The Blademaster (Revised)

Seriously modified from the original Blademaster presented in the Wheel of Time RPG

“I am one with the blade, and it is an extension of my being.  It is my soul and my mind, honed to a lethal sharpness beyond any other.  I walk the razor’s edge, floating in the Void that is ko’di.  The blade is my life and I shall die with it in hand.” –From the Codex Mercenarius, author unknown.

The bardic tales of times long past ring of the exploits of the swordsman, the blademaster who stands alone against the hordes of darkness with only his steel at his side.  Whether it be Joachim Conti, of whom it is said that he was never defeated in any of his ten thousand battles, or Horatio who stood at the gates of the lost Caer Wulfric and let none pass in the last great invasion from the Darklands of so long ago, the allure and mystique of the blademaster is near-mythical.  Cold-eyed and deadly, they float in the Void, or the Oneness, or ko’di, aware of everything that transpires around them but unaffected by emotions and fears.  Few men ever rise to the level of blademaster and no woman has ever done so, but the members of that tiny elite are among the deadliest alive.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements

To qualify to become a Blademaster, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

• Base Attack Bonus: +7.

• Skills: Balance 5 ranks, Composure 5 ranks, and KS: Swordforms +5 ranks.

• Feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, EWP (Warder’s sword), Improved Initiative, Mobility, Quick Draw.

Class Skills

The Blademaster’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Composure (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), KS: Sword Forms (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).

• Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Level Modifier

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blademasters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.

Heron-Mark: Upon becoming a blademaster, a character gains Weapon Focus (Warder’s sword) as a bonus feat.

Parting the Silk: After the blademaster scores a hit with his sword, he does not roll dice to determine the damage.  Instead, he figures the normal maximum damage (not a critical hit) he can inflict with that weapon and deal that much damage to the target.  Additional damage, such as from using the Power Attack feat and the sneak attack ability, is determined normally.  This ability cannot be used when the blademaster rolls a critical hit.

The Void: Starting at 2^nd level, the blademaster has learned to use the flame and the void to its maximum effect.  If he succeeds at a Composure check at the prior to the beginning of combat, the blademaster is able to continue to fight even if suffering negative hit points, up to -10 at which point he simply dies.  In addition to the bonuses gained from a Composure check, the blademaster may add an equivalent bonus to his Defense.

Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 2^nd level, a blademaster gains the ability to react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to be even aware of it.  At 2^nd level and higher, he retains his Dexterity bonus to Defense (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed.

           At 6^th level, the blademaster can no longer be flanked since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single opponent.  This defense denies opponents the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack him.  The exception is that a wanderer or thief-taker at least four levels higher than the blademaster can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).

           Arc of the Moon: At 3^rd level, the blademaster gains the Cleave feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites for that feat.  In the event that he already has the Cleave feat, he gains the benefits of the Great Cleave feat.

River Undercuts the Bank: At 4^th level, the blademaster has perfected his fighting abilities beyond that of normal swordsmen.  With this ability, he can increase the multiplier by 1 (from x2 to x3).  The use of the ability must be declared prior to rolling damage dice.

The blademaster can use this ability once per day at 4^th level, twice per day at 6^th, three times per day at 8^th, and four times a day at 10^th.

Eyes of the Crane: On reaching 5^th level, when a blademaster delays his attack until after he is attacked in the round, he takes advantage of the opening provided and gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose: At 7^th level, the blademaster gains Improved Critical as a bonus feat.

Sheathing the Sword: When the blademaster decides to mortally wound his opponent nothing can stop him. Once per day, as a full round action, the blademaster may automatically inflict a natural 20 without rolling dice.  He must first allow his opponent a "free hit" in which he does not try to dodge and his Defense effectively drops to 10.  After his opponent has attacked, the blademaster, if he has survived, is free to cut his opponent down. 

Cat on Hot Sand: At 9^th level, the blademaster gains an additional +4 dodge bonus to Defense against attacks of opportunity caused when he moves through or out of a threatened area.

Weapon Mastery: The blademaster has become so skilled with his sword that the weapon’s die code is increased to d12 from d10.