Vanguard

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Vanguards are battlefield commanders who focus on the brutality of combat and lead their allies to bloody victory. Quick to react to danger, a vanguard is a valuable scout, capable officer, and skilled tactician.

- Pathfinder Advanced Class Guide

  In Renedge, vanguards play as a variant of the ranger class. They lose the free Tracking NWP, spellcasting, animal empathy, and favored enemy, but in exchange their stealth thieving skills can be used in any terrain and they gain the Sneak Attack, Studied Target, and Vanguard's Bond abilities.  

Studied Target

The vanguard can study an opponent for weaknesses as a move action. The vanguard subsequently gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks and related proficiencies against that opponent, as well as a +1 to hit and damage rolls against it. A vanguard can only maintain these bonuses against one target at a time; they remain in effect until the target dies or the vanguard studies a new target.   If a vanguard successfully deals Sneak Attack damage to an opponent, they may choose to study that target as an immediate action, allowing them apply the Studied Target bonuses to that damage roll and to subsequent attacks.   At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, the bonuses to hit, damage, and on skill checks increase by 1, and the vanguard is able to maintain the bonuses against one additional target at a time. They may choose to discard their study of a given target as a free action.   At 7th level, a vanguard may study a target as a move action or a swift action.  

Sneak Attack

Much like thieves, vanguards are skilled at taking advantage of an opponent's distraction to strike a critical blow. Where thieves focus on applying a sudden, fatal strike on an unaware opponent, however, vanguards are frontline combatants, and so they have had to adopt a more opportunistic approach.   Starting at 3rd level, anytime a vanguard flanks their target or the target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target has such a bonus or not), the slayer may target a vital spot for extra damage. This bonus damage is 1d6 at 3rd level and increases by 1d6 every 3 levels thereafter. This damage is not multiplied by a critical hit. Ranged attacks may only count as sneak attacks if their target is within 30 feet.   When wielding a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (i.e. a sap), a slayer can use that weapon to make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. A weapon that does lethal damage can never be used to make a sneak attack for nonlethal damage; targeting a vital point with a dagger isn't going to help much if you're pulling your strike at the same time!   Sneak attacks depend on the vanguard's ability to observe the target and identify and reach a vital spot. As such, a vanguard cannot use a sneak attack against a creature with concealment.  

Vanguard's Bond

Starting at 4th level, a vanguard may relay a portion of their observations to their allies. As a move action, they may choose one of their studied targets and share half their Studied Target bonus against that target with all allies within 30 feet who can see and hear them. This bonus lasts one round for every 2 points of the vanguard's Intelligence score above 10 (minimum 1 round). The bonus does not stack with other Studied Target or favored enemy bonuses possessed by allies; they use whichever is higher.