I'm working on a matador prestige class for my campaign setting, and I thought I might get some input.
Essentially, I think to adhere to the matador ideal, the class should emphasize defence, as well as tiring out the opponent before making a killing blow.
Thoughts?
Evasion and Improved Evasion would be a must. If you really want to go all out on it, give them a provoke ability to enraged opponents and direct their attacks at the Matador. Then give him a progression of bonuses against Bull Rushes and Charge attacks.
Hmm... where would I find the rules for provoke?
Interesting. You'll have to come up with a mechanic for actually imposing a fatigued/exhausted condition on a foe without magic. Something normal combat rules don't provide, per se. I really like that idea.
Sort of like a reverse rage.
Duh... what was I thinking. Total brainfart. You can just adapt Stunning, Exhausting, Tiring, etc. Critical feats into class features. Or bonus feats without having to take the prereqs.
I would also add some kind of taunting feature, maybe 3x/day + Cha mod = penalty to target's Atk/AC?
Interesting. You'll have to come up with a mechanic for actually imposing a fatigued/exhausted condition on a foe without magic. Something normal combat rules don't provide, per se. I really like that idea.
Sort of like a reverse rage.
Thanks, that's what I was trying to convey. In addition, I want some heavy overtones of how matadors are strongly associated with death, not just in the risk, but also in the honorable combat and death they promise their opponents. To the matador, death is a beautiful thing.
That's the idea, anyway.
How about a challenge for him/her? Can provoke attacks from only one enemy at a time. And challenges have to be done face to face with an opponent.
Has merit, perhaps a will save to resist.
How about a challenge for him/her? Can provoke attacks from only one enemy at a time. And challenges have to be done face to face with an opponent.Has merit, perhaps a will save to resist.
It may not be the main focus of the class, but the matador is the finale of the show. He's both about the swagger and the show, and taking care of business.
Maybe a bonus to a Charisma skill or two? Some sort of ability to inspire courage in allies once he "enters the arena" of battle?
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You might want to add something like sidestep from Bo9S. it allows you to avoid a charge and the foe keeps moving past you, I believe. (its been awhile since I've looked at the book. maybe instead of once per encounter, cha or dex mod/per encounter or anytime charged by a target he has sucessfully provoked...
please post what you come up with, I'd love to see it
Maybe a sneak attack-like ability that makes your opponent fatigued? Then exhausted if you hit them again? Maybe the ability to sicken, and eventually nauseate a foe? Kind of like the afflictions or whatever anti-paladins get in place of their mercies, but not as eeeeveeeel.
Maybe a bonus to attack and damage based on how much bigger the opponent is than you?
Maybe the ability to coup de grace as a standard action? Maybe the ability to coup de grace when the opponent is staggered? Or reduced to 1 hit point per hit die?
I like the idea of the challenge mechanic too.
I can see this class using Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, and Greater Feint, possibly Weapon Finesse, and a challenge-like mechanic based on Bluff vs. Will Save, with the attack bonus based on Charisma and additional damage scaling with level, with tasty conditions added on to further hamper the BBEG.
I also like the idea of making a 5 foot step as an immediate action to dodge a charge, etc. (If the charging beast is sidestepped, it continues to move in a straight line until it reaches the end of its double move; it can make a Reflex Save with a DC equal to 10 + matador level + Dex modifier and reduce the extra distance travelled by 10 feet per Dex modifier of the charging beast)
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A lot of the prestige classes in the APG are based off of focusing on one particular class feature and expanding. Natures warden on the animal companion, master chymist on the mutagen. Matador could be an excellent thematic choice for an expansion on the cavalier's challenge.
Alternatively this might be good as a new order as opposed to a prestige class.
I want to thank everyone for their input. At the request of scotchrocket, I will now post the completed prestige class.
Thus, in arenas akin to the coliseums of old, the Matador trade was born. Part-performer, part master fencer, the Matador leads his opponents in long, intricate dances of dodge, thrust, and parry, before ending their exhausted opponents with one fell blow, showing them full respect to the very end.
Many Matadors begin their career often as some combination of fighter, bard, ranger, or rogue.
Role: The Matador acts as a powerful distraction on the battlefield, drawing the attention of his opponents while avoiding most of their attacks.
Alignment: Matador’s are free-spirited at heart, but hold a strong sense of honor, giving them a strong bent towards neutral or neutral good.
Hit Dice: d10
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Skills: Perform (dance) 4 ranks, Acrobatics 4 ranks.
Feats: Dodge, Weapon Finesse
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Perform (dancing) (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The matador is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. The matador is also proficient with light armor, but not shields.
Muleta: The matador eschews the use of shields or heavy armor to protect himself, instead relying upon a special, brightly colored cape supported from the inside by a rod or dowel of some kind. The matador incorporates the cape into his dance-like dodges, blocking this opponent’s view of him at random intervals, making him or her harder to hit. While the matador is wearing no or light armor, is not carrying a shield, and is wielding the cape in at least one hand, the matador gains a competence bonus to AC equal to ½ character level. This bonus is lost any time the matador loses his Dex bonus to AC. At 5th level, the bonus is increased to +5 any time the matador wields the cape in both hands.
Running the Bull: The matador is very skilled at avoiding charges and attempts to push him. The matador gains a bonus equal to his or her matador level to CMD against bull rushes, and to AC against charge attacks.
Baiting the Bull: At 2nd level, the matador is skilled at baiting opponents into charging him. As a standard action, the matador may attempt to provoke an opponent into charging. The target must make a DC 10 + Cha modifier + ½ matador level Will save to resist charging the matador on it’s next turn. If the target is already adjacent to the matador, it will instead attack normally.
Arterial Strike: At 3rd level, the matador becomes an expert at targeting the major blood vessels of a target. A number of times per day equal to 3+ Dex modifier, the matador may choose to cause bleed damage with an attack, dealing 1 point of damage / round, this bleed damage continues until a DC 15 Heal check is made. Individual uses of this ability stack.
Tiring Strike: At 4th level, the matador learns how to tire an opponent through blood loss. Every round that the target is suffering bleed damage from the matador’s Arterial Strike ability, the target must make a Fort Save DC 10 + the matador’s Dex modifier. On a failed save, the target becomes fatigued. If already fatigued, the target becomes exhausted.
Bewilder: At 4th level, the matador can force an opponent to lower their guard while using their cape. The matador may take a move action to make a resisted roll of his CMB vs the opponent’s Will save. If the matador succeeds, the target’s AC takes a penalty equal to the difference between the two rolls for one round. This penalty applies to attacks from all opponents.
Muleta Riposte: At 5th level, the matador’s skill with the cape increases. Whenever an attacker fails to hit the matador by 5 or more when the Muleta AC bonus is in effect, the attacker immediately provokes an attack of opportunity from the matador. This counts against the number of attacks of oppourtunity per round.
Fatal Blow: At 6th level, the matador learns how to perform finishing blows against a wounded opponent. The matador may treat an exhausted opponent as helpless for the purposes of coup de grace attacks. The matador does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the exhausted opponent, but still from any other opponent.
Fascinating Dance: At 7th level, the matador gains the bardic performance ability fascinate. The matador counts as being a bard of level equal to his or her matador level for purposes of using this ability, though if the matador has bard levels, they stack for the purposes of this ability only. The performance is visual-based.
Muleta Dance: At 8th level, the matador literally dances out of the way of attacks. Anytime an attacker fails to hit by 10 or more while the matador is benefiting from the Muleta AC bonus, the matador may choose to make a 5 ft step as an immediate action in addition to the granted attack of opportunity.
Anatomical Strike: At 9th level, the matador becomes skilled at slaying even nonliving foes. Once per day, in addition to a number of times per day equal to the matador’s Int bonus, the matador may target a creature that is immune to bleed damage, fatigue, and exhaustion, but not to precision damage, with a single attack. If it hits, in addition to damage, the target is knocked prone and is considered helpless for 1d4 rounds.
Honorable Closure: At 10th level, the matador fully understands the beauty and finality of death. Every time the matador kills an enemy using a coup de grace action, he gains a +2 morale bonus to attack, damage, and saves for 1 minute. Multiple bonuses from this ability do not stack.
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +1 +1 +1 +0 Muleta, Running the Bull
2nd +2 +1 +1 +1 Baiting the Bull
3rd +3 +2 +2 +1 Arterial Strike
4th +4 +2 +2 +1 Tiring Strike, Bewilder
5th +5 +3 +3 +2 Muleta Riposte
6th +6 +3 +3 +2 Fatal Blow
7th +7 +4 +4 +2 Fascinating Dance
8th +8 +4 +4 +3 Muleta Dance
9th +9 +5 +5 +3 Anatomical Strike
10th +10 +5 +5 +3 Honorable Closure
I'm planning to make this prestige class a part of my own personal campaign setting, so consider this a sort of sneak peek if I ever get published.