The Invisible Blade - Not Sucking

[Brobdingnagian]

Wow, don't we ever love the sneak attack class that gives you normal progression... but only with daggers? Balls to that. Here's the Invisible Blade in a more useful fashion.

Invisible Blade
"Look, a distraction!"

Requirements:
BAB: +3
Skills: Bluff or Sleight of Hand 8 ranks
Feats: Combat School - Knife Fighter (when using daggers, kukris, or anything else you and your DM consider a knife)

Hit Die: d6
BAB: Full (as Fighter), Saves: Fort: Poor, Ref: Good, Will: Poor

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Tumbe (Dex).

Skill Points: 4 + INT modifier

Level/Bonus

1 Calculated Combat, Dagger Sneak Attack +1d6, Uncanny Feint (move)
2 Dagger Sneak Attack +2d6, Feint Mastery
3 Dagger Sneak Attack +3d6, Uncanny Feint (free)

Class Features

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Invisible Blade gains profinciency in daggers, kukris, and anything else that falls under his Combat Style - Knife Fighter that you were too dumb to already have.

Calculated Combat: An Invisible Blade adds his Intelligence modifier (if positive) as a Dodge bonus to armour class as long as he wears light or no armour. In addition, any ability the Invisible Blade has that would require an opponent to make a saving throw with a Strength-based DC can instead be made with an Intelligence-based DC, at the Invisible Blade's option.

Dagger Sneak Attack: An Invisible Blade is dangerous with his daggers. At first level and each level thereafter, an Invisible Blade adds 1d6 to all Sneak Attacks if he would also be eligible for a bonus from his Combat School - Knife Fighter.

Uncanny Feint: At first level, an Invisible Blade can feint as a move action. At third level, an Invisible Blade can feint as a free action. An Invisible Blade may use either his Bluff skill or his Sleight of Hand skill for feinting (his option at the time of the attack). If he chooses to use his Sleight of Hand skill, his opponent must make a Spot check (as opposed to the normal Sense Motive check) to oppose. Also, none of this 'only feint once a round' bullshit. You're meant to go one-on-one with people, you should be sneak attacking all the friggin' time. An Invisible Blade may only use Uncanny Feint while using his Combat Style - Knife Fighting.

Feint Mastery: At second level, an Invisible Blade becomes so sure of his ability to mislead his opponent, he can always take 10 on Bluff or Sleight of Hand checks.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I realise I didn't do the skills. Boo-hoo, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

Anyway, I think this class is actually playable, so critique away.

Edit. Added hit die, skills, and skill points. Took away Sneak Attack requirement.

Edit. Fine-tuned some of the wording and abilities.

[AlphaNerd]

Hit die, number of skills, skill list?

[MrWaeseL]

Why would a rogue ever not take levels in this class since it grants better BaB and faster sneak attack progression?

[Brobdingnagian]

Because you have to knife-fight?

Oh, yeah. d6 hit die. And I said you can figure the skills out yourself.

Also, give it a smaller skill progression than Rogue. Since this is a combat class, four skill points should be reasonable.

[the_taken]

Why the sneak attack requirement? Ditch that and a fighter or barbarian can take it.

[Neeek]

1176065247[/unixtime]]
"Look, a diversion!"

I've always preferred "Look! A distraction!"

I've actually gotten people on that one.

[Brobdingnagian]

Because then a Fighter or Barbarian could qualify at 3rd level... I could up the BAB requirement to +5, but then a Rogue can't qualify until 7th.

Hmm... how about...

BAB: +5
Special: If you have the Sneak Attack or Sudden Strike class feature, the BAB requirement for this class is reduced to +3.

[Catharz]

1176092993[/unixtime]]Because then a Fighter or Barbarian could qualify at 3rd level... I could up the BAB requirement to +5, but then a Rogue can't qualify until 7th.

Hmm... how about...

BAB: +5
Special: If you have the Sneak Attack or Sudden Strike class feature, the BAB requirement for this class is reduced to +3.

Or you could just keep the skill requirement.

[Brobdingnagian]

Oh yeah, that. Man, I'm out of it today. I'll fix that.

[the_taken]

Why take this as a fighter? The 2d6 great sword becomes a 1d4 kukri. But, you can use two of them at once and gain +3d6 on each most of the time. At the cost of your fighter abilities. It's okay.

Rogue? Thief-Acrobat? It's okay, considering that you'll lose out on your 1337 skillz.

An assassin wouldn't take it 'cause of the way his death attack works.

Similar to a fighter, barbarian can take it later on, if he wants, but he'll loose out on his auto anti-magic abilities, which are tactically superior to just getting an extra d6 of damage.

Mages of any type? Ha!

Dungeonomicon monks may gain some benefit depending on what the following fighting style means:

While Active, your Fighting Style provides any bonuses it gives to your slam attack to any attack you make with any weapon

So... Can a Monk 15/Ivisy-blade apply his disintegrating slam powers to his unseen daggers?

[Brobdingnagian]

Makes sense.

[Catharz]

Combat School is a Strength-based feat, so you might want to consider an alternative for Dex-based characters. I mean, the the candy is nice but the meat is the Daze effect, which is weak for Str-dumpers. Hell, letting them base the DC on Int would be in-flavor and quite a boost to 'smart warriors.'

IMO the real power of adding a monk's specials to normal weapons is with a bow, but that's another story...

[Judging__Eagle]

1176188076[/unixtime]]Combat School is a Strength-based feat, so you might want to consider an alternative for Dex-based characters. I mean, the the candy is nice but the meat is the Daze effect, which is weak for Str-dumpers. Hell, letting them base the DC on Int would be in-flavor and quite a boost to 'smart warriors.'

IMO the real power of adding a monk's specials to normal weapons is with a bow, but that's another story...

Fvcking broken-ass archers. All that damage potential and so little risk.

[Brobdingnagian]

Good point. I'll add that in.

It's under 'Calculated Combat'. I figured no point in making it just defence, right?

[Judging__Eagle]

You should change the special requirement to:

Combat School (Any Light Slashing and/or Piercing Weapons)

Daggers are both, Kukris are slashing, but there are other small weapons that you could use in a similar manner, like Darts or Sianghams.

I'm saying this mostly b/c Melee-Rogues tend to be Dead-Rogues.

[Brobdingnagian]

So, what? Combat School (Pointy Shit)? Eh. Whatever.

[Catharz]

1177784060[/unixtime]]You should change the special requirement to:

Combat School (Any Light Slashing and/or Piercing Weapons)

Fuck ya! Eat invisible kusarigama, bitch!

1176065247[/unixtime]]
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Invisible Blade gains profinciency in daggers, kukris, and anything else that falls under his Combat Style - Knife Fighter that you were too dumb to already have. Also gains proficiency in light armour if for some odd reason you don't have it.

There isn't any real reason to not give light armor proficiency, but there also isn't much of a reason to give it. I'd stick with having monk/invisible blades go unarmored unless they dip in something else.

1176065247[/unixtime]]Calculated Combat: An Invisible Blade adds his Intelligence modifier (if positive) as a Dodge bonus to armour class as long as he wears light or no armour. In addition, any ability the Invisible Blade has that would require an opponent to make a Strength-based saving throw can instead be made an Intelligence-based saving throw, at the Invisible Blade's option.

It's a strength-based DC, not saving throw. This isn't SAME

1176065247[/unixtime]]Dagger Sneak Attack: An Invisible Blade is dangerous with his daggers. At first level and each level thereafter, an Invisible Blade adds 1d6 to all Sneak Attacks made while using his Combat Style - Knife Fighting.

It might make sense to be more specific as to what using the combat school means. If it means 'while using one of the abilities granted by the Combat School,' you can't apply it to TWFing with a dagger and a shield.

1176065247[/unixtime]]Feint Mastery: At second level, an Invisible Blade becomes so sure of his ability to mislead his opponent, he can always take 10 on Bluff or Sleight of Hand checks to use his Uncanny Feint ability.

Might as well make it Bluff and SoH checks, period.

[Brobdingnagian]

And the fine-tuning commences.

I'll leave the necessary Combat School requirments up to the various DM's. Personally, I wouldn't allow kusarigama, but that's besides the point.

There isn't any real reason to not give light armor proficiency, but there also isn't much of a reason to give it. I'd stick with having monk/invisible blades go unarmored unless they dip in something else.

I suppose that's a good point. I didn't really consider the Monk when I typed it up. I'll fix that.

It's a strength-based DC, not saving throw. This isn't SAME

Oops. I suppose I better fix that.

It might make sense to be more specific as to what using the combat school means. If it means 'while using one of the abilities granted by the Combat School,' you can't apply it to TWFing with a dagger and a shield.

I figure it meant "any time you would be eligible to receive a bonus from Combat School", but yeah, I guess I should fill that in.

Might as well make it Bluff and SoH checks, period.

Eh. This is what happens when I copy straight from the text. No point in not doing it, really. I'll edit that too.

[Catharz]

Looking over Races of War, there is a 'smart knife fighter' feat:

Subtle Cut [Combat]
You cut people so bad they have to ask you about it later.
Benefits: Any time you damage an opponent, that damage is increased by 1.
+1: As a standard action, you can make a weapon attack that also reduces a creature's movement rate. For every 5 points of damage this attack does, reduce the creature's movement by 5'. This penalties lasts until the damage is healed.
+6: As a standard action, you may make a weapon attack that also does 2d4 points of Dexterity damage.
+11: Any weapon attack that you make at this level acts as if the weapon had the wounding property.
+16: As a standard action, you may make an attack that dazes your opponent. This effect lasts one round, and has a DC of 10 + half your level + your Intelligence bonus.


I think it's been ignored because most of the abilities require standard actions to execute, and Combat School seems flat-out better (1 round Daze as an attack action 10 levels sooner...). I'm not exactly sure what the thought behind it was. The Dex damage attack is a killer, and the movement reduction is nice, but it seems like a Spring Attack feat where Spring Attack no longer exists...

Maybe K or Frank would care to explain some killer uses of this feat, and why it rates up there with Combat School.

[Judging__Eagle]

You can make ranged sneak attacks that drop a targets movement to 5'.

Then, you can deal dex damage.

Then, any attack that you make also deals 1 point of con damage.

Really, it's a feat for the ranged attack rogue that has blitz, point blank shot and sniper; he can deal his BaB twice in damage, plus sneak attack damage if he bought Camoflauge clothing.

So, he'll keep things pinned in place, or 5 foot step back every round to keep them far from himself.

[Catharz]

Oh, of course. The 'smart' guy wants to keep out of melee if at all possible

I wonder what the save is...