Navigation Sphere

Base Abilities

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.

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.

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.

Clear Shot (pathing)

Allies ignore any soft cover, 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 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 Sphere Packages

Aerial

You gain the following acclimation:

  • Weatherproofing: Acclimated targets may treat the severity of weather effects as being 1 step lower, +1 step per 7 ranks you possess in this package’s associated skill. Additionally, such targets improve the maneuverability on any fly speed they possess by one step (maximum good maneuverability), and are always considered to have moved at least half their speed for the purpose of determining if they need to make Fly checks to remain flying. Acclimated air-current vehicles reduce the DC of any piloting checks attempted to perform actions on them by 1 + 1 per 4 ranks in this package’s associated skill.

Associated Feat: Careful Flyer (Ultimate Intrigue)

Associated Skill: Fly or Profession (pilot).

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.

Urban

You gain the following acclimation:

  • Crowd Maneuvers: Acclimated targets may move at their normal speed through crowds and occupied squares and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for moving through crowds. Additionally, acclimated targets can share spaces with one another (to a maximum of 2 creatures per space) and can run and charge through each other’s spaces.

Associated Skill: Acrobatics or Climb.

Wilderness

You gain the following acclimation:

  • Conditioning: Acclimated targets gain a +2 competence bonus to Constitution checks, and to saving throws against environmental hazards and weather effects, as well as effects that cause fatigue or nonlethal damage. They also reduce all nonlethal damage as well as damage dealt due to environmental hazards (such as falling, pressure, extreme temperatures, etc.) by 3. These bonuses (and damage reduction) increase by +1 per 5 ranks you possess in this package’s associated skill.
    Lastly, such creatures do not become fatigued due to sleeping in armor or from suffering nonlethal damage from extreme temperatures, and do not take a penalty to Constitution checks for wearing armor in hot climates.

Associated Feat: Endurance

Associated Skill: Climb, Profession (guide), Profession (driver), or Survival.

Acclimation Talents(10)

Pathing Talents(11)

Exceptional Talents(15)

Navigation Sphere Feats5

Detailed Charting

Prerequisites:Investigation sphere, Navigation sphere.

Prerequisites: Investigation sphere, Navigation sphere.

Benefit: As a standard action, you may analyze an area or target in that area while also applying your pathing to a location in that area. The targeted area, creature, or object must be within range of both your analyze and pathing abilities.

Tags:

Dual Pathing

Prerequisites:Associated skill 10 ranks, Navigation sphere.

Prerequisites: Associated skill 10 ranks, Navigation sphere.

Benefit: When you use pathing, you may apply two (pathing) talents to the area rather than just one.

Tags:

Field Instruction (Champion) [LotS]

Prerequisites:Navigation sphere, Warleader sphere

Prerequisites: Navigation sphere, Warleader sphere.

Benefit: Whenever you use pathing as a standard action, you can begin or maintain a tactic as a free action; doing so changes the area of the tactic to the area of your pathing.

While within the area of your pathing, you can maintain this tactic as a free action.

Tags:

Scorched Path (Champion) [3PP]

Prerequisites:Destruction Sphere, Navigation Sphere

Prerequisites: Destruction Sphere, Navigation Sphere

Benefits: Whenever you target an area with your destructive blast, you may spend an additional spell point to use your pathing as part of the same action. If you do, your pathing can only cover spaces affected by your destructive blast.

Source: Expanded Spheres: Weaves of War

Tags:

Trailblazer (Champion) [LotS]

Prerequisites:Athletics sphere, Navigation sphere

Prerequisites: Athletics sphere, Navigation sphere.

Benefit: When moving more than 5 feet during your turn using the movement mode corresponding to an Athletics package you possess, you may cause all squares you enter this turn to be affected by your pathing ability. This counts as the single instance of pathing which you may have active at a time.

Tags:
Archetypes Utilizing Navigation1

Venator

ArchetypeNavigation

Sometimes, the best way to capture prey is to have it fall into your hands; the venator specializes in this methodology.

Wikidot PageExpand features

Navigation Sphere Drawbacks(5)

Cartographer [utility start]

You prefer the art of mapping the world, rather than surviving and navigating it. You lose the acclimate and pathing abilities, and gain either the Cartographer’s Knack or Lay Of The Land talent.

Tags:

Focused Wayfaring

Choose either acclimate or pathing. You lose this ability and cannot take talents with that tag or that alter the chosen ability. You gain a single (acclimation) or (pathing) talent as a bonus talent.

Tags:

Heedless Advance [utility start]

Your desire to navigate is built on a boundless passion for exploration more than an understanding of your environment. You lose the acclimate and pathing abilities, and gain either the Fleet Movement or Triumphant Arrival talent.

Tags:

Pointer [alternate start]

Your pathing ability is a visual rather than an auditory effect. Allies may only benefit from this ability when they can see you, but do not need to hear you.

Tags:

Tracker

You lose the acclimate ability, and gain the Tracking Expert talent.

Tags: