Acrobatic Fighters

[Rolzup]

I need a bit of direction here. I'm trying to find a good Prestige Class for a character in a 3.5 game, and I'm a bit stuck.

The character that I'm playing in this particular game is currently a CG halfling Ranger 2/Barbarian 2/Fighter 2, although he's just made 7th level. I'm aiming for a campaign-specific Prestige Class called "Sword Dancer" -- mechanically similar to the Duelist, but based around the bastard sword instead of a rapier. I need a few things in order to qualify, though: specifically, 5 ranks in Tumble and Balance. At the moment, I have a single rank in each skill.

What I'm looking for at this point is a PrC with:
A fighter's attack bonus,
Balance and Tumble as class skills,
and that's appropriate for a 7th level character.

Fun/interesting class abilites would be a bonus, obviously....

Gladiator is the only thing that I've found, and it's just not right, somehow.

It would only be for a level or two before taking that Sword Dancer class. DM's told me he'd be more than willing to let me make up a new class, but inspiration is failing me -- I can't think of a good *theme*, and I don't want to just munchkin something together, tempting though it may be.

Any suggestions or ideas? More than anything else, I'm just looking for some creative inspiration at this point.

__________________
Rolzup

"The old saw about old dogs and new
tricks only applies to certain people." --Daniel Pinkwater

 

[Tessarael]

What I'm looking for at this point is a PrC with:
A fighter's attack bonus,
Balance and Tumble as class skills,
and that's appropriate for a 7th level character.

Unfettered from Arcana Unearthed is highly appropriate methinks.

 

[Nifft]

Take a peek at my revision of the Duelist:

http://klimt.cns.nyu.edu/~fishman/DnD/prc.shtml#duelist

-- N

 

[Darklone]

I know a pretty fitting prestige class called "Rogue" where two levels would give you a nice class ability called sneak attack as well as evasion.... and skillpoints!

If you need BAB +8 for your class, 3 levels of rogue are nothing to sneer at, though I'd suggest 4 of them (in case of no multiclassing penalties) for Improved Uncanny Dodge Goodness.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Take a peek at my revision of the Duelist:

http://klimt.cns.nyu.edu/~fishman/DnD/prc.shtml#duelist

A Duelist is a master of melee, specialized in light armor and weapons.

As best I can tell, this class works fine for greatsword-and-shield fighters... though it requires a dead feat in that case.

 

[Pagan priest]

This is why I decide PrC's while the character is 1st level. No last minute scurry to fill some gaping hole in the prerequisites.

 

[Nifft]

As best I can tell, this class works fine for greatsword-and-shield fighters... though it requires a dead feat in that case.

Greatsword-and-shield?!?

It works fine for Sword & Shield, Greatsword-and-Fullplate, or nearly any other combo -- but the advantages shine best when used by a light-weapon fighter in light armor, due to how the Acrobatic Attack class feature works. (Armor Check Penalties are going to cut down that feature significantly.)

However, if your opponent wants to fight a duel in fullplate, you should still be able to kick his butt.

-- N

 

[CRGreathouse]

Greatsword-and-shield?!?

Next time, coffee before posting.

 

[rowport]

I do not have any PrC suggestions, but I do have three thoughts:
1. "The Complete Warrior" includes a swashbuckler class which might work for you as a multiclass.
2. Dragon #310 included a Fighter variant class of swashbucker, which again might be a good multiclass.
3. A third-party product by the folks that produce Deadlands (about water-based adventures) includes the Buccaneer class.

 

[Mallus]

Swords are passe. You should switch to a trip-enabled reach weapon. Then start searching for PrC's.

But if you insist on sticking with some form of outmoded, trip-disabled, short-range pig-sticker, I think Darklone's idea of taking a rogue level is the best way to go. So you'd be one off your max BAB progression, you'd get a d6 of sneak attack. And consider how easy it is to flank when one of your party members is a fellow acrobatic fighter w/a 20' reach...