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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Khaalis" data-source="post: 1592008" data-attributes="member: 2167">Ok... ability sources:Duelist’s Grace: Slightly modified from Swashbuckler (minor expansion to weapons allowed by Finesse).Swift Reflexes: Samurai (Iajutsu Master, still restricted weapons)Precision Strike: Swashbuckler (Insightful Strike)Defense Bonus: Swashbuckler (Grace) - Looking at replacing this with Monk’s defense bonus or Duelist PrC’s Canny DefenseDenigrating Banter: Samurai (Staredown)Jibing Insult: Samurai (Ki Smite)Swift Strike (Ex): Samurai and Duelist PrCImproved Denigrating Banter: Samurai (Improved Staredown but only single target)Weakening Strike: Swashbuckler (Weakening Critical), Rogue (Crippling Strike)Intimidating Presence: Samurai (Frightful Presence)Wounding Strike: Swashbuckler (Wounding Critical)Proposed abilities (WotC):Improved Feint (Now 3.5 PHB) - You can make a Bluff check to feint in combat as a move action.This makes sense for the fighting style, though I don’t know if it should also require the pre-requisite Combat Expertise. Granted CE is a defensive skill, but that takes up 2 class ability slots to one desired effect.  The other issue is this is a specific type of duelist fencing. I don’t think all duelists would necessarily fight this way. Just as I don’t see them all wanting a feat such as “Defensive Strike” from CW (+4 bonus to attack after successful total defense).  This is also similar to Denigrating Banter except it is for Bluff (Feint) instead of Intimidate (Demoralize). They would both fit but are two different styles.Exhaust Opponent (Sword & Fist Gladiator) – Deals 1d6 non-lethal damage on failed Fort save (DC 15 + 1/round of combat past the 3rd).While this has an interesting flair to it, I am not so keen on the mechanic. I am not a fan of Non-lethal damage attacks unless the class is specifically oriented to it. This would be even more limiting than the Banter/Intimidate skills as almost anything with a humanoid intelligence (3+) and a common language can be affected, but not a lot of things are subject to non-lethal damage.Roar of the Crowd (Sword & Fist Gladiator) – When watched by 6+ non-combatants, make a Perform check (DC15) to get +1 attack and damage for the fight. This is very similar to Jibing Insult but is EXTREMELY more limiting, much more-so than the Jibing in my opinion as it requires an audience.Make them Bleed (Sword & Fist Gladiator) – Basically a limited version of the magical wounding weapon property, bleeding +1hp/round for up to 10 minus Con bonus rounds, and is cumulative.Personally I don’t like the mechanic very much. It creates a lot of extra book keeping just to do excess damage. Each hit creates another wound that needs to be tracked independent of the others. It is also limited only to slashing weapons. For this kind of rule I would rather just see an added +1d6 damage.  I also don’t see this as too different from the ability score damage abilities from the Swashbuckler except the swashbuckler’s ability is to debilitate rather than just kill faster.Elaborate Parry: (SRD Duelist) - At 7th level and higher, if a duelist chooses to fight defensively or use total defense in melee combat, she gains an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC for each level of duelist she has.This would follow the same ideals as presented earlier by Tywyll for AC. It also follows into the line of Combat Expertise and other “pure defense” styles. This would also have to be changed to per 2 levels.Proposed abilities (Swashbuckling Adventures): These Are OGLCounterattack – When attack may use an attack AoO to attack back, but must declare before they attack and you both suffer –2 AC. Req: Combat Reflexes which is sub-optimal choice for a primarily one-on-one fighter.Don’t really like the mechanic since it warps the use of the AoO. I would prefer Defensive Strike (CW, mentioned above). Same relative idea without stretching the rules.Disarm Master – On successful disarm take an immediate AoO on that opponent.This could work with Improved Disarm in a chain, but is very specific to one type of melee and is limited to armed opponents only.Extra Finesse – Add Dex to damage instead of Strength. This is a good one. Maybe use this instead of a “Wounding” or “Ability score” damage?Parry & Riposte – I wont even bother trying to list this mechanic. Its very cumbersome. Basically attack rolls to defeat attack rolls and if the attack roll is defeated by the counter make a new attack of your own. A bit messy for my taste – especially if both opponents have the abilities.Slip – If an opponent misses you on an attack they provoke an AoO.Not sure how I feel about this. With a mixture of rogue this could be really ugly.Stay on their Tail – Ref save when opponent moves out of threatened area to move 5’ to keep them in threatened area.This only works if they only took a 5’ step, which is rather limiting, especially since you can make a 5’ step yourself anyway, unless you already have done so.Bonus FeatsAs for the core idea of the class I would prefer to avoid using the “Bonus Feat” option. I would rather add a string of related combat feats similar to the Monk and Ranger “Combat Styles”.  It would still grant choice of styles but it wouldn’t be so blandly generic. The other problem would be restricting the feats of choice as there really are, technically, Many feats that “could” be associated to a duelist’s style depending on the personal taste of the duelist (normally covered by the standard bonus feats).We could do three (or more) combat styles: Skill or Intimidation or Defense. As an example off the cuff, something like…Level X: Improved Feint or Denigrating Banter or Combat ExpertiseLevel Y: Improved Disarm or Jibing Insult or Elaborate ParryLevel Z: Disarm Master or Intimidating Presence or Defensive StrikeThoughts?Edit: Unfettered AC bonus = +1 at 1,3,6,9,12,15,18 (+7 max)</blockquote>

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