Engineer Prestige Class

Level    Base Attack Bonus Fortitude Save Reflex Save Will Save Special 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Artillerist, de-construct, master builder 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Monumental architect, siege towers 3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Reinforce fortifications, sapping 4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Temporary bridge, trailblazing 5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Prefabricated field camp, wall sense

This class was developed for the Birthright environment, and several of the rules here are written for use with the Card Battles rules. Engineers are pretty pointless in a game where armies are not a part; DMs using armies under some other rules will have to modify these rules accordingly.

The engineer is a specialist in using and building artillery, constructing field fortification, sapping and all the other tricks of siege warfare. He can supervise the construction of castles and other large buildings, such as cathedrals, aqueducts and bridges.

Most engineers come from the martial classes, though fighters must often multiclass to learn the prerequisite engineering skills. Clerics are particularly common and well-endowed engineers, and wizards and sorcerers make unusual but powerful engineers.

The engineer is not much of an adventurer, he prefers to have lots of helpers or to work with an army.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify as an engineer, the character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Knowledge (architecture and engineering) 4 ranks.
Profession (siege engineer): 4 ranks.
Base Attack Bonus +5
Feat: Leadership.

Class Skills

Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Use Rope (Dex).

Skill points at each level: 6 + Int modifier.

New use for Knowledge (architecture and engineering): Oversee Construction.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the engineer prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Engineers are proficient with all simple weapons and all martial melee weapons. Engineers are proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.

Artillerist: It takes an engineer to create an Artillery unit for Card Battles. An engineer can lead one artillery unit. He must be present for this unit to function, and they must be recruited and trained in the usual manner. Both the recruiting and maintenance costs are reduced by one, however, a sum the engineer usually takes as his commission. If an engineer is available, the law holding prerequisite for creating artillery units is waived.

De-construct: The engineer gets a bonus to damage when attacking inanimate objects and constructs equal to his class level. This damage bonus is multiplied by the critical hit damage multiple of the weapon used.

Master Builder: If a player character or cohort engineer oversees a realm's building projects, the regent gets to add the engineer level to all rolls for Build or Fortify domain actions.

Monumental Architect: The engineer can build fortifications past what is normally possible, adding his level as an engineer to the maximum level of fortress allowed to be built at normal cost (usually equal to the province level) and to the maximum level of fortress that can be constructed (usually ten). Other types of building projects on a grand scale are also possible. For example, some fortresses and/or holdings can be hidden. Caves behind waterfalls, dungeons, remote towers, secret guilds in towns, churches in catacombs, towns in the tops of trees, the possibilities are endless. An engineer can build a hidden fortified holding at double the usual cost, with a maximum level equal to his class level. Building on this scale is no longer a free action; the builder must spend a regular domain action each domain turn (three months) to oversee such construction.

Siege Towers: An engineer can oversee the construction of huge rolling towers, sows, roofed rams and many similar destructive devices. In a card battle, these function the same way as a Fortified Camp, but are built only by the attacker during a siege. It is placed in the center, adjacent to the enemy fortress, and attacking troops may be set up within it. It takes a week to build, and the engineer may use a number of siege tower cards equal to his class level.

Temporary Bridge: Crossing a river normally takes a whole week for an army. An engineer can ferry or bridge an army across a river at no additional movement point cost, at a cost of 1 Gold Bar. The engineer and at least one army unit must have started the month adjacent to the river.

Sapping: The engineer can direct a work crew to undermine the walls of a fortification. Building ramps can sometimes qualify as sapping, as well. The engineer must have a military unit under his command to do this (usually levy). Sapping takes a month for each attempt, and requires a Profession (siege engineer) roll against a DC of 10 plus twice the fortifications level. A success reduces the fortifications level by one. An engineer (of any level) can also try to sabotage an ongoing (or suspected) sapping attempt. In this case, the sapping rolls are opposed. If the defender wins, the sapping unit takes a hit. The effects of sapping are in addition to the effects of a normal siege action.

Reinforce Fortifications: The engineer can buttress and repair a fortification, even during a siege. Lost levels of fortification can be restored, and the fortification can be temporarily increased by one level above the permanent maximum. Each month, one attempt at this can be done; it is an opposed Profession (siege engineer) roll against the besiegers skill. Success increases the fortification by one, to a maximum of one higher than the normal level. This can be done before the siege begins, but the engineer must continually oversee the reinforcements, and it is a great inconvenience for everyone in the fortification.

Trailblazing: By moving ahead of an army and removing obstacles, an engineer can reduce the movement point cost of terrain. He must be moving ahead of the army, accompanied by at least one unit, and this unit does not benefit from the trailblazing. If he succeeds at a Profession (siege engineer) roll with a DC of 20 + movement point cost of the intended move, the army as a whole gains one extra movement point.

Prefabricated Field Camp: Normally, an army must be stationary to build a fortified camp. An exceptional engineer can supervise the building of a fortified camp that is set up each night by an army on the move, with one Fortified Camp card per unit (maximum five).

Wall Sense: The engineer can intuitively detect any unusual features of a building. He can detect secret doors, traps and such using his Knowledge (architecture and engineering) skill, merely by examining the site from afar or going over the plans. Roll once for each such feature in the building.