Advance Scout


Kyo Nejera

 

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  Advance Scout

 

Races Allowed: Human, Half-Elven, Elven, Halfling

HD as rogue   d6

Saves as rogue

Alignment:  any Lawful due to the amount of forethought and planning required of the candidate. 

(Advance Scouts who also worship Ahira Strongarm are most always Lawful Neutral although a worshiper of Ahira can be of any alignment. Advance Scouts as with any Bloodstone Service Member may also choose to worship any God he/she chooses with the obvious exception of the specialty Priests of the Fist and Flying Fist)

 The Advance Scout kit is a class related somewhat to a Rogue and somewhat like a Ranger, but has such a variety of skills that it is as much a class all its own. Taught this past year for the first time at Bloodstone, the candidate should be of small stature for ease in wriggling through tight spots and he must have the following pre-requisite attributes:

INT: 15, DEX 12, WIS 14.  AND he may choose NWP’s from any of the charts without any cross table penalties.

Weapon Profs:

Initial 1 then 1/4 levels

An Advance Scout may only use a one handed weapon and may never use a shield due to his need to have one hand available to work his spell maneuvers. 

Non-Weapon Profs:

Initial 4,then 2 every 3 levels

 Bonus Skills: Alertness, Combat & Magical Tactics, Danger Sense

Required:  Spellcraft, Cartography, Swimming

Recommended: Camouflage, Finding Traps, Running

 An expert in communication, survival, and tactics, the Advance Scout 's skills are invaluable for safely navigating uncharted terrain and negotiating the passage ahead whether above or belowground, clear or not, thus saving the group from unnecessary surprise encounters. While always savvy and smart the scout usually chooses this type of work because of the ‘Rush’ he gets from getting in, getting the scoop and getting out without notice of his ever having been there.

Above all, he understands the relationship between safety and self-restraint. He discourages his companions from taking unnecessary risks whenever possible.

The Scout possesses ability where he is able to walk with a feather-light step. When moving at one-half his normal movement rate, the scout is able to walk with the effect of a pass without trace spell.

 The Advanced Scout's training makes him more attuned to his immediate surroundings. He is able to detect opponents on all sides of him provided they are not invisible. The character can never be struck from behind or suffer a penalty from back attacks. This maneuver is constantly in effect.

An Advance Scout balances his natural curiosity and impulsiveness with healthy doses of caution and common sense. More of a scholar than a brawler, he is usually a reluctant combatant, resorting to violence only when all other options fail. But when attacking, he fights with a single-mindedness that can border on savagery. A seasoned Advance Scout counsels his companions to follow two rules vital to any type of combat situations, (1) remember your training and attempt to plan and coordinate tactics (2) when you do attack, then attack as a group and attack to kill.

Experience Table for Advance Scout – assuming observance of weight restriction

 

Level

Experience Points

HD (D6)

Move

THAC0

1

0

2

15

20

2

4200

3

16

20

3

6400

4

17

19

4

10800

5

18

19

5

18500

6

19

18

6

32000

7

20

18

7

57000

8

21

17

8

102000

9

22

17

9

202000

10

23

16

10

402000

11

24

16

11

602000

11+2

25

15

12

802000

11+4

26

15

13

1002000

11+6

27

14

14

1202000

11+8

28

14

15

1502000

11+10

29

13

16

1802000

11+12

30

13

 

 

 

 

 

 Spells: An Advanced Scout learns a variant of spellcasting similar to that performed by Kensic Rune Casting Warriors, through the use of intricate of signing though complex finger movements along with intense concentration and a single word to finish the spell. These spells are limited in number and though closely related to both mage and priest magic; it is all done with finger manipulations - similar to rune casting in mid-air. Spells must be kept in a book to be studied like a mage must, however, the scout is only practicing the finger manipulations, not choosing spells to practice ahead of time, just practicing in general to keep all spells fresh and also practicing new maneuvers for the next level of spells. For an advance Scout to learn new spells, whether priestly or arcane type spells he must train with another, higher level scout who will judge the scouts mastery of the new levels spells and pass or fail each spell undertaken, and he then issues a number of new spells for the scout to learn the maneuvers for and must then practice daily until he is tested at his next level. The Scout MUST present himself to a master scout each time he levels up and spend at least one week with him or he does not gain his new spells until such a testing has occurred. So in effect, the scout may cast ANY spell he has mastered at his level at any time. He may attempt to cast a spell that he has not yet been tested for, based on whether or not he thinks he has mastered the spell’s maneuvers. DM’s discretion as to the outcome of any non-tested spells tried.

 Advance Scouts also have access to a few thief skills. Scouts can climb walls, hear noise, hide in shadows and move silently. The base percentages of these abilities upon graduation 3rd lvl are:

            Climb Walls:               60%

            Hear Noise:                25%

            Hide in Shadows:                      25%

            Find Traps:                 20%

 At 3rd level, they start as the chart indicates. At every level after the 3rd, they get an additional 15 points; again, they cannot place more than half of that amount in a single ability.

 Special Benefits:

Observation:  This allows characters to exploit their exceptionally acute powers of observation with all five senses. The DM will secretly roll a proficiency check (or ask for one secretly) whenever there is a subtle clue that the character might otherwise overlook.

 Scent:  This extraordinary ability lets the creature or an Advance Scout with this innate ability to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. In the case of the Advance Scout, this supra-natural ability grows within the Scout as he grows himself. 

The Scout’s wisdom score is used as a base chance for the DM to modify from

The Scout can detect opponents by sense of smell, generally within 30 feet. If the scent is downwind, the range is 15 feet and if the scent is upwind it can be easily smelled at 60 feet. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected a three x these ranges.

The Scout detects a creature’s presence but not it’s specific location. Noting the direction of the scent is a standard action.  If it moves within 5 feet of the scent’s source, the Scout can pinpoint that source.

The Scout can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track. The Base chance for a fresh trail is the Scouts un-modified Wiz check. The difficulty of this increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail . For each hour that the trail is cold, the penalty increase’s by 2. The ability  otherwise follows the rules for the Tracking skill. Scouts tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Advance Scouts can use their scent ability just as easily as they or any other normal person can use their eyesight.

Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail for the Scout.

False, powerful odors (such as Red Herring) can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Scent Score or Track Base Score increases the difficulty by 1d4+1.

 Recognize Hazard:  By observing subtle changes in the terrain, the Advance Scout is able to recognize natural hazards, enabling him and his companions to avoid them. Typical hazards include quicksand, sinkholes, slippery slopes, unsafe ceilings, and thin ice. An Advance Scout has no special ability to recognize man-made hazards, such as pit traps or dangerous bridges, nor does he have any special talent for anticipating encounters with hostile natives or animals.

An Advance Scout 's chance of recognizing a hazard is 5% per experience level; to a maximum chance of 75% at 15th level. If the DM determines that the Advance Scout is approaching an area containing a natural hazard, he secretly rolls percentile dice. If the roll is equal to or less than the Advance Scout 's chance, the Advance Scout recognizes a potential hazard. (Optionally, the DM might only describe an unusual aspect of the terrain and let the Scout come to his own conclusions. For example, if the Scout is approaching a pool of quicksand, the DM might say that the ground feels exceptionally spongy. If the Scout nears a patch of thin ice, the DM might point out that the ice ahead is discolored and laced with tiny cracks).

Advanced Scouts go through intense training in order to become more aware of their surroundings.  They are trained to be alert and they use Scent as a supernatural ability.  

 ******Meditation******* 

Meditation is taught to EVERY recruit whether they be fighters, mages, or priests,at 1st level This ability allows the student to enter a mental state in which he can focus and regain his energies. For each hour the character spends in uninterrupted meditation, he gets as much rest as two hours of sleep. While meditating, the character is oblivious to hunger, thirst, heat, and cold.

 **SKILLS**

 1st Level Skill - Coordinated Attack : This proficiency is only effective when it is known by two fighters. The fighters must be in adjacent hexes (back-to-back, side-by-side). Each fighter can then attempt a skill check. If both are successful, they may share opponents; this usually implies that they are slowly rotating back to back. The end result is that they can distribute their defenses and attacks. They receive a –1 AC bonus and a +1 to hit because their opponents have no idea who going to attack from which angle. It is even possible for one fighter to parry a blow aimed at the other fighter.

3rd level Skill - Advanced Tactics: A party may gain a morale bonus on any grounds previously explored by the Advanced Scout.  If a territory is scanned and observed for five rounds or more by the scout and then he reports tactical strategies to his comrades they receive a +1 morale bonus that applies to attack rolls and saving throws.  This bonus is increased to +2 at 9th level and +3 at 15th level.  This ability only lasts for the surprise round (if the characters surprise their opponents) and the first round of an encounter with enemies.  At 9th level it lasts one additional round and at 15th level it lasts another round for a total of three rounds plus the surprise round if the party surprised their opponents.  The Advanced Scout may only grant this morale bonus to 1 person per level, (+1 person per point of high intelligence – 14 and up) reflecting his increasing ability to explain tactics quickly.  After reporting his observations, the party must act upon their information within 5 minutes plus 1 minute/level of the Advanced Scout or the morale penalty is lost.

            Along with the morale bonus provided by an area that has been scouted, at 3rd level the Advanced Scout may ask the DM one tactical question about the situation ahead.  This question is similar to the spell augury, but it may only focus on physical tactics.  The question could be, "Should we split up before attacking the group of orcs ahead and possibly hit them from the side?" or, "Would taking the higher ground on that hill allow us a better shot at the frost giant?"  Questions like, "If we split up before attacking the group of orcs will they see us?" or, "Are there any reinforcements of the enemy orcs that we don't see?" are questions that Advanced Tactics can't answer.  The base chance for receiving a meaningful reply is 75% + 1% per level; the DM makes the roll secretly.  The DM may determine that the question is so straightforward that a successful result is automatic, or so vague as to have no chance of success.  If the Advanced Tactics question succeeds, you get one of five results: Yes, Most Likely, Probably Not, No, or Unsure.  If the roll fails, you get the "unsure" result.  An Advanced Scout who gets the "unsure" result has no way to tell whether it resulted from a failed or successful guess.  This question can only concern the tactical strategies of the area immediately ahead that has been scouted for 5 rounds.

 Example: Cauflan, the 9th level Advanced Scout, decides to scout ahead for his party down into the depths of the catacombs that have been used for burial.  He is able to spot a group of ghouls down the corridor ahead, gathered in a small opening.  He surveys the area for 3 mins unnoticed and sees a ledge above that could provide a tactical advantage.  A rickety ladder leads up to the ledge, which is probably a loft for some sort of tomb.  He gets back to his party and explains the situation.  This allows Cauflan to give a +2 morale bonus for attack rolls and saving throws to seven people (9th level divided by two rounded up is five plus two for Cauflan's high intelligence).  The party must engage the ghouls within 12 minutes (3 + Cauflan's level) before the morale bonus wears off.  Once engaged, the moral bonus will last two rounds plus the surprise round if the players surprise the ghouls.  Cauflan is also able to ask a tactical question of the DM.  He asks, "Would it be wise to climb the ladder up to that loft, knock the ladder down, and fire arrows down upon the ghouls?"  The DM could respond "most likely" knowing that it is usually good to have higher ground in combat.  What the players don't know is that the ladder has a chance of breaking when climbed on and that the loft above rooms the coffin of a vampire just about to wake up for the night.

 5th Level: Disable Device:

At 4th level the Advance Scout has learned enough about locks, simple trapping mechanisms and such to be able to disarm a simple trap, jam a lock (in either the open or closed position), or rig a wagon wheel to fall off. He can examine a fairly simple or fairly small mechanical devise and disable it. The effort requires at the least a simple tool of the appropriate type (a pick, pry bar, saw file, ect.) Attempting to perform Disable Devise without any tools could result in failure -  (DM’s discretion) whereas the use of a set of masterwork thieves’ tools set grants a bonus, given the situation. (The DM always determines if the effort is successful or not so the scout doesn’t necessarily know if he’s succeeded or not. Disabling a small or simple device takes at least one full round-action, while intricate or complex devices take 1d4-2d4 rounds of concentration. On the flip side, however, an advance scout can rig a simple device of his own and as he learns and gains experience he can set simple and more complex traps of his own. Descriptions Necessary.     

 7th level Skill - Evasion:

At 7th level The Advance Scout gains Evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows the character a make (dodging) save or dex check (such as Fireball) to save for half damage, the scout may attempt to evade its effects. On a successful save the scout takes no damage from the attack instead of the normal save for half damage (DM discretion should apply is unusual situations such as a fireball cast into a small room or hallway with the scout in it and nowhere to evade to)

 10th level Skill - Sense Movement: 

Because of intense mental training and mastery, the Advance Scout has developed an extremely acute mind and a sort of sixth sense. The Sense Movement ability is similar to that of the thief's Hear Noise ability in percentage per level except that the Scout starts with a base percentage of 50% at 10th   level and it grows at a fixed rate of 10% per every 5 levels. The Scout must spend one round in intense concentration. Success indicates that the monk has detected movement beyond a portal, around a corner, or within a room. Only its general direction can be known.

 12th level Skill – Evasion II

At 12th level The Advance Scout gains Evasion II. If exposed to any effect that normally allows the char an evasion check as described above (such as fireball) a save that is passed reduces damage to nil, a failed save still grants but half the total damage rolled. (DM discretion should apply is unusual situations such as a fireball cast into a small room or hallway with the scout in it and nowhere to evade to)

  

Special Hindrances: By moving ahead of the party, the Advance Scout places himself in a position of risk. Separated from his companions, the Scout is more likely to be the victim of enemy attacks. He runs a greater risk of drawing fire from snipers, and is more susceptible to ambushes from hostile creatures. If he fails to recognize a hazard, he'll probably be the first to become a victim. In addition, an Advance Scout may only use a one handed weapon and may never use a shield due to his need to have one hand available to work his spell maneuvers. 

 

An Advance Scout must be able to be nimble and light on his feet, his movements cannot be hindered by an abundance of gear. In fact, the scout is constantly working with the leathermaster at his home base, creating harnesses and belts to store his pertinent gear within easy reach without anything clinking about making noise. An Advance Scout may never possess more than 50lbs of gear, that’s 50 pounds MAX, total weight.  EVER.  Magic items count as per their non-magical counterpart for this limit. (This is only 25 pounds for halfling Advance Scouts.)

 

***NOTE*** COUNT COINS!!!!   i.e. over say 500 coins IS OVER THE LIMIT..... These characters cannot just say 'carry this for me' either. This is what they may OWN. At any rate, the type of people who choose this dangerous line of work, are in it mostly for the rush of getting in, getting the scoop, and getting out. The money is a secondary concern, mostly spent on designing the next best gear harness!

 Advance Scout’s Spell List:

 The Advance Scouts spells are unlike most other spells because the only components they require are kuji – kiri finger exercises. These stylized hand and finger manipulations, first used by Monks in remote silent monasteries to enhance meditation, were usually performed from a traditional kneeling position, although the Advance Scout has mastered the art of maintaining the difficult and stringent motions while in most any environment and position, hostile or not.

What follows is a complete list of all the spells that are available to a scout to learn, the inclusion of this list by no means that a particular scout has learned any amount of the given spells. Each spell must be studied from a master and then followed up with unending practice from the scout’s journal, of which he is required to maintain and add to. Upon gaining the next step on his way to mastery in his art form, the scout must provide proof of learning to a scout of at least 3 levels ahead of him, by making both a dex and wis check at the time of the test. A spell may be studied more than one time if failed on the first try, but one full level of practice is required before testing may be repeated.

 1st Level:  dancing lights, detect magic, detect poison, light, know direction, mending, read magic, alarm, animal friendship, change self, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, detect secret doors, detect snares and pits, expeditious retreat, face blur, jump, mount, obscurement, protection from good/evil, shield, spider climb, False Tracks, Find Direction, Lesser Distraction.

 

2nd Level: alter self, augury, darkness, fog cloud, invisibility, locate object, melf’s acid arrow, mirror image, protection from normal missiles, Hesitation, tongues, whispering wind, Deepen Shadows, Featherfoot.

 

3rd Level: blink, clairaudience/clairvoyance, cure serious wounds, dispel magic, fire trap, glyph of warding, haste, invisibility purge, infravision, invisibility 10 ft radius, phantom steed, water breathing, Detect The Living, Greater Distraction.

 

4th Level:  commune with nature, cure critical wounds, divination, distance distortion, hallucinatory terrain, locate creature, neutralize poison, sending, solid fog, Improved Featherfoot, Improved Mirror Image.

 

5th Level: find the path, mirage arcana, mislead, mordenkainen’s faithful hound, passwall, persistent image, polymorph self, Rary’s telepathic bond, seeming, teleport, true seeing, Shadow-Form.

 

6th Level: Discern location, Greater glyph of warding, Mass invisibility, Permanent Illusion, Programmed illusion, Ensnarement, Mislead, Find the Path, Fire Seeds, Stone Tell

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3

SECTION 2
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4

SECTION 4
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5

Title 6

SECTION 4
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5

Title 6