Cataclysm Mage

Description:

Eberron has seen many ages come and go; each with their own lessons to learn from or dreadful mistakes to repeat. A cataclysm mage actively seeks out the forgotten events of the past in the hopes to better understand exactly where life, time, fate or whatever force that unfolds is taking the world. In his pursuits of the ancient knowledge, he comes to understand how the great and powerful forces of previous ages were destroyed, either by their own hand or someone else's. Eventually, he understands that even the Draconic Prophecy sufferes from this same cycle of repetition and thus is able to surpass even the will of the dragons.

Role: A cataclysm mage takes on many of the same roles as other arcane spellcasters do, only with a bit more interest in seeking out strange and specifically dangerous trouble.

Source: EB, pg. 58

Alignment: Any

Hit Dice: d6

Requirements:

To qualify to become a cataclysm mage, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (history) 5 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 5 ranks.

Feats: Craft Magic Arms and Armor.

Spells: Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells.

Special: Character must have received a vision, like those from a Dusk Hag, a draconic prophecy or other plot-related development.

Class Skills:

The cataclysm mage's class skills (and the key abilities for each skill) are Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (any) Wis and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Cataclysm Mage

Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the asdf prestige class.

Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Cataclysm mages do not gain any new proficiencies with weapons or armor.

Spells per Day / Spells Known: At the indicated levels, a cataclysm mage gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous caster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If he had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a cataclysm mage, he must decide to which class she adds the new level for the purpose of determining spells per day. Once this decision is made, it cannot be changed.

Personal Prophecy: At the 1st, 4th and 7th levels, the cataclysm mage receives a vision, called a Personal Prophecy. This vision details a truly unusual and seeming impossible (read: very difficult) goal. Should the cataclysm mage manage to successfully complete this prophecy, the next four hero points that he spends to add a bonus to a d20 roll are increased by 50% (+12 if before the d20 roll or +6 if after the d20 roll). This benefit has not affect on any other use of hero points. To determine what exactly this prophecy is, the GM should detail a task, in the form of a single sentence, to the cataclysm mage. The implied Challenge Rating of this task should be no less than two higher than the average party level (APL +2) and no greater than APL +6. However, the cataclysm mage only has to satisfy the wording of the task, not the actual implied challenge rating. Ultimately, gauging success in this matter is left to the GM, but players should be rewarded for providing a clever solution to a prophecy. Some examples include:

• • Swim across a lake of fire

  • Hold a dragon in your hand

  • Walk for four days and four nights without sleep through the Mournland

  • Sleep in the bed of a demon

  • Be of two spirits in one body

  • Die and be raised in room you were born

  • Speak to a giant that never dreams

  • Bind a warrior in a rope of ash

A cataclysm mage cannot have more than four hero points that have been amplified by a successful Personal Prophecy at any given time.

Dhakaani Secret (Ex): By studying the ways of Dhakanni metalsmiths, you are able to add any of the following weapon, armor or shield special qualities without any increase in crafting time. You are also assumed to know the prerequisite spells for determining the Spellcraft DC, even if you do not. The price of the item creation remains the same.

• • Armor Special Qualities: Defiant (aberration), Grinding, Impervious, Light Fortification or Shadow

  • Shield Special Qualities: Arrow Catching, Bashing, Blinding, Defiant (aberration), Grinding or Impervious

  • Weapon Special Qualities: Bane (aberration), Cruel, Furious, Keen, Mighty Cleaving, Ominous, Thundering or Vicious

Xoriart Secret (Ex): By understanding the manner in which the Dhakanni fell to the minions of Xoriat, the cataclysm mage becomes immune to Confusion or any insanity effect.

Cataclysm of Flesh (Su): By reliving the final battles of the Dhakanni and the minions of Xoriat, the cataclysm mage is able to unleash a tear into the fabric of Xoriat and let its energy spill out into his immediate are. This power has a range of close (25' + 5' per 2 caster levels) and creates an 20' radius burst. All those in the area of effect, except the cataclysm mage and any aberrations, have their flesh begin to literally melt from their forms and having it drip away from them in random directions, causing the following effects:

• • Affected creatures can no longer hold anything as their fingers flex in impossible directions of their own accord. This also prevents casting spells with the somatic component.

  • Any movement rate that does not rely on magic is reduced to 10' as the appropriate limbs become rolling masses of ooze

  • Affected creatures are considered blind as their eyes have turned into sponges

  • Affected creatures that attempt to cast spells, manifest psionic powers or use spell-like or psi-like abilities must make a concentration check with a DC equal to 25 + spell or power level. This is in addition to any other concentration check they might have to make.

This effect lasts for 1 round per 2 caster levels and can be entirely resisted with a successful Fortitude save, DC 14 + the cataclysm mage's Int modifier. The cataclysm mage can only use this power once per day as a standard action that provokes.

Cor'Dran Secret (Ex): By studying the ways of the giant sorcerers of Cor'Dran, the cataclysm mage gains the Enlarge Spell and Widen Spell metamagic feats as bonus feats.

Dal Quor Secret (Ex): By studying the manner in which the giants of Cor'Dran fell to the minions of Dal Quor, the cataclysm mage becomes immune to any mind-reading or possession effect.

Cataclysm of Dreams (Su): By reliving the final battles of the giants of Cor'Dran and the minions of Dal Quor, the cataclysm mage is able to unleash a dreamquake, resulting in damage to both the dreaming and waking world alike. This power has a range of close (25' + 5' per 2 caster levels) and creates a 20' radius burst. All those in the area of effect, except the cataclysm mage and any outsiders of the quori subtype, have their minds begin to fray as the world around them begins to crumble, causing the following effects:

• • Affected intelligent creatures must make a Will save, DC 16 + the cataclysm mage's Int modifier, or be panicked for the duration. Those that make their save are only shaken for the duration. This part is a mind-affected fear effect.

  • Affected creatures must make an Acrobatics check, DC 20, each round or fall prone as the ground shakes.

  • Affected buildings and structures take a total of 20 points of damage per round. This damage bypasses hardness.

This effect lasts for 1 round per 2 caster levels. The cataclysm mage can only use this power once per day as a standard action that provokes.

Ashtakalan Secret (Ex): By studying the ways that the demons of Astakala managed to control the ancient dragons, the cataclysm mage gets a +1 to the DC for any enchantment (charm or compulsion) spell he casts. This stacks with Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus.

Haka'torvhak Secret (Ex): By studying the ways that the ancient dragons manage to defeat the demons of Astakala, the cataclysm mage gets a +2 insight bonus to caster level checks mage to overcome spell resistance. This stacks with Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration.

Cataclysm of Silver (Sp): By reliving the final battles of the demons of Astakala and the ancient dragons that won their freedom, the cataclysm mage is able to summon the purity of rage that swept the battle, resulting the holy vengeance against the wicked. This equates to the ability to generate a Flame Strike once per day, using the cataclysm mage's total caster level, except that evil outsiders are not allowed a saving throw and the spell resistance of evil outsiders is automatically overcome.

Secret of the Prophecy (Sp): By understanding how the Draconic Prophecy foretold all of these previous cataclysms and battles, the cataclysm mage is able to slightly alter the Prophecy itself. Once per day, when the cataclysm takes the time to prepare his spells, he can choose to manifest a greater dragonmark of his choosing, as if he had the Least True Dragonmark, Lesser True Dragonmark and Greater True Dragonmark feats. All of these feats must be from the same type of true dragonmark, but the exact type can be changed out at the beginning of each new day. If the cataclysm mage already has a dragonmark, true or aberrant, this ability temporarily replaces his natural dragonmark (and all feats that go along with it). Thus, with this power, a cataclysm mage can choose the Greater True Dragonmark of Healing one day, choosing his appropriate spell-like abilities for the day, then keep the Greater True Dragonmark of Healing but swapping out some of the spell-like abilities on the next day and then choosing the Greater True Dragonmark of Scribing on the day after that. Unlike natural dragonmarks, the race of the cataclysm mage is not an issue and the cataclysm mage can also change where on his body the dragonmark manifests each day.

There is one significant downside to this power. The first time that a cataclysm mage uses a spell-like ability granted to him by this 'fake' dragonmark, he is tampering with the will of the Draconic Prophecy. This WILL become known to the dragons of Argonnessen within a fortnight, regardless of what steps that the party takes to hide it. Once known, any dragon that follows the Prophecy, as well as all of their servants, will begin taking steps to make sure the cataclysm mage is not just simply killed, but to make sure that the cataclysm mage has no hope of resurrection. This will not take the form of a direct tactical strike... usually. The dragons of the Prophecy are far too careful to waste resources against a prepared enemy. Instead, they will influence the opposition the party is already facing, providing them with important information and allowing the opposition to act must wiser than they would otherwise.