[3.5] The Daggerspell Sage, a different kind of Daggerspell Guardian (PrC, ToB)

[ErrantX]

Daggerspell Sage

Blaize Gibbet, a daggerspell sage

The Daggerspell Guardians have a long standing tradition of mixing magic and dagger fighting to form a deadly blend of both art and combat. Until recent years, they only accepted initiates who knew arcane magic or druidic magic, but they have become more open to new members as the growing need for their talents increased. Some members have had a small mastery of the Sublime Way, but due to the nature of their business focused primarily on their magic arts to see them through difficult times. Recently, however, a cabal of martial adepts have found their way into their camp to bring their skills at the Sublime Way into play, while learning a smattering of magic in return. The result, the Daggerspell Sages, have proven to be invaluable allies in their struggles.

Most daggerspell sages begin their careers as swordsages before multiclassing into the rogue class. Some learn the arts of the spellthief as well. Rarely does a member of another Sublime discipline find their way, but warblades more regularly then crusaders can find their place amongst the Daggerspell Guardians.
Hit Die: d8

Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Skills: Concentration 4 ranks, Jump 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks.
Feats: Iron Will, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting.
Maneuvers: Ability to use 2nd level maneuvers, including at least one strike and one stance.
Special: Sneak Attack +1d6

Daggerspell Sage
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0|1|2|3|4

1st|

+1

|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|Dagger aptitude, drive it deep|2|2|||

2nd|

+2

|

+0

|

+3

|

+0

|Sneak attack +1d6|3|2|1||

3rd|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|Daggerspell defense +1|3|3|2||

4th|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Sneak attack +2d6|3|3|2|1|

5th|

+5

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Drive it deeper|4|3|3|2|

6th|

+6

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|Daggerspell defense +2, sneak attack +3d6|4|4|3|2|1

7th|

+7

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|Strike of Arcane Prowess|4|4|3|3|2

8th|

+8

|

+2

|

+6

|

+2

|Sneak attack +4d6|5|4|4|3|2

9th|

+9

|

+3

|

+6

|

+3

|Daggerspell defense +3|5|5|4|3|3

10th|

+10

|

+3

|

+7

|

+3

|Daggerspell War God's stance, sneak attack +5d6|5|5|4|4|3[/table]

Maneuvers and Spells Known
{table=head]Level|Known|Readied|Stances|0|1|2|3|4

1st|

0

|

0

|

0

|2|1|||

2nd|

1

|

0

|

0

|2|2|1||

3rd|

0

|

1

|

1

|3|2|2||

4th|

1

|

0

|

0

|3|2|2|1|

5th|

0

|

0

|

0

|3|3|2|2|

6th|

1

|

1

|

0

|4|3|3|2|1

7th|

0

|

0

|

0

|4|3|3|2|2

8th|

1

|

0

|

1

|4|4|3|3|2

9th|

0

|

1

|

0

|5|4|4|3|2

10th|

1

|

0

|

0

|5|4|4|3|3[/table]

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor proficiencies: Daggerspell sages gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Maneuvers: At every odd level, a daggerspell sage gains new maneuvers known from the Desert Wind, Shadow Hand, or Tiger Claw disciplines. You must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it. You add your full daggerspell sage levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest-level maneuvers known.

At levels 3rd, 6th and 9th levels, you gain an additional maneuver readied per day.

Stances Known: At 3rd level you learn a new martial stance from the Desert Wind, Shadow Hand, or Tiger Claw Disciplines. You must meet the stances prerequisites to learn it.

Spells per Day: A Daggerspell sage has the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells. To cast a Daggerspell sage spell, he must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell's level, so if he has a Charisma of 10 or lower, cannot cast these spells. Bonus spells are based on Charisma, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + his Charisma modifier. He has access to any spell of the abjuration, divination, illusion, transmutation, and universal schools on the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He casts spells just as a sorcerer does, including the ability to replace a known Daggerspell sage spell with a new spell at every even-numbered class level beginning at 4th level.

Dagger Aptitude (Ex): The daggerspell sage may count levels of this class as if they were fighter levels to determine his total fighter level for the purposes of qualifying for fighter specific feats, such as Weapon Specialization. Additionally, he does not suffer two-weapon fighting penalties when fighting with two daggers.

Drive It Deep (Ex): The daggerspell sage may use his Power Attack feat in conjunction with daggers as if he were wielding a one-handed weapon. The daggerspell sage must be fighting in the daggerspell style, with a dagger in each hand.

Sneak Attack (Ex): At each even level, a daggerspell sage deals an extra 1d6 points of damage when flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. See the rogue class feature, page 50 of the Player’s Handbook. If a daggerspell sage gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as levels of rogue), the bonuses on damage stack.

Daggerspell Defense (Ex): Mastering the art of fighting with twin daggers, the daggerspell sage learns how to better defend himself with his chosen weapons. He gains a +1 bonus to his Armor Class at 3rd level. This increases to +2 at 6th level, and to +3 at 9th level. To gain this bonus to his Armor Class, the daggerspell sage must be fighting with two daggers, one in each hand.

Drive It Deeper (Ex): At 5th level, the daggerspell sage may Power Attack with his daggers as if they were two-handed weapons, gaining a damage bonus equal to +2 per point of attack bonus exchanged. The daggerspell sage must be fighting in their traditional, two-dagger style to gain this benefit.

Strike of Arcane Prowess (Su): The daggerspell sage gains a new martial strike to add to his repitoire. This strike is a 5th level strike of no particular discipline, and may be readied as such. This strike is initiated as part of a melee attack, and with it, the daggerspell sage sacrifice a daggerspell sage spell slot of 1st level or higher. The attack adds his Charisma modifier to the attack roll as an insight bonus, and adds +2d6 per level of the spell in damage. Additionally, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + Charisma modifier) or be dazed for 1d4 rounds.

Daggerspell War God's Stance (Su): At 10th level, the daggerspell sage gains a potent stance as the master level of his craft. The daggerspell sage may abandon a stance he is currently in to assume this stance as a swift action, losing the benefits of the previous stance to gain the benefits of this one. While in the Daggerspell War God's stance, as a full round action the character may move and continue attacking between each movement as long as he moves at least 10ft between each attack. He may continue to do this until he has reached twice his movement speed, and he may not make more attacks than he could normally make as a full attack action. Unlike most stances, this stance is particularly strenuous, and may only be maintained for a number of rounds equal to 5 + Constitution modifier, after which he reverts to his previous stance and is fatigued.

[JoshuaZ]

Is there a reason that Strike of Arcane Prowess only allows you to sacrifice daggerspell sage spell slots? This restriction doesn't seem necessary. Since you can't get that ability until 7th level of the PrC it seems like if someone has multiclassed in a way that gives them other spell slots you might as well let them use them.

[ErrantX]

Is there a reason that Strike of Arcane Prowess only allows you to sacrifice daggerspell sage spell slots? This restriction doesn't seem necessary. Since you can't get that ability until 7th level of the PrC it seems like if someone has multiclassed in a way that gives them other spell slots you might as well let them use them.

For balance's sake, as well as book keeping. It keeps the class compressed to using it's own abilities, really. That and I don't like the idea of them using other class's spells to fuel it.

-X

[JoshuaZ]

For balance's sake, as well as book keeping. It keeps the class compressed to using it's own abilities, really. That and I don't like the idea of them using other class's spells to fuel it.

-X

I understand the second two points but could you explain the first one more? Almost any use of this class that got to 7th level would have only very low level slots in another class if they had any. I could see there being a balance issue in a gestalt game if the other side was a full spellcaster. But that seems like a very narrow concern.

The other two issues, bookeeping and self-containment seem to make more sense.

Incidentally, I like this PrC a lot. The entire line of daggerspell stuff you've done is very nice.

[Pramxnim]

In the crazy event that someone's playing a Gestalt campaign that allows for homebrew classes, the restriction makes sure that the player is not using the other side of Gestalt to do silly things with the feature (I can see a Sorcerer on the other side of the Gestalt using the strike with great efficacy)

The Sneak Attack portion has a bit of copy paste error where you mention the Sneak Attack gain at levels 6 and 9 in addition to saying you get it at each even level.

I can't commence much on the balance of things as I've moved on from 3.5 for a while now. At 1st glance, however, the class seems very dip friendly as the first two abilities it gives are quite powerful for a martial character, not to mention the spells. Still, the harsh prerequisites make sure that the only characters who would contemplate this class are the ones who intend to stick with it in the long run. Cool beans, I'd say.

[ErrantX]

@Pramxnim:

Fixed the copy/paste error, thanks for the catch!

@JoshuaZ:

I wanted the spell selection to be self-contained, and allowing other class spell lists into it will break up the power of the strike. Additionally, for example if I took a level of Bard or two, and then went Sublime Chord afterwards, I'd quickly amass additional spell levels of much higher level than I'd get otherwise. That's why.

-X

[PrinceOfThieves]

Well done again sir. I'm actually going to be using 3 of your custom Daggerspell Guardian PrC's for a villian in an upcoming game (I know there are for good guys, but there is a reason, I swear), thats how impressed I am with your work. Thanks yet again.

[ErrantX]

Well done again sir. I'm actually going to be using 3 of your custom Daggerspell Guardian PrC's for a villian in an upcoming game (I know there are for good guys, but there is a reason, I swear), thats how impressed I am with your work. Thanks yet again.

I am honored then! Do me a favor and check out the meldshaper class again, I renamed it the Sapphirist due to DragoonWraith's suggestion and added in some things with essentia investment in the daggermeld.

-X

[Etrivar]

You know, I'd be tempted to ask you for a Daggerspell Shade (Rogue/Shadowcaster) if shadowcasters wern't so useless.

[ErrantX]

I'd consider doing it if you're actually interested in it. I find an easy fix for Shadowcaster is to simply give them mysteries per encounter instead of per day. Or use Ari/Mouseferatu's fix.

-X

[Cieyrin]

I'd consider doing it if you're actually interested in it. I find an easy fix for Shadowcaster is to simply give them mysteries per encounter instead of per day. Or use Ari/Mouseferatu's fix.

-X

Alternatively, peacenlove's Pathfinder Shadowcaster isn't bad, either, though it does some more extensive changes than Ari did.

Ari's fix probably has the most credence, though, considering he wrote the class and it gives good reason for DMs to use it than "It's underpowered! Use this fix, please!"

[Etrivar]

If you'd do it that would be great! the per encounter would be easy to work, so let me see what you can come up with. Pretty Please?

[PrinceOfThieves]

Do you have any plans to update these prestige classes to Pathfinder? especially this one considering the upcoming Path Of War book?