Lix Lorn
2013-05-26, 11:15 PM
Emblem Dark Mage
‘Heck, I always obey orders! Well, except for stupid ones like "don't fight the enemy." If someone tried to tell me that, I'd cut 'em in half and feed them to the crows!’ – Henry, a young dark mage.
Background: Dark mages are tome wielders with the knowledge, will, and rank foolishness to utilise Dark magic.
Races: Any race can become a dark mage, but they are more common amongst societies that greatly value individuality – or amongst those that try, and fail to quash it.
Other Classes: Dark mages are good rivals for Mages, but often befriend fighters. They can develop bitter rivalries with monks, but are generally cheerful.
Role: Dark Mages specialise in destruction and disruption, weakening their foes where Mages might strengthen their allies.
Mages in the World: Dark mages are less common than Mages, due to the stigma on their magic and their often wilful personalities.
Inspiration: Fire Emblem.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4
All Emblem classes have the same starting gold and age – their ranks vary wildly.
Class Skills-The Dark Mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex) and Spellcraft (Int).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
The Dark Mage and the Sorcerer
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Hex, Dark Tome Wielder, Dark Talent
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3
Dark Talent
3rd
+1
+3
+1
+3
Dark Talent
4th
+2
+4
+1
+4
Dark Talent
5th
+2
+4
+1
+4
Dark Talent
6th
+3
+5
+2
+5
Dark Talent
7th
+3
+5
+2
+5
Anathema, Dark Talent
8th
+4
+6
+2
+6
Dark Talent
9th
+4
+6
+3
+6
Dark Talent
10th
+5
+7
+3
+7
Dark Talent
P1st
+5
+7
+3
+7
Greater Dark Talent, Vengeance
2nd
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8
Greater Dark Talent
3rd
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8
Greater Dark Talent
4th
+7/+1
+9
+4
+9
Greater Dark Talent
5th
+7/+2
+9
+5
+9
Greater Dark Talent
6th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10
Greater Dark Talent
7th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10
Greater Dark Talent
8th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Greater Dark Talent
9th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Greater Dark Talent
10th
+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Greater Dark Talent, Tomebreaker
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Dark Mage is proficient with daggers and both anima and dark tomes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15287512#post15287512). They are proficient only with light armor and shields with no arcane spell failure.
Dark Tome Wielder: A Dark Mage may make iterative attacks with Anima and Dark tome weapons. They treat Charisma as their casting modifier, and have a caster level equal to their class level. They do not learn spells, have spells per day, or possess a class spell list.
Hex (Su): A Dark Mage is difficult to avoid, their foes transfixed. When they make an attack, they reduce the AC of the foe by the lower of half the Dark Mage’s Charisma modifier or half the foe’s Dexterity modifier. This always reduces the foe's AC by at least one, and is a profane penalty. It lasts for two rounds, and does not stack, although it does refresh itself on subsequent hits.
Dark Talents: At each level thereafter, a Dark Mage chooses a Talent from the following list.
Almighty Curse Requires: Hex
Your Hex ability now reduces opponent’s AC by the greater of these two values, although this doesn’t apply to Anathema.
Arcane Deceit (Sp) Requires: Character level 5
You may cast Minor Image as a spell like ability once an encounter (or hour outside encouners).
Magical Lies (Sp) Requires: Arcane Deceit, Character level 9
You may cast Major Image as a spell like ability once an encounter. You may now use your Minor Image spell like ability twice an encounter (or hour).
Arcane Knowledge (Sp) Requires: Character level 5, DM Adjudication
You may choose a single arcane spell of level one or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter (or hour outside encounters), but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. Alternatively, you may gain access to a single Least invocation, usable at will.
Arcane Secrets (Sp) Requires: Arcane Knowledge, Character level 9
You may choose a single arcane spell of level three or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter, but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. You may now use your spell like ability from Arcane Knowledge twice an encounter (or hour).
Alternatively, you may gain access to a single Lesser invocation, usable at will.
Dark Endurance (Ex)
You gain a resistance bonus to fortitude saves equal to a quarter of your character level. While wielding a dark tome, your toughness is greatly enhanced – you add the tome’s rank to your fortitude saves, as well as the ability to, when you successfully make a fortitude save against an effect that deals half damage on a successful save, take no damage instead.
Boneknitting (Su) Requires: Dark Endurance.
You regain hitpoints per hour equal to your character level, plus the level of any tome you wield. This is doubled during complete rest.
Grand Endurance (Ex) Requires: Dark Endurance.
You gain an additional hit point per level (For every level you already possess, and each one you gain from here on), and gain the Diehard feat as a bonus feat.
Dark Shield (Su)
As a full-round action, you may create a hovering field of dark energy around yourself. This grants you temporary hitpoints equal to the damage dealt by the strongest tome you currently wield, maximised. However, this barrier takes double damage from physical attacks. (Most commonly bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage.)
These hitpoints last for a number of rounds equal to the rank of your tome plus your charisma modifier. You may use this ability only once per encounter.
Eldritch Blast (Sp)
Your dark powers are less subtle than most. You may use an Eldritch Blast, exactly as per a Warlock, to deal 1d6 damage at range. This damage is increased by 1d6 damage per five character levels.
Cursed Tome (Su) Requires: Eldritch Blast
You may add the base damage of a tome you wield to an Eldritch Blast attack. If that eldritch blast would deal untyped damage and the tome would not, it deals the damage type the tome would deal.
Gorgon's Eye (Su)
By making a single attack as a full round action, which must hit as normal, a foe who takes damage is subject to a Flesh To Stone effect. A successful fortitude save negates this effect, which otherwise lasts for a number of rounds equal to the dark mage's charisma modifier plus the rank of the tome he wields. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Lord of Demons (Sp)
This talent allows you to summon dark creatures to assist you. Once an encounter (once an hour outside an encounter) as a standard action, you may summon an outsider of the evil subtype without class levels to assist you for the duration of the encounter, or one hour outside an encounter. This outsider has a maximum CR equal to the lower of half your character level or five. This ability is treated as a spell of level equal to half your character level.
Prince of Demons Requires: Lord of Demons
The CR limit of your summoned outsiders is raised to two thirds of your character level, or ten, whichever is lower.
Luna (Su)
Named after the favoured tome of its creator, this talent allows the user to take a full round action and make a single attack with any tome he wields. This attack requires no attack roll, and always deals half normal damage. It gains +4 on rolls to penetrate spell resistance, and ignores all damage reduction, energy resistance, as well as penetrating temporary HP. A successful will save negates the attack entirely, however. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Obliteration (Su)
Whenever you attack an unattended object or building, you ignore all hardness, and deal bonus damage equal to your charisma modifier. You also do this bonus damage against constructs.
Gleeful Devastation (Su) Requires: Obliteration
Your tome attacks deal damage to anyone within 5ft/four character levels of the target, although a successful reflex save (DC 10+1/2 character level+cha mod) negates this entirely. Against large buildings, an AoE can deal damage several times over.
Desolation (Su) Requires: Gleeful Devastation
By spending a full round action, you may make a single attack with any one tome you wield. If you do, it has an AoE of 5ft/character level, and does not require an attack roll. However, it allows a reflex save for half damage, with a save DC equal to 10+1/2 character level+cha mod. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Overwhelming Power (Ex)
You gain a +2 competence bonus to your charisma score.
Serpent's Subtlety (Su)
By extending the time required to use an ability or make an attack (to a full round action if it usually takes less, or doubling the required time if it takes a full-round action or more), the Dark Mage may do so either silently, or without movement.
Silver Tongue (Ex)
Lies come to you effortlessly. You gain a bonus on bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate checks equal to a quarter of your character level, plus two.
Golden Word (Su) Requires: Silver Tongue
Once a day, plus once more for each seven character levels you possess, you may cast Suggestion as a supernatural ability on any being you can speak to. This is a language based effect, and the DC is 10+1/2 character level.
Spellbreaker (Su)
Once an encounter (once an hour outside of them), you may attempt to dispel a spell or effect. This functions as per Dispel Magic, with the bonus on the check being equal to twice the rank of the tome you wield as you use this ability.
Through Death, Growth (Su)
Areas that you destroy with your attacks and spells invariably flourish later on. Plants and flowers grow from withered wastelands, and new life grows from nothing.
Tomb Tainted (Sp)
With this talent, a Dark Mage can summon the undead. Once an encounter (once an hour outside an encounter) as a standard action, you may summon an undead of any type without class levels to assist you for the duration of the encounter, or one hour outside an encounter. This undead has a maximum CR equal to the lower of half your character level or five. This ability is treated as a spell of level equal to half your character level.
Death Princess Requires: Tomb Tainted
The CR limit of your summoned undead is raised to two thirds of your character level, or ten, whichever is lower.
Spirit Queen (Sp) Requires: Death Princess, CL 8
You may cast Animate Dead as a spell like ability at will, as long as you provide the material components.
Untapped Power (Su)
You may use a full-round action to make a single attack with any one tome you wield. If you do, it gains a bonus on checks made to penetrate spell resistance equal to a fifth of your character level, plus one.
Venomous Thoughts (Su)
By making a single attack as a full round action, which must hit as normal, a foe who takes damage is infected with an unpleasant poison, which he must defeat with fortitude saves as normal. This poison has 1d3 initial damage to the ability of his choice, and secondary damage equal to his charisma modifier plus the rank of the tome he wields to the same ability. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
It's an odd quirk of the dark mages that they often seem far more appealing to animals than people. You gain the ability to improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use Wild Empathy, the mage and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A character can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
You may use this ability while dismounted.
Friend of the Furred (Ex) Requires: Wild Empathy
You may cast Charm Monster on any animal or Magical beast once per encounter (or once an hour outside of encounters) as part of an action taken to use diplomacy. This is an extraordinary, non mind-affecting ability, which may be used dismounted.
Beloved By Beast (Ex) Requires: Wild Empathy
Choose a single creature of the animal, vermin, or, with DM adjudication, Magical Beast type. This creature may be a swarm. It is treated as your Familiar, with your effective wizard level for this being equal to your character level minus the creature’s CR.
Anathema (Su): The dark presence of a 7th level Dark Mage disrupts his foe’s calm. His Hex ability is applied to any foe within 5ft/character level, as well as any foes he targets. If a foe would be affected twice, the penalty is instead increased by one.
The Emblem Sorcerer
For a Dark Mage, the Sorcerer is merely the continuation of their base class. They continue taking levels exactly as if levels 1-10 of Sorcerer were levels 11-20 of Dark Mage, including having a single class level between the two.
Other classes may take Sorcerer levels as a prestige class, beginning with P1st, if they meet the following requirements.
Sorcerer Prerequisites
Proficiency: Dark tomes.
Caster level: 10
Fortitude Save: +5 base OR Great Fortitude
The Sorcerer has the same class chassis as the dark mage; good fort and will saves, bad BaB and reflex saves, and 4 skill points per level. Levels in Sorcerer grant caster levels as if they were levels in a tome wielding base class the user already possessed, and count as tome wielding levels for the purpose of tome BAB.
Vengeance (Su): The Sorcerer deals the greatest damage when he is angry. When he is under 75% of his maximum health, all attacks he makes deal 2d6 extra damage. At 50% health or lower, he deals another 2d6 bonus damage. At 25% or less, he deals a further 3d6 damage. While at negative hitpoints, he deals a total of 12d6 bonus damage, but takes 2d6 damage each time he does this bonus damage.
Greater Dark Talent: At each level, a Sorcerer chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Dark Mage list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Collateral Damage (Su) Requires: Gleeful Devastation
You now deal bonus damage to buildings and constructs equal to your charisma modifier per die, you double the radius of your Devastation (to 5ft/two character levels), and you add one to the save DC of your Desolation.
Corrupt the Soul (Su)
By making a single attack as a full round action, which must hit as normal, a foe who takes damage is afflicted with 1d3+cha mod negative levels. A successful will save negates these negative levels, which otherwise last for cha mod hours before automatically fading. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Dark Armour (Su) Requires: Dark Endurance
You gain a natural armour bonus to AC equal to a quarter of your character level.
Death’s Empress (Sp) Requires: Spirit Queen, CL 12
You may cast Create Undead as a spell like ability at will, as long as you provide the material components.
Eternal Queen (Sp) Requires: Death’s Empress, CL 16
You may cast Create Greater Undead as a spell like ability at will, as long as you provide the material components.
Demon King Requires: Lord of Demons
The CR limit of your summoned outsiders is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Diamond Thought (Su) Requires: Golden Word
Once a day, plus once more for each seven character levels you possess, you may cast Geas/Quest, Mass Suggestion, or Dominate Monster as a supernatural ability on any being you can speak to. This is a language based effect, and the DC is 10+1/2 character level.
Eclipse Requires: Luna
When using Luna, the Sorcerer may choose to instead deal damage equal to half the foe's current health points. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Eldritch Knowledge (Sp) Requires: Arcane Secrets, Character level 13
You may choose a single arcane spell of level five or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter (or hour outside encounters), but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. You may now use your abilities from Arcane Knowledge and Arcane Secrets once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Alternatively, you may gain access to a single greater invocation, usable at will.
Eldritch Secrets (Sp) Requires: Eldritch Knowledge, Character level 17
You may choose a single arcane spell of level seven or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter (or hour outside encounters), but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. You may now use your abilities from Eldritch Knowledge, Arcane Knowledge and Arcane Secrets once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Alternatively, you may gain access to a single dark invocation, usable at will.
Eldritch Trickery (Sp) Requires: Magical Lies, Character level 13
You may cast Persistent Image as a spell like ability once an encounter (or hour outside encouners). You may now use your Minor and Major Image spell like abilities once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Master's Falsehood (Sp) Requires: Eldritch Trickery, Character level 17
You may cast Shadow Evocation as a spell like ability once an encounter (or hour outside encouners). You may now use your Minor, Major and Persistent Image spell like abilities once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Eternal Hunt (Ex)Requires: Abhorred By Man, Beloved By Beast
If your familiar is killed, you suffer two points of charisma damage. After 24 hours, you may spend 100gp and spend one hour in ritual. This ritual is a supernatural ability.
Doing so returns your familiar to life, and allows this charisma damage to be healed instantly.
Hunt’s Companion (Ex) Requires: Eternal Hunt
The character’s companion now also gains the benefits of being a Druid’s animal companion, at the same level. If it would gain the same benefit twice (Such as with Natural Armour), it gains the better.
Swarm Companions increase their swarm damage by 1d6 whenever their Strength adjustment reaches a multiple of two.
Forbidden Shield Requires: Dark Shield
Your Dark Shield now provides spell resistance equal to 10+character level+the level of the tome you currently wield. This spell resistance is not optional - the shield must be lowered entirely to allow a spell through.
From the Shadows Requires: Serpent's Subtlety
With this ability, a Sorcerer may use its prerequisite to remove any or all visible signs of using his abilities or tomes. A successful spellcraft check can determine that he is using an ability, but is opposed by bluff.
Irresistible Force (Ex) Requires: Overwhelming Power
Your bonus to charisma becomes +4.
Masterful Armageddon (Su) Requires: Desolation
When using desolation, you may deal damage to as many or as few of the target squares as you like. This ability also allows you to affect the visual effects of your dark tomes whenever you use them, shaping them as you desire each time. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
While a tome's effects can have any appearance the player desires, it will generally be either the same for every user, or the same for every use by the same wielder. With this ability, it could conjure bloody lightning in one use, and then shatter the earth on another.
Spellslayer (Su) Requires: Spellbreaker
Once an encounter (once an hour outside of them), you may attempt to dispel a spell or effect. This functions as per Dispel Magic, with the bonus on the check being equal to twice the rank of the tome you wield as you use this ability, plus half your character level.
Supreme Blast Requires: Eldritch Blast
Your Eldritch blast is stronger than most, albeit not as strong as a dedicated Warlock's. It deals 1d6 damage, plus 1d6 damage for each three character levels you possess.
Sustained by Darkness (Su) Requires: Boneknitting
You now possess fast healing equal to a quarter of your character level. In addition, while wielding a dark magic tome, you can regenerate limbs as per the Regenerate ability.
Kingdom of Forever (Ex) Requires: Eternal Queen, Sustained by Darkness
You no longer age, or suffer penalties from aging. If killed, you are automatically resurrected after 24 hours, with no penalties. (This portion of the ability is Spernatural.) Each time after the first time in any one week period this ability is used, you suffer two points of charisma drain, and this countdown is reset. If you reach charisma zero, you die. A Wish spell also negates this ability.
Transcendent Power Requires: Untapped Power
When using your Untapped Power ability, you add twice your tome's rank to your roll made to penetrate spell resistance.
Underworld Queen Requires: Death Princess
The CR limit of your summoned undead is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Unholy Presence Requires: Almighty Curse, Anathema
Almighty Curse now applies to Anathema.
Tomebreaker (Su): The 10th level Sorcerer is a master of defeating other magic users. When attacking a tome wielder, or anyone who cast a spell in the last round, she increases her damage as if by two sizes.
Emblem Summoner
‘That’s a demon? Cute.’
Background: The Emblem Summoners are Dark Mages who focus on their ability to summon vicious monsters. While often they deserve the unpleasant reputation such a power earns them, they can often bind these dark powers to nobler goals.
Races: Summoner’s are often accepted in societies that understand necessity, and those that will use necromancy as a tool for survival without complaining.
Other Classes: A Summoner is worse in a duel than a Sorcerer by far, but their summoned minions are often helpful.
Role: A Summoner is best for support, although their combative abilities shouldn’t be underestimated.
Summoners in the World: Like Sorcerers, Summoners make excellent guards, capable of defending locations with amazing skill. However, their minions make them better suited to defence against numbers than the one on one combat favoured by Sorcerers.
Prerequisites
Class Features: Death Princess and/or Prince of Demons
Caster Level: 10
Hit Die: d4
Class Skills-The Summoner’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex) and Spellcraft (Int).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 4+ Int Modifier
Summoner
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Dark Summoner, Summoner's Talent
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Summoner’s Talent
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Summoner's Talent
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Summoner’s Talent
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Summoner's Talent
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Summoner’s Talent
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Summoner's Talent
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Summoner’s Talent
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
Summoner's Talent
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Summoner’s Horde, Summoner's Talent
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Emblem Summoner is proficient with tomes, but gains no new weapon and armor proficiencies.
Dark Summoner: A Summoner can use their Tomb Tainted and Lord of Demons abilities twice an encounter, rather than once. Levels in Summoner, other than levels One, Four, and Seven, grant caster levels as if they were levels in a tome wielding base class the user already possessed. She counts her full level towards her caster level when determining the amount of HD she can control.
Summoner’s Talent At 2nd level, and each even level thereafter, a Summoner chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Dark Mage list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Dark Protection (Ex)
You gain a resistance bonus to death effects equal to a quarter of your character level.
Death’s Empress (Sp) Requires: Spirit Queen, Character Level 12
You may cast Create Undead as a spell like ability, as long as you provide the material components.
Eternal Queen (Sp) Requires: Death’s Empress, Character Level 16
You may cast Create Greater Undead as a spell like ability, as long as you provide the material components.
Demon King Requires: Lord of Demons
The CR limit of your summoned outsiders is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Diamond Thought (Su) Requires: Golden Word
Once a day, plus once more for each seven character levels you possess, you may cast Geas/Quest, Mass Suggestion, or Dominate Monster as a supernatural ability on any being you can speak to. This is a language based effect, and the DC is 10+1/2 character level.
Eternal Hunt (Ex) Requires: Abhorred By Man, Beloved By Beast
If your familiar is killed, you suffer two points of charisma damage. After 24 hours, you may spend 100gp and spend one hour in ritual. This ritual is a supernatural ability. Doing so returns your familiar to life, and allows this damage to be healed instantly.
Hunt’s Companion (Ex) Requires: Eternal Hunt
The character’s companion now also gains the benefits of being a Druid’s animal companion, at the same level. If it would gain the same benefit twice (Such as with Natural Armour), it gains the better.
Swarm Companions increase their swarm damage by 1d6 whenever their Strength adjustment reaches a multiple of two.
Eternity Pact (Su) Requires: Demon King, Dark Protection, Character Level 16
Your bond to dark forces ties you to life. You do not die due to low health. Nor do you age, or suffer penalties for aging. Death effects still work, and this ability gives you no resistance to pain. A Wish effect cast while you are at an HP score that would normally kill you is sufficient to destroy you instantly. While at fatal HP, you lose any immunity to death effects you would otherwise possess, regardless of origin.
Finally, the material components for any variant of Resurrection or Raise Dead, or any similar spell, have half the cost when used on you.
Every Man Who Falls (Su)
Whenever you kill a foe that could normally be raised as a zombie and that does not possess more than double your Hit Dice, they rise as a zombie under your control at the beginning of your next action. Even if you kill several creatures with a single attack, you can't create more Hit Dice of undead than twice your character level. The standard rules for controlling undead (see animate dead, page 198 of the Player's Handbook) apply to newly created undead gained through this talent.
You Belong To Me (Su) Requires: Every Man Who Falls, Death’s Empress
Once per encounter, you may animate a foe killed by your attacks as if using Create Undead, rather than Animate Dead. When using this ability, you do not need to provide the material components.
By My Will, Return (Su) Requires: Every Man Who Falls, Eternal Queen
Once per encounter, you may animate a foe killed by your attacks as if using Create Greater Undead, rather than Animate Dead. When using this ability, you do not need to provide the material components.
Forbidden Shield Requires: Dark Shield
Your Dark Shield now provides spell resistance equal to 10+character level+the level of the tome you currently wield. This spell resistance is not optional - the shield must be lowered entirely to allow a spell through.
Servant's Shield (Su) Requires: Dark Shield
You may use your Dark Shield on an ally by touching them, with all its normal effects. In addition, you may use your Dark Shield twice an encounter - once on yourself, and once on an ally.
From the Shadows Requires: Serpent's Subtlety
With this ability, a Summoner may use its prerequisite to remove any or all visible signs of using his abilities or tomes. A successful spellcraft check can determine that he is using an ability, but is opposed by bluff.
Queen of Hordes (Ex) Requires: Every Man Who Falls
This talent increases the number of undead you can control at once to 5HD per character level.
Underworld Queen Requires: Death Princess
The CR limit of your summoned undead is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Unholy Fusion Requires: Demon King, Underworld Queen
You may summon Outsiders with undead templates such as Skeletal, Zombie, or Vampire, rather than outsiders or undead. They may have these templates applied even if doing so would otherwise be forbidden. Their CR may be no higher than your character level. You may use either Tomb Tainted or Lord of Demons uses to fuel this ability.
These creatures have a mixture of the traits of Undead and Outsiders. They possess d12 hit dice and no Constitution score, Base attack bonus equal to their total HD and good saves. They keep the benefits and immunities of the undead type. Any abilities they possess based on Constitution are instead based on Charisma.
Generally, if two traits contradict each other, take the better.
Unholy Presence Requires: Almighty Curse, Anathema
Almighty Curse now applies to Anathema.
Unquestionable (Sp)
You may use Command Undead as a spell like ability at will. A successful will save renders them immune for 24 hours.
Summoner’s Horde: A tenth level summoner is a true master of their hordes. They may use any combination of their Death’s Empress, Eternal Queen, Lord of Demons, Spirit Queen and Tomb Tainted abilities twice as a single standard action.
New Monster (Raven Swarm)
Size/Type:
Tiny Animal (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 6d8-6 (21 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 30 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/—
Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction
Special Qualities: Low light vision., Half damage from slashing and piercing, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (Swarm), Stealthy
Environment: Night skies
Organization: Solitary, flight (2-7 swarms), or Murder (11-20 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
—
A raven swarm is a flight of carrion birds united by a common purpose.
Combat
A raven swarm surrounds and attacks any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 3d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.
Distraction (Ex)
Any living creature that begins its turn with a raven swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Skills
A raven swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
As a slightly morbid, highly flavourful swarm, a Raven Swarm makes an excellent familiar for a Dark Mage.
Feats
Scholar of Darkness
Prerequisites: Hex
Benefits: All Dark Mage class features usually based on Charisma are instead based on Intelligence. You have access to the Grand Knowledge talent and the Supreme Scholar greater talent, rather than the Overwhelming Power and Irresistable Force talents.
Normal: You wield tomes and magic through willpower, not studious knowledge.
Born to Darkness
Prerequisites: Hex
Benefits: All Dark Mage class features usually based on Charisma are instead based on Wisdom. You have access to the Trusted Instincts talent and the Instinctual Wisdom greater talent, rather than the Overwhelming Power and Irresistable Force talents.
Normal: You use willpower to wield dark magicks, rather than inborn instinct.
Extra Talent
Prerequisites: One talent
Benefits: Choose an additional talent from any class list you already possess one or more talents from.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, although never more than once per three characters level.
Normal: You have breadth of skills, not depth.
Talent Shower
Prerequisites: Extra Talent
Benefits: Choose an additional greater talent from any class list you already possess one or more greater talents from. Alternatively, choose two talents from the talents lists of any base classes you possess. They may not have an ECL requirement higher than 10.
Special: You may not take this feat more times than you take the Extra Talent feat, although you may take it multiple times. This feat counts as the Extra Talent feat for the purposes of the limited number of times you may take that feat.
So, an 18th level character could have six Extra Talent feats, of which up to three could be Talent Showers.
Changelog
Talents are now gained every level. (Summoner needs some more.) They're meant to get a lot of abilities, not just pick two or three.
Also, note the change to tomes - a one level dip in Dark Mage no longer gets you nearly full power iteratives from any other caster class.
Animal Companion talent now has one more prereq, and so does familiar.
‘Heck, I always obey orders! Well, except for stupid ones like "don't fight the enemy." If someone tried to tell me that, I'd cut 'em in half and feed them to the crows!’ – Henry, a young dark mage.
Background: Dark mages are tome wielders with the knowledge, will, and rank foolishness to utilise Dark magic.
Races: Any race can become a dark mage, but they are more common amongst societies that greatly value individuality – or amongst those that try, and fail to quash it.
Other Classes: Dark mages are good rivals for Mages, but often befriend fighters. They can develop bitter rivalries with monks, but are generally cheerful.
Role: Dark Mages specialise in destruction and disruption, weakening their foes where Mages might strengthen their allies.
Mages in the World: Dark mages are less common than Mages, due to the stigma on their magic and their often wilful personalities.
Inspiration: Fire Emblem.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4
All Emblem classes have the same starting gold and age – their ranks vary wildly.
Class Skills-The Dark Mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex) and Spellcraft (Int).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points at 1st level: (4+ Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
The Dark Mage and the Sorcerer
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Hex, Dark Tome Wielder, Dark Talent
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3
Dark Talent
3rd
+1
+3
+1
+3
Dark Talent
4th
+2
+4
+1
+4
Dark Talent
5th
+2
+4
+1
+4
Dark Talent
6th
+3
+5
+2
+5
Dark Talent
7th
+3
+5
+2
+5
Anathema, Dark Talent
8th
+4
+6
+2
+6
Dark Talent
9th
+4
+6
+3
+6
Dark Talent
10th
+5
+7
+3
+7
Dark Talent
P1st
+5
+7
+3
+7
Greater Dark Talent, Vengeance
2nd
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8
Greater Dark Talent
3rd
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8
Greater Dark Talent
4th
+7/+1
+9
+4
+9
Greater Dark Talent
5th
+7/+2
+9
+5
+9
Greater Dark Talent
6th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10
Greater Dark Talent
7th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10
Greater Dark Talent
8th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Greater Dark Talent
9th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Greater Dark Talent
10th
+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Greater Dark Talent, Tomebreaker
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Dark Mage is proficient with daggers and both anima and dark tomes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15287512#post15287512). They are proficient only with light armor and shields with no arcane spell failure.
Dark Tome Wielder: A Dark Mage may make iterative attacks with Anima and Dark tome weapons. They treat Charisma as their casting modifier, and have a caster level equal to their class level. They do not learn spells, have spells per day, or possess a class spell list.
Hex (Su): A Dark Mage is difficult to avoid, their foes transfixed. When they make an attack, they reduce the AC of the foe by the lower of half the Dark Mage’s Charisma modifier or half the foe’s Dexterity modifier. This always reduces the foe's AC by at least one, and is a profane penalty. It lasts for two rounds, and does not stack, although it does refresh itself on subsequent hits.
Dark Talents: At each level thereafter, a Dark Mage chooses a Talent from the following list.
Almighty Curse Requires: Hex
Your Hex ability now reduces opponent’s AC by the greater of these two values, although this doesn’t apply to Anathema.
Arcane Deceit (Sp) Requires: Character level 5
You may cast Minor Image as a spell like ability once an encounter (or hour outside encouners).
Magical Lies (Sp) Requires: Arcane Deceit, Character level 9
You may cast Major Image as a spell like ability once an encounter. You may now use your Minor Image spell like ability twice an encounter (or hour).
Arcane Knowledge (Sp) Requires: Character level 5, DM Adjudication
You may choose a single arcane spell of level one or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter (or hour outside encounters), but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. Alternatively, you may gain access to a single Least invocation, usable at will.
Arcane Secrets (Sp) Requires: Arcane Knowledge, Character level 9
You may choose a single arcane spell of level three or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter, but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. You may now use your spell like ability from Arcane Knowledge twice an encounter (or hour).
Alternatively, you may gain access to a single Lesser invocation, usable at will.
Dark Endurance (Ex)
You gain a resistance bonus to fortitude saves equal to a quarter of your character level. While wielding a dark tome, your toughness is greatly enhanced – you add the tome’s rank to your fortitude saves, as well as the ability to, when you successfully make a fortitude save against an effect that deals half damage on a successful save, take no damage instead.
Boneknitting (Su) Requires: Dark Endurance.
You regain hitpoints per hour equal to your character level, plus the level of any tome you wield. This is doubled during complete rest.
Grand Endurance (Ex) Requires: Dark Endurance.
You gain an additional hit point per level (For every level you already possess, and each one you gain from here on), and gain the Diehard feat as a bonus feat.
Dark Shield (Su)
As a full-round action, you may create a hovering field of dark energy around yourself. This grants you temporary hitpoints equal to the damage dealt by the strongest tome you currently wield, maximised. However, this barrier takes double damage from physical attacks. (Most commonly bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage.)
These hitpoints last for a number of rounds equal to the rank of your tome plus your charisma modifier. You may use this ability only once per encounter.
Eldritch Blast (Sp)
Your dark powers are less subtle than most. You may use an Eldritch Blast, exactly as per a Warlock, to deal 1d6 damage at range. This damage is increased by 1d6 damage per five character levels.
Cursed Tome (Su) Requires: Eldritch Blast
You may add the base damage of a tome you wield to an Eldritch Blast attack. If that eldritch blast would deal untyped damage and the tome would not, it deals the damage type the tome would deal.
Gorgon's Eye (Su)
By making a single attack as a full round action, which must hit as normal, a foe who takes damage is subject to a Flesh To Stone effect. A successful fortitude save negates this effect, which otherwise lasts for a number of rounds equal to the dark mage's charisma modifier plus the rank of the tome he wields. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Lord of Demons (Sp)
This talent allows you to summon dark creatures to assist you. Once an encounter (once an hour outside an encounter) as a standard action, you may summon an outsider of the evil subtype without class levels to assist you for the duration of the encounter, or one hour outside an encounter. This outsider has a maximum CR equal to the lower of half your character level or five. This ability is treated as a spell of level equal to half your character level.
Prince of Demons Requires: Lord of Demons
The CR limit of your summoned outsiders is raised to two thirds of your character level, or ten, whichever is lower.
Luna (Su)
Named after the favoured tome of its creator, this talent allows the user to take a full round action and make a single attack with any tome he wields. This attack requires no attack roll, and always deals half normal damage. It gains +4 on rolls to penetrate spell resistance, and ignores all damage reduction, energy resistance, as well as penetrating temporary HP. A successful will save negates the attack entirely, however. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Obliteration (Su)
Whenever you attack an unattended object or building, you ignore all hardness, and deal bonus damage equal to your charisma modifier. You also do this bonus damage against constructs.
Gleeful Devastation (Su) Requires: Obliteration
Your tome attacks deal damage to anyone within 5ft/four character levels of the target, although a successful reflex save (DC 10+1/2 character level+cha mod) negates this entirely. Against large buildings, an AoE can deal damage several times over.
Desolation (Su) Requires: Gleeful Devastation
By spending a full round action, you may make a single attack with any one tome you wield. If you do, it has an AoE of 5ft/character level, and does not require an attack roll. However, it allows a reflex save for half damage, with a save DC equal to 10+1/2 character level+cha mod. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Overwhelming Power (Ex)
You gain a +2 competence bonus to your charisma score.
Serpent's Subtlety (Su)
By extending the time required to use an ability or make an attack (to a full round action if it usually takes less, or doubling the required time if it takes a full-round action or more), the Dark Mage may do so either silently, or without movement.
Silver Tongue (Ex)
Lies come to you effortlessly. You gain a bonus on bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate checks equal to a quarter of your character level, plus two.
Golden Word (Su) Requires: Silver Tongue
Once a day, plus once more for each seven character levels you possess, you may cast Suggestion as a supernatural ability on any being you can speak to. This is a language based effect, and the DC is 10+1/2 character level.
Spellbreaker (Su)
Once an encounter (once an hour outside of them), you may attempt to dispel a spell or effect. This functions as per Dispel Magic, with the bonus on the check being equal to twice the rank of the tome you wield as you use this ability.
Through Death, Growth (Su)
Areas that you destroy with your attacks and spells invariably flourish later on. Plants and flowers grow from withered wastelands, and new life grows from nothing.
Tomb Tainted (Sp)
With this talent, a Dark Mage can summon the undead. Once an encounter (once an hour outside an encounter) as a standard action, you may summon an undead of any type without class levels to assist you for the duration of the encounter, or one hour outside an encounter. This undead has a maximum CR equal to the lower of half your character level or five. This ability is treated as a spell of level equal to half your character level.
Death Princess Requires: Tomb Tainted
The CR limit of your summoned undead is raised to two thirds of your character level, or ten, whichever is lower.
Spirit Queen (Sp) Requires: Death Princess, CL 8
You may cast Animate Dead as a spell like ability at will, as long as you provide the material components.
Untapped Power (Su)
You may use a full-round action to make a single attack with any one tome you wield. If you do, it gains a bonus on checks made to penetrate spell resistance equal to a fifth of your character level, plus one.
Venomous Thoughts (Su)
By making a single attack as a full round action, which must hit as normal, a foe who takes damage is infected with an unpleasant poison, which he must defeat with fortitude saves as normal. This poison has 1d3 initial damage to the ability of his choice, and secondary damage equal to his charisma modifier plus the rank of the tome he wields to the same ability. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
It's an odd quirk of the dark mages that they often seem far more appealing to animals than people. You gain the ability to improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use Wild Empathy, the mage and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A character can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
You may use this ability while dismounted.
Friend of the Furred (Ex) Requires: Wild Empathy
You may cast Charm Monster on any animal or Magical beast once per encounter (or once an hour outside of encounters) as part of an action taken to use diplomacy. This is an extraordinary, non mind-affecting ability, which may be used dismounted.
Beloved By Beast (Ex) Requires: Wild Empathy
Choose a single creature of the animal, vermin, or, with DM adjudication, Magical Beast type. This creature may be a swarm. It is treated as your Familiar, with your effective wizard level for this being equal to your character level minus the creature’s CR.
Anathema (Su): The dark presence of a 7th level Dark Mage disrupts his foe’s calm. His Hex ability is applied to any foe within 5ft/character level, as well as any foes he targets. If a foe would be affected twice, the penalty is instead increased by one.
The Emblem Sorcerer
For a Dark Mage, the Sorcerer is merely the continuation of their base class. They continue taking levels exactly as if levels 1-10 of Sorcerer were levels 11-20 of Dark Mage, including having a single class level between the two.
Other classes may take Sorcerer levels as a prestige class, beginning with P1st, if they meet the following requirements.
Sorcerer Prerequisites
Proficiency: Dark tomes.
Caster level: 10
Fortitude Save: +5 base OR Great Fortitude
The Sorcerer has the same class chassis as the dark mage; good fort and will saves, bad BaB and reflex saves, and 4 skill points per level. Levels in Sorcerer grant caster levels as if they were levels in a tome wielding base class the user already possessed, and count as tome wielding levels for the purpose of tome BAB.
Vengeance (Su): The Sorcerer deals the greatest damage when he is angry. When he is under 75% of his maximum health, all attacks he makes deal 2d6 extra damage. At 50% health or lower, he deals another 2d6 bonus damage. At 25% or less, he deals a further 3d6 damage. While at negative hitpoints, he deals a total of 12d6 bonus damage, but takes 2d6 damage each time he does this bonus damage.
Greater Dark Talent: At each level, a Sorcerer chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Dark Mage list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Collateral Damage (Su) Requires: Gleeful Devastation
You now deal bonus damage to buildings and constructs equal to your charisma modifier per die, you double the radius of your Devastation (to 5ft/two character levels), and you add one to the save DC of your Desolation.
Corrupt the Soul (Su)
By making a single attack as a full round action, which must hit as normal, a foe who takes damage is afflicted with 1d3+cha mod negative levels. A successful will save negates these negative levels, which otherwise last for cha mod hours before automatically fading. You must wait 10-cha mod rounds (minimum 2) before using this ability again.
Dark Armour (Su) Requires: Dark Endurance
You gain a natural armour bonus to AC equal to a quarter of your character level.
Death’s Empress (Sp) Requires: Spirit Queen, CL 12
You may cast Create Undead as a spell like ability at will, as long as you provide the material components.
Eternal Queen (Sp) Requires: Death’s Empress, CL 16
You may cast Create Greater Undead as a spell like ability at will, as long as you provide the material components.
Demon King Requires: Lord of Demons
The CR limit of your summoned outsiders is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Diamond Thought (Su) Requires: Golden Word
Once a day, plus once more for each seven character levels you possess, you may cast Geas/Quest, Mass Suggestion, or Dominate Monster as a supernatural ability on any being you can speak to. This is a language based effect, and the DC is 10+1/2 character level.
Eclipse Requires: Luna
When using Luna, the Sorcerer may choose to instead deal damage equal to half the foe's current health points. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
Eldritch Knowledge (Sp) Requires: Arcane Secrets, Character level 13
You may choose a single arcane spell of level five or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter (or hour outside encounters), but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. You may now use your abilities from Arcane Knowledge and Arcane Secrets once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Alternatively, you may gain access to a single greater invocation, usable at will.
Eldritch Secrets (Sp) Requires: Eldritch Knowledge, Character level 17
You may choose a single arcane spell of level seven or lower. You gain it as a spell like ability usable once an encounter (or hour outside encounters), but must pay XP and Gold costs as normal. You may now use your abilities from Eldritch Knowledge, Arcane Knowledge and Arcane Secrets once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Alternatively, you may gain access to a single dark invocation, usable at will.
Eldritch Trickery (Sp) Requires: Magical Lies, Character level 13
You may cast Persistent Image as a spell like ability once an encounter (or hour outside encouners). You may now use your Minor and Major Image spell like abilities once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Master's Falsehood (Sp) Requires: Eldritch Trickery, Character level 17
You may cast Shadow Evocation as a spell like ability once an encounter (or hour outside encouners). You may now use your Minor, Major and Persistent Image spell like abilities once more an encounter (or hour) each.
Eternal Hunt (Ex)Requires: Abhorred By Man, Beloved By Beast
If your familiar is killed, you suffer two points of charisma damage. After 24 hours, you may spend 100gp and spend one hour in ritual. This ritual is a supernatural ability.
Doing so returns your familiar to life, and allows this charisma damage to be healed instantly.
Hunt’s Companion (Ex) Requires: Eternal Hunt
The character’s companion now also gains the benefits of being a Druid’s animal companion, at the same level. If it would gain the same benefit twice (Such as with Natural Armour), it gains the better.
Swarm Companions increase their swarm damage by 1d6 whenever their Strength adjustment reaches a multiple of two.
Forbidden Shield Requires: Dark Shield
Your Dark Shield now provides spell resistance equal to 10+character level+the level of the tome you currently wield. This spell resistance is not optional - the shield must be lowered entirely to allow a spell through.
From the Shadows Requires: Serpent's Subtlety
With this ability, a Sorcerer may use its prerequisite to remove any or all visible signs of using his abilities or tomes. A successful spellcraft check can determine that he is using an ability, but is opposed by bluff.
Irresistible Force (Ex) Requires: Overwhelming Power
Your bonus to charisma becomes +4.
Masterful Armageddon (Su) Requires: Desolation
When using desolation, you may deal damage to as many or as few of the target squares as you like. This ability also allows you to affect the visual effects of your dark tomes whenever you use them, shaping them as you desire each time. In addition, subtract two from the cooldown of this ability, minimum 1.
While a tome's effects can have any appearance the player desires, it will generally be either the same for every user, or the same for every use by the same wielder. With this ability, it could conjure bloody lightning in one use, and then shatter the earth on another.
Spellslayer (Su) Requires: Spellbreaker
Once an encounter (once an hour outside of them), you may attempt to dispel a spell or effect. This functions as per Dispel Magic, with the bonus on the check being equal to twice the rank of the tome you wield as you use this ability, plus half your character level.
Supreme Blast Requires: Eldritch Blast
Your Eldritch blast is stronger than most, albeit not as strong as a dedicated Warlock's. It deals 1d6 damage, plus 1d6 damage for each three character levels you possess.
Sustained by Darkness (Su) Requires: Boneknitting
You now possess fast healing equal to a quarter of your character level. In addition, while wielding a dark magic tome, you can regenerate limbs as per the Regenerate ability.
Kingdom of Forever (Ex) Requires: Eternal Queen, Sustained by Darkness
You no longer age, or suffer penalties from aging. If killed, you are automatically resurrected after 24 hours, with no penalties. (This portion of the ability is Spernatural.) Each time after the first time in any one week period this ability is used, you suffer two points of charisma drain, and this countdown is reset. If you reach charisma zero, you die. A Wish spell also negates this ability.
Transcendent Power Requires: Untapped Power
When using your Untapped Power ability, you add twice your tome's rank to your roll made to penetrate spell resistance.
Underworld Queen Requires: Death Princess
The CR limit of your summoned undead is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Unholy Presence Requires: Almighty Curse, Anathema
Almighty Curse now applies to Anathema.
Tomebreaker (Su): The 10th level Sorcerer is a master of defeating other magic users. When attacking a tome wielder, or anyone who cast a spell in the last round, she increases her damage as if by two sizes.
Emblem Summoner
‘That’s a demon? Cute.’
Background: The Emblem Summoners are Dark Mages who focus on their ability to summon vicious monsters. While often they deserve the unpleasant reputation such a power earns them, they can often bind these dark powers to nobler goals.
Races: Summoner’s are often accepted in societies that understand necessity, and those that will use necromancy as a tool for survival without complaining.
Other Classes: A Summoner is worse in a duel than a Sorcerer by far, but their summoned minions are often helpful.
Role: A Summoner is best for support, although their combative abilities shouldn’t be underestimated.
Summoners in the World: Like Sorcerers, Summoners make excellent guards, capable of defending locations with amazing skill. However, their minions make them better suited to defence against numbers than the one on one combat favoured by Sorcerers.
Prerequisites
Class Features: Death Princess and/or Prince of Demons
Caster Level: 10
Hit Die: d4
Class Skills-The Summoner’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex) and Spellcraft (Int).
All Emblem classes have Spot (Wis), Listen (Wis), Craft (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Speak Language, Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex) as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 4+ Int Modifier
Summoner
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Dark Summoner, Summoner's Talent
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Summoner’s Talent
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Summoner's Talent
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Summoner’s Talent
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Summoner's Talent
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Summoner’s Talent
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Summoner's Talent
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Summoner’s Talent
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
Summoner's Talent
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Summoner’s Horde, Summoner's Talent
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An Emblem Summoner is proficient with tomes, but gains no new weapon and armor proficiencies.
Dark Summoner: A Summoner can use their Tomb Tainted and Lord of Demons abilities twice an encounter, rather than once. Levels in Summoner, other than levels One, Four, and Seven, grant caster levels as if they were levels in a tome wielding base class the user already possessed. She counts her full level towards her caster level when determining the amount of HD she can control.
Summoner’s Talent At 2nd level, and each even level thereafter, a Summoner chooses a Talent from the following list. They may instead choose a talent from the Dark Mage list, or from the talent list of any base class they possess.
Dark Protection (Ex)
You gain a resistance bonus to death effects equal to a quarter of your character level.
Death’s Empress (Sp) Requires: Spirit Queen, Character Level 12
You may cast Create Undead as a spell like ability, as long as you provide the material components.
Eternal Queen (Sp) Requires: Death’s Empress, Character Level 16
You may cast Create Greater Undead as a spell like ability, as long as you provide the material components.
Demon King Requires: Lord of Demons
The CR limit of your summoned outsiders is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Diamond Thought (Su) Requires: Golden Word
Once a day, plus once more for each seven character levels you possess, you may cast Geas/Quest, Mass Suggestion, or Dominate Monster as a supernatural ability on any being you can speak to. This is a language based effect, and the DC is 10+1/2 character level.
Eternal Hunt (Ex) Requires: Abhorred By Man, Beloved By Beast
If your familiar is killed, you suffer two points of charisma damage. After 24 hours, you may spend 100gp and spend one hour in ritual. This ritual is a supernatural ability. Doing so returns your familiar to life, and allows this damage to be healed instantly.
Hunt’s Companion (Ex) Requires: Eternal Hunt
The character’s companion now also gains the benefits of being a Druid’s animal companion, at the same level. If it would gain the same benefit twice (Such as with Natural Armour), it gains the better.
Swarm Companions increase their swarm damage by 1d6 whenever their Strength adjustment reaches a multiple of two.
Eternity Pact (Su) Requires: Demon King, Dark Protection, Character Level 16
Your bond to dark forces ties you to life. You do not die due to low health. Nor do you age, or suffer penalties for aging. Death effects still work, and this ability gives you no resistance to pain. A Wish effect cast while you are at an HP score that would normally kill you is sufficient to destroy you instantly. While at fatal HP, you lose any immunity to death effects you would otherwise possess, regardless of origin.
Finally, the material components for any variant of Resurrection or Raise Dead, or any similar spell, have half the cost when used on you.
Every Man Who Falls (Su)
Whenever you kill a foe that could normally be raised as a zombie and that does not possess more than double your Hit Dice, they rise as a zombie under your control at the beginning of your next action. Even if you kill several creatures with a single attack, you can't create more Hit Dice of undead than twice your character level. The standard rules for controlling undead (see animate dead, page 198 of the Player's Handbook) apply to newly created undead gained through this talent.
You Belong To Me (Su) Requires: Every Man Who Falls, Death’s Empress
Once per encounter, you may animate a foe killed by your attacks as if using Create Undead, rather than Animate Dead. When using this ability, you do not need to provide the material components.
By My Will, Return (Su) Requires: Every Man Who Falls, Eternal Queen
Once per encounter, you may animate a foe killed by your attacks as if using Create Greater Undead, rather than Animate Dead. When using this ability, you do not need to provide the material components.
Forbidden Shield Requires: Dark Shield
Your Dark Shield now provides spell resistance equal to 10+character level+the level of the tome you currently wield. This spell resistance is not optional - the shield must be lowered entirely to allow a spell through.
Servant's Shield (Su) Requires: Dark Shield
You may use your Dark Shield on an ally by touching them, with all its normal effects. In addition, you may use your Dark Shield twice an encounter - once on yourself, and once on an ally.
From the Shadows Requires: Serpent's Subtlety
With this ability, a Summoner may use its prerequisite to remove any or all visible signs of using his abilities or tomes. A successful spellcraft check can determine that he is using an ability, but is opposed by bluff.
Queen of Hordes (Ex) Requires: Every Man Who Falls
This talent increases the number of undead you can control at once to 5HD per character level.
Underworld Queen Requires: Death Princess
The CR limit of your summoned undead is raised to four fifths of your character level.
Unholy Fusion Requires: Demon King, Underworld Queen
You may summon Outsiders with undead templates such as Skeletal, Zombie, or Vampire, rather than outsiders or undead. They may have these templates applied even if doing so would otherwise be forbidden. Their CR may be no higher than your character level. You may use either Tomb Tainted or Lord of Demons uses to fuel this ability.
These creatures have a mixture of the traits of Undead and Outsiders. They possess d12 hit dice and no Constitution score, Base attack bonus equal to their total HD and good saves. They keep the benefits and immunities of the undead type. Any abilities they possess based on Constitution are instead based on Charisma.
Generally, if two traits contradict each other, take the better.
Unholy Presence Requires: Almighty Curse, Anathema
Almighty Curse now applies to Anathema.
Unquestionable (Sp)
You may use Command Undead as a spell like ability at will. A successful will save renders them immune for 24 hours.
Summoner’s Horde: A tenth level summoner is a true master of their hordes. They may use any combination of their Death’s Empress, Eternal Queen, Lord of Demons, Spirit Queen and Tomb Tainted abilities twice as a single standard action.
New Monster (Raven Swarm)
Size/Type:
Tiny Animal (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 6d8-6 (21 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 30 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/—
Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction
Special Qualities: Low light vision., Half damage from slashing and piercing, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (Swarm), Stealthy
Environment: Night skies
Organization: Solitary, flight (2-7 swarms), or Murder (11-20 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
—
A raven swarm is a flight of carrion birds united by a common purpose.
Combat
A raven swarm surrounds and attacks any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 3d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.
Distraction (Ex)
Any living creature that begins its turn with a raven swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Skills
A raven swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
As a slightly morbid, highly flavourful swarm, a Raven Swarm makes an excellent familiar for a Dark Mage.
Feats
Scholar of Darkness
Prerequisites: Hex
Benefits: All Dark Mage class features usually based on Charisma are instead based on Intelligence. You have access to the Grand Knowledge talent and the Supreme Scholar greater talent, rather than the Overwhelming Power and Irresistable Force talents.
Normal: You wield tomes and magic through willpower, not studious knowledge.
Born to Darkness
Prerequisites: Hex
Benefits: All Dark Mage class features usually based on Charisma are instead based on Wisdom. You have access to the Trusted Instincts talent and the Instinctual Wisdom greater talent, rather than the Overwhelming Power and Irresistable Force talents.
Normal: You use willpower to wield dark magicks, rather than inborn instinct.
Extra Talent
Prerequisites: One talent
Benefits: Choose an additional talent from any class list you already possess one or more talents from.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, although never more than once per three characters level.
Normal: You have breadth of skills, not depth.
Talent Shower
Prerequisites: Extra Talent
Benefits: Choose an additional greater talent from any class list you already possess one or more greater talents from. Alternatively, choose two talents from the talents lists of any base classes you possess. They may not have an ECL requirement higher than 10.
Special: You may not take this feat more times than you take the Extra Talent feat, although you may take it multiple times. This feat counts as the Extra Talent feat for the purposes of the limited number of times you may take that feat.
So, an 18th level character could have six Extra Talent feats, of which up to three could be Talent Showers.
Changelog
Talents are now gained every level. (Summoner needs some more.) They're meant to get a lot of abilities, not just pick two or three.
Also, note the change to tomes - a one level dip in Dark Mage no longer gets you nearly full power iteratives from any other caster class.
Animal Companion talent now has one more prereq, and so does familiar.