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Maldraugedhen
2007-08-08, 11:56 AM
Bladebounder
"Hold the gates, damn you!"
Sir Reynolds was working himself into a fury. These men didn't know how to conduct a proper siege--no siege weaponry, and barely any blockading of the castle itself. The last supply convoy reported no enemy contact whatsoever. Yet even though his enemies seemed to fail to grasp even the most rudimentary details of modern warfare, his troops were still losing, partly due to the sabotage of the drawbridge controls that morning--after a loud thump noise, the drawbridge was discovered down and the winch chain severed.
"Keep these barbaric bastards out of the keep, or it will be our heads!" he yelled from atop the inner gatehouse.
As he watched, a man barely clad in any armor with his sword still in its scabbard came barreling up the hill, dodging his men's blades only to slam into them, knocking his armored guard into the mud left and right. A crossbowman fired down at him, but the shot struck harmlessly into the dirt a scant few feet behind the runner. A second followed, and then a third. Reynolds swore.
"Keep them away!"
"Funny thing about men like us, sirrah," spoke a voice over his shoulder. Sir Reynolds whipped around, sword drawn, and saw one of the men standing on the stone gatehouse roof with him a scant few feet away.
"S'hard to keep us out of much anywhere." The man drew his sword and charged at Sir Reynolds, parrying his overhead cleave and ramming him over the stone parapet into the mud below, a sickening crunch and a loud clang announcing the precise moment of impact.
Harrelson Keep was reported to have fallen that day, August 19, 978, largely due to the efforts of the mercenary force the peasants hired the day after the rebellion began--Byron's Bounders.

A bladebounder is a warrior well-versed in getting into places he's not supposed to be. In battle, these fighters are equal parts quick and vicious, very rarely engaging their foes in straight-up combat, instead preferring to maneuver and gain a tactical advantage by striking from angles the other side assumed was safe. They are adept at dodging out of the line of an opponent's blade, and into their line of movement to throw them off balance.

This class is born out of the apparent lack of love Bull Rush, Overrun, and the like get. It uses some of the homebrewed mobility-related feats we came up with awhile back—for ease of reference, I copied them over here. I didn’t do all of the ones I selected—although I think the only one I yoinked was one of Erk’s, but still, credit where credit is due. Now, the Bladebounder.

HD: D10.

Requirements
BAB: +6.
Skills: Jump 6, Balance 6, Tumble 6, Climb 5, Swim 5.
Feats: Dodge, Power Attack, and one of the following: Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun
Special: Must have Bull Rushed or Overrun an opponent successfully. Must have killed an opponent on a turn where that opponent was flanked.
Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Search, Spot, Swim, Tumble.
Skill Points: 4 + Int Modifier / Level.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|+1|+2|+2|+0| Bounding, Bladebounder Bonus Feat
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+0| Fighter Bonus Feat, Out of Harm’s Way
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+1| Longbounding, Bladebounder Bonus Feat, Quickdodge
4th|+4|+4|+4|+1| Fighter Bonus Feat, Into Harm’s Way
5th|+5|+4|+4|+1| Bladebounder Bonus Feat, Varied Mobility, Coup de Force
[/table]

Class Features

Bladebounder Bonus Feats: At first, third, and fifth level, a Bladebounder may select a feat from the following list to gain as a bonus feat, if they meet the feat’s prerequisites: Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Diving Tackle, Sliding Bull Rush, Knock Away, Deflected Overrun, Rampaging Overrun, Sweeping Trip, Pileup, Intercept, Agile, Athletic, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Combat Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Shot On The Run, Quick Draw, Rapid Reload, Run. (To aid in remembering which feats, specifically, just ask yourself if it helps movement, evasion, bull rush, overrun, or speed.)

Fighter Bonus Feats: At second and fourth level, a Bladebounder may gain a bonus feat as per the Fighter bonus feat rule if they already have at least one level in Fighter.

Sneak Attack: A bladebounder with levels in rogue includes his bladebounder levels when determining the number of extra damage dice. A bladebounder without rogue levels gains no benefit from Sneak Attack. Sneak Attack dice are not gained for bladebounder levels if a character only takes a level in rogue after their bladebounder levels.

Bounding: When moving or charging, you may elect to move an additional 5 feet at a -1 to hit on your attacks and a +1 to AC until your next move action, or an additional 10 feet at a -2 to hit on your attacks and a +2 to AC until your next move action or your next round, whichever comes later. A Bladebounder may only Bound in Medium or lighter armor, and without a tower shield.

Out of Harm’s Way: Add half (round down) of the (unrounded) average of your Jump and Tumble ranks to your Reflex save when taking a Reflex save. Add one half of your base Reflex save to your AC when you are being attacked, if you are not flatfooted.

Longbounding: You may choose to continue increasing your movement as per Bounding until +20 feet, continuing to accumulate penalties to hit and bonuses to AC. You still may only Bound in medium or lighter armor, but may Bound with a tower shield.

Quickdodge: You may make Reflex saves when flatfooted, provided you are not Stunned or otherwise immobile, but must also make a Balance check at the DC of the Reflex save or become prone.

Into Harm’s Way: Add half (round down) of the (unrounded) average of your Jump and Tumble ranks to the opposed strength check in your Bull Rush and Overrun attempts when you are in medium or lighter armor and not carrying a tower shield.

Varied Mobility: You gain +4 on all Climb and Swim checks, and gain a bonus 10 feet per round movement to all alternative types of movement from your primary (Swim, Climb, Fly, Tunnel, etc.) while in Medium or lighter armor and not carrying a tower shield. Bladebounders who gain this ability also ignore the effects of the first ten feet of difficult terrain.

Coup de Force: Once per turn, you may combine one attack with a Bull Rush or Overrun attempt, with a bonus to damage equal to the number of 5 foot squares you moved before the attack, but an equal attack penalty. This bonus attack may not cause your attacks this round to exceed the number you would otherwise be able to make with the Full Attack action. If your opponent’s HP is less than 5 after the attack, the enemy must make a fortitude save at a DC equal to 5 plus the damage dealt or die instantly. Using a Coup de Force provokes an attack of opportunity, even if your Bull Rush or Overrun did not.

The Homebrewed Bonus Feats

Diving Tackle
Prereqs: Grappling Training, Improved Bull Rush, BAB +8
You may initiate a grapple on a target you have successfully Bull Rushed in the square they have landed in, regardless of whether you would have enough movement left in the round to move to that square. This may be attempted after pushing the opponent for more than 5 feet. You may not take your dexterity modifier in the attempt to initiate this grapple as per Grappling Training--instead, you may add the amount you won the Bull Rush by to your attempt to initiate the grapple.
Special: A fighter may choose this as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: A Bull Rushing character may not initiate a grapple at the end of her Bull Rush.

Sliding Bull Rush
Prereqs: Improved Bull Rush
Bonus: You may redirect the target of your Bull Rush to anywhere within a 90 degree arc in the direction you charged from (so if you charged in a straight line, you may push him to the diagonal on either side, or if you charged diagonally, you may push him in either of the straight boxes to the left or right of the diagonal square you would ordinarily have Bull Rushed him to). If you Bull Rush the character in any direction other than the one opposite the direction you Bull Rushed from, you may not push the opponent an additional 5 feet. However, you may elect to end a straight Bull Rush with a shove to either of the other squares in the 90 degree arc. This attack may be ended with a diving tackle as per the feat, if this character knows the feat diving tackle.
Special: A fighter may choose this as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: A Bull Rushed character must be pushed in the exact opposite direction the Bull Rush was recieved from.

Knock Away
Prereqs: Str 15 Improved Disarm
Bonus: Declare a direction at the beginning of your disarm attack attempt (before attack rolls). If the check succeeds, for every 5 you beat your opponent's attack roll by, you may knock your opponent's weapon five feet in that direction. Additionally, the disarmed weapon takes damage equal to the distance you knocked it away (with Hardness applying as normal). You may not attempt to Knock Away a weapon being held in locked gauntlets.
Special: A fighter may choose this as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: A disarm may only cause the weapon to either be taken from the opponent or to be dropped in the opponent's square.

Deflected Overrun
Prereqs: Dex 15 Improved Overrun
Bonus: After successfully overrunning an opponent during a charge movement, you may change directions to the left or right up to 45 degrees as you shunt your opponent to the opposite side, with a maximum move distance equal to the distance you had remaining to move that turn. You receive a +2 bonus to the opposed Strength check in an overrun attack during a charge.
Special: A fighter may choose this as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: You must overrun directly away from the direction you began the overrun action from in a charge. A charge provides no bonus to overrun attempts.

Rampaging Overrun
Prereqs: Str 15 Improved Overrun
Bonus: You may make as many overrun attempts in a turn as you wish, however, each successive overrun attempt beyond the first must be done at a cumulative -4 penalty to the opposed strength check. You may not move more than your maximum movement using this feat. You receive a +2 bonus to the opposed Strength check if your overrun attack is declared during a charge move. If making an additional overrun beyond the first from an overrun in which the Deflected Overrun feat was used, you may only move in the three directions you had available from the first Deflected Overrun. You may elect to, after a series of overrun attacks, end with a Bull Rush attempt with the cumulative -4 penalty still applying as if it was a final overrun attempt.
Special: A fighter may choose this as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: You may only make one overrun attempt in a turn, and a charge provides no bonus to overrun attempts.

Sweeping Trip
Prereqs: Improved Trip, Str 15 or Dex 15
Bonus: You may choose to deal one half of the damage you would in a normal attack on the target character if your trip succeeds, in addition to the target becoming prone. As with a standard attack, you may also deal critical damage with your Trip Attacks if you roll within the threat range for the weapon you are using. The halved damage affects ability damage and any special abilities the weapon possesses in addition to regular damage. You may also elect to use the trip attack to deal nonlethal damage with a lethal weapon or lethal damage with a nonlethal weapon, taking a -4 to the trip attempt as per the usual rules for converting lethal damage attacks into nonlethal attacks or vice versa.
Special: A fighter may choose this as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: A trip deals no damage, and therefore cannot deal either lethal or nonlethal damage.

Pileup
Prereqs: Improved Bull Rush, Str 17
Bonus: You may Bull Rush into additional opponents beyond the first. If a character friendly to the target of your Bull Rush is standing in a square you are attempting to Bull Rush into, you may push against the second character as well as the first, but must make a successful touch attack at -5 to your attack. If you fail, your Bull Rush attempt stops and you may not push either character. If you succeed, you have successfully begun pushing both characters. The new defender adds his strength check to the first defender, and for every five you beat their combined score by, you push the characters five feet. You may push as many characters as you can successfully exert a force on, but the -5 penalty to the touch attack is cumulative per character already being Bull Rushed, and the new defenders each get their own strength checks to add to the total. You may not pileup further than you may move. When a Bull Rush attempt ends with multiple targets having been pushed, with four or fewer Medium-equivalent targets being pushed in the same square, they all come to rest in the same square. For each target beyond the fourth in the same square, the newer targets come to rest one additional square behind. Beyond eight targets, randomize their locations between the square to the left of the one you pushed the initial group of four into and the square on the right, with a D2 roll for each man beyond the eighth. Your extensive practice pushing people around provides you with a +2 bonus to Bull Rush attempts.
Special: A fighter may select this feat as one of her bonus feats if she fulfills the prereqs.
Normal: A character may only Bull Rush one other character in any given turn.

Intercept [General]
You can use your shield to entirely absorb attacks against you.
Benefit: Once per round you can interpose your shield between yourself and a non-critical attack against yourself or anything within the area threatened by your shield. Roll 1d20, adding any attack bonuses you have to Shield Bash, and adding the Shield AC as well. If this is greater than the attack roll against you, you have successfully intercepted the attack. Your shield takes damage from the attack, and may be destroyed, and you lose your shield bonus to AC for the rest of the round. Subtract your shield's armour check penalty from attempts to protect anything not occupying the same space as you; such attempts provoke attacks of opportunity from anything threatening your space (not the protected target's space).

If the damage inflicted to your shield was enough to shatter your shield entirely, 1/2 of any leftover damage is carried through to you.

Interceptions may be used against any spell with you as the target (including touch spells). In these cases, the caster may add his spell DC - 10 to the opposed attack roll (only for the purposes of determining if the intercept was successful); spells which do not normally require an attack roll, such as magic missile, still need one for the purposes of determining if the interception was successful. If the spell has any option to inflict damage, that damage is inflicted on your shield. Any other effects are nullified (special effect spells which only inflict damage on a successful save use that damage). Spells with a particular effect against nonliving matter, such as disintegrate, use that effect on your shield (assuming your shield isn't alive).


EDIT: Balanced out the class a bit by sprinkling some attack penalties in among the damage and movement bonuses, as well as changing it from straight up bonus move to Bounding.

blue_fenix
2007-08-08, 12:09 PM
Wow, pretty cool class, but I think it may be overpowered. Specifically, this class is strictly better than fighter. That is, there is no reason whatsoever that a fighter who qualifies for this class would not take levels of this class instead of levels of fighter, and the requirements aren't even that hard to meet as long as you have an int bonus.

Maldraugedhen
2007-08-08, 12:25 PM
Why would you ever not take Archmage if you are an arcane caster? Prestige classes are practically always better than their base classes (if they even are considered to HAVE a base class), and being better than Fighter isn't much of a claim at higher levels.

But I will increase the skill entry reqs a bit, from 3s to the 5-6 range. They do seem a bit low rereading it.

...And I missed filling out the class skills. D'oh.

Maldraugedhen
2007-08-08, 04:19 PM
Alright, I watered it down a bit for AC and to-hit. Opinions?

Mattarias, King.
2007-08-09, 09:04 PM
Nice class. one thing though- almost anything is strictly better than fighter. :smallconfused:

That was a horrible comparison..

On a sidenote, I see nothing wrong with this PrC. It's nice. It may help raise awareness of actual stuff to do in battle instead of *roll* miss, *roll* miss, *roll* hit! kill!, *roll more*...

Maldraugedhen
2007-08-11, 12:40 AM
For fighter-types, anyway.

But blue fenix's original complaint was that this class was equal or superior to fighter in every way. There was no disadvantage whatsoever to multiclassing to this prestige class. There still really isn't, but I made the bonus abilities slightly less accurate--favoring power and speed over precision, to fit the class better.

EDIT: Also just limited the armor wear-able by a bladebounder who's running around at top speed.

Mattarias, King.
2007-08-11, 02:37 AM
For fighter-types, anyway.

But blue fenix's original complaint was that this class was equal or superior to fighter in every way. There was no disadvantage whatsoever to multiclassing to this prestige class. There still really isn't, but I made the bonus abilities slightly less accurate--favoring power and speed over precision, to fit the class better.

EDIT: Also just limited the armor wear-able by a bladebounder who's running around at top speed.

Ah, I see. My apologies, then. I like the new tweaks. They give the class a little more flavor.

Maldraugedhen
2007-08-11, 09:37 PM
So what else do people think? C'mon, this thread is getting views, at the least. Say something!