Skyward Sword (3.5e Prestige Class)

Summary::A fighter specializing in aerial mounted combat (with almost any type of flyer from a giant eagle to a golden dragon) who can also charge his sword with power. Length::13 Minimum Level::6 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Good Fortitude Save Progression::Moderate Reflex Save Progression::Good Will Save Progression::Moderate Class Ability::Other Class Ability Progression::Other

Skyward Sword
"Float like a pegasus, sting like a wyvern."

Becoming a Skyward Sword
Brave fighters who have gained repute as mounted warriors often crave new challenges. They may look to the sky and yearn to break free from gravity's tether to the earth. With bloody sword in hand, they seek out a flying beast to tame. Once the animal has learned who its new master is, the rider takes on the mantle of the fearsome Skyward Sword.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Skyward Sword.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency : All skyward swords are proficient with martial weapons of the "light melee" and "one-handed melee" subtype. However, If you're ever carrying more than a light load, your flying mount loses a degree of maneuverability while flying with you on it, as well as 10% of its speed (rounding to the nearest 5).

 : You can use body language, vocalization, and demeanor to improve the attitude of a magical beast such as a chimera or pegasus. This ability functions like the druid's wild empathy class feature, except that it affects magical beasts regardless of their Intelligence score. - You can also use this ability to influence an animal (such as a giant eagle) or an aberration that has an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but you take a -4 penalty on the check. If you have the wild empathy ability from another class, add your levels in that class to your Skyward Sword level when influencing magical beasts or animals. In addition, you no longer take a penalty to your monster empathy check when influencing animals. If you have 5 or more ranks in the Handle Animal skill, you gain a +2 bonus on your monster empathy checks.

 : At level one, you gain the assistance of a large flying creature to be your stalwart mount. The list of available creatures can be found in the first section "CR2-3" of the table "Flying Mounts by Challenge Rating" below. All of these creatures are typical of those found in the Monster Manual. - Each monster has an assigned alignment. You may not choose a monster with an alignment opposed to yours. For example, a lawful-good paladin may not choose a pegasus because a pegasus is chaotic. Neither may he choose a manticore because manticores are evil. A neutral character may only choose mounts that are in some aspect neutral (e.g., a giant owl, but not a pegasus). - Your mount gets to level-up with you and gain bonus HD, bonus tricks, special feats, and adjustments to natural armor, strength, and constitution. For details, follow the table "Flying Mount Progression" below.

 : At first level, you gain a very keen power of sight. You get a +5 class bonus to your Search and Spot skills.

 : Basics: At level 2, you receive a magic sword. There are many magic swords like it, but this one is yours. It is given to all members of the few, the proud, the Skyward Swords. You may give it a bad-ass name, if you wish. It is a long sword, typical in most respects for a sword of its kind. The difference, however, is that this one allows you to channel your energy into it as a magic ability. Charge Sword +1D8: As a standard action, you may charge your sword with 1D8 power by passing a Concentration check of DC 14. If within striking range of an opponent, this provokes an attack of opportunity. A sword may only be charged once at a time, but the charge remains until the next time the sword is used in combat or if you are somehow disarmed. Upon a successful strike, the charged sword deals additional damage according to the strength of charge put into it. After the attack, whether it was successful or not, the charge immediately dissipates and you must use another standard action to recharge it. - For the purpose of magic effects, the energy of a charged sword is of the same alignment as you are. The sword also glows faintly with a color appropriate to such an alignment. - The potential charge improves at levels 5, 9, and 12. Shoot Sword: As an attack action, you may shoot the energy stored in your sword. This counts as a ranged attack with a range of 50ft + 5ft/class level. The damage done is equal to the charge put into it (but the weapon's normal damage is not added).

 : At 3rd level, you gain whirlwind attack as a bonus feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites for it. If your sword is charged before the attack, the charge only affects the first opponent targeted.

 : At level 4, you may choose to set your original flying mount free in exchange for a new mount of Challenge Rating 4-5. The new flying mount would begin progression at level one, according to the chart "Flying Mount Progression." The same restrictions on choosing your mount still apply. - Since dragons tend to be fiercely independent, if you don't speak Draconic, you take a -4 penalty on all Ride, Handle Animal, and Monster Empathy checks if you choose a dragon for your new mount.

 : At 5th level, you attain the strength of will to charge your sword for the potential damage of 1D12 by passing a Concentration check of DC 16.

 : At 6th level, your astounding courage allows you to attempt a daring attack launched from high above an opponent's head as a full round action. This attack comes so fast, it does not provoke an attack of opportunity. - Once you have made the plunge and called the earthward strike, you must roll percentage dice for a successfully targeted fall with a miss chance of 5%/10 feet above the target. If this fails, you take full falling damage. - If targeting succeeds, roll one attack at your highest BAB. If this fails, you and your opponent both take 1/2 of your falling damage. - If attacking succeeds, your opponent takes your full falling damage plus weapon damage plus the charge of your sword (if any). Then you must roll a Tumble check of DC 10 + 1/10 feet fallen. If your tumble fails, you still take 1/4 falling damage. If you succeeded your tumble, you take no damage at all and come to rest on your feet 5 feet away from the target.

 : At level 7, you may choose to set your last flying mount free in exchange for a new mount of Challenge Rating 6-7. The new flying mount would begin progression at level one, according to the chart "Flying Mount Progression." The same restrictions on choosing your mount still apply. The same penalties for a dragon mount also apply.

 : Starting at level 7, when determining your miss chance for targeting in an Earthward Strike, you may ignore the first 10 feet of distance fallen. For example, if you're falling 70 feet above your opponent, consider your miss chance as if you were only falling 60 feet, giving you a 30% chance for missing the target. This improves by another 10 feet for every subsequent level in this class.

 : At 8th level, the charge on your sword is more resilient and lasts for the duration of a full attack. Every strike made during this attack adds the damage of the charge. In a whirlwind attack, every opponent struck takes this additional damage.

 : At 9th level, you gain the mental capacity to charge your sword for the potential damage of 2D8 by passing a Concentration check of DC 18.

 : At level 10, you may choose to set your last flying mount free in exchange for a new mount of Challenge Rating 8-9. The new flying mount would begin progression at level one, according to the chart "Flying Mount Progression." The same restrictions on choosing your mount still apply. The same penalties for a dragon mount also apply.

 : At 12th level, you have the power to charge your sword for the potential damage of 2D10 by passing a Concentration check of DC 20.

 : At level 13, you may choose to set your last flying mount free in exchange for a new mount of Challenge Rating 10-11. The new flying mount would begin progression at level one, according to the chart "Flying Mount Progression." The same restrictions on choosing your mount still apply. The same penalties for a dragon mount also apply.

Flying Mount Special Features
Basics: The flying mount's level starts at 1 at the time the skyward sword first receives this mount. No matter what the creature's Intelligence score is according to the Monster Manual, all flying mounts in the service of a skyward sword have Intelligence of at least 3.

Bonus HD: Add these bonus hit dice to the serpent as indicated in the chart Flying Mount Progression. This increases the creature's hit points, but, despite this prodigious growth, flying mounts do not increase in size.

Strength/Constitution Adjustment: Add these bonuses to both the mount's Strength and Constitution as indicated by the chart above.

Natural Armor: Add this bonus just as you would all the other bonuses.

Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the creature knows in addition to any that the skyward sword might choose to teach it (see Handle Animal Skill for common tricks). These bonus tricks don't require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don't count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The skyward sword selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can't be changed.

 : You can handle your flying mount as a free action, or push it as a move action. You gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Monster Empathy checks and Handle Animal checks regarding a flying mount.

Evasion : Beginning at 3rd level, your flying mount gains Evasion.

 : At fifth level, your flying mount's devotion to you is so complete that it gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects. This improves to +7 at level 11.

Improved Evasion : Beginning at 7th level, your flying mount gains Improved Evasion.

Damage Reduction : At level 9, your monstrous mount gains damage reduction of 3/-. This improves to 6/- at level 13.

Ex-Skyward Swords
All of your newly found abilities as well as your flying mount will carry over into any other subsequent class. Even though you may be done gaining levels as a Skyward Sword, your faithful flying companion is not. No matter when you gained your most recent mount, it keeps gaining class features up through level 13, according to the chart "Flying Mount Progression." After that, it may keep gaining hit dice, natural armor, Strength, Constitution, and bonus tricks at the same rate as described above for every new character level you gain.

Playing a Skyward Sword
Combat: Typically, the Skyward Sword is used for aerial reconnaissance over an open-world environment, although their ability to use mounted combat makes them formidable stick-and-move fighters. In enclosed environments, their ability to psionically charge their sword with power makes them a dynamo in close-quarters combat.