The new and improved Mortai!!!

[dante58701]

I made this out of sheer boredom. I was tired of the mortai having the cheesy central core...and lacking it's psionics, for christs sake..its a big puffy cloud. Use a fireball.


Mortai
Colossal Outsider (Air, Extraplanar, Good, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 30d8+210 (345 hp)
Initiative: +11
Speed: Fly 360 ft (perfect) (72 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (- 8 size, +7 Dex, +7 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 9
Base Attack/Grapple: +30/-
Attack: -
Full Attack: -
Space/Reach: 100 ft/ -
Special Attacks: Legendary lightning, psionics, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Air mastery, cloud form, extended senses, gaseous form, immune to weapon damage, legend lore, power resistance 40, spell resistance 40, telepathy - 5 miles
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +24, Will +26
Abilities: Str -, Dex 24, Con 24, Int 23, Wis 25, Cha 25
Skills: Appraise +16, Bluff +21, Concentration +40, Diplomacy +43, Disguise +17* (+19 acting), Escape Artist +17, Gather Information +33, Hide +19*, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (any five) +39, Listen +27, Move Silently +27, Search +28, Sense Motive +42, Spellcraft +39, Spot +27, Survival +27 (+29 following tracks)

Feats: Extend Spell (wind wall), Improved Initiative, Investigator, Iron Will, Negotiator, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (control winds), Quicken Spell-Like Ability (gust of wind)
Epic Feats: Epic Reputation, Epic Skill Focus (Knowledge [any]) (x3)
Environment: Wilderness of the Beastlands
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 38
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Advancement: 31-90 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: -

This appears to be a cloud of immense dimensions, so great that it spans the horizon, towering thousands of feet into the air. Along the surface of this cloud are great faces of various humanoid and other creatures; faces of wisdom and beauty. The cloud pulses with a golden light, and seems to crackle with intense power.

Mortai are immensely powerful enigmatic creatures that roam the skies of the Upper Planes. Mortai are believed to be native to the Beastlands, but are sometimes found on other planes, particularly Arcadia. When seen in Arcadia, mortai are said to glow with a pulsing golden light. They are also known as the “faces in the clouds” and even the “eyes of the gods,” though they have no known connection to such higher powers. The purpose and origin of the mortai is unknown, and they are seemingly godlike in their position. Some believe them to be collections of slightly chaotic good wind spirits, or demipowers of the sky and storms. Another theory suggests that they are manifestations of the life-force of the Beastlands.

Mortai are very able creatures of the air, and are the masters of their environment. The weather around them seems to be independent of the mortai, so their role regarding the meteorologic conditions of the Beastlands is uncertain. They can, however, command the atmosphere around them with perfect control and precision when they so desire.

Mortai are usually ignored by most creatures, who either don’t realize they are there or those who know what they are and choose not to bother them. Likewise, mortai tend to ignore most activities on the ground. They are surprisingly friendly though, and do sometimes choose to interact with inquisitive creatures. They love to hold philosophical discussions and impart knowledge, often making use of their legend lore ability. Some who have spoken with a mortai have reported hearing faint voices and laughter among the clouds, as if unseen presences were listening in. Some creatures have had less friendly encounters with a mortai – they are infamous pranksters. Though the mortai mean to cause no harm, they may pester a being all day for the fun of it with wind and rain.

A mortai knows all languages, and speaks with a booming voice of wind and thunder, when it bothers to speak at all.

Combat

Mortai are so mighty and arrogant that they believe themselves above petty battles and common squabbles. They are pacifistic and refuse to be goaded into combat by threats, taunts, insults and the like, nor will they attack most creatures due to their actions or alignment. Because it is so high in the air, it is a serious challenge to reach a mortai to gain the position or advantage enough just to simply attack it, and then the mortai is immune to most sorts of attack. A mortai will always prefer to flee, even from obviously weaker foes, using its impressive speed.

A persistent enemy, usually an evil creature that needs to be taught a lesson, will occasionally be able to force a mortai into combat. A mortai’s main attack is its deadly bolt of lightning; this has no limit to number of uses per day, and the mortai can use it both to attack creatures on the ground and those who fly up to meet it. If that is not enough, the mortai has an array of potent wind-related spell-like abilities at its disposal. However, a mortai has a hidden, vulnerable core of power in its center – if a creature comes looking for this it will have to face the mortai’s lethal lightning!

If this fails it will then attempt to use it's vast psionic powers to gain control of it's opponents. Once this is accomplished, it simply forces them to serve it until it feels they have made ammends.

Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against a mortai.

Cloud Form (Ex): A mortai is able to shift its cloudy shape to nearly any size and shape (Colossal only), and can even appear as a dark storm cloud. As such, a mortai has a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks and a +16 racial bonus on Hide checks when among clouds.

Extended Senses (Ex): A mortai sees and hears up to 5 miles away. It also has darkvision out to the same distance.

Gaseous Form (Ex): A mortai’s insubstantial form grants it immunity to critical hits and flanking. A mortai cannot run, but it can fly, and it is subject to winds. It cannot ever wear armor, manipulate solid objects, or enter water or other liquids. It can pass through small holes or narrow openings – even mere cracks. It also can occupy squares occupied by enemies.

Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): A mortai can only be harmed by energy-based attacks and effects. Physical attacks are simply useless.

Legendary Lightning (Ex): Once per round, a mortai is able to unleash an awesome lightning bolt that is 10-feet square in diameter, and affects everything in its path. This bolt always strikes the ground where the mortai directs it, and can be up to 5 miles in length. All creatures and objects in the path of this bolt suffer 30d6 points of electricity damage (Reflex DC 32 half). Any creature standing on the ground when struck by this bolt must also succeed on a DC 32 Fortitude save or be stunned for 3d10 rounds. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Legend Lore (Su): A mortai can duplicate the effects of a legend lore spell, as a free action. A mortai receives this information instantly, and the information is always accurate as if the mortai had the person or thing at hand or was in the place in question.

Psionics (Ps): A mortai manifests psionics as a 30th-level psion (telepath) and knows all non-epic psionic powers (and typically 1-10 epic psionic powers).

They nearly always use these powers as a last resort. Although their psionic powers are quite potent, only the eldest amongst them truly develop any metapsionic feats. This rate of development is purely cultural in nature. There are exceptions to this general rule.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - acid fog, air walk (targets another creature), call lightning (bestowed upon another creature) (DC 20), chain lightning (DC 23), control winds (DC 22), fog cloud, gust of wind (DC 19), ice storm, rainbow pattern (DC 21), summon monster IX (air elementals and outsiders only), whispering wind, wind walk, wind wall; 7/day - cloudkill (DC 22); 3/day - control weather, whirlwind (DC 25); 1/day - elemental swarm (cast as an air spell only). Caster level 30th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

 

[SpiralBound]

Wow. As I said in another of your creature threads, a very cool creature, but one that I would find hard to find a place for due to it's immense power. This creature is so powerful that it would practically be a "campaign stopper" when it appeared. Not in that it would end the campaign, (unless the PC's were dumb enough to attack it until it retaliated...), bu more in the sense that it would effectively put the campaign on hold until it left again. It would be that much of a disruption. Still, very cool and fun to read about if nothing else.

 

[dante58701]

They are kinda the answer guys in my campaigns. The know it alls PC's go to for info. There not meant to be fought, but if they were...sheesh. Id break out my +50 Grounding Umbralla of Molting.

 

[dante58701]

If you like this, you'll like my frightening adaptation of the anakim,see below.....

I was inspired by Krusty of the Epic Bestiary...The GURU himself. As well as the maker of the Carnifex class and the makers of Silent Hill.

I didnt make the original anakim predecessor or the carnifex class. But the adaptation was my idea.

See the horror!!!

Abomination, Carnifex (Bloody One)
Large Outsider (Abomination, Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 45d8+765 (945 hp)
Initiative: +7 (-1 Dex, +4 divine, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares)
Armor Class: 60 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +4 divine, +37 natural, +11 deflection), touch 23, flat-footed 60
Base Attack/Grapple: +45/+93
Attack: +17 Huge Adamantine Everdancing, Ghost Touch, Unholy Power Greataxe +106 melee (4d8+73/19-20), or Slam +88 melee (8d6+44/19-20), or rock +91 ranged (4d6+44)
Full Attack: +17 Huge Adamantine Everdancing, Ghost Touch, Unholy Power Greataxe +106/+101/+96/+91 melee (8d6+73/19-20), 2 slams +88 melee (4d8+44/19- 20), or rock +91 ranged (4d6+44)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend 8d8+64, rock throwing, shuck the flesh, spell-like abilities, summon titan, weakness gaze
Special Qualities: Abomination traits, acid resistance 20, cold immunity, damage reduction 20/epic, good, and lawful, electricity resistance 20, fear aura, fire resistance 20, legendary strength, outsider traits, possession, regeneration 20, sonic resistance 20, spell resistance 59
Saves: Fort +41, Ref +27, Will +28
Abilities: Str 90, Dex 8, Con 45, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 33
Skills: Climb +92, Hide +51, Intimidate +63, Jump +112, Knowledge (the planes) +53, Listen +52, Search +53, Spellcraft +53, Spot +52
Feats: Cleave, Dark Speech, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (greataxe and slam), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Sunder, Quicken Spell-like Ability (greater dispel magic), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Epic Feats: Devastating Critical (greataxe), Dire Charge, Epic Potency (x2), Overwhelming Critical (greataxe)
Environment: Lower planes of the Abyss, Pandemonium, and Tartarus.
Organization: Solitary or with Titan
Challenge Rating: 45
Treasure: Standard and +17 Huge Adamantine Everdancing, Ghost Touch, Unholy Power Greataxe
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 46-66 HD (Large), 67-89 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +15

This excruciatingly powerful humanoid stands nearly twice the height of a man with an impossibly muscled frame. Its bronzed and weather-beaten limbs bulge ominously as if some twisted parody of power. It's slenderly muscular physique giving it the grace of a god. The creature wears only a pair of ripped pants, though a huge black two-handed double-bladed battleaxe rests in it's clenched hands, a greataxe to put all other greataxes to shame. The monster flexes its mighty frame, and steps forward, seeking perhaps, to intimidate any foes with mannerisms not dissimilar to that of cold blooded killers and sociopaths. As it strides to the attack, the surrounding area shakes and trembles as if even the terrain fears its approach.

Amongst the strongest of all abominations, the carnifex are the unwanted offspring born from the loins of deities of murder who satisfied their lust consorting wittingly with anakim.

Carnifex wander the lower planes seeking to prove themselves against all and sundry. Though their might is unquestioned, their lack of intelligence means they are ill-suited as leaders, though a few do carve out territories to lord over. Most, though, find employ as enforcers for evil deities or the most powerful demon rulers. However, carnifex will only serve those whom they believe more powerful than themselves.

Carnifex are sadistic and cruel. Nearly everything they do is intentional, for them, no crime is too cruel or too vicious. Stalking their prey for even years at a time, they will hunt them to the ends of the earth. When carnifex meet others of their kind they must always prove who is the stronger, these contests are brutal and bloody affairs, not for the faint hearted. Thriving on bloodshed and horror, they truly enjoy the terror they instill in others.

A few cults exist worshipping carnifex, usually revolving around a single, physically powerful leader, who bullies the weak willed into servitude and toadying to facilitate their own ego, with any actual ‘worship’ of the carnifex a crude excuse for acts of brutality. These anarchistic mobs adopt the creed that ‘might makes right’, and act much like street gangs starting fights wherever and whenever, either with random strangers, or, failing that, other cultists. Members weild greataxes and disdain the use of armor. Leaders wear necklaces made from the pinky fingers of defeated foes as a badge of office. These organizations often stress the value of keeping silent about the cults activities, and those who break this rule are hung, drawn and quartered.

Carnifex are 15 feet tall and weigh a massive 24 tons (48,000 pounds) due to extreme muscular density.

Combat

Carnifex usually engage in wanton destruction causing as much collateral damage as possible until engaged by a significant challenge. They prefer to melee as many opponents as possible to inflict the maximum amount of pain with their silent screams. They use summoned titans to gauge an opponents power, so that they can identify and challenge the strongest foe.

A carnifex’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields are treated as chaotic-aligned, epic and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Abomination Traits:

• Divine Traits: Abominations are effectively quasi-deities and as such add a +4 divine bonus to: armor class; attack rolls; checks (ability checks, caster level checks, skill checks, turning checks); difficulty class (for any special abilities, spell-like abilities, spells); initiative; saving throws and spell resistance.

• Immunities: Abominations are immune to enchantment, illusionist and transmutation magic. They are not subject to energy drain, ability damage or drain.

• Special Qualities: Abominations are not subject to death from massive damage and have maximum hit points per Hit Die.

• Telepathy: Abominations can communicate telepathically with any creature within 1000 feet that has a language.

• Virtual Size Category: Most abominations have at least 15 points of strength beyond the average for creatures of that size and as such gain a Virtual Size Category. Carnifex have a total of 4 Virtual Size Categories.

Carnifex Abilities: Carnifex innately function as carnifex (as per the class) of half their level.

Fear Aura (Su): Carnifex can radiate a 45-foot radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 47) or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 49th). A creature that saves cannot be affected by the same carnifex’s aura for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based.

Legendary Strength (Ex): The carnifex's strength is the stuff of legend. Their strength score is twice that of other abominations their size, and as a result gain +4 Virtual Size Categories.

Outsider Traits: Carnifex have darkvision (60 foot range). They cannot be raised or resurrected.

Regeneration (Su): Carnifex take normal damage from weapons that are both epic and either good or lawful aligned, and from spells or effects with the good or lawful descriptors.

Rend (Ex): If an carnifex hits an opponent with both slam attacks it seizes the opponent and attempts to break them in half. This attack deals an additional 8d8+64 damage.

Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 800 feet for a carnifex’s thrown rocks.

Shuck the Flesh (Su): Carnifex can can shuck the flesh from the bones of their still living prey, as a standard action, provided they have already succeeded at a grapple check. This deals 45d6 points of damage. Half of this damage is treated as divine energy. A creature shucked of their flesh must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC45) or die instantly. It also causes creatures to be stunned for 1d3 rounds, assuming they survive. Creatures without both bones and flesh are instead torn assunder, but the effects remain the same. The carnifex can use this attack once every 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will – animate dead, big clenched fist, big grasping hand, bull’s strength, contagion (DC 28), create greater undead, create undead, detect good, detect law, detect magic, disintegrate (DC 31), dispel good, earthquake, enlarge person, greater dispel magic, harm, magic circle against good, mass inflict light wounds, planeshift, righteous might, shatter, spell immunity, symbol of fear, symbol of insanity, unholy blight; 3/day - big crushing hand, implosion (DC 34); 1/day - let go of me; 1/week - kinetic control. Caster Level 49th; Save DC 25 + spell level.

Summon Titan (Sp): Once per week the carnifex can summon a titan. Duration 20 rounds. This is akin to a 14th-level spell. Epic Spell DC 70.

Weakness Gaze (Su): 4d10 Strength drain, 40 feet, Fortitude save (DC 47) negates. The save DC is Charisma-based. Those creatures otherwise immune to ability damage/drain, still suffer half the effect if they fail their saving throw.

Possessions: The carnifex wield a +17 Huge Adamantine Everdancing, Ghost Touch, Unholy Power Greataxe. This is predominantly blue-black in color, but has faint reddish inlays of orichalcum increasing not only its already prodigious weight, but also the resultant damage when it hits. The greataxe weighs some 146.2 tons (327,680 pounds).

Occasionally a carnifex will employ poison (purple worm poison) on the greataxe; Fortitude save (DC 24), initial damage 1d6 Strength, secondary damage 2d6 Strength.


Carnifex

Consummate torturers, pitiless murderers, creatures weaned on the virtues of cruelty and exploitation one and all... to be a Carnifex is to meditate on the frailties of the body and mind, to cleanse oneself of mercy’s weakness and forever seek to better one's ability to maim the flesh and degrade the spirit.

Like assassins and rogues, the Carnifex's discipline centers to a great degree around the knowledge of human and demi-human anatomy, but where both pursue arts founded on murderous expediency, the Carnifex endeavors to cripple and demoralize before the kill. To strike well before they strike deep is their ideal, marking the degradation of flesh and spirit as a worthier accomplishment than the mere dispatching of a foe.

Some Carnifexes wed the cruelty of their art to the imperious dictates of tyrants and conquerors, serving as grim enforcers of the rule of law. Others are but deviants, insatiably drawn to savor and enact the manifold ways in which strength and will can be made to crumble. All are fanatics, whatever their affiliations or lack thereof, implacably drawn to sculpt and break the minds of perceived offenders or easy prey through the cleansing fires of torment.

Through the lives they lead, the atrocities they feel charged or entitled to commit, Carnifexes become inescapably versed in the horrors of life and sensation, which the mortal mind can never hope to encompass. Having seen firsthand the depths to which others can fall, the Carnifex grows to discard that which stands as common ground between them; reforging themselves as creatures unreachable and inhuman, their hearts purged of all empathy, fear and doubt.

Alignment: The Carnifex's unswerving focus upon bloodshed and torment preclude goodness on their part, though not all are murderous and depraved as a matter of course. One doesn't necessarily have to be evil to specialize in such a gruesome craft, but few would argue that it helps.

Carnifexes have the following game statistics.

Abilities: A Carnifex often depends on their strength to lay emphasis to their assault, their dexterity to execute more devious and intricate maneuvers, or when their cruelty leads them to favor lighter weapons, their wisdom to better target and discern the weaknesses of their foes, and their charisma to cow and horrify others with violent displays.

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill points at 1st level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4

Skill points at each additional level: 6 + Int modifier

Starting Gold: 6d4 x10

BAB: As a Fighter's

Saves: Fortitude Good

Level Special
1 Baleful Prowess
2 Bloodstained Reverie
3 ---
4 Reaver’s Art, Fell Prodigy
5 ---
6 Hand of Mercy, Hand of Torment, Sanguine Detachment
7 ---
8 Reaver’s Art, Fell Prodigy
9 ---
10 Lurid Pangs, Virulent Edge
11 ---
12 Reaver’s Art, Fell Prodigy
13 ---
14 Lurid Pangs
15 ---
16 Reaver’s Art, Virulent Edge
17 ---
18 Glacial Divide
19 ---
20 Reaver’s Art, Resonant Infliction

Class Features

Carnifexes have the following Class Features:

Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Carnifexes are proficient with all simple weapons, all martial weapons, and light armor.

Baleful Prowess (Ex): The Carnifex knows well the virtues of precision and alacrity, and automatically gains the weapon finesse feat. In addition to being able to apply their dexterity modifier as their attack bonus with light weapons, they can also do so with a single one-handed melee weapon of their choice.

Bloodstained Reverie (Ex): at 2nd level, the Carnifex has become almost spiritually attuned with the spark of violence. Through their own ferocity and exhilaration in the wake of bloodletting, they can all but see and feel the malicious intent of their opponents take form in near prophetic insight toward the cadence of battle. Against creatures that are not mindless, the Carnifex may add their wisdom modifier, if positive, as an insight bonus to their AC while they are wearing light or no armor.

Reaver’s Art (Ex): At 4th level, the Carnifex has turned crippling and disfigurement into their life’s art. Whenever they score a critical hit, they may forsake their critical modifier to ensure that their attacks unduly maim their opponents; shattering bones, cleaving tendons, and rending muscle to mangled, weeping fiber. The opponent who falls pray to this ability must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC: 10 + the Carnifex’s class level) or suffer a -2 circumstance penalty on their attack rolls, armor class, saving throws, and skill checks for the remainder of the battle.

The Carnifex gains additional options as to the effect of their Reaver's Art ability every 4 levels as indicated:

At 8th level, the Carnifex has mastered the art of impeding a target’s range of movement through the ruthless precision of their attacks: parting muscle and sinew, wrenching skin from the bone, and ultimately ensuring that their victim’s every step is hobbled by an accompanying surge of pain. Should the Carnifex wish it, the target’s movement rate is effectively reduced to half by this ability, running or charging becomes impossible, and the target suffers a -4 circumstance penalty against tripping checks and on balance rolls.

At 12th level, the Carnifex can choose to maul the opponent’s primary weapon arm or attacking limb. The target suffers a -5 circumstance penalty on all attack rolls and disarm checks pertaining to the damaged limb, against those wielding weapons two-handed, this penalty is halve but the damage modifier is reduced to the standard single-handed equivalent; a target wielding a weapon in one hand must succeed against an immediate opposed attack roll with the aforementioned penalty to avoid dropping their weapon. For monsters, consider the attack listed under ‘attack’ as the affected weapon.

At 16th level, the Carnifex can choose to crack or split the target’s ribs, causing the bones’ jagged ends to saw into the target’s underlying flesh. Each round, the victim of this attack suffers 1d6 points subdual damage and cannot run lest they suffer the same amount of damage in lethal form. Any movement on the target’s part fatigues them, and a successive instance of this Reaver’s Art levels them exhausted and prone.

At 20th level, the Carnifex may choose to strike with such skill and subtlety that their attack not only bares and excises a targeted mass of muscular or organ tissue, but leaves the surrounding area exquisitely intact and all too responsive in its wake… The initial trauma inflicts 1d6 points of constitution drain, incurs the risk of death through massive damage (Fort DC: 15), and the raw surge of pain that accompanies the vivisection incurs a 50% chance on the target’s part that they will be too blinded by their continuing agony to perform any actions in the wake of their mutilation. All spell casting attempts must first muster a successful Concentration check at the Reaver’s Art DC even if the target does manage to overcome the aforementioned percentile, and any full-round movement on the target’s part will inflict a point of temporary constitution damage on top of the existing drain.

Three consecutive rounds of movement leave the target nauseated, no save, and should the target elude the Carnifex or be spared immediate execution, they lose another constitution point per day, find it impossible to rest, and can suffer neither drink nor sustenance.

All effects of the Reaver’s Art special ability end as soon as the target receives magical healing or two days of complete rest; in the last case, only the Regeneration spell can mend the constitution drain inflicted.

Fell Prodigy (Ex): The Carnifex has gleaned much from their depredations: every panicked scream that they have coaxed forth, every crippling wound that they have wrought upon an opponent’s flesh, every spirit crushed by their brutality leads them to a perpetually burgeoning awareness of mortal frailty. Killer's knowledge and instinct are woven as one into the fabric of their being, and the Carnifex grows increasingly adept at exploiting the wages of agony and horror as a result:

At the 4th level, this awareness manifests as a heightened sensitivity to physical and psychological symptoms of infirmity, such as a fear, exhaustion, and frailty. Against opponents who are Shaken, Panicked, Cowering, Fatigued, Exhausted, or who have a negative constitution modifier, the Carnifex may treat the sum of the target’s penalty as an insight bonus on all attack, intimidation, and bluff rolls against them. Only the highest penalty is to be taken into account for this bonus. Henceforth, Carnifex levels count as rogue levels for the purposes of overcoming the Uncanny Dodge traits.

At the 8th level, the Carnifex has further honed their ability to gauge the extent of one’s degradation and vitality, enabling them to surmise the degree of a threat that their enemies yet pose, and how far they are from total collapse. Through instinct, experience, and awareness of even the most elusive of signs, the Carnifex can determine a subject’s proximity to death provided that there are within viewing range. This mimics the effects of the deathwatch spell, and grants the Carnifex a +4 insight bonus on all Sense Motive checks against helpless opponents and those who normally fall within the Fragile range of the deathwatch spectrum.

At the 12th level, the Carnifex has achieved thorough mastery in the ways of butchery and infliction, increasing the DC on all saves against their Reaver’s Art by four and allowing them to wield any weapon that they are proficient with as though they possessed the improved critical feat. This is not cumulative with latter or prior instances of the feat, or anything else that nature, save for the Keen weapon quality.

At the 16th level, the Carnifex may viciously exploit lapses in their opponent’s defense. The Carnifex may inflict their base Reaver’s Art against flat-footed opponents with or without a confirmed critical.

At the 20th level, it becomes perfectly second nature for the Carnifex to outmaneuver, overpower, and all the more thoroughly exploit all weakness and instability in their opponents and victims. Those who through anxiety or weakness afford the Carnifex an insight bonus against them, as per the first tier of this trait, automatically count as flat-footed for the purposes of the Carnifex’s attacks.

Hand of Mercy, Hand of Torment (Ex): At 6th level, the Carnifex guides their blade with ruthless instinct and a morbidly discerning eye, their attacks affecting a cruel balance of viciousness and subtlety to rend the flesh to in the most agonizing of ways, to heighten and prolong suffering as pleases the Carnifex. The Carnifex can inflict subdual damage without suffering any penalty to their attack rolls, although all but the base Reaver’s Art rely on lethal damage, and against creatures that are susceptible to critical hits, the Carnifex may add their wisdom modifier, if positive, as an insight bonus to the damage that they deal.

The Carnifex may apply their Healing skill to further exacerbate the symptoms and scope of physical injuries, allowing them to inflict their Reaver’s Art upon helpless targets with no possible save on their part.

Sanguine Detachment (Ex): In the midst of all the misery that they have witnessed, and all the agony they have caused, the Carnifex has become so callous and jaded that they scarcely remain human. The Carnifex receives a +4 bonus against all fear and enchantment based effects, and on all Sense Motive checks directed against them.

Lurid Pangs (Ex): At 10th level, the Carnifex becomes all the more heinously versed in their cruel art, their brutality made manipulative and insidious by the acuity with which they can ply their targets through the agony of infliction. In the event that the Carnifex successfully performs their Reaver’s art, the target must make a Will save (at the same DC + the Carnifex's base charisma modifier, if positive) lest they become shaken. Witnesses to the victim’s agony are all too able to experience their trauma vicariously, and must make the same Will save lest they suffer a -2 morale penalty to their saves and skill checks, provided that they are within thirty feet of the victim.

Creatures with sharp senses, such as low light vision, are susceptible within twice that range. The fear effect is cumulative against the target, should they suffer further in this way.

At 14th level, the Carnifex’s onslaught is pervaded with such violence and horror that those who perish before them are henceforth mired in the trauma of their deaths, becoming so panic-stricken at the very notion of living and all the suffering that they have known it to entail that they must succeed at a Will save (DC: the Carnifex’s class level + the damage of their killing blow) or reflexively shrink away from all reviving overtures.

Virulent Edge (Su): At 10th level, wounds inflicted by the Carnifex rot, weep, and inflame with unnatural haste as the flesh molts and withers before the underlying taint of the assault. Natural or unaided forms of healing, such as that afforded through nonmagical care, rest, and Fast Healing, are voided by the malignant nature of the injuries that have been inflicted. The Carnifex’s attacks always inflict lethal damage against creatures with the Regeneration trait, unless the Carnifex wishes to moderate the damage dealt.

At 16th level, the Carnifex’s attacks naturally assume the Wounding quality.

Glacial Divide (Ex): At the 18th level, the Carnifex has become so inured to bloodshed and tragedy that they are effectively emotionless. Fear, Confusion, and Compulsion are powerless to sway them, and the Carnifex is no longer susceptible to morale bonuses or penalties of any kind. The Carnifex can now take 20 on all bluffs and intimidation that pertain to violence and inscrutability.

Resonant Infliction (Su): At 20th level, the Carnifex is capable of such brutality that it will inexorably permeate the essence of any creature who falls prey to it. Those who are dying or unconscious as a result of the Carnifex’s ministrations are thrown into agonized paroxysms, gnashing and wailing the extremity of their torment with complete abandon.

Even creatures normally immune to criticals are now susceptible to the Reaver’s Art provided that they are sentient (that is, able to imagine the debilitating extremity of the pain that the Carnifex is trained to dispense), and those who are vulnerable at the best of times must make a Will save (DC: 10 + the Carnifex’s level + the Carnifex’s wisdom modifier) if they are rendered dying or disabled through the infliction of the Reaver’s art.

Should they fail, they become permanently insensate as per the effects of the Feeblemind spell.

Helpless creatures subjected to the Reaver’s Art can be sculpted into living Symbols of Pain, at twice the normal range of effect, if the Carnifex is allowed uninterrupted access to them every day for seven days. Such a creature cannot be restored to sanity or independence by any means short of a Miracle, and cannot rest, eat, or drink, although they can be fed with considerable effort. Should the victim of this ability die or be killed, their residual agony will maintain the effect for five rounds afterward, and those already afflicted will suffer its penalties for an hour as though they had merely run out of its range.

Creatures that are immune to fear, and pain are immune to this latter effect, both as potential foci and as victims by proximity, as is the Carnifex.