Battle dancers practice a martial art that emphasizes constant motion, hiding their training from colonial oppressors by presenting it as an acrobatic dance.
The battle dancer is an archetype of the black belt class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The battle dancer mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and STR/DEX, CON, and CHA for her class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Class Skills, Armor Proficiency, Martial Cunning. 2nd – Master’s Flurry. 3rd – AC Bonus. 4th – Knockout.
Class Skills
A battle dancer gains Perform (all) as a class skill instead of Knowledge (dungeoneering).
This ability alters the black belt’s class skills.
Armor Proficiency
A battle dancer isn’t proficient with shields.
This ability alters the black belt’s armor proficiencies.
Dancer’s Cunning (Ex)
A battle dancer can treat her Charisma score as her Intelligence score for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of combat feats. In addition, she can attempt a Perform (dance) check instead of a Bluff check to feint in combat, and her unarmed strikes are considered to have the performance weapon special quality.
This ability replaces martial cunning.
Rolling Flurry (Ex)
When a battle dancer uses her master’s flurry, she must move 5 feet before each melee attack or combat maneuver. If she is unable to move 5 feet, she can’t attempt any further attacks or combat maneuvers. She can’t exceed her maximum speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity if the battle dancer would be able to take a 5-foot step normally; if she would be unable to (for instance, if she were in difficult terrain), the movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal unless she succeeds at the appropriate Acrobatics checks. While using this ability, she can still take her normal 5-foot step before or after making her attacks.
This ability alters master’s flurry.
Dancing Dodge (Ex)
At 3rd level, when an opponent attempts a melee attack against a battle dancer, the battle dancer can expend one use of an attack of opportunity as an immediate action to move 5 feet, granting the battle dancer a dodge bonus to AC equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 0) against the triggering attack. The attack is still resolved normally, even if the battle dancer’s movement takes her out of the triggering attack’s reach.
This movement is not a 5-foot step and provokes attacks of opportunity from creatures other than the one that triggered this ability, though the battle dancer can attempt an Acrobatics check to avoid provoking the attacks. A battle dancer can use this ability a number of times per day equal to half her level. She can use this ability only while wearing light armor or no armor, and while carrying no heavier than a light load.
This ability replaces AC bonus.
Sparring Partners (Ex)
At 4th level, once per day when a battle dancer gains a flanking bonus on an attack while using her rolling flurry ability, the ally providing the flank gains a flanking bonus on its next attack against that opponent, even if the battle dancer moves out of a flanking position. If either the opponent or the ally moves more than 5 feet before the ally’s attack, the flanking bonus is lost. This ability works only if the ally is on the opposite side of an opponent during the battle dancer’s attack, not if a flanking bonus is gained in some other way, such as through Gang Up. A battle dancer can use this ability one additional time per day at 10th level and at 16th level.
This ability replaces knockout.
