The Flying Swordsman (Athletic Bravo)

 Here’s another rebuild. This character from my favorite anime/manga looks very better as a Bravo from Legends of the Spheres than as a Rogue!

This post already appeared for patrons only on my Patreon page. If you wish to see stuff in advance and have access to other rewards, please consider donating!

The Flying Swordsman (Athletic Bravo)

Human bravo 1

CG Medium humanoid (human, tengu) 

Init +3; Senses Perception +4

Defense

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)

hp 12 (1d10+2)

Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2

Defensive Abilities moxie +1

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee rapier +4 (1d6, 18-20) or dagger +4 (1d4, 19-20)

Ranged dagger +4 (1d4, 19-20) or light crossbow +4 (1d8, 19-20)

Special Attacks confounding strike, fatal thrust, prowess

Guile

Skill Leverage 1; Trade Tradition Wanderer; OAM Cha (+2)

Bluster Sphere - Skills Intimidate 1 rank; Talents Infuriating Insult; Utility Talents none

Navigation Sphere - Package Aerial (Fly 1 rank); Talents none; Utility Talents Fleet Movement, Lay of the Land

Vocation Sphere - Utility Talents Falconer, Farmer, Plane-Walker, Sky Pilot

Martial 

Tradition Swashbuckler (Equipment: Finesse Training, Swashbuckler Training; Gladiator sphere; Fencing sphere); PAM Cha

Athletics Sphere - DC 12, Talents none, Drawbacks none

- coordinated movement (whenever you take the withdraw action, you regain your martial focus)

- fly package (fly better and resist better in flight)

Equipment sphere - DC 12, Talents Finesse Fighting, Rogue Weapon Training
- finesse fighting (add your Dex bonus on attacks with finessable weapons)

- swashbuckler training (discipline) (proficiency with butterfly knife, longsword, rapier, scimitar, spiral rapier, and sword cane, may wield the estoc as a two-handed martial weapon; whenever you make an attack using your Dexterity bonus on attack rolls and your Strength bonus on melee damage rolls, any creature you deal damage to suffers a -1 to CMB when attempting to disarm or sunder your weapon, and a -1 to CMD against disarm or sunder attempts you make against it. These penalties end at the start of your next turn)

Fencing sphere - DC 12, Talents none, Drawbacks none
- fatal thrust (deal +1d6 precision damage to a target that is flat-footed or has lost its Dex bonus to AC)

Gladiator sphere- DC 12, Talents none, Drawbacks none

- boast (prowess: roll the next weapon attack twice and take the better result)

- demoralization (strike fear: spend martial focus to intimidate all targets within 30 ft.)

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 15

Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 14

Traits Blade Bravado, Fencer

Feats Lovable Scoundrel, Racial Heritage (tengu)

Skills Acrobatics +8, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +6, Fly +9, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (geography) +5, Perception +4, Ride +7, Stealth +4

Languages Common, Tengu

SQ whim (Audacity)

Gear dagger (2 gp), leather armor (10 gp), light crossbow (35 gp) with 20 bolts (2 gp), 1 vial of liquid life (20 gp), rapier (20 gp), rogue’s kit (50 gp), 1 gp

Special Abilities

Athletics Sphere When you gain the Athletics sphere, you gain one of the following packages with its included abilities. You may take the Expanded Training talent to gain additional packages.

Each package has an associated movement mode and an associated skill. Some abilities require you to be using an associated movement mode to function. When you gain a package, you gain 5 ranks in its associated skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Athletics sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the associated skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

If you possess both the (leap) and (run) packages, you gain a competence bonus on Acrobatics checks equal to half your base attack bonus instead of retraining the ranks a second time.

In addition, you gain the following ability:

Athletics: Coordinated Movement Whenever you take the withdraw action, you regain your martial focus.

Athletics: Fly Package You do not need to make a Fly check to remain flying when moving less than half your speed on your turn and count as being one size larger when determining the effects of wind on you while flying. This does not give you the ability to fly; it simply augments your movement abilities if you possess a means of flight. You may gain ranks in the Fly skill even if you do not possess a means of flight. Associated Movement Mode: Flying. Associated Skill: Fly.

Bluster Sphere Operatives of the Bluster sphere are skilled at trickery and emotional influence. They know how to make the most of information about enemies’ hopes and fears.

Associated Skill: Bluff or Intimidate. Choose one to be the associated skill when you gain the sphere.

You gain the following benefits when you gain the Bluster sphere.

You gain 5 ranks in the chosen skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Bluster sphere (maximum ranks equal to your Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the chosen skill, you may immediately retrain them.

Skill Leverage: You unlock skill leverage with the Bluff and Intimidate skills.

Bonus Talent: When you gain the Bluster sphere, you gain one (quip) talent of your choice. It cannot be an exceptional talent.

You also gain the Flaunt Secrets and Quip abilities.

Bluster: Flaunt Secrets (Ex) You can taunt a creature with its secrets to make it reckless and easier to outmaneuver. You can outwit a creature as long as you know a motivation it does not share freely (even if it does not have one of the conditions usually required). To outwit the creature, you must invoke that motivation; there is no other benefit for invoking that motivation. You cannot outwit it by invoking that motivation again for 24 hours (although you can still invoke a different motivation).

Bluster: Quip (Ex) As a standard action, you make a quip to a creature within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in the associated skill). You apply the effect of a (quip) talent you possess to that creature. If the creature is unwilling, it gets a Will saving throw to resist. Each time you target that creature again within 24 hours with the same (quip), the save DC to avoid it (if any) decreases by 4 and the skill DC to apply it (if any) increases by 4. Quipping is a language-dependent, mind-affecting emotion effect.

Bluster: Infuriating Insult (quip) You insult a creature so badly that it cannot think clearly. You attempt an Intimidate check to insult the target (new skill use) and the target attempts a Will saving throw. The target rolls twice and uses the lower result on its Will save if you outwitted on your Intimidate check.

If your skill check fails but the target’s Will save also fails, the target still gains the appropriate anger condition for 1d4 rounds.

If you succeed and the target’s Will save fails, its anger condition worsens by two steps (frenzied if you invoke a motivation, or enraged otherwise) until the start of your next turn and by one step for the rest of the duration (enraged if you invoke a motivation, or livid otherwise); a target that has fewer Hit Dice than the number of ranks you possess in Intimidate has its anger condition increased by two steps for the full duration.

Confounding Strike (Ex): The bravo is capable of instilling brief -yet powerful- moments of uncertainty and doubt in those that he wishes to catch off guard. At 1st level, as long as the bravo has martial focus, he can spend a swift or immediate action whenever he succeeds an attack roll or combat maneuver as long as the creature is within close range. The creature must succeed at a Will saving throw against the sphere DC for the bravo’s chosen whim (see below) or become uncertain for 1 round plus 1 round per 4 bravo levels he possesses. This is a mind-affecting, emotion, and disorientation effect.

Equipment: Finesse Fighting You may use your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier when calculating your melee attack rolls with light weapons and weapons with the finesse weapon special feature. You may take this talent a total of two times. If taken a second time, whenever you make an attack using your Dexterity bonus on attack rolls and your Strength bonus on melee damage rolls, you may also add ½ your base attack bonus (minimum 1) as a bonus on that damage roll. Associated Feat: Weapon Finesse.

Equipment: Swashbuckler Training (discipline) [Apoc] You gain proficiency with the butterfly knife, longsword, rapier, scimitar, spiral rapier, and sword cane, and may wield the estoc as a two-handed martial weapon. Whenever you make an attack using your Dexterity bonus on attack rolls and your Strength bonus on melee damage rolls, any creature you deal damage to suffers a -1 to CMB when attempting to disarm or sunder your weapon, and a -1 to CMD against disarm or sunder attempts you make against it. These penalties end at the start of your next turn. At +10 base attack bonus, these penalties increase to -2.

Fencing Sphere Fencers are quick fighters who use nimble footwork and expert feints to open up their target before landing a fatal blow.

When you gain the Fencing sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Bluff skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Fencing sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Bluff skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

Fencing: Fatal Thrust Whenever you make an attack action or an attack of opportunity against a target that is within 30 ft. and that you are flanking, that is flat-footed, or that has lost its Dexterity bonus to AC (such as through a successful feint), you deal an additional +1d6 precision damage to the target. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. This damage increases by an additional 1d6 precision damage for every 5 points of base attack bonus you possess.

A fencer may apply the effects of a single (exploit) talent to any fatal thrust.

Gladiator Sphere Practitioners of the Gladiator sphere are experts at fighting with flair and style in order to manipulate the emotions and actions of their enemies, their allies, or the crowd. The gladiator understands that winning is a mental game; if you can convince your enemy that you should be feared, the battle is half-finished already. When you gain the Gladiator sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Intimidate skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Gladiator sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in Intimidate you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

Gladiator: Boast As long as you have martial focus, after confirming a critical hit, reducing an enemy to 0 or fewer hit points, or succeeding on a combat maneuver, you may perform a boast as an immediate action. Talents with the (boast) descriptor grant additional options for your boast. Each boast may only use one of these talents. Some boasts affect other creatures; a creature must be able to see or hear you and have an Intelligence score (not Intelligence (-)) to be affected. Boasts have a range of close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 ranks in Intimidate you possess). When you gain the Gladiator sphere, you learn the following boast:

Gladiator: Prowess (boast) You may roll the next weapon attack you make before the end of your next turn twice and take the better result.

Gladiator: Demoralization Some talents in this sphere have effects that allow new ways to make Intimidate skill checks to demoralize enemies or grant new options against demoralized foes. These talents carry the (demoralization) descriptor. When you gain the Gladiator sphere, you learn the following (demoralization) ability:

Gladiator: Strike Fear (demoralization) As a full-round action, you may expend martial focus to make an Intimidate check to demoralize all targets within 30 ft. of you who can both see and hear you. You may choose to take a -10 penalty on the check; if you do so you do not have to expend martial focus.

Associated Feat: Dazzling Display.

Moxie (Ex): At 1st level, whenever a creature attempts a skill check against the bravo that would use his Intelligence or Wisdom modifier (or his ranks in an Intelligence- or Wisdom-based skill) to determine the DC (such as a feint, demoralize, or perplex attempt), he can instead use his Charisma modifier when determining the DC.

Additionally, the DC to affect him with skill checks is increased by 1, plus 1 for every 4 bravo levels thereafter he possesses.

Navigation Sphere Operatives of the Navigation sphere learn to survive and operate in a wide variety of environments, studying their surroundings in order to best navigate or control them. They are skilled pathfinders and transporters, capable of finding the best route to any location and the best method of getting there. On a grand scale, an adventurer skilled in navigation can traverse any territory with ease, while in the heat of the moment their abilities enable impressive tactical maneuvers.

Associated Skill: One skill of your choice from your chosen package below.

You gain the following benefits when you gain the Navigation sphere.

You gain 5 ranks in one of the package's associated skills, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Navigation sphere (maximum ranks equal to your Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the associated skill you may immediately retrain them.

Skill Leverage: You unlock skill leverage with the associated skills of your package.

Package: When you gain the Navigation sphere, you gain one of the following packages with its included acclimation. You may take the Expanded Wayfarer talent to gain additional packages.

You also acquire the Acclimate and Pathing abilities.

Navigation: Acclimate (Ex) By spending 10 minutes, you acclimate yourself and a number of allies or vehicles up to your operative ability modifier (minimum 1). You grant the benefits of up to two acclimations you know to them. If you grant two acclimations to a target (or more, by using the Layered Acclimation talent), at least one of these acclimations must always be from a base package or a [utility] (acclimation) talent. You may apply different acclimations to different targets. The benefits of acclimation last for 24 hours or until you change them.

Navigation: Pathing (Ex) Operatives of the Navigation sphere are able to point out paths through their environment that allies can utilize. As a standard action, you may select a number of contiguous 5-foot squares within close range equal to your operative ability modifier + the number of ranks you possess in the associated skill, applying the effects of a (pathing) talent to the area. You must be able to see all squares in the area to target them with pathing. An area remains affected for 24 hours or until you use this ability again. This is an auditory effect on your allies. You gain the Clear Shot (pathing) talent when you gain this sphere.

Navigation: Clear Shot (pathing) Allies within your pathing ignore any partial cover or partial concealment provided by objects or effects that are inside the area of your pathing but do not target individual creatures. Allies within your pathing treat standard cover from inside the area as partial cover. In addition, their total penalties on Perception checks for observing targets within the area of your pathing are reduced by 2, plus an additional 1 for every 5 ranks you have in one of your associated skills. If you have at least 10 ranks in an associated skill, allies also treat total concealment as partial concealment.

Navigation: Aerial Package You gain the following acclimation:

Navigation: Weatherproofing Acclimated targets may treat the severity of all weather effects as one step lower for all purposes for 24 hours. For every 7 ranks you possess in your associated skill, they reduce the severity of weather effects by an additional step.

Associated Skill: Fly or Profession (pilot).

Navigation: Fleet Movement [utility] When using overland travel, you and allies traveling with you travel an additional distance in the same period up to ¼ of your normal overland travel speed. For every 5 ranks in an associated skill you possess, this improves by an additional +¼ of your normal overland travel speed.

Navigation: Lay Of The Land [utility] You may spend 1 use of skill leverage to instantly gain knowledge of one fact from among the following subjects: the ground or terrain, plants, minerals, bodies of water, people, general animal population, presence of woodland creatures, presence of powerful unnatural creatures, or even the general state of the natural setting. Such information could include the amount or concentration of targets, or a general understanding of how accessible they are. You gain an additional fact for every 5 ranks you possess in an associated skill. This talent operates in a radius of 100 feet per rank in associated skill.

When using the exploration rules (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Wilderness), you gain 1d4 additional discovery points for every 5 points by which you exceed the Survival or Perception check for exploration. You may spend 1 use of skill leverage to gain the maximum possible number of discovery points when exploring.

Vocation: Falconer (trade) [utility] You gain Climb, Fly, Handle Animal, and Knowledge (nature) as class skills. As a swift action, you may improve the maneuverability of any flying creature that can hear you by one step to a maximum of good for 1 round.

Vocation: Farmer (trade) [utility] You gain Appraise, Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), and Ride as class skills. You receive a +1 competence bonus when taking 10 or 20 on skill checks.

Vocation: Plane-walker (trade) [utility] You gain Fly, Knowledge (planes), Linguistics, and Use Magic Device as class skills. You can use your Charisma modifier when attempting your choice of either Knowledge (planes) or Linguistics checks instead of your Intelligence modifier.

Vocation: Sky Pilot (trade) [utility] You gain Acrobatics, Fly, Knowledge (geography), and Survival as class skills. You do not take an armor check penalty on Fly checks.

Whim: At 1st level, the bravo chooses a whim from the list at the end of the class description, representing his own unique combat style and blend of martial prowess and skill. The bravo gains the spheres associated with his whim as bonus spheres, in addition to an additional ability from his chosen whim at 2nd level, 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter.

If a whim ability would call for a saving throw, it is equal to the highest saving throw DC of the spheres associated with his whim.

Whim: Audacity

Use your words to cut your opponents down.

Whim Spheres: Athletics and Bluster.

Build

The Flying Swordsman is built with a 20-point buy and 140 gp starting wealth. Favored Class Bonus is +⅙ of a sphere talent associated with one of the bravo’s whim spheres. If using a lower point buy, you can lower Strength and Wisdom. If using a higher point buy (or rolling really well), your most important attributes are Charisma and Dexterity. Charisma is your casting statistic and affects the save DCs of all your magic and martial talents and your spell pool, in addition to being a great asset in social situations or to intimidate enemies in combat; Dexterity makes you a great finesse warrior, increases your initiative, and bolsters your AC and Reflex save. Intelligence is important too, to sustain your skill monkey and information gatherer role.

Playing a Flying Swordsman
Flamboyant and roguish, you wave with grace your sword in mid-air and tumble on roofs and walls to conquer treasures and damsels. Your tengu blood manifests in your fencing ability and attitude to trickery, and also in your narcissistic and prideful boasts- but above all, in your inborn power to fly. You are nonetheless devout to your “conspiracy” -your friends- protecting them with your life. Often Luck is your ally in these daring deeds. You always seem to get away with everything.

Future Abilities

Martial Talents Caper, Death from Afar, Derision, Desperate Dive*, Diving Strike, Eagle’s Path, Expert Feint, Fatal Opening, Mobile Striker*, Mobility*, Moving Target*, Powerful Wings, Sparrow’s Path, Swift Movement; Utility: Awesome Impression, Performance Fighter

Skill Talents Sky Pilot*; Utility: Direct Path, Experienced Navigator, Fascinating Bluster, Impossible Trail, Impressive Brag, Intimidating Reputation, Labyrinth Lord

Feats Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Combat Reflexes*, Defy Fate, Extra Combat Talent, Extra Skill Talent, Graceful Flyer, Lucky Streak, Piranha Strike, Weapon Focus (rapier)

Spontaneous Technique Expanded Training, Intimidating Ability, and Windwake are good choices as prepared talents.

Skills Acrobatics, Fly, and Intimidate are the most important skills for the Flying Swordsman. Ride can be useful too (for a swordsman who uses Navigation to pilot aerial vehicles).