Ruling on if a variant is balanced

[Vhaidara]

I am playing a variant fighter who gets skirmish. It's a mobility based character who I've mentioned before in other posts, and I found a prestige class I like: the Blade Dancer (p 38 (http://christhoren.com/oa/Images/Oriental_Adventures_02.pdf)). Now, the only problem for my character is that I am not a spellcaster. I was thinking drop the spellcasting requirement (the entry barrier is the skill ranks anyways), then trade out the Enchanted Blade and Ride the Wind class features for skirmish progression.

The main thing I really want is the acrobatics class feature to help me get Tumble +30 and take 10 whenever on tumble, aka the 10 foot step. Leap of the Clouds is hilarious and mostly for flavor, but has potential for some really fun stuff. And Acrobatic Attack is just plain flamboyant, which is perfect for my character, who is a former gladiator.

Does anyone think I am being unfair with this? To recap, I want to remove the spellcasting prerequisite, the Enchanted Blade class feature, and the Ride the Wind class feature in exchange for skirmish progression.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Sounds alright to me.

[OldTrees1]

1) Looking at 5th level in the PrC (Acrobatics II): Removing (Enchanted Blade I 1/day) and (Air Walk 1/day) and adding (Skirmish +2d6/+1) seems like trading 2 worthless abilities for 1 moderately valuable but optimized for ability. That is an unfair trade. However it is possible that the class is weak enough (check your group's OP level) for it to deserve the buff.

Looking at 10th level in the PrC (Acrobatics III): Removing (Enchanted Blade III 1/day) and (Air Walk 1/day) and adding (Skirmish +3d6/+2) seems like trading 2 worthless abilities for 1 moderately valuable but optimized for ability. That is an unfair trade. However it is possible that the class is weak enough (check your group's OP level) for it to deserve the buff.

2) The spellcasting prerequisite could easily be filled with a single feat. The prerequisites are already rather expensive for the benefit received and spellcasting is not progressed by the class so I do not think dropping the spellcasting prerequisite is unfair.

3) Tumble Buffs:
Shape Soulmeld (Acrobat Boots) [Feat from MoI], Bonus Essentia [Feat from MoI] = +6 insight bonus on Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble
Belt of Ultimate Athleticism [Item from MIC] = Swift action activation to take
10 on all Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble checks made in that round.

[Vhaidara]

I'm playing a warforged who is also an absolute noncaster, so I really don't want to dip into any form of magic or casting (inc psionics, incarnum, binding, shadow, truename, maneuvers)

[OldTrees1]

I'm playing a warforged who is also an absolute noncaster, so I really don't want to dip into any form of magic or casting (inc psionics, incarnum, binding, shadow, truename, maneuvers)

IMHO A single Soulmeld like Acrobat Boots does not feel like magic if you just treat them as a +6 Insight bonus and nothing more.

I understand the desire to play a noncaster.

[Vhaidara]

Yes, but the other side of it is that I'm doing a TWF mobility based special combat actions fighter (building into things like Ranged Pin, Ranged Disarm, Whirlwind Attack of Disarms) to the point that I am getting feat starved as a fighter.

Essentially, I would be taking the prestige class and getting the acrobatics bonuses, the removal of the jump limits, and the acrobatic attack ability in exchange for 5 bonus feats, 10 levels on a lower HD and with good Ref instead of Fort saves, and a hit on skill points (I'm using Grod's tweak that bumps fighters to 6/level with an expanded list).

Another reason why I don't want to do soulmelds is that I intend to use all of my magic item slots. Because I am a warforged, my DM is letting me simply get my body enchanted, as long as my character is present for the entire process. So I intend to pick up Feet of Striding and Springing ASAP (It's one of my favorite magic items for mobility characters)

[OldTrees1]

Good reasons


Another reason why I don't want to do soulmelds is that I intend to use all of my magic item slots. Because I am a warforged, my DM is letting me simply get my body enchanted, as long as my character is present for the entire process. So I intend to pick up Feet of Striding and Springing ASAP (It's one of my favorite magic items for mobility characters)

Only chakra bound soulmelds occupy magic item slots. A soulmeld located at a magic item slot will not interfere with the magic item unless the soulmeld is bound to the chakra.

[Psyren]

It sounds fine balance-wise, if a bit one-note.

[Vhaidara]

Only chakra bound soulmelds occupy magic item slots. A soulmeld located at a magic item slot will not interfere with the magic item unless the soulmeld is bound to the chakra.

I was a bit shaky on how exactly that worked, but still, it doesn't fit the character at all.