Snake Handler Priest (3.5e Class)

Summary::This is like a cleric with relatively low spellcasting ability, but relatively high ability to summon and fight alongside snakes! Length::20 Minimum Level::1 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Moderate Fortitude Save Progression::Good Reflex Save Progression::Poor Will Save Progression::Good Class Ability::Prepared Divine Spellcasting [[Class Ability Progression::Other

Snake Handler Priest
Snake Handler Priests are religious zealots who live in small towns in the hills, on the edge of the wilderness, and the fringe of society. Though snake handling is frowned upon in most cultures, the priests of this faith defend their practice staunchly. They avidly proclaim that their faith gives them power over the crawling things of the earth and they wield this power with the grace of the divine.

Making a Snake Handler Priest
Although strength, dexterity, and fortitude may serve well in a fight, a snake handler needs only the Wisdom of the Lord and the Charisma of his own spirit. Amen.

Abilities: All prepared spells are Wisdom-based, but a high Charisma score is often needed for controlling the snakes. Intelligence will be useful when increasing Knowledge and other Skills. In the beginning levels, some combat ability may be necessary, so a little bit of Strength and Dexterity are not bad to have.

Races: People of all races who do not fear the serpent's bite may enter the fold of the snake handler priest.

Alignment: Any non-chaotic.

Starting Gold: 3d8&times;10 gp.

Starting Age: Complex

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the snake handler priest.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Snake handler priests may be proficient with all simple weapons plus the whip. They may also be proficient with all types of armor and shields (except tower shields).

Religion: The practice of snake handling is uncommon. In fact, most people have never even heard of it in many parts of the world. However, congregants of many different religions have seen the power of snake handling and will extol its virtue to anyone who challenges its legitimacy. Nonetheless, the snake-handling practice is not supported by several gods, making the worship of them off-limits to snake handler priests. The gods who will not help a snake handler are Corellon Larethian, Erythnul, Gruumsh, Kord, Olidammara, and any other chaotic god. All other deities are conducive to snake handling.

However, his alignment may restrict him from casting certain spells opposed to his moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. A snake handler priest must choose and prepare his spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, a snake handler priest must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a snake handler’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the snake handler’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a snake handler priest can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. A snake handler also gets one domain spell of each spell level he can cast, starting at 1st level. When a snake handler priest prepares a spell in a domain spell slot, it must come from one of his two domains (see Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells).

Snake handlers meditate or pray for their spells. Each snake handler must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a snake handler can prepare spells. A snake handler may prepare and cast any spell on the cleric spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

A snake handler chooses two domains from among those belonging to his deity. A snake handler can select an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if his alignment matches that domain.

If a snake handler is not devoted to a particular deity, he still selects two domains to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities. The restriction on alignment domains still applies.

Each domain gives the snake handler access to a domain spell at each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up, as well as a granted power. The snake handler gets the granted powers of both the domains selected.

With access to two domain spells at a given spell level, a snake handler prepares one or the other each day in his domain spell slot. If a domain spell is not on the cleric spell list, a snake handler can prepare it only in his domain spell slot.

Spontaneous Casting: A good snake handler priest (or a neutral priest of a good deity) can channel stored spell energy into curing spells that the priest did not prepare ahead of time. The snake handler priest can “lose” any prepared spell that is not a domain spell in order to cast any cure spell of the same spell level or lower (a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name).

An evil snake handler priest (or a neutral priest of an evil deity), can’t convert prepared spells to cure spells but can convert them to inflict spells (an inflict spell is one with “inflict” in its name).

A snake handler priest who is neither good nor evil and whose deity is neither good nor evil can convert spells to either cure spells or inflict spells (player’s choice). Once the player makes this choice, it cannot be reversed.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A snake handler priest can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own or his deity’s (if he has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

 : At first level, a snake handler priest can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of snakes (or anything with a serpentine likeness). This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The snake handler priest rolls 1d20 and adds his class level + Charisma bonus to determine the serpent empathy check result. - To use serpent empathy, the snake handler priest and the serpent must be no more than 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions.

 : A snake handler priest may begin play with a Small Viper or Medium Viper. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the snake handler priest on his adventures as appropriate for its kind. - A 1st-level snake handler’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a snake handler advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table Serpent Companion Progression. If a snake handler priest releases his companion from service, he may gain a new one by performing a ceremony that usually lasts about 24 hours. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

 : Starting at 2nd level, snake handler priests may summon a snake once/day as a spell-like ability. It appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the snake, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. - This spell summons either a small viper, or 1d3 tiny vipers. - A summoned snake cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Snakes cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them.

 : At level 3, the snake handler priest has faith in his god strong enough to repel poison. He may add his Wisdom modifier to his Fortitude saving throws against poison.

 : Starting at 4th level, snake handler priests may summon medium snakes once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon serpent I, except that you can summon one Medium Viper or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the list of creatures that summon serpent I allows you to summon.

 : Starting at 6th level, snake handler priests may summon large snakes once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon serpent I, except that you can summon one Large Viper, or one Medium Constrictor, or 1d3 creatures of the same kind that summon serpent II allows you to summon, or 1d4+1 creatures of the same kind summon serpent I allows you to summon.

 : Although snake handler priests specialize in divine magic, they recognize the power in certain magic symbols, especially those involving snakes. This is why they learn to use Sepia Snake Sigil as a spell-like ability once/day at level seven.

 : Starting at 8th level, snake handler priests may summon huge vipers once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon serpent I, except that you can summon one Huge Viper, or 1d3 creatures of the same kind that summon serpent III allows you to summon, or 1d4+1 creatures of the same kind summon serpent II allows you to summon.

 : Starting at 10th level, snake handler priests may summon huge constrictors once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon serpent I, except that you can summon one Huge Constrictor, or 1d3 creatures of the same kind that summon serpent IV allows you to summon, or 1d4+1 creatures of the same kind summon serpent III allows you to summon.

 : At level 11, snake handler priests gain immunity from all poisons.

 : Starting at 12th level, snake handler priests may summon divine snakes once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon serpent V, except that the snakes summoned are either Celestial (good alignment, or neutral snake handlers worshiping a "good" deity) or Fiendish (evil alignment, or neutral snake handlers worshiping an "evil" deity). Neutral snake handlers serving a "neutral" deity may choose either type of divine summoning.

 : At level 13, snake handler priests gain the ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a snake handler priest with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on his saving throw.

 : Starting at 14th level, snake handler priests may summon stronger divine snakes once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon divine serpent I, except that the snakes summoned are improved by +2HD, +2 Strength, and +2 Constitution.

 : Starting at 16th level, snake handler priests may summon stronger divine snakes once/day as a spell-like ability. This spell functions like summon divine serpent I, except that the snakes summoned are improved by +4HD, +4 Strength, and +4 Constitution.

 : Starting at level 18, snake handler priests of good alignment (or those merely serving a "good" deity) may summon the mighty Couatl into service. Snake handlers of evil alignment (or those merely serving an "evil" deity) may summon the equivalent Infernal Couatl. Neutral snake handlers serving a "neutral" deity may choose either type of divine summoning. Each summoning may be done as a spell-like ability once/day.

Serpent Companion Features
Basics: The serpent's character level is the same as the snake handler's level. Hit dice, however, do not increase every level for the serpent as they do for the snake handler. Hit dice increase the size of the serpent, as noted in the section on improving monsters in the Monster Manual. : The size of the serpent companion does not change from Medium to Large at level 2, despite the increase in hit dice. Instead, it increases to Large at level 6, as prescribed for a constrictor of its hit dice. It increases again to Huge size at level 16, as prescribed for a couatl or naga of its hit dice.

Bonus HD: Add these bonus hit dice to the serpent as indicated in the chart Serpent Companion Progression.

Strength/Constitution and Intelligence/Charisma Adjustment: Add these bonuses to both the serpent's Strength and Constitution as indicated by the chart above. Remember that saves against a viper's poison are Con-based. The serpent will need its Int and Cha when it evolves into a Couatl.

Natural Armor: Although the serpent may lose a little bit of its Armor Class due to increase in size, it more than makes up for it with natural armor.

Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the snake handler priest might choose to teach it (see Handle Animal Skill for common tricks). 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 animal. The snake handler priest selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can't be changed.

 : You can handle your serpent companion as a free action, or push it as a move action. You gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Serpent Empathy checks and Handle Animal checks regarding the serpent companion.

 : At the snake handler's option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts upon himself also affect his serpent companion. The serpent companion must be within 5 feet of him at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the serpent companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the snake handler before the duration expires. Additionally, the snake handler may cast a spell with a target of "You" on his serpent companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself. A snake handler and his serpent companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal).

 : At level 3, the serpent companion effectively becomes a constrictor. It keeps all of its special attacks and qualities from being a viper, but it adds all the attacks and qualities of a medium constrictor snake. Constrict Special Attack: When the serpent companion gains the constrict attack at level 3, the damage given is 1d3+1. At level 6, damage increases to 1d8+1. Finally, at level 11, damage increases to 2d8 which roughly scales with the couatl's grapple attack.

 : Beginning at 5th level, your serpent companion gains Evasion.

 : At seventh level, your serpent's devotion to you is so complete that it gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects. This improves to +8 at level 13.

 : At level 9, your serpent gains damage reduction of 3/-. This improves to 6/- at level 15.

 : At level 11, the divine entity for whom you serve has deemed you and your serpent companion worthy of great corporeal advancement. From now on, if you are of good alignment or worship a good god, your serpent becomes a Couatl; if you are of evil alignment or serve an evil god, it evolves into a Spirit Naga. If you are of neutral alignment and serve a neutral deity, you may choose which beast your serpent becomes. The serpent companion retains all of its other special attacks and qualities and gains all the special abilities of a creature of its new type, with the following exception: This newly enhanced creature can only cast spells of a level-1 sorcerer. From now on, every level-up grants the serpent another caster level along with all the spells of that caster level, but without any other class features of a normal sorcerer.

Ex-Snake Handler Priests
The most important law a snake handler priest can ever follow is the law of his god. If a snake handler should egregiously violate the philosophies, traditions, or alignment of that god, then the god will be displeased and refuse to let him advance in magic knowledge or serpent companionship. If that ever happens, then the infidel snake handler must either take on a different role or make an atonement such that would please his god. - The serpent companions of ex-snake handler priests cannot advance in levels or evolve to higher forms.