StreamOfTheSky
Adventurer
I really like the intent of the Battle Dancer class in Dragon Compendium, and its clear influence from Capoeira and its history (right down to getting Open Lock as a class skill!). It's just... actually possibly weaker than the monk, which is quite an accomplishment. So, in an attempt to take that idea and improve it, I give you this. Still a work in progress, I'd like to add some more dance options and probably grant Uncanny Dodge.
[sblock]Capoeirista (Battle Dancer fix)
HD: d8
BAB: Full
Saves: Good Fort and Reflex, Poor Will
Skill points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Proficiencies: All simple weapons, no armor or shields.
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Starting wealth: As Monk.
Abilities: Strength is important for its role in melee combat, dexterity helps offset the lack of armor, constitution is useful for survival, and charisma affects AC as well as several other class features.
Dances: The Battle Dancer gains several dance-based class features (denoted with * after the name). In general, these dances have an activation action, but afterward do not require actions to maintain, though many require certain conditions to be met in order to maintain the effects. The Battle Dancer may use her dances a total number of times per day equal to her class level, split up as she chooses. A Battle Dancer can only have one dance effect active at a time.
Unarmed Strike: As the monk class feature, the Battle Dancer gains Improved Unarmed Strike. A Battle Dancer's unarmed strikes can be lethal or nonlethal, at her option; count as manufactured and/or natural weapons for the purposes of effects, spells, feats, and so on that benefit one or the other; and follow the monk unarmed damage progression. Levels in Battle Dancer stack with those of monk and other classes that advance monk unarmed damage.
Malicia: The Battle Dancer is adept at feinting in combat. By distracting her foes with her graceful movements and dancing, she is able to set them up for powerful kicks utilizing the full momentum of her spins. The Battle Dancer may use either Sleight of Hand or Bluff to feint, and adds her class level as a bonus of any check to feint. Instead of the normal benefit of feinting, the Battle Dancer may choose to leave a foe susceptible to her Momentum Kicks (see below) until the end of her next turn. The foe retains his dexterity bonus to AC against her next attack (unless he would lose it for a different reason anyway), but she may use her momentum kicks as often as she can attack until the feint effect ends.
At 6th level, the Battle Dancer is able to feint as a move action, or a free action if she also possesses the Improved Feint feat. She may only feint a given foe once per round even if she can do so as a free action, however.
Momentum Kick: The Battle Dancer's beautiful spins and flips are not just for show; she is also able to turn them into her greatest weapon. Unfortunately, such attacks are easy to see coming and avoid by an attentive foe. In order to deliver a momentum kick, the foe must be flatfooted or lost dexterity bonus to AC by other means, or have been subjected to malicia (see above). The attack must be a kick of some sort. If the conditions are met, the Battle Dancer deals an additional +1d6 damage on her attack, with this amount increasing by +1d6 every other Battle Dancer thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc...). Despite the similarities to sneak attack, this is not precision damage and is not subject to any of its restrictions, though if a battle dancer also had sneak attack and met its conditions, both damages would stack.
AC Bonus: As the Monk class feature, except the Battle Dancer adds her Charisma modifier to her AC instead of Wisdom. Levels in Monk and Battle Dancer stack for determining the AC bonus, and a Monk / Battle Dancer may use the higher ability modifier of wisdom or charisma.
Dance of Reckless Bravery* (Su): At 2nd level, a Battle Dancer is able to use her dance to inspire herself and allies. Activating the dance requires a standard action and functions as a Bard's inspire courage, granting a +1 morale bonus on attacks, weapon damage rolls, and saves against charm and fear effects (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 14th level, and +4 at 20th level). However, in order to maintain the dance on subsequent rounds, the battle dancer must move at least 10 ft each round. The dance's effects linger for 5 rounds after the performance stops, just as inspire courage. At level 7, she may activate this dance as a move action. At level 12, she may activate the dance as a swift action.
Levels of Bard stack for determining the bonus of the dance and inspire courage, though Bard levels track daily usages of performance separately and do not stack with Battle Dancer levels for dance usages per day.
Speed Bonus (Ex): At 3rd level, the Battle Dancer's training in quick movements results in a +10 ft bonus to her speed. This bonus increases by another +10 ft at levels 9 and 15.
Skiva (Ex): At 3rd level, the Battle Dancer has learned the dodging techniques of her unique art. As an immediate action against an attack she is aware of, the battle dancer can choose to make a Perform (Dance) check, and treat the result as her AC against the attack, twisting and contorting her body to avoid it entirely. She must choose to use this ability before knowing if the attack was successful or not, and it can only be used if the battle dancer is not flatfooted and is able to move.
Ki Strike (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Battle Dancer's unarmed strikes are treated as magical weapons and gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. This bonus improves by +1 every 4 levels thereafter.
At 10th level, her unarmed strikes are considered to be aligned based upon her own alignment (so a CG Battle Dancer's unarmed strikes are treated as chaotic and good aligned), allowing her to overcome certain kinds of damage reduction. At 16th level, her unarmed strikes are treated as adamantine for all purposes, including any attempts to sunder objects.
War Dance of the Behemoth* (Su): At 4th level, the Battle Dancer can instill dread within her foes with a primal, aggressive dance. Activating this dance is a standard action. All foes within 60 ft that can see or hear the dancer must make a will save against a DC equal to her Perform (Dance) check result. Those that fail the save become shaken as long as they remain within range and for 1d4+1 rounds afterwards. Any unaffected foe that enters the range (or the dancer moves within range of the foe) must save as well. Once a foe successfully saves against this dance, he is no longer affected by it for 24 hours. The dancer can maintain this dance up to 1 round per rank in Perform (Dance) per use. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Acrobatic Charge: A 5th level Battle Dancer can approach a foe with blinding speed while also gliding and somersaulting around, to strike at the moment a foe is least expecting it. When she makes a charge attack, she may move up to double her speed, but can do so in any directions she wishes, and is able to leap over and move around obstructions (making skill checks to do so if needed) in her way. Furthermore, as part of a charge, she can attempt a Perform (Dance) check, with a DC equal to the foe's AC. If successful, any attacks made as part of that charge treat her foe as flatfooted.
Rasteira: At 6th level, the Battle Dancer gains Improved Trip as a bonus feat.
Movement Mastery (Ex): A Battle Dancer of 7th level is so skilled in her art that she can always take 10 on Balance, Jump, Perform (Dance), and Tumble checks, even while threatened or distracted.
Au Batido: A signature move of the battle dancer, this flashy counterattack out of a cartwheel can be used by a 8th level or higher battle dancer upon successfully dodging an attack with Skiva against the foe that made the attack, if he is within melee reach. The attack must be a kick, and it is not considered to be an attack of opportunity, simply an extra attack.
Dance of Viper's Alacrity* (Su): At 8th level, the Battle Dancer may use her dance to move and strike with blinding speed. Activating this dance is a standard action and grants the dancer Haste, as the spell effect. In order to maintain the dance in subsequent rounds, she must either move at least 10 ft or make a full attack action. For every 3 levels she gains beyond 8, the dancer can inspire this Haste effect in one additional ally that can see her dance. At level 13, the dance can be activated as a move action, and as a swift action at level 18. This dance can only be maintained for up to 1 round per 2 ranks in Perform (Dance) she possesses per use.
Tiger Strike (Ex): A Battle Dancer of 9th level is able to make a full attack at the end of an Acrobatic Charge, as the Pounce ability. However, she may only execute the pounce if she succeeds on the Perform (Dance) check to leave the foe flatfooted. She gains the benefit of pounce even if the foe is immune to the flatfooted condition.
Dance of the Soaring Eagle* (Su): At 10th level, a Battle Dancer's leaps and graceful bounds are able to defy gravity. Upon activating this dance (a standard action), the Battle Dancer gains a fly speed equal to her land speed, with good maneuverability. In order to maintain this dance in subsequent rounds, the dancer must move at least 10 ft, and the dance can be maintained for up to 1 minute per 2 ranks in Perform (Dance) each use. When the dance ends, the effect fades slowly, allowing the dancer to feather fall safely to the ground for up to 1d6 rounds, similar to when a Fly spell ends. At level 15, she may activate this dance as a move action, and at level 20 she may activate it as a swift action.
Roll With It (Ex): As an immediate action, a dancer of 11th level or higher can attempt to let the impact of a blow move her rather than suffer damage from it. She decides to use this ability after a non-magical (physical) attack has struck her and damage has been rolled, and she does not need to have been aware of the attack. She then attempts a Tumble check, with a DC equal to the damage dealt. If successful, she can then move in any straight line direction of her choice, gliding across the ground, somersaulting, or the like. The distance moved is equal to 1 ft per point damage that would have been dealt (rounded down to a multiple of 5 ft; minimum distance moved of at least 5 ft), and her path must allow for this full distance or else the defensive roll fails to negate the damage. If the tumble check and space allows for the roll, the dancer moves this distance and suffers no damage from the attack. The roll's movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the foe it is used against, but it does from others. The dancer can attempt to tumble to avoid these attacks as normal, but must attempt to move at full speed (+10 to DC) and suffers an additional +10 to the DC (for a total of +20) due to the difficulty involved.
Dance of the Clever Sparrow* (Su): This dance, gained at 12th level, retells the myth of a sparrow that once felled a great oak tree, and is used to encourage the dancer and/or her allies against larger enemies. Activating this dance is a standard action (move action at 17th level), and grants the dancer or one ally who can see or hear her a benefit similar to the Fell the Greatest Foe spell. The target deals an extra 1d6 melee damage per size category he or she is smaller than whoever he or she attacks. At every 3 levels beyond 12, the dancer can grant this benefit to one additional ally or herself. To maintain the dance on subsequent rounds, the dancer must remain in melee with a foe larger than herself or attempt to close to melee distance with such a foe (even if she is not a beneficiary of the dance). The dance can be maintained for 1 round per rank in Perform (Dance).
Flash Dance* (Su): At 14th level, the Battle Dancer can flicker in and out of reality as she dances. This is treated as the Greater Blink spell effect (as Blink, but without her own attacks suffering the miss chance). Activating this dance is a standard action, or a move action at level 19. In order to maintain the dance on subsequent rounds, she must move at least 10 ft. The dance can be maintained for up to 1 round per 2 ranks in Perform (Dance).
Dance of Death* (Su): A 20th level battle dancer masters the potent dance of death. As a standard action, she selects one foe and initiates this odd mix of voodoo ritual and performance, chanting vivid predictions of that creature's imminent demise. Against that creature, the dancer's attacks with any weapons are treated as if they had the Bane magical weapon property, of a type that matches the victim, her unarmed strikes have their base (before feats and magical properties apply) critical stats changed to 18-20/x3 (so a dancer w/ Improved Critical feat would have a critical range of 15-20/x3, for example), and when she uses Skiva against that creature, it does not consume an immediate action (allowing for repeated use of Skiva and Au Batido against that creature). Finally, the victim finds himself transfixed by otherworldly spirits. On any round in which he attempts to move away from the dancer any distance, he must first succeed on a will save (DC 10 + ½ Dancer's level + Dancer's charisma modifier). Failure on a given round means he is unable to move to any space that is further away from the dancer than his current position for that round. In order to maintain this dance on subsequent rounds after activating it, the dancer must attempt at least one melee attack on the victim each round, and the dance can be maintained for up to 1 round per rank in Perform (Dance).[/sblock]
Thoughts? Suggestions for things to add? "Too strong"...? Keep in mind I'm not balancing it to monk, more like balancing it towards Tome of Battle classes. And a number of things granted here I have or would grant to other classes, such as Ki Strike giving actual enhancement bonus.
Basically it's like a mix of monk, scout/ninja, bard, and dervish, mechanically. Frontline unarmed melee combatant that benefits from moving around a lot and has some options to buff the party by inspiration.
[sblock]Capoeirista (Battle Dancer fix)
HD: d8
BAB: Full
Saves: Good Fort and Reflex, Poor Will
Skill points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Proficiencies: All simple weapons, no armor or shields.
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Starting wealth: As Monk.
Abilities: Strength is important for its role in melee combat, dexterity helps offset the lack of armor, constitution is useful for survival, and charisma affects AC as well as several other class features.
Dances: The Battle Dancer gains several dance-based class features (denoted with * after the name). In general, these dances have an activation action, but afterward do not require actions to maintain, though many require certain conditions to be met in order to maintain the effects. The Battle Dancer may use her dances a total number of times per day equal to her class level, split up as she chooses. A Battle Dancer can only have one dance effect active at a time.
Unarmed Strike: As the monk class feature, the Battle Dancer gains Improved Unarmed Strike. A Battle Dancer's unarmed strikes can be lethal or nonlethal, at her option; count as manufactured and/or natural weapons for the purposes of effects, spells, feats, and so on that benefit one or the other; and follow the monk unarmed damage progression. Levels in Battle Dancer stack with those of monk and other classes that advance monk unarmed damage.
Malicia: The Battle Dancer is adept at feinting in combat. By distracting her foes with her graceful movements and dancing, she is able to set them up for powerful kicks utilizing the full momentum of her spins. The Battle Dancer may use either Sleight of Hand or Bluff to feint, and adds her class level as a bonus of any check to feint. Instead of the normal benefit of feinting, the Battle Dancer may choose to leave a foe susceptible to her Momentum Kicks (see below) until the end of her next turn. The foe retains his dexterity bonus to AC against her next attack (unless he would lose it for a different reason anyway), but she may use her momentum kicks as often as she can attack until the feint effect ends.
At 6th level, the Battle Dancer is able to feint as a move action, or a free action if she also possesses the Improved Feint feat. She may only feint a given foe once per round even if she can do so as a free action, however.
Momentum Kick: The Battle Dancer's beautiful spins and flips are not just for show; she is also able to turn them into her greatest weapon. Unfortunately, such attacks are easy to see coming and avoid by an attentive foe. In order to deliver a momentum kick, the foe must be flatfooted or lost dexterity bonus to AC by other means, or have been subjected to malicia (see above). The attack must be a kick of some sort. If the conditions are met, the Battle Dancer deals an additional +1d6 damage on her attack, with this amount increasing by +1d6 every other Battle Dancer thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc...). Despite the similarities to sneak attack, this is not precision damage and is not subject to any of its restrictions, though if a battle dancer also had sneak attack and met its conditions, both damages would stack.
AC Bonus: As the Monk class feature, except the Battle Dancer adds her Charisma modifier to her AC instead of Wisdom. Levels in Monk and Battle Dancer stack for determining the AC bonus, and a Monk / Battle Dancer may use the higher ability modifier of wisdom or charisma.
Dance of Reckless Bravery* (Su): At 2nd level, a Battle Dancer is able to use her dance to inspire herself and allies. Activating the dance requires a standard action and functions as a Bard's inspire courage, granting a +1 morale bonus on attacks, weapon damage rolls, and saves against charm and fear effects (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 14th level, and +4 at 20th level). However, in order to maintain the dance on subsequent rounds, the battle dancer must move at least 10 ft each round. The dance's effects linger for 5 rounds after the performance stops, just as inspire courage. At level 7, she may activate this dance as a move action. At level 12, she may activate the dance as a swift action.
Levels of Bard stack for determining the bonus of the dance and inspire courage, though Bard levels track daily usages of performance separately and do not stack with Battle Dancer levels for dance usages per day.
Speed Bonus (Ex): At 3rd level, the Battle Dancer's training in quick movements results in a +10 ft bonus to her speed. This bonus increases by another +10 ft at levels 9 and 15.
Skiva (Ex): At 3rd level, the Battle Dancer has learned the dodging techniques of her unique art. As an immediate action against an attack she is aware of, the battle dancer can choose to make a Perform (Dance) check, and treat the result as her AC against the attack, twisting and contorting her body to avoid it entirely. She must choose to use this ability before knowing if the attack was successful or not, and it can only be used if the battle dancer is not flatfooted and is able to move.
Ki Strike (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Battle Dancer's unarmed strikes are treated as magical weapons and gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. This bonus improves by +1 every 4 levels thereafter.
At 10th level, her unarmed strikes are considered to be aligned based upon her own alignment (so a CG Battle Dancer's unarmed strikes are treated as chaotic and good aligned), allowing her to overcome certain kinds of damage reduction. At 16th level, her unarmed strikes are treated as adamantine for all purposes, including any attempts to sunder objects.
War Dance of the Behemoth* (Su): At 4th level, the Battle Dancer can instill dread within her foes with a primal, aggressive dance. Activating this dance is a standard action. All foes within 60 ft that can see or hear the dancer must make a will save against a DC equal to her Perform (Dance) check result. Those that fail the save become shaken as long as they remain within range and for 1d4+1 rounds afterwards. Any unaffected foe that enters the range (or the dancer moves within range of the foe) must save as well. Once a foe successfully saves against this dance, he is no longer affected by it for 24 hours. The dancer can maintain this dance up to 1 round per rank in Perform (Dance) per use. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Acrobatic Charge: A 5th level Battle Dancer can approach a foe with blinding speed while also gliding and somersaulting around, to strike at the moment a foe is least expecting it. When she makes a charge attack, she may move up to double her speed, but can do so in any directions she wishes, and is able to leap over and move around obstructions (making skill checks to do so if needed) in her way. Furthermore, as part of a charge, she can attempt a Perform (Dance) check, with a DC equal to the foe's AC. If successful, any attacks made as part of that charge treat her foe as flatfooted.
Rasteira: At 6th level, the Battle Dancer gains Improved Trip as a bonus feat.
Movement Mastery (Ex): A Battle Dancer of 7th level is so skilled in her art that she can always take 10 on Balance, Jump, Perform (Dance), and Tumble checks, even while threatened or distracted.
Au Batido: A signature move of the battle dancer, this flashy counterattack out of a cartwheel can be used by a 8th level or higher battle dancer upon successfully dodging an attack with Skiva against the foe that made the attack, if he is within melee reach. The attack must be a kick, and it is not considered to be an attack of opportunity, simply an extra attack.
Dance of Viper's Alacrity* (Su): At 8th level, the Battle Dancer may use her dance to move and strike with blinding speed. Activating this dance is a standard action and grants the dancer Haste, as the spell effect. In order to maintain the dance in subsequent rounds, she must either move at least 10 ft or make a full attack action. For every 3 levels she gains beyond 8, the dancer can inspire this Haste effect in one additional ally that can see her dance. At level 13, the dance can be activated as a move action, and as a swift action at level 18. This dance can only be maintained for up to 1 round per 2 ranks in Perform (Dance) she possesses per use.
Tiger Strike (Ex): A Battle Dancer of 9th level is able to make a full attack at the end of an Acrobatic Charge, as the Pounce ability. However, she may only execute the pounce if she succeeds on the Perform (Dance) check to leave the foe flatfooted. She gains the benefit of pounce even if the foe is immune to the flatfooted condition.
Dance of the Soaring Eagle* (Su): At 10th level, a Battle Dancer's leaps and graceful bounds are able to defy gravity. Upon activating this dance (a standard action), the Battle Dancer gains a fly speed equal to her land speed, with good maneuverability. In order to maintain this dance in subsequent rounds, the dancer must move at least 10 ft, and the dance can be maintained for up to 1 minute per 2 ranks in Perform (Dance) each use. When the dance ends, the effect fades slowly, allowing the dancer to feather fall safely to the ground for up to 1d6 rounds, similar to when a Fly spell ends. At level 15, she may activate this dance as a move action, and at level 20 she may activate it as a swift action.
Roll With It (Ex): As an immediate action, a dancer of 11th level or higher can attempt to let the impact of a blow move her rather than suffer damage from it. She decides to use this ability after a non-magical (physical) attack has struck her and damage has been rolled, and she does not need to have been aware of the attack. She then attempts a Tumble check, with a DC equal to the damage dealt. If successful, she can then move in any straight line direction of her choice, gliding across the ground, somersaulting, or the like. The distance moved is equal to 1 ft per point damage that would have been dealt (rounded down to a multiple of 5 ft; minimum distance moved of at least 5 ft), and her path must allow for this full distance or else the defensive roll fails to negate the damage. If the tumble check and space allows for the roll, the dancer moves this distance and suffers no damage from the attack. The roll's movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the foe it is used against, but it does from others. The dancer can attempt to tumble to avoid these attacks as normal, but must attempt to move at full speed (+10 to DC) and suffers an additional +10 to the DC (for a total of +20) due to the difficulty involved.
Dance of the Clever Sparrow* (Su): This dance, gained at 12th level, retells the myth of a sparrow that once felled a great oak tree, and is used to encourage the dancer and/or her allies against larger enemies. Activating this dance is a standard action (move action at 17th level), and grants the dancer or one ally who can see or hear her a benefit similar to the Fell the Greatest Foe spell. The target deals an extra 1d6 melee damage per size category he or she is smaller than whoever he or she attacks. At every 3 levels beyond 12, the dancer can grant this benefit to one additional ally or herself. To maintain the dance on subsequent rounds, the dancer must remain in melee with a foe larger than herself or attempt to close to melee distance with such a foe (even if she is not a beneficiary of the dance). The dance can be maintained for 1 round per rank in Perform (Dance).
Flash Dance* (Su): At 14th level, the Battle Dancer can flicker in and out of reality as she dances. This is treated as the Greater Blink spell effect (as Blink, but without her own attacks suffering the miss chance). Activating this dance is a standard action, or a move action at level 19. In order to maintain the dance on subsequent rounds, she must move at least 10 ft. The dance can be maintained for up to 1 round per 2 ranks in Perform (Dance).
Dance of Death* (Su): A 20th level battle dancer masters the potent dance of death. As a standard action, she selects one foe and initiates this odd mix of voodoo ritual and performance, chanting vivid predictions of that creature's imminent demise. Against that creature, the dancer's attacks with any weapons are treated as if they had the Bane magical weapon property, of a type that matches the victim, her unarmed strikes have their base (before feats and magical properties apply) critical stats changed to 18-20/x3 (so a dancer w/ Improved Critical feat would have a critical range of 15-20/x3, for example), and when she uses Skiva against that creature, it does not consume an immediate action (allowing for repeated use of Skiva and Au Batido against that creature). Finally, the victim finds himself transfixed by otherworldly spirits. On any round in which he attempts to move away from the dancer any distance, he must first succeed on a will save (DC 10 + ½ Dancer's level + Dancer's charisma modifier). Failure on a given round means he is unable to move to any space that is further away from the dancer than his current position for that round. In order to maintain this dance on subsequent rounds after activating it, the dancer must attempt at least one melee attack on the victim each round, and the dance can be maintained for up to 1 round per rank in Perform (Dance).[/sblock]
Thoughts? Suggestions for things to add? "Too strong"...? Keep in mind I'm not balancing it to monk, more like balancing it towards Tome of Battle classes. And a number of things granted here I have or would grant to other classes, such as Ki Strike giving actual enhancement bonus.
Basically it's like a mix of monk, scout/ninja, bard, and dervish, mechanically. Frontline unarmed melee combatant that benefits from moving around a lot and has some options to buff the party by inspiration.
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It's the only good part of the class, everything else is too little, too late.
