Scout

From Cf

Current revision as of 13:40, 16 March 2007

The scout holds a vital position in all groups, ranging from savage tribes to highly organized military units. She can be a bounty hunter, a sniper, or a part of armed special forces. Her great range of skills gives her an invaluable and unique position in any adventuring party.

Role

The scout's primary role is to locate and gather information about her enemies. Her keen senses, her stealth and her ability to track are all vital tools that let her find and follow her foes, unseen and unheard. The scout's speed and stamina let her move quickly through hostile areas, ahead of her allies, making sure an area is secure and untrapped. The scout's combat skills lets her strike quickly and deadly, should she need to fight on her own or in order to assist her allies.

Abilities

Dexterity is the scout's most important ability. It is the source of her stealth, her ability to strike fast, and when she carries light or no armor, it adds vital bonuses to her armor class. Wisdom, Intelligence and Strength are also important, because most of her skills are based on those abilities.

Game Rules

Hit Die

d8

Class Skills

The scout’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:

• Balance (Dex)
• Climb (Str)
• Demolitions (Int)
• Disable device (Int)
• Gather information (Cha)
• Hide (Dex)
• Jump (Str)
• Listen (Wis)
• Move silently (Dex)
• Navigate (Int)
• Search (Int)
• Spot (Wis)
• Survival (Wis)
• Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points

• First level: (6 + Int. modifier) x4.
• Additional levels: 6 + Int. modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the scout.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A scout has the following weapon and armor proficiency feats:

• Simple Weapons
• Personal Firearms
• Light Armor

Alertness

A scout gains Alertness as a bonus feat.

Stealthy

A scout gains Stealthy as a bonus feat.

Sneak Attack

If a scout can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The scout’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the scout flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 2nd level, and it increases by 1d6 every three scout levels thereafter. Should the scout score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a scout can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.

A scout can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies. Non-living, non-biological or incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The scout must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A scout cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Track

A scout gains Track as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

Endurance

A scout gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level.

Run

A scout gains Run as a bonus feat at 3rd level.

Trapfinding

At 3rd level scout can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Scouts can use the Disable device skill to disarm traps. A scout who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Trap Sense

At 4th level, a scout gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the scout reaches 7th level, to +3 when she reaches 10th level, to +4 when she reaches 14th level, to +5 at 17th, and to +6 at 19th level. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Evasion

At 5th level and higher, a scout can avoid certain special attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the scout is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless scout does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 6th level, a scout can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a scout already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Fast Movement

A scout’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the scout’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.

Swift Track

Beginning at 9th level, a scout can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Camouflage

A scout of 12th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Improved Uncanny Dodge

A scout of 15th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another creature the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more class levels in the class giving him the sneak attack ability than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum class level required to flank the character.

Improved Evasion

This ability works like evasion, except that while the scout still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless scout does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hide in Plain Sight

While in any sort of natural terrain, a scout of 19th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.