Kellus
2008-03-08, 02:32 AM
The Ambush Artist
The ambush artist is a master of surprise attacks and tactical battlefield manipulation. Through the application of special assaults and attacks, he can dismantle enemies and destroy their defences.
Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Feats: Any two ambush feats.
Special: Sneak attack, sudden strike, and/or skirmish totalling +3d6 extra damage (+1 skirmish AC bonus equivalent to +1d6 damage).
Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: The ambush artist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Table: The Ambush Artist
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+1|+0|+2|+0|Easy ambush, extra ambush
2nd|+2|+0|+3|+0|Impromptu ambush 1/encounter
3rd|+3|+1|+3|+1|Extra ambush, special attack +1d6
4th|+4|+1|+4|+1|Discover vitals
5th|+5|+1|+4|+1|Extra ambush, special attack +2d6
6th|+6|+2|+5|+2|Impromptu ambush 2/encounter
7th|+7|+2|+5|+2|Extra ambush, special attack +3d6
8th|+8|+2|+6|+2|Accurate ambush
9th|+9|+3|+6|+3|Extra ambush, special attack +4d6
10th|+10|+3|+7|+3|Eye on the horizon
[/table]
All of the following are class features of the ambush artist.
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The ambush artist gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.
Easy Ambush (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, an ambush artist reduces the cost of all of his ambush feats by 1d6 sneak attack damage, to a minimum of 1d6 lost damage.
Extra Ambush: At 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the ambush artist gains a bonus ambush feat that he meets the prerequisites for.
Special Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the ambush artist improves his fighting style. Whenever he gains this ability, he may improve his sneak attack, skirmish, or sudden strike ability by 1d6 damage (his skirmish improves by +1 AC if its AC bonus is lower than the extra damage dice it provides). Every time the ambush artist gains this ability, he may choose a different special attack to invest in, even if he previously didn’t have the ability.
Impromptu Ambush (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, an ambush artist may declare an attack to be an ambush as a swift action. He adds his sneak attack, sudden strike, and skirmish damage to this attack, and may apply any ambush effects to it as normal. This ability may be used once per encounter, and reduces the extra damage of the attack by 1d6. This ability does not automatically render the target flat-footed or otherwise vulnerable. Beginning at 6th level, this ability may be used twice per encounter.
Discover Vitals (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, an ambush artist may make sneak attack, sudden strike, or skirmish attacks (as well as use ambush feats) against certain enemies normally immune to these effects. In order to use these abilities against a normally immune creature, he must have at least 12 ranks in an appropriate Knowledge skill, as shown on the following table.
Table: Discover Vitals
{table=head]Target|Requisite Knowledge Skill
Constructs|Arcana
Incorporeal|The Planes
Ooze|Dungeoneering
Plant|Nature
Undead|Religion[/table]
Accurate Ambush (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, an ambush artist may forgo dice of damage from an ambush in order to assure accuracy. Whenever the artist makes a sneak attack, sudden strike, or skirmish attack, he may reduce the additional damage dealt by this strike by any number of damage dice, to a minimum of 1d6 extra damage. He receives an insight bonus on the attack roll to deliver this strike equal to +1 per damage die sacrificed.
An ambush artist with the skirmish ability may sacrifice his skirmish AC bonus for this ability in the same way, so long as he posesses the Mobile Ambush feat (see below).
Eye on the Horizon (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, an ambush artist may make sneak attack, sudden strike, and skirmish attacks at 60ft. instead of 30ft. In addition, once per encounter he may completely forgo this restriction for a single attack; that is, he may make a sneak attack, sudden strike, and/or skirmish at any range.
The ambush artist is a master of surprise attacks and tactical battlefield manipulation. Through the application of special assaults and attacks, he can dismantle enemies and destroy their defences.
Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Feats: Any two ambush feats.
Special: Sneak attack, sudden strike, and/or skirmish totalling +3d6 extra damage (+1 skirmish AC bonus equivalent to +1d6 damage).
Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: The ambush artist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Table: The Ambush Artist
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+1|+0|+2|+0|Easy ambush, extra ambush
2nd|+2|+0|+3|+0|Impromptu ambush 1/encounter
3rd|+3|+1|+3|+1|Extra ambush, special attack +1d6
4th|+4|+1|+4|+1|Discover vitals
5th|+5|+1|+4|+1|Extra ambush, special attack +2d6
6th|+6|+2|+5|+2|Impromptu ambush 2/encounter
7th|+7|+2|+5|+2|Extra ambush, special attack +3d6
8th|+8|+2|+6|+2|Accurate ambush
9th|+9|+3|+6|+3|Extra ambush, special attack +4d6
10th|+10|+3|+7|+3|Eye on the horizon
[/table]
All of the following are class features of the ambush artist.
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The ambush artist gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.
Easy Ambush (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, an ambush artist reduces the cost of all of his ambush feats by 1d6 sneak attack damage, to a minimum of 1d6 lost damage.
Extra Ambush: At 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the ambush artist gains a bonus ambush feat that he meets the prerequisites for.
Special Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the ambush artist improves his fighting style. Whenever he gains this ability, he may improve his sneak attack, skirmish, or sudden strike ability by 1d6 damage (his skirmish improves by +1 AC if its AC bonus is lower than the extra damage dice it provides). Every time the ambush artist gains this ability, he may choose a different special attack to invest in, even if he previously didn’t have the ability.
Impromptu Ambush (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, an ambush artist may declare an attack to be an ambush as a swift action. He adds his sneak attack, sudden strike, and skirmish damage to this attack, and may apply any ambush effects to it as normal. This ability may be used once per encounter, and reduces the extra damage of the attack by 1d6. This ability does not automatically render the target flat-footed or otherwise vulnerable. Beginning at 6th level, this ability may be used twice per encounter.
Discover Vitals (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, an ambush artist may make sneak attack, sudden strike, or skirmish attacks (as well as use ambush feats) against certain enemies normally immune to these effects. In order to use these abilities against a normally immune creature, he must have at least 12 ranks in an appropriate Knowledge skill, as shown on the following table.
Table: Discover Vitals
{table=head]Target|Requisite Knowledge Skill
Constructs|Arcana
Incorporeal|The Planes
Ooze|Dungeoneering
Plant|Nature
Undead|Religion[/table]
Accurate Ambush (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, an ambush artist may forgo dice of damage from an ambush in order to assure accuracy. Whenever the artist makes a sneak attack, sudden strike, or skirmish attack, he may reduce the additional damage dealt by this strike by any number of damage dice, to a minimum of 1d6 extra damage. He receives an insight bonus on the attack roll to deliver this strike equal to +1 per damage die sacrificed.
An ambush artist with the skirmish ability may sacrifice his skirmish AC bonus for this ability in the same way, so long as he posesses the Mobile Ambush feat (see below).
Eye on the Horizon (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, an ambush artist may make sneak attack, sudden strike, and skirmish attacks at 60ft. instead of 30ft. In addition, once per encounter he may completely forgo this restriction for a single attack; that is, he may make a sneak attack, sudden strike, and/or skirmish at any range.