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Tome of Shadow (Shadow Magic Revitalization)
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<blockquote data-quote="Realms of Chaos" data-source="post: 3732409" data-attributes="member: 54946"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">THE CULTIST</span></strong></p><p><em>“Poor fool…I’m afraid that my patron grants me the grander power.”</em></p><p>-Eric Bensen, Cultist of Wee Jas</p><p></p><p>Divinity is unwavering and undeniable but that does not mean that it isn’t misplaced. Any object, person, or concept can be worshiped as a god, and yet everyone chooses to attack the few individuals willing to go against the flow. Everything has power to grant, in its shadow if not in itself. In addition, even divinity and worship has their own shadows, equally powerful for those willing to seek it out.</p><p>Cultists understand this concept, worshipping dubious sources and taking from this worship the power of the shadows in which they must hide themselves. The Cultists wield this new magic tenderly, less their actions arouse the attention of others.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">MAKING A CULTIST</span></strong></p><p>A Cultist can use some potent magic but her abilities are even more tightly focused than those of the Shadowcaster. They are stronger combatants but their penchant lies in stealth, using the shadows to hide themselves. Their exact role, however, inevitably relies on the mysteries they learn.</p><p>Cultists rely on quick wits and quicker reflexes to keep both themselves and their allies secret. However, this means foregoing more physical forms of training, leading to a meager fortitude.</p><p>Cultists almost never try to take command, even if they are charismatic enough to do so. Rather, in true cultist spirit, they try to approach command and subtly alter decisions to their benefit.</p><p>Abilities a Cultist needs both wit and personality to force their mysteries into existence. In addition, they often end up more violent missions, making a high strength score an asset.</p><p><strong>Races:</strong> Surprisingly, there are less human Cultists than there are in most civilized races, probably due to an unusual open-mindedness among them, making cultists to all but the most taboo or extreme causes/objects unneeded.</p><p>The most common sources of Cultists come from races with active racial deities, such as gnomes, dwarves, elves, and orcs. In many of their societies, the mere failure to worship their racial deity may mark them as an outcast, a heretic, and a possible Cultist (some cultists do give normal worship to non-racial gods).</p><p><strong>Alignment:</strong> Surprisingly, despite their shadowy powers and usual hate by the public clergy, a Cultist need not be evil. Some see their persecution as a divine test and others just want to remain along and unnoticed, keeping them a neutral party.</p><p>Others choose to worship lesser celestial beings, noble (if questioned) ideals, and people of objects of great good (including deities, which they may worship in their own unique way). These cultists remain misunderstood but deal with it through seclusion and let themselves be recognized only by the subtlest signs as they direct those around them towards (their interpretation of) their worship’s designs.</p><p>Of course, these few are far outnumbered by those who worship devils, demons, and </p><p>other dubious sources of power, some far worse. These few individuals, hiding in damp catacombs and forming insidious cabals, give the more lighthearted Cultists an even worse name.</p><p><strong>Starting Gold:</strong> 4d4X10 (100 gp)</p><p><strong>Starting Age:</strong> As Rogue</p><p></p><p><strong>The Cultist Hit Die: D8</strong></p><p>[Code][B]Level Base Fort Ref Will Special</p><p> Attack Save Save Save</p><p> Bonus[/B]</p><p>1. +0 +0 +2 +2 Fundamentals of Shadow, Apprentice Mystery, Trapfinding</p><p>2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Patron’s Gift, True Believer</p><p>3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Apprentice Mystery</p><p>4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Shadow Guardian (hidden faith)</p><p>5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Apprentice Mystery</p><p>6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Fundamental</p><p>7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Apprentice Mystery</p><p>8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +6 Shadow Guardian (immune to disease)</p><p>9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +6 Apprentice Mystery</p><p>10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +7 Fundamental (supernatural fundamentals)</p><p>11 +8/+3 +3 +7 +7 Apprentice Mystery</p><p>12 +9/4 +4 +8 +8 Shadow Guardian (immune to poison)</p><p>13 +9/+4 +4 +8 +8 Initiate Mystery</p><p>14 +10/+5 +4 +9 +9 Fundamental</p><p>15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +9 Initiate Mystery</p><p>16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10 Shadow Guardian (deathward)</p><p>17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10 Initiate Mystery</p><p>18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +11 Fundamental (extraordinary fundamentals)</p><p>19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +11 Initiate Mystery</p><p>20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +12 Shadow Guardian (mind blank)[/Code]</p><p><strong>Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level)</strong>: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Forgery, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (The Planes), Move Silently, Search, Spellcraft</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">CLASS FEATURES</span></strong></p><p>Your class features represent your constant need for stealth. You manipulate shadows as well as you can hide within them, protecting yourself from those who do not understand.</p><p><strong>Weapon and Armor Proficiency:</strong> You are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, along with light and medium armor and light shields.</p><p><strong>Fundamentals of Shadow (Su):</strong> As a Cultist, the first powers that you find in your worship are basic. These powers, called fundamentals, function as spell-like abilities usable at will. You begin play with 1 fundamental and gain an additional one at 6th level and every 4 levels afterwards. At 10th level, all fundamentals become supernatural abilities. At 18th level, all fundamentals become extraordinary abilities.</p><p><strong>Mysteries and Paths:</strong> Rather than casting spells as other do, you invoke the power of mysteries through your prayer. You know one mystery at 1st level and gain one additional mystery at every odd level afterwards. Each such mystery is usable twice per day. Up to 11th level, you may only learn apprentice mysteries. Starting at 13th level, you may learn initiate or apprentice mysteries</p><p>A Cultist, by gaining their power through worship (or worship’s reflection), skips much of the thought and effort that a shadowcaster needs to cast their mysteries. As a result, they need not learn paths in order, as long as they know at least two mysteries of a previous level. On the other hand, you can always select the first mystery in a path of a category you have access to, even if you didn’t complete the lower category paths.</p><p>Mysteries are often new tools for a Cultist and take awhile to cultivate. However, consistent prayer and dedication can eventually bring them closer to their abilities. Cultists originally cast mysteries as divine spells. They have somatic components and are subject to interruption but do not have an armor-based spell-failure chance. Whenever a mystery is cast, their shadows are subtly altered, noticeable through a dc20 spot check.</p><p>Whenever a path is completed, however, all mysteries in that path become spell-like abilities and doubles their daily use of all mysteries in that path.</p><p>Each mystery learned is a new part of their worship, and thus cannot be learned more than once at any time. However, at 11th level and every odd level afterwards, you may replace one mystery known with another mystery of the same or lower levels, so long as the sacrificed mystery was not used as the prerequisites for any feat, prestige class, or other mystery, although all prerequisites for the new mystery must be met.</p><p>Unlike spellcasters, you don’t get bonus mysteries for a high ability score. Although you do not prepare spells, you must rest for 8 hour and prey for 15 minutes to regain your daily use of mysteries.</p><p>In order to cast a mystery, you must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the mystery’s level. The save DC for your mysteries equals 10 + mystery level + your Cha modifier. Even though as a Cultist you do not “cast spells” in the traditional sense, your levels in this class count for the purpose of determining your overall caster level.</p><p>You gain two daily uses of any mystery cast as a divine spell or four daily uses of any mystery cast as a spell-like ability.</p><p><strong>Trapfinding:</strong> You learn that the world is not a pleasant place for an outcast, and have worked on detecting the traps of others. You gain the Trapfinding class feature (see Player’s Handbook, page 50).</p><p><strong>Patron’s Gift (Su):</strong> Starting at 2nd level, you learn how to manipulate the forces of life and death through the shadowy reflections of each. As a swift action, you may sacrifice a daily use of a mystery. If you make a successful touch attack before the end of the round, you may heal or damage the target by an amount of damage equal to the level of the mystery sacrificed, depending on whether negative or positive energy is used. This ability may be used to channel positive or negative energy, as chosen by you each time this ability is used.</p><p>If the cultist uses this ability to heal themselves, they may instead grant themselves fast healing equal to the spell level of the sacrificed mystery for a number of rounds equal to one-half of their class level.</p><p><strong>True Believer:</strong> At 2nd level, you gain True Believer as a bonus feat.</p><p><strong>Shadow Guardian (Su):</strong> Eventually, the shadows you hide behind show you favor, protecting you and your mind. At 4th level, you gain immunity to all effects that detect your alignment or faith.</p><p>At 8th level, you gain immunity to all diseases (supernatural or otherwise).</p><p>At 12th level, you gain immunity to poison.</p><p>At 16th level, you are continually protected by a deathward effect.</p><p>At 20th level, your mind is continually protected by a Mind Blank effect.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">PLAYING A CULTIST</span></strong></p><p>You are not a Shadowcaster. Where they see the power in opposing extremes, you draw power from the links between those extremes. While your mysteries may be drawn from some of the same power as divine spellcasters, you have warped it beyond recognition. The object of your worship, or at least the source from which you claim your power, may or may not even be aware of your presence, let alone grant you their support. Either way, the power you gather shields you from those who would take it away.</p><p>The reasons for a Cultist’s adventures greatly vary. Some do so to gain personal wealth, power, or, perhaps in some limited degree, respect and acceptance by those around them. Others adventure to uphold their beliefs, whatever they may be. Others still travel out of necessity, for without a “stable” cult or cabal to hang onto, remaining in one place remains a tricky proposition.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">RELIGION</span></strong></p><p>Almost all Cultists display some degree of religiousness, worshiping their source of power, or at least their perceived source of power. Others adopt this class for a simpler way to manipulate divine power, treating it as just another tool in their repertoire. However, your beliefs are invariably at odds with others, at least at the start. Your beliefs may clash with those of the local populace, the official view of the nation, or even the item of your worship. This is not to say that you won’t find a place where you will fit in, but rather to say that you grew up needing an alternate road to worship. Indeed, in some evil, neutral, and even good towns, Cultists like you are praised as healers and wise men.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">OTHER CLASSES</span></strong></p><p>You tend to view other divine classes as misguided, but envy them nonetheless. Their ability to walk in the daylight is to be envied, most certainly, but their powers do not protect them as personally as yours protect you. You know, however, that they are likely to view you with anger or distrust, due to your contrary nature. You view other spellcasters as useful allies, able to step in should your personal defenses fail you. You respect, and perhaps have a lot in common with both the warriors in the battlefield and the rogue sneaking amongst the shadows, but you know that they are gifted with far different abilities.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">COMBAT</span></strong></p><p>Much like a Cleric, you possess formidable skills on the battlefield, albeit less armored. You are capable of wading into battle and either damaging your foes or controlling the battlefield through the use of your mysteries.</p><p>Alas, the most powerful of mysteries are forever outside of your grasps. In return, your shadows have given you personal protection beyond that which other mystery-users such as shadowcaster’s receive, protecting both their bodies and minds.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">ADVANCEMENT</span></strong></p><p>Maintaining faith in the face of adversity is a daunting task. You must seek out your divine energies through prayer, keep the ideals of your faith alive, and hide your presence all of the while. Unlike Clerics, who can simply pick and choose what spells they want on a daily basis, you are far more restricted in your actions, rarely, if ever, changing what you can do with the powers given to you. As such, the decision to sink or swim rests solely upon your own shoulders.</p><p>Mechanically, you should increase both your Wisdom and Charisma as you attain higher levels. Beyond this, focus on feats and skills that enhance your mysteries, combative abilities, or stealth capabilities, as you choose.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">DWARVEN CULTIST STARTING PACKAGE</span></strong></p><p><strong>Armor:</strong> Padded Armor (Speed 20 ft.)</p><p><strong>Weapons:</strong> Light Mace (1d6, crit X2, 4 lb., light, bludgeoning).</p><p>Light Crossbow (1d8, crit 19-20/X2, range inc. 80, 4 lb., piercing).</p><p><strong>Skill Selection:</strong> Pick a number of skills equal to 2 + Int modifier</p><p>[Code][B]Skill Ranks Ability Armor Check Penalty[/B]</p><p>Concentration 4 Con —</p><p>Hide 4 Dex — </p><p>Intimidate 4 Cha — </p><p>Move Silently 4 Dex —</p><p>Search 4 Int —</p><p>Spellcraft 4 Int —[/Code]</p><p></p><p><strong>Feat:</strong> Improved Initiative</p><p><strong>Fundamentals Known:</strong> Arrow of Dusk (Spell-like, at will)</p><p><strong>Mysteries Known:</strong> Steel Shadows (Spell, 2/day)</p><p><strong>Gear:</strong> Backpack with waterskin, one day’s trail rations, bedroll, sac, flint and steel. 4 torches. Case with 10 crossbow bolts.</p><p><strong>Gold:</strong> 1d4X10 gp.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">CULTISTS IN THE WORLD</span></strong></p><p><em>“Bit of an oddball, that one. He claims that he worships the reflection of worship itself, or some such rubbish. How the Nine Hells would that work?”</em></p><p>-Canan Gropsmit, Cleric of Moradin</p><p></p><p>The power of shadow magic is indeed a frightening, its users perhaps more so. Their powers are strange and alien to most individuals, and can confuse the oldest of sages. At the same time, it is easier to feel both sympathy for their plight and anger at their “false faith” (imagine how a cleric feels when attacked by a Cultist of the same deity). This class adds a whole new dimension to shadow magic, perhaps placing a few emotional ties onto this new form of magic.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">DAILY LIFE</span></strong></p><p>When not adventuring, Cultists spend much time in meditation, prayer, and contemplation. The more Intellectual of Cultists often research the mechanics of their newfound power, unwilling to leave anything to faith alone. Aside from these pursuits, Cultists often spend much of their time in seclusion, either to avoid the prying eyes of those who would persecute them or to plot against their enemies. The day-to-day activities, of course, depend on several factors, including the open-mindedness of the community, the force with which local churches resist them, the presence of allied/enemy cults and cabals, and even the presence or absence of good friends.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">NOTABLES</span></strong></p><p>There is no such thing as a famous cultist. By nature, they work behind the scenes, with others much like them if possible. Most cults are arranged so that even their leaders are faceless parts of a machine, recognized by few and recognizing fewer. In most cases, if a Cultist were to land a position of fame, they would displace it onto another. After all, they prefer to remain anonymous.</p><p>Although it is hard to believe, there truly is no famous cultist, thoughout all of history, despite its considerably longer history than “traditional” shadow magic. What is known about are smaller “cults” of evil divine casters, claiming themselves to be cultists. True cults and cabals are rarely discovered.</p><p>It is possible for a Cultist to gain notoriety, but they would have to defeat the class’ natural disposition towards anonymity and be willing to fight off the endless string of enemies likely to follow. </p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">NPC REACTIONS:</span></strong></p><p>By definition, a Cultist is forced into secret worship. Based on their varied (and quite controversial) religious doctrine alone, they are often mistrusted at best and weeded out at worse. Of course, if their particular nature is not revealed, they may be treated neutrally by others, as any other individual of the facade the Cultist works to maintain.</p><p>When their true nature is revealed, however, matters become even worse. The concept of a “divine shadow” is considered utter blasphemy by followers of most churches (especially those dedicated to deities of the sun or illumination), but the Cultist remains there all the same. When others dive in even deeper, they see that this divine shadow actually grants the Cultist favor, protecting them from harm. Due to the utter blasphemy of a Cultist’s religious beliefs and powers, most divine casters are unfriendly or even hostile towards them (with the exception of those who worship deities of darkness or shadow). Among arcane casters, the situation does not improve by much, due to the general distrust of shadow magic. A good-hearted Cultist can always hope for sanctuary, but they must put forth effort to ever hope to find one.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">CULTIST LORE</span></strong></p><p>Characters with ranks in Knowledge (religion) or Knowledge (the planes) can research Cultists to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs.</p><p><strong>DC 15:</strong> Cultists are heretics who utilize the powers of shadows and darkness.</p><p><strong>DC 20:</strong> The shadows that a Cultist calls upon defend them, body and mind.</p><p><strong>DC 25:</strong> Cultists draw their power from the shadowy reflections of divinity and worship on the Plane of Shadows, the very concept of which is considered blasphemous.</p><p> A DC 30 Gather Information or Knowledge (religion) check in a high-magic community, or one in which a god of darkness or night is worshipped, will reveal the existence of Cultists.</p><p> A bardic knowledge check and reveal the same information as these sill checks, but in each case the DC is 5 higher than the given value.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">CULTISTS IN THE GAME</span></strong></p><p>In an ongoing game, cultists perhaps play out best as enemies. Perhaps only one or a select few cults even exist. Otherwise, perhaps none has ever been discovered before player interference. As they utilize reflections of divinity from the Plane of Shadows, it would not be unreasonable for one or more cults to hide themselves within the plane’s natural shadows</p><p>If you have a player with a cultist PC, allow them to show off their versatility. They may be more subtle than others but they possess combative capabilities, along with stealth and spellcasting. As the cultist is not truly superior in any of these three areas, they are only able to shine when given varied situations </p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">ADAPTATION</span></strong></p><p>While the Cultist’s power comes from the Plane of Shadow, other options exist. It is possible, for instance, to “skip the middle man” of the Plane of Shadows, as it were, gathering extra divine energy directly from the Material Plane. It is also possible for them to gain energy directly from outlawed deities (including any evil deity).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">SAMPLE ENCOUNTER</span></strong></p><p>Encounters with Cultists should show the mysterious nature of their magic while trying to establish a sympathize-antagonize relationship with the class as a whole. An encounter with an entire cult can make for an interesting, if deadly, encounter.</p><p><strong>EL 5:</strong> Korena Gondshor was abandoned at and raised in a temple of Pelor as a prodigy. After a midnight encounter with a charming devil, however, she found herself enamored with devilkind as a whole. Over time, her and a few like-minded acolytes were provided with the tools and knowledge to become cultists by more devils. After a violent raid against the temple, the cult retreated into the deep heart of the city, ready to open for “business”. She may be looking for new potential recruits, desecrating a holy sight, or trying to con honest civilians out of their hard-earned pay. </p><p></p><p><strong>KORENA GONDSHOR CR 5</strong></p><p>Female human cultist 5</p><p>NE Medium humanoid</p><p><strong>Init</strong> +2; <strong>Senses</strong> Listen +2, Spot +2</p><p><strong>Languages</strong> Common, Infernal</p><p><strong>AC</strong> 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12</p><p><strong>hp</strong> 21 (4 HD)</p><p><strong>Fort</strong> +2, <strong>Ref</strong> +7, <strong>Will</strong> +7</p><p><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft. (6 squares)</p><p><strong>Melee</strong> +1 Dagger +3 (1d4)</p><p><strong>Ranged</strong> Masterwork Sling +5 (1d4)</p><p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +3 ; <strong>Grp</strong> +2</p><p><strong>Special Actions</strong> Patron’s Gift, True Believer, Still Mystery, Extend Mystery, Shadowcast</p><p><strong>Combat Gear</strong> <em>orb of shadow</em> (apprentice 1st)<em>, 2 potions of cure light wounds</em></p><p><strong>Mysteries Known</strong> (CL 5th)</p><p>Apprentice paths:</p><p>2nd— piercing sight (spell, 2/day)</p><p>1st—bend perspective (spell, 2/day), carpet of shadow (spell, 2/day)</p><p>Fundamentals</p><p>0—umbral hand (spell-like, at will)</p><p><strong>Abilities</strong> Str 8, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 14</p><p><strong>SQ</strong> Trapfinding, Shadow’s Guardian (hidden faith)</p><p><strong>Feats</strong> True Believer, Still Mystery, Extend Mystery, Shadowcast</p><p><strong>Skills</strong> Bluff +6, Intimidate +6, Move Silently +6, Hide +6, Search +9, Spellcraft +9</p><p><strong>Possessions</strong> combat gear plus <em>+1 dagger</em>, masterwork sling with 20 rocks, <em>+1 padded armor, Cloak of resistance +1, Elixir of Hiding, Elixir of Sneaking</em>.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Realms of Chaos, post: 3732409, member: 54946"] [B][SIZE="5"]THE CULTIST[/SIZE][/B] [I]“Poor fool…I’m afraid that my patron grants me the grander power.”[/I] -Eric Bensen, Cultist of Wee Jas Divinity is unwavering and undeniable but that does not mean that it isn’t misplaced. Any object, person, or concept can be worshiped as a god, and yet everyone chooses to attack the few individuals willing to go against the flow. Everything has power to grant, in its shadow if not in itself. In addition, even divinity and worship has their own shadows, equally powerful for those willing to seek it out. Cultists understand this concept, worshipping dubious sources and taking from this worship the power of the shadows in which they must hide themselves. The Cultists wield this new magic tenderly, less their actions arouse the attention of others. [B][SIZE="5"]MAKING A CULTIST[/SIZE][/B] A Cultist can use some potent magic but her abilities are even more tightly focused than those of the Shadowcaster. They are stronger combatants but their penchant lies in stealth, using the shadows to hide themselves. Their exact role, however, inevitably relies on the mysteries they learn. Cultists rely on quick wits and quicker reflexes to keep both themselves and their allies secret. However, this means foregoing more physical forms of training, leading to a meager fortitude. Cultists almost never try to take command, even if they are charismatic enough to do so. Rather, in true cultist spirit, they try to approach command and subtly alter decisions to their benefit. Abilities a Cultist needs both wit and personality to force their mysteries into existence. In addition, they often end up more violent missions, making a high strength score an asset. [B]Races:[/B] Surprisingly, there are less human Cultists than there are in most civilized races, probably due to an unusual open-mindedness among them, making cultists to all but the most taboo or extreme causes/objects unneeded. The most common sources of Cultists come from races with active racial deities, such as gnomes, dwarves, elves, and orcs. In many of their societies, the mere failure to worship their racial deity may mark them as an outcast, a heretic, and a possible Cultist (some cultists do give normal worship to non-racial gods). [B]Alignment:[/B] Surprisingly, despite their shadowy powers and usual hate by the public clergy, a Cultist need not be evil. Some see their persecution as a divine test and others just want to remain along and unnoticed, keeping them a neutral party. Others choose to worship lesser celestial beings, noble (if questioned) ideals, and people of objects of great good (including deities, which they may worship in their own unique way). These cultists remain misunderstood but deal with it through seclusion and let themselves be recognized only by the subtlest signs as they direct those around them towards (their interpretation of) their worship’s designs. Of course, these few are far outnumbered by those who worship devils, demons, and other dubious sources of power, some far worse. These few individuals, hiding in damp catacombs and forming insidious cabals, give the more lighthearted Cultists an even worse name. [B]Starting Gold:[/B] 4d4X10 (100 gp) [B]Starting Age:[/B] As Rogue [B]The Cultist Hit Die: D8[/B] [Code][B]Level Base Fort Ref Will Special Attack Save Save Save Bonus[/B] 1. +0 +0 +2 +2 Fundamentals of Shadow, Apprentice Mystery, Trapfinding 2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Patron’s Gift, True Believer 3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Apprentice Mystery 4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Shadow Guardian (hidden faith) 5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Apprentice Mystery 6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Fundamental 7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Apprentice Mystery 8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +6 Shadow Guardian (immune to disease) 9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +6 Apprentice Mystery 10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +7 Fundamental (supernatural fundamentals) 11 +8/+3 +3 +7 +7 Apprentice Mystery 12 +9/4 +4 +8 +8 Shadow Guardian (immune to poison) 13 +9/+4 +4 +8 +8 Initiate Mystery 14 +10/+5 +4 +9 +9 Fundamental 15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +9 Initiate Mystery 16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10 Shadow Guardian (deathward) 17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10 Initiate Mystery 18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +11 Fundamental (extraordinary fundamentals) 19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +11 Initiate Mystery 20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +12 Shadow Guardian (mind blank)[/Code] [B]Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level)[/B]: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Forgery, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (The Planes), Move Silently, Search, Spellcraft [B][SIZE="5"]CLASS FEATURES[/SIZE][/B] Your class features represent your constant need for stealth. You manipulate shadows as well as you can hide within them, protecting yourself from those who do not understand. [B]Weapon and Armor Proficiency:[/B] You are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, along with light and medium armor and light shields. [B]Fundamentals of Shadow (Su):[/B] As a Cultist, the first powers that you find in your worship are basic. These powers, called fundamentals, function as spell-like abilities usable at will. You begin play with 1 fundamental and gain an additional one at 6th level and every 4 levels afterwards. At 10th level, all fundamentals become supernatural abilities. At 18th level, all fundamentals become extraordinary abilities. [B]Mysteries and Paths:[/B] Rather than casting spells as other do, you invoke the power of mysteries through your prayer. You know one mystery at 1st level and gain one additional mystery at every odd level afterwards. Each such mystery is usable twice per day. Up to 11th level, you may only learn apprentice mysteries. Starting at 13th level, you may learn initiate or apprentice mysteries A Cultist, by gaining their power through worship (or worship’s reflection), skips much of the thought and effort that a shadowcaster needs to cast their mysteries. As a result, they need not learn paths in order, as long as they know at least two mysteries of a previous level. On the other hand, you can always select the first mystery in a path of a category you have access to, even if you didn’t complete the lower category paths. Mysteries are often new tools for a Cultist and take awhile to cultivate. However, consistent prayer and dedication can eventually bring them closer to their abilities. Cultists originally cast mysteries as divine spells. They have somatic components and are subject to interruption but do not have an armor-based spell-failure chance. Whenever a mystery is cast, their shadows are subtly altered, noticeable through a dc20 spot check. Whenever a path is completed, however, all mysteries in that path become spell-like abilities and doubles their daily use of all mysteries in that path. Each mystery learned is a new part of their worship, and thus cannot be learned more than once at any time. However, at 11th level and every odd level afterwards, you may replace one mystery known with another mystery of the same or lower levels, so long as the sacrificed mystery was not used as the prerequisites for any feat, prestige class, or other mystery, although all prerequisites for the new mystery must be met. Unlike spellcasters, you don’t get bonus mysteries for a high ability score. Although you do not prepare spells, you must rest for 8 hour and prey for 15 minutes to regain your daily use of mysteries. In order to cast a mystery, you must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the mystery’s level. The save DC for your mysteries equals 10 + mystery level + your Cha modifier. Even though as a Cultist you do not “cast spells” in the traditional sense, your levels in this class count for the purpose of determining your overall caster level. You gain two daily uses of any mystery cast as a divine spell or four daily uses of any mystery cast as a spell-like ability. [B]Trapfinding:[/B] You learn that the world is not a pleasant place for an outcast, and have worked on detecting the traps of others. You gain the Trapfinding class feature (see Player’s Handbook, page 50). [B]Patron’s Gift (Su):[/B] Starting at 2nd level, you learn how to manipulate the forces of life and death through the shadowy reflections of each. As a swift action, you may sacrifice a daily use of a mystery. If you make a successful touch attack before the end of the round, you may heal or damage the target by an amount of damage equal to the level of the mystery sacrificed, depending on whether negative or positive energy is used. This ability may be used to channel positive or negative energy, as chosen by you each time this ability is used. If the cultist uses this ability to heal themselves, they may instead grant themselves fast healing equal to the spell level of the sacrificed mystery for a number of rounds equal to one-half of their class level. [B]True Believer:[/B] At 2nd level, you gain True Believer as a bonus feat. [B]Shadow Guardian (Su):[/B] Eventually, the shadows you hide behind show you favor, protecting you and your mind. At 4th level, you gain immunity to all effects that detect your alignment or faith. At 8th level, you gain immunity to all diseases (supernatural or otherwise). At 12th level, you gain immunity to poison. At 16th level, you are continually protected by a deathward effect. At 20th level, your mind is continually protected by a Mind Blank effect. [B][SIZE="5"]PLAYING A CULTIST[/SIZE][/B] You are not a Shadowcaster. Where they see the power in opposing extremes, you draw power from the links between those extremes. While your mysteries may be drawn from some of the same power as divine spellcasters, you have warped it beyond recognition. The object of your worship, or at least the source from which you claim your power, may or may not even be aware of your presence, let alone grant you their support. Either way, the power you gather shields you from those who would take it away. The reasons for a Cultist’s adventures greatly vary. Some do so to gain personal wealth, power, or, perhaps in some limited degree, respect and acceptance by those around them. Others adventure to uphold their beliefs, whatever they may be. Others still travel out of necessity, for without a “stable” cult or cabal to hang onto, remaining in one place remains a tricky proposition. [B][SIZE="4"]RELIGION[/SIZE][/B] Almost all Cultists display some degree of religiousness, worshiping their source of power, or at least their perceived source of power. Others adopt this class for a simpler way to manipulate divine power, treating it as just another tool in their repertoire. However, your beliefs are invariably at odds with others, at least at the start. Your beliefs may clash with those of the local populace, the official view of the nation, or even the item of your worship. This is not to say that you won’t find a place where you will fit in, but rather to say that you grew up needing an alternate road to worship. Indeed, in some evil, neutral, and even good towns, Cultists like you are praised as healers and wise men. [B][SIZE="4"]OTHER CLASSES[/SIZE][/B] You tend to view other divine classes as misguided, but envy them nonetheless. Their ability to walk in the daylight is to be envied, most certainly, but their powers do not protect them as personally as yours protect you. You know, however, that they are likely to view you with anger or distrust, due to your contrary nature. You view other spellcasters as useful allies, able to step in should your personal defenses fail you. You respect, and perhaps have a lot in common with both the warriors in the battlefield and the rogue sneaking amongst the shadows, but you know that they are gifted with far different abilities. [B][SIZE="4"]COMBAT[/SIZE][/B] Much like a Cleric, you possess formidable skills on the battlefield, albeit less armored. You are capable of wading into battle and either damaging your foes or controlling the battlefield through the use of your mysteries. Alas, the most powerful of mysteries are forever outside of your grasps. In return, your shadows have given you personal protection beyond that which other mystery-users such as shadowcaster’s receive, protecting both their bodies and minds. [B][SIZE="4"]ADVANCEMENT[/SIZE][/B] Maintaining faith in the face of adversity is a daunting task. You must seek out your divine energies through prayer, keep the ideals of your faith alive, and hide your presence all of the while. Unlike Clerics, who can simply pick and choose what spells they want on a daily basis, you are far more restricted in your actions, rarely, if ever, changing what you can do with the powers given to you. As such, the decision to sink or swim rests solely upon your own shoulders. Mechanically, you should increase both your Wisdom and Charisma as you attain higher levels. Beyond this, focus on feats and skills that enhance your mysteries, combative abilities, or stealth capabilities, as you choose. [B][SIZE="4"]DWARVEN CULTIST STARTING PACKAGE[/SIZE][/B] [B]Armor:[/B] Padded Armor (Speed 20 ft.) [B]Weapons:[/B] Light Mace (1d6, crit X2, 4 lb., light, bludgeoning). Light Crossbow (1d8, crit 19-20/X2, range inc. 80, 4 lb., piercing). [B]Skill Selection:[/B] Pick a number of skills equal to 2 + Int modifier [Code][B]Skill Ranks Ability Armor Check Penalty[/B] Concentration 4 Con — Hide 4 Dex — Intimidate 4 Cha — Move Silently 4 Dex — Search 4 Int — Spellcraft 4 Int —[/Code] [B]Feat:[/B] Improved Initiative [B]Fundamentals Known:[/B] Arrow of Dusk (Spell-like, at will) [B]Mysteries Known:[/B] Steel Shadows (Spell, 2/day) [B]Gear:[/B] Backpack with waterskin, one day’s trail rations, bedroll, sac, flint and steel. 4 torches. Case with 10 crossbow bolts. [B]Gold:[/B] 1d4X10 gp. [B][SIZE="5"]CULTISTS IN THE WORLD[/SIZE][/B] [I]“Bit of an oddball, that one. He claims that he worships the reflection of worship itself, or some such rubbish. How the Nine Hells would that work?”[/I] -Canan Gropsmit, Cleric of Moradin The power of shadow magic is indeed a frightening, its users perhaps more so. Their powers are strange and alien to most individuals, and can confuse the oldest of sages. At the same time, it is easier to feel both sympathy for their plight and anger at their “false faith” (imagine how a cleric feels when attacked by a Cultist of the same deity). This class adds a whole new dimension to shadow magic, perhaps placing a few emotional ties onto this new form of magic. [B][SIZE="4"]DAILY LIFE[/SIZE][/B] When not adventuring, Cultists spend much time in meditation, prayer, and contemplation. The more Intellectual of Cultists often research the mechanics of their newfound power, unwilling to leave anything to faith alone. Aside from these pursuits, Cultists often spend much of their time in seclusion, either to avoid the prying eyes of those who would persecute them or to plot against their enemies. The day-to-day activities, of course, depend on several factors, including the open-mindedness of the community, the force with which local churches resist them, the presence of allied/enemy cults and cabals, and even the presence or absence of good friends. [B][SIZE="4"]NOTABLES[/SIZE][/B] There is no such thing as a famous cultist. By nature, they work behind the scenes, with others much like them if possible. Most cults are arranged so that even their leaders are faceless parts of a machine, recognized by few and recognizing fewer. In most cases, if a Cultist were to land a position of fame, they would displace it onto another. After all, they prefer to remain anonymous. Although it is hard to believe, there truly is no famous cultist, thoughout all of history, despite its considerably longer history than “traditional” shadow magic. What is known about are smaller “cults” of evil divine casters, claiming themselves to be cultists. True cults and cabals are rarely discovered. It is possible for a Cultist to gain notoriety, but they would have to defeat the class’ natural disposition towards anonymity and be willing to fight off the endless string of enemies likely to follow. [B][SIZE="4"]NPC REACTIONS:[/SIZE][/B] By definition, a Cultist is forced into secret worship. Based on their varied (and quite controversial) religious doctrine alone, they are often mistrusted at best and weeded out at worse. Of course, if their particular nature is not revealed, they may be treated neutrally by others, as any other individual of the facade the Cultist works to maintain. When their true nature is revealed, however, matters become even worse. The concept of a “divine shadow” is considered utter blasphemy by followers of most churches (especially those dedicated to deities of the sun or illumination), but the Cultist remains there all the same. When others dive in even deeper, they see that this divine shadow actually grants the Cultist favor, protecting them from harm. Due to the utter blasphemy of a Cultist’s religious beliefs and powers, most divine casters are unfriendly or even hostile towards them (with the exception of those who worship deities of darkness or shadow). Among arcane casters, the situation does not improve by much, due to the general distrust of shadow magic. A good-hearted Cultist can always hope for sanctuary, but they must put forth effort to ever hope to find one. [B][SIZE="5"]CULTIST LORE[/SIZE][/B] Characters with ranks in Knowledge (religion) or Knowledge (the planes) can research Cultists to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs. [B]DC 15:[/B] Cultists are heretics who utilize the powers of shadows and darkness. [B]DC 20:[/B] The shadows that a Cultist calls upon defend them, body and mind. [B]DC 25:[/B] Cultists draw their power from the shadowy reflections of divinity and worship on the Plane of Shadows, the very concept of which is considered blasphemous. A DC 30 Gather Information or Knowledge (religion) check in a high-magic community, or one in which a god of darkness or night is worshipped, will reveal the existence of Cultists. A bardic knowledge check and reveal the same information as these sill checks, but in each case the DC is 5 higher than the given value. [B][SIZE="5"]CULTISTS IN THE GAME[/SIZE][/B] In an ongoing game, cultists perhaps play out best as enemies. Perhaps only one or a select few cults even exist. Otherwise, perhaps none has ever been discovered before player interference. As they utilize reflections of divinity from the Plane of Shadows, it would not be unreasonable for one or more cults to hide themselves within the plane’s natural shadows If you have a player with a cultist PC, allow them to show off their versatility. They may be more subtle than others but they possess combative capabilities, along with stealth and spellcasting. As the cultist is not truly superior in any of these three areas, they are only able to shine when given varied situations [B][SIZE="4"]ADAPTATION[/SIZE][/B] While the Cultist’s power comes from the Plane of Shadow, other options exist. It is possible, for instance, to “skip the middle man” of the Plane of Shadows, as it were, gathering extra divine energy directly from the Material Plane. It is also possible for them to gain energy directly from outlawed deities (including any evil deity). [B][SIZE="4"]SAMPLE ENCOUNTER[/SIZE][/B] Encounters with Cultists should show the mysterious nature of their magic while trying to establish a sympathize-antagonize relationship with the class as a whole. An encounter with an entire cult can make for an interesting, if deadly, encounter. [B]EL 5:[/B] Korena Gondshor was abandoned at and raised in a temple of Pelor as a prodigy. After a midnight encounter with a charming devil, however, she found herself enamored with devilkind as a whole. Over time, her and a few like-minded acolytes were provided with the tools and knowledge to become cultists by more devils. After a violent raid against the temple, the cult retreated into the deep heart of the city, ready to open for “business”. She may be looking for new potential recruits, desecrating a holy sight, or trying to con honest civilians out of their hard-earned pay. [B]KORENA GONDSHOR CR 5[/B] Female human cultist 5 NE Medium humanoid [B]Init[/B] +2; [B]Senses[/B] Listen +2, Spot +2 [B]Languages[/B] Common, Infernal [B]AC[/B] 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 [B]hp[/B] 21 (4 HD) [B]Fort[/B] +2, [B]Ref[/B] +7, [B]Will[/B] +7 [B]Speed[/B] 30 ft. (6 squares) [B]Melee[/B] +1 Dagger +3 (1d4) [B]Ranged[/B] Masterwork Sling +5 (1d4) [B]Base Atk[/B] +3 ; [B]Grp[/B] +2 [B]Special Actions[/B] Patron’s Gift, True Believer, Still Mystery, Extend Mystery, Shadowcast [B]Combat Gear[/B] [I]orb of shadow[/I] (apprentice 1st)[I], 2 potions of cure light wounds[/I] [B]Mysteries Known[/B] (CL 5th) Apprentice paths: 2nd— piercing sight (spell, 2/day) 1st—bend perspective (spell, 2/day), carpet of shadow (spell, 2/day) Fundamentals 0—umbral hand (spell-like, at will) [B]Abilities[/B] Str 8, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 14 [B]SQ[/B] Trapfinding, Shadow’s Guardian (hidden faith) [B]Feats[/B] True Believer, Still Mystery, Extend Mystery, Shadowcast [B]Skills[/B] Bluff +6, Intimidate +6, Move Silently +6, Hide +6, Search +9, Spellcraft +9 [B]Possessions[/B] combat gear plus [I]+1 dagger[/I], masterwork sling with 20 rocks, [I]+1 padded armor, Cloak of resistance +1, Elixir of Hiding, Elixir of Sneaking[/I]. [/QUOTE]
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