Dwarven crossbowyers battle the vilest creatures—often in underworld tunnels, far from their homes—in defense of their clans. Their great skills with crossbows make dwarven crossbowyers deadly hunters of the dark aberrations and depraved humanoids that otherwise would destroy everything the dwarves have built.
The dwarven crossbowyer is an archetype of the archer class, available only to dwarf archers.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The dwarven crossbowyer mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and WIS for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Weapon Proficiencies, Aim. 2nd – Hawkeye, Archery Talent. 4th – Expert Archer. 5th – Targeted Shot. 6th – Fast Movement. 7th – Uncanny Dodge. 9th – Safe Shot. 13th – Take Aim. 17th – Improved Uncanny Dodge. 19th – Aim Mastery.
Weapon Proficiencies
Dwarven crossbowyers are proficient with all simple weapons and all non-exotic crossbows.
This ability replaces the archer’s weapon proficiencies.
Armor Piercer (Ex)
At 1st level, a dwarven crossbowyer regularly defends his underground home from some of the most dangerous predators in the world. When using a crossbow (of any sort), a dwarven crossbowyer reduces the armor, shield, or natural armor bonus of his target by 1. This ability cannot reduce the target’s modifier below 0. For every four archer levels after 1st, a dwarven crossbowyer can reduce the armor, shield, or natural armor bonus of his target by an additional –1. (For example, –2 to armor, shield, or natural armor at 5th level, –3 at 9th level, and so on.) A dwarven crossbowyer can apply this penalty to multiple aspects of the target’s AC. For example, if a 9th-
This ability replaces aim and take aim.
Grit (Ex)
At 2nd level, a dwarven crossbowyer makes his mark upon the world with daring deeds. In game terms, grit is a fluctuating measure of a dwarven crossbowyer’s ability to perform amazing actions in combat. At the start of each day, a dwarven crossbowyer gains a number of grit points equal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). His grit goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A dwarven crossbowyer spends grit to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains grit in the following ways.
- A dwarven crossbowyer regains grit when he scores a critical hit or deals a killing blow with any kind of crossbow.
At 2nd level, a dwarven crossbowyer can perform the following deeds with a crossbow.
Sharp Shoot (Ex): At 2nd level, a dwarven crossbowyer can resolve an attack against touch AC instead of normal AC when firing a crossbow at a target within its first range increment. Performing this deed costs 1 grit point. This deed’s cost cannot be reduced by any ability or effect that reduces the number of grit points a deed costs (such as Signature Deed).
Bolt Juggler (Ex): At 2nd level, as long as the dwarven crossbowyer has at least 1 grit point, he does not require a free hand to reload a crossbow.
Shooter’s Resolve (Ex): At 4th level, a dwarven crossbowyer can spend 1 grit point when making a crossbow attack as a standard action and ignore the effects of concealment (though not total concealment) and cover (other than total cover) against that shot.
Distracting Shot (Ex): At 8th level, a dwarven crossbowyer can spend 1 grit point and choose to miss a target that he could normally attack within his range with a crossbow attack. When he does, the target loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) for 1 round.
Meteor Shot (Ex): At 12th level, a dwarven crossbowyer may spend 1 grit as a standard action in order to make one attack with a crossbow at a –4 penalty. If the attack hits, it inflicts damage normally and the target is subject to a bull rush or a trip maneuver using the attack roll as the combat maneuver check. If bull rush is chosen, the dwarven crossbowyer does not move with the target, while if trip is chosen, he can’t be knocked prone by failing the trip attempt. The dwarven crossbowyer must decide which maneuver to attempt before making his attack roll.
Sudden Shot (Ex): At 12th level, a dwarven crossbowyer can spend 1 grit point to target a creature’s flat-footed AC when firing a crossbow within its first range increment for 1 round. The deed’s cost cannot be reduced by the Signature Deed feat, or any other effect that reduces the amount of grit a deed costs.
Pinning Shot (Ex): At 16th level, the dwarven crossbowyer can spend 1 grit point while shooting a crossbow and attempt to pin down its target with the bolt. If the crossbow attack hits, it pins the target to a nearby object, to a wall, or to the ground, entangling and staggering the target. While pinned by the bolt, the target cannot move out of its space until it takes a standard action to free itself from the pinning bolt, except by means of teleportation.
These abilities replace hawkeye.
Pack Mule (Ex)
Early in his career, a dwarven crossbowyer learns to better bear the burden of the gear and equipment he needs during long excursions away from home. At 2nd level, he gains a +2 bonus to his Strength score for the purposes of determining carrying capacity. At 10th level, this bonus increases to +4. In addition, even when bearing a large load or burdened by weighty armor, the dwarven crossbowyer fares better than others. In addition, he reduces his armor-
This ability replaces an archery talent gained at 2nd level.
Expert Crossbowyer (Ex)
At 4th level, a dwarven crossbowyer gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with crossbows. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 4th.
This ability replaces expert archer.
Preferred Environment (Ex)
At 5th level, when underground or in a structure made primarily from stone, a dwarven crossbowyer feels at home. He gains a +2 bonus on Acrobatics, Climb, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Perception, and Survival checks. He also gains a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls. A dwarven crossbowyer may make Knowledge (dungeoneering) skill checks untrained. At 10th level, the bonus increases to +4, at 15th level it increases to +6, and at 20th level it increases to +8.
This ability replaces targeted shot.
Camouflage (Ex)
At 6th level, a dwarven crossbowyer may use the Stealth skill to hide in any stone environment—including within structures made primarily of stone—even if he does not have cover or concealment. In addition, while traveling through natural stone environments, a dwarven crossbowyer does not suffer any armor-
This ability replaces fast movement.
Quick Bolt Exchange (Ex)
At 6th level, a dwarven crossbowyer is adept at exchanging the bolts in his possession as well as in his weapons. The dwarven crossbowyer gains the Rapid Reload feat as a bonus feat for a crossbow of his choice. If the dwarven crossbowyer already has Rapid Reload, he instead reduces the action required to reload his type of crossbow selected by 1 more step (full-round > standard > move > free). When combined with Rapid Reload a heavy crossbow takes a free action to reload and no longer provokes attacks of opportunity.
This ability replaces an archery talent gained at 6th level.
Close Combat Shot (Ex)
Beginning at 9th level, a dwarven crossbowyer no longer provokes attacks of opportunity when making a ranged attack with his crossbow. When making other ranged attacks, such as throwing a dagger, a dwarven crossbowyer provokes as normal.
This ability replaces safe shot.
Armor Piercing Mastery (Ex)
At 19th level, the dwarven crossbowyer becomes a master at capturing or killing targets whose armor he can pierce. As a standard action, he can make a single ranged attack with a crossbow against a target within 60 feet at his full base attack bonus, choosing one of the following effects: kill, knock unconscious for 1d4 hours, or paralyze for 2d6 rounds. If the attack succeeds, the target takes damage normally and must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the archer’s level + his Dexterity modifier) or suffer the additional effect. Whether or not the target succeeds, it cannot be targeted by this ability again (by any dwarven crossbowyer) for 24 hours.
This ability modifies and replaces aim mastery.
