Vanguard Prestige Class by David Koon
Characteristics:
Vanguards are specialized soldiers, therefore they should have the same important abilities. Strength determines how hard he rams into his target with a charge, and Constitution dictates how much power he can put behind a kizen blast, making it harder to dodge. Also, a Vanguard needs high STR, DEX and CON scores to counteract the harsh physical penalties of his powers, lest he be left squirming on the ground unable to move after one attack. Wisdom is useful for perceiving the numerous threats on a battlefield, but along with Intelligence and Charisma, it’s gravy at best for a Vanguard to have high scores in any of those three abilities.
Other Classes:
Vanguards dislike diplomats since they spend valuable time talking that could be used getting the job done. They view engineers as mostly unnecessary, since Vanguards rarely, if ever, need to use weapons, although those who are skilled at working on armour are considered a nice bonus to any group with a Vanguard. Leaders are either beloved or detested. Vanguards are not great tactical minds, so a straightforward leader who knows where to send them and is willing to take action first, ask questions later is a Vanguard’s best friend. Those who are more akin to Diplomats, or send Vanguards into hairy situations unnecessarily will probably find themselves the target of Kizen Charge in the near future, if not worse. Medics are, for obvious reasons, valued highly by Vanguards; the work they do is dangerous and someone skilled enough to cheat death for them is an asset to be protected. Vanguards view pilots as rivals for the role of first wave, and find the protection afforded them by their ship to be a sign of weakness. Scoundrels are disliked for being the polar opposite of a Vanguard; where Vanguards are balls to the wall attackers, Scoundrels are sneaky and stealthy. However, Vanguards can come to respect the “get in, do the job, get out” mentality most scoundrels share with them; they just disagree on the means. Soldiers are Vanguards best friends and biggest rivals. Vanguards know that without a wave of hardy meat shields following them up, then they are pointless in large conflicts, and soldiers appreciate the work Vanguards do in weakening enemy positions. Yet soldiers view Vanguards as somewhat weak due to their lack of staying power, and Vanguards view soldiers as less worthy and somehow inferior to themselves on account of their advanced training.
Game Rule Information
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: Acrobatics (DEX), Athletics (STR), Concentration (CON) and Perception (WIS).
Skill Points at each level: 2 + INT modifier
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The Vanguard does not gain any new weapon or armour proficiencies.
Pre-Requisites: Earther; Level 5 Soldier; 3 Powers from the Kizen Speed tree.
Class Abilities:
Kizen Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 6
Range: Close (8 metres + ½ metre per character level)
Saving Throw: Fort negates.
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 10
Action: Full
The Vanguard gathers his kizen energy around him in an aura that literally launches himself at a target. The force of the impact deals damage and can send foes flying. When charging, the Vanguard may only be carrying a light load (including armour and weapons). In order to charge, the Vanguard must be able to see his target directly and have a straight, unobstructed path to it. The charge does 2d6 points of impact damage. Additionally, the charge sends the opponent staggering back 2 metres unless a Fortitude save is made. Charging does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Improved Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 9
Range: Medium (30 metres + 2 metres per character level)
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 13
Action: Full
This operates exactly the same as Kizen Charge with the following changes. The load the Vanguard is allowed to carry is Medium (including weapons and armour). The charge deals 6d6 points of impact damage and sends the target staggering back 4 metres unless a Fortitude save is made.
Greater Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 12
Range: Long (150 metres + 16 metres per character level)
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 16
Action: Full
This operates exactly the same as Kizen Charge with the following changes. The charge deals 10d6 points of impact damage and knocks the target prone unless a Fortitude save is made.
Dread Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 15
Range: Planetary
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 20
Action: Full
This operates exactly the same as Kizen Charge woth the following changes. The load the Vanguard is allowed to carry is Heavy (including weapons and armour). The charge deals 14d6 points of impact damage and sends the target flying backwards 8 meteres and knocks them prone unless a Fortitude save is made.
Kizen Burst (Least):
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 7
Range: Radius (2 metres)
Saving Throw: Ref for half
Dominant Attribute: Constitution
Point Cost: 4
Action: Free
After charging the Vanguard may violently discharge the remaining kizen energy he has accumulated to deal damage in a small radius surrounding the Vanguard. This is a free action, but leaves the Vanguard vulnerable to damage as a result of the taxing nature of the power. The damage dealt is 3d6 energy (immune to damage reduction). Until his next turn, all damage dealt to the Vanguard is increased by 2 and his defence value is reduced by 2.
Kizen Burst (Lesser):
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 10
Range: Radius (4 metres)
Saving Throw: Ref for half
Dominant Attribute: Constitution
Point Cost: 7
Action: Free
This power works exactly like Kizen Burst (Least) except for the following changes. The damage is increased to 6d6, and the penalties to damage taken and defence are increased to 4.
Kizen Burst (Greater):
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 13
Range: Radius (6 metres)
Saving Throw: Ref for half
Dominant Attribute: Constitution
Point Cost: 10
Action: Free
This power works exactly like Kizen Burst (Lesser) except for the following changes. The damage is increased to 12d6 and the penalties to damage taken and defence are increased to 8.
Charge Modifiers:
These abilities may be applied to the Vanguard’s charge as a free action provided the appropriate point cost is paid. There is no limit to how many modifiers can be placed on a charge each time.
Phasic Charge:
Type: Physical (active)
Level: 9
Range: Self
Saving Throw: None
Dominant Attribute: None
Point Cost: 5
Action: Free
The Vanguard may now charge through up to ½ metres of material per level on his way to his target, provided he can still see the target.
Rapid Charge:
Type: Physical (active)
Level: 12
Range: Self
Saving Throw: None
Dominant Attribute: None
Point Cost: 10
Action: Free
The Vanguard may now charge and burst twice in one round, but still incurs all of the appropriate penalties for doing so. Therefore, if the Vanguard would suffer a negative 4 to his Defence value for bursting, he will suffer a negative 8.
Charge Through Time:
Type: Physical (active)
Level: 15
Range: Self
Saving Throw: None
Dominant Attribute: None
Point Cost: 15
Action: Free
After each charge/burst combo, time slows around the Vanguard, allowing for a full round of attacks to be made.
Fatigue:
The abilities of a Vanguard are taxing, especially Charge. After using charge, the Vanguard incurs several penalties as displayed on the table below, including a cooldown timer of how long until the Vanguard may Charge again, penalties to STR, DEX and CON for the extension of the cooldown, negatives to saves for the duration of the cooldown and penalties to Defence and Damage Reduction.`
Kizen Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 6
Range: Close (8 metres + ½ metre per character level)
Saving Throw: Fort negates.
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 10
Action: Full
The Vanguard gathers his kizen energy around him in an aura that literally launches himself at a target. The force of the impact deals damage and can send foes flying. When charging, the Vanguard may only be carrying a light load (including armour and weapons). In order to charge, the Vanguard must be able to see his target directly and have a straight, unobstructed path to it. The charge does 2d6 points of impact damage. Additionally, the charge sends the opponent staggering back 2 metres unless a Fortitude save is made. Charging does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Improved Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 9
Range: Medium (30 metres + 2 metres per character level)
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 13
Action: Full
This operates exactly the same as Kizen Charge with the following changes. The load the Vanguard is allowed to carry is Medium (including weapons and armour). The charge deals 6d6 points of impact damage and sends the target staggering back 4 metres unless a Fortitude save is made.
Greater Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 12
Range: Long (150 metres + 16 metres per character level)
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 16
Action: Full
This operates exactly the same as Kizen Charge with the following changes. The charge deals 10d6 points of impact damage and knocks the target prone unless a Fortitude save is made.
Dread Charge:
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 15
Range: Planetary
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Dominant Attribute: Strength
Point Cost: 20
Action: Full
This operates exactly the same as Kizen Charge woth the following changes. The load the Vanguard is allowed to carry is Heavy (including weapons and armour). The charge deals 14d6 points of impact damage and sends the target flying backwards 8 meteres and knocks them prone unless a Fortitude save is made.
Kizen Burst (Least):
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 7
Range: Radius (2 metres)
Saving Throw: Ref for half
Dominant Attribute: Constitution
Point Cost: 4
Action: Free
After charging the Vanguard may violently discharge the remaining kizen energy he has accumulated to deal damage in a small radius surrounding the Vanguard. This is a free action, but leaves the Vanguard vulnerable to damage as a result of the taxing nature of the power. The damage dealt is 3d6 energy (immune to damage reduction). Until his next turn, all damage dealt to the Vanguard is increased by 2 and his defence value is reduced by 2.
Kizen Burst (Lesser):
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 10
Range: Radius (4 metres)
Saving Throw: Ref for half
Dominant Attribute: Constitution
Point Cost: 7
Action: Free
This power works exactly like Kizen Burst (Least) except for the following changes. The damage is increased to 6d6, and the penalties to damage taken and defence are increased to 4.
Kizen Burst (Greater):
Type: Energy (active)
Level: 13
Range: Radius (6 metres)
Saving Throw: Ref for half
Dominant Attribute: Constitution
Point Cost: 10
Action: Free
This power works exactly like Kizen Burst (Lesser) except for the following changes. The damage is increased to 12d6 and the penalties to damage taken and defence are increased to 8.
Charge Modifiers:
These abilities may be applied to the Vanguard’s charge as a free action provided the appropriate point cost is paid. There is no limit to how many modifiers can be placed on a charge each time.
Phasic Charge:
Type: Physical (active)
Level: 9
Range: Self
Saving Throw: None
Dominant Attribute: None
Point Cost: 5
Action: Free
The Vanguard may now charge through up to ½ metres of material per level on his way to his target, provided he can still see the target.
Rapid Charge:
Type: Physical (active)
Level: 12
Range: Self
Saving Throw: None
Dominant Attribute: None
Point Cost: 10
Action: Free
The Vanguard may now charge and burst twice in one round, but still incurs all of the appropriate penalties for doing so. Therefore, if the Vanguard would suffer a negative 4 to his Defence value for bursting, he will suffer a negative 8.
Charge Through Time:
Type: Physical (active)
Level: 15
Range: Self
Saving Throw: None
Dominant Attribute: None
Point Cost: 15
Action: Free
After each charge/burst combo, time slows around the Vanguard, allowing for a full round of attacks to be made.
Fatigue:
The abilities of a Vanguard are taxing, especially Charge. After using charge, the Vanguard incurs several penalties as displayed on the table below, including a cooldown timer of how long until the Vanguard may Charge again, penalties to STR, DEX and CON for the extension of the cooldown, negatives to saves for the duration of the cooldown and penalties to Defence and Damage Reduction.`