Fighter (Coiled Blade, Drill Sergeant, Myrmidon, Silverblade Hunter) Some take up arms for glory, wealth, or revenge. Others do ba le to prove themselves, to protect others, or because they know nothing else. S ll others learn the ways of weaponcra to hone their bodies in ba le and prove their me le in the forge of war. Lords of the ba lefield, fighters are a disparate lot, training with many weapons or just one, perfec ng the uses of armor, learning the figh ng techniques of exo c masters, and studying the art of combat, all to shape themselves into living weapons. Far more than mere thugs, these skilled warriors reveal the true deadliness of their weapons, turning hunks of metal into arms capable of taming kingdoms, slaughtering monsters, and rousing the hearts of armies. Soldiers, knights, hunters, and ar sts of war, fighters are unparalleled champions, and woe to those who dare stand against them.
Some warriors are known for their skill in ba le, others for their mastery of their weapons. silverblade hunters are those who have trained in the use of true silver, refining their skills beyond those of normal warriors by taking advantage of the weightlessness na ve to their prefered metal.
Coiled blades are mighty vanguards, leaping into ba le and growing strong on the ebb and flow of violence. Regardless of their broader mo va ons, coiled blades revel in the thrill of combat, only truly coming alive when their life is on the line and their skills can be put to the test.
Role: Fighters excel at combat—defea ng their enemies, controlling the flow of ba le, and surviving such sor es themselves. While their specific weapons and methods grant them a wide variety of tac cs, few can match fighters for sheer ba le prowess.
Class Features
Hit Die d10 Skill Ranks per Level 4* + Int Class Skills Acroba cs, Bluff, Climb, Cra , Diplomacy, In midate, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (engineering), Knowledge (mar al), Percep on, Profession, Ride, Survival, Swim Star ng Wealth 5d6 x 10 gp (average 175 gp) Weapon Proficiencies Simple, Mar al Armor Proficiencies Light, Medium Shield Proficiencies Shields Table: The Fighter (Coiled Blade, Drill Sergeant, Myrmidon, Silverblade Hunter) Maneuvers Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Max. Known Readied Stances Level combat training , deeds (heroic recovery, man of ac on, unbreakable) , 1 +1 +2 +0 +0 grit , ins nc ve, 3 3 1 1 maneuvers , mar al tradi on , mithral armament 2 +2 +3 +0 +0 tac cian (1/day) 4 3 2 1 coiled might , deeds (ready for trouble, 3 +3 +3 +1 +1 5 3 2 1 u lity trick) , mithral armor training* 4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Tension (+1) 6 4 2 2 tac cian (2/day) ,mithral weapon 5 +5 +4 +1 +1 6 4 3 2 training, weapon training (+1) 6 +6 +5 +2 +2 deeds (warrior’s determina on) 6 4 3 2 7 +7 +5 +2 +2 Tension (+2) 7 4 3 3 8 +8 +6 +2 +2 - 7 4 3 3 9 +9 +6 +3 +3 greater tac cian , weapon training (+2) 8 4 4 4 deeds (improved warrior’s 10 +10 +7 +3 +3 determina on) , tac cian (3/day) , 8 5 4 4 tension (+3) 11 +11 +7 +3 +3 - 9 5 5 5 12 +12 +8 +4 +4 - 9 5 5 5 13 +13 +8 +4 +4 Tension (+4), weapon training (+3) 10 5 5 6 14 +14 +9 +4 +4 deeds (greater warrior’s determina on) 11 5 5 6 15 +15 +9 +5 +5 tac cian (4/day) 11 6 6 6 16 +16 +10 +5 +5 Tension (+5) 12 6 6 6 17 +17 +10 +5 +5 master tac cian , weapon training (+4) 13 6 6 6 18 +18 +11 +6 +6 -- 14 6 7 6 19 +19 +11 +6 +6 armor mastery , tension (+6) 14 6 7 6 20 +20 +12 +6 +6 tac cian (5/day) , weapon mastery 15 7 7 6
Combat Training (Ex): A coiled blade is considered an Expert prac oner, gaining spheres and talents as appropriate. Coiled blades choose whether to use Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom as their prac oner modifier when they first gain the combat training class feature.
Deeds Myrmidons spend grit points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant the myrmidon some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer las ng effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as the myrmidon has at least 1 grit point. The following is the list of base myrmidon deeds. A myrmidon can only perform deeds of his level or lower. Unless otherwise noted, a deed can be performed mul ple successive mes, as long as the appropriate amount of grit is spent to perform the deed. Unbreakable (Ex): Star ng at 1st level, a myrmidon is trained very well to protect himself against the many unnatural elements of this world where he must rely on only his wits and training to protect him from harm. He can spend 1 grit point as an immediate ac on to gain a +4 circumstance bonus on a single saving throw.
Heroic Recovery (Ex): Star ng at 1st level, a myrmidon spend 1 grit point as a swi ac on to recover a single expended maneuver.
Man of Ac on (Ex): Star ng at 1st level, a myrmidon can spend 1 grit point as a swi ac on to gain a circumstance bonus on a single Acroba cs, Climb, or Swim check equal to his class level.
Ready for Trouble (Ex): Star ng at 3rd level, as long as the myrmidon has at least 1 grit point, he gains a +2 bonus on ini a ve checks and Will saves to resist compulsion and fear effects. In addi on, if his hands are free and unrestrained, he can spend 1 grit point as part of making an ini a ve check to draw a single non- hidden light or one- handed weapon or to draw and don a shield (except a tower shield).
U lity Trick (Ex): Star ng at 3rd level, as long as the myrmidon has at least 1 grit point, he can perform any of the following u lity tricks. The myrmidon must declare the u lity trick he is using before using the ability.
ñ Field Bandage: By using a healer’s kit to quickly dress and bandage a wound, the myrmidon can grant 1d6 temporary hit points per three character levels to himself or an adjacent creature as a full- round ac on. These temporary hit points cannot increase a creature’s hit points beyond its normal maximum, and last for ten minutes. A creature can only only receive the benefits of this ability once per day or un l they have received magical healing equal to or greater than the amount of temporary hit points granted by the myrmidon’s field bandage. This ability also halts a bleeding wound, stopping a creature from taking further bleed damage. ñ Makeshi Tool: Should he need a tool in a combat situa on, the myrmidon makes due with his weapons. He is not penalized for not having a proper tool when making skill checks in combat. ñ Improvise Weapon: The myrmidon can use objects not intended to be normal weapons or cobble together something that can be used as a weapon. He only takes a –2 penalty while wielding improvised weapons, rather than –4.
Warrior’s Determina on (Ex): The myrmidon gains an uncanny ability to force himself through many hardships and keep on going through his superior training and experience. Star ng at 6th level, he can spend 1 grit point as an immediate ac on to negate a single condi on currently affec ng him un l the end of the encounter, at which point it returns as if its dura on had not been interrupted. The myrmidon can ac vate this ability even if he would not normally be able to act because of the condi on in ques on. A myrmidon can use this ability mul ple mes in an encounter, spending 1 grit point and nega ng a single condi on each me he does.
ñ At 6th level, the myrmidon can temporarily negate the fa gued, shaken, or sickened condi ons using this ability. ñ At 10th level, a myrmidon can temporarily negate the dazed or staggered condi ons, or ignore the effects of a disease (including ability damage he may have taken from the disease) using this ability. ñ At 14th level, a myrmidon can temporarily negate the exhausted, frightened, or nauseated condi ons using this ability.
Grit (Ex) At 1st level, the myrmidon makes his mark upon the world with nerves of steel and superior training. Through determina on, verve, or otherwise dumb luck, the myrmidon is capable of forcing incredible feats of daring and skill through their own tenacity. In game terms, grit is a fluctua ng measure of a myrmidon’s ability to perform incredible ac ons in combat. At the start of each day, a myrmidon gains a number of grit points equal to his myrmidon ini a on modifier (minimum 1). His grit goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than his myrmidon ini a on modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A myrmidon spends grit to accomplish deeds, and regains grit in the following ways.
ñ Cri cal Hit: Each me the myrmidon confirms a cri cal hit while in the heat of combat with a weapon with which he has Weapon Focus or is in a weapon group associated with a discipline he has Discipline Focus for, he regains one grit point. Confirming a cri cal hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the myrmidon’s character level does not restore grit. ñ Killing Blow with a Maneuver: When the myrmidon reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a maneuver or with a weapon he has Weapon Focus with, he regains 1 grit point. Destroying an una ended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the myrmidon’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any grit.
With the GM’s approval, a myrmidon can regain grit by performing daring acts. As a general rule, a daring act should be risky and drama c. It should take a good deal of guts, and its outcome should have a low probability of success. If it is successful, the myrmidon regains 1 grit point. Before a emp ng a daring act, the player should ask the GM whether the act qualifies. The GM is the final arbiter of what’s considered a daring act, and can grant a regained grit point for a daring act even if the player does not ask beforehand whether the act qualifies.
Ins nc ve (Ex) Silverblade hunters gain 2 addi onal skill ranks each level. These ranks must be spent on Wisdom-based skills. All Wisdom-based skills are class skills for silverblade hunters.
Maneuvers A myrmidon begins his career with knowledge of three mar al maneuvers. When he takes his first myrmidon level, he selects four of the following disciplines to gain access to for myrmidon maneuvers: Broken Blade, Golden Lion, Iron Tortoise, Mithral Current, Piercing Thunder, Primal Fury, Scarlet Throne, Tempest Gale, and Thrashing Dragon. If one of his selected disciplines’ associated skills is not on his class skill list, he gains it as a class skill.
Once the myrmidon knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by myrmidons is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in it or its discipline’s descrip on. A myrmidon’s maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and he does not provoke a acks of opportunity when he ini ates one.
The myrmidon learns addi onal maneuvers at higher levels, as indicated on Table: The Fighter. The maximum level of maneuvers gained through myrmidon levels is limited by those listed in that table as well, although this restric on does not apply to maneuvers added to his maneuvers known through other methods, such as pres ge classes or the Advanced Study feat. A myrmidon must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. See the Systems and Use chapter in Path of War for more details on how maneuvers are used.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even numbered ini ator level therea er (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), the myrmidon can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, he loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he likes, as long as he observes the restric on on the highest-level maneuvers he knows; the myrmidon need not replace the old maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. He can swap only a single maneuver at any given level. A myrmidon’s ini a on modifier is Wisdom, and each myrmidon level is counted as a full ini ator level.
Maneuvers Readied: A myrmidon can ready all three of his maneuvers known at 1st level, and as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he is able to ready more, but must s ll choose which maneuvers to ready. A myrmidon must always ready his maximum number of maneuvers readied. He readies his maneuvers by performing weapon drills for ten minutes. The maneuvers he chooses remain readied un l he decides to prac ce again and change them. The myrmidon does not need to sleep or rest for any long period of me in order to ready his maneuvers; any me he spends ten minutes prac cing, he can change his readied maneuvers.
A myrmidon begins an encounter with all his readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many mes he might have already used them since he chose them. When he ini ates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (unless he recovers them, as described below).
In order for the myrmidon to recover maneuvers, he must take on a defensive form as a full-round ac on, rese ng his rhythm to con nue the ba le. When he does so, he recovers a number of maneuvers equal to his myrmidon ini a on modifier (minimum 2) and un l the start of his next turn, a acks made against him provoke an a ack of opportunity and he can take a 5-foot step each me he is a acked (even if he has already taken one this round). In addi on, he gains the benefit of the Combat Reflexes feat, and can us myrmidon ini a on modifier instead of his Dexterity modifier for determining how many addi onal a acks of opportunity he can make. Alternately, the myrmidon may take a moment to focus, recovering a single maneuver as a standard ac on.
Stances Known: A myrmidon begins his career with knowledge of one stance from any discipline open to myrmidons. At 4th, 7th, 11th, and 13th levels, he can select an addi onal stance to learn. The maximum level of stances gained through myrmidon levels is limited by those listed in Table: The Fighter. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended and the myrmidon does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to his at all mes, and he can change the stance he is currently maintaining as a swi ac on. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance or discipline descrip on.
Unlike with maneuvers, a myrmidon cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows.
Mar al Tradi on: Coiled blades are expert warriors who train in a variety of mar al tradi ons. At 1st level, the coiled blade gains a mar al tradi on as long as he has not gained one from another source.
Mithral Armament When a silverblade hunter begins play or takes his first silverblade hunter level, one of their weapons can be upgraded using a specialized forging process. The resul ng weapon is treated as mithral in all ways (even if it was previously of a different special material, or even a weapon not made of metal), except that the secrets of its use are unique to the silverblade hunter. All other creatures treat this weapon as if it had the broken condi on. If the weapon already has the broken condi on, it does not work at all for anyone else trying to use it. This does not add any value to the weapon; the weapon can s ll be sold for its normal value.
Tac cian (Ex) At 2nd level, the fighter receives a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat. As a standard ac on, the fighter can grant this feat to all allies within 30 feet who can see and hear him. Allies retain the use of this bonus feat for 3 rounds plus 1 round for every two levels the fighter possesses. Allies do not need to meet the prerequisites of these bonus feats. The fighter can use this ability once per day at 2nd level, plus one addi onal me per day at 5th level and for every 5 levels therea er.
Coiled Might (Ex): Star ng at 3rd level, the coiled blade gains tension, as the striker class feature, with the following modifica ons:
ñ Offensive Pressure: Whenever the coiled blade successfully damages a creature with a weapon from one of his weapon training groups, he gains 1 tension.
The coiled blade’s tension goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than his prac oner modifier (minimum 1), though some feats, abili es, and magic items may affect this maximum. At 4th level and every three levels a erward, his maximum tension increases by 1. This works in all other ways as the striker’s tension class feature, including gaining the defensive determina on and maneuvering momentum tension building op ons.
Tension Techniques: From 3rd level on, the coiled blade gains access to the following tension techniques, as the striker class feature:
1 Tension
ñ Expert Guard: For each tension a coiled blade spends on this tension technique, he gains a +1 circumstance bonus on all saves un l the beginning of his next turn. ñ Light Step: The coiled blade spends a swi ac on and selects a single creature; all movement he makes un l the beginning of his next turn does not provoke a acks of opportunity from that creature. ñ Stalwart Form: For each tension a coiled blade spends on this tension technique, he gains DR 1/- un l the beginning of his next turn; this damage reduc on stacks with similar damage reduc on. ñ Timely Dodge: For each tension a coiled blade spends on this tension technique, he gains a +1 dodge bonus his armor class un l the beginning of his next turn.
2 Tension
ñ Perfect Offensive: The coiled blade automa cally confirms a cri cal threat made with a weapon from one of his weapon training groups. ñ Quick Strike: The coiled blade may make an a ack as a swi ac on, though he takes a -2 penalty on the a ack roll and treats the a ack as an off-hand a ack (adding only half his Strength bonus to the damage dealt, and reducing the bonus damage from Power A ack and similar abili es by 50%.) ñ Swi Focus: The coiled blade spends a swi ac on to regain mar al focus.
3 Tension
ñ Second Chance: The coiled blade can reroll a saving throw a er the result has been revealed, although he must accept the result of the reroll, even if it is worse. ñ Speed Step: The coiled blade can spend a swi ac on to move up to his speed with any movement mode he possesses. ñ Full Strike: The coiled blade may make an a ack with any weapon he is wielding as a swi ac on.
Mithral Armor Training Beginning at 3rd level, while wearing mithral armor, the armor is treated as one size category lighter for all purposes, including proficiency. This is a modifica on to the normal rules for mithral armor. Mithral Weapon Training Beginning at 5th level, a silverblade hunter’s weapon training applies to all mithral weapons, rather than weapons of a specific weapon group. Every four levels therea er (9th, 13th, and 17th), the silverblade hunter may choose an addi onal weapon group. For the purposes of the fighter’s versa le training class feature and similar abili es, the mithral weapon group’s associated skills are Acroba cs and Sleight of Hand. Addi onally, a silverblade hunter treats mithral weapons as one weapon category lighter when it would be beneficial to him. For example, he may use Weapon Finesse with a mithral longsword because he may treat it as a light weapon instead of one handed.
Weapon Training (Ex) At 5th level, a fighter can select one group of weapons from the list below. Whenever he a acks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on a ack and damage rolls. Every four levels therea er (9th, 13th, and 17th), the bonuses granted by the selected weapon group increases by +1.
A fighter also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with weapons from this group. This bonus also applies to the fighter’s Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder a empts made against weapons from this group.
ñ Axes: bardiche, ba leaxe, collapsible kumade, dwarven waraxe, gandasa, greataxe, handaxe, heavy pick, hooked axe, knuckle axe, kumade, light pick, ma ock, orc double axe, pata, throwing axe, and tongi. ñ Blades, Heavy: Ankus, dueling sword, bastard sword, chakram, double chicken saber, double walking s ck katana, elven curve blade, estoc, falcata, falchion, flambard, greatsword, great terbutje , katana, khopesh, klar, longsword, nine-ring broadsword, nodachi, scimitar, scythe, seven-branched sword, shotel, temple sword, terbutje, and two-bladed sword. ñ Blades, Light: bayonet, bu erfly knife, bu erfly sword, chakram, dagger, Deer horn knife, gladius, hunga munga, kama, katar, kerambit, kukri, machete, madu, manople, pata, quadrens, rapier, sawtooth sabre, scizore, shortsword, sica, sickle, starknife, swordbreaker dagger, sword cane, wakizashi, and war razor. ñ Bows: composite longbow, composite shortbow, longbow, and shortbow. ñ Close: bayonet, brass knuckles, cestus, dan bong, emei piercer, figh ng fan, gauntlet, heavy shield, iron brush, katar, light shield, madu, mere club, punching dagger, rope gauntlet, sap, scizore, spiked armor, spiked gauntlet, spiked shield, tekko-kagi, tonfa, unarmed strike, wooden stake, and wushu dart. ñ Crossbows: double crossbow, hand crossbow, heavy crossbow, launching crossbow, light crossbow, heavy repea ng crossbow, light repea ng crossbow, and tube arrow shooter. ñ Double: bo staff, chain spear, dire flail, double walking s ck katana, double-chained kama, dwarven urgrosh, gnome hooked hammer, kusarigama, orc double axe, quarterstaff, two-bladed sword, and weighted spear. ñ Firearms: all one-handed, two-handed, and siege firearms. ñ Flails: ba le poi, bladed scarf, chain spear, dire flail, double chained kama, flail, flying blade, gnome pincher, halfling rope-shot, heavy flail, kusarigama, kyoketsu shoge, meteor hammer, morningstar, nine-sec on whip, nunchaku, sansetsukon, scorpion whip, spiked chain, urumi, and whip. ñ Hammers: aklys, ba le aspergillum, club, greatclub, heavy mace, light hammer, light mace, mere club, planson, taiaha, tetsubo, wahaika, and warhammer. ñ Monk: bo staff, brass knuckles, bu erfly sword, cestus, dan bong, deer horn knife, double chained kama, double chicken saber, emei piercer, figh ng fan, hanbo, ju e, kama, kusarigama, kyoketsu shoge, lungshuan tamo, monk’s spade, nine-ring broadsword, nine-sec on whip, nunchaku, quarterstaff, rope dart, sai, sansetsukon, seven-branched sword, shang gou, shuriken, siangham, temple sword, ger fork, tonfa, tri- point double-edged sword, unarmed strike, urumi, and wushu dart. ñ Natural: unarmed strike and all natural weapons, such as bite, claw, gore, tail, and wing. ñ Polearms: bardiche, bec de corbin, bill, crook, glaive, glaive-guisarme, guisarme, halberd, hooked lance, lucerne hammer, mancatcher, monk’s spade, naginata, nodachi, ranseur, rhomphaia, tepoztopilli, and ger fork. ñ Siege engines: Ballista, bombard, catapult, corvus, firedrake, firewyrm, gallery, ram, siege tower, springal, trebuchet, and all other siege engines. ñ Spears: amentum, boar spear, chain spear, elven branched spear, javelin, harpoon, lance, longspear, orc skull ram, pilum, planson, shortspear, sibat, spear, ger fork, trident, and weighted spear. ñ Thrown: aklys, amentum, atlatl, blowgun, bolas, boomerang, brutal bolas, chakram, club, dagger, dart, deer horn knife, halfling sling staff, harpoon, hunga munga, javelin, lasso, kestros, light hammer, net, poisoned sand tube, rope dart, shortspear, shuriken, sibat, sling, sling glove, spear, starknife, throwing axe, throwing shield, trident, and wushu dart.
Greater Tac cian (Ex) At 9th level, the fighter receives an addi onal teamwork feat as a bonus feat. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat. The fighter can grant this feat to his allies using the tac cian ability. Using the tac cian ability is a swi ac on.
Master Tac cian (Ex) At 17th level, the fighter receives an addi onal teamwork feat as a bonus feat. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat. The fighter can grant this feat to his allies using the tac cian ability. Whenever the fighter uses the tac cian ability, he grants any two teamwork feats that he knows. He can select from any of his teamwork feats, not just his bonus feats.
Armor Mastery (Ex) At 19th level, a fighter gains Damage Reduc on 5/— whenever he is wearing armor or using a shield.
Weapon Mastery (Ex) At 20th level, a fighter chooses one weapon, such as the longsword, greataxe, or longbow. Any a acks made with that weapon automa cally confirm all cri cal threats and have their damage mul plier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). In addi on, he cannot be disarmed while wielding a weapon of this type.