The Scout: Modified

[Forrester]

I got a lot of useful comments the first time I posted my version of the Scout. It's kind of alt.ranger, and its purpose is to act as a general purpose class for sentries, woodsmen, guards, *and*, of course, scouts. Let me know what you think/what you would change!

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Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

Good Saves: Fort & Reflex

BAB: As ROGUE (very important difference – most alt.rangers progress as fighters).

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nature)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int. modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int. modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Scouts are proficient with all simple weapons, bows, and either short swords or longswords. They are proficient with light and medium armor, and shields.

Bonus Feat list: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Ballista), Improved Unarmed Strike, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Quick Draw, Run, Skill Focus, Track, Weapon Focus

Feat/Special Ability Progression I:

1st level: Bonus Feat, *Heightened Alertness* (Additional +1 to Spot, Listen)
2nd level: Bonus Feat
3rd level: Uncanny Dodge (no dex loss when flat-footed)
4th level: Scout Endurance I
5th level: Skill Mastery (one skill per point of Int bonus)
6th level: Bonus Feat
7th level: *Heightened Alertness*
8th level: Uncanny Dodge (cannot be flanked)
9th level: Skill Focus
10th level: Bonus Feat
11th level: *Heightened Alertness*
12th level: Scout Endurance II
13th level: Skill Mastery (one skill per point of Int bonus)
14th level: Bonus Feat
15th level: *Heightened Alertness*
16th level:
17th level: Skill Focus
18th level: Bonus Feat
19th level: *Heightened Alertness*
20th level: Scout Endurance III


Feat/Special Ability Progression II:

1st level: Bonus Feat, *Heightened Alertness*
2nd level: Uncanny Dodge (no dex loss when flat-footed), Scout Endurance I
3rd level: “Fast on his Feet” (+2 to initiative)
4th level: *Heightened Alertness*
5th level: Skill Mastery (one skill per point of Int bonus) OR Bonus Feat?
6th level: Uncanny Dodge (cannot be flanked)
7th level: Bonus Feat, *Heightened Alertness*
8th level: Scout Endurance II
9th level: “Fast on his Feet” (+2 to Initiative)
10th level: *Heightened Alertness*
11th level: Skill Mastery (one skill per point of Int bonus) OR Bonus Feat?
12th level:
13th level: Bonus Feat, *Heightened Alertness*
14th level: Scout Endurance III
15th level: “Fast on his Feet” (+2 to initiative)
16th level: *Heightened Alertness*
17th level: Skill Mastery (one skill per point of Int bonus) OR Bonus Feat?
18th level:
19th level: Bonus Feat, *Heightened Alertness*
20th level: Uber-Endurance


”Heightened Alertness” gives a +1 bonus to Spot and Listen checks, and stacks with the bonuses from the Alertness feat.

Scout Endurance I: The scout gains abilities equivalent given to those from the “Endurance” feat.

Scout Endurance II: The scout gains abilities equivalent to those from the “Endurance” feat, and these stack with those from Scout Endurance I. In addition, the Scout only needs six hours of sleep/rest each day. (The Scout still needs eight hours of sleep/rest in order to prepare spells.) In addition, the Scout may Hustle for up to four hours a day before taking subdual damage.

Scout Endurance III: The scout gains abilities equivalent to those from the “Endurance” feat, and these stack with those from Scout Endurance I and II. In addition, the Scout only needs four hours of sleep/rest each day. (The Scout still needs eight hours of sleep/rest in order to prepare spells.) In addition, the Scout may Hustle for up to eight hours a day before taking subdual damage.

Uber-Endurance: The scout needs only two hours of rest a night, may hustle for up to twelve hours a day, and need not ever make “forced march” constitution checks.

 

[lobo]

Wilderness Scout

I would recommend changing the skill points to 6 a level.

 

[Vhane]

Shouldn't this be restricted to elves?

 

[Crothian]

Why is disable Device a class skill, and why is Exotic Weapon Heavy Ballista a choose for Bonus feat?

I think Spring attack makes sense for the Bonus feat list.

I'd also improve the skill points to 6/level and in the second progression take two of those skill MAsteries or Feats and make them skill masteeries. I'd make the middle one a choice of the two.

 

[Forrester]

Why is disable Device a class skill, and why is Exotic Weapon Heavy Ballista a choose for Bonus feat?

I think Spring attack makes sense for the Bonus feat list.

I'd also improve the skill points to 6/level and in the second progression take two of those skill MAsteries or Feats and make them skill masteeries. I'd make the middle one a choice of the two.

Disable Device/Exotic Weapon Heavy Ballista is for the Goblin guards (or other guards) who aren't scouring the countryside for folks; they're acting as sentries.

Any comments re the balance/etc. of Progression I versus Progression II? I don't plan on offering both of them; I have to decide which I like the best. (And then possibly make small changes to.)

 

[Crothian]

This is for goblins sentries. Cool, that makes sense. I'd still have them take EWP Heavy Ballista as one of the normal character feats because it really doesn't seem to fit the class.

I perfer the second progression to the first progression.

 

[trentonjoe]

I thin kthis is neat.

Two comments:

1) I think they should get Exotic WP (any) as a bonus feat. Whip, 2bladed sword, pistol, hand crossbow all seam apporpriate to me.

2) I like the second list as well. Less bonus feats more Scoutsy things. I think the first list would create a more combat minded scout.

 

[Forrester]

I thin kthis is neat.

Two comments:

1) I think they should get Exotic WP (any) as a bonus feat. Whip, 2bladed sword, pistol, hand crossbow all seam apporpriate to me.

2) I like the second list as well. Less bonus feats more Scoutsy things. I think the first list would create a more combat minded scout.

Not sure why most sentries/guards/scouts would be proficient in whips, two-bladed swords, or hand crossbows.

The problem with the 2nd list is that I think it's underpowered compared to the rogue. The rogue is getting Evasion and a bunch of sneak-attack damage; not sure that the scout's bennies are just as good. I might make it 6 skill points/level and throw in a Skill Focus here and there.

Do you think that Progression #2 is underpowered at all? Can you see playing a Scout in a campaign? Any other suggested scouty abilities?

I was thinking of something I read for the Star Wars (or Deadlands?) Scout -- "Sixth Sense". Allowed the Scout to reroll a Spot/Listen check in order to be able to act during a surprise round. Or maybe just allow them, at some level, to act during *any* surprise round (maybe at the bottom of the initiative count) . . . ??

EDIT -- I wonder if allowing the "Fast on his Feet" ability to allow the Scout to reroll initiative once/week, or (even cooler) "Take 10" on initiative, might work.

 

[trentonjoe]

Not sure why most sentries/guards/scouts would be proficient in whips, two-bladed swords, or hand crossbows.

The problem with the 2nd list is that I think it's underpowered compared to the rogue. The rogue is getting Evasion and a bunch of sneak-attack damage; not sure that the scout's bennies are just as good. I might make it 6 skill points/level and throw in a Skill Focus here and there.

Do you think that Progression #2 is underpowered at all? Can you see playing a Scout in a campaign? Any other suggested scouty abilities?

I was thinking of something I read for the Star Wars (or Deadlands?) Scout -- "Sixth Sense". Allowed the Scout to reroll a Spot/Listen check in order to be able to act during a surprise round. Or maybe just allow them, at some level, to act during *any* surprise round (maybe at the bottom of the initiative count) . . . ??

EDIT -- I wonder if allowing the "Fast on his Feet" ability to allow the Scout to reroll initiative once/week, or (even cooler) "Take 10" on initiative, might work.

2 things:

1) If you want goblins with heavy ballistas as sentries why not drow or svnifberflin (deep gnomes) scouts with hand crossbows, orc or gnoll woodland ravagers with double swords or double axes or human scouts/exploreres with guns and whips?

2) I think the second list creates a thief like combat character that trades sneak attack, trap removal, and Evasion for more hit points, woodland skills, medium armor and shields, good fort saves, better initiative, and your more of the feats on your list. I think it is fair.

I think this is a really good idea. DO you have a sample character?

 

[Forrester]

2 things:

1) If you want goblins with heavy ballistas as sentries why not drow or svnifberflin (deep gnomes) scouts with hand crossbows, orc or gnoll woodland ravagers with double swords or double axes or human scouts/exploreres with guns and whips?

2) I think the second list creates a thief like combat character that trades sneak attack, trap removal, and Evasion for more hit points, woodland skills, medium armor and shields, good fort saves, better initiative, and your more of the feats on your list. I think it is fair.

I think this is a really good idea. DO you have a sample character?

I agree with what someone else posted -- I think that if some character wants to take an Exotic Weapon (like a heavy ballista or hand crossbow), he can do so with his 'free' 1st level feat, not his Scout feat. So I'll probably take the Exotic WP off the Scout list.

And add Improved Initiative . . . I don't know how I missed putting that in the list.

I don't think that the extra hp/level, the woodland skills, the medium armor proficiency (which is almost worthless), etc make up for the loss of sneak-attack and evasion and skill points (not to mention skills like Tumble and Use Magical Thingees), but I think it's close.

Maybe go to 6 skill pts/level. Maybe tweak the "fast on his feat" init bonus to +3, and/or make it so that the Scout can "take 10" on initiative at some point/reroll one initiative a day.

Other idea -- once/day, for one minute/level, the scout can add half of his scout level (rounded up) to all Spot and Listen checks. Call it the "I thought I heard something" ability.

Or maybe make it a straight +4 bonus to each. Dunno.

I'm glad you like it, though. No sample characters as of yet. I created the class for low-level NPCs, actually, though I thought I might as well go ahead and make it a PC class.