Prestige Classes

BLESSED OF GRUUMSH

In a world of great magic and heroic deeds, even the more bestial humanoids have champions who wield great power. Witness the Blessed of Gruumsh, servitors of the one-eyed god of the orcs. A blessed of Gruumsh is an orc or half-orc who enjoys the favor of his dark-tempered god. Each exemplifies all that is orc. He is always true to the ways of his race and lives by the words of his god. Masters of combat and intimidation, each is feared - and rightfully so. Blessed of Gruumsh are most often fighters or barbarians, but clerics join their ranks almost as often. Rogues and rangers also make up a large minority of members of this elite group. NPC blessed of Gruumsh are usually leaders among their people or lone, wandering champions fighting for their god's causes. Occasionally they work together in small, tight-knit groups, fighting surprisingly well together.

Hit Die: d10.

Requirements

To qualify to become a blessed of Gruumsh, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Race: Must be orc or half-orc.

Alignment: Any non-good.

Base Attack Bonus: +6.

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks.

Feats: Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Proficiency (orc double-axe).

Special: In a ritual dedicated to Gruumsh, a character seeking to become a blessed of Gruumsh must remove one of his own eyes (to further embody the one-eyed god).

Class Skills

The blessed of Gruumsh's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Blessed of Gruumsh

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the blessed of Grummsh prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A blessed of Gruumsh is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all types of armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Divine Blessing (Ex): Gruumsh, it is said, watches over his blessed ones. Thus, each has a +1 luck bonus to Armor Class at 1st level. This bonus increases to +2 at 4th level, +3 at 7th level, and +4 at 10th level.

Fist of Gruumsh (Su): At 2nd level, once per day, the blessed of Gruumsh can deal additional damage with any single attack. The amount of damage dealt is +1d6 at 2nd level, increasing to +2d6 at 5th level and +3d6 at 8th level. Use of this ability must be declared before the attack roll is made. If the attack misses, that use of the fist of Gruumsh is wasted.

Evil Eye (Eye of Disdain) (Sp): Once per day, as a spell-like ability, the 3rd-level blessed of Gruumsh can make a gaze attack for 1 round as an attack action with a range of 30 feet. A Will save resists the effect (DC 10 + blessed of Gruumsh level + Cha modifier), and those who fail take a -1 penalty on attacks, saves, and skill checks for 1 round per blessed of Gruumsh level.

Keen Eye of Gruumsh (Su): At 5th level, once per day, the blessed of Gruumsh can add a luck bonus equal to his blessed of Gruumsh level on an attack roll for any single attack. Use of this ability must be declared before the attack roll is made. If the attack misses the keen eye of Gruumsh is wasted.

Evil Eye (Eye of Fear) (Sp): Once per day, as a spell-like ability, the 6th-level blessed of Gruumsh can make a gaze attack for 1 round as an attack action with a range of 30 feet. A Will save resists the effect (DC 10 + blessed of Gruumsh level + Cha modifier), and those who fail must run in fear as if affected by a fear spell cast by a sorcerer with a caster level equal to the blessed of Gruumsh's class level.

Thunderous Roar of Gruumsh (Ex): At 8th level, once per day, the blessed of Gruumsh can double the number of attacks he makes in a given round while he bellows an incredible roar. If for example, a blessed of Gruumsh normally attacks with an orc double axe at +16/+11/+6 and an off-hand attack of +16, he instead makes six attacks (at +16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+6) and two off-hand attacks (at +16/+16). The blessed of Gruumsh must be able to audibly roar to use this ability - a silence spell negates this ability, for example.

Evil Eye (Eye of Curses) (Sp): Once per day, as a spell-like ability, the 9th-level blessed of Gruumsh can make a gaze attack for 1 round as an attack action with a range of 30 feet. A Fortitude save resists the effect (DC 10 + blessed of Gruumsh level + Cha modifier), and those who fail are cursed as if a sorcerer (of a caster level equal to the blessed of Gruumsh's class level) had cast bestow curse upon them.

True Orc (Sp): At 10th level, the blessed of Gruumsh can call upon his deity's might and speak in a commanding voice, uttering words in the true language of orcs - the very language that Gruumsh used to give birth to his children. These words inspire all orcs who can hear them (including the blessed of Gruumsh), granting those within 100 feet of the blessed of Gruumsh a +4 morale bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws for 10 minutes. He can use this ability once per week.