So, with how Sword Saints work, something that I've always wondered about is why archetypes with a similar theme to them (fancy 'sword-magic' attacks) don't get swordskills themselves, and so this is just an idea on how to rectify that.
The Dark Swordsman, Holy Swordsman, and Pluto Knight all get the same swordskills known and readied as the base Sword Saint. However, they lose access to some swordskills while turning sword techs/arts into swordskills that are exclusive to their archetype.
The Dark Swordsman loses access to Cleansing Strike, Judgement Blade, Northswain's Strike, Divine Ruination, and Hallowed Bolt. The Holy Swordsman loses access to Encroaching Darkness, Infernal Strike, Sanguine Sword, Abyssal Blade, and Unholy Sacrifice. Pluto Knights lose access to Cleansing Strike, Encroaching Darkness, Abyssal Blade, Judgement Blade, Divine Ruination, and Unholy Sacrifice.
New basic form swordskill for the Dark Swordsman:
Doomsayer's Slash: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + 1d8 shadow damage to a single creature within 20 feet; damage dealt by this swordskill ignores damage reduction.
New advanced form swordskill for the Dark Swordsman:
Disastrous Sweep: You deal shadow damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier to all creatures in a 20 ft. cone.
New master form swordskills for the Dark Swordsman:
Harrowing Slice: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword as if it was a critical hit, adding any effects that come into play upon a critical hit as normal (such as the extra damage from a flaming burst weapon), to a single creature within 10 feet.
Night Sword: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + your Charisma modifier + 3d8 shadow damage to all creatures in a 10 ft. radius burst within a range of 30 feet.
- - - - - -
New basic form swordskill for the Holy Swordsman:
Lightning Stab: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + 1d8 lightning damage to a single creature within 20 feet and inflict the Static condition for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.
New advanced form swordskill for the Holy Swordsman:
Holy Explosion: You deal holy damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + twice your Charisma modifier to all creatures in a 10 ft. radius burst within a range of 30 feet.
New master form swordskills for the Holy Swordsman:
Crush Punch: You reduce an evil-aligned enemy to 0 hit points, or deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword if the save is successful. The enemy must be within melee range.
Stasis Sword: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier to a single creature within 15 ft. and inflict the Stop status for 1d3 rounds.
- - - - - -
New basic form swordskill for the Pluto Knight:
Thunder Slash: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + 1d8 lightning damage to a target within 30 feet.
New advanced form swordskills for the Pluto Knight:
Darkness: You take damage equal to three times your Charisma modifier and deal shadow damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier to all creatures within a 20 ft. radius.
Shock: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier + 2d6 lightning damage to a single creature within 30 feet.
New master form swordskills for the Pluto Knight:
Minus Strike: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + half of the difference between your current hit points and maximum hit points.
Stock Break: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword+ three times your Charisma modifier and inflict the Slow status for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier upon all creatures in a 5 ft. radius burst, with a range of 30 feet.
As for how they recover their maneuvers swordskills, all of these archetypes have a pool of some sort. What I'm thinking is that they can expend a point from their pool as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity to recover a number of swordskills equal to their Charisma modifier (minimum two). Points expended in this manner are only temporarily expended; they regain these points after the encounter is finished.
The Pluto Knight is something of a special case in that they don't automatically gain sword arts as they level, unlike Dark Swordsmen and Holy Swordsmen; their stuff is entirely optional. If we were to go with this, there would have to be something to trade for it, and so what I'm thinking is that they give up the knight talents they gain at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level in return for swordskills. These abilities would otherwise have the same wording and function as the Sword Saint's swordplay ability.
Thoughts?
The Dark Swordsman, Holy Swordsman, and Pluto Knight all get the same swordskills known and readied as the base Sword Saint. However, they lose access to some swordskills while turning sword techs/arts into swordskills that are exclusive to their archetype.
The Dark Swordsman loses access to Cleansing Strike, Judgement Blade, Northswain's Strike, Divine Ruination, and Hallowed Bolt. The Holy Swordsman loses access to Encroaching Darkness, Infernal Strike, Sanguine Sword, Abyssal Blade, and Unholy Sacrifice. Pluto Knights lose access to Cleansing Strike, Encroaching Darkness, Abyssal Blade, Judgement Blade, Divine Ruination, and Unholy Sacrifice.
New basic form swordskill for the Dark Swordsman:
Doomsayer's Slash: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + 1d8 shadow damage to a single creature within 20 feet; damage dealt by this swordskill ignores damage reduction.
New advanced form swordskill for the Dark Swordsman:
Disastrous Sweep: You deal shadow damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier to all creatures in a 20 ft. cone.
New master form swordskills for the Dark Swordsman:
Harrowing Slice: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword as if it was a critical hit, adding any effects that come into play upon a critical hit as normal (such as the extra damage from a flaming burst weapon), to a single creature within 10 feet.
Night Sword: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + your Charisma modifier + 3d8 shadow damage to all creatures in a 10 ft. radius burst within a range of 30 feet.
- - - - - -
New basic form swordskill for the Holy Swordsman:
Lightning Stab: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + 1d8 lightning damage to a single creature within 20 feet and inflict the Static condition for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.
New advanced form swordskill for the Holy Swordsman:
Holy Explosion: You deal holy damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + twice your Charisma modifier to all creatures in a 10 ft. radius burst within a range of 30 feet.
New master form swordskills for the Holy Swordsman:
Crush Punch: You reduce an evil-aligned enemy to 0 hit points, or deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword if the save is successful. The enemy must be within melee range.
Stasis Sword: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier to a single creature within 15 ft. and inflict the Stop status for 1d3 rounds.
- - - - - -
New basic form swordskill for the Pluto Knight:
Thunder Slash: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + 1d8 lightning damage to a target within 30 feet.
New advanced form swordskills for the Pluto Knight:
Darkness: You take damage equal to three times your Charisma modifier and deal shadow damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier to all creatures within a 20 ft. radius.
Shock: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + three times your Charisma modifier + 2d6 lightning damage to a single creature within 30 feet.
New master form swordskills for the Pluto Knight:
Minus Strike: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword + half of the difference between your current hit points and maximum hit points.
Stock Break: You deal damage equal to a melee attack using the focus sword+ three times your Charisma modifier and inflict the Slow status for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier upon all creatures in a 5 ft. radius burst, with a range of 30 feet.
As for how they recover their maneuvers swordskills, all of these archetypes have a pool of some sort. What I'm thinking is that they can expend a point from their pool as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity to recover a number of swordskills equal to their Charisma modifier (minimum two). Points expended in this manner are only temporarily expended; they regain these points after the encounter is finished.
The Pluto Knight is something of a special case in that they don't automatically gain sword arts as they level, unlike Dark Swordsmen and Holy Swordsmen; their stuff is entirely optional. If we were to go with this, there would have to be something to trade for it, and so what I'm thinking is that they give up the knight talents they gain at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level in return for swordskills. These abilities would otherwise have the same wording and function as the Sword Saint's swordplay ability.
Thoughts?