Sylvan Blades share many of the same affinities as their Ranger and Druid cousins,
combining a deep spiritual connection to nature with martial prowess.
Their origins are believed to be connected to a exchange between elves and several druidic circles (who were primarily human).
Whether driven by neccessity or just mutual interest, the elves began teaching the Druids their natural affinity for the sword, bow, and dance,
and the Druids taught the elves the ways of their circle, which would eventually spread to other demi-human races, as well.
In the Forgotten Realms, Sylvan Blades are most often followers of Mielikki, Sylvanus, or any deity connected to nature.
In Tarias, Sylvan Blades almost always follow the goddess Tatyana.
In other realms, they follow the dominant nature god(s) of that realm.
See the DM Notes for more background information and tips for using in your own campaign.
| Alignment: | Any non-evil |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice: | d8 |
| Skill Points: | 6 per level |
| Armor Feats: | Light Armor, Shields |
| Weapon Feats: | Simple, Scimitar, Light Hammer, Hand Axe, Kukri, Shortsword, Rapier, Longsword, Longbow (including composite), Shorbow (including composite) |
| Class Skills: | Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex) |
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Caster Level |
Spells per Day | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Wild Empathy, Track | 1 | 3 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Leaf Dance, Talon Strike, The Sylvan Paths | 1 | 3 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Nature's Blessing, Initiate of the Path | 2 | 4 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Woodland Stride | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Adept of the Path | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Swift Tracker | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Nature's Blessing | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Evasion | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Master of the Sylvan Path | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Nature's Blessing | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | Nature's Blessing | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Nature's Blessing | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Nature's Blessing | 10 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
A Sylvan Blade may not wear medium or heavy armors, and may not use tower shields. Her class abilities and spellcastng will not function while using these types of equipment.
A Sylvan Blade casts divine spells, which are drawn from the Druid and Ranger spell lists.
Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs.
She must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
Her daily allotment of spells and effective caster level are given in the table.
She receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score.
To prepare or cast a spell, she must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level.
The DC for a saving throw against a Sylvan Blade's spell is: 10 + the spell level + the Sylvan Blade's Wisdom modifier.
She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a Cleric does. Also, she may not spontaneously convert her prepared spells into summon spells, as a Druid does.
This functions identical to the Wild Empathy ability of Rangers and Druids. Existing Ranger and Druids levels count towards the effective level of this ability.
The Sylvan Blade gains Track as a bonus feat.
Sylvan Blades learn a two-weapon fighting style that flows like an elegant, ceremonial style of dance.
Starting at 2nd level, she is treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat,
even if she does not meet all the requirements.
In addition, as a swift action on her action, she may engage in a type of blade dance, which grants her special abilities while it is active. Once activated, she automatically continues the Leaf Dance, until she chooses to end it, fails to attack on her turn, or her movement is impeded in some way (such as entangled, grappled, stunned, etc).
While performing the Leaf Dance, if she has trained at least 4 ranks in Perform (Dance), she may strike a single target with both her mainhand and offhand weapon, as a Standard Action. The usual penalties for fighting with two weapons still apply.
The Sylvan Blade loses all benefits of Leaf Dance while wearing medium or heavy armor, or while using a shield.
Sylvan Blades are naturally adept with ranged hunting weapons, and can become peerless archers.
Starting at 2nd level, she is treated as having the Rapid Shot feat,
even if she does not meet all the requirements.
In addition, if she has trained at least 4 ranks in Sleight of Hand,
she may fire 2 missiles at a single target, as a Standard Action.
The missiles use a single attack roll, at a -2 penalty, but deal their damage seperately.
critical strikes and sneak attack damage apply only to the first missile.
The Sylvan blade loses all benefits of Talon Strike while wearing medium or heavy armor, or while using a shield.
At 2nd level, a Sylvan Blade chooses a path as part of her training, which reflects her attitudes and affinity, and will determine the abilities she gains as she advances. Only one path may be chosen, and she may not switch to another path once she has chosen a path.
Path of the Tempest
At 4th level, the Sylvan Blade improves along her chosen path.
She may choose one of the listed bonus feats available to her chosen path,
provided she meets all the requirements for the desired feat.
Path of the Tempest -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of Nature's Cunning or Bloodthorns.
Path of the Huntress -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of Point-Blank Shot or Hunter's Instinct
Path of the Oak -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of a casting feat, Meta-magic Feat, or Pack Hunter
Path of the Wanderer -
The Sylvan Blade gains a class feat of her choice from the list below.
At levels 4, 8, 12, 15, 18, and 20, the Sylvan Blade is given a blessing,
granting her one of the following extraordinary abilitiies of her choice:
Ranger abilities: Favored Enemy, Endurance, Camouflage, Hide In Plain Sight*
Druid abilities: Trackless Step, Venom Immunity, Resist Nature's Lure,
Nature Sense, A Thousand Faces*, Timeless Body*
Her Sylvan Blade level must be at least as high as the level requirement of the chosen ability.
* Hide in plain Sight requires Camouflage.
A Thousand Faces requires Feral Bond.
Timeless Body requires Path of the Oak.
Starting at 5th level, a Sylvan Blade may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed, and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.
At 6th level, the Sylvan Blade improves yet again along her chosen path.
She may choose one of the listed bonus feats available to her chosen path,
provided she meets all the requirements for the desired feat.
Path of the Tempest -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of one of the previous available feats in this path,
or Improved Leaf Dance
Path of the Huntress -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of one of the previous available feats in this path,
or Improved Talon Strike
Path of the Oak -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of one of the previous available feats in this path,
or Call of the Wild
Path of the Wanderer -
The Sylvan Blade gains a class feat of her choice from the list below.
She must meet all the requirements for the chosen feat.
Beginning at 7th level, a Sylvan Blade can move at her normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. She takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
At 9th level, a Sylvan Blade can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Sylvan Blade is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Sylvan Blade does not gain the benefit of evasion.
At 11th level, the Sylvan Blade has mastered her chosen path. She may choose one of the listed bonus feats available to her chosen path, provided she meets all the requirements for the desired feat.
Path of the Tempest -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of one of the previous feats in this path,
Dance of the Autumn Wind, or Dance of the Tempest.
Path of the Huntress -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of one of the previous feats in this path,
Heartseeker, or Talon Fury
Path of the Oak -
The Sylvan Blade gains her choice of one of the previous feats in this path,
a Druid feat related to a Druid's Wild Shape,
or One of the Circle
Path of the Wanderer -
The Sylvan Blade gains a class feat of her choice from the list below.
She must meet all the requirements for the chosen feat.
The following is a list of feats available to Sylvan Blades as either bonus feats or general feats.
Note that some of the feats listed below may be granted automatically, based on the Sylvan Blade's chosen path.
Unless otherwise specificed she must meet the requirements for the chosen feat(s).
While Leaf Dance is active, the Sylvan Blade gains a +1 shield bonus to AC (+2 when fighting defensively).
While using a ranged weapon, the Sylvan Blade does not provoke attacks of opportunity from firing in melee.
While shapeshifted via the Wild Shape ability, the Sylvan Blade gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC (+2 when fighting defensively).
As a swift action, she may imbue her melee weapons or natural attacks with the power to embed painful thorns in her target's wounds. For every 4 successful attacks against a target, the target suffers a -1 penalty to hit and AC. These penalties persist for 1 hour, or until a successful Heal check (DC 10 + thorns embedded) is performed on the target.
This ability has no effect on creatures who are immune to bleeding (constructs, oozes, most undead, etc).
This ability consumes one of her prepared 0-level spells, and lasts 1 minute.
As a swift action, she may imbue her ranged weapons so they bypass 2 points of damage reduction.
This increases by 1 at 8th level, and every 4 Sylvan Blade levels thereafter.
This ability consumes one of her prepared 0-level spells, and lasts 1 minute.
The Sylvan Blade strengthens her bond with nature.
Her caster level increases by 1 for every 4 Sylvan Blade levels she has.
She casts spells, and receives spells per day, as if she were a Druid equal to her caster level. This includes the ability to spontaneously convert her spells into Summon Nature's Ally spells, just as a Druid can.
The Sylvan Blade gains an Animal Companion (as per the Druid ability), if she does not already have one.
For this ability, her effective Druid level is equal to her caster level,
and stacks with any levels in a class that has an animal companion.
She may select from the alternative lists of animal companions just as a Druid can,
though she cannot select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce her Effective Druid Level below 1st.
For every 4 ranks she trains in Handle Animal, her effective Druid level for this ability increases by 1. Her effective Druid Level may not exceed her Sylvan Blade level.
The Sylvan Blade counts as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if she does not meet all the requirements for that feat.
While Leaf Dance is active, a Sylvan Blade may apply her full STR bonus to offhand attacks, to a maximum of ½ her total Perform (Dance) skill.
On her first attack of a full attack action,
the Sylvan Blade may fire 2 missiles at a single target.
The missiles use a single attack roll at a -2 penalty, but deal their damage seperately.
critical strikes and sneak attack damage apply only to the first missile.
Note that if Rapid Shot is also active, its attack penalty is also applied.
In any round that she attacks using Talon Strike or Improved Talon Strike, her attack penalty for firing into melee is reduced by ½ her total Sleight of Hand skill.
The Sylvan Blade gains Wild Shape, as per the Druid supernatural ability.
For Wild Shape and its related feats, her effective Druid level is equal to her caster level.
For every 4 ranks she trains in Survival, her effective Druid level for this ability increases by 1. Her effective Druid level may not exceed her Sylvan Bade level.
While Leaf Dance is active, the Sylvan Blade counts as having Uncanny Dodge (as per the Rogue ability).
In addition, she may avoid being flanked by succeeding at a Perform (Dance) check (DC 10 + flanking opponent's HD).
In any given round, the Sylvan Blade may trade the above benefits, to instead take a second 5-foot step during her action.
Instead of firing multiple missiles in a single round, the Sylvan Blade concentrates all her focus and energy into a single attack so precise, that it is able to penetrate nearly all forms of protection, and rip through the most vital areas of the target with ease.
As a full round action, she may fire a single missile at a target, with a bonus to her attack roll equal to the number of ranks she has trained in Sleight of Hand. This attack cannot miss due to concealment or cover (except total cover).
The attack deals twice the weapon's normal damage, plus 1 point of precision-based damage for every 2 ranks she has trained in Seight of Hand.
If she has the Hunter's Instinct feat, this attack ignores 1 point of the target's damage reduction for every 2 ranks she has trained in Sleight of Hand.
The Sylvan Blade further strengthens her bonds with nature,
completing her magical training in the ways of the Druids.
Her caster level increases by an additional 1 for every 4 Sylvan Blade levels,
and she gains a +1 innate bonus to her Will save equal to 1/4 her caster level (rounded down).
The Sylvan Blade has mastered the art of the Leaf Dance, becoming a fluid whirlwind of steel.
She counts as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat,
even if she does not meet the other requirements.
While Leaf Dance is active, on any mainhand attack that normally does not grant her an offhand attack, she may attempt a Perform (Dance) check vs. DC 20. If successful, she may make a free offhand attack against the same target, using the same Base Attack Bonus as the mainhand attack. The DC of the check increases by 5 each time it is attempted in a given round.
The Sylvan Blade counts as having the Improved Precise Shot feat, even if she does not meet the other requirements.
In any round that she attacks with Talon Strike or Improved Talon Strike, she may add half her DEX bonus as precision-based damage to her ranged attacks, to a maximum of +1 for every 4 ranks she has trained in Sleight of Hand.