Looking to balance the 3.5 swashbuckler in Complete Warrior handbook with pathfinder beta classes. Any suggestions?
Well we were just discussing this.
Slight modification to the swashbuckler (to balance with the beta fighter, barb and rogue).
At levels 5, 10, 15, 20 the swashbuckler can choose one of the following.
Quick of mind +1 skill point.
Quick of foot +5 speed.
Quick of tongue +1 bluff circumstance bonus (not a rank, and does apply to feint and seduction).
Quick to counter +1 to defensive combat manoeuvres.
These can be mixed as the levels progress, you are not locked into consistently beefing bluff or any one of them.
Swashbucklers gain buckler and small shield proficiency.
Really? That enough to balance it out?
I like it quite a bit actually. Don't overlook its merits.
d10 hit die
+1 bab per level
4 skill points a level, decent selection.
Saves aren't too bad, they get the slow grace bonus, fort is good.
At level 3 you add your int mod and str mod together to your damage with some weapons against opponents that can be crit.
Later they ignore difficult terrain for charging, get improved flanking, and a slow but steady dodge bonus against one opponent.
And something that came up recently in a game. They get proficiency with all martial weapons. Now they can't add their int mod to all weapons, but say you are fighting a lot of undead, in one game, the npc hobgoblin swashbuckler just went greataxe. Problem was solved, zombies were cut down.
Hmmmmmm. Interesting way to do it and could work. How is it one of the worst classes in 3.5 history?
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Hmmmmmm. Interesting way to do it and could work. How is it one of the worst classes in 3.5 history?
It's way behind the damage curve of other melee classes, and offers nothing of note in return, except crap AC and a few situational abilities that come up once per 10 games. 3.5 vanilla Monks are better, and that's saying something.
Fighters get weapon spec at 4th, swashbucklers get their int bonus to damage with a number of weapons at 3rd. So if a fighter is level 3, gone longsword and shield, and has 16 strength, they are at 1d8+3 19-20/x2. Minimum 4, max 11.
A swashbuckler with 16 str and 14 int at level 3 is at 1d6+5 with a rapier at slightly better crit range 18-20/x2. Minimum 6, max 11.
The fighter can go something big and two handed, and jumps ahead in damage at 4, should he spec. But at level 3, if their stats are the same, they do the same damage with those two handed martial weapons. A swashbuckler can go greataxe as well, take power attack etc.
Not factoring in enchantment to these equations. Same level, will depend on luck of the draw or setting.
They could also both go spiked chain and if both are at level 4, the swashbuckler can be on higher damage if their int bonus is more than the specs +2. Swashbuckler players in my experience usually push that int high.
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You forgot that Swashbuckler is MAD in every possible way (STR, DEX, INT, CON).
No Fighter with any hint of optimization in mind goes broad and sword. Any comparsion should be done against a greatsword Fighter, because that's how you roll if you want to do that one thing Fighters are good at - damage. And no Fighter has 16 str, they kick off with 18 at least.
And at level 3, things are pretty balanced in 3,5 - at higher levels Swashbuckler becomes Fighter Lite. Which is bad news.
Although it is completely homebrew, I wrote my own Swashbuckler class.
It was balanced against a Sword&Board Fighter, though. Less damage output but higher to-hit chance. Well, look it up yourself and decide if it is something you can use. It could do with another revision, as the higher level stuff was not that exciting.
Fighters get weapon spec at 4th, swashbucklers get their int bonus to damage with a number of weapons at 3rd. So if a fighter is level 3, gone longsword and shield, and has 16 strength, they are at 1d8+3 19-20/x2. Minimum 4, max 11.
The problem for swashbucklers arose on higher levels, where their damage output was just too low. Fighters used power attack and maxed strength (and usually two-handed weapons); swashbucklers just couldn't keep up until daring outlaw came out and gave multiclass swashie/rogues full SA.
At present, the fighter has weapon and armor training, and more exclusive feats. I think archetypes are a bit overrated, but my idea for a swashbuckler base class would start with "it's a fighter archetype." Give it an improved skill list and 4 SP/level, no heavy armor or heavy/tower shields proficiency, slower bravery progression that also gives bonuses to acrobatics (as well as fear - check the rogue archetype), etc. You can check the free hand fighter for a few ideas, although I think some of its abilities (especially the higher-level ones) are a bit meh.
The rogue swashbuckler archetype isn't very good imo. Getting a single martial weapon proficiency instead of trapfinding at level one is quite meh, as rogues already have access to the better finessable martial weapons - short sword and rapier. It would be better if it could at least give you the option to take weapon focus instead. You also have no good options to improve your medium base attack bonus and hit a little more often. Personally, I'd suggest giving it the option to get weapon focus or any proficiency feat (including exotic), then trade a few rogue talents for the fighter's weapon training with a single weapons group. The trap sense trade is good, and maybe you could trade evasion for something else.
Oh, and I'd really appreciate it if the duelist class got a little bit extra. I actually like PrCs and think they can coexist with archetypes, but right now most are meh or even mechanically inferior to singleclass characters.
There is a Pathfinder compatible Swashbuckler class in "The Tome of Secrets" by Adamant Entertainment, linked: HERE
-- david
Papa.DRB
Thanks guys for all the helpful advice. I can balance it properly now. Cheers.
I'm going to sound damn strange here, but I liked that the old swashbuckler got nothing at some levels. You had to wait, it wasn't always best to prestige out, had to get into it properly to get the best the swashbuckler had to offer.
Is it the most powerful class ever? No.
But I think it is best with some subtle tweaking, and not just give it great reflex, bonus feats, uncanny dodge, more damage boosting.
The swashbuckler was pretty pathetic at levels 1-2, but then it got quite fun. It also had a really nice skill list amongst the melee classes (sense motive, bluff, diplomacy), you didn't always have to use violence. Sometimes that gets lost in the discussion on damage output. A greatswordsman with no charm, no verve, is a bit of a crude tool.
Amongst fighters I've also seen the problem of sword festishisation, of it being so important. If the greatsword gets sundered/lost/stolen/eaten (see my pic), the players can slip into such pits of despair. "All my feats went into that, what do I do now?" Now a swashbuckler can be also so dependent on his rapier, fear for its loss, but with insightful strike, if it's gone, go short sword, or dagger or light mace, or pick, or a spiked chain around the waist--their int bonus applies to almost any back-up they can carry, it even applies to their unarmed strike or gauntlets. They make damn fine boxing or tavern bash characters. Yeah the barb rages and has great strength, the swashbuckler has better hp than the rogue, and each punch is str and int. That can even lead to the odd case of them doing more than the monk at lowish levels.
Looking to balance the 3.5 swashbuckler in Complete Warrior handbook with pathfinder beta classes. Any suggestions?
Out of curiosity, why the beta classes?
Indeed Elthbert. I somewhat agree there. There was a swashbucker chef I made with two-weapon fighting (yes, the character had profession chef). Gone the lightning mace weapon style in complete warrior. Chance to crit wasn't great but alot of attacks and when a crit was rolled extra attack on top. Scary damage indeed.
Looking to balance the 3.5 swashbuckler in Complete Warrior handbook with pathfinder beta classes. Any suggestions?Out of curiosity, why the beta classes?
Well, I took a look at core. Read through a fair bit of it but didn't like it. It jumped too excitedly on the bandwagon of piling class abilities and bonuses through the roof far too quickly. Not to mention simplifying how certain things like grapple are done and the introduction of CMD etc.....the list goes on. With beta, it strikes me as a good middle-ground between core and 3.5. Gonna sound old-fashioned here but it is balanced.
The fighter in beta had a slight beef with armor training, bravery and weapon training compared to the 3.5 fighter. The core fighter added moving at normal speed in medium armor at a certain level on top of the above mentioned bonuses. It doesn't sound like much but that pushed it over the deep end for me. Even in beta, I revert to 3.5 for some classes.
I don't allow the beta monk, revert it to the 3.5 version. With the ranger, I roll the hit die back to d8 to keep it balanced with the other classes. With sorcerers, I also go 3.5 since I'm not really a fan of the bloodlines.
One thing I've done was revert the hit die of classes back to the 3.5 versions. wizards are d4, rogues are d6, rangers are d8 etc. Didn't like the increased hit die of the base classes. Ran some games using them ended up just going back to basics. Thats the short summary of it. I think I covered the main points......
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Actually take a swashbuckler and mix with a few levels of rogue in 3.5 you have one hell of a flank damage bonus over a thief. At higher levels the swashbuckler can take a feat called i think it is called Dangerous Bandit or something like that and the swashbuckler and rogue levels then stake for sneak attack and they become down right deadly. Toss in duel welding and if flanking, they will tear apart the enemy that can be hit with flanking/snaek damage.
Trust me I played one up to 11th level (7 Swashbucler, 4 rogue)
Teamed her up with the bard we had and we tore more enemies apart than the fighter teamed with a monk or another fighter
It's not a great class to main in, but a three level dip to get your Int modifier to damage can work for a Gish build.
Yes Elthbert, they have been good at dishing out damage in games I've been in too. Can easily get off 20 damage at level 5 with a couple of 18s. Now a barb with greataxe or greatsword can get their too, but they more need the 20/x3 to go over it, which is less common (but sometimes more damaging, unless they roll a 1-2).
Iceniqueen, they do mix nicely with the rogue. I remember a party years back I was in was all swashbuckler/duellist, fighter rogue and swashbuckler rogue. That is a very concentrated party, and we really kept away from undead "quests", but damn if they weren't good at killing those which could be crit.
I to prefer the beta fighter over the core. The core fighter trespasses into the realm of the 3.5 knight, which could move freely in medium, then later heavy armour.
Lastly, two weapon swashbucklers are indeed pretty nice, they can also mix their swashbuckler weapons around/make use of light magic items they find. They get their int bonus to these light weapons, whereas the fighter has to be rather specific with what becomes their focus, if they do the spec thing. If they want to spec two different weapon types, that is more feats (focus, spec for each). The swashbuckler is more easy-going in that sense. Their damage bonus covers more than one type of weapon because it isn't specialisation. Rapier & spiked gauntlet, rapier and dagger, light spiked shield and short sword, light pick and light mace, spikes chain with a short spear back up, short sword and kukri, punching dagger and hand axe, sickle and sap, it can all be done on the fly. We could even mix the swashbuckler (3) and fighter (rest) so that the off hand has the int bonus, then go something crazy like bastard sword and short sword, bastard and light pick. At the very least they are good with their back-up light weapons, or take a back-up rapier main if the one handed martial (that is beefed with the fighter feats) is lost.
Clearly I am into swashbucklers.
Actually take a swashbuckler and mix with a few levels of rogue in 3.5 you have one hell of a flank damage bonus over a thief. At higher levels the swashbuckler can take a feat called i think it is called Dangerous Bandit or something like that and the swashbuckler and rogue levels then stake for sneak attack and they become down right deadly. Toss in duel welding and if flanking, they will tear apart the enemy that can be hit with flanking/snaek damage.
Trust me I played one up to 11th level (7 Swashbucler, 4 rogue)
Teamed her up with the bard we had and we tore more enemies apart than the fighter teamed with a monk or another fighter
I threw some high level PCs (12-ish) against a band of 3.5 kenku rogue/swashbucklers with daring outlaw (rogue and swashbuckler levels stack for sneak attack, dodge, and something else swashbucklery). 3.5 kenku had a racial ability called Great Ally that gave an additional +2 when flanking, so with the swashbuckler bits, they had +6 to their attack rolls when flanking. Of course, I'm an evil DM and gave them cloaks of flicker (a shadowcaster mystery that lets you teleport short distances as an immediate action once a round for several rounds--and gave a 50% miss chance if you teleport to avoid an attack). So I got to teleport in to flank as an immediate action, attack, and then teleport as an immediate action to escape an attack!
EDIT:
I also DMed for a pirate campaign where we had a halfling rogue/swashbuckler/invisible blade/master thrower/weapon master/whisperknife, a half-drow swashbuckler/bard that used whip and rapier to trip and disarm, and his twin, a human swashbuckler/duskblade. They all only dipped 3 levels, but they were very effective. Plus they had 5 allies.... (8 PCs!!!!)
Groovy.
SWASHBUCKLER
BAB: +1
Good Saves: Reflex
Hit Dice: 1d10
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility), Perform, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Swim.
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier
Swashbucklers are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, and light armor.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Combat Strike, Weapon Finesse
2. Bonus Combat Feat
3. Trick
4. Dodge +1
5. Combat Strike, Trick
6. Bonus Combat Feat
7. Trick
8. Dodge +2
9. Combat Strike, Trick, Improved Tricks
10. Bonus Combat Feat
11. Trick
12. Dodge +3
13. Combat Strike, Trick
14. Bonus Combat Feat
15. Trick, Greater Tricks
16. Dodge +4
17. Combat Strike, Trick
18. Bonus Combat Feat
19. Trick
20. Combat Strike Mastery, Dodge +5
Combat Strike (Ex): At 1st level, and every 4 levels beyond 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th), the swashbuckler learns one of the following combat strikes. A combat strike is only effective if the swashbuckler is wielding a weapon that qualifies for use with the Weapon Finesse feat. A target can only be subjected to extra damage from one type of combat strike from a particular swashbuckler at a time, unless the swashbuckler has the Combat Trickster, Improved Combat Trickster, or Greater Combat Trickster tricks. Of course, different swashbucklers can target the same opponent with different combat strikes if they each meet the qualifications of their particular combat strikes.
Ambush Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent after she has moved at least 10 feet from her previous position.
Betraying Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls against an opponent that has the Friendly or Helpful attitude towards her.
Charging Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent after she has charged into combat.
Cruel Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent that is sickened or nauseated.
Fearsome Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent that is shaken, frightened, panicked, or cowering.
Flanking Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent that she is flanking.
Hidden Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she draws a hidden weapon immediately before making the attack. The swashbuckler must have succeeded on a Sleight of Hand check to hide the weapon on her person against her target’s Perception check to use this combat strike. The swashbuckler cannot make a Hidden Strike with an unarmed strike or natural weapon.
Nightmare Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent that is fatigued or exhausted.
Opportunistic Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits while making an attack of opportunity.
Surprise Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent that is flatfooted or otherwise denied its Dexterity modifier to its AC against the swashbuckler.
Tumbling Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent after passing through her opponent’s space.
Underfoot Strike: The swashbuckler adds half her class level (minimum +1) to her damage rolls if she hits an opponent that is 2 or more size categories larger than her.
Weapon Finesse: At 1st level, the swashbuckler gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.
Bonus Combat Feat: At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the swashbuckler gains a bonus combat feat. The swashbuckler must meet the requirements of the selected feat.
Trick (Ex): At 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the swashbuckler learns one of the following tricks.
Acrobatic Charge (Ex). The swashbuckler can charge over difficult terrain, through an ally’s space, and/or in a non-straight line. This usually requires an Acrobatics or Climb skill check of some sort, as determined by the GM.
Combat Strike Maneuver: When the swashbuckler meets the requirements of a Combat Strike she knows and performs a combat maneuver, she adds half her level to her Combat Maneuver Bonus to perform that combat maneuver.
Combat Thief: The swashbuckler may make a Sleight of Hand check in place of a CMB when using the Steal combat maneuver.
Combat Trickster: The swashbuckler may apply two different combat strikes to a single attack if the requirements of both combat strikes are met.
Dirty Fighter: The swashbuckler may make a Bluff check in place of a CMB when using the Dirty Trick combat maneuver.
Flawless Stride: The swashbuckler ignores the penalty for moving through difficult terrain.
Graceful Start: The swashbuckler adds her Charisma modifier to her Dexterity modifier when she rolls for initiative. She may roll for initiative twice and select either result.
Nimble Athlete: The swashbuckler may use her Dexterity modifier in place of her Strength modifier on Climb and Swim skill checks.
Parry: The swashbuckler negates a successful melee attack against her by making an attack of opportunity with melee weapon and hitting an AC equal to the attack roll that would have hit her.
Perilous Weapon: Whenever the swashbuckler wields a weapon that qualifies for use with the Weapon Finesse feat, she increases the threat range of that weapon by +1. This stacks with Improved Critical feat, keen special weapon quality, or any other effect that doubles the threat range of a weapon, but applies after the threat range has been doubled.
Ranged Combat Strike: The swashbuckler may apply the effects of a combat strike when she uses a thrown weapon and is within 30 feet of her target. She must meet all requirements of the combat strike to use this ability with a thrown weapon; this may make it impossible to use some combat strikes with ranged weapons, such as the Charging Strike, Flanking Strike, and Opportunistic Strike.
Swift-footed: The swashbuckler increases her base land speed by +10 feet.
Uncanny Dodge: The swashbuckler gains the Uncanny Dodge ability.
You Shall Not Pass: The swashbuckler adds her level to the DC to Acrobatics checks to move through her threatened space or to move through her space.
Improved Tricks (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, the swashbuckler may select an improved trick in place of a trick.
Acrobatic Skill Mastery: The swashbuckler can choose to take 10 on Acrobatic, Climb, and Escape Artist skill checks, even if she wouldn’t normally be allowed to do so due to difficult circumstances.
Charming Cheater: The swashbuckler may use her Charisma score in place of her Strength, Constitution, Intelligence, or Wisdom score when qualifying for a combat feat.
Confident Manipulator: The swashbuckler can choose to take 10 on Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, and Intimidate skill checks, even if she wouldn’t normally be allowed to do so due to difficult circumstances.
Critical Combat Strike: When the swashbuckler meets the requirements of a Combat Strike she knows and threatens a critical hit, she adds half her level to the attack roll to confirm the critical hit.
Fearsome Slash: The swashbuckler can use the Intimidate skill to demoralize opponents as a move action. The swashbuckler must have the Dazzling Display feat before selecting this improved trick.
Flying Blade: When the swashbuckler disarms an opponent of a melee weapon while wielding a weapon that qualifies for the Weapon Finesse feat, she may make a ranged attack using the weapon she disarmed from her opponent against a different target; this target must be within 5 feet of the disarmed opponent for ever 5 points her CMB roll to disarm beat her disarmed opponent’s CMD. The ranged attack causes damage equal to the disarmed weapon’s normal melee damage plus the swashbuckler’s Strength modifier. The swashbuckler must have the Improved Disarm and Greater Disarm feats before selecting this improved trick.
Flying Foe: When the swashbuckler uses the Bull Rush Strike feat to bull rush an opponent after confirming a critical hit, the swashbuckler adds the damage from the critical hit to her CMB to bull rush her opponent. The swashbuckler must have the Improved Bull Rush and Bull Rush Strike feats before selecting this improved trick.
Graceful Maneuvers: The swashbuckler adds her Charisma modifier to her CMB and CMD. She must have the Graceful Start trick before selecting this improved trick.
Graceful Saves: The swashbuckler adds her Charisma modifier to her saving throws. She must have the Graceful Start trick before selecting this improved trick.
Improved Combat Trickster: The swashbuckler may apply three combat strikes to a single attack if the requirements of all three combat strikes are met. The swashbuckler must have the Combat Trickster trick before selecting this improved trick.
Improved Dodge: The swashbuckler adds double the Dodge bonus to AC she gains from her Dodge class ability against attack rolls made to confirm critical hits against her.
Improved Flanker: The swashbuckler gains a +4 bonus on attack rolls when she flanks an opponent, instead of the standard +2 bonus. She also provides her flanking ally with a +4 bonus on his attack rolls instead of the standard +2 bonus.
Improved Mobility: The swashbuckler adds double the Dodge bonus to AC she gains from her Dodge class ability against attacks of opportunity made against her.
Improved Parry: The swashbuckler negates a successful ranged attack against her by making an attack of opportunity with melee weapon and hitting an AC equal to the attack roll that would have hit her. The swashbuckler must have the Parry trick before selecting this improved trick.
Improved Perilous Weapon: Whenever the swashbuckler wields a weapon that qualifies for use with the Weapon Finesse feat, she increases the threat range of that weapon by +2. This stacks with Improved Critical feat, keen special weapon quality, or any other effect that doubles the threat range of a weapon, but applies after the threat range has been doubled. The swashbuckler must have the Perilous Weapon trick before selecting this improved trick; the bonus from the Improved Perilous Weapon trick overlaps with the bonus from the Perilous Weapon trick.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: The swashbuckler gains the Improved Uncanny Dodge ability. She must have Uncanny Dodge before selecting this improved trick.
Improved Weapon Finesse: The swashbuckler adds her Dexterity modifier to the weapon damage rolls of any weapon she wields while using the Weapon Finesse feat; this extra damage cannot exceed half the swashbuckler’s level (minimum +1).
Leaping Overrun: When the swashbuckler makes a successful overrun combat maneuver, she can make an Acrobatics skill check to jump off her opponent, gaining a +5 bonus, +5 for every size category the opponent is larger than her. The swashbuckler must have the Improved Overrun feat before selecting this improved trick.
Lucky: Once per day the swashbuckler can re-roll any d20 roll before the GM announces if it is successful or not; she must take the result of the second roll, even if it is worse than the first roll.
Opportunist: Once per round, the swashbuckler may make an attack of opportunity against an opponent that been struck in melee by an ally of the swashbuckler. Even a swashbuckler with the Combat Reflexes feat can only use this ability once per round.
Quick Feint: The swashbuckler can use the Bluff skill to Feint in Combat as a swift action. The swashbuckler must have the Improved Feint and Greater Feint feats before selecting this improved trick.
Riposte: When the swashbuckler uses her Parry trick to negate an attack, she may make an attack of opportunity against the opponent who’s attack she negated. The swashbuckler must have the Combat Reflexes feat and the Parry trick before selecting this improved trick.
Sudden Charge: A number of times per day equal to her Dexterity modifier, the swashbuckler can charge as an immediate action.
Swift Step: The swashbuckler can move her speed as a swift action. She must have the Swift-footed trick before selecting this improved trick.
Touché: When the swashbuckler threatens to make a critical hit while wielding a weapon that qualifies for the Weapon Finesse feat, she may make a melee touch attack instead of a regular melee attack when she rolls to confirm the critical hit.
Unexpected Strike (Ex). The swashbuckler can make an attack of opportunity against a foe that moves into any square threatened by the swashbuckler, regardless of whether or not that movement would normally provoke an attack of opportunity.
Weakening Critical: The swashbuckler causes 2 points of Strength damage when she scores a critical hit.
Wobbling Critical: The swashbuckler causes 2 points of Dexterity damage when she scores a critical hit.
Greater Trick (Ex): Beginning at 15th level, the swashbuckler may select a greater trick in place of a trick or improved trick.
Evasion: The swashbuckler takes no damage when she successfully makes a Reflex save that normally causes half damage or a partial effect on a successful saving throw. The swashbuckler must have the Uncanny Dodge trick and Improved Uncanny Dodge improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Fearsome Gaze: The swashbuckler can use the Intimidate check as a swift action to demoralize opponents. The swashbuckler must have the Dazzling Display feat and Fearsome Slash improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Graceful Moves: The swashbuckler adds her Charisma modifier as a dodge bonus to her AC when she wears no armor. She must have the Graceful Start trick and Graceful Saves improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Graceful Strike: The swashbuckler adds her Charisma modifier to her melee weapon damage rolls when she uses the Weapon Finesse feat. She must have the Graceful Start trick and the Graceful Maneuvers improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Greater Combat Trickster: The swashbuckler may apply four combat strikes to a single attack if the requirements of all four combat strikes are met. The swashbuckler must have the Combat Trickster trick and Improved Combat Trickster improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Greater Critical Combat Strike: When the swashbuckler meets the requirements of a Combat Strike she knows and scores a critical hit, she increases the critical multiplier by 1. The swashbuckler must have the Critical Combat Strike improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Greater Luck: The swashbuckler can use her Lucky ability a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier; she adds her Charisma modifier to the re-roll. The swashbuckler must have the Lucky improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Greater Parry: The swashbuckler negates a successful melee attack against her as an immediate action. The swashbuckler must have the Parry trick before selecting this greater trick.
Greater Perilous Weapon: Whenever the swashbuckler wields a weapon that qualifies for use with the Weapon Finesse feat, she increases the threat range of that weapon by +3. This stacks with Improved Critical feat, keen special weapon quality, or any other effect that doubles the threat range of a weapon, but applies after the threat range has been doubled. The swashbuckler must have the Perilous Weapon trick and Improved Perilous Weapon improved trick before selecting this greater trick; the bonus from the Greater Perilous Weapon trick overlaps with the bonuses from the Perilous Weapon and Improved Perilous Weapon tricks.
Greater Touché: As a standard action, the swashbuckler resolves a single melee attack made with a weapon that qualifies for the Weapon Finesse feat as a melee touch attack. She must have the Touché improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Slippery Mind: The swashbuckler’s mind becomes more difficult to control. If the
swashbuckler fails her save against an enchantment spell or effect, she can attempt the save again 1 round later at the same DC (assuming she is still alive). She gets only this one extra chance to succeed at a certain saving throw.
Swift Maneuver: The swashbuckler can make a combat maneuver as a swift action. The swashbuckler must have the Swift-footed trick and Swift Step improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Swift Strike: The swashbuckler can make an attack at her highest attack bonus as a swift action. The swashbuckler must have the Swift-footed trick and Swift Step improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Wounding Critical: The swashbuckler causes 2 points of Constitution damage when she scores a critical hit. The swashbuckler must have either the Weakening Critical or Wobbling Critical improved trick before selecting this greater trick.
Dodge (Ex): At 4th level, the swashbuckler gains a +1 dodge bonus to her AC when she is wearing light armor or no armor. This bonus increases by +1 at 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter.
Combat Strike Mastery (Ex): At 20th level, the swashbuckler automatically confirms any critical hit she scores against an opponent when performing a combat strike.
