Grizzled Veteran

. Bran looked up the hill. Two hundred? Three hundred men? Unlikely, but it could happen. He walked back to the camp. Schel was sitting there, chewing on a stick. He looked up, Bran looked back. They stared at each other for a few seconds and went back to what they were doing. Schel knew.
. Bran reached the commander's tent. Some fancy up and at 'em prince, er something. He braced himself and entered the tent flap. "Sir" he drawled.
. "Yes Bran." the prince said promptly, "Report."
. Inside Bran shuddered. "Well its a hill alright, with a narrow road. We could maybe fit ten men abrest on it without room to fight. With room, I'd make it six. An' thats still a long walk." He relaxed, at least the Prince knew Bran was useful. Otherwise his baggy shirt and torn sleeve would have earned him a demerit... or something.
. "Very well, thank you Bran." The prince signaled him out and Bran left. Back in the camp he looked around for the right faces. They'd be glowing, maybe over boisterous with fear. Didn't take him long, middle left side of the camp, there they were, recruits. Farmboys probably, shop owner's kids, maybe a thug, maybe. He drug himself over and helped himself to the next passing of the waterskin.
. "You lads fight any?" he said, feigning interest.
. "Aye!" one shouted but let it die when no one else did.
. "Wolves, sometimes a bear." one man-child, obviously a herder, spoke up. "Never much else."
. "Ah, 'ain't so bad a lack of experience fightin' bears. They hit harder then any man I've met."
. It took him about seven minutes but he managed to draw them into conversation, assuaging their fears and bolstering their confidence with stories and suggestions. Even an offer to stand by any of them that wanted it. The boys would sleep well enough tonight.
. Bran pushed himself to his feet and joined Schel again.
. "Madro?" Schel asked.
. "Farther." Bran replied. The two intimately understood is was a question of survival expectancy. It would be just as hard as Madro had been, but for a longer time.
. "Children?" Schel said.
. "Bears, wolves. Not babes quite, but close. Prolly all of 'em."
. "Aye." Schel laid back and slept just near the fire. Bran doffed his jerkin and laid his cloak down to pad himself before nodding off as well.

Grizzeled Veterans fight. They're life long campaigner's for the most part, with an intimate understanding of each other as well as a battlefield. They lack the wild eyed fervor, the somber meloncholy, or the zealous drive of other warriors. They fight mechanically and efficiently so they can go home sooner.
Almost all Grizzeled Veteran's are Fighters or Warriors. Every other class just has a different nature. Barbarians are too wild, Monks are too focused, Rangers are too driven, and Paladins are too holy. That doesn't mean they can't become a Grizzled Veteran, just that they probably won't.

Grizzled Veteran

prerequisites
*Must have been a part of two major (100 men or more) battles
*Must have been a member of one military campagin (4 or more battles of 100 or more people, fighting for the same side.)
*Spot: 2 ranks
*Knowledge (Tactics): 2 ranks
*Swim: 2 ranks
*Appraise: 1 rank
*BAB +9
*Feats: Toughness, Power Attack, Leadership, Expertise, Endurance

class skills
Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Tactics/War/Armies/Logistics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex)
pts/level 4+int
BAB: As Fighter
HD: d10

lvl__Fort_Ref_Wil____Ability
1........+1...+0...+1............Experience
2........+1...+0...+1............Long March
3........+2...+0...+2............Morale +1
4........+3...+1...+2............Hard to Kill
5........+3...+1...+3............Morale +2
6........+4...+1...+3............Bastion of Strength, Moral (Attack, AC, and Damage)
7........+5...+2...+4............Morale +3
8........+5...+2...+4............Battle Hardened
9........+6...+2...+5............Morale +4
10......+7...+3...+5............War Machine

class abilities

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Grizzled Veteran is proficient with all martial and simple weapons. And with Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor, and Shields.

Experience: Largely underrated by younger more gung ho adventurer's experience is the sort of thing that saves lives. Knowing that you have to burn a troll to kill it, or knowing that some play looking unpleasent really is. The Grizzled Veteran may use Bardic Knowledge (using his level of Grizzled Veteran instead of Bard) in relation to any combat situation. They would be able to know about major battles, certain immunities or necesities when fighting certain creatures. This cannot be rerolled as it represents random bit of knowledge picked up in their years of campaigning. Grizzled Veteran levels do not stack with Bard levels nor vice versa for Bardic Knowledge or Experience.

Long March: Sure, theres glory in a campaign, fighting, heroing, seiging, and defending. But ask any veteran what you see most on campaign... Walking. Theres not alot to do on a walk, but it draws men together when they're bored together. The Grizzeled Veteran making eye contact with another Grizzeled Veteran acts as though under an empathic link. They can transfer feelings, estimations, suggestions, or innuendos without failure. Complex message require a word or two that has some sort of significance to both veteran's. Such as the name of a battle field, or a specific enemy. Because of their years of dull life they do not have to make bluff or disguise attempts to hide their emotions.

Morale: You don't always fight in a company of Veteran's. Armies have a nasty habit of picking up anyone. Especially people that don't fight much. In general they become scared and eventually flee. Grizzled Veterans take care of this. By spending an hour talking, betting, joking, or any other form of friendly interaction with inexperience people (with 1/2 or less the Grizzled Veteran's total level) they can boost their will saves against fear by the listed number for the next day. This lasts for each individual unit until they fail at a will save. This is a morale bonus
At 6th level the Grizzled Veteran can share experiences and tactics that they have learned over time. This granting half the listed bonus to AC, Attack, and Damage rolls for the next day. This is a competency bonus.

Hard to Kill: The Grizzled Veteran is a tough bastard. Killing him just gets harder and harder. The Grizzled Veteran gains an additional +2 hp per level from here on. When attempting to survive in the wilderness they may use their Int mod in addition to their Wis mod and gain a +2 to saves against exposure to the elements or starvation. At 9th level they gain the feat Remain Conscious for free.

Bastion of Strength: No one really knows what makes fighting beside a Veteran inspiring. They don't do anything flashy, they don't sing songs or bellow threats. But somehow being beside a man whos seen it all and isn't scared just makes a person fight harder. Any ally fighting withing 10 feet of the Grizzled Veteran gains a +2 to WIll saves and a +1 to attacks, damage, and AC. These are morale bonuses but stack with Morale ability.

Battle Hardened: To make a wizard run you send a beholder, to make a cleric run you send a blackguard, to make a fighter run you send a wizard. To make a Veteran run you send...you send... hmmm... Its true. Grizzled Veteran's have seen everything, and its true, they're not impressed. Any fear effects, such as aura's or spells used against the Veteran fail automatically. Int addition once per day the Grizzled Veteran may adopt a Battle Hardened stance in which he gains a +4 natural AC bonus, and cannot be moved. This lasts 4 rounds + 1 per level Grizzled Veteran. At the end of this the Grizzled Veteran is winded and suffers a -2 to Str and Dex.

War Machine: They're not cold, or cruel, or flashy. They're just efficient. Very efficient. By now the Grizzled Veteran may use the Whirlwind feat even if he does not have the prerequisites. In addition whenever the Grizzled Veteran takes damage from a non-magical attack 2 points of the damage are treated as subdual damage. Magic weapons deal their bonus damage as real damage but the rest of the damage is subject to this ability. (So a rogue with a +1 dagger that rolls a 1 for damage deals 1 subdual and 1 normal damage, whereas had he rolled a 2 he would deal 2 subdual and 1 normal, and had he rolled a 3 he would deal 2 subdual and 2 normal).