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Zaydos
2014-02-08, 10:05 PM
PRESTIGE HELLPACT INITIATE

”Soul? What uses have I for mine? Is it not better to be a count in Hell than a serf in Heaven?”

A binder which has sold their soul to a duke or duchess of Hell in exchange for increased power, or a warlock who learns to infuse themselves with a piece of the spirits of the lords of Hell in exchange for that paltry thing that was their soul. A Hellpact Initiate combines eldritch power and the soulbinding of fiends into one whole, able the channel their two power sources into and thru one and each other. They have made dread pacts, and in return gain unholy power.

Note: This class draws upon two homebrew projects I've been working on the Lord of the Nine as vestiges (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329799) and pacts of possession or soulbinding fiends (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330018) and certain of their abilities refer to using devils or archfiends as vestiges.

BECOMING A HELLPACT INITIATE
To become a Hellpact Initiate is simple. All one must do is garner the favor of a diabolic patron, usually by joining the archfiend’s cult. Then they must perform a modified form of the soulbinding procedure in which they offer up their soul to the hell lord binding themselves forever to their dark patron.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Diplomacy 7 ranks, Knowledge (the Planes) 7 ranks
Alignment: Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, or Neutral Evil.
Languages: Infernal
Special: Must have one of the Lords of the Nine as your patron deity.
Special: Ability to Bind 2nd Level Vestiges
Special: Devil’s Sight invocation.
Special: Eldritch Blast 2d6

Class Skills
The Hellpact Initiate’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Profession (legal jobs only) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + int

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Devil’s Skin, Sold Soul, Soulbinding|+1 level existing invocation using class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Diabolist’s Blast|+1 level existing invocation using class

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3| Bonus Vile Feat|+1 level existing invocation using class

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4| Supernatural Invocation 1/day |+1 level existing invocation using class

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Lesser Patron’s Pact|+1 level existing invocation using class

6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5| Bonus Vile Feat |+1 level existing invocation using class

7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Channel Blast|+1 level existing invocation using class

8th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+6|Supernatural Invocation 2/day|+1 level existing invocation using class

9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6| Bonus Vile Feat |+1 level existing invocation using class

10th|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+7|Patron’s Pact|+1 level existing invocation using class[/table]

Weapon Proficiencies: A Hellpact Initiate gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Soulbinding: At every level in Hellpact Initiate your ability to bind vestiges improves as if you had gained a level in whatever class you already had which grants soulbinding.

Invocations: At every level in Hellpact Initiate you gain additional invocations (and Eldritch Blast) as if you had gained a level in whatever class you already have which grants Invocations.

Devil’s Skin (Ex and Su): A Hellpact Initiate gains certain diabolic traits. They gain damage reduction equal to ½ their Hellpact Initiate level penetrated by silver or good, and acid, cold, and fire resistance equal to their Hellpact Initiate level. Beginning at 5th level only silver weapons can overcome their DR and beginning at 10th level a weapon must be silver and good to overcome their DR. Only the “good” portion of their damage reduction in this ability is supernatural all other portions are extraordinary (i.e. in an anti-magic field a silver weapon overcomes their DR regardless of their level). The energy resistance from this ability stacks with any other energy resistance (for example a tiefling Hellpact Initiate would have Fire Resistance 5 + class level, or one with Aym bound would have 10 + class level).

Sold Soul: Becoming a Hellpact Initiate involves selling your soul to your patron archfiend. When you die your soul becomes theirs regardless of your alignment, and you can only be resurrected with their permission and allowance (as long as you are in good standing with your master, i.e. not an Ex-Hellpact Initiate, they should allow for this unless they’ve made you a pit fiend general or something). Only an overdeity, or the complete dissolution of the arch-fiend (which as Tenebrous and Geryon show us is not something easily completed except possibly by an overdeity) can break this pact. You radiate Law and Evil as a Lawful Evil cleric of your character level.

Diabolist’s Blast (Su): A Hellpact Initiate channels infernal power from their fiendish patrons into their eldritch blast. Beginning at 2nd level when you use your Eldritch Blast you deal an additional 1d6 damage per Baatorian vestige you have bound.

A Baatorian vestige is any archfiend native to Baator and bound as a vestige (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329799), including former Lords of Nine such as Geryon, Moloch, or Zariel, or any devil bound through a pact of possession (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330018). This would also apply to any Ancient Baatorians which could be bound in either such manner, but does not apply to deities which can be bound as vestiges even if they are themselves inhabitants of Baator (with the possible exception of Tiamat and Asmodeus should he be considered a deity).

Bonus Vile Feat: At 3rd level, and every 3rd level thereafter, a Hellpact Initiate gains a single bonus vile feat or one of: Brand of the Nine Hells, any feat requiring Brand of the Nine Hells, a Devil-Touched feat, Fiendish Heritage, or any feat requiring Fiendish Heritage as a prerequisite. The Hellpact Initiate must still meet all the prerequisites of the selected feat.

Supernatural Invocations (Su): Channeling the power of their diabolic pacts a Hellpact Initiate is able to use an Invocation as a supernatural ability 1/day as long as they have a Baatorian vestige bound beginning at 4th level. This means that the ability does not provoke an attack of opportunity (unless it does for another reason than being a spell-like ability such as eldritch blast which provokes as a ranged attack), does not allow spell resistance, and cannot be dispelled (unless the effect dispels Su abilities those exist at least in homebrew I’m betting). Beginning at 8th level a Hellpact Initiate may use this ability 2/day.

Lesser Patron’s Pact: Beginning at 5th level a Hellpact Initiate no longer incurs a debt when binding their patron arch-fiend as a vestige (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329799) (or another arch-fiend where the debt is redirected towards their patron such as with Zariel and Bel). In addition you gain +1 to your effective binder level to determine whether you can bind your patron arch-fiend and your abilities for that “vestige”.

Channel Blast (Su): Beginning at 6th level a Hellpact Initiate may channel the power of a vestige through their eldritch blast. When using a granted power of a vestige which they must normally wait 5 rounds before using again a Hellpact Initiate may choose to channel it through their eldritch blast becoming unable to use their eldritch blast for 5 rounds but able to immediately use that ability once more. If it has another limit (such as until it is dismissed and then 5 rounds) the Hellpact Initiate cannot use this ability.

Patron’s Pact (Su): Beginning at 10th level a Hellpact Initiate has garnered special favor from their infernal master. As long as they have a sufficient (effective) binder level to bind their patron arch-fiend’s “vestige” they are considered to have it bound without counting against their limit of bound vestiges (in the case of patrons which can grant multiple vestiges a Hellpact Initiate chooses each day which benefits to gain). In addition a Hellpact Initiate is considered 2 levels higher for the purposes of their patron arch-fiend’s vestige (including whether they may bind it). In addition they never make a bad pact with their patron’s vestige (if for some reason they must choose to, their patron automatically waves the influence, unless it’s Zariel)

In the case of a patron which has no “vestige” which can be bound by the Hellpact Initiate (i.e. Asmodeus) the Hellpact Initiate is still considered to have their patron bound for number of Baatorian Vestiges bound, and they gain a lesser form of their granted abilities (see spoiler for Asmodeus’s).
You gain Words of Hell’s King, Inexorable Dominion, and Hell’s Regalia, but do not gain Asmodeus’s other 2 granted powers.

EX-HELLPACT INITIATES
A Hellpact Initiate that earns the disfavor of their patron (usually through acting against their interests, or becoming an alignment other than Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, or Neutral Evil) cannot progress further in this class and loses the benefits of Lesser Patron’s Pact and Patron’s Pact, but retains all other class features granted by this class. A Hellpact Initiate that regains their patron’s favor or gains the favor of another of the Lords of the Nine can once again progress as a Hellpact Initiate and regains the benefits of Lesser Patron’s Pact and Patron’s Pact (although possibly towards a different lord of Hell).

PLAYING A HELLPACT INITIATE
A Hellpact Initiate combines aspects of a warlock and binder into a Lawful Evil package. Most importantly for the role-aspect is that you are a character who has sold their soul to a devil, and thus the kind of character who would sell their soul to a devil.
Combat: A Hellpact Initiate has many options to deal with combat. They can focus on their binding, fighting much like a binder would and using invocations to cover these weaknesses, eventually pulling on the power of your eldritch blast to get more use out of your vestige’s expendable powers. Another option is to focus on defensive and utility vestiges, using eldritch (glaive) blast for damage, possibly augmenting it further through choosing Baatorian vestiges which allow you to draw out more power from your eldritch blast.
Advancement: Most Hellpact Initiates will want to reach at least 4th level in binder to gain a third (4th counting your patron) vestige bound, and many will want a 5th level to gain 8th level vestiges (with the Improved Binding feat). Hellfire Warlock is another natural choice and with 3 levels of warlock and 3 of Hellfire Warlock and 4 of Binder you end up with the most powerful Eldritch Blast possible to you (8d6 + 6d6 hellfire + 3d6 if you bind Naberius and 3 Baatorian vestiges + 2d6 greater chausable of fell power).
Resources: In addition to those resources universal to binders and warlocks a Hellpact Initiate is a servant of an archfiend likely able to draw upon connections within their cult and possibly even within Hell itself should they reach sufficient level and standing.

HELLPACT INITIATE IN THE WORLD
”Soulless berks. What kind of person would sell their soul?”

Those that actually know the true nature of what a Hellpact Initiate is tend to think poorly of them. They are treated devil worshipers, blackguards, and depending upon the corruption of society criminals. For their part Hellpact Initiates often hide their diabolic allegiances using devilish pacts and invocations to obtain a high rank in society to corrupt it from within.
Daily Life: A Hellpact Initiate spends most of their time trying to accumulate personal power. Some Hellpact Initiates do so by serving their fiendish masters’ directly, others adventure to seek ancient treasures, and still others manipulate societies leading them to corruption and devil worship taking positions of power and respect.
Notables: Laguz Thukon is infamous even among Hellpact Initiates for his cruelty, sadism, and bloody minded dedication to a task. Laguz is a dwarven Hellpact Initiate who turned to Bel after his home was swept over by orcish worshipers of Demogorgon. Consumed by hatred Laguz has devolved from waging a single handed war against chaos on his home world to forging a kingdom of terror spanning his former homeland. Laguz is now known as Thukon the Hell King Lord of the Skull Throne. The formerly prolific orcish demon cults have been nearly wiped out, the hobgoblin tribes forged into a powerful nation under Laguz, and even the native ogres and giants having sworn allegiance to Laguz and the legions of Hell. Another notable Hellpact Initiate is Ira Logisdottir. Like Laguz, Ira turned to diabolic powers after the destruction of her homeland, but unlike the dwarf Ira has tried to turn from her path after the immediate flames of vengeance. No longer empowered by Levistus, Ira is searching for a way out of her dread deals, even as she knows some day Levistus and the other archfiends who once empowered her will call in her debts and all she has done since then may be in vain.
Organizations: The Cult of Mephistopheles is probably the largest organization associated with Hellpact Initiates. Mephistopheles not only has the largest cult of the Lords of the Nine, but he also is the most willing to make pacts with mortals, spreading his lesser pact at a low enough threshold of power to allow even novice binders to tap into it stretching his cult into them. In addition to other diabolic cults, Hellpact Initiates sometimes find their way into orders of binders.


NPC Reaction
To be known as a Hellpact Initiate is to be known as a devil worshipper. Most NPCs will be unable to tell you from any other binder or warlock, or binder-warlock, this is to your benefit. A Hellpact Initiate will usually play themselves off as just another warlock or binder, hiding the true nature of their abilities; it is better to be suspected a devil worshipper than confirmed one.


HELLPACT INITIATE IN THE GAME
It will allow for a binder/warlock character. This character will probably end a little stronger than an ordinary binder or warlock; warlock due to the option of trading 1 level of warlock progression for 11 of binder (and if Glasya is your patron the ability to bind a single 7th level vestige) as well as gaining up to 2 dice of eldritch blast damage in the deal if you so choose. Binder due to maintaining the same maximum vestiges, although with restriction on one choice, and gaining the highest level of vestige, while gaining up to 15th level invocations. You do lose some major benefits such as pact augmentation, and soul shielding (immunity to mind-affecting effects). The prestige should still fall within the tier 3 range without online vestiges and tier 2 with the summoning vestige.
Adaptation: One could adapt a Hellpact Initiate to work with Abyssal vestiges instead of Baatorian ones, making a pact with an abyssal lord (Xefas has made some here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330003)) this would require heaviest modification on Lesser Patron’s Pact, followed by Devil’s Skin (change Silver to Cold Iron, add Electricity resistance), changing the feats allowed as bonus feats, and would need a different required least invocation (perhaps Baleful Utterance or the Swarm summoning one). Another option would be to make them not bound to fiends at all, but that would require greater modifications, I personally would drop Devil’s Skin entirely, replace the bonus feats with pact augmentations (possibly modified), Diabolist’s Pact applies to all vestiges, Lesser Patron’s Pact is dropped completely, and Patron’s Pact is replaced with a weaker ability (the cost of having Diabolist’s Blast apply to all vestiges), the prerequisites would also need some changes most likely.

NarcoticSqurl
2014-02-09, 03:53 AM
Good job Zaydos? Do you have much on the way of playtesting yet?

DeusMortuusEst
2014-02-09, 09:41 AM
Very nice! I'm not very good at PEACH:ing stuff, but I love the fluff and the execution looks nice :smallsmile:

Zaydos
2014-02-09, 11:20 AM
Good job Zaydos? Do you have much on the way of playtesting yet?

Thanks. And to answer your question, nope. Wait... why was the first a question :smalleek: :smalltongue:


Very nice! I'm not very good at PEACH:ing stuff, but I love the fluff and the execution looks nice :smallsmile:

Thanks. It's nice to know when something is appreciated.