Majesty of Movement
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Celegian Majestic
Majestic is the name taken by one who is a practitioner of the the Art of Majesty in Motion. In the millennia of Celegian history, nearly every style and method of humanoid melee combat has been tried and perfected. The Art of Majesty of Motion is extremely ancient, and the name comes from the Ancient Lelnian the earliest known fighting manuals of this style are written in, but even from that distant time, the Art was established as ancient indeed. Some rumor that the Art is older even than the Empire, and that the nigh mythical Celegio Celestias was skilled in it when he founded the Empire. The truth of these tales is impossible to determine, but the fact remains that the Art is an incredibly potent melee fighting style and one that has many adherents even today, despite the crushing difficulty of qualifying for the training. (Indeed, almost as many Rogues as Fighters opt for this difficult prestige class, as it is almost as easy for either one to qualify.)
The Art is odd in that it teaches that the weapon is the least part of the battle, and the ability to maneuver on the battlefield is the supreme art. Majesty of Motion is an aggressive art, and it is definitely one of the most dangerous to face, as Majestics are able to attack from the most odd and extreme of positions. One of the tenets of the art is to attack from a place where your opponent can neither resist or counterattack. Despite this, the Art is one of nigh-supreme power upon the battlefield.
Watching a Majestic in combat is an astonishing sight. Even in the heaviest armor and wielding the heaviest and most damaging weapons, a practitioner of the Art of Majesty in Motion seems to flow around the combat as if they were made of liquid metal, moving with such smooth surety their speed seems deceptively slow. Add in their extraordinary ability to leap and bound, and their incredible talent in attacking while prone, or while performing a handstand in War Plate, and the way they can move even while grappled, and it is easy to see why more conventional fighters hate to face them. It is difficult to even keep up with them, never mind actually fighting them.
Other combat styles may do more damage or be more powerful, but none is as balanced and capable as the Art.
If there is one style which could be said to be the most dangerous and difficult to face upon the battlefield, Majesty in Motion is it.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: 9 Skills: Tumble 5 ranks, Jump 5 ranks, Balance 3 ranks. Feats: Acrobatic, Agile, Dodge, Mobility, Spring attack, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes
Class Skills:
The Majestic’s skills (and key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
Advancement Table
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special 1st +1 +0 +2 +2 Majesty of Movement +10 2nd +2 +0 +3 +3 Combat Aware 1 3rd +3 +1 +3 +3 Earth's Friend, Majesty ofMovement +15 4th +4 +1 +4 +4 Wrestler's Bane, Combat Aware 2 5th +5 +1 +4 +4 1 Unexpected Strike, Majesty of Movement +20 6th +6 +2 +5 +5 March of Death, Combat Aware 3 7th +7 +2 +5 +5 Comfortable Stance, Majesty of Movement +30 8th +8 +2 +6 +6 Avoid Missiles, Combat Aware 4 9th +9 +3 +6 +6 Smooth Moves 10th +10 +3 +7 +7 2 Unexpected Strikes, Majesty of Movement +40, Combat Aware 5
Class Features:
All the following are class features of the Majestic prestige class: Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Majestics are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, light, medium, and heavy armor, and all shields except Tower Shields. They also receive one Exotic Weapon Proficiency per point of their Intelligence modifier when this Prestige class is first chosen. They may choose to take an Exotic Armor Proficiency instead of any of these. Increasing Intelligence later does not add further Exotic Weapon Proficiencies.
Majesty of Movement(Ex): While in Combat (defined as all times when initiative is being used) you may move in each Combat Round as if your Majesty of Movement bonus was added to your normal movement allowance, as long as you make at least one attack in that round. Your base move does not change, and under no circumstances may you move further than you could if you declared a Run action. In cases where you are wearing very heavy armor and/or are very encumbered, this may limit the distance you can move using this ability. Note that this movement bonus is added directly to your adjusted move after encumbrance and armor. For example, if your base move is thirty and you are wearing Armor that reduces your Movement allowance to 20, you move at 20 at all times until Combat begins. (Effectively, you add this move bonus as soon as you stop being flatfooted.) If your Majesty of Movement number is +20, then you move during combat with a Move of 40, as long as you can Run as fast or faster than 40. Note that allows you to move faster in combat than your armor would normally allow you to, but you cannot move faster in combat than you can Run out of combat.
Combat Aware(Ex): Add or subtract any amount to or from your initiative score, up to one half your Majesty of Motion prestige class level, every round of the encounter. This adjustment has to be declared at the very beginning of each round, but does not alter your base initiative.
Earth’s Friend(Su): The DC of any Tumble or Jump attempts is halved, even out of combat. Even better, you may always choose to take ten on any Jump or Tumble check, even if stress or circumstances would normally prevent it. Many Majestics strive to take the Leap Attack feat, even though it is not part of the base Majestic class skills. As a note, the distance you can jump in combat is limited by the total of your movement with Majesty of Movement bonuses included!
Wrestlers Bane(Su): You no longer suffer any combat penalties from being grappled, and can attack as normal, threaten adjacent squares, etc. This does not stop any damage or special abilities you may suffer for being grappled.
Unexpected Strikes(Ex): When you declare a Full Attack, you may make one additional attack at your full BAB per five full levels of Majestic you have.
March of Death(Ex): You may perform a five foot step between any two attacks, including cleave attempts, attacks of opportunity, or other bonus attacks, up to your maximum movement allowed from your Majesty of Motion, even if you’ve declared a full attack or it is not normally your turn. This means you may take more than one 5 foot step in a single round. Movement gained from this ability DOES count for the “Smooth Moves” bonuses, and Unexpected Strikes also allow 5 foot steps to be taken between them. This ability combined with Great Cleave or Combat Reflexes is astonishing to witness.
Comfortable Stance(Ex): You no longer suffer any penalties for poor fighting conditions, including but not limited to, bad footing, fighting on a slope, fighting while climbing, being prone, and any other environmental or situational modifier. This ability also negates your Armor penalties for Jump or Tumble checks taken during combat, but not outside of combat.
Avoid Missiles(Su): This ability is similar to the Deflect Arrows feat, except that the Majestic simply steps out of the way of the arrow or other missile. This means that they do not need a free hand to perform this ability, and can avoid missiles no matter how large or heavy they are, as long as they have enough movement to get out of the way of the thing (if it is larger than a single hex in size.) They must still be aware of the attack, not flat footed, only once per round, etc. If they also take the Deflect Arrows feat(and the more advanced members of that feat tree), they may use the ability and the feat(s) in the same round.
Smooth Moves(Su): You may add a +1 circumstance bonus to your Armor Class for each ten feet or fraction thereof you move in a given combat round, up to a maximum bonus equal to your class level in Mastery of Movement. (Maximum +10) The movement can come from any source, including but not limited to jumps, charges, five foot steps, and half moves. The bonus to AC from Smooth Moves typically builds up over each round as the Majestic takes 5 foot steps using March of Death and uses attacks of Opportunity. The AC bonus persists until the Majestic next chooses to take their turn.