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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 3322600" data-attributes="member: 13966">Gah, too much.......too much......Sorry Nifft, but I'm not really sure how you thought this Fighter-Rogue Triple-Plus Mega-Ninja Fencing-Machine would be a fair prestige class.  Since it has many similarities to the Fighter, that's what it needs comparing to......though as a prestige class, and a fighter-ish one, it's reasonable to give it some minor advantages over a Fighter.Super-easy entrance...3rd-level human rogue or 1st-level rogue/2nd-level fighter of any race could easily enter the class, and not really be giving anything up to do so (all three feat prereqs are decent choices of direct-combat feat, two of the skills have direct combat uses, one of the skills has some combat use against another).  Fine for a generic prestige class I suppose, if, y'know, you drop all pretense of "prestige" having anything to do with the class.  Also, I'm not quite sure I've ever seen a prestige class that could be entered at 4th-level, rather than 5th-level or higher (and the majority need 6th-level or higher as far as I know).So....they get all the Fighter's basic stats, with one base-save switcheroo, and 2 more sp/level, plus numerous additional class skills....  They can be sneaky, they can infiltrate places in a social guise or a break-in-the-window-and-climb way, they can manipulate people in social situations, they're athletic and acrobatic....  I'm not seeing any weaknesses here.  The fact that they lack a small handful of roguish skills does not really count as a drawback (they're more a Fighter-related class anyway, and those few roguish skills missing don't really diminish their role).  All this, I understand, would be fine considering it's a kinda melee-focused prestige class.  But, these are not the only advantages it has over a Fighter.....So, they get 3 bonus feats over time (compared to the 5 a Fighter would get), from a somewhat smaller list than the Fighter's but still a useful array of feats, as well as 3 sneak attack dice (compared to the 5 a Rogue would get), Evasion, +1 to +10 on Bluff checks to feint in combat, full Uncanny Dodge benefits, an Initiative bonus that equals and stacks with the Improved Initiative feat, the granted power of the Luck Domain, a dodge bonus that exceeds the AC bonuses granted by any armor, and an easy way to get in attacks of opportunity every round.This is quite a lot more than the class features of a Fighter or a Rogue.  On top of having basic stats that slightly exceed those of a Fighter.  Given the easy entrance requirements, who wouldn't take this prestige class as soon as possible, except for primary spellcasters?  A straight Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, or Ranger with good Intelligence could qualify by 5th-level and enter the PrC at 6th.  They certainly wouldn't have to give up much to do so.This is oddly worded.  It should state, essentially, "The bonus a Duelist receives from the Dodge feat becomes equal his or her level in the Duelist class, as long as the Duelist does not wear medium or heavy armor."  You don't need to repeat parts of the Dodge feat's text.  The second part would be more appropriately worded as "At the beginning or end of the Duelist's turn, he or she may choose to apply the Dodge feat against all melee attacks.  When doing so, the dodge bonus is reduced to one-half the Duelist's level in this class, rounded down, and is not limited to use against one opponent.  This change lasts until the Duelist's next turn."This should really say "any Bluff checks to feint in combat" instead of "any Feint checks", for clarity and accuracy.  Also, it's a rather significant boost.  After a few Duelist levels, it's not likely that any foe could ever resist the feint attempts through Sense Motive (except on a rare, lucky happenstance of the Duelist rolling super-low and the enemy rolling really-high along with maxed Sense Motive ranks).This is just significant for its stacking with Improved Initiative, which is a also a bonus feat option for the class.  Might want to keep it down to +2?  Then move the 3rd Sneak Attack die to 8th-level to sorta fill the gap, since that'd fit the SA pattern anyway?This is also poorly worded.  It doesn't specify if the dodge opponent has to miss when attacking the Duelist, or not (does it apply when they miss against an ally of the Duelist?).  Keep in mind that the Duelist's high dodge bonus to AC means this Riposte ability will likely be activated every round (and in fact makes a Duelist with Combat Reflexes all that much deadlier against a group of enemies facing him together).I don't know why this is called Fool's Luck, when the Duelist seems anything but a fool.  Great bluffing skill, many varied skills, extremely skillful fighting techniques.....  Complete misnomer.  Thematically I don't have a problem with the ability itself, though.  Although I would kinda expect any self-respecting would-be Duelist to start off as a Rogue 2/Fighter 1/Cleric of Olidammara 1 (Luck domain and Trickery domain), just for the leetness of having double Luck domain powers later on.These aren't really things he's paying with, though.  The prestige class' feat prerequisites and bonus feats make it good for a fighter/rogue multiclass, thus giving them a 2 or 3 point boost in Fortitude saves (more if they decide to, after Duelist 10, continue on to 4th-level as a fighter, for Weapon Specialization).  And while Fortitude is kinda important for a front-liner moreso than others (more likely to encounter a foe's poison sting, diseased bite, paralyzing touch, etc.), it's already a Rogue's weakness anyway, so a Rogue entering Duelist isn't really losing out (he would've already stunk at Fort saves regardless).Restricting them to light armor is nothing.  With the huge Dodge bonus granted by the PrC, they'll easily outstrip a full-plate fighter in Armor Class.  Compare:Rogue 2/Fighter 1/Cleric of Olidammara 1/Duelist 10 --- mithral breastplate +5 (10 AC), mithral tower shield +5 (9 AC), dodge +10/+5 (5 or 10 AC), total AC = 34 or 39 on any given round, before considering Dex or other itemsVersusFighter 14 --- mithral full plate +5 (13 AC), mithral tower shield +5 (9 AC), total AC = 31, before considering Dex or other itemsNote that the only restriction your version of the Duelist imposes is that the Dodge benefit only works in light or no armor.  A fighter/duelist is perfectly capable of using a tower shield at the same time, and a bastard sword (with EWP taken as a fighter bonus feat) in the other hand (your version of the Sword & Fist duelist PrC doesn't require use of a one-handed finessable weapon with nothing in the off-hand, or whatnot).And what's this 'no stealth skills' thing you mentioned?  Your Duelist isn't lacking in stealth skills.  Even if you do remove Hide and Move Silently retroactively, it won't matter much at all.  They've still got social infiltration/stealth skills, and they can still feint in combat to get in Sneak Attacks (or just flank with the party's other melee-dude, whether he's a fighter, rogue, cleric, summoned monster, or whatever).  It's not at all hard for this Duelist to utilize his Sneak Attack damage.Definitely need to take away or weaken several benefits to make this prestige class reasonable.</blockquote>

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