This is another experiment to see if I can make a melee character who can actually scale properly against monsters of "appropriate" CR. First draft, so balance will probably be a bit out of whack. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
The Battlemaster“I have walked the fields of every nation on this continent, and fed blood to the earth in every province. I have fought alone and with armies, and against armies alone. By cause and coin I have been motivated, but in going I have only fulfilled my steel’s thirst. I am Vincent Ironhelm, Battlemaster, and I will only warn you once. Move from my path, or I will add your corpse to the countless I have created.”
Prerequisites:BAB: +9
Skills: Intimidate 12
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, 5 other Fighter feats
HD: d10
Skills per level: 4+int
Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, History, Local), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Class Features:Proficiencies: Seriously, what prestige class gives you proficiencies?
Battle Thirst: Whenever a Battlemaster strikes a foe, he gains a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage. This bonus stacks with each additional strike, but resets if the Battlemaster goes more than 2 turns without directly dealing damage to a foe. This ability stacks a maximum of 10 times.
Glacier Stare (ex): The Battlemaster learns to take further advantage of his intimidating presence. He can attempt to demoralize an opponentwithin 30ft as a swift action, and may choose to sacrifice his bonus from his Battle Thirst ability to add an equal competence bonus to the intimidate check.
Improved Power Attack (ex): At 2nd Level, the Battlemaster gains Improved Power Attack as written in the Frenzied Berserker entry (The Complete Warrior, pg. 35).
Commanding Presence (ex): A 3rd level Battlemaster gains limited control over those affected by his intimidation. Whenever he successfully demoralizes a foe, he can give the creature a single command (no verbal effect necessary; the target must be able to see the Battlemaster, however). He can force the creature to either charge, halt, or flee for one whole turn. A creature can only be affected by this power once every 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Battle Elation (ex): A 4th level Battlemaster becomes more confident as the situation becomes more dire. He gains a +1 dodge bonus to armor class for every opponent adjacent to him (swarms count as 1 opponent for the purpose of this ability)
Herculean Strike (ex): A 5th level Battlemaster has perfected his signature strike. Whenever a Battlemaster sacrifices 10 or more attack bonus on a power attack, he may activate this ability as a free action. Any target struck by the attack must make a fortitude save (DC15+str) or lose half of their maximum HP (rounded up). If the normal damage from the attack adds up to half or more than half of the target’s HP, the creature is instantly slain. If the creature succeeds in the save, it takes the normal damage.
The Battlemaster may choose to sacrifice his Battle Thirst bonus to increase the DC by 1 for every 2 bonus points.
