Pact Mage PrC[3.5]

[Kyto]

Hello all. I was designing a villain and plot for a game I wanted to run, and I thought it would be fun to try and turn it into a prestige class. Why? Well, first I wanted to give the big bad guy a clear set of rules. And second, I thought "What if an evil force manages to tempt a player with the same power?"

Now, I've never made a PrC before, so I would love to get some opinions and help, both on power level of the class and on clearing up the writing to make it easier to understand. Note that if this PrC is a little over powered, that is fine. It is a boss, after all. I just want to avoid crazy overpowered. Or, if for some bizarre it is underpowered, that would be nice to know. So, here it is:

Pact Mage

Requirements
Alignment: Any
Feats: One meta-magic feat.
Arcane Caster Level: 5th
Special: Form a Pact of Suffering with a demon.

Skills: Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (Arcana), Profession, Spellcraft
Skills points: 2 + Int modifier

Base Attack: Poor
HD: 1d4
Fort: Poor
Ref: Poor
Will: Good

Abilities
Alignment: If the character has an alignment that is the same as the fiend that the Pact of Suffering was made with, this can be ignored. Otherwise, the character must obey an order from the fiend at periodic times. This will generally be an act that aids the agenda of the fiend. Once the Pact Mage's alignment reaches that of the fiend, orders will no longer be given. If the character's alignment changes again, the orders will begin again. Failure to complete these orders may result in the loss of all special abilities gained through the Pact Mage prestige class.

Spells: A Pact Mage gains new spells and spells per level as if they were their normal class.

Pact of Suffering: The Pact Mage forms a pact with a fiend to attain this class. The pact states that the character will listen to the fiend and do it's bidding. It return, the Pact Mage gains augmented magical powers. Each level, the Pact Mage may assign one meta-magic feat to a spell he knows of a spell-level equal to the character's Pact Mage level or lower (at level 10, he may pick any spell 9th level or lower). This meta-magic feat is now applied to that spell always, at the base spell-slot level.

To attain this meta-magic feat ability, the player must torture and kill a sentient creature in a manner similar to the effect of the spell. This creature's soul is then sent to a never-ending nightmare in a plane of hell. If this soul is freed, the character will lose the associated meta-magic feat until a replacement soul is found and killed in a similar fashion.

Souless Immortality: At 10th level, the character gains the fiend template. Additionally, if killed, he will come back to life at the cost of the destruction of a soul of his choice that he has bound with the Pact of Suffering. This meta-magic feat cannot be regained by finding a replacement soul as usual.

Thanks for reading. Any help or criticism is greatly appreciated.

[Andion Isurand]

Looks like you're still working on it.

You forgot to list the hit dice.

Saving throws are either good or poor.

I'd make this class pertain to all fiends (LE, NE & CE) who trade in souls.

Torturing and murdering people for power is going to have its own effect on alignment, so i dont think you nessecarily have to force an alignment change after you've already begun the dreaded tasks.

I would list the condemnation of a soul in service to a fiend with whom you have formed the Pact of Suffering... in the "Special" requirements for the class... along with the alignement requirements nessecary for someone to make that kind of offering.

[Kyto]

Thank you Andion. I added and change things as you listed. I don't want to add a specific alignment requirement to this PrC, though, as the idea of a good person slowing succumbing to the fiend is part of the appeal for me.

Do you think the entire bit about needing to follow the demands of the fiend until your alignments are the same could be scrapped, what with the torturing and murdering requirement of the pact?

Is the meta-magic benefit of this class too powerful, or not powerful enough? How does it compare to other strong arcane prestige classes?

[Andion Isurand]

Thing is, I dont see alignement changing as long as you cotinue to condemn souls to your patron fiend.

If you make that act part of the requirements for the class, and the means by which its abilities are fueled, then alignment will surely follow.