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ErrantX
2011-04-19, 02:02 AM
Margrave of the Black Gate


http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii99/lythonv66/Dark_Paladin_by_88grzes.jpg
Marquis Auros Fochlor, a margrave of the Black Gate

For some, the call of the damned is answered not by choice, but by twisted circumstance. These forbidden scholars and pact binders called forth to the void and one from the void answered with simple truths about living and dying. Taking these secrets to heart, pacts were made in the dark of night in blood and the powers of dying were given to the living. This voice promises great spiritual powers to the soul who would make a permanent home within their soul; all that need happen is the binder volunteer his body as a new home. Binding their fates to this voice, the voice of the once-godly hand Ahriman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195639), they open a yawning chasm within their soul.

This pact creates within their soul a door into the darkness, the Black Gate, and through this gate does their power flow with the force of their damnation. By forcing Ahriman to open the borderland of its living host’s soul and the bleak eternity of the netherworld, the host’s soul is wracked with agonies that generate new strength for those who willing to risk their sanity for this power. As they delve deeper into this power, Ahriman’ resolve gets stronger and stronger as it devours the form of its tormented host during its stand at the Gate. The host struggles, attempting to desperately hold on to their humanity and sanity as the Black Gate opens more and more within their soul. To do so, the binder must learn to bind his soul to objects known as 'fetters', items that will hold his soul to the world against the inexorable pull of the void.

These men and women are known as Margraves of the Black Gate, an ancient term for border-lords and guardians, these men and women all hail from multiclass binders and ebon initiates (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163297) or warlocks who have made a pact with Ahriman. Some margraves may multiclass as knights or crusaders as well, but this considerably rarer, for more martial prowess and the honor-bound traditions of their infamous kind.
Hit Die: d8

Requirements:
Alignment: Any non-chaotic non-good
Skills: Knowledge (the Planes) 8 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks
Feats: Death Pact or Dark Communion (see below), Favored Ahriman (Ahriman)
Invocations: Must possess at least one lesser invocation.
Special: Margraves must possess the soul binding class feature with the ability to bind Ahriman, the Darkness Beyond the Gate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195639), and either the Netherchannel (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163297) or eldritch blast class feature.

Margrave of the Black Gate

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii99/lythonv66/Margrave_zpseddd6229.png (http://s262.photobucket.com/user/lythonv66/media/Margrave_zpseddd6229.png.html)

Skills: Margraves of the Black Gate have access to the following skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The margrave of the Black Gate gains longsword and shortsword proficiencies and gains proficiency in heavy armor.

Invocations: At each level but 1st level, the margrave of the Black Gate gains new invocations known and an increase in caster level as if he had also gained a level in an invocation-using class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level; this does not improve the character's other class features or their ability to use eldritch blast or netherchannel. If the character had more than one invocation-using class before becoming a margrave of the Black Gate, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining caster level and invocations known.

Darkness at the Gate: The Black Gate that opens at the borders of the margrave’s soul is where his connection to Ahriman resides; just beyond the threshold of his soul lays his conduit to the netherworld and the source of his new unholy strength. As the margrave continues to advance in this class, Ahriman begins to pass slowly through the Black Gate itself and draws the mind and soul of the margrave ever closer to the yawning oblivion beyond. The margrave is always considered to be bound to Ahriman, always manifests the vestige’s sign, and this eternal bondage to Ahriman does not count against the number of vestiges he may bind simultaneously. Every day upon wakening, the margrave may make a binding check to see if he is under the influence of the vestige. In addition, this connection to Ahriman aids the margrave with his innate powers; the character's eldritch blast, fiendish resilience and damage reduction or his netherchannel and shroud of death class features continue to advance by taking levels of this class.

Torment (Su): With the opening of the Black Gate within the soul of the margrave, Ahriman stands twixt the living host and the emptiness of the netherworld. While it stands in this place, it subjects itself to its own sadomasochistic nature and writhes in gloriously blissful agony of existing when it should not be. This pain draws up power that Ahriman offers to the margrave. These gifts come in the form of Arcanois; abilities that follow rules similar to invocations. The use of Arcanoi, however, has a cost.

There is a price for such black generosity from the Darkness Beyond the Gate, and it comes in the form of Torment. Each Arcanoi used from Ahriman generates 1 point of torment that when Ahriman is overwhelmed by this force, he subjects the margrave to these agonies. Additionally, the margrave naturally generates torment simply by existing, gaining a point of torment per day. The character must keep track of his torment score, as Ahriman uses this as additional power.

By gaining a point of torment, the margrave is said to be 'provoking Ahriman'. When provoked, Ahriman may force the margrave to feel the cold sting of non-existence, causing the character to make a Will save DC 15 +1 for every point of torment that Ahriman possesses. If the character fails this Will save, then he becomes sickened for one round per two torment the character possesses (minimum of one round). If the character's torment score exceeds his Charisma score, then the margrave experiences a harrowing, where the pain of merging the non-existence of Ahriman into the mortal flesh of the margrave overwhelms them both and stuns the margrave for a number of rounds equal to half of his margrave level; subtract a like amount of torment from the character as by undergoing this process the character resolves the internal struggle.

Ahriman is not alone in the use of its torment, as the margrave may channel Ahriman’s torment for his own uses to fuel his combat prowess, adding 1d6 per torment spent to a d20 roll or a damage roll (maximum one torment spent per two margrave levels) as a profane bonus, but each use of these risks drawing Ahriman from his place at the Gate (forcing a Will save DC 10 + number of torment spent). The character may meditate for a time to alleviate the pain of Ahriman's non-existence; each hour long period he gives sharing his crumbling form with Ahriman to experience the mortal world, the vestige’s torment is reduced by 2 points while the margrave subjects himself to the horrible half-life of standing at the entrance of the Gate; the character is fatigued afterward this meditation for one hour. There are rumors of other methods of alleviating the pain of torment, but nothing else is standard between margraves.

Soul-bound Fetter (Su): As Ahriman begins to pass into the dark madness beyond the Gate; the margrave becomes anchored into both the land of flesh and the land of spirit by a non-weapon or armor item he possesses. By binding a portion of his spirit to this item, usually a ring or other piece of jewelry worth 500gp or more, he holds his place in the world of the living in effort to stave off the effects of the Gate. The character must retain this token, his soul-fetter, on his person at all times or he loses the abilities of this class feature. The character is constantly considered to be under the effects of a ghost touch property; he may interact with both Ethereal creatures as well as Material creatures as if all of his belongs possessed the ghost touch property while they are on his person. Once they have left his person, these items no longer function in that manner (unless they already possessed the ghost touch property previously). Should the margrave lose his soul-fetter, he suffers one point of Charisma damage per hour as Ahriman’s pain and rage at the disconnection of the fetter generates discordant patterns within the Gate (this damage cannot be restored, healed, or negated in any fashion until this soul-fetter is restored; the character's very essence is being consumed by the vestige without the presence of his soul-fetter). If an item is being used as a fetter, it radiates a moderate magical aura of necromancy with a caster level equal to twice the character’s class level in addition to any other magical properties the item has. If this object should be dispelled or disjoined, then the character is nauseated for a number of rounds equal to his margrave level and his soul-fetter regains its power once more.

Arcanoi (Sp): At each level, the margrave gains an arcanoi, a type of spiritual invocation that is granted by Ahriman through the character's soul-fetter. The spirit arts of Ahriman are varied, but each functions exactly as an invocation with the price of generating one or more points of torment for the margrave, due to Ahriman's power passing through the Gate causing the vestige to burn with the agony of being between the realms of reality and non-existence. Arcanoi are treated as invocations, and have grades of potency just as other invocations do, and use the margrave's caster level and saving throws for them. Using an arcanoi generates one torment, and unless specified, they're used as standard action spell-like abilities.
Lesser Arcanoi
Agony of Ahriman (4th) – By summoning forth the pain of the non-existence that Ahriman feels by his stance at the Black Gate, the margrave is able to fly into a deadly rage. This arcanoi mimics the effects of a rage spell, but the bonuses are improved to +4 Strength, Constitution, and Charisma, a +2 bonus to Will saves, and he suffers a -2 penalty to Armor Class.
Ghost Fire Blade (3rd) – Conjures forth a blade of ghostly fire that the margrave may wield into battle. This counts as either a flaming ghost touch longsword or a shortsword, and regardless of form inflicts 1d8 + margrave level in damage, strikes as a melee touch attack, and has an enhancement bonus equal to half the character's margrave level. This weapon may be used to channel the character's eldritch blast or netherchannel.
Poisonous Touch (3rd) – The margrave's black touch strikes at the vital essence of his victim and poisons his form. This arcanoi mimics the poison spell.
Veil of Wraiths(4th) – The margrave surrounds himself in shifting shadows and apparitions of his form, throwing off his foe's ability to target him in combat. This arcanoi mimics the displacement spell, targeting the margrave.
Wraith Wind (3rd) – The margrave holds aloft his hand summons the winds of the underworld to his command. This arcanoi mimics the gust of wind spell and inflicts the character's caster level in damage to those afflicted by it. Those making the saving throw do not take damage.

Greater Arcanoi
Draining Touch (5th) – The margrave may draw forth the strength and power of a foe with his deadly touch. This arcanoi mimics the effects of the enervation spell as a touch attack, and additionally inflicts 1d6 points of Strength damage even on a failed saving throw.
Fear of Beyond (6th) – By opening the Gate within his soul, he may project Ahriman's scream to destroy the resolve of the strongest of wills and batter the life-force of his foes. This arcanoi mimics the effects of a fear spell, additionally inflicting the character's caster level in damage. Creatures immune to fear or those who succeed on the saving throw still suffer damage.
Phantasmal Killer (5th) – By pulling the primal fears that Ahriman embodies, the margrave attacks the spirit of the target with intense terror. This arcanoi mimics the spell phantasmal killer, except that elves and creatures with the elf subtype suffer a -4 penalty on this saving throw.
Shield of Death (6th) – The margrave may surround himself in a hemispheric aura of screaming faces which hold the living at bay from him. This arcanoi mimics the effects of an antilife shell spell, and those who attempt to cross its border are incapable of doing so and suffer the character's margrave level in damage.

Dark Arcanoi
Ashes to Ashes (8th) – By invoking this arcanoi, the margrave may reduce his foes to cinders and ashes. This arcanoi mimics the effects of the horrid wilting spell.
Shadow Magicks (7th) – The margrave may draw forth power from the shadowy void of the realm of dead-gods and forgotten servants. These shadowy echoes still maintain power, however, and be very useful to the margrave. This arcanoi mimics the effects of either the shadow conjuration or shadow evocation spells when used.
Soul Consumption (8th) – Speaking words in the black languages of dead gods, the margrave lays his hand upon an intended victim in an attempt to draw out their very life-force to restore his black vitality. The target must make a Fortitude save (DC 18 + Intelligence mod for ebon initiates or Charisma mod for warlocks) or die, restoring twice the target's hit dice in hit points to the margrave and removing any negative condition the character possesses. If the target successfully saves against this arcanoi, then he takes 3d6 points of damage +1/caster level (maximum +25) and the margrave regains no hit points or is healed of negative conditions.

Soulbinding (Su): At each margrave of the Black Gate level, the character's soulbinding ability improves as if he had also gained a level in the binder class. His margrave of the Black Gate level and binder level stack for the purposes of determing his bonus on binding checks, the effectiveness of his vestige-granted abilities, his ability to bind higher-level vestiges, and the number of vestiges he can bind. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a binder would have gained.

Sagacious Nethervoice (Ex): The opening of the Black Gate gives a voice to Ahriman, and with this voice comes the knowledge of all who have died and passed beyond through the Gate. Ahriman is able to understand the whispered madness from beyond in this dark place. The margrave gains a source of dark knowledge if he wishes; by asking of Ahriman he may find answers to his questions. The character gains the bardic knowledge class feature as a bard equal to his margrave of the Black Gate level plus his binder level. Each time the margrave calls upon this font of knowledge, however, Ahriman takes its due from him in the form of one point of torment per use.

Ghost-bound Fetter (Su): The margrave’s form begins to destabilize at 3rd level, becoming as shadowy as his companion’s manifestation due to Ahriman's eternal presence devouring his mortal body and replacing it with ephemeral darkness and shadow. In order to retain his form, he must bind this new shadow-body's essence to a suit of armor (breastplates, half-plate, or full plate only as other armors do not possess the necessary amount of coverage and material). To do so, he inscribes Ahriman's seal upon the inside of the breastplate's abdomen in his own dying blood before donning what will ever more be his new physical body. The margrave may never remove this armor hereafter; attempts to do so fail. However, his new earthly reliquary grows stronger, gaining an enhancement bonus equal to his margrave level. This enhancement bonus follows the rules of normal magical armor; it may never have an enhancement bonus of greater than +5, but the character may use this enhancement bonus to buy special properties, such as fire resistance, of an equivalent enhancement bonus instead of an enhancement bonus to armor class. If this armor is ever dispelled or disjoined then the character is paralyzed for one minute and the armor retains its magical properties. Armor damage by an attack that totally destroys it causes the character to make a Will save (DC 25) or be slain; success indicates that the character and his armor reforms on that spot 1d4 days later at half of his full hit points and exhausted.

Unnatural Presence (Su): The deepening wrongness of the margrave's existence begins to radiate outward as Ahriman's presence devours the character's body. First, he radiates a constant desecrate effect within 30ft of his position, and both wild and domesticated animals will not willingly be in the margrave's presence; they become panicked and will attempt to flee if they can to escape the margrave's tainted presence, even if forced.

Pass through the Gate (Sp): Death touches the Prime in all places, and where it touches strongest the margrave of the Black Gate finds that the barriers between the living and the dead are thinnest. By opening the Black Gate in his soul for a brief moment, he may pass from one of these places to another. The margrave gains a special new greater necromantic invocation, Pass through the Gate. By going to a site of strong death presence (such as funeral homes, crypts, cemeteries, battlefield sites, tombs, places where undead have a strong presence such as haunted manors, castles, or woods) he may greater teleport between these sites as a full-round action. The margrave must be familiar with the destination site in some fashion, as per greater teleport, otherwise transport is impossible. Alternately, he may pass from the living world into the Negative Energy plane, the Plane of Shadow, or the Ethereal plane as if he had used a plane shift spell from the death site. He may bring along additional companions as well, as the spell greater teleport or the spell plane shift, but they must make a Will save (DC 17 + the margrave’s Intelligence modifier) or suffer the effects of a confusion spell for 1d4 rounds, as the horror of the journey momentarily unhinges their mind. Beings that are immune to confusion, fear, or mind-affecting abilities do not suffer this side-effect. This is a 7th level equivalent teleportation effect of the necromancy school. Use of this ability does cause Ahriman distress, generating one torment, and one additional torment per passenger brought along through the Gate.

Death’s Precipice: The margrave stands on the verge of death's door, his body and soul having almost completely merged with Ahriman. The character gains immunity to poison, disease, death effects, and he gains 50% resistance to critical hits and sneak attack damage.

Open the Black Gate (Sp): The margrave learns a specialized version of the Shadow Calling invocation, allowing him to call forth 2d4 dread wraiths with its application. Only a single instance of this ability may be in use at a time; the summoned wraiths must either be destroyed or dismissed before it may be used again, and the wraiths return to their home after one hour. This is a dark invocation with an equivalent spell level of 7th.

Wraith-bound Fetter (Su): The further destruction of his physical form shunts his body completely through the Black Gate in his soul, replacing it with the soulstuff of Ahriman's vestige body. His soul-fetter becomes his sole link to this world and may not be dispelled or disjoined by anything short of divine power. He has become a dread wraith, his form bound to his soul-fetter and his armor to allow him to exist within the physical world and reject the pull of the void. The margrave gains the undead type (and the augmented subtype), increases all hit dice to d12s (if the character possesses the shroud of death class feature of appropriate strength, he may continue to add his Charisma modifier to his hit points for each hit die he possesses), and he no longer suffers any armor check penalty from his ghost-bound fetter (except on Swim checks). The margrave is no longer subject to torment overwhelming him with nauseating pain; he no longer receives a single point of torment per day but he may generate and use torment as he sees fit without fear; Ahriman is one with his incorporeal flesh. Additionally, his new undead form gains profane bonuses to his attributes, gaining +2 to his Dexterity and Intelligence, +4 to his Charisma score, and he gains Shun the Mortal Coil as a bonus invocation, allowing him to temporarily relieve himself of his steel prison and enjoy the benefits of spectral unlife.

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Fluff forthcoming
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New Feats

Dark Communion (Ahriman) [General]
You have made a pact with Ahriman for dark, otherworldly powers.
Prerequisites: Cha 13+, ability to eldritch blast, soulbinding
Benefit: You add your binder and warlock levels together to determine your caster level for invocations and to determine your effective binder level to determine what level vestiges you may bind and how many vestiges you may bind at one time. Additionally you gain a +4 profane bonus to attempts to bind Ahriman, and you may add your binder level to determine how strong your eldritch blast is.

Death Pact (Ahriman) [General]
You have made a pact with Ahriman for dark, netherwordly powers over death.
Prerequisites: Int 13+, shroud of death, soulbinding
Benefit: You add your binder and ebon initiate levels together to determine your caster level for invocations and to determine your effective binder level to determine what level vestiges you may bind. Additionally you gain a +4 profane bonus to attempts to bind Ahriman, and you may add your binder level to your ebon initiate level to determine the strength of your shroud of death class feature.

Extra Arcanoi [General]
You've learned an additional spirit art from Ahriman's bondage to your soul.
Prerequisites: Ability to use Arcanoi
Benefit: You may select an additional arcanoi for which you qualify to add to your known arcanoi.

Lord_Gareth
2011-04-19, 02:05 AM
But...but I thought..wasn't this gonna be Harrowed?

ErrantX
2011-04-19, 02:06 AM
Reserved post.

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Alright, PEACH away folks!

-X

ErrantX
2011-04-19, 02:07 AM
But...but I thought..wasn't this gonna be Harrowed?

They don't mesh well, sadly, and everything I did kept not meshing at all, but I have another idea for Harrowed/Ebon Initiate, I'm calling it the Iron Wight. You'll see it soon enough. This one just vexed me so impossibly much I had to finish it in the best way I could; blending Ebon Initiate with Binder.

-X

Zarthrax
2011-04-19, 02:59 AM
Damn, and if this class had been only a few months sooner, I probably could've used it in the game I'm in!


On the whole, it seems a very flavorful class, while providing a different road to undeath for Ebon Initiates.

And considering the fact that I'm just really a sucker for any class that advances binding, I now want to make a Warblade/Binder/Ebon Initiate/Margrave of the Black Gate/Occult Adversary (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84798). Granted, I'd have to be epic to fully do it, but the deliciousness of having Ebon Initiate, maneuvers, and binding all in the same character would just make my day! Now, if only there was a way to fit soulmelds and incarnum use in there.....lol

Avalon®
2011-04-19, 03:44 AM
There seems to be a discrepancy between the text and table progressions of Invocations.

In the table it states that it progresses every level except for first while in the text, it states that Invocations progress every level except for first and sixth.

jiriku
2011-04-19, 01:22 PM
Most. Emo. PrC. Evar!

I am puzzled by wraith-bound fetter. The character becomes an incorporeal wraith, but is bound to a corporeal suit of armor, and apparently has to make Swim checks in water, which incorporeal creatures normally wouldn't do. How does this work, exactly? Can he do the things that incorporeal creatures do, like fly through walls and be completely silent unless he wills it, or does the armor prevent it?

ErrantX
2011-04-19, 04:06 PM
Most. Emo. PrC. Evar!

I am puzzled by wraith-bound fetter. The character becomes an incorporeal wraith, but is bound to a corporeal suit of armor, and apparently has to make Swim checks in water, which incorporeal creatures normally wouldn't do. How does this work, exactly? Can he do the things that incorporeal creatures do, like fly through walls and be completely silent unless he wills it, or does the armor prevent it?

Aww, emo how?

As far as WBF, you are a wraith who is inexorably bound to a suit of armor so as to have a Strength score and physical body (think Nazgul meets Alphonse Elric). Your armor effectively -is- your physical body, but you get a specific bonus invocation which allows you shuck yourself loose of the armor for a time and exist as an incorporeal creature with all of the assorted benefits.

-X

ErrantX
2011-04-19, 04:16 PM
Damn, and if this class had been only a few months sooner, I probably could've used it in the game I'm in!


On the whole, it seems a very flavorful class, while providing a different road to undeath for Ebon Initiates.

And considering the fact that I'm just really a sucker for any class that advances binding, I now want to make a Warblade/Binder/Ebon Initiate/Margrave of the Black Gate/Occult Adversary (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84798). Granted, I'd have to be epic to fully do it, but the deliciousness of having Ebon Initiate, maneuvers, and binding all in the same character would just make my day! Now, if only there was a way to fit soulmelds and incarnum use in there.....lol

I've been working on it a while and its been uphill the whole time. Was supposed to be a Harrowed / Ebon Initiate but didn't quite work out. Have you been using Ebon Initiate in your game?

Many thank yous :smallsmile:

That would be a pretty neat coupling, actually. Incarnum would be a nice addition, but difficult to add in for all the feats you'd need. Maybe I oughta make an ebon initiate/necrocarnum wielder?

-X

Elfstone
2011-04-19, 04:35 PM
Where exactly are the stats for Shun the Mortal Coil? Is it a Ebon initiate invocation? I didn't see it here.

Also you should totally make a ebon inititate/necrocarnum PrC. Infact you should make an ebon initiate/ToB class. Something like the JPM.

Aww, emo how?

As far as WBF, you are a wraith who is inexorably bound to a suit of armor so as to have a Strength score and physical body (think Nazgul meets Alphonse Elric). Your armor effectively -is- your physical body, but you get a specific bonus invocation which allows you shuck yourself loose of the armor for a time and exist as an incorporeal creature with all of the assorted benefits.

-X

Zarthrax
2011-04-19, 06:00 PM
I have indeed. Ebon Initiate/Crusader/Ashen Knight.

With this PrC, Ashen Knight, and Krimm's Occult Adversary, I can do something I haven't done since Tome of Magic originally came out. I can make a triple focus character. (That one was arcane/divine/binding, this would be binding/maneuver/ebon initiate.)

And I would totally love to see a Ebon Initiate/Necrocarnum PrC!

ErrantX
2011-04-19, 09:08 PM
Where exactly are the stats for Shun the Mortal Coil? Is it a Ebon initiate invocation? I didn't see it here.

Also you should totally make a ebon inititate/necrocarnum PrC. Infact you should make an ebon initiate/ToB class. Something like the JPM.

Shun the Mortal Coil is an Ebon Initiate invocation, Dark level. I will add it to the list as far as Ebon Initiate PrC's I need to write. I have made an Ebon Initiate / Martial initiator, it's called the Ashen Knight, check my homebrew sig or its linked in Ebon Initiate.


I have indeed. Ebon Initiate/Crusader/Ashen Knight.

With this PrC, Ashen Knight, and Krimm's Occult Adversary, I can do something I haven't done since Tome of Magic originally came out. I can make a triple focus character. (That one was arcane/divine/binding, this would be binding/maneuver/ebon initiate.)

And I would totally love to see a Ebon Initiate/Necrocarnum PrC!

That's awesome, what do you think of the two classes? I've got a friend about to play test those in an upcoming game and I'd love to know what data you can give me on it. That combination btw, sounds amazing.

Alright, 2 votes to E.I./necrocarnate, let's do it then!

-X