Meow! *slash* [3.5e Base Class, The Usual Fruit]

[Athaniar]

The Cat Warrior

Cat: nature's perfect species, a silent, superintelligent killing machine. It's only natural humanoids would want to emulate it. Those who devote themselves to achieve feline grace in combat are known as cat warriors. Do not underestimate them, for they may very well be the ultimate combatants.

Alignment: Any non-Lawful

Class Skills (4+Int): Balance, Climb, Craft, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, Tumble

Proficiencies: All simple weapons, plus the kukri, light pick, shortsword, rapier, kama, siangham, and whip, plus light armor.

The Cat Warrior
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|

+1

|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|Cat's Agility

2nd|

+2

|

+0

|

+3

|

+0

|

3rd|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|Stealthy Attacks, Two-Weapon Fighting

4th|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Righting Reflex

5th|

+5

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Nine Lives 1/encounter, Feline Ability

6th|

+6/+1

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|

7th|

+7/+2

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|

8th|

+8/+3

|

+2

|

+6

|

+2

|Improved Two-Weapon Fighting

9th|

+9/+4

|

+3

|

+6

|

+3

|Feline Ability

10th|

+10/+5

|

+3

|

+7

|

+3

|Nine Lives 2/encounter

11th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+3

|

+7

|

+3

|

12th|

+12+7/+2

|

+4

|

+8

|

+4

|

13th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+4

|

+8

|

+4

|Feline Ability, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting

14th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+4

|

+9

|

+4

|

15th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+5

|

+9

|

+5

|Nine Lives 3/encounter

16th|

+16/+11/+6/+1

|

+5

|

+10

|

+5

|

17th|

+17/+12/+7/+2

|

+5

|

+10

|

+5

|Feline Ability

18th|

+18/+13/+8/+3

|

+6

|

+11

|

+6

|

19th|

+19/+14+9/+4

|

+6

|

+11

|

+6

|

20th|

+20/+15/+10/+5

|

+6

|

+12

|

+6

|Nine Lives 4/encounter, Death Bite[/table]

Class Features

Cat's Agility
The cat warrior starts with the Weapon Finesse feat as a bonus feat. She may also use her Dexterity modifier for Climb and Jump rolls instead of Strength.

Dual Wielding
The cat warrior is an expert at fighting with two weapons. She gains the Two-Weapon Fighting feat at 3rd level, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting at 8th level, and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting at 13th level. The cat warrior does not have to meet the prerequisites for any of these feats, and she cannot benefit from these feats while wearing any armor heavier than light.

Stealthy Attacks
At 3rd level, the cat warrior gains the Stealthy feat. She also gains the ability to Sneak Attack (as the rogue ability) any creature that is unaware of her precense with a melee attack, as a rogue of two levels lower than her cat warrior level. The normal restrictions for Sneak Attack still apply. This stacks with other sources of the ability.

Righting Reflex
At 4th level, the cat warrior gains the ability to turn around in the air while falling, making sure to land on the feet and/or hands as long as she is not impaired and the fall is at least 10ft. (if the cat warrior is medium-sized, add 10ft for each additional size category). If all goes as it should and the cat warrior lands on her feet and/or hands, she takes only half damage from the fall, rounded up.

Feline Ability
At 5th level, every four levels thereafter, the cat warrior may choose one special ability to gain the ability to use: 60 ft. Darkvision, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Rake, Scent, or Improved Grab.

Nine Lives
At 5th level, the cat warrior gains the ability to reroll any roll to avoid damage or any other harmful effect once per encounter. The number of times the cat warrior can use this ability increases every five levels (i.e. 2/encounter at 10th, 3/encounter at 15th, and 4/encounter at 20th).

Death Bite
At 20th level, the cat warrior learns her ultimate attack: the death bite. Once per day, using a weapon in each hand, she may carry out an attack that instantly kills the target lunless it succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the cat warrior's class level + the cat warrior's strength or dexterity modifier, whichever is higher). This attack otherwise works as a normal melee attack, and fails if the attack fails to deal damage). This does not work against creatures normally unaffected by Sneak Attack.

[Athaniar]

Cat Warrior Variant: The Sacred Cat
Some cultures and religions regard the cat as sacred, and cat warriors trained in such environments adapt to live up to that expectation.

The sacred cat variant loses the Stealthy Attacks ability, and all Feline Ability abilities are moved up one level. In exchange, the sacred cat gains a good will save and Wholeness of Body, as the monk ability, at 7th level.


Cat Warrior Variant: The Feral Cat
Certain cat warriors feel more at home in the wilderness, and therefore develop abilities more suited for it.

The feral cat variant's Dual Wield abilities are all moved up two levels, but she instead gains Track feat for free at 2nd level and Woodland Stride (as the ranger ability) at 8th level.

[Frog Dragon]

Seems like it should be a PRC rather than a base class.

[Athaniar]

No, I kinda like it as a base class.

[The Neoclassic]

Seems a little overpowered. The combination of a class that both does two-weapon fighting and sneak attacks seems a little much. Then add access to Evasion and Uncanny Dodge (though not 'til later levels)... Also, no one is going to pick Low Light vision off that list, since creatures with Darkvision also have low light vision.

[DracoDei]

I think only half of class level should add to the DC for the capstone, much more standard.

And just explicitly state that they don't get low-light for free with Darkvision (I certainly never heard of such a rule).

[Innis Cabal]

Seems a little overpowered. The combination of a class that both does two-weapon fighting and sneak attacks seems a little much. Then add access to Evasion and Uncanny Dodge (though not 'til later levels)... Also, no one is going to pick Low Light vision off that list, since creatures with Darkvision also have low light vision.

Its a more focused rogue. I don't see a problem with its balance, but its really not something that needs 20 levels from whats presented. Not my class though, still looks good

[The Neoclassic]

And just explicitly state that they don't get low-light for free with Darkvision (I certainly never heard of such a rule).

I could have sworn I read it somewhere, but I can't find such a thing mentioned in the SRD, so it looks as if you are right. Maybe it was something form 3.0 or something weird like that. Dunno.