PELLURIAN BLADE DANCER

[The Hive Mind]

The Pellurian Blade Dancer is a relic of a bygone era seen only in the courts of Sarcosan royalty, or inherited by sons of select wandering swordsmen. The shurapoli, or blade dance, was a fighting style taught to Sarcosans of the Old Empire that emphasizes grace and skill with two-handed blades over brute strength. While blade dancers were commonly seen as bodyguards of the old Erenlander kings, the blade dance is rarely practiced today. Only a few rare adherents still keep the past alive and it is likely that knowledge of the blade dance will die out within the next century.

Hit Die: d10.



Requirements

Race: Sarcosan.
Skills: Perform (dance) 3 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks.
Feats: Clever Fighting, Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Martial Weapon Proficiency (falchion or greatsword), Weapon Specialization (falchion or greatsword).
Special: A prospective Pellurian blade dancer must learn the blade dance from a master of the technique.

Class Level / Base Attack Bonus / Fort Save / Ref Save / Will Save / Special
1st ----------------+1 -------------+2 -------+2 --------+0 -------Blade dance, fluid defense +1
2nd ----------------+2 -------------+3 ------+3 ---------+0------- Bonus feat, constant waves
3rd ----------------+3 -------------+3 -------+3 --------+1 -------Fluid defense +2
4th ---------------+4 --------------+4 ------+4 ---------+1 -------Bonus feat, evasion
5th ---------------+5 --------------+4 ------+4 ---------+1 -------Fluid Defense +3
6th ---------------+6 --------------+5 ------+5 ---------+2 -------Bonus feat, crashing waves
7th ---------------+7 --------------+5 ------+5 ---------+2 -------Fluid defense +4
8th ---------------+8 --------------+6 ------+6 ---------+2 -------Bonus feat, uncanny dodge
9th ---------------+9 --------------+6 ------+6 ---------+3 -------Fluid defense +5
10th --------------+10 -------------+7 ------+7 --------+3 --------What was will be again

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pellurian blade dancers gain proficiency with all simple and martial weapons. Pellurian blade dancers are proficient with light armor, but not shields.

All of the Pellurian blade dancer's extraordinary class abilities may only be used whil the blade dancer is wearing light or no armor and, in most cases, is wielding a greatsword or falchion in both hands. Additionally, they may not be used while the blade dancer is carrying a medium or heavy load or is using a shield. These limitations apply to the blade dance, fluid defense, constant waves, and what was will be again abilities.

Blade Dance (Ex): A Pellurian blade dancer knows the secret of the shurapoli, a dance using a two-handed sword meant to mimic the fluid back-and-forth motion of a wave. The Pellurian blade dancer may use the feats Canny Strike, Clever Fighting, Weapon Finesse, and Well-Aimed Strike with a falchion or greatsword.

Fluid Defense (Ex): The Pellurian blade dancer has learned to twist and turn along with the momentum caused by his weapon, making him hard to target. At 1st level the blade dancer gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus increases by an additional +1 at every other level after the first. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks, but the blade dancer loses this bonus when he loses his Dexterity or is immobilized or helpless.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd level, the Pellurian blade dancer gains Canny Strike as a bonus feat. At 4th level, the Pellurian blade dancer gains Well-Aimed Strike as a bonus feat. At 6th level, he gains the Improved Weapon Focus feat with either the falchion or greatsword as a bonus feat. At 8th level, he gains the Improved Weapon Specialization feat with either the falchion or greatsword as a bonus feat. The blade dancer receives these feats whether he meets the requirements or not. At each level, if the blade dancer already has this feat, he may instead choose any feat available as a fighter bonus feat.

Constant Waves (Ex): The Pellurian blade dancer has begun to further explore the intricacies of the dance that allows constant movement. Starting at 2nd level, when making a Balance, Climb, Jump, Perform (dance), or Tumble check, he may take 10 even if stress and distraction whould normally prevent her from doing so. The blade dancer may not take 10 if he wears any armor heavier than light or when carrying a medium or heavy load.

Evasion (Ex): At 4th level, a Pellurian blade dancer gains evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows him to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, he takes no damage with a successful saving throw. The evasion ability can only be used if the blade dancer is wearing light armor or no armor and is not carrying a medium or heavy load.

Crashing Waves (Ex): Starting at 6th level, when using the total defense action in melee combat and wielding any two-handed weapon in both hands, a Pellurian blade dancer may make a free disarm or trip attempt as an attack of opporutnity against a foe that attacks him in melee. This attack of opportunity is resolved immediately before the provoking attack is resolved. The blade dancer may make one such attack of opportunity per round, plus one attack per point of Dexterity bonus. These attacks count against the character's attacks of opportunity as normal for the round, and the blade dancer may only make one attempt per opponent.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 8th level, a Pellurian blade dancer retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. Theu uncanny dodge ability can only be used if the blade dancer is wearing light armor or no armor and is not carrying a medium or heavy load.

What Was Will Be Again (Su): At 10th level, the Pellurian blade dancer has mastered the shurapoli and is in tune with the fluid motions it replicates. Once per day while performing a full attack action in melee, the blade dancer may make twice the normal number of melee attacks with his falchion or greatsword. As an additional special ability, he may take a single 5-ft. step between each attack if he wishes, up to a maximum number or 5-ft. steps equal to his Dexterity modifier (minimum 1). He may not move farther than his normal base speed in this manner. Immediately following his final attack for the round, the blade dancer becomes fatigued.