Background (may skip if you want): A friend and I were having a lengthy discussion about the Flame Blade spell and how it made him feel like a Jedi. I pointed out the Green Scourge archetype for Druid, but we were underwhelmed to say the least. That is when I went about creating the following Archetype...
Saber Master - Hunter Archetype
Alignment: The Saber Master's alignment must be neutral aligned in some way. She is not permitted to be LG, LE, CG, or CE. This alters the Hunter's alignment.
Class Skills: The Saber Master adds the following skills to her list: Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Knowledge (nobility), Knowledge (religion), and Sense Motive. The Saber Master removes Knowledge (Dungeoneering) and Knowledge (Geography) from her list of skills. This alters the Hunter’s class skills.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Saber master is proficient in simple weapons and his saber (see below). The Saber Master is proficient with light armor only. The Saber Master is not proficient with any type of shields. This alters the Hunter’s weapon and armor proficiencies.
Canny Defense (Ex): When wearing light or no armor and not using a shield, a Saber Master adds 1 point of Wisdom bonus (if any) per two Saber Master class level as a dodge bonus to her Armor Class while wielding her saber. If a Saber Master is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus, she also loses this bonus.
This replaces Nature Training and Wild Empathy.
Animal Focus (Su): At 1st level, a Saber Master can take on the aspect of an animal as a swift action. She must select one type of animal to emulate, gaining a bonus or special ability based on the type of animal emulated and her Saber Master level. The Saber Master can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. The Saber Master can emulate only one animal at a time.
See the Hunter Animal Focuses section for a full list of Focuses from all sources.
This alters the Animal Focus ability of the Hunter.
Saber (Su): At first level, the Saber Master learns to create a saber of various types of energy. She can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 2 + her Wisdom modifier. At each level after 1st, the Saber Master can use this ability for 2 additional rounds per day. This weapon is treated as a one handed, light weapon. Weapon specific feats (such as Weapon Focus) may select “saber” to affect this weapon.
Creating a saber is a standard action that has a somatic component. This provokes and Attack of Opportunity, unless the Saber Master has the Quick Draw feat, but it is still a standard action to create. The saber dissipates if the Saber Master becomes unconscious, but not if she is paralyzed.
While the saber has a magical aura (conjuration) and detects as magical, it may not be dispelled. Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green (see chart below) sabers still function in an area of anti-magic, while the other blades are suppressed, but still count towards rounds used. The saber cannot be sundered, unless it is in physical form (see below).
Each time the Saber Master creates her saber, she must select an element to align with. The elements available are restricted by the Saber Master’s level.
lvl/Saber Color/Damage Type
1/Red/Fire
1/Blue/Cold
1/Yellow/Electricity
3/Green/Acid
3/Purple/Physical*
5/White/Divine*
5/Black/Divine*
7/Gray/Sonic
9/Transparent/Force
*see notes below
Attacks with the saber are melee touch attacks that deal 1d6 + 1 per 2 levels of Saber Master (minimum 1). The damage it deals is associated with the element chosen in the above chart. The critical range of the saber is 20, and the critical multiplier is x2. Since the blade is immaterial, the Saber Master’s Strength modifier does not apply to the damage.
At 3rd level, the Saber Master may creature a Purple (physical) saber. This saber deals damage as a physical weapon, but has a critical range of 18-20 with a multiplier of x3. Unlike an element chosen, the Saber Master’s blade is now material and deals bludgeoning damage. The Saber Master applies her Strength modifier to damage. While in this form, the saber has a hardness of 10, 1 hit point per Saber Master level, and weighs 3 lbs.
At 5th level, the Saber Master may create a White or Black (Divine) saber. A white saber deals no damage to good or neutral aligned creatures, while a black saber deals no damage to evil or neutral aligned creatures. The damage type is physical, but it ignores the first 5 points of physical damage reduction when used against evil (white) or good (black) aligned creatures. For the purpose of other damage reduction, when using this saber, it is considered magic, good (white) or evil (black) aligned, and silver.
Dismissing a saber is a standard action, that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Only the Saber Master may use her saber. Anyone else attempting to wield a Saber Master’s saber takes 2d6 fire, cold, and electricity damage (for a total of 6d6) per round. This damage bypasses all damage reduction, but not immunities.
Due to the Saber Master’s spiritual connection with her saber, no beneficial outside influences may affect the saber (for example, the Paladin’s Divine Bond, the War Priest’s Sacred Weapon, Deliquescent Gloves, or spells such as Greater Magic Weapon cast by someone else). Spells cast by the Saber Master may affect the saber, but only spells cast from this class or from scrolls via Use Magic Device.
This ability replaces the Hunter’s Animal Companion, Precise Companion, Hunter Tactics, Improved Empathic Link, Raise Animal Companion, Speak with Master, and Greater Empathic Link.
Saber Technique (Ex): Through study and self-reflection, the Saber Master has learned way to improve her saber or her fighting technique while using her saber. At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter (until 5 total improvements at level 20), the Saber Master discovers how to alter her saber or how to fight with her saber in new and exciting ways. Unless otherwise stated, she may only select each improvement once.
At 4th level, a Saber Master may select from the following improvements:
- Dual Blade: Another blade extends from the saber, and the saber is now considered a two bladed saber, with the “double” property. The saber master gains the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for free, and does not need to meet the prerequisites. The saber master may select different elements for each end of the saber, however, the total Master Level Requirement of the blades combined may not exceed her level. (Example: A 4th level Saber Master can choose Red/Blue/Yellow and Green (a total of 4), but may not choose Green and Purple together until 6th level).
Alternately, the Saber Master may choose to create two separate sabers and wield them in each hand. They are considered light, one handed weapons for two-weapon fighting penalties. She still gains the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for free without meeting the prerequisites.
- Increased Damage: The saber’s damage changes to 1d6 + 1 per level (instead of 1d6 + 1 per 2 levels).
- Observation: The Saber Master may take a move action to center herself and to study her target. This gives the Saber Master a +1 circumstance bonus Bluff, Intimidate, Knowledge, Perception and Sense Motive checks attempted against the target, and a +1 circumstance bonus on saber attack rolls against it. The Saber Master can only maintain these bonuses against one opponent at a time; these bonuses are in effect until either the opponent is dead or the Saber Master studies a new target.
- Increased Critical: The saber’s critical range increases by one step (from 20 to 19-20, 19-20 to 18-20). This has no effect on the multiplier. This has no effect on a Purple (physical) blade. This improvement may be taken twice.
- Saber Finesse: The Saber Master may use her Dexterity modifier on attack rolls instead of her Strength modifier.
- Quick Reflexes: The Saber Master gains the Combat Reflexes feat, but using her Wisdom modifier in place of her Dexterity modifier.
- Weapon Modification: The saber is created with one of the following abilities: Called, Countering, Cruel, Deceptive (+2 bonus), Defending (+2 bonus), Fortuitous, Ghost Touch, Menacing, Spell Storing (only usable with spells cast by the Saber Master), Throwing and Returning, Vampiric, or Vicious (damage to wielder may not be reduced). This ability may be selected more than once. A saber may not have the same ability more than once.
At 8th level, a Saber Master adds the following improvements to the list that can be selected:
- Dual Blade Fighting Technique: The Saber Master gains the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat. She must have selected the Dual Blade improvement.
- Weighted Blade: The saber’s damage increases by one die. This only affects the damage die, not the bonus damage. This ability may be selected multiple times. Its effects stack.
- Saber Grace: The Saber Master may add her Dexterity modifier on all damage rolls using her saber. This improvement replaces Strength when using the Purple blade.
- Advanced Fighting Technique: The Saber Master has focused on her saber fighting to the exclusion of all other weapons. She loses all weapon proficiencies except for saber. All feats she has that selected a specific weapon, changes to the Saber Master’s saber. She treats her Saber Master levels as fighter levels for prerequisites of combat feats. Finally, she gains one combat feat of her choice, but she still must meet prerequisites of that feat.
- Focused Core: The saber ignores the first 5 points of elemental damage reduction associated with its blade (or blades in the case of a Dual Blade). This ability may be taken multiple times, its effects stack.
- Powered Hilt: The Saber Master can keep her saber active at all times. She is no longer restricted to rounds per day.[/b]
- Parry: The Saber Master gains the Opportune Parry Swashbuckler deed (but not the Riposte portion). She is considered to always have 1 panache point for this ability.
- Advanced Modification: The Saber Master replaces one ability she selected with the Weapon Modification improvement, with one of the following: Advancing, Burst (on a critical hit, the saber deals an additional 1d10 damage), Furyborn, Invigorating, Truthful, Greater Vampiric, Wounding (cannot be used with Red, Green, or Yellow blades). This ability may be selected more than once. Each time it is selected, the Saber Master must replace a different Weapon Modification. A saber may not have the same ability more than once.
At 12th level, a Saber Master adds the following improvements to the list that can be selected:
- Transformative: Upon striking a foe, the Saber Master can make an appropriate Knowledge check. If she successfully learns about a physical or elemental defense or vulnerability, she may use an immediate action to change the element associated with her saber. If the saber master has the Dual Blade improvement, this will only affect one blade at a time.
- Saber Style: The Saber Master gains a bonus style feat or a feat in the same path of a known style feat. She is treated as having Improved Unarmed Strike for this feat, but must meet all other prerequisites. She is treated as having the Aestic Style feat with her saber and may use it with any style feat she knows (allowing her to use Aestic Style and another style at the same time). In addition, she may use a round of her saber ability to gain the use of a feat in a style’s path (such as Crane Wing) for a round. If she has the second feat in the style’s path (either naturally or through this ability), she may use an additional round of her saber ability to gain the 3rd feat in the style’s path for one round.
This ability may be used in conjunction with the Powered Hilt improvement.
- Furious Attack: Once a day as a full round action, the Saber Master calls upon her inner strength to make a series of iterative strikes with her saber. She makes eight attacks at her highest base attack bonus against a single target. Each attack deals a type of damage equal to a different elemental focus. The attack’s elemental focus is always the same order: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, White or Black (wielder’s choice), Gray, then Transparent. If the foe is killed, all other attacks are lost. At the end of her Furious Attack, the Saber Master is exhausted for four rounds.
This improvement may be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken allows the Saber Master to use this ability one more time each day.
- Riposte: The Saber Master gains the Riposte portion of the Opportune Parry and Riposte Swashbuckler deed. She is considered to always have 1 panache point for this ability. She must have selected the Parry improvement.
- Expert Modification: The Saber Master replaces one ability she selected with the Advanced Modification improvement with one of the following: Gory, Repositioning, Speed, Elemental Blast: Each hit with a saber with this ability reduces the target’s elemental resistance currently aligned with her saber the by 5 points for 1 round. These reductions stack with each other. On a critical hit, the saber reduces all elemental resistances by 10.)
This ability may be selected more than once. Each time it is selected, the Saber Master must replace a different Advanced Modification. A saber may not have the same ability more than once.
At 16th level, a Saber Master adds the following improvements to the list that can be selected:
- Dual Blade Perfection: The Saber Master gains the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat. She must have selected the Dual Blade Fighting Technique enhancement.
- Mind over Body: The Saber Master is no longer exhausted after using the Furious Attack improvement.
- Perfect Weapon: The Saber Master replaces the ability she selected with the Expert Modification improvement with the following:
Perfect Strike: When the Saber Master deals a critical strike to an opponent, she rolls her damage for a critical strike as normal. The target must make a Fortitude save, where the DC is equal to the amount of damage the Saber Master would have dealt. If the target fails, it is killed. If it saves, it takes the damage rolled. This is a precision strike, and can only effect targets that are susceptible to precision damage.
- Focused Defense: As a full round action, the Saber Master may focus her attention on one target and draw its attention to her. She makes an Intimidate or Bluff check as part of this ability. If she successfully demoralizes (Intimidate) or feints in combat (Bluff), then the target is compelled to attack the Saber Master and only the Saber Master. By focusing all her energies on that target, she may use the Parry and Riposte abilities twice in one round against that target, but doing so prevents her from using that ability against any other targets for the round. This is a mind affecting, compulsion effect.
To select this improvement, the Saber Master must have the Parry, and Riposte improvements and either the Combat Reflexes feat or Quick Reflexes improvement.
- Bob and Weave: The Saber Master no longer provokes Attack of Opportunities when moving through threatened squares. The Saber master gains an additional 15ft land speed for the round if she moves through at least one threatened square that round.
This ability replaces all bonus Teamwork Feats, and all Bonus Tricks.
Second Animal Focus (Su): At 8th level, whenever a hunter uses her animal focus ability, she selects two different animal aspects for herself instead of one.
This alters the Second Animal Focus ability.
Interesting. Dotting for later.
One thing I've noticed is that Elemental Blast needs edited to not be in Expert Modification. You only have the ability to edit a post in the first hour, so you still have a bit of time.
I'm past the edit...but why do you think it needs to not be in the Expert Modification? Focused Blade is slightly different than the Elemental Blast.
Focused Blade is "each attack, subtract 5 from the resistance." Elemental Blast is "Each attack, subtract 5 from the resistance, cumulative"
Saber Master - Hunter ArchetypeLink leads to druid archetype, not hunter class.
Alignment: The Saber Master's alignment must be neutral aligned in some way. She is not permitted to be LG, LE, CG, or CE. This alters the Hunter's alignment.This does not alter the Hunter's alignment, they are already listed as "any Neutral." Redundant text is redundant.
Edit: Consider the Mindblade Magus and Kinetic Knight for alternative methods of conjured blades.
Damn links...can't fix it now, thanks for pointing that out.
Not sure how I missed the Alignment restrictions on Hunter already....brain fart I guess.
I know the Mindblade Magus well, although not as familiar with the Kinetic Knight (I don't know psionics that well). Thanks.