Swordsman

Though anyone can devote themselves to fighting with a sword, a swordsman truly and wholly dedicates herself to blade work, and its art.

Role: A swordsman’s focus is entirely on her abilities with a sword, meaning her main focus will be on getting up close and personal with enemies she may be facing.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

The swordsman’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), and Stealth (Dex).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Swordsman
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Sword Style
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Uncanny Dodge
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Bonus Feat
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Nimble +1
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Sword Style
6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Evasion
7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Bonus Feat
8th +6/+1 +2 +6 +2 Nimble +2
9th +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 Sword Style
10th +7/+2 +3 +7 +3 Improved Uncanny Dodge
11th +8/+3 +3 +7 +3 Bonus Feat
12th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Nimble +3
13th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Sword Style
14th +10/+5 +4 +9 +4 Improved Evasion, Kick-Off 30 FT
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +5 Bonus Feat
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Nimble +4
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Sword Style
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Kick-Off 60 FT
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Bonus Feat
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Sword Mastery, Nimble +5

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the swordsman.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Swordsman are proficient with all simple weapons. In addition to this, they are proficient with any “sword” weapon. They are proficient with light armor, light shields, and bucklers.

Sword Style (Ex)

At 1st level and every 4th level thereafter the swordsman becomes adept in a new style of swordplay, acquiring techniques and abilities that allow them to use their weapons in new and unique ways.

Savage Style
Prerequisites: Strength 13 or higher
Description: The swordsman gains Power Attack as a bonus feat, and so long as they are using Power Attack with a two-handed sword they double the bonus damage rather than multiplying it by 1.5 times.

Fencing Style
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (Rapier or Estoc)
Description: Acquiring techniques used by the flamboyant and dexterous duelists out there, the swordsman learns to use their weapon as a fencer would, gaining Opportune Parry/Riposte as per the Swashbuckler deed of the same name, and they gain a panache pool as well using their intelligence in place of charisma for the panache pool. This panache pool follows the same rules as the swashbuckler’s panache.

Rodelero Style
Prerequisites: None
Description: Also sometimes referred to as ‘sword and board fighters’, those who practice the way of the rodelero are adept at using their sword and shield together in combat, ensuring it never interrupts their sword arm. While wielding a one-handed sword in one hand and a light shield in the other the swordsman is able  to use the sword in two hands while still gaining the benefits of the shield.

Eastern Style
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (Wakizashi, Katana, or Nodachi)
Description: Practicing the techniques of the samurai and other warriors of the East, the swordsman acquires a similar technique to wielding their sword. As a full-round action the swordsman can make a single attack roll at their highest attack bonus to a single enemy within reach. This attack deals damage normally and also gains an additional 1d6 bonus precision damage equal to the swordsman’s intelligence modifier. This can be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + intelligence modifier.

Specter Style
Prerequisites: Swordsman 5th level, Dexterity 15 or higher, Bluff 5 ranks
Description: The swordsman’s speed lends itself to the acquiring of a spectral afterimage which trails and follows their body seconds after it moves. If the swordsman moves 10 feet or more on their turn they receive a miscellaneous bonus to AC equal to intelligence modifier (minimum of +0) until the beginning of their next turn, or they can choose to forgo this bonus in favor of making an attack at the end of their movement and receiving a free feint attempt, being capable of using their intelligence in place of charisma if it’s higher.

Focused Finesse Style
Prerequisites: Swordsman 9th level, Weapon Finesse
Description: With all sword weapons (including two-handed swords) the swordsman is able to use weapon finesse. In addition to this, they are able to use their dexterity modifier for damage with weapons they use weapon finesse with.

Chaining Style
Prerequisites: Swordsman 9th level
Description: As a full-round action the swordsman can make a single attack roll at their highest attack bonus against an enemy within reach. If this attack would hit they can choose to deal 1 damage (which bypasses DR, including DR/-) or continue with another attack at the same bonus. This can repeat a number of times equal to their level, each time increasing the damage by the amount of times you’ve attacked. For example, stopping at the first attack roll would deal 1 damage, stopping at the second would deal 3 damage, the third would deal 6 damage, and so on. Missing one attack roll causes you to deal no damage, even if you’ve hit previously. Immunity to precision based damage however makes a foe immune to this damage. This ability is not modified by any abilities which increase damage (such as Hammer the Gap or Weapon Specialization) however abilities which increase your bonus to attack rolls (such as Weapon Focus) apply as normal.

Weakness Style
Prerequisites: Swordsman 9th level, any one Critical Feat
Description: Choose an enemy type that is immune to critical hits and/or precision damage (such as aeons, elementals, incorporeal enemies, oozes, or proteans). Once selected this cannot be changed later, and the swordsman can now affect this enemy type with precision damage and critical hits.

Gun Blade Style
Prerequisites: Swordsman 5th level, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms)
Description: Swordsmen are able to combine their sword with a firearm in their possession, creating a unique “gun blade”, which can only be used by anyone with proficiency in both the sword chosen and firearms. Combining the two weapons together takes 1 day of work from the swordsman, and the types of firearms allowed are determined by the type. Light or one-handed swords can be combined with any one-handed firearm whereas two-handed swords can be combined with two-handed firearms.

Spellkiller Style
Prerequisites: Swordsman 13th level, Lightning Reflexes
Description: On a successful reflex save against an area of effect spell (such as fireball or lightning bolt) the swordsman can attempt to reflect the spell back at the caster, completely negating its effect on the original target square and making a ranged touch attack against the caster using the swordsman’s sword for the attack roll. On a successful hit the swordsman is considered the caster and the original caster is the origin square (or target) of the spell. This can be used once per day.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 2nd level, a swordsman gains the ability to react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to armor class if immobilized. A swordsman with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to armor class if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.If a swordsman already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Bonus Feat

At 3rd level, the swordsman gains bonus feats. These feats must be combat feats or style feats. She counts as already having combat expertise when determining prerequisites for style feats, however she may only use these style feats with a sword unless she has combat expertise as a feat.

Nimble (Ex)

At 4th level, a swordsman gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC while wearing light or no armor. Anything that causes the swordsman 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 4th (to a maximum of +5 at 20th level).

Evasion (Ex)

At 6th level, a swordsman can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a swordsman makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a swordsman is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless swordsman does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 10th level and higher, a swordsman can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the swordsman by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has swordsman 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 rogue level required to flank the character.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 14th level, a swordsman’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless swordsman does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Kick-Off (Ex)

At 14th level if the swordsman is falling and next to at least one wall, she can kick off from said wall as a move action in any direction except for the direction of the wall. At 18th level, this increases to a 60 ft speed. If the swordsman ends up at the ground by the end of the movement, she negates any falling damage she might have taken.

Sword Mastery (Ex)

At 20th level, the swordsman increases the critical multiplier of the sword he’s wielding by 1, and all feats which relate to a single weapon (such as Weapon Focus) now apply to all swords.

 


Archetypes & Alternate Class Features

Rapier Adept
Intellectual Item
Boastful Champion
Death Dealer

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