The Soldier (Base Class)

[Drager]

This class represents a career soldier who at least started life in the millitary, whether he is still in it or not. Its not required that a character remain in the military to advance in the class, but some choices may be innapropriate if they are not part of athe military or at least a largish group or organisation, this is a roleplaying decision however so I'll leave it up to you to decide if your using the class.

This isn't a replacement for the fighter as it represents only one type of fighting man, it is, however, considerably more powerful than the fighter as I believe fighters to be underpowered.

Alignment
Any.

Hit Die
d10.

Class Skills
The soldier’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str) and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(2 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
2 + Int modifier.

Soldier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Basic Training

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|Bonus Feat

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|Career path I

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Bonus Feat

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Career Path II

6th|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Bonus Feat

7th|

+7

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Career Path III

8th|

+8

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|Bonus Feat

9th|

+9

|

+6

|

+3

|

+3

|Career Path IV

10th|

+10

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|Bonus Feat
11th|

+11

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

| Career Path V

12th|

+12

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|Bonus Feat

13th|

+13

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|Old Soldier

14th|

+14

|

+9

|

+x4

|

+4

|Bonus Feat

15th|

+15

|

+9

|

+5

|

+5

|Career Path VI

16th|

+16

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|Bonus Feat

17th|

+17

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|Hero/Villain of Renown

18th|

+18

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|Bonus Feat

19th|

+19

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|Career PathVII

20th|

+20

|

+12

|

+6

|

+6

|Bonus Feat[/table]

Basic Training
As a recruit you have received training in one of the following areas, depending on your training you gain proficiency with different weapons and armour as well as a different bonus feat and extra class skills, in addition only certain types of Basic Training lead into each Career Path and your Basic training play s a large role in deciding your future training:

Light Infantry

Spoiler

Show

Proficiencies All Simple Melee Weapons, Short Sword, Longspear, Glaive, Halberd, Light and Medium Armour, Light Shields, Longbow, Quarterstaff
Feat Weapon Focus
Skills Profession (Roadbuilder)
Career Paths Officer, Defender, Scout, Archer

Heavy Infantry

Spoiler

Show

Proficiencies Medium and Heavy Armour, all one handed Martial Melee weapons except the Lance, all one handed Simple Melee Weapons, Greatsword, Greataxe, Greatclub, Shields, but not Tower Shields, Bastard Sword
Feat Weapon Focus
Skills Profession (Roadbuilder)
Career Paths Officer, Defender, Shock Trooper

Heavy Cavalry

Spoiler

Show

Proficiencies Heavy Armour, Shields (Not Tower Shields), Lance, Warhammer, Longsword, All one handed Simple Weapons
Feat Mounted Combat
Skills Ride
Career Paths Officer, Shock Trooper

Light Cavalry

Spoiler

Show

Proficiencies Light and Medium Armour, Light Shields, Shortbow, Warhammer, Longsword, All one handed Simple Weapons
Feat Mounted Combat
Skills Ride
Career Paths Officer, Shock Trooper, Scout, Archer

Bonus Feat: These should be chosen formt he list of Fighter bonus feats.

Career Path I-VII

At each selection you mus choose a career path to follow, you may follow no more than 3 career paths. Selecting a Career Path ou have already selected increases its rank by 1.

Officer

Spoiler

Show

I Improved Initiative as a bonus feat, Give Order, Hold the Line (Order)
II Inspiring Presence
III Charge (Order), Leadership as a bonus feat
IV Inspiring Presence II, Terrifying Presence I
V Fire (Order), +2 Bonus to your Leadership score
VI Terrifying Presence II, Inspiring Presence III
VII Consummate Leader, +2 Bonus to your Leadership score

Give Order: you may give an order to all who recognise you as a leader within 30 feet this allows them to perform the specified action on your initiative rather than waiting for their own, after the action has been performed they skip their next turn and return to their normal initiative, you may use this ability only a number of times per day equal to twice your charisma modifier

Hold the Line (Order): All affected may take a move action followed by a ready action

Inspiring Presence: Your example inspires your followers to greater deeds, giving +1 to damage for all subordinates within 30 feet, this ceases to have an effect if the Officer is not standing and clearly visible. This bonus increases to +2 at Officer Rank IV and also grants +1 to hit. At Rank VI this bonus increases to +2 to hit and +3 to damage. At Rank VII this bonus increases to +3 to hit and +4 to damage.

Charge (Order): All affected may make an immediate charge or double move action

Terrifying Presence: Enemies within 30 feet must make a will saving throw DC 15 + Commander Rank + Cha Mod or receive -1 to hit until they move out of range, re-entering the area of influence causes a new saving throw to be required, passing the saving throw makes you immune to this ability from this particular commander for 24 hours. The penalty from this ability increases to -2 at Rank VI and to -3 at Rank VII.

Fire (Order): All affected may make an immediate full attack action provided it is with a ranged weapon

Consummate Leader, you may now give Orders a number of times per day equal to four times your charisma modifier within a range of 60 feet and any affected Officers who are also your subordinates may then give the same order as a free action (even if they do not have access to it), in addition your bonuses for Terrifying Presence and Inspiring presence affect those within 60 feet.

Defender

Spoiler

Show

I Tower Shield proficiency, Combat Expertise as a bonus feat
II Shield Mastery, Toughness as a bonus feat
III Knights Bane, Improved Shield Bash as a bonus feat
IV Reactive Strike
V Unbreakable Shell
VI Armour Mastery
VII Masterful combatant

Shield Mastery: You gain +1 AC per rank in Defender when using a shield

Knights Bane If you set a weapon against a charge (check weapons description to see if it can be used this way) you gain an extra multiplier on the damage e.g. if you would normally get x3 you instead get x4

Reactive Strike: If an opponent provokes and attack of opportunity against you, you may take a full attack action instead of a single attack, provided you haven’t moved in the previous turn

Unbreakable Shell: You gain damage reduction x/- where x is 2 times your ranks in Defender so long as you did not move in the previous round are wearing medium or heavier armour and carrying a shield, in addition you count as carrying a light shield for melee attacks directed against you provided you are armed with a pole arm (including quarterstaffs)

Armour Mastery: maximum dexterity bonus granted by armour is increased by 2 and armour check penalties are reduced by 2

Masterful combatant: whenever a foe misses you in combat you are granted an attack of opportunity against him

Shock Trooper

Spoiler

Show

I Power Attack as a bonus feat, Vicious Blow
II Two Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, Strong Arm
III Improved Two Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, Weapon Specialisation (choose one weapon)
IV Building Tempest, if you hit with all attacks with a weapon in one round you may immediately make another attack and continue attacking until you miss (max extra attacks equal to Shock Trooper rank)
V Improved Sunder as a bonus feat
VI Greater Two Weapon Fighting as a Bonus Feat, Greater Weapon Specialisation as a Bonus Feat
VII Deathblow

Vicious Blow: You may power attack with Light weapons

Strong Arm: +1 to hit with two handed weapons and lances

Building Tempest: if you hit with all attacks with a weapon in one round you may immediately make another attack and continue attacking until you miss (max extra attacks equal to Shock Trooper rank)

Deathblow: You may give up all your attacks for one round in order to strike a killing blow. To do this make an attack against your target, if you are using two weapons total the damage between the two if you hit the target must make a fortitude save DC 10+Damage Dealt or die

Scout

Spoiler

Show

I +2 to Hide and Move Silently these are gained as Class Skills, as are Spot, Listen and Search
II +2 to Survival, this is gained as a class skill, Track as a bonus feat, Long Range Communication
III Fast movement (+10 Feet), Experienced Loner
IV Ambush
V Infiltrator, Improved Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Feat, Experienced Loner
VI Subdue
VII Impersonate an Officer

Long Range Communication: Using mirrors, lanterns or some other means of creating a directional flashing light you can communicate with anyone else with this skill who can see the light

Ambush: You gain Sneak Attack +2d6 during any Surprise round

Infiltrator +6 to Disguise and Bluff, you gain these as class skills

Experienced Loner: you gain +2 Skill points per level (not retroactive)

Subdue: You gain +4d6 sneak attack damage when unarmed, this is non lethal damage

Impersonate an Officer: With a successful Disguise check you can behave as if you had 1 rank in either Commander or Diplomat (your choice) for every 5 points your check exceeds DC 10, you must make a separate bluff check to convince people you are one of their officers if you choose to do so.

Archer

Spoiler

Show

I Point Blank Shot as a Bonus Feat
II Extended Precise Range
III Far Shot as a Bonus Feat
IV Rapid Reload, Accomplished Archer
V Ranged Combat Manoeuvres
VI Death Shot
VII Penetrating Shot

Extended Precise Range: +5 feet/level on the maximum range where precision damage, Point Blank Shot and similar apply, max Archer ranks x 10

Rapid Reload: Light and Hand Crossbows can be reloaded as a swift action, Heavy crossbows as a move action, repeating crossbows as a standard action

Accomplished Archer: +2 feet/level range on longbows and short bows

Ranged Combat Manoeuvres, you may make Sunder, Disarm and Trip attempts with a ranged weapon, this is a precision attack and as such may only be used within your precise range

Death Shot: Whenever you score a critical hit the target must make a saving throw DC equal to 10+damage dealt or die

Penetrating Shot: your arrows and bolts are aimed so finely that you can send them through multiple targets, whenever you successfully hit a target you may make a further attack roll at -5 to hit against the nearest target in a straight line behind him. This shot may not be used with Ranged Combat Manoeuvres, if you critical however Death Shot applies as normal.

Old Soldier: You are recognised by other soldiers (any military man, not just htose with this class) for your experience and prowess in battle you gain a +6 bonus to Intimidate and Diplomacy rolls made to influence soldiers, in addition you may make a Gather Information check substituting your Soldier level for your ranks in Gather Information to gain information from any group of soldiers as you mix with them easily.

Hero/Villain of Renown: Your bonuses to Intimidate and Diplomacy now apply to anyone who ahs heard of you, not just to soldiers. You are considered a Hero of the People in nations favourable to your exploits throughout your career and a Villain in all nations opposed to them. If you are considered a Hero of the People prices are halved when buying from shops and you are given accommodation for free wherever you go, provided people know who you are. In addition you may requisition 1d4 men/town size category from any town militia to help you as required. As a Villain you also gain the halving of prices, but people are far less friendly and are likely to be ‘full’ whenever you look for accommodation unless you are threatening. You may not stay in any one town for more than 2d6 days (rolled secretly by the DM) before you get arrested for something, unless you do something drastic to change their minds.

[Matthew]

Interesting stuff, but a bit hard to read. You probably ought to put the path sections in Spoilers and embolded the titles.

[Callix]

This is basically a fighter fix, but it just gives them more feats. The problem with fighters isn't so much that they don't have enough abilities, but that feats can't keep up with the power increase from cleric buffs when coupled with their spellcasting. More abilities like Mettle (which I feel should at least be available as a fighter bonus feat) and the PHBII Mastery feats give the fighter something special that the cleric can't match. This is what the fighter needs to be useful in high-end play.

[CabbageTheif]

i donbt think that this was intended as a fighter fix. but whether or not it is, i would say that i feel it may be a little powerful. you have what looks like a very versitile class depending on their basic taining and career choices, and as such i dont think that the saves should be identical to the fighter.

i think that if you made all of theirr saves average, or maybe as little below averrage, it would be less of a fighter fix and more of its own class. because with that, thei ability scores would decide which save was theirr strongpoint, tying into their career path.

overall good idea. i am saving this for my own use (i enjoy thrrowing whole armies at my players, and this would make it so much easier!)

[Drager]

@ Matthew: Thanks hopefully that helps witht he ease of reading.

@Callix: a) Its not a fighter fix. b) Did you read the high end abilities? They are far more powerful than feats.

@Cabbage Thief: Thanks, that sounds sensible, but I need to ask average saves? Whats that progression, I think I've only ever seen Good and Poor.

[Shoyliguad]

Monks have average saves, I think its the only class really = /

[Drager]

Thanks. I might drop his Fort to average then...

[penguinreich]

I like it, the only qualm i have would have to be the small amount of training options. I might further divide up heavy and light infantry into Archers, Spearman, Swordsmen, eta.

[Drager]

The idea for basic training was that you got a general area and then the career paths specialised you, that why the basic training section has only a few options.