Publication:Dread Codex 2/Prestige Classes/Bloodbound

==Bloodbound==

"These necromancers have less power in the arts, but they serve an important purpose, to aid and protect their masters. For years I have been looking for a person of potential. One who would learn and serve, selflessly, and who know more than just magic. He will be my weapon and shield."

Necromancers are mostly known for their undead servants, but some necromancers prefer the company of the living as well, mostly because they offer intelligent company and can aid the wizard in ways that the undead cannot. The bloodbound are such servants. They often become apprentices to more powerful necromancers, serving them with all of their soul and hoping to, one day, become as powerful as their masters. They are near the necromancer at all times, and see the dark rituals he performs behind magically sealed doors, offering the wizard the components and aid which is needed. Many necromantic secrets are revealed to the bloodbound.

These lesser wizards have many different backgrounds, and most have some experience with a blade and will defend their master if it should come to that. One is bought at the local slave market and offered some semblance of power, in exchange for his devoted service, while another is left standing as the last fighter of a small army and offered the chance to survive. There are even those who seek out a powerful necromancer and swears an oath to him, chosing this fate for himself. But they must know something of the magic before taking their blood pledge.

The bloodbound bond with their necromantic lord through a series of necromantic blood rituals, and thereby gain lesser powers that will aid them in their endeavors. Some of these powers will make them better fighters, while others strengthen their magic.

They can be as vile as their masters, and in the end strive to take over the true power that he possess, or they can serve him with all of their hearts, never giving him cause to suspect any misdeed. It is widely known that the scholarly savants of the dead, seek out these warrior-wizards and ask for their service.

Becoming a Bloodbound
This is a class tailored for NPC use. PCs are expected to be their own masters doing their own adventures, not minor servants doing the menial labor of powerful wizards.

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

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Bloodbound gain no new proficiencies with weapons, armors, and shields.

Note that the bloodbound does not gain any other benefits of this existing spellcasting class. If the character has more than one arcane spellcasting class, the first choice is the wizard class.

s (Su): At the first level of this prestige class, the blood which flows through the veins of the bloodbound becomes poisonous. Every time he is hit by a weapon which causes a bleeding wound (doing more than 5 points of damage), his blood splatters to those standing within 5 feet. They take 1d4+1 points of damage at the time the bloodbound is hit. The bloodbound can also coat his weapon in his own blood. This makes for a potent poison that will last for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution modifier, causing an additional 1d4 points of damage. This poisonous blood also gives him a 50% resistance to all poisons.

At the 5th level, the bloodbound gains the power to direct his innate negative energy into his weapon and make more powerful attacks. If the weapon was not magical before, it now counts as a magical +1 weapon. On a successful hit, the dark energy flows through the blood of the bound into the weapon delivering 1d6 points of negative energy damage, +1 for every 2 levels of this prestige class.

At the 8th level, the blood is now as powerful as it gets. The bloodbound gains a spell resistance of 11 + caster level.

 (Ex): The bloodbound is a true servant and every time he Aids Another creature of a higher challenge rating than himself he doubles the bonus gained from a successful check.

' (Sp):' Starting at 3rd level, the bloodbound gains the ability to use detect undead'' once per day as a spell-like ability. At 6th level this becomes three times per day, and at level 9 the bloodbound can use this ability at will.

He must meet the pre-requisites of whatever feat he chooses.

 (Su): Upon reaching the 10th level, the bloodbound now exudes death and gains a +4 competence bonus on all checks involving undead, and he casts necromancy spells at +1 caster level. Any who has the ability to see magical auras, or uses detect magic, will see a faint dark aura around the bloodbound and know that he is strong in necromancy magic.