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=Champion Template=

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cor_gallery/89548.jpg

A '''champion''' is a general, a leader, or some kind of creature intended to be a difficult challenge. This template is designed to be easily applicable on the fly but still significantly increase the creature's durability and moderately enhance its power. The fate point system is intended to prevent individual attacks from single-handedly taking out the champion, but still allow those attacks to cause lasting harm. Boss creatures with this template applied should be much more difficult for the PCs to defeat in the opening rounds of combat, preventing anticlimactic combats in which the boss is knocked out by one bad roll on a ''glitterdust''.

And yes, a lot of this was indeed stolen from [[D20r:Elite Creature]]. The biggest change here is the addition of Favored by Destiny, which, combined with a few minor tweaks all around, ultimately brought this up to CR +2 instead of +1. While any bandit leader or hobgoblin sergeant might potentially be considered '''elite''', the '''champion''' template is meant to be saved for at least a recurring villain or an adventure miniboss, if not the BBEG himself.

==Creating a Champion==

'''Champion''' is an acquired template that can be applied to any creature.

'''Size and Type'''
:Does not change.

'''Hit Dice'''
:Champions gain an additional +2 hit points per HD.

'''Speed'''
:The champion gets a +10 ft bonus to all movement speeds.

'''Armor Class'''
:Champions get a +3 natural armor bonus to AC, which stacks with its existing natural armor. Incorporeal champions get a deflection bonus instead (which stacks with its existing deflection bonus).

'''Attacks'''
:The champion's attack bonus does not change.

'''Damage'''
:The champion's damage bonus does not change.

'''Special Attacks'''
:The champion gains no forms of special attack.

'''Special Qualities'''
:The champion gains the following special qualities:

:''Momentum (Ex)'':
::The champion increases its initiative score (not its modifier) by 2 at the end of each of its turns. This may alter its place in the initiative order: if so, it acts at its new placement. This bonus dissipates at the end of combat.

:''Favored by Destiny (Ex)'': 
::At the beginning of each encounter, a champion gains a number of fate points equal to half its CR (min 1). It can spend these points in the following manners:
::*As an immediate action, a champion can spend a fate point to gain a luck bonus to AC equal to half its CR against one attack. It may decide to do this after seeing whether the attack would hit.
::*As an immediate action, a champion can spend a fate point to reroll a saving throw, gaining a luck bonus to this reroll equal to half its CR. It may decide to reroll after seeing whether it would fail the original roll.
::*As a swift action, a champion can spend a fate point to take an additional move action.
::*As a free action taken once per round (even if it's not the champion's turn), a champion can spend two fate points to take an additional swift or immediate action.
::*As a swift action, a champion can spend three fate points to take an additional standard action.
::*If a champion would fall under a negative condition or effect due to a spell or ability, it can attempt to negate it. This works as the ''iron heart surge'' maneuver, except it's an immediate action, requires two fate points, and can prevent an effect from even starting (so it is effective against effects like ''dominate person''). It is subject to all the same common sense issues as ''iron heart surge'' (so if you're not going to allow surging away the strong nuclear force, don't allow it for this either).

'''Saves'''
:The champion gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws.

'''Abilities'''
:The champion gains a +4 bonus to two ability scores and a +2 bonus to two more. This may alter attack bonuses, saving throws, Hit Points, ability DCs, and similar as normal.

'''Skills'''
:The champion gains Listen and Spot as class skills. It gets a luck bonus to Listen and Spot checks equal to half its CR.

'''Feats'''
:The champion gains a bonus feat, plus an additional one per five CR it has (so 2 bonus feats at CR 5, 3 bonus feats at CR 10, etc).

'''Alignment'''
:Does not change.

'''Advancement'''
:As normal.

'''CR'''
:Normal creature's CR + 2

'''LA'''
:This template is not intended for player use.