[3.5 Prestige Class] Shrouded Duelist

[Rauthiss]

Shrouded Duelist


(Image credits go to http://rukixstalker.deviantart.com/)

"You think I'm unarmed? Cute."

The flair of a duelist, the spells of an illusionist... by combining these two, the Shrouded Duelist becomes a master of fooling his opponents.

BECOMING A SHROUDED DUELIST
Many shrouded duelists begin their careers as multiclass swashbucklers and illusionists. However, a few beguilers take the duelist prestige class and qualify as well.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Class Ability: Grace (Both the swashbuckler and Duelist class abilities qualify)
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast at least 3 1st level spells from the illusion school
Skills: Bluff 6 ranks
Feat: Improved Feint

Class Skills
The Shrouded Duelist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int

Hit Dice: d6

Shrouded Duelist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells

1st|

+1

|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|What sword?|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

2nd|

+2

|

+0

|

+3

|

+3

|Quickened Feint|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

3rd|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|

+3

|Nope, it's real!|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

4th|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|

+4

|You seem to be missing something|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

5th|

+5

|

+1

|

+4

|

+4

|Before your very eyes|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class[/table]

Spells per day:When a new shrouded duelist level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a shrouded duelist, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

What Sword? (Su): Whenever a shrouded duelist strikes an opponent with a weapon that has an illusion spell cast on it (such as Invisibility) and the opponent fails the will save to disbelieve the illusion, that opponent is treated as flat-footed against the shrouded duelist's next attack.

Quickened Feint (Ex): A shrouded duelist may feint as a swift action.

Nope, it's real! (Su): Whenever a shrouded duelist hits an opponent with a weapon that has an illusion spell cast on it, that opponent suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to saves against the shrouded duelist's illusion spells.

You seem to be missing something (Su): As a standard action, a shrouded duelist may make a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the opponent's dexterity check. If the shrouded duelist succeeds on this check, he may cast an illusion spell with a casting time of one standard action or less on the opponent's weapon. In addition, the shrouded duelist may lift the object from the opponent's hands, as if he had just used Sleight of Hand normally.

Before your very eyes (Su): The first time an opponent is granted a will save to disbelieve a shrouded duelist's illusion, he automatically fails that save.

[Fizban]

How do these guys feel about the spell Spectral Weapon (SpC)? It creates a weapon that is an illusion, except not.

Other than that I'd put a cap on Nope It's Real, and change Before Your Very Eyes. There are a lot of illusion spells that are effectively save or dies, which this turns into just dies.

[Forever Curious]

Hmm...

"What Sword?" is a fun ability, but outside of Invisibility what other illusions would you cast on a sword? I'd make it whenever they fail their save on an illusion cast by you, they're flat footed the round after.

"Quickened Feint" is powerful, but not really "game breaking".

"Nope, It's Real" is 'eh?' for the same reason as "what sword?"

Does "You seem to be missing something?" alter the casting time of the spell? If not then you can only use illusions w/ less than a standard action... which are very few if any.

"Before Your very eyes" can be crazy strong (one-save Phantasmal Killer, yes?) at... 10th level. Yeah... no.

[Dead_Jester]

Before your very eyes (Su): The first time an opponent is granted a will save to disbelieve a shrouded duelist's illusion, he automatically fails that save.

I agree with the others, this is too powerful, especially when combined with a shadowcraft mage. Either make it uses per day or nerf it. Compare it to fatespinner's capstone, its essentially the same effect, but only usable once per day, and fatespinner loses a casting level and isn't full Bab.