Siege Engineer

Catapults, ballistae, and trebuchet are often more important to winning a battle than sword or bow, and the knowledgeable siege engineer knows how to use them with frightening effectiveness. Once provided a target, they use their engineering expertise, understanding of wind effects, and then proceed to destroy fortifications protecting the enemy so his footmen allies can invade.

Class Features

A siege engineer has the following class features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

Siege engineers are not proficient with medium armor, heavy armor, shields, or martial weapons. Siege engineers begin with the proficiency with one siege engine of their choice.

Mechanically Inclined (Ex)

Siege engineers gain Disable Device as a class skill. Further, a siege engineer gains a bonus to Disable Device checks when applied to siege engines equal to his siege engineer level.

Fine Tuned Trajectory (Ex)

At 2nd level, the range of the siege engines the siege engineer is the crew leader on increases by +10 feet. Every four levels thereafter the range increases by an additional +10 feet.

This ability replaces bravery.

Siege Commander (Ex)

At 3rd level, the siege engineer can be the crew leader for multiple engines at once. He may command a number of siege engines equal to his Intelligence modifier. When he is the crew leader of multiple engines he may give the command to fire all of them at the same time as a full-round action, making a roll for each engine. He may only be the crew leader in this way on ranged siege engines. He only counts towards the crew of one siege engine, but is considered the crew leader of all the siege engines he commands. For example, if he was commanding four siege engines that each required a crew of 1, he would count as the crew for one of them and three other crew members would work the remaining three engines, taking orders from him as to where to aim, when to reload, and when to fire. The crews on the siege engines he commands must be able to see and hear him.

Alternatively, if he is the crew leader for only one siege engine he reduces the aim time by 1 and reload time by 2. If any of these is reduced to 0 it takes the crew a free action to perform the task. At 11th level, the time it takes to do both tasks is again reduced by 1.

This ability replaces armor training 1 and 3.

Effective Aiming (Ex)

At 5th level, the siege engineer halves all penalties due to range when using a siege engine.

This ability replaces weapon training 1.

Worth Two Men (Ex)

At 7th level, a siege engine that the siege engineer is the crew leader on requires 1 less crew member, to a minimum of 1. If the siege engineer is commanding multiple siege engines, this reduces the crew of only one engine. At 11th level, and again at 15th level, the number of crew needed is again reduced by 1. If the siege engineer is commanding multiple engines, he may split up this reduction between multiple engines.

This ability replaces armor training 2 and 4.

Best Ammunition (Ex)

Beginning at 9th level, the siege engineer gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage with siege engines. Every four levels after 9th (13th and 17th,) the bonus increases by an additional +1, to a maximum of +3 at 17th level.

This ability replaces weapon training 2.

Engineering Expert (Ex)

Starting at 13th level the siege engineer adds his Dexterity modifier to damage when using direct-fire siege engines, and his Intelligence modifier to damage when using indirect-fire siege engines. These bonuses are doubled when damaging structures and objects.

This ability replaces weapon training 3.

Find the Weakness (Ex)

At 17th level, the siege engineer can have an attack from a siege engine he is the crew leader on be an automatic critical hit. He is able to do this three times a day.

This ability replaces weapon training 4.

Keep Them Running (Ex)

At 19th level, when a siege engineer is a crew leader for a siege engineer he adds his Intelligence modifier to its AC, and its hardness and hp are doubled.

This ability replaces armor mastery.

Siege Mastery (Ex)

At 20th level, the siege engineer chooses one siege engine. He automatically confirms all critical hits with that siege engine, and the damage multiplier increases by 1. Additionally, the times required to aim and load are both lowered by 1.

This ability replaces weapon mastery.