We've got a problem right off the bat in that the swashbuckler is a combination of the fighter and the gunslinger, and I don't like the gunslinger. It's not just because of the fact that the feel of the gunslinger is totally wrong for most campaign settings, it's also that I don't like their Grit ability. I'm okay with the 'pool' mechanic for magical or mystical abilities, like the Magus' Arcane Pool or the Monk's Ki Pool, but not with physical abilities. If I'm playing a gunslinger and I ever say to myself "Oh, I can't do that cool thing I do with my guns because I haven't scored a critical hit or a killing blow recently," that would take me out of my character. It's a gamey mechanic and it feels wrong and 4th-edition-y. Well, the new swashbuckler class uses a similar mechanic called 'panache', which is just terrible. "Sorry, I can't perform that deed right now, I don't have enough panache," said no swashbuckler ever. Aside from that, the class is generally pretty boring.
Naturally, I decided I would do a blogpost introducing my homebrewed swashbuckler to the world. I opened it up to look it over, and immediately changed my mind. My old swashbuckler was basically a word-for-word copy of the swash from Complete Warrior with a few modifications and the ability to take rogue talents. So I scrapped it and built a new, original swashbuckler base-class from scratch!
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| Illustration by Kent Hamilton |
Swashbuckler
Swashbucklers
are dashing swordsmen who rely not on brute force, but finesse and insight to
strike their foes. The daring exploits
of swashbucklers tend to generate stirring stories of adventure and heroism,
and the truth is usually not that far from fiction. Their style of fighting focuses on mobility
and improvisation, including a keen awareness of terrain, which makes them
excellent and agile combatants aboard ships, inside castles, or within
crumbling ruins.
Role: Swashbucklers are light
combatants, better at darting in from the side like a rogue and striking hard
than standing in the front lines taking hit after hit.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8.
Starting Gold: 5d6 x 10 gp (average
175)
Class Skills
The
swashbuckler’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str),
Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape
Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge
(Local) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession
(Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), and
Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier
All of the following
are class features of the swashbuckler.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Swashbucklers are proficient with all
simple weapons, light martial weapons, rapiers, short bows, and whips.
Swashbucklers are proficient with light
armor and bucklers. They lose their
class abilities when wearing medium or heavy armor and carrying any shield
other than a buckler.
Daring
(Ex): The swashbuckler is daring and adventurous, always ready for
anything. This manifests as a Daring
bonus of +1 which applies to his AC. As
an immediate action the swashbuckler can redesignate his Daring bonus to either
his Reflex Saves or Acrobatics skill checks.
This redesignation can only be made once per round (for example, a
swashbuckler targeted by a fireball might choose to apply his Daring bonus to
his Reflex save, but it would remain there for the rest of the round and not
apply to either his AC or Acrobatics checks). The Daring bonus always applies to wherever it
was last designated. Other class
features may allow the swashbuckler to apply it in other ways.
The swashbuckler's daring bonus increases to
+2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th, +4 at 15th, and +5 at 20th level.
The swashbuckler loses the effects of Daring
if he wears medium or heavy armor, carries a medium or heavy load, or is
flat-footed, immobilized, or helpless.
Weapon
Finesse (Ex): At 1st level, a swashbuckler gains Weapon Finesse
as a bonus feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Evasion
(Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a swashbuckler can avoid even magical and
unusual attacks with great agility. If
he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals
half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if the swashbuckler
is wearing light or no armor. A helpless
swashbuckler does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Favored
Weapon (Ex): At 2nd level, a swashbuckler chooses one type of weapon he is
proficient with to be his favored weapon.
He can perform disarm, reposition, steal, sunder, and trip combat
maneuvers with this weapon without provoking attacks of opportunity. The swashbuckler can change his favored
weapon choice every four levels after 2nd, at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th
levels.
Maneuver
Master (Ex): The swashbuckler is a master of combat maneuvers. He applies his swashbuckler level in place of
his Base Attack Bonus when calculating his CMB and CMD.
Duel
(Ex): As a swift action, a swashbuckler may challenge a single creature to
a duel. The swashbuckler deals extra
damage equal to half his class level whenever he hits his dueling
opponent. The swashbuckler can use this
ability twice per day at third level, plus one additional time per day for
every three levels beyond third.
While in a duel, the swashbuckler's Daring
bonus only applies against the target of the duel. He can still apply his Daring bonus to
Acrobatics checks, so long as those checks are made in aid of fighting his
opponent.
The duel remains in effect until the target
is dead or unconscious, or until combat ends.
Only one creature may be the target of the swashbuckler's duel at any
time.
Cunning
Strike (Ex): A swashbuckler always knows how best to hit his opponent with
his favored weapon. This can manifest in
one of two ways:
Charisma
bonus to attack rolls: The swashbuckler studies his opponents well and
knows exactly how to feint, bluff, and otherwise put them off their guard. He adds his Charisma bonus (minimum +0) to
attack rolls made with his favored weapon.
This ability does not function against creatures with no Intelligence
score.
Intelligence
bonus to damage rolls: The swashbuckler has studied the way of the sword
and knows precisely where to aim his strikes to cause the most damage. He adds his Intelligence bonus (minimum +0) to
damage when attacking with his favored weapon.
This counts as precision damage, and does not affect creatures immune to
precision damage.
The swashbuckler makes this decision upon
attaining 4th level, and it cannot be changed.
Improvised
Defense (Ex): At 5th level, the swashbuckler is adept at improvising a
defense with the objects he has at hand.
Whenever a swashbuckler is wielding a small, mundane object defensively
in one hand, such as a candelabra, cloak, or mug, it counts as a buckler and
provides a +1 shield bonus to AC.
Wielding a larger object with two hands, such as a barstool or wagon
wheel, provides a +2 shield bonus to AC.
The swashbuckler can also, as a move action,
throw or kick a small object within reach at an opponent, granting him a +2
circumstance bonus to his AC against any attacks of opportunity that opponent
makes for the rest of the swashbuckler's turn.
Employing a larger object, as by kicking over a table or cutting down a
tapestry, increases the bonus to +4.
Daring
Charge (Ex): At 7th level, the swashbuckler can charge over difficult
terrain and through the spaces of allies, so long as he still moves directly
toward his opponent and charges at least 10 ft. He may also leap over or otherwise avoid
interposing obstacles in the course of the charge if he succeeds on any
necessary Acrobatics checks. This
ability allows him to, as part of a charge, run up or down staircases, leap
down from heights, vault over tables, or perform any number of other unorthodox
methods of movement. (The rules already
allow [as of the release of Pathfinder
Player Companion: People of the River] a charge made by swinging on a rope
or vine so long as the charging character starts at a point even with or above
the target, and swings for at least 20 feet.
With a daring charge, a swashbuckler reduces that minimum distance to 10
ft. Swinging from a point below the
target, if feasible, is also permitted [for example, if the swashbuckler cuts a
rope supporting a chandelier and rides the rope up as the chandelier comes
crashing down].) A failure on an
acrobatics check ends the swashbuckler's movement; if he had not yet moved more
than his move speed, he may still take a standard action.
While performing a daring charge, the
swashbuckler's Daring bonus applies to his Acrobatics skill checks, and reverts
to whatever it was last applied to at the end of the swashbuckler's turn. The swashbuckler cannot make a daring charge
if he is wearing medium or heavy armor, carrying a medium or heavy load, or is
flat-footed, immobilized, or helpless.
Great
Renown (Ex): At 8th level, the swashbuckler becomes a swordsman of great
renown. He gains a +2 circumstance bonus
to Diplomacy and Intimidate skill checks.
He also gains a +2 modifier to his leadership score for the purpose of
the Leadership feat. The swashbuckler's
great renown brings him the attentions of adoring fans and admirers, but it is
also likely to attract enemies. In
addition, swashbucklers of a comparable level often feel compelled to challenge
him to a duel.
At 16th level, the bonus to Diplomacy and
Intimidate checks becomes +4.
Uncanny
Dodge (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, a swashbuckler can react to danger
before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does he
lose his Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if
immobilized. A swashbuckler with this
ability can still lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully
uses the feint action against him.
If a swashbuckler already has uncanny dodge
from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge.
Improved
Evasion (Ex): At 11th level, the swashbuckler gains improved evasion. This works like evasion, except that while
the swashbuckler still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw
against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A
helpless swashbuckler does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Dueling
Master (Ex): At 13th level, the swashbuckler becomes a master duelist. He can choose to be an offensive or defensive
master. Once made, the choice is
permanent.
Offensive
Master: A master of offense doubles the bonus granted by his cunning strike
against the target of his duel ability.
Defensive
Master: A master of defense doubles his Daring bonus against the target of
his duel ability.
Vendetta
(Ex): At 14th level, the swashbuckler can declare a single individual to be
his nemesis. He always gains all the
benefits of the duel ability against his nemesis, but it does not count against
his total number of duels per day, nor does the presence of his nemesis prevent
him from declaring a duel against a new opponent or continuing an ongoing
duel.
The effects of the vendetta last until the
nemesis is killed or otherwise wholly and satisfyingly defeated. The swashbuckler can only have one ongoing
vendetta at a time.
Weapon
Master (Ex): At 17th level, the swashbuckler treats all weapons with which
he is proficient as his favored weapons.
Expanded
Vendetta (Ex): At 19th level, the swashbuckler can now expand the effects
of his vendetta ability to include every member of a particular confederacy, clan,
cult, family, guild, syndicate, or other similar organization, per the GM's
discretion. The effects of the vendetta
last until the nemesis organization is destroyed or otherwise wholly and
satisfyingly defeated. The Swashbuckler
may still have only one ongoing vendetta at a time.
Fearsome
Reputation (Ex): By 20th level, the swashbuckler’s reputation as
a great swordsman has grown to such heights that his mere presence is enough to
send his foes cowering in fear. Whenever
the swashbuckler drops an opponent to 0 hp or lower, he may activate this
ability as a free action. For the next
5d6 rounds, all opponents who come within 30 feet of him must make a Will save
vs. fear (DC 10 + 1/2 swashbuckler level + the swashbuckler’s Cha modifier). On a failed save, the opponent is shaken, or
panicked if it has 4 Hit Dice or fewer, until the duration of the
swashbuckler’s Fearsome Reputation expires or the swashbuckler is dropped to 0
hp or lower. An opponent that succeeds
on the saving throw is immune to that same swashbuckler’s fearsome reputation
for 24 hours. Fearsome reputation is a mind-affecting fear effect. This ability
affects only opponents with fewer Hit Dice than the swashbuckler has.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alright, I've been teasing this one for a while now. I included a swashbuckler in my Halloween adventure, I played a swashbuckler in my friend's conquistador campaign, and a PDF of the swashbuckler class has been available on my Patreon page for $1+ patrons since September. Additionally, wouldn't a swashbuckler be a great class for some naval combat?
I decided not to go the 'rogue talent' route and create a bunch of mini-options to choose from; that's a pretty cool way to go, and it allows for a lot of character customization, but I really wanted to differentiate the swash from the rogue. Instead, I gave it a lot of individual swashbucklery abilities that you can either choose how to use depending on your needs (like the Daring ability) or that you get to choose one of two options for your character to be able to perform (like the Cunning Strike ability). It would be pretty simple to modify these or add new options for new swashbuckler archetypes.
My goals in creating the swashbuckler were that it should be the best class for using finessable weapons and that it should encourage movement and improvisation. The Cunning Strike ability lets the swashbuckler pack an extra punch with his favored weapon. Maneuver Master and Improvised Defense encourage the player to use combat maneuvers and to improvise with items at hand, two things that feel very swashbucklery to me. Imagine a dashing swordsman being driven back into a table by his opponent, then grabbing a candelabra off the table and using it to parry his enemy's sword.
The Duel ability is based on the cavalier's Challenge ability, and it also provides some roleplaying fodder.* Mechanically, it forces the swashbuckler to focus on one enemy in particular once he uses it. Later, Great Renown encourages the DM to have other swashbucklers seek out the player to duel them, trying to capture some of the spirit of the 2nd edition swashbuckler ("When there's another Swashbuckler around—thief or warrior—intent on proving that he is the finest swordsman in the world, it's the PC Swashbuckler he seeks out and challenges (often in the middle of some illicit activities). When there is a lovely lady (or handsome young man, as appropriate) in distress, she or he will naturally cross the Swashbuckler's path, and pull him into the tangle... Life conspires to make things difficult for the Swashbuckler, and the DM should always throw just a little more good-natured bad luck at this thief type than at any other." - Complete Thief's Handbook). Vendetta and Expanded Vendetta carry this theme further.
*"But d20 Despot! Dueling is limited to a number of times per day! Didn't you just say that you didn't like mechanics that artificially limited physical abilities like that?" Yes, I am a hypocrite. Sadly, I can't figure out a way to make a balanced dueling mechanic like this that does not have an artificial limit set on it. We all must make sacrifices. Still, it somehow doesn't feel as bad to me as a grit or panache pool.
As always, I look forward to reading your comments and suggestions about my swashbuckler. Many minds looking over my work might catch something that is potentially problematic - perhaps a rules loophole that, combined with the abilities of another class, makes swashbucklers too powerful, or perhaps an ability that is just not on par with the power of an ability that a character of that level would be expected to have. And if you like what I've done here and want to see more original open game content by me and more original artwork by Kent Hamilton, please consider giving d20 Despot your support on Patreon.
-your daring d20 despot
This is much better than the Pathfinder Swashbuckler. I do believe I may have to use it in my own game.
ReplyDeleteThanks! If you do use it, be sure to leave a comment here about how it worked out and any suggestions you might have. The swashbuckler is my first real attempt at writing a new class from scratch, so I'm always looking for ways to improve it.
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