Lix Lorn
2013-10-21, 01:38 PM
Emblem Archer
‘I only need one shot.’ – An ice aligned archer named Ashe.
Background: An archer eschews melee combat, instead focusing on the art of killing at a distance.
Races: Elves are known for their skill at archery, and all races with natural flight find the path melds well with their abilities. Orcs, ogres, and other races of a physical bent rarely take archery seriously, using it as a weapon, rather than dedicating themselves to it.
Other Classes: Archers require an effective frontline, since they can’t take a hit.
Role: An Archer is a skilled combatant, capable of unleashing impressive damage at medium range. If alone, they can suffer horribly, having few defensive abilities.
Archers in the World: Archers are incredibly common, being one of few classes which are both relatively simple to learn, compared to the arts of the mage, and effective at an extreme distance. They serve in armies, as guards, as adventurers. Wherever you find battle, you will find archers.
Inspiration: Fire Emblem.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6
All Emblem classes have the same starting gold and age – their ranks vary wildly.
Class Skills-The Archer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
The Archer and the Sniper
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0
Between the Plates, Bow Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0
Bow Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1
Bow Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1
Bow Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1
Bow Talent
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+2
Bow Talent
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+2
Expert Kiting, Bow Talent
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+2
Bow Talent
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+3
Bow Talent
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+3
Bow Talent
P1st
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+3
Effortless Shot, Greater Bow Talent
2nd
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+4
Greater Bow Talent
3rd
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+4
Greater Bow Talent
4th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+4
Greater Bow Talent
5th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+5
Greater Bow Talent
6th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+5
Greater Bow Talent
7th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Greater Bow Talent
8th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
Greater Bow Talent
9th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
Greater Bow Talent
10th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6
Greater Bow Talent, Bowfaire
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Archer is proficient with all types of any one type of ranged weapon of her choice (usually bows), and with light armor.
Between the Plates: An Archer’s strikes are perfectly aimed, striking the most effective location every time. She deals bonus precision damage equal to her dexterity modifier.
Bow Talents: At each level, an Archer chooses a Talent from the following list.
Blade Expertise Requires: Character level 6, DM Adjudication
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than two. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to five talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels.
Coiled Blade Approach Requires: Blade Expertise
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than three. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Secrets Requires: Blade Expertise, Character level 10
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than four. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making nine.
Blade of Shadows
You gain Sneak Attack 1d6, exactly as the rogue ability.
Assassin’s Strike Requires: BAB +10, Blade of Shadows
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 2d6 damage.
Deadly Precision
You gain Precision Targeting (1), exactly as the Shrewd Tactician ability.
Wait, That Class Doesn’t Properly Exist Yet
Call it a preview.
Precision Targeting (Ex): By taking time to aim for soft spots,
you deal bonus damage dice to your target. The size of these damage
dice depends on the time spent aiming. This aiming process can be
interrupted by damage much like spellcasting, and provokes attacks of
opportunity.
By using a move action on this ability, your next attack deals bonus d3
damage dice.
By using a full round action on this ability, your next attack deals
bonus d6 damage dice.
By using one entire round on this ability, your next attack deals bonus
d8 damage dice.
Careful Aim Requires: Deadly Precision
Your Precision Targeting ability no longer provokes attacks of opportunity to use.
Perfect Aim Requires: BAB +6, Deadly Precision.
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to two dice.
Dancing On The Sky
Your agility surpasses all others. You gain a competence bonus to all movement speeds, as well as to Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks, equal to 10, plus 10 more for each seven effective character levels you possess.
Ability stolen from Jiriku’s monk fix.
Defensive Shot
You gain a +2 untyped bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity triggered by using a ranged weapon in a threatened square.
Execution Style Requires: Defensive Shot
When using a ranged weapon to shoot a foe 5ft or less from you, you may add your Strength modifier to the damage dealt, as well as a bonus of 1+1/4 of your ECL.
Distracting Flurry Requires: Defensive Shot
When you make a full attack with a ranged weapon that targets an enemy 5ft or less away from you, you gain a dodge bonus against that foe, as your foe is distracted from your rapid bombardment, and is therefore unable to attack you efficiently. The bonus is equal to 1+1/4 of your ECL.
Making Mistakes Requires: Distracting Flurry
When you use your Distracting Flurry ability, instead of you gaining a dodge bonus, the foe suffers the same amount as a penalty on attack rolls, regardless of who they target, until the beginning of your next turn.
Face to Face (Crossbows) Requires: Defensive Shot
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for using crossbows while in a threatened square. If you take the full version of Face to Face, you may trade this talent for another non-greater bow talent.
Distant Step Requires: ECL 3
As a move action, you may teleport to a spot within 10ft and line of sight. At ECL 6, you no longer require line of sight.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex Mod rounds, minimum two.
Shimmer Step Requires: Distant Step, ECL 7
Distant Step’s range is increased to 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels.
Eagle Eyes (Ex)
You are an expert at surveying large areas. You double your sight range increments, and gain a bonus equal to a quarter of your character level plus two to spot checks.
See Deception (Ex) Requires: Eagle Eyes
You can tell when things are not right. You gain a +3 competence bonus to saves against illusion effects.
Expert Strike
Attacks you make add two to their final critical threat range, after all other effects.
I Got Perfection Requires: Expert Strike
Critical threats you achieve are automatically confirmed.
Some people houserule critical threats away - if so, remove this talent.
Find the Gap
As an attack action, the character makes a strike aimed for the chinks in the foe’s armour. If they hit, they ignore points of Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Resist, or other damage-reducing effects equal to twice their dexterity modifier, as well as dealing lethal damage regardless of regeneration.
After using this ability, the character may not use it again for 9-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Furious Flurry (Ex)
With lightning speed, you strike repeatedly. This talent allows you to make one additional attack in a full attack. After making a flurry, you may not use another one for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Impossible Balance (Ex)
You can stand on water and other liquids as if dry land.
Spidercat’s Grace Requires: Impossible Balance
You can stand on walls and ceilings without penalty.
Instant Dash
Sometimes, you need to move now. By using this ability as an immediate action, you gain an additional move action. On your next turn, you may not take any actions, as if dazed. This applies even if immune to dazing. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Instant Strike Requires: Instant Dash
When you use your Instant Dash ability, you gain an additional standard action instead.
Lightning Reload
A character with this talent can reload weapons incredibly quickly. He chooses a single weapon that usually requires a move action or longer to reload, such as crossbows, slings, or firearms. He may now reload the weapon as an action one degree easier-Instead of a move action, a swift action. Instead of a full round action, a move action.
A character may take this talent more than once, either to apply to additional weapons, or to increase his speed further. Taking this talent enough times for the same weapon that it is reduced past swift to a free action allows him to reload it freely, and therefore to make iterative attacks as his base attack bonus allows.
This stacks with similar effects, and counts as the Rapid Reload feat for the purpose of prerequisites.
Lightning Strike (Ex)
You gain the Skirmish ability, dealing 1d6 damage and gaining +1 AC, exactly like a Scout.
Bolt From The Blue (Ex): Requires: BAB +10, Lightning Strike
Your Skirmish ability increases to 2d6 damage and +2 AC.
Lost From Sight (Ex) Requires: Hide 8 ranks
You gain the Hide in Plain Sight ability. You may use the Hide skill in even the brightest and desolate areas, without need for concealment, and regardless of other beings watching you.
Meld Into Darkness (Su) Requires: Hide 8 ranks
While standing in an area of shadows, you may cast Invisibility on yourself, with your caster level equalling your character level. After this ability wears off, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod minutes, minimum two.
Vanish Into Aether Requires: Lost From Sight, Meld Into Darkness
You may use Meld Into Darkness regardless of the presence of shadows.
Move Like The Wind (Ex)
This talent renders you an expert at dodging. It grants a +1 dodge bonus to AC, and the Mobility feat, regardless of whether you meet the prerequisites. (This ability also counts as the Dodge feat for the purposes of prerequisites.)
Gale’s Vanguard (Ex) Requires: Move Like The Wind
When a character with this talent makes a charge attack, they do not need to move directly towards the target. They may move in any straight line that brings them within range of the foe at some point. This charge never provokes attacks of opportunity from the target. When using this ability, they may only move their normal speed, rather than doubling it. Like Spring Attack, you make your attack from any point in this move. This ability counts as Spring Attack, Shot on the Run, and Flyby Attack for purposes of prerequisites.
Twisting Gale Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When using Gale’s Vanguard’s special charge, you no longer need to move in a straight line.
One Step Ahead (Ex)
You gain the Evasion ability, as a rogue.
Not Even There (Ex): Requires: One Step Ahead or Evasion, base Reflex save +6
You gain the Improved Evasion ability, as a rogue.
Perfect Hunter (Ex)
You gain the Track feat as a bonus feat.
Perfected Weapon
As a ritual, taking one hour, you may bind a weapon to yourself. It gains a weapon enhancement bonus equal to a fifth of your class level, which may be any legal combination of weapon abilities and enhancement bonus, and cannot be changed. Abilities stack with actual abilities, and you use the higher enhancement bonus. This ability may not increase an enhancement bonus beyond five, or the total bonus beyond ten.
Applying this ritual to a new weapon removes the benefits on the old one, unless you could wield all enhanced weapons simultaneously.
Power Shot
You are an expert at applying your full strength. You add 0.5 to the Strength ratio of your weapon - so, for most ranged weapons, from Str mod to 1.5 Str mod.
In addition, if you have the Power Attack feat, you may use it with ranged weapons. Finally, all ranged weapons, including bows, allow you to apply your strength modifier to damage.
Rising Tide (Ex)
You strike repeatedly, each attack striking with greater force.
As a free action, you may make each attack you make until your next turn deal bonus damage equal to the number of attacks you have made since the beginning of your turn. After using Rising Tide, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
This includes attacks of opportunity, bonus full attacks, etcetera. It resets when a full round of actions have passed.
Uncanny Reflexes
You gain the Uncanny Dodge ability, as a rogue.
Perfect Paranoia Requires: Uncanny Reflexes, BAB+8
You gain Improved Uncanny Dodge, using your character level as your rogue level.
Unmarred Aim
You gain the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats as bonus feats, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Unrivalled Agility
Focussing on your speed, you gain a +2 competence bonus to your dexterity score.
Void Sheath
As a full round action, you may banish a weapon you own to an inaccessible extradimensional plane named Elsewhere. It is safe from all known effects there - only an ability that specifically references this ability or the name Elsewhere can interact with it.
You may recover the weapon as easily as drawing a weapon. Quick Draw applies.
You may not banish more weapons in this way than your dexterity modifier.
Most weapons can remain stored indefinitely, although they are freed by your death, but powerful artifacts are rarely content to be quiescent for long periods of time - and doing so with an artifact of enough importance is likely to cause a sudden increase in people trying to kill you.
This is intended to stop people simply using it as a safe deposit box for mcguffins. Magic wants to be free, and items want to be used.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
You gain the ability to improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use Wild Empathy, the character and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A character can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
You may use this ability while dismounted.
Beloved By Beast (Ex) Requires: Wild Empathy
Choose a single creature of the animal, vermin, or, with DM adjudication, Magical Beast type. This creature may be a swarm. It is treated as your Familiar, with your effective wizard level for this being equal to your character level minus the creature’s CR.
Expert Kiting: One per round, an Archer of level seven may take a 10ft step when he would normally be allowed to take a five foot step.
The Sniper
For an Archer, the Sniper is merely the continuation of their base class. They continue taking levels exactly as if levels 1-10 of Sniper were levels 11-20 of Archer, including having a single class level between the two.
Other classes may take Sniper levels as a prestige class, beginning with P1st, if they meet the following requirements.
Sniper Prerequisites
BAB: +10
Base Reflex Save: +7
Proficiency: Bows.
The Sniper has the same class chassis as the Archer, bad fort and will saves, good BaB and reflex saves, and 4 skill points per level.
Effortless Shot: A Sniper can make amazing shots effortlessly. Once per round, he may take 10 on an attack roll, as if it were a skill and he was under no stress.
Greater Bow Talent: At each level, a Sniper chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Archer list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 14
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Bolt Hail Requires: Crossbow Focus
You may reload any size crossbow that you are proficient with as a free action.
Chain Lightning (Ex) Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Eternal Hunt (Ex) Requires: Beloved By Beast
If your familiar is killed, you suffer two points of charisma damage. After 24 hours, you may spend 100gp and spend one hour in ritual. This ritual is a supernatural ability. Doing so returns your familiar to life, and allows this damage to be healed instantly.
Hunt’s Companion (Ex) Requires: Eternal Hunt
The character’s companion now also gains the benefits of being a Druid’s animal companion, at the same level. If it would gain the same benefit twice (Such as with Natural Armour), it gains the better.
Swarm Companions increase their swarm damage by 1d6 whenever their Strength adjustment reaches a multiple of two.
Face to Face Requires: Defensive Shot
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for using ranged weapons while in a threatened square.
Flawless Aim Requires: Perfect Aim
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to three dice.
Headshot Requires: Flawless Aim, BAB +15
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to four dice.
Grand Flurry Requires: Furious Flurry
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Living Artillery Requires: Power Shot
As a standard action, you may launch a single attack with such force that it ploughs through all enemies in its path. You deal normal damage, as if you had hit with a normal attack, to all foes in a line with length equal to your attack’s range increment. They are entitled to a reflex save to halve this damage.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Shadow Step Requires: Shimmer Step
You double the range of your Distant Step if you travel from and to an area of deep shadow.
Sight Beyond (Ex) Requires: See Deception
By using a full round action, you may cast an extraordinary True Seeing at will.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Laughing at Gravity Requires: Striding on the Sky
You no longer need to end and begin a round on the ground - you may walk in three dimensions at will.
Practiced Ease
Your Effortless Shot ability may now be used as many times in a round as you desire.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Tsunami Strikes Requires: Rising Tide
When using Rising Tide, each attack in a full attack after the second adds the previous two bonus damages together. This results in a series of five attacks dealing 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 bonus damage. Finally, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum one.
Note that this upgrade improves full attacks. Attacks made outside of full attacks do bonus damage only equal to their number in the chain.
Obviously, if you make more than one full attack, the base numbers that are added together will be higher.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes deal bonus damage even against foes normally immune to critical hits, although they do 50% of the original damage less than they normally would.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage.
Vengeful Shadow Requires: Meld Into Darkness
Your Invisibility ability is now Greater Invisibility.
Ghostly Presence Requires: Vengeful Shadow, Hide 18 ranks
You may now cast Ethereal Jaunt instead of Greater Invisibility. If you do, you may not do so again for 10-Dex mod hours.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After a foe is slain with this ability, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike, BAB +15
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
World Stride Requires: Shimmer Step
You may use Distant Step to move as far as ten miles per effective character level. You may even take allies with you, but you divide your maximum distance per step by the number of characters of your size that you take. You must either know your destination well, or else move ‘that way’ in a straight line.
Eternal Step Requires: World Stride, ECL 14
You may use Distant Step to mimic Plane Shift, although you have no control over where on the plane you appear.
Bowfaire (Ex): No-one is as skilled in the use of the bow as a Sniper. At tenth level, they increase the damage of attacks with bows of all types as if the weapon had increased by one size.
Emblem Bow Knight
‘For those whose reasoning is bent, I will straighten it with my bow.’
Background: A Bow Knight is a mounted figure who specialises in the use of the bow and the blade. Some prefer one or the other, while some wield both with equal puissance.
Races: Bow Knights are a perennial favourite amongst elves, as well as nomadic races. The Marissic in particular are notorious for their Bow Knights, despite the odd saddles they require.
Other Classes: Bow Knights form an odd middle ground between true cavalry and traditional archers. Their maneuverability and melee competence contrasts with the overwhelming skill of the swordmasters, and the subtlety of the sniper.
Role: A Bow Knight is a versatile character who can fight in both melee and ranged combat.
Bow Knights in the World: Bow Knights are well favoured in the military for the options they provide, as fast moving skirmishers that can fight in close or medium range.
Prerequisites
BAB: +10
Skill: Ride 13 ranks
Proficiencies: Bows, Swords
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills-The Bow Knight’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 4+ Int Modifier
Bow Knight
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0
Rally Skill, Nomad Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0
Nomad Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1
Nomad Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1
Nomad Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1
Nomad Talent
6th
+6
+2
+5
+2
Nomad Talent
7th
+7
+2
+5
+2
Nomad Talent
8th
+8
+2
+6
+2
Nomad Talent
9th
+9
+3
+6
+3
Nomad Talent
10th
+10
+3
+7
+3
Bowbreaker, Nomad Talent
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Bow Knight is proficient with bows and with swords.
Mounted: A Bow Knight and their mount are treated as one being. If they are separated, danger will bring the other running at almost impossible speed.
A Bow Knight may mount or dismount as a swift action.
While mounted, a Bow Knight gains +2hp per character level, and splits his HP evenly into three pools. When the first two are depleted, his mount is injured, and he must dismount, and cannot get onto his steed again until the encounter has passed and the mount has been healed. A mount cannot be killed unless the rider is also killed.
While mounted, they gain +1 natural armour. Their base land speed is increased to 60ft. They are treated as mounted, when it matters, and they possess two hoof attacks, each doing 1d6+1.5Str mod damage. These are secondary attacks.
Rally Skill: As a standard action, a Bow Knight can rally allies within 30ft, granting them a +5 morale bonus to Dexterity for five rounds. This ability may be used while dismounted.
Nomad Talent At each level, a Bow Knight chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Archer or Mercenary list*, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
*As the Mercenary class doesn’t exist yet, this class is looking a little sorry. Apologies for that.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 13
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Blade Avatar Requires: Blade Mastery, Perfect Blade Aegis, Character level 19
You may choose a single martial maneuver or stance you qualify for. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Bolt Hail Requires: Crossbow Focus
You may reload any size crossbow that you are proficient with as a free action.
Chain Lightning (Ex): Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Dance of Bow and Blade (Ex)
If you are wielding a weapon, you may immediately store it and draw a different weapon as a free action.
Deep Cuts Requires: A Thousand Cuts
Weapons you wield are treated as if they had the Wounding property.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Flawless Aim Requires: Perfect Aim, BAB+15
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to three dice.
Grand Flurry Requires: Flurry of Strikes
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
As a side benefit, the character gains the Pounce ability.
This talent is compatible with Spiral Strike, although the whirlwind attack is made from a single square during the movement.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Trail of Death Requires: Bloodletting
By declaring the use of this ability, whenever you use your cleave ability that round, you may immediately move your speed before making your free attack. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes deal bonus damage even against foes normally immune to critical hits, although they do 50% of the original damage less than they normally would.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After a foe is slain with this ability, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike, BAB +15
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
Bowbreaker (Ex)
The 10th level Bow Knight is a master of defeating other archers. When attacking anyone who made a ranged attack roll since his last turn, he deals increased damage as if his weapon were increased by one size.
‘I only need one shot.’ – An ice aligned archer named Ashe.
Background: An archer eschews melee combat, instead focusing on the art of killing at a distance.
Races: Elves are known for their skill at archery, and all races with natural flight find the path melds well with their abilities. Orcs, ogres, and other races of a physical bent rarely take archery seriously, using it as a weapon, rather than dedicating themselves to it.
Other Classes: Archers require an effective frontline, since they can’t take a hit.
Role: An Archer is a skilled combatant, capable of unleashing impressive damage at medium range. If alone, they can suffer horribly, having few defensive abilities.
Archers in the World: Archers are incredibly common, being one of few classes which are both relatively simple to learn, compared to the arts of the mage, and effective at an extreme distance. They serve in armies, as guards, as adventurers. Wherever you find battle, you will find archers.
Inspiration: Fire Emblem.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6
All Emblem classes have the same starting gold and age – their ranks vary wildly.
Class Skills-The Archer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
The Archer and the Sniper
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0
Between the Plates, Bow Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0
Bow Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1
Bow Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1
Bow Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1
Bow Talent
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+2
Bow Talent
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+2
Expert Kiting, Bow Talent
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+2
Bow Talent
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+3
Bow Talent
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+3
Bow Talent
P1st
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+3
Effortless Shot, Greater Bow Talent
2nd
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+4
Greater Bow Talent
3rd
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+4
Greater Bow Talent
4th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+4
Greater Bow Talent
5th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+5
Greater Bow Talent
6th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+5
Greater Bow Talent
7th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Greater Bow Talent
8th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
Greater Bow Talent
9th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
Greater Bow Talent
10th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6
Greater Bow Talent, Bowfaire
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Archer is proficient with all types of any one type of ranged weapon of her choice (usually bows), and with light armor.
Between the Plates: An Archer’s strikes are perfectly aimed, striking the most effective location every time. She deals bonus precision damage equal to her dexterity modifier.
Bow Talents: At each level, an Archer chooses a Talent from the following list.
Blade Expertise Requires: Character level 6, DM Adjudication
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than two. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to five talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels.
Coiled Blade Approach Requires: Blade Expertise
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than three. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Secrets Requires: Blade Expertise, Character level 10
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than four. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making nine.
Blade of Shadows
You gain Sneak Attack 1d6, exactly as the rogue ability.
Assassin’s Strike Requires: BAB +10, Blade of Shadows
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 2d6 damage.
Deadly Precision
You gain Precision Targeting (1), exactly as the Shrewd Tactician ability.
Wait, That Class Doesn’t Properly Exist Yet
Call it a preview.
Precision Targeting (Ex): By taking time to aim for soft spots,
you deal bonus damage dice to your target. The size of these damage
dice depends on the time spent aiming. This aiming process can be
interrupted by damage much like spellcasting, and provokes attacks of
opportunity.
By using a move action on this ability, your next attack deals bonus d3
damage dice.
By using a full round action on this ability, your next attack deals
bonus d6 damage dice.
By using one entire round on this ability, your next attack deals bonus
d8 damage dice.
Careful Aim Requires: Deadly Precision
Your Precision Targeting ability no longer provokes attacks of opportunity to use.
Perfect Aim Requires: BAB +6, Deadly Precision.
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to two dice.
Dancing On The Sky
Your agility surpasses all others. You gain a competence bonus to all movement speeds, as well as to Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks, equal to 10, plus 10 more for each seven effective character levels you possess.
Ability stolen from Jiriku’s monk fix.
Defensive Shot
You gain a +2 untyped bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity triggered by using a ranged weapon in a threatened square.
Execution Style Requires: Defensive Shot
When using a ranged weapon to shoot a foe 5ft or less from you, you may add your Strength modifier to the damage dealt, as well as a bonus of 1+1/4 of your ECL.
Distracting Flurry Requires: Defensive Shot
When you make a full attack with a ranged weapon that targets an enemy 5ft or less away from you, you gain a dodge bonus against that foe, as your foe is distracted from your rapid bombardment, and is therefore unable to attack you efficiently. The bonus is equal to 1+1/4 of your ECL.
Making Mistakes Requires: Distracting Flurry
When you use your Distracting Flurry ability, instead of you gaining a dodge bonus, the foe suffers the same amount as a penalty on attack rolls, regardless of who they target, until the beginning of your next turn.
Face to Face (Crossbows) Requires: Defensive Shot
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for using crossbows while in a threatened square. If you take the full version of Face to Face, you may trade this talent for another non-greater bow talent.
Distant Step Requires: ECL 3
As a move action, you may teleport to a spot within 10ft and line of sight. At ECL 6, you no longer require line of sight.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex Mod rounds, minimum two.
Shimmer Step Requires: Distant Step, ECL 7
Distant Step’s range is increased to 25ft+5ft per two effective character levels.
Eagle Eyes (Ex)
You are an expert at surveying large areas. You double your sight range increments, and gain a bonus equal to a quarter of your character level plus two to spot checks.
See Deception (Ex) Requires: Eagle Eyes
You can tell when things are not right. You gain a +3 competence bonus to saves against illusion effects.
Expert Strike
Attacks you make add two to their final critical threat range, after all other effects.
I Got Perfection Requires: Expert Strike
Critical threats you achieve are automatically confirmed.
Some people houserule critical threats away - if so, remove this talent.
Find the Gap
As an attack action, the character makes a strike aimed for the chinks in the foe’s armour. If they hit, they ignore points of Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Resist, or other damage-reducing effects equal to twice their dexterity modifier, as well as dealing lethal damage regardless of regeneration.
After using this ability, the character may not use it again for 9-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Furious Flurry (Ex)
With lightning speed, you strike repeatedly. This talent allows you to make one additional attack in a full attack. After making a flurry, you may not use another one for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Impossible Balance (Ex)
You can stand on water and other liquids as if dry land.
Spidercat’s Grace Requires: Impossible Balance
You can stand on walls and ceilings without penalty.
Instant Dash
Sometimes, you need to move now. By using this ability as an immediate action, you gain an additional move action. On your next turn, you may not take any actions, as if dazed. This applies even if immune to dazing. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Instant Strike Requires: Instant Dash
When you use your Instant Dash ability, you gain an additional standard action instead.
Lightning Reload
A character with this talent can reload weapons incredibly quickly. He chooses a single weapon that usually requires a move action or longer to reload, such as crossbows, slings, or firearms. He may now reload the weapon as an action one degree easier-Instead of a move action, a swift action. Instead of a full round action, a move action.
A character may take this talent more than once, either to apply to additional weapons, or to increase his speed further. Taking this talent enough times for the same weapon that it is reduced past swift to a free action allows him to reload it freely, and therefore to make iterative attacks as his base attack bonus allows.
This stacks with similar effects, and counts as the Rapid Reload feat for the purpose of prerequisites.
Lightning Strike (Ex)
You gain the Skirmish ability, dealing 1d6 damage and gaining +1 AC, exactly like a Scout.
Bolt From The Blue (Ex): Requires: BAB +10, Lightning Strike
Your Skirmish ability increases to 2d6 damage and +2 AC.
Lost From Sight (Ex) Requires: Hide 8 ranks
You gain the Hide in Plain Sight ability. You may use the Hide skill in even the brightest and desolate areas, without need for concealment, and regardless of other beings watching you.
Meld Into Darkness (Su) Requires: Hide 8 ranks
While standing in an area of shadows, you may cast Invisibility on yourself, with your caster level equalling your character level. After this ability wears off, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod minutes, minimum two.
Vanish Into Aether Requires: Lost From Sight, Meld Into Darkness
You may use Meld Into Darkness regardless of the presence of shadows.
Move Like The Wind (Ex)
This talent renders you an expert at dodging. It grants a +1 dodge bonus to AC, and the Mobility feat, regardless of whether you meet the prerequisites. (This ability also counts as the Dodge feat for the purposes of prerequisites.)
Gale’s Vanguard (Ex) Requires: Move Like The Wind
When a character with this talent makes a charge attack, they do not need to move directly towards the target. They may move in any straight line that brings them within range of the foe at some point. This charge never provokes attacks of opportunity from the target. When using this ability, they may only move their normal speed, rather than doubling it. Like Spring Attack, you make your attack from any point in this move. This ability counts as Spring Attack, Shot on the Run, and Flyby Attack for purposes of prerequisites.
Twisting Gale Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When using Gale’s Vanguard’s special charge, you no longer need to move in a straight line.
One Step Ahead (Ex)
You gain the Evasion ability, as a rogue.
Not Even There (Ex): Requires: One Step Ahead or Evasion, base Reflex save +6
You gain the Improved Evasion ability, as a rogue.
Perfect Hunter (Ex)
You gain the Track feat as a bonus feat.
Perfected Weapon
As a ritual, taking one hour, you may bind a weapon to yourself. It gains a weapon enhancement bonus equal to a fifth of your class level, which may be any legal combination of weapon abilities and enhancement bonus, and cannot be changed. Abilities stack with actual abilities, and you use the higher enhancement bonus. This ability may not increase an enhancement bonus beyond five, or the total bonus beyond ten.
Applying this ritual to a new weapon removes the benefits on the old one, unless you could wield all enhanced weapons simultaneously.
Power Shot
You are an expert at applying your full strength. You add 0.5 to the Strength ratio of your weapon - so, for most ranged weapons, from Str mod to 1.5 Str mod.
In addition, if you have the Power Attack feat, you may use it with ranged weapons. Finally, all ranged weapons, including bows, allow you to apply your strength modifier to damage.
Rising Tide (Ex)
You strike repeatedly, each attack striking with greater force.
As a free action, you may make each attack you make until your next turn deal bonus damage equal to the number of attacks you have made since the beginning of your turn. After using Rising Tide, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
This includes attacks of opportunity, bonus full attacks, etcetera. It resets when a full round of actions have passed.
Uncanny Reflexes
You gain the Uncanny Dodge ability, as a rogue.
Perfect Paranoia Requires: Uncanny Reflexes, BAB+8
You gain Improved Uncanny Dodge, using your character level as your rogue level.
Unmarred Aim
You gain the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats as bonus feats, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Unrivalled Agility
Focussing on your speed, you gain a +2 competence bonus to your dexterity score.
Void Sheath
As a full round action, you may banish a weapon you own to an inaccessible extradimensional plane named Elsewhere. It is safe from all known effects there - only an ability that specifically references this ability or the name Elsewhere can interact with it.
You may recover the weapon as easily as drawing a weapon. Quick Draw applies.
You may not banish more weapons in this way than your dexterity modifier.
Most weapons can remain stored indefinitely, although they are freed by your death, but powerful artifacts are rarely content to be quiescent for long periods of time - and doing so with an artifact of enough importance is likely to cause a sudden increase in people trying to kill you.
This is intended to stop people simply using it as a safe deposit box for mcguffins. Magic wants to be free, and items want to be used.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
You gain the ability to improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use Wild Empathy, the character and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A character can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
You may use this ability while dismounted.
Beloved By Beast (Ex) Requires: Wild Empathy
Choose a single creature of the animal, vermin, or, with DM adjudication, Magical Beast type. This creature may be a swarm. It is treated as your Familiar, with your effective wizard level for this being equal to your character level minus the creature’s CR.
Expert Kiting: One per round, an Archer of level seven may take a 10ft step when he would normally be allowed to take a five foot step.
The Sniper
For an Archer, the Sniper is merely the continuation of their base class. They continue taking levels exactly as if levels 1-10 of Sniper were levels 11-20 of Archer, including having a single class level between the two.
Other classes may take Sniper levels as a prestige class, beginning with P1st, if they meet the following requirements.
Sniper Prerequisites
BAB: +10
Base Reflex Save: +7
Proficiency: Bows.
The Sniper has the same class chassis as the Archer, bad fort and will saves, good BaB and reflex saves, and 4 skill points per level.
Effortless Shot: A Sniper can make amazing shots effortlessly. Once per round, he may take 10 on an attack roll, as if it were a skill and he was under no stress.
Greater Bow Talent: At each level, a Sniper chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Archer list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 14
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You my use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 18
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Bolt Hail Requires: Crossbow Focus
You may reload any size crossbow that you are proficient with as a free action.
Chain Lightning (Ex) Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Eternal Hunt (Ex) Requires: Beloved By Beast
If your familiar is killed, you suffer two points of charisma damage. After 24 hours, you may spend 100gp and spend one hour in ritual. This ritual is a supernatural ability. Doing so returns your familiar to life, and allows this damage to be healed instantly.
Hunt’s Companion (Ex) Requires: Eternal Hunt
The character’s companion now also gains the benefits of being a Druid’s animal companion, at the same level. If it would gain the same benefit twice (Such as with Natural Armour), it gains the better.
Swarm Companions increase their swarm damage by 1d6 whenever their Strength adjustment reaches a multiple of two.
Face to Face Requires: Defensive Shot
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for using ranged weapons while in a threatened square.
Flawless Aim Requires: Perfect Aim
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to three dice.
Headshot Requires: Flawless Aim, BAB +15
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to four dice.
Grand Flurry Requires: Furious Flurry
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Living Artillery Requires: Power Shot
As a standard action, you may launch a single attack with such force that it ploughs through all enemies in its path. You deal normal damage, as if you had hit with a normal attack, to all foes in a line with length equal to your attack’s range increment. They are entitled to a reflex save to halve this damage.
After using this ability, you may not use it again for 10-Dex mod rounds.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Shadow Step Requires: Shimmer Step
You double the range of your Distant Step if you travel from and to an area of deep shadow.
Sight Beyond (Ex) Requires: See Deception
By using a full round action, you may cast an extraordinary True Seeing at will.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Laughing at Gravity Requires: Striding on the Sky
You no longer need to end and begin a round on the ground - you may walk in three dimensions at will.
Practiced Ease
Your Effortless Shot ability may now be used as many times in a round as you desire.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Tsunami Strikes Requires: Rising Tide
When using Rising Tide, each attack in a full attack after the second adds the previous two bonus damages together. This results in a series of five attacks dealing 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 bonus damage. Finally, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum one.
Note that this upgrade improves full attacks. Attacks made outside of full attacks do bonus damage only equal to their number in the chain.
Obviously, if you make more than one full attack, the base numbers that are added together will be higher.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes deal bonus damage even against foes normally immune to critical hits, although they do 50% of the original damage less than they normally would.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage.
Vengeful Shadow Requires: Meld Into Darkness
Your Invisibility ability is now Greater Invisibility.
Ghostly Presence Requires: Vengeful Shadow, Hide 18 ranks
You may now cast Ethereal Jaunt instead of Greater Invisibility. If you do, you may not do so again for 10-Dex mod hours.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After a foe is slain with this ability, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike, BAB +15
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
World Stride Requires: Shimmer Step
You may use Distant Step to move as far as ten miles per effective character level. You may even take allies with you, but you divide your maximum distance per step by the number of characters of your size that you take. You must either know your destination well, or else move ‘that way’ in a straight line.
Eternal Step Requires: World Stride, ECL 14
You may use Distant Step to mimic Plane Shift, although you have no control over where on the plane you appear.
Bowfaire (Ex): No-one is as skilled in the use of the bow as a Sniper. At tenth level, they increase the damage of attacks with bows of all types as if the weapon had increased by one size.
Emblem Bow Knight
‘For those whose reasoning is bent, I will straighten it with my bow.’
Background: A Bow Knight is a mounted figure who specialises in the use of the bow and the blade. Some prefer one or the other, while some wield both with equal puissance.
Races: Bow Knights are a perennial favourite amongst elves, as well as nomadic races. The Marissic in particular are notorious for their Bow Knights, despite the odd saddles they require.
Other Classes: Bow Knights form an odd middle ground between true cavalry and traditional archers. Their maneuverability and melee competence contrasts with the overwhelming skill of the swordmasters, and the subtlety of the sniper.
Role: A Bow Knight is a versatile character who can fight in both melee and ranged combat.
Bow Knights in the World: Bow Knights are well favoured in the military for the options they provide, as fast moving skirmishers that can fight in close or medium range.
Prerequisites
BAB: +10
Skill: Ride 13 ranks
Proficiencies: Bows, Swords
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills-The Bow Knight’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 4+ Int Modifier
Bow Knight
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0
Rally Skill, Nomad Talent
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0
Nomad Talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1
Nomad Talent
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1
Nomad Talent
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1
Nomad Talent
6th
+6
+2
+5
+2
Nomad Talent
7th
+7
+2
+5
+2
Nomad Talent
8th
+8
+2
+6
+2
Nomad Talent
9th
+9
+3
+6
+3
Nomad Talent
10th
+10
+3
+7
+3
Bowbreaker, Nomad Talent
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Bow Knight is proficient with bows and with swords.
Mounted: A Bow Knight and their mount are treated as one being. If they are separated, danger will bring the other running at almost impossible speed.
A Bow Knight may mount or dismount as a swift action.
While mounted, a Bow Knight gains +2hp per character level, and splits his HP evenly into three pools. When the first two are depleted, his mount is injured, and he must dismount, and cannot get onto his steed again until the encounter has passed and the mount has been healed. A mount cannot be killed unless the rider is also killed.
While mounted, they gain +1 natural armour. Their base land speed is increased to 60ft. They are treated as mounted, when it matters, and they possess two hoof attacks, each doing 1d6+1.5Str mod damage. These are secondary attacks.
Rally Skill: As a standard action, a Bow Knight can rally allies within 30ft, granting them a +5 morale bonus to Dexterity for five rounds. This ability may be used while dismounted.
Nomad Talent At each level, a Bow Knight chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Archer or Mercenary list*, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
*As the Mercenary class doesn’t exist yet, this class is looking a little sorry. Apologies for that.
Blade Mastery Requires: Blade Secrets, Character level 13
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than six. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making thirteen.
Perfect Blade Aegis Requires: Blade Mastery, Coiled Blade Approach, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial stance you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Blade Magic Requires: Blade Mastery, Character level 17
You may choose a single martial maneuver you qualify for, with level no higher than eight. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
Up to four more talent class levels you possess now count as full initiator levels, usually making seventeen.
Blade Avatar Requires: Blade Mastery, Perfect Blade Aegis, Character level 19
You may choose a single martial maneuver or stance you qualify for. You may use it. To refresh this maneuver you must concentrate for one minute. If you have or later gain a normal maneuver progression, you may use these maneuvers as if they were granted by that class, including replacing them with later maneuvers if you so wish. If you do, add one to your maneuvers readied.
One more talent class level you possess counts as a full initiator level.
Bolt Hail Requires: Crossbow Focus
You may reload any size crossbow that you are proficient with as a free action.
Chain Lightning (Ex): Requires: Bolt From The Blue, BAB +15
Your Skirmish ability increases to 3d6 damage and +3 AC.
Dance of Bow and Blade (Ex)
If you are wielding a weapon, you may immediately store it and draw a different weapon as a free action.
Deep Cuts Requires: A Thousand Cuts
Weapons you wield are treated as if they had the Wounding property.
Eternal Alacrity Requires: Unrivalled Agility
Your training reaches a peak. Your bonus to Dexterity is increased to +4.
Flawless Aim Requires: Perfect Aim, BAB+15
Your Precision Targeting ability increases to three dice.
Grand Flurry Requires: Flurry of Strikes
Your ability to strike repeatedly is without equal. You may now make a second additional attack in a full attack when making a flurry. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Hurricane Point Requires: Gale’s Vanguard
When you use Gale’s Vanguard, you may make a second attack, at -5 to the attack roll, as if an iterative attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
Typhoon’s Path Requires: Hurricane Point
When using Gale’s Vanguard, you may make as many attacks during your movement as you could in a full attack. They do not need to be against the same target, or from the same point.
As a side benefit, the character gains the Pounce ability.
This talent is compatible with Spiral Strike, although the whirlwind attack is made from a single square during the movement.
Pinhole Strike Requires: Find the Gap
When the character uses Find the Gap, they ignore all points of applicable defensive abilities. In addition, they reduce the cooldown of this ability by two, minimum one.
Striding on the Sky Requires: Spidercat’s Grace
You can walk and stand on air as if it were land as you wish, although you must start and end each round on the ground.
Sudden Storm Requires: Instant Strike
When you use your instant strike ability, you can unleash a flurry of action. You gain a full round of bonus actions instead of just a standard action.
A Momentary Forever Requires: Sudden Storm, BAB+17
When using Instant Dash, you gain up to 1d4+1 additional rounds of actions. However, when they end, you remain unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the additional rounds you gained from this ability.
Trail of Death Requires: Bloodletting
By declaring the use of this ability, whenever you use your cleave ability that round, you may immediately move your speed before making your free attack. After using this ability, you may not use it again for 25-Dex mod rounds, minimum two.
Undead’s Bane Requires: Expert Strike
Your critical strikes deal bonus damage even against foes normally immune to critical hits, although they do 50% of the original damage less than they normally would.
So, with a normal (x2) weapon, they do a total of 1.5x base damage.
Vicious Blow Requires: Expert Strike
Add one to the critical damage multiplier of your attacks.
One Strike Requires: Vicious Blow
As a free action, you may have a foe who takes at least one damage from one of your critical hits pass a Reflex save, or die. This effect does not apply to foes immune to critical hits, even if you have Undead’s Bane. After a foe is slain with this ability, you cannot activate it again until you have made 10-Dex mod critical hits, minimum two.
Unseen Killer Requires: Assassin’s Strike, BAB +15
Your Sneak Attack ability increases to 3d6 damage.
Bowbreaker (Ex)
The 10th level Bow Knight is a master of defeating other archers. When attacking anyone who made a ranged attack roll since his last turn, he deals increased damage as if his weapon were increased by one size.