Credits

Author: Fraser Ronald
Publisher: Sword’s Edge Publishing

Open Game Content

Requirements

To qualify to become a Mercenary, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Skill: Knowledge (tactics) 4, Intimidate 4.
Other: Proficiency with two martial weapons.

Class Information

The following information pertains to the Mercenary advanced class.

Hit Die: 1d10

Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Armor, Bowyer, Firearm, Medicine, Weaponsmith) (Int), Gamble (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography and History, Local, Streetwise, Tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Treat Injury (Wis), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Action Points: A Mercenary character gains a number of action points equal to 6 + one-half the character's level, rounded down, at 1st level and every time the character attains a new level in this class.

Table: Mercenary

Class Features

The following features pertain to the Mercenary advanced class.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Mercenary gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Mercenary must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Brawl, Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy), Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Deft Loader*, Dodge, Endurance, Far Shot, Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus, Heroic Surge, Improved Brawl, Improved Critical, Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Knockout Punch, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Slash, Knockout Punch, Leadership, Manyshot, Marksman*, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Loader*, Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Renown, Shield Proficiency, Steady Aim*, Toughness, Weapon Focus.

Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Mercenary selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the Mercenary qualifies, he or she can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

Company Skills Talent Tree
The Mercenary has worked within a standing, professional army and knows the tactics of massed combat. Just as importantly, the Mercenary is versed in camp life, with its vagaries and variances from regular society.

Scrounge: Leading a life alternating between poverty and plenty, the Mercenary has learned how to find what she needs cheaply. The Mercenary may use this talent in two ways. If the haggling is to be role-played, this talent offers a competence bonus equal to the character's levels in Mercenary to a Gather Information check (against DC10) to locate a merchant who might be willing to deal cheaply.

If the purchase will happen behind the scenes, the Mercenary must make an Intelligence or a Charisma check (player's choice) adding his or her levels as a Mercenary as a competence bonus. Consult the chart below for the discount received.

Trained Band: The Mercenary is well-versed in mass combat. The Mercenary can either apply the initiative bonus of one ally within five feet or offer her initiative bonus to one ally within five feet. The Mercenary must make a successful Reflex save against DC 10 to apply this talent.

Troop Tactics: The Mercenary understands how to fight as part of an effective group. When fighting as part of a cohesive unit, the Mercenary gains +1 competence bonus on both attack and defence rolls

A cohesive unit is one that fights together, against a common enemy and is lead by a single, recognized commander.

Special: If the leader of the unit has the Command Troops talent, the bonuses stack.

Advanced Trained Band: The Mercenary is well-versed in mass combat. The Mercenary can apply the highest initiative bonus of his or her allies within five feet or her own initiative bonus if it is highest. This initiative bonus can be applied to the Mercenary and a number of allies within five feet equal to her levels as a Mercenary. The Mercenary must make a successful Reflex save against DC 10 to apply this talent.

Prerequisite: Trained Band talent.

Command Troops: The Mercenary has mastered the tactics and necessities of organized battle. When leading a cohesive unit, the Mercenary provides a competence bonus to attack rolls or a dodge bonus to Defence (the Mercenary' choice) to all of her allies (not including herself) within sight and voice range of the Mercenary' position. This bonus is equal to the Mercenary' Intelligence modifier (minimum +1), and it lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-quarter her levels as a Mercenary, rounded down, with a minimum of one round.

A cohesive unit is one that fights together, against a common enemy and is lead by a single, recognized commander.

Prerequisite: Charisma 12, Troop Tactics

Melee Talent Tree
The Mercenary has trained for infantry fighting, engaging in close combat with hand-held weapons.

Push of the Pike: When using any reach weapon, the Mercenary is able to restrict the approach of a number of opponents equal to her number of attacks per round. Any successful hit by the Mercenary on the opponent(s) designated at the opening of the round restricts that opponent(s) from approaching any closer than 10 feet.

Reach Defence: The Mercenary has training in fighting with polearms in the second rank of a unit. When using any reach weapon, and fighting defensively, the Mercenary may add her base attack bonus for her levels as a Mercenary to the Defence of any single ally fronting her. This bonus cannot be applied to allies to the sides or rear of the Mercenary. The Mercenary must be fighting defensively and can only offer the Defence bonus to a number of melee attacks equal to or less than the number of Attacks of Opportunity the Mercenary is allowed in a round.

When the Mercenary uses Reach Defence, the Mercenary may not make Attacks of Opportunity.

Advanced Reach Defence: The Mercenary has training in fighting with polearms in the second rank of a unit. When using any reach weapon, and fighting defensively, the Mercenary may add her base attack bonus for her levels as a Mercenary to the Defence of any allies within five feet fronting her. This bonus cannot be applied to allies to the sides or rear of the Mercenary. The Mercenary must be fighting defensively and can only offer the Defence bonus to a number of melee attacks equal to or less than the number of attacks the Mercenary is allowed in a round.

When the Mercenary uses Advanced Reach Defence, the Mercenary may not make Attacks of Opportunity.

Prerequisite: Reach Defence.

Ranged Talent Tree
Rather than trailing the pike, the Mercenary deals death at a distance. The character has trained with some kind of bow, crossbow or firearm.

Double Load^*: The Mercenary may add charge and bullets to increase the effectiveness of her shot. The Mercenary can load one or two extra bullets to any gunpowder weapon other than artillery. The Mercenary must increase the charge used by half. The Mercenary suffers a -2 circumstance bonus to attacks rolls with the double loaded firearm. A successful hit adds one dice of damage. If three bullets are used, the extra damage is equal to one dice+3.

Double loaded weapons have double the chance of misfiring.

Prerequisite: Proficiency in the weapon used.

Indirect Fire: The Mercenary has been trained in the mechanics of indirect fire. When attacking with a bow or crossbow (but not a gunpowder weapon), the Mercenary can choose to take a -2 circumstance penalty to her attack roll and increase the distance per range increment by 25%.

Prerequisite: Proficiency in the weapon used.

Steady Hands: When a Mercenary has spent a round aiming a ranged weapon, she may remove range penalties totaling the character's levels in Mercenary. Therefore, a character with five levels in Mercenary firing at a target within four range increments (which would incur a -6 penalty) only takes a -1 range penalty on her attack roll.

This bonus stacks with any other attack roll bonus.
Prerequisite: Proficiency in the weapon used.

Targeted Strike: When a Mercenary has spent a round aiming a ranged weapon, she may add her levels as Mercenary as a competence bonus to damage. Creatures that are immune to criticals are immune to the damage bonus provided by this talent. This talent stacks with any other damage bonus.

Prerequisite: Steady Hands, Proficiency in the weapon used.

^* NoteThese mechanics can be used in a campaign that includes gunpowder weapons.

The Fantasy d20 Mercenary

Requirements

To qualify to become a Mercenary, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Skill: Intimidate 4, Sense Motive 4.
Other: Proficiency with two martial weapons.

Class Information

The following information pertains to the Mercenary advanced class.

Hit Die: 1d8

Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Fantasy d20 Mercenary

Class Features

The following features pertain to the Mercenary advanced class.

Scrounge: This class feature is the same as the talent above.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Mercenary gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Mercenary must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Brawl, Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy), Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Far Shot, Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus, Improved Critical, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Shield Bash, Leadership, Manyshot, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Shield Proficiency, Toughness, Tower Shield Proficiency, Weapon Focus.

Combat Style: At 3rd level, the Mercenary must decide which style to follow, melee combat or ranged combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the Mercenary chooses melee combat, the character receives the Push of Pike class feature, the same as the talent above.
If the Mercenary chooses ranges combat, the character receives the Indirect Fire class feature, the same as the talent above.

Trained Band: This class feature is the same as the talent above.

Improved Combat Style: At 7th level, the Mercenary's specific combat style improves.
If the Mercenary selected melee combat at 3rd level, the character now receives the Reach Defense class feature, the same as the talent above.

If the Mercenary selected ranged combat at 3rd level, the character now receives the Steady Hands class feature, the same as the talent above.

Troop Tactics: This class feature is the same as the talent above.

Advanced Combat Style: The Mercenary has become even more capable at the combat style chosen at 3rd level.
If the Mercenary selected melee combat at 3rd level, the character now receives the Advanced Reach Defense class feature, the same as the talent above.

If the Mercenary selected ranged combat at 3rd level, the character now receives the Targeted Strikes class feature, the same as the talent above.

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15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
Modern Principles Copyright 2006 Sword’s Edge Publishing; Author Fraser Ronald
Gunpowder Plots Copyright 2006 Sword’s Edge Publishing; Author Fraser Ronald
The Mercenary Advanced Class Copyright 2006 Sword’s Edge Publishing; Author Fraser Ronald
The Mercenary Advanced Class OGC Copyright 2006 Sword’s Edge Publishing; Author Fraser Ronald

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