Swashbuckler Archetype: Cutlass Rogue

[RedDingo]

Do you like swashbuckling?

Do you like dual wielding?

Do you like Skies of Arcadia? What's that? You've never heard of it? Well @#!$ you too...but I digress.

Here's a homebrewed probably unbalanced archetype that let's you two weapon fight with cutlasses just Aroden intended before he kicked the bucket. The Cutlass Rogue. Inspired by that dashing air pirate, Vyse, whom you've never heard about.

Cutlass Rogue

Weapon Proficiency with simple, martial, and exotic weapons. Light armor. No buckler proficiency.

Cutlass Finesse: At 1st level, gain the benefit of Weapon Finesse and gains Weapon Focus (cutlass) as a bonus feat. Alters the Swashbuckler’s Finesse class feature.

Deeds

Cutlass Fury (Ex) At 3rd level, As long as the cutlass rogue has 1 point of panache, wielding a cutlass in his offhand does not count as occupied for feats such as Slashing Grace. As a swift action, he can spend 1 point of panache to apply the full benefits of Slashing Grace to both his primary and offhand weapons for one round. The cost of this deed cannot be reduced by any feats or abilities. This deed replaces Precise Strike.

Skull Shield (Ex) At 11th level, the cutlass rogue can spend 1 point of panache and an attack of opportunity to parry a melee attack made against an ally in his reach. This parry action follows the same rules as the Opportune Parry and Riposte deed except it may also provoke attacks of opportunity from enemies threatening the cutlass rogue. Upon performing a successful parry and if he has at least 1 panache point, the swashbuckler can as an immediate action make an attack against the creature whose attack she parried, provided that creature is within his reach. This deed's cost cannot be reduced by any ability or effect that reduces the number of panache points a deed costs. This deed replaces Bleeding Wound deed.

Pirate’s Wrath (Ex) At 15th level, as long as the cutlass rogue has 1 point of panache, he can charge against one enemy and make a single attack that bypasses all damage reduction as a full round action. The Swashbuckler must be able to move at least 10 ft. and cannot make a Bull Rush or any other combat maneuver granted by feats or abilities in order to use this deed. The cutlass rogue can also chose to spend 1 point of panache to add his offhand weapon to his attack, rolling for each weapon incurring the regular penalties to hit as modified by feats, the Cutlass Fury deed, and charge bonus. The cost of this deed cannot be reduced by abilities and feats such as Signature Deed. This ability replaces the Perfect Thrust deed.

Act now and you can also copy paste this homebrewed weapon accessory that let's you fight like this guy: The Crossguard Hilt.

A feature added to a single-edge, one handed slashing weapon. The part of the guard on blunt side is wrapped and reinforced to act as a second hilt. As a free action, a wielder with exotic weapons proficiency can change grips to wield his sword as a slashing tonfa, using it to give him a shield bonus when fighting defensively. Adds blocking.

All for the low low cost of 50gp. Wield your cutlass like a slashing tonfa today!

This homebrew is brought to you by Jameson Whiskey.

Jameson Whiskey: It's the spirit of Ireland.

[Cyrad]

I love Skies of Arcadia, but this archetype just isn't doing it for me.

Proficiencies and Cutlass Finesse: I don't understand why it gets proficiency in all exotic weapons. Or why they get Weapon Focus for free. This is way too good. Strangely, Cutlass Finesse doesn't let you finesse with a cutlass, which is a massive oversight.

Cutlass Fury: Replacing a deed that requires a free hand with a two-weapon fighting ability was a pretty smart idea. However, the deed just feels really lackluster. It doesn't do anything by itself and the point expenditure ability is pretty weak. It just feels like a bad idea to have so many class features that simply don't work unless you pick up a specific feat. Just give them Dex-to-damage and have all class features work with cutlasses.

I'd honestly have Cutlass Fury give Dex-to-damage with cutlasses and let you spend a point to add your level to damage rolls as precision damage, which can't be reduced by Signature Deed.

Pirate Wrath: You can simplify the wording just by saying your first attack in a charge ignores damage reduction while you have 1 point of panache. When you do so, you can spend a point of panache to make an additional attack with an off-hand weapon against the target of the charge. Still feels a little weak, but way better.

[Ciaran Barnes]

Much like the Dervish Dance feat, I don't like anything that pidgeon-holes a character into a single weapon. Many feats require the player to choose one weapon, but at least they got to choose. The first thing you should do is remove evverything that is weapon specific. The next thing is that you should remove proficiency in all exotic weapons.

[RedDingo]

You make a lot of good points. The exotic weapons proficiency was so that the archetype could properly operate siege weapons which any decent buccaneer should know how to do. I may change that.

I see your point with the rest, so I'm making revisions. Ironically, your suggestion for Cutlass Fury was similar to my previous idea for the deed. Also the idea for Weapon Focus bonus feat was derived from the Inspired Blade archetype. It makes it so you can get Fencing Grace earlier but your Charisma Score no longer replaces your Int score for meeting feat requirements.

Perhaps this would work.

Cutlass Finesse - The same as Swashbuckler Finesse except the cutlass rogue can wield a cutlass as a one handed piercing weapon.

Cutlass Fury (Ex) At 3rd level, as long as the cutlass rogue has 1 point of panache, he can apply his Dexterity modifier in place of his Strength to damage rolls made with a cutlass. As a swift action, the cutlass rogue can spend 1 point of panache to a his class level as precision damage to his damage rolls for one round. The cost of this deed cannot be reduced by any abilities or feats such as Signature Deed. This ability replaces the Precise Strike deed.

Pirates Wrath (Ex) At 15th level, as long as he has 1 point of panache, the cutlass rogue can make an attack in a charge that bypasses all damage reduction. As a swift action, he can spend 1 point of panache to make an additional with his offhand cutlass that also bypasses damage reduction. The cost of this deed cannot be reduced by abilities or feats such as Signature Deed.

Ciaran I hadn't read your post before I made this but part of the reason the archetype is based around a specific weapon is to offset the OP potential of a dual wielding Dex damager. I would actually love for to extend it to all slashing weapons but I got the feeling that Slashing Grace's one hand requirement was for the sake of balance.

[RedDingo]

I'd also like to hear other people's opinion on Ciaran's suggestion. I mean technically I could argue that balance is thrown out the window with everything spell casters do.

[QuidEst]

Nothing gets proficiency in all exotic weapons. This doesn't really seem like it has any reason to break that rule. What about this says "boomerang savant"?

[RedDingo]

Kay I already changed the wording.

[QuidEst]

RedDingo wrote:

Kay I already changed the wording.

Whoops, my bad. I saw the bit about Ciaran's suggestion, and assumed that was the one you meant. I don't mind single-weapon Swashbuckler stuff, since they're already pigeonholed.