Knife Fighter

A well-placed knife is as deadly as any weapon, and none exemplify this more than the lightly armored, highly mobile knife fighter. He uses his mastery of the dagger to extreme efficiency to cut down astounded foes from within close range. Using his entire body to facilitate his attacks, the knife fighter is acrobatic in his approach and can hurl foes to the ground or disarm arm them in sudden bursts of speed punctuated with short deadly stabs. Frequently nimble knife fighters combine two-weapon fighting with daggers and unarmed strikes.

Class Skills

A knife fighter gains Acrobatics as a class skill and loses Knowledge (dungeoneering) as a class skill.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A knife fighter is not proficient with heavy armor or tower shields.

Deadly Daggers (Ex)

At 1st level, daggers wielded by a knife fighter deal damage based upon his level and not the weapon type. The damage for Small, Medium, and Large knife fighters is given in the Table: Knife Fighter Dagger Damage. The knife fighter can decide to use the weapon’s base damage instead of the deadly dagger damage—this decision must be declared before the attack roll is made. (If the weapon’s base damage exceeds the deadly dagger damage, its damage is unchanged.) This increase in damage does not affect any other aspect of the weapon, and doesn’t apply to alchemical items, bombs, or other weapons that deal only energy damage.

This ability replaces armor training 1, 2, 3, and 4 and armor mastery.

Table: Knife Fighter Dagger Damage
Level Damage (Small ) Damage (Medium) Damage (Large)
1st–4th 1d4 1d6 1d8
5th–9th 1d6 1d8 2d6
10th–14th 1d8 1d10 2d8
15th–19th 1d10 2d6 3d6
20th 2d6 2d8 3d8

Unarmed Training (Ex)

The knife fighter engages enemies up close and personal and often must use head butts, knees, elbows, punches, and kicks to supplement his blade work. He gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

This replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level.

Parrying Blade (Ex)

At 2nd level, a knife fighter wielding a dagger and wearing light or no armor and not using a shield gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus increases for every four levels beyond 2nd (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level).

This ability replaces bravery.

Knife Expert (Ex)

At 5th level, a knife fighter gains a +1 bonus on attack, damage, and combat maneuver checks with daggers. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 5th.

This ability replaces weapon training 1.

Quick Hands (Ex)

At 9th level, a knife fighter can focus all of his attacks from a full-attack action on a single target while wielding a dagger in one hand and his other hand is free. If he hits with at least two of these attacks, as an immediate action he may make a single disarm, dirty trick, or trip combat maneuver at the same target using his highest base attack using an unarmed strike. Unless he has the appropriate Improved Disarm, Improved Dirty Trick, or Improved Trip feat, this provokes attacks of opportunity.

This ability replaces weapon training 2.

Double Step (Ex)

At 13th level, while wielding a dagger, a knife fighter who takes a 5-ft. step and hits with at least one attack in a full-attack action may take another bonus 5-ft. step at the end of his turn.

This ability replaces weapon training 3.

Lightning Hands (Ex)

At 17th level, while wielding a dagger and his other hand free and adjacent to two or more foes, the knife fighter who successfully hits one foe with a dagger attack may, as an immediate action, make a disarm, dirty trick, or trip combat maneuver against one other adjacent foe using his highest base attack using an unarmed strike without provoking an attack of opportunity. He may use this ability only once per round. He may still use his quick hands ability if the situation allows.

This ability replaces weapon training 4.

Weapon Mastery (Ex)

A knife fighter must choose the dagger.

Section 15: Copyright Notice
Player’s Advantage: Fighter. Copyright 2017, Samurai Sheepdog, LLC; Author: Charles Plemons.
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