Faerûnian Prestige Class : Royal Scout
The Royal Scouts of Cormyr are an elite order of Purple Dragon scouts in service to the Crown. They serve with their fellow Purple Dragons in patrols across the Forest Kingdom and as the Crown's elite messengers. However, the Royal Scouts are more famous for their work roaming alone or in small adventuring parties among the Stonelands and Goblin Marches spying on goblinoid tribes, spotting secret Zhentarim outposts, and disrupting the operations of Cormyr's enemies.
These dogged heroes learn to avoid danger without losing sight of their duty. Stealth and survival skills are critical to the Royal Scouts' success. Consequently, most royal scouts are rangers, although several aristocrats, fighters, and rogues have also become members of the Royal Scouts.
Royal Scouts can be encountered anywhere in the Dragonreach and along the Dragon Coast, but they are most likely to be found in Cormyr proper, especially the Forest Kingdom's frontier lands - the Plains of Tun, the Goblin Marches, and the Stonelands.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Royal Scout of Cormyr, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any nonevil and nonchaotic
- Skills: Hide 3 ranks, Bluff 1 rank, Move Silently 3 ranks, Ride 5 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Survival 5 ranks.
- Feats: Alertness, Track,
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Special: Membership in the Purple Dragons. Must be literate.
Class Skills
The royal scout's class skills are Bluff, Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, and Use Rope.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the royal scout of Cormyr.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A royal scout is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor.
Reliable Messenger (Ex): Royal scouts are the Crown's swiftest and most dependable messengers. This ability grants the Royal Scout a +2 bonus on all Bluff(innuendo) and Ride checks.
Pride of Purpose (Ex): The Royal Scouts are so committed to Cormyr that at 2nd level they gain a +2 bonus on Will saves against fear (magical or otherwise) and other mind-affecting spells and effects.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): As the rogue ability. At 2nd level, the royal scout does not lose her Dexterity bonus to AC from being flat-footed. At 4th level, opponents do not gain any attack bonuses for flanking the royal scout.
If the character already had uncanny dodge from one or more previous classes, levels of those classes stack with royal scout levels for the purpose of determining the benefits, but the scout continues to progress in the ability along whichever track she was originally using for the ability. For example, if a rogue becomes a royal scout, add together her levels of royal scout and rogue, then refer to Table 3-15: the Rogue in the Player's Handbook to determine the benefits of uncanny dodge at his new combined level.
Forester (Ex): Royal scouts are constantly afield, patrolling Cormyr's frontier and learning the ways of the land. This ability grants the royal scout a +2 bonus on all Heal and Survival checks.
Evasion (Ex): At 4th level, a royal scout gains evasion. If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage (such as a fireball), she takes no damage with a successful saving throw.
Evasion can only be used if the royal scout is wearing light armor or no armor.
Voices of the Wolf Woods (Su): In days of yore, when Cormyr was still in the mighty talons of dragons and the delicate hands of elves, the great forest that covered the Forest Country was known as the Wolf Woods. Although the dragons and elves are mostly gone from the land, they have left their mark on the land they loved.
At 5th level, a royal scout of Cormyr, having traveled the breadth of Cormyr, has become attuned to some of the place magic of Cormyr and gains the power to detect evil (as the spell) at will. In addition, the scout gains the power to sense evil that enters the Forest Kingdom's borders (not those already within its borders). This power detects evil outsiders of at least CR 5, evil elementals and undead of at least CR 10, and other evil beings of at least CR 10 who plan to do harm to the land or people of Cormyr. The power does not give the scout the exact location of the evil, but with successful Survival checks (DC 15), the scout can make his way toward the creature or creatures, whereupon he gains a +10 insight bonus on all checks to track the evil down.
| Royal Scout | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Reliable messenger |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Pride of purpose, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus) |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Forester |
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Evasion, uncanny dodge (can't be flanked) |
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Voices of the Wolf Woods |
Source: Dragon #307
Older Prestige class adapted to 3.5