RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Siege Engineer (Fighter)
The siege engineer is a master of besieging and planning defensive fortifications. He has learned to master the art of siege equipment. He knows how to mount his siege equipment on most means of transport to move it quickly and prevent the enemy from targeting his weapon.
Class Skills: The siege engineer's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str). These replace the standard fighter class skills.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A siege engineer is proficient with all simple weapons, martial weapons, repeating crossbows, and siege weapons. He is proficient with all armors (heavy, light and medium) and shields (including tower shields).
Siege Expert (Ex): At 2nd level, a siege engineer gains a +1 bonus to skill checks to determine a structure's weakness. He can also provide a cover bonus for stationary siege equipment using terrain. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd. This ability replaces bravery.
Siege Weapon Training (Ex): Starting at 5th level, the siege engineer gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with siege weapons. Every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th), a siege engineer gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with siege weapons. This ability replaces weapon training 1.
Ballista Expert (Ex) At 9th level, the siege engineer no longer takes a penalty to aiming a ballista. This ability replaces weapon training 2.
Crew Training (Ex) At 13th level, the siege engineer reduces the time to reload a ballista or catapult by one full round action. The siege engineer must train with the crew operating the ballista or catapult for 8 hours once a week. This ability replaces weapon training 3.
Improved Siege Weapon (Ex) At 17th level, the siege engineer adds one additional damage die to the siege weapon he is crewing. This ability replaces weapon training 4.
Siege Weapon Mastery (Ex): At 20th level, a siege engineer chooses one siege weapon. Any attacks made with that weapon automatically confirm all critical threats and have their damage multiplier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). Additionally if a catapult misses the target, reduce the number of 1d4s rolled by one range increment and the siege engineer no longer takes a penalty to using a ram. This ability replace weapon mastery.
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Siege Expert (Ex): At 2nd level, a siege engineer gains a +1 bonus to skill checks to determine a structure's weakness. He can also provide a cover bonus for stationary siege equipment using terrain. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd. This ability replaces bravery.
What kind of action and/or time requirements are involved in getting the cover bonus?
It's hard to adjudicate the value of this archetype without knowing the combat rules under which siege equipment will be used, but I suspect this archetype will only use in a heavy mass combat game.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Siege Expert (Ex):
What kind of action and/or time requirements are involved in getting the cover bonus?It's hard to adjudicate the value of this archetype without knowing the combat rules under which siege equipment will be used, but I suspect this archetype will only use in a heavy mass combat game.
Tom, you are damn good at finding the flaws.
1 hour per +1 of bonus.
And actually this class also works good for ship combat. Mount 2 or 3 light catapults or 1 or 2 heavy on the main deck and 1 ballista on the forecastle. A heavy wagon can mount a single ballista or light catapult. The Pathfinder rules are pretty simple for siege equipment.
Or mount the equipment on a brachiosaurus for pure win. I mean if Fred Flinstone operates a crane off the back of a dinosaur, why can't I mount heavy catapult? It fits with a few straps...
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Siege Expert (Ex):
What kind of action and/or time requirements are involved in getting the cover bonus?
Changed due to playtesting:
Siege Expert (Ex): At 2nd level, a siege engineer gains a +1 bonus to skill checks to determine a structure's weakness. He can also provide a cover bonus for stationary siege equipment using terrain. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd and 10 minutes are spent creating the cover or positioning the siege equipment. This ability replaces bravery.