Swashbuckler (Apath)

	Unofficial rules compendium
	Contents 1 Class Information 1.1 Class Skills; ; 2 Class Features 2.1 Weapon and Armor Proficiency; 2.2 Panache (Ex); 2.3 Deeds (Ex); 2.4 Swashbuckler Finesse (Ex); 2.5 Charmed Life (Ex); 2.6 Nimble (Ex); 2.7 Bonus Feats; 2.8 Swashbuckler Weapon Training (Ex); 2.9 Swashbuckler Weapon Mastery (Ex); ; 3 Table: Swashbuckler; 4 Favored Class Bonuses; 5 Feats 5.1 Additional Deed (Grit); 5.2 Advanced Deed (Grit); 5.3 Multiclass Deeds (Grit); 5.4 Share Grit (Grit); ; 6 External Links;
	Contents 1 Class Information 1.1 Class Skills; ; 2 Class Features 2.1 Weapon and Armor Proficiency; 2.2 Panache (Ex); 2.3 Deeds (Ex); 2.4 Swashbuckler Finesse (Ex); 2.5 Charmed Life (Ex); 2.6 Nimble (Ex); 2.7 Bonus Feats; 2.8 Swashbuckler Weapon Training (Ex); 2.9 Swashbuckler Weapon Mastery (Ex); ; 3 Table: Swashbuckler; 4 Favored Class Bonuses; 5 Feats 5.1 Additional Deed (Grit); 5.2 Advanced Deed (Grit); 5.3 Multiclass Deeds (Grit); 5.4 Share Grit (Grit); ; 6 External Links;

Whereas many warriors brave battle encased in suits of armor and wielding large and powerful weapons, swashbucklers rely on speed, agility, and panache. Swashbucklers dart in and out of the fray, wearing down opponents with lunges and feints, all while foiling the powerful attacks against them with a flick of the wrist and a flash of the blade. Their deft parries and fatal ripostes are carnage elevated to an art form. Some may be arrogant and devil-may-care, but behind this veneer lie people deeply dedicated to their craft. Those of smaller races are particularly driven to prove that the right mix of discipline and daring is the perfect counter to size and strength, and enjoy nothing more than taking down lumbering brutes and bullies.

Class Information

Role: Combining fancy footwork with quick and precise lunges, swashbucklers dart in and out of battle, harassing and thwarting their opponents. These fast and agile combatants serve as protectors for spellcasters and flank mates for rogues and slayers, while waiting for the opportunity to show panache and score the killing blow on some lumbering hulk. Swashbucklers often face death with wry humor, mocking it with jabbing wit.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Parent Classes: Fighter and gunslinger.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The swashbuckler's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following are the class features of the swashbuckler.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Swashbucklers are proficient with simple and martial weapons, as well as light armor and bucklers.

Panache (Ex)

More than just a lightly armored warrior, a swashbuckler is a daring combatant. She fights with panache: a fluctuating measure of a swashbuckler's ability to perform amazing actions in combat. At the start of each day, a swashbuckler gains a number of panache points equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Her panache goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her Charisma modifier (minimum 1), though feats and magic items can affect this maximum.

**Grit, Luck, and Panache**
Grit, luck, and panache represent three different means by which heroes can gain access to the same heroic pool, using it to accomplish fantastic feats. For characters with a mix of grit, luck, and panache, they pool the resources together into a combined pool. (Those who use panache and luck gain twice their Charisma bonus in their pool.) For feats, magic items, and other effects, a panache user can spend and gain luck points in place of grit or panache points, and vice versa. A panache user does not count as a grit user to satisfy feat prerequisites.

A swashbuckler spends panache to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains panache in the following ways.

Critical Hit with a Light or One-Handed Piercing Melee Weapon: Each time the swashbuckler confirms a critical hit with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon, she regains grit points equal to half the firearm's critical hit multiplier. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature or a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the swashbuckler's character level doesn't restore panache.

Killing Blow with a Light or One-Handed Piercing Melee Weapon: When the swashbuckler reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon attack while in combat, she regains 1 panache point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the swashbuckler's character level to 0 or fewer hit points doesn't restore any panache.

Dares Learned abilities similar to deeds in that they grant a swashbuckler extra abilities based on panache, but unlike deeds, dares become active when the swashbuckler runs out of panache, and become inactive once the character regains any points of panache. They grant the swashbuckler a benefit and a new ability to regain or increase the ability to regain either panache or panache. See dares below.

Daring Act The following method for regaining panache points requires a measure of GM judgment, so it is an optional rule. Each time a swashbuckler performs a daring act, she can regain panache. As a general guideline, a daring act should be risky and dramatic. It should take a good deal of guts, and its outcome should be in doubt. If it is successful, the swashbuckler regains 1 panache point.

Before attempting a daring act, the player may ask the GM whether the act qualifies. The GM is the final arbiter of what’s considered a daring act, and can grant a regained panache point for a daring act even if the player does not ask beforehand whether the act qualifies.

Examples of daring acts are moving out of cover to get into point-blank range, preventing one or more opponents from acting in a round through clever stunts, and stealing an opponent's weapon to use it against them.

Deeds (Ex)

Swashbucklers spend panache points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant the swashbuckler some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as the swashbuckler has at least 1 panache point. The following is the list of base swashbuckler deeds. Unless otherwise noted, a deed can be performed multiple successive times, as long as the appropriate amount of panache is spent to perform the deed. Unless noted, all deeds are extraordinary abilities.

The swashbuckler gains 3 deeds at first level, selected among the level 1 deeds. At level 3, and every four levels thereafter, she gains another three deeds, selected among the deeds listed for her level or lower. Additional deeds are available by taking the Additional Deed feat.

Upon reaching 3rd level, and every four levels thereafter, a swashbuckler can choose to learn a new deed in place of a deed he has already learned. The new deed must be selected for a deed she could have chosen at the level that deed was gained. The swashbuckler loses the old deed in exchange for the new one. A swashbuckler can only change one deed at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the deed at the time he gains new deeds for the level.

Marinn selected the fabulist deed at level 3. At level 7 she can retain this deed for any deed available to a 3rd level swashbuckler. If she had taken fabulist at 7th level, she can retrain it for any 7th level or lower deed at level 11. If she retrained fabulist into another 3rd level deed at level 7, she cannot retrain it into a level 7 deed at level 11; it remains a deed she learned at level 3.

Deeds are described in their own section, below.

Swashbuckler Finesse (Ex)

At 1st level, a swashbuckler gains the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat, and she can use her Charisma score in place of Intelligence as a prerequisite for combat feats.

**Fencing Weapons**
A swashbuckler can use deeds with any light or one-handed piercing weapons. The following are the most common fencing weapons: dagger, dagger (swordbreaker), gladius, rapier, shortsword, and sword cane. This is far from all the light or one-handed piercing weapons in the game, but they all have good critical hit range, which is vital for recovering grit. These weapons are also thematically suitable, but require special feats: curve blade (elven) (Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Slashing Grace), estoc (Exotic Weapon Proficiency), long sword (Slashing Grace), scimitar (Dervish Dance), and sword (dueling) (Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Slashing Grace).

Charmed Life (Ex)

At 2nd level, the swashbuckler gains a knack for getting out of trouble. Three times per day, before attempting a saving throw, she can add her Charisma modifier to the result of the save. She must choose to do this before the roll is made. At 6th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the number of times she can do this per day increases by one (to a maximum of 7 times per day at 18th level).

Nimble (Ex)

At 3rd level, a swashbuckler gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC while wearing light or no armor. Anything that causes the swashbuckler to lose her Dexterity bonus to AC also causes her to lose this dodge bonus. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of +5 at 19th level).

Bonus Feats

At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a swashbuckler gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats. Swashbuckler levels are considered fighter levels for the purpose of meeting combat feat prerequisites.

In addition, upon reaching 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a swashbuckler can choose to learn a new bonus feat in place of a bonus feat she has already learned. In effect, the swashbuckler loses the bonus feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat, prestige class, or other ability. A swashbuckler can only change one feat at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the feat at the time she gains a new bonus feat for the level.

Swashbuckler Weapon Training (Ex)

At 5th level, a swashbuckler gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with one-handed or light piercing melee weapons. While wielding such a weapon, she gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat. These attack and damage bonuses increase by 1 for every 4 levels beyond 5th level (to a maximum of +4 at 17th level).

Swashbuckler Weapon Mastery (Ex)

At 20th level, when a swashbuckler threatens a critical hit with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon, that critical is automatically confirmed. Furthermore, the critical modifiers of such weapons increase by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, and so on).

Table: Swashbuckler

This is the same table as the one in the rulebook, with the names of the deeds added.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+0	+2	+0	Deeds (derring-do, dodging panache, opportune parry and riposte), panache, swashbuckler finesse
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+0	Charmed life 3/day
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+1	Deeds (kip-up, menacing swordplay, precise strike, swashbuckler's initiative), nimble +1
4th	+4	+1	+4	+1	Bonus feat
5th	+5	+1	+4	+1	Swashbuckler weapon training +1
6th	+6/+1	+2	+5	+2	Charmed life 4/day
7th	+7/+2	+2	+5	+2	Deeds (swashbuckler's grace, superior feint, targeted strike), nimble +2
8th	+8/+3	+2	+6	+2	Bonus feat
9th	+9/+4	+3	+6	+3	Swashbuckler weapon training +2
10th	+10/+5	+3	+7	+3	Charmed life 5/day
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+7	+3	Deeds (bleeding wound, evasive, subtle blade), nimble +3
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+8	+4	Bonus feat
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+8	+4	Swashbuckler weapon training +3
14th	+14/+9/+4	+4	+9	+4	Charmed life 6/day
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+9	+5	Deeds (dizzying defense, perfect thrust, swashbuckler's edge), nimble +4
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+10	+5	Bonus feat
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Swashbuckler weapon training +4
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Charmed life 7/day
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Deeds (cheat death, deadly stab, stunning stab), nimble +5
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Bonus feat, swashbuckler weapon mastery

Favored Class Bonuses

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have swashbucklers as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

Dwarf: Add ¼ to the swashbuckler’s effective class level to determine the extra damage she deals because of the precise strike deed when wielding a light pick or a heavy pick. If the swashbuckler has the Slashing Grace feat or another similar effect, she can treat the battleaxe or handaxe as a one-handed piercing melee weapon, and she gains this benefit when wielding the appropriate weapon for the feat as well.
Elf: Increase the total number of points in the swashbuckler’s panache pool by ¼.
Gnome: Increase the number of times per day the swashbuckler can use charmed life by ¼.
Half-Elf: Increase the number of times per day the swashbuckler can use charmed life by ¼.
Half-Orc: Gain a +? bonus on all critical hit confirmation rolls made while using the precise strike deed (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus doesn’t stack with those gained through Critical Focus and similar effects.
Halfling: Increase the number of times per day the swashbuckler can use charmed life by ¼.
Human: Increase the total number of points in the swashbuckler’s panache pool by ¼.

Feats

The following feats enhance the swashbuckler.

Additional Deed (Grit)

You gain an additional deed from the list of deeds available for your class.

Prerequisite(s): Deed class feature with a list of deeds to select from.

Benefit: Select an additional deed available at your class and level.

Special: This feat can be taken several times. Each time, select a new deed you qualify for.

Advanced Deed (Grit)

You focus your development on certain deeds.

Prerequisites: Deed class feature.

Benefits: Select one deed with a level requirement higher than your level in the class the deed belongs to. Reduce the level requirement of this deed by two.

Special: You can take this feat several times, the benefits can stack or you can select different deeds to apply the benefit to. When you have achieved the level required to use the selected deed without this feat, you can select another deed to apply this feat to. At level 19, trade all instances of this feat for Signature Deed.

Multiclass Deeds (Grit)

You learn the deeds of someone of your Hit Dice.

Prerequisites: Deeds class feature, multiclass levels or racial Hit Dice.

Benefit: Increase your effective level in a class that gains deeds by four for the purpose of learning and using deeds. You must have at least one level in the selected class. This increased level can never be higher than your number of Hit Dice. If you have several classes that give deeds, you must choose one of these classes to apply this feat to.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times. The effect does not stack. You must select a different class each time.

Share Grit (Grit)

You can share your grit with allies.

Prerequisite: Grit class feature or feat ability, Sense Motive 3 ranks.

Benefit: As a free action, you can expend a point of grit and give it to an ally within 30 ft. The beneficiary cannot exceed his maximum grit pool this way. Characters that lack a grit (or similar) pool cannot benefit from this.

External Links

The Dashing Daring Dandy's Dragoman

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