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Quellian-dyrae
2018-08-03, 02:45 AM
Old class I had done for a Base Class Challenge a while back. Actually just positing it in its own thread for ease of reference for a game, but critiques are welcome nonetheless!


Sublime Soldier

"I would juggle all nine blades, wielding each at need. They choose instead to give each to a single wielder, and see if they all can fight as one. It is not the path that I walked, but I would not pretend that mine is the only Way." -Emark the Falcon, Master of Nine.

As the path of the martial adept became more common, more and more skilled warriors have turned their training to its exotic styles. For a while, it seemed that the Sublime Way was a path that was to be walked alone. Warblades, with their hunger for personal glory, swordsages with their diversity of nature and style alike, and crusaders with their zealous focus on their cause all are more likely to seek personal improvement rather than teaching a great many students. Indeed, the fall of the Temple of Nine Swords is almost a great warning to the modern martial adept that the way of martial supremacy lies not within organization.

But not all adepts are content to seek only personal mastery, and some have seen potential in studying the Sublime Way in a different way than the average warblade, swordsage, and crusader. Each discipline boasts a number of techniques for attack and defense, after all, and it has been theorized by some that mastery of a single discipline to the exclusion of all others might provide a level of mastery within that field far beyond what any normal adept can produce. Like the difference between a wizard who specializes in enchantment and a beguiler, one assumes that a warrior who focused on one aspect of the Sublime Way as opposed to simply favoring maneuvers from a certain school should be able to reach a greater level of mastery.

The combination of these two schools of thought came together in the minds of three siblings whose long familiarity with the power of the Ki gave birth to what came to be known as the Sublime Army. These three learned their first maneuvers under the tutelage of their grandfather, one of the Masters of Nine, a warrior who blended all nine of the disciplines into a seamless whole. His granddaughters and grandson were not so diverse in their teachings; one mastered the powers of the crusader, commanding the will of the devoted spirit, the command of the white raven, and the resilience of the stone dragon. Another followed the path of a swordsage, learning the subtleties of the shadow hand, the misdirections of the setting sun, and the power of the desert wind. The last, a warblade, bent his focus to the clarity of the diamond mind, the fury of the tiger's claw, and the perfection of the iron heart.

And while no one of them could match their grandfather's vast knowledge of martial lore and breadth of maneuvers, they were capable of performing feats of mastery within their discipline that even their teacher often couldn't match, and displaying specialized martial talents that he couldn't dream of duplicating.

As many powerful warriors do, these three eventually attracted a force of followers seeking to learn their skills. These warriors, many of them novice swordlings with great untapped potential, became the kernel of the Sublime Army. Each warrior took from his or her commander but a third of the knowledge that the adventurer itself possessed, but trained at what it learned with the whole of its discipline. When age finally stilled the swords of the three siblings, what had once been a small force of credibly talented fighters had blossomed into a full army of highly specialized warriors, each commanding incredible, though very narrowly focused, powers.

Today, the Sublime Army is a structured organization which contains nine main divisions: the archers, berserkers, commanders, guardians, infantry, knights, saboteurs, scouts, and skirmishers. Rank is based on mastery of the Sublime Way, not division, but each unit has its role to play in the army. The army also fields a smattering of more conventional martial adepts, and has a few spellcasters and mage knights on call. They are known for individually powerful troops – even the least of their soldiers are alone a match for two or three common warriors – as well as tremendous organization and stunning tactical harmony.

The Sublime Army is not tied to any specific kingdom, and hires out small units for mercenary work. A strongly lawful organization, they are very careful about keeping track of who they are fighting for to ascertain that their members never wind up on both sides of a conflict. The army also offers training to warriors who wish to master an aspect of the Sublime Way. A term of service is always required for initial training, though a soldier who has served its term can later choose to make its own way. As a result, the army has given rise to a number of skilled adventurers.

Adventures: Sublime soldiers could adventure for any number of reasons. The modern Sublime Army only rarely masses a full force for war; most contracts are achieved by sending a small group of soldiers to handle tasks deemed within its capability. Likewise, the army has its share of politics and intrigue, and a character seeking to rise through the ranks would have plenty to do proving itself to its superiors and further mastering its discipline. And of course, many warriors with training by the Sublime Army choose to go their own way, and no doubt, anyone seeking such specialized combat training has its reasons.

Characteristics: The characteristics of any given sublime soldier depend on the discipline it has mastered.

The sublime archers are masterful ranged attackers. Although most martial maneuvers are taught on the basis of melee combat, these skilled marksmen have mastered the art of the diamond mind. Their honed concentration allows them to fire with incredible speed and accuracy. In a war, the archers take up tactical positions, scything down advancing troops or concentrating a deadly fire on key targets.

Sublime berserkers are the masters of the tiger claw discipline. They tear into their foes with raging fury, and are among the most feared units of the Sublime Army in the event of a large-scale war, for their savagery – and, thus, their power – only grows the longer they fight. There are relatively few troopers in the army; they are prone to reckless and chaotic activity, so the army subtly discourages them and they do have a tendency to volunteer for - or be assigned to - the most dangerous missions. However, those few that do complete their training and survive their battles are well-respected by their comrades despite their lack of order.

Sublime commanders are the de facto leaders in any major engagement. Masters of the white raven, they are themselves capable fighters, but their greatest advantage is their ability to support their allies with their presence and command. Although the nine divisions of the army are officially equal, great respect is afforded the commanders, for their supportive skills are what make the army as a whole a force to be truly feared.

Sublime guardians focus on keeping their allies safe from harm. Sublime guardians master the devoted spirit discipline, and there are actually two sects within this division. The first, favoring swords and shields, are masters of actively defending their allies. The second group prefer long weapons like spears for forcing the enemy back and striking at those that would attack their friends. In a war, the guardians are often found forming an impenetrable wall of spears and shields, providing a haven for archers as well as wounded allies. Any enemy trying to get through their defense to finish off weakened troops are likely to only get those warriors back on their feet that much faster.

At the heart of any army is the infantry, and this is no less true of the Sublime Army. Though often a thankless job, a position in the infantry ranks of this organization is as sought after as any other unit, for it entails a mastery of the stone dragon. Although the training is tough, these warriors are incredibly resilient and capable of dealing crushing blows to their enemies. The mass charge of the Sublime Infantry is often said to be as terrifying – and as destructive – as a normal force's cavalry blitz.

The sublime knights are a force of elite warriors who focus on engaging and defeating key targets. Masters of their chosen weapons, they utilize the iron heart discipline to enhance their attacks and defenses and allow them to fight beyond normal limits. In war, small groups of these knights band together to seek out powerful enemy forces, scything through lesser foes all the while.

The sublime scouts utilize stealthy skills drawn from the shadow hand discipline. Masters of both infiltration and assassination, they are rarely seen in direct combat. If battle has been joined, though, it is almost certain that the scouts have already played their role, gathering intelligence on the enemy and dispatching important targets before they ever get a chance to fight.

The sublime skirmishers are masters of the desert wind discipline, and they display the speed and destructive capability of a raging wildfire. Extremely mobile and capable of potent area blasts, the skirmishers disrupt enemy formations and soften up tough targets, clearing the way for a finishing assault by infantry, berserkers, or knights.

Finally, sublime saboteurs favor the setting sun discipline, and like most adherents to that study, are of the opinion that the enemy needs only a little help to defeat itself. Cunning and decisive in their actions, they take advantage of every opening to quickly leave their enemies helpless. In war, they tend to focus their efforts on particularly dangerous foes, hampering and crippling them so they cannot lend their strength to the opposing side.

Alignment: The Sublime Army favors the lawful alignments, and tends towards neutrality with leanings towards good. Even within the army, though, the entire berserker division is heavily slanted towards chaos, and individual members are not generally judged on their disposition so long as they can follow orders. The preferences of the army matter even less to former students, so members of the class can be any alignment.

Religion: Most members of the Sublime Army see the Sublime Way itself as all the religion they need, and the army is careful not to officially sanction any deity. That being said, as an organization of warriors, the worship of gods of warfare and strength are not uncommon.

Background: As written, the class assumes that the character's background will have at some point brought it at least into contact with the Sublime Army, though whether it remains part of the organization - and if not, why it left - can be useful things to know.

Races: The Sublime Army accepts all kinds. Humans are naturally the most common, followed by hobgoblins, dwarves, and elves, in that order. There are noticeable racial cliques among various divisions in the army - elves favoring archery, dwarves infantry, hobgoblins as knights, orcs as berserkers, and so on. These cliques are somewhat self-reinforcing, encouraging other members of the race to join that division and discouraging members of other races, which is starting to cause just enough friction that the ranking officers are considering trying to do something about it.

Other Classes: Crusaders, warblades, and swordsages all have their place in the Sublime Army, and are afforded no small amount of respect by the soldiers of the nine divisions for their mastery of various styles. The soldiers tend to have a respectful rivalry with spellcasters. Uninitiated warriors, however, tend to be looked down upon by the army as common grunt troops, not even worthy of accepting into such an elite force.

Role: The role of a sublime soldier depends entirely on its discipline, both in an adventuring party and a war-scale conflict.

Adaptation: The Sublime Army can be used (or not) in various ways in different games. Perhaps it split into several competing factions, or is a powerful assembly of warriors running a determined inquisition against magic. Or it may not exist at all, with the various divisions of the class simply being highly specialized martial adepts. Another interesting option for adaptation would be to allow a character to gain its scaling feature and/or discipline abilities from different disciplines as its maneuvers, making it a very customizable warrior class.

Variant Playstyles:

Although maneuvers cap out at level 9, a sublime soldier's maximum maneuver level continues to increase at level 19 and into epic levels. Although in a normal game this capability isn't strictly necessary even at the highest levels, it is presented as an optional rule for progressing sublime soldiers into epic levels.

Sublime soldiers with maximum maneuver levels of 10 or higher can initiate powerful combination maneuvers of epic scope, referred to as Epic Initiations. As a standard action, by spending a single maneuver available, the soldier may make a full attack action. Each individual attack in the action may potentially be replaced with a single martial strike that requires a standard action to perform. All such strikes must be from the same discipline, even if the soldier has learned maneuvers of other disciplines by some means.

The soldier may initiate a total number of levels of maneuvers equal to its maximum maneuver level. No single maneuver may be higher level than half its maximum, rounded up. The same maneuver may be applied to multiple attacks if desired. For example, at 19th level, the soldier could make a full attack replacing the attacks with up to ten total levels of strikes, none of which may be higher than 5th level (so a Sublime Archer could make the first and second attacks a Ruby Nightmare Blade, the third an Emerald Razor, and the fourth a normal attack).

If desired, when making an Epic Initiation, the soldier can apply Boosts without spending the swift action normally required (counting levels of Boosts against its available levels of Strikes). It may also conserve one or more available levels of Strikes and use them until the start of its next turn to initiate Counters without spending the immediate action normally required.

An Epic Initiation ignores the cooldowns of the individual maneuvers used and does not place them on cooldown. However, upon making an Epic Initiation, the soldier becomes must rest for five minutes before doing so again. The single cost of a maneuver available to perform the Epic Initiation covers the cost of all the maneuvers that are part of it.

Beyond Epic Initiation, an epic Sublime Soldier continues to progress its Maneuver Training and Scaling Feature. It receives a bonus Epic feat at 21st level and each four class levels thereafter.

The Path of War supplement has entirely restructured disciplines, although it might be possible, with DM discretion, to use the sublime soldier class with Path of War, simply choosing an existing discipline for purposes of discipline abilities but using Path of War for the actual maneuvers. In this case, the soldier's initiating ability score is its key ability score.

In a mixed game with Pathfinder basic rules but access to D&D 3.5 content, make the following changes:

Hit Die and Skill Points: Traditionally, HD is tied to BAB in Pathfinder. The sublime soldier should retain its full BAB. It is suggested to just keep HD and SP as-is to better differentiate the different types of soldiers. For a more strictly accurate conversion, increase the disciplines with a d8 HD to a d10, and reduce their skill points from 6 to 4, or just have all sublime soldiers use a d10 HD and 4 SP.

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (History, Martial, Nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str). Diamond Mind should use Perception rather than Concentration. Shadow Hand uses Stealth in place of Hide. Desert Wind, Iron Heart, Stone Dragon, and Tiger Claw all use Acrobatics rather than their normal key skills. Although if you want to diversify, you could change it to Desert Wind uses Fly (and add Fly as a Sublime Soldier class skill), Iron Heart uses Knowledge (Martial), Stone Dragon uses Survival, and Tiger Claw retains Acrobatics.

Favored Class Bonuses:
Human: +1/6 of an additional Maneuver Available.
Elf: +1/6 of an additional Instinctive Stance.
Half Elf: +1/6 of an additional Diverse Training.
Dwarf: +1/6 of an additional Extended Counter.
Gnome: +1/6 of an additional Synergistic Boost.
Halfling: +1/6 of an additional Scaling Feature increase.
Half Orc: +1/6 of an additional Opportunistic Strike.

The different soldier types of the Sublime Soldier class are actually quite distinct. Although their abilities follow a set pattern, the only capability that they all really share is Maneuver Training (and even then, it's a list of options). Multiclassing the different Sublime Soldier classes should be quite possible, with two important adjustments:

1) You have one pool of maneuvers available per encounter, which is equal to 2 + the total number of Maneuver Training abilities you acquire.

2) You use the Key Ability and recovery method of your first sublime soldier class only (any class features or maneuvers that call out the the other class's Key Ability instead use that one).

So, for example, a Sublime Archer 6/Sublime Knight 6 would have 4 maneuvers available per encounter, access to 5th level Diamond Mind and Iron Heart maneuvers, two Maneuver Training options, access to Basic and Adept Discipline Abilities from both classes, Hypercognition 30', +15' range increment, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Quick Draw, and three mastered weapons or armors. By comparison, a straight Sublime Archer 12 would have 5 maneuvers available, access to 6th level Diamond Mind maneuvers (but no Iron Heart), three Maneuver Training options, Basic, Adept, and Expert Sublime Archer abilities, Hypercognition 60', and +30' range increment.

For Gestalt sublime soldiers, Maneuvers Available is a gestalted resource, but otherwise all class features stack. A Sublime Archer 12//Sublime Knight 12 would have 5 maneuvers available per encounter, access to 6th level Diamond Mind and Iron Heart maneuvers, six Maneuver Training options, access to Basic, Adept, and Expert Discipline Abilities from both classes, Hypercognition 60', +30' range increment, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Quick Draw, Weapon Mastery, Improved Critical, and Greater Weapon Focus, and six mastered weapons or armor.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Sublime Soldiers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Sublime soldiers are warriors first and foremost, and so Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are all important to varying degrees. Some maneuvers and special abilities involve other stats; as a good rule of thumb, a guardian should consider investing in Charisma, while soldiers focusing on the swordsage-specific disciplines (skirmishers, saboteurs, and scouts) may want to consider Wisdom.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: Varies.
Starting Age: As Wizard.
Starting Gold: As Fighter.

Class Skills
The Sublime Soldier's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are...
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History, Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at First Level: Varies.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: Varies.

SUBLIME SOLDIER
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial

1st
+1
*
*
*Maneuvers, Basic Discipline Ability.

2nd
+2
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

3rd
+3
*
*
*Maneuver Training.

4th
+4
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

5th
+5
*
*
*Adept Discipline Ability.

6th
+6
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

7th
+7
*
*
*Maneuver Training.

8th
+8
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

9th
+9
*
*
*Expert Discipline Ability.

10th
+10
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

11th
+11
*
*
*Maneuver Training.

12th
+12
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

13th
+13
*
*
*Master Discipline Ability.

14th
+14
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

15th
+15
*
*
*Maneuver Training.

16th
+16
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

17th
+17
*
*
*Grandmaster Discipline Ability.

18th
+18
*
*
*Scaling Feature.

19th
+19
*
*
*Maneuver Training.

20th
+20
*
*
*Epic Discipline Ability, Scaling Feature.

Quellian-dyrae
2018-08-03, 02:47 AM
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Sublime Soldier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Sublime Soldier is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Maneuvers: The sublime soldier is able to initiate martial maneuvers. Unlike most martial adepts, each sublime soldier chooses a single discipline. It automatically learns every maneuver and stance in that discipline with a maneuver level of equal to or less than half its class level, rounded up. The soldier does not natively gain maneuvers from any other disciplines, although it may still learn them through the Martial Study and Martial Stance feats. A multiclassed sublime soldier treats its class level as one higher per two levels gained in other classes for purposes of calculating its maximum maneuver level, but any given class can only provide this benefit for a number of levels equal to your Sublime Soldier level. For example, a 10th level Sublime Soldier/10th level Fighter would get 8th level maneuvers (as if at Sublime Soldier 15), while a 5th level Sublime Soldier/15th level Fighter would get 4th level maneuvers (as if at Sublime Soldier 7 - only the first five fighter levels actually provide the half progression). A 5th level Sublime Soldier/5th level Fighter/5th level Rogue/5th level Wizard would get 6th level maneuvers (as if at Sublime Soldier 12 - all three of the other classes provide the half progression for all five levels).

Sublime soldiers do not ready their maneuvers; all of their maneuvers are always considered readied. However, the soldier is initially limited to using only two maneuvers per encounter (the Maneuver Training ability increases this limit as the soldier advances). Individual maneuvers are not expended, so a soldier can continue using the same maneuver repeatedly as long as it has available maneuvers. However, maneuvers of 4th-6th level are placed on a one-round cooldown after being used (that is, the same maneuver can't be used twice in consecutive rounds). Maneuvers of 7th-9th level have a two-round cooldown. These rules only apply to maneuvers gained from the Sublime Soldier's class, or added to its class selection by feats or the like; a multiclassed Sublime Soldier can't spend its maneuvers available to freely initiate known or readied maneuvers from other classes, and neither does it force those maneuvers onto a cooldown.

The sublime soldier's choice of discipline affects several of its class features. It also determines its two good saves, its Hit Die, and its skill points.

Discipline also determines what action is required to qualify the soldier for recovering a maneuver in combat. In any round that the soldier takes the listed action, it qualifies to recover a maneuver if it wishes. The actual act of recovering the maneuver is a swift action, which restores a single maneuver available for the current encounter.

Finally, discipline determines the sublime soldier's Key Ability. The save DC for all of a sublime soldier's maneuvers is equal to 10 + 1/2 initiator level + Key Ability Modifier. Sublime Soldiers may substitute their Key Ability Modifier for the normal ability modifier applied to their discipline skill. Each type of Sublimt Soldier can also apply their Key Ability Modifier to a certain other stat; however, these abilities do not stack with any other ability that allows you to add another ability modifier to the stat in question.


Desert Wind (Sublime Skirmisher): Fortitude and Reflex; d8 HD, 6 SP. A sublime skirmisher relies on speed and mobility; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it takes a double move, run, or withdraw action. The skirmisher's Key Ability is Wisdom, and it may add its Wisdom modifier to its AC while wearing light or no armor and not using a shield.

Devoted Spirit (Sublime Guardian): Fortitude and Will; d12 HD, 2 SP. A sublime guardian is a bastion of defense for its allies; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it makes a successful attack of opportunity, or that it successfully attacks a foe that did damage to an ally since the end of its last turn. The guardian's Key Ability is Charisma, and it may add its Charisma modifier to its damage rolls for attacks of opportunity.

Diamond Mind (Sublime Archer): Reflex and Will; d8 HD, 6 SP. A sublime archer's training emphasizes concentration and focus; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it takes a readied action or a refocus action. The archer's Key Ability is Intelligence, and it may add its Intelligence modifier to its ranged weapon damage rolls.

Iron Heart (Sublime Knight): Fortitude and Reflex; d10 HD, 4 SP. A sublime knight is a peerless melee warrior; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it makes a successful attack or full attack action. The knight's Key Ability is Intelligence, and it may add its Intelligence modifier to attack rolls when making a martial strike.

Setting Sun (Sublime Saboteur): Reflex and Will; d8 HD, 6 SP. A sublime saboteur is a master of disruption and misdirection; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it makes a successful bull rush, trip, disarm, sunder, overrun, or feint (or other type of opposed combat maneuver). The saboteur's Key Ability is Wisdom, and it may add its Wisdom modifier to any checks to initiate or resist any of the above combat maneuvers.

Shadow Hand (Sublime Scout): Reflex and Will; d8 HD, 6 SP. A sublime scout uses stealth and deception to overcome its foes, and are absolute terrors in the dark of night; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it does not take damage or fail a saving throw, or that it has total concealment from all opponents on the field. The scout's Key Ability is Wisdom, and it may add its Wisdom modifier to its damage rolls against targets who are flanked or denied their Dexterity modifier to AC (this is not precision damage).

Stone Dragon (Sublime Infantry): Fortitude and Will; d12 HD, 2 SP. A sublime infantry stands steadfast against any opposition; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round where it does not leave the square in began its turn in. The infantry's Key Ability is Charisma, and it may substitute its Charisma modifier for its Dexterity modifier to AC (this applies regardless of armor worn and is not subject to maximum Dexterity bonus).

Tiger Claw (Sublime Berserker): Fortitude and Reflex; d10 HD, 4 SP. A sublime berserker allows its primal fury to carry it through the battle; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that it drops a foe. The berserker's Key Ability is Intelligence, and it may add its Intelligence modifier to its initiative rolls.

White Raven (Sublime Warlord): Fortitude and Will; d10 HD, 4 SP. A sublime warlord fights with teamwork and tactics; it qualifies to recover a maneuver in any round that an ally successfully attacks an enemy using the benefit of an Aid Another or Flanking bonus from the warlord. The warlord's Key Ability is Charisma, and it may add its Charisma modifier to the bonus it provides to its allies when taking an Aid Another action or flanking (this bonus cannot stack with itself; an aided ally who is also flanking with the warlord only receives the bonus once).


Scaling Feature: Each type of sublime soldier learns some distinct skills that form the core of its fighting style. At second level, the sublime soldier gains a Scaling Feature based on its discipline, which improves in effect at every even-numbered class level.


Desert Wind: Sublime skirmishers move about the field in a blur, hitting hard and leaving but air for their foes to strike back against. They gain Skirmish, as a Scout one level lower, and increase their speed for all movement modes by 5' per two class levels.

Devoted Spirit: Sublime guardians boast tremendous resilience, and are always alert to strike at those that would harm their allies. They gain Steely Resolve, similar to a Crusader, but with a value of 5 per two class levels and may make one additional attack of opportunity per round per two levels. Sublime Guardians do not receive the Furious Counterstrike class feature. However, any damage they take from their Delayed Damage Pool is converted to nonlethal damage.

Diamond Mind: Sublime archers have honed their senses to superhuman levels. They gain a radius of Hypercognition equal to 10' per two class levels, and increase their range increment for all ranged weapons by 5' per two class levels. Hypercognition provides the following benefits:


The archer's "point blank" range (normally 30') is extended by its Hypercognition range.
The archer adds its Intelligence modifier to any Spot or Listen checks made to detect things within its Hypercognition range.
Any sensory abilities or effects the archer possesses effective out to a certain range have this range extended by the archer's Hypercognition range.
The archer is always entitled to a Spot or Listen check to pinpoint hidden characters within this radius, even if they possess abilities such as Invisibility or Silence that would normally obviate such checks, though it must have line of effect to such characters.
Any pinpointed character in this range has any concealment reduced by one step against the archer.
The archer does not begin taking penalties to Spot or Listen checks due to distance until the distance exceeds this range.
The archer may search this entire area with a single Search check, although the search only covers the area to which the archer has line of effect.


Iron Heart: Sublime knights are consummate weapons masters. They receive a number of bonus feats as they advance. Additionally, at every even-numbered level, the knight may choose a type of weapon of armor. The knight gains proficiency in the chosen item, and applies the benefits of any weapon-specific feat it possesses to those items. In the case of armor, focus, mastery, and specialization feats apply, converting bonus to attack rolls to bonuses to AC, and bonuses to damage rolls into DR/-. The feats the knight gains are as follows:


At second level, the knight gains Weapon Focus with its chosen gear.
At fourth level, the knight gains Weapon Specialization with its chosen gear.
At sixth level, the knight gains Quick Draw, and may sheathe a weapon in the same action as drawing one. If it sheathes a magical weapon or a weapon that is currently enhanced by magic and draws a non-magical weapon of at least masterwork quality in the same action, it may transfer the magical benefits to the new weapon for one round per class level or until the weapon is destroyed, disarmed, or put away.
At eighth level, the knight gains Weapon Mastery with any gear of the same damage type (or armor of the same weight class) as any of its chosen gear.
At tenth level, the knight gains Improved Critical with its chosen gear.
At twelfth level, the knight gains Greater Weapon Focus with its chosen gear.
At fourteenth level, the knight gains Greater Weapon Specialization with its chosen gear.
At sixteenth level, the knight gains Epic Weapon Focus with its chosen gear.
At eighteenth level, the knight gains Epic Weapon Specialization with its chosen gear.
At twentieth level, the knight gains Weapon Supremacy with its chosen gear.


Setting Sun: Subline saboteurs use leverage, footwork, and mastery of the Sublime Way to manhandle far larger opponents. The saboteur receives a size bonus of +2 every two levels, which applies to all checks that normally receive a +4 bonus for larger size categories. For each +4 bonus achieved, the saboteur acts as one size category larger for purposes of determining the size of opponents it can affect with any ability that is limited by comparative size.

Shadow Hand: Sublime scouts do battle using the time-honored tactics of a knife to the back. The scout receives Sneak Attack of 1d6 per even-numbered level, and for each even-numbered level, reduces all penalties to Hide and Move Silently checks (due to attacking, movement speed, poor cover, or the like) by 2.

Stone Dragon: Sublime infantry rely on superhuman physical resilience to see them through their battles. The infantry receives one additional Hit Die and DR 1/- for every even level. This Hit Die grants additional hit points (including any bonus hit points from Constitution or other sources), and lets the infantry count as higher HD for purposes of resisting spells and effects dependent on target HD. It does not provide any of the other benefits of HD, such as increased BAB, saves, feats, ability increases, save DCs, or scaling other HD-based effects.

Tiger Claw: Sublime berserkers can hurl themselves into a killing frenzy in battle. When battle is joined, they receive a bonus to two physical ability scores of their choice, and to a single type of saving throw (which cannot be a save that is modified by one of their boosted scores). The bonus to ability scores is 2 + 1/2 the berserker's class level. The bonus to the save is half the ability score bonus. Entering a frenzy counts as a Stance, so the berserker cannot use another stance while maintaining its frenzy (unless they have an ability that allows them to benefit from multiple stances).

White Raven: Sublime warlords do their best work supporting their allies. Every ally within 60' of the warlord (not counting the warlord itself) receives a +1 morale bonus on weapon damage rolls and saves against mind-affecting effects per two warlord levels. Each odd-numbered point of this bonus also grants a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls. Finally, the first time in the encounter that an ally receives this bonus, it also gains two temporary hit points per point of the bonus. These temporary hit points stack with those provided by other Sublime Warlords. These bonuses (temporary hit points aside) expire if the character moves more than 60' from the warlord, or if the warlord is unable to take standard actions for any reason. If the ally again moves within range or the warlord recovers, the benefits are reinstated.


Maneuver Training: At third level, and every four levels thereafter, the soldier's proficiency with martial maneuvers improves. It receives an additional maneuver available each encounter, and can also choose any one of the following benefits. Each benefit may be taken multiple times.


Diverse Training - The soldier gains Martial Study as a bonus feat. This does not count against the normal limitation of three applications of Martial Study that a character can learn.
Instinctive Stance - The soldier may choose one stance that it knows. It is always considered to be in that stance, without counting against its single stance limit.
Extended Counter - The soldier may choose one counter that it knows that provides or improves a defense. Whenever it initiates that counter, the effects last for the entire round, as if the counter was re-initiated every time a relevant trigger occurs.
Synergistic Boost - The soldier may choose one boost that it knows. Whenever it makes a martial strike, it may activate that boost without spending a maneuver available. Using a boost in this way ignores maneuver cooldowns, and does not put the boost on cooldown. The soldier must still spend a swift action to initiate the boost.
Opportunistic Strike - The soldier may choose one strike that it knows, that involves a single melee attack or combat maneuver, and that has an initiation time of one standard action. In any round that it initiates the strike, any attacks of opportunity it makes also initiate the strike, at no further cost in maneuvers available and ignoring the strike's cooldown.
Bonus Feat - The soldier gains a bonus feat from the list of feats available to fighters.


Basic Discipline Ability: Although highly distinguished by their maneuvers, each type of sublime soldier also receives specialized training to expand their abilities within their discipline and better fulfill their role within the Sublime Army. At first level, this training is represented by a basic discipline ability:


Desert Wind - Invoke Desert Fire (Su): The sublime skirmisher can channel its Ki into fiery energy. At will, as a standard action, the skirmisher can launch a bolt of fire as a ranged touch attack with Medium range, dealing 1d6 points of damage odd-numbered class level, plus the skirmisher's Wisdom modifier. If the skirmisher wishes, it may also activate this ability as a swift action in conjunction with a martial strike, or with another action that allows a single attack (such as a spring attack or charge), using its fire bolt in place of any attacks it would be entitled to make as part of the strike. If the strike does not involve attacks, the damage of the bolt is simply added to the damage of the strike. A given opponent can only receive Invoke Desert Fire damage once per round, even if a strike allows multiple attacks (though such strikes could be used to blast multiple targets).

When using this along with a strike that deals damage without making attacks (or that deals damage to targets other than the one attacked), the strike can be improved by Skirmish, and all damage dice dealt by the strike (including the bonus dice from this ability and from Skirmish) increase to d8s for 5th-6th level maneuvers, d10s for 7th-8th level maneuvers, and d12s for 9th level maneuvers.

The skirmisher may not use this ability if it is out of maneuvers available for the encounter.

Devoted Spirit - Lay On Hands (Su): Like a paladin, a sublime guardian can lay hands on its allies to cure damage. This ability functions like that of the paladin with one exception: it is supported by other healing effects. Whenever the guardian uses another effect that provides healing, it may spend points of healing to improve the damage healed on a one-for-one basis (if the effect heals multiple allies, they all receive the improved healing). Additionally, whenever the guardian receives healing from another source, it can choose to forego the healing to instead refresh its lay on hands pool on a point for point basis. The guardian cannot both boost a healing effect and use it to restore its healing pool simultaneously.

Diamond Mind - Sublime Archery (Ex): The sublime archer has mastered the art of combining its martial maneuvers with its ranged attacks. Any maneuver that specifies functioning only on melee attacks now applies to ranged attacks as well. The sublime archer may also add its Dexterity modifier to ranged weapon damage rolls against targets in its point-blank range.

Iron Heart - Skillstrong Strike (Ex): A sublime knight's strikes represent the pinnacle of its martial prowess, and its skill with weapons is magnified when it makes a strike. Whenever a sublime knight executes a martial strike, it adds its Intelligence modifier to the damage roll and doubles the benefit of any weapon-specific feat it possesses with the weapon it is using for purposes of the strike. For example, an 8th level sublime knight whose preferred weapon is the waraxe normally gets +3 to hit and +4 to damage with its waraxe from weapon focus, weapon specialization, and weapon mastery. When using its waraxe as part of a martial strike, its bonuses change to +6 to hit and +8 to damage.

Setting Sun - Sabotage (Ex): Whenever the saboteur successfully performs a combat maneuver, it may cause the effects of another combat maneuver of its choice to the target (for example, a trip could also bull rush the target back, or a grapple could also disarm an item, etc). Alternately, it can cause one of the following conditions for the rest of the encounter - Deafened, Entangled, Fatigued, Off Guard (unable to make attacks of opportunity), Shaken, or Sickened.

Shadow Hand - Stealthy Strike (Ex): Even when enemies are not vulnerable to precision strikes, a sublime scout can still take advantage of obvious openings in the foe's defense. A sublime scout can exchange precision damage (from sneak attack or another source) for a flat damage bonus at the rate of 1d6 precision damage per +2 to damage.

Stone Dragon - Mountainous Resilience (Ex): Sublime infantry are known for being incredibly resilient to attack, and able to bounce back much faster than common warriors. Any time the infantry has damage reduced by a resistance of any kind (such as energy resistance or damage reduction), it converts an equal amount of damage that gets through into nonlethal damage.

Tiger Claw - Grace of the Tiger (Ex): For all their fury, sublime berserkers act with deceptive grace and speed. They treat all standing jumps as running jumps, and may add their full Strength modifier to their damage rolls with off-hand weapons and secondary natural attacks, or twice their Strength modifier (rather than 1.5X) to their damage rolls when wielding a weapon two-handed. Alternately, they can substitute their Dexterity for their Strength modifier on weapon damage rolls; if they do so, they only use half their Dexterity with a two-handed weapon or if wielding a shield, they use their full modifier if fighting with two weapons or natural weapons, and they use double the modifier when fighting with a single weapon and nothing in the other hand (and not attacking with their off-hand or any other limbs).

White Raven - Provide Support (Ex): A sublime commander can perform an Aid Another action at a range of up to 10' per class level. It can simultaneously aid up to one ally per attack it receives from its Base Attack Bonus. The benefits of its Aid Another actions last until the start of its next turn, rather than for one attack. It may aid the same ally multiple times, either providing both a defensive and offensive bonus, or increasing the duration of the bonus by one round per additional aid attempt. When aiding attacks, the bonus also applies to damage rolls. When aiding defense, the bonus also applies to saving throws.


Adept Discipline Ability: At fifth level, the sublime soldier gains its adept discipline ability.


Desert Wind - Flash Step (Su): An adept skirmisher has unparalleled combat mobility. Any time the skirmisher purposefully moves, it may choose to teleport for any or all of the distance moved, avoiding attacks of opportunity, ignoring difficult terrain, and allowing it to reach points it otherwise couldn't. The skirmisher must have either line of sight or line of effect to the spot it wishes to teleport to before any given instance of teleportation. When running or charging, the skirmisher may alter its facing mid-teleport, and the teleports themselves need not be along the same line as the charge.

Devoted Spirit - Sublime Challenge (Ex): The sublime guardian can challenge its enemies. It may challenge a single foe as a swift action, one foe per point of its Charisma modifier as a standard action, or one foe per point of its Charisma modifier plus one foe per class level as a full round action. Targets must make a Will save or Sense Motive check (DC equals the result of an Intimidate check) to resist the challenge. If they fail, they provoke attacks of opportunity (from anyone threatening them, not just the guardian) for any offensive action they take that does not target or affect the guardian. If the action has multiple targets or affects an area, the enemy provokes the attack if the guardian is not one of those targets or in the area. The enemy does not provoke attacks of opportunity for making attacks of opportunity, and the effect ends if the guardian is killed or incapacitated, or if the guardian attacks an enemy that it has not challenged (note that it is free to attack foes that resisted its challenge, so long as the challenge was made).

Diamond Mind - Fluid Strike (Ex): The sublime archer has mastered diamond mind techniques that allow it to act in short slivers of time. When making one or more ranged attacks, the archer may choose to turn a single projectile into any martial strike that has an initiation time of one standard action. The strike's level must be at least two lower than the highest-level strike the archer can initiate. The archer must take a swift action to add the strike to the shot.

Iron Heart - Stylestrong Strike (Ex): A sublime knight's mastery of martial strikes improves, allowing the knight to enhance whatever fighting style it happens to be using. Whenever the sublime knight is taking a penalty to a certain stat to get a bonus to another stat (fighting defensively, power attacking, using combat expertise, etc), the bonus increases by 50% in any round in which the knight makes a martial strike. Note that additional attacks made owed to an attack penalty are not increased as these are not stats.

Setting Sun - Throw to the Dogs (Ex): Whenever the saboteur forcefully moves an opponent, the opponent provokes attacks of opportunity from the squares it moves through.

Shadow Hand - Hide in Plain Sight (Su): An adept of the shadow hand discipline can hide in plain sight, as the Shadowdancer ability.

Stone Dragon - Mountainous Strength (Ex): Sublime infantry channel the force of the earth into their blows. Whenever the infantry power attacks or uses stone power for at least four points, it may make a free bull rush, trip, or disarm attempt on any foe it hits. If it scores a critical hit in such a circumstance, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Strength modifier) or be stunned for one round per critical multiplier above X1. Upon gaining this class feature, the infantry gains either Power Attack or Stone Power as a bonus feat. If it already has both, it may select a different fighter bonus feat that it qualifies for.

Tiger Claw - Trail of Blood (Ex): With each kill, the berserker presses onwards. Every time the berserker drops a foe, it may take one five-foot step per maneuver currently available. If it has the Cleave feat, it may move before cleaving.

White Raven - Provide Action (Ex): The commander can provide an ally with an entire action once per round. The commander chooses an ally who can see and hear it, and chooses to sacrifice its swift, move, or standard action for the round. The ally can then immediately take an action of its own of the chosen type, as an immediate action.



Expert Discipline Ability: At ninth level, the sublime soldier gains its expert discipline ability.


Desert Wind - Walk the Desert Winds (Su): The skirmisher focuses its Ki and rises from the ground. It gains the effects of an Air Walk spell constantly.

Devoted Spirit - Sublime Guard (Ex): The guardian offers no quarter to foes who try to slip past its defense (or escape its wrath). It may make attacks of opportunity against creatures with cover, taking five-foot steps, or using the withdraw action, and adds its class level to the DC of any checks to avoid its attacks of opportunity (including Tumble checks and Concentration checks to cast defensively). Any opponent hit by its attacks of opportunity must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 level + Strength or Charisma modifier) or lose whatever action provoked the attack. This last benefit does not apply to attacks provoked due to attacks on the Guardian itself.

Diamond Mind - Blindsight (Ex): The sublime archer's senses have been honed to superhuman levels. It gains Blindsight out to its Hypercognition range.

Iron Heart - Stancestrong Strike (Ex): The sublime knight's strikes allow it to enter the most advantageous position for its stance. In any round in which the sublime knight makes a strike maneuver, the numeric benefits of its current stance (such as stat bonuses, additional damage dice, improved reach, etc) are doubled, and it may gain the (normal) benefits of another stance it knows until the end of its next turn.

Setting Sun - Dirupt (Ex): When using the Sabotage ability, the saboteur can cause two effects, and at the cost of two effects, may impose one of the following conditions: Blinded (1 round), Confused (1 round), Exhausted (3 rounds), Immobilized (unable to move from its current spot; 3 rounds), or Staggered (2 rounds).

Shadow Hand - Advantageous Opening (Ex): The sublime scout adds its sneak attack damage to any attack of opportunity or critical hit it scores. It can also sneak attack opponents who are taking a penalty to AC or saving throws for any reason.

Stone Dragon - Shockwave Strike (Ex): Expert infantry plow into massed battle, sending entire units into disarray. Whenever the infantry hits while using power attack or stone power, all enemies within a 5' radius per two points of penalty on its attack roll suffer the same attack (compare the initial attack roll against the AC of all potential targets, and apply any results of the attack to any who are hit).

Tiger Claw - Superhuman Leap (Ex): The berserker leaps into the fray, crossing vast distances in an instant. The berserker's jumping distance is multiplied by five, and it can high jump the same distance it can broad jump. As a full-round action, the berserker may spend maneuvers available when jumping to further multiply the distance by 5 per maneuver spent (using full multiplication, so spending one maneuver results in X25 distance, two in X125, three in X625, etc). If the berserker only spends one maneuver, it makes the jump instantly; otherwise the travel time is one round per maneuver spent beyond the first.

White Raven - Lead By Example (Ex): Whenever the commander hits an enemy with a martial strike, it may Aid a single ally as a free action.

Master Discipline Ability: At thirteenth level, the sublime soldier gains its master discipline ability.


Desert Wind - Invoke Solar Fire (Su): When using its Invoke Desert Fire ability (either on its own or in conjunction with a strike), a master skirmisher can channel the brilliant power of the desert sun into its attacks, infusing the attack with positive energy. This allows the attack to ignore fire resistance entirely, and deal half damage against fire immune foes (it also deals half against foes immune to positive energy, and foes with both immunities remain immune). Allies within the area, rather than being harmed, receive temporary hit points equal to half the attack's damage. Undead and creatures harmed by sunlight receive double damage, and creatures specifically destroyed by sunlight are instantly destroyed if they fail a Reflex save (if used as part of a maneuver that allows a Reflex save, use the single save).

Devoted Spirit - Denial (Ex): High-level sublime guardians can defend against even potent area blasts and multi-targeted spells, sheer force of will and grit denying corrupting magic, their blades sundering even blasts of flame and bolts of lightning. Whenever the guardian succeeds a saving throw against a spell or effect, all allies who would also be affected ignore the effect entirely (even if the guardian itself only sustains a reduced effect).

Diamond Mind - Devastating Nightmare Shot (Ex): The archer has melded its precision with its focus, allowing it to make truly terrible attacks. Whenever using the ruby nightmare blade or diamond nightmare blade maneuvers with a ranged weapon, the archer can take a swift action to improve the effect of the shot. If the concentration check succeeds and the attack hits, the shot automatically threatens a critical hit.

Iron Heart - Swordstrong Strike (Ex): The sublime knight gets the most out of its weapon when making a martial strike. Any numerical offensive bonuses (such as bonuses to attack and damage rolls, threat range, bonus damage dice, etc) provided by a magic weapon (including a weapon enhanced by a spell) are doubled as part of a martial strike, as is the weapon's base damage die.

Setting Sun - Disable (Ex): When using the Sabotage ability, the saboteur can cause four effects, and at the cost of four effects, may impose one of the following conditions: Dazed (1d3 rounds), Nauseated (1d4 rounds), Stunned (1d2 rounds), or Paralyzed (1 round).

Shadow Hand - Shadow Decoy (Su): As an immediate action, the sublime scout can declare itself a decoy. It must roll a Hide check opposing the Spot check of anyone whose attack triggered the action. If it succeeds, the "body" that enemies had just attacked is revealed to be an illusion, a fleeting shadow, a log, or some other false decoy. The scout itself is considered hidden, and may choose a new position anywhere within twice its movement speed. Note that if its new position is still within an area effect, the scout may still be affected.

Stone Dragon - Hurl Earth (Ex): As a standard action, the infantry can heft a great clod of earth, a massive boulder, a tree, or some other large chunk of material and hurl it at its foes. This is an area attack with Long range, affecting a 5' radius per odd-numbered maneuver level the infantry is capable of. Any opponent in the area takes 1d6 points of damage per initiator level, +1d6 points of damage per point of Strength modifier, and is knocked prone and buried (and knocked to the ground if flying). A successful Reflex save, DC 10 + 1/2 initiator level + Str modifier, halves the damage, negates the prone and buried effects, and only causes the target to fall a maximum of one foot per point of damage inflicted.

Tiger Claw - Control Your Territory (Ex): As a full-round action, the berserker can perform any standard action that allows it to make a single attack against every opponent within its speed of its current position. It ends the action at any unoccupied square in this area. Once it has used this ability, it must wait five rounds before using it again.

White Raven - Share Maneuvers (Ex): Any time the commander is in a White Raven stance with a maneuver level of its maximum level - 2 or less, all allies in 60' of the commander may receive the benefits of the stance. If the stance also affects allies, the benefits don't stack, but each ally separately calculates the affected area for determining who gains the benefits. A given character can only benefit from one commander's shared stance at a time, but doing so does not prevent it from using a stance of its own.

Any time the commander initiates a White Raven strike with a maneuver level of its maximum level - 2 or less, the ally that received the free Aid from Lead By Example may also initiate the maneuver on its next turn if it wishes. The ally must spend the normal action and follow normal rules for the strike, but does not have to expend any maneuvers available or other resources.

Maneuvers used in this way use the initiating ally's initiator level and other relevant stats.


Grandmaster Discipline Ability: At seventeenth level, the sublime soldier gains its grandmaster discipline ability.


Desert Wind - Ride the Desert Winds (Su): A grandmaster skirmisher has achieved the pinnacle of supernatural mobility. Once per day per two maneuvers available, by spending one minute in concentration, the grandmaster can teleport anywhere on the same or another plane, barring places protected from teleportation. It may bring along a number of additional characters equal to its initiator level. There is no chance of error, and the grandmaster may even target this ability "indirectly". For example, it may teleport to "the nearest magic item shop" or "five feet to the left of King Halyon DeCassen". If the grandmaster or anyone traveling with it would appear in an occupied or hazardous position, it is shunted to the nearest clear, safe place.

Devoted Spirit - Righteous Smite (Ex): To attack the charge of a grandmaster guardian is to court your own death. Whenever a grandmaster guardian makes a successful attack of opportunity, it may spend points of its Lay on Hands ability to increase the damage of the attack on a point-for-point basis. This ability cannot be used on any attacks of opportunity provoked by attacks against the guardian itself (such as due to the Robillar's Gambit feat).

Diamond Mind - Multistrike (Ex): The sublime archer's Fluid Strike ability improves. When using Fluid Strike, as long as at least one attack hits, the strike's effects are visited on the target. Multiple hits do not cause cumulative effect, but if multiple foes are hit, then each suffers the effect of the strike.

Iron Heart - Spellstrong Strike (Ex): The sublime knight's martial strikes channel the power of spells placed upon it. The numerical benefits of any spells upon the knight increase by 50% in any round in which the knight makes a martial strike. Additionally, the target (or targets) of the strike must make saving throws against any detrimental spells currently active on the knight. Those who fail receive the effects of the spells themselves. If at least one enemy is so affected, the detrimental effect is removed from the knight.

Setting Sun - No Plan Survives Contact (Ex): A grandmaster saboteur can in an instant leave a superior enemy force cut off, outflanked, and in disarray. As a full-round action, by spending a maneuver available, all characters within twice the saboteur's speed must make a Reflex save, DC 10 + 1/2 level + Str or Wis modifier (allies may forego this save if they wish). The saboteur may move all affected targets anywhere within this area that it wishes. Enemies that it moves may, at its discretion, end up prone and/or entangled (a standard action to remove the entanglement), and provoke attacks of opportunity from any of the the grandmaster's allies who wind up threatening them. Once it has used this ability, it must wait three rounds before using it again.

Shadow Hand - Uncertain Formation: As a standard action, you shroud the field in confusion. You must spend at least one maneuver available to use this ability. For each maneuver spent, you create three illusory duplicates of yourself. You may place these duplicates anywhere within twice your speed of your current position. If you place a duplicate on an ally, that ally appears as you, is treated as a duplicate, and may benefit from and manipulate this ability exactly as you do (though it cannot maintain it). Your own body is treated as a duplicate. The ability remains active as long as you take a swift action each round to maintain it.

This ability creates a persistent zone, with a radius of twice your speed, centered on your position when you activate the ability. You may move this zone on your turn as a free action once per round, moving it up to your speed. As a move action, you may move any or all duplicates up to your speed, but they must remain within the affected area. When taking actions, you may target the action from any duplicate's position. The duplicates are capable of flanking, and may flank with other duplicates. The duplicates themselves cannot cause damage or other effects. You, and any affected allies, teleport constantly between duplicate bodies. Whenever a duplicate body is attacked, randomly determine if the duplicate is currently an actual character (as with Mirror Image; if you have six total duplicates, one being you and one an ally, you would roll 1d6; a 1 is you, 2 your ally, 3-6 a normal duplicate). Each duplicate has your full defenses and one-quarter your normal hit points. Unlike mirror images, duplicates are quasi-real and can be affected by area effects. A duplicate reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed. True Seeing is only of limited use due to the rapid teleportation, but a character with True Seeing can make a Spot check opposed by your Hide check to time its actions when the desired target inhabits a duplicate's position. Effects that prevent teleportation make this ability substantially less functional, since you and allies can't freely change position, but the illusions remain active, and can potentially be used creatively to confound opponents.

Stone Dragon - Drawn from Earth (Ex): The grandmaster draws strength from the earth. While standing on stone or metal, it gains DR 20/Adamantine, stacking with any other DR/Adamantine it gains. While standing on wood, sand, or dirt, it instead gains Fast Healing 20. If the grandmaster qualifies for both, it gains half the benefits of each.

Tiger Claw - Bathed in Blood (Ex): The rush of the kill denies any wounds. When the berserker drops an active opponent (the opponent must be able to take standard actions), the berserker heals a number of hit points equal to one-third the hit points the target is below 0.

White Raven - Command Unit (Ex): When using its Provide Action ability, the commander may sacrifice an action one step higher (swift -> move -> standard -> full round) to provide the action to a number of allies equal to its Charisma modifier. Once it has used this ability, it must wait five rounds before using it again.


Epic Discipline Ability: At twentieth level, the sublime soldier gains a final discipline ability of epic power.


Desert Wind - Immolate (Su): The skirmisher can unload conflagrations of devastating power. When initiating a martial strike that deals damage over an area, the skirmisher may expend additional maneuvers available. Each such maneuver expended adds +1 damage per die to the attack and doubles its area. Multiple doublings fully double the area (so two doubles will indeed quadruple it, not merely triple it). Once the skirmisher uses this ability, it cannot use it again for five rounds. Additionally, any character reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by fire damage from the skirmisher is utterly incinerated, leaving behind only a small pile of ash.

Devoted Spirit - Challenge Death (Su): An epic guardian's challenges are so great that even Death must heed them. Within ten minutes of a character dying, so long as its body remains relatively in-tact, the guardian may issue a challenge to Death itself. The character in question immediately reanimates as an undead creature with all of the capabilities it possessed at the time of death, and full hit points. If the champion can destroy the undead in combat, the character receives an immediate True Resurrection spell.

This must be a fair challenge. No equipment may be removed from the body from the time of death, and the guardian alone may fight. Both guardian and undead must remain within 60' of eachother. The undead may only focus its efforts upon the guardian, and must engage in direct combat. If either combatant breaks one of these rules, the other wins the challenge.

Note that failing this challenge does not necessarily result in the guardian's death; if the guardian is incapacitated, or breaks the rules of the challenge, Death simply claims the rightfully dead character. That said, it is very possible that the guardian could die in this attempt, especially when trying to revive a powerful ally.

Diamond Mind - Diamond Shard Rain (Ex): The sublime archer's ability to act in individual slivers of time has exceeded that of any normal diamond mind disciple. The archer can initiate any diamond mind strike that normally has an initiation time of a full round action as a standard action (this also allows it to be used as part of a fluid strike if its level is low enough).

Iron Heart - Strikestrong Strike (Ex): The sublime knight is a master of martial strikes. Any bonus damage inflicted by the knight's strike increases by 50%, and the DC to resist the effects of its strikes (if any) increases by half its Strength modifier.

Setting Sun - Horizon Throw (Ex): The saboteur is able to get rid of enemies in the most convenient manner - throwing them away. Whenever the saboteur uses a Setting Sun maneuver that allows it to throw a target, every 10' it could normally throw the target becomes a mile. Targets thrown by this ability take 20d6 points of falling damage when they crash down. Characters with a Fly speed get a +4 bonus to resist the attempt, but otherwise their superior aerial mobility does not seem to afford any assistance. Once the saboteur has used this ability, it must wait five rounds before using it again.

Shadow Hand - Latent Stealth (Su): Any opponent who cannot perceive you also does not notice the results of your actions (for example, it wouldn't notice that you are opening a door, moving an item, or even attacking one of its allies). Actions that directly affect that character are automatically noticed, but other actions are ignored unless the witness succeeds a Spot check opposed by your Hide check. Even indirect results of your actions are ignored (such as an ally fighting back against you). This check is allowed against each obvious action you perform (that is, an action that affects something the target can perceive), and each obvious action performed in response, and once one succeeds, the witness immediately notices all other latent actions it can still perceive the results of.

Stone Dragon - Wreak Havoc (Ex): Epic members of the sublime infantry are capable of feats of peerless strength. When attacking an object, it deals full damage, ignores hardness, and affects up to a 40' radius area of the object with a single attack. By spending maneuvers available, it can double the affected radius for each maneuver spent (80' for one, 160' for two, etc). This can be used to strike the ground, causing the effects of an Earthquake spell in the affected area, and activating Shockwave Strike for the attack over the affected area.

Tiger Claw - Master Your Territory (Ex): As a full-round action, by spending a maneuver available, the berserker can make a full attack against all opponents within 10' of its current position. Each additional maneuver spent doubles the distance. It ends the action at any unoccupied square in this area. Once it has used this ability, it must wait five rounds before using it again.

White Raven - Tactical Perfection (Ex): In a flurry of orders, an epic commander prepares its army for any fray. This ability has two effects. First, the commander and any allies may take a full normal turn during a surprise round, rather than a single standard or move action (or no action), so long as the commander itself is not surprised. Second, once per encounter as a swift action, the commander can give orders that its followers perform virtually instantaneously. It must spend at least one maneuver available when doing so; for each maneuver spent, all allies on the field receive one full round of actions instantly. These actions may only target characters affected by this ability or unattended objects, not other characters, areas, or points in space, nor can they cause delayed or triggered effects. They may, however, create non-area effects. For example, the affected characters could move, heal or augment themselves or each other, summon creatures, open doors, pick up weapons, assemble fortifications and conjure walls, load siege weapons, and so on, but could not attack foes, fill the area around foes with solid fog or black tentacles, cast delayed blast fireballs or glyphs of warding, ready actions, cast contingencies, or so on.

Just to Browse
2018-08-03, 11:39 AM
This is an awesome class. I think some of these features might be a little too much (your average Stone Dragon Soldier has 25 + 3xCon HP and DR 1/- all the time), but I'm absolutely in love with the single discipline focus and how the soldier can be diversified.

KateHoll
2018-08-04, 05:15 AM
Thanks for this information, This is very interesting information for me.