Steel falcons constitute an elite military organization that serves to spread ideological beliefs of their country while protecting its interests both at home and abroad. The steel falcons are the spiritual and physical vanguard, spreading the government’s philosophical ideologies by whatever means necessary, from convincing a foreign noble by giving him inside information, to breaking the chains of the enslaved, to orchestrating widespread rebellion in an unfriendly land.
Class Details
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a steel falcon, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:
Alignment: Any good.
Base Attack Bonus: +2.
Feats: Iron Will.
Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Knowledge (local) 2 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks.
Special: A senior knight must invite the character into the organization.
Class Skills
The steel falcon's class skills (and the key ability for each) are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Table: Steel Falcon
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +1 +0 +0 Enemy of slavers, heart of freedom, sailor and survivalist
2nd +2 +1 +1 +1 Heroic speech, luck of the eagle, superior aid
3rd +3 +2 +1 +1 Natural traps, subtle manipulator
4th +4 +2 +1 +1 Chainbreaker, comrade's bond
5th +5 +3 +2 +2 Avoral blessing, Avoral fury
Class Features
The following are class features of the steel falcon prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Steel falcons gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Heart of Freedom (Ex)
A steel falcon gains a +4 morale bonus to saving throws against charm and compulsion effects and attempts to possess his body or mind.
Enemy of Slavers (Ex)
A steel falcon gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against slavers and slave-owners. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. At level 5, this bonus increases to +4. This is treated as a favored enemy bonus. If the steel falcon has a favored enemy bonus from another class and his target is a slaver as well as a favored enemy of another type, the bonuses do not stack, and he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Sailor and Survivalist (Ex)
A steel falcon adds his level to Profession (sailor) checks and Survival checks to get along in the wild and navigate in the wilderness.
Heroic Speech (Su)
At 2nd level, a steel falcon can inspire his allies with tales of greatness and heroism. This functions like the inspire courage aspect of bardic performances, treating the steel falcon’s class level as his bard level for determining the effect; if the steel falcon is a bard, his class levels stack with his bard levels to determine the effect of this ability and the effect of his inspire courage bard ability. The steel falcon can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to his class level plus his Charisma modifier.
Luck of the Eagle (Ex)
At 2nd level, once per day the steel falcon can re-roll any one d20 roll, but he must take the new roll, even if it is lower.
Superior Aid (Ex)
At 2nd level, when performing the aid another action, the steel falcon grants a +4 bonus on the ally’s attack or to the ally’s Armor Class instead of the normal +2.
Natural Traps (Ex)
As part of their guerilla warfare activities, starting at 3rd level, steel falcons learn how to use the natural environment to create simple traps. They can use the Craft (traps) skill untrained to create any of the following traps in a natural environment: arrow trap (CR 1), camouflaged pit trap (CR 3), camouflaged spiked pit trap (CR 8), falling tree trap (CR 4, as falling block trap but only affecting a 5-foot-by-10-foot area), hail of arrows trap (CR 9), javelin trap (CR 2), pit trap (CR 1), poisoned pit trap (CR 12), or spiked pit trap (CR 2). The GM is the final arbiter of what sort of trap the character can build in a particular environment (a barren desert landscape can support a pit trap but not a falling tree trap, while an overgrown swamp can have a falling tree trap but a pit trap is more difficult). Preparing a trap takes approximately 1 day of work per CR value of the trap, though the GM may rule that certain traps take more or less time depending on the environment, resources available, and number of creatures assisting in the construction.
Subtle Manipulator (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, if the steel falcon spends a full-round action studying a target, he may make a Sense Motive check opposed by the target’s Will save. If the target fails, the steel falcon gains a +5 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks made against that opponent for a number of days equal to his Wisdom modifier. This ability can only be used on any one target once per day.
Chainbreaker (Ex)
At 4th level, a steel falcon’s attacks against bindings, chains, and manacles bypass up to 10 points of harm. This includes weapons with chains (such as flails, nunchaku, and spiked chains), a kyton’s armor and weapons, chain animated by animate objects, and so on. He also gains a +10 bonus on Escape Artist checks to escape manacles or ropes.
Comrade’s Bond (Ex)
At 4th level, a steel falcon’s love of freedom and hatred of slavery is so great that he evokes similar feelings in his companions. As a move action, he can grant his allies half his enemy of slavers bonus against all appropriate targets in sight; the allies must be within 30 feet and able to see or hear him. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the steel falcon’s Charisma bonus (minimum 1). This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies; they use whichever bonus is higher.
Avoral Blessing (Su)
At 5th level, a steel falcon gains the blessing of an avoral patron. He gains a +10 competence bonus to Acrobatics checks to make high or long jumps, a +4 bonus to Perception checks, and the protection of a feather fall effect at all times.
Avoral Fury (Su)
At 5th level, a steel falcon can channel his rage at the injustice in the world, transforming his countenance into a terrifying display of righteous fury, giving him a fear aura with a range of 30 feet. Enemies within this radius are affected by a fear spell (caster level 10, Will DC 15 + the steel falcon’s Charisma bonus). All other creatures in the area (including the steel falcon) are bolstered by the steel falcon’s wrath and may immediately re-roll their saving throws against any charm, compulsion, or possession effects affecting them. The steel falcon can use this ability if he is conscious, even if paralyzed or under the effect of a charm, compulsion, or possession that affects his judgment. He may use this ability once per day.