Flanaess Prestige Class : Fist of Hextor
While many view the Fists of Hextor simply as effective if brutal mercenaries, they are in fact templars sworn to the service of their unforgiving deity. The world is a dark and unforgiving place, or so says the Church of Hextor, wherein the strong survive by ruling the weak and forging order from the chaos. To support its dogma, the Church established this elite company of templars and made them available for hire to those whose causes complemented the Church's ultimate goals (and who could, naturally, afford to pay the hefty tithes necessary to maintain a crack unit of well-armed and well-trained men and women). The Fists are infamous for their efficient brutality: Nowhere will an employer in need of military aid locate mercenaries more dedicated to ensuring that the rule of law prevails over the forces of anarchy and confusion.
Most Fists of Hextor are fighters, monks or clerics, but ex-barbarians, ex-paladins, rangers, and wizards are all counted among their number. The chief qualifications for membership are (apart from veneration of Hextor, Champion of Evil and Scourge of Battle) a willingness to utilize cruelty and harsh measures to crush dissent, a belief that power is the greatest reward life offers, and a willingness to endure all manner of hardship in service to these ideals.
NPC Fists of Hextor are usually mercenary soldiers engaged in some martial enterprise on behalf of the nearest temple dedicated to Hextor. Sometimes small groups or even solitary Fists are encountered, though these too are often carrying out a specific task or mission for the Church.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Fist of Hextor, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Lawful evil, neutral evil, or lawful neutral.
- Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks.
- Feats: Power Attack, Cleave,
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Other: Must worship Hextor, and must survive the ritual ceremony of induction into the Fists of Hextor.
Class Skills
The Fist of Hextor's class skills are Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, and Spot.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: All Fists of Hextor are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.
Brutal Strike: The Church of Hextor trains its templars to fight with ruthless efficiency. Every action, the Fist may add this bonus either to one attack roll or one damage roll, but not both. You must declare where the bonus applies at the start of your action.
Strength Boost: Starting at 2nd level, the Fist can call upon Hextor for a +4 Strength bonus once per day. The Fist may boost his Strength one additional time per day for every three levels above 2nd. This bonus lasts for 4 rounds plus the Fist's level.
Frightful Presence: When a Fist of Hextor reaches 3rd level, he gains the extraordinary ability to instill fear in others as a free action once per day. The Fist must make some dramatic action in the round in which he uses the ability and it only affects those who see (or possibly hear, depending on the dramatic act) the Fist. The ability has a range of 5 feet per level. All those (except for other Fists) within range are frightened for 5d6 rounds. Those who succeed at a Will saving throw are merely shaken. The DC for the Will save is 10 + the Fist's level + the Fist's Charisma modifier. This extraordinary ability creates a mind-affecting fear effect. The Fist may use this one additional time per day for every three levels above 3rd.
| Fist of Hextor | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Brutal strike +1 |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Strength boost 1/day |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Frightful presence 1/day |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Brutal strike +2 |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Strength boost 2/day |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Frightful presence 2/day |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Brutal strike +3 |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Strength boost 3/day |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Frightful presence 3/day |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Brutal strike +4 |
Source: Sword and Fist