Harsk (Iconic Ranger 12)
Harsk is a gruff and driven dwarf, following a vow of justice to avenge his brother's death at the hands of giants. He prefers tea to ale, wanting to keep his senses sharp.
Harsk (Iconic Ranger 12)
CR 12
XP 19,200
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 26, touch 17, flat-footed 21 (+7 armor, +2 deflection, +5 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 106 (12d10+36)
Fort +13, Ref +16, Will +10; +2 vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
Defensive Abilities defensive training (+4 dodge bonus to AC vs. giants), evasion
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +2 battleaxe +16/+11/+6 (1d8+4/×3)
Ranged +3 flaming heavy crossbow +22 (1d10+3/17–20 plus 1d6 fire)
Special Attacks +1 on attack rolls against goblinoid and orc humanoids, favored enemy (fey +2, humanoids [giants] +6, humanoids [humans] +2), quarry
Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +11)
2nd—barkskin, bear's endurance, cure light wounds
1st—entangle (DC 13), longstrider, resist energy
TACTICS
During Combat Harsk prefers fighting with his crossbow over his battleaxe but isn't afraid to get dirty in melee if the situation calls for it. His hatred for giants often motivates him to target creatures of that subtype to the exclusion of others, and to choose one as his quarry. If tracking a giant, he casts resist energy against an energy type that giant uses before engaging.
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 22, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +12; CMB +14; CMD 32 (36 vs. bull rush, 36 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Far Shot, Improved Critical (heavy crossbow), Improved Precise Shot, Iron Will, Pinpoint Targeting, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload, Weapon Focus (heavy crossbow)
Skills Handle Animal +14, Heal +17, Knowledge (geography, nature) +15, Perception +17 (+19 to notice unusual stonework), Stealth +21, Survival +17
Languages Common, Dwarven
SQ camouflage, evasion, favored terrain (forest +2, mountain +4), hunter's bond (animal, badger named Biter)*, swift tracker, track +6, wild empathy +11, woodland stride
Combat Gear seeking bolts (20), potions of pass without trace (2), wand of cure moderate wounds (35 charges), tanglefoot bag; Other Gear +4 studded leather, +2 battleaxe, +3 flaming heavy crossbow with 30 bolts, amulet of natural armor +2, belt of incredible dexterity +4, boots of speed, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +2, antitoxin, backpack, signal whistle, smokestick, tea pot, trail rations (4), 464 gp
Biter, Badger Animal Companion
Biter
Effective Druid Level 9
N Medium animal
Init +4; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 76 (8d8+40)
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +3; +4 on Will saves vs. enchantments
Defensive Abilities evasion
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee bite +11/+6 (1d6+4), 2 claws +11 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks rage (as barbarian for 6 rounds per day)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 24 (28 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (claws)
Skills Climb +12, Perception +15
SQ tricks (attack [all creatures], come, defend, down, fetch, guard, heel, seek, stay)
Note: The badger's stat block does not include the adjustments from its rage ability.
DESCRIPTION
Harsk is an uncommon dwarf. He enjoys the wide skies of the open plains more than claustrophobic tunnels, prefers the taste of tea to alcohol, and handles his battles at range rather than in melee. As a young dwarf, he eschewed the company of his fellows, finding that few things made him happier than crouching in a tree stand with his bow, listening to the wind through the forest leaves and waiting for prey to wander by. That all changed twenty years ago when his elder brother, a captain named Sigur, led a dwarven war band from Janderhoff against a small party of raiding giants. Out of affection, Sigur offered his less-experienced sibling the chance to come and prove himself as chief scout and second-in-command. Calm and peaceful by nature, Harsk turned him down, failing to see the honor his brother was doing him until several days after the company had departed. Traveling light and fast, Harsk caught up with his brother quickly—but not quickly enough. Misjudging the size and skill of the raiding party, Sigur had led his band into an ambush, where it was slaughtered to the last dwarf.
With his brother's blood still fresh on his hands, Harsk went mad with rage. That night, he stalked through the giants' camp like a vengeful wraith, slaughtering giant after giant with his crossbow before melting back into the forest, only to reappear elsewhere and take another victim. When the last giant was left gurgling in the dust, Harsk took up his brother's axe and slipped off into the trees, vowing to forever be the voice of justice in the wild places, to keep balance and prevent the sacrifices of noble warriors like his brother.
Harsk, like many of his kind, is gruff and taciturn, but there ends most of his connection to dwarven society. Something of a loner, he prefers to spend his time outdoors, communing with nature, though he occasionally travels alongside others whose goals match his own. Uninterested in the beer and ale so strongly associated with dwarves in the minds of human society, Harsk instead drinks pot after pot of strong tea to keep his senses sharp. While he never lets his brother's axe out of his sight, he wields it only as a last resort, knowing his true skills lie in the hunt and striking from darkness.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game NPC Codex © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Alex Greenshields, Rob McCreary, Mark Moreland, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, and Russ Taylor.