Blademaster, Variant (3.5e Class)

Blademaster by David " The pain " Bouchard

In every city there exists a place where the talented are pushed to the extreme ends of development. They spend hours honing their skills until they are the best of the best. These are the blademasters. They excel at stabbing the faces of their foes, and cutting into demons' chests. In melee combat no one out performs a blademaster.

Making a Blademaster

Blademasters excel in a martial situation. That is, if a sword is the answer, so is the blademaster. While they can use shields, they specialize in aggressive tactics with their weapons.

Abilities: Strength is the most important ability for a blademaster who uses melee weapons to fight. All blademasters need a high Constitution score for more hit points, and a good Dexterity score increases their armor. The blademaster's Strength score determines how often his class special abilities can be used, and his Constitution decides how long they last.

Races: Any race can be a blademaster, but they are far more common amongst the civilized races. It is rare for orcs and goblins to become blademasters because they don't have the stable societies needed to build schools and academies.Fighter of the Drow race are the best choice to play à Blademaster. ( maybe to good ).

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 6d4×10 gp (150 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate.

Table: The Blademaster

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Bonus Feats and select power attack or two weapons fighthing
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Martial Prowess
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Parry
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Evasion
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Bonus Feats
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Acrobatic Defense
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	Bonus Feats
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Calm Mind
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Bonus Feat
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	Courageous
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+4
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	Bonus Feat
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Dance of Blades
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	Bonus Feat
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the blademaster.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blademasters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and they are proficient with light armor, and shields, except tower shields.

Martial Prowess: The blademaster is a master of striking and rarely misses a strike. He gets a bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls equal to half of the player level rounded down.

Bonus Feat: At level 1, 5, 8 , 10, 15, 20, the blademaster gains a feat from the list of feats and 1 bonus at level 1. And he get Power attack or two weapon fighting depending of is style. He must meet all the prerequisites for the feat.

Parry: A blademaster learns to become one with the sword. It becomes an extension of his body and he learns to move it in the way of danger at the last moment. Beginning at 3rd level, whenever a blademaster has a non-reach weapon in his hand, he gains a +1 deflection and Ac bonus to armor. This armor works even when he is flat footed. This bonus increases by an additional +1 every four levels (+2 at level 7, +3 at level 11, and so on...). A blademaster, also can, any time he desire(even out of is turn), sacrifice (even when using two weapon fighting) 1 or more attacks to block or deflect a melee or a range attack with a normal attack rolls versus enemy attack rolls. (-5 for arrow deflect and -8 for Bolt deflect ). ( -3 for 2 hand weapons parry and-6 for giant weapons parry ).Also if the target is to big (Dragon for example ) the blade master can use reflex save (sacrifice 1 attack) to half the attack damage because its impossible to parry that kinds of monster ( There are just to powerfull ).

Evasion (Ex): Blademasters learn to jump out of the way of danger just in time. At 4th level and higher, a blademaster can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the blademaster is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless blademaster does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Calm Mind (Ex): As a blademaster faces foes with all sorts of mind tricks, he learns to bring his mind to a sense of calmness that makes it nigh impenetrable to these effects. He can control his emotions, and his mind is his own. From 9th level onwards, a blademaster gains a +5 bonus on Will saves.

Courage: A blademaster knows no fear. From 13th level he is immune to intimidation and no magic fear.

Dance of Blades: A blademaster learns to master the battlefield as well as the blade, he slip in between enemies as if they aren't there. From 17th level onwards, the blademaster never provokes attacks of opportunity by any action that he takes. For example, he can leave a foes threatened square without provoking one. And anytime a Blademaster rolls any kinds of critical attacks the target is kill( not working on boss and large creature, but do x3 bonus damages ).

Epic Blademaster

Each 2 levels after 20th, the blademaster gains Fighter Bonus Featand 1 attribute point.

Human Blademaster Starting Package

Weapons: Longsword and shortsword.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + Int modifier. If you choose Craft or Profession mark all of the Craft or Profession.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Tumble	4	(Dex)	1
Balance	4	(Dex)	1
Listen	4	(Wis)	-
Spot	4	(Wis)	-
Intimidate	4	(Cha)	-
Escape Artist	4	(Dex)	1
Jump	4	(Str)	1
Climb	4	(Str)	1

Feat: Two-Weapon Fighting, and Quick Draw or Power Attack and Cleave for the human bonus feat.

Bonus Feats: Improved Initiative.

Gear: Studded Leather Armor, a backpack, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, two trail rations, one sunrod, a waterskin, and a bedroll.

Gold: 4d6 times 10gp.

Campaign Information

Playing a Blademaster

Religion: Blademasters follow the religion of wherever they are from.

Other Classes: Blademasters get along with everyone. They know that each person has their place in a group and don't feel bad when a situation doesn't call for their talents, and they expect the same view from others when they have the talents for a situation.

Combat: Blademasters are a bit frail when it comes to close combat fighting, but they deal a lot of damage. They also have tumble as a class skill. Tumble is the most important class feature. In the early game it allows them to move between enemies without provoking attacks of opportunity. Move through your enemies and choose the most important of them. Something that your team mates with have trouble with and eliminate it. That's all there is to it.

Advancement: When choosing your feats, its probably best to go along a two weapon fighting route, but anything you want to specialize in can be done. It would also be a good idea to grab a level of barbarian at some point for the fast movement and berserk rage.

Blademasters in the Game

Adaptation: An interesting adaptation for the blademaster could be to make it a bowmaster. Simply apply the benefits of martial prowess to bows instead. You can change the name of parry and continue that as well.

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