Corbies take their name from the carrion birds that follow battles. Like their avian namesakes, corbies follow the winds of war, and can often be seen after a great battle picking over the dead. A corbie is a warrior and an adventurer, often a mercenary. Many come from the ranks of yeomen militia, while others are younger sons of nobles or burghers seeking their fortunes. While not as artful as the fighter, the corbie makes up for it with wordliness and cunning. In the city, corbies are notorious for boisterous drinking, foolery, larceny, and violent altercations. In the field, corbies are reputed for their cowardice and lack of discipline, yet few would take up the life of a wandering swordsman without a daring spirit and more than a little confidence. In fairness, it might be offered that corbies have more than a passing knowledge of sound tactics, having seen both defeat and victory. If their military advice goes unheeded by their masters or employers, it is only natural that a corbie would balk at suicidal commands.

Role: Corbies, like fighters, are veterans of many battles and brawls. Corbies learned their skills not from academies or training camps but in the school of life. They have a practical bent, and often turn their improvisational spirit to the pursuit of coin by subtle means. Often choosing discretion over valor, a corbie's instinct for survival seems almost supernatural at times.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The corbie's class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Corbie

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the corbie.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Corbies are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light and medium armor and all shields (including tower shields).

Luck Favors the Bold (Ex)

Once per day, the corbie can apply a luck bonus equal to half his level (minimum 1) to any skill check, ability check, attack roll, or save.

Honest Day's Work

A corbie gains a +2 bonus on Profession checks. In addition, once per month, he can treat any one Profession check to earn money as a natural 20.

Scrounger

A corbie may add half his level (minimum 1) to Appraise checks as well as to Craft checks made to repair items.

Bonus Feat

Starting at 2nd level and every four levels thereafter, the corbie gains a bonus combat feat.

Surprise Scrape (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, the corbie gains a +1 luck bonus to all saving throws and AC during surprise rounds and when otherwise unaware of an attack. This bonus increases by +1 every four levels to a maximum of +5 at level 19.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, a corbie can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He cannot be caught flatfooted, even if the attacker is invisible. He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A corbie with this ability can still lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against him.

If a corbie already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Trick of the Trade

At 5th level, and every four levels thereafter, the corbie may choose one of the following abilities:

Sneak attack (Ex): The corbie gains +1d6 sneak attack, as a rogue. This trick may be taken more than once.

Clever feint: The corbie gains Improved Feint as a bonus feat.

Combat trick: The corbie gains a bonus combat feat.

Resiliency (Ex): Once per day, a corbie with this ability can gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the corbie's level. Activating this ability is an immediate action that can only be performed when he is brought below 0 hit points. This ability can be used to prevent him from dying. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute. If the corbie's hit points drop below 0 due to the loss of these temporary hit points, he falls unconscious and is dying as normal.

Rogue crawl (Ex): While prone, a corbie with this ability can move at half speed. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. A corbie with this talent can take a 5-foot step while crawling.

Bleeding attack: As the rogue talent.
Prerequisite: sneak attack.

Slow reactions: As the rogue talent.
Prerequiste: sneak attack.

Crippling strike: As the rogue talent.
Prerequisite: sneak attack.

Evasion: The corbie gains evasion, as a ranger. This trick may be taken a second time, gaining improved evasion.

Defensive Roll: As the rogue talent.
Prerequisite: evasion.

Animal friend: The corbie gains an animal companion, as the druid ability nature bond. The corbie's effective druid level for the purposes of this ability is his corbie level -2. Corbies often choose work animals, such as horses, ponies, or dogs.
Prerequisite: Handle Animal 1+ ranks, Survival 1+ ranks.

Opportunist: As the rogue advanced talent.
Prerequisite: Corbie level 9+.

Band of followers: The corbie gains Leadership as a bonus feat.
Prerequisite: Corbie level 9+.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 8th level and higher, a corbie can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the corbie by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has corbie levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Jack of all Trades (Ex)

At 10th level, the corbie can use any skill, even if the skill normall requires him to be trained. At 16th level, the corbie considers all skils to be class skills. At 19th level, the corbie can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed.

Graceful Save (Ex)

A corbie of at least 12th level can reroll any failed saving throw once per day, taking the second result even if it is worse. At 16th level this becomes 2/day, and at 20th, 3/day.

Step Ahead of Death (Su)

At 20th level, the corbie's days may be numbered, but that number is long. Any critical threats made against the corbie can only confirm if the second roll results in a natural 20 on the die. The corbie gains SR 30 against necromancy and death effects. The corbie always stabilizes when dying, and can make a Heal check once per round as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity to halt his own bleeding. If bleeding damage would kill him, whenever he would take bleeding damage he gets a DC 10 Con check to take no damage and end that bleeding condition.