Sublime Warrior [PrC]

[The Demented One]

Sublime Warrior



Most martial adepts of the Sublime Way learn their arts from masters of the nine disciplines that compose the Way, following in the traditional ways passed down from the time of Reshar and the Temple of the Nine Swords. But some adepts know nothing of this tradition, and have instead mastered the arts of the Sublime Way on their own path. Through days of training and sheer willpower, they have taught themselves the same maneuvers passed down throughout the ages, reinventing the nine disciplines themselves. A martial adept with a thousand years of training and tradition behind him may find himself bested and surprised by the ingenuity of a Sublime Warrior.

d10 HD

Requirements
To qualify to become a Sublime Warrior, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +7
Feats: Weapon Specialization (Any)
Skills: Knowledge (Local) 5 ranks, Martial Lore 5 ranks
Special: You cannot become a Sublime Warrior if you have levels in another class that allow you to initiate martial maneuvers. Feats that allow you to use martial maneuvers, however, do not prevent you from taking this prestige class.

Class Skills
The Sublime Warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Wis), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maneuvers[br]Known|Maneuvers[br]Readied|Stances[br]Known

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Martial Focus +1, Warrior's Training|3|2|0

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|Mettle|4|2|0

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|Bonus Feat|5|3|1

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Unexpected Talent|6|3|1

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Martial Focus +2|7|4|1

6th|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Bonus Feat|8|4|2

7th|

+7

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Improved Mettle|9|5|2

8th|

+8

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|Martial Specialization|10|5|2

9th|

+9

|

+6

|

+3

|

+3

|Bonus Feat|11|6|3

10th|

+10

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|Martial Focus +3, Strike of the Master|12|6|3[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Sublime Warrior prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Maneuvers
Sublime Warriors are capable of using a diverse array of martial maneuvers. At first level, you must choose three disciplines, from which you can learn maneuvers and stances. Once they have chosen their disciplines, they cannot change this choice. At first level, you learn three martial maneuvers drawn from your chosen disciplines. You learn one additional maneuver at each subsequent level. At 1st level, you can only learn maneuvers of 1st level, but at subsequent levels, you use your initiator level to determine the highest level of maneuver you can learn and use, as normal. All of your maneuvers are extraordinary abilities, unless otherwise stated. They are not affected by spell resistance, and initiating one does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

At 2nd level, and at every subsequent even level, you may exchange one of your maneuvers known for a different one. The maneuver known does not have to be the same level as the one exchanged; the only limit on their level is your initiator level. You may only exchange a single maneuver at each even level.

Once you have learned a maneuver, you must ready it in order to use it. At 1st level, you may ready two maneuvers. At every subsequent odd level, the number of maneuvers you may ready increases by one. You ready your maneuvers by exercising or meditating for 5 minutes. The maneuvers you choose to ready remain readied until you decide to ready new maneuvers. You do not need any sleep or rest to ready new maneuvers. You begin each encounter with all of your readied maneuvers unexpended. Once you use a maneuver, it is expended, and you cannot use it again until you recover. You can recover a single expended maneuver as a full-round action; doing so does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Stances
At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, you learn a martial stance from your chosen disciplines. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not readied or expended. You can use any stance you know at any time, and can switch from one stance to another as a swift action. All your martial stances are extraordinary abilities unless otherwise stated. Unlike maneuvers, you cannot exchange stances when you gain levels.

Martial Focus (Ex)
You have trained yourself in the arts of the Nine Way, and can strike with lethal accuracy. At 1st level, you gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls made as part of a martial maneuver. At 5th level, the bonus increases to +2, and at 10th level, the bonus increases to +3.

Warrior's Training (Ex)
Your Sublime Warrior class levels stack with your Fighter class levels for meeting the requirements of feats that require a certain number of Fighter levels to qualify, such as Greater Weapon Focus or Greater Weapon Specialization.

Mettle (Ex)
At 2nd level, your mind and body have been hardened through training and testing. If you make a successful Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, that effect is instead negated.

Bonus Feat
At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, you may choose a bonus feat from the list of feats below. You must meet all requirements of the bonus feat you take. The three disciplines you chose upon becoming a Sublime Warrior determine which bonus feats you can gain. In addition, some bonus feats are available to all Sublime Warriors, regardless of their choice of discipline.

Feats

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All

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Blade Meditation, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Sudden Recovery, Vital Recovery, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization

Desert Wind

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Desert Fire, Desert Wind Dodge, Mobility, Scorching Sirocco, Skill Focus (Tumble), Spring Attack.

Devoted Spirt

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Devoted Bulwark, Diehard, Endurance, Faith Unswerving, Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Intimidate).

Diamond Mind

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Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Concentration), Unnerving Calm, Perfect Clarity of Mind and Body.

Iron Heart

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Cleave, Improved Sunder, Iron Heart Aura, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Balance), Stormguard Warrior.

Setting Sun

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Distant Horizon, Falling Sun Attack, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Superior Unarmed Strike.

Shadow Hand

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Gloom Razor, Improved Unarmed Strike, Shadow Blade, Skill Focus (Hide), Superior Unarmed Strike, Weapon Finesse.

Stone Dragon

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Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Skill Focus (Balance), Shards of Granite, Stone Power, Superior Unarmed Strike.

Tiger Claw

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Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Reaping Talons, Skill Focus (Jump), Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting.

White Raven

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Clarion Commander, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Leadership, Skill Focus (Diplomacy), White Raven Defense.

Unexpected Talent (Ex)
At 4th level, you can use maneuvers that you have not trained in, drawing on flashes of inspiration to improvise in the middle of battle. Once each encounter, you may use a single martial technique that is not on your list of maneuvers known. The maneuver you choose does not even have to be from your chosen disciplines. You must expend one of your readied maneuvers to use this ability. You take a -2 penalty to your initiator level when using this ability, and you can only use maneuvers whose level is at least one less than the highest level of maneuver you can use.

Improved Mettle (Ex)
At 7th level, your mind and body are impervious to harm. Even if you fail a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, you still only suffer the reduced effect.

Martial Specialization (Ex)
At 8th level, you’ve trained yourself to strike with as much power as possible with your martial techniques. Whenever you use a martial maneuver, you may add the sum of your Fighter class levels and your Sublime Warrior class levels to any damage rolls you make as part of the maneuver.

Strike of the Master (Ex or Su)
At 10th level, you can draw on the most powerful of techniques, mastering a single maneuver of the utmost power. Choose a single martial discipline that you have access to. Once per day, you may use the 9th level maneuver of that discipline, even if your initiator level is not normally high enough to use 9th level maneuvers.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Oh I like this class, quite a bit. It's done what I thought would never happen; I want to play a fighter.

[The Demented One]

Oh I like this class, quite a bit. It's done what I thought would never happen; I want to play a fighter.

I don't think I could imagine a higher form of praise.

[Hectonkhyres]

Sweet Pazuzu on Low....
I like it. I really do. This wins in so many ways.

[Kellus]

Erm... I like the idea of a warrior who teaches himself the Sublime Way, but I do have one qualm about the class- you give the Improved Mettle ability at 14th level; this seems very potent, as it makes the Sublime Warrior immune to many of the most powerful abilities in the game. Seeing as this is a powerful class to begin with, is this wise?

The only other place I've been able to find the Improved Mettle ability is in an Epic prestige class by WotC. I'm not great at estimating relative power, but I think giving an epic ability at 14th level is probably not a good idea.

EDIT: Also, minor nitpick, but I'm guessing you changed the name of the class partway through- under the information on their maneuvers, you refer to the class as the Errant Blademaster.

[The Demented One]

Erm... I like the idea of a warrior who teaches himself the Sublime Way, but I do have one qualm about the class- you give the Improved Mettle ability at 14th level; this seems very potent, as it makes the Sublime Warrior immune to many of the most powerful abilities in the game. Seeing as this is a powerful class to begin with, is this wise?

The only other place I've been able to find the Improved Mettle ability is in an Epic prestige class by WotC. I'm not great at estimating relative power, but I think giving an epic ability at 14th level is probably not a good idea.

Compared to improved evasion, which is available at 10th level, I don't think improved mettle is too bad. Yes, it does protect against a lot of effects...but come on, these guys are melee classes. They need something to keep from getting slaughtered by spellcasters.

EDIT: Also, minor nitpick, but I'm guessing you changed the name of the class partway through- under the information on their maneuvers, you refer to the class as the Errant Blademaster.

Minor copypasta error, thanks for pointing that out.