Today, I'd like to highlight some of swashbuckler problem that goes beyond the combat encounter, skill increase tax. As a swashbuckler, you usually have acrobatic and your style starting at trained at level one. And as you progress, you're expected to increase both of them since they would target different save and give you choice in a given encounter.
The problem with this design is how, as normal class, swashbuckler can only have 3 skills to be maxed. Thus, they need to invest two of their skill into acrobatic and their style. In gameplay, it makes them feel one-note and have hard time doing anything beyond acrobatic/style. Want to focus on medicine? Too bad, you have to choose between delaying acrobatic or style, which you would regret either way when you're against certain enemies for at least 6 levels.
As I've said, playing swashbuckler optimally (for combat) gives them less wiggle room outside of combat. Yes, diplomacy and intimidation might help. But what if I also want to take stealth or thievery? Do I have to stay trained at them until level 11 because I need to focus on my style and acrobatic?
Some of you might suggest acrobat dedication, but I'd say that doesn't solve the problem. It's an archetype tax, a feat tax along with the fact that you can't pick another dedication until you put more feat into it. What if I want to get other dedication? Do I have to spend 2 other class feats into acrobat just to get another dedication?
Which is why I'd like to suggest a fix to this problem, automatic skill increase similar to acrobat dedication. With this, swashbuckler can get free skill increase in their style starting at level 2 until legendary. This way they can free up one of their precious skill increase into other skill of their choice. What if they pick acrobat? Then that's fine. Any other class can take acrobat and get the same benefit. Swash is just one that really want acrobat because of their problematic skill increase and how tied it is to their class power level as a whole.
This free skill increase can also be applied to some other class that feel like some of their skills are mandatory. The upcoming inventor and wizard comes into mind. Inventor require crafting to use their class feature and fix their item, and it is a mandatory take. Wizard feels mandatory in arcana because it's required to learn a spell. Unlike other class, it's part of their feature to get more spell known and expected to learn more spell outside of what the class give initially.
I hope the developer can look at the suggestion in this post and improve swashbuckler class as a whole in next APG errata. I love swashbuckler and how they play out in game, but some of their design frustrate me. I'm sure others have cried about key ability score locked into dex and low base damage for non-gymnast swash at low level, but this time I want to focus on skill increase tax that applies to all swashbuckler.
