Crimson Scourge

Requirements

Alignment: Any nongood.

Base Attack Bonus: +4.

Base Fort Save: +3.

Skills: Gather Information 4 ranks, Handle Animal 8 ranks, Heal 1 rank, Intimidate 3 ranks.

Feats: Urban Tracking

Summary

In the fantasy world as well as the real world, the reach of the law sometimes isn’t enough. When a criminal is on the loose, or a prisoner has escaped, professional bounty hunters offer their services to bring in the fugitive. Additionally, in some urban fantasy settings, the slave trade is just an accepted fact of life. And just as a rancher sends herders after stray cattle, so too must a slaver hire specialists to track down and recover lost or escaped slaves.

Whether they are independent crime-fighters assisting the law or grim mercenaries who hunt living property, such trained specialists are called crimson scourges. These fearsome trackers are known not only for their efficiency, but for their zealous commitment to the task at hand. Crimson scourges are dedicated—at least to the handsome sums they earn.

The crimson scourge is a tough and efficient tracker who specializes in dealing painful but ultimately nonlethal wounds. Scourges hail almost exclusively from the ranks of barbarians, fighters, and rangers, though the occasional dedicated warrior might join their ranks as well. Druids can qualify almost as quickly, but most find a scourge’s work distasteful or unfulfilling. All other classes either cannot meet the alignment and/or skill requirements, or must reach higher levels before qualifying to become a crimson scourge.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Trackers that skulk through their cities to find their targets

Source: Cityscape

Game Rule Information

The Crimson Scourge has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Wisdom for your ability to do urban tracking, Strength and Constitution for fighting

Alignment: Any Nongood

Hit Die: d10

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Crimson Scourge's class skills are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (trapmaking) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Crimson Scourge.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Crimson Scourge is proficient with simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields (but not tower shields). In addition, you can select one of the following as a free weapon proficiency: bolas, net, or whip.

Kid Gloves Ex: Crimson scourges excel at manipulating the wounds they inflict, causing more or less harm as the situation demands. If you choose, you can deal nonlethal damage with weapons that normally deal lethal damage, or lethal damage with weapons that normally deal nonlethal damage—both without taking the usual –4 penalty on the attack roll.

Special Dispensation: Crimson scourges do not operate in secrecy unless they have to, so their patrons provide them the freedom to perform their duties. While operating in any area where bounty hunting is acceptable, a slavers guild has any presence, or you enjoy the patronage of an influential figure, you gain the benefit of the Special Dispensation, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.

Swift Tracker Ex: Starting at 2nd level, you can make a Gather Information check when using Urban Tracking every half-hour without taking the usual –5 penalty.

Painful Strike Ex: At 3rd level, you gain the ability to deal an extra 1d6 points of nonlethal damage when making a melee attack that deals nonlethal damage against an unarmed opponent. This ability does not function if the opponent has a weapon of any sort in either hand, or if your attack deals lethal damage. Unarmed foes with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat are still considered unarmed. This ability never applies to ranged attacks, regardless of the target’s proximity to you. If you score a critical hit with the melee attack, the extra damage from this ability is not multiplied. This extra damage increases to 2d6 points at 6th level, and to 3d6 at 9th level. Creatures not subject to nonlethal damage, as well as constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures, are not affected by this ability.

Immovable Heart Ex: Your grim profession hardens your emotions. Beginning at 4th level, you gain a +2 competence bonus to resist enchantment spells and fear effects.

Improve Disarm: At 5th level, you gain Improved Disarm as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.

Threaten Ex: Crimson scourges of at least 7th level are masters at shaking the confidence of their foes. This ability grants three advantages when you use the Intimidate skill to demoralize an opponent. First, you can attempt to demoralize an opponent as a move action, rather than a standard action. Second, a successful attempt causes the target to be shaken for a number of rounds equal to your unmodified Strength modifier (minimum 1 round). Finally, you gain a +2 bonus on any Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent.

Deadened Hide Ex: Upon reaching 8th level, you become immune to nonlethal damage and to spells or effects that inflict or manipulate pain.

Smell of Blood Ex: At the apex of your advancement, you acquire an almost animalistic awareness of the world around you. You gain the scent ability and a +3 insight bonus on initiative checks.

Table 1-1: Crimson Scourge Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Kid gloves, special dispensation
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Swift tracker
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Painful strike +1d6
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Immovable heart
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Improved disarm
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Painful strike +2d6
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Threaten
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Deadened hide
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Painful strike +3d6
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Smell of blood

Adaptation

The crimson scourge is suitable for just about any urban campaign setting. Even if your setting features no slavers guild, slaves probably exist somewhere. And as long as there are fugitives, whether criminals on the run or missing property, there will always be crimson scourges to bring them in. In a setting without slaves, the class might be associated with a variant organization, such as a thieves or assassins guild. Scourges might even form the retrieval arm of a cult that endorses slavery, in which case every scourge would be a member of the cult.