Mariner (3.5e Class)

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A mix between the Mariner from dragonlance and the Gunslinger from pathfinder.

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Mariner

The mariner is a hardened combatant, using her hard-earned fighting skill both on and off a sailing ship. A mariner may be a deadly pirate and scourge of the sea, a noble marine serving her country’s navy, or a lone fisherman with experience to boot. No matter their background, a mariner is able to fight on a boat like no others, taking advantage of the sea’s natural movement and not being inconvenienced by them. Make no mistakes however, a mariner is also a skilled combatant on land, using deadly flourishes to bring her opponents down.

The mariner uses grit, much like the Pathfinder Gunslinger or Pathfinder Swashbuckler. She gains a mix of deeds which benefits her sailorship, melee combat and ranged combat. They are not as specialized as either, but have a larger amount of movement-based abilities to make up for it. A mariner can pull excellent damage using her flourish class features.

Making a Mariner

Abilities: A mariner typically focused on either Strength or Dexterity as her combat stats. A good Constitution and Wisdom score is also vital for a mariner, determining her hit point and grit pool.

Races: Any race with experienced sailors can become mariners.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: As Fighter.

Starting Age: Moderate.

Table: The Mariner

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Bonus Feat, Deeds, Grit, Sailor Lore
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Flourish +1d6, Seamanship
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Deeds, Mariner Talent
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Flourish +2d6, Nimble +1
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Bonus Feat,
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	Quick Flourish, Mariner Talent
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Deeds, Nimble +2
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	Flourish +3d6
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Mariner Talent
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Nimble +3
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	Bonus Feat
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	Flourish +4d6, Mariner Talent
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	Nimble +4
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+4	Evasion
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	Deeds, Mariner Talent
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5	Flourish +5d6, Nimble +5
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Bonus Feat
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6	Mariner Talent
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6	Deeds, Nimble +6
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	Legend of the Sea, Flourish +6d6
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the mariner.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A mariner is proficient with all simple and martial weapon alongside the hand crossbow and net. A mariner is proficient with light armor and the buckler.

Bonus Feat: At 1st level, 5th level and each 6 levels thereafter, a mariner gains a bonus feat she meets the prerequisites for. She counts her class level as fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats gained this way. She must choose her bonus feat from the following list:

Alterness, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dervish Dance^Pathfinder, Deadly Aim^Pathfinder, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Far Shot, Fencing Grace^Pathfinder, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Luck of Heroes^PG, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus, Slashing Grace^Pathfinder, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization.

The mariner may also select any [Teamwork] feat she meets the prerequisites of.

Sailor Lore (Ex): A mariner has heard much during her time on the sea, from tall tales to old legends which have a kernel of truth to them. A mariner can attempts Knowledge checks untrained and add half her class level on Knowledge (Local) and Knowledge (History) checks.

Deeds (Ex): A mariner is able to perform deeds like a gunslinger or swashbuckler. Most deeds grant the mariner some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as the mariner has at least 1 grit point. The following is the list of base mariner deeds. A mariner can only perform deeds of her level or lower. Unless otherwise noted, a deed can be performed multiple successive times, as long as the appropriate amount of grit is spent to perform the deed.

Commander’s Voice (Ex): A mariner gains the tactician ability of a Cavalier^Pathfinder of her class level, except instead of gaining uses per day she may activate this ability as a swift action by spending 1 grit.

Judge the Water (Ex): A mariner that has at least 1 grit point can judge depth, temperature, current direction and strength, salinity and other mundane traits of any body of water she can clearly see.

Swift Swim (Ex):As long as a mariner has at least 1 grit point, she can swim at her full speed as a move action without penalty.

Deadly Strike (Ex): A mariner of 3rd level can spend 1 grit point as a swift action to deal substantial damage with her attacks, dealing extra precision damage equal to her class level on each attack she makes. If she fights with a ranged weapon or two or more melee weapons, she halves the bonus damage to each attack. This ability only applies to ranged attacks made within 30 feet.

Hold Breath (Ex): A mariner with at least 1 grit point can hold her breath for three times as long as normal. As swift action when she is holding her breath, she can spend 1 point of grit to make herself immune to gas-based attack for 1 round, such as cloudkill or stinking cloud.

Sailor’s Step (Ex): As long as a mariner of 3rd level or higher has at least 1 grit point, she is able to use her superior balancing skills to good uses, even outside of a sailing ship. A mariner never provokes attacks of opportunity for the first 5 feet of movement she takes. If she takes the withdraw action she does not provoke for her entire movement. Finally while fighting on a sailing ship, she may take an extra 5-feet step each round, using the ship’s unsteadiness for her own gain.

Mariner’s Cure (Ex): A mariner of 7th level can spend 1 grit point as a full-round action to ingest a homemade cure for sickness. This allows her to to reroll a saving throw against any ongoing effect, ending it on a successful save. If the effect had no saving throw it cannot be ended with Mariner’s Cure. An effect with a duration of permanent or instantaneous is instead suppressed for 1 hour. The mariner may only attempt to use Mariner’s Cure once per effect. A mariner may alternatively administer her Mariner’s cure to an adjacent willing creature.

Shark Slayer (Ex): A mariner of 7th level can spend 1 grit point as a swift action to add the Bane enhancement to one weapon she wields for 1 minute. The enhancement only applies to Animal and Magical Beats with the Aquatic subtype who are at least 1 size larger than the mariner.

Slice the Appendage (Ex): A mariner of 7th level is capable of making a quick attack against an armor or tentacle holding her. As a standard action she may spend 1 grit point and make an attack roll against a creature grappling her. She can make an attack with any melee weapons without penalties and does not provoke an attack of opportunity for a ranged attack made this way. If the attack hit, the mariner may immediately attempts to escape with a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist Check with a bonus equal to the damage dealt by the attack -10.

Mermaid’s Blessing (Ex): A mariner of 11th level gains a swim speed equal to her base land speed as long as she has at least 1 grit point.

Plunging Attack (Ex): A mariner of 11th level can make a special melee attack against a creature under her. As a full-round action and spending 1 grit point she can initiate a plunging attack. The attack resolves against the target’s flat-footed AC, with higher ground bonus, and deals 1 point of extra damage for each 5 feet the mariner was above the target (maximum of +20 damage). If the mariner plunges at least 20 feet, the attack is an automatic critical threat. After the attack, the mariner immediately repositions herself on the same altitude as the attacked creature adjacent to it. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity and if the attack hits the mariner takes no falling damage.

Swinging Rope (Ex): A mariner of 11th level with at least 1 point of grit and a rope in hand gains a fly speed equal to twice her base land speed with average maneuverability. The mariner is limited however only to the area the rope can reach, up to a maximum of 100 feet around the base where the rope is attached. The rope needs to be attached to one end and be loose on the other for this deed to function.

Iron Stamina (Ex): A mariner of 15th level can automatically succeed at any Fortitude save she makes as an immediate action by spending 2 grit points. She can do so for any Constitution checks by spending 1 point instead.

Horizon Marksman (Ex): A mariner of 15th level with at least 1 grit point no longer takes any penalties on her attack roll when shooting in her first five range increment. She can spend 1 grit point as a swift action to ignore penalties for all of her range increments for 1 round.

Kraken Slayer (Ex): A mariner of 15th level is able to deal a tremendous blow to a large creature. As a full-round action she may make a single melee or ranged attack against a creature of at least large size who is one or more size category larger than the mariner. If the attack hits, she deals her flourish damage times the number of attacks she would be able to do on a full-attack and ignores all damage reduction. This attack cannot be augmented by a flourish.

Master of the Sea (Ex): A mariner of 19th level with at least 1 grit point is able to operate a ship alone, as if she was a crew of 20. This can be used to supplement an existing crew.

Perfect Flourish (Ex): A mariner of 19th leve with at least 1 point of grit rolls all of her flourish attacks twice, using whichever result she wants.

Relentless Assault (Ex): A mariner of 19th level is capable of bringing all but the strongest to her knees. As a standard action she may spend 1 grit to make a full-attack action.

Grit (Ex): A mariner has a pool of grit points, much like a gunslinger and follow the same rules for doing so. A mariner’s grit pool is equal to her Wisdom modifier. However a mariner only regains grit when she successfully reduces a creature whose CR is at least ½ of the mariner’s level to 0 hit point of lower with a flourish. A mariner also regains a point of grit when she successfully performs a naval maneuver in battle with a skill check.

Seamanship (Ex): A mariner of 2nd level is a professional seaman, she gain half her class level on Balance, Climb, Profession (Sailor), Swim and Use Rope checks.

Flourish (Ex): As a move action, a mariner of 2nd level is able to empower her next strike. The next attack she makes until the start of her next turn deals an additional +1d6 damage, this bonus increases by +1d6 at 4th level and each 4 levels thereafter. This damage is not precision damage and counts as being part of the weapon’s base damage, and is thus multiplied on a critical hit and other effects which multiply damage.

Alternatively a mariner can ready a flourish as a standard action, allowing her to improve an attack made until the end of her next turn.

Mariner Talent: At 3rd level and each 3 levels thereafter a mariner learns a mariner talent. Unless noted otherwise, a mariner cannot select the same mariner talent twice. A mariner select her mariner talent from the list found on this page: Mariner Talents.

Nimble (Ex): At 4th level, the mariner gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to Initiative while wearing light or no armor. Anything that causes her to lose her Dexterity bonus to AC also causes her to lose this dodge bonus. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd level (to a maximum of +6 at 19th level).

Quick Flourish (Ex): A 6th level mariner can ready her flourish attack as a swift action rather than a move action. Additionally she may ready a longer acting flourish as a move action instead of a standard action.

Evasion (Ex): At 14th level, a mariner gains evasion as a Rogue.

Legend of the Sea (Ex): A mariner of 20th level gains 2 points of grits whenever she rolls initiative. Those grit points vanish after 1 minutes if the mariner’s grit point is full, otherwise they refill the mariner’s pool like normally obtained grit. She does not gain the benefit of Grit of the Sea if no foes in initiative have a CR of at least ½ her class level.

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