Chapter Two: Classes
Greater Adaptation (Ex): At 13th level and beyond, after studying a given situation, environment, or area for 1 round, the oathsworn can ignore any circumstance penalties placed on attack and damage rolls, checks, and saves due to the conditions of that area for the next 10 rounds. For example, after contemplating for a round, an oathsworn can make attacks underwater at no penalty. She can walk across a slick, slippery ledge with no circumstance penalties placed upon her Balance checks. Further, for that time, the oathsworn can ignore ongoing damaging effects of up to 10 points of damage per round. This includes damage from running through a burning building, but not damage from directed attacks, like a dragon’s breath weapon. Eschew Sleep (Ex): At 14th level and higher, an oathsworn does not need sleep. She can stay awake at all times and suffers no fatigue from doing so. Refuse Hindrances (Su): At 14th level and higher, an oathsworn is immune to blinding attacks, deafening attacks, paralysis, stunning, nausea, and daze effects. Refuse Spells (Su): At 15th level and higher, an oathsworn gains spell resistance equal to her level + 10. Greater Shattering Strike (Su): At 16th level and beyond, an oathsworn’s ability to empower her unarmed attacks increases. Each unarmed strike she makes ignores 1 point of a creature’s damage reduction for every oathsworn class level. So a 16th-level oathsworn ignores 16 points of damage reduction. This ability also applies to object hardness and extends to makeshift weapons that the oathsworn forms from handy objects. Eschew Aging (Ex): After achieving 17th level, an oathsworn no longer suffers ability penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. (Any penalties she may have already suffered remain in place.) Bonuses for aging still accrue. Refuse Debilitation (Ex): At 17th level and beyond, the oathsworn is not subject to ability score damage or energy drain. Oathstrike (Su): Once per week, in a fight that directly pertains to the fulfillment of the oath (DM’s discretion), the 18th-level or higher oathsworn can make a mighty unarmed blow that acts as a coup de grace against an opponent, even one who is not helpless. This is a full-round action. Creatures with no discernable anatomy (those normally immune to critical strikes or sneak attacks) are immune to oathstrike. True Adaptation (Ex): A 19th-level or higher oathsworn reduces all circumstance penalties to attack and damage rolls, checks, and saves by 4. Further, the oathsworn can ignore ongoing damaging effects of up to 10 points of damage per round. This includes damage from crossing a frozen tundra without winter gear, but not damage from directed attacks, like a dragon’s breath weapon. Refuse Mortality (Su): From 20th level on, an oathsworn is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid. Additionally, the oathsworn gains damage reduction 20/+1.
Totem Warrior “I hear my totem call to me. It promises me wisdom no mortal could give.” Everything has a spirit. The totem warrior knows that within each animal, there lies powerful spirit binding it with all others of its kind. Virtually every animal has a totem spirit, but some of the most powerful and well-represented are the bear, hawk, shark, snake, wolf, and wolverine. Totem warriors draw on the spirits for information, for skills, and for power. These fierce warriors use savage, instinctual combat techniques like those of the animals they bond with. Totem warriors gain animal companions and even the ability to take the physical form of their totem creature. Because totem warriors have different totem spirits, their special abilities and physical characteristics can vary considerably: The bear totem warrior is strong and massive, while the snake totem warrior is fast and wiry. Adventurers: Totem warriors always keep their totem animal in mind, in everything they do. Their actions will never disgrace their totem—they devote their lives to exemplifying and representing it among mortals. Facing challenges and overcoming obstacles is an excellent way to accomplish this. Background: Totem warriors typically hail from wilderness areas, particularly regions where their totem animal lives naturally. Thus, bear totem warriors come from the woods, while shark totem warriors come from the islands or the coast. Totem warriors learn the beliefs of animism at a young age. While some imagine that they choose their totem animal, most come to realize that the totem spirit chooses them. Often this happens in the form of dreams or visions when the warrior is still quite young. Totem warriors receive no training from others—they are expected to learn what they must through experience, instinct, and communion with their totem spirit. Races: Humans favor bear and wolf totems. Faen prefer the hawk and wolverine totems. Giants most often choose the bear totem. Litorians, the most common of this class, take up the mantle of any of the totems. Mojh totem warriors are few, the rare examples favoring the snake. Sibeccai like the wolf, hawk, and shark totems, and verrik totem warriors—also rare—usually choose the shark, hawk, or snake. Other Classes: Aside from others of their class, totem warriors see eye to eye with greenbonds, who understand the spirit world even better than they. They enjoy fighting alongside unfettered and appreciate their wild side. Warmains are far more interested in strategy than they, and most other classes seem too preoccupied with spells or strange abilities that totem warriors have little interest in. They often mistake the akashic’s ability to tap into the collective memory for communion with spirits, though, and consider them kindred. NPCs: The ghostly figure in the woods who moves as fast as a wild beast is a totem warrior. The kindly guide who knows the wildlands better than anyone else is a totem warrior. The proud and noble warrior serving as the hereditary leader of a small tribe in the mountains is a totem warrior.
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