PCs might be partnered with a dread commando on a raid or encounter a team of commandos on the battlefield. EL 10: The PCs are enlisted by Denkar of the Rugged Rangers to assist Gregor Antus in a caravan raid. The mission is simple: intercept and destroy the caravan. The caravan is apparently guarded by 4 ogre brutes, but 2 ogre mages are also following, invisible.
Ogre Magi (2): hp 42, 40; see Monster Manual page 200. One ogre mage has an amulet of health +2; the other wears a ring of protection +2. EL 13: Denkar is the leader of the Rugged Rangers. The first time the PCs meet him, he will either be evaluating them or giving them their first assignment. In extreme cases, when the threat of utter defeat is imminent, Denkar might ask the PCs to help him directly in a mission he plans to undertake himself. In such a rare case, Denkar will use all the resources of the Rugged Rangers to bolster his chances of success. Denkar: Half-elf ranger 8/dread commando 5; CR 13; Medium humanoid (elf); HD 13d8+13; hp 75; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 26, touch 16, flat-footed 22; Base Atk +13; Grp +16; Atk +16 melee (1d8+3/19–20, +1 longsword) or +19 ranged
CHAPTER 5
Ogre Brutes (4): hp 50, 44, 46, 49; see page 146.
THE MILITARY CHARACTER
Gregor Antus: Human rogue 7/dread commando 2; CR 9; Medium humanoid; HD 7d6+14 plus 2d8+4; hp 54; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +7; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (1d6+2/18–20, +1 rapier) or +11 ranged (1d6+1/×3, +1 shortbow); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d6+2/18–20, +1 rapier) or +11/+6 ranged (1d6+1/×3, +1 shortbow); SA sneak attack +4d6, sudden strike +1d6; SQ armored ease 2, evasion, team initiative bonus +2, trap sense +2, trapfinding, uncanny dodge; AL CG; SV Fort +4, Ref +11, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Climb +6, Disable Device +12, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +8, Hide +17, Jump +8, Listen +4, Move Silently +17, Open Lock +14, Search +12, Spot +4, Survival –1 (+1 tracking), Tumble +12, Use Rope +8 (+10 bindings); Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stealthy. Evasion (Ex): No damage on successful Reflex save. Sneak Attack (Ex): Extra damage to flanked or flat-footed target. PH 50. Sudden Strike (Ex): See prestige class feature description. Team Initiative Bonus (Ex): See prestige class feature description. Trapfinding (Ex): Find, disarm, or bypass DC 20 or higher traps and magic traps. PH 50. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Retain Dex bonus to AC when flatfooted or targeted by an unseen foe. PH 26. Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 buckler, +1 rapier, +1 shortbow, 3 blast disks, potion of cure light wounds, potion of cure moderate wounds.
(1d8+4/× 3, +2 composite longbow); Full Atk +16/+11/+6 melee (1d8+3/19–20, +1 longsword) or +19/+14/+9 ranged (1d8+4/×3, +2 composite longbow) or +17/+17/+12/+7 ranged with Rapid Shot (1d8+4/×3, +2 composite longbow); SA favored enemy giants +4, favored enemy orcs +2, spells, sudden strike +3d6; SQ armored ease 4, half-elf traits, low-light vision, stealthy movement, swift tracker, wild empathy +8 (+4 magical beasts), woodland stride; AL NG; SV Fort +9, Ref +15, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Diplomacy +2, Gather Information +2, Heal +9, Hide +20, Jump +7, Knowledge (geography) +6, Listen +13, Move Silently +20, Search +5, Spot +13, Survival +12, Use Rope +9; Dodge, EnduranceB, ManyshotB, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot B, Spring Attack, Track B. Favored Enemy (Ex): Bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks, and on weapon damage rolls. Half-Elf Traits (Ex): Immunity to magic sleep effects. For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf. Stealthy Movement (Ex): See prestige class feature description. Sudden Strike (Ex): See prestige class feature description. Swift Tracker (Ex): Track at normal speed without penalty, or at double speed with –10 penalty. Team Initiative Bonus (Ex): See prestige class feature description. Woodland Stride (Ex): Move through natural overgrown areas at normal speed without damage. PH 36. Ranger Spells Prepared (caster level 4th): 1st—delay poison (DC 11), longstrider. Possessions: +2 composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), +1 longsword, +2 mithral chainmail, +1 buckler, gloves of Dexterity +2, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of protection +1, ring of protection +2, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, 2 potions of cure light wounds.
LEGENDARY LEADER
“Hold your lance up, keep your shield steady, and follow me to victory!” —Henrik Yensen, of Henrik’s Horseriders Legendary leaders are the stuff of bards’ tales come to life. Their heroic exploits bring followers to their side, and they create groups that embody their ideals. Members of this class represent not only the knight in shining armor atop the battlefield hill but also the cunning prince of thieves leading his own guild and the swashbuckling privateer captain with his hand-picked crew. Legendary leaders recruit like-minded individuals to their cause and become familiar with the politics and intrigue of running a small organization.
BECOMING A LEGENDARY LEADER
Any character with an above-average Charisma score can enter the legendary leader prestige class at 7th level if he has taken the Leadership feat at 6th level. A high Charisma increases a character’s Leadership score, allowing him to
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