The sword captain is a warrior who has the knowledge to wield most swords in existence. They use mystical techniques long thought lost to the world to summon physical manifestations of swords to hinder foes from afar.
The sword captain is an archetype of the sword saint class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The sword captain mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Limit Break (Master Swordsman), Swordplay, Defensive Focus. 3rd – Warlord’s Mark. 5th – Practiced Skill. 9th – Surprising Strike. 10th – Perfected Skill. 15th – Unyielding Swordplay. 19th – Deathless Defenses. 20th – Last Blood.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the sword captain receives the Limit Break (Flurry of Blades).
Flurry of Blades (Su): This Limit Break allows the sword captain to summon forth hundreds of swords to plunge into his enemies in a 30-ft.-cone. All enemies within the area of effect take 2d6 points of damage + an additional 2d6 points of damage every four sword saint levels after 1st. In addition, enemies who fail the saving throw take bleed damage each round on their turn equal to the number of damage dice. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half of the sword saint’s level + his Charisma modifier) reduces the damage in half and negates the bleeding.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Master Swordsman).
Chosen Weapon (Ex)
At 1st level, a sword captain chooses a melee slashing blade weapon as his chosen weapon. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with his chosen weapon. The bonus improves by +1 for every four levels beyond 1st.
This ability replaces defensive focus and warlord’s mark.
Sword Manifestation (Su)
At 1st level, as a swift action, a sword captain can summon forth a weapon made of force to attacks foes at a distance, as he directs it, dealing 1d8 non-elemental damage per hit, + 1 point per three sword saint levels (maximum +5 at 15th level). The weapon takes the shape of his chosen weapon and has the same threat range and critical multipliers as a real weapon of its form. It either strikes the opponent as the sword captain designates, starting with one attack in the round this ability is used or protects the sword captain, providing a +1 deflection bonus to AC for each sword designated to defend and continuing each round thereafter on his turn. At 1st level, a sword captain can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. For each sword saint level after 1st he possesses, the sword captain can use this ability for 2 additional rounds per day. Temporary increases to Charisma, such as that gained from elvaan’s splendor, do not increase the total number of rounds that a sword captain can use this ability per day. The total number of rounds of this ability per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours need not be consecutive. It uses the sword captain’s highest base attack bonus (only 1 attack) plus his Charisma modifier as its attack bonus. It strikes as a magical weapon, so for example, it can damage creatures that have damage reduction. As a force effect, it can strike incorporeal creatures without the reduction in damage associated with incorporeality. The weapon always strike from the sword captain’s direction. It does not get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one. The sword captain’s feats or combat actions do not affect the weapon. If the weapon goes beyond 50-feet, if it goes out of the sword captain’s sight, or if he is not directing it, the weapons returns back to him and hovers. Each round after the first, the sword captain can use a move action to redirect the weapon to a new target or return the weapon to defend. If he does not, the weapon continues to attack the previous round’s target or continues to defend the sword captain.
The weapons can be physically attacked. A sword manifestation’s AC against all attacks is 10 + the sword captain’s Charisma modifier. It has a hardness of 10 and 5 hit points. Hardness increases by +1 and hit points increases by +2 for every other level after 1st.
A sword captain can end this ability as a free action, and cannot use this ability again for 1 minute after it ends. If a sword captain falls unconscious, this ability immediately ends and the weapons disappear.
At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, the sword captain can summon forth an additional weapon. The sword captain can use a move action to move any and all weapons to either defend or attack.
This ability replaces swordplay, swordskills, and surprising strike.
Improved Blades (Su)
When a sword captain reaches 5th level and every three levels thereafter, he becomes so proficient in his summons that he can add a bit personal flair, truly making the blades his own. He may select one of the following options to add to his sword manifestations:
- Increase the Attack roll by a +1 bonus.
- Increase the range by 10 feet.
- Increase the hardness of the weapons by 5.
- Increase the hit points of the weapons by 10.
- Choose an element type: earth, fire, ice, lightning, water or wind. The weapons deal 1 extra point of damage of the chosen element.
This ability replaces practiced skill, perfected skill, unyielding swordplay, and deathless defenses.
Weapon Mastery (Ex)
At 20th level, a sword captain has mastered his chosen weapon. Any attacks made with that weapon automatically confirm all critical threats and have their damage multiplier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). In addition, he cannot be disarmed while wielding a weapon of this type.
This ability replaces last blood.
