Standing Mountain
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Celegian Stoner
Stoner is the informal class name used by practitioners of the venerable Plunging Stone fighting style. Plunging Stone is an old style, dating from well before the Time of Night, although it is not nearly so old as the Art. Plunging Stone is reasonably well balanced, with a greater focus on defense than offense.
Plunging Stone was greatly discredited during the Age of the Warrior Kings, but is making a comeback in recent millennia.
Plunging Stone is a highly defensive style, emphasizing economy of motion, blocking of attacks, and counterstriking after a defensive motion. Surprisingly enough, Stoners tend to win a lot of fights quickly, since most of their defensive actions meld seamlessly with an attack at the out of position enemy, and many of those attacks score.
Its great weakness is the fact that it requires an active attacker, and a softer defensive style is lethal to Stoners, as they need attacks to trigger their own attacks. Stoners are incredibly dangerous to attack, as they can weather attacks for a long time and still be unhurt and ready to fight. Many also underestimate a Stoners ability to inflict damage, but it should not be taken lightly.
In current day Celegia, many Stoners use Exotic Weapons to greatly improve the performance of the ancient art. For example, the Shadow of the Mountain ability combined with a Heavy Whip, Spiked Chain, or Greatwhip is incredibly deadly.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: 8 Feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes
Class Skills
The Stoner's skills (and key ability for each skill) are Balance(Dex), Concentration(Con), Intimidate(Cha), Spot(Int), Listen(Int), Sense Motive(Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Advancement Table
Level BAB Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special 1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Stand Like a Mountain, 1/day 2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Stoneskin 3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Stand Like a Mountain, 2/day 4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Stone Strikes 5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Stand Like a Mountain, 3/day 6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Shadow of the Mountain 7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Stand Like a Mountain, 4/day 8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Heart of Stone, Stamina of Stone 9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Mountainheart, Plunging Stone Strike 10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Stand Like a Mountain, 5/day, Avalanche
Class Features:
All the following are class features of the Celegian Stoner prestige class: Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Stoners receive no Weapon or Armor proficiencies.
Stand like a Mountain (Ex): The Plunging Stone attack style is centered on this powerful, balanced stance. Entering Stand like a Mountain is a movement action, and once achieved, the Stoner cannot move except to take a five foot step. He may maintain Stand like a Mountain for a maximum of 5 rounds plus his constitution modifier. While in this stance, he may only make one attack per melee round, and then only if he declares a full attack. If he does not declare a full attack, he cannot make a normal attack at all. While Standing like a Mountain, he receives a deflection bonus to his armor class equal to half his Plunging Stone levels. This bonus will stack with the presence of a conventional shield. While Standing Like a Mountain, the Stoner also cannot be flanked. This deflection bonus also stacks with all bonuses from fighting defensively and going total defense, if he chooses to do that as well. Once the Stand expires, the user is fatigued.
Stoneskin (Ex): This is exactly like the spell effect, with the caster level equal to the class level of Plunging Stone, except that it is an extraordinary ability. This may be used once per day for each use of Stand like a Mountain the Stoner possesses, and lasts for the duration of the Stance. Activating this power may be combined with activating Stand Like a Mountain and takes no time.
Stone Strikes (Su): The Stoner may now make an attack of opportunity against anyone who attacks him in melee, one attack of opportunity per attack he takes, up to a maximum of three melee attacks per round, assuming he can reach and affect the attacker, of course. He does not need to be in Stand like a Mountain for this ability to function. These attacks of opportunity may not be used for any other purpose.
Shadow of the Mountain (Ex): Once the Plunging Stone practitioner achieves Shadow of the Mountain, he may now make attacks of opportunity upon anyone entering any of his threatened squares. Note that this is much more deadly than it sounds. These attacks of opportunity come from the required Combat Reflexes feat, and once they are used up each round, the Stoner is done.
Heart of Stone (Su): If a Stoner declares she is fighting defensively, they receive +1 AC per level of Plunging Stone they possess, as a circumstance bonus, in addition to the normal benefits of the defensive action. This bonus is in addition to, and stacks with, the bonus the Stoner gets from Stand Like a Mountain.
Stamina of Stone (Ex): The Stoner draws upon the power of the Stone Within. He is no longer fatigued at the end of his Stand.
Mountainheart (Su): The Stoner receives a +6 bonus to Constitution, which adds +3 hit points per character level. These are considered to be temporary hit points and are lost first. . Mountainheart can be used every time the Stoner enters Stand like a Mountain, and lasts as long as the Stand does. Activating this power may be combined with activating Stand Like a Mountain and takes no time.
Plunging Stone Strike (Ex): A Stoner can only make one attack a round. Once the Plunging Stone ability is achieved, that strike receives a bonus to damage equal to the Stoners Class level, +9 or +10.
Avalanche (Su): The Stoner may now make an attack of opportunity against anyone who attacks him in melee, one attack of opportunity per attack he takes, up to a maximum of ten attacks per round. These attacks of opportunity cannot be used for any other purpose.