The Swordmaster player is interested in advancing and brought up the Book of Asur fan-supplement's career of Swordmaster Captain, reviewing it I don't like it.
Career-paths like Slayer etc. have certain features such as keeping consistent on core stats and skills with slight variations - e.g., if becoming a "leader" gain Leadership skill or if that was already a skill perhaps then Fellowship core stat. A key balance of career paths is "get better and better at what you do" not "branch out and cover off weaknesses etc." So this is what I don't like about that particular career as I say no Str in stat pair and no Resilience skill - a key feature of Swordmaster is you are a combat monster for who gets Toughness but not Resilience skill, Weapon skill but not Strength as core stat (you are always developing Str at the "cost" and maximize your Strength accordingly (you always use Non-Career Advance of which no more than 5 can be spent at once, meaning you can never buy to a Strength over 4).
I'm thinking more along this line. First, Swordmaster is an Intermediate (2nd rank) career not first in my campaign.
The Advanced career is either Guardian of the Tower or Agent (reflecting fluff that sometimes instead of guarding mages the Swordmasters seek out dangerous cultists in Ulthuar)
Advance Profile always 2/2/2/1/1/0/2
The careers would be:
Agent of the Tower - traits Advanced, Combat, Swordmaster, Specialist (Agility, Fellowship), Career Ability: you have +1 Defence while sword is drawn and can parry ranged attacks.
Skills: Coordination, Discipline, Guile, Intuition, Weapon Skill
Tactic, Focus, Focus
* Note your Sword Item is enchanted to be difficult to notice while sheathed, people just "overlook it" unless they use magical sight.
Guardian of the Tower - traits Advanced, Combat, Swordmaster, Specialist (Toughness, Agility) You have +1 Defence while sword is drawn and can parry attacks against engaged allies. (reflecting you are a bodyguard)
Coordination, Discipline, Intimidation, Leadership, Weapon Skill
Tactic, Tactic, Focus
Captain of the Tower - traits Elite, Combat, Swordmaster, Specialist (Toughness, Fellowship) Enchanted Greatsword of Hoeth - replacement item card: sword becomes magical, not just superior and may never suffer the damaged condition, inflicts +1 damage per fortune point spent on rolls, all attacks with it gain (comet) - if used to inflict critical, reduce Fatigue by Critical Severity. (yes a little bit like a certain fictional character...)
Coordination, Discipline, Intimidation, Leadership, Weapon Skill
Tactic, Tactic, Focus, Focus
Bladelord - traits Heroic, Combat, Swordmaster, Specialist (Toughness, Agility) Once per session you may reroll any or all dice from a melee action check.
Coordination, Discipline, Intimidation, Leadership, Weapon Skill
Tactic, Tactic, Tactic, Focus, Focus
Thoughts?
Edited by valvorik