Duelist

Duelist
__**Requirements**__


 * Base Attack**
 * +6
 * Skills**
 * Tumble 5+ ranks
 * Perform (dance) 3+ ranks
 * Feats**
 * Combat Expertise
 * Dodge
 * Weapon Finesse (rapier)
 * Special**
 * Challenge (or be challenged by) a duelist


 * Description:** Duelists are swordsmen who have dedicated their life to rapier (or rapier & dagger) style of fighting that developed in the late century of the last age. As the style spread and its use grew, reputations of these swordsmen grew as well, leading to challenges in order to test them. Duelists began to make ends meet by working as sailors as they traveled from place to place looking for teachers or other duelists to challenge. These duels can often be fought to the death, but sometimes they are fought to some other agreed to conditions, such as first blood or until one person yields (which can often lead to death for duelists are nothing if not prideful).

This lifestyle of traveling by ship from place to place to fight others, and sometimes fighting on ships to defend their reputation became known as swashbuckling. However, while many duelists adopt this adventuresome lifestyle, developing foppish qualities and/or seeking to prove themselves through adversity as much as their swordsmanship, not all duelists are swashbucklers. This lifestyle has led to the saying "swashbuckler's luck", which refers to times when everything that //can// go wrong //does// go wrong. Many duelists still follow purist forms of the style,eschewing the gawdy cultural frills that have developed around their art.

__Class Features__

 * Hit Die:** d10
 * Armor & Weapon Proficiencies:** The duelist is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but no type of armor or shield.


 * Influence:** Duelists gain 1 point of influence (modified by Charisma) at each level.


 * Skill Points at Each Level:** 4 + INT modifier
 * Class Skills:** Climb, Balance, Bluff, Escape Artist, Jump, Listen, Perform, Profession (sailor), Sense Motive, Spot, and Tumble.
 * __**Level**__ || __**Base Attack**__ || __**Base Defense**__ || __**Fort Save**__ || __**Reflex Save**__ || __**Will Save**__ || __**Reputation**__ || __**Special**__ ||
 * 1 || +1 || +1 || +0 || +2 || +0 || +1 || Canny Defense ||
 * 2 || +2 || +1 || +0 || +3 || +0 || +1 || Improved Reaction +2, Improved Parry ||
 * 3 || +3 || +2 || +1 || +3 || +1 || +2 || Improved Feint ||
 * 4 || +4 || +2 || +1 || +4 || +1 || +2 || Grace | Quickdraw ||
 * 5 || +5 || +3 || +1 || +4 || +1 || +3 || Feinting Strike +1d6 ||
 * 6 || +6 || +3 || +2 || +5 || +2 || +3 || Arrow-cutting | Improved Combat Expertise ||
 * 7 || +7 || +4 || +2 || +5 || +2 || +4 || Improved Reaction +4 ||
 * 8 || +8 || +4 || +2 || +6 || +2 || +4 || Feinting Strike +2d6 ||
 * **Canny Defense:** Duelists are the thinking man's warrior, always considering options in combat that will keep them safe long enough to get in their own blows. A duelist gains a //dodge bonus// to his armor class against melee attacks equal to his Intelligence modifier as long as he are not using armor or a shield and is armed with a light, one-handed piercing, or a light and one-handed piercing weapon. If a duelist is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus, he also loses this bonus.
 * **Improved Reaction:** Duelists react quickly to danger and are quick to note an opportunity. At 2nd level, a duelist gains a +2 //competence bonus// on initiative checks. This improves to +4 at 7th level.
 * **Improved Parry:** At 2nd level a duelist gains Improved Parry as a virtual feat, gaining its benefits as long he does not use armor or a shield and is fighting with a light or one-handed piecing weapon.
 * **Improved Feint:** At 3rd level a duelist gains Improved Feint as a virtual feat, gaining its benefits as long he does not use armor or a shield and is fighting with a light or one-handed piecing weapon.
 * **Grace:** Duelists are quick and agile on their feat, always seeking to improve their footwork and ability to improvise. At 4th level, a duelist gains a +2 //competence bonus// to all balance, tumble and perform (dance) skill checks.
 * **Quickdraw:** As a duelist's skills with the blade improve so does his reliance on it grow, and thus they learn to pull it quickly from its sheath. At 4th level they gain Quickdraw as a virtual feat, gaining its benefits as long he does not use armor or a shield and is drawing a light or one-handed piecing weapon.
 * **Feinting Strike:** Duelists are masters at drawing their opponent's attention away from where he really plans to strike and often the spot is a critical one. At 5th level, any time a duelist successfully strikes an opponent that he has effectively //feinted// (that is, the opponent deprived of his dexterity modifier) he deals an additional +1d6 hit points of damage. The feinting attack has no effect on constructs, elementals, plants, undead, or any creatures immune to critical hits. It does stack with a rogue's sneak attack ability. This damage increases to +2d6 at 8th level.
 * **Arrow-Cutting:** A duelist's speed and proficiency with his weapon increases to such a degree that he can cut arrows, bolts and even spears from the air before they strike him. At 6th level, duelists gain Arrow-cutting as a virtual feat, gaining its benefits as long he does not use armor or a shield and is holding a light or one-handed piecing weapon.
 * **Improved Combat Expertise:** Duelist's are masters at blocking and parrying blows with their weapon. At 6th level, a duelist gains Improved Combat Expertise as a virtual feat, gaining its benefits as long he does not use armor or a shield and is fighting with a light or one-handed piecing weapon.