The Quintessential Fighter

MGP 5205

A battle is the heart of every adventure, and the fighter is the lord of battle. Let the casters weave their spells, let the priests say their prayers, for only the fighter can withstand the dreadful assaults of his enemies and claim victory over them. If you want your character to stand at the forefront of battle, implacable, indomitable, The Quintessential Fighter is the book for you. Within this book you will find a new origins system to create your character’s background and grant him unique bonuses, new character options, more than 70 new powers, unbelievable combat styles and martial rituals, 14 paragon paths, many feats, and weapons, armor, and magic items that will help you build a matchless arsenal.

U.S. $24.95

This book also contains information on martial organizations that can liven up your campaigns and fantastic arenas in which to enact epic battles.

www.asterionpress.com

ISBN 978-1-906508-11-1

9 781906 508111

www.mongoosepublishing.com

The QUINTESSENTIAL Fighter

By Fabio Passamonti

and Alessandro Santori

CREDITs Production Managers

Interior Illustrations

Massimo Bianchini Luca Cattini

Marco Di Battista Lorenzo Fanelli Marco Picone

Alberto Bontempi Claudio Casini Toni Cittadini Marina Costa Simone Delladio Elisa Ferrotto Francesco Graziani Thomas Liera Andrea Longhi Emiliano Petrozzi Roberto Pitturru Maichol Quinto Andrea Sorrentino Andrea Vivaldo

Cover Art

English Translation

Design & Development Manager Marco Picone

Game Development Fabio Passamonti Alessandro Santori

Additional Design, Revision & Game Balancing

Maichol Quinto

Fiorenzo Delle Rupi

Logo, Graphic Design & Typesetting

Proof Reading

Andrea Gualdi – Lab 7

Joshua Cole

Playtester & Advice

Marco Di Battista, Alessandro Filipponi, Fabio Maroni, Mario Rosati, Carlo Rosetti

Special Thanks

Valentina Meconio, Rosalba Spotorno, Antonella Vellante

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Compatibility Logo, D&D, PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE, and MONSTER MANUAL are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the USA and other countries and are used with permission. Certain materials, including 4E References in this publication, D&D core rules mechanics, and all D&D characters and their distinctive likenesses, are property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and are used with th permission under the Dungeons & Dragons 4 Edition Game System License. All 4E References are listed in the 4E System Reference Document, available at www.wizards.com/d20. th DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4 Edition PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, written by Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, and James Wyatt; DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE, written by James Wyatt; and MONSTER MANUAL, written by Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert and James Wyatt © 2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. The Quintessential Fighter is © 2008 Asterion Press s.r.l. & Mongoose Publishing Printed in the US



contents Introduction....................................6 The Quintessential Fighter................7

Contents

Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role..........10 The Role.........................................12 Fighters in combat situations.......12 A fighter’s armor......................13 A fighter’s weapons...................13 Powers every fighter should use....13 Best Tactics..............................14 Fighters in noncombat situations.... 15 A fighter in towns.....................15 A fighter in the wild.................16 A fighter in the dungeons.........16 A fighter on the planes..............17 A fighter’s race................................17 Fighters and other classes................20 A fighter’s origins............................21 How to read the origins............21 Armorer...................................21 Mercenary................................22 Noble.......................................22 Outlaw.....................................23 Predestined..............................24 Recruit.....................................25 Slave........................................25 Specialist..................................26 Survivor...................................27 Wanderer..................................27 New build options...........................28 Assault Fighter.........................28 Brutal Fighter..........................28 Exotic Fighter..........................28 Heavy Throwing Fighter..........28 Mounted Fighter......................29 Ranged Fighter.........................29 Transcendent Fighter................30 Multiclass build options...............30 Arcane Fighter.........................30 Consecrated Fighter.................30 Devoted Fighter.......................30 Errant Fighter..........................31 Fighter of the Pact....................31 Stealthy Fighter........................31 Strategist Fighter......................31 Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power.......32 A fighter’s power.............................34

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New fighter powers......................34 Level 1 At-Will Exploits...............34 Brute’s Iron Fist...................... 34 Flashing Steel . ........................34 Merciless Wound..................... 34 Mounted Rush Strike...............34 Readied Thrust........................ 34 Surging Arrow..........................34 Level 1 Encounter Exploits .........35 Bear’s Tenacious Grab..............35 Dazing Blow.............................35 Man-at-Arms’ Fearsome Strike....35 Reckless Assault.......................36 Level 1 Daily Exploits..................36 Battle Hubris........................... 36 Fiery Weapon...........................36 Forge’s Lightning.....................36 Knight’s Surge.........................37 Level 2 Utility Exploits ...............37 Falcon’s Unavoidable Grip.......37 Humiliating Parry....................37 Unshakable Pillar.....................37 Vulture’ Stubborn Grip............37 Level 3 Encounter Exploits..........37 Archer’s Heavy Volley...............37 Catapult’s Slam........................37 Mounted Reaver.......................38 Sworn Hate..............................38 Level 5 Daily Exploits..................38 Aim for the Head.................... 38 Recruit’s Lucky Strike..............38 Shooter’s Barricade.................. 38 Torturer’s Mark........................39 Level 6 Utility Exploits ...............39 Encumbering Defense..............39 Endure Elemental Fury............39 Fortunate Deflection............... 39 My Weapon, My Armor............39 Level 7 Encounter Exploits..........39 Dragon’s Flame........................39 Lay Waste to the Enemy.......... 39 Mantis’s Embrace.....................39 Troll’s Double Claws.................40 Level 9 Daily Exploits..................40 Roaring Hammer’s Slam..........40 Target Enemy Ranks................ 40 Wyvern’s Outflanking...............40 Level 10 Utility Exploits..............40 Deep Thrust............................ 40

Resist Tortured Senses..............40 Resist Toxic Fumes.................. 42 Unending Bolts of Hope...........42 Level 13 Encounter Exploits........42 Advance to the Rear................ 42 Brutal Domino.........................42 Dire Gallows........................... 42 Smite the Reckless....................42 Level 15 Daily Exploits................42 A Thousand Sparks ................ 42 Deforming Impact...................42 Fatal Defensive Flaw................43 Fatal Hesitation........................43 Level 16 Utility Exploits..............43 Bear’s Crushing Grasp............. 43 Hidden Reservoir.....................43 Prepare to Assault.....................43 Unyielding Warrior Spirit.........43 Level 17 Encounter Exploits........43 Covering Volley....................... 43 Rolling Thunder...................... 43 Seismic Wave............................44 Level 19 Daily Exploits ...............44 Painful Harpoon...................... 44 Taste My Steel!.........................44 You Are Cornered.....................45 Level 22 Utility Exploits..............45 Irreprehensible Bodyguard...... 45 Last Chance.............................45 Weapon Master’s Exploit..........45 Level 23 Encounter Exploits........45 Bonecrushing Knockdown.......45 Mighty Bolt.............................45 Unstoppable Colossus..............45 Level 25 Daily Exploits................46 Chilling Execution.................. 46 Flensing Whirlwind................. 46 Shake the Earth........................46 Level 27 Encounter Exploits........46 Concussion Arrows...................46 Relentless Cleaver.....................47 Skewer of Doom.......................47 Level 29 Daily Exploits................47 Arc of Crimson Slaughter........ 47 Gamble with Death..................47 One Fatal Arrow...................... 47 Ultimate Swing........................47 Martial Rituals ...............................48 Battle Premonition.......................48

Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path..........50 Arena Idol.......................................52 Iegor Malvon...............................52 Battle Commando...........................54 Quorwar Grayvale........................54 Champion of Honor........................56 Gorngrin Bullbreaker...................56 Dragonborn Myrmidon . ................58 Trakosar Garkr.............................58 Eladrin Blade..................................60 Gilriel Baranruin.........................60 Fusilier . .........................................62 Etiel Pyrard.................................62 Infallible Thrower...........................64 Draatha Koraxir...........................64 Knight Errant.................................66 Sir Galan Celthor........................66 Lord of Chains................................68 Blasphaor Xalivem.......................68 Pilgrim Fighter................................70 Katrien of Firekeep......................70 Tunnel Defender.............................72 Agnek Stonesoul..........................72 Ultimate Duelist.............................74 Camwaith....................................74 Warrior Avatar.................................76 Nymotalia....................................76 Whirlwind Dervish..........................78 Lamya..........................................78 Chapter 4: A Fighter's Feat...........80 Feats...............................................82 Heroic Tier Feats.........................82 Brutal Brawl.............................82 Combat Runner.......................82 Crippling Shot.........................82 Defensive Shooter....................82 Dragonborn Contest . ..............82 Dwarven Vigor.........................82 Entangling Flail . .....................82 Entrapping Shield....................82 Hardened Plate . ......................82 Impervious Chain ...................82 Indomitable Courage . .............84 Insightful Counterattack..........84 Isolating Shield........................84 Pierce Armor............................85

Point-Blank Shooter.................85 Refractory Shield.....................85 Rest in Armor . ........................85 Ritual Warrior..........................85 Shield Proficiency (Buckler).....85 Shield Proficiency (Tower)........85 Steady Hand............................85 Tight Grab...............................85 Tight Scale...............................85 Paragon Tier Feats.......................85 Active Offense..........................85 Active Utility............................85 Blade Guard.............................85 Bralani Fencing........................85 Cautious Outflanking...............85 Chain Impact...........................85 Deflecting Shield......................87 Diabolical Surge.......................87 Elusive Shield...........................87 Fiery Burst...............................87 Grappling Mobility..................87 Light Shield Focus...................87 Plate Backlash..........................88 Quick Firearm Reload..............88 Recovering Surge.....................88 Ringing Impact........................88 Side by Side.............................88 Sliding Shaft............................88 Stuck Among Scales.................88 Swift Executioner.....................88 Tearing Axes.............................88 Epic Tier Feats.............................88 Active Offense Mastery............88 Active Utility Mastery..............88 Additional Martial Action.........88 Battle-Hardened.......................88 Chain Mastery.........................88 Firearm Mastery.......................88 Grappling Mastery...................89 Mighty Grasp...........................89 Mighty Superiority..................89 Mirroring Shield......................89 Plate Mastery...........................89 Recovery Mastery.....................90 Scale Mastery...........................90 Shield Mastery (Light).............90 Shield Mastery (Heavy)............90 Multiclass Feats ..........................91 Dweomer Shielding . ...............91 Mobile Guardian Strategy........91 Revealing Gleam......................91 Stealthy Exploit........................91

Umbral Charge........................91 Combat Styles.................................92 How to read combat styles...........92 Overwhelming Wave Technique....92 Relentless Marauder Technique....92 School of the Impenetrable Guard.....92 School of the Raging Fury...........93 Secret Thaumaturgy Technique....93 Style of the Invisible Wind...........93 Style of the Iron Archer...............93 Style of the Unerring Blade.........93 Chapter 5: A Fighter’s Tools . .......94 Adventuring Gear...........................96 Armor and Shields..........................97 Weapons..........................................99 Magic Items.................................. 102 Armor........................................ 102 Weapons.................................... 103 Arms Slot Items........................ 106 Feet Slot Items.......................... 107 Hands Slot Items....................... 107 Head Slot Items......................... 107 Neck Slot Items......................... 108 Waist Slot Items ....................... 109 Wondrous Items........................ 109 Chapter 6: Organizations........... 110 Fighters and Martial Organizations....112 Hierarchies................................ 112 Duties and opportunities........ 112 Rank in an organization ......... 113 Martial organizations in the world.... 113 Allies and antagonists............. 114 Hidden secrets........................ 114 Reading organizations............ 114 Brotherhood of Blood Lions ......... 115 Crimson Dusk Commandos.......... 116 Iron Adder Company.................... 118 Keepers of the Stone Throne......... 121 Order of Steel Prophets ................ 122 Quicksilver Blades......................... 124 Silver Falcon Academy.................. 125 Swords of Vengeance .................... 127

Contents

Body and Spirit’s Harmony..........49 Death Oath..................................49 Gladiator’s Immortal Blood.........49 Indomitable Strength . ................49

Chapter 7: A Fighter's Arena...... 130 Battle Arenas................................. 132 Darkdoom Chasm...................... 132 Bloodfeast Hall.......................... 135 Elemental Vortex Pit.................. 139 Astral Peaks of Champions......... 142

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INTRODUction hether an isolated kingdom’s noble protector or the most cunning mercenary at the head of an adventuring company, a soldier faithful to his king or a lone wolf seeking his own glory, an experienced axe-thrower of a graceful fencer, for glory or out of need, to enforce the law or to take revenge, the fighter is the ultimate combatant. His toughness allows him to endure even the deadliest blows, when his training and reflexes don’t avoid them. His weapons are accurate, keen and lethal, his armor impenetrable. He stands fast to protect his companions and patrons, and in his heart there is no place for cowardice, fear or doubt. The book you hold in your hand, The Quintessential Fighter, greatly expands the gaming options available for fighters and allows you to create more easily the type of warrior you have in mind, a full-fledged character sporting new, exciting powers and feats and unequalled storytelling depth. Among the classes featured in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook, the fighter is with no doubt the most versatile in battle. With his martial powers, he can engage any foe and face them effectively, choosing from many devastating attack combinations and altering his strategy according to the type of foes and the circumstances of the battle. The fighter, whatever moral scruples and forces drive him along his path, is a stalwart pillar for his allies during a fight, the entire party’s pivotal center in terms of security and stability. He is an unshakable bulwark watching over his companions, standing ready to unleash an assault or to cover the retreat, as needed. This handbook provides many additional gaming options to those who want to play a fighter. The origins options (introduced in Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role), provide characters with intriguing and detailed backgrounds, not only describing their heroic births, but also providing practical effects they can use during the game. This section also includes a useful guide to a fighter’s role, including guidelines about the most effective strategies, weapons, and armor.

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Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power features a detailed and exhaustive look at many exciting new powers designed with the fighter in mind; with these exploits, a fighter will be capable of extraordinary deeds in any fighting style. Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path allows you to add more depth to your character with many new paragon paths, each infused with unique flavor. Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat is just as exciting; the new feats introduced in this section will let your fighter employ incredible tactics, such as deflecting certain types of damage with his shield or attacking some categories of foes more effectively. Mundane equipment and magic items featured in Chapter 5: A Fighter’s Tools increase the fighter’s effectiveness and abilities, and also help him fulfill his arduous role as a defender by enhancing his fighting skills and survivability. Chapter 6: Organizations features many examples of martial organizations, warring companies that may be used as allies or antagonists for the player characters: savage mercenary bands and elusive commando teams, stalwart guardians and fearless gladiators. This section also includes typical NPCs, inner hierarchies and modus operandi, so that the GM will be able to include them in any fantasy campaign to offer new challenges and adventure opportunities to his players. Chapter 7: A Fighter’s Arena, will guide you through the events and the experiences that make a fighter’s entire life a thrilling adventure: deadly tournaments in the underworld’s shadowy warrens and epic challenges in planar arenas against extraordinary creatures and rivals. The material featured in this book will become an essential tool, easy to use both in game and in preparation for the next adventure. The Quintessential Fighter will guide your fighter from 1st to 30th level and will help you turn your character into a living legend!

The Quintessential Series The Quintessential Fighter is the second volume in a series of books dedicated to the classes of the Dungeons & Dragons 4E game. Each book is the result of two combined goals: the development of new gaming options, including new powers, feats, paragon paths, and magic items, and a deeper look at your role-playing options, featuring guidelines for portraying your character as a full-fledged person and making him unique among members of his class. When using this book to create your character, you may not obtain a more powerful or survivable character than your fellow players, but you will be able to choose from many additional options and to make your fighter look, act and fight exactly as you imagine him. All the rules featured in The Quintessential Fighter can fully be used in any campaign setting. Happy adventuring!

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THE QUINTESSENTIAL FIGHTER

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gnul held his breath and clenched his teeth, crouching behind his large oval shield. The dwarf’s beard curled and the shield’s handle turned so hot that it was soon unbearable, as the red flames the dragon breathed over them intensified and became scorching white. When the dwarf heard Felwain’s last desperate cry, he realized the eladrin was gone. Her arcane wards and formulas had not been strong enough this time. He would weep for the wizard’s demise later, if there was still a “later” for them; now he had to focus on the fight, on the pounding rhythm of his steel against the creature’s skin, harder than any armor; a deadly dance of iron and claws, of rushing blood and adrenaline. There was no time for feelings in a melee; strategy, strength, and training were the only things that mattered. There was no Ygnul Fallenstone in battle: In his place stood a survivor, a veteran of countless dozens of fights, whose hand was steady as a stone and whose heart was as hard. So far, the fight had been easy for the dragon Meldenthral. The heroes had braved his lair after answering the king’s call to take up arms against the monster. Sneaking through one of the natural tunnels of the Smokeskull Mountain, they had eluded the dragon’s troops. Or perhaps those lackeys were simply too busy carousing and reveling after the devastation they had brought to the valley in the last few weeks. The dragon itself had not been so unwary, though. It knew someone would be brave or foolish enough to accept the royal contract on its head, and it had led the heroes into an ambush deep in the mountain’s fiery heart. Two adventurers had already lost their lives fighting against kobold minions or falling to the many traps hidden in their cramped warrens. Now, only the most skilled and resolute were left. Fighting their way deep into the bowels of the earth, past flowing magma and deadly fumes, the kingdom’s bravest champions were quickly running out of strength. Ygnul examined the battlefield with a veteran’s eye, assessing his surviving companions’ locations and conditions. Karnoth stood at the center, right beneath the monster’s ominous jaws; in spite of his wounds, the dragonborn kept the wyrm occupied with his spinning greatsword. The blade’s blows were mighty, but Ygnul knew they were not accurate enough to find the chinks in the dragon’s scales. How typical: The myrmidon had let once again his feelings dictate his actions. To dodge his blows, the dragon only had to raise his head above the most forceful blows and snap his retaliation on the backswings, which bounced harmlessly from his scales. Ulthar, hidden in a corner, was still recovering. The tiefling had already unleashed his most formidable spells, loosing curses against the monster that would have blackened the soul of most demons; his efforts had been of little avail, judging from the enemy’s good health. Hiding in the shadows, the tiefling’s face was a painful grimace that hinted at the devious and desperate ideas racing through his mind–not all, Ygnul suspected, ending with Ulthar fighting with the side he started on. Ygnul snorted. He had no time to waste contemplating betrayal, nor did he care about if and when the exhausted warlock made the attempt. Morhadan the archer, for her part, kept as much distance as she could in the cavern, firing two arrows at a time at the dragon’s scaled breast, at the same time leaping and feinting to keep away from the beast’s scorching breath.

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Ygnul was pleased with the elf’s cunning. He grinned at the sight of shafts sticking from the tiniest gaps in the dragon’s armor. Her best shots had penetrated it, and now the monster growled with pain each time its movements made the arrows sink deeper in its flesh. The elven archer had wisely aimed for the joints, but her quiver was almost empty, and soon she would have to drop the bow and wield her daggers. Though she wielded the fine mithral blades adeptly, she would become easy prey at such close quarters. Last came Tarield. The cleric had used every last bit of power trying to counter the dragon’s fearsome abilities, but he had only bought a few more moments. In spite of his imposing bulk and experience, he still was a priest, not a soldier; and his most powerful war prayers had proven weak and ineffective. Now that its full fury was unleashed, the monster seemed immune even to divine wrath. The priest held his holy symbol before him, eyes pressed tightly shut as he tried to call down his heavenly patron’s fury upon the beast. His shaven head was sweating from the crushing heat of the chamber, the legacy of dragon’s breath and the magma river close beneath their feet. Meldenthral opened his slavering jaws in a reptilian grin, then raised his tail to slam it against Tarield like a huge maul. It was then that Ygnul spotted the beast’s weak point, a soft spot in his iron scales no larger than a fist. As he held his breath, it was almost like time itself stopped, and the dwarf realized they still had one last chance. To use its tail, the creature had lowered its head, and when it did, it exposed itself to a dangerous counterattack. Ygnul shouted a warning to Karnoth, but his words were smothered by the dragon’s roar. Karnoth had fought many battles at the dwarf’s side, though, and one look at his companion was enough to give the dragonborn the gist of Ygnul’s plan. Together they had defeated the fearsome Hammerstone giants, repelled the goblin hordes from Gallowbridge and defended King Fenalion’s castle against evil Baron Valghen’s besieging armies; the threat of their prowess had intimidated Xiang-zhou’s devious merchants and their canniness had snared Black Fox, the legendary outlaw from Snowmail. The dwarf’s sheer determination was a sign that they might yet pull it out this time, too. Karnoth drew a deep, thundering breath, dropped his flamberge and charged the dragon. The dragon’s bony horns met his charge and sank deep into him; Karnoth had to clench his teeth to withstand the pain. He closed his eyes, summoned his last strength, and wrapped his arms around the monster’s muzzle and bent it to the side. The myrmidon’ biceps were almost bursting and his scales were cracking as he tried to maintain the hold around the dragon’s snarling jaws–but he held. Even as he did, Ygnul charged the distracted dragon, pulling back his axe for the move he had in mind. When reached the beast, he swung the axe in an overhead chop and brought it down on the dragon’s exposed throat, the only weakness in its hide. The axe cleft scale and sinew and sheared through even Meldenthral’s mighty arteries, spraying blackish blood. The dragon’s body spasmed, and the fire that was still burning in its belly poured over the dwarf’s arm like a flow of molten lava. Ygnul’s axe glowed red hot and the hair on his arms burst into flames, but Ygnul stood, ignoring the pain.

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In its death throes, Meldenthral might still have killed them, but Morhadan’s arrow pierced its eye and its ancient, wicked mind. Only then, with one last fiery gurgle, the dragon expired. A forge whose embers were finally cold. Morhadan rushed to her companions’ side, wondering if they were still alive; Ygnul’s only answer was a soot-blackened, bloody, broken –but triumphant– grin.” “And so it ends!”, the old minstrel said, watching his public’s astonished faces. The kids gaped in awe and the bard, now that his tale was over, gently invited them to go home. The sun was setting behind the mountains and the sky was as red as fire. Believing he was alone, the bard picked up his gear and headed for the inn, looking forward to a good night’s sleep. As he walked down the street, though, he saw that one of the youngest boys was still there. There was a light in the boy’s eyes that the storyteller knew all too well, a hunger that would pull a man far from his home, pull him to a glorious destiny or an untimely death: the call of adventure. “I want to be a fighter like Ygnul,” the boy said solemnly. The old bard smiled. “Aren’t you a little young for such things? What’s your name?” “Riglen”, the boy answered gruffly. “Riglen,” the bard said again. “I will keep it in mind, boy, should you ever become a hero… should you ever become The Quintessential Fighter!”

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A FIGHTER’S ROLE

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Chapter 1

he platoon’s ranks were tight. In the distance, the dragonborn phalanx looked like a shining procession of steel statues. Even their few unarmored parts were covered with scales the color of forged iron. They advanced like a living tide of muscle and scale, roiling with fury, tempered by discipline. They were not, at the moment, the problem. Sergeant Falmir, standing on the battlements of the besieged city, swore and urged on his archers. It was already too late when they noticed the three enemy explorers gliding over their heads. Beyond them, whipped into action by their grim hobgoblin jailors, huge units of goblin savages strained toward the walls, they shied away at either their masters snarls or their own fear. They were not adequately equipped or trained, but their longing for revenge over the humans, nurtured for countless generations, shone from by their cruel grins, rang in their spiteful war cries and the maddening noise of their spears clanging against their shields. They had besieged the city for three days. Bloody and thundering nights gave way to pale steel dawns. The inescapable final confrontation loomed over both armies and its shadow grew longer with each passing day. The defenders could barely rely upon a few hundred fighters: a core of trained soldiers supported by the city’s militia. Even young and old men had been enlisted to fight, so desperate was the city’s plight. The former had faced a battlefield’s horrors without being properly trained, whereas the latter had been forced to wield a weapon long after the strength of their arms had fled. Suddenly, the silence was torn by the howling of the monstrous army’s battle horns. The fight was about to begin. Kail looked over the battlements, meticulously studying the enemy units’ layout and nature. “Most of them are only goblin raiders,” he began. The false hope fled his voice as he surveyed the rest of the army. “Most, aye, but there are tiefling barbarians and dragonborn mercenaries enough. Worse, I’d swear I spotted a small host of war trolls from the Blooded Plains, hidden behind the catapults. Those monsters have been fighting since the day that they were born. They will not be easily stopped.” “And yet, stopped they must be,” Riglen said. “What shall we do?” “If the halberdiers can gain at least a hundred feet, they will allow us to deploy the recruits behind them. Most of them have never been in an actual battle, but if the tide turns against us, they will be able to escort women and children outside the city, in the sewers.” Falmir and Riglen nodded, realizing that Kail’s orders were an invaluable asset. “You did your best to train your men, Falmir,” Riglen said, putting a hand over his friend’s armored shoulder. “They could barely hold a weapon when they started; now they can protect their families. And they know they owe this chance to you.” “Perhaps you’re right, but a fair few of our enemies were born to fight, like you and your companions. My soldiers, committed as they might be, are still smiths, fishers and carpenters. I tell you, I fear to find out how much my teachings have been effective.”

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Alberto Bontempi

The Role A fighter’s role is always fully defined, both in and out of combat: He is a defender, a stalwart bulwark everyone will take shelter behind in the most desperate situations. Responsibility for his companions’ safety falls upon his shoulders, but at the same time he has to prevent the enemy from advancing. He must learn to take in the battlefield at a glance, to quickly adapt to the shifting battle lines, to instantly recognize his enemies’ and his allies’ strengths and vulnerabilities. He must also be extraordinarily brave and ready to make sacrifices whenever the need arises. A fighter does not care about coordinating his companions’ actions or enhancing their skills. His concern is their survival, and he ensures it by taking the fight to the enemy while his companions provide support.

Chapter 1: A Fighter's Role

FIGHTERS IN COMBAT SITUATIONS

Combat is the pivotal event that puts a fighter under the spotlight and gives meaning to his existence. His defender role requires him to be always in the thick of battle, ready to engage as many foes as possible. He must be the unyielding cliff that will break the ongoing waves of the advancing enemies. The less his companions are harmed, the better the fighter’s job has been

done. Withstanding everything the enemy throws at him is undoubtedly vital, but a fighter should never forget that the best defense is a good offense. With the proper training and equipment, a fighter can cripple or outright destroy his foes long before they could threaten more vulnerable characters. A fighter’s tactics and style determine not only how he fights but, often, how his entire party approaches a battle. A guardian fighter (see Creating a Fighter in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook) tends to soak up damage or prevent it from happening in the first place, to intercept hindering conditions and block enemy movement; he fights carefully and deliberately, wearing his enemies down without ever overextending himself, and he does not hesitate to pause to get his second wind or use a magic item. A great weapon fighter, on the other hand, is willing to take a greater risk in order to apply his full strength, cutting down his foes before they ever have a chance to strike. He wades into the enemy lines and reaps their broken bodies like a farmer would wheat, defending his allies by leaving nothing to do them harm. In combat, a fighter is the perfect foil for a rogue, ranger or warlock. These characters fill roles that make them deadly in a fight with a single foe, as long as it is

Roberto Pitturru

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A fighter is always ready to defend his allies.

A fighter’s armor

All fighters need to wear armor, and maybe carry a shield as well. Fighters can already benefit from any type of armor except plate, and unless she has chosen a very usual fighting style, a fighter should always wear the best armor she can afford. To the fighter, armor is like a second skin, her main defensive tool and the difference between life and death. Sooner or later, even if she is a great weapon fighter, she should definitely acquire the Armor Proficiency (Plate) feat. Feats that further increase the effectiveness of armor, such as Armor Specialization or as Hardened Plate, Impervious Chain, and Tight Scale (new feats featured in Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat), are often excellent choices as well. Armor’s effectiveness is even more vital if the fighter decides not to carry a shield, perhaps so she can wield a two-handed weapon. Those fighters who opt for a shield should not underestimate the benefits of feats such as Deflecting Shield, Elusive Shield, or Entrapping Shield, as they allow her to use the shield to prevent certain types of damage or negate a foe’s important advantage. Heavy armor negates the benefits of a high Dexterity bonus. Usually, this is not a serious setback, as many suits of armor, especially magic ones, grant a remarkable AC enhancement. Besides, a fighter rarely opts for a high Dexterity score; her best ability scores are usually Strength, Wisdom and Constitution. In her adventures, a fighter might be stripped of her defensive equipment. Certain monsters have powers or special attacks specifically designed to damage suits of armor. If a fighter finds herself in such a tight spot, she should put the acquisition of new equipment at the top of her priorities. If she can afford it, she should even keep a spare shield and suit of armor close at hand, perhaps on her horse or in a nearby shelter.

A fighter’s weapons

The fighter’s choice of weapons is at least as vital as his choice of armor, and often much more difficult. Not only he will wield them in combat to hurt and destroy, but in a way, they will also be an expression of their wielder’s personality: A fighter is defined and symbolized by his armament. One-handed or two-handed weapons, weapons that can hit a foe beyond the reach of a simple sword, weapons that can be thrown from a safe distance, weapons dealing hideous damage on a critical hit: the fighter is truly spoiled for choice. If a fighter loses his armor, he will be naked in combat, but if he loses his weapons, he will be utterly helpless. He should have one main weapon, his first choice in combat and the focus of his specialization, but he should also carry one or more viable alternatives. Including a reach weapon is a wise choice, as it can be very useful in those fights where the battlefield or a foe’s special trait require him to make melee attacks even without being adjacent to the enemy. Fighters are rarely specialized in ranged weapons: they leave that task to strikers such as rangers and rogues. Defenders want their fights to be up close and personal, as they are able to withstand an extended melee better than most foes. A bow or a crossbow, however, is a good investment–especially for wilderness adventures, where a fight begins the moment an enemy is spotted, or when facing highly mobile foes like flyers and teleporters. Even a fighter’s race can affect his choice of weapons. Each race has a different idea of war, and thus, a different opinion on each weapon’s role. The gamut of available option is now even wider, as it includes the new weapons featured in this book’s Chapter 5: A Fighter’s Tools. Dragonborn fighters are the undisputed masters of flamberge swords, whereas tiefling brawlers excel in the use of spiked gauntlets; eladrin have brought the art of fencing to previously undreamt levels, and halflings are masterful wielders of light blades, which do not suffer any penalty due to their small size.


surprised or cannot directly threaten the attacker. Thus, a striker benefits from someone else engaging and distracting his target. As long as someone is watching his back, the striker will be able to make the most of his offensive prowess without taking too many risks. Nor can wizards dispense with a stalwart fighter’s help; a fighter keeps melee foes away from the wizard and shields him from the most direct attacks. As for leaders, they should never remain too far from a fighter and vice versa. Whether they are clerics or warlords, these characters’ abilities and powers are ideal for enhancing a defender’s effectiveness, increasing his resistance beyond his usual limits and improving his ability to strike down his foes. With an effective use of the rules, options and guidelines featured in The Quintessential Fighter, every player will be able to outline his personal approach to combat and emerge as the true ruler of the battlefield.

Powers every fighter should use

A fighter’s powers have one main purpose: to keep foes at bay. A fighter can remain standing even after suffering many grievous blows, thanks to his many hit points and his companions’ support. His exploits are meant to intercept, hunt down and disable enemies. Of course, these goals can met either through the use of offensive powers dealing enough damage to kill or drive of foes, or by preventing the enemy from reaching the back lines. A few exploits allow the fighter to slide the enemy to a desired location, while others help him recover his strength. There are also many powers granting benefits of a different type. They do not produce effects like those described above, but they are more original and unusu-

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al, filling certain voids in a fighter’s preparation. Choosing from such a wide range requires a little preparation, but part of the fun in playing a fighter is navigating through the available options to build a formidable combatant. Of course, you will have to keep in mind the type of fighter you want to play in your adventures. Regardless, your defender role should always remain a landmark when selecting your best powers. A fighter’s most useful powers, arranged by tier, are briefly outlined below. Heroic Tier: A fighter is a skilled combatant since the beginning of his heroic deeds. Exploits such as spinning sweep or steel serpent strike enable him to slow his enemies down or to push them in an advantageous position. Powers such as brute strike, cleave and villain’s menace, on the other hand, allow him to quickly dispatch more enemies in less time. Utility powers such as boundless endurance or unstoppable are invaluable, especially at lower levels, as they allow a fighter to quickly heal from his wounds or even to attain uncanny healing abilities. At this tier, a fighter’s exploits may not enable him to maneuver with the other classes’ freedom, but they are adequate to his role of front-line defender. The new powers featured in this book’s Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power broaden the range of your available choices and will be able to fulfill any player’s needs and wishes. When he learns to master rain of blows or rain of steel, a fighter becomes a fearsome sight to any enemy who dares to approach him. If not even these powers are enough to ensure victory, come and get it and shift the battlefield help draw the attention of the most fearsome enemies and to wipe them out one by one, ensuring your party’s safety. One of the most useful exploits at these levels is with no doubt victorious surge, which allows a fighter to deal considerable damage and to heal from your wounds at the same time. A fighter’s relentless assault with the crack the shell exploit can bring down any defense, whereas powers such as iron bulwark and stalwart guard make his own stronger than ever. The Quintessential Fighter introduces new exploits granting remarkable benefits to the fighters who select them; merciless wound or reckless assault, to name just a few, increase the damage you deal even at lower levels, while bear’s tenacious grab, brute’s iron fist, and falcon’s unavoidable grip can make you deadly even when you are unarmed. Troll’s double claws allows you to attack and heal from damage at the same time, dragon’s flame and roaring hammer’s slam change the type of damage you deal, enabling you to unleash fire and thunder’s fury upon your foes. Paragon Tier: At this tier, many exploits produce different effects based on the fighter’s weapon of choice, such as anvil of doom or giant’s wake, dazing your foes or dealing impressive amounts of damage. Other powers can improve his mobility over the

battlefield, allowing him to shift into a square that an enemy vacated (surprise step), or to dance between his foes, moving and attacking at inhuman speed with exploits like serpent dance strike. Other exploits like exorcism of steel tend to neutralize an enemy, or to affect more enemies at once with different effects (warrior’s challenge). The exploits available at this tier include reaving strike, possibly the power that makes a fighter most similar to a striker, and devastation’s wake, which allows you to leave a trail of death behind you, cutting down all adjacent enemies with secondary attacks. A paragon tier fighter’s powers can impress any foe. His techniques are close to perfection by now, and he can rightfully aspire to be the undisputed master of any arena. His paragon path options only enhance his prowess. A champion of honor’s exploits (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path) include armed trap, a power that allows you to reduce the damage you take and to restrain your foe at the same time. The tunnel defender, on the other hand, is relentless in dealing huge amounts of damage and hindering a foe’s combat abilities, thanks to crushing impact and march of ruin. Guardian entities’ spite and steel pattern turn the lord of chains and the warrior avatar (more paragon paths featured in Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path) into deadly combinations of attack and defense. Epic Tier: When a fighter attains this tier, he has pushed his martial skills far beyond the limits a mere mortal can reach; step by step, he is growing closer to his epic destiny. Even the powers he gains allude to his final destination and represent the pinnacle of martial prowess. Powers like no surrender render him almost literally invulnerable, allowing him to quickly regain half his maximum hit points. Reaper’s stance is another impressive power that can be activated as a minor action and allows an epic tier fighter to deal critical hits and ongoing damage to all his foes; then again, no mercy, storm of destruction, and gamble with death (see Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power), available only at the highest levels, mark the climax of a fighter’s damage-dealing career.

Best Tactics

A fighter must be ready to change his strategies many times during a battle to adapt to any situation and always be the first to face any unexpected challenge. A fighter usually chooses a position in the thick of the fighting, the better to fully exploit the qualities of the weapon he wields. A heavily armed fighter, for example, will try to charge his foe and to engage it as soon as possible, before he can endanger the rest of the party; a guardian fighter, on the other hand, will move carefully and take defensive actions that will allow him –and especially the party’s second line– to stay safe. These generic guidelines cannot possibly cover the complex-

leaders possess many prayers or exploits to counter these dire situation; one more reason for the fighter to always keep within their powers’ range.

Fighters in noncombat situations

It may come as a surprise, but although a fighter excels in combat above all else, his contributions can be meaningful even outside the battlefield. His field experience, readiness, physical prowess and the knowledge he has gathered in many years of military life allow him to be a relevant presence even in less bloody situations.

A fighter in towns

Urban environments are ripe with opportunities and offer the promise of great riches, but they can also be fraught with danger. It is no wonder that scores of mercenaries, bodyguards, militia members and adventurers of all types prowl the streets looking for a job. Besides, a city always features a more or less organized garrison, recruitment center or warrior’s guild. A few towns and cities even feature powerful mercenary corporations managing the contracts of an army’s worth of fighting companies. Others sport famous gladiatorial arenas where fighters risk their lives to entertain the crowd for fame, wealth or fear of the slaver’s lash. Examples of these structures are detailed in this book’s Chapter 6: Organizations. To a fighter, a town is also an opportunity to find rest and relaxation, and to replenish all he has lost or used during the latest adventure. Fighters hailing from the largest settlements might have learned their exploits from a trainer or from a specialized military organization. If a fighter stays in touch with these contacts, he can gain many benefits: One can never know when the need to hire an extra minion will arise, or when a new weapon, perhaps forged from a peculiar alloy, will prove vital. Fighters feel at home both among the sweltering steam of their trusted weaponsmith’s forge and in the streets of the stately districts, where they know they can find the job they are looking for. Their richest payrolls often come from the coffers of wealthy merchants; a fighter can easily gain a reputation downtown, where rumors run fast and furious. Other fighters prefer to check the pulse of the underworld, looking for shadier goods and news and enforcing his companions’ intimidation factor. The mere presence of a mean-looking fighter in a party can be enough to discourage even the nastiest criminal from doing anything rash. Fighters are often the most cherished heroes among commoners: They embody the power of a good and strong arm in a world threatened by dark menaces and blind violence. Their bravery is often seen as an incorruptible force, unlike the skills of more morally


ity of all possible combats; in many cases, it will be foolhardy if not downright impossible to blindly charge the enemy line; sometimes, a fighter must accept the fact that his companions are going to take some risks, so that he may take a more elaborate action to ensure their long-term survival. Under these circumstances, a fighter’s versatility and his chosen tactics will make the difference between tragedy and triumph. A fighter should choose his feats in accord with his build and his favored approach to combat, trying to increase the inherent benefits of his build. At heroic tier, Power Attack and Powerful Charge are both an excellent choice for a great weapon fighter. Similarly, Defensive Mobility and Durable can be very useful to a guardian fighter. Finally, certain feats, such as Weapon Focus, are a safe bet for any type of fighter. A paragon tier fighter enjoys a broader range of available options. Now more than ever, he should choose those feats that will improve his abilities with his chosen type of weapon. Deadly Axe, Heavy Blade Opportunity, Scimitar Dance and Sweeping Flail are fine examples of this type of feats, along with Blade Guard, Edge’s Impact and Tearing Axes (introduced in Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat). Even Armor Specialization and Shield Specialization are worthy of mention, as they increase the protection granted by your equipment and your effectiveness as a defender. Deflective Shield and Elusive Shield, along with Plate Backlash or Stuck Among Scales (also featured in Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat) combine a defensive function with the benefit of directly hindering your foes. A fighter must never leave the weakest members of his party without protection: Controllers and strikers can fall to a determined enemy relatively quickly, especially if the attacking monsters are intelligent or in great numbers. Thus, even the most aggressive fighter will have to be able to disengage from a duel to come to his companions’ side, forcing the enemy to deal with him. The combat challenge class feature has precisely this purpose, marking the enemy and goading it into turning its attacks against the fighter; certain powers, such as warrior’s challenge, make this feature even more effective. Other exploits such as defensive training, stalwart guard, or irreprehensible bodyguard (see Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power), allow you to stand fast and shield your allies from ranged attacks, improving their AC and other defenses. Powers such as advance to the rear and fortunate deflection are even more valuable, ideal choices for a fighter who takes protecting his allies seriously. The ability to move from one side of the battlefield to another is vital to a striker, but it also helps a fighter, especially if he is the party’s only defender: one of the worst situations in a combat is being locked into a disadvantageous position or crippled by powers and attacks that immobilize or slow you down. Fortunately,

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ambiguous characters. In addition, many tournaments, duels and sport competitions are usually held behind the city walls, giving all fighters a chance to win fame and fortune. If there is enough room in an adventure to deal with these themes, fighters are going to be pivotal characters and their renown could grant the rest of the party enough good will to open up otherwise restricted information or forbidden locations.

A fighter in the wild


A fighter knows basic survival skills from his first steps as an adventurer: quick marches, exhausting training sessions and a life in the field shaped his adventuring life. As such, he has access to Athletics, Endurance, and Heal among his trained skills. Sometimes an army has to cross a steep mountain pass, an endless desert waste and even a thick rain forest: In these cases, careful food rationing and sanitary conditions may mean more than good tactics and superior training. Although he may not feel as at home in the wilderness as a ranger does, a fighter can count on an excellent stamina and unparalleled resistance to pain and starvation. Some fighters, especially those who were born beyond the safety of a city wall, feel at home on winding paths and the banks of woodland rivers, hunting down outlaws and fearsome monsters. In fact, these threats are the very reasons many combatants scour the wilderness, test their abilities and maybe gain wealth and reputation in the process. Even those fighters less accustomed to outdoor life might need to undertake a long journey between one city and another, riding through endless plains and only relying on their trusted suits of armor to protect them from wilderness’s many dangers and threats. In these cases, heavy, encumbering armor can be a limitation, as it implies a penalty to Athletics and Endurance checks. There setbacks might even turn out to be deadly in situations where the main danger is posed by a natural feature, such as threading the waters of a swift river or climbing a steep cliff.

Cramped spaces filled with dangers encourage the use of powers that allow you to slide the target, placing it in a favorable position. When the entire enemy force is forced to assault a fighter-held chokepoint, he can really sink his teeth into his role as a defender. In narrower corridors, strategy is everything. One miscalculation from the fighter and the party –especially the weaker and less protected characters– might pay a steep price from an unexpected assault. Fighters cannot hold torches or lanterns, as they need both hands to wield large weapons or shields; thus, unless they can naturally see in darkness, they should carry items such as everburning torches (contra the name, they do not burn and do not make smoke, so you can hang them to your belt) or sunrods. Noisy armor might also be a problem in a place where every corner might hide an ambush and enemies keep their ears open to notice approaching victims. Still, a fighter cannot possibly do without his armor. If he intends to be silent, he will have to find an alterna-

A fighter in the dungeons

Emiliano Petrozzi

A fighter relies on his bravery and brawn to withstand the dangers of underground halls and passageways filled with deadly traps and hideous monsters. A fighter strides through a dungeon’s gloomy hallways undaunted, ready to face even the most unexpected threat with unparalleled strength and courage. A fighter boldly strides through the darkest dungeons.

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A fighter on the planes

Not all fighters can tell the difference between the faerie land and the dark realm, nor can their mundane minds grasp the essence of the astral vault’s eternal quiet or of the elemental mayhem’s restless maelstroms.

And yet, they can safely bet on one universal constant: all enemies, even those hailing from the farthest reaches of the universe, can be faced and defeated through strength of arms. This awareness keeps a fighter alive and shields him from the horror and the madness that runs rampant from a rift in reality. In an alien environment such as another plane, a fighter tends to be wary–but undaunted. As he attains higher levels, planar adventures grow more frequent; a fighter may never feel as at ease on another plane as a warlock or a wizard, but he nonetheless maintains a practical attitude, dismissing any cosmic wonder and focusing on the need at hand. When any certainty seems to crumble and natural laws are subverted by planar senselessness, a fighter’s down-toearth attitude might be an island of sanity.

A FIGHTER’S RACE Each race has a different outlook on war. More peaceful species, such as halflings, focus their military strategies on defensive and pre-emptive techniques (such as altering the battlefield where the fight will occur, sending vanguards and spies to watch the enemy, and so on); more aggressive races, such as tieflings or dragonborn, have centuries-old warrior culture, based on superior weapons, hardened and unstoppable military units and heroic deeds. These outlooks are outlined below, so that players might use them as guidelines to roleplay their fighter characters. Dragonborn: Dragonborn are a proud race of martial champions, valuing their weapons above all else and inhaling a battlefield’s dust as if it were a fresh and stimulating breeze. Dragonborn fighters are the ultimate defenders: unyielding, brave, and fierce when the need arises. Sometimes their unyielding (obtuse, some might say) morality can lead them to make risky choices, such as waiting for an enemy to draw its sword before attacking, or showing a defeated foe mercy, but this attitude must not be misunderstood. As a proud and resolute warrior, a dragonborn expects his foes to fear his wrath more than the steel they have just tasted. The entire dragonborn culture is heavily influenced by militarism: Even those who live outside the army and do not care about military business tend to value a title earned on the field and a hierarchy defined by the purity of a bloodline. Dragonborn are passionate creatures, even restless at times; they express their artistic vein by crafting tools of war. To their eyes, these items are as precious as a jewel or a fine portrait to members of another species. Then again, dragonborn manufactured items tend to be more functional than elegant, as the finest friezes and details would be wasted on their hulking shapes.

What dragonborn steel loses in elegance is more than compensated for by its durability: it cannot be easily broken, thanks to an alloy whose forging secrets are a legacy from their draconic ancestors. Centuries of battles against tieflings have led the dragonborn race to perfect their military strategies. Now, under the guidance of their skilled battle commanders, these incorruptible mercenary brigades serve a just cause or the highest bidder, pursuing at the same time glorious dreams of a past lost in the mists of time. Even in the heat of battle, a dragonborn fighter often finds the time to graciously acknowledge the skill of his foe, whom he considers a respected rival. From a dragonborn’s point of view, all enemies are worthy of respect, save for cowards. Similarly, being defeated by a stronger enemy is never considered a source of shame or a failure, but a lesson to be accepted with dignity. Since their birth, dragonborn feel they have a grand destiny to fulfill, a belief that can become a burden in some cases, a constant reminder that drives them and guides all their actions. Thus, they rarely stumble unwillingly onto the fighter’s path. This innate call is one of the factors that fills the ranks of a dragonborn army with warriors of extraordinary ability and proficiency. Dwarves: According to common belief, infant dwarves learn to use hammers and axes even before they learn to walk. Although this is a myth, it shows how this race’s members seem born to fight. Not only are their bodies stout, thick, and brawny, but their souls are also fierce, hard as steel and exceptionally strong-willed. Dwarven fighters are prized everywhere. When others yield to pain, they keep fighting stoically and without flinching. They might not be the fastest or most agile warriors, but in a dungeon, where movement is limited anyway, or on a battlefield thick with obstacles


tive solution. As previously hinted, suits of armor can also hinder a fighter making Strength, Dexterity or Constitution-based skill checks, a recurring need in the depths of the underground. Finally, a well-prepared fighter always faces a dungeon’s dangers equipped with a few healing magic items; more than any other feature, mazes and tunnels might delay a leader’s intervention and in those cases, the ability to heal yourself without any help from others becomes crucial.

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Eladrin: Descended from the fey creatures of the faerie land, eladrin have an innate, almost unearthly grace that they can also express in their mastery of spears and in their deadly and elegant fencing techniques. Before battle, an eladrin fighter stands silent as a quiet pond and still as an ancient tree. Then, when the moment to attack comes, he unleashes upon his foes a relentless assault as fierce as the fury of the seasons: first they wash over their targets like a storm of merciless blows, then they weaken them with a flurry of aimed and precise stabs; then, when the opportunity arises, they land scorching and inexorable blows, and finally they finish them off with swings as unexpected as the wind and just as impossible to fend off. Eladrin fighters are the undisputed masters of the longsword. Their culture has perfected this weapon’s style to the point that all members of this race are required to train in its use. In combat, a silent eladrin fencer moves at a startling speed, marking his enemy before it can realize what hit it. Eladrin weapons and armors are much like pieces of art, combining effectiveness and sturdiness with a design of unequalled elegance. Metal and silver scales are forged together to form thin steel plates, which are then carved and decorated by the best eladrin crafters with natural symbols and arcane glyphs. Eladrin fighters do not fear magic; indeed, they know how to make good use of it during a fight. Their fey step racial power allows them to move safely and swiftly, appearing behind a foe or near a friend in need. An eladrin army induces fear and awe in their foes. A noble ghaele’s standard is a rallying point to many ancient heroes, whose mere presence can send enemy warriors fleeing in fear. Whether they are simple foot soldiers or renowned duelists, eladrin fighters are always known for their fierce will and unequalled technique, and are feared by all their enemies. Elves: Generally, those elves who follow the path of war tend to become rangers. Still, sometimes an elf opts to become a fighter. These elves always stand out among martial heroes of other species and demonstrate unexpected bravery. Their innate perception and balance are a great advantage in battle, as their keen senses and the full control they have over their bodies allow them to get a better grasp of the surrounding environment and of their enemies’ tactics. They can easily pass from one weapon to another, fully exploit-

A human fighter is different from his elven and dwarven colleagues in many aspects.

Claudio Casini

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or with enemies close at hand, a dwarven fighter’s skill is unequalled. Dwarves tend to use heavy armor, since they suffer few of the drawbacks other races would. They traditionally wield axes and warhammers, but nothing prevents them from using flails, swords or any other weapons they like. A dwarf’s fortitude is legendary, but only those who have seen them in action know that the legends are not exaggerated. To a stalwart dwarf, all other fighters look frail, lazy or, at best, out of shape. Military arts are an ancient tradition to dwarves, as well as a matter of honor. Dwarven mausoleums are filled with etchings showing the glorious battles of long ago, and even dwarven weapons and trinkets are decorated with runes describing their ancestors’ deeds. Dwarves are masterful artillerists and can design canny siege engines. Rams, catapults, and other machines born of this race’s military genius are unique works. The mere presence of one of these wondrous machines along with a platoon of fully armored dwarven soldiers is enough to make even the most hardened defenders consider surrender.

often proves their last one. These small fighters’ tricks can put any enemy on its knees, forcing it to regret the inaccuracy of its judgment. Humans: The sheer desire burning in the human heart is a powerful driving force when it comes to war, so many humans choose the way of the fighter out of ambition or greed. Still, whether they pursue a noble end or fight only for their own sake, human fighters are capable and adaptable combatants. Their many trials have taught them to constantly strive to improve their position, and they often develop a reputation as awesome or fearless fighters. In a world ruled by violence, a human choosing the fighter’s path has a good chance to stand out of the crowd and attain true greatness. Humans can adapt so quickly to different situations that they can readily make good use of any available weapon or armor. Human armies are usually made of many different cadres, from common corps such as infantry and cavalry to more exotic ones such as crossbowmen and artillery. In addition, their ingenuity has often led humans to craft painfully effective tools of death. Human fighters learn from their mistakes and, if circumstances allow it, they can put aside their anger and bias, unlike many other races that are chronically unable to do so. To a human fighter, yesterday’s enemy might be tomorrow’s ally, either because of an unexpected military accord or simply because an unsuspected friendship has blossomed. Tieflings: Ominous, merciless, uncaring, or downright cruel, tiefling fighters can chill their foes’ blood. Infernal fire flows in their veins like a raging lava river. Tiefling fighters are passionate and wrathful: They can launch savage assaults that leave their foes gasping for air, equally terrified by their display of skill and their diabolical features. Although they do not boast a proper military tradition, tieflings have learned they have to fight to survive, making the most of all their skills, and developing fighting techniques more effective than artful. There is little room for concepts like truce or mercy in the tiefling dueling style. Such displays of weakness are unfit for those whose ancestors forsook their humanity in order to attain true power. Looked down on by most civilized races, tiefling fighters are the embodiment of the horrors of war. They consider the cruelest strategies and the most hideous techniques if victory so demands; to put it simply, to a tiefling, the end justifies the means. Tiefling weapons and armors are often branded with infernal symbols calling back to the hellish realm and the monstrosities who live there. Even when these armaments are not actually graced with infernal power, their insignia can easily demoralize the enemy. To a tiefling fighter, combat is much like the rest of life: Every scar is a bitter lesson and every fallen enemy is one more step on the climb to victory.


ing all their weapons’ properties, and they can just as easily use the battlefield to their own advantage, pushing their foes onto difficult areas that they can cross without a problem. Their speed also makes up for the penalties they suffer from heavy armor; when even one square allows you to gain a better position, this benefit can make all the difference. Anyway, elves tend to favor suits of armor that allow them to make good use of their high Dexterity bonuses, as most of them can rely on this innate high ability. Half-elves: Half-elves are displaced travelers who absorb and study other cultures’ traditions, trying to extrapolate the best elements without adopting them in their entirety. Half-elven fighters also benefit from this racial custom when it comes to choosing their fighting styles. Their innate empathy is a great asset in any battle, as it allows them to anticipate their foes’ actions and to react at peak efficiency. They learn to use different weapons and armor, selecting the best equipment for each task and fighting proficiently with steel armor or a light leather jacket. Half-elven fighters know better than anyone else their companion’s necessities, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the party as a whole. This discernment is very helpful in their role as defenders, as it instinctively drives them fit their strategy to the situation at hand. A half-elf’s innate optimism and open mind lead him to achieve extraordinary exploits, either in a melee or in other situations. His presence and diplomatic skills allow him to touch a responsive chord among the elite and the commoners alike, quickly making him everyone’s invaluable ally. Halflings: Although they are not a race of fullfledged warriors, halflings can count a number of valiant fighters among their ranks. Halflings maintain their spontaneous and quick-witted nature even in combat situations. Their uncanny wits, reduced size and innate agility make them excellent guardian fighters. In addition, their undisputed mobility, along with a good knowledge of the wild and their inquisitive nature, ensure them a special place in militias and regular units as scouts and foragers. Halflings are versatile fighters; their preference for light armor is a given, as is their inability to use larger weapons, but they make up for these disadvantages with their tactical wisdom. They can always come up with a simple and effective strategy, turning an enemy’s (especially a bigger enemy’s) strong points against it. Most halflings do not like superfluous acts of violence and prefer to demonstrate their martial superiority through powers that confound or humiliate their foes, forcing them to fight in disadvantageous conditions. Many combatants underestimate halfling fighters because of their small size, but this mistake

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FIGHTERS AND OTHER CLASSES


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No fighter could vanquish the perils of an adventure by himself. Strong and resilient as he might be, he will always need trustworthy allies to help him and companions that can sustain him when his considerable resources begin to run dry. A fighter can interact in many ways with the rest of the party, especially with members of certain classes; still, a few recurring themes can help you to roleplay a fighter character and to flesh out his interactions with his companions. Cleric: The cleric is one of the fighter’s best allies. Not only she is a trusted companion in a melee, her prayers can ensure many different benefits, remove harmful conditions, and neutralize many enemy attacks. In addition, a cleric’s stamina allows the fighter not to worry too much about her well being, at least for a few rounds. Whereas clerics rely upon their divine patron’s might, fighters tend to rely on their own abilities, but the latter are wise enough not to easily dismiss a god’s favor. A fighter can simply acknowledge a cleric’s might, but, especially if they worship the same god, the fighter may hold his clerical companion in awe. Paladin: A fighter does not fully understand a paladin’s holy fervor. He does not doubt a paladin’s martial prowess and considers him a powerful and trusted ally, but at the same time he dislikes the moralization a paladin always appends to the practical business of war. Regardless, when the need arises, a fighter knows he can count on the paladin to provide protection and to hold the line against incoming foes. It hardly matters whether an enemy falls under a blade’s sheer force or under a sword filled with divine might; what matters is that the paladin stands at the fighter’s side without faltering. Ranger: A fighter is always ready to fight alongside a ranger, whose tenacity and mobility are seen as invaluable assets. Much like a rogue, a ranger is a good partner in combat. She can provide cover from behind with a volley of arrows, or stand at the fighter’s side wielding her twin blades, ready to strike an unprotected spot in the enemy’s defense. A fighter can rarely understand a ranger’s love for nature and wilderness, as he favors more civilized places filled with opportunities and profit. These diverging points of view can produce misunderstandings, and more than one fighter considers rangers lonely wanderers with a shady reputation. Still, those fighters who are not deceived by appearances, discover that a ranger can be a faithful and silent ally, a shadow who suddenly springs out, strikes at her foes, and quickly eludes their counterattacks.

Rogue: Fighters usually scorn those who resort to tricks and deceptions to defeat their foes; still, they must admit the utility of a rogue’s exploits. When a fighter learns to fight alongside one of these nimble strikers, the resulting duo is a deadly combination few enemies can withstand. Rogues and fighters are usually complementary outside combat as well. They often have many common goals in their adventures, and equally share dangers and rewards (at least as long as the rogue does not try to cheat the fighter). A fighter and rogue’s friendship usually springs out of their penchant for action, rather than actual respect. Fighters tend to see rogues as con men making a living out of lies, while rogues can hardly understand the discipline and dedication that seem so important to fighters. Warlock: If magic can scare a fighter off, a warlock’s pact leaves him aghast. Although a few might appreciate a warlock’s willpower and courage, most fighters think warlocks are doomed, deluded fools: What sense is there in selling your soul just to get a fleeting morsel of power? A warlock’s spells are at worst frightening to a fighter’s eyes, and at best unsettling. Although a fighter and a warlock might forge a lasting friendship, doubts and suspicions always gnaw at these relationships. Warlord: A fighter can gain huge benefits from a warlord’s presence in the party. A warlord can grant him important benefits even in the most tense and crucial moment and can coordinate a fighter’s attack, skillfully directing him to make the most out of every blow. A fighter and a warlord are usually bound by a strong mutual esteem: When a warlord lacks the necessary strength to keep fighting, the fighter comes to his side; when the fighter is in a dire situation, it’s up to the warlord to bolster his resolve and to push him beyond his limits. Wizard: A fighter’s take on magic is controversial. Some fighters are awed and cowed by magic, others hate it without reason and see it as a plague to be crushed. Similarly, a fighter’s interactions with a wizard may vary greatly. Wizards, at least from a fighter’s point of view, are totally devoid of common sense and are perpetually lost in their dissertations about nature, strange phenomena and invisible or ethereal entities. Their hard studies often keep them away from mundane reality, and many wizards neglect everything outside their field of study. Of course there are exceptions, but generally a fighter tends to blame magic users for their lack of common sense. Curiously enough, the few friendships involving a fighter and a wizard focus on their differences: each one is intrigued by what the other symbolizes.

A FIGHTER’S ORIGINS

How to read the origins The available origins for a fighter are presented in the following format. Overview: A cursory look at a typical representative of the origin. Adventures: A fighter’s motivations and the goals which have put him on the adventurer’s path. Roleplaying: Roleplaying guidelines about this origin, the typical personality traits of a fighter hailing from it, and his possible interactions with his adventuring companions. Races: The best races matching the chosen origin, and how to customize other races so that they might apply as well. Suggested build options: The recommended builds a player can keep in mind when developing his character. The suggested build options are much like those featured in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Each suggested build also includes the best powers, feats and skills to acquire for that specific build.

Suggested paragon paths: The paragon paths most suited for a fighter coming from the origin. Benefit: Each origin includes some special benefits. They usually consist in adding a skill to the class skills list, a skill check bonus or a new language known. These rules need to be approved by the GM, but they give a character more depth without making the game unbalanced.

Armorer

Who can know weapons and suits of armor better than those who forge them out of raw metal and scorching fire? An armorer is a true expert when it comes to equipment: He can easily assess a suit of armor’s sturdiness, a shield’s strength, or the technique used to forge cold iron. Many armorers learn the basics of the military arts as they fulfill their duties, hanging around militia soldiers, mercenaries and veterans, and always trying to keep their equipment at peak efficiency. As they follow their armies into battle, these brave craftsmen learn to withstand overwhelming odds, and, when the need arises, to defend themselves from enemy attacks. These martial armorers are an invaluable resource for merchants, battle commanders and rulers alike, especially in time of war. Adventures: An armorer fighter might have just completed his training and left his home town, hoping to find a profitable job in a large city or to join a warring party. Or perhaps he intends to become an adventurer because he thinks it will be the only way to gain the sum needed to start his own business, or to recover lost magic items once wielded by legendary heroes. Roleplaying: Fighters with an armorer’s origins are efficient and down-to-earth people. They rarely stand back when it is time to get busy. They know the importance of spending an adequate amount of time and effort to attain a goal, whatever it might be. They rarely shun material wealth, as they know they will need it to further improve their work. Among all fighters, armorers are the most open-minded and friendly, as they learn from their trade to successfully deal with all types of people. Races: Many dwarven fighters hail from the ranks of armorers, but they are not certainly the only ones. Eladrin and dragonborn also value the creation of good martial tools; while the former are keepers of uncanny crafting techniques appreciated by fighters and aesthetes alike, the latter focus on durability and efficiency. The ranks of human fighters also include many armorers; although they rarely match the skill displayed by the weaponsmiths of other races, their inquisitiveness may allow them to forge effective and innovative armors.


A fighter is not just a weapon expert. More than anything else, he is the result of a history filled with too much violence and pain. A proper background is important to define what type of fighter your character is going to be: Did he learn to wield a weapon to protect his land from invaders? Or maybe he grew among a band of outlaws haunting the woods? Is he the secondborn in a noble family, or a humble slave who won his freedom fighting in the arena? You can choose your origins only at your character’s creation: Different origins are often in tune with a certain building option for your character. Origins are a new feature, introduced in this series of books, and they provide a set of useful templates defining your character’s nature, past experiences and deepest motivations. They include an essential background and a few guidelines on how to roleplay a certain type of hero, and they also grant a few benefits. Origins are not a way to gain one more bonus, but rather an encouragement to make a deeper connection with your character’s history. Each set of origins also includes the most suitable building options, either those included in D&D 4E Player’s Handbook or featured for the first time in this chapter’s final section. The following origins are specifically designed for fighters, but with a few modifications they might also be applied to other character classes. In addition, they are not an exhaustive list: players can easily create their own origins (with the GM’s collaboration and approval, of course), using the ones featured in The Quintessential Fighter as models. Of course, only one set of origins can be chosen for each character.

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Suggested build options: Armorer fighters usually opt for the exotic fighter build option (see below) when they focus on the creation of fearsome and deadly weapons, or for the guardian fighter build option when they focus on the crafting of impenetrable armors. Suggested paragon paths: Armorer fighters can freely follow any paragon path. In their early years, many tunnel defenders (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path) worked as apprentices under the guidance of another experienced armorer. Benefit: An armorer can build weapons and armor, if he has the necessary tools and raw materials to do so. It takes two days of work for each 10 gp of a weapon’s basic price, and four days for a suit armor. Such a weapon or armor’s cost is reduced by one third of its usual market price. This benefit does not allow the armorer to craft magic items, unless he knows all required rituals.


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Mercenary

A mercenary fighter does not follow a cause of his own: Fighting is just his job, what he does for a living. Soldiers of fortune, bodyguards, veterans and bounty hunters are typical warriors hailing from a mercenary’s origins, as they learned at an early age how to deal with military structures. They have at least learned a few basic rules of the camp and the battlefield, and know how to obey an order–if only to get their payment. Thus, they tend to keep their word and fulfill their duties, and to work as a group when the need arises. Whether they follow the orders of a superior or act autonomously, mercenaries know they have to look reliable and strive to keep a stern and cold countenance. They know their job implies considerable risks, thus they try to carefully estimate a potential task from all possible angles. Mercenaries can use any weapon or armor with equal skill: Personal preferences aside, they always try to be fully equipped and prepared for any need. Adventures: Even those who fight for money can be heroes: They just make sure they become very famous for accomplishing the task they were assigned. Virtually any mission can become an exciting adventure, and the constant search for new patrons willing to pay for a mercenary’s services is a GM’s best friend and ensures that the fighter will always be in the thick of the action. Roleplaying: A mercenary fighter does not live to fight, he fights to live. He always examines all factors that might affect the course of a battle and (unless forced to do otherwise) he only gets involved if he thinks he will survive and emerge victorious. This attitude might be an innate outlook, but more often it is the result of long years of training and harsh experience. Races: Mercenary fighters are the pride of many armies. Races that boast a longstanding military

tradition feature competent authorities and suitable structures to encourage their people to follow this path. Dragonborn mercenaries are known for their experience and their unflinching bravery; dwarven foot soldiers form elite units and are formidably equipped. Even halfling outriders and elven archers combine their typical guerrilla tactics with a careful application of military strategies. Suggested build options: Except perhaps the brutal fighter and the transcendent fighter build options (see below), a mercenary can follow any build option he likes. Suggested paragon paths: A fighter with mercenary origins often chooses the arena idol or the champion of honor paragon paths (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). The tunnel defender and the dragonborn myrmidon (for those fighters who belong to the respective races) are equally viable paragon paths. Benefit: A mercenary gains a +1 bonus to all initiative checks and to all saving throws against fear.

Noble

Weapons, armors, mounts and hosts of followers are obviously not meant for everyone; thus, even in a fantasy world, it does not come as a surprise that the art of war and nobility often walk side by side. Cadets in a noble house, eladrin knights serving a noble ghaele and flamboyant duelists all share these origins and have learned the art of combat from the best mentors. A noble fighter’s youth is not too different or more pleasant than his colleagues’: A usurper’s ambition might turn out to be as deadly as a raiding goblin band, and more than one noble scion has lost his life in the struggle for political power. Adventures: Whether he leaves to take back a title stolen from him or to prove his worth, fights for a personal reason or to defend his subjects, a noble fighter can have many reasons to become an adventurer. In order to heed the call of his restless spirit, he might appoint one or more delegates to take care of the daily responsibilities he has inherited, such as collecting taxes or manage a fief. Roleplaying: Noble fighters usually look for adventure to feel alive. They hate the daily routine of their obligations and eagerly await for any opportunity to test what they have learned in wars, duels, contests and hunting parties. Noble fighters have no favorite weapon or armor: Some nobles tend to wear heavy ceremonial armors, while others prefer lavish jackets reinforced in leather. They rarely use ranged weapons, as they consider them a coward’s choice and tend to adhere to the iconography and the traditions of their house, demanding the use of melee weapons. Among fighters, they are often the most proficient in the lance or the light blade. A noble fighter can be a ruthless diplomat and ruler,

develops good stamina in order to survive the rigors of a wild life, always on the run from his pursuers. She is better at fighting than at lying, so she does not have the necessary skill to maintain a second identity she could use to hide and elude capture. Her prowess in battle, on the other hand, easily attracts followers and sympathizers sharing her ideals. Adventures: An outlaw’s cause –if she even has one– can be her motivation to become an adventurer. To obtain the resources required to face her enemies, the evidence to clear her name or to unravel the plot that drove her to banditry are all good examples of a good-aligned outlaw’s motivations. On the other hand, preying on tax convoys, planning kidnappings and murders for hire are tasks not above an outlaw without scruples. Even a simple goal like fleeing the place where she is wanted might be sufficient reason to take part in the adventures that fate sends her way.


as he knows very well that words can be weapons as effective as a sword. Still, he often makes sure that their speeches are followed by a show of force. Such fighters are proud and aloof, and tend to judge others by their rank, by the size of their holdings or by the number of troops they can summon. Races: The above guidelines certainly apply to human, dwarven, and eladrin fighters, races that feature a stable social structure and firmly believe in the sacred values of lineage and dynasties. Elven and half-elven fighters, while staying faithful to ancient traditions, are usually moved by a greater individualism; they do not care as much for the formal rules so typical of these origins. The same applies to halfling fighters, as they are a race that dislikes any form of hereditary authority–if not authority in general. Dragonborn civilization, on the other hand, closely follows the military model and holds a dynasty’s purity in great esteem. Nonetheless, members of this fierce race know very well that each individual must be judged by their own actions above all else. Thus, they tend to be more severe with those who are born into power, expecting them to live up to the legacy of their ancestors. Tieflings have a restless relationship with aristocracy; as heirs of a powerful but forgotten empire, they usually belong to decadent martial houses, and seek to regain the influence and power their predecessors could not hold. Suggested build options: Fighters with noble origins are usually guardian fighters or mounted fighters (see below); they are wary in combat, and prefer to avoid being hit, rather than to deal massive damage. Suggested paragon paths: Noble fighters are particularly suited to follow the knight errant’s, the fusilier’s or the ultimate duelist’s paragon paths (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). They become a paramount of physical prowess and moral rectitude to those around them, brothers in arms, rivals, and underlings alike. Benefit: You add Diplomacy and History to your class skill list, and you gain a +1 bonus to Diplomacy checks and History checks.

Claudio Casini

Outlaw

Out of choice or necessity, some fighters end up wielding their weapons for illegal purposes. Still, this does not necessarily mean their moral choices are despicable or condemnable. An outlaw might be the people’s hero, if she fights to overthrow a tyrannical and unjust ruler; on the other hand, if she is a murderer and a raider, everybody will hate or fear her. An outlaw is always ready to act and often An outlaw lurks in the shadows for his prey.

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Roleplaying: A fighter with an outlaw’s origins is always restless and distrustful. She suspects everyone and often behaves as if her pursuers were right at her heels. Paranoia can also be an advantage, as it allows the fighter to readily react to any danger and to survive, but in the long run, it will hinder her rather than help her. After all, what future can she expect if she does not trust even the people closest to her? If you choose an outlaw’s origins for your fighter, you should always highlight this inner tension and make these dire straits clear. Outlaws usually prefer light weapons and suits armor, as mobility is a vital factor to them. They use a lot of disguises (from the simplest to the most elaborate) and they are not above resorting to a ranged weapon or to tools such as poisons and traps that might give them an effective if shady edge in a battle. Races: Humans, halflings and especially tieflings can be excellent outlaw fighters. Dwarves and dragonborn, who put honor above all else, despise those combatants who use tricks and deceptions in a fight; thus, only the worst elements of these societies fall into this category. Elves and eladrin rarely become outlaw fighters, unless they live in a place where they are an oppressed minority or have a good reason to openly fight the will of the elders; on these rare occasions, they form armed parties and become fearless and elusive rebels. Suggested build options: An outlaw’s best friends are the ability to deal fast blows and the ability to ambush her foes, if necessary also using bows or crossbows. Thus, her best build options are the assault fighter and the ranged fighter (see below), which enhance these particular techniques. Suggested paragon paths: An outlaw fighter’s most obvious choices are the battle commando and the ultimate duelist paragon paths (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). Benefit: You add Perception and Stealth to your class skill list, and you gain a +1 bonus to Perception checks and Stealth checks.

Predestined

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destiny. Some fighters answer that call with energy and passion, and embrace a life of glorious triumphs and deadly dangers. Other more pensive fighters are more resigned and believe they cannot change what fate, the gods, or chance have in store for them. A predestined fighter might be the hero mentioned in an ancient prophecy, or the protagonist of a darker and more tragic tale. As for their training, they could be gifted self-taught fighters or cadets trained by a mentor in the ways of war; in any case, a predestined fighter always believes that what he has learned so far will be instrumental to fulfilling his destiny. Adventures: A predestined fighter needs no further incentive to become an adventurer: his very existence is one big quest to achieve fame or another apparently unobtainable goal, noble or vile as it might be. Among all fighters, predestined ones are those who look most actively for challenges. They can be moved by ambition, bravery or recklessness, but they long to face terrible threats and foes without ever giving up or fearing defeat. Roleplaying: A predestined fighter of any social background stands out from his peers because of his evident aura of innate superiority. He knows he is

Roberto Pitturru

Sometimes there is no conscious choice leading a character to become a fighter. Some say it was the sword that chose the arm that wields it: the arm of a predestined fighter. Whether he is the descendant of a great hero of old or a humble figure grown in a remote land, a predestined fighter can feel that he has a greater purpose in life and heeds the call to fulfill that

Sometimes, a fighter’s fate manifests through a random discovery.

Recruit

Much like a mercenary fighter, the recruit has to face the art of war’s difficulties on a daily basis; unlike a mercenary, however, a recruit had little choice in the matter. Perhaps his king decreed all able-bodied commoners had to enlist in order to fight an unexpected threat, or perhaps the town council deemed it necessary to enlist the citizenry to support a campaign against their rivals. Whatever reasons led her to join the army, the recruit was plunged into a world she did not know and had to strive to stay healthy and maintain her grip on morality. A recruit need not necessarily be a rookie: This type of fighter rather represents a character’s vague feeling of inadequacy and awe in the face of war. A fighter of these origins tends to display a less professional attitude in combat situations, but also shows a deeper sense of humanity, care and longing that separates her from a callous professional soldier. A recruit has received basic training in the use of weapons and armor; she usually is more skilled with spears and bows, as these are the typical weapons assigned to conscripts.

Adventures: A fighter hailing from this background rarely becomes an adventurer just for love of excitement. The trials and tribulations she had to endure during her training have left a permanent scar on her, branding her soul with pain and loss. Many recruits emerge from their training abruptly changed, torn between the hardships of their crucible and the impossible need to return to their previous peaceful lives. Sometimes, adventuring is an easy way out of this conflict. Roleplaying: Recruits tend to live day by day: They were forced to forget all their certainties when they left the safety of their city walls, and they know that an adventurous life can lead to an untimely death. Some recruits become disillusioned and pessimistic; others, gifted with a more cheerful streak, eagerly face their challenges so that they might shed their reputation as rookies. Unlike a mercenary, a recruit tries to maintain a solid relationship with non-combatants as well; she likes to deal with normal people, often more than she does other professional soldiers. Indeed, she tends to distrust those who judge their worth by their skill with a weapon or their leadership abilities. Races: All cultures, in the darkest hours of their histories, have been forced to rely on every available warrior, enlisting their youths and sending them off to war. In certain races, such as dragonborn, dwarves, or eladrin, serving under the banner of a ruler, taking up arms and even sacrificing your own life for the common good is seen as a privilege. Militias are a recurring reality in human communities as well, although their ranks are often swollen with sullen, frightened and unwilling militias and are treated accordingly by their officers. Halflings and elves enlist additional forces only when their communities must face a serious crisis. Tieflings and halfelves, on the other hand, rarely understand the need for this sacrifice and make little use of amateur soldiers. Suggested build options: Fighters with the recruit origins feel safe when they can wield a sturdy shield and those weapons they are more familiar with; thus, they often opt for the guardian fighter or ranged fighter build options (see below). Suggested paragon paths: The dragonborn myrmidon, eladrin blade, and tunnel defender (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path) are excellent paragon paths for a fighter with these origins, as many recruits are initiated to warcraft precisely to defend their own lands. Benefit: You add Insight and Perception to your class skill list, and you gain a +1 bonus to Insight checks and Perception checks.


destined to greatness, tends to have a high opinion of himself and considers his role crucial in the outcome of events. This does not mean that a predestined fighter looks down on his companions, only that he tends to act dramatically, as if his every action determined the fate of many. A predestined fighter can use any type of equipment, but to him, his weapons will always be instruments of fate rather than mundane items. Races: Each race has their own view on fate, according to their traditions and customs. Eladrin and elves, for instance, think that their fate is deeply entwined with the faerie land’s pattern, and that they are but delicate leaves hanging from an invisible and majestic branch. Dwarves and dragonborn look at their lives through a lens of pride and fatalism, dreaming to attain an exalted goal and look back at their past as a model example. Tieflings at turns fear and covet the dark destinies they see for themselves. Only human and halflings, among all races, have a more open vision of the future and actively work to improve their condition, always trying to bend destiny to their will. Suggested build options: Fighters with predestined origins can choose any build option they like; if they like to highlight their mysterious and otherworldly approach to combat, their best choice is doubtlessly the transcendent fighter build option (see below). Suggested paragon paths: Predestined fighters can follow any paragon path, as long as it leads them towards the destiny that fate has chosen for them. The most determined and inspired fighters opt for the warrior avatar and the pilgrim fighter paragon paths (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). Benefit: Once per day, you can reroll one saving throw you have just failed.

Slave

A character with these origins was either taken prisoner or born into slavery. Gladiators, brutes subdued by powerful lord commanders, or shock troops used as cannon fodder in an army’s front line are good examples of slave fighters. To these fighters, combat is a simple matter of

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life and death. Their very lives belong (or used to belong) to a master, usually a despotic one who never cared about their safety. Slave fighters are suspicious or downright hostile to strangers, as they always fear being subjected to new humiliations and abuses. Some rise above their station, becoming virtuous and fearless in the face of hardship. Others only care about regaining or maintaining their beloved freedom, no matter who gets hurt in the process, or perhaps about vengeance against their masters. Slave fighters may lack traditional training, but they fight with fierce determination and without caring about extreme consequences, because they know too well the consequences of failure. Slave fighters do not rely too much on equipment: They have learned to defend themselves with what they have, and to attack with crude and improvised weapons; some of them, especially gladiators, have learned to fight with their bare hands or have become proficient with rare and exotic weapons. Adventures: Slaves can regain their freedom in two ways: Their master can grant them freedom, or they can escape where he will not be able to reach them. Both options are excellent reasons to become adventurers. In addition, a slave fighter might want to exact revenge on those who imprisoned him, or even become a liberator bent on saving other innocents from the fate he had to endure. Roleplaying: Whatever his motivations might be, a slave fighter is a combination of might and fury. Attaining great strength and outstanding physical prowess is his main concern; all other considerations –technique, equipment, allies– come second. Even the most loyal slave fighter is often torn by suspicion and cynicism. In time, he would like to be able to trust others, but he also fears he could be betrayed and imprisoned again. Some slave fighters can never recover from this abiding fear. Races: Unfortunately, few races have completely left behind the gruesome practice of slavery, either as victims or as slavers. Only elves, eladrin and halflings explicitly condemn this practice, as to these races individual freedom is the greatest good. In many human cultures, on the other hand, slavery is not only tolerated, it is considered a fundamental source of income. Dwarves may approve certain forms of slavery, but they would never let prisoners fight for them. Even a dragonborn that lost his honor might find himself under the yoke of slavery, but when she is the one holding the chain, she tries to show at least some respect even to the humblest of her servants. Among tieflings, though, slave fighters are a common resource, mere tools in the hands of powerful devils. Suggested build options: Slave fighters, especially those fighting in the arenas, are used to fight unarmed, or armed with unusual and devastating weapons. Their favored build options are the brutal fighter and the exotic fighter (see below). Suggested paragon paths: Fighters with the slave origins favor the paragon path that allows them to make

the most of their inner fury: the arena idol (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). Others, though, put to good use their experience in the army and choose the champion of honor path, serving a more generous and nobler patron. Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Endurance and Streetwise checks.

Specialist

Some fighters stand out from their peers because of their specific proficiencies or their peculiar role in a fighting force: a sniper, a halberdier, an artillerist, and a flayer armed with a spiked chain are all examples of specialists. A fighter with these origins has spent his life training in the use of an unusual weapon or to perform exploits impossible for most combatants. A specialist is a determined hero, but he is not a versatile combatant; he can never stray too far from the field of action he chose to specialize in, or from the goal he hopes to attain. A specialist’s origins have a few common points with the mercenary, but there are also many differences: Whereas the former has turned war into a job and into his recurring lifestyle, the latter seeks to further perfect his own skills and martial discipline with little care for profit or military organizations. Whatever the focus of his specialization, a specialist fighter can expect to be widely sought after, and well paid, by those who require his peculiar skills. Adventures: To a specialist, fighting is more than a job, it is an art form. His driving ambition is to become the ultimate wielder of a specific weapon. A fine reputation and a display of unmistakable skills ensure that the specialist will never run out of missions, as wealthy patrons and lord commanders seek his services. Roleplaying: A specialist fighter is ready to do anything to reach the peak of his proficiency, and avoids wasting his time with missions unrelated to his goals. He feels fulfilled only when he can show his superiority, either in using his favored weapon or in deploying an otherwise untenable strategy. A specialist is usually very focused on his role and tends to use more than his share of jargon to emphasize the importance of his skills; at his most extreme and pedantic, he may seem to speak an entirely different language! Races: Every culture has their specialist fighters. While human combatants with these origins are usually foot soldiers or cavalry focused on a specific category of weapons (such as fusiliers, halberdiers, and so on), other races tend to define broader categories, based on more unusual criteria, such as the ability to face many foes at once, the ability to penetrate enemy defenses or to engage a foe on a difficult terrain. Dragonborn fighters count many soldiers specialized in two-handed heavy blades; these specialists are meant to cut off enemy polearms to clear the way for cavalry and conventional forces. These weapons’ weight and size ensure that only the most powerful and feared infantry will be able to use–namely, the dragonborn infantry.

Survivor

War always brings death and destruction. Legions of nameless humans die every day for the whims of the mighty; peaceful settlements are razed to the ground because of their strategic position; entire families are exterminated as an example or to avoid future reprisals. A survivor has become a fighter because of a tragic event that has upset his entire life. Maybe he lived on a peaceful farm or in a prosperous trade city, but war has left its mark on him and exterminated his loved ones. The survivor lost all he held dear: family, friends, and properties are now only dim memories to him, a void he filled only with the cold steel of a weapon. The survivor was victorious where others fell: His self-preservation instinct has made an accomplished fighter out of him. Adventures: A character with these origins needs no important motivation to become an adventurer: to wander and to fight is just what he has always done. His self-preservation instinct was helpful in the past and he relies on it time and again even now. He often accepts dangerous or forbidding missions without caring about danger. Either he is so sure of his own abilities that he seems almost immortal, or he is seeking a challenge great enough to give him the death he feels guilty about avoiding before. Roleplaying: A survivor fighter is an aloof figure. He does not like bonds, or if he wishes he had some, the fear of his past traumatic experiences prevents him from forming new ones. If he is evil, he sees any bond as an unpleasant limitation; if his soul is good, he does not want people around him to take risks on his account. A survivor fighter is usually a lone wolf, a disillusioned figure who hesitates to embrace any cause or ideal; it takes only one moment to die, and no abstract concept can justify this sacrifice. He also knows that violence might take all he cares away from him any time, so he has learned to suppress his feelings about everything; sometimes, he seems not to care even about his own life. Races: All races have their war orphans; still, these origins are quite unusual for eladrin, elves, and dwarves,

as these cultures encourage charity and mutual support to their most unfortunate. Among humans, half-elves, and halflings, though, these origins are quite common. Halflings who lost everything because of war usually react with a fierce desire for vengeance, although the pain they have endured may dissuade them from taking up arms when it is not necessary. Dragonborn survivors, on the other hand, believe they are veritable pariahs and leave their homes looking for a chance to redeem themselves, as if staying alive when their loved ones fell were some sort of shame. Suggested build options: A survivor fighter can follow any path and runs the gamut of all the available combat techniques and fighting styles. He can choose any build option available, without any particular preference. Suggested paragon paths: Survivor fighters can follow any paragon path they like. Benefit: When a survivor fighter is dying, he must fail his saving throw against death four times before he dies.

Wanderer

Not all combatants wish to settle down and establish a place of their own, or to defend the one they have already found. Some fighters feel the urge to keep moving, either to avoid the dangers of their past, or to learn new exploits from the fighters of a distant land. These wanderers like to travel more than anything else, perhaps leaving a trail of legends behind them detailing their glorious deeds. Whether they are indomitable spirits, persecuted fugitives, or traveling duelists, all wanderers put freedom above everything else. Perhaps they flee the horrors of past conflicts, or maybe it is their presence that brings war to any land they visit. They can be eccentric and vain, or generous souls driven by a noble purpose. Although wanderers need not be lovers of the wilderness and natural environments, they prefer open spaces instead of the cramped alleys of a settlement or a dungeon, and they learn valuable survival skills in the course of their travels. Adventures: To a wanderer, the call to adventure is like a second heart beating in his chest. To explore forgotten ruins, to chart undiscovered lands, or to hunt down elusive enemies–all are excellent adventuring opportunities. To a wanderer, the journey itself is often more important than the intended destination. Roleplaying: Wanderers can be social and likeable people, if their journeys have led them in lands populated by benevolent and open-minded cultures, or they can be elusive and proud, if they have experienced firsthand the effects of intolerance and bias. They know the customs of many distant lands and have seen creatures that are the stuff of legends to many common people; such an amount of exotic lore undeniably contributes to their mysterious charm. Wanderers rely mostly on their agility, willpower, and endurance, rather than on armor or a large weapon.


Suggested build options: Specialist fighters are well represented by the great weapon fighter, exotic fighter, heavy throwing fighter, and mounted fighter build options (see below). Suggested paragon paths: Specialist fighters usually follow those paragon paths that allow them to excel in the use of their favorite weapon or in melee combat, such as the eladrin blade, fusilier, infallible thrower, lord of chains or whirlwind dervish paragon paths (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). Benefit: You must select a weapon your fighter is specialized in, such as a short sword or a spear. Once per day, you can reroll an attack roll you have just made with that weapon before the results are announced. You must use the second result, even if it’s lower.

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Races: Half-elven and halfling fighters often hail from these origins; their traditions hold individual freedom in high esteem, and encourage all fighters to free themselves from society and any standing authority. Humans are social beings and tend to seek the company of their kin; thus, except a few rare cases, they do not remain alone for a long time. Dwarves consider the life of a wanderer an undignified choice, a waste of time and energies. Tieflings, eladrin, and elves, on the other hands, often share a strong bond with the wilderness and the open road, and their personal stories often begin with these origins.

Suggested build options: The mounted fighter and ranged fighter (see below) are the most suitable build options for a wanderer. Suggested paragon paths: Wanderers prefer those paragon paths that allow them to move as freely as possible in and out of combat. A wanderer may become a knight errant or a whirlwind dervish, others choose the ultimate duelist paragon path (see Chapter 3: A Fighter’s Path). Benefit: You learn an additional language of your choice, add Nature to your class skill list, and gain a +1 bonus to Nature checks.

NEW BUILD OPTIONS Chapter 1: A Fighter's Role

While origins define a character’s background and help the player to better play his role, build options are technical combinations that allow you to build a competitive fighter. This section features many additional build options along the guardian fighter and the great weapon fighter builds featured in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. As usual, these builds are not meant to be used as a restriction and should not be a burden for a player designing his 1st level fighter. Indeed, they are only meant to provide guidelines to make a coherent and productive selection and flesh out an original character, featuring focused traits that enable him to be the best at what he does. A † symbol refers to a new feat described in Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat; an asterisk (*) refers to a new exploit described in Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power.

Assault Fighter

An assault fighter wants to be agile when he moves on the battlefield. Although he remains a defender because of his class features and a high number of hit points, he avoids heavy armor in order to maintain a good mobility and to easily reach the heart of the action. An assault fighter usually wields a heavy blade, a spear, or a flail, and makes up for his light armor with a heavy shield. Strength and Dexterity are his most important abilities. His most useful powers are those that maximize his attacks’ damage. Suggested feat: Defensive Mobility (Human feat: Action Surge) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Heal Suggested at-will powers: merciless wound*, tide of iron Suggested encounter power: passing attack Suggested daily power: villain’s menace

Brutal Fighter

This type of fighter fights bare-handed to deal damage, immobilize, and stun her foes. She avoids heavy

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weapons and armor so that she won’t receive any penalty to speed and skill checks. A high Strength score is vital to grapple enemies, while a good Constitution or Dexterity score allows her to better withstand enemy attacks or to dodge them entirely. When she selects her powers, a brutal fighter should focus on those that have unarmed attack as a requirement. Suggested feat: Brutal Brawl† (Human feat: Powerful Charge) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate Suggested at-will brute’s iron fist*, cleave Suggested encounter power: bear’s tenacious grab* Suggested daily power: brute strike

Exotic Fighter

Capable of unique exploits, the exotic fighters wields rare or unusual weapons in combat, in order to penetrate any defense and to deal massive damage to his enemies. Whether he wields a specific race’s weapon or not, he favors superior weapons emphasizing special properties (such as a high crit weapon or a reach weapon), possibly two-handed ones. His choice of armor is not as important, and can be left to personal taste. Strength should be his best ability score, along with those abilities associated with his selected weapon. An exotic fighter chooses powers that are most effective with his superior weapon, or focus on similar benefits. Suggested feat: Weapon Proficiency (any superior) (Human feat: Weapon Focus) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: cleave, reaping strike Suggested encounter power: man-at-arms’ fearsome strike* Suggested daily power: brute strike

Heavy Throwing Fighter

A heavy throwing fighter knows he is his adventuring party’s first line of defense, but he also knows that he cannot be everywhere at once; thus, when he cannot

engage an advancing enemy in a melee, he must still stop it somehow. When he chooses his equipment, he favors all weapons with the heavy thrown property, such as axes and throwing hammers, and he always keeps a second weapon close at hand, to replace the first he has thrown. Strength remains his most important ability score, and Constitution comes second, as it is vital to obtain those feats that improve his favorite weapons’ effectiveness. A heavy throwing fighter chooses powers that will be useful both in melee and ranged combat, favoring those exploits that make the most use of axes and throwing hammers. Suggested feat: Still Hand† (Human feat: Far Throw) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: cleave, sure strike Suggested encounter power: dazing blow* Suggested daily power: brute strike

Andrea Longhi

Mounted Fighter

Although a mounted fighter cannot always fight while mounted, most of her tactics are nonetheless focused on the presence of her trusty steed. A mounted fighter can choose a one-handed weapon, a shield and a heavy armor, as she does not need to worry about speed penalties. In addition to a high Strength score, she needs good Wis-

dom and Dexterity scores as well. Of course, her powers will include those that require the use of a mount. Suggested feat: Mounted Combat (Human feat: Defensive Mobility) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Heal Suggested at-will powers: cleave,mounted rush strike* Suggested encounter power: covering attack Suggested daily power: knight’s surge*


A heavy thrower can easily handle axes and throwing hammers.

Ranged Fighter

Ranged attacks are not necessarily beyond the scope of a fighter. A ranged fighter is a fine defender, as he can rely on high defenses and good attack scores, but before entering a melee, he prefers to soften his foes with an effective ranged volley. A ranger may fire half a dozen arrows in every direction at once, but he can only hope to inflict flesh wounds. A ranged fighter, on the other hand, fires one single bolt with such a strength that it might fell a foe by itself. His weapon of choice is usually a long bow or a crossbow; as these are two-handed weapons, his melee weapons will also be two-handed, and he will keep them close at hand, ready to draw them at an instant’s notice. Thus, a ranged fighter does not use a shield and wears light or heavy armor. Strength and Dexterity are equally important to him.

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His powers run the gamut of all available attack powers, and include both melee and ranged exploits. Suggested feat: Defensive Mobility (Human feat: Far Shot) Suggested skills: Athletics, Heal, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: sure strike, surging arrow* Suggested encounter power: dazing blow* Suggested daily power: fiery weapon*

Transcendent Fighter


Some rare warriors may not have a legendary strength and ignore any type of formal training, and yet they show an uncanny gift for weapons and an innate perception of the art of war. Their bodies are not hulking masses of muscles and fury, but one look in their eyes will be enough to spot the gleam of victory. These fighters are driven by a fire that goes beyond physical prowess or military logic; they win their battles through a mysterious combination of determination, luck, and heroism. A transcendent fighter does not focus on a specific weapon and rarely chooses a superior weapon to fight; she favors military weapons instead, especially the most accurate ones. A melee weapon combined with a shield or a couple of weapons with different properties are her most recurring options. Strength remains her most important ability, although she must ensure good Wisdom and Charisma scores; the latter may not always be crucial in combat, but it can enhance certain powers. Suggested feat: Alertness (Human feat: Action Surge) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Heal Suggested at-will powers: cleave, sure strike Suggested encounter power: reckless assault* Suggested daily power: comeback strike

MULTICLASS BUILD OPTIONS

This section features build options designed for characters who have acquired a class-specific multiclass feat (see the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook). All seven possible combinations are considered and closely examined, guiding a player’s choices so that he will be able to optimize the benefits he gains from abilities and class features acquired from other classes.

Arcane Fighter

Even without pondering the uncertain and mysterious ways of wizards, a fighter can add a little magic to his attacks to make them more potent or versatile. Maybe an arcane fighter’s blade can better penetrate his enemy’s defenses, or his armor is a sturdier barrier between his body and incoming blows. His very martial gestures may be followed by a wake of magical energy. Whatever the case, an arcane fighter

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can rely on arcane powers that will assist him in combat. This fighter cannot and does not want to become a controller; he only uses magic to enhance his effectiveness in combat. If he chooses to wield an implement, he will have to give up his shield (unless he’s using the safeguard shield implement featured in The Quintessential Wizard) ; in this case, the possibility of provoking attacks of opportunity with his spells when he is engaged in a melee requires a good improvement of his AC, possibly by wearing heavy armor. Wisdom and Intelligence might not be as important as Strength and Dexterity, but they become very important abilities to an arcane fighter. He can choose whatever power he fancies, from sheer attack powers to those meant to hinder, slow or confuse more enemies at once. Suggested feat: Arcane Initiate (Human feat: Defensive Mobility) Suggested skills: Athletics, Heal, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: readied thrust*, sure strike Suggested encounter powers: magic missile (bonus power from Arcane Initiate), steel serpent strike Suggested daily power: villain’s menace

Consecrated Fighter

A consecrated fighter is an inspired combatant, blessed by her cult’s ministers to guide a crusade in the name of their shared beliefs; like a paladin, she is ready to bravely face any danger for the greater glory of her god; unlike a paladin, though, she remains a soldier that does not wield divine magic and prayers, but keeps relying on her weapon’s martial power. She plays the role of defender by the numbers, using heavy armor and shield to protect herself and attacking with a reliable and effective melee weapon. When allocating her ability scores, Strength should come first, followed by either Wisdom or Charisma, with a good score for Constitution as well. Her best choice of powers include exploits that allow her to attack multiple enemies and prayers that support her personal survival and fighting prowess. Suggested feat: Soldier of the Faith (Human feat: Human Perseverance) Suggested skills: Endurance, Heal, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: cleave, reaping strike Suggested encounter power: man-at-arms’ fearsome strike* Suggested daily power: villain’s menace

Devoted Fighter

A devoted fighter is a warrior serving a church or a specific deity’s cult. He might be a temple guard, a priest’s armed escort, or a man-at-arms particularly respectful of religious duties. He is not pervaded by

Errant Fighter

An errant fighter adds to her martial training all the talents she requires to survive in the midst of trackless wilderness and the depths of forgotten dungeons. Instead of focusing on the damage she deals, she seeks unusual lore and utility powers that will allow her to move on any type of terrain. In combat, she wields a shield and a one-handed weapon, so that she will be able to engage the enemies she meets on an open battlefield. To her, all ability scores are important, generally in the following order: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom, and Constitution. Any power that allows her to hit foes at range is a good choice. Suggested feat: Warrior of the Wild (Human feat: Lethal Hunter) Suggested skills: Athletics, Endurance, Heal Suggested at-will powers: sure strike, surging arrow* Suggested encounter power: passing attack Suggested daily power: comeback strike

Fighter of the Pact

A fighter of the pact is a sturdy combatant who is not contented with skillfully handling a blade. He has obtained a spark of arcane power from a primeval entity, the better to crush any foe. Whether his power flows from the stars, fey spirits, or infernal beings, this fighter uses the mysterious forces of his eldritch pact to increase the damage he deals, or to cast powerful curses on his enemies. He usually fights with heavy armor or a versatile melee weapon (such as a long sword), but he does not wield a shield, in case he wants to use a warlock’s implement. His best scores should be Strength and Constitution (or Charisma, if he has selected the fey pact). To keep in line with the arcane powers he gets from his pact, his martial powers should also focus on increasing damage. Suggested feat: Pact Initiate (Human feat: Action Surge)

Suggested skills: Endurance, Intimidate, Streetwise Suggested at-will powers: cleave, reaping strike Suggested encounter powers: steel serpent strike (star pact and infernal pact) or man-at-arms’ fearsome strike* (fey pact); dire radiance (star pact) or hellish rebuke (infernal pact) or eyebite (fey pact) (bonus power from Pact Initiate) Suggested daily power: brute strike

Stealthy Fighter

A stealthy fighter is a soldier who learned a few dirty tricks: She is more agile than a heavy man-at-arms and more cunning than a common member of the local militia. She strikes fast in the hopes her foes will not be able to return the favor. A stealthy fighter maintains good mobility on the battlefield, wears light armor and carries a light shield. To her, the best weapons are crossbows, slings, and light blades, which she can use for sneak attacks. Her best ability score should be Dexterity, followed by Strength and Wisdom. To this type of fighter, the best powers are those most suited to her strategic attitude: any exploit that allows her to hit and run, shift, or gain combat advantage is a good choice. Suggested feat: Sneak of Shadows (Human feat: Alertness) Suggested skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Streetwise Suggested at-will powers: flashing steel*, merciless wound* Suggested encounter power: steel serpent strike Suggested daily power: villain’s menace


divine powers, but his life as a combatant is dedicated to his faith and its precepts nonetheless. He is free to choose any weapon he likes, although such fighters tend to fight defensively and thus favor heavy armor and shields. Wisdom and Strength should be his best scores, followed by Constitution. His best exploits are also those with a defensive flavor, whose purpose is to protect the fighter or his companion or heal their wounds. Suggested feat: Initiate of the Faith (Human feat: Human Perseverance) Suggested skills: Endurance, Heal, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: sure strike, tide of iron Suggested encounter power: covering attack Suggested daily power: comeback strike

Strategist Fighter

A combatant may stand in the front line, focus on his own foe and on the damage he deals, or he may enter the battlefield always keeping an eye on his companions, trying to support them in time of need and directing their actions. The latter is the way of the strategist fighter. Whatever weapon he chooses to wield, he is prepared to withstand the fierce blows of a melee and a few ranged skirmishes as well. Strength and Wisdom are his first ability scores, followed by Charisma or Intelligence. His powers build upon his penchant for tactics and allow him to move his allies into advantageous positions, to heal them and to move their enemies so that they will remain isolated and easy to vanquish. Suggested feat: Student of Battle (Human feat: Improved Initiative) Suggested skills: Endurance, Heal, Intimidate Suggested at-will powers: readied thrust*, tide of iron Suggested encounter power: covering attack Suggested daily power: comeback strike

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A FIGHTER’S POWER

T

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Chapter 2

he situation looked bleak. Half the adventurers had been paralyzed by the touch of the ghouls; their stillmobile companions reeled before the undead horde, a gruesome tide of claws and twisted limbs. Riglen swore through clenched teeth; for each walking corpse he sent back to oblivion, two took its place, erupting from the nearby alcoves. Going through the crypt tunnels to pass the border had not been a good idea. Oh, they had bypassed the sentries of the enemy army and had even cut a few days from their travel time, but, once again, following Sheran’s suggestions had put the party in grave danger. Riglen heard the hiss of ghoulish jaws behind him. Just in time, he thrust his shield out to parry the corpse’s bite. He blocked it, aye–and he bashed his foe’s head with his shield again and again, until only greenish goo on the nearby wall remained. Even as he pressed his advantage and shoved his way into the enemy line, the fighter realized his companions could not follow. The moaning mass of enemies pressed them too close. And he was leaving them behind! As though to remind him, Ashgara’s desperate cry pierced the stale air. Riglen spun. He tried to spot the warlock, but the undead blocked his view; he grabbed the closest one’s shoulder, ignoring the disgusting chill of its rotten flesh, and pulled it onto his outstretched blade. He cast the now inanimate corpse aside and sought his imperiled companion. The press opened enough for him to see Ashgara’s robes torn by the monsters’ claws. The tiefling’s legs were redder than her usual ruddy skin, and as her blood pooled beneath her, ghoulish maws opened in slavering anticipation. Not on Riglen’s watch! He stretched his arms and tightened the grip on his weapons; he had to find enough room to put his best exploits to use. He focused his mind on the techniques he had learn in many exhausting training sessions; thrust, feint, parry, swing, and then the falcon’s stance. First he slipped between two foes, pushing them aside with his sheer strength; then, momentarily free, he spun shield and blade about him, pushing, slashing and tripping foe after foe, his own safety forgotten. Even the mindless undead reeled before the assault, their muscles remembering the fear their dead minds could not. But at last, too soon, one of them caught its balance. It twisted inside Riglen’s swing, and he felt its claw-like fingers dig into the mail beneath his shoulder. He felt as though the strength were fleeing his sinews, as though he were already dead. His eye twitched as the cold of the grave shot through his nerves. So much easier, then, to give in. He was already dead. At least dying here, he would not be without a good fight afterwards. So much easier. Ashgara lay prone a few feet away, a ghoul perched atop her helpless body. So much easier, aye–for a lesser man than Riglen. He kneed the ghoul hard enough to leave a red ruin where his armor punched through its rotting flesh. As it fell away, he began to swing his sword. The first pass beheaded the ghoul that had almost slain him. It was only the beginning. His whirlwind technique had to be as subtle as a breath and as powerful as a tornado. Ghouls and parts of ghouls flew from his blade; none of the corpses still moved when he finally stopped his spin. Ashgara’s assailant was the last, but even it barely had time to raise its desiccated skull to see the sword arcing through its chest. Looming over the corpses, spattered with their long-dead blood, Riglen threw back his head and roared a triumphant laugh. When he looked down and met Ashgara’s gaze, the fighter could hardly tell if the woman was more shaken by the fate he’d rescued her from, or by her rescuer.

Francesco Graziani

A FIGHTER’S POWER

Chapter 2: A Fighter's Power

When the fight begins and blades are crossed, a fighter unleashes his full potential and turns into a veritable engine of destruction. Stalwart, fierce and relentless, he is the opponent no enemy would ever want to face. He can unleash unerring strikes and devastating attacks, he uses exploits no enemy can hope of eluding for long and he boasts powers that ensure him nearinvulnerability. A fighter’s repertoire makes him the leading element in any combat situation. The battle is fought on more than one front, of course: A wizard can block a few foes, and rogues and clerics can coordinate their moves to dispatch a particularly nasty creature. But they can do this only because of a fighter’s offensive power and protection, two unyielding certainties that are the foundation of a mighty wall built with his powers and cemented with his expertise at using them at the right moment. In this book, at-will powers are marked with a h symbol, encounter powers with a p symbol, and daily power with a r symbol.

NEW FIGHTER POWERS

A fighter can select the following new exploits once he reaches the appropriate level, just as he can those featured in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. A fighter’s exploits represent the techniques he has mastered and define the way he approaches combat, allowing him to impose his undisputed martial supremacy over the battlefield.

Level 1 At-Will Exploits h Brute’s Iron Fist

Fighter Attack 1

Even when you are fighting with your bare hands, your blows are as hard as steel. At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee 1 Requirement: You must make an unarmed attack. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Effect: Your unarmed attack die increases by one size. Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.

h Flashing Steel

Fighter Attack 1

Your quick thrust with the blade is worthy of the swiftest fencer. At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade. Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.

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h Merciless Wound

Fighter Attack 1

Your attack seems to inflict only a flesh wound, but it leaves a long trail of blood. At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade, a flail, or a pick. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] damage, and the target takes ongoing damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (save ends). Increase damage to 2[W] at 21st level.

h Mounted Rush Strike

Fighter Attack 1

Your steed’s mighty leap breaks the enemy’s defense. At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Prerequisite: You must have the Mounted Combat feat. Requirement: You must be on a mount. Target: One creature Attack: Strength + 1 vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + half your Strength modifier + half your mount’s Strength modifier damage. Increase damage to 2[W] + half your Strength modifier + half your mount’s Strength modifier damage at 21st level.

h Readied Thrust

Fighter Attack 1

Your attack is preceded by a cunning sequence of feints and swings, and your expertise easily overcomes the enemy’s reflexes. At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a light or heavy blade. Target: One creature Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.

h Surging Arrow

Fighter Attack 1

You fire a projectile at full strength. Its flight is shaky, but its damage is massive. At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity - 2 vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier + Dexterity modifier damage. Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.


Merciless Wound

Level 1 Encounter Exploits p Bear’s Tenacious Grab

Fighter Attack 1

Your foe thought your attack was only meant to hurt it, but now it finds itself caught in an iron grip and a furious struggle ensues. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee 1 Requirement: You must make an unarmed attack. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you grab the target.

p Dazing Blow

Fighter Attack 1

Elisa Ferrotto

Your perfectly placed strike leaves the enemy reeling. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

p Man-at-Arms’ Fearsome Strike

Fighter Attack 1

A canny display of your expertise with a weapon can send your foes fleeing even without resorting to your best moves. Encounter ✦ Fear, Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Prerequisite: You must have proficiency in the weapon you wield and you must be trained in Intimidate. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: Charisma +1 vs. Will Hit: The target moves a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks.

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p Reckless Assault

Fighter Attack 1

Your heedless aggression might be dangerous–but is it more dangerous to you, or to your enemy? Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength + 1 vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier + Charisma modifier damage. Effect: You grant combat advantage to your target until the end of his next turn.

Fighter Attack 1


One enemy is not enough to you; you love the thrill of being surrounded by foes, the better to prove your supremacy. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Primary Target: One creature you have marked Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack. Secondary Target: Each enemy adjacent to the primary target Secondary Attack: Charisma vs. Will Hit: The target is marked until the end of your next turn.

Fighter Attack 1

A flint, a cloth dripping oil–it doesn’t take magic to make fire. Daily ✦ Fire, Martial, Reliable, Weapon Standard Action Melee or Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC (melee) or Dexterity vs. AC (ranged) Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage (melee) or 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage (ranged), and ongoing 2 fire damage (save ends).

r Forge’s Lightning

Level 1 Daily Exploits r Battle Hubris

r Fiery Weapon

Fighter Attack 1

Like a hammer on the anvil, your weapon falls on the enemy and blinds it with raining sparks. Daily ✦ Lightning, Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding an axe, a hammer, a mace, or a heavy blade. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier lightning damage, and the target is blinded until the start of your next turn.

Roberto Pitturru

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Fiery Weapon

Fighter Attack 1

As you urge your mount forward, you unleash an unstoppable attack against your foe. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Prerequisite: You must have the Mounted Combat feat. Requirement: You must be on a mount. Target: One creature Effect: You gain a bonus to your attack roll equal to half your mount’s Strength modifier until the end of the encounter. Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage.

Level 2 Utility Exploits p Falcon’s Unavoidable Grip

Fighter Utility 2

In an unarmed grapple, your grip cannot be broken. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Reaction Personal Trigger: One grabbed creature escapes you Effect: You make a Strength check vs. the grabbed creature’s Reflex defense; if you succeed, you hold your grab.

p Humiliating Parry

Fighter Utility 2

As you nonchalantly parry an incoming blow, your mocking expression invites your enemy to try again. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Reaction Personal Trigger: An enemy misses you with a melee attack. Target: The creature that missed you Effect: The target is marked.

r Unshakable Pillar

Fighter Utility 2

You take a special defensive stance that makes you nearly impossible to move or knock down. Daily ✦ Martial, Stance Move Action Personal Effect: When an effect forces you to move –through a pull, a push, or a slide– or would knock you prone, you can immediately make a saving throw to avoid moving or falling prone. Special: If you have the Stand Your Ground dwarven racial trait, you make only one saving throw to avoid falling prone, but you get a +2 power bonus on that save.

r Vulture’ Stubborn Grip

Fighter Utility 2

You have grappled your foe, and now it is not going anywhere! Daily ✦ Martial Immediate Reaction Personal Trigger: After successfully grappling a creature, a forced movement moves you or the grappled creature beyond your reach, ending the grapple. Prerequisite: You must be trained in Endurance. Effect: Make a Strength check against the grappled creature’s Fortitude defense. If you are successful and the forced movement moved you, the grabbed creature slides the same amount of squares in your direction. If you are successful and the forced movement moved the grappled creature, you slide the same amount of squares in its direction. If you fail the check, you do not hold the grab.

Level 3 Encounter Exploits p Archer’s Heavy Volley

Fighter Attack 3

Your second arrow hits while your opponent reels from the first. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. AC, two attacks Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If the first attack hits, the target takes a -2 penalty to AC against the second attack.

p Catapult’s Slam

Fighter Attack 3

You leap forward with a sudden twist, pushing your clenched fists against the ground and spinning to throw the weapon you held in your hand; the resulting blow is so strong that it could demolish a wall. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Prerequisite: You must be trained in Acrobatics. Requirement: You must be wielding a heavy thrown weapon. Target: One creature Special: You shift 1 square towards the target before the attack. Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is knocked prone.


r Knight’s Surge

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p Mounted Reaver

Fighter Attack 3

Your blow brings your mount’s full weight down on the enemy. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Prerequisite: You must have the Mounted Combat feat. Requirement: You must be on a mount. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + your Strength modifier + your mount’s Strength modifier damage.

p Sworn Hate

Fighter Attack 3


Normally, you would remain cool, calm, and in control in battle; but when an enemy cracks that shell, your vengeance will be terrible. Encounter ✦ Martial, Stance, Weapon Minor Action Ranged visual Target: An enemy you have marked Hit: Until the end of the encounter, the target can make a basic melee attack against you once per turn as a free action, if it is adjacent to you. In turn, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your Constitution modifier and a bonus to damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier until the end of the encounter.

r Shooter’s Barricade

Fighter Attack 5

A rain of arrows separates you from the enemy’s front line, preventing any striker from advancing. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares Requirement: You must be wielding a ranged weapon. Target: Each creature in burst Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. Effect: Your arrows rain down on the power’s area. Any creature that enters the area or starts its turn there takes damage equal to 1[W] + your Dexterity modifier. The cloud of arrows persists until the start of your next turn. Sustain Standard: The effect continues, and you can move the power’s area up to a maximum of 2 squares.

Level 5 Daily Exploits r Aim for the Head

Fighter Attack 5

A quick blow to your enemy’s head can put an end to the fight even before it begins. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a hammer or a mace. Target: One creature Attack: Strength - 4 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is unconscious (save ends). If the unconscious target takes damage, it is no longer unconscious. Miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

r Recruit’s Lucky Strike

Fighter Attack 5

You put all thoughts of strategy aside and blindly trust your luck to decide the battle’s outcome. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Attack: Wisdom vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target grants combat advantage and is immobilized until the end of your next turn. Miss: You grant combat advantage to the target until the end of your next turn.

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Thomas Liera

My Weapon, My Armor

Fighter Attack 5

A cunning fighter can easily detect his enemy’s weak spots: You know how to deal grievous wounds, pushing your weapon deep inside to leave your foe screaming in pain. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Prerequisite: You must be trained in Heal. Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack against the target. Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude Hit: Ongoing 5 + Wisdom modifier damage (save ends), and the target is weakened until the end of your next turn. Miss: Half damage, and no secondary attack.

Level 6 Utility Exploits r Encumbering Defense

Fighter Utility 6

You raise your weapon in front of your enemies. Although it remains still in your hands, it is so large and sturdy that it shields you from most attacks. Daily ✦ Martial, Stance Minor Action Personal Requirement: You must be wielding a two-handed weapon. Effect: You gain a +3 power bonus to AC and Reflex defense.

r Endure Elemental Fury

Fighter Utility 6

In a fight, you can weather the elements like no other. Daily ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: You are hit by an attack that would deal cold, fire, or lightning damage Effect: You gain resist cold, fire, or lightning 5 + your Constitution modifier until the start of you next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit you. If you use a shield, increase resist to 10 + your Constitution modifier.

r Fortunate Deflection

Fighter Utility 6

Just as your foe is about to bring a deadly blow down on your ally, your own blade intervenes. Daily ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Melee weapon Trigger: One adjacent ally is hit by a melee attack Effect: You make a melee attack roll, and the ally uses the result of your roll instead of its AC against the enemy attack.

r My Weapon, My Armor

Fighter Utility 6

At the last moment, you intercept and deflect a blow that would have pierced your armor. Daily ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: An enemy hits you with a melee attack Effect: You make a melee attack roll and use the result of your roll instead of your AC against the enemy attack.

Level 7 Encounter Exploits p Dragon’s Flame

Fighter Attack 7

Dashing oil on your blade, you turn it into a flaming brand like a dragon’s jaws. Encounter ✦ Fire, Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Miss: Ongoing 2 fire damage (save ends). Effect: Your space is lightly obscured and provides concealment until the start of your next turn.

p Lay Waste to the Enemy

Fighter Attack 7

Your blow cuts deep, leaving a painful, lingering scar. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Special: The target can regain the hit points it lost with this attack only with an extended rest, and cannot regain them through any power, ability, or action (such as a healing surge or regeneration).

p Mantis’s Embrace


r Torturer’s Mark

Fighter Attack 7

You harpoon your enemy and pull it to you, delivering a fatal blow. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a polearm. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack against the target. Secondary Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Miss: Half damage.

39

p Troll’s Double Claws

Fighter Attack 7

Like a fierce troll, you slash your enemy from both sides and grow stronger at each assault. Encounter ✦ Healing, Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must wield two melee weapons. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC (main weapon and off-hand weapon), two attacks Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage per attack. If you hit the target with both weapons, you gain regeneration equal to your Constitution modifier until the end of your next turn. Sustain Standard: When you sustain this power, you can repeat the attack. You cannot sustain this power more than three rounds, and you cannot sustain it if you do not hit your target with both weapons.


Level 9 Daily Exploits r Roaring Hammer’s Slam

Fighter Attack 9

Your weapon strikes the foe with a thundering toll that echoes over the battlefield. Daily ✦ Martial, Thunder, Weapon Standard Action Melee or Ranged weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a hammer or a mace. Primary Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier thunder damage, and the target is deafened until the end of your next turn. Make a secondary attack. Secondary Attack: Each creature within close burst 1 from the primary target Secondary Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d6 + Strength modifier thunder damage, and the target is deafened until the end of your next turn.

r Target Enemy Ranks

Fighter Attack 9

The projectiles you fire upon the enemy ranks are bearers of pain and strife. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Close blast 5 Requirement: You must be wielding a ranged weapon. Target: Each enemy in blast and that you are able to see Attack: Dexterity vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push the target 2 squares.

40

r Wyvern’s Outflanking

Fighter Attack 9

Your first swing strikes the enemy with the swiftness of a claw, then you suddenly move behind it and finish it with a fierce stab. Daily ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade or a spear (not a polearm). Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Effect: You can shift a number of squares equal to your Strength modifier. If you end your movement in a square adjacent to the target and you are on the opposite side or corner from where you started, make a secondary attack against the same target with the benefit of combat advantage. Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. AC Hit: Ongoing 5 + Strength modifier damage (save ends), and the target grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 10 Utility Exploits r Deep Thrust

Fighter Utility 10

You make sure your blows find the target, even if it means you have to ignore its response. Your safety does not matter when you are looking for that perfect strike. Daily ✦ Martial, Stance Minor Action Personal Effect: You grant combat advantage. In turn, you can score a critical hit with a natural roll of 19-20.

r Resist Tortured Senses

Fighter Utility 10

When a fight’s outcome hangs in the balance, you can even ignore those attacks that would dim your senses. Daily ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: You are hit by an attack that deals radiant or thunder damage Effect: You gain resist radiant or thunder equal to 10 + Constitution modifier until the start of your next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit you. If the attack inflicts a blinded, dazed, deafened, or stunned condition that a save can end, you automatically succeed on your first save against that condition.

Alberto Bontempi

Deforming Impact

r Resist Toxic Fumes

Fighter Utility 10

No dirty trick will work on you; you will wreak terrible retribution against your foes, for the insidious tools of cowardly alchemists and sneaky poisonous assassins cannot hurt you. Daily ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: You are hit by an attack that deals acid or poison damage Effect: You gain resist acid or poison 10 + Constitution modifier until the start of your next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit you. Sustain Minor: If the attack that hit you deals ongoing acid or poison damage, you keep the benefit of resistance for another round.

r Unending Bolts of Hope

Fighter Utility 10


Your companions hear the hissing arrows soaring over their heads and know that their enemies will have to look out for the volley. Your allies can now attack and defend themselves more easily. Daily ✦ Martial Standard Action Close blast 5 Requirement: You must be wielding a ranged weapon. Target: Each ally in blast you can see Effect: The target gains combat advantage against adjacent enemies and a +2 power bonus to AC and Reflex defense until the start of your next turn. Sustain Standard: The effect continues.

Level 13 Encounter Exploits p Advance to the Rear

Fighter Attack 13

Your attacks give no respite to enemies within range, allowing your allies to reach safety. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee or Ranged weapon Target: One, two, or three creatures Attack: Strength vs. AC (melee) or Dexterity vs. AC (ranged), one attack per target Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage (melee) or 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage (ranged). Effect: All of your allies adjacent to the target can shift a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier.

p Brutal Domino

Fighter Attack 13

Your weapon opens a gruesome wound on your foe, and you raise your enemy above your head using your weapon as a lever. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a polearm. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is pulled into the space you occupy and immobilized 1 square above the ground until the start of your next turn. At the start of your next turn, the target shifts into a square adjacent to you and falls prone to the ground.

p Smite the Reckless

Fighter Attack 13

Those who consider you easy prey and rush to attack you will soon find out that they have made a fatal error. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Immediate Interrupt Ranged weapon Trigger: One creature charges you Target: The creature charging you Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is slowed until the start of your next turn. If the target ends its movement in a space where it can attack you, it takes a -2 penalty to its attack roll.

Level 15 Daily Exploits r A Thousand Sparks

Fighter Attack 15

As your blow scrapes against the enemy’s armor, a rain of searing sparks sears nearby monsters. Daily ✦ Lightning, Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding an axe, a hammer, a mace, or a heavy blade. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier lightning damage, and every creature within close burst 1 from the target takes lightning damage equal to your Strength modifier. Miss: Half damage, and every creature within close burst 1 from the target takes lightning damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Fighter Attack 13

With a fierce swing, you hit your foe and send it reeling; a second foe, taken by surprise, stumbles upon its ally. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you push the target 1 square and knock it prone. If the target ends its movement in a space occupied by a creature, that creature is dazed until the end of your next turn.

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p Dire Gallows

r Deforming Impact

Fighter Attack 15

Your blow mangles your opponent’s armor, rendering it useless. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee or Ranged weapon Target: One creature with an armor bonus Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to AC until the end of the encounter. Weapon: If you wield a hammer or a mace, the target takes a penalty to AC equal to your Strength modifier. Miss: Half damage.

Fighter Attack 15

With a swift series of feints and attacks, you distract your enemy and leave it totally unprepared for the next assault. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex, three attacks Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage per attack, and the target takes a cumulative -2 penalty to AC and Reflex defense for each successful attack until the end of your next turn.

r Fatal Hesitation

Level 16 Utility Exploits Fighter Utility 16

Your grip leaves the enemy without breath and prevents it from moving. Encounter ✦ Martial, Stance Minor Action Personal Requirement: You must have both hands free. Effect: Whenever you grab a creature, that creature is restrained instead of immobilized, until it escapes your grab. The creature can try normally to escape your grab.

r Hidden Reservoir

Fighter Utility 16

You call upon your remaining strength to find a way to keep fighting and deal a decisive blow. Daily ✦ Martial Minor Action Personal Requirement: You must have run out of encounter powers. Effect: You use a healing surge, but you do not regain any hit point; instead, you regain one fighter encounter power. If you regain an attack power and use it before the end of the encounter, you gain a +1 power bonus to that power’s attack rolls, deal extra damage equal to 1[W] and, if the power allows you to move the target, you move it 1 extra square.

Fighter Utility 16

Your rugged willpower allows you to ignore pain and to launch an irresistible assault. Daily ✦ Martial Minor Action Personal Effect: You use a healing surge, but you do not regain any hit point; instead, you gain an amount of temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your Constitution modifier and resist all damage equal to your Constitution modifier until the end of the encounter.

p Unyielding Warrior Spirit Fighter Attack 15

As your enemy looks around and plans its next move, you exploit its hesitation to deal a harrowing wound and leave it stunned. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Immediate Reaction Melee weapon Trigger: One creature delays its action Target: The delaying creature Attack: Dexterity vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target loses its next standard action. Miss: Half damage, and the target does not lose its standard action.

p Bear’s Crushing Grasp

r Prepare to Assault

Fighter Utility 16

Your spirit is as strong as your body, and no incantation will break it; your steps are unstoppable, your soul is incorruptible and your mind is unconquerable. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: You are hit by an attack that deals force, necrotic, or psychic damage Effect: You gain resist force, necrotic, or psychic 10 + your Constitution modifier until the end of your next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit you. If the attack inflicts a dazed, dominated, immobilized, restrained, slowed, stunned, or weakened condition that a saving throw can end, you automatically succeed on your first save against that condition.

Level 17 Encounter Exploits p Covering Volley

Fighter Attack 17

A bolt fired at the right moment can distract your enemy and allow your companion to flee. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Immediate Interrupt Ranged weapon Trigger: One creature makes an opportunity attack provoked by the movement of an ally of yours. Target: The creature making the opportunity attack Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. Effect: The target’s opportunity attack misses.

p Rolling Thunder


r Fatal Defensive Flaw

Fighter Attack 17

The blow you deal would leave even the most well-armored combatant reeling. Encounter ✦ Martial, Thunder, Weapon Standard Action Melee or Ranged weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a hammer or a mace. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier thunder damage, and the target is stunned until the end of your next turn.

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p Seismic Wave

Fighter Attack 17


You strike the ground before you with all your might, knocking your enemies to the ground from the shockwave. The echoing vibrations leave all other foes staggering on the battlefield. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Close blast 2 Requirement: You must be wielding a hammer or a mace. Target: Each creature in blast Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude, Reflex Hit (Fortitude): If the attack hits against the target’s Fortitude defense, it takes 1[W] + Strength modifier damage and it is dazed until the end of your next turn. Hit (Reflex): If the attack hits against the target’s Reflex defense, it takes 1[W] + Strength modifier damage and is knocked prone. Special: You make only one attack per target, but compare that attack result against both defenses. A target might be subject to any or both the effects, depending on how many of its defenses were hit.

Level 19 Daily Exploits r Painful Harpoon

Fighter Attack 19

The enemy’s charge is broken by your sharp weapon, whose shaft raises the creature above your head and drops it on the other side of the battlefield. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Immediate Interrupt Melee weapon Trigger: One creature charges you and is within your reach Requirement: You must be wielding a polearm. Target: The creature that is charging you Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage. You slide the target in a position adjacent to you, on the side or corner opposite the space it just left; the target is knocked prone.

r Taste My Steel!

Fighter Attack 19

You step forward and snarl a threat at your foe, then sink your blade into its body with all your strength. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Weapon: If you wield a light or heavy blade, you score a critical hit with a natural roll of 18-20. Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage. Miss: Half damage.

Roberto Pitturru

44

Seismic Wave

Fighter Attack 19

No enemy can escape when you are determined to bring it to heel. Daily ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you slide the target to a square adjacent to the closest obstacle within 5 squares from the target (if the target is already adjacent to an obstacle, it does not move). Then you slide to a square adjacent to the target, on the opposite side from the obstacle. Weapon: If you wield a polearm or a spear, the target is restrained until the start of your next turn. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, each time you are adjacent to the target and on the opposite corner or side from an obstacle, you gain combat advantage against the target.

Level 22 Utility Exploits r Irreprehensible Bodyguard

Fighter Utility 22

You have sworn to defend your friend at any cost. From now on, you will watch over her like a guardian angel, deflecting any blow aimed at her. Daily ✦ Martial, Stance Minor Action Ranged visual Target: One ally Effect: You choose a target within visual range. Each time the target is hit by a melee attack, you can shift a number of squares equal to your Dexterity modifier as an immediate interrupt, as long as you end your movement in a position adjacent to the target. If you cannot reach a position adjacent to the target, you do not shift. You can then make a melee attack roll, and the target uses the result of your roll in place of its AC against the enemy attack.

r Last Chance

Fighter Utility 22

The fight is hard and exhausting, but a true fighter always finds the strength to launch a final assault… an assault that will mark his victory. Daily ✦ Martial Minor Action Personal Requirement: You must have run out of daily powers. Effect: You use a healing surge, but you do not regain any hit point. Instead, you regain one fighter daily power. If your regain an attack power and use it before the end of the encounter, you gain a +2 power bonus to that power’s attack rolls, deal extra damage equal to 2[W] and, if the power allows you to move the target, you move it 2 extra squares.

p Weapon Master’s Exploit

Fighter Utility 22

You spin your weapon with uncanny skill and speed, forming a shifting curtain of steel around you. A true weapon master deflects, parries, repels, and then strikes. And he strikes hard. Encounter ✦ Martial Minor Action Personal Prerequisite: You must have proficiency in the weapon you are wielding. Effect: Until the end of your next turn, you add your weapon proficiency bonus to damage rolls, AC, and Reflex defense. Sustain Minor: You cannot sustain this power more than three times, and you cannot sustain it if you are bloodied.

Level 23 Encounter Exploits p Bonecrushing Knockdown

Fighter Attack 23

You pull your enemy to you, then leap on it and use your own weight to slam it to the ground. Then you move to the most advantageous side while the hapless foe lies moaning on the ground. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee 1 Requirement: You must make an unarmed attack. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you pull the target in your space and knock it prone. Then you shift 1 square.

p Mighty Bolt

Fighter Attack 23


r You Are Cornered

When you draw back your bow with all your strength, a foe is about to meet its death. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude Hit: 4[W] + Dexterity modifier + Strength modifier damage.

p Unstoppable Colossus

Fighter Attack 23

You relentlessly stride across the battlefield; enemy blows are but a nuisance, an insect’s sting, and you ignore them; you only care about dispatching foes, and your blows grow more and more violent. Encounter ✦ Martial, Stance, Weapon Minor Action Personal Effect: You are slowed and take a -2 penalty to Reflex defense; however, you deal extra damage equal to 2[W] with your basic melee attacks and your at-will melee attacks.

45

Level 25 Daily Exploits r Chilling Execution

r Shake the Earth Fighter Attack 25

With startling brutality, you execute one enemy in front of its allies, driving them to despair. Daily ✦ Fear, Martial, Psychic, Reliable, Weapon Minor Action Close burst 4 Trigger: You kill one creature with a coup de grace Prerequisite: You must be trained in Intimidate. Target: Each enemy in burst you can see Attack: Strength vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier psychic damage. The target must shift one square away from you if possible, and it is dazed until the end of your next turn.

r Flensing Whirlwind

Fighter Attack 25


Your whirling blades open a thousand cuts on the enemy with a flurry of unbelievable strength and accuracy. Daily ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends). Weapon: If you wield a flail, the target takes ongoing damage equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier.

Fighter Attack 25

The very ground trembles beneath your power: Those who try to surround you are thrown from their feet by a sudden quake. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Close burst 2 Requirement: You must be wielding a hammer or a mace. Target: Each creature in burst Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is knocked prone and is dazed until the end of your next turn. Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn.

Level 27 Encounter Exploits p Concussion Arrows

Fighter Attack 27

Each fired arrow is stronger than the last, forcing the enemy to fall back. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn. Make a secondary attack against the target. Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target takes a -2 to AC and to Reflex defense until the end of your next turn. Make a tertiary attack against the target. Tertiary Attack: Dexterity vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).

Marina Costa

46

Skewer of Doom

Fighter Attack 27

r Gamble with Death

Fighter Attack 29

Your blade cuts the enemy’s flesh down to the bone, disrupting muscle and sinew. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding an axe or a heavy blade. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).

Before collapsing, you deal one last decisive blow. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be bloodied. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 10[W] + Strength modifier damage. Miss: Half damage. Effect: You are unconscious (save ends).

p Skewer of Doom

r One Fatal Arrow

Fighter Attack 27

You skewer the enemy, thrusting your weapon clear through its body and into the stunned foe behind it. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a polearm or a spear. Primary Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is restrained until the start of your next turn. Make a secondary attack. Secondary Target: One creature adjacent to the primary target and on the opposite side or corner from you. Secondary Attack: Strength -2 vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.

Level 29 Daily Exploits r Arc of Crimson Slaughter

Fighter Attack 29

With a wild spin, you trace an accurate and deadly arc with your weapon, spelling doom to any who stand on its trajectory. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: Each enemy within weapon’s reach you can see Attack: Strength vs. AC Weapon: If you wield an axe or a heavy blade, you gain a bonus equal to your Strength modifier to your attack roll. Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage. Miss: The target is pushed 1 square.

Fighter Attack 29

You fire an unstoppable bolt that falls down upon the enemy like lightning, pinning it to the ground; the target can only hope to avoid being hit by dropping into what cover it can find. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex Hit: 4[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Miss: The target is knocked prone.

r Ultimate Swing

Fighter Attack 29

With a brutal half-spin, you send your blade hurtling into your foes, cutting them down whether they be one or legion. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a two-handed weapon. Targets: One, two, or three creatures adjacent to each other Attack: Strength vs. AC, one attack per target Special: If you target only one creature with this power, you gain a +2 power bonus to the attack roll. If you target three creatures with this power, you suffer a -2 penalty to all three attack rolls. Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is stunned until the end of your next turn. Miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.


p Relentless Cleaver

47

MARTIAL RITUALS


MARTIAL RITUALS BY LEVEL Lvl 2 4 5 6 12

Ritual

Gladiator’s Immortal Blood Body and Spirit’s Harmony Indomitable Strength Battle Premonition Death Oath

Key Skill

Heal Heal Athletics Endurance Intimidate

Battle Premonition

When a fighter can no longer count the hours he spent training and his mind is as sharp as the blade he wields, no enemy can surprise him. In his mind, the incoming fight is like a page of history already written, and he knows how to counter each threat with appropriate force. Level: 6 Category: Divination Time: 1 hour Duration: 24 hours (special)

Component Cost: 140 gp Market Price: 360 gp Key Skill: Endurance (no check)

You intensify your concentration and ready yourself to react to any sign of danger. For the next 24 hours, or until the next extended rest, whichever comes first, you have a fleeting vision of the first attack you will be involved in (specifically, the scene of a specific attack form that will target you). First, in that fight you will gain a +5 bonus to Insight and Perception checks to avoid being surprised. Second, during that fight, the first time you are hit by an attack, you can force the attacker to reroll the attack roll and to accept the second result.

A fighter prepares for a difficult battle performing a martial ritual

Andrea Sorrentino

48

Wizards and clerics might believe they are unequalled in their mastery of rituals, but they are gravely mistaken. Of course, the elaborate rituals unleashing arcane or divine energies remain their specialty, but this does not mean that weapon masters are oblivious to martial secrets that can produce equally extraordinary results. Training, concentration, exhausting practice, and especially the unyielding determination to defeat your enemy: This is what allows the best fighters to push themselves beyond a mere mortal’s limits and allows them to turn their bodies into invincible weapons. A martial ritual book can be found among the treasure of a cruel veteran, while a martial scroll might be penned by a wise duelist before a fight to the death that will demand a performance never seen before. The following martial rituals are exclusively meant for fighter characters and follow the usual format and rules featured in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook, with a few exceptions. First, in order to master and perform a martial ritual, a character must have the Ritual Warrior feat (described in Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat) instead of the Ritual Caster feat. Second, a martial ritual’s category might belong to skills other than the typical ones associated to that category (for instance, an Exploration ritual could be associated with the Athletics skill, in addition to Arcana, Nature, or Religion). The rules concerning the components required to perform a martial ritual are the same described in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook (see Component Cost). The martial rituals listed below are not exhaustive; the GM is free to create new martial rituals for his characters as he sees fit.

You anoint your body with fine oils and unguents that help you find balance and concentration. Level: 4 Category: Exploration Time: 30 minutes Duration: 1 hour

Component Cost: 35 gp Market Price: 175 gp Key Skill: Heal

You are looking for a physical and inner balance that will allow you to face the imminent fight with calm determination. When the ritual is completed, make a Heal check. The check’s result determines the ritual’s effect.

Heal Check Result

Effect

9 or less None 10-19 +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will defenses 20-29 +2 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will defenses 30 or more +2 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will defenses and 1d6 additional hit points to the amount granted by each healing surge

Death Oath

The challenge is on and you will not rest until your enemy falls. The only mercy you will show is a swift death at your hands. Level: 12 Component Cost: 1,000 gp Category: Binding Market Price: 2,600 gp Time: 1 hour Key Skill: Intimidate Duration: Until discharged (no check) You select a single creature (for example, you may select “the orc called Tramokk”, but not “any orc”) and utter a solemn oath swearing to kill it. You must have already met the selected creature in person for the ritual to work. From now on, you gain a +10 bonus to one single attack roll and to the damage roll of that attack against that creature. You can freely choose to which attack you will assign the ritual’s bonus when you declare the attack; the ritual’s effects expire at the end of the attack.

Gladiator’s Immortal Blood

War paintings on your body and simple ancient formulas to ignore the pain allow you to endure any wound. Level: 2 Component Cost: 20 gp Category: Restoration Market Price: 100 gp Time: 10 minutes Key Skill: Heal Duration: 24 hours (special) You cling to every remaining bit of willpower and stamina to gain an unearthly endurance to pain. When the ritual is completed, make a Heal check. The check’s result determines the ritual’s effect.

USING MARTIAL RITUALS The martial rituals featured in this chapter may only be used with the GM’s approval. Although they follow the ritual rules featured in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook, they are mostly meant for those fighters who want to be fully prepared to face a decisive fight. The GM may not allow the use of these rituals in mundane situations; indeed, he may limit them to special occasions, such as a long-expected duel with the fighter’s nemesis or a combat held in a crowd-filled arena yelling the names of the two combatants. For the same reason, a GM may prevent a fighter from performing a martial ritual each morning, before he begins his adventures; such a use of these rituals would be a denaturalization of their original purpose, which is allowing the fighter to perform at his best in a moment of extraordinary need. Heal Check Result 9 or less 10-19 20-29 30 or more

Effect

None Regain 5 additional hit points Regain 10 additional hit points Regain 10 additional hit points and gain regeneration 1 until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes

Each effect only applies the first time you use your second wind. As soon as you use the second wind action, the ritual’s effect expires. If you do not use second wind before the ritual’s duration expires, the effect is lost.

Indomitable Strength


Body and Spirit’s Harmony

You have dedicated your entire life to turning your body into a weapon as hard as steel, always pushing yourself beyond your limits. A short training session and a few drops of a rare invigorating elixir are enough to attain the peak of physical efficiency. Level: 5 Category: Exploration Time: 30 minutes Duration: 12 hours

Component Cost: 150 gp Market Price: 250 gp Key Skill: Athletics

You attain unsurpassed physical prowess and your energies seem limitless. When the ritual is completed, make an Athletics check. The check’s result determines the ritual’s effect.

Athletics Check Result

Effect

9 or less None 10-19 +1 to Strength-based ability checks and skill checks 20-29 +2 to Strength-based ability checks and skill checks 30 or more +2 to Strength-based ability checks and skill checks, and you cannot become weakened

The bonus to ability checks and skill checks does not apply to Strength-based attacks.

49

A FIGHTER’S PATH

T

Chapter 3

he tieflings seemed to rise from shadows surrounding Riglen, their horned features weirdly illuminated by the dim, harsh lighting of the alley. Under his worn cloak, the fighter had already lain his hand on the hilt of his sword. He was searching the slums to learn who was behind the fire that consumed the Sellsword’s Bride, the inn he and his companions were staying for a few days. In a few hours, Sheran had gathered the necessary information and found out the arsonists were a band of outcast tieflings called the Stray Ones. Riglen suspected he’d found them. “You, there,” the gang leader called. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to stay in Dodeas’ ghetto after sunset?” “We don’t like meddlers,” a second tiefling added. “Especially if they are meddling in our business,” concluded the third. “I am not here to fight you,” Riglen said. “I only need a few answers.” The thugs stared silently at him for a moment, then laughed. Riglen found the situation every bit as amusing; he joined their sardonic laughter. That quieted them quickly enough. When they fell silent, the fighter let his own laughter die and said, “Now that we’re such friends–who hired you to burn down the Sellsword’s Bride?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about, friend, but don’t push your luck. Drop your money to the ground and be gone, and maybe you’ll leave on your own legs. Keep snooping around, and we’ll have to teach you a few manners.” “I have no time to lose,” Riglen said. “Give me the name and I’ll leave you alone.” Without warning, a thug’s blade flashed forward. Although the thrust was swift and accurate, it only pierced Riglen’s cloak, scraping against the plate armor he wore beneath. “Who do you think you are?”, the outlaw snarled, fixing the fighter with a coal-red stare. “This is our territory! All you’ll get tonight is a painful death and an unmarked grave!” “Are you sure of that?” He hurled his torn cloak back to bare his wargear. The outlaws’ eyes rested for a few tense moments on the iron symbol engraved on his helmet: a roaring lion with a crimson blade in his paws. That was the Blood Lion’s symbol, mark of undisputed masters of the arena, gladiators known for their boldness. One of the tieflings swore and charged Riglen. With single twist of body and cloak, Riglen disarmed him, knocked him to the street. Before the thug could grope for his blade, Riglen reversed it and thrust its point into the outstretched hand. “I’ve seen that move before,” one of the still-standing thugs hissed. “He’s the Ironwall Arena idol! He strangled an ogre!” “Are you sure?” the leader asked, eyeing his writhing, bloodied lackey. “I saw him with my own eyes, while I was pickpocketing the audience. You don’t easily forget such a scene.” The tieflings gulped and stepped back. Riglen gave a little bow, only incidentally grinding the blade deeper in the palm of the fallen thug. “Now that the introductions are over, gentlemen, I trust I can count on your cooperation?”

50

Andrea Sorrentino

ARENA IDOL “Never mind your weapon’s sharpness or your armor’s thickness. In the arena, only one thing counts: victory!”

Arena Idol Utility 12

An arena idol lives for the roaring crowd that celebrates his newest victory and is considered a champion of gladiatorial games. An arena idol is a fighter who does not fear death, and who more than anyone else has learned that toil and pain are his life’s main driving forces.

You watch your enemy as he moves and you gain defensive benefits from its mistakes. Daily ✦ Martial No Action Personal Effect: Gain a power bonus to your initiative check equal to half your level. Use this power after rolling your initiative check. In addition, you gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end of the encounter. If you use a shield, the bonus increases to +2 and it also applies to your Reflex defense.

Arena Idol Path Features

r Gladiator’s Verdict

Prerequisite: Fighter class

Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Crowd’s Hero (11th level): Once per day, an ally you can see can spend a minor action to incite you to greater martial feats. You gain a +2 power bonus to all defenses and score a critical hit with on a roll of 19-20 until the end of the encounter. Vanquished Enemy (11th level): When you drop a target that is your lever or higher to 0 hit points or fewer, or when you score a critical hit against a target that is your lever or higher, you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls until the end of your next turn. Save Your Strength (16th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you gain regeneration equal to your Constitution modifier until the end of the encounter, and you can use second wind again, even if you have already used it in this encounter.

Arena Idol Exploits p Intimidating Strike

Arena Idol Attack 11

You swing your blade at your foe’s eyes, leaving it blinded and intimidated. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you push the target 1 square. Weapon: If you’re wielding an axe or a heavy blade, the target is blinded until the end of your next turn. Effect: You can make an Intimidate check against the target as part of the action you used to attack with this power.

52

r Study Your Foe

Arena Idol Attack 20

You humiliate your foe, knocking it down and disarming it. With a sudden twist, you seize its own weapon for the finishing blow, and this moment of triumph turns you into a fearless fighter. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you knock the target prone. The target drops whatever weapon it was wielding and you can choose to grab it with a free hand or let it fall to the ground at your feet (in your square). You can only grab a one-handed weapon. Special: If you choose to grab the dropped weapon with a free hand, you can immediately make a basic melee attack against the target as a free action, using that weapon. Effect: Gain a +2 power bonus to Will defense until the end of the encounter.

Iegor Malvon, Arena Idol

Occupation: When he was only a child, Iegor’s entire village was slaughtered by gnoll raiders. His survival instinct saved him, keeping him away from the flames and the fights where his mother and his only sister lost their lives. Hurt in body and mind, realizing he had abandoned his loved ones to their fate, he joined a band of evacuees heading for distant frontier settlements. In those remote lands, he cultivated his brawling skills, growing up on the streets and serving a shady slaver, first as henchman, and then as arena fighter. After a stormy debate with his former patron, Iegor has taken a sudden leave from those bloodied contests. His former master wants revenge for Iegor’s presumed betrayal and has placed a conspicuous bounty on the gladiator’s head. Physical Description: Iegor is tall and brawny. He has dark skin, short black hair and green eyes. His coarse voice never trembles and his controlled moves speak to his indomitable will.

Iegor Malvon Medium natural humanoid, human fighter


Attributes and Skills: Iegor operates at peak physical efficiency, but he is also troubled by his past. Although he is not cultivated and knows nothing of manners, he is no fool. Values and Motivations: Iegor cannot escape the shadows of his past. His main limit is his belief that he has no other alternative to the blade; the callous façade he puts up in every adventure is actually an emotional shield to avoid further suffering. Behavior: Iegor is stubborn, aggressive and fierce; and yet, these flaws cannot hide a valiant soul. Unfortunately, he likes to drink away the ghosts that haunt his memories. Useful Knowledge: Iegor is an experienced athlete. After spending his youth in the arena’s forges, he knows the properties of the most common weapons and armor like the back of his hand. His experience as an enforcer also enables him to gather information quickly, especially in the underworld. Mannerisms: Iegor is restless, and he always seems about to start a quarrel… or a brawl. Origins: Iegor selected the survivor’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). When he is dying, he must fail four saving throws to die. Level 17 Soldier

XP 1,400

Hidden Reservoir (minor; daily) ✦ Martial Iegor can use a healing surge, but he does not regain any hit point; instead, he regains one fighter encounter power. If he regains an attack power and uses it before the end of the encounter, he gains a +1 power bonus to that power’s attack rolls, deals 1d8 extra damage and, if the power allows him to move the target, he moves it 1 extra square. Study Your Foe (no action; daily) ✦ Martial Iegor gains a +8 power bonus to his initiative check and a +2 power bonus to AC and to Reflex defense until the end of the encounter. Iegor uses this power after making the initiative roll. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Goblin Skills Endurance +15, Intimidate +14, Streetwise +14 Str 22 (+14) Dex 13 (+9) Wis 14 (+10) Con 18 (+12) Int 11 (+8) Cha 12 (+9) Equipment +4 savage scale armor, +4 vicious longsword, gauntlets of ogre power, heavy bashing shield (lvl 15)

Maichol Quinto

Initiative +9 Senses Perception +10 HP 154; Bloodied 77 AC 35; Fortitude 33, Reflex 28, Will 27 Speed 5 m +4 Vicious Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +25 vs. AC; 1d8 + 14 damage. M Brute’s Iron Fist (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires unarmed attack; +22 vs. AC; 1d6 + 13 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. AC; 1d8 + 14 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Intimidating Strike (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 14 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square and blinded until the end of Iegor’s next turn; Iegor can make an Intimidate check against the target as part of the same action he used to attack with this power. M Mountain Breaking Blow (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. AC; 3d8 + 14 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Storm of Blows (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. AC; 1d8 + 15 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook.

53

BATTLE COMMANDO “I can bypass your soldiers’ ranks as easily as I can pierce the rings of your chainmail. In either case, I win!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, Sneak of Shadows feat Battle commandos are canny fighters specialized in breaching enemy ranks to spread death and chaos. Once they have penetrated the heart of enemy defenses, they hold their captured positions and put up a fierce fight rather than sneaking back to the shadows from whence they came. Commandos are fearless fighters who use their mobility to be at the center of any battle.

Battle Commandos Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Infiltrate (11th level): You gain a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier to Acrobatics or Athletics checks made to escape a grapple, to Strength-based attacks to bull rush an enemy, and to AC and to Reflex defense against opportunity attacks when using a crawl action to leave a square adjacent to an enemy. Pathfinder’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also gain an extra move action that you can use in a following turn during the same encounter. Aggressive Standup (16th level): You can stand up as a minor action, instead of a move action. In addition, when standing up, you can push an adjacent enemy 1 square if it is up to one size category larger than you, and you can shift into the space the enemy vacated.

Battle Commando Exploits p Treacherous Steel

Battle Commando Attack 11

In the blink of an eye, you unsheathe your weapon and attack the target, taking it by surprise. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Effect: You can draw the weapon you use to make this attack as part of the action you use to attack with this power. Target: One creature Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

p Keep the Advantage

Battle Commando Utility 12

No one escapes easily from a battle commando’s wrath. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Reaction Personal Trigger: An enemy ends a condition that caused it to grant you combat advantage Effect: The enemy still grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

54

r Breach Enemy Ranks

Battle Commando Attack 20

You hurt and confound your enemy, taking advantage of its confusion to reach a better position. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you push the target a number of squares equal to your Strength modifier and knock it prone. Each enemy adjacent to the square where the target is pushed is knocked prone as well. Miss: The target is knocked prone. Effect: You can move a number of squares equal to your Dexterity modifier, but you must end your movement in a square adjacent to an enemy.

Quorwar Grayvale, Battle Commando

Occupation: Quorwar’s parents were escapees who used to live in a village deep in the heart of an oak grove, and who survived its destruction. The young elf grew up in a human city, and although he kept his kin’s traditional love of unsullied natural places, he also showed an unusual fondness for battle. Making the most of his agility and speed, Quorwar joined the militia; first he served as a scout, then he became a battle commando. He became famous when he snuck into an orc fortress, opened the gates to his fellow soldiers and joined them in their frontal assault, claiming victory. Quorwar is currently attached to a group of guerrilla soldiers called the Crimson Dusk Commandos (see Chapter 6: Organizations). Physical Description: Quorwar’s height and weight are typical for an elf of his age. His black hair show shades of dark green, the same color of his stern eyes. He wears loose garments that do not hinder his movements, reinforced with leather and iron to provide a better protection. Attributes and Skills: Quorwar is agile and alert. He is not very good with words, but this is rarely a setback in his line of work. Values and Motivations: Quorwar wants revenge on those who destroyed his village when he was still a baby. In time, this desire has become an obsession and now the elf is willing to offer his help to anyone that might provide him with clues about the raiders’ identity. Behavior: This battle commando is silent and aloof. When he speaks, he uses a few choice words and goes straight to the point.

Medium natural humanoid, elf fighter

XP 1,200

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +11; low-light vision HP 133; Bloodied 66 AC 30 (31 with light shield); Fortitude 27, Reflex 27 (28 with light shield), Will 26 Speed 7 m +3 Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +19 vs. AC; 1d8 + 9 damage. r +3 Intangible Longbow (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +20 vs. AC; 1d10 + 11 damage. R Surging Arrow (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Range 20/40; +18 vs. AC; 1d10 + 14 damage. R Cover Retreat (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Range 20/40; +20 vs. AC, one attack against one, two, or three creatures; 2d10 + 11 damage. Each ally of Quorwar adjacent to the target can shift 4 squares. M Treacherous Steel (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +21 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 9 damage, and the target grants combat advantage to Quorwar (save ends). Quorwar can draw the weapon he uses to make the attack as part of the same action he uses to attack with this power. R Deforming Impact (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon Range 20/40; +20 vs. AC; 2d10 + 11 damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to AC until the end of the encounter. Miss: Half damage. Deep Thrust (minor; daily) ✦ Martial, Stance, Weapon Quorwar grants combat advantage, but can score a critical hit with on a roll of 19-20. Keep the Advantage (immediate reaction; encounter) ✦ Martial An enemy ends a condition that granted combat advantage to Quorwar; the enemy still grants combat advantage to Quorwar until the end of Quorwar’s next turn. Elven Accuracy (free; encounter) See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Sneak Attack Once per encounter, Quorwar deals +3d6 damage when he has combat advantage against his target. Wild Step See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Elven Skills Athletics +15, Endurance +13 Str 17 (+10) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 19 (+11) Con 13 (+8) Int 12 (+8) Cha 11 (+7) Equipment +3 shadowflow leather armor, +3 longsword, +3 intangible longbow, quiver of flaming roar, light bashing shield (lvl 15), elven boots

Claudio Casini

Useful Knowledge: Quorwar is a skilled scout. He knows the most treacherous terrain and the layout of many goblin and orc camps. Mannerisms: Quorwar tends to silently put a finger to his lips when a discussion grows tiresome or useless. Origins: Quorwar has selected the specialist’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). He is specialized in the longbow. Once per day, Quorwar can reroll an attack roll with the longbow he has just made. He must use the second result, even if it is lower.

Level 15 Soldier


Quorwar Grayvale

55

CHAMPION OF HONOR “There is only one way to know which of us is in the right: a fight to the death. Don’t you want to find out?” Prerequisite: Fighter class A champion of honor is a formidable fighter sworn to enforce justice with his weapons, as cruel and brutal as that justice might be; he lives a life of violence, taking part in contests of honor and loyalty and duels to the last blood. When he is not dueling for his or his liege lord’s sake, a champion of honor trains to use any weapon, no matter how commonplace or exotic, to ensure he is never unable to give satisfaction under even the most unusual conditions.


Champion of Honor Path Features

Challenge to the Last Blood (11th level): When you mark a target with your Combat Superiority class feature, you can choose to deal the target a -4 penalty to any attack roll that do not target you. If you do, you will be marked by the target until the end of your next turn. Champion’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point, instead of taking an extra action you can reroll a melee attack roll or damage roll. Justiciar’s Phlegm (16th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action or to gain the benefits of a Champion’s Action, you also gain a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the encounter.

Champion of Honor Exploits p Here Waits Thy Doom

Champion of Honor Attack 11

You hit your enemy with a grievous blow that leaves its survival doubtful. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to Will defense until the end of your next turn.

r Armed Trap

Champion of Honor Utility 12

With a skilled move, you use your weapons to entrap the enemy that hurt you. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Immediate Interrupt Personal Requirement: You must be wielding a shield or a melee weapon, but not an improvised melee weapon. Trigger: You take damage from a melee attack Effect: Reduce taken damage by half your level, and the enemy who damaged you is restrained until the start of your next turn.

56

r Executioner’s Blow

Champion of Honor Attack 20

With a swift and brutal blow of your weapon, you maim your enemy. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength +2 vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends).

Gorngrin Bullbreaker, Champion of Honor

Occupation: Gorngrin has survived countless battles that have hardened him in body and spirit. Before finally pledging his loyalty to the Goldenspear Thane, the dwarf traveled the world far and wide, defending the interests of many lords and wealthy individuals, always clearing them of their charges in trial by combat; Gorngrin has gained many bitter enemies who would have liked a different verdict. Physical Description: Gorngrin is a threatening figure, and he does nothing to mitigate this impression. His straight brown hair and the short tangled beard enhance his stern appearance and his brooding eyes exude a grim aura. His chest and arms are crisscrossed with the scars of many duels. Attributes and Skills: Gorngrin is mighty, cunning, and, when the situation calls for it, merciless. Values and Motivations: Gorngrin’s heart is impervious to almost anything. Although he is as fond of riches as any dwarf, his eyes glitter only when he spots a new foe to defeat. Behavior: Gorngrin always looks uninterested, unless someone wishes to hire his services or to challenge him. Useful Knowledge: Gorngrin knows every law and custom concerning duels and trials in his homeland, and is always careful to educate himself about those of any foreign venue he might visit. Mannerisms: The dwarf gnashes his teeth when he laughs, turning even this simple reaction in an unnerving grimace. Origins: Gorngrin has selected the specialist’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). Gorngrin is specialized in the greataxe. Once per day, he can reroll an attack roll he has just made with his greataxe. He must use the second result, even if lower.

Medium natural humanoid, dwarf fighter

Level 20 Soldier

XP 2,800

Francesco Graziani

Initiative +11 Senses Perception +13; low-light vision HP 181; Bloodied 90 AC 35; Fortitude 34, Reflex 28, Will 30 Saving Throws +5 against poison effects Speed 5 m +4 Terror Greataxe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +25 vs. AC; 1d12 + 13 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Reaping Strike (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. AC; 1d12 + 13 damage. Miss: 5 damage. M Here Waits Thy Doom (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. AC; 3d12 + 13 damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to Will defense until the end of Gorngrin’s next turn. M Exorcism of Steel (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +25 vs. Reflex; 2d12 + 13 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook.

M Executioner’s Blow (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon +27 vs. AC; 4d12 + 13 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Armed Trap (immediate interrupt; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a shield or a melee weapon; Gorngrin takes damage from a melee attack; Gorngrin reduces taken damage by 10, and the enemy that dealt the damage is restrained until the end of Gorngrin’s next turn. Iron Warrior (minor; daily) ✦ Healing, Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Stand Your Ground See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven Skills Endurance +22, Intimidate +15 Str 21 (+15) Dex 13 (+11) Wis 16 (+13) Con 21 (+15) Int 12 (+11) Cha 11 (+10) Equipment +4 dwarven scale armor, +4 terror greataxe, ironskin belt (lvl 15)


Gorngrin Bullbreaker

57

DRAGONBORN MYRMIDON “My breath strikes like lightning and can consume you like a fire. My scales are as hard as any armor. I was born to fight, it is my destiny!” Prerequisites: Dragonborn, fighter class Dragonborn myrmidons decided to dedicate their lives to battle, honing their bodies, minds and spirits to excel in hand-to-hand combat. When their draconic heritage awakens, they become unequalled killing machines and can combine breath and steel to lay waste to their enemies.

Dragonborn Myrmidon Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Melee Breath (11th level): When you make an attack with your Dragon Breath racial power, you add half your level to the damage roll. Threatening Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to make an attack that hits, that attack deals extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier, and you can push the target 1 square. If you intimidated the target in the encounter, you can push it a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier. Ancestral Fury (16th level): When bloodied, you gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against fear effects and to Fortitude and Will defense.

Dragonborn Myrmidon Exploits p Wyrm’s Tail

Dragonborn Myrmidon 11

You unleash a might tail sweep as strong as a dragon’s tail, pushing your enemy back. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you push the target 2 squares. Weapon: If you’re wielding a maul or a warhammer, the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

p Frightful Presence

Dragonborn Myrmidon Utility 12

Your enemies fear you and keep away from you. Encounter ✦ Fear Standard Action Close burst 5 Target: Each enemy in burst Effect: The target is pushed 1 square and takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).

58

r Jormungand’s Assault

Dragonborn Myrmidon Attack 20

You charge a foe and pummel it with a flurry of blows, just like a raging dragon. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Special: You must charge as part of this attack. Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you push the target 1 square, and shift into the space that the target vacated. Make a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: Strength -2 vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn, and you push the target 1 square and shift into the space that the target vacated. Make a tertiary attack against the same target. Tertiary Attack: Strength -4 vs. AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is knocked prone.

Trakosar Garkr, Dragonborn Myrmidon

Occupation: Trakosar’s home town, standing on the banks of a vast swamp, was attacked and razed to the ground by the black dragon Ssyrmix and his hordes of lizardmen. Those grim days left an indelible mark on the dragonborn’s soul, and now Trakosar only wishes to kill the monsters and liberate his ancestors’ city. Under the tutelage of the legendary warlord Dunsaurus, Trakosar has become a formidable warrior who has put aside any thought of joy and now lives only for revenge. Physical Description: Trakosar is an awesome sight. His reddish scales are thicker on the chest and shoulders, and the crown of pointed quills growing around his neck gives him an authoritative and regal aura. Attributes and Skills: Trakosar is wise and strong. Although he is not very agile or swift, few can compete with him in a melee. Values and Motivations: Trakosar is determined to defeat his clan’s nemesis. Although this quest might cost his life, he is willing to forfeit it, as he knows the memory of his deeds would live on for ages as the height of honor.

Behavior: This fighter acts solemnly and honorably with anyone, especially those whom he considers his rivals; he saves his most bitter criticisms for himself. Useful Knowledge: Outside a fighter’s ordinary skills, Trakosar has very little useful knowledge, except perhaps a good knowledge of draconic physiology and tactics. Mannerisms: Trakosar speaks with a grim voice. When he is worried, he lets out a long, tense hiss. Origins: Trakosar has selected the specialist’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). Trakosar is specialized in the falchion. Once per day, he can reroll an attack he has just made with the falchion. He must use the second result, even if lower. Level 20 Fighter

Medium natural humanoid, dragonborn fighter

XP 2,400

Claudio Casini

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +12 HP 179; Bloodied 89 AC 36; Fortitude 35, Reflex 28, Will 29 Saving Throws +5 against fear effects Speed 5 m +4 Dragonslayer Falchion (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +26 vs. AC; 2d4 + 14 damage. M Reaping Strike (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +26 vs. AC; 2d4 + 14 damage. Miss: 6 damage. M Exacting Strike (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +32 vs. AC; 4d4 + 14 damage. M Wyrm’s Tail (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +26 vs. AC; 4d4 + 14 damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares and dazed until the end of Trakosar’s next turn. M Jormungand’s Assault (standard; part of a charge; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon +26 vs. AC; 2d4 + 14 damage, and Trakosar pushes the target 1 square and shifts into the space that the target vacated, and makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +24 vs. AC; 4d4 +14 damage, the target is dazed until the end of Trakosar’s next turn, and Trakosar pushes the target 1 square and shifts into the space that the target vacated, and makes a tertiary attack against the same target. Tertiary Attack: +22 vs. AC; 6d4 + 14 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Frightful Presence (standard; encounter) ✦ Fear Close burst 5; the target is pushed 1 square back and takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends). Iron Warrior (minor; daily) ✦ Healing, Martial Trakosar regains 2d6 + 4 hit points. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook.


Trakosar Garkr

Dragonborn Fury (only when bloodied) See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. C Dragon Breath (minor; encounter) ✦ Fire Close blast 3; +28 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 11 fire damage. Alignment Lawful Good Languages Common, Draconic Skills Endurance +19, Intimidate +17 (+19 in combat) Str 23 (+16) Dex 11 (+10) Wis 14 (+12) Con 19 (+14) Int 12 (+11) Cha 15 (+12) Equipment +4 flamedrinker plate armor, +4 dragonslayer falchion

59

ELADRIN BLADE “My enemies’ armor cannot shield them from my magic, and their spells shatter like glass under my dancing blades!” Prerequisites: Eladrin, fighter class, Arcane Initiate feat Eladrin blades are extraordinary fighters; they combine their skill with blades and spears with a specific knowledge of battle teleportation. Their foes are often overwhelmed by a fierce flurry of unexpected blows and deadly spells.

Eladrin Blade Path Features


Assault Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you can teleport 3 squares, but you must end your movement in a square adjacent to an enemy. Keen Implement (11th level): You can use any longsword or spear as if it were the implement you selected to cast your wizard or eladrin blade spells. Cutting Eclipse (16th level): When you vacate a square by teleporting, enemies adjacent to that square take damage equal to your Intelligence modifier and are dazed until the end of your next turn.

Eladrin Blade Spells p Surging Spear

Eladrin Blade Attack 11

When you point your weapon at the enemy, you unleash a shockwave that hurts them and knocks them down. Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Strength Standard Action Close blast 3 Target: Each creature in blast Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + Intelligence modifier force damage, and the target is knocked prone. Special: If you selected the Eladrin Soldier feat, you can add your +2 feat bonus to the damage roll.

r Unstoppable Alloy

Eladrin Blade Utility 12

You infuse your sword or spear with eldritch power. Now, no enemy will be able to resist your weapon. Daily ✦ Arcane Minor Action Personal Effect: Until the end of the encounter, your attacks with a longsword or a spear ignore the enemies’ resistances.

60

r Dancing Cusps

Eladrin Blade Attack 20

You assault your enemy with a storm of blows, performing an elaborate martial dance. Once you have worn them down, you teleport to elude any retaliation and take a defensive posture. Daily ✦ Arcane, Weapon Standard Action Close burst 1 Primary Target: Each enemy in burst that you can see Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Effect: Until the start of your next turn, adjacent enemies may be subject to a secondary attack. Secondary Target: An enemy adjacent to you who attempts to move. Secondary Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of your next turn. Effect: If you have made at least one secondary attack, at the start of your next turn you can teleport a number of squares equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Gilriel Baranruin, Eladrin Blade

Occupation: Gilriel leads the Wildshadows, a band of eladrin rebels fighting against the tyranny of the evil fomorian king Tanfann. The despot overrun Gilriel’s home town, Ravenwood, usurping the rightful ruler’s throne and imprisoning him in the bowels of the earth. Gilriel was part of a family working to overthrow Tanfann, and when their conspiracy was revealed, the fomorian’s wrath forced Gilriel and his brothers to go underground. Physical Description: Gilriel is tall and lean. His blonde hair and his dark eyebrows frame two blank green eyes. His voice is barely a whisper, but it is as cutting as a sword’s edge. Attributes and Skills: Gilriel is a formidable fighter; strong, agile and swift. He only lacks a little sympathy. His heart has grown so hard that he often appears cold and uncaring. Values and Motivations: Gilriel is not an evil person: He does not inflict pain without reason; he is too stern, though, and he often shows little respect for the needs of others. He thinks only one race can rightfully rule the faerie land, and he fiercely hates all fomorians, cyclopses and their minions.

Gilriel Baranruin Medium natural humanoid, eladrin fighter

Level 18 Soldier

XP 1,400

Claudio Casini

Initiative +14 Senses Perception +16; low-light vision HP 158; Bloodied 79 AC 36; Fortitude 31, Reflex 32, Will 27 Saving Throws +5 against charm effects, slow and immobilize attempts Speed 6 m +4 Duelist’s Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +23 vs. AC; 1d8 + 11 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +23 vs. AC; 1d8 + 11 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. C Surging Spear (minor; encounter) ✦ Arcane, Force, Implement Close Blast 3; +21 vs. Reflex; 3d6 + 13 force damage, and Gilriel knocks the target prone.

C Vorpal Tornado (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Close Burst 1; +23 vs. AC; 1d8 + 11 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Fatal Hesitation (immediate reaction; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon A creature delays its action; the creature delaying its action; +25 vs. AC; 2d8 + 11 damage, and the target loses its next standard action. Miss: Half damage. Unstoppable Alloy (minor; encounter) ✦ Arcane Until the end of the encounter, Gilriel’s attacks made with a longsword or a spear ignore enemy resistance. Unyielding Warrior Spirit (immediate interrupt; encounter) ✦ Martial Gilriel is hit by an attack that deals force, necrotic, or psychic damage; Gilriel gains resist force, necrotic, or psychic 12 until the end of his next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit him. If the attack inflicts a condition of dazed, dominated, immobilized, restrained, slowed, stunned or weakened that a saving throw can end, Gilriel automatically succeed on those saving throws at the first opportunity. Fey Step (Movement; encounter) ✦ Teleportation See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Elven Skills Arcana +20, Stealth +24 Str 17 (+12) Dex 21 (+14) Wis 12 (+10) Con 14 (+11) Int 19 (+13) Cha 11 (+9) Equipment +4 elven feyleather battle armor, +4 lightning longsword, elven cloak +4, deflecting light shield (lvl 12), bralani swordsman boots (lvl 13) Rituals Animal Messenger, Commune with Nature, Enchant Magic Item, Eye of Alarm


Behavior: Aloof but never arrogant, Gilriel looks elusive even in a conversation or in a calm moment. Useful Knowledge: Gilriel is knowledgeable about fey secrets and magic. Mannerisms: This eladrin often turns his back to those he deems unworthy of his attention, although he makes sure that this scorning gesture will not expose him to unnecessary dangers. During the night, when none can hear him mourning, he sings a dirge for the loved ones that fell in battle against the tyrant. Origins: Gilriel has selected the outlaw’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). He adds Perception and Stealth to his class skills list, and he gains a +1 bonus to Perception and Stealth checks.

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FUSILIER “The thunder is followed by roaring flames and scorching lead. No enemy can withstand such power!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, proficiency with muskets Fusiliers are a unit’s elite gunners. They can quickly draw and reload their muskets, using them to shoot distant enemies with deadly barrages, but they can also cut down enemies in close combat, thanks to the bayonets they have mounted on their weapons.

Fusilier’s Path Features


Fusilier’s Action (11th level): You can spend an action point to reroll an attack roll or a damage roll with the musket, using the best result, instead of taking an extra action. Musket Expertise (11th level): You can switch a musket’s mode as a free action instead of a minor action. In addition, when making a ranged attack with a musket against an adjacent target, you do not provoke opportunity attacks. Piercing Accuracy (16th level): When you score a critical hit with a musket, you deal extra ongoing damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 1; save ends).

Fusilier Exploits p Pierce and Shoot

Fusilier Attack 11

First you hit an enemy with your bayonet, then fire upon it at point-blank range. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a musket. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage (bayonet). Make a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: Dexterity +2 against Fortitude Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage (musket).

p Cloud of Powder

Fusilier Utility 12

After firing a shot, your musket exudes a cloud of smoke that conceals you. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon No Action Personal Special: You can only use this power after you made a ranged attack with the musket. Requirement: You must be wielding a musket. Effect: You and all creatures adjacent to you gain concealment until the start of your next turn.

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r Artillery Salvo

Fusilier Attack 20

“Duck!” Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a musket. Target: One, two, or three creatures Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex, three attacks Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is knocked prone.

Etiel Pyrard

Occupation: Etiel is a young and promising cadet in the Silver Falcon Academy (an organization introduced in Chapter 6: Organizations). The son of a humble craftsman, he made the most of his experience as a gunsmith and earned himself a place in the ranks of this prestigious military corps. He distinguished himself in a campaign against a kobold horde, then he returned to defend his city from the battlements and obtained the prestigious task of training new cadets. Physical Description: Etiel is in perfect shape. His golden locks and his neat beard frame two dark green eyes. Etiel always wears his officer’s black and ochre over his brigantine and a fusilier’s plumed helmet. Attributes and Skills: Etiel has excellent aim, and he is also resilient and insightful. Values and Motivations: Etiel has earned both his men and his superiors’ trust. He would never sway from his main objective: defending the city and repel the attacks of the hated kobolds. Behavior: This young fusilier, an open-minded and cheerful person, is always ready to talk–except when he is on duty. Useful Knowledge: Not only is Etiel a good fusilier, but as a member of the Silver Falcon Academy, he has access to the most exclusive military and aristocratic circles. Mannerisms: Etiel keeps his equipment in topnotch condition, especially his musket; he thinks taking care of his weapon is another way of expressing his dedication to the army. Origins: Etiel has selected the armorer’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). If he has adequate tools and material, he can forge weapons and suits of armor.

Medium natural humanoid, human fighter

Level 15 Soldier XP 1,200

A creature charges Etiel; the creature charging Etiel; +18 vs. Fortitude; 4d6 + 10 damage, and after the attack the target is slowed until the start of Etiel’s next turn. If the target ends its movement in a space where it can attack Etiel, it takes a -2 penalty to its charge’s attack roll. R Deforming Impact (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon +18 vs. AC; 4d6 + 10 damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to AC until the end of the encounter. Miss: Half damage. Cloud of Powder (no action; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a musket; Etiel must have just made a ranged attack with his musket; Etiel and all adjacent creatures gain concealment until the start of Etiel’s next turn. Encumbering Defense (minor; daily) ✦ Martial, Stance Requires a two-handed weapon; Etiel gains a +3 power bonus to AC and to Reflex defense. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Draconic Skills Athletics +15, Heal +15, Streetwise +12 Str 17 (+10) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 16 (+10) Con 14 (+9) Int 12 (+8) Cha 11 (+7) Equipment +3 brigantine*, +3 thunderburst musket, bracers of the perfect shot (lvl 13), gloves of piercing (lvl 3) *New armor described in Chapter 5: a Fighter’s Tools.

Alberto Bontempi

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +10 HP 134; Bloodied 67 AC 32; Fortitude 28, Reflex 28, Will 26 Speed 6 m Bayonet set on the +3 Thunderburst Musket (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d6 + 8 damage. r +3 Thunderburst Musket (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +18 vs. AC (+21 within 7 squares); 2d6 + 10 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d6 + 8 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Flashing Steel (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a light blade; +19 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 8 damage. M Pierce and Shoot (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a musket; +17 vs. AC; 1d6 + 8 damage. Etiel makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +20 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 10 damage. R Smite the Reckless (immediate interrupt; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon


Etiel Pyrard

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INFALLIBLE THROWER “You hear the thunder after you see the lightning. My axe is the same way–first you see its gleam, then you die!” Prerequisite: Fighter class An infallible thrower is a fighter specialized in heavy thrown weapons. Thrown hammers and axes are like lightning in his hands; his assault is relentless and accurate. His rain of steel stuns, dazes and outright slays the enemy in the blink of an eye.

Infallible Thrower Path Features


Experienced Thrower (11th level): When you make a ranged attack with a heavy thrown weapon, both your normal range and your long range increase by a number of squares equal to your Strength modifier (minimum 1). Thrower’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also add half your level to the damage dealt with any ranged attack you make in that turn with a heavy thrown weapon. Versatile Defense (11th level): You gain a +1 bonus to AC when wielding a heavy thrown weapon in your off-hand. Ringing Impact (16th level): If you’re wielding a heavy thrown weapon and make a ranged attack, you score a critical hit with on a roll of 19-20.

Infallible Thrower Exploits p Bouncing Strike

Infallible Thrower Attack 11

The weapon you throw traces a wide arc and hits a second target. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a heavy thrown blade. Primary Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack. Secondary Target: Another creature within 5 squares of the primary target Secondary Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.

p Deceptive Trajectory

Infallible Thrower Utility 12

You know how to move to hinder your enemy’s targeting. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: You are hit by a ranged attack. Effect: You do not take any damage from the attack that just hit you.

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r Cry of the Titan

Infallible Thrower Attack 20

Your thrown weapon falls upon the enemy like a titan’s maul. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Ranged weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a heavy thrown weapon. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is knocked prone. Weapon: If you attack with an axe, you gain a bonus to your damage roll equal to your Constitution modifier. Weapon: If you attack with a thrown hammer, your target is stunned until the end of your next turn.

Draatha Koraxir, Infallible Thrower

Occupation: Draatha is a young and mighty dragonborn. She grew up among the outlaws who killed her kin. They posed as her benefactors and turned her into a skilled fighter specialized in heavy thrown weapons. The simpleminded dragonborn was deceived and her skills were exploited for a long time; when an adventuring party finally defeated the band of outlaws and showed her that she has been duped, Draatha thought the only way to make amends for her sins was forfeiting her life. The heroes’ timely intervention stopped her at the last moment, and they offered her a place in their party. Draatha gladly accepted their offer, and since then she has cared only about protecting her new family. Physical Description: Draatha is a squat dragonborn with thin ochre scales and eyes as black as opals. Her head is round and surrounded by a crown of quills vaguely reminiscent of wild, unkempt hair. Attributes and Skills: Draatha is strong and stout, but she is also swift and forceful; unfortunately, she is not very bright, and her education leaves a lot to be desired. Values and Motivations: Realizing her former companions had duped her for a long time, Draatha has pledged her loyalty to the adventurers who opened her eyes. Behavior: Despite longing for acceptance, Draatha often acts improperly and gives in to excess. Useful Knowledge: Draatha does not have any specific useful knowledge. Mannerisms: Draatha smiles cheerfully when she is happy, especially when someone acts friendly toward her. When she is angry, though, her face becomes a frightful mask and the quills around her neck grow threateningly high.

Draatha Koraxir

Level 11 Soldier

Medium natural humanoid, female dragonborn fighter

XP 600

Simone Delladio

Initiative +7 Senses Perception +7 HP 105; Bloodied 52 AC 29; Fortitude 27, Reflex 23, Will 22 Speed 5 r +2 Lightning Axe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d6 + 10 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d6 + 10 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. R Bouncing Strike (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a heavy thrown weapon; range 5/10; +17 vs. AC; 2d6 + 10 damage and Draatha makes a secondary attack against a target within 5 squares from the primary target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 10 damage. M Troll’s Double Claws (standard; sustain standard; encounter) ✦ Healing, Martial, Weapon Requires two melee weapons; +17 vs. AC, two attacks against one creature; 1d6 + 10 damage, and Draatha gains regeneration 3 until the end of her next turn. Sustain Standard: Draatha attacks again. She cannot sustain this power for more than 3 times or if she does not hit the target with both weapons. R Roaring Hammer’s Slam (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Thunder, Weapon Requires a hammer or a mace; range 5/10; +17 vs. AC, 2d6 + 10 thunder damage, and the target is deafened until Draatha’s next turn. Draatha makes a secondary attack against each creature adjacent to the primary target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 10 thunder damage, and the target is deafened until the end of Draatha’s next turn. Fortunate Deflection (immediate interrupt; daily) ✦ Martial Melee weapon; an ally adjacent to Draatha is hit by a melee attack; Draatha makes a melee attack roll, and the ally can use that attack’s result instead of its AC against the enemy attack. Resist Toxic Fumes (immediate interrupt; sustain minor; daily) ✦ Martial Draatha is hit by an attack that deals acid or poison damage; Draatha gains resist acid 13 or resist poison 13 until the end of her next turn. The type of damage is the same type of the attack

that hit Draatha. Sustain Minor: If Draatha was hit by an attack that dealt ongoing acid or poison damage, Draatha benefits of her resistance for another round. Dragonborn Fury (only when bloodied) See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. C Dragon Breath (minor; encounter) ✦ Poison Close blast 3; +21 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 8 poison damage. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Draconic Skills Athletics +15, Endurance +13 Str 21 (+10) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 13 (+6) Con 17 (+8) Int 11 (+5) Cha 14 (+7) Equipment +2 black iron scale armor, +2 lightning axe, +2 resounding throwing hammer, bracers of the perfect shot (lvl 3)


Origins: Draatha has selected the outlaw’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). She adds Perception and Stealth to her class skills list, and she gains a +1 bonus to Perception and Stealth checks.

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KNIGHT ERRANT “I am honor and wisdom and measure–or at least, I am the bold lance defending all three!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, Mounted Combat feat, proficiency with the lance A knight errant is an itinerant, equestrian warrior. He does not fight for a liege lord, still less for coin. No, the knight errant fights for his own ideals of chivalry and heroism. In some lands he is a quixotic figure sneered at by cynical lords and played to advantage by grasping merchants, in others an idol swooned over by winsome maidens and looked up to by eager lads.

Knight Errant Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Expert Jouster (11th level): When you are on your mount, you gain a +2 bonus to saving throws to avoid being knocked prone (see Mounted Combat in the D&D 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide). In addition, you also gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with your lance. Knight’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, if you use that action to make a mounted attack, both you and your mount can make an attack. Virtue of the Bold (16th level): You gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects.

Knight Errant Exploits p Hippogriff’s Mark

Knight Errant Attack 11

Your attack is as sudden and deadly as the hippogriff’s claw emblazoned on many a heraldic symbol. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target is marked and dazed until the end of your next turn.

p Equestrian Boldness

Knight Errant Utility 12

With a swift tug at the reins and the spurs, you dodge a dangerous blow aimed at you or your mount. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Requirement: You must fight on a mount. Trigger: An enemy’s attack targets your or your mount’s AC or Reflex defense. Effect: Make an Athletics check with a +5 power bonus. You can use the check’s result instead of the defense targeted by the enemy.

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r Joust of Fate

Knight Errant Attack 20

As you lower your helmet’s visor and charge your foe, you send it feeling with one blow and trample everything that stands on your path. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must fight on a mount and make a charge as part of your attack. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage. Weapon: If you’re wielding a lance, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn. Effect: Each creature located on a square you pass through is knocked prone if its size is the same as your mount’s or only differs by one category (larger or smaller).

Sir Galan Celthor, Knight Errant

Occupation: Galan is a knight errant who dedicated his life to protect the helpless common folk of a kingdom constantly besieged by orcish aggression. His family was cursed by a cruel tattooed hexer (see The Quintessential Wizard) who used his dark arts to ensure that all male descendants would rapidly grow old. Physical Description: Although Galan maintains his body’s athleticism and as much of his youth as he can, some telling signs reveal he is rapidly and unnaturally aging. His shaven face frames two blue and mournful eyes; his black hair shows stripes of gray and has been long neglected because of his harsh life on the road. Beneath his old plate armor, Galan wears a padded jacket that has seen better days, emblazoned with his family’s symbol: a charger breaking her chains. Fenaul, Galan’s beautiful mount, is a war horse (see the D&D 4E Monster Manual). Attributes and Skills: Galan is wise and patient, and he has learned to endure even the harshest conditions. Values and Motivations: This man is a strong believer in the ideals of chivalry, and he would be ready to die to show others and himself the true meaning of courage. He is always ready to stand for the weak and downtrodden; still, he longs for a way to break the curse plaguing him and his kin. Behavior: Galan is valorous and courteous. He always speaks gallantly, especially if he is speaking to a woman. He almost always distrusts spellcasters, as he considers them treacherous and egotistical, if not downright diabolical. Useful Knowledge: Galan is a skilled rider and his life as a knight errant gives him unequalled knowledge of the region he has chosen to protect.

Sir Galan Celthor Medium natural humanoid, human fighter

Level 16 Soldier

XP 1,400

+23 vs. AC; 2d8 + 12 damage, and the target is marked and dazed until the end of Galan’s next turn. M Talon of the Roc (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +23 vs. AC; 3d8 + 12 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Dragon’s Fangs (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon +23 vs. AC, two attacks against one creature or one attack against each creature; 3d8 + 12 damage. Miss: Half damage. Equestrian Boldness (immediate interrupt; encounter) ✦ Martial Requires a mount; an enemy makes an attack against Galan’s or Fenaul’s AC or Reflex; Galan makes an Athletics check with a +5 power bonus. He can use the check’s result instead of the attacked defense’s rating. Interposing Shield (immediate interrupt; encounter) ✦ Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Good Languages Common, Giant Skills Athletics +14 (+16 when mounting Fenaul), Diplomacy +17, History +14 Str 20 (+13) Dex 12 (+9) Wis 15 (+10) Con 15 (+10) Int 11 (+8) Cha 17 (+11) Equipment +3 martial prowess plate armor, +3 lance, lone rider heavy shield (lvl 14)

Maichol Quinto

Initiative +9 Senses Perception +10 HP 143; Bloodied 71 AC 35; Fortitude 33, Reflex 29, Will 29 Saving Throws +2 against charm and fear effects Speed 5 (8 when mounting Fenaul) m +3 Lance (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +23 vs. AC; 1d8 + 12 damage. M Mounted Rush Strike (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +24 vs. AC; 1d8 + 11 damage. M Tide of Iron (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a shield; +22 vs. AC; 1d8 + 12 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Hippogriff’s Mark (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon


Mannerisms: Galan often raises his helmet’s sallet to stare enemies in the eyes. When he does not have to play the role of gallant warrior, he often hunches, as if he felt weak. Origins: Galan has selected the noble’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). He adds Diplomacy and History to his class skills and he gains a +1 bonus to Diplomacy and History checks.

67

LORD OF CHAINS “A spiked chain is as devious as a snake, and it answers my commands as if I were a snake charmer.Taste its fangs and kneel before me!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, proficiency with spiked chains Lords of Chains are master of one of the most exotic weapons in the world. They spin their spiked chains as if they were natural extensions of their arms, and can use the chains to trace elaborate defensive arabesques and deadly attacks.

Lord of Chains Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Whipping Action (11th level): When you wield a spiked chain and spend an action point to take an extra action, you also gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, AC, and Reflex defense until the start of your next turn. Whipping Defense (11th level): When you wield a spiked chain, you and your adjacent allies gain a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex defense. Spiked Chain Opportunity (16th level): When you wield a spiked chain, you can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within the weapon’s reach.

Lord of Chains Exploits p Scorpion’s Harpoon

Lord of Chains Attack 11

You swing your spiked chain and then lash out suddenly. The chain strikes like a scorpion’s sting and pulls the prey to you. Encounter ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a spiked chain. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you pull the target 1 square and knock it prone.

r Steel Pattern

Lord of Chains Utility 12

As you swing your spiked chain over your head, you generate a slashing and bludgeoning barrier that repels anyone who dares to attack you. Daily ✦ Martial Minor Action Personal Requirement: You must be wielding a spiked chain. Effect: You gain cover until the end of your next turn. Sustain Minor: You sustain the power, but you take a -2 penalty to attack rolls and your speed is reduced by 1 square for as long as you sustain it.

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r Iron Maiden

Lord of Chains Attack 20

Your chain’s spikes fall on your enemy like rain, tearing its flesh and entrapping it. The more he struggles, the more the spikes pierce his flesh. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a spiked chain. Target: One creature Attack: Strength +2 vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage and is slowed (save ends both). Special: When the target succeeds on its saving throw, it takes damage equal to 1[W] + your Strength modifier.

Blasphaor Xalivem, Lord of Chains

Occupation: Blasphaor had to learn to fight from the day that he was born. He was captured along with four brothers by an evil warlord who used them as shock troops in many demanding and gruesome campaigns. In spite of war’s many horrors and the other mercenaries’ abuses, Blasphaor survived and learned to use his spiked chain with deadly skill. He left the mercenary unit he used to serve in and joined an adventuring party, looking for fortune and wealth. He lived happily for a while with his new companions, but one dark day, after a heated discussion, Blasphaor betrayed them and ran away after killing a few of them. Now the lord of chains fears the survivors’ revenge and hides in a great city’s slums, working as a bounty hunter. Physical Description: Blasphaor is a massive tiefling. One of his frontal horns is broken, and his red eyes flash with a crimson light when he is angered. He keeps his long and wispy beard braided. Attributes and Skills: Blasphaor is brawny and muscular, but he is also cunning and elusive. Values and Motivations: This tiefling believes that only the strongest survive, and he always acts on his basest instincts. Behavior: Threatening and bullying, especially with the weak, Blasphaor does not hesitate to resort to violence. Sometimes, he lashes out for no reason at all, or at least none anyone else can understand. Useful Knowledge: This tiefling knows the metropolis’ underworld very well, as he often scours the shadiest parts of the city looking for his prey; his devious nature has also encouraged him to learn how to use poisons.

Mannerisms: Blasphaor always pats his spiked chain’s rings; when he feels threatened; he puffs out his chest and raises his voice. Origins: Blasphaor has selected the mercenary’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). He gains a +1 bonus to all initiative checks and saving throws against fear effects.

Andrea Vivaldo

Medium natural humanoid, tiefling fighter

Level 17 Soldier

XP 1,600

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +10; low-light vision HP 154; Bloodied 77 AC 32; Fortitude 32, Reflex 27, Will 27 Saving Throws +1 against fear effects Resistance 13 Fire Speed 5 m +3 Lifedrinker Spiked Chain (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +23 vs. AC (+24 against a bloodied target); 2d4 + 12 damage. M Merciless Wound (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a flail, light blade, or pick; +23 vs. AC (+24 against a bloodied target); 2d4 + 7 damage, and the target takes ongoing 1 damage. M Scorpion’s Harpoon (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Requires spiked chain; +23 vs. Reflex (+24 against a bloodied target); 4d4 + 12 damage, and the target is pulled 1 square and knocked prone. C Vorpal Tornado (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Close Burst 1; +23 vs. AC (+24 against a bloodied target); 2d4 + 12 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Fatal Defensive Flaw (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon +23 vs. AC, three attacks against one creature (+24 against a bloodied target); 2d4 + 12 damage, and the target takes a -2 stacking penalty to AC and Reflex defense for each attack that hits until the end of Blasphaor’s next turn. Surprise Step (immediate reaction; encounter) ✦ Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Steel Pattern (minor; sustain minor; encounter) ✦ Martial Requires a spiked chain; Blasphaor gains cover until the end of his next turn. Sustain Minor: Blasphaor sustains the power, but he takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls and his speed is reduced by 1 square for as long as he sustains it. Infernal Wrath (minor; encounter) Blasphaor deals 1 extra damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages Common, Abyssal Skills Intimidate +14, Streetwise +14 Str 20 (+13) Dex 13 (+9) Wis 14 (+10) Con 18 (+12) Int 14 (+10) Cha 13 (+9) Equipment +3 trollskin scale armor, +3 lifedrinking spiked chain


Blasphaor Xalivem

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PILGRIM FIGHTER “Faith is the most powerful weapon… especially when combined with a sword!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, Initiate of the Faith feat Pilgrim fighters take up arms to convert infidels or to smite them, enhancing the fervor of their faith with armor and weapons. Pilgrim fighters are not concerned with setting an example to the faithful, like paladins do, nor do they inspire hosts of crusaders as clerics. They are the common soldiers and faithful knights of a crusading army.

Pilgrim Fighter Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Battle Relic (11th level): You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with the weapon you selected for the Relic Bearer ability. Relic Bearer (11th level): Choose a melee weapon. You can use that weapon as if it were a holy symbol when you cast your prayers. Rightful Aegis (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also gain a bonus to AC and Will defense equal to your Wisdom modifier until the start of your next turn. Pious Bulwark (16th level): Once per day, you can use the divine fortune or turn undead cleric power.

Pilgrim Fighter Prayers p Burden of Faith

Pilgrim Fighter Attack 11

You whisper an orison against your foe; it soon realizes it will not easily elude your faith’s tenets. Encounter ✦ Divine, Implement Standard Action Ranged 5 Target: One creature Attack: Wisdom vs. Will Hit: 3d10 + Wisdom modifier damage, and the target is marked until the end of your next turn.

r Aegis of Sacrifice

Pilgrim Fighter Utility 12

Through great sacrifices you can gain equally significant benefits. Daily ✦ Divine Minor Action Ranged 5 Target: You or one ally Effect: Spend a healing surge as a free action; you do not regain any hit points, but you or one ally gains a +5 power bonus to all defenses until the end of your next turn.

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r Divine Tribunal of Arms

Pilgrim Fighter Attack 20

You invoke your deity’s judgment against your enemies and the miracle of healing for you and your allies. Daily ✦ Divine, Healing, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage. Effect: You and each ally within 5 squares from you regain hit points as if you had spent a healing surge.

Katrien of Firekeep, Pilgrim Fighter

Occupation: Katrien is a fighter who has dedicated her life to the cause of good. She grew up in a region ruled by a decadent theocracy, and she is convinced the gods have chosen her to find the crown of martyrdom, a long-lost relic; the reason for this belief is a circlet-shaped birth mark she has on her breast, right above the heart. When a Steel Prophet (the member of a brotherhood described in Chapter 6: Organizations) approached her, impressed with her moral strength and virtue, Katrien joined their cause, believing the organization shared her desire to find the holy relic. In spite of her personal charisma, this fighter does not care about temporal power, nor does she intend to gather followers to found her own holy order. Physical Description: Katrien is a small but beautiful woman. Her long black hair is covered with an elegant helmet and her dark eyes shine with dedication and feeling. She wears the many relics she found during her adventures: a phylactery hangs from her neck, a saint’s cameo has been set on her shield and she keeps a necklace of prayer beads wrapped tight around her sword’s hilt. Attributes and Skills: Katrien is very attractive, but her extraordinary stubbornness has gotten her into trouble more than once. Values and Motivations: This fighter sincerely supports those who oppose evil in all its forms and is looking for a trusted adventuring party willing to assist her in her god-given holy quest. Behavior: Katrien has a commanding temper, sometimes to the point of being tyrannical. She believes she is always acting for the best, but she would surely feel ashamed and hurt if someone remarked on her lack of faith in others.

Level 13 Soldier

Medium natural humanoid, female human fighter

Emiliano Petrozzi

Useful Knowledge: Although she is not a cleric, Katrien has extensive knowledge of the customs, mysteries, and tenets of many religious cults. Mannerisms: Katrien often looks to the sky, as if she were looking for the answer to a question she dares not ask. Her soul burns with holy fervor each time she thinks she is making progress on her lifelong quest. Origins: Katrien has selected the predestined’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). Once per day, she can reroll a saving throw she has just failed.

XP 800

Initiative +6 Senses Perception +10 HP 117; Bloodied 58 AC 29; Fortitude 28, Reflex 25, Will 26 Speed 5 m +3 Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +19 vs. AC; 1d8 + 10 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +19 vs. AC; 1d8 + 10 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Tide of Iron (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a shield; +19 vs. AC; 1d8 + 10 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. R Burden of Faith (standard; encounter) ✦ Divine, Implement Range 5; +16 vs. AC; 3d10 + 9 damage, and the target is marked until the end of Katrien’s next turn. M Chains of Sorrow (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +19 vs. AC; 3d8 + 10 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. C Shift the Battlefield (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon Close Burst 1; +19 vs. AC; 2d8 + 10 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Aegis of Sacrifice (minor; encounter) ✦ Divine Range 5; Katrien or one ally; Katrien takes 13 damage. The target gains a +5 power bonus to all defenses until the end of Katrien’s next turn. Resist Tortured Senses (immediate interruption; daily) ✦ Martial Katrien gains resist radiant or thunder 11 until the start of her next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit her. If the attack inflicts a blinded, dazed, deafened, or stunned condition that a save can end, Katrien automatically succeeds on her first save against that condition. Alignment Good Languages Common, Dwarven Skills Endurance +12, Heal +15, Religion +12 Str 19 (+10) Dex 11 (+6) Wis 19 (+10) Con 13 (+7) Int 12 (+7) Cha 14 (+8) Equipment +2 heroic chainmail, +3 longsword, helm of heroes (lvl 10), heavy shield of defiance (lvl 8)


Katrien of Firekeep

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TUNNEL DEFENDER “I have stopped a giant! Do you think goblins have any chance of passing me?” Prerequisites: Dwarf, fighter class Tunnel defenders are the ultimate dwarven fighters. They have been trained to fight in cramped spaces. They know how to control the battlefield and push their enemies into elaborate traps from which they will find no escape. These fighters’ defenses are as impassable as stone, and their mettle is as strong as steel.

Tunnel Defender Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Shield Expert (11th level): You gain a +1 bonus to AC when you wield a heavy shield. Tunnel Defender’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you gain a +2 bonus to all defenses until the start of your next turn. Ultimate Bulwark (16th level): When you are subject to forced movement (push, pull, or slide), subtract your Constitution modifier from the number of squares you have to move. This benefit’s effect does not stack with the Stand Your Ground racial trait.

Tunnel Defender Exploits p Crushing Impact

Tunnel Defender Attack 11

You deal your foe such a devastating blow that not even its armor can withstand your power. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes a penalty to AC equal to your Strength modifier until the end of your next turn. Weapon: If you’re wielding a hammer, the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

r March of Ruin

Tunnel Defender Utility 12

You relentlessly gain ground and drive the enemy before you. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Move Action Personal Effect: Shift to an adjacent square. If the square you shift to is occupied by a creature, you can push that creature 1 square. The pushed creature takes a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

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r Bulette’s Burrowing

Tunnel Defender Attack 20

You relentlessly pummel your foes’ legs until you force them to the ground. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Close burst 1 Target: Each enemy in burst that you can see Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. You knock the target prone and it is slowed (save ends).

Agnek Soulstone, Tunnel Defender

Occupation: Agnek fought hard to become a tunnel defender, although her parents would have preferred it if she took holy orders. Since the day the Elfrender goblin clan killed her betrothed and laid siege to her clan’s fortress, Agnek felt the urge to wield a shield and a warhammer. Physical Description: Agnek could be an astonishingly beautiful dwarf, if only she cared more about her appearance. Her brown hair fall down her back in orderly braids. She has an iron gaze and her voice is stern, but she often grows melancholy when she thinks of her lost love. Attributes and Skills: Agnek is an irreprehensible and altruistic soul. Still, these merits fade away as soon as she faces her sworn enemies, the goblins, leaving her cold and savage. Values and Motivations: This dwarf has chosen the tunnel defender’s path because she still cannot accept that her companion is gone; thus, she tries to fill the void in her heart by protecting others’ loved ones. Behavior: Agnek constantly strives not to show any sign of femininity, but the sweet and caring person she used to be sometimes betrays her. Useful Knowledge: This dwarf knows her clan’s fortress and its defenses like the back of her hand. Recently, she was also forced to learn about the goblins’ customs and military strategies to better fight her sworn enemies. Mannerisms: Agnek is a gruff dwarf. When she learns to care about someone, though, she becomes very protective of her new friends, even mothering –or smothering– them. Origins: Agnek has selected the recruit’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). She adds Insight and Perception to her class skills list, and she gains a +1 bonus to Insight and Perception checks.

Agnek Stonesoul

Level 11 Soldier

Medium natural humanoid, female dwarf fighter

XP 600

Alberto Bontempi


Initiative +6 Senses Perception +14; low-light vision HP 109; Bloodied 54 AC 30; Fortitude 27, Reflex 23, Will 23 Saving Throws +5 against poison effects Speed 5 m +2 Resounding Warhammer (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +15 vs. AC; 1d10 + 8 damage. M Sure Strike (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d10 + 8 damage. M Crushing Impact (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +15 vs. AC; 2d10 + 8 damage, and the target takes a -3 penalty to AC and is dazed until the end of Agnek’s next turn. M Iron Bulwark (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +15 vs. AC; 2d10 + 8 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook.

M Victorious Surge (standard; daily) ✦ Healing, Martial, Reliable, Weapon +15 vs. AC; 3d10 + 8 damage, and Agnek regains 27 hit points. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Stalwart Guard (minor; daily) ✦ Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Unbreakable (immediate reaction; encounter) ✦ Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Stand Your Ground See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Lawful Good Languages Common, Dwarven Skills Insight +14 Str 17 (+8) Dex 13 (+6) Wis 16 (+8) Con 21 (+10) Int 11 (+5) Cha 12 (+6) Equipment +2 mountain plate armor, +2 resounding warhammer, dwarven helmet (lvl 9), thundering vengeance heavy shield (lvl 7)

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ULTIMATE DUELIST “A duel is like a dance to win the heart of the one you love. Step by step, follow the rhythm and you will triumph; one bad step, and you will lose. Only–substitute life for love.” Prerequisites: Fighter class, proficiency with rapier Ultimate duelists are the most graceful fencers ever, and they often fight to show off their superior skills with the blade. Swords swirl in their hands as if they were performing magic tricks, but at the right moment, they can strike blows as deadly as those of the most brutal fighter.

Ultimate Duelist Path Features Chapter 3: A Fighter's Path

Combat Sense (11th level): You do not grant combat advantage to your enemies during a surprise round and you gain a +2 bonus to initiative checks. Duelist’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you can shift a number of squares equal to your Dexterity modifier before or after taking the extra action. Lightning Reaction (16th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also gain a +2 bonus to Reflex defense and your speed increases by 2 until the end of the encounter.

Ultimate Duelist Exploits p Weapon Key

Ultimate Duelist Attack 11

You perform an extraordinary fencing move that leaves your enemy breathless and then entraps it. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex, two attacks Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage per attack. If one attack hits, the target is dazed (save ends). If both attacks hit the same targets, it is dazed (save ends) and restrained until the start of your next turn.

p Cobra’s Hypnotic Feint

Ultimate Duelist Utility 12

You dodge an incoming blow with inhuman swiftness and escape your target’s grasp, leaving it astonished. Encounter ✦ Martial Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: You are immobilized, restrained, or slowed Effect: End the above conditions that afflict you and gain a +2 power bonus to AC and Reflex defense until the end of your next turn.

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r Straight to the Heart

Ultimate Duelist Attack 20

Your weapon pierces the enemy’s flesh and touches its heart. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade. Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. Reflex Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes a penalty to Fortitude defense equal to your Dexterity modifier until the end of the encounter. Weapon: If you’re wielding a rapier, the target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends).

Camwaith, Ultimate Duelist

Occupation: Camwaith studied under one of the greatest fencing masters of all time. This half-elf is rumored to have gained permission to study at her master’s feet when she impressed him during a fight. Although other more malicious rumors say that she obtained his help through seduction, Camwaith undeniably remains an extraordinary duelist, blessed with an unequalled technique. Physical Description: Camwaith has a lean, agile body, whose curves are outlined by the tight leather armor she wears. Her honey hair is cut short and gives her a roguish air. Attributes and Skills: Camwaith is skillful and curious. Thanks to constant practice, she is always in peak physical condition. Values and Motivations: Camwaith likes dueling to constantly push herself beyond her limits. She has no particular moral imperatives, and she often goes adventuring just to have the opportunity to travel. Behavior: Camwaith likes to pretend she is weak and helpless, a deception quickly abandoned once her rapier is in hand. Useful Knowledge: Camwaith knows many adventurers, including famous fencers and weapon masters. Mannerisms: This half-elf likes to mock her foes in combat to make them lose their tempers and lower their guards. Origins: Camwaith has selected the wanderer’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). She knows an additional language (Goblin), she adds Nature to her class skills list, and she gains a +1 bonus to Nature checks.

Level 13 Soldier

Medium natural humanoid, female half-elf fighter

XP 800

Emiliano Petrozzi

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +7; low-light vision HP 120; Bloodied 60 AC 28; Fortitude 26, Reflex 25, Will 22 Speed 7 m +3 Duelist’s Rapier (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +18 vs. AC; 1d8 + 9 damage. M Flashing Steel (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a light blade; +19 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 9 damage. M Riposte Strike (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a light blade; +19 vs. AC; 1d8 + 10 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Storm of Blows (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +18 vs. AC; 1d8 + 13 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Weapon Key (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a light blade; +18 vs. Reflex, two attacks; 1d8 + 9 damage per attack; if an attack hits, the target is dazed (save ends); if both attacks hit the same target, it is dazed (save ends) and restrained until the end of Camwaith’s next turn. C Thicket of Blade (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Close Burst 1; +18 vs. AC; 3d8 + 9 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Cobra’s Hypnotic Feint (immediate interrupt; encounter) ✦ Marziale Camwaith is immobilized, restrained or slowed; Camwaith ends these conditions and gains a +2 power bonus to AC and to Reflex defense until the end of her next turn. Last Ditch Evasion (immediate interrupt; daily) ✦ Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin Skills Athletics +14, Nature +13 Str 17 (+9) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 12 (+7) Con 16 (+9) Int 13 (+7) Cha 13 (+7) Equipment +3 sylvan leather armor, +3 duelist’s rapier, sheath of the weapon champion (lvl 9), bracers of defense (lvl 7), boots of striding


Camwaith

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WARRIOR AVATAR “Now you will know the true source of my strength!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, Pact Initiate feat A warrior avatar lets a powerful supernatural entity pervade her body. This arcane union produces extraordinary martial skills. Whether the force behind her arm is the fickle power of the faerie land, a cruel devil, or an unfathomable entity from beyond the night sky, it guides and enhances the warrior avatar.

Warrior Avatar Path Features


Avatar’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, if you use this action to make an attack with your avatar’s weapon and the attack hits, you deal extra ongoing damage equal to your Charisma modifier (save ends). Avatar’s Weapon (11th level): Selects a melee weapon. You can use this weapon as if it were the implement you chose to cast your warlock or warrior avatar spells. Pact Embodiment (16th level): You become the embodiment of the pact you made with your unearthly entity. Fey Pact: When you score a critical hit with your avatar’s weapon, you become invisible to the target until the end of your next turn. Infernal Pact: When you are bloodied and you score a critical hit with your avatar’s weapon, you gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage you dealt. Star Pact: Once per day, you can reroll an attack roll, damage roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw of your choice, using the best result.

Warrior Avatar Attack 11

As you clench your fist, you can almost grasp your enemy’s soul and feel its defenses fading. Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: Charisma vs. Will Hit: 1d10 + Constitution modifier damage, and the target gains vulnerability 5 to all attacks until the end of your next turn.

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Warrior Avatar Utility 12

Your guardian entity smites those who dare to hurt you, and your pact allows you to shrug the pain off. Daily ✦ Arcane, Healing Immediate Reaction Personal Trigger: You take damage from a melee attack Effect: The enemy that hit you takes ongoing 5 damage and is dazed (save ends both). You can spend a healing surge and add your Charisma modifier to the hit points you regain.

r Rend Spirit

Warrior Avatar Attack 20

You thrust your blade in the enemy’s body, but your magic ensures that you will hurt its soul as well. Daily ✦ Arcane, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: Constitution or Charisma vs. Will Hit: The attack’s type of damage depends on the pact you made. Fey Pact: 1d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Infernal Pact: 1d10 + Constitution modifier necrotic damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Constitution modifier. Star Pact: 1d10 + Constitution modifier cold damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Special: At 20th level, choose between Charisma or Constitution to determine which ability will regulate this power. Once you have chosen, you cannot change your choice later. Miss: Half damage, and no secondary attack.

Nymotalia, Warrior Avatar

Warrior Avatar Spells p Weaken Spirit

r Guardian Entity’s Spite

Occupation: Nymotalia was raised by a cruel warlock to become the champion of an orc tribe. The warlock found the tiefling when she was still a toddler and he considered her a sign of benevolence from the otherworldly entities he worshipped. Nymotalia grew up as a prisoner and had to endure countless vexations from the warlock, who wanted to make a merciless fighter out of her, and who also initiated her to the arcane mysteries of his infernal pact. At last unable to tolerate this mistreatment, Nymotalia killed her tutor and claimed command of the tribe. Now she leads the orcs in their raids against frontier settlements. Physical Description: Nymotalia is a tall, muscular figure. Her eyes are as black as ink, just like her hair. Her body is covered with tribal tattoos and piercing, but in battle she wears a grim suit of chainmail that covers most of them.

Emiliano Petrozzi

Nymotalia Medium natural humanoid, tiefling fighter

Level 18 Soldier

XP 2,000

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +10; low-light vision HP 158; Bloodied 79 AC 33; Fortitude 33, Reflex 27, Will 31 Resist 14 Fire Speed 5 m +3 Berserker Greatsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +24 vs. AC (+25 against a bloodied target); 1d10 + 12 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +24 vs. AC (+25 against a bloodied target); 1d10 + 12 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Brutal Domino (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +24 vs. Fortitude (+25 against a bloodied target); 2d10 + 12, and Nymotalia pushes the target 1 square and knocks it prone. If the target ends its movement in a space occupied by a creature, the creature is dazed until the end of Nymotalia’s next turn. R Weaken Spirit (standard; encounter) ✦ Arcane, Implement Ranged 10; +21 vs. Will (+22 against a bloodied target); 1d10 + 9 damage, and the target gains vulnerability 5 to all attacks until the end of Nymotalia’s next turn. M A Thousand Sparks (standard; daily) ✦ Lightning, Martial, Weapon Requires an axe, hammer, heavy blade, or mace; +24 vs. AC (+25 against a bloodied target); 4d10 + 12 lightning damage, and each creature within close burst 1 from the primary target takes 5 lightning damage. Miss: Half damage, and each creature within close burst 1 from the primary target takes 5 lightning damage. Guardian Entity’s Spite (immediate reaction; daily) ✦ Arcane, Healing Nymotalia takes damage from a melee attack; the creature who hit Nymotalia takes ongoing 5 damage and is dazed (save ends both). Nymotalia can spend a healing surge and add 5 to the hit points she regains. Prepare to Assault (minor; daily) ✦ Martial Nymotalia spends a healing surge; she does not regain any hit points, but she gains 2d6 + 5 temporary hit points and resist 2 to all damage until the end of the encounter. Infernal Wrath (minor; encounter) Nymotalia deals 5 extra damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Evil Languages Common, Abyssal Skills Arcana +15, Intimidate +19 Str 21 (+14) Dex 12 (+10) Wis 13 (+10) Con 14 (+11) Int 13 (+10) Cha 21 (+14) Equipment +4 magic-hungry chainmail, +3 berserker greatsword, belt of vigor (lvl 12) Rituals Magic Circle, Phantom Steed, View Location


Attributes and Skills: Nymotalia is headstrong and stubborn. She will not be denied anything. Values and Motivations: This tiefling only cares about her own benefit. Above all else, she wishes to know the truth about her origins. Behavior: Nymotalia is commanding and crude. She does not care what others might think of her, and she is willing to sacrifice anyone in order to achieve victory. Useful Knowledge: Not only is Nymotalia a formidable fighter, but she is also knowledgeable about demons and other extraplanar creatures born of the depths of hell. Mannerisms: When she inflicts pain and suffering on another creature, Nymotalia grins with inhuman glee. Origins: Nymotalia has selected the slave’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). She gains a +2 bonus to Endurance and Streetwise checks.

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WHIRLWIND DERVISH “Exotic, savage and dangerous, with a leap I can dance among my enemies.Watch closely, if you can, and you will see them fall one by one!” Prerequisites: Fighter class, Weapon Focus (falchion) or Weapon Focus (scimitar) feat Dervishes are exotic, focused, and keen fighters; they have perfected a formidable combat technique that allows them to face more enemies at once. Swift and deadly, they can protect their companions with a wall of swirling blades or blind and slow their enemies down with lightning-fast and accurate blows from their curved blades.


Whirlwind Dervish Path Features

Dervish’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, if you use that action to make an attack with a scimitar or a falchion and the attack hits, you can immediately make a basic melee attack against an adjacent enemy as a free action. Martial Dance (11th level): When an enemy adjacent to you attacks your Reflex defense, that enemy takes damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 1). Keen Crescent (16th level): You can score a critical hit with a scimitar or a falchion on a roll of 18-20.

Whirlwind Dervish Exploits p Blinding Blow of Sand

Whirlwind Dervish Attack 11

Your glancing blow wounds an enemy and blinds another with your weapon’s flashing steel. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon, Reliable Standard Action Melee weapon Requirement: You must be wielding a falchion or a scimitar. Primary Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. Make a secondary attack. Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the primary target that you can see Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. Will Hit: The target is blinded until the end of your next turn.

78

r Rattlesnake’s Deception

Whirlwind Dervish Utility 12

Like a rattlesnake, you distract a foe with your feints, then strike where it is most vulnerable. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Immediate Interrupt Personal Trigger: An adjacent enemy targets you with an attack Effect: You switch place with the enemy that triggered this power. In addition, that enemy grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn. Weapon: If you’re wielding a falchion or a scimitar, that enemy cannot shift until the end of your next turn.

r Desert’s Spinning Vortex Whirlwind Dervish Attack 20 With lightning speed, you dodge your enemies’ blow and attack them, cutting their flesh and blinding their eyes as if you were a sandstorm. Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Close burst 1 Requirement: You must be wielding a falchion or a scimitar. Target: Each enemy in burst that you can see Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you push the target 1 square. Effect: If you hit at least one enemy, you gain a +2 power bonus to AC and to Reflex defense until the end of your next turn. If you miss all enemies, the targets are blinded (save ends).

Lamya, Whirlwind Dervish Occupation: Lamya was born and raised in a halfling nomad camp, on the edges of a vast desert plain. She was trained to dance and fight even as a child, and she soon became an extraordinary athlete. Like many of her ancestors, she felt the urge to leave the lands she grew in to explore the unknown; she visited a human metropolis built among the sands and she took the identity of an acrobatic dancer, swinging between artistic performances and exciting adventures among dunes and town alleys. Physical Description: Lamya is graceful and well-built. Her dark skin is made even more beautiful by glittering piercings and henna tattoos that highlight her large and exotic blue eyes.

Level 12 Soldier

Small natural humanoid, female halfling fighter

XP 700

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +8 HP 109; Bloodied 54 AC 28; Fortitude 27, Reflex 25, Will 23 Saving Throws +5 against fear effects Speed 6 m +2 Flaming Scimitar (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d8 + 9 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Reaping Strike (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +17 vs. AC; 1d8 + 9 damage. Miss: 4 damage. M Sudden Surge (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +17 vs. AC; 2d8 + 9 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Blinding Blow of Sand (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires scimitar or falchion; +17 vs. AC; 2d8 + 9 damage. Lamya makes a secondary attack against another target. Secondary Attack: A creature within 5 squares of the primary target that Lamya can see; +15 vs. Will; the target is blinded until the end of Lamya’s next turn. C Thicket of Blades (standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon Close Burst 1; +17 vs. AC; 3d8 + 9 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Last Ditch Evasion (immediate interrupt; daily) ✦ Martial See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Rattlesnake’s Deception (immediate interrupt; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon An adjacent enemy targets Lamya with an attack; Lamya switches place with the enemy that triggered this power. In addition, that enemy grants combat advantage to Lamya until the end of Lamya’s next turn; if Lamya wields a scimitar or a falchion, that enemy cannot shift until the end of Lamya’s next turn. Nimble Reaction See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Second Chance See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Elven, Primordial Skills Acrobatics +16, Athletics +14 Str 19 (+10) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 14 (+8) Con 13 (+7) Int 12 (+7) Cha 13 (+7) Equipment +2 barkskin armor, +2 flaming scimitar, acrobat boots


Lamya

Simone Delladio

Attributes and Skills: Lamya is swift and athletic. In addition, she is insightful and has a fiery temper. Values and Motivations: This fighter zealously follows her people’s religious traditions; other than those strictures, she only dutifully observes the discipline required to maintain herself in dancing –and fighting– trim. Behavior: Lamya is quiet and discreet. When she is upset, a rare occurrence, she lets her scimitar do the talking for her. Useful Knowledge: Lamya is a skilled acrobat, and she knows the artistic world of the city where she works very well. Mannerisms: Lamya prays with a thin, musical voice, facing the rising or the setting sun. Origins: Lamya has selected the wanderer’s origin (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). She knows an additional language (Elven) and she adds Nature to her class skill list, and she gains a +1 bonus to Nature checks.

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A Fighter's Feat

R

CHAPTER 4

iglen’s armor had saved his life, but now it was nothing but a mangled mess of steel. Arrows still hung from the rings of his chainmail, the handiwork of kobold minions in the service of Syphodol, the dragonborn warlock at Jarek’s command. If he hadn’t fitted the armor to his exacting standards, if he hadn’t known how to shield himself against the worst of the volley–well, he would not have had to worry about Syphodol. Vanquishing the kobold host had been a demanding task, supported as they were by the dragonborn’s dark sorcery. Unfortunately, though the minions were routed, their master remained. “Die, you fool!” Syphodol swore, shouting his curse over the bolts of purplish lightning arcing from his clawed fingers. Riglen’s muscles screamed in agony as the dark energy wracked his body. He crumpled to the stone floor, twitched, rose–but only to his hands and knees, before his burning nerves stole his strength away. “Did you really think I would allow you to approach me?” The dragonborn’s mocking laughter hissed across the gap between them. “You are a very sturdy ape,” he allowed, “but I’ll see your flesh curdle long before you could profane my scales with your crude touch. And then, I’ll do the same to the rest of your primitive little band. My master will be well pleased to hear of your deaths, though I can’t see why he should trouble himself.” Still clinging to his shield, Riglen tried to crawl up the stair leading to the dais where Syphodol stood, to reach the sword he had lost during the earlier melee. “Looking for this?” the warlock pointed at the weapon and hissed another laugh. “I’m almost impressed, ape.” He kicked the blade away from Riglen’s desperately outstretched fingers. “Almost.” Riglen was too exhausted to even look up at the fanged grin he knew would be splitting the dragonborn’s muzzle. He could barely breathe. His muscles ached. The armor that had spared him from kobold arrows only seemed to worsen the agony of their master’s lightning. He was almost beaten. But as Syphodol said–almost. The dragonborn languidly stretched out his weirdly-engraved wand. He waited until Riglen’s fixed his gaze on the purplish glow before, with an arcane shout, unleashing a final, killing bolt. This time Riglen was ready; he had endured each blast, slowly gaining ground on his enemy, to risk all in one last, desperate move. With surging rage, he raised his shield; the room flashed purple and white and the walls trembled, shaken by echoing thunder. The purplish lightning struck the shield, sparked–rebounded. Crackling hideously, the blue-white arc of lightning took the warlock full in the chest. The blast hurled him back against the dais, hissing in shock and pain. He thrashed against the bloodied stone table, cursing and gasping. By the time Syphodol’s twitching stopped, Riglen had retrieved his sword and pressed its point to Syphodol’s throat. “I’m almost impressed, lizard,” Riglen said. His bolt-blackened lips split into a broad grin. “Almost.”

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Roberto Pitturru

Feats If a fighter’s powers are what make him an unequalled combatant, his feats are the assets that distinguish him from other members of his class. Most fighter feats grant a bonus to damage rolls, or increase defenses or saving throws, but certain feats also allow a fighter to execute unique and extraordinary moves, especially if he wields a specific weapon or wears a particular type of armor. The following feats, with a few exceptions, are specifically designed with the fighter in mind and allow members of this class to exploit their weapons and equipment as never before. When a fighter acquires these feats, he will be able to withstand the heaviest blows, survive the hottest flames and even turn damage back against his enemies.

Chapter 4: A Fighter's Feat

Heroic Tier Feats

Any feat in the following section is available to a character of any level who meets the prerequisites. Heroic tier feats are the only feats you can take if you are 10th level or lower.

Brutal Brawl [Fighter]

Prerequisite: Fighter Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls when you make an unarmed attack. Increase bonus to +2 at 11th level and to +3 at 21st level.

Combat Runner [Halfling]

Prerequisites: Halfling, trained in Athletics Benefit: You do not grant combat advantage when running, and you only take a -2 penalty instead of a -5 penalty to attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

Crippling Shot

Prerequisite: Dex 15 Benefit: When you score a critical hit with a bow or a crossbow, the target is slowed until the start of your next turn.

Defensive Shooter [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Fighter, Defensive Mobility Benefit: You gain a +3 feat bonus to AC against opportunity attacks provoked by the ranged attacks you make when adjacent to an enemy.

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Dragonborn Contest [Dragonborn, Fighter]

Prerequisites: Dragonborn, fighter, Combat Challenge class feature Benefit: When marking a target of higher level than yours, you gain a +1 feat bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls against that target as long as the mark remains.

Dwarven Vigor [Dwarf]

Prerequisite: Dwarf Benefit: You gain dwarven vigor as daily power.

Dwarven Vigor

Feat Power

You summon every bit of dwarven stamina, enduring even the most intense heat and frost. Daily ✦ Martial Standard Action Personal Effect: You gain resist cold or resist fire equal to 5 + half your level until the end of the encounter.

Entangling Flail

Prerequisite: Str 15, Dex 15 Benefit: When you score a critical hit against a foe with a flail, that foe is slowed until the end of your next turn.

Entrapping Shield [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Fighter, Shield Proficiency (Light) Benefit: When you score a critical hit with a melee attack, your target is restrained until the start of your next turn. Special: You must have a light shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Hardened Plate

Prerequisite: Training with plate armor Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC when you are attacked with axes, heavy blades, light blades, or polearms in melee. Special: You must wear a plate armor to benefit from this feat.

Impervious Chain

Prerequisite: Training with chainmail armor Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC when you are attacked with hammers, maces, staffs, or unarmed attacks in a melee. Special: You must wear chainmail to benefit from this feat.

Name

Prerequisites

Benefit

Brutal Brawl

Fighter

Combat Runner

Halfling, trained in Athletics

Crippling Shot

Dex 15

Defensive Shooter

Fighter, Defensive Mobility

Dragonborn Contest Dwarven Vigor Entangling Flail

Dragonborn, fighter, Combat Challenge class feature Dwarf Str 15, Dex 15

Entrapping Shield

Fighter, Shield Proficiency (Light)

Hardened Plate

Training with plate armor

Impervious Chain

Training with chainmail

Indomitable Courage

–

Insightful Counterattack

Wis 13, half-elf

Isolating Shield

Fighter, Shield Proficiency (Heavy)

Pierce Armor

Fighter

Point-Blank Shooter

Dex 13, proficient with dueling pistols or muskets

Refractory Shield

Fighter, Shield Proficiency (Heavy)

Rest in Armor

Trained in Endurance, trained with armor (any) Wis 15, fighter, Combat Superiority class feature Str 13, Dex 13, Shield Proficiency (Light)

+1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls with unarmed attacks When running, you do not grant combat advantage and the penalty to your attack rolls is reduced Your enemy is slowed if you score a critical hit with a bow or crossbow +3 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks provoked by the use of a ranged weapon +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls against marked enemies of higher level Gain dwarven vigor as daily power Your enemy is slowed if you score a critical hit with a flail If you score a critical hit in a melee attack, your foe is restrained +2 bonus to AC against some melee weapon groups +2 bonus to AC against some melee weapon groups +2 bonus to saves against charm and fear effects Add Wis modifier when you make opportunity attacks Gain resist fire and resist cold with heavy shields +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls against a foe wearing heavy armor Add your Dex modifier to the maximum range that grants you the benefits of the point-blank property Gain resist acid and resist lightning with heavy shield You can rest while in your armor

Ritual Warrior Shield Proficiency (Buckler) Shield Proficiency (Tower) Steady Hand

Allows you to master and perform martial rituals Proficiency with bucklers

Str 17, Shield Proficiency (Heavy)

Proficiency with tower shields

Str 15

+1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with weapons with the heavy thrown property +3 bonus to Strength checks to grab a creature +2 bonus to AC against some melee weapon groups

Tight Grab

Str 15

Tight Scale

Training with scale armor


HEROIC TIER FEATS

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Indomitable Courage

Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to saves against charm and fear effects.

Insightful Counterattack [Half-Elf] Prerequisites: Wis 13, half-elf Benefit: When making an opportunity attack against a foe that attacked you since the end of your last turn, you add your Wisdom modifier to the Strength modifier of the attack roll.

Isolating Shield [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Fighter, Shield Proficiency (Heavy) Benefit: When using a total defense action, you also gain resist fire and resist cold equal to twice your shield bonus. Special: You must have a heavy shield equipped to benefit from this feat.


84

Alberto Bontempi

A fighter resting in his armor is always ready for battle.

Prerequisite: Fighter Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack an enemy wearing a heavy armor.

Point-Blank Shooter

Prerequisites: Dex 13, proficient with dueling pistol or musket Benefit: You add your Dexterity modifier to the maximum square range that allows you to benefit from a firearm’s point-blank property.

Refractory Shield [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Fighter, Shield Proficiency (Heavy) Benefit: When using a total defense action, you also gain resist acid and resist lightning equal to twice your shield bonus. Special: You must have a heavy shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Rest in Armor

Prerequisites: Training in Endurance, training with armor (any) Benefit: You can take an extended rest wearing an armor you have been trained with, and you do not take any negative condition for that (see Resting in Armor in Chapter 5: A Fighter’s Tools).

Ritual Warrior [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Wis 15, fighter, Combat Superiority class feature Benefit: You can master and perform martial rituals of your level or lower. See Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power for more information about acquiring, mastering, and performing martial rituals.

Shield Proficiency (Buckler)

Prerequisites: Str 13, Dex 13, Shield Proficiency (Light) Benefit: You gain proficiency with bucklers.

Shield Proficiency (Tower)

Prerequisites: Str 17, Shield Proficiency (Heavy) Benefit: You gain proficiency with tower shields.

Steady Hand

Prerequisite: Str 15 Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when you make a ranged attack using a weapon with the heavy thrown property, if you did not move since the end of your last turn.

Tight Grab

Prerequisite: Str 15 Benefit: You gain a +3 feat bonus to Strength checks made to grab a creature.

Tight Scale

Prerequisite: Training with scale armor Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC when you are attacked with flails, picks, or spears in a melee. Special: You must wear a scale armor to benefit from this feat.

Paragon Tier Feats

Any feat in the following section is available to a character of 11th level or higher who meets the prerequisites.

Active Offense [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Wis 15, fighter Benefit: You can spend an action point to regain an encounter attack power you have already used, instead of taking an extra action.

Active Utility [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Wis 15, fighter Benefit: You can spend an action point to regain an encounter utility power you have already used, instead of taking an extra action.

Blade Guard

Prerequisites: Str 15, Dex 17 Benefit: If one of your melee attacks with a light blade or a heavy blade misses and that attack would usually deal no damage in case of a miss, you gain a +2 feat bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.


Pierce Armor [Fighter]

Bralani Fencing [Eladrin]

Prerequisites: Eladrin, fey step racial power Benefit: When you use your fey step power, you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls made with a longsword or with any spear until the end of your next turn.

Cautious Outflanking

Prerequisite: Dex 15 Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks provoked by your move actions.

Chain Impact

Prerequisites: Con 15, Impervious Chain Benefit: When you are hit by a melee attack dealt with hammers, maces, staves, or unarmed attacks, you can spend a healing surge as an immediate reaction. You do not regain any hit points, but the foe that attacked you is weakened until the end of your next turn. Special: You must wear chainmail to benefit from this feat.

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PARAGON TIER FEATS Name

Prerequisites

Active Offense

Wis 15, fighter

Active Utility Blade Guard Bralani Fencing Cautious Outflanking Chain Impact Deflecting Shield

Diabolical Surge


Elusive Shield

Fiery Burst Grappling Mobility

Light Shield Focus Plate Backlash Quick Firearm Reload Recovering Surge Ringing Impact Side by Side Sliding Shaft Stuck Among Scales Swift Executioner Tearing Axes

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Benefit

Spend an action point to regain an encounter attack power Wis 15, fighter Spend an action point to regain an encounter utility power Str 15, Dex 17 +2 bonus to AC in case you miss an attack Eladrin, fey step racial power Use the fey step power to gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls with longswords and spears Dex 15 +3 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks provoked by movement Con 15, Impervious Chain Spend a healing surge to weaken a foe that hit you Dex 15, fighter, Refractory Shield When you take acid or lightning damage, you deal acid or lightning damage to a foe within 3 squares Tiefling, fighter, infernal wrath racial power Deal extra damage when using infernal wrath Fighter, Shield Specialization Gain cover against ranged attacks and damage reduction against missed area or close attacks Proficient with dueling pistols or muskets Score a critical hit with a dueling pistol or a musket to deal fire damage in close blast 3 Str 19, Improved Grab +2 bonus to attack rolls to pull a grabbed target, and you do not provoke opportunity attacks Shield Specialization +2 bonus to Reflex defense against a single foe’s attacks Str 17, Hardened Plate Spend a healing surge to daze a foe that hit you Dex 17, proficient with dueling pistols or Reduce the time required to reload your muskets firearms Fighter Spend a healing surge to make a saving throw Str 15, Con 17 Score a critical hit with a hammer or a mace to deal a -2 penalty to your foe’s defenses – +1 bonus to AC and Reflex defense when you are adjacent to an ally Str 15, Wis 15 You can flank enemies within reach when using a polearm Dex 15, Tight Scale Spend a healing surge to immobilize a foe that hit you Dex 15 Deal a coup de grace as move action Str 17, Con 13 Score a critical hit with an axe to deal ongoing extra damage

Prerequisites: Dex 15, fighter, Refractory Shield Benefit: When you take damage from an attack that has the acid or lightning keyword, you can deal damage of the same type equal to your Dexterity modifier, up to the amount you have taken, to a target within 3 squares other than the enemy that made the attack. Special: You must have a heavy shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Diabolical Surge [Tiefling, Fighter]

Prerequisites: Tiefling, fighter, infernal wrath racial power Benefit: When you use your infernal wrath power, if your attack is a melee attack that hits and deals damage, you deal extra damage equal to your Strength modifier, instead of your Charisma modifier.

Elusive Shield [Fighter]

Prerequisite: Proficiency with dueling pistols or muskets Benefit: When you score a critical hit with a pistol or a musket, you deal 1d6 fire damage to all creatures within close blast 3.

Grappling Mobility

Prerequisites: Str 19, Improved Grab Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to Strength attacks made to pull a grabbed target. In addition, if you leave a square adjacent to an enemy as you pull a grabbed target, the enemy cannot make an opportunity attack against you.

Light Shield Focus

Prerequisite: Shield Specialization Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Reflex defense against the attacks of a single foe of your choice. Special: You must have a light shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Roberto Pitturru

Prerequisites: Fighter, Shield Specialization Benefit: You gain the benefit of cover against ranged attacks made from a range of 5 or more squares. In addition, when an area or close attack against AC or Reflex defense misses you but would deal damage in case of a miss, you can subtract your shield bonus from the damage you take. Special: You must have a heavy shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Fiery Burst


Deflecting Shield [Fighter]

Not even flames can penetrate a skillfully wielded shield.

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Plate Backlash

Prerequisites: Str 17, Hardened Plate Benefit: When you are hit by a melee attack dealt with axes, heavy blades, light blades, or polearms, you can spend a healing surge as an immediate reaction. You do not regain any hit points, but the foe that attacked you is dazed until the end of your next turn. Special: You must wear plate armor to benefit from this feat.

Quick Firearm Reload

Prerequisites: Dex 17, proficiency with dueling pistols or muskets Benefit: You can reload a dueling pistol as a free action instead of a minor action, and you can reload a musket as a minor action, instead of a standard action.

Recovering Surge [Fighter] Chapter 4: A Fighter's Feat

Prerequisite: Fighter Benefit: Once per turn, you can spend a healing surge to reroll a saving throw you have just failed against one of the following conditions that affect you and that a save can end: blinded, dazed, deafened, helpless, slowed, weakened.

Ringing Impact

Prerequisites: Str 15, Con 17 Benefit: When you score a critical hit with a hammer or a mace, the target takes a -2 penalty to all defenses until the start of your next turn.

Side by Side

Benefit: When you are adjacent to an ally, you gain a +1 feat bonus to AC and to Reflex defense.

Sliding Shaft

Prerequisites: Str 15, Wis 15 Benefit: When you wield a polearm, you can flank all enemies within reach, instead of only adjacent enemies.

Stuck Among Scales

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Tight Scale Benefit: When you are hit by a melee attack dealt with flails, picks, or spears, you can spend a healing surge as an immediate reaction. You do not regain any hit points, but the foe that attacked you is immobilized until the end of your next turn. Special: You must wear a scale armor to benefit from this feat.

Swift Executioner

Prerequisite: Dex 15 Benefit: You can deal a coup de grace with a minor action instead of a standard action, and you deal 1d10 extra damage.

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Tearing Axes

Prerequisites: Str 17, Con 13 Benefit: When you score a critical hit with any type of axe, you also deal ongoing damage equal to your Strength modifier (save ends).

Epic Tier Feats

Any feat in the following section is available to a character of 21st level or higher who meets the prerequisites.

Active Offense Mastery [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Wis 17, fighter, Active Offense Benefit: You can spend an action point to regain a daily attack power, instead of taking an extra action.

Active Utility Mastery [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Wis 17, fighter, Active Utility Benefit: You can spend an action point to regain a daily utility power, instead of taking an extra action.

Additional Martial Action [Fighter] Prerequisite: Fighter Benefit: You start with two action points instead of one, but you can only use the second action point to take an extra action that must be an attack with the weapon keyword. Special: After taking an extended rest, you lose any action point you did not use, but start with two new action points.

Battle-Hardened [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Con 17, fighter, Improved Second Wind Benefit: You can use second wind twice per encounter.

Chain Mastery

Prerequisite: Impervious Chain Benefit: You can spend an action point as immediate reaction to reduce damage taken from a melee attack made with hammers, maces, staves, or unarmed attacks; you reduce an amount of damage equal to your chainmail’s bonus, instead of taking an extra action. Special: You must wear chainmail to benefit from this feat.

Firearm Mastery

Prerequisites: Str 17, Dex 21, proficient with dueling pistols or muskets Benefit: When you make a ranged attack with a pistol or a musket, you score a critical hit with a natural roll of 19 or 20.

Name

Prerequisites

Benefit

Active Offense Mastery

Wis 17, fighter, Active Offense

Active Utility Mastery

Wis 17, fighter, Active Utility

Spend an action point to regain a daily attack power Spend an action point to regain a daily utility power Gain an additional action point to use as an attack Use second wind twice per encounter Spend an action point to reduce damage from some weapon groups Score a critical hit with a natural roll of 19 or 20 when making a ranged attack with a duelling pistol or a musket Score a critical hit with a natural roll of 19 or 20 when making a melee unarmed attack Wield a two-handed weapon with one hand and take a penalty If you hit a moving enemy with an opportunity attack, the enemy can only take minor actions Spend an action point to deal damage to a foe when you take acid or lightning damage Spend an action point to reduce damage from some weapon groups Spend a healing surge to make a saving throw with a +2 bonus Spend an action point to reduce damage from some weapon groups Spend an action point to ignore damage from a melee attack You do not grant combat advantage when prone or restrained

Additional Martial Action Fighter Battle-Hardened Chain Mastery

Con 17, fighter, Improved Second Wind Impervious Chain

Firearm Mastery

Str 17, Dex 21, proficient with dueling pistols or muskets

Grappling Mastery

Str 21, Con 17,Grapple Mobility

Mighty Grasp

Str 21, Con 17

Mighty Superiority

Str 21, Wis 17, fighter, Combat Superiority class feature

Mirroring Shield

Str 19, fighter, Deflecting Shield

Plate Mastery

Hardened Plate

Recovery Mastery

Fighter, Recovering Surge

Scale Mastery

Tight Scale

Shield Mastery (Heavy)

Str 19, Elusive Shield

Shield Mastery (Light)

Dex 17, Light Shield Focus

Grappling Mastery

Prerequisites: Str 21, Con 17, Grappling Mobility Benefit: When you make a melee unarmed attack, you score a critical hit on a natural roll of 19 or 20.

Mirroring Shield [Fighter]

Mighty Grasp

Prerequisites: Str 21, Con 17 Benefit: You can attack with a two-handed weapon while holding it with only one hand. When you do so, you take a -2 penalty to attack rolls.

Prerequisites: Str 19, fighter, Deflecting Shield Benefit: When you take damage from an attack with the acid or lightning keyword, you can spend an action point as an immediate reaction; instead of taking an extra action, you deal damage of the same type equal to half the damage you have taken to a target within 3 squares from you that you can see. Special: You must have a heavy shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Mighty Superiority [Fighter]

Plate Mastery

Prerequisites: Str 21, Wis 17, fighter, Combat Superiority class feature Benefit: When you hit an enemy with an opportunity attack and the enemy must end his movement, if it was its movement that provoked the opportunity attack, the enemy will only be able to take minor actions until the end of your next turn.


EPIC TIER FEATS

Prerequisite: Hardened Plate Benefit: You can spend an action point as an immediate reaction to reduce damage taken from a melee attack made with axes, heavy blades, light blades, or polearms; you reduce an amount of damage equal to your armor bonus, instead of taking an extra action. Special: You must wear plate armor to benefit from this feat.

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Recovery Mastery [Fighter]

Prerequisites: Fighter, Recovering Surge Benefit: When you spend a healing surge, you can immediately make a saving throw with a +2 feat bonus against a condition affecting you and that a save can end.

Scale Mastery

Prerequisite: Tight Scale Benefit: You can spend an action point as an immediate reaction to reduce damage taken from a melee attack made with flails, picks, or spears; you reduce an amount of damage equal to your armor bonus, instead of taking an extra action. Special: You must wear scale armor to benefit from this feat.


Shield Mastery (Light)

Prerequisites: Dex 17, Light Shield Focus Benefit: You do not grant combat advantage when you are prone or restrained. Special: You must have a light shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Shield Mastery (Heavy)

A fighter cannot be easily outflanked; those who dare to try will soon regret their audacity.

Prerequisites: Str 19, Elusive Shield Benefit: When you are hit by a melee attack, you can spend an action point as an immediate reaction to ignore damage from the attack that just hit you, instead of taking an extra action. However, you are dazed and cannot benefit from your shield until the end of your next turn. Special: You must have a heavy shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

MULTICLASS FEATS Prerequisites

Benefit

Int 15, fighter, Arcane Initiate

Spend an action point to use AC instead of Will defense +1 bonus to an ally’s AC and Reflex defense when you move it Mark your target by dealing radiant damage

Int 15, fighter, Student of Battle

Stealthy Exploit

Fighter, Combat Challenge class feature, Astral Fire, Initiate of the Faith Dex 15, fighter, Sneak of Shadows

Umbral Charge

Fighter, Pact Initiate, Powerful Charge

+2 bonus to damage rolls when making an opportunity attack against a moving target Spend a healing surge to gain concealment during a charge

Elisa Ferrotto

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Name Dweomer Shielding Mobile Guardian Strategy Revealing Gleam

The multiclass feats described in the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook allow a character to acquire class features and powers from another class. The ones featured in The Quintessential Fighter, except a few cases, are designed for those fighters who wish to enhance their mastery of power sources other than martial.

Dweomer Shielding

[Multiclass Fighter]

Prerequisites: Int 15, fighter, Arcane Initiate Benefit: When you are targeted by an attack against your Will defense, you can spend a healing surge as an immediate reaction; you do not regain any hit points, but you use your AC instead of your Will defense. Special: You must have a shield equipped to benefit from this feat.

Mobile Guardian Strategy [Multiclass Fighter]

Prerequisites: Int 15, fighter, Student of Battle Benefit: When using a power that allows a character to move, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and to your Reflex defense until the end of your next turn,

Revealing Gleam [Multiclass Fighter] Prerequisites: Fighter, Combat Challenge class feature, Astral Fire, Initiate of the Faith Benefit: When you deal radiant damage to a foe, you mark that foe and you can ignore penalties from concealment when attacking it until the end of your next turn.

Stealthy Exploit [Multiclass Fighter]

Prerequisites: Dex 15, fighter, Sneak of Shadows Benefit: When making an opportunity attack against a moving target, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls.

Umbral Charge [Multiclass Fighter]

Prerequisites: Fighter, Pact Initiate, Powerful Charge Benefit: When charging, you can use a healing surge as a free action; you do not regain any hit points, but you gain concealment until the end of your next turn.


MULTICLASS FEATS

Alberto Bontempi

A fighter cannot be easily outflanked; those who dare to try will soon regret their audacity.

91

COMBAT STYLES


Exploits allow you to dispatch an enemy that might resist a simple attack, feats can help you score a hit, but only the mastery of a combat style will help you for the entire length of a fight. Combat styles are a new feature introduced in this book and consist of elaborate techniques (in game terms, a specific combination of feats, skills, and powers) that can only be learned by those fighters willing to coordinate all their martial knowledge into one of the world’s greatest fighting styles. Obviously, there are many different styles (the GM can freely come up with others of his own creation), each granting a different set of benefits. Only a character that has chosen the fighter class can learn a combat style; the character automatically gains its benefits as soon as he masters the entire set of skills, feats, and powers required by the combat style. You can only master one combat style at a time, but you can replace an old combat style you already knew with another through the retraining option, which allows you to switch feats, skills, and powers (see the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook). This system grants a character a considerable advantage over another character of the same level, but the restrictions it places on the selection of feats, skills and powers –along with the minimum level a character must attain before acquiring certain benefits– ensures that the game remains balanced. In addition, almost all privileges grant situational benefits (like most feats do), which ensures that all characters will be involved in a fight, as they are stimulated to use their best techniques without giving into frustration: A fighter mastering a combat style obtains relevant advantages only in very specific situations.

HOW TO READ COMBAT STYLES

The combat styles a fighter can acquire are described below in the following format. An asterisk (*) refers to a feat or power introduced in this book. Feats: The feats you must have to master the combat style. Skills: The skills you must be trained in to master the combat style. Powers: The list of powers you must have to master a combat style, sorted by level. Benefits: The advantages you will gain once you have mastered a combat style.

92

Overwhelming Wave Technique

This combat school teaches their disciples a series of martial lessons and techniques that allow them to physically overwhelm their enemies, tossing them around on the battlefield and forcing them into the most disadvantageous positions. Masters of this combat style move their enemies around like leaves in the wind, then swiftly break their resistance and finish them off. Feats: Powerful Charge, Shield Push. Skills: Athletics. Powers: tide of iron, spinning sweep, come and get it, shift the battlefield, brutal domino*. Benefits: When charging, you get a +4 bonus to damage rolls and a +4 bonus to bull rush attempts. In addition, each time one of your powers pulls, pushes, or slides a target, the target’s forced movement increases by 1 square.

RELENTLESS MARAUDER TECHNIQUE

These fighters, often seen as madmen by more careful and moderate combatants, relish the bloodiest melees. Veritable raging berserkers, they love the destruction they cause on the battlefield: The more enemies they dispatch, the greater the glory they win for themselves and their reckless combat style. Feats: Blood Thirst, Combat Reflexes. Skills: Endurance. Powers: cleave, battle hubris*, sweeping blow, rain of steel, come and get it, shift the battlefield, giant’s wake. Benefits: When you first become bloodied in an encounter, all enemies within your weapon’s reach are marked.

SCHOOL OF THE IMPENETRABLE GUARD

Fighters who choose this elaborate martial discipline train to remain focused during the entire fight so they may anticipate any assault and deflect any blow. They believe the key to victory is the ability to avoid grievous wounds while wearing down and debilitating the enemy. Feats: Alertness, Defensive Mobility, Shield Specialization. Skills: Athletics. Powers: covering attack, no opening, defensive training or my weapon, my armor*, iron bulwark, stalwart guard. Benefits: When taking a total defense action, you gain a +4 bonus to defenses, instead of +2. In addition, when you take the aid another action, your ally gains a +4 bonus instead of a +2 bonus to all her defenses against the next attack.

This combat style is very effective and yet very simple to learn. Its disciples need only to understand a basic principle: all attacks must be powerful and devastating. Strength is celebrated as the first quality a fighter must have, eclipsing strategies and defensive techniques, as there is no other way to beat an enemy than crushing it under a flurry of blows. Feats: Potent Challenge, Power Attack. Skills: Athletics. Powers: brute strike, crushing blow, dizzying blow or crack the shell, reckless strike or lay waste to the enemy*. Benefits: When you make a melee attack and take a -2 penalty to the attack roll because of your Power Attack feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus to damage rolls.

SECRET THAUMATURGY TECHNIQUE

Those who can master this technique often become stuff of legends and tales. They are described as immortal fighters that none can defeat. Masters of the secret thaumaturgy technique know many extraordinary secrets and can endure virtually any wound. Feats: Durable, Improved Second Wind, Toughness. Skills: Endurance, Heal. Powers: unstoppable or boundless endurance, unbreakable, victorious surge. Benefits: When using a power that has a positive effect on your hit points (restoring lost hit points, granting temporary hit points, and so on) and whose effect depends your Constitution modifier, your Constitution modifier is counted twice. In addition, when making a saving throw against death, you get one step closer to death only with a result of 9 or less, instead of a result of 10 or less.

STYLE OF THE INVISIBLE WIND

Followers of this sophisticated discipline learn a combination of extremely swift and graceful attacks and parries without renouncing to the sturdy protection of heavy armor. Thanks to constant training in dodging, feinting, and outflanking maneuvers, they can easily avoid blows that would cut down any other combatant. Feats: Cautious Outflanking*, Defensive Mobility, Uncanny Dodge. Skills: Acrobatics. Powers: passing attack, sudden surge, wyvern’s outflanking*, into the fray or last ditch evasion. Benefits: When you shift, you can shift 1 extra square. In addition, if you move a number of squares equal or lower than your Dexterity modifier, you do not provoke opportunity attacks from enemies adjacent

to the squares you pass through (you still provoke opportunity attacks from non-adjacent enemies with the threatening reach ability).

STYLE OF THE IRON ARCHER

This style’s masters do not neglect their defender role; they cultivate their stamina and melee skills just like any other fighter. Nonetheless, they train as skilled marksmen with bows or crossbows. In a way, they are even more skilled than rangers, as they do not fire to confound or weaken many foes, but focus on fewer targets in order to dispatch them with well-aimed, mighty shots. Feats: Far Shot, Weapon Focus (any bow or crossbow) Skills: Perception. Powers: surging arrow*, dazing blow*, archer’s heavy volley*, shooter’s barricade*, target enemy ranks*, unending bolts of hope*. Benefits: As a minor action, you may aim at any target you can see. The next time you attack that target with a ranged weapon for which you have the Weapon Focus feat, you gain a bonus to damage equal to your Strength modifier. This bonus lasts until expended or until the start of your next turn.

STYLE OF THE UNERRING BLADE

These fighters are convinced that the sword is the ultimate weapon, the only one allowing a duelist to truly shine and to reach the peak of accuracy and finesse. Balance and grace are the foundations of this school’s training, the keys that unlock its disciples’ victory over other, cruder combatants. Feats: Weapon Focus (heavy blade or light blade), Blade Opportunist, Heavy Blade Opportunity or Light Blade Opportunity. Skills: Thievery. Powers: readied thrust*, sure strike, spinning sweep, precise strike, crack the shell, storm of blows. Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus from your Fighter Weapon Talent feature instead of a +1 bonus.


SCHOOL OF THE RAGING FURY

93

A FIGHTER’S TOOLS

K

Chapter 5

ail lifted the blackened drapes covering the entrance of Helmbreaker’s Forge, ignoring the pungent scent of iron and the hot steam rising from the melting pots. Gorgan cautiously stepped in, followed by Riglen and Ashgara. “This is a weaponsmith?,” the dwarf asked dubiously. “The best one,” Riglen said. “I’ve heard Talthor forged the Kings of Dodeas’ war scepter, and that the fire of his forge shaped the armor of the seven Hammergap Marshals.” “A colorful legend,” Kail remarked as he joined his companion. The dragonborn’s skilled eye, though, could not help but examine the masterpieces displayed in the forge. Helms, breastplates, spears, and shields lined the wall like a still and silent army of hoplites. The leather had still the scent of tanning, and the burnished steel glittered in darkness. “Are you sure this man will help us?” Gorgan muttered. “Jarek’s minions are hot on our heels!” “Believe me, if there is someone who knows about Mamya’s sword, it is Talthor,” the gladiator replied, suppressing a groan at this new complaint. A voice echoed from the armory’s shadows, louder than an hammer clanging on the anvil. “Can I help you? Are you looking for weapons? Armor?” Riglen immediately recognized the smith from the descriptions he’d heard. “Wherever I go, I hear your name spoken in awe,” he began, lifting one weapon after another from their racks to examine them; he soon realized they were perfectly balanced and that their alloy was unusually strong. “Your words make me proud,” the smith said. Riglen ran his gaze from axes to flails, crossbows to spears, stopping at a heavy claymore with a dark, glittering blade. He had never seen such a weapon. “Incredible!” he said. “A glassteel weapon.” Carefully, reverently, he pulled the blade down and felt its heft. Even still, it felt like it was meant to dance in his hands. “There are no such weapons in the Twin Lands,” he said. “It must have cost you a fortune”. “You can say that again. A merchant from Sailorspur retired after my purchase, but it was worth it. That man’s obsidian mines are very rich.” Riglen did not like the answer and nodded nervously; then, suddenly, he spun and cut off the man’s head. His companions, except the warlord, stood aghast, unable to react. “Hold still, you two!” Kail crowed hastily. “There are no glassteel merchants in Sailorspur,” he added, granting the fighter an admiring nod. “Only dragonborn know how to mine it from the volcanoes and how to make weapons out of it. They call them dragonbones.” “So, what happened to Talthor?” asked the dwarf, still coping with his astonishment. “Kidnapped, maybe killed, who knows,” Kail answered. The answer came from the false weaponsmith’s corpse itself, which stirred like a pond’s ripples until it bared its original appearance: a repulsive gray-skinned humanoid with milky eyes. “Doppelganger,” growled Ashgara. “It’s a trap! Jarek’s men must be close!”

94

Andrea Sorrentino

ADVENTURING GEAR

Chapter 5: A Fighter's Tools

More than any other character, a fighter should never use poor equipment, nor should he run out of gadgets and useful tools in combat. Besides, unless the party includes an arcane caster, he should always have a few items that deal different type of damage close at hand, such as alchemical treatments. The mundane items listed below are some of the most useful gear a combatant can bring to a battle, from armor harness to weapon catches. Their utility can be invaluable in a duel. Armor Harness: A harness cannot be used without an armor of any kind, as they are explicitly designed to enhance an armor’s performance. Kidney Belt: These thin metal sheets are added to plate armor to protect the loins and prevent a treacherous strike from hitting a vital spot. When you are flanked while wearing this harness, you gain resist 1 against all attacks from the creatures flanking you. Leather Padding: These stripes of soft leather are added to a scale or plate armor’s junctions to reduce the noise made by the gnashing steel. When you add leather padding to your armor, you ignore Stealth penalties imposed by the armor.

ADVENTURING GEAR Item

Weapon Safety Catch

96

Price

Armor Harness Kidney Belt 8 gp Leather Padding 15 gp Linen Gambison 25 gp Metal Rivets 40 gp Studded Leather Balteus 5 gp Armor and Shield Alchemical Treatments Adamantine 150 gp Comfortable 40 gp Reflecting 50 gp Resilient 100 gp Umbral 80 gp Melee Weapon Alchemical Treatments Acid 50 gp Cold 50 gp Fire 50 gp Lightning 50 gp Necrotic 50 gp Poison 50 gp Radiant 50 gp Mount Harness Bit and Headpiece 5 gp Military Saddle 15 gp Traveling Saddle 7 gp

5 gp

Weight 1-1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1-1/2 lb. 1 lb. 1 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 6 lb. 15 lb. 10 lb.

1/2 lb.

Linen Gambison: This shirt is worn beneath chainmail. It is usually made from linen or wool, and has a padding of the same material or of horse hair and it can reduce impact damage. When you wear a gambison beneath your chainmail, you gain a +1 item bonus to AC when you are attacked by hammers, maces, staves, or unarmed attacks. Metal Rivets: These steel clasps lock the sheets of a plate armor together, increasing its protection against slashing weapons. When you wear riveted armor, you gain a +1 item bonus to AC when you are attacked by axes, heavy blades, or light blades. Studded Leather Balteus: These two leather stripes are tied to heavy armor to protect the wearer’s hips, allowing part of the armor’s weight to rest on them. They reduce the armor’s effective weight by one third for the purposes of encumbrance. Armor and Shield Alchemical Treatments: You can use these alchemical mixtures to coat your armor or shield so that they will gain unique and unexpected abilities. Coating a shield or an armor with a dose of alchemical treatment requires a standard action that provokes opportunity attacks. The coating lasts for 5 minutes or until the end of the encounter. Adamantine: When you coat your armor with this oil, you gain a +1 alchemical bonus to AC. If you use the oil to coat your shield, you gain a +1 alchemical bonus to AC and Reflex defense. These bonuses stack. Comfortable: When you coat your armor with this oil, you ignore the armor’s penalties to Strength- and Constitution-based skill checks. Reflecting: When you coat your armor or shield with this oil, you gain resist lightning 5. If you coat additional items with this oil (such as your armor and your shield), you do not gain greater resistance. Resilient: When you coat your armor or shield with this oil, you gain resist fire 5. If you coat additional items with this oil (such as your armor and your shield), you do not gain greater resistance. Umbral: When you coat your armor or shield with this oil, you ignore the armor’s penalty to Stealth checks. Melee Weapon Alchemical Treatments: These alchemical substances are simple mixtures available in any large settlement’s markets. When you coat the edge of your melee weapon with them, you deal 1d8 extra damage of a specific type (acid, cold, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, or radiant). An application lasts until the end of your next turn. Coating a melee weapon with an alchemical treatment requires a minor action that provokes opportunity attacks.

ARMOR AND SHIELDS A fighter’s fortitude means nothing without adequate equipment. His toughness will fail if he cannot rely upon trusted armor and shield. A fighter needs a reliable suit of armor, with a good compromise between defense, flexibility and encumbrance. Three new suits of armor and two new shields featuring different qualities and characteristics are described below.

ARMOR TYPES

Brigantine: A brigantine armor covers the chest and sometimes the groin. It is made by pieces of hardened leather pinned on a linen or hide layer. It is lighter than a hide armor and it is favored by those who value speed over comfort. Chain Shirt: A chain shirt is a comfortable shirt made with small metal rings; it usually protects your chest and belly, but sometimes it can cover even your thighs. Your arms and shoulders are not protected, but the encumbrance is limited. A chain shirt’s brass and iron rings are smaller and lighter than those of chainmail; this armor provides a good level of protection without hindering your movements. Field Plate: This armor covers virtually your entire body with a set of precisely fitted steel plates, usually worn on linen or woolen clothes and bound with stripes and buckles. In those points where such a rigid armor would be a hindrance, such as behind your knee, protection is ensured by steel mail made of jointed rings. Field plate armor also includes a helmet, mittens, gorget, front plate, cuisses, and greaves; these expensive suits of armor are usually tailored for a specific wearer.


Mount Harness: This equipment protects a mount against certain harmful effects and enhances a rider’s athletic skills. Bit and Headpiece: The bit grants the rider a solid grip on the reins, while the headpiece shields the mount from bright lights and sudden noises. A mount wearing bit and headpiece gains a +2 item bonus to saving throws against fear and to end the following conditions: blinded, dazed, deafened. Military Saddle: A military saddle has been specifically designed for mounted combatants and it includes belts, buckles, reinforced stirrups and a leather harness. A character on a mount with this saddle gains a +2 item bonus to saving throws to avoid being dismounted. Traveling Saddle: This saddle spreads a rider’s weight equally over the mount’s whole back and softens the prolonged irritation of a long journey. In addition, its particular shape lets air circulate between the saddle and the beast’s back, allowing for a better transpiration. A four-legged beast with a traveling saddle can carry 50% extra weight instead of the usual 25% extra weight. Weapon Safety Catch: The catch can be a leather string (if you need to secure the weapon to light armor) or a small steel chain (for heavy armor). Although it does not prevent you from being disarmed, the catch keeps your weapon from falling too far from your position, or worse, into your enemy’s hands. Picking up a weapon protected with a weapon safety catch is a free action.

ARMOR AND SHIELDS Leather Armor (Light) Brigantine

Chainmail (Heavy) Shirt

Plate Armor (Heavy) Field Plate

Shields Buckler Tower Shield

Armor Bonus

Minimum Enhancement Bonus

Check

Speed

Price (gp)

Weight

+4

—

-1

—

35

20 lb.

Armor Bonus


Check

Speed

Price (gp)

Weight

+5

—

—

-1

40

30 lb.

Armor Bonus


Check

Speed

Price (gp)

Weight

+10

—

-2

-2

120

60 lb.

Shield Bonus


Check

Speed

Price (gp)

Weight

+1 +2

— —

— -3

— —

5 15

3 lb. 20 lb.

97

Toni Cittadini

A master smith’s forge is filled with weapons, suits of armor and extraordinary items.

This optional rule is meant to infuse greater realism in your games. The GM and the players can freely choose whether to use it or not, without significantly altering game balance and mechanics. Donning armor always requires at least 5 minutes (see the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook). As such, a character cannot always afford to rest without protection. When you take an extended rest in your armor you grow weary, your movements are hindered and your attacks are weaker. You are slowed and weakened, and you also take a penalty to initiative checks and to Reflex defense equal to the skill check penalty imposed by the armor, until you take an extended rest without wearing your armor. You cannot rest wielding a shield, except for a buckler.

SHIELD TYPES

Buckler: This small shield is tied to a combatant’s arm, so that he can keep his hands free. In this way, the shield’s bearer can use a versatile two-handed weapon and maintain his shield bonus to AC and Reflexes, although you will only benefit from this bonus against one enemy of your choice. At the start of your turn, you can use a free action to choose the enemy you will be using your shield bonus against, until the start of your next turn. Tower Shield: This rectangular shield is huge and can cover its wielder for his entire height. When wielding a tower shield, you can use a minor action to gain cover against ranged attacks until the start of your next turn.

WEAPONS Sometimes, nothing is more effective than a weapon. This is particularly true for fighters, sworn to protect their companions and to cut down as many enemies as possible; simply wielding a weapon might not be enough to make a martial hero out of a fighter, but it is certainly a prerequisite! The new weapons described below feature extraordinary properties and can be useful in many moments of crisis.

NEW WEAPONS

Arbalest: Designed to increase its bolt’s impact, this assault crossbow includes a pedal to reload. It can pierce even the thickest armor and deal excruciating wounds. Basket Sword: The basket sword is one of the most elaborate and elegant heavy blades. It is similar to a longsword, but it has a cage hilt and a reinforced

guard to make it capable of withstanding enemy blows and shielding the wielder’s hand. Dueling Pistol: A one-handed firearm, the dueling pistol is handier than a musket, but also less powerful and reliable. It is especially sought after by duelists, nobles, and all those who wish to impress their foes. Flamberge: A mighty two-handed greatsword with a wavy blade; it is not as accurate as most melee weapons, but it can deal massive damage. Incendiary Shell: A small, compact package of leather and cloth filled with a gunpowder charge. It can be easily thrown after lighting the fuse, but only an experienced artillerist will know how to get out of the way of the resulting explosion. Kilij: A mix between a scimitar and a thick machete, the kilij is often wielded by savage fighters to cut a path through the woods or to deal short but powerful swings. Knight’s Mace: A knight’s mace is lighter than that of a foot soldier and it has an elongated shape, almost like a club. A weight under the hilt keeps the weapon balanced. If used in a charge, it maximizes the mount’s speed and momentum. Lance: This lance’s structure is sturdy and resilient, as it must endure the blows and impacts of mounted combat. If used in a charge, it becomes a much more effective weapon. Musket: This long gun, made from wood and metal, is the result of human and dwarven ingenuity. Although it is not very precise or reliable, especially at a long range, the power of the projectiles it shoots can pierce even the sturdiest armor and shield. Musket Bayonet: A light blade that can be attached to a musket’s barrel, the bayonet allows a shooter to engage foes in a melee. Poleaxe: A poleaxe is similar to a halberd, but it is heavier and it requires specific training to wield cor-


RESTING IN ARMOR

Firearms in your campaign Including firearms in your campaign can be enjoyable, but you should be careful. First, do not forget that the adventurers inhabit a fantasy world filled with fantastic creatures, magic swords, and sinister curses. There is nothing mysterious in a blazing gun, and fighting from the second line armed with a rifle may seem unheroic. Some GMs, on the other hand, like to introduce a few historical features in their games, and others use a mix of different genres, merging magic with technology. If you like renaissance, gothic, steampunk, or gaslight fantasy settings, the firearms introduced in The Quintessential Fighter will be invaluable to you. If your campaign is a more traditional sword and sorcery or high fantasy, you can ignore the pistols and muskets presented here or use them in unusual, unpredictable ways, perhaps as the signature weapon of a unique NPC or the products of a monster race.

99


rectly. The weapon’s edge and weight ensure that each wound it deals bleeds profusely. Raven’s Beak: A long-hafted pick that combines different functions and allows the wielder to aim for the unprotected joints in an opponent’s armor. Recurve Bow: Made by the elves for their explorers, this handy composite bow has become popular among archers of all races. Its small size and unusual shape make it particularly effective when hunting in the wilderness. Although it is easy to handle, it has heavy pulls that increase its range and accuracy. Repeating Crossbow: Thanks to a small side pulley called a jack, this crossbow is much easier to reload; in addition, its bolts have a range greater than those of a regular crossbow. Using the jack, though, is not simple and requires a certain amount of strength along with a little familiarity. Spear-Mace: A simple weapon often used by goblin raiders, the spear-mace combines the reach of a polearm with the effectiveness of the most brutal bludgeoning weapons.

Spiked Gauntlet: This studded gauntlet, very popular among gladiators and other brutal combatants, is made from leather and steel and increases the effectiveness of an unarmed attack. Sword Gauntlet: Also known as a gladiator’s claw, this weapon is actually a short sword affixed to a reinforced gauntlet. It can be used to deal violent thrusts, but it also prevents the wielder from using that hand for any other action.

WEAPON GROUPS

Firearms: Firearms are a relatively recent development. Dwarves and humans are the undisputed masters of these elaborate devices’ creation. Crude devices still prone to malfunctions, firearms require special training to be used efficiently. In the hands of an experienced fighter, however, they can be deadly. This category includes dueling pistols, incendiary shells, and muskets, which can also be used as two-handed melee weapons if equipped with a bayonet.

MELEE WEAPONS

SIMPLE MELEE WEAPONS One-Handed Weapon

Kilij Knight’s Mace Spiked Gauntlet

Two-Handed Weapon

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight +2 +2 +2

1d6 1d6 *

– – –

12 gp 5 gp 5 gp

4 lb. 4 lb. 1 lb.

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight

Group

Light blade Mace Unarmed

Group

Musket Bayonet† +2 1d6 – 5 gp 2 lb. Light blade Spear-Mace +2 2d6 – 10 gp 10 lb. Mace, polearm *This weapon increases the damage die of the unarmed attack by one category. †This weapon can only be used as part of a musket (see below).

MILITARY MELEE WEAPON One-Handed Weapon

Basket Sword

Two-Handed Weapon

Flamberge

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight +3

1d8

–

25 gp

4 lb.


2d6

–

40 gp

10 lb.

SUPERIOR MELEE WEAPONS One-Handed Weapon

Lance Sword Gauntlet

Two-Handed Weapon

Poleaxe Raven’s Beak

100

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight +2 +3

1d8 1d6

– –

25 gp 20 gp

12 lb. 4 lb.

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight +2 +3

2d6 2d4

– –

30 gp 30 gp

14 lb. 10 lb.

Group

Heavy blade

Group

Heavy blade

Group

Spear Light blade

Group

Polearm, axe Polearm, pick

Properties

Off-hand, tearing 1 Equestrian Off-hand

Properties

– Reach

Properties

Parrying

Properties

Tearing 2

Properties

Equestrian High crit, off-hand, parrying

Properties

Reach, tearing 2 High crit, reach

Weapon Properties

The new weapon properties introduced in The Quintessential Fighter are described below. Equestrian: A weapon with this property is particularly balanced and can be particularly deadly if used on a mount. When mounted and making an attack with an equestrian weapon, you can add your mount’s Strength modifier to the damage roll instead of yours. Parrying: A parrying weapon’s structure is particularly apt at absorbing a blow’s impact. It could have a reinforced guard, an ogive to block an enemy blade, or simply be made of a metal alloy stronger than normal.

When wielding a parrying weapon, you can use a minor action to gain a +1 item bonus to AC until the start of your next turn. Piercing: A piercing weapon focuses a blow’s impact into a precise point, penetrating both armor and flesh with little effort. The first time you score a critical hit in an encounter, the target takes the usual damage and also suffers a penalty to AC equal to the weapon’s piercing rating (save ends). This penalty does not stack with those dealt by other critical hits scored by piercing weapons against the same target. Point-Blank: When you make a ranged attack with a point-blank weapon against an opponent within 2 squares, you gain a +3 competence bonus to attack rolls. Tearing: A tearing weapon is designed to tear an enemy’s flesh or to leave shards and fragments in the wounds. Each time you score a critical hit with a tearing weapon, the target suffers ongoing damage equal to the specified rating (save ends).

IMPROVISED MELEE WEAPONS One-Handed Weapon Mug* Lantern

Two-Handed Weapon

Barrel (empty) Barrel (full) Chair* Table

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight n/a n/a

1d4 1d6

– –

– –

1 lb. 2 lb.

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight n/a n/a n/a n/a

1d10 1d12 1d8 2d4

– – – –

– – – –

10 lb. 40 lb. 6 lb. 20 lb.

Group None None

Group

None None None None

Properties – –

Properties

– – – –


A wielder can switch from ranged weapon to melee weapon or the other way around with a minor action. Magic firearms do exist, although they are extremely rare. Magic muskets do not extend their properties to their bayonets, if they have them. On the other hand, a magic bayonet (part of the spears group) can be affixed to a mundane musket.

*These improvised weapons become unusable as soon as they deal maximum damage with an attack, or at the end of the encounter.

RANGED WEAPONS

MILITARY RANGED WEAPONS Two-Handed Weapon

Recurve Bow


1d8

20/35 40 gp

3 lb.

Group

Bow

Properties

Free reload, small

SUPERIOR RANGED WEAPONS One-Handed Weapon

Dueling Pistol Incendiary Shell

Two-Handed Weapon

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight n/a n/a

1d10 1d8*

10/20 100 gp 6/12 80 gp

2 lb. 1 lb.

Prof. Damage Range Price Weight

Group

Firearm Firearm

Group

Arbalest +2 1d10 15/30 45 gp 7 lb. Crossbow Musket n/a 2d6 20/30 150 gp 8 lb. Firearm Repeating Crossbow +2 1d8 20/35 40 gp 4 lb. Crossbow

Properties

High crit, piercing 1, point-blank Tearing 2

Properties

High crit, minor reload High crit, point-blank, piercing 2, standard reload Free reload

*This weapon deals fire damage in area burst 1 within range. A missed attack never deals any damage.

101

MAGIC ITEMS

Armor of the Immortal Warrior

Invaluable bulwarks, undreamed wealth, and often a good reason to go adventuring: Magic items are all this and more. Shields that can repel a dragon’s flames, indestructible blades and suits of armor forged with arcane energies are a fighter’s most prized possessions, although magic trinkets, belts, rings, and protective amulets can be just as valuable.

ARMOR

Not only does magic armor shield a fighter from enemy blows, it can also grant its wearer unique and extraordinary powers such as magic resistance or the ability to endure unfavorable conditions. Some magic armor can even fend off death itself!

MAGIC ARMOR


102

Lvl Name

3 8 12 13 13 13 13 15 17 18 18 18 18 19 20 22 23 23 23 23 24 25 25 27 28 28 28 28 29 30 30

Sentinel +1 Sentinel +2 Savage +3 Magic-Hungry +3 Mobility +3 Sentinel +3 Tunnel Defender +3 Martial Prowess +3 Savage +4 Magic-Hungry +4 Mobility +4 Sentinel +4 Tunnel Defender +4 Ghaele +4 Martial Prowess +4 Savage +5 Magic-Hungry +5 Mobility +5 Sentinel +5 Tunnel Defender +5 Ghaele +5 Immortal Warrior +5 Martial Prowess +5 Savage +6 Magic-Hungry +6 Mobility +6 Sentinel +6 Tunnel Defender +6 Ghaele +6 Immortal Warrior +6 Martial Prowess +6

Price (gp)

640 3,400 13,000 17,000 17,000 17,000 17,000 25,000 65,000 85,000 85,000 85,000 85,000 105,000 125,000 325,000 425,000 425,000 425,000 425,000 525,000 625,000 625,000 1,625,000 2,125,000 2,125,000 2,125,000 2,125,000 2,625,000 3,125,000 3,125,000

Categories

Chain Chain Hide, Scale Any Chain, Plate, Scale Chain Plate Chain, Plate, Scale Hide, Scale Any Chain, Plate, Scale Chain Plate Chain Chain, Plate, Scale Hide, Scale Any Chain, Plate, Scale Chain Plate Chain Plate Chain, Plate, Scale Hide, Scale Any Chain, Plate, Scale Chain Plate Mail Plate Chain, Plate, Scale

Level 25+

Many tales of heroes invincible against mortal weapons began when they donned this armor. Lvl 25 +5 625,000 gp Lvl 30 +6 3,125,000 gp Armor: Plate Enhancement: AC Property: When you are dying, you must fail four saving throws before dying, instead of three. Power (Daily ✦ Healing): Minor Action. Gain regeneration 5 and a +2 power bonus to saving throws against death until the end of the encounter. Level 30: Regeneration 10, and +4 power bonus.

Ghaele Armor

Level 19+

This armor was enchanted by ghaele wizards. Now it brims with eldritch power. Its silver rings enclose the fury of winter itself. Lvl 19 +4 105,000 gp Lvl 29 +6 2,625,000 gp Lvl 24 +5 525,000 gp Armor: Chain Enhancement: AC Property: Resist fire 10. Level 24 or 29: Resist fire 15. This armor does not inflict any penalty to checks or speed. Power (Daily ✦ Teleportation): Move Action. Teleport 5 squares. All enemies adjacent to the square you vacated take 1d8 cold damage. Level 24 or 29: 2d8 cold damage, and any creature injured by this power is slowed until the end of your next turn.

Magic-Hungry Armor

Level 13+

This armor is decorated with glyphs and runes that depict the annihilation of arcane magic. Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Armor: Any Enhancement: AC Power (Daily): Minor Action. Gain a +2 power bonus to Fortitude and Reflex defense against attacks with the arcane keyword until the end of the encounter. Level 23 or 28: +4 power bonus.

Martial Prowess Armor

Level 15+

This battle armor allows you to perform exalted deeds without hesitation. Lvl 15 +3 25,000 gp Lvl 25 +5 625,000 gp Lvl 20 +4 125,000 gp Lvl 30 +6 3,125,000 gp Armor: Chain, plate, scale Enhancement: AC Power (Daily): Immediate Reaction. You can use this power when you are dazed, helpless, or weakened. Spend a healing surge to immediately make a saving throw against one condition affecting you. Power (Daily): Minor Action. Gain a +2 power bonus to the next melee attack roll you make in this turn.

Mobility Armor

Level 13+

This heavy armor was enchanted to be as comfortably worn as a suit of light armor. It allows its wearer to move swiftly. Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Armor: Chain, plate, scale Enhancement: AC Property: This armor does not apply any penalty to checks or speed. Power (Daily): Free Action. Gain an extra move action that you can use in a following turn of the same encounter.

Savage Armor

Level 12+

Sentinel Armor

Level 3+

This armor was enchanted to enhance your senses and make your sight sharper. Lvl 3 +1 680 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Armor: Chain Enhancement: AC Property: Grants an item bonus to Perception equal to the armor’s enhancement bonus. Power (Daily): Minor Action. Gain lowlight vision until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes.

Toni Cittadini

Tunnel Defender’s Armor


When you are seriously wounded, this armor allows you to react with savage fury to enemy attacks. Lvl 12 +3 13,000 gp Lvl 22 +5 325,000 gp Lvl 17 +4 65,000 gp Lvl 27 +6 1,625,000 gp Armor: Hide, scale Enhancement: AC Property: When bloodied, you gain a bonus to Fortitude defense equal to the armor’s enhancement bonus. Power (Encounter): Immediate Reaction. When hit by a melee attack that makes you bloodied, you can immediately make a melee basic attack (with a bonus to the attack roll and damage roll equal to the armor’s enhancement bonus) against the enemy that bloodied you.

Level 13+

The quintessential plate armor, made by dwarven armorers for their most stalwart guardians. Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Armor: Plate Enhancement: AC Property: Grants an item bonus to Athletics equal to the armor’s enhancement bonus. Power (Encounter): Minor action. Take a penalty to skill checks and speed equal to the armor’s enhancement bonus, but in turn gain the same bonus to AC, Fortitude, and Will defense until the end of your next turn. If your speed drops to 0 when using this power, you cannot take any move action until the end of your next turn.

The armor of the immortal warrior is a treasure sought by all fighters.

WEAPONS

Magic weapons allow a fighter to deal massive damage, to devastate foes with flames and lightning, or to parry the most insidious blows and penetrate enemy defenses.

Cleaving Weapon

Level 4+

When you wield this weapon, you can make a flurry of attacks and hurt two enemies at once. Lvl 4 +1 840 gp Lvl 19 +4 105,000 gp Lvl 9 +2 4,200 gp Lvl 24 +5 525,000 gp Lvl 14 +3 21,000 gp Lvl 29 +6 2,625,000 gp Weapon: Any melee Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus Power (Encounter): Minor Action. You can use this power when one of your attacks hits a foe; a target different from the one you hit and adjacent to you takes 5 damage. Level 14 or 19: 10 damage. Level 24 or 29: 15 damage.

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Colossus Weapon

Level 8+

This imposing two-handed weapon grants you strength and vigor as soon as you hold it. Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Weapon: Any two-handed melee Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus Property: Grants an item bonus to your healing surge value equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus. Power (Daily): Free Action. Wield the weapon as if it were a one-handed melee weapon until the end of the encounter.

Dragon Might Weapon

Level 13+


This dark and glittering weapon was obtained from the bone of a great dragon, and as you wield it, your enemies cower and bleed; in addition, it looks as if it could pierce any armor. Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Weapon: Axe, hammer, heavy blade, mace Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: Ongoing 5 damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). Level 23 or 28: Ongoing 10 damage. Power (Daily): Free Action. You can use this power when you score a critical hit against a target. The critical hit becomes a normal hit, but the target takes a penalty to AC equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus until the end of the encounter.

Psychic Torment Weapon

Level 13+

When this weapon spills blood for the first time, the cut can hardly heal. Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Weapon: Axe, heavy blade, spear Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus, or +1d8 damage per plus against enemies of higher level than yours. Property: When you use this weapon strike for the first time against a target that has not yet hit you in the encounter, the target suffers ongoing damage equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus (save ends).

Each blow you deal with this weapon overwhelms your enemy’s mind with visions of death and omens of strife. Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Weapon: Flail, mace Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus Property: When you hit a target that grants you combat advantage, you deal extra psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier. Power (Daily): Free Action. You can use this power when you hit a target with this weapon. Roll 1d6; 1-2: the target is blinded (save ends); 3-4 the target is deafened (save ends); 5-6 the target is dazed (save ends).

Intangible Weapon

Quicksilver Weapon

First Blood Weapon

Level 13+

Level 8+

Level 3+

When you wield this weapon, you can move as quickly as lightning. Lvl 3 +1 680 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Weapon: Heavy blade, light blade Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus Property: You can draw your weapon as part of the action used to make an attack with it. Power (Daily): Minor Action. Gain a +2 bonus to Reflex defense until the end of the encounter.

Marina Costa

This weapon’s point is blurred and blinking and it can easily pierce any armor or shield. Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Weapon: Heavy blade, light blade, spear Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: + Dexterity modifier per plus Power (Daily): Free Action. When making an attack with this weapon against the target’s AC, you can make it against the target’s Reflex defense.

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A weapon with an ominous look… and a noble purpose.

Lvl Name

Price (gp)

Category

3 Quicksilver +1 680 Heavy Blade, Light Blade 4 Cleaving +1 840 Any melee 4 Resolute +1 840 Any melee 4 Shifting +1 840 Any melee 8 Colossus +2 3,400 Any two-handed melee 8 Intangible +2 3,400 Heavy Blade, Light Blade, Spear 8 Quicksilver +2 3,400 Heavy Blade, Light Blade 8 Trollbane +2 3,400 Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear 9 Cleaving +2 4,200 Any melee 9 Resolute +2 4,200 Any melee 9 Shifting +2 4,200 Any melee 13 Colossus +3 17,000 Any two-handed melee 13 Dragon Might +3 17,000 Axe, Hammer, Heavy Blade, Mace 13 First Blood +3 17,000 Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear 13 Intangible +3 17,000 Heavy Blade, Light Blade, Spear 13 Psychic Torment +3 17,000 Flail, Mace 13 Quicksilver +3 17,000 Heavy Blade, Light Blade 13 Trollbane +3 17,000 Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear 14 Cleaving +3 21,000 Any melee 14 Resolute +3 21,000 Any melee 14 Shifting +3 21,000 Any melee 18 Colossus +4 85,000 Any two-handed melee 18 Dragon Might +4 85,000 Axe, Hammer, Heavy Blade, Mace 18 First Blood +4 85,000 Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear 18 Intangible +4 85,000 Heavy Blade, Light Blade, Spear 18 Psychic Torment +4 85,000 Flail, Mace

Resolute Weapon

Level 4+

When you wield this weapon, you become nearly impossible to overcome or bend to another’s will. Lvl 4 +1 840 gp Lvl 19 +4 105,000 gp Lvl 9 +2 4,200 gp Lvl 24 +5 525,000 gp Lvl 14 +3 21,000 gp Lvl 29 +6 2,625,000 gp Weapon: Any melee Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus Property: Gain a +1 item bonus to Fortitude and Will defenses. Level 14 or 19: +2 item bonus. Level 24 o 29: +3 item bonus. Power (Daily): Minor Action. Immediately make a saving throw to end one of the following conditions: blinded, dazed, deafened, dominated, helpless, stunned, weakened.

Lvl Name

Price (gp)

18 Quicksilver +4 85,000 18 Trollbane +4 85,000 19 Cleaving +4 105,000 19 Resolute +4 105,000 19 Shifting +4 105,000 23 Colossus +5 425,000 23 Dragon Might +5 425,000 23 First Blood +5 425,000 23 Intangible +5 425,000 23 Psychic Torment +5 425,000 23 Quicksilver +5 425,000 23 Trollbane +5 425,000 24 Cleaving +5 525,000 24 Resolute +5 525,000 24 Shifting +5 525,000 28 Colossus +6 2,125,000 28 Dragon Might +6 2,125,000 28 First Blood +6 2,125,000 28 Intangible +6 2,125,000 28 Psychic Torment +6 2,125,000 28 Quicksilver +6 2,125,000 28 Trollbane +6 2,125,000 29 Cleaving +6 2,625,000 29 Resolute +6 2,625,000 29 Shifting +6 2,625,000

Shifting Weapon

Category

Heavy Blade, Light Blade Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear Any melee Any melee Any melee Any two-handed melee Axe, Hammer, Heavy Blade, Mace Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear Heavy Blade, Light Blade, Spear Flail, Mace Heavy Blade, Light Blade Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear Any melee Any melee Any melee Any two-handed melee Axe, Hammer, Heavy Blade, Mace Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear Heavy Blade, Light Blade, Spear Flail, Mace Heavy Blade, Light Blade Axe, Heavy Blade, Spear Any melee Any melee Any melee


MAGIC WEAPONS

Level 4+

Upon your command, this wondrous melee weapon turns into a ranged weapon. Lvl 4 +1 840 gp Lvl 19 +4 105,000 gp Lvl 9 +2 4,200 gp Lvl 24 +5 525,000 gp Lvl 14 +3 21,000 gp Lvl 29 +6 2,625,000 gp Weapon: Any melee Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 damage per plus Power (Encounter ✦ Polymorph): Minor Action. The weapon turns into any ranged weapon of the same category (simple, military, or superior). This effect lasts until the end of the encounter, or until you end it with a minor action.

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Trollbane Weapon

Level 8+

Trolls flee from this weapon, as it negates their regeneration ability. Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Weapon: Axe, heavy blade, spear Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d8 damage per plus, or +1d12 damage per plus against trolls. Property: Trolls cannot regenerate wounds dealt by this weapon. If your attack with this weapon drops a troll to 0 hit points or less, the troll is dead. Power (Daily): Minor Action. The next attack you make with this weapon against a troll during this turn gains a +5 power bonus to the attack roll and automatically ignore any resistance the troll might have.


ARMS SLOT ITEMS

Enchanted bracers and shields are usually meant to protect a character. A few of these items also grant the bearer some type of damage resistance, while others improve her athletic skills and her combat spirit.

ARMS SLOT ITEMS Lvl Name

6 6 7 13 14 16 16 17 23 26 26 27

Price (gp)

Last blood bracers (heroic tier) 1,800 Vampire’s thirst shield (heroic tier) 1,800 Thundering vengeance shield (heroic tier) 2,600 Martial utility bracers (paragon tier) 17,000 Lone rider shield 21,000 Last blood bracers (paragon tier) 45,000 Vampire’s thirst shield (paragon tier) 45,000 Thundering vengeance shield (paragon tier) 65,000 Martial utility bracers (epic tier) 425,000 Last blood bracers (epic tier) 1,125,000 Vampire’s thirst shield (epic tier) 1,125,000 Thundering vengeance shield (epic tier) 1,625,000

Last Blood Bracers

Level 6+

When you wear these studded leather bands, you feel you can cunningly exploit any opponent’s weakness. Lvl 6 1,800 gp Lvl 26 1,125,000 gp Lvl 16 45,000 gp Item Slot: Arms Property: Gain a +1 item bonus to melee attack rolls you make against an enemy you have marked. Lvl 16: +2 item bonus. Lvl 26: +3 item bonus.

106

Lone Rider Shield

Level 14

This decorated shield can be your best companion when there is no ally nearby. Item Slot: Arms 21,000 gp Shield: Any Property: Gain a +2 item bonus to saving throws when there are no allies within 5 squares from you. Power (Daily): Immediate Interrupt. Use this power when you are hit by a melee attack and no ally is within 5 squares of you. Damage dealt by the attack is reduced by 15.

Martial Utility Bracers

Level 13+

These leather bracers are reinforced with metal bands and carved with elegant martial symbols. Lvl 13 17,000 gp Lvl 23 425,000 gp Item Slot: Arms Power (Daily): Minor Action. Regain an encounter utility power with the martial keyword you have already used. Lvl 23: Regain an encounter or daily utility power with the martial keyword you have already used.

Thundering Vengeance Shield

Level 7+

An enemy that strikes this shield is deafened or even stunned. Lvl 7 2,600 gp Lvl 27 1,625,000 gp Lvl 17 65,000 gp Item Slot: Arms Shield: Heavy Property: Resist thunder 5. Level 17: Resist thunder 10. Level 27: Resist thunder 15. Power (Daily): Immediate Reaction. A melee attack misses you; the enemy that made the attack is deafened and dazed (save ends both). Lvl 17 or 27: The enemy is deafened and stunned (save ends both).

Vampire’s Thirst Shield

Level 6+

This ominous tear-shaped shield grants gruesome benefits when it drinks its bearer’s blood. Lvl 6 1,800 gp Lvl 26 1,125,000 gp Lvl 16 45,000 gp Item Slot: Arms Shield: Heavy Property: When bloodied, you gain a +1 item bonus to AC and to Reflex defense. Power (Daily): Immediate Reaction. A melee attack misses you; the enemy that made the attack takes 1d8 necrotic damage. You gain temporary hit points equal to the damage the enemy takes. Lvl 16: 2d8 necrotic damage, and you gain the same amount of temporary hit points. Lvl 26: 3d8 necrotic damage, and you gain the same amount of temporary hit points.

FEET SLOT ITEMS

Steel Calling Gloves

FEET SLOT ITEMS

With a simple gesture, these gloves’ wearer can call a distant weapon and shield to him. Item Slot: Hands 1,000 gp Power (Encounter): Minor Action. Pick up a two-handed weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a one-handed weapon and a shield located within 5 squares of you; the items fly into your free hands. You cannot use this power to grab a weapon or shield someone else is wielding.

Lvl 13 16

Name

Bralani swordsman boots Last stand leggings (pair)

Bralani Swordsman Boots

Price (gp) 17,000 45,000

Level 13

With these eladrin-crafted boots, a teleporting fighter becomes virtually impossible to catch. Item Slot: Feet 17,000 gp Property: When teleporting, you gain a +1 item bonus to AC and to Reflex defense until the end of your next turn.

Last Stand Leggings (pair)

Level 16

The wearer of these leggings can save an ally in danger at the last minute. Item Slot: Feet 45,000 gp Power (Daily ✦ Teleportation): Immediate Interrupt. An ally wearing the last stand leggings and located within 10 squares from you is hit by a melee attack. Spend a healing surge to teleport into the willing ally’s square; the ally will teleport in the square you left vacant. You are hit by the attack in place of the ally. You must have line of sight to the ally’s space. Special: Last stand leggings are only useful in pairs attuned to each other. It is possible to create even more pairs of leggings attuned to the first pair (the base price increases by 50% per each additional pair).

HANDs SLOT ITEMS

Level 5

HEAD SLOT ITEMS

Magic helmets introduced in The Quintessential Fighter increase combat perception, awareness and the unique abilities of some races.

HEAD SLOT ITEMS Lvl 6 9 11 16 21

Name

Hellish crest (heroic tier) Dwarven helmet Ancestral breath helmet (paragon tier) Hellish crest (paragon tier) Ancestral breath helmet (epic tier)

Ancestral Breath Helmet

Price (gp)

1,800 4,200 9,000 45,000 225,000 Level 11+

This sculpted helmet is shaped like a dragon’s head, its jaws open in a deadly snarl. Lvl 11 9,000 gp Lvl 21 225,000 gp Item Slot: Head Property: If you are a dragonborn, gain a +2 item bonus to attack rolls made with your dragon breath racial power and deal 1d6 extra damage of the same type of damage. Lvl 21: Score a critical hit with your dragon breath racial power with a natural roll of 19-20.


The feet slot items described below increase a character’s mobility or provide powers that allow him to move effectively and to help his allies.

The gloves described below enhance a character’s offensive prowess or allow him to be always ready for battle.

HANDS SLOT ITEMS Lvl 5 13

Name

Steel calling gloves Gloves of martial boldness

Gloves of Martial Boldness

Price (gp)

1,000 17,000 Level 13

Toni Cittadini

These studded leather gloves can magically move the wearer’s hands to improve his attacks. Item Slot: Hands 17,000 gp Power (Daily): Free Action. You immediately gain an action point, which you must spend before the end of the next turn to gain an extra action. You must use this action to make an attack with the weapon keyword.

This exotic steel helmet makes a dragonborn’s breath even deadlier.

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Dwarven Helmet

Level 9

This sturdy helmet shields the wearer from attacks made by larger creatures and negates the harmful effects of toxic substances. Item Slot: Head 4,200 gp Property: Gain a +1 item bonus to Fortitude and Will defenses against attacks made by Large or greater enemies. Power (Daily): Minor action. Immediately make a saving throw against ongoing poison damage.

Hellish Crest


108

Level 6+

This dark steel circlet seems designed to protect a tiefling’s horns. Lvl 6 1,800 gp Lvl 16 45,000 gp Item Slot: Head Property: Gain a +2 item bonus to Intimidate checks. If you are a tiefling, you gain a +2 item bonus to damage rolls against bloodied foes. Lvl 16: +4 item bonus to Intimidate checks and to damage rolls against bloodied foes.

Acrobatic Swordsman Cape

Level 9+

This lavish and colorful cloak enhances your acrobatics and makes your most elaborate movements seem simplicity itself. Lvl 9 +2 4,200 gp Lvl 24 +5 525,000 gp Lvl 14 +3 21,000 gp Lvl 29 +6 2,625,000 gp Lvl 19 +4 105,000 gp Item Slot: Neck Enhancement: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Property: Gain a +1 item bonus to Acrobatics checks. Lvl 14 or 19: +2 item bonus. Lvl 24 or 29: +3 item bonus. Power (Daily): Immediate Interrupt. When you are immobilized, restrained, or slowed, you immediately end one of these conditions.

Disarming Veil

Level 15+

Neck slot items increase a character’s defenses, allow him to quickly recover from unfavorable conditions, or to surprise foes with unusual attacks.

This cloak’s large folds entangle the enemy and disarm it. Lvl 15 +3 25,000 gp Lvl 25 +5 625,000 gp Lvl 20 +4 125,000 gp Lvl 30 +6 3,125,000 gp Item Slot: Neck Enchantment: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Power (Encounter): Standard Action. Make a basic melee attack against an adjacent target’s Reflex defense with a bonus to the attack roll equal to the veil’s enhancement bonus. If you hit, the target drops the weapon it wields, which falls to the ground at its feet.

NECK SLOT ITEMS

Minotaur’s Collar

NECK SLOT ITEMS

Lvl

8 9 13 14 15 18 19 20 23 24 25 28 29 30

Name

Minotaur’s collar +2 Acrobatic swordsman cape +2 Minotaur’s collar +3 Acrobatic swordsman cape +3 Disarming veil +3 Minotaur’s collar +4 Acrobatic swordsman cape +4 Disarming veil +4 Minotaur’s collar +5 Acrobatic swordsman cape +5 Disarming veil +5 Minotaur’s collar +6 Acrobatic swordsman cape +6 Disarming veil +6

Price (gp) 3,400 4,200 17,000 21,000 25,000 85,000 105,000 125,000 425,000 525,000 625,000 2,125,000 2,625,000 3,125,000

Level 8+

This crude bronze amulet depicts a raging bull. The ground shakes under its bearer’s steps. Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Item Slot: Neck Enchantment: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Power (Encounter): No Action. Use this power when you hit a target while charging. In addition, you push the target 1 square and knock it prone if your size is the same or within one category. Lvl 13 or 18: Push the target 2 squares. Lvl 23 or 28: Push the target 3 squares.

Magic belts enhance a character’s stamina and his ability to withstand exhaustion and physical challenges.

WAIST SLOT ITEMS Lvl 2 9 12 12 22

Name

Price (gp)

Fearless man-at-arms belt (heroic tier) 520 Martial balance belt 4,200 Energy boldness belt 13,000 Fearless man-at-arms belt (paragon tier) 13,000 Fearless man-at-arms belt (epic tier) 325,000

Energy Boldness Belt

Level 12

When you wear this belt, each wound you deal your foe becomes an opportunity for you to recover. Item Slot: Waist 13,000 gp Property: +2 item bonus to Endurance checks. Power (Encounter): Free Action. Use this power when you score a critical hit against a foe of your same level or higher. You can spend a healing surge as a free action and add your Constitution modifier to the healing surge value.

Fearless Man-at-Arms Belt

Level 2+

This magic belt bolsters your soul against fear and allows you to keep your enemies at bay. Lvl 2 520 gp Lvl 22 325,000 gp Lvl 12 13,000 gp Item Slot: Waist Property: +1 item bonus to saving throws against fear. Lvl 12: +2 item bonus Lvl 22: +3 item bonus. Power (Daily ✦ Fear): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with a melee attack. The target moves away from you a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks.

Martial Balance Belt

Level 9

A comfortable belt that makes the bearer swift and elusive, protecting him from unexpected assaults. Item Slot: Waist 4,200 gp Property: When running, you do not grant combat advantage. Power (Daily): Free Action. You can immediately shift 2 squares.

WONDROUS ITEMS

Wondrous items produce unique and unusual effects. They are prized by characters of any class.

WOUNDROUS ITEMS Lvl 5 7 7 9

Name

Whetstone of adamantine edge Case of deafening noise Quiver of flaming roar Sheath of the champion

Case of Deafening Noise

Price (gp) 1,000 2,600 2,600 4,200

Level 7

This case for crossbow bolts is made of hide and brass. Upon command, one of the projectiles can explode in a peal of thunder. Wondrous Item 2,600 gp Power (Daily ✦ Thunder): Minor Action. The next basic ranged attack you make with a crossbow before the end of your turn becomes a burst 1 centered on the original target. Use your normal attack bonus for the attack, but make the attack against the target’s Fortitude defense. Instead of normal damage, each target you hit takes 5 thunder damage and is deafened (save ends).

Quiver of Flaming Roar

Level 7

This red quiver is decorated with magic runes containing fiery power. An arrow drawn from the quiver can suddenly turn into an explosive sphere. Wondrous Item 2,600 gp Power (Daily ✦ Fire): Minor Action. The next basic ranged attack you make with a bow before the end of your turn becomes a burst 1 centered on the original target. Use your normal attack bonus for the attack, but make the attack against the target’s Reflex defense. Instead of normal damage, each target you hit takes 10 fire damage.

Sheath of the Champion


WAIST SLOT ITEMS

Level 9

A sword kept in this sturdy sheath becomes an extraordinary weapon when it strikes true. Wondrous Item 4,200 gp Power (Daily): Minor Action. The damage die of a critical hit dealt by the weapon increases by one category. Special: Only a light blade or a heavy blade can be sheathed in a sheath of the champion. This power counts as a daily power of the weapon kept in the sheath. If the weapon’s daily power has already been used, the sheath of the champion does not work.

Whetstone of Adamantine Edge

Level 5

A magic tool designed to make blades as sharp as razors. Wondrous Item 1,000 gp Power (Encounter): Minor Action. The next melee basic attack you make with an axe, heavy blade, or light blade before the end of the encounter deals 1d8 extra damage.

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Organizations

E

CHAPTER 6

vening fell on Edresk’s roofs and streets. Riglen and his companions had spent the better part of three days trekking down the road that bisected the baron’s lands. All of them spoke heartily of putting the dangers of the fight against the dragonborn warlock called Syphodol behind them. Sheran had insisted on visiting Edresk. The rogue had heard the new baron offered a substantial reward to adventurers who helped put out the fires of rebellion plaguing his land. The baron, Sheran suggested, might repay them with a detachment of soldier to assist in the war against Jarek. Riglen had approved the idea with a shrug and a muttered assent, but he had to admit a few days behind town walls sounded fine to him. Eating a meal worthy of the name and sleeping in an actual bed were luxuries he had not known for too many weeks. The meeting with the baron, a pleasant man with a good head on his shoulders, had proven less boring than the fighter expected. His companions had handled most of the bargain, although Riglen felt the need to step in when it was time to define their reward; with a few words, he had convinced the baron to agree to a much more interesting offer than the simple bounty of coins Sheran asked for. Satisfied, the fighter had stepped back again, musing how he would spend his share, while the rest of his companions kept asking questions about endless and superfluous details of their mission. If their first day in Edresk had been pleasant, though, the night was an entirely different matter. After a dinner in a noisy and colorful central tavern, Riglen headed for the lodgings they’d rented, where his companions were most likely already asleep. The twisted and narrow alleys of the town were a veritable maze, arrayed in a chaotic and unpredictable layout. Suddenly, Riglen glimpsed two shadows sneaking past him on the right. When he snapped his gaze forward, two more cloaked figures stood before him. “Come, stranger, give us a good reason not to kill you here and now,” the largest said, his voice coarse and stinking of cheap ale. The torches at the alley’s corners hinted at the aggressors’ rough faces and glinted off plate armor worn beneath their cloaks. Riglen instinctively brought one hand to the hilt of his sword and the other to his pouch. He was not about to consent to a robbery now, not when things were finally looking up. “Your purse’s money is dripping with blood, stranger,” one of the cloaked man said, his eye on the pouch. “It comes from the people’s sacrifices, and it will not be spent in the brothels of distant lands by an adventurer with no honor who sold his services to the usurper.” “What do you know about honor, dog?” the fighter snapped. But the words felt heavy in his mouth when he parsed his assailant’s words. As he frowned, the other men pressed him with more questions. “Now you will tell us why the baron hired you and your companions, and speak the truth. He asked you to investigate the Graywood affair, didn’t he? You had to examine what was left of the caravans and the guards, is that not so? Is there a diviner in your party?” Riglen moved his hand away from the pouch as he realized the true reason for the ambush. “You know more than my friends and I could ever find out about that assault, don’t you? Now put your swords away, before I do it for you, and tell me why you’re calling the baron an usurper. I usually don’t mind where my money comes from, but a resume of service to murderers and tyrants doesn’t sit well with either my stomach or my usual employers’.”

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Alberto Bontempi

FIGHTERS AND MARTIAL ORGANIZATIONS

Chapter 6: Organizations

Heroic fighters are the champions of epic poetry and song, the protagonists of noble odes and tales, admired and cheered by all who have heard of their deeds. It is any surprise, then, that the greatest fighters attract many followers, ready and willing to serve under their banners, or that a group of nostalgic warriors decides to renew the memory of an illustrious fighter of a past age by forming a company in his honor? In the end, most battles are won by deploying mighty armies, and is not an army an organized group of fighters? To many fighters, joining a martial organization is a natural choice, and such organizations are vital for characters hailing from this class. It would not be proper to assume that any army can automatically be considered a proper martial organization. The latter, at least in the sense this book means it, is something more than a simple congregation of soldiers. A martial organization is a group marked by a strong cohesive spirit, an organization whose members share the same ideals and pursue the same goals. It is are much like a political faction: it has a strong sense of camaraderie and identity and longs to fulfill a goal common to its membership. Whether they gather to begin a campaign of conquest, to defend themselves from an outer threat, to protect their interests, or simply to gain more political power and influence, a martial organization’s members can attain considerable benefits and privileges. They can demand better payment for their services, acquire superior weapons, rule over vast territories as a true lord would, and even conquer and rule a kingdom. Of course, martial organizations can embrace very different values; their members are at least as varied as they are. Stern and inflexible law enforcers, affiliated to longstanding martial academies and determined to ensure civilized laws are respected throughout the community and to see all crimes punished; orders of knights errant willing to protect the weak and defend the most remote outposts; mercenary companies without scruples, ready to sell their swords to the highest bidder and caring only about wealth and personal interest; sadistic warriors who enjoy the fear and destruction they spread with their dark deeds. With so many different goals, it is no surprise that certain organizations prefer to act in the light of day and let their fame spread in the world, while others keep their existence a secret and promote their plans from the shadows.

Hierarchies

Being militaristic organizations, these groups of fighters often mimic the command chain of an army, with the foot soldier at the bottom and the general at the top. This hierarchy, except in a few rare cases, defines both a member’s position within the organization and his powers and duties.

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A few military brotherhoods follow a different ranking system, however. Their members might have equal position and standing, enjoying the same rights and shouldering the same burdens. Others might entrust a council of veterans to lead them, taking into account only tacit distinctions involving age and experience on the battlefield. Still others might break their ranks into specialized divisions or cells, with either no central leadership or one commander appointed to direct a council of his fellows. Most martial organizations’ needs make democratic models unpractical. Unlike an academy of magic or a priesthood, a mercenary company cannot afford to discuss its decisions in committee. It needs to act swiftly and efficiently as soon as an emergency arises. Declarations, invasions, surprise attacks, and retaliations require swift, decisive action. As such, the pyramidal structure is the most common, especially if the organization is very large or is tasked with the defense of a strategic outpost or a vast territory.

Duties and opportunities

A professional fighter’s needs are simple, but often expensive: well-kept and sturdy armor, effective weapons, decent meals and lodging, in some cases a trusty steed. Many martial organizations grant their members all these amenities, along with goods and services at a reduced cost–perhaps reduced to nothing. Their barracks, training grounds and smithies become even more valuable if they set up shop in remote or uncivilized places; the organization’s base becomes a safe refuge to use between adventures, perhaps a bastion of civilization itself. Circumstances and budget permitting, an organization can even grant magical healing to its members and provide useful magic items to its highest-ranking officials. The greatest benefits a fighter gains from a martial organization’s membership have nothing to do with wealth and money, though. A faction provides a character with protection and guidance, giving him faithful allies and powerful masters he can rely upon. For example, if the GM requires that a character needs specific training before mastering a martial ritual (see Chapter 2: A Fighter’s Power), acquiring a combat style (see Chapter 4: A Fighter’s Feat), or selecting a certain paragon path, one of the organization’s veterans can provide the necessary instruction. In addition, a character affiliated with a martial organization can count on his network to link himself and his companions to potential employers. The organization is a natural place for patrons to start when they seek adventurers and mercenaries, and any job, in the hands of a skilled GM, can become the launching point for an exciting adventure.

Rank in an organization

As described above, martial organization often employ a hierarchical structure like an army’s. According to this system, lower-ranking fighters are subject to the authority of an officer, who in turn answers to higher-ranking officers. Control is tighter at the bottom ranks and more relaxed at the top, with the organization’s leaders giving more trust to commanders who have proven their judgment and fighting skill by rising through the ranks. Martial organizations usually promote on the basis of mighty deeds, cunning tactics, or political maneuvering. A mercenary company only a few steps removed from its days as a band of raiding savages elevates the bravest and most powerful warriors in its ranks. An order of knights in a decadent merchant-princedom raises up those members whose skill with cloak and dagger matches their skill with sword and lance. Most martial organizations fall somewhere in the happy middle, granting leadership positions to officers who prove adept at every aspect of warfare.

MARTIAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD

A martial organization is either a private army or a detachment from a regional or national one. Like any armed force, its influence depends on the equipment, morale, skill, and numbers of its members, on the talent of its great captains, and on the territory and fortified positions it either holds or can take control of on short notice. Almost by definition, a private military force must either be strong enough to seize the throne of whatever region it operates out of, or on very good terms with the present rulers. Those martial organizations that get on the bad side of their king or emperor rarely survive; when they do, their commander usually becomes the next ruler or the power behind the throne! The vast majority of martial organizations are in good standing with their regional governments, however, serving as veteran mercenaries when the country goes to war or defending the countryside from monstrous incursions. The exceptions to this rule are martial organizations that operate in the shadows. Conspiracies can only go so far with subterfuge and sorcery; if they have any hope of one day taking power, they required an armed force, and often that means forming an army in secret. Fighters who pledge themselves to revolutionary zealots, scheming usurpers and other enemies of the existing regime can hope to one day tread jeweled thrones beneath their feet–but for now, they must live as fugitives.


What the martial organization asks in exchange for these benefits is very simple: undisputed loyalty and monetary contributions. The latter can be gathered in many different forms, from fees paid on a regular basis to a percentage of the member’s take from mercenary or adventuring work. Still, no fighter should ever forget that the most valuable thing he can contribute is his presence on the battlefield in times of war, and no member of a martial organization remains in good standing if he denies his fellows the strength of his arm!

Characters and Organizations To a character, membership in a martial organization can be an opportunity to both expand his personal story, adding depth to his personally and motivations, and to take part in many exciting adventures. From the mission he undergoes to find a member that will vouch for him before the organization’s leadership, to the tests he faces to obtain –or keep– a place in the organization, there are many opportunities that can turn membership in a martial organization into a powerful adventure hook that the GM can use to motivate the players. If a character obtains a position of leadership in the organization, he can outline its objectives and direct it against the party’s enemies. As such, becoming a member in a martial organization is a choice both players and GM should approach with care. First, a character’s nature and objectives should be similar to or at least compatible with those of the organization. Second, everyone should know in advance that the more a character invests in the organization, the more he

will become involved in its management; when he is not adventuring, most of his time and resources will have to be dedicated to the organization. This might not be a problem, and indeed usually it is not. Most fighters are proud to be part of storied companies of like-minded warriors and embrace their missions with fervor. If this does not describe a character, he should think twice about joining the organization or –if he already has– find a quick way to put his membership behind him. Of course, not all martial organizations will prove accepting of a member’s early retirement. On the other hand, other organizations require only minimal membership dues and impose even fewer rules and duties. These could be good fits for an undecided or reckless character. Alternatively, if a GM wants to exploit the adventure hooks a martial organization can provide in a campaign while keeping his players free from its authority, he can use the organizations described below as NPC-only factions, interacting with the party only as allies or antagonists.

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Allies and antagonists


Martial organizations usually find their best friends seated on thrones and in the halls of parliaments. A ruler requires force to back up his decrees and to either intimidate the populace or infuse them with confidence. Often, he will find it easier to trust the loyalty of a well-paid or ideologically motivated organization rather than his own subordinates or vassals. Merchants, too, value martial organizations, both as customer and employee. A blacksmith obviously loves having a mercenary company encamped within purchasing distance, but so, too, do seamstresses and grocers and members of almost every profession–provided the martial organization’s members are well-disciplined or well-meaning, anyway. Caravan masters and merchantman captains prize the assistance of capable fighters, too, because without powerful defenders their shipments would never pass through the wilderness intact. Unfortunately, for every powerful ally a martial organization boasts, it usually faces at least a half-dozen enemies! Rival mercenary companies or politically opposed factions provide the most obvious opposition. These are the foes a fighter prefers. They offer a standup fight, and knocking them down proves the victor’s martial prowess in the most direct way. Sadly, such rivals are the least of most organizations’ worries. If the organization’s members are charged with keeping the peace, every miscreant from two-bit thugs to thieves’ guildmasters will want them out of the way– preferably permanently. Combating foes who strike from the shadows falls outside the typical fighter’s purview, so these enemies often cause trouble disproportionate to their actual power. A martial organization may cross more esoteric groups, such as wizards’ colleges and local cults, quite without realizing it. Few fighters understand the rituals and rites of mystics and academics, and many are inclined to say the wrong word in an environment where words, not deeds, are the source of one’s reputation. Of course, in as many cases, a martial organization actively attacks a cult or college; from royal decrees to religious fanaticism, the reasons for such an assault are as varied as the organizations capable of launching one. Even an organization that deftly navigates the muddy waters of politics, religion, magic, and law is not free of foes, though. Civilized enemies are just the tip of the iceberg; beyond the city walls, beyond the cultured and well-guarded fields, beyond the busy causeways and canals, lies an entire wilderness teeming with monsters and savages, hordes and horrors.

Hidden secrets

Many organizations hide at least one great secret; martial organizations are no exception.

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Behind every warring group lies a story of alliances, conflicts, truces, and vendettas. After all, if a combatant needs to join with others like him to increase their strength or gain protection, powerful foes must threaten him. Dealing with such threats sometimes requires more than force of arms: It also requires discretion. How would people react if they knew that the country won the last war by bankrupting the treasury to contract a mercenary company’s services, or that victory came from a series of murders perpetrated by a team of spies and commandos? The mercenaries, spies, and commandos involved, to say nothing of their employers, would rather not know the answer! Sometimes, a martial organization’s secrets do not concern their members’ actions, but rather the objectives they pursue or the story behind their founding. An honored knightly order may answer to a powerhungry noble with plans to usurp the throne; a sect of fanatic fighters could be the true power behind a fencing school, and use the younger recruits to fill their ranks with the most promising swordsmen; an esteemed militia guarding farmlands against raiders could have been a band of outlaws and brigands just a few years before.

READING ORGANIZATIONS

The next section features a few martial organizations that can easily be included in any campaign. The GM can use the following information to encourage interested characters to join an organization they like, or to create an adventure revolving around an organization’s plans. Each organization also includes a statistics block detailing its main game traits. Lore: Information a character can gather about the organization, its goals, its secrets and other relevant details. Each entry requires a specific knowledge check (such as Arcana, History, Religion) at the specified DC. Organization: The organization’s general profile: its declared goals, the allies it can rely upon and its main opponents, its available resources, the influence it exerts over local or foreign powers, and its constitution. Leader: The organization’s leader or leaders. Headquarters: The place or places where the organization’s power is gathered. Hierarchy: The organization’s structure and ranks, its rules, and the behavior it demands from its members. Members: An organization’s typical members, from its lowliest minions to its best special agents. Symbol: The emblem the organization uses as a mark of distinction among its members and the rest of the world (or only among its members), usually symbolic of its nature and purpose. Adventure Hooks: A few suggestions for involving the organization and its members in your adventures.

BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD LIONS

Roberto Pitturru

Brotherhood of Blood Lions Knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Arcana DC 15: Brotherhood members are rumored to attend a mysterious and savage initiation rite when they join the organization, in order to establish an everlasting blood bond with the other Lions. Although sages are rather skeptical about this rumor, all Blood Lions believe that the ritual can make them virtually immortal, and that after the ritual, a combatant will only fall by the hand of a brother. Dungeoneering DC 20: A few gladiatorial arenas feature hidden levels beneath their battlements, and the awesome battleground where Brotherhood fighters cross arms is one of these places. It is no secret that an arena often features a hidden level where the rarest and most dangerous beasts are kept: It is the same level that hosts the traps, the elevators and the devices that allow the organizers to alter the battleground. But very few know that there are two more underground levels, where Blood Lions are rumored to gather and perform eerie rituals. Dungeoneering DC 35: The Blood Lions arena hides an unthinkable secret: Deep beneath the dungeons, more than 120 feet underground, lies a room that leads to the sidereal areas of the elemental mayhem. Constant connection with those planes of existence has generated a planar seepage, and now the entire area around the rift is surrounded by corrosive geysers and everlasting flames.

Organization

The Brotherhood of Blood Lions is commonly known as a famous and close-knit group of gladiators who win all contests they attend and draw huge crowds whenever they appear. The groups’ athletes and combatants are very powerful indeed, and they have been trained to overcome the most difficult challenge: contests against a team of rival gladiators, duels to the death, or fights against bloodthirsty monsters. Blood Lions always offer a spectacular performance and almost always prevail over their foes. They attribute their successes to their constant training, but rumor and hearsay speak of a secret pact they enter into to enhance their strength. Still, there is another secret behind the Brotherhood’s origins: Today’s gladiators are only the latest in a circle of invincible combatants who used to meet at an extraplanar crossroads a thousand years ago (the crossroads now lies deep beneath the Blood Lions arena) to meet in battle and prove their valor. Leader: The gladiators are led by Paikros, a dragonborn of great experience and at the peak of his strength. His brothers venerate him like a demigod, and often invoke his name, hoping to gain strength and inspiration from his example. Paikros does not let his privileged status interfere with his duties and treats his men with respect and loyalty. None has ever seen him lose his temper… except against foes who try to defeat him with dirty tricks. His wrath is usually the last thing an enemy sees. Headquarters: The underground halls of the arena where the Lions fight include their quarters, the armories and the natural grottos where the fighters can relax in pools of warm water and enjoy pleasant massages. More restricted (and guarded) areas host the Brotherhood rites and lead to the rift that opens on the elemental mayhem. Hierarchy: In the Brotherhood of Blood Lions, all members are equal: The word and life of any member has exactly the same value. After a particularly hard fight, those who have distinguished themselves in battle


These brave gladiators show such a fierce and proud loyalty to their organization and to their companions that they give new meaning to the word “brotherhood.” Each fighter is expected to respect, assist and protect his companions in any circumstance, save one: When two Blood Lions must fight in an arena, they must do so to the last blood, without showing compassion or regret. Like wild animals, they know only the strongest survive.

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can enjoy a few temporary privileges as a form of homage to the valor they have demonstrated, but this status lasts only until the next match, the next victory. Members: The Brotherhood is very selective when it comes to accepting new members, although it ignores racial or social factors: Anyone can join, provided they show extraordinary strength and stamina. Symbol: A gladiator with a lion’s head. Adventure Hooks: A character’s affiliation with the Brotherhood of Blood Lions can provide the GM with many adventure hooks revolving around gladiatorial games, or about shadier clandestine fight and slave rings. In any case, involved PCs will have plenty of opportunities to test their mettle and survival skills. ✦ A brawny tiefling called Recluse, en experienced dagger-wielding fighter, has just joined the gladiatorial circuit and has already earned himself a name. Although he rarely attends training sessions and when he does he never displays any special skill, when he enters the arena he is incredibly lucky and his savagery has earned him the public’s favor. The most experienced brokers are convinced that something is not right, and are willing to pay a handsome reward to those who will reveal his secret. ✦ In the last few weeks, the beasts held beneath the arena have been acting strangely. The keepers say the animals and monsters do not eat, stay awake all night, and refuse to leave their cages. Organizers and handlers do not know what to do, and the day

Blood Lions draw their martial superiority from their experience and from the reputation they have grown in many years of combat, vanquishing their enemies with skill and pride. The following feat is a heroic tier feat that can be selected by a character of any level who has joined the Brotherhood of Blood Lions.

Blood and Honor [Fighter]

Prerequisite: Fighter Benefit: When you make an attack of opportunity, the bonus granted by the combat superiority class feature is equal to your Wisdom or Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. Special: You must be a member in good standing of the Brotherhood of Blood Lions.

of the next games grows closer. What is the reason for the beasts’ disconcerting behavior? Can it be a sign of greater trouble to come? ✦ Madigan, the old arena trainer, is slowly dying. His greatest wish is to see the Belt of Triumph, the trophy meant for the greatest arena champions, one last time. Madigan won the belt in his youth, but it is no longer in the arena halls. It was lost nine years ago in the foul Trekks Bog along with a fugitive gladiator. Is there a hero among Madigan’s young disciples willing to risk his life to fulfill his old master’s last wish?

CRIMSON DUSK COMMANDOS Some battles cannot be fought by a regular army, but can be won with a swift and fierce assault that strikes the enemy without warning and leaves it no escape. The Crimson Dusk Commandos, a secretive guild of elite warriors, is convinced that this is the best way to fight. Their members are specialized in raids and retaliations. They pledge their services to anyone who can afford their price, ready to steal military plans, recover a magical treasure, or kidnap a valuable hostage.

Crimson Dusk Commandos knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. History DC 20: Apparently, the Crimson Dusk are comprised of outcasts from all races. They were founded by a dragonborn subjugated by a cruel red dragon. After many years spent in the service of that monster as his lieutenant, the dragonborn fighter was able to rid himself of his master, but not of the grim reputation he

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had earned as the dragon’s executor. Unable to forgive himself for the atrocities he had committed, he abandoned any hope of returning to his kin and embraced forever the fate of the cynical and efficient mercenary, gathering a band of ardent followers around him. Streetwise DC 20: The Crimson Dusk Commandos always move in teams of five to seven members and strike out of nowhere, making the most of their surprise attacks. They usually keep away from the largest concentrations of the enemy, preferring to isolate and wear their foes down with guerrilla tactics. When they are forced to fight greater numbers of enemies, they coordinate their actions in two or three different teams and try to exploit any advantage they might gain from the terrain or from the enemy’s need to reorganize. Arcana DC 30: Darzuul, a malevolent dark elf with a distinguished place in the organization, has a wondrous armor that allows him to blend in the shadows and disappear from his enemies’ eyes. The armor is rumored to be a gift from a cruel and beautiful outer

Organization

This circle of fighters play a dangerous game. They are a power-hungry group and are willing to do anything to gain more influence. They have many enemies, both among the targets of their missions and the patrons they have betrayed when they got a better offer. Still, the organization seems to know how far they can push themselves, and that they have to maintain a semblance of respectability to keep getting jobs from the most powerful and wealthy patrons. Leader: The organization is led by two partners, a dark elf, Darzuul, and a young human, Caineth. They rarely agree on anything, and they have had many fierce debates about the best course of action to follow and the best jobs to accept. The former is a leader with a magnetic personality and a forked tongue, while the latter is a grim executioner who kills without remorse or hesitation. Headquarters: The Commandos’ refuge and seat of power is a network of caves around an underground

The following power describes a well hidden secret, jealously kept by the organization’s master and passed on to the most promising Commandos. It saved the lives of many Commandos and it let many others succeed when their mission seemed irredeemably compromised.

Roberto Pitturru

Seek and Destroy

Fighter Attack 17

An experienced Crimson Dusk Commando has completed many espionage missions and knows how to infiltrate an enemy camp. He can feel when an ambush is near and he can strike his foes before they come out of hiding. Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon Standard Action Close burst 10 Target: Each concealed creature in burst

lake, where once stood the temple of a dark elf deity. Just below the murky lake lies a huge hall sustained by rows of high pillars, which can only be reached through a narrow and twisted tunnel. The Commandos’ leaders met there to make their decisions and plan future attacks. Hierarchy: The Commandos are comprised of many different strike teams, each one including about a half-dozen members, trained to work together to make their missions go as swiftly and smoothly as possible. Outside their team members, the Commandos only know the superior they take orders from. This cell structure contributes to the organization’s secrecy and keeps internecine feuds to a minimum. Members: Members of every race and background fill the Commandos’ ranks. Fighters are the backbone of the group, but each team always includes a character who works as a leader or as a support combatant, providing the team with small doses of divine or arcane powers. Humans, half-elves, tieflings, and dragonborn are equally common in the ranks of the Crimson Dusk, which include even a few eladrin and halflings. Symbol: A wolf with blood-red moon behind it. Adventure Hooks: Although they are not an actual criminal syndicate, the Crimson Dusk Com-


entity with female features; nobody knows what the dark elf gave in change for the armor, but the purple tattoo scarring his face looks very much like the seal of a demon’s pact.

Effect: Make a Perception roll with a +5 power bonus against the target’s Stealth. If you succeed, you know that one or more creature are located within burst (depending on how many creatures have failed the opposed check), and you know the generic direction of their location. If you win the check by 10 or more, you know the precise location of a concealed creature that failed the opposed check; you may move towards the target as a free action and then make a melee attack against that target, ignoring the usual penalties due to cover and concealment. If you win more than one check by 10 or more, you will have to select only one target to attack. Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier.

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mandos are undeniably a group without scruples and willing to sink to whatever lows seem useful. This sets them apart from most martial organizations and allows the GM to involve the shadiest and most elusive characters, either as affiliates of this disreputable organization or as its opponents. ✦ Beneath the Scale Peaks, the followers of the Share’th Cult (a brotherhood of sadistic dwarves worshipping a dark insect-like god) are performing a ritual that will hopefully summon their patron in the world. Agents of the Crimson Dusk have been hired to steal the book that contains the ritual, along with all components required to celebrate it. Of course, the Commandos are not interested in the common good: The dark elf who hired the Commandos has paid them an exorbitant fee. ✦ The characters are visiting the holdings of the Jerra’tys merchant house, where an important member of the family invited them to recover a load of goods that had been stolen from a convoy some days ago. What seemed a simple mission quickly turns into a desperate struggle for survival as the mansion is assaulted by a team of deadly and efficient warriors who intend to kill the characters’ patron and kidnap the house’s scion. Obviously, the Jerra’tys are the target of something deadlier than a simple theft… ✦ Tomorrow’s battle plans are kept in General Haidoos’ tent. The battle is going to be bloody, and it will almost certainly be decided by how the defenders’ deploy to withstand the assault. The mayor was so desperate that he allowed the Commandos into the city’s treasury and offered to pay them whatever they asked to retrieve the battle plans and reveal their contents. Now that they have their ad-

Commandos in action.

vance and have formulated a plan to steal the rest of the city’s wealth, the Crimson Dusk only needs to send a few agents to raid the mayor’s treasury and tell old Haidoos that he can move the camp and leave with his army of cutthroats: The old siege trick has worked once again.

IRON ADDER COMPANY This militia patrols from border to border in the kingdom of Elesia, taking part in skirmishes and field battles with little or no rest between one fight and another. Rough, self-equipped in patchwork gear, and without royal cachet, they are often mistaken for simple mercenaries or even bandits. This may once have been true, but today these fighters are patriots, not soldiers of fortune; even the most heroic mercenary would think twice about an unending battle against hobgoblins, ogres, and worse.

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Nature DC 20: Wilderness travelers have learned to spot a place where the Iron Adders have camped: A row of holes in the ground dug at regular intervals mark the places where their watching turrets stood, while a few logs cut down and carved in the center were used as troughs for their horses. In addition, the Adders use small yellow and red strings tied to a

Claudio Casini

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Iron Adder Company knowledge

Roberto Pitturru

Organization

The Iron Adder Company is made of hard and resolute men, used to the rigors of military life. These soldiers relentlessly patrol the King’s lands, and are always looking for signs of monstrous incursion, usually by raiding bands of ogres. From time to time, a few Iron Adder soldiers are called upon to reinforce the Queen’s regular troops. Although their brigades have always proven themselves faithful, well trained and decisive, their lack of discipline –along with the exorbitant price of their services– have generated an ill reputation. Company members, though, do not care too much about their reputation. They live far from major towns and settlements, and they are content with the rough pleasures that a military life can give. They care only for the honor and respect they show each other. Leader: In spite of their fame and reputation –and of their great strength and pride– the Iron Adders have never shown any excessive ambition. Indeed, they have always shown loyalty to the crown and support for the populace. It is also for this reason that the undisputed commander of these soldiers has remained the same for more than fourteen years: Greog Wolm (human fighter 17), a veteran with a booming voice and a short brown beard that covers his many scars. Greog is loved by

his men, who have complete trust in his judgment and would gladly give their lives to follow his orders. This blind trust is balanced by the raucous revelries with which the Company celebrates its victories, a tradition that Greog intends to maintain–a decision that makes him even more popular with his men. Headquarters: The Iron Adder Company has no headquarters, though there are a few spots in the wilderness where company members tend to return when they need to make camp. They build small temporary shacks, tents, barracks, and pens for their horses, but they tend to keep away from the main roads. They usually favor narrow valleys or light woods, easier to watch and defend. Hierarchy: The Iron Adder Company follows a traditional military ranking system. Greog, the high commander, is assisted and counseled by two captains, who in turn command a number of officers and field aids. These officers must ensure that orders are obeyed and that soldiers keep their places in battle. Discipline is very stern during military operations, but becomes very lax in the respites between. Members: Anyone who knows how to wield a blade and has nothing to lose, except maybe his own life, is welcome to join the Company. Iron Adders have no qualms about accepting strangers, half-bloods, and fugitives among their ranks, and if they have denied admittance to a few criminals, they did it only to avoid drawing undue attention from the authorities. The army is mostly comprised of humans, but dwarves are not unusual, along with a few elves, half-elves, and dragonborn. Most members are fighters, of course, although other combatants such as rangers and rogues are not too rare. Symbol: An adder circling a spear’s shaft with its coils. Adventure Hooks: This fighting brigade is the perfect organization for those characters who wish to escape their past and to begin a new life. The Company does not provide many luxuries, but it can certainly offer protection from the authorities’ wrath or from personal enemies. In turn, the Company requires some skill with the blade and loyalty to the other members.


branch to mark the spot where they have set a trap to defend their camp. History DC 20: The Iron Adder Company is most known for their victory at Willowcreek, where they fought a fierce battle against the hobgoblins of the western lands. The battle’s outcome was crucial, as it finally set the land free from the evil humanoids’ rule, and it also marked the first time the Kingdom entrusted the Company with the task of protecting its borders. History DC 30: The Company takes its name from the woman who was believed to be the army’s second in command many years ago. It is rumored that the Iron Adder was the founder’s lover, and that she took over the company’s command when she poisoned her companion and his trusted lieutenants. This merciless betrayal was followed by many years of gruesome campaigns and a reign of terror, which ended when the exasperated soldiers rebelled against their cruel leader and executed her.

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✦ After the last battle at Ghertenwort Wood, the

Company captured an ogre called Ohrev. The brute is as dumb as he is strong, and during the interrogation he revealed many details about the whereabouts of his fellows. The Iron Adders are eager to launch an assault that will wipe the ogres out once and for all, but little they do know that Ohrev is the dupe of a clever foe who arranged his capture to lead the soldiers of fortune into a deadly trap. ✦ An important Iron Adder camp located at the mouth of the Tirhin River has suddenly run out of water. The explorers sent to investigate the situation learned that the Sparrow Brigade has settled upstream and has built a dam. Greog’s councilors

are sharply divided as to their response. Some would like to parlay and find a peaceful solution with their rivals, while others want to attack and settle the score once and for all. ✦ Traffic along the Money Road has dwindled in recent days, almost certainly because of the many ambushes and raids that have plagued the trade convoys that used to follow that road. What commander Wolm cannot accept is that his men have been blamed for these crimes. Although he does not like it, the mercenary leader has ordered his men to find the real bandits and to put an end to the assaults before the King decides to listen to the angry populace and turns the Company into a scapegoat.

Qwelenar Bladeleaf, Iron Adder ace Chapter 6: Organizations

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Occupation: The Iron Adder Company accepts many jobs that others would decline. Even amongst its hardened soldiers, however, Qwelenar is considered reckless to the point of insanity. When a battle seems lost even before it begins or a task seems hopeless, the half-elf resorts to his unequalled skills and snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. Ogres have learned to fear Qwelenar’s name and his poisoned spear, and he now leads the Iron Adder’s scouting unit in battle and reconnaissance. Many of his companions owe him their lives, and in time he has become the company’s paragon and living symbol: cunning, efficient, and opportunist. Physical Description: Qwelenar is lean and athletic; his dark hair, short and glittering, and his narrow green eyes seem to highlight his elusive and proud nature. Attributes and Skills: Qwelenar is resilient, and he can rely on a battle-trained mind and lightning reflexes. Values and Motivations: Qwelenar is cunning and down-to-earth. He believes close emotional ties to be a weakness and avoids lasting or serious friendships. Behavior: The half-elf swings from a talkative and sarcastic mood to long minutes of silence, in which he seems to carefully analyze those around him. He only feels at ease among the other Iron Adders. Useful Knowledge: Qwelenar knows the mercenary underworld very well. He also knows how to use poisons, and this knowledge has earned him many victories. One prick from his spear is often enough to end a fight. Mannerisms: Qwelenar remains cold and controlled even in the heat of battle. When he answers a question, he always looks his interlocutor in the eyes, even if he is lying.

Origins: Qwelenar has selected the mercenary’s origins (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’ Role). He gains a +1 bonus to initiative checks and to saving throws against fear. Qwelenar Bladeleaf Medium natural humanoid, half-elf fighter

Level 8 Soldier

XP 350

Initiative +7 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision HP 78; Bloodied 39 AC 25; Fortitude 23, Reflex 19, Will 19 Saving Throws +1 against fear effects Speed 5 m +2 Intangible Long Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +14 vs. AC; 1d10 + 8 damage. M Cleave (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +14 vs. AC; 1d10 + 8 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Lay Waste to the Enemy (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +14 vs. Fortitude; 2d10 + 8 damage, and the target can regain the hit points lost because of this attack only with an extended rest, and not with powers, abilities, or actions (such as a healing surge or regeneration). M Viper’s Strike (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +14 vs. AC; 1d10 + 8 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Rain of Steel (minor; daily) ✦ Martial, Stance, Weapon See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Encumbering Defense (minor; daily) ✦ Martial, Stance, Weapon Requires a two-handed weapon; Qwelenar gains a +3 power bonus to AC and to Reflex defense. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Elven, Goblin Skills Athletics +13, Heal +11 Str 18 (+8) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 14 (+6) Con 14 (+6) Int 11 (+4) Cha 12 (+5) Equipment +2 razor scale armor, +2 intangible long spear, melee weapon alchemical treatment (poison)

A dwarven fortress-city is an impregnable bulwark carved in the depths of the mountains and built with huge marble and granite blocks. And yet, when even these stronghold’s walls are breached by besiegers and war is about to come to the very heart of a dwarven settlement, the Keepers of the Stone Throne stand fast as the last line of defense against the invaders and the last hope of the hapless population. These untiring, honorable warriors are ready to stop and repel any invader with their unyielding endurance. They are tasked with guarding a clan’s most important buildings and chambers.

Keepers of the Stone Throne knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Arcana DC 15: Many Keepers of the Stone Throne have an enchanted iron belt, a powerful magic item that increases their prowess and keeps their heart and mind steady. History DC 20: According to an old dwarven lullaby, a Keeper of the Stone Throne can feel when his hour draws near during a battle. In that moment, the keeper can call upon his ancestors’ merciful assistance, and the be ready for anything and fight to his last breath. This is what happened to the dwarven hero Taum Fredrigg, who let his soul go only after he vanquished two fire titans. Dungeon DC 25: The mansion where the Keepers gather is not just a home or an imposing stronghold. The building is an awe-inspiring mausoleum dedicated to all those dwarven ancestors who spilled their blood to defend their people. Glyphs, friezes, and ancient weapons on display tell a millennia-long story and hide many traps set to kill trespassers, including spinning blades, walls of darts, and gouts of flame.

Roberto Pitturru

Organization

Time and again, the clan was on the verge of extinction at the hands of savage invaders or hordes of monstrous creatures spawned in the deepest reaches of the underworld. Every time, any hope of saving what the dwarves held most dear rested with the Keepers of the Stone Throne, and with good reason. These fighters are the pride of dwarven culture and they are held in such esteem that

their opinion is respected even on subjects that have nothing to do with war and defense. In some communities, they also act as counselors, and they stand by the elders’ side when they need to make an important decision. Leader: There is no acknowledged leader among the Keepers: Their duty is so clear that a proper knowledge of history and tradition is enough to tell each fighter what to do and how to behave. The only official authority the Keepers have to obey to is the clan chief’s rule, the same as any other dwarf. Headquarters: The Keepers of the Stone Throne gather in a huge mansion carved in the mountain’s heart, inside a natural cavern that the dwarves have expanded and pierced with a hundred shaft, allowing light and air to freely circulate. The square before the mansion is decorated with dozens of commemorative statues representing the heroic defenders of the Stone Throne who fell in past battles. Hierarchy: There are no leaders and subordinates among the Keepers: Each one has his own duties, and, at least during a battle, obeys the will of his esteemed companions without argument. Outside combat, different points of views and debates are easily settled with a majority vote or by accepting the judgment of senior soldiers. Members: The organization only accepts dwarves into its numbers, as they are the only creatures deemed worthy of defending a dwarven community’s highest ideals… and its greatest riches. Symbol: A throne carved on the top of a mountain. Adventure Hooks: The Keepers of the Stone Throne are a traditionalist and stolid group, whose members rarely leave their home clan to travel the world, explore distant lands and experience exciting adventures. On the other hand, they are the perfect choice for a story revolving around sieges and underground wars, where one key strategy or suicidal final stand can determine an entire people’s fate. ✦ After a centuries-old feud, the Drammek clan’s rivals have sent signals of peace and asked permission to send a delegation of diplomats. In public, King Tordenbaum has announced a great celebration to mark this historic event. In private, however, he fears betrayal. A pious dwarf, the king fears his notably godless rivals –for so he has often denounced them– will strike at the clan’s priesthood. At his instruction,


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the Keepers of the Stone Throne will watch over the clan’s “guests” and protect the clerics from any threat. ✦ The Keepers of the Stone Throne have suffered a serious setback after a recent wave of giants’ attacks. Most of their best fighters perished during the fighting or are too injured to take up arms once more. It is vital that the breached defenses be restored as soon as possible, before the next assault is launched; thus, for the first time, the Keepers will seek help among adventurers from other races. ✦ The inner halls of the forge, where the clan keeps its most prized treasures, have been breached. Unknown intruders were able to reach the settlement’s heart undisturbed and to steal relics and priceless artifacts without leaving a trace of their passage. The shame of this theft falls on the shoulders of the Keepers, who are sworn to protect these most sacred halls. The Keepers must track down the thieves at any cost (even if it means accepting the help of spellcasters and bounty hunters) and wash away their guilt with blood.

Keeper of the Stone Throne’s Belt

Level 15

This belt is made of sturdy iron plates set with gems of different colors. It can enhance the wearer’s Athletics and Endurance skills, and it can be activated to shrug off an enemy and the harmful conditions it has inflicted. Item Slot: Belt 25,000 gp Property: Gain a +2 item bonus to Athletics and Endurance checks. Power (Daily): Free Action. You can use this power when you score a melee attack. The target is knocked prone, and you can make a saving throw against an effect inflicted by that enemy and that a save can end.

ORDER OF STEEL PROPHETS According to legend, Spirit Weapons, wondrous artifacts with a will of their own, were forged in ancient times for fighters as yet unborn who would wield them to fulfill their destiny and to decide their Kingdom’s fate. A few noble knights, sworn to fight for the greater good, have dedicated their entire lives to protecting this great prophecy and ensuring it comes to pass. They call themselves the Order of Steel Prophets, and today, this circle of honorable fighters seeks the Spirit Weapons and the chosen ones destined to wield them.

Order of Steel Prophets knowledge

Arcana DC 25: The most ancient magic tomes say that the Spirit Weapons were forged no less than three thousand years ago, a date confirmed by the items’ style and ornamentation. Some sages speculate that the entire set includes eight weapons, and that each weapon draws its power from the soul of a glorious combatant of the distant past, magically bound to the blade. History DC 35: At one time, the Order of Steel Prophets tethered on the verge of oblivion. Seven centuries ago, Sir Falhed Garen, one of its most esteemed members and discoverer of a Spirit Weapon, gave in to temptation and seized the weapon, convincing himself he was a chosen one; that act led to a schism in the organization and the resulting feud decimated its members. The internecine struggle ended with the death of the heretic Garen, but the weapon he had claimed was lost once again.

Roberto Pitturru

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Arcana DC 15: Spirit Weapons are magic items forged in ancient times to assist the scions of certain noble houses in combat.

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A Keeper of the Stone Throne’s belt is part of a magic item collection explicitly meant for the organization’s members, intended to enhance their physical prowess and stamina. Those dwarven fighters who have the privilege of wearing one seem able to withstand any assault and their legendary vigor seems unending.

The Order’s grand design depends not only on strength of arms, but also on the information the Prophets can gather from the people. There are always brave and honest men willing to aid the Prophets in their quests, but there are also many evil and unholy villains ready to waylay the knights. The following power can be very useful when a Steel Prophet is looking for important information. Steel Tribunal

Fighter Attack 25

In the presence of an Order’s member, the tongues of the wicked grow silent and their hearts stir in the chests, wracking them with pain whenever they try to hide the truth. Daily ✦ Martial, Necrotic, Radiant, Weapon Immediate Reaction Ranged 10 Trigger: A creature wins a Bluff check against you Target: The creature that won the check Effect: You realize you have been deceived, and the effects of the successful Bluff check do not apply. Make an attack against the target. Attack: Charisma vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + Charisma modifier necrotic and radiant damage.

ics might technically become Steel Prophets, but in the inner circle’s long history, this has only happened a few rare times. Symbol: A book surrounded by a circle of swords. Adventure Hooks: No organization rivals the Order of Steel Prophets when it comes to adventures revolving around knightly quests, noble ideals and deep

Maichol Quinto

Although the Steel Prophets are constantly tempted to think otherwise, they know that the chosen ones will not come from their ranks and that no member of the Order can ever hope to wield a Spirit Weapon. Their task is far more noble and demanding, and only their tireless search ensures their prophecy can continue to provide a glimmer of hope in a world of darkness and greed. Leader: There is no official leader among the Steel Prophets, but the most respected and esteemed member of the Order is with no doubt Lord Vedereth. This old fighter may not be as strong as he was in youth, but his willpower is boundless and few can stand unbowed before his palatable aura of authority. Headquarters: The Order gathers in the Halls of Omens, where rumors and evidence that might lead to an artifact or chosen one are discussed and analyzed. These somber marble halls, watched by silent commemorative statues, are protected by mystical traps that can probe a visitor’s heart and inflict excruciating pain upon intruders and impostors. Hierarchy: The true Steel Prophets are noble knights who acknowledge their companions as equals in dignity and honor. A host of lesser warriors obeys their commands and serves the Order even without being aware of their plans, trusting in the truth and wisdom of their inner circle. Members: The organization is almost entirely made of human fighters. Dragonborn and dwarves, honorable races worthy of respect, are also welcome and held in high esteem. Paladins, warlords, and cler-


Organization

The Steel Prophets gather.

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mysticism. Any member or even servant of the Order could be ordered to take part in a perilous quest. A few examples are offered below. ✦ The Sword of Drannith, possibly the most powerful Spirit Weapon of all, has been located in the deepest level of the Krewell Dungeon. The bravest knights will have to make their way through the mausoleum’s deadly illusions and bring it back to the Halls of Omens, steeling themselves against the gruesome fate that reclaimed all those who tried before. ✦ A very special child is born in the village of Stillwater. It is said that the newborn’s eyes are silvery and that he spoke his first words on the very day he was born. The Masters of the Circle believe

that the child is a Chosen One and they want to take care of him before the world’s many evils can corrupt his special spirit, leading him astray. They must carefully choose the heroes who will watch over the baby, especially because the mother, an eladrin prophet, might not agree with the Masters’ decision. ✦ The Master of the Circle suspects that Sir Falhed Garen might still be alive, or that his soul might still haunt the world. Whatever form the heretic has taken, he surely still strives to desecrate the Spirit Weapons. The place where he met his fate must be thoroughly examined to find any trace that might lead to him and to put an end to his evil plans once and for all.

QUICKSILVER BLADES Chapter 6: Organizations

Hailing from the wondrous halls of the Opalescent Tower, the Quicksilver Blades are a congregation of ineffable swordsmen shrouded in mystery. They have spent uncountable years refining their unique combat style and they know how to infuse their weapons with the power of magic. When the forces of darkness are stirring or when a kingdom’s fate is at stake, these warriors interrupt their studies and march into battle.

Quicksilver Blades knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Arcana DC 15: Quicksilver Blades are the subject of many contradictory legends, but at least one thing is certain: Most of them are eladrin, and they all know how to wield magic and blades with equal skill. Their combat style combines quick arcane formulas with swift and graceful fencing, and the dizzying result can confound and overwhelm any foe. Arcana DC 25: The Opalescent Tower, the Quicksilver Blades’ home, laboratory, and sanctum, is a slender building that seems barely tangible and yet is virtually indestructible. Unless their residents wish otherwise, only the most powerful divinations can reveal its location, and whoever leaves the tower after a visit soon forgets what he saw during his stay. Arcana DC 35: The Opalescent Tower lies in an extra-dimensional fold, suspended between the world and the faerie land. The tower’s highest room contains astral maps, celestial calendars, and arcane patterns detailing the stars’ cycles and the tower’s path, regulated by those cycles. These writings are strictly protected by elaborate activation riddles and warding glyphs.

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Organization

The Quicksilver Blades are a host of warriors whose souls are pure and incorruptible, locked in eternal combat against the forces of darkness. Their members live outside the rest of the world, at least until the Opalescent Tower’s magical observatories show the image of a looming danger requiring the eladrin swordsmen’s intervention. Devils, liches, hag covens, and dark priests alike have all learned to fear the Quicksilver Blades’ venomous and deadly bite. Leader: The organization is led by Captain Caeluem Breiarthis, an eladrin more than two hundred and

The quicksilver oil is an unguent obtained by a slow refinement process of silver and platinum, along with the obvious use of magic. The resulting substance is a thick and heavy balm that seems to evaporate shortly after it has coated solid metals; for some reasons, it seems able to poison any creature’s blood. Quicksilver Oil

Level 7

This thick serum looks like molten lead and shines with a silvery gleam under the moonlight. When it is used to coat a weapon’s blade, it poisons the wound, clouding the enemy’s body and mind. Wondrous Item 100 gp Power (Consumable): Standard Action. Use this substance to coat a slashing or piercing weapon (an axe, heavy blade, light blade, pick, or spear). Each target hit by a weapon coated in quicksilver oil is poisoned by the substance and takes a -1 penalty to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will defenses (save ends). This effect lasts until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes, but ends as soon as the weapon is exposed to sunlight.

Symbol: A tower standing over a whirlpool. Adventure Hooks: Such an isolated and mysterious organization, inspired by a warrior’s soul and yet willing to explore the depths of magic, can be a source of adventure at any level, from local adventures designed for heroic tier characters to interplanar adventures meant for epic tier characters. ✦ Those who wish to join the Quicksilver Blades must pass a simple admission test: to enter the Ildraskar Wood and get out alive with a handful of Iron Thorns, the deadly briars growing only in that wood and crucial to produce quicksilver oil. ✦ Little Selquerel, Caeluem and Telvisia’s daughter, is missing. The eladrin has succumbed to grief, and without his lucid guidance, the Quicksilver Blades are in turmoil. The heroes must find out if the dark creepers are behind this kidnapping, as some tend to believe, and bring the child back home before the organization is left defenseless for too long. ✦ The Opalescent Tower has begun drifting between the world and the faerie land unpredictably and out of control. The Blades’ masters are very worried and fear that this unusual event might be a sign of great planar upheavals. The most skilled and experienced blades must leave to explore the planar paths to find out what is going on and put things back in order.


fifty years old who oversees all activities in the Opalescent Tower. This impressive swordsman, silent and stern, relies on his mate Telvisia’s council; she may not be as skilled as him with a blade, but she is an unsurpassed mistress of the divining arts. Headquarters: The Opalescent Tower is a building fashioned entirely from colored crystal and glass. Anyone approaching the tower from outside could see what happens within its walls, if it weren’t for the bright light that the tower radiates for more than 300 feet around. Those who have been so lucky as to visit the tower once have never been able to find it again, and it is said that the tower continually moves from the world to the faerie land and vice versa. Hierarchy: The Quicksilver Blades are a distinguished military organization whose hierarchy regulates both their military operations and their daily life. Outside their duties, though, the Blades interact with each other like master and disciple; each member chooses a mentor that will lead him along his path to perfection. In turn, he will act as a mentor to a younger apprentice. Members: The organization only accepts eladrin and elves among its ranks, although an exception for a half-elf can be made from time to time. All members are fighters who sooner or later have to acquire the Arcane Initiate feat; only a few instructors are true wizards, whose task is to teach arcane arts and conduct magical research.

Roberto Pitturru

SILVER FALCON ACADEMY The Silver Falcon Academy training grounds are the place where Elesia’s future elite military is shaped. Those who show a penchant for strategy and command roles advance to become Crown Officers, and might one day lead the feared Sovereign Armies. True combatants, natural warriors, and undisputed masters of the battlefield, on the other hand, can dream of a glorious career on the front lines and long to become part of the legendary elite corps known as Her Majesty’s Immortal Guard.

Silver Falcon Academy Knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. History DC 15: Recruits trained at the Silver Falcon Academy are shaped into Elesia’s best soldiers, and their commanders boast an impressive series of victories going back centuries. Many people believe that the

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Academy’s men-at-arms have never been routed and do not know the shame of defeat. History DC 20: The Academy’s top ranks are currently in the middle of an intense debate about the best course of action they should follow when dealing with other states. Crown Officers insist on keeping a diplomatic channel open to find a peaceful solution, but the Immortal Guard’s captain does not intend to endure more skirmishes launched by foreign “irregulars” against his border garrisons. The true reason for this conflict, though, lies in the recent past, when the captain launched an attack against the higher Officers’ better judgment, undermining their authority and putting the entire kingdom’s peace at risk. History DC 25: The Silver Falcon Academy was founded four centuries ago, and the organization’s name comes from the heraldic symbol of the first noble who led it. Along with the traditional troops of regular soldiers, the ranks of the organization include two elite corps: the Crown Officers and the Immortal Guard, both founded at the academy’s birth, when the Academy’s original commander gave his two sons command over the two elite corps.

Organization

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Roberto Pitturru

The Silver Falcon Academy is more than a simple training center. It owes its status as an actual organization to the political and management autonomy it enjoys: Not even the royal house interferes with its activities, making it quite unlike the other military training centers of the region. Of course, even the Silver Falcon Academy must bow to the sovereign’s will, and it owes her their allegiance. Still, the school’s commanders are in charge when it comes to the nation’s defense and the national army’s deployment, and the King fully relies on their experience for any military decision. Leader: The Academy’s leadership is entrusted to three experienced veterans. Two of them, Sir Ronighar Graym (dragonborn fighter 18) and Lord Ameleph the Trustworthy (human warlord 23), are the Crown Peer and command the Officer corps; the third, Sir Jerem Highmet (human fighter 21), is the commanding captain of Her Majesty’s Immortal Guard. These three wise combatants are equals, although tradition

demands the Immortal Guard’s leader respect the two Peers’ decisions. Headquarters: The Academy Mansion is the organization’s headquarters. At the center of its many buildings, training grounds, barracks, refectories, storehouses, and stables stands the square tower, informally called “The Falcon’s Nest” by members, which hosts the main war rooms and the Crown Officers’ quarters. The Immortal Guard also keeps a few units inside the Mansion, although most of its men are assigned to the Queen’s Court or to the borderlands’ garrisons. Hierarchy: The Academy employs an elaborate ranking system. While the cadets and regular troops follow the usual military ranking system and both obey the Crown Officers, the Immortal Guard has a separate hierarchy that grants no special power to their members, but does place them outside the authority of other commanding officers. The commanding captain of the Immortal Guard is the only one allowed to give orders to both his men and the other academy soldiers, but he must in turn respect the directives of the two Peers commanding the Officers corps. Members: The great majority of Academy members are humans, who of course advance as fighters; those who show a keen sense of strategy and diplomacy advance as warlords. A few dragonborn, dwarves, and half-elves fill up the Academy’s ranks. Symbol: A falcon holding a crown. Adventure Hooks: The Silver Falcon Academy is the perfect organization for those who wish to serve the King or Queen (or another legitimate ruler in control of a region’s armed forces). Of course, the stern discipline and rigid hierarchy all Academy members must follow is most suited to lawful good characters; chaotic evil characters are bound to have a hard life. In addition, remember that a cadet or even full member will only be able to go adventuring when his superiors grant him leave. To solve this problem, the GM might come up with a few adventures in which one or more PCs enlisted in the Academy are ordered to follow the other heroes as bodyguards, or perhaps to watch over their actions to allay –or confirm– suspicion. ✦ Crown Officers have made themselves clear: the Grim Tower assault will be launched the day after

A member of the Immortal Guard is an elite halberdier, ready to give his life for the safety of the royal house. The following feat is a paragon tier feat that can be selected by a character of level 11 or higher who fulfills the listed prerequisites and is part of the Immortal Guard.

Silver Falcon Immortal Guard

Prerequisites: Str 15, Con 13, Wis 13 Benefit: The halberd becomes a high crit weapon for you. In addition, when wielding a halberd, you grant a +1 feat bonus the AC of an adjacent ally of your choice. Special: You must be a member of the Silver Falcon Immortal Guard.

nearest village, hobgoblins control the main roads, and the only well in the keep has been poisoned. A small team must brave the enemy lines and reach the eastern woods, to ask the elven clerics who live there for help.

SWORDS OF VENGEANCE After the King of Tyrtham was murdered and his lawful heir imprisoned in the castle’s dungeon, the kingdom fell under the rule of a despot and the people were forced to endure his tyrannical whims. The coup was made possible by the army’s support, but not all soldiers have welcomed the usurper’s rise to power. The Swords of Vengeance are a secret society founded by those soldiers and officers who stayed loyal to the royal family and fight to put the rightful heir back on the throne. These fighters pretend to obey the new ruler’s orders by day and dutifully fulfill their roles in the army; by night, they gather to plot and find a way to bring down the usurper and bring peace and freedom back in their land.

Swords of Vengeance knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. History DC 15: The Swords of Vengeance are revolutionaries. At times, they seem to have been wiped out, but always they return to launch an ambush or an assassination attempt to kill the Governor. History DC 20: The Governor is a tyrant who oppresses his people and grows rich by stealing from the poor, although he maintains a façade of generosity. He is responsible for the death of the rightful ruler, and the Swords of Vengeance fight to restore the son of the murdered king to the throne. History DC 25: The Swords of Vengeance’s noble ends are not always pursued with honorable and rightful

deeds. Many innocent soldiers have died by the rebels’ hands, though they were only guilty of being pressganged in the Governor’s army. The population, stirred up by the organization’s members, has often started uprisings that were pacified in blood. And at least two of the Swords’ attempts on the Governor’s life failed because of their poor planning. Whatever the future has in store for the kingdom, historians will not be too forgiving of the Swords of Vengeance.


tomorrow, at daybreak. Before then, the party of heroes that left a few days ago under sergeant Moorclam’s guide must return to the camp with the Banner of Life, the only magic item that can negate the Grim Tower’s necrotic effects. Rumor places the banner among Virk Mausoleum’s relics. ✦ Something strange is going on in the Academy halls: The maps of some territories have been found out of their place in the archives, supply orders have been delayed and many field aids have been locked for days in their quarters, afflicted by an unusual and virulent flu, they say. The Officers have already conducted a thorough inspection and have declared that no form of laxity or insubordination will be tolerated. Others, more paranoid, are convinced there is a hidden plot behind these events. They fear an outside threat might soon make its move against the Academy. ✦ Being assigned to a borderland garrison is a gruesome, thankless, and dangerous task, especially if the garrison is more than fifteen miles from the

Organization

The Swords of Vengeance are a small minority in the ranks of the army, and it is for this reason that their members are forced to keep their goals secret and to act underground. This forces the organization to pursue slow and elaborate planes, with incomplete and fleeting exchanges of information that lead to reckless assaults. Most of the Swords’ operations consist of ambushes and acts of sabotage, although they also exploit any opportunity to foster discontent and spread the seed of rebellion. Leader: The Swords of Vengeance are led by the Council of Three Swords. The three Council members are Urmanthor Graymane, a middle-aged human with silver hair and a commanding voice; Trevor Riorgan, an insolent half-elf whose courage borders on madness; and Lord Syrian Veranthias, a good-hearted aristocrat who is now growing old. The three have different motives and attitudes, but they always try to find a mutually acceptable compromise, swinging between heated debates and a mutual esteem.

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Headquarters: The Swords of Vengeance have no proper headquarters. They live in every military group close to the Governor. Their most secret meetings, exclusive to the organization’s leaders, are usually held in abandoned storehouses or barns far from prying eyes. Hierarchy: The Swords of Vengeance are divided into four different levels; the first is the Council of Three Swords. The Council has the control of the Commanding Swords, who give orders to the Fearless Swords, who in turn direct the activities of the lowest-ranking members, the People’s Swords. Each member only knows a few others, and none of their superiors: Orders and information are passed on with hidden and encrypted messages or with a word of mouth chain in which the original sender cannot be detected. Members: Anyone who can aid the organization’s cause is welcome. As most members come from the army, fighters are the backbone of the organization. Symbol: A gauntlet holding a broken sword. Adventure Hooks: The Swords of Vengeance can easily be included in campaigns focused on politics and intrigue, allowing the GM to set many different situations in an environment filled with suspicion and ambiguity. Indeed, it is easy to brand all those who fight the Governor as outlaws, at least until the players learn he is a usurper who rules with an iron fist. ✦ On the day of market, the First Tax Collector has been killed in the middle of Drapes Square. The murderer left a large dagger in the victim’s back, and the lily-shaped hilt is

a telling sign: This execution was planned by the Swords of Vengeance. Even before sunset, every corner of the city was filled with notifications of bounties granted to anyone who turns in the killer or the incident’s instigators. Will the heroes join the hunt or do they have something to hide as well? ✦ Captain Ljundberg is in charge of security procedures in Laurel Palace, and he expresses grave concern that the upcoming grand ball go smoothly. Still, he knows some infiltrator might hide among his soldiers, so he hires the adventuring party as independent security who can keep their eyes on guests and guards alike. During the ball, there will be an accident–just as Ljundberg planned. The captain, an unsuspected member of the Sword of Vengeance, will order his soldiers to assassinate the Governor’s senior officials and then pin the blame on the heroes, who will of course be slain “trying to escape” before they can spill the plot. ✦ Taxes have been lowered, fees have been reduced, and the cruelest criminals have been prosecuted and executed… and yet the people still grow poorer and poorer and fear for their lives. The reason for this apparent contradiction is in the fact that actually it is only the richest merchants, mightiest land owners, and wiliest conmen who benefit from these measures, while the humble and the petty criminals become scapegoats for the “good” government. Soon a revolution will restore justice in the capital city, but only if a party of brave adventurers leads the rebels’ first line of attack.

Roberto Pitturru

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Sheriff Baldonn Seviuos, undercover agent for the Swords of Vengeance Baldonn Seviuos Medium natural humanoid, human fighter

Level 14 Soldier

XP 1.000

Initiative +8 Senses Perception +17 HP 126; Bloodied 63 AC 32; Fortitude 31, Reflex 26, Will 27 Speed 5 m +3 Resolute Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +22 vs. AC; 1d8 + 12 damage. M Sure Strike (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +24 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage. M Tide of Iron (standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon Requires a shield; +22 vs. AC; 1d8 + 12 damage. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Brutal Domino (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon +22 vs. AC; 2d8 + 12 damage, and Baldonn pushes the target 1 square and knocks it prone. If the target ends its movement in a space occupied by a creature, the creature is dazed until the end of Baldonn’s next turn. M Come and Get it (standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. M Victorious Surge (standard; daily) ✦ Healing, Martial, Reliable, Weapon +22 vs. AC; 3d8 + 12 damage, and Baldonn regains 31 hit points. See the D&D 4E Player’s Handbook. Resist Tortured Senses (immediate interrupt; daily) ✦ Martial Baldonn is hit by an attack that deals radiant or thunder damage; Baldonn gains resist radiant 12 or resist thunder 12 until the start of his next turn. The type of damage is the same of the attack that hit Baldonn. If the attack inflicts a condition of blinded, dazed, deafened, or stunned that a save can end, Baldonn automatically succeeds on that save at his first opportunity. Alignment Good Languages Common, Dwarven Skills Intimidate +13, Stealth +14 Str 22 (+13) Dex 13 (+8) Wis 18 (+11) Con 14 (+9) Int 11 (+7) Cha 12 (+8) Equipment +3 hydra scale armor, warding heavy shield (lvl 14), +3 resolute longsword


Occupation: In order to keep his family safe from harm, Baldonn swore loyalty to the usurper, silently vowing to himself that he would one day break this foul bond. When an agent from the Swords of Vengeance approached Baldonn, he found the support he was looking for to fight the false ruler from within his own army. If necessary, Baldonn will take up arms to defend his ideals. Physical Description: Baldonn is a tall, gaunt man. His deep dark eyes and his goatee give him an aura of stern authority. He always wears his Sheriff’s uniform at court and likes to play the part of the tyrannical torturer. When he acts in the name of the Swords of Vengeance, though, he hides his armor beneath simple black clothes and lets his true, benevolent nature come forth. Attributes and Skills: Baldonn is cunning and prudent, but he is also a healthy and brawny man. He is an experienced rider and has a good knowledge of the local laws. Values and Motivations: Baldonn is tired of serving the usurper. He knows, however, that his role is crucial to the Swords of Vengeance’s aims and that his cover is almost perfect. He never does anything rash lest he compromise the rebellion’s success. Behavior: When he plays the role of Sheriff, Baldonn is cold and merciless. He fears the day when, after so much time spent in the usurper’s service, he will actually become the monster he pretends to be. Useful Knowledge: Baldonn is an experienced falconer, and he knows how to handle many animals, including the mounts of the royal stable. He also knows the stables hide a secret passage that leads directly into the castle. Mannerisms: Baldonn often pats his beard when he is nervous or doubtful. If he is on a mission for the Swords of Vengeance, he keeps such unconscious gestures at bay and acts with more prudence. Origins: Baldonn has chosen the outlaw’s origins (see Chapter 1: A Fighter’s Role). He adds Perception and Stealth to his class abilities and gains a +1 bonus to Perception and Stealth checks.

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A Fighter's Arena

H

Chapter 7

e had fought for many years in the arena. He knew its sand’s bitter scent, a combination of sweat, iron, and blood so pungent that many gladiators were dazzled by it. He was of the Blood Lions, the gladiators’ brotherhood, and he was used to the crowd’s roaring encouragement, to the thunderous and deafening applause of hundreds of spectators. He had killed beasts and monsters, he had broken other champions, he had won grueling competitions, and yet none of this could have prepared him for the Elemental Vortex Pit. Riglen’s gaze swept across the shifting, alien horizon of the planar arena. He was mesmerized by the chunks of eyes and the bubbles of lava spinning in the dark void beyond the unending marble colonnade. It was as if the very building blocks of the universe had been scrambled by some insane entity, twisting and binding them to shifting and unnatural rules. Waterfalls and flickering flames danced around each other, raising walls of scorching steam; chunks of ice as hard as stone rose from the ground, forming clusters of sharp blades with no discernible pattern or warning, sometimes near molten pools of boiling magma. Seilen the wizard had tried to explain that place’s origins as a rift in the planes, a twisted corner of hell where archons and devils fought to settle their eternal disputes. But those words had only confused Riglen more. The arena’s crude tiers were filled with a raucous crowd of alien beings. Although their cries echoed in languages no human tongue could form, the fighter knew they eagerly anticipated his imminent fall. “Ironic, isn’t it?” Sheran mocked him as she tried to pick her manacles’ locks. “Men or devils, they’re are all looking forward to see your blood spilled for their amusement.” Riglen smiled. “It’s the arena’s law, baby,” he answered sardonically, “and I bow to it. But I don’t expect you to understand, as you do not bow to any law.” The others followed Kail’s suggestion and kept close and alert. But their attention was caught by a nearby geyser that sprang hissing from the ground. As the ground spew smoldering stones, huge creatures made of flames appeared; their eyes and their hair were of black smoke. “Make a circle around me!” cried Gorgan the dwarf, calling his deity’s blessing upon his companions. A few feet from them, a frozen pool crackled as if the ice were about to break. Then the water solidified and took the shape of a translucent titan. “At least I know why they call it the Elemental Vortex Pit,” the fighter said. When the elementals appeared, the crowd stirred and cheered even louder, eager for the upcoming fight. Their noise became a deafening wave that submerged even the weak muddy battleground. Sheran was right, after all, though not in the way she’d meant her mockery; the inhuman chants of bloodlust and expectation could be as inspiring as the cheers of a human crowd, and as intoxicating. “Here’s the true heart of this arena,” Riglen shouted. He let adrenaline rush over him like a flood. With one twist of his muscles, he snapped the ensorcelled chains binding him to the arena floor–but made no move to abandon the position they had held him to. Instead, raising his arms and head to the strange stands, he threw back his head and roared, “I will be your champion!”

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Alberto AndreaBontempi Longhi

BATTLE ARENAS

Chapter 7: A Fighter's Arena

An arena is a huge stage and the fighter is its main player. Hosts of gladiators and teams of athletes vie for supremacy on these sun-scorched sands, competing to win freedom or riches, to survive or just to entertain a cheering crowd. In these circuses, the sand is drenched in blood and the underground armories and chambers echo with the smiths’ busy hammers and the muffled cries of combatants undergoing gruesome training; even after a contest, the crowd’s cheers seem to linger over the tiers. An arena might be intended as a tribute to valor, built by visionary artists to celebrate military might, or a disreputable fighting pit holding clandestine brawls, but it always attracts fighters like moths to a fire: even outside the battleground itself, deals –both proper and illicit– are cut, and a combatant’s –or even an entire kingdom’s– fate is decided.

Heroes in the arena

Gladiators might be war prisoners, criminals or free combatants looking for notoriety, but they are often hailed as heroes. Their fame rises and fades with the people’s fanatic thirst for blood and their decadent craving for entertainment. Gladiatorial games are hugely popular; even in countries where they are officially banned, underground bloodsport leagues draw crowds too large to hide–but large enough to pay for bribes. A gladiator’s training might be even more complete than what most military academies offer. Arena champions accustom themselves to unusual weapons and keep their bodies at peak efficiency with exhausting daily training. In more civilized and modern cultures, arena duels have become actual sports, regulated by meticulous and precise rules. It is no surprise, then, that even these beacons of light have grown huge training centers where the best combatants are forged.

Of course, in a fantasy world populated by thousands of fearsome and wondrous creatures, it is unavoidable that these creatures are used in gladiatorial battles as well. Generally, a particularly hideous beast is unleashed against an entire squad of doomed soldiers; sometimes, though, one or more intelligent creatures are trained to fight alongside humanoid warriors, or even to lead them into battle. In such a context, none can ever believe he will stay on the top forever: Sooner or later, a more powerful fighter will enter the arena. This is the first and most important lesson a gladiator should learn: The crowd is a merciless judge, and will only grant mercy to those who have ensured their entertainment. In this deadly game, a brave fight does not just mean victory, it is the minimum requirement for survival.

Arenas as adventuring sites

The roar of an arena crowd is a siren call for many adventurers; the site of gladiatorial games can also be the backdrop for exciting missions. Cutting deals beneath the stands (or investigating those who do), winning an important prize (or stealing it out from under the winner’s nose), slaving in the fighting pits (or escaping from them)–a coliseum can be the heart of a campaign or an entertaining set piece. The following section features three unique battlefields, fit for heroic, paragon, and epic tier heroes respectively. Each entry begins with an overview and includes detailed descriptions of the battleground, knowledge, challenges, encounter groups, and adventure hooks. A GM can use these entries as-written, or take inspiration from them to create his own unique coliseum.

DARKDOOM CHASM, HEROIC TIER ARENA In the depths of the underworld, thousands of feet beneath a desolate region of steep hills and lifeless badlands, lies a huge chasm. The cave’s irregular shape seems the work of a titanic sculptor, and some unknown species of subterranean creatures may have actually had a part in its creation, along with erosive phenomena and telluric shocks. Whatever its origins, the cave lies at the center of a vast network of warrens and shafts, but its true claim to fame is that the dwellers in the surrounding underworld dedicated this place to an arena where feuds can

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be settled and anger can be freely unleashed. The cave has obtained an ominous name, Darkdoom Chasm, and it has hosted countless duels to the death. In its dark halls, the underground creatures’ legendary evil is not kept at bay; indeed, it is freely unleashed under the raving eyes of a cheering crowd looking for cruel excitement. Beneath the arena, dozens, maybe hundreds of carrion crawlers feast upon the results of the butchery, grown huge and fat on a steady diet of the dead.

Chapter 7: A Fighter's Arena Darkdoom Chasm

Battleground

Toni Cittadini

This cold, grim battlefield is bathed in shadow: Dim lights and distant gleaming can be seen at the cave’s edge, which is covered with glowing mushrooms that barely outline the arena’s border (the entire area is considered to be in dim light). Dirt, debris, and the bodies of fallen gladiators litter the ground, and a combatant can easily trip over them or fall into one of the many holes and cracks dotting the floor. The entire battleground is difficult terrain, except the spaces below.

Area Features

Tunnel: A square occupied by a hole is an entrance to the twisted network of tunnels running beneath the battleground. These are challenging terrain, so a character passing through them must succeed on a DC 22 Athletics check or be knocked prone. Failure does not deal damage, but the prone character attracts a carrion crawler that arrives in 1d2 rounds to feast on him. Necrospores: The stone dais in the center of the arena is covered with pitch-black fungi that feed on the necrotic energies infusing the ground. The fungi’s foul spores can even affect living beings.

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Necrospore

Level 5 Obstacle

Hazard XP 200 When someone disturbs these tall black fungi, they release a cloud of deadly spores. If the spores infect an open wound, the victim’s flesh rots quickly.


Hazard: A necrospore patch fills the stone dais’s squares in the center of the arena (which are difficult terrain). When triggered, it releases a cloud of necrospores. Perception No check is necessary to notice the fungi. Additional Skill: Dungeoneering DC 20: The character identifies the fungus as a necrospore patch. Trigger When a creature enters a square of necrospores, or kicks or pokes at it from an adjacent square, or attacks it in any way, the fungus releases a cloud of spores. A bloodied character in the initial burst or that begins its turn in a necrospore cloud is attacked by the poison. Attack Standard Action Close burst 1 Target: Bloodied creature in burst Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d10 + 2 necrotic damage and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). Effect: The cloud provides concealment for creatures inside it. The cloud persists until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes. Once a patch of necrospores creates a cloud, it can’t create another for 24 hours. Countermeasures ✦ A character can move into a square of necrospores without triggering the cloud by making a DC 26 Dungeoneering check. The character’s move must end in the necrospore patch’s square.

Darkdoom Chasm Knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Nature DC 15: The glowing fungi that grow on the arena walls cast unnatural light over it. Some say that the fungi growing in the chasm find the necrotic scent that permeates the arena pleasant. Dungeoneering DC 20: The warrens beneath the battleground are haunted by uncountable carrion crawlers, although they were not carved by these creatures. Rumors say that the warrens were created by a race of intelligent creatures that then let the first monsters loose. If so, this experiment was successful beyond all expectation, as the creatures have quickly bred. Even a few huge specimens are rumored to haunt the galleries.

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Champions and Challenges

Although the Gloom Flames Team cannot count on much offensive power, it includes a few dark creepers in its ranks, and they are obviously the favorites of their kin who throng the nearby caves. This fighting group uses a bat’s black wing as a symbol. The Night Dragons Team does not have a charismatic leader, but it has developed very effective flanking techniques to distract and pummel its foes. Although the beast they have trained to fight is not an actual dragon, the fighters that fight alongside it claim it is, to induce fear in their foes and gain their supporters’ favor. This faction’s symbol is a dragon’s head fitted with an iron collar and chains. The savage ettin known as Drukskar is a recent addition to the Chasm’s roster, but after a few vicious victories against longstanding gladiators, he has risen to become a favorite of the crowd. He fights alongside the Underground Legion, a team of grimlocks; these creatures are not too strong, but they come in great numbers and can easily be replaced. The Underground Legion’s symbol is a crude spiked club.

Crawler Rider’s Test

Slimy, tentacled monstrosities crawl beneath the ground. Restless and excited, they stir and stalk the fighters, waiting for the right moment to assail and devour them. This skill challenge requires the PCs to succeed at a test of courage and balance, while the arena monsters do their best to hinder them. Taming a carrion crawler in front of the crowd ensures a night of celebration and an extraordinary amount of respect. Setup: To win the challenge, the PCs must root out a carrion crawler, forcing it out of its warren. Then they must ride the monster and make a complete lap of the arena’s outer ring as a team of galeb duhrs throws boulders against them to dismount them. Level: Equal to the level of the party. Complexity: 4 (requires 10 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Endurance, Perception, Thievery. Acrobatics (moderate DCs): With a leap, you straddle a carrion crawler’s back; if you are already riding the monster, you can keep your balance and dodge the boulders the galeb duhrs are throwing to you. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge. Thievery (difficult DCs): You fiercely cling to the carrion crawler’s tentacles, avoiding its poisonous tendrils. The use of this skill does not count as a suc-

Encounter groups

All the underworld creatures featured in the D&D 4E Monster Manual make for ideal foes in the Darkdoom Chasm. The teams below are regulars in the arena, however. Each team includes additional members, but the groups below are the usual active rosters.

Gloom Flame Team

Level 4 Encounter (XP 925) ✦ 3 dark creepers (level 4 skirmisher) ✦ 2 shadowhunter bats (level 3 lurker) ✦ 1 fire beetle (level 1 brute)

Night Dragon Team

Level 7 Encounter (XP 1,425) ✦ 1 rage drake (level 5 brute) ✦ 2 galeb duhr earthbreakers (level 8 artillery) ✦ 3 cavern chokers (level 4 lurker)

Underground Legion Team

Level 10 Encounter (XP 2,550) ✦ Drukskar, ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) ✦ 1 grimlock berserker (level 13 brute) ✦ 3 grimlock minions (level 14 minion)

Adventure Hooks

✦ The adventurers have been enslaved by an under-

ground race, and if they want to see the light of the day again, they will have to fight in Darkdoom Chasm’s storied arena to win their freedom. ✦ A savage ettin has brought death to a peaceful village. After pursuing the monster for weeks in the depths of the underworld, the characters learn that the monster is Drukskar, a celebrated champion of the Chasm, and the only way they can face it is to challenge it in the arena. ✦ During a grueling journey through the underworld, the adventurers come to a chasm whose bottom is lost in darkness. The creatures that control the surrounding caverns will only grant safe passage to those who pass the crawler rider’s test.


cess or failure toward the completion of this challenge. Instead, a success gained with this check provides a +2 bonus to the next Acrobatics check made as part of this challenge. Perception (difficult DCs): You feel the ground trembling beneath your feet and you know when a carrion crawler is about to emerge from a tunnel. The use of this skill does not count as a success or failure toward the completion of this challenge. Instead, a success gained with this check provides a +2 bonus to the next Acrobatics check made as part of this challenge. Endurance (moderate DCs): You must make an Endurance check each turn to resist accidental contact with the carrion crawler’s paralyzing tentacles, or to withstand the galeb duhrs’ fierce blows. This check becomes mandatory after you have succeeded on at least one Acrobatics check. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge and removes one of your remaining healing surges. Success: The PCs complete their lap riding a carrion crawler, and the challenge is won. Failure: The PCs stir the warren dwellers and attract a few particularly savage specimens. This initiates a combat encounter with a number of carrion crawlers equal to the number of PCs; whatever the outcome of this encounter, the challenge is lost.

BLOODFEAST HALL, PARAGON TIER ARENA Undead creatures have potential eternity in front of them, a concept that might become unbearable to many intelligent creatures and lead them to madness. Vampires, wights, liches, and ghosts, to name just a few, have entire centuries or even millennia to increase their power, but they are also driven by the desire to extinguish life, and their evil often leads to blind hate. Bloodfeast Hall is the answer to these cruel instincts, and it is also the place where the lords of darkness satiate their souls’ hunger and break the monotony of an agonizing immortal existence. In a lavish, baroque arena of decadent opulence, the most powerful undead perform necromantic rituals and hold masked balls to lure unaware mortals to their doom, then sit

and watch duels of unimaginable violence that usually culminate in the loser’s being devoured body and soul by his “patrons.” After each combat, the hall’s elegant marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and golden candelabra are drenched in blood.

Battleground

The Hall’s marble floor is finely crafted and meticulously kept clean. Moving around the room is not a problem and no obstacles hinder movement. Crystal chandeliers and candelabra hanging from the ceiling and the walls are filled with hundreds of candles that the fearsome undead lords can magically turn on and off at will, plunging the chamber into utter darkness at a moment’s notice.

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Chapter 7: A Fighter's Arena Bloodfeast Hall

Area Features

Ravenous Scythes: The only relevant feature in the room is a hideous blade contraption that can suddenly pop out of a hidden compartment in the ceiling.

Ravenous Scythes

Level 7 Obstacle

Trap XP 300 A bizarre contraption of sharp scythes springs from of a hidden compartment and starts spinning around the room. The blood sprayed from the victims’ severed veins turns the walls red.

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Toni Cittadini

Trap: The ravenous scythes contraption springs out of a hidden compartment and starts spinning like a top, and moving unpredictably in a different direction and attacking every round. Perception ✦ DC 23: The character spots the triggering pressure plates along the wall. ✦ DC 28: The character spots the hidden control panel. Initiative +7 Speed 4

Trigger When a character moves into a trigger square, the ravenous scythes contraption emerges and attacks. Attack Standard Action Close burst 1 Targets: Creatures in burst Attack: +12 vs. AC Hit: 3d8+5 damage Countermeasures ✦ A character can engage in a skill challenge to deactivate the control panel. DC 23 Thievery. Complexity 2 (6 successes before 3 failures). Success disables the trap. Failure causes the ravenous scythes to act twice in the round (roll a second initiative for the trap). ✦ A character can attack the ravenous scythes contraption (AC 18, other defenses 15; hp 77; resist 5 all) or the control panel (AC 16, other defenses 13; hp 49; resist 5 all). Destroying either disables the entire trap.

Andrea Sorrentino

Bloodfeast Hall is a place of dread and slaughter.

Bloodfeast Hall Knowledge


A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Religion DC 20: The scythe trap hidden in the hall is a torture device specifically designed to increase the vampires’ pleasure as they feed on their victims. The contraption was designed to cut wounds without killing immediately so that the undead might grow excited as they see their victims bleed to death. When their hunger becomes unbearable, the vampires finally give in to their darkest urges and assail the weakened, hapless victims. Arcana DC 25: Local sages think the hall was corrupted since the day its former master, an ancient nobleman, traded his loved ones’ lives for immortality, becoming a vampire lord. The unholy ritual that sealed this chilling deal took place in what is today Bloodfeast Hall, a nexus of necromantic forces that the keenest spellcasters can sense even before they enter its deceptive, deadly halls.

Champions and Challenges The Bloodied Lilies team is comprised of the Hall’s vampires. They live a life of decadence and forbidden pleasures, mingling with the common citizens and luring them in the Hall with the promise of feasts and revelries, competing with each other to attract more and more victims. Their symbol is a bouquet of lilies sprayed with blood. The Fatal Obsession team is a group of aberrant creatures from a distant plane, summoned to the arena a few months ago by an unholy priest who celebrated a forbidden ritual. Since then, the creatures have been hiding in the darkest corners of the mansion, assailing hapless victims who carelessly wander its halls and corridors. This team’s symbol is a pair of fanged jaws containing a second set of smaller jaws. The Soul Renders are insane devourers that gathered under a common banner to spread death and destruction more efficiently. Until recently, they vied for control of Bloodfeast Hall with the vampires who haunt it, but they seem to have abandoned this competition now, enjoying the style and ready supply of victims the present masters lend to the arena. This team’s symbol is a web of dark lightning.

Pendulum of Doom

The vampires’ prisoners are bound in chains and hung upside down as sacrificial victims at a grim feast. A deadly contraption of spinning blades is unleashed in the room, scarring the characters and stimulating the undead’s hunger.

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This skill challenge is a deadly torture conceived by Bloodfeast Hall’s vampires to slowly cut fresh wounds on their victims, to better tantalize their own hunger before feeding on the prisoners. Escaping this torture is almost impossible, but those who survive might gain a chance to elude their torturers. Setup: To set you free before the vampires assail you, you must get rid of the chains binding your ankles, picking their locks as you swing upside down. Level: Equal to the level of the party. Complexity: 4 (requires 10 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Endurance, Thievery. Acrobatics (moderate DCs): You try to set yourself free from the chains binding your wrists and ankles. The use of this skill does not count as a success or failure toward the completion of this challenge. Instead, a success or failure with this check provides a +2 bonus or a -2 penalty to the next Thievery check made as part of this challenge. Athletics (moderate DCs): Twisting and spinning, you try to reach the chains binding your ankles. This check is mandatory; once you succeed, you cannot make another one as part of this challenge. Failure counts toward the completion of this challenge. Thievery (difficult DCs): You can only escape your bindings by picking your chains’ locks. This test is mandatory and it only becomes available once you have succeeded on your Athletics check. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge. Endurance (moderate CDs): You must succeed on an Endurance check to resist the cuts from the spinning blades conception wandering in the room. A failure deals you 2d6 damage and counts toward the completion of this challenge. Success: Each PC who succeeded on at least a Thievery check is free of her chains and drops to the floor, where he will be able to defend herself against the vampires. Failure: The PCs cannot escape their bindings in time, and a ravenous horde of vampires feasts on their flesh.

Encounter Groups

Bloodfeast Hall is the ideal battleground for encounters involving undead creatures and other wicked immortal entities. The following encounters can be used as actual gladiatorial teams (eerie and unusual as they might be), or a simple groups of allied monsters taking advantage of the arena’s victims.

Level 12 Encounter (XP 5,300) ✦ 2 vampire lords (level 11 elite lurker) ✦ 6 vampire spawn bloodhunters (level 10 minion) ✦ 1 worg (level 9 brute)

Fatal Obsession Team

Level 15 Encounter (XP 6,000) ✦ 1 gibbering abomination (level 18 controller) ✦ 2 foulspawn hulks (level 12 brute) ✦ 1 foulspawn seer (level 11 artillery leader)

Soul Renders Team

Level 18 Encounter (XP 10,200) ✦ 4 abyssal ghoul hungerers (level 18 minion) ✦ 2 abyssal ghouls (level 16 skirmisher) ✦ 2 slaughter wights (level 18 brute) ✦ 1 battle wight commander (level 12 soldier leader)

Adventure Hooks

✦ the adventurers have been invited to an exclusive

masked ball where they can meet many important nobles and obtain important and lucrative jobs. The evening is going to be very different from a gala, though… ✦ Nobody seems able to stop the vicious murders haunting the noble district’s boulevards, and the elusive murderer is never caught. Rumors speak of hideously disfigured victims and bloodied footprints leading to the city’s most wealthy and magnificent mansions. ✦ The noble house that owned Bloodfeast Hall has been extinct for almost seventy years, and yet ominous lights and sounds can be seen and heard in the mansion. The mystery surrounding this building can only be solved by a team of adventurers willing to explore it down to the last room.

ELEMENTAL VORTEX PIT, PARAGON TIER ARENA In the darkest depths of hell there is a place where even primordial chaos must abide by its own alien rules. Magma streams and frozen pools clash as huge basalt pillars soar to roiling skies of ash. In this unique arena, archon gladiators and demon hordes fight an eternal contest; sometimes a few unfortunate mortals are forced to join the fight to win their freedom back, and to them, an unexpected geyser or a sudden cold blast can be as deadly as the monsters they are meant to face. Sages call this barren waste the Elemental Vortex Pit, in reference to the unusual mix of elemental forces that pervades and engulfs everything. The Pit is the ultimate neutral ground, chosen to settle even the fiercest feuds among extraplanar powers. The arena is a mind-boggling sight: the seemingly endless stands made from ancient solidified lava are crowded with screaming and hungry creatures from the farthest corners of the multiverse. Some say that the Pit was shaped by a powerful efreet vizier who wanted to use it to increase his own influence. Others consider it just a planar oddity, where even opposed elements are allowed to coexist.

Battleground

The Elemental Vortex Pit is a plain of black mud and molten rock, crisscrossed by lava streams and dotted with frozen pools. The ground is littered with vitrified skeletons and broken weapons, and huge cracked pillars rise towards the sky like teeth. These ruins provide adequate cover to a fighter who knows how to move around the battleground.


Bloodied Lilies Team

Area Features

Ice: A square partially or entirely occupied by ice is considered challenging terrain. Characters moving through partial ice squares must succeed on a DC 23 Acrobatics check or be slowed until the end of their next turn. Characters moving through full ice squares must succeed on a DC 27 Acrobatics check or be knocked prone. Geyser: The scorching geyser hazard is described below. Magma: A square partially occupied by lava is challenging terrain. To safely move through these squares, a character must succeed on a DC 27 Athletics check, or take 3d6 + 8 fire damage. A square entirely occupied by lava is hindering terrain. Characters moving through these squares or starting their turn on them take 4d12 fire damage plus ongoing 8 fire damage (save ends).

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Scorching Geyser

Level 8 Blaster

Hazard XP 350 A column of hot water and scorching steam suddenly springs out of the ground.


Hazard: The geyser becomes active when triggered. Thereafter, it attacks every round on its initiative. Perception ✦ DC 28: The character detects the geyser before moving within 6 squares of it. Additional Skill: Nature ✦ DC 24: The character recognizes the danger of the geyser before moving within 6 squares of it. Initiative +3 Trigger The geyser rolls initiative when one or more characters move within 6 squares of it. Attack Standard Action Close burst 3 Targets: Creatures in burst Attack: +11 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8+3 fire damage and followup. Followup: +10 vs. Fortitude. Hit: 5 fire damage and dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage. Countermeasure ✦ A character in the burst can minimize the damage of the geyser with a DC 28 Acrobatics check made as an immediate interrupt before the geyser’s attack. With a successful check, the character takes half damage if the geyser hits and no damage if it misses.

Elemental Vortex Pit Knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Arcana DC 30: The Elemental Vortex Pit lies in the depths of hell. Fire and ice clash alongside the gladiators, producing unique and dangerous phenomena. Archons and demons use the Pit as a battleground to settle their disputes and to put an end to at least a few of their eternal conflicts. Still, the rules of this planar arena are easy to twist, and many gladiatorial duels often degenerate into clashes between small armies. Streetwise DC 35: The Elemental Vortex Pit is ruled by the efreet vizier Djaztar. This creature was able to improve his station through the Pit and is now an influential Infernal power. In addition to the arena activities, Djaztar has started a profitable slave trade; prisoners are trained in the arena and then sold as mercenary soldiers to archons and demons.

Champions and Challenges Krimmghen Flamewhip, captain of the Crimson Scourge team, is a despotic azer feared by his own gladiators for his sheer cruelty. In spite of their leader’s personal skills, the Crimson Scourge remains one of the arena’s less effective teams and can count on very

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few capable members. The Crimson Scourge’s symbol is a purple demon whose tail ends in a forked whip. Val’ax the Blue Titan leads the Arctic Mauls team. Though the team is hindered by its low number of members, those it has are all well trained and equipped. Its strongest point is the presence of flying monsters among its ranks, which include the fearsome rimefire griffons. The Arctic Mauls’ symbol is a bear’s head sculpted in ice. The most experienced team is the Shining Sultans, led by the efreet Jagar. A deal made with the arena’s vizier has allowed them to enlist a mercenary brigade of fire giants. The Shining Sultans’ symbol is the chopped head of a human king encircled in a blood red sun.

Elemental Maelstrom Run

Passing through an elemental whirlpool is no easy task. Razor-sharp ice shards and flickering tongues of flame swirl in the air, where it is not engulfed by geysers and tornadoes. This skill challenge is a typical athletic test for gladiators in the Elemental Vortex Pit. The runners must follow one of the many paths running around the arena’s basaltic walls, either on foot or on a mount. Setup: To succeed, PCs must move swiftly and avoid the maelstrom’s dangers, and cross the finish line before the other runners. Level: Equal to the level of the party. Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Perception. Athletics (moderate DCs): You run fast and dodge the maelstrom’s hazards. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge. Perception (difficult DCs): You spot a passage in the maelstrom, a quiet eye in the storm that might allow you to pass safely. The use of this skill does not count as a success or failure toward the completion of this challenge. Instead, a success or failure with this check provides a +2 bonus or a -2 penalty to the next Athletics check made as part of this challenge. Endurance (moderate DCs): You must make an Endurance check each turn to resist exposure to extreme cold and heat. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge and removes one of your remaining healing surges. Success: The PCs cross the finish line before the other runners and win the challenge. Failure: The PCs succumb to the maelstrom’s hazards and are beaten to the finish line, losing the contest.

Encounter Groups

In addition to the encounter groups featured in the D&D 4E Monster Manual that include archons, elementals and demons, PCs can face the following gladiatorial teams in the Elemental Vortex Pit. The groups below represent the rosters each team typically sends into the arena, although others are possible.

Chapter 7: A Fighter's Arena Elemental Vortex Pit

Crimson Scourge Team

Level 14 Encounter (XP 5,200) ✦ Krimmghen Flamewhip, azer beastlord (level 17 soldier) ✦ 1 firebred hell hound (level 17 brute) ✦ 1 azer foot soldier (level 14 soldier) ✦ 2 magma striders (level 10 skirmisher)

Toni Cittadini

Arctic Maul Team

Level 17 Encounter (XP 8,200) ✦ 1 rimefire griffon (level 20 skirmisher) ✦ Val’ax, ice archon rimehammer (level 19 soldier) ✦ 3 cyclops impalers (level 14 artillery)

Shining Sultan Team

Level 20 Encounter (XP 14,150)

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Jagar, efreet fireblade (level 22 soldier) 1 phoenix (level 19 elite brute) 2 fire giant forgecallers (level 18 artillery) 3 azer warriors (level 17 minion)

Adventure Hooks

✦ The adventurers are hired by a powerful devil’s

servant to sabotage the upcoming contest between archons and demons, in order to launch a full-scale war between those races. ✦ The PCs must free a friend, relative, or ally caught by vizier Djaztar’s slavers and forced to fight in the arena. ✦ The characters pass through a planar rift or fail a travel ritual and find themselves in the middle of the Elemental Vortex Pit just as an important match is about to start.

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ASTRAL PEAKS OF CHAMPIONS, EPIC TIER ARENA


Even gods have battles to fight, and when they do, the universe’s very foundations tremble. Undisputed rule over a corner of the cosmos, the alteration of a timeline, the fate of hundreds of races or of a part of the universe: In a divine contest, the stakes can be almost unimaginably high. Fortunately, in most cases, the gods need not to resort to full-scale battles. They usually pursue their objectives in a less drastic and irresponsible fashion, since, as immortal beings, they can afford to plan for the long term. The most common way for deities to settle their differences is through mortal or immortal champions–beings of the material plane, angels, even abominations. The Astral Peaks of Champions are the ideal setting for these battles-by-proxy. Here, the staunchest followers of the gods fight to secure a stronger position for their masters or their ideals. Other mighty beings sometimes arrive in this dimension and face fearsome foes in order to gain a deity’s favor and counsel, or to complete their own personal path to immortality.

Battleground

The Astral Peaks of Champions are islands floating in the void, gathered in an archipelago of breathtaking beauty. These islands are surrounded by a thin atmosphere: Whoever falls beyond the arena’s edge is instantly incinerated.

Area Features

Ballista: This siege machine stands on one of the floating islands and gladiators can use it to deal a devastating blow to their foes. Activating the ballista requires 3 rounds of loading, followed by a ranged attack with a 10/20 range that deals 6d8 damage and pushes the target 1d4 squares. Teleport Plates: When a character stands on these glowing disks, she is instantly moved to another plate in the arena. The teleportation is random: The GM rolls a die to determine the character’s destination. After each teleportation, a plate remains inactive for 1d4 rounds, then it starts glowing again and it works again as described above. From time to time, a teleport plate might be malfunctioning and it might trigger a trap instead of teleporting the character (in which case, use the game statistics below).

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Electrified Teleport Plate

Level 14 Obstacle

Trap XP 1,000 As you step on the teleport plate, the base releases a lightning bolt that engulfs you. Trap: At the start of each round, the GM secretly rolls 1d4 to randomly determine which square occupied by a teleport plate will contain an electrified plate instead. When the trap is triggered, it attacks. Perception ✦ DC 28: The character can discern if the square contains an electrified plate instead of a teleport plate. Additional Skill: Arcana ✦ DC 22: The character’s knowledge provides a +2 bonus to Thievery checks to disable a plate. Trigger When a creature enters or begins its turn in an electrified plate’s square, the trap attacks that creature. Attack Opportunity Action Melee 1 Target: Creature in a trapped square Attack: +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d10 + 6 lightning damage, and the target is surprised (save ends). On a critical hit, the target is stunned (save ends). Miss: Half damage. Countermeasures ✦ An adjacent character can disable a tile with a DC 28 Thievery check. If the trap is disabled, the teleport plate works normally in that round.

Astral Peaks of Champions Knowledge

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check. Religion DC 25: The Astral Peaks of Champions are a demiplane hidden in a fold of the dimension where deities dwell, protected by a barrier that can only be bypassed with their consent. Religion DC 30: At the dawn of history, the gods created the Astral Peaks of Champions to decide how to claim dominion over mortals’ souls, sending their mightiest emissaries to fight in a contest there. Later, the Peaks became a battleground for fights of a different nature, unbeknownst even to the deities themselves. Religion DC 35: The Victorious Banner is an artifact infused with divine power that can instantly heal the bearer and revive all his allies.

Chapter 7: A Fighter's Arena Astral Peaks of Champions

Toni Cittadini

Champions and Challenges Creddax and Hariant are two unequalled martial fighters. The former can count on boundless strength and ruthlessness, and the latter on infinite relentlessness and stamina; together, they can make even their staunchest enemies falter. The team’s symbol is a pair of crossed greatswords, one of steel and one of ice. Oblivion is an unsettling creature, older than even it can remember, an entity obsessed with sinister plans and flashes of utter madness. Convinced it can bend time itself to its will, Oblivion uses the arena to please its bloated, sadistic ego, and to test

the valor of its potential followers. Other monstrosities, including a few powerful undead, fill the ranks of the team under Oblivion’s command. The symbol of their team, Everlasting Torment, is a black sun with crumbling edges. The Ancient Ones’ Heralds are creatures driven by the deities’ primeval breath, and are both the arena’s champions and its keepers. On very rare occasions, when one of them is destroyed, the demiplane’s lords replace it with a new being identical to the one lost. Their symbol is an eye with a lightning bolt in place of the iris.

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Hold the Victorious Banner

A glorious and magnificent banner towers over the highest platform in the arena: the fighter that can hold it and raise it above his head will truly be blessed with the gods’ favor.


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This skill challenge is the ultimate test an aspiring divine champion can take to gain his celestial patron’s favor: the first one to raise the victorious banner will be infused with divine glory before of all creatures. Setup: To win the challenge, the PCs must move from one island to another using the teleport plates, as cosmic winds blow around them. Level: Equal to the level of the party. Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Perception, Religion. Athletics (moderate DCs): You jump from one platform to another, trying to land on your feet. A failure means you arrive on the desired platform, but you cling to the edge to avoid falling or lose your balance because of the momentous jump. A failure provides a -2 penalty to the next Athletics check and counts toward the completion of this challenge. Perception (difficult DCs): You sense magical fluctuations around one of the teleport plates, allowing you to sense where it will teleport you. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge. Religion (moderate DCs): You pray your patron deity for guidance in order to reach the challenge’s end. This option only becomes available after you have gained 6 successes and it can only be used once during the challenge. Endurance (moderate DCs): You must make an Endurance check each turn to resist the demiplane’s astral currents, crawling with crackling bolts and searing lightning. A failure counts toward the completion of this challenge and consumes one of your remaining healing surges. Success: The PCs are the first to reach the banner and raise it to the sky, winning the contest. Failure: The PCs succumb to the Astral Peaks’ hazards and lose the contest.

Encounter Groups

None can say what shape a divine champion will take, as deities are nearly omnipotent beings that can generate and command almost any creature with a thought. Still, a few teams have distinguished themselves for their valor or their savagery, and they are described below.

Angelic Swords Team

Level 22 Encounter (XP 21,100) ✦ Creddax, marut concordant (level 22 elite controller) ✦ 2 marut blademasters (level 21 soldier) ✦ Hariant, angel of vengeance (level 19 elite brute) ✦ 2 angel of valor legionnaires (level 21 minion)

Everlasting Torment Team

Level 26 Encounter (XP 47,300) ✦ Oblivion, phane (level 26 elite controller) ✦ 3 blood fiends (level 23 soldier) ✦ 2 dread wraiths (level 25 lurker)

Ancient Ones’ Emissaries Team

Level 29 Encounter 29 (XP 78,000) ✦ 2 godforged colossi (level 29 elite brute) ✦ 1 thunderblast cyclone (level 26 elite artillery)

Adventure Hooks

✦ The adventurers want to destroy a sinister

abomination that threatens all of space and time: Oblivion, the commander of the Everlasting Torment team. ✦ The PCs are tracking down an obscure demigod, and the only one who knows its location is the divine creature’s father. He will only reveal his son’s location to those who can defeat his champions. ✦ The adventurers must return to their world after being stranded in another dimension, but only those who win the Victorious Banner challenge will be allowed to travel that far.

MGP 5205

A battle is the heart of every adventure, and the fighter is the lord of battle. Let the casters weave their spells, let the priests say their prayers, for only the fighter can withstand the dreadful assaults of his enemies and claim victory over them. If you want your character to stand at the forefront of battle, implacable, indomitable, The Quintessential Fighter is the book for you. Within this book you will find a new origins system to create your character’s background and grant him unique bonuses, new character options, more than 70 new powers, unbelievable combat styles and martial rituals, 14 paragon paths, many feats, and weapons, armor, and magic items that will help you build a matchless arsenal.

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This book also contains information on martial organizations that can liven up your campaigns and fantastic arenas in which to enact epic battles.


ISBN 978-1-906508-11-1

9 781906 508111


The Quintessential Fighter

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