Cogidubnus
2011-10-11, 03:45 PM
This was built specifically for a campaign run by Kobold Bard, but I thought some other playgrounders might like it too, and is a prestige class for the Vis Veris Vesica. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9264941&postcount=160)
Iulian Upstart
The Iulian Upstart is a Vis Veris Vesica who has set his eyes on godhood. He desires the power of divinity, and moreover for that power to be recognised by his followers and his enemies. As such, he gathers a cult around himself and tries to seek out the means to become a god.
The Iulian Upstart’s power comes from three sources. First, his search for the secret of godhood provides some tiny clues, although not enough for him to truly ascend, which increase his power. The worship of his small cult also provides a tiny flow of divine prayer energy. But equal to both of these is his simple desire to be divine and to be recognised as such. Though he doesn’t always realise it, most of his power comes from within, his desire to become a divinity reshaping the universe around him.
Requirements: Ability to use 9th level Arcane Channelling, ability to gain at least 50 followers (usually through Leadership) who worship you, 23 ranks in any 5 skills, NE.
Hit Die: d12
{table=head]Level|Special
1st| Anathema, Worker of Miracles, Domain
2nd| First Divine Manifestation, Right to Command
3rd| Improved Arcane Channelling (9/day, 10th)
4th| Gods Do Not Fail, Cruel Touch
5th| Second Domain, Second Divine Manifestation, Improved Arcane Channelling (10/day)
6th| Improved Arcane Channelling (11th), Divinely Skilled
7th| Improved Arcane Channelling (11/day), Defeating Failure
8th| Third Divine Manifestation, No Fool
9th| Improved Arcane Channelling (12th, 12/day), Demi-Realm
10th|Third Domain, Is This Divinity?[/table]
Class Skills: All but Iajutsu Focus.
Skill Points Per Level: 4+int modifier.
Proficiencies: A Iulian Upstart gains proficiency with one new exotic weapon.
Anathema: Your designs on godhood were never going to go unnoticed. Upon taking your first level as a Iulian Upstart, choose one deity in your campaign setting. This deity must be one who your DM agrees is sufficiently powerful and has a sufficient number of followers. This deity finds your attempts to become divine offensive, and will actively oppose you. Their followers will refuse to aid you and attempt to stop your plans where they can, and the deity may even send some of their outsider followers to actively disrupt your aims.
Most Iulian Upstarts are Anathema to a Good god, because they were once Vis Veris Vesica and are despised by the forces of Good because of their selfish and evil ways, but some are Anathema to Neutral or Evil gods, generally because those gods feel this new upstart will impose upon their territory in some way.
Worker of Miracles: No divinity could be called truly great who could not perform deeds far beyond those of mere mortals. An Iulian Upstart’s class levels stack with its Vis Veris Vesica levels and any other invocation-using class levels for determining its Caster Level, but not for the purposes of invocations known.
Iulian Upstart levels also stack with Vis Veris Vesica levels for determining the caster level of its Arcane Channelling ability, and how many power points can be used to augment a Psionic Channelling ability.
Domain: Gods have portfolios, describing their specialist areas of power. Choose any domain, apart from the Courage, Good, Healing or Hope domains. You gain the domain power of the selected domain, and add the spells from that domain to your list of invocations known. If you choose a domain which you have already added to your invocations list using the Vis Veris Vesica’s “Embrace the Darkness” ability, you gain a bonus to your CL equal to your Iulian Upstart level (so you add double your Iulian Upstart level to your CL, as Iulian Upstart progresses invocation CL), and any caps placed on that spell (such as Harm’s maximum caster level or Animate Dead’s maximum HD) are raised by an amount equal to your Iulian Upstart level.
At 5th level and 10th level, you gain access to another domain.
If any of the Iulian Upstart’s Domains grant access to Wish or Miracle, this spell may only be used to duplicate a spell of a lower level as described in the spell description, and not for any other purpose.
N.B: Domains granting a “Smite” ability, such as Destruction. This Smite functions 1/encounter, not 1/day.
First Divine Manifestation: Whether by the power of their worshippers or their own simple drive to become greater, the Iulian Upstart begins to display some divine traits. All of its movement speeds increase by 30ft and they no longer suffer from any aging penalties. Aging bonuses still apply, as the Iulian Upstart accumulates experience, but the upstart can never die of old age or disease.
Right to Command: The Iulian Upstart’s power is so tangible that others are filled with a strange desire to bow to them, and the Upstart’s haughty confidence makes this urge even harder to deny. Once per day, the Iulian Upstart may use the spell Dominate Monster as a SLA with a DC equal to 10 + ½ its HD + its Charisma modifier. However, the Iulian Upstart may not use this ability again while a previous target is still Dominated, so the Upstart may only ever Dominate one creature at a time with this ability.
In addition, the Iulian Upstart adds Command Undead to its list of invocations known.
Improved Arcane Channelling: No Iulian Upstart would allow itself to be outclassed by a mere mortal magic-user, no matter how well-trained. At 3rd level, and for every two levels after that, the Iulian Upstart gains an additional use of its Arcane Channelling ability. In addition, at 3rd level, its highest level spell is increased to 10th level. This increases again to 11th level at 6 Iulian Upstart class levels, and again to 12th level with 9 Iulian Upstart class levels. These higher-level spells may be used to cast a lower-level spell with a metamagic feat applied to it.
Every time the Iulian Upstart’s highest spell level increases (3rd, 6th, 9th level) he gains the Channelled Metamagic Vis Veris Vesica special ability again, granting access to either better or more metamagic feats to apply to his Arcane Channelling.
Gods Do Not Fail: The Iulian Upstart would never allow themselves to fail when they know they can push the universe just a little bit harder to guarantee they succeed. Once per encounter per class level, the Iulian upstart may add its Charisma modifier as an un-typed bonus to any dice roll it makes. He must decide whether or not to do this before making the roll.
Cruel Touch: The Iulian Upstart enjoys subjugating those who try to oppose him, glorying in proving his power in their embarrassing defeat. The save DC for his Eldritch Essence invocations increases to 10 + ½ HD + Charisma modifier.
Second Divine Manifestation:At 5th level, the Iulian Upstart gains immunity to polymorphing, petrification, ability damage and ability drain. It also gains a bonus on saves against mind-affecting abilities equal to its class level. Unlike true deities, the Upstart is still vulnerable to energy drain.
Divinely Skilled: The Iulian Upstart refuses to accept that there is anything he cannot do. He may use any skill untrained, and counts as having ranks in all skills equal to half his HD, unless his actual ranks in the skill is higher. These virtual ranks do not confer synergy bonuses or count for meeting prestige class or feat prerequisites.
Defeating Failure: A 7th level Iulian Upstart can simply overpower failure. Once per encounter, he may treat the result of a single dice roll he makes as the highest it could have been. At 10th level, he gains a second use of this ability per encounter.
Third Divine Manifestation: By 8th level, the Iulian Upstart is almost as resilient as a true god. They gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier and DR/- equal to 1/2 of their HD.
No Fool: The Iulian Upstart cannot be tricked or fooled. At 8th level, he gains the benefits of a permanent True Seeing effect.
Demi-Realm: Choose one plane of existence to establish yourself on. Once per day for each 6 hit die you possess, you may cast Gate as a spell-like ability, but it can only be used to travel to a location on that plane. In addition, choose a location on that plane to act as the centre of your tiny godly realm. If you die while on that plane, you return at dawn the following day at your chosen location with no penalties and any equipment you still had on you an hour after you died.
Is This Divinity?: You’ve discovered that wanting it enough alone doesn’t make you a god. There is something more, something you haven’t tapped into yet. But it does bring you very close.
You count as having the Outsider type, with the Native and Evil subtypes, whenever it would be beneficial to do so. You gain a +5 perfection bonus to one ability score, a +3 perfection bonus to another ability score, and gain one extra hit point per hit die you possess. In addition, your caster level and save DCs for all abilities are increased by 1 per 10 hit die you possess.
New Feat:
Extra Domain: This feat may only be taken by a Iulian Upstart. It grants the Upstart one extra Domain, as per the Domain class feature.
Iulian Upstart
The Iulian Upstart is a Vis Veris Vesica who has set his eyes on godhood. He desires the power of divinity, and moreover for that power to be recognised by his followers and his enemies. As such, he gathers a cult around himself and tries to seek out the means to become a god.
The Iulian Upstart’s power comes from three sources. First, his search for the secret of godhood provides some tiny clues, although not enough for him to truly ascend, which increase his power. The worship of his small cult also provides a tiny flow of divine prayer energy. But equal to both of these is his simple desire to be divine and to be recognised as such. Though he doesn’t always realise it, most of his power comes from within, his desire to become a divinity reshaping the universe around him.
Requirements: Ability to use 9th level Arcane Channelling, ability to gain at least 50 followers (usually through Leadership) who worship you, 23 ranks in any 5 skills, NE.
Hit Die: d12
{table=head]Level|Special
1st| Anathema, Worker of Miracles, Domain
2nd| First Divine Manifestation, Right to Command
3rd| Improved Arcane Channelling (9/day, 10th)
4th| Gods Do Not Fail, Cruel Touch
5th| Second Domain, Second Divine Manifestation, Improved Arcane Channelling (10/day)
6th| Improved Arcane Channelling (11th), Divinely Skilled
7th| Improved Arcane Channelling (11/day), Defeating Failure
8th| Third Divine Manifestation, No Fool
9th| Improved Arcane Channelling (12th, 12/day), Demi-Realm
10th|Third Domain, Is This Divinity?[/table]
Class Skills: All but Iajutsu Focus.
Skill Points Per Level: 4+int modifier.
Proficiencies: A Iulian Upstart gains proficiency with one new exotic weapon.
Anathema: Your designs on godhood were never going to go unnoticed. Upon taking your first level as a Iulian Upstart, choose one deity in your campaign setting. This deity must be one who your DM agrees is sufficiently powerful and has a sufficient number of followers. This deity finds your attempts to become divine offensive, and will actively oppose you. Their followers will refuse to aid you and attempt to stop your plans where they can, and the deity may even send some of their outsider followers to actively disrupt your aims.
Most Iulian Upstarts are Anathema to a Good god, because they were once Vis Veris Vesica and are despised by the forces of Good because of their selfish and evil ways, but some are Anathema to Neutral or Evil gods, generally because those gods feel this new upstart will impose upon their territory in some way.
Worker of Miracles: No divinity could be called truly great who could not perform deeds far beyond those of mere mortals. An Iulian Upstart’s class levels stack with its Vis Veris Vesica levels and any other invocation-using class levels for determining its Caster Level, but not for the purposes of invocations known.
Iulian Upstart levels also stack with Vis Veris Vesica levels for determining the caster level of its Arcane Channelling ability, and how many power points can be used to augment a Psionic Channelling ability.
Domain: Gods have portfolios, describing their specialist areas of power. Choose any domain, apart from the Courage, Good, Healing or Hope domains. You gain the domain power of the selected domain, and add the spells from that domain to your list of invocations known. If you choose a domain which you have already added to your invocations list using the Vis Veris Vesica’s “Embrace the Darkness” ability, you gain a bonus to your CL equal to your Iulian Upstart level (so you add double your Iulian Upstart level to your CL, as Iulian Upstart progresses invocation CL), and any caps placed on that spell (such as Harm’s maximum caster level or Animate Dead’s maximum HD) are raised by an amount equal to your Iulian Upstart level.
At 5th level and 10th level, you gain access to another domain.
If any of the Iulian Upstart’s Domains grant access to Wish or Miracle, this spell may only be used to duplicate a spell of a lower level as described in the spell description, and not for any other purpose.
N.B: Domains granting a “Smite” ability, such as Destruction. This Smite functions 1/encounter, not 1/day.
First Divine Manifestation: Whether by the power of their worshippers or their own simple drive to become greater, the Iulian Upstart begins to display some divine traits. All of its movement speeds increase by 30ft and they no longer suffer from any aging penalties. Aging bonuses still apply, as the Iulian Upstart accumulates experience, but the upstart can never die of old age or disease.
Right to Command: The Iulian Upstart’s power is so tangible that others are filled with a strange desire to bow to them, and the Upstart’s haughty confidence makes this urge even harder to deny. Once per day, the Iulian Upstart may use the spell Dominate Monster as a SLA with a DC equal to 10 + ½ its HD + its Charisma modifier. However, the Iulian Upstart may not use this ability again while a previous target is still Dominated, so the Upstart may only ever Dominate one creature at a time with this ability.
In addition, the Iulian Upstart adds Command Undead to its list of invocations known.
Improved Arcane Channelling: No Iulian Upstart would allow itself to be outclassed by a mere mortal magic-user, no matter how well-trained. At 3rd level, and for every two levels after that, the Iulian Upstart gains an additional use of its Arcane Channelling ability. In addition, at 3rd level, its highest level spell is increased to 10th level. This increases again to 11th level at 6 Iulian Upstart class levels, and again to 12th level with 9 Iulian Upstart class levels. These higher-level spells may be used to cast a lower-level spell with a metamagic feat applied to it.
Every time the Iulian Upstart’s highest spell level increases (3rd, 6th, 9th level) he gains the Channelled Metamagic Vis Veris Vesica special ability again, granting access to either better or more metamagic feats to apply to his Arcane Channelling.
Gods Do Not Fail: The Iulian Upstart would never allow themselves to fail when they know they can push the universe just a little bit harder to guarantee they succeed. Once per encounter per class level, the Iulian upstart may add its Charisma modifier as an un-typed bonus to any dice roll it makes. He must decide whether or not to do this before making the roll.
Cruel Touch: The Iulian Upstart enjoys subjugating those who try to oppose him, glorying in proving his power in their embarrassing defeat. The save DC for his Eldritch Essence invocations increases to 10 + ½ HD + Charisma modifier.
Second Divine Manifestation:At 5th level, the Iulian Upstart gains immunity to polymorphing, petrification, ability damage and ability drain. It also gains a bonus on saves against mind-affecting abilities equal to its class level. Unlike true deities, the Upstart is still vulnerable to energy drain.
Divinely Skilled: The Iulian Upstart refuses to accept that there is anything he cannot do. He may use any skill untrained, and counts as having ranks in all skills equal to half his HD, unless his actual ranks in the skill is higher. These virtual ranks do not confer synergy bonuses or count for meeting prestige class or feat prerequisites.
Defeating Failure: A 7th level Iulian Upstart can simply overpower failure. Once per encounter, he may treat the result of a single dice roll he makes as the highest it could have been. At 10th level, he gains a second use of this ability per encounter.
Third Divine Manifestation: By 8th level, the Iulian Upstart is almost as resilient as a true god. They gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier and DR/- equal to 1/2 of their HD.
No Fool: The Iulian Upstart cannot be tricked or fooled. At 8th level, he gains the benefits of a permanent True Seeing effect.
Demi-Realm: Choose one plane of existence to establish yourself on. Once per day for each 6 hit die you possess, you may cast Gate as a spell-like ability, but it can only be used to travel to a location on that plane. In addition, choose a location on that plane to act as the centre of your tiny godly realm. If you die while on that plane, you return at dawn the following day at your chosen location with no penalties and any equipment you still had on you an hour after you died.
Is This Divinity?: You’ve discovered that wanting it enough alone doesn’t make you a god. There is something more, something you haven’t tapped into yet. But it does bring you very close.
You count as having the Outsider type, with the Native and Evil subtypes, whenever it would be beneficial to do so. You gain a +5 perfection bonus to one ability score, a +3 perfection bonus to another ability score, and gain one extra hit point per hit die you possess. In addition, your caster level and save DCs for all abilities are increased by 1 per 10 hit die you possess.
New Feat:
Extra Domain: This feat may only be taken by a Iulian Upstart. It grants the Upstart one extra Domain, as per the Domain class feature.