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Incarnum in Pathfinder
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<blockquote data-quote="paradox42" data-source="post: 6138425" data-attributes="member: 29746"><p><strong>The Hauntshaper (a new Prestige Class)</strong></p><p></p><p>In the process of coming up with all of the above, I got this germ of an idea for an Incarnum class that didn't seem right for an Archetype or a full base class- so I made it a prestige class instead. Nobody in my present gaming group is excited by this idea, but we rarely deal with stuff like Ghosts and hauntings in our games; this PrC really is hyper-specialized for that type of role. Mostly, I would expect this to be useful for an NPC in a typical game, probably a unique villain who makes a special haunted dungeon to challenge the PCs. But it could probably make an interesting and useful PC too, in a horror-themed game like the Carrion Crown AP.</p><p></p><p>Who you gonna call?</p><p></p><p>[h=4]<u>The Hauntshaper</u>[/h] One of the more interesting manifestations of disembodied souls is the Haunt- a soul (or group of souls) bound to a specific location that causes real physical effects despite there being no body present to use for causing said effect. Since meldshapers, by definition, know how to contact and use the energy of disembodied souls, it was inevitable that some meldshapers would turn toward focused study of Haunts and their properties and doings. Though they are scholars first and foremost, Hauntshapers are sometimes called upon by others without their special gifts to deal with Haunts and similar phenomena that arise in their area, and are sometimes known as "Ghostbusters" as a result of this secondary role.</p><p></p><p>Hauntshapers are usually Foundationists or Incarnates, given the scholarly focus of those two classes, though occasionally a more action-oriented meldshaper will take up the path due to life-changing encounters with Haunts or Ghosts.</p><p></p><p></p><p> <strong>Role:</strong> Hauntshapers are students of a unique combination of meldshaping and magical lore, able to deal with restless spirits in a manner no others are able to do because of the unique abilities they develop. Although they do not necessarily pursue adventure as an end in and of itself, adventurers <strong>do</strong> have a distinct tendency to encounter more of the restless souls that Hauntshapers focus upon than any other mortals, so Hauntshapers find themselves in adventuring company as frequently as not. Although they are highly specialized, Hauntshapers do have abilities that can aid most any adventuring group, so they are typically welcomed into adventuring bands when they choose to join them.</p><p></p><p></p><p> <strong>Alignment:</strong> Any. The study of Ghosts, Haunts, and other disembodied spirits is not limited to any particular moral or ethical code- and so, it attracts students from all of them sooner or later. </p><p></p><p> <strong>Hit Die:</strong> d8. </p><p></p><p> <strong>Requirements:</strong></p><p></p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Meldshaping:</strong> Able to shape both <em>Necrocarnum Circlet</em> and <em>Sunburst Mask</em>, <strong>OR</strong> able to shape both <em>Shedu Crown</em> and <em>Armguards of Disruption</em>.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Knowledge (History):</strong> 5 ranks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Knowledge (Religion):</strong> 5 ranks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Perception:</strong> 5 ranks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Spellcraft:</strong> 5 ranks.</li> </ul><p> <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Class Skills:</strong> The Hauntshaper's class skills (and associated abilities) are Bluff (CHA), Craft (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge (Any) (INT), Linguistics (INT), Perception (WIS), Profession (WIS), Sense Motive (WIS), and Spellcraft (INT).</p><p></p><p>Skill Points at each level: 4 + INT modifier.</p><p></p><p></p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>Class<br /> Level</td><td>Base Attack<br /> Bonus<br /> </td><td>Fortitude<br /> Save</td><td>Reflex<br /> Save</td><td>Will<br /> Save</td><td>Special</td><td>Meldshaping</td></tr><tr><td>1st</td><td>+0</td><td>+1</td><td>+0</td><td>+1</td><td>Haunt Sense +1, Neutralize</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>2nd</td><td>+1</td><td>+1</td><td>+1</td><td>+1</td><td>Unimpressed</td><td>+1 level of existing meldshaping class</td></tr><tr><td>3rd</td><td>+2</td><td>+2</td><td>+1</td><td>+2</td><td>Hauntcrafting, Haunt Sense +2</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>4th</td><td>+3</td><td>+2</td><td>+1</td><td>+2</td><td>Ghostbuster</td><td>+1 level of existing meldshaping class</td></tr><tr><td>5th</td><td>+3</td><td>+3</td><td>+2</td><td>+3</td><td>Haunt Sense +3, Masterful Neutralize</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>6th</td><td>+4</td><td>+3</td><td>+2</td><td>+3</td><td>Hauntcrafting (Cunning Trigger)</td><td>+1 level of existing meldshaping class</td></tr><tr><td>7th</td><td>+5</td><td>+4</td><td>+2</td><td>+4</td><td>Extremely Unimpressed, Haunt Sense +4</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>8th</td><td>+6</td><td>+4</td><td>+3</td><td>+4</td><td>Carry Haunt</td><td>+1 level of existing meldshaping class</td></tr><tr><td>9th</td><td>+6</td><td>+5</td><td>+3</td><td>+5</td><td>Hauntcrafting (Frugal Hauntcraft), Haunt Sense +5</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>10th</td><td>+7</td><td>+5</td><td>+3</td><td>+5</td><td>Anchor Ghost</td><td>+1 level of existing meldshaping class</td></tr></table><p></p><p></p><p> <strong>Class Features:</strong> The following are class features of the Hauntshaper prestige class.</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Weapon and Armor Proficiency:</strong> Hauntshapers gain no additional proficiency in any weapons or armor.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Meldshaping:</strong> At the indicated levels, the Hauntshaper increases his or her meldshaper level, the number of soulmelds he or she can shape, the number of chakra binds he or she can create, and his or her essentia pool as if he or she had gained a level in the meldshaping class to which he or she belonged before adding the prestige class. The character does not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of chakra binds, or abilities to increase essentia capacity in certain soulmelds, or the like. If the character had more than one meldshaping class before becoming a Hauntshaper, then he or she must decide to which class each level is added for the purpose of determining essentia, meldshaper level, number of soulmelds, and chakra binds.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Haunt Sense (Ex):</strong> A Hauntshaper adds the listed bonus to Perception checks made to notice Haunts or Ghosts, to saving throws (of any type) made against their abilities, and to skill checks made to Neutralize Haunts (see below). This bonus begins at +1 at 1st level, and goes up by +1 for every two Hauntshaper levels thereafter.<br /> A Hauntshaper can make a check to notice a Haunt even before it manifests, and without being inside its area. Simply passing within 10 feet of a Haunt's area is enough to grant a Hauntshaper a Perception check to notice its presence, as if the Haunt were actually manifesting. The Hauntshaper does not suffer the usual -4 penalty to the check when noticing a Haunt this way, unlike characters using spells such as <em>Detect Undead</em> to notice Haunts.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Neutralize (Su):</strong> By talking to (or otherwise communicating with) the spirits embedded in a Haunt, a Hauntshaper can cause them to become quiescent and not act the way they normally would. This works essentially like disabling a trap using the Disable Device skill, except that the Hauntshaper can use any one of the skills Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate to quiet the Haunt (whichever one happens to be most advantageous to him or her at the time, really), and the Haunt's "Disable" DC is set according to its CR.<br /> The skill check DC required to Neutralize a Haunt is equal to 20 + its CR, and it takes 2d4 rounds of talking, cajoling, and pleading in order to successfully Neutralize it. During the time the Hauntshaper is attempting to Neutralize a Haunt, it will not trigger/attack any creatures within its area, even if it would otherwise do so under normal circumstances- only after the Neutralize attenpt fails will the Haunt exert its effect(s). The Hauntshaper must be within the Haunt's area of influence/effect in order to Neutralize it.<br /> Regardless of which skill the Hauntshaper actually uses to try to Neutralize the Haunt, the check is made secretly- so the character doesn't immediately know whether it succeeded or failed. If the check succeeds, the Haunt is Neutralized, as if its hit points were reduced to 0 by positive energy, and it does not trigger again until its reset period is expired. If the check fails by 4 or less, then the Hauntshaper failed to convince the Haunt with that check but may still try again (if he or she does so, then the Haunt still does not trigger until after the attempt is made). If the check fails by 5 or more, then the Haunt refuses to be quieted, and triggers immediately on its standard initiative count as if the attempt to Neutralize had not been made in the first place.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Unimpressed (Ex):</strong> At 2nd level, a Hauntshaper can avoid the attacks of Haunts and Ghosts with great finesse and strength of mind. If the character makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack from a Haunt or Ghost that normally carries a reduced effect on a successful save, then the Hauntshaper instead experiences no effect whatsoever, as if the effect were completely negated.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Hauntcrafting (Su):</strong> Haunts are normally the result of suffering and torment, but that is only what is necessary to cause the souls of the deceased to linger in the Material Plane and cause the effects of the haunting- not a prerequisite of the effects caused by a Haunt in and of itself. A Hauntshaper knows this better than any mortal, because Hauntshapers truly earn their class name by gaining this ability. Beginning at 3rd level, a Hauntshaper can gather soul energy and infuse it into material structures (or just a specified area) in such a manner as to create an <em>artificial</em> Haunt; essentially, it is a giant and diffuse soulmeld bound to a specific area and designed to trigger under specified conditions. Those who are affected by an artificial Haunt rarely (if ever) care about the difference between it and a "natural" Haunt created by actual suffering and torment, but the difference is critical to the Hauntshaper who creates one and binds it in place.<br /> Creating an artificial Haunt works essentially like creating a Magic Device Trap (Core pages 423-424), except that the Hauntshaper is assumed to be capable of casting all required spells (in fact, the souls used to craft the Haunt are what create the spell effects, but it works out to the same end result), creating an artificial Haunt requires Spellcraft checks instead of Craft (Traps), and a Haunt only takes 1 day per 1000 gp to construct (instead of the standard 1 day per 500 gp). Creating a Haunt requires special incense, resonant crystals, and other special materials not used in standard spellcasting or psionic manifesting, which is what consumes the gp cost of creation (the GM can specify the necessary materials, or not, as it suits him or her). Haunts are more difficult to construct than standard traps, as reflected in the necessary Spellcraft DCs (given in the table below).<br /> <table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>Spellcraft DC<br /> </td><td>Haunt CR</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>1-5</td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>6-10</td></tr><tr><td>35</td><td>11-15</td></tr><tr><td>40</td><td>16-20</td></tr><tr><td>45</td><td>21-25</td></tr><tr><td>50</td><td>26-30</td></tr><tr><td>+5</td><td>Proximity Trigger</td></tr></table> Artifical Haunts (i.e. those created using this class feature) always have a relatively easy means of destruction; a <em>Remove Curse</em> cast at a specific "anchor item" (which must be placed within the trigger area by the Hauntshaper when the Haunt is created) can remove the artifical Haunt. The DC of the check equals the Hauntshaper's character level + the CR of the Haunt. Alternately, a <em>Dispel Evil</em> (or other <em>Dispel [Alignment]</em> spell) can be used, and grants a +5 on the check. The Hauntshaper cannot change this means of destruction, but can act to conceal the anchor item (for example, by bricking it up inside a wall) as long as it remains within the trigger zone.<br /> At 6th level, the Hauntshaper is able to add the Cunning Trigger ability to any Haunt he or she creates using this class feature. As a swift action, the Hauntshaper can set off any Haunt within 30 feet that he or she created. This does not increase the CR or cost of the Haunt, but Haunts created without this ability (for example, any Haunts created before the character gained this ability) cannot be triggered this way.<br /> At 9th level, the Hauntshaper is able to use the necessary materials more efficiently when creating artificial Haunts. The character pays only 75% of the normal cost when creating a Haunt, rather than the full amount.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Ghostbuster (Ex):</strong> A 4th-level Hauntshaper is so familiar with the ways and activities of lingering souls such as Ghosts and "natural" Haunts that he or she is able to easily discover the conditions necessary to grant such souls eternal rest. By making a Knowledge (Religion) or Knowledge (History) check, with a DC equal to 15 + the target's CR, the Hauntshaper can learn the means of preventing a Ghost's Rejuvenation ability, or the means of permanently destroying a specific Haunt. For targets which have a specific DC on such a check that is different from the above check (for example, if the GM's adventure specifies the DC of a Knowledge check to learn the means of destruction), the Hauntshaper receives a (unnamed) bonus equal to his or her Hauntshaper class level on the check.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Masterful Neutralize (Su):</strong> At 5th level, the Hauntshaper gains the ability to use Neutralize to bypass a Haunt, rather than simply deactivating it. This ability allows the Hauntshaper (plus any companions designated by him or her) to pass safely through a Haunt's trigger zone without activating it, if he or she beats a Haunt's Neutralize DC (whether using Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate) by 5 or more. A Haunt affected by Masterful Neutralize acts as though disabled for the Hauntshaper and any companions he or she designates with the Neutralize check, but normally for any and all creatures <em>not</em> specified by the Hauntshaper during said check. The Haunt remains Neutralized for up to 10 minutes per class level of the Hauntshaper before resuming its normal activity, but the Hauntshaper is always free to re-Neutralize a Haunt that was previously Neutralized and not destroyed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Extremely Unimpressed (Ex):</strong> At 7th level, the Hauntshaper's Unimpressed ability improves. The character still takes no effect if he or she makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack from a Haunt or Ghost that normally carries a reduced effect on a successful save, but even on a <em>failed</em> save the Hauntshaper takes the reduced effect that normally occurs on a successful save (as opposed to the full effect that normally happens with a failed save).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Carry Haunt (Su):</strong> At 8th level, a Hauntshaper can essentially "pack up" a Haunt from one area, carry it to a new one, and set it out so that it affects the new area exactly as it affected the old one. This requires that the Hauntshaper first use Neutralize on the Haunt, and be more successful than usual- the character must beat the Neutralize DC by 10 or more. If this first check is successful, then the Hauntshaper must make a Spellcraft check (with DC set as if he or she were using Hauntcrafting to create a Haunt with exactly the same qualities). If the Spellcraft check fails, then the Haunt is still Neutralized as normal, but the attempt to move it failed; the Hauntshaper cannot attempt to move that specific Haunt again until he or she gains at least 1 more rank in Spellcraft.<br /> On the other hand, if the Spellcraft check succeeds, then the Hauntshaper "packs up" the Haunt into a single small focus item that he or she carries away from the spot; the Haunt is considered to be bypassed for most game purposes (in particular, granting XP to the Hauntshaper and his or her companions as though having been bypassed normally). The focus item must be an item from the original site of the Haunt that the Hauntshaper can easily carry (for example, a brick from the wall of a haunted house), and remains quiescent for up to 1 day per Hauntshaper level. While carrying a Haunt, the focus item carries a supernatural aura of Conjuration, Enchantment, and Necromancy, with a strength like that of a Magic Item with caster level equal to the Hauntshaper's character level. If the Hauntshaper does not place it in a new location by the end of this period, then the focus item loses its power and the Haunt returns to its former location immediately, at full strength.<br /> While the focus item contains the Haunt, the Hauntshaper can (at any time) spend a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity to call the Haunt forth from the item. Doing so allows the character to establish the Haunt in any desired place within 30 feet of himself or herself, restoring its full normal statistics and functionality as though it had always existed at its new location (with the exception that its destruction condition now means casting <em>Remove Curse</em> or a similar spell upon the focus item the Hauntshaper used to carry it to its new site, as if that were the anchor item and the Hauntshaper had crafted the Haunt using Hauntcrafting at its current location). This does allow the character to more easily destroy a "natural" Haunt that had a very different destruction method; some Hauntshapers actually use this ability to do exactly that and never actually keep Haunts around for later use in the first place.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Anchor Ghost (Su):</strong> A 10th level Hauntshaper gains the ability to turn mobile Ghosts into bound Haunts through quickly-executed meldshaping. To accomplish this, the Hauntshaper must first understand the way to bypass the Ghost's Rejuvenation ability (typically, by using his or her Ghostbuster ability as described above); if the character does know the Ghost's means of destruction, then he or she can use this ability upon it.<br /> To use this ability, the Hauntshaper must have ready a gem capable of holding the Ghost being targeted; the gem must be of a clear or translucent variety (such as emerald, ruby, or diamond) and have a value at least equal to the CR of the Ghost × 500 gp. Drawing the Ghost into the gem requires a successful Spellcraft check (DC equals 20 + the Ghost's CR) and a full-round action that requires concentration (treat as a 5th-level spell) and provokes attacks of opportunity. If the Spellcraft check and the action both succeed, the Ghost must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + the Hauntshaper's class level + the Hauntshaper's CHA modifier) or be drawn into and trapped within the gem. A Ghost that is trapped this way is treated as if permanently destroyed for game purposes (that is, it cannot use Rejuvenation to return to unlife).<br /> While holding a Ghost, the gem is treated as though it were the focus of a <em>Trap the Soul</em> spell (with caster level equal to the Hauntshaper's character level) holding the former Ghost, except for its lesser value. In particular, there is no limit to the amount of time a Ghost can stay trapped inside a gem this way; the Ghost remains trapped permanently until and unless the gem is broken (freeing the Ghost) or the gem is used to create a new Haunt (see below).<br /> Once a Ghost is trapped within the gem, the Hauntshaper can use the Ghost's spiritual energy to create a new Haunt using Hauntcrafting. Any Haunt with CR equal to or less than the CR of the original Ghost can be created using the Ghost-gem, but using the Ghost to create the Haunt is much faster and more efficient than doing it the normal way. If using a Ghost-gem to create an artificial Haunt, a Hauntshaper need only make <em>one</em> Spellcraft check (with DC set according to normal for the Haunt he or she wishes to create), and the crafting takes only 15 minutes regardless of how long it would normally take. Furthermore, the character need not expend any cost in gp or special materials to craft the new Haunt; the energy of the Ghost is subsumed and used to make the Haunt. The Ghost-gem loses its power and becomes the anchor-item for the newly crafted Haunt, as part of the crafting process.<br /> If the Hauntshaper attempts to craft a new Haunt, but the Spellcraft check <em>fails</em>, then the gem is destroyed and the Ghost is freed as described above (usually, in a very irate and hostile state). A Hauntshaper always knows the CR of a trapped Ghost simply by holding the gem holding it, and therefore always knows how powerful a Haunt he or she can create using the Ghost in question.</li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="paradox42, post: 6138425, member: 29746"] [b]The Hauntshaper (a new Prestige Class)[/b] In the process of coming up with all of the above, I got this germ of an idea for an Incarnum class that didn't seem right for an Archetype or a full base class- so I made it a prestige class instead. Nobody in my present gaming group is excited by this idea, but we rarely deal with stuff like Ghosts and hauntings in our games; this PrC really is hyper-specialized for that type of role. Mostly, I would expect this to be useful for an NPC in a typical game, probably a unique villain who makes a special haunted dungeon to challenge the PCs. But it could probably make an interesting and useful PC too, in a horror-themed game like the Carrion Crown AP. Who you gonna call? [h=4][U]The Hauntshaper[/U][/h] One of the more interesting manifestations of disembodied souls is the Haunt- a soul (or group of souls) bound to a specific location that causes real physical effects despite there being no body present to use for causing said effect. Since meldshapers, by definition, know how to contact and use the energy of disembodied souls, it was inevitable that some meldshapers would turn toward focused study of Haunts and their properties and doings. Though they are scholars first and foremost, Hauntshapers are sometimes called upon by others without their special gifts to deal with Haunts and similar phenomena that arise in their area, and are sometimes known as "Ghostbusters" as a result of this secondary role. Hauntshapers are usually Foundationists or Incarnates, given the scholarly focus of those two classes, though occasionally a more action-oriented meldshaper will take up the path due to life-changing encounters with Haunts or Ghosts. [B]Role:[/B] Hauntshapers are students of a unique combination of meldshaping and magical lore, able to deal with restless spirits in a manner no others are able to do because of the unique abilities they develop. Although they do not necessarily pursue adventure as an end in and of itself, adventurers [B]do[/B] have a distinct tendency to encounter more of the restless souls that Hauntshapers focus upon than any other mortals, so Hauntshapers find themselves in adventuring company as frequently as not. Although they are highly specialized, Hauntshapers do have abilities that can aid most any adventuring group, so they are typically welcomed into adventuring bands when they choose to join them. [B]Alignment:[/B] Any. The study of Ghosts, Haunts, and other disembodied spirits is not limited to any particular moral or ethical code- and so, it attracts students from all of them sooner or later. [B]Hit Die:[/B] d8. [B]Requirements:[/B] [LIST] [*][B]Meldshaping:[/B] Able to shape both [I]Necrocarnum Circlet[/I] and [I]Sunburst Mask[/I], [B]OR[/B] able to shape both [I]Shedu Crown[/I] and [I]Armguards of Disruption[/I]. [*][B]Knowledge (History):[/B] 5 ranks. [*][B]Knowledge (Religion):[/B] 5 ranks. [*][B]Perception:[/B] 5 ranks. [*][B]Spellcraft:[/B] 5 ranks. [/LIST] [B] Class Skills:[/B] The Hauntshaper's class skills (and associated abilities) are Bluff (CHA), Craft (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge (Any) (INT), Linguistics (INT), Perception (WIS), Profession (WIS), Sense Motive (WIS), and Spellcraft (INT). Skill Points at each level: 4 + INT modifier. [TABLE="class: grid, width: 100%"] [TR] [TD]Class Level[/TD] [TD]Base Attack Bonus [/TD] [TD]Fortitude Save[/TD] [TD]Reflex Save[/TD] [TD]Will Save[/TD] [TD]Special[/TD] [TD]Meldshaping[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]1st[/TD] [TD]+0[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+0[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]Haunt Sense +1, Neutralize[/TD] [TD]-[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2nd[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]Unimpressed[/TD] [TD]+1 level of existing meldshaping class[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]3rd[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]Hauntcrafting, Haunt Sense +2[/TD] [TD]-[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]4th[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]Ghostbuster[/TD] [TD]+1 level of existing meldshaping class[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]5th[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]Haunt Sense +3, Masterful Neutralize[/TD] [TD]-[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]6th[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]Hauntcrafting (Cunning Trigger)[/TD] [TD]+1 level of existing meldshaping class[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]7th[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]Extremely Unimpressed, Haunt Sense +4[/TD] [TD]-[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]8th[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]Carry Haunt[/TD] [TD]+1 level of existing meldshaping class[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]9th[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]Hauntcrafting (Frugal Hauntcraft), Haunt Sense +5[/TD] [TD]-[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]10th[/TD] [TD]+7[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]Anchor Ghost[/TD] [TD]+1 level of existing meldshaping class[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [B]Class Features:[/B] The following are class features of the Hauntshaper prestige class. [LIST] [*][B]Weapon and Armor Proficiency:[/B] Hauntshapers gain no additional proficiency in any weapons or armor. [*][B]Meldshaping:[/B] At the indicated levels, the Hauntshaper increases his or her meldshaper level, the number of soulmelds he or she can shape, the number of chakra binds he or she can create, and his or her essentia pool as if he or she had gained a level in the meldshaping class to which he or she belonged before adding the prestige class. The character does not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of chakra binds, or abilities to increase essentia capacity in certain soulmelds, or the like. If the character had more than one meldshaping class before becoming a Hauntshaper, then he or she must decide to which class each level is added for the purpose of determining essentia, meldshaper level, number of soulmelds, and chakra binds. [*][B]Haunt Sense (Ex):[/B] A Hauntshaper adds the listed bonus to Perception checks made to notice Haunts or Ghosts, to saving throws (of any type) made against their abilities, and to skill checks made to Neutralize Haunts (see below). This bonus begins at +1 at 1st level, and goes up by +1 for every two Hauntshaper levels thereafter. A Hauntshaper can make a check to notice a Haunt even before it manifests, and without being inside its area. Simply passing within 10 feet of a Haunt's area is enough to grant a Hauntshaper a Perception check to notice its presence, as if the Haunt were actually manifesting. The Hauntshaper does not suffer the usual -4 penalty to the check when noticing a Haunt this way, unlike characters using spells such as [I]Detect Undead[/I] to notice Haunts. [*][B]Neutralize (Su):[/B] By talking to (or otherwise communicating with) the spirits embedded in a Haunt, a Hauntshaper can cause them to become quiescent and not act the way they normally would. This works essentially like disabling a trap using the Disable Device skill, except that the Hauntshaper can use any one of the skills Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate to quiet the Haunt (whichever one happens to be most advantageous to him or her at the time, really), and the Haunt's "Disable" DC is set according to its CR. The skill check DC required to Neutralize a Haunt is equal to 20 + its CR, and it takes 2d4 rounds of talking, cajoling, and pleading in order to successfully Neutralize it. During the time the Hauntshaper is attempting to Neutralize a Haunt, it will not trigger/attack any creatures within its area, even if it would otherwise do so under normal circumstances- only after the Neutralize attenpt fails will the Haunt exert its effect(s). The Hauntshaper must be within the Haunt's area of influence/effect in order to Neutralize it. Regardless of which skill the Hauntshaper actually uses to try to Neutralize the Haunt, the check is made secretly- so the character doesn't immediately know whether it succeeded or failed. If the check succeeds, the Haunt is Neutralized, as if its hit points were reduced to 0 by positive energy, and it does not trigger again until its reset period is expired. If the check fails by 4 or less, then the Hauntshaper failed to convince the Haunt with that check but may still try again (if he or she does so, then the Haunt still does not trigger until after the attempt is made). If the check fails by 5 or more, then the Haunt refuses to be quieted, and triggers immediately on its standard initiative count as if the attempt to Neutralize had not been made in the first place. [*][B]Unimpressed (Ex):[/B] At 2nd level, a Hauntshaper can avoid the attacks of Haunts and Ghosts with great finesse and strength of mind. If the character makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack from a Haunt or Ghost that normally carries a reduced effect on a successful save, then the Hauntshaper instead experiences no effect whatsoever, as if the effect were completely negated. [*][B]Hauntcrafting (Su):[/B] Haunts are normally the result of suffering and torment, but that is only what is necessary to cause the souls of the deceased to linger in the Material Plane and cause the effects of the haunting- not a prerequisite of the effects caused by a Haunt in and of itself. A Hauntshaper knows this better than any mortal, because Hauntshapers truly earn their class name by gaining this ability. Beginning at 3rd level, a Hauntshaper can gather soul energy and infuse it into material structures (or just a specified area) in such a manner as to create an [I]artificial[/I] Haunt; essentially, it is a giant and diffuse soulmeld bound to a specific area and designed to trigger under specified conditions. Those who are affected by an artificial Haunt rarely (if ever) care about the difference between it and a "natural" Haunt created by actual suffering and torment, but the difference is critical to the Hauntshaper who creates one and binds it in place. Creating an artificial Haunt works essentially like creating a Magic Device Trap (Core pages 423-424), except that the Hauntshaper is assumed to be capable of casting all required spells (in fact, the souls used to craft the Haunt are what create the spell effects, but it works out to the same end result), creating an artificial Haunt requires Spellcraft checks instead of Craft (Traps), and a Haunt only takes 1 day per 1000 gp to construct (instead of the standard 1 day per 500 gp). Creating a Haunt requires special incense, resonant crystals, and other special materials not used in standard spellcasting or psionic manifesting, which is what consumes the gp cost of creation (the GM can specify the necessary materials, or not, as it suits him or her). Haunts are more difficult to construct than standard traps, as reflected in the necessary Spellcraft DCs (given in the table below). [TABLE="class: grid, width: 400"] [TR] [TD]Spellcraft DC [/TD] [TD]Haunt CR[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]25[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1-5[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]30[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6-10[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]35[/TD] [TD="align: center"]11-15[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]40[/TD] [TD="align: center"]16-20[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]45[/TD] [TD="align: center"]21-25[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]50[/TD] [TD="align: center"]26-30[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]+5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Proximity Trigger[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Artifical Haunts (i.e. those created using this class feature) always have a relatively easy means of destruction; a [I]Remove Curse[/I] cast at a specific "anchor item" (which must be placed within the trigger area by the Hauntshaper when the Haunt is created) can remove the artifical Haunt. The DC of the check equals the Hauntshaper's character level + the CR of the Haunt. Alternately, a [I]Dispel Evil[/I] (or other [I]Dispel [Alignment][/I] spell) can be used, and grants a +5 on the check. The Hauntshaper cannot change this means of destruction, but can act to conceal the anchor item (for example, by bricking it up inside a wall) as long as it remains within the trigger zone. At 6th level, the Hauntshaper is able to add the Cunning Trigger ability to any Haunt he or she creates using this class feature. As a swift action, the Hauntshaper can set off any Haunt within 30 feet that he or she created. This does not increase the CR or cost of the Haunt, but Haunts created without this ability (for example, any Haunts created before the character gained this ability) cannot be triggered this way. At 9th level, the Hauntshaper is able to use the necessary materials more efficiently when creating artificial Haunts. The character pays only 75% of the normal cost when creating a Haunt, rather than the full amount. [*][B]Ghostbuster (Ex):[/B] A 4th-level Hauntshaper is so familiar with the ways and activities of lingering souls such as Ghosts and "natural" Haunts that he or she is able to easily discover the conditions necessary to grant such souls eternal rest. By making a Knowledge (Religion) or Knowledge (History) check, with a DC equal to 15 + the target's CR, the Hauntshaper can learn the means of preventing a Ghost's Rejuvenation ability, or the means of permanently destroying a specific Haunt. For targets which have a specific DC on such a check that is different from the above check (for example, if the GM's adventure specifies the DC of a Knowledge check to learn the means of destruction), the Hauntshaper receives a (unnamed) bonus equal to his or her Hauntshaper class level on the check. [*][B]Masterful Neutralize (Su):[/B] At 5th level, the Hauntshaper gains the ability to use Neutralize to bypass a Haunt, rather than simply deactivating it. This ability allows the Hauntshaper (plus any companions designated by him or her) to pass safely through a Haunt's trigger zone without activating it, if he or she beats a Haunt's Neutralize DC (whether using Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate) by 5 or more. A Haunt affected by Masterful Neutralize acts as though disabled for the Hauntshaper and any companions he or she designates with the Neutralize check, but normally for any and all creatures [I]not[/I] specified by the Hauntshaper during said check. The Haunt remains Neutralized for up to 10 minutes per class level of the Hauntshaper before resuming its normal activity, but the Hauntshaper is always free to re-Neutralize a Haunt that was previously Neutralized and not destroyed. [*][B]Extremely Unimpressed (Ex):[/B] At 7th level, the Hauntshaper's Unimpressed ability improves. The character still takes no effect if he or she makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack from a Haunt or Ghost that normally carries a reduced effect on a successful save, but even on a [I]failed[/I] save the Hauntshaper takes the reduced effect that normally occurs on a successful save (as opposed to the full effect that normally happens with a failed save). [*][B]Carry Haunt (Su):[/B] At 8th level, a Hauntshaper can essentially "pack up" a Haunt from one area, carry it to a new one, and set it out so that it affects the new area exactly as it affected the old one. This requires that the Hauntshaper first use Neutralize on the Haunt, and be more successful than usual- the character must beat the Neutralize DC by 10 or more. If this first check is successful, then the Hauntshaper must make a Spellcraft check (with DC set as if he or she were using Hauntcrafting to create a Haunt with exactly the same qualities). If the Spellcraft check fails, then the Haunt is still Neutralized as normal, but the attempt to move it failed; the Hauntshaper cannot attempt to move that specific Haunt again until he or she gains at least 1 more rank in Spellcraft. On the other hand, if the Spellcraft check succeeds, then the Hauntshaper "packs up" the Haunt into a single small focus item that he or she carries away from the spot; the Haunt is considered to be bypassed for most game purposes (in particular, granting XP to the Hauntshaper and his or her companions as though having been bypassed normally). The focus item must be an item from the original site of the Haunt that the Hauntshaper can easily carry (for example, a brick from the wall of a haunted house), and remains quiescent for up to 1 day per Hauntshaper level. While carrying a Haunt, the focus item carries a supernatural aura of Conjuration, Enchantment, and Necromancy, with a strength like that of a Magic Item with caster level equal to the Hauntshaper's character level. If the Hauntshaper does not place it in a new location by the end of this period, then the focus item loses its power and the Haunt returns to its former location immediately, at full strength. While the focus item contains the Haunt, the Hauntshaper can (at any time) spend a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity to call the Haunt forth from the item. Doing so allows the character to establish the Haunt in any desired place within 30 feet of himself or herself, restoring its full normal statistics and functionality as though it had always existed at its new location (with the exception that its destruction condition now means casting [I]Remove Curse[/I] or a similar spell upon the focus item the Hauntshaper used to carry it to its new site, as if that were the anchor item and the Hauntshaper had crafted the Haunt using Hauntcrafting at its current location). This does allow the character to more easily destroy a "natural" Haunt that had a very different destruction method; some Hauntshapers actually use this ability to do exactly that and never actually keep Haunts around for later use in the first place. [*][B]Anchor Ghost (Su):[/B] A 10th level Hauntshaper gains the ability to turn mobile Ghosts into bound Haunts through quickly-executed meldshaping. To accomplish this, the Hauntshaper must first understand the way to bypass the Ghost's Rejuvenation ability (typically, by using his or her Ghostbuster ability as described above); if the character does know the Ghost's means of destruction, then he or she can use this ability upon it. To use this ability, the Hauntshaper must have ready a gem capable of holding the Ghost being targeted; the gem must be of a clear or translucent variety (such as emerald, ruby, or diamond) and have a value at least equal to the CR of the Ghost × 500 gp. Drawing the Ghost into the gem requires a successful Spellcraft check (DC equals 20 + the Ghost's CR) and a full-round action that requires concentration (treat as a 5th-level spell) and provokes attacks of opportunity. If the Spellcraft check and the action both succeed, the Ghost must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + the Hauntshaper's class level + the Hauntshaper's CHA modifier) or be drawn into and trapped within the gem. A Ghost that is trapped this way is treated as if permanently destroyed for game purposes (that is, it cannot use Rejuvenation to return to unlife). While holding a Ghost, the gem is treated as though it were the focus of a [I]Trap the Soul[/I] spell (with caster level equal to the Hauntshaper's character level) holding the former Ghost, except for its lesser value. In particular, there is no limit to the amount of time a Ghost can stay trapped inside a gem this way; the Ghost remains trapped permanently until and unless the gem is broken (freeing the Ghost) or the gem is used to create a new Haunt (see below). Once a Ghost is trapped within the gem, the Hauntshaper can use the Ghost's spiritual energy to create a new Haunt using Hauntcrafting. Any Haunt with CR equal to or less than the CR of the original Ghost can be created using the Ghost-gem, but using the Ghost to create the Haunt is much faster and more efficient than doing it the normal way. If using a Ghost-gem to create an artificial Haunt, a Hauntshaper need only make [I]one[/I] Spellcraft check (with DC set according to normal for the Haunt he or she wishes to create), and the crafting takes only 15 minutes regardless of how long it would normally take. Furthermore, the character need not expend any cost in gp or special materials to craft the new Haunt; the energy of the Ghost is subsumed and used to make the Haunt. The Ghost-gem loses its power and becomes the anchor-item for the newly crafted Haunt, as part of the crafting process. If the Hauntshaper attempts to craft a new Haunt, but the Spellcraft check [I]fails[/I], then the gem is destroyed and the Ghost is freed as described above (usually, in a very irate and hostile state). A Hauntshaper always knows the CR of a trapped Ghost simply by holding the gem holding it, and therefore always knows how powerful a Haunt he or she can create using the Ghost in question. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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