Amateur Swashbuckler and Precise Strike

[jasin]

Am I correct in reading that anyone taking Amateur Swashbuckler can select the Precise Strike deed can add their level to damage against creatures vulnerable to criticals with light and one-handed piercing weapons?

For example, every rogue that uses a dagger, short sword, or rapier, every cleric with a morningstar, and every sword-and-shield fighter willing to go from 1d8 to 1d6 can spend a feat to get +level to damage?

[AncientSpark]

Nope. First, Amateur Swashbuckler can only grant you 1st level deeds. Precise Strike is 3rd level. Second, Amateur Swashbuckler does not include a "you count as a Swashbuckler of x level" statement so even if you could take Precise Strike, you wouldn't add any damage because you don't have a Swashbuckler level. It's the same reason why a Magus with the new Panache arcanas can't do this either (although it's less clear in that case since it does include a "as long as a Swashbuckler of the Magus' level could use that deed" statement, which is closer, but still not the same).

[jasin]

AncientSpark wrote:

Nope. First, Amateur Swashbuckler can only grant you 1st level deeds. Precise Strike is 3rd level.

I missed that. That's quite a relief!

Quote:

Second, Amateur Swashbuckler does not include a "you count as a Swashbuckler of x level" statement so even if you could take Precise Strike, you wouldn't add any damage because you don't have a Swashbuckler level. It's the same reason why a Magus with the new Panache arcanas can't do this either (although it's less clear in that case since it does include a "as long as a Swashbuckler of the Magus' level could use that deed" statement, which is closer, but still not the same).

Hm, a lot less clear. If it weren't for the fact how crazy good the ability is, I'd say the intent is to replace all occurences of "swashbuckler" with "magus" for the purposes of that ability, otherwise most other deeds sound pretty strange as well: a magus takes Dodging Panache, and "when an opponent attempts a melee attack against the swashbuckler, the swashbuckler can as an immediate action spend 1 panache point to move 5 feet"... so the magus can't benefit from Dodging Panache, since there's no swashbuckler to spend the point?

[AncientSpark]

jasin wrote:

Hm, a lot less clear. If it weren't for the fact how crazy good the ability is, I'd say the intent is to replace all occurences of "swashbuckler" with "magus" for the purposes of that ability, otherwise most other deeds sound pretty strange as well: a magus takes Dodging Panache, and "when an opponent attempts a melee attack against the swashbuckler, the swashbuckler can as an immediate action spend 1 panache point to move 5 feet"... so the magus can't benefit from Dodging Panache, since there's no swashbuckler to spend the point?

That's different because it looks weird to write "the character" instead of "the Swashbuckler". Level clause is important in including abilities. It's...not exactly written in the rules, but you'll notice that when there are instances where a character gains the ability of another class, they often include "they count as x level", such as Hunter's Animal Companion gained from the Druid or similar ideas.