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The self-proclaimed masters of sky and sea, the windwright captains are the finest pilots of airships and wind galleons on Eberron.

Requirements

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the short sword and the rapier, but not with any armor or shield.

Spellcasting/Infusions: At each odd-numbered level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

Alternatively, you gain new infusions per day as if you had gained a level in an infusion-imbuing class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

If you are capable of both casting arcane spells and imbuing infusions, or if you had more than one arcane spellcasting or infusion-imbuing class before becoming a windwright captain, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known, or for determining infusions per day.

Dragonmark Control (Ex): Levels in the windwright captain prestige class count as levels in the dragonmark heir prestige class when determining the caster level for the spell-like abilities of your dragonmarks.

Master Pilot (Ex): You are the undisputed master of controlling vehicles powered by bound elementals. While piloting such vessels, you can add your windwright captain class level to your Profession (sailor) checks.

Shipboard Fighter (Ex): At 1st level and beyond, you can take 10 on Balance and Climb checks even if threatened and distracted. You also do not lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class when balancing or climbing.

Acquire Ship: The elders of House Lyrandar know that a truly skilled pilot can earn more gold taking private commissions than ferrying cargo and passengers back and forth along established fare routes. Starting at 2nd level, the house agrees to lend you a standard airship or wind galleon (your choice) for your indefinite use. Enough House Lyrandar crew members to properly operate the chosen vessel are also provided, each a half-elf expert 1 with maximum ranks in Profession (sailor).

As long as you remain in good standing with House Lyrandar, you can use this vessel as you see fit with one notable condition: one-fifth of your gross income from the use of the ship must be tithed back to Lyrandar, including any treasure retrieved during explorations for which the ship was utilized. If the house has reason to believe this tithe is not being paid, they are within their rights to ask that the ship be returned to them— perhaps even going so far as to send an armed retrieval squad to repossess the vessel (and any tithes owed) in the middle of the night.

At any time after acquiring the ship, you can purchase it outright for the standard airship cost of 92,000 gp. Doing so voids your need to tithe further to Lyrandar's coffers, but also causes the house to begin charging fees for the use of the crew.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you cannot be caught flat-footed and react to danger before your senses would normally allow you to do so. See the barbarian class feature, Player's Handbook page 26.

Rebuke Elementals (Su): Choose one type of elemental bound by House Lyrandar ships (either air or fire). At 3rd level, you gain the ability to rebuke, command, or bolster elementals of that type, as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Use your character level in place of your cleric level when determining how many Hit Dice of elementals you can affect with this ability. See Turn or Rebuke Undead, page 159 of the Player's Handbook.

Bound elementals under your command through a wheel of wind and water, lesser shipbond, or greater shipbond abilities do not count toward the total Hit Dice of elementals commanded.

Lesser Shipbond (Su): At 4th level, you can forge a magical bond with a single vessel powered by a bound elemental. This process requires raw materials with a cost equal to 1/25 of the vessel's value (3,680 gp for a standard airship, 2,560 gp for a wind galleon). You must also expend experience points equal to 1/10 of the vessel's value (9,200 XP for an airship, 6,400 XP for a wind galleon), and spend a full day of uninterrupted meditation to complete the bonding process.

Once the lesser shipbond is established, it grants you several benefits with regard to that specific vessel.

You no longer require a wheel of wind and water to use your dragonmark to control the bound elemental. You can telepathically communicate with it without standing at the helm, allowing you to give it orders from anywhere aboard the ship as a move action.

The vessel's top speed increases by +20 feet while you are at the helm, giving a standard airship or wind galleon a speed of 24 miles per hour overland (or 576 miles per day). This increase is an enhancement bonus.

The elemental acknowledges and accepts your dominance of it, becoming a trusted ally and friend to you. As long as you are on board the ship, it can initiate telepathic contact with you should it desire. It also offers advice when it can and warns you of any approaching danger, even if you are not at the helm.

At the same time, the elemental becomes even more resistant to accepting orders from others. Anyone other than you or your cohort (if you have one) who attempts to control the elemental without benefit of a dragonmark takes a —8 penalty on their Charisma check. Even a dragonmark heir using a wheel of wind and water must succeed on a Charisma check to control the ship. The elemental also gains a +4 circumstance bonus on its saving throw to resist any spell or infusion that would grant control over it to anyone other than you (see Controlling a Bound Elemental, page 25).

You can have a lesser shipbond with only one vessel at a time. If the vessel is destroyed (or if you wish to revoke the shipbond so that you might bond with a different vessel), you must make a DC 15 Fortitude save. Failure means you lose 200 XP per windwright captain level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount.

Greater Shipbond (Su): At 5th level, your bond to your chosen ship increases in power. You can now telepathically communicate with your vessel's bound elemental at any range, up to 1 mile per point of your Charisma bonus. You can even order the elemental to begin moving the ship while you are not aboard, though the elemental's piloting skills are inferior to your own. Use the elemental's Profession (sailor) check (usually +0) instead of yours if you are not aboard. If you are aboard the vessel, you and it act almost as one, allowing you to command it as a free action instead of a move action.

Advancement