Earth Dreamer

Illus. by F. Vohwinkel

Deep are the dreams of mountains, and the earth trembles with the power of their dreaming. Earth dreamers move within these ancient dreams, attuning themselves to their power and mastering strange abilities over the earth. Many other characters and creatures consider earth dreamers to be a strange lot, partly because these exotic spellcasters are liable to remain silent for years at a time, contemplating the power and beauty of the earth dream. Most earth dreamers are gnome druids or wizards, but spellcasters of every race have been known to pursue the power of the earth dream. The dream dwarves (see page 88) number many earth dreamers among their race. NPC earth dreamers are often the subject of a quest, with adventurers traveling to their remote shrines and lairs seeking wisdom and guidance. When they stir from their communion with the earth, a dreamer makes a great guide to the underground world—provided you can keep up.

Adaptation: This class is earth-focused, suggesting that the earth dreamer class might have three counterparts that combine divination ability with affi nity for the elements of fire, water, and air. The prestige classes for the other three elements would replace the tremorsense and earth glide class features with other abilities related to their respective elements. Looking at the special abilities of these elements’ relevant elementals would be a good way to fi nd such class features.

Hit Die: d4. Requirements

To qualify to become an earth dreamer, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks.

Feats: Earth Sense*.

Special: Able to cast 1st-level spells. *New feat described in Chapter 6. Class Skills The earth dreamer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifi er. Class Features All of the following are class features of the earth dreamer prestige class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Earth dreamers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, an earth dreamer gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefi t a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If she had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an earth dreamer, she must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known. Earth Friend (Ex): An earth dreamer knows how to get along well with earth creatures. Creatures with the earth subtype automatically react to an earth dreamer in a friendlier manner than they otherwise would; their initial attitude (see page 72 of the Player’s Handbook) is improved by one step. Earth Dream (Sp): By attuning herself to the earth dream, an earth dreamer of 2nd level or higher can pull Kyliki Turco, an earth dreamer knowledge from the mountains. This ability works like the divination spell in many ways, allowing an earth dreamer to ask one question and receive a short, often cryptic, answer. An earth dreamer’s chance of receiving an answer is equal to 70% + 2% per class level, and the dream only reveals correct answers. The earth dream ability can be used only to answer questions that are connected to the mountains in some way. In general, the dreamer can get answers to questions about creatures, objects, and locations within 50 miles of a mountain, including underground or hidden locations. As with the augury and divination spells, multiple uses of this ability regarding the same topic by the same earth dreamer use the same dice result and reveal the same answer each time.

Using this ability takes 10 minutes, and the earth dreamer can use it once per day.

Lesser Tremorsense (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, an earth dreamer is so in tune with the earth that she gains the tremorsense ability (see page 316 of the Monster Manual) with a range of 10 feet. Her Earth Sense feat (see Chapter 6: Character Options) still functions beyond that range, but she can now sense and pinpoint foes within 10 feet without an action.

Earth Sight (Su): An earth dreamer of 4th level or higher can see through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal to a range of 30 feet, as easily as if the substance weren’t there. The earth dreamer can still see the stone or earth as a ghostly outline, so she can avoid walking into walls and can otherwise function normally. This ability does not give an earth dreamer any special ability to see in darkness or into unlit areas. Using this ability is a standard action. Each use lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the earth dreamer’s Con modifi er.

Earth Glide (Su): A 5th-level earth dreamer can move through earth like an earth elemental, gliding through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fi sh swims through water. This burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing an earth gliding earth dreamer fl ings the dreamer back 30 feet, stunning her for 1 round unless she succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save. Using this ability is a standard action. Each use lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the earth dreamer’s Con modifi er.

SAMPLE EARTH DREAMER

Kyliki Turco the Earth Dreamer: Female gnome druid 7/earth dreamer 3; CR 10; Small humanoid; HD 7d8+21 plus 3d4+9; hp 72; Init +0; Spd 15 ft.; AC 18, touch 12, fl at-footed 18; Base Atk +6; Grp +0; Atk +6 melee (1d4–2, master work club) or +8 ranged (1d4–2, masterwork club); Full Atk +6/+1 melee (1d4–2, masterwork club) or +8 ranged (1d4–2, masterwork club); SA spell-like abilities; SQ animal companion, earth dream, earth friend, gnome traits, lesser tremorsense, link with companion, low-light vision, nature sense, resist nature’s lure, share spells, trackless step, wild empathy +11 (+7 magical beasts), wild shape 3/day (Small or Medium animal), woodland stride; AL NG; SV Fort +13*, Ref +5*, Will +14*; Str 6, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 14. Skills and Feats: Concentration +9, Handle Animal +7, Jump –11, Knowledge (nature) +8, Listen +12, Ride +8, Spellcraft +14, Spot +12, Survival +14 (+16 in aboveground natural environments); Earth Sense*, Earth Spell*, Heighten Spell, Natural Spell. *New feats described in Chapter 6. Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 12), prestidigitation, speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute).

Animal Companion (Ex): Kyliki has a riding dog as an animal companion. This creature is a loyal companion that accompanies her on adventures as appropriate for its kind. Its abilities and characteristics are summarized below. Shardeth: Riding dog animal companion; CR —;

Medium magical beast; HD 6d8+18 plus 3; hp 48; Init +3; Spd 50 ft.; AC 21, touch 13, fl at-footed 18; Base Atk +4; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d6+4, bite); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+4, bite); SA —; SQ bonus tricks, devotion, evasion, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3 (+7 against enchantment spells and effects); Str 17, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Jump +9, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +4, Survival +1 (+5 when tracking by scent); Alertness,

Toughness, TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite). Bonus Tricks: Shardeth is capable of learning three tricks in addition to any that Kyliki might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74 of the

Player’s Handbook). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the creature. Kyliki selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed. Devotion (Ex): Shardeth has a+4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects. Evasion (Ex): If Shardeth is exposed to any effect that normally allows it to attempt a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage with a successful saving throw. Scent (Ex): Can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

Earth Dream (Sp): Once per day, Kyliki can pull knowledge from the mountains. This ability functions much like a divination spell, and using it takes 10 minutes. Kyliki can ask one question and receive a short, cryptic answer in return. The chance of receiving an answer is 76%, and the dream only reveals correct answers. The earth dream ability can be used only to answer questions that are connected to the mountains in some way. Multiple uses of this ability regarding the same topic by Kyliki use the same dice result and reveal the same answer each time.

Earth Friend (Ex): The attitude of creatures with the earth subtype toward Kyliki is improved by one step (see page 72 of the Player’s Handbook).

Table 5–7: The Earth Dreamer Base Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day

1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Earth friend +1 level of existing spellcasting class 2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Earth dream +1 level of existing spellcasting class 3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Lesser tremorsense +1 level of existing spellcasting class 4th +2 +4 +1 +4 Earth sight +1 level of existing spellcasting class 5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Earth glide +1 level of existing spellcasting class