Swashbuckler, Codex (3.5e Class)
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Low - Moderate - Bring the swashbuckler to the High Balance range, fill dead levels and allow better compatibility with Tome of Prowess. Compress it to a 12 level class. 12 1 Good Good Good Poor Other Full
Codex Swashbuckler
A 'fix' for the swashbuckler. I still recommend going with daring outlaw, although this class stands alright on its own too.
Making a Swashbuckler
| Tome of Prowess |
| This class is designed to be compatible with the Tome of Prowess rules. Any class abilities that have different rules under Tome of Prowess will be marked by a ToP: label. |
Races: Any race with some Dexterity make good swashbucklers. Sometimes other races join in as well.
Alignment: Swashbucklers are usually chaotic but anything goes really.
Starting Gold: 5d4 × 10 (125 gp).
Starting Age: As rogue.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Swashbucklers are proficient with all simple weapons, martial weapons and one exotic weapon of her choice. Swashbucklers are proficient with light armor and bucklers.
Fighting Style (Ex): A 1st level swashbuckler may gain one of the following feats as a bonus feat; she does not need to meet the prerequisites of the feat: Broad Practice, Combat Reflexes, Double Weapon Arts, Double Weapon Specialist, Einhander, Improved Combat Trick, Improved Initiative, Intuitive Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Inherent Initiator, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Wall, Weapon Focus or Whirlwind Attack. Alternatively she may select a feat which affect her ability to fight with light or one-handed weapons, however she must meet the prerequisites.
At 4th level and each 4 level thereafter she gain another fighting style feat.
Goad (Ex): As a move action you can take time to make terrible puns, taunt your opponent, assert your superiority, or otherwise aggravate the enemy. Choose a target within 90 feet who can see or hear you, and make either a Bluff or Intimidate check against the DC 10 + the enemy's CR + Wisdom modifier + modifiers against fear or compulsion. If you make a successful Bluff check, you belittle an opponent so their rage is focused on you. They take a penalty on attack rolls equal to 1/2 your class level against any creature they attack except for you (minimum -1). On a successful Intimidate check, you assert your superiority against the enemy, lowering their AC against your attacks by 1/2 your class level (minimum -1).
Both effects last for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting language-dependent compulsion effect. You can still goad creatures which do not speak your language through pantomime, but they gain a +4 bonus to the DC you must make.
If you possess maneuver-like abilities, you may recover them if you successfully goad a creature.
Parry (Ex): Swashbucklers often focus on single strikes, parrying away blows to depend themselves. You may choose to conserve one or more of your attacks granted by your BAB in this round. If you do and you are subsequently attacked, you may parry the blow. Roll 1d20 + your conserved attack, this is your new AC which may cause the attack to miss. You may parry after the enemy's attack is made but before damage is rolled. Parrying is a free action, and you may parry up to as many attacks as you possess (up to a maximum of 4 at BAB 16 and over). For example, a 18th level swashbuckler has four attacks at +30/+25/+20/+15. He makes two attacks on his turn (+30 and +15) and saves two attacks. During the rest of the round he is attacked with two claws and a bite. He chooses to parry the claws with the +25 and +20 rolls, and cannot parry the bite.
If you possess at least a +2 magic weapon, you may parry ray attacks as well.
Weapon Finesse: A 1st level swashbuckler gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat even if she does not meet the requirement. If you already possess this feat, you gain a bonus feat you meet the prerequisites for.
Buckler Mastery (Ex): A 2nd level swashbuckler is an expert at using the buckler. For you, bucklers do not have an armor check penalty. You may use the arm which has the buckler without penalty. If the arm in which you hold the buckler is free, you may turn the buckler shield bonus into a dodge bonus as a swift action (with another swift action to return it to a shield bonus).
Cheater (Ex): At 2nd level, a swashbuckler's time in taverns and gambling hall has allowed her to pick up a few tricks. She can take a standard action to recall some of the tricks she has learned, coming under the effect of the cheatDra spell as if her caster level were her character level. This ability can be used at will.
Seduction (Ex): At 2nd level a swashbuckler gains seduce to learn (although the codex swashbuckler gains it one level earlier than the source indicates).
- ToP: The 2nd level swashbuckler gains a new untrained use for bluff, seduce to learn. The DCs for this ability are half the listed amounts, +5.
Grace (Ex): At 3rd level Swashbuckler gain a +1 Dodge bonus to AC and Reflex save. This bonus increase by 1 at 6th level and each 3 level thereafter.
Insightful Strike (Ex): A 3rd level Swashbuckler may add her Intelligence modifier to her damage rolls in addition to her Strength and any other source. This is precision damage.
Lucky: Once per round, a 4th level Swasbuckler can declare a lucky reroll on any roll she make as a nonaction, this can be done even after she know the result. However she must accept the second result even if it worse. She may use Lucky once per day at 4th and one additional time per day at 8th and 12th.
Whenever she roll a natural 1 on a d20 in combat and do not reroll it, she regain one previously expended daily use of Lucky.
Rogue Trick: At 4th level and each 2 level the swashbuckler gain a single Rogue Trick as well as Improved Rogue Trick at 10th and above. If she possessed levels in Grimoire Rogue she stack both class level together to determine the number and power of rogue trick she possess. She does not gain twice as many, by example a Swashbuckler 6/Grimoire Rogue 4 would gain 4 tricks (access to a single Improved trick).
Heroic Surge (Ex): A 5th level Swashbuckler sometime manage through even the harshest circumstances, she gain Perfect Save as a bonus feat as well as one of the following: Fortitude Surge, Reflex Surge or Will Surge. She do not need to meet the prerequisites of any of those feats.
Improved Insightful Strike (Ex): A 5th level swashbuckler may deal extra damage granted by insightful strike to creatures immune to critical hits and she may use her Intelligence or Dexterity (whichever is higher) instead of Strength for special maneuver like trip, disarm, bullrush or overrun.
Slippery Mind: This ability represents the swashbuckler’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a swashbuckler with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
Acrobatic Charge: A swashbuckler of 7th level or higher can charge in situations where others cannot. She may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement or allies blocking her path. This ability enables her to run down steep stairs, leap down from a balcony, or to tumble over tables to get to her target. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain. Additionally, she need not move in a straight line to charge, nor must she charge the closest available space. She still may not move back on herself during a charge, and her charge move still ends as soon as she threatens her target.
Improved Flanking: When an 8th level swashbuckler flanks, she gain an additional +2 bonus to attack and damage. Additionally, any creatures and allies attacked during the last round are considered flanked by the swashbuckler if she attacks them.
Masterful Acrobat: A 9th level swashbuckler is such a good acrobat she may take 10 on her Jump and Tumble skill checks.
- ToP: A 9th level swashbuckler is such a good acrobat she may take 10 on her Acrobatics and Jump checks with any abilities that she has acquired. With abilities that she exceeds the minimum ranks by 4 or more, she may take 15 without any increase in time.
Weakening Critical: If a level 9th swashbuckler confirm a critical hit on a creature she may also deal 2 points of Strength damages to that creature.
Masterful Parrying (Ex): A 10th level swashbuckler may now fight defensively without taking any penalties to attack rolls. Additionally whenever you are missed in combat you may take an attack of opportunity against the foe who missed you, if it missed you because of your Parry ability it is flat-footed against your attack of opportunity.
Wounding Critical: If an level 11th swashbuckler confirms a critical hit on a creature, she may also deal 2 points of Constitution damage to that creature.
Horrific Critical: A 12th level swashbuckler knows how to deal horrific damage with her critical strike. Ability damage dealt by Weakening Critical and Wounding Critical are made as ability burn.
Alternate Class Features
While the codex swashbuckler replaces most class features and/or rearranges them, some players may wish to combine it with other ACFs. Now, Grace is worth much more than in the original version, and some abilities that would be replaced do not exist anymore. Therefore, here is a list of alternate class features from WotC and some completely original to further customize the class.
Aggressive Swashbuckler: You lose Parry but gain Quick Draw as a bonus feat.
Arcane Stunt (Complete Mage): You may trade the Goad or Parry ability with the ability to use minor spell-like abilities: choose a personal 1st level spell from the cleric, druid or sorcerer/wizard spell list, you are able use this spell as a spell-like ability a number of time per day equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier as a swift action. You gain an additional spell-like ability at 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th which draw from the same number of uses. At 3rd level you may select up to 2nd level spells (or a 1st level spell with any range) and at 9th up to 3rd level spells (or a 2nd level spell with any range). You must pay any expensive component or XP component associated with the spell.
Brawny Swashbuckler: Replaces Weapon Finesse at 1st level. You gain Grimoire Endurance as a bonus feat.
Charming Strike: Change Insightful Strike, Grace and Improved Insightful Strike at 3rd, 4th and 5th level. The bonus damage from Insightful Strike and Improved Insightful Strike is now based on Charisma instead of Intelligence and is no longer precision damage. Mindless creatures are not subject to this bonus damage. The bonus to AC granted by Grace is now based on your Intelligence modifier.
Ranged Swashbuckler: Replace Weapon Finesse at 1st level. Change Fighting Style at 2nd level. You gain Sharpshooter as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Instead of the normal feat selection in fighting style your choices become: Broad Practice, Combat Reflexes, Double Weapon Arts, Improved Initiative, Intuitive Initiative, Far Shot, Fixed Aim, Quick Draw, Ranged Feint, Ranged Flanking, Rapid Shot, Rapid Reload, Trick Reload, Two-Weapon Fighting or Weapon Focus. Alternatively she may select a feat which affect her ability to fight with ranged weapon, however she must meet the prerequisites.
Shield of Blades (Player Handbook II): Now replaces the dodge bonus granted by grace at 3rd level. You gain Two-Weapon Wall as a bonus feat. You also gain 1/3 of your class level as a dodge bonus against any creatures you attacked with at least two light weapons this turn.
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| Leziadv |
|---|
| Article Balance | High + |
| Author | Leziad + |
| Base Attack Bonus Progression | Good + |
| Class Ability | Other + |
| Class Ability Progression | Full + |
| Fortitude Save Progression | Good + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Class + |
| Length | 12 + |
| Minimum Level | 1 + |
| Rated By | Eiji-kun + |
| Rating | Rating Pending + |
| Reflex Save Progression | Good + |
| Skill | Appraise +, Balance +, Bluff +, Climb +, Craft +, Diplomacy +, Disguise +, Escape Artist +, Hide +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Listen +, Move Silently +, Profession +, Sense Motive +, Sleight of Hand +, Spot +, Swim +, Perform +, Tumble + and Use Rope + |
| Skill Points | 6 + |
| Summary | Bring the swashbuckler to the High Balance range, fill dead levels and allow better compatibility with Tome of Prowess. Compress it to a 12 level class. + |
| Title | Swashbuckler, Codex + |
| ToP Skill | Arcana +, Acrobatics +, Affability +, Appraisal +, Athletics +, Bluff +, Escape Artistry +, Cultures +, Legerdemain +, Jump +, Perception +, Psychology + and Transformation + |
| Will Save Progression | Poor + |
