Swordplay Techniques

At 2nd level, a mystic knight can better harness her elemental energy, and utilize it in special techniques. Despite the name of the ability, the mystic knight can use swordplay techniques with any weapon with which she is proficient. While many swordplay techniques are associated with an element, the element of a swordplay technique need not match that of the mystic knight’s active element. Usage of them is a standard action, and many can be augmented through the expenditure of MP as part of the action to use them before the results of the swordplay technique are determined. The mystic knight gains another swordplay technique at every even class level, up to ten at 20th. She may spend no more than half of her class level (rounded up) in MP to augment these abilities.

Swordplay Prerequisite Effect
Armor Break None You land a devastating blow, empowered with gravity magic to lessen your opponent’s defenses. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, and the target takes a -4 penalty to their Armor Class and reduces any damage reduction they may have by 2. When used on objects, it reduces the object’s hardness as it would a creature’s damage reduction. If the target succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier), they halve these penalties. This swordplay technique does function against creatures immune to gravity effects as well as objects, and creatures like constructs and undead, who are normally immune to Fortitude saves. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the AC penalty by 2, and the DR reduction by 1 for every MP spent (up to a maximum of 6 MP), or you may increase the DC of the saving throw by 1 for every 2 MP spent (up to a maximum of 6 MP).
Armor Buster Armor Break, Mystic Knight 10 Your mastery over the use of gravity magic to leave your enemy’s open to attack grows, and with the growth of your skill comes the diminishment of your opponents. Creatures who fail the save against the Armor Break swordplay technique have any armor they are wearing automatically given the broken condition, the penalties of which stack with the effects of Armor Break. If the target does not wear armor, then their natural armor bonus is cut in half on a failed save. If the target has neither armor nor a natural armor bonus, then this has no additional effect beyond that which Armor Break already inflicts.
Ashura Flametongue, Mystic Knight 8 The flames you conjure dance merrily between your opponents, spreading their carnage around. Any enemy who begins or ends their turn next to the enemy you set on fire with the Flametongue swordplay technique must also make a Reflex save or be set on fire as well, taking the same fire damage for the same duration. These flames may continue afflicting more enemies, treating those that the flames spread to as though they were the original target of Flametongue.
Blood Sword None The blackness dripping from your weapon is comparable to the ichor of some hellish fiend, and represents how it so wishes you would slake its bloodthirst. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack as well as +1d6 dark damage for every two mystic knight levels. You are healed for half of the shadow damage dealt; if the creature succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier), then the shadow damage is halved, as is the amount you would be healed. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the shadow damage inflicted by 1d6, or you can spend 2 MP to increase the DC of the saving throw (up to a maximum of 6 MP).
Delay Attack None Time magic envelops your weapon, and works to subtly slow your opponent down. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, and the target has their initiative roll reduced by 4, moving their next turn further down the queue as appropriate. If this moves their initiative enough that their next turn would come after yours that same round, they do not get a second turn. If the target succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier), the penalty to their initiative roll is halved. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the penalty by 4, or increase the DC by 1 for every 2 MP spent.
Delay Buster Delay Attack, Mystic Knight 12 The temporal energies you strike your opponent with intensify, afflicting the opposition with more severe punishment. The penalty to the target’s initiative increases by 50% before the opponent makes their saving throw. By spending 5 MP, instead of increasing the penalty, you can inflict the Slow status on the target as well for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier.
Excalibur None Bathing your weapon in purifying light, you aim to cleanse the world of the vile. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 holy damage for every two mystic knight levels. When striking an enemy with a vulnerability to holy damage, they must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds, ignoring immunities. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the holy damage inflicted by 1d6 for every MP spent, or you can spend 2 MP to increase the saving throw by 1 (to a maximum of 6 MP).
Flametongue None A gout of flame bursts from your weapon upon impact, clinging to your enemies to burn them to a crisp. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 fire damage for every two mystic knight levels. The target must also make a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) or be set on fire, taking half of the fire damage inflicted by this swordplay technique at the beginning of their turn for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the fire damage inflicted by 1d6 or increase the duration of the effect by 1 round for every MP spent. No more than 5 MP may be spent augmenting the duration of this swordplay technique.
Gorgon Gaze None From the earth you draw strength, and so to six feet beneath the earth you will send your enemies. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 earth damage for every two mystic knight levels. The target must also make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) or be inflicted with the Petrified status 2d3 rounds after failing the save. An effect that would remove the Petrified status being used on the target before they actually turn to stone also negates the effect. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the earth damage inflicted by 1d6 per MP spent, or you can spend 4 MP to shorten the rounds before the target is inflicted with Petrify to 1d3 rounds.
Gran Fissure Gorgon Gaze, Mystic Knight 12 Your strength of arm is so great that the earth itself parts at your weapon’s command. When an enemy fails the saving throw against the Gorgon Gaze swordplay technique, they are instead immediately inflicted with the Petrify status. If the attack was a confirmed critical, they are immediately inflicted with Petrify and then shattered into gravel.
Heaven's Cloud Mystic Knight 6 Just as magic is a display of power, so too is the ability to nullify it, and with this swordplay technique you imbue your weapon with hostile anti-magic before striking. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, and any single magical effect of your choice with an effective caster level equal to half of your mystic knight level is negated. If the effect you wish to negate has a higher effective caster level than half of your mystic knight level, you make a caster level check (using your mystic knight level as your caster level), with a DC of 11 + the effect's caster level to successfully negate the effect. By spending 1 MP, you increase the caster level of the effects you can automatically negate by 1 for every MP spent.
Ice Brand None A chill is sent through your weapon that freezes enemies to the bone, numbing what of them is not frozen solid. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 ice damage for every two mystic knight levels. The target must also make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier), or take a 1d3 penalty to Dexterity damage. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the ice damage inflicted by 1d6 per MP spent, or you can spend 3 MP to increase the Dexterity penalty by an additional 1d3. This penalty stacks with itself.
Icebound Blade: Ice Brand, Mystic Knight 10 A cold so powerful that it could be likened to the frigid darkness between the stars fills every last fiber of your enemy. When using the Ice Brand swordplay technique, failing the Fortitude save also freezes the enemy solid; this is treated as the Petrify status, except that it only lasts for 2d3 rounds, and taking a number of points of fire damage equal to twice your mystic knight level + 2 points for every MP spent augmenting this technique immediately ends it, as well as any other effects that end the Petrify status. The Dexterity penalty inflicted by Ice Brand increases to 1d6 (2d6 if 3mp is spent) and becomes Dexterity damage.
Kazekiri Sakura, Mystic Knight 10 A razor sharp gale extends from the victims of your blustery assaults. When using the Sakura swordplay technique, if it successfully hits a target, all enemies adjacent to the target take the extra wind damage granted by Sakura. A reflex save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) halves this damage, but only on those adjacent to the original target.
Liquid Steel: None The roar of the ocean can be heard as your strike crashes into your enemies like the relentless waves of the sea, drenching them as much in magically conjured water as their own blood. Make an attack roll; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 water damage for every two mystic knight levels. The target must also make a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) or be inflicted with the Imperil (lightning) status from the water soaking into them for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier, stacking with other applications of Imperil (lightning). By spending 1 MP, you can increase the water damage by 1d6 for each MP spent, or you can spend 2 MP to increase the DC (to a maximum of 6 MP), or you can spend 5 MP to apply an additional level of severity of Imperil (lightning). (A target's lightning interaction can only ever be weak at worst)
Magic Break None With some measure of time magic highlighting your blows, you revert your opponent’s magical prowess to that of a lesser time. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, and reduce the target’s caster level by 4 (to a minimum of 1) for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier. In doing so, you do not actually prevent access to spells that they would not be able to use at such a caster level, but the effectiveness of the spell is treated as though it was 4 levels lower, e.g. the opponent could cast fire and spend a total of 9 MP on it, but it would only have an effect of a fire that had 5 MP spent on it. A successful Will save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) halves this penalty and its duration. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the penalty by 1 for every MP spent (up to a maximum of 6 MP), or increase the duration by 1 round for every MP spent, or you can spend 2 MP to increase the DC of the saving throw by 1 for every 2 MP spent (up to a maximum of 6 MP).
Magic Buster Magic Break, Mystic Knight 10 The extent to which you lock away an enemy’s magical capabilities becomes all the more thorough. When using the Magic Break swordplay technique, the limit of MP that the target can spend on casting spells is decreased as well as their caster level, effectively preventing them from casting higher level spells.
Mental Break None Rather than directly attacking your enemy’s mind, you instead shatter the resilience of their spirit with debilitating magics. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, and a penalty to all of their saving throws equal to half of your Focus modifier, rounded up, for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier. The target can make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) to reduce the duration by half. By spending 2 MP, you can increase the penalty by 1, or increase the DC by 1 (up to a maximum of 6 MP).
Mental Buster Mental Break, Mystic Knight 8 Your weapon tears asunder your enemy’s ability to shrug off magical assaults as well as breaking down their basic resistances. When using the Mental Break swordplay technique, failing the saving throw also reduces any spell resistance they may have by a number equal to your mystic knight level, or half of your mystic knight level if they succeed on the saving throw.
Muramasa Blood Sword, Mystic Knight 10 The unending hunger of your weapon is absolutely ravenous, and will stop at nothing to suck down the lifeblood it so craves. When using the Blood Sword swordplay technique, you inflict 2d6 bleed damage per round that cannot be stopped by a Heal check, magical healing, or any other method that would end bleeding effects, for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier. You are also healed an amount of hit points equal to the bleed damage dealt every round as it occurs, so long as you are within 60 feet of the bleeding target.
Murasame Liquid Steel, Mystic Knight 10 Just as water takes many different forms, you can make your strokes do the same. When using the Liquid Steel swordplay technique, you can apply the attack and the effects thereof to all enemies in a 60 ft. line, 30 ft. cone, or a 20 ft. radius burst centered on you.
Power Break None Poisonous, strength-draining magic suffuses the wounds your attacks leave behind, robbing your opponent of the ability to land a hit. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, and a -4 penalty to all of the target’s attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) reduces the penalty by half. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the penalty by 1 for each MP spent, or by spending 2 MP, you can increase the DC by 1 (up to a maximum of 6 MP).
Power Buster: Power Break, Mystic Knight 10 The sapping entropic energies of your magicked weapon leave your opponent so feeble that even the sharpest of blades could not so much as cut butter when in their hands. When using the Power Break swordplay technique, you reduce the damage dealt by any of the target’s physical attacks by a number equal to your mystic knight level, or half of your mystic knight level if they succeed on the saving throw.
Raikiri Thunder Blade, Mystic Knight 12 The lightning you force into your opponent is so intense that it is all they can do to collapse and twitch in pain. When using the Thunder Blade swordplay technique, you may spend 4 MP to instead stun the enemy for 2d4 rounds, rather than stagger them; they still take the appropriate lightning damage per round that they are stunned.
Rune Tooth None Caustic, magical venom trails your weapon as it flies towards your enemy, ready to corrupt their blood. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 poison damage for every two mystic knight levels. The target is inflicted with the Poison status, which is incurable for a number of rounds equal to your Focus modifier. If the target succeeds on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier), then the Poison effect does not have to linger for a number of rounds to be cured. By spending 1 MP, you can make the target take an additional 1d6 poison damage at the beginning of their next turn while under the Poison effect for every MP spent, or by spending 2 MP, you can increase the DC by 1 for every 2 MP spent.
Sakura None The wind you imbue your weapon with carries your strikes across the battlefield; your armaments need not even touch your foes for them to feel their wrath. Make a melee attack roll, and apply it to a single creature within a range of Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. for every two mystic knight levels). If successful, it inflicts the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 wind damage for every two mystic knight levels). By spending 1 MP, you can increase the wind damage by 1d6 or increase the range by 5 feet for every MP spent.
Thunder Blade None The sinister crackle of electricity and the stink of ozone surround you for a brief moment before you channel it into your weapon and unleash it on your enemy. Make an attack; if successful, you inflict the damage of the attack, as well as +1d6 lightning damage for every two mystic knight levels. The target must also make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier) or be staggered for 2d4 rounds, taking 1d6 + your Focus modifier in lightning damage every round that they are staggered. By spending 1 MP, you can increase the lightning damage by 1d6 for every MP spent, or you can spend 2 MP to increase the save DC by 1 (up to a maximum of 6 MP), or you can spend 3 MP to make the target take 2d6 + twice your Focus modifier in lightning damage for every round that they are staggered.
Yakei Rune Tooth, Mystic Knight 10 Such toxicity as this could only come from a magical will so strong as yours, polluting even those who would otherwise have nothing to fear from poisons. When using the Rune Tooth swordplay technique, those who fail the saving throw are inflicted with the Sap status effect instead, inflicting 1d6 per HD of the target in poison damage per round instead of 1d3, and thus the status can only be removed with the esuna spell (or a related spell), or by supernatural means that explicitly remove status effects. If the target is normally immune to poisons or the Poison or Sap statuses, this ability bypasses it, inflicting them with the normal Poison status that Rune Tooth does, rather than Sap, and ignores immunity or resistance to poison damage.
Zanmato Excalibur, Mystic Knight 14 The light you empower your blows with is so ferocious and intense that it erases the very existence of the darkness within your enemies. When using the Excalibur swordplay technique, you may spend 6 MP to grant your weapon the effects of the disruption weapon ability, regardless of whether the weapon would normally qualify for the ability, except that the DC is 10 + ½ mystic knight level + Focus modifier. By spending 8 MP, the disruption ability instead applies to any creature vulnerable to holy damage.