Hellmaster (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: Leziad (talk) Date Created: 5 March, 2009 Status: Add new ability, require beta testing. Need to add more fluff. Editing: Spelling and grammar only, please

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Hellmaster

“	I am the monster in your nightmares! I am the reason you lock your doors at night! I am horror! Look upon me with terror!	”
—Fate, human hellmaster

A hellmaster is a mortal who sold his soul to the dark legions for dark powers. He swiftly learn how to use his newfound power and conjure powerful nightmarish abilities.

Becoming a Hellmaster

A hellmaster is seeking not only to free himself from the pact, but he seeks to actually become a fiend.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Any Evil.
Base Attack Bonus:	+7.
Race:	Any Mortal.
Skills:	Knowledge (the Planes) 14 ranks.
Special:	Must have sold one's soul to infernal forces.

Table: The Hellmaster

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+0	+0	+2	Damnation Points, Fiendish Power
2nd	+2	+0	+0	+3	Fiendish Power, Damage Reduction	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+3	+1	+1	+3	Fiendish Power, Freedom	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+4	+1	+1	+4	Fiendish Power	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+5	+1	+1	+4	Fiendish Power, True Fiend	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Hellmaster.

Spellcasting: At every level but the first, the hellmaster gains new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level in hellmaster. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If he had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a hellmaster, he must decide which class to add each level to for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Damnation Points: Damnation points are required to use fiendish powers. A hellmaster's damnation pool is equal to his hellmaster levels + his Charisma modifier. A hellmaster may spent a full-round action, provoking no attack of opportunity, to recover all his damnation points.

Fiendish Powers: At every level, a hellmaster may pick one fiendish power. The save DC of a fiendish power is Charisma-based.

Breath of the Damned (Su): By selecting Breath of the Damned, a hellmaster gains a cone-shaped breath weapon. The breath weapon can be used once every 1d4 round. The effect of the Breath of Damned is based on the hellmaster's hit dice. A successful Fortitude save halves the damage. Using this ability costs two damnation points.

Hellmaster's HD	Damage	Cone Size
11-14	10d8	30 ft.
15-18	14d8	60 ft.
19+	18d8 +1d8 per level after 19	60 ft.

Call Upon Hellfire (Su): As a standard action, the hellmaster may call upon hellfire to burn his foes. When invoking this power, the hellmaster may select a 20 ft. 20 ft. area within 100 ft. of his position. Every creatures in the area takes 4d6 damages + 2d6 damage per hellmaster level, but the affected are allowed a Reflex save to halve the damage. A hellmaster may also use this ability as a ranged touch attack, dealing damage only to the creature touched, but offering no save. Resistance and even immunity to fire grant no protection against hellfire. Using this ability costs one damnation point.

Change Shape (Su): A hellmaster can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid. This ability requires one damnation point to initiate.

Feed on Soul (Su): As a standard action, you may consume the soul of recently slain being (dead for at most one round) or a trapped soul. By doing so you recover 5 hit points per point of CR the creature had. Victims of this ability cannot be raised or resurrected until the hellmaster is slain.

Enslave Souls (Su): To be able to select this fiendish power, the hellmaster must have selected the Feed on Soul power. After successfully feeding on one creature's soul, a hellmaster may, as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity, summon the soul in the form of a ghost. The hellmaster cannot summon more CR worth of Ghosts than his hit dice-2. Thus a wizard 10/hellmaster 4 could summon a CR 12 Ghost, two CR 6 Ghost but not a CR 6 Ghost and a CR 9 Ghost. If the ghosts are slain, they are freed and depart to afterlife. A hellmaster may recall the ghost as a standard action (the hellmaster cannot us his Feed on Soul ability on ghost he summoned). Using ths ability costs one damnation point per ghost summoned.

The ghosts are created from the souls of the creature absorbed by Feed on Soul. Thus a Hellmaster needs to have absorbed a valid creature to use this ability. For example, a Hellmaster who feeds on the soul of a 4th level human ninja creates a CR 6 creature (class levels (4) + ghost template (2)). The hellmaster may store any number of ghosts for later usage.

Fiendish Strength (Su): As a swift action a hellmaster may call upon the power of hell to empower his body beyond mortal limits. He gains a +6 profane bonus to Strength for a total number of round equalling his hellmaster level + his Constitution modifier. Using this ability costs two damnation points.

Hellcall (Su): Hellcall allows a hellmaster to return to hell (as plane shift, but only the hellmaster can be affected and use of this ability may only lead to an evilly-aligned plane or the material plane). Using this ability spends three damnation points and requires a full-round action (that provokes an attack of opportunity).

Summon Hellhound (Su): By taking this power, the hellmaster gains the service of a hellhound. The hellhound is barghest or a greater barghest (if the hellmaster has 12 or more HD). The barghest cannot have more HD than the hellmaster (and may increase HD through feeding). The hellhound serves for one minute/hellmaster level per day, but may summoned one additional time by spending two damnation points, although the duration is shorted to two rounds/hellmaster level). The duration need not be continuous; summoning and dismissing the hellhound is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. If the hellhound is killed it cannot be summoned again for the day.

Damages Reduction (Ex): At second level a hellmaster gains damages reduction/good equal to twice his hellmaster level.

Freedom (Ex): At third level a hellmaster is freed from any contract or oath he previously made with a fiend regarding his soul. He is no longer bound to honor any duties or responsibilities imposed on him by a prior contract, and no longer takes any ill effect (such as losing his soul) from said previous pact. Additionally, this ability provides immunity to death effects.

True Fiend (Ex): At fifth level the hellmaster becomes a true fiend. He becomes an outsider and gains the Devil and Native subtypes (or a more fitting subtype at the DM's discretion). This confers:

• Immunity to fire and poison.
• Resistance to acid 10 and cold 10.
• See in Darkness (Su): Some devils can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
• Telepathy.

Campaign Information

Playing a Hellmaster

Combat: As his or her former class, but taking hellmaster levels increases the durability of spellcasters. They may also make maximal use of their dark powers.

Advancement: Most hellmasters are cultists (clerics) who sold their soul in fanaticism, although many sorcerers, wizards, and even bards may become hellmasters.

Resources: It is quite an alien idea to think many hellmasters would group together. That said, many find themselves nearly worshipped by cultists, so it is not surprising to find many hellmasters in cults.

Hellmaster in the World

“	No one can match my dark powers!	”
—unknown, changeling hellmaster

Hellmasters are quite rare; they usually hide in the shadow because few can tolerate them.

NPC Reactions: Hellmasters are scorned by good and neutral NPCs; even some evil NPCs hate them.

Hellmaster Lore

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

Knowledge (The Plane)

DC	Result
11	Hellmasters are powerful beings drawing power from a past pact.
16	Hellmasters gain powerful dark powers; they feed such powers by their own damnation.
21	Some powerful hellmasters are able to free themselves from the drawbacks of their past pacts.
26	At this degree of difficulty, information on a particular hellmaster can be discerned.

Hellmaster in the Game

COMING SOON

Adaptation: COMING SOON

Sample Encounter: COMING SOON

EL whatever: COMING SOON

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