Pirate, hero, adventurer, killer, bravo—the freebooter can be all these things and more. The consummate adventurer, the freebooter laughs in the face of danger, throws caution to the wind, and somehow escapes harm even in the most desperate of situations. Whether riding the waves on the plunging deck of a swift vessel, swinging from a chandelier in a great hall, or sneaking up on foes much more powerful than he should ever consider attacking, the freebooter lives for the thrill of danger.
The freebooter is, at heart, a combatant. Generally he eschews heavier armors in favor of speed and mobility. To compensate, he uses every trick he can to overcome his opponents. Some freebooters learn to take advantage of unstable environments, fighting with finesse anywhere, while others master underhanded blows, poisons, and specialty fighting techniques. However, most have one thing in common: They always tend to press the attack confidently, even when outmatched and outgunned.
Creating a Freebooter
The freebooter is a fast, agile combatant, capable of delivering devastating damage under the right circumstances—though the precise circumstances vary for each freebooter.
Abilities: A high Dexterity is the freebooter’s most important ability, both for combat and because many of his class skills and features use this ability. Charisma and Intelligence are also important, both for skills and for many class feature. As a combatant, though, no freebooter should overlook a decent Constitution to see him through to the end of a fight, and Strength is often useful even beyond its ability to help him deal damage.
Hit Die: d10
Starting Gold: 4d6 × 10 gp (140 gp)
Starting Age: As rogue
Class Skills
Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (geography and local, taken individually) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str)
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the freebooter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Freebooters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and the buckler.
Bonus Feat
At 1st level, a freebooter selects a bonus feat from the following list. He must meet all the prerequisites for that feat. At 3rd level, and every four levels thereafter, he selects another bonus feat from the list. While the freebooter must meet the prerequisites of his bonus feats, at 3rd level he treats both his Dexterity and Intelligence as if they were 2 higher for purposes of meeting those prerequisites. At 7th level, he treats them as if they were 4 higher (again, only for purposes of meeting the prerequisites of any bonus feats), and then 2 higher for every four levels thereafter. Additionally for these bonus feats (and only these feats), he may treat his freebooter level as his fighter level for the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites.
Core Rules: Acrobatic Steps, Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Deadly Stroke, Disruptive, Dodge, Double Slice, Greater Disarm, Greater Feint, Greater Penetrating Strike, Greater TwoWeapon Fighting, Greater Weapon Focus, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Lightning Stance, Mobility, Nimble Moves, Penetrating Strike, Pinpoint Targeting, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload, Shatter Defenses, Spring Attack, Step Up, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, Whirlwind Attack and Wind Stance.
Freeport (see Chapter XVIII: Supplemental Rules): Acrobatic Strikes, Agile Repost, Armed to the Teeth, Blinding Slash, Burst of Activity, Cheat Death, Combat Surge, Combat Slam, Counterstrike, Crab’s Rush, Crack Shot, Deft Charge, Entangle Weapon, Evasive Maneuver, Favored by Fortune, Find Opening, Fire and Thunder, Firearms Drill, Flamboyant Assault, Harassing Strikes, Improved Dodge, Improved Fleet, Improved Harassing Strikes, Knife Trick, Lethal Disarm, Off-Hand Parry, Razor Tongue, Run ’Em Through, Subdual Expert, Sudden Lunge, and Swashbuckling.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player’s Guide: Crossbow Mastery, Disarming Strike, Disrupting Shot, Following Step, Greater Dirty Trick, Greater Reposition, Greater Steal, Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Reposition, Improved Sidestep, Improved Steal, Repositioning Strike, Second Chance, Sidestep, Step Up and Strike, and Tripping Strike.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Combat (the freebooter may treat his freebooter level as his gunslinger level for the purpose of meeting these feats’ prerequisites): Amateur Gunslinger, Break Guard, Deceptive Exchange, Defensive Weapon Training, Deft Shootist Deed, Disengaging Feint, Disengaging Flourish, Disengaging Shot, Drag Down, Extra Grit, Felling Escape, Greater Snap Shot, Gunsmithing, Improved Snap Shot, Improved Two-Weapon Feint, Landing Roll, Leaping Shot Deed, No Name, Passing Trick, Pin Down, Quick Dirty Trick, Quick Reposition, Quick Steal, Ricochet Shot Deed, Secret Stash Deed, Signature Deed, Snap Shot, Sword and Pistol, Two-Weapon Feint.
If the campaign uses feats from other sources, the GM should consider adding combat feats with a Dexterity or Intelligence score prerequisite; any feats involving feinting, light weapons, and firearms could all be added to the freebooter’s list of bonus feats as well.
Dirty Fighting
If a freebooter can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The freebooter’s attack deals extra damage any time his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not) or when he flanks his target. This extra damage is 1d4 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d4 at 5th level and again every five levels thereafter. Should he score a critical hit with dirty fighting, this extra damage is not multiplied. Dirty fighting applies only to melee attacks.
With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a freebooter can use dirty fighting to deal nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. Unlike the rogue and his sneak attack, a freebooter can use any weapon to deal nonlethal damage with dirty fighting by taking a –4 penalty to the attack roll.
A freebooter must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. He cannot use dirty fighting while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Extra damage from dirty fighting stacks with similar types of extra damage, including sneak attack damage. However, dirty fighting does not count as sneak attack for purposes of meeting prerequisites.
Defensive Style (Ex)
Many freebooters prefer using their wits, reflexes, or bravado to protect them, while others prefer the more reliable shield of thick metal plates. At 2nd level, the freebooter gains a defensive style that can take one of four forms. (The player selects which version when this feature is gained, and once this choice is made it cannot be changed).
Armored Fighting: The freebooter gains proficiency in medium and heavy armor (but not shields).
Canny Fighting: The freebooter adds his Intelligence bonus as a dodge bonus to AC. He gains this bonus only when wearing light or no armor and while wielding a melee weapon (natural weapons do not count, but a freebooter with Improved Unarmed Strike is always considered to have a weapon for purpose of this ability). This dodge bonus to AC cannot exceed the freebooter’s class level, and it does not stack with similar class features (such as canny defense, or a monk’s bonus to AC from Wisdom). If the freebooter is caught flatfooted or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus, he also loses this bonus.
Flashy Fighting: The freebooter adds his Charisma bonus as a dodge bonus to AC. In all other ways, this defensive style is identical to canny fighting.
Maneuverability: The freebooter receives Dodge as a bonus feat. At 3rd level, he also gains Mobility as a bonus feat. He need not meet the prerequisites for either of these feats.
Freebooter Talent
As a freebooter gains experience, he learns a number of talents that aid him and confounds his foes. Starting at 2nd level, a freebooter gains one freebooter talent. He gains an additional talent for every two levels of freebooter attained after 2nd level. A freebooter cannot select an individual talent more than once unless it specifically says otherwise.
Some talents have restrictions on what other talents a freebooter must select first or what level the freebooter must be. A freebooter cannot select a talent unless he meets these restrictions.
Ambush (Ex): The freebooter is skilled at striking targets unawares. Whenever he attacks a flat-footed opponent, he adds his Intelligence bonus (if any) to the attack and damage rolls. This bonus cannot exceed the freebooter’s class level.
Death Attack (Ex): The freebooter has learned how and where to strike opponents to kill them with a single attack. If the freebooter studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a dirty fighting attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the attack has the additional effect of possibly killing the target instantly. Studying the victim is a standard action. The death attack fails if the target detects the freebooter or recognizes him as an enemy (although the attack might still be a dirty fighting attack if the target is denied his Dexterity bonus to his AC or is flanked). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the freebooter’s class level + the freebooter’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, he dies. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal dirty fighting attack. Once the freebooter has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes his save) or if the freebooter does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack. A freebooter must be at least 6th level and have ambush to select this talent. If the freebooter also has assassin levels, his freebooter levels and assassin levels stack for the purpose of calculating the death attack’s Fortitude DC.
Deep Cover (Ex): If the freebooter spends at least one hour preparing a disguise, he gains a competence bonus equal to her freebooter level on Disguise checks.
Defensive Roll (Ex): The freebooter can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than he otherwise would. Once per day, when he would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the freebooter can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the freebooter must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, he takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, he takes full damage. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute his defensive roll—if he is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC, he can’t use this ability. If the freebooter has evasion it does not apply to the defensive roll since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage. A freebooter must be at least 8th level to select this talent.
Diversion (Ex): The freebooter may shout, stamp his foot loudly, clang sword and dagger together, or otherwise create a sudden, disconcerting noise to throw off a foe’s defenses. He may make a Bluff check to feint an adjacent foe as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Once he has used this maneuver on a specific target (whether the attempt succeeds or fails), that foe is immune to this talent for 24 hours. Deaf creatures or those immune to mind-affecting abilities are also immune to this diversion.
Empower Poison (Ex): When crafting a poison, the freebooter may increase the poison’s Craft DC by 10 to increase all variable numeric effects by one-half, so the poison deals half again as much initial and secondary damage as it normally would. This talent does not affect non-variable effects such as blindness, death, and paralysis. A freebooter must have poison use to select this talent.
Extend Poison (Ex): When crafting a poison, the freebooter may increase the poison’s Craft DC by 5 to delay the onset of the poison’s initial effects by up to 1 hour after the target’s initial exposure. The freebooter decides the delay at the time of the poison’s crafting. This talent has no effect on the poison’s secondary damage, which occurs after its onset time as usual. A freebooter must have poison use to select this talent.
Fast on Your Feet (Ex): The freebooter can maneuver easily around his allies. In place of taking a 5-foot step, he can exchange positions with a willing adjacent ally. This otherwise acts in all ways as a 5-foot step.
Freebooter’s Luck (Ex): The freebooter has an uncanny ability to escape danger unscathed. Once per day, he can use freebooter’s luck to add half his class level (maximum +10) as an insight bonus to any attack roll, ability or skill check, or saving throw. He need not declare the use of this ability prior to the roll, although he must declare its use before the GM announces the success or failure of the roll. A freebooter may select this talent more than once. Each time he selects it, he may use freebooter’s luck one additional time per day.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): The freebooter can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of concealment or shadow, he may hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow. A freebooter must be at least 12th level to select this talent.
Improved Ambush (Ex): The freebooter may add his Intelligence bonus to his attack and damage rolls whenever he flanks an opponent, as well as when he is attacking a flat-footed opponent. A freebooter must be at least 10th level and have ambush to select this talent.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The freebooter can no longer be flanked, denying opponents from dealing sneak attack damage (or similar extra damage effects) to him when flanking, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than he has freebooter levels. If the freebooter already has improved uncanny dodge from a second class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level required to flank him. A freebooter must be at least 8th level and have uncanny dodge to select this talent.
Maximize Poison (Ex): When crafting a poison, the freebooter may increase the poison’s Craft DC by 20 to modify all of the poison’s variable numeric effects so that the poison deals the maximum possible value. This talent does not affect non-variable effects such as blindness, death, and paralysis. A freebooter must have poison use to select this talent.
Nimble Footwork (Ex): When making an Acrobatics check to move through threatened squares, the freebooter’s movement is not reduced or penalized. (He moves his normal speed while passing through threatened squares using Acrobatics.) He cannot use this ability if he is wearing medium or heavy armor or if his speed is reduced due to carrying a medium or heavy load. A freebooter must be at least 4th level to select this talent.
Poison Focus (Ex): Choose one type of poison from any of the following—contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury. When using a poison of this type, the freebooter increases the save DC to resist its initial effects by +1. A freebooter must have poison use to select this talent. This talent can be taken more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time it is taken, it applies to a new type of poison.
Preternatural Instincts (Ex): The freebooter may add his Intelligence bonus on all initiative checks.
Poison Use (Ex): The freebooter has extensive training in a variety of poisons and is never at risk of accidentally poisoning himself when applying poison to a weapon.
Quick Change (Ex): The freebooter may make a Disguise check after 1d3 × 10 rounds by taking a –5 penalty to the check or after 1 round by taking a –20 penalty to the check.
Scrambling Evasion (Ex): Any time the freebooter would make a Reflex save, he may also make an Acrobatics check against the same DC; if he succeeds on both the Reflex save and the Acrobatics check, he may move up to half his speed as an immediate action. A freebooter must be at least 8th level and have nimble footwork to select this talent.
Swift and Skilled (Ex): The freebooter can choose any feat that does nothing other than grant bonuses to initiative rolls and/or skill checks as a bonus feat. He must meet the feat’s prerequisites. This talent can be taken more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time it is taken, it grants a different bonus feat.
Talented Poisoner (Ex): When manufacturing drugs or poison, for every +5 the freebooter adds to the Craft (alchemy) check DC, he may increase the save DC to resist the poison by 2. A freebooter must be at least 6th level and have poison use to select this talent.
Uncanny Balance (Ex): When making an Acrobatics checks, the freebooter rolls twice and takes the better result. He never loses his Dexterity bonus to AC while being attacked while balancing, and he takes only half the usual penalty for accelerated movement while balancing.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The freebooter can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, a freebooter still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If the freebooter already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, even if he is not yet 8th level.
Uncanny Maneuverability (Ex): Once per round when a foe successfully performs a bull rush, drag, reposition, steal, or trip maneuver on the freebooter, he may make an Acrobatics check (DC equal to the attacker’s CMB check) to avoid that combat maneuver.
Total Freedom (Su)
At 20th level, the freebooter becomes a paragon of independence and freedom. The freebooter is constantly under a freedom of movement effect (as the spell) and mind shielding (as if wearing a ring of mind shielding). This effect can be dispelled (treat its caster level as the freebooter’s class level), but the freebooter can restore it at will as a move action.
Freebooter Archetypes
Freebooters can take most fighter archetypes, representing the same kind of background or specialized training the archetype would if applied to a fighter. A freebooter cad, for example, is a master of low blows and cheap shots, while a mobile fighter focuses on running battles, and an unarmed fighter is a trained master of bar brawls and empty-hand strikes. To add a fighter archetype to a freebooter requires the freebooter to replace some of his class features in place of those a fighter would lose for taking the archetype. If the fighter archetype gives up armor or shield proficiencies, the freebooter must give up his defensive style feature; further, any benefit the archetype grants at 1st level in place of armor or shield training is delayed until the freebooter is 2nd level.
For any other class feature the fighter archetype replaces, the freebooter can sacrifice any class feature gained at the same or earlier level. For each occurrence of dirty fighting the freebooter gives up, his total dirty fighting dice amount is one less than that of a typical freebooter of his level. (So a freebooter that gave up his dirty fighting dice at both 1st and 5th level gains his first dirty fighting die at 9th level.) In some cases, a fighter archetype may grant benefits a freebooter cannot benefit from or an improved version of an ability that fighters have but freebooters do not (such as weapon mastery). In these cases, the freebooter gains no benefit from the archetype ability. The GM has final say over what fighter archetypes may be used by a freebooter character.