Dead Master

Prestige Classes

DEAD MASTER

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a dead master, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks.

Feats: Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Spell Focus (necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (necromancy).

Spells: Access to the Death domain. Specialization in necromancy.

Special: Must succeed in animating and controlling at least 40 HD of undead with a single spell.

Class Skills

The dead master’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (arcana/religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The dead master

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Spells per Day	Special
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	+1 level to existing classes	Necromantic Focus, Undead Army
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	+1 level to existing classes	Bonus Dead Master Feat
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	+1 level to existing classes	Eyes of the Dead
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 level to existing classes	Dead Reach
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 level to existing classes	Inured to Death
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 level to existing classes	Greater Necromantic Focus
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 level to existing classes	Leader of the Dead
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	+1 level to existing classes	Bonus Dead Master Feat
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	+1 level to existing classes	Mastery of Necromancy
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	+1 level to existing classes	Instant Animation

Class Features

All of the following are features of the dead master prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dead masters gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day: When a new dead master level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in any one arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class and any one divine spellcasting class he belonged to previously. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except as noted here.

If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class or more than one divine spellcasting class before he became a dead master, he must decide to which class he adds each level of dead master for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Necromantic Focus: The dead master permanently loses any and all ability to cast non-necromancy spells that are not in the Death or Evil domains. The dead master gains access to the Evil domain, if he does not already have it. Dead masters gain a competence bonus to Knowledge checks concerning the undead equal to their dead master level.

Eyes of the Dead (Ex): At third level, the dead master gains darkvision 60'. If the character already has darkvision, its range extends by 60'.

Mastery of Necromancy (Su): When a dead master of at least 9th level counterspells or is targeted by a necromancy spell, it may, at the dead master's option, be turned back upon the caster as if it were fully affected by a spell turning spell. If the spell cannot be affected by spell turning, then it is merely counterspelled. At 10th level, this ability extends to necromantic spell-like effects.

Undead Army (Ex): When determining the maximum HD of undead that can be controlled or animated, add double the dead master's levels in dead master to the relevant caster class levels for purposes of determining level. This bonus allows the dead master to create more HD of undead, but does not allow him to create more powerful individual undead than his levels would allow normally. This ability stacks with feats such as Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus.

Leader of the Dead (Ex): At 7nd level and above, add twice the number of dead master levels to divine caster levels for the purposes of commanding, rebuking, and bolstering undead. Also, the dead master gains a bonus equal to his dead master levels to any bluff, intimidate, sense motive, or diplomacy checks attempted against undead.

Inured to Death (Ex): Dead masters of at least 5th level gain a circumstance bonus equal to their dead master level to resist all morale effects.

Greater Necromantic Focus (Ex): At 6th level and above, the dead master has a 1% chance per level to retain a necromancy spell after it is cast.

Dead Reach (Su): Dead masters of at least 4th level may designate one undead under their control as the "toucher" when casting a touch spell. This undead may forego one of its normal attacks to attempt to make a touch attack in lieu of its master. Should the dead master lose control of the undead, the spell is lost.

Instant Animation (Su): At 10th level and above, the dead master may take an immediate action to animate a corpse within close range, as though Create Undead were cast upon it. The created undead can take action immediately, and serves the dead master loyally (no check required) for ten minutes per dead master level, after which it crumbles into dust. Instant animation requires no material components, and is usable once per day. This ability is otherwise identical to Create Undead.