Irontide Charger (Fighter Archetype)

Clad in impossibly-thick armor, the irontide charger is as unstoppable as a steam locomotive, able to charge through multiple foes and trample them underfoot.

Irontide Armor (Ex)

At 2nd level, an irontide charger constructs a customized suit of abnormally heavy armor. Although the suit is augmented with a steam-powered drivetrain, only the irontide charger—through specialized training with the suit—can effectively use it, they reduce the armor check penalty of irontide armor by 2. An irontide charger’s speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

The irontide armor is fitted with metal horns or tusks that give the irontide charger a primary gore attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage.

While anyone wearing irontide armor cannot wield weapons, the ironhide charger can integrate weapons from the close weapon group into the armor’s gauntlets at the weapon’s normal cost. It takes a minute and the proper tools to equip, remove, or replace a weapon integrated into the armor.

If an irontide charger loses their irontide armor, they can replace it at half the normal cost by spending a week manufacturing a new suit. They must have the necessary tools and a workshop to do so. By modifying a suit of heavy armor, the irontide charger can reduce the cost of creating the irontide armor by 1/5th of the armor’s cost.

This ability replaces the fighter’s bravery ability at 2nd level.

Devastating Charge (Ex)

Starting at 5th level, an irontide charger learns to use the momentum provided by his bulky armor to make his charge nearly unstoppable. While wearing heavy armor, the irontide charger can, while making a charge, overrun multiple creatures in the path of his charge. Overrunning a creature is a free action. If the overrun against a creature is unsuccessful, the irontide charger ends his charge in the space directly in front of the creature he was attempting to overrun.

At 9th level, the irontide charger gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with weapons in the close weapon group (gauntlet, heavy shield, light shield, punching dagger, sap, spiked armor, spiked gauntlet, spiked shield, and unarmed strike) as well as with gore attacks. This bonus increases by +1 at 13th and 17th level. The irontide charger also adds this bonus to bull rush and overrun combat maneuver checks while wearing heavy armor and doubles the bonus while wearing ironhide armor.

In addition, at 13th level, the irontide charger can make a trample attack, as per the trample universal monster rule, and is considered to be a Large creature for the purposes of determining which creatures the irontide charger may target.

This ability replaces weapon training at 5th level.

Charge Mastery (Ex)

At 20th level, while wearing irontide armor, an irontide charger can attempt to overrun a creature of any size. When the irontide charger fails a combat maneuver check, if the target is no more than one size category larger than the irontide charger, it is pushed back 5 feet. As a free action, the irontide charger can make a primary attack against any creature it attempts to bull rush or overrun. This ability does not allow the irontide charger to trample larger creatures with its devastating charge ability.

This ability replaces weapon mastery at 20th level.