MAROONER
Salorras Paragon: Marooner · Base path: Scoundrel (Rogue) — swashbuckling corsair and single-blade sea-duelist of the Deep Fleet of Lutys. A 10-level Pathfinder 1e prestige class for the elite sea-warriors of Asmeda’s fleets — the salt-cured single-sword fighters who turn the rhythm of the waves into lethal swordplay.
The corsairs are fearsome, salt-weathered seafarers raised on the waves of the seas and the boundless deep blue of the oceans. They represent the elite of the finest naval warriors that have ever existed in the history of the continent of Asmeda. Although most of them are trained from an early age to join the Deep Fleet — the largest active armada in the world — there are many who were, or still are, adventurers, merchants, messengers, and far-ranging explorers, while no few are cutpurses and pirates. The corsairs often travel the waters of the three continents as hired sailors, but their roots have always been in Lutys, the historic city-state of the Free Cities of South. The best-known haven of the corsairs lies in this city, where the Deep Fleet is also seated.
The world of Salorras recognizes the corsairs’ formidable skill in seafaring, yet keeps a necessary distance from them all the same. It is known that these sea-dogs hold an excellent command of the combat techniques of single-handed swords, and that negotiations with them can prove fatal. The open seas are their home, especially the waters of the Ornamentis coastline and the Tarpses gulf — stretches of the Arbon Ocean systematically avoided by the rest of the world’s ships.
The marooners hold that salt water gives them life and strength, and so they believe it is everyone’s right to travel by way of the seas. With years of experience aboard ship they observe the calm of the seas, and from it become wiser travelers; at the same time the storms and rushing waters teach them how to channel great force into the otherwise “airy” and elegant blows they deliver with their swords.
The marooners who belong to the Deep Fleet are trained and act under the military laws of Lutys. Many of those who operate on their own, by contrast, live an anarchic life and despise private harbors, bureaucracy, and political diplomacy — and for this reason most of them keep good relations with the autonomous and pirate fleets of the unofficial statelet of the Isles of Nocte. However it may be, the feeling the corsairs stir in the wider population of Salorras is that of anarchic scoundrels who steal, burn, and plunder the harbors and ships of the world.
Most corsairs, before they were initiated into the secrets of the sea, were fighters, scoundrels, or bards. In general, bards or spellcasters who have given weight to the combat technique of the single-handed sword occasionally become marooners, but pure spellcasters usually avoid this prestige class.
One may meet corsairs aboard ships sailing the open seas, in the various harbors of the world, or even on riverboats — though they are most easily found in the city-state of Lutys, seat of the Deep Fleet, or in the scattered havens of the Isles of Nocte. Occasionally they work as mercenaries, or act alongside companies of the land with whom they share common goals.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To qualify to become a marooner, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Skills: Acrobatics 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks, Swim 4 ranks.
Feats: Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (any one-handed sword).
The Marooner
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Skillful, traveler’s ken |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Bonus feat |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Pirate tricks, uncanny dodge |
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Finesse of the tides, traveled linguist |
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Spirited tricks |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Parley, swells rider |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Improved uncanny dodge |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Shift tricks |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Surge of the oceans |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Sea dog retaliation |
Class Skills
The marooner’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are features of the marooner prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency. A marooner is proficient with all simple weapons and with all one-handed swords (such as the longsword, rapier, scimitar, and short sword), and with light armor, but not with shields — a shield interferes with the single-sword fighting on which the marooner’s techniques depend.
Skillful (Ex). A marooner gains an insight bonus equal to their marooner level on all Profession (sailor) and Swim checks, and on Climb and Acrobatics checks made to handle ropes, rigging, and the like.
Traveler’s Ken (Ex). At 1st level, a marooner begins to acquire broad, general knowledge of matters relating to the inhabitants of a region, to fabled objects, to strange corners of the world, and the like. This ability works like a bard’s bardic knowledge: the marooner adds half their prestige-class level (minimum 1) on all Knowledge checks, and may make such checks untrained.
Bonus Feat. At 2nd level, a marooner gains a bonus feat.
Pirate Tricks (Ex). A marooner learns the fighting methods of the pirates. While fighting with a single one-handed sword for which they have Weapon Focus, the other hand free (no shield and no off-hand weapon), the marooner is treated as having the Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, and Improved Trip feats — these are the pirate tricks. Each round, at the start of their turn, the marooner chooses one of the three pirate tricks as a free action. They cannot use more than one pirate trick in the same round unless they actually possess the relevant feats and are entitled to at least two attacks that round. A marooner cannot use this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex). At 3rd level, a marooner retains their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class even when caught flat-footed or struck by an unseen attacker (they still lose it if immobilized). A marooner who already has uncanny dodge from another class instead gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).
Finesse of the Tides (Ex). At 4th level, the marooner learns from the waves how to put little strength behind great weight. They may now treat any one-handed sword for which they have selected Weapon Focus as a light weapon (so that, for example, Weapon Finesse applies to it). This ability cannot be used while the marooner wears medium or heavy armor.
Traveled Linguist. Sailing the world’s seas and putting in at countless harbors, marooners learn quickly the various tongues and dialects of the places they visit. At 4th level, a marooner gains one additional regional language they have encountered, as though they had placed a rank in Linguistics.
Spirited Tricks (Ex). Through familiarity, the pirate tricks of a 5th-level marooner are performed with greater certainty and confidence. When a marooner succeeds with one of their pirate tricks against an opponent, they gain a morale bonus equal to half their marooner level (minimum 2, rounded down) on the next pirate trick they attempt against that same opponent. This morale-boosted pirate trick is called a spirited trick. The spirited trick must be made within the next 3 rounds, or the morale bonus is lost; once used, the bonus is spent whether the trick succeeded or failed, and to regain it the marooner must land a fresh pirate trick from the start. A marooner does not benefit from this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor.
Parley. Ever more traveled, a marooner knows how to make the fullest use of the rules and the sailor’s code in their dealings with the rest of the world of the sea. At 6th level, a marooner gains an insight bonus equal to half their marooner level (minimum 3, rounded down) on all Charisma-based skill checks made against any sailor, dockworker, pirate, or seafarer, on matters directly or indirectly tied to the sea. The GM is the final judge of when this bonus applies.
Swells Rider (Ex). Also at 6th level, a marooner is so at home with the way a ship rides that they can move with ease about the vessel they are aboard, even under adverse conditions. When making an Acrobatics or Climb check while aboard ship, a marooner may choose to take 10 even if stress or distraction would normally forbid it.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex). At 7th level, a marooner can no longer be flanked, denying enemies the ability to sneak attack them by flanking — unless the attacker has at least four more levels (in a class that grants sneak attack) than the marooner has marooner levels. If the character already has uncanny dodge from another class (such as barbarian or scoundrel), those levels stack to determine this threshold.
Shift Tricks (Ex). At 8th level, a marooner gains such familiarity with the pirate tricks that they can perform them as part of their reflexes. Whenever the marooner is entitled to make an attack of opportunity, they may instead perform the pirate trick they have chosen for the current round. If the attack of opportunity was provoked by an opponent against whom the marooner is entitled to make a spirited trick (see above), they may make that spirited trick normally. If the marooner has the Combat Reflexes feat, they may use this ability multiple times, but only once per opportunity. A marooner cannot use this ability while wearing medium or heavy armor.
Surge of the Oceans (Ex). As they gain experience from the storm-tossed seas, the marooner begins to learn the rhythms of the wild waves. At 9th level, a marooner can mimic the “airy” force of a tempest to increase the damage of their blows. A marooner wielding a light weapon for which they have selected Weapon Focus may add their Dexterity modifier (minimum +1) as an insight bonus on damage to successful attacks made with that weapon. This insight bonus stacks normally with the damage from the marooner’s Strength modifier. If the weapon is held in two hands the insight bonus is one and a half times the Dexterity modifier; if held in the off hand, half. This ability cannot be used while the marooner wears medium or heavy armor.
Sea Dog Retaliation (Ex). Marooners are notorious for pursuing revenge. At 10th level, when an enemy makes a missed attack of opportunity against the marooner, the marooner may immediately make an attack of opportunity in return. This reflexive counter can be made only when the marooner provoked the missed attack of opportunity by moving into or out of the enemy’s threatened area, and it counts against the total number of attacks of opportunity the marooner is entitled to in a round. The marooner may combine this ability with shift tricks (and thus with spirited tricks and pirate tricks). If the marooner has the Combat Reflexes feat, they may use this ability multiple times, but only once per opportunity.
Ex-Marooners
A marooner who is cast out of the brotherhood of the sea — branded oath-breaker by the Deep Fleet, or marooned by their own crew for some betrayal of the sailor’s code — loses nothing of what their own hands and years on the waves have won: the techniques of this prestige class are theirs to keep. But the harbors of the Free Cities grow cold to a corsair without a crew, and a marooner who breaks faith with the sea may find every port closed and every old comrade an enemy.