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Just threw this together to incorporate the old 3E prestige class features and a littel of the bloodstorm blade, in an attempt to make a class that can use thrown weapons well in PF. Why Fighter? Because people tend to not mind it when you homebrew them to be awesome at a given fighting style. That's about the main reason, frankly.
For someone who wishes to throw weapons, this is obviously stronger than the class features replaced. Again, that is because throwing weapons is a subpar combat style, and the point of this is to make it a good option.
Master Thrower (Fighter Archetype)
Skills: A Master Thrower adds Sleight of Hand to his class skill list.
Deft Hands (Ex)
At 1st level, a Master Thrower gains Throw Anything and Quickdraw as bonus feats. Quickdraw applies to splash weapons, as well.
This replaces the Fighter's 1st level bonus feat.
Thrown Weapon Trick (Ex)
At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the Master Thrower learns one thrown weapon trick, chosen from below. Tricks can only be used when throwing a weapon or splash weapon, not with projectile weapons or melee attacks. Tricks can only be used within the first range increment of the thrown weapon, unless the Fighter has Weapon Focus with that weapon, in which case tricks can be used with attacks up to its maximum range. Some tricks have a minimum Fighter level requirement.
Spoiler:- Deadeye Shot: The critical multiplier with thrown attacks increases by 1 (for example, a dagger would have a x3 multiplier). This does not stack with any other effect that increases critical multiplier. At 20th level, this trick instead allows the Master Thrower to inflict critical hits even on creatures immune to them. A Master Thrower must be at least 14th level to select this trick.- Defensive Throw: By making a Sleight of Hand check (DC equals 10 + 1 per number of threatening foes) as a free action, the Master Thrower can make thrown attacks for 1 round without provoking attacks of opportunity. Failure means any throws she makes for that round provoke as normal for making a ranged attack while threatened.
- Double Toss: The Master Thrower can, as a standard action, throw two weapons at one or two targets within 30 ft of each other. All penalties for Two Weapon Fighting apply to these attacks, however, the offhand attack gains full strength bonus to damage.
- Palm Throw: When using little thrown weapons (darts, shuriken, and daggers; a DM may allow other weapons), a Master Thrower may throw two such weapons with each attack roll, each pair against the same target. Damage (and damage reduction) is resolved separately for each, but the Master Thrower does not apply her strength bonus to either damage roll.
- Ricochet Shot: With this trick, a Master Thrower can choose to have a thrown weapon continue to make further iterative attacks by cleverly bouncing the weapon between targets. Upon each successful hit, the Master Thrower can choose to treat that target's space as the point of origin for all effects and purposes for his next thrown attack, using the same weapon. This can allow the Master Thrower to attack beyond her normal range limit, have an attack originate from the other side of a barrier providing cover, and so forth. She must ricochet to a different target than the one just struck, but can otherwise bounce the weapon between two targets if desired. She cannot ricochet a shot after a miss and does not gain any more attacks than normal with this trick. This trick does not work with weapons that are destroyed when thrown, such as shuriken and splash weapons. A Master Thrower must be at least 6th level to select this trick.
- Sneaky Shot: As a move action before making a thrown attack, a Master Thrower can make a Sleight of Hand check opposed by the target's Perception check. If successful, her foe is denied dexterity bonuses to AC against the attack.
- Trip Shot: A Master Thrower with this trick may, after doing damage with a thrown attack from further than 5 ft away, choose to attempt to trip the target as well. Roll a combat maneuver check, using dexterity (or whichever ability modifier the Master Thrower uses on thrown attack rolls) instead of strength modifier. If the check succeeds, the target is tripped; there is no penalty for failure. A Master Thrower must be at least 6th level to select this trick.
- Tumbling Toss: The Master Thrower may move up to her speed, and make a single thrown attack as a standard action at any point during her movement. If she succeeds on a DC 25 Acrobatics check, the movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. She must still beat the normal DC with her check to move through an opponent's space.
- Weak Spot: Against a target of her size or larger, a Master Thrower with this trick can resolve thrown attacks as ranged touch attacks. For any such touch attacks that hit, the Master Thrower does not apply strength bonus to damage. This trick cannot be used with Palm Throw. A Master Thrower must be at least 18th level to select this trick.
This replaces Bravery.
Weapon Training (Ex)
At 5th level, the Master Thrower gains Weapon Training with the Thrown group, for a +1 bonus. The bonus increases every 4 levels thereafter, up to +4 at level 17. The Master Thrower also gains this bonus on attack rolls with splash weapons and damage rolls against a target that is hit directly with one (but not on the splash damage).
The replaces Weapon Training 1.
Meteor Throw (Ex)
At 9th level, the Master Thrower treats any weapon or splash weapon she throws as if it had double its normal range increment, including improvised weapons (which would thus have an increment of 20 ft).
This replaces Weapon Training 2.
Lightning Ricochet (Ex)
At 13th level, the Master Thrower is able to curve his throws and ricochet off targets such that his thrown weapon immediately returns to him after each attack is resolved. This allows the Master Thrower to make multiple attacks in a round with the same thrown weapon. Thrown weapons that are destroyed upon a hit or contact, such as shuriken and splash weapons, do not return.
This replaces Weapon Training 3.
Critical Throw (Ex)
At 17th level, the Master Thrower treats any weapon or splash weapon she throws as if she had the Improved Critical feat for it, doubling its threat range. This does not stack with the Improved Critical feat, the keen property, or any similar effects.
This replaces Weapon Training 4.
Thrown Weapon Mastery (Ex)
This applies to thrown attacks with any weapon or splash weapon the Master Thrower makes, instead of on all attacks with one specific weapon.
This modifies and replaces Weapon Mastery.
Thoughts? Ideas for other thrown weapon tricks? I left out the two with one throw from 3E, because I never saw the point of that, added in the Ricochet one based sort of off Bloodstorm Blade techniques, and modified the rules/language of most of the tricks. It is overall fairly similar to the prestige class, though I have Weak Spot requiring a MUCH higher level than in 3E (5th level of a 5 level prestige class, could have by level 10, or level ~ 12 if entering as a rogue).
I would not mind losing heavy armor proficiency.
Only reason I didn't is that as the archetype currently stands, it retains armor training 1-4, which includes moving full speed in heavy armor, so removing heavy armor proficiency seemed awkward.
The prestige class got Evasion for some random reason, and I could always add in other little things to replace armor training with I suppose.
But a normal fighter can eventually pull off a +7 dex, tumble, and move full speed in mithral full plate, so I'm not sure if thematics is that "applicable" here. For all intents and purposes, a level 7+ fighter basically treats all armor like it's light armor in terms of moving about.
And yes, the tricks are definitely better than bravery.
The two feats thing is tempered by being picked for you and neither being extremely powerful (quickdraw is obviously useful though; throw anything is questionable). Kind of like how the Unbreakable Fighter gets Endurance and Diehard, or Dragoon gets Mounted Combat and Skill Focus (Ride). The trade-off is loss of choice, or so it would seem.
If you need to lose something else for balance, lose the shield proficiencies. A thrower most likely won't tie up one hand with a shield. (Although a throwing shield would be fun...) Maybe just lose Tower Shield.
I love the tricks!
For the Ricochet Shot, is there a limit on how many times it can bounce or an increasing penalty for each additional target? Something like
Hit target 1 at -2 (to set up the ricochet)
Hit target 2 at -4
Hit target 3 at -6
Hit target 4 at -8
etc.
Feats or class features could reduce the penalties as the fighter goes up in levels.
Also, would the fighter be able to ricochet off of an object first and then hit someone? I could see someone bouncing off a wall to get around cover. (Hiding behind that table? No problem! I'll bank shot off the wall behind you.)
Losing Tower shield would be fine. Losing all shields would be fine, too.
Thanks, most of the tricks work very closely to how they did in 3E, master thrower was a really awesome prestige class.
I did not want there to be penalties for ricochet shot. It's already kind of situationally useful and niche as it is and is competing with other good tricks, if it had penalties, especially ones that increase each attack, it would be too unappealing, IMO. I figure requiring continuous hits is limiting enough. And it is not increasing your attacks per round at all.
And yes, you could ricochet off of objects; as far as I know the rules in general allow you to attack objects freely, so I didn't think I needed special text to cover it. I definitely intended for it to possibly allow for "bank shots" off of the sides of walls and stuff. You do still need to see your targets to well...target them, which limits it a bit. I'd love for you to bank shots around corners to hit unseen foes, but there's no real way to do that without the ability becoming "magical."
I wouldn't. I love this archetype, I think that losing heavy armor and shields fits, but give them proficiency in throwing shields.
Edit: found em, I was looking in armor, not weapons.
My understanding is that if a heavy shield bash is a martial weapon according to the weapons table, for example, and you are proficient in martial weapons but not with shields, then you can bash with the shield w/o taking the -4 proficiency penalty, but you would suffer the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls due to not being proficient with it as a shield, the defensive item.
If that makes any sense. I'm pretty sure that's how the rules work, and getting a shield (other than tower) down to a 0 penalty is as simple as making it out of mithral or darkwood, so actually having shield proficiency (not talking about tower, obviously that's still useful) is never a big deal anyway, IMO. Unless you need it for pre-reqs.
Still not sure what armor/shield proficiencies should be removed, or if it's necessary at all.
I'd remove the heavy armor & tower shield proficiency and put in a clause that allows the fighter to gain the benefits of "no movement penalty" if he ever selects heavy armor proficiency. It is awkward, and the movement bit should have probably been added to the heavy armor proficiency (a special for fighters) instead of in the class features, save as a reference.
Otherwise, I think your archetype is pretty darn spiffy. You considering doing one for the rogue and ranger? I get why you selected fighter, just curious.
"And yes, you could ricochet off of objects; as far as I know the rules in general allow you to attack objects freely, so I didn't think I needed special text to cover it. I definitely intended for it to possibly allow for "bank shots" off of the sides of walls and stuff. You do still need to see your targets to well...target them, which limits it a bit. I'd love for you to bank shots around corners to hit unseen foes, but there's no real way to do that without the ability becoming "magical." "
I just ran across the Ricochet Shot feat in Ultimate Combat. It seems to agree with you that you have to have some kind of sight line unless you spend a grit point (which is kind of odd because it requires Blind Fight).
Ricochet Shot Deed (Grit):
You can ricochet a firearm shot off the wall and still hit your target.
Prerequisites: Grit class feature or Amateur Gunslinger feat, Blind-Fight.
Benefit: You can fire a shot at a wall or piece of solid terrain, and have it ricochet off. When you do, use the square immediately in front of the wall or piece of solid terrain to determine line of sight to a target, and this square is considered the new origin square of the attack. Use that square to determine the effects of cover, and your own square to determine the effects of concealment. You can make this shot as long as you have at least 1 grit point. When making this shot, you can spend 1 grit point to ignore the effects of all cover or concealment. You must choose to spend the grit point before you make the attack roll.