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Here is the text from the Advanced Class Guide Playtest for reference, with the sentence in question bolded:
Opportune Parry and Riposte (Ex): At 1st level, when an opponent makes a melee attack against the swashbuckler, she can spend 1 panache point and can expend a use of an attack of opportunity to attempt to parry that attack. The swashbuckler makes an attack roll as if she were making an attack of opportunity. If her attack roll is greater than the roll of the attacking creature, the attack automatically misses. For each size category the attacking creature is larger than the swashbuckler, the swashbuckler takes a –2 penalty on her attack roll. The swashbuckler must declare the use of this ability after the creature’s attack is announced, but before that attack roll is made. Immediately after a swashbuckler performs a successful parry, as long as she has 1 panache point she can make an attack as an immediate action against the creature whose attack she blocked, provided that creature is within her reach.
My question: If the swashbuckler's attack roll is less than (or equal to) the roll of the attacking creature, then is the triggering attack still compared to AC as normal?
Yes. The ability lets you make a check. If that check is > X, then Y happens. If it doesn't say anything about what happens when check <= X, then nothing happens when you fail the check.
I would allow it with a ghost touch weapon, which would make sense.
Without a properly enchanted weapon, to represent their sheer ability to physically avoid an attack, I'd allow a player at my table to attempt a parry with a penalty to the attack roll. No chance at a Riposte though.
With the changes to Opportune Parry and Riposte, I doubt any of my players would want to except that penalty except in a life or death situation.
Can this be used against an attack from a trap?
Hmm...
"At 1st level, when an opponent makes a melee attack against the swashbuckler (...) If her attack roll is greater than the roll of the attacking creature, the attack automatically misses...".
So unless your GM considers traps to be opponents/creatures, I'd say that no, it doesn't.
I'm more worried about this ability making SBs effectively immune to full attacks.
I'm more worried about this ability making SBs effectively immune to full attacks.
According to the Jirelle's level 3 Pregen from Risen from the Sands, this ability has been nerfed since the play test. Now Swashies have to be proactive and not reactive when using this ability. They have to declare that they're going to attempt to parry before the opponent rolls to attack. So instead of Swashies waiting to see if an attack would've beaten their AC, and then parrying, they have to take a gamble.
Opportune Parry and Riposte (Ex): When an opponent attempts a melee attack against you, you can spend 1 panache point and expend a use of an attack of opportunity to attempt to parry that attack. Make an attack roll as if you were making an attack of opportunity. If your attack roll is greater than the attack roll of the attacking creature, the creature’s attack automatically misses. For each size category the attacking creature is larger than you, you take a –2 penalty on your attack roll. You must declare the use of this ability after the creature’s attack is announced but before its attack roll is made. Immediately after you perform a successful parry, if you still have at least 1 panache point, you can make an attack as an immediate action against the creature whose attack you blocked (provided that creature is within your reach).
I'm more worried about this ability making SBs effectively immune to full attacks.According to the Jirelle's level 3 Pregen from Risen from the Sands, this ability has been nerfed since the play test. Now Swashies have to be proactive and not reactive when using this ability. They have to declare that they're going to attempt to parry before the opponent rolls to attack. So instead of Swashies waiting to see if an attack would've beaten their AC, and then parrying, they have to take a gamble.
** spoiler omitted **
That's an awful way to "fix" it... ¬¬'
Honestly they should just remove all "before the results are revealed" abilities from the game.
Buy what I meant is the Swashbuckler's ability to make a 5ft-step out of turn, possibly removing himself from the reach of melee characters and denying the opponent his full attack. But to be fair, I think they removed that.
Parry & Riposte would be much better if it simply worked like Snake Style and Snake Fang, but based on Bluff or Acrobatics instead of Sense Motive.
Buy what I meant is the Swashbuckler's ability to make a 5ft-step out of turn, possibly removing himself from the reach of melee characters and denying the opponent his full attack. But to be fair, I think they removed that.
Ah whoops, you meant the Dodging Panache ability. That's still listed on Jirelle and as far as I can tell is unchanged from Playtest V.2.
emphasis mine. It appears that it was already like that....Am I missing something??
Nope, you're right. I was thinking of the change to Crane Wing style.
Ah whoops, you meant the Dodging Panache ability. That's still listed on Jirelle and as far as I can tell is unchanged from Playtest V.2.
** spoiler omitted **
Ah, I see. My mistake then. That is going to be... problematic.
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Ah, I see. My mistake then. That is going to be... problematic.Ah whoops, you meant the Dodging Panache ability. That's still listed on Jirelle and as far as I can tell is unchanged from Playtest V.2.
** spoiler omitted **
It will be problematic in some situations. If the attacker starts their turn next to the Swashbuckler, then the attacker can just 5-foot step to follow the Swashbuckler and continue their Full Attack. It takes the Swashbuckler's Immediate Action to move away, so it can only be done once before the Swashbuckler's next turn. If the attacker had to use a 5-foot step to get adjacent to the Swashbuckler in the first place, then yes, it'll be a problem.
I wonder if this works with the Improved Parry feat from People of the River?
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What happens if the enemy rolls a natural 20, but the swashbuckler has so many bonuses that the AoO ends up being higher than the natural 20?
The swashbuckler has mounted a even more skillful defense then that nat 20 attack and blocks it. Keep in mind this requires expending a finite resource (panache point) and requires activation before seeing the roll this seems perfectly reasonable for it to work this way.
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What happens if the enemy rolls a natural 20, but the swashbuckler has so many bonuses that the AoO ends up being higher than the natural 20?The swashbuckler has mounted a even more skillful defense then that nat 20 attack and blocks it. Keep in mind this requires expending a finite resource (panache point) and requires activation before seeing the roll this seems perfectly reasonable for it to work this way.
Other side of that coin, if the swashbuckler rolls a 20, but with all the bonuses counted in is still less then the attack they are attempting to rebuff, by raw the attack hits?
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Other side of that coin, if the swashbuckler rolls a 20, but with all the bonuses counted in is still less then the attack they are attempting to rebuff, by raw the attack hits?What happens if the enemy rolls a natural 20, but the swashbuckler has so many bonuses that the AoO ends up being higher than the natural 20?The swashbuckler has mounted a even more skillful defense then that nat 20 attack and blocks it. Keep in mind this requires expending a finite resource (panache point) and requires activation before seeing the roll this seems perfectly reasonable for it to work this way.
I would say absolutely you fail to parry the attack. The creature attacking you is far too skillful or powerful to be blocked.