New character class: Duelist

[Harkone]

It's kind of a combo between the Swashbuckler class and the Duelist prestige class to make a more palatable version of each.

Duelist

HD: d10 Base Attack Bonus: +1 Favored Saving Throws: Reflex

Class Skills (4+Int): Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient in simple and martial weapons; not proficient in any armor or shield.

Class Abilities:

1st: Bonus Feat: Weapon Finesse
Canny Defense

2nd: Evasion

3rd: Insightful Strike

4th: Dodge Bonus: +1 AC

5th: Grace: +1 on Reflex saves

6th: Precise Strike (+1d6)

7th: Improved Reaction: +2 initiative
Acrobatic Charge

8th: Dodge Bonus: +2 AC

9th: Bonus Feat: Deflect Arrows
Lucky

10th: Grace: +2 on Reflex saves
Enhanced Mobility

11th: Acrobatic Skill Mastery

12th: Dodge Bonus: +3 AC
Precise Strike (+2d6)

13th: Weakening Critical

14th: Improved Reaction: +4 initiative
Elaborate Parry

15th: Grace: +3 on Reflex saves

16th: Dodge Bonus: +4 AC
Wounding Critical

17th: Slippery Mind

18th: Precise Strike (+3d6)

19th: Deadly Critical

20th: Dodge Bonus: +5 AC
Grace: +4 on Reflex saves



Canny Defense: When wearing no armor, not using a shield, and wielding a melee weapon, the Duelist adds his INT bonus (if any) to his AC. If caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his DEX bonus, the Duelist loses this bonus as well.

Evasion: The Duelist gains evasion, as the rogue ability (see p. 50 PHB).

Insightful Strike: When wearing no armor, not using a shield, and wielding a light melee weapon (or any other that can be used with Weapon Finesse), the Duelist adds his INT bonus (if any) to damage rolls. Creatures immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to this damage (see p. 50 PHB).

Dodge Bonus: The duelist gains the dodge bonus to AC only when wearing no armor and not using a shield.

Grace: The duelist gains the bonus on Reflex saves only when wearing no armor and not using a shield.

Precise Strike: When wearing no armor, not using a shield, and wielding a light, piercing melee weapon (or any other that can be used with Weapon Finesse), the Duelist adds the indicated amount to damage rolls. The Duelist loses this bonus if he wields a weapon in his off hand. Creatures immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to this damage (see p. 50 PHB).

Improved Reaction: The duelist gains the initiative bonus only when wearing no armor and not using a shield.

Acrobatic Charge: The Duelist can charge over difficult terrain or through blocking allies.

Lucky: 1/day, the Duelist may re-roll any one attack roll, ability check, skill check, or saving throw. He must keep the result even if worse than the original.

Enhanced Mobility: If the Duelist has the Mobility feat, he now gains an additional +4 AC against attacks of opportunity.

Acrobatic Skill Mastery: The Duelist may take 10 on Jump and Tumble checks in any situation.

Weakening Critical: On a critical hit, the Duelist also inflicts 2 points of STR damage. Creatures immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to this damage (see p. 50 PHB).

Elaborate Parry: If the Duelist chooses to fight defensively or use total defense in combat, he gains a bonus to his AC equal to ½ his Duelist level.

Wounding Critical: On a critical hit, the Duelist also inflicts 2 points of CON damage (in addition to the 2 points of STR damage from Weakening Critical). Creatures immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to this damage (see p. 50 PHB).

Slippery Mind: One round after failing a save against an Enchantment effect, the Duelist can attempt the save again against the same DC (if still alive).

Deadly Critical: On a critical hit, the Duelist now also inflicts 4 points of STR and CON damage. Creatures immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to this damage (see p. 50 PHB).

[Dr. Weasel]

I have no problem with this... There really isn't anything new so much as just giving abilities slightly earlier. This actually would make the swashbuckler class quite a bit more interesting than just a three level dip.
A couple things, though: I think you should allow the precise strike to work while holding a secondary weapon (though not neccessarily with an off-hand attack) since the 'Duelist' style you're using would generally involve a rapier with an off-handed dagger. Maybe give profession as a skill because probably half of people using this would want to throw a few ranks into Profession:Sailor just because you're incorporating the Swashbuckler class.
I'm assuming you're using Acrobatic Charge normally (allowing tumbles and jumps and not just allowing players to automatically charge over the ground or through opponents' areas).

[Harkone]

I see nothing wrong with incorporating what you said about the off-hand weapon and the Profession skill. Acrobatic charge is being used "normally" here.

[Igan]

Harkone, you have my whole-hearted admiration for your work. I'm in awe of your ferocious skills at classmaking.
However, an odd little point...
It's always struck me that "Duelist" is the wrong word for a fighter who uses a rapier and a lot of finesse. "Fencer" would be a better term for it. Logically, a Duelist would be someone who specializes in one-on-one combat with another armed, sentient creatures, and excels at said form of combat.
I think I idly put up a threat about that once...Anyway.
Keep it up!

[The Demented One]

This looks a lot like the Swashbuckler from Complete Warrior to me. "A lot like" in this case meaning the same abilities, with the same names, being gained at just about the same levels. Don't see much of a point to it.

[Harkone]

I saw no point to having both a Swashbuckler base class and a Duelist (or Fencer, if one prefers) prestige class, so I combined what I felt to be the best elements of the two into one core class, eliminating the need for the prestige class.

I hate redundancy (especially with multiple classes and prestige classes, often from different sourcebooks but with remarkably similar themes and/or abilities), so alot of the prestige classes I have put together (and posted) merely combine several classes/prestige classes into one, eliminating the redundancy.