This is written for use with Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed.
Raeslin flew upward, his wings working at a furious pace, excruciatingly aware of the inshon hoard below him. At his belt were the shrunken vials and glass orbs that contained potent alchemist's fire and frost, acid, and contained spells. He had not the skill to make them, but he had the curious ability to shrink them to a convenient size.
More importantly he could flight higher, faster, and harder than other sprytes, and was as accurate as the best bowmen when throwing one of his bombs. Inshon didn't use ranged weapons much, more fool they. Not that they would be able to pick him out, dressed as he was in the colors of the sky and flying so high as to be virtually invisible.
They would never know what hit them. Chuckling cruelly, Raeslin sighted and threw the first volley.
The Stormbolt
Many sprytes have learned the simple truth that their great mobility, tiny size, and keen hand-eye coordination made them best suited to sneak attacks, ranged combat, and unexpected attacks. Forty years ago Weira Lashpetal began developing the art of the Stormbolt to capitalize on these traits.
While sprytes could not wield the largest bows that would do the most damage, it did not take strength to drop potent detonations, just accuracy. Plus, their small size would allow them to be less of a target. Few could stand against a flight of Stormbolts, as they were impossible to target, catch, or stop.
The Stormbolts are generally mercenaries for hire, never banding together in less than a flight of ten. While expensive to hire due to their ammunition, rarely is it wasted. And anyone hiring them would certain save money on room and board!
The majority of Stormbolts are bloody-minded, eager to do combat and secure in their own superiority of the air. Some are free-spirited unfettered, causing rampant chaos on the battlefield. Others are strategy-minded warmains, using careful volleys to break up enemy formations. Some augment their ammunition with spells and others augment their combat skills with careful scouting of the enemy's position.
In addition to being deadly bombardiers, Stormbolts have the reputation of being able to fly in the worst weather. Even in a raging thunderstorm a Stormbolt can always fly and get his job done.
Hit Dice: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a Stormbolt, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Race: Spryte
BAB: +5
Skills: Spot – 4 ranks
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Far Shot
Special: Must have perfect maneuverability and must have been accepted into a Stormbolt flight.
Class Skills
The class skills of a Stormbolt (and the key ability for each skill) are Escape Artist (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (Dangerous Beasts), Knowledge (Geography), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Slight of Hand (Dex), Sneak (Int), Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Lvl....BAB...Fort...Ref...Will...Special
1......+1......+0.....+2.....+0.....Sky Camouflage 20%, Tinea's Favor
2......+2......+0.....+2.....+0.....Windrider's Speed I, Long Arm 10
3......+3......+1.....+3.....+1.....Stormrider's Favor +4, Farsight
4......+4......+1.....+4.....+1.....Speed Burst
5......+5......+1.....+4.....+1.....Sky Camouflage 25%, Long Arm 15
6......+6......+2.....+5.....+2.....Windrider's Speed II
7......+7......+2.....+5.....+2.....Stormrider's Favor +6
8......+8......+2.....+6.....+2.....Long Arm 20
9......+9......+3.....+6.....+3.....Sky Camouflage 30%
10.....+10....+3.....+7.....+3.....Stormrider's Favor +8
Class Features
The following are class features of the Stormbolt prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Stormbolt gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Sky Camouflage (Ex): A Stormbolt learns to dress his body in specially dyed rags that mimic the colors of the sky. A special alchemical process allows them to reflect light in ways to mimic the changing colors of the heavens. This suit costs 200gp and is obtained at first level for free. If the suit is destroyed (by fire or some other means) the Stormbolt has to pay to replace it. It gives the Stormbolt the listed miss chance to be hit while flying in the sky. This does not work underground, indoors, or in areas of heavy overgrowth. The Stormbolt must be freely flying in the sky for the AC bonus to work.
Most of the effectiveness in using this kind of armor comes from knowing how to wear it, thusly it is not useful for a non-Stormbolt.
Tinea's Favor (Sp): Tinea is the faen goddess of big things becoming small enough for faen to use. When a Stormbolt is accepted into a flight he is marked with a special tattoo that allows him to carry far more than one of his size should. A Stormbolt can cause up to 30 lbs of non-living, non-attended material to shrink down to 1/10th its normal size and weight. This allows Stormbolts to carry far more vials and detonations than one would think for their size. Any object under the influence of this ability regains its normal size when it leaves the Stormbolt's hand. This lasts for 24 hours and may be done 2/day. (This regaining of size does not alter the flight path of something being thrown from the Stormbolt.)
Windrider's Speed (Ex): A Stormbolt has a strenuous exercise regime that helps to strengthen the wing muscles and endurance. He gains +10 to his flying speed. At 6th level this increases to +20
Long Arm (Ex): A Stormbolt practices a great deal with thrown vials and detonations and learns to throw them at great distances with pinpoint accuracy. At 2nd level he can throw something up to 10 range increments with a chance of accuracy (instead of 5). This increases to 15 at level 5 and 20 at level 8. In addition a Stormbolt only takes a -1 penalty per range increment beyond the first, instead of a -2. This applies only to thrown weapons.
Stormrider's Favor (Ex): A Stormbolt practices in all weather and can fly and attack in even the worst of it. A Stormbolt gains the listed bonus to any saves versus any adverse weather conditions (magical or not) that would force him to land. He gains half the listed bonus to his attacks in these situations where there is a penalty to ranged attacks due to the weather. However, this should never result in a Stormbolt being able to attack better in adverse weather than in calm.
Farsight (Su): As a Stormbolt grows in trust and proves himself on missions, the flight leader will comission a special ceremony for him. This allows the Stormbolt to see twice as far in either regular light or low-light conditions. Also, should a Stormbolt be the receipient of a darkvision spell or some magical or alchemical item that has the same effect, he can see twice as far as normal with the darkvision. In addition, on Spot checks a Stormbolt takes a -1 for every 20 feet of distance, instead of every 10 feet.
Speed Burst (Ex): As a result of his training a Stormbolt can learn to put on extra bursts of speed where they are needed most. He gains this feat for free.
Raeslin flew upward, his wings working at a furious pace, excruciatingly aware of the inshon hoard below him. At his belt were the shrunken vials and glass orbs that contained potent alchemist's fire and frost, acid, and contained spells. He had not the skill to make them, but he had the curious ability to shrink them to a convenient size.
More importantly he could flight higher, faster, and harder than other sprytes, and was as accurate as the best bowmen when throwing one of his bombs. Inshon didn't use ranged weapons much, more fool they. Not that they would be able to pick him out, dressed as he was in the colors of the sky and flying so high as to be virtually invisible.
They would never know what hit them. Chuckling cruelly, Raeslin sighted and threw the first volley.
The Stormbolt
Many sprytes have learned the simple truth that their great mobility, tiny size, and keen hand-eye coordination made them best suited to sneak attacks, ranged combat, and unexpected attacks. Forty years ago Weira Lashpetal began developing the art of the Stormbolt to capitalize on these traits.
While sprytes could not wield the largest bows that would do the most damage, it did not take strength to drop potent detonations, just accuracy. Plus, their small size would allow them to be less of a target. Few could stand against a flight of Stormbolts, as they were impossible to target, catch, or stop.
The Stormbolts are generally mercenaries for hire, never banding together in less than a flight of ten. While expensive to hire due to their ammunition, rarely is it wasted. And anyone hiring them would certain save money on room and board!
The majority of Stormbolts are bloody-minded, eager to do combat and secure in their own superiority of the air. Some are free-spirited unfettered, causing rampant chaos on the battlefield. Others are strategy-minded warmains, using careful volleys to break up enemy formations. Some augment their ammunition with spells and others augment their combat skills with careful scouting of the enemy's position.
In addition to being deadly bombardiers, Stormbolts have the reputation of being able to fly in the worst weather. Even in a raging thunderstorm a Stormbolt can always fly and get his job done.
Hit Dice: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a Stormbolt, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Race: Spryte
BAB: +5
Skills: Spot – 4 ranks
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Far Shot
Special: Must have perfect maneuverability and must have been accepted into a Stormbolt flight.
Class Skills
The class skills of a Stormbolt (and the key ability for each skill) are Escape Artist (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (Dangerous Beasts), Knowledge (Geography), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Slight of Hand (Dex), Sneak (Int), Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Lvl....BAB...Fort...Ref...Will...Special
1......+1......+0.....+2.....+0.....Sky Camouflage 20%, Tinea's Favor
2......+2......+0.....+2.....+0.....Windrider's Speed I, Long Arm 10
3......+3......+1.....+3.....+1.....Stormrider's Favor +4, Farsight
4......+4......+1.....+4.....+1.....Speed Burst
5......+5......+1.....+4.....+1.....Sky Camouflage 25%, Long Arm 15
6......+6......+2.....+5.....+2.....Windrider's Speed II
7......+7......+2.....+5.....+2.....Stormrider's Favor +6
8......+8......+2.....+6.....+2.....Long Arm 20
9......+9......+3.....+6.....+3.....Sky Camouflage 30%
10.....+10....+3.....+7.....+3.....Stormrider's Favor +8
Class Features
The following are class features of the Stormbolt prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Stormbolt gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Sky Camouflage (Ex): A Stormbolt learns to dress his body in specially dyed rags that mimic the colors of the sky. A special alchemical process allows them to reflect light in ways to mimic the changing colors of the heavens. This suit costs 200gp and is obtained at first level for free. If the suit is destroyed (by fire or some other means) the Stormbolt has to pay to replace it. It gives the Stormbolt the listed miss chance to be hit while flying in the sky. This does not work underground, indoors, or in areas of heavy overgrowth. The Stormbolt must be freely flying in the sky for the AC bonus to work.
Most of the effectiveness in using this kind of armor comes from knowing how to wear it, thusly it is not useful for a non-Stormbolt.
Tinea's Favor (Sp): Tinea is the faen goddess of big things becoming small enough for faen to use. When a Stormbolt is accepted into a flight he is marked with a special tattoo that allows him to carry far more than one of his size should. A Stormbolt can cause up to 30 lbs of non-living, non-attended material to shrink down to 1/10th its normal size and weight. This allows Stormbolts to carry far more vials and detonations than one would think for their size. Any object under the influence of this ability regains its normal size when it leaves the Stormbolt's hand. This lasts for 24 hours and may be done 2/day. (This regaining of size does not alter the flight path of something being thrown from the Stormbolt.)
Windrider's Speed (Ex): A Stormbolt has a strenuous exercise regime that helps to strengthen the wing muscles and endurance. He gains +10 to his flying speed. At 6th level this increases to +20
Long Arm (Ex): A Stormbolt practices a great deal with thrown vials and detonations and learns to throw them at great distances with pinpoint accuracy. At 2nd level he can throw something up to 10 range increments with a chance of accuracy (instead of 5). This increases to 15 at level 5 and 20 at level 8. In addition a Stormbolt only takes a -1 penalty per range increment beyond the first, instead of a -2. This applies only to thrown weapons.
Stormrider's Favor (Ex): A Stormbolt practices in all weather and can fly and attack in even the worst of it. A Stormbolt gains the listed bonus to any saves versus any adverse weather conditions (magical or not) that would force him to land. He gains half the listed bonus to his attacks in these situations where there is a penalty to ranged attacks due to the weather. However, this should never result in a Stormbolt being able to attack better in adverse weather than in calm.
Farsight (Su): As a Stormbolt grows in trust and proves himself on missions, the flight leader will comission a special ceremony for him. This allows the Stormbolt to see twice as far in either regular light or low-light conditions. Also, should a Stormbolt be the receipient of a darkvision spell or some magical or alchemical item that has the same effect, he can see twice as far as normal with the darkvision. In addition, on Spot checks a Stormbolt takes a -1 for every 20 feet of distance, instead of every 10 feet.
Speed Burst (Ex): As a result of his training a Stormbolt can learn to put on extra bursts of speed where they are needed most. He gains this feat for free.
