Swordsman

Swordsmen are common on the high seas, and within the nation of L’Landra, though they are far more exotic in other lands. Swordsmen fight with flair and specialize in acrobatic movements, defensive capabilities, and opportunistic strikes. Swordsmen adventurers are often explorers, duelists, and ladies men. They have finesse and a style of combat as entertaining to watch as it is deadly. Swordsmen are more at home in urban environments than they are in the woodlands, though as they roam the world of Sulos seeking a challenge, swordsmen frequently find themselves in unusual places and interesting situations.

Hit Die: D10

Alignment: Any

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Knowledge, Knowledge (Geography), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope

Skill Points: 4 + Intelligence modifier (x4 at 1^st level) 

Swordsman Class Features

All of the following are class features of the swordsman class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

A swordsman is proficient in all simple and martial weapons and with and light armor.

Defensive Stance (Ex)

A swordsman suffers no penalty to attack rolls while fighting defensively, and when she utilizes the total defense combat action a swordsman may make attacks of opportunity (should her opponents provoke them).

Evasion (Ex)

Beginning at 2^nd level, a swordsman can avoid even magical or unusual attacks with great agility. If she 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 only be used if the swordsman is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless swordsman cannot use evasion.

Acrobatics (Ex)

At 3^rd level, a swordsman gains a +1 competence bonus to balance, jump, and tumble checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every three levels the swordsman gains thereafter.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 4^th level, a swordsman can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However she still loses her dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If she already has uncanny dodge from another class, she gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Precise Strike (Ex)

At 5^th level, a swordsman gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing weapon, gaining an extra 1d6 damage added to her damage roll. Her precise strike bonus damage increases by 1d6 for every five levels gained thereafter. When making a precise strike a swordsman cannot attack with a weapon in her off-hand; she can however wield a buckler shield normally. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to the damage from precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits also protects them from precise strike.

Defensive Lunge (Ex)

Starting at 5^th level, while in utilizing the total defense action during combat, a swordsman may make take an additional standard attack action, and his move action for the round. 

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 7^th level, a swordsman can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another character the option to use sneak attack against her, unless the character has four or more levels in the class that provides the sneak attack ability (such as rogue) than the swordsman has levels of her own. If the swordsman has levels in another class that provides her with uncanny dodge, the class levels of said class stack with her swordsman levels to determine who can flank her.

Parry (Ex)

Starting at 10^th level, a swordsman gains the ability to parry incoming blows. When utilizing the total defense action, her opponents provoke attacks of opportunity whenever they attack her with melee weapons, natural attacks or missile weapons (other than firearms). These attacks of opportunity may only be used to parry. In order to parry an incoming attack, the swordsman must make an attack roll vs. an AC = 10 + the base attack bonus of her opponent. If the attack roll is successful, the swordsman parries the incoming blow, negating the damage (if the swordsman parries a natural attack, she rolls damage as though she had struck her opponent). Large sized or bigger opponents are more difficult to parry, and the swordsman suffers a cumulative -4 penalty to her parry roll for each size category larger than herself, her opponent is.

Special Ability (Ex)

Upon attaining 10^th level, and at every three levels thereafter, a swordsman may select one special ability from the following list of options.

Bonus Feat (Ex)

A swordsman may select a bonus feat from the list of fighter bonus feats. She may select this ability more than once.  

Deadly Strike (Ex)

A swordsman may select the improved critical feat (without meeting the prerequisites) for any weapon with which she is proficient. A swordsman may select this ability multiple times; each time it applies to a different weapon with which she is proficient.

Flurry of Blows (Ex)

While wielding a one handed piercing weapon, a swordsman may choose to make a flurry of blows instead of a full attack action. She makes one additional attack at her full base attack bonus, but all her attacks suffer a -2 penalty for the duration of the round.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

This ability works like evasion, except that while the swordsman still takes no damage on a successful reflex saving throw, she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed saving throw. A helpless swordsman gains no benefit from improved evasion.

Opportunist (Ex)

Once per round the swordsman can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the swordsman’s attack of opportunity for the round. Even if the swordsman has the combat reflexes feat, she cannot use the opportunist class ability more than once per round.

Quick Wits (Ex)

The swordsman may add her intelligence bonus to initiative checks in addition to her dexterity bonus.

Skill Mastery (Ex)

The swordsman becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills she make take ten even if stress or distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A swordsman may select this ability more than once; each time she selects new skills for mastery.

Reach (Ex)

At 15^th level a swordsman wielding a one-handed piercing weapon, may attack opponents at greater reach than normal. While fighting defensively or while using the total defense action a swordsman treats a rapier or similar piercing weapon as a reach weapon. Unlike wielding a normal reach weapon however, a swordsman may still attack adjacent foes.

Riposte (Ex)

At 20^th level, a swordsman who successfully parries an attack may make an immediate follow up attack at her full base attack bonus, against the same opponent.