Kamikaze (3.5e Prestige Class)

Kamikaze
"Tick, Tick, BOOM!"

There is something deeply engaging about explosions. A concussive shock, a burst of light, a wave of heat, and an expanding core of cloudy fire all combine to create an experience that appeals to deep, primal forces within oneself. Highly dramatic bursts of energy, they destroy all. Many people take up various pursuits to gain the ability to destroy things at a whim, such as arcane spellcasters. However, these paths do not focus on explosions as a goal, rather, they are merely part of a wider range of abilities to tear one's foes asunder. Not as many people would pursue something as inherently dangerous as explosions as an end unto itself, uncaring of the means to achieve it. Even fewer would be suicidal enough to even imagine of producing the explosions from their own bodies, let alone find a way to do it. But, a few have. These rare people are known as Kamikazes.

Becoming a Kamikaze
Becoming a Kamikaze is only for those people crazy enough to modify their body to become self-destructive. To recreate oneself as unstable material requires an unstable mind in and of itself. The process involves modification of the body's base materials, turning them into an alchemical mixture. Only tough people survive the initial transformation, and only the toughest survive their own explosions once they are transformed. Barbarians and Fighters are most likely to take levels in this class. Other classes find this class interesting and may take it, though most spellcasters overlook it. The ability to take great amounts of punishment is a must for this class.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Kamikaze.

 (Ex): A kamikaze gains fire resistance equal to 3 times their character level.

 (Ex): A kamikaze's explosive damage is hotter than normal fire, so hot that it burns creatures who are resistant to it, a kamikaze deals fire damage to creatures with fire resistance except for the kamikaze's own as if their resistance was reduced by 3 times his class level.

 (Su): A kamikaze has learned to use his explosive powers to defeat his enemies. At 1st level, as a standard action, the kamikaze may move up to his speed and enter an opponent's square. Entering the opponent's square does not provokeattacks of opportunity from the creature he is targeting. At the end of his movement, the kamikaze explodes and causes all creatures within range to take 1d6 per character level of fire damage. In addition, the kamikaze may make a strength check as if attempting to bull rush the target who's square he entered. While he gains all the normal effects of a bull rush, he may not activate any other abilities that require a bull rush to activate. At first the blast only effects the creature targeted, but the burst increase to 5ft around him at 4th level, and to 10ft around him at 8th level.

 (Su): At 2nd level, the kamikaze has learned how to focus his bodies instability to explode right as his enemies strike him. A number of times per day equal to his class level, as an immediate action, whenever a kamikaze is damaged by a melee attack, he may explode, dealing his kamikaze damage to the attacker as well as all enemies within the explosions range.

 (Su): At 3rd level, A kamikaze has developed a level of control over his instable body, he may now explode at will as a standard action a number of times per day equal to his class level.

 (Su): At 4th level, the kamikaze learns how to utilize his brief disappearance after his explosion to appear at different locations. He may add a dimension door spell with a caster level equal to his class level a number of times per day equal to his class level as part of any explosion.

 (Su): At 5th level, whenever a kamikaze is subject to a critical hit, he may explode without expending any uses of his Explosive Retribution ability.

 (Su): At 6th level, a kamikaze learns how to concentrate his instability into his limbs to explode with no harm to him. A number of times per day equal to his class level, a kamikaze may focus a explosion into his arms or legs. These explosions deal no damage to the kamikaze. If focused into his arms, he shoots an explosive cone with a range equal to twice his kamikaze range dealing damage equal to his kamikaze damage with a reflex save for half. If focused into his legs, he propels himself into the air with tremendous force, gaining a bonus on a jump check equal to 3 times his class level.

 (Su): At 7th level, a kamikaze's fire burns so hot that his explosions bypasses all fire resistance and damage reduction.

 (Su): At 9th level, whenever someone scores a "threat" or rolls maximum damage against the kamikaze, he may explode without expending any uses of his Explosive Retribution ability.

 (Su): At 10th level, a kamikaze may release his fury in a titanic explosion, once per day, a kamikaze may explode with double the range and dealing double the damage, dealing no damage to himself, also, a kamikaze may add a teleport or plane shift effect to the explosion. Any creatures that are to be brought along on the teleport or plane shift are not damaged by this effect.

Playing a kamikaze
Combat: A kamikaze's powers provide especially unique abilities in combat. He charges an opponent, only to explode and reappear in front of another opponent, only to charge him and explode, reappearing somewhere else. These odd abilities are useful, but come at a cost. The kamikaze has to be careful, since there is a chance of hurting himself and his allies with each explosion. If implemented correctly, the kamikaze's abilities become downright deadly and efficient. He is a force to be reckoned with.

Advancement: Since most of the abilities in this class are based on character level instead of class level, it leaves many advancement options. The kamikaze may choose to continue in the classes he took before, or continue in other classes for more combat prowess.

Resources: Since kamikazes are rare in the world, they do not have many resources at there disposal.

Kamikaze in the World
"Oh don't get me started on my problems..."

Kamikazes are rare in the world, but those who know of them fear them for their instability. Some kamikazes hide there true nature, while others are overly proud of it. Those that aren't in an adventuring party sometimes band together.

NPC Reactions: Most people in the world who know of a kamikaze's true nature fear them for their abilities. They tend to be treated with fear and suspicion wherever they are known.

Kamikaze Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Local) can research Kamikaze to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.