Prestige Class Contest II 3.X: Race to the Top, Submission Thread.

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Interplanar Merchant

"I deal only in the rarest and most precious commodities..."

The oldest and wealthiest Mercanes don't get that way by being pushovers. These Interplanar Merchants are mighty in magic, and are as quick-witted and adaptable as any of the mortal races. Purveyors of powerful magic items, they can always be trusted to adhere to the letter (if not the spirit) of any contract. However, caveat emptor - unlike common Mercanes, some Interplanar Merchants deal in souls as well as artifacts...

Spoiler: Design Note

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A Mercane will most likely enter this class as a 1st-level wizard, and finish it as an 18th-level character (7 outsider HD, 1 wizard level, 10 Interplanar Merchant levels) with 16th-level spellcasting. This allows 9th-level spells for such a character by 20th level.

It's focused more towards NPCs; a PC would struggle with the delayed spellcasting and would obviously want to start a campaign at 9th level for the Level Readjustment.

Prerequisites:
To become an Interplanar Merchant, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment
Any lawful.

Race
Mercane.

Skills
Appraise 11 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 11 ranks.

Feats
Diligent, Magical Aptitude, plus any one item creation feat.

Spells
Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells.

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills
The Interplanar Merchant's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana, geography, local, nobility and royalty, the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points per Level: 8 + Int modifier

Table: The Interplanar Merchant

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells Per Day
1st	+1	+2	+2	+2	Artifice, Level Readjustment	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+3		+2 levels of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+3		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Dreams of Wealth	+2 levels of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+5	+4	+4	+4		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+5		+2 levels of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+6		+2 levels of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+7		+2 levels of existing arcane spellcasting class

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies
Interplanar Merchants gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Artifice (Ex)
At first level an Interplanar Merchant gains full proficiency with magic items. Use Magic Device is always considered a class skill for him, and he is always considered to have maximum ranks invested in that skill (he regains any skill points already invested in that skill when he gains this ability).

Level Readjustment (Ex)
Beginning at 1st level, an Interplanar Merchant loses some of the inflexibility of his race. He ignores the +7 level adjustment for being a Mercane.

Dreams of Wealth (Su)
Beginning at 4th level, an Interplanar Merchant gains the astral mart I and summon money I Dreams Of Wealth, each useable once per day as a Golden Alchemist of his character level. The level of these abilities increases by 1 per class level (to a maximum of astral mart VII and summon money VII at 10th level).

Spellcasting (Ex)
When a new Interplanar Merchant level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 2nd-level spells before he added the prestige class level (or as if he had gained two levels in the spellcasting class, on every even-numbered Interplanar Merchant level). He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 2nd-level spells before he became an Interplanar Merchant, he must decide to which class he adds each level of Interplanar Merchant for the purpose of determining spells per day.