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The Stormrunner
2013-02-15, 07:17 PM
FREEBOOTER
Fancy Fightin'

http://i.imgur.com/vn7Kuim.png
"Avalanche of Blades or some **** like that, right? Some fancy-pants spearfighter pulled that on me in the ring, one time. I think it went like this..."
~Reichert, Freebooter

THE NINE SWORDS - AND THEN THERE'S THIS GUY
The adherents of the Sublime Way prefer to think their secrets stay within their hidden temples and dojos. News alert for them: adventurers are showy. When a Warblade brandishes ancient White Raven techniques across an open battlefield, someone's bound to take note -- and the people who do aren't always the type to put the knowledge to honorable use. Many fighters assemble their knowledge of combat in piecemeal, picking up tips and tricks from common brawlers and generals alike, and these freebooters make no distinction between the two. Any advantage is a good advantage-- and if it means disregarding a few thousand years of sacred martial tradition, hey, what the hell.

What, you lookin' at me, twiggy? C'mere. Lemme show you this thing this monk showed me that one time. With my knee.

MAKING A FREEBOOTER
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Starting Gold: 5d4x10 gp (125 gp).
Starting Age: Simple.


Hit Die: d8
{TABLE=HEAD]Class Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Known|Readied|Stances
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|That’s Pretty Slick (Strikes), Combat Flair|4|3|1
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|That’s Pretty Slick (Boosts)|5|3|1
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Poison Use, Tough as Nails|5|4|1
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|That’s Pretty Slick (Counters), Uncanny Dodge|6|4|1
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Fancy Trick, Bonus Feat|6|4|2
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+2|That’s Pretty Slick (Stances)|7|5|2
7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+2|Fancy Trick|7|5|2
8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+2|Improved Uncanny Dodge|8|5|2
9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+3|Fancy Trick|8|6|2
10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+3|Bonus Feat|9|6|3
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+3|Fancy Trick|9|6|3
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+4|Slippery Mind|10|7|3
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+4|Fancy Trick|10|7|3
14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+4|Tough as Bricks|11|7|4
15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+5|Advanced Trick, Bonus Feat|11|8|4
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+5|He Ain't So Tough|12|8|4
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|Advanced Trick|12|8|4
18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6|All-Out Ambush|13|9|5
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6|Advanced Trick|13|9|5
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6|Who's Laughing Now, Bonus Feat|14|9|5[/TABLE]

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier):
The Freeboter's class skills are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Iaijutsu Focus (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

CLASS FEATURES
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Freebooters are proficient with all simple weapons and firearms, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and shortsword. Freebooters are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Maneuvers
Freebooters begin their careers with knowledge of four martial maneuvers and one stance. The disciplines available to them are Black Rain (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5471518), Fool’s Grip (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67879), Setting Sun, Shadow Hand, and Tiger Claw. They recover expended maneuvers as per the swordsage’s “meditation” method (see Tome of Battle).

That’s Pretty Slick (Ex)
If a freebooter observes an enemy using a maneuver he does not know, he may make a Martial Lore check (DC 15 + maneuver's level) to learn the maneuver himself. In this manner, a Freebooter can learn maneuvers, but not stances, of disciplines he does not normally have access to. If the Freebooter himself is the target of the maneuver, the DC becomes 10 + the maneuver's level.

A maneuver learned while in combat via That’s Pretty Slick starts as expended when the freebooter gains it. Maneuvers learned via That’s Pretty Slick do not count toward the Freebooter’s total number of maneuvers known.

Freebooters may use That’s Pretty Slick to learn strikes at 1st level, boosts at 2nd level, counters at 4th level, and stances at 6th level. Maneuvers learned by That’s Pretty Slick cannot exceed the freebooter’s initiator level, and stances so learned cannot exceed one-half his initiator level.

Combat Flair (Ex)
Freebooters come by the techniques of the Sublime Way differently from its other adherents, picking up and learning maneuvers as clever tricks and techniques showed off by other travellers. This piecemeal manner of martial learning is reflected even in a freebooter’s more mundane fighting style through the Combat Flair bonus.

While in an active stance, a freebooter may apply a Combat Flair precision damage bonus equal to his freebooter level to any attack made with a favored weapon of the school the stance is from. For example, a freebooter in the Child of Shadow stance would add his Combat Flair bonus to any attack made with a dagger, short sword, sai, siangham, unarmed strike, or spiked chain.

For the purposes of qualifying for feats, prestige classes, and so on, every two points of Combat Flair counts as one Sneak Attack die.

Poison Use (Ex)
Freebooters are unafraid to fight dirty, and often do so. They are familiar with the proper use of poisons, and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon.

Tough as Nails (Ex)
At 3rd level and higher, a freebooter can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Fortitude saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, a freebooter can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If a freebooter already has uncanny dodge from a different class he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Bonus Feats
Starting at 5th level, and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, & 20th), a freebooter may take any Ambush Feat he qualifies for (see Complete Scoundrel) as a bonus feat. For the purpose of qualifying for and resolving Ambush Feats, the freebooter may count two points of his Combat Flair bonus as one Sneak Attack die, and may apply Ambush Feats whenever he flanks his target or whenever his target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. In addition, he need only reserve one point of damage to learn or use an Ambush Feat, rather than one die.

Fancy Tricks
Freebooters are crafty by nature, taking martial knowledge from whatever source that presents itself – including techniques outside the Sublime Way. Starting at 5th level, and every two levels thereafter (7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th), a freebooter gains a fancy trick (see list, below) he qualifies for.

Freebooters of 15th level or higher may select Advanced Rogue Talents in place of fancy tricks. Use of fancy tricks or Advanced Rogue Talents marked with an asterisk must be declared before the pertaining roll is made.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
A freebooter of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has four or more rogue levels than the target has freebooter levels.

Slippery Mind (Ex)
By the time a freebooter reaches 12th level, he has become intimately familiar with watching others’ minds at work through their actions and reactions, and can recognize when his own body is responding to outside stimuli. If the freebooter fails his save against an enchantment spell or effect, he can attempt the save again one round later at the same DC (assuming he is still alive). He gets only this one extra chance to succeed at a certain saving throw.

Tough as Bricks (Ex)
At 14th level, a freebooter’s hardiness makes him almost supernaturally resilient, able to resist blows that would kill lesser men. Once per day, he may make a Fortitude save as an immediate action and gain damage reduction equal to that total for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution modifier.

He Ain’t So Tough (Ex)
At 16th level, a freebooter can find weaknesses in even the sturdiest foes – any reduction in precision damage dealt by the freebooter is reduced by 50%. Any creature normally immune to critical hits, for example, has only a 50% chance to negate the freebooter's sneak attacks and critical hits, while a creature with light fortification would no longer have a chance to negate the sneak attacks and critical hits of the freebooter.

All-Out Ambush (Ex)
A freebooter of 18th level no longer reduces his Combat Flair bonus damage when applying the effects Ambush Feats to his attacks.

Who’s Laughing Now (Ex)
A freebooter of 20th level is no longer limited in the number of maneuvers and stances he can learn via That's Pretty Slick. In addition, when the freebooter uses a strike that successfully hits an enemy who knows one or more maneuvers from that strike’s discipline, that enemy must make a Fortitude save (DC 5+ strike's level + 1/2 freebooter's level) or become nauseated for 1d3 rounds. In addition, the enemy must make a Will save (DC 5+ maneuver's level + 1/2 freebooter's level) or lose access to maneuvers of that discipline for 24 hours.

If a freebooter using Who’s Laughing Now hits an enemy with no known maneuvers of the strike’s discipline, that enemy must make a Fortitude save (DC 5+ strike's level + 1/2 freebooter's level) or become nauseated for 1d8 rounds.

FANCY TRICKS
(Will be revised!)

Augment Combat Flair (Ex)
Benefit: Select an effect from the following list. When the freebooter applies Combat Flair bonus damage to an opponent susceptible to a rogue’s sneak attack, he may also apply that effect. He may not apply more than one Augment Combat Flair effect at a time. This trick may be selected multiple times.

-Befuddle: The opponent struck takes -2 to attack rolls against the freebooter for 1d4 rounds.

-Bleed: The opponent struck takes an additional point of bleed damage for every maneuver the freebooter has readied and unexpended every round for 1d4 rounds. This damage is not subject to damage reduction. The bleeding may be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or by any effect that restores hit points.

-Distract: The Combat Flair bonus damage for this attack becomes 0, but the opponent struck becomes flat-footed against one target of the freebooter’s choosing until the beginning of his next turn. The freebooter cannot designate himself as the target, and creatures with uncanny dodge are immune to this effect.

-Fluster: The opponent struck cannot make attacks of opportunity for one round.

Belly Crawl (Ex):
Benefit: While prone, a freebooter with this trick can move at half his movement speed. He provokes attacks of opportunity as normal while moving in this way, and may make five-foots steps while prone.

Canny Observer (Ex):
Benefit: When a freebooter with this trick makes a Listen or Spot check, he gains a +4 bonus. This trick may be selected multiple times.

Combat Trick:
Benefit: Select a feat that a fighter may gain as a bonus feat. The freebooter gains this feat. This trick may be selected multiple times.

Deft Palm (Ex):
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick can make a Sleight of Hand check to conceal a weapon while holding it in plain sight, even while he is being observed.

Fast Fingers (Ex):
Benefit: Once per day, a freebooter with this fancy trick can roll two dice while making a Sleight of Hand check and take the better result. He must choose to use this trick before making the Sleight of Hand check.

**** Him Up:
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick deals increases all damage he deals with a concealed weapon in the surprise round of combat by half.

Finesse Freebooter:
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.

Grit:
Benefit: If he qualifies for it, the freebooter gains Amateur Gunslinger as a bonus feat, as well as one grit feat he qualifies for. If he does not qualify for Amateur Gunslinger, he instead takes only one bonus grit feat. This trick can be taken more than once.

Iron Guts (Ex):
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick gains a +1 bonus on all saves against ingested poisons as well as a +4 bonus on saves against all spells and effects that cause the freebooter to be nauseated or sickened.

Mug (Ex)
Benefit: On a successful unarmed strike, steal 1d4gp per two freebooter levels from the target instead of dealing damage. If the target isn’t carrying currency, resolve the attack as normal.

Ninja Trick
Benefit: Gain a trick from the ninja trick list. The freebooter can choose but cannot use tricks that require ki points, unless he has a ki pool. This trick may be selected more than once.

Offensive Defense (Ex)
Benefit: When a freebooter with this trick successfully applies the effects of an Ambush Feat to a creature on a successful melee attack, he gains 1 AC for every two points of Combat Flair used until the end of the round.

Positioning Attack (Ex)
Benefit: Once per day, when a freebooter with this talent hits a creature with a melee attack, he can move up to his highest movement speed without provoking attacks of opportunity. The movement must end in a space adjacent to the creature hit with the melee attack.

Stand Up (Ex)
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick may stand up from a prone position as a free action.

Suplex (Ex)
Benefit: When a freebooter with this trick successfully establishes a grapple with a single opponent, as a swift action, he may make a single trip attempt against that opponent. If successful, the opponent becomes prone and takes damage as though hit by a single unarmed strike from the freebooter.

Swift Poiston (Ex)
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick may apply poison to a weapon as a move
action.

Tendon Shot (Ex)
Benefit: When a freebooter with this trick successfully hits an opponent with a standard attack, up to a number of times per day equal to his WIS bonus, he may force his target to drop a single held item as a free action.

Weapon Training (Ex)
Benefit: A freebooter with this trick gains proficiency with all weapons of a single martial discipline, as well as Weapon Focus with one of those weapons. This trick may be selected more than once.


COMMENTARY
Fun fact: I like Final Fantasy Blue Mage-style characters. It disappointed me that Spellthief was a thing while there was no such class for martial/sublime content, so I churned this out a few months ago.

The Fancy Tricks are more or less scooped from Pathfinder Rogue Talents, if that wasn't evident. A few like Suplex are original.

Art is Dieck from Fire Emblem: Sealed Sword. Official promotional art; not used with intent to breach copyright nor to claim ownership.

DaTedinator
2013-02-16, 10:36 AM
This is a fantastic class. Great concept, brings something new to the table, done well... I love it.

Allow me to demonstrate that love by pointing out any flaws I can see! :smalltongue:

First, the chassis: This guy feels more full BAB, 4 skill points per level to me. I know he's tricksy, but the concept doesn't feel *that* tricksy. I would make it less Swordsage, more Warblade. Still, this is mostly an opinion thing.

That's Pretty Slick: First, the skill is Martial Lore, not Martial Study. Second, I think I would at least raise the DC, or change how it works, or something. At first I was gonna say he should have to identify it first, but that's (A) doubling the number of rolls necessary, and (B) it has the exact same, very low, DC. So I dunno. It just feels really easy right now. It shouldn't be too hard, but it shouldn't be that easy, either.

What if the DC is 20 + Maneuver level (or 10 + 2*Maneuver level, or whatever), or only 10 + Maneuver level if he's affected by it?

Combat Flair: I love it.

Tough as Nails: So does this only apply to Fortitude (half)? Or does it apply to Fortitude (partial) too?

Bonus [Ambush] Feats: First, I don't think you need to specify again that Combat Flair counts as Sneak Attack, that's already covered. Second, I think, rather than saying "and may apply Ambush Feats whenever a rogue would normally be allowed use of Sneak Attack," I'd spell it out. "A freebooter can only use Ambush feats when flanking, or when his target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC."

Actually, I might consider only allow it when they're flanking. But that's probably just because, again, these guys don't strike me as subtle.

Tough as Bricks: Clever, and I like it. However, I feel like the duration is a little much, even if it is only once per day. Maybe just 1d4 rounds?

Who's Laughing Now: This is gonna force a lot of extra dice rolling. Like, a lot. I'd boost the DCs by 5, and make it a uses/day thing.

Fancy Tricks: A lot of these feel like maneuvers to me. One or two of them literally are. And Finesse Freebooter is entirely redundant with Combat Trick around.

I'd go through the list, trim out the ones that are more maneuver-ish, and add more tricks like Belly Crawl, Iron Guts, and Stand Up. Basically, make these utility (and some defensive) abilities.

Hope this is helpful.

The Stormrunner
2013-02-16, 08:52 PM
This is a fantastic class. Great concept, brings something new to the table, done well... I love it.

Allow me to demonstrate that love by pointing out any flaws I can see! :smalltongue:

First, the chassis: This guy feels more full BAB, 4 skill points per level to me. I know he's tricksy, but the concept doesn't feel *that* tricksy. I would make it less Swordsage, more Warblade. Still, this is mostly an opinion thing. Full BAB on top of all the other goodies seems a bit much to me, but I'll see what other folks have to say. I'll tentatively put it up there for now. 4 skill points I definitely agree with-- it was 8 in the first draft, which I then cut to 6, but even that feels like too much...

That's Pretty Slick: First, the skill is Martial Lore, not Martial Study (oh god oops). Second, I think I would at least raise the DC, or change how it works, or something. At first I was gonna say he should have to identify it first, but that's (A) doubling the number of rolls necessary, and (B) it has the exact same, very low, DC. So I dunno. It just feels really easy right now. It shouldn't be too hard, but it shouldn't be that easy, either. 10 + ML felt reasonable to me considering sublime enemies don't show up that often in my games-- when they do, it should be payday for the freebooter in the party. Of course, that's more tailored to my group specifically; when a DM wants to run his party through a forgotten Nine Swords temple full of warblade-ghouls, it's a different story.

Not quite sure how I'd go about adjusting it, though. Tentatively set at 15 + ML.

What if the DC is 20 + Maneuver level (or 10 + 2*Maneuver level, or whatever), or only 10 + Maneuver level if he's affected by it? Definitely not 20 + ML. That would require a roll of 17 for a level 1 freebooter with max Martial Lore ranks to learn a 1st-level maneuver, which means he only has a 20% chance of successfully using his hallmark ability.

Combat Flair: I love it. Cheers!

Tough as Nails: So does this only apply to Fortitude (half)? Or does it apply to Fortitude (partial) too? Fortitude (half). It's essentially the gutsy version of Evasion.

Bonus [Ambush] Feats: First, I don't think you need to specify again that Combat Flair counts as Sneak Attack, that's already covered. Second, I think, rather than saying "and may apply Ambush Feats whenever a rogue would normally be allowed use of Sneak Attack," I'd spell it out. "A freebooter can only use Ambush feats when flanking, or when his target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC." Mm. Edited to reflect-- I admit I started to get lazy with the language, there.

Actually, I might consider only allow it when they're flanking. But that's probably just because, again, these guys don't strike me as subtle. I respectfully disagree-- part of the point of Freebooter is they know a little bit of everything. If someone wanted to play a stealthy Freebooter who capitalizes on their Ambush Feats, I'd like to think the class accomodates that as much as it would accomodate a less subtle Tiger Claw DPS-factory.

Tough as Bricks: Clever, and I like it. However, I feel like the duration is a little much, even if it is only once per day. Maybe just 1d4 rounds? Shrug. It's a 14th-level ability. Even if you're going straight Freebooter 20, it's gonna come late in the game -- and if you're specifically boosting your CON score to lengthen the duration, chances are you're a tanky-style freebooter to begin with.

Who's Laughing Now: This is gonna force a lot of extra dice rolling. Like, a lot. I'd boost the DCs by 5, and make it a uses/day thing. Possibly. Not sure how to adjust this one, either, without giving it an overt nerf/buff.

Fancy Tricks: A lot of these feel like maneuvers to me. One or two of them literally are. And Finesse Freebooter is entirely redundant with Combat Trick around.

I'd go through the list, trim out the ones that are more maneuver-ish, and add more tricks like Belly Crawl, Iron Guts, and Stand Up. Basically, make these utility (and some defensive) abilities. The list of tricks is what's most rough around the edges-- I'm definitely planning on revising. Thanks for the input!

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers, and thanks for the input.