Angler

It takes a special breed of person to exist at the fringes of civilization. A frontier spirit is needed to overcome the harsh desolation of the uncharted territories. A keen and determined mind is needed to confront and conquer the many dangers lurking in every shadow. And, most importantly, a rugged confidence is required to tame these undisciplined lands and seas.

The angler is an opportunist who possesses these characteristics in abundance. A capable and self-sufficient survivor, the angler makes her name by charting the unexplored and slaying the beasts that nip at the civilized worlds’ edges. She counts on no one but herself, and she leaves nothing to chance. Every fight with an angler is one in which she already has the advantage. Through hard work and thoughtful consideration, the angler dares the dark corners of the world to throw forth its worst so that she may conquer it and profit.

**Role:** Anglers tame the world around them for profit. Trappers and frontiersmen, they master their environment so they may master the world’s most dangerous beasts. Anglers are not prone to lighthearted conversation or day dreaming; theirs is a job that requires constant awareness and evaluation of their capabilities. Few people are more pragmatic than anglers. This is not to say they don’t enjoy the rush of the hunt. However, they never simply count on luck or prowess to win the day. Every decision is a calculated one, and anglers always make sure to stack the odds in their favor before seeking a payday.

**Alignment:** Any.

**Hit Die:** d8

**CLASS SKILLS:** The angler’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Geography, Local, Nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), and Survival (Wis).

**Skill Ranks per Level:** 6 + Int modifier.

### **CLASS FEATURES**

The following are class features of the angler.

### **Weapon and Armor Proficiency**

An angler is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor.

### **Battlefield Prep**

An angler can alter a battlefield to aid her allies and hinder her foes. At 1st level, and then at 3rd level and every three levels thereafter (6th, 9th, etc), she discovers new means by which to prepare a battlefield. Each of these options allows an angler to turn a 5 ft. square of the battlefield into an important, strategic location. The angler’s preparation causes the area to grant the appropriate (see below) bonus or penalty. For each successive standard action spent on prepping the battlefield, the angler may increase the size of the affected locale by 5 ft. or increase the benefit or penalty by 1. Each individual use of battlefield preparation may not have a total benefit greater than the 1/2 the character’s level + his Wisdom modifier. This combines the size and bonus of the battlefield preparation.

For example, if Egnath the 8th level angler has a Wisdom of 16 and the offensive battlefield prep benefit, she may cause a 5 ft. area to offer a +7 bonus to attack and damage so long as she spent 7 consecutive standard actions (likely 7 consecutive rounds without the aid of magic) prepping the location. Alternatively, she may have opted to make a 15 ft. area with a +5 bonus for his allies, et cetera.

An angler is only limited by the size of the battlefield in determining how many locations she can prep. Each individual preparation is limited by her character level and Wisdom modifier (as in the example above), but she can produce multiple locations if she has the time and space. An angler is particularly dangerous if she is able to prepare a battlefield before combat. While each specific area of preparation is limited as above, the number of spots she can manage is only limited by time.

Prepared spots retain their effects for 1 day/angler’s level. If an angler no longer wants a preparation, she can clear it away as quickly as it took her to set it up. A single 5 foot space cannot be affected by two preparations at once (although see Combination Preparation below).

Prepping a battlefield spot provokes an attack of opportunity. All areas affected by an angler’s battlefield preparation are immediately visible and their effects known – they are not traps. When an area offers two options (such as Defensive Benefit/ Hindrance), the angler chooses the applicable option at prep time.

The following list details the type of preparations an angler can make. While their benefits are clear and straightforward, the player and GM should be encouraged to come up with appropriate reasons as to what the angler is doing to the locale to produce the effect (i.e. turning over tables and chairs for a Defensive Prep, setting a vial of oil next to torches for spots that increase damage to those done standing there, etc.).

An angler begins with an initial Battlefield Benefit or Hindrance. She may choose additional ones at 3rd level and every three levels thereafter.

* *Defensive Benefit (Ex):* Anyone occupying the area gains a bonus to AC determined by the angler’s preparation. Alternatively, the spot may offer a DR equal to 1/2 the angler's preparation, rounded down (minimum 1).
* *Defensive Hindrance (Ex):* Anyone occupying the area suffers a penalty to AC determined by the angler’s preparation. Alternatively, those who take damage while occupying the area take additional damage equal to 1/2 the angler's preparation, rounded down (minimum 1)
* *Movement Benefit (Ex):* Anyone occupying the area gains a bonus to initiative and movement determined by the angler’s preparation. The initiative bonus changes the occupant’s initiative order for the remainder of the combat. The movement benefit is equivalent to a 5 ft. bonus for each +1 generated by the angler. It is applicable to the occupant for every round they start their turn in the area.
* *Movement Hindrance (Ex):* Anyone occupying the area suffers a penalty to initiative and movement determined by the angler’s preparation. The initiative penalty changes the occupant’s initiative order for the remainder of the combat. The movement penalty is equivalent to a 5 ft. penalty for each -1 generated by the angler. It is applicable to the occupant every round they start their turn in the area. An occupant’s movement may never be reduced to 0 ft.
* *Offensive Benefit (Ex):* Anyone occupying the area gains a bonus to either melee or ranged attack rolls and damage determined by the angler’s preparation.
* *Offensive Hindrance (Ex):* Anyone occupying the area suffers a penalty to all attack rolls determined by the angler’s preparation.
* *Combination Preparation (Ex):* An angler with the benefit may combine any two benefits or hindrances within one area created by a battlefield preparation. The ability may only be selected by anglers of 6th level or higher.
* *Lingering Preparation (Ex):* An angler with this benefit may declare one of the areas created by battlefield preparation as having a lingering effect. Anyone who spends at least 1 full round in the area will continue to feel the effects of the benefit or hindrance for a number of rounds equal to the angler's Wisdom modifier after they leave it. The angler must be 12th level or higher to select this benefit.
* *One-Shot Preparation (Ex):* An angler with this benefit may declare one of the areas created by battlefield preparation as only working for the first person to occupy the area, and then only for one action or round. However, the benefit or penalty is increased by the angler’s Wisdom modifier.

### **Harvest**

An angler makes her living from the beasts she slays. She knows what parts of the beast are worthy trophies and which can be used in wizard’s spells. She can sell these for a premium in any city. At 1st level, an angler can harvest 10 gp of salable material per Challenge Rating from any dead creature of the animal, dragon or magical beast types. The amount of money an angler can make from these materials advances with level, as seen in table 3-1. These materials must be sold; the harvested bits have no inherent trade value aside from this.

### **Angler’s Traps**

Much like rangers who take the trapper archetype, anglers have the ability to quickly lay out simple snares and traps. At 1st level, and every three levels thereafter, an angler gains access to one of the following traps. Traps may be set up as a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. A trap fills a single 5-foot square and may not be placed in the same square as any other trap or square affected by a battlefield preparation benefit or hindrance. Unless otherwise mentioned, a trap needs only simple materials to craft. DCs to notice and disable the traps, as well as the saving throws to avoid it, are equal to 10 + ½ the angler’s level + the character’s Wisdom modifier. An angler may set up as many traps as she likes, so long as she has the materials and time to do so.

Angler’s traps are always extraordinary and never supernatural. These traps last 1 day per angler level or until triggered. Each day their DCs decrease by 1. All the following traps are Trigger: location and Reset: none.

* *Alarm Trap (Ex)*: When the trap is triggered it creates a loud noise equivalent to the audible alarm version of *alarm.*
* *Alchemical Attack Trap (Ex):* The trap requires a single alchemical flask of damaging liquid (acid, steam, etc.). When triggered, it spews its contents onto the triggering creature dealing 1d6 + ½ the angler’s level points of appropriate damage type. A successful Reflex save negates.
* *Alchemical Explosion Trap (Ex):* As an alchemical attack trap except that the trap requires 3 flasks of a damaging alchemical substance. Additionally, it deals 1d6 + ½ the angler’s level in appropriate damage type to the triggering creature and all squares adjacent.
* *Lingering Effects (Ex):* Not a trap in and of itself, lingering effects may be added to an alchemical attack or explosion trap. If a triggering creature fails its Reflex save, it continues to take 1d6 damage of the appropriate type for 1d4 rounds. The affected creature can take a full-round action to attempt a new save. Rolling in silt or swimming at a Speed of 40 or greater adds a +4 bonus to the saving throw.
* *Marking Trap (Ex)*: If the triggering creature fails its save against the trap, it is marked with a dye and/or scent of the angler’s choosing. The trap decreases the DC of tracking the marked creature by 4. The mark can be washed off with vigorous scrubbing, but fades on its own over several days.
* *Poison Trap (Ex)*: The trap poisons the creature that triggers it. The angler must provide 1 dose of contact, inhaled, or injury poison when setting the trap, and the trap uses that poison’s effects and saving throw DC.
* *Snare Trap (Ex):* The trap constricts around a limb or other part of the triggering creature’s body (Reflex avoids). The creature cannot move from the location of the trap. The trapped creature can escape with an Escape Artist check (DC equal to the trap’s DC) as a full-round action. The trap has a number of hit points equal to 1/2 the angler’s level, or can be burst as a full-round action with a DC 25 Strength check. The trap can hold up to a Medium creature; for every two additional full-round actions spent, the angler’s snare trap can hold a creature of 1 size category larger.
* *Swarm Trap (Ex)*: The trap releases a school of leeches, hagfish, or jellyfish that attack all creatures in the area. The swarm remains in the general area for no longer than 1 round per angler level, after which it disperses. The angler must provide the creatures of the swarm (typically in a small box, cage, or crate); these creatures may die of starvation before the trap is triggered (a trap lasts 1 day per level).

### **Trapsmith (Ex)**

Anglers are very adept at building and deconstructing traps. The nature of their jobs means relying on their skills as trapsmiths to catch prey they cannot always stalk.

An angler adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). An angler can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. Additionally, an angler adds 1/2 her level to Craft (Trapmaking) skill checks.

As an experienced trapsmith, an angler may produce traps at 1/3 of their normal cost. She may also set them up quickly. An angler needs 2 full-round actions (they provoke opportunity attacks) per CR of a trap to deploy it. For more on traps in general, refer to the Pathfinder SRD or *Pathfinder Core Rulebook.*

### **Bonus Feats**

At 2nd level, and at every three levels thereafter, the angler gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from the following list: Acrobatic Steps, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Conceal Scent, Diehard, Endurance, Fast Crawl, Field Repair, Fleet, Free Spirit, Great Fortitude, Heroic Defiance, Heroic Recovery, Hunt for a Living, Iron Will, Nimble Moves, Quicken Battlefield Prep, Rugged Northerner, Run, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, Stalwart, Stealthy, Stoic, Sure Grasp, Survivor, Trapper’s Setup, Uncanny Alertness, Widen Battlefield Prep.

### **Master of the Field (Ex)**

At 20th level, an angler has become remarkably adept at manipulating an environment to suit her needs. She may double the production of her benefits when prepping a piece of the battlefield. For example, instead of producing a 1 point benefit or penalty per round, she may produce a 2 point benefit or penalty. Or she may produce a 1 point benefit while expanding the prepped area an additional 5 ft. If she has the Quicken Battlefield Prep feat, she may produce a 4 point benefit or penalty per round.