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Swashbuckler

Realm of Strife™ > Characters  > Class Codex > Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler Class Codex Trimmed

Honor is not the sole domain of ironclad Knights and pious Paladins, nor do all who cling to its virtues find themselves among the law abiding. There is Honor among thieves, and even scoundrels sometimes hold themselves to a Code. Swashbucklers view Honor as a personal matter, derived from ideals of heroism and poetic justice, not dictated by wealthy nobles or Lords for their own self-serving benefit. While most would see stealth as a dishonorable tactic, the Swashbuckler uses it to their advantage, outmaneuvering and confounding their foes as they seek to tip the balance back into the favor of the downtrodden and the underdog.

Many Swashbucklers come from backgrounds of ill-repute and as such are often viewed as outlaws and villains. However, this is only a matter of perspective as a Swashbuckler believes that every person has their own path to redemption. While not afraid to bend or break the rules, Swashbucklers can also be exceptionally loyal to the Kings and Lords of the land they regard as just and true. Ultimately they are guided by their own strict sense of right and wrong.

A defining feature of most Swashbucklers is an uncanny confidence in their own abilities, said to be peerless experts when it comes to bragging or spinning a tale. They are also known far and wide for their puffed up bravado and extravagant styles. Swashbucklers are most comfortable with a quick blade in their hand and live for the thrill of a good duel. They also know the value of keeping a foe at a distance and often employ whips or other ranged weapons to frustrate their foes into making brash decisions.

Class Overview


Typical Roles: Support/Utility, Stealth, Melee Damage, Ranged Damage
Damage Types: Physical
Class Mechanic: Honor and Stealth

Available Races Initial Gold
Anakim 259.0
Dwarf 323.8
Gnome 259.0
Half-elf 212.8
Half-orc 175.8
Halfling 249.8
High Elf 296.0
Human 277.5
Kayden 194.3
Wild Elf 203.5

Default Stats: During Character Creation you may choose to use the default stat line shown below, before racial modifiers. This can be instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results.

Default Stat Swashbuckler
STRENGTH 11
AGILITY 12
STAMINA 9
INTELLECT 10
WISDOM 9
AVOIDANCE 12
PERCEPTION 10
RESOLVE 10
INITIATIVE 11
CHARM 11

During Character Creation you may choose to use the Default Stat Line, before racial modifiers, instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results

Proficiencies

Natural Armor Proficiency: Cloth, Leather
Trainable Armor Proficiency: None
Natural Weapon Proficiency: Knives, Swords, Whips
Trainable Weapon Proficiency: Bludgeons, Axes, Bows, Crossbows, Firearms

See Equipment section for details. When using a weapon that your class is not proficient with, see Combat Penalties. There is no level or title prerequisite to train in a new proficiency, however you must receive the appropriate Training.

Class Skills


Class Passive Skill: Teller of Tales
Class Secondary Skill: PerformerSailor, or Haggler (choose one)

Primary Skills

Honor

A Swashbuckler has a strong sense of justice, though this is often their own interpretation of what justice should be, colored by a hard life on the streets or some other traumatic experience. Seeking justice, in guise of vengeance, is a matter of deep personal honor. Whether dueling an opponent or sneaking about to assert dominance on the battlefield, a Swashbuckler uses Honor skills to peerless affect, in the form of Oaths, Virtues, and Codes.

No training is required for Oaths and Virtues, as these are a function of the Swashbuckler’s personal and imposed sense of honor. However Code training is typically facilitated by other like minded individuals, with veteran Swashbuckler’s acting as Mentor and trainer for one of the following Codes of the Swashbuckler:

  • Scoundrel’s Code (Default first Code) 
  • Eye for an Eye
  • Above the Law
  • Judicial Combat (in development)
  • Honor Among Thieves (in development)

Swashbucklers cannot learn a previously unknown Code or Code Skill (i.e. putting the first code point into Distracting Strike) unless they are taught/instructed by a Mentor (aka Code Trainer) that knows the corresponding skill. If assigning additional code points to an already known code skill, then no trainer is required and the point can be assigned immediately (i.e. increasing the number of code points in Distracting Strike from 1 to 2). This represents an Swashbuckler honing their skills rather than actually learning a new skill.

See Learning New Honor Codes and Code Abilities for details.

Stealth

Swashbucklers use stealth as an effective tool to not only draw close to their unsuspecting foes but also to even the odds when facing a larger or superior force. Swashbucklers follow the standard rules for Stealth classes and Learning New Stealth Skills.

Stealth Costs for Berserkers are as follows:

  • All offensive or aggressive Stealth actions reduce Stealth by 2 prior to taking a Stealth Test
  • All offensive or aggressive Stealth instants reduce Stealth by 1 prior to taking a Stealth Test
  • Increase the Stealth cost by 1 if the offensive or aggressive instant or action is NOT a Stealth skill (i.e. a regular attack action)
  • If an action includes both a main hand and off hand portion, only reduce stealth once for the entire action
  • All regular movement reduces Stealth by 1 per tabletop inch moved prior to taking a Stealth Test
  • Defensive, support, or non-aggressive instants and actions do not carry a stealth cost (i.e. drinking a potion, healing or casting a boon on ally, etc…)

Swashbucklers have the following restrictions for Stealth Disciplines:

  • Primary Discipline: Dirty Fighting
  • Available Disciplines: Thievery, Sabotage, Suppression, Subterfuge
  • Forbidden Disciplines: Survival, Assassination

Upon character creation, Swashbucklers automatically gain the following Stealth skills (prior to applying level ups):

  • Low-blow (Rank I)
  • Dirt-in-the-Eye (Rank I)

To learn new stealth skills require training unless they are upgrades (i.e. Rank1 Low-Blow -> Rank2 Low-blow). Stealth training for a Swashbucklers is typically accomplished by paying an Expertise trainer or learning from a more experienced Stealth class.

Level Ups


Swashbucklers use the following chart for levelling up:

HP Dice (Regular): Small Race (1d8), Medium Race (1d10), Large Race (1d12)

Note: Re-calculate Base Stealth each level

Specializations


Specializations are recommended for advanced players only, and are accomplished through the Secondary Skill system (see Specialist Skills). Swashbucklers may choose to specialize their skills in up to one weapon use, one combat styles and/or one stealth discipline, but can not have more than two specializations in total.

  • Max one Weapon Specialist skill (choose from: Knives, Swords, Whips, Bludgeons, Axes, Bows, Crossbows)
  • Max one Combat Specialist skill (choose from: Sword and Board, Freehand, Great Weapon, Paired Weapon, Freestyle, Sharp Shooter, Skirmisher, Peltast, Mounted)
  • Max one Stealth Specialist skill (choose from: Thievery, Sabotage, Dirty Fighting, Avoidance, Subterfuge)

Title System


Swashbucklers are best known for the wild and typically over exaggerated tales of their deeds. As the rumors and stories grow so do does their renown and the titles by which they become known. Swashbucklers live for the duel, always keen to prove that they are the best of the best.

The titles awarded by a Swashbuckler’s Renown are as follows:

Common Builds


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Additional Lore


coming soon…

Notable Characters


Ambassador Lolinder of Eleutheria

Wild elf swashbuckler, hero of the War for the Tindermoot, friend of the Great Eagles of Belsath Canyon, trainer of animals, and proud owner of the infamous bejewelled codpiece

And with that the armies of the Void surged forward, like a tidal wave of the blackest ocean set to crash upon the shoreline of a land unable to stand against it, but standing none the less. Hope, light, life; this would be their final resting place, consumed by the Maw of the Void.

From the debris strewn street on the opposite side of the square, where the Archons holy relic lay surrounded by the bodies of its slain defenders, there arose a sudden commotion.

“The day is not lost! Archon reinforcements have almost arrived to activate the Casket of Reformation. Ready yourselves and prepare to charge!” Lolinder’s voice called out, clear and loud across the battlefield,

“FOR HEROES GUILD!”

-excerpt from The Maw of the Void

Demo Character


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