Dwarven Widow

The Dwarven Widow Corps began as a charity organization founded by the first Emperor of the Dwarven Empire, Hagginkreyga. Hagginkreyga felt obligated to help the widows of soldiers killed at war, and so he established an elite security team to guard the Imperial capital of Thunderkeep and staffed it entirely with the widows of slain soldiers. Because the training was grueling and the danger relatively high, a position on the DWC paid very well, well enough for a widow to support her now-fatherless family. While this solution stretched the bounds of the word "charity", it proved effective as a security measure. The Dwarven Widows, just as disciplined as Dwarven men and eager to preserve their personal and family honor, became an integral part of Thunderkeep's defense, eventually taking over all security duties and freeing the former City Watch (by all accounts a less effective group of warriors) to become a full-fledged military unit.

In the centuries since the founding of the Corps, cities all over the Dwarven Empire have started their own branches. Now, every major city in the Dwarven Empire (and some of the more dangerous minor ones) has its own Dwarven Widow Corps. Members receive enough basic training to qualify them as 1st level Warriors or, in some cases, Fighters. This prestige class represents Corps members who have been accepted as Sentries, the elite guards who spend sleepless nights patrolling the city and exhausting days learning special techniques and tactics for defending Dwarven communities. Most Sentries are promoted from the entry-level ranks of the Corps, but the rare widow who has already had combat training prior to joining up may be permitted to skip directly to Sentry rank.

The training of the Dwarven widows is intense but limited, so Dwarven widows who learn all that Corps has to teach are usually transferred to military duty or one of the Axebeard Bay fighter colleges to learn more. Characters who reach 5th Class Level as Dwarven widows cannot advance any further in the class; they have simply learned everything that the Corps teaches.

Dwarven widows are renowned for their keen eye in evaluating dangerous situations, their unshakeable resistance to magical tricks and charms and their trademark Scream, which they use to terrify and disorient their targets before charging in for the kill (a tactic that often permits 3-5 Dwarven widows to dispatch whole bands of invading goblins or orcs before they can react).

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a Dwarven widow, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Race

Dwarf

Base Attack Bonus

+3

Skills

Spot 4 ranks, Knowledge (local) 4 ranks

Feat

Endurance

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Must be proficient with all martial weapons and with medium armor.

Special

Must be a widowed female citizen of the Dwarven Empire

Class Skills

The Dwarven widow's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level

4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Class Level	BAB	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Advanced Dwarven Tactics, Watchful Eye (+2)
2	+2	+3	+0	+0	Bonus Feat, Charm-Fouling Discipline (+2)
3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Scream 1/day, Watchful Eye (+3)
4	+4	+4	+1	+1	Bonus Feat, Charm-Fouling Discipline (+4), Scream 2/day
5	+5	+4	+1	+1	Scream 3/day, Watchful Eye (+4)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Dwarven widows are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields.

Advanced Dwarven Tactics (Ex)

Dwarven widows gain an additional +1 to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids and an additional +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against giants. These bonuses stack with the similar, innate Dwarven bonuses.

Bonus Feats

Like Fighters, Dwarven widows gain bonus combat feats, but their feats are limited to those taught in the smaller curriculum of the Dwarven Widow Corps. At 2nd and 4th levels, a Dwarven widow receives a bonus feat from the following list: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Far Shot, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Manyshot, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Reload, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus, Whirlwind Attack.

Charm-fouling Discipline (Ex)

At 2nd level, Dwarven widows learn special techniques to avoid magical deception and enchantment. These mental exercises grant a +2 competence bonus to save against Enchantment and Illusion spells cast by characters of whom the Dwarven widow is aware; the Dwarven widow need not see or hear the caster, but must know that she is present. This ability has no effect against supernatural abilities or extraordinary abilities. The bonus grows to +4 at 4th level.

Scream (Ex)

Beginning at 3rd level, a Dwarven widow may emit a terrifying scream as a free action. All non-allies who hear this scream must make Concentration checks (DC 10 + Class level + Cha modifier). Those who fail lose their current Initiative standing and act on 0 Initiative. Those who are already acting at 0 or lower Initiative are not affected. Dwarven widows can use this ability once per day at 3rd level, twice per day at 4th level and three times per day at 5th level.

Watchful Eye (Ex)

Dwarven widows develop an intuitive eye for dangerous and potentially criminal individuals. Dwarven widows receive a +2 competence bonus to Gather Information, Sense Motive and Spot checks relating to violent or criminal intentions. This bonus grows to +3 at 3rd level and +4 at 5th level.