The Flyter is effectively a ranged fighter with some support abilities. The abilities still need some rejiggering, but the idea is that an intelligently played Flyter can take advantage of both long battles and manipulate the flow of non-combat encounters. While it’s phrased as a spoken word class, it can be recast as a musical class without much trouble. As it stands, I think it works well as a counter to the Damsel, since a Flyter can engage without the damsel’s favored being able to respond.

Hit Die: d6

4 + Int skill points

Skills

Awareness, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge, Perform, Profession, Use Rope

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

The Flyter is proficient with Simple Weapons, Light and Medium Armor, and Bucklers.

 

level	BAM	Fort	Ref	Will	Special					Put-Down Damage
1	1	0	0	2	Scan, Put-Down, Momentum		1d6
2	2	0	0	3	Smack Talk				1d6
3	3	1	1	3	Dangerous Ideas, Poison Pen	        1d6
4	4	1	1	4	Garb					1d8
5	5	1	1	4	Powerful Words			        1d8
6	6/1	2	2	5	Smack Down				1d8

Abilities

Scan

A Flyter who cannot read her opponent is not a Flyter. Beginning at first level, Flyters may take a standard action to attempt to “read” their opponent’s vulnerabilities and strengths. Make an Awareness check (DC 10 + target’s HD); on a success, the Flyter is able to discern a single opponent’s resistances and vulnerabilities, as well as the nature of any damage reduction it might possess.

If a Flyter takes a full minute to study a target, she can make a second check to discern elements of the target’s personality which can be used to manipulate them.

Put-Down

The bread-and-butter of the Flyter’s existence, this ability proves that sticks and stones can break bones, but words can at least sting. Starting at first level, the Flyter may deal non-lethal damage through their barbs and jabs instead of attacking normally. To make this attack, the Flyter picks a target she can see who can hear her, and makes an attack roll against that target’s normal AC, using her Intelligence to modify the attack roll. On a successful hit, the put-down deals non-lethal damage equal to the value shown on the table above, plus the Flyter’s Intelligence modifier.

Put-downs can be slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage, and the Flyter may choose to change the damage type as a swift action on her turn.

SIDEBAR: Words can hurt me?
At first blush, the Put-Down ability seems a little strange. Not only is does it deal actual damage, but it also is affected by armor. However, the important thing to remember is that HP is meant to be an abstraction of a character’s fighting resolve and ability to continue combat. A Flyter does not target the body, but the mind and spirit. Still, by the rules this ability can render a target unconscious, so if a group prefers, a Flyter “knocking” someone out can be interpreted not as true unconsciousness, but instead as leaving the target of the Flyter’s forked tongue in a state of near catatonic emotional distress. By that same token, a character who is well armored (or at least highly evasive) is likely to have the self-confidence to shrug off at least some of a Flyter’s efforts, and thus requires more effort and luck to really have something sink in and rattle around.

Momentum

Once a Flyter gets into a groove, her verbal assault can become relentless. For every consecutive, successful Put-Down the Flyter delivers, she gains +1 to her attack rolls, so long as she continues scoring successful Put-Downs. This bonus is capped by the character’s Flyter level (limited to +1 at 1st, +2 at 2nd, and so on). She does not have to score these hits on the same target.

Smack Talk

A Flyter is an expert at psychological manipulation, and over time learns to apply those principles to larger groups. Beginning at 2nd level, as a standard action, a Flyter may designate a group of people within 30 feet of her and unleash a verbal torrent to either build them up or shove them down. Smack talking imposes a bonus or penalty equal to half the Flyter’s level (rounded down). Resisting this effect requires a Will save equal to 10 + half the Flyter’s level + the Flyter’s Intelligence modifier + whatever Momentum the Flyter has.

This adjustment is made to either the targets’ BAM, a specific saving throw, or the skills based on a specific attribute (for example, targeting Dexterity would affect Agility, Stealth, and Use Rope). Sustaining this verbal barrage requires the Flyter to take a standard action every other round, but can be kept up indefinitely so long as a least one original target remains in range. If the Flyter changes either the targets or effect of this ability, anyone still affected is entitled to a new saving throw.

Poison Pen

A Flyter’s words carry enough weight to even have an effect in print. Upon reaching 3rd level, a Flyter may make a Put-Down or Smack Talk attempt via a written message. The attack roll for the Put-Down must be made at the time of writing, while the saving throw against Smack Talk (and Powerful Words, once acquired) is made at the time of reading. Momentum may not be applied to either use, but any penalties, bonuses, or conditions applied last ten minutes per Flyter level. Damage is healed as normal.

The effects of Poison Pen only apply the first time a given subject reads the text, regardless of whether or not they are affected.

Dangerous Ideas

While a Flyter’s words can come across as a punch to the gut, a stab through the chest, or a cut to the bone, advanced Flyters understand that words can do so much more. Beginning at 3rd level, a Flyter may change the damage type of a Put-Down to Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid, or Sonic damage, in addition to the damage types normally available. A Put-Down may only deal one kind of damage, but a Flyter may freely change damage types for each attack.

Garb

A Flyter learns to manipulate others through non-verbal cues as well as verbal ones. At 4th level, an unarmored Flyter learns how to dress in a way to best enhance her social skills. At the beginning of the day, pick between Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate. For the rest of the day, the Flyter gains a bonus equal to the bonus granted by her Smack Talk ability in that skill, so long as she is unarmored. Changing the affected ability requires 10 minutes.

Powerful Words

Words can do more than just bruise the ego in the Flyter’s hands. Starting at 5th level, whenever a Flyter connects with a Put-Down, she may choose to forego damage in order to attempt to inflict a condition on her target. The Flyter may attempt to Charm, Confuse, Fascinate, Shake, or Sicken her target. The Sickened effect is a Fortitude save, while all others are Will saves. Regardless of the specific effect, the DC for the saving throw is equal to 10 + ½ the Flyter’s level + the Flyter’s Intelligence Modifier + her momentum bonus (if any).
Effects last for one round, however the Flyter can use a full round action to maintain the effect for a number of rounds up to the Flyter’s level.
Using Powerful Words is considered an interruption to Momentum gain.

Smack Down

Standing at the top of her craft, the Flyter realizes that sometimes, the same audience can hear more than one message. At 6th level, the Flyter is able to initiate and maintain two Smack Talking sessions at once, targeting either different groups or the same group for both. She may also choose to start a second session any time she uses an action to maintain the first one.
This ability also applies to Poison Pen usage.