Swashbuckler A swashbuckler is the lightly armed and armored hero with a flashing blade and rapier wit. Most at home in a city-based campaign (dungeons tend to ruin their expensive, foppish attire), the swashbuckler seems to have stepped right out of Dumas’ The Three Musketeers. Swashbucklers may be dull bureaucrats, wheezing aristocrats, or meek scribes during the day—but at night they don their fanciest clothes, gird on their blades, and venture out into the darkening city for an evening of raucous revelry, flippant conversation, and a helping of derring-do. Despite a generally flippant (some might say arrogantly sarcastic) attitude, most swashbucklers have a strong sense of honor. Anyone who dares insult the swashbuckler, his comrades, or a member of the opposite sex may well find a blade at his throat.

Social ranks: Swashbucklers are more affluent than common fighters. Roll 2d6 to determine a social rank.

	2d6 roll	Rank
	2–7	Upper Middle Class
	8–12	Upper Class

Requirements: Swashbucklers should be witty, and they should be light on their feet for those occasions when their wit goes unappreciated. As such, all swashbucklers need minimum Dexterity/Balance and Intelligence/Reason scores of 12. This kit is closed to the optional player character races, and to rangers and druids.

Recommended weapon proficiencies: Swords are the traditional weapons of most swashbucklers, especially rapiers and sabres. However, they can use any weapons that fit their adventuring professions.

Recommended Nonweapon proficiencies: Tumbling, etiquette, dancing, riding, blind-fighting, musical instrument, appraising, gaming, tightrope walking, jumping.

Equipment: A swashbuckler can wear any armor and weapons allowed to his class, though they should be flashy and of good quality.

Recommended traits: Ambidexterity, artistic ability, glibness, music, lucky.

Benefits: When unarmored or wearing armor no heavier than studded leather, swashbucklers gain a +2 armor class bonus. This bonus is in addition to any other AC modifiers such as a high Dexterity and magical defensive items. (This is equal to the optional defensive bonus class ability, and the two cannot be combined.) Also, due to their roguish charm, swashbucklers gain a +2 reaction roll bonus from NPC members of the opposite sex.

Hindrances: As the swashbuckler seeks out adventure, so too does adventure find him. Life, and the DM, should conspire to make reality interesting for the character. For example, if a swashbuckler is fleeing the outraged sibling of one of his paramours, his flight might carry him across the path of a defenseless peasant who is being harassed by a gang of ruffians. Or, if a swashbuckler leaps overboard to escape the buccaneers who shanghaied him, he discovers that the waters are infested with sahuagin riding sharks.

Wealth: Standard for the character’s class, plus 20% to reflect his affluent background.

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