Exotic Combatant [Finesse, Social]

When you use a weapon, you use it with style. Other warriors may rely on brute strength, finesse, or even superior intelligence to drive their strikes home, but you simply execute some flashy moves and stab your opponent while he's still dazzled with stars in his eyes.

Base Mastery 1:

Prereq: Finesse or exotic weapon.

Benefit: For you, melee is as much about putting on a show as it is about combat. Your attacks rely more on flashy presence than on personal might. You apply your Charisma bonus, instead of Strength to melee attacks made against any creature with an Intelligence score.

You can also use highly stylized combat maneuvers to entertain crowds, just like a Perform check. Use either a Base Attack check modified by your Charisma modifier, or a Perform check, whichever is higher. If you have a Masterwork weapon, you may add +2 to this check. You cannot use this check to mimick in-combat uses of Perform, such as Countersong or Inspire Courage (but see Expanded Mastery 3 below). See the Perform skill description on p. 100.

Special: The abilities listed below are only effective against creatures with an Intelligence score.

Expanded Mastery 2:

You whirl your weapon about in such a bizarre manner that it is difficult for opponents to land attacks on you. By spending a move action, you gain a bonus to your active defense equal to your Charisma bonus. This bonus lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

Expanded Mastery 3:

With weapon in hand, you can use the Inspire Doom or Create Distraction abilities described in the Perform skill section on p. 100. Use either a Base Attack check modified by your Charisma bonus, or a Perform check, whichever is higher. If you have a Masterwork weapon, you may add +2 to this check.

Expanded Mastery 4:

The manner in which you attack is downright confounding. By spending a swift action, you gain a bonus to your active defense equal to your Charisma bonus, as long as you are making a full attack. This bonus lasts until the beginning of your next turn. This ability does not exclude the benefits gained from EM2.

Expanded Mastery 5:

You put on a display that dazzles your opponent into dumb fascination. As a standard action, make a Base Attack check, modified by your Charisma bonus, opposed by your target's Will save. If the target fails, he is Dazed for one round. You can only use this ability against targets who are not in melee with characters besides yourself.

Expanded Mastery 7:

You have learned to incorporate your physical prowess into your outlandish attacks. You may apply your Charisma modifier to your melee attacks in addition to your Strength modifier, instead of in replacement of it.

Expanded Mastery 8:

Your flamboyant combat style affects not only how you apply your attacks, but how deeply you afflict them. You can apply your Charisma bonus to damage rolls, in addition to any damage you may normally do.

Expanded Mastery 9:

Your combat style grabs the attention of everyone in the room. You can make a Base Attack check as per Expanded Mastery 5, but it now applies to all opponents within a 30' radius. It still only applies to opponents who are not in melee with other characters.

Written by 1Mac of the Iron Heroes boards at MonteCook.com, and slightly altered by me.