Introduction

The Aldori Duelist Archetype is built around the Aldori Dueling Sword and brings some Swashbuckler-like combat options to other martial characters. It’s a decent fit for some martial classes, but very few classes can find enough Feats within the Archetype to move on to another Archetype, making it a difficult choice for many builds.

While the names are certainly confusing, the Aldori Duelist Archetype and the Duelist Archetype are not the same thing. I don’t know why Paizo chose those names.

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks.

  • Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
  • Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances. Useful sometimes.
  • Green: Good options. Useful often.
  • Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character. Useful very frequently.

The Aldori Dueling Sword

The entirety of the Archetype is built around using an Aldori Dueling Sword, so we need to examine the weapon itself to understand what it’s good for.

The Aldori Dueling Sword is basically a Longsword with the Finesse property, then raise the proficiency requirement to Advanced. Normally, using an Advanced weapon is a massive pain which often costs you a proficiency step. Fortunately, Aldori Duelist Dedication removes that headache.

Dexterity-based characters accustomed to fighting with a Rapier may find the Aldori Dueling Sword disappointing. The ability to change damage types is sometimes very helpful, but the Deadly property on the Rapier will be more consistently impactful in most games.

Aldori Duelist Feats

  1. Aldori Duelist Dedication (LO:WG) (Uncommon): You need to be Trained in the Aldori Dueling Sword before you can take this feat, which means taking the Weapon Proficiency or a similar feat feat unless you’re a Fighter. Honestly, I forgot that it existed until writing this guide.

    Normally, the Weapon Proficiency Feat is horrible because it advances your proficiency so slowly that a martial character can’t justify using the new proficiency over whatever their class gives, but Aldori Duelist Dedication neatly solves that issue.

    The skill proficiencies are disappointing. It’s hard to be good at both Acrobatics and Athletics, so one of them is likely useless. If you’re not going to benefit significantly from this archetype, this feat isn’t worth the cost.

  2. Aldori Parry (LO:WG): This is the only feat in the Archetype which requires you to have a free hand, and it’s here specifically to cater to free-hand builds if you want a hand free for things like Grapple, Shove, and Trip. If you’re not planning to do any of those things, just get a Shield.

    Several feats provide a similar benefit, including Duelist’s Parry (Fighter), Extravagant Parry (Swashbuckler), and Twin Parry (Fighter, Ranger).

  3. Duelist’s Edge (LO:WG): The same initiative bonus as Incredible Initiative, so they won’t stack. The appeal of this over Incredible Initiative is that you also get to draw your Aldori Dueling Sword. If you have a bad habit of starting combat without a weapon in hand (hey, it happens to the best of us), that’s a free Action.
  4. Aldori Riposte (LO:WG): Absolutely fantastic. The better your AC, the better this is. Strongly consider Raising a Shield or using Aldori Parry to keep your AC extra high to improve the odds that your enemies will Criticall Fail to Strike you.

    Swashbucklers should not take this because they get Opportune Riposte automatically at level 3, and Opportune Riposte provides exactly the same effect.

  5. Unnerving Prowess (LO:WG): An easy addition to Strikes which you were already going to make, but it’s only useful if you’re good at Intimidation. An easy fit for Braggart Swashbucklers, and viable for Fighters and other Swashbucklers.
  6. Saving Slash (LO:WG): The effect is good, but this only situationally useful, and it only has a 1 in 4 chance of success.

Classes to Pair with Aldori Duelist

  • Barbarian: The Barbarian can’t be built around Dexterity and they don’t have the AC to back up Aldori Riposte, so the benefits here are borderline nonexistent.
  • Fighter: The Fighter has the easiest access to Aldori Duelist of any class, and they’re best suited to use many of the Archetype’s feats. You can do sword-and-board or free hand builds easily, and you can build around Strength or Dexterity. Aldori Duelist Dedication, Duelist’s Edge, Aldori Riposte, and Unnerving Prowess all work great for a melee Fighter.
  • Gunslinger: Aldori Duelist might work for Drifter Gunslingers, but it’s not an easy combination. I would consider this with Free Archetype, but not with standard rules.
  • Inventor: Weapon Innovation will qualify for Aldori Duelist Dedication, but the feat options aren’t great beyond that.
  • Ranger: Some useful Fighter-like options which can make you more effective in melee.
  • Rogue: Some useful Fighter-like/Swashbuckler-like options which can make you more effective in melee. Scoundrel Rogues may enjoy Unnerving Prowess.
  • Swashbuckler: Without built-in access to the Aldori Dueling Sword, the Swashbuckler can’t get into the Archetype as easily as the Fighter, but the Archetype Feats complement the Swashbuckler nicely.

    Any Swashbuckler will benefit from Aldori Duelist Dedication and Duelist’s Edge, but that might not be enough since you’ll need a third feat to escape the Archetype. Braggart Swashbucklers will also enjoy Unnerving Prowess, while Gymnast Swashbucklers will enjoy Aldori Parry.