The mystery of death and dying is one that occupies the attention of almost every race, regardless of that race’s behaviors or beliefs. The death delver is that rare individual who, rather than fearing and avoiding death, delves as deeply into its mysteries as he can, to better understand and eventually gain some small power over it. Unlike necromancers and other classes associated with death magic, the focus of a death delver’s studies—or, more accurately, his journey—is much more deeply personal. Rather than concentrating on using death and death magic to affect the outside world, a death delver seeks to attune himself to the ebb and flow of death itself, and thereby draw strength from his understanding and indomitable courage in the face of it.
BECOMING A DEATH DELVER Unlike many prestige classes, the death delver is open and appealing to characters of any prior class; the only common thread is that the individual possess a reflective disposition Table 5–4: The Death Delver Class Base Fort Level Attack Bonus Save 1st +0 +2 2nd +1 +3 3rd +2 +3 4th +3 +4 5th +3 +4 6th +4 +5 7th +5 +5 th +6 +6 th +6 +6 10th +7 +7
Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3
Entry Requirements Saving Throws: Base Will Save +2 Skills: Concentration ranks, Heal 2 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks Special: Must have had at least one near-death experience (fallen below 0 hit points and lived)
CLASS FEATURES
CHAPTER 5
DEATH DELVER
“Many have gazed into the abyss, but how many have the strength to meet its stare when it gazes back at them?” —Fortenus, Death Delver
and a keen interest in death. The death delver’s meditative nature perhaps makes it most appealing to priests, monks, and other philosophically minded individuals, but any character with a genuine passion for the exploration of death and dying is a good candidate for the class. Wisdom (for spells), Constitution (for facing death without fear), and Charisma (for several class features) are key abilities for death delvers.
HEROES AND ANTIHEROES
Skills Concentration +20, Diplomacy +21, Ride +3, Sense Motive +16 Possessions combat gear plus +2 mithral breastplate, +2 extraplanar humanoid bane greatsword, belt of giant strength +4, ring of protection +1, +2 composite longbow (+4 Str bonus) with 20 arrows, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1 Spellbook prepared spells plus 4th—death ward, phantasmal killer; 3rd—slow, speak with dead; 2nd—false life; 1st— read magic Sworn Foe against githyanki, Kejira gains a + bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks. She can detect sworn foes within 60 feet at will. Whenever she faces githyanki in combat, she adds +2 to her Strength and Constitution scores for 30 rounds. At the end of her fury, her corruption score increases by 1 if she fails her Fortitude save. While she is in this fury, opponents within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or become unnerved (–4 penalty to attacks, saves, and checks).
As they advance in level, death delvers gain abilities that aid in understanding or mastering fear and death. They also gain a limited spellcasting ability, which focuses on similar themes. Spellcasting: As a death delver, you have the ability to cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell, you must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell’s level. Death delver bonus spells are based on Wisdom, and saving throws against your spells have a DC of 10 + spell’s level + your Wisdom modifier. When you get 0 spells per day of a given level, you gain only the bonus spells you would be entitled to based upon your Wisdom score. The death delver spell list appears on page 94. You have access to any spell on the list and can freely choose which to prepare. You prepare and cast spells just like a cleric does. Death delvers must spend 1 hour each night in the contemplation of death to regain their daily allotments of spells. Time spent resting has no impact on whether death delvers can prepare spells. Deathsense (Ex): You have the infallible ability to detect the presence and condition of nearby life. This ability functions as the spell deathwatch (see page 217 of the Player’s Handbook) but can be invoked at will, with no cost, as a swift action. Rebuke Undead: Like an evil cleric, you can rebuke undead. Use your death delver level as the cleric level for determining success and damage. You can do this a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier and can
Hit Die: d8 Will Save Special +2 Deathsense, rebuke undead +3 Deadened soul, spontaneous casting +3 Death ward 1/day +4 Diehard +4 Fear aura +5 Death ward 2/day +5 Cheat death +6 Mantle of life +6 Death ward 3/day +7 Nine lives
1st 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2
—Spellcasting— 2nd 3rd 4th — — — — — — 0 — — 1 — — 1 0 — 1 1 — 1 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 1
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Concentration, Craft, Gather Information, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Profession, Search, Spellcraft, and Spot.
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