Duelist PrC Questions

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Why I asked

Now, if I can track down a copy of FRCS to give that "Cosmopolitan" feat a once over.

It's about the only FR feat I ever take... and about half of my characters take it...

-Hyp.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Re: Why I asked

Second question, if "the duelist cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand, although she can defend with it" it stikes me that it would be a very logical (and darn near twinky) tactic to use a +2 Dagger of Defending...

Use Off-Hand Parry with the defending weapon. I'd reccomend taking at least one feat along the TWF chain, so that if you run into a monster immune to critical hits, you can switch to attacking with both weapons.

Duelists are pretty weak against creatures immune to critical hits, though, even with this trick. Undead and Construct Bane weapons can help you even that out a bit, if you're willing to drop enhancement levels on them.

 

[Pax]

Maybe you guys can help, with regards to the Duelist class from Dragon #275, I have apair of questions:

1) The prereq's, while reasonable, do make it tricky to get into the class. It'seasy enough to fulfil the Feats, but what about the skills and the BAB? None of the 1/1 BAB classes have these skills... and the idea is to get into the class as soon as possible.

The prereq's are:

BAB 6+
Perform 3 ranks
Tumble 5 ranks

Dodge, Weapon Prof (rapier), Ambidexterity, and Mobility

That's what the "Cosmopolitan" feat, in FRCS, seems designed to handle. Make "tumble" a class skill.

Or go Rogue 1 / Fighter 6 ...

2) The wording of the Precise Strike(ex) ability is really vauge. It does a very good job of telling you what it does, but not how often you can use it... Excerpt follows:

It then goes on to explain that the damage increases over the course of the PrC, and that you can only precise strike things subject to crits, a la Sneak Attack, and it then points out that this damage is stackable with Sneak Attack.

Okay, so here's my question, when can the Duelist use this ability?

A: Every time she makes an attack with a rapier, as long as she's not fighting with the weapon in her other hand? (This seems overly powerful, as by 8th every hit from your rapier does 4D6 base damage )

This would be the correct answer.

Remember, to get this, teh Duellist has to satisfy TWO conditions:

One, be wielding their rapier, and only their rapier.

Two, be in light or NO armor.

Also consider, anyoen aiming for Duellist is NOT a high-strength character ... so to an extent they NEED that extra damage.

 

[Jens]

Re: Re: Duelist PrC Questions

One, be wielding their rapier, and only their rapier.

Actually, the requirement is only that he must be wielding a one-handed piercing weapon, meaning that picks, spears, shortswords and daggers are allowed too. (I have heard it argued that a Monkey Gripped Spiked Chain is ok as well, but imo that does not satisfy the 'one-handed' requirement.)

Halfling duelists are very happy that shortswords and daggers are allowed, and depending on their DMs they might not even have the otherwise required Weapon Proficiency (Rapier), especially if they don't have levels in a martial class.

 

[Jens]

Oops, double post

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Duelist PrC Questions

Actually, the requirement is only that he must be wielding a one-handed piercing weapon, meaning that picks, spears, shortswords and daggers are allowed too.

You forgot Heavy Lance!

Actually, now I want to make a Duellist just so I can get Precise Strike with a Morningstar...

-Hyp.

 

[Spatula]

Re: Re: Duelist PrC Questions

The prereq's, while reasonable, do make it tricky to get into the class. It'seasy enough to fulfil the Feats, but what about the skills and the BAB? None of the 1/1 BAB classes have these skills... and the idea is to get into the class as soon as possible.

That's what the "Cosmopolitan" feat, in FRCS, seems designed to handle. Make "tumble" a class skill.

Or go Rogue 1 / Fighter 6 ...

Or Fighter 7. Five ranks in a cross-class skill = 10 skill points = 7th level. This class isn't tricky to get into at all.

 

[Plane Sailing]

A: Every time she makes an attack with a rapier, as long as she's not fighting with the weapon in her other hand?(This seems overly powerful, as by 8th every hit from your rapier does 4D6 base damage )

I just wanted to additionally point out that the rapier doesn't do 4d6 base damage. It still does 1d6 damage +3d6 from the precise attack. Thus on a crit it will do 2d6 + 3d6. Bonus dice damage are always added after crit rolls.

I'm sure you knew that anyway, but I thought it bore saying.

Cheers