Silva Stormrage
2011-07-24, 02:32 AM
The Horned Harbinger
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090324173861/forgottenrealms/images/thumb/7/75/Horned_Harbinger.jpg/367px-Horned_Harbinger.jpg
I always hated how the Horned Harbinger was so poorly written in Faiths and Pantheons. A class that is made for spellcasters that DOESN'T progress spell casting? I hopefully made it more useful with this update. Please tell me if I went overboard with some of the class features. I ignored the fluff from the class from Faith's and Pantheons because too many DM's would look at it as campaign specific and give them another reason to refuse it. (And DM's rarely approve homebrew anyway). This new class works really well with the Dread Necromancer (HoH), the Lord of the Uttercold and really any charisma based necromancer, as well as my own homebrew corpse crafter feats (Shameless Self promotion ftw!). See my sig for both
Becoming a Horned Harbinger
Entry Requirements
Skills:Knowledge (Religion) 8 Ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 5 ranks
Feats: Corpse Crafter, Skill Focus Knowledge (Religion)
Spell casting: Ability to cast animate dead.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
The Horned Harbinger's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int),Ride (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Horned Harbinger
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialSpellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2 Bone Horns, Rebuke Undead, Death Domain, Animate Dead-
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3 Death Watch, Improved Corpse Crafter + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
3rd
+2
+3
+1
+3 Desecrate, Bonus Feat-
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4 Create Undead, Ranged Animation + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4 Captain of Undeath-
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5 Greater Undead + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
7th
+5
+5
+2
+5 Repeated Animation, Bonus Feat-
8th
+6
+6
+2
+6 Create Greater Undead + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
9th
+6
+6
+3
+6 Perfect Undead-
10th
+7
+7
+3
+7 General of Undeath, Lichdom + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Horned Harbinger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Horned Harbinger gain no proficiencies with armor or weapons.
Spells Per Day/ Spells Known: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level of Horned Harbinger the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class she belonged to before she entered the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of Horned Harbinger to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a Horned Harbinger, she must decide to which class she adds each level of Horned Harbinger for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Bone Horns (Ex): Horned Harbingers grow six short curved horns of bone from their skull, as if wearing a crown of bone. These horns are treated as a single natural weapon that deal 1d6 piercing damage and deals double damage on a charge.
Rebuke Undead (Su): The character can rebuke and command undead as a cleric of equal level to his Horned Harbinger levels. If the character already has rebuke undead then the character's Horned Harbinger levels stack with that ability.
Death Domain: Upon Adopting the Horned Harbinger class the character gains access to the death domain and its granted power. The character has an effective cleric level for the death domain's granted power equal to his caster level + Horned Harbinger level.
Animate Dead (Sp): The Horned Harbinger can use animate dead as a spell like ability 1/Day. His caster level for this ability is equal to his character level level + his charisma modifier.
Bonus Feat: At every level indicated in the table above the Horned Harbinger gains a bonus feat. They can be chosen from this list and the Horned Harbinger must meet any prerequisite in order to take the feat. Improved Turning, Extra Turning, Empower Turning, Quicken Turning, Tomb Tainted Soul, Any Corpse Crafter Feat, Any Leadership Feat, Undead Leadership, Weapon Focus (Bone Horns), Profane Lifeleach.
Death Watch (Su): Starting at 2nd level the Horned Harbinger can as an at will free action view the world as if he were using a death watch spell.
Improved Corpse Crafter (Ex): At 2nd level all other corpse crafter feats that directly increase animated undead stats have their effects increased by 50%. For example Nimble Bones would grant + 15 Movement Speed and + 6 Initiative while Destructive Retribution would remain unchanged.
Desecrate (Su): At 3rd level the Horned Harbinger generates an unholy aura that duplicates the effect of the Desecrate Spell. The range for this aura is 10ft/Horned Harbinger Level. If the character previously had an aura of desecrate add this one's range to the previous aura.
Create Undead (Sp): At 4th level once per day the Horned Harbinger can duplicate the spell Create Undead as a spell like ability. His caster level for this ability is equal to his character level + his charisma modifier.
Ranged Animation (Su): At 4th level any use of Animate Dead wether as a normal spell or spell like ability can animate any corpse within medium range (100ft + 10ft/Caster Level). If cast as a spell it still need to consume the material components.
Captain of Undead (Ex): At 5th level the Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead through Animate dead increase to six times his caster level. If the character was previously a Dread Necromancer then the limit becomes (6 + Cha Modifier) times his caster level. As well the Horned Harbinger's cap for controlling undead through his command undead ability is increased to 2 times his effective cleric level for rebuking.
In addition their animate dead SLA can now be used 3 times per day.
Greater Undead (Ex): At 6th level undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain unholy strength and endurance. All undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain 1 HP per HD.
Repeated Animation (Su): The Horned Harbinger is so adept at animating undead that he can now reanimate undead that have been destroyed. As long as there body is still in a condition to be animated the Horned Harbinger can spend 10gp of Onyx Gems per hd to reanimate any undead creature created through Animate Dead or Plague of Undeath. This Material Component must be payed regardless if the Horned Harbinger can normally ignore the material cost.
Create Greater Undead (Sp): Once per day the Horned Harbinger can duplicate the spell Create Greater Undead as a spell like ability. His caster level for this ability is equal to his character level + his charisma modifier.
Perfect Undead (Ex): At 9th level undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain further unholy strength and endurance. All undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain + 2 Strength and Dexterity as well as 1 HP/HD.
Also the HD cap for creating zombies and skeletons is removed and the Horned Harbinger can create zombies and skeletons of above 20HD.
This ability stacks with Greater Undead.
General of Undead (Ex): At 10th level the Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead through Animate dead increase to 12 times his caster level. If the character was previously a Dread Necromancer then the limit becomes (12 + Cha Modifier) times his caster level. As well the Horned Harbinger's cap for controlling undead through his command undead ability is increased to 5 HD per effective cleric level for rebuking.
Also the Horned Harbinger's Ability "Animate Dead" now duplicates the spell Plague of Undeath.
Additionally his create undead and create greater undead SLA's can now be used 3 times per day.
Lichdom (Ex): The Horned Harbinger gains the secrets to crafting a Phylactery and becoming a lich. The Horned Harbinger does not need the Craft Wonderous Item feat in order to craft the Phylactery and does not expend XP to craft it either. Once the Phylactery is crafter the Horned Harbinger completes an hour long ritual near a desecrate shrine to a death god or goddess or to death itself. After the ritual the Horned Harbinger emerges as a lich. The Horned Harbinger counts as animating himself for purposes of corpse crafter feats and other abilities. With DM permission he may select another undead template to become.
At the DM's digression they may select another undead template to animate themselves as which is equal to or weaker than the lich template.
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090324173861/forgottenrealms/images/thumb/7/75/Horned_Harbinger.jpg/367px-Horned_Harbinger.jpg
I always hated how the Horned Harbinger was so poorly written in Faiths and Pantheons. A class that is made for spellcasters that DOESN'T progress spell casting? I hopefully made it more useful with this update. Please tell me if I went overboard with some of the class features. I ignored the fluff from the class from Faith's and Pantheons because too many DM's would look at it as campaign specific and give them another reason to refuse it. (And DM's rarely approve homebrew anyway). This new class works really well with the Dread Necromancer (HoH), the Lord of the Uttercold and really any charisma based necromancer, as well as my own homebrew corpse crafter feats (Shameless Self promotion ftw!). See my sig for both
Becoming a Horned Harbinger
Entry Requirements
Skills:Knowledge (Religion) 8 Ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 5 ranks
Feats: Corpse Crafter, Skill Focus Knowledge (Religion)
Spell casting: Ability to cast animate dead.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
The Horned Harbinger's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int),Ride (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Horned Harbinger
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialSpellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2 Bone Horns, Rebuke Undead, Death Domain, Animate Dead-
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3 Death Watch, Improved Corpse Crafter + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
3rd
+2
+3
+1
+3 Desecrate, Bonus Feat-
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4 Create Undead, Ranged Animation + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4 Captain of Undeath-
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5 Greater Undead + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
7th
+5
+5
+2
+5 Repeated Animation, Bonus Feat-
8th
+6
+6
+2
+6 Create Greater Undead + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
9th
+6
+6
+3
+6 Perfect Undead-
10th
+7
+7
+3
+7 General of Undeath, Lichdom + 1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Horned Harbinger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Horned Harbinger gain no proficiencies with armor or weapons.
Spells Per Day/ Spells Known: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level of Horned Harbinger the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class she belonged to before she entered the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of Horned Harbinger to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a Horned Harbinger, she must decide to which class she adds each level of Horned Harbinger for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Bone Horns (Ex): Horned Harbingers grow six short curved horns of bone from their skull, as if wearing a crown of bone. These horns are treated as a single natural weapon that deal 1d6 piercing damage and deals double damage on a charge.
Rebuke Undead (Su): The character can rebuke and command undead as a cleric of equal level to his Horned Harbinger levels. If the character already has rebuke undead then the character's Horned Harbinger levels stack with that ability.
Death Domain: Upon Adopting the Horned Harbinger class the character gains access to the death domain and its granted power. The character has an effective cleric level for the death domain's granted power equal to his caster level + Horned Harbinger level.
Animate Dead (Sp): The Horned Harbinger can use animate dead as a spell like ability 1/Day. His caster level for this ability is equal to his character level level + his charisma modifier.
Bonus Feat: At every level indicated in the table above the Horned Harbinger gains a bonus feat. They can be chosen from this list and the Horned Harbinger must meet any prerequisite in order to take the feat. Improved Turning, Extra Turning, Empower Turning, Quicken Turning, Tomb Tainted Soul, Any Corpse Crafter Feat, Any Leadership Feat, Undead Leadership, Weapon Focus (Bone Horns), Profane Lifeleach.
Death Watch (Su): Starting at 2nd level the Horned Harbinger can as an at will free action view the world as if he were using a death watch spell.
Improved Corpse Crafter (Ex): At 2nd level all other corpse crafter feats that directly increase animated undead stats have their effects increased by 50%. For example Nimble Bones would grant + 15 Movement Speed and + 6 Initiative while Destructive Retribution would remain unchanged.
Desecrate (Su): At 3rd level the Horned Harbinger generates an unholy aura that duplicates the effect of the Desecrate Spell. The range for this aura is 10ft/Horned Harbinger Level. If the character previously had an aura of desecrate add this one's range to the previous aura.
Create Undead (Sp): At 4th level once per day the Horned Harbinger can duplicate the spell Create Undead as a spell like ability. His caster level for this ability is equal to his character level + his charisma modifier.
Ranged Animation (Su): At 4th level any use of Animate Dead wether as a normal spell or spell like ability can animate any corpse within medium range (100ft + 10ft/Caster Level). If cast as a spell it still need to consume the material components.
Captain of Undead (Ex): At 5th level the Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead through Animate dead increase to six times his caster level. If the character was previously a Dread Necromancer then the limit becomes (6 + Cha Modifier) times his caster level. As well the Horned Harbinger's cap for controlling undead through his command undead ability is increased to 2 times his effective cleric level for rebuking.
In addition their animate dead SLA can now be used 3 times per day.
Greater Undead (Ex): At 6th level undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain unholy strength and endurance. All undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain 1 HP per HD.
Repeated Animation (Su): The Horned Harbinger is so adept at animating undead that he can now reanimate undead that have been destroyed. As long as there body is still in a condition to be animated the Horned Harbinger can spend 10gp of Onyx Gems per hd to reanimate any undead creature created through Animate Dead or Plague of Undeath. This Material Component must be payed regardless if the Horned Harbinger can normally ignore the material cost.
Create Greater Undead (Sp): Once per day the Horned Harbinger can duplicate the spell Create Greater Undead as a spell like ability. His caster level for this ability is equal to his character level + his charisma modifier.
Perfect Undead (Ex): At 9th level undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain further unholy strength and endurance. All undead created by the Horned Harbinger gain + 2 Strength and Dexterity as well as 1 HP/HD.
Also the HD cap for creating zombies and skeletons is removed and the Horned Harbinger can create zombies and skeletons of above 20HD.
This ability stacks with Greater Undead.
General of Undead (Ex): At 10th level the Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead through Animate dead increase to 12 times his caster level. If the character was previously a Dread Necromancer then the limit becomes (12 + Cha Modifier) times his caster level. As well the Horned Harbinger's cap for controlling undead through his command undead ability is increased to 5 HD per effective cleric level for rebuking.
Also the Horned Harbinger's Ability "Animate Dead" now duplicates the spell Plague of Undeath.
Additionally his create undead and create greater undead SLA's can now be used 3 times per day.
Lichdom (Ex): The Horned Harbinger gains the secrets to crafting a Phylactery and becoming a lich. The Horned Harbinger does not need the Craft Wonderous Item feat in order to craft the Phylactery and does not expend XP to craft it either. Once the Phylactery is crafter the Horned Harbinger completes an hour long ritual near a desecrate shrine to a death god or goddess or to death itself. After the ritual the Horned Harbinger emerges as a lich. The Horned Harbinger counts as animating himself for purposes of corpse crafter feats and other abilities. With DM permission he may select another undead template to become.
At the DM's digression they may select another undead template to animate themselves as which is equal to or weaker than the lich template.