Steelfist Commando

Many warlords make their way on the battlefield with mighty massive blade or paired axes, but some find that their own bodies are weapon enough, and find themselves useful for missions of stealth and espionage. Through extensive training, these steelfist commandos are known to be leaders of tactical operative groups and capable of using their natural talents instead of relying on heavy or expensive weapons and armor. They are able to often slip in undetected past their foes.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Steelfist commandos are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with monk weapons, and they are proficient with light armor. Steelfist commandos are not proficient with shields.

This ability replaces the warlord’s standard weapon and armor proficiencies.

Maneuvers

The steelfist commando loses access to Primal Fury and Scarlet Throne, and gains access to the Broken Blade and Steel Serpent disciplines; Bluff, Heal, and Stealth are now class skills. Instead of adding either Piercing Thunder or Tempest Gale to his list of available disciplines, a steelfist commando adds Riven Hourglass. If he does not have a discipline’s associated skill as a class skill, he gains it as a class skill.

This alters the warlord’s maneuvers.

Bonus Feat

A steelfist commando can select rogue talents in place of his warlord bonus feats. Starting at 14th level, he can also select advanced rogue talents.

This ability alters bonus feats, but does not cause the steelfist commando archetype to be incompatible with other archetypes that alter the bonus feats class feature.

Unarmed Combat (Ex)

At 1st level, the steelfist commando learns to use his body as the best weapon he can bring to any confrontation, He gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. At 3rd level, he gains Greater Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A steelfist commando’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level.

Dodge Bonus (Ex)

At 2nd level, the steelfist commando is especially capable of avoiding attacks and gains a +1 dodge bonus to his Armor Class. This improves by +1 at 6th level and every four levels after (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level).

Commando Prowess (Ex)

At 5th level, the prowess of the steelfist commando expresses itself in his mastery of the unarmed arts as well as in stealth. While in a martial stance, he adds a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls, and +2 competence bonus to his CMB and CMD. This improves by +1 for attack and damage rolls and +2 to CMB and CMD at 12th level and again at 19th level. Additionally, while in a martial stance, he may add his warlord initiation modifier to Stealth rolls.

This ability replaces the battle prowess class feature.

Powerful Pugilist (Ex)

At 8th level, the steelfist commando’s skill allows him to better utilize his unarmed strikes to their fullest potential. When using his unarmed strike, he is considered one size category larger when determining his unarmed strike damage and when determining his CMB and CMD. If his target is flat-footed, he inflicts an additional 2d6 points of damage against his foe; this is precision damage and if a target would be immune to sneak attack, they are immune to this effect.

This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 10th level.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Path of War, © 2014, Dreamscarred Press.

Path of War – Expanded, © 2016, Dreamscarred Press.

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