Swordsage (Stalker Archetype)

Where other initiators tend to see their skills as a means to an end, the Swordsage sees the martial arts as an end unto themselves. Swordsages walk the world, collecting esoteric combat techniques, ancient martial lore, and the assembled wisdom of those whose minds and bodies have been tested by war.
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==Class Features==
A Swordsage gains Perform (Weapon Drill) as a class skill.
Table 1 — Swordsage Maximum Prepared Maneuvers
Class level	Total	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st 	6 	6 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2nd 	7 	7 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
3rd 	8 	7 	1 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
4th 	9 	7 	3 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
5th 	10 	7 	3 	1 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
6th 	10 	7 	3 	3 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
7th 	11 	7 	3 	3 	1 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
8th 	11 	7 	3 	3 	3 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
9th 	12 	7 	3 	3 	3 	1 	— 	— 	— 	—
10th 	12 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	— 	— 	— 	—
11th 	13 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	1 	— 	— 	—
12th 	14 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	2 	— 	— 	—
13th 	15 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	1 	— 	—
14th 	16 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	2 	— 	—
15th 	17 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	1 	—
16th 	17 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	2 	—
17th 	18 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	1
18th 	18 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	2
19th 	19 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3
20th 	20 	7 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	3 	5
A Swordsage knows maneuvers in a way unlike any other martial initiator. Rather than simply knowing their maneuvers, a Swordsage keeps a book of martial lore known as a manual of war. The Swordsage begins their career with six 1st level martial maneuvers written into their manual. At each odd level thereafter, the Swordsage writes a single new maneuver into their manual, and at each even level they write two new maneuvers into their manual. Maneuvers and stances from any discipline can be written into a manual of war. The Swordsage does not need to meet the maneuver's prerequisites to write a maneuver into their manual, but they can only write maneuvers of the highest level they can initiate or lower.
The Swordsage is not limited to the maneuvers they write into their manual at each level. A Swordsage may write new maneuvers into their manual either by referencing a martial script (consuming the script); by referencing another Swordsage's manual of war; or by studying under the tutelage of another initiator who knows that maneuver. This process is identical to the process of writing a new spell into a spellbook, except that the Swordsage makes Knowledge (Martial) checks in place of any Spellcraft checks they'd normally make to do so. When writing a maneuver into their manual this way, a Swordsage can write maneuvers of a level higher than they can initiate. This does not grant them the ability to prepare those maneuvers early. 
Once per day, the Swordsage may spend an hour studying their manual of war and practicing martial drills to prepare a new set of maneuvers. The Swordsage's prepared maneuver set must meet all prerequisites of each maneuver prepared, and must follow the maximum prepared maneuvers of each level as listed in Table 1 — Swordsage Maximum Prepared Maneuvers. However, a Swordsage can sacrifice a prepared maneuver of 2nd level or higher to prepare an additional maneuver of any level lower than the sacrificed maneuver. Swordsages are only treated as knowing a maneuver or stance when they have it prepared. This affects what other maneuvers they can know; prerequisites for feats and prestige classes; and for benefits that come from knowing maneuvers from certain disciplines, such as power points gained from knowing Sleeping Goddess maneuvers.
If a Swordsage also has a spellbook, or similar class feature such as the Sacred Scholar's prayerbook, they may combine all of their books into one. When a Swordsage gains the Advanced Study feat and chooses to learn new maneuvers, they record two new maneuvers into their manual, and add two to the maximum number of maneuvers they can prepare of the highest level they could prepare when they took that feat.
A Swordsage's initiation modifier is their choice of either Intelligence or Wisdom. This choice is made at 1st level and cannot be changed once chosen.
This ability alters Maneuvers.
A Swordsage readies maneuvers from their current set of prepared maneuvers as if those were their maneuvers known by meditating and focusing their ki for 10 minutes. This otherwise functions as a normal Stalker's readied maneuvers, and they recover expended maneuvers as normal; except that when a Swordsage uses a full-round action to recover maneuvers, instead of applying deadly strikes to their next attack this encounter, they apply their martial prowess instead (see below). If martial prowess would already apply to that attack, their marital prowess damage die increases by one step for that attack instead. Additionally, the Swordsage can  swap out one prepared maneuver for another from their manual of war. If they have already used this option this encounter, doing so costs 1 ki point.
This ability alters Maneuvers Readied.
At each level at which a normal Stalker would gain a new stance known, or when they gain the Advanced Study feat and select a new stance; a Swordsage instead records a new stance into their manual of war, automatically prepares that stance, and increases the maximum number of stances they can prepare of their current maximum maneuver level by one. A Swordsage may also learn new stances by referencing another Swordsage's manual, or by studying under the tutelage of another initiator who knows that stance. This process is identical to writing new maneuvers into their manual, and does not carry with it the other benefits of learning a new stance. By spending 8 hours studying their manual of war and practicing martial drills, a Swordsage can prepare a new set of stances from their manual.
This ability alters Stance Known
A Swordsage does not gain a discipline's associated skill as a class skill by knowing a maneuver or stance from that discipline. Instead, as long as a Swordsage has a maneuver or stance from a discipline prepared, they gain a +3 bonus to checks made with that skill. This bonus does not stack with the bonus from being trained in a class skill.
At 1st level, a Swordsage gains Weapon Focus (Prowess Weapon) as a bonus feat. Whenever a class feature or feat allows the Swordsage to select a type of weapon, they may select their prowess weapon. A Swordsage's prowess weapon is one type of weapon selected by practicing with an instance of that weapon type for one hour. This process can be repeated as often as the Swordsage is able, changing their prowess weapon to a new type.
When a Swordsage successfully hits a creature with any weapon with which they have Weapon Focus, including their prowess weapon, they deal damage based on their level rather than the weapon type. This damage is identical to that of the Warpriest's sacred weapon class feature. The Swordsage can decide to use the weapon's base damage instead of their martial prowess damage—this must be decided before the attack roll is made. (If the weapon's base damage exceeds the martial prowess damage, its damage is unchanged.) This increase in damage does not affect any other aspect of the weapon, and doesn't apply to weapons that deal only energy damage.
This ability replaces Deadly Strikes.
A Swordsage may not select any stalker arts which rely on deadly strikes. Arts which alter, but do not rely on deadly strikes, such as deadly recovery, may be selected as normal. Whenever a Swordsage gains a new stalker art, they may choose from the following list in addition to the standard Stalker's stalker arts.
:
:Whenever the Swordsage chooses their prowess weapon, they may also choose a discipline. Their prowess weapon counts as a discipline weapon for that discipline. This art may be selected more than once, each time letting your prowess weapon count as a discipline weapon for an additional discipline. Minimum Swordsage level 7th.
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:As a swift action, the Swordsage may spend a ki point and choose a discipline for which some maneuvers and stances have special effects if certain prerequisites are met, such as Unquiet Grave's grave call. For one minute, the Swordsage counts as meeting any prerequisites relating to themselves for the purposes of those special effects. This does not meet any prerequisites related to the enemy or the environment. For example, selecting Surging Shark would allow the Swordsage to count as having the Aquatic or Water subtypes for the purposes of call of the deep, but not as being underwater.
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:The Swordsage gains any feat for which having a ki pool is a prerequisite as a bonus feat. The Swordsage must meet the other prerequisites of that feat. The Swordsage counts as a Monk for the purposes of any special effects that feat has. This art may be selected more than once.
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:The Swordsage gains their choice of Scribe Scroll or Scribe Tattoo as a bonus feat. They do not need to meet the prerequisites.
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:The Swordsage gains Master Craftsman (Craft [Weapons]) as a bonus feat. They must meet the prerequisites. At the GM's discretion, having certain maneuvers or stances written into the Swordsage's manual of war can be used as substitutes for prerequisite spells, as long as the level and general effect are similar. For instance, any 3rd level or higher maneuver that deals fire damage could be used as a substitute for fireball. Minimum Swordsage level 5th.
Starting at 5th level, a Swordsage may spend 2 points of ki as a move action to gain the benefit of one combat feat they don't possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute. The Swordsage must meet all the feat's prerequisites. The Swordsage can use this ability again before the duration expires in order to replace the previous combat feat with another choice. If a combat feat has a daily use limitation (such as Stunning Fist), any uses of that combat feat while using this ability count toward that feat's daily limit.
At 12th level, using martial flexibility to gain the benefit of a single feat becomes a swift action. As a move action, they may spend 3 ki points to gain the benefit of two combat feats at the same time. They may use one of these feats to meet a prerequisite of the second feat.
At 16th level, using martial flexibility to gain the benefit of a single feat becomes a free action, and two feats a swift action. As a move action, they may spend 4 ki points to gain the benefit of three combat feats at the same time. They may use one of the feats to meet a prerequisite of the second and third feats, and use the second feat to meet a prerequisite of the third feat.
This ability replaces the 5th level Ki Pool ability, the 12th level Combat Insight ability, and Improved Blending.
At 6th level, a Swordsage may add their initiation modifier instead of the standard ability modifier to Craft (Weapons), Knowledge (Martial), and Perform (Weapon Drill) checks. If the skill in question already uses their initiation modifier, they instead gain a +2 insight bonus to checks made with that skill. The Swordsage must be trained in that skill to gain this benefit.
This ability replaces Blending.
At 8th level, a Swordsage gains evasion, as the Rogue ability of the same name. If the Swordsage already had evasion from the stalker art of the same name, or another source, they gain improved evasion instead.
This ability replaces the 8th level Combat Insight ability.
== Multiclass Swordsages ==
Because of their unique initiation method, Swordsages who multiclass require some special rulings. If a Swordsage's initiator level is higher than their class level due to levels in another class, that affects the maximum number and level of maneuvers they can prepare each day, as well as the level of maneuvers they can write into their manual of war each level.
When a Swordsage takes a martial disciple prestige class, they learn maneuvers and stances as normal from that class, meaning they are restricted to the disciplines listed in that class' maneuvers known and readied. If the prestige classes references previously available disciplines, the Swordsage may choose any discipline which they have written at least one maneuver or stance in their manual of war. Maneuvers and stances gained from a prestige class are added to the Swordsage's manual normally.
Category:Archetypes
Category:Combat Classes