Knights of the Broken Blade: Ending War by Force

The two armies had been encamped at opposite ends of the bridge for days, occasionally making short forays against one another, periodically testing each other’s mettle while trying to find a way to gain the upper hand. Like most battles in this war, this one was futile and meaningless, and the real damage done by each host of warriors was to the local countryside as they pillaged nearby villages and farms for “provisions”. Neither side was willing to back down and let the other army seize the bridge across the winding river; but neither side had the strength to take it, so the siege lingered on…

Then, under the cover of darkness on a gloomy, moonless night, as soft rain dripped down on both legions, leaving them knee-deep in mud and unable to move their siege engines or charge on their noble steeds, shadows came out of the forest. Silently, guards were knocked out by fists as hard as iron, their weapons were taken away to be snapped in two with powerful blows, their shields crushed under calloused heels. Quickly stripped of their armour, the unconscious warriors did not see metal plates and chain mail links being ripped apart like sheets of wet paper by practiced hands.

The baggage trains of both armies were silently looted, robbed of supplies while spare horses were led away, and then stores of weapons were quietly demolished. Catapults, onagers, ballistae, and battering rams had their beams snapped, ropes cut, bows broken, and wheels torn off. Vats of oil meant to be poured on enemies were split open to spill their contents on the ground. As silently as they arrived the shadows retreated back into the misty night, leaving behind two armies with no way to defend their positions and no arms with which to win the day.

The Knights of the Broken Blade, commonly called Swordbreakers, are holy warriors dedicated to ending War forever by destroying the implements used to wage destruction and tyranny. Refusing to wear armour or use any weapons of their own against their enemies, they train their own bodies to become vessels for the righteous wrath of their gods, learning to beat swords into ploughshares with their bare hands and feet. Through iron discipline and pure faith they shatter shields, snap spears, and rend armour in the name of peace.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

All swordbreakers have the following statistics.

Abilities: Charisma enhances a swordbreaker’s ability to smite, self-protective abilities, and ability to channel energy. Strength is important for its important role in combat, something that all swordbreakers must face without fear or hesitation. A Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful swordbreaker spells, and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast any divine spells at all.

Alignment: Virtuous and serene, Swordbreakers must be Neutral Good in alignment.

Hit Dice: 1d10

Class Skills

The swordbreaker’s skills are bluff, climb, concentration, hide, intimidate, jump, knowledge (religion), ride, survival, diplomacy, profession, search, sense motive, craft, use rope, swim, move silently, tumble, balance.

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int. modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int. modifier.

Class Features

Weapon & Armour Proficiency: Swordbreakers are proficient with all simple weapons and shields. Swordbreakers are not proficient in the use of armour.

Monk Abilities: Swordbreakers have the same unarmed damage, bonus to Armour Class, and un-armoured speed as monks of the same level. Swordbreaker levels stack with monk levels for the purpose of determining these abilities, but do not stack with other monk abilities such as flurry of blows or slow fall.

Flurry of Blows (Ex): When unarmored, a swordbreaker may strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, she may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus column on Table: The Swordbreaker. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the swordbreaker might make before her next action. When a swordbreaker reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to -1, and at 9th level it disappears. A swordbreaker must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows. When using flurry of blows, a swordbreaker may attack only with unarmed strikes. She may attack with unarmed strikes and special swordbreaker weapons interchangeably as desired.

When a swordbreaker reaches 11th level, her flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack she gets from flurry of blows, she gets a second extra attack at her full base attack bonus.

Level AC Unarmed Unarmoured

Bonus Damage Speed Special Abilities

1 +1 1d6 +0 ft Aura of good, detect evil, Hand of Peace 1/day, unarmed damage, unarmoured speed, ac bonus

2 +1 1d6 +0 ft Divine grace

3 +1 1d6 +10 ft Aura of Calm

4 +1 1d8 +10 ft

5 +2 1d8 +10 ft Hand of Peace 2/day

6 +2 1d8 +20 ft

7 +2 1d8 +20 ft Special Mount

8 +2 1d10 +20 ft

9 +2 1d10 +30 ft

10 +3 1d10 +30 ft Hand of Peace 3/day

11 +3 1d10 +30 ft

12 +3 2d6 +40 ft

13 +3 2d6 +40 ft

14 +3 2d6 +40 ft

15 +4 2d6 +50 ft Hand of Peace 4/day

16 +4 2d8 +50 ft

17 +4 2d8 +50 ft

18 +4 2d8 +60 ft

19 +4 2d8 +60 ft

20 +5 2d10 +60 ft Hand of Peace 5/day

AC Bonus: Swordbreakers have the same AC bonus as monks of equal level. Swordbreakers may apply their Charisma bonus to AC instead of their Dexterity or Wisdom bonus if it is higher.

Hand of Peace (Su): Once per day, a swordbreaker may attempt to destroy a weapon or shield with a single unarmed attack. If an opponent is incapacitated or otherwise unable to move, this power can be used to tear a suit of armour apart as well, but this takes a full round to accomplish. The swordbreaker adds any Charisma bonus to the attack and damage rolls and ignores 1 point of hardness per class level.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the swordbreaker may use Hand of Peace one additional time per day, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a swordbreaker can detect evil as the spell.

Aura of Good: The power of a swordbreaker’s aura of good (see the spell detect good) is equal to his class level.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a swordbreaker gains a bonus equal to his or her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Aura of Calm (Su): The serenity and passivity of these warriors is inspiring to others. At 3rd level, a swordbreaker becomes immune to anger (magical or otherwise). Any creature within 10 feet of a swordbreaker must make a save vs. Will to make any type of attack against another living creature. This ability functions while the swordbreaker is conscious, but not while the swordbreaker is unconscious or dead. It has no effect on targets already engaged in combat.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a swordbreaker gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell, the swordbreaker must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so a swordbreaker with a Wisdom score of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Swordbreaker bonus spells are based on Wisdom, and saving throws against these spells have a Difficulty Class of 10 + spell level + Wisdom modifier. When the swordbreaker gets 0 spells of a given level, the swordbreaker only gains bonus spells. A swordbreaker without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of that level. A swordbreaker can freely choose which spell on the swordbreaker list to prepare, just as a cleric can. A swordbreaker prepares and casts spells just as a cleric does (though the swordbreaker cannot use spontaneous casting to substitute a cure spell in place of a prepared spell).

Through 3rd level a swordbreaker has no caster level. Starting at 4th level, a swordbreaker’s caster level is one-half her class level.

Special Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 7th level, a swordbreaker gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium swordbreaker) or a war pony (for a Small swordbreaker).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a swordbreaker may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the swordbreaker’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the swordbreaker and remains for 2 hours per swordbreaker level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the swordbreaker may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the swordbreaker’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The swordbreaker may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a swordbreaker level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the swordbreaker takes a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Swordbreakers are less interested in mounted combat than standard paladins and may select an animal that cannot be ridden but has the same special abilities as a paladin’s special mount as a companion. Common choices include war dogs, wolves, great cats, and birds of prey. The chosen animal must be no more than one size larger than its owner.

Code of Conduct: A swordbreaker must be of neutral good alignment and loses all class abilities if he or she ever willingly commits an evil act.

Additionally, a swordbreaker’s code requires that members of the class attempt to end any war or other armed conflict they encounter, help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil ends), punish those who harm or threaten innocents, and destroy any armour, shields, or weapons they can take possession of. A swordbreaker cannot wear any type of armour, cannot carry a shield, and may not use any type of weapon in combat.

Associates: While a swordbreaker may adventure with characters of good or neutral alignment, the knight will never knowingly associate with evil characters or anyone who intends to start a war, nor will any association with someone who consistently offends the swordbreaker’s moral code be continued. A swordbreaker may not accept henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are evil.

Ex-Swordbreakers

A swordbreaker who ceases to be neutral good, who willingly commits an evil act, who grossly violates the code of conduct, or who willingly allows weapons of war to exist loses all swordbreaker spells and abilities (but not unarmed damage, ac bonus, or fast movement). The warrior may not progress any farther in levels as a swordbreaker. All class abilities and advancement potential may be regained if the violations are atoned for (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Like any member of any other class, a swordbreaker may be a multi-class character, but multi-class Swordbreakers face a special restriction. A Swordbreaker who gains a level in any other class may never again rise in swordbreaker level, though all swordbreaker abilities are retained.