The Drunken Pirate
It’s Alcohol Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest, and the party is in full swing. Speaking of swinging, is that today’s swashbuckler archetype, swinging up there on that chandelier? It sounds like he’s singing a bawdy tavern song, and…oh, that had to hurt! Today we bring booze to the one class from the Advanced Class Guide that we think deserves it the most: the swashbuckler.
New Swashbuckler Archetype
Drunken Pirate
It takes either incredible bravery or incredible foolishness to fight the way that swashbucklers do, lightly armored and lightly armed, relying primarily on guile and quick reflexes to keep yourself alive, and despite all of this, taking great pains to ensure that you fight in as stylish and flashy a manner as possible. For those who don’t quite have that mix of courage and insanity required for this sort of thing, there’s a convenient place to find both, and that’s at the bottom of an ale barrel.
Drunken Panache (Ex): A drunken pirate does not regain panache by dealing the killing blow to creatures with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon. Instead, as a standard action, she can consume a tankard of ale or strong alcohol in order to gain 1 temporary panache point. Panache points gained in this way are referred to as drunken panache points. Drinking in this way does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The drunken pirate can have a maximum number of drunken panache points at any one time equal to 1 + 1 per 5 swashbuckler levels she possesses. Drunken panache points that are not used within 1 minute of gaining them are wasted.
At 6th level, the drunken pirate can consume a drink as a move action, instead of a standard action.
At 12th level, drunken panache points last 10 minutes before being lost, if they are not otherwise used.
This ability modifies the panache class feature.
Deeds: A drunken pirate gains the following deeds, each of which replaces an existing deed.
Unexpected Dodge (Ex): A drunken pirate knows how to avoid a blow at the last second, allowing the attack to follow through and strike someone else. At 1st level, when an opponent makes an attack against a drunken pirate, she can spend 1 drunken panache point in order to attempt to dodge that attack. In order to do so, she must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to the result of the attacker’s attack roll). If she does, the attack automatically misses. Further, as long as the drunken pirate has at least 1 panache point or drunken panache point, if she succeeds on the Reflex save, she can choose to redirect the attack to another creature within reach of both her and the attacking creature. If she does, compare the result of the attack roll to the new target’s AC, and resolve the attack normally.
This ability replaces the opportune parry and riposte deed.
Fight From Prone (Ex): By 3rd level, a drunken pirate is so used to spending time collapsed on the ground that she can fight effectively from that position. She does not suffer the normal -4 penalty on attack rolls made while prone, and she does not suffer a -4 penalty to AC against melee attacks as a result of being prone, either. While prone, she can move at half her speed. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. The drunken pirate can use the 5-foot-step action while prone.
This ability replaces the kip-up deed.
Liquid Courage (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a drunken pirate’s spirits are constantly buoyed by her drinks, giving her a daring recklessness. As long as the drunken pirate has at least 1 drunken panache point, she is immune to fear effects, and the DC of any Intimidate check made to demoralize her is increased by 5.
This ability replaces the swashbuckler’s initiative deed.
Wild Swordplay (Ex): At 3rd level, a drunken pirate’s wild and unpredictable swings make it easier for her to eventually bypass her foes’ defenses. Whenever the drunken pirate misses with a melee attack made with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon, she can expend 1 drunken panache point. If she does, she may make a feint attempt as a swift action. For the purposes of this feint, she can use either her normal Bluff modifier, or her base attack bonus + her Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. Either way, she suffers a penalty on the check equal to the amount by which the target’s AC exceeded the result of her attack roll.
This ability replaces the menacing swordplay deed.
Drunken Gait (Ex): At 7th level, while intoxicated, a drunken pirate staggers and stumbles in unpredictable ways, making it difficult for others to predict her movements. As long as the drunken pirate has at least 1 drunken panache point, she gains a bonus equal to her swashbuckler level on Acrobatics checks made to avoid attacks of opportunity.
This ability replaces the swashbuckler’s grace deed.
Feint Anything (Ex): At 7th level, while intoxicated, a drunken pirate’s movements in combat are so unpredictable that she can even get the better of creatures that normally cannot be feinted. She ignores the normal penalties for feinting against a creature that is non-humanoid or of animal intelligence. She can successfully feint against creatures that do not have an Intelligence score, although she suffers a -4 penalty on checks made to do so.
This ability replaces the superior feint deed.
Wild Thrust (Ex): At 15th level, while the drunken pirate has at least 1 drunken panache point, as a full-round action, she can make a wild thrust, which is devastating if it hits, but leaves her open to a devastating counterattack. In order to use this ability, she must make a single attack with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon. If the attack hits, it is automatically treated as a critical hit, and the attack bypasses all forms of damage reduction (including DR that normally can’t be bypassed, and DR that can only be bypassed by epic sources). Finally, for the purposes of this attack, any bonus damage from her precise strike class feature is multiplied by the critical hit. However, if the attack misses, the drunken pirate provokes an attack of opportunity from her target, and is considered flat-footed for the purposes of that attack.
This ability replaces the perfect thrust deed.