"Afiag walked into the bar. He quickly found a seat at the bar, and quietly sat down, hoping not to draw attention to himself. He didn't want to attract any of the bounty hunters that were looking to collect the price on his head. But unfortunately, one did.
"As the poor fool made his way over to Afiag, he quickly took note of his apparel. As the bounty hunter placed his and on Afiag's shoulder and began to say, 'Your comin' with me, mate,' Afiag struck.
"His blade flashed like lightning. A stunned look came over the bounty hunter's face, as his intestines spilled onto the floor. He could have sworn Afiag hadn't been hiding a sword under his cloak. He would have noticed it. As Afiag's blade dripped the bounty hunter's blood, his hand opened to let go of the hilt. As it clattered to the ground, it disappeared. No more evidence.
"The bounty hunter's eyes began to film. But that quiet guy in the cloak named Afiag seemed like such an easy target…"
Adventures:
Wandering masters do just what their name implies: the wander. However, these are not merely forlorn wanderings. These are spiritual quests, and to many they seem to be nothing more than insane ramblings, though to the wandering master, they feel guided by the whim of their deity. Additionally, their quests often include a strong desire to hone their skills with their chosen weapon.
Characteristics:
The wandering masters are a strange breed; they resemble a mix of rogue, fighter, monk, paladin, and cleric. They are often solitary and brooding, wearing dark, heavy cloaks, concealing their weapon but ready to unleash a rapid succession of strikes should the need arise.
Religion:
All wandering masters must worship Farlanghn. This is how they gain the benefits of their paladin and monk-like abilities, as well as how they are gifted with a special mount.
Background:
Most wandering adventurers are people who would normally have become fighters or rogues, but were brought up in a temple, or by a priest or cleric. Alternatively, they could be one who pursued the path of a paladin, monk, or cleric, but found that they didn't quite fit into that path, and so turned to that of the wandering master.
Races:
Almost all races can be found as wandering masters, except for half orcs. They simply lack the concentration to focus all of their skill on one weapon, and don't particularly enjoy using light weapons. Elves, Half-elves, Humans, and Dwarves all usually pick the short sword, as it is the most potent light weapon available to them, as well as being a quite common weapon. However, butterfly swords and war-fans, gnomish battle picks, and bladed gauntlets are also popular. Gnomes usually use light picks. Halflings often use kukris or daggers.
Game Rule Information
The wandering master often will be associated with the church of Farlanghn. As he is the god of the roads, dweller on the horizon, he is the only suitable patron deity of the wandering master. However, in order to gain all the blessings Farlanghn bestowed upon them, they must protect all travelers on the road, or lose all their powers.
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral only.
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
The wandering master class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are; Hide, Move Silently, Disguise, Balance, Tumble, Wilderness Lore, Intuit Direction, Gather Information, Bluff, Innuendo, Diplomacy, Jump, Climb, Swim, Sense Motive, Spot, Search, Listen.
See Chapter 4 in the Core Rulebook 1 for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at 1st Level: 6+ Int modifier x 4
Skill Points at each additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the wandering master.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A wandering master is proficient with their chosen weapon, all simple and martial weapons, and light armor. While wearing light or no armor, they are considered to have Ambidexterity and Two weapon Fighting while using two of their chosen weapons.
Note that wearing armor heavier than leather imposes a penalty to the skills Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently. Swim checks also suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 lbs. of armor or equipment carried.
Rapid Strike: When the wandering master makes a full attack action, he may make an extra attack at his highest bonus with each weapon. All attacks that round suffer a -2 penalty, including the extra attack. For this effect to work, the weapon must be of the same size or smaller than the wandering master.
Chosen Weapon: A wandering master gains the benefit of having studied with a particular melee weapon and mastering it. However, this weapon must be one considered light for the character (for medium characters, the weapon must be small, and for small characters, it must be tiny) Starting at level 1 and increasing every 4 levels, the wandering master gains a certain bonus to all attack and damage rolls with their chosen weapon. As far as surpassing damage resistance, if the weapon has no enchantment, count it as having a bonus equal to half the wandering master's chosen weapon bonus, rounded up. If the weapon has a plus, the plus that is used is the weapons or the wandering master's, whichever is higher.
Wanderlust: For every week a wandering master stays in one location, they suffer -8 to all rolls and their armor class.
Defender of the Roads: The wandering master is a defender of safety while he walks the roads. He may not turn down the request from help from a traveler on the roads, unless their intention is to harm another traveler. They are not required to help those on city streets, especially on large, crowded streets, but may do so if they feel it is right. If there are bandits who are plaguing an area, and this becomes known to the wandering master, they must deal with the bandits and can do nothing else until the bandits have been driven off. If they fail any of these duties, they lose all the abilities of the wandering master until they atone.
Blood Touch: At level 2, wandering master may either heal himself a number of points of damage equal to his wisdom modifier multiplied by his level or damage a creature that amount.
Uncanny Dodge (Dex to AC): The wandering master only gains this benefit in the uncanny dodge series, and later he can't be flanked; he can never be denied his dexterity bonus to AC, even while caught flat footed. At level 6, he can't be flanked.
Improved 2 Weapon Fighting: At level 3, the wandering master gains the Improved 2 weapon fighting feat, thus reducing all penalties for fighting with 2 weapons (light) to 0. This only is in effect while using two of the wandering master's chosen weapons.
Weapon Deflection: As long as the wandering master has a Dex of 15+, he gets a deflection bonus of +2 while holding two weapons and not flat footed. If he does not attack with his offhand weapon, this bonus becomes +4, but all normal penalties still apply.
Improved Critical: At level 4, the wandering master gains the benefits of having the Improved Critical feat while using their chosen weapon.
Know the Roads: At level 7, while on any road or street, the wandering master gains tremor sense with a range of 60 feet.
Whirlwind Attack: At level 10, the wandering master can sacrifice all of his attacks in order to make a single attack on every opponent within 5 feet of him. This can only be done while wielding no weapon other than their favored weapon.
Hurricane Attack: This is as whirlwind attack, but the wandering master may make an attack on every opponent within 10 feet of him.
Summon Weapon: At the 15th level, the wandering master is granted the ability to materialize their chosen weapon in their hand. It is in all senses the same as a normal weapon, except that it disappears as soon as the wandering master sheathes/drops it. This is considered a free action and can be done 3 times per day.
Multiclass Restriction: If a wandering master multiclasses, not only can they never return to their previous path, but if their alignment changes from CN or they fail to help a traveler on the road, they lose all the following abilities: anything pertaining to their Chosen weapon, Blood touch, intuition, and their special mount. They are also no longer restricted by Wanderlust. If they ever commit the heinous act of banditry (while on a road), despite the circumstances, they will be struck down by Farlanghn himself.
Table: The Wandering Master
Base |
Fort |
Ref |
Will |
||
Level |
Attack Bonus |
Save |
Save |
Save |
Special |
1st |
+1 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Rapid Strike, Chosen Weapon +1, Wanderlust, Defender of the Roads |
2nd |
+2 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Blood Touch, Uncanny Dodge (Dex to AC) |
3rd |
+3 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Weapon Deflection, Improved 2 Weapon Fighting |
4th |
+4 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Improved Critical (Chosen Weapon) |
5th |
+5 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Chosen Weapon +2 |
6th |
+6/+1 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Uncanny Dodge (Can't be Flanked) |
7th |
+7/+2 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Know the Roads |
8th |
+8/+3 | +2 | +6 | +6 | - |
9th |
+9/+4 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Chosen Weapon +3 |
10th |
+10/+5 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Whirlwind Attack |
11th |
+11/+6/+1 | +3 | +7 | +7 | - |
12th |
+12/+7/+2 | +4 | +8 | +8 | - |
13th |
+13/+8/+3 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Chosen Weapon + 4 |
14th |
+14/+9/+4 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Dervish |
15th |
+15/+10/+5 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Summon Weapon |
16th |
+16/+11/+6/+1 | +5 | +10 | +10 | - |
17th |
+17/+12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Chosen Weapon +5 |
18th |
+18/+13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | - |
19th |
+19/+14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | - |
20th |
+20/+15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Special aptitude |
Starting Package: All of the wandering master's equipment must be purchased a la carte.
Gp: 6d4 X 10
Feat: Dodge.