Valkyrie

Ferocious and unyielding, valkyries possess great prowess in battle. However, their true strength is realized when they are wielding a polearm in their hands–whether a longspear, fauchard, or similar weapon. Such weapons are deadly in the hands of valkyries, allowing them to strike their foes from afar while capitalizing on their true strengths. Not unlike paladins, valkyries are chosen through divine investiture to serve their goddesses and fight on their behalf, gaining the capacity to cast a small number of divine spells as a reward for their devotion. However, it is their most powerful gift that sets them apart, the ability to overcome injuries and magic that would otherwise kill another outright. It is this lack of fear in dying that mark the valkyrie as a truly powerful adversary. In a world where male warriors are viewed as superior, valkyries turn the stereotype on its head, proving that women can rain death upon her enemies as readily their male counterparts.

Role: Valkyries are amazon warriors granted a portion of the divine. Powerful frontline warriors, valkyries wield their polearms with puissant skill, enabling them to fight at arm’s length, whether on foot or horseback. In the heat of battle, valkyries wield their weapons with might, relying on their resistances to prevent their demise.

Gender: A valkyrie must be female.

Alignment: Any nonlawful.

Hit Dice: d10.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The valkyrie’s class abilities are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Valkyire

Class Features

The following are the class features of the valkyrie.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The valkyrie is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all weapons from the spear and polearm weapon groups (see Polearm Training). She is also proficient with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium), and with shields (except tower shields).

Battle Trained (Ex)

A valkyrie’s base speed is never modified by armor, nor does she take armor check penalties on Ride checks.

Chosen Weapon (Ex)

At 1st level, a valkyrie gains one type of weapon from the spear or polearm weapon group of her choice (see below). This weapon is always masterwork quality, but is not made of any special material. When the valkyrie wields a shield, she can use a chosen weapon of her size as a one-handed weapon. She also gains a +1 bonus to CMD against bull rush, drag, overrun, and trip attempts while wielding this weapon. This bonus also applies on saves against trample attacks.

The spear and polearm weapon groups are described as follows:

Polearms: bardiche, bec de corbin, bill, boarding gaff, dwarven longaxe, dwarven longhammer, fauchard, flailpole, glaive, glaive-guisarme, guisarme, halberd, hooked lance, lucerne hammer, mancatcher, monk's spade, naginata, nodachi, ranseur, rhomphaia, sawblade glaive, tepoztopilli, and tiger fork.

Spears: amentum, boar spear, boarding pike, chain spear, javelin, harpoon, lance, longspear, pilum, shortspear, sibat, spear, syringe spear, tiger fork, totem spear, and trident.

Guarded Life (Ex)

At 2nd level, a valkyrie gains a +1 bonus on saving throws made against energy drain and death effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.

Blessed Vision (Ex)

At 3rd level, a valkyrie gains darkvision out to 60 feet. If the valkyrie already has darkvision, it increases by 30 feet.

Fearless (Ex)

At 3rd level, a valkyrie is immune to fear (magical or otherwise).

Ready Pike (Ex)

At 3rd level, a valkyrie can ready a weapon with the brace property once per day as an immediate action, gaining a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls. Every three levels thereafter, she can use the ability one additional time per day. She cannot use this ability when flat-footed.

Mount of Valhalla (Su)

At 4th level, a valkyrie gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in battle. This mount is always a heavy warhorse. This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the Nature Bond class feature), and the valkyrie’s effective druid level is equal to her valkyrie level. A valkyrie’s bonded mount always has an Intelligence of 10.

Once per day, as a full-round action, a valkyrie may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the valkyrie's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the valkyrie. A valkyrie can use this ability once per day at 4th level, and one additional time per day for every 5 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 19th level.

At 7th level, the valkyrie can cause her mount to sprout eagle’s wing as a full-round action. This allows the mount to appear as a pegasus and gains a fly speed of 40 feet (poor). This effect lasts for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. At 10th level, this ability requires a move action, the mount’s fly speed increases to 50 feet (average), and the duration increases to 10 minutes per level. At 13th level, this ability requires a swift action, the mount’s speed improves to 60 feet (good), and the duration increases to 1 hour per level. At 16th level, this ability can be used at will with no duration. This ability is the equivalent of a polymorph spell of a level equal to one-third the valkyrie's level.

At 11th level, the mount gains the advanced creature simple template.

Should the valkyrie’s mount die, the valkyrie may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a valkyrie level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the valkyrie takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Spellcasting

Beginning at 4th level, a valkyrie gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the valkyrie spell list. A valkyrie must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a valkyrie must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a valkyrie's spell is 10 + the spell level + the valkyrie's Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a valkyrie can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Valkyrie. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. When Table: Valkyrie indicates that the valkyrie gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Charisma score for that spell level.

A valkyrie must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain her daily allotment of spells. A valkyrie may prepare and cast any spell on the valkyrie spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, a valkyrie has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her valkyrie level –3.

Polearm Training (Ex)

At 5th level, a valkyrie gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with weapons from the spear and polearm weapon groups. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 5th. A valkyrie also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with these weapons. This bonus also applies to the fighter's Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against these weapons. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by the favored lance ability.

Whirling Polearm (Ex)

At 7th level, a valkyrie may alternate attacks with the piercing or slashing head of her chosen weapon with reach, or with the butt end (treat as a club) against adjacent targets. Unlike a double weapon, the masterwork quality and magical special abilities apply to both ends of the polearm, except for those weapon special abilities that apply only to edged weapons.

Holy Zeal (Su)

At 8th level, a valkyrie adds her Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to her Armor Class.

Flexible Flanker (Ex)

At 9th level, a valkyrie may choose any square adjacent to her and treat that square as her location for determining who she is flanking, even if that square is occupied by a creature, object, or solid barrier.

Mighty Weapon (Ex)

At 11th level, a valkyrie can use her chosen weapon that is designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, her space and reach remain those of a creature of her actual size. The benefits of this ability stack with the effects of any power, ability, or spell that changes the valkyrie’s size category.

Cry of Valhalla (Sp)

At 12th level, a valkyrie can perform a battle chant to duplicate the effects of a horn of Valhalla. This effect requires 10 continuous rounds of chanting and summons barbarians as a silver horn at 12th level, as a brass horn at 14th level, as a bronze horn at 16th level, and as an iron horn at 18th level. At 20th level, instead of barbarians, the valkyrie may summon either a single sleipnir or valkyrie (see Bestiary 3). Creatures summoned in this way remain for 1 round per valkyrie level. This ability requires audible components. The valkyrie can use this ability once per week.

Dauntless Defense (Ex)

At 13th level, a valkyrie gains spell resistance equal to her current valkyrie level. In order to affect the valkyrie with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the valkyrie's spell resistance.

Sweeping Fend (Ex)

At 15th level, a valkyrie can use any weapon from the spear or polearm weapon groups to make bull rush maneuvers, though she takes a –4 penalty on combat maneuver checks when making such attempts. When using a lance, spear, or polearm to make a trip maneuver, she treats these weapons as if they had the trip weapon feature.

Holy Grace (Su)

At 16th level, a valkyrie is bestowed with a portion of the power of Valhalla. She gains DR 5/cold iron and lawful, regardless of her alignment. She also gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against cold, electricity and poison spells or effects. This ability functions only while the valkyrie is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

Step Aside (Ex)

At 17th level, when a creature threatened by a valkyrie takes a 5-foot step into a square adjacent to her, she can take a 5-foot step as an immediate action. This 5-foot step must be subtracted from her movement on the next turn. She also gains a +2 dodge bonus to her AC against that opponent until the end of her next turn.

Cheat Death (Ex)

At 19th level, whenever a valkyrie is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, she can make a DC 23 Fortitude save as an immediate action once per day. If the saving throw is successful, she is instead reduced to 1 hit point.

Champion of Valhalla (Ex)

At 20th level, a valkyrie becomes a magical creature of the realm of Valhalla. She is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the valkyrie’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Her damage reduction increases to 10/cold iron and lawful, and she gains resist cold 10, resist electricity 10, and immunity to poison. Unlike other outsiders, the valkyrie can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type.

VALKYRIE SPELL LIST

Valkyries gain access to the following spells.

1st-Level Valkyrie Spells—aspect of the falcon, bless weapon, bless, cure light wounds, deathwatch, detect magic, divine favor, endure elements, grace, gravity bow, horn of pursuit, inflict light wounds, jump, know the enemy, longshot, longstrider, magic weapon, mount, read magic, restoration, returning weapon, sanctify corpse, summon monster I, tactical acumen, tireless pursuit, virtue, wartrain mount, word of resolve.

2nd-Level Valkyrie Spells—aid, bestow grace, bestow weapon proficiency, blessing of courage and life, bull’s strength, clarion call, delay poison, eagle’s splendor, effortless armor, gentle repose, guiding star, holy shield, instant armor, light lance, owl’s wisdom, protective spirit, remove paralysis, remove sickness, resist energy, righteous vigor, sacred bond, shield other, summon monster II, undetectable alignment, versatile weapon, vestment of the champion, weapon of awe, zone of truth.

3rd-Level Valkyrie Spells—aspect of the bear, badger’s ferocity, burst of speed, cure moderate wounds, daybreak arrow, daylight, deadly juggernaut, dispel magic, elemental aura, heal mount, inflict moderate wounds, magic circle against law, rage, remove curse, sanctify armor, sanctify weapons, summon monster III, tireless pursuers, tongues, vex giant, wrathful mantle.

4th-Level Valkyrie Spells—aspect of the stag, bloodsworn retribution, break enchantment, breath of life, burst of glory, call lighting, contact other plane, cure serious wounds, deathward, dimension door, dispel law, divine power, fear, freedom of movement, inflict serious wounds, king’s castle, neutralize poison, raise animal companion, resounding blow, rest eternal, sacrificial oath, shout, stay the hand, summon monster IV.