Battle butlers are not born- they are trained. Battle butlers are disciplined and shaped into cunning killers who hide their faces behind the calm veneer of a pleasing high-class servant. They are the perfect blend of civility and brutality, never losing their disciplined demeanor and gentlemanly (or lady-like) ways even while butchering a thief. They are the kind of unique soul who could behead a man on command and make an excellent red wine pairing suggestion for your filet mignon at the same time (a Cabernet Sauvignon, of course).
Battle butlers are retained by only the wealthiest families. While their services are under contract battle butlers are mentally conditioned to never allow harm to come to their employer or whoever is put under their charge (children, spouses, etc). While they may be skilled killers they are equally skilled in their roles as servants. They learn to cook, clean, sew, teach, attend, provide childcare, and other skills expected of a live-in butler or maid. For this reason they are valued amongst all other members of the household staff and their skills demand such a high fee.
Battle butlers are trained in illustrious and secluded academies where they receive a formal academic education, training in domestic skills, mental conditioning, and intense martial training. Often times younger children from high-born families will be educated in these institutes or children from long lines of servants will attend like their fathers and mothers before them.
The term “battle butler” is a slang word, as they are typically referred to simply as a “butler” (male) or “maid” (female). Other terms for them are: majordomo, housekeeper, manservant, valet, or steward.
HIT DICE: D10.
ROLE: Battle butlers are skilled martial characters. They lack armor and strength but more than make up for it with their unique approach to combat
ALIGNMENT: Any Lawful. Battle butlers are creatures who are mentally conditioned and who thrive under the immense self-discipline they have strived to achieve.
STARTING WEALTH: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 30 gp or less.
CLASS SKILLS: The battle butler’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex).
SKILL RANKS PER LEVEL: 4 + INT MODIFIER.
CLASS FEATURES[]
The following are the class features of the battle butler.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Contract, dressed to the nines, mental conditioning, service, tricks of the trade |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Gentlemanly combat, unseen servant |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Bloody butler, bonus feat |
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Restore conditioning |
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Improved mental conditioning |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Ungentlemanly conduct |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Bonus feat |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Serving two masters (2) |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +3 | +6 | +6 | You rang? |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Improved mental conditioning |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Bonus feat |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Serving two masters (3) |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Unseen servants |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Influence conditioning |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Bonus feat, prim and proper |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Serving two masters (4) |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Control conditioning |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Stiff upper lip |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Bonus feat |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Lord’s right hand, serving two masters (5) |
WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY[]
The battle butler is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, but not with medium or heavy armor or with any shields. In addition, he is proficient in any weapon in the butler weapon group (see gentlemanly combat) and all firearms.
CONTRACT[]
Once per day a battle butler can define a single character as their master as a swift action. He may do this one additional time per day for every 4 levels of battle butler he attains. This designation lasts for 24 hours or until the battle butler defines a new master. At 1st level the battle butler may only have one master at a time. When adjacent to the battle butler their master gains a deflection bonus to their AC equal to the battle butler’s Dexterity bonus. This deflection bonus to his master’s AC cannot exceed 1/2 his battle butler level (minimum +1). If the battle butler is unconscious, dead, or otherwise incapacitated his master(s) do not benefit from this but the contract remains in effect (he does not have to renew it upon being restored).
DRESSED TO THE NINES (EX)[]
A battle butler would never be caught dead in anything worth less than 20 gp (typically a courtier’s outfit). However, a battle butler has learned to derive greater benefits from clothing normally worn by the aristocracy. When wearing clothing (not armor) worth at least 20 gp, a battle butler adds 1 point of Charisma bonus (if any) per battle butler class level as an insight bonus to his Armor Class, certain outfits add to his effective class level for determining how much of their Charisma modifier they may add to their AC. The battle butler retains this bonus even if caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus. He may add more of his Charisma bonus then his level would otherwise permit by wearing more expensive clothing (see the table Dressed to the Nines below).
While such an outfit is worn by a battle butler they count as light armor (taking the appropriate item slot) and may be enchanted as such. Enhancement bonuses that normally improve the armor bonus of the armor instead improve the insight bonus they provide.
DRESSED TO THE NINES[]
| Outfit | Cost | ECL* |
|---|---|---|
| Attendant’s** | 20 gp | +2 |
| Courtier’s | 30 gp | +4 |
| Noble’s | 75 gp | +6 |
| Royal | 200 gp | +8 |
*Effective battle butler level for the purpose of determining the benefit of the dressed to the nines class feature.
**Attendant’s Outfit This is a black and white bespoke suit or dress made in the fashion of the day with additional pockets and accoutrements suited to the profession of a housekeeper or butler. It provides a +4 circumstance bonus on Profession (butler) checks made to earn a week’s salary. These same statistics may be used for a Dilettante’s outfit if you are using the Advanced Racial Guide.
TRICKS OF THE TRADE[]
At 1st level a battle butler gains abilities known as “tricks of the trade” that allow them to better perform household chores. At 1st level he may select a number of tricks of the trade equal to 4 + his Intelligence modifier (minimum +1). At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter he gains an additional 2. These are not particularly useful in combat, but add a bit of flair and wonderment to the way they serve. The vast majority of these abilities may only be used out of combat. A battle butler can not employ these while his service meter is at or below 5 (10 - 5).
(Tricks of the Trade can be found here)
SERVICE (EX)[]
A battle butler is mentally conditioned to be loyal and dedicated to whoever holds their contract. To reflect this, the battle butler has a service meter. When a battle butler’s service meter is high, he is a placid killer capable of extreme grace. However, should circumstances become dire and his charge is in danger- he explodes into a more savage and aggressive mental state, brought on by his years of mental conditioning.
This meter begins full at the beginning of combat at 10 points and resets to 10 one minute after combat ends. Each time his master, as defined by the master class feature, is successfully struck by an enemy’s attack and is dealt damage as a result this meter is lowered by 1 point. Any time an enemy who has struck his master is killed, the battle butler’s meter is restored 3 points. The battle butler must have had a hand in killing it (GM is the final arbiter).
A battle butler gains a morale bonus to damage rolls and either a morale bonus or penalty to critical confirmation rolls based on his service meter.
SERVICE METER[]
| Service Meter | Damage | Crit Confirms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | +0 | +4 | |
| 9 | +0 | +3 | |
| 8 | +1 | +2 | |
| 7 | +1 | +1 | |
| 6 | +2 | 0 | |
| 5 | +2 | 0 | Can’t use tricks of the trade at 5 or below. |
| 4 | +3 | -1 | No longer benefits from gentlemanly combat at 4 or below. |
| 3 | +3 | -1 | |
| 2 | +4 | -2 | |
| 1 | +4 | -2 | |
| 0 | +4 | -3 |
MENTAL CONDITIONING (EX)[]
At 1st level, the battle butler is immune to spells with the emotional descriptor while his service meter is at 10. At 5th level he is immune while he is between 10 and 5 and at 10th level he is always immune regardless of his service meter.
In addition, a battle butler’s mental conditioning disallows him from harming anyone who he has declared as his master or with whom he has entered into a contract of service. To do so requires that he makes a Will save (DC 10 + battle butler level) and, after he does so, he is shaken for 1d4 rounds. He need only make this Will save once per creature. If he causes harm to come to a creature of his own free will, he may never enter into a contract or declare that creature as their master again.
GENTLEMANLY COMBAT (EX)[]
Starting at 2nd level a battle butler’s skill in a specialized art of combat begins to shine. They practice an art that is derived from ancient gentlemanly dueling methods mixed with the precision of an assassin. When wielding a weapon from battle butler weapon group he may always apply his Dexterity modifier to both his attack and damage rolls if it is higher than his Strength modifier while his service meter is at or above 4 (10 - 5). The battle butler does not reduce this bonus for off hand weapons, but does not increase it for weapons wielded in 2 hands
| Butler Weapon Group:
Rapier, dagger, walking cane, umbrella, wide-brimmed hat (thrown), pen/quill, broom, cutlery, servant’s glove, serving platter, unarmed strikes, sword cane, and all firearms. |
UNSEEN SERVANT (SP)[]
At 2nd level, a battle butler gains a formless servant to help him in their chores and duties. This functions as per an unseen servant spell with an unlimited duration and it takes a full round to conjure the servant. The battle butler may only have 1 unseen servant at a time from this class feature. All unseen servants under his command are destroyed after 1 hour if the battle butler is rendered unconscious.
At 13th level, a battle butler can summon a fleet of unseen servants. When he conjures his unseen servant, he instead conjures a number equal to 1/2 his battle buttler level (minimum 1). He may only have a number of unseen servants at a time equal to 1/2 his battle butler level from this class feature.
BLOODY BUTLER (EX)[]
At 3rd level, the battle butler doubles the critical threat range of weapons he wields or fires (as though he possessed the feat Improved Critical, this does not allow him to qualify for feats with that feat as a prerequisite) while adjacent to, or flanking with, his master and while his service meter is between 10 and 7. If his service meter is between 6 and 4, the critical threat range is increased by 1 (20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 18-20, 18-20 becomes 17-20), this does not stack with other abilities that increase his critical threat range. If his service meter is lower than 4 he derives no benefit from this class feature.
BONUS FEAT (EX)[]
At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter a battle butler gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats.
RESTORE CONDITIONING (EX)[]
At 4th level, the battle butler can restore his calm composure as a move equivalent action. He regains 4 points on his service meter. This typically involves him tidying himself up by doing something like slicking his hair back, adjusting his necktie, fixing the cut of his suit, or seeing to his deportment or regaining his elan, composure or general esprit de corps. This kind of physical reminder helps reset his mental conditioning.
UNGENTLEMANLY CONDUCT (EX)[]
At 6th level, the battle butler gains the ability to productively channel the savagery triggered by his his mental conditioning. When taking a full attack action, he may make one additional attack at his highest BAB when adjacent to his master and while his service meter is between 0 and 3.
SERVING TWO MASTERS[]
At 8th level, the battle butler can maintain two masters at a time. At 12th level he may maintain 3, 4 at 16th level, and 5 at 20th level. This still only consumes a single use of his contract class feature.
YOU RANG? (SU)[]
At 9th level, battle butler may teleport as a move action to an unoccupied square adjacent to an ally so long as that ally is within 30 ft + 10 feet per battle butler level. He may do this at will, provided his service meter is between 10 and 7. The battle butler must have line of sight to the square.
INFLUENCING CONDITIONING (EX)[]
At 14th level, the battle butler can control their own conditioning to a degree. At the start of combat they may select to set their service meter to 1 or 10.
PRIM AND PROPER (EX)[]
At 15th level, a battle butler and his master (or masters) becomes immune to mind affecting effects while his service meter is between 10 and 5 (at 4 or below the immunity does not function). The battle butler and his master may decide on a case by case basis, as a free action, to allow certain effects through.
CONTROL CONDITIONING (EX)[]
At 17th level, the battle butler gains a finer degree of control over their own mental conditioning. At the start of combat they may select what value on their service meter they begin at.
STIFF UPPER LIP (EX)[]
The determination and zeal with which the battle butler fights when his master has been injured reaches a level of pure mastery- affording the battle butler almost supernatural grace and savagery when his mental programing is triggered. At 18th level, the morale bonus to damage gained by the battle butler from his service meter is doubled (a +4 becomes a +8).
LORD'S RIGHT HAND (EX)[]
At 20th level, enemy creatures cannot willingly enter a square adjacent to any of the masters of a battle butler unless it succeeds a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 battle butler level + Charisma modifier). Furthermore, enemies adjacent to a butler’s master provoke attacks of opportunity from the battle butler for attacking.