Gnoll as Prestige Class (NOT racial levels)

[Nifft]

IMC, Gnolls aren't a species, they're the warriors of the cult of the Demon-Prince Yennoghu. They were originally human (or some other "normal" race) who joined the cult and... took levels in this PrC! Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!


Gnoll Cultist Prestige Class

Requirements:
Type: Mammalian Humanoid
BAB: +2
Language: Abyssal
Special: Must worship the Demon-Prince Yennoghu and complete the Beast Ritual


Gnoll Cultist PrC
HD: d8
BAB: Full (as Fighter)
Good Save: Fortitude / Bad Saves: Reflex, Will
Skill Points: 2 + Int bonus
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str)

[u]Level   BAB   Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities[/u]
1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Beast Ritual, Bite, Natural Armor +1
2	+2	+3	+0	+0	Str +2, Claws, Darkvision 60 ft.
3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Natural Armor +2, Dark Blessing
4	+4	+4	+1	+1	Dex +2, Str +2
5	+5	+4	+1	+1	Natural Armor +3
6	+6	+5	+2	+2	Con +2, Dark Blessing
7	+7	+5	+2	+2	Natural Armor +4
8	+8	+6	+2	+2	Darkest Blessing

Special Abilities:

• Beast Ritual: This ritual initiates the celebrant into the inner ring of Yennoghu's cult. To perform the ritual, the celebrant must partake of a human (or demi-human) sacrifice, eating the victim's living flesh while a Glabrezu watches. The ritual costs the celebrant 2 points of Intelligence and 2 points of Charisma, and the celebrant gains the [Evil] and [Chaotic] descriptors. Furthermore, the celebrant's type changes to Monstrous Humanoid, and it becomes sterile. Finally, its visage becomes visibly beastial, and it can no longer be recognized as its original race.
• Ability Modification: These are treated as though gained through level advancement.
• Natural Armor (Ex): The character gains the indicated bonus in addition to whatever racial Natural Armor it had before becoming a Gnoll.
• Bite (Ex): The Gnoll gains a bite attack which deals 1d6 + (Str x 1.5) damage. This attack is treated as the primary natural weapon.
• Claws (Ex): The Gnoll gains claw attacks which deal 1d4+Str damage. These are treated as secondary natural weapons. Most Gnolls fight with weapons if they have a choice.
• Darkvision (Ex): As the Darkvision ability.
• Dark Blessing: The Gnoll chooses from the following list of abilities, granted by Yennoghu:
  * Bonus Feat (Ex): Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Natural Armor, Multiattack, Run, Endurance, Track.
  * Abyssal Luck (Su): +2 Luck bonus to all saves.
  * Deathbringer (Sp): the Gnoll may cast Death Knell 3/day
  * Jaws of the Abyss (Su): the Gnoll's natural attacks are treated as magical for the purpose of penetrating damage reduction.
• Darkest Blessing: The Gnoll chooses from the following list of abilities, granted by Yennoghu:
  * Abyssal Might (Su): the Gnoll gains a permanent +4 Enhancement bonus to Strength. This may be suppressed by a Dispel Magic (caster level = character level) for 2d6 minutes.
  * Jaws of Blood (Su): the Gnoll's bite attack gains the Wounding special ability.
  * Jaws of Despair (Su): the Gnoll's bite attack gains the Unholy special ability.
  * Jaws of Terror (Su): the Gnoll's bite attack gains three Bane special abilities.
  * Abyssal Hound (Su): the Gnoll may summon a Howler for one hour per day with a 50% chance of success.
  * Abyssal Flesh (Su): the Gnoll gains damage reduction 5/good.

-- N

 

[demiurge1138]

It might only be tangentially "gnoll", but I like it a lot. The customization potential on the dark blessings is a nice touch. I take it you were inspired by the "type-change" classes from legions of Hell?

Demiurge out.

 

[Nifft]

Nope, it's more that IMC I want the bad guys to be bad because they chose to be bad. So, Troglodytes, Gnolls, Minotaurs, Harpies -- they're all humans (or humanoids) who have chosen to serve a particular Arch-Devil or Demon-Prince, and got transformed to gain power.

It's an idea I've had for a while, but AU really crystalized it for me.

-- N

 

[las]

It aslo reminds me of some Prc they put in dragon mag a while back (ok they had ten prcs in two differing mags). Ill modify this a little for my use (might post my mod here if you wish) and make it a 5 level one. Since I use gnolls in my game this would make a good Prc for all of the that mager feinds worshipers.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Nope, it's more that IMC I want the bad guys to be bad because they chose to be bad. So, Troglodytes, Gnolls, Minotaurs, Harpies -- they're all humans (or humanoids) who have chosen to serve a particular Arch-Devil or Demon-Prince, and got transformed to gain power.

It's an idea I've had for a while, but AU really crystalized it for me.

-- N

Does this mean we can expect more transformation classes for Troglodytes, Minotaurs and Harpies? Sweet!

BTW, I just wanted to say that I like the bite attack. Good for when they are using reached weapons and someone comes in close. It's also a good visual!

I am not sure about the [chaotic] and [evil] type descriptors though. Do paladins and good clerics get the [good] descriptor in your world?

 

[Nifft]

Does this mean we can expect more transformation classes for Troglodytes, Minotaurs and Harpies? Sweet!

BTW, I just wanted to say that I like the bite attack. Good for when they are using reached weapons and someone comes in close. It's also a good visual!

I am not sure about the [chaotic] and [evil] type descriptors though. Do paladins and good clerics get the [good] descriptor in your world?

Yep, I'll make Trog, Minotaur and Harpy PrCs next... anyone got a good demonic patron for each of these? Grazzt isn't too well suited to Harpies, but it's the closest I have off the top of my head.

The Bite attack is in there for exactly that reason -- I love throwing longspear-guys at my PCs, but they have to be able to snap at the tumbling rogue too!

Paladins and good clerics do indeed get the [Good] descriptor IMC. They're not Outsiders, so they're not hedged out by a Prot. from Good spell, but they sure do glow brightly if you Detect Good.

-- N

 

[Cheiromancer]

Pazuzu for Harpies? Baphomet for minotaurs, of course. Dunno about trogs.

 

[demiurge1138]

The lord of the trogs is Lagozed. He's a giant lizard-toad thing.
Pazuzu would work well for the harpies. Lord of evil Air and all that.

Demiurge out.