The Waterlord (Undine Ranger Nature’s Blade/Wayfarer)

Here’s a new rebuild from my favorite manga/anime. This character was a Commander (and you can see that build on the Spheres wiki), but he functions so much better this way.

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The Waterlord

Undine ranger (Nature’s Blade, Wayfarer) 1

LG Medium humanoid (human)/outsider (native)

Init +3; Senses low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7

Defense

AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)

hp 12 (1d10+2)

Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3

Offense

Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

Melee cutlass +1 (1d6, 18-20)

Ranged light crossbow +4 (1d8, 19-20)

Guile

Skill Leverage 1; Trade Tradition Outlander; OAM Wis (+3)

Navigation Sphere - Package Nautical (Profession (sailor) 1 rank); Talents none; Utility Talents Fleet Movement

Survivalism Sphere - Skills Survival 1 rank; Package Dredge; Talents none; Utility Talents none

Vocation Sphere - Utility Talents Aberration Hunter, Guide, Roughrider, Scout

Martial

Tradition Pirate (Equipment: Pirate Training, Unarmored Training; Fencing sphere; Athletics sphere, Swim package); PAM Wis

Athletics Sphere - DC 13, Talents Swift Movement, Drawbacks none

- coordinated movement (whenever you take the withdraw action, you regain your martial focus)

- swim package (swim and fight in water more easily and faster)

- swift movement (competence bonus to speed of +10 ft. with movement modes associated with the packages you possess with martial focus)

Equipment sphere - DC 13, Talents Pirate Training, Unarmored Training

- pirate training (discipline)  (proficiency with boarding axe, boarding gaff, boarding pike, cat-o’-nine-tails, cutlass, duelist sword, grappling hook, pistol, rapier, and sea-knife. +2 competence bonus to Profession (sailor) checks made to sail a ship.)
- unarmored training (bonus +3 on AC when unarmored, +1 for every 3 points of BAB)

Fencing sphere - DC 13, Talents none, Drawbacks none
- fatal thrust (deal +1d6 precision damage to a target that is flat-footed or has lost its Dex bonus to AC)

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 10

Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 14

Traits Aquatic Survivalist, Born to the Water

Feats Skill Focus (Swim)

Skills  Acrobatics +7, Bluff +1, Handle Animal +4, Heal +7, Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +7, Profession (sailor) +7/+9, Stealth +7, Survival +8, Swim +14/+16

Languages Aquan, Common

SQ amphibious, mostly human, natural swimmer

Gear cutlass (15 gp), 2 flasks of liquid life (40 gp), light underwater crossbow (70 gp) with 10 bolts (1 gp) and 1 acid bolt (40 gp), ranger’s kit (9 gp)

Special Abilities

Athletics Sphere When you gain the Athletics sphere, you gain one of the following packages with its included abilities. You may take the Expanded Training talent to gain additional packages.
Each package has an associated movement mode and an associated skill. Some abilities require you to be using an associated movement mode to function. When you gain a package, you gain 5 ranks in its associated skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Athletics sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the associated skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.
If you possess both the (leap) and (run) packages, you gain a competence bonus on Acrobatics checks equal to half your base attack bonus instead of retraining the ranks a second time.
In addition, you gain the following ability:

Athletics: Coordinated Movement Whenever you take the withdraw action, you regain your martial focus.

Athletics: Swim Package You may perform the charge and withdraw actions while swimming, and can make standard actions and attack actions without decreasing the duration for which you can hold your breath. A successful Swim check means you may move up to your base land speed as a full-round action (as opposed to ½ your base land speed) or ½ your base land speed as a move action (as opposed to ¼th your base land speed). Associated Movement Mode: Swimming. Associated Skill: Swim.

Equipment: Pirate Training (discipline) You gain proficiency with the boarding axe, boarding gaff, boarding pike, cat-o’-nine-tails, cutlass, duelist sword, grappling hook, pistol, rapier, and sea-knife. Additionally, you gain a +2 competence bonus to Profession (sailor) checks made to sail a ship. At +10 base attack bonus, this bonus increases to +4.

Equipment: Unarmored Training Your deft movements, physical conditioning, and expert use of your chosen weapons allow you to create a protective barrier around yourself as effective as any true suit of armor. When unarmored and unencumbered, you gain a +3 armor bonus to your AC. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 points of base attack bonus you possess. Characters who gain Acrobatics as a class skill may instead choose to have the armor bonus increase by +1 for every 3 ranks in the Acrobatics skill they possess.
This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when you are flat-footed. You lose these bonuses when you are immobilized or helpless, when you wear any armor, or when you carry a medium or heavy load. These bonuses do not stack with the AC bonus class feature of the monk or similar abilities.
This bonus depends on an intricate awareness of the practicioner’s body and balance, and as such is lost when the target is under any shapeshift other than blank form, or is polymorphed into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type.

Fencing Sphere Fencers are quick fighters who use nimble footwork and expert feints to open up their target before landing a fatal blow.
When you gain the Fencing sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Bluff skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Fencing sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Bluff skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

Fencing: Fatal Thrust Whenever you make an attack action or an attack of opportunity against a target that is within 30 ft. and that you are flanking, that is flat-footed, or that has lost its Dexterity bonus to AC (such as through a successful feint), you deal an additional +1d6 precision damage to the target. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. This damage increases by an additional 1d6 precision damage for every 5 points of base attack bonus you possess.
A fencer may apply the effects of a single (exploit) talent to any fatal thrust.

Navigation Sphere Operatives of the Navigation sphere learn to survive and operate in a wide variety of environments, studying their surroundings in order to best navigate or control them. They are skilled pathfinders and transporters, capable of finding the best route to any location and the best method of getting there. On a grand scale, an adventurer skilled in navigation can traverse any territory with ease, while in the heat of the moment their abilities enable impressive tactical maneuvers.

Associated Skill: One skill of your choice from your chosen package below.

You gain the following benefits when you gain the Navigation sphere.

You gain 5 ranks in one of the package's associated skills, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Navigation sphere (maximum ranks equal to your Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the associated skill you may immediately retrain them.

Skill Leverage: You unlock skill leverage with the associated skills of your package.

Package: When you gain the Navigation sphere, you gain one of the following packages with its included acclimation. You may take the Expanded Wayfarer talent to gain additional packages.

You also acquire the Acclimate and Pathing abilities.

Navigation: Acclimate (Ex) By spending 10 minutes, you acclimate yourself and a number of allies or vehicles up to your operative ability modifier (minimum 1). You grant the benefits of up to two acclimations you know to them. If you grant two acclimations to a target (or more, by using the Layered Acclimation talent), at least one of these acclimations must always be from a base package or a [utility] (acclimation) talent. You may apply different acclimations to different targets. The benefits of acclimation last for 24 hours or until you change them.

Navigation: Pathing (Ex) Operatives of the Navigation sphere are able to point out paths through their environment that allies can utilize. As a standard action, you may select a number of contiguous 5-foot squares within close range equal to your operative ability modifier + the number of ranks you possess in the associated skill, applying the effects of a (pathing) talent to the area. You must be able to see all squares in the area to target them with pathing. An area remains affected for 24 hours or until you use this ability again. This is an auditory effect on your allies. You gain the Clear Shot (pathing) talent when you gain this sphere.

Navigation: Clear Shot (pathing) Allies within your pathing ignore any partial cover or partial concealment provided by objects or effects that are inside the area of your pathing but do not target individual creatures. Allies within your pathing treat standard cover from inside the area as partial cover. In addition, their total penalties on Perception checks for observing targets within the area of your pathing are reduced by 2, plus an additional 1 for every 5 ranks you have in one of your associated skills. If you have at least 10 ranks in an associated skill, allies also treat total concealment as partial concealment.

Navigation: Nautical You gain the following acclimation:

• Aquatic Adaptation: Acclimated targets ignore any penalties to attack rolls from being underwater (including allowing them to use thrown weapons normally underwater), can hold their breath for 2 additional rounds before having to attempt Constitution checks to avoid drowning, and gains a +1 competence bonus to Swim checks. This bonus and the duration of which creatures can hold their breath increases by +1 and 1 round respectively for every 2 ranks you possess in this package's associated skill. If you have at least 5 ranks in this package's associated skill, acclimated creatures also deal full damage with all weapon attacks while underwater. Acclimated vehicles reduce the DC of any Profession (sailor) check attempted to perform actions on them by 1, plus 1 per 4 ranks in this package's associated skill.

Associated Skill: Profession (sailor) or Swim.

Navigation: Fleet Movement [utility] When using overland travel, you and allies traveling with you travel an additional distance in the same period up to 1/4 of your normal overland travel speed. For every 5 ranks in an associated skill you possess, this improves by an additional +1/4 of your normal overland travel speed.

Survivalism Sphere Operatives of the Survivalism sphere are able to use nature itself to their advantage, using parts of a slain beast to their fullest potential, or shifting earth and rock to disrupt those within it. In any case, these operatives hold great power with nature and its inhabitants.

Associated Skill: Survival.

When you gain the Survivalism sphere, you gain 5 ranks in Survival, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Survivalism sphere (maximum ranks equal to your Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in Survival, you may immediately retrain them.

Skill Leverage: You unlock skill leverage with Survival, in addition to either Knowledge (nature) or one of the following Craft skills: alchemy, jewelry, leather, taxidermy, or traps.

Package: When you first take the Survivalism sphere, choose one of the following packages: (dredge) or (harvest). You may take the Expanded Survivalism talent to gain an additional package.

You also acquire the Canny Survivor ability.

Survivalism: Canny Survivor (Ex) When attempting to light a fire without flint and steel (or similar fire-making tools), you can find suitable materials and start the fire in only 5 minutes, and you may take 10 on the Survival check when doing so. Also, lighting a torch only takes a standard action (rather than a full-round action), or a move action by using a tindertwig.

You immediately succeed at any checks attempted to identify poisonous foods found in nature, in addition to recognizing poisonous creatures and tainted water.

If you possess the (harvest) package, whenever you harvest from a Tiny or larger creature you may produce enough food to feed a single Medium creature for a day. For every size category above Tiny the creature is, you can feed twice as many Medium creatures. This ability can be used to gain sustenance from unconventional creatures, such as oozes or undead that still possess flesh (such as zombies); but cannot be used with creatures incapable of providing sustenance (such as most constructs or fleshless undead).

Survivalism: Dredge Package You can spend 10 minutes to dredge up to an amount of 5-foot squares equal to 5 + twice the number of ranks in the associated skill you possess, applying the effects of one (ground) talent to the area. The chosen squares must be contiguous, and a square must be within your natural reach for you to dredge it. This dredged area lasts for 1 hour per rank in the associated skill you possess.

Alternatively, you may spend a full-round action to instead move up to your base speed (provoking attacks of opportunity as normal), dredging up to an amount of 5-foot squares equal to 2 + 2 per 5 ranks in the associated skill you possess, and reducing its duration to 1 round per rank in the associated skill you possess.

When you first gain this package, you gain the following (ground) option:

Survivalism: Disrupt Terrain (ground) When you use dredge, you can choose one of the following options to apply to the area:

Difficult Terrain: The dredged area becomes difficult terrain.

At 10 ranks in the associated skill, the area is treated as magical for the purposes of effects such as woodland stride.

Cleared Terrain: Any difficult terrain (or areas affected by a (ground) talent) within the dredged area is removed, as long as the difficult terrain was from a non-magical source.

At 10 ranks in the associated skill, you can spend 1 use of skill leverage to also attempt to remove difficult terrain created from magical sources. When doing so, roll 1d20 + your ranks in the associated skill, comparing the result against the effect(s) you are attempting to dredge (DC 11 + t he effects caster level), removing the difficult terrain on a success.

Vocation: Aberration Hunter (trade) [utility] You gain Heal, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Spellcraft, and Stealth as class skills. You gain lowlight vision. If you already possess low-light vision, you can see things three times as far away rather than twice as far away.

Vocation: Guide (trade) [utility] You gain Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Ride, and Survival as class skills. You can attempt a Ride check in place of a Handle Animal check to interact with a mount that is helpful to you while you are touching it.

Vocation: Roughrider (trade) [utility] You gain Climb, Handle Animal, Ride, and Swim as class skills. Any mount you ride is considered to be combat-trained.

Vocation: Scout (trade) [utility] You gain Acrobatics, Knowledge (geography), Stealth, and Survival as class skills. The DC of Perception checks increases by 1 for every 20 feet of distance you have from the source or object rather than for every 10 feet.

Build

The Waterlord is built with a 20-point buy and 175 gp starting wealth. Favored Class Bonus is +½ bonus on Perception and Survival checks made underwater. If using a lower point buy, you can lower Charisma. If using a higher point buy (or rolling really well), your most important attributes are Wisdom and Dexterity. Wisdom is your casting statistic and affects the save DCs of all your magic and martial talents and your spell pool, in addition to boosting your Will saves to resist mind control and mind-affecting effects.

Dexterity is your combat stat, increases your initiative, and bolsters your AC and Stealth skill checks. In addition, Intelligence grants you more skills and raises your bonus on Knowledge checks, and Constitution is useful to increase your hit points.

How to Play a Waterlord

You are a freedom fighter both above and underwater, relentlessly chasing pillagers and slavers and freeing their prisoners, to give stolen treasures back to the people. You guide your team mates in the wilderness, laying traps and removing hazards, often helped by tame animals. You always keep your head level, never letting yourself be carried away by emotions. It doesn’t matter who is the actual party leader: what counts is for the party to work together as one.

Future Abilities

Martial Talents Animal Empathy, Beastmastery Sphere (Handle Animal), Coordinated Attack, Coordinated Reflexes, Expert Eye, Lookout, Mobile Striker, Mobility, Moving Target, Rapid Placement, Reactive Motion, Remote Trigger, Shieldbrothers, Trap Finder, Trap Sphere, Verbal Commands*, Warleader Sphere*

Skill Talents Alter Stability, Follow My Lead, Manipulate Cover*,  Reconnaissance, Right Where I Want You, Survival Instinct; Utility: Blaze Ahead, Clear Trail, Connect the Dots, Expert Tracker*, Hunter’s Eye, Impossible Trail, Informed Observation*, Lay of the Land, Misleading Trails, Natural Shelter, Study Sphere

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Aquatic Advantage, Aquatic Combatant, Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Graceful Athlete, Trailblazer, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (cutlass)

Monstrous humanoids, evil outsiders, aberrations, and undead are good favored enemies. Water is your first favored terrain; urban, forest, and desert are good choices too.

Favored Class Bonus 

Undine Ranger: Add a +½ bonus on Perception and Survival checks made underwater.