Nomad

Nomad

A Base Class for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

Afflicted by a powerful wanderlust, nomads are traveling warriors who are as sagacious as they are skilled. Traveling clansmen, roma soldiers, exotic warriors of fortune, caravan guards, and other worldly travelers with martial training fall under the title of “nomad.” Nomads are more common in races where a cultural wanderlust exists, such as humans and gnomes, but an individual of any race can find himself searching the world. Nomads have strong connections to foreign ethnicities or cultures, and this presents itself in their dress, combat styles, and social interactions. This inspiration for this class comes from a variety of literary and historical sources such as Othello, Lawrence of Arabia (T.E Lawrence), and William Adams (AKA: Anjin Miura).

Hit Dice: D8.

Role: Nomads are skilled not only at combat but social- and skill-based challenges. They excel at combating creatures from cultures they have in their cultural repertoire as well as identifying them. Their combat styles are best described as fast and furious, able to move around the battlefield quickly, and punishing their targets fiercely. Most nomads are skilled in a particular weapon (generally an exotic one) that they can use to employ foreign styles of combat others may not be familiar with.

Alignment: Any

Relationship with Rangers: Nomads often fall into a similar niche as rangers. Both are Wisdom based, are martial classes, have combat styles (albeit treated differently), and target specific groups of creatures. Rangers have several supernatural elements, but nomads are more mundane and focused on social/skill challenges. The nomad does not count as an alternate class for ranger, but their roles may overlap.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

## Class Skills

The nomad’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 8 + Int modifier

Table: Nomad

## Class Features

The following are the class features of the nomad.

## Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

The nomad is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light and medium armor and shields (excluding tower shields).

## Wanderlust (Ex):

The nomad is afflicted with a powerful passion to travel and explore. This powerful urge is both a blessing and a curse, but it is central to his identity. The nomad gains a bonus on all Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (geography), Ride, Survival, and Perception checks equal to 1/2 his nomad level. Additionally, he gains an equal bonus on saves against fatigue, exhaustion, and forced march checks. These bonuses only apply so long as he has traveled that day.

The nomad is considered to be traveling as long as he travels at least 5 miles in a day. If he fails to travel at least 5 miles in a given day, he does not gain any benefits from his wanderlust class feature. In addition, he becomes restless, agitated, and may show external signs such as pacing frantically. Upon a consecutive day of not traveling, he cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration until he travels at least 5 miles.

However, traveling to a plane the nomad has not visited or sojourning to a new and exciting location satisfies the requirement of the Wanderlust class feature. Additionally, identifying a creature of a subtype the nomad has never encountered before or witnessing a technical/magical marvel may also satisfy the requirements of Wanderlust (the latter at the discretion of the GM). The technical/magical or planar discovery should be completely new and potentially life changing, enlightening, or at the very least illuminating. A good test of whether the exploration counts for the purposes of wanderlust is by asking the question “Would the information of the location or nature of such a thing be valuable enough that someone would pay at least 10 copper for it?”

Finally, if the nomad has no other option, he may make an offering worth at least 5 gp to a god of commerce, travel, or other appropriate deity. The nomad must include an anecdote of his travels and experiences as part of this ritualistic offering. This should be a last resort, and the nomad who comes to rely on this may find the option unavailable to him.

## Cultural Repertoire (Ex):

The nomad is skilled at adapting and blending in with cultures he spends time in. At 1st level, the nomad may define a number of cultures, with a maximum of his Wisdom modifier, to be able to adapt to. This is known as his “cultural repertoire.” The nomad need not pick these cultures in advance. After his initial choices have been made (or if he left any one), he must spend at least 24 hours immersed within the culture to add them to his cultural repertoire. When the nomad adds a new culture to his repertoire, he may elect to replace an older one. To regain a culture, he must once again spend at least 24 hours immersed in that culture.

A nomad may never have more than his Wisdom modifier of cultures in his cultural repertoire. If he has a temporary loss of Wisdom, the nomad must select which cultures to become temporarily unavailable to him. If the loss is permanent, he loses access to those cultures (but he may regain in the normal fashion).

For each culture added to his repertoire, he gains a number of benefits pertaining to that specific culture. However, he only keeps the following benefits if the corresponding culture remains in his repertoire.

* He becomes fluent in the native language of the culture (select one if there are multiple).
* He is treated as if he was familiar with the general layout of the city, its people, and its history. He gains a bonus on all Knowledge (local) and Knowledge (history) checks equal to his Wisdom modifier pertaining to the culture.
* He receives a bonus equal to his Wisdom modifier on Diplomacy checks against members of the culture and Disguise checks to pass himself as a member of their society.

### Sidebar: What Constitutes a “Culture”

For the purpose of the mechanics of this class, a culture is an organized body of creatures who number (or at least in recent history) more than 10,000; have identifiable customs and traditions, share values and beliefs; the composite creatures have an Intelligence score of at least 4; share a language (or form of communication); and chose to identify themselves with a collective noun. Generally, the composite creatures are required to be humanoids but, at the discretion of a GM, groups of other creatures (monstrous humanoids, aberrations, etc.) can be considered a culture. The final arbiter of what constitutes a culture is the GM.

## Nomad Trait (Ex):

At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the nomad gains benefits from his cultural heritage and foreign ways. A trait may only be selected once unless specifically noted.

* Climate Acclimation: The nomad gains energy resistance equal to his 1/2 nomad level (min 1) + his Wisdom modifier on one energy type: fire, cold, or acid.
* Ambassadorial Eye: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Sense Motive and Bluff checks against members of a culture he has in his cultural repertoire.
* Seasoned Traveler: The nomad gains the Endurance bonus feat.
* Beasts of the Land: The nomad gains a bonus on all Handle Animal and Ride checks on domesticated creatures native to a culture he has in his cultural repertoire.
* Traveler’s Balance: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Acrobatics checks to balance, and he treats non-magical difficult terrain as if it were normal terrain for the purpose of moving through it. (For example: He can charge through it and suffers no hampered movement.)
* Long Distance Runner: The nomad is always treated as if he were wearing no armor and carrying no load when determining the effectiveness of the Fleet and Run feats as well as his bonus movement speed class feature.
* Vagrant Style: The nomad gains the Improvised Weapon Mastery bonus feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
* Exotic Discipline: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on one Craft or Profession skill of his choice. In addition, he makes twice the normal result in Craft or Profession checks when he does so to make money.
* Seen the 7 Wonders: The nomad has seen it all before and can put his little tidbits of information together into a fantastic mosaic. A number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier, the nomad may re-roll a Knowledge check. This may never occur more than once on a given Knowledge check.
* Cultural Identity: The nomad may select on the following bonuses based on the lands he hails from. A nomad may only select one cultural identity.

* + Salty Blood: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Profession (sailor) and Swim checks. In addition, he can hold his breath twice as long as a member of his race typically could.
	+ Desert Walker: The nomad requires half as much food and water to survive. In addition, he gains a +4 bonus on Survival checks while in desert terrain.
	+ Mountain Man: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on and Acrobatics checks. In addition, they gain a 10 ft. climb speed. If the nomad already has a climb speed, it improves by 10 feet.
	+ Jungle Savvy: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Craft (alchemy) and Stealth checks. In addition, he gains a +4 bonus against all poisons and diseases.
	+ Swamp Critter: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Stealth checks. In addition, they gain a 10 ft. swim speed. If the nomad already has a swim speed, it improves by 10 feet.
	+ Northerner: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Climb and Perception checks. In addition, he gains cold resistance 5 (this stacks with other sources from the nomad’s class features).
	+ Cross-Road Merchant: The nomad gains a +4 bonus on Appraise, Knowledge (local), and Profession checks. In addition, he treats these skills as class skills.
	+ Savanna Hunter: The nomad gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against animals and magical beasts. In addition, he gains a +4 bonus on Survival checks while in plains terrain.
	+ Subterranean Envoy: The nomad gains darkvision 30 feet or, if he has darkvision already, gains a +4 bonus on Perception checks. Additionally, if he has light sensitivity or light blindness, he ignores the penalty normally associated with it. If he does not have light sensitivity or light blindness, he gains a +4 bonus on Stealth checks.

## Nomadic Weapon (Ex):

At 2nd level, the nomad selects a single weapon. If the weapon he selects is exotic, he becomes proficient in it. He adds his Wisdom, to a maximum of 1/4th his nomad level (min 1), to his attack or damage rolls as an insight bonus. This must be decided on each attack, before he makes the attack roll. (However, he may chose to alter this on iterative attacks made as part of a full attack action.)

This insight bonus does not stack with any other bonus that applies the nomad’s Wisdom modifier to attack and/or damage rolls. If the other bonus provides a larger bonus than the bonus provided by this class feature, use that one.

## Toughness:

The nomad gains Toughness as a bonus feat at 3rd level.

## Movement Speed Bonus (Ex):

Starting at 3rd level, the nomad gains a +10 foot bonus to his movement speeds. Every 3 levels after 3rd, this bonus improves by +5 feet. The nomad only gains this bonus while wearing light or medium armor, carrying a light load or lighter, and not otherwise encumbered.

## Ingratiation (Su):

At 4th level, the nomad may ingratiate himself with creatures who are part of his cultural repertoire. He may cast charm person as a supernatural ability against creatures who are part of a culture he has in his cultural repertoire. He may do this a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier with a maximum of 1/2 his nomad level. The Will saves for this ability is DC 10 + 1/2 nomad level + Wisdom modifier.

This supernatural charm when dealing with creatures within his cultural repertoire improves in its effectiveness as he progresses in level.

* At 7th level, this becomes charm monster.
* At 10th level, he may cast suggestion in place of charm monster by expending 1 use of ingratiation.
* At 13th level, he may cast mass suggestion by expending 2 uses of ingratiation.
* At 16th level, this ability can function as mass charm monster by expending 2 uses of ingratiation.
* At 19th level, he may cast dominate monster in place of charm monster by expending 1 use of ingratiation.

## Foreign Combat Style (Ex):

At 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the nomad gains additional ways he can use his nomadic weapon. He selects his foreign combat style benefits from the following list:

* Betrayal: The nomad can apply his nomadic weapon bonus to both attack and damage rolls against creatures who are part of a culture he has in his cultural repertoire
* Rushing Wind: If the nomad has moved at least 10 feet prior to making an attack action with his nomadic weapon, he may make one additional attack at his full BAB. The nomad may never benefit from this more than once per round.
* Twin Style: The nomad reduces the penalties for dual wielding his nomadic weapon by -2. In addition, he may use his Wisdom to qualify for any Dexterity requirements for the Two-Weapon Fighting feat or feats with the Two-Weapon Fighting feat in their prerequisites (such as the Net and Trident feat).
* Cultural Weapons: The nomad may designate a second kind of weapon as his nomadic weapon.
* Combat Feat: The nomad may select a combat feat in place of a foreign combat style. For the purpose of qualifying for combat feats taken in this fashion, levels in nomad count as levels in fighter, and he counts his BAB as being equal to his character level.
* Nomadic Cavalry:  The nomad’s nomadic weapon deals double damage when used from the back of a charging mount. In addition, while mounted, he can wield any two-handed nomatic weapon with one hand.
* Exotic Grace: The nomad treats his nomadic weapon as if it were finessable.
* Foreign Weapon Drill: The nomad who takes a defensive action adds his nomadic weapon bonus to his AC and CMD until the start of his next turn.

## Acclimatization (Ex):

At 9th level, the nomad is treated as if he was constantly under the effect of endure elements; however, this effect is mundane.

## Eighth Wonder (Ex):

At 20th level, the nomad becomes a worldly soul who has witnessed and internalized so much that he becomes at home no matter where he is. He treats all cultures as if they were in his cultural repertoire. In addition, the nomad may use his ingratiation class feature a number of times per day equal to his nomad level + twice his Wisdom modifier.