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By: Nancy Mccaskey
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                        The Swashbuckler

                        by Nancy McCaskey

Stats:

Strength:      9 or better (no "to hit" bonuses for high Strength)
Intelligence:  6 or better
Constitution:  any (9 or better recommended)
Charisma:      14 or better
Wisdom:        16 or lower*
Dexterity:     15 or better

*Wisdom will range from 4-6 at first level, then go up one point
per level until the rolled stat is reached.  The Swashbuckler will
gain full Wisdom at 12th level in any case.  He or she is allowed
to use the modifiers from the original Wisdom score for saving
throws vs. mental attacks involving willforce, resisting ego
swords, etc., but not for rolling vs. Weaknesses.

Races allowed:  human, elf, and half-elf.  The D.M. may place
special restrictions on elves and half-elves.

Weapons:  +1 "to hit" with light swords (foil, rapier, saber, or
cutlass).  Can use other light weapons (quarterstaff, dagger,
etc.), excluding martial-arts weapons.  No polearms or bows are
allowed.  Black powder pistols are allowed if they exist in the
campaign world--however, they are cumbersome to use.

Armor:    None.  (Gets a double Defensive Adjustment against a
similar weapon type--i.e., foil vs. foil, rapier vs. cutlass,
etc.).  Can use a buckler.  The D.M. may rule that leather armor is
allowed at very low levels (1-3).

Alignment:     chaotic only.  Titles differ by alignment:
Swashbuckler (good), Rogue (neutral), and Villain (evil).

Magic items allowed:  items for fighters, items that raise
dexterity, items usable by all classes.

Description: Swashbucklers are a subclass of fighters with some
Rogue abilities, whose training emphasizes swiftness and agility.


                        Experience Chart

Experience     Hit dice/      Title          Abilities
points         level     (Good-Neutral/Evil)
               (d8)

0              1/1       Wastrel/(same)      d4+2 skills (AAACMM)
2,251          2/2       Profligate/(same)   A skill
4,501          3/3       Spendthrift/(same)  M skill
10,001         4/4       Prodigal/Rake       C skill
20,001         5/5       Rascal/Schemer      A skill
40,001         6/6       Scoundrel/Knave     M skill
90,001         7/7       Fencer/Outlaw       C skill
150,001        8/8       Swordsman/Opponent  A skill*
225,001        9/9       Rogue/Foe           M skill*
325,001        10/10     Swashbuckler/       C skill*
                         Rogue/Villain
650,001        11/11     (same)              A skill*
975,001        12/12     (same)              M skill*
1,300,001                                    Mandatory retirement**

*The Swashbuckler may opt to remove one of his Weaknesses.
**He or she can either remain at 12th level indefinitely or switch
     to another class.  Most have an affinity for the fighter or
     thief classes.

Beginning at first level, a Swashbuckler gets:

Attacks and weapon proficiencies as a fighter
Jumping (front, back, sideways, and vertically) as Thief-Acrobat
Automatic first strike in combat, except when surprised or
     fighting another Swashbuckler/Rogue/Villain
Base movement at 12"
d4 + 3 Weaknesses
d4 + 2 Skills
Skill in one gaming or gambling scenario involving skill, not
     chance.  Examples:  chess, backgammon, poker, blackjack, etc.
     When playing the game, the Swashbuckler gets to make TWO
     rolls to determine the outcome and takes the most favorable
     one.  Furthermore, the Swashbuckler selects a new game
     every time (s)he gains a level.

                           Weaknesses

1.   SPENDTHRIFT--Every time the Swashbuckler accumulates more
     than 50 g.p. and is in a non-critical situation, (s)he
     must save vs. Wisdom on d20 or spend {(d6 +d4) X 10}% on
     one or more other Weaknesses.
2.   EGOTISM--This Weakness can take several forms:
          FOPPISHNESS--the Swashbuckler feels compelled to wear the
     latest, most expensive fashions and refuses to be seen in
     public otherwise.
          VANITY--Roll 4d10 + 60 to determine the Swashbuckler's
     vanity.  95-00 is megalomania.  He or she will be egotistical,
     conceited, and snobbish; (s)he may seek revenge for minor
     wrongs, irk local officials, brag too much, etc.  Morale
     checks for henchmen and associates will have the
     Swashbuckler's Vanity score subtracted from their roll!
          INTELLECTUAL PRIDE--(requires Intelligence of 12 or
     greater)--The Swashbuckler will place great stock in his/her
     mental prowess, wanting the party to follow his/her ideas,
     wanting to be the first person to figure out puzzles, riddles,
     etc.
          VAINGLORY--the Swashbuckler will continually be trying to
     perform brave (or foolhardy) feats in order to be immortalized
     in story and song.
The D.M. may opt to make these Weaknesses unremovable.
3.        WANDERING EYE--the Swashbuckler will hit on any member of
     the opposite sex with a comeliness score of 14 or above.  The
     target of this Weakness will save vs. Wisdom (SUBTRACTING the
     Mental Attack Adjustment) with the following modifiers:  -3 if
     married or engaged, -4 if lawful, -1 per level, -5 if under
     oath of celibacy, -10 if (s)he has been seduced and dumped by
     a Swashbuckler before; +4 if chaotic, +2 if elf, +1 if half-
     elf, +5 if cleric of Aphrodite or similar deity, +10 if the
     target is a Swashbuckler and the PC has a comeliness of 14 or
     better.  Please keep in mind that subtracting a negative
     yields a positive, so someone with a very low Wisdom and a
     Mental Attack Adjustment of -3 will actually roll a save at
     - -3 and ADD three to the base roll.  The Swashbuckler may
     continue attempts for (d4 X Swashbuckler's level) days before
     losing interest.
4.        GAMBLING--the Swashbuckler must make a save vs. Wisdom on
     d20 to resist an invitation to gamble (if (s)he rolls a 1,
     (s)he immediately invites others to gamble!).  Once begun, the
     Swashbuckler will continue the game until (s)he's broke or the
     other players quit.
5.        DRINKING--takes one of two forms (d%)
     01-70:    The Swashbuckler drinks to intoxication after
                    failing a save vs. Wisdom in non-critical
                    situations.  Roll once a day.
     71-00     The Swashbuckler collects and drinks the finest,
                    most expensive beverages (s)he can afford.
6.        FAMILY PROBLEMS--Swashbucklers are often second (or
     later) children of minor noble houses.  Roll d8:
     1-3       Disinherited
     4-6       Disowned and disinherited
       7       Disowned, disinherited, and in trouble with
                    parents' liege*
       8       Disowned, disinherited, in trouble with parents'
                    liege, PLUS d6 other nobles*
*The Swashbuckler will not return to his/her homeland until (s)he
has removed at least one Weakness and/or has the means to make
amends.
7.        OUTSTANDING DEBT--Although the creditors now know that
     the Swashbuckler is a poor credit risk, (s)he will start at
     first level with a debt of (d% X 100) gold pieces.  This is
     the ONLY Weakness that can be removed prior to reaching 8th
     level.  The Swashbuckler may well have to deal with collectors
     ("There's an ogre magi here to see you!"), grovel for more
     time, etc.  Roll for the alignment of the creditor(s):
          d6:  1-2 lawful, 3-4 neutral, 5-6 chaotic
          d6:  1-2 good, 3-4 neutral, 5-6 evil
8.        SECRET--The Swashbuckler has something in his/her past
     that (s)he's ashamed of.  Secrets 6 and 10 do not apply to
     elves or half-elves.  Roll d10:
          1    Used to be another chaotic alignment
          2    Sired (or had) a baby and abandoned it
          3    Robbed a store; frittered away the money
          4    Stole from one or both parents to
                    support Weaknesses
          5    Killed someone**
          6    Had an affair with a noble's spouse
          7    Destroyed a powerful person's valuable property**
          8    Briefly belonged to politically suspect organization
          9    Got drunk and did something SO humiliating that
                    it can't even be mentioned here!
          10   Family background--roll d8:  1-3 peasant background
     d4 generations back; 4 orc blood d4 generations back; 5
     Swashbuckler born d6 months after parents wed; 6 Swashbuckler
     was the product of mother's affair; 7-8 parents or sibling(s)
     are what the Swashbuckler would consider a disgraceful
     alignment, profession, religion, or status.
**If the Swashbuckler is Good alignment, there is a 90% chance that
it was accidentally.
Secrets cannot be removed.  The player can customize them with the
D.M.'s approval.
9.        A PHOBIA or OBSESSION--these will be assigned by the
     Dungeon Master.  An obsession is often the only stable element
     in an otherwise chaotic life.  These Weaknesses also cannot be
     removed except under extraordinary circumstances.

A Swashbuckler can take a MAXIMUM of two Secrets and/or one Debt as
Weaknesses.

     A Swashbuckler starts out with d4 + 2 skills.  The first three
must be Aristocratic, the next either combat or miscellaneous, any
other miscellaneous only.  Every time the Swashbuckler increases a
level, (s)he gains another skill--however, the skills acquired must
alternate between "aristocratic" and other types.

                       Aristocratic skills
1.        HERALDRY--The Swashbuckler can identify shields and
     devices.  If the shield/device is not from his/her homeland,
     the Swashbuckler has a 10% chance per month (s)he's stayed in
     the region to identify it.
2.        RIDING
3.        HUNTING--This basically entails going into the forest
     with dogs, with servants to handle the animals, clean the
     kill, etc.  This in no way confers Ranger-like abilities!
4.        FALCONRY--Hunting, as above, with raptors instead of dogs
5.        POETRY
6.        MUSIC--the Swashbuckler can play one instrument at 10%
     skill per level.  This skill can be taken more than once.
7.        DANCING--courtly dancing
8.        ETIQUETTE--courtly etiquette
9.        SINGING--as Music, but success rate is 15%/level.
10.       COMBAT RIDING--requires Riding as a prerequisite.  The
     Swashbuckler will not need to save vs. Dexterity when slashing
     an opponent from a moving horse.
11.       FLIRTING--allows the Swashbuckler to guess whether
     someone will be responsive to his/her attentions.
12.       COURTLY LOVE/COURTSHIP:
     For male Swashbucklers:
               Adds 1 to target's saving throw for every skill the
               Swashbuckler has in Music, Poetry, and Singing.
               Each type of skill will only count for one point,
               even if the Swashbuckler has taken multiple skills
               in Music.  The Swashbuckler will need to spend d4
               turns composing an original song for his beloved.
     For female Swashbucklers:
               Adds 1 to target's saving throw for each of the
               Swashbuckler's skills in Dancing, Flirting, and
               Etiquette.
13.       EPICURISM--Swashbuckler can identify fine food and wine.
14.       LITERACY--can read and write Common.
15.       LANGUAGES--If the Swashbuckler has Literacy, (s)he can
     learn to speak and read other languages.  This skill can be
     taken as many times as Intelligence permits.
16.       ARISTOCRATIC LORE--The Swashbuckler has a 7% chance per
     level for Legend Lore about his/her homeland, 3% for
     territories near the homeland, and 1% for distant lands.

                      Miscellaneous skills

A Swashbuckler's miscellaneous skills won't be very time-consuming
or difficult to learn (no magic or smithing, for example).
Swashbucklers won't take skills that they consider beneath their
dignity--for example, cooking or sewing ("The SERVANTS do that!").
A Swashbuckler's skills must be primarily urban. Within these
limits, Miscellaneous skills can encompass just about every
category in the campaign.  Criminal skills (thief skills, disguise,
con artistry, bribery, lying, and smuggling) are lumped under
Miscellaneous.  The only thief skills allowed are:  Pick
Pockets/filching, Find (but not Remove) Traps, Move Silently, Hear
Noise, and Climb Walls.  A Swashbuckler can take one thief/criminal
skill, a Rogue two, and a Villain three.

                          Combat Skills
1.        FENCING--gives another +1 with a specific type of light
     sword (or other weapon).  This skill can be taken more than
     once, but the cumulative pluses on a weapon due to FENCING
     may not exceed +3.  The Swashbuckler may, of course, opt to
     take this skill on more than one weapon.
2.        BUCKLER--lowers armor class another 2 places due to skill
     and dexterity when using a buckler.  This does not apply to
     non-frontal or area attacks.  The D.M. may allow this skill to
     be taken more than once.
3.        FLORENTINE FIGHTING--allows the Swashbuckler to fight
     with a sword (or dagger) in each hand with no penalty.  Damage
     will be normal.
4.        EVASION--Once a turn, a Swashbuckler can make a saving
     throw vs. dexterity to see if (s)he dodges an opponent's blow.
     This ability cannot be used if the Swashbuckler is blocked in,
     surprised, or trying to evade an area-effect missile or magic.
     The D.M. may want to limit this ability to x times per game,
     x times per level, or even x times per lifetime.

Eventually the Swashbuckler will attract the attention of a Villain
of equivalent level.  The Swashbuckler and the Villain will share
at least one Weakness (usually an egotism weakness), and a rivalry
will ensue.  The Villain may not always seek the Swashbuckler's
death--sometimes a public or private humiliation will do.  When a
Swashbuckler and a Villain clash in combat, the loser will lose a
level if (s)he survives.

Fights between Swashbucklers and Villains are invariably hand-to-
hand; after all, the object is to prove oneself the better fighter!
The Villain, however, will probably resort to nefarious means to
lure the Swashbuckler into the confrontation in the first place--
kidnapping his/her fiance, threatening innocent bystanders, putting
posters up all over town publicly challenging the Swashbuckler,
etc.  Characters and enemies with Weakness--Egotism--Intellectual
Pride will place more emphasis on outwitting their enemies (and
gloating if they can get away with it)!

Henchmen:  Swashbucklers do not attract henchmen in the usual
manner. Upon reaching 8th level (and every level thereafter), (s)he
has a 1 in 4 chance to attract either a temporary (75%) or
permanent (25%) sidekick.  Temporary sidekicks will only remain
with the Swashbuckler until (s)he gains a level; permanent
sidekicks are fanatically loyal, will stick around indefinitely,
and will prevent the Swashbuckler from gaining another sidekick of
any type for as long as the sidekick lives.  The sidekicks will be
the same general alignment (good/neutral/evil) as the Swashbuckler.
A sidekick will always be someone the Swashbuckler secretly
considers "inferior" to him or herself--a Villain with Intellectual
Pride, for instance, may accept a big, dumb ogre as a sidekick; a
foppish or vainglorious Swashbuckler prefers someone who won't
outshine him or her.  Permanent sidekicks are never Swashbucklers,
but several adventuring Swashbucklers can work together if their
Weaknesses (and alignments) are compatible.  (The D.M. will
determine Weakness compatibility--a bunch of Swashbucklers may well
enjoy drinking and gambling together, but get on each other's
nerves if they're continually choosing the same person to flirt
with, trying to outdo each other in glory-seeking, bragging at each
other's expense, etc.).

Here's an example of how skills and Weaknesses work--Indiana Jones
as a 10th-level Swashbuckler:
S:   13
I:   17
C:   20*
Ch:  15
W:   19*
D:   17

*raised by artifact above rolled stats.

Skills (assuming maximum roll on initial skills):

ARISTOCRATIC             COMBAT              MISCELLANEOUS
Literacy                 Fencing--whip       Basic Archaeology
Riding                   Fencing--whip       Advanced Archaeology
Language (pick one)      Fencing--whip       Legend Lore (Religion)
Language (pick one)      Florentine fighting Ciphering
Language (pick one)      Evasion             Find Traps
Language (pick one)

Weaknesses:
Family problems--disinherited by father (removed)
Secret--real name
Secret--knows the location of the Holy Grail
Intellectual pride (cannot be removed)
Obsession--recovering ancient religious artifacts
Phobia--snakes
Wandering eye (removed)

     This character class also allows enough flexibility that you
could play a Sherlock Holmes-type character instead:  Aristocratic
skills would include Literacy, Music, Custom--Law, and Etiquette;
Combat skills fencing (x 3) and Custom--Boxing; General skills
Disguise, Observation, Crime Lore, and Psychology; and Weaknesses
Intellectual Pride (x 3), Obsession--solving crimes, and an
opposing Villain.  If anyone wants to write up Inigo Montoya or
Edmund Blackadder, be my guest!

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Possible restrictions on elves and half-elves:  the D.M. should
enforce some restrictions if in his/her opinion the character would
be too powerful otherwise.

Some suggested restrictions are:

A.   Limit elves and half elves to one level per 3 points of
Dexterity, OR use the next set of restrictions:

B.   Elves retain their racial bonus of +1 "to hit" with swords,
but their cumulative bonuses from FENCING cannot exceed +2 per
weapon.

c.   They do not have any special skills at first level; at most,
the D.M. may permit one Aristocratic skill.  They gain another
Aristocratic skill upon reaching 2nd level, then proceed in normal
C-M-A-C-M fashion.

D.   If they take a Language as an Aristocratic skill, they lose
one racial language (they'll always know Elvish, though).

E.  At the D.M.'s option, elves (and maybe half-elves) can be
assigned 1-2 extra Weaknesses.

 * Origin: Join RPGNet today!  Freq "RPG" for info! (1:3605/422)