Biscuit
2023-07-02, 08:24 AM
D&D 3.5 - Horned Harbinger
(Faiths & Pantheons, p. 197)
The exact process of becoming a Horned Harbinger is unknown. People enammured with the concepts of death and the undead often mention seeing a specific object of unknown origin - crown of bones - in their dreams leading up to their transformation. Theories provail that the image is implanted in such people as an offer by a diety related to death or undeath, and those people who reach out for the crown within their dreams are invested with a seed of divine power that grows until they become Horned Harbingers.
Over time, harbingers develop a number of powers related to death and the undead. They are granted the use of magic from the Death domain, learn how to reanimate dead bodies over long distances, and can both rebuke as well as create undead creatures. As they grow in power, Harbingers gain control over more and more undead thralls at a rate unknown to typical clerics.
Requirements
Alignment: Any Evil
Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks
Hit die d8
Skill Points: 2 + Int
The Horned Harbinger’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge - Arcana (Int), Knowledge - Religion (Int), Knowledge - the Planes (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)
LevelBABFortReflexWillClass FeaturesSpells Per Day[/tr]
1+0+2+0+2Bone Horns, Rebuke Undead, ConversionSpecial
2+1+3+0+3Deathwatch, Animate Dead+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
3+2+3+1+3Bonus Feat+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
4+3+4+1+4Bone ClawsSpecial
5+3+4+1+4Captain of Undeath+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
6+4+5+2+5Bonus Feat, Create Undead+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
7+5+5+2+5Fell AnimateSpecial
8+6/+1+6+2+6Create Greater Undead+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
9+6/+1+6+3+6Bonus Feat+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
10+7/+2+7+3+7General of UndeathSpecial
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Horned Harbingers gains no new armor or weapon proficiencies.
Spellcasting: Each Horned Harbinger is unique, and the way they gain new spellcasting depends on their spellcasting capabilities (or lack thereof) prior to becoming Horned Harbingers. If you had spellcasting from a previous class choice, you must decide to go through Spellcasting Conversion (listed below), or progress Horned Harbinger spellcasting with no conversion. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a horned Harbinger, you must choose which class to base your Horned Harbinger spellcasting on if undergoing Spellcasting Conversion. All Horned Harbingers cast spells as, and share a spell list with Favored Souls. However, unlike a Favored Soul, the Horned Harbinger Save DCs and bonus spell slots gained are both dependant on either Charisma or Wisdom (chosen at the 1st level of Horned Harbinger). For the purposes of Horned Harbinger spells and abilities, their Effective Cleric Level is equal to twice their current level of Horned Harbinger.
If you had no spellcasting class prior to becoming a Horned Harbinger or opt out of Spellcasting Conversion, you gain spellcasting at every level of Horned Harbinger as if you had instead gained a level of Favored Soul with the changes listed above. (Horned Harbingers who have spellcasting from other sources and have undergone Spellcasting Conversion do not gain spellcasting progression at levels 1, 4, 7, and 10) If you did have prior spellcasting, that spellcasting is altered with Conversion (detailed below).
Domains: All Horned Harbingers gain access to three domains. While you do not have a 'god' that you are aware of, your spellcasting abilities instead stem from an innate faith in the mysterious crown of bones that you see in your dreams and the concepts of death and undeath that it seems to enhance in your subconscious. In such a case, you gain the Death Domain (Player’s Handbook, p. 186), as well as two Domains of your choice taken from this list: Deathless (Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 105)
Dream (Spell Compendium, p. 273)
Madness (Spell Compendium, p. 276)
Necromancer (Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 107)
Undeath Domain (Spell Compendium, p. 281)
Conversion: A number of things from a Horned Harbinger's previous life are irrevocably altered through their conversion into a Horned Harbinger. This comes with several possible benefits, but also carries heavy restrictions on future choices. While Spellcasting Conversion is optional, Familiar, Animal Companion, and Special Mount conversion is not optional, and takes place at level 1 in Horned Harbinger automatically if applicable. Spellcasting Conversion (Optional): A Horned Harbinger who had levels in a spellcasting class prior to becoming a Horned Harbinger can "trade in" levels in another spellcasting class for additional levels of Horned Harbinger spellcasting ability. Undergoing Spellcasting Conversion causes you to lose any domains granted by the previous spellcasting class levels being converted. Spells and spell slots from your previous casting class are lost. You instead gain new spells and spell slots as if you had gained a number of levels in Favored Soul equal to the number of levels of spellcasting progression that was converted. Your new list of Spells Known after undergoing Spellcasting Conversion can be any spells from the Favored Soul spell list as well as any spell you had access to from your previous spellcasting class's list. Horned Harbingers who have undergone Spellcasting Conversion do not gain spellcasting progression at levels 1, 4, 7, and 10, and lose access to their previous spellcasting class's spell list for Spells Known gained after level 1 of Horned Harbinger, though they retain any spells selected from that previous spell list made during Spellcasting Conversion. If any of the spells from the previous class's list are only normally Arcane spells, they are instead now cast as Divine spells. All such spells retain their original spell level, even if a switch to a Divine version would normally cause it to be a spell of a different spell level.
Familiar Conversion: If you had a familiar or the ability to obtain one, you lose any current familiar you might have had previously (with no ill effects). Instead, you gain a new familiar, but your effective level to determine its abilities are now twice your Horned Harbinger level rather than your class levels in whatever class you had previously that originally gave you access to it. Additionally, any such mount has the Bone Creature template applied to it. This template cannot be overridden, overcome, or otherwise gotten rid of without destroying the familiar. Such a familiar loses any normal base ability granted by nature of its species (such as the +3 to Appraise Checks that a Raven normally provides, or the +3 to Move Silently granted by a Cat) and instead grants its master the ability to control 4 more Hit Dice of undead than they would normally capable of controlling (both through the rebuke undead ability and through spells such as animate dead, etc.). This only applies to corporeal, living familiars. This applies retroactively if you gain the ability to summon an appropriate familiar in the future.
Animal Companion Conversion: If you previously had access to or the ability to acquire an Animal Companion, you lose that Animal Companion and the ability to acquire it. Instead, you gain access to a new animal companion, but your effective level to determine its abilities are now 3 + your Horned Harbinger level rather than class levels in whatever class you had previously that originally gave you access to it. Additionally, any such companion has the Bone Creature template applied to it. This template cannot be overridden, overcome, or otherwise gotten rid of without destroying the animal companion. This only applies to corporeal, living animal companions. This applies retroactively if you gain the ability to bond an appropriate animal companion in the future.
Special Mount Conversion: If you previously had access to or the ability to acquire a Special Mount like a Paladin, you lose that mount and the ability to acquire it. Instead, you gain access to a new mount, but your effective level to determine its abilities is 4 + your Horned Harbinger level rather than class levels in whatever class you had previously that originally gave you access to it. Additionally, any such mount has the Bone Creature template applied to it. This template cannot be overridden, overcome, or otherwise gotten rid of without destroying the mount. This only applies to corporeal, living special mount. This applies retroactively if you gain the ability to summon an appropriate special mount in the future.
Bone Horns (Ex): Horned Harbingers grow six short curved horns of bone from their skull, as if wearing a crown of bone. These horns are considered a primary natural attack for the Harbinger, collectively dealing 1d6 points of piercing damage and counting as a Gore attack. They do double damage when used as part of a charge. A Horned Harbinger is always considered proficient with their Bone Horns.
At 5th level, the Horned Harbinger gains Weapon Focus (Bone Horns) as a bonus feat.
Restrictions: A Horned Harbinger can never again take classes that to Divine Casting, unless it simply furthers the Divine Casting of the Horned Harbinger. A Horned Harbinger is anethma to the natural world, and lose the ability to ever use (if already posessed) or gain the Wild Empathy ability. In addition, a Horned Harbinger interacting with animals or natural beasts of any kind find that such creatures start with an immediate dislike of the Horned Harbinger and having an attitude of Unfriendly. If their attitude would have normally started at Unfriendly, it instead starts as Hostile instead.
Rebuke Undead (Su): The character can rebuke or command undead as a Cleric with an Effective Cleric Level equal to 5 + their Horned Harbinger Level. If the character could already rebuke undead, these levels stack with that ability.
Deathwatch (Ex): At will, a horned harbinger can view the world as if he were using a deathwatch spell. Supressing or resuming this ability is a free action.
Bonus Feat: At the indicated levels, a horned harbinger may take a bonus feat if they meet the appropriate qualifications. These feats are drawn from the following list: Corpsecrafter, Divine Vengeance, Empower Turning, Extra Turning, Heighten Turning, Quicken Turning, Undead Leadership, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Improved Natural Weapon.
Animate Dead (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a Horned Harbinger can cast Animate Dead once per day as a spell-like ability using their Effective Cleric Level, bypassing the normal material requirement for the spell. Their Effective Cleric Level (5 + their Horned Harbinger class level) also determines the maximum number of undead animated with Animate Dead that the Horned Harbinger can control.
Beginning at 4th level, the Horned Harbinger may use this ability twice per day.
Beginning at 7th level, any use of Animate Dead, whether as a normal spell or a spell-like ability, has a range of medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) instead of touch. In other words, the Horned Harbinger can use Animate Dead at a distance, without having to touch the corpses. If cast as a spell, the material components are still consumed but do not need to be placed on the corpses.
Bone Claws (Ex): Horned Harbingers grow short curved claws of bone from their fingertips that replace their fingernails. These claws are considered secondary natural attacks for the Harbinger, dealing 1d4 points of slashing damage each. A Horned Harbinger is always considered proficient with their Bone Claws.
At 9th level, the Horned Harbinger gains Weapon Focus (Bone Claws) as a bonus feat.
Captain of Undeath (Ex): At 5th level, a Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead animated with spells increases to 5 times their Effective Cleric Level instead of the normal 2 times. Their limit for undead controlled through the use of their Command Undead function of the Rebuke Undead ability increases from their Effective Cleric Level to 2 times their Effective Cleric Level.
Create Undead (Sp): Beginning at 6th level, the Horned Harbinger can cast Create Undead once per day. Their caster level for this ability is the same as the caster level for their Animate Dead ability. The Horned Harbinger may use this ability to use their Animate Dead ability an additional time per day instead, if desired.
Fell Animate: at 7th level, the Horned Harbinger gains Fell Animate (Libris Mortis: The Book of the Dead, p. 26) as a bonus feat. If they already had this feat, they instead gain an additional Bonus Feat available to Horned Harbingers (Corpsecrafter, Divine Vengeance, Empower Turning, Extra Turning, Heighten Turning, Quicken Turning, Undead Leadership, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, and Improved Natural Weapon), or they can select the Divine Metamagic feat - in which case they much opt to apply the feat's effects to the metamagic feat Fell Animate.
Create Greater Undead (Sp): Beginning at 8th level, the character can cast Create Greater undead once per day, with their caster level the same as their Effective Cleric Level for their Animate Dead ability. The Horned Harbinger may use this ability to use their Animate Dead or Create Undead ability an additional time per day instead, if desired.
General of Undeath (Su): At 10th level, a Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead animated with spells increases to 10 times their effective caster level. Their limit for undead controlled through the use of his Command Undead function of their Rebuke Undead ability increases 5 times their Effective Cleric Level.
Additionally, the metamagic feat Fell Animate only takes up a spell slot 2 levels higher, rather than the normal 3.
Removed the esoteric entry requirement of needing to touch a specific artifact in real life and replaced the fluff with the mysterious calling sent in dreams. This opens the class up for all campaign settings.
Having a necromancer class with access to the Death domain without spellcasting or spellcasting progression of any kind is dumb. I added variant casting progressions based on existing (or nonexistant) spellcasting prior to prestiging.
Preexisting spellcasters only get 6/10 casting progression due to the new Spellcasting Conversion giving them up to 5 levels of casting from previous class levels, while previous non-casters get a full 10/10 as a Favored Soul, to make it equally viable from both starting points. This keeps it as a viable option for both Casters and Non-Casters, instead of not being viable for either, like it was before. Thanks to Morphic Tide for the suggestion!
Added appropriate domain options for non-casters entering the class without prior spellcasting.
Added the Bone Claws ability for thematics.
Adjusted the progression of bonus feats to follow a standard progression.
Added natural weapon related feats to the bonus feats list.
Added Ranged Animate as a progresison of Animate Dead rather than its own ability, and replaced it with Fell Animate as a bonus feat.
Reworded some abilities to be more clear and concise.
Added a metamagic reducer of -1 to Fell Animate to General of Undeath.
Added automatic Weapon Focus bonus feats for Bone Crown & Bone Claws to help them scale properly at higher levels.
(Faiths & Pantheons, p. 197)
The exact process of becoming a Horned Harbinger is unknown. People enammured with the concepts of death and the undead often mention seeing a specific object of unknown origin - crown of bones - in their dreams leading up to their transformation. Theories provail that the image is implanted in such people as an offer by a diety related to death or undeath, and those people who reach out for the crown within their dreams are invested with a seed of divine power that grows until they become Horned Harbingers.
Over time, harbingers develop a number of powers related to death and the undead. They are granted the use of magic from the Death domain, learn how to reanimate dead bodies over long distances, and can both rebuke as well as create undead creatures. As they grow in power, Harbingers gain control over more and more undead thralls at a rate unknown to typical clerics.
Requirements
Alignment: Any Evil
Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks
Hit die d8
Skill Points: 2 + Int
The Horned Harbinger’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge - Arcana (Int), Knowledge - Religion (Int), Knowledge - the Planes (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)
LevelBABFortReflexWillClass FeaturesSpells Per Day[/tr]
1+0+2+0+2Bone Horns, Rebuke Undead, ConversionSpecial
2+1+3+0+3Deathwatch, Animate Dead+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
3+2+3+1+3Bonus Feat+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
4+3+4+1+4Bone ClawsSpecial
5+3+4+1+4Captain of Undeath+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
6+4+5+2+5Bonus Feat, Create Undead+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
7+5+5+2+5Fell AnimateSpecial
8+6/+1+6+2+6Create Greater Undead+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
9+6/+1+6+3+6Bonus Feat+1 Level of Spellcasting Class
10+7/+2+7+3+7General of UndeathSpecial
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Horned Harbingers gains no new armor or weapon proficiencies.
Spellcasting: Each Horned Harbinger is unique, and the way they gain new spellcasting depends on their spellcasting capabilities (or lack thereof) prior to becoming Horned Harbingers. If you had spellcasting from a previous class choice, you must decide to go through Spellcasting Conversion (listed below), or progress Horned Harbinger spellcasting with no conversion. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a horned Harbinger, you must choose which class to base your Horned Harbinger spellcasting on if undergoing Spellcasting Conversion. All Horned Harbingers cast spells as, and share a spell list with Favored Souls. However, unlike a Favored Soul, the Horned Harbinger Save DCs and bonus spell slots gained are both dependant on either Charisma or Wisdom (chosen at the 1st level of Horned Harbinger). For the purposes of Horned Harbinger spells and abilities, their Effective Cleric Level is equal to twice their current level of Horned Harbinger.
If you had no spellcasting class prior to becoming a Horned Harbinger or opt out of Spellcasting Conversion, you gain spellcasting at every level of Horned Harbinger as if you had instead gained a level of Favored Soul with the changes listed above. (Horned Harbingers who have spellcasting from other sources and have undergone Spellcasting Conversion do not gain spellcasting progression at levels 1, 4, 7, and 10) If you did have prior spellcasting, that spellcasting is altered with Conversion (detailed below).
Domains: All Horned Harbingers gain access to three domains. While you do not have a 'god' that you are aware of, your spellcasting abilities instead stem from an innate faith in the mysterious crown of bones that you see in your dreams and the concepts of death and undeath that it seems to enhance in your subconscious. In such a case, you gain the Death Domain (Player’s Handbook, p. 186), as well as two Domains of your choice taken from this list: Deathless (Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 105)
Dream (Spell Compendium, p. 273)
Madness (Spell Compendium, p. 276)
Necromancer (Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 107)
Undeath Domain (Spell Compendium, p. 281)
Conversion: A number of things from a Horned Harbinger's previous life are irrevocably altered through their conversion into a Horned Harbinger. This comes with several possible benefits, but also carries heavy restrictions on future choices. While Spellcasting Conversion is optional, Familiar, Animal Companion, and Special Mount conversion is not optional, and takes place at level 1 in Horned Harbinger automatically if applicable. Spellcasting Conversion (Optional): A Horned Harbinger who had levels in a spellcasting class prior to becoming a Horned Harbinger can "trade in" levels in another spellcasting class for additional levels of Horned Harbinger spellcasting ability. Undergoing Spellcasting Conversion causes you to lose any domains granted by the previous spellcasting class levels being converted. Spells and spell slots from your previous casting class are lost. You instead gain new spells and spell slots as if you had gained a number of levels in Favored Soul equal to the number of levels of spellcasting progression that was converted. Your new list of Spells Known after undergoing Spellcasting Conversion can be any spells from the Favored Soul spell list as well as any spell you had access to from your previous spellcasting class's list. Horned Harbingers who have undergone Spellcasting Conversion do not gain spellcasting progression at levels 1, 4, 7, and 10, and lose access to their previous spellcasting class's spell list for Spells Known gained after level 1 of Horned Harbinger, though they retain any spells selected from that previous spell list made during Spellcasting Conversion. If any of the spells from the previous class's list are only normally Arcane spells, they are instead now cast as Divine spells. All such spells retain their original spell level, even if a switch to a Divine version would normally cause it to be a spell of a different spell level.
Familiar Conversion: If you had a familiar or the ability to obtain one, you lose any current familiar you might have had previously (with no ill effects). Instead, you gain a new familiar, but your effective level to determine its abilities are now twice your Horned Harbinger level rather than your class levels in whatever class you had previously that originally gave you access to it. Additionally, any such mount has the Bone Creature template applied to it. This template cannot be overridden, overcome, or otherwise gotten rid of without destroying the familiar. Such a familiar loses any normal base ability granted by nature of its species (such as the +3 to Appraise Checks that a Raven normally provides, or the +3 to Move Silently granted by a Cat) and instead grants its master the ability to control 4 more Hit Dice of undead than they would normally capable of controlling (both through the rebuke undead ability and through spells such as animate dead, etc.). This only applies to corporeal, living familiars. This applies retroactively if you gain the ability to summon an appropriate familiar in the future.
Animal Companion Conversion: If you previously had access to or the ability to acquire an Animal Companion, you lose that Animal Companion and the ability to acquire it. Instead, you gain access to a new animal companion, but your effective level to determine its abilities are now 3 + your Horned Harbinger level rather than class levels in whatever class you had previously that originally gave you access to it. Additionally, any such companion has the Bone Creature template applied to it. This template cannot be overridden, overcome, or otherwise gotten rid of without destroying the animal companion. This only applies to corporeal, living animal companions. This applies retroactively if you gain the ability to bond an appropriate animal companion in the future.
Special Mount Conversion: If you previously had access to or the ability to acquire a Special Mount like a Paladin, you lose that mount and the ability to acquire it. Instead, you gain access to a new mount, but your effective level to determine its abilities is 4 + your Horned Harbinger level rather than class levels in whatever class you had previously that originally gave you access to it. Additionally, any such mount has the Bone Creature template applied to it. This template cannot be overridden, overcome, or otherwise gotten rid of without destroying the mount. This only applies to corporeal, living special mount. This applies retroactively if you gain the ability to summon an appropriate special mount in the future.
Bone Horns (Ex): Horned Harbingers grow six short curved horns of bone from their skull, as if wearing a crown of bone. These horns are considered a primary natural attack for the Harbinger, collectively dealing 1d6 points of piercing damage and counting as a Gore attack. They do double damage when used as part of a charge. A Horned Harbinger is always considered proficient with their Bone Horns.
At 5th level, the Horned Harbinger gains Weapon Focus (Bone Horns) as a bonus feat.
Restrictions: A Horned Harbinger can never again take classes that to Divine Casting, unless it simply furthers the Divine Casting of the Horned Harbinger. A Horned Harbinger is anethma to the natural world, and lose the ability to ever use (if already posessed) or gain the Wild Empathy ability. In addition, a Horned Harbinger interacting with animals or natural beasts of any kind find that such creatures start with an immediate dislike of the Horned Harbinger and having an attitude of Unfriendly. If their attitude would have normally started at Unfriendly, it instead starts as Hostile instead.
Rebuke Undead (Su): The character can rebuke or command undead as a Cleric with an Effective Cleric Level equal to 5 + their Horned Harbinger Level. If the character could already rebuke undead, these levels stack with that ability.
Deathwatch (Ex): At will, a horned harbinger can view the world as if he were using a deathwatch spell. Supressing or resuming this ability is a free action.
Bonus Feat: At the indicated levels, a horned harbinger may take a bonus feat if they meet the appropriate qualifications. These feats are drawn from the following list: Corpsecrafter, Divine Vengeance, Empower Turning, Extra Turning, Heighten Turning, Quicken Turning, Undead Leadership, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Improved Natural Weapon.
Animate Dead (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a Horned Harbinger can cast Animate Dead once per day as a spell-like ability using their Effective Cleric Level, bypassing the normal material requirement for the spell. Their Effective Cleric Level (5 + their Horned Harbinger class level) also determines the maximum number of undead animated with Animate Dead that the Horned Harbinger can control.
Beginning at 4th level, the Horned Harbinger may use this ability twice per day.
Beginning at 7th level, any use of Animate Dead, whether as a normal spell or a spell-like ability, has a range of medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) instead of touch. In other words, the Horned Harbinger can use Animate Dead at a distance, without having to touch the corpses. If cast as a spell, the material components are still consumed but do not need to be placed on the corpses.
Bone Claws (Ex): Horned Harbingers grow short curved claws of bone from their fingertips that replace their fingernails. These claws are considered secondary natural attacks for the Harbinger, dealing 1d4 points of slashing damage each. A Horned Harbinger is always considered proficient with their Bone Claws.
At 9th level, the Horned Harbinger gains Weapon Focus (Bone Claws) as a bonus feat.
Captain of Undeath (Ex): At 5th level, a Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead animated with spells increases to 5 times their Effective Cleric Level instead of the normal 2 times. Their limit for undead controlled through the use of their Command Undead function of the Rebuke Undead ability increases from their Effective Cleric Level to 2 times their Effective Cleric Level.
Create Undead (Sp): Beginning at 6th level, the Horned Harbinger can cast Create Undead once per day. Their caster level for this ability is the same as the caster level for their Animate Dead ability. The Horned Harbinger may use this ability to use their Animate Dead ability an additional time per day instead, if desired.
Fell Animate: at 7th level, the Horned Harbinger gains Fell Animate (Libris Mortis: The Book of the Dead, p. 26) as a bonus feat. If they already had this feat, they instead gain an additional Bonus Feat available to Horned Harbingers (Corpsecrafter, Divine Vengeance, Empower Turning, Extra Turning, Heighten Turning, Quicken Turning, Undead Leadership, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, and Improved Natural Weapon), or they can select the Divine Metamagic feat - in which case they much opt to apply the feat's effects to the metamagic feat Fell Animate.
Create Greater Undead (Sp): Beginning at 8th level, the character can cast Create Greater undead once per day, with their caster level the same as their Effective Cleric Level for their Animate Dead ability. The Horned Harbinger may use this ability to use their Animate Dead or Create Undead ability an additional time per day instead, if desired.
General of Undeath (Su): At 10th level, a Horned Harbinger's limit for controlling undead animated with spells increases to 10 times their effective caster level. Their limit for undead controlled through the use of his Command Undead function of their Rebuke Undead ability increases 5 times their Effective Cleric Level.
Additionally, the metamagic feat Fell Animate only takes up a spell slot 2 levels higher, rather than the normal 3.
Removed the esoteric entry requirement of needing to touch a specific artifact in real life and replaced the fluff with the mysterious calling sent in dreams. This opens the class up for all campaign settings.
Having a necromancer class with access to the Death domain without spellcasting or spellcasting progression of any kind is dumb. I added variant casting progressions based on existing (or nonexistant) spellcasting prior to prestiging.
Preexisting spellcasters only get 6/10 casting progression due to the new Spellcasting Conversion giving them up to 5 levels of casting from previous class levels, while previous non-casters get a full 10/10 as a Favored Soul, to make it equally viable from both starting points. This keeps it as a viable option for both Casters and Non-Casters, instead of not being viable for either, like it was before. Thanks to Morphic Tide for the suggestion!
Added appropriate domain options for non-casters entering the class without prior spellcasting.
Added the Bone Claws ability for thematics.
Adjusted the progression of bonus feats to follow a standard progression.
Added natural weapon related feats to the bonus feats list.
Added Ranged Animate as a progresison of Animate Dead rather than its own ability, and replaced it with Fell Animate as a bonus feat.
Reworded some abilities to be more clear and concise.
Added a metamagic reducer of -1 to Fell Animate to General of Undeath.
Added automatic Weapon Focus bonus feats for Bone Crown & Bone Claws to help them scale properly at higher levels.