Mithril Leaf
2013-03-27, 04:15 AM
The Bow Shaper
The Bow Shaper is an individual that has the mental willpower to force his soul into an external form, in this case a very special bow. They specialize in preforming archery better than any other unaugmented individual. As Bow Shaper's advance in level, their soul bows also advance, allowing usage in several maneuvers that most have to devote extensive training to.
The Bow Shaper is my attempt to do several things, mainly expand the idea of the Soul Bow prestige class and make archery much less terrible. You get 200 grand worth of bow enhancements, and several attributes to your damage and attack with your soul bow. The class fits anywhere that creating effects by force of will is a thing. Fluff neutral and all that.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill Points at First Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+1|+0|+2|+2|Soul Bow (Masterwork), Point Blank Shot, Speed of the Mind
2nd|+2|+0|+3|+3|Agile Aim
3rd|+3|+1|+3|+3|Soul Bow (+1), Precise Shot
4th|+4|+1|+4|+4|Transmutational Ammunition, Wizened Eye, Skill Bonus (1)
5th|+5|+1|+4|+4|Soul Bow (+2), Ride The Arrow
6th|+6/+1|+2|+5|+5|Power Shot, Close Combat Shooting
7th|+7/+2|+2|+5|+5|Soul Bow (+3), Protect the Self
8th|+8/+3|+2|+6|+6|Flurry, Skill Bonus (2)
9th|+9/+4|+3|+6|+6|Soul Bow (+4)
10th|+10/+5|+3|+7|+7|Force Ammunition. Know the Enemy
11th|+11/+6/+1|+3|+7|+7|Soul Bow (+5)
12th|+12/+7/+2|+4|+8|+8|Seek the Heart, Skill Bonus (3)
13th|+13/+8/+3|+4|+8|+8|Soul Bow (+6). Break the Enemy
14th|+14/+9/+4|+4|+9|+9|Elemental Barrage
15th|+15/+10/+5|+5|+9|+9|Soul Bow (+7)
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+5|+10|+10|Skill Mastery, Skill Bonus (4)
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Soul Bow (+8)
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|Soul Bow (+9), Break the Barriers
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|Soul Bow (+10)
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|Become the Bow, Skill Legend[/table]
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Bow Shaper.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Bow Shapers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons (although they will rarely use anything but the soulbow). Bow Shapers are proficient with light armor and medium armor, as well as all shields but tower shields.
Soul Bow (Su):
The soul bow is the object that makes up the heart of the Bow Shaper class. It is an extension of the life force of the Bow Shaper, that exists whenever the Bow Shaper wills it. It takes the form of a composite longbow that is automatically calibrated for the Bow Shaper's strength. The soul bow produces its own arrows, which are treated as being made of mundane material, despite being made of the Bow Shaper's soul. The soul bow itself cannot be sundered. It can be summoned and dismissed as a free action and possesses a number of other interesting properties.
First and foremost is its ability to improve in quality as the Bow Shaper gains experience. At the marked intervals on the table above, a soul bow advances as a weapon, improving so that it possesses the indicated powers. Any excess levels of enchantment beyond the first may be spent on special abilities, rather than pure numerical increases (and in fact must be spent this way past a +5 bonus). An interesting effect of the enhancements of the soul bow is that the Bow Shaper may change the chosen special abilities and allotment of enhancements at any time by meditating for a period of one hour.
The soul bow also may be summoned in an area where magic does not function, doing so however requires a will save (DC 20) every round. This DC increases by one for every enhancement the soul bow possesses when summoned. The bow may also receive static cost enchantments from an outside source, these do not interfere with the bonuses gained from the class, and may freely cause the bow to exceed the normal pre-epic weapon cost limit.
Additionally, the soul bow may be used a quarterstaff with both ends equaling the purely numerical enhancement bonus of the soul bow.
Point Blank Shot (Ex):
At level one the Bow Shaper gains point blank shot as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites.
Speed of the Mind (Ex):
From first level, a Bow Shaper gains a bonus to their movement speed equal to their wisdom modifier X 10. This ability can only increase movement speed by a maximum of 5 X the Bow Shaper's class level.
Agile Aim (Ex):
From level two onwards, when the Bow Shaper is using the soul bow for archery, they may substitute in their Dexterity for their strength score when calculating damage. This includes the autoadjustments of the soul bow to high or low strength scores.
Precise Shot (Ex):
At level three, the Bow Shaper gains Precise Shot as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites.
Transmutational Ammunition (Su):
Once fourth level has been obtained, the arrows produced by the soul bow may now be made of any mundane material (iron, cold iron, mithral, silver, etc). Choosing which material they are made of for the round is a free action, only a passing thought of the Bow Shaper.
Wizened Eye (Ex):
At fourth level and beyond, the Bow Shaper may add their wisdom modifier X 10 to the base range of their soul bow, before any other modifiers.
Skill Bonuses (Ex):
At level four and every fourth level afterwards, the Bow Shaper may select two skills on their class skill list. They gain a competence bonus to these skills equal to one half of their Bow Shaper level.
Ride the Arrow(Su):
A fifth level Bow Shaper may fire a special arrow which they commit their location to. They may take a full round action to fire this arrow, dimension dooring to wherever it lands. This ability may be used once every hour at level five, once every ten minutes at level ten, once every ten rounds at level fifteen, and at will at level twenty.
Power Shot (Ex):
From level six onwards, the Bow Shaper may sacrifice accuracy for raw damage when using their soul bow. By taking a penalty up to their base attack bonus to all attack rolls, the Bow Shaper may add an equivalent bonus to all damage rolls that round.
Close Combat Shooting (Ex):
Upon attaining sixth level, a Bow Shaper takes no penalty for shooting enemies that threaten them, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity while doing so.
Protect the Self (Ex):
It is clear that a level seven Bow Shaper's willpower grants them prowess to stand where others couldn't. The Bow Shaper adds their wisdom modifier to their AC in all (or even no) armor. In addition, they no longer fail Will Saving throws if they roll a natural one.
Flurry (Ex):
Upon hitting level eight, the Bow Shaper may made a full round attack's worth of shots in only a standard action. Doing so however, imposes a -10 penalty to all attack rolls made that round.
Force Ammunition (Su):
Once level ten has been obtained, in addition to being able to be made of any mundane material, the arrows produced by the soul bow may be made out of force, causing them to ignore all Damage Reduction, and have no miss chance due to incorporeality. However, they do no damage to any creature immune to force effects (which is very nearly only a force dragon).
Know the Enemy (Ex):
A Bow Shaper that has reached level ten has begun to focus their full mind on each shot, becoming adept at using their mental prowess to assist in combat. By carefully analyzing their enemies, they notice patterns which allow them to hit easier. A Bow Shaper now adds their wisdom modifier to all attack rolls made with the soul bow.
Seek the Heart (Ex):
Upon reaching level twelve, the Bow Shaper gains the ability to spend several rounds in a trancelike state, carefully measuring hundreds of factors simultaneously for a single shot. If the Bow Shaper spends three full rounds observing a single target, they may then take a single shot designed to perfectly destroy the target's heart. As long as the target is not of a type immune to sneak attacks, then they must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Bow Shaper's class levels + The Bow Shaper's wisdom or dexterity modifier) or immediately die. Any target immune to sneak attacks instead takes 200 bonus damage. If so desired, the Bow Shaper may make attack paralyze a living target instead of killing them. The range for this ability is equal to the base range of the Bow Shaper's soul bow, after Wizened Eye's effect.
Break the Enemy (Ex):
At level thirteen, their mental prowess continues to advance, allowing a Bow Shaper to see the flaws in their enemy's grand design. They add their wisdom modifier to all damage rolls made with the soul bow.
Elemental Barrage (Ex):
The soul bow of a Bow Shaper of fourteenth level gains the shock, flaming, and frost enhancements. If any or all of those abilities are already possessed, the Bow Shaper instead receives a bonus +1d6 acid, sonic, and force damage, in that order. For example, a level fourteen Bow Shaper got his bow enchanted with the shock and frost abilities a few levels back. Since he possesses two of the three, he instead gains +1d6 acid damage and +1d6 sonic damage at this level, in addition to the flaming enhancement.
Skill Mastery (Ex):
A Bow Shaper of sixteenth level is exceptionally skilled at a small number of skills, even more than most experts. They may choose two skills on their class skill list that they have already selected to receive a skill bonus to. These skills receive a competence bonus equal to the Bow Shaper's full level. This bonus supersedes that of the Skill Bonus ability.
Break the Barriers (Ex):
A level eighteen Bow Shaper may fire through any wall or inanimate object so long as it isn't more than 5 feet wide and they know the position they would like to hit on the other side. If the barrier is caused by some ongoing magical effect, it is instantly dispelled.
Become the Bow (Su):
At level twenty, the Bow Shaper is now at the pinnacle of their craft, able to merge with the soul bow they first shaped so long ago. As a full round action, once per encounter (it requires a focus that only calm can provide) the Bow Shaper may join entirely with their bow. They may take two full round attacks worth of shots. When they fire a shot, they may either damage an enemy as normal, or travel with the arrow and be treated as dimension dooring to where it lands, as per Ride the Arrow. The second effect may be chosen as many times as desired, it does not end their turn.
Skill Legend (Ex):
Additionally at twentieth level, the Bow Shaper has honed their skills to a razor fine point. They gain a competence bonus to all class skills equal to half of their Bow Shaper level (probably ten if you got this, but you might use legacy champion or something). Additionally, they may select up to three class skills beyond those chosen for Skill Mastery. These skills gain the Bow Shaper's full number of class levels as a competence bonus.
Feats
Officially endorsed feats by Veklim. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15022115&postcount=15)
Exotic Weapon Shaping
Prerequisites: Must possess an existing magic bow given by class levels (for example, if an Evolutionist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240717) with the Arms of the Outer Planes took this class and feat, he could use the bow gifted by that teratomorphism).
Benefits: The existing weapon is merged with the soul bow, all features and abilities that affect one affect the other. For all intents and purposes, they are the same weapon. You also keep all bonuses from each.
The Bow Shaper is an individual that has the mental willpower to force his soul into an external form, in this case a very special bow. They specialize in preforming archery better than any other unaugmented individual. As Bow Shaper's advance in level, their soul bows also advance, allowing usage in several maneuvers that most have to devote extensive training to.
The Bow Shaper is my attempt to do several things, mainly expand the idea of the Soul Bow prestige class and make archery much less terrible. You get 200 grand worth of bow enhancements, and several attributes to your damage and attack with your soul bow. The class fits anywhere that creating effects by force of will is a thing. Fluff neutral and all that.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill Points at First Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+1|+0|+2|+2|Soul Bow (Masterwork), Point Blank Shot, Speed of the Mind
2nd|+2|+0|+3|+3|Agile Aim
3rd|+3|+1|+3|+3|Soul Bow (+1), Precise Shot
4th|+4|+1|+4|+4|Transmutational Ammunition, Wizened Eye, Skill Bonus (1)
5th|+5|+1|+4|+4|Soul Bow (+2), Ride The Arrow
6th|+6/+1|+2|+5|+5|Power Shot, Close Combat Shooting
7th|+7/+2|+2|+5|+5|Soul Bow (+3), Protect the Self
8th|+8/+3|+2|+6|+6|Flurry, Skill Bonus (2)
9th|+9/+4|+3|+6|+6|Soul Bow (+4)
10th|+10/+5|+3|+7|+7|Force Ammunition. Know the Enemy
11th|+11/+6/+1|+3|+7|+7|Soul Bow (+5)
12th|+12/+7/+2|+4|+8|+8|Seek the Heart, Skill Bonus (3)
13th|+13/+8/+3|+4|+8|+8|Soul Bow (+6). Break the Enemy
14th|+14/+9/+4|+4|+9|+9|Elemental Barrage
15th|+15/+10/+5|+5|+9|+9|Soul Bow (+7)
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+5|+10|+10|Skill Mastery, Skill Bonus (4)
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Soul Bow (+8)
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|Soul Bow (+9), Break the Barriers
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|Soul Bow (+10)
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|Become the Bow, Skill Legend[/table]
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Bow Shaper.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Bow Shapers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons (although they will rarely use anything but the soulbow). Bow Shapers are proficient with light armor and medium armor, as well as all shields but tower shields.
Soul Bow (Su):
The soul bow is the object that makes up the heart of the Bow Shaper class. It is an extension of the life force of the Bow Shaper, that exists whenever the Bow Shaper wills it. It takes the form of a composite longbow that is automatically calibrated for the Bow Shaper's strength. The soul bow produces its own arrows, which are treated as being made of mundane material, despite being made of the Bow Shaper's soul. The soul bow itself cannot be sundered. It can be summoned and dismissed as a free action and possesses a number of other interesting properties.
First and foremost is its ability to improve in quality as the Bow Shaper gains experience. At the marked intervals on the table above, a soul bow advances as a weapon, improving so that it possesses the indicated powers. Any excess levels of enchantment beyond the first may be spent on special abilities, rather than pure numerical increases (and in fact must be spent this way past a +5 bonus). An interesting effect of the enhancements of the soul bow is that the Bow Shaper may change the chosen special abilities and allotment of enhancements at any time by meditating for a period of one hour.
The soul bow also may be summoned in an area where magic does not function, doing so however requires a will save (DC 20) every round. This DC increases by one for every enhancement the soul bow possesses when summoned. The bow may also receive static cost enchantments from an outside source, these do not interfere with the bonuses gained from the class, and may freely cause the bow to exceed the normal pre-epic weapon cost limit.
Additionally, the soul bow may be used a quarterstaff with both ends equaling the purely numerical enhancement bonus of the soul bow.
Point Blank Shot (Ex):
At level one the Bow Shaper gains point blank shot as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites.
Speed of the Mind (Ex):
From first level, a Bow Shaper gains a bonus to their movement speed equal to their wisdom modifier X 10. This ability can only increase movement speed by a maximum of 5 X the Bow Shaper's class level.
Agile Aim (Ex):
From level two onwards, when the Bow Shaper is using the soul bow for archery, they may substitute in their Dexterity for their strength score when calculating damage. This includes the autoadjustments of the soul bow to high or low strength scores.
Precise Shot (Ex):
At level three, the Bow Shaper gains Precise Shot as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites.
Transmutational Ammunition (Su):
Once fourth level has been obtained, the arrows produced by the soul bow may now be made of any mundane material (iron, cold iron, mithral, silver, etc). Choosing which material they are made of for the round is a free action, only a passing thought of the Bow Shaper.
Wizened Eye (Ex):
At fourth level and beyond, the Bow Shaper may add their wisdom modifier X 10 to the base range of their soul bow, before any other modifiers.
Skill Bonuses (Ex):
At level four and every fourth level afterwards, the Bow Shaper may select two skills on their class skill list. They gain a competence bonus to these skills equal to one half of their Bow Shaper level.
Ride the Arrow(Su):
A fifth level Bow Shaper may fire a special arrow which they commit their location to. They may take a full round action to fire this arrow, dimension dooring to wherever it lands. This ability may be used once every hour at level five, once every ten minutes at level ten, once every ten rounds at level fifteen, and at will at level twenty.
Power Shot (Ex):
From level six onwards, the Bow Shaper may sacrifice accuracy for raw damage when using their soul bow. By taking a penalty up to their base attack bonus to all attack rolls, the Bow Shaper may add an equivalent bonus to all damage rolls that round.
Close Combat Shooting (Ex):
Upon attaining sixth level, a Bow Shaper takes no penalty for shooting enemies that threaten them, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity while doing so.
Protect the Self (Ex):
It is clear that a level seven Bow Shaper's willpower grants them prowess to stand where others couldn't. The Bow Shaper adds their wisdom modifier to their AC in all (or even no) armor. In addition, they no longer fail Will Saving throws if they roll a natural one.
Flurry (Ex):
Upon hitting level eight, the Bow Shaper may made a full round attack's worth of shots in only a standard action. Doing so however, imposes a -10 penalty to all attack rolls made that round.
Force Ammunition (Su):
Once level ten has been obtained, in addition to being able to be made of any mundane material, the arrows produced by the soul bow may be made out of force, causing them to ignore all Damage Reduction, and have no miss chance due to incorporeality. However, they do no damage to any creature immune to force effects (which is very nearly only a force dragon).
Know the Enemy (Ex):
A Bow Shaper that has reached level ten has begun to focus their full mind on each shot, becoming adept at using their mental prowess to assist in combat. By carefully analyzing their enemies, they notice patterns which allow them to hit easier. A Bow Shaper now adds their wisdom modifier to all attack rolls made with the soul bow.
Seek the Heart (Ex):
Upon reaching level twelve, the Bow Shaper gains the ability to spend several rounds in a trancelike state, carefully measuring hundreds of factors simultaneously for a single shot. If the Bow Shaper spends three full rounds observing a single target, they may then take a single shot designed to perfectly destroy the target's heart. As long as the target is not of a type immune to sneak attacks, then they must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Bow Shaper's class levels + The Bow Shaper's wisdom or dexterity modifier) or immediately die. Any target immune to sneak attacks instead takes 200 bonus damage. If so desired, the Bow Shaper may make attack paralyze a living target instead of killing them. The range for this ability is equal to the base range of the Bow Shaper's soul bow, after Wizened Eye's effect.
Break the Enemy (Ex):
At level thirteen, their mental prowess continues to advance, allowing a Bow Shaper to see the flaws in their enemy's grand design. They add their wisdom modifier to all damage rolls made with the soul bow.
Elemental Barrage (Ex):
The soul bow of a Bow Shaper of fourteenth level gains the shock, flaming, and frost enhancements. If any or all of those abilities are already possessed, the Bow Shaper instead receives a bonus +1d6 acid, sonic, and force damage, in that order. For example, a level fourteen Bow Shaper got his bow enchanted with the shock and frost abilities a few levels back. Since he possesses two of the three, he instead gains +1d6 acid damage and +1d6 sonic damage at this level, in addition to the flaming enhancement.
Skill Mastery (Ex):
A Bow Shaper of sixteenth level is exceptionally skilled at a small number of skills, even more than most experts. They may choose two skills on their class skill list that they have already selected to receive a skill bonus to. These skills receive a competence bonus equal to the Bow Shaper's full level. This bonus supersedes that of the Skill Bonus ability.
Break the Barriers (Ex):
A level eighteen Bow Shaper may fire through any wall or inanimate object so long as it isn't more than 5 feet wide and they know the position they would like to hit on the other side. If the barrier is caused by some ongoing magical effect, it is instantly dispelled.
Become the Bow (Su):
At level twenty, the Bow Shaper is now at the pinnacle of their craft, able to merge with the soul bow they first shaped so long ago. As a full round action, once per encounter (it requires a focus that only calm can provide) the Bow Shaper may join entirely with their bow. They may take two full round attacks worth of shots. When they fire a shot, they may either damage an enemy as normal, or travel with the arrow and be treated as dimension dooring to where it lands, as per Ride the Arrow. The second effect may be chosen as many times as desired, it does not end their turn.
Skill Legend (Ex):
Additionally at twentieth level, the Bow Shaper has honed their skills to a razor fine point. They gain a competence bonus to all class skills equal to half of their Bow Shaper level (probably ten if you got this, but you might use legacy champion or something). Additionally, they may select up to three class skills beyond those chosen for Skill Mastery. These skills gain the Bow Shaper's full number of class levels as a competence bonus.
Feats
Officially endorsed feats by Veklim. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15022115&postcount=15)
Exotic Weapon Shaping
Prerequisites: Must possess an existing magic bow given by class levels (for example, if an Evolutionist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240717) with the Arms of the Outer Planes took this class and feat, he could use the bow gifted by that teratomorphism).
Benefits: The existing weapon is merged with the soul bow, all features and abilities that affect one affect the other. For all intents and purposes, they are the same weapon. You also keep all bonuses from each.