• Exploit Weakness
• Cannon Rules
• Ch. 2: Character Classes – Highwayman (pg. 27-29)
• Ch 3: Prestige Classes – Necare Assassin (pg. 123)
• Ch. 4: Feats

Exploit Weakness: As aspect of the R&K system, Exploit Weakness was cut from the d20 System™ and the classes re-balanced. Please disregard any references to it in the text.

One of the deadliest weapons in the naval arsenal is the cannon. In real life, few people who have been hit with a cannonball (or even had one fly too close to them) have lived to tell the tale. Heroes in a naval battle are likely to take a certain amount of collateral damage from cannon fire, if only from the splinters that are hurled off of shattering timbers by speeding cannonballs.

Cannon stats are provided in the following format:

The common name for the cannon.
Cost: How much gold the cannon costs
Damage: The number of Hit Points: the cannon inflicts to its target.
Critical: The damage multiplier applied to damage (i.e., the number of times you roll damage, with all modifiers) in the case of a critical hit
Range Increment: The Range Increment of the cannon. When you roll to hit with a cannon, you make a Profession (siege engineer) check (DC 20). The Range penalty is applied to the skill check.
Crew: The number of crew needed to operate the weapon. The text will describe the penalty for operating the cannon without the required crew (this is usually applied to the Aim and reload times).
Aim: The time required to aim the cannon at a new target or to initially aim the cannon at its first target. Crew are considered to make minor adjustments to the cannon between volleys; this is not considered aiming, but rather part of the reload process.
Reload: The time it takes to load or reload a cannon after it has been discharged.
Move: The distance the canon can be moved as a move equivalent action with a full crew participating.

When the crew of the cannon wish to fire it, one of them makes a Profession (siege engineer) check (DC 30) and subtracts any range penalties from his roll. If the check is successful, the user rolls another d20. If the result is a natural 20 on the second roll the cannon hits the desired location; on any other roll the DM rolls 1d4 and consults the 1 ft. to 5 ft. deviation chart on page 68 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The result is where the cannon was aimed and hits.

If the Profession check fails, the DM rolls 1d12 and consults the 10 ft. to 16 ft. deviation chart on page 68 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The center of the chart is the desired hit location. The result is where the cannon actually hit, and should be used to check for deviation on the 1 ft. to 5 ft. chart.

It only takes one person to fire a cannon. The cannon may be reloaded and aimed with only one person, but this triples the number of full-round actions that it would normally  take. If two men are aiming and loading the cannon the time taken is only doubled. This holds true for moving the cannon as well.

Standard Boarding Cannon
Cost: 250G
Damage: 2d8
Critical: 19-20 (this weapon sores a threat on a natural 19 or 20, instead of
just a 20)/x3
Range: Increment: 200
Crew: 3
Aim: None.
Reload: 3 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 25
Wt. (tons): 1/16

Standard 6 pound Cannon
Cost: 300G
Damage: 3d6
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 225
Crew: 3
Aim: 3 full-round actions
Reload: 6 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 30
Wt. (tons): 1/12

Standard 10 pound Cannon
Cost: 400G
Damage: 3d6
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 250
Crew: 3
Aim: 5 full-round actions
Reload: 8 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 40
Wt. (tons): 1/10

Standard 12 pound Cannon
Cost: 500G
Damage: 4d8
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 275
Crew: 3
Aim: 5 full-round actions
Reload: 10 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 60
Wt. (tons): 1/8

Standard 20 pound Cannon
Cost: 1000G
Damage: 5d10
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 300
Crew: 3
Aim: 5 full-round actions
Reload: 20 full-round actions
Move: 5 ft.
Hit Points:: 80
Wt. (tons): 1/3

Horse Cannon
Cost: 600G
Damage: 5d6
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 200
Crew: 3
Aim: 3 full-round actions
Reload: 8 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 60
Wt. (tons): 1/6
Cannons can be incredibly deadly. However, they are bulky and difficult to aim. The Montaigne have attempted to address this weakness by hitching some of their smaller cannons to teams of horses. The horses must be unhitched before the cannon is fired, but the procedure is still much faster than pushing the enormous weapon around.

It takes a full-round action to hitch or unhitch the cannon from a team of four horses. When unhitched the cannon may move up to 5 feet as a move equivalent action. However, when a horse cannon is hitched up, it can move as far as 40 feet. In addition, aiming the cannon only requires 1 full round action, due the assistance the horses provide when hitched.

Eisen Roaring Cannon
Cost: 2000G
Damage: 5d12
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 300
Crew: 4
Aim: 5 full-round actions
Reload: 10 full-round actions
Move: 5 ft.
Hit Points:: 100
Wt. (tons): 1/2
The Eisen have built on the strength of cannons to make them even more powerful at the expense of maneuverability. When an Eisen roaring cannon is fired, it sounds as though lightning has struck nearby. Men and horses evaporate as the screaming balls tear through the ranks and the survivors often run for their lives.

In addition, anyone within twenty feet of a person killed by a roaring cannon must make a Will save (DC 15) or suffer the effects of fear.

Setine Clockwork Cannon
Cost: –
Damage: 4d10
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 150
Crew: 1
Aim: 3 full-round actions
Reload: –
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 60
Wt. (tons): 1/3
Clockwork weapons are sometimes found in Setine sites. They are usually incomplete and require repair from a skilled weaponsmith (typically a Profession (weaponsmith) check (DC 20) required). When operational they deliver a blast of energy unlike anything seen on Théah. The weapon usually only has 3d6 charges before it becomes completely useless.

Currently, the Explorer’s Society knows no way of recharging clockwork cannons. The clockwork cannon does not need to be reloaded between firings. It does not fire like a standard cannon; Instead the clockwork cannon is fired like a ballista. Its makes its attack with a straight 1d20. No modifications are made to this roll (no bonuses, attack bonuses, ability modifiers, etc.). The AC of a non-moving target is always 10.

Clockwork cannons are very rare, and as such cannot be purchased normally. A few crop up for sale on the black market every now and then, and Setine sites may produce a few samples as well. Details and the exact cost of the cannon in such circumstances is up to the DM.

Other non-Cannon Artillery
Some older technology is still used by the more primitive cultures of Théah, such as the Vestenmannavnjar. Their game statistics have been provided below.

Small Catapult
Cost: 500G
Damage: 3d6
Critical: –
Range Increment: 150
Crew: 2
Aim: 5 full-round actions
Reload: 10 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 50
Wt. (tons): 1/4

Large Catapult
Cost: 800G
Damage: 5d6
Critical: -–
Range Increment: 200
Crew: 5
Aim: 5 full-round actions
Reload: 20 full-round actions
Move: 5 ft.
Hit Points:: 90
Wt. (tons): 1/2

Ballista
Cost: 500G
Damage: 4d8
Critical: x4
Range Increment: 275
Crew: 1
Aim: 3 full-round actions
Reload: 5 full-round actions
Move: 10 ft.
Hit Points:: 40
Wt. (tons): 1/2

Swivel Base
Cost: 75G
When a cannon is attached to a swivel base it reduces the number of actions required to aim or re-aim the cannon by 2 (to a minimum of 1 full round action) and the required crew needed to aim or re-aim the cannon is reduced to 1. This does not affect the time or crew needed to load or reload the cannon.

The open road can be a dangerous place. No one knows this better than the Highwayman, for he is one of the reasons the road is so dangerous. These wandering bandits have a knack for appearing suddenly, robbing travelers of their valuables, and disappearing like phantoms into the mist. Although they usually avoid direct combat, their skill with pistol and musket is well known. Only a fool stares down the barrel of the Highwayman’s gun without feeling a twinge of fear.

Although a Highwayman’s abilities make him quite adept at ambush, not all of them are necessarily bandits. Some opt to leave the road behind and become legitimate heroes. Military scouts, spies, assassins, and other characters who spend a great deal of time on the road and are skilled with firearms may choose belong to this class.

Despite their skill at thievery, not all Highwayman are ruthless villains. A few are actually good-natured “gentlemen bandits” who avoid harming their victims. Most Highwaymen have a code of honor that prevents them from openly attacking those who present no threat to them first. Some even avoid harming the local constabulary who try to arrest them, instead inflicting subdual damage or using distraction techniques to elude capture.

A Highwayman often learns his trade from another of his ilk. This could be a relative or simply a lone bandit seeking to expand his organization by training others. Despite a reputation for a wild nature, a Highwayman’s abilities require a great deal of skill and training. Thus, few characters stumble into this class without some degree of instruction.

Highwaymen usually get along with Rogues, Rangers, and other characters who excel in rural or out-of-the-way environments. A Highwayman excels at long-range combat but also does well in close quarters when grouped with Fighters and Barbarians by taking a position behind the target. Classes with a strong Lawful bent (such as Paladins) may disdain the Highwayman but the flexible and adaptable abilities of this class enable him to work fairly well alongside other martial classes.

Highwaymen have the following game statistics:

A Highwayman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill include: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha) or Escape Artist (Dex; Armor Check Penalty), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None; Trained only – see Player’s Handbook, Ch. 4: Skills, pg. 73 for more details), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis) or Knowledge (Int; Trained Only – Local).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int Modifier) x 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int Modifier

The following are class features of the Highwayman:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Highwaymen are proficient with all simple and martial weapons appropriate to their geographical region. They also gain the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms) Feat. They are proficient with light and medium armor but not with shields. Note that Armor Check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every five pounds of armor or equipment carried.

Point Blank Pistols: At 1st level, a Highwayman gains a special version of the Point Blank Shot Feat. This free Feat applies only to pistols, muskets, and other weapons that use gunpowder.

Starting Gear: If the Highwayman is a starting character, he begins with 2 standard pistols for free at 1st level. (A reminder to the player: remember to include rope when making up your character!)

Clever Shot: At 2nd level, the Highwayman may angle his shots to inflict the most damage possible. He gains a damage bonus equal to his Dexterity (Dex) modifier with all pistols, muskets, and other hand-held gunpowder weapons except grenades and bombs.

Double Pistol: At 3rd level, the Highwayman can emulate the Ambidexterity and Off-Handed Accuracy Feats when using a pistol or other small gunpowder weapon in each hand.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level and every fourth level thereafter, the Highwayman gains a bonus Feat which must be selected from: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dead Aim, Deadeye Dick, Defensive Shot*, Disarm Shot*, Dodge, Far Shot*, Hip Shot*, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip*, Mobility, Mounted Combat, Point Blank Shot*, Precise Shot*, Quick Draw, Ranged Expertise, Rapid Shot*, Sharp Shooter*, Shot on the Run*, Suppressive Fire*, Track, Weapon Finesse, and Weapon Focus (firearms). (*Note: Those Feats marked by an asterisk apply to firearms. All prerequisites must still be met for these feats unless otherwise granted by the GM.)

Blur of Motion: At 5th level, the Highwayman gains the ability to move rapidly and avoid ranged attacks. Any time he intentionally moves at least 30 ft. in a straight line, he gains a 10% miss chance against ranged attacks targeting him until his next turn. This effect does not stack with the miss chance gained by concealment or invisibility. The miss chance increases to 30% at 15th level and 50% at 20th level.

Quick Reload: At 7th level, the Highwayman can reload his pistol or musket in half the normal time. If the GM uses the standard rules, reloading a weapon only takes one standard action and a Highwayman may reload a weapon as a move equivalent action rather than a standard action. At 10th level, when the Highwayman is equipped with a musket or pistol that is either a repeater or revolver (see Swashbuckling Adventures™, Ch. 5: Equipment,) he may prepare the weapon the next round as a free action.

Lightning Hands: At 10th level, the Highwayman may discard a pistol or musket and draw another loaded pistol from their person as a free action (as if the character had the Quick Draw Feat, regardless of prerequisites.) Additionally, the character may draw a weapon equipped on another character within 3 feet of him as a free action; however, this action draws an attack of opportunity from the character (assuming that character is conscious). The Highwayman may not draw a weapon currently being wielded by another character or one that is concealed.

Double Musket: At 13th level, a Highwayman can use his Double Pistol ability when wielding two muskets or one musket and one pistol. Due to the size and awkwardness of firing a musket with one hand, the Highwayman suffers a –4 penalty to attack rolls when using this ability. He cannot use the Quick Reload ability while holding two muskets. Dropping a weapon is a free action.

Dead Shot: At 18th level, the Highwayman can declare one ranged attack against a Flat-footed opponent as a critical hit. This must be done before the attack roll is made and if he misses his roll, the ability is wasted. This ability may only be used once per day.

Note: Check previously published material in the Swashbuckling Adventures™ line for specific rules about firearms. Additional rules for firearms will be released in Knights & Musketeers™ due in mid-December 2003. For d20™, special rules for firing from horseback are covered in the Player’s Handbook™, pg. 138.

The Highwayman’s Point Blank Shot and Double Pistol abilities allow him to emulate certain Feats. These two abilities can be used as prerequisites when selecting future Feats but only when the conditions of the original ability are met. For example, a 1st level Highwayman could take the Precise Shot Feat (which requires the Point Blank Shot Feat) but could only use Precise Shot when firing gunpowder weapons. If he wishes to use his Precise Shot Feat with a bow, he must learn the Point Blank Shot Feat normally, which also satisfies Precise shot’s prerequisites.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A student of the Necare school is proficient with all small blades.

Ambush Attack: When a Necare assassin flanks her target (or when he is denied his Dex bonus to AC, as in caught Flat-Footed), she may increase her critical strike range once per day by her level in this school and the weapon’s critical multiplier by her level in Necare, as well. (Thus, a 5th level Necare assassin’s range goes from 19-20 to 14-20.) This ability may stack with a Sneak Attack ability and/or another Ambush Attack ability from another school. Note that the adjustment to the Dex bonus to AC does not affect the Dex bonus to Ref saves. See Chapter 8: Combat in the Player’s Handbook™ for details on Flat-Footed and Flanking. See Chapter 7: Equipment for details about Armor and Dex Bonus to AC.

Concealed Blade: At 1st level, students of the Necare style learn to get close enough to their targets to ensure that their strikes will be effective. When the student has a small weapon concealed on her body, the difficulty to Spot the weapon is DC 25 + her level in this school. At 3rd level, the DC becomes 30 + her level in this school, and at 5th level it becomes 35 + her level in this school.

The Deadliest Strike: Necare students learn to dispatch someone with just a small blade. Starting at 1st level, the student may add her level in this school once per day to her damage roll; damage multiplied in the case of a critical hit. At 3rd level, she may add twice her level in this school once per day to her damage roll with damage multiplied in the case of a critical hit. Finally, at 5th level, she may add three times her level to the damage roll.

These abilities stack, so by the 5th level, the student may use all three variants (as separate actions) in a 24-hour period. The assassin must declare her actions prior to attacking the victim.

Focused Training: At 2nd level, the Necare student gains the feats Weapon Focus (dagger) and Weapon Specialization (dagger).

Poison Mastery: Starting at 2nd level, the student may add her level in this school to any Saving throws vs. Poison and never risks poisoning herself when applying poisons to a blade.

The Light Touch: At 5th level, Necare students have perfected a maneuver called "the Light Touch." The student makes an attack at -4. If she succeeds, she has successfully pricked her victim with a tiny poisoned blade. The victim takes 1 point of damage immediately, then rolls Save vs. the specific poison normally. The victim must make a Wis check (DC 20) to notice that he has been injured. Anyone examining the victim's body for injuries later must make a Search roll (DC 25).

The Light Touch should only be used under circumstances when the assassin would reasonably perform a Sneak attack.

Priest [General, Profession] (pg. 140)
Benefits: The following skills are considered class skills for you regardless of class: Knowledge (Religion), Diplomacy, Alchemy, and Decipher Script.

Fanatical [Wile] (pg. 150)
Your cause means everything to you. Even death is acceptable if it helps you accomplish your goals. The most dangerous man in the world is the one who is not afraid to die.
Prerequisites: Evil alignment.
Benefits: Once per day, you may activate this Wile to ignore your injuries for one Phase. You may continue to act for one (1) turn after you fall below 0 hit points. Note: If you are below -10 hit points you will die on your next round.
Special: May only be taken at first level.

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