Sollir Furryfoot
Explorer
The Death Magus
There are few brave enough to talk about these few wizards and sorcerers, as Death Maguses specialize in being assassins with their spells. They carefully twist negative energy, entwining it with their regular spells in order to snuff out the life force of their opponents. As such, they are notorious and feared for their sheer killing potential-even some of the most potent spells of protections are ineffective against their death magick.
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
In order to be a Death Magus, the character must fulfill all of the following criteria:
Skills: Spellcraft 8 ranks
Feats: Death Spell (see below), Heighten Spell, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Spell Penetration
Spells: Access to 4th level arcane spells, at least one of which must be from the necromancy school.
Alignment: Any Evil
Special: The Death Magus must be a specialist necromancer.
Class Skills:
The Death Magus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Features
The following are class features of the Death Magus prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Death Magus gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Spells Per Day/Spells Known: At each Death Magus level except level 10, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. he does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Death Magus, the player must decide to which class to add each Death Magus level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Extra Specialization:Upon gaining this class, and later upon reaching 5th level, the Death Magus must choose a spell school not already banned. From here on, he may not learn any new spells from this school, but he maintains the knowledge and ability to cast any spells of this school he learned prior to gaining a level in the Death Magus class (or 5th level in the class, for the second time).
Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts: Whenever the Death Magus casts a spell with the [Death] descriptor, his effective caster level by +1 (for purposes of determining level-dependent spell variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only).
Bypass Wards: All spells that a Death Magus casts with the [Death] descriptor are immune and bypass other spells of a level equal or lower to the number indicated on the chart (using an effect similar to Globe of Invulnerability, meaning spells heightened to a level above the Bypass Wards ability function normally). This ability even defeats Dispel Magic at level 6.
Evil's Favor: At 3rd level, the Death Magus gains the Evil Domain, gaining its domain power (this stacks with the Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts ability) and adding its domain spells to his spellbook or spells known for free.
Necromantic Expert: Whenever the Death Magus casts a spell from the Necromancy school, his effective caster level by +1 (for purposes of determining level-dependent spell variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only). This ability stacks with Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts ability and the Evil domain.
Death's Wish: At 3rd level, the Death Magus gains the Death Domain, gaining its domain power (the death touch ability uses his Death Magus level to determine its effects) and adding its domain spells to his spellbook or spells known for free.
Final Utterance (Su): Upon reaching 0 or less hitpoints, the Death Magus automatically let's loose with a Power Word: Kill immediately, targeting whomever he wishes (as long as he could target normally), even interrupting his attacker's action. This effect, being supernatural, does not provoke an AoO, and functions even if the Death Magus goes below -10 hitpoints. If the Death Magus somehow manages to survive the encounter, he may use this ability only once per day.
Mastery of the Forbidden Arts: Once per day, a 10th level Death Magus may declare that he is using this ability before casting a spell with the [Death] descriptor. The target or targets of the spell must make two successful consecutive Fortitude saves for the death effect of the spell or else suffer its full effects. If they make both saves they only take any secondary damage the spell may have, if any. Furthermore, when the Death Magus apples Death Spell metamagic feat, it only uses a spell slot one level higher than normal.
New Feat:
Death Spell [Metamagic]
Requisite: Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Benefit: This metamagic feat may only be applied to a spell that deals damage and has a duration of instantaneous. All targets who take damage from the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10+1 for every 10 points of damage suffered) or die. Furthermore, the spell gains the [Death] descriptor (and is thus it is negated by spells like Death Ward). Undead targeted by the spell suffers damage normally, but are immune to the death effect. A death spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.
Comments, suggestions, and feedback welcome
There are few brave enough to talk about these few wizards and sorcerers, as Death Maguses specialize in being assassins with their spells. They carefully twist negative energy, entwining it with their regular spells in order to snuff out the life force of their opponents. As such, they are notorious and feared for their sheer killing potential-even some of the most potent spells of protections are ineffective against their death magick.
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
In order to be a Death Magus, the character must fulfill all of the following criteria:
Skills: Spellcraft 8 ranks
Feats: Death Spell (see below), Heighten Spell, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Spell Penetration
Spells: Access to 4th level arcane spells, at least one of which must be from the necromancy school.
Alignment: Any Evil
Special: The Death Magus must be a specialist necromancer.
Class Skills:
The Death Magus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier
Code:
Level BAB F/R/W Special
1st +0 2/0/2 Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts, Extra Specialization
2nd +1 3/0/3 Bypass Wards (1st)
3rd +1 3/1/3 Evil's Favor
4th +2 4/1/4 Bypass Wards (2nd)
5th +2 4/1/4 Extra Specialization, Necromantic Expert
6th +3 5/2/5 Bypass Wards (3rd)
7th +3 5/2/5 Death's Wish
8th +4 6/2/6 Bypass Wards (4th)
9th +4 6/3/6 Final Utterance
10th +5 7/3/7 Bypass Wards (5th), Mastery of the Forbidden ArtsClass Features
The following are class features of the Death Magus prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Death Magus gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Spells Per Day/Spells Known: At each Death Magus level except level 10, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. he does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Death Magus, the player must decide to which class to add each Death Magus level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Extra Specialization:Upon gaining this class, and later upon reaching 5th level, the Death Magus must choose a spell school not already banned. From here on, he may not learn any new spells from this school, but he maintains the knowledge and ability to cast any spells of this school he learned prior to gaining a level in the Death Magus class (or 5th level in the class, for the second time).
Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts: Whenever the Death Magus casts a spell with the [Death] descriptor, his effective caster level by +1 (for purposes of determining level-dependent spell variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only).
Bypass Wards: All spells that a Death Magus casts with the [Death] descriptor are immune and bypass other spells of a level equal or lower to the number indicated on the chart (using an effect similar to Globe of Invulnerability, meaning spells heightened to a level above the Bypass Wards ability function normally). This ability even defeats Dispel Magic at level 6.
Evil's Favor: At 3rd level, the Death Magus gains the Evil Domain, gaining its domain power (this stacks with the Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts ability) and adding its domain spells to his spellbook or spells known for free.
Necromantic Expert: Whenever the Death Magus casts a spell from the Necromancy school, his effective caster level by +1 (for purposes of determining level-dependent spell variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only). This ability stacks with Apprentice of the Forbidden Arts ability and the Evil domain.
Death's Wish: At 3rd level, the Death Magus gains the Death Domain, gaining its domain power (the death touch ability uses his Death Magus level to determine its effects) and adding its domain spells to his spellbook or spells known for free.
Final Utterance (Su): Upon reaching 0 or less hitpoints, the Death Magus automatically let's loose with a Power Word: Kill immediately, targeting whomever he wishes (as long as he could target normally), even interrupting his attacker's action. This effect, being supernatural, does not provoke an AoO, and functions even if the Death Magus goes below -10 hitpoints. If the Death Magus somehow manages to survive the encounter, he may use this ability only once per day.
Mastery of the Forbidden Arts: Once per day, a 10th level Death Magus may declare that he is using this ability before casting a spell with the [Death] descriptor. The target or targets of the spell must make two successful consecutive Fortitude saves for the death effect of the spell or else suffer its full effects. If they make both saves they only take any secondary damage the spell may have, if any. Furthermore, when the Death Magus apples Death Spell metamagic feat, it only uses a spell slot one level higher than normal.
New Feat:
Death Spell [Metamagic]
Requisite: Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Benefit: This metamagic feat may only be applied to a spell that deals damage and has a duration of instantaneous. All targets who take damage from the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10+1 for every 10 points of damage suffered) or die. Furthermore, the spell gains the [Death] descriptor (and is thus it is negated by spells like Death Ward). Undead targeted by the spell suffers damage normally, but are immune to the death effect. A death spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.
Comments, suggestions, and feedback welcome
Last edited:
(i'll fix it in just a sec) I started with the Peddler for the basic stuff like HD, skills, just for the skeleton, then forgot to edit that part out, lol.
At least PW: K doesn't effect those with more than 50 hps for the targetting version, so if the battle is swift it may potentially do nothing at all.
