Savage Tactician

While most tribal civilizations value deeds of strength; scars, and grievous combat injuries as proof of valor, only those cunning enough to survive know that they do not win every battle by charging in heedlessly.

Savage tacticians have learned this lesson the hard way; they are pedagogue barbarians versed in the art of guerrilla warfare, able to change the tide of a battle or hunt with a single word. They usually serve as mentors to the younger warriors, their sheer presence is enough to infuriate, inspire and direct even noncombatants; as such, they are at the origin of numerous legends about tribes so tough, that even the elderly, the infants, and the pregnant women were able to defeat invaders..

Infuriating Spirit (Ex)

At 1st level, a savage tactician learns an additional way to enrage herself.

She adds her Charisma modifier to determine the number of rounds she can rage per day. In addition, whenever a savage tactician rages, she may tap into the primal strength of her allies to improve their combat abilities. As a move action, the savage tactician can shout a war cry, and incite her allies to follow the best course to bring their enemies down. Each willing ally, including the savage tactician, gains half the normal benefits and penalties of rage. The savage tactician can set a limit on the number of allies she desires to affect with Infuriating Spirit. Allies other than the savage tactician can keep raging while unconscious, even if the savage tactician may not. In addition, allies cannot be dropped below 1 hit point by the savage tactician ending infuriating spirit.

At 2nd level, she may provide all allies affected by Infuriating Spirit with a single rage power from the following list: Ferocious Mount, Guarded Life, Guarded Stance, Knockback, Knockdown, Powerful Blow, Quick Reflexes, Rolling Dodge, Roused Anger, Surprise Accuracy, and Swift Foot.

She must possess this rage power to give it to her allies. This choice is made when the barbarian uses her infuriating spirit on her allies.

Allies use their own ability modifiers for the purposes of these rage powers, but they use the savage tactician’s level and base attack bonus for all effects related to them. Allies may only use these while they are raging due to their own rage ability or Infuriating Spirit.

As long as the savage tactician continues the rage as a free action, all allies affected by Infuriating Spirit continue to gain the benefits of the lesser rage, as well as any rage power they were given, unless the power has been spent. Using Infuriating Spirit causes the savage tactician to use one additional round of rage per round for every 2 additional allies affected by Infuriating Spirit. After the savage tactician ends the Infuriating Spirit, each ally that was affected is fatigued for a number of rounds equal to half the number of rounds spent raging, minimum 1. When using her infuriating spirit, the savage tactician and her raging allies can still use Intelligence-, Dexterity-, and Charisma-based skills. At 11th level, using this ability becomes a swift action instead. This is a language-dependent ability. In all other ways, this acts as rage.

The barbarian can still choose to rage without using Infuriating Spirit.

She can, as a free action, choose to end the Infuriating Spirit effect for her allies without ending her own rage.

When she does this, her allies are fatigued as they normally would, but she gains the full bonuses and penalties of rage.

This ability replaces fast movement and the rage powers gained at 6th and 18th level.

Feral Fighting (Ex)

At 2nd level, the savage tactician gains both the Reckless Abandon and Inspire Ferocity rage powers. Whenever two allies affected by Inspire Ferocity are flanking a creature, they gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against the creature they are flanking.

This ability replaces the rage power gained at 2nd level and uncanny dodge.

Ferocious Leader (Ex)

At 4th level, as a standard action, the savage tactician can share combat knowledge with her allies. She can provide all allies within 30 feet with one combat feat of her choice as a bonus feat for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus the savage tactician’s Charisma modifier. The allies must meet the prerequisite(s) for this feat. The savage tactician can use the Ferocious Leader ability once per day at 4th level, plus one additional time per day every 4 levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th, 20th).

This ability replaces the rage powers gained at 10th and 14th levels.

Inspiring Presence (Ex)

At 3rd level, the savage tactician’s rage heartens her allies. When raging, all allies within 30 feet of the savage tactician gain a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. At 6th level and every three levels thereafter (9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th), this bonus increases by +1. Unlike other morale bonuses, this bonus stacks with the morale bonus to Will saving throws that the savage tactician gains from her rage ability. This exception only applies to the savage tactician, and not other barbarians or allies affected by Infuriating Spirit.

This ability replaces trap sense.

Resiliency (Ex)

At 5th level, all allies affected by the savage tactician’s Inspire Ferocity rage power gain DR 2/-. At 9th level, and every 4 levels thereafter (13th, 17th), the damage reduction rises by 1.

This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.

New Rage Power

The savage tactician may select the following rage power

Brutal Tactician (Ex)

Allies affected by the savage tactician’s Ferocious leader class feature may ignore one prerequisite of the feat the savage tactician is granting. This power can be chosen several times. Each time this is chosen, a savage tactician may use ferocious leader class feature one additional time per day.

A barbarian must possess the ferocious leader class feature to take this rage power.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Secrets of Tactical Archetypes © 2012 Steven D. Russell; Authors: Will McCardell and Benjamin Rombeaut

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