SRD - Sand Shaper

Prestige Classes

SAND SHAPER

“Sand shapers have been dead for three thousand years. They are a myth—a legend to frighten small children and weak-hearted cowards. They are ghosts. Mirages. But, still, I don’t like to go out into the ruins where they once ruled . . . too dangerous.”

Once dreaded throughout the waste, and long thought vanished from the face of the world, sand shapers use the power of the desert itself to conquer and rule an empire in the heart of the desert. Though they did die out, the secret of their power remains for those with the courage to find it and the mettle to prove themselves worthy to wield it. You few who walk the path of the sand shaper are living legends to your allies, or nightmares reborn to your enemies. You are part prophet, part priest, part magician, and part assassin. In time, you might even be a conqueror, as well—the first in a new dynasty of sand shapers.

BECOMING A SAND SHAPER

Because the class offers advancement of a character’s existing arcane spellcasting, typically only bards, wizards, and sorcerers become sand shapers. More wizards than sorcerers take the prestige class, because sorcerers have to buy ranks in both Knowledge (nature) and Survival as cross-class skills, and they usually lack the wizard’s extra skill points from a high Intelligence score. Bards qualify for the class easily, but they give up improvement of their bardic music to do so.

PLAYING A SAND SHAPER

While it’s sometimes helpful for the purpose of group cooperation to let others believe otherwise, you are in charge. You are in command of the arcane secrets of ancient rulers, so why shouldn’t you rule today? Granted, some of the reason for this attitude might simply be the voices of your sand shaper predecessors talking through you, but their acceptance of you as one of their own is proof enough that you were born to command others.

Of course, the strength of your convictions fades somewhat as you leave the waste. The power of the sand shapers extends only to the lands they once ruled—the deserts—and if you roam too far from their former empire, your power and influence wane. You become little more than the spellcaster you were before, albeit still with the magic of sand shaping at your disposal. Your overall goal is to ensure that you seek adventuring in the place where you are strongest: in the waste.

Combat

Subtlety only impresses those who are subtle themselves. To truly awe your subjects, you must use the full power at your command. Hurl the very wrath of the waste against your foes—but reserve your greatest powers for your greatest enemies. Others can rely on surprise and sneak attacks; you work through fear and intimidation. In fact, your first action in any combat situation should be to take as much fight out of your opponents as possible, leaving them easy prey for your allies. Always be prepared to fight to the death; if you retreat, those enemies—and anyone else they talk to—will not fear you next time.

At 4th level, when you learn to shape the sand, you never need fear being without your equipment. You can actually allow your foes to “capture” you—then destroy them from within. In fact, your only major concern is likely to be that your enemies might immediately execute you, out of fear that you will live up to your reputation. Since you probably do not rely much on armor, and your hit points are not likely to be high, the attacks of those too ignorant to fear you—which includes a great many beasts and animals—could prove to be your undoing.

Once you reach 7th level, you truly begin to draw upon your full legacy of power. Your ability to regenerate means that even your lack of hit points is less of a problem. You really only need to fear losing your head—though a sufficient quantity of blows can still destroy you, if you have no opportunity to lie in the soil and restore your body to its proper, healthy shape. When you reach 10th level, even losing your head holds no real danger for you; the desert can bring you back to life, even if all that is left of you is dust.

Advancement

You advance in the ranks of the sand shapers—both those living and long dead—by surpassing their achievements. Considering that the oldest sand shapers once built an empire, you had better be prepared for a long and arduous trek to your goal.

Initially, focus on consolidating your power. Curry favor with your allies. Make short work of your enemies. If you have time, seek out other sand shapers and work with them to plan a return to the glory days of the sand shaper empire. Locate and retrieve lost sand shaper artifacts. Above all else, leave your mark on the world. Remind everyone of the power of the sand shapers.

Your overall goal is to develop a following. No matter how powerful you become as a sand shaper, dead is dead—unless you have loyal followers willing to locate your remains and use them to restore you to life. Hone your skill in Diplomacy and Intimidate foremost, and remember to spend skill points on Sense Motive. It never hurts to ensure that your loyal subjects are as loyal as you believe them to be. Spending some of your accumulated treasure on them couldn’t hurt, either; just because you wield the power of ancient emperors does not mean that you command as many subjects as your predecessors.

Resources

The desert is your greatest resource, so you should develop ways of keeping it close. You might use anything from a helm of teleportation to a fast horse, but it is important to have a ready means of reaching the place where your dust magic serves you best. Even more to the point, you need to know that should you become a 10th-level sand shaper, you can lie down to die in the sands—when the sands blow over you, you will be brought back to life to carry on with the restoration of the sand shaper empire.

Otherwise, the extent of your empire is what you carve out of the world around you. No one is simply going to give you a palace, a treasury, and an army of followers to guard them, so you have to take or make them.

SAND SHAPERS IN THE WORLD

Sand shapers no longer have much of a place in the world; their empire died out a few thousand years ago. Those who have since become sand shapers are but remnants of the former power and glory of that empire. Any drive they feel to restore that empire is either some misguided urge to write themselves into the sand shaper legend—or some more sinister influence, perhaps exerted by the long-dead spirits of the original sand shapers.

Organization

Sand shapers rarely work together. They might strive for common goals from time to time, but only for short periods. Each sand shaper feels some urge to be in charge, and that does not include sharing command. Conversely, sand shapers feel no qualms about assembling a band of companions who share a more or less equal role in adventures. (A sand shaper might even reward them with ministerial posts once he has reestablished the sand shaper empire.)

The only real organization that a sand shaper will work with is a corps of loyal servants and followers: subjects for his new empire. The most successful new sand shaper so far, Osrutek the First, divides his time between seeking relics of the first sand shapers and ruling over the small kingdom of outlaws and peasants he has subjugated since first becoming a sand shaper. Osrutek, a wizard, is the most powerful of the known sand shapers, though he has not yet learned how to rise from the dead. Until he does, he travels nowhere without a retinue of servants and guards, all of whom are devoted—mostly through sheer fear of him—to protecting him from harm.

Osrutek has promised the most skilled among his followers (and therefore, the most dangerous to him) portions of his empire to rule to ensure their loyalty. He has no intention of keeping those promises, however.

Osrutek needs these lieutenants because he is on a crusade to eliminate all other sand shapers, whom he considers “pretenders to his dynasty.” Thus far, he has slain three and claimed their riches for his treasury. His singleminded attitude toward this end might prove his undoing, however; each sand shaper he slays is more incentive for others to band together against him.

NPC Reactions

Commoners fear sand shapers, perhaps because sand shapers do not seem to care what happens to the common folk—so long as the sand shapers get what they want. Most waste-dwellers have no treasures worth taking, and they serve better alive than dead. Nobles have much more to fear—especially if they count relics of the sand shaper empire among their wealth.

Most people tend to stay out of a sand shaper’s way (if they recognize him). While sand shapers might be obsessed with resurrecting their ancient empire, they generally do not attack anything that moves. They become violent only when they have a reason to do so—though, unfortunately, they count “being interfered with” among such reasons. Since most people never know what a sand shaper’s business is, nearly anything could constitute interference. Thus, the best policy is to leave a sand shaper alone—unless, of course, he shows up at the city gates with an army. The possibility that a sand shaper has targeted a kingdom for conquest is really the only good reason to offer resistance. It is important to be certain; antagonizing a sand shaper out of fear that he might attack you might turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

SAND SHAPER LORE

Characters with Knowledge (history) can research the sand shapers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs when a higher result is rolled.

DC 10: The sand shapers were a cult of spellcasters that created an empire in the waste three thousand years ago. They were eventually defeated, and their cities and palaces are now nothing more than ruins. Rumors say that some of them survived, though these are probably superstitions.

DC 15: The sand shapers were ruthless conquerors, slaying those who opposed them and enslaving those too weak to fight back. They were able to use powerful magic that drew upon the waste to call down sandstorms and bury their enemies.

DC 20: The magic of the sand shapers lives on, slumbering in the ancient ruins. It is said that those brave enough to journey to the City of the Dead can unlock the secret of the sand shapers’ dust magic and become sand shapers themselves.

DC 30: Over the centuries, many people have unlocked the secrets of the sand shapers and become sand shapers themselves. Some have been defeated, others have vanished into the wastes, and one or two are rumored to have disguised themselves as mighty wizards, even now serving as court magicians to mighty rulers—though they are most likely waiting for the right time to strike. The only known sand shaper is Osrutek, who occupies the ancient ruins at Sohlak; he is clearly building an army, and a war of conquest is inevitable. The only question is when it will come.

PCs trying to establish contact with a sand shaper (for whatever reason) should make a DC 25 Gather Information check to track one down. Whether or not the sand shaper is willing to listen depends largely on his alignment. However, if the PCs have some artifact of the original sand shapers, give them a +2 circumstance bonus on the check. A sand shaper who is any alignment but neutral good is not willing to work for the PCs, though he might agree to work with them for a time—especially if it means expanding his own personal empire.

SAND SHAPERS IN THE GAME

Sand shapers play a role in a running subplot in a campaign—the sand shapers’ desire for conquest—and so might be a bit difficult for a DM to wedge in. Still, their desire to recover ancient treasures can certainly drive a traditional dungeon-crawl campaign set in the wastes.

This prestige class is likely to appeal to players who enjoy head-on confrontations and empire-building. DMs should give a sand shaper plenty of opportunities to flex his magical muscles, substituting a little real estate and a few followers for gold and magic items now and again. A DM’s hardest job in a campaign involving a sand shaper will be making sure the sand shaper doesn’t dominate the spotlight. The DM should give other PCs plenty of reasons to adventure outside the wastes (where the sand shaper’s powers are less potent), and perhaps even plan the campaign around the idea that the other PCs might one day have to stop their sand shaper companion from conquering the surrounding land.

Adaptation

The sand shaper is a waste specialist, and as such is not well suited to campaigns that don’t take place in a desert environment. Adapting this prestige class mostly involves altering its waste-dependent abilities, such as dust magic, and replacing them with those appropriately suited to a prominent environment type in the campaign. The core mechanics of the abilities can remain the same; generally, only the flavor of the abilities needs to be changed.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

To qualify to become a sand shaper, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Any neutral.

Skills: Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, Survival 4 ranks.

Feat: Touchstone (City of the Dead).

Spells or Spell-Like Abilities: Arcane caster level 5th.

Class Skills

The sand shaper's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Sand Shaper

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Desert insight, dust magic, sand shape	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Sandform	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Sand stride	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Improved sand shape	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Improved dust magic 3/day	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	—	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Desert slumber, improved dust magic 4/day	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	—	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Greater dust magic 5/day	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Desert shroud	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the sand shaper prestige class.

Spellcasting: At each level except 1st and 9th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a sand shaper, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Dust Magic (Ex): Your magic is more powerful in wastelands environments. When casting arcane spells in any sort of waste terrain, your caster level is considered to be one level higher than your actual caster level. Even in nonwaste environments, as long as you carry 15 or more pounds of sand as part of your equipment, you gain the benefit of this class feature.

Desert Insight: As a member of this class, you gain knowledge of additional spells (see the list below). If you were a caster who previously prepared spells (such as a wizard), you can prepare these spells like any other spell to which you have access. If you are a spontaneous caster (such as a sorcerer), these spells are available to you like any other spell you know. You cannot cast a spell of higher level than the maximum spell level you can cast. These spells become options for you when you gain access to the appropriate spell level.

1st—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, endure elements, parching touch†, speak with animals, summon desert ally I†.

2nd—eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, heat metal, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, summon desert ally II†, summon swarm.

3rd—control sand†, desiccate†, dispel magic, dominate animal, haboob†, slipsand†, summon desert ally III†, sunstroke†, tormenting thirst†, wind wall.

4th—blast of sand†, summon desert ally IV†, wall of sand†, wither†.

5th—choking sands†, flaywind burst†, flesh to salt†, summon desert ally V†, transmute sand to stone†, transmute stone to sand†.

6th— awaken sand†, mummify†, sandstorm†, summon desert ally VI†.

7th—mass flesh to salt†, summon desert ally VII†.

8th—summon desert ally VIII†, whirlwind.

9th—summon desert ally IX†.

† Spell described in Sandstorm.

Sand Shape (Sp): All sand shapers know how to magically sculpt the soil of the waste (generally desert sand, dust, or gravel) into mundane objects. You can create any solid object you can imagine, provided you have access to a sufficient quantity of the appropriate soil and you can successfully make a caster level check. The DC of the check is determined by the size and complexity of the item:

Item Size	DC
1 cu. ft. or less	–5
1.1–2.0 cu. ft.	0
2.1–4.0 cu. ft.	5
4.1–8.0 cu. ft.	10
8.1–12.0 cu. ft.	15
12.1–16.0 cu. ft.	20
16.1–24.0 cu. ft.	25
24.1–30.0 cu. ft.	30

Item	Complexity Modifier
Fine details	+2
Functioning tool	+2
Functioning armor/weapon	+5
Multiple parts	+5
Masterwork version	+10
Moving parts	+10

For example, Osrutek, a 6th-level wizard/8th-level sand shaper, decides to use his sand shape ability to create barding for his horse. The DM determines that the total volume of the barding is about 6 cubic feet, and so assigns his attempt a base DC of 10. Because barding is armor (+5), and consists of multiple parts (+5), the DM assigns an additional +10 modifier to the DC, bringing it up to 20. Osrutek’s caster level check bonus is +13, so he must roll a 7 or higher to complete the barding.

Each attempt to create an item requires a number of minutes equal to the DC. (Osrutek’s attempt to create horse barding would require 20 minutes.) You can take 10 on this check. Created items persist for 10 minutes per sand shaper level, and can only be solid objects; you cannot use this ability to create liquids, gases, or living matter. The objects created have no magical properties, though they radiate faint transmutation magic.

You can create and maintain a number of objects equal to your sand shaper level. If you create an additional item, the item that has been in existence the longest reverts back to sand. Items you create using this ability otherwise persist for the duration of this use of the ability, regardless of their distance from you. If you use the alchemical item shapesand (see page 102) to create an item, you do not count that item against your limit, in addition to the other benefits provided by shapesand.

All items created in this fashion have hardness 5 and hit points according to their size: Fine 1; Diminutive 2; Tiny 3; Small 5; Medium 8; Large 10; Huge 15; Gargantuan 20; Colossal 25.

Sandform (Sp): At 2nd level and higher, you have the ability to transform your body into animated sand, along with all your gear, once per day for up to 1 minute + 1 round per sand shaper level. This ability works in all other respects like the spell of the same name (see page 119).

Sand Stride (Sp): At 3rd level and higher, you can fly as by means of the overland fiight spell once per day. You must begin and end your flight on a square of waste terrain; if your movement crosses a different type of terrain, your flight ends immediately, dropping you abruptly (albeit safely) to the ground.

Improved Sand Shape (Sp): At 4th level, you learn to magically sculpt the soil of the waste (generally desert sand, dust, or gravel) into animate objects. You can create one of the creatures described below, provided a sufficient quantity of the appropriate soil (3 cubic feet unless otherwise noted) is available and you can successfully make a caster level check; the DC is based on the specific creature. Every creature you create has damage reduction 5–, but sand shaped creatures reduced to 0 hit points are destroyed.

Each attempt to create a creature requires a number of minutes equal to the DC indicated for the creature. You can take 10 on this check. Created items persist for 1 minute + 1 round per sand shaper level.

You can create and maintain a number of creatures and objects (when using sand shape and improved sand shape simultaneously) equal to your sand shaper level. If you create an additional creature or item, the creature or item that has been in existence the longest reverts to sand. Creatures you create using this ability otherwise persist for the duration of this use of the ability (unless otherwise noted), regardless of their distance from you.

Available creatures include the following.

Desert Eagle (DC 20): With its superior vision and ability to range far ahead and above, the desert eagle is the perfect scout. It responds to your mental commands, and you can, as a full-round action, see things from the eagle’s perspective (using the eagle’s Spot modifier and point of view). It is in all other respects identical to a normal eagle (see page 272 of the Monster Manual).

Dust Jackal (DC 15): A dust jackal is a master of stealth and cunning; it can creep virtually undetected into hidden places and enemy encampments, and there either carry out attacks or retrieve small items. A dust jackal is otherwise the same as an ordinary jackal (see the small dog entry, page 271 of the Monster Manual).

Golden Camel (DC 15): A golden camel is the animal of choice for bearing burdens. It responds only to your mental commands. Otherwise, it is identical to an ordinary camel (see page 270 of the Monster Manual). Unlike other creatures created with this ability, a golden camel persists for 10 minutes per sand shaper level. It appears equipped with a saddle, tack, and harness. Creating this sand-shaped creation requires 10 cubic feet of soil.

Mirage Hound (DC 15): A mirage hound is a faithful companion that fearlessly guards its creator at all times. It can be commanded to attack, but it does so only if it can remain within 20 feet of you. A mirage hound is otherwise the same as an ordinary small dog (see the small dog entry, page 271 of the Monster Manual).

Sand Scorpion (DC 20): A sand scorpion is identical to a Tiny monstrous scorpion (see page 287 of the Monster Manual). You can mentally command it, and it is most often used as a tool of assassination. Creating this sand-shaped creation requires only 1 cubic foot of soil.

Sun Steed (DC 15): A sun steed is a courageous mount that can be ridden into battle as though it were a light warhorse (see page 274 of the Monster Manual). It appears equipped with a saddle, tack, and harness. Creating this sand-shaped creation requires 10 cubic feet of soil.

Improved Dust Magic (Ex): At 5th level, your affinity with the waste increases, and your spells grow even more potent. Three times per day, when you cast an arcane spell in any sort of waste terrain, you can empower, enlarge, extend, silence, or still your spell, as the appropriate metamagic feats. These options have the same general effect as the metamagic feats of the same name, except that they do not use up higher-level spell slots, and even if you prepare spells, you can decide to alter them with this ability as you cast a spell.

None of these abilities stack with the benefits of the metamagic feats of the same name—for example, you cannot use improved dust magic to empower an empowered fireball. You can, however, maximize a spell already modified by a different metamagic feat.

Using this ability with a spontaneously cast spell increases the casting time as described on page 88 of the Player’s Handbook.

You gain an additional use of this ability at 7th level and at 9th level. At 9th level and higher, uses of this ability count as uses of greater dust magic (see below).

Desert Slumber (Ex): At 7th level and higher, if you lie in the soil of the waste (generally desert sand, dust, or gravel), you regrow severed body members, mend broken bones, and restore ruined organs as though a regenerate spell had been cast upon you. The soil must be at least deep enough, and occupy a large enough area, to cover all but your face. You can use this ability once per day.

Greater Dust Magic (Ex): By 9th level, your affinity with the waste has almost reached its peak. Five times per day, when you cast spells in any sort of waste terrain, you can choose to maximize or widen your spell. Uses of this ability and of improved dust magic (see above) come from the same pool, so you can use both abilities a total of five times per day. For example, you could empower four times per day and maximize once, or widen three times and enlarge two times. These options have the same general effect as the metamagic feats of the same name, except that they do not use up higher-level spell slots, and even if you prepare spells, you can decide to alter them with this ability as you cast a spell.

None of these abilities stack with the metamagic feats of the same name; that is, you cannot use greater dust magic to maximize a maximized ice storm, for example. You can, however, maximize a spell already modified by a different metamagic feat. You can also combine greater dust magic with improved dust magic—maximizing an enlarged ice storm, for example.

Using this ability with a spontaneously cast spell increases the casting time as described on page 88 of the Player’s Handbook.

Desert Shroud (Ex): At 10th level, you gain the ability to come back to life under certain consitions. If the remains of your deceased body lie in the soil of the waste (generally desert sand, dust, or gravel) for 10 minutes, you are restored to life as though a resurrection spell had been cast upon you, provided you have not been dead for more than one hundred years. The soil must be deep enough, and occupy a large enough area, to cover your entire body (based on your size when the effect is complete).