Sample Swashbuckler
Character Class Companion
By Christopher Adams

Jovina, the sample swashbuckler in this installment of Character Class Companion, fits the classic prototype well. As a halfling, Jovina had a naturally fearless nature that made it easy for her to adopt the swashbuckler's freewheeling combat style. A seafarer almost from birth, she progressed quickly in her chosen profession.

Jovina "the Runt" Sandbourne

Born on the coast near a small coastal trading village, Jovina developed a love of the sea from an early age. She worked aboard ships whenever she could, and it was there that she earned the affectionate nickname "the Runt" from human sailors. With her freewheeling combat style, the choice of the swashbuckler's path was a natural one.

Jovina "the Runt" Sandbourne CR 1
Female halfling swashbuckler 1
CG Small humanoid
Init +3; Senses Listen +1, Spot -1|
Languages Common, Elven, Goblin, Halfling

AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14
hp 10 (1 HD)
Resist +2 morale bonus on saves against fear, +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons or slings
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0

Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee rapier +5 (1d4/18-20) or
Melee dagger +5 (1d3/19-20) or
Ranged shortbow +5 (1d4/[ts]3)
Base Atk +1; Grp -3
Atk Options Quick Draw

Abilities Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 13
Feats Quick Draw, Weapon FinesseB
Skills Balance +4, Bluff +4, Climb +1, Diplomacy +3, Hide +6, Jump -3, Listen +1, Move Silently +4, Profession (sailor) +1, Sense Motive +2, Swim +2, Tumble +4, Use Rope +7
Possessions: Studded leather armor, rapier, dagger, shortbow with 20 arrows, quiver, backpack (waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack, flint & steel, 4 sunrods), belt pouch, 15 gp.

Hook "I may be small, but I'm feisty."

Combat

Jovina is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor. She prefers to use weapons that allow her high Dexterity to come into play.

Trusting in luck to see her through any potential problems, Jovina often lets her natural curiosity override that inner voice that screams out for self-preservation. In general, she prefers to talk her way out of trouble rather than resort to force of arms, but she is not averse to using her rapier to settle an issue.

Jovina had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 12, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 13.

Jovina "Windcaller" Sandbourne

Although she had originally hired on as a simple deckhand aboard the Blushing Mermaid, Jovina displayed an incredible knack for remembering obscure facts and figures, so the captain decided to have her trained as a backup for the ship's navigator. In her new, somewhat more prominent role, Jovina often came into contact with the medley of colorful characters who booked passage aboard her ship.

One of these passengers was Aravol, a bard who noticed Jovina quietly singing to herself while plotting a course for the ship. Upon observing that a slight breeze seemed to constantly hover around the young halfling, Aravol realized that Jovina was a natural-born windsinger, and he set out to teach her how to harness her latent gift.

Since her initial bardic training, Jovina has mastered the ability to harness the wind with her singing. In recognition of this new talent, the crew of the Blushing Mermaid has given her the title Windcaller.

Jovina "Windcaller" Sandbourne CR 4
Female halfling swashbuckler 2/bard 2
CG Small humanoid
Init +4; Senses Listen +1, Spot -1
Languages Common, Elven, Goblin, Halfling

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15
hp 23 (4 HD)
Resist +2 morale bonus on saves against fear, +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons and slings, grace +1
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +3

Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee+1 rapier +9 (1d4+1/18-20) or
Melee dagger +8 (1d3/19-20) or
Melee mwk sap +5 (1d4 nonlethal) or
Ranged shortbow +8 (1d4[ts]3)
Base Atk +3; Grp -1
Atk Options Quick Draw
Special Actions bardic music 2/day (inspire courage +1, fascinate 1 creature, countersong), Windsinger1 (with one bardic music use, lull winds and change wind direction by one compass point for 10 rounds after music ends)
Combat Gear 2 potions of cat's grace, potion of owl's wisdom, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of cure light wounds
Bard Spells Known (CL 2nd):
1st (1/day) -- comprehend languages, healthful rest2
0 (3/day) -- dancing lights, detect magic, know direction, mending, read magic

Abilities Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 13
SQ bardic knowledge +4
Feats Quick Draw, Weapon FinesseB, Windsinger1
Skills Appraise +9, Balance +8, Bluff +5, Climb +2, Diplomacy +3, Hide +8, Jump -2, Knowledge (geography) +3, Listen +1, Move Silently +6, Perform (sing) +7, Profession (sailor) +6, Sense Motive +2, Swim +4, Tumble +6, Use Rope +8
Possessions combat gear plus +1 studded leather armor, +1 rapier, masterwork sap, dagger, shortbow with 20 arrows, quiver, backpack (waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack, flint & steel, 3 sunrods, everburning torch), belt pouch, 249 gp.

Hook "The wind sings its own song. I just provide the harmony."

Combat

Jovina has mastered the use of her Dexterity in combat, and now she can supplement her martial prowess with spells as needed.

1. New feat from Stormwrack.
2. New spell from Complete Adventurer.

Captain Jovina Sandbourne

Life was good aboard the Blushing Mermaid. Jovina had a comfortable life and enjoyed considerable respect there thanks to her bardic abilities and her shipboard skills. Although her only official duties were to assist the navigator and occasionally use her windsinging abilities, Jovina still enjoyed doing mundane chores, so she helped out the deckhands whenever she could. Her willingness to do these menial tasks endeared her to crew and officers alike.

A few years later, however, tragedy struck. Jovina's captain somehow offended a minor noble named Mathias during a routine run for trading supplies, and the young dandy challenged him to a duel when he arrived back in port. Although the captain had no desire to duel, Mathias had enough political pull to hamper the financial backing of the ship, and he threatened to do so should the captain try to back out of the challenge. Though the captain was the better swordsman by far, he was killed in the duel. Foul play was suspected but never proven. Not satisfied with his win, Mathias used his contacts to ensure that the Blushing Mermaid could not get enough contracts to pay for its upkeep. The ship was seized by authorities and auctioned off, and the ship's crew had to find work elsewhere.

Outraged at the loss of a close friend and the forced breakup of the group she had come to consider her family, Jovina set out to repay Mathias in kind. During the next year, she gathered together most of the old crew and made contact with others of like mind who could help her seek revenge for her captain's wrongful death. Through her sweet singing voice and her winning ways, Jovina managed to make enough political allies to keep herself and her crewmates out of trouble while she waited to exact her revenge.

Mathias had also done well during the past year, and had commissioned the building of an extremely fast sailing ship to celebrate his success. At midnight on the anniversary of her captain's death, Jovina and the remaining crew of the Blushing Mermaid appropriated Mathias's newly built ship as a replacement for their loss and christened it Midnight's Edge.

Since that night, Jovina and her crew have sailed the waters close to Mathias's shipping lines, hampering his business whenever possible. Although many call her a pirate, Jovina prefers the term privateer. To keep her reputation as clean as possible, she takes pains to ensure that her crew peacefully subdues the passengers and crew of ships they board. The local navy lets her be because of her political connections and the fact that she sometimes lends a hand with resolving problems in the shipping lanes.

Captain Jovina Sandbourne CR 9
Female halfling swashbuckler 2/bard 3/dread pirate3 4
CG Small humanoid
Init +4; Senses Listen +1, Spot -1
Aura rally the crew (+2 morale bonus on saves against charm and fear and on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls for 4 minutes)
Languages Common, Elven, Goblin, Halfling

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15
hp 44 (9 HD)
Resist +2 morale bonus on saves against fear, +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons or slings
Fort +6, Ref +13, Will +4

Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee +1 rapier +14 (1d4+1/18-20) or
Melee +1 rapier +14/+9 (1d4+1/18-20) or
Melee +1 rapier +12/+7 (1d4+1/18-20) and dagger +11 (1d4/19-20) or
Melee dagger +13/+8 (1d3/19-20) or
Melee+1 merciful sap +10/+5 (1d4+1d6+1 nonlethal) or
Ranged shortbow +13/+8 (1d4/[ts]3)
Base Atk +8; Grp +4
Atk Options acrobatic charge, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting
Special Actions bardic music 3/day (countersong, fascinate 1 creature, inspire competence, inspire courage +1), Windsinger1 (with one bardic music use, lull winds and change wind direction by one compass point for 10 rounds after music ends)
Combat Gear 2 potions of cat's grace, 2 potions of owl's wisdom, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of cure light wounds
Bard Spells Known (CL 3rd):
1st (2/day) -- comprehend languages, healthful rest2, mage armor
0 (3/day) -- dancing lights, detect magic, know direction, mage hand, mending, read magic

Abilities Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 14
SQ bardic knowledge +5, fearsome reputation (honorable), seamanship, steady stance
Feats Great Captain1, Negotiator, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon FinesseB, Windsinger1
Skills Appraise +10, Balance +12, Bluff +13, Climb +2, Diplomacy +17, Hide +8, Intimidate +4, Jump +6, Knowledge (geography) +8, Knowledge (nature) +4, Listen +1, Move Silently +6, Perform (sing) +12, Profession (sailor) +13, Sense Motive +8, Swim +5, Tumble +14, Use Rope +8
Possessions+1 studded leather armor, +1 rapier, +1 merciful sap, dagger, shortbow with 20 arrows, quiver, backpack (waterskin, 3 sunrods, everburning torch), circlet of persuasion,cloak of the manta ray, sailing ship (Midnight's Edge), large chest with masterwork lock (1,000 gp, 2,500 sp, 5,000 cp).

Hook "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Combat

Jovina prefers to dive into combat on a rope from the high rigging of her ship. She always offers quarter when she is winning, but she never gives up the fight.

1. New feat from Stormwrack.
2. New spell from Complete Adventurer.
3. New prestige class from Complete Adventurer.