New Rules
The following section details an archetype, pieces of equipment, and several feats favored by hobgoblins.
Hobgoblin Archetype
The following archetype is common among hobgoblin alchemists, who wish to maximize their destruction.
Grenadier
Grenadiers train to exercise their talents in the thick of battle, even when not under the influence of their mutagens. They learn methods of combining weapon attacks with their alchemical magic, and sacrifice skill with poisons in order to become more adept at using alchemical bombs or using alchemical items in conjunction with their martial skills. As an unusual side effect of their skill at handling bombs and alchemical items with increased speed, grenadiers master the ability to drink potions, elixirs, and mutagens quickly and without exposing themselves to peril while doing so. A grenadier has the following class features.
At 1st level, a grenadier picks one martial weapon and becomes proficient in its use. This ability replaces Brew Potion.
At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist's fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question. The alchemical item takes full effect on the next creature struck by theweapon, but does not splash, spread, affect additional targets, or benefit from any other effects that specifically affect splash weapons. Any extra damage added is not doubled on a critical hit. The alchemical treatment causes no harm to the weapon treated, and wears off 1 minute after being applied if no blow is struck. Infusing a new alchemical item also removes the effect of any alchemical liquid or powder previously applied with this ability. At 6th level, a grenadier can use her alchemical weapon ability as a swift action. At 15th level, this ability becomes a free action. This ability replaces poison resistance.
At 2nd level, a grenadier gains the precise bombs alchemist discovery as a bonus discovery. This ability replaces poison use.
At 6th level, a grenadier can detonate a bomb so that it splashes in a 20-foot cone rather than affecting a radius. The cone starts at the alchemist and extends away from her in the direction she chooses. The alchemist designates one creature in the squares affected by the cone to be the target of the bomb and makes her attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the cone take splash damage. If the alchemist has the explosive bomb discovery and throws an explosive directed blast, the cone of splash damage is 30 feet long instead of 20 feet. This ability replaces swift poisoning.
At 10th level, a grenadier's bombs become particularly overwhelming when they explode. Whenever a grenadier confirms a critical hit with a bomb, the creature directly struck by that bomb is staggered for 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC equals the bomb's Reflex save DC to avoid splash damage) reduces the duration to 1 round. The effects of this ability stack with a frost bomb's staggering effect, but not with the effects of the Staggering Critical feat. Additional critical hits with bombs add to any duration remaining from previous ones. This ability replaces poison immunity.
Hobgoblin Feats
Members of hobgoblin armies, as well as those members of the race who seek to spread war through influence, subterfuge, and sabotage, often take the following feats.
Bred Commander
You possess a long pedigree of ruthless generals and military tacticians, and an army under your command is more difficult to rout as a result.
Prerequisite
Benefit
When serving as a commander using the mass combat rules presented in Chapter 4 of Ultimate Campaign, you can add your class level to your army's Morale checks in place of your Charisma modifier.
You feed off the rush of victory over your enemies, and channel that fervor into battle.
Prerequisites
Challenge class feature, character level 7th.
Benefit
When the target of your challenge ability is killed or knocked unconscious, you can declare a new challenge target within 30 feet as an immediate action. This action must be taken immediately upon your initial challenge target's defeat, and you can't take it later if you are unable to act at the time. If you declare a new challenge using this feat, it doesn't count against your total daily uses of challenge. You can chain together a number of challenges beyond the first equal to your Charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Commander of Goblinkind
You employ ruthlessness and malice to command other races of goblinoids to do your bidding.
Prerequisites
Cha 13, hobgoblin.
Benefit
You receive a +5 competence bonus on Knowledge (local) checks and Charisma-based skill checks regarding other goblinoids. If you have the Leadership feat, treat your leadership score as 2 higher when taking followers or a cohort with the goblinoid subtype.
Motivated March
Years of forcing your slaves and soldiers to march far beyond the limits of their endurance have made you an excellent taskmaster.
Benefit
When traveling overland, you and a number of allies equal to 10 times your character level reduce the amount of nonlethal damage taken as a result of a forced march by half. Creatures benefiting from this feat can delay the fatigued effect of a forced march for a number of hours equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). A creature that delays this effect becomes exhausted instead of fatigued when the condition takes effect.
Spirit of the Corps
You find inspiration in your fellow soldiers, trusting that your shared training and dedication will bring you victory on the battlefield.
Benefit
Whenever you are within 10 feet of an ally benefiting from a spell or effect that grants a morale bonus on a particular type of roll, once during that effect's duration, you can apply that morale bonus on a roll you make of that type. For instance, if an ally with this feat is benefiting from heroism, once during the duration of the spell you could gain a +2 morale bonus on one saving throw, attack roll, or skill check. You can use this feat only once per round, and only once per spell or effect.
Warmonger
You are adept at instigating wars among those you advise or antagonize.
Prerequisites
Cha 13, hobgoblin.
Benefit
You gain Bluff and Diplomacy as class skills. In addition, you receive a +4 competence bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy skill checks when using either skill to convince another character to go to war against or attack another creature or group.
Hobgoblin Equipment
Hobgoblins tend to use equipment that aids them in battle, such as the following specialized gear designed by hobgoblin alchemists and war engineers.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 5 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Used by hobgoblin alchemists to equip their comrades, these spherical glass vials can each be filled with 1 dose of an alchemical splash weapon, allowing them to be used as ammunition for a sling. On a hit, an alchemical sling bullet shatters, affecting the target with the alchemical solution within. This deals only the splash weapon's damage (if any), not the damage a sling bullet would normally deal. This attack resolves against the target's normal AC (rather than touch AC) as with a standard sling bullet, and uses the sling's range. An alchemical sling bullet does not deal splash damage to squares adjacent to the target. If an attack roll with an alchemical sling bullet misses, the bullet and its alchemical contents are destroyed, and do not risk detonating in another square.
Filling an alchemical sling bullet is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, and you must succeed at a DC 15 Craft (alchemy) or Sleight of Hand check to avoid spilling the alchemical item on yourself. On a failed check, the splash weapon explodes in your square as though you were targeted by the item (including any splash effects on adjacent squares).
Aura:CLl:
Price: 12 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
This curved wicker basket is worn like a glove over one hand. The basket extends approximately 2 feet in a steady curve, allowing you to launch a thrown splash weapon at incredible speeds and over long distances. Using a bombchucker increases the range increment of any thrown splash weapon by 10 feet. Loading a bombchucker requires a free hand, as the hand wielding the bombchucker can't be used for any other purpose. A bombchucker doesn't get in the way of preparing and throwing a bomb created with the bomb class feature.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 50 gp
Weight: &mdash
This foul-tasting alchemical concoction grants those that imbibe it ferocity for a short period of time. This functions as the universal monster rule of the same name, and lasts for 1 hour from the time you ingest the solution. Crafting this item requires a successful DC 20 Craft (alchemy) check.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 100 gp
Weight: 3 lbs.
You can use this rocket can deliver simple auditory and visual signals to an army from a distance. When used during mass combat, a signal rocket allows a commander to change strategy track with a higher degree of success than normal. A commander can launch a signal rocket while changing a strategy track by more than 1 step to grant his army a +5 circumstance bonus on its Morale check to implement his orders. Crafting this item requires a successful DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check.