Sword Of Kelanen

[The following material is taken from the original 3.0 Sword of Kelanen writeup by Sir Brennen.  I do not claim authorship, nor offer any challenge to the original author, except where revisions have been made.  My work here is in adapting the Sword of Kelanen Prestige Class to 3.5 standards.  The reader will note editing for the sake of clarity, the removal of turning and spellcasting abilities, and the addition of feats and spell-like abilities.  This was done in a spirit of maintaining the integrity of the PrC theme.]

"To an outsider, the Way of the Sword appears to be nothing more than a single-minded dedication to the art of battle with edged steel. If one looks beyond the glint of our blades and the blood of our vanquished enemies to our place in past and future history, our true path becomes clear: the Path of the Hero. Of necessity, then, we use the Way of the Sword as a the compass along the Path of the Hero. Our blades point the way upon it, and the Path guides our strikes true.

"We become hardened metal and edge; battle is our whetstone. We are weapons. We can be wielded by others, but only if they allow us to walk the path or will walk it with us. Ultimately, Justice is the only hand that may grasp our hilts. Servitude to a just and good cause outweighs any obligation to king, country, or any other master.

Including ourselves."

Swords of Kelanen are worshippers of the demipower Kelanen, called Prince of Swords. Kelanen is one of those rare heroes who transcended mortal status through great deeds. He was the catalyst behind the overthrow of Vecna and Kas some 2,000 years ago. He was the only warrior to ever defeat Kas in single combat, although Kas subsequently used treachery to capture Kelanen. Kelanen’s most devoted followers practice a windmilling, twin-sword style that is emphasizes quick action and offense over defense.
 

Alignment: Any neutral.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements

To qualify to become a Sword of Kelanen, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: Craft (Weaponsmithing) 8 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks.

Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus*, Weapon Specialization*

*Must be in a type of sword that the character can effectively wield one-handed.  If the character's class does not permit weapon specialization, he must leave one feat unused, specifically for the purpose of entering this prestige class.  He gains the benefit of Weapon Specialization when he becomes a Sword of Kelanen.

Special: Must venerate the hero Kelanen.  Must have primarily relied upon a two-weapon fighting style with a pair of swords in combat to defeat an enemy of at least equal level.

Class Skills

The Sword of Kelanen’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Sword of Kelanen

Class Features

Proficiencies:  A Sword of Kelanen is proficient with all simple weapons.  Additionally, he treats any exotic sword as if it were a martial weapon.  Swords of Kelanen gain no armor or shield proficiencies.

Code of Conduct: A follower of the hero Kelanen must always strive to perfect his mastery with his sword. He should constantly search for and accept new challenges to prove himself. He should be at the forefront of battle whenever possible, confronting the most physically superior foe against whom to test his mettle. He must never wield his blade against one who is unarmed, helpless, or has asked for quarter. If on Oerth, each year he must honor the Three Days of Armistice, when he must lay down his blade to seek and consider those things for which he truly fights.

The use of ranged weapons in combat is frowned upon by Kelanen. Should a Sword of Kelanen resort to using a missile weapon in combat, all Supernatural and Spell-like abilities will be immediately revoked by his hero-deity. These abilities will only be reinstated after proper atonement has taken place. As the phrasing suggests, Swords of Kelanen are permitted to use bows for their original purpose - hunting for food.

The extremes of good and evil are at odds with the balance and enlightenment a disciple of Kelanen seeks to achieve through the sword. Should a Sword of Kelanen stray from devotion to Kelanen, either by becoming good or evil, or through any act, he loses all divinely inspired powers (Supernatural and Spell-like abilities.) He may no longer gain levels in the prestige class, but retains the skills, feats, and extraordinary fighting abilities he has already learned. Atonement is very difficult to achieve, provided the transgressor even has any interest in receiving it. Such "Lost Swords" are often hunted with extreme prejudice by Kelanen's faithful.

Blessing of Kelanen (Su): When a Sword of Kelanen wields a sword, it is considered to have an additional +1 enhancement bonus per two class levels for purposes of overcoming damage reduction or striking incorporeal creatures. This bonus does not affect attack or damage rolls, but does stack with any existing enhancement bonus on a weapon for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. For example, a Sword of Kelanen with a nonmagical sword could deal damage to a creature with damage reduction overcome by magic, while a tenth-level Sword of Kelanen with a +1 sword could overcome epic damage reduction as if it were a +6 sword.  Damage is still dealt normally in all other respects.

Quick Draw:  At second level, a Sword of Kelanen gains the Quick Draw feat if he does not already have it.

Improved Disarm:  At second level, a Sword of Kelanen gains the Improved Disarm feat if he does not already have it.

Windmill Attack (Ex): When a Sword of Kelanen attacks while wielding a pair of swords he is specialized in, the off-hand blade is considered light for the purposes of determining penalties for attacking with two weapons. At third level, this fighting style cannot be used when wearing armor.  At fifth level, a Windmill Attack can be made while wearing light armor.  At seventh level, medium armor can be worn.

Bless Sword (Sp): At fourth level, a follower of Kelanen gains the spell-like ability to cast Bless Sword once per day, at caster level equal to class level.  This ability affects only swords, but otherwise functions as the first level Paladin spell Bless Weapon. At eighth level the spell-like ability may be used twice per day.

Deflect Arrows: At fifth level, a follower of Kelanen gains the benefit of the Deflect Arrows feat, usable with a sword, as long as he is wielding at least one sword.

Improved Windmill (Ex): When wielding swords he is specialized in, a fifth level Sword of Kelanen can make an additional attack with his off-hand weapon.  This stacks with the extra attack from Improved Two-weapon fighting. As with Windmill Attack, this fighting style cannot be used when wearing heavy armor.

Greater Weapon Focus:  A 6th-level Sword of Kelanen gains this feat if he does not already have it.  He must apply it to the sword he has specialized in.  At tenth level, he gains Greater Weapon Specialization, and it, too, must apply to the sword he has specialized in.

Insight of Kelanen (Su):  A 7th-level Sword of Kelanen gains the ability to declare a total daily insight bonus of up to +2 per class level to his attack rolls, after the roll is made, but before damage is calculated.  This bonus may be divided as he sees fit.  A tenth-level Sword of Kelanen could, for example, gain a +20 insight bonus to one attack, or a +10 to two attacks, or a +4 on five attacks, and so on.  Normal rules prohibiting the stacking of named bonuses with bonuses of the same name still apply.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a Sword of Kelanen can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

All content on this site, Flay, is Copyright 2005 Moritheil, except where expressly noted otherwise. 
DnD 3.5, which most of the material is based on, is Copyright Wizards of the Coast.

The original writeup by Sir Brennen, June 6th, 2002, follows: