User:The bluez in the dungeon/Arachnomaniac

Author: the bluez in the dungeon (talk) Date Created: 25/3/2023 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Fencer

Fencers are extremely capable and versatile combatants, who use only swords to fight, and have honed their prowess with them to the peak of mortals height. They are gallant fighters, who rely on duels to give their best in a battle

Making a Fencer

Fencers are martial characters specialized in melee combat, who prefer to go one-on-one when possible, but may deal with multiple opponents as well thanks to their versatility. They have a good number of skills, and are capable of supporting a team even outside combat.

Abilities: They rely both on Strength and Dexterity, either focusing on one of them or balancing the two to achieve an unmatched quality of combat, and also to gain various fighting feats. They need Constitution as any martial character does, while they have no specific use for any mental score, except to help with saves or class skills.

Races: Almost any race may become a fencer, but they mostly arise in civilized societies, especially where swordmanship is treated as a refined and serious art. Most fencers are humans, elves, half-elves, halflings and gnomes. Orc and dwarf fencers are considered a rarity, while half-orcs are more common.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: 4d6 x 10 (120 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate.

Table: The Arachnomaniac

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+0	Arachnomania Spider Empathy, Spider Swarm 1d6
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+0	Poison Use, Spiderskin
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+1	Arachnomania, Spider Swarm 2d6
4th	+3	+1	+1	+1	Bonus Feat, Spider Speech, Wallcrawler
5th	+3	+1	+1	+1	Arachnomania, Evasion, Spider Swarm 3d6
6th	+4	+2	+2	+2	Arachnomancy, Poison Master, Spiderfriend
7th	+5	+2	+2	+2	Arachnomania, Bonus Feat, Spider Swarm 4d6
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+2	Spider's Boon, Swarm Shield
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+3	Arachnomania, Spider Swarm 5d6
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+3	Rapid Gathering ,Spiderlord
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+3	Arachnomania, Bonus Feat
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+4	Spidertangle, Steel Fangs
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+4	Arachnomania
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+4	Bonus Feat, Guardian Swarm
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+5	Arachnomania
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Swarm Master
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Arachnomania, Bonus Feat
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+6	Spirit Spiders
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Arachnomania
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+6	Arachne's Fate
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcane) (Int), Knowledge (Dungeon) (Int), Knowledge (History) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the aracnomaniac.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An aracnomaniac is proficient with the light mace, quartestaff, club, dagger, punching dagger, sickle, shortspear, spear, bee sting, conscript sword, ironjaw, short staff, battle pole, sling, blowpipe, scimitar, assassin needles, katar, pata and light bow. They are also proficient with medium armor and shields.

Variable Saves: An arachnomaniac may choose two of its saves to have a good progression instead of poor. Once this choice has been made it can't be changed.

Arachnomania (Su): You're not really crazy, spiders are your friends! At 1st level, and every subsequent odd level, aracnomaniacs gain a special power called aracnomania, if they meet the requirements. Here is a list of available arachnomanias. Each aracnomania can only be selected once, unless stated otherwise. Each time you get an arachnomania, you can choose to replace one of the ones you've already selected with another that meets the requirements.

Spider Empathy (Ex): Spiders speak to you, and you can understand them! From 1st level, an aracnomaniac gains the Wild Empathy ability as a druid of their level (1d20 + aracnomaniac level + number of Spider Swarm dice), but it only works with arachnids and spider-like creatures (such as driders).

Spider Swarm (Ex): Spiders are everywhere: on you, in the leaves, under the stones, and all around you. Starting at 1st level, an aracnomaniac can, as a standard action at will (which does not provoke attacks of opportunity), cause spiders to appear seemingly out of nowhere and attack a target within 30 feet.

These spiders deal 1d6 swarm damage, reduced by a Reflex saving throw (DC = 10 + number of Spider Swarm dice + ½ the aracnomaniac’s level – minimum 1). Additionally, a creature hit by this attack suffers a -1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and AC for 1 round per damage die (reduced if the creature succeeds on its Reflex save, rounding down). A creature that needs to concentrate on an action while suffering this penalty must make a Concentration check (DC = 10 + the number of damage dice suffered) to perform the action (such as casting a spell).

At each subsequent odd level after 1st, up to 9th, the damage die increases by 1d6, up to a maximum of 5d6, as shown on the table. When using Spider Swarm, the aracnomaniac can divide the damage dice among different targets within the area of effect, as it sees fit. For example, at 9th level, if three enemies are within range, the aracnomaniac could deal 2d6 damage to one, 1d6 to another, and the remaining 2d6 to the third.

Using more than 1d6 of Spider Swarm consumes the damage dice used (starts every round with at least 1 + 1 extra at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20) until they are replenished. The aracnomaniac automatically recovers 1 die every minute, but can also recover them faster. With a move action, they recover 1 die; with a standard action, they recover 2; and with a full-round action, they recover 4. All these actions provoke attacks of opportunity.

If Spider Swarm is used in an area where repel vermin is in effect, the attack fails if the caster's level is higher than the aracnomaniac's level. Otherwise, the result is determined by a check made by the caster (1d20 + aracnomaniac level + the number of Spider Swarm dice). If the aracnomaniac wins, the swarm has no effect; if the caster wins, the damage dice used become d4s.

Climb Speed (Ex): At 1st level, aracnomaniacs are able to join their little friends by following them up smooth walls. They gain a climb speed of 10 feet, which increases according to the table. This natural climb speed grants a +8 bonus on Climb checks. They do not need to make Climb checks to traverse horizontal or vertical walls (they can climb upside down). They may use Dexterity instead of Strength for Jump and Climb checks if it is more advantageous.

An aracnomaniac who already has a climb speed adds the value from the table to their climb speed, after any other bonuses.

Spiderskin: Starting at 2nd level, an aracnomaniac begins to resemble their beloved spiders more and more. They gain a +1 natural armor bonus (which stacks with any existing bonuses) and a +2 bonus on saving throws against poisons, webs, and on Hide and Move Silently checks. These bonuses increase by +1/+2 at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels, up to a maximum of +5/+10.

Poison Use: Starting at 2nd level, an aracnomaniac is not at risk of poisoning themselves when applying poisons.

Wallcrawler (Su): At 4th level, an aracnomaniac gains the ability to grow spider legs from their torso, allowing them to climb without using their other limbs. Additionally, while climbing in this way, they do not lose their Dexterity bonus to AC, and opponents gain no bonuses to attack rolls against them. They can also take the Run action. They can use this ability for 10 minutes per Spider Swarm die, activating it as a move action and ending it with a swift action. At 12th level, there is no limit to how long this ability can be used, but it must still be activated.

Spider Speech (Su): At 4th level, the aracnomaniac can hear the whispers of spiders. They constantly benefit from the speak with animals spell, but it only works with spiders, arachnids, and other spider-like creatures.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level, the aracnomaniac gains a bonus feat for which they meet the prerequisites. They gain another at 7th, 11th, 14th, and 17th levels.

Evasion (Ex): Starting at 5th level, if exposed to any effect that allows them to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the aracnomaniac takes no damage if the save is successful (only if wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor). An unarmored aracnomaniac does not gain this benefit.

Spiderfriend: At 6th level, the starting attitude of spiders, arachnids, and similar creatures toward the aracnomaniac improves by one step, usually making creatures that are normally hostile indifferent. They gain a +4 bonus on Charisma-based social checks to influence spiders, arachnids, and similar creatures.

Arachnomancy: At 6th level, the aracnomaniac’s connection with spiders becomes almost mystical. The damage dealt by Spider Swarm becomes magical.

Poison Master: Starting at 6th level, the aracnomaniac’s ability to handle poisons reaches its peak. They can apply poisons as a swift action instead of a standard action, and the DC of the poisons they use becomes 10 + their aracnomaniac level (if it is not already higher).

Spider's Boon (Ex): Starting at 8th level, the aracnomaniac becomes immune to the venom of arachnids and similar creatures, and cannot be trapped by non-magical webs. At 14th level, they become immune to magical webs as well.

Swarm Shield: Starting from level 8, the arachnomaniac can use their Spider Swarm as protection. Once per turn, as an immediate action, they can sacrifice any number of Swarm dice to negate the damage they are about to take by an equal number of dice. They also gain a bonus to saves against the effects of the Distraction ability of a swarm equal to the number of Spider Swarm dice they possess.

Rapid Gathering: By level 10th, the arachnomaniac has become faster at gatherign spiders and recovering Spider Swarm dice. With a swift action they recover 1 die; with a move action, they recover 2; with a standard action, they recover 3; and with a full-round action, they recover 5. Swift and move actions to gather the spiders do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Spiderlord: Starting at 10th level, the aracnomaniac becomes almost a sacred totem to spiders, who dare not lift a leg against them. The starting attitude of spiders, arachnids, and similar creatures improves by two steps, up to friendly, and the aracnomaniac can influence these creatures as though they were a cleric with the Spider^PGtF domainis granted power. This ability works like Turn/Rebuke Undead (but does not destroy these creatures), but instead of using its Charisma bonus, the aracnomaniac uses a bonus equal to the number of Spider Swarm dice.

Spidertangle: Starting from the 12th level, the areas where the Spider Swarm is used become difficult terrain until the beginning of the arachnomaniac's next turn, as some spiders remain to bite anyone who passes through.

Steel Fangs: Starting at 12th level, the damage dealt by Spider Swarm counts as if it were made of adamantine to bypass damage reduction.

Guardian Swarm: Starting from the 14th level, the arachnomaniac is so covered in spiders that they become immune to both the Distraction ability of swarms and their swarm damage (but not the damage from Spider Swarm).

Swarm Master: By level 16th their mastery of the swarms exceeds any expectations. They may recover Spider Swarm dice without provoking any attacks of opportunity. Once per day, they can also preserve five additional Swarm dice when they would otherwise lose them.

Spirit Spiders: At 18th level, the damage dealt by Spider Swarm ignores damage reduction as if it were of the aracnomaniac's alignment. If the aracnomaniac is neutral on one or more axes, they choose an alignment to apply to each axis and the choice is permanent.

Additional Options

Feats

• Extra Arachnomania