Sooth
2017-10-05, 09:28 PM
This is an archetype based off of Karthus, the Deathsinger from League of Legends. Gameplay-wise, it's meant to be a more blaster-oriented bard with a dab of dark necromancy magic. Interested in any and all thoughts regarding balance, fun and playability of the archetype.
Deathsinger
Like many plucky adventurers, Deathsingers seek to right wrongs and alleviate suffering in the realms: by helping other creatures attain the joy of death. The cabal of the Deathsingers was dispersed long ago by the attacks of short-sighted zealots, but this has not stopped its scattered members from singing the joyous songs of the grave and espousing the deeds of those glorious, unholy creatures which dance upon the threshold of life and death. As they uncover forbidden lore and consort with the dead, a Deathsinger knows that to bring an end to wretched life is their art, calling, and purpose.
Deathsinger’s Vigil (Sp): The Deathsinger’s eyes reveal when those around him reach the edge of mortality. From 1st level onward, the Deathsinger benefits continuously from a Deathwatch spell effect.
Lay Waste (Su): Starting at 1st level, as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity, the Deathsinger can choose a single point within 30 feet and unleash a blast of destructive energy upon it. Creatures within a 5’ radius spread suffer 1d6 points of sonic damage; a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ the Bard’s level + the Bard’s Charisma modifier) halves this damage. The damage of Lay Waste increases by 1d6 at every odd-numbered Bard level. The Deathsinger may use Lay Waste a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces all of the Bard’s spellcasting ability, including cantrips.
Superior Lay Waste (Su): At levels 4, 7, 10, 13 and 16, the Deathsinger improves the range of their Lay Waste ability by 30 feet and, furthermore, they may choose one enhancement for their Lay Waste ability from the list below. These enhancements are cumulative. A Deathsinger may choose to use Lay Waste without taking advantage of one or more enhancements available to them. Each time the Deathsinger gains a level, they may choose to exchange one of their chosen enhancements for another one which they qualify for.
Enhancements for Lay Waste
Concentrated Effect: Instead of targeting an area, you can make a ranged touch attack against a single target when you use Lay Waste. Instead of having a fixed range, this attack is considered to have a range increment of 30 feet (regardless of your Deathsinger level) and suffers range penalties as normal. When you use Lay Waste in this way, you add your Charisma bonus to damage and creatures do not receive a Reflex saving throw to reduce the damage; other saving throws (such as from other abilities) may still apply. This enhancement may not be combined with Increased Area-of-Effect.
Haunting Blast: Creatures damaged by your Lay Waste must also succeed on a Will save or become shaken for 3 rounds. This enhancement may not be combined with Sickening Blast.
Increased Area-of-Effect: The radius of Lay Waste increases to 10 feet. This enhancement can be taken up to three times; it doubles the radius each time (from 10 feet to 20 feet, then 20 feet to 40 feet).
Inferno Blast (requires 7th level): You may choose to deal fire damage with Lay Waste (instead of sonic damage); if you do, you deal an additional 1d6 points of damage. If your damage allows for a Reflex saving throw for half damage, then creatures who fail their Reflex saving throw against your blast also catch on fire.
Forceful Blast: Whenever you damage a creature with your Lay Waste, you can immediately attempt a bull rush or trip maneuver against them. This attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity and you do not risk being knocked prone yourself. Instead of using your combat maneuver bonus for the attempt, you have a modifier equal to your Deathsinger level plus your Charisma bonus.
Quickened Blast (requires 10th level): You may use Lay Waste as a swift action; doing so expends two daily uses of the ability. This allows you to use Lay Waste twice in a single round by expending three uses in total.
Sheer Power: The saving throw DC of your Lay Waste ability increases by 2; this also applies to the saving throw DC of secondary effects, such as other Lay Waste abilities.
Sickening Blast: Creatures damaged by your Lay Waste ability must also succeed on a Fortitude save or become sickened for 3 rounds. This enhancement may not be combined with Haunting Blast.
Split Blast (requires 7th level): Each time you use Lay Waste, you may choose two different target areas; you deal damage to creatures within the appropriate radius (usually 5 feet) of either point of origin. Creatures in overlapping spaces (for example, if you target two areas close to each other) only suffer damage from your ability once. If you combine this enhancement with Concentrated Effect, you instead choose two different targets for the blast, both of which must be within 30 feet of each other.
Harmonies of the Grave (Su): Upon reaching fifth level, the Deathsinger learns how to weave potent death magic into their bardic performances. The Deathsinger chooses two spells drawn from the Deathsinger spell list; they may only choose spells up to a certain spell level, based on how many levels they have in Bard. Whenever the Deathsinger has a bardic performance active, they may spend a standard action to cast one of their chosen spells as a spell-like ability. The caster level for these spells is equal to the Deathsinger’s Bard level and the saving throw DCs are equal to 10 + the spell level + the Deathsinger’s Charisma modifier. If the Deathsinger ends their bardic performance (including if they end it to change to another performance), each spell with a duration that was cast during that performance also ends.
The Deathsinger may choose one additional spell from the Deathsinger spell list at each odd-numbered level in Bard (7, 9, etc). Each time they choose a spell, they may also exchange one of their chosen spells for another one which they qualify for (for example, a 7th level Deathsinger could exchange one of their 2nd level spells for a 3rd level spell).
Table: Deathsinger Spells Available
Bard Level Highest Spell Level Known
4-6 2
7-10 3
11-12 4
13-15 5
15-16 6
17+ 7
Table: Deathsinger Spell List
1st: Ray of Enfeeblement, Ray of Sickening
2nd: Command Undead, Ghoul Touch, Scare, Stricken Heart
3rd: Lesser Animate Dead, Howling Agony, Malediction, Vampiric Touch
4th: Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Fear, Wall of Pain (new spell)
5th: Blight, Suffocate, Vampiric Shadow Shield, Waves of Fatigue
6th: Circle of Death, Deathsinger’s Defilement (new spell), Eyebite, Major Curse
This ability replaces Lore Master.
Alternative Performances
The Deathsinger learns some bardic performances which are not practiced by other bards, and which replace some performances that would otherwise be available to them.
Song of Quietus (Sp): At 6th level, the Deathsinger can use their performance to drain a dying creature’s life force, affecting them as per a Death Knell spell except that the range is 25 feet plus 5 feet per 2 Bard levels the Deathsinger has. This replaces Suggestion.
Mass Song of Quietus (Sp): At 12th level, the Deathsinger can use their performance to hasten all nearby, dying souls to oblivion. Each round that this performance is active, all living creatures within 30 feet of the Deathsinger who have been reduced to -1 or fewer hit points suffer 1 point of bleed damage, and must make a saving throw or die as though the Deathsinger had cast Death Knell on them. Furthermore, a living creature who is killed while this performance is active (through any means) automatically has their soul siphoned as though they had failed a saving throw against Death Knell spell cast by the Deathsinger. This replaces Soothing Performance.
Requiem (Sp): At 18th level, the Deathsinger can use their performance to call even distant souls to their grave, ensuring the demise of foes who would think to flee from the Deathsinger and their entourage. Using this ability requires three consecutive rounds of performance before there is any effect; after the third round, the Deathsinger creates an effect equivalent to the Deathsinger’s Requiem spell (featured below), using their Bard level as their caster level. The Deathsinger may only successfully use this performance once per hour; if it is interrupted before reaching the third round, they may attempt it again until the spell is successfully cast. This replaces Mass Suggestion.
Deathsinger Feats - More Ways to Sing About Death
The following feats are available for Deathsingers.
Arsenal of Desolation
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 4th
Benefit: Whenever you rest and regain your daily bardic performances, you may exchange any one Lay Waste enhancement you know for another one which you qualify for.
Desolator
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 1st
Benefit: You may use your Lay Waste ability three additional times per day.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times; its effects stack.
Extra Harmony of the Grave
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 5th
Benefit: Choose one additional spell from the Deathsinger spell list which you qualify for. You gain the ability to cast this spell using your Harmonies of the Grave class feature.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, choosing a different spell each time.
Gravecaller
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 12th, Gravespeaker
Benefit: You can expend six rounds of your bardic performance to cast Create Undead as a spell-like ability. If you have 16 or more levels in Deathsinger, you can also expend eight rounds of your bardic performance to cast Create Greater Undead as a spell-like ability. These spell-like abilities still have verbal components and, furthermore, you must still provide the material components for them.
Gravespeaker
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 3rd
Benefit: You can expend two rounds of your bardic performance to cast Gentle Repose as a spell-like ability. If you have five or more levels in Deathsinger, you can also expend three rounds of your bardic performance to cast Speak with Dead as a spell-like ability. These spell-like abilities still have verbal components.
Greater Songs of Reaping
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 12th, Songs of Reaping
Benefit: Any temporary hit points you gain from the Death Knell spell stack, up to a maximum amount of temporary hit points equal to twice your character level. Whenever you use Mass Song of Quietus, it affects all living creatures within 60 feet of you (instead of 30 feet).
Necrodancer
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 1st
Benefit: Whenever you use Inspire Courage, Inspire Greatness or Inspire Heroics, you may choose to have your performance also affect undead allies who are immune to mind-affecting abilities (such as mindless ones). Instead of granting such creatures a morale bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects, Inspire Courage grants them a profane bonus to saving throws to resist channeled positive energy; instead of granting such creatures a morale bonus to all saving throws, Inspire Heroics grants them a profane bonus to all saving throws. The effects of your bardic performances are otherwise identical and other creatures continue to receive the normal benefits.
Songs of Reaping
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 6th
Benefit: Once per minute, you may use Song of Quietus without ending or interrupting another bardic performance which you have already started. Whenever you slay a creature using Death Knell, you gain a +2 profane bonus to Charisma.
Additional Spells
The following necromancy spells have been introduced to supplement this archetype.
Deathsinger’s Defilement
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 6, sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Targets you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw see below; Spell Resistance yes
An aura of wailing spirits and destructive energy surrounds you. The area within a 20’ radius around you becomes imbued with negative energy and affected as though under a Desecrate spell; each round, enemies within this area must succeed on a Will save or suffer 4d6 points of damage.
Deathsinger’s Requiem
School necromancy [death]; Level sorcerer/wizard 8, witch 8
Casting Time 2 rounds
Components V, S
Range 1 mile
Targets up to one living creature per three caster levels
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will half; Spell Resistance yes
You call down a dirge of profane, spiritual energy to ravage distant foes. Each target suffers 1d6 points of negative energy damage per caster level you possess (max 20d6); a successful Will save halves this damage. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points or less by this damage die instantly. If you have firsthand knowledge of a creature (you have met them), you do not need to be able to perceive them to target them with this spell; the spell simply fails to affect any target who is not in range at the time of casting.
Wall of Pain
School necromancy [pain]; Level sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect writhing shadowy barrier up to 20 ft. long/level or a ring of energy with a radius of up to 5 ft./two levels; either form 20 ft. high
Duration concentration + 1 round/level
Saving Throw see below; Spell Resistance yes
You conjure a wall of pain-inducing energy. One side of the wall, selected by you, projects waves of agony dealing 2d6 points of nonlethal damage to each creature that ends its turn within 10 feet of that side or inside the wall. A creature takes the same damage when it enters the wall for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. In addition, any living creature damaged by the wall must succeed on a Fortitude save or become staggered and have its movement speed halved (round down to the next 5-foot increment); these effects last for 1 round.
If you evoke the wall so that it appears where creatures are, each creature within its area suffers damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw as though they ended their turn inside of it.
Deathsinger
Like many plucky adventurers, Deathsingers seek to right wrongs and alleviate suffering in the realms: by helping other creatures attain the joy of death. The cabal of the Deathsingers was dispersed long ago by the attacks of short-sighted zealots, but this has not stopped its scattered members from singing the joyous songs of the grave and espousing the deeds of those glorious, unholy creatures which dance upon the threshold of life and death. As they uncover forbidden lore and consort with the dead, a Deathsinger knows that to bring an end to wretched life is their art, calling, and purpose.
Deathsinger’s Vigil (Sp): The Deathsinger’s eyes reveal when those around him reach the edge of mortality. From 1st level onward, the Deathsinger benefits continuously from a Deathwatch spell effect.
Lay Waste (Su): Starting at 1st level, as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity, the Deathsinger can choose a single point within 30 feet and unleash a blast of destructive energy upon it. Creatures within a 5’ radius spread suffer 1d6 points of sonic damage; a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ the Bard’s level + the Bard’s Charisma modifier) halves this damage. The damage of Lay Waste increases by 1d6 at every odd-numbered Bard level. The Deathsinger may use Lay Waste a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces all of the Bard’s spellcasting ability, including cantrips.
Superior Lay Waste (Su): At levels 4, 7, 10, 13 and 16, the Deathsinger improves the range of their Lay Waste ability by 30 feet and, furthermore, they may choose one enhancement for their Lay Waste ability from the list below. These enhancements are cumulative. A Deathsinger may choose to use Lay Waste without taking advantage of one or more enhancements available to them. Each time the Deathsinger gains a level, they may choose to exchange one of their chosen enhancements for another one which they qualify for.
Enhancements for Lay Waste
Concentrated Effect: Instead of targeting an area, you can make a ranged touch attack against a single target when you use Lay Waste. Instead of having a fixed range, this attack is considered to have a range increment of 30 feet (regardless of your Deathsinger level) and suffers range penalties as normal. When you use Lay Waste in this way, you add your Charisma bonus to damage and creatures do not receive a Reflex saving throw to reduce the damage; other saving throws (such as from other abilities) may still apply. This enhancement may not be combined with Increased Area-of-Effect.
Haunting Blast: Creatures damaged by your Lay Waste must also succeed on a Will save or become shaken for 3 rounds. This enhancement may not be combined with Sickening Blast.
Increased Area-of-Effect: The radius of Lay Waste increases to 10 feet. This enhancement can be taken up to three times; it doubles the radius each time (from 10 feet to 20 feet, then 20 feet to 40 feet).
Inferno Blast (requires 7th level): You may choose to deal fire damage with Lay Waste (instead of sonic damage); if you do, you deal an additional 1d6 points of damage. If your damage allows for a Reflex saving throw for half damage, then creatures who fail their Reflex saving throw against your blast also catch on fire.
Forceful Blast: Whenever you damage a creature with your Lay Waste, you can immediately attempt a bull rush or trip maneuver against them. This attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity and you do not risk being knocked prone yourself. Instead of using your combat maneuver bonus for the attempt, you have a modifier equal to your Deathsinger level plus your Charisma bonus.
Quickened Blast (requires 10th level): You may use Lay Waste as a swift action; doing so expends two daily uses of the ability. This allows you to use Lay Waste twice in a single round by expending three uses in total.
Sheer Power: The saving throw DC of your Lay Waste ability increases by 2; this also applies to the saving throw DC of secondary effects, such as other Lay Waste abilities.
Sickening Blast: Creatures damaged by your Lay Waste ability must also succeed on a Fortitude save or become sickened for 3 rounds. This enhancement may not be combined with Haunting Blast.
Split Blast (requires 7th level): Each time you use Lay Waste, you may choose two different target areas; you deal damage to creatures within the appropriate radius (usually 5 feet) of either point of origin. Creatures in overlapping spaces (for example, if you target two areas close to each other) only suffer damage from your ability once. If you combine this enhancement with Concentrated Effect, you instead choose two different targets for the blast, both of which must be within 30 feet of each other.
Harmonies of the Grave (Su): Upon reaching fifth level, the Deathsinger learns how to weave potent death magic into their bardic performances. The Deathsinger chooses two spells drawn from the Deathsinger spell list; they may only choose spells up to a certain spell level, based on how many levels they have in Bard. Whenever the Deathsinger has a bardic performance active, they may spend a standard action to cast one of their chosen spells as a spell-like ability. The caster level for these spells is equal to the Deathsinger’s Bard level and the saving throw DCs are equal to 10 + the spell level + the Deathsinger’s Charisma modifier. If the Deathsinger ends their bardic performance (including if they end it to change to another performance), each spell with a duration that was cast during that performance also ends.
The Deathsinger may choose one additional spell from the Deathsinger spell list at each odd-numbered level in Bard (7, 9, etc). Each time they choose a spell, they may also exchange one of their chosen spells for another one which they qualify for (for example, a 7th level Deathsinger could exchange one of their 2nd level spells for a 3rd level spell).
Table: Deathsinger Spells Available
Bard Level Highest Spell Level Known
4-6 2
7-10 3
11-12 4
13-15 5
15-16 6
17+ 7
Table: Deathsinger Spell List
1st: Ray of Enfeeblement, Ray of Sickening
2nd: Command Undead, Ghoul Touch, Scare, Stricken Heart
3rd: Lesser Animate Dead, Howling Agony, Malediction, Vampiric Touch
4th: Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Fear, Wall of Pain (new spell)
5th: Blight, Suffocate, Vampiric Shadow Shield, Waves of Fatigue
6th: Circle of Death, Deathsinger’s Defilement (new spell), Eyebite, Major Curse
This ability replaces Lore Master.
Alternative Performances
The Deathsinger learns some bardic performances which are not practiced by other bards, and which replace some performances that would otherwise be available to them.
Song of Quietus (Sp): At 6th level, the Deathsinger can use their performance to drain a dying creature’s life force, affecting them as per a Death Knell spell except that the range is 25 feet plus 5 feet per 2 Bard levels the Deathsinger has. This replaces Suggestion.
Mass Song of Quietus (Sp): At 12th level, the Deathsinger can use their performance to hasten all nearby, dying souls to oblivion. Each round that this performance is active, all living creatures within 30 feet of the Deathsinger who have been reduced to -1 or fewer hit points suffer 1 point of bleed damage, and must make a saving throw or die as though the Deathsinger had cast Death Knell on them. Furthermore, a living creature who is killed while this performance is active (through any means) automatically has their soul siphoned as though they had failed a saving throw against Death Knell spell cast by the Deathsinger. This replaces Soothing Performance.
Requiem (Sp): At 18th level, the Deathsinger can use their performance to call even distant souls to their grave, ensuring the demise of foes who would think to flee from the Deathsinger and their entourage. Using this ability requires three consecutive rounds of performance before there is any effect; after the third round, the Deathsinger creates an effect equivalent to the Deathsinger’s Requiem spell (featured below), using their Bard level as their caster level. The Deathsinger may only successfully use this performance once per hour; if it is interrupted before reaching the third round, they may attempt it again until the spell is successfully cast. This replaces Mass Suggestion.
Deathsinger Feats - More Ways to Sing About Death
The following feats are available for Deathsingers.
Arsenal of Desolation
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 4th
Benefit: Whenever you rest and regain your daily bardic performances, you may exchange any one Lay Waste enhancement you know for another one which you qualify for.
Desolator
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 1st
Benefit: You may use your Lay Waste ability three additional times per day.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times; its effects stack.
Extra Harmony of the Grave
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 5th
Benefit: Choose one additional spell from the Deathsinger spell list which you qualify for. You gain the ability to cast this spell using your Harmonies of the Grave class feature.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, choosing a different spell each time.
Gravecaller
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 12th, Gravespeaker
Benefit: You can expend six rounds of your bardic performance to cast Create Undead as a spell-like ability. If you have 16 or more levels in Deathsinger, you can also expend eight rounds of your bardic performance to cast Create Greater Undead as a spell-like ability. These spell-like abilities still have verbal components and, furthermore, you must still provide the material components for them.
Gravespeaker
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 3rd
Benefit: You can expend two rounds of your bardic performance to cast Gentle Repose as a spell-like ability. If you have five or more levels in Deathsinger, you can also expend three rounds of your bardic performance to cast Speak with Dead as a spell-like ability. These spell-like abilities still have verbal components.
Greater Songs of Reaping
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 12th, Songs of Reaping
Benefit: Any temporary hit points you gain from the Death Knell spell stack, up to a maximum amount of temporary hit points equal to twice your character level. Whenever you use Mass Song of Quietus, it affects all living creatures within 60 feet of you (instead of 30 feet).
Necrodancer
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 1st
Benefit: Whenever you use Inspire Courage, Inspire Greatness or Inspire Heroics, you may choose to have your performance also affect undead allies who are immune to mind-affecting abilities (such as mindless ones). Instead of granting such creatures a morale bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects, Inspire Courage grants them a profane bonus to saving throws to resist channeled positive energy; instead of granting such creatures a morale bonus to all saving throws, Inspire Heroics grants them a profane bonus to all saving throws. The effects of your bardic performances are otherwise identical and other creatures continue to receive the normal benefits.
Songs of Reaping
Prerequisites: Deathsinger level 6th
Benefit: Once per minute, you may use Song of Quietus without ending or interrupting another bardic performance which you have already started. Whenever you slay a creature using Death Knell, you gain a +2 profane bonus to Charisma.
Additional Spells
The following necromancy spells have been introduced to supplement this archetype.
Deathsinger’s Defilement
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 6, sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Targets you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw see below; Spell Resistance yes
An aura of wailing spirits and destructive energy surrounds you. The area within a 20’ radius around you becomes imbued with negative energy and affected as though under a Desecrate spell; each round, enemies within this area must succeed on a Will save or suffer 4d6 points of damage.
Deathsinger’s Requiem
School necromancy [death]; Level sorcerer/wizard 8, witch 8
Casting Time 2 rounds
Components V, S
Range 1 mile
Targets up to one living creature per three caster levels
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will half; Spell Resistance yes
You call down a dirge of profane, spiritual energy to ravage distant foes. Each target suffers 1d6 points of negative energy damage per caster level you possess (max 20d6); a successful Will save halves this damage. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points or less by this damage die instantly. If you have firsthand knowledge of a creature (you have met them), you do not need to be able to perceive them to target them with this spell; the spell simply fails to affect any target who is not in range at the time of casting.
Wall of Pain
School necromancy [pain]; Level sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect writhing shadowy barrier up to 20 ft. long/level or a ring of energy with a radius of up to 5 ft./two levels; either form 20 ft. high
Duration concentration + 1 round/level
Saving Throw see below; Spell Resistance yes
You conjure a wall of pain-inducing energy. One side of the wall, selected by you, projects waves of agony dealing 2d6 points of nonlethal damage to each creature that ends its turn within 10 feet of that side or inside the wall. A creature takes the same damage when it enters the wall for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. In addition, any living creature damaged by the wall must succeed on a Fortitude save or become staggered and have its movement speed halved (round down to the next 5-foot increment); these effects last for 1 round.
If you evoke the wall so that it appears where creatures are, each creature within its area suffers damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw as though they ended their turn inside of it.