So I was reading through UA6 again and I got to Swashbucklers, (which is one of my favourite rogue archetypes), and noticed something I thought a little odd about the new Panache feature. Instead of having both the in-combat soft taunt and the out-of-combat utility that the old one brought, in order to charm someone with the new feature you have to... stab them? And not just any stab, you have to Sneak Attack them? And presumably this is such an awe-inspiring stab that it charms multiple people?
I mean, I kind of understand that it is probably intended to be like a 'I'm so good with this sword you can't help but be charmed by me as I dismember your friend in front of you' kind of thing, but I really don't see myself using this like, ever.
Not to mention that it only lasts until the end of your next turn;
'Woah man, that was really cool how you stabbed them with your sword just now. I really wish we could be friends, however I have to get back to killing you now, sorry :( '
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
At 9th level, your charm becomes extraordinarily beguiling. As an action, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by a creature’s Wisdom (Insight) check. The creature must be able to hear you, and the two of you must share a language.
If you succeed on the check and the creature is hostile to you, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you and can’t make opportunity attacks against targets other than you. This effect lasts for 1 minute, until one of your companions attacks the target or affects it with a spell, or until you and the target are more than 60 feet apart.
If you succeed on the check and the creature isn’t hostile to you, it is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed, it regards you as a friendly acquaintance. This effect ends immediately if you or your companions do anything harmful to it.
9TH LEVEL: PANACHE You have practiced new ways to use your Sneak Attack. The following effects are now among your Cunning Strike options. Goad (Cost: 1d6). The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or until the end of its next turn, the target has Disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you and can’t make Opportunity Attacks against targets other than you. Awe (Cost: 3d6). Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Charmed condition until the end of your next turn.
In both the original and UA, it's about goading a foe to focus on you. But you're a rogue and you're a glass cannon, which means you do NOT want to be hit. You are NOT a tank (and this is why I want the AC boost given to the monk or the dance bard, but most players remind me that the rogue isn't supposed to tank so..... No, I'm not bitter.... )
And you have to expend either a turn or damage dice to do so.
(I mean my subclass is a melee heavy subclass that's encouraged to literally stand RIGHT NEXT to the foe it's facing... NOT BITTER.....lol... XD )
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
No dude, reread it. It's not scaring people away from you, it's making sure EVERYONE in a 30 foot radius (your movement speed) attacks you.
EDIT: oh and the charmed part is ONLY if it isn't already hostile... In the middle of combat....
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
No dude, reread it. It's not scaring people away from you, it's making sure EVERYONE in a 30 foot radius (your movement speed) attacks you.
EDIT: oh and the charmed part is ONLY if it isn't already hostile... In the middle of combat....
The charmed condition explicitly prevents the affected from attacking the charmer or otherwise targeting them with harmful effects. It literally does the opposite of what you're saying it does. And there's no restriction on only being able to charm non-hostile targets.
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
No dude, reread it. It's not scaring people away from you, it's making sure EVERYONE in a 30 foot radius (your movement speed) attacks you.
EDIT: oh and the charmed part is ONLY if it isn't already hostile... In the middle of combat....
The charmed condition explicitly prevents the affected from attacking the charmer or otherwise targeting them with harmful effects. It literally does the opposite of what you're saying it does. And there's no restriction on only being able to charm non-hostile targets.
Please, reread the UA.
I was referring to it as it is in the regular rules. Perhaps I should have been a bit more specific on that. But you're still right, because he was referencing the UA
The charm effect still isn't that great. It's only supposed to be until next turn and only charmed against you. I mean on the one hand, you're guaranteeing nothing in your movement range isn't going to attack you (provided the save works), but it's still not what your subclass wants.
Swashbuckler wants you to do 1v1, The extra way to use sneak attack is still specific in getting a foe separated from his allies
You also gain an additional way to use your Sneak Attack; you don’t need advantage on the attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, no other creatures are within 5 feet of you, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.
So it's a slight boost, but the still it's a skill that's GREAT in flavor, but very bad in execution based on how the subclass is supposed to work. (because it's not a tanking class).
EDIT: Also, it doesn't take away from the fact that both still have the god awful goad in the same subclass feature.
EDIT EDIT: I mean both the old and the new would be interesting I suppose if I stuck with the tabaxi species, taunted them and then GTFO'ed across the entire map and halfway up the walls with everyone chasing my adorable and alluring and oh so captivating cat-self... Rawr~... lol
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
I may have been slightly dramatic in the op.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's useless, and there are situations in which it could make thematic sense, but not being able to use it out of combat without stabbing an innocent bystander seems like quite the nerf to the subclass's only out of combat feature. I think my main problem, honestly, is they've taken something that is very broadly applicable and made it into something very niche.
For example; how often is it that you find yourself in a situation where you are being assailed by multiple opponents and you really need them to stop attack for just one round*? Now how often do you find yourself talking to an NPC that you need a quick in with, or needing to get back on the good side of the NPC the barbarian just threatened to dismember? I know that the latter situations certainly come up way more often at my table.
*sure you could probably get it off for multiple rounds in a row, but to do that you are gimping your damage and they are making multiple saving throws
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
No dude, reread it. It's not scaring people away from you, it's making sure EVERYONE in a 30 foot radius (your movement speed) attacks you.
EDIT: oh and the charmed part is ONLY if it isn't already hostile... In the middle of combat....
The charmed condition explicitly prevents the affected from attacking the charmer or otherwise targeting them with harmful effects. It literally does the opposite of what you're saying it does. And there's no restriction on only being able to charm non-hostile targets.
Please, reread the UA.
I was referring to it as it is in the regular rules. Perhaps I should have been a bit more specific on that. But you're still right, because he was referencing the UA
The charm effect still isn't that great. It's only supposed to be until next turn and only charmed against you. I mean on the one hand, you're guaranteeing nothing in your movement range isn't going to attack you (provided the save works), but it's still not what your subclass wants.
Swashbuckler wants you to do 1v1, The extra way to use sneak attack is still specific in getting a foe separated from his allies
Counterpoint: any feature which prevents enemies within striking distance from attacking you is good for a character that wants to 1v1 an enemy.
Also, swashbucklers don't want to 1v1 enemies.
The swashbuckler having a new way to trigger Sneak Attack doesn't mean this is the preferred way of engaging foes. It's still a rogue. It's more comfortable in melee than many of its counterparts, and that gives them flexibility. If someone approaches one in melee, they can take a swipe and run away without taking the disengage action. Every little bit of damage helps, and it's possible to even get in a Sneak Attack while retreating. Heck, their new Cunning Strike options, Awe and Goad, don't even require melee attacks. That means one can have a wow factor with a shortbow. Or annoy. Can you imagine using Goad at range while tougher allies in melee are engaged? That's some darn good synergy with other party members. If they stay locked with your allies, they have disadvantage on attacks. If they chase after you, they'll likely draw at least one Opportunity Attack, and you can kite them with your Cunning Action.
No class or subclass exists in a vacuum, and the swashbuckler really isn't meant for lone wolves.
You just did 1D8 + 2D6 +5 points of damage to my friend. Forget about him. I like you. This does not make sense to me.
Charmed
A charmed creature can't attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects.
The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
Nowhere does the Charmed condition say they have to like you. Social interactions can be deceptive or intimidating or persuasive (again, doesn't mean they like you).
I think you're getting hung up on the name more than the actual mechanical effect.
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
No dude, reread it. It's not scaring people away from you, it's making sure EVERYONE in a 30 foot radius (your movement speed) attacks you.
EDIT: oh and the charmed part is ONLY if it isn't already hostile... In the middle of combat....
The charmed condition explicitly prevents the affected from attacking the charmer or otherwise targeting them with harmful effects. It literally does the opposite of what you're saying it does. And there's no restriction on only being able to charm non-hostile targets.
Please, reread the UA.
I was referring to it as it is in the regular rules. Perhaps I should have been a bit more specific on that. But you're still right, because he was referencing the UA
The charm effect still isn't that great. It's only supposed to be until next turn and only charmed against you. I mean on the one hand, you're guaranteeing nothing in your movement range isn't going to attack you (provided the save works), but it's still not what your subclass wants.
Swashbuckler wants you to do 1v1, The extra way to use sneak attack is still specific in getting a foe separated from his allies
Counterpoint: any feature which prevents enemies within striking distance from attacking you is good for a character that wants to 1v1 an enemy.
Also, swashbucklers don't want to 1v1 enemies.
The swashbuckler having a new way to trigger Sneak Attack doesn't mean this is the preferred way of engaging foes. It's still a rogue. It's more comfortable in melee than many of its counterparts, and that gives them flexibility. If someone approaches one in melee, they can take a swipe and run away without taking the disengage. Every little bit of damage helps, and it's possible to even get in a Sneak Attack while retreating. Heck, their new Cunning Strike options, Awe and Goad, don't even require melee attacks. That means one can have a wow factor with a shortbow. Or annoy. Can you imagine using Goad at range while tougher allies in melee are engaged? That's some darn good synergy with other party members. If they stay locked with your allies, they have [rule]disadvantage[rule] on attacks. If they chase after you, they'll likely draw at least one Opportunity Attack, and you can kite them with your Cunning Action.
No class or subclass exists in a vacuum, and the swashbuckler really isn't meant for lone wolves.
All of teh swashbucker's features are built around melee, and the way to get sneak attack and avoid getting a crack back is through 1v1. being someone who prefers it to other rogues, it IS the way to play it, focusing on the getting advantage, getting the first hit off, and duelling.
In fact, the swashbuckler's abilities are very much modeled off that particular manner of fighting.
If you're using a bow, you are not taking advantage of any of the class features and would be better off just taking an arcane trickster or a thief. Even an assassin is better than a non-melee swashbuckler.
I mean that's the archetype: pirates with their cutlasses fighting the long overly complicated Pirates of the Carribean. It's the Errol Flynn and Princess Bride archetype....
NONE of which are archers.
But like I said, people who don't play swashbucklers love to justify them as ranged fighters...
All of teh swashbucker's features are built around melee, and the way to get sneak attack and avoid getting a crack back is through 1v1. being someone who prefers it to other rogues, it IS the way to play it, focusing on the getting advantage, getting the first hit off, and duelling.
In fact, the swashbuckler's abilities are very much modeled off that particular manner of fighting.
If you're using a bow, you are not taking advantage of any of the class features and would be better off just taking an arcane trickster or a thief. Even an assassin is better than a non-melee swashbuckler.
I mean that's the archetype: pirates with their cutlasses fighting the long overly complicated Pirates of the Carribean. It's the Errol Flynn and Princess Bride archetype....
NONE of which are archers.
But like I said, people who don't play swashbucklers love to justify them as ranged fighters...
Literally no.
If you look again at the playtest, Panache, Dashing Strikes, and Master Duelist are not dependent on melee strikes. At all. The only subclass features which even mention melee strikes are Fancy Footwork and Rakish Audacity. And they're good, don't get me wrong. But they alone do not mean the subclass is designed to always 1v1 enemies or to always want to otherwise engaged in melee combat. Having the tools to cover a weakness in the chassis does not change your entire dynamic.
For crying out loud, there's literally nothing stopping any other rogue from rushing into melee. Their style of play hasn't fundamentally changed.
I'm well versed in the subclass' namesake. Don't let it confuse you. Otherwise, you run the same risk Marc took earlier. Focus on what the new features actually let you do, and use that to inform your actions.
All of teh swashbucker's features are built around melee, and the way to get sneak attack and avoid getting a crack back is through 1v1. being someone who prefers it to other rogues, it IS the way to play it, focusing on the getting advantage, getting the first hit off, and duelling.
In fact, the swashbuckler's abilities are very much modeled off that particular manner of fighting.
If you're using a bow, you are not taking advantage of any of the class features and would be better off just taking an arcane trickster or a thief. Even an assassin is better than a non-melee swashbuckler.
I mean that's the archetype: pirates with their cutlasses fighting the long overly complicated Pirates of the Carribean. It's the Errol Flynn and Princess Bride archetype....
NONE of which are archers.
But like I said, people who don't play swashbucklers love to justify them as ranged fighters...
Literally no.
If you look again at the playtest, Panache, Dashing Strikes, and Master Duelist are not dependent on melee strikes. At all. The only subclass features which even mention melee strikes are Fancy Footwork and Rakish Audacity. And they're good, don't get me wrong. But they alone do not mean the subclass is designed to always 1v1 enemies or to always want to otherwise engaged in melee combat. Having the tools to cover a weakness in the chassis does not change your entire dynamic.
For crying out loud, there's literally nothing stopping any other rogue from rushing into melee. Their style of play hasn't fundamentally changed.
I'm well versed in the subclass' namesake. Don't let it confuse you. Otherwise, you run the same risk Marc took earlier. Focus on what the new features actually let you do, and use that to inform your actions.
I'm not going through this what is a rogue BS again....
Yes, you CAN use a bow, (my own uses crossbow mastery as a feat, but he runs into battle with a rapier as his main weapon, and uses the crossbow as a secondary option) yes, one of your allies CAN join in, but your sneak attack is designed to not require it. The feature part is what you can do extra... which is attack in melee 1v1.
But you're missing the point. Rakish audacity and fancy footwork you admit are, and that's half the features right there. Then there's duelist right in the name.
The dashing strikes aren't the subclass, they're class features, and that leaves us with panache, which isn't just "charmed" but also has the goad feature, and why am I once again trying to define a rogue?
We've been "going through what is a rogue BS again" because you've been wrong in every post I've seen. Up to and including you not even paying attention to the fact we're discussing the UA. That's the forum we're in.
The subclass features, which you can find beginning on page 53 of Playtest 6, are as follows:
3rd Level: Fancy Footwork, Rakish Audacity
9th Level: Panache
13th Level: Dashing Strikes
17th Level: Master Duelist
That's 40%, not 50%. Dashing Strikes is a subclass feature, and the fact it modifies a core feature is irrelevant. If you're not going to include it, then you may as well say Rakish Audacity is only half a feature because it modifies Sneak Attack; another core feature. Lastly, a "duelist" is more than just a sword fighter. Pistols were also used, historically, and hand crossbows can serve as a substitute. Heck, there are anime with people dueling with card games. You use what you have, but I digress.
We don't care about anything but Panache, and you're about 90% of the way to understanding it. You're not supposed to just stand there and 1v1. As you said, rogues aren't tanks. They don't have medium armor or a shield without getting it from somewhere else. At best, they're looking at 17 AC without feats or magic items. And that's okay, because they're still rogues. The smartest use of Panache is to draw an enemy's attention and kite them around the arena. Your allies ignore them until they're ready to deal with it. Even in the version from SCAG, you don't want to be more than 60 feet from them. The description is telling you to use that distance. And you can still take parting shots at the affected target, or another enemy, as you move around without breaking the effect.
Yeah, the DM could just have them walk outside that range and break the effect. But that's like not giving monks archers to fight or a tall height to leap down from. It's sucky, and you should find a better DM.
Your subclasses don't change what you are. An Eldritch Knight is still a fighter, and the best use of their spellcasting is to augment their strengths as a fighter. They don't want Fireball, because it's underpowered 13th level when a wizard has been casting it since 5th. They'll get far more mileage out of something which takes advantage of their strong Constitution saving throw. And in a similar vein, an Arcane Trickster is still a rogue. Their spellcasting gives them new options to be a better rogue. They don't fundamentally change the class and how you play or interact with the world.
The swashbuckler subclass makes you a better rogue by giving you new options, like acting faster and being able to trigger Sneak Attack in melee without an adjacent ally. It does not fundamentally change how the class is meant to be played. If you try and 1v1in melee, you're going to have a bad time. You know this. You've said as much. The rogue isn't designed for it. The whole point of Fancy Footwork is to hit-and-run. Both features build off existing tools in the rogue's kit.
You just did 1D8 + 2D6 +5 points of damage to my friend. Forget about him. I like you. This does not make sense to me.
Charmed
A charmed creature can't attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects.
The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
Nowhere does the Charmed condition say they have to like you. Social interactions can be deceptive or intimidating or persuasive (again, doesn't mean they like you).
I think you're getting hung up on the name more than the actual mechanical effect.
SO a swashbuckler can attack a target and each round they fail a save they will not retaliate. -
Attack -> Spend 3D6 of SA dice -> Do damage and SA damage (Need to hit target and do SA damage to Awe targets) ->Target fails save. -> Target cannot attack Swashbuckler.
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So I was reading through UA6 again and I got to Swashbucklers, (which is one of my favourite rogue archetypes), and noticed something I thought a little odd about the new Panache feature. Instead of having both the in-combat soft taunt and the out-of-combat utility that the old one brought, in order to charm someone with the new feature you have to... stab them? And not just any stab, you have to Sneak Attack them? And presumably this is such an awe-inspiring stab that it charms multiple people?
I mean, I kind of understand that it is probably intended to be like a 'I'm so good with this sword you can't help but be charmed by me as I dismember your friend in front of you' kind of thing, but I really don't see myself using this like, ever.
Not to mention that it only lasts until the end of your next turn;
'Woah man, that was really cool how you stabbed them with your sword just now. I really wish we could be friends, however I have to get back to killing you now, sorry :( '
Very weird.
Anyone within 30 feet of you who witness your sneak attack can't target you or attack you (first bullet point of Charmed condition, unless they changed it in a previous UA). So maybe your attack was so brutal or scarily precise (you're a swashbuckler so maybe you performed some fancy flourish with the attack) they're too afraid to attack you. And if you interact with them they are too shook up to reasonably respond in a normal fashion (you have advantage. Second bullet point of charmed condition)
I get what you are saying, but I think there are ways to look at it that can make sense.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
It always has been.
Panache is a skill most of the time you ignore.
In both the original and UA, it's about goading a foe to focus on you. But you're a rogue and you're a glass cannon, which means you do NOT want to be hit. You are NOT a tank (and this is why I want the AC boost given to the monk or the dance bard, but most players remind me that the rogue isn't supposed to tank so..... No, I'm not bitter.... )
And you have to expend either a turn or damage dice to do so.
(I mean my subclass is a melee heavy subclass that's encouraged to literally stand RIGHT NEXT to the foe it's facing... NOT BITTER.....lol... XD )
No dude, reread it. It's not scaring people away from you, it's making sure EVERYONE in a 30 foot radius (your movement speed) attacks you.
EDIT: oh and the charmed part is ONLY if it isn't already hostile... In the middle of combat....
The charmed condition explicitly prevents the affected from attacking the charmer or otherwise targeting them with harmful effects. It literally does the opposite of what you're saying it does. And there's no restriction on only being able to charm non-hostile targets.
Please, reread the UA.
I was referring to it as it is in the regular rules. Perhaps I should have been a bit more specific on that. But you're still right, because he was referencing the UA
The charm effect still isn't that great. It's only supposed to be until next turn and only charmed against you. I mean on the one hand, you're guaranteeing nothing in your movement range isn't going to attack you (provided the save works), but it's still not what your subclass wants.
Swashbuckler wants you to do 1v1, The extra way to use sneak attack is still specific in getting a foe separated from his allies
So it's a slight boost, but the still it's a skill that's GREAT in flavor, but very bad in execution based on how the subclass is supposed to work. (because it's not a tanking class).
EDIT: Also, it doesn't take away from the fact that both still have the god awful goad in the same subclass feature.
EDIT EDIT: I mean both the old and the new would be interesting I suppose if I stuck with the tabaxi species, taunted them and then GTFO'ed across the entire map and halfway up the walls with everyone chasing my adorable and alluring and oh so captivating cat-self... Rawr~... lol
I may have been slightly dramatic in the op.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's useless, and there are situations in which it could make thematic sense, but not being able to use it out of combat without stabbing an innocent bystander seems like quite the nerf to the subclass's only out of combat feature. I think my main problem, honestly, is they've taken something that is very broadly applicable and made it into something very niche.
For example; how often is it that you find yourself in a situation where you are being assailed by multiple opponents and you really need them to stop attack for just one round*? Now how often do you find yourself talking to an NPC that you need a quick in with, or needing to get back on the good side of the NPC the barbarian just threatened to dismember? I know that the latter situations certainly come up way more often at my table.
*sure you could probably get it off for multiple rounds in a row, but to do that you are gimping your damage and they are making multiple saving throws
You just did 1D8 + 2D6 +5 points of damage to my friend. Forget about him. I like you. This does not make sense to me.
Counterpoint: any feature which prevents enemies within striking distance from attacking you is good for a character that wants to 1v1 an enemy.
Also, swashbucklers don't want to 1v1 enemies.
The swashbuckler having a new way to trigger Sneak Attack doesn't mean this is the preferred way of engaging foes. It's still a rogue. It's more comfortable in melee than many of its counterparts, and that gives them flexibility. If someone approaches one in melee, they can take a swipe and run away without taking the disengage action. Every little bit of damage helps, and it's possible to even get in a Sneak Attack while retreating. Heck, their new Cunning Strike options, Awe and Goad, don't even require melee attacks. That means one can have a wow factor with a shortbow. Or annoy. Can you imagine using Goad at range while tougher allies in melee are engaged? That's some darn good synergy with other party members. If they stay locked with your allies, they have disadvantage on attacks. If they chase after you, they'll likely draw at least one Opportunity Attack, and you can kite them with your Cunning Action.
No class or subclass exists in a vacuum, and the swashbuckler really isn't meant for lone wolves.
Nowhere does the Charmed condition say they have to like you. Social interactions can be deceptive or intimidating or persuasive (again, doesn't mean they like you).
I think you're getting hung up on the name more than the actual mechanical effect.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
All of teh swashbucker's features are built around melee, and the way to get sneak attack and avoid getting a crack back is through 1v1. being someone who prefers it to other rogues, it IS the way to play it, focusing on the getting advantage, getting the first hit off, and duelling.
In fact, the swashbuckler's abilities are very much modeled off that particular manner of fighting.
If you're using a bow, you are not taking advantage of any of the class features and would be better off just taking an arcane trickster or a thief. Even an assassin is better than a non-melee swashbuckler.
I mean that's the archetype: pirates with their cutlasses fighting the long overly complicated Pirates of the Carribean. It's the Errol Flynn and Princess Bride archetype....
NONE of which are archers.
But like I said, people who don't play swashbucklers love to justify them as ranged fighters...
Literally no.
If you look again at the playtest, Panache, Dashing Strikes, and Master Duelist are not dependent on melee strikes. At all. The only subclass features which even mention melee strikes are Fancy Footwork and Rakish Audacity. And they're good, don't get me wrong. But they alone do not mean the subclass is designed to always 1v1 enemies or to always want to otherwise engaged in melee combat. Having the tools to cover a weakness in the chassis does not change your entire dynamic.
For crying out loud, there's literally nothing stopping any other rogue from rushing into melee. Their style of play hasn't fundamentally changed.
I'm well versed in the subclass' namesake. Don't let it confuse you. Otherwise, you run the same risk Marc took earlier. Focus on what the new features actually let you do, and use that to inform your actions.
I'm not going through this what is a rogue BS again....
Yes, you CAN use a bow, (my own uses crossbow mastery as a feat, but he runs into battle with a rapier as his main weapon, and uses the crossbow as a secondary option) yes, one of your allies CAN join in, but your sneak attack is designed to not require it. The feature part is what you can do extra... which is attack in melee 1v1.
But you're missing the point. Rakish audacity and fancy footwork you admit are, and that's half the features right there. Then there's duelist right in the name.
The dashing strikes aren't the subclass, they're class features, and that leaves us with panache, which isn't just "charmed" but also has the goad feature, and why am I once again trying to define a rogue?
We've been "going through what is a rogue BS again" because you've been wrong in every post I've seen. Up to and including you not even paying attention to the fact we're discussing the UA. That's the forum we're in.
The subclass features, which you can find beginning on page 53 of Playtest 6, are as follows:
That's 40%, not 50%. Dashing Strikes is a subclass feature, and the fact it modifies a core feature is irrelevant. If you're not going to include it, then you may as well say Rakish Audacity is only half a feature because it modifies Sneak Attack; another core feature. Lastly, a "duelist" is more than just a sword fighter. Pistols were also used, historically, and hand crossbows can serve as a substitute. Heck, there are anime with people dueling with card games. You use what you have, but I digress.
We don't care about anything but Panache, and you're about 90% of the way to understanding it. You're not supposed to just stand there and 1v1. As you said, rogues aren't tanks. They don't have medium armor or a shield without getting it from somewhere else. At best, they're looking at 17 AC without feats or magic items. And that's okay, because they're still rogues. The smartest use of Panache is to draw an enemy's attention and kite them around the arena. Your allies ignore them until they're ready to deal with it. Even in the version from SCAG, you don't want to be more than 60 feet from them. The description is telling you to use that distance. And you can still take parting shots at the affected target, or another enemy, as you move around without breaking the effect.
Yeah, the DM could just have them walk outside that range and break the effect. But that's like not giving monks archers to fight or a tall height to leap down from. It's sucky, and you should find a better DM.
Your subclasses don't change what you are. An Eldritch Knight is still a fighter, and the best use of their spellcasting is to augment their strengths as a fighter. They don't want Fireball, because it's underpowered 13th level when a wizard has been casting it since 5th. They'll get far more mileage out of something which takes advantage of their strong Constitution saving throw. And in a similar vein, an Arcane Trickster is still a rogue. Their spellcasting gives them new options to be a better rogue. They don't fundamentally change the class and how you play or interact with the world.
The swashbuckler subclass makes you a better rogue by giving you new options, like acting faster and being able to trigger Sneak Attack in melee without an adjacent ally. It does not fundamentally change how the class is meant to be played. If you try and 1v1in melee, you're going to have a bad time. You know this. You've said as much. The rogue isn't designed for it. The whole point of Fancy Footwork is to hit-and-run. Both features build off existing tools in the rogue's kit.
SO a swashbuckler can attack a target and each round they fail a save they will not retaliate. -
Attack -> Spend 3D6 of SA dice -> Do damage and SA damage (Need to hit target and do SA damage to Awe targets) ->Target fails save. -> Target cannot attack Swashbuckler.