An attempt at a Duellist Core Class for a low magic setting - Please Critique

[Zagyg-The-Mad]

Hail and Good Tidings!!! I plan to eventually run a D&D game in a low magic setting and have to nix a few core classes, primarily Paladins and Druids. In doing it though I have decided to take a stab at doing a Duellist Core Class. Below is the bare-bones version (ie no flavor text or background). I need help from a mechanics point of view in trying to make this interesting and still somewhere in the magical land we like to called "Attempted Balance". Any and all help will be appreciated (and in my defense this is basically an untested second draft).

THE DUELIST

LVL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL
1 +1 +0 +2 +0 Ambidexterity, Canny Defense,
Flexible Tactics (+1)
2 +2 +0 +3 +0 Mobility
3 +3 +1 +3 +1 Improved Disarm
4 +4 +1 +4 +1 Flexible Tactics (+2)
5 +5 +1 +4 +1 Enhanced Coordination
6 +6 +2 +5 +2 Elaborate Parry
7 +7 +2 +5 +2 Deflect Arrows, Expert Disarm
8 +8 +2 +6 +2 Flexible Tactics (+3)
9 +9 +3 +6 +3 Enhanced Mobility
10 +10 +3 +7 +3 Improved Reaction
11 +11 +3 +7 +3 Master Disarm, Full Coordination
12 +12 +4 +8 +4 Flexible Tactics (+4)
13 +13 +4 +8 +4 Critical Precision (+1)
14 +14 +4 +9 +4 Parry Death's Blow (1/day)
15 +15 +5 +9 +5
16 +16 +5 +10 +5 Flexible Tactics (+5)
17 +17 +5 +10 +5
18 +18 +6 +11 +6 Critical Precision (+2)
19 +19 +6 +11 +6 Parry Death's Blow (2/day)
20 +20 +6 +12 +6 Flexible Tactics (+6)

HD: 1d10 per level
ARMOR: Light Armor Proficiency & Buckler
WEAPONS: Simple & Martial Melee Wpns, Simple Ranged Wpns
SKILL POINTS: 4 per level

CLASS SKILLS
Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str),
Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha),
Innuendo (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha),
Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex)

CLASS FEATURES

AMBIDEXTERITY
Feat from the Players Handbook

CANNY DEFENSE
When not wearing armor the duelist adds their intelligence to their AC, anytime their dex modifier is denied this bonus is lost.

FLEXIBLE TACTICS
This is a bonus that can be applied to the duelist's "To-Hit Rolls", "Damage Rolls", or "Armor Class". As the duelist increases in level this bonus improves and can be split anyway the character sees fit as long as it doesn't exceed their maximum bonus. This modifier can be changed between them from round to round.

MOBILITY
Feat from the Players Handbook

IMPROVED DISARM
Feat from the Players Handbook

ENHANCED COORDINATION
All penalties from wielding two weapons in combat is reduced by 1. Two light weapons now only incure a -1 penalty on attacks while two medium weapons incure only a -3.

DEFLECT ARROWS
Same as the feat but a tiny, small, or medium melee weapon must wielded in order to attempt this.

EXPERT DISARM
When a duelist attempts to disarm an opponent their opponents weapon size is considered 1 smaller if it is larger than the weapon used by the duelist. (In other words a great sword is considered only size medium when the duelist is using a size medium or smaller weapon, the defender still gets a bonus for wielding their weapon 2-handed)

ENHANCED MOBILITY
The duelist gains an additional +4 bonus to AC when provoking attacks of opportunity. this stacks with the mobility feat.

IMPROVED REACTION
+2 bonus to initiative. This stacks with the Improved Initiative Feat.

MASTER DISARM
As Expert Disarm but the weapon is considered 2 sizes smaller.

FULL COORDINATION
The penalty for two-weapon fighting is now reduced by 2.

CRITICAL PRECISION
The final critical threat range is increased by +1. Note that this is added on only after all multipliers are used, a Keened Rapier wielded by someone with the Improved Critical Feat would have only an 11+ Critical Threat range, NOT a 9+. At 18th level this increases to +2.

PARRY DEATH'S BLOW
When the Duelist takes a blow that is sufficient to drop him into negative hit points or total death he can attempt a Reflex Save adding their Flexible Tactics Bonus, DC 5+total damage taken to avoid the blow. This can only be done once per day starting at 14th level and goes up to 2/day at 19th level.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well what do you all think? I really need some help on this. I avidly look forward to your responses.

 

[Crothian]

It's an interesting take, but I think they really get too many abilities. Thereare some levels that you give them 2 feats or their equivilant.

 

[Turanil]

Good but somehow overpowered

This class looks good. In fact, all the abilities Duellists are given make sense and are appropriate. However, what I see is they seem to be overpowered. For instance, I suggest Flexible Tactics begin at 4th level, with a +1, to finish +5 at 20th level. Anyway, I would suggest: convert these abilities into feat, and see how many a fighter would get... Otherwise, I suggest you use both the ClassCalc (found on the Internet, don't remember where) and the D20 Class-Construction-Engine to check the power of your classes.

Here I would say that flavor text will greatly help where this class must stand. Is this another sort of fighter? Or why not a sort of aristocratic fencer that does swordplay for the art of it, but would be at loss on a battlefield (compared to a fighter)? If such, you could keep that amount of abilities but give them d8 hit-points and rogue bab (like aristocrats). But if they are to be a breed of true fighters, why not reduce the number of skill-points, and suppress some abilities not essential to it (such as deflect arrows).

Otherwise: what is a low magic world? I suppose one where there are no or few spellcasters, and rangers / paladins / bards have no spells. Or is it one where classes are weaker, more like the expert and warrior classes?

Lastly: I much like creating core classes myself (look at my magician class on this forum!). If you want, send me all your core classes, and I will review them. In fact, I plan to create a nicely illustrated PDF (for free downloads) that would present 20 classes. Most these classes already exist, although not for a low magic world. Maybe we could join our efforts...

DOM
(member of the netbook of classes)

 

[Zagyg-The-Mad]

Read your thoughts and suggestions, how about these reductions to it.....

Hit Dice lowered to D8 from D10
Dropped Elaborate Defense (originally given at level 6)
Dropped Deflect Arrows (originally given at level 7)
Dropped Master Disarm (originally given at level 11)
Removed 2nd Parry Death’s Blow (level 19)


found the ClassCalc and it actually worked out the best I could figure on it to have some points left over, but I still find this rather impressive. One thought though, if anyone has any alternate suggestions on how to balance picking back up Master Disarm I would love to know.

Turanil, I am going to look over your Magician class and harass you about it a little later, the brief glance I was able to give it makes me think it looks fairly nice.

Till me meet again comrades!!!

 

[nameless]

Instead of Parry Death's Blow, use the Defensive Roll mechanic. It's basically the same thing, so it makes sense to not reinvent the wheel.

Other than that, I just think something's missing. The class seems kind of inflexible to me. Basically it's a one-trick pony: it beats other fighters by taking away their weapons and denying them chances to attack. Against someone who keeps their weapon, your inability to wear armor will have bloody consequences. My best suggestion is to have more improvement for criticals. You have the "extra-keen" stuff in there, maybe give a multiplier bonus at some point too.