| Eiji-kun (talk) | |
|---|---|
| Date Created: | 9-22-09 |
| Status: | Complete |
| Editing: | Please feel free to edit constructively! |
| Balance: | Rogue |
Summary: Dwarven Defenders are great, but sometimes the dwarves need to go on the offensive. Enter the Dwarven Destroyer, master of axe and hammer.
Length: 10 levels; minimum level: 8.
Dwarven Destroyer
The dwarves are known for being bulwarks of defense. Like the stone they live in, they are immobile and difficult to bring low. The dwarves have remained safe for long thanks to dwarven defenders, but some enemies would strike at them with indirect means. Faced with this threat the dwarves needed to go on the offensive, and thus the dwarven destroyer is called to bear.
Becoming a Dwarven Destroyer
Dwarven Destroyers are front-line fighters, combining the hard-as-rock dwarven nature with a good deal of raw offense. They are treated as any fighter, and certainly a stubborn one.
| Alignment: | Any non-chaotic. |
|---|---|
| Base Attack Bonus: | +7. |
| Race: | Dwarf. |
| Feats: | Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (any axe or hammer), Weapon Specialization (any axe or hammer). |
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Dwarven Weapon Mastery, Offensive Stance 1/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Powerful Swing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Offensive Stance 2/day, Tactical Strike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Dwarven Weapon Mastery, Rockbreaker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Improved Dwarven Weapon Mastery, Offensive Stance 3/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Dwarven Weapon Mastery, Stone Mind, Offensive Stance 4/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Stone Grace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Offensive Stance 5/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Dwarven Weapon Mastery, Great Destroyer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (Skill Points::2 + Int modifier per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level | Special |
|---|---|
| 11th | Offensive Stance 6/day |
| 12th | |
| 13th | Offensive Stance 7/day |
| 14th | |
| 15th | Offensive Stance 8/day |
| 16th | |
| 17th | Offensive Stance 9/day |
| 18th | |
| 19th | Offensive Stance 10/day |
| 20th |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the dwarven destroyer.
Dwarven Weapon Mastery (Ex): A dwarven destroyer is trained in the art of the traditional weapons of axe and hammers. This requires the dwarf to choose one weapon to focus solely on. This mastery cannot be extended to any other weapon.
At 1st level the Weapon Focus feat has its bonus doubled when using an axe or hammer the weapon focus in. For example, Weapon Focus grants +2 to attack. This mastery requires so much focus that the focus Axe or Hammer is the only weapon that can be used effectively. As such, the penalty to attack with any other weapon is a -2.
At 4th level the Weapon Specialization feat has its bonus doubled when using an axe or hammer the weapons specialization is in. For example, Weapon Specialization grants +4 to damage. This mastery requires so much focus that the focus Axe or Hammer is the only weapon that can be used effectively. As such, the penalty to damage with any other weapon is a -4.
At 7th level the Greater Weapon Focus feat has its bonus doubled when using an axe or hammer the weapon focus in. For example, Greater Weapon Focus grants +4 to attack. This mastery requires so much focus that the focus Axe or Hammer is the only weapon that can be used effectively. As such, the penalty to attack with any other weapon is increased to -4.
At 10th the Greater Weapon Specialization feat has its bonus doubled when using an axe or hammer the weapons specialization is in. For example, Greater Weapon Specialization grants +8 to damage. This mastery requires so much focus that the focus Axe or Hammer is the only weapon that can be used effectively. As such, the penalty to damage with any other weapon is increased to -8.
Offensive Stance (Ex): As the dwarven defender becomes an unmoving and durable warrior, so too does the destroyer become an unstoppable and powerful warrior. When he adopts an offensive stance, a destroyer gains +6 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, the effects of a haste spell including the speed bonus and extra attack, and a bonus to any Strength check equal to twice the destroyer's class level. The increase in Constitution increases the defender’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the offensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 4 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While in an offensive stance, a defender cannot fight defensively, use the total defense action, use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Intimidate), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats.
An offensive stance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A destroyer may end his offensive stance voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the offensive stance, the destroyer is fatigued and takes a -4 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. A destroyer can only use his offensive stance a certain number of times per day as determined by his level (see Table: The Dwarven Destroyer). Using the offensive stance is a free action, but a destroyer can only do so during his turn. Offensive stance counts as a form of rage for the purpose of feats and pre-requisites.
At 9th level, the destroyer no longer gets fatigued and the Strength penalty is lessened to -2.
Powerful Swing (Ex): The destroyer is accustomed to swinging with maximum force, even if only holding his weapon in one hand.
At 2nd level a destroyer deals 1 1/2 Strength damage when using an axe or hammer in one hand and a shield in the other.
At 4th level, power attack is similarly effected, dealing 2 damage per 1 penalty for a one handed axe or hammer.
At 6th level a destroyer deals 2 times Strength damage when using an axe or hammer two handed.
At 8th level, power attack is similarly affected, dealing 3 damage per 1 penalty for two handed axes or hammers.
Tactical Strike (Su): The destroyer can appraise the situation and strike hard in a powerful blow. At 3rd level a destroyer may burn an offensive stance attempt as a swift action and gain the benefit of true strike.
Rockbreaker (Ex): Damage reduction means nothing to a dwarven destroyer. At 4th level a dwarven destroyer can ignore up to 10 damage reduction from non-magical sources such as DR/Slashing, DR Piercing and DR/Bludgeoning (except DR/- and DR/Epic).
At 10th level, a dwarven destroyer can ignore all non-magical sources of DR (except DR/- and DR/Epic).
Stone Mind (Su): Empowered by the spirit of the earth, a dwarven destroyer cannot be moved to terror even in the face of the greatest of horrors. At 7th level, while in the Offensive Stance, a dwarven destroyer becomes immune to fear effects.
Stone Grace (Su): At 8th level, a dwarven destroyer gains a bonus equal to his Constitution bonus (if any) on all saving throws to a maximum of half his Dwarven Destroyer class level.
Great Destroyer (Ex): Everything can be destroyed by the might of dwarven stone! At 10th level, while in the offensive stance, a dwarven destroyer finds ways to critical things that normally cannot, such as undead and objects, or even those protected by fortified armor. yer cannot be moved to terror even in the face of the greatest of horrors and temptations. At 7th level a dwarven destroyer becomes immune to fear and compulsion effects.
Stone Grace (Su): At 8th level, a dwarven destroyer gains a bonus equal to his Constitution bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
Great Destroyer (Ex): Everything can be destroyed by the might of dwarven stone! At 10th level, a dwarven destroyer finds ways to critical things that normally cannot, such as undead and objects, or even those protected by fortified armor. In addition, when using the weapon they have weapon focus and specialization in, the critical multiplier is increased by 1 (such an an axe dealing x4 instead of x3).
The epic dwarven destroyer gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic dwarven destroyer feats) every 3 levels after 12th.
Ex-Dwarven Destroyers
While the training for destroyers is looser than that for defenders, dedication and teamwork is still required. You keep all class features if you ever become chaotic in alignment, but you may not level in dwarven destroyer until your alignment returns to non-chaotic.
Campaign Information
Playing a Dwarven Destroyer
Combat: As a front line fighter, the dwarven destroyer's job is simple. Hit it with your axe and hammer! Is it dead? HIT IT AGAIN! While overtly simple, the dwarven destroyer has access to strength your typical fighter does not.
Advancement: Any fighter-worthy prestige class is worth a look from a destroyer.
Resources: Dwarven destroyers are the offensive branch of dwarven defenders, their ranks can be found in dwarven military worldwide.
Dwarven Destroyers in the World
NPC Reactions: To the typical NPC, they cannot tell the subtle differences between the fighter, the dwarven defender, and the dwarven destroyer. All they know is that they have big axes, and they hit... and hard.
Dwarven Destroyer Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge history can research Dwarven Destroyers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 10 | Dwarven destroyers are the more offensively minded dwarven defenders. |
| 15 | Destroyers are able to blow through damage reduction and go into an offensive rage, unstoppable like an avalanche. |
| 20 | High level destroyers can even demolish things entirely too hard to simply fall apart, wrecking entire buildings. |
| 30 | Those who reach this level of success can research information on a specific dwarven destroyer, his whereabouts, legends, and motives. |
Dwarven Destroyers in the Game
Adaptation: Perhaps other-stone minded races, like Goliaths, could qualify. Perhaps adjust the pre-requisites to include ranks in Knowledge History if the class becomes more open to others.
Sample Encounter: The dwarven armies are moving against the surface world. Beware, their shock troopers, the destroyers, are ready to batter down the town's gates!
EL whatever: 15.
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