Wild Plains Drifter (Natural Explorer Archetype)

As modern times develop, explorers from all around the world move to adopt the newly forged weapons of the future. The wild plains drifter is an expert in the use of advanced firearms but is also capable of turning antiques into weapons of deadly destruction. They specialize in singular, powerful attacks and never tire from hunting their prey, capable of holding out in an overwatch position for days at a time, waiting for the perfect shot against their target.

#### **Ace (Ex)**

The wild plains drifter’s training has given his all the experience he needs to handle a favored firearm. He gains the Gunsmithing feat as a bonus feat, and he also gains a battered gun identical to the one gained by a gunslinger. At 1st level, he gains proficiency with a type of firearm of his choice.

#### **Pinpoint Targeting (Ex)**

A wild plains drifter has learned to steady his shots, focusing on them in order to deliver a precise, deadly wound. He gains the ability to hold a pool of focus, up to a maximum of 1/2 his class level, or his Dexterity modifier (minimum 1), whichever is lower. As a move action, he can adjust his aim against his hunting focus, if they are within view, gaining a single point of focus. Additionally, once per round, when the wild plains drifter successfully deals damage to his hunting focus with a firearm, he gains 1 point of focus. When using the attack action to make a single ranged attack with a firearm against his target, he may expend any amount of focus to gain a +1 to attack for each point expended and deal additional damage equal to 1d10 per point expended. This damage is considered precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit.

If the wild plains drifter does not gain focus points for 2 rounds, he loses all his focus points at the end of the 2nd turn. He also loses all of his focus points when marking a new creature to be his hunting focus. There is no limit to the number of focus points that can be gained each round.

Beginning at 5th level, whenever the wild plains drifter selects a new hunting focus, or begins a combat encounter where his hunting focus is a participant, he automatically gains 1 point of focus.

At 10th level, he instead gains 2 points and an additional point every 5 levels thereafter. Beginning at 10th level, the wild plains drifter may gain a focus point by aiming as a swift action, as well as a move action.

This replaces explorative hunter.

#### **Grit (Ex)**

A wild plains drifter’s deadly focus with his firearm allows his to accomplish unnatural feats of power, often seen as mystical or impossible. This grants the wild plains drifter a pool of grit, a fluctuating measure of the wild plains drifter’s ability to perform amazing actions in combat. At the start of each day, a wild plains drifter gains a number of grit points equal to his Wisdom modifier. A wild plains drifter’s grit may go up and down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A wild plains drifter spends grit to accomplish deeds (see below) and regains grit in the following ways:

##### **Critical Hit with a Firearm**

Each time the wild plains drifter confirms a critical hit with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, he regains 1 grit point. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature, or on a creature that has fewer hit dice than half the wild plains drifter’s character level does not restore grit.

##### **Killing Blow with a Firearm**

When the wild plains drifter reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, he regains 1 grit point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer hit dice than half the wild plains drifter’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any grit.

##### **Witness Evidence of Death**

When the wild plains drifter personally witnesses convincing evidence of his hunting focus’s death, they regain 1 grit point. Witnessing evidence of a death the wild plains drifter did not contribute to does not restore grit, nor does witnessing evidence of the death of a creature with less hit dice than 1/2 his character level. The wild plains drifter does not gain a grit point using this method if he landed a killing blow on his hunting focus, but may if the hunting focus died after due to wounds from the attack, and does not qualify for this method if he changed his hunting focus before witnessing evidence.

This replaces natural gift.

#### **Deeds**

A wild plains drifter spends grit points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant the wild plains drifter some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect if the wild plains drifter has at least 1 grit point. The following is a list of the base wild plains drifter deeds. A wild plains drifter can only perform deeds of his level or lower. Unless otherwise noted, a deed can be performed multiple successive times, if the appropriate amount of grit is spent to perform the deed.

##### **Deadeye (Ex)**

At 1st level, the wild plains drifter can resolve an attack against touch AC instead of normal AC when firing beyond his firearm’s first range increment. Performing this deed costs 1 grit point. The wild plains drifter only suffers a -1 penalty on attack rolls for each range increment beyond the first when he performs this deed. This reduction does not stack with the reduction granted by the Far Shot feat, however the wild plains drifter is treated as if they possessed that feat for the purpose of prerequisites.

##### **Quick Dodge (Ex)**

At 1st level, the wild plains drifter gains an uncanny knack for getting out of the range of ranged attacks. When a ranged attack is made against the wild plains drifter, he can spend 1 grit point to move 5 feet as an immediate action; doing so grants him a +2 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity normally, but he may spend an additional grit point to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the wild plains drifter can drop prone to gain a +4 bonus to AC against the triggering this attack. The wild plains drifter can only perform this deed while wearing light armor, and while carrying no more than a light load.

##### **Sentry (Ex)**

At 1st level, the wild plains drifter becomes an expert at performing watch duty and staying aware of potential enemies. As long as he has at least 1 grit point, the wild plains drifter only requires 2 hours of sleep per night to gain the benefit of 8 hours of sleep and suffers no penalty to Perception skill checks while sleeping. When making a Perception skill check, the wild plains drifter may spend a grit point to roll twice and take the most favorable result.

##### **Countershot (Ex)**

At 5th level, the wild plains drifter becomes an expert at opposing enemy snipers and ranged attackers. When he or an ally within his first ranged increment is targeted by a ranged weapon attack from the wild plains drifter’s hunting focus, he may spend a grit point to make a countershot as an immediate action. He makes an attack roll at a -2 penalty. If his attack roll result is higher than the hunting focus’s attack result, that attack automatically misses. A wild plains drifter must be aware of the attack in order to countershot it and may not countershot unusually massive weapon attacks such as those from a siege weapon.

##### **Ever Ready (Ex)**

The wild plains drifter is always prepared for an enemy attack. Beginning at 5th level, as long as he has 2 grit points, he always acts in a surprise round. Additionally, as part of rolling an initiative check, he may spend one grit point to roll twice and take whichever result he desires.

##### **Steady Hands (Ex)**

At 5th level, as long as the wild plains drifter has 1 grit point, he can reload any two-handed firearm as if it were a one-handed firearm.

##### **Emergency Calibration (Ex)**

At 9th level, the wild plains drifter gains the ability to concentrate in times of duress, expending their willpower to land a perfect shot. As a swift or move action, he may spend any amount of grit to gain twice that amount in focus points. If he spends at least 2 grit points using this deed, his next attack before the end of their next turn has its critical threat range doubled. When this deed is used, the misfire chance of the weapon is reduced to 1 (if it was higher than 1) until the end of the wild plains drifter’s turn. This deed cannot be chosen as the deed for the Signature Deed feat.

##### **Targeting (Ex)**

At 9th level, as a standard action, the wild plains drifter can make a single firearm attack and choose a part of the body to the target. He gains the following effects depending on the part of the body in addition to dealing damage as normal. If the creature targeted does not have one of the listed body locations, that part cannot be targeted. This deed costs 1 grit point to perform normally, however some body parts may cost differently.

###### **Arms**

On a hit, the target suffers a -4 to all attacks made with melee weapons for 1 round.

###### **Head**

Targeting the head increases the critical threat range by 1, stacking with other effects that increase the critical threat range, but is always applied last and never multiplied.

###### **Legs**

On a hit, the target’s legs are swiped out from underneath, knocking it prone.

###### **Body**

On a hit, the target’s center of balance is destabilized, and the creature is nauseated for 1 round.

###### **Wings**

On a hit, the target is damaged normally and must make a Fly check with a DC equal to the damage dealt + 5, or they begin falling and cannot fly until the end of their next turn. Hands: On a hit, the target is subject to a free disarm attempt, using the result of the attack roll as the disarm check.

###### **Feet**

On a hit, all of the target’s movement speed except their flight speed is reduced by 10 feet until they receive magical healing, or a creature succeeds on a DC 15 Heal check on them. This penalty stacks with itself, down to a minimum of 5 feet. A creature that only has 5 feet of movement can only move 5 feet using that mode of movement as a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunities.

##### **Warning Shot (Ex)**

Starting at 13th level, if the wild plains drifter has at least 3 grit points, he may spend a move action to purposefully miss a creature that he could normally attack with a firearm attack. When he does, he may make an intimidate check against that creature to demoralize them and gains a bonus equal to 1/2 his class level. If he spends 1 grit point, he frightens the creature for the first round it is shaken if he succeeds on the check.

##### **Grievous Wounds (Ex)**

With one shot, a wild plains drifter can cripple even magic’s regenerative properties. At 19th level, he may spend one grit point after successfully damaging a creature to cause the wound to warp and cripple the target. The creature reduces all healing they benefit from by an amount equal to the wild plains drifter’s class level for 1 hour. Additionally, they suffer bleed damage equal to 1d6 + 1 for every 2 wild plains drifter level. This bleeding may only be stopped by a DC 30 Heal check, and may not be stopped by healing.

##### **Blazing Hellfire (Ex)**

At 20th level, the wild plains drifter learns to utilize his willpower in a legendary display of marksmanship. He may take a full-round action to expend all his grit points. For every 2 grit points spent this way, he may make a line attack with a range equal to his weapon’s first range increment. He makes a single attack roll per line and compares it against the AC of each creature within the line, dealing damage as normal. Each attack is treated as if the wild plains drifter spent the maximum amount of focus points possible on the attacks, gaining extra attack bonuses and damage bonuses according to the feature. Creatures are permitted a DC 10 + 1/2 the wild plains drifter’s level + his Wisdom modifier Reflex save for half damage if struck by these line attacks.

After using this ability, the wild plains drifter becomes exhausted, and cannot regain grit points until he is no longer exhausted or fatigued.

#### **Wild Drifter Talents**

The wild plains drifter adds the following to the list of talents he may choose his explorer talents from:

##### **Ace in the Hole (Ex, 8th level)**

When one goes down, the swap to the next target only gets easier. Gain the following deed:

###### **Ace in the Hole (Ex)**

The wild plains drifter increases their maximum focus pool amount by 4 points, but he may only spend an amount of focus points up to his wild plains drifter level on any single attack. When the wild plains drifter slays his hunting focus while using the pinpoint targeting ability, he may take an immediate action to select a new hunting focus. If he does so, he may spend a grit point to regain half the focus points they spent on the killing blow on their previous target. This includes any focus points spent on other abilities such as Magical Accuracy, if it contributed to the killing blow.

##### **Gun Training (Ex)**

The wild plains drifter gains a bonus equal to his Dexterity modifier on damage rolls made with firearms. Furthermore, he is proficient with all firearms, and he reduces the misfire value by 1 when using any firearm. When he misfires using any firearm, the misfire value increases by 2 instead of 4.

##### **Magical Accuracy (Su, 6th level)**

With a spark of magic, intense skill can take on unnatural characteristics. The wild plains drifter can expend 2 points of focus to enhance their next attack with a firearm with magical properties. The next attack they make before the end of their turn gains an enhancement bonus of +1, and the wild plains drifter may choose to apply one of the following enchantments to the attack: cunning, distance, reliable, or seeking.

They may instead spend 4 focus, causing the enhancement bonus to increase to +2, and the ability to select two of the enchantments from above, or one from the following list: corrosive burst, lesser designating, flaming burst, holy, igniting, icy burst, shocking burst or unholy.

Focus spent using this talent does not trigger the effects of pinpoint targeting, but both abilities may be combined on the same attack. This talent may be used multiple times on the same attack, granting multiple enchantments, but the enhancement bonus does not stack with itself.

##### **Unnatural Bullets (Sp) (4th level)**

The wild plains drifter learns how to utilize a special magical technique. He selects one primeval spell (See Below). When casting this spell, he may spend 1 grit point per spell level instead of expending the spell slot used to cast the spell. When he regains his grit points for the day, he may reselect the spell used with this deed.