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Some have you may have read the thread in General about the steampunk(ish) world I'm building with Pathfinder rules.
I'm messing with some alternate core classes for it, and I'd like to know how you feel about what I'm doing so far. This is the first "finished" version, meaning I've given a rough thought to all the levels, but it's just that: "rough". By no means finished.
So tell me if you think it's too weak, too strong, needing a little tweak here or there. But DON'T tell me anything that'll change the general concept I'm going for.
Basically, I integrated Ranger combat-style progression for either the one handed sword route (as per the classic flavor of the class) or one-handed light firearm (pistols) so my game could a.) Have a gun-oriented combat class option, b.) Fill the gap left by the removal of Ranger and Paladin, and c.) Thought adding pistol-use to the class was just plain 'ol fun since it does kind of work with someone called a "Swashbuckler", don't you think?
Also, please note, the only "One Handed Light Ranged Weapon" in my game other than the ol' hand crossbow is the Light Pistol: 2d4dmg, x2crit on 20, six shots.
Here it is, the rough draft:
(BaB and Saves remain same as 3.5, new class abilities, bonus feat lists, and changes to old class abilities will be listed at the end.)
1 Insightful Strike
2 Combat Style Feat
3 Grace +1
4 Acrobatic Charge
5 Dodge Bonus +1
6 Combat Style Feat
7 Grace +2
8 Improved Flanking
9 Evasion
10 Combat Style Feat, Dodge Bonus +2
11 Grace +3
12 Lucky
13 Acrobatic Skill Mastery
14 Combat Style Feat
15 Dodge Bonus +3, Grace +4
16 Improved Evasion
17 Slippery Mind
18 Combat Style Feat
19 Grace +5
20 Dodge Bonus +4, Heroic Strike
Insightful Strike: The Swashbuckler adds half his level as a damage bonus to any melee attacks made with a light, one handed slashing or piercing weapon or any one handed slashing or piercing melee weapon that can be used with Weapon Finesse. He also adds this damage on ranged attacks made with a light, one handed ranged weapon within 30'. This has no effect on creatures immune to sneak attack etc., etc.,...
Acrobatic Skill Mastery: The Swashbuckler may always take 10 on Acrobatics checks, regardless of the situation.
Heroic Strike: Once per day, when using any weapon against that qualifies for his Insightful Strike ability, against any opponent that qualifies for his Insightful Strike ability, the Swashbuckler may use a full-round action to make a single attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack is treated as though the Swashbuckler has been the recipient of a *true strike* spell. If the attack hits, the target must make a Fortitude Save (DC = 10 + half the Swashbuckler's class level + his Int modifier) or die.
Combat Style Feat list:
(Progression is identical to the Ranger. Note: Rapid Reload has been changed in my game to apply to firearms as well, all of which have a default full-round reload time. It's prerequisite has been changed to BaB +4)
1st Level:
Melee: Weapon Finesse, Step Up, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint
Ranged: Far Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
6th Level:
Melee: Greater Feing, Lunge
Ranged: Improved Precise Shot, Rapid Reload
10th Level:
Melee: Penetrating Strike, Bleeding Critical
Ranged: Pinpoint Targeting, Shot on the Run
Alrighty, I wanna know what you think! Help me make this the class that I see it being!
Whoa, first time I posted the bonus feat list did NOT format the way I wanted it to.
Edited it to make sense, heh.
I do like what you've done here, and I have been considering doing something similar to update Mr. Swashbuckler to Pathfinder myself. Give me a day and let me crunch some level information out of complete warrior and I may be able to provide you with some useful feed back.
But I do like the direction you're trying to go with this.
-AK
Are you keeping the skills to match the Ranger's, or will there be some differences? I don't think I saw that addressed.
Here are my thoughts on this. (Well this is what I came up with to convert Mr. Swashbuckler to PFRPG).
Swashbuckler 3.75 (Pathfinder)
Hit Die = D10
Skill Points: 4+Int
Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and Swim (Str).
GOOD BAB (+20/+15/+10/+5)
Good Fortitude Save
Poor Reflex Save
Poor Willpower Save
Lvl Special
1 Weapon Finesse
2 Combat Style, Grace +2
3 Lucky, Insightful Strike
4 Uncanny Dodge
5 Dodge bonus +1,
6 Combat Style
7 Acrobatic Charge
8 Vexing Flanker
9 Improved Uncanny Dodge
10 Dodge bonus +2, Combat Style
11 Lucky, Grace +4
12 Adaptable Flanker
13 Acrobatic Skill Mastery
14 Combat Style
15 Dodge bonus +3
16 Combat Acrobat
17 Slippery Mind
18 Combat Style
19 Lucky
20 Dodge Bonus +4, Touche, Grace +6
Class Features That I changed:
Grace (Ex): At 2nd level the Swashbuckler gains a +2 on Reflex saves. This Bonus increases to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 20th level. A Swashbuckler loses this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armor, or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
Combat Style: At 2nd level the Swashbuckler must choose a combat style path to specialize in. She receives additional bonus feats at 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th level. The Swashbuckler may still take the feats, even if she does not meet the prerequisites for them. The Swashbuckler immediately loses access to these feats if she is wearing medium or heavy armor, or carrying a medium or heavy load.
Feat Trees:
Two Weapon Fighter:
Available at 2nd: Two Weapon Fighting, Quick Draw, Double Slice, Rapid Reload
Available at 6th: Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense
Available at 10th: Greater Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Defense
Critical Hit Master
Available at 2nd: Dazzling Display, Quick Draw, Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise
Available at 6th: Improved Disarm, Improved Feint
Available at 10th: Improved Critical, Critical Focus
Additional Attack Master
Available at 2nd: Backstab (DR 340, Pg 86), Combat Reflexes, Deft Opportunist, Expert Tactician
Available at 6th: Improved Combat Reflexes (DR340, Pg 87), Lunge
Available at 10th: Greater Combat Reflexes (DR340, Pg 87), Robilar's Gambit
Bounding Assailant
Available at 2nd: Dodge, Mobility, Combat Reflexes, Spring Attack
Available at 6th: Bounding Assault, Step Up
Available at 10th: Rapid Blitz, Acrobatic Strike
Lucky (Ex): This ability is now gained at 3rd, 11th and 19th level. You cannot re-roll a re-roll that you have applied your lucky ability to. Aside from the additional uses per day, this ability functions exactly as it has been printed.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Gained at 4th level. See Barbarian or Rogue Entries for details.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Gained at 9th level. See Barbarian or Rogue Entries for details.
Improved Flanking Changed to: Bonus Feat: Vexing Flanker (Ex): See PHBII 85 for details. This feat works exactly the same as the class ability. Gained at 8th level.
Adaptable Flanker (Ex): Bonus Feat gained at 12th level. See PHBII 74 for details.
(brief description: Select an opponent. While adjacent you can designate any other square adjacent to said opponent for the purposes of determining whether or not that opponent is considered flanked).
Combat Acrobat (Ex): Bonus Feat gained at 16th level. See PHBII page 76 for details.
brief description:
2 new uses for acrobatics skill:
Acrobatic Recovery: If an effect would cause you to fall prone you can make a DC 20 Acrobatics check to remain on your feet.
Surefooted Maneuver: DC 15 Acrobatics check. You can ignore up to 4 squares of difficult terrain while moving. You still endure any effects or hazards associated with the terrain.
Touche
A Swashbuckler of 20th level gains the following abilities:
-The Critical Threat range for any light melee weapon you wield in combat is increased by 2. This bonus stacks with the Improved Critical feat, but it is applied after the weapons critical threat range is doubled by the feat, not before.
-You automatically confirm any Critical Threats.
-When you strike an opponent with a Critical hit they take an amount of Strength and Constitution Damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. A Swashbuckler may decided before attacking whether or not the Strength and Constitution damage are temporary or permanent.
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I like what you did with Lucky, making it a progressing class feature. I hadn't thought of that and it helps me address some of the issues I'm having with my build so far. Also, I might use your Grace progression instead of mine. Not sure, though.
While I really like the overall creativity of your combat style feat lists, I'm trying to avoid using much in the way of content from supplements other than the classes themselves. Ideally, my game will be run with nothing other than the Pathfinder Core Book, Bestiary, and a small folder of notes for what I added and changed.
What were your thoughts on my lvl20 capstone ability? For that matter, what are *everyone's* thoughts? I'd really like some feedback on that.
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Are you keeping the skills to match the Ranger's, or will there be some differences? I don't think I saw that addressed.
I haven't devoted any time to *specifically* figuring their skills. It's not a HUGE concern at the moment. Their skill list will probably come out looking like you'd expect: Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Climb, etc... It's probably the last thing I'm going to work out.
I like what you did with Lucky, making it a progressing class feature. I hadn't thought of that and it helps me address some of the issues I'm having with my build so far. Also, I might use your Grace progression instead of mine. Not sure, though.
While I really like the overall creativity of your combat style feat lists, I'm trying to avoid using much in the way of content from supplements other than the classes themselves. Ideally, my game will be run with nothing other than the Pathfinder Core Book, Bestiary, and a small folder of notes for what I added and changed.
What were your thoughts on my lvl20 capstone ability? For that matter, what are *everyone's* thoughts? I'd really like some feedback on that.
Heroic Strike: Once per day, when using any weapon against that qualifies for his Insightful Strike ability, against any opponent that qualifies for his Insightful Strike ability, the Swashbuckler may use a full-round action to make a single attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack is treated as though the Swashbuckler has been the recipient of a *true strike* spell. If the attack hits, the target must make a Fortitude Save (DC = 10 + half the Swashbuckler's class level + his Int modifier) or die.
-First I would be very careful handing out Inst-a-kill abilities even as capstones. Here's why. Lets just say for a moment that some villain in your world is a 20th level swashbuckler. While its cool for the PCs to have this ability, they will not think its so cool when its turned on them. And since villains are only around for a portion of the PCs carriers, that means they get all the benefits of the capstone, with none of the work. (IOW special abilities ect statistically always works in favor of the monsters/villains).
-If you are going to give someone a 1 hit one kill ability, don't make it a sure fire hit. Yes he can only do it once per day. But you know what, he doesn't need an additional +20 on top of his +20 BAB.-If you want to give him a perk to his instant kill/1 per day ability, make it so that if they make their save they still get hit by the critical for an ass load of damage. This way its not a total wash.
Look at the way I structured my capstone.
Its powerful, (almost Over powered in my opinion: I still have to see how it works).
-But it thematically takes advantage of the weapons this class will use.
-While its unrestricted in how many times they can use it, it still requires them to score a critical hit.
-An essentially it takes their old abilities from 14th and 19th level, and synthesizes them into a capstone ability.
-More importantly it plays to not only the strengths of the class but thematically as well. The Swashbuckler is not captain crush you. He/she is a finesse character that finds the weak points in the knights armor, and then jabs said rapier through the seems and through their heart, taking them down swiftly and efficiently. (Which is represented by the Strength and Constitution damage).
This is not to say I don't like your idea, I just don't see this class as a one hit one kill fighter, but I also don't see it as a damage dealing machine. That being said, continue to work on your capstone and see what comes out. If you want to steal mine, or the entire write up, then just go for it.
have fun
-AK
While I really like the overall creativity of your combat style feat lists, I'm trying to avoid using much in the way of content from supplements other than the classes themselves. Ideally, my game will be run with nothing other than the Pathfinder Core Book, Bestiary, and a small folder of notes for what I added and changed.
the feats actually are not that hard to find, and well worth it. If you don't want to hunt down the books the D&D 3.5 Index of feats pretty much has every feat you can imagine, in brief description form, but its enough to get buy.
heres the link:
http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf
And I say if you're running a homebrew, why not take advantage of as many resources as possible in your note book there. Sure keep it restricted to the PFRPG books, but if you're pulling in new classes and custom material, extract what you need from these sources and mesh them with the core books.
Another great source book I would suggest looking to for idea's is the D20 Modern supplement called: D20 past. Yes this may take some updating, since its 3.5 and modern, but the book should provide you with some great idea's especially for that whole steam-punk/age of adventure feel.
If you're looking for a steam-punk-ish class look under the homebrew thread for a class I just finished building called "The Engineer". You might like it.
AK
I think the Touche ability should allow you to confirm a critical hit as a touch attack, not an auto-crit. It would punny that way.