The Fey Swordsman

Here we have a fey twist on the light unarmored fighter/rogue – a natural swashbuckler who’s mastery of the blade is enhanced with many touches of fey magic. This particular build is set up at second level and uses a condensed skill list.

Race Template/Human with Major Fey Bloodline (+0 ECL(: Fast Learner Specialized in Skills (3 CP), One Bonus Feat (6 CP), Fey Affinity +2 (Favored Foe variant: adds to Deception, Persuasion, Knowledge, Perform, and Will checks made against Fey creatures, will increase with level, 6 CP), +1 Dex (6 CP), +1 level of the Bard Spellcasting Progression, Specialized/only when the user has at least tasted Fey Food in the last twenty-four hours (4 CP), and +2 to Stealth, Thievery, and Persuasion (6 CP).

Basic Attributes: Str 14, Int 12, Dex 16, Wis 12, Con 14, and Cha 12.

Languages: Common and Sylvan.

Available Character Points: 72 (level two base) + 10 (disadvantages) +12 (racial bonus feat, level one bonus feat) = 94 CP.

Basics (47 CP):

• Hit Dice: 20 (L1d20, 16 CP) + 8 (L2d10, 6 CP) +4 (2 x Con Mod) = 32 HP. Has DR 1/- versus all weapons.
• Skill Points: 1 (Purchased, 1 CP) + 4 (Int Mod x 4) + 20 (Fast Learner) = 25
• Base Attack Bonus +1 (6 CP), additional +1 Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect (+3) / Longsword Only (6 CP).
• Saves:
  • Fortitude: +0 (Purchased, 0 CP) +2 (Con) = +2
  • Reflex: +2 (Purchased, 6 CP) +3 (Dex) = +5
  • Will: +0 (Purchased, 0 CP) +1 (Wis) = +1 (+3 versus Fey Effects)
• Proficient with all Simple Weapons and Martial Swords (6 CP).
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +5 (Dex + Str) +4 (Armor) +1 (Martial Arts) = 20
• Move: 30 Feet
• Initiative: +11 (+3 Dex +8 Improved)

Usual Weapons:

• Longsword: +10 (+4 BAB +2 Strength +1 Magic +2 Martial Art), 1d8 +2 (Str), Crit 17-20/x2, four Attacks of Opportunity, Whirlwind Attack.

Special Abilities (47 CP):

• Upgrade human Fast Learner to Double Effect (3 CP).
• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills, from Level -2 (6 CP).
• Adept: Acrobatics, Deception, Perception, and Lunar Storm Style (6 CP).
• Augmented Bonus (“Smashing Parry”), adds (Str Mod) to (Dex Mod) when calculating his AC (2*# CP)
• Improved Initiative x4 (8* CP): Adds +8 to his initiative.
• Reflex Training/Combat Reflexes Variant (2*# CP)
• Inherent Spell/Earthward with +8 Bonus Uses (6*# CP). This lets you block (3d8+Level) points of damage or any one special effect (poison, etc) from an incoming attack as an immediate action nine times per day – provided that you have a sword out to block with.
• Improved Occult Talent/”Blademaster’s Tricks”: May use 5/Day from Fast Draw (a sword on your person appears in your hand just when you want it; this is not even an action), Blade Call (your blade leaps into your hand from up to thirty feet away as a free action), The Wind Blade (spend a move action to make any item serve as a normal sword for one minute), and Mend Blade (repairs a damaged sword). 3/Day use any one from Sudden Strike (make a single attack at your full BAB as a swift action), Adamant Strike (makes a blade act like it was made of adamant for one minute), and Personal Haste (8* CP).
• Fey Trinkets: Shaping, Specialized and Corrupted for increased (level one and possibly weak level two) effects/can only produce effects for which the user has the appropriate foci ready, can only support a limited number (seven minor and three notable) trinkets at a time and it takes hours to trade them our, charms and talismans are personalized tokens of fey experiences; the characters initial selection can only be expanded by finding such tokens (6 CP).

And yes, this is just a slight twist on the usual “Use of Charms and Talismans” for a setting that doesn’t commonly use them.

Current Trinkets:

• Minor: Misty Cloak (+5 to Stealth), Pouch of Fireworks, Trackless Boots, Wardstone (DR 1/- versus Weapons), Concealable Sheathe (allows him to easily hide his longsword on his person when he’s not using it).
• Major: Runeblade (+1 Keen Longsword), Workman’s Shirt (+4 Armor Bonus), Endless Rope.

*Corrupted/not while while wearing medium or heavy armor or while heavily encumbered.

#Specialized/only while using a sword.

Skills:

• Acrobatics: +5 (2 SP, Adept) +3 (Dex) = +8
• Deception: +5 (2 SP, Adept) +1 (Cha) = +6
• Lunar Storm Style (Martial Art): +5 (2 SP, Adept) +3 (Dex) = +8
• Nightfall Blade (Martial Art): +5 (5 SP) +3 (Dex) = +8
• Perception: +5 (2 SP, Adept) +1 (Wis) = +6
• Persuasion: +2 (2 SP) +1 (Cha) +2 (Race) = +5
• Stealth: +5 (5 SP) +3 (Dex) +5 (Cloak) +2 (Race) +2 (Synergy) = +17
• Thievery: +5 (5 SP) +3 (Dex) +2 (Race) +2 (Synergy) = +12

Lunar Storm Techniques Known (4): +2 Attack, +1 Defense, Whirlwind Attack

Nightfall Blade Techniques Known: +1 Defense, Synergy/Stealth, Synergy/Thievery, Unarmed Kata. (Next up; Mind Like Moon).

A Fey Swordsman is fairly dangerous offensively and extremely durable – at least as long as he or she is actually holding a longsword, isn’t taking more than one hit per round, those hits aren’t too powerful, he or she rolls well on the blocking dice, and their uses on that block hold out.

That’s actually rather a lot of “if’s” in there, but there’s only so much you can do with a second level character, no matter how specialized his or her abilities.

That’s also one of the nice points about Eclipse; Characters often start out with a good deal of power – but their next several levels will usually be devoted to adding breadth and options, rather than increasing that power. That means that they can adventure with a higher-level group and contribute in their specialty while still picking up experience faster and catching up – and that can make it a LOT easier to justify introducing a new character into an established group.

Related articles

• Converting to Eclipse: an Arcane Rogue from Emergence Campaign Weblog (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• Eclipse – The Walker In Darkness (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• [Emergence Campaign] Eclipse d20 — The Soul Knife (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• Exalted – The Hundredfold Resplendent Academy (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• [Emergence Campaign] Eclipse — The Ways of Dragons I (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• Eclipse, the Ways of Dragons II (ruscumag.wordpress.com)