Beach Comber

There are those whose desperation reaches such dangerous peaks that they seek the shelter of the land above. To these frantic few, be they criminals, the insane, or escaped slaves, the mysterious and harsh dry land rarely offers reprieve. Though the above sea world’s dangerous mystique keeps most hunters at bay, those who are willing to follow a mark out of the water are the most dangerous bounty hunters in the world. The beach comber is one such dedicated mercenary.

Despite the innocent name, beach combers are hardened bounty hunters who’ve carved a reputation for being willing and able to travel to the world above. Beach combers are not afraid of what the surface world has become; in fact, they revel in the respect that their returns from that harsh land incite. Often derided for being brash, egotistical, and callous, beach combers take each insult as a badge of courage. After all, they are amongst a very small brotherhood of mercenaries capable and willing to get their man . . . no matter where in the world that man seeks shelter.

**Role:** Beach combers are specialized bounty hunters. They track targets down wherever they may be hiding; however, they specialize in retrieving targets that have gone topside. The above sea world holds a lot of ill omens and dark portents to the average citizen beneath the sea. Beach combers scoff at these notions, and though they recognize the dangers the surface world possesses, they are cut from a strong cloth. Part and parcel with such bravado and confidence comes a desire to seek out challenge. Beach combers tend toward more physical classes: fighters, mariners, paladins, and rangers make excellent beach combers.

**Alignment:** No one alignment purely encompasses what an individual beach comber is capable of. To a man they are all dedicated and unfaltering in the completion of the task set out before them, but the means they use to accomplish said task range greatly. Some rely on devious trickery and cons to get close to a mark, while others are forthright trackers who simply follow a mark and beat it into submission.

**Hit Die:** d10

### **REQUIREMENTS**

To qualify to become a beach comber, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

* **Base Attack Bonus:** +4
* **Skills:** Climb 2 ranks, Intimidate 2 ranks, Survival 4 ranks
* **Feats:** Self-Sufficient

**CLASS SKILLS:** Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (str), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis)

**Skill Ranks at Each Level:** 4 + Int modifier.

### **CLASS FEATURES**

All of the following are Class Features of the beach comber prestige class.

### **Weapon and Armor Proficiency**

A beach comber is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Beach combers are proficient with light and medium armor and all shields.

### **Bounty’s Mark (Ex)**

The beach comber is a dogged foe of his bounty. starting at 1st level the beach comber has a +3 bonus he may distribute as he sees fit towards rolls concerning his mark. A beach comber may designate a target his bounty’s mark once per day as a swift action. The bonus may be divvied up, and it is applied after a roll has been made.

Thus a beach comber with a bounty’s mark +3 may apply a +1 to an attack and later apply a +2 bonus to damage. This bonus grows by +1 every two levels; it maxes out at +7 at 9th level. The number of times a beach comber may designate a mark increases by 1/day for every 4th level acquired.

### **Track (Ex)**

A beach comber may add half of his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow or identify tracks or deep trails. If the beach comber already possesses the track class feature, he gains an additional +2 bonus to Survival skill checks instead.

### **Relentless (Ex)**

During an encounter in which the beach comber is engaged with his bounty’s mark, he will not succumb to deadly wounds. A beach comber remains conscious and continues fighting even if his hit point total is below 0. The beach comber is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round. The beach comber dies when his hit point total reaches a negative amount equal to his Constitution score. Additionally, a beach comber immediately falls and begins dying if he has negative hit points and he does not engage his mark (move towards or attack) on his turn or if his mark dies.

### **Trap Sense (Ex)**

At 2nd level, a beach comber’s wariness grants him a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 at 5th level and + 3 at 8th level. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

### **Favored Terrain (Ex)**

At 4th level, a beach comber may select a favored terrain from the ranger favored terrains table. This works exactly like the ranger favored terrain ability. The beach comber gains an additional favored terrain at 6th, 8th, and 10th level, and he can increase the bonus from an existing favored terrain as described in the ranger ability.

If the beach comber has abilities from other classes that only work in a favored terrain, those abilities work in favored terrains selected as a beach comber.

Alternatively, the beach comber may use *Table 3-2: Favored Waters* instead of the favored terrain offered by the ranger class.

### **No One Escapes (Ex)**

Whenever a beach comber successfully hits his mark and uses his bounty’s mark bonus in some way (either to raise the attack or damage) he may either inflict bleed damage equal to the amount of the bonus he used, or he may hobble the enemy thus reducing its movement by 5 feet per amount of the bonus used. This is a free action to be decided upon after the hit.