Dawncaller

her normal speed and without damage or other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion still affect Vilmaka.

Ranger Spells Prepared (2; save DC 12 + spell level): 1st— longstrider, entangle. Possessions: +1 studded leather, Large masterwork greataxe, Large masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), 40 Large arrows, gloves of Dexterity +2, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, wand of cure light wounds (50 charges), 8 pp.

Dawncallers are goliath bards responsible for guarding their tribe throughout the night. They patrol the darkness at the edge of a sleeping goliath camp, keeping the many monsters of the mountains away while the other goliaths rest. In the morning, they awaken the rest of the tribe with stirring songs of goliath bravery. Because dawncallers must have great musical aptitude, nearly all have at least a few levels in bard. Many have levels in ranger, barbarian, or fi ghter as well, because dawncallers are often a goliath tribe’s fi rst line of defense. Almost every tribe has at least one dawncaller, and it’s not uncommon for a tribe to have as many as a half-dozen. They are rarely found apart from their tribe, although some dawncallers leave goliath society due to injury or a fallingout with other tribe members.

Adaptation: With some revision, the dawncaller prestige class works for nongoliath bards willing to trade their spellcasting and interpersonal skills for more combat ability. The structure of the class (bardic music at 1st level and new songs at intervals thereafter) is useful for other bardfriendly prestige classes you may create.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a dawncaller, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria.

Race: Goliath.

Skills: Perform (sing) 8 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Listen 4 ranks.

Special: Bardic music ability.

Class Skills

The dawncaller’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex),

Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha),

Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis). See

Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifi er.

Class Features

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

Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Dawncallers gain no profi ciency with any weapon or armor.

Darkvision (Ex): Constant practice peering into the darkness unlocks a goliath’s latent darkvision ability. Dawncallers can see in the dark out to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but is otherwise like normal sight, and dawncallers can function just fi ne with no light at all.

Bardic Music: Dawncallers combine their dawncaller levels with levels of other classes that offer the bardic music class feature to determine number of bardic music uses per day (but not any other bardic music-related effects). As a dawncaller attains higher levels, he gains access to new bardic music abilities. These follow the normal rules for bardic music abilities, as detailed on page 29 of the Player’s Handbook.

Inspire Courage (Su): At 2nd level and above, a dawncaller with 10 or more ranks in Perform (sing) can use song to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the dawncaller sing. The effect lasts as long as the ally hears the dawncaller sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls. If the dawncaller has this ability from another class (such as from bard levels), add together the character’s levels from all classes that grant this ability and compare the total to Table 3–4: The Bard on page 27 of the Player’s Handbook to determine the total bonus granted. For example, a 6th-level bard/2nd-level dawncaller would grant a +2 morale bonus, while a 10th-level bard/10th-level dawncaller would grant a +4 morale bonus.

Inspire Stamina (Su): From 4th level on, a dawncaller with 12 or more ranks in Perform (sing) can use his music to refresh his tired allies. While he sings and for 1 minute per class level thereafter, the dawncaller and allies within 30 feet who can hear his song can ignore all the effects of fatigue and exhaustion.

Song of Warding (Sp): Beginning at 6th level, a dawncaller with 14 or more ranks in Perform (sing) can use song to help protect an area from incursion by unwanted creatures. Dawncallers generally use this song to protect a goliath tribe’s camp at night. The dawncaller must sing the song of warding for 5 minutes; when this time has elapsed, he creates an antipathy effect that lasts for 2 hours per class level. The Will save DC for a song of warding is 10 + class level + dawncaller’s Cha modifi er. Song of warding is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.

Inspire Fury (Su): A dawncaller of 8th level or higher with at least 16 ranks in Perform (sing) can use music to turn his allies into furious berserkers. Each ally within 30 feet who can hear the dawncaller sing can choose to enter a rage on her turn. This rage functions identically to a barbarian’s rage, except that it ends automatically if the dawncaller stops singing. If the ally already has the ability to rage, she can choose to apply the full effect of her own rage, but without spending one of her daily uses of the ability. A dawncaller can’t inspire fury in himself. Inspire fury is a mind-affecting ability.

Song of the Mountain (Su): A 10th-level dawncaller with at least 18 ranks in Perform (sing) can imbue himself and his allies with great physical might and stability. The dawncaller and any humanoid allies within 30 feet who can hear

Illus. by J. Jarvis

his song gain a +4 bonus to Strength and damage reduction 5/adamantine. All creatures affected by the song of the mountain also gain a +4 bonus on checks to resist being bull rushed or tripped as long as they stand upon the ground. The effect lasts for as long as the allies hear the dawncaller sing and for up to 5 rounds thereafter.

Table 5–4: The Dawncaller Base Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special

1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Bardic music, darkvision 60 ft. 2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Inspire courage 3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 — 4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Inspire stamina 5th +5 +1 +4 +1 — 6th +6 +2 +5 +2 Song of warding 7th +7 +2 +5 +2 — 8th +8 +2 +6 +2 Inspire fury 9th +9 +3 +6 +3 — 10th +10 +3 +7 +3 Song of the mountain

SAMPLE DAWNCALLER

Thalham Peacechaser Galanianhi the Dawncaller: Male goliath bard 5/dawncaller 4; CR 10; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 5d6+10 plus 4d8+8; hp 56; Init –1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 10, fl at-footed 17; Base Atk +7; Grp +12; Atk +9 melee (2d6+1/19–20, Large masterwork longsword); Full Atk +10/+5 (2d6+1/19–20, Large masterwork longsword); SA —; SQ bardic knowledge +7, bardic music 9/day (countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage +2, inspire stamina), darkvision 60 ft., goliath traits; AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +9; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 16.

Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, Bluff +13, Climb +6, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +6 (+8 to act in character), Gather Information +15, Intimidate +8, Jump +6, Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +11, Perform (sing) +18, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +11 (+13 to decipher scrolls), Spot +13, Use Magic Device +16 (+18 with scrolls); Alertness, Iron Will, Magical Aptitude, Negotiator.

Countersong (Su): Thalham can counter magical effects that depend on sound by making a Perform check for each round of countersong. Any creature within 30 feet of Thalham who is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use Thalham’s Perform check result in place of his or her saving throw, if desired. Countersong lasts for 10 rounds.

Fascinate(Sp): Thalham can cause up to three creatures within 90 feet that can see and hear him to become fascinated with him (sit quietly, –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks). Thalham’s Perform check result is the DC for the opponent’s Will save. Any obvious threat breaks the effect. Fascination lasts for 9 rounds.

Inspire Competence (Su): An ally within 30 feet who can see and hear Thalham gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks for as long as he can hear the music. Inspire competence lasts for up to 20 rounds.

Inspire Courage (Su): Allies (including Thalham himself) who can hear Thalham receive a +2 morale bonus on saves against charm and fear effects, and a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls. The effect lasts for 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear Thalham.

Inspire Stamina (Su): Thalham can sing to refresh his tired allies. While he sings and for 9 minutes thereafter, Thalham and allies within 30 feet who can hear his song can ignore all the effects of fatigue and exhaustion. Goliath Traits (Ex): Thalham’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Thalham can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Thalham is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Bard Spells Prepared (3/4/2; save DC 12 + spell level); 0—detect magic, know direction, lullaby, message, open/close, read magic; 1st—comprehend languages, cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, undetectable alignment; 2nd—detect thoughts, eagle’s splendor, invisibility.