Prestige Classes

THRALL OF BAPHOMET

Thralls of Baphomet are brutal warriors who serve the Prince of Beasts as unholy champions. They often act as leaders for groups of minotaurs, ogres, giants, and other monstrous worshipers of Baphomet. In humanoid society, a thrall of Baphomet is more likely a notorious and feared mercenary or bodyguard in the service of a high-ranking cleric. A thrall who manages to attain the Bestial Blessing often travels to the Endless Maze on the Abyss to pledge his services directly to Baphomet. Those who displease the Prince of Beasts are eaten, but those he approves of are generally given large areas of the maze as personal domains to guard and patrol. Most thralls of Baphomet are barbarians, fighters, or rangers. Some of them multiclass as rogues, although typically only for a few levels. Spellcasting classes generally don't take levels in this prestige class since it doesn't advance spellcasting, although it's not unheard of for particularly brutal cleric/rangers of Baphomet to make the sacrifice to their spellcasting capabilities to take levels of this prestige class.

Hit Die: d12.

Requirements

To qualify to become a thrall of Baphomet, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Chaotic evil.

Base Attack Bonus: +6.

Skills: Handle Animal 9 ranks, Intimidate 9 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks.

Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Thrall to Demon (Baphomet).

Special: The character must possess a natural attack. Characters who do not possess natural attacks as a racial benefit often take the Willing Deformity and Deformity (Clawed Hands) feats. In extreme cases, prospective thralls of Baphomet have even committed suicide so an ally or paid spellcaster can cast reincarnation on them, hopefully bringing them back in a body more suited to thralldom.

Class Skills

The thrall of Baphomet's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Thrall of Baphomet

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the thrall od Baphomet prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Thralls of Baphomet gain no additional proficiency with weapons or armor.

Fiendish Animal Companion (Ex): A thrall of Baphomet gains a fiendish animal as a companion. This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the companion has the fiendish template and the thrall of Baphomet's effective druid level equals twice his thrall of Baphomet class level. For example, the fiendish animal companion of a 6th-level thrall of Baphomet would be the equivalent of a 12th-level druid's animal companion. A thrall of Balphomet may select from the alternative lists of animal companions just as a druid can, though again his effective druid level is double his thrall of Baphomet level. Like a druid, a thrall of Baphomet cannot select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce his effective druid level below 1st. Once a thrall of Baphomet gains a fiendish animal companion, he loses any other animal companions he may have gained from other class levels and can never again benefit from the standard animal companion ability gained from these other levels.

Breath of Baphomet (Su): At 2nd level, the thrall of Baphomet gains a breath weapon. He may use the breath weapon once per day. When the thrall gains this ability, he must select acid, cold, or fire as his breath weapon's energy type; once this energy type is chosen, it cannot be changed at a later time. This breath weapon is a line 5 feet long per class level and deals 1d6 points of damage of the appropriate type per class level to those caught in the line: A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + the thrall's class level + the thrall's Constitution modifier) halves the damage inflicted.

The thrall of Baphomet can use his breath weapon an additional time each day once he reaches 4th level. At 6th level he can use this ability three times a day, and at 8th level he can do so five times per day. At 10th level, the thrall of Baphomet can use his breath weapon at will. A thrall of Baphomet capable of using his breath weapon more than once per day must wait 1d4 rounds between each use of his breath weapon.

Blessing of the Labyrinth (Ex): At 3rd level, the thrall of Baphomet must inscribe his flesh with tattoos of maze patterns (or if he has horns, he may carve maze pattems upon hem). He now possesses the blessing of Baphomet's Endless Maze and is forever immune to the maze spell. Additionally, he gains a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and Will saving throws while within a maze or labyrinth, as well as a +2 profane bonus to his Armor Class.

Feral Visage (Ex): At 5th level, a thrall of Baphomet grows a large pair of bull's horns from his head and gains a gore attack as a secondary natural weapon. If he already possesses a gore attack, he instead gains a bite attack as a secondary natural weapon. If he already possesses a gore and a bite attack, the damage die of these attacks increases one category.

The thrall's new natural weapon (gore or bite) deals 1d4 points of damage if he is Small, 1d6 if he's Medium, or 1d8 if he's Large.

The thrall gains a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate checks when he gains his feral visage.

Dark Communion (Sp): Once per week, a thrall of Baphomet can use one of the following as a spell-like ability: commune, dream, lesser planar binding, mark of justice, nightmare, sending, or unhallow (save DCs = 10 + spell level + the thrall of Baphomet's Cha modifier). The thrall must utilize a freshly-severed bull's head as an additional focus for the casting of the spell in addition to any other material components or experience point costs for casting the spell. The spell functions at a caster level equal to twice his thrall of Baphomet level.

Maze (Sp): At 9th level, a thrall of Baphomet can use maze as a spell-like ability three times a day.

Bestial Blessing (Ex): At 10th level, a thrall of Baphomet receives final confirmation of the Prince of Beasts' approval in the form of a potent and permanent increase to his Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. The thrall selects one of these ability scores and increases it by 4; this is a untyped bonus, similar to those gained once every four character levels, and thus stacks with all other bonuses.