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Harkone
2007-02-22, 12:43 PM
I've had some requests for this one, so here it is. Like most of the prestige classes I cobble together and have posted, this one is for the worshippers of a particular Forgotten Realms deity, and its powers reflect that deity's portfolio. I'm still not quite sure if it's powerful enough (or too powerfull), so as always I welcome comments and opinions.

SWORD DANCER OF EILISTRAEE

Eilistraee the Dark Maiden encourages drow to return to the surface world and reestablish themselves as rightful, nonevil inhabitants of the Night Above. Although they need not be drow themselves, Sword Dancers are expected to lead that migration and work to promote harmony between drow and surface-dwelling races. They nurture beauty, music, song, and the craft of making musical instruments. They assist hunters and help others in acts of kindness whenever they see ways to do so.

Most Sword Dancers are some combination of cleric, bard, fighter, ranger, duskblade, rogue, or sorcerer. They usually dwell together in small groups in places where other elves might dwell. Most frequent woodland glades where they gather to dance, sing, and engage in swordplay under the light of the moon.

Requirements:
Race: Elf or Half-Elf (any subtype)

Gender: Female

Religion: Eilistraee

Alignment: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, or Chaotic Neutral

Base Attack Bonus: +5

Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Weapon Focus: any sword

Skills: Craft: Weaponsmithing 5 ranks, Craft Musical Instrument 2 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks, Perform (Dance) 5 ranks, Perform (Sing) 2 ranks, Survival 2 ranks

Spells: ability to cast 2nd-level arcane or divine spells

Languages: Elven and Undercommon

Special: The character must have seen the sun rise at least once and spent at least one continuous month living on the surface (without entering the Underdark), dancing each night under the light of the moon.

HD: d8 Base Attack Bonus: +3/4 Favored Saving Throws: Reflex and Will

Class Skills (4+INT): Balance, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Hide, Knowledge: History, Knowledge: Geography, Knowledge: Local, Knowledge: Nature, Knowledge: Planes, Knowledge: Religion, Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Tumble

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Gains no new weapon or armor proficiency; ALL special abilities function ONLY when wearing NO armor

Class Abilities:

1st: Maiden’s Sight
Moonlights
Sword Song
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

2nd: Dancing Feint
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

3rd: Bonus Feat: Mobility
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

4th: Sword Dance
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

5th: Maiden’s Sword
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

6th: Bonus Feat: Spring Attack
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

7th: Combat Dancing
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

8th: Sword Shield
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

9th: Bonus Feat: Whirlwind Attack
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class

10th: Maiden’s Swiftness
+1 level of existing arcane OR divine spellcasting class


Maiden’s Sight: All Sword Dancers who have Darkvision gain Low-Light Vision; all Sword Dancers who have Low-Light Vision gain 60’ Darkvision.

Moonlights: At will and as a free action, the Sword Maiden can create small lights equal to those produced by the dancing lights spell (caster level = character’s total level). These lights are under the complete control of the Sword Dancer.

Sword Song: The Sword Dancer can attune herself to a particular sword (magical or not), a process that takes 10 days. During this time she must be wearing or holding the sword for at least 8 hours each day, and if interrupted she must start again. She may be attuned in this fashion to only one sword at a time. Beginning the process of attuning another sword negates the ability of the currently attuned sword. Once attuned to this sword, whenever she wields it the sword sings heroic songs, granting the Sword Dancer a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls and a +4 morale bonus against all mind-affecting spells and affects. This ability is a sonic, mind-affecting affect, and can negated on command if the Sword Dancer so desires.. If this ability is applied to a dancing sword, the dancing sword gains the attack and damage bonuses, but the Sword Dancer still gets the saving throw bonus.

Dancing Feint: Starting at 2nd level, the Sword Dancer can use her Perform (Dance) skill to feint in combat as if it were the Bluff skill.

Sword Dance: At 4th level the Sword Dancer’s attuned sword can be used as a dancing sword up to a number of rounds per day equal to her Sword Dancer level plus her CHA modifier (minimum one round/day).

Maiden’s Sword: At 5th level, the Sword Dancer gains the ability to magically enhance her attuned sword, as if she had the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. Her caster level is equal to the caster level of her highest spellcasting class.

Combat Dancing: At 7th level, the Sword Dancer gains a +2 dodge bonus against attacks of opportunity. Her attuned sword gains a +2 bonus on all attack rolls while dancing. If she uses Spring Attack, she gains an additional +2 circumstance bonus on the attack roll made as part of the maneuver.

Sword Shield: At 8th level as a free action the Sword Dancer may command her attuned dancing sword to fight in a defensive manner, taking a penalty of up to -5 on the dancing sword’s attack in order to add the same number (up to +5) to her AC as an armor bonus. The changes to the dancing sword’s attack rolls and her AC last until her next action.

Maiden’s Swiftness: At 10th level the Sword Dancer gains a permanent +10’ bonus to her land speed.

Kesnit
2007-02-22, 01:43 PM
Maiden’s Sword: At 5th level, the Sword Dancer gains the ability to magically enhance her attuned sword, as if she had the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. Her caster level is equal to the caster level of her highest spellcasting class.


I don't know anything about balancing classes, so I can't speak to that. Just one question...

For Maiden's Sword, does her Sword Dancer level stack with her base caster level. (i.e. A Bard 9/SD 5 has a caster level of 9 or 14?)

Harkone
2007-02-22, 02:44 PM
Yes, her Sword Dancer level stacks with whatever previous caster level she has (or her highest caster level, if she has multiple spellcasting classes [like bard and claric, for example]). Since her spellcasting abilities improve with each Sword Dancer level, these levels stack on a one-for-one basis with her previous spellcasting class caster level.

So Bard 9/Sword Dancer 5 would have an arcane caster level of 14, and would cast spells as a 14th level bard, and could magically work on her attuned sword as a 14th level caster.

Rierdrex
2007-02-23, 08:32 AM
Yippee! A sword dancer worth playing! I've played with followers of Eilistraee before, and the old prestige class never struck me as particularly interesting. I don't think the class is overpowered, basically because you can't use its special abilities while wearing armor. Also, the skill requirements are pretty hefty, making this class very hard to get for full spellcasting classes (wizard, cleric). The simplest way to become a sword dancer is with bard, but I believe that monk/clerics would have a certain ease at getting in if they could. I think its nice work and a flavorful prestige class for the Realms.

Harkone
2007-02-23, 12:33 PM
Thanks; I also thought the original version of the Sword Dancer was very under-powered, so I hope this version proves to be playable.