Prestige Classes

HULKING HURLER

Usually brutish and always incredibly strong, hulking hurlers belong to those races of generously proportioned creatures who enjoy nothing more than wrenching boulders, trees, or even buildings free of their earthly bonds and throwing them at their foes. No one knows how this loose organization came into being, but there is no doubt that hulking hurlers make fearsome enemies. Hulking hurlers usually come from the giant races, though a few members of other species learn the unusually focused skills of the organization. Those few hulking hurlers who advance in other classes first almost always come from fighter or barbarian backgrounds. NPC hulking hurlers sometimes serve as specialists in giant warbands, but they can also be found among smaller humanoids, serving the function of a sort of artillery unit.

Hit Die: d10.

Requirements

To qualify to become a hulking hurler, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +5.

Feats: Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (any thrown weapon).

Special: Large size or larger.

Class Skills

The hulking hurler's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Hulking Hurler

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the hulking hurler prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hulking hurlers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Catch Weapon (Ex): A hulking hurler gains the Snatch Arrows feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites. He may catch weapons of his size or smaller (and hurl them back at the attacker immediately if he chooses).

Really Throw Anything (Ex): A hulking hurler gains the Throw Anything feat (described on page 105 of Complete Warrior) as a bonus feat. However, since a hulking hurler depends on brute strength more than skill, he can throw anything (not just weapons) he can lift as a light load. If the item is an improvised weapon, he takes a –2 penalty on his attack roll instead of the normal –4. Use the rules on page 159 of Complete Warrior to determine the amount of damage the thrown weapon does.

The range increment of a thrown weapon or improvised weapon wielded by a hulking hurler is 10 feet + 5 feet per size category the hulking hurler is beyond Large (this is a modification of the Throw Anything feat).

Two-Handed Hurl Trick (Ex): At 2nd level and again at 3rd level, a hulking hurler chooses one of the following tricks. In order to use any of these abilities, the hulking hurler must grip the weapon or improvised weapon in two hands and throw it as a full-round action.

Area Attack: The character makes an attack roll against a square the target creature occupies (AC 10) rather than the creature itself. Any creature in the square must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 10 + the hulking hurler’s ranged attack bonus) or take full damage. This ability may only be used with a Huge or larger weapon.

Knockdown Blow: If the hulking hurler’s attack hits and does damage to any creature of Medium or smaller size, the target is rendered prone.

Meteor Strike: A hulking hurler deals extra damage equal to twice his Strength bonus on a successful hit with a thrown weapon.

Overburdened Heave: The hulking hurler can throw a weapon up to two sizes larger than his size category, or an item that weighs as much as his medium load (so a Large hulking hurler with a Strength score of 25 could heave a Gargantuan javelin or a rock weighing up to 533 pounds).

Ranged Power Attack: If the target is within 30 feet, the hulking hurler can use Power Attack with his thrown weapon.