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Milo v3
2015-08-13, 12:24 AM
The Champion
Nearly all warriors focus towards mastering a single style of combat, fighters and rangers especially specialize in specific categories of weaponry. But none have the focus of a champion. These warriors are the supreme masters of a combat style, to the extent where their fighting could be treated as art. Because of it's dramatic flair, many aristocratic warriors end up as champion.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp)



Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Elegant Weapon


1st
+1
+2
+2
+0
1st favoured weapon, elegant weapon, stylish warrior, weapon focus
1d6


2nd
+2
+3
+3
+0
Certain victory, combat style feat, minor favours
1d6


3rd
+3
+3
+3
+1
Duel master, stylish flair
1d6


4th
+4
+4
+4
+1
Coordinate +1, critical inspiration, +1 style ability
1d8


5th
+5
+4
+4
+1
2nd favoured weapon, elegant parry, enthusiasm 1
1d8


6th
+6/+1
+5
+5
+2
Combat style feat, dramatic finish
1d8


7th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+2
Favours, shield of experience
1d10


8th
+8/+3
+6
+6
+2
+2 style ability, coordinate +2, expanded inspiration
1d10


9th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+3
Evasion, noble bearing
1d10


10th
+10/+5
+7
+7
+3
3rd favoured weapon, combat style feat
2d6


11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+7
+3
Enthusiasm 2, personal army
2d6


12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+8
+4
Coordinate +3, Greater certain victory
2d6


13th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+8
+4
+3 style ability, improved shield of experience
2d8


14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+9
+4
Combat style feat, expanded favours
2d8


15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+9
+5
4th favoured weapon, influential
2d8


16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+10
+5
Coordinate +4, improved evasion
3d6


17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+5
Enthusiasm 3, terrifying influence
3d6


18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+11
+6
+4 style ability, combat style feat
3d6


19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+6
Perfect army, true duel mastery
3d8


20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+6
5th favoured weapon, coordinate +5, true champion
3d8



Class Skills
The champion's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following are the class features of the Champion.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A champion is proficient with all simple weapons, martial weapons from a single weapon group of your choice, and an exotic weapon of your choice from the weapon group you selected for martial weapons. A champion is proficient with light armour, medium armour, and shields (except tower shields).

Favoured Weapon (Ex): At 1st level, a champion selects a weapon from the weapon group you selected as part of your proficiencies. He gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls, combat manoeuvre checks, and intimidation checks while using that weapon. In addition, these bonuses double against enemies wielding a weapon you have favoured. A champion may make Appraise, Knowledge, and Spellcraft skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these weapons, their worth and their magical properties.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the champion may select an additional favoured weapon. In addition, at each such interval, the +1 bonus when using one of your favoured weapons (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +1.

If you have selected a natural weapon as a favoured weapon, you only get the bonus on attack and damage rolls against people wielding your favoured weapon if they have attacked with said natural weapon within the previous minute.

Elegant Weapon (Ex): Champions wield their chosen weapons with so much skill they can inflict more destruction than people normally expect. Whenever the champion hits with his favoured weapon, the weapon damage is based on his level and not the weapon type. The damage for Medium champions is listed on the table above. The champion can decide to use the weapon's base damage instead of the elegant weapon damage—this must be declared before the attack roll is made. (If the weapon's base damage exceeds the elegant weapon damage, its damage is unchanged.) This increase in damage does not affect any other aspect of the weapon, and doesn't apply to alchemical items, bombs, or other weapons that only deal energy damage.

Stylish Warrior (Ex): When the champion would make a performance combat check, he can use his ranks in the Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nobility) or Profession (Soldier) skill instead of using ranks in the Perform (act), Perform (comedy), or Perform (dance) to determine his bonus to the performance combat check. If you use Knowledge (Nobility) as the skill for this check, the check may be intelligence based instead of charisma based. If you use Profession (Soldier) as the skill for this check, the check may be wisdom based instead of charisma based.

Weapon Focus: All champions gain the Weapon Focus feat as a bonus feat, but it's benefits apply to all of your Favoured Weapons rather than a specific weapon. In addition for the purposes of meeting prerequisites of feats with weapon focus as a prerequisite, the champion's class levels count as fighter levels.

Certain Victory (Ex): At 2nd level, when a champion begins a performance combat, he always starts with at least 1 victory point. If he already has victory points, he gains 1 extra victory point.

Combat Style Feat (Ex): At 2nd level, a champion must select one combat style to pursue from the ranger's list of combat styles. The champion's expertise manifests in the form of bonus feats at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.

The benefits of the champion's chosen style feats apply only when he wears light, medium, or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style feats when wearing heavy armour. Once a champion selects a combat style, it cannot be changed without retraining.

Minor Favours (Ex): A number of times per week equal to half his class level, the champion can pull favours and use his influence to his advantage as a free action, gaining a +10 bonus on a charisma based check he is currently making.

Duel Master (Ex): Upon reaching third level, a champion gains an additional immediate action each turn, that many only be used to make duel dodges and duelling parries. If using the materials from the Path of War books, this abilities immediate action may also be used to initiate counter manoeuvres.

Stylish Flair (Ex): The artistic nature of a champion's fighting style makes it hard for people to predict his actions. At third level the champion gains Improved Feint as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites, and may treat his base attack bonus as his bluff ranks when performing a feint.

Coordinate (Ex): At 4th level, champions are better at coordinating allies than most. When he makes an aid other action, the bonus granted from it being successful is increased by +1 per 4 class levels he possesses.

Critical Inspiration (Ex): As a champion fights victoriously, it is so impressive that it inspires those around him. Whenever a 4th level champion successfully confirms a critical hit, hits with every attack in a full attack, or kills an opponent through massive damage he gains a critical point. The champion can have a maximum number of critical points equal to his class level at any one time, and all critical points currently possessed are lost after one minute that lacks combat.

When the champion possesses a single critical point, all allies within 30 ft. gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls against enemies he has successful hit during this encounter. When the champion possessed 4 or more critical points, this bonus increases by +1 for every four critical points he currently possesses.

Style Abilities (Su): Upon attaining fourth level, the champion's style starts to bleed into his weaponry. Up to once per week you can spend an hour on weapon drills and practice to select a number of magical weapon special abilities with a total worth of +1 enhancement bonus. Favoured weapons you wield gain the selected special abilities whenever you possess at least two critical points. In addition, you can activate weapon special abilities that require a command with a free action rather than a standard action if the weapon special ability was granted by this class feature. At 8th, 13th, and 18th level the total worth of special abilities granted by this ability increase +1.

If this ability would attempt to apply a special ability to a weapon that already possesses that special ability, that weapon instead gains an enhancement bonus equal to the worth of the special ability, which stacks with the weapons existent enhancement bonus to a maximum of +5.

Elegant Parry (Ex): A 5th level champion can use the duelling parry action to parry firearm attacks and spells that require attack rolls to hit. In addition when he is not currently in a duel, the champion can expend a critical point as a swift action to allow him to make duelling parries as if he was in a duel for a number of rounds equal to his charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Enthusiasm (Ex): Whenever a fifth level champion rolls initiative at the start of combat, he gains a single critical point. This increases by 1 at 11th and 17th level.

Dramatic Finish (Ex): Upon reaching 6th level the champion gains vital strike as a bonus feat, and can expend any number of critical points when making a vital strike to multiply the damage one additional time per critical point spent.

Favours (Su): At 7th level, the champion can use his influence to his benefit. A number of times per month equal to his charisma modifier (minimum 1), the champion can expend this ability for one of the following benefits:

Connections: The champion can expend a use of this ability as part of a diplomacy check to gather information to gain the benefits of a divination effect. The effective caster level of this divination effect equal to double his class level.
Convincing: The champion can expend a use of this ability as part of using the persuasive favour to increase the will save DC by +10.
Persuasive: The champion can expend a use of this ability as part of spending 10 minutes requesting an individual to do a favour for you, to cause the target to have to make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 champion level + charisma modifier) or be affected by a geas/quest effect with an effective caster level equal to your class level.
Reputation: The champion can expend a use of this ability as a free action to gain a +20 circumstance bonus on the next charisma based skill check he makes against an individual that is aware of his reputation or skills.


Shield of Experience (Ex): At seventh level, the champion can use his knowledge of his fighting style to protect himself from similar styles. Whenever he would be attacked by a weapon from the same weapon group he selected as part of his weapon proficiencies, he gains a +4 dodge bonus to armour class against that attack and doesn't take the -5 penalty on the attack roll made as part of duelling parries he makes against that attack. This ability applies only when he wears light, medium, or no armour. He loses all benefits of this ability when wearing heavy armour.

Expanded Inspiration (Ex): When an eighth level champion possesses two or more critical points, all allies within 30 ft. gain a +1 morale bonus on damage rolls against enemies he has successful hit during this encounter. When the champion possessed 5 or more critical points, this bonus increases by +1 for every five critical points he currently possesses.

Evasion (Ex): When he reaches 9th level, a champion can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor. A helpless champion does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Noble Bearing (Ex): Upon reaching 9th level champions gain a bonus on all charisma based skill checks except for disguise, equal to his highest physical ability score modifier (strength, dexterity, or constitution), when used against creatures aware of your reputation or skill.

In addition, whenever you would gain a critical point as a result of making an attack, you can choose to not gain that critical point to attempt to either demoralize a creature within 30 ft. that can clearly heard or saw the attack, or to gain a +5 bonus on diplomacy checks for 10 minutes against all creatures that could clearly hear or see the attack.

Personal Army (Ex): At 11th level a champion gains a personal army of followers, gaining Leadership as a bonus feat. In addition, the champion can expend a critical point as a standard action to declare an individual creature within 100 ft. as the enemy of his army, granting the followers and cohort gained from the leadership feat a +4 morale bonus on attack rolls against that individual. A champion's personal army can have no more than one enemy in this way at a time. He can dismiss this bonus at any time as a free action, but he cannot select a new enemy for 24 hours. If the champion sees proof that his enemy is dead, he can select a new enemy after waiting 1 hour.

Greater Certain Victory (Ex): At 12th level, when a champion begins a performance combat, he always starts with at least 2 victory points. If he already has victory points, he gains 2 extra victory points. This overlaps with rather than stacks with certain victory.

Improved Shield of Experience (Ex): When a 13th level champion would gain a dodge bonus from the shield of experience ability, that dodge bonus is increased to +8.

Expanded Favours (Su): A fourteenth level champion can use his favours ability a number of times per week equal to his charisma modifier (minimum 1), rather than replenishing each month.

Influential (Ex): When a champion of 15th level is earning or purchasing influence through the downtime system, the costs of earning or purchasing influence is reduced to 5 gp and 10 gp respectively. In addition settlements count as two sizes larger for the purposes of determining how many goods, influence and labour you can expend each day.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 16th level, a champion's evasion improves. This ability works like evasion, except that while the champion still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless champion does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Terrifying Influence (Su): The idea of having a champion that has reached 17th level as an enemy is terrifying. The champion gains the frightful presence ability with a range of 1 mile per charisma score bonus (minimum 1 mile), that lasts for 5d6 rounds, has a DC of 10+1/2 class level+charisma modifier, and inflicts the frightened condition on a failed save. Unlike normal frightful presence, this ability affects any enemy currently within the abilities range who becomes aware of the activating action having taken place rather than being limited to only the enemies who witness the action.

Perfect Army (Su): Any army lead by a 19th level champion treats it's size as one larger for determining it's ACR. In addition, all of the champion's followers gain proficiency with your favoured weapons.

True Duel Master (Ex): Upon reaching 19th level, a champion gains another additional immediate action each turn, that many only be used to make duel dodges and duelling parries. If using the materials from the Path of War books, this abilities immediate action may also be used to initiate counter manoeuvres.

In addition, whenever the champion's duelling parry attempt would only be a failure if the champion rolled a 1, it is automatically a success and does not consume an immediate action.

True Champion (Su): Whenever a 20th level champion would make a critical confirmation roll when making an attack with a favoured weapon, roll the confirmation roll twice and take the higher result. In addition, the champion gains a bonus to his leadership score equal to his highest physical ability score modifier (strength, dexterity, or constitution). Finally, the champion can use his favours ability a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier (minimum 1), rather than replenishing each week.

nonsi
2015-08-13, 03:00 AM
.
Elegant Weapon is strange in design.
If you're using a dagger, you benefit from it starting at 1st level.
If you're using a greatsword, you won't benefit from it until you reach 13th.

You also didn't mention if additional favored weapons allow you to choose a new group, or is the character stuck with his 1st level choice.

Milo v3
2015-08-13, 04:14 AM
.
Elegant Weapon is strange in design.
If you're using a dagger, you benefit from it starting at 1st level.
If you're using a greatsword, you won't benefit from it until you reach 13th.
The intent is mainly for allowing people to use crappy weapons without it automatically sucking, that's it working as intended.


You also didn't mention if additional favored weapons allow you to choose a new group, or is the character stuck with his 1st level choice.
Your stuck with the same weapon group, otherwise there would be no point choosing a weapon group you'd just be picking new weapons.

Extra Anchovies
2015-08-14, 12:11 PM
Favoured Weapon is odd.

Favoured Weapon (Ex): At 1st level, a champion selects a weapon from the weapon group you selected as part of your proficiencies. He gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls, combat manoeuvre checks, and intimidation checks while using that weapon. Likewise, he gets a further +1 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against enemies wielding a weapon you have favoured. A champion may make Appraise, Knowledge, and Spellcraft skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these weapons, their worth and their magical properties.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the champion may select an additional favoured weapon. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favoured weapon (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2.

If you have selected a natural weapon as a favoured weapon, you only get the bonus on attack and damage rolls against people wielding your favoured weapon if they have attacked with said natural weapon within the previous minute.
As per the bolded sections, you get +2 to hit and damage with the weapon at level 1, and this bonus increases to +3 if your opponent is using the same weapon as you. At 5th level and every 5 levels after, you get another favored weapon, and the bonus to hit and damage when attacking an opponent with the same weapon increases, but the base +2 bonus does not. Is that intentional?

Also, the Combat Style Feat description says "Once a champion selects a combat style, it cannot be changed without retraining." You should change it to "selects a style feat", to avoid confusion between the style feats and the styles they enable (the current wording seems to suggest that even if a Champion has multiple style feats they can only ever use the first style that they ever entered). You'll also want to replace "combat style feat" with "style feat", because the latter is the proper term for that feat category.

Duel Master is, as written, mostly useless, because dueling dodges and dueling parries can only be used when you are A) in a duel and B) targeted by an attack from the other participant in the duel. Maybe add "A Champion does not need to be participating in a duel to use a dueling dodge or parry, nor does the character whose attack they are attempting to dodge or parry." to the end of the class feature description?

Milo v3
2015-08-14, 06:11 PM
Favoured Weapon is odd.
It's just the warpriest's sacred weapon ability with different fluff. What is odd about it?


As per the bolded sections, you get +2 to hit and damage with the weapon at level 1, and this bonus increases to +3 if your opponent is using the same weapon as you. At 5th level and every 5 levels after, you get another favored weapon, and the bonus to hit and damage when attacking an opponent with the same weapon increases, but the base +2 bonus does not. Is that intentional?
No and that has now been fix.


Also, the Combat Style Feat description says "Once a champion selects a combat style, it cannot be changed without retraining." You should change it to "selects a style feat", to avoid confusion between the style feats and the styles they enable (the current wording seems to suggest that even if a Champion has multiple style feats they can only ever use the first style that they ever entered). You'll also want to replace "combat style feat" with "style feat", because the latter is the proper term for that feat category.
I think you misunderstand, the combat style feats aren't refering to those monk feats but the ranger combat style feats. That's why the first line is "At 2nd level, a champion must select one combat style to pursue from the ranger's list of combat styles." Should this be further clarified?


Duel Master is, as written, mostly useless, because dueling dodges and dueling parries can only be used when you are A) in a duel and B) targeted by an attack from the other participant in the duel. Maybe add "A Champion does not need to be participating in a duel to use a dueling dodge or parry, nor does the character whose attack they are attempting to dodge or parry." to the end of the class feature description?
The elegant dodge ability allows you to use dueling parries outside of duels, so yes the duel master ability is near useless until 5th level, but the intent was simply to make you a master of duels, so the ability allows you to take on two people in a duel at once, or simply to parry part of a full attack. I mean, the class is meant to enable a warrior who does things like duels, performance combat, and downtime rules.

RedOndjage
2015-08-14, 09:02 PM
Critical Inspiration seems really tough to get, and actually gets harder to get the higher in level you go and the more iterative attacks you gain. Perhaps instead of killing through massive damage, the Champion could gain it each time he reduces an opponent to zero hitpoints? Or maybe some other way to gain critical points?

Milo v3
2015-08-14, 11:07 PM
Critical Inspiration seems really tough to get, and actually gets harder to get the higher in level you go and the more iterative attacks you gain. Perhaps instead of killing through massive damage, the Champion could gain it each time he reduces an opponent to zero hitpoints? Or maybe some other way to gain critical points?

I was abit worried about that, but I thought the increased number of attacks as part of a full-attack might increase the chance of critical hits to mitigate that to a degree. Might not be enough though....

RedOndjage
2015-08-15, 03:33 AM
I think that would only be a factor with a weapon with a wide threat range. It creates the same problem that the Brutal Slayer has in Path of War--it really narrows down your weapon options if you want to get the full benefit out of the ability.

Milo v3
2015-08-15, 03:57 AM
I think that would only be a factor with a weapon with a wide threat range. It creates the same problem that the Brutal Slayer has in Path of War--it really narrows down your weapon options if you want to get the full benefit out of the ability.

Still, I'd prefer if it wasn't just you kill someone you get a critical point. Makes getting critical points ridiculously easy to the point where it may as well be a constant.

Extra Anchovies
2015-08-15, 12:02 PM
The fact that the Champion starts each fight without any critical points means that a lot of the class features won't necessarily see much use. Suggested alteration: at levels 5/11/17 the Champion gains 1/2/3 critical points each time they roll initiative.


It's just the warpriest's sacred weapon ability with different fluff. What is odd about it?

"Favoured Weapon is odd" was a preface to my comments on the +numbers scaling.


No and that has now been fix.

So it's now "Favored Enemy: Literally Everyone"? I don't know how I feel about that. It's kind of bland, and at the same time it's +numbers that I don't think the class needs. Compare the the Slayer (studied target, +1 to +5), Fighter (+1 to +4), Barbarian (+2 to +4), and Ranger (+2 to +10, situational), all of which get by just fine in terms of accuracy. Maybe +1 at 1/5/9/13/17, doubled against enemies using the same weapon?


I think you misunderstand, the combat style feats aren't refering to those monk feats but the ranger combat style feats. That's why the first line is "At 2nd level, a champion must select one combat style to pursue from the ranger's list of combat styles." Should this be further clarified?

Ah, missed the ranger mention. Makes sense now.


The elegant dodge ability allows you to use dueling parries outside of duels, so yes the duel master ability is near useless until 5th level, but the intent was simply to make you a master of duels, so the ability allows you to take on two people in a duel at once, or simply to parry part of a full attack. I mean, the class is meant to enable a warrior who does things like duels, performance combat, and downtime rules.

There is no "elegant dodge" in the class table or in the class feature descriptions.

Milo v3
2015-08-15, 05:13 PM
The fact that the Champion starts each fight without any critical points means that a lot of the class features won't necessarily see much use. Suggested alteration: at levels 5/11/17 the Champion gains 1/2/3 critical points each time they roll initiative.
Sounds reasonable.


"Favoured Weapon is odd" was a preface to my comments on the +numbers scaling.
... I really shouldn't answer these within 2 minutes of waking up without re-reading everything. *facepillow*


So it's now "Favored Enemy: Literally Everyone"? I don't know how I feel about that. It's kind of bland, and at the same time it's +numbers that I don't think the class needs. Compare the the Slayer (studied target, +1 to +5), Fighter (+1 to +4), Barbarian (+2 to +4), and Ranger (+2 to +10, situational), all of which get by just fine in terms of accuracy. Maybe +1 at 1/5/9/13/17, doubled against enemies using the same weapon?
Okay, modified to be more like that.


There is no "elegant dodge" in the class table or in the class feature descriptions.
Again... I really need to re-read everything... I meant to say elegant parry.