Extreme Effort Talent Tree

A hero can push him or herself 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 (Ex):*** A number of times per day equal to your strength modifier, you can choose to take extreme effort on a strength based check such as a melee attack roll, ability check, or skill.  When using extreme effort, it takes a full round action to complete the task regardless of whether it’s an attack, a skill check, or an ability check. The hero gains a +4 bonus to this roll. If this is an attack roll, the +4 is also added to the damage, and the attack can be a vital strike.

***Improved Extreme Effort (Ex):*** The effort is reduced to a standard action unless the base skill or ability takes longer than that naturally. The extreme effort now applies a +6 bonus to the roll. The character must possess Extreme effort to select this.

***Advanced Extreme Effort (Ex):*** The effort is reduced to a swift action unless the base skill or ability takes longer than that naturally. The Extreme Effort provides a +8 bonus now. To select this Talent, you must select improved extreme effort first.

***Atlas (Ex):*** You are treated as being large sized for the purpose of determining your light, medium, and heavy load.

***Rock Climber (Ex):*** Gain a +3 bonus to Climb checks. This bonus increases by an additional +3 at levels 8 and 16.

***Improved Rock Climber (Ex):*** You do not take the -5 penalty to your check when you perform an accelerated climb. In addition, you lower the DC to catch yourself or catch an ally while falling by 10. You must select the Rock Climber talent before selecting this one.

***Expert Swimmer (Ex):*** Gain a +3 bonus to Swim checks. This bonus increases by an additional +3 at levels 8 and 16.

***Improved Expert Swimmer (Ex):*** You can swim at half your speed as a move action, and your full speed as a full round action. You can hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 times your constitution score, and you only lower this number of rounds by taking a full round action, not a standard action. You must select the Expert Swimmer talent before selecting this one.

***Strong Leaper (Ex):*** You use your strength modifier to modify your acrobatics checks when jumping instead of your dexterity.

***Improved Strong Leaper (Ex):*** You gain a +4 bonus to acrobatics checks, but only when jumping. In addition you double the distance that you can jump on both a standing jump and a running jump. You must select the Strong Leaper talent before selecting this one.

**Limb Climber (Ex):** When adjacent to or in the space of a corporeal creature or vehicle at least one size category larger than itself, the hero can climb that creature’s body with a successful Climb check against a DC equal to the target creature’s CMD. Although the hero is holding on to the creature, this action isn’t a grapple; it doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity from the creature, and neither the hero nor the creature that it climbs gains the grappled condition. While the hero is on the climbed creature, the creature takes a penalty on attack rolls against the hero equal to the number of Extreme effort talents the hero possesses. If climbing on a vehicle, the pilots take this penalty, as does anyone attempting to attack the creature without striking the vehicle or creature that the hero is on. The Hero must possess the rock climber talent to select this.

**Swimming Stunt (Ex):** Once per round, when making an attack against an opponent underwater that qualifies a hero with this talent can attempt a Swim check as a free action against its opponent’s CMD. If the attack and Swim check are both successful, and the attack deals damage, the hero can choose to reduce the number of total rounds her opponent can hold its breath by 1 round per extreme effort talent that they posses. The Hero must possess the Expert swimmer talent to select this.

**Break**

By selecting this talent you gain the ability to put skill points into the secret skill Break (Str). Break is a unique strength based skill that can only be utilized by creatures that select this talent, and Break becomes a class skill for you after selecting this.

***Break (Str):*** When a character tries to break or burst something with sudden force rather than by dealing damage, use a break check (rather than an attack roll and damage roll, as with the sunder special attack) to determine whether he succeeds. Since hardness doesn’t affect an object’s Break DC, this value depends more on the construction of the item than on the material the item is made of. Consult **Table: DCs to Break or Burst Items** for a list of common Break DCs.

If an item has lost half or more of its hit points, the item gains the broken condition (see Conditions) and the DC to break it drops by 2.

If successful, the item is broken and gains the broken condition. Weapons given the broken condition by a break check have their penalty increased by -1 for every 5 the break DC was beaten by.

***Break Bones (Ex):*** A creature can use the break skill to break the bones of a grappled or helpless creature. The creature must spend a full round action and make a break check with a DC of 10+ ½ of the creature’s hit dice+ the creature’s constitution modifier. If this is done against a struggling creature it also adds their strength modifier. On a successful break check, it has different effects based on the targeted area. The creature must make a fortitude saving throw with a DC of 10+bonus to break checks to halve the effect and negate the secondary effect.

***Broken Leg:*** The creature suffers 1d4 Con and Dex damage, and the target's speeds are reduces by half until healed.

***Cracked Rib:*** The target suffers 1d3 Con damage and target is fatigued until healed.

***Shattered Jaw:*** The creature suffers 1 Con damage. In addition the target cannot speak or bite until healed.

***Shattered Hand:*** The creature suffers 1d2 Con and Str damage. In addition the creature’s hand becomes useless until healed.

***Broken Ribs:*** The target takes damage equal to your unarmed strike damage as well as an additional amount equal to your strength modifier again. The target cannot heal naturally for 1d4 days.

***Skull Crush:*** The creature suffers from 1d4 intelligence and 1d4 wisdom damage until healed.

***Cracked Knee:*** The creature suffers from 1d2 Dex damage. In addition the target’s base land speed reduces to 10 feet until healed.

**Try Again?**: yes

**Special**: Larger and smaller creatures get size bonuses and size penalties on break checks to break open doors as follows: Fine –16, Diminutive –12, Tiny –8, Small –4, Large +4, Huge +8, Gargantuan +12, Colossal +16.

A crowbar or portable ram grants a +4 bonus to a break check.

A knowledge physical sciences check DC: 15 against an object grants a +2 bonus to a break check.

A character with the Jock, Bully, Goth, Hoodlum, Party Animal, or Rebel racial archetype gain a +2 racial bonus to this skill once they gain access to it.

A creature with 5 or more ranks in heal gains a +2 bonus to break bones.

**Time**: A break check is usually a full round action.