Shyento ? Storm of Staves
The lightning slashed through the full-moon sky, rain spattered itself down to the earth.
A lone figure walked along the road, his travels were hard and he lent weight to a tall quarterstaff polished by use. He had no where left to go and only the road offered him shelter.
From the shadows of the trees a pair of eyes watched the figure with hunger. More eyes from both sides of the road gazed upon the lone figure, they would eat well this night.
They sprang from the shadows, snarling creatures ready to tear the lone figure limb from limb.
The jarring crunch of a jawbone sent one of the creatures sprawling upon the road, another one was sent down as a dizzying number of blows wracked its body with pain. The remaining creatures circled the lone figure, his weight no longer bent on his staff but spread nimbly between two feet, the quarterstaff twirling like a shield of wood between him and their snapping jaws.
He stood, ready for their numbers.
Shyento are often quiet individuals besieged with the want to walk the open roads, they travel with a staff in hand ready to leap to the defense at any moment. Likening to the storms seen late at night upon the open road, they can sweep through a mob of creatures sending them all spiraling down in a torrent of blows.
It is more common to encounter a Shyento alone, but still some adventure with parties. They bear a marked kinship with those of the outdoors, but often get along well with traveling bards and monks. Their greatest disdain is often for city folk, entrenched so deeply in their own lives they fail to see the world around them.
Prerequisites:
Class Skills: The class skills for a Shyento, and their relevant ability scores are: Balance (Dex), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int Modifier
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Shyento gains proficiency in the quarterstaff, two-bladed sword, bladed staff and three-section-staff. The Shyento gains no armor proficiency. Note the abilities marked with an asterisk (*) can only be used in light armor or no armor.
Staff Mastery: In the hands of a Shyento a staff or staff-like weapon (any listed as being gained under weapon proficiency) becomes a weapon of extreme potential. The character receives iterative attacks at intervals of 4 instead of 5. The Shyento may also choose the Deflect Arrows feat even if they do not possess the pre-requisite feats, however it only functions when using a staff or staff-like weapon. They may also choose the Weapon Finesse feat with a staff or staff-like weapon. At 2nd level, the Shyento may choose to deal subdual damage with a staff or staff-like weapon without incurring the standard -4 penalty to hit when doing so.
Flurry of Storms: When using a staff or staff-like weapon, the Shyento may choose to make one additional attack per round with his weapon at his highest base attack bonus, however all attacks this round receive a -2 penalty to attack including this additional attack. This does not take the place of the characters off hand attack with a staff or staff-like weapon and may be used in conjunction with off-hand attacks.
Whirling Defense: At 2nd level a Shyento gains the extraordinary ability to deflect incoming attacks with incredible ease. When using a staff or staff-like weapon, a Shyento receives a +2 competence bonus to AC. If fighting defensively the Shyento gains an additional +2 competence bonus to their AC, and if the Shyento takes the full defense action they receive a bonus to their AC equal to their Shyento level in addition to the standard +5 bonus to AC.
Eye of the Storm: At 3rd level the Shyento is calm before or during the onset of the storm. If the Shyento has been surprised, he or she may choose to automatically assume the full defense action. If the Shyento does so, their Initiative drops by 4 points starting the following round.
Storm Sense: At 4th level the Shyento gains an almost uncanny sense of the flow of the storm around him. He is no longer denied his Dexterity bonus when caught flat-footed. At 7th level the Shyento cannot be flanked in combat. This is the same as the rogue?s Uncanny Dodge ability and if the character already possesses a class that offers Uncanny Dodge, the class levels stack.
Whirlwind Attack: At 5th level the Shyento gains the Whirlwind attack feat as a virtual feat when using a staff or staff-like weapon regardless of whether the Shyento has all of the pre-requisites.
Sweeping Storm: At 6th level the Shyento may sacrifice their ability to use their staff as a double weapon and use it as a weapon with 10? reach. The Shyento may shift between using it as a double weapon or reach weapon once per round at the beginning of their action.
Roaming Storm: At 8th level when making a Whirlwind attack, the Shyento may take up to one five foot step during their Whirlwind attack. At 10th level they may take two five foot steps during their Whirlwind attack. The Shyento may only take these steps so long as they have not moved yet this round.
Master of the Wind: At 9th level the Shyento applies their full Strength bonus to their damage with the off-handed attacks made with their staff or staff-like weapon. If not using their weapon as a double weapon their Strength bonus is doubled.
Tempest: At 10th level the Shyento becomes a veritable tempest in combat. When using the Whirlwind attack action they may make two attacks upon each target, rather than a single attack. The second attack is at their second highest base attack bonus.
The lightning slashed through the full-moon sky, rain spattered itself down to the earth.
A lone figure walked along the road, his travels were hard and he lent weight to a tall quarterstaff polished by use. He had no where left to go and only the road offered him shelter.
From the shadows of the trees a pair of eyes watched the figure with hunger. More eyes from both sides of the road gazed upon the lone figure, they would eat well this night.
They sprang from the shadows, snarling creatures ready to tear the lone figure limb from limb.
The jarring crunch of a jawbone sent one of the creatures sprawling upon the road, another one was sent down as a dizzying number of blows wracked its body with pain. The remaining creatures circled the lone figure, his weight no longer bent on his staff but spread nimbly between two feet, the quarterstaff twirling like a shield of wood between him and their snapping jaws.
He stood, ready for their numbers.
Shyento are often quiet individuals besieged with the want to walk the open roads, they travel with a staff in hand ready to leap to the defense at any moment. Likening to the storms seen late at night upon the open road, they can sweep through a mob of creatures sending them all spiraling down in a torrent of blows.
It is more common to encounter a Shyento alone, but still some adventure with parties. They bear a marked kinship with those of the outdoors, but often get along well with traveling bards and monks. Their greatest disdain is often for city folk, entrenched so deeply in their own lives they fail to see the world around them.
Prerequisites:
- BAB: +5
- Feats: Ambidexterity, Dodge, Expertise, Mobility, Two-Weapon Fighting
- Balance: 4 ranks
- Jump: 4 ranks
- Tumble: 4 ranks
- Survival: 4 ranks
Class Skills: The class skills for a Shyento, and their relevant ability scores are: Balance (Dex), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int Modifier
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Shyento gains proficiency in the quarterstaff, two-bladed sword, bladed staff and three-section-staff. The Shyento gains no armor proficiency. Note the abilities marked with an asterisk (*) can only be used in light armor or no armor.
Staff Mastery: In the hands of a Shyento a staff or staff-like weapon (any listed as being gained under weapon proficiency) becomes a weapon of extreme potential. The character receives iterative attacks at intervals of 4 instead of 5. The Shyento may also choose the Deflect Arrows feat even if they do not possess the pre-requisite feats, however it only functions when using a staff or staff-like weapon. They may also choose the Weapon Finesse feat with a staff or staff-like weapon. At 2nd level, the Shyento may choose to deal subdual damage with a staff or staff-like weapon without incurring the standard -4 penalty to hit when doing so.
Flurry of Storms: When using a staff or staff-like weapon, the Shyento may choose to make one additional attack per round with his weapon at his highest base attack bonus, however all attacks this round receive a -2 penalty to attack including this additional attack. This does not take the place of the characters off hand attack with a staff or staff-like weapon and may be used in conjunction with off-hand attacks.
Whirling Defense: At 2nd level a Shyento gains the extraordinary ability to deflect incoming attacks with incredible ease. When using a staff or staff-like weapon, a Shyento receives a +2 competence bonus to AC. If fighting defensively the Shyento gains an additional +2 competence bonus to their AC, and if the Shyento takes the full defense action they receive a bonus to their AC equal to their Shyento level in addition to the standard +5 bonus to AC.
Eye of the Storm: At 3rd level the Shyento is calm before or during the onset of the storm. If the Shyento has been surprised, he or she may choose to automatically assume the full defense action. If the Shyento does so, their Initiative drops by 4 points starting the following round.
Storm Sense: At 4th level the Shyento gains an almost uncanny sense of the flow of the storm around him. He is no longer denied his Dexterity bonus when caught flat-footed. At 7th level the Shyento cannot be flanked in combat. This is the same as the rogue?s Uncanny Dodge ability and if the character already possesses a class that offers Uncanny Dodge, the class levels stack.
Whirlwind Attack: At 5th level the Shyento gains the Whirlwind attack feat as a virtual feat when using a staff or staff-like weapon regardless of whether the Shyento has all of the pre-requisites.
Sweeping Storm: At 6th level the Shyento may sacrifice their ability to use their staff as a double weapon and use it as a weapon with 10? reach. The Shyento may shift between using it as a double weapon or reach weapon once per round at the beginning of their action.
Roaming Storm: At 8th level when making a Whirlwind attack, the Shyento may take up to one five foot step during their Whirlwind attack. At 10th level they may take two five foot steps during their Whirlwind attack. The Shyento may only take these steps so long as they have not moved yet this round.
Master of the Wind: At 9th level the Shyento applies their full Strength bonus to their damage with the off-handed attacks made with their staff or staff-like weapon. If not using their weapon as a double weapon their Strength bonus is doubled.
Tempest: At 10th level the Shyento becomes a veritable tempest in combat. When using the Whirlwind attack action they may make two attacks upon each target, rather than a single attack. The second attack is at their second highest base attack bonus.
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. Here's the stuff that I think could use some thought:
