[3.5 Base Class] The Swiftblade in 20 levels [PEACH]

[Jarian]

Swiftblade


A Swiftblade calls her Arcane Weapon from the aether.

Class Skills
The Swiftblade's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + int

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th

1st| +1 | +0 | +2 | +2 |Arcane Weapon, Armored Mage (light)| 1|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd| +2 | +0| +3 | +3 |Dodge, Swift Surge (+1d6/+0 ft.)|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd| +3 | +1 | +3 | +3 |Blurred Alacrity|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th| +4 | +1 | +4 | +4 |Armored Mage (medium), Eclectic Learning, Swift Surge (+1d6/+10 ft.)|3|1|-|-|-|-|-

5th| +5 | +1 | +4| +4 |Mobility, Sudden Casting| 4|2|-|-|-|-|-

6th| +6/+1 | +2 | +5 | +5 |Arcane Reflexes, Swift Surge (+2d6/+10 ft.)|4|3|-|-|-|-|-

7th| +7/+2 | +2 | +5 | +5 |Armored Mage (heavy shield), Spring Attack |4|3|1|-|-|-|-

8th| +8/+3 | +2 | +6 | +6 |Eclectic Learning, Evasive Celerity, Swift Surge (+2d6/+20 ft.)|4|4|2|-|-|-|-

9th| +9/+4 | +3 | +6 | +6 |Fortified Hustle, Rapid Casting|4|4|3|-|-|-|-

10th| +10/+5 | +3 | +7 | +7 |Quicken Spell, Swift Surge (+3d6/+20 ft.)| 4|4|3|1|-|-|-

11th| +11/+6/+1 | +3 | +7 | +7 |Diligent Rapidity|4|4|4|2|-|-|-

12th| +12/+7/+2 | +4 | +8 | +8 |Bounding Assault, Eclectic Learning, Swift Surge (+3d6/+30 ft.)|4|4|4|3|-|-|-

13th| +13/+8/+3 | +4 | +8 | +8 |Perpetual Options|4|4|4|3|1|-|-

14th| +14/+9/+4 | +4 | +9 | +9 |Regenerative Rush, Swift Surge (+4d6/+30 ft.)|4|4|4|4|2|-|-

15th| +15/+10/+5 | +5 | +9 | +9 |Blinding Speed|4|4|4|4|3|-|-

16th| +16/+11/+6/+1 | +5 | +10 | +10 |Eclectic Learning, Innervated Speed, Swift Surge (+4d6/+40 ft.)|4|4|4|4|3|1|-

17th| +17/+12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 |Natural Speed|4|4|4|4|4|2|-

18th| +18/+13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 |Rapid Blitz, Swift Surge (+5d6/+40 ft.)|4|4|4|4|4|3|-

19th| +19/+14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 |Terminal Velocity|4|4|4|4|4|3|1

20th| +20/+15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 |Eclectic Learning, Ravages of Time, Swift Surge (+5d6/+50 ft.)| 4|4|4|4|4|4|2[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Swiftblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all forms of armor, and with light and heavy shields (but not tower shields).

Spellcasting: Swiftblades cast arcane spells, which are drawn from the Swiftblade spell list (see below). A Swiftblade knows all spells of a level she is able to cast, but must choose specific spells to prepare for each day, like a Wizard. The Swiftblade's base daily allotment for spells is shown on the table above. Like a Wizard, a Swiftblade receives bonus spells per day for having a high Intelligence score.

In order to prepare spells, the Swiftblade must sleep for at least eight hours, then spend one hour organizing her mind. To prepare or cast a spell, the Swiftblade must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the level of the spell. The Difficulty Class of a save (if any) against a Swiftblade's spell is 10 + spell level + the Swiftblade's Intelligence modifier.

Arcane Weapon (Su): A Swiftblade of 1st level or higher may attune herself to a melee weapon, a process that takes 8 hours of uninterrupted concentration, after which the weapon disappears in a puff of arcana-laced smoke. Thereafter, the weapon may be called to hand as a move action. A weapon bonded in this fashion is, for all intents and purposes, utterly destroyed, unable to be used by any other creature, though it may be augmented normally so long as the Swiftblade has called it to hand and is present throughout the entire process. A bonded weapon can be sundered normally, but the Swiftblade may reform the weapon in her hands as a move action. If the bonded weapon leaves the Swiftblade's grasp, it immediately disappears in a puff of arcana, but may be called to hand again normally. The Swiftblade may will an arcane weapon that leaves her grasp to remain corporeal with a DC 15 Concentration check each round.

In addition, when the Swiftblade prepares spells for the day, she may choose to expend one Swiftblade spell slot to no effect (in effect reducing her number of spells of that level for the day by one) to increase the effective enhancement bonus of the bonded weapon by an amount equal to the level of the expended spell until she rests to regain spells again. This bonus to the weapon's enhancement bonus does not count against the normal pre-epic limit of enhancement bonuses, and does not count when determining whether or not the weapon bypasses DR/epic.

The Swiftblade may change which weapon she is bonded to by undergoing the period of meditation with a new weapon. Upon completion, the new weapon gains the benefits of this ability, and the old bonded weapon is permanently lost.

Armored Mage (Ex): Normally, armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster's gestures, which can cause spells to fail if those spells have a somatic component. A Swiftblade's limited focus and specialized training, however, allows her to avoid arcane spell failure so long as she wears only light armor and light shields. This training does not extend to medium or heavy armors, nor to heavy shields. This ability does not apply to spells gained from a different spellcasting class.

At 4th level, the Swiftblade learns to use medium armor with no chance of arcane spell failure.

At 7th level, the Swiftblade learns to use a heavy shield with no chance of arcane spell failure.

Dodge: At 2nd level, the Swiftblade gains Dodge as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already possesses the Dodge feat, she instead gains a Fighter bonus feat for which she meets the prerequisites.

Swift Surge (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, in any round in which the Swiftblade moves 10 feet or further, she deals an additional 1d6 damage with all melee attacks. At 6th level and every 4 levels thereafter, this bonus damage increases by an additional 1d6.

Starting at 4th level, the Swiftblade gains a permanent 10-foot increase to all forms of movement speed not derived wholly from a magical effect. At 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter, this speed boost increases by an additional 10 feet.

Blurred Alacrity (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, the Swiftblade's knowledge of speed-increasing spells makes her difficult to target to target with melee and ranged attacks. While under the effect of a haste or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells that she casts herself, the Swiftblade gains 20% concealment against physical attacks. This concealment increases by 10% at 5th, 7th, and 9th level.

Eclectic Learning: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the Swiftblade adds a single Wizard spell of any school to her spell list. The chosen spell can be of a level no higher than one level below the highest spell level available to her. The Swiftblade treats the chosen spell as if it were one level higher than normal. (For example, a magic missile spell would be a 2nd level spell to the Swiftblade, a scorching ray spell would be a 3rd level spell, and so on.)

Mobility: At 5th level, the Swiftblade gains Mobility as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already possesses the Mobility feat, she instead gains a Fighter bonus feat for which she meets the prerequisites.

Sudden Casting (Ex): Starting at 5th level, the Swiftblade learns how to effortlessly transform stored spells into other movement-enhancing spells. By sacrificing a prepared spell, she may spontaneously cast haste or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells, provided the sacrificed spell slot was of a level high enough to cast the chosen spell in the first place.

Arcane Reflexes (Ex): Starting at 6th level, the effect of the Swiftblade's speed-enhancing spells has permanently heightened her reflexes. She gains a competence bonus to initiative rolls equal to her Intelligence modifier.

Spring Attack: At 7th level, the Swiftblade gains Spring Attack as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already possesses the Spring Attack feat, she instead gains a Fighter bonus feat for which she meets the prerequisites.

Evasive Celerity (Ex): Starting at 8th level, the Swiftblade's knowledge of movement-enhancing spells makes her difficult to target with spells. While she is under the effect of the haste spell or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells, individually targeted spells have a 20% to fail against her. This failure chance increases by 10% at 9th, 10th, and 11th level. The effect of this ability does not stack with blink or similar spell effects that would cause spells to incur a miss chance against the Swiftblade.

Fortified Hustle (Ex): Starting at 9th level, the Swiftblade learns how to intuitively absorb movement-enhancing spells into her body. Whenever the Swiftblade casts haste or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells, it becomes an extraordinary ability instead of a spell, and therefore cannot be dispelled by any means and continues to function if the Swiftblade enters an area of antimagic. The spell otherwise functions as it normally would, is expended normally, and can be counteredspelled at the moment of casting.

Rapid Casting (Ex): Starting at 9th level, the Swiftblade learns how to seamlessly cast movement-enhancing spells. Henceforth, she may cast haste or any of the swiftblade's speed spells as a swift action if she so chooses.

Quicken Spell: At 10th level, the Swiftblade gains the Quicken Spell metamagic feat as a bonus feat. If she already possesses the Quicken Spell feat, she instead gains a different metamagic feat for which she meets the prerequisites.

In addition, the Swiftblade may reduce the spell-level adjustment of the Quicken Spell feat by 1 when applied to Swiftblade spells, to a minimum of a +0 adjustment.

Diligent Rapidity (Ex): Starting at 11th level, the Swiftblade effortlessly overcomes magic and mundane obstacles with the aid of her movement-enhancing spells. While under the effect of the haste spell or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells, she can move and attack normally, even when under the influence of magic that impedes movement, as if under the effect of the freedom of movement spell.

In addition, the Swiftblade may move across the surface of liquids as though they were solid ground, though she must move take at least one move action to move her full speed per round or immediately sink below the surface of the liquid at the end of her turn.

Bounding Assault: At 12th level, the Swiftblade gains Bounding Assault as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already possesses the Bounding Assault feat, she instead gains a Fighter bonus feat for which she meets the prerequisites.

Perpetual Options (Ex): Starting at 13th level, the Swiftblade may perform even more actions with the haste spell. Instead of making one extra attack at her highest base attack bonus while under the effect of a haste spell that she casts herself, the Swiftblade has the option of making one extra standard, move, or swift action in a round. For example, the Swiftblade could take three consecutive move actions, two move actions and one standard action, one move and two standard actions, a full attack and a move action, a full attack and a standard action, or a full-round action and two swift actions.

Regenerative Rush (Ex): Starting at 14th level, whenever the Swiftblade spurs her body on with her movement-enhancing magic, her body's natural healing abilities accelerate as well. Whenever the Swiftblade casts haste or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells, she gains Fast Healing equal to her Intelligence modifier for the duration of the spell.

Blinding Speed (Ex): Starting at 15th level, the Swiftblade moves so fast that light bends around her, releasing a flash of radiance as she goes. While under the effect of haste or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells, whenever the Swiftblade moves a distance of at least her full land speed in a round, all creatures with line of sight to her must succeed on a Will save (DC 10+1/2 class level+Dex modifier) or be blinded for a number of rounds equal to her Intelligence modifier. Creatures with their eyes averted gain a +4 bonus to this save, while sightless creatures or those with their eyes closed are immune the this effect entirely.

Innervated Speed (Ex): Starting at 16th level, the Swiftblade may release the full energy of her movement-enhancing spells in a quick burst of impossible speed. Whenever the Swiftblade casts haste or any of the swiftblade's speed line of spells from a 5th level spell slot, she can subsume the spell at the time of casting instead, increasing her speed so greatly that other creatures seem frozen in time, as the time stop spell, but for one round. For each spell level higher than 5th level that the spell is cast from, the Swiftblade can extend the moment of innervated speed by 1 additional round. For example, the Swiftblade could subsume a haste spell spontaneously cast from a 7th level spell slot to create three rounds of innervated speed. The Swiftblade cannot subsume a new haste spell until the original innervated speed duration expires and her turn ends.

Natural Speed (Ex): Starting at 17th level, the Swiftblade is constantly under the effect of an extraordinary haste effect, which allows her to use many of her class features without needing to first cast a movement-enhancing spell. She may still cast haste normally to fuel abilities that require her to first cast the spell.

Rapid Blitz: At 18th level, the Swiftblade gains Rapid Blitz as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already possesses the Rapid Blitz feat, she instead gains a Fighter bonus feat for which she meets the prerequisites.

Terminal Velocity (Ex): Starting at 19th level, whenever the Swiftblade uses the Charge action and moves at least her full normal land speed, she may deliver a single blow with all the force of her speed behind it. Instead of the normal benefits and penalties associated with the Charge action, the Swiftblade gains a bonus to her attack roll equal to her class level, and if the attack hits, she may immediately make a bull rush attempt as a free action, with a bonus equal to her class level. If her check surpasses her foe's, her opponent is bull rushed as far as the check allows, without the need for the Swiftblade to follow.

Even if the Swiftblade would normally be allowed more than one attack at the end of a charge (such as by possessing the Pounce special ability), she may only make a single attack with this ability.

Ravages of Time (Ex): At 20th level, the Swiftblade may move so fast that her opponents are left completely unable to defend themselves. Whenever the Swiftblade uses her Innervated Speed ability, she may choose to forgo all other actions in the rounds of apparent time to move up to her speed. The Swiftblade may make a full-attack against each creature that she would threaten during this movement, to a maximum of one creature per round of apparent time. No creature may be the target of more than one full attack during this effect. Unless her targets have the ability to act normally in a time stop, the Swiftblade treats all of her targets as flatfooted for these attacks, bypassing normal immunity to being caught flatfooted.

Upon conclusion of the attacks, the rounds of apparent time immediately cease, and the Swiftblade is fatigued for the rest of the encounter. If the Swiftblade is immune to fatigue, she instead takes 20 points of damage for each full attack performed via this ability. Regardless, Ravages of Time is too strenuous to perform more than once per encounter.

[Jarian]

Swiftblade Spells

1st: Blade of Blood, Enlarge Person, Expeditious Retreat, Jump, Mage Armor, Reduce Person, Shield, Shocking Grasp, Swiftblade's Speed, True Strike

2nd: Alter Self, Bladeweave, Blast of Force, Daggerspell Stance, Dimension Hop, Electric Loop, Gust of Wind, Greater Swiftblade's Speed, Lesser Celerity, Protection from Arrows, See Invisibility, Web

3rd: Anticipate Teleportation, Arcana Bolt*, Bands of Steel, Blade of Pain and Fear, Blink, Dimension Step, Dispel Magic, False Gravity, Greater Mage Armor, Haste, Heroism, Rage, Reverse Arrows, Steeldance

4th: Arcana Shield**, Celerity, Dimensional Anchor, Dimension Door, Crushing Despair, Ray Deflection, Resilient Sphere, Superior Swiftblade's Speed, Sword of Deception, Thunderlance

5th: Arcane Leap***, Contingency, Cyclonic Blast, Dimension Shuffle, Greater Blink, Greater Dimension Door, Greater Dispel Magic, Lesser Ironguard, Overland Flight, Repulsion, Teleport

6th: Antimagic Field, Brilliant Blade, Disintegrate, Ethereal Jaunt, Forcecage, Greater Anticipate Teleportation, Greater Heroism, Maddening Whispers, Plane Shift, Power Word: Blind, Reverse Gravity, Sword of Darkness

7th: Black Blade of Disaster, Effulgent Epuration, Etherealness, Foresight, Greater Celerity, Greater Teleport, Insanity, Ironguard, Mind Blank, Otto's Irresistible Dance

* - As Lightning Bolt but acid, cold, electric, or fire damage, chosen at time of casting.
** - As Fire Shield, but acid, cold, electric, or fire damage, chosen at time of casting.
*** - As Lightning Leap, but acid, cold, electric, or fire damage, chosen at time of casting.

–


Swiftblade's Speed
Transmutation
Level: Swiftblade 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 minute
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The Swiftblade's speed and dexterity increase. She gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity, and a +10-foot enhancement bonus to her base land speed.

Material Component
A single hair from a hare.

Swiftblade's Speed, Greater
Transmutation
Level: Swiftblade 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

As swiftblade's speed, except that the bonus to land speed increases to +20 feet, and the Swiftblade gains the ability to make an additional attack per round at her highest attack bonus. The extra attack granted by this spell does not stack with the bonus attack granted from haste or similar effects.

Material Component
A tuft of fur from a hare.

Swiftblade's Speed, Superior
Transmutation
Level: Swiftblade 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

As swiftblade's speed, greater, except that the bonus to land speed increases to +40 feet, the bonus to Dexterity increases to +6, and the Swiftblade may perform a full attack as a standard action while this spell is active. The Swiftblade may still only perform a single full-attack per round, even if she gains the ability to use multiple standard actions in a round.

Material Component
A severed paw from a hare.

[Sacrieur]

1) I love you.

2) I will be playing this class soon.

3) I will be nitpicking soon.

Seriously, good job ^^

[Jarian]

And spell list is added, finally.

[Valairn]

I'm a huge fan of your homebrew. Keep it up!

[Ophiel]

I would limit their proficiencies to light armor only (no shield) and reduce armored mage to (Light armor). They focus on speed and arcane power so heavy armor is totally out of place.
Natural speed - If I'm not mistaken that means constant 50% miss chance and additional action all the time. And neither dispel nor antimagic will stop it?
You can try giving them evasion, improved evasion and Sudden quicken spell feat.
Ravages of Time – From D20 SRD “While the time stop is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells”.
Superior swiftblade's speed – It's too powerful for 4th level. It's a compilation of stronger Haste effect and empowered cat's grace (It would be 4th level spell). I believe it should be 5th level (At least).
By the way, you can add Cat's grace to their spell list. And i believe you should replace Black blade of disaster with the Mage's sword

[Jarian]

I'm a huge fan of your homebrew. Keep it up!

Thank you.

I would limit their proficiencies to light armor only (no shield) and reduce armored mage to (Light armor). They focus on speed and arcane power so heavy armor is totally out of place.

It's a copy of the Duskblade's abilities. I'm happy with it the way it is (and it's not like they'll be wearing heavy armor anyway; it just lets them access certain PrCs that require full martial and armor proficiencies).

Natural speed - If I'm not mistaken that means constant 50% miss chance and additional action all the time. And neither dispel nor antimagic will stop it?

Yes. Conveniently, this comes at a level when Wizards can (quite literally) rewrite reality in their image if they want to.

You can try giving them evasion, improved evasion and Sudden quicken spell feat.

Oooor... I could let them save one swift action/encounter on casting Haste and give them an advantage in an antimagic field.

Ravages of Time – From D20 SRD “While the time stop is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells”.

There's also a rule of "Specific trumps general". Their capstone alters the way Time Stop works in certain instances.

Superior swiftblade's speed – It's too powerful for 4th level. It's a compilation of stronger Haste effect and empowered cat's grace (It would be 4th level spell). I believe it should be 5th level (At least).

If they had a Wizard's casting progression, perhaps. As it is, it's a 10th level effect, and I'm of the mind that primarily martial classes could really use the help around then.

By the way, you can add Cat's grace to their spell list.

The Swiftblade's Speed line is meant to replace Cat's Grace (partially at first, then completely). The spell list was focused as much around speed and combat capability as I could manage; a straight up dexterity buff is a little out of line in that respect.

And i believe you should replace Black blade of disaster with the Mage's sword

One of these is a decent spell, the other is like poking yourself in the eye with a fork whenever you waste actions casting it.

Hint: The first one is already on the spell list.

[Ophiel]

Compared to wizard everything is balanced.

But still I would make some alterations to their spell list

1st - Blade of Blood, Expeditious Retreat, Jump, Mage Armor, Shield, Shocking Grasp, Swiftblade's Speed, True Strike
Remove: Enlarge Person, Reduce Person
Add: Accelerated Movement (CAdv), Swift Expeditious Retreat (SC), Critical strike (CAdv), Distract Assailant (Cadv), Insightful feint (SC)

2nd - Bladeweave, Blast of Force, Daggerspell Stance, Dimension Hop, Electric Loop, Gust of Wind, Greater Swiftblade's Speed, Lesser Celerity, Protection from Arrows,
Remove: Alter Self, See Invisibility, Web
Add: Balancing Lorecall (CAdv), Bull's strength, Swift haste (SC), Lively Step (PGF), Snake's swiftness (SC), Sonic Weapon(CAdv), Spiderwalk, Whirling Blade(CArc), Wraithstrike(CAdv) [That level needs cutting down]

3rd - Arcana Bolt*, Bands of Steel, Blade of Pain and Fear, Blink, Dimension Step, Dispel Magic, False Gravity, Greater Mage Armor, Haste, Heroism, Reverse Arrows, Steeldance
Remove: Anticipate Teleportation, Rage, (Maybe also Arcane bolt)
Add: Blade Storm (SC), Knight's move (SC). Spectral Weapon(CAdv), Fly, Walk the Mountain’s Path(RoS),

4th - Arcana Shield**, Celerity, Dimensional Anchor, Dimension Door, Ray Deflection, Resilient Sphere, Superior Swiftblade's Speed, Sword of Deception, Thunderlance
Remove: Crushing Despair
Add: Aerial Alacrity(RotW), Forcewave (SC), Stoneskin

5th - Arcane Leap***, Contingency, Cyclonic Blast, Dimension Shuffle, Greater Blink, Greater Dimension Door, Greater Dispel Magic, Lesser Ironguard, Overland Flight, Teleport
Remove: Repulsion
Add: Sword of Deception(CArc), Touch of Adamantine(BoED)

6th - Antimagic Field, Brilliant Blade, Disintegrate, Ethereal Jaunt, Forcecage, Greater Anticipate Teleportation, Greater Heroism, Reverse Gravity, Sword of Darkness
Remove: Maddening Whispers, Plane Shift, Power Word: Blind
Add: Cacophonic Shield(CAdv), Starmantle(BoED)

7th - Foresight, Greater Celerity, Greater Teleport, Ironguard
Remove: Black Blade of Disaster, Effulgent Epuration, Etherealness, Insanity, Mind Blank, Otto's Irresistible Dance
Add: Earth Glide(RoS), Emerald Flame Fist(CArc), Ghostform(CArc), Ruby Ray of Reversal, Spell turning, Sword of darkness (CArc

Spells come from Spell Compendium, Complete Adventurer, Complete arcane, Races of the Wild, Races od Stone and Book of Exalted Deeds.

Maybe (just maybe, you could add also Ray of exhaustion and Waves of fatigue/exhaustion)
I tried to concentrate on spells that augment their speed, agility, maneuverability abilities to reduce distance to their opponents and close combat abilities. I see giving them long range damaging spells as excessive. They are already so fast that they can catch any opponent they want (save maybe a big dragon or earth elemental).

[jiriku]

Bravo. I was skeptical when I read the title. You won me over by the end of the first post.

A couple of minor points:

It's a little weak at level 1. Since the Spring Attack chain is granted a rather slowly, perhaps you could grant Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack at levels 1, 2, and 5 (instead of 2, 5, and 7). This would shore up the defenses a little bit while swiftblade is waiting to accumulate enough spells and special abilities to be melee powerhouse.

I dislike that Ravages of Time trumps Uncanny Dodge. Nothing trumps Uncanny Dodge, really, and an unavoidable counter to an unassailable defense is... inelegant. Since the flavor of the ability states that "the swiftblade moves so fast that her opponents are left completely unable to defend themselves", perhaps you could abandon the "auto-flat-footed with no chance to avoid" and use the "helpless" condition instead. This seems to be closer to what you're trying to describe, and it's more powerful anyhow.

[Dusk Eclipse]

:slow clap: trully a great work Jarian, I am becoming a huge fan of your work, as always just a few nitpicks.

Again I feel the low amount of skill points, a 4+int seems better, but that is just me loving skills.

And I think the clause of treating the spells gotten through Ecletic learning as of one higher level is too much considering the stunted spellcasting progression, I think it might be unnecessary, that is just me though.

[Volthawk]

Again I feel the low amount of skill points, a 4+int seems better, but that is just me loving skills.

Well, it is an Int-based caster, so it would have a high int, so it would have decent skill points. All Int-based casters that I know of get 2+Int (Archivists get 4+Int, but they have dual casting stats and are knowledge-based anyway).

[Dusk Eclipse]

Well, it is an Int-based caster, so it would have a high int, so it would have decent skill points. All Int-based casters that I know of get 2+Int (Archivists get 4+Int, but they have dual casting stats and are knowledge-based anyway).

The thing is that I consider the 2+int skill points to be stupid, and as a houserule in my games every class recieve a 50% increase of skill points (yes that means that changeling rogues get 15+ int skill points at first level) to a minimum of 4+int.

So that comment is more personal, though I don't see any unbalanced thing coming from a having more skill points (feel free to correct me, if you can thou).

[Elfstone]

1) I love you.

Seriously, good job ^^

Stole my line.

Once again though, good job. Ill look over it in more detail soon. Ill try to play it, but you have made to many classes =(

[Sacrieur]

I dislike that Ravages of Time trumps Uncanny Dodge. Nothing trumps Uncanny Dodge, really, and an unavoidable counter to an unassailable defense is... inelegant. Since the flavor of the ability states that "the swiftblade moves so fast that her opponents are left completely unable to defend themselves", perhaps you could abandon the "auto-flat-footed with no chance to avoid" and use the "helpless" condition instead. This seems to be closer to what you're trying to describe, and it's more powerful anyhow.

Well, I don't think so. The whole point of Ravages of Time is that the Swiftblade is effectively operating in Time Stop. Trumping Uncanny Dodge is merely logical, in Time Stop you're practically frozen and dodging is impossible.

Using helpless creates the problem of possibly delivering a coup de grace to a foe. At that level, it's pretty much an instant kill.

[Bayonet Priest]

I do hope this doesn't count as necromancy, being nearly a month since the last post. I wanted to ask a question about the class.

What tier of class is it balanced for? It certainly doesn't seem like it could be considered overpowered in a game with wizards and clerics running around but how do you intend it to compare to less ...well-endowed? classes like the warblade and duskblade?

Anyway, I honestly love the concept and mechanics of this class. I know I'll probably never get to play it (curse of the perpetual DM) but I would certainly encourage its use in any games I run.

[Sacrieur]

I do hope this doesn't count as necromancy, being nearly a month since the last post. I wanted to ask a question about the class.

What tier of class is it balanced for? It certainly doesn't seem like it could be considered overpowered in a game with wizards and clerics running around but how do you intend it to compare to less ...well-endowed? classes like the warblade and duskblade?

Anyway, I honestly love the concept and mechanics of this class. I know I'll probably never get to play it (curse of the perpetual DM) but I would certainly encourage its use in any games I run.

I consider it at a high tier 3. It's very good at what it does, but isn't versatile enough to bump it up to tier 2. Tier 3s, you will find, are kind of the homebrew golden standard and happy medium. Powerful enough to be fun and do their job well, but not overpowered so they can do everything or even most things.

[ErrantX]

The swiftblade is one of my favorite prestige classes, very elegantly done, and this class keeps and captures that spirit for its own. Your spell list is functional and necessary to maintain a fighting gish with arcane spells, class features follow the flow of the swiftblade while bringing in new mechanics that fit the theme, excellently done there btw. The arcane weapon is the only part of it I could give or take, as it seems sort of slapped on, but it is also not so major as to make it overpowered, weak, or just plain weird. Overall, I give this an 8 out of 10, and I never give a perfect score and rarely give 9s.

This is excellent work, a solidly good tier 3 base class. Keep it up!

-X

[kaffalidjmah]

Just a question, i see in the capstone ability that say "unless your opponent can operate normally in a time stop spell" or stuff like that (i'm using my phone). How can someone do something in a time stop spell that is not your own?