Apologies if this idea has been discussed already, but what if swashbucklers could do a Flurry of Blows, like a monk? Maybe they need at least 1 panache or maybe it should cost them 1 panache, but I think it fits their flavor and mechanics to launch a barrage of rapier thrusts in quick succession.
It would certainly give them better opportunities to regain some panache through crits and killing blows, and I don't think this would be game breaking (probably bump them up a tier, but that's it). Thoughts?
EDIT: meant to say they get it at level 2 (either as a class feature or a Deed) and it can only be used with light/one-handed piercing weapons (unless you get Slashing Grace or whatever).
To my mind, the important difference between a monk's unarmed strikes and a swashbuckler's version of that would be the critical range of the weapons used. The monk's is 20, while the swashbuckler's is 19-20 or 18-20. A monk isn't fishing for crits - he's unleashing as many attacks as he can.
A lot of the restrictions of using a one-handed piercing weapon and having to wield it with one hand using precise strike centers around preventing a swashbuckler from two-handing his weapon and getting extra attacks from two-weapon fighting. It seems a little silly to throw that out the window by giving them an ability to get an extra attack. Plus, the swashbuckler already can get a bonus attack via riposte.
I don't think the idea is totally out of the question, but I agree with Sideromancer that it's not a good direction for the purpose of buffing the swashbuckler.
Fair points, thanks for the feedback! What are some good changes to the class that make it more viable, then?