Shocker

A shocker is an arcane spellcaster who has completely devoted herself to the crackling, white-hot power of electricity. Utilizing the Invocation of Consuming Light, an aspiring shocker is able to call forth a lightning bolt, trapping it within her very body. For those who survive being infused with this awesome force, a doorway is opened, allowing access to incredible powers.

A shocker’s hair tends to stand on end at all times, and they have a habit of moving in quick jerking motions, almost too fast for the eye to see. Their speech accelerates as well, becoming rapid and frantic-sounding, and their thoughts leap about in ways that even the keenest minds have difficulty following.

The first shocker was said to be a dwarf known as Seigrune Lightbeard, who lived 6th Age of Migdalia. Though a well-respected wizard of a prestigious clan, Seigrune preferred the barren peaks of Druskeden’s mountains to the crowded ale halls of his kin. Though it is unknown when, or how, the dwarf discovered the Invocation of Consuming Light, rumors soon began to surface concerning his actions. His clan claimed that Seigrune was researching the powers of the storm, seeking a new weapon against the gnomish war machines which had begun to roll forth from the western lands. Most other dwarves simply believed that the eccentric dwarf had simply been struck by lightning one time too many.

Though Seigrune later died fighting against the invasion of gnomish war machines and warforged soldiers, his mastery of electrical magic slowed the gnomes enough to ensure that the gnomes did not take the Dwarven capital of Haagenbaum. In honor of his courage, an unknown Hero of Druskeden quested to recover Seigrune’s notes and manuscripts, eventually scribing the entire Invocation of Consuming Light onto a large statue of Seigrune, which was placed amid the Hall of Heroes in Haagenbaum. Today, those who would seek the power that Seigrune discovered need only to travel to the city of the Dwarves, and gaze upon his weathered, but well-cared for, statue.

Hit Dice: d4

Requirements

In order to qualify to become a Shocker, a character must meet the following criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks

Feats: Energy Substitution (electricity), Lightning Reflexes.

Spellcasting: Ability to cast Electric Loop

Special: Must perform the Invocation of Consuming Light. At the culmination of the hour-long ritual, which must be performed outdoors during a storm, a lightning bolt is drawn towards and into the character, striking her unerringly. She suffers 6d6 points of electrical damage, which cannot be reduced or negated in any way without ruining the ritual. Should the character survive being struck by the bolt, she gains her first level in this prestige class.

Class Skills

The Shocker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes)(Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spellcasting
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Electric Soul, Twitcher	-
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Shocking Touch	+1 caster level
3	+2	+1	+1	+3	Electric Arcana, Evasion	-
4	+3	+1	+1	+4	Shocking Blast	+1 caster level
5	+3	+1	+1	+4	Quick as Lightning	-
6	+4	+2	+2	+5	Charged Body	+1 caster level
7	+5	+2	+2	+5	Chain Lightning	-
8	+6	+2	+2	+6	Super Conductor	+1 caster level
9	+6	+3	+3	+6	Ride the Lightning	-
10	+7	+3	+3	+7	Lightning Rod	+1 caster level

Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the Shocker prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A shocker gains no new weapon or armor proficiency.

Spellcasting: A shocker continues training with magic. Thus, at every even-numbered shocker level, the character gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class she belonged to prior to adding this prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that level would have gained (improved familiar abilities, metamagic or item creation feats, etc).

Electric Soul (Ex): A shocker’s body is charged with an incredible amount of electrical energy; so much, in fact, that further shocks and jolts have roughly the same effect as throwing cups of water at the ocean. The shocker becomes immune to electrical damage.

Twitcher (Ex): As a shocker advances, her movements become faster and faster, though she develops an increasingly violent tendency to twitch and break into small spasms. The shocker adds her class level to all initiative checks, but receives this same amount as a penalty on every Dexterity-based skill check she makes.

Shocking Touch (Su): At 2nd level, the shocker’s body adapts to the incredible amount of electricity coursing through it, enabling her to electrocute creatures with a mere touch. The shocker can now deal 1d6 points of electrical damage as a touch attack at will. This damage is also added to each of the shockers unarmed attacks, and to the damage dealt by metal weapons she wields (such weapons must be primarily metal; an axe with a wooden handle would not conduct this damage, but a longsword made entirely from steel or iron would).

Should the shocker attempt to use this ability while in water, the electrical damage applies to every creature within a 5 foot burst of her.

Electric Arcana (Su): At 3rd level , the shocker’s mastery over electricity increases, and spells she casts that create electricity become more difficult to resist. The saving throw DC of any spell the shocker casts with the “Electricity” descriptor increases by +1.

Evasion (Ex): By 3rd level, the shocker’s nervous system has grown so adapted to the electrical impulses coursing through her body that it speeds up significantly, allowing her to react to danger almost instantly. The shocker gains the evasion ability, allowing her to avoid even magical or unusual attacks through her lightning reflexes. If she makes a successful saving throw against an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, she instead takes no damage. This ability may only be used if the shocker is wearing light or no armor.

If the shocker already possesses the evasion ability, she instead gains the improved evasion ability. This ability functions much like evasion, except that while the shocker still takes no damage on a successful Reflex save, she now takes only half damage on a failed save.

Shocking Blast (Su): A 4th level shocker gains the ability to throw bolts of crackling electricity at will, dealing 4d6 points of electrical damage as a ranged touch attack. The range for this attack is 30 feet.

Quick as Lightning (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, the shocker gains the ability to greatly increase her speed, allowing her to move and attack faster than is normally possible. She may haste herself for up to one round per class level per day, though these rounds need not be consecutive. Activating or deactivating this ability is a free action. This ability otherwise functions as a haste spell cast by a sorcerer of her character level.

Charged Body (Su): A shocker who has reached 6th level finds that her body has become an excellent conductor of electrical charges, much to the surprise of her opponents. Any creature striking the shocker with natural or metallic weapons is shocked, suffering 1d6 points of electrical damage, plus 1 point of damage per class level the shocker possesses. Creatures using weapons with significant wooden hafts, such as spears or polearms, remain unaffected by this ability. Should the shocker be struck while in water while this ability is active, the electrical damage instead applies to every creature within a 5 foot burst, centered on her. The shocker may activate or deactivate this ability as a free action.

Chain Lightning (Sp): By releasing pent-up electrical energy, a 7th level shocker is able to produce a chain lightning spell three times per day. This ability functions as if cast by a 15th level sorcerer.

Super Conductor (Su): At 8th level, the shocker’s body becomes phenomenally receptive to electrical charges, allowing her to channel greater and greater amounts of electricity. Any creature damaged by a spell she casts with the “Electricity” descriptor, or by her shocking touch, shocking grasp, or charged body abilities, must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + her class level + her Charisma modifier) or become stunned for 1 round.

Ride the Lightning (Su): At 9th level, the shocker gains the ability to transform her body into lightning, traveling the distance between two points instantaneously, as if using a dimension door effect. The shocker cannot pass through walls of natural insulators (such as stone or wood) while using this ability, though, if she is in contact with a metal conductor (such as an iron railing), the shocker may increase the range of the dimension door to the length of the metal conductor.

In addition, any creatures within the path the shocker takes to her destination (always the shortest path possible) suffer 1d6 points of electrical damage per shocker level she possesses (Reflex save for half, DC 10 + her class level + her Charisma modifier). This ability may be used once per day as a standard action.

Lightning Rod (Su): Upon reaching 10th level, the shocker’s body is finally short-circuited by the electricity running throughout her system. The sheer amount of energy still present within her, however, allows her to achieve a new type of existence, changing her type to “Elemental”. The shocker gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet, as well as immunity to poison, paralysis, stunning, and sleep effects. She is no longer subject to critical hits or flanking, and longer needs to eat, sleep, or breathe. In addition, the damage from her shocking touch ability increases to 2d6, while her shocking blast damage increases to 6d6.

Any electrical spells or effects cast or passing within 100 feet of the shocker are redirected to and absorbed by the shocker, healing her 1 hit point for every dice of damage the spell or effect normally would have caused. The shocker’s own spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities are unaffected by this ability. Touch spells (such as shocking grasp) and electrical enchantments (such as a shocking weapon) are also unaffected by this ability, unless they strike the shocker, in which case they are affected normally. Permanent magical items with an electricity-based effect have that effect suppressed for 1d4 rounds after striking the shocker.

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