Blademaster

Ability Requirements:

Strength (Stamina) 15

Dexterity (Balance) 15

Intelligence (Reason) 9

Wisdom (Intuition) 9

Prime Requisites:

Strength, Dexterity

Allowed Races:

Human, elven, half-elven. The DM may allow dwarves to similarly master the axe or hammer.

Blademasters are artists of sword-play, beyond and above the ability of any common fighter. Blademasters are able to wield the sword to its maximum potential. They are generally fighters who find an elegance in the sword which is beyond the simple warrior; who see the blade as an end rather than a means. They rely as little as possible on heavy armor or any other form of attack or defense not found in the simple elegance of the sword.With no traditional organization, most swordsmen train on their own, or with a sequence of masters while traveling from place to place, seeking only self-perfection. Although called blademasters, there have been many noteworthy female members of this class.

Blademasters are warriors whose dedication to their training allows them to specialize in and master more than one kind of sword, provided that they do not begin learning the use of a new sword unless they have at least mastery in all the various swords they have studied so far. It is not necessary to gain proficiency in a new sword if you have access to the training needed to reach high or grand mastery, nor are blademasters forbidden from training further in a previous weapon once they begin learning a new one. This training also allows them to achieve feats of swordsmanship beyond the natural due to their strong spiritual kinship with their weapons.

Blademasters may also use two weapons of equal length if they are proficient in both weapons, without any penalty beyond the customary penalties for wielding two weapons.

In exchange for this dedication, blademasters suffer certain restrictions and penalties (some of these penalties may be reduced with particular abilities):

• Must purchase at least specialty in any one type of sword during character creation. May not gain specialty in any other sword until they have mastered their first sword.
• May not gain proficiency in any weapon not a sword.
• Does not benefit from blademaster bonuses while wearing any metal armor. Allowed armors include cord, hide, leather, padded, and wood. Similarly, may not use a shield, nor wear any protection which impairs the dexterity, including gauntlets, thick gloves, and bracers, as well as rings if they are particularly large or heavy. Magical items of protection may be worn if they do not fall under these restrictions.
• Cannot use magical weapons at early levels. The DM may require a blademaster who regularly uses a magical weapon before reaching 3rd level to give up his special abilities and become a fighter of equal level.
• Does not attract a body of followers, but may attract would-be students as his fame spreads. These students are expected to repay the blademaster in some reasonable way for his skills (if he chooses to teach them) but are not likely to risk their lives or reputations for his sake.
• May not be multi-classed. A blademaster who changes class is treated as if he had been a fighter of similar level before changing class. A character who changes class to become a blademaster never outgrows the restrictions on using former abilities.
• Blademasters have a reputation for haughtiness and superiority. Many warriors will challenge a blademaster to a duel simply to prove their own skill or 'put the stuck-up snot in his place.' Blademasters are not obliged to accept such challenges, but may suffer injury to their honor and reputation as a result of refusing.

Blademasters receive 30 character points to spend on special abilities. As with other character classes, leftover points from the character's race may be used as well, and unused points may be saved for later in the creation process. "Typical" blademasters acquire the abilities fight within the mind, natural talent, one with the sword (5 CP), serpent sword (5 CP), shock parry, steel fence (10 CP), steel wall and surgeon's strike, and take the light build and sheltered training restrictions.

Defense Bonus (10):

-2 bonus to armor class when unarmored and unencumbered.

Double Defense (10):

The blademaster's armor class improves by an additional -2 when wielding proficient weapons in both hands.

Fallback Weapon (5):

The blademaster may buy proficiency in any one melee or throwing weapon even if it is not a sword. The proficiency must still be paid for normally. This proficiency may be purchased even if the blademaster takes natural talent.

Fight Within the Mind (5):

Anyone attacking a blademaster with a weapon the blademaster has mastered suffers a -1 penalty to hit for each rank of mastery the blademaster has with that weapon; -1 for mastery, -2 for high mastery, -3 for grand mastery.

Hurricane Cut (10/15):

At 10th level the blademaster learns to make a cut so forceful and precise that the shock of it carries through the air with the power of a normal sword cut. The range of this attack is 10' plus an extra 2' for each level of the blademaster. The blademaster must roll to hit without any bonuses due to specialization or mastery. Roll damage normally but again without any bonuses for specialization or mastery. This attack may damage any creature which the bladesman could damage in a normal attack with the same blade. For 15 CP the character gains this ability at 7th level instead.

Light Step (5):

The blademaster's practiced grace and balance allow him to move silently in any surroundings as a ranger of equal level.

Natural Talent (10):

The blademaster may buy mastery in his weapon of specialty at 1st level, but may not buy proficiency in any other weapons unless he also buys the fallback weapon ability (the blademaster still receives 8 CP for weapon proficiencies which may be used to specialize in one-handed style, two-handed style or two-weapon style.) The cost for mastery must be paid normally (6 CP including the costs for proficiency and specialization.)

One with the Sword (5/15):

The blademaster has such an empathy with his weapon that he gains the ability to use non-magical swords against creatures normally injurable only by magical weapons. The blademaster increases the effective bonus of his weapon by one-fourth of his experience level, rounded down; for 15 CP, round up instead. Note that either way this bonus is only used to determine what creatures may be injured.

Serpent Sword (5/10):

The blademaster also receives a -1 bonus to the speed factors of mastered weapons for every three levels he or she has. For 10 CP, this bonus can also be applied to weapons of specialty.

Shock Parry (5):

The blademaster can parry blows hard enough to knock the weapon from an attacker's hand. The chance of this happening is 5% plus 2% per level of the blademaster. If the roll succeeds by more than 15%, the blademaster may direct where the weapon lands, as long as it is within 10' of the disarmed opponent; otherwise, treat the weapon as a grenade-like missile aimed at its former wielder. If the person being disarmed is another blademaster, he or she may make a saving throw vs. paralyzation to keep hold of his or her sword.

Spirit of the Steel (5):

A blademaster with this power who has reached 8th level can release some of the energy from an enchanted sword as an explosive force. The blademaster must be holding the blade and must have at least proficiency in that type of sword; otherwise, the blademaster cannot make any spiritual connection with the sword. The blademaster chooses how many 'plusses' of magic to release from the sword; for each 'plus' released, all within range take 2d6+2 points of damage; a successful save vs. breath weapon halves damage. The range of this attack is 2' per level of the user, and is always centered on the user. Any pluses released are permanently drained from the sword; a sword which loses all magic is considered a normal blade of excellent quality. However, any blade used for this power has a 5% chance of shattering per 'plus' of the blade - regardless of the number of 'pluses' used. A shattered blade imposes a save penalty equal to its magical bonus but does similar damage to the blademaster. Magical swords with special abilities may produce extra effects in addition to damage; here are some examples. DMs are encouraged to be inventive if dealing with unusual swords.

Scimitar of Speed:

All allies of the user within range are hasted rather than damaged.

Sword +1, cursed:

All within range (including the user) are confused in addition to damage.

Sword +2, Nine Lives Stealer:

Those who fail their save are affected by an enervate spell.

Sword + 5 Holy Avenger:

All allies are healed rather than damaged and are affected by a bless spell. All undead and evil creatures take double damage (save for normal) and any undead who survive are turned automatically.

Sword of Wounding:

All targets who fail to save are badly lacerated, lose an additional 1 hp every round and cannot regenerate; this effect lasts 10 rounds or until the subject can be well-bandaged.

Sword of Sharpness:

An extra +2 damage per die.

Spell Slash (5):

By 7th level the blademaster can channel his spirit into the blade sufficiently to parry some non-physical attacks. Attacks which can be parried with this skill include burning hands, magic missile, flaming sphere, Melf's Acid Arrow, ray of enfeeblement, spectral hand, flame arrow, Melf's Minute Meteors, enervation, finger of death, prismatic spray, and the blademaster skill hurricane cut. In the case of area-effect spells of an explosive or wave nature, the blademaster may substitute a parry for a saving throw; these spells include fireball, lightning bolt, ice storm, shout, cone of cold and the blademaster skill spirit of the steel. Parry rolls are made normally but with no bonuses for specialization or mastery. For any spell that requires an attack roll, use the result of that roll as the parry target. For other spells assume that the attack hits an AC of 10, improved by one for every level of the caster. The DM should not assume that no other attack can be parried, nor that only wizard spells can be parried with this skill, but in general the following sorts of attacks are not parriable: gas-based attacks, spells with any lasting duration, and effects without any visible manifestation such as a solid object or bolt of energy.

Steel Fence (10/15):

When using a weapon which he or she has mastered, a blademaster improves his or her armor class by 1 for each three experience levels. If the weapon being used is magical, the blademaster's armor class also improves by the 'to-hit' bonus of the weapon. The blademaster receives no AC bonus when using an unmastered weapon, regardless of magic. For 15 CP, this bonus can also be applied to weapons of specialty.

Steel Wall (5):

The blademaster may attempt to parry thrown knives, sling stones, arrows or other missiles as long as the maximum damage of the missile is less then 12.

Surgeon's Strike (5):

For each six levels the blademaster has, reduce the number needed for a critical hit by one. Thus, a 12th-level blademaster deals critical hits on an '18,' '19,' or '20.' The roll must strike an AC four better than the target's actual AC to hit critically on any roll but a natural '20.'

Turtle Shell (10):

The blademaster may wear studded leather or scale mail without penalty.

Optional Restrictions

Light Build (10):

The blademaster uses d8s to determine hit-points rather than d10s.

No Armor (5):

The blademaster benefits from none of his abilities while wearing armor of any kind.

Sheltered Training (10):

The blademaster is so unfamiliar with non-sword weapons that he suffers an additional -2 penalty to hit when using them.

Slow Learner (5):

The blademaster must use non-magical weapons until reaching 6th level or risk losing his abilities and becoming a fighter.