Epic Prestige Class : Legendary Dreadnought
The legendary dreadnought is the ultimate foot soldier, an absolute force of destruction, a total warrior who excels at sheer combat prowess. While some rely on cunning and reflexes in a fight, and others uphold a code of honor or engage in combat from horseback, the legendary dreadnought simply wades into battle, completely bent on relentless, steady destruction. When the tide of combat flows against him, he stands like a rock. It is the legendary dreadnought who has the might to breach the seemingly unbreachable gates.
Fighters, rangers, and barbarians most often seek to become legendary dreadnoughts, as do ex-paladins and blackguards. Clerics, paladins, and monks may occasionally change their focus and become legendary dreadnoughts, but druids, rogues, sorcerers, and wizards seldom do.
Legendary dreadnoughts may function as brute force in an adventuring group, but small groups of them make up the most devastating combat units in an army. On occasion, a legendary dreadnought might serve as a champion for a prominent ruler or noble, acting as a strong-arm or engaging in staged combat for money.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Legendary Dreadnought, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Intimidate 15 ranks.
- Feats: Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical.
- Base Attack Bonus: +23.
Class Skills
The legendary dreadnought's class skills are Climb, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A legendary dreadnought is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all armor, and all shields.
Unstoppable (Ex): At 1st level, the legendary dreadnought can concentrate his power, turning himself into an unstoppable force once per day, plus one additional time per day every five levels thereafter (6th, 11th, 16th, and so on). This ability grants the character a +20 bonus on his Strength check to break or burst a door or item. As a special use of this ability, the legendary dreadnought can attempt to break a wall of force (Strength DC 32, and the character applies his unstoppable bonus to this check as well). Alternatively, the legendary dreadnought can apply the +20 bonus to a single attack roll.
Unmovable (Ex): At 2nd level, the legendary dreadnought can concentrate his power, making himself unmovable once per day, plus one additional time per day every five levels thereafter (7th, 12th, 17th, and so on). This power grants the character a +20 bonus on any one of the following:
- A grapple check made to avoid being grabbed with the improved grab ability.
- A Strength check to avoid the effects of a bull rush, trip attempt, or similar effect.
- A Strength check against any effect that would move the character either physically or magically.
- Any one saving throw.
If an effect that would move the character either physically or magically does not normally allow a saving throw, the legendary dreadnought can use this ability to gain a Will saving throw. He still gains the +20 bonus on the saving throw in such a case.
Shrug off Punishment (Ex): The legendary dreadnought grows more and more able to withstand the injuries that would fell lesser men, gaining 12 bonus hit points at 3rd level and 12 more every five levels thereafter (8th, 13th, 18th, and so on).
Thick Skinned (Ex): At 4th level, the legendary dreadnought learns to ignore the minor nicks and cuts of battle, gaining damage reduction 3/-. This does not stack with damage reduction granted by magic items or nonpermanent magical effect, but it does stack with any damage reduction granted by permanent magical effects, class features, the Damage Reduction feat, and this ability itself. The damage reduction improves by 3 points every five levels thereafter (9th, 14th, 19th, and so on).
Bonus Feats: The legendary dreadnought gets a bonus feat at 5th level and an additional bonus feat every five levels thereafter (at 10th, 15th, 20th, and so on). These bonus feats must be selected from the following list: Armor Skin, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Epic Fortitude, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Epic Weapon Specialization, Fast Healing, Great Constitution, Great Strength, Improved Combat Reflexes, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction.
| Legendary Dreadnought | Hit Die d12 |
|---|---|
| CL | Special |
| 1 | Unstoppable 1/day |
| 2 | Unmovable 1/day |
| 3 | Shrug off punishment |
| 4 | Thick skinned |
| 5 | Bonus feat |
| 6 | Unstoppable 2/day |
| 7 | Unmovable 2/day |
| 8 | Shrug off punishment |
| 9 | Thick skinned |
| 10 | Bonus feat |
Source: Epic Level Handbook