Cragtop Archer

Melee Sneak Attack (Ex): +1d6 points of damage against fl at-footed opponents in melee, or against targets Uli is fl anking. Creatures that do not have a discernible anatomy or that are immune to extra damage from critical hits are immune to sneak attacks. Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute). Gnome Traits: Gnomes have a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids. Gnomes have a +4 racial bonus to Armor Class against giants. *Gnomes have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.

Mobile Fighting (Ex): Uli gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC until the beginning of her next turn in any round when she moves 5 feet or more. Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 rapier, gloves of Dexterity +2, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1.

In times of peace, the cragtop archer hunts across the deep mountain canyons, felling animals too canny for other hunters to approach. In times of war, the cragtop archer fi ghts from a ridgeline, raining arrows down on her foes from hundreds of yards away and winning battles from seemingly impossible distances. Cragtop archers train their eyes and minds to fi nd targets at great distances, and to quickly compensate for wind, movement, and other factors that affect shots of such diffi culty. Few warriors can match the cragtop archer’s ability to hold higher ground against a group of enemies. Human, goliath, and half-elf rangers comprise most of the small number of cragtop archers that patrol the northern ranges, but other races and classes occasionally join their ranks. Fighters, especially those with a level of rogue or ranger, make excellent cragtop archers. Rogues typically prefer to sneak close to their foes rather than train as cragtop archers, and spellcasters rarely have the martial expertise required for the class. NPC cragtop archers are often encountered at a distance; PCs will see their arrows long before the arrows’ origin becomes apparent. While most cragtop archers are content to wander the mountains and hunt for their tribes, in times of war a cragtop archer is a useful ally. Teams of cragtop archers often function as artillery for mountain warbands, striking foes from a great distance and holding the high ground against all comers.

Adaptation: With their racial archery prowess, elves could have a similar prestige class that isn’t tied to the mountains. To create such a class, you could replace the Climb and Mountain Warrior requirements with other skill or feat requirements, and likewise replace the adept climber and strike from above class features with class features you create yourself. Alternatively, you could remove the Mountain Warrior requirement and call the prestige class the “elven treetop archer.”

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a cragtop archer, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +6.

Skills: Climb 10 ranks, Spot 5 ranks, Survival 5 ranks.

Feats: Far Shot, Mountain Warrior*. *New feat described in Chapter 6.

Class Skills

The cragtop archer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int),

Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifi er.

Class Features All of the following are class features of the cragtop archer prestige class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Cragtop archers gain no profi ciency with any weapon or armor. Adept Climber (Ex): A cragtop archer does not lose her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class while climbing. Farsight (Ex): A cragtop archer enjoys great visual acuity. She suffers only half the normal penalty on her Spot checks because of distance (–1 per 20 feet of distance, rather than –1 per 10 feet). In addition, a cragtop archer takes only half the normal penalty on ranged attacks per range increment (–1 per range increment, rather than –2). Strike From Above (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a cragtop archer gains a +2 bonus on damage rolls when making a ranged attack from higher ground than her target. Arcing Shot (Ex): A cragtop archer of 3rd level or higher can fi re a high, arcing shot to gain greater range with her projectile weapon. Any time the

Illus. by F. Vohwinkel

cragtop archer can fi re a projectile weapon in an area with at least 40 feet of clearance between her position and the ceiling (or any other overhead obstruction, such as a forest canopy), her maximum range with the projectile weapon is fi fteen range increments rather than the normal ten range increments.

Horizon Shot (Su): From 4th level on, a cragtop archer can seemingly hit targets as far away as the horizon as easily as she can hit something nearby. As a full-round action, the cragtop archer can make a single attack with a projectile weapon. This attack is made with no penalty for range, though it still has the same maximum range as a normal attack by the cragtop archer. This ability can be used in conjunction with any ability that extends the range of a projectile weapon, such as the Far Shot feat or the cragtop archer’s arcing shot ability. Mountain Skin (Su): Three times per day, a 5th-level cragtop archer can gather the strength of the mountains into her own body, manifesting her bond with them within herself. While this ability is in effect, the cragtop archer gains damage reduction 5/adamantine. Activating the mountain skin ability is a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The benefi t from mountain skin lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the character’s Con modifi er.

Table 5–3: The Cragtop Archer Base Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special

1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Adept climber, farsight 2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Strike from above 3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Arcing shot 4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Horizon shot 5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Mountain skin

SAMPLE CRAGTOP ARCHER

Vilmaka Keeneye Kalagiano the Cragtop Archer: Female goliath ranger 7/cragtop archer 2; CR 10; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 7d8+21 plus 2d8+6; hp 71; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 15, fl at-footed 16; Base Atk +9; Grp +15; Atk +14 ranged (2d6+2/×3, Large masterwork composite longbow) or +12 melee (3d6+3/×3, Large masterwork greataxe); Full Atk +14/+9 ranged (2d6+2/×3, Large masterwork composite longbow) or +12/+7 melee (3d6+3/×3, Large masterwork greataxe); SA combat style (ranged), favored enemy giants +4, favored enemy magical beasts +2, improved combat style (ranged), strike from above; SQ adept climber, animal companion, darkvision 60 ft., farsight, goliath traits, link with companion, share spells, wild empathy +8 (+4 magical beasts), woodland stride; AL CN; SV Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Climb +13, Hide +14, Jump +8, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (nature) +8, Listen +7, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +4, Spot +14, Survival +14 (+16 to keep from getting lost, avoid natural hazards, or in aboveground natural environments); EnduranceB, Far Shot, Many ShotB, Mountain Warrior*, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid ShotB, TrackB . *New feat described in Chapter 6.

Favored Enemy (Ex): Vilmaka gains the indicated bonus on her Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against this type of creature. She gets the same bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type.

Strike from Above (Ex): Vilmaka gains a +2 bonus on damage rolls when making a ranged attack from higher ground than her target.

Adept Climber (Ex): Vilmaka does not lose her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class while climbing.

Animal Companion (Ex): Vilmaka has an eagle as an animal companion. This creature is a loyal companion that accompanies her on adventures as appropriate for its kind. Its abilities and characteristics are summarized below. Cloudcatcher: Eagle animal companion; CR —;

Small magical beast; HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Init +3; Spd 10 ft., fl y 80 ft. (average); AC 17, touch 14, fl at-footed 14; Base Atk +2; Grp –2; Atk +6 melee (1d4, talon); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4, 2 talons) and +1 melee (1d4, bite); SA —; SQ bonus tricks, evasion, low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +6,

Will +3; Str 11, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +16; Alertness,

Weapon Finesse. Bonus Tricks: Cloudcatcher is capable of learning two tricks in addition to any that Vilmaka might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74 of the

Player’s Handbook). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the creature. Vilmaka selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed. Evasion (Ex): If Cloudcatcher is exposed to any effect that normally allows it to attempt a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage with a successful saving throw.

Farsight (Ex): Vilmaka takes only half the normal penalty on her Spot checks because of distance and only half the normal penalty on ranged attacks per range increment.

Goliath Traits (Ex): Vilmaka’s physical stature lets her function in many ways as if she were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Vilmaka can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. She can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Vilmaka is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Link with Companion (Ex): Vilmaka can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, with a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks made while dealing with that animal.

Share Spells (Ex): Vilmaka may have any spell she casts on herself also affect her animal companion if the latter is within 5 feet at the time. The master may also cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Vilmaka can move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at