Gearforged Gauntlet Witch Variant: Heavy Gauntlet Witch Racial Archetype

Though admittedly extremely rare, heavy gauntlet witches are formidable beings. Combining the bulk and power of their gearforged frame with the eldritch might of battle-witchcraft, heavy gauntlet witches prove their mettle in the chaos of war or as dedicated bodyguards to those that can afford their services. A few are wanderers, finding solace in the lure of adventure and the discovery of new experiences and knowledge, feeling assured that the power of their adamantine gauntlet will sustain them.

A heavy gauntlet witch’s adamantine gauntlet has the following modifications.

A heavy gauntlet witch’s adamantine gauntlet is a permanent adamantine modification to the gearforged’s structure and cannot be removed. A heavy gauntlet witch does not benefit from the Toughness ability, nor does the adamantine gauntlet have the alertness, lore, legend lore, teleport gauntlet, or drain husk powers. An adamantine gauntlet receives all bonuses associated with adamantine items.

At 1st level, the adamantine gauntlet increases the Strength score of the gearforged by 1 point—this improves by 1 point for every five levels of heavy gauntlet witch the gearforged possesses.

At 3rd level, adamantine gauntlet confers upon the heavy gauntlet witch the light fortification armor property. This improves to moderate fortification at 8th level and heavy fortification at 14th. At 18th level, the heavy gauntlet witch becomes immune to critical hits and sneak attacks. If the heavy gauntlet witch chooses to replace hexes with Armor Training, its adamantine DR increases by 1 point with each option—in other words, DR 2 with medium armor, DR 3 with heavy armor.

Pain Clasp (Sp): A heavy gauntlet witch’s pain clasp ability overrides a construct’s immunity to paralysis.

Improved Pain Clasp (Sp): In addition to making a ranged touch attack, as a full-round action, the heavy gauntlet witch may attempt to keep a successfully paralyzed foe both grappled and then prone. A successful combat maneuver check is required for each—if the grapple fails, there is no possibility of making the foe prone. If both combat maneuvers are successful, the target is considered helpless. Maintaining these effects is a full round action.

Telescopic Strike (Ex): At 10th level, the adamantine gauntlet has improved to enable the heavy gauntlet witch to make telescoping strikes—the witch gains reach 10 when attacking with the gauntlet or when using the pain clasp ability.

Huginn/Heru Gauntlet Witch Variant: Talonbearer Witch Racial Archetype

Trained in aeries in the northern states of Vidim and Domovgorod, talonbearer witches supplement huginn clan-holdings as security, translators, and diviners. In the south, heru talonbearers find service as aides de camp to rich clan-chiefs or they occasionally strike out on their own to bind other less-honorable heru into service, forming motley bands of reavers and raiders. Notoriously proud and haughty, the possessor of a taloned gauntlet is held in high regard in huginn and heru society, though not always without jealous martial detractors.

A talonbearer witch’s taloned gauntlet has the following modifications.

Created from mithral sheets, the taloned gauntlet weighs only 7 pounds, and its fingers end in sharp avian talons. Additionally it bears a series of wicked feather-shaped spikes along the entire outer edge of the arm—these deal 1d4 slashing damage on any successful grapple check against another creature. In addition, any creature that attempts an opposed grapple check to pin, constrict, swallow, or damage the talonbearer witch takes 1d4 slashing damage.

A taloned gauntlet does not confer the Toughness ability, nor can a talonbearer choose the Armor Training gauntlet witch option.

Lore (Su): A talonbearer witch’s taloned gauntlet adds 2/3 to its Ego score for all Knowledge skill checks. A taloned gauntlet also confers a +2 bonus to Linguistics checks.

Pain Clasp (Sp): A taloned gauntlet also inflicts 1 point of bleed damage on a successful CMB attack.

Improved Pain Clasp (Sp): Bleed damage increase to 3 points.

Special: If the talonbearer witch has the edgeborn alternative racial trait (see Midgard Campaign Setting Preview), he or she may use whichever weapon chosen for that trait with the Aegis Strike ability instead of the taloned gauntlet’s spikes. In this instance, the witch may not exchange any spell power for an AC bonus.

About the Author: Morgan Boehringer is a freelance author, graphic designer and illustrator living in the Blue Mountains, Australia. He has contributed to Kobold Press’ Journeys to the West, the upcoming Midgard Tales, Kobold Quarterly and Wayfinder magazine. He is also a contributor to the Multiclass Archetypes (http://mcarchetype.wikispaces.com/New+Home+Page) project. He divides his time between various “real” and “fantastic” realms, though his family would say can’t tell the difference between them.

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