Partisan

Description

Partisans are driven by the strength of their convictions. They are soldiers for a specific cause, and derive power from the constancy and obduracy of their faith in that belief. However, their beliefs are not necessarily religions (though they can be). They are often secular in nature, whether it be a vendetta against slavers, a vision of justice for the lower classes, or a need to discover the most delicious food in all the lands.

Curiously, unlike paladins, partisans can change their ambitions with little impact to their effectiveness. The important thing is that they believe in something strongly enough for it to drive them towards making things better, or, at least, different. Partisans are agents of change, a force of stubborn enthusiasm to change the world to match their own beliefs.

Role: In combat, partisans are just as stubborn, often declaring themselves to be the center of any battle, and bringing the battle to them by force of will. They are remarkably durable, perhaps the equals of fighters in that regard, and often provide significant defenses for nearby allies. Partisans excel at breaking up defensive formations, and keeping enemies bogged down, unable to regroup.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d12

Starting Wealth: 250 gp

Bailiwick Skill: Reason

Natural Talent: At character creation, all characters get natural talent with their bailiwick skill, and one additional skill of their choice. Natural talent allows you to re-map a skill to use any ability score you wish, rather than the ability score it normally uses. You may not select a skill for natural talent that you cannot put ranks into (such as a bailiwick skill not available to your class). Natural talent skills never suffer an armor check penalty, even if the chosen ability modifier is STR or DEX.

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Recommended Ability Score Priority: Wisdom (most class abilities), Strength (offensive power), and Constitution (more hit points to feed their regeneration) are all equally important ability scores for Partisans. Dexterity is only useful if the partisan chooses to wear medium or light armor, and helps with reflex saves. Intelligence is only useful for additional skill points. Charisma is only useful for role-playing purposes, and to assist with social skills.

Table: Partisan

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Superiority (Fast Healing)	Special
1st	+1	2	0	0	4	Calling 1, Intractable Ground (Su, Stance), Superiority (Su)
2nd	+2	3	0	0	5	Forceful Attacks 1 (Ex)
3rd	+3	3	1	1	6	Contentious Opening 1 (Ex)
4th	+4	4	1	1	7	Polemic 1 (Ex)
5th	+5	4	1	1	8	Calling 2, Introspection (Ex)
6th	+6/+1	5	2	2	9	Concordance (Su)
7th	+7/+2	5	2	2	10	Spontaneous Retort 1 (Su)
8th	+8/+3	6	2	2	11	A Very Particular Set of Skills (Ex)
9th	+9/+4	6	3	3	12	Rebuttal 1 (Ex)
10th	+10/+5	7	3	3	13	Polemic 2 (Ex)
11th	+11/+6/+1	7	3	3	14	Contentious Opening 2 (Ex)
12th	+12/+7/+2	8	4	4	15	Forceful Attacks 2 (Ex)
13th	+13/+8/+3	8	4	4	16	Crushing Snub (Su)
14th	+14/+9/+4	9	4	4	17	Spontaneous Retort 2 (Su)
15th	+15/+10/+5	9	5	5	18	Calling 3
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	10	5	5	19	Polemic 3 (Ex)
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	10	5	5	20	Thwart 1 (Su)
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	11	6	6	21	Rebuttal 2 (Ex)
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	11	6	6	22	Contentious Opening 3 (Ex)
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	12	6	6	23	Dismissive Rebuttal 1 (Ex)

Class Abilities

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A partisan is proficient with all simple and martial two-handed weapons. A partisan is proficient with light armor, medium armor, and heavy armor, but no shields. While they can spend feats to gain access to additional weapons, they can never gain proficiency with any light weapons, one-handed weapons, or the great whip. They may also never gain proficiency with any shields.

Many of the partisan's abilities grant the equivalent of inclusive reach, sometimes a great deal of it, without the actual need for a weapon with reach. Players are encouraged to choose a weapon that they find cool or fun (and preferably both). The class features will take care of the rest.

Calling

At 1st level, the partisan chooses one calling to better define their efforts for their cause. The partisan's chosen calling grants them abilities at 1st level, 5th level, 15th level, and 25th level. There are four callings:

• Dissident — The dissident calling is for those partisans who are eager to change the status quo, by steadfast and inexorable force. Dissidents are the toughest of the partisan callings, favoring a stronger defense over a more offensive approach.
• Inquisitor — Inquisitors are perfectly content with the strength of their own convictions. Instead, they spend their time worrying about the strength of others' convictions. In combat, Inquisitors are gifted at weakening their opponents' defenses.
• Samaritan — Samaritans believe their ideas and beliefs are best spread through goodwill and philanthropy (or, if they're not good-aligned, through leverage and knowledge of intimate details). In combat, a Samaritan excels at protecting their allies.
• Zealot — Zealots draw their strength directly from their beliefs, and eagerly proselytize those beliefs to those who can be made to listen. In combat, zealots are powerful and dangerous, dealing more damage than other partisan callings.

Once chosen, a calling provides the class features listed below at the listed partisan class levels. A calling cannot be changed, except through the Character Retraining process.

Calling 1

Dissident — Dogmatic (Ex): If this calling is chosen at 1st level, the partisan can add their WIS modifier to their armor class (including flat-footed and touch AC's). This ability is always on, and requires no actions.

Inquisitor — Stable Beliefs (Ex): If this calling is chosen at 1st level, the partisan adds their WIS modifier to their Reflex saving throws. This ability is always on, and requires no actions.

Samaritan — Conciliation (Su): If this calling is chosen at 1st level, the partisan adds their WIS modifier to their Fast Healing ability. This ability is always on, and requires no actions.

Zealot — Fanaticism (Ex): If this calling is chosen at 1st level, the partisan adds their WIS modifier to the damage of all melee attacks they make. This ability is always on, and requires no actions.

Calling 2

Dissident — Defiance (Su): At 5th level, a partisan with this calling chooses one energy type from the following list: fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic, negative, and positive. As a swift action, the partisan can grant themselves ER versus this chosen energy type equal to their partisan level until the start of their next turn.

• At 10th level, choose a 2nd energy type from the list. Gain ER versus all chosen energy types equal to your partisan level until the start of your next turn.
• At 15th level, choose a 3rd energy type from the list. Gain ER versus all chosen energy types equal to your partisan level until the start of your next turn.
• At 20th level, choose a 4th energy type from the list. Gain ER versus all chosen energy types equal to your partisan level until the start of your next turn.
• At 25th level, choose a 5th energy type from the list. Gain ER versus all chosen energy types equal to your partisan level until the start of your next turn.
• At 30th level, choose a 6th energy type from the list. Gain ER versus all chosen energy types equal to your partisan level until the start of your next turn.
• At 35th level, when activating Defiance, gain ER versus all energy types (ER x/-; does not include Primal) equal to your partisan level until the start of your next turn.

Inquisitor — Questions (Ex): At 5th level, the partisan with this calling can spend a swift action to make a Maneuver Offense check against an enemy within their Intractable Ground aura, versus a DC of that creature's Maneuver Defense. If it equals or exceeds this value, that creature suffers a -2 penalty to all of its saving throws until the start of the partisan's next turn. This is not a condition to which roles, such as heavies or threats, have partial immunity; it affects them as normal.

• At 10th level, Questions can affect up to two different enemies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.
• At 15th level, creatures who are affected by Questions suffer a -3 penalty to all saving throws (instead of -2).
• At 20th level, Questions can affect up to three different enemies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.
• At 25th level, creatures who are affected by Questions suffer a -4 penalty to all saving throws (instead of -3).
• At 30th level, Questions can affect up to four different enemies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.
• At 35th level, Questions can affect all enemies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.

Samaritan — Rehabilitate (Su): At 5th level, the partisan with this calling can spend a swift action to select one ally within their Intractable Ground aura, and make a Heal check versus a Challenging DC for the target ally's level. If the check equals or exceeds the DC, the partisan can reduce any one status condition on that ally by one step.

• At 15th level, Rehabilitate can affect up to two different allies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.
• At 25th level, Rehabilitate can affect up to three different allies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.
• At 35th level, Rehabilitate can affect all allies within the partisan's Intractable Ground aura.

Zealot — Decree (Su): At 5th level, the partisan with this calling can spend a swift action to make a melee attack against one enemy within 20 feet. The zealot's weapon does not require a range or reach to make this attack; instead, the zealot projects their will through the weapon to attack the distant target. If the attack hits, it deals normal damage for their weapon, and the zealot may slide the enemy up to 4 squares. This slide must result in the enemy ending within the zealot's Intractable Ground aura, if possible.

• At 10th level, targets of Decree may be within 25 feet (instead of 20), and if hit, can be slid up to 5 squares (instead of 4).
• At 15th level, targets of Decree may be within 30 feet (instead of 25), and if hit, can be slid up to 6 squares (instead of 5).
• At 20th level, Decree can now target up to two enemies within 30 feet, and if hit, can slide each of them up to 6 squares each.
• At 25th level, targets of Decree may be within 35 feet (instead of 30), and if hit, can be slid up to 7 squares (instead of 6).
• At 30th level, targets of Decree may be within 40 feet (instead of 35), and if hit, can be slid up to 8 squares (instead of 7).
• At 35th level, targets of Decree need only be within the zealot's line of sight (no range limit), and if hit, can be slid up to 10 squares each (instead of 8).

Calling 3

Dissident — Insolence (Su): At 15th level, you can choose one of the energy types you have selected for your Defiance ability. You are permanently immune to any damage caused by this energy type. Once selected, this energy type cannot be changed, except through the Character Retraining rules.

Inquisitor — Piercing Barb (Ex): Beginning at 15th level, the inquisitor may roll twice for a single attack roll they make, up to once per round, and keep the best result.

Samaritan — Fallacy (Ex): Beginning at 15th level, the Samaritan may roll twice for a saving throw, up to once per round, and keep the best result.

Zealot — Lacerating Stone (Su): Beginning at 15th level, all enemies within the radius of the zealot's Intractable Ground aura take damage equal to half the partisan's level (round down) at the start of each of the partisan's turns.

Calling 4

Dissident — Indulgence (Su): Beginning at 25th level, as a swift action, you can grant DR x/- and ER x/- to all allies within the radius of your Intractable Ground aura equal to your Partisan level / 4 (drop fractions). This granted DR and ER lasts until the start of your next turn, even if your allies move out of the radius of your Intractable Ground aura.

Inquisitor — Contempt (Su): Beginning at 25th level, the inquisitor may select one enemy within the radius of their Intractable Ground aura that is suffering from a status condition. The inquisitor may make a Maneuver Offense check against that enemy as a swift action. If the inquisitor's check equals or exceeds that enemy's Maneuver Defense, the inquisitor can increase the severity of the status condition afflicting that enemy by one step (from weak to moderate, or from moderate to strong). If the status condition is already a strong condition, a successful check instead extends the duration of that status condition by 1 round (usually until the start of the inquisitor's next turn).

Samaritan — Sympathy (Su): Beginning at 25th level, as a swift action, you can declare that you are using sympathy on one ally within the radius of your Intractable Ground aura. If your next attack deals damage to an enemy, you heal the selected ally a number of hit points equal to double your WIS modifier. You must make an attack before the start of your next turn, or this ability is wasted.

Zealot — Ambition (Su): Beginning at 25th level, as a swift action, your weapon is treated as having inclusive reach out to 1 square beyond the radius of your Intractable Ground aura until the start of your next turn. This applies to any attacks you make during this time, including attacks of opportunity.

Intractable Ground (Su, Stance)

Beginning at 1st level, the partisan can spend a swift action to enter a stance, activating their Intractable Ground aura, declaring themselves to be the center of the battle. As with other stances, it is a free action to sustain it each round after it has been activated, but it can be disrupted if the partisan is knocked Prone or subjected to any condition which reduces their available actions in a round. If the stance is disrupted, it can be restarted with a new swift action.

Once activated, Intractable Ground creates a 10-foot radius aura around the partisan. This radius may be expanded at the end of any of the partisan's turn, if the partisan has moved no more than 5 feet during their turn (not including any forced movement). The aura provides the following benefits:

• Any enemies within this radius treat all squares within the radius as difficult terrain, regardless of their available movement type, with the exception of teleport.
• The partisan is treated as having inclusive reach out to the edges of the aura's radius, as long as they are wielding a weapon with which they are proficient. This applies to all attacks the partisan makes, including attacks of opportunity.

Quite a few of the partisan's class features can only affect enemies or allies within the radius of this aura, so it is always in the partisan's best interests to maintain and expand the aura as much as possible in any encounter.

Superiority (Su)

Beginning at 1st level, during combat, the partisan gains Fast Healing equal to the amount listed for their level in Table:Partisan. Fast healing allows partisans to recover the listed amount of hit points at the start of each of their turns, prior to any other effects.

Fast healing is considered persistent healing, not instant healing.

If the partisan is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, or they are denied all actions during their turn, their Superiority ability ceases to function, and they must rely on other means of healing in order to recover. As soon as they are restored to at least 1 hit point, or are able to take any actions during their turn, Superiority begins functioning again.

Superiority only functions during combat. As soon as initiative is rolled, it begins, and as soon as combat ends, it ceases. During a surprise round, it functions only if the partisan is able to take any actions during their turn (typically, because they were not surprised).

Forceful Attacks (Ex)

Each time the partisan attacks and successfully hits an enemy creature, they may slide that enemy after the damage from the attack is resolved. This is forced movement, and is completely optional; the partisan may elect not to slide an enemy, if they prefer. They may not save up slides from multiple attacks against the same creature. That is, they must perform the slide before making any other attacks, or the slide is lost.

Forceful Attacks 1

The distance of the slide inflicted on a successfully struck creature is 1 square.

Forceful Attacks 2

The distance of the slide inflicted on a successfully struck creature is 2 squares.

Forceful Attacks 3

The distance of the slide inflicted on a successfully struck creature is 3 squares.

Forceful Attacks 4

The distance of the slide inflicted on a successfully struck creature is 4 squares.

Contentious Opening (Ex)

Beginning at level 3, once per encounter, the partisan can move up to their speed as an immediate action. This does not count as movement for purposes of (potentially) increasing the radius of their Intractable Ground aura. Furthermore, the partisan may use this ability even if they have not yet acted in an encounter, as long as at least one of their allies has already acted. If they use this ability before they would normally be able to act in the encounter, they remain flat-footed after using this ability, until their first turn occurs.

At 11th level, Contentious Opening becomes a charge action which can be resolved as an immediate action. The target of the charge must qualify as a valid target, though the partisan may instead choose to simply move up to their speed (as the level 3 version of this ability) instead, if no target is available. The charge action deals damage as normal, if it hits, and carries all of the other advantages of Contentious Opening as above (doesn't count as movement, can be used early, etc.).

At 19th level, when the partisan uses Contentious Opening as a charge, they may make an attack against all adjacent targets at the terminus of their charge's movement, instead of just one target. The partisan must roll to hit each target, but rolls damage only once, and applies it to each creature that was successfully struck. Contentious Opening may still be used as merely a move action, if no valid charge target is available, and carries all of the other advantages as above (doesn't count as movement, can be used early, etc.).

At 27th level, Contentious Opening continues to target all creatures within 5 feet of the partisan at the terminus of their charge (if used as a charge action), but in addition, if the original charge target is successfully hit by the attack, that creature is also knocked Prone.

At 35th level, Contentious Opening continues to target all creatures within 5 feet of the partisan at the terminus of their charge (if used as a charge action), but in addition, each creature struck by the attack is also knocked Prone.

Epic Partisan

Table: Epic Partisan

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Superiority (Fast Healing)	Special
21st	+21/+16/+11/+6	13	7	7	24	Polemic 4 (Ex)
22nd	+21/+16/+11/+6	13	7	7	25	Forceful Attacks 3 (Ex)
23rd	+22/+17/+12/+7	14	8	8	26	Spontaneous Retort 3 (Su)
24th	+22/+17/+12/+7	14	8	8	27	Buoying Praise (Su)
25th	+23/+18/+13/+8	15	9	9	28	Calling 4
26th	+23/+18/+13/+8	15	9	9	29	Polemic 5 (Ex)
27th	+24/+19/+14/+9	16	10	10	30	Contentious Opening 4 (Ex)
28th	+24/+19/+14/+9	16	10	10	31	Thwart 2 (Su)
29th	+25/+20/+15/+10	17	11	11	32	Dismissive Rebuttal 2 (Ex)
30th	+25/+20/+15/+10	17	11	11	33	Polemic 6 (Ex)
31st	+26/+21/+16/+11	18	12	12	34	Spontaneous Retort 4 (Su)
32nd	+26/+21/+16/+11	18	12	12	35	Forceful Attacks 4 (Ex)
33rd	+27/+22/+17/+12	19	13	13	36	Dramatic Appeal (Su)
34th	+27/+22/+17/+12	19	13	13	37	Polemic 7 (Ex)
35th	+28/+23/+18/+13	20	14	14	38	Contentious Opening 5 (Ex)
36th	Apotheosis!