QUICKJACK.

[The Hive Mind]

“So the runts just start swarming the oruks. Jumping on ‘em, dancing under their legs, tripping ‘em into the well . . . it was almost funny-lookin’. That fat oruk, the one who’s always eating the skin off the pigs, he took aim at one, but quick as lightning the bastard ducks, and the oruk ends up beheadin’his own captain! It was about then that the rest of ‘em realized it weren’t no joke. But by that time . . . well, they were most of ‘em down or dead. —Yeoman Petre Cask, speaking about the massacre at Helsvid.

The halflings, elflings, and gnomes of Eredane have reason to feel more overpowered by the Shadow’s forces than the continent’s other denizens. The halflings of the central plains are gathered as slaves and sent to the cities, while the gnomes work the rivers in fear that one day their time will come. Their small stature often means even greater abuse at the hands of the occupying forces, and for those that are untrained in combat, it can mean slaughter by the dozens. But to the fighters among them, size has become one of their greatest assets.

Quickjacks as Characters

Quickjacks resemble tunnel wraiths in that they have found a way to turn their short stature into an asset rather than a liability, but that is where the similarity ends. Quickjacks fight as they do, not just to be effective warriors, but to mock their foes and inspire their people. They delight in making oruks and trolls look like grop- ing fools rather than trained fighters, and swarms of quickjacks are exhilarated by the pack tactics they use to quickly fell dangerous opponents. Quickjacks scoff at the idea that the smaller races cannot fight the Shadow as effectively as their larger neighbors, and often try to compensate by acting tough and bragging about their prowess or their latest kills. This can come across as grating to more subdued rebel fighters, but those who enjoy bragging games often find quickjacks to be amusing companions. In a fight, a quickjack is a boon ally, often bantering in the midst of combat and gloating over fallen enemies as they lay dying from a dozen tiny cuts.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

Size: Small or smaller.
Skills: Balance 4 ranks, Junp 8 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks.
Feats: Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility.

Class Level / Base Attack Bonus / Fort Save / Ref Save / Will Save / Special
1st ------------------+1 -------------+0 --------+2 --------+0 -------Elusive +1
2nd -----------------+2 -------------+0 ---------+3 --------+0 -------Close fighting
3rd ------------------+3 -------------+1 --------+3 --------+1 -------Evasion
4th ------------------+4 -------------+1 --------+4 --------+1 ------Elusive +2
5th -----------------+5 --------------+1 --------+4 --------+1 ------Close fighting
6th -----------------+6 --------------+2 --------+5 --------+2 ------Retribution
7th -----------------+7 --------------+2 --------+5 --------+2 ------Elusive +3
8th -----------------+8 --------------+2 --------+6 --------+2 ------Close fighting
9th -----------------+9 --------------+3 --------+6 --------+3 ------Defensive roll
10th ---------------+10 --------------+3 --------+7 --------+3 ------Elusive +4

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Quickjacks gain no additional proficiencies with either weapons or armor. When wearing armor heavier than light armor, using a shiled larger than a light shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a quickjack loses all quickjack extraordinary abilities.

Elusive (Ex): The larger the foe, the more effective a quickjack. At 1st level, quickjacks gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC per size catergory by which their foe is larger. This bonus increases by +1 every two levels thereafter. This dodge bonus is in addition to any size bonus to AC the quickjack normally has.

So for instance, a 1st-level quickjack gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC against Medium foes, a +2 dodge bonus to AC against Large foes, and so on. A 7th-level quickjack gains a +3 dodge bonus to AC against Medium foes, a +6 dodge bonus to AC against Large foes, and so on.

Close Fighting (Ex): Quickjacks dance and feint inside their opponents' reach. At 2nd level, a quickjack can occupy the same space as a foe that is two size categories larger instead of the normal three size categories larger. Entering the creature's space does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The quickjack is considered to provide flanking to all allies outside or within the opponent's space. Further, the foe acts as soft cover for the quickjack, granting him a +4 cover bonus to AC from all ranged and melee attacks, even those of the foe himself. Attacks directed at the quickjack (by creatures other than the foe whose space he is in) that miss by 4 or less are instead targeted at the foe whose space the quickjack occupies.

At 5th level, a quickjack can occupy the same space as a foe that is one size category larger instead of the normal three size categories larger.

At 8th level, when a quickjack occupies the same space as a larger foe, the foe can only attack the quickjack with unarmed strikes, natural weapons, or light weapons.

Evasion (Ex): At 3rd level, a quickjack learns to avoid even magical attacks with great agility. He gains the evasion ability, as the rogue ability of the same name.

Retribution (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, the quickjack learns to take advantage of clumsy foes' attacks. Once per round when an opponent misses him with a melee attack, the quickjack may make an immediate attack of opportunity against that opponent.

Defensive Roll (Ex): At 8th level, the quickjack learns to turn death blows into near misses. This ability functions like the rogue ability of the same name.