redking
2022-05-07, 07:27 PM
No one knows where the first netherologist came from except that they appeared some decades after the first malconvokers began their work, and the first netherologists were malconvokers themselves.
Netherologists come in two varieties. One is the cultist. Cultists are creatures with marks of evil on them, brands that mark them as servants of evil. Through these evil marks, they are able to become netherologists without any previous spellcasting ability or occult powers. These kind of netherologist know what they are getting into and know that they are walking down the path of evil (indeed, they are already evil). The other type of creature that becomes a netherologist is a spellcaster or dabbler in occult powers that believes that they can handle calling up the creatures of the lower planes with no cost to their soul. These individuals can take the netherologist class without an evil mark, but they will eventually become evil anyway. Some creatures become netherologists with the best of intentions, such a Tormand the Grey, a malconvoker that used to fight evil but is now consumed with it.
The netherologist is a class that is designed to replace the various diabolist and demonologist classes and act as a generic summoner of the lower planes. As a creature progresses through the class, it gains power but also falls to evil. Inspired by the DiceFreaks Demonologist competition (http://www-personal.umich.edu/~dnross/Dicefreaks/Dicefreaks_d20_Community_%E2%80%A2_View_forum_-_3e_D+D_Discussion_15/viewtopic_003.html#), mainly Aluroon's submission.
Netherologist
Entry Requirements
Alignment: Any non-good (Malconvokers can enter with good alignment)
Feats: Evil Brand OR Scion of Sorrow OR Disciple of Darkness OR Thrall to Demon OR Slave of Evil
Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks
Special: Must have had contact with an evil outer planar entity
Special 2: A spellcaster or Warlock with 7 Caster Levels or a Binder with 7 Effective Binder Levels can take this class without the required feat
netherologist Spellcasting
BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1. +0 +0 +0 +1 Augment Summoning, Netherworld Lore 1+1 - - - - -
2. +1 +1 +1 +1 Foul Empowerment 3+1 1+1 - - - -
3. +2 +1 +1 +2 Extended Summoning 3+1 2+1 - - - -
4. +3 +1 +1 +2 Dark Pact 4+1 2+1 1+1 - - -
5. +3 +2 +2 +3 Empowered Summoning 4+1 2+1 2+1 - - -
6. +4 +2 +2 +4 Ritual Leader 4+1 4+1 2+1 1+1 - -
7. +5 +2 +2 +5 Skilled Pact Maker 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 - -
8. +6 +3 +3 +6 Damnation 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 1+1 -
9. +6 +3 +3 +6 Tainted Summoning 4+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 -
10. +7 +3 +3 +7 Cult Leader 4+1 4+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 1+1
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level)
The netherologist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcane), Knowledge (history) Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Hit Die: D6
Class Features
Weapon Proficiencies netherologists gain no additional proficiencies with weapons or armor.
Spellcasting: Netherologists have the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, all of 4th level or higher. To cast a netherologist spell. A character must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so if he has a Charisma of 13 or lower he can’t cast any netherologist spells. Bonus spells are based on Charisma, and the DC for saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the netherologist’s Charisma modifier. netherologists cast spells from the netherologist spell list, posted below. They need not prepare their spells ahead of time and know all spells of the levels they can cast. Their caster level for these spells is equal to half of their Knowledge (the planes) skill ranks + their netherologist class level.
Spellcasting progression for this class is not advanced by any other class.
Binding Specialist: You are considered specialized, but not in a specific school. Rather, you gain all the benefits of specialization with a group of spells that includes all those of the Conjuration (Summoning) and Conjuration (Calling) subschools. You gain all the standard benefits of specialization as applied to this group of spells and can prepare one additional spell of your specialty per spell level each day, as though it were a school unto itself. You do not have any prohibited schools.
Augment Summoning: At first level netherologists gain Augment summoning as a bonus feat, even if they don’t otherwise qualify for it. If they already have augment summoning, they get +1 to caster level when casting Conjuration (Summoning) spells.
Netherworld Lore: Netherologists in their dealings with and research of the evil outsiders accumulate vast quantities of knowledge about subjects relating to the lower planes, evil outsiders, along with important events in its history and important figures within it. When making a Knowledge (arcane, history, the planes, or religion) check relating to evil outsiders, they may add their netherologist level as a bonus to the check.
Foul Empowerment (Su): At second level netherologists may choose to empower one of their spellcasting, invoking or binding base classes they might have. If they have more than one base class of this sort, they must select a class to empower. An empowered spellcasting or invoking base class gains a bonus to caster levels equal to half (round down) the netherologist level when casting a spell or using a warlock invocation. If applied to the Binder base class, the netherologist gains a bonus to effective binder level equal to half (round down) of their netherologist level, but only when using a binder ability that uses EBL to calculate an effect, such as when "caster level equals your effective binder level" is referenced. This bonus to EBL cannot improve your soul binding or maximum vestige level as it only takes effect when using an ability. Once per month, the netherologist may change the base class receiving the benefit of this ability.
Extended Summons (Su): At third level netherologists gain the ability to add their charisma modifier as rounds to the duration of any Summon Monster spell they cast (not SLA or class feature).
Dark Pact (Su): Starting at fourth level. The netherologist realizes that it can obtain power by paying obeisance to an evil outsider. Doing so grants the netherologist one bonus feat, plus an extra bonus feat for every five character levels or Hit Dice. These bonus feats must be a [Vile] feat from Champions of Ruin, Elder Evils, Exemplars of Evil, Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss or Heroes of Horror. You can take these feats even if you do not meet the prerequisites in regards to alignment. Making a Dark Pact sets the netherologist on the inexorable path to evil, even if there is no immediate change of alignment. If the netherologist declines to make a Dark Pact, it does not get the benefits described herein.
The netherlogist can decline the Dark Pact, and if the netherologist declines to make a Dark Pact, it does not get the benefits described herein. The netherologist cannot advance further in the netherologist class and thus know its higher mysteries until the Dark Pact is accepted. Any feats obtained through the netherologist class may not be retrained or traded away.
Empowered Summoning (Su): At fifth level netherologists gain increased ability to call beings from the lower planes. Whenever they cast a summon monster spell (not SLA or class feature) they are able to summon a being from a lower list in addition to the being from their own list. (That is with Summon Monster V they would get a monster from the Summon Monster V list and a monster from the Summon Monster IV list). Furthermore, whenever they use a summoning spell to summon beings from a lower level list they maximize the number of beings summoned.
Ritual Leader (Su): At sixth level a netherologist learns how to lead other netherologists in ritual conjuration. When casting a Conjuration (Summoning) or Conjuration (Calling) spell, other netherlogists within 30 feet and numbering up to half the netherologist ritual leader's levels (round down) in netherolgoist may use aid another at DC 15 Knoweldge (the planes) check to assist the ritual conjuration leader (for example, at 6th level a ritual leader netherologist may have up to three assistants). Each netherologist that makes a successful check adds his class levels in netherologist to the Caster Level of the ritual leader's summoning or calling spell.
Indentured Servitude (Su): 7th level: For every 10 points you beat the opposed Charisma check of a planar binding negotiation by, the creature called is compelled to assist you for one additional task beyond the first. Extra tasks are determined after the initial roll and can be only as hazardous or dangerous to the fiend as the initial task. If you have an open-ended request instead of a discrete task, the called creature is compelled to serve you for a number of extra days equal to your Caster Level times one for every 10 points you beat the opposed Charisma check.
For example, Arias called a succubus via planar binding to perform a discrete task. Arias beat the Charisma check by 20, and thus in addition to the task that Arias can require of the succubus, he can specify 2 extra tasks at the same time. Thus, Arias gives the Succubus three tasks to fetch items that belong to him. On another occasion, Arias called a succubus at Caster Level 15 for extended companionship, and beat the Charisma check by 20. As this is an open-ended task, Arias is able to maintain the services of the succubus for 15 days normally, and another 30 days for beating the Charisma check by 20, for a total of 45 days of service.
Damnation (Su): At eight level. Whatever the netherologist's intentions when it began this journey, it is now completely damned. If it did not have Evil Brand, Scion of Sorrow, Disciple of Darkness, Slave of Evil, or Thrall to Demon, it gets one of these now (chosen by the DM, as revealed by the preferences of the netherologist for summoning and calling evil outsiders) even if the netherologist does not mean the prerequisites. If the netherologist already had one of these feats, the numerical benefits of the feat doubles. Upon death, the netherologist's soul is taken to the dark underworld of its wicked patron, even if the netherologist is not evilly aligned.
There are rumours of extremely powerful netherologists forcing their outsider patron into giving up the patron's claim on the netherologist's soul while keeping all the benefits of this class. This requires a great quest (DM discretion).
Tainted Summoning (Su): At ninth level. Thanks to the netherologist’s connections on the lower planes, it can summon (through the summon monster line of spells) previously good aligned beings which have fallen to evil and thus evilly aligned.
Cult Leader: At tenth level. The netherologist gets a special version of leadership to help him form a cult (does not affect the regular leadership feat). Once per month, the netherologist may apply the mark of evil that it has on a freewilled and willing creature that is following the cult leader netherologist though its cult leadership, who then gets the evil mark (Evil Brand, Scion of Sorrow, Disciple of Darkness, Slave of Evil or Thrall to Demon) as a free bonus feat, even if the follower does not meet the prerequisites. This bonus feat may not be retrained or traded away by any means.
Cult Leadership
Cult leadership follows the same structure as Leadership (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Leadership) and Epic Leadership (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Epic_Leadership), and the leadership score is calculated the same way (if the base leadership score is over 25, treat as epic cult leadership). However, the cult leader has no first and second level followers (called cultists), so the first and second level followers referenced in the leadership feats are not obtained. The cult leader also gets a cult cohort (called a dark brother or dark sister), and this dark brother always has at least one level of netherologist. Only cultists and dark brothers obtained under cult leadership can be given an evil mark by the cult leader netherologist.
If you have the leadership feat, your regular cohorts and followers never fraternize with your cult, your dark brother, or your cultists, as your cult members expect secrecy. Compromising the secrecy of your cult results in leadership penalties to both your cult leadership and your regular leadership of -1 for each instance of reckless openness.
Netherologist Spell List
4 – animate dead, chaos hammer, charm monster, deeper darkness, dimension door, dimensional anchor, dominate person, inflict critical wounds, lesser planar ally, magic circle against evil, summon monster IV*, suggestion, unholy blight, wall of fire
5 – cloudkill, cone of cold, dismissal, feeblemind, hold monster, lesser planar binding, mass inflict light wounds, overland flight, sending, summon monster V*, telekinesis, teleport, unhallow
6 – blade barrier, chain lighting, greater dispel magic, mass inflict moderate wounds, planar ally, planar binding, summon monster VI*, true seeing
7 – banishment, blasphemy, delayed blast fireball, greater teleport, mass inflict serious wounds, plane shift, power word blind, reverse gravity, summon monster VII*, unholy aura
8 - binding, fire storm, greater planar ally, greater planar binding, mass inflict critical wounds, power word stun, summon monster VIII*, trap the soul
9 - dominate monster, energy drain, gate, implosion, mass hold monster, meteor swarm, summon monster IX*
*netherologists may only use these spells to summon evil outsiders and animals with the fiendish template. They may not summon good aligned beings.
Netherologists come in two varieties. One is the cultist. Cultists are creatures with marks of evil on them, brands that mark them as servants of evil. Through these evil marks, they are able to become netherologists without any previous spellcasting ability or occult powers. These kind of netherologist know what they are getting into and know that they are walking down the path of evil (indeed, they are already evil). The other type of creature that becomes a netherologist is a spellcaster or dabbler in occult powers that believes that they can handle calling up the creatures of the lower planes with no cost to their soul. These individuals can take the netherologist class without an evil mark, but they will eventually become evil anyway. Some creatures become netherologists with the best of intentions, such a Tormand the Grey, a malconvoker that used to fight evil but is now consumed with it.
The netherologist is a class that is designed to replace the various diabolist and demonologist classes and act as a generic summoner of the lower planes. As a creature progresses through the class, it gains power but also falls to evil. Inspired by the DiceFreaks Demonologist competition (http://www-personal.umich.edu/~dnross/Dicefreaks/Dicefreaks_d20_Community_%E2%80%A2_View_forum_-_3e_D+D_Discussion_15/viewtopic_003.html#), mainly Aluroon's submission.
Netherologist
Entry Requirements
Alignment: Any non-good (Malconvokers can enter with good alignment)
Feats: Evil Brand OR Scion of Sorrow OR Disciple of Darkness OR Thrall to Demon OR Slave of Evil
Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks
Special: Must have had contact with an evil outer planar entity
Special 2: A spellcaster or Warlock with 7 Caster Levels or a Binder with 7 Effective Binder Levels can take this class without the required feat
netherologist Spellcasting
BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1. +0 +0 +0 +1 Augment Summoning, Netherworld Lore 1+1 - - - - -
2. +1 +1 +1 +1 Foul Empowerment 3+1 1+1 - - - -
3. +2 +1 +1 +2 Extended Summoning 3+1 2+1 - - - -
4. +3 +1 +1 +2 Dark Pact 4+1 2+1 1+1 - - -
5. +3 +2 +2 +3 Empowered Summoning 4+1 2+1 2+1 - - -
6. +4 +2 +2 +4 Ritual Leader 4+1 4+1 2+1 1+1 - -
7. +5 +2 +2 +5 Skilled Pact Maker 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 - -
8. +6 +3 +3 +6 Damnation 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 1+1 -
9. +6 +3 +3 +6 Tainted Summoning 4+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 -
10. +7 +3 +3 +7 Cult Leader 4+1 4+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 1+1
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level)
The netherologist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcane), Knowledge (history) Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Hit Die: D6
Class Features
Weapon Proficiencies netherologists gain no additional proficiencies with weapons or armor.
Spellcasting: Netherologists have the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, all of 4th level or higher. To cast a netherologist spell. A character must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so if he has a Charisma of 13 or lower he can’t cast any netherologist spells. Bonus spells are based on Charisma, and the DC for saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the netherologist’s Charisma modifier. netherologists cast spells from the netherologist spell list, posted below. They need not prepare their spells ahead of time and know all spells of the levels they can cast. Their caster level for these spells is equal to half of their Knowledge (the planes) skill ranks + their netherologist class level.
Spellcasting progression for this class is not advanced by any other class.
Binding Specialist: You are considered specialized, but not in a specific school. Rather, you gain all the benefits of specialization with a group of spells that includes all those of the Conjuration (Summoning) and Conjuration (Calling) subschools. You gain all the standard benefits of specialization as applied to this group of spells and can prepare one additional spell of your specialty per spell level each day, as though it were a school unto itself. You do not have any prohibited schools.
Augment Summoning: At first level netherologists gain Augment summoning as a bonus feat, even if they don’t otherwise qualify for it. If they already have augment summoning, they get +1 to caster level when casting Conjuration (Summoning) spells.
Netherworld Lore: Netherologists in their dealings with and research of the evil outsiders accumulate vast quantities of knowledge about subjects relating to the lower planes, evil outsiders, along with important events in its history and important figures within it. When making a Knowledge (arcane, history, the planes, or religion) check relating to evil outsiders, they may add their netherologist level as a bonus to the check.
Foul Empowerment (Su): At second level netherologists may choose to empower one of their spellcasting, invoking or binding base classes they might have. If they have more than one base class of this sort, they must select a class to empower. An empowered spellcasting or invoking base class gains a bonus to caster levels equal to half (round down) the netherologist level when casting a spell or using a warlock invocation. If applied to the Binder base class, the netherologist gains a bonus to effective binder level equal to half (round down) of their netherologist level, but only when using a binder ability that uses EBL to calculate an effect, such as when "caster level equals your effective binder level" is referenced. This bonus to EBL cannot improve your soul binding or maximum vestige level as it only takes effect when using an ability. Once per month, the netherologist may change the base class receiving the benefit of this ability.
Extended Summons (Su): At third level netherologists gain the ability to add their charisma modifier as rounds to the duration of any Summon Monster spell they cast (not SLA or class feature).
Dark Pact (Su): Starting at fourth level. The netherologist realizes that it can obtain power by paying obeisance to an evil outsider. Doing so grants the netherologist one bonus feat, plus an extra bonus feat for every five character levels or Hit Dice. These bonus feats must be a [Vile] feat from Champions of Ruin, Elder Evils, Exemplars of Evil, Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss or Heroes of Horror. You can take these feats even if you do not meet the prerequisites in regards to alignment. Making a Dark Pact sets the netherologist on the inexorable path to evil, even if there is no immediate change of alignment. If the netherologist declines to make a Dark Pact, it does not get the benefits described herein.
The netherlogist can decline the Dark Pact, and if the netherologist declines to make a Dark Pact, it does not get the benefits described herein. The netherologist cannot advance further in the netherologist class and thus know its higher mysteries until the Dark Pact is accepted. Any feats obtained through the netherologist class may not be retrained or traded away.
Empowered Summoning (Su): At fifth level netherologists gain increased ability to call beings from the lower planes. Whenever they cast a summon monster spell (not SLA or class feature) they are able to summon a being from a lower list in addition to the being from their own list. (That is with Summon Monster V they would get a monster from the Summon Monster V list and a monster from the Summon Monster IV list). Furthermore, whenever they use a summoning spell to summon beings from a lower level list they maximize the number of beings summoned.
Ritual Leader (Su): At sixth level a netherologist learns how to lead other netherologists in ritual conjuration. When casting a Conjuration (Summoning) or Conjuration (Calling) spell, other netherlogists within 30 feet and numbering up to half the netherologist ritual leader's levels (round down) in netherolgoist may use aid another at DC 15 Knoweldge (the planes) check to assist the ritual conjuration leader (for example, at 6th level a ritual leader netherologist may have up to three assistants). Each netherologist that makes a successful check adds his class levels in netherologist to the Caster Level of the ritual leader's summoning or calling spell.
Indentured Servitude (Su): 7th level: For every 10 points you beat the opposed Charisma check of a planar binding negotiation by, the creature called is compelled to assist you for one additional task beyond the first. Extra tasks are determined after the initial roll and can be only as hazardous or dangerous to the fiend as the initial task. If you have an open-ended request instead of a discrete task, the called creature is compelled to serve you for a number of extra days equal to your Caster Level times one for every 10 points you beat the opposed Charisma check.
For example, Arias called a succubus via planar binding to perform a discrete task. Arias beat the Charisma check by 20, and thus in addition to the task that Arias can require of the succubus, he can specify 2 extra tasks at the same time. Thus, Arias gives the Succubus three tasks to fetch items that belong to him. On another occasion, Arias called a succubus at Caster Level 15 for extended companionship, and beat the Charisma check by 20. As this is an open-ended task, Arias is able to maintain the services of the succubus for 15 days normally, and another 30 days for beating the Charisma check by 20, for a total of 45 days of service.
Damnation (Su): At eight level. Whatever the netherologist's intentions when it began this journey, it is now completely damned. If it did not have Evil Brand, Scion of Sorrow, Disciple of Darkness, Slave of Evil, or Thrall to Demon, it gets one of these now (chosen by the DM, as revealed by the preferences of the netherologist for summoning and calling evil outsiders) even if the netherologist does not mean the prerequisites. If the netherologist already had one of these feats, the numerical benefits of the feat doubles. Upon death, the netherologist's soul is taken to the dark underworld of its wicked patron, even if the netherologist is not evilly aligned.
There are rumours of extremely powerful netherologists forcing their outsider patron into giving up the patron's claim on the netherologist's soul while keeping all the benefits of this class. This requires a great quest (DM discretion).
Tainted Summoning (Su): At ninth level. Thanks to the netherologist’s connections on the lower planes, it can summon (through the summon monster line of spells) previously good aligned beings which have fallen to evil and thus evilly aligned.
Cult Leader: At tenth level. The netherologist gets a special version of leadership to help him form a cult (does not affect the regular leadership feat). Once per month, the netherologist may apply the mark of evil that it has on a freewilled and willing creature that is following the cult leader netherologist though its cult leadership, who then gets the evil mark (Evil Brand, Scion of Sorrow, Disciple of Darkness, Slave of Evil or Thrall to Demon) as a free bonus feat, even if the follower does not meet the prerequisites. This bonus feat may not be retrained or traded away by any means.
Cult Leadership
Cult leadership follows the same structure as Leadership (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Leadership) and Epic Leadership (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Epic_Leadership), and the leadership score is calculated the same way (if the base leadership score is over 25, treat as epic cult leadership). However, the cult leader has no first and second level followers (called cultists), so the first and second level followers referenced in the leadership feats are not obtained. The cult leader also gets a cult cohort (called a dark brother or dark sister), and this dark brother always has at least one level of netherologist. Only cultists and dark brothers obtained under cult leadership can be given an evil mark by the cult leader netherologist.
If you have the leadership feat, your regular cohorts and followers never fraternize with your cult, your dark brother, or your cultists, as your cult members expect secrecy. Compromising the secrecy of your cult results in leadership penalties to both your cult leadership and your regular leadership of -1 for each instance of reckless openness.
Netherologist Spell List
4 – animate dead, chaos hammer, charm monster, deeper darkness, dimension door, dimensional anchor, dominate person, inflict critical wounds, lesser planar ally, magic circle against evil, summon monster IV*, suggestion, unholy blight, wall of fire
5 – cloudkill, cone of cold, dismissal, feeblemind, hold monster, lesser planar binding, mass inflict light wounds, overland flight, sending, summon monster V*, telekinesis, teleport, unhallow
6 – blade barrier, chain lighting, greater dispel magic, mass inflict moderate wounds, planar ally, planar binding, summon monster VI*, true seeing
7 – banishment, blasphemy, delayed blast fireball, greater teleport, mass inflict serious wounds, plane shift, power word blind, reverse gravity, summon monster VII*, unholy aura
8 - binding, fire storm, greater planar ally, greater planar binding, mass inflict critical wounds, power word stun, summon monster VIII*, trap the soul
9 - dominate monster, energy drain, gate, implosion, mass hold monster, meteor swarm, summon monster IX*
*netherologists may only use these spells to summon evil outsiders and animals with the fiendish template. They may not summon good aligned beings.