3.5 Base class, Daredevil [PEACH]

[Schism]

The Daredevil

Many are the people who boast of being able to laugh in the face of danger, but few truly possess little enough regard for their own wellbeing to taunt whole armies or sneer in the face of a dragon. Not so with the Daredevil. A thrill-seeker of the highest order, the Daredevil will go to great lengths to find new and exciting things to do. Some find the greatest pleasure in direct combat, while others enjoy out maneuvering or out thinking their opponents, and still others revel in being protected by nothing more than their incredible luck, pushing the limits at every turn and always hoping that the gods will smile on them one more time.


Abilities: A Daredevil may choose to walk one of several paths, and the abilities most important to each vary widely. A hearty constitution score helps any Daredevil however, as more hitpoints allow them to disregard their own safety for longer periods of time.
Races: Any.
Alignment: A Daredevil may be of any alignment, though by their very nature they are most often Chaotic.
Starting Age: Moderate
Hit Dice: d6


Table: the Daredevil
{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Gambits Known | Max Gambit Level
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | 1 | 1st
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | 2 | 1st
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | 4 | 2nd
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | 5 | 2nd
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | 6 | 3rd
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | 8 | 3rd
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | 9 | 4th
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | 10 | 4th
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +3 | 12 | 5th
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | 13 | 5th
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +3 | 14 | 6th
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | 16 | 6th
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | 17 | 7th
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +4 | 18 | 7th
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +5 | 20 | 8th
16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | 21 | 8th
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | 22 | 9th
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +6 | 24 | 9th
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +6 | 25 | 9th
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +6 | 26 | 9th[/table]

Table: Gambits Per Encounter

{table=head]Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th
1st | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
2nd | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
3rd | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
4th | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
5th | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | -
6th | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | -
7th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | -
8th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | -
9th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | -
10th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | -
11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | -
12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | -
13th | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | -
14th | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | -
15th | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -
16th | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -
17th | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
18th | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
19th | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2
20th | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2[/table]

Table: Ability Scores and Bonus Gambits Per Encounter

{table=head]Score | Modifier | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th
10-11 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
12-13 | +1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
14-15 | +2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
16-17 | +3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
18-19 | +4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
20-21 | +5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | -
22-23 | +6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | -
24-25 | +7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | -
Etc.[/table]





Class Skills (4+Int modifier per level; ×4 at 1st level)
Balance (Dex), Bluff, (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), Tumble (Dex)
and also one of the following lists, depending on the choice at first level
- Body: Climb (Str), Jump (Str)
- Luck: Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis)
- Mind: Knowledge (all, trained separately) (Int), Forgery (Int)
- Agility: Sleight of Hand (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)



Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Daredevil.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Daredevil is proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor. In addition, depending on a choice at first level, a Daredevil may be proficient with one of the following lists:
-Body: Bastard Sword, Longsword, Shields (except tower shields), Spear
-Luck: Whip, Bolas, Net
-Agility: Javelin, Shuriken, Rapier


Gambits: A Daredevil perfects the art of risk-taking over his lifetime, turning his knowledge gained from near-misses and near-deaths into new and more powerful techniques. A Daredevil does not need to study to learn new gambits; he simply invents them during the course of his travels. Once a Daredevil learns a new gambit, it stays with him forever. He can use each gambit an unlimited number of times in a day, though the physical or mental stress of the gambits limits the number of times they can be used per encounter. (See Table: Gambits per Encounter, above)

Using a gambit requires an ability score of 10 + the level of the gambit. The ability score required for a given gambit depends on the path it lies in. (See Path, below.)

A Daredevil may learn any gambit of his choice from the path he chose at level one (provided he is of sufficient level to learn that gambit). However, he may only learn gambits two levels lower than his maximum gambit level known if the gambit is from a path other than that of his choosing. He may only learn a gambit of a level higher than first if he knows at least one gambit from that path of the level below it. (E.g., to learn a second level gambit from the path of the body, he must know at least one first level gambit from that path. To learn a third level gambit, he must know at least one second level gambit, and so on.)

Using a gambit of any given level 'locks' the Daredevil into using that gambit level for the duration of the encounter. Only gambits of the same level may be used; any attempt to use a gambit of a higher or lower level results in the action being wasted.

Except where otherwise noted, gambits are extraordinary abilities that require a standard action to activate.

Gambits may not be used outside of encounters except where otherwise noted.

Bonus feats: At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, the Daredevil gains a bonus feat of his choice from the following list, provided he meets the requirements for them.

The feats the Daredevil may choose from are: Acrobatic, Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Endurance, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, and Improved Trip.

Path: Despite the assumptions made by some that Daredevils are beings that live entirely on whims, Daredevils actually have a guiding set of principles. What these are varies from Daredevil to Daredevil, but they always fit into one of the following categories. At first level, a Daredevil chooses which path he will follow, and thereafter he gains bonuses related to his choice. This decision can never be changed, as it would represent a fundamental shift in the Daredevil's beliefs.

Path of Agility: A Daredevil that follows this path believes that speed, not strength, is the key to staying alive and besting your opponents at the same time. The ability score required to use these gambits is Dexterity.

A Daredevil that follows the path of agility gains a 5' bonus to his base land speed. This effect increases to 10' at tenth level, and by an additional 5' for every five levels thereafter. The Daredevil also gains Evasion at tenth level, and Improved Evasion at fifteenth level. In addition, the Daredevil gains a +1 bonus to his initiative rolls starting at fifth level, and an additional +1 every five levels thereafter.

Path of the Body: A Daredevil that follows this path believes that physical strength is the solution to any problem, especially when applied in copious amounts. The ability score required to use these gambits is Strength.

A Daredevil that follows the path of the body gains +1 strength at fifth level and every five levels thereafter. In addition, he gains 1 bonus hitpoint every time he gains a level in Daredevil.

Path of Luck: A Daredevil that follows this path believes that the gods themselves smile upon him, guiding his weapon and shielding him from harm. The ability score required to use these gambits is Charisma.

A Daredevil that follows the path of luck gains the ability to reroll any die roll once per encounter. He must take the result of the new roll, even if it is worse than the original roll.

Path of the Mind: A Daredevil that follows this path believes that equal parts careful planning and quick thinking combine to create the most favorable outcomes. The ability score required to use these gambits is Intelligence.

A Daredevil that follows the path of the mind gains the ability to use his intelligence modifier in place of dexterity for the purpose of determining his bonus to reflex saving throws. In addition, he gains a 50% immunity to mind-affecting effects starting at fifth level. This effect increases to total immunity at level 10. At level 15 any spells with the (Mind-Affecting) descriptor 'reflect' off the Daredevil's mind toward the caster. Treat any reflected spells as though they had been cast by the Daredevil, with a caster level equal to that of the original caster of the spell.


Greased Lightning: Even the stoutest of Daredevils are remarkably quick when the need arises, seemingly able to move faster and more precisely than should be possible.

A Daredevil gains the feats Agile and Run for free at first level, provided he meets the requirements for them.

Acknowledged Risks: A Daredevil understands and embraces the risks inherent in his lifestyle. He may never wear heavy or medium armor, nor may he use a tower shield. However, the dangers he faces on a regular basis only serve to harden his resolve to continue. At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, the Daredevil gains a +1 natural bonus to AC.

[Schism]

Gambits:

Section still under construction; please critique current gambits or suggest new ones.

Path of Agility

Gambits from the path of agility tend to grant the Daredevil enhanced speed. This can take the form of quicker attacks, improved evasive abilities, or even flight.


1st


Dash
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round

As a swift action, you gain a 20' increase to your base land speed for one round. If you move at more than half speed this round, you must succeed on a DC 15 balance check or fall prone. If the surface you are running on already requires a balance check, add 10 to the DC when using this gambit.


Disorienting Speed
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round

You gain a 15' bonus to your move speed for one round, and all ranged attacks made against you until the beginning of your next turn have a 20% chance to miss. If you move after activating this gambit, there is a 10% chance per five feet traveled that you will become sickened for two rounds by the blurring speed at which you move.


Jagged Strike (Melee)
Type: Attack

You attack with the intent to lacerate your opponent. If your attack roll is successful, do not roll for damage. Instead, deal 1 damage. Your opponent begins bleeding, losing 1 hitpoint each round for twenty rounds unless they heal the wound with a DC 15 Heal check. This effect can stack multiple times. For each additional use of Jagged Strike, double the amount of damage caused by the bleeding.

Swift Throw (Thrown)
Type: Attack

You hurl an additional throwing weapon as a swift action. The weapon deals only half damage if it hits.

Lunge
Type: Attack

You leap ten feet forward with a weapon drawn, provoking no attacks of opportunity, and attack an enemy once. You gain a +1 bonus on the attack and damage rolls. If for any reason you cannot move the entire ten feet, you fall prone and are dazed for 1 round.



2nd
Whirl(Melee, Thrown)
Type: Attack

As a full-round action, you spin about in a tight circle, attacking everything around you. If you are holding a melee weapon, you attack every creature in range once. These attacks are made with a consecutive -5 penalty to the attack rolls. If you are holding throwing weapons, you throw one weapon toward each of the four cardinal compass points. These attacks are made with a consecutive -5 penalty to the attack roll.

Delay the Inevitable, Lesser (Su)
Type: Preparation
Duration: 1 round/1 round; see text

You can take no other actions during the turn you activate this gambit, though it is not a full-round action. Attempting to take another action results in the gambit being wasted.

If you are attacked in any way before the beginning of your next turn, the attack automatically misses and the attacker's turn ends. If it was not the attacker's turn when it attacked, it loses its next turn.

If you are not attacked before the beginning of your next turn, you lose that turn.

Adrenaline
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/2 levels

The thrill of danger courses through your veins, decreasing the amount of time it takes you to react. As long as you are in a square threatened by at least one opponent, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC, and you can make multiple attacks of opportunity as if you had the Combat Reflexes feat.


3rd

Form: Strike of Lightning
Type: Preparation
Duration: Up to 5 rounds

You adjust your stance and the grip on your weapon to accommodate the Strike of Lightning form. While using this form, you may not move and may not attack normally. Attempting to move or attack cancels this form prematurely. While holding this form, any enemy attacking you in melee provokes a disarm attempt from you, which is treated as though you have the Improved Disarm feat. On a successful disarm attempt, you immediately lash out and strike your attacker with a single attack at your highest attack bonus and this form ends.

Avatar of Athleticism (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You take on the aspect of a perfect specimen of your race. You gain a +2 bonus to strength, dexterity and constitution, and you gain a +5 bonus to balance, climb, jump and tumble checks.

Feigned Slip
Type: Preparation

You pretend to slip, falling prone in your current square. This gambit remains active as long as you do not stand or move out of the square in which you fell prone. The next time an opponent attempts to strike you in melee while you are prone, you immediately leap to your feet, removing the penalties of being prone, and attempt a counterattack. If the opponent's attack misses, you automatically score a hit that deals +1 point of damage for each level of Daredevil (Maximum of +10).



4th

Retaliatory Strike
Type: Preparation
Duration: 1 round

You ready yourself to counter an attack. Upon activating this gambit, declare one target. If that target attacks you before the beginning of your next turn, you automatically dodge the attack by springing five feet in any direction. If there is no free space within five feet, you dodge the attack but fall prone. If after your five-foot movement you are within range to attack with your currently held weapon, you are allowed a single attack at your full attack bonus against your declared target.

If the target you declared does not attack you before the start of your next turn, your first action must be to spring five feet in any direction. This counts as a five-foot step.

Delay the Inevitable (Su)
Type: Preparation
Duration: 1 round

You can take no other actions during the turn you activate this gambit, though it is not a full-round action. Attempting to take another action results in the gambit being wasted.

If you are attacked in any way before the beginning of your next turn, the attack automatically misses and the attacker's turn ends. If it was not the attacker's turn when it attacked, it loses its next turn.


6th

Form: Embrace of the Constrictor
Type: Preparation
Duration: Up to 5 rounds.

You adjust your stance and the grip on your weapon to accommodate the Embrace of the Constrictor form. While using this form, you cannot move, attack, or defend yourself. Attacks made against you ignore shield and dexterity bonuses to AC (if any). Any attempt to move or attack ends this form and restores your lost AC bonuses.

If an opponent comes within 10 feet of you while you are using this form, you may leap upon it and begin choking it. You automatically succeed on your initial grapple check and move into the square occupied by your opponent. For each round after the first that you maintain the grapple, your opponent takes 1d2 points of nonlethal damage for each level of Daredevil you have. If you maintain the grapple for three consecutive rounds after the first, your opponent suffocates and dies.




9th
Avatar of the Wind (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You become a being constructed almost entirely of air. Only enough of you remains to hold onto your weapon; the rest of your equipment is transformed as you are. You gain a flight speed of 80' (perfect) and do not provoke attacks of opportunity in any way. Your limbs can move faster than normal, granting you a +5 bonus on attack rolls and reflex saving throws.

Attacks made against you in this form have a very low chance of hitting any important parts of your body still remaining. You are treated as having total concealment for the purposes of determining damage dealt to you, though creatures can still see you clearly due to the obvious distortion your body creates.

Delay the Inevitable, Greater (Su)
Type: Preparation
Duration: 1 round

If you are attacked in any way before the beginning of your next turn, the attack automatically misses and the attacker's turn ends. If it was not the attacker's turn when it attacked, it loses its next turn.

For each attack avoided in this manner while it is still your turn, you gain a move action that can cover a distance of up to half your base landspeed. These bonus move actions do not stack; obtaining a new bonus move overwrites the previous one.



Path of the Body

Gambits from the path of the body tend to involve one of two things: hitting your opponent as hard as possible, or shielding yourself from damage.



1st
Impale (Two-handed)
Type: Attack

You drive your weapon deep into a vital section of your opponent's body, dealing damage and making it bleed.

You must be holding a melee weapon in two hands to use this gambit. On a successful attack roll, do not roll for damage. Instead, your opponent takes 5 points of damage and begins bleeding, losing 1 hitpoint per round for twenty rounds, unless the wound is treated with a DC 15 Heal check. This effect can stack multiple times. For each additional use of Impale, double the amount of damage caused by the bleeding.

Endure, Lesser
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You gain 3 temporary hitpoints plus 1 additional hitpoint for each level of Daredevil. If you have lost at least 75% of your hitpoints, you are healed for an equal amount. The temporary hitpoints last for 1 minute.

Pelt Growth (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/level

A hairy pelt covers your flesh, providing a +1 natural armor bonus and damage reduction of 1/slashing.



2nd


Powerful Thrust (Two-handed)
Type: Attack

To use this gambit you must be holding a melee weapon in two hands. You ignore any shield bonus your opponent has, and this attack deals +2 damage for each point of AC ignored in this way. For each point of shield AC ignored, you take a penalty of an equal amount until the start of your next turn.


Chop (Melee)
Type: Attack

You perform an ungainly but powerful attack that deals +1d3 points of damage per level of Daredevil. Each time you use chop in an encounter, you suffer a consecutive -1 penalty to your attack roll.

Hamstring
Type: Attack

You strike at an opponent's legs, aiming to cripple them. If the attack hits, do not roll for damage. Instead, your opponent takes 1 point of damage and has its movement speed halved for the duration of the encounter or until it succeeds on a DC 20 Heal check.



3rd
Endure
Type: Buff
Duration: 2 minutes

You gain 10 temporary hitpoints, plus 1 additional hitpoint for each level of Daredevil. If you have lost at least 75% of your hitpoints, you are healed for an equal amount of health. The temporary hitpoints last for 2 minutes.


Hack
Type: Attack (Two-handed)

You perform two sluggish but potent attacks against an opponent. The first deals normal damage, but the second deals either +5 or -5 damage, depending on whether the first attack hits or not, respectively.

Pummel
Type: Attack (Melee)

You attack your opponent multiple times in quick succession, forcing it to defend itself. If the creature is capable of defending itself, roll three attack rolls. For each successful roll, you force your opponent back 5 feet, dealing no damage. If your opponent is not able to defend itself, you simply push it back 15 feet and deal normal damage with each of your three attacks.




4th
Callus Growth
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/level

Thick calluses distort your skin as they cover it, granting you a +2 natural bonus to AC and damage reduction of 3/piercing.

Eye-Gouger
Type: Attack

You aim for your opponent's eyes, attempting to blind it. On a successful attack roll, do not roll for damage. Instead, your opponent takes 1 point of damage and must succeed on a DC 18 fortitude check or become permanently blinded. If the creature is wearing head protection of some sort, you take a -4 penalty on the attack roll.

Form: Needle of the Thistle
Type: Preparation
Duration: Up to 5 rounds.

You adjust your stance and the grip on your weapon to accommodate the Needle of the Thistle form. While using this form, you lose your dexterity bonus to AC (if any) and your shield bonus to AC (if any). Attacks that would hit you function normally. Attacks that would miss you incur attacks of opportunity. Any attacks of opportunity you land are automatic criticals while in this form.

You cannot move while holding this form. Moving cancels the form and restores your lost AC bonuses (if any).


Backbreaker (Two-handed or blunt)
Type: Attack

To use this gambit you must be wielding either a blunt weapon in one or two hands or another melee weapon in two hands. If you are not using a blunt weapon, you take a -4 penalty on your attack roll. If your attack hits, it deals nonlethal damage equal to half the damage roll, knocks your opponent prone, and dazes your opponent for one round. A fortitude save at DC 19 negates the dazed state.



5th

Avatar of the Beast (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You take on the aspect of a terrifying, unnameable beast. Rough tentacles sprout from your forearms, granting you the ability to attempt a grapple as a free action once per round. Your mouth becomes a maw filled with jagged teeth, granting you a bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage.

While in this aspect, your intelligence and charisma scores are lowered to 8, and you gain a +2 bonus to strength. Your mere presence is enough to scare creatures, forcing a DC 10 will save in a 15 foot radius around you. On a failed save, enemies are shaken for as long as you are within 15 feet, plus five rounds after you leave.


6th
Endure, Greater
Type: Buff
Duration: 3 minutes

You gain 30 temporary hitpoints, plus 1 additional hitpoint for each level of Daredevil. If you have lost at least 75% of your hitpoints, you are healed for an equal amount. The temporary hitpoints last for 3 minutes.

Scaly Growth (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/level

Thick, greenish-yellow scales cover your skin, granting you a +3 natural bonus to AC and damage reduction of 5/piercing.


Form: Maw of the Cave Bear
Type: Preparation
Duration: Up to 5 rounds.

You adjust your stance and the grip on your weapon to accommodate the Maw of the Cave Bear form. While using this form, you cannot attack opponents already within your weapon's reach. However, whenever an opponent enters the range of your weapon, you get an attack of opportunity with a bonus to the attack roll of +5 and a bonus to the damage roll of +2d6.

You cannot move while holding this form. Moving cancels the form and restores your ability to attack opponents normally.


Helm Splitter (Blunt or Two-handed)
Type: Attack

To use this gambit you must be wielding either a blunt weapon in one or two hands or another melee weapon in two hands. If you are not using a blunt weapon, you take a -4 penalty on your attack roll. As a full-round action, you attempt to bash in your opponent's skull. If your attack hits, your opponent must succeed on a DC 10 + your strength modifier fortitude save or die. If your opponent is wearing a helmet, has unnaturally thick bones, or has an otherwise especially resistant head, the DC for the save is lowered by 2 points.



7th


Puncture Lung
Type: Attack

You attempt to pierce your opponent's chest cavity and deflate a lung. You take a -4 penalty on the attack roll if the opponent is wearing medium or heavy armor. On a successful attack roll, do not roll for damage. Instead, you deal damage equal to 10 + 1 per level of Daredevil and your opponent begins to suffocate. He can negate the effects by spending a full-round action to take a deep breath, but on the next round he must again take a full-round breath or begin suffering the effects again.

The effects of this gambit last until the creature receives excellent care from a healer (DC 25 Heal check) or is the subject of a spell such as regenerate.






8th
Inner Strength
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You call upon a hidden supply of strength reserved for moments of dire need. You gain 50 temporary hitpoints, and any sickness, nausea, fatigue or exhaustion is removed. Your next attack deals +3d10 points of damage. The temporary hitpoints and attack bonus last for 1 minute, after which point you are fatigued.

9th
Avatar of Physical Dominance (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You take on the aspect of a hulking brute. Your size increases by one category, and you gain all the effects of being a creature of that size. Your gear increases in size as well, and despite your newly bulging muscles, your clothing remains intact.

You gain 50 temporary hitpoints and damage reduction of 5/- while in this aspect. If you were below 25% of your total hitpoints when you entered this form, you are healed for an additional 50 hitpoints.

If you choose to make unarmed attacks in this aspect, your unarmed strikes are treated as manufactured weapons and thus do no provoke attacks of opportunity. Unarmed strikes you make in this form deal 2d10 points of damage, plus an additional 1d10 points of damage for each size category you are over large.

While in this form, you may choose to push a creature whose square you can reach back five feet as a free action once per round. They can resist with a DC 25 strength check. On a successful save, they do not move. On a failed save, they fall prone and are dazed for one round.




Path of Luck

Gambits from the path of luck are often as unpredictable as they are useful. While these gambits are never attacks, they provide many bonuses that may prove useful in combat. These effects range from bonuses on attack rolls to glimpses of the future to becoming an embodiment of luck itself.


1st
Coin Toss, Lesser
Type: Preparation
Duration: 2 rounds/3 rounds; see text

You toss an enchanted coin as a free action. If the result is heads, you gain a +5 bonus to your attack rolls for 2 rounds. If the result is tails, you suffer a -5 penalty to your attack rolls for 3 rounds.

Instinct
Type: Preparation
Duration: 1 round

You have a feeling you can't quite place about what the future is going to hold. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +5 insight bonus to AC.


4th


Coin Toss
Type: Preparation
Duration: 2 rounds/2 rounds; see text

You toss an enchanted coin as a free action. If the result is heads, you gain a +7 bonus to your attack rolls for 2 rounds. If the result is tails, you suffer a -2 penalty to your attack rolls for 2 rounds.



7th

Lady Luck's Kiss
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/level

A bright red mark appears on the back of one of your hands in the shape of puckered lips. A feeling of incredible confidence surges through you; anything seems possible.

If the marked hand holds a shield, double the AC it provides. If the hand holds a weapon, it gains a +10 bonus to all attack rolls and its critical range doubles.

Coin Toss, Greater
Type: Preparation
Duration: 2 rounds/1 round; see text

You toss an enchanted coin as a free action. If the result is heads, you gain a +10 bonus to your attack rolls for 2 rounds. If the result is tails, you gain a +5 bonus to your attack rolls for 1 round.


9th
Avatar of Good Fortune (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You take on the aspect of pure luck. Your hair and eye color change to gold and take on a metallic sheen, as does your skin, to a lesser extent. You gain a +5 luck bonus to AC, which stacks with any other bonuses you may have.

For the duration of this gambit, you and all allies within 50 feet are warded against bad luck. Any dice rolled that show a value of less than half their maximum value may be rerolled once, and you may keep whichever outcome is better. Any dice rolled that show a 1 may be rerolled up to two times. In addition, once during the duration of this gambit, you may change one twenty-sided die rolled by either you or an ally within range to show a 15.

Upon activating this gambit, declare a specific saving throw (fortitude, reflex, or will). At your discretion, you can automatically succeed on a single saving throw of that type. If this effect is activated, this gambit ends prematurely.





Path of the Mind

Gambits from the path of the mind offer a wide variety of effects, ranging from bonuses for planning ahead to disrupting spellcasters to even emulating certain spells themselves.


1st
Forethought
Type: Preparation
Duration: 3 rounds

By planning ahead, you have already predicted an unfortunate turn of events and are prepared for it. If you fail to hit with an attack within the duration of this gambit, you can retry the attack roll once at no penalty. If you do not fail to hit within the duration, you suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls for 3 rounds.

6th

Leech Magic (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/level, or until activated.

You imbue your melee weapon with the ability to drain magic from your opponents. Your next successful attack steals one spell of your choice from an opponent with the ability to cast spells. You can cast the spell as a swift action as though you had a caster level equal to the owner of the spell. If you cannot take a swift action this round, the magic is wasted and the owner loses one spell slot of a level equal to the level of the stolen spell.

You may only steal a spell of a level up to your highest known gambit in the path of mind.


7th
Mage-Slayer's Strike(Melee)
Type: Attack

Long exposure to magic has taught you how to disrupt enemy spell casters.

You attack with the intent of dazing a caster, not truly harming it. On a successful attack roll, do not roll for damage. Instead, your opponent takes 1 point of damage and is dazed for 1 round. If your opponent prepares spells, it loses two of its highest level spells prepared until it has a chance to prepare them again. If your opponent casts spells spontaneously, it loses two of its highest level spell slots until it rests for at least 8 hours.


9th
Avatar of Mental Superiority (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 minute

You take on the aspect of a wizened scholar. Your Strength and Dexterity become 8, and you gain a bonus of +12 to Intelligence and Wisdom. You gain several spell-like abilities with a set number of uses, detailed below, and have a caster level equal to your Daredevil class level.

Time Stop (1 use)

Telekinetic Sphere (1 use)

Maddening Scream (1 use)

Forcecage (1 use)

Wall of Force (1 use)

Hold Person, Mass (1 use)

Magic Missile (Infinite uses)

Any effects in place when this gambit ends are likewise ended.

[Schism]

Gambit list updated slightly. Still have a ways to go before it's anywhere near finished, but I'd appreciate some input as to whether the basic ideas are solid or not.

[Glimbur]

What sort of action are the Gambits? They look like they should be mostly Standard actions, but Instinct from the 1st level of the Path of Luck for example is pretty terrible unless it's a Swift action.

Also, why does the bonus from the Path of Luck not scale with levels like all the others do? Perhaps giving more rerolls per encounter, or a floating luck bonus pool you can apply to AC or attacks or saves with a limit on how much you get per encounter.

[Schism]

Except where otherwise noted, gambits are extraordinary abilities that require a standard action to activate.

Some are supernatural, or swift or free actions, but in those cases it is specifically noted in the gambit's description.

As far as the path of luck goes, I originally had it scale the number of rerolls per encounter to two at tenth level and three at twentieth, but since the very premise of the luck gambits is to allow that sort of ability, it seemed redundant at best and overpowered at worst.

Edit: In regards to Instinct, it's essentially a Total Defense action that gives a slightly larger AC bonus and allows you to make attacks of opportunity. If it was any higher than a first level gambit, it would probably need to be a swift or free action, but it's not, so...

[Demons_eye]

If you want to do the I feel lucky thing maybe a gambit that lets you use copy a spell and use it as a free action but the spell is random?

[Origomar]

oh my lord thats alot of abilities.

im making a class thats similar to this, not similar in concept but how its abilities are managed. You can choose 5 diffrent ways if playing the class and each way gets diffrent abilities and changes to what stats do what.

[Schism]

Sounds more like a Path of the Mind gambit to me, since those deal with spells. Something like this, perhaps?

Leech Magic (Su)
Type: Buff
Duration: 1 round/level, or until activated.

You imbue your melee weapon with the ability to drain magic from your opponents. Your next successful attack steals one spell of your choice from an opponent with the ability to cast spells. You can cast the spell as a swift action as though you had a caster level equal to the owner of the spell. If you cannot take a swift action this round, the magic is wasted and the owner loses one spell slot of a level equal to the level of the stolen spell.

You may only steal a spell of a level up to your highest known gambit in the path of mind.


Probably a 6th or 7th level gambit?

[Schism]

oh my lord thats alot of abilities.


Yes, yes it is. :smallsigh: I didn't realize quite how many the class would need until I was too far in to abandon the idea. :smalltongue: