Highwayman (Ranger/Rogue)

Often found roaming in a particular terrain, the highwayman is seen as either a dashing rogue or brutal thug. Trained to make precision attacks against a particular foe, the highwayman uses his reputation to instilling fear in those he battles. The strong bond he forms with those with whom he travels allows him to unite them in a common cause, such as making a surgical strike against a caravan of wealthy merchant, or an entourage of traveling noblemen. While some highwaymen steal for to increase their own wealth, some do so to help the dredges of society who have been trampled underfoot by the privileged.

Primary Class: Ranger.

Secondary Class: Rogue.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The highwayman may select three rogue skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal ranger class skills. The highwayman gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The highwayman is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, but not with shields.

Favored Sneak Attack (Ex): At 1st level, a highwayman selects a creature type from the ranger favored enemies table. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, whenever these creatures would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the highwayman flanks one of these creatures, he can strike a vital spot for 1d6 points of extra damage (called “precision damage”). Should the highwayman score a critical hit with a favored sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as favored sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. A highwayman may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the highwayman may select an additional favored enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the extra damage dealt against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 1d6, and the bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks increases by +2.

If the highwayman chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that there are other types of humanoid to choose from—those called out specifically on the table below are merely the most common.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher. This ability replaces favored enemy, and 3rd and 4th favored terrain.

Frightening (Ex): Whenever a highwayman successfully uses Intimidate to demoralize a creature, the duration of the shaken condition is increased by 1 round. In addition, if the target is shaken for 4 or more rounds, the highwayman can instead decide to make the target frightened for 1 round. This ability replaces wild empathy.

Combat Style Feat: This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that the highwayman adds the Improved Steal and Outflank feats to his list of combat style feats he can choose at 2nd level, and the Enfilading Fire and Greater Steal feats to his list of combat style feats he can choose at 6th level. These are in addition to his normal combat style feats, regardless of the style that he has chosen.

Intimidating Prowess: At 2nd level, a highwayman gains Intimidating Prowess as a bonus feat. This ability, rogue talents, stand and deliver, and advanced talents replace the ranger’s spellcasting ability.

Favored Terrain (Ex): This ability is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that the highwayman can select only one favored terrain to the exclusion to all others.

Favored Brutality (Ex): At 3rd level, whenever a highwayman deals sneak attack damage against a favored enemy, he can choose to forgo 1d6 points of sneak attack damage to make the target sickened for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 her highwayman level. This ability does not stack with itself—only the most recent duration applies. This ability replaces Endurance.

Rogue Talents: Starting at 4th level, a highwayman gains one rogue talent, and an additional rogue talent every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level).

Ambush (Ex): At 6th level, a highwayman becomes fully practiced in the art of ambushing. When she acts in the surprise round, she can take a move action, standard action, and swift action during the surprise round, not just a move or standard action. This ability replaces the combat style feat gained at 6th level.

Stand and Deliver (Ex): Starting at 6th level, whenever a highwayman hits a favored enemy and deals sneak attack damage, he can forgo 1d6 points of that damage and make a free Intimidate check to demoralize the foe. For every additional 1d6 points of sneak attack damage he forgoes, he receives a +5 circumstance bonus on this check.

Fearsome Attack (Ex): At 8th level, a highwayman can terrify a favored enemy with a single hit. A number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1), when a highwayman confirms a critical hit and deals sneak attack damage to a favored enemy, he can choose to make the favored enemy frightened for a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). He cannot use this ability in conjunction with a critical feat. This ability replaces swift tracker and 2nd favored terrain.

Advanced Talents: At 12th level, a highwayman can choose advanced rogue talents whenever he could choose a rogue talent, or when he selects the Extra Rogue Talent feat. A highwayman adds the following rogue abilities to the list of advanced talents he may select: Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge. A stealth mage must select uncanny dodge before selecting improved uncanny dodge. A highwayman treats his level as his rogue level for the purpose of qualifying for talents with level-dependent requirements and calculating the effects of any talent or rogue ability he's chosen.

Camouflage (Ex): This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that the highwayman gains this ability at 13th level.

Favored Skirmisher (Ex): At 14th level, whenever a highwayman moves more than 10 feet in a round and makes an attack action against a favored enemy, the attack deals sneak attack damage as if the target was flat-footed. If the highwayman makes more than one attack this turn, this ability only applies to the first attack. Foes with uncanny dodge are immune to this ability. This ability replaces the combat style feat gained at 14th level.

Table: Highwayman