Elven Bladesinger. (Gish)

[CopperElfCleric]

The Bladesinger Created by CEV and Diffan.

Bladesingers are practitioners of the original elven martial art known as the "Bladesong". Once upon a time, they were a proud and noble caste of warrior-mages who traveled the countryside in order to defend the elven way of life. Sadly in this more modern age, they are a dying breed. They are little more than living myths and legends of a bygone era, having slowly been usurped by a simpler and profoundly less elegant "art" of sword magic. While there are still a handful of true bladesingers in the world, they are without doubt in the twilight of their existence.


The "Bladesong"

The Bladesong -- the true bladesong, not that foul atrocity of sword magic that has usurped the name -- is an extremely demanding martial art, the epitome of Tel'Quessir mastery of the sword, and one that is never taught to those lacking pure Tel'Quessir blood. Unlike the martial arts of other races, this elven fighting style emphasizes beauty and economy of movement over sheer destructive power. However, the elven bladesong is deceptively dangerous, for all its seeming gentleness and apparent grace. It is a primarily defensive style of combat, with devastating strikes considered less important than a superior guard position. From this superior defensive posture, magical attacks and spells may be used without fear of successful counter-attack when performed by a Tel'Quessir fully proficient in the style. In addition to the violent purpose inherent to all martial arts, the bladesong is uniquely Tel'Quessir in the fact that the aesthetic components of the style are as important as it's martial efficacy, with its dance-like movements and the haunting whistling sounds produced by the sword blade cutting through the air being the source of the name bladesong.

Those who practice the true bladesong appear as if they are dancing when they fight. Their movements seem misleadingly slow and elegant, deflecting opponents' blades while lazily drifting back to score hits themselves. True bladesingers do not believe in smashing blows or strong and crushing offense, but rather in guiding their opponents to anticipate a different attack entirely, thus overbalancing the foe and making him seem clumsy.

Organization and Society

While the true bladesingers group themselves into overlapping guilds and knighthoods as an institution, they normally do not travel together in groups, but instead wander separately to better spread the ways of the Tel'Quessir and defend the ways of elvenkind, roving from one elven settlement to the next as troubleshooters, and dealing with whatever problems they come across, honor-bound to come to the aid of any elf in distress they come across. In their travels they are treated with the utmost respect and admiration by the elves they meet, being treated as heroes in the communities they enter, much as a human Paladin would be in a human village. They are the champions of the Tel'Quessir, the Knights of The People and defenders of the elven way of life, practicing an ancient and honored elven art and giving their lives if necessary to defend elven society, and they are accorded status of heroes and the respect such due such a station whenever they are encountered.

On rare occasions, bladesingers have been known to forgo their wandering ways and settle down in a large elven community. There they offer themselves to a powerful and well-respect elven house, serving as a bodyguard and staunch defender of the elven way of life.

Becoming a Bladesinger

“One does not choose to become a bladesinger; one is chosen to become a bladesinger!”
In a bygone age when bladesingers were more common, a true bladesinger would return home to the academy that trained them, offering themselves as a master, and thus training entire classes of Tel'quessir to take their mantle. Now in the twilight years of a dying artform, the few remaining bladesingers instead spend their final years questing for a suitable apprentice to follow in their footsteps. Once found, they test them in subtle ways, judging them on whether or not they are upstanding examples of the elven way of life, and whether or not they have the gods-granted talent to hear the bladesong within.

Entry Requirements
BAB: +4
Race: Elf or Half Elf (any subrace except drow).
Skills: Perform (Dance) 8 ranks, Tumble 8 ranks.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse.
Spellcasting: Able to cast 1st-level evocation and abjuration arcane spells.
Special: Must have received training by another master of the true bladesong.


Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level)
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),
Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A bladesinger is proficient in all simple and martial weapons, as well as light and medium armor.

Spellcasting: At the indicated levels, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a true bladesinger, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Elven Sword-Mastery: At 1st level, a Bladesinger can add her Dexterity bonus, if any, to damage when using a longsword, shortsword, rapier, saber, elven courtblade, elven thinblade, elven lightblade or dagger. In addition, she gains the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats with these weapons, without meeting any prerequisites.

Bladesong (Ex): Your first lesson as a bladesinger is on how to become one with both your martial prowess and your spellcasting artistry. You are now able to cast cantrips and 1st level spells and wield your weapon at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, except that your off-hand weapon is actually a spell rather than a second weapon. You gain the ability to cast higher spells in this manner as indicated on the table. When you wield a weapon in one hand and nothing in the other, you can combine a spell and weapon attacks into a single action. As a standard action, you can make one melee attack and cast a spell with a casting time of no more than 1 standard action. As a full-round action, you can make a full attack and cast a spell with a casting time of no more than 1 full-round action. You make all of your normal attacks with your main hand and any melee or ranged touch attacks with your off-hand at a -2 penalty. You are treated as if you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Balance of Steel and Spell (Ex): At 1st level a bladesinger learns how to use the bladesong itself to take the place of your somatic and material components in combat. You gain the Somatic Weaponry feat (detailed in Complete Mage). This feat only applies to your abjuration and evocation spells, plus one other school of spells of your choice. At 3rd level, this ability expands to include the Combat Casting feat as well.

Spellgrace (Ex): At 2nd level, whenever you are subject to a magical effect that allows a Reflex or Will save for a reduced effect, you suffer no effect on a successful save.

Spring Attack: At 2nd level, you gain the Spring Attack feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.

Sylvan Performance (Ex): At 3rd level, you have made your first foray into learning the steps of the true bladesong and may now use your Perform (Dance) skill in place of any Balance, Concentration, Jump, or Tumble checks.

Spellsong (Su): At 4th level, while in combat you gain spell resistance equal to 5 + your effective caster level against spells from the Abjuration, Evocation, and one additional school of your choice.

Armored Mage (Ex): At 5th level you can cast arcane spells in light armor without incurring the normal spell failure chance.

Improved Spellgrace (Ex): At 5th level, whenever you are subject to a magical effect that allows a Reflex or Will save for a reduced effect, you suffer only the reduced effect even on a failed save.

Harmony of the Blade (Ex): By 6th level, your mastery of the true bladesong grows greater still. In combat, you are treated as if you possess both Spell Focus (Evocation) and Greater Spell Focus (Evocation) while wielding a sword in your main hand and nothing in your off-hand.

Quick Substitution: At 7th level, you gain Energy Substitution as a bonus feat with which you may spontaneously convert any of your evocation spells without increasing the casting time. Each morning you may change which energy subtype this feat uses in much the same way a wizard prepares his spells.

Astute Balance (Ex): At 8th level you gain a competence bonus equal to your Dexterity modifier for caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance, but only when casting spells affected by your Balance of Steel and Spell class ability.

Whirring bladesong (Ex): At 9th level your grace in battle has advanced to the point to where you are a blur of whirring death. You gain the Whirlwind Attack feat, even if you do not normally qualify for it. You can only use the feat while you are performing the bladesong. You lose the benefit of this feature if you are wielding anything in your off-hand.

True Bladesong: At 10th level, your mastery of the bladesong is complete. You are treated as if you have both the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feats for purposes of your bladesong class feature. Finally, you can cast a second spell in melee combat with a casting time of no more than 1 full round, as a free action. This feature does not stack with Quicken Spell.

Maximized Spelldance (Su): At 10th level, while in melee combat,the strength of your abjuration and evocation spells are exceptionally potent. When casting such a spell, you may apply the effects of the Maximized Spell metamagic feat. You can apply this feature a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Dexterity modifier (at least once per day). In addition, you gain a competence bonus on the saving throw DCs of any spells affected by your balance of steel and spell class feature equal to your Dexterity modifier. This feature can be applied as a free action 1/day. This reflects the natural grace and eloquence in which you have learned to unleash your spells in battle.

Table: The Bladesinger

Hit Die: d6

Level	BAB	F	R	W	Special												Spellcasting
========================================================================================================================================================================================
1st	+1	+0	+2	+2	Elven Sword Mastery, Bladesong (cantrips and 1st level spells}, Balance of Steel and Spell	
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+3	Spellgrace, Spring Attack,									+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+3	Sylvan Performance										+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class
4th	+4	+1	+4	+4	Spellsong,											+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class
5th	+5	+1	+4	+4	Armored Mage, Improved Spellgrace, Bladesong (2nd & 3rd level spells)	
6th	+6	+2	+5	+5	Harmony of the Blade, 										+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class
7th	+7	+2	+5	+5	Quick Substitution										+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class
8th	+8	+2	+6	+6	Astute Balance 											+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class
9th	+9	+3	+6	+6	Whirring Bladesong	
10th	+10	+3	+7	+7	True Bladesong (4th & 5th level spells), Maximised Spelldance						+1 level in an existing arcane spellcaster class

[H_H_F_F]

Bladesinger rework! Nice.

This is obviously much better than the CW bladesinger, and makes for a powerful gish PRC that sounds like it'd be very fun to play. I think bladesong is just on the verge of being too good - you did a good job balancing it by staggering its advancement so it's less of a big deal on full casters, and by making it require distinct standard and full round actions, so it can't be combined with pounce, martial strikes, arcane channeling, etc.

I also like the off-focus on blasting. Gishes normally trend towards buffing first and foremost, but you give an actual incentive here to go "slash and fireball". That's nice, and it's mild enough to not be required.

A few notes:

1. Table/Text contradiction: The text of bladesong doesn't include the gradual improvement given in the table. It should either repeat it in text or explicitly refer to the table ("over time, the bladesinger can use this ability with more powerful spells, as shown in the table.")
   
   
2. An abundance of feats: This PRC gives a lot of feats, but it gives an absolutely ungodly amount at level 1 - 16 feats(!), if I've counted correctly. If this class was ever printed, it'd feature prominently in TO, specifically as a 1 level dip for DCFS cheese. Even leaving that aside, it's just... inelegant. It's too much to write down, it's too much in general. I'd either make you pick 1 weapon, or say "you are treated as having WF and WS for these weapons when you wield them."
   
   
3. Internal Conflict: On the one hand, the class lets you pick up Elven Courtblade WF and WS, and gives you somatic weaponry. On the other hand, its signature ability wants you to have a weapon in one hand and nothing in the other. While courtblade is just one of many options, somatic weaponry is a completely dead feat on this PRC when played as intended.
   
   Another example of such counter-synergy is requiring tumble and then killing its usefulness with the 3rd level feature. In general, you offer 6+Int skill points, and then make 3 of your class skills utterly useless just a couple of levels in.
   
   
4. Ranged? You probably want to limit bladesong to melee weapons, I think.
   
   
5. Spellsong: I don't like the whole offering players choice here. Besides, it's just 5+CL. That's decent, but no more than that without CL shenanigans. I'd just give it to them without the school limitations. Also, I'd consider just changing it to 12+class level or something. It encourages staying in the class, it encourages early entry, and it doesn't let anyone dip this on a master spellthief build to get insane SR. If not, at least replace the confusing term "effective CL" with just "CL". Alternatively, just make it 5+HD.
   
   
6. Levels 2/5: Spring attack sucks, and it can't be used with bladesong because it requires the attack action, while bladesong is its own action. I'd honestly just get rid of it and move armored mage here - it comes too late to feel like a core part of what you're doing, and its more impactful earlier on anyway. The class offers enough without it, IMO.
   
   
7. Levels 9/10:: In general, you've done well making sure the heavy hitter abilities come in at the levels where casting progression is lost. However, level 9 gives a pretty meh ability, while level 10 is Awesome. I'd say level 9 should advance casting and level 10 shouldn't. That'd also keep up with the trend of bladesong level = no casting progression.
   
   
8. Improved Spellgrace: Spellgrace is nice. Improved spellgrace is bordering on too good, IMO. It's practically immunity to a whole bunch of effects, and way better than the mere damage mitigation offered by improved evasion. If you're keeping it, I'd honestly swap it with whirring bladesong - whirlwind attack isn't that good, and this ability should at the very least come later.
   
   
9. Unclear, imprecise, and unnecessary language: Saying that bladesong is "like TWF" gets nothing across and is confusing. It should just say what it does: As a standard action, you can do X, as a full round action, you can do Y, -2 to to-hit. Maybe thinking of it in terms of TWF helped you understand it better, but it's just obfuscating the info and isn't good mechanical language. Ditch it. Making it count as TWF for prereqs is also unnecessary IMO - as the absolute majority of those feats want you to TWF anyway.
   
   In the same vain, saying "You are treated as if you have both the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feats for purposes of your bladesong class feature" is utterly meaningless phrasing. If you mean "for prereqs", just say that - but again, I'd just ditch the whole idea. The class is busy enough as is.
   
   Quick substitution is written messily. Either clarify the writing, or alternatively - just give them energy substitution normally, and clarify that it doesn't increase the casting time for spontaneous casters. The whole "change it every day and also it functions as "sudden energy substitution" is just not enough of a power increase and not related enough to the theme to justify the complexity.
   
   A lot of the abilities reference being "in combat" which is just confusing terminology. It's also strange that they work if the bladesinger is flatfooted, surprised, or busy trying to pick a lock or something. Have you considered replacing it with "If you've made a weapon attack in the last round" or something? Or alternatively, just giving it up? I don't know - but whatever you do, use more mechanically precise language here.
   
   Balance of Steel and Spell and Whirring bladesong are written badly. Don't say "you get the feat only when X", write "you enjoy the benefits of X feat when Y". Much clearer. Also, the improvement to BoSaS should show up on the table, Astute balance should just be BoSaS 3 instead of having its own (unrelated) name, and I'd maybe (just maybe!) ditch the whole "one extra school" option. Speaking of which...
   
   
10. Maximized Spelldance is just WAY too good. Maximizing a couple of spells per day is one thing, especially when it doesn't include nasty stuff like energy drain. However, the other ability is just utterly busted. You're talking about a huge DC bonus to all spells from three disciplines. With a 16 base, +2 racial, and a +6 item, you're talking about +7 to the DC of all these spells - on a build that can still afford full investment in their casting stat ability, and chose not to invest in inherent bonuses as well. That's insanely broken on anyone - and absolutely game destroying on a full caster.
    
    Remember, gish or no gish, this class can be entered by a single classed wizard who got their hands on Tumble and perform with martial study and apprentice. You're talking about conjurers with 9th level spells getting +7 or more to all of their conjuration spells. That's just bad design. True bladesong and maximizing spells for free here and there is more than good enough. It's too good even before this ability, actually. This feature needs to go.
    
    EDIT: Just realized I somehow missed the 1/day limitation. Ignore mu comments on this subject.
    
    
11. Finally, True bladesong's extra spell should be a swift action, IMO. It should also clearly state that it's still limited by the max level of bladesong, because right now by RAW you can cast whatever you want. In fact, I would've limited it even further than that - either by uses/day or by a lower max level (I'd go with 3).

Those are my notes! Hope you find them useful, and well done!

[CopperElfCleric]

Thank you so much for the compliments and for the critique. I am working on fixing or vamping several of the class abilities.