Swashbuckler
Some pirates live only to kill, rape, plunder and drink themselves stupid. Swashbucklers look down on these scurvy dogs; for a Swashbuckler, it’s all about style. This type of pirate knows that it’s not what you do, it’s how well you do it. Theirs is the sword-whirling, chandelier-swinging, over-the-top school of combat, and they never pass up an opportunity to show off their skills or spin a tale of their latest daring escape. When a swashbuckler enters the room, he or she commands attention – especially from the opposite sex. But despite the elaborate show, these pirates are more than just talk. Many a foe has mistaken the Swashbuckler’s bravado for bluff – and paid for it with their lives. The Swashbuckler is highly valued aboard a pirate ship for his charisma and peerless swordsmanship, however much the other pirates may resent his constant bragging.
Adventures
If there’s one thing a Swashbuckler lives for, it’s adventure. When serving in a crew, he will be more than happy to raid ships, plunder ports or explore strange island locales. If captaining his own vessel, the Swashbuckler will often seek out danger and grab it by the horns. He will deliberately engineer conflicts so that they give the maximum opportunity for legendary heroics. The best kinds of adventures are those that might improve the Swashbuckler’s reputation or cast him in a good light; if he makes a bit of money along the way, that’s just a bonus. The Swashbuckler is usually opposed to authority, and anything government, mercenary, or military is liable to raise his ire. Swashbucklers are also vehement in their pursuit of those who wound their honor or damage their reputation, following such foes to the ends of the earth if need be.
Characteristics
Swashbucklers are often fast-talking, witty, charismatic and (some might say) a little full of themselves. They value independence above all qualities, seeking to distance themselves from the mass of civilized people. However they are rarely lone-wolf types; more often they seek out the companionship that comes with joining a group of like-minded pirates or adventurers… especially if such a group contains a romantic prospect or two. Swashbucklers are indeed romantic types in every sense of the word, putting all their passion and energy into the things they care deeply about. In a fight, Swashbucklers lead from the front and favor cutlasses, scimitars, rapiers or other bladed melee weapons that can be used to show off their skill.
Alignment: Neutral good, chaotic good, neutral, chaotic neutral, neutral evil, chaotic evil.
Hit Die: d8
Witty Quip: At 1st level the Swashbuckler gains the ability to unnerve his foes during combat by uttering a clever observation or scathing insult. When Witty Quip is used, the Swashbuckler selects one target that he can see, and that can hear him. That target’s initiative result is lowered by 10 for the duration of the combat. This ability may not be used more than once per target, per combat; however it may be used again on the same target in a different combat. Use of this ability constitutes a standard action.
Flashy Fighting: Starting at 1st level, the Swashbuckler may voluntarily activate Flashy Fighting as a free action at the beginning of any round of combat. When engaged in Flashy Fighting, the Swashbuckler sacrifices speed for utility, grace, and impressiveness. A Swashbuckler using Flashy Fighting has a +2 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to Reflex Saves, at the cost of a –1 penalty to initiative and a -1 penalty to his critical threat ranges for his attacks this round. Flashy Fighting lasts until the end of the round, allowing him to call upon it again the next round.
At 5th, 9th, 14th and 19th levels, these bonuses and penalties are modified by +2/-1 respectively.
