Vanguard

Change and decay are the only universal constants, and your understanding of these principles makes you a nigh-unstoppable force of nature: a juggernaut brimming with fundamental energies that allow you to hold the front line of any conflict and turn your own injuries into strength. The entropy within the universe and the level of chaos within any system stand at your disposal, and you channel them into potent combat abilities. To you, the inevitable decay of the galaxy is simply a force to shape, control, and even temporarily reverse. The ability to control when and how things change defines your philosophy and power, allowing you to transform blows that should have destroyed you into ticking time bombs of destruction ready to be unleashed upon your enemies.

An expert at close combat, the vanguard has gained supernatural control over the power of entropy, and can speed, slow, or alter how energies and reactions occur.

Hit Points: 7

Stamina Points: 7 + Constitution modifier

Key Ability Score: Your Constitution determines 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 land blows 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), Profession (Cha, Int, or Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis)

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Intelligence Modifier

Proficiencies Weapons Basic melee weapons, advanced melee weapons, and small arms. Armor Light armor, heavy armor, and shields.

Table 2–2: Vanguard

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save Bonus	Ref Save Bonus	Will Save Bonus	Class Features	Entropic Strike Damage
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Entropic pool, entropic strike, first 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	First vanguard aspect (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	Second vanguard aspect (second aspect insight), vanguard discipline	2d6
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Reactive 2/day	3d6
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Entropic attunement (reach), vanguard discipline	3d6
11th	+11	+7	+7	+3	Flashing strikes	3d6
12th	+12	+8	+8	+4	First vanguard aspect (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 3/day, uncanny speed	7d6
16th	+16	+10	+10	+5	Entropic attunement (radius), vanguard discipline	8d6
17th	+17	+10	+10	+5	Second vanguard aspect (second aspect embodiment)	9d6
18th	+18	+11	+11	+6	First vanguard aspect (aspect finale), 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

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. This energy takes the form of a pool of Entropy Points (EP). You can have a maximum number of EP in your entropic pool equal to your Constitution modifier.

You can gain Entropy Points only when involved in a combat encounter that includes a significant enemy. When combat begins, you gain 1 Entropy Point at the beginning of your first action; at the end of combat, you lose any Entropy Points you have remaining. In addition to methods granted by vanguard aspects, you can gain Entropy Points in the followings ways.

While you have no Entropy Points, you can spend 1 Resolve Point as a move action to gain 1 EP (2 EP at 10th level).

Each time you take damage equal to or greater than twice your character level from a single attack or effect (after applying any ability to reduce that damage, such as DR, energy resistance, or the mitigate class feature), you gain 1 EP.

If you take damage from a critical hit, you gain 1 EP, in addition to any you gain from the attack’s normal damage.

If you score a critical hit on a significant enemy, you gain 1 EP.

If you take a full action to charge, you gain 1 EP.

If you take two move actions on the same turn to move your speed each time, you gain 1 EP.

As a move action, you can designate a willing adjacent ally as an entropic focus. They remain an entropic focus until the beginning of your next turn, unless they cease to be adjacent to you or you designate a new entropic focus (both of which end this effect). If your entropic focus takes damage equal to or greater than twice your character level from a single attack or effect (after applying any ability to reduce that damage, such as DR, energy resistance, or the mitigate class feature), you gain 1 EP. If you are at least 6th level, you can expend a Resolve Point to designate an adjacent, willing ally as your entropic focus as a reaction when they take damage (and gain EP from damage they take from the triggering attack, if appropriate).

Entropy Points can be expended in various ways, some of which you gain through vanguard aspects and disciplines. As long as you have at least 1 Entropy Point in your entropic pool, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your Armor Class.

As part of a full action to charge or a move action to move your speed, you can expend 1 EP to gain a +10-foot enhancement bonus to your speed (normally land speed, but you can apply it to the speed for any movement type you have).

As a move action, you can expend EP to boost the damage of the next entropic strike attack you make before the start of your next turn. You must decide how many EP to expend when you take this move action, and you can’t expend more EP than your level. If the boosted entropic strike hits, you deal +1d4 damage for every EP expended.

Entropic Strike (Su) 1st Level

You can focus the power of entropy into a forceful attack.

Though you must touch your target to damage it, the damage is not from the impact but from focused waves of entropic energy that unbind and dissolve your target, crush it, or both. Your entropic strike is a magical one-handed advanced melee weapon with the operative weapon special property that targets EAC (even when dealing bludgeoning damage). You can make this attack with nearly any body part and do not need a hand free to use this ability. Using your entropic strike does not require any additional action to use beyond the action you take to make an attack (for example, it can be used to make an attack of opportunity.) For any calculation that requires the item level of your entropic strike, treat your vanguard level as your entropic strike’s item level.

You can also deliver an entropic strike with any melee weapon, or any shield that allows you to make unarmed attacks (replacing the normal attack with your entropic strike). The attack’s damage is equal to the entropic strike damage of a vanguard of either your class level or a class level equal to the weapon’s item level, whichever is lower. When you use this option, your entropic strike is considered to be made of whatever material the weapon or shield is made of (such as for the purposes of bypassing DR or creature weaknesses). Additionally, you can apply any weapon special property, critical hit effect, or weapon fusion the melee weapon or shield has to your entropic strike as long as the effect can be applied to a one-handed advanced melee weapon that deals acid or bludgeoning damage, doesn’t use additional ammunition or charges, and doesn’t require information beyond that specified for your entropic strike to function. If the weapon special property, critical hit effect, or weapon fusion requires information provided for your weapon (such as the amount of a bleed critical hit effect), use the value for the weapon you are gaining the effect from.

At 1st level, your entropic strike deals damage equal to 1d3 + your Constitution modifier, but you do not add your Strength modifier (unlike most melee attacks). For each attack, you can deal acid damage, bludgeoning damage, or both. This damage increases as you gain levels (see Table 2–2: Vanguard). At 10th level, you also add your Strength modifier to the damage of your entropic strike. At 5th level, when you use any combat maneuver for which you have Improved Combat Maneuver, you can target a foe’s EAC + 8 (rather than KAC + 8) to determine success, and you also determine the level of success (such as how far you push a foe with a successful bull rush) using EAC.

First Vanguard Aspect 1st Level

You have focused on one specific aspect of how entropy interacts with the universe, building a philosophy that goes far beyond mere physics. 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 select one vanguard aspect when you take your first level of vanguard. Once made, this choice can’t be changed.

If an aspect ability allows a target to attempt 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 aspect of entropy gives you insight into combat and one specific skill that others 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 qualifies only if it is a significant enemy.

Aspect Catalyst 12th Level

You have learned to create significant effects under certain conditions, guiding powerful forces with your subconscious mind.

You gain an ability that you can use as a reaction the first time you take a critical hit in combat, or 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 0 Hit Points in a combat encounter, expending all Entropy Points you have, if any. Once you use the improved version of the ability, you can’t do so again for 24 hours.

Aspect Finale 18th Level

You gain a powerful ability unique to your aspect.

Mitigate (Ex) 2nd Level

You can control how you are affected by damage or effects that alter damage. 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 (to a minimum of 0 damage). If you do, you can’t gain any Entropy Points from that attack.

Additionally, as a swift action, you can remove any DR or energy resistance you have, or the AC benefit of any ability or spell that increases your AC. If the effect granting DR or energy resistance has a duration, this ends the effect entirely for you. If you end an AC benefit, that AC benefit is ended for the duration of the effect.

If the ability does not normally have a duration, you suspend the listed benefits until the beginning of your next turn. Additionally, whenever you first come under the effect of an ability or spell that grants you DR, energy resistance, or a bonus to AC, you can waive that benefit of the effect.

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, allows you to manipulate reality in devastating ways known as disciplines. You learn your first vanguard discipline at 2nd level and an additional discipline every 2 levels thereafter. Unless otherwise specified, you can’t select the same discipline more than once. 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.

Reactive (Ex) 3rd Level

Once per day, you can take an additional reaction during a single 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, but not in 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 to 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 equal to 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. 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 far enough that your entropic strike gains the reach weapon special property.

The reach granted by this property increases by an additional 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 the result to the EAC of creatures and objects within 20 feet (other than yourself). You damage each creature and object 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. 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.

Second Vanguard Aspect 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 first vanguard aspect. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

Second Aspect Insight 8th Level

You gain the aspect insight benefit from your second 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.

Second Aspect Embodiment 17th Level

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

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.

Agent of Change (Su) 19th Level

You begin each combat encounter with 3 Entropy Points.

Invulnerability (Su) 20th Level

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

Vanguard Aspects

The following are the most commonly adopted vanguard aspects.

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 encounter, when an attack misses you or hits 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 doesn’t 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 that cascades into additional, progressively greater changes.

• Aspect Insight (Ex): You gain Improved Combat Maneuver (sunder) as a bonus feat and also a +2 insight bonus to Acrobatics checks.
• Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you hit multiple creatures in a single round with an attack or attacks (or effects that require an attack roll), you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.
• Aspect Catalyst (Su): Each foe within 10 feet must succeed at a Reflex save or gain the blinded condition for 1d4 rounds.
• Improved: Each foe 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 either apply a –2 penalty to that target’s AC, saving throws, or attack rolls (your choice), or halve the value of all DR and energy resistance the target has. These penalties do not stack, but you can apply different penalties to a single target with multiple hits. 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 that has 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 (trip) as a bonus feat and a +2 insight bonus to Intimidate checks.
• Aspect Embodiment (Ex): Once per combat, when you make two or more attacks in the same turn, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action.
• Aspect Catalyst (Su): Each foe 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 (meaning the d20 shows an 18 or 19), you can apply one critical hit effect of that attack to your target, but you do not double the 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.

Inversion

You embody the role chaos plays within entropy, sometimes temporarily reversing its natural 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 encounter, 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 a creature reaches maximum Hit Points before using this full value, any excess restores the target’s Stamina Points.
• Aspect Finale (Ex): As a reaction when you fail a saving throw, you can spend 1 or more Entropy Points to reroll that 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 move a distance greater than your normal speed in one turn (using multiple move actions, the run full action, or a bonus to speed that allows you to move beyond your normal maximum), 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. A targeted creature moves 30 feet directly away from you but 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 you have.
• 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 the projectile take damage as if you hit 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 biological, chemical, and molecular reactions, such as rust and rot.

• Aspect Insight (Ex): 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 impose 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 entropic toxin. 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 The target cannot progress beyond impaired/stiffened on the progression track.
Cure 1 save

Vanguard Disciplines

You learn your first vanguard discipline at 2nd level, and you gain an additional discipline every 2 levels thereafter. Some require you to meet additional prerequisites, and some interact with shields, a new type of equipment.

2nd Level

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

Antagonize (Ex)

You have learned how to gain your opponents’ attention, drawing fire away from your allies and toward yourself. You gain Antagonize as a bonus feat. You do not need to meet its prerequisites. This is not a language-dependent ability for you, but it does not work on mindless targets. If you are at least 6th level, when you successfully use Antagonize on a foe, the duration of the penalty the foe takes is 3 rounds longer than usual (though it still ends after the foe attacks you, forces you to attempt a saving throw, or damages you), and the target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (in addition to the normal –2 for being off-target).

Attracting Shield (Su)

You can direct energy from attacks near you into your shield. If you take a move action to align a shield against a specific attacker, you can also grant an adjacent willing or unconscious ally a +1 shield bonus to AC until the beginning of your next turn. This bonus ends if the ally ceases to be adjacent to you.

Curative Deconstruction (Su)

You manipulate the entropy of microorganisms and toxins within your body, causing them to break down quickly. When you succeed at a saving throw against a disease or poison, you treat it as two consecutive successes for the purposes of curing that disease or poison.

Dampen (Su)

You can dampen the entropic release of energy in violent effects.

As a reaction when you are in the area of a damaging effect, you can spend 1 Entropy Point to cause it to deal only half damage to all creatures in the area.

At 6th level, if the effect allows a save and you succeed, you can spend 1 additional Entropy Point to allow creatures that successfully save against the effect to take no damage.

Entropy Shield (Su)

As part of any move action or full action you take, you can create a field of condensed, compressed entropy that forms in place on one of your limbs to protect you as a basic riot shield or basic tactical shield (you choose which each time you create the shield). The shield has no bulk, but it otherwise functions in all regards as a physical shield of the selected type. You can dismiss the shield as part of any move or full action you take, and it disappears at the end of your turn if you are not holding it.

At 5th level, your compressed entropy functions as a field riot or tactical shield. At 10th level, it functions as an advanced riot or tactical shield. At 15th level, it functions as an elite riot or tactical shield, and at 20th level, it functions as a paragon riot or tactical shield.

Evasion (Ex)

If you succeed at a Reflex save against an effect that normally has a partial effect on a successful save, you instead take no effect. You gain this benefit only when unencumbered and wearing light armor or no armor, and you lose the benefit when you are helpless or otherwise unable to move.

Flatten Bullets (Su)

When you would be hit by a ranged attack with a weapon that deals kinetic damage, you can spend 1 Entropy Point as a reaction to attempt a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 the CR or level of the attacker) to take half damage. You can use this ability only when wearing heavy armor or powered armor, or carrying a shield, and you can’t use it if you are helpless or otherwise unable to move.

Friendly Fire (Su)

You have learned to bleed energy from the attacks of your allies when they affect you. You can reduce the damage you take from your allies’ attacks and effects by an amount equal to twice your vanguard level, to a minimum of 0.

Interfere (Su)

You can cause waves of unstable reactions that make it difficult for a specific foe to land a blow on a nearby ally. As a move action, you can select one foe you are observing and one ally that is adjacent to you. As long as the ally remains adjacent to you, they gain a +2 shield bonus to their AC against attacks from that foe until the end of your next turn.

Intervene (Su)

As a reaction when an adjacent ally is damaged by an attack, you can take half the attack’s damage, with your ally taking the remaining damage. This doesn’t prevent your ally from suffering related effects, nor does it cause such effects to apply to you. If you have the Bodyguard feat and you take a reaction to apply that feat’s benefit to an adjacent ally who is then hit by the attack, you can activate intervene for that attack without taking an additional action.

Metabolic Stability (Ex)

Your control of the chemical processes in your own body gives you significant vigor. You gain Diehard as a bonus feat.

Zero-Gravity Scuffler (Su)

You can control how small amounts of momentum are added or removed from you. As a swift action, you can spend 1 Entropy Point to negate the off-kilter or off-target conditions.

Additionally, when your movement causes you to run into an enemy in zero gravity, you can forgo your Acrobatics or Athletics check to avoid gaining the off-kilter condition. If you do, that enemy automatically fails its check to avoid becoming off-kilter and gains that condition. In addition, while in zero gravity, you can steady yourself if you are adjacent to any creature.

6th Level

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

Blindsense (Su)

You can detect even subtle abnormalities in the natural exchange of heat around you. You gain blindsense (heat) with a range of 30 feet.

Draw Fire (Su)

As a reaction when you are in the area of an attack or effect that requires an attack roll, you can spend 1 Entropy Point to grant allies in the area cover against the attack or effect.

Energize (Su)

You can absorb harmful energies, converting them to potential energy for use in entropic manipulation. As a reaction when you’re hit by an attack or effect that deals energy damage, you can gain 1 Entropy Point and attempt a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 the CR or level of the attacker) to take half damage. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you regain Stamina Points during a 10-minute rest.

Entropic Charge (Su)

When you charge, you can attempt any combat maneuver for which you have the Improved Combat Maneuver feat in place of the normal melee attack. In addition, you can forgo gaining an Entropy Point for charging to ignore the normal charge penalties to your attack and AC, and to gain the ability to charge through difficult terrain.

Guarded Combatant (Ex)

When using the fighting defensively standard or full action, you take a –3 penalty to your attacks instead of a –4 penalty.

Shimmer Guard (Su)

As part of any move action, you can cause the air around you to shimmer with heat. Squares adjacent to your space provide soft cover to allies for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier. This ability ends if an opponent damages you or forces you to make a saving throw.

Swift Antagonize (Ex)

You have mastered the art of quickly gaining the attention of opponents. You can use Antagonize once as a move action— you can do this even if you have already used Antagonize on the same foe in the past 24 hours, and using it as a move action does not prevent you from using Antagonize on the same foe as a standard action. This is not a language-dependent ability for you, but it does not work on mindless targets.

Once you have used Antagonize as a move action, you cannot do so again until you spend 1 Resolve Point to regain Stamina Points after a 10-minute rest.

You must have the Antagonize feat to select this discipline.

10th Level

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

Accelerate (Su)

You can boost the entropic release of energy in violent effects. As a reaction when you are in the area of a damaging effect, you can spend 1 Entropy Point to add a +2 bonus per die to the damage dealt to every other creature in the area, or you can spend 2 Entropy Points to add +3 bonus per die.

Blindsight (Su)

Your ability to detect anomalous atomic vibration improves. You gain blindsight (heat) with a range of 20 feet. You must have selected the blindsense discipline or have blindsense (heat) from another source before you select this discipline.

Break Fall (Ex)

As a reaction when you fall onto a solid surface while conscious, you can reduce the damage taken from the fall by 50% and avoid landing prone.

Clothesline (Ex)

When a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from you, rather than make a normal melee attack, you can attempt a trip combat maneuver. If you succeed, the enemy ends all its movement for the round and is knocked prone.

Exclusion Zone (Su)

As a reaction, you can spend 1 Entropy Point to exclude one or two allies from an area of effect you create with a weapon, spell, feat, or class feature. At 15th level, you can exclude up to three allies. At 20th level, you can exclude up to four allies.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

When you fail a Reflex save against an effect that has a partial effect on a successful save, you take the partial effect instead of the full effect. You must have evasion to select this discipline.

Road Hazard (Su)

If a vehicle uses the ram action against you, you can forgo your Reflex save as a reaction to take half the vehicle’s collision damage. If you do so, the vehicle takes double its collision damage. Additionally, if a foe charges you, you can spend 1 Entropy Point as a reaction to take half damage from the attack and cause the attacker to take the remaining damage.

14th Level

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

Arrest (Su)

As a full action, you can spend Entropy Points to force each enemy within 20 feet to succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or gain the entangled condition. This condition lasts for a number of rounds equal to the number of Entropy Points spent.

At 18th level, creatures that fail their saving throws are entangled as though tethered by an opposing force (and are therefore unable to move).

Poison-Inured (Su)

You are immune to poison and low-level radiation.

Additionally, you treat each other category of radiation as one step lower (for example, you treat high radiation as medium radiation).

Quick Boost (Ex)

You’ve scraped by through enough close calls that you’ve learned to use serums and injectable items quickly. You can retrieve and drink a serum, or retrieve and inject yourself with a medicinal or other item in an injection weapon, as a single standard action. If you already have a serum or injection weapon in hand, you can use it on yourself as a move action.

18th Level

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

Absolute Zero (Su)

One per day as a standard action, you can spend Entropy Points to become immobile for a number of rounds up to the number of Entropy Points spent. For the duration, you can’t be moved by any nonmagical effect and are immune to cold damage. In addition, during this time, any creature that touches you, hits you with a melee attack with a natural weapon, or starts their turn within 20 feet of you takes 3d6 cold damage per Entropy Point spent. Any creature that takes this damage is affected as though by slow (no save) until the damage is healed. You can dismiss this effect at the end of your turn without taking an action.

Activating absolute zero automatically ends any living effigy discipline you have active.

Internal Reservoir (Ex)

When you take a 10-minute rest, even if you do not recover Stamina Points, you gain 1 Entropy Point which lasts until it is spent or you take another 10-minute rest.

Additionally, your maximum number of Entropy Points increases by 2.

Living Effigy (Su)

Once per day as a standard action, you can spend Entropy Points to be affected as though by haste for a number of rounds up to the number of Entropy Points spent. For the duration, you can’t be slowed or have your movement reduced by any nonmagical effect, and you are immune to fire damage. In addition, during this time, any creature that touches you, hits you with a melee attack with a natural weapon, or starts their turn within 20 feet of you takes 2d6 fire damage per Entropy Point spent. You can dismiss this effect as a reaction.

Activating living effigy automatically ends any absolute zero discipline you have active.

You are the boots on the ground, holding territory in the thick of the heaviest, most dangerous fighting.