Jaffa Warrior Epic

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The Jaffa are an offshoot of humanity, genetically engineered by the Goa'uld. They have an abdominal pouch which serves to incubate larval Goa'uld. The infant Goa'uld provides strength, longevity, and good health, at the cost of supplanting the Jaffa's natural immune system, making them dependant on the Goa'uld for more symbiotes. The Jaffa have a warrior culture and form the armies of the Goa'uld.
The Goa'uld sought to populate the galaxy (and also mine other planets for a rare substance called Naquadah, which is central in all Goa'uld technology), and sent slaves to other planets via the Stargate until 3,000 BC, before a rebellion led to Ra's retreat from Earth and the burial of Earth's Stargate. (Stargate, SG1: "Children of the Gods")
Some of the slaves who were taken from Earth were implanted with infant Goa'uld, and became known as Jaffa. As 'reward' for carrying infant Goa'uld, the larval symbiote (or prim'ta) protects the host Jaffa from disease and gives the host Jaffa a long life, along with increased physical capabilities (although it is unclear how much is from the symbiote and how much is a result of their disciplined upbringing). The symbiote is also capable of healing its host of most injuries or ailments.

**Species Traits**

• • Human Subtype: This trait meas that Jaffa are considered human for purpose of determining weather the character is susceptible to certain diseases that only effect humans. Additionally Jaffa are considered human for purpose of determining weather the character qualifies for racial templates that require the character to be human, and Advanced Classes that require the character to be human.

• • Symbiote Dependents: A jaffa cannot survive without being implanted with a larval goa'uld symbiote. The sybiote grants the jaffa a +10 bonus to Constitution, and a +3 bonus to all Fortitude saves to resist poison and desease. The symbiote literally replaces the jaffas naturally absent immune system. If the jaffa ever loses their larval goa'uld symbiote or it is killed they have only have a maximum of 2 days in which to procure another larval goa'uld symbiote or they will die.

• • Low-light Vision: A jaffa can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• • Natural Tactition: A jaffa gains Knowledge (tactics) as a class skill and gets a +2 bonus to Knowledge (tactics).

• • Meditative Trance: Instead of sleeping for 8 hours, a jaffa can enter a trance that lasts 4 hours. At the end of the trance, he gains the benefits of having slept for 8 hours. The trance cannot be entered more than once per standard day. During the trance the jaffa remains somewhat aware of their surroundings and can make Listen and Spot checks to avoid being surprised.

**Class Abilities**

• • **Weapon Of Choice:** Ma'Tok Staff Weapon

• • Grace: A Weapon Master gains a +1 competence bonus on Reflex saves at 2nd level. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and to +3 at 20th level. A Weapon Master loses this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.

• • Canny Defense: When not wearing armor, Weapon Masters add 2 + their intelligence bonus if any to their Dexterity bonus to modify Defense Class while wielding their Weapon of Choice. As with normal Dexterity DC modifications, positive modifiers are lost when the Weapon Master is caught flat-footed.

• • Sudden Strike: If a Weapon Master can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever a Weapon Master’s target is denied a Dexterity bonus to Defense Class (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the Weapon Master deals an extra 1d6 points of damage with his attack. This extra damage increases by 1d6 points for every six Weapon Master levels thereafter. A Weapon Master can’t use sudden strike when flanking an opponent unless that opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to DC. This damage also applies to ranged attacks against targets up to 10 meters away. Creatures with concealment, creatures without discernible anatomies, and creatures immune to extra damage from critical hits are all immune to sudden strikes. A Weapon Master can’t make a sudden strike while striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach.

A Weapon Master can’t use sudden strike to deliver nonlethal damage. Weapons capable of dealing only nonlethal damage don’t deal extra damage when used as part of a sudden strike.

The extra damage from the sudden strike ability stacks with the extra damage from sneak attack whenever both would apply to the same target.

• • **Defensive Stance** While Defensive Stance is active, you gain a +3 Insight bonus to DC. You may only have one stance active at any time, activating a stance is a move action but may only be done once per turn. Additionally this abilities effect stacks with fighting defensively, and a full-round defensive action.

• • Acrobatic Charge: A Weapon Master of 8th level or higher can charge in situations where others cannot. She may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement or allies blocking her path. This ability enables her to run down steep stairs, leap down from a balcony, or to tumble over tables to get to her target. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks (Jump or Tumble checks, in particular) to successfully move over the terrain.

• • Acrobatic Skill Mastery: At 12th level, a Weapon Master becomes so certain in the use of her acrobatic skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a Jump or Tumble check, a Weapon Master may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.

• • Weakening Critical: A Weapon Master of 14th level or higher who scores a critical hit against a creature also deals 2 points of Strength damage to the creature. Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect.

• • ***Offensive stance:*** While Offensive Stance is active, you gain a +3 Insight bonus to Attack rolls. You may only have one stance active at any time, activating a stance is a move action but may only be done once per turn.

• • Wounding Critical: A Weapon Master of 18th level or higher who scores a critical hit against a creature also deals 2 points of Constitution damage to the creature. (This damage is in addition to the Strength damage dealt by the Weapon Master’s weakening critical class feature.) Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect.

• • ***Improved Offensive Stance:*** While Improved Offensive Stance is active, you gain a +5 Insight bonus to DC, furthermore you gain +1 on damage rolls and the benefits of Improved Trip and Improved Sunder. Activating this stance is a swift action but may only be done once per turn.

• • One With The Weapon: At 20th level the Weapon Master has reached a level of mastery with his chosen weapon that is nearly transcendent. While wielding his chosen weapon (in hand, and activated if the weapon is technological in nature) gains a bonus to +1 to DC, an additional +1 to attack, and an additional +1 to damage with his chosen weapon.