When this order was originally founded, the Sylvan Blades were Rangers who had an unusually strong connection to nature, though not as strong as their Druid cousins.
However, just as all life changes over time, so too have the Sylvan Blades in the generations since their inception.
The order has drifted away from its Druidic roots, and now welcomes anyone with an affinity for the outdoors and exploration.
Among the Sylvan Blades remain three distinct disciplines, or "Paths": the Tempests, the Hunters, and the Outriders.
The Tempests focus on a form of two-weapon combat resembling that of the ancient elven Blade Dancers.
The Hunters focus on learning about the creatures and denizens of the world,
and use that knowledge to root out and destroy those they deem to be the most dangerous.
The Outriders, meanwhile, excel at exploring the land and using it to their advantage against external threats.
Sylvan Blade Dedication
Feat 2
Requirements: Trained in Survival
You may not select another Dedication feat until you have gained 2 other feats from the Sylvan Blade Archetype.
When you take this Dedication, choose one the Sylvan Paths below. You may have only one Sylvan Path.
Path of the Tempest
You have learned to fight using a combat style based off the ancient elven Blade Dance.
You become Trained in Acrobatics, or another skill of your choice if already Trained in Acrobatics.
You may draw a 1-handed weapon in each of your hands as a single action.
You gain Blade Dance:
1 ActionStance
Requirements: You are wielding a 1-handed weapon in each hand.
While in this stance, when you attack with a weapon with the Agile trait,
your remaining attacks with 1-handed weapons in the same turn count as Agile.
Path of the Hunter
You are adept in identifying creatures and weak spots in an enemy's defenses.
You become Trained in one skill that has the Recall Knowledge action.
You gain a +1 status bonus on Recall Knowledge checks to identify a creature.
You gain Hunter's Focus:
1 Action
Perform a Recall Knowledge check vs a creature you can see, using the appropriate skill.
On success, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to hit and damage vs that creature for the remainder of the encounter,
or until you use this ability on a different creature.
Path of the Outrider
You are used to being at the forefront of expeditions,
and thus have learned how to defend against both natural and man-made threats.
You become Trained in Scouting Lore or Stealth.
You become Trained in another skill of your choice if you are already trained in both these skills.
You gain a +1 status bonus to Initiative.
You gain Hunter's Guile:
1 ActionStance
You are adept at anticipating your opponents' attacks.
While in this stance, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your AC.
Path Feats
Expert of Anatomy
Feat 4
Your weapon and unarmed strikes ignore up to 2 points of physical damage resistance, increasing by 1 point at 10th and 16th levels.
If you are Master in Survival, your strikes gain a +2 circumstance bonus to damage vs off-guard targets.
Disengage
Feat 4
1 ActionPress
Using a flashy display following your prior attacks, you create a momentary distraction, allowing you to safely back off and regroup.
Stride up to half your speed (rounded up). This movement does not trigger reactions from any creature you successfully hit this turn.
Dance of the Autumn Wind
Feat 4
Tempest2 ActionsFlourish
Requirements: You are wielding a 1-handed weapon in each hand.
Make a Strike with one of your equipped weapons at a target in range, then make a second Strike with your other weapon at another target in range.
These attacks count towards your multiple attack penalty, but you do not apply the penalty until after you complete these strikes.
If you are Master in Acrobatics, you may use both Strikes against the same target instead of seperate targets.
Experienced Hunter
Feat 4
Hunter
When you succeed on a Strike against a creature, you may use Hunter's Focus as a free action on that creature following the attack.
Further Strikes against that creature do not trigger the free action.
If you are Master in the appropriate skill, you may use Hunter's Focus on a single creature at the start of combat.
Preperation
Feat 4
Outrider
When you select this feat, choose either Scouting Lore or Stealth.
If you are Expert in the chosen skill, you may use it for Initiative without needing the corresponding Exploration action.
If you use either of these skills for Initiative, opponents who act after you in the first round of combat are off-guard to you.
Scout's Warning *
Feat 6
When you roll initiative using Perception or Survival,
you visually or audibly warn your allies of danger, granting them each a +1 circumstance bonus to their initiative rolls.
Depending on whether you use gestures or call out, this action gains the Visual or Auditory trait, respectively.
* This version of Scout's Warning has a higher-level requirement for access compared to the original Ranger and Rogue feats.
Opportunity
Feat 6
Reaction
Trigger: An opponent critically fails an attack against you.
You may either Step up to 10' away, or make a melee Strike against the triggering opponent if they are in reach.
Perfect Form
Feat 6
Tempest
You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks to avoid being Disarmed or Tripped.
When you use Dance of the Autumn Wind, you may enter the Blade Dance stance as part of that action.
Pack Hunter
Feat 6
Hunter
The first time you successfully identify a particular creature with Recall Knowledge,
you note a weakness in that creature's defenses,
granting you and allies that you tell gain a +1 circumstance bonus on their next attack vs that creature made before the end of their turn.
Cunning Strike
Feat 6
Outrider2 ActionsFlourish
Choose one opponent.
Stride, Feint against that opponent, and then make a Strike against them.
If you are Expert in either Scouting Lore or Stealth, you may use that skill instead of Deception for the Feint check.
Uncanny Instincts
Feat 8
You aren’t flat-footed to hidden, undetected, or flanking creatures of your level or lower.
Those creatures can still help their allies flank.
Flowing Combat
Feat 8
Tempest
Requirements: You are in the Blade Dance stance.
When using Dance of the Autumn Wind, you may take a single Step before making your second Strike.
This Step may be up to 10' if your first Strike was a critical success.
Heartseeker
Feat 8
Hunter2 ActionsFlourish
Make a melee or ranged Strike.
You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the attack roll, and this attack deals one extra die of weapon damage.
This ability may not be used on your next turn.
Master Surveyor
Feat 8
Outrider
Requirements: Master in Survival.
While in natural outdoor environments, you may gain the benefits of the Scout exploration activity when performing any other exploration activity.
You are restricted to half your movement speed while benefiting from this activity.
If you are Legendary in Survival, you may use this ability in any environment.
Outmaneuver
Feat 10
Requirements: Master in Survival or Acrobatics
For purposes of flanking, you count as being in your square and one square adjacent to you.
You may choose this square at the end of any action with the Move trait.
Elusive Hunter
Feat 10
Requirements: Master in Survival or Stealth
You are a master in using the surrounding terrain to elude your opponents.
You may Take Cover in any environment with dense or tall vegetation, even if you are not adjacent to anything that grants cover.
If you are adjacent to something that would grant Cover or Concealment,
you may Hide or Sneak without needing Cover or Concealment.
Incredible Stride
Feat 10
Your Speed is increased by 5 feet.
In outdoor environments, you gain a +5 circumstance bonus to your Speed.
Dance of the Tempest
Feat 12
Tempest
Requirements: Master in Survival or Acrobatics
As long as you have a free hand, you can draw any 1-handed weapon as a free action.
If you are Legendary in Acrobatics, you may stow one weapon each turn as a free action.
While in the Blade Dance stance, your first missed Strike in a turn does not count toward your MAP.
Master Hunter
Feat 12
Hunter
Requirements: Master in Survival or a skill with the Recall Knowledge action.
When you critically fail a Recall Knowledge check to identify a creature, it becomes a failure instead.
If you are Legendary in the relevant skill, a succesful Recall Knowledge check with that skill becomes a critical success instead.
During your turn, the first time one of your Strikes damages the target of your Hunter's Focus, it inflicts your choice of Enfeebled 1, Stupified 1, or Clumsy 1.
The inflicted status is increased to 2 on a critical strike.
This status lasts until the end of your next turn.
Wilderness Vanguard
Feat 12
Outrider
Requirements: Master in Survival, Scouting Lore, or Stealth.
You can ignore the effects of non-magical difficult terrain.
If you are Legendary in one of the above skills, you treat the hindrances of greater difficult terrain as those of difficult terrain.
While in the Hunter's Guile stance, your critical strikes make the target off-guard until the end of your next turn.
Copyright 2000-2024 by Stephen Nispel unless otherwise specified.
Content is for personal use only or as granted by the original authors.
When this order was originally founded, the Sylvan Blades were Rangers who had an unusually strong connection to nature, though not as strong as their Druid cousins.
However, just as all life changes over time, so too have the Sylvan Blades in the generations since their inception.
The order has drifted away from its Druidic roots, and now welcomes anyone with an affinity for the outdoors and exploration.
