The use of balloons and other aircraft is vital to the ixal way of life, air transportation of cargo through the mountain passes of their home being of extreme importance for the flightless beastmen. Many ixal have taken up the profession of designing and crafting airships, whether for practical reasons or even for spiritual reasons, these engineers stop at nothing until every ixal knows what it means to ride the wind.
The windrider is an archetype of the engineer class, available only to ixal engineers.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The windrider mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and INT for his class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Limit Break (Overdrive), Technologist, Automaton. 2nd – Tinkering. 4th – Support Droid. 20th – One With Machines.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the windrider receives the Limit Break (Emergency Maneuvers).
Emergency Maneuvers (Su): This Limit Break activates an emergency system on the windrider’s personal airship. The airship can accelerate up to its maximum speed even when unmanned, any manufactured weapons and gadgets installed on it are considered manned, and it adds half the windrider’s Pilot skill bonus (minimum 1) to its own Pilot skill ranks – even when not piloted by him – for the purposes of calculating AC and save bonuses. These effects last for a duration of 1 round + 1 round for every four engineer levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Overdrive).
Airship Operator
At 1st level, a windrider receives the Airship Operation feat as a bonus feat.
This ability replaces technologist.
Personal Airship (Ex)
At 1st level, the windrider designs and constructs his own personal airship. This airship uses a dirigible for flight, but can be upgraded to other forms of propulsion as the windrider increases in level. It is, in many respects, the same as a standard engineer’s automaton, although there are a few differences. An airship has alternate base statistics, a fly speed with clumsy maneuverability, and gains different upgrades. The airship can serve as a vehicle that can comfortably carry 4 medium-sized creatures, 8 small-sized creatures, or any combination of the two above. A windrider can pilot his airship to grant it bonuses to its AC and saves equal to half of his ranks in the Pilot skill. The personal airship can follow his commands even when he is not at the control device, but its fly speed is reduced to its engines’ total acceleration values, unable to reach its maximum speed. When using its slam attack, the airship does not suffer damage from ramming. It loses access to the Powered Servomotors augmentation, has no magic item slots, and cannot use manufactured weapons unless manned by crew proficient with them. It otherwise uses the exact same rules.
Size: Medium; Speed: 10 ft., fly (dirigible, clumsy maneuverability).; AC: (see armor plating); Attack: slam (1d6); Ability Scores: Str 15, Dex 15, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 10; Special Qualities: Construct traits, Lightning Vulnerability, Critical Hit Vulnerability.
Table: Personal Airship Base Statistics
| Class Level | HD | BAB | Save | Armor Bonus | Saves Bonus | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | +2 | +0 | +0 | +0 | Armor Plating |
| 2nd | 3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Install Gadget |
| 3rd | 3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | — |
| 4th | 4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Engine Upgrade (Mechanical) |
| 5th | 5 | +5 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Personal Airship 1st Upgrade |
| 6th | 6 | +6 | +2 | +2 | +2 | — |
| 7th | 6 | +6 | +2 | +3 | +3 | Install Gadget |
| 8th | 7 | +7 | +2 | +3 | +3 | Extra Capacity |
| 9th | 8 | +8 | +2 | +3 | +3 | — |
| 10th | 9 | +9 | +3 | +4 | +4 | Personal Airship 2nd Upgrade |
| 11th | 9 | +9 | +3 | +4 | +4 | — |
| 12th | 10 | +10 | +3 | +5 | +5 | Engine Upgrade (Magicite), Install Gadget |
| 13th | 11 | +11 | +3 | +5 | +5 | — |
| 14th | 12 | +12 | +4 | +5 | +5 | — |
| 15th | 12 | +12 | +4 | +6 | +6 | Personal Airship 3rd Upgrade |
| 16th | 13 | +13 | +4 | +6 | +6 | Extra Capacity |
| 17th | 14 | +14 | +4 | +7 | +7 | Install Gadget |
| 18th | 15 | +15 | +5 | +7 | +7 | — |
| 19th | 15 | +15 | +5 | +7 | +7 | — |
| 20th | 16 | +16 | +5 | +8 | +8 | Engine Upgrade (Auracite), Personal Airship Masterwork Upgrade |
Most of the entries in the personal airship’s Special column are similar to the automaton’s. Instead of the Share Trick ability, the personal airship gains the Install Gadget ability, and instead of ability score increases, it gains Engine Upgrades and Extra Capacity.
Install Gadget: At 2nd level, and every five engineer levels thereafter, the windrider selects a gadget he has built to install onto his personal airship. He may access this gadget from any location on the airship to use it himself. The personal airship may also use these gadgets, similarly to the Share Trick ability, but they must be activated by the windrider or an ally he has designated as crew. If the windrider uses the User-Friendly Gadget trick on an installed gadget and crew member, that crew member may access the gadget from any location on the airship.
Engine Upgrade: At 4th level, a windrider adds an additional engine to his personal airship, though he may keep the dirigible propulsion system and any thrusters he has installed. These upgraded engines can be mounted underneath the deck in an engine room to avoid taking up carrying space. At 4th level, a windrider can add a mechanical engine. At 12th level, he can replace it with a magicite engine, and the airship can reach its maximum speed unmanned. At 20th level, he can replace it with an auracite engine.
Extra Capacity: The personal airship can be upgraded with additional carrying space, either by adding additional decks or expanding current ones. At 8th level, a personal airship can comfortably transport 8 creatures of its size category. At 16th level, it can comfortably transport 12 creatures of its size category.
This ability modifies and replaces automaton.
Air Ace (Ex)
At 2nd level, the windrider is more practiced in piloting airships. He adds half his engineer level to all Pilot skill checks, and his personal airship crew can use aid another on his Pilot skill checks untrained.
This ability replaces tinkering.
Ingenuity (Ex)
At 4th level, and every four engineer levels thereafter, a windrider receives a bonus technology feat for which he meets the requirements.
This ability replaces support droid and all of its related features.
Eye of the Storm (Ex)
At 20th level, the windrider can perfectly pilot his airship through any sort of stormy weather. His personal airship loses lightning vulnerability, and is immune to damage from environmental hazards and severe weather. In addition, the windrider becomes immune to fall damage when he pilots his personal airship and for 1 hour after he stops piloting his personal airship.
This ability replaces one with machines.
