Skills / Skill Tricks
Blue = Best, Green = Useful, Red = No Ranks here please.
Standard Swiftblade Prestige Class Skills:
Skill points = 4 + Int modifier per level
By the time you enter into the Swiftblade PrC, you will be 7th level in most instances. Assuming you start with a 16 Intelligence and put your 4th level and 8th level ability point into intelligence you will have a modifier of +4 to your skill points. This will give you approximately 8 total skill points per level in which to purchase ranks. If you choose human as your starting race, add one more per level for a total of 9 skill points in which to purchase ranks. Most optimized Swiftblades will finish with the Abjurant Champion PrC. There is no skill rank pre-requisite for it.
If you choose the Sorcerer entry for the Swiftblade PrC, you will have less skill points over all and will really need to specialize your training for skill points. Assuming that you have a 10 intelligence and are human, you will only have about 5 points to train your ranks for skills during the Swiftblade levels. You will have only about 3 skill points during your entry levels.
Swiftblade PrC Skills
- Balance: Put at least 5 ranks into this skill.
- Craft: Not necessary for this PrC, unless Artificer/Swiftblades. Alternatively, you may be able to max out a craft skill due to your excess of skill points. If you do, you can make exceptional items that you can sell to enchanters (Arcane/Divine casters) who have specific item creation feats, or use yourself if you have those feats. Craft wonderous item feat could be exploited.
- Concentration: Max this skill out, as you are primarily a arcane caster.
- Gather Information: Why do you need this when you have magical spells that are far more superior.
- Jump: Put a minimum of 5 ranks in this skill to add a synergy bonus to the tumble skill.
- Knowledge (Arcana): Put a minimum of 5 ranks in this skill to add a synergy bonus to the Spellcraft skill.
- Listen: A decent skill to have, but not necessary if you are low on skill points.
- Profession: Not necessary.
- Spot: A good skill to have for determining surprise and specific information about the area you are in. Max ranks here.
- Spellcraft: Max this skill out.
- Swim: Not necessary, use magic to augment your swimming abilites.
- Tumble: Movement on and through the battlefield is very important for adequate positioning. Max this skill out.
Summary: Minimum of 4 max ranked skills:
Concentration, Spot, Spellcraft, and Tumble. Put the other skill points into your minimums and/or use them in cross class skills. If you have the able learner feat this opens up more options for you.
Use Magical Device may be important to have ranks in if you want to use divine items.The Swiftblade PrC has a total of 12 skills in which to purchase ranks on a one-to-one basis. Of the available skills, they share the following with:[spoiler]
Abjurant Champion: Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Spellcraft, and Swim.
Bard: Balance, Concentration, Craft, Gather Information, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, Swim, and Tumble.
Beguiler: Balance, Concentration, Craft, Gather Information, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, and Tumble.
Factotum: Share all skills as class skills. All 12.
Enlightened Fist: Balance, Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, and Tumble.
Jade Phoenix Mage: Concentration, Jump, and Tumble.
Sorcerer: Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (Arcana), Profession, and Spellcraft.
Suel Arcanamach: Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, and Tumble.
Unseen Seer: Concentration, Gather Information, Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, and Spot.
Wizard: Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (Arcana), Profession, and Spellcraft.[/spoiler]
Skill Tricks Complete Scoundrel
Learning a skill trick costs 2 skill points.
[spoiler]
Spot the Weak Point - Spot 12 ranks - Make your next attack a touch attack. Great synergy with your special abilities.
Swift Concentration - Concentration 12 ranks - Maintain concentration on spell as a swift action.
Acrobatic Backstab - Tumble 12 ranks - Move through foes's space to render it flat-footed. Denying your opponents Dex to AC is advantageous.
Nimble Stand - Tumble 8 ranks - Stand from prone safely. Unlikely you will be in this position, but if you have the extra skill points this could prove useful.
Walk the Walls - Climb 12 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks - Run straight up wall for 1 round. 20feet (80/4) in a round is a lot of ground to cover if you are going vertical. Pretty good when you combine haste with your movement. [/spoiler]