BangoShank's page

After doing some tinkering with various builds, reading through the class abilities, and listening in on the discussion here, I have to say (for whatever it is worth) my 2 copper on the Swashbuckler.

I personally like the class, but then I've always enjoyed the Errol Flynn characters. I can certainly see the influence in design and understand what the class is intended to portray. That said, there are some very legitimate criticisms on the forums that I think are pretty easy to fix. Note that these have not been balanced tested in the slightest (need my math friends for that come our usual game day):

1. Give them the Weapon Finesse feat at first level.
I know the thought process here was to avoid a single level dip class that people jump into for the feat, the saves, and the BAB bump. The truth is that the class is designed both mechanically and ideologically around a finesse fighter. It's about quick movements and sharp reflexes, and the fact that you don't have that until second level severely hampers not only the effectiveness of the class but also the flavor.

2. Give them a greater version of Weapon Finesse later on in the class that allows finesse with any one-handed piercing or slashing weapon.
Weapon finesse alone a Dex fighter does not make. A lot of people have already gotten excited about the idea of using normally non-finesse weapons with the wording of Swashbuckler Finesse. Others have commented on the absurdity of only using piercing weapons given the inspiration for the class. Simply giving a class weapon finesse for any one-handed weapon early on is far too powerful, but breaking it up into a later class ability encourages people to stick around in the class instead of dipping a level and vanishing. Thematically it makes a certain level of sense, you start off with the typical finesse weapons because they are designed for it and it comes easy, but as your improving skill and dexterity grow you find the skill to apply your quick reflexes and moves with normally unwieldy weapons suck as longswords.

3. Change Precise Strike into Dexterity or Charisma to damage.
As stated earlier, this class feels more like Fighter/Gunslinger/Duelist. I would go farther and remove Fighter from that equation, but it's a proper illustration. Two of Duelist's most prominent class abilities (parry and precise strike) are in Swashbuckler. I know that there is a significant de-emphasis on prestige classes across the system, but that doesn't mean making them completely superfluous. By making it Dexterity or Charisma to damage and basically an exact replica of the Gunslinger 'Gun Training' we give back one of the Duelist's core features and get the class closer to its hybrid design while keeping the same core feeling and mechanics. This also helps tie the class back into its overall theme rather than just being an arbitrary damage source with no flavor and no tie to any other part of the class.

4. Fix Bravery/Saves
This is the hardest one to nail down. Because there is no middle progression for saves anymore there isn't a way to approach this in a method that doesn't send people to the class for only a level or two at a time. You can simply boost Fort or Will to match Ref as a good save, but then you make the class top heavy and prime material for dipping rather than staying. My first instinct is to fix bravery. Bravery is a pathetic ability, for fighters and swashbucklers alike. When given to a class that already has a bad Will save, the small circumstantial boost is worth very little in the long run. Fear effects are such a niche grouping of effects that target will that there will be a staggering number of cases in which that minuscule bonus given by Bravery will be either not enough or completely useless. It takes six levels to get +2 against fear. At that point a Heroic NPC has enough money (according to wealth by level) to buy a cloak of resistance +2, which is a flat bonus to ALL saves. The most basic solution I have is to make bravery a flat bonus to Will saves, but if that is too powerful or outside the realm of what the ability should do then simply make it a bonus to Will against all Mind-Effecting abilities and effects. This would include fear effects but also allow for a much greater and more effective range of defenses.

Once my group and I do a true mechanical test of the class on a table I'm sure there will be other things that come up, but from what I can tell from reading here and what I've personally thought up these are the biggest sticking points. Anyone else agree or disagree with what I've come up with?