Dingleberry
First Post
In the 3.0 campaign I'm running, we have a problem: one of PCs (Ftr7/Rog4) is woefully underpowered compared to the other two PCs (Sor10/Rog2 and Clr11) and the regular NPC (Drd11). This resulted from a variety of factors I won't bore you with, but suffice it to say, the player is frustrated. We all love these characters and want to continue the campaign, so I pitched two things: first, I'll run the player through a minor solo side-campaign so he can get a level or two leg up; and second, I'll create a prestige class which would improve the efficacy of the character's sub-optimal fighting style - namely, a whip-rapier combination.
The character has a pirate background and the solo campaign will take him out to sea, so I came up with the following prestige class, which is essentially cobbled together from others, with a few little twists. I appreciate any feedback y'all can offer.
CORSAIR
The corsair specializes in a unique combat method constructed around wielding a melee and a short-range distance weapon at the same time. The style is named for its creators: privateers who, rather than sampling the vices of their multi-cultured ports of call, devoured the available fighting styles. They also studied the techniques of their most fearsome enemies. The corsairs then combined the methods which most effectively suited their shifting shipboard battlefield: the formal blade training of noble duelists, the whipping ways of the legendary lashers, the flashing ferocity of halfling knifers, the swashbuckling styles of pirate captains, etc. Corsair training goes beyond simple mastery of two weapons, but rather relies on their interplay: attack and defense, speed and strength, focus and distraction. This advanced fighting style became the hallmark of the corsair. Over the years, the corsairs have spread across the seas as protectors, privateers, and pirates, refining their combat method and passing it along to a select few with sufficient raw ability and determination.
Corsairs are most often fighters or rangers, but are also frequently rogues, bards or monks. Spellcasters are least likely to be drawn to the intense combat study of the corsair. While the developers of the method were almost exclusively human, elves are also likely to become corsairs, and the techniques can be quite effective for the smaller halflings and gnomes. Dwarven and half-orc corsairs are very rare.
Hit Die: d10.
Requirements
To qualify to become a corsair, a character must fulfill the following criteria,
- Base Attack Bonus: +9.
- Skills: Bluff 3 ranks, Sense Motive 3 ranks.
- Feats: Ambidexterity, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (any one-handed melee weapon), Weapon Focus (any one-handed ranged weapon).
Class Skills
The corsair’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Jump (Str), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
The Corsair
Level BAB Fort/Ref/Will Special
1st +1 +2/+0/+0 Favored Weapons, Favored Weapon Fighting
2nd +2 +3/+0/+0 Improved Favored Weapon Fighting
3rd +3 +3/+1/+1 Melee Parry
4th +4 +4/+1/+1 Ranged Distraction
5th +5 +4/+1/+1 Favored Weapon Focus +2
6th +6 +5/+2/+2 Greater Favored Weapon Fighting
7th +7 +5/+2/+2 Melee Riposte
8th +8 +6/+2/+2 Ranged Opportunist
9th +9 +6/+3/+3 Favored Weapon Focus +3
10th +10 +7/+3/+3 Supreme Focused Weapon Fighting
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the corsair prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Corsairs are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and light and medium armor, but not shields.
Favored Weapons: At 1st level, the corsair must select one melee weapon with which he has the Weapon Focus feat (his “favored melee weapon”) and a ranged weapon with which he has the Weapon Focus feat (his “favored ranged weapon”) to be his favored weapons. The corsair gains the ability to draw either of his favored weapons as a free action instead of as a move-equivalent action as if he had the Quickdraw feat.
Favored Weapon Fighting: If the corsair wields both of his favored weapons, he may apply the benefits of any of the Two-Weapon Fighting feats to the favored ranged weapon as if it were a melee weapon, and the corsair’s attacks with the favored ranged weapon do not provoke attacks of opportunity from opponents whom the corsair also threatens with his favored melee weapon.
In addition, when wielding both of his favored weapons, the corsair gains the benefits of the Expertise feat.
Improved Favored Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 2nd level, a corsair can fight with his favored weapons as if he has the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting Feat.
Melee Parry: Beginning at 3rd level, the corsair may forego his melee attacks to further improve his defense. When fighting with both of his favored weapons and using the full attack action, a corsair may forego all of his melee attacks (whether with his primary hand or his off-hand) for the round in exchange for a +1 dodge bonus to his AC for each foregone melee attack (e.g., if he can make 2 melee attacks, the dodge bonus is +2). If the corsair also wears a buckler on the arm wielding the favored melee weapon, its AC stacks.
Ranged Distraction: Beginning at 4th level, the corsair may distract his opponents with ranged attacks to better expose his opponents to melee attacks. When fighting with both of his favored weapons and using the full attack action, a corsair may forego all of the ranged attacks he can actually make (whether with his primary hand or his off-hand) for the round in exchange for a +1 unnamed bonus to his melee attacks against each opponent designated with a foregone ranged attack (e.g., if he can make 2 ranged attacks, he can designate a single opponent and gain a +2 attack bonus, or designate two different opponents and gain a +1 attack bonus against each). The corsair actually uses his ranged attacks to gain the benefit, so he must actually be capable of making the ranged attack for the bonus to apply, e.g., if the corsair’s favored ranged weapon is a hand crossbow and it holds only one bolt, he can actually make only one ranged attack, so he can gain only a +1 attack bonus.
Favored Weapon Focus: At 5th level, the corsair’s Weapon Focus bonus with his favored weapons increases to +2. At 9th level, this bonus increases to +3.
Greater Favored Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 6th level, a corsair can fight with his favored weapons as if he has the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting Feat.
Melee Riposte: Beginning at 7th level, a corsair using his Melee Parry ability may make an attack of opportunity with his favored melee weapon against an opponent who makes a melee attack or melee touch attack against the corsair and misses. Even a corsair with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use this ability more than once per round. This ability does not grant the corsair more attacks of opportunity than he is normally allowed in a round.
Ranged Opportunist: Beginning at 8th level, a corsair may, once per round, make an attack of opportunity with his favored ranged weapon against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character within 30 feet of the corsair. This attack counts as the corsair’s attacks of opportunity for the round. Even a corsair with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use this ability more than once per round. This ability does not grant the corsair more attacks of opportunity than he is normally allowed in a round.
Supreme Focused Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 10th level, a corsair gains an additional attack with his off-hand weapon when he fights with his favored weapons. In addition to the three attacks he already has each round with off-hand favored weapon (for his Improved Favored Weapon Fighting and Greater Favored Weapon Fighting) at penalties of 0, -5, and -10, respectively, he is also entitled to a fourth attack with his off-hand favored weapon at a -15 penalty.
The character has a pirate background and the solo campaign will take him out to sea, so I came up with the following prestige class, which is essentially cobbled together from others, with a few little twists. I appreciate any feedback y'all can offer.
CORSAIR
The corsair specializes in a unique combat method constructed around wielding a melee and a short-range distance weapon at the same time. The style is named for its creators: privateers who, rather than sampling the vices of their multi-cultured ports of call, devoured the available fighting styles. They also studied the techniques of their most fearsome enemies. The corsairs then combined the methods which most effectively suited their shifting shipboard battlefield: the formal blade training of noble duelists, the whipping ways of the legendary lashers, the flashing ferocity of halfling knifers, the swashbuckling styles of pirate captains, etc. Corsair training goes beyond simple mastery of two weapons, but rather relies on their interplay: attack and defense, speed and strength, focus and distraction. This advanced fighting style became the hallmark of the corsair. Over the years, the corsairs have spread across the seas as protectors, privateers, and pirates, refining their combat method and passing it along to a select few with sufficient raw ability and determination.
Corsairs are most often fighters or rangers, but are also frequently rogues, bards or monks. Spellcasters are least likely to be drawn to the intense combat study of the corsair. While the developers of the method were almost exclusively human, elves are also likely to become corsairs, and the techniques can be quite effective for the smaller halflings and gnomes. Dwarven and half-orc corsairs are very rare.
Hit Die: d10.
Requirements
To qualify to become a corsair, a character must fulfill the following criteria,
- Base Attack Bonus: +9.
- Skills: Bluff 3 ranks, Sense Motive 3 ranks.
- Feats: Ambidexterity, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (any one-handed melee weapon), Weapon Focus (any one-handed ranged weapon).
Class Skills
The corsair’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Jump (Str), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
The Corsair
Level BAB Fort/Ref/Will Special
1st +1 +2/+0/+0 Favored Weapons, Favored Weapon Fighting
2nd +2 +3/+0/+0 Improved Favored Weapon Fighting
3rd +3 +3/+1/+1 Melee Parry
4th +4 +4/+1/+1 Ranged Distraction
5th +5 +4/+1/+1 Favored Weapon Focus +2
6th +6 +5/+2/+2 Greater Favored Weapon Fighting
7th +7 +5/+2/+2 Melee Riposte
8th +8 +6/+2/+2 Ranged Opportunist
9th +9 +6/+3/+3 Favored Weapon Focus +3
10th +10 +7/+3/+3 Supreme Focused Weapon Fighting
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the corsair prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Corsairs are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and light and medium armor, but not shields.
Favored Weapons: At 1st level, the corsair must select one melee weapon with which he has the Weapon Focus feat (his “favored melee weapon”) and a ranged weapon with which he has the Weapon Focus feat (his “favored ranged weapon”) to be his favored weapons. The corsair gains the ability to draw either of his favored weapons as a free action instead of as a move-equivalent action as if he had the Quickdraw feat.
Favored Weapon Fighting: If the corsair wields both of his favored weapons, he may apply the benefits of any of the Two-Weapon Fighting feats to the favored ranged weapon as if it were a melee weapon, and the corsair’s attacks with the favored ranged weapon do not provoke attacks of opportunity from opponents whom the corsair also threatens with his favored melee weapon.
In addition, when wielding both of his favored weapons, the corsair gains the benefits of the Expertise feat.
Improved Favored Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 2nd level, a corsair can fight with his favored weapons as if he has the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting Feat.
Melee Parry: Beginning at 3rd level, the corsair may forego his melee attacks to further improve his defense. When fighting with both of his favored weapons and using the full attack action, a corsair may forego all of his melee attacks (whether with his primary hand or his off-hand) for the round in exchange for a +1 dodge bonus to his AC for each foregone melee attack (e.g., if he can make 2 melee attacks, the dodge bonus is +2). If the corsair also wears a buckler on the arm wielding the favored melee weapon, its AC stacks.
Ranged Distraction: Beginning at 4th level, the corsair may distract his opponents with ranged attacks to better expose his opponents to melee attacks. When fighting with both of his favored weapons and using the full attack action, a corsair may forego all of the ranged attacks he can actually make (whether with his primary hand or his off-hand) for the round in exchange for a +1 unnamed bonus to his melee attacks against each opponent designated with a foregone ranged attack (e.g., if he can make 2 ranged attacks, he can designate a single opponent and gain a +2 attack bonus, or designate two different opponents and gain a +1 attack bonus against each). The corsair actually uses his ranged attacks to gain the benefit, so he must actually be capable of making the ranged attack for the bonus to apply, e.g., if the corsair’s favored ranged weapon is a hand crossbow and it holds only one bolt, he can actually make only one ranged attack, so he can gain only a +1 attack bonus.
Favored Weapon Focus: At 5th level, the corsair’s Weapon Focus bonus with his favored weapons increases to +2. At 9th level, this bonus increases to +3.
Greater Favored Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 6th level, a corsair can fight with his favored weapons as if he has the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting Feat.
Melee Riposte: Beginning at 7th level, a corsair using his Melee Parry ability may make an attack of opportunity with his favored melee weapon against an opponent who makes a melee attack or melee touch attack against the corsair and misses. Even a corsair with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use this ability more than once per round. This ability does not grant the corsair more attacks of opportunity than he is normally allowed in a round.
Ranged Opportunist: Beginning at 8th level, a corsair may, once per round, make an attack of opportunity with his favored ranged weapon against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character within 30 feet of the corsair. This attack counts as the corsair’s attacks of opportunity for the round. Even a corsair with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use this ability more than once per round. This ability does not grant the corsair more attacks of opportunity than he is normally allowed in a round.
Supreme Focused Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 10th level, a corsair gains an additional attack with his off-hand weapon when he fights with his favored weapons. In addition to the three attacks he already has each round with off-hand favored weapon (for his Improved Favored Weapon Fighting and Greater Favored Weapon Fighting) at penalties of 0, -5, and -10, respectively, he is also entitled to a fourth attack with his off-hand favored weapon at a -15 penalty.
but why not just let the guy trade in his levels of fighter for the 3.5 ranger? I know it'd be a big change, any might mess with history a bit.. but I think in the end it would be easier, and more balanced, to do it that way. It should fix most of the problems that he's been having (depending on what the rogue levels were used for it may be possible to turn half or so of those in as well).
).
