Blade Master

Having used the various weapons of war throughout his/her career, the Blade Master has come to realize that a slashing blade offers the most versatility. With that knowledge came the desire to master the Blade and the various fighting forms that exist through the different kingdoms with the goal of becoming one with the Blade.

A Blade Master is a traveling warrior, searching for different techniques in using a blade with that hope that one day he/she will master its use. Although they do not shun the use of other weapons, after all, there is wisdom in using weapons to satisfy specific needs (blunt weapons for skeletons and missile weapons for aerial creatures), the Blade Master given a choice will always use the Blade (Blade Master's weapon of Choice).

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a Blade Master, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

• Dexterity: 14
• Base Attack: +5
• Tumble: 5 ranks
• Feats: Dodge, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Mobility
• Special Restrictions: New feats must not improve weapons that do not do slashing damage, such as obtaining Weapon Finesse in club. Must forgo use of armor other than Light Armor. The Blade Master cannot have Weapon Specialization or Weapon Finesse because the goal is to focus on all blades. See the Weapons and Armor Proficiency section below for other restrictions.

Bonus Feat Choices: Bonus feats attained must be in this list: Alertness, Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Death Blow, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Sunder, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Prone Attack, Quick Draw, Sunder, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Grace, Whirlwind Attack.

Class Skills

The blademaster's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex*), Climb (Str*), Craft [Bladed Weapons Only] (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Jump (Str*), Knowledge [Hearth Wisdom] (Int), Knowledge [Streetwise] (Int), Knowledge [War] (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive [Combat Prediction and Decipher Strategy] (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex*).

* Your armor check penalty, if any, also applies.

Skill points at Each Level: 3 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Blade Master prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blade Masters are proficient with all slashing weapons. Note that exotic weapons that do slashing damage should be considered martial weapons in regards to the character being able to use them (character will not require the exotic weapons feat for such slashing exotic weapons). Due to the dexterous movements, Blade Masters are restricted to Light Armor only.

As a downside to the extensive study with blades and the extreme preference with bladed weapons, any weapon that does not solely do slashing damage has restrictions. The Blade Master gives up any proficiencies in non-slashing weapons such as crossbows, daggers, and clubs. Future feats can not provide proficiency in non-slashing weapons. Proficiency in other types of armor other than Light Armor is also given up and may not be taken. If a Blade Master uses a non-slashing weapon, he gets an additional -2 attack penalty in addition to the regular penalty for using a weapon that the character is not proficient in.

Reflexive Defense: The Blade Master gains the extra-ordinary ability to react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to even is aware of it. This enables the Blade Master to retain his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.) This ability does not require for the Blade Master to have his/her weapon of choice.

Improved Monkey Grip: Treats medium weapons as light weapons when figuring penalties for two-weapon fighting. Only affects the off-hand weapon, and only makes it act like a lighter weapon for the calculation of attack penalty. Normally, only off-hand weapons that are light have their penalties reduced by 2.

Sword Blocking: When the Blade Master reaches 3rd level he grows so adept with his swords that he is enabled to use them defensively as well as offensively. During a battle, the Blade Master adds a +1 to AC bonus if holding two blades. On the occasion that the character is only holding one weapon, the bonus is halved, rounded down. This increases every three levels (+2 at 6th, +3 at 9th).

Deflect Arrows: Once per round when the character would normally be hit with a ranged weapon, the character may make a Reflex saving throw against a DC of 20 (if the ranged weapon has a magical bonus to attack, the DC increases by that amount). The Blade Master uses his/her weapon of choice to accomplish this and can decrease the DC by an equal amount to the magical weapon bonus if the weapon used is magical. If the character succeeds, the character deflects the weapon. The character must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. Attempting to deflect a ranged weapon doesn't count as an action. Exceptional ranged weapons can't be deflected.

Flat Blade: The Blade Master has mastered his/her weapon of choice that if he/she wishes to do subdual damage instead of normal damage. The Blade Master must indicate that he/she will attack with the flat of her weapon of choice and if hit and damage is allocated, then all the damage becomes subdual damage. (Insert stuff about undead)

Evasion: If a Blade Master makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, the Blade Master instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if the Blade Master is wearing light armor or no armor. It is an extraordinary ability and does not require that Blade Master to have a weapon of choice to perform.

Stunning Attack: The Blade Master can use this ability once per round, but no more than once per level per day. The Blade Master must declare she is using a stun attack before making the attack roll (thus, a missed attack roll ruins the attempt). A foe struck by a Blade Master's slashing weapon is forced to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + one-half the Blade Master's level + Wisdom modifier). In addition to receiving normal damage, if the saving throw fails, the opponent is stunned for 1 round. The stunning attack is a supernatural ability and can only be done using the character's weapon of choice. This ability can not be used on creatures more than one size larger than the Blade Master. Large creatures can be stunned by humans (medium), but not by halflings (small).

Ki Slash: The Blade Master is able to focus his/her Ki into his/her weapon of choice, enabling to make a single slashing attack per every other round per Blade Master level per day at targets/opponents that would normally be beyond normal reach. As a result, consider that the threat range of the character's slashing weapon to now be 3x its normal range. For example, the threat range of a Long sword is now 15 feet instead of 5 while a Pole Arm would be 30 feet instead of 10.

Canny Defense: When not wearing armor, the Blade Master adds his Intelligence modifier (if any) to your Dexterity bonus to modify Armor Class while weilding his Blade. If caught flat-footed, without his Blade, or in another situation where the Dexterity bonus would be denied, he loses this bonus.

Reflex Attack: The Blade Master can no longer be caught flat-footed. He/she is able to attack when attacked even when caught flat-footed but does so at the end of the round. If the Blade Master is attacked by multiple attackers within the same round and is Flat-footed, then Blade Master can only counter attack against one character. If the Blade Master is attacked by multiple attackers within the same round and is not caught flat-footed, then the Blade Master can make a counter attack against each individual opponent with a cumulative penalty of -2 to attack after the first initial opponent who is being counter-attacked. The Blade Master can only do this using his/her weapon of choice. Note: The Blade Master can only make a reflex attack only after being the recipient to a melee attack.

Deadly Strike: By foregoing initiative (allow parrying/dodge? See DM) for one round (10 ticks with our system), the character places himself/herself in a position to better react to an attack and counter attack. As a result, when the Blade Master attacks, he/she increases the chance to hit and do critical damage. The Blade Master gains +1 to attack and increases the chance to do critical damage by a factor of 1 (e.g., If it took a 19-20 to do critical damage, it would now take 18-20). The Blade Master can only use this extraordinary ability his/her weapon of choice and the bonus only lasts for one combat encounter.

Improved Evasion: Like Evasion, but if the Reflex saving throw unsuccessful and the spell normally deals half damage to a successful save, then the Blade Master takes only half damage instead of full damage.

Crippling Strike: By foregoing initiative (allow parrying/dodge? See DM) for one round (10 ticks in our system), the character places himself/herself in a position to better react to an attack and counter attack. As a result, when the Blade Master attacks, he/she increases the chance to hit and do critical damage. The Blade Master gains +2 to attack and increase the chance to do critical damage by a factor of 3 (e.g., If it took a 19-20 to do critical damage, it would now take 16-20). The Blade Master can only use this extraordinary ability his/her weapon of choice and the bonus only lasts for one combat encounter.

Improved Ki Slash: Same as Ki Slash except the Blade Master is now able to make two attacks per Blade Master level and the range is increased to x5. Additionally, if the Blade Master wishes to use this ability twice in a row instead of on every other round, he can but it would cost twice as much for consecutive slashes. So, GoofBall the Blade Master could attack with this feat every other round for 20 times. GoofBall could alternatively use Improved Ki Slash 10 consecutive times; the first attack costing 1 attack and the subsequent attacks each costing 2 uses each. GoofBall would still have one additional attack that could be used two rounds after the last slash or any time later that day.

New Feats: (Only available to the Blade Master)

Two-Weapon Grace

You fight exceptionally well with two weapons.

Prerequisites: Off-hand weapon is light, Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting

Benefit: Changes the penalty for your primary and off-hand weapon to 0.

Normal: With a light off-hand weapon and the Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting feats, your penalty would be -2 for both your primary and off-hand weapon.

Special: This feat only applies if the requirements are met and if both weapons are slashing weapons.