Card Shark

Trouble always finds a card shark, whether he is a con artist or an honest gambler. Quick with his throwing cards and no stranger to barroom brawls, he can hold his own when spells and weapons start flying.

The card shark is an archetype of the gambler class.

Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The card shark mainly focuses on DEX for combat and CHA for their class features.

Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Gil Toss, Beginner’s Luck, Limit Break (Slot Machine). 5th – Breaking Even, Professional Gambler. 6th – Lucky Streak. 7th – Know When to Run. 10th – Gil Rain. 13th – All or Nothing. 14th – Check. 18th – Skew Favor.

Limit Break (Su)

At 1st level, the card shark receives the Limit Break (Is This Your Card?).

Is This Your Card? (Su): This Limit Break allows the card shark to magically pull out a card at random (the player rolls a 4d4 or uses an actual card deck, consulting the table below, and the enemy takes damage equal to the face value of the card), displaying it at a foe within 30 feet, who must make a Will save (DC 10 + half of the gambler’s level + his Charisma modifier) or be stunned for 1 round + 1 round per four gambler levels after 1st. If the enemy makes the save, he is shaken, instead, for the same number of rounds. Damage from the face value increases by +2d6 per four gambler levels after 1st.

This ability replaces the Limit Break (Slot Machine).

Kinetic Card (Su)

Starting at 1st level, the card shark can imbue his throwing cards with kinetic energy, exploding when it hits a solid object. As a standard action, the card shark throws a kinetic card at a target as a ranged touch attack and if it hits, the card explodes, dealing 1d6 points + his Charisma modifier of non-elemental damage in a 5-ft.-radius. Adjacent creatures to the target can make a Reflex save (DC 10 + half of the gambler’s level + his Charisma modifier) to take half damage. At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, the damage increases by 1d6.

This ability replaces gil toss.

Throwing Card Specialist (Ex)

At 1st level, a card shark gains Rapid Shot as a bonus feat even if he doesn’t meet the prerequisites. In addition, whenever he makes a successful ranged attack with his throwing cards, he adds his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier to the damage roll. If any effect would prevent the card shark from adding his Strength modifier to the damage roll, he does not add his Dexterity modifier.

This ability replaces beginner’s luck.

Gambler Gambits (Su)

A card shark gains access to the following gambits:

Big Blind (Su): When attacking with a throwing card, the card shark may spend one luck point to strike the opponent in the eyes. His opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the gambler’s level + his Charisma modifier) or become blinded for a number of rounds equal to the gambler’s Charisma modifier.

Double or Nothin’ (Su): When making a Kinetic Card attack, the card shark may spend a luck point to flip a coin (or roll a d2). If he calls it correctly the blast radius of his Kinetic Card attack increases to 10′, but if he calls incorrectly the blast deals damage only in the target square.

Fate’s Precision (Su): By spending 1 luck point, as a swift action, the card shark gains the benefit of the Precise Shot feat even if he does not meet its prerequisites for 1 minute.

Know When to Hold ’em (Su): When making a Kinetic Card attack, the card shark may spend one luck point to exclude a number of squares less than or equal to his Charisma modifier.

Line ’em Up! (Su): When making a Kinetic Card attack, the card shark may spend one luck point to deal his Kinetic Card damage to all squares in a line between him and his target, rather than in a blast around the target. Prerequisite: A card shark must be at least 6th level to select this gambit.

Card Trick (Ex)

At 5th level, the card shark’s proficiency in card throwing has made him unnaturally lucky and precise. His card throwing attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. Additionally, whenever a creature rolls a 1 on a save against his kinetic card ability, it deals maximum damage.

This ability replaces breaking even.

Flick of the Wrist (Ex)

Also at 5th level, the card shark is able to throw cards farther than normal. The range of the throwing cards in the hands of the card shark increases by 5 feet + an additional 5 feet for every two gambler levels after 5th.

This ability replaces professional gambler.

Feinting Throw (Ex)

At 6th level, when a card shark makes a ranged attack against an adjacent opponent with a throwing card and hits, that opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC against the next ranged attack that the card shark makes against it before the end of his next turn. At 10th level and every four levels thereafter, the card shark increases the number of his ranged attacks that benefit from this ability by one (to a total maximum of four ranged attacks).

This ability replaces lucky streak.

Extra Kinetic Card (Su)

At 7th level, as a full-round action, the card shark is able to throw an additional kinetic card attack at a -5 penalty. At 14th level, he can throw a third kinetic card attack at a -10 penalty.

This ability replaces know when to run and check.

Uncanny Precision (Ex)

Starting at 10th level, the card shark’s card throwing attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20. Additionally, whenever a creature rolls a 1 or 2 on a save against his kinetic card ability, it deals maximum damage.

This ability replaces gil rain.

Re-Draw (Ex)

At 13th level, whenever the card shark misses with a ranged attack against a target within 30 feet, he can spend an immediate action to reroll the attack with a -5 penalty. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

This ability replaces all or nothing.

52-Card Pickup (Su)

At 18th level, the card shark can send a flurry of card attacks in a 30-ft.-radius around him, striking enemies and having the cards explode. The card shark must make a separate ranged touch attack roll for each enemy. Any adjacent creatures to any of the targets that are struck (even if they are adjacent to multiple targets) must make Reflex saves for half damage (for Kinetic Card damage) for each that they are adjacent to. The card shark can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.

This ability replaces skewed favor.