Marksman Combat Styles

Presented below are several ranged combat styles available for marksmen to choose. More combat style options may be available at your GM’s discretion.

Finesse Style

Finesse marksmen learn special techniques with ranged attacks that otherwise would find too difficult to perform. A finesse Marksman is capable of knocking the weapon out of an opponent’s hand with the flick of the wrist, or pinning a target to a door without drawing blood.

Style Technique

Once a Marksman has reached 2nd level, she may expend her psionic focus while making a ranged attack to use one of the following combat maneuvers as a ranged attack: bull rush, dirty trick, disarm, sunder, or trip. The Marksman may use either her Strength or Dexterity modifier when determining her CMB for this attack. The ranged attack deals no damage and provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.

Style Skill

At 3rd level, a finesse Marksman gains a +1 bonus to Intimidate. This bonus increases by 1 every three Marksman levels thereafter.

Style Mantra

Beginning at 3rd level, as long as a finesse Marksman maintains psionic focus, she gains a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls made when she makes a ranged attack. At 7th level and every four Marksman levels thereafter, this competence bonus increases by 1.

Dazzling Assault (Su)

A finesse Marksman of 4th level is capable of charging her ranged or thrown weapon attacks with psychokinetic energy that gives off a brilliant burst of light on a successful hit. When this ability is activated, all of the Marksman’s ranged or thrown weapon attacks for the round that successfully hit their target dazzle the target for one round. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier.

Instill Awe (Su)

A finesse Marksman of at least 8th level is able to make an opponent think twice before engaging in combat. As a standard action and as long as she maintains psionic focus, the finesse Marksman can make a ranged attack at a target. If the attack is successful, the attack deals no damage, but the target is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier. A successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + half Marksman level + Marksman’s Wisdom modifier) reduces the duration to one round. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Teleporting Attack (Su)

Upon achieving 12th level, a finesse Marksman is capable of teleporting his ranged or thrown attacks to hit enemies from unexpected angles. By expending psionic focus as part of a ranged or thrown attack, the target is considered flat-footed for the attack. Should your target have Uncanny Dodge or improved uncanny dodge, treat your Marksman level as your rogue level to determine if the target is treated as flat-footed.

Stunning Display (Su)

At 16th level, a finesse Marksman is capable of putting on a truly captivating display of ranged combat mastery with her ranged or thrown weapons. As a standard action, all creatures within 30 ft. of the Marksman are fascinated for a number of rounds equal to the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier unless they make a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + half Marksman level + Marksman’s Wisdom modifier). If something ends the effect prematurely, the creature is instead stunned for one round.

This ability does not affect mindless creatures. This ability may be used once every 10 minutes.

Master Technique

Upon reaching 20th level, the finesse Marksman gains the master technique Oubliette of Knives.

Oubliette of Knives: As a standard action, you can make a ranged attack with a ranged or thrown weapon, and redirect the attack at another target after every successful strike. Each additional attack made in this fashion uses your full base attack bonus. You may attack the same target multiple times with this technique, but only if another target is successfully attacked between strikes, and each individidual target may only be struck by a single use of oubliette of knives equal to your Wisdom modifier. All distance traveled by the thrown weapon or projectile counts against range increments.

For example, Bob the finesse Marksman has a Wisdom of 20 and uses Oubliette of Knives to attack an orc at his full attack bonus. The attack is successful, so Bob redirects the attack to a nearby goblin. This second attack is successful, so Bob redirects the attack back to the orc, repeating this process until an attack fails, the weapon has gone its total range, or each target has been struck five times each.

Style Feats

Disrupting Shot*, Shot on the Run, Throw Anything

Sniper Style

Marksmen of this style focus on taking a single shot and making the most of it. These are the marksmen who will use a single attack to change the entire course of the battle by eliminating the enemy’s leader. Sometimes nicknamed assassins, these marksmen are not cruel, they simply find elegance in a single perfect shot placed at just the right point.

Style Technique

Once a Marksman has reached 2nd level, she may expend her psionic focus while making a single ranged attack to add her Wisdom modifier to the damage the attack deals. This ability may not be used as part of a full attack.

Style Skill

At 3rd level, a sniper Marksman gains a +1 bonus to Stealth. This bonus increases by 1 every three Marksman levels thereafter.

Style Mantra

Beginning at 3rd level, as long as a sniper Marksman maintains psionic focus, she gains a +2 competence bonus on damage rolls for attacks made with a ranged or thrown weapon. At 7th level and every four Marksman levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1.

Second Chance (Su)

A sniper Marksman of 4th level may expend her psionic focus when a ranged attack she has made misses to reroll the attack. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier.

Augmented Shot (Su)

Unstoppable Force (Ex)

Upon achieving 12th level, if a sniper Marksman’s ranged attack would deal enough damage to a target to kill the target or knock it unconscious, the Marksman may choose to have the bolt continue on a straight line through the target’s location until it hits another target, at which point the Marksman makes a second attack roll at the same bonus as the previous attack -4. If this attack roll is successful, the target takes damage as if struck by the attack (although bonus damage that would not be multiplied on a critical hit only applies to the first target). This process repeats until a target is not killed or knocked unconscious, an attack roll misses, or the attack reaches its maximum range.

Critical Master (Ex)

Once a sniper Marksman has reached 16th level, her critical threat range with her favored weapons are doubled, and she gains a competence bonus equal to her Wisdom modifier on rolls to confirm critical hits. This ability does not stack with the Improved Critical feat or keen weapons; instead, the critical threat range is only increased by 1.

Master Technique

Upon reaching 20th level, the sniper Marksman gains the master technique Through the Eye of the Needle.

Through the Eye of the Needle: As a standard action, you carefully focus your shot on your enemy and make a single ranged attack against that enemy. If your attack is successful, the target takes an additional 5d6 points of damage and gains one of the following penalties, your choice, until they are fully healed (at full hit points):

• Ability damage equal to your Wisdom modifier to any one stat.
• -4 to all attacks and damage rolls
• Blinded
• Deafened
• Staggered
• Shaken and slowed

A successful Fortitude save (DC 20 + the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier) negates the chosen penalty, but does not negate the damage taken.

Style Feats

Greater Vital Strike, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Vital Strike, Pinpoint Targeting, Vital Strike

Volley Style

Volley marksmen are all about sending out as many projectiles as possible. These marksmen are great at hitting multiple targets, turning an opponent into a pincushion, or drawing a bow with such rapid rate of fire as to seem faster than the eye can see.

Style Technique

Once a Marksman has reached 2nd level, she may expend her psionic focus while making a full attack with a ranged or thrown weapon to gain one additional attack. This extra attack does not stack with other effects that grant additional attacks such as haste, physical acceleration, or the speed weapon special ability. Beginning at 15th level, this technique does stack with additional attacks such as those from haste, physical acceleration, or the speed weapon special ability.

Style Skill

At 3rd level, a volley Marksman gains a +1 bonus to Perception. This bonus increases by 1 every three Marksman levels thereafter.

Style Mantra

Beginning at 3rd level, as long as a volley Marksman maintains psionic focus, she gains a +1 competence bonus to her Initiative and Reflex saves. At 7th level and every four Marksman levels thereafter, the competence bonus improves by 1.

Split Shot (Su)

A volley Marksman is capable of psychokinetically splitting a ranged attack in-flight to hit two targets. When activated, a single ranged attack made by the Marksman can strike one additional target within within 15 ft. of the initial target. Use the same attack roll to determine the success against both targets. Roll damage normally and split the damage to each target equally. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier.

Quick Volley (Su)

Volley Marksmen of 8th level learn to fire their weapons rapidly while needing to maintain mobility. As long as the Marksman maintains psionic focus, she can make a full attack with a ranged or thrown weapon while also moving her full movement, but suffers a -4 penalty to all attacks made during the round and suffers a -2 penalty to her Armor Class until the beginning of her next turn.

Burst Arrows (Su)

At 12th level, a volley Marksman is capable of charging her ranged attacks with psychokinetic energy to explode and disrupt enemies. Once per day as part of a full attack with a ranged or thrown weapon, the Marksman can expend psionic focus and have the space occupied by each target treated as if covered in caltrops for a number of rounds equal to her Wisdom modifier. In addition, all creatures within a 5 ft. radius of the struck target take damage equal to the Marksman’s Wisdom modifier unless they make a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half Marksman level + Marksman’s Wisdom modifier). This ability can be used an additional time per day every two Marksman levels thereafter.

Vicious Volley (Su)

Beginning at 16th level, a volley Marksman is able to make her arrows more deadly and accurate. When making a full attack with a ranged or thrown weapon, the Marksman may make two attack rolls for each attack in the full attack and take the better roll. This ability may be used once every 10 minutes.

Master Technique

Upon reaching 20th level, the volley Marksman gains the master technique Block the Sun.

Block the Sun: As a full-round action, you can choose two five foot squares per attack roll you would normally make during a full attack. Each targeted square must be adjacent to another targeted square. Make one attack roll at your highest attack bonus and use that against any creature or creatures in each affected square. If the attack is successful, you deal damage normally to each target successfully struck. If your attack threatens a critical, roll to confirm separately for each target struck. In addition, each square affected is treated as difficult terrain due to the volume of shots unleashed. Using this ability expends four units of ammunition (or one thrown weapon) per square affected and cannot be used unless sufficient ammunition is available. Alternately, the Marksman may use one unit of ammunition per square affected or a single thrown weapon by expending one use of Split Shot, but does not gain the usual benefit of Split Shot this round. This ability may be combined with the Vicious Volley style ability.

Style Feats

Crossbow Mastery, Manyshot, Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot