Falazurian Dream-eater - PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

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Tuhljin

09-07-07, 09:19 PM		FALAZURIAN DREAM-EATER

"Life is a dream, and its nightmares, real."
- Nox'Vereor, Dream-eater

Adaptation
This prestige class is built for a campaign setting where Falazure, the Night Dragon, deity of undeath, has been in the grips of a fitful slumber for centuries due to the actions of a rival power. Though he is a dragon god, before his poison-induced slumber, he was the pre-eminent deity of undeath. Now, still sleeping, he has expanded his portfolio into the realms of dream and nightmare and through this medium is gathering followers to prepare for and perhaps bring about his awakening. With a few adaptations, primarily to flavor text, this class could be adapted to fit within most settings.

Requirements
Alignment: Any evil.
Feat: Fearsome Necromancy (Complete Mage), Spell Focus (necromancy)
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 10 Ranks, Knowledge (religion) 1 Rank.
Spells: Able to cast at least 3 necromancy spells, one of which must be 4th level or higher.
Special: Must be in good standing with Falazure. The character need not select a patron deity, but if he does, it must be Falazure.

Class Skills
The Falazurian dream-eater's class skills are: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Intimidate, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Dream-eater Hit Die: d4
Lvl BaB Fort Refl Will Special Spellcasting
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Discern fear, unnerving necromancy +1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Exploit fear, resist fear +1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Consume fear, discern fear -
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Black aura, shrouded mind +1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Dark gift +1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Fitful slumber 1/day +1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Fearsense, phobia +1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Shrouded mind +1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Fitful slumber 2/day +1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Dark gift (2) +1 level of existing spellcasting class

Class Features
The following are class features of the Falazurian Dream-eater prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Falazurian dream-eaters gain no additional proficiencies in weapons or armor.

Spellcasting: When a new dream-eater level other than 3rd is gained, the character gains news spells per day and spells known as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If he had more than one such class before becoming a dream-eater, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Discern Fear (Ex): Falazurian dream-eaters are able to sense the fear of creatures that they see. Once per round, as a free action, the dream-eater may select a number of living creatures equal to his class level that he can see that are within 300 feet of him and within 30 feet of each other and determine if each of them is shaken, frightened, panicked, or none of these. This insight also gives him an advantage when dealing with others, granting him an insight bonus equal to half his class level (rounded up) to Intimidate checks.

At 3rd level, the dream-eater also detects when there is a curious absence of even the potential for fear. He knows if any target of his discern fear ability possesses immunity to fear for any reason.

Unnerving Necromancy (Su): The effect of the dream-eater's Fearsome Necromancy feat is extended slightly in duration. Creatures that are shaken by its effect remain shaken until the end of the dream-eater's next turn, rather than until the beginning of that turn. This benefit is lost if the dream-eater delays his turn or otherwise pushes back his place in the initiative order.

Exploit Fear (Su): The 2nd-level dream-eater has learned to tailor his spells to take further advantage of his enemies' fear. When a creature that is affected by fear (shaken, frightened, or panicked) rolls a save against a necromancy or phantasm spell cast by the dream-eater, it takes a -1 penalty to that save. This is in addition to the normal penalty to saves from being affected by fear.

Resist Fear (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, the dream-eater gains a bonus to saves against fear spells equal to half his class level, rounded down.

Consume Fear (Sp): The 3rd-level dream-eater can gain strength from foes affected by fear while sapping them of their mental faculties. At will as a full-round action, the dream-eater may use this ability to target a creature within Close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 caster levels) that is shaken, frightened, or panicked. This action does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the intended target (but it may from other foes as normal). The dream-eater chooses whether to damage the enemy's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score. If the target is shaken, it takes 1d4 damage to the selected ability score. If it is frightened, it instead takes 1d6 damage to this ability. If it is panicked, it takes 2d4 damage to this ability. The target is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + class level/2 rounded up + dream-eater's Cha modifier) to only take half this amount, rounded up.

If the foe takes at least 1 ability score damage from his consume fear, the dream-eater gains 4 temporary hit points that last up to 1 minute. If he later gains additional temporary hit points from this ability while still retaining some from earlier, all of them will last until 1 minute from the time the latest hit points were gained. These temporary hit points can be dispelled, such as by dispel magic. For this purpose, all of these hit points are considered the effect of a single 3rd-level spell using the dream-eater's caster level. A character cannot gain more than 20 temporary hit points from this ability. While a dream-eater has at least 12 temporary hits points gained in this manner, he gains a +1 bonus to his effective caster level.

When a creature takes damage from consume fear, its emotions are dulled temporarily, leaving it in a state of bleak acceptance for 1 round. While for game mechanics purposes, the creature remains shaken, frightened, or panicked, it will not automatically attempt to flee if frightened or panicked. It may still choose to do so if the creature, using whatever logical reasoning or training it might have, or perhaps due to the influence of its allies, believes that is the proper thing to do; otherwise, it accepts the fight it is in as fate. This dulling of emotion applies to currently existing fear only (it does not affect abilities such as a barbarian's rage) and does not make the creature lose the desire to win the fight or survive. This dulling effect ends immediately if the creature is again subject to a fear effect.

Black Aura (Su): At 4th level, a Falazurian dream-eater may invoke the powers of the black aura as a swift action, surrounding himself in a faint nimbus of light-swallowing shadow. This aura is not strong enough to obscure him from vision, but it does allow him certain other benefits. While it is active, he gains immunity to fear and any undead he controls within 60 feet of him gain a +2 bonus to their turn resistance and a +1 bonus to their saving throws. While the aura is active, the character has a particularly powerful evil aura: His aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to his class level plus his cleric level, if any. Ending the aura's effects is a free action. A dream-eater may have his aura active for a number of rounds per day equal to his class level + his Cha modifier. These rounds need not be consecutive.

Shrouded Mind (Su): At 4th level, the essence of nightmare begins to shroud the dream-eater's mind from outside observers. After 8 hours of rest that includes at least an hour of sleep or trance, the dream-eater gains the effects of the spell undetectable alignment for the next 24 hours. This effect can be suppressed or resumed as a free action. It is automatically suppressed while the dream-eater's black aura is active and cannot be resumed until the aura's effects have ended.

At 8th level, the essence of nightmare guarding the mind provides an additional benefit. For a duration of 24 hours after the dream-eater has had 8 hours of rest that includes at least an hour of sleep or trance, anyone targeting the dream-eater with a thought detection, mind control, or telepathic ability makes direct contact with this otherworldly essence and must make a Will save (DC 16 + dream-eater's Int or Wis modifier, whichever is higher) or take 1d4 points of Wisdom damage. Even on a failed save, this does not necessarily prevent the use of such abilities against the dream-eater. Once a creature has successfully made this save, it cannot be damaged by that dream-eater's shrouded mind ability for 24 hours. If it fails the save, however, an additional save to avoid taking another 1d4 Wisdom damage is required for each round beyond the first that this mental contact continues until the save is successful. This protection is not suppressed while the dream-eater's black aura is active.

Dark Gift: At 5th level, Falazure gifts the dream-eater with access to a hidden pool of abilities and protections drawn from the realm of dream and nightmare. Once per day, after 8 hours of rest that included at least an hour of sleep or trance, the character may select a single class feature from the following list. The indicated benefits last for 24 hours except as noted otherwise. This gift is selected during spell preparation (e.g. clerics and wizards) or spell readying (e.g. sorcerers); if the character does not require either of these to cast spells for the day, he must instead spend 15 minutes in meditation at this time to select a gift. However, this gift comes at a price. It is in exchange for forfeiting the ability to prepare or cast a spell using a given spell slot of a specific level for the same 24 hour period. If desired, he may forgo selecting a gift for the day.

Paranoia (Su): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 1st level must be sacrificed for the day. The character gains a +6 profane bonus to Listen and Spot checks, a +2 profane bonus on Sense Motive checks, a +2 profane bonus on saves to recognize something is an illusion (generally through Will disbelief saves), and a +4 profane bonus on Intelligence checks made to notice the sensor used by a scrying spell.

Spectral Beckoning (Sp): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 3rd level must be sacrificed for the day. While the dream-eater's black aura is active, he may as a swift action use this spell-like ability to target a living creature whose Wisdom score is at 0. The creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 13 + dream-eater's Cha modifier) or die. Whether or not the save succeeds, an allip is summoned in a square adjacent to the creature, as the spell summon undead iv. If the creature's save was successful, it is immune to the allip's babble and wisdom drain abilities. The caster level is equal to the dream-eater's caster level and is the equivalent of a 4th level spell. This ability may not be used on the same creature more than once in a 24 hour period.

Uncanny Insight (Su): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 1st level must be sacrificed for the day. The character gains a +2 bonus to Intelligence checks and to Knowledge skill checks. Once during the 24 hour period, he may reroll a single Knowledge roll. He must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse. He must decide whether to reroll after making the 1st roll but before knowing its results.

Voice of the Night Dragon (Su, Sp): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 3rd level must be sacrificed for the day. The character gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Bluff, Intimidate, and Diplomacy checks. Once during the 24 hour period, he may take a swift action to cast voice of the dragon (Spell Compendium pg. 232) as a spell-like ability, using the dream-eater's caster level (with a +1 bonus for sorcerers, as normal for this spell). Its effects overlap (do not stack with) the bonus to skill checks already granted by this gift. At the caster's option, he may substitute the suggestion effect that voice of the dragon normally allows with a command undead effect (as the spell). (This choice need not be made beforehand.)


At 10th level, the following gifts are added to the pool of gifts offered to the Falazurian dream-eater. In addition, when the dream-eater selects a dark gift for the day, he may choose to gain a second gift as well. However, some of these gifts require the dream-eater to select another specific gift in order to gain access to them for the day. Such gifts may supercede the spell slot forfeiture requirements given by the prerequisite gift with a new requirement.

Death Ward (Su): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 3rd level must be sacrificed for the day. The character gains immunity to death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects as the death ward spell.

Dream Casting (Sp): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 5th level must be sacrificed for the day. Once during the 24 hour period, the character may as an action taking 1 hour invoke a spell-like ability that functions as the spell dream casting except as follows. The caster and target must be on the same plane or this ability fails. In addition to the normal ways a target may be identified, the caster may hold an object that has some connection (see below) to the creature he wants to target as though it were the focus of a spell. Once 24 hours have passed since the time this gift was granted, it is withdrawn, even if the caster is in the middle of using it. If he was waiting for the subject to fall asleep, the effect simply ends. If he was inside the target's dream at the time, he disappears from the dream, perhaps cutting the message short, but if he already had substantial time to select an additional effect (as per the spell description), this will still affect the target if its Will save is failed, as normal for dream casting. The DC to avoid the chosen additional effect is 15 + key spellcasting ability modifier (e.g. Cha for sorcerers, Int for wizards, Wis for clerics), but the target may gain a bonus or penalty to its Will save depending on how well you know the subject and what sort of physical connection (if any) you have to the creature, as indicated in the table below.
Knowledge Will Save modifier*
None** +10
Secondhand (you have heard of the subject) +5
Firsthand (you have met the subject) +0
Familiar (you know the subject well) -5

Connection Will Save modifier*
Likeness or picture -2
Possession or garment -4
Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, etc. -10

* The total modifier calculated may not penalize the target's save by more than 5.
** You must have some sort of connection to a creature you have no knowledge of.
This ability uses the dream-eater's highest caster level and is the equivalent of a 6th level spell.

False Hope (Su): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 5th level must be sacrificed for the day. Whenever the dream-eater targets a creature with a death spell and it succeeds on its save to avoid a death effect, residual necromantic energy clings to the foe. This energy becomes usable by the dream-eater at the beginning of his next turn and remains usable for 3 rounds before the clinging energy fades. Any time during this period, the dream-eater may use this spell-like ability as an immediate action to force the foe to make a second save at the same DC or suffer the effects of the spell he previously saved against. Any effects that were already dealt to the foe (such as potential damage taken from finger of death) do not occur on a successful save against this ability. Once the dream-eater has used this ability, he may not do so again for 1d4+1 rounds. This ability may be used 3 times per day.

Greater Spectral Beckoning (Sp): To receive this gift, the gift spectral beckoning must also be chosen and a spell slot of 4th level must be sacrificed for the day instead of a 3rd level slot. If this gift is chosen, spectral beckoning cannot be used - it is superceded by this gift. This functions as the spectral beckoning dark gift except as follows. The DC of the Fortitude save increases to 15 + dream-eater's Cha modifier. The character may choose to target a living creature whose Intelligence or Charisma score is at 0 instead of a creature with Wisdom 0. In this case, a shadow is summoned, as the spell summon undead v, instead of an allip. (If the targeted creature also has a Wisdom of 0, the dream-eater chooses whether to summon an allip or a shadow.)

If an allip is to be summoned, this also functions as summon monster v rather than summon monster iv (i.e. it is a higher spell level) except that instead of 2 allips being summoned, a single allip is summoned with the following improvements:
Armor Class: The allip's deflection bonus to AC improves by 1 and its bonus from Dexterity improves by 1.
Attacks: The allip's incorporeal touch attacks gain +1 to attack.
Special Attacks: The DC of the allip's "babble" special attack increases by 1.
Special Qualities: Fast Healing (Ex): The allip heals 3 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point.
Abilities: The allip gains +2 Charisma and +2 Dexterity. (The effect this has on AC, attacks, and special attacks was given above.)

Nondetection (Sp): To receive this gift, the gift "paranoia" must also be chosen and a spell slot of 3rd level must be sacrificed for the day instead of a 1st level slot. The character gains the ability to cast nondetection at will as a spell-like ability. The duration of this effect is 24 hours or until this gift is lost, whichever comes first. Only a number of creatures and/or objects equal to the dream-eater's Charisma modifier may be affected by this gift at one time. If the dream-eater uses this gift to cast nondetection on an additional target over this limit, the attempt fails. The caster may dismiss this effect from a chosen target from any distance as a swift action.

Rebuke Undead (Su): To receive this gift, a spell slot of 3rd level must be sacrificed for the day. The character is able to rebuke undead like an evil cleric while his black aura is active. Dream-eater levels count as cleric levels for this purpose, stacking with those of any other class that provides this ability. (If the character did not already have the rebuke undead ability from another class, his effective cleric level is his class level.) While the aura is active, one rebuking attempt may be made per round without it counting against the character's rebuking attempts allowed per day (if any - this ability does not actually grant such uses in the normal sense). These attempts can only be spent to rebuke, command, or bolster undead or to dispel turning (see "Evil Clerics and Undead," PHB pg. 159.). Other uses (such as powering a divine feat or attempting to rebuke an outsider) consume whatever attempts per day the character gained from other classes as normal. When the black aura effect ends, the dream-eater may still command any undead he gained control of due to this ability until this gift is lost (when the 24 hour period expires), at which point any undead that were controlled by the dream-eater by virtue of this ability are no longer commanded by him unless he immediately regains this gift for the day (in the manner described above) or he has effective cleric levels from another source (though in the latter case, he still might not be able to remain in control of all of them since his cleric level will have decreased). The dream-eater requires an unholy symbol of Falazure to rebuke undead. Because this is a temporary gift, this class feature cannot be used to meet the prerequisites of any feat or prestige class.


Fitful Slumber (Sp): Once per day as a standard action, a 6th-level dream-eater may cause a single nearby foe that fails a Will save (DC 15 + Cha modifier) to fall into a fitful slumber for 1 round per class level. While an affected creature is asleep, it is considered shaken (unless it otherwise would be frightened or panicked), and when it wakes up, it is fatigued. If it was already fatigued, it suffers no additional effect when it wakes up. Most damage will wake the target, but damaging or draining a mental ability score (Int, Wis, Cha) does not. This otherwise functions as the spell hiss of sleep. At 9th level, the character may use this ability twice per day.

Fearsense (Su): The dream-eater further develops his ability to sense fear at 7th level. He gains the ability to pinpoint creatures within 60 feet that are shaken, frightened, or panicked, similar to the blindsense ability. He knows which of these fear conditions applies to each creature detected in this manner as if he targeted them with his discern fear class feature. These creatures still have total concealment against the character unless he can actually see them. Objects and unafraid creatures are not noticeable through fearsense. The dream-eater's consume fear ability may be used on any creature within 60 feet that he pinpointed with his fearsense ability without incurring any miss chance due to concealment.

Phobia (Su): The 7th-level dream-eater is able to pry into the minds of the supposedly fearless to uncover the primal fears that plague all living creatures, finding a chink in their mental armor. Phobia targets a single enemy within Medium range (200 ft. + 20 ft./caster level). The target must make a Will save (DC 9 + class level + dream-eater's Cha modifier) or have its ability to resist fear or immunity to fear hampered for 1 round per class level. Any bonuses to saves against fear the target has are halved (rounded down) for the duration and are limited to a maximum of +5. (Only bonuses that specifically affect fear, not all saves, are affected. A bonus that applies to multiple specific effect types, such as against fear and mind-affecting effects, is partially affected: The bonus against fear is considered to be separate from the other bonuses, effectively halving the bonus against fear while leaving the other bonuses untouched.) If the target has fewer HD than the dream-eater, its immunity to fear is suppressed if it had it, replaced by a +5 morale bonus against fear (which is not further halved) and immunity to becoming frightened or panicked (any effect that would make such a creature frightened or panicked instead makes it shaken), and any bonuses to saves against fear or immunity to fear that the creature confers to its allies through an aura are suppressed. Phobia is a mind-affecting ability. Only living creatures that have an Intelligence score are susceptible to this ability. Once the dream-eater has cast phobia, he may not do so again for 1d4 rounds.

For example, if an affected creature had a nearby 3rd-level paladin ally, it would gain only a +2 morale bonus against fear instead of the normal +4 from the paladin's aura of courage. If the paladin was affected by phobia, her aura of courage would be suppressed, temporarily replaced by a +5 morale bonus to saves against fear and immunity to becoming frightened or panicked for herself only.

If the dream-eater successfully reads the surface thoughts of the target on the round before casting phobia (for example through the spell detect thoughts), the DC of this spell-like ability increases by 4 and if the target fails its save, it immediately becomes shaken for just over 1 round as though affected by the dream-eater's Fearsome Necromancy feat coupled with Unnerving Necromancy.