Dashing Swordsman Prestige Class

Zirnitra

First Post
(Note: A work in progress)
Dashing Swordsman prestige class: Inspired by Order of the Stick #390
“Remember it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, as long as you look really cool doing it!”
Julio Scoundrel, Dashing Swordsman

Prequisites:
8 Ranks in Tumble
8 ranks in Bluff or Intimidate
Improved Trip or Improved Disarm or Improved Feint
BAB +5
Combat Reflexes
Proficiency with the Rapier
Alignment: Any non-evil

Skills 6+int modifier: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disguise, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Robe.
HD: D8
BAB: Full
Fort: Good
Reflex: Good
Will: Bad

Level 1: Razor Wit: As long as you are wielding a rapier you can apply your charisma modifier (up to the number of dashing swordsman levels you have) to your attack and damage bonus as long as you utter at least a single one-liner each encounter (The last condition may be waived by the DM for the mental health of the group, or the physical health of the player.) Should he be rendered shaken, frightened, panicked, or demoralized (such as by the use of the Intimidate skill or spells such as crushing despair) he loses the benefit of this ability.

Level 2: Charming: You may charm one person of the opposite sex (as charm person) once a day for each 3 dashing swordsman levels you have. (DC= 10+Dashing Swordsman level+ charisma modifier, duration=1 hours per dashing swordsman level)
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a dashing swordsman can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a dashing swordsman already has uncanny dodge from a different class (a rogue with at least two levels of barbarian, for example), he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Level 3: Silver-Tongued: You may use the "glibness" spell 3/day.
Too Cool To Die: You add your charisma bonus to your saving throws. Should he be rendered shaken, frightened, panicked, or demoralized (such as by the use of the Intimidate skill or spells such as crushing despair) he loses the benefit of this ability.

Level 4: Cutting Remark: Once per day per 3 Swordsman levels as a swift action you may make a charisma check (opposed by a charisma check by your opponent), you’re opponent becomes angry and more careless gains a -2 to both AC and checks to resist feints and trips.

Level 5: Mark of the Swordsman: As a full round action 3 times per day you may make a single attack with a rapier against an sentient creature (above 3 int) as you carve your symbol (often a letter such as maybe possibly a Z) into your opponent causing them to take a -4 penalty to all rolls until they get at least one point of magical healing.
Acrobatic Charge (Ex): A dashing swordsman of 3rd level or higher can charge in situations where others cannot. He may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement or allies blocking his path. This ability enables him to run down steep stairs, leap down from a balcony, or to tumble over tables to get to his target. Depending on the circumstance, he may still need to make appropriate checks (Jump or Tumble checks, in particular) to successfully move over terrain. Should he gain this ability from another class, the dashing swordsman instead gains a +2 bonus on any movement related checks made during an Acrobatic Charge (Jump and Tumble checks in particular).

Level 6: Only a Scratch: Once a day (twice at level 10) you may negate a critical hit made against you.

Level 7: Dashing Entrance: If you make and succeed on a tumble or jump or use rope check in the first round of an encounter you gain a morale bonus to attack rolls equal to the DC/10 (it lasts for a number of rounds= to the DC/10) (rounded down in both cases)

Level 8: Opportunity Knocks: You are good at exploiting opportunities: You get +4 bonus to attack rolls when making an attack of opportunity.

Level 9: Improved Uncanny Dodge Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A dashing swordsman of 9th level or higher can no longer be flanked; he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attack

Level 10: Extraordinary Luck: You may use the “Moment of Prescience” once per day as though you were a spell caster equal to your level.

Fluff to come.
 
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A very cool start!

I think your prerequisites are a bit low. This is a high-power prestige class. After all, Elan is 13th level or so.

A prerequisite should be Perform: X ranks in Repartee, where X is at least 8.

Razor Wit: I'd suggest rephrasing it so that you use Cha instead of Str.

Too Cool To Die is very cool, but it duplicates Divine Grace. You might want Evasion instead.

Like the Duellist, I'd like the class to have a +1 Dodge bonus per level (up to the character's CHA bonus).

I don't like your Acrobatic Charge: while I like the idea, it negates one of the Knight's class features. I'd suggest that the activity be given a DC of 20+level of highest character.

Only a Scratch: this is a bit good. How about changing it to '... you may negate a critical hit made against you (normal damage still applies) that would take you below 0 HP'?

Dashing Entrance: no love for Use Rope? :D This is what's known in HERO terms as a Presence Attack and should be much lower level. Make an entrance that requires a skill roll and you gain a morale bonus of +1 per 5 by which you make the roll.

Spellcasting: +1 / 2 levels, I'd suggest.
HP: d6, not d8. A full-on combat type would go for Duellist.
 


I like what you have here. The only real change I would make would be the dashing entrance. Maybe +1/2 above DC, and only for the first round.
 

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