Deadly Blade (3.5e Class)

Deadly Blade

A Deadly Blade is skilled with stealth and hand-to-hand combat. He is a skilled at sneaking up on his enemies and and disappearing before they know what hit them.

Making a Deadly Blade

The Deadly Blade is a secondary combatant. He can hold his own in a fight, but wearing lots of armor hinders his abilities, so he prefers to use stealth to strike at his enemies and then retreat.

Deadly Blades are fast and wise, but they aren't as strong or hardy as a straight-up Fighter.

Abilities: Dexterity is the most important ability a Deadly Blade can have. Wisdom is also important, as it helps the Deadly Blade be aware of his surroundings. Strength and Constitution are also helpful, especially when faced in open combat.

Races: Any. Craftier Humans can be Deadly Blades, preferring to strike from the shadows rather than engage in open combat. Elves may also prefer this class, as they are not as hardy as other races. Dwarves and Half-Orcs tend to steer away from becoming a Deadly Blade, as they rely more on strength in open combat.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 3d8 ×10 gp (120 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate.

Table: The Deadly Blade

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+0	+2	+2	Armor and Weapon Proficiency, Sneak Attack +1d6
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+3	Evasion
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+3	Sneak Attack +2d6, Counter
4th	+4	+1	+4	+4	Uncanny Dodge
5th	+5	+1	+4	+4	Sneak Attack +3d6, Deflection
6th	+6/+1	+2	+5	+5
7th	+7/+2	+2	+5	+5	Sneak Attack +4d6, Improved Disarm
8th	+8/+3	+2	+6	+6	Movement Speed +10 ft.
9th	+9/+4	+3	+6	+6	Sneak Attack +5d6, Improved Uncanny Dodge
10th	+10/+5	+3	+7	+7	Death Attack, Improved Evasion
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+7	+7	Sneak Attack +6d6, Improved Counter
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+8	+8
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+8	+8	Sneak Attack +7d6, Improved Deflection
14th	+14/+8/+4	+4	+9	+9
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+9	+9	Sneak Attack +8d6, Advantageous Strike
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+10	+10
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Sneak Attack +9d6
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Sneak Attack +10d6
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+7	+12	+12
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

Deadly Blades are formidable combatants as well as excellent assassins. All of the following are class features of the Deadly Blade.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Deadly Blade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as light armor.

Sneak Attack: If a Deadly Blade can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from the attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a Deadly Blade can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Deadly Blade is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Deadly Blade does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Deadly Blade can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If a Deadly blade already has uncanny dodge from a different class he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A Deadly Blade of 9th level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies another Deadly Blade the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more Rogue or Deadly Blade levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum Deadly Blade level required to flank the character.

Counter: Once per round, a Deadly Blade can take an immediate action to deflect a single melee attack that would otherwise harm him. By making an attack roll with the DC equal to the attack roll of the melee attack against the fencer he may instead take no damage from the attack. If the attack relies upon touching the Deadly Blade such as a touch spell requiring an unarmed strike, the attack is counted as missing the player. Additionally, once per round, upon a successful Counter, a Deadly Blade can then take an attack of opportunity against his opponent's flat-footed AC. This does not give him the bonus damage of a Sneak Attack.

Deflection: Once per round, a Deadly Blade can take an immediate action to deflect a single ranged attack that would otherwise harm him. By making an attack roll with the DC equal to the attack roll of the ranged attack against the fencer he may instead take no damage from the attack. This ability cannot be used against spells.

Improved Disarm: At 7th level the Deadly Blade gets Improved Disarm as a bonus feat.

Movement Speed: At 8th level the Deadly Blade's base speed increases by 10 ft.

Death Attack: If an Deadly Blade studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (player's choice). While studying the victim, the Deadly Blade can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the Deadly Blade or recognize the Deadly Blade as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the Deadly Blade’s class level + the Deadly Blade’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the Deadly Blades. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the Deadly Blade has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

Improved Evasion: Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the Deadly Blade still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Deadly Blade does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Improved Counter: At 11th level, the Deadly Blade can use his Counter ability once per round for every enemy attacking him.

Improved Deflection: At 13th level, the Deadly Blade can use his Deflection ability once per round for every enemy attacking him with a ranged weapon.

Advantageous Strike: When a Deadly Blade succeeds in disarming an opponent, he may make an attack of opportunity with a light melee weapon (or a rapier) against the disarmed opponent.

Ex-Deadly Blades

.

Epic Deadly Blade

Table: The Epic Deadly Blade

Hit Die: d8

Level	Special
21st	#Bonus Feat
22nd
23rd	#Bonus Feat
24th
25th	#Bonus Feat
26th
27th	#Bonus Feat
28th
29th	#Bonus Feat
30th
6 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Bonus Feats: The epic deadly blade gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Fighter or Rogue bonus feats) every other level after 21st.

Deadly Blade Starting Package

Weapons: .

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty

Feat: .

Bonus Feats: .

Gear: .

Gold: .

Playing a Deadly Blade

Religion: Deadly Blades practice a variety of religions. They generally worship Wee Jas, but have been known to worship other gods as well.

Other Classes: Deadly Blades get along well with Rogues and Fighters, because a Deadly Blade recognizes the need for both stealth and strength. The Deadly Blade also gets along well with Rangers. Deadly Blades tend to pass off magic users, feeling that magic is simply for those unfit for combat and only capable of reciting things from books.

Combat: Deadly Blades hold their own in combat, but best serve as a secondary combatant. Fighters or Barbarians can take a good deal of damage, while the Deadly Blade strikes from behind.

Advancement: Deadly Blades tend to avoid the study of magic, but they would benefit from taking levels of classes that excel in ranged combat, to help boost the Deadly Blade's versatility.

Deadly Blades in the World

“	"Don't be so quick to raise your weapon against me. You'll wind up with my blade in your gut.	”
—Artemis Vidette, Human Deadly Blade

Daily Life: Deadly Blades tend to stay close by cities, frequently walking among its people, observing the scene.

Notables: Artemis Vidette was a young noble who studied fencing from an early age. He was also taught the art of stealth by Thorzak Ardona, a Drow Assassin who saved Artemis from a group of thieves. Artemis went on to become a great vigilante, silently eliminating all who threatened his small corner of the world.

Organizations: Deadly Blades are solitary. Some serve as assassins for hire, others become mercenaries. There are also a significant amount who become vigilantes like Artemis Vidette.

NPC Reactions: Most NPCs mistake the Deadly Blade for a Rogue or a Fighter, and pass him off as he blends in with his surroundings.

Deadly Blade Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (local) can research Deadly Blades to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC	Result
5	Deadly Blades generally serve as private assassins.
10	Artemis Vidette, a famous Deadly Blade, is used as a scare tactic to get children to obey the law from an early age.
15	Although few in numbers, Deadly Blades frequently hide in plain sight amongst the city crowds.
20	Deadly Blades were once part of a great organization led by Artemis Vidette, but upon his death, his followers scattered.

Deadly Blades in the Game

Adaptation: .

Sample Encounter: .

EL : .

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