Scolarly Warrior
The mind is the greatest weapon
Description
The Scholarly Warrior is well-read and urbane, a student of
philosophy, science and history. He uses his education to think
rings around his opponents. A good historical model is Sun Tzu,
author of _The Art of War_.
The S.W. must have a 13 in both Int and Wis.
Role
Where most Warriors strive for bigger and better swords, the
SW seeks to figure out the best cut, the most precise use of the
blade.
An incessant reader, the SW is constantly on the prowl for new
scrolls and books discussing strategy and tactics. He
constantly develops, tests and revises his own pet theories
about combat, whether it be siege tactics, hand-to-hand melee,
mass conflict or naval warfare.
A party with an AW would be wise to follow his well-considered
opinions.
Weapon Proficiencies
The SW should be allowed to use both Tight and Broad Weapon
Group Proficiencies, even in a campaign that does not normally
allow their use.
The SW is allowed to spend his Weapon Proficiency slots on
NWPs from the Academic category.
As a final note, the SW is more likely than most Warriors to
opt for weapon specialization, as they usually regard it as more
efficient to master one particular weapon.
Non-Weapon Proficiencies
As noted above, the SW may spend his WP slots on Academic
NWPs and, furthermore, only pays the normal cost for them.
Also, see the Benefits section.
Bonus: Reading/Writing
Recommended: All Academic
Equipment
No special requirements, except that the SW must at least try
to keep some kind of journal, meaning either taking writing
supplies with him, or purchasing a small amount in each town
they pass.
Benefits
Like all academic kits, the SW maintains correspondence with
others of a scholarly bent, and gains a +2 reaction bonus when
meeting sages and the like (but see below).
Battle Analysis: The SW also has a special ability, which
resembles a NWP, and requires at least one Proficiency slot when
he first makes his character (additional slots may be spent as
usual on increasing this ability).
The base value for this skill is the SW's Int, and may be
modified as the DM sees fit. By studying an opponent for at
least one round in personal combat, he can gain information
about that individual's abilities. Likewise, he can assess the
overall power of large bodies of troops after studying them in
action for at least a turn.
In personal combat: The SW must view his subject in action
for at least one round. The SW may take other actions in
this round, but only with regard to his subject. After doing
so, he may make a roll for one of the following categories of
information:
Offensive: THAC0, Weapon Speed, max dmg.
Defensive: AC, Dex, current hp.
Skill: Level/HD, Int, use of magic.
Additional "study rounds" are required for additional
categories. The roll requires one "action" and is made secretly
by the DM. Failures produce bad information, which will not be
correctable until substantially refuted. The direction of the
error is determined by how well the opponent did during the
round of observation.
In mass combat: The SW must observe enemy units for at least
a turn, or at least receive competent intelligence about their
activities over a day's time.
Again, after a secret roll, the player may select one category
of tactical knowledge:
Offensive: Weaponry, Avg THAC0, number of troops.
Defensive: Armor, fortifications, troop condition.
Leadership: Leader's Int, troop morale.
Other: Mobility, supplies.
In either personal or mass combat, an SW who has successfully
assessed his opponent in all three categories can make an
additional (secret) roll to try and guess what actions his
opponent(s) will try to take next. Note that if any of the
prior categories was inaccurately estimated, the SW has no
chance of success, and will guess wrong based on the nature of
the errors in his original miscalculations.
Drawbacks
Academics can get quite annoyed if someone has refuted their
pet theories. On a roll of 1 on a d6, a newly encountered
academic type feels that the SW has done just that, producing a
reaction penalty of -5.
SWs are slow to act in a crisis, prefering to take the time to
analyze a situation. As a result, the SW will always move with
a -3 to initiative until he's had the opportunity to at least
attempt one of his analysis roll (although it doesn't matter
whether that roll is successful or not).
Wealth
No special Wealth options.
Race
Any race is possible, although some are more likely than
others.
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