SCARSWORD "Gaining power requires one to suffer great personal loss. And what is power but the ability to inflict great personal loss." The Scarswords are Greatsword wielding elite troops of the Orog military. They have stolen the secrets of the Duskblades from the elves, and have learned to combine it with their own magical scarification rituals that allow them to tap the power of the Faerzress.
BECOMING A SCARSWORD Orog's born with the prerequisite signs (i.e. the Scarred Feat) are trained the moment they are able to walk as Duskblades. Once they can withstand the rituals necessary for this class they are inducted if they have the right attitude, or killed if they do not.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Race: Orog
BAB: +6
Class Features: Armored Mage, must be able to cast Arcane spells
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana, Dungeoneering) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks
Feats: Burning Scars, Scarred
Class Skills The Scarsword's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcane, Dungeoneering, Geography, War)(Int), Ride (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int)
Skills Points at Each Level : 2 + int
Hit Dice: d8
[b] BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities[/b]
1. +1 +2 +0 +2 Tap Faerzress, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
2. +2 +3 +0 +3 Armored Mage (Heavy), +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
3. +3 +3 +1 +3 Quick Cast 1/day, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
4. +4 +4 +1 +4 Tap Faerzress, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
5. +5 +4 +1 +4 Improved Armored Mage, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
6. +6 +5 +2 +5 Quick Cast 2/day, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
7. +7 +5 +2 +5 Tap Faerzress, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
8. +8 +6 +2 +6 Improved Armored Mage, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
9. +9 +6 +3 +6 Quick Cast 3/day, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
10.+10 +7 +3 +7 Power Has It's Price, +1 level of Arcane Casting Class
Weapon Proficiencies: A Scarsword gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Tap Faerzress (Su): Beginning at 1st level you have learned to use magical rituals to infuse Faerzress into your scars and store it there. While in the presence of Faerzress you can store one charge per Scarsword Level for 24 hours at 1st level, for 1 week at 4th level, and for 1 month at 7th level. While the Faerzress radiation is stored within your body you gain the following effects:
At 1st level you are immune to Teleportation effects, whether they are beneficial or not. They simply don't work on you. You also gain a +4 Enhancement Bonus to Will Saves against spells from the Divination school, and any powers or abilities that mimic their effects.
At 4th level you gain a Deflection Bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence Modifier.
At 7th level you gain an untyped Bonus to your attack and damage rolls equal to your Intelligence Modifier.
Each day you spend away from a Faerzress infused area you lose one 'charge' you are carrying per day. You may also expend charges as a Swift Action to achieve certain effects and enhance your Duskblade abilities as follows:
Expend 1 Charge to increase the Bonus you get from your Spell Power ability by +2 (you may expend multiple charges and they stack) for the duration of the encounter.
Expend 1 charge to increase the Save DC of Duskblade spells you cast by +2 for the duration of the encounter.
Expend 1 charge to increase the Caster Level of Duskblade spells you cast by +2 for the duration of the encounter.
At 7th level you can expend 1 charge to gain the Arcane Channeling (Full Attack) ability for the rest of the encounter (this is identical to teh Duskblade ability in the PHB II).
Armored Mage (Heavy)(Ex): At second level you can cast Duskblade spells in Heavy Armor with no chance of Arcane Spell Failure.
Improved Armored Mage (Su): At 5th level wearing Armor does not reduce your speed. At 8th level you may reduce your Armors Check Penalty by an amount equal to your Int Modifier (i.e. if your Armor Check Penalty is -3, and your Int modifier is +3, your Armor Check Penalty is now +0).
Quick Cast: This is identical to the Duskblade ability listed on page 20 of PHB 2, and it stacks with it (i.e. a Duskblade 6/Scarsword 8 can use Quick Cast 3/day).
Power Has It's Price (Su): At 10th level your constant exposure to the Faerzress has mutated and warped you into an abomination. Your Type becomes Aberration (do not recalculate HD/Saves/BAB etc). You gain DR 5/- and Fast Healing equal to your Intelligence Modifier while infused with Faerzress.
PLAYING A SCARSWORD Some people think you are an elite military unit (yourself among them). Other wonder if you're a delusionary madman meddling with forces best left alone. The longer you are exposed to the Faerzress the more likely people will conform to the latter opinion.
Combat: Most Scarswords tend to specialize in greatswords, which isn't uncommon among the Orog species. They also tend to wear much heavier armor than most Duskblades. This makes many opponents underestimate them as simply ugly and intimidating heavy infantry. Boy are they in fro a surprise.
Advancement: Being in the military their advancement is largely up to an individual Scarswords superior officer. Of course if they wash out or get thrown out (which is rare considering the time and effort invested in them) they're free to make their own decisions.
Resources: As a member of the military you have access to their resources on missions for them, if they believe you need it.
SCARSWORDS IN THE WORLD "That is the ugliest Orc I have ever seen..." Scarswords are pretty much reviled like any other Orc warrior. Quite the contrast to the heroes welcome they usually get at home. Given their power many tend to make their displeasure at anything less than full blown fan worship known quite painfully.
Daily Life: Your days consist of intensive training unless you're on a mission of some sort.
Notables: Kusur Yetki (LE Male Orog Duskblade 6/Scarsword 6) has recently been placed in charge of his own military group and is eager to prove himself.
Organizations: The Scarswords are their own organization within the military, similar to the way the U.S. Army Rangers are within the Army. Membership is limited, and one must prove himself and have the necessary abilities to get in.
NPC Reaction NPC's are terrified of you. Not only are you the typical genocidal Orcish monster, but you can call up Arcane power. Not a good combination for the local humanoid peasant villages you'll be raiding.
SCARSWORDS IN THE GAME The Scarswords are a military PrC, so unless the group are all Orog military the DM or player will have to think about how to explain his presence in the group.
Adaptation: This PrC assumes the Orogs are a fairly powerful military presence in the world, and is probably also best suited for more serious campaigns.
Encounters: Scarswords are usually encountered in large scale military operations by the Orogs.
Sample Encounter EL 14: The PC's have been hired to spy on the Orogs, as rumors have surfaced of a new type of military unit. They have been given disguises that will let them appear to be Orcs. You just know this is gonna go wrong somehow...
Kusur YetkiLE Male Orog Duskblade 6/Scarsword 6
Init +4,
Senses: Listen -1, Spot -1, Dark Vision 120', Light Blindness
Languages Common, Orc, Undercommon, Goblin, Giant
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AC , touch , flat-footed (+2 Natural, )
AC w/Faerzress , touch , flat-footed (+3 Deflection, +2 Natural)
hp 78 (12 HD)
Fort +12,
Ref +4,
Will +11
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Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee Base Atk +12,
Grp +17
Atk Options Quick Cast 3/day
Combat GearSpells Per Day 0: 6 (DC 13) Acid Splash, Touch of Fatigue
1st: 8 (DC 14) Chill Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement, Resist Energy, Shocking Grasp, True Strike
2nd: 8 (DC 15) Dimension Hop, Ghoul Touch, See Invisibility, Swift Invisibility
3rd: 6 (DC 16) Dispelling Touch, Ray of Exhaustion, Regroup, Vampiric Touch
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Abilities Str 20, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 9, Cha 10
SQ Energy Resistance 5 (Cold, Fire), Orc Blood, Armored Mage (Light, Medium, Heavy), Improved Armored Mage, Arcane Attunement, Arcane Channeling, Spell Power +2, Tap Faerzress (lasts 1 week, Immune to teleport, +4 on Saves vs Divination, +3 Deflection Bonus to AC)
Feats Burning Scars, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Scarred, Combat Casting (B)
Skills Climb +13, Concentration +10, Craft (Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing) +9, Intimidate +8, Jump +13, Knowledge (Arcana, Dungeoneering, War) +11, Spellcraft +13
PossessionsEPIC SCARSWORD Hit Die: d8
Skills Points at Each Level : 2 + int
Quick Cast The Scarsword gains an additional daily use of Quick Cast at Level 23 and every 3 levels thereafter.
Spells You caster level continues to improve with Epic Levels, but you do not gain additional spells per day or learn new spells.
Bonus Feats: The Epic Scarsword gains a Bonus Feat every 3 levels higher than 20th
Meirihjorr StyleYou prefer to use the Greatsword as your weapon of choice. This particular style is usually limited to Orog swordmages.
Prerequisites: BAB +4, Arcane Strike, Martial Weapon Proficiency (Greatsword)
Benefits: When using your Arcane Strike Feat with a Greatsword, you get an extra 1d6 damage times the level of the spell lost instead of 1d4.
Advanced Meirihjorr Styledes
Prerequisites: BAB +12, Meirihjorr Style, Battlecaster Offense, Combat Casting
Benefits: If you damage an opponent in the same round with a Greatsword and a Spell (by using Arcane Channeling for example), your opponent doesn't receive the benefit of Spell Resistance against the next spell you cast against him on the following round.
Meirihjorr Masterydes
Prerequisites: BAB +24, Advanced Meirihjorr Style, Battlecaster Defense, Improved Critical (Greatsword)
Benefits: If you successfully critical against an opponent while using a Greatsword and your Arcane Strike Feat, do an additional amount of d6 damage dice equal to your Hit Dice.