Invisible Blade

Base Classes | Prestige Classes

Poets and minstrels often describe the interplay of swordsmen and warriors who rely on deft grace and speed, as flowing, beautiful displays of aesthetic skill and elegance, going on at length about the subtle play of lithe forms in terms more apt to describe choreographed dance. While poets and minstrels might be forgiven such a trend in storytelling because such is what is most expected of them, another reason presents itself. Such close-quarters battle is an ugly, terrible business that has nothing in common with it's powdered, mockery of a depiction. As long as there have been knives, they've been put to use to fighting, whether to deliver the finishing blow to an armored foe in a joint or exposed spot, or in back alleys and crowded, cramped spaces where longer blades couldn't be brought out. Anyone could be a knife-fighter, and anyone can use a knife; only an Invisible Blade can show the truly ugly side of such a weapon.

Deceptive combatants, Invisible Blades are masters of underselling the threat they and their weaponry pose. In a field where bigger is often considered better, where sheer strength is believed to reign supreme, these warriors prove otherwise in the wounded flesh and puddles of blood of those who cross them. Quickness, and a skillful, deft hand aren't enough to account for what these warriors do, nor is surprise and careful selection; other warriors can be just as fast, or faster, and can be just as precise. What accounts for the difference is in the intimate knowledge of their chosen weaponry, and the wounds they choose to lay upon their foes; ugly wounds that bleed, finding veins and arteries, gushing blood profusely, meant to ensure that even if their foes somehow stagger away, they'll not go far before they fall over. It's these terrible wounds that inspire the name these combatants have been given; their cuts have the effect of weapons far greater than their humble size would give the impression of.

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Requirements

Skills: Bluff 8 ranks
Feats: Feint, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (Dagger or Kukri)

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Class Features

Hit Die: d6
Base Attack Bonus: High
High Saves: Reflex
Weapon Proficiencies: Invisible blades gain no proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Parry, Perception, Perform, and Stealth

Bleeding Wound: At 1st level, when an invisible blade hits with a successful sneak attack, he inflicts a bleeding wound that deals 2 points of damage per round for 3 rounds. This damage stacks with previous damage caused by a Bleeding Wound attack. He must be either unarmed or wielding only light weapons in order to inflict a Bleeding Wound. At 3rd level, the damage increases to 4 points per round, and at 5th level, it increases to 6 points per round. Each level of Bleeding Wound counts as one die of sneak attack damage for purposes of class and feat prerequisites.

Unfettered Defense: An invisible blade benefits from an increased survival instinct during combat. Because of this sixth sense, he adds 1 point of his Intelligence bonus (if any) per invisible blade level to his Armor Class in addition to any other modifiers he would normally receive. If the invisible blade is caught flat-footed or is otherwise denied his Dexterity modifier to Armor Class, he also loses this bonus. Unfettered Defense functions only when an invisible blade is not wearing armor and is not wielding a ranged weapon.

Feint Mastery: At 5th level, an invisible blade armed with a light weapon becomes so sure of his ability to mislead opponents that he cannot roll less than 5 on his Bluff check when using the Feint feat