General Prestige Class : Tempest
The tempest is the point of calm within a whirling barrier of deadly blades. Poets use colorful terms such as dancer to describe the movement of a tempest and her two blades, but mastery of this fighting style is not about dancing. not is it about impressing anyone - least of all poets. The tempest focuses on learning the ultimate secrets of two-weapon fighting for a single purpose - the destruction of her enemies.
Typically hardy individualists, tempests rarely learn their skills through any sort of formal training. Instead, they master their art though constant application of its disciplines and experimentation on their foes. Similarly, no matter how famous tempests become, it's rare for them to take on students. Their art, they say is one that can be learned but never taught.
This prestige class is open to all classes and races. Though tempests are rare, every humanoid race has boasted at least a few. Elves make for nimble, clever tempests whose dexterity works to their advantage. Dwarves, perhaps because they favor heavy armor and heavy weapons, are the least likely characters to become tempests. Even members of the smaller races can find the tempest's path appealing.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Tempest, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Feats: Two-Weapon Fighting, Dodge, Mobility Spring Attack, and Weapon Finesse (any) or Weapon Focus (any).
- Base Attack Bonus: +9.
Class Skills
The tempest's class skills are Climb, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Ride, and Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The following are class features of the tempest prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tempests gain no weapon or armor proficiencies.
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting: Beginning at 1st level, a tempest can fight with two weapons as if she had the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting fear when she is wearing light armor or no armor. She loses this ability when fighting in medium or heavy armor, or when using a double weapon (such as a two-bladed sword).
Off-Hand Parry: At 2nd level, the tempest gains Off Hand Parry as a bonus feat. As she gains tempest levels her AC bonus from this feat increases, rising to +4 at 4th level and to +6 at 6th level.
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting: At 5th level, a tempest can fight with two weapons as if she had the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat when she is wearing light armor or no armor. She loses this ability when fighting in medium or heavy armor, or when using a double weapon (such as a two-bladed sword).
Absolute Ambidexterity: Beginning at 8th level, the tempest's attack penalties for fighting with two weapons lessen by 2 when she is wearing light armor or no armor. Thus, if she fights with a light weapon in her off hand, she suffers no penalties on her attack rolls for fighting with two weapons. (If the off-hand weapon is not light, she suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls with both her primary hand and her offhand.)
Supreme Two-Weapon Fighting: At 10th level, a tempest gains an additional attack with her off-hand weapon when she is wearing light armor or no armor. In addition to the three attacks she already has each round with her off-hand weapon (for Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting) at penalties of 0, -5, and -10, respectively, she is also entitled to a fourth attack with her off-hand weapon at a -15 penalty (see Table 8-2: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties in the Player's Handbook). She loses this special ability when fighting in medium or heavy armor, or when using a double weapon (such as a two-bladed sword).
| Tempest | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Improved Two-Weapon Fighting |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Off-Hand Parry +2 |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | - |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Off-Hand Parry +4 |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Greater Two-Weapon Fighting |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | - |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Off-Hand Parry +6 |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Absolute ambidexterity |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | - |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Supreme two weapon fighting |
Epic Tempest
The epic tempest is barely visible behind the incessant, whirling blur of her twin weapons.
Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting is usually an early choice on the epic tempest's wish list, but don't overlook other feats that allow you to dish out additional pain and suffering to your enemies, including Devastating Critical, Epic Prowess, and Penetrate Damage Reduction. Superior Initiative lets you strike first in a combat, but Epic Toughness may let you strike last, which is often more important. Depending on whether you wield heavy or light weapons, Strength or Dexterity is probably your first choice for ability increases.
Other Options: An epic tempest who learns to deflect ranged attacks by means of the Armed Deflection feat opens up an entire new world of options, including Exceptional Deflection and Reflect Arrows. You'll probably need to send some ability increases toward your Wisdom to best follow this path.
Hit Die: d10.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Bonus Feats: The epic tempest gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic tempest feats) every 2 levels after 10th.
Epic Tempest Bonus Feat List: Armed Deflection (new feat; see below), Blinding Speed, Devastating Critical, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Exceptional Deflection, Infinite Deflection, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Reflect Arrows, Superior Initiative, Two-Weapon Rend.
| Tempest | |
|---|---|
| Level | Special |
| 11th | |
| 12th | Bonus feat |
| 13th | |
| 14th | Bonus feat |
| 15th | |
| 16th | Bonus feat |
| 17th | |
| 18th | Bonus feat |
| 19th | |
| 20th | Bonus feat |
Source: Complete Adventurer
Masters of the Wild