Blackfire Zealot (3.5e Prestige Class)

This class is effectively a remake the Black Flame Zealot from Complete Divine, with a dash of flavor from the Pathfinder's Blackfire Adept.

Author: Leziad (talk) Date Created: 29th April 2022 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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A remake of the Black Flame Zealot from Complete Divine, effectively a divine assassin.

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Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting, Sneak Attack Other

Blackfire Zealot

There was once a thriving religious order of holy assassins, who tasked themselves with the elimination of the enemies of the Gods. Typically drawn from the ranks of those who worshiped deities of death, destruction and fire, the assassins made quick works of blasphemers and heretics. The order’s favorite weapon was fire, which they used to enhance their armaments. However the rank of their enemies went beyond that of mere mortals, and many assassins were pitted against powerful outsiders. The zeal of the order to destroy the enemies of the Gods made their scholars look for new weapons. Somewhere in the plane, the order discovered the black flame, a terrible sable fire capable of burning even a devil to a crisp. Soon the order adopted the black flame, using it as their new weapons in the war against the enemies of the Gods. Soon the order lost their purpose and many started worshiping the black flame as their very own deity.

Ultimately their heresy would be their end, as the servants of good deities could bear their presence no longer. The order was destroyed and most of their former members hunted, or assimilated into other organizations. A few kept the tradition of the black flame, hiding away until the sin of the order would be forgotten. The new Blackfire Zealot eventually raised as a remote small cult, burning away offerings to the inky flame they worship. Some however kept following the old creed, using the power of the black flame as nothing more than a tool, still following their old faith and ideals.

The black flame itself had no will, and thus no dogma or ideals. However, its worshippers became enemies of the Gods, turning away from their once secret duty. As a result it has been associated with perversion and destruction. Most blackfire cults base themselves on the ideals of fire, destruction and death, how such ideals are realized varies from cult to another.

Becoming a Blackfire Zealot

A blackfire zealot is a divine spellscaster with many abilities of a rogue. While they are not as skilled, or as capable of delivering sneak attack, they use the power of the Black Flame to grant themselves an edge in combat.

Entry Requirements  

Alignment:	Any Non-Good.
Skills:	Hide 8 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.
Feats:	Iron Will.
Spellcasting:	Able to cast 2nd-level divine spells.
Sneak Attack:	+2d6.
Special:	Must follow the Way of the Black Flame, either by embracing the old creed and remaining faithful to your own deity, or abandoning your former faith and worshiping the Black Flame as a god.

Table: The Blackfire Zealot

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Death Attack, Resolute Zeal	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Blackfire Immolation	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Sneak Attack +1d6	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Blackfire Flare	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Profaned Flame	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Sneak Attack +2d6	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Greater Blackfire Immolation	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Blackfire Storm	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Sneak Attack +3d6	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Scorched by the Black Flame	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class.
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Blackfire Zealot.

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

Death Attack (Ex): This class feature behave as the Assassin's class feature, except the DC of the death attack is 10 + 1/2 character level + the blackfire zealot's Dexterity or Wisdom modifier.

Resolute Zeal (Ex): Upon gaining her first level in the class, the blackfire zealot becomes immune to fear effects.

Blackfire Immolation (Su): When a 2nd level blackfire zealot successfully deals sneak attack damage, she may deal her sneak attack damage as half fire damage and half divine damage. If she does she deals an additional point of damage per sneak attack dice and may deal sneak attack damage to creatures normally immune to critical hit.

At 7th level, if a creature is slain by the blackfire zealot's sneak attack or death attack, she may opt to consume that creature in black flames, reducing it to ashes as per disintegrate.

Sneak Attack (Ex): At 3rd level and each 3 levels thereafter, a blackfire zealot increases the amount of sneak attack she deals by +1d6. This stacks with any other sources of sneak attack she might possess.

Blackfire Flare (Sp): At 4th level, a blackfire zealot can call upon the power of the black flame they worship and cause an eruption of blackfire. To do so, the blackfire zealot must expend a prepared spell or spell per day of 4th level or higher. Blackfire flare behaves as the flame strike spell, except creatures slain by it are reduced to ashes as per disintegrate. If the blackfire zealot expends a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the maximum damage dealt by the blackfire flare increases by 2d6 for each spell level above 4th the expended spell was.

Profaned Flame (Su): At 5th level, the blackfire zealot has a permanent link with the dark flame she tends within her heart. She can cast darkfire^SpC as a spell-like ability at-will. Additionally any weapon she wields gain the Flaming enhancement while in her hands, which stacks with any other enhancement already on the weapon. If the weapon was already Flaming, then the enhancement is improved to Flaming Burst while in her hand.

Blackfire Storm (Sp): Once per day, a 8th level blackfire zealot can channel the black flame into a cataclysm of black fire. This replicates the effect of fire storm except half the damage dealt is divine in nature and creature slain by it are reduced to ashes as per disintegrate.

Scorched by the Black Flame (Ex): At 10th level, the blackfire zealot has allowed herself to be partially consumed by the black flame. Some are reborn as more beautiful as they ever were, while others bear terrific burn scars. The result is the same either way, a being scorched by the black flame fear no other fire. The blackfire zealot gains fire resistance of 20 and all fire damage dealt to her is dealt as non-lethal damage.

Adaptation

Pathfinder: A Blackfire Zealot's class level counts as full cleric or warpriest levels for the purpose of determining the effect, user per days and powers granted by the following blessing and domains: Death, Destruction, Fire, Trickery, Wildfire and any of their subdomains.

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