Edgemaster (3.5e Prestige Class)

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Edgemaster
"There are three kinds of fighter in this world. Those who strike with confidence, those who can read the flow of battle, and those who can stop any attack. And me?  Well..."

There are those who fight, and they are warriors. Then there are those who fight better, and they are called fighters. But the edgemaster... the edgemaster is to fighters as the fighter is to warriors.

Becoming an Edgemaster
Edgemasters are fighters or warblades; indeed, the class requires the unique feats specialized to them. Through these classes, they perfect the art into something that can frighten even a wizard...

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the edgemaster.

An edgemaster has a number of equal to his class level which refresh after 1 minute of rest (effectively, you can use a combat edge maneuver once per class level per encounter). You can only activate your combat edge when in the appropriate stance, and gain the listed power at the appropriate level. Each maneuver uses 1 combat point.

They are called the Ruby Blade, Jade Rod, and Sapphire Shield stances. You may stay in a stance indefinitely if you like, active during everything short of you being dead or helpless, but you may only have one stance active at a time. You gain the benefits listed below while in your stance, and may activate combat edge maneuvers while in the correct stance.

 (Ex): Your training with a wide range of weaponry and tactics gives you great skill with particular weapons. You qualify for feats that usually require a minimum number of fighter levels (such as Weapon Specialization) as if you had a fighter level equal to your edgemaster level. These effective fighter levels stack with any actual fighter levels you have. Thus, a fighter 10/edgemaster 4 would have an effective fighter level of 14.

You also have the flexibility to adjust your weapon training. Each morning, you can spend 1 hour in weapon practice to change the designated weapon for any feat you have that applies only to a single weapon (such as Weapon Focus). You must have the newly designated weapon available during your practice session to make this change. For example, if you wish to change the designated weapon for your Weapon Focus feat from greatsword to longsword, you must have a longsword available to practice with during your practice session.

You can adjust any number of your feats in this way, and you don’t have to adjust them all in the same way. However, you can’t change the weapon choices in such a way that you no longer meet the prerequisite for some other feat you possess. For instance, if you have both Weapon Focus (longsword) and Weapon Specialization (longsword), you can’t change the designated weapon for Weapon Focus unless you also change the weapon for Weapon Specialization in the same way.

However, if you choose to use a weapon originally designed for your feat, such as originally possessing Weapon Focus (longsword) with a longsword in hand, the benefits of your Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization and their improved counterparts are doubled. That means you gain a +2 to hit when using a longsword and +4 to damage. This benefit overrides the warblade's Weapon Aptitude ability, if you so possess it.

 (Ex) At levels 2 and 6, you gain a floating fighter bonus feat. By focusing in combat meditation for 15 minutes, you can fill it with any fighter bonus feat you qualify for. You can use this floating feat to complete a feat chain (such as dodge-mobility-spring attack), but you cannot use it to qualify for prestige classes or requirements for obtaining more permanent feats.

If he already has Greater Weapon Specialization, he may choose any fighter bonus feat instead.

These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. An edgemaster must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. An edgemaster is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.

 (Su): At 10th level, you master your combat skills so that in times of duress, you can push yourself beyond the limits of your combat skills. 1/day as a free action on your turn, you may enter a focused trance which grants you infinite combat points and upgrades your stances with additional power. The trance lasts for 1 minute, after which the edgemaster is dazed for 1 round. All additional bonuses are supernatural powers.









Epic Edgemaster Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Combat Archery, Damage Reduction, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Distant Shot, Energy Resistance, Epic Endurance, Epic Leadership, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Epic Weapon Specialization, Exceptional Deflection, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Manyshot, Improved Stunning Fist, Improved Whirlwind Attack, Infinite Deflection, Instant Reload, Legendary Commander, Legendary Rider, Legendary Wrestler, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Reflect Arrows, Spellcasting Harrier, Storm of Throws, Superior Initiative, Swarm of Arrows, Two-Weapon Rend, Uncanny Accuracy. In addition to the feats on this list, the edgemaster may treat any feat designated as a Fighter Bonus Feat, but not listed here, as being on his or her bonus feat list.

Playing an Edgemaster
Combat: The edgemaster is the fighter at heart, and things still boil down to one thing... hit them with your weapon. However, now you can do it better, stronger, and still have options. Magic no longer leaves you disabled and you do not rely on the wizard to get out of impossible situations.

Advancement: Melee synergistic classes do wonderfully, notably warblade. The precise path depends on one's combat style.

Resources: The edgemaster is the fighter elite, and as such you may find edgemasters as leaders at fighting training centers, in the military ranks, and more.

Edgemasters in the World
"Now Kilik, come at me with all your might!"

NPC Reactions: Edgemasters are beings to be awed at. They take simple combat and transform it into things of legend. NPCs may not recognize an edgemaster from a generic fighter, not until the weapons come out. Then, they never forget.

Edgemaster Lore
Characters with ranks in Martial LoreTome of Battle can research edgemasters to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Edgemasters in the Game
Adaptation: By requiring certain high level maneuvers, the edgemaster can be an initiator class instead. It counts to your initiator level as full instead of your fighter levels and the stances and powers learned are specific new maneuvers. For the purpose of level, combat edge 1-5 is equal to a maneuver of levels 5-9, and the stances 5th level.

Sample Encounter: An edgemaster has entered the fighting tournament and is defeating all his opponents. A plot hatches to sabotage him. Join the efforts or protect him from foul play?