Tactical Opportunist (3.5e Prestige Class)

WARNING: REQUIRES HEAVY ADAPTATION OF BOTH DM AND PLAYER

Tactical Opportunist

“	Okay, think, think... Got it.	”
—Roy Greenhilt, Human Fighter, Order of the Stick 905

Every intelligent creature uses tactics to a degree in combat. That's why you don't fireball a red dragon, throw a Scrag into the ocean, or even in the most primitive of tactics, don't fight if there's nothing to gain. Tactical Opportunists explore every aspect of this optimization of resources, using every potential asset to their advantage.

Becoming a Tactical Opportunist

Any fighter with a decent intelligence score, any wizard who wants more than just spells, anything that can think and could use training in how to use that thought can become a Tactician. Their core principle is simply "do the absolute best you can", and anyone who would agree with that can become one.

Entry Requirements

Special:	Must be at least 5th level.

Table: The Tactical Opportunist

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1 Special Ability, Sharpened Senses
2nd	+2	+1	+1	+1	+1 Special Ability, Uncanny Dodge
3rd	+3	+2	+2	+2	Personal Insight
4th	+4	+2	+2	+2	+1 Special Ability, Evasion
5th	+5	+2	+2	+2	Metadivine Support
6th	+6	+3	+3	+3	+1 Special Ability, Insightful Dodge
7th	+7	+3	+3	+3	Flash of Inspiration 1/day, Improved Uncanny Dodge
8th	+8	+4	+4	+4	+1 Special Ability, Flash of Inspiration 2/day
9th	+9	+4	+4	+4	Improved Insight, Flash of Inspiration 3/day
10th	+10	+5	+5	+5	+1 Special Ability, Flash of Inspiration 4/day, Tactical Mastery
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level) All skills.

Class Features

Tactical Opportunists are, as their name would imply. All of the following are class features of the tactical opportunist.

Special Ability: At first level each even numbered level, you have several options for advancing the basic capabilities of a class. You must already have the ability listed here in order to take an improvement (except Bonus Feat). These abilities include but are not limited to the following. Your DM is the only one who can make the final decision to allow an ability.

• Sneak Attack (+1d6)
• Spellcasting (+1 Level)
• Manifesting (+1 Level)
• Favored Enemy (+2 bonus to one)
• Bonus Feat
• Bard Song (+2 level for special songs, +2 uses per day)
• Rage (+2 level for special rages, +1 use per day)
• Wild Shape (+2 level for special Wild Shapes, +1 use per day)
• Unarmed Strike (+1 damage die size)

Sharpened Senses (Ex): At first level, a Tactical Opportunist has very few abilities beyond a standard adventurer, but also very few disadvantages. His one ability is that of being incredibly good at seeing things, which will be undoubtedly useful once honed. He gains a +4 bonus to Listen, Search, Spot, and Sense Motive, as well as the Scent ability.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Tactical Opportunist can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

Personal Insight (Ex}: At third level, while a Tactical Opportunist loses out on standard abilities, he gains a powerful new one. This is the ability to use things he notices to his advantage, to extreme degrees. Any time the DM describes an area, the Tactical Opportunist may make a Listen, Search, Spot, or other relevant check to look for more details (DC for each detail varies). For example, Roy Greenhilt could make a DC 15 Spot check to notice that the coffin lid nearby could be lifted up and used as a weapon, or used as semiportable cover.

DM note on this ability: Generally, each detail should have a specified DC. Using that check, randomly select one detail that could be noticed, see if it is noticed, then subtract 2 from the roll and repeat until you fail or succeed every aspect. For example, Roy also could have noticed that a slain velociraptor would provide Total Cover on one side (DC 15), and did notice that sand provides Concealment when kicked up (DC 10). He rolled a total of 16 on his check, and then the DM rolled 1d3. This lead to the coffin lid being checked, which Roy succeeded in noticing. Next, the DM rolled 1d2, checking the velociraptor, but failing with his new score of 14. Finally, the sand was checked and succeeded.

Evasion (Ex): At 4th level and higher, a Tactical Opportunist can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Tactical Opportunist is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Tactical Opportunist does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Metadivine Support (Ex): At fifth level, a Tactical Opportunist further sacrifices standard ability to augment his observations. Upon using Personal Insight, the Tactical Opportunist makes a check (10+Tactical Opportunist Level+Int) against the detail's "noticed" DC +10. For example, the coffin noted above could be noted to deal 3d6+twice strength damage to those in a 10 foot line with a -4 penalty, but would break after a single hit, reducing damage to 2d6+twice strength and in a 5 foot square. Additionally, when used as cover, it halves speed but provides two adjacent squares Total Cover on one side.

Insightful Dodge (Ex): At sixth level, a Tactical Opportunist uses insight, thought and analysis to avoid attacks rather than sheer dexterity. He gains a insight bonus equal to his Intelligence modifier to his Armor Class.

Flash of Insight (Ex): At seventh level, a Tactical Opportunist becomes even more skilled at finding things to exploit. Once per day, when using Personal Insight, the Tactical Opportunist may choose to make his roll on the check automatically 20. The Tactical Opportunist gains an additional use of this ability at eighth, ninth and tenth level.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A tactical opportunist of 7th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies an opponent the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least is at least four levels higher than the tactical oppourtunist's character level.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum tactical level required to flank the character.

Improved Insight (Ex): At ninth level, a Tactical Opportunist becomes even more skilled at using opportunities to their fullest. He gains a +2 to all rolls related to the insight (assume use of a d20). For example, the 20% miss chance provided by kicked up sand might become 30%, or might gain an additional +2 to hit and to damage with an improvised weapon.

Tactical Mastery (Ex): At tenth level, a Tactical Opportunist becomes perpetually aware, and masters use of this awareness. Each use of Personal Insight gains a +5 bonus, Flash of Insight gains an additional, stacking +5 bonus, Improved Insight becomes +4 instead of +2, and he gains Intelligence to all saves.

Ex-Tactical Opportunists

Playing a Tactical Opportunist

Combat: When fighting against a tactical opportunist the enemy must consider that every tiniest factor could lead to their downfall. Tactical opportunists take in every detail of their environment at a glance and can adapt their combat style to take advantage of it.

Advancement: Coming from almost any background tactical opportunist can pick up almost prestige class or return to their original base class.

Resources: Tactical opportunists are often found in the high ranks of militaries through all of the world, their ability to quickly survey the battlefield of value in leadership roles. Others are often found adventuring, the constant change in environment helps to hone their skills.

Tactical Opportunists in the World

“	The warrior that knows both his enemy and himself can enter 100 conflicts without fear, the one that also knows their environment can make such warriors cower.	”
—Old Tactical Opportunist Saying

NPC Reactions: When encountered outside of combat there are no distinguishing characteristics of tactical opportunists, beyond perhaps their air of constant alertness and overly observant gaze. During combat the tactical opportunist shows their true colors by acting in a manner that anyone whom has not gained similar training would be unable to envisage. This unpredictable nature of battling leaves all opponents cautious upon engaging with tactical opportunists.

Tactical Opportunist Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Local) can research tactical opportunists to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC	Result
11	.
16	.
21	.
26	.

in the Game

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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