Prestige Classes
REAPING MAULER
Truly wise adventurers are always wary of unarmed opponents, for such adversaries are usually more than they seem. Such an opponent might even be a reaping mauler - the worst nightmare of a character who depends on weapon skills to win. Anyone who dares to wield a weapon against a reaping mauler had better make use of it quickly, because the opportunity won’t last long. Reaping maulers are the back-breakers, the limb-twisters, and the neck-snappers among pit fighters. Grapplers of the highest order, they wear nothing heavier than light armor in combat to maximize their flexibility, and they use no weapons to achieve their gruesome victories, for they prefer the intimacy of a barehanded kill. A reaping mauler wants to be close enough to taunt his opponent with whispers while crushing the life out of it, to smell its fear, and to watch the despair creep over its face when the opponent realizes just how useless its weapons are during a grapple. Most of those attracted to the reaping mauler prestige class are fighters, but it is not uncommon for barbarians or rangers to embrace this path. Monks have natural ability in this direction, but the class sometimes feels too chaotic for such a character. Paladins and clerics have also been known to dabble in this prestige class, treating the combat style as both good, hearty sport and a means to render opponents unconscious without killing them. Druids sometimes become reaping maulers to enhance their ability to tame animals by hand, and even rogues occasionally adopt the class. Bards, sorcerers, and wizards usually lack the physical strength to be good candidates for the class, but they respect reaping maulers for their obvious spell-disrupting abilities. NPC reaping maulers are burly, rowdy individuals who carry themselves with an air of invulnerability. When it comes to the simple pleasures of life - drink and food - they believe the world exists for their convenience. In a reaping mauler’s mind, there is no problem that can’t be solved with brawn. If something can be taken by force, he feels that it must naturally belong to him, and rarely does anyone openly oppose this concept. |
Hit Die: d10.
Requirements
To qualify to become a reaping mauler, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Skills: Escape Artist 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks.
Feats: Clever Wrestling, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Special: The candidate must have defeated at least three opponents one size category larger than himself with his bare hands.
Class Skills
The reaping mauler's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Improved Grapple, Mobility |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Adept wrestling +1 |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Counter grapple, sleeper lock |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Adept wrestling +2 |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Devastating grapple |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the reaping mauler prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Reaping maulers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Improved Grapple (Ex): When wearing light armor or no armor, a reaping mauler gains the benefit of the Improved Grapple feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Mobility (Ex): When wearing light armor or no armor, a reaping mauler gains the benefits of the Mobility feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Adept Wrestling (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a reaping mauler who is wearing light armor or no armor gains a +1 bonus on all grapple checks and opposed Dexterity or Strength checks. This bonus increases to +2 at 4th level.
Counter Grapple (Ex): When grappling or pinned, a reaping mauler of 3rd level or higher wearing light armor or no armor can attempt either a grapple check or an Escape Artist check opposed by his opponent’s grapple check to free himself as normal. If he fails the check he has chosen, he can immediately attempt the other check as a free action.
Sleeper Lock (Ex): At 3rd level, a reaping mauler learns how to render an opponent unconscious with pressure. If the character pins his opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for 1 full round, the opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the reaping mauler’s class level + the reaping mauler’s Wis modifier) at the end of the round or fall unconscious for 1d3 rounds. A creature with no discernible anatomy has immunity to this effect.
Devastating Grapple (Ex): If a 5th-level reaping mauler pins his opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for 3 consecutive rounds, the opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the reaping mauler’s class level + the reaping mauler’s Wis modifier) at the end of the third round or die. A creature with no discernible anatomy is immune to the effect of this ability.