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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 9661466" data-attributes="member: 2629">I want my Swashbuckler with Beef Tallow Onion Rings.  On a serious note: Swashbucklers, to me, should be dexterity based melee characters that do not utilize magic, but still manipulate their foes.  They should have abilities that give them high battlefield mobility, controller style battle tricks that allow them to manipulate enemies (both physically and intellectually/emotionally), and they should be able to land powerful killing blows once they've 'played' with their foe.The mechanics I would use:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lightly armored.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Proficiency with Simple weapons, ranged weapons, and Finesse Martial Weapons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Movement speed similar to monk. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ignore difficult terrain and/or gain the ability to use it as a tool against enemies.  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Multi-attack, but 1 extra attack as a bonus action if they have one hand empty (no shield, no dual wield).  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They'd get a series of bonus action abilities at level 2 that allow them to manipulate battlefields (create difficult terrain, make areas slippery like a small area grease spell, throw up a cape to block line of sight until the start of their next turn, etc...)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They would get Duelist Damage:  When you damage a foe with a finesse weapon, track the total damage you deal to that target until such time as you damage another creature, or you end your turn without making a melee attack against that target.  If you hit the target with any attack when they have less hp remaining than the total you have tracked as Duelist Damage, kill them.  [This is similar to dealing double damage, but you need to get in one more blow to finish them off - and allows you to kill them with an attack that has no business being a finishing blow - like punching them.] </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">We'd have subclasses that focus on emotionally manipulating foes (goad them to attack, intimidate them into being frightened, trick them into attacking allies, etc...) , on using terrain to your advantage (use a whip/rope to swing from location to location, kick chairs at enemies, trip, disarm, etc...), and on using your allies as props/tools/guards (which would allow you to reposition allies, give them bonuses, parry attacks against them, etc...)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They would have supernatural charm allowing them to charm, frighten, trick and confuse others (in and out of combat).  These abilities would work like invocations (you'd pick them every X levels) and would include things like animal friendship, frighten enemies unless they save if they see you score a critical hit, charm non-hostile creatures without spending a resource if you can communicate with them, opponents are tricked into attacking adjacent allies if they miss you on the first attack they make against you in combat, etc..</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Their capstone ability would allow them to counter high level monster abilities through guile and manipulation: Negating legendary actions, redirecting cones and line abilities, etc....</li> </ul></blockquote>

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