Ascetic (3.5e Prestige Class)

Ascetic
"Holy Grail? I have no use for such a trinket."

There are people in this world who seek wisdom, and they are known as monks. Then there are people who actually have become wise, and they are known as wise men. But then there are Ascetics, and they are to wise men as wise men are to monks.

Becoming an Ascetic
Ascetics can be anything from monks, to shapechangers, to knights, to mages, and, indeed, the class grants unique benefit to each of these classes. Ascetics often organize as teachers of ancient colleges, or as pilgrims who seek nothing more than enlightment.

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

 (Ex): A member of this prestige class does not gain any BAB as they level, instead, their wisdom score increases as shown on Table: The Ascetic. These increases stack.

 (Ex): An Ascetic always uses their wisdom modifier in place of their strength or dexterity modifier whenever they make an attack roll (ranged or otherwise). Also, this prestige class is considered a spellcasting class for the purpose of determining caster level, despite the fact that it doesn't progress spells per day or gain any of its own spells.

 (Ex): At 2nd level, an Ascetic is able to use an enemies strengths and weaknesses against them. As a standard action, an Ascetic can make an exploiting strike. As part of an exploiting strike, the Ascetic must make a successful attack against a foe who is in the threatened range of one of their allies. This attack deals no damage, instead it forces the target to provoke an attacks of opportunity from everyone who threatens them.

 (Su): An Ascetic of level 3 or higher can see illusions, transmuted creatures and objects, and invisible creatures or objects for what they really are, provided they are within 30 feet them. This ability is similar to the true seeing spell, except that it does not allow the Ascetic to see into the Ethereal Plane. The range of clearsight increases to 60 feet at level 6, and to 120 feet at level 9.

This can be any feat, given that they meet all prerequisite for the feat in question. They also gain a second feat, whose prerequisites they meet, at level 8.

 (Ex): At 5th level, an Ascetic retains their dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If an Ascetic already has uncanny dodge from a different class, they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge instead (see Rogue for more details).

 (Ex): At level 7, an Ascetic selects either intelligence or charisma, and all skills based on this ability score become wisdom based skills for the Ascetic.

 (Ex): At 10th level, an Ascetic becomes something more. They are forevermore treated as an outsider, rather than as whatever the Ascetic was before, for the purpose of spells and magical effects. On top of this, the Ascetic gains the ability to substitute their constitution modifier with their wisdom modifier for the purpose of their fortitude saving throw, and to substitute their dexterity modifier with their wisdom modifier for the purpose of their AC. Unlike other outsiders, the Ascetic can still be brought back from the dead as if they were a member of their previous creature type.

Class Features
 (Ex): As an Ascetic progresses into the epic levels of this class, they still do not gain any BAB, instead, their wisdom score continues to increase, as shown on Table: The Epic Ascetic. These increases stack.

 (Su): The range of clearsight increases to 180 feet at level 12, to 300 feet at level 15, and to 480 feet at level 18.