So, I've been contemplating a character who enters Devoted Muse through Rostland Bravo, due to the latter's access to swift action feints.
I've also been giving some strong consideration to taking Sirian's Masterstroke on Rostland Bravo because, well, it synergises well with Rostland bravo.
However I'm not sure whether Sirian's Masterstroke plays well with the Devoted Muse's Harmonius Strike-Deadly Strike. Is it insufficiently different to not work, or does the die-size scaling, panache spending requirement, and activation requirement make it a thing of it's own kind?
So, I've been contemplating a character who enters Devoted Muse through Rostland Bravo, due to the latter's access to swift action feints.
This, of course, requires you to delay entry until 7th level Bravo, making 8th your first level of Muse. Unless, of course, I've completely misread something. That's possible.
I've also been giving some strong consideration to taking Sirian's Masterstroke on Rostland Bravo because, well, it synergises well with Rostland bravo.
It's only once per round, and you have to successfully feint against the opponent in the same round, but otherwise, I agree. It's quite a nice setup you've got going.
However I'm not sure whether Sirian's Masterstroke plays well with the Devoted Muse's Harmonius Strike-Deadly Strike. Is it insufficiently different to not work, or does the die-size scaling, panache spending requirement, and activation requirement make it a thing of it's own kind?
I'm honestly not sure off the top of my head, because I don't play swashbucklers. But let's find out!
At 7th level, the Rostland bravo masters an exotic feinting style, tossing her blade to the other hand and performing a sweeping attack or upward slash before the opponent reacts. Once per round, she can spend 1 point of panache to attempt a feint as a swift action.
You need a panache point to start the whole thing off. This ability apparently uses your dueling sword to perform the feint, which is important for the Masterstroke feat.
At 2nd level, when a devoted muse has at least 1 panache point and successfully feints against an opponent in combat, instead of denying the opponent its Dexterity bonus, she can instead create one of the following effects (all of which are mind-affecting effects). A creature can be affected by only one such effect at a time, and imposing a second effect immediately ends the first. The DC of any saving throws to resist these effects is equal to 10 + the devoted muse’s class level + her Charisma modifier.
The Artistic Flourish must be active to trigger Harmonious Strike. Thankfully, the Flourish doesn't care how you feinted, just as long as you're successful. If they resist the effects, however, then you're out of luck.
You need to spend a point to trigger the swift Bravo feint, but all the Flourish needs is a point of panache in reserve before it goes off, not to remain in effect. If you spend your last one on Deadly Strike during the attack, you'll still be fine.
At 2nd level, when a devoted muse hits a creature affected by her artistic flourish ability, she can spend 1 panache point to perform an especially elegant attack. She selects one of the effects below to modify this harmonious strike.
The attack deals an additional 1d4 points of damage. This extra damage increases by 1d4 every 2 devoted muse levels after 2nd level (maximum 5d4). This is precision damage and isn’t multiplied on a critical hit. If her weapon’s critical multiplier is ×3, the size of these bonus damage dice increases by one step to 1d6. If her weapon’s critical hit multiplier is ×4, the die size increases to 1d8.
Once they're affected by your Flourish, you can spend a panache to deal bonus damage. Deadly Strike doesn't say that it's precision damage, so it will stack with the Masterstroke.
Once per round when you hit a foe you have successfully feinted against via a melee attack using an Aldori dueling sword, you deal an extra 2d6 points of precision damage. When your base attack bonus reaches +11, this damage bonus increases to +3d6, and at base attack bonus +16, it increases to +4d6. This precision damage does not stack with damage from sneak attack, a vigilante’s sudden strike, or similar effects. Any effect which protects against sneak attack damage also protects against this additional damage.
Serren's Masterstroke functions against opponents that you have successfully feinted against via a melee attack on the same round.
Once you have feinted, on your next attack that round, you can trigger the Masterstroke for bonus damage. If you have panache left, you can also trigger Deadly Strike for more.
So yes, it looks like everything works the way you thought it would. Going through this stuff has gotten me wanting to play a swashbuckler, to boot. :)