The Gaming Den

Master Thrower
You've got gaps in your scales, monster. I can make you bleed.

Some people stab things in the face, some go for the kidneys. Others have figured out that
stabbing something in the face means that you're close enough for your target to stab back;
which is not cool, so they stab things in the face. At a distance. Master Throwers combine
talent and training to be able to out-toss others that dabble in the use of thrown weapons.

Calling themselves experts of the "far stab", they make fools of those that think that a
person who throws away their weapon is now helpless.

[Note: this is a PrC designed for use in my campaign and uses Races of War Material]

Prerequisites:
Base Attack Bonus:+4
Skills:Sleight of Hand 8 ranks
Feats:Point Blank Shot, Sniper, Subtle Cut
Special: Must be taught by an existing master thrower.

Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: The Master Thrower's class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
are: Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex),
Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex),
Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).


Skills/Level: 6 + Intelligence Bonus
BAB: Good (1/1),Saves: Fort: Poor, Reflex: Good ; Will: Poor

Level, Abilities:

1 Code of Conduct, Thrown Weapon Trick,
2 Lighting Reflexes,
3 Elusive Target, Thrown Weapon Trick,
4 Insightful Strike, Pupil, Faster Subtle Cut
5 Weak Spot, Thrown Weapon Trick

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Master Thrower gains proficiency with no armour or weapons;
they do however count as knowing all martial weapons with regards to training with a martial or exotic
thrown weapon that they have never necountered before. Meaning that they only need to take a week
(followed by a successful DC 10 Int check) to learn a new thrown weapon, instead of training over the
course of a whole level.

Thrown Weapon Trick (Ex):
At first, third and fifht level the Master Thrower gains one of the following Thrown Weapon Tricks.
The trick can be used with any thrown weapon with which you do not take non-proficiency penalties with.

Deadeye Shot – The critical multiplier for the weapon increases by 1. Weapons that normally Crit on only
a 20, have their critical range doubled instead.

Defensive Throw – You may make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon upon any creature that tries
to attack in melee or attempts to enter an other creatures square (to attempt a grapple, trip, bull rush etc.).
This may be used on any creature within the range of the thrown weapon that you use and counts as one of
your attacks of opportunity for that round.

If you successfully hit and deal damage, the creature must immediately make a Fortitude save equal to
10 + 1/2 Character levels + Dexterity modifier or their action is cancelled.

Palm Throw – If you only make attacks with little thrown weapons (i.e., daggers, shuriken, & darts) in your
round, you may make two attacks for every one that you normally can make. This does not grant you additional
attacks of opportunity.

Sneaky Shot – Just before a ranged throw attack, make a Sleight of Hand check opposed by your opponent’s
Spot check to deny your opponent of his/her Dexterity to their AC for that attack. This does not take an action.

Spinning Weapon - All thrown weapons that you use are affected as by the spell Keen Edges or
Weapon of Impact; this is an insight bonus that doubles the weapons critical threar range. This bonus
stacks with any other bonus that increases critical threat ranges.

Trick Shot – On a successful thrown weapon attack, you can make a Bull Rush, Disarm or Trip Attack in
addition to the damage dealt. Make a the appropriate check with a +4 bonus opposed by your the opponent’s
Strength or Dexterity check (whichever is better); you may opt to use your dexterity modifier instead of your
strength modifier. Advantages such as ‘Stability’ apply. Any feats or effects that normally would improve your
ability to trip (Improved Trip, Juggernaut etc.) do not apply to this check.

Tumbling Tornado – At any point in a Tumble move, you may make thrown weapon attacks, up to your
maximum attacks per round.

Seven killed with One Throw – You may cast the spell Whirling Blade as a standard action, the weapon
used in this manner does not return, unless it can already do so.

Lighting Reflexes: At 2nd level the Master Thrower gains the benefit of the Lighting Reflexes
feat; if they already have this feat they may select an other [Combat] feat

Faster Subtle Cut: At 4th level, the Master Thrower may use the abilities of their Subtle Cut [Combat]
feat faster than normal. They may use any Subtle Cut [Combat] ability that takes a standard action an additional time,
this takes up an immediate action. This additional use of Subtle Cut does not deal any sort of damage aside from the
effect that the chosen ability of the Sublte Cut feat that is used. The movement damage ability allows the Master
Thrower to roll damage to see how much movement damage is dealt, but the damage rolled is not applied to the
targeted creature.

Elusive Target: At 3rd level the Master Thrower gains the benefit of the Elusive Target
feat; if they already have this feat they may select an other [Combat] feat

Pupil: At 4th level, if the Master Thrower has not trained at least one new student in the
art of the "far stab", then either their former teacher or an other Master Thrower that can't teach
more than one person at a time fobs off a fresh, eager pupil on the character. The Pupil is generally
a character that already has most of the pre-requisites to enter the prestige class, yet has still to
fulfill their tutelage under an established Master Thrower.

Such Pupils usually have a CR of the character's CR - 4 and have picked up the feats needed to eventually
become as Master Thrower. Usually these Pupils do their best to avoid combat while with their
teachers.

Insightful Strike: At 4th level the Master Thrower gains the benefit of the Insightful Strike
feat; the benefits of this feat also apply to thrown weapons and you may choose to use your Intelligence Modifier in
place of your Wisdom modifier when using this feat. If they already have this feat they may select an other [Combat]
feat, you still gain the extra benefits that this ability grants (can be used with thrown weapons and you can substitute
Int for Wisdom)

Weak Spot (Ex): At 5th level, the Master Thrower has learned how to strike his foes regardless of how much
armour they wear or how many scales coat their bodies. When attacking an opponent of your size or larger, you may
make a Ranged Touch Attack (instead of a Normal Ranged Attack), though you may not apply your Strength modifier
to the damage.

Feats gained:

Lightning Reflexes [Combat]
You are fasty McFastFast. It helps keep you alive.
Benefits: You gain a +3 bonus to your Reflex saves.
+1: You gain Evasion, if you already have Evasion, that stacks to Improved Evasion.
+6: You may make a Balance Check in place of your Reflex save.
+11: You gain a +3 bonus to your Initiative.
+16: When you take the Full Defense Action, add your level to your AC.

Elusive Target [Combat]
You are very hard to hit when you want to be.
Benefits: You gain a +2 Dodge bonus to AC.
+1: Your opponents do not gain flanking or higher ground bonuses against you.
+6: Your opponents do not inflict extra damage from the Power Attack option.
+11: Diverting Defense - As an immediate action, you may redirect an attack against you to any creature
in your threatened range, friend or foe. You may not redirect an attack to the creature making the attack.
+16: As an immediate action, you may make an attack that would normally hit you miss instead.

Insightful Strike [Combat]
You Hack people down with inherent awesomeness.
Benefits: You may use your Wisdom Modifier in place of your Strength Modifier for your melee attack rolls.
+1: Your attacks have The Edge against an opponent who has a lower Wisdom and
Dexterity than your own Wisdom, regardless of relative BAB.
+6: Your melee attacks have a doubled critical threat range.
+11: You make horribly telling blows. The extra critical multiplier of your melee attacks is doubled
(x2 becomes x3, x3 becomes x5, and x4 becomes x7).
+16: Any Melee attack you make is considered to be made with a magic weapon that has an
enhancement bonus equal to your Wisdom Modifier (if positive).








==========


Feats Needed to enter this class:

Subtle Cut [Combat]
You cut people so bad they have to ask you about it later.
Benefits: Any time you damage an opponent, that damage is increased by 1.
+1: As a standard action, you can make a weapon attack that also reduces a
creature's movement rate. For every 5 points of damage this attack does, reduce the creature's movement by 5'.
This penalties lasts until the damage is healed.
+6: As a standard action, you may make a weapon attack that also does 2d4 points of Dexterity damage.
+11: Any weapon attack that you make at this level acts as if the weapon had the wounding property.
+16: As a standard action, you may make an attack that dazes your opponent. This effect lasts one
round, and has a DC of 10 + half your level + your Intelligence bonus.

Point Blank Shot [Combat]
You are crazy good using a ranged weapon in close quarters.
Benefits: When you are within 30' of your target, your attacks with a ranged weapon gain a +3 bonus to-hit.
+1: You add your base attack bonus to damage with any ranged attack within the first range increment.
+6: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when you make a ranged attack.
+11: When armed with a Ranged Weapon, you may make attacks of opportunity against opponents who
provoke them within 30' of you. Movement within this area does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
+16: With a Full Attack action, you may fire a ranged weapon once at every single opponent within the
first range increment of your weapon. You gain no additional attacks for having a high BAB. Make a single attack
roll for the entire round, and compare to the armor class of each opponent within range.

Sniper [Combat]
Your shooting is precise and dangerous.
Benefits: Your range increments are 50% longer than they would ordinarily be. Any benefit of being
within 30' of an opponent is retained out to 60'.
+1: Precise Shot - You do not suffer a -4 penalty when firing a ranged weapon into melee and never hit
an unintended target in close combats or grapples.
+6: Sharp Shooting – Your ranged attacks ignore Cover Bonuses (total cover still bones you).
+11: Opponents struck by your ranged attacks do not automatically know what square your attack came
from, and must attempt to find you normally.
+16: Any time you hit an opponent with a ranged weapon, it is counted as a critical threat. If your weapon
already had a 19-20 threat range, increase its critical multiplier by 1.

Some of the stuff could use some work, but making a class ability that forces the character to take on a cohort is a bad idea (especially one so weak). Having cohorts should be separate from the art of the 'far stab'; a feature exclusive to the [Leadership] feats.

Work on formating. The jiggling paragraphs are a nuisance to read.

------- Crunch Talk, with the_taken:

Deadeye Shot is fine.

Defensive Throw is bad. Point Blank Shot [Combat] already completely removes AoO at BAB +6 up, so this ability doesn't exist.

Palm Throw is a nice idea, but could you elaborate on whether this doubles your number of attacks, or just increase damage. If it's the latter, then what happens when the two brushes of 'far stab' have magical bonuses to hit?

Sneaky Shot I think I'll be an invisible blade before taking this feature.

Trip Shot A cute ability. Why can't we get a bonus from Imp.Trip? Does Imp.Trip even exist with RoW and the Advanced Combat rules around?

Tumbling Toss may be useful, but the armor restriction is dumb. Suitably burly characters, like Dwarves, should have the option to roll around in stone-plates and still toss axes around like Tuxedo Mask.

Two with One Blow is decent choice, and may be a good idea, but PBS at BAB +16 removes the benefit of this trick.

Weak Spot is awesome, as always.

I don't care about the crap or non-crap abilities. They are really there to pad out the actual good ones.

The cohort is for RP purporses.

Fixed some formatting, I'll fix more later.

A small thing I noticed is that a Master Thrower gains "Insightful Strike" at 4th level but 4 of the 5 bonuses of that feat only apply to melee attacks. Since the Master Thrower's code of conduct require he rarely if ever enter into melee combat this blunts the real advantage of gaining that feat. Perhaps a similar feat that applied to ranged (or at the least, thrown) attacks could be substituted?

Re: Insightful Strike

Either give the class the ability to have Insightful Strike apply to thrown weapons, or consider Zen Archery, or Hunter.

Also, please define "tumble move". Also, since you only get one chance to select "Weak Spot", if you expect everyone to take it, just give it as a class feature instead. It's cleaner mechanically.

Judging__Eagle at [unixtime wrote:1178660343[/unixtime]]I don't care about the crap or non-crap abilities. They are really there to pad out the actual good ones.

You can never balance good abilities by offering bad ones, that just makes it so the bad ones might as well not exist.

Combat school only applies to melee weapons.
Defensive throw is useless by PrC level 2.
Subtle Cut is a good thrown weapon feat.
Also, you could give some of the Weapon Finesse abilities at various levels.

Deadeye Shot is fine.

-Ok

Defensive Throw is bad. Point Blank Shot [Combat] already completely removes AoO at BAB +6 up, so this ability doesn't exist.

-Made faster, stronger, better. I might make it so that you can use this ability whenever the above actions are enacted; but so far this would allow a MT to jump into a mob of enemies and keep them back with his attacks.

Palm Throw is a nice idea, but could you elaborate on whether this doubles your number of attacks, or just increase damage. If it's the latter, then what happens when the two brushes of 'far stab' have magical bonuses to hit?

-increases damage, one attack roll; this will need work; you have to use the lowest attack bonus in each pair of weapons thrown?

Sneaky Shot I think I'll be an invisible blade before taking this feature.

-Fixed, it's pure rapesauce now.

Trip Shot A cute ability. Why can't we get a bonus from Imp.Trip? Does Imp.Trip even exist with RoW and the Advanced Combat rules around?

-changed, I think I should make it a straight 'whatever' check, but you get +4; you can't apply juggernaut/imp. trip

Tumbling Toss may be useful, but the armor restriction is dumb. Suitably burly characters, like Dwarves, should have the option to roll around in stone-plates and still toss axes around like Tuxedo Mask.

-changed, how you like it, it's now thrown Whirlwind-In-a-Box

Two with One Blow is decent choice, and may be a good idea, but PBS at BAB +16 removes the benefit of this trick.

-changed it, also, you are getting this ability 6 to 10 levels earlier, also, this is an attack action, so you can apply it to multiple guys within a narrow corridor multiple times.

Weak Spot is awesome, as always.

-yeah, it now comes stock with the class at lvl 5.

Shatner, Alphanerd:

You're both right. You can use it with thrown weapons and can use your int mod instead of wis mod now.

Ceilingcat:

You're right.

If I give out 8 good options, it will make the player rack their brain over what they want to take for their three slots. That's a good thing.

Combat school only applies to melee weapons.
Defensive throw is useless by PrC level 2.
Subtle Cut is a good thrown weapon feat.
Also, you could give some of the Weapon Finesse abilities at various levels.

-yup, removed it
-yup, changed
-true, used that instead of CS
-I opted for more Subtle Cut goodness

Also, bump and took in your comments guys and girls. Thanks, they helped.

Deadeye shot is broken. It benefits weapons with a 19-20x2 crit range (dagger) far more than a supposedly equal one with 20x3; the first goes from 1.1x to 1.2x, while the second goes from 1.1x to 1.15x.

Defensive throw has a broken save mechanic, and should be the standard 10+1/2 HD+Stat. Also it needs a range, and preferably a per round limit.

Faster Subtle Cut kills the game, especially at level 5 where you can do it an infinite number of times per round.

Whoops. Gotta change those.

Change it to

Def throw... meh, you're right. 10 + 1/2 HD + Dex mod is fine.

I need to have the caveat: you cannot use Faster Subtle Cut more often than you can make attacks.

Or, Faster Subtle Cut (Free) replaces your attacks with Subtle Cuts.


As for Dead Eye Shot; if the weapon only crits on a 20, it crits on a 19-20 instead.

Check the post for more stuff to fix.

I agree with Cielingcat about Defensive Throw and Faster Subtle Cut.

DF is also very vague.

Seven killed with One Blow is boss, and overly complicated. Why not just allow the character to "cast" Whirling Blade as an extraordinary ability unlimited times per day, with a clause that states the weapon usualy doesn't return unless it's magically enchanted to do so.

Faster subtle cut still breaks the game: a 10th-level character with TWF, haste, and that ability gets 5 attacks, so expects to deal 25 Dex damage per round with touch attacks, (so they always hit), possibly with touch attacks that deny Dex (so against AC 10 + deflection boni in most cases). 25 Dex damage is an automatic kill against almost anything. Even wizards don't get the ability to automatically kill people with a touch attack until 8th-level spells or so, and even then, it's usually subject to immunities and such.

Unless you allow Shivering Touch, but I don't think anyone does.

Shivering touch automatically kills dragons and other big things, but it's "only" 3d6 (10.5 avg.) Dex damage so there are a fair number of monsters it can't expect to take out in one hit; it also offers SR. There's only a handful of monsters ever published that don't have immunity to ability damage and enough Dex to survive 25 Dex damage; I don't know if anything even exists that can take the master thrower's 11th level attacks (7 attacks, 30 expected Dex damage).

As an immediate action (which I can use twice a round cause I'm a Legendary Commander) I can bull rush you at range and deal 2d4 Dex damage. Fuck yea!

Make that a throw weapon trick.

Faster Subtle Cut: You may perform any special standard action provided by the Subtle Cut [Combat] feat as an immediate action.

Immediate actions would be fine as long as you only allowed one or two uses of Subtle Cut per round no matter how many actions you have.

Then again, I'm using monsters with AC's in the mid 30's and Touch ACs in the high 20's. On level 6 PCs.


Yeah, simply making it a weapon trick or a single change where you can use it one more time a round (an immediate action + standard action) is probably for the best.

Getting a range of 4-16 dex damage a round (8 avg) will really help weaken almost anything.

I'll just give it out as a 3rd or 4th lvl ability.

As for Shivering Touch I allow it b/c I also allow Wraith Strike; and I want the Rakshasa BBeG that the PCs will face in a few sessions to be able to use both. Using Frank/Sujin's re-vamped sorcerer allows me to cast those spells if I feel like it (actually, the Frank/Sujin sorc is a great BBeG class now, you get less spells, but they're anything that you want them to be).


Also, updated the class; again.

-removed Search and DD as class skills, reduced skills to 6 + int mod/lvl
-made palm throw more specific (now you can only use small weapons to make it work)
-pushed Faster Subtle Cut to 4th lvl, and you get an extra immediate version that can't deal weapon damage (roll dmg to see how much movement damage is dealt though).

The fact that there are 9 equally cool abilities to pick from the weapon tricks means that making an 'optimal' build could be hard to make.

I'd probably go for...

Palm throw (x2 attacks)

sneaky shot (confim getting SA dice)

tumbling tornado (attack while moving)

Of course, a really high str build would abuse Seven Killed with One Blow, Palm Throw and Trick shot; to kite enemies with ranged bullrushes or trips and/or hit mobs of guys at once.

Abuse Seven Killed with One Blow is right! Whirling Blade is a 60ft line! The master thrower is the corridor king with that ability! 6*60ft lines of Bull Rushing is Broken!

I meant as a standard action. Sheesh!

Back to drawing beurd.

Feexid.