Bladestorm

A rain of swords follows a bladestorm wherever they go, conjured steel zipping to the every whim of these masters of magical swordplay. Mastering the use of dancing weapons, bladestorms are able to fill the battlefield with a storm of flying steel, coordinating confusing choreography that is as much an art as it is a display of combat prowess.

Originally conceived as an arcane dueling style, the art of the bladestorm has evolved into a recognized martial style in high demand among mercenary companies and military groups. The art has developed into a mixture of flair and practicality; since the user is meant to be safely out of reach from their opponent behind a wall of flying steel, stylistic flourishes are commonplace.

Novice bladestorms are enrolled at military academies where they are trained in both the special ritual used to conjure their weapons and in various weapon drills to determine their preferred method of combat.

More expensive dueling academies exist, dedicated to molding champions for various noble families to use on the field of honor. Here they are taught a more refined version of the art, using dance theory as a basis for guiding the movements of their flying blades.

Every bladestorm is different and while the result is the same, the method by which flying blades are summoned can be wildly different. Some bladestorms, for example, use blood magic to conjure their flying swords, others use artifacts passed down from generation to generation, while still others use elaborate arcane (or even divine) rituals to summon their flying blades. Bladestorms take to the adventuring life as a means of sharpening their skills. While they don’t have the magical skill of a traditional mage, their ability to deal with threats at varying ranges combined with the unique tactical applications of their flying blades means they never want for work.

Role Bladestorms are versatile combatants able to effectively deal with enemies at a variety of ranges. Depending on what they choose to focus on, bladestorms can become “weapon blasters” who launch their flying blades at enemies with wild abandon, battlefield tacticians who carefully position their weapons to stymie their foes, or supportive harrying forces that aid their allies via positioning. No matter how they approach combat, all bladestorms need a high Intelligence score, since it determines the power of their abilities and the effectiveness of the flying blades. Since they don’t start with many defensive proficiencies, a good Dexterity score is never a bad idea.

Alignment: Any

Hit Dice: D8.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The bladestorm’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table 1-1: The Bladestorm

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Summon flying blade (1)
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Flying blade technique, mageblade
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Dance, favored weapon +1
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Summon flying blade (2)
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Dance
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Favored weapon +2, flying blade technique
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Dance
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Summon flying blade (3)
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Dance, favored weapon +3
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Flying blade technique, flying energy blade
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Dance
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Favored weapon +4, summon flying blade (4)
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Dance
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Flying blade technique
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Dance, favored weapon +5
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Summon flying blade (5)
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Dance
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Favored weapon +6, flying blade technique
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Dance
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	King’s armory, summon flying blade (6)

Class Features

The following are the class features of the bladestorm.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The bladestorm is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor.

Summon Flying Blade (Su)

At 1st level, the bladestorm can perform a special ritual that summons a weapon that floats in the air, moving and attacking at their command. This ritual takes 1 hour, after which a (non-shield) melee weapon the bladestorm is proficient with appears in an adjacent space. The weapon, henceforth referred to as a “flying blade”, is for all purposes treated as being wielded by the bladestorm even while flying.

Whenever the bladestorm attempts to attack or move, they may instead direct a flying blade to perform the action. When directed to attack, a flying blade attempts to strike a foe within its reach. If directed to move, a flying blade has a fly speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability. Flying blades can function within a 30-foot radius of the bladestorm; at the end of the bladestorm’s turn, any flying blades beyond this range vanish. Outside of combat, any blade not actively being directed floats behind the bladestorm and follows their movement.

At 1st level, the bladestorm can only have 1 active flying blade at a time; if they create another flying blade their current one vanishes. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the bladestorm can maintain an additional flying blade. The bladestorm can create any number of flying blades, up to the maximum number they can maintain, with a single 1-hour ritual. When they create more than a single flying blade, the bladestorm can choose different weapons to summon. Additionally, starting at 4th level, flying blades the bladestorm summon gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 at 8th level and every 4 levels after that.

The number of flying blades active has no effect on the number of attacks a bladestorm may perform with a full attack action; they are still limited by the number of iterative attacks granted by their BAB. By default, flying blades don’t block movement, don’t threaten the area around them, and cannot provide or benefit from flanking bonuses. Only a single flying blade can occupy a space at a time, and flying blades cannot end their movement in a space containing another flying blade.

To control a flying blade the bladestorm must make gestures (somewhat like a mage casting a spell with somatic components). This means that while they have at least one hand free, the bladestorm are considered to be “wielding” their flying blades. Regardless of how many flying blades the bladestorm is controlling at the time, they are considered to be a single collective weapon wielded by the bladestorm. This is particularly important for the purpose of things like feats, dual wielding, etc. Controlling flying blades is like making a melee attack and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Special Rules

Grabbing/Disarming: Flying blades actively resist being grabbed out of the air. Attempting to grab one requires a disarm combat maneuver against the bladestorm’s CMD, substituting their Intelligence modifier in place of their Strength modifier. Being a magical construction not designed to be physically wielded, if successfully disarmed the flying blade vanishes.

Destroying a Flying Blade: A flying blade cannot be destroyed in a traditional fashion, but must be dispelled or disintegrated. Flying blades have a caster level equal to the bladestorm’s class level, and an AC equal to 10 + the bladestorm’s Dexterity modifier.

Weight Limit: Flying blades cannot support any weight beyond their own. Any attempt to use one as a ledge, step, or other support is treated as an attempt to disarm the flying blade (see above).

Multi-Weapon Fighting Penalties: All of a bladestorm’s flying blades count as a “single weapon” for the purpose of multi-weapon penalties. The bladestorm can make attacks with any of their flying weapons and still not count as dual wielding (or wielding “more” weapons).

Handedness: Weapon count as their normal handedness for the purpose of interaction with feats and abilities.

Feats: Since they count as being wielded by the bladestorm, flying blades can benefit from the bladestorm’s feats provided they can reasonably apply them and they are directed using the appropriate action type. For example, flying blades can benefit from Power Attack, but can only use Vital Strike if directed to attack via a standard action.

Fly Checks: If a flying blade is required to make a Fly check the bladestorm rolls the Fly check instead.

Position Bonuses: Bonuses/penalties provided to a flying blade due to being in a specific circumstance, such as having higher ground or attacking a prone target, only apply to that specific flying blade, not to the bladestorm themselves or all the flying blades.

Threatening/Attacks of Opportunity: As stated above flying blades, by default, do not threaten and cannot make attacks of opportunity. Flying blades provoke an attack of opportunity from enemies if they take an action that would normally do so (such as moving out of a threatened space).

Teamwork Feats: Flying blades do not count as other allied creatures for the purpose of teamwork feats.

Outside Combat: Flying blades can apply up to 1 lb. of pressure, and are too clumsy to be used for tasks requiring fine dexterity. They can accomplish any task that could be performed with a wooden rod.

Cover/Concealment: When attacking with a flying blade, calculate a creature’s concealment/cover from the attack in relation to the attacking blade rather than the bladestorm themself.

Flying Blade Technique (Su)

At 2nd level, the bladestorm learns a new method of making their flying blades attack, move, or otherwise influence the battlefield. They gain a technique from the list of available flying blade techniques. At 6th level, and every 4 levels after that, the bladestorm learns another technique.

A list of flying blade techniques is available later in this class’s entry.

Mageblades (Su)

At 2nd level, the bladestorm may add their Intelligence modifier to attack and damage rolls with flying blades in place of their Strength modifier. This only applies to flying blades, not weapons wielded by the bladestorm themselves. This also applies to CMB/CMD, touch attacks, and other attack options made by flying blades.

Favored Weapon (Ex)

At 3rd level, the bladestorm selects a group of weapons from the fighter’s selection of weapon groups.

Whenever the bladestorm makes an attack with a weapon from the chosen group, either themselves or via a flying blade, they get a +1 bonus to their attack and damage rolls.

At 6th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the bladestorm increases this bonus by an additional +1.

Dances (Su)

At 3rd level, and every odd level after that, the bladestorm gains a dance – a new method of utilizing their flying blades. They must meet the prerequisites of the chosen dance.

A list of bladestorm dances is available later in this class’s entry.

Flying Energy Blade (Su)

At 10th level, the bladestorm can create magical facsimiles of weapons out of elemental energy, called ‘flying energy blades’. When they create a flying blade, the bladestorm may instead create a flying energy blade. When they create a flying energy blade, the bladestorm chooses one of the following damage types for the weapon to deal in place of its normal damage type. If they create multiple flying blades with the same action, they can choose different damage types for each weapon.

• Cold damage
• Electricity damage
• Fire damage

Unless specifically mentioned, any bladestorm dance that affects flying blades also affects flying energy blades the same way.

King’s Armory (Ex)

At 20th level, the bladestorm doubles the number of flying blades they can have active at a time.

Flying Blade Techniques

• Bladestorm’s Charge: As a standard action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to move up to its fly speed in a straight line and then make an attack at their highest BAB. This counts as a charge, although the bladestorm doesn’t take an AC penalty (though the flying blade still gets the bonus for charging). The flying blade must move at least 10 feet before making the attack.
• Defend: As a move action, the bladestorm can direct any number of their flying blades to defend adjacent allies until the start of their next turn. Flying blades set to defend cannot attack this turn, and grant allies who they are adjacent to at the time of an attack a +1 circumstance bonus to AC. At 10th level this becomes a +2 bonus, and at 18th level it becomes a +3 bonus. This bonus doesn’t stack with itself.
• Disrupt: As a move action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to make one of the following combat maneuvers against a creature within its reach: bull rush, disarm, or trip. The flying blade uses the bladestorm’s CMB, substituting their Intelligence modifier in place of their Strength modifier.
• Harry: As a standard action the bladestorm can direct any number of their flying blades to harass the enemies nearby. Flying blades directed to harry foes cannot attack but until the start of the bladestorm’s next turn, terrain adjacent to them becomes difficult terrain and the DC to cast spells defensively while next to them increases by +4.
• Impale: As a standard action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to imbed itself into a foe in an attempt to limit their movement. The flying blade makes an attack at the bladestorm’s highest BAB against a creature within its reach. If it hits in addition to dealing damage it magically locks itself in place. An impaled creature cannot move unless it takes a move action to dislodge the weapon first. An impaled creature gets a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against the impaling weapon. The bladestorm must have the strafing run technique and be at least 10th level to select this technique.
• Lift/Press: As a swift action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to maneuver itself to lift an unattended object within its reach, as per a mage hand spell. If a flying blade that is carrying an object is used to attack, it drops the object. Alternatively, the flying blade can be directed to apply pressure to a surface of the bladestorm’s choice within the range of the flying blades. The flying blade has an effective Strength score equal to half the bladestorm’s Intelligence score. This pressure does not deal damage.
• Pincushion: As a full-round action, the bladestorm can direct up to half their class level in flying blades (minimum 1) to converge on a single foe. Each flying blade moves up to twice their fly speed in a straight line towards the chosen creature, ending its movement if it reaches the target. Make a single attack roll for all the flying blades being used for this attack (remember, the attack was made on a charge). If successful, add the weapon’s damage dice for every flying blade that reaches the target together before adding other damage bonuses such as ability modifiers or magic properties. In the event of a critical hit, the bladestorm selects a single flying blade and applies its weapon damage twice. The bladestorm must have the bladestorm’s charge technique and be at least 10th level to select this technique.
• Redeploy: As a move action, the bladestorm can direct any number of their flying blades to move up to their fly speed.
• Reposition: As a swift action, the bladestorm can move any number of their flying blades 5 feet each.
• Spin Attack: As a standard action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to attack all enemies around it. Each creature adjacent to the chosen flying blade takes damage as though struck by that weapon. A Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 bladestorm level + Intelligence modifier) negates the damage. The bladestorm must have the strafing run technique and be at least 10th level to select this technique.
• Stand Ready: As a standard action, the bladestorm can ready any number of their flying blades to attack if a specified action occurs. All flying blades receive the same trigger.
• Strafing Run: As a move action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to make an attack at their highest BAB against a creature that the flying blade threatens.
• Support: As a move action the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to help a nearby ally. The flying blade makes an aid another action, granting a bonus to an ally engaging a foe within that flying blade’s reach. The flying blade can be directed to assist the bladestorm or another flying blade.
• Volley: As a full-round action, the bladestorm can direct any number of their flying blades to make an attack at their highest BAB. Each flying blade targets a creature within its reach; if multiple flying blades attack the same foe, each attack resolves separately. The bladestorm must have the strafing run technique to select this technique.
• Whirling Charge: As a standard action, the bladestorm can direct a single flying blade to move up to twice its fly speed in a straight line. Each creature whose space the weapon passes through takes damage as though struck by a charge attack with the weapon. Creatures can make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 bladestorm level + Intelligence modifier) to negate the damage. The bladestorm must have the bladestorm’s charge technique to select this technique.

Bladestorm Dances

Additional Flying Blade

The bladestorm can maintain an additional flying blade. This dance can be taken up to three times.

Aerial Resupply

Using magic similar to their flying blade ritual, the bladestorm can create ammunition for their allies. As a full-round action, the bladestorm can create 1 bundle of mundane ammunition per Intelligence modifier (a bundle is 20 arrows, 10 bolts, 10 sling bullets, etc.) whose price does not exceed 1 gold. The bladestorm can drop the ammo in any space within 30 feet of themselves, and can drop separate bundles in different spaces if they wish. If the bladestorm drops ammo in a space occupied by an ally, the ally may equip it as a free action. Ammunition created this way lasts for 1 minute.

Additionally, the bladestorm may allow their flying blades to be physically wielded by themselves and their allies, negating the need for a CMB check. Instead of immediately vanishing, a physically wielded flying blade lasts for 1 minute before vanishing.

Betraying Blade

As a full-round action, the bladestorm can attempt to make a foe’s weapon within 30 feet of them into a flying blade under their control. The weapon must be one the bladestorm could summon as a flying blade, and the foe receives a Will save to negate the effect (DC 10 + 1/2 bladestorm level + Intelligence modifier). If the foe fails the save, the targeted weapon makes a single attack against the creature wielding it, making the attack as though it was a flying blade. The bladestorm must be at least 6th level to select this dance.

Binding Bolas

Once per round after successfully hitting a foe with a flying blade from the flail fighter weapon group, as a swift action the bladestorm may direct the flying blade to entangle that foe. They make a CMB check against the creature struck, substituting the bladestorm’s Intelligence modifier in place of their Strength modifier. If successful, the flying blade wraps around the target, causing them to become entangled until the start of the bladestorm’s next turn. A flying blade used to entangle a creature can only attack that creature.

The bladestorm must have the favored weapon (flails) class feature to select this dance.

Bladed Waltz

The bladestorm gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. A bladestorm with this dance may treat all their flying blades as a single light weapon wielded in their offhand for the purpose of determining twoweapon fighting penalties. The bladestorm must have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat to select this dance.

Sidebar: When IS A Bladestorm TWO Weapon Fighting?

A bladestorm counts as two-weapon fighting while physically wielding a weapon and having flying blades active. Having multiple flying blades active doesn’t cause them to count as if they were fighting with multiple weapons because they are treated as a “single weapon” for that purpose.

Crescent Moon Gale

Once per round, after a single flying blade from the axe fighter weapon group has successfully struck an enemy, as a swift action the bladestorm can direct that flying blade to make an additional attack at the same BAB against a different foe within its reach. The bladestorm must have the favored weapon (axes) class feature to select this dance.

Damocles Descending

When the bladestorm makes an attack with a flying weapon from the heavy blades weapon group, they gain a +1/4th bladestorm level bonus to the damage roll (minimum +1). The bladestorm must have the favored weapon (heavy blades) class feature to select this dance.

Dimensional Sheath As a move action, the bladestorm can place any number of their flying blades into a dimensional sheath, moving them into a personal demiplane. The flying blades ‘sheathed’ in this manner remain active, but cannot be used to make attacks. The bladestorm can recall sheathed flying blades into adjacent spaces as a swift action. The dimensional sheath is tethered to a mundane object (a flask, a potion bottle, pouch, an actual sheath, a deck of cards, etc.) that must be worn on the bladestorm’s person. In addition the bladestorm gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat if they did not already have it.

Emergency Resupply

The bladestorm can perform the summoning ritual for their flying blades as a full-round action but the flying blades created only last for rounds equal to their Intelligence modifier. Alternatively, the bladestorm can alter what kind of weapon their flying blades are as a standard action. While doing this they can re-select any other options that must be picked when the flying blades are summoned. The bladestorm must have the summon reinforcements dance to select this dance.

Expanded Airspace

The bladestorm doubles the area their flying blades can function. Additionally, their flying blades increase their fly speed by +15 ft. This dance can be taken a second time; the effects stack.

Extra Blade Technique

The bladestorm gains an additional flying blade technique. This dance can be taken multiple times; each time it grants a different flying blade technique.

Flight Paths

Whenever a bladestorm with this dance uses a technique that requires a flying blade to move in a straight line, they can have the flying blade make as many turns during the movement as they desire. This only functions with flying blades based on weapons from the thrown fighter weapon group. The bladestorm must have the favored weapon (thrown) class feature to select this dance.

Flying Phalanx

For the purpose of activating teamwork feats, flying blades created by a bladestorm with this dance count as other creatures with the appropriate teamwork feat.

As a swift action, the bladestorm can grant their flying blades the benefit of a single teamwork feat they know until the start of their next turn. The bladestorm must have the menacing blades dance to select this dance.

Giant’s Blade

The bladestorm can summon weapons designed for creatures larger than themselves with their flying blade ritual. For each size category larger than themselves the weapon is, it counts as an additional weapon for the purpose of how many flying blades the bladestorm can have active (i.e. a large weapon counts as 2 flying blades to a medium bladestorm, and a gargantuan weapon would count as 4). At 5th level, the bladestorm can create weapons of up to one size category larger than themselves (to a maximum of colossal-sized weapons), and can create weapons of one size category larger every 4 levels after. Additionally, weapons bigger than medium have natural reach equal to that of creatures of the size category they are designed for. The bladestorm must be at least 5th level to select this dance.

Lead the Dance

The bladestorm can subtly direct the weapons of their allies. As a move action, the bladestorm can grant allies within 30 feet a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls made with manufactured weapons until the start of their next turn. If the ally is wielding a weapon from a weapon group* the bladestorm has selected with their favored weapon class feature, their bonus improves to +1/5th bladestorm level (minimum +1). This bonus to attack rolls doesn’t stack with morale bonuses. The bladestorm must be at least 5th level to select this dance.

Special: If the bladestorm has the sky barrier formation dance this applies to all allies wielding shields.

Menacing Blades

Flying blades created by a bladestorm with this dance occupy the space they are in, blocking enemy movement. Enemies attempting to pass through a space occupied by a flying blade must make an Acrobatics check as if they were trying to move through an enemy creature’s square (use the bladestorm’s CMD, 8 substituting Intelligence for Strength if they wish). If the bladestorm also has the giant’s blade dance, larger flying blades occupy space as a creature of the size they are designed for (i.e. a weapon designed for a huge creature occupies space as a huge creature).

Opportune Blade

A bladestorm’s flying blades threaten areas and can deliver attacks of opportunity within their reach. The total number of attacks of opportunity a bladestorm and their flying blades can make in a round is still limited by the bladestorm’s own normal limit. The bladestorm must have the menacing blades dance to select this dance.

Rain of Daggers

When a bladestorm with this dance uses their flying blade ritual to summon a weapon from the light blades weapon group, they summon an additional flying weapon using the same base weapon. The bladestorm can have double the normal number of flying blades active, so long as any flying blade over their normal maximum is from the light blades weapon group.

The bladestorm must have the favored weapon (light blades) class feature to select this dance.

Special: If the bladestorm has the king’s armory class feature, the effects stack to allow three times the normal number of flying blades so long as at least 1/3rd of them are light blades.

Raw Power Blade

The bladestorm adds the following options to the damage types they may select when creating flying energy blades.

• Force damage

The bladestorm must have the flying energy blade class feature and be at least 15th level to select this dance.

Roaring Banshee Blade

The bladestorm adds the following options to the damage types they may select when creating flying energy blades.

• Sonic damage
• Negative energy damage

The bladestorm must have the flying energy blade class feature to select this dance.

Runeblades

When summoning their flying swords, the bladestorm can lower their maximum number of flying blades by 1 to grant their flying blades a magic weapon property.

The bladestorm chooses a single magic weapon special effect with an effective bonus of 1/4th their bladestorm level. All flying blades receive that magic weapon special property.

The bladestorm can use this ability to grant their flying blades multiple magic weapon properties but each property added after the first reduces the maximum number of flying blades they can have active at a time by 1. No magic weapon special property granted in this fashion can have an effective bonus greater than 1/4th their bladestorm level. The total effective bonus from all magic weapon special properties cannot exceed +5.

The bladestorm must be at least 5th level to select this dance.

Special: If the bladestorm grants their flying blades the speed property, they only get 1 additional attack with a single flying blade of their choice when making a full attack action.

Sky Barrier Formation

The bladestorm becomes proficient with all shields (including tower shields), and can summon shields with their flying blade ritual. Allies adjacent to a flying blade shield are treated as having soft cover (+2 AC, +1 to Reflex saves). Allies retain this benefit even if the shield is used to make an attack. If a flying blade shield is used with the defend technique, this improves to cover (+4 AC, +2 to Reflex saves).

Special: If the bladestorm has the runeblades dance, they can grant their flying blade shields magic shield properties with runeblades.

Staring Daggers

A bladestorm with this dance can focus their senses through one of their flying blades. As a move action, the bladestorm can concentrate on a single flying blade under their control. They can see and hear things around the blade as though they had cast a scrying spell on that flying blade.

Summon Reinforcements

If the bladestorm is currently controlling less than their maximum allotment of flying blades, they can perform a 10-minute ritual to summon any number of flying blades, up to their maximum. Alternatively, the bladestorm can perform a 10-minute ritual to change the form of any number of their active flying blades, resummoning them as different base weapons.

Sword Surfing

A bladestorm with this dance may step onto a flying blade under their control, using it to fly around the battlefield. As a move action, they can move into a space containing a flying blade and “mount” that flying blade.

So long as they remain thusly mounted, the bladestorm counts as mounted on a combat-trained mount with a 30-foot fly speed (perfect maneuverability). Rather than using the Ride skill to control their “mount” the bladestorm uses the Fly skill. The flying blade used as a mount can still be used to deliver attacks. Additionally, the bladestorm gains Fly as a class skill. Dismounting from a flying blade is a move action.

Special: If the bladestorm has the expanded airspace dance, it also increases the fly speed of the flying blade mount.

Unyielding Force

A bladestorm with this dance can magically lock their flying blades in place, making them almost impossible to move. As a move action, the bladestorm can cause an active flying blade of their choice to function as an immovable rod, ignoring the flying blade’s usual weight limit. Ending this effect is a swift action. While in this state, the chosen flying blade cannot be directed to move or attack. The bladestorm can maintain this effect for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + their Intelligence modifier. These rounds need not be continuous, but must be spent in 1-round increments.

If the bladestorm directs multiple flying blades to act as immovable rods, each one consumes rounds separately.

This dance can be taken multiple times; each time after the first, it grants an additional 3 rounds per day that this ability can be used. The bladestorm must be at least 5th level to select this dance.

Waylaying Blade

Flying blades created by a bladestorm with this dance can grant and benefit from flanking. Despite counting as being wielded by them, the bladestorm can flank a creature with their own flying blades, and flying blades can flank with each other. The bladestorm must have the menacing blades dance to select this dance.

Winged Lances

When a bladestorm with this dance summons a flying blade based on a weapon from the spear weapon group, the flying blade counts as a mounted creature for the purpose of interaction with feats and effects. A bladestorm with this dance can take Spirited Charge without meeting the prerequisites. The bladestorm must have the favored weapon (spears) class feature to select this dance.

Wingman Weapon

Select another fighter weapon group. The bladestorm receives their favored weapon bonus to attack and damage rolls with weapons from that weapon group, albeit at a -1 penalty. Bonuses from overlapping groups don’t stack; use the higher bonus for a weapon if it resides in two overlapping weapon groups. The bladestorm must be at least 6th level to select this dance.

Table 1-2: Bladestorm Alternate Favored Class Bonuses

Race	Benefit
Elf	Add +1 ft to the flying blade’s fly speed. In combat, this is only effective if taken increments of 5.
Gnome	Learn 1/6th of a new flying blade technique.
Human	Learn 1/6th of a new dance.
Hobgoblin	Add a +1/2 bonus to Intimidate checks and Use Magic Device checks.
Tengu	Choose a weapon from those listed under the tengu’s swordtrained ability. Add a +1/2 bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with that weapon (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.