, you may not do so again for 10-Dex mod hours.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After this ability triggers, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Gore Shower Requires: One Strike
Whenever you kill a foe with a critical hit, you may cause all foes within 5t per point of dexterity modifier to pass a will save, or become shaken. This is a fear effect.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
Death’s Right Hand Requires: Unseen Killer, BAB +16
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 4d6 damage.
World Stride Requires: Shimmer Step
You may use Distant Step to move as far as ten miles per effective character level. You may even take allies with you, but you divide your maximum distance per step by the number of characters of your size that you take. You must either know your destination well, or else move ‘that way’ in a straight line.
Eternal Step Requires: World Stride, ECL 14
You may use Distant Step to mimic Plane Shift, although you have no control over where on the plane you appear.
Lethality (Ex)
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After this ability triggers, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
If you have the One Strike talent, instead add one to the save DC of that ability, and subtract two from the required number of critical hits to reset it, to a minimum of one crit between activations.
‘So as I pray: Unlimited Blade Works.’ – A powerful Swordmaster known as Archer.
Background: A Myrmidon is a warrior who relies on speed and wits above all else. Wielding a blade, he cuts with speed and skill, tearing foes apart.
Races: Elves are common on the path of the Myrmidon, as are Kobolds. Combative fey are also common adherents, while orcs and dwarves tend to scoff at the idea.
Other Classes: Myrmidons are well paired with Fighters and Barbarians, who can defend them from enemy attack. They often have a rivalry with the Mercenary class, who approach the use of the sword in a very different way to their own.
Role: A Myrmidon, while not particularly tough, is a frontline combatant, relying on wits and skill to slay his foes.
Myrmidons in the World: Myrmidons are one of the most common classes to find on the path of the adventurer, their often-self-obsessed natures finding it difficult for them to accept authority. Those few that do are excellent soldiers.
Inspiration: Fire Emblem.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
All Emblem classes have the same starting gold and age – their ranks vary wildly.
Class Skills-The Myrmidon’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
The Myrmidon and the Swordmaster
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0 Master of Evasion, Blade Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0 Blade Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1 Blade Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1 Blade Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1 Blade Talent
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+2 Blade Talent
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+2 Vantage, Blade Talent
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+2 Blade Talent
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+3 Blade Talent
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+3 Blade Talent
P1st
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+3Astra, Greater Blade Talent
2nd
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+4 Greater Blade Talent
3rd
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+4 Greater Blade Talent
4th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+4 Greater Blade Talent
5th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+5 Greater Blade Talent
6th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+5 Greater Blade Talent
7th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5 Greater Blade Talent
8th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6 Greater Blade Talent
9th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6 Greater Blade Talent
10th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6 Greater Blade Talent, Swordfaire
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Myrmidon is proficient with all swords and with light armour.
Master of Evasion: A Myrmidon can dodge with consummate ease. He possesses the Evasion ability, exactly as a rogue. It also grants them a dodge bonus to AC equal to 1+1 per five effective character levels, and the Mobility feat, regardless of whether they meet the prerequisites. (This ability also counts as the Dodge feat for the purposes of prerequisites.)
Blade Talents: At each level, a Myrmidon chooses a Talent from the following list.
Blade Artist: A Proud Warrior with this ability is beautiful-or terrifying to watch in action. Whenever they fight, they may make a Perform (Dance) check. Any character that watches them fight must make a will save with DC as follows, or have their attitude increased by one step. At the Warrior’s option, this may be due to intimidation or admiration.
Perform Result
DC
1-10
9+1/2 Class Level
11-15
11+1/2 Class Level
16-20
12+1/2 Class Level
21-30
13+1/2 Class Level
31-40
14+1/2 Class Level
Each +10 range
+1
This may only ever improve the attitude of any given character by one stage. As a note, enemies affected by this ability do not stop fighting, although they may be more easily persuaded-whether through fear or adoration-to stop fighting.
In addition, they gain a +2 competence bonus on Perform (Dance) checks.
Alternate versions of this ability could exist for other perform checks-a condescending speech delivered as one carves a contingent of troops to shreds holds a lot of power. Alternatively, Intimidate could be substituted.
Blade Expertise Requires: Character level 5, DM Adjudication
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than two. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to five talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels.
Coiled Blade Approach Requires: Blade Expertise
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than three. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Secrets Requires: Blade Expertise, Character level 9
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than four. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making nine.
Blade Guardian
You receive the Combat Reflexes feat, and may add one plus the highest Enhancement bonus amongst weapons you wield to your AC as a shield bonus.
Protective Vigilance Requires: Blade Guardian
You grant a shield bonus equal to your own to adjacent allies.
Blade of Shadows
You gain Sneak Attack 1d6, exactly as the rogue ability.
Assassin’s Strike Requires: BAB +10, Blade of Shadows
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 2d6 damage.
Blade Tempest
You may wield a second one-handed or light weapon in your off-hand, suffering a -2 penalty to all attacks made with it. If you do, you may make one additional attack in a full attack, albeit with a -2 penalty. This counts as the Two Weapon Fighting feat for the purposes of prerequisites, and replaces the normal rules of Two Weapon Fighting for a character who has it.
Bloodletting
You gain the Cleave and Greater Cleave feats.
Dancing On The Sky
Your agility surpasses all others. You gain a competence bonus to all movement speeds, as well as to Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks, equal to 10, plus 10 more for each seven effective character levels you possess.
Ability stolen from Jiriku’s monk fix.
Distant Step
As a move action, you may teleport to a spot within 10ft and line of sight. At ECL 6, you no longer require line of sight.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex Mod rounds, minimum two.
Dramatic Entrance
A character with this skill is immune to broken glass, as well as any other nonmagical hazard caused by entering a scene in a way that is more dangerous, but more awesome than the alternatives.
Shimmer Step Requires: Distant Step, ECL 5
Distant Step’s range is increased to 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels.
Expert Strike
Attacks you make add two to their final critical threat range, after all other effects.
I Got Perfection Requires: Expert Strike
Critical threats you achieve are automatically confirmed.
Some people houserule critical threats away - if so, remove this talent.
Fast Talking: Proud Warriors are renowned for being able to lie their way out of everything. With this ability, a Proud Warrior may attempt to feint in combat as a swift action.
They also gain a +2 competence bonus to bluff and diplomacy checks.
Find the Gap
As an attack action, the character makes a strike aimed for the chinks in the foe’s armour. If they hit, they ignore points of Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Resist, or other damage-reducing effects equal to twice their dexterity modifier, as well as dealing lethal damage regardless of regeneration.
After using this ability, the character may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Furious Flurry (Ex)
With lightning speed, you strike repeatedly. This talent allows you to make one additional attack in a full attack. After making a flurry, you may not use another one for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Gale’s Vanguard (Ex)
When a Myrmidon makes a charge attack, they do not need to move directly towards the target. They may move in any straight line that brings them within range of the foe at some point. This charge never provokes attacks of opportunity from the target. When using this ability, they may only move their normal speed, rather than doubling it. Like Spring Attack, you make your attack from any point in this move. This ability counts as Spring Attack, Shot on the Run, and Flyby Attack for purposes of prerequisites.
Impossible Balance (Ex)
You can stand on water and other liquids as if dry land.
Spidercat’s Grace Requires: Impossible Balance
You can stand on walls and ceilings without penalty.
Instant Dash
Sometimes, you need to move now. By using this ability, you gain an additional move action. On your next turn, you may not take any actions, as if dazed. This applies even if immune to dazing. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Instant Strike Requires: Instant Dash
When you use your Instant Dash ability, you gain an additional standard action instead.
Legion of One
As a full round action, you may move with such colossal speed that you appear to be in several places at once. You may make a move action, followed by a standard attack action, and repeat this action twice, for three targets. No single target may be attacked by this ability more than once.
After using this ability, you must wait for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two, before using it again.
Inspired by the Demented One’s discipline, Army of One.
Lightning Strike (Ex)
You gain the Skirmish ability, dealing 1d6 damage and gaining +1 AC, exactly like a Scout.
Bolt From The Blue (Ex) Requires: BAB +10, Lightning Strike
Your Skirmish ability increases to 2d6 damage and +2 AC.
Not Even There (Ex) Requires: Reflex save +11
You gain the Improved Evasion ability, as a rogue.
Perfected Weapon
As a ritual, taking one hour, you may bind a weapon to yourself. It gains a weapon enhancement bonus equal to a fifth of your class level, which may be any legal combination of weapon abilities and enhancement bonus, and cannot be changed. Abilities stack with actual abilities, and you use the higher enhancement bonus. This ability may not increase an enhancement bonus beyond five, or the total bonus beyond ten.
Applying this ritual to a new weapon removes the benefits on the old one, unless you could wield all enhanced weapons simultaneously.
Pinpoint Strikes
When making attack rolls with weapons you are proficient with, you may use your dexterity modifier rather than your strength modifier.
A Thousand Cuts Requires: Pinpoint Strikes
On each attack, you deal bonus damage equal to your dexterity modifier. This damage is precision damage.
Quip
With this talent, you can make a witty comment as they strike their foes, allowing their force of personality to enhance their blow. The first time in a round they strike a foe, they may make a Perform (Comedy) roll, opposed by any of the enemy's perform talents. If they succeed, they replace their strength modifier with their charisma modifier for damage rolls until the beginning of their next round. If they fail, they consider their charisma modifier to be one lower for the purposes of Quip until the end of the encounter.
If your players are cool enough, consider letting them actually make quips, and giving bonuses for good ones. Also, allow them to swap out perform talents, as long as they can justify it.
Rising Tide (Ex)
You strike repeatedly, each attack striking with greater force.
As a free action, you may make each attack you make until your next turn deal bonus damage equal to the number of attacks you have made since the beginning of your turn. After using Rising Tide, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
This includes attacks of opportunity, bonus full attacks, etcetera. It resets when a full round of actions have passed.
Spiral Strike (Ex)
You gain the Whirlwind attack feat, except that using it uses up only the attacks you gain from your BAB. Other attacks you could make in a full attack are made as normal. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Sword Artist (Su)
A character with this talent moves like they are in a dance, truly magnificent to see. He can fascinate one character, plus one character for each third effective character level he possesses, with a single performance. This may be as part of a combat (although he may not fascinate those he fights), and has a DC equal to the result of the highest attack roll he makes that round - make an attack roll if he uses the ability without being in combat. They remain fascinated for as long as the character continues to ‘perform’, but the effect is broken if hostile action is taken towards them. If they pass their save, they are immune for 24 hours. After ceasing this ability, you may not do so again for 20-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
This is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability.
Beautiful Blade (Ex) Requires: Sword Artist OR Blade Artist
They may make an Intimidate or a Diplomacy check as part of a round containing at least one attack, attempting to influence anyone they have not attacked in that fight. They may use their highest attack roll that round instead of a skill check. A character can only be influenced once in a 24 hour period by a character’s use of this ability.
This is a mind-affecting ability.
Dashing Blade (Su) Requires: Sword Artist OR Blade Artist
Once a day, as part of using Sword Artist or Blade Artist, you may target one affected member with a Charm Person effect. At ECL 6 or higher, this upgrades to a Charm Monster effect. The save DC is based on your Dexterity modifier.
Uncanny Reflexes
You gain the Uncanny Dodge ability, as a rogue.
Perfect Paranoia Requires: Uncanny Reflexes, BAB+8
You gain Improved Uncanny Dodge, using your character level as your rogue level.
Unrivalled Agility
Focussing on your speed, you gain a +2 competence bonus to your dexterity score.
Void Sheath
As a full round action, you may banish a weapon you own to an inaccessible extradimensional plane named Elsewhere. It is safe from all known effects there - only an ability that specifically references this ability or the name Elsewhere can interact with it.
You may recover the weapon as easily as drawing a weapon. Quick Draw applies.
You may not banish more weapons in this way than your dexterity modifier.
Most weapons can remain stored indefinitely, although they are freed by your death, but powerful artifacts are rarely content to be quiescent for long periods of time - and doing so with an artifact of enough importance is likely to cause a sudden increase in people trying to kill you.
This is intended to stop people simply using it as a safe deposit box for mcguffins. Magic wants to be free, and items want to be used.
Wind Blade (Su)
As a standard action, you can strike a foe at a distance with your blade. This has a range of 25ft, +5ft per point of Dexterity modifier. It is in all ways except range treated as a normal melee attack.
In addition, you can make a full attack at range this way. If you do, you may not do so again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Vantage: When a foe attacks you, you may make a full attack as an immediate action, targeting only them. If they survive, they then make their attacks as normal. After using Vantage, you may not use it again for 15-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
The Swordmaster
For a Myrmidon, the Swordmaster is merely the continuation of their base class. They continue taking levels exactly as if levels 1-10 of Swordmaster were levels 11-20 of Myrmidon, including having a single class level between the two.
Other classes may take Swordmaster levels as a prestige class, beginning with P1st, if they meet the following requirements.
Swordmaster Prerequisites
BAB: +10
Base Reflex Save: +7
Proficiency: Swords.
The Swordmaster has the same class chassis as the Myrmidon, bad fort and will saves, good BaB and reflex saves, and 4 skill points per level.
Astra: A Swordmaster has the ability to strike half a dozen times in the blink of an eye. When you use this ability, you may make a number of bonus attacks this round whenever you take an action containing at least one attack (such as a charge, spring attack, full attack, or a standard attack) equal to a fifth of your character level. All these attacks are made at your full BAB, but with a -2 penalty. After using Astra, you may not use it again for 15-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Greater Blade Talent: At each level, a Swordmaster chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Myrmidon list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Army of One Requires: Legion of One
When using Legion of One, your standard actions are instead full attacks. No foe can be struck by attacks from more than one full attack. Finally, reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Inspired by the Demented One’s discipline of the same name.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 13
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Blade Avatar Requires: Blade Mastery, Perfect Blade Aegis, Character level 19
You may choose a single martial maneuver or stance you qualify for. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Chain Lightning (Ex) Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Deep Cuts Requires: A Thousand Cuts
Weapons you wield are treated as if they had the Wounding property.
Enraptured Audience Requires: Beautiful Blade
A number of times per day equal to your dexterity modifier, you may attempt to cause a Suggestion effect in a fascinated subject. They are entitled to a saving throw as normal.
At ECL 17, this upgrades to Mass Suggestion.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Grand Flurry Requires: Furious Flurry
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Chaos Blade Requires: Grand Flurry
You may use a full round action to make a number of attacks equal to the number you would be entitled to in a full attack. Each one uses your full base attack bonus, with a -2 penalty, rather than suffering iterative attack penalties. They do suffer other penalties, such as TWF penalties, as normal.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Hero’s Blade Requires: Dashing Blade
You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Dexterity modifier.
Hero’s Command Requires: Hero’s Blade
By using two uses of Hero’s Blade, you may cause a Dominate person effect instead. At ECL 17, you may instead cause a Dominate Monster effect.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
As a side benefit, the character gains the Pounce ability.
This talent is compatible with Spiral Strike, although the whirlwind attack is made from a single square during the movement.
Moving Circles Requires: Blade Tempest
You may make as many attacks with your off-hand as you do with your primary hand from a high base attack bonus, and at the same bonuses, except that attacks made with your off-hand have a -2 penalty. This counts as the Greater and Improved Two Weapon Fighting feats for the purposes of prerequisites.
Opportunity Knocks Requires: Blade Guardian
Whenever an ally successfully strikes a foe within range, that foe provokes an Attack of Opportunity.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Laughing at Gravity Requires: Striding on the Sky
You no longer need to end and begin a round on the ground - you may walk in three dimensions at will.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Tornado Slash Requires: Spiral Strike
Your Spiral Strike ability can be used as a standard action, although if you do so, you only make the whirlwind attack, and not any bonus attacks or benefits from making a full attack. In addition, lower that ability’s cooldown by two, minimum one.
A Standard action Spiral Strike is compatible with Gale’s Vanguard.
Blade Waltz Requires: Tornado Slash, Shimmer Step
As a full round action, you may vanish in a whirl of blades, blood, and pain, unleashing a hail of blows on nearby foes.
Make a single melee attack, at your full BAB, against every foe within 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels. This is a teleportation effect.
As a side benefit, you gain 50% miss chance for one round, due to the difficulty of pinpointing your location.
Trail of Death Requires: Bloodletting
By declaring the use of this ability, whenever you use your cleave ability that round, you may immediately move your speed before making your free attack. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Tsunami Strikes Requires: Rising Tide
When using Rising Tide, each attack in a full attack after the second adds the previous two bonus damages together. This results in a series of five attacks dealing 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 bonus damage. Finally, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum one.
Note that this upgrade improves full attacks. Attacks made outside of full attacks do bonus damage only equal to their number in the chain.
Obviously, if you make more than one full attack, the base numbers that are added together will be higher.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes and precision damage are effective even against foes normally immune to them, although the bonus damage is halved.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage, and A Thousand Cuts provides only half of your Dexterity in bonus damage.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After this ability triggers, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Unlimited Blade Works Requires: Perfected Weapon, Void Sheath
You may spend a full round action concentrating your inner talents, before massively increasing the potency of weapons you wield, even generating new ones at will. Weapons you wield increase their enhancement bonus by a quarter of your character level, which may be as Enhancement bonus or via weapon abilities. The total bonus may not surpass 10, unless you have an effective character level higher than twenty. This ability stacks with Perfected Blade, and lasts for a number of rounds equal to your dexterity modifier, and cannot be reactivated until 20-Dex mod rounds after it ends.
In addition, as a passive benefit, you may create as many swords or bladed weapons that you could wield at once as a swift action. These copies are inferior to properly crafted weapons, and break after Dex mod rounds of not being actively used. They are masterwork, and can be crafted of any material your character can work, but otherwise mundane.
You also gain the Craft Arms and Armor feat as a bonus feat, and use your Character Level as your caster level as long as you craft swords or sword related items.
Gates of Babylon Requires: Unlimited Blade Works
Remove the limitation on how many weapons you may store with Void Sheath.
In addition, you may unleash a cascade of blades from your extradimensional storage. This cascade has a range of 10ft+5ft/effective character level, and deals 1d6 damage per two effective character levels. It allows a reflex save for half damage. After using this ability, you may not reactivate it for 20-Dex mod rounds.
This talent and the one before blatantly inspired by Fate Stay Night.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike, BAB +15
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
World Stride Requires: Shimmer Step
You may use Distant Step to move as far as ten miles per effective character level. You may even take allies with you, but you divide your maximum distance per step by the number of characters of your size that you take. You must either know your destination well, or else move ‘that way’ in a straight line.
Eternal Step Requires: World Stride, ECL 14
You may use Distant Step to mimic Plane Shift, although you have no control over where on the plane you appear.
Swordfaire (Ex): A Swordmaster is the greatest wielder of swords among all warriors, wielding it with perfect skill. At tenth level, they increase the damage of attacks with sword of all types as if the weapon had increased by one size.
Emblem Assassin
‘And so it ends.’
Background: An Assassin, despite the name, does not always mean a hooded, dark figure who kills in the night. Rather, it can refer to anyone who uses stealth, subtlety, and vicious, sudden attacks.
Of course, those who kill in the night are well versed in these skills.
Races: Assassins are commonly wielded by evil races, and are very common amongst the drow.
Other Classes: Assassins are often distrusted. Generally, to prove their loyalty, they need to achieve heroism that other classes would rarely need to.
Role: An Assassin is a melee character, more like a Myrmidon or a Swordmaster than a Thief. They retain much of their ability in the Thief’s ways, but their advancement focuses on killing.
Assassins in the World: Assassins, as well as the obvious, titular profession, make good bodyguards and elite warriors, capable of tearing through even armoured opponents like wet tissue paper.
Prerequisites
Skills: Hide 13 ranks
BAB: +7
Special: Sneak Attack +2d6
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills-The Assassin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 6+ Int Modifier
Assassin
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0 Pass, Knife Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0 Knife Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1Knife Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1 Knife Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1Knife Talent
6th
+6
+2
+5
+2 Knife Talent
7th
+7
+2
+5
+2Knife Talent
8th
+8
+2
+6
+2 Knife Talent
9th
+9
+3
+6
+3Knife Talent
10th
+10
+3
+7
+3Lethality, Knife Talent
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Assassin gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies.
Pass (Ex): An Assassin can maneuver past and through foes with ease. They may move past and through foes without provoking an attack of opportunity. The only exception is if they begin the turn within a foe’s threat range, in which case they provoke an AoO when they leave.
Knife Talent At each level, an Assassin chooses a Talent from the following list*. They may instead choose a talent from the Thief list*, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
*As the Thief class doesn’t exist yet, this class is looking a little sorry. Apologies for that.
Army of One Requires: Legion of One
When using Legion of One, your standard actions are instead full attacks. No foe can be struck by attacks from more than one full attack. Finally, reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Inspired by the Demented One’s discipline of the same name.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 14
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Chain Lightning (Ex): Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Deep Cuts Requires: A Thousand Cuts
Weapons you wield are treated as if they had the Wounding property.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Face to Face Requires: Defensive Shot
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for using ranged weapons while in a threatened square.
Flawless Aim Requires: Perfect Aim, BAB +15
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to three dice.
Grand Flurry Requires: Furious Flurry
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Chaos Blade Requires: Grand Flurry
You may use a full round action to make a number of attacks equal to the number you would be entitled to in a full attack. Each one uses your full base attack bonus, with a -2 penalty, rather than suffering iterative attack penalties. They do suffer other penalties, such as TWF penalties, as normal.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
As a side benefit, the character gains the Pounce ability.
This talent is compatible with Spiral Strike, although the whirlwind attack is made from a single square during the movement.
Moving Circles Requires: Blade Tempest
You may make as many attacks with your off-hand as you do with your primary hand from a high base attack bonus, and at the same bonuses, except that attacks made with your off-hand have a -2 penalty.
Opportunity Knocks Requires: Blade Guardian
Whenever an ally successfully strikes a foe within range, that foe provokes an Attack of Opportunity.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Shadow Step Requires: Shimmer Step
You double the range of your Distant Step if you travel from and to an area of deep shadow.
Sight Beyond (Ex) Requires: See Deception
By using a full round action, you may cast an extraordinary True Seeing at will, even when not mounted.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Laughing at Gravity Requires: Striding on the Sky
You no longer need to end and begin a round on the ground - you may walk in three dimensions at will.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Tornado Slash Requires: Spiral Strike
Your Spiral Strike ability can be used as a standard action, although if you do so, you only make the whirlwind attack, and not any bonus attacks or benefits from making a full attack. In addition, lower that ability’s cooldown by two, minimum one.
A Standard action Spiral Strike is compatible with Gale’s Vanguard.
Blade Waltz Requires: Tornado Slash, Shimmer Step
As a full round action, you may vanish in a whirl of blades, blood, and pain, unleashing a hail of blows on nearby foes.
Make a single melee attack, at your full BAB, against every foe within 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels. This is a teleportation effect.
As a side benefit, you gain 50% miss chance for one round, due to the difficulty of pinpointing your location.
Trail of Death Requires: Bloodletting
By declaring the use of this ability, whenever you use your cleave ability that round, you may immediately move your speed before making your free attack. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes and precision damage are effective even against foes normally immune to them, although the bonus damage is halved.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage, and A Thousand Cuts provides only half of your Dexterity in bonus damage.
Vengeful Shadow Requires: Meld Into Darkness
Your Invisibility ability is now Greater Invisibility.
Ghostly Presence Requires: Vengeful Shadow, Hide 18 ranks
You may now cast Ethereal Jaunt instead of Greater Invisibility. If you do, you may not do so again for 10-Dex mod hours.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After this ability triggers, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Gore Shower Requires: One Strike
Whenever you kill a foe with a critical hit, you may cause all foes within 5t per point of dexterity modifier to pass a will save, or become shaken. This is a fear effect.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
Death’s Right Hand Requires: Unseen Killer, BAB +16
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 4d6 damage.
World Stride Requires: Shimmer Step
You may use Distant Step to move as far as ten miles per effective character level. You may even take allies with you, but you divide your maximum distance per step by the number of characters of your size that you take. You must either know your destination well, or else move ‘that way’ in a straight line.
Eternal Step Requires: World Stride, ECL 14
You may use Distant Step to mimic Plane Shift, although you have no control over where on the plane you appear.
Lethality (Ex)
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After this ability triggers, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
If you have the One Strike talent, instead add one to the save DC of that ability, and subtract two from the required number of critical hits to reset it, to a minimum of one crit between activations.