Athlete

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Athletes are physically imposing, strong, fast, and tough many end up at least hoping to play some sort of pro sports in their childhoods. Many people are Athletes not just pro sports stars but even the car salesman who is a weekend body builder built like a brick shit-house, the surgeon who runs in marathon races just for fun and wins, or the tough son of a bitch construction worker who can fall off a three story building only to dust him self off then get back to work are all good examples of Athletes.

**Examples of Athletes in Books, Comics, Games, TV, & Movies**

Hulk Hoggan (Reality – WWE)

**Cross-Class Requirements**

cross-class requirements determine weather of not a character can cross-class into being an Athlete in addition to any other existing classes.

**Requirements:** To become an Athlete a character must have a combination of two of Str, Dex, or Con of 13 or higher.

**Game Rule Information**

Athletes have the following game statistics.

**Ability**

Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity is the ability associated with this class. Athletes usually also have a good scores in Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma.

**Hit Die**

At 1st-level (i.e. Character creation) an Athlete receives hit points equal to 1d12 + his or her Constitution Score. Every level thereafter the Athlete gains 1d4 + the character’s Constitution modifier hit points per level. (To a minimum of 1 hit point per level regardless of a negative Constitution Modifier.) *Multi-class Characters* cross-classing into Athlete after 1st level only gain the 1d3 + the character’s Constitution modifier hit points per level, even at 1st level.

**Action Points**

6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the Athlete attains a new level in this class.

**Class Skills**

The Athlete’s class skills, and the key ability for each skill, are as follows (see Skills Chapter for skill descriptions):

Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Drive (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (dance) (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Also the starting occupation you select can provide you with additional class skills to choose from.

**Skill Points at 1st Level:** (3+ Int modifier) x4.

**Skill Points at Each Additional Level:** 3+ Int modifier.

**Class Features**

The following features pertain to the Athlete class.

**Armor & Weapon Proficiencies**

Athletes are proficient with all Simple Weapons. (*Multi-class Characters* cross-classing into Athlete after 1st level do not gain any proficiency from this class.)

**Talents**

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th level, the Athlete selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, you can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

**Damage Reduction Talent Tree**

The Athlete has an innate talent to ignore a set amount of damage from most weapons, but not from energy or special attack forms (which may or may not exist in your campaign). Before the Athlete can select a talent from this tree he must have previously selected at least one talent from the Energy Resistance or Unbreakable Talent Tree.

• • **Damage Reduction 1/-:** The Athlete ignores 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons.

• • **Damage Reduction 2/-:** The Athlete ignores an additional 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons (DR 2/- total). *Prerequisites:* Damage Reduction 1/-, one other talent from either the Energy Resistance Talent Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.

• • **Damage Reduction 3/-:** The Athlete ignores an additional 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons (DR 3/- total). *Prerequisites:* Damage Reduction 1/-, damage reduction 2/-, one other talent from either the Energy Resistance Talent Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.

**Energy Resistance Talent Tree**

The Athlete is particularly resistant to certain kinds of deadly energy effects. These talents can be selected in any order.

• • **Acid Resistance:** The Athlete ignores an amount of acid damage equal to his Constitution modifier.

• • **Cold Resistance:** The Athlete ignores an amount of cold damage equal to his Constitution modifier.

• • **Electricity Resistance:** The Athlete ignores an amount of electricity damage equal to his Constitution modifier.

• • **Fire Resistance:** The Athlete ignores an amount of fire damage equal to his Constitution modifier.

• • **Sonic/Concussion Resistance:** The Athlete ignores an amount of sonic or concussion damage equal to his Constitution modifier.

**Unbreakable Talent Tree**

The Athlete is particularly resilient thanks to the following talents.

• • **Remain Conscious:** The Athlete gains the ability to continue to perform actions when he would otherwise be considered unconscious and dying. When the Athlete’s hit points reach -1, he can perform as though he were disabled, making either an attack action or a move action every round until he reaches negative hit points equal to his Constitution (and dies) or his hit points return to 1 or higher. The Athlete can choose to succumb to unconsciousness if he thinks that doing so might prevent him from taking more damage.

• • **Robust:** The Athlete becomes especially robust, gaining a number of hit points equal to his Athlete level as soon as he selects this talent. Thereafter, the Athlete gains +1 hit point with each level of Athlete he gains.

• • **Second Wind:** The Athlete can spend 1 action point to gain a second wind. When he does this, he recovers a number of hit points equal to his Constitution modifier. This talent does not increase the Athlete’s hit points beyond the character’s full normal total. For example, an Athlete with a Constitution bonus of +3 and this ability can recover 3 hit points by spending 1 action point- but only if his current hit point total is 3 or more lower than his full normal total.

• • **Stamina:** The Athlete recovers twice as fast as normal. So, he recovers 2 hit points per character level per evening of rest, 2 points of temporary ability damage per evening of rest, and awakens in half the normal time after being knocked unconscious. *Prerequisites*: Robust.

**Defensive Talent Tree**

The Athlete gains the ability to improve her innate defensive talents as she attains new levels. If the Athlete decides to go this route, select talents from this tree.

• • **Evasion:** If the Athlete is exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage (such as getting caught in a grenade blast), the Athlete suffers no damage if she makes a successful saving throw. Evasion can only be used wearing light or no armor.

• • **Uncanny Dodge 1:** The Athlete retains her Dexterity bonus to Defense regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by a hidden attacker. (She still loses her Dexterity bonus to Defense if she’s immobilized.) *Prerequisite:* Evasion.

• • **Uncanny Dodge 2:** The Athlete can no longer be flanked; she can react to opponents on opposite sides of herself as easily as she can react to a single attacker. *Prerequisite:* Evasion, uncanny Dodge 1.

• • **Defense Roll:** The Athlete can roll with a potentially lethal attack to take less damage from it. When the Athlete would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a ranged attack or melee attack), the Athlete can attempt to roll with the damage. An Athlete spends 1 action point to use this talent. Once the point is spent, she makes a Reflex saving throw (TN= damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage. The Athlete must be able to react to the attack to execute her defensive roll- if she is immobilized, she can’t use this talent. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the Athlete’s evasion talent doesn’t apply to the defensive roll. *Prerequisites:* Evasion, uncanny dodge 1.

• • **Opportunist:** The Athlete can spend 1 action point to use this talent. Once the point is spent, she can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the Athlete’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even an Athlete with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use this talent more than once per round. *Prerequisites:* Evasion

**Increased Speed Talent Tree**

The Athlete can increase her natural base speed.

• • ***Increased Speed:*** The Athlete’s base speed increases by 1 meter.

• • ***Improved Increased Speed:*** The Athlete’s base speed increases by 1 meter. This talent stacks with increased speed (2 meters total). *Prerequisites:* Increased speed.

• • ***Advanced Increased Speed:*** The Athlete’s base speed increases by 1 meter. This talent stacks with increased speed (3 meters total). *Prerequisites:* Increased speed, improved increased speed.

**Elusive Talent Tree**

Athletes with this talent tree are known for their uncanny ability to avoid attacks and to wriggle free of bonds or grapples.

• • ***Slippery:*** An Athlete with this talent gains a +3 bonus to all Escape Artist checks, including those made to escape a grapple.

• • ***Fancy Footwork:*** The Athlete gains a +1 Dodge bonus to his Defense against all attacks directed at him, provided he is not flat footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus to Defense.

• • ***Creeping Reflexes:*** The Athlete has remarkably keen reactions, enabling him to excel at certain skills. The hero with this talent adds his base Reflex saving throw bonus to all Hide and Move Silently checks. *Prerequisite:* Slippery.

• • ***Improved Fancy Footwork:*** The Athlete gains a +2 dodge bonus against all attacks directed at him, provided he is not flat footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus to Defense. *Prerequisite:* Fancy Footwork.

• • ***Celeritous Skulking:*** The Athlete with this talent can move at normal speed without suffering the –5 penalty to his Hide check. *Prerequisites:* Slippery, Creeping Reflexes.

**Finesse Talent Tree**

Athletes with these talents are skilled at using small, light weapons with deadly speed and precision. Although rapiers and chains are not light weapons, they can also be used with these talents.

• • ***Weapon Finesse:*** Athletes with this talent can use their Dexterity bonus instead of Strength bonus for all attack rolls made with one specific light melee weapon. The type of weapon must be selected at the time this talent is taken and cannot be changed.

• • ***Masterful Finesse:*** Athletes with this talent can use their Dexterity bonus instead of Strength bonus for all attack rolls made with any light melee weapon with which they are proficient. The type of weapon must be selected at the time this talent is taken and cannot be changed. *Prerequisite:* Weapon Finesse.

• • ***Rapid Precision:*** The swift melee blows of the Athlete strike with such speed and accuracy that the damage is increased by the hero’s Dexterity modifier in addition to his Strength modifier. *Prerequisites:* Weapon Finesse, Masterful Finesse.

**Quicker Than the Eye Talent Tree**

Athletes with this talent tree can spend an Action Point to begin moving so rapidly that they are actually quicker than the eye, appearing as blurring streaks of color. This effect causes them to gain a concealment based miss chance against all attacks directed at them.

• • ***Quick:*** By spending one Action Point, the Athlete begins moving so rapidly that all attacks against him suffer a miss chance of 20%. This miss chance persists for 3 rounds plus 1 round per Athlete level.

• • ***Quicker:*** When the Athlete spends an Action Point to gain a miss chance, that chance is increased by 10% (total 30%). *Prerequisite:* Quick.

• • ***Quickest:*** When the Athlete spends an Action Point to gain a miss chance, that chance is increased by 10% (total 40%). *Prerequisites:* Quick, Quicker.

• • ***Quickest of Them All:*** When the hero spends an Action Point to gain a miss chance, that chance is increased by 10% (total 50%). *Prerequisites:* Quick, Quicker, Quickest.

**Extreme Effort Talent Tree**

An Athlete can push himself to make an extreme effort. The effort must relate either to a Strength check or a Strength-based skill check. You must decide to use this ability before making the check.

• • **Extreme Effort:** The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus on the check.

• • **Improved Extreme Effort:** The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonus provided by extreme effort (+4 total). *Prerequisite:* Extreme Effort

• • **Advanced Extreme Effort:** The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonuses provided by extreme effort and improved extreme effort (+6 total). *Prerequisites:* Extreme effort, improved extreme effort.

**Ignore Hardness Talent Tree**

The Athlete has an innate talent for finding weaknesses in objects. This allows an Athlete to ignore some of an object’s hardness when making a melee attack to break it.

• • **Ignore Hardness:** The Athlete ignores 1 point of an object’s hardness.

• • **Improved Ignore Hardness:** The Athlete ignores 1 additional point of an object’s hardness (for a total of 2). *Prerequisite:* Ignore hardness.

• • **Advanced Ignore Hardness:** The Athlete ignores 1 additional point of an object’s hardness (for a total of 3). *Prerequisite:* Ignore hardness, improved ignore hardness.

**Melee Smash Talent Tree**

The Athlete has an innate talent that increases melee damage.

• • **Melee Smash:** The Athlete receives a +1 bonus on melee damage.

• • **Improved Melee Smash:** The Athlete receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+2 total). *Prerequisite:* Melee smash.

• • **Advanced Melee Smash:** The Athlete receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+3 total). *Prerequisite:* Melee smash, improved melee smash.

**Brute Talent Tree**

Athletes with these talents are remarkably forceful and powerful when grappling.

• • **Rough:** The Athlete receives a +1 bonus to all Grapple and Trip checks.

• • **Rowdy:** The Athlete receives an additional +1 bonus to all Grapple and Trip checks (+2 total). *Prerequisite:* Rough.

• • **Brutal:** The Athlete receives an additional +1 bonus to all Grapple and Trip checks (+3 total). *Prerequisites:* Rough, Rowdy.

**Heavy Load Talent Tree**

Athletes with this talent tree are capable of carrying excessively heavy loads on their backs.

• • **Heavy Load:** The character’s carrying capacity is calculated as if his Strength score were one point higher than it actually is.

• • **Greater Heavy Load:** The character’s carrying capacity is calculated as if his Strength score were two points higher than it actually is. *Prerequisite:* Heavy Load.

• • **Improved Heavy Load:** The character’s carrying capacity is calculated as if his Strength score were three points higher than it actually is. *Prerequisite:* Heavy Load, Greater Heavy Load.

• • **Maximum Heavy Load:** The character’s carrying capacity is calculated as if his Strength score were four points higher than it actually is. *Prerequisite:* Heavy Load, Greater Heavy Load, Improved Heavy Load

**Hurling Talent Tree**

Athletes with talents from this tree are skilled at utilizing their immense upper body strength to throw objects much farther than other characters can.

• • **Hurl:** The maximum range at which the character can throw objects is increased to seven range increments.

• • **Great Hurl:** The maximum range at which the character can throw objects is increased to ten range increments. *Prerequisite:* Hurl.

• • **Mighty Hurl:** The maximum range at which the character can throw objects is increased to twelve range increments. *Prerequisites:* Hurl, Great Hurl.

**Mighty Talent Tree**

Athletes with this talent tree are capable of drawing upon their immense strength to resist adverse situations and conditions.

• • **Might:** Once per day, the Athlete with this talent can add his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to any one saving throw.

• • **Mighty Fortitude:** With this talent, the Athlete adds his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to all of his Fortitude saving throws. This effect is not cumulative with the bonus gained from the Might talent unless the hero also has the Incredible Might talent. *Prerequisite:* Might.

• • **Mighty Reflexes:** Athletes with this talent add their Strength modifier as a morale bonus to all Reflex saving throws. This effect is not cumulative with the bonus gained from the Might talent unless the hero also has the Incredible Might talent. *Prerequisite:* Might.

• • **Mighty Will:** With this talent, the Athlete adds his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to all of his Will saving throws. This effect is not cumulative with the bonus gained from the Might talent unless the hero also has the Incredible Might talent. *Prerequisite:* Might.

• • **Incredible Might:** With this talent, the Athlete can add the benefits from his Might talent to the bonus gained from any of his other talents in this tree, effectively adding double his Strength modifier to his saving throw. He may do this only one time per day. *Prerequisites:* Might, Mighty Fortitude, Mighty Reflexes, Mighty Will.

**Bonus Feats**

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th level, the Athlete gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Martial Artist must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it. [BASIC FEATS], or [COMBAT FEATS].

**Fast Movement**

Starting at 1st level the Athlete gains a bonus to movement by +1 meter per round. The bonus increases to +2 meters at 5th level, then to +3 meters at 10th level, then to +4 meters at 15th level, and finally to +5 meters at 20th level.

**Athletic Boost**

At 2, 6, 11, and 16 level the Athlete gains an ability point that the Athlete may add to either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. This ability score increase is a permanent gain.