Prestige Classes

HOLOCAUST WARRIOR

Some attribute it to their ancient pact with red dragons, while others just chalk it up to pyromania, but certain githyanki gish are particularly adept with the magic of fire. The holocaust warrior is the perfect example: a gish who hurls fireballs between swings of his flaming greatsword. In the martial philosophy of the githyanki, fire is a symbol of the consuming power of the githyanki race, which will soon destroy all other races and burn triumphantly through eternity. Holocaust warriors are always gish, learning both martial skills and spells, focusing on evocation and fire magic. Many holocaust warriors are fighter/sorcerers, while many others are fighter/wizards. A few barbarian/sorcerers become holocaust warriors, but most holocaust warriors are highly disciplined and well-trained fighters, not rampaging berserkers. Gish with other martial classes rarely become holocaust warriors. In githyanki military units, holocaust warriors are found with the other gish - marching in their own units to fight with flaming sword and fiery spell as the need arises. Holocaust warriors often lead units of other gish, simply by virtue of their high level.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a holocaust warrior, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Race: Githyanki.

Alignment: Any evil.

Base Attack Bonus: +5.

Base Save Bonuses: Fort +4, Will +4.

Skills: Concentration 6 ranks.

Feats: Combat Casting, Martial Weapon Proficiency (all), Spell Focus (Evocation).

Spellcasting: Able to cast fireball.

Special: Must be reduced below 0 hit points by fire and then revived, usually in a ritual of initiation (but sometimes on the battlefield).

Class Skills

The holocaust warrior's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Holocaust Warrior

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the holocaust warrior prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Holocaust warriors gain no proficiency with any weapons or armor.

Bonus Spells per Day: Similar to bonus spells for high ability scores, for each level of holocaust warrior that a spellcasting character attains, he gains bonus spells to the number of arcane spells per day he normally casts. These bonus spells can be added to whatever levels of spells the holocaust warrior can currently cast, but no more than one can be added to the character's highest current spell level. In addition, the character can never have more daily spells of a certain level than of a lower level (except cantrips). For example, Tharanh is a 4th-level fighter/6th-level sorcerer who takes one level in holocaust warrior. She can give herself one bonus 3rd-level spell (her highest as a 6th-level sorcerer), and one bonus spell in any other level, 0 through 2nd.

If a holocaust warrior has two arcane spellcasting classes already, he must choose which previous spellcasting class gains each bonus spell. For example, Hostiath is a 4th-level fighter/6th-level sorcerer/5th-level wizard, with one level of holocaust warrior. Conceivably, Hostiath could have a bonus 3rd-level wizard spell and a bonus 3rd-level sorcerer spell, or he could put both bonus spells in either sorcerer or wizard, but then only one of them could be 3rd level. Bonus spells cannot be added to a divine spellcasting class.

Once a holocaust warrior has chosen how to apply a given bonus spell, it cannot be shifted.

Additional Spells Known: If he was previously a sorcerer or bard, a holocaust warrior gains additional spells known with each level of holocaust warrior he attains. These additional spells known can be of any levels of spells the holocaust warrior can currently cast, but no more than one can be added to the character's current highest spell level. In addition, the character can never known more spells of a certain level than he does of a lower level (except cantrips). For example, Tharanh is a 4th-level fighter/6th-level sorcerer who takes one level in holocaust warrior. She can learn one additional 3rd-level spell (her highest as a 6th-level sorcerer), and one bonus spell in any other level, 0 through 2nd.

Incinerator: A holocaust warrior uses his character level as his caster level for all fire spells. For example, Tharanh is a 4th-level fighter/6th-level sorcerer/3rd-level holocaust warrior. When casting fire spells, her caster level is 13th; for all other spells it is 6th.

Improved Combat Casting (Ex): If a holocaust warrior fails a Concentration check to cast a spell defensively, he can choose either to lose the spell (as normal) or to cast it anyway, provoking an attack of opportunity as normal. In addition, he gains a +4 dodge bonus to his AC against any attack of opportunity he provokes by casting a spell.

Flaming Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a holocaust warrior gains the ability to wreathe a melee weapon in flames once per day, as a free action. The flames last for 1 round per character level, and deal an extra 1d6 points of fire damage whenever the weapon successfully hits. The holocaust warrior can apply this ability to melee or ranged weapons; projectile weapons transfer the flaming quality to their ammunition.

At 5th level, the holocaust warrior can use this ability twice per day. In addition, the weapon becomes a flaming burst weapon, dealing 1d6 points of bonus fire damage on a normal hit, or 1d10 points on a successful critical hit. At 8th level, the character can use this ability three times per day.

Armored Casting (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a holocaust warrior reduces the arcane spell failure chance for casting spells in armor by 10%.

New Spell Level: When a holocaust warrior reaches 3rd level, and again when he reaches 6th level and 9th level, he gains the ability to cast spells of one level higher than he was previously able to cast. Initially, he can cast 0 spells of this level, but bonus spells (from a high ability score or his holocaust warrior bonus spells) can increase this number. He also initially knows 0 spells of this level (if he is a sorcerer or bard), so in order to cast any spells he must allocate his additional spell known to that level. For example, Tharanh is a 10th-level sorcerer/2nd-level holocaust warrior. When she reaches 3rd level as a holocaust warrior, she gains the ability to cast 6th-level sorcerer spells. She must allocate one of her bonus spells to 6th level in order to cast any 6th-level spells, unless her Charisma is high enough (22 or higher) to give her a bonus 6th-level spell. She also must allocate her additional spell known to 6th level so that she has one spell to cast.

Fire Resistance/Immunity (Ex): At 4th level, a holocaust warrior gains fire resistance 10. He ignores the first 10 points of fire damage dealt by each attack. At 7th level, a holocaust warrior becomes immune to fire altogether.

Burn (Su): When he reaches 10th level, a holocaust warrior turns every weapon he wields into a flaming weapon (and he can still use his flaming weapon three times per day to make a weapon a flaming burst weapon). Any creature hit by his weapon attack also must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 20 + the holocaust warrior's Constitution modifier) or catch fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds (see Catching on Fire). A burning creature can take a move-equivalent action to put out the flame.

Creatures hitting a holocaust warrior with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take 1d6 points of fire damage as though hit by his attack, and also catch fire unless they succeed at a Reflex save.