Duelist Rework Idea

[Voice of Kerensky]

Toyed with this briefly after discussing duelist on Discord today.

Remove from Requirements: Mobility

Add to Requirements: Expertise



Abilities:

1: Canny Defense - Dodge bonus to AC based on intelligence bonus, limited by class level.
2: Thug - +2 initiative, +2 Persuade (as a substitute for Improved Reaction)
3: Mobility
4: Lightning Reflexes - +2 Bonus to reflex saves. (Substitute for Grace)
5: Precise Strike - Bonus damage while wielding a light piercing weapon based on Intelligence bonus, limited by class level.
6: Spring Attack - No longer incurs Attacks of Opportunity for moving in combat. (Substitute for Acrobatic Charge).
7: Improved Expertise - (as somewhat thematic stand-in for Elaborate Parry).
8: Improved Initiative - (Substitute for the 2nd bonus of Improved Reaction).
9: Deflect Arrows
10: Graceful Assault  - At will, the duelist gains an extra attack per round at full BAB while wielding a light piercing weapon, at a -2 penalty to all attacks in the round.

Assuming the duelist invests in their int, this adds +1.5 average extra damage over the current implementation of Precise Strike at 5, and +3 extra at 10, while giving some scaling in between. Nice, more thematic.
Graceful Assault makes for a much more interesting capstone for the class.

My 2c. Feel free to use, or not. Nothing particularly original here, tons of homebrews out there with similar ideas. Most of them give the Flurry-like ability much earlier; I think it works better as a capstone.

[Edge]

I'm 99% sure we can't give them Flurry or anything like it due to blackboxing.

[Voice of Kerensky]

May 27, 2019 19:26:53 GMT -5 Edge said:

I'm 99% sure we can't give them Flurry or anything like it due to blackboxing.

We have a similar skill for Bladesinger--one that is weapon-specific, even, and that was created way back in the non-EE days, so that has to have been done somehow (or it doesn't function and our class changes thread is erroneous).

[Edge]

Song of Fury is basically a self only haste spell; I don't know if it actually gives the pseudo-flurry penalty, I'd need to hear from an actual Bladesinger player for that info. I can see how that works as a workaround though.

[Misty]

The description we wrote for Song of Fury in the Class Changes thread was based off CDLurkers description of what the ability does, having a Bladesinger and testing it a good bit.

Song of Fury: When wielding a longsword or rapier in one hand (and nothing in the other) the Bladesinger is quickened, gaining an extra attack. They however suffer a -2 penalty to all attacks. This ability is activated at will. Ability stacks with normal haste.

The ability is more like flurry than haste according to his findings. It gives you an extra attack for -2 AB. It is freely usable, but seems to deactivate after you've left combat or otherwise moved to be flat footed. (A bit like the old combat modes I guess? Unsure how it works with spells) And it stacks with haste.

[Edge]

Interesting. Guess a workaround method is possible then. Nicely done.

[lurkerabove]

Yes, I tested Song of Fury pretty extensively once my BS reached 10th. It does indeed add an attack to the first flurry, it adds no speed or AC bonus, and the extra attack does stack with Haste. My guess is it taps the same function as Divine Power and Tensers to grant the extra attack. It persists between targets, and only ends when you switch or remove weapons, or do any other action that would break a combat mode (casting, etc). It's actually a pretty elegant function.

So, were we to consider it, I imagine it would just need a couple weapon type check changes in the radial script to purpose it for another class with different weapon choices.