The Twin Blade (3.5 Base Class, PEACH)

[NeoSeraphi]

The Twin Blade

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A twin blade is a ferocious melee warrior who models herself after the tiger. She is able to cut her opponents to ribbons with ease, and dual wields her swords as if they were claws.

Abilities: Unlike most Two-Weapon Fighting based classes, the twin blade is a Strength-based class. Due to the twin blade's class features, she does not need a high Dexterity score to qualify for her fighting style, so her best interests lies in maximizing her damage with a high Strength score. Constitution and Dexterity are also important.

Alignment: Any

Hit Dice: d10

Class Skills: The twin blade's class skills are Appraise, Balance, Climb, Craft, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Listen, Martial Lore, Move Silently, Perform (Weapon Drill), Profession, Spot, Swim, and Tumble

Skill Points: 4+Int modifier, x4 at 1st level

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Twin Blade Training

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Matching Pair, Gale Blade

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Twin Weapon Focus

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Ferocious Strike

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Flurry of Swords +1, Swords Dance

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+2|Twin Blade Expertise

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+2|Twin Weapon Specialization

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+2|Greater Twin Weapon Focus

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+3|Flurry of Swords +2

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+3|Beast Awakening

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+3|Twin Blade Mastery

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+4|Greater Twin Weapon Specialization

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+4|Sparrow Counter

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+4|Whirlwind

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+5|Tri-Strike

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+5|Twin Blade Perfection

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Tiger Frenzy

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Bloody Twin Weapon Fighting

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6|Two Swords as One

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Twin Weapon Reaver

[/table]

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A twin blade is proficient with all melee slashing weapons (including all exotic melee slashing weapons). She is not proficient with any other kind of weapon. A twin blade may not wield a katana as a one-handed weapon unless she has 13 or higher Strength. If a melee weapon deals both slashing damage and another type of damage, such as a dagger, the twin blade still gains proficiency with it. The twin blade is proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Twin Blade Training (Ex): A twin blade is a master of fighting with two weapons. She gains the Two-Weapon Fighting feat as a bonus feat, even if she does not qualify for it.

Matching Pair (Ex): A twin blade, as the name suggests, greatly prefers fighting with two of the same kind of weapon. At 2nd level, she gains the ability to wield a one-handed slashing weapon in her off-hand as if it were a light weapon, taking no additional penalties on her attack rolls for doing so, but only if it is the same type of weapon as the one in her main hand. (So, Matching Pair would allow a twin blade to wield two longswords with no penalty, but if she was wielding a longsword in her main hand, she could not wield a scimitar in her off-hand, as it does not match her main-hand weapon)

Gale Blade (Ex): As a full-round action, a twin blade may make two attacks at her highest attack bonus, one with each weapon. If both attacks hit, the twin blade may expend a swift action to swing her blades and cut through the air, creating a sonic barrier between her and her opponent. She gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC against all attacks made by that creature for one round, as well as the benefits of the entropic shield spell as an extraordinary ability (The entropic shield ability applies against all ranged attacks, not just the ones from the creature the twin blade struck)

Twin Weapon Focus (Ex): A twin blade is a master of slicing and dicing with a pair of weapons she has studied, whatever they may be. Starting at 3rd level, a twin blade receives a +2 bonus to all melee attack rolls she makes with her weapons, as long as she is wielding two of the same type of melee slashing weapon. (This bonus stacks with the bonus from the Weapon Focus feat)

Ferocious Strike (Ex): A twin blade is not a swift and sneaky character like a rogue or a nimble skirmisher like a scout. She fights with pure, unmatched strength. Starting at 4th level, a twin blade adds her full Strength modifier to all melee damage rolls with her off-hand weapon.

Flurry of Swords (Ex): A twin blade wields her swords like a monk wields his fists. At 5th level, the penalty to a twin blade's melee attack rolls from the Two-Weapon Fighting feat is reduced by 1. It is reduced again at level 9. (So, for a one-handed/light combination, or a one-hand/one-hand combination with Matching Pair, a level 9 twin blade takes no penalty to her attack rolls)

Swords Dance (Ex): As a swift action, a level 5 twin blade may make a Perform (Weapon Drill) check, DC 20. If she succeeds, she inspires her allies with her skills, much like a bard can inspire courage. All allies within 60 feet of the twin blade who could see and hear her performance receive a +2 morale bonus on their attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by +2 for each 5 levels the twin blade has, to a maximum of +8 at 20th level. The bonus lasts until the beginning of the twin blade's next turn and it does not apply to the twin blade herself.

The twin blade may only make a Swords Dance attempt once every other turn. Whether she succeeds or fails, she must wait a full round before she attempts it again.

Twin Blade Expertise (Ex): At level 6, a twin blade receives the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat as a bonus feat. She need not meet the prerequisites.

Twin Weapon Specialization (Ex): At level 7, a twin blade receives a +4 bonus to all melee damage rolls when she is wielding a matching pair of melee slashing weapons. This bonus stacks with the bonus from Weapon Specialization.

Greater Twin Weapon Focus (Ex): At level 8, a twin blade's bonus from Twin Weapon Focus increases to +4.

Beast Awakening (Ex): A twin blade has access to a special kind of attack that allows her to unleash her fury, similarly to a barbarian's rage. A twin blade may only use this ability once per day per four class levels (2 at level 10 when this ability is gained, up to 5 per day at level 20)

A twin blade activates her Beast Awakening ability as a free action, but only on her turn. She gains a +4 bonus to her Strength score, as well as a +30' untyped bonus to her land speed, a +1 morale bonus to AC and Reflex saves, and the ability to make an extra attack as part of her full attack action with both weapons, each at her highest attack bonus. (This extra attack ability stacks with all other such abilities, even those based on the haste spell)

A twin blade gains a special attack while in her Beast Awakening called the Chaotic Strike. Using Chaotic Strike consumes a swift action. When the twin blade uses Chaotic Strike, her swords grow an aura of deadly force that increases her natural reach with them by 15 feet. The blades also deal force damage, ignoring all forms of damage reduction and the miss chance of incorporeal creatures. (the weapons are still treated as slashing weapons for the purpose of satisfying all the twin blade's class features)

Chaotic Strike lasts for one round, but the twin blade may use it again on her next turn if she so wishes by consuming another swift action. She has no limit on the number of times per awakening she uses Chaotic Strike, however, activating it is very tiring, and deals 1 point of Constitution damage to the twin blade. (If the twin blade is immune to Constitution damage, she may not use Chaotic Strike)

A twin blade may only use her Beast Awakening once per encounter. A Beast Awakening lasts for one minute, after which the twin blade is fatigued for one hour. A twin blade may not enter Beast Awakening while fatigued or exhausted.

Twin Blade Mastery (Ex): At level 11, a twin blade receives Greater Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. She need not meet the prerequisites.

Greater Twin Blade Specialization (Ex): At level 12, the bonus to the twin blade's weapon damage rolls from Twin Blade Specialization increases to +8.

Sparrow Counter (Ex): At level 13, a twin blade gains the ability to attack a flying creature that is either directly above her or directly above a square that she threatens. As a full-round action, the twin blade makes a Jump check (DC = target's AC). If she succeeds, she leaps into the air, makes a single attack with each of her weapons at her highest attack bonus, and then lands gracefully. If she hit the flying creature and it has a natural fly speed (ie, its flight is not magical), it must make a Reflex save (DC 10+total damage dealt) or fall, taking falling damage and falling prone in the square directly below it.

Regardless of whether the twin blade's Jump check is higher than the target's AC, the twin blade cannot jump higher than 50 feet per 10 points of his Jump check (rounded down). So even if the twin blade's Jump check was 25 against the roc's AC of 17, if the roc is higher than 100 ft in the air, the twin blade cannot reach it.

If the twin blade fails her Jump check, she simply loses her full-round action and accomplishes nothing.

Whirlwind (Ex): As a standard action, a level 14 twin blade may make a single melee attack at her highest attack bonus against every creature she threatens. Alternatively, as a full-round action, a level 14 twin blade may attack each creature she threatens twice (once with each weapon she wields) at her highest attack bonus.

Tri-Strike (Ex): A twin blade is a ferocious monster to behold. As a standard action, a level 15 twin blade may make three attacks, one with her main hand, one with her off hand, and one with her main hand. Her second attack takes a -5 penalty, and her third attack takes a -10 penalty.

Twin Blade Perfection (Ex): A 16th level twin blade gains the Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting feat as a bonus feat. She need not meet the prerequisites, including the prerequisite that she must be an epic-level character.

Tiger Frenzy (Ex): When a 17th level twin blade enters her beast awakening, she receives a +8 bonus to her Strength score, and a +2 morale bonus to her AC and Reflex saving throws for the duration of her beast awakening. These bonuses overlap the bonuses from Beast Awakening, they do not stack with them.

Bloody Twin Weapon Fighting (Ex): A level 18 twin blade adds 1 1/2 times her Strength modifier to melee damage rolls (instead of 1/2 her Strength modifier) with both her main and off hand weapons, as long as they are matching slashing weapons. This bonus supercedes the bonus from Ferocious Strike.

Two Swords as One (Ex): Suck it CW Samurai. Whenever a level 19 twin blade confirms a critical hit with a slashing weapon she wields, she cuts her victim's head clean off, as if her weapon had the vorpal weapon enhancement and she had rolled a natural 20. (This ability functions based on the weapon's actual critical threat range, instead of a natural 20)

Twin Weapon Reaver (Ex): A 20th level twin blade shows no mercy to her enemies. She cuts them without remorse, and carves a new path in the world beyond.

A level 20 twin blade gains a point of Base Attack Bonus from this class feature as well as her level, making her total BAB if she has no other classes +21/+16/+11/+6/+1. Her Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting feat adjusts itself accordingly.

Additionally, any set of matching melee slashing weapons she wields have their critical threat range double and their critical multiplier improve by one step. These bonuses stack with all other such bonuses, including the keen weapon enhancement or the Improved Critical feat.

However, her weapons use their original threat ranges (modified by the keen enhancement or a related ability if applicable) for her Two Swords as One ability. (For example, a twin blade dual-wielding longswords would threaten a critical on a 17-20 and deal x3 damage, but she would only slice her victim's head off on a natural 19-20)



Alternate Class Feature: Tiger Striker
A twin blade who follows the true path of the hunter takes on aspects that make her less of an accurate, ferocious warrior and more of a destructive, leaping beast.

A Tiger Striker twin blade gains martial maneuver progression like a swordsage. She may select disciplines and stances from the Iron Heart, Tiger Claw, Stone Dragon, and Setting Sun disciplines. A twin blade may expend a full-round action, concentrating and channeling her energy to recover all of her expended maneuvers.

This alternate class feature replaces the twin blades Twin Weapon Focus, Twin Weapon Specialization, Beast Awakening, Greater Twin Weapon Focus, Greater Twin Weapon Specialization, Tri-Strike, Tiger Frenzy, and Twin Weapon Reaver class features.