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pathfinder:npc_classes:warriors

Warrior

Overview

Warriors are the everyday muscle of most fantasy worlds, they fight the wars, guard the walls and police the streets. It is, perhaps, one of the easiest classes to get training for - cities always need new guards, armies always want replacement soldiers and every caravan needs protection. But that high turnover and easy access comes with higher risks, warriors have a much higher chance of being killed maimed or seriously injured during the course of their work, than any other NPC class. Warriors are part of the Silver Economy and while they live fairly comfortably, they can't afford magic healing to replace missing limbs, cure blindness or rid them of other long-term health effects.

Ironically, many soldiers, and some guards, live in quite basic conditions - sharing a bunk room with the rest of their unit, often eating some of the most basic rations. The luckier ones are, perhaps, deployed closer to home, while they are often paid less, they normally get home to their own house and bed during their rest periods, and probably live with their partner and family.

Character Creation

Occasionally, I let players run some of the named NPCs for me. It gives you another opportunity to RP, and helps me add diversity to the NPCs. Generally these will be Adepts, Experts or Warriors, with a 10 point build, full HP at first level, 35gp starting money and 1x trait. At least one ability must be greater than 12, with no abilities lower than 8 or more than 14 (after racial adjustments).

The Squire Feat

The Squire Feat is particularly difficult. The PC takes the feat at L3, but the Squire must be three levels below the PC, so can't be recruited until the PC goes up to L4. I house rule that the PC may recruit a L1 warrior when they take the feat at L3, who is then assumed to have been trained into the L1 class you gain when to advance to L4. Use the generic warrior build shown below.

The Generic Warrior (L1)

This build is used for newly trained, unnamed warriors found in Human dominated lands - and is the basic build for units of guards, soldiers and archers that you might acquire through the campaign system. Equipment, however, can be purchased to suit the character's role, although the standard build has minimal equiment.

Profile

Gear (and therefore AC and damage) varies according to role and employment:

Elite Warriors (L3)

By the time warriors reach level 3 they have chosen a career and specialized, the examples here, apart from Private Guards conform to the PF Downtime Rules. They still aren't as good as a character with a PC class, but they are well suited to their task. If you are going to employ elite troops, you really should buy an armoury first.

Town Guard

Town Guards are standard troops who are used to patrol locally, keep the peace, defend the walls and keep the Governor Safe. When the Guard are called, you know it is getting serious. However, they can be diplomatic when they want to be, and can lay down an impressive hail of cross-bow bolts when they need to.

Guards wear Banded Mail and carry a Halberd.

Profile

Private Guard

This is the generic private guard, who can serve as a House Guard, Caravan Guard and even a Marine Guard. They are equipped with Studded leather armour, Light Shield (steel) Short Sword, Dagger, Light Crossbow

Profile

Soldier

Elite soldiers are the equivalent of heavy infantry. They wear banded mail, carry a heavy shield and fight with a short spear - and are trained to fight in a 'shield wall' type formation. :)

Profile

Archer

Battlefield missile troops, who will rain down arrows on your enemy, but are still able to fight in melee, if required.

Profile

Skirmisher

Skirmishers are trained in the ambush, scouting, and stealth tactics necessary for operating in areas heavy with vegetation or other non-uniform terrain. The team also has necessary equipment for travel in one type of wilderness environment.

Profile

Cavalry

Profile has not, currently, been defined.

pathfinder/npc_classes/warriors.txt · Last modified: 2023/12/28 19:58 by johnb