The Amazon

Dungeons & Dragons Prestige Class

Warrior, Leader, Sister to Other Women

Amazonia is a powerful nation halfway around the world from the Four Kingdoms. It is also a very new monarchy, as nations go, having been conquered not much more than thirty years ago (LY 2135). Queen Sally was originally a pirate captain, then a pirate Lady, from Landers. Her courage, determination, and ruthlessness drove her to great heights of power spanning several continents. Using military, magical, and technological power, as well as her own leadership abilities and guile, she led a growing army of followers toward a goal far above mere piracy. Queen Sally forged a society in which women were recognized as socially superior to men, tossing aside the lip service given to female equality in the Four Kingdoms. By nature, men have greater physical strength and are often better suited to hand to hand combat than women. However, they cannot truly know what it is to give life—only take it. Because they cannot develop this empathy—which Amazonians consider crucial for governing a nation—Amazonia considers men generally unsuited for high leadership positions.

At the heart of Queen Sally's Amazonian ideal is an ethic of duty and honorable service. Before a woman brings life into the world, she must defend the lives of those who are already here. Only by facing death can she truly understand what she has to lose, and why it is a woman's responsibility to protect others. All young Amazonian women must serve for two years in the military forces of the nation. Until this service is completed, a woman may not bear children.

While most women leave the service after their initial terms, some find the life to their taste. These women join the ruling warrior class. Many are fighters, while some are rangers, paladins, pilots, or clerics. The most elite women, however, advance into a recognized two-tiered sorority of professional warriors known simply as "the Amazons." The first rank in this group is the Amazon Warrior. Those who do well in this role qualify for the advanced standing of Amazon Knight, which is a separate prestige class of its own. Warriors of advanced skill, but who may lack the qualifications for or interest in the Knighthood, continue as leaders and officers of the Amazonian military. Progress in levels of the Amazon Warrior class may confer additional military rank, but this is not necessarily the case.

Get stats for selected Amazonian troops (Acrobat PDF document, 18 Kb).

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

Amazon Warrior class skills: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Device (Int).

Skill points gained per level: 2 + Int mod.

Class Requirements

• Base Attack Bonus +4.
• Leadership Potential: Charisma bonus of +1 or better.
• Military Skills: Climb (4 ranks), Jump (4 ranks). Knowledge (war) 6 ranks. You must also be literate.
• Heroic Feats: Dodge, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Weapon Focus (any sword), Technical Proficiency.
• Special: This class is only open to female characters.

Class Features

• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Amazons have proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, and with light, medium, and heavy armor and shields. They prefer ranged weapons and melee weapons that depend upon skill or strategy, rather than brute strength. They wear their Amazonian Girding armor proudly, as tokens of service to their nation and queen.
• Amazon Girding: You receive a custom-made suit of combat armor from the Sorority. As you progress in level, your superiors may have the armor enchanted for you as a reward for service or valor. Alternatively, you may also pay to have the armor enchanted yourself, with permission from your current commander. This armor is made of advanced composite materials and takes into account your own fighting style, body structure, and preferences. It is fitted by master armorers who work exclusively for the Sorority on such gear. Amazonian Girding is masterwork medium armor with the following statistics: Armor bonus +9, Max Dex +6, Armor Check Penalty -1, Spell Failure 15%, move 20, weight 15 lb. Similar armor (if available elsewhere) would cost 750 gp, at a minimum, and two months to craft.
• Code of Conduct: You must uphold the rights of women, act with honor, help those who need help, and punish those who threaten or harm innocents. You also strive to remain free of such flaws as selfishness, greed, callousness, jealousy, and laziness. Your code also requires that you strive to avoid unnecessary violence, whenever possible. Amazons will always aid a member of the Sorority, unless service to Country or Queen commands otherwise.
• Fast Movement: (Ex) You gain +10 feet to your basic racial movement when you are wearing medium armor or less and are not heavily loaded, as the barbarian class ability on page 25 in the Player's Handbook. This ability does not stack with similar abilities gained from the barbarian, monk, or other classes.
• Spring Attack: You gain the Spring Attack feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. If you already have this feat, you gain no other bonus.
• Precise Strike: (Ex) You learn the techniques of a quick, in-and-out fighting style. When you move at least 10 feet to attack and are not hit by any attacks of opportunity thus provoked (if any), you gain a competence bonus of +1d6 to damage. You may not charge and use this ability, as charging uses a speed and recklessness incompatible with fine accuracy. This bonus increases by an additional +1d6 every third class level beyond second. You may combine this precise strike with a Spring Attack. The bonus damage stacks with other bonus dice gained from sneak attack or other similar skill.

• Ranged Weapon Feat: You gain any one of the Point Blank Shot series of feats as a bonus feat. This may include the Autofire feat. You must meet the prerequisites for any feat you choose.
• Leadership: You take command of troops and learn to lead in both combat and peaceful situations. You gain the Leadership feat as a bonus feat.
• Battle Cry: (Ex) When your shout rings across the battlefield, it lifts the spirits of your allies. This ability functions as the bard's inspire courage ability, found on page 28 of the Player's Handbook. It grants a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus to attack and weapon damage rolls. This bonus lasts for 5 rounds plus your Charisma bonus. You can shout a battle cry once each day for every level of the Amazon class you have attained.
• Direct Troops: (Ex) As a full-round action, you can give compelling directions. You can bestow a +2 competence bonus on either to hit rolls or skill checks to all allies within 30 feet who can hear you. This bonus lasts 5 rounds plus your Charisma Bonus.
• Rally Troops: (Ex) Your presence is enough to grant any allies within 30 feet a second saving throw against fear and charm effects to which they have already succumbed. Even if they fail the second saving throw, any fear effects are less severe: panicked characters are only frightened, frightened characters are only shaken, and shaken characters are unaffected by the fear effect.
• Tactical Advantage: (Ex) As a full-round action, you can direct any allies whose positions you can see (either directly, by magic, or by technology) in order to coordinate their tactics. You can give a +2 competence bonus to those directed on attacks, armor class, or skill checks. This bonus lasts for five round plus your Charisma modifier.
• Battle Standard: (Ex) The mere sight of your banner or other heraldic display is enough to turn the tide of battle. Allies within sight of your personal standard gain the effects of both Battle Cry and Rally Troops (above) as long as the standard is within range and held by you. If your standard is captured in battle all allies within range aware of its loss suffer a -1 morale penalty to attacks and damage (in addition to the loss of its benefits) until it is recovered.
• Die for Your Country: (Ex) Your presence inspires troops to make the ultimate sacrifice for your cause. Any allies within range of your voice (including by magic or technology) can continue to fight while disabled or dying without penalty. They continue until they reach -10 hit points.

Last updated 16-Nov-2003
Content copyright © 1998-2003 by SilverDragon.