The world is a large place, where even the smallest of actions can have untold consequences. A hundred stones can build a fortress, a single loose stone can send it crashing down. A thousand blades can protect a king, a single blade can topple a nation. When subtlety of thought and action is necessary, a saboteur answers the call. Masters of deception and infiltration, saboteurs have all of the tools necessary to gain entrance to the most well-defended bastions and complete their mission. With specialized tricks to suit their needs and a variety of magical traps at their disposal, a well-prepared saboteur can accomplish any goal with none the wiser. Role: Saboteurs are masters of trickery and sabotage, bypassing sentries and wards with ease while placing their own magical devices to trap unsuspecting foes. A saboteur’s variety of skills and abilities lets them improvise when needed, but a saboteur that properly prepares can be a truly dangerous combatant. Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d8. Starting Age: Self-taught Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less. Class SkillsThe saboteur’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha). Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the saboteur. Contents
Weapon and Armor ProficiencySaboteurs are proficient with simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, net, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, and with all firearms. They are proficient in light armors, but not with shields. TrapsOne of a saboteur’s most versatile tools are her traps. Unlike most trapsmiths, a saboteur can create complex, magically-enhanced traps with minimal materials, imparting her own arcane power into the trap to make a wide variety of effects. In many ways, saboteur traps behave like spells in trap form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by effects like dispel magic using the saboteur’s level as the caster level.A saboteur can create only a certain number of traps of each level per day. Her base daily allotment of traps
is given on Table: Saboteur. In addition, she receives
bonus traps per day if she has a high Intelligence score,
in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day.
When a saboteur creates a trap, she assembles it with
carefully-constructed gears, wires, and parts, imparting
it with magical power to create wondrous effects. Each
saboteur creates her traps differently; a trap made by
one saboteur cannot be set or detonated remotely by
another person, even another saboteur, though they can
be disarmed via Disable Device like a normal trap. A
trap, once created, remains usable for 1 day before the
parts need to be repaired, so a saboteur must re-prepare
her traps every day. Creating a trap takes 1 minute of
work—most saboteurs prepare many traps at the start
of the day or just before going on an adventure, but it’s
not uncommon for a saboteur to keep some (or even all)
of her daily trap slots open so that she can prepare traps
in the field as needed. Although the saboteur doesn’t actually cast spells, she does have an assembly list that determines what traps
she can create. A saboteur can utilize spell-trigger items
if the spell appears on her assembly list, but not spell-
completion items (unless she uses Use Magic Device
to do so). A trap is “cast” by setting it, as if placing a
mechanical trap—setting a trap is a standard action that
provokes attacks of opportunity, and must be placed in a
square adjacent to the saboteur. A trap fills a single 5-foot
square and cannot be placed in the same area as another
saboteur trap or a magical trap such as a glyph of warding,
and once placed cannot be moved. All saboteur traps are
Type: Magical, Trigger: Location, and Reset: None. Once
a trap is placed, it remains set for 10 minutes per caster
level, after which it falls apart harmlessly. A saboteur
can have a number of traps set equal to her Intelligence
modifier; if she tries to set another trap when at this
maximum, the oldest trap set deactivates harmlessly. When the trap is triggered, the spell comes into effect on the creature that triggered it. If the spell targets one
or more creatures, the trap targets as many creatures
within range of the spell as possible, starting with the
creature that triggered the trap and continuing to the
next nearest creature, using the trap’s location as the
point of origin and the saboteur’s bonuses for attack
rolls. If the spell affects an area, it comes into effect
centered on the trap’s location or originating from the
trap’s space (in the case of spells with a point of origin
like burning hands), aimed to strike as many targets as
possible with the trap’s effect. If a trap’s effect has a
duration of “concentration”, it can only be concentrated
on if the saboteur has line of sight to the trap’s effect; otherwise, it lasts as if “concentrated” on for 1 round per
four saboteur levels obtained (minimum 0). Any extra
abilities the trap has that can be used by concentration
or require action on the saboteur’s part, such as moving
a flaming sphere, cannot be used unless the saboteur can
see the effect and is within its normal range. If the saboteur can see the trap as it triggers, she can designate targets or aim the area of effect of the trap
as desired within the limitations of the spell’s effects,
though the effect still originates from the trap’s space.
Once per round, a saboteur may trigger a saboteur trap
she has set within 30 feet as a move action, triggering
it as if a creature had stepped on it. She may disarm a
saboteur trap within 5 feet of her that she has placed as
a standard action with no Disable Device check needed. The saboteur uses her level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level. Creating traps consumes raw materials, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the placing of that particular trap. Traps cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements (saboteur traps that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement). A saboteur can prepare a trap of any assembly she knows. To learn or use a trap, a saboteur must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the trap’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a saboteur’s trap is 10 + the trap level + the saboteur’s Intelligence modifier. The Difficulty Class of Perception checks to locate a saboteur trap or Disable Device checks to disable a saboteur trap is equal to the trap’s save DC + 10. A saboteur may know any number of assemblies. She stores her assemblies in a special tome called an assembly book. She must refer to this book whenever she prepares a trap but not when she sets it. A saboteur begins play with two 1st level assemblies of her choice, plus a number of additional assemblies equal to her Intelligence modifier. At each new saboteur level, she gains one new assembly of any level that she can create. A saboteur can also add assemblies to her book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs and time requirements. A saboteur can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any assemblies that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from an assembly book. A saboteur does not need to decipher arcane writings before copying them. Marked Target (Ex)Class Specific Feats
The following class specific feats are available to a character who meets the prerequisites. Assassin’s Mark: The saboteur gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls against the marked target. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Charlatan’s Mark: The saboteur gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks against the target and on Bluff and Disguise checks to pass herself as the marked target. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels past 1st. Duelist’s Mark: The saboteur gains a +1 bonus to AC against attacks made by the marked target. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Informant’s Mark: The saboteur gains a +1 bonus on Knowledge, Sense Motive, and Perception checks made against or concerning the marked target. This bonus increases by +1 for every two levels past first. Once she has chosen which type of mark to apply to her target, she cannot change it. The mark lasts until the target dies, the saboteur dismisses the mark (a swift action), or for 24 hours, whichever comes first. She can choose to mark a dead creature (or leave her mark on a creature that dies, rather than having it automatically end); usually this is done to disguise herself as the deceased target with charlatan’s mark or to learn about the target with informant’s mark. Once a target has been marked, it cannot be marked again for 24 hours. The saboteur can only maintain one marked target at a time.Trapfinding (Ex)A saboteur adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to
Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A saboteur
can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. Evasion (Ex)At 2nd level and higher, a saboteur can
avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility.
If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an
attack that normally deals half damage on a successful
save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used
only if the saboteur is wearing light armor or no armor.
A helpless saboteur does not gain the benefit of evasion. Saboteur Trick
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Race | Bonus | Source | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dwarves | Add a +1/2 bonus on Perception checks to notice traps, hidden passages, and secret doors. |
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Elves | The saboteur gains 1/6 of a new saboteur trick. | PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gnomes | Add a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Use Magic Device checks related to glyphs, symbols, scrolls, and other magical writings. |
PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Half-Elves | Gain a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and Diplomacy checks to gain information. |
PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Half-orcs | Gain a +1/3 bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls when attacking a marked target (max +5). This bonus does not stack with the Critical Focus feat. |
PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Halflings | Gain a +1/4 dodge bonus to AC against the target of your Duelist's Mark (max +5). |
PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Humans | Add one trap assembly from the saboteur's list to the character's assembly book. This assembly must be at least one level below the highest-level assembly the saboteur can create. | PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Races | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Aasimar | Add +1/2 to the saboteur’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of one saboteur trick. | PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Drow | Add a +1/2 bonus on Intimidate checks to demoralize and on Bluff checks to pass secret messages. |
PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kobold | Choose acid, cold, electricity, or fire. Add +1/2 point of the chosen energy damage to saboteur traps that deal the chosen energy damage set by the saboteur. |
PI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tiefling | Add +1/4 to weapon damage rolls dealt to marked targets with the outsider type. |
PI |
Archetypes & Alternate Class Features
When a character selects a class, he must choose to use the standard class features found or those listed in one of the archetypes presented here. Each alternate class feature replaces a specific class feature from its parent class. For example, the elemental fist class feature of the monk of the four winds replaces the stunning fist class feature of the monk. When an archetype includes multiple class features, a character must take all of them—often blocking the character from ever gaining certain familiar class features, but replacing them with equally powerful options. All of the other class features found in the core class and not mentioned among the alternate class features remain unchanged and are acquired normally when the character reaches the appropriate level (unless noted otherwise). A character who takes an alternate class feature does not count as having the class feature that was replaced when meeting any requirements or prerequisites.
A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature from the core class as another alternate class feature. For example, a paladin could not be both a hospitaler and an undead scourge since they both modify the smite evil class feature and both replace the aura of justice class feature. A paladin could, however, be both an undead scourge and a warrior of the holy light, since none of their new class features replace the same core class feature.
Archetypes are a quick and easy way to specialize characters of a given class, adding fun and flavorful new abilities to already established adventurers. Characters may take more than one archetype if they meet the requirements.
Saboteurs are always looking for new ways to complete their goals, but their normal abilities may not always be suitable. Some look to create specialized traps to conjure allies or demolish buildings, while others forgo their typical training and instead focus on delving into ancient ruins and civilizations, using their expertise to bypass traps and curses unharmed.
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Archetypes & Other Class Options
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Path of Iron, © 2015, Ascension Games, LLC; Author Christopher Moore