BUGBEAR SERGEANT "Sneaking up on people and stabbing them is the high part of my night." Bugbear Sergeants are team leaders of mercenary assassins who sneak into enemy camps and kill targets. Any targets, they aren't picky as long as they're paid promptly, and have a chance at killing what they're supposed to. They aren't as stupid as Bugbears are supposed to be.
BECOMING A SERGEANT Generally you just have to be a Bugbear and go through the necessary training. Which means you'll need a few levels of Marshall.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Race: Bugbear
Marshall Auras: Motivate Dexterity
Sneak Attack: +2d6
Skills: Bluff 6 ranks, Hide 6 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks, Move Silently 6 ranks
Feats: Leadership
Class Skills The Sergeant's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Local, War)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis)
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Hit Dice: d6
[b] BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities[/b]
1. +0 +0 +2 +2 +1d6 Sneak Attack, Auras
2. +1 +0 +3 +3 Special Aura
3. +2 +1 +3 +3 Bonus Feat
4. +3 +1 +4 +4 +1d6 Sneak Attack
5. +3 +1 +4 +4 Special Aura
6. +4 +2 +5 +5 Bonus Feat
7. +5 +2 +5 +5 +1d6 Sneak Attack
8. +6 +2 +6 +6 Special Aura
9. +6 +3 +6 +6 Bonus Feat
10.+7 +3 +7 +7 Master Sergeant
Weapon Proficiencies: A Sergeant gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Sneak Attack (Ex): At Levels 1, 4, and 7 the Bugbear Sergeant gains an additional die of Sneak Attack damage (see PHB page 50). This stacks with Sneak Attack dice gained from other sources.
Auras: Your Bugbear Sergeant and Marshall Levels stack for purposes of determining how many Major and Minor Auras he knows.
Special Aura (Su): At Levels 2,5, and 8 you gain an Aura unique to the Bugbear Sergeants from the following list:
Aura of Ambushing (Prerequisites: Sneak Attack +2d6): All Allies within range gain +1d6 Sneak Attack (see PHB page 50), and this stacks with Sneak Attack gained from other sources. This may be taken multiple times. For example if taken at levels 2 and 5 this grants +2d6 Sneak Attack.
Aura of Evasion (Prerequisites: Evasion): All Allies within range gain the Evasion Ability (see PHB pg 50), or Improved Evasion if they already have Evasion.
Aura of Dodging (Prerequisite: Uncanny Dodge): All Allies within range gain the Uncanny Dodge Ability (see PHB pg 50), or Improved Uncanny Dodge if they already have Evasion.
Aura of Fear (Prerequisite: Intimidate 8 ranks): Allies gain Frightful Presence. Whenever they Flank or successfully Sneak Attack or confirm a Critical hit on an opponent whose Hit Dice is equal to or less than theirs the opponent must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Charisma Modifier) or be Shaken for the rest of the encounter.
Aura of Speed (Prerequisite: Grant Move Action 1/day): All Allies within range can Feint in combat as a Swift Action.
Motivate Stealth: Bonus on Hide and Move Silently Checks (Bonus is same as Major Aura).
Bonus Feat: At Levels 3, 6, and 9 you get a Bonus Feat from the Following List: Additional Major Aura, Additional Minor Aura, Additional Move Action, Battlefield Commander, Enhanced Major Aura, Enhanced Minor Aura, Enhanced Move Action, Multiple Major Auras, Multiple Minor Auras, Persistent Aura, Squad Commander, Stacking Auras, Supernatural Aura.
Master Sergeant (Su): All opponents withing 10' of you are considered Flat-Footed if they fail a Willpower Save (DCis 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Charisma Modifier).
PLAYING A SERGEANT You are a leader of...well not men. Males to be certain, but men implies humans, and you've always thought of them as small and weak. A mongrel race. You enjoy killing them in the night. Even if Maglubiyet and Hruggek didn't order it you'd probably do it anyway. Granted you don't get you hands dirty so often, but you're always present when it's done.
Combat: The Bugbears under your command sneak in with you nearby giving them support. The goal is to get in, cut people in their sleep, and get out. You don't do stand up toe to toe fighting. Not unless you have to. Guerrilla fighting is more your style.
Advancement: For most Sergeants advancement depends on the mercenaries under their command, as they tend to tailor their auras to make best use of what they have.
Resources: Sergeants tend to be paid pretty decently, but between jobs your resources are limited to what you can steal.
SERGEANTS IN THE WORLD "Gentleman...we appear to have a problem." Sergeants don't like for their face to be seen or known. Proxies do their dealing for them so they never meet clients face to face. They actually take an interest in killing anyone who does. It's the mark of a professional they say.
Daily Life: Your time is spent planning missions, or angling for clients for new missions, or taking out rivals. The usual for a minor criminal figure. Or not so minor if you're lucky.
Notables:
Organizations: Sergeants belong to small mercenary bands of thieves and assassins. Sometimes they may be employed by a larger organization if they do well, but this is rare as people tend not to like them or trust them.
NPC Reaction NPC's probably don't know you exist, and if they do it means they're marked for death. So it's probably best to say they don't exactly like you.
SERGEANTS IN THE GAME This class assumes the Sergeant is a leader of a band of killers. He really won't be satisfied with anything else which may cause conflict.
Adaptation: This is probably best for serious campaigns, but in theory it could be adopted to humor easily enough. Think of a Bugbear Moriarty.
Encounters: Sergeants are only encountered during a mission. Beyond that they stay out of sight.
Sample Encounter EL 13: The PC's are hired by a suspicious but famous Elven merchant woman who claims Bugbear Assassins want her dead.
NameCE Male Bugbear Marshall 2/Rogue 3/Bugbear Sergeant 4
Init +2,
Senses: Listen +13, Spot +13, Dark Vision 60'
Languages Common, Goblin, Orc
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AC , touch , flat-footed (+2 Dex, +3 Natural)
hp (12 HD)
Fort +7,
Ref +12,
Will +12
Evasion
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Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee Base Atk +8,
Grp +9
Atk Options Sneak Attack +2d6
Combat Gear-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16
SQ Trapfinding, Trap Sense +1, Minor Auras (Master of Opportunity, Master of Tactics, Motivate Dexterity), Major Auras (Motivate Ardor, Motivate Attack)
Feats , Skill Focus: Diplomacy (B)
Skills Bluff +13, Climb +8, Diplomacy +12, Gather Information +10, Jump +8, Hide +13, Intimidate +13, Listen +13, Move Silently +13, Search +12, Sense Motive +13, Spot +13
PossessionsEPIC SERGEANT Hit Die: d6
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Auras You get an additional Minor Aura at Level 21 and every 3 Levels thereafter.
Sneak Attack You gain an additional +1d6 Sneak Attack at Level 22 and every 4 Levels thereafter.
Bonus Feats: The Epic Sergeant gains a Bonus Feat every 4 levels higher than 20th
Squad Commander Prerequisites: Must know at least 1 Major Aura
Benefits: The range of your Aura increases from 60' to 90'.
Battlefield Commander Prerequisites: Squad Commander, 6th Level
Benefits: The range of your Aura increases from 90' to 120'.
Additional Minor Aura Prerequisites: Must know at least 2 Minor Auras
Benefits: You get to choose one additional Minor Aura.
Additional Major Aura Prerequisites: Must know at least 2 Major Auras
Benefits: You get to choose one additional Major Aura.
Enhanced Major Aura Prerequisites: Must know at least 1 Major Aura
Benefits: The Bonus provided by one of your Major Auras is equal to your Charisma Modifier or it's regular Bonus (whichever is higher). This may be taken multiple times, choose a different Aura each time.
Enhanced Minor Aura Prerequisites: Must know at least 1 Minor Aura
Benefits: This may be chosen multiple times, choose a different Minor Aura each time. That Aura's Bonus is +2 higher than normal.
Additional Move Action Prerequisites: Grant Move Action class ability
Benefits: You can grant one additional Move Action per day.
Enhanced Move Action Prerequisites: Additional Move Action
Benefits: As well as Move Actions your Class Ability may now also be used to grant extra Swift or Immediate Actions.
Multiple Minor Auras Prerequisites: Must know at least 3 Minor Auras
Benefits: You may now project up to 2 Minor Auras at once, and projecting an Aura is a Free Action.
Multiple Major Auras Prerequisites: Must know at least 3 Major Auras
Benefits: You may now project up to 2 Major Auras at once, and projecting an Aura is a Free Action.
Persistent Aura Prerequisites: Supernatural Aura
Benefits: Your Allies get the benefit of your Auras even if you are Dazed, Unconscious, Stunned, or Paralyzed.
Stacking Auras Prerequisites: Must know at least 6 Minor Auras.
Benefits: The Circumstance Bonuses from your different Auras stack now.
Supernatural Aura Prerequisites: Must be able to cast spells/manifest psionics or have a Spell-Like or Supernatural Ability, Level 6
Benefits: Your Allies to not need to speak your language or understand you or even be intelligent to gain the benefit of the Auras you project. They can even be Mindless, and do not need to hear you. If you choose to use your Auras in this manner they become Supernatural Abilities.