Battle Dancers are similar to monks, a sibling really. Instead of adhering to monastic orders to gain superhuman powers they invest themselves in dance embracing the motion in their very soul while dishing out significant punishment on the field. Truly a battle dancer is free

Role: DPS

Characteristics: A DPS who uses dances to augment their Damage and stay alive on the battle

Source: Dragon Compendium

Game Rule Information

The Battle Dancer has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Charisma is the battle dancer's key ability, as it affects her dance abilities and defenses. A good Dexterity helps her avoid blows, as the battle dancer scorns armor, while Strength and Constitution make her a more effective fighter.

Alignment: Any Chaotic

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: 5d4

Class Skills

The Battle Dancer's class skills are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Pickpocket (Dex), Perform (Cha), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Battle Dancer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Battle Dancer is proficient with Battle Dancers are proficient with all simple weapons but not armor or shields.

AC Bonus Ex: When unarmored and unencumbered, the battle dancer adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her AC. She uses the captivating and confusing movements of the battle dance to evade her foes' attacks. In addition, a battle dancer gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five battle dancer levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level). This bonus reflects the battle dancer's intense training in unarmed and unarmored combat.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the battle dancer is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

Unarmed Strike Ex: A battle dancer uses unarmed strikes in a manner similar to a monk. She can land a blow with her fist that has the same power as an axe stroke. At 1st level, the battle dancer gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

The battle dancer's unarmed attacks deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage without penalties on her attack rolls. Treat her attacks as both natural and manufactured weapons for purposes of spells and effects that can enhance either type of attack.

The battle dancer's knowledge of martial arts allows her strikes to deal far more damage than an untrained person's blows. Table 2-2 summarizes the damage she deals by level. Large and Small battle dancers inflict more and less damage respectively as shown in Table 1-2: Small and Large Battle Dancer Damage

Note that, unlike a monk, the battle dancer does not gain the ability to use a flurry of blows, but she can make an off hand attack as normal using a weapon or unarmed strike.

Dance of Reckless Bravery Su: A 2nd-level battle dancer with 5 ranks in Tumble gains the ability to inspire bravery in her allies. All of the battle dancer's allies within 30 feet of her gain a +4 bonus on saves against fear effects for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the battle dancer's Charisma modifier. The battle dancer can use this ability only when she is within an opponent's threatened area. It requires a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Bonus Speed Ex: The battle dancer moves with speed and agility earned through countless hours of practice, physical training, and study of the precise, fluid movements of her battle dances. She gains a +10- foot bonus to speed at 4th level. She gains additional +10-foot bonuses at 10th level and 16th level.

Dance of the Vexing Snake Su: A 5th-level battle dancer with 8 ranks in Tumble gains the ability to dodge her opponent's blows with her sudden, unpredictable maneuvers. She can use the Tumble skill to move at her normal speed without penalty, and she can Tumble a distance up to her current speed.

Dancer's Strike Su: The magic of the battle dancer's arcane maneuvers allows her to manifest auras of energy around her feet and hands. These auras can defeat an opponent's damage reduction. The battle dancer can generate this aura as a standard action at will. It persists for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the battle dancer's Charisma modifier before it fades.

At 6th level, the battle dancer's aura makes her unarmed strikes count as magic damage.

At 12th level, the battle dancer chooses one aspect of her alignment, such as good or chaotic. Her aura allows her strikes to count as that alignment (as well as magic). She must choose one aspect of her alignment, and once she has made a choice she cannot alter it.

At 18th level, the battle dancer can choose any one special material or alignment that overcomes damage reduction (such as adamantine, cold iron, holy, or even lawful). Her aura now includes that material or alignment. Once she has made this choice, she cannot change it.

Dance of the Floating Step Su: The battle dancer moves with such grace and speed that she can dance across water. An 8th-level battle dancer with 11 ranks in Tumble can cross the surface of a liquid, such as water or magma, without taking damage or sinking below the surface. If she ends her movement on such a liquid, she takes damage and sinks as normal. The battle dancer must begin her movement on a stable, firm surface.

Dance of the Springing Tiger Su: An 11th-level battle dancer with 14 ranks in Tumble can spring upon an opponent with the ferocity of a tiger. When charging, she can attempt a DC 20 Tumble check. If she succeeds, she may make a full attack rather than a standard attack as part of her charge.

Dance of the Crushing Python Su: The battle dancer's speed and mighty unarmed strikes combine to make her a fearsome opponent. She can step into an opponent's reach and confuse it with a series of feints and quick blows, distracting it from other threats. A 14th-level battle dancer with 17 ranks in Tumble can rain a series of hammering blows upon a foe. She must use the Tumble skill to enter her opponent's space without provoking an attack of opportunity. If she succeeds, she may then attack her opponent while in its space. If the battle dancer's attack hits, her opponent takes a -2 penalty to AC and it cannot make attacks of opportunity until the start of the battle dancer's next action. After the battle dancer completes her attack, she enters a square of her choice adjacent to the target.

Dance of the Soaring Eagle Su: A 17th-level battle dancer with 20 ranks in Tumble gains a fly speed equal to her base land speed with average maneuverability. If a flying battle dancer charges an opponent below her, she gains a +4 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 bonus on damage in place of the normal benefits of charging. She may use her dance of the springing tiger in conjunction with an aerial charge.

Dance of Death's Embrace Su: A 2oth-level battle dance with 23 ranks in Tumble can perform a vicious, deadly dance to defeat her opponent. Before using this dance, the battle dancer selects a single target within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the battle dancer performs an elaborate dance that requires a DC 35 Tumble check to complete. If she succeeds, any time she makes a successful attack against her designated target she deals +2d6 points of damage. In addition, any critical threat the battle dancer makes against her designated target is automatically confirmed as a critical hit.

Table 1-1: Battle Dancer Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Unarmed Damage	AC Bonus
1st	+1	+0	+2	+0	AC bonus, unarmed strike	1d6	+0
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+0	Dance of reckless bravery	1d6	+0
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+1	—	1d6	+0
4th	+4	+1	+4	+1	Bonus speed (+10 ft)	1d8	+0
5th	+5	+1	+4	+1	Dance of the vexing snake	1d8	+1
6th	+6/+1	+2	+5	+2	Dancer's strike (magic)	1d8	+1
7th	+7/+2	+2	+5	+2	—	1d8	+1
8th	+8/+3	+2	+6	+2	Dance of the floating step	1d10	+1
9th	+9/+4	+3	+6	+3	—	1d10	+1
10th	+10/+5	+3	+7	+3	Bonus speed (+20 ft)	1d10	+2
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+7	+3	Dance of the springing tiger	1d10	+2
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+8	+4	Dancer's strike (alignment)	2d6	+2
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+8	+4	—	2d6	+2
14th	+14/+9/+4	+4	+9	+4	Dance of the crushing python	2d6	+2
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+9	+5	—	2d6	+3
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+10	+5	Bonus speed (+30 ft)	2d8	+3
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Dance of the soaring eagle	2d8	+3
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Dancer's strike (any)	2d8	+3
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	—	2d8	+3
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Dance of death's embrace	2d10	+4

Table 1-2: Small and Large Battle Dancer Damage

Level	Damage (Small Battle Dancer)	Damage (Large Battle Dancer)
1st-3rd	1d4	1d8
4th-7th	1d6	2d6
8th-11th	1d8	2d8
12th-15th	1d10	3d6
16th-19th	2d6	3d8
20th	2d8	4d8