Please rate the arcane duelist

[hong]

... okay, maybe not.

But has anyone tried out this prestige class from Wizards' website? One of my players is thinking of taking it. Personally I don't see any problems, although adjudicating that 10th level "flurry of swords" ability might be a bit of a nightmare.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/re/re20030224a

 

[Corinth]

I don't see why a character would need to be able to cast any arcane spells for this class. If a PrC requires that an applicant be a spell-caster, then the class abilities ought to employ that power somehow. The Arcane Duelist doesn't; it's abilities are more like funky powers from a wuxia story than any form of spell-casting.

 

[Andion Isurand]

The prestige class reminds me of an episode from "Rune Soldier Louie"...
(a newer, anime fantasy series)

Where this charming blonde guy in armor returns from the past to persue an old love interest in one of the main female characters....
( she did not share it )

And she is stunned when she later witnesses him kick ass in battle.....

///////////////////////////////////////////

But in the end, it turned out that .......

his sword... was a flying, dancing sword that fought on its own... (and he simply held on while it did so)

his big, broad armor... levitated and kept together by its own magic....

his body... was that of a skinny, whiney little weakling....

 

[Chronosome]

I don't see why a character would need to be able to cast any arcane spells for this class. If a PrC requires that an applicant be a spell-caster, then the class abilities ought to employ that power somehow. The Arcane Duelist doesn't; it's abilities are more like funky powers from a wuxia story than any form of spell-casting.

Well arcane archer's kind of got the same bag: You need 1st level arcane spellcasting ability to get the class, and the only real spell-oriented power they get is Imbue Arrow.

I think there are a few OA classes with similar deals goin' on...

I tend to think of the spellcasting p-class requirements as being "worthy of channeling magic in funky ways".

Just my view.

 

[hong]

I tend to think of the spellcasting p-class requirements as being "worthy of channeling magic in funky ways".

That's pretty much it.

From feedback here and elsewhere, it looks like the class isn't overpowered. In fact, if anything it's wimpy, but that's not my problem, that's the player's.

 

[Golandrinel]

Looks good to me Hong. What flavour campaign do you run?
When I was I player I used a halfling swashbuckler to good effect in a Ravenloft campaign.

 

[hong]

Looks good to me Hong. What flavour campaign do you run?

http://www.zipworld.com.au/~hong/dnd/britannia/

 

[Golandrinel]

Headless ... you gotta love em.