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[edit] Ambusher

Those who excel at sneaking and hiding know that an unseen attack can be devastating. The Ambusher knows this and trains to make that first hit cripling.

The best Ambushers come from Rogues, but the Ranger, Monk, and Bard are all common. Wizards, Sorcerers, and Clerics sometimes adopt this class, and their spells help them hide better. Druids, with their many animal forms, make surprisingly good ambushers, though they rarely take up the class. Fighters and Barbarians who become ambushers are truly powerhouses to behold.

The roll of an Ambusher can be either a scout or a secondary combatant. He excels at the one hit wonder, but might require some aid in combat should he fail to drop his target on the first hit. Due to this fact, most Ambushers have enough sense when to and when not to strike, prefering to wait for the right moment.

Ambushers see Assassins as rivals and friends. Sometimes, they are part of the same guild. Other times, they are rivals, fighting for the same job.

[edit] Prerequisites

• Skills: Move Silently 8 ranks, Hide 8 ranks
• Feats: Improved Initiative
• Special: Small or Medium size

[edit] Class Abilities

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): At 1st level, an ambusher can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, an ambusher can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Unfettered Defense (Ex): At 1st level, an ambusher can add his Int modifier to his armor class. He loses this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor, or wielding a shield.

Sneak Attack (Ex): This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th). If an ambusher gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Stealth (Ex): At 2nd level, an ambusher may move up to two thirds his speed while hiding at no penalty to his hide or move silently check. He loses this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor, or wielding a shield.

Camouflage (Ex): An ambusher can use the Disguise skill in order to blend in with his surroundings. This ability grants him a +4 circumstance bonus on his hide checks when disguised. The DCs are as follows: Wooded or jungle-15, desert or plains-15, tundra or snow-20, urban-25. For every 5 he exceeds the check, he also receives an additional +2 bonus on his hide. He loses this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor, or wielding a shield.

Ambush (Ex): While hidden, an ambusher can perform an ambush. The target cannot know of the ambushers presence and the ambusher can perform a coup de grace on the target, dealing automatic critical damage plus sneak attack damage. This effect is considered a sneak attack for all effects that effect them, such as effectiveness against undead and so forth. (He must still hit the target to do this) An ambush cannot be performed with a ranged weapon or a two-handed weapon.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level, an ambusher can choose between Backstab or Foul Sneaking.

Improved Ambush (Ex): At 6th level, all number values from the attack (base damage from the weapon plus sneak attack) are considered maximised. This doesnt maximise other effects from weapons (such as flaming) or outside effects (such as poisons).

Improved Stealth (Ex): At 6th level, an ambusher may move their full speed with no penalties on their hide or move silently checks. He loses this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor, or wielding a shield.

Death Attack (Ex): If an ambusher studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (ambusher’s choice). While studying the victim, the ambusher can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the ambusher or recognize the ambusher as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the ambusher’s class level + the ambusher’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the ambusher. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the ambusher has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the ambusher does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.

Perfect Ambush: At 10th level, all Ambushes are treated as if they were both maximised and empowered (50% added to damage). For example, if an Improved Ambush with a short sword would deal 1d6 base + 5d6 sneak attack + 6 str, for a total of 42, a Perfect Ambush would deal 63 points of damage. (42/2)+42=63

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