View Full Version : Gitp PrC Contest XXIX: Guts, Gears, and Glory!
ErrantX
2011-07-19, 10:55 PM
Guts, Gears, and Glory!
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"Show me what ya got, mucker, otherwise get that clapped out manky piece of scrap out of me face!" - A Union Steamo being challenged to a mech-duel
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Giant in the Playground PrC Contest XXIX
The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will run through midnight of August 20th.
Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until midnight of August 31st.
Rules
1) You will be creating an 'original' prestige class. As our sister contest, the Base Class contest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206927), is currently running a steam punk theme I think it would be pretty neat to have a matching theme this contest. So without further ado, the theme: Steam Punk. You could make a warrior who uses steam powered weapons and armor, a potent inventor who's genius allows him to mimic magic, a gambler who uses gears for missile weapons or poker chips, a wizard who's talent at enchanting machinery is peerless, or a priest of a machine war god. You decide, but remember: No guts, no gears, no glory! Any Paizo Pathfinder or Wizards of the Coast product is available for basis, just make sure to mention if it's Pathfinder so folks aren't confused. Steam on!
2) Entries must include name, complete class, and fluff, combat related and role playing related. Incomplete entries at the deadline will be disqualified.
3) Entries must be 3.5 or Pathfinder, using the standard format below.
4) Post all entries in this thread. Post all conversation, questions, etc here in the chat thread) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207612).
5) Maximum of one entry per participant (gotta save up those creative juices for the next one too!)
6) Entries must be your own work, and must not be copied for other places. Only new work may submitted; no previously posted work will be accepted. Such entries will be disqualified. Such entries will be disqualified.
7) No reserving posts. Feel free to tweak your class, but the initial post must include the basics.
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And here's helpers if you need it!
(Fax Celestis' Prestige Class Creation Thread) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10433)
(Djinn_In_Tonic's What to make and How to make it special!) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137641)
ErrantX
2011-07-19, 10:59 PM
PRESTIGE CLASS NAME
http://Picture URL
Quote of Some Kind by a member of the class!
A general description of whatever the class is!
BECOMING A CLASS NAME
How you would normally become a member of this prestige class.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
:
:
:
:
:
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are....
Skills Points at Each Level: x + int
Hit Dice: dx
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+x|
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+x|Class Ability
2nd|
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3rd|
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4th|
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6th|
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8th|
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9th|
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10th|
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+x|Class Ability[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A place to put the different proficiencies.
Put all the different class abilities in here!
PLAYING A CLASS NAME
Brief description on how to play the class you are designing.
Combat: Here's a section where you will describe common combat methods for your class. Remember to include information on how your class will use his powers in combat.
Advancement: This is a section on different options and paths that the class can go down when they advance in power.
Resources: What resources might a member of this PrC be able to draw on..
CLASS NAME IN THE WORLD
A quote of somebody else talking about your class!
A brief description of how your class is persevered in the world and how he interacts with the world.
Daily Life: Some general information about the typical day in the life of your class.
Notables: Make up some cool information about notable figures in the history of your class. It's best to give a little information from one of the good alignment and evil alignment (unless it's a good or evil only class).
Organizations: Some information about organizations dedicated to the practice of your class and other organizations which members of your class will be attracted towards.
NPC Reaction
This is an in detail description of how NPC's would perceive your class and the immediate generalization that people would give of your class.
CLASS NAME IN THE GAME
This is a good place to provide a quick note on how your class will effect game play statistically.
Adaptation: This is a place where you put in detail how people can adapt your class into their campaign setting.
Encounters: This is a place to describe what sort of encounters PC's will have with NPC versions of your class.
Sample Encounter
Give an example of how one might encounter a member of this PrC.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.
Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
------------------------------------------------
Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
PRESTIGE CLASS NAME
http://Picture URL
Quote of Some Kind by a member of the class!
A general description of whatever the class is!
BECOMING A CLASS NAME
How you would normally become a member of this prestige class.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
:
:
:
:
:
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are....
Skills Points at Each Level: x + int
Hit Dice: dx
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Class Ability
2nd|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Class Ability
3rd|
+x|
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4th|
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5th|
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6th|
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7th|
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8th|
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9th|
+x|
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10th|
+x|
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+x|
+x|Class Ability[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A place to put the different proficiencies.
Put all the different class abilities in here!
PLAYING A CLASS NAME
Brief description on how to play the class you are designing.
Combat: Here's a section where you will describe common combat methods for your class. Remember to include information on how your class will use his powers in combat.
Advancement: This is a section on different options and paths that the class can go down when they advance in power.
Resources: What resources might a member of this PrC be able to draw on..
CLASS NAME IN THE WORLD
A quote of somebody else talking about your class!
A brief description of how your class is persevered in the world and how he interacts with the world.
Daily Life: Some general information about the typical day in the life of your class.
Notables: Make up some cool information about notable figures in the history of your class. It's best to give a little information from one of the good alignment and evil alignment (unless it's a good or evil only class).
Organizations: Some information about organizations dedicated to the practice of your class and other organizations which members of your class will be attracted towards.
NPC Reaction
This is an in detail description of how NPC's would perceive your class and the immediate generalization that people would give of your class.
CLASS NAME IN THE GAME
This is a good place to provide a quick note on how your class will effect game play statistically.
Adaptation: This is a place where you put in detail how people can adapt your class into their campaign setting.
Encounters: This is a place to describe what sort of encounters PC's will have with NPC versions of your class.
Sample Encounter
Give an example of how one might encounter a member of this PrC.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.
Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
------------------------------------------------
Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
Kellus
2011-07-30, 03:37 PM
Etherjammer
"Not that long ago we didn't even know that there was another world overlapping our own– a parallel dimension of wonders. Imagine what we'll discover next!"
http://th05.deviantart.net/fs30/PRE/i/2008/182/7/2/A_Steampunk_Fairytale_by_frankhong.jpg
Image credit frankhong (http://frankhong.deviantart.com/) of deviantart.com
Of all the Planes in the Wheel, the Ethereal might just be the least understood. It's omnipresent and untouchable, completely wrapped around our own reality and yet totally alien. While many study the arcane secrets of the Plane of Shadow, only a few expand their horizons onto this mysterious realm. Etherjammers are pioneers, scientists, and above all explorers. They are people who have opened their mind to the wonders and mysteries of the Ethereal.
Requirements: To become an etherjammer you must meet all of the following requirements.
Feat: Scholarly ShadowcasterDoS
Psionics: Power point reserve of at least 1 power point
Shadowcasting: Able to cast 1st-level mysteries
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge (the Planes) 8 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 2 ranks
Special: Sustaining shadow class feature
The Scholarly Shadowcaster feat was created as part of the Descent of Shadows (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4068700&postcount=27) project by Realms of Chaos, and is reprinted here in its entirety.
Scholarly Shadowcaster
You have studied ways to increase the virulence of a mystery.
Prerequisite: Shadowcaster level 1
Benefit: You add your Intelligence bonus (if any) to your Charisma score for the purpose of determining the DCs of a mystery you cast.
Special: This feat can only be taken at 1st level.
Hit Die: d6
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: An etherjammer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
The Etherjammer
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Mysteries|
Power Points
1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Etheric principles (psi-like), sustaining psyche|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
1
2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|Etherjamming, nowhere step|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
5
3rd|+1|+1|+3|+3|Infinity algorithm, sustaining psyche|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
11
4th|+2|+1|+4|+4|Doors to everywhere|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
19
5th|+2|+1|+4|+4|Etheric principles (supernatural), sustaining psyche|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
27
6th|+3|+2|+5|+5|Metajamming|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
43
7th|+3|+2|+5|+5|Going nowhere, sustaining psyche|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
59
8th|+4|+2|+6|+6|Hidden ways, otherworldly focus|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
79
9th|+4|+3|+6|+6|Etherjam (free), sustaining psyche|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
103
10th|+5|+3|+7|+7|Etheric principles (extraordinary), ethernaut|
+1 level of existing mystery-using class|
127
[/table]
All of the following are class features of the etherjammer.
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: To protect you on your journey into the unknown, you gain proficiency with light armour.
Etheric Principles: As an etherjammer you have forged a mental connection with the Ethereal Plane which other students of the mysteries couldn't fathom. Your mysteries are now known as principles. You now more fully understand the underlying principles behind your magic, and can see past the arbitrary divisions into paths and tiers. When selecting a new principle you can choose from any available to you, without necessarily having to learn the earlier principles in its path. When activating a principle, it's described as realizing it. All of your principles now function the same way, as psi-like abilities.
Although you can learn any mystery without going through a path, you can only take feats with the [Path Mastery] descriptor if you learn both of the earlier mysteries in the path in addition to the requisite mystery. Etheric principles no longer provide you with additional bonus feats for spreading out into different paths, but you do receive a bonus feat if you successfully complete a single path (learn all three mysteries from it).
Etheric principles do not work on Planes not coexistant with the Ethereal Plane, although you can still use them as mysteries in such a scenario.
At 5th level this ability improves. When you realize a principle you can see beyond the connection to the Ethereal and catch a glimpse of more primal ideas at work. All of your principles now work like supernatural abilities. The saving throws for supernatural principles have a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Charisma modifier. Like all supernatural abilities, these principles do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
At 10th level this ability improves again. When you realize a priciple you are tapping into the physical laws that underly planar construction. All of your principles now work like extraordinary abilities. The DC for their saving throws is the same as for supernatural principles. These kinds of principles do not provoke attacks of opportunity to use.
Any class feature which is psi-like in nature improves in the same way as your principles, allowing you to use them as supernatural and eventually extraordinary abilities.
Mysteries: At each level, you gain new mysteries per day and an increase in caster level (and mysteries known) as if you had also gained a level in one mystery-using class you already have levels in. You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of this class would have gained. If you had more than one mystery-using class before becoming an etherjammer, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining mysteries per day, caster level, and mysteries known.
Power Points: Your ability to channel the Ethereal is limited by the power points you have available. Your base daily allotment of power points is given on the class table. In addition, you receive bonus power points per day if you have a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). Your race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. If you already have levels in a class that provides you with power points, you add these power points to them but cannot receive bonus power points for a high ability score twice. In such a case, you must choose one of the key ability scores to use when you first take this class, and cannot change it later on.
Sustaining Psyche (Ps): Much like the way your mysteries are now a deeper exploration of the fundamental structure of the Planes, your personal ties to the Plane of Shadow are abandoned in favour of psychic enlightenment on the Ethereal. Your class level stacks with levels in any one previous class which granted the sustaining shadow class feature to determine the benefits you receive from it. However, you now only gain your sustaining shadow benefits while you are psionically focused.
In addition, every time you gain this ability (1st level and every two levels thereafter) you can choose a particular benefit from the following list. It's added to the list of abilities your sustaining shadow provides.
Beyond Good and Evil: Whenever you're subjected to an effect which depends on your alignment (such as a holy word (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holyWord.htm), you can count as whatever alignment is most beneficial to you at the time.
Mandated Form: You maintain mental control over your form, even if others try to alter it. You are now immune to any effect which would alter your form unless you choose to accept it.
Surpass Flesh: Your body is partly composed of ether and its bodily processes are alien in nature. You gain immunity to poison, and fortification against precision effects equal to 10% per class level (rounded down to the nearest 25% increment).
Outside of Reason: You have a new perspective which allows you to step beyond madness. You are now immune to confusion and insanity effects, as well as Wisdom ability damage and drain.
Transcend Death: You age at half the normal rate, and your maximum lifespan doubles. Your mental ability boosts for old age still kick in at the normal time, however. At 5th level, you no longer take ability score penalties for aging. If you make it to the 10th class level, you lose your maximum age entirely, and are immune to death by old age. You only lose the benefits of this perk if you aren't psionically focused at any point in a given 24 hour span, at which point your age catches up with you.
You lose access to your sustaining psyche if you are on a Plane not coexistant with the Ethereal Plane, although you maintain abilities from your sustaining shadow.
Etherjamming (Ps): Beginning at 2nd level, whenever you use an etheric principle you can tap into your mental connection to the Ethereal in order to enhance it. Plugging into the Ethereal in this way is known as etherjamming, and is basically why you're here in the first place. When you perform an etherjam, you need to spend a swift action and a number or power points equal to the level of the principle you're using. This swift action is used as part of the action to realize the principle. The principle realized gains a special augment, as described below. You must expend your psionic focus to use an etherjam.
You can etherjam a principle of any level up to your class level -1.
At 9th level this ability improves. You can now etherjam as a free action as part of realizing a principle, although you can only etherjam once for any particular principle.
You cannot perform an etherjam on Planes not coexistant with the Ethereal Plane.
Nowhere Step (Ps): Beginning at 2nd level, you can step between worlds thanks to your connection to the Ethereal. You can activate this ability as a standard action, which works like an ethereal jaunt (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/etherealJaunt.htm) effect. It only lasts until the beginning of your next turn, at which point you return to the home Plane (you can also return earlier as a free action). Using this ability requires 3 power points and the expenditure of your psionic focus.
At 5th level, you can use this ability as a move action or a swift action, although it requires an additional 3 power points (for a total of 6).
You cannot use this ability to move onto the Ethereal Plane if you are not on a Plane coexistant with it.
Infinity Algorithm (Ps): Starting at 3rd level, you can use your psychic connection to the Ethereal Plane to provide you with deeper insight into the laws behind the world. As a swift action, you can expend your psionic focus to recover a daily use of a principle. This uses a number of power points equal to 1 + twice the principle's level.
This can only be performed on a Plane coexistant with the Ethereal Plane.
Doors to Everywhere (Ex): Starting at 4th level, your fundamental understanding of the Ethereal Plane improves. You can see connections between the Ethereal and the other Planes which have eluded planar travellers since they first discovered it. You can now access the Ethereal Plane from Planes which are not normally coexistant with it. However, this access is limited. Essentially, you can tap into a version of the Ethereal Plane which works for the Plane you're on much like the regular Ethereal Plane does for the Prime Material. Your movement through this expanded Ethereal Plane is restricted to the Plane you accessed it from, which means you cannot use it to move between other Planes. This ability also allows you to make use of all of your class features on Planes other than the Prime Material.
You cannot step onto an Ethereal version of the Ethereal Plane itself.
Metajamming (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, whenever you use the etherjamming ability, you can choose to give up the normal jam in favour of applying a single metashadow feat you know to the principle at no extra cost (without using up your daily use of the feat). You must expend your psionic focus in order to use this ability.
Going Nowhere (Ps): You have become quite talented at slipping between worlds. Beginning at 7th level, you no longer need to expend your psionic focus to use your nowhere step class feature (you must, however, still spend power points as normal). If you triple the number of power points spent (9 instead of 3) you can use this ability as a free action once per round.
Otherworldly Focus (Ex): Starting at 8th level, your mind and thought processes are heightened by proximity to the Ethereal. When you are on the Ethereal Plane you can recover your psionic focus as a move action instead of a full-round action. If you already have this ability (such as from the Psionic Meditation feat) you can recover your focus as a free action once per round as long as you are on the Ethereal Plane.
Hidden Ways (Ps): At 8th level your secret knowledge of the mysteries of the Ethereal Plane improve. You can now access different Planes from the Ethereal, within reason. Whenever you move to the Ethereal Plane, instead of returning to the Plane you originated on you can choose to move onto an adjacent Plane. Inner Planes are adjacent to other Inner Planes, and Outer Planes in the Great Wheel are adjacent to other Outer Planes which share one of their alignment traits. When moving to a new Plane like this, you can treat it as a plane shift (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planeShift.htm) effect with a caster level equal to your Hit Dice.
Ethernaut (Ps): You know the changing and alien nature of the Ethereal Plane better than you know your own name. At 10th level, when you use the hidden ways ability you can now step onto any other Plane from the Ethereal (not just an adjacent one).
You can also use ethereal jaunt (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/etherealJaunt.htm) at will with a caster level equal to your Hit Dice. Instead of the normal target (You), this can target any one vehicle of up to Colossal++ size that you are in or on, and everything (and everyone) inside. Any use of this ability costs 20 power points.
Playing an Etherjammer
"Look, I'm sorry you can't walk through walls. But yeah, it's totally sweet. "
As an etherjammer you combine the potent mysteries of shadowcasting with the augmentable aspects of psionics. Shadowcasters have always had abilities that were a little better (or at least weirder) than normal magic spells, at the cost of having fewer of them. With your psionic focus and power point pool you can add a little extra oomph to some of your principles, and make this even more apparent. You might not have as many abilities to use each day as other full spellcasters, but you've certainly got some of the deepest and most valuable. Choose your principles wisely!
Combat: In combat you might think that you'll play much the same as a regular shadowcaster or other full spellcaster. This is true to an extent, but you've got several advantages over more traditional magicians. In particular, your ethereal movement abilities offer you a wide range of mobility even at lower levels, and can be invaluable in getting past obstacles and ambushes. Your etherjamming provides you with an extra dimension to the traditional resource management of a shadowcaster, and allows you to get extra benefits out of your favourite mysteries. Also remember that all of your class features will eventually become extraordinary in nature, which means that you can always rely on them to work properly.
Advancement: Advancement after being an etherjammer has a lot of possibilities. Continuing to progress your shadowcasting (at least a few more levels for access to your 9th level principles) is probably your best bet. Full casters suffer from the smallest of dips, and you've come a long way maintaining your progression. If you do choose this, there are several shadowcasting prestige classes in the Descent of Shadows project which might interest you.
On the other hand, you do have a genuinely interesting option with psionic classes. Since the limiting factor on your etherjamming abilities is your power points, you might find it worthwhile to look at some psionic prestige classes which can provide you with more power points. You can use your power points to provide you with more uses of your principles, ethereal transport and most importantly more etherjamming to augment your principles.
Resources: Shadowcasters tend to fairly misunderstood since they seem like kind of nefarious people with the whole binding darkness to their will thing. You're much more a man or woman of the people. You're an intrepid explorer, and people tend to think of you like we think of astronauts today. While most people might not understand just what it is you do, your powers are impressive and mysterious, and not quite as frightening as a real shadowcaster.
Etherjammers in the World
"I'm kind of a big deal."
Etherjammers are heros and explorers, and are used to a warm welcome wherever they go. They typically try to avoid shadowcasters, who know how the etherjammers pull off their tricks. To a shadowcaster, an etherjammer is someone who has forsaken the solemn study of the Plane of Shadow, and that's a breach of contract they typically can't forgive.
Daily Life: An etherjammer, when they aren't busy adventuring or saving the world, is off exploring the Ethereal Plane. An etherjammer lives for mapping the unknown and finding the secrets that lie behind the mundane world. Etherjammers tend to be restless, and can never stay still for long when they have nothing to do. One thing to be said about their field of study is that the further they delve into it, the more they realize that there is more to discover that they may never fully understand.
Notables: Without many etherjammers out there at all, almost all of them are notable in one way or another. The most famous of them is probably the first known etherjammer, Orellius van der Smoot. This half-gnome planar explorer was a pioneer into the Ethereal, and was the first to put to paper many of the things that we know today about the place. Many etherjammers actually learn Smoot's Six Laws of Ether when training to become an etherjammer, which describe the nature of the Ethereal and its relationship to the other Planes.
Organizations: With so few of them actually out there, there is no real organization of etherjammers. Many of them belong to shadowcaster associations (or at least they did; shadowcasters aren't too fond of etherjammers), as well as planar study societies or planecharter guilds. Many etherjammers end up forming their own charter company when they achieve a high enough level of power to sustain prolonged trips through the Ethereal.
Reaction
"Supposedly these etherjammers can walk through walls, jump between worlds, and see into the secret places of your soul. I don't know what the big deal is. I can do that stuff everyday just by getting up in the morning."
– unattributed wizard
As described before, most people see you as something between a hero, living legend, and celebrity. With so few etherjammers out there, there's a great deal of prestige and mystique surrounding those few who explore the secrets of the ether. That being said, don't expect a warm welcome from those with similar abilities. Shadowcasters, wizards, and other full casters tend to resent the sort of attention that an etherjammer receives.
Etherjammers in the Game
"What do you mean, I can't put you guys in mazes anymore? Everybody loves mazes, right? Let's get out that graph paper!"
By having an etherjammer in the party, the kinds of adventures you can have change dramatically. While some DMs might be critical of the way ethereal travel can cause problems for traditional dungeons, you should instead look on this as an opportunity to explore vistas and locations that would be inaccessible to a normal party. It can be difficult to create mazes or dungeons which are a real challenge when a character can walk through walls, but you should take this as a license to really have some fun with the Planar cosmology. The Ethereal Plane overlaps the Material, but there can be very different structures or inhabitants in a single coexistant space. If you have an etherjammer playing in your campaign, start getting creative about how and why the Ethereal overlaps the way it does, and fill it with just as much interesting stuff as the Prime Material. While this class can obviate a lot of adventures if you're not careful, it can also become an avenue to much richer and more interesting adventures than you're used to!
Adaptation: The core of the etherjammer is the shadowcaster. Although it ties in with psionics in order to use the augment, focus, and power point mechanics of that system, many DMs aren't comfortable with including psionics in their game. If you prefer not to mix psychic stuff with high fantasy, consider modifying the class to work based on arcane or divine spellcasting instead (or even just as a straight extension of the shadowcaster). The class doesn't really have too much to do with actual manifesting, and can easily be modified into a form you're more comfortable with. Another (albeit more intensive) adaptation could be to shift the focus from the Ethereal Plane to another Plane of existence, such as the Astral Plane or one of the Inner Elemental Planes. Just be careful with this, because you'll probably have to rewrite or change a lot of etherjams to do this, and those things take forever!
Encounters: Any NPC etherjammers you run into will be fairly powerful individuals, and you'll never really find more than one of them at a time (unless it's a master and apprentice setup). Most often you might run into them while exploring the Ethereal yourself, since they spend most of their time abroad in the ether. While an etherjammer is usually fairly openminded about strangers and willing to lend a hand, they tend to be very protective of the Ethereal Plane. If you seem like the sort of people that would abuse the power of the ether, you can expect a chilly reception from etherjammers.
Kellus
2011-07-30, 03:39 PM
1st Level Etherjams
Arcane Fumes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: Instead of destroying the materials, you can choose to keep an ethereal record of them. A copy of any writings or texts consumed by this principle (including spellbooks, scrolls, and so on) appears in a coexistant location on the Ethereal Plane, and remains there for 1 minute per caster level. If they are retrieved before that point and brought back to another Plane, they become real and permanent.
Armor of Lies (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: When an opponent misses a melee attack against you because of your deceitfulness, the attack is redirected through the ether, and aimed towards any other creature of your choice who is within range of the attacker. You can use the result of your Bluff check as the new attack roll for this effect.
Bend Perspective: Your second set of eyes is hosted on the Ethereal Plane, and is under a constant see invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/seeInvisibility.htm) effect. It can also move through solid objects.
Carpet of Shadow: The false terrain you create can be shaped to look like whatever kind of terrain you like, as if by a hallucinatory terrain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hallucinatoryTerrain.htm) effect. It still has the obstructing effect, and it grants a cumulative 10% concealment for every 5ft. of movement it costs to enter. You can exclude specific creatures from being able to use the concealment when you first realize this principle.
Crush Oubliette (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: You can use this principle to fortify someone you touch, instead of targeting yourself. Either way, the strength you provide is ephemeral in nature, and provides the target with a ghost touch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#ghostTouchWeapon) enchantment for themselves and any equipment they're carrying.
Cursed Flame (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: At your option, this fire can burn through the mind instead, forcing a Will saving throw instead of Reflex, and providing a penalty on Will saves instead. If the target has the mettle or mettle of will or elusion ability (or the improved version of any of them) they lose access to it while this effect persists.
Detect Life (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: This lifesense allows you to sense the dweomer of false life found in constructs, undead, and intelligent items. These types of creatures show up distinctly in your sight, allowing you to tell them apart from normal living creatures.
Dimmed Walker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: With a touch you can sense the planar cord binding a controlled undead to its master's will. Whenever you touch a controlled undead while under this effect you can tell the direction and distance (within 10% accuracy) of the undead's master.
Drain Awareness (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: By overwhelming the target's senses with ethereal white noise, you halve the distance of all of their senses (including strange ones such as tremorsense or blindsight) if they fail the initial saving throw.
Dusk and Dawn: The shadowy illumination you create is extraplanar in nature, being drawn from dark corners of the Ethereal Plane. Normal darkvision can't penetrate it. A creature must explicitly be able to see through magical darkness (such as a devil) in order to see into these areas normally.
False Form (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: Whoever you end up looking like, there's a memory of someone like that who once existed floating around on the Ethereal Plane. You capture this memory, and can use its familiarity with the form to fool people. While under the effects of this principle you can use the result of the initial Disguise check to replace any Bluff check you make. Each Bluff check you replace like this shortens the duration by 10 minutes.
Forgotten Text (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: When you realize this principle you can create a second, identical text which is drawn out of the ether. This text has all of the same contents and properties as you pick for the initial text, with one important difference. If anyone tries to use magic (such as comprehend languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm)) to decipher or read it, the text explodes in a burst of ash and arcane fumes (as the base arcane fumes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20) mystery).
Life Fades: The exhaustion caused by this effect is self-sustaining, as it feeds on the target's life and funnels it into the Ethereal Plane. Every round that the target remains fatigued they take additional nonlethal damage equal to half the amount of damage caused with the initial touch.
Mesmerizing Shade: The target sees some fanciful creation spun out of the ether instead of shadows. This works like a silent image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/silentImage.htm) effect which only the target can see. It still imposes the same penalties as normal, but if the target fails the initial Will save they must make a second Will save when the effect ends to avoid a suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm) that is planted in the illusion.
Puppet Strings (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: Instead of binding yourself to a creature, you can choose to bind two separate creatures together. This version of the principle works the same as normal, except that neither of the creatures can choose to break the grapple with the Escape Artist skill (or by choice). If one of them attempts a grapple check to break free, you can make the opposed check instead of the partnered monster. This version of the principle doesn't end if one of the creatures is pinned.
Quicker Than the Eye (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070307a)CS: You gain a similar bonus on Disable Device and Open Lock checks with this principle, and if you have umbral hand active you can make these kinds of checks at range with it as well.
Revise Vista (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: The terrain you create with this principle is tied to your will through the ether, and is limited only by your imagination. You can choose to have up to one square of soft cover in the area per caster level, which you can arrange as you like. You can also increase or decrease the wind speed in the area (up to a height of 20ft. off the ground) by 1 stage.
Shadow's Path (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: Instead of having the footprints follow you, you can choose to lay them out along a path that you can see. You can add to the trail as you like while the duration persists. In addition, at your option the footprints can be visible to anyone. You can still teleport to a point on the trail as normal, even if you were never actually there.
Shattering ImageDoS: When you set up this illusory principle, you can tie it to a trap on the Ethereal. The trap (which looks like a ghostly image of the illusion) occupies the same space as the illusion, just on the Ethereal Plane. It's considered a magic trap, and can be disarmed with the trapfinding ability. The Disable Device check to disarm it has a DC of 25 + your caster level. The trap is set to activate when someone disbelieves the illusion. When triggered, it explodes dealing the normal disbelief damage to everyone within 5ft. It also carries a shatter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shatter.htm) effect, centered on the square the illusion occupied.
Steel Shadows: By channeling energy from the Ethereal Plane you can create ghostly copies of other peoples' armours instead. When you use this ability, you can choose an armoured creature within close range (25ft. + 5ft./caster level) to steal their armour. The enemy's armor and shield bonuses to AC are both reduced by 3, to a minimum of +0. You gain the normal bonus to AC, although you only gain a reduced benefit if the target doesn't have at least a +3 bonus to each. This armor and shield is composed of ethereal force, and is effective against touch attacks and incorporeal touch attacks. A successful Will saving throw negates this effect.
Sudden Pit (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: The pit trap that you create with this effect isn't actually there, and is actually a pocket dimension on the Ethereal Plane. When someone falls in they disappear from their current Plane, and are only visible to those who can see ethereal creatures. All flight is negated in this pocket of the Ethereal Plane, and creatures with a climb speed must still make Climb checks to get out (they cannot take 10) due to the shifting nature of the ether.
Turbulent Dreams (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: As long as the subject gets to sleep for the full duration of the effect, you can store a copy of the creature's dream in the ether. This dream takes the form of a permanent persistent image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/persistentImage.htm) that plays over and over in the Ethereal Plane in the spot coexistant to the location where they slept. You can view it one time while you sleep (no matter where you are) at which point the image dissolves. Studying the dream reveals to you either the subject's greatest desire or their worst fear, chosen by you when you first realize this principle.
Umbral SludgeDoS: By infusing this sludge with a hint of exotic elements from the Ethereal Plane, you can make it dangerously combustive. You can end this effect early as a swift action, which causes the sludge to burst into flame. Everyone in the area of effect must make a Reflex save or catch on fire. Anyone who is nauseated from it is treated as being covered by it, and automatically fail their Reflex save. In addition, they take an extra 2d6 points of fire damage immediately.
Voice of Shadow: When you daze an undead with this principle their souls are reunited with memories of their previous life which are floating in the ether. These memories remind them what it is to be alive. While they are dazed, they are vulnerable to precision damage and death effects.
Voices from Nowhere (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: You can draw sounds and memories through the ether from other times and places. Your phantom voices can create a wider range of sound effects. This works like the control sound (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlSound.htm) psionic power. You can trade four voices for each use of this power, which you can use within the same area as the original principle. You can maintain concentration on all of your sounds and voices simultaneously.
2nd Level Etherjams
Beguiling Voice (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: In addition to improving someone's disposition towards you, you can also channel a beguiling chorus of whispers out of the ether to poison their thoughts about someone else. Their attitude towards someone else who is within medium range (100ft. + 10ft./level) drops by up to one stage for every 5 caster levels.
Black Fire: The flame that you channel from the ether burns white-hot. It counts as either cold damage or fire damage, whichever would be more useful to you. As a swift action you can either change energy types or reposition one of the 5ft. squares to another spot within range. Each swift action you use to manipulate the effect reduces the remaining duration by 1 round.
Congress of Shadows: When you contact someone with this principle, you include an invitation for extended congress. If they accept, the two of you share a sense link (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/senseLink.htm) for up to 10 rounds, in addition to the normal effects of the principle. While this effect is ongoing the two of you are connected by a silver cord which stretches between you on the Ethereal Plane. This cord is made of pure force, and is only breakable by abilities which specifically destroy or block force effects, such as a disintegate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disintegrate.htm) effect. If the cord is broken while the effect persists, the two of you are blinded and deafened for 1 round.
Cursed Visage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: Along with their permanent curse, you can bestow a permanent disguise self (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disguiseSelf.htm) effect on the target, causing them to look like someone else from another time and place. You can either choose to make a new appearance for them or attempt a Disguise check to make them look like someone in particular.
Darkened Lore (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=20)DoS: By drawing on the lost memories in the Ethereal Plane, you can make three Knowledge checks instead of just one. However, one of them gives you nothing but false information, no matter the subject or roll. You are not told which roll is false.
Dayspring Tranquility (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=20)DoS: You can generate a comprehend languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm) effect for every creature in the area, which persists for the full duration of the effect. If you do so, a transcript of everything said in the area during the effect is created on the Ethereal Plane. This transcript takes the form of a leather-bound book which includes everything said (whether you hear it or not) as well as who said it. The book appears in the coexistant location to the center of the effect, and fades away after one day if it isn't retrieved and brought back to a real Plane.
Extract Slime (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: The ooze you conjure can creep through the walls of the Ethereal Plane, making it more insidious than ever. As a swift action you can teleport a single square of the slime generated up to 30ft. away. Otherwise, this works like a dimension door (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dimensionDoor.htm) effect, except that if the slime is teleported into the same square as a living creature it can immediately make a grapple check (instead of being shunted). You can still take additional actions after teleporting the slime, but every time you move a square of it the duration of the entire effect is reduced by 1 round.
Flesh Fails: You can choose to channel planar energies through your touch, which makes the principle more unpredictable and yet also potentially more potent. The touch deals 1d4+1 ability damage to the score of your choice (-2 for Constitution, Intelligence, or Charisma). You can also choose to deal mental ability damage with this ethereal touch instead by targeting one of Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom. You can only deal mental ability damage with the unpredictable variant of this principle.
Frigid Smoke (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: You capture the spirit of anyone who succumbs to your freezing smoke in an ethereal trap, and you can twist it to your own purposes. Anyone who falls unconscious or dies from the smoke's suffocating effects or the cold damage it causes is transformed one round later into an ice mephit (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/mephit.htm#iceMephit) under your command as if by a summon monster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonMonsterIV.htm) effect. The mephit remains until it is destroyed or the original principle ends. When the mephit disappears, it leaves the original body behind as if no time had transpired since it first stole it.
Glimpse Secret (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: In addition to the normal options, you can also activate this principle in order to attempt a Knowledge (the Planes) check whenever you come within 5ft. of an incorporeal, ethereal, or invisible creature. You gain a +10 bonus on this check, which is made against the creature's AC. If successful, you can immediately activate a see invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/seeInvisibility.htm) effect on yourself.
Living Ghost (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: Your touch plants an ethereal seed in the target's mind which will blossom into the true realization of the principle. When you use this principle you can delay its onset by up to 5 rounds/caster level. In addition, instead of just destroying the memories you can also choose to replace all memories of you with the image of another person. This requires a Disguise check much like an illusion, which gains a +10 bonus.
Piercing Sight: The ethereal sight that you gain with this principle cuts through glamours and images. You can actively make Spot checks against ongoing effects from the Illusion school. The DC for these checks is 20 + the spell level of the effect. If successful, the illusions are dispelled as if with a dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm) effect. Every time you make an active Spot check like this, the duration of the effect is reduced by 1 minute.
Sever Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: If you use this principle against a bonded magical beast such as a special mount or familiar, you can bind it to yourself through an ethereal cord instead of its original master. Instead of losing its bonded benefits, the companion is affected as if by a dominate animal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dominateAnimal.htm) effect, and you become its master for all intents and purposes (although level-dependant benefits are not recalculated). The creature still becomes an animal and loses any spell-like and supernatural abilities, and its Intelligence is still reduced to 2. You can also realize this principle against an animal companion, even though it's not a magical beast. While the two of you are bonded, you are tied together by a silver cord that runs through the Ethereal Plane. This cord is made of pure force, and can only be destroyed by abilities which specifically damage or block force effects. If the link is severed prematurely, you are both stunned for 1 round.
Shadow Layout (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: You can continue concentration after the third round of this effect, giving you updated information in the area each round. On the 4th round, you also stretch out with ethereal senses. This provides you with blindsense in the area. This blindsense is also effective against incorporeal creatures, and it allows you to ignore concealment on blinking (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blink.htm) creatures, as you can instinctively tell when the creature is material. This effect lasts as long as you concentrate, or until you use a new principle (using the bonus from the 3rd round of study).
Shadow Skin: The skin provided by this principle is fortified with exotic ethereal energies, which allows energy sources to run off you like water on a stone. When you realize this principle you can pick one energy type from acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic. You gain energy resistance to this energy type of the same amount as your damage reduction for the duration of the effect.
Shadow Spikes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: Spikes that you create with this principle are tied to your ethereal shadow. Whenever you move, shadow spikes which you have placed on terrain follow you, staying in the same place relative to your position. Spikes on walls slide off onto the floor, and spikes on the ground or ceiling which meet walls slide onto them as you approach. Creatures carrying shadow spikes must stay within your close range (25ft. + 5ft./level) or have their spikes drop off onto the closest square. These spikes can damage ethereal and incorporeal creatures.
Sight Eclipsed: The Ethereal reaches out to embrace you, and the light you shift to it comes back otherwise. When you succeed on a Hide check using this principle when in terrain that would normally allow you to make a Hide check, you become invisible (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibility.htm) until you move or attack.
Stuff of Nightmares (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: The creature you summon can hide its true nature on the Ethereal Plane. As long as the creature takes no offensive actions and does not reveal its pseudonatural nature, it remains under a seeming (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/seeming.htm) effect, with a base image of an average humanoid of your choice. Once the illusion is thrown off, the actual duration of the principle begins. Otherwise the effect lasts for 12 hours, at which point your monstrosity fades away. Anyone who can see onto the Ethereal Plane can see the true nature of the creature.
Thoughts of Shadow: The enhancement provided by this principle also channels memories of the departed from the Ethereal Plane. In addition to the normal enhancement bonus the target gains 1 skill point per caster level which they can immediately allocate as normal. These ephemeral skill points are temporary, and cannot be used to qualify for anything. They disappear at the end of this effect.
Tome of Night (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: The book that you discover is filled with lore from the furthest reaches of the Ethereal. By reading aloud from the tome and spending a single power point, you can activate a fundamental of shadow that you know without causing the book to disappear. You can do this as often as you like while the tome remains.
Trail of Haze (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070307a)CS: If the marked creature teleports or changes Planes, his trail stretches through the Ethereal Plane. You can make a Knowledge (the Planes) check against a DC of 10 + his HD while standing in the square where the trail goes dry in order to follow him. This works exactly like whatever effect he used to instantaneously travel, including the same random result for variation in destination (if any). You don't need to know the destination in order to follow it with this principle. You can bring up to one creature per caster level with you when following a planar trail like this, or one vehicle and all of its contents. This baggage must be adjacent to you when you activate the stowaway effect. Distance moved on other Planes or after a teleport counts towards the maximum distance the trail stretches.
Tugging Shadows (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: When you pull a creature with ethereal bonds you can move him through otherworldly passages. You can move the target through solid objects and barriers while in this effect. At the end of the principle, if the target is still inside of a solid object they are immediately shunted to the nearest open square of your choice (and take 1d6 damage for every 10ft. shunted). Force effects and ethereal obstacles still block this kind of movement.
Umbral Authority (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: Your voice rings through the ether and cuts into the sturdiest will. If a creature with immunity to fear (including by virtue of type, such as undead) fails its Will saving throw against this principle, it loses its immunity to fear for the duration of the shaken effect and for 1 round per caster level afterwards.
Visage of Falsehood (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: As long as you're addressing creatures shaken by this effect, their feeble wills feed your frightening ethereal presence. You gain the same bonus you previously had on Bluff checks to Intimidate checks instead when addressing these creatures. Your Ethereal form becomes frightening to behold, and anyone who observes it must make a Will save or be shaken as well for 1d4+1 rounds. Only when no one is shaken does you lose this ethereal aspect.
Wave of Emptiness (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: The creatures you affect with this principle are drawn partially in the Ethereal, and begin to lose the ability to tell reality from dreams. If a target spends the full duration of this principle without being attacked (or the principle otherwise ending), you can plant a suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm) in their mind (Will negates, but they take a -4 penalty on the save). This suggestion makes them believe that the world they perceive is not real, but is instead a dream. If successful, when the effect ends (even if it's ended prematurely) the target becomes immediately subject to a death urge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/deathUrge.htm) effect as they try to kill themselves in an attempt to wake up.
3rd Level Etherjams
Afraid of the Dark: The reflection you create persists, and takes on a life of its own. It manifests as an astral construct (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/astralConstruct.htm) with a level equal to half the target's Hit Dice. You can pick menu abilities as normal for the construct, but it also has a special bonus menu A ability which causes it to be under a permanent disguise self (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disguiseSelf.htm) effect to look like a shimmering ethereal version of the target. The construct has a Wisdom score equal to the Wisdom damage you deal to the target, and it loses 1 point of Wisdom every round it exists. When it reaches 0 Wisdom, the construct disappears and this effect ends.
Clinging Darkness: The darkness that you conjure up emits an ethereal static which interferes with spellcasting. Any creature in the area who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must succeed on a Concentration check at the same DC as the Reflex save or waste it.
Curse of Silence (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: While the target is deafened, you can create a ghost sound (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/ghostSound.htm) at will which can only be heard by them. This noise is drawn from the ether, and they must succeed on a Will save to even realize that they have been deafened. If you wish, you can negate the silencing effect in order to make the trick more believable. If the effect is permanent, the target can reattempt a Will save every five minutes or whenever they are presented with evidence that they have been deafened.
Dancing Shadows: Along with the lighting the target's image seems to flicker and dance, making them seem much bigger than they actually are. They gain an enlarge person (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/enlargePerson.htm) effect which lasts for the duration of the effect. Since it's only their ethereal reflection which grows long with their shadow, someone under this effect is never at risk of being caught in too small of an environment as it grows. Similarly, it can fit through tight spaces like a creature of its original size.
Dark Dampening (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: The next mystery cast within the area benefits from the normal +2 bonus on caster level, but it also is subject to an etherjam without having to pay the normal power point cost. This effect can augment any mystery of 3rd level or lower, although by spending additional power points at the time of activation (mystery level - 3) it can augment higher level mysteries.
Dark Phantom (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: Even if the target succeeds on their initial Fortitude save to block the initial effect, they can still sense something horrifying at the edge of their vision. They're subject to a distract (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/distract.htm) effect with no saving throw. This effect also applies if they fail their initial save but succeed on their subsequent Will save, since they can sense that the horror is still lurking somewhere beyond their vision. In this case the penalties from the effect are doubled.
Dark Silhouette (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: The shadow you summon forth can move in strange ways between worlds. They can activate a dimension slide (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dimensionSlide.htm) effect at will as a standard action. Once you reach a caster level of 10 they can activate it as a move action (much like an augmented version of the power).
Dark Will (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4038363&postcount=20)DoS: The servitude you request of the target extends beyond mere sleep. When they fall into slumber they must immediately make a second Will save or be temporarily forced into animation in a kind of sleep-walk. Treat them as a zombie of their Hit Dice for the duration of this effect, except that they keep their original hit point total. They remain under your control like a controlled undead for the duration of the effect, and count against your total undead Hit Die control pool.
Faceless Shadow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: When you activate this effect you can store the face you remove in the ether. As a standard action you can place a face you have stored on a faceless subject no matter how much distance separates you. While one of the targets is wearing a false face, they gain a +10 bonus on Disguise checks to imitate the original bearer of it. This is no mere illusion, but an actual new face. While wearing a face the target can breathe normally, eat normally, and so on. You can remove the face again as a standard action in order to store it in your collection. You can have a number of faces in your collection equal to your caster level. Anyone who can see into the Ethereal Plane can see your collection of faces floating around you at any time, and can identify the original subjects from their faces with a DC 15 Spot check.
Flicker: Whenever you teleport with this principle you can choose to jump through the Ethereal instead of just slipping through shadows. As long as your target cannot see into the Ethereal Plane, you can immediately make a melee attack at your full attack bonus if you jump adjacent to a creature.
Invisible Pyre (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: Whenever someone takes damage from this effect, the ethereal fire clings to them. They take half again as much damage at the start of their next turn. In addition, if they fail the initial save, any movement they take until the end of their next turn leaves a trail of invisible flame behind them. This works like a line effect that follows every square they move into, and it persists for 3 rounds. During this time, anyone that moves through the line must make a Reflex save or be subject to the effect themselves (potentially restarting the line effect). Anyone who can see invisible or ethereal creatures can make out the line of fire, granting them a +10 circumstance bonus on the Reflex save to avoid it.
Killing Shadows: Your killing gaze obliterates the target's ethereal reflection, potentially destroying them utterly. If they are brought below 0 hit points by this principle they are completely and utterly destroyed, leaving nothing behind a thin trace of silver vapour.
Land of Darkness (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: Brightest day or blackest night, it makes no difference. The land you channel with this principle comes from the Ethereal Plane, which causes it to deal nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. In addition, it negates both the minor positive energy dominant Planar trait as well as the minor negative energy dominant Planar trait.
Morning Mist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063639&postcount=22)DoS: Ethereal mist is from the coldest mornings in the furthest reaches of all the Planes. Fire effects are somewhat diminished in the field, with their normal numerical benefits reduced by half. Fire effects now only burn away the mist in squares that they affect, rather than the entire field.
Path of Woe (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: You have an extra option to use with the mysterious terrain you create. By twisting the ambient light into the Ethereal, you can create strange reflections which show only what people expect to see.
Unseen: You can create a square which causes every creature in it to become invisible (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibilityGreater.htm) as long as they remain in the square. This costs three squares of terrain for every 5ft. square affected.
Pry the Truth (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: By peering into the ethereal image of the target, you can see the truths that lie behind the veil of death. When you use this principle to speak with the dead you gain a +10 enhancement bonus on Sense Motive checks against the target. When you use this principle to replicate discern truth (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/discernLies.htm) on the other hand, lies provoke deathly feedback. If you catch a target in a lie during this effect they immediately take 1d10 negative energy damage per caster level with no save, and this effect ends.
Rescind Peril (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: You can choose an alternate version of this principle which has a different idea on what constitutes 'avoiding' traps. This version of the principle channels the never-ending frustration of adventurers who were slain by ridiculous traps, which has taken on a peculiar life of its own on the Ethereal Plane. This version of the principle creates a burst with a 20ft. radius which can be centered on any square you have line of sight to within close range (25ft. + 5ft. per level). Inside of this area, minor pressure is exerted in all locations, a shrill beacon rings out, and a silent image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/silentImage.htm) of your choice immediately manifests in the area. The pressure exerted is enough to trigger any pressure plates, break any spider webs, or activate any similar pressure-based trap in the area. The noise and the image created are only audible and visible within the 20ft. radius area, and last until the beginning of your next turn. The pressure field exerted by this principle also grants you a brief glimpse similar to touchsight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/touchsight.htm) which provides you with an immediate image of the area (although it is not a continuous updated effect so much as a telekinetic snapshot).
Shadow's Appeal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: This principle allows you greater control over the target's feelings. If they fail the first saving throw from this effect you can twist the etheric images in their mind in order to decrease their attitude towards any one creature by 1 stage. If they fail the second saving throw when making an attack roll, the target redirects their provoking attack against another target of your choice in range.
Shadow Homunculus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: Your shadow homunculus is formed from the ether, and can move about on the Ethereal Plane. It can move through solid obstacles, and is treated as ethereal for all purposes. It can make itself manifest on a coexistant Plane as a swift action, and return to the Ethereal as the same. The homunculus can move beyond the normal maximum range of the principle, but it remains tied to you by a silver cord made of force that stretches through the Ethereal Plane. The cord can only be severed by an effect which specifically damages or blocks force effects, in which case the homunculus is destroyed and you are stunned for 1 round thanks to the feedback.
Shadow's Venom (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063650&postcount=23)DoS: When you realize this principle, any excess gp value (from the normal maximum of 100 gp/level) is stored in an ethereal image, allowing you to draw on it in a later realization. You can only have one casting of this effect stored in the ether at a time, allowing an expanded maximum of up to 200 gp/level to use on the poison (although any excess from this poison, up to 100 gp/level, can be stored once more for future use). Anyone who can see onto the Ethereal Plane can see a golden aura which surrounds you while you have excess value for this principle stored, and can determine the exact nature and value of the effect with a DC 15 Knowledge (the Planes) or Appraise check.
Sharp Shadows: When someone strikes you with a triggering attack while under the effect of this principle, you can cause ethereal feedback to travel back through the link you forge. This can overwhelm their mind, which allows you to trade the damage that would normally be dealt for a chance to daze the target. If you choose to use this option, the target must make a Will save or be dazed until the end of their next turn.
Summon Ooze (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: The ooze that you conjure with this principle is drawn from the deepest recesses of the ether, and forged into its shape through sheer willpower. Instead of the dark template, you can apply the phrenic creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/phrenicCreature.htm) template to the ooze, and the spell-like abilities are based off of Wis instead of Cha. Since oozes are mindless, they do not benefit from the increased Intelligence of a phrenic creature.
Umbral Fist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070307a)CS: Reaching though the twisting ether allows you to conjure another version of one of the target's pieces of equipment, from another place and time. You can attempt a sunder attempt instead of one of the normal combat maneuvers allowed, which represents replacing the target item with a far more aged and broken version of it. Alternatively, you can use this principle to deliver a targeted rusting grasp (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rustingGrasp.htm) effect at the same range as the normal uses.
Umbral Touch: Instead of occupying one of your normal hands, you can call up the memory of another creature's limb out of the recesses of the Ethereal Plane. You do not need to have an empty hand to hold the charge for this effect, and instead can use it as a new off-hand attack in addition to your normal weapons. This counts as a secondary natural attack which delivers an incorporeal touch attack (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040928a) instead of the normal melee touch (and is thus usable with effects such as Multiattack). This spectral hand exists on the Ethereal Plane, and thus is only visible to those who can see onto the Ethereal.
Without a Trace (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4063665&postcount=24)DoS: This mystery not only hides the image of a creature, but also its sound and scent. While under the effect it is treated as being silenced (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/silence.htm) and untraceable by scent. These traces are hidden in a pocket of the Ethereal Plane, which is only visible to those who can see onto the Ethereal Plane and who succeed on a Will saving throw when they attempt to interact with the target.
Kellus
2011-07-30, 11:03 PM
4th Level Etherjams
Aura of Shade: Instead of mere shadows, when you realize this principle you gather the etheric reflections of uncast spells and magics from times gone by. In addition to the normal effects, the creature wearing this aura can activate a greater dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagicGreater.htm) effect at will with a touch. Every time they activate it, 12 of the hit points of protection granted by the principle are used up. This principle now provides a maximum of 180 hit points of protection.
Bolster: The target's shadow grows not only longer but also somehow takes on a life of its own drawn from the lost souls on the Ethereal. The subject can specify a single adjacent square at all times which is under the effects of a darkness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/darkness.htm) effect (although only within that square instead of radiating outwards). They can change the specified square as a free action. As a swift action, the subject can have their shadow pin a nonflying creature inside that square, rendering them immobilized and flanked until the start of the subject's next turn (Reflex negates). While pinning a target, the subject must remain adjacent to them and they must keep their shadow in the target's square.
Shadow Evocation: At your option, this effect can replicate shadow conjuration (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shadowConjuration.htm), although with a mimicked spell of 4th level or lower (instead of 3rd) drawn from the ether. More interestingly, you can choose to alternately believe or disbelieve an effect you create (with either version) as a free action in order to take advantage of its properties (such as for a floating disk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/floatingDisk.htm)).
Shadows Fade: When you steal the image of a spell with this principle, you can store its effects instead of simply destroying it. When storing a spell like this, its aura shines around you on the Ethereal Plane. You can recast the spell as if casting it yourself at any point up until you recover your principles on the following day, although you use all of the original properties for the spell (such as caster level, save DC, and so on). You can make any decisions for the spell as normal for casting it (such as target or area). This principle can also dispel active psionic powers, as if with the dispel psionics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dispelPsionics.htm) effect and store them for later use. You cannot augment this effect, but you do not need to provide additional power points when you remanifest the effect later on.
Shadow Vision: The distortion this principle creates in the target's mind goes quite a bit beyond mere visual impairment. Their mind is filled with ethereal static that causes psionic distortion. If they manifest powers or psi-like abilities, they are subject to a catapsi (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/catapsi.htm) effect. In addition, you can pick up to four creatures or objects within your range of sight. They become invisible (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibility.htm) with regards to the target for the duration of the effect (or until they take a hostile action, as normal).
Step into Shadow: Many doorways between worlds open for you when you realize this principle. You can see paths through the Ethereal Plane which weren't obvious to you before. The maximum range for this principle doubles (to extra-long range, 800ft. + 80ft. per level). More interestingly, you can break this distance up into smaller pieces. You can jump once per round, as long as the combined distance doesn't exceed the full limit. Additional creatures you bring with you (aside from animal companions, familiars, special mounts, or other class feature companions of that nature) count towards the full limit as well (in addition to your own movement during the same jump). You must make all of your jumps within a duration of 1 round/caster level after you first realize this principle or lose any excess distance.
Warp Spell: Along with the magical shadow you normally intuit, you can sense and react to dark whispers of the mind. You can activate this mystery in response to a psionic power as well as a regular spell. If the manifester or caster of the effect is psionically focused when they manifest the effect (or if they expend their psionic focus when manifesting it, such as with a metapsionic feat) you can instantly recover your psionic focus when you absorb the effect. If the target did not expend their focus in activating the effect, they lose their focus when you steal it like this.
5th Level Etherjams
Curtain of Shadows: Embedded in the line of shadow is a wall of cold (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfFire.htm) (like a wall of fire but dealing cold damage) which affects anyone who passes through the middle of it (essentially running along the line through the middle of the 10ft. squares that make up the curtain). In addition, by reaching out through the ether, you can also treat anyone who is inside or adjacent to the curtain as being adjacent to you for all purposes (such as melee attacks, touch attacks, and so on).
Dark Air or Water: Whenever you realize this principle, the water or air you control takes on a life of its own with thoughts and memories drawn from the Ethereal Plane. Placed anywhere within the controlled area is a huge elemental, as if conjured with a summon nature's ally (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonNaturesAlly.htm) effect. The elemental remains under your control for the duration of the principle, or until it's destroyed. The elemental conjured is a water elemental if you're controlling dark water, or an air elemental if you're controlling dark air. At caster level 11th this improves to a greater elemental, and at caster level 13th it becomes an elder elemental. The elemental can move around normally, but it needs to remain within the affected area.
Echo Spell: By calling alien thoughts through the Ethereal Plane you can create a resonance which replicates psychic impressions. You can use this principle to echo a manifested power instead of a spell or mystery. In addition, by spending an additional 2 power points on this etherjam per spell level (or mystery level or power level) you can echo a higher level spell, up to 10 extra power points to echo a 9th level effect.
Feign Life: The objects that you animate with this principle are sheltered in the Etheral Plane. Instead of concealment, they are treated as being blinking (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blink.htm) for the duration of the effect.
Languor: When you call up planar energy to weigh down the targets, they need to support not just shadows but their own ethereal reflections. No matter which version of the principle you realize, their load is temporarily doubled, but their carrying capacity is not. Any objects they hold during this effect are treated as being twice as heavy as normal.
Pass into Shadow: As you step between Planes with this principle, you can leave a tunnel that leads through the Ethereal Plane. You can choose to leave a gateway between your departure square and arrival square, which persists for 1 round per caster level. The gateway fills the same space as you do yourself (a single 5ft. square for a Medium-sized etherjammer). To leave a gateway open you need to use this principle on yourself, and cannot initially bring anyone with you. You can also use this principle to bridge into or from the Ethereal Plane instead of just the Plane of Shadow.
Unravel Dweomer: When you break an enchantment on a creature with this principle you don't unravel it so much as displace it. You can choose to immediately move the dispelled effect to another applicable creature of your choice within medium range (100ft. + 10ft. per caster level) and within line of sight of your choice. If the effect is harmful, the new target receives a save to resist it as long as the effect normally allows a saving throw (at the same DC as the original effect). While this principle is in effect, the two targets are tied together by a silver cord that runs through the Ethereal Plane. The cord is indestructible unless attacked by an effect which specifically damages or blocks force effects, or if the two targets move apart beyond long range (400ft. + 40ft. per caster level) separation one from the other. The transferred effect remains for the original duration of the effect or until the cord is broken, whichever comes first.
6th Level Etherjams
Flood of Shadow: Not only are shadow effects more powerful while created in the affected area, they are also infused with memories drawn from the Ethereal Plane. Any shadow effect which is partially real has an extra 20% reality while cast within or into the area.
Shadow Evocation, Greater: At your option, this effect can replicate shadow conjuration (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shadowConjuration.htm), although with a mimicked spell of 6th level or lower (instead of 3rd) drawn from the ether. More interestingly, you can choose to alternately believe or disbelieve an effect you create (with either version) as a free action in order to take advantage of its properties (such as for a floating disk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/floatingDisk.htm)).
Shadows Fade, Greater: When you steal the image of a spell with this principle, you can store its effects instead of simply destroying it. When storing a spell like this, its aura shines around you on the Ethereal Plane. You can recast the spell as if casting it yourself at any point up until you recover your principles on the following day, although you use all of the original properties for the spell (such as caster level, save DC, and so on). You can make any decisions for the spell as normal for casting it (such as target or area). This principle can also dispel active psionic powers, as if with the dispel psionics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dispelPsionics.htm) effect and store them for later use. You cannot augment this effect, but you do not need to provide additional power points when you remanifest the effect later on.
Shadow Investiture: While invested with shadow through this principle, the target exudes an ethereal static that darkens both the mind and the eye. They are surrounded as if by a deeper darkness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/deeperDarkness.htm) effect, and all telepathy within the area of shadowy illumination is negated while the effect persists.
Shadow Storm: The damage that this principle deals is more fluid in nature, morphic like the nature of the Ethereal. It deals either full cold damage or full electricity damage, whichever is more useful at the time (even changing between targets). You can also arc the energy between targets as long as each new target is within 30ft. of the last one (instead of all of them being within 30ft. of the initial target).
Unveil: A creature who benefits from this principle also receives a sudden influx of mental sensory data, providing them with a mental snapshot of the area 100ft. around them, as if with the Mindsight (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/featbox.pl?feat=Mindsight) feat. This is not a lasting sensory method, but an instantaneous mental image of the position of creatures within the area.
Voyage into Shadow: You can use this principle to travel on the Ethereal Plane instead of the Plane of Shadow (you also don't need to be within an area of shadowy illumination to activate it). You don't get any other special benefit, because it's already quite a lot better than the original spell.
Kellus
2011-07-31, 09:02 PM
7th Level Etherjams
Dark Soul: Many things are possible when you fill a creature's mind with the overwhelming power of the Ethereal. Whenever a target fails its save against this principle or a target is struck by such a creature, they must immediately make a Will save or be compelled to immediately follow a command (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/command.htm) of your choice.
Ephemeral Image: Your illusory double is made out of coalesced ether instead of shadowstuff, and can move in strange and otherworldly ways. The duplicate that you create with this principle can move through solid objects, essentially being treated as either incorporeal or material, whichever is more beneficial at the time. You can still choose to trade senses with your duplicate at will, even if you don't have line of sight or line of effect to it. Finally, your duplicate is under a persistent see invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/seeInvisibility.htm) effect.
Life Fades, Greater: The exhaustion caused by this effect is self-sustaining, as it feeds on the target's life and funnels it into the Ethereal Plane. Every round that the target remains fatigued or exhausted they take additional nonlethal damage equal to half the amount of damage caused with the initial touch. Every round that they are exhausted from this effect they must also make a second Fortitude save or drop unconscious until the principle ends.
Prison of Night: Within the shadowy prison you create are hidden living ethereal bonds which tighten around the target the more they struggle against them. A target who is inside of this effect is treated as being grappled (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#grappling) by the prison. Whenever they attempt to escape, the prison deals 2d6 constrict damage +1 for every failed attempt, regardless of the outcome. Every time that they fail to escape, the DC for future attempts increases by a cumulative +1 as the prison tightens around them.
Summon Umbral Servant: As a more subtle variation on this principle, you can choose to have the elementals conjured become something akin to murderous hallucinations in the mind of your victim. By entangling a target's ethereal image with shadowstuff, you mix dreams and reality into one terrible conjuration. When you summon an elemental with this principle you can choose a specific victim within line of sight to you. The elemental is treated as being totally invisible (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibilityGreater.htm) and incorporeal to everyone except that target (and you), and the elemental cannot take any hostile actions except against that one creature (or anyone who has detected it). You can choose a different victim for each elemental conjured, if you like. When a victim dies at the hands of one of your elementals, the elemental devours their body, transforming their soul into pure ether. They are destroyed as if by a disintegrate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disintegrate.htm) effect, and the elemental is immediately dismissed.
Truth Revealed: While under the effects of this principle you can see deeper than ever before, into the darkest recesses of the mind. If you successfully study a creature for 10 rounds (1 minute) with this principle, you understand it so fully that you can attempt a mind switch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindSwitch.htm) with them. The target must immediately make a Will saving throw to resist the effect, or have their consciousness be shunted away into the Ethereal Plane while you occupy their body. Unlike a normal mind switch, you can leave your ethereal shadow occupying your body, which allows you rudimentary control. While in your body the target is subject to up to three suggestions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm) of your choice, with no further chance for a saving throw to avoid them. There is no XP cost for this effect, although it only lasts for the original duration of the principle (1 minute per level instead of 10 minutes per level).
8th Level Etherjams
Far Sight: When you successfully scry on someone with this principle, you can tag them with a special ethereal signature. Whenever you are on the Ethereal Plane, you can use this signature to sense the direction and distance to the target, no matter how much distance separates you. You can only have one tagged creature at a time.
Flesh Fails, Greater: You can choose to channel planar energies through your touch, which makes the principle more unpredictable and yet also potentially more potent. The touch deals 1d4+4 ability damage to the score of your choice (-2 for Constitution, Intelligence, or Charisma). You can also choose to deal mental ability damage with this ethereal touch instead by targeting one of Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom. You can only deal mental ability damage with the unpredictable variant of this principle.
Shadow Plague: The chilling cloud that you conjure is tied to a target's ethereal reflection, which causes it to follow them. When you realize this principle, select a creature within range. The cloud is centered on the target creature, and follows them at a rate of up to 60ft. per round without you having to waste actions directing it. If the target creature doesn't move out of the area of effect on any given round, they receive a negative level at the start of their next turn.
Soul Puppet: The dominated creature is linked to you through the ether, allowing you to communicate with it wordlessly to relay your commands. You can communicate with the creature through telepathy no matter how much distance separates you, even beyond planar boundaries. You can share the target's senses, even strange ones like blindsight or tremorsense.
Tomb of Night: Within the shadowy prison you create are hidden living ethereal bonds which tighten around the target the more they struggle against them. A target who is inside of this effect is treated as being pinned (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#pinned) by the prison. Whenever they attempt to escape, the prison deals 4d6 constrict damage +1 for every failed attempt, regardless of the outcome. Every time that they fail to escape, the DC for future attempts increases by a cumulative +1 as the prison tightens around them.
Umbral Body: When you realize this principle you can choose to use it as an aura which extends up to 20ft. around you. Any creature you designate within the area benefits from the effect, and they also gain the benefits of the ghost touch enchantment as they gain the ability to reach through the ether into the Prime Material.
9th Level Etherjams
Army of Shadow: When you realize this principle you can choose to avoid conjuring a few shadow elementals in favour of an entire legion of lesser souls from the Ethereal Plane (almost a true army of shadow, you might say). These are represented mechanically by 100 1-HD humans with the dark template conjured as normal for the principle. You can command all of them with a single swift action.
Consume Essence: Even when a creature succeeds on its saving throw against this effect, it still receives a number of negative levels equal to half your caster level. If this is enough to kill it, it's brought back as a dark creature like normal.
Ephemeral Storm: Instead of picking particular creatures to target with this, you can channel its power in a more raw form, funneling its energy into a 60ft. cone, a 120ft. line, or a 40ft. burst. Every creature within the area affected must make a Reflex save instead of a Fortitude save against the death effect. When transformed into an area effect there's no limit on the number of creatures you can target. This area storm can reach beyond planar boundaries, and has full effect on creatures on the Ethereal Plane or on the Plane of Shadow who are coexistant in the area.
Reflection of Things to Come: The foreknowledge that you glean with this principle allows you to see into the corners of the Ethereal, where you can see shadows of things that have not yet come to pass. You can activate this principle partway through in order to reroll an attack roll (that you make or that someone makes against you) or skill check. Every time you activate it like this, the duration is reduced by 10 minutes.
Shadow Surge: The dominated creatures are linked to you through a psychic ethereal network, allowing you to communicate with them wordlessly. You and the target creatures can communicate with each other through telepathy no matter how much distance separates you, even beyond planar boundaries. You can share the senses of all of your dominated creatures, including special senses like blindsight or tremorsense.
Shadow Time: Instead of the normal method of using this principle, you can activate an ethereal reflection of it in order to freeze someone in the timeframe instead of massively accelerating yourself. You can select any creature within close range (25ft. + 5ft. per level) which is immediately trapped for the same number of rounds. This works like the normal time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timeStop.htm) effect, except that only that the target creature is frozen. Everything and everyone else can act normally, although they still cannot interact with the target creature per the normal limitations of the effect.
Pyromancer999
2011-08-01, 03:07 PM
Spellcore Adept
http://a.tuis.free.fr/Golem5.jpg
"Boy, a Wizard once came up to me and said that whatever I was doing, it sure as heck wasn't magic. So I went and magicked him in the face. Ya get me?"
-Thomas Magecrafter, Spellcore Adept
Artifice. Just what is it? A combination of science and magic to create incredible magical items. While many who use magic choose to learn spells, some choose to create magic items just using their magic power. However, as of late, a new group of scientist, magicians, and engineers have discovered how to combine gear technology and magic to create objects known as Spellcores, opening a whole new world of possibilities for the future.
BECOMING A SPELLCORE ADEPT
How you would normally become a member of this prestige class.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills:Knowledge(Arcana) 8 ranks or Knowledge(Engineering) 8 ranks, Use Magic Device 8 ranks, Craft 8 ranks
Magic:Able to make use of arcane spells in some fashion, including spellcasting, infusions, and spell-like abilities
Class Skills
The Spellcore Adept's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (Arcana, Architecture and Engineering, The Planes)(Int), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + Int Skill Points
Hit Dice: d6
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Craft Reserve|Flux Points
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Spellcore(2), Flux Points, Item Creation, Crafting Reserve|30|3
2nd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Work of Artifice|60|6
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Spellcore(3)|90|12
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Spellcore Homunuculus, MetaSpellCore|120|21
5th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+4|Spellcore(4), Clockwork Companions|180|30
6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Spellcore Enhancement, Work of Artifice|240|42
7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Spellcore(5), Flux User|300|57
8th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6|Reuse and Recycle, MetaSpellCore|360|72
9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6|Spellcore(6)|450|90
10th|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+7|Spellcore Master, Work of Artifice|540|108[/table]
Class Abilities
Weapon Proficiencies: Spellcore Adepts have proficiency with all simple weapons, one martial weapon, and light armor.
Item Creation: As per the Artificer class feature, except that you may only create items you either have the appropriate feat or spellcore for. Should you only know how to create an item using its appropriate spellcore when attempting to create a permanent magic item, its gold costs increase by half and XP costs increase by a quarter.
Crafting Reserve: As per the Artificer class feature, except at the end of each level, half of the XP unexpended carries over to the next level's crafting reserve.. Should an Artificer become a Spellcore Adept, each crafting reserve remains separate, as every item made using this class's crafting reserve requires a spellcore to be made to fuel it, adding its cost to the item's creation cost.
Infusions: Your Spellcore Adept level stacks with your other class levels in an infusion-using class to determine how many infusions you have. Also, at any level, you may permanently sacrifice an infusion slot in exchange for 3 Flux Points per level of slot sacrificed.
Spellcore: Creating Spellcores is, so to speak, the core of being a Spellcore Adept. Spellcores serve as conduits for the type of magic that is used in crafting magic items, known as flux. Spellcores can make objects serve as magic items by attaching them to the object made to become a magic item, as a swift action. Afterwards, the spellcore transforms the object into a magic item. The size of the item does not matter, as spellcores can alter their own size and shape to accomodate different mediums, so long as the object it is attached to fits the general description for its type of magic item. Spellcores cost 100 gp and 5 xp to make, which can be drawn from the crafting reserve without need to make anything else. Once it has transformed an object into a magic item, the item continues to function as a magic item for 2 hours per class level, or until expent, in the case of certain magic items, after which the Spellcore drops off the item into its original form, where it can be reused. Lastly, Spellcores are very specialized. Each spellcore must be focused and crafted specifically to transform objects into one type of magic item. You start out knowing how to make two kinds of spellcores, and learn how to make an additional kind at 3rd level and every two levels after, as listed below:
Defense: You may create Magic Armor and Shields with Spellcores of this type by attaching them to appropriate items.
Weaponry: You may create Magic Weapons with this type of Spellcore by attaching it to an appropriate item.
Elixir: You may create Potions using Spellcores of this type by dropping them in liquids, allowing the resin used in these types to dissolve and create the appropriate potion.
Bound: You may create Rings using this type of Spellcore by attaching it to an appropriate piece of jewelry
Scepter: You may create Rods using this type of Spellcore by attaching it to an appropriate object.
Scribe: You may create Scrolls using this kind of Spellcore by attaching it to any piece of writing, after which it expands and distorts to overlay the writing it was placed upon.
Tool: You may create Staffs using this kind of Spellcore. Staffs created this way have only a number of charges equal to twice your Cha or Int modifier, chosen when this Spellcore is.
Mage: You may create Wands using this type of Spellcore. Wands created this way have only a number of charges equal to your Cha or Int modifier, chosen when you choose this Spellcore
Animation: You may create Constructs using this kind of Spellcore by attaching it to an object of appropriate shape for a construct of a certain type.
Note: Although Spellcores are keyed to create a certain category of item, the specific item to be create need not be decided until the Spellcore's activation, after which it turns into the magic item you decide, provided it has enough Flux Points invested in it to pay the XP cost.
Flux Points: The Spellcore Adept gains a Flux Pool, which is refreshed at the beginning of every day. Flux Points provide the XP cost of a magic item created by a Spellcore, and provide fuel for them to operate. Spellcores, after creation, can be invested with Flux Points. When invested, Flux Points account for 10 XP of an item's creation cost. Flux Points must be invested fully, and cannot be expent in part, so an item that required 25 XP would need 3 Flux Points. Once invested in a Spellcore, the Spellcore must be used within 1 hour per class level, or the energy fades.
Work of Artifice: At 2nd level, and every four levels after, your knowledge of Spellcores allows you to learn how to create more permanent magic items. You gain the appropriate magic item creation feat for one type of magic item you can create using Spellcores, regardless of whether you meet any caster level prerequisites or not.
Spellcore Homunculus: At 4th level, you learn how to create a special type of homunuclus. This acts the same as the Artificier class feature, except that should you include a spellcore's cost of creation in its creation, the resulting Homunuclus acts as a spellcore of one type you know how to create, decided at creation. A Spellcore Homunuclus can only hold a number of Flux Points equal to its HD + 1 at any given time, but otherwise acts as a normal spellcore in terms of how it is used, excepting that no spellcore needs to be attached, nor does the Spellcore at the center of it fall off after use.
MetaSpellCore: At 4th level, and every 4 levels after, you learn how to enhance spellcores of a certain type with metamagic effects. Choose one metamagic feat. When creating Scribe, Tool, or Mage Spellcores, you may apply that metamagic feat to all effects produced by that Spellcore by paying an extra cost of 1,000 gp and 100 xp per extra level the Metamagic feat would enhance the spell's effect by.
Clockwork Companions: At 5th level, your knowledge of gear technology and magic allow you to create artificial creatures. You gain the ability to make Effigies(Complete Arcane). You pay the normal gold and XP cost for their creation as normal, but do not gain the ability to create any other types of construct with this ability.
Spellcore Enhancement: At 6th level, you learn how to create a type of Spellcore that can attach to a living being, enhancing its abilities tremendously. After attaching the spellcore, the creature gains the benefits of 2 Eidolon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155181) Points per 1 Flux Point invested in the Spellcore, as though it were an Eidolon. This benefit lasts for 1 minute per class level you have.
Flux User: At 7th level, you learn how to infuse items with magic without a Spellcore in a pinch. You may touch an item and treat yourself as a spellcore of one type you know, transforming it into a magic item. Creating a temporary magic item this way requires half as many Flux Points. The item touched remains a magic item so long as it retains contact with your body, and stops acting as a magic item once you lose contact with it for more than 1 round per class level, once you decide to end the effect, or the normal duration for a Spellcore's transformation of an item is up.
Reuse and Recycle:At 8th level, you learn how to retain magic charge in a permanent item by using gear technology. By attaching an appropriate spellcore to a permanent magic item that makes use of charges or is a scroll, for the next use of the item, you may make a DC 30 Use Magic Device check to retain the use you expend. This effect may not be used more than a number of times equal to half your level per day.
Spellcore Master: At 10th level, you become one of the most adept with spellcores in existence. This has multiple effects on you. Firstly, you transform into a sort of living construct, giving you the Construct type. Secondly, you may now attach spellcores to yourself as though you were an object that could be transformed into a magic item, gaining the abilities of the appropriate magic item of your choice, although this effect can only be done once per 5 class levels you have per day, and only lasts 1 round per class level. Lastly, you may attach a spellcore to an existing magical item, temporary or not, and add +1 to its DC or +1 to the item's caster level for the effects it produces per 5 Flux Points invested in the spellcore.
PLAYING A SPELLCORE ADEPT
Being a Spellcore Adept is nothing to take lightly. The use of Spellcores to create temporary magic items is a revolutionary technology that blends the principles of gear technology with the abilities of magic items, allowing for new possibilities in what can be done in the future. However, given that many who come across this path are the mad scientist type, perhaps it is.
Combat: Spellcore Adepts often use their tactics from their previous class levels, but work to incorporate magic items into their battle plan. The ability to create temporary magic items on demand is nothing to sneeze at either, and allows Spellcore Adepts to adapt their attacks more to suit their current opponent.
Advancement:It's usually a good idea for a Spellcore Adept to pick up a few feats regarding magic item creation and that reduce costs of magic item creation, as they still have a good ability to churn out permanent magical items as well as temporary ones.
Resources: Spellcore Adepts often support one another as brothers (or sisters) traveling along the same path. As such, Spellcore Adepts can expect up to 10% off a magic item created for them by another Spellcore Adept, and many are willing to let one another use a section of their lab for item creation and experimentation in a pinch.
SPELLCORE ADEPTS IN THE WORLD
"I don't care how useful they are, what they do is just messed up! That said, don't ever go near one, son."
-Tallus Spellmaker, Wizard
Initially, Spellcore Adepts were regarded with some confusion, both by the magical and everyday community. What were they? How exactly did these Spellcores work? Eventually, Spellcore Adepts were accepted in the same vein as Artificers.
Daily Life: Spellcore Adepts usually invest energy into their Spellcores as soon as they wake up. Afterwards, they like to head into a place where they can experiment with their spellcores and improve their capabilities. That said, many are adventurers because they want to find out how their Spellcores work in the field.
Notables: The original Spellcore Adept was a half-gnome named Stinky McAwesome(last name invented by the man himself, and original last name is unknown). Originally an Artificer for the Clockwork Guild, Stinky came across the Spellcore almost by accident, creating the first prototype when accidentally enchanting an engine lying around instead of his intended subject. Soon, word of his creation spread, and he gathered apprentices around him, forming his own guild, the SpellGear Workers. An example of an apprentice of his that has used his teacher's knowledge for bad is Nuwhyr Gehn, a malevolent half-elf rogue/Spellcore Adept scorned by his community. He often creates items that are aimed at mass-destruction of human or elven communities, and rumors have it that he has invented a Spellcore that transforms any living being it is attached to into a monstrous clockwork construct of some sort, current apprentices theorizing it gives the beings the full traits of certain types of constructs to those it is attached to. However, his example is offset by Thalmus Ozod, an artificer/Spellcore Adept who goes around and sets up magical wards around communities that improve existing protection and health in the area. He often creates temporary items that help heal the sick in those communities, but has clashed with his fellow apprentice Nurwhry more than once, creating temporary items that mimic paladin and cleric ability in these clashes.
Organizations: The Spellgear Guild is the main guild for Spellcore Adepts, having quarters in almost every city around, although some places are naught more than a workshop and a small building for lodgings and food. Other organizations that do not specifically focus towards magic or the creation of magic items also welcome Spellgear Adepts into their ranks, where they often serve the same role as artificiers.
NPC Reaction
Common folk often do not treat Spellcores as much more than members of their base classes who have learned a little magic. However, many arcane magic-users and artificiers regard Spellcore Adepts as somewhat of an aberration of a magic-user. However, most adventuring parties welcome the Spellcore Adept's abilities, and some find themselves being the subjects of attempts to recruit them into a mercenary guild, such guilds valuing the flexibility of the Spellcore Adept's abilities.
SPELLCORE ADEPTS IN THE GAME
Spellcore Adepts provide a way for characters to use magic unconventionally in a steampunk setting, providing a fun and unconventional way to use magic in the world.
Adaptation: While Spellcores are primarily gear-based, should your campaign not be advanced to that level of technology, Spellcores can be replaced by an alchemical substance of equal value, called Mana Rocks or Spellstones, created from the leftover energy of spells and magic items.
Encounters: This is a place to describe what sort of encounters PC's will have with NPC versions of your class.
Sample Encounter
Spellcore Adepts can be found serving the role of an Artificer in a mercenary guild, in their workshop, or usually in some other high-tech/urban setting in any given city.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.
Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
------------------------------------------------
Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
Pyromancer999
2011-08-01, 03:08 PM
Accidental repost. My bad.
ErrantX
2011-08-03, 08:58 PM
Bump for great justice.
Not a lot of entries yet, praying for some late comers into it. 17 days folks!
-X
DeskChairLamp
2011-08-04, 02:55 AM
INEVITABLE AGENT
I am the broken law seeking wholeness. - Ayn Elanne, Inevitable Agent
Watchmen of the planes, guardians of the fundamental laws – such are the Inevitables. Although their mission of order is known well throughout the planes, they remain mysterious in every other aspect. While the Inevitables are formidable, the powers of Neumannus recognize their limits. Thus it is that to mortals possessing both remarkable skill and genuine devotion to the imposition of the fundamental laws, Neumannus extends an invitation – those who accept are designated as agents of Neumannus. In a ritual known as the Designation, a fragment of Mechanus is taken from the plane and fused to the mortal candidates, beginning the transformation that brings them ever closer to their Inevitable allies.
BECOMING AN INEVITABLE AGENT
Most candidates are found when they assist Inevitables in their missions. Sometimes, candidate are chosen simply because they have a strong enough reputation for upholding order. Either way, it is likely for Inevitables to observe their movement for a period of weeks or months to determine their true nature and the scope of their abilities.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Race: Any non-outsider
Alignment : Lawful Neutral
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Craft (any related to machines, i.e. trapmaking, clockwork, etc.) 4 ranks, Knowledge (the Planes) 4 ranks, and any one of the following: Diplomacy 9 ranks, Disable Device 9 ranks, Hide 9 ranks, Move Silently 9 ranks, or Survival 9 ranks
Special: The character must have had friendly contact with an Inevitable and must undergo the ritual of Designation (described further on)
Class Skills
The Inevitable Agent's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Engineering) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int mod
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+2|Designation, Tools of Mechanus, Clockwork Core
2nd|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+3|Machinist Training, Trapfinding
3rd|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3| Overclock
4th|
+4|
+1|
+1|
+4|Diversification
5th|
+5|
+1|
+1|
+4| Agent of Order
6th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+5|Diversification
7th|
+7|
+2|
+2|
+5| Made of Machine
8th|
+8|
+2|
+2|
+6|Diversification
9th|
+9|
+3|
+3|
+6|Machine Mastery
10th|
+10|
+3|
+3|
+7| Eternal Cognition, Inevitability [/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: Inevitable Agents are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light and medium armour.
Spells: Inevitable Agents have access to divine spells, drawn from the power of the Clockwork Nirvana.
To prepare or cast a spell, an inevitable agent must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an inevitable agent’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the inevitable agent’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an inevitable agent can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is detailed below. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. When the table indicates that the inevitable agent gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Charisma score for that spell level.
An inevitable agent prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does and may prepare and cast spells draw from a specific list, which is detailed below. She may cast any spell on that list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but spells for preparation must be chosen at the time of meditation.
Designation : While all Inevitable Agents have the general directive of locating and capturing, killing or destroying transgressors of the various Laws of Neumannus, they have a degree of variability in how they see their missions through. The Inevitables recognize that just as each Inevitable is cast from a certain mould and engraved with a different program, so too do their mortal agents vary.
A beginning Inevitable Agent chooses one of three designation – Enforcer, Arbiter and Investigator. The training and boons they receive from the inevitable depends on their designation. Designation also refers to the ritual of initiation that the new agents undergo (see spoiler).
The designations are as follows. All benefits are effective from level 1 onwards.
The Ritual of Designation:
Candidates whom the Inevitables have deemed worthy over a span of observation are approached on the material plane. If a candidate proves amiable to the proposition of the Inevitables, then they are brought to Mechanus where the Designation itself takes place. Candidates are always Designated individually.
The Ritual of Designation is a two-part affair. The first segment is a ceremonial process, in which a potential candidate is inducted into the official body of Neumannus’ mortal agents, and in which he is given a more in-depth explanation of the laws Nemannus desires that agent serve to uphold. Depending on the level of the candidate’s curiosity, this part may take from around an hour to a few days. The Inevitables themselves find no need for haste in designating new agents and place great importance on interpreting the laws of the universe, although the second part of the ritual compensates for many of the problems of communication. The second part is a process – part magical and part surgical – that binds a fragment of the plane of Mechanus itself to the body of the agent. This fragment often takes the shape of a small gear, which binds to its recipients heart. This gear serves as a link between agent and Mechanus and, over time, alters both the recipient’s body and consciousness. Physically, it slowly turns the agent’s body into a mechanized version of its biological form. Mentally, it links the agent’s mind to the shared consciousness of the Inevitables, granting them an understanding of the laws the Inevitables uphold.
The Designations:
Enforcer: Among the mortal agents of Neumannus, enforcers are the strongest, often sent against targets who have either ceased hiding or aren’t difficult to track down.
Enforcer benefits:
+2 hit points per level
Add your Charisma bonus (if any) as a bonus on Fortitude saves.
Arbiter: Arbiters are primarily diplomats. They are often sent to offenders of whom Neumannus demands restitutions be made. Their talents allow them to back up their demands with force, when needed, as well as track down targets who try to run away.
Arbiter benefits:
Add the following skills to your list of class skills: bluff (cha), diplomacy (cha), sense motive (wis).
You gain 2 additional skill points per level.
Investigator: Investigators track down the most elusive of the targets of the Inevitables. Investigators may be employed simply for reconnaissance, but it is common enough for them to pass judgment themselves.
Investigator benefits:
Add the following skills to your list of class skills: bluff (cha), disguise (cha), hide (dex), move silently (dex).
You gain 2 additional skill points per level.
Add your Charisma bonus (if any) as a bonus on Reflex saves.
Clockwork Core (Ex): The gear taken from Mechanus begins its growth in you, fusing with your body. You are treated as having Light Fortification and become immune to Fatigue and Exhaustion.
Machinist Training (Ex) : Mechanical expertise comes naturally with the training of the Inevitables. Inevitable Agents develop a talent for working with mechanisms of all kinds. You gain a +6 competence bonus on all Disable Device and Open Lock checks, as well as all craft checks related to machinery and tools.
Trapfinding (Ex): You gain trapfinding, as the rogue ability.
Overclock (Ex): The mechanization of your body extends into your bones and muscles, allowing you to surpass the limits of biological abilities. When you push yourself to the limit, your power surges. As a swift action, you can grant yourself a +4 bonus to Strength and a 10 ft increase in move speed. Doing so causes you to take 1d6 damage from internal strain. This damage is reiterated at the start of each round for which you maintain this ability. Ending this ability is a free action but the ability cannot be ended in the same round it was activated.
Diversification: At 4th, 6th, and 8th level, an Agent increases her flexibility with spellcasting. At each of these levels she adds a single spell of any level she can cast to her list of spells known. These spells may be drawn from any spell list, but may only be from the schools of Abjuration or Divination. However, Arbiters may also learn spells from the school of Enchantment, while Investigators may also learn spells from the school of Illusion. These spells must not contain the Chaotic descriptor.
Agent of Order (Su): Inevitable Agents gain a reputation for efficiency as guardians of the law. With good reason. At 5th level, an Agent is granted further power from her allies in Neumannus to aid in their mission of handing down the justice of Neumannus. The specific nature of the abilities is dependent on the Agent’s designation.
Enforcer: You gain Damage Reduction 10/chaotic and your attacks are treated as Lawfully-aligned. You gain Resistance 10 to an energy type of your choice.
Arbiter: You gain a +4 bonus on saves against Charm and Fear effects. You gain a +4 sacred bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Sense Motive checks.
Investigator: You gain a +4 bonus on saves against illusions. You gain a +4 sacred bonus on Gather Information, Hide and Move Silently checks.
Made of Machine (Ex) : With the growth of the Mechanus gear inside you, you become more metal than flesh. You become immune to poison and disease and you are treated as having Moderate Fortification. You gain a natural armour bonus of +1.
The extensive alterations to your body structure also allow you to craft and utilize the Clockwork Modifications detailed below.
Machine Mastery (Ex) : You reach a degree of mechanical expertise rivalled by few. The bonuses from your Machinist Training are increased to +8. In-depth knowledge of mechanical techniques also allows you to reduce crafting costs for traps, locks and other mechanical devices by 20%.
Eternal Cognition (Su) : Your glimpse of the knowledge of Neumannus and its inhabitants grants you a touch of its divine knowledge. For so long as you touch the Clockwork Nirvana, your mind inherits a shadow of its nature and power. As long as you are conscious, you gain Blindsense up to 20 ft. and can never be caught flat-footed. You gain a +2 bonus on all Intelligence-, Wisdom- and Charisma-based checks (but not Will saves) and a +2 bonus on saves against mind-affecting abilities. Furthermore, a zone of truth effect, centred on you, persists at all times.
This ability comes from a faint, but constant connection between the Agent and Mechanus and only effects that sever contact between the Agent and Mechanus can impede this effect (as such, the zone of truth cannot be dispelled as a normal instance of the spell would be). Any such severing of the connection would cancel all benefits of Eternal Cognition for as long as the connection is blocked.
Inevitability: The integration of the gear is complete, and you become a mechanized version of your former self. While you look largely the same, your skin takes on a metallic lustre and feels as smooth and cold as steel. Your breath smells slightly of smoke and your eyes have a faint illumination. Your type changes to Construct [Lawful] but you retain all your ability scores. You no longer need to eat or sleep. You gain immunity to critical hits, nonlethal damage and Death effects. Your natural armour bonus increase to +2.
Spells per day :
{table=head]Level|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th
1st|
0|
-|
-|
-|
-
2nd|
1|
-|
-|
-|
-
3rd|
1|
0|
-|
-|
-
4th|
1|
1|
-|
-|
-
5th|
2|
1|
0|
-|
-
6th|
2|
1|
1|
-|
-
7th|
2|
2|
1|
0|
-
8th|
3|
2|
1|
1|
-
9th|
3|
2|
2|
1|
0
10th|
3|
3|
2|
2|
1
[/table]
Inevitable Agent Spell List:
1: Alarm, Align Weapon (lawful only), Comprehend Languages, Detect Chaos, Detect Secret Doors, Disguise Self, Expeditious Retreat, Pass Without Trace, Protection from Chaos
2: Arcane Lock, Bull’s Strength, Calm Emotions, Detect Thoughts, Eagle’s Splendour, Find Traps, Hold Portal, Locate Object, Owl’s Wisdom, See Invisibility, Silence, Suggestion, Zone of Truth
3: Bestow Curse, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Discern Lies, Dispel Magic, Glyph of Warding, Hold Person, Invisibility Purge, Magic Circle Against Chaos, Nondetection, Tongues
4: Dimensional Anchor, Detect Scrying, Dimension Door, Dispel Chaos, Enervation, Greater Invisibility, Lesser Geas/Quest, Lesser Globe of Invulnerability, Locate Creature, Mark of Justice, Order’s Wrath, Scrying
5: Hold Monster, Geas/Quest, Greater Command, Lesser Planar Binding, Mass Suggestion, True Seeing, Wall of Force
Tools of Mechanus and Clockwork Modifications :
Tools of Mechanus:
Along with refining their technique with standard devices, Inevitable Agents learn to create other devices based on techniques unique to Mechanus. Of particular use to them are items that help in missions either by aiding in bypassing obstacles or by disabling opponents on the battlefield.
Master Tools: This set of tools assists in the manipulation of other mechanical devices, granting a +4 circumstance bonus on all Craft (any related to machinery), Disable Device and Open Lock checks. (cost: 60 GP; Craft DC 20)
Traps:
Arm binder: When contracted, this object looks like a tangled mass of thin metal rods. Arm binders are thrown at targets using a ranged touch attack, and activate when they hit. Upon striking a target with sufficient impact, it uncoils itself and snaps its rods around whatever it hit, effectively binding it. Creatures thus bound lose the use of their arms, but can function normally otherwise. A creature can slip free with a DC 25 (masterwork DC 30) escape artist check or burst out of it with a DC 26 strength check (masterwork DC 28). (cost: 20 GP; Craft DC 25)
Crippler caltrops: These function much like regular caltrops, but are lighter and designed to embed themselves deeply into the feet of any creature that steps on them. A 1-pound bag of crippler caltrops covers a 5 ft by 5 ft area. They function like regular caltrops, but receive a +4 on their attack roll and deal 1d4 damage. If successful, they embed themselves in the target’s flesh, dealing damage each round until removed by a DC 17 heal check. (cost: 10 GP; Craft DC 20)
Smokescreen: This canister contains a compressed gas that it ejects into the air when a release mechanism is triggered. It can be thrown or set down and released. When activated, it produces a cloud of smoke that functions the same as a fog cloud spell, but is nonmagical and expires in 10 rounds. (cost: 40 GP; Craft DC 29)
Snapchain: Composed of a pressure pad and a number of slender chains, this object functions much like an ankle snare in activation, but entangles the creature in slightly flexible, but highly durable bonds. A snapchain can be set in a specific area and any creature passing through must succeed on a DC 17 reflex save or be entangled. Creature caught in the snapchain take a -4 penalty on attack rolls and all Strength- and Dexterity- based skill checks. Slipping free of a snapchain takes an escape artist check of DC 30 (masterwork DC 35). Bursting out requires a DC 26 Strength check (masterwork DC 28). (cost: 30 GP; Craft DC 27)
Clockwork Modifications:
An Inevitable Agent’s mechanized body can be altered to a degree with a number of clockwork devices that are surgically attached to the framework of her body. An Agent can only support up to three modifications – one internal, one structural and one external.
Crafting and Installing Modifications:
In general, the process of crafting a modification is similar to crafting any other mechanical device, using the same resources and methods. The specific craft skill used can be whichever was used to enter the class. Internal modifications cost 1,000 GP each and take 1 day each to craft, while structural and external modifications cost 4,000 GP each and take 4 days.
Installing the parts is a separate matter and can be undertaken by the Inevitable Agent or, should the Agent desire, another skilled machinist. The installation process takes 16 hours of minimally interrupted (only for quick meals and breaks) work, and a Craft check (any appropriate) of DC 30. The process must be undertaken in a suitable workplace – it should be fully equipped with a variety of tools, magnifying glasses and, given the nature of the operation, a surface on which the Agent can lie throughout the whole affair. If the Agent is personally undertaking the installation, a number of mirrors and magnifying lenses may be in order as well.
Internal Modifications: These modification alter the systems, focusing on machines that have to do with energy and power management.
Coordinator Module: This device boosts precision of movement when in overclock mode,reducing the standard +4 bonus to strength to a +2 bonus, but adding a +4 bonus to dexterity.
Turbo Engine: This device alters the limits of your body to allow greater surges of power, but with increased risks. When installed, your overclock mode grants a +8 strength bonus but deals 2d8 damage upon activation and at the start of each round it is maintained.
Stabilizer: By regulating internal functions, this modification decreases damage from certain sources. When this is installed, the damage from the internal strain from overclock is reduced by 2, to a minimum of 1 damage per round. This also reduces the damage from concussive sources such as falls by 10.
Structural Modifications: These modifications focus on the functions of limbs and other structures close to, or at the surface of the body.
Climate Coating : This modification makes your body more resistant to various types of damage. You gain resistance 5 to cold, fire and acid.
Endoskeleton: This upgrade strengthens your internal framework, granting a higher threshold for resisting external forces. You gain a +4 bonus on strength checks and grapple checks.
Exoskeleton: You reinforce your skin with heavier protection. Your move speed is reduced by 5 ft, but your natural armour bonus increases by 2.
Sensory Amplifiers : These augmentations around your eyes and ears extend the capacity of your senses, granting a +8 bonus to Listen and Spot checks.
External Modifications: External modifications are extensions that extend beyond the basic framework of the mechanized body.
Retractable Blades: You equip yourself with a pair of blades that can be retracted into your forearms when not in use. When extended, they allow the use of two natural claw attacks, each dealing 1d6 + Str modifier damage, with a critical multiplier of x2. Extending or retracting the blades is a free action. The blades can be completely dislodged from your system for repairs or enchanting. Should the need to install blades in the midst of combat arise, doing so is a full round action per blade. (Replacement blades require the cost and craft check of a short sword)
Assault Armour: Consisting of several shifting plates of metal around your limbs, this modification allows you to bolster your defences in combat situations, while leaving you the option of more mobility outside of encounters. As a move action, the Assault Armour can be deployed, granting you a +6 shield bonus to AC, but reducing your movement speed by 5 ft and imposing a -8 armour check penalty in addition to your existing armour check penalty (if any). Although it grant a shield bonus, the Assault Armour functions much like an extreme version of a buckler, leaving both your hands free. When withdrawn, the shield bonus is reduced to +1 and the armour check penalty is reduced to -2. Your speed is unchanged. Withdrawing the plates is a move action.
Trap Launcher: You install a small launcher device capable of throwing small items such as Alchemist’s Fire, Thunderstones and the traps listed in the Tools of Mechanus. This device can load up to five items at once and fires them in reverse order of their loading (such that the first loaded only fires after all items loaded after it). As a swift action, you can activate the launcher to throw an item. It follows standard procedures on attack rolls, range increments and other rules appropriate to the thrown item. Loading an item into the launcher is a full-round action.
Wings: You install a pair of wings into your back that aid your jumps, granting a +10 bonus on Jump checks. In addition, you can use your wings to glide, negating damage from a fall from any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. You glide at a speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. You can't hover while gliding or while carrying a medium or heavy load. If you become unconscious or helpless while in mid-aar, a failsafe system locks your wings in position. You descend in a tight corkscrew and take only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
In Overclock mode, your wings become strong enough to grant functional flight. You gain a fly speed of 50 feet with average maneuverability. Otherwise, this flight has the same restrictions as your gliding. The wings revert to glide-only as soon as you exit Overclock.
PLAYING AN INEVITABLE AGENT
Although the designation each Inevitable Agent receives alters her combat tactics, all agents are generally expected to be hunters, of a sort, tracking down foes and bringing them down. Inevitable Agents work best setting the stage for their encounters – gathering information on the tasks ahead and planning carefully. Because of their ties to the powers in Mechanus, they have a number of impressive tools at their disposal. All agents must, of course, tread carefully – the Inevitables have no reservations as regards hunting rogue agents.
Combat: Although designated enforcers may take a more direct approach to combat, Inevitable Agents generally attempt to set conditions in their favour – casting spells, spreading traps, and maintaining strategic positions – before engaging foes in close combat. Agents faced with overwhelming odds often create an opening for escape and seek a more tactical position to continue.
Advancement: Most Inevitable Agents either continue in their earlier training or advance in classes that aid in their particular field – Enforcers might seek the power of martial disciplines; Investigators, the skills of rogues. Arbiters can choose to pursue the subtler side of their abilities or the more aggressive one, or even balance them out.
Resources: The resources of the Inevitables are at your disposal, although your otherworldly allies are not always swift to respond. The Inevitables assist in varying degrees, depending on the nature of requests and how they align with the interests of Neumannus. Fellow Inevitable Agents, generally accomplished in their own rights, will often be inclined to assist you in missions, though may later seek payment in kind.
INEVITABLE AGENTS IN THE WORLD
Let all the senators tremble in their palaces. Finally, someone will end this country’s nightmare. – a citizen of the Lich-dominated magocracy of Lagihm, days before its fall
In the early stages of their transformation, there is little that marks Agents as anything particularly remarkable except for their sense of justice. While they may earn the favour of institutions of law, their adherence to laws beyond any mortal kingdom can also get them into trouble. As such, they are regarded as any other lawful class would be – rigid, conservative and probably overbearing.
In the later stages of transformation, their otherworldly traits and devotion to universal order often earn them reputations as angels of justice or vengeance.
Daily Life: Agents are often at work on their missions one way or another. Lighter days are spent gathering information, establishing contacts or preparing equipment. The tougher days are the ones that involve capture or elimination. Agents try to avoid idle time, spending their rest breaks tinkering with machines, familiarizing themselves with their surroundings, or keeping up with local news.
Notables: Nathaniel was the name of first man to reveal the truth of the Inevitable Agents. He found there was simply no way of explaining away the army of Maruts that he lead in the revolution that toppled the Magocracy of Lagihm, at the time dominated by a number of mages recently turned lich. Few other Agents made significant strides, preferring to keep low profiles. A marked exception was a woman named Ayn Elanne, who intentionally cultivated her popular image as “Angel of Justice.” Her career ended with equal drama when she simply vanished from the world. Some assume she retired to Mechanus. Her more diehard supporters claim she continues her crusade in another of the Outer Planes.
Organizations: Some information about organizations dedicated to the practice of your class and other organizations which members of your class will be attracted towards.
NPC Reaction
Their mission of bringing order tends to make Inevitable Agents highly political. Thus, reactions tend to vary depending on whether or not they deem the society around them just. Inevitable Agents are not quick to incite the ire of governments, however, and are civil in most their dealings, giving few NPCs any reason for fear or anger. If they develop reputations, NPCs often come to them with petitions or job offers.
INEVITABLE AGENTS IN THE GAME
Inevitable Agents provide another link to Mechanus and the various agenda of the Outer Planes and their inhabitants.
Adaptation: The Inevitables and their enigmatic base of operations, Neumannus, are the foundation of the class. If Mechanus or the Inevitables are absent from the world, any race or organization with a strong tie to machinery and divine order can provide the source of the agents’ powers.
Encounters: Inevitable Agents behave similar to Inevitables in many ways. Players will likely find them in the middle of missions or preparing in towns or cities for their next jobs.
Sample Encounter
Give an example of how one might encounter a member of this PrC.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.
Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
------------------------------------------------
Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
ErrantX
2011-08-13, 10:44 PM
Bump.
Week left to go guys, only a few entries. I take it this one wasn't so popular, sad panda.
-X
Owrtho
2011-08-15, 09:24 PM
NECROCLOCK KNIGHT
http://th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2011/157/6/9/___clockwork_heart____by_kismeticquintessence-d3i8adk.jpg
"Hah! You attack me, and then when the tides turn grovel and try appealing to my better nature? Realize, my heart does not beat, it ticks. Forever counting the seconds remaining to those who would go against me. But know that soon it will no longer count for you."
- An unknown necroclock knight to a bandit
The world is a harsh, and there are those who find the body they were born with doesn't cut it. Whether to replace parts lost in battle, or to obtain an edge in fights to come, necroclock knights are those who have embraced the use of necroclock grafts. Through hard work and skill they aim to bring out the full potential locked within the devices.
BECOMING A CLASS NECROCLOCK KNIGHT
Most become necroclock knights after obtaining necroclock grafts and deciding it's worth learning how to better take care of and use them.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Craft (Necroclock) 8 ranks*
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Special: At least 3 necroclock grafts*
*Details on necroclock devices and grafts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210375) can be found there.
Class Skills
The necroclock knight's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d10
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Fast Maintenance, Skilled Scavenging,
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Improved Tuning (+1 day), Skilled Swap
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Energy Burst (Primary)
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Improved Tuning (+2 days), Tuned Durability
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Familiar Modification
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Improved Tuning (+3 days), Tuned Stability
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Energy Burst (Secondary)
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|Improved Tuning (+4 days), Tuned Defence
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Tuned Winding
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Improved Tuning (+5 days), Tuned Survival[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A necroclock knight gains no additional proficiencies.
Fast Maintenance (Ex): Necroclock knights are good at maintaining their necroclock grafts. The time required to maintain a necrotic device is reduced by 1 minute per class level.
Skilled Scavenging (Ex): Necroclock knights often check the bodies of those they killed for works and components superior to their own. As such they become skilled at scavenging and modifying necroclock devices. The Necroclock knight gains a bonus to checks made to scavenge or modify necroclock devices.
Improved Tuning (Ex): Necroclock knights often tune their grafts to improve their performance, and have become talented at doing so. The amount of time that a necroclock device tuned by the knight remains tuned is increased by 24 hours per 2 class levels.
Skilled Swap (Ex): Necroclock knights are known to change change out their own necroclock devices for ones they consider more powerful or useful. They gain a +1 bonus per class level on craft (necroclock) and heal checks used for adding and removing necroclock grafts.
Energy Burst (Su): In order to take advantage of necroclock devices' temporarily increased performance when exposed to the same energy type that powers them, necroclock knights learn to unleash small bursts of positive and negative energy to power the devices.
At level 3, the necroclock knight chooses positive or negative energy as their primary energy type (the option not chosen is their secondary energy type). A number of times per day equal to their class level a necroclock knight may, as a swift action, unleash a burst of their primary energy type dealing up to (class level - 2) * Con modifier of their primary energy type to themselves (if lacking a constitution score use charisma).
At level 7, the necroclock knight learns to unleash a similar burst of their secondary energy type. A number of times per day equal to their class level a necroclock knight may, as a swift action, unleash a burst of their secondary energy type dealing up to (class level - 6) * Con modifier of their secondary energy type to themselves (if lacking a constitution score use charisma).
Tuned Durability (Ex): Necroclock knights are more skilled than most at tuning their grafts, and as such are able to glean advantages that others cannot. Necroclock knights of 4th level gains +2 hit points per tuned necroclock graft they have.
Familiar Modification (Ex): Having become particularly familiar with their own devices, necroclock knights are no longer in danger of damaging them when they want to make modifications. when scavenging or modifying a components or works that have been tuned at least twice by the knight, they never risk damaging them beyond repair.
Tuned Stability (Ex): If at least 6th level, and possessing a tuned necroclock vital graft, a necroclock night is treated as possessing the diehard feat with the following changes. Making standard action that only require the use of tuned necroclock grafts does not cause damage to the necroclock knight. The necroclock knight is able to take two actions a round as normal provided one of them only involves the use of tuned necroclock grafts, though doing so inflicts a point of damage. Similarly full round actions that only require the use of tuned necroclock grafts may be made, however, doing so inflicts a point of damage.
Tuned Defence (Ex): The various necroclock grafts necroclock knights possesses can grant them additional resilience when properly tuned. If at least 8th level, necrocklock knights gain +1 AC for each tuned necroclock graft they possess, not counting vital or sensory grafts.
Tuned Winding (Ex): Necroclock knights have learned to make their necroclock grafts much more efficient while tuned. Upon reaching 9th level, a tuned necroclock graft only uses up a half hour of wound time when rapid unwinding.
Tuned Survival (Ex): Skilled necroclock knights can be hard to kill. At 10th level, necroclock knights can be supported by their grafts alone. If a necroclock knight would be reduced by enough hit points to die or would otherwise be killed, if he possesses a tuned necroclock vital graft he instead remains in a disabled state as described in tuned stability with the following changes. All of the necroclock knight's grafts that are able to do so begin to rapid unwind each round. If the necroclock knight is not brought back to enough hit points to survive by the time all of his tuned grafts that can rapid unwind run out, he dies.
PLAYING A NECROCLOCK KNIGHT
Necroclock knights tend to be fairly reliant on necroclock grafts. As such it's a good idea to have a decent number of them. Their abilities also tend to rely on them being tuned, so it's worth taking the time to do so.
Combat: Necroclock nights don't have a specific combat nitch of their own, rather they continue to fill the nitch that they did before becoming a necroclock knight. Just with more reliance on necroclock grafts.
Advancement: The paths a necroclock night can take are limited mostly by the class it took before becoming a necroclock knight, and the grafts it uses. As they get decent at replacing and modifying the grafts they posses, it really just becomes the class they took before hand.
Resources: Necroclock knights have have no real organizations, as they are just people who have decided to embrace the use of necroclock grafts. Still there's always the bodies of other people with necroclock grafts that likely don't need them any more.
NECROCLOCK KNIGHTS IN THE WORLD
Well, there was a mercenary come through here the other day. From the look in his eye you could tell he was taken to using necroclock grafts. Or was it the gears in his eye? Yes, definitely the gears.
Depending on the setting and how necroclock devices are perceived, the reaction of others toward a necroclock night can vary from disgust to disinterest in something so normal.
Daily Life: Necroclock knights tend to have about the same daily life they had before becoming one. Only now they regularly maintain their necroclock grafts, which might take a while, but is worth it.
Notables: Make up some cool information about notable figures in the history of your class. It's best to give a little information from one of the good alignment and evil alignment (unless it's a good or evil only class).
Organizations: Some information about organizations dedicated to the practice of your class and other organizations which members of your class will be attracted towards.
NPC Reaction
This is an in detail description of how NPC's would perceive your class and the immediate generalization that people would give of your class.
NECROCLOCK KNIGHTS IN THE GAME
This is a good place to provide a quick note on how your class will effect game play statistically.
Adaptation: This is a place where you put in detail how people can adapt your class into their campaign setting.
Encounters: This is a place to describe what sort of encounters PC's will have with NPC versions of your class.
Sample Encounter
Give an example of how one might encounter a member of this PrC.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.
Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
------------------------------------------------
Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
JoshuaZ
2011-08-18, 10:39 PM
Necrotic Gearlord
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd407/JoshuaZ1/WhitechapelGods2modified.jpg
"There's an evil hydra in the cave you say? How interesting. It would be more interesting if it had metal wings and could zap little pests."- Tenebra Sans, a Necrotic Gearlord talking to a group of adventurers.
Necrotic Gearlords learn to embed clockwork components to augment undead, and learn how to make undead which from the very moment of unlife have the mechanical parts. As they do so, the Gearlord add components composed of both normal materials and special necromantically infused metals to their own living bodies until they themselves become undead. No one knows where the first Gearlord arose, and some ancient texts describe horrors that seem similar to those made by a Gearlord. Some Gearlords have claimed to learn their skills from strange voices that only they can hear. Some scholars have speculated that there is some Power which waits for societies to become sufficiently advanced before whispering its secrets to those worthy of them.
Necrotic Gearlord
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Use Magic Device 4, Spellcraft 2, Knowledge(Religion) 8
Feats: Spell Focus (Necromancy), Craft Wondrous Item
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast a 2nd level arcane necromancy spell and use a 2nd level infusion.
Special: Must have Artificer Knowledge and Craft Reserve class features.
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Open Lock(Dex), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + int
Hit Dice: d4
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Craft Construct, Unholy Knowledge, Necromantic Craft Reserve, Necrotic Infusion(1)|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Animating Infusion, Implant Clockwork|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Necrotic Infusion(2), Clockwork Corpse Master, First Module|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Self-Implant|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Necrotic Infusion(3), Scavenge Parts|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Improved Self-Implantation, Second Module|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Necrotic Infusion(4), Improved Scavenge Parts|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Never Stop Tinkering, Clockwork on the Brain|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Necrotic Infusion (5), Repair Clockwork, Third Module|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Clockwork Ascension|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing infusion casting class[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: Gearlords gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spellcasting:
When a new Gearlord level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in any one arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class and any one infusing casting class he belonged to previously. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that he adds the level of Gearlord to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class and infusion class the character has, then determines spells per a day, spells known, infusions per a day, and caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class or more than one infusing class before he became a Necrotic Gearlord, he must decide to which class he adds each level for the purpose of determining spells and infusions per a day.
Craft Construct(ex): You get Craft Construct as a bonus feat even if you do not meet the prerequisites. If you already have Craft Construct you may take instead another item creation feat or a corpsecrafter feat.
Necrotic Infusion(ex): In your process of studying how to implant machinery into undead you have learned subtle processes of treating undead like they are simply an exotic form of machine. At first level, you gain the ability to apply to undead infusions that normally can only target constructs. At first level, you can use this ability on first level infusions. At each odd level the level of infusion you can use this ability to goes up by 1 (so at 3rd level you can use 2nd level infusions this way and so on).
Necromantic Craft Reserve(ex): Each level you get a craft reserve equal to 100 * class level. This works just like a regular
craft reserve for an artificer but can only be used to construct objects which require necromancy spells to make. If you ever advance in another class that gives you a craft reserve (such as taking additional levels in artficer), you get 25% more than your usual craft reserve but this additional reserve can only be used for necromantic craftings.
Unholy Knowledge(ex): You add your class level as a bonus to your Artificer Knowledge checks when applying to any object which radiates a necromancy aura.
Animating Infusion(ex) At second level, you gain a special infusion that is similar to the spell Animate Dead. This is a third level infusion functions just like animate dead, with two differences: First, it can only be used to create zombies. If a corpse is unable to form a zombie (such as if there is insufficient flesh or too much damage) then the infusion fails. Second, undead animated this way have small gear mechanisms form in their torsos with a small firery engine belching smoke. This mechanism is essential for them to remain animated. As a result of their partial mechanical nature, such undead may be subject to critical hits, but they get a +2 bonus on turn resistance, and a +2 bonus on any save against a spell which specifically destroys undead.
Implant Clockwork At second level, you gain the ability to implant small amounts of clockwork into undead beings that do not yet have any clockwork component (that is have not had clockwork implanted and do not have the Clockwork Corpse template). This tinkering costs 10 gp per a hit die and takes 1 hour. The undead must be cooperative throughout the procedure. At the end of the process, the undead gains small amounts of gears and metal plating. This gives the being +2 turn resistance (which stacks against any prior turn resistance), 2 extra hit points, a +1 bonus on any saves against spells which specifically target undead, and the ability to be healed by the Repair Construct line of infusions.
Clockwork Corpse Master:At third level, you gain the ability to make Clockwork Corpses even if you don't meet the prerequisite of being able to cast Create Undead. The base cost for making a Clockwork Corpse is also reduced by 2000 gp and 500 xp. You may make Clockwork Corpses of hit die up to your caster level or twice your class level, whichever is higher. Also, you may use bodies that have been dead for up to your class level number of days rather than 24 hours.
Additionally, when constructing Clockwork Corpses you may add specific additional improvements called modules. Modules are large components added to the Clockwork Corpse.
A Gearlord learns one module at level 3 and one additional every three levels after that. You may not but may not add more modules to a single Clockwork Corpse than the Clockwork Corpse's total hit die / 4. Multiple Gearlords working together may add multiple modules to a Clockwork Corpse using ones known to either. A module cost 2000 gp plus 100 gp per a hit a die of the Clockwork Corpse to be built.
Modules:
Voice Control: Corpses with this module have specific extra mechanisms embedded into the undead brain and spine which force the Corpse to obey basic commands from the creator. As a general rule of thumb, if a command is simple enough to be given to an unintelligent undead then it is simple enough for Voice Control to function. If multiple Gearlords work together in making a Clockwork Corpse which has this module then it will recognize the voice of any of them.
Metallic Skeleton: A Clockwork Corpse with this module has necromantically charged metal sheathing its bones. This gives it a bonus copy of the Toughness feat and +4 bonus on fortitude saves, and a +2 bonus to turn resistance. You may apply this module multiple times, each time the Clockwork Corpse gains another copy of the toughness feat and the bonus on to turn resistance increases by 2, but the fortitude bonus does not increase.
Wings: A Clockwork Corpse with this module has retractable metal wings implanted into its back. As a standard action the Clockwork Corpse may unfurl or retract its wings. While the wings are out the Corpse has a fly speed of 30 and average maneuverability. These wings cannot be unfurled through conventional armor, but can easily rip through normal clothing.
Steamfist:This module replaces one of the Corpse's arms with a large fist. This gives it a slam attack corresponding to its size (Tiny - 1d3, Small - 1d4, Medium -1d6, Large -1d8, Huge - 2d6, Gargantuan - 2d8, Colossal - 4d6), as well as a +2 bonus on attempts to resist disarming when a weapon is held in that hand.
External Propellers: Clockwork Corpses with this modification has a set of retractable propellers embedded into their back. Taking them out or stowing them is a standard action. When out these give the Corpse +30 to swim speed. These propellers cannot be unstowed through conventional armor, but can easily rip through normal clothing.
Self-Destruct Option: A Clockwork Corpse with this modification has the ability to self-destruct as a standard action. This deals 1d6 damage per a hit die to every being in 30 feet. Half this damage is fire damage, the other half is negative energy damage. When initially constructed, you may set the self-destruct mechanism so that it works off of a command word rather than at the Clockwork Corpse's decision.
Crystal Resonator: A Clockwork Corpse with this module has a small crystals implanted in its brain and body with delicate copper wiring reading to a large crystal rod implanted in its chest. A Clockwork Corpse with this modification gains the [psionic] subtype and gains power points equal to its hit die. Additionally, when constructed, choose two first level powers from the psion/wilder list. The Clockwork Corpse may manifest those powers as a first level manifester.
Energy Resistant: When you pick this module you pick one type of energy (fire, cold, electricity, sonic, or acid). A Clockwork Corpse with this module has specially alloys added to its clockwork components and to its outer shell. It gains energy resistance 15 against that energy type and a +2 bonus on saves against effects with that energy descriptor. You may choose to take this module multiple times, each time you choose a new energy type.
Necromantic Ironwork: Many of the springs, gears and other parts of a Clockwork Corpse start off with necromantic energy, and the few that don't quickly gain necromantic potential from their embedding into an undead being. However, this module deliberately places much more strongly necromantically infused iron into the undead creature. This iron constantly exudes negative energy, giving the Clockwork Corpse fast healing 2.
Arc Generator: Clockwork Corpses with this module constantly give off a steady low hum. A Clockwork Corpse with this module may while it is making a melee attack (either a natural attack or an attack with a weapon (as long as the weapon is primarily made of metal or some other conductive substance)) send a jolt of electricity with the attack. The attack does an extra 2d6 electrical damage +1 damage for every three hit die the corpse has. The Corpse must decide to use this ability before the attack roll is made. After using this ability, the Corpse must wait five rounds before using it again. Due to the large size of an Arc Generator, it cannot be added to a Clockwork Corpse of small or tiny size.
Self-Implant(ex): At fourth level, you now have enough knowledge to begin to carefully place small amounts of clockwork with necromantically infused steel in yourself. As a result, you may be subject to the Repair Construct line of spells (although you are only healed half as much as a construct would be), and you gain a +2 bonus on all fortitude saves against effects that cannot harm undead or cannot harm undead.
Scavenge Parts(ex): At fifth level, you have learned how to scavenge parts from destroyed Clockwork Corpses. If you are making a Clockwork Corpse and you have the remains of another Clockwork Corpse that are reasonably intact (for example, not disintegrated), you may incorporate remaining pieces of that Corpse into your new Corpse. This reduces the cost of making the new Corpse by 100 gp per a hit die of the scavenged corpse. Additionally, if the Scavenged Corpse had any modules that you are adding into the new Clockwork Corpse you reduce the cost of that Module by 1000 gp. You also may scavenge parts from other beings with clockwork components with the same reduction in cost (what constitutes a being with clockwork should be left to DM discretion).
Improved Self-Implanation: At 6th level, you add further Clockwork to yourself. As a result your strength score increases by 2, and you get a +2 natural armor bonus which stacks with any other natural armor bonus. You also get 25% chance to negate critical hits.
Improved Scavenge Parts(ex): At seventh level, you become more adept at scavenging parts. When you are making a new Clockwork Corpse and have the remains of an old Clockwork Corpse available that is of at least the same size and hit die as the one you are making, you may add to the new Clockwork Corpse a module that you don't know how to make yourself that is in the remaining Corpse. If you do this, you do not get the cheapened cost of the module as you would normally get from Scavenge Parts.
Never Stop Tinkering(ex): Engineers and necromancers have one thing in common: the skilled ones never stop tweaking what they've made. At 8th level, you gain the ability to add modules to pre-existing Clockwork Corpses. This process takes 2 hours of work for a module and requires the cooperation or helplessness of the Corpse in question. You may apply the bonuses from Scavenge Parts or Improved Scavenge Parts to determine what modules you may add and how much they cost. You still cannot add more modules than the Clockwork Corpse's total hit die divided by 3.
Clockwork on the Brain(ex): At 8th level you engage in some of the most difficult and tricky parts of your... self-improvement. You add clockwork which through a complicated electro-mechanical system interfaces with your brain. This makes your thoughts more akin to constructs and undead. You get a +4 bonus on all saves against mind-affecting effects unless it is an affect that can impact the dead (such as say bardic music from a bard with the Requiem feat).
Repair Clockwork(ex): At 9th level, you can learn to repair Clockwork Corpses even when they would seem to be hopelessly destroyed. If a Clockwork Corpse has been killed in a way that leaves the body largely intact and did not reduce its total hit points to less than -10, you may spend 8 hours repairing the Corpse and restoring it to full strength. This process costs 50 gp per a hit die of the Corpse to be repaired.
Clockwork Ascension(ex): At 10th level you place the last few gears into your body and shudder as the necromantically infused cogs and springs begin to turn and slowly deaden your flesh. You gain the Clockwork Corpse template but you are far more willful and more intelligent than a usual Clockwork Corpse. You do not gain the usual ability score penalties that the template applies. You are also not subject to the usual +2 LA. Additionally, you may now improve yourself for free with one module you know. You may improve yourself further by implanting modules additional into yourself at their usual cost.
Playing a Clockwork Corpse
Some wizards go for lichdom. That's just so... boring. You will be immortal, but not as some withering corpse but rather as the ultimate union of flesh and machine. In the meantime, you will likely try to find out as much as you can about all sorts of undead you encounter and all sorts of mechanical devices. After all, they might give you interesting ideas to try out either on your test subjects or on yourself and isn't that always fun?
One worry you will always have is mobs of peasants who don't appreciate what you do. Or worse, heroes trying to stop the evil necromancer who don't appreciate that what you are doing is for science. On the other hand, heroes seem to make excellent specimens...
Combat: Until the higher levels, you are likely to be too weak for direct combat. However, your abilities as both an artificer and a necromancer will give you many options. Additionally, you will have a few very beefy undead which you can send out. Unlike some necromancers who will try to overwhelm their enemy with waves of undead, you are more likely to send out a few very powerful undead.
Advancement: A Necrotic Gearlord will want to study various ways of augmenting their Clockwork Corpses. The Corpsecrafter line of feats can be very helpful to them.
Resources: Necrotic Gearlord's are frequently loners and so will have few resources to draw upon. If they do have resources they are likely to be resources connected to their past before becoming a Gearlord. Some Gearlords may be involved in various religious groups, especially the more macabre and evil churches, and so may have connections their. If their are any cabals or covens of necromancers they may also join them, but the approach of the Gearlord's is unlikely to make them see eye-to-eye with more traditional necromancers.
Necrotic Gearlords in the World
"At first I thought I was just dealing with regular grave-robbers out to make a quick buck, but then I saw them. They were lead by a strange man in a tophat and a dead look in his eyes. Then I got a look at the men with him, they were full of some sort of mechanical things grafted on. And I got a whiff of that smell, a mixture of rot and machine oil. I ran. And ran. And then I retched. Such things shouldn't be." - Bill Bronfly, former caretaker of the Oakwood Graveyard, explaining why he retired.
Gearlords aren't seen nicely by man. Most people will probably think your either a mad scientist or a terrible necromancer, and they aren't likely to react much better when they find out that you are both.
Daily Life: You will spend most of your days studying, seeking out interesting corpses, or trying to learn more about new types of machinery. Of course, you won't say no to any interesting arcane lore that turns your way either. However, you will likely need to spend many days fleeing mobs of peasants or worse when they find what you've been taking from their graveyards, even if they don't know yet what you've been doing with the bodies.
Notables: Selmara Anat is a human Gearlord. She grew up in a relatively pampered as a member of a wealthy but minor noble house. Unfortunately, her family was not so powerful as to be able to protect her when her late night tinkerings and grave-robbing became known. In fact, most of them didn't want to help her. She barely fled with her life (and most annoyingly without any of the specimens she was working on!). Now, she travels from town to town, staying for a few months or a year before moving on. She is careful not to hasten anyone's death. This isn't so much that she has a moral qualm, although that exists so much as that killing people is likely to lead to even more inconvenient consequences. Recently, Selmara found out that stories about a necromancer from the House of Anat have been spreading and so she now travels under another name.
Denar the Everticking is a half-elf Gearlord. The truth is that his title of "Everticking" is his own self-style, but he will grow quickly enraged against those who mock it. He is one of the most powerful and knowledgeable Gearlords alive, and one of the few whose name has spread enough that other Gearlords are likely to have heard of him. Some even seek him out for advice or to exchange interesting information. But if a puzzle or idea doesn't interest him, he is likely to grind the offender down for parts in his next experiment. Denar plans to conquer the world eventually, but right now he'd settle for a small kingdom.
Asman Gat is a mysterious Gearlord. No one has ever met him, and some suspect that his name may simply be a pen-name. He is the primary editor of an irregularly published journal titled "Necromancy and Mechanics" which claims to have a subscription base of over 200 people.
Tenebra Sans is one of the few arguably good Gearlords. She generally experiments with animal corpses, and only uses the corpses of others when she has their permission. There are stories that she has occasionally approached a dying person whom she believes to be a net benefit to the world and actively asked them if they want to become a Clockwork Corpse. So far, there are apparently not takers. Tenebra believes strongly that there's no reason to not experiment with the undead other than out-dated religious dictates, and she believes that the knowledge of the Gearlords if it can be spread will lead to a paradise. She is a frequent contributor to "Necromancy and Mechanics". Many Gearlords pay careful attention to her ideas about clockwork, but they tend to ignore or skim over her exhortations about the good that their knowledge can do.
Organizations: There are no formal organizations of Gearlords. "Necromancy and Mechanics" is an irregularly published journal which some Gearlords try to read and a smaller number contribute. This is the closest they come to formal organization, although small numbers of Gearlords will sometimes work together to try to make particularly powerful Clockwork Corpses.
NPC Reaction
The vast majority of NPCs will react negatively to you. They won't care if you are a mad scientist or a necromancer. And they will likely not give you time to explain that you are both. On the other hand, the less squeamishly inclined or the more evil may find your work interesting. Most traditional necromancers will simply be confused by why you bother with all that engineering.
Necrotic Gearlords in the Game
Necrotic Gearlords won't be any more unbalancing than any other high-level casting class, if anything they will be slightly less so because of their hybrid nature. However, one serious danger is a Gearlord PC getting a hold of a very large corpse or a corpse with interesting abilities and then doing the obvious thing. A DM shouldn't throw creatures up against a party with a Gearlord unless the DM has thought about what happens if the Gearlord gets a hand on their remains. One solution to this problem is to throw creatures like outsiders and plants which the Gearlord cannot take advantage of.
Adaptation: As with many steampunk PrCs, adapting this PrC into worlds with little or no steampunk may be difficult. Some are easier than others. In the Eberron setting, Gearlords might be wizards loyal to Vol, or a faction of House Cannith. In the Forgotten Realms setting, Gearlords could be a sect of Gond, taking a dark twist on the amoral nature of the Gondsmen work. One could in any of these cases without much trouble change the spellcasting requirement to allow divine spellcasters to enter the class.
Encounters: This is a place to describe what sort of encounters PC's will have with NPC versions of your class.
Sample Encounter
PCs might encounter a Gearlord after being asked to look into a series of graverobberies. Or if one PC is a particular exotic species a Gearlord might target the PCs to obtain a new specimen.
Clockwork Corpse Template
Clockwork Corpse is a template which can be applied to any corporeal living animals, magical beasts, humanoids, monstrous humanoids, aberrations, or dragons of at least tiny size.
The Clockwork Corpse is an unholy hybrid of mechanical parts embedded into a corpse which is then infused with powerful necromantic energy which animates the monstrosity and helps power its gearwork.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead, and it gains the augmented subtype. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Armored Form: A Clockwork Corpse has not just internal gears but also metal components on its outside. As a result it gains DR 1/magic or piercing or adamantine as well as a +2 natural armor bonus which stacks with any other natural armor bonus.
Retained Abilities:
A Clockwork Corpse retains all supernatural, extraordinary, and spell-like abilities of the base creature except those which depend on constitution.
Hybrid Nature: A Clockwork Corpse has some properties of an undead and some properties of a mechanical construct. As a result, it gains +4 turn resistance bonus, and cannot be destroyed by turning. Additionally, any spell or effect that effects undead or effects constructs effect the Clockwork Corpse. However, on all effects that would effect a construct or a undead but not both, Clockwork Corpse may make a save even if the effect would not normally allow one, and the Corpse gets a +4 bonus to this save. The Clockwork Corpse takes only half damage from positive energy effects. However, the Clockwork Corpse gets full benefit of any beneficial spell
or similar effect that would only target undead or constructs. So for example, a Repair Construct spell would treat the Clockwork Corpse like a construct.
Ability Scores:
A Clockwork Corpse is extremely strong, but the combined effects of necromantic energy permeating the brain as well as the presence of mechanical parts embedded into the brain stem reduce its mental power. A Clockwork Corpse gets +4 to strength and has intelligence and charisma reduced by 2. This cannot reduce an intelligence or charisma score of three or more to below three, and it cannot reduce scores to 0.
Challenge Rating: As the base creature +2
Level Adjustment: +2.
Making a Clockwork Corpse: The process to make a Clockwork Corpse is long. One must have the Craft Construct feat and be able to cast Create Undead or Create Greater Undead. One needs a corpse which has been very recently killed so it must have been dead for no more than 24 hours before some form of preservation such as extreme cold, embalming, or Gentle Repose was used. (Embalming a corpse requires special alchemical fluids costing 5 gp per a hit die.) If you have any of the Corpsecrafter line of feats or using the Ultimate Corpsecrafting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59582) system, you may apply those benefits when making a Clockwork Corpse. You cannot make a Clockwork Corpse with more hit die than your caster level.
Making a Clockwork Corpse cost 5000 gp and an additional 1000 gp per a hit die as well as 5,000 xp. Because of their large amount of mechanical components, the time and cost to make Clockwork Corpse out of a Warforged are both reduced by 20%.
New Feats
Extra Module
Prerequisites: Know at least three Gearlord modules.
Benefit: You learn another Gearlord module. (Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you learn another module.)
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