“Stand up and fight for your freedom, my friends! Whether we live or die, the battle is
already won in our very hearts and souls!”
In
many lands, evil tyrants rule with an iron fist, squeezing every last drop out
of the downtrodden peasants. Elsewhere,
a tyrannical mage or corrupt high priest may take up residence, enslaving the
people as experiments or worshippers.
In savage lands, marauding orcs or ogres may lay waste to the
countryside. Perhaps even the soulless
formians may be on the march, enslaving all who would even think of resisting.
Yet
hope never completely dies. For when
the future seems dark, a hero of the common folk emerges: The Freedom
Fighter. He works to form a revolution
against the corrupt social order, and rally the common folk to fight for their
freedom. They stop at nothing, even
risking their own lives, to return the people’s lives back to them.
Many
races can gravitate towards the freedom fighter—all it takes is a love of
independence. Most freedom fighters are
bards, since they already can captivate many with their dominant
personalities. Fighters, clerics, and
rangers are quite common as well. It’s
not unlikely for an ex-paladin to attempt to cast down an evil order, or for
the occaisional rogue to strike tyrants down from the shadows. Freedom fighters of other classes are quite
rare, however.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Diplomacy: 4 ranks
Intimidate: 4 ranks
Feats: Iron Will, Leadership.
Alignment: Any nonlawful, nonevil.
Special: Must either join an existing
revolution to overthrow a corrupt government, or must actively found one.
Abilities:
Class Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Heal,
Gather information, Sense motive, craft, Profession, knowledge (Geography),
knowledge (nobility and royalty), bluff.
Skill points per level: 2 + int modifier
Level BaB F R W Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Seeds of Dissent
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Smite Opressor, Folk Hero
(Leadership +1)
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Rally
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Patriotism
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Epic Hero (Leadership +2)
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Thorn in the Side
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Cast off the Shackles
8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Steadfast Resolve
9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Legend (Leadership +3)
10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Beacon of Hope
Seeds of Dissent:
At first level, the Freedom Fighter gains a +2 competence bonus to all gather
information and intimidate checks.
Folk Hero: News of
the character’s revolution starts to spread.
His leadership score increases by one as people begin to flock to his
cause.
Smite Oppressor:
Beginning at second level, the Freedom Fighter may smite any of the tyrants
that he is leading his revolution against.
He adds his charisma modifier (if positive) to his attack roll, and his
character level to his damage roll.
(Note that this ability stacks with previous smite abilities, such as
from a paladin).
Rally: At 3rd
level, the freedom fighter may incite his rebels to greater efforts. If he is able to speak with them for at
least a minute before a battle, he boosts them to greater exploits. Each ally within 40 feet that can hear him
clearly gains a +1 bonus to saves, skill checks, and attack rolls. This is a supernatural ability, usable once
per day. The bonuses last for one round
per freedom fighter level, plus his charisma bonus, once battle starts. This stacks with Bless and similar spells.
Patriotism: By
leading his men for the cause, the freedom fighter is able to bolster their
strengths. At 4th level, any
allies who see him fighting gains a +4 bonus to saves vs. enchantment, fear, or
illusion. This is continually active in
a fight against the oppressors. (Note
that it does not work in a dungeon crawl, only against those enemies the freedom
fighter’s group specifically plans to overthrow). If he falls or flees, the bonuses disappear, and his men suffer a
–1 morale penalty to attacks, saves, and skill checks for the duration of the
fight.
Epic Hero: At 5th
level, the common people whisper the freedom fighter’s name with hope, and many
promising young adventurers seek to join him.
His leadership bonus increases to +2.
Thorn in the Side:
Upon reaching 6th level, the freedom fighter’s skill bonuses
increase to +4.
Cast off the Shackles: On reaching 7th level, the freedom fighter is able to
cause the oppressed to free themselves of magical apathy. If anyone the freedom fighter converses with
is suffering from either an enchantment or a fear spell, the freedom fighter
may make a charisma check at the DC equal to the original DC of the spell. If he succeeds, the spell is broken. This is usuable a number of times per day
equal to the freedom fighter’s charisma bonus +1. If used in a fight, it is a supernatural, full-round action that
draws an attack of opportunity.
Steadfast Resolve:
At 8th level, nothing can sway a freedom fighter from his
cause. He is immune to all fear, charm,
and compulsion spells.
Legend: At 9th
level, the freedom fighter’s name is associated with the promise of a better
age to come. He is spoken of in song
and poem. His leadership bonus is now a
+3.
Beacon of Hope: At 10th level, the freedom fighter is a wonder to behold in battle. On activating this supernatural ability (a standard action that does not draw an attack of opportunity), he gains several abilities. All allies gain a +2 bonus to attacks, skill checks, and saves (this does not stack with Rally, above). They are also immune to fear and charm spells. The freedom fighter himself gains 2d8 temporary hit points. Lastly, he literally glows with strength. For the duration of the power, he may cause his body to shed Light as the spell, or diminish it, as a free action. This power is usuable once per day, and lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his charisma modifier (if positive).