The warmonger is a confident adversary, well-versed in taunting foes, cutting through them, and sending them to the dirt in a bloody heap. Warmongers are also experts in controlling enemy aggression, possessing abilities that draw foes toward them and that, through daze effects, cause enemies to forget who they were fighting.
The warmonger is an archetype of the sword saint class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The warmonger mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and STR, CON, and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
2nd – Force of Personality, Sword Saint Talents. 12th – Advanced Sword Saint Talents.
Stamina Pool (Ex)
At 2nd level, the warmonger gains a reservoir of stamina that he can draw upon to fuel his talents that he gains below. This stamina pool has a number of points equal to half sword saint level + his Constitution modifier (minimum 1). The pool refreshes once per day when the warmonger rests for a full 8 hours. Sustained modes take up a static amount of stamina points from the warmonger’s current and maximum stamina pool and most sustained modes stack.
Some talents are activated as a sustained mode. When activated, these talents both consume stamina and reduce the user’s maximum stamina by the listed amount. While active, they provide their listed bonuses until the user deactivates them as a free action, falls unconscious, or dies, at which point the reduction to the user’s maximum stamina is removed. Multiple sustained mode talents may be used at the same time as long as the user has enough stamina, though some talents may specify others that they cannot be used with.
By spending 1 stamina point as a swift action, the warmonger can do one of the following:
- Increase his speed by 10 feet for 1 round, or
- Delay and suppress his fatigue or exhaustion for 1 round, or
- Increase one saving throw by +1 for 1 round.
This ability replaces force of personality.
Warmonger Talents (Su)
As a warmonger gains experience, he learns a number of talents that aid him and his allies. Starting at 2nd level, a warmonger gains one warmonger talent chosen from the talent trees below. He gains an additional warmonger talent for every 2 levels of sword saint attained after 2nd level. A warmonger cannot select an individual talent more than once. The warmonger may pick up Extra Sword Saint Talent feats to select these talents.
Two-Handed Talent Tree (Su): Warmongers who wield two-handed weapons can reap tremendous damage through wide arcs of enemy flesh, although they forgo the protective benefits of a shield. Weapon Requirement: Any manufactured two-handed melee weapon.
- Mighty Blow: At a cost of 1 stamina point, as a standard action, the warmonger leaps into the air, crashing down on foes with tremendous force. The warmonger makes a standard attack at his highest attack bonus, if it hits, the warmonger deals damage equal to double his weapon damage + Strength modifier, and any other foes he threatens with that weapon that are adjacent to the main target. These secondary targets get a Reflex save to halve the damage (DC 10 + half of the sword saint’s level + his Strength modifier).
- Shattering Blow: Mighty Blow now grants a free Sunder combat maneuver attempt against a foe the warmonger has targeted, but not the surrounding enemies. Prerequisite: Mighty Blow.
- Killer Blow: Mighty Blow now deals a considerable more damage. It deals triple damage instead of double. Prerequisite: Mighty Blow.
- Giant’s Reach: The warmonger’s two-handed attacks rip through the air with such power that each generates a shockwave past the point of impact, effectively extending the weapon’s reach. During his own turn, as long as the warmonger has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool while wielding a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon in two hands, he extends the reach of his attacks, and the reach and area of the Whirlwind, Mighty Blow, and Scythe talents, by 5 feet. At a cost of 1 stamina point, as an immediate action, the warmonger can extend the benefits of this talent until the start of his next turn.
- Sunder: The warmonger’s strikes carry such weight that critical hits gain a chance to stunned the victim. As long as the warmonger has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, creatures affected by the his critical hit must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the warmonger’s level + his Strength modifier) or be stunned for one round.
- Scythe: At a cost of 2 stamina points, as a standard action, the warmonger charges through enemy lines, attacking combatants in the way. The warmonger makes a standard charge and is able to make a basic attack on any enemies within melee range along his charge route at his highest attack bonus. Prerequisite: Mighty Blow.
- Reaper: Scythe deals double damage to those who are dazed or stunned. Prerequisites: Mighty Blow, Scythe.
- Whirlwind: At a cost of 2 stamina points, as a standard action, the warmonger cuts through foes, hitting all targets within melee range with a single sweeping arc. The warmonger temporarily gains the ability to use Whirlwind Attack feat as a standard action instead of a full-round action. Prerequisites: Mighty Blow, Giant’s Reach.
- Tornado: Whirlwind has a greater chance to land critical hits, increasing the warmonger’s critical threat range with any two-handed weapon by 1. Prerequisites: Mighty Blow, Giant’s Reach, Whirlwind.
- Cyclone: Whirlwind becomes murderously effective and costs less Stamina to use. The warmonger deals double the damage to those he hits and Whirlwind costs 1 less stamina to use. Prerequisites: Mighty Blow, Giant’s Reach, Whirlwind.
Vanguard Talent Tree (Su): A vanguard believes that a good offense is the best defense. Their powerful strikes are matched with ruthless technique. Weapon Requirement: Any manufactured melee weapon.
- Control: As a swift action, the warmonger may activate this talent as a sustained mode. The warmonger fights with discipline, not anger, making every swing count. The warmonger gains a competence bonus to melee attack rolls of +1 and an additional +1 per four sword saint levels. This mode cannot be used at the same time as Might. This mode uses up 2 stamina points of the warmonger’s current and maximum stamina pool.
- Command: Control now increases the critical threat range of any melee weapon the warmonger uses by 1. This is applied after all other feats and abilities that increase threat range such as Improved Critical. Prerequisite: Control.
- Might: As a swift action, the warmonger may activate this talent as a sustained mode. The warmonger focuses on heavy swings that cleave through foes. The warmonger gains a competence bonus to melee Weapon Damage Rolls of +1 and an additional +1 per four sword saint levels. This mode cannot be used at the same time as Control. This mode uses up 2 stamina points of the warmonger’s current and maximum stamina pool.
- Muscle: Might now increases the critical hit damage multiplier by 1 to a maximum of 4x. Prerequisite: Might.
- Assail: At a cost of 1 stamina point, as a move action, the warmonger throws more weight into each swing, significantly boosting his damage output. The warmonger gains a +1 bonus to melee damage rolls + an additional +1 per four sword saint levels for a number of rounds equal to the warmonger’s Constitution modifier.
- Besiege: When using Assail, the warmonger also damages nearby enemies within a 5-ft.-radius of his target doing half the damage. Prerequisite: Assail.
- Cleave: At a cost of 1 stamina point, as a swift action, the warmonger can make an additional attack after he fells an enemy on an enemy within melee range at his highest attack bonus. Prerequisites: Control, Might.
- Claymore: Cleave now has a chance to daze an opponent that was struck by this talent. The enemy must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the sword saint’s level + his Strength modifier) or be dazed for one round. Prerequisites: Control, Might, Cleave.
- Destroyer: The warmonger is now an elite combatant, so experienced in battle that enemies suffer more pain from critical hits from the warmonger than anyone else. As long as the warmonger has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, he deals more damage with melee critical hits, increasing critical hit damage multiplier by 1 to a maximum of 4x. Prerequisites: Control, Command.
- Massacre: The warmonger culls the weak. In most cases, when the enemy falls below a certain health threshold, the next hit is fatal. As long as the warmonger has at least 1 stamina point in his stamina pool, when an enemy reaches 20% health, if he hits this enemy with a melee attack, that creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the sword saint’s level + his Strength modifier) or die. Prerequisites: Control, Might, Cleave.
These abilities replace sword saint talents and advanced sword saint talents.
