Amazon

Amazons are a race of warrior-women from Greco-Roman myths. Though they only appear in a handful of myths, they have stuck in the imagination of nerds everywhere due to the strange fondness /tg/ has for aggressive, take-charge women who can kick major ass.

The Amazons are believed to have been inspired in real life be Grecian encounters with the Scythians, nomadic tribes of horseback archers who often included female archers and even full-fledged warriors in their ranks, something highly exotic to the very patriarchal Greeks and even more patriarchal Romans who shamelessly stole most of the Grecian culture for themselves in later years.

Amazons appear all over the place in fantasy, and even science fiction, with their treatment varying widely, often in response to how grimdark their setting is. They may be just a human tribe, they may have advanced magic and/or technology, or they may be borderline monstergirls with supernatural prowess elevating them above men. Likewise, they may allow men to share their territory but women are clearly in charge (or at least do the fighting), they may enslave men, they may just not let men get anywhere near them on a permanent basis. They may even be a one-gender race, to emphasize their inhumanity.

Amazons often show up as a female warrior class in RPGs, especially Japanese ones. They may have either a ranged focus (the mythical Amazons were said to be expert archers), or they may be powerful melee fighters.

Dungeons & Dragons

Aside from being an obvious culture to include in a magical realm, Amazons have had several encounters with Dungeons & Dragons.

Way back in Greyhawk Adventures, Amazons were actually statted up as a unique monster race, essentially treated as a culture of female human, elven, dwarven, gnomic or halfling barbarians. They can be seen here, if you're feeling curious or nostalgic: http://www.lomion.de/cmm/humaamaz.php

Mongoose Publishing includes an Amazons book as part of their notorious Slayers Guide To X series, with the usual somewhat dodgy quality.

Assorted Kits throughout AD&D have touched upon the Amazon archetype, making playable versions of the aforementioned Greyhawkian Amazons.

Amazon Class

Diablo II: Diablerie, a Wizards of the Coast cash-in for Diablo II, includes the Amazon class as part of the five translations of the base game's classes. It's a ranged specialist fighting class, favoring the use of bows and spears, and designed to reach level 25, with the following traits.

Chief Ability Scores: Dexterity (primary), Wisdom and Charisma

Hit Die: D10

Class Skills: Craft (Any, Bowyer, Fletcher), Disable Device, Heal, Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Wilderness Lore

Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier, multiplied by 4 for the first level

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: All weapons, all armor, shields

Saves: Good Fortitude save, poor Wisdom and Reflex

Attacks: 2 attacks at level six, 3 attacks at level eleven, 4 attacks at level sixteen, 5 attacks at level twenty-one, 6 attacks at level 25

Attack Bonus: Great (primary attack bonus equals Amazon levels)

Feats: It gains 9 feats between levels 1 and 24

Ability Increase: +1 Ability score every 4 levels

The Amazon's key class features are its ability to select Amazon Abilities. Starting at level 1, it gets one ability each level, except when it gains an Ability Increase. The level after it gains an ability increase, it gains access to the next tier of Amazon Abilities - so Tier 2 at level 5, Tier 3 at level 9, etc. There are six tiers of Amazon Abilities all told. Abilities marked with an * require an Amazon to make a Charisma check (DC 15 + tier number); if this check fails, the Amazon cannot use that ability for the rest of the day, or until they drink a mana potion, which restores use until the next time they fail a Charisma check.

Tier 1 Abilities

Critical Strike: Gain the Improved Critical feat for free.

Fire Arrow*: Take a full-round action to shoot burning (+1d6 fire damage) arrows, one for each ranged attack that you can make.

Inner Sight: +2 Circumstance bonus to spot creatures in darkened conditions. If you succeed in spotting such creatures, you can't be Sneak Attacked by them, you can't be caught Flat Footed by them, and you get +2 attack bonus if you attack them from 30 feet or less.

Jab: Whilst wielding a Piercing damage melee weapon, you can spend a full-round action to make three attacks.

Magic Arrow*: Spend a full round action to shoot a number of +1 arrows, one for each ranged attack that you can make.

Tier 2 Abilities

Cold Arrow*: Take a full-round action to shoot freezing (+1d6 cold damage, Fort save or be Slowed for 1d3 rounds) arrows, one for each ranged attack that you can make.

Dodge Attacks: Spend a full-round action and forfeit attacking or moving more than 5 feet to get a +4 dodge bonus to AC vs. melee attacks, and to ignore "half damage on successful Reflex save" effects if you pass the Reflex save.

Multiple Shot*: Spend a full round action to shoot a number of splitting arrows (make attack rolls against 3 targets per arrow), one for each ranged attack that you can make.

Poison Javelin*: Take a full round action to throw a javelin imbued with magical venom; a target hit must pass a Fort save or take temporary Constitution damage, enemies within 5 feet of the javelin's flight path also risk taking Con damage.

Power Strike*: Requires the Jab ability. Lets you spend a full round action to deal (+1d8/5 levels) lightning damage with your melee weapon.

Tier 3 Abilities

Avoid: Requires the Dodge Attacks ability. Gives you the Deflect Arrows feat for free.

Bolt of Lightning*: Requires the Poison Javelin ability. Lets you spend a full round action to throw a javelin and turn it into a lightning bolt that deals 2d10 lightning damage.

Exploding Arrow*: Requires the Fire Arrow and Multiple Shot abilities. Spend a full round action to shoot an exploding arrow that deals (1d6/2 levels) damage to the target and all creatures within 15 feet of the target.

Impale: You can choose to deal +2d6 damage with a melee piercing weapon at the cost of inflicting 2 points of Durability damage on your weapon.

Slow Missiles*: Spend a full-round action to project an aura that slows all projectiles and thrown weapons aimed within 30 feet of you. You and allies within the aura gain +4 dodge bonus against ranged attacks, and enchanted missiles lose their power - this extinguishes missile spells and nullifies the special effects of fire arrows, acid arrows, etc.

Tier 4 Abilities

Charged Strike*: Requires the Power Strike and Bolt of Lightning abilities. Spend a full-round action to strike a target with a melee piercing weapon, inflicting +2d8 lightning damage and casting a singled Charged Bolt spell, which targets all enemies near the initial target.

Guided Arrow*: Requires the Cold Arrow and Multiple Shot abilities. Spend a full-round action to launch an arrow that can be used to hit any single target in range, even to the extent of going around corners.

Ice Arrow*: Requires the Cold Arrow ability. Take a full-round action to shoot an ice (+2d6 cold damage, Fort save or be Paralyzed for 1d3 rounds) arrow.

Penetrate*: Requires the Critical Strike ability. You reduce the AC of your targets when using Ranged weapons by -1 per 5 levels you have.

Plague Javelin*: Requires the Bolt of Lightning ability. As per Poison Javelin, but creates a 15ft cloud of poisonous fumes that lasts until the end of your next turn at the point of impact.

Tier 5 Abilities

Decoy*: Requires the Slow Missiles ability. You can use a full-round action to create a magical duplicate of yourself, forcing enemies to make a Will save or attack it in preference to you. A decoy lasts 1 round per three levels.

Evade: In turns where you don't attack, you get a +4 dodge bonus to AC and can completely ignore damage from "half damage on successful Reflex save" attacks if you pass your save.

Fend: Requires the Impale ability. You gain the Great Cleave feat for free.

Immolation Arrow*: Requires the Exploding Arrow ability. You can spend a full-round action to launch a powerful explosive arrow, which inflicts +4d6 fire damage to the initial target and (1d6/2 levels) fire damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the initial target. The crater continues to burn (2d6 fire damage to anyone inside) for 1d4+1 rounds afterwards.

Strafe: Requires the Guided Arrow ability. You can fire a single arrow at every foe within close range each round.

Tier 6 Abilities

Freezing Arrow*: Requires the Ice Arrow ability. You can use a full-round action to launch a single frigid arrow; +4d6 cold damage to initial target, and initial target and all creatures within 15 feet must make a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d3 rounds. Paralyzed creatures must pass a Fort save each round or take 2d6 cold damage.

Lightning Fury*: Requires the Plague Javelin ability. You can spend a partial action to throw a javelin, hitting the target with a half-strength Chain Lightning spell.

Lightning Strike*: Requires the Charged Strike ability. You can spend a full-round action to stab a foe in melee with a javelin and trigger a half-strength Chain Lightning spell.

Pierce: Requires the Penetrate ability. When you use a ranged attack, you can punch clean through multiple foes.

Valkyrie: Requires the Decoy and Evade abilities. You can summon a valkyrie to fight beside you once per day.