These warriors are proficient with a wide variety of weapons, but they are especially adept with swords. Disdaining the use of heavy armors, this fighting style focuses on quick movements, prodigious leaps, and dexterous sword-play.
The nimble striker is an archetype of the warrior class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The nimble striker mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and CON for optional class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Weapon and Armor Proficiency, Chosen Weapon, Martial Flexibility. 2nd – Warrior Talent. 3rd – Warrior Techniques. 5th – Additional Techs II. 10th – War Cry. 13th – Improved Rush.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A nimble striker is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor and shields.
This ability replaces the warrior’s standard weapon and armor proficiencies.
Chosen Weapon (Ex)
At 1st level, a nimble striker must choose light blades or close weapon group as his chosen weapon group.
This ability modifies chosen weapon.
Finesse Training (Ex)
At 1st level, a nimbler striker gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. At 3rd level, whenever he makes a successful melee attack with his chosen weapon, he adds his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier to the damage roll. If any effect would prevent the nimbler striker from adding his Strength modifier to the damage roll, he does not add his Dexterity modifier. In addition, warrior abilities keyed off of Strength are now keyed off of Dexterity.
This ability replaces martial flexibility.
Skilled Leaper (Ex)
Beginning at 2nd level, the nimble striker adds his warrior level to any Acrobatic skill checks made to jump, both for vertical jumps and horizontal jumps. In addition, he always counts as having a running start when making jump checks using Acrobatics.
This ability replaces a warrior talent gained at 2nd level.
Armed Defense (Ex)
At 3rd level, so long as he is armed with a weapon from his chosen weapon group, the nimble striker can add a +2 deflection bonus to his AC. He can only add this bonus if he is wearing light armor or no armor. This bonus increases by an additional +1 for every four warrior levels beyond 3rd.
This ability replaces overhand chop and increase save from warrior techniques.
Dexterous Swordplay (Ex)
At 5th level, a nimble striker gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC as long as he is wearing no armor or light armor, wielding a weapon from his chosen weapon group. This bonus increases by 1 for every 3 levels the nimble striker possesses to a maximum of +6 at 20th level.
This ability replaces additional techs II and improved rush.
Lightning Strike (Ex)
At 10th level, as part of a full attack, a nimble striker can make one additional attack. This attack is at the nimble striker’s highest base attack bonus, but each attack in the round (including the extra one) takes a –2 penalty.
This ability replaces war cry.
