Biathlete

From an early age, humanoid children living in the tundra and taiga biomes learn to ice skate and ski.

Although every youngster can perform basic maneuvers and tasks in either or both disciplines, some skaters and skiers excel beyond their parents’ wildest dreams. For them, ice skating and skiing come as naturally as walking. They accelerate, turn, and stop through instinctive muscle memory. From there, they progress into more complicated movements such as spinning, jumping, and moving backward. Among this pool of talented candidates, only a handful of elite individuals master the ability to simultaneously maintain their balance and move while wielding a weapon in combat. Residents refer to these few as biathletes. Many polar towns and villages owe their survival to the valor and skill of these armed defenders. Biathletes rely predominately upon speed, agility, and stealth to win the day. In keeping with this mindset, they prefer lightweight, flexible armor over bulky metal rings and plates. Their enhanced mobility on the frozen battlefield gives them a decided edge over enemies struggling to remain upright on the slippery ground. Biathletes can also cover great distances much faster than a conventional army slowly trudging through heavy snow or negotiating across an ice-choked lake or river. From a tactical standpoint, the biathlete is equally comfortable charging headlong into the fray against a flat-footed adversary with a mighty polearm or sniping a foe from afar with a ranged weapon while easily keeping his distance between himself and his hapless target. In some technologically advanced worlds, it is not uncommon to encounter a biathlete carrying a long firearm or an even more modern device. Nonetheless, the biathletes’ superiority on his chosen terrain sets him apart from all other polar combatants.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A biathlete is not proficient with heavy armor and tower shields. Instead, he gains the Snow Bum feat at 1st level as a bonus feat. This bonus feat is in addition to the bonus feat normally gained at 1st level.

This alters the fighter’s weapon and armor proficiency.

Skills

A biathlete gains Acrobatics (Dex) and Stealth (Dex) as class skills, and removes Ride.

This alters the fighter’s class skills.

Carver (Ex)

At 2nd level, a biathlete’s base speed while ice skating or skiing increases by +5 feet. His base speed while ice skating or skiing increases by +5 feet for every four levels beyond 2nd.

This ability replaces bravery.

Double Diamond (Ex)

At 3rd level, a biathlete can take 10 on Acrobatics checks made to perform tasks on ice skates and skis even while distracted or threatened.

He can take 20 on these same Acrobatics checks once per day for every five fighter levels he possesses, up to a maximum of four times per day at 20th level.

This ability replaces armor training 1 and 4.

Balanced Fighter (Ex)

At 5th level, when a biathlete ice skates or skis at least 5 feet before attacking, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every six levels beyond 5th.

This ability replaces weapon training 1.

Fly Like an Eagle (Ex)

At 7th level, a biathlete adds his level to all Acrobatics checks made to jump, both for vertical jumps and horizontal jumps, while ice skating or skiing.

This ability replaces armor training 2.

Passing Shot (Ex)

At 9th level, a biathlete gains the benefits of the Spring Attack feat, so long as he is ice skating or skiing. He must still succeed on an Acrobatics check to perform tasks while ice skating or skiing. When he attacks, he is considered to be flanking his target if at least one ally threatens that opponent, regardless of the biathlete’s actual positioning. If he makes an attack with a slashing weapon, the attack deals 1d6 additional points of damage. This bonus damage increases to 2d6 at 13th level and 3d6 at 17th level. This ability counts as the Spring Attack feat for the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites, but only while the biathlete ice skates or skis.

This ability replaces weapon training 2, 3, and 4.

Big Air (Ex)

At 11th level, a biathlete on ice skates or skis takes damage from a fall as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is as long as he lands on an icy surface in the case of ice skates or an icy or snowy surface in the case of skis. At 13th level and every two levels thereafter the distance he can safely fall increases by +10 feet.

This ability replaces armor training 3.

Ten Eighty (Ex)

At 19th level, a biathlete who is ice skating or skiing cannot be flanked.

This ability replaces armor mastery.

Invert (Ex)

At 20th level, a biathlete gains the benefits of the Whirlwind Attack feat so long as he is ice skating or skiing. He may also use the Whirlwind Attack feat as a standard action. This ability counts as the Whirlwind Attack feat for the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites, but only while the biathlete ice skates or skis.

This ability replaces weapon mastery.