Champion
It is said that many are called but few are chosen. No one knows this better than the champion. For their path is filled with sacrifice and suffering. The champion gives up the safety of a normal life to defend those that cannot defend themselves. To spread joy and peace or fear and war across the land. Regardless of their motivation, the goal of the champion is always clear. They have a cause, an ethos, that must be defended and spread across the land to all peoples.
Role: Champions support and defend a particular cause. There are front line combatants who will work with anyone that doesn't prevent them from pursuing their own cause. Champions can be enthusiastic to zealous with beliefs and the causes they champion.
Hit Die: d10
Starting Gold: 175 gp.
Class Skills
The champion’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Sap (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Table: Champion
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Champion ability, combat feat |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Call or imbue shield |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Many are called, Teamwork feat |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Call upon power |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +2 | +4 | Champion ability |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Combat feat, few are chosen |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Call or imbue weapon |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +3 | +5 | Teamwork feat, zealotry |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Heartening cry (1/day) |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Forcused devotion, champion ability |
| 11th | +11 | +7 | +4 | +7 | Call or imbue shield (negate criticals) |
| 12th | +12 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Combat feat, take on mantle |
| 13th | +13 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Call or imbue weapon (defender) |
| 14th | +14 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Heartening cry (2/day), teamwork feat |
| 15th | +15 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Champion ability |
| 16th | +16 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Avatar’s ability, combat feat |
| 17th | +17 | +10 | +6 | +10 | Unassailable soul |
| 18th | +18 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Call of imbue shield (negate criticals for allies), combat feat |
| 19th | +19 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Avatar, heartening cry (3/day) |
| 20th | +20 | +12 | +7 | +12 | Champion ability, teamwork feat |
Class Features
The following are class features of the champion.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The champion is proficient with weapons (unarmed, simple, martial), armor (all), and shields (all).
Champion Ability: All champions choose a cause to defend and uphold. The champion’s adopted cause dictates the abilities granted her in defending that cause at 1st level and every five levels thereafter.
See the Causes to Champion.
Call or Imbue Shield (Su): A 2nd-level or higher champion can summon a shield appropriate to her size and emblazoned with a symbol related to her cause as a free action. No one can take this shield from her against her will (and she cannot be disarmed). The shield has a +1 enhancement bonus, with an additional +1 enhancement bonus per five champion levels. It lasts for one minute per champion level and can be called in little as one minute intervals.
If the champion already holds a shield in her hand when she uses this ability, she increases the enhancement bonus of the shield by +1 (if no enhancement bonus, the bonus becomes +1) as she imbues it with power. The imbued shield takes on a symbol related to her cause. Unlike a summoned shield, there is no increase of this additional enhancement bonus based on level.
Starting at 11th level, the shield (summoned or imbued) negates 50 percent of the critical hits the champion might suffer. From 18th level on, this critical negation power extends to all the champion’s allies within 10 feet.
Many Are Called (Ex): Once per day, as an immediate action, you can designate a number of allies equal to their Charisma modifer to receive one benefits of Teamwork Feat that they possess for a number of rounds equal to their class level.
Call Upon the Power (Su): The 4th-level and higher champion calls to her chosen cause or devotion, drawing power from its name: “I call upon the power of Gerana!” “By the might of Opal Throne!” or “In the name of the Last True King!” The champion gains a +2 bonus on melee attack rolls, melee damage rolls, thrown weapon damage rolls, and Will saving throws. The champion also gains 2 temporary hit points per Hit Die. These temporary hit points are lost first when a character takes damage, disappear when the duration ends. The champion can call upon the power for up to 1 round per class level. The champion can do this a number of times per day equal 3 + 1/2 his champion level. Calling on this power is a free action.
Few Are Chosen (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, you can add temporary hit points to equal to twice your champion level. These hit points are lost first, and disappear in an hour, in any case.
Call or Imbue Weapon (Su): A 7th-level and higher champion can summon a melee weapon she is proficient with, filled with the power of her chosen cause. No one can take the weapon from her against her will (and she cannot be disarmed). The weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus, with an additional +1 enhancement bonus per five champion levels. It lasts for one minute per champion level and can be called once per day.
If the champion already holds a melee weapon in her hand when using this ability, she increases the weapon’s enhancement bonus of by +1 (if it has no enhancement bonus, it becomes +1) as she imbues it with power. Unlike a summoned weapon, there is no level-based increase of this additional enhancement bonus.
Starting at 13th level, the weapon (summoned or imbued) has the defending weapon special ability.
As a free action, the wielder chooses how to allocate the weapon’s enhancement bonus at the start of her turn before using the weapon. The effect to AC lasts until her next turn. A weapon imbued with the defending ability that already has that ability gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus instead.
Zealotry (Ex): At 8th level, the fervor of devotion can turn the tide against any odds. you can reroll any d20 roll they have made, before the result of the roll is revealed a number time per day equal to their Charisma modifer.
Heartening Cry (Su): At 9th level, as a free action, a champion of at least 9th level gives a battle cry that rallies and inspires her allies. All allies within 30 feet of her gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, and caster checks for 1 round per champion level. Further, all allies within the area under the effects of an unwanted enchantment can make another saving throw against the effect (at the original DC) to throw it off. Effects without saving throws cannot be thrown off in this way. The champion can use this ability once per day at 9th, twice per day at 14th, and three times per day at 19th level.
Focused Devotion: At 10th level, if the champion desires, she can take on a focused devotion—in other words, become the champion of something far more specific than the general concept embodied by her cause. The player should choose either a race, a place, or a person to champion, and this new devotion must not contradict or oppose the principles of her previous cause. A champion can choose to focus her devotion at any time after this level as well.
At this point, the champion takes on the abilities gained through her focused devotion rather than from her normal cause. Thus, a champion of life who becomes a champion of giants gains blessing of the race rather than sign of life. It is worth noting that in the context of the campaign, a champion rarely chooses her focused devotion—rather, she is usually chosen by someone else. For example, an apuri cleric might choose a champion to become a champion of the anpur “in their hour of need,” or a noble lord might choose an individual to become his personal champion, acting as both a guard in times of danger and a representative when he is not present. Sometimes, though, a champion merely receives a vision or an inspired idea to become a champion with a focused devotion. A champion might choose a noble comrade with what appears to be an important destiny and become her champion—through no choice of the comrade (in fact, she might not even know).
See Focused Devotions.
Take on the Mantle (Su): Similar to when the champion uses her ability to call upon the power of her cause, but far greater in might, the 12th-level and higher champion can infuse herself with the power of her cause and take on a whole new form. This new form resembles her normal physical form, but everyone around her intuitively knows she has become transformed. The champion speaks with a new voice of great resonance and authority and stands with greater stature and power. The new form adds a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Charisma, gains DR 10/magic, 4 temporary hit points/level and SR 11 plus her champion level. These powers last for 2 rounds per champion level, and she can use this ability once per day. Taking on the mantle is a free action.
Most champions give a name to the new form (or their reputation earns them one), such as “The Lion of Righteousness” or “The Hound of Darkness.” Others then speak of the new form as a different being: “He has become the Lion of Righteousness.”
Avatar’s Ally (Sp): The 16th-level champion can call upon the power of her cause to manifest as a magical ally to defend her in battle. It is a full-round action to call the ally, which lasts for 1 round per class level, obeying the champion’s mental commands or attacking her enemies (if given no commands). The ally takes on a ghostly, flickering, quasi-amorphous form appropriate to the champion’s cause. It uses Large fire elemental statistics. It also has special modifications and abilities unique to the champion’s cause (see each cause for details). This ability can be used once each day.
Unassailable Soul (Su): Beginning at 17th level, the champion becomes so focused toward her cause or devotion that even magic cannot stand in her way. She gains spell resistance equal to 11 + her champion level all the time.
Avatar (Su): At 19th level and higher, when the champion takes on the mantle of her cause or devotion, the ability score enhancement bonus becomes +8, and the DR 15/magic.
Starting Equipment
Below is a starting equipment packs for the champions.
1. A longsword, a longbow with 20 arrows, a flask of acid, a suit of scale mail, a heavy steel shield, a suit of clothes worth 10gp or less, a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, an iron pot, a mess kit, 50 feet of hemp rope, a bar of soap, five sunrods, seven days of trail ra-tions, and two waterskins. 2gp, 3sp, 9cp/98 lbs.
2. A battleaxe, a shortbow with 20 arrows, a flask of acid, two alchemist’s fire, a suit of scale mail, a heavy steel shield, a suit of clothes worth 10gp or less, a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, an iron pot, a mess kit, 50 feet of hemp rope, a bar of soap, seven days of trail rations, and two waterskins. 3sp, 9cp/96 lbs.