Vanguard

You are a nigh-unstoppable force of nature; a juggernaut brimming with fundamental energies that allow you to hold the front Line“>line of any conflict. The entropy within the universe—the level of chaos within any system—is at your disposal, and you channel it into potent combat abilities and steely resolve. In your hands, the cosmic forces that control how suns form and galaxies die allow you to bolster yourself and your allies against damaging effects, manipulate basic aspects of nature to turn the tide of battle, and infuse your very fist with the destructive power of the cosmos.

To you, the inevitable decay of the galaxy is anything but terrifying. It is instead a force to shape, control, and even temporarily reverse. The ability to choose when and how things change is at the forefront of all your philosophy and power, allowing you to turn blows that would fell lesser beings into ticking time bombs of destruction you simply have not yet released.

Hit Points: 8

Stamina Points: 8 + Constitution modifier

Key Ability Score: Your Constitution determines the limits of your ability to control matter at an atomic level, the DCs of your abilities, the damage dealt by your entropic strike, and your general hardiness, so Constitution is your key ability score. A high Dexterity helps you act early in combat, avoid damage when you need to, and successfully attack with your entropic strike.

Class Skills: Acrobatics ( Dex) Athletics ( Str) Culture ( Int) Diplomacy ( Cha) Intimidate ( Cha) Life Science ( Int) Medicine ( Int) Mysticism ( Wis) Perception ( Wis) Physical Science ( Int) Profession ( Cha, Int, or Wis) Survival ( Wis)

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Intelligence Modifier

Proficiencies Armor-light armor, heavy armor, and shields; Weapons-basic melee weapons, advanced melee weapons, small arms

Table: Vanguard

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save Bonus	Ref Save Bonus	Will Save Bonus	Class Features	Strike Damage
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Entropic pool, entropic strike, primary vanguard aspect (aspect insight)	1d3
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Mitigate, vanguard discipline	1d3
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Reactive 1/day, weapon specialization	1d4
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Aspect embodiment, vanguard discipline	1d4
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Entropic attunement (weapon special property)	1d6
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Vanguard discipline	2d6
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Entropic attunement (critical hit effect), uncanny agility	2d6
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Secondary vanguard aspect (secondary aspect insight), vanguard discipline	2d8
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Reactive +1/day	3d6
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Entropic attunement (reach), vanguard discipline	3d6
11th	+11	+7	+7	+3	Flashing strikes	3d8
12th	+12	+8	+8	+4	Aspect catalyst, vanguard discipline	4d6
13th	+13	+8	+8	+4	Entropic attunement (blast)	5d6
14th	+14	+9	+9	+4	Vanguard discipline	6d6
15th	+15	+9	+9	+5	Reactive +1/day, uncanny speed	7d6
16th	+16	+10	+10	+5	Aspect finale, entropic attunement (radius), vanguard discipline	8d6
17th	+17	+10	+10	+5	Secondary aspect embodiment	9d6
18th	+18	+11	+11	+6	Vanguard discipline	10d6
19th	+19	+11	+11	+6	Agent of change, entropic attunement (severe wound)	11d6
20th	+20	+12	+12	+6	Invulnerability, vanguard discipline	12d6

Class Features

Entropic Pool (Su) 1st Level

You have the supernatural ability to control matter as it changes states, allowing you to arrest, accelerate, or even reverse the typical course of events. Exerting such control takes incredible fortitude and reserves of energy, but you can absorb, store, and redirect this energy as a result of certain events in combat. This energy takes the form of a pool of Entropy Points (EP).

When combat begins, you have 0 Entropy Points. While you have no Entropy Points, you can spend 1 Resolve Point as a move action to gain 1 EP (2 EP if you are 10th level or higher). Each time you take damage equal to or greater than twice your level from a single attack or effect from a significant enemy, you gain 1 EP. If you take damage from a critical hit, you gain 1 additional EP, on top of any gained from the attack’s normal damage. You can have a maximum number of EP in your entropic pool equal to your Constitution modifier.

As long as you have at least 1 Entropy Point in your entropic pool, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your Armor Class.

At the end of combat, you lose any Entropy Points you have gained. You can’t gain Entropy Points outside of combat.

Entropic Strike (Su) 1st Level

You master order and disorder in your vicinity, and you can tax your body to focus the power of entropy into a forceful attack. Though you must touch your target to damage it, the damage comes not primarily from the power of the impact but from the focused waves of entropic energy that unbind and dissolve your target, crush it, or both. While most humanoids use a fist or foot (and more uniquely shaped species rely on head butts, tail lashes, or something else more alien), you can make this attack with nearly any body part and do not need a hand free to use this ability. Your entropic strike is a melee attack that counts as a magical advanced melee weapon with the block and operative weapon special properties and that targets EAC (even when dealing bludgeoning damage, as described on page 11). For any calculation that requires the item level of your entropic strike (including those gained from entropic attunement; see page 12), treat your vanguard level as your entropic strike’s item level. Although you do not need a free hand to use your entropic strike, it counts as a one-handed weapon for other purposes.

You can also deliver an entropic strike with any melee weapon with which you are proficient or any shield that allows you to make unarmed attacks. When you do this, the attack acts as your entropic strike (targeting EAC, gaining the block and operative weapon special properties, and dealing the damage of your entropic strike). Your entropic strike is considered to be made of whatever material the weapon or shield is made of for the purposes of bypassing DR or creature weaknesses. If the melee weapon or shield is no more than 2 item levels below your vanguard level, you can also apply any weapon special property, critical hit effect, or weapon fusion the melee weapon or shield has to your entropic strike.

At 1st level, your entropic strike deals damage equal to 1d3 + your Constitution modifier. For each attack, you can choose for this to deal acid damage, bludgeoning damage, or both. This damage increases as you gain levels (see Table 1–2 above). If you are 10th level or higher, you can also add your Strength modifier to the damage of your entropic strike.

When you score a critical hit with entropic strike against a significant enemy during combat, you can forgo dealing the extra damage from the critical hit to gain 1 Entropy Point.

Additionally, beginning at 5th level, when you use any combat maneuver for which you have Improved Combat Maneuver against an adjacent creature, you can target their EAC + 8 (rather than their KAC + 8) to determine success.

Primary Vanguard Aspect (Su) 1st Level

You understand that entropy’s various interactions with the physical world control and define every energy system, natural phenomenon, and physical object. You have focused on one specific aspect of how entropy impacts and interacts with the universe, building a philosophy that goes far beyond mere physics. As you grow in power, embodying this aspect grants you an expanded command of the universe around you and teaches you important insights about matters that most people never connect to entropy.

You must select one vanguard aspect when you take your first level of vanguard. Once made, this choice can’t be changed. Descriptions of the aspects you can choose from appear on pages 13–14. If an aspect ability allows a saving throw to resist its effects (including spell-like abilities), the DC is equal to 10 + half your vanguard level + your Constitution modifier, unless stated otherwise.

Aspect Insight 1st Level

Your understanding of a specific element of entropy gives you insights into combat and one specific skill in a way non-vanguards rarely understand. You gain the Improved Combat Maneuver feat for the listed combat maneuver. Additionally, you gain a +2 insight bonus to checks with one skill determined by your aspect.

Aspect Embodiment 4th Level

You gain an additional means of generating Entropy Points. If your aspect embodiment requires any interaction with another creature, that creature only qualifies if it is a significant enemy.

Aspect Catalyst 12th Level

You have learned to create significant effects when certain conditions are met, guiding powerful forces with your subconscious mind. You gain an ability that you can use as a reaction the first time you suffer a critical hit in combat, or you can activate it as a standard action by expending 4 Entropy Points. You can’t use the ability again until you take a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina Points.

You also gain an improved version of the ability that you can use without taking an action the first time you reach 0 Stamina Points or Hit Points in a combat, expending all Entropy Points you have, if any. Once you use the improved version of the ability, you can’t use the improved version again for 24 hours.

Aspect Finale 16th Level

You gain a powerful ability unique to your aspect.

Mitigate (Ex) 2nd Level

As a reaction when you take damage, you can spend 1 Entropy Point to reduce the damage you take by an amount equal to your vanguard level. If you do, you can’t gain any Entropy Points from that attack. You can’t reduce damage to less than 0 with this ability.

Vanguard Discipline 2nd Level

Your close attention to the multivariate interactions between countless systems of order and disorder, combined with your study of advanced combat techniques, allow you to manipulate the mundane in surprising ways. You learn your first vanguard discipline at 2nd level, and you learn an additional discipline every 2 levels thereafter.

If a vanguard discipline allows a saving throw to resist its effects, the DC is equal to 10 + half your vanguard level + your Constitution modifier. The list of vanguard disciplines appears on page 14. Unless otherwise specified, you can’t select the same discipline more than once.

Reactive (Ex) 3rd Level

Once per day, you can take an additional reaction during one round, though you can still take only one reaction per triggering event. You can take a reaction before the first time you act in a combat, though not during a surprise round in which you are unable to act.

At 9th level and again at 15th level, you can use this ability one additional time per day, though you can never use this ability to take more than two reactions in a round or one per triggering event.

Weapon Specialization (Ex) 3rd Level

You gain the Weapon Specialization feat as a bonus feat for each weapon type with which this class grants you proficiency. You also gain a special form of weapon specialization for your entropic strike, allowing you add a bonus to your damage equal to your vanguard class level plus half of any other class levels you have.

Entropic Attunement (Su) 5th Level

As you learn to exert finer control over your entropic strike, you can enhance it to devastating effect. The saving throw DC for any of these effects that allow a saving throw is 10 + half your vanguard level + your Constitution modifier.

At 5th level, choose one of the following weapon special properties: breach*, bright, feint*, force*, or penetrating. Alternatively, you can select the extinguish* or gravitation* weapon special properties, but using either requires you to expend 1 Entropy Point per attack (and does not expend weapon charges, in the case of extinguish). Once made, this choice can be changed only when you gain a new vanguard level. As long as you have at least 1 Entropy Point, your entropic strike has the chosen special property.

At 7th level, choose one of the following critical hit effects: corrode (1d8 for every 3 vanguard levels you have), knockdown, or staggered. Once made, this choice can be changed only when you gain a new vanguard level. Your entropic strike gains this critical hit effect as long as you have at least 1 Entropy Point. If your entropic strike has another critical hit effect, when you score a critical hit, you can choose either the entropic attunement critical hit effect or the other critical hit effect. Alternatively, you can expend 1 Entropy Point to apply both critical hit effects.

At 10th level, you can extend your field of entropy enough that your entropic strike gains the reach weapon special property. The range granted by this property increases by 5 feet at 13th level, 16th level, and 19th level.

At 13th level, just before making an attack, you can spend 2 Entropy Points to grant your next attack the blast weapon special property with a range of 20 feet. At 16th level, this range increases to 30 feet, and at 19th level, it increases to 60 feet.

At 16th level as a standard action, you can use your entropic strike to strike the ground or clap your hands together to deal damage in a radius. Make a single melee attack roll and compare it to the EAC of creatures and objects within 20 feet (other than yourself). You damage all creatures and objects with an EAC equal to or lower than the attack result. You can expend 1 EP to exclude a number of targets equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).

At 19th level, as long as you have 1 Entropy Point, your entropic strike gains a second weapon special property, selected from those listed at 5th level, and when you score a critical hit with your entropic strike, you can apply either the severe wound critical hit effect or any one of the critical hit effects listed at 7th level.

Uncanny Agility (Ex) 7th Level

You are immune to the flat-footed condition, and your opponent doesn’t gain any bonuses to attack rolls against you from flanking you or attacking you when you’re prone. Furthermore, covering fire and harrying fire don’t provide any advantage against you.

Secondary Vanguard Aspect (Ex) 8th Level

Your understanding of the many ways entropy can control the physical world expands. Select a second vanguard aspect, which must be different from your primary vanguard aspect. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

Secondary Aspect Insight (Ex) 8th Level

You gain the benefits of aspect insight with your secondary vanguard aspect. If you already have the bonus feat granted by this aspect insight, you can instead select any other feat for which you meet the prerequisites.

Flashing Strikes (Ex) 11th Level

Your mastery of melee combat allows you to make multiple attacks more accurately. When making a full attack entirely with melee attacks, you take a –3 penalty instead of the normal –4 penalty.

Uncanny Speed (Ex) 15th Level

When making a full attack, you can also take a separate move action to move. The movement can occur before, after, or between the attacks from the full attack. All the movement must occur at the same time. This is a haste effect.

Secondary Aspect Embodiment (Ex) 17th Level

You gain the aspect embodiment of the secondary vanguard aspect you selected at 8th level.

Agent of Change (Su) 19th Level

You begin each combat with 3 Entropy Points.

Invulnerability (Su) 20th Level

Once per day as a reaction, you become immune to all weapon special properties that impose conditions or penalties on you or that grant an attacker bonuses against you, as well as combat maneuvers, conditions, critical hits, and critical hit effects for 1 minute, and you can take three reactions each round.

Vanguard Aspects

The following represent the most commonly adopted vanguard aspects.

Adiabatic

You embody the preservation of existing positions and energy states through controlled limitation of entropy.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (grapple) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Diplomacy checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you don’t move from a space for two full turns, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): You create a field that makes it difficult for negative changes to affect you and your allies. You and all allies within 30 feet gain cover for 1d4 rounds.

Improved: You and all allies within 60 feet gain cover for 1d6+1 rounds.

Aspect Finale (Sp): You can spend 1 Entropy Point to cast hold monster.

Boundary

You embody the forces that keep a system separated from its surroundings, isolating the reach of its entropy.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (sunder) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Perception checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when an attack misses you or hits you but fails to damage you, or you succeed at a saving throw that negates an effect, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): Each ally within 30 feet gains the ability to use your mitigate class feature without spending Entropy Points once within the next 10 rounds, using your vanguard level to determine the amount of damage reduced.

Improved: Each ally within 30 feet can instead use your mitigate ability twice in the next 10 rounds.

Aspect Finale (Su): When you use your mitigate ability, it applies to all attacks against you until the end of your next turn. This does not apply to allies using it as a result of your aspect catalyst.

Cascade

You embody a single change in the balance of a system’s entropy causing additional, progressively greater, changes.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (sunder) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Acrobatics checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you hit multiple creatures with an attack or effect that requires an attack roll, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): Foes within 10 feet must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or gain the blinded condition for 1d4 rounds.

Improved: Foes within 30 feet must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or gain the blinded condition for 1d4 rounds.

Aspect Finale (Su): When you damage a target with your entropic strike, as a reaction you can spend 1 Entropy Point to apply one of the following effects to that target: –2 AC, –2 to saving throws, –2 to attack rolls, or halve the value of all DR and energy resistance. These penalties do not stack, but you can apply multiple penalties to a single target with multiple successful attacks. The effect lasts until you apply one of these effects to a new target or until the end of your next turn. If you successfully damage a target with one of these penalties, the penalty’s duration is extended until the end of your next turn.

Exergy

You embody the total amount of potential work the energy in a system can perform when accessed by entropy.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (bull rush) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Intimidate checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you take the charge action, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): Foes within 30 feet must attempt a Fortitude saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes an additional 1d6 damage per 2 vanguard levels from the next damaging attack that hits it within the next minute.

Improved: The additional damage is 1d6 per vanguard level.

Aspect Finale (Su): When you hit a foe with your entropic strike and the attack roll is a natural 18 or 19 (the d20 shows an 18 or 19), you can apply one critical hit effect of that attack to your target. You do not do double damage. This critical hit effect is treated as a critical hit for purposes of abilities that affect critical hits. If you roll a natural 20, the normal critical hit rules apply instead.

Inevitable

You embody the inexorable progress of entropy that cannot be stopped.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (bull rush) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Athletics checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you move an enemy out of its space, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): All foes within 10 feet must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or gain the staggered condition for 1d4 rounds.

Improved: All foes within 10 feet must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or be Stunned”>stunned for 1 round. At the end of that round, each Stunned”>stunned target must succeed at a second Fortitude save or gain the staggered condition for 1d4 rounds.

Aspect Finale (Sp): You can spend 1 Entropy Point to cast flight as a 4th-level spell.

Inversion

You embody the manipulation of entropy within systems to reverse their normal progression.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (reposition) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Medicine checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you regain Hit Points or Stamina Points, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): All allies other than yourself within 60 feet regain Stamina Points equal to twice your vanguard level. Creatures without Stamina Points (such as most NPCs) do not regain Hit Points from this ability.

Improved: All allies other than yourself within 60 feet regain Hit Points equal to triple your vanguard level. If the creature reaches maximum Hit Points before using this full value, any excess restores the target’s Stamina Points.

Aspect Finale (Ex): When you fail a saving throw, as a reaction you can spend 1 or more Entropy Points to reroll your saving throw. You gain a bonus to this saving throw equal to the number of Entropy Points you spend.

Momentum

You embody energy states that are preserved in ongoing motion, isolated from entropy.

Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (bull rush) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Culture checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you spend two move actions to move your speed in one turn or use the run full action, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): Creatures you select in a 60-foot radius are pushed away from you. Targeted creatures move 30 feet directly away from you, but they can attempt a Fortitude saving throw to halve the distance.

Improved: Targeted creatures that fail their Fortitude saves are also knocked prone and take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 2 vanguard levels.

Aspect Finale (Sp): You can cast telekinetic projectile at will as a spell-like ability. Rather than dealing the spell’s normal damage, both the target and projectile take damage as if you struck them with your entropic strike. Additionally, you can spend 2 Entropy Points to cast telekinesis as a spell-like ability, but only using its combat maneuver option.

Reaction

You embody the change entropy brings about through chemical and molecular reactions, such as rust and rot.

Aspect Insight (Su): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (dirty trick) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Physical Science checks.

Aspect Embodiment (Su): Once per combat, when you inflict a condition on an enemy, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.

Aspect Catalyst (Su): Each foe within 30 feet must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or gain the sickened condition for 1 round per vanguard level.

Improved: One target of your choice within this ability’s range is also nauseated for 1 round if it fails its Fortitude save.

Aspect Finale (Su): You can spend 2 Entropy Points as a reaction to expose a creature you injure to the entropic toxin poison. The save DC is determined as normal for an aspect ability. Once you apply this poison to a target, the target is immune to further applications of your entropic toxin for 24 hours.

Entropic Toxin

Type poison (injury, special); Save Fortitude (DC varies)

Track choose Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (special); Frequency 1/round for 3 rounds; Effect target cannot progress beyond impaired/stiffened on progression track

Cure 1 save

Vanguard Disciplines

You learn your first vanguard discipline at 2nd level, and you learn an additional discipline every 2 levels thereafter. Some disciplines require you to meet additional prerequisites, such as having another discipline. In addition, some disciplines interact with shields, a new type of equipment (see page 17 for more information on shields).

2nd Level

You must be at least 2nd level to choose these disciplines.

6th Level

You must be at least 6th level to choose these disciplines.

10th Level

You must be at least 10th level to choose these disciplines.

14th Level

You must be at least 14th level to choose these disciplines.

18th Level

You must be at least 18th level to choose these disciplines.

Altered or Replaced Vanguard Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a vanguard who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You don’t gain a discipline.

9th Level: You don’t gain an additional use of reactive.