Magery
2015-01-21, 10:28 PM
Everyone knows swords are amazing. They can cut through anything with a single strike (especially if they're katanas), deflect bullets with sublime ease, and wielding one automatically makes you take a level in badass, even if you've never tried to use one before. No matter what world you're in, be it a land of martial artists, gunslingers, or the latest post-apocalyptic craze, the first rule of combat is always 'stay away from the sword'. Only the most foolish of foes believe they can survive the onslaught of even a half-competent sword-wielder, and they're soon proven wrong.
Sadly, that isn't quite how it works in D&D. So what if you've got a +5 Vorpal Longsword, or a pair of +1 Aptitude Kukris in the hands of a Warblade turned Disciple of Dispater? "Wings of Cover!" cries the Sorcerer--if he's even kind enough to let you get that close--as the Wizard watches on, laughing loudly enough that you can hear him even though he's jaunting on the Ethereal Plane. Not to mention how painful it can get when you run into a rogue with Darkstalker and what we in the business call 'A Fistful Of d6s'.
It's about time somebody changed that.
Not me, of course. But somebody.
However, I have prepared you a little something to tide you over until that glorious day.
Some know it as the sort of person who brings a sword to a gunfight, and walks away after. Others believe it to be nothing but an over-the-top attempt to turn Saeko Busujima into a class. And a confused, adorable few wonder why they have to deal with Yet Another Swordsage Variant.
But you?
You can call it the Blade Scholar.
Alignment: Any
Starting Gold: As Swordsage
Skill Points: 4 + INT
Hit Die: d10
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
MK
MR
SK
1
+0
+0
+2
+0
Fast Movement (10’)
4
4
1
2
+1
+0
+3
+0
Steel In The Hand (Ability Modifier)
4
4
1
3
+2
+1
+3
+1
Flash Step (+1d6)
5
4
1
4
+3
+1
+4
+1
Blood On The Blade (Damage)
5
4
1
5
+3
+1
+4
+1
Flash Step (+1d6, +1 AC)
5
4
1
6
+4
+2
+5
+2
Fast Movement (20’)
6
5
2
7
+5
+2
+5
+2
Evasion
6
5
2
8
+6/+1
+2
+6
+2
Steel In The Hand (Deflect Arrows)
6
5
2
9
+6/+1
+3
+6
+3
Flash Step (+2d6, +1 AC)
7
5
2
10
+7/+2
+3
+7
+3
Blood On The Blade (Pounce)
7
5
2
11
+8/+3
+3
+7
+3
Fast Movement (30'), Flash Step (+2d6, +2 AC)
7
6
3
12
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
8
6
3
13
+10/+5
+4
+8
+4
Improved Evasion
8
6
3
14
+10/+5
+4
+9
+4
Steel In The Hand (Deflect Spells)
8
6
3
15
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+5
Flash Step (+3d6, +2 AC)
9
6
3
16
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Blood On The Blade (Maneuver Recovery)
9
7
4
17
+13/+8/+3
+5
+10
+5
Fast Movement (40'), Flash Step (+3d6, +3 AC)
9
7
4
18
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
10
7
4
19
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
10
7
4
20
+15/+10/+1
+6
+12
+6
Lightning Strikes Twice
10
7
4
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex)
Weapon And Armour Proficiencies: A Blade Scholar is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armour, but not shields.
Manoeuvres Known: A Blade Scholar learns manoeuvres from the Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, and Tiger Claw disciplines. They ready, refresh, and recover their manoeuvres as Swordsages do, with the exception that they may recover all their expended manoeuvres with a full-round action. However, levels in the Blade Scholar class count as initiator levels only for manoeuvres granted by the class, as their manoeuvres are especially designed and modified to take into account their unique mastery over a blade (most other classes simply do not have the raw skill to perform a Blade Scholar’s martial manoeuvres).
At level 4, and every two levels thereafter, the Blade Scholar may swap out any manoeuvre they know for any other manoeuvre they are capable of learning. This follows the same rules, and functions in the same way, as the Swordsage’s ability to trade in manoeuvres.
In reference to the table, MK indicates Manoeuvres Known, MR indicates Manoeuvres Readied, and SK indicates Stances Known.
Fast Movement (Ex): At first level, all the Blade Scholar’s movement speeds (and any subsequent movement speeds they may gain) increase by 10’. At sixth, eleventh, and seventeenth level, this bonus increases by another 10’.
Steel In The Hand (Ex): At second level, as long as the Blade Scholar is wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with, they may add their Strength modifier to their AC, which also applies to their Touch AC. If they have the Weapon Finesse feat, and are wielding a weapon to which the feat applies, they may add their Dexterity modifier instead (this stacks with the standard Dexterity bonus to AC). The bonus may not exceed the number of Blade Scholar levels the character possesses.
At eighth level, as long as the Blade Scholar is wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with, they gain the benefit of the Deflect Arrows feat (using their weapon, as opposed to their hand), except that they may deflect a number of ranged projectiles per round equal to the number of attacks they make with a full-attack action.
At fourteenth level, as long as the Blade Scholar is wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with, they gain the ability to deflect spells. This ability functions in all ways like the Arcanopath Monk’s class feature of the same name, except that the Blade Scholar does not require a free hand (only a hand wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with), and that they may deflect a number of spells per round equal to the number of attacks they make with a full-attack action.
Bonuses from Steel In The Hand do not apply when the Blade Scholar is flat-footed, helpless, wearing medium or heavy armour, or using a shield.
For the purposes of this ability, only attacks gained from BAB, and not from feats such as the Two-Weapon Fighting chain, count as ‘attacks they make with a full-attack action’.
Flash Step (Ex): At third level, when the Blade Scholar moves ten feet or more in a round, they deal an extra 1d6 damage on a melee attack. At fifth level, when they move ten feet or more in a round, they also gain a +1 competence bonus to their Armour Class, which lasts until the beginning of their next turn. At levels 9 and 15 the bonus damage increases by a further 1d6; at levels 11 and 17, the competence bonus increases by +1.
As this bonus damage comes from the Blade Scholar's raw speed, it does not count as precision damage for the purposes of creature immunities, and can be multiplied on a critical hit.
This ability cannot be used while mounted, and does not apply if the Blade Scholar is wearing medium or heavy armour, or using a shield.
Blood On The Blade (Ex): At fourth level, the Blade Scholar can add their Dexterity modifier to damage with any melee weapons they are proficient with. This stacks with any bonus to damage they may gain from a high Strength score.
At tenth level, the Blade Scholar gains the Pounce special ability.
At sixteenth level, when the Blade Scholar makes a full-attack, they may recover all their expended manoeuvres. They cannot use any manoeuvres in conjunction with this ability, even if those manoeuvres grant full-attack actions (such as Time Stands Still).
Evasion (Ex): At seventh level, the Blade Scholar gains the benefits of Evasion.
At thirteenth level, this increases to Improved Evasion.
These abilities do not apply when the Blade Scholar is helpless, wearing medium or heavy armour, or using a shield.
Lightning Strikes Twice (Ex): At twentieth level, a number of times per day equal to their Dexterity modifier, the Blade Scholar may use two martial strikes in a single round. Following the use of this ability, the Blade Scholar may not use any other manoeuvres (other than remaining in a Stance) for 1d4+1 rounds.
Sadly, that isn't quite how it works in D&D. So what if you've got a +5 Vorpal Longsword, or a pair of +1 Aptitude Kukris in the hands of a Warblade turned Disciple of Dispater? "Wings of Cover!" cries the Sorcerer--if he's even kind enough to let you get that close--as the Wizard watches on, laughing loudly enough that you can hear him even though he's jaunting on the Ethereal Plane. Not to mention how painful it can get when you run into a rogue with Darkstalker and what we in the business call 'A Fistful Of d6s'.
It's about time somebody changed that.
Not me, of course. But somebody.
However, I have prepared you a little something to tide you over until that glorious day.
Some know it as the sort of person who brings a sword to a gunfight, and walks away after. Others believe it to be nothing but an over-the-top attempt to turn Saeko Busujima into a class. And a confused, adorable few wonder why they have to deal with Yet Another Swordsage Variant.
But you?
You can call it the Blade Scholar.
Alignment: Any
Starting Gold: As Swordsage
Skill Points: 4 + INT
Hit Die: d10
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
MK
MR
SK
1
+0
+0
+2
+0
Fast Movement (10’)
4
4
1
2
+1
+0
+3
+0
Steel In The Hand (Ability Modifier)
4
4
1
3
+2
+1
+3
+1
Flash Step (+1d6)
5
4
1
4
+3
+1
+4
+1
Blood On The Blade (Damage)
5
4
1
5
+3
+1
+4
+1
Flash Step (+1d6, +1 AC)
5
4
1
6
+4
+2
+5
+2
Fast Movement (20’)
6
5
2
7
+5
+2
+5
+2
Evasion
6
5
2
8
+6/+1
+2
+6
+2
Steel In The Hand (Deflect Arrows)
6
5
2
9
+6/+1
+3
+6
+3
Flash Step (+2d6, +1 AC)
7
5
2
10
+7/+2
+3
+7
+3
Blood On The Blade (Pounce)
7
5
2
11
+8/+3
+3
+7
+3
Fast Movement (30'), Flash Step (+2d6, +2 AC)
7
6
3
12
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
8
6
3
13
+10/+5
+4
+8
+4
Improved Evasion
8
6
3
14
+10/+5
+4
+9
+4
Steel In The Hand (Deflect Spells)
8
6
3
15
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+5
Flash Step (+3d6, +2 AC)
9
6
3
16
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Blood On The Blade (Maneuver Recovery)
9
7
4
17
+13/+8/+3
+5
+10
+5
Fast Movement (40'), Flash Step (+3d6, +3 AC)
9
7
4
18
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
10
7
4
19
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
10
7
4
20
+15/+10/+1
+6
+12
+6
Lightning Strikes Twice
10
7
4
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex)
Weapon And Armour Proficiencies: A Blade Scholar is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armour, but not shields.
Manoeuvres Known: A Blade Scholar learns manoeuvres from the Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, and Tiger Claw disciplines. They ready, refresh, and recover their manoeuvres as Swordsages do, with the exception that they may recover all their expended manoeuvres with a full-round action. However, levels in the Blade Scholar class count as initiator levels only for manoeuvres granted by the class, as their manoeuvres are especially designed and modified to take into account their unique mastery over a blade (most other classes simply do not have the raw skill to perform a Blade Scholar’s martial manoeuvres).
At level 4, and every two levels thereafter, the Blade Scholar may swap out any manoeuvre they know for any other manoeuvre they are capable of learning. This follows the same rules, and functions in the same way, as the Swordsage’s ability to trade in manoeuvres.
In reference to the table, MK indicates Manoeuvres Known, MR indicates Manoeuvres Readied, and SK indicates Stances Known.
Fast Movement (Ex): At first level, all the Blade Scholar’s movement speeds (and any subsequent movement speeds they may gain) increase by 10’. At sixth, eleventh, and seventeenth level, this bonus increases by another 10’.
Steel In The Hand (Ex): At second level, as long as the Blade Scholar is wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with, they may add their Strength modifier to their AC, which also applies to their Touch AC. If they have the Weapon Finesse feat, and are wielding a weapon to which the feat applies, they may add their Dexterity modifier instead (this stacks with the standard Dexterity bonus to AC). The bonus may not exceed the number of Blade Scholar levels the character possesses.
At eighth level, as long as the Blade Scholar is wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with, they gain the benefit of the Deflect Arrows feat (using their weapon, as opposed to their hand), except that they may deflect a number of ranged projectiles per round equal to the number of attacks they make with a full-attack action.
At fourteenth level, as long as the Blade Scholar is wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with, they gain the ability to deflect spells. This ability functions in all ways like the Arcanopath Monk’s class feature of the same name, except that the Blade Scholar does not require a free hand (only a hand wielding a melee weapon they are proficient with), and that they may deflect a number of spells per round equal to the number of attacks they make with a full-attack action.
Bonuses from Steel In The Hand do not apply when the Blade Scholar is flat-footed, helpless, wearing medium or heavy armour, or using a shield.
For the purposes of this ability, only attacks gained from BAB, and not from feats such as the Two-Weapon Fighting chain, count as ‘attacks they make with a full-attack action’.
Flash Step (Ex): At third level, when the Blade Scholar moves ten feet or more in a round, they deal an extra 1d6 damage on a melee attack. At fifth level, when they move ten feet or more in a round, they also gain a +1 competence bonus to their Armour Class, which lasts until the beginning of their next turn. At levels 9 and 15 the bonus damage increases by a further 1d6; at levels 11 and 17, the competence bonus increases by +1.
As this bonus damage comes from the Blade Scholar's raw speed, it does not count as precision damage for the purposes of creature immunities, and can be multiplied on a critical hit.
This ability cannot be used while mounted, and does not apply if the Blade Scholar is wearing medium or heavy armour, or using a shield.
Blood On The Blade (Ex): At fourth level, the Blade Scholar can add their Dexterity modifier to damage with any melee weapons they are proficient with. This stacks with any bonus to damage they may gain from a high Strength score.
At tenth level, the Blade Scholar gains the Pounce special ability.
At sixteenth level, when the Blade Scholar makes a full-attack, they may recover all their expended manoeuvres. They cannot use any manoeuvres in conjunction with this ability, even if those manoeuvres grant full-attack actions (such as Time Stands Still).
Evasion (Ex): At seventh level, the Blade Scholar gains the benefits of Evasion.
At thirteenth level, this increases to Improved Evasion.
These abilities do not apply when the Blade Scholar is helpless, wearing medium or heavy armour, or using a shield.
Lightning Strikes Twice (Ex): At twentieth level, a number of times per day equal to their Dexterity modifier, the Blade Scholar may use two martial strikes in a single round. Following the use of this ability, the Blade Scholar may not use any other manoeuvres (other than remaining in a Stance) for 1d4+1 rounds.