Flanaess Prestige Class : Fleet Runner of Elhonna
by James Wyatt, Dragon #283
In the wild, speed is sometimes essential. Often, an animal's only hope of survival is to outrun another creature. Certain followers of Ehlonna, goddess of the woodlands, emulate this aspect of the natural world above all others, cultivating their natural speed until they become like the deer leaping between the trees - or, eventually, the wind that blows through them.
Most fleet runners of Ehlonna are clerics or druids who serve that deity, though a number of rangers also follow this path. Multiclass cleric/rangers or druid/rangers quite often become fleet runners, but members of other classes are rarely interested.
NPC fleet runners are almost feral creatures of the woodland. They have been known to run with the centaurs and dance with the satyrs, though many prefer the company of animals to that of more sophisticated creatures. They use their speed and travel-related abilities in defense of the woodlands - to carry messages, send for aid, or bring aid themselves.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Fleet Runner of Ehlonna, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Neutral good
- Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks
- Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Run,
- Base will save: +3
- Spellcasting: ability to cast divine spells
- Ehlonna
Class Skills
The fleet runner's class skills are Concentration, Heal, Hide, Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Move Silently, Spot, and Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the fleet runner of Ehlonna prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Fleet runners are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all armor, and with shields.
Fast Movement: The fleet runner has a speed faster than what is normal for her race by +10 feet when wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor (and not carrying a heavy load). For example, a human fleet runner in studded leather armor has a standard speed of 40 feet. This increase stacks with similar speed increases, such as from the barbarian or monk classes. This is an extraordinary ability.
Greater Mobility: A fleet runner of Ehionna gets a +8 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when she moves out of or within a threatened area. This supersedes the bonus granted by the Mobility feat. This is an extraordinary ability.
Additional Domain: A fleet runner gains access to another of Ehlonna's domains as a third clerical domain. She can use the granted power of the domain (using her fleet runner level instead of her cleric level), and can choose from the spell lists of three domains when selecting her domain spells for the day. She can cast only one domain spell of each level (1st through 9th) per day. Fleet runners without a level of cleric gain no benefit from this granted ability.
Bonus Spells: Similar to bonus spells for high ability scores, for each level of fleet runner that a spellcasting character attains, she gains bonus spells to the number of divine spells per day she normally casts. These bonus spells can be added to any level of spells the fleet runner can currently cast, but no more than one can be added to the character's highest current spell level. For example, Farella is a 9th-level cleric of Ehionna who takes one level in fleet runner. She can give herself one bonus 5th-level spell (her highest as a 9th-level cleric), and one bonus spell in one other level (0 through 4th).
If a fleet runner has two divine spellcasting classes already, she must choose which previous class of spells gains the bonus. For example, Jecara is a 3rd-level druid/8th-level ranger, with one level of fleet runner. Conceivably, Jecara could have a bonus 2nd-level druid spell and a bonus 2nd-level ranger spell, or she could put both bonus spells in either druid or ranger, but then only one of them could be 2nd level. Bonus spells cannot be added to an arcane spellcasting class.
Once a fleet runner has chosen how to apply her bonus spells, they cannot be shifted again.
Evasion: At 2nd level and above, a fleet runner can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If the fleet runner makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. The fleet runner can use evasion only if she is wearing light armor or no armor. This is an extraordinary ability.
Leap of the Hart: At 3rd level or higher, a fleet runner's jumping distance (vertical or horizontal) is not limited according to her height. This is an extraordinary ability.
Shot on the Run: At 4th level, the fleet runner gains the Shot on the Run feat, even if she does not have the prerequisite Point Blank Shot feat.
Run Like the Huntress: At 5th level, a fleet runner gains supernatural stamina while running. She can run for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score without making any checks, and she gains a +8 bonus to Constitution checks made to continue running after that point. This is a supernatural ability.
Improved Evasion: At 6th level, a fleet runner's evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex save against spells such as fireball or a breath weapon, but henceforth she only takes half damage on a failed save. The fleet runner can only use improved evasion if she is wearing light armor or no armor. This is an extraordinary ability.
Run Like the Wind: At 7th level, a fleet runner can slip magically between spaces, as per the spell dimension door, once per day as a spell-like ability. The fleet runner's effective caster level equals her class level.
Leopard's Pounce: At 8th level, a fleet runner can make a full attack at the end of a charge. This is an extraordinary ability.
Swiftness of the Tigress: When she reaches 9th level, a fleet runner can act as if under the effects of a haste spell for a total of 1 round per class level per day. These rounds need not be consecutive. This is an extraordinary ability.
Cheetah's Sprint: Once an hour, a 10th-level fleet runner can take a charge action to move ten times her normal speed. This is a supernatural ability.
| Fleet Runner of Ehlonna | Hit Die: d8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Fast movement, greater mobility, additional domain | 1 |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Evasion | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Leap of the hart | 1 |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Shot on the Run feat | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Run like the huntress | 1 |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Improved evasion | 2 |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Run like the wind | 1 |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Leopard's pounce | 2 |
| 9th | +8 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Swiftness of the tigress | 1 |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Cheetah's sprint | 2 |
Source: Dragon #283
Dragon Compendium Vol. 1
Older Prestige class adapted to 3.5