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Ursine Outrider

Most dwarves are content to labor patiently in stone and metal, in light-less spaces far underground -- and if wildness and chaos cry out in their hearts, they drink deep of bloodlust in battle. But some dwarves are restless under the earth, and they are satisfied only when wind and rain blow, when the firmament towers above, when life covers the dirt and rock of the Wold. For some of these dwarves, the Ursine Outriders offer release and purpose. But it takes more than this to be an outrider -- every outrider is sworn to defend the homelands of the dwarves, and to help those of their people who are in need. Many also extend their protection to any who are innocent and weak. Outriders are usually rangers and fighters before they are outriders. More rarely, paladins and clerics, especially those devoted to Domi, aspire to join the ranks of these protectors. There are very few druid and barbarian dwarves in the Wold, but if you wish to find some, you could do worse than to seek them among the outriders. As NPCs, outriders are seldom found away from the Scab, unless they are sent on missions by the Lord Marshall of the outriders. When dwarven armies do march on the surface of the Wold, the outriders show their true worth both as scouts and as the heaviest of mounted cavalry.

Hit die: d10

Requirements

Race: Must be Dwarf or Dwarf-Kin, so named by an Ursine Outrider or Stone Warden (see below)

BAB: Base Attack Bonus +7

Feats: Mounted Combat, Toughness

Skills: Ride (7 ranks), Handle Animal (7 ranks), Survival (4 ranks)

Special: Must swear the Outrider Oath and befriend a grizzly bear.

Class Skills The Outrider's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Nature (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Survival (Wis).

Special: All outriders gain +2 on Handle Animal checks with bears, and +5 on all trained or untrained Knowledge (Nature) checks relating to bears. Skill Points per level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features Initiation: All outriders must swear to protect dwarves and their lands: "By gold and fruit of bees, by claw and fruit of forge, we swear to defend our homes against all threats living and dead, natural and unnatural, until we breathe our last." If the outrider candidate has served faithfully in support of the outriders for three years, then this is taken as proof of commitment. Otherwise, the candidate must bring three dwarves willing to testify under oath to three true stories of the candidate's devotion to protecting dwarves. The candidate must also befriend a grizzly.

Weapon & Armor Proficiencies: Ursine Outrider's gain proficiency with all armors and one-handed simple weapons, one-handed martial weapons, bolos, and the Dwarven heavy war-lance (see notes). They do not use shields, two-handed weapons, or projectile weapons because they must use one hand to control the bears they ride. Outrider bears are also proficient with all armor, if it has been constructed to fit a bear. Like dwarves, outrider bears suffer no reduction in movement rate when wearing armor or carrying a medium or heavy load. Outrider bears are also proficient with armor spikes, and their armor is usually enhanced with them. Note that armor for bears (large nonhumans) costs four times normal and weighs double. Armor spikes add 1d8 to ursine outrider bear grapple damage (more if the spikes are enchanted).

Special Abilities

Ursine Bond: After initiation, the Ursine Outrider and the grizzly bear are bonded together. An Ursine Outrider's grizzly bear functions as a druid's animal companion, using the Outriders's level as her effective druid level. Ursine Outrider class levels stack with levels in all classes that grant an animal companion, mount, familiar, or bonded item for the purpose of determining her animal companion’s abilities.

Bear Rage: While mounted, an outriders can fly into a rage a certain number of times per day. If the outrider has rage ability from another class, the allowed numbers of rages per day stack. The rage continues if the outrider dismounts, but he must be mounted to initiate the rage. An Outrider can call upon inner reserves of strength and ferocity, granting her additional combat prowess. Starting at 1st level, an Outrider can rage for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + her Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, she can rage for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from rage and spells like bear's endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that an Outrider can rage per day. An Outrider can enter rage as a free action. The total number of rounds of rage per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive. While in rage, an Ursine Outrider gains a +4 morale bonus to her Strength and Constitution, as well as a +2 morale bonus on Will saves. In addition, she takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase to Constitution grants the Outrider 2 hit points per Hit Dice, but these disappear when the rage ends and are not lost first like temporary hit points. While in rage, an Outrider barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. An Outrider can end her rage as a free action and is fatigued after rage for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent in the rage. An Ursine Outrider cannot enter a new rage while fatigued or exhausted but can otherwise enter rage multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a outrider falls unconscious, her rage immediately ends, placing her in peril of death.

Note: When an outrider rages, his bear also rages, gaining the same bonuses, penalties, and limits. However, after raging, there is a 1 percent chance that the bear will not stop raging, but will go insane, attacking any living thing in sight (except for the outrider) 50 percent of the time or running off 50 percent of the time -- roll randomly every minute. After one minute of insanity, the bear may make a will save vs. DC 20 to snap out of it. If this fails, the bear makes a final save one day later. If that fails, an insane bear can be cured only by magic that heals mental disorders. If an Ursine Outrider dies, it's bear mount immediately goes insane.

Ursine Command: An outrider can affect bears as an evil cleric can affect undead, by channeling the power of his link to his own bear. The outrider may attempt to turn bears a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. An outrider with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Nature) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks to influence bears.

Ursine Training: An outrider gains a bonus on Handle Animal checks equal to double his level when handling bears. This bonus replaces the +2 that all other outriders gain. The outrider also reduces the training time by half when training bears, and can retry any failed roll.

Ursine Magic: The outrider can craft magic items through secret ritual magic, even if he is not a spell caster. The outrider can enchant armor and armor spikes made for bears. He can enchant the famous Dwarven Thrower. The outrider can also brew the following potions: Hide from bears (as Hide from animals), Magic fang, Remove fear, Bear's endurance, Greater magic fang +1 to +5, Heroism, and Rage. Finally, the outrider can brew the special elixirs used to forge the link between an outrider and bear, and those used to accelerate growth of the bear. The outrider ignores all caster level and spell requirements to make these items, but must still spend gold, time, and experience points just as a spell caster would.

Combine Senses: At 1st level, the outrider gains a bear's scent ability, and his bear gains darkvision.

Combine Tactics: At 3rd level, the outrider gains the Improved Grapple feat. Any time the bear initiates a grapple, the outrider may automatically join the grapple without rolling against the enemies CMD. His bear gains the Dwarven Racial Traits Relentless and Magical Resistant, even if the Dwarf has different racial traits.

Unity: The outrider and bear are so closely linked that both feels what the other feels when mounted. Both outrider and bear gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC and the bear uses the outrider's Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves in place of its own. Also, whenever damage is taken by bear or outrider, half is applied to the target, and half is applied to the other. If a mounted outrider is struck with an arrow for 10 hp damage, 5 is applied to the outrider and 5 to his bear. The same is true if the bear is wounded.

This is a work in progress and is not approved for use in the Wold.