Dwarf Clan Leader

“Dwarf Clan Leader” The government of the dwarves is typically organized in a clan system. The clans are families, with each member of the clan, ranging from the chief himself to the lowliest labourer in the mines, believing that they are all descended from one common founder.

The dwarf clan leader is the present-day embodiment of this clan founder. He is an aristocratic warrior, a son of earth and stone ready to do battle to protect his clan from their ancient ancestral enemies. Each clan has its own traditions, music, symbols, fighting styles, and even religious practices that make it unique. All struggle to maintain their way of life against the humanoids, giants, and dark elves that desire to encroach on the territory of the dwarves.

The Quintessential Aristocrat
Author Martin R. Thomas
Series Quintessential Series
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2004

A Non-Player Character dwarf clan leader may be found firmly entrenched in a battle-zone, defending his clan against powerful and numerically superior enemies. He may also be leading his clan to safety after retreating from terrible defeat at the hands of a pack of giants or a horde of orcs. Either way, the dwarf clan leader is a proud, fierce and intelligent leader who will do whatever it takes to protect his clan.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify as a dwarf clan leader, a character must fulfil the following requirements:
Base Will Save: 4+
Skills: Knowledge (military tactics) 9 Ranks, Survival 6 Ranks
Feats: Leadership or Followers, Rousing Leader
Race: Dwarf
Status Score: +7 or higher

Class Skills

Craft (Intelligence), Diplomacy (Charisma), Knowledge (local) (Intelligence), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Intelligence), Knowledge (military tactics) (Intelligence), Listen (Wisdom), Perform (oratory) (Charisma), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Spot (Wisdom), Survival (Wisdom)

Skill points at each level: 4 + Intelligence Modifier

Dwarf Clan Leader
Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+2	+0	+2	Clan Symbol, Hardness of Stone
2	+1	+3	+0	+3	Fortification of Earth
3	+2	+3	+1	+3	Clan Enemy
4	+3	+4	+1	+4	Inspire Heroics
5	+3	+4	+1	+4	Inspire Fury, Military Genius

Class Features

All the following are class features of the dwarf clan leader prestige class:

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The dwarf clan leader gains proficiency in all martial weapons and with heavy armour, but not with shields. Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand and Tumble.

Clan Symbol: The dwarf clan leader is the bearer of his clan’s symbol, which grants him all of the abilities of a Family Icon (see ‘Tricks of the Trade’)
as though he were using his own. The dwarf clan leader is expected to display the Clan Symbol at all times on his shield, banner, clothing, or by any other methods devised by the player and Games Master that are appropriate to the clan. If the dwarf clan leader already has a Family Icon, he must put it aside for as long as he maintains his position of clan leader; the head of the clan is responsible for the status, reputation, and protection of the entire clan, not just his own family. The Clan Symbol also grants a +3 bonus to the dwarf clan leader’s Status score among other dwarves.

Hardness of Stone (Ex): At 1st level, the dwarf clan leader learns to imitate the hardness of stone, gaining a +2 bonus to his armour class.

Fortification of Earth (Ex): At 2nd level, the dwarf clan leader draws upon the sturdiness and Toughness of the very earth itself to gain a +2 bonus to all Fortitude saves.

Clan Enemy (Ex): At 3rd level, the dwarf clan leader learns better tactics to use against one of his clan’s ancestral enemies. He may select a clan enemy as per the ranger Favoured Enemy ability. Typical clan enemies include humanoids (goblinoid, orc, or elf), giants, or monstrous humanoids. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks when he uses these skills against his clan enemy. He also gains a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against his clan enemy. If the dwarf clan leader already has a favoured enemy, his dwarf clan leader level stacks with the level of the class that provided him with the favoured enemy ability for purposes of determining cumulative bonuses to skills and weapon damage.

Inspire Heroism (Su): Once per day during combat with his Clan Enemy, the dwarf clan leader may inspire heroism in his allies and followers. The dwarf clan leader must deliver a rousing speech as a standard action. All allies and followers within sound of his voice who hear him speak for the entire round gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage and saving throws. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the dwarf clan leader’s Charisma bonus.

Inspire Fury (Ex): Once per day as a free action the dwarf clan leader may grant himself and all followers (from the Followers, Leadership, or Subordinate feats) within sound of his voice the ability to rage. The dwarf clan leader may only invoke this ability while in combat with the type of creatures that he selected as his Clan Enemy. The rage ability grants the dwarf clan leader and his followers a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +2 morale bonus to all Will saves and a –2 penalty to armour class. If any characters affected by this ability are already undergoing a rage, then this ability grants them a greater rage. If any of the characters are already undergoing a greater rage then this ability has no effect. In all other ways, this ability acts as the barbarian rage ability.

Military Genius (Ex): The dwarf clan leader has learned how to use his clan’s home terrain and his study of military tactics to gain an advantage over his adversaries. As a standard action, he may make a DC 20 Knowledge (military tactics) check. If successful, all allies within the sound of his voice may make a free move-equivalent action at the start of their next turn to reposition themselves. This free move-equivalent action does not count against a character’s maximum movement allowed during a round, but moving and repositioning may draw attacks of opportunity if the character moves through a threatened zone. The dwarf clan leader may use this extraordinary ability once per day.