Orc Commander
(Source: Hand of Shadow)
RequirementsRace: Orc. |
|
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal
(Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Shadow), Profession (soldier)
(Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Orc commanders gain no additional proficiencies with either weapons or armor.
Fearsome Authority (Ex): An orc commander must demand ultimate respect and obedience from his minions, and this is often accomplished by making sure that they know who is in charge. At 1st level, orc commanders may add one-half their ranks in the Intimidate skill (round down) to their Leadership scores.
Loyalty (Ex): An orc commander inspires intense loyalty and ferocity from his troops, at least in the midst of battle. At 1st level, the orc commander may select either the inspire confidence or inspire fury abilities as the charismatic channeler abilities of the same name. Once per day per class level, he may use this ability, but they only affect himself, his cohort, and his followers.
| Orc Leadership |
|---|
| Orcish sensibilities, especially in regards to those they choose as their war leaders, differ a great deal from many of the other races. Orc commanders' reputation modifiers for "fairness and generosity" and "cruelty" are swapped, such that a reputation for fairness and generosity inflicts a -2 penalty to a Leadership Score, while a reputation for cruelty provides a +1 bonus. |
At 3rd level and 5th level the orc commander's ability to inspire confidence or fury advances to the next level of that ability, as described in the charismatic channeler description.
Making an Example (Ex): failure is not tolerated in a warband. At 2nd level, orc commanders can single out individuals for special treatment in order to remind the rest of their subordinates that they will not settle for less than success on the battlefield. Special treatment of this kind typically involves summary execution, though flogging, torture, and maiming prior to execution are all acceptable alternatives to a speedy demise.
When an orc commander makes an example of an underling, he must be present for the punishment to be effective. Administering the punishment with his own two hands is preferable, though a cohort can also mete it out at your command. Once the appropriate reprimand has been handed out, all of the orc commander's followers receive a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls, saves, and skill checks for the following week.
Drink of the Dead (Ex): At 3rd level the orc commander learns to use ritual and rote to spur his troops to success in battle. he gathers his minions to him on the eve of a battle and makes an appropriate sacrifice to the dark god in an attempt to gain his favor in the conflict to come. The proper sacrifice is a captured enemy, and the orc commander must personally slay him before drinking deeply of his blood and uttering the proper prayers to the Shadow, a process that takes 10 minutes in its entirety.
By the time the ritual has been completed, the orc commander's troops will be in a state of barely-contained anticipation, itching for a fight. For the next 24 hours, they gain a +2 profane bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Extra Cohort (Ex): At 4th level, the orc commander may attract an additional cohort to his banner. This cohort is of a level appropriate to his Leadership Score. It is common practice for an orcish commander with multiple cohorts serving below him to keep them at odds with one another, so that they are less likely to band together in an attempt to overthrow him later on.
Warchief (Ex): An orc commander of 5th level attains the moniker of warchief. This is the highest accepted rank amongst the orcish legions, and those who climb this high do so upon the corpses of their enemies. The number of followers that a 5th-level orcish commander may attract is doubled.
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Fearsome authority, loyalty |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Making an example |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Drink of the dead, loyalty |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Extra cohort |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +2 | +4 | Loyalty, warchief |