Behold my stupendous ability to come up with prestige class names.
One of the players in my campaign has a light fighter/swashbuckler type, and may be looking for a prestige class in the near future. The following is what I've come up with.
Someone may ask, why create another swordsman PrC when there are already perfectly good ones in the duelist, bladesinger and spellsword. The answer, of course, is BECAUSE I CAN. So there. Also, I was looking for something with a more explicitly supernatural feel than the duelist, didn't have the historical baggage of the bladesinger, and was a bit more flamboyant than the spellsword. So here it is.
MYSTIC SWORDSMAN (or whatever)
Requirements:
Weapon Proficiency (shortsword, longsword, rapier, scimitar), Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Tumble 9 ranks
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump, Move Silently, Profession, Sense Motive, Tumble.
Skill Points/Level: 4.
Special abilities:
All of the mystic swordsman's special abilities function only if he is wearing light or no armour, and carrying no more than a light load.
Weapon and armour proficiencies: The mystic swordsman gains no weapon and armour proficiencies beyond what he already has.
Blade of Deception (Su): The mystic swordsman's style is more than just an elaborate series of flashing strikes, parries and flourishes; it can be lethal against those of weak mind. As a free action once per round, the mystic swordsman can attempt to deceive one target by weaving subtle cues into his movements. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + mystic swordsman's class level + his Charisma bonus) or lose their Dexterity bonus to AC against his next melee attack, provided it is made on the same round. Opponents who make their save cannot be deceived again that day. This is an Illusion (pattern), mind-affecting effect, and a creature must be able to see the mystic swordsman to be deceived.
Mastery of Blades (Ex): At 2nd level, the mystic swordsman gains the Weapon Focus feat with the shortsword, longsword, rapier and scimitar, if he does not have it already.
Imbued Strike (Su): At 3rd level, the mystic swordsman can channel arcane energy into his sword. His attacks are treated as if made by a weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus, if he is using a shortsword, longsword, rapier or scimitar.
Acrobatics (Ex): At 3rd level, the mystic swordsman gains a +5 competence bonus to Jump and Tumble skill checks. He can take 10 on any Jump or Tumble check, even if circumstances would normally prevent him from doing so, and his jumping distances are no longer limited by his height. This is an extraordinary ability.
At 8th level, the mystic swordsman's competence bonus to Jump and Tumble checks increases to +10. This increase is a supernatural ability.
Agile Riposte (Ex): At 4th level, the mystic swordsman is capable of extraordinary fast return attacks against those who engage him in melee. If the target of his Dodge feat makes a melee attack (or a melee touch attack) against him and misses, the mystic swordsman can make an immediate attack of opportunity in return. The mystic swordsman can make only one agile riposte per round, even if he has the Combat Reflexes feat.
Keen Edge (Su): At 5th level, the threat range on the mystic swordsman's melee attacks doubles, if made with a shortsword, longsword, rapier or scimitar. This effect doesn't stack with any other keen magic or enchantment, but it does stack with the Improved Critical feat (if the mystic swordsman has it).
Blade of Shadow (Su): At 6th level, the mystic swordsman's ability to weave patterns of mystic arcana gains in potency. On a successful attack against an opponent taken in by his blade of deception, he inflicts an additional +2d6 points of damage. This applies even against creatures that are immune to sneak attacks and critical hits, since it depends on channeling arcane energy.
Superior Expertise (Ex): At 7th level, the mystic swordsman can subtract a number from all his attack rolls in a round and add it to his AC. This number cannot exceed his base attack bonus. The bonus to his AC is a dodge bonus.
Rapid Strike (Ex): At 9th level, the mystic swordsman can make two attacks with a standard action, when wielding a shortsword, longsword, rapier or scimitar. The second attack is at a -5 penalty. This can be combined with other abilities that make use of the attack action, such as the Spring Attack feat.
Blade of Fury (Su): At 10th level, the mystic swordsman's command of the art of mystic swordsmanship reaches its peak. The critical multiplier on his attacks with the shortsword, longsword, rapier and scimitar increases by 1, from x2 to x3. He further gains a +5 competence bonus to Will saves against Illusion effects (thus minimising his vulnerability against others of his own school).
One of the players in my campaign has a light fighter/swashbuckler type, and may be looking for a prestige class in the near future. The following is what I've come up with.
Someone may ask, why create another swordsman PrC when there are already perfectly good ones in the duelist, bladesinger and spellsword. The answer, of course, is BECAUSE I CAN. So there. Also, I was looking for something with a more explicitly supernatural feel than the duelist, didn't have the historical baggage of the bladesinger, and was a bit more flamboyant than the spellsword. So here it is.
MYSTIC SWORDSMAN (or whatever)
Requirements:
Weapon Proficiency (shortsword, longsword, rapier, scimitar), Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Tumble 9 ranks
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump, Move Silently, Profession, Sense Motive, Tumble.
Skill Points/Level: 4.
Code:
[color=white]
Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 1 2 2 0 Blade of deception, Sneak attack +1d6
2 2 3 3 0 Mastery of blades
3 3 3 3 1 Imbued strike, Acrobatics +5
4 4 4 4 1 Agile riposte, Sneak attack +2d6
5 5 4 4 1 Keen edge
6 6 5 5 2 Blade of shadow
7 7 5 5 2 Superior expertise, Sneak attack +3d6
8 8 6 6 2 Acrobatics +10
9 9 6 6 3 Rapid strike
10 10 7 7 3 Blade of fury, Sneak attack +4d6
[/color]Special abilities:
All of the mystic swordsman's special abilities function only if he is wearing light or no armour, and carrying no more than a light load.
Weapon and armour proficiencies: The mystic swordsman gains no weapon and armour proficiencies beyond what he already has.
Blade of Deception (Su): The mystic swordsman's style is more than just an elaborate series of flashing strikes, parries and flourishes; it can be lethal against those of weak mind. As a free action once per round, the mystic swordsman can attempt to deceive one target by weaving subtle cues into his movements. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + mystic swordsman's class level + his Charisma bonus) or lose their Dexterity bonus to AC against his next melee attack, provided it is made on the same round. Opponents who make their save cannot be deceived again that day. This is an Illusion (pattern), mind-affecting effect, and a creature must be able to see the mystic swordsman to be deceived.
Mastery of Blades (Ex): At 2nd level, the mystic swordsman gains the Weapon Focus feat with the shortsword, longsword, rapier and scimitar, if he does not have it already.
Imbued Strike (Su): At 3rd level, the mystic swordsman can channel arcane energy into his sword. His attacks are treated as if made by a weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus, if he is using a shortsword, longsword, rapier or scimitar.
Acrobatics (Ex): At 3rd level, the mystic swordsman gains a +5 competence bonus to Jump and Tumble skill checks. He can take 10 on any Jump or Tumble check, even if circumstances would normally prevent him from doing so, and his jumping distances are no longer limited by his height. This is an extraordinary ability.
At 8th level, the mystic swordsman's competence bonus to Jump and Tumble checks increases to +10. This increase is a supernatural ability.
Agile Riposte (Ex): At 4th level, the mystic swordsman is capable of extraordinary fast return attacks against those who engage him in melee. If the target of his Dodge feat makes a melee attack (or a melee touch attack) against him and misses, the mystic swordsman can make an immediate attack of opportunity in return. The mystic swordsman can make only one agile riposte per round, even if he has the Combat Reflexes feat.
Keen Edge (Su): At 5th level, the threat range on the mystic swordsman's melee attacks doubles, if made with a shortsword, longsword, rapier or scimitar. This effect doesn't stack with any other keen magic or enchantment, but it does stack with the Improved Critical feat (if the mystic swordsman has it).
Blade of Shadow (Su): At 6th level, the mystic swordsman's ability to weave patterns of mystic arcana gains in potency. On a successful attack against an opponent taken in by his blade of deception, he inflicts an additional +2d6 points of damage. This applies even against creatures that are immune to sneak attacks and critical hits, since it depends on channeling arcane energy.
Superior Expertise (Ex): At 7th level, the mystic swordsman can subtract a number from all his attack rolls in a round and add it to his AC. This number cannot exceed his base attack bonus. The bonus to his AC is a dodge bonus.
Rapid Strike (Ex): At 9th level, the mystic swordsman can make two attacks with a standard action, when wielding a shortsword, longsword, rapier or scimitar. The second attack is at a -5 penalty. This can be combined with other abilities that make use of the attack action, such as the Spring Attack feat.
Blade of Fury (Su): At 10th level, the mystic swordsman's command of the art of mystic swordsmanship reaches its peak. The critical multiplier on his attacks with the shortsword, longsword, rapier and scimitar increases by 1, from x2 to x3. He further gains a +5 competence bonus to Will saves against Illusion effects (thus minimising his vulnerability against others of his own school).
