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Mendicant
2017-04-20, 06:55 PM
The Marshal

This class is my latest stab at a long-running project: a martial, Int-based battlefield leader. 3.x-Pathfinder are chock full of Cha-based leader types, and they're largely limited either to auras that aren't used dynamically or short-term buffs of the "check out how hard I just hit this dude" variety. The 3.5 marshal is an obvious example of the former, the PoW Warlord is more of the latter. (Though it's much better than the MH marshal overall.) This marshal, by contrast, is meant to be a play caller who is dynamically choosing which class ability to use based on the tactical situation without necessarily being the focal point of that particular play.

The core class features of this marshal are tactics and gambits. Tactics are indefinite duration buffs that are more situational

This class is a spiritual relative of the martial adepts, but it is consciously different in theme and execution. None of its class abilities are fluffed as anything like "blade magic," none of the gambits or tactics are leveled, and the E6 framework lets the class contribute while remaining fairly grounded and "mundane."

The principle concern I have outside of normal balance concerns is the need to ensure the class's gameplay maintains the feel of an actual tactical leader without encouraging players to become an invasive, overbearing nuisance OOC. Gambits are the main danger here, since they rely on at least a few members of the party going along with things. At this point, I think the broad definition of a "strike" should hopefully keep this problem to a minimum.


While the world is full of warriors and their leaders, it is a rare soldier who combines a first-rate tactical mind with the martial skill of a master swordsman. Where other battlefield leaders rely on bravura and the inspiring example of their great deeds, a marshal depends on drill, calm battlefield assessment, and a masterful sense of timing. The results are unmistakable. The elite warbands led by marshals are truly more than the sum of their parts, and achieve victories through cunning and cohesion that would escape units twice their raw power.

HD: d10

The marshal's class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Table: Marshal


Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Gambits Known
Tactics Known


1st
+1
+2
+0
+2
Gambits, Tactics, Outfox
4
2


2nd
+2
+3
+0
+3
Cohesion, Helpful
5
3


3rd
+3
+3
+1
+3
Tactician
5
4


4th
+4
+4
+1
+4
Dual Tactics
6
4


5th
+5
+4
+1
+4
Improved Cohesion, Battle Analyst
6
5


6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+2
Bonus Feat
7
5



Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A marshal is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Gambits (Ex)
Every marshal knows how to execute a number of team maneuvers, called gambits, taken from the Marshal Gambits list below. These gambits require a team of trained allies to pull off, and generally require a full round or two to execute. After two uninterrupted weeks of training or fighting together, the marshal and his allies form a team, which can begin benefiting from the marshal’s chosen gambits.A marshal knows a number of gambits equal to that given on table: Marshal.

In order to initiate a gambit, the marshal must be able to see any participants and targets, and participating team members must be able to hear or see the marshal. There is no limit to the number of times per day that a marshal can use his gambits, but if one is used during combat, the marshal usually cannot use that same gambit again during that fight without taking a standard action to make a DC 15 knowledge: tactics check to reassess the battlefield.


Tactics (Ex)
A marshal is an expert at employing small units, and knows a small list of tactics which grant passive benefits to any team he trains and leads (see gambits, above), chosen from the Marshal Tactics list below. A marshal knows a number of tactics equal to the number given on table: Marshal.

In order to benefit from a tactic, team members must be within sight or hearing of the marshal, and he must be able to see them. The marshal is always considered a “team member” for his own class features. If the marshal loses contact with a team member, that team member loses the benefits of the marshal’s tactics after one minute.The marshal can grant his team one of his known tactics at a time, and can switch one tactic for another as a swift action. At 4th level his team can benefit from two active tactics at a time.

Outfox (Ex)
A marshal adds his intelligence bonus to his CMB against any enemy he has assessed with a successful Knowledge check.

Cohesion (Ex)
At 2nd level, a marshal’s ability to coordinate his allies allows them to share expertise and shore up weaknesses. With five minutes of planning and instruction, the marshal can designate a pair of allies (including himself) and one skill that he is trained in. Thereafter, so long this pair stays within 30 feet of each other, the more competent of the two provides her partner with a competence bonus to that skill equal to half her ranks in it. This bonus cannot make the assisted character’s total skill bonus higher than the total skill bonus of the ally assisting him.

The marshal can maintain a number of these pairings equal to half his marshal level, rounded down. The pairing lasts until the marshal chooses to switch to a new pair, or for 10 minutes per marshal level after the pair loses contact with him.

Helpful (Ex)
At 2nd level, whenever a marshal uses the aid another action, he may grant a bonus equal to his Intelligence modifier +1.

Tactician (Ex)
At 3rd level, a marshal gains the tactician ability as the cavalier class feature. He may use this ability once per day at 3rd level, plus one additional time for every three levels after 3rd. If the marshal also has cavalier levels, these levels stack for determining the number of uses per day.

Improved Cohesion (Ex)
At 5th level, the marshal becomes even better at coordinating his allies. An assisting ally now grants a bonus equal to half her ranks + 2, and can improve the skills of 2 allies instead of just one. In addition, any time an ally uses the aid another action within sight and hearing of the marshal, that ally grants a +3 bonus instead of a +2.

Battle Analyst (Ex)
At 5th level, the marshal uses his skill training to greater effect in combat. He can choose one of the following benefits and apply it against enemies he has successfully assessed or identified with a knowledge check.

Anatomical Precision
Must have three ranks in heal. Add your Intelligence modifier to damage rolls. Creatures immune to sneak attack are immune to this ability.

Anticipate Attacks
Must have three ranks in sense motive. Add your Intelligence modifier as a dodge bonus to AC.

Defy Magic
Must have three ranks in knowledge (arcana). Add half your Intelligence modifier to saves against spells and spell-like abilities.

Exploit Weakness
Must have three ranks in knowledge (engineering). Subtract your Intelligence modifier from an object’s hardness, or a construct’s damage reduction.

Bonus Feat
At 6th level, the marshal gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from those listed as combat or teamwork feats.

Mendicant
2017-04-20, 06:56 PM
I have a lot more in mind, but right now I'm keeping the list a bit shorter for some proof of concept gambits and tactics in order to try and set a benchmark.

Notes: Most tactics grant a bonus equal to half the marshal’s level. These always provide a minimum benefit of +1, and the bonus is a competence bonus unless otherwise noted.

For some tactics and gambits to work, team members must “strike” an enemy. An enemy is considered struck by a team member if the team member makes a successful combat maneuver check against it, deals damage to it, or if she forces a saving throw with an ability or spell and her target fails its save.

If a gambit or tactic forces a saving throw, the DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 marshal level + INT modifier, unless otherwise noted.


Assault
Your team races to seize a critical position from the enemy. As a swift action, designate a 10’ x 10’ square on the battlefield. If any team members move more than five feet towards the target location each round, they gain +10 feet to their movement speed and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for using the bull rush or overrun maneuvers. They gain a morale bonus equal to half your marshal level on any skill checks made to reach the designated point, to attack and damage rolls against any enemy impeding progress to this point, and to CMD to resist being bull-rushed, grappled or tripped. The benefits of this gambit end if no team members make sufficient progress towards the designated point for a full round, or after at least two team members have held the designated point for one full round without any enemies occupying designated squares.

Bombard
You direct your allies to unleash a withering barrage of firepower. As a swift action, designate a 30-foot radius area you can see. Until the start of your next turn, every time an enemy in that area is struck at range, that enemy takes a cumulative -1 circumstance penalty to AC against ranged attacks and a cumulative -1 circumstance penalty to saving throws. Every team member gains a damage bonus against affected enemies equal to that enemy’s AC penalty.

Overwhelm
After putting your enemies back on their heels, you go for the throat. Designate a number of enemies equal to your marshal level as a swift action. If any of them are struck by a team member this round, negative effects they are suffering from are moved one step up: dazed enemies become stunned, dazzled enemies become blinded, sickened enemies become nauseated, shaken enemies become frightened, and frightened enemies become panicked.

Tempo
You shift the pace of battle. As a swift action, designate one team member and one enemy. If that team member strikes the designated enemy before the end of her next turn, she can choose to reduce her initiative count by an amount up to half your marshal level. She reduces the struck enemy’s initiative by an equal amount, and can grant a different team member a bonus to initiative count equal the reduction she took. You can use this gambit an unlimited number of times without needing to reassess the battlefield.



Combined Arms
If an enemy is struck at range and in melee in the same round, they take a penalty to CMD and Reflex saving throws equal to half your level for one round.

Fire Control
Members of your team gain a circumstance bonus to saves equal to half your marshal level and the evasion class feature against each other’s area attacks.

High-Low
Team members who are of different sizes than each other may attack from each other’s squares if they could 5-foot step into them, and never grant enemies cover from each other's attacks. Characters with Powerful Build may function as large or medium for purposes of this feat, depending on what is advantageous.

Slow is Fast
Any time one of your team members delays an action, you grant a bonus to their next d20 roll this round equal to half your marshal level, and you can also grant an equal bonus to another team member’s initiative count.

The Harder They Fall
Your team gains a bonus to attack, CMB, and damage equal to half your marshal level against enemies that are at least one size category larger than they are, and treat all enemies as one size category smaller when determining who can trip them.