Duelist

A warrior with a touch of finesse with some focus on talents on locking enemies in combat to hold the front or parry attacks none other could withstand.

The duelist is an archetype of the fencer class.

Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The duelist mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and DEX, CON, and CHA for his class features.

Archetype Feature Replacements:
2nd – Deflect Arrows, Evasion, Lunge Technique. 4th – Lunge Technique. 6th – Lunge Technique. 8th – Lunge Technique. 10th – Lunge Technique. 12th – Lunge Technique. 14th – Lunge Technique. 16th – Lunge Technique. 18th – Lunge Technique.  20th – Lunge Technique.

Stamina Pool (Ex)

At 2nd level, the duelist gains a reservoir of stamina that he can draw upon to fuel his talents that he gains below. This stamina pool has a number of points equal to half his fencer level + his Constitution modifier (minimum 1). The pool refreshes once per day when the duelist rests for a full 8 hours. Sustained modes take up a static amount of stamina points from the duelist’s current and maximum stamina pool and most sustained modes stack.

Some talents are activated as a sustained mode. When activated, these talents both consume stamina and reduce the user’s maximum stamina by the listed amount. While active, they provide their listed bonuses until the duelist deactivates them as a free action, falls unconscious, or dies, at which point the reduction to the user’s maximum stamina is removed. Multiple sustained mode talents may be used at the same time as long as the duelist has enough stamina, though some talents may specify others that they cannot be used with.

By spending 1 stamina point as a swift action, the duelist can do one of the following:

• Increase his speed by 10 feet for 1 round, or
• Delay and suppress his fatigue or exhaustion for 1 round, or
• Increase one saving throw by +1 for 1 round.

This ability replaces deflect arrows.

Martial Training (Ex)

At 2nd level, a duelist counts his total duelist levels as warrior levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If he has levels in warrior, these levels stack.

This ability replaces evasion.

Duelist Talents (Su)

As a duelist gains experience, he learns a number of talents that aid him and his allies. Starting at 2nd level, a duelist gains one duelist talent chosen from any talent tree or a lunge technique. He gains an additional duelist talent for every 2 levels of fencer attained after 2nd level. A duelist cannot select an individual talent more than once. The duelist may pick up Extra Lunge Technique feats to select these talents.

Battlemaster Talent Tree (Su): When fighting solo, a battlemaster is an efficient killing machine. When fighting alongside allies, the duelist becomes a seasoned leader who can rally others to turn the tide of combat. Weapon Requirement: Any manufactured weapon.

• Bolster: As long as the duelist has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, as a move action, he may activate this talent to regenerate Stamina Points equal to his Constitution modifier. The duelist may use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.
• Rally: At a cost of 1 stamina point, which can only be used once per combat encounter, as a move action, the duelist may activate this talent to rally fellow combatants, briefly regenerating other allies’ mana or stamina points within 30 feet. Allies within the area of effect regenerate 1 MP or stamina point per round. The duration for Rally lasts for a number of rounds equal to the duelist’s Charisma modifier.
• Unite: This talent increases mana and stamina regeneration of the Rally talent. Allies within the area of effect regenerate 2 MP or stamina points per round. Prerequisite: Rally.
• Battle Synergy: As a swift action, the duelist may activate this talent as a sustained mode. The duelist and allies within a 30-ft.-radius gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a damage reduction of 1/- with an additional +1 and 1/- per four fencer levels. This mode uses up 3 stamina points of the duelist’s current and maximum stamina pool. Prerequisite: Rally.
• Hero’s Synergy: As an immediate action at a cost of 1 stamina point, the duelist may partially take some of the damage an adjacent ally suffers. The duelist can use Hero’s Synergy once per round. The duelist takes 25% of the damage an adjacent ally takes. (Battle Synergy must be active.) Prerequisites: Rally, Battle Synergy.
• Deep Reserves: The duelist’s extensive combat experience grants great fortitude in battle. As long as the duelist has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, he regenerates stamina points equal to his Constitution modifier per hour. Prerequisites: Bolster, Rally, Battle Synergy.
• Second Wind: As long as the duelist has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, once per day, as a swift action, he can activate this talent to regenerate his stamina pool back to full (minus any stamina used up for any sustained modes). Prerequisite: Bolster.
• Deep Breath: As long as the duelist has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, this talent allows him to use Second Wind talent one more time per day. Prerequisites: Bolster, Second Wind.
• Last Push: As long as the duelist has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, once per day, as a swift action, he can activate this talent to give another use of another talent that has a limited number of times per day (except Last Push). Prerequisites: Bolster, Second Wind, Deep Breath.

One-Handed Specialization Talent Tree (Su): Combining the finesse of a fencer, and ruthlessness of a knight, the duelist can become a ruthless warrior with one sword in hand, locking enemies in combat and parrying blows made against him. Weapon Requirement: Any manufactured one-handed melee weapons.

• Deadlock: At the cost of 1 stamina point, as a standard action, the duelist can make a combat maneuver check on an enemy in reach and, if successful, enter a state of Deadlock. Deadlock works much like grappled except they do not take a -2 to Attack rolls and combat maneuvers during deadlock. Effects that gives bonus to grapple does not apply to deadlock. Furthermore, creatures cannot be pinned or dragged like a normal grapple and cannot make attacks against each other even if using a one-handed weapon. When the duelist is successful at deadlocking an enemy, he may, as part of deadlock, perform a free Bull Rush, Dirty Trick, Disarm or Trip combat maneuver on his enemy. If successful, deadlock ends and the duelist may make an attack on his enemy as a swift action at his highest base attack bonus. If unsuccessful, the deadlock remains. However, if the opposing creature breaks the deadlock, it may become the locker and perform the combat maneuver and the free attack if successful or simply end deadlock. If neither are successful, the deadlock remains. The duelist can instead choose to keep the enemy deadlocked gaining a +5 insight bonus per round to maintain the deadlock much like a grapple. The duelist and the creature he has deadlocked can choose on their turns as a free action to simply break the lock backing off, however in doing so they provoke an attack of opportunity from the other.
• Superior Lock: The duelist gains a +1 bonus to deadlock an enemy and all combat maneuvers associated with it. This increases by 1 for every four fencer levels. The duelist can also deadlock with enemies up to two size categories larger than himself. Prerequisite: Deadlock
• Ultimate Lock: If the duelist is attacked by another enemy while deadlocked and the attack fails, he can choose to deadlock with both enemies, taking a -1 penalty for all rolls for each enemy deadlocked this way. Any time the duelist performs a combat maneuver or attack during deadlock it applies to all opposing creatures deadlocked. If at least one enemy fails or ends the deadlock against the duelist, deadlock ends for everyone. Prerequisites: Deadlock, Superior Lock
• Shield Gauntlet: As a swift action, the duelist may activate this as a sustained mode. The duelist gains a +1 shield bonus as long as he keeps his offhand empty and doesn’t use two weapon fighting. This bonus increases by 1 for every four levels of fencer. While in this mode, the duelist’s gauntlet is treated as a buckler for the purposes of feats and abilities. This mode uses up 2 stamina points of the duelist’s current and maximum stamina pool.
• Parry: At the cost of 1 stamina point, the duelist can negate a melee attack by rolling an opposed attack roll, DC = the opponent’s attack roll. This uses one of the duelist’s attacks of opportunity (if he has more with Combat Reflexes) for the round in which it is used. He receives a -5 penalty to his attack roll every time he uses this after the first and must spend a stamina point each time as well. He must have a melee weapon in hand, and he must be aware of his foe and not flat-footed. Prerequisite: Shield Gauntlet
• Counter: At the cost of 1 stamina point, as an immediate action, the duelist can make an attack against an enemy he has successfully parried this round. Prerequisites: Shield Gauntlet, Parry
• Magic Parry: At the cost of 1 stamina point, the duelist can parry range touch magical attacks that target him through the parry talent. He receives a -5 penalty to his Attack roll every time he uses this after the first and must spend 2 stamina points each time as well. Prerequisites: Shield Gauntlet, Parry, Counter
• Magic Counter: At the cost of 1 stamina point, as an immediate action, the duelist can redirect the magic attack back at his attacker, making a ranged touch attack with a -10 penalty to the attack roll using the caster’s bonuses for the attack. Prerequisites: Shield Gauntlet, Parry, Counter, Magic Parry
• Sucker Punch: At the cost of 1 stamina point, as a swift or immediate action, the duelist can reroll a deadlock combat maneuver check or any combat maneuver made during deadlock, he must take the second result even if it’s lower. He may also cause an opposing enemy to reroll his combat maneuver checks this way as an immediate action. He can only do this once per round while under the Shield Gauntlet sustain mode. Prerequisites: Deadlock, Shield Gauntlet
• Strong Arm: As long as the duelist has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, he is treated as two-handing his weapon for the purpose of bonus Strength damage from his base Strength score and the Power Attack feat. Prerequisite: Shield Gauntlet
• Parry Lock: At the cost of 1 stamina point, when the duelist successfully parries an enemy, he may choose to enter deadlock as part of the parry. Prerequisites: Deadlock, Superior Lock, Shield Gauntlet, Parry

These abilities may replace lunge techniques.