User:Jota/Boy Scout

Scout
<-general description->.

Making a Scout
Scouts do a little bit of everything. Above all else, they persevere. A Scout is a substitute for a rogue more than any other class. One thing Scouts don't tend to do well is hack people to death. Please leave your Scout toward the rear or middle of the party if you plan on stabbing things.

Abilities: Wisdom is the governing ability for a scout's abilities. Intelligence is important for skills. Dexterity and Constitution are important for their defensive contributions. Strength is important for melee-oriented Scouts, and Charisma's still a dump stat (at least for the most part), although keep in mind that Scouts are supposed to be well-rounded.

Races: Scouting is open to members of all races, although it has a stronger tradition with humans and the races most akin to them.

Alignment: Any good.

Starting Gold: 5d4&times;10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Scout.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Scouts are proficient with, daggers, handaxes, shortbows, throwing axes, and quarterstaves, as well as rope weapons of their own creation*.


 * * A Scout can craft rope weapons (bolas, flails, meteor hammers*, and morningstars) using the Use Rope skill to make a money's fist knot (DC 20). Tying a monkey's fist takes 2d20+10 rounds. Morning stars take one check, bolas and meteor hammers requires two, and a flail takes at least three (one per head). Rope weapons deal lethal damage, but they deal one less damage per die than their metal counterparts (except bolas) and weigh as if they were one size category smaller. For example, a medium-sized rope flail weighs as much as a small-sized flail and deals 1d8-1 bludgeoning damage, minimum one. Rope weapons can be set on fire, in which case they do an extra 1d6 fire damage with each hit, but the weapon is consumed in a number of rounds equal to its size category (a medium weapon burns for five rounds before becoming useless). Multiply a weapon's multiplier on the table below by 5 to determine how many feet of rope it takes to make one of that weapon. A Scout can take 10 or 20 on this check and can retry as many times as he wants, although each attempt (not taking 10/20) consumes 2d20+10 rounds.


 * * Treat a meteor hammer as a spiked chain that deals bludgeoning damage.


 * {| class="zebra d20"

! Weapon || class="left" | Multiplier
 * + Rope Weapons
 * Bolas || class="left" | 1
 * Flail || class="left" | 1 (per head)
 * Meteor Hammer || class="left" | 4
 * Morning Star || class="left" | 1
 * }
 * Meteor Hammer || class="left" | 4
 * Morning Star || class="left" | 1
 * }
 * }



A complete list of merit badges can be found here.

The Scout Oath reads as follows:


 * "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."

The Scout Oath is not as inflexible as the paladin's code of conduct, and there is a certain amount of leniency. For the most part, the Scout Oath governs the Scout's interactions with law-abiding citizens and other Scouts. A Scout could, for example, lie to a known criminal if it was in the best interests of the greater good. Alternatively, a Scout would not necessarily have to be brave or helpful if it might result in the death of himself or his party.



 (Ex): At second level and higher, a Scout can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Scout is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Scout does not gain the benefit of evasion.

 (Ex): Scouts are trained to start and maintain fires for a variety of useful purposes, including light, cooking, warmth, and signaling. A second level scout can recreate the effects of a produce flame spell at will as a swift action. Note that this is an extraordinary ability and thus cannot be dispelled, nor does it go away in an anti-magic field.

 (Ex): Starting at fourth level, a Scout can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so (that's called being prepared). He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

 (Ex): A Scout of seventh level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue (or other similar class) the ability to sneak attack the Scout by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue (or other appropriate class) levels than the Scout has Scout levels. If the Scout already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the Scout automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the Scout.

 (Ex): At tenth level, a Scout can resist magical or unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping Scout does not gain the benefit of mettle.

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

 (Ex): At sixteenth level, a Scout can resist magical or unusual attacks with even greater willpower or fortitude. Every time the Scout fails a Will or Fortitude save against an effect that has a reduced effect on a successful save, he instead takes the reduced effect as if he had made that save.

' (Sp):''' <-class feature game rule information->

 (Su): <-class feature game rule information->



 <-"(Ex)", "(Su)", "(Sp)", or "(Ps)" if applicable.->: <-subclass feature game rule information->

Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat as necessary.->

Ex-Scouts
A scout who ceases to be good retains all of his class abilities, but can no longer advance as a scout until he becomes good again and receives the benefits of an atonement spell.

Epic Scout
<-existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-another existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat.->



'Epic Scout Bonus Feat List:'' <-list of bonus epic feats->.

Half-Elf Scout Starting Package
Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Feat: <-1st-level feat selection->.

Bonus Feats: <-1st-level feat bonus feats due to class or sample race. remove this section if this sample doesn't get any bonus feats at 1st level. ->.

Gear: <-Starting armor and other equipment outside of weapons.->.

Gold: <-Starting gold using this package.->.

Playing a Scout
Religion: <-description of how this class typically (but no exclusively) approaches religion including likely portfolios it would worship->.

Other Classes: <-How this class typically interacts with other classes and how characters of this class interact with characters of other classes->.

Combat: <-Typical role in combat->.

Advancement: <-Typical advancement options for characters with this class. Include desirable multiclass options->.

Scouts in the World
"<-Some quote from a character of this class->"

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world.->

Daily Life: Every day is an adventure when you're a scout. The possibilites are limited only by your imagination. Interplanar camping, anyone?

Notables: Name a famous man. Probably him. Seriously: Barack Obama, Tony Blair, Paul McCartney, Buzz Aldrin, George W. Bush, Bill Gates, Neil Armstrong, Philo Farnsworth, Gerald Ford, Henry Fonda, Michael Moore, Jim Mora, Harrison Ford, Ross Perot, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Siple, Steven Spielberg... et cetera, et cetera.

Organizations: Scouts of all different ranks form troops, which are localized to specific areas. Each troop will usually have a designated meeting place and hierarchy. Troops do community work as well as various other activities such as camping and hiking as a means of character-building. Scouts who operate in adventuring parties typically do so as part of their community work and to spread the word of scouting. Troops from nearby regions will usually gather once every few years to interact, spread the word of, and advance the cause of Scouting.

NPC Reactions: There are three ways in which NPCs typically react to scouts: appreciative, neutral, and cynical or dismissive. Appreciative NPCs recognize the values scouting promotes and respect the nobility of its cause. Neutral NPCs may not know much about scouting or may simply not believe in the values scouting promotes. To these people, scouting is a choice, but it is a neutral one, such as belonging to the local merchant's guild or knitting club. Dismissive characters either do not believe in the values scouting adheres to or do not believe the system does an adequate job of instilling these core beliefs. They will treat the scout as an extension of a pointless organization or possibly as simply a naive individual.

Scout Lore
Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Scouts in the Game
<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play.->

Adaptation:' Girl Scouts is an obvious option. Any youth organization with similar values could also be adapted to a different campaign setting. If you don't plan on playing by Races of War rules, assuming you cope with the merit badges as the stand (Tome skill feats and sphere equivalents), then simply traditionalize the base attack bonus and you're good to go. If you need to scale back the saves a bit as well to let your DM give it a go, then so be it.

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPCs of this class.->.

EL : <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter.->.

3.5e User Class Base Class April Fools Tome Alternative? Spellcasting