These brand of black-belts train to be vicious and give no mercy, often employing techniques that are considered low or unethical. The Creed of a Cobra Disciple is to Strike First, Strike Hard, and show No Mercy.
The cobra disciple is an archetype of the black belt class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The cobra disciple mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and STR/DEX, CON, and WIS for his class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Martial Flexibility, Tough Skin. 3rd – Maneuver Training. 4th – Knockout, Master Technique. 5th – Close Weapon Mastery.
Strike First, Strike Hard (Ex)
At 1st level, a cobra disciple gains a bonus on Initiative equal to his Wisdom modifier. In addition, if the cobra disciple attacks with an unarmed strike against an enemy that has yet to act, his first unarmed strike attack adds double his Strength modifier on damage and gains a bonus on damage equal to his black belt level.
This ability replaces tough skin.
Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 1st level, a cobra disciple can make a sneak attack. This is as the thief ability of the same name. At 1st level, his sneak attack damage is +1d6. This increases by 1d6 at 6th, 10th, 12th, and 20th levels. If he gets a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.
This ability replaces martial flexibility.
Pain Points (Ex)
At 3rd level, a cobra disciple’s advanced knowledge of humanoid anatomy grants a +1 bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls and increases the DC of his Sweep the Leg and Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique abilities by 1. At 7th level and every four black belt levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by 1. In addition, after hitting a target with an unarmed strike attack, all damage from that attack is considered continuous damage for the purposes of any concentration checks made by the target prior to the beginning of the cobra disciple’s next turn.
This ability replaces maneuver training.
Cobra Feint (Ex)
At 4th level, a cobra disciple who uses a standard action to move can combine that move with a feint. If he is able to feint as a move action (such as from having the Improved Feint feat), he can combine a move action to move with his feint. At 11th level, once per round he can declare his square and one adjacent square as the origin of his attacks until his next turn (allowing him to use one or both squares to determine whether he or allies are flanking an opponent). At 15th level, he counts an additional adjacent square for this purpose.
This ability replaces a master technique gained at 4th level.
Sweep the Leg (Ex)
At 4th level, once per day, a cobra disciple can unleash a devastating low blow that causes an opponent to fall prone, unable to get up. He must announce this intent before making his attack roll. If the cobra disciple hits and the target takes damage from the blow, the target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half of the black belt’s level + his Strength or Dexterity modifier) or fall prone for 1d6 rounds, unable to stand up. Each round on its turn, the target may attempt a new saving throw to end the effect as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. While unable to stand, the target may crawl at half movement speed. Creatures immune to critical hits or nonlethal damage are immune to this ability. At 10th level, the cobra disciple may use this ability twice per day; at 16th level, he may use it three times per day.
This ability replaces knockout.
No Mercy (Ex)
At 5th level, whenever an adjacent opponent would withdraw or take a 5-ft.-step away from the cobra disciple, as an immediate action, he may make an unarmed strike at his highest BAB.
This ability replaces close weapon mastery.
