Destructive Charger (3.5e Class)
Destructive Charger
To some combat is about honor, to others it is about the thrill of spilling blood. To those belonging to the Destructive Charger class, combat is a stroll through the park...nothing is left standing.
Making a Destructive Charger
The Destructive Charger is very skilled in offensive fighting and specializes in performing charge attacks, bull rushes, and overrun attacks. Destructive Chargers are also better at fighting when wearing armor and wielding a shield in conjunction with a one-handed weapon (a heavy shield and heavy flail, for instance).
Abilities: Strength and Constitution are pivotal to making a successful Destructive Charger. Dexterity can help improve reflex saves and intelligence is good for earning more skill points. Wisdom and charisma are good to have if you take skills with those ability modifiers.
Races: Destructive Chargers tend to favor strength above all else, making this a favorable class for Dwarves and Half-Orcs. Humans also make for decent Destructive Chargers.
Alignment: While they tend to be lawful good, Destructive Chargers can be of any alignment. Neutral alignments are very rare within this class.
Starting Gold: 8d4 x10 gp (200 gp).
Starting Age: Simple.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Destructive Charger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Destructive Charger is proficient with all simple, martial, and exotic piercing and bludgeoning weapons as well as all types of armor and light and heavy shields. Destructive Chargers have also trained themselves to be ambidextrous, so they receive their full strength bonus on attacks made with both hands (no off-hand), and they suffer no move penalties for wearing medium or heavy armor while performing a charge.
Untouchable: At their 1st level, Destructive Chargers do not provoke attacks of opportunity from any enemies while performing a Charge, Bull Rush, or Overrun unless they have an ability/feat that says otherwise.
Improved Special Attacks: At level 2 and every 5 levels afterwards a Destructive Charger gains a +4 to the opposed strength check made while performing a Bull Rush or Overrun attack and a +4 to attack rolls for attacks made at the end of a Charge. At level 7 these become cumulative +8's to all three, +12 at level 12, and +16 at level 17.
Charging Overrun: A 2nd level Destructive Charger gains the ability to perform Overrun on a target at then end of a Charge. Overrun attacks can no longer be avoided.
Greater Power: A Destructive Charger becomes more powerful at its 3rd level and every 5 levels afterwards. While using Power Attack, a weapon held in one hand receives 1.5 times the number subtracted from the attack roll added to the damage roll, and a weapon held in two hands gains 2 times that number added to the damage roll. So at level 8, one-handed power attack damage improves to 2x attack roll subtraction and two-handed improves to 2.5x it. At level 13 the multipliers are 2.5 and 3, respectively, and at level 18 they are 3 and 3.5, respectively.
Shield Master's Training: Starting at level 4 and continuing every 5 levels, increase a Destructive Charger's shield bonus to AC based on the type of shield being wielded. A Light Shield increases shield bonus to AC by 1 and Heavy and Tower Shields by 2. For example, a Heavy Shield increases AC by 3, so at level 4 it goes up to 5, at level 9 it becomes 7, at level 14 it becomes 9, and at level 19 it becomes 11. Shield Bashes used along with a one-handed weapon incur a -2 penalty to attack rolls (as if the two-weapon fighting feat was taken) and shield AC is maintained even after a Shield Bash has been made at level 4. At level 9, shield bonuses to AC still apply to touch attacks. At level 14 a Destructive Charger may choose to block any one attack that has confirmed a hit (before damage has been rolled) once per round as an immediate action by making a reflex save equal to 10 + 1/2 the enemies number of hit die. A successful save blocks it with the shield's full hardness, a failed save blocks with only half of the shield's hardness. A shield that's hardness is lower than the damage receives the remaining damage and can be sundered. At level 19, Destructive Chargers are able to remain conscious until reaching -6 hit points. At -5, he becomes disabled and he still dies when his hit points reach -10.
Defensive Sunder: If an enemy misses an attack against a level 5 Destructive Charger that has a shield, then an attack of opportunity can be made against the weapon used with a +4 to this sunder attempt. This attack of opportunity is made with a shield bash and spiked shields are able to be used despite sunders requiring bludgeoning or slashing damage.
Greater Special Attacks: A Destructive Charger that has reached level 6 can Trample an opponent that has been Overrun for 1d10 plus his strength modifier. Destructive Chargers also gain the ability to perform a full-attack at the end of a Charge with all the bonuses and penalties of charging as well as all the normal bonuses and penalties that would apply to a full-attack. As a third option, Destructive Chargers can now perform a single attack while Bull Rushing an opponent (standard attack bonuses and penalties apply), which increases the distance the opponent is knocked back (without being pushed or at the end of a push) by 5'.
Multiple Overruns: A level 7 Destructive Charger can now Overrun multiple opponents, but takes a cumulative -4 penalty to damage (at least 1, though) done to each additional opponent trampled.
Cleave Asunder: At level 10, Destructive Chargers are able to make an additional attack against any single opponent after a successful Sunder attack. All Sunder attacks recieve a +2, which stacks with Defensive Sunder, and the additional attack is made at the Destructive Charger's highest base attack bonus.
Crazed Bull: A Destructive Charger need not Charge, Bull Rush, or Overrun in a straight line once he reaches level 11. A Charge can now move around difficult terrain and obstacles, a Bull Rush can now move an opponent to the left or right one square for each square he is moved back, and an Overrun can now run through whichever squares the Destructive Charger chooses.
Accurate Power Attack: Level 12 gives Destructive Chargers a choice between greater defense or greater accuracy in combat. Power Attack can now subtract some number (that cannot exceed the Destructive Charger's base attack bonus) from AC instead of attack rolls and adds it to damage rolls. Greater Power still applies.
Flanked Opportunities: While flanked, a level 15 Destructive Charger gains two additional attacks of opportunity against the two enemies flanking him which can be used when they attack him and miss (these do not count against his normal attack of opportunity limit, but defensive sunder cannot be used in addition to these attacks, the enemy must miss a second attack to use it).
Super Charged: Upon reaching level 16 a Destructive Charger can move four times his normal land speed to perform a Charge. Also, now he needs to move at least 5' for the charge to work, instead of 10'.
Leap Attack: A level 17 Destructive Charger can jump 10' horizontally in order to perform a Charge Attack with an additional +1 to his Power Attack multiplier (this simply adds to whatever Greater Power increases it to, so a total +4 multiplier with a two-handed weapon at level 17 instead of +3). A full-round attack can still be made with this feat, but an additional penalty of -2 to attack rolls applies when using two weapons. Failing this jump check results in a missed attack and the Destructive Charger falls prone.
Destructive Charge: At level 18, while charging, a Destructive Charger can attack every adjacent enemy once, producing an automatic Bull Rush knock-back effect. The target is knocked prone if he is moved into an occupied square and the Destructive Charger cannot choose to push these targets, so they move back 10' each. Additionally, each enemy in the Destructive Charger's path can be Overrun and Trampled as long as they have not already been attacked.
Master Special Attacks: Upon reaching level 20 a Destructive Charger can now perform non-charging variations of his special attacks. Power Attack can be applied to each of these.
Uppercut: As a standard action, the Destructive Charger can perform a melee attack that deals normal damage and sends the target flying through the air. After confirming a hit, roll 4d20 and add them together to determine the distance the target is knocked up. He takes 2d4 for every 10' he falls and falls prone if he falls more than 40'. A critical hit uses the weapon's standard critical hit multiplier, but doubles the distance the target is knocked into the air.
Downward Smash: As a standard action, the Destructive Charger can perform a bludgeoning melee attack (or shield bash, spiked or not) that deals normal damage for the weapon plus 2x his strength modifier and the target falls prone. Upon hitting with a critical, the critical multiplier increases by one and the Destructive Charger may make a standard Trample attack on the target as a swift action.
Awesome Blow: As a standard action, the Destructive Charger can perform a melee attack which, if successful, forces the target to make a fortitude save of DC=25 or be knocked back 10' and fall prone. A critical hit increases the critical multiplier by one and does not allow for the fortitude save. If he cannot move 10' due to an obstacle or enemy blocking his path, then he moves 5' and he and the obstacle or enemy take 2d6 damage and (if it is an enemy) both fall prone. The same goes for if the target cannot move 5'.
Ex-Destructive Chargers
Ex-Destructive Chargers may retain their class levels and features as long as they take all further levels as a Fighter. If other class levels are taken, then the Destructive Charger feats and bonuses are lost.
Epic Destructive Charger
| Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 21st | Bonus Epic Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24th | Bonus Epic Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | Bonus Epic Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th | Bonus Epic Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4 + Int modifier skill points per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bonus Feats: The epic Destructive Charger gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of all epic feats) at level 21 and every three levels thereafter.
Human Destructive Charger Starting Package
Weapons: Warmace.
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier (Int 12, or 1 Int modifier, for example).
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climb | 4 | Strength | "—" |
| Swim | 4 | Strength | "—" |
| Intimidate | 4 | Charisma | "—" |
| Jump | 4 | Strength | "—" |
| Listen | 4 | Wisdom | "—" |
Feat: Weapon Focus: War Mace.
Bonus Feats: Cleave.
Gear: Mythral Chain Shirt.
Gold: 200gp.
Campaign Information
Playing a Destructive Charger
Religion: Any deity of war and/or death.
Other Classes: Destructive Chargers work well with other combat focused classes, although they tend to ignore others altogether while on the battlefield. Destructive Chargers enjoy fighting Barbarians for the shear challenge.
Combat: Destructive Chargers usually just tear through the battlefield with repeated use of charge attacks.
Advancement: The Fighter class and certain classes like it tend to be the only classes that can multi-class with Destructive Chargers without sacrificing the Destructive Chargers feats and bonuses.
Destructive Chargers in the World
| “ | Were you in that battle? Huh, I guess it's a good thing you were on my side. | ” |
| —Drogen, Dwarven Destructive Charger | ||
Destructive Chargers tend to be numerous among military groups, such as a kingdoms soldiers or royal guard, or even as members of a towns militia or police force.
Daily Life: Destructive Chargers usually spend their days training for combat or actually in combat. They are a class that truly enjoys their work.
Notables: The Dwarven Destructive Charger, Drogen, is well known for his acts in combat. Some call him a one-man army, which cannot be too far from the truth, since Drogen has never been known to associate with anyone else, not even his Dwarven brethren.
Organizations: The only organizations Destructive Chargers associate themselves with are military groups.
NPC Reactions: Destructive Chargers are usually well-respected by others, but they can be seriously misunderstood by their anti-social behaviors and actions.
Destructive Charger Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge: Legends/Myths/Rumors/etc. can research Destructive Chargers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 | They are wild fighters. |
| 10 | They specialize in special attacks. |
| 15 | At higher levels, bull rushes and overrun attacks become all but unstoppable. |
| 20 | Recap a tail of one of Drogen's great battles (usually 1 vs. many). |
Destructive Charger in the Game
While a Destructive Charger fights in his own way, it is more likely than not that they would travel together with other combat-focused characters. A Destructive Charger can be excellent combatants, but it is unlikely one would be so bold as to attempt to face multiple opponents on his own.
Adaptation: None.
Sample Encounter: While going on about their quest as usual, the adventurers happen upon a warrior plowing through a horde of hobgoblins, leaving none standing or, at the very least, none uninjured. With his enemies downed, the warrior notices his spectators at last.
EL : Coming Soon.
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