name: Sword Saint (Elf)
concept: >
  Pure Sword Saint (Magus) 20 with a Dueling Sword, DEX/INT Elf. Chosen Weapon gives Weapon Focus, Slashing
  Grace gives DEX to damage, Canny Defense adds INT to AC unarmored. Every round is Spell Combat with a
  Spellstrike through the sword (Vampiric Touch in spike fights, Dimension Strike for touch AC); Arcane Accuracy adds INT to attack and the arcane pool
  enhances the sword (keen, energy, then +X). Weapon Mastery at 20.
open_questions:
  - "Dueling Sword and Slashing Grace use tabletop text until their WotR pages are read."
  - "The magus spell list is Paizo's (PCGen) filtered to spells that exist in WotR; replace with the WotR list."
  - "Spell Combat spellstrikes Vampiric Touch in spike fights (Maximized from the 6th-level slots in the once-a-day fight) and Shocking Grasp otherwise, through demons' immunity with Ascendant Element (Electricity); Shocking Grasp's 1st-level slots aren't tracked."
  - "Prescient Attack, Enduring Blade, Bane Blade and Hasted Assault are recorded only; Dimension Strike shows as the touch line."
mythic_path: Trickster
mythic_rank: 10
size: medium
attack_ability: DEX
race: Elf
level_up_stats: [DEX, INT, DEX, INT, DEX]
abilities: {str_: 10, dex: 17, con: 14, int_: 16, wis: 11, cha: 7}
weapon:
  - {level: 1, weapon: Dueling Sword}
setup:
  - {level: 1, main_hand: Dueling Sword, why: "Chosen weapon; the off hand stays free for Spell Combat."}
levels: [Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint, Sword Saint]
equipment:
  - amulet_of_natural_armor
  - ring_of_protection
  - weapon_enhancement
  - headband_of_mental_perfection
  - belt_of_physical_perfection
picks:
  chosen_weapon:
    - {level: 1, choice: "Chosen Weapon:Dueling Sword", why: "Weapon Focus, Canny Defense and later Weapon Mastery key off it."}
  general_feat:
    - {level: 1, choice: Weapon Finesse}
    - {level: 3, choice: "Slashing Grace:Dueling Sword", why: "DEX to damage; Weapon Focus comes free with the chosen weapon."}
    - {level: 5, choice: Dodge}
    - {level: 7, choice: Outflank, why: "First level with BAB 5."}
    - {level: 9, choice: Maximize Spell, why: "A second Vampiric Touch from the 6th-level slots: 60 a spellstrike at 20, and the once-a-day fight stops eating the 3rd-level slots (user, 2026-10-22). Replaces Blind Fight, which the engine doesn't count."}
    - {level: 11, choice: "Improved Critical:Dueling Sword", why: "BAB 8 at 11."}
    - {level: 13, choice: "Greater Weapon Focus:Dueling Sword", why: "Fighter Training: Sword Saint 13 counts as Fighter 10."}
    - {level: 15, choice: "Improved Critical II:Dueling Sword", why: "Trickster crit chain (user, 2026-10-21)."}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Improved Critical III:Dueling Sword"}
    - {level: 19, choice: "Improved Critical IV:Dueling Sword"}
  bonus_feat:
    - {level: 5, choice: Combat Reflexes}
    - {level: 11, choice: "Weapon Specialization:Dueling Sword", why: "Fighter Training: Sword Saint 11 counts as Fighter 8."}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Greater Weapon Specialization:Dueling Sword", why: "Fighter 14 equivalent and BAB 12."}
  magus_arcana:
    - {level: 3, choice: Arcane Accuracy, why: "INT to attack, 1 pool point a round."}
    - {level: 6, choice: Prescient Attack, why: "1 pool point: enemies lose DEX against the magus, the flat-footed AC without Greater Invisibility."}
    - {level: 9, choice: Dimension Strike, why: "2 pool points: every melee attack that round is a touch attack (user, 2026-10-11)."}
    - {level: 12, choice: Enduring Blade, why: "The pool's weapon enhancement lasts minutes per level, so the pool goes to swift-action arcana."}
    - {level: 15, choice: Bane Blade}
    - {level: 18, choice: Hasted Assault}
  mythic_hero:
    - {level: 5, choice: Close to the Abyss, mythic_rank: 1, why: "MR 1 hero power: a Gore beside the weapon and other natural attacks."}
  mythic_ability:
    - {level: 5, choice: Last Stand, mythic_rank: 1}
    - {level: 11, choice: "Ascendant Element:Electricity", mythic_rank: 3, why: "Shocking Grasp and the pool's shock die get through demons' electricity immunity: +30 to +40 a round in ordinary fights from 11 (user, 2026-10-22). Replaces Ever Ready, which counts only in team attacks of opportunity."}
    - {level: 15, choice: Enduring Spells, mythic_rank: 5}
    - {level: 18, choice: Greater Enduring Spells, mythic_rank: 7, why: "Two ranks later than before; it changed nothing measured at 15-17."}
    - {level: 18, choice: Abundant Casting, mythic_rank: 9}
  mythic_trick:
    - {level: 11, choice: "Perception 1", mythic_rank: 3}
    - {level: 12, choice: "Athletics 1", mythic_rank: 4}
    - {level: 12, choice: "Improved Mythic Trick: Perception (Rank 2)", mythic_rank: 4, why: "Unlocks Improved Critical II-IV, the Trickster crit chain."}
    - {level: 15, choice: "Persuasion 1", mythic_rank: 5}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Stealth 1", mythic_rank: 6}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Improved Mythic Trick: Athletics (Rank 2)", mythic_rank: 6}
    - {level: 18, choice: "Mobility 1", mythic_rank: 7}
    - {level: 18, choice: "Greater Mythic Trick: Athletics (Rank 3)", mythic_rank: 7, why: "BAB floor at Athletics ranks, +5 at full BAB."}
  mythic_feat:
    - {level: 8, choice: "Weapon Finesse (Mythic)", mythic_rank: 2, why: "The Skald's shared bite switches Slashing Grace off; Mythic Finesse gives DEX to damage regardless."}
    - {level: 12, choice: "Improved Critical (Mythic):Dueling Sword", mythic_rank: 4}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Weapon Focus (Mythic):Dueling Sword", mythic_rank: 6}
    - {level: 18, choice: Flawless Attacks, mythic_rank: 8, why: "Critical Focus (Mythic) would be redundant with Weapon Mastery at 20."}
    - {level: 20, choice: "Extra Mythic Ability:Abundant Casting", mythic_rank: 10}
  spell:
    - {level: 1, choice: Shocking Grasp, why: "The Spellstrike spell."}
    - {level: 1, choice: Shield}
    - {level: 4, choice: Mirror Image}
    - {level: 4, choice: Blur}
    - {level: 4, choice: "Cat's Grace"}
    - {level: 7, choice: Haste}
    - {level: 7, choice: Displacement}
    - {level: 7, choice: Vampiric Touch, why: "Spellstrike spell of spike fights: 10d6 at 20 that demons don't resist (user, 2026-10-22)."}
    - {level: 10, choice: Greater Invisibility}
    - {level: 10, choice: Stoneskin}
    - {level: 16, choice: Transformation}
items:
  - {name: "Engraved Lucky Bracers", level: 1, until_level: 17, why: "+1 luck AC in the free wrist slot."}
  - {name: "Embroidered Gloves", level: 18, why: "+3 luck AC in the free hands slot (replaces the bracers' +1 luck)."}