Swashbuckler Improved Critical + Seize the Moment


Rules Questions

Grand Lodge

5 people marked this as FAQ candidate.

I know this is still the playtest rules and subject to change in two weeks, but does the Swashbuckler's Improved Critical allow them to qualify for seize the moment at level 5? The reason I ask is that it says

From ACG (playtest) wrote:

While wielding such a weapon, she gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat.[\quote] Not that they actually have the feat. If the swashbuckler does qualify and takes Seize the Moment do they lose both Improved Critical and Seize the Moment if they are disarmed?

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

Technically, yes.

(Also, it's /quote, not \quote.)

Grand Lodge

The Morphling wrote:

Technically, yes.

(Also, it's /quote, not \quote.)

Thanks, I caught that when I looked at the post, but you ninja'd my edit.

Technically yes to which part or both parts. They qualify, but if for some reason they don't have a qualifying weapon in hand they lose the teamwork feat as well


Seize the Moment would only work when the swashbuckler has improved critical. The swashbuckler only has improved critical when they are wielding such a weapon. So... no weapon, no improved critical, no seizing of the moment.

Grand Lodge

That's what I read it as just wanted to make sure. Thanks

Grand Lodge

I'm necro-ing this thread, because I've been informed that a discussion in a portion of the forums I don't have access to has decided that in fact the Improved Critical from Swashbuckler training does not in fact work as a pre-req for other feats.

I have a PFS character this directly affects. And it was my understanding it would work which I double checked here. Now, I could make the build work again (much later in the character progression) but I would be forced to take a feat (Improved Critical) for which I already have the benefits.

If people would be so kind as to mark it for FAQ so that this ruling could be public, I would greatly appreciate it.

Shadow Lodge

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Advanced Class Guide wrote:
Swashbuckler Finesse (Ex): At 1st level, a swashbuckler gains the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat with light or one-handed piercing melee weapons, and she can use her Charisma score in place of Intelligence as a prerequisite for combat feats. This ability counts as having the Weapon Finesse feat for purposes of meeting feat prerequisites.

(Emphasis mine)

Advanced Class Guide wrote:
Swashbuckler Weapon Training (Ex): At 5th level, a swashbuckler gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with one-handed or light piercing melee weapons. While wielding such a weapon, she gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat. These attack and damage bonuses increase by 1 for every 4 levels beyond 5th level (to a maximum of +4 at 17th level).

Notice the lack of emphasis in the latter of the two sections from the Swashbuckler class. Swashbuckler Finesse is specific in noting that this counts as a prerequisite for qualifying for other feats/etc. Swashbuckler Weapon Training does not. Therefore, the way that I read it (and rule it for GMs in my local PFS community who ask me for a ruling), is that Swashbuckler Weapon Training does not count as the Improved Critical feat for purposes of meeting feat prerequisites/etc.

Hope that helps.

Contributor

2 people marked this as a favorite.

As a general rule, having the benefits of a feat is different than having a feat.

For example, part of the reason that Two-Weapon Flurry and similar feats exist is that having flurry of blows is not the same as having Two-Weapon Fighting, even though the former effectively works like the later. This is why Swashbuckler's Finesse specifically calls out that it functions as Weapon Finesse for feat prerequisites.

Swashbuckler Weapon Training doesn't have that language, however, so you don't have the feat for the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites. You have swashbuckler weapon training.

Grand Lodge

Cool, thank you. I was honestly just trying to figure out the difference. Though I would say that the ability to use something as a pre-req is a benefit, I can see the difference in the language between swashbuckler training and swashbuckler finesse or two-weapon flurry and two-weapon fighting making a difference. Thank you for the clarification.

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