Sweetwater is created using Core rules and the Weapons of Legacy book, including feats reprinted in that book from Races of the Wild. While these rules are reproduced here, conversion to Core-only is easy, and provided for under "Gear".
Introduction[]
Size/Type Small Humanoid(Halfling)
Hit Dice 3d6+3 (13)
Initiative +4
Speed 20 ft; base speed 20 ft.
Challenge Rating 3
Alignment Chaotic Good
Combat Stastistics[]
Armor Class AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple +2/-2
Attack: Sling of the Dire Wind/+1 Sling: +9 Ranged, (1d3+2); Sap: +3 Melee, (1d4+1, subdual)
Full Attack: Sling of the Dire Wind/+1 Sling: +9 Ranged, (1d3+2)
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.;
Saves Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +1
Special Attacks Sneak Attack +2d6
Qualities and Abilities[]
Special Qualities Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1, Halfling Traits
Abilities Str 13, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 13
Racial Qualities Small-sized trats, +2 Climb, Jump, Move Silently, Listen, +1 Racial bonus to Saveing throws, +2 Morale bonus Vs. fear effects (Stacks with +1 on saves), +1 attack with thrown weapons and slings, Favored Class Rogue.
Skills, Languages and Feats[]
Skills Bluff +7, Climb +9, Jump +9, Move Silently +14, Listen +7, Hide +15, Search +8, Knowledge (Local) +8, Spot +5, Tumble +10
Languages Common, Halfling, Elven, Orcish, Goblin, Gnome
Feats Stealthy, Able Sniper*
- Able Sniper: Sweetwater gains a +2 bonus on her ranged attack rolls against flat-footed targets that are at least one range increment away. In addition, she gains a +4 bonus on Hide checks when using the sniping rules. Originally from Races of the Wild, and reprinted in Weapons of Legacy.
Gear[]
Leather Armor, Lead Bullets (60), Sling of the Dire Wind*, Sap, 10 GP, 30 SP, 10 CP
- The Sling of the Dire Wind is a legacy weapon found in the book Weapons of Legacy, starting on page 150. Simply replace it with a +1 Sling that resizes itself for Small or Medium wielders if you do not wish to introduce the Legacy Weapon into your game.
Appearance[]
Sweetwater is a female halfling, young and rather attractive, clad head-to-toe in leather, with black hair, slicked back into a ponytail. Her traidmark sling hangs at her belt, as does a blackjack. A shining silver star rests on her leather's left breast.
Personality[]
Sweetwater is a very happy-go-lucky addition of any policing force. While she makes a token effort at helping to keep general crime down, her primary speciality is helping to put down troublemaking fighters and the occasional monster. If you don't commit a violent crime and make at least some effort at concealing your deeds, she'll overlook your activities. If you hurt someone, you can bank on her 1d3+2+3d6 sneak attack coming for you in short order.
Additionally, Sweetwater is very both fascinated and superstitious about magic and mages. She spooks easily at the possibility of hostile magic, and thus focuses on taking down any obvious spellcasters she must conflict with first, but pesters any friendly mages about making her invisible to make her a better sniper. She has always had the Sling of the Dire Wind, but will perhaps give it to any halflings or those with obvious skill with slings who come through her town and perform heroic deeds in the service of it's citizenry. She does not know it is a Legacy Weapon, and has always referred to it as her Lucky Sling.
Tactics[]
Sweetwater is a sniper, pure and simple. She prefers to attack from high ground whenever possible - in a town or a city, this is easily met by using her considerable Climb skill in conjunction with the Take 10 action to scramble up the sides of buildings. Due to her low HP, she avoids any combat on the ground unless significant melee backup is present. Taking advantage of her Hide skill ensures she always gets off at least one shot as a Sneak Attack, and she takes advantage of her Able Sniper feat to send her stones up to one hundred feet away at no effective penalty, and remain hidden after the shot, at a -20 penalty to Hide, as per the PHB, banking on the range penalties for Spot to keep her hidden. (Every 10 feet of distance between her and her target imposes a -1 on opposed Spot checks, and if the Spotter is distracted (such as by being smashed in the face with a chunk of lead) they are additionally penalzied -5.)
Sling of the Dire Wind[]
For those of you with the Weapons of Legacy book, simply turn to Page 150. For those without, continue to read - for those who do not wish to introduce such a potentially powerful weapon into their game, simply replace the weapon with a +1 Resizing Sling.
Nonlegacy stastics[]
+1 Sling. The Sling of the Dire Wind must be identified as such, and rituals (see below) completed before it's true abilities can be unlocked. Until such time, it uses it's Nonlegacy stastics.
Omen[]
When the Sling of the Dire Wind is swung to release it's payload, a gentle breeze swirls around the user. (The Omen is always active, even when the weapon is Nonlegacy. This may help to nudge players in the right direction. Or they may simply believe it to be somthing cool about their sling.)
A note about Legacy weapon abilities:
Legacy weapon abilities are dictated by Character Level in two ways. The first and most obvious way is that certain abilities, and penalties, occur at each level. If you don't have the level, you can't use the ability. The second, and more subtle dictation, is the division of abilities into three catagories: Least, Lesser, and Greater. To be clear, a Least ability is one gained from levels 5 to 10, a Lesser ability is one gained from levels 11 and 16, and a Greater ability is gained from 17 and up. To unlock these abilities, you must perform the Least, Lesser, and Greater Rituals to gain access to those powers. Likewise, however, you do not incur the penalty of those levels unless you perform it's Legacy Ritual.
History[]
(All DCs here are assuming you have or are hiring someone to use Knowledge: History in your favor. The DCs listed with a ritual name need to be hit to discover and perform the ritual.)
The Sling of the Dire Wind was once the weapon of the legendary hero Cyril. (DC 15)
Cyril was a famous hero, defender of his hometown, who used only his sling. (DC 20; Harness the Gale)
Cyril was always being begged to compete in competitions, though he didn't like to. (DC 25; The Modest Way)
Cyril was betrayed by his Lord who's actions slew his wife. For this, Cyril attacked the Lord's castle, devestated it as though his sling bullets were boulders launched by catapaults, and was ultimately slain. (DC 30; Simplicity Lost)
(For more about the legend of Cyril and the Sling of the Dire Wind, consult your copy of the Weapons of Legacy book.)
Legacy Rituals[]
All Legacy Rituals have an associated cost, as well as usually some other task that must be performed.
Harness the Gale
You have to defeat in personal combat a creature with the Air subtype and a CR equal to or greater than your level (maximum CR 10). Cost: 1,000 GP. Feat Granted: Least Legacy (Sling of the Dire Wind).
The Modest Way
You must participate in a contest of ranged accuracy, advance to the final round, and bow out before finishing the competition. Cost: 13,000 GP. Feat granted: Lesser Legacy (Sling of the Dire Wind).
Simplicity Lost
You are required to locate the spot where Cyril's wife died and construct a cairn in her memory, using materials costing at least 5,000 GP (included in the ritual cost.) Cost: 40,000 GP. Feat granted: Greater Legacy (Sling of the Dire Wind).
Wielder Requirements[]
Any character, from a commoner to a wizard, might wield the Sling of the Dire Wind, but fighters, rogues, rangers, or monks are the usual candidates.
Sling of the Dire Wind Wielder Requirements
Base Fortitude Save +3
Survival 2 ranks
Legacy Item Abilities[]
All the following are legacy item abilities of Sling of the Dire Wind.
Stunning Stone (Su)
Beginning at 5th level, three times per day, you can declare a stone you are about to sling to be a stunning stone. If the stone hits, the struck target must succeed on a fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DC is 11, or 11 + your Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. If the attack misses, the stunning stone attempt is still lost for the day. Only one stunning stone can be used per round.
Gust of Wind (Sp)
At 6th level and higher, once per day by whirling Sling of the Dire Wind overhead, you can use gust of wind as the spell. Caster Level 5th.
Pebble to Boulder (Su)
When you attain the 8th level, any stone or bullet slung from Sling of the Dire Wind deals damage as if you and the weapon were two size catagories larger than you truely are. This effective size for purposes of dealing damage dealt increases by one every four levels after 8th, as noted on the Table: Sling of the Dire Wind.
For example, in the hands of a Medium creature, Sling of the Dire Wind deals 1d8 points of damage at 8th level, 2d6 points of damage at 12th level, 3d6 points of damage at 18th level, and 4d6 points of damage at 20th level.
Destructive Power (Su)
At 10th level and higher, ammunition slung from Sling of the Dire Wind is considered adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction (In addition to any other special material the ammunition is actually composed of).
Wind Wall (Sp)
Beginning at 15th level, three times per day on command, you can use wind wall as the spell. You can create only a cylindrical wall, and the ammunition you sling from Sling of the Dire Wind is unaffected by the spell. Caster Level 10th.
Forceful Strike (Su)
At 18th level and higher, any creature struck by a stone or bullet slung by Sling of the Dire Wind can be pushed back as if by a bull rush. For resolving the bull rush, the stone's Strength modifier is +15. The stone can't push a target back more than 5 feet.
Table: Sling of the Dire Wind[]
| Wielder Level | Attack Penalty | Will Save Penalty | Hit Point Loss | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | -- | -- | -- | Stunning Stone 3/day |
| 6th | -1 | -- | -- | Gust of wind 1/day |
| 7th | -- | -1 | -2 | +2 sling |
| 8th | -- | -- | -2 | Pebble to Boulder (+2 sizes) |
| 9th | -- | -2 | -- | -- |
| 10th | -- | -- | -2 | Destructve Power |
| 11th | -- | -- | -- | +2 Giant Bane Sling |
| 12th | -2 | -- | -- | Pebble to Boulder (+3 sized) |
| 13th | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 14th | -- | -- | -2 | +3 Giant Bane Sling |
| 15th | -- | -3 | -- | Wind wall 3/day |
| 16th | -- | -- | -2 | Pebble to Boulder (+4 sizes) |
| 17th | -- | -- | -- | +4 Giant Bane Sling |
| 18th | -3 | -- | -- | Forceful Strike |
| 19th | -- | -- | -- | +5 Giant Bane Sling |
| 20th | -- | -4 | -- | Pebble to Boulder (+5 sizes) |