Improvisateur (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a work in progress.

We are used to seeing beauty in the eternal and unchanging, in the everlasting rules of geometry and poetry. But this is not the only kind of beauty. There is beauty in the sudden, transitional, and spontane. This is my kind of beauty.
—Gil Kish, improviser bard

Class Information

This is a bard archetype with brawler and skald abilities.

Publisher: Trailseeker Magazine.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Features

The improviser has all the standard bard class features, except as noted below.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 4th level, an improviser gains the ability to react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does he lose his Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if he is immobilized. An improviser with this ability can still lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against him.

If an improviser already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Spell Kenning (Su)

At 5th level, an improviser is learned in the magic of other spellcasters, and can use his own magic to duplicate those classes' spells. Once per day, an improviser can cast any spell on the bard, cleric, or sorcerer/wizard spell list as if it were one of his improviser spells known, expending an improviser spell slot of the same spell level to cast the desired spell. Casting a spell with spell kenning always has a minimum casting time of 1 full round, regardless of the casting time of the spell.

At 11th level, an improviser can use this ability twice per day. At 17th level, he can use this ability three times per day.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 8th level and higher, an improviser can no longer be flanked. This defense denies enemies the ability to sneak attack the improviser by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more levels in a class that grants sneak attack than the target has improviser levels.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level required to flank the character.

Martial Flexibility (Ex)

An improviser can take a move action to gain the benefit of a combat feat she doesn't possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute. The improviser must meet all the feat's prerequisites. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 her improviser level (minimum 1).

The improviser can use this ability again before the duration expires in order to replace the previous combat feat with another choice.

If a combat feat has a daily use limitation (such as Stunning Fist), any uses of that combat feat while using this ability count toward that feat's daily limit.

At 6th level, an improviser can use this ability to gain the benefit of two combat feats at the same time. She may select one feat as a swift action or two feats as a move action. She may use one of these feats to meet a prerequisite of the second feat; doing so means that she cannot replace a feat currently fulfilling another's prerequisite without also replacing those feats that require it. Each individual feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

At 10th level, an improviser can use this ability to gain the benefit of three combat feats at the same time. She may select one feat as a free action, two feats as a swift action, or three feats as a move action. She may use one of the feats to meet a prerequisite of the second and third feats, and use the second feat to meet a prerequisite of the third feat. Each individual feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

At 12th level, an improviser can use this ability to gain the benefit of one combat feat as an immediate action or three combat feats as a swift action. Each individual feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

At 20th level, an improviser can use this ability to gain the benefit of any number of combat feats as a swift action. Each feat selected counts toward her daily uses of this ability.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

Bard

• Class Skills
• Skill Points per Level
• Spellcasting
• Bardic Knowledge
• Lore Master

Skald

• Class Skills
• Scribe Scroll
• Spell Kenning

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