A peerless warrior who commands an entire knightly order. It is said that none can match his swordplay. These knights exchange spells for advanced holy sword techniques.
The holy swordsman is an archetype of the paladin class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The holy swordsman mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Cover, Oath Stance. 3rd – Divine Arts. 4th – Spellcasting. 6th – Divine Arts. 7th – Divine Health. 9th – Divine Arts. 12th – Divine Arts. 15th – Sentinel, Divine Arts. 18th – Divine Arts. 20th – Holy Champion.
Holy Swordplay (Su)
This ability functions the same as the sword saint’s swordplay ability, except a holy swordsman gains less swordskills (see below) and may only choose swordskills from Holy Sword, Destroy Sword, and Universal forms. In addition, he may use any swordskill he knows without needing to ready them. Each swordskill can still only be used once per encounter but can be regained through the holy swordsman’s Holy Pool ability.
| Level | Swordskills Known |
|---|---|
| 1st | 1 |
| 2nd | 2 |
| 3rd | 2 |
| 4th | 2 |
| 5th | 3 |
| 6th | 3 |
| 7th | 3 |
| 8th | 4 |
| 9th | 4 |
| 10th | 4 |
| 11th | 5 |
| 12th | 5 |
| 13th | 5 |
| 14th | 6 |
| 15th | 6 |
| 16th | 6 |
| 17th | 7 |
| 18th | 7 |
| 19th | 7 |
| 20th | 8 |
These abilities replace oath stance and spellcasting gained at 4th level.
Holy Pool (Su)
At 1st level, a holy swordsman gains a reservoir of holy energy that she can draw upon to fuel her powers. This holy pool has a number of points equal to half her paladin level (minimum 1) + her Charisma modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the paladin rests for a full 8 hour. A holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 3rd, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 19th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, earthen, earthen burst, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, jetstream, jetstream burst, keen, roaring, roaring burst, shining, shining burst, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the holy pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the holy swordsman uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the holy swordsman.
A holy swordsman can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.
While his sword is enhanced with his holy pool, he can spend 1 point of his holy pool, as a swift action, to regain a swordskill he has already used for the encounter.
This ability replaces cover and holy pool gained at 3rd level.
Holy Sword Talent
As he gains levels, a holy swordsman learns special talents tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and holy power. Starting at 3rd level, a holy swordsman gains one holy sword talent or a sword saint talent that modifies swordplay, using his paladin level as his sword saint level for qualifying for talents. He gains an additional talent for every three levels of paladin attained after 3rd level. Unless specifically noted in a holy sword talent’s description, a holy swordsman cannot select a particular holy sword talent more than once.
Accurate Strike (Ex): The holy swordsman can expend 2 points from his holy pool as a swift action to resolve all of his melee weapon attacks until the end of his turn as melee touch attacks. Prerequisite: paladin 8
Bane Blade (Su): Whenever the holy swordsman enhances his weapon using his holy pool, he may spend 1 additional point from his holy pool to add the bane special ability to the weapon. Prerequisite: paladin 16
Devoted Blade (Su): Whenever the holy swordsman enhances his weapon using his holy pool, he may spend 1 additional point from his holy pool to add either the axiomatic or holy special ability to the list of available options. Prerequisite: paladin 12
Dispelling Strike (Su): The holy swordsman can spend 1 or more points from his holy pool as a swift action to imbue his weapon with a special power. If the weapon strikes a creature within the next minute, that creature is the subject of a targeted dispel using the paladin’s level as the caster level, except that this effect cannot dispel a spell of a level higher than the number of holy pool points expended to activate this ability (treat higher-level spells as if they do not exist and apply the dispel attempt to the remaining spells with the highest caster level). Once the strike is made, the power dissipates, even if the dispel attempt is unsuccessful. Prerequisite: paladin 8
Disruptive (Ex): The holy swordsman gains Disruptive as a bonus feat.
Enduring Blade (Su): Whenever the holy swordsman enchants his weapon using his holy pool, he may spend 1 additional point from his holy pool to increase the duration to 1 minute per paladin level.
Ghost Blade (Su): Whenever the holy swordsman enchants his weapon using his holy pool, he may spend 1 additional point from his holy pool to add the brilliant energy and ghost touch special abilities to the list of available options. Prerequisite: paladin 8
Hasted Assault (Su): The holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as a swift action to move more quickly. This functions as haste, but only targets the holy swordsman and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the holy swordsman’s Charisma bonus. Prerequisite: paladin 8
Holy Accuracy (Su): The holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as a swift action to grant himself an insight bonus equal to his Charisma bonus on all attack rolls until the end of his turn.
Holy Edge (Su): The holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as an immediate action after hitting a target with a slashing or piercing weapon in order to deal an amount of bleed damage equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 0). Prerequisite: paladin 8
Holy Redoubt (Su): As a swift action, the holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool to treat his shield bonus to AC (including any enhancement bonus) as a bonus to touch AC until the beginning of his next turn.
Holy Redoubt, Greater (Su): Whenever the holy swordsman uses his holy redoubt holy sword talent, he may spend an additional point from his holy pool in order to apply his shield bonus to AC (including any enhancement bonus) as a bonus on Reflex saves until the beginning of his next turn. If he is targeted with an effect requiring a Reflex save while using this power, he may spend 2 points from his holy pool as an immediate action to grant himself evasion, or 4 points to grant himself improved evasion. Prerequisite: paladin 12, holy redoubt holy sword talent
Lingering Pain (Su): The holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as an immediate action after hitting a target with a weapon attack. All damage from that attack is considered continuous damage for the purposes of any concentration checks made by the target prior to the beginning of the holy swordsman’s next turn.
Prescient Attack (Su): The holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as an immediate action after hitting a target with a weapon attack, allowing him to anticipate his opponent’s defenses. The target is denied its Dexterity bonus against the holy swordsman’s attacks until the end of the holy swordsman’s next turn.
Prescient Defense (Su): The holy swordsman can expend 1 point from his holy pool as an immediate action after hitting a target with a weapon attack, granting him a premonition of his enemy’s intentions. The holy swordsman gains a bonus to his AC and on Reflex saves equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 0) against attacks by that opponent until the beginning of his next turn. Prerequisite: paladin 8
Spellbreaker (Ex): The holy swordsman gains Spellbreaker as a bonus feat. Prerequisite: paladin 12
These abilities replaces divine arts.
Practiced Skill (Ex)
When a holy swordsman reaches 7th level, he has become so proficient in the basic skills that he can further his skill with that particular skill unlocking its true power, truly mastering his skills. He may select one basic sword skill he has learned and choose to gain its Practiced effect. The holy swordsman may choose an additional swordskill at 12th level and 17th level.
This ability replaces divine health.
Perfected Skill (Ex)
When a holy swordsman reaches 15th level, he has become so extraordinarily adept in the basic skills and has perfected his power. He may choose a single sword skill that he has chosen to have practiced and now gain its Perfected effect. The holy swordsman may choose an additional swordskill at 20th level.
This ability replaces sentinel.
Holy Blade (Ex)
At 20th level, a holy swordsman reaches his peak in swordplay, learning to embolden himself in helping his allies. When a holy swordsman uses his lay on hands ability on an ally, he gains a +5 competence bonus to attack rolls and the DC of all his swordskills are increased by 2 for a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces holy champion.
