The Swordsman[Base Class]

[jlousivy]

Any assistance on fluff/balance/TABLES<--big one would be great.

Without further adue, the Swordsman(samurai-ish)
Hit Die: D8
Saves: Good Will, Good Fort
BaB: 3/4 as the monk
Skills: (4+int) climb, jump, swim, balance, move silently, hide, profession, intimidate, spot, listen, craft
Proficiencys: Simple weapons, longsword, scimitar, rapier, the swordsman is not proficient with any armour or shields.
1 AC Bonus, EWP(bastard sword), bonus feat(weapon focus), fast move+10
flurry of blades
2 quickdraw
3 sword accuracy
4
5 fast move+20
6 parry
7
8 evasion
9
10 cover, fast move +30
11 parry(2), improved flurry of blades
12
13
14
15 fast move +40
16
17 improved evasion
18 parry(3)
19
20 fast move +50

AC Bonus: At first level the swordsman gains a bonus to AC. As the monk ac bonus.

Fast movement: At first level and every 5th level the swordsman gains a 10 ft base land movement speed increase

EWP(bastard sword): At first level the swordsman gains the exotic weapon proficiency(bastard sword) even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Weapon Focus: At first level the swordsman gains the feat weapon focus however he must apply this to sword, he gains this feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites

Flurry of Blades: At first level the swordsman gains flurry of blades. As the monk's flurry of blows, however the restriction is that the swordsman may only use this with a sword in which he has weapon focus.

Improved Flurry of Blades: As improved flurry of blows, but with the same restrictions as flurry of blades

Quickdraw: At second level the swodsman gains quickdraw. As the feat, however this only applies to a sword in which he has weapon focus.

Sword Accuracy: Starting at 3rd level the swordsman gains sword accuracy. This ability allows the swordsman to apply both his dex modifier(if positive) and his str modifier to any one handed sword in which he has weapon focus in. This effect only functions if the swordsman is unarmoured(including shield) and is carrying a light load or less.

Parry: Starting at 6th level the swordsman gains the parry ability. Once per round the swordsman may attempt to deflect a melee blow directed at him. In doing so, he forfits any bonus to ac from wisdom or dexterity to that attack (if he fails to parry). The swordsman makes an opposed attack roll with a DC of equal to the attacker's roll. If the swordsman exceeds the attack roll by 1 or more the attack is parried. The swordsman may attempt to deflect a ranged attack but suffers a -4 penalty on his attack roll. The swordsman uses his highest base attack bonus. At 11th level the swordsman gains an additional parry attempt at his 2nd highest base attack bonus. At 18th level the swordsman gains a 3rd parry attempt at his 3rd highest base attack bonus. This ability must be declared before the enemy makes his attack roll.
This ability may only be used if he is aware of the attack and he must be unarmoured and not carrying anything heavier than a light load. In addition he may only use this with any weapon in which he has weapon focus.

Evasion: Starting at 8th level the swordsman gains evasion. As the monk/rogue ability, however he may only gain the benefits if he is unarmoured(including shields) and carrying a light load or less.

Cover: Starting at 10th level the swordsman the swordsman gains the cover ability. This ability allows the swordsman to attempt to parry an attack targetting anyone in a square in which he threatens. these parry attempts count against his parry total for the round. He also may attempt to deflect a ranged attack if the path of the projectile passes through a square in which he threatens.

Improved evasion: Starting at 17th level the swordsman gains improved evasion with the same requirements as evasion.

Balance? critique?

[Fax Celestis]

{table=head]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special
1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | AC Bonus, EWP(bastard sword), bonus feat(weapon focus), fast move+10, flurry of blades
2 | +1 | +3 | +0 | +2 | quickdraw
3 | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | sword accuracy
4 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 |
5 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | fast move+20
6 | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | parry
7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 |
8 | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | evasion
9 | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 |
10 | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | cover, fast move +30
11 | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | parry(2), improved flurry of blades
12 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 |
13 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 |
14 | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 |
15 | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | fast move +40
16 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 |
17 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | improved evasion
18 | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | parry(3)
19 | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 |
20 | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | fast move +50[/table]

Once more with coding:

Spoiler

Show

{table=head]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special
1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | AC Bonus, EWP(bastard sword), bonus feat(weapon focus), fast move+10, flurry of blades
2 | +1 | +3 | +0 | +2 | quickdraw
3 | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | sword accuracy
4 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 |
5 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | fast move+20
6 | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | parry
7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 |
8 | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | evasion
9 | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 |
10 | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | cover, fast move +30
11 | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | parry(2), improved flurry of blades
12 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 |
13 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 |
14 | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 |
15 | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | fast move +40
16 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 |
17 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | improved evasion
18 | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | parry(3)
19 | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 |
20 | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | fast move +50[/table]

Now questions: Sword Accuracy: is that just to attack rolls, or to attack and damage?

Also: why not give him Wis-to-AC in light or no armor, instead of just no armor?

[jlousivy]

thank you SO MUCH for the table help.

Sword accuracy: only to attack rolls.
balance on sword accuracy- i gave this to him because he is basicly a sword-only fighter, he has no real ranged fighting ability, therefore he is more accurate with these chosen weapons

I gave wis-to ac only in no armour because he already has the parry ability, so that kinda helps balance his defencive abilities.

[Macrovore]

why does a melee fighter have 3/4 BAB?
yes, i know the monk, soulknife, and swordsage have 3/4, but they all have several other abilities. your class just gets better with a sword. the d8 hit die is ok, as the ranger has it, but try to figure out a way to get it up to full BAB.

and what incentive does a swordsman have to use a longsword if he is automatically proficient with the bastard sword (don't say that the longsword is cheaper)? i would say take it out. just give him proficiency with all simple and martial weapons (or just slashing or piercing melee weapons), and they can take EWP if they want to use the bastard sword.

[TempusCCK]

Meh, your character seems geared to a single weapon, that which they have the weapon focus. So if your character uses his bonus weapon focus on a longsword for example, but finds how he wants to start using bastard swords, he has to wait and waste one of his character bonus feats before he can start using his good sword abilities with it.

And a longsword allows for the use of a shield, and a bastard sword doesn't, depending on how much that shield bonus to AC means to you, if you took a shield proficiency feat, which many people might elect to do.

[Spiryt]

Class is very interesting, but it need work in my opinion.
For now it's perfect class to take just one level [ mostly for Exotic weapon master ( uncanny blow !)]. Then take a level(s) in barbarian and then on level 7th Frenzied Berserker.We have guy that deals +18 dam only from strenght ( not to mention 50ft move speed).
So his 1rst level abilities could be maybe moved on higher levels.
I'm no expert but it seems balanced. It should have fair chances with pal, ranger or barbarian ( maybe fighter too)

[Ever Phasm]

I think it is a very good class but needs full BAB and less faster movement. Monks get there fast movement from meditating and years of dedicated practice (not that swordsman's don't get it from meditating and practice). Give them less improved speed or simply a better charging ability to keep up with archers.

[Igan]

I'd give light armor proficiency, but that's just me.

[Raistlin1040]

Looks overpowered to me. I can't really explain why but as a DM I could see this class unbalancing my game. My two coppers. Pay me no heed.

[Attilargh]

And a longsword allows for the use of a shield, and a bastard sword doesn't, depending on how much that shield bonus to AC means to you, if you took a shield proficiency feat, which many people might elect to do.

Huh?

{table=head]Exotic Weapons | Cost | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range Increment | Weight | Type
One-Handed Melee Weapons
Sword, bastard | 35 gp | 1d8 | 1d10 | 19-20/×2 | — | 6 lb. | Slashing[/table]

Sword, Bastard
A bastard sword is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A character can use a bastard sword two-handed as a martial weapon.

When used as an exotic weapon (as the Swordman probably will, thanks to his Exotic Weapon Proficiency for it), a bastard sword is a one-handed weapon and thus can be used with a shield.

Of course, a Swordman forfeits many of his more useful class abilities if he uses a shield. I consider this a bit odd, as I've understood bucklers were an essential part of some swordfighting styles. (Curiously, a Swordman can still hold an improvised weapon - say, a barrel lid - in his off-hand to grant him a +1 shield bonus, assuming he has Two-Weapon Defense.)

[Matthew]

I think this Swordsman is more of the Oriental Sword Sage type, to judge by the amazingly fast movement, Bastard Sword (Katana) and lack of Armour and Shield Proficiency...

[jlousivy]

Yeah, i pretty much based it off of kenshin from samurai X (but i obviously couldn't really give him some of his kick-ass techniques) hense the no armour

[Attilargh]

Ah, of course. I'm a bit stuck in the "knights in shining armour"-theme, I guess.

(Rather ironic, considering my avatar.)