Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Swift Scion

The Swift Scion
Some legendary weapons are meant for the hands of the quick and the silent. A swift scion might inherit her weapon or acquire it “by accident,” but the weapon is no less part of her destiny than is the legendary weapon of any other scion. Characters of any class can become swift scions, but rogues, bards, rangers, and monks benefit most from the special abilities of the legendary weapons associated with this class.

Swift scions wield their weapons for a wide variety of purposes. A rogue may use it to supplement her income, while a monk might merely seek to master its use. A bard could draw upon the power of her weapon’s rich history to enhance her music, while a ranger might use it as part of the hunt. Of all legendary weapons, the ones associated with the swift scion class are the most focused in their application. Each tends to favor rogues, monks, rangers, or bards specifically, rather than a broad range of classes as the other legendary weapons do.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements
To qualify to become a swift scion, a character must fulfill the criteria given in her particular weapon’s entry. (For an example, see Dreamstriker)

Class Skills
The swift scion’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following are class features of the swift scion prestige class. A legendary weapon associated with the class provides a unique set of additional special abilities, which are detailed in the weapon’s description. (For an example, see Dreamstriker). These abilities accrue in addition to those already noted on Table: The Swift Scion. However, because those abilities are functions of the weapon rather than the wielder, they are lost if the legendary weapon that granted them is lost. The features mentioned on Table: The Swift Scion are retained even if the weapon is lost.

Bonus Class Skill: At 1st level, 5th level, and 9th level, a swift scion may choose an additional class skill from the following list: Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha). Once designated, that skill is considered a class skill for the swift scion prestige class.

Bonus Special Ability: At 2nd level, 6th level, and 10th level, a swift scion may choose an additional special ability from the following list. She may select the same ability more than once if desired, and the effects stack where appropriate.

Arcane Spells per Day/Spells Known: A swift scion may gain a number of new spells per day and spells known (if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a swift scion, the player must decide to which class to add each swift scion level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Bardic Music: A swift scion may choose to gain an extra two daily uses of the bardic music ability, provided that she already has the ability. She doesn’t gain any new bardic music abilities, nor do her existing bardic music abilities improve in effectiveness.

Fast Movement (Ex): If a swift scion has an enhancement bonus to her speed from a class feature, she may choose to increase this enhancement bonus by 10 feet. This enhancement bonus follows the same rules as her existing enhancement bonus to speed (for instance, a monk who selects this feature only benefits from the enhancement bonus when wearing no armor).

Improved Bardic Knowledge: A swift scion can choose to gain a +4 bonus on bardic knowledge checks. (If the character doesn’t have the bardic knowledge class feature, this benefit has no effect.)

Improved Evasion (Ex): A swift scion may choose to gain the improved evasion ability, provided that she already has the evasion ability.

Improved Favored Enemy: If a swift scion has at least one favored enemy, the bonus gained on damage rolls and certain skill checks against any one favored enemy improves by +2. The character doesn’t gain any additional favored enemies by selecting this ability.

Improved Unarmed Damage: If a swift scion has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, she may choose to increase the damage dealt by her unarmed strikes. Treat this as if the character’s monk level had increased by four. For instance, a 6th-level monk/2nd-level swift scion who selects this ability would increase her unarmed strike damage from 1d8 to 1d10. (If the character has no monk levels, she gains unarmed damage as a 4th-level monk.)

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): If a swift scion has the uncanny dodge class feature, she may select improved uncanny dodge. Her swift scion levels stack with her levels in other classes that grant uncanny dodge to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Sneak Attack: If a swift scion has the sneak attack ability, she may choose to increase the extra damage it deals by 2d6 points.

Swift Tracker (Ex): If a swift scion has the Track feat, she may select this special ability. A swift scion with this ability can move at her normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. She takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Trap Sense: If a swift scion has the trap sense ability, she can take this special ability to increase her bonus on Reflex saves and to AC against traps by 1.