Boy Scout (3.5e Class)
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Boy Scout[edit]
Something of a "joke" class, but intended to be fully workable. Perhaps your campaign setting includes an organization similar to the Boy Scouts, in which case just rename the class and make a few minor adjustments, and you'll have a more "serious" class that still makes for great gameplay.
Making a Boy Scout[edit]
The Boy Scout is a skill and versatility oriented class. They are tough, resourceful, and equally at home whether in the wild or in an urban setting. Their only major weakness is offense: they lack any real ability to deal serious damage to enemies.
Boy Scouts are very adaptable and open minded, so they work well with almost any class. However, their alignment restrictions may prevent them from taking on certain multiclass options.
A Boy Scout's versatility plants them in the role of the "fifth party member", much like a bard or a ranger, but they are still quite unique in their own right.
Abilities: A Scout is "physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight". Most of a Boy Scout's class abilities involve Wisdom or Charisma. A high Strength score can help make up for the lack of offensive abilities. Intelligence can improve the Boy Scout's already impressive selection of skills. Boy Scouts generally don't need Constitution, as they already have a high Hit Die and a good Fortitude save, and the lack of offensive capabilities means they probably won't be on the front lines most of the time anyway.
Races: Humans, with their adaptability and versatility, are most likely to join the Boy Scouts. Half-elves, elves, and halflings sometimes join the class as well. Orcs and dwarves are rarely seen among them.
Alignment: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, and Neutral Good. The Scout Oath and Law are incompatible with Chaotic or Evil alignments, and because a Boy Scout must have something to stand for, they cannot be True Neutral. The Scout Oath and Law can be found here[1].
Special: Only male (or female in the case of Venture Scout) characters may be Boy Scouts. If a spell or effect causes you to become female after taking levels in Boy Scout, you still retain all Boy Scout levels and features, but you cannot gain any new levels in Boy Scout until you become male again.
Starting Gold: 3d6×10 gp (90 gp)
Starting Age: Simple
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the Boy Scout.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Boy Scout is proficient with all simple weapons, the throwing axe, the handaxe, the sap, the short sword, the battleaxe, and the shortbow. He is proficient with the Dwarven Waraxe as a two-handed martial weapon, but not as a one-handed exotic weapon. Boy Scouts are not proficient with any armor or shields.
Bonus Feat: At 1st level and every level multiple of 3, a Boy Scout chooses a bonus feat from the following list (he must meet all of the normal prerequisites, however): Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Endurance, Diehard, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Leadership, Negotiator, Persuasive, Run, Self-Sufficient, Toughness, Track.
Partial Improvised Weapon Proficiency: A Boy Scout is resourceful and knows how to use his surroundings to his advantage. A Boy Scout only takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls with improvised weapons, instead of the usual -4.
Scout's Honor: A Boy Scout greatly values his honor as a Scout. As Boy Scouts earn levels, they gain a number of special abilities based on Scout's Honor. A Boy Scout has a number of daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability equal to one plus his Charisma modifier, with a minimum of 1 use per day. A Boy Scout earns additional uses as he advances in rank. A Boy Scout can also earn bonus uses per day by adhering to the Scout Law (below). All Scout's Honor-based abilities are treated as immediate actions and extraordinary abilities.
Scout Law: A Boy Scout must obey twelve points of honor known as the Scout Law. If a Boy Scout breaks any point of the Scout Law, he loses all remaining uses of the Scout's Honor ability for that day. If a Boy Scout breaks the Scout Law and has no uses of the Scout's Honor ability remaining, he becomes an ex-Boy Scout (see below). Exceptions are allowed to each point of the Scout Law if someone's life is in danger (for instance, a Boy Scout may tell a lie if it will save someone's life). The DM must be the judge of when such exception are permitted.
- Trustworthy: A Boy Scout may not lie, cheat, or steal.
- Loyal: A Boy Scout may not betray his friends, family, or country.
- Helpful: No restrictions on character behavior. Instead, a Boy Scout earns one bonus use of his Scout's Honor ability if he performs a good deed for a stranger. He may only gain one bonus per day in this manner, and the bonus only lasts until the end of the day.
- Friendly: A Boy Scout must treat all non-hostile characters with respect.
- Courteous: A Boy Scout must respect the traditions and customs of other families and cultures.
- Kind: No restrictions on character behavior. Instead, a Boy Scout earns one bonus use of his Scout's Honor ability if he resolves a conflict through diplomacy or other peaceful means rather than violence or intimidation. He may only gain one bonus per day in this manner, and the bonus only lasts until the end of the day.
- Obedient: A Boy Scout may not disobey a contractual obligation or refuse to pay a debt.
- Cheerful: A Boy Scout may not display extreme pessimism or hopelessness in front of his allies (The DM is the judge).
- Thrifty: No restrictions on character behavior. Instead, a Boy Scout earns one bonus use of his Scout's Honor ability per day as long as he is in possession of at least 500 GP worth of either coins, trade goods, credit, or some combination of these things.
- Brave: A Boy Scout may not retreat from battle or back down from a challenge unless it is utterly impossible.
- Clean: A Boy Scout must be properly dressed and groomed when meeting with anyone of substantial social/political power or influence.
- Reverent: A Boy Scout must honor his deity/deities and obey all of the traditions and rituals of his religion. This requirement is waived if the Boy Scout has no religion or if the traditions of his religion contradict other points of the Scout Law.
Fire Expertise: At level 2, a Boy Scout becomes more proficient in the use of fire. He may start a fire or light a torch without using flint and steel, as long as he has access to a rough surface or object. With the aid of flint and steel, he can start a fire in half the normal amount of time, or light a torch as a standard action.
First Aid Badge: At level 2, a Boy Scout becomes better able to treat injury. He may spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to reroll a Heal check and take the better of the two results.
Danger Sense: At level 3, a Boy Scout gains the innate ability to sense danger. He may multiply his Wisdom bonus to his Listen and Spot skills for the purposes of detecting any sort of hazard or danger by 2. At 11th level, the multiplier increases to 3, and at 20th level, it increases to 4.
Tenderfoot Rank: At level 3, a Boy Scout advances to the next rank in Scouting, earning additional prestige and reputation. This gives the Boy Scout a +1 reputation bonus to his Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession skills. The number of base daily uses of Scout's Honor also increases to 2 + his Charisma modifier.
Improvised Weapon Proficiency: At level 4, a Boy Scout is considered fully proficient with improvised weapons, and the attack roll penalty for using them disappears completely.
Personal Fitness Badge: At level 4, a Boy Scout has trained his body to be stronger, tougher, and more nimble. He may spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to temporarily boost either his Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score by 1. The effect lasts for one hour, and he may not use this ability again until the effect from the previous use has worn off.
Communications Badge: A 5th-level Boy Scout is a master negotiator and diplomat. He may spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to reroll any Diplomacy or Gather Information check and take the better of the two results.
Fire Mastery: A Boy Scout learns how to better control fires from all the time he spends playing with fire. At 6th level, he may extend the life of any fire with a limited duration (such as a torch) by 5 minutes with a successful DC 15 Survival check. The DC increases by 1 for each consecutive extension of the same fire. He can start a fire in half the normal amount of time without the aid of flint and steel or in one-fourth the normal amount of time with flint and steel. He can light a torch as a standard action without the aid of flint and steel or as a move action with flint and steel.
Second Class Rank: At 6th level, a Boy Scout advances to the next rank in Scouting, earning additional prestige and reputation. This gives the Boy Scout a +2 reputation bonus to his Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession skills. The number of base daily uses of Scout's Honor also increases to 3 + his Charisma modifier (these bonuses replace, not stack with, those of Tenderfoot).
Stand Tough: Identical to the Streetfighter (Complete Adventurer) ability of the same name. At level 8, a Boy Scout can stand tough once per day. When he would be damaged in combat (from a weapon or similar blow, but not from a spell or special ability), he may attempt a Fortitude save against a DC equal to the amount of damage dealt. If the save succeeds, he takes no lethal damage from the blow, instead taking nonlethal damage equal to half the amount of damage he would normally take. A Boy Scout need not be aware of the impending attack to use this ability. At level 13, he can use this ability twice per day, and at level 17, he can use it three times per day. The number of daily uses of this ability stack with any daily uses he would gain from multiclassing in another class with this ability (for example, the Streetfighter).
Swimming Badge: Boy Scouts are expert swimmers. At 8th level a Boy Scout may spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to temporarily gain a +4 competence bonus on Swim checks and the ability to take 10 on a Swim check even if distracted or endangered. This effect lasts for one hour.
If I Were Not A Boy Scout: At 10th level, a Boy Scout may choose any other base class. From that class he may pick any one 1st-level class feature. For instance, if he chooses the Barbarian, he may choose to gain the use of the Rage ability once per day. If he chooses a spellcasting class, he may choose to gain the ability to learn and cast spells as a 1st-level character of that class, instead of choosing a class feature.
Hiking Badge: A 10th-level Boy Scout is a highly proficient hiker. He may spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to temporarily gain use of the Woodland Stride ability (as a 7th-level Ranger). This effect lasts for one hour. He may also spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to perform a Forced March (Player's Handbook, page 164) for one hour without risking damage or fatigue.
Versatile: At 10th level, a Boy Scout's adaptability becomes fully realized. The character's Boy Scout levels no longer count against him when determining experience point penalties for multiclassing. In effect, the character essentially gains "Boy Scout" as a second favored class
Citizenship Badge: An 11th-level Boy Scout knows much about the culture and customs of his community, nation, and the world. He can spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to gain a +4 insight bonus on the next Appraise, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Profession check he makes. This only applies to one roll and must be declared before the roll is made.
First Class Rank: At 12th level, a Boy Scout advances to the next rank in Scouting, earning additional prestige and reputation. This gives the Boy Scout a +4 reputation bonus to his Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession skills. The number of base daily uses of Scout's Honor also increases to 4 + his Charisma modifier (these bonuses replace, not stack with, those of Second Class).
Camping Badge: At 13th level, a Boy Scout knows how to survive in the wilderness. He can spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to take an automatic 10 on his next Survival check, regardless of distractions. This only applies to one roll and must be declared before the roll is made. He can also spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to automatically succeed a saving throw to resist extreme weather.
Fire Resistance: By level 14, a Boy Scout has spent so much time playing with fire that his skin has become resistant to its effects. He gains fire resistance 3 as an extraordinary ability. This bonus increases to 6 at level 17 and to 9 at level 20.
Improved Danger Sense: A level 14 Boy Scout has learned to "sleep with one eye open". He can make Spot and Listen checks without penalty for the purpose of detecting hazards or danger, while he is sleeping. On a successful check he may choose to wake up.
Star Rank: At 15th level, a Boy Scout advances to the next rank in Scouting, earning additional prestige and reputation. This gives the Boy Scout a +7 reputation bonus to his Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession skills. The number of base daily uses of Scout's Honor also increases to 6 + his Charisma modifier (these bonuses replace, not stack with, those of First Class).
Emergency Preparedness Badge: At 15th level, a Boy Scout is always prepared and always ready. At the start of an encounter, he may spend up to three daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to gain +3 per use spent on his initiative roll. Furthermore, once per round, he may spend three daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to give himself one extra move action that round, or five daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to give himself one extra standard action that round. Finally, he may spend two daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to cancel out the effect of being flat-footed for one round.
If I Were Not A Boy Scout II: At level 16, a Boy Scout may choose, from the same base class as before, either a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-level class feature. If he had chosen instead to gain spellcasting ability, his spell learning and casting improves to that of a 3rd-level character of the class he chose (instead of gaining a new class feature).
Lifesaving Badge: By level 16, a Boy Scout's first aid abilities have improved to the point where he can save people from the very brink of death. He may spend three daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to attempt a DC 25 Heal check on a character who has been reduced to -10 or fewer hit points. If the check succeeds, that character's life is saved, and they are brought to -8 Hit Points. Further Heal checks must still be made to stabilize the character, however. This ability cannot be used on characters who have been at -10 or fewer for longer than a minute (after a minute, they are beyond saving). This ability also cannot be used on characters who were killed by an instantaneous death effect (such as a vorpal weapon or a Power Word Kill spell) or whose bodies have been utterly mutilated or destroyed beyond recognition.
Life Rank: At 17th level, a Boy Scout advances to the next rank in Scouting, earning additional prestige and reputation. This gives the Boy Scout a +10 reputation bonus to his Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession skills. The number of base daily uses of Scout's Honor also increases to 8 + his Charisma modifier (these bonuses replace, not stack with, those of Star).
Personal Management Badge: At level 18, a Boy Scout becomes a financial expert. The Appraise skill permanently becomes a class skill for the Boy Scout, and he gains 5 free ranks in the skill. When he is in a large city, he can also spend one daily use of his Scout's Honor ability to multiply (through smart investing) his current amount of money by 1.01 (one and one-hundredth).
Environmental Science Badge: A 19th-level Boy Scout learns much about the natural environment and is able to quickly identify flora and fauna. Whenever he encounters an animal, a fey, a giant, a monstrous humanoid, a plant, or a vermin, he may spend three daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to learn the creature's special abilities and vulnerabilities. He may also spend two daily uses of his Scout's Honor ability to automatically succeed on the Survival check to predict the weather up to two days in advance.
Eagle Rank: At 20th level, a Boy Scout advances to the highest and final rank in Scouting, bringing with it incredible prestige and reputation. This gives the Boy Scout a +20 reputation bonus to his Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession skills. The number of base daily uses of Scout's Honor also increases to 10 + his Charisma modifier (these bonuses replace, not stack with, those of Life). The character's class is thereafter referred to as "Eagle Scout" by other characters (instead of as "Boy Scout").
If I Were Not A Boy Scout III: At level 20, a Boy Scout may choose, from the same base class as before, either a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th-level class feature. If he had chosen instead to gain spellcasting ability, his spell learning and casting improves to that of a 5th-level character of the class he chose (instead of gaining a new class feature).
Ex-Boy Scouts[edit]
If a Boy Scout breaks the Scout Law after his daily uses of the Scout's Honor ability have been exhausted, or if his alignment changes to something other than Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, or Neutral Good, he becomes an ex-Boy Scout. He loses all Scout's Honor ability, all "Badge" abilities, and all Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Profession bonuses based on his "Rank". He retains other class features and existing levels in Boy Scout, but he can no longer gain any new levels in Boy Scout. An Atonment spell can undo this effect.
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