Behold_the_Void
2008-04-25, 04:03 PM
I made this class on a whim since I've had a character concept floating around in my head that's much like this guy, but I've never had anything to properly represent it. I just kind of threw this together in a way that seemed balanced, and he should be about as strong as a Tome of Battle character in theory.
“Look out!” Jyathia cried as the massive red dragon bore down on the broad-chested but completely unarmed man. Desperately, she reached into her spell component pouch, calling to mind the words of arcane power that might save the man from his fast-approaching fate.
The man smiled as the dragon’s gaping maw moved to swallow him whole. As he raised his arms, his muscles bulged and rippled, almost making him appear far larger than he truly was.
As the dragon slammed into him, he firmly grasped its razor-sharp fangs with his bare hands. Planting himself into the ground, he was pushed back mere millimeters before the dragon’s charge was stopped dead.
“It’ll take more than a little lizard to beat me!” he said jovially as a snap of his arms threw the dragon to the ground with a deafening thud. With a quick jerking motion, the man snapped the dragon’s neck with one clean stroke, killing it instantly.
The words of power died on Jyathia’s lips. Truly, this man could not be human.
Mountain Crusher
Mountain Crushers are powerful men and women who have trained in the art of unarmed and close-quarters combat. Skilled at grappling, they can tackle and throw creatures many times their size with ease.
Making a Mountain Crusher
With their high hit die, full base attack bonus and strong combat abilities, Mountain Crushers epitomize the front-line melee combatant. The wealth of combat abilities they have give them several options beyond the standard attack and full-attack, although they can excel at sheer damage if built with that in mind. The ability to fight with most weapons also allows a Mountain Crusher to select a style most appropriate to the feel they require.
Abilities: Strength and Constitution are crucial to a Mountain Crusher. Depending on the desired armor, Dexterity can be as well. Most of the Mountain Crusher's abilities rely on strength, although many can make use of Dexterity instead.
Adventures: Many Mountain Crushers adventure in a quest for greater personal power. The credo of the Mountain Crushers is "strength conquers all," and most believe that in order to become stronger, they must travel, experience new things, and hone their combat abilities.
Characteristics: Mountain Crushers excel at making use of their bulk and their ability to act as if much bigger than themselves to control the battlefield by grappling, tripping, disarming, and bullrushing. They tend to work best at disabling larger threats from the front lines, although they can be useful in pinning a magic user if they have the means to get close enough to do so.
Alignment: Mountain Crushers have no preferred alignment, the class focuses on strength of arms and sheer power, something that can appeal to people from any point of the alignment spectrum.
Religion: Mountain Crushers tend to follow Kord, Hextor, St. Cuthbert, or Hieronius, if anybody. They value strength and martial ability above all else, and many don't spend much time with worship at all.
Background: Although there is a certain amount of tradition to the Mountain Crusher discipline, it is easily self taught. The abilities of a Mountain Crusher rely on a great understanding of how to use one's bulk and strength in the most advantageous ways, and many Mountain Crushers are simply self-taught, having chosen to focus on a combat style that allows their abilities to flourish in that direction. There are some schools that teach the discipline, but it is fully capable of being self-taught if one possesses the will and general strength to do so.
Races: Mountain Crushers have a proud history among the dwarves, where the discipline is said to have originated. Many humans also have the strength to follow the discipline, as do Half-Orcs and Half-Elves. Elves tend to find the style distasteful and also tend to lack the strength required. Halflings and Gnomes are generally considered unsuited for the role, although there are stories of a select few among both races that have tried.
Other Classes: Mountain Crushers get along best with martially oriented classes, especially Fighters, Barbarians, and Warblades. The pursuit of strength and physical prowess earns a person respect in the eyes of a Mountain Crusher. Clerics of strength-based dieties and Druids who emphasize Wild-Shape also tend to earn the respect of Mountain Crushers, whereas arcane spellcasters tend to be viewed as anywhere from an odd but valuable companion to a weakling who lacks the strength to master a real fighting style.
Starting Gold: As Fighter
Starting Age: As Fighter
Hit Die: d12
Weapon Proficiencies: The Mountain Crusher is proficient with all Simple and Martial Weapons, as well as light, medium, and heavy armor.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level
(2+Int Modifier)x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
2+Int Modifier
Mountain Crusher
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Unarmed Damage
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Unarmed Strike|1d6
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Improved Grapple, Constrict 1d6|1d6
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Mettle, Combat Maneuvering|1d6
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Bonus Feat, Constrict 2d6|1d8
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Powerful Form|1d8
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Constrict 3d6|1d8
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5| Expert Grappling|1d8
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Firm Grip, Constrict 4d6|1d10
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Bonus Feat|1d10
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Mighty Form, Constrict 5d6|1d10
11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7|Brute Force|1d10
12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8|Skillful Grappler, Constrict 6d6|2d6
13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8|Improved Mettle|2d6
14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9|Bonus Feat, Constrict 7d6|2d6
15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9|Towering Form|2d6
16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|Unyielding Grip, Constrict 8d6|2d8
17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Masterful Grappling|2d8
18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11|Crushing Force, Constrict 9d6|2d8
19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11|Bonus feat|2d8
20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12|Mountain Form, Constrict 10d6|2d10[/table]
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, a Mountain Crusher gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A Mountain Crusher’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a Mountain Crusher may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a Mountain Crusher striking unarmed. A Mountain Crusher may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.
Usually a Mountain Crusher’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A Mountain Crusher’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
A Mountain Crusher also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown in the class ability table.
A Mountain Crusher wearing Gauntlets may use their unarmed strike damage instead of the gauntlet’s normal damage.
Improved Grapple
At 2nd level, a Mountain Crusher gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat.
Constrict
At 2nd level a Mountain Crusher gains the ability to constrict your opponent while in a grapple for additional damage. Whenever a Mountain Crusher succeeds a grapple check, he may constrict his target for 1d6 + 1-1/2 times Str bonus (if any) damage. The Constrict damage increases by 1d6 every 2 levels thereafter.
Mettle
At third level and higher, a Mountain Crusher can resist magical or unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with an entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping Mountain Crusher does not gain the benefit of mettle.
Combat Maneuvering
At third level, the Mountain Crusher gains an intuitive understanding of various combat maneuvers. They count as meeting the prerequisites for any feat that requires Combat Expertise, even if their Intelligence score isn’t high enough or they do not possess the Combat Expertise feat.
Bonus Feat
At 4th level and every 5 levels thereafter, the Mountain Crusher gains a bonus feat, which can be selected from the Fighter bonus feat list.
Powerful Form
At 5th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as one size larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +4 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were one size larger than they normally are. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
Expert Grappling
At 7th level, a Mountain Crusher can use one-handed weapons to attack while engaged in a grapple.
Firm Grip
At 8th level, a Mountain Crusher’s grip is so firm it is impossible to wriggle free. Anything grappled by a Mountain Crusher receives a -10 penalty when attempting to use Escape Artist to escape from a Mountain Crusher's grapple.
Mighty Form
At 10th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as two sizes larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +8 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were two sizes larger than they normally are. This ability replaces Powerful Form. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
Brute Force
At 11th level, the Mountain Crusher may add 1.5 times their strength bonus to the damage of their unarmed strike and counts as a one-handed weapon for purposes of disarming, tripping, and any other combat maneuvers.
Skillful Grappler
At 12th level, the Mountain Crusher gains the ability to take 10 on any grapple rolls they make.
Improved Mettle
At 13th level, the Mountain Crusher gains Improved Mettle. This ability works like Mettle, except that while the Mountain Crusher still takes lesser effect on a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw against attacks henceforth he takes only the secondary effect on a failed save. An unconscious or sleeping Mountain Crusher does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.
Towering Form
At 15th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as three sizes larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +12 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were three sizes larger than they normally are. This ability replaces Mighty Form. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
Unyielding Grip
At 16th level, the Mountain Crusher’s grip cannot be foiled, even by magic. Spells that would allow the target to automatically escape from a grapple such as Freedom of Movement or Dimension Door do not work. Spells that would allow the caster to escape such as Dimension Door must be cast with a -10 penalty to concentration, and spells that would negate the grapple entirely instead give a +5 bonus to Escape Artist checks for each spell level the spell is.
Masterful Grappling
At 17th level, the Mountain Crusher can use two-handed weapons to attack while engaged in a grapple.
Crushing Force
At 18th level, the Mountain Crusher’s unarmed strike counts as a two-handed weapon for purposes of the Power Attack feat, as well as for the purposes of disarming, tripping, and any other combat maneuvers.
Mountain Form
At 20th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as four sizes larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +16 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were four sizes larger than they normally are. This ability replaces Towering Form. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
“Look out!” Jyathia cried as the massive red dragon bore down on the broad-chested but completely unarmed man. Desperately, she reached into her spell component pouch, calling to mind the words of arcane power that might save the man from his fast-approaching fate.
The man smiled as the dragon’s gaping maw moved to swallow him whole. As he raised his arms, his muscles bulged and rippled, almost making him appear far larger than he truly was.
As the dragon slammed into him, he firmly grasped its razor-sharp fangs with his bare hands. Planting himself into the ground, he was pushed back mere millimeters before the dragon’s charge was stopped dead.
“It’ll take more than a little lizard to beat me!” he said jovially as a snap of his arms threw the dragon to the ground with a deafening thud. With a quick jerking motion, the man snapped the dragon’s neck with one clean stroke, killing it instantly.
The words of power died on Jyathia’s lips. Truly, this man could not be human.
Mountain Crusher
Mountain Crushers are powerful men and women who have trained in the art of unarmed and close-quarters combat. Skilled at grappling, they can tackle and throw creatures many times their size with ease.
Making a Mountain Crusher
With their high hit die, full base attack bonus and strong combat abilities, Mountain Crushers epitomize the front-line melee combatant. The wealth of combat abilities they have give them several options beyond the standard attack and full-attack, although they can excel at sheer damage if built with that in mind. The ability to fight with most weapons also allows a Mountain Crusher to select a style most appropriate to the feel they require.
Abilities: Strength and Constitution are crucial to a Mountain Crusher. Depending on the desired armor, Dexterity can be as well. Most of the Mountain Crusher's abilities rely on strength, although many can make use of Dexterity instead.
Adventures: Many Mountain Crushers adventure in a quest for greater personal power. The credo of the Mountain Crushers is "strength conquers all," and most believe that in order to become stronger, they must travel, experience new things, and hone their combat abilities.
Characteristics: Mountain Crushers excel at making use of their bulk and their ability to act as if much bigger than themselves to control the battlefield by grappling, tripping, disarming, and bullrushing. They tend to work best at disabling larger threats from the front lines, although they can be useful in pinning a magic user if they have the means to get close enough to do so.
Alignment: Mountain Crushers have no preferred alignment, the class focuses on strength of arms and sheer power, something that can appeal to people from any point of the alignment spectrum.
Religion: Mountain Crushers tend to follow Kord, Hextor, St. Cuthbert, or Hieronius, if anybody. They value strength and martial ability above all else, and many don't spend much time with worship at all.
Background: Although there is a certain amount of tradition to the Mountain Crusher discipline, it is easily self taught. The abilities of a Mountain Crusher rely on a great understanding of how to use one's bulk and strength in the most advantageous ways, and many Mountain Crushers are simply self-taught, having chosen to focus on a combat style that allows their abilities to flourish in that direction. There are some schools that teach the discipline, but it is fully capable of being self-taught if one possesses the will and general strength to do so.
Races: Mountain Crushers have a proud history among the dwarves, where the discipline is said to have originated. Many humans also have the strength to follow the discipline, as do Half-Orcs and Half-Elves. Elves tend to find the style distasteful and also tend to lack the strength required. Halflings and Gnomes are generally considered unsuited for the role, although there are stories of a select few among both races that have tried.
Other Classes: Mountain Crushers get along best with martially oriented classes, especially Fighters, Barbarians, and Warblades. The pursuit of strength and physical prowess earns a person respect in the eyes of a Mountain Crusher. Clerics of strength-based dieties and Druids who emphasize Wild-Shape also tend to earn the respect of Mountain Crushers, whereas arcane spellcasters tend to be viewed as anywhere from an odd but valuable companion to a weakling who lacks the strength to master a real fighting style.
Starting Gold: As Fighter
Starting Age: As Fighter
Hit Die: d12
Weapon Proficiencies: The Mountain Crusher is proficient with all Simple and Martial Weapons, as well as light, medium, and heavy armor.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level
(2+Int Modifier)x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
2+Int Modifier
Mountain Crusher
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Unarmed Damage
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Unarmed Strike|1d6
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Improved Grapple, Constrict 1d6|1d6
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Mettle, Combat Maneuvering|1d6
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Bonus Feat, Constrict 2d6|1d8
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Powerful Form|1d8
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Constrict 3d6|1d8
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5| Expert Grappling|1d8
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Firm Grip, Constrict 4d6|1d10
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Bonus Feat|1d10
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Mighty Form, Constrict 5d6|1d10
11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7|Brute Force|1d10
12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8|Skillful Grappler, Constrict 6d6|2d6
13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8|Improved Mettle|2d6
14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9|Bonus Feat, Constrict 7d6|2d6
15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9|Towering Form|2d6
16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|Unyielding Grip, Constrict 8d6|2d8
17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Masterful Grappling|2d8
18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11|Crushing Force, Constrict 9d6|2d8
19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11|Bonus feat|2d8
20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12|Mountain Form, Constrict 10d6|2d10[/table]
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, a Mountain Crusher gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A Mountain Crusher’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a Mountain Crusher may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a Mountain Crusher striking unarmed. A Mountain Crusher may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.
Usually a Mountain Crusher’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A Mountain Crusher’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
A Mountain Crusher also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown in the class ability table.
A Mountain Crusher wearing Gauntlets may use their unarmed strike damage instead of the gauntlet’s normal damage.
Improved Grapple
At 2nd level, a Mountain Crusher gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat.
Constrict
At 2nd level a Mountain Crusher gains the ability to constrict your opponent while in a grapple for additional damage. Whenever a Mountain Crusher succeeds a grapple check, he may constrict his target for 1d6 + 1-1/2 times Str bonus (if any) damage. The Constrict damage increases by 1d6 every 2 levels thereafter.
Mettle
At third level and higher, a Mountain Crusher can resist magical or unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with an entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping Mountain Crusher does not gain the benefit of mettle.
Combat Maneuvering
At third level, the Mountain Crusher gains an intuitive understanding of various combat maneuvers. They count as meeting the prerequisites for any feat that requires Combat Expertise, even if their Intelligence score isn’t high enough or they do not possess the Combat Expertise feat.
Bonus Feat
At 4th level and every 5 levels thereafter, the Mountain Crusher gains a bonus feat, which can be selected from the Fighter bonus feat list.
Powerful Form
At 5th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as one size larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +4 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were one size larger than they normally are. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
Expert Grappling
At 7th level, a Mountain Crusher can use one-handed weapons to attack while engaged in a grapple.
Firm Grip
At 8th level, a Mountain Crusher’s grip is so firm it is impossible to wriggle free. Anything grappled by a Mountain Crusher receives a -10 penalty when attempting to use Escape Artist to escape from a Mountain Crusher's grapple.
Mighty Form
At 10th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as two sizes larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +8 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were two sizes larger than they normally are. This ability replaces Powerful Form. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
Brute Force
At 11th level, the Mountain Crusher may add 1.5 times their strength bonus to the damage of their unarmed strike and counts as a one-handed weapon for purposes of disarming, tripping, and any other combat maneuvers.
Skillful Grappler
At 12th level, the Mountain Crusher gains the ability to take 10 on any grapple rolls they make.
Improved Mettle
At 13th level, the Mountain Crusher gains Improved Mettle. This ability works like Mettle, except that while the Mountain Crusher still takes lesser effect on a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw against attacks henceforth he takes only the secondary effect on a failed save. An unconscious or sleeping Mountain Crusher does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.
Towering Form
At 15th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as three sizes larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +12 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were three sizes larger than they normally are. This ability replaces Mighty Form. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.
Unyielding Grip
At 16th level, the Mountain Crusher’s grip cannot be foiled, even by magic. Spells that would allow the target to automatically escape from a grapple such as Freedom of Movement or Dimension Door do not work. Spells that would allow the caster to escape such as Dimension Door must be cast with a -10 penalty to concentration, and spells that would negate the grapple entirely instead give a +5 bonus to Escape Artist checks for each spell level the spell is.
Masterful Grappling
At 17th level, the Mountain Crusher can use two-handed weapons to attack while engaged in a grapple.
Crushing Force
At 18th level, the Mountain Crusher’s unarmed strike counts as a two-handed weapon for purposes of the Power Attack feat, as well as for the purposes of disarming, tripping, and any other combat maneuvers.
Mountain Form
At 20th level, the Mountain Crusher counts as four sizes larger for the purpose of grappling, tripping, bullrushing, or any other combat maneuver that is related to size. They gain the +16 size modifier to any rolls they make regarding a combat maneuver. They can also initiate grapples as if they were four sizes larger than they normally are. This ability replaces Towering Form. This is a virtual size category, even Colossal Mountain Crushers gain benefit from this ability.