Gravelord (3.5e Prestige Class)

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A gravelord is a master of summoning undead creature

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6

Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting Full

Gravelord

“	Well, well well... look like the Confederacy of Volthric you will need my talents after all.	”
—Brigitte Geist, Runetouched Human Gravelord

Born of a dark tradition, which is said to have been practiced by ancient spellcasters. These gravelords were noted for their abilities in summoning creature from the Pale Realm, a necropolis-like demiplane whose portals are situated on the plane of negative energy. This demiplane, nigh infinite in size is filled with bones, ghosts and discarded bodies and seeping in negative energy. The Gravelords have learned to tap into it, opening temporary gate leading to it and letting energy seep through, effectively summoning powerful minions at her command.

It is said that one of the first Gravelord, now known as the Enlightened One, bargain in soul with necromancers for it secrets. The Enlightened One's sex, race and even it entire history is now lost, but it is said to dwell in the Pale Realm. Alternatively a few cults of ancient Gravelords survived, and still teach the secrets to their students, in the utmost secrecy. Finally it is said that by studying the Pale Realm itself, one can simply rediscover the ancient secrets.

Becoming a Gravelord

A gravelord is a necromancy-based class which focus on summoning undead creature, and bolstering said summoned creature. It can be attained by spellcaster, both arcane and divine, prepared and spontaneous. The Gravelords are rarely seen leading an army of undead, instead relying on dark spells sand summoned minions to accomplish their goals. This isn't true of all gravelords, many certainly did have great armies of undead.

Entry Requirements  

Alignment:	Any Nongood.
Skills:	Knowledge (Religion) 9 Ranks.
Feats:	Spell Focus (Necromancy).
Spellcasting:	Must be able to cast spells of 3rd level or higher, including animate dead.
Spellcasting:	Must be able to cast the summon undead III or possess the Master of Shrouds feat.
Special:	Must learn the secrets of the Gravelords, either by studying under one for a year or by successfully bargaining with the Enlightened One or by travelling to the Pale Realm and studying it for a month.

Table: The Gravelord

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Gravelord's Summon, Necromantic Studies, Spectral Shroud	+1 level of existing spellcasting class.
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Dark Anima	+1 level of existing spellcasting class.
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Evolved Summons	+1 level of existing spellcasting class.
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Call of the Grave	+1 level of existing spellcasting class.
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Dark Soul, Undead Legion	+1 level of existing spellcasting class.
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Gravelord.

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 spellcasting class before becoming a Gravelord, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Gravelord's Summon (Su): A Gravelord is a master of undead summoning, she gain Augment Summoning as a bonus feat. She count as having the Spell Focus (Conjuration) feat for the purpose of meeting prerequisites. Additionally any undead she create or summon is considered to have been created in the area of a desecrate spell.

Necromantic Studies (Ex): A character with levels in gravelord add her gravelord's level to the level of her spellcasting class for the purpose of determining the DC and potency of any necromantic class feature. This only apply to class feature she has already attined and do not grant her additional class features. Example include a Cleric's Rebuke Undead, a Dread Necromancer's Charnel Touch, Rebuke Undead and Lich body or a Gravewalker Witch's hexes.

Spectral Shroud (Su): A gravelord is constantly surrounded by miasma of dark spirits, ghostly apparition or even a shield of poltergeist. This grant her deflection bonus to AC equal to her class level. This deflection bonus to AC does not apply against Holy, Sacred^LM or Sacred Burst^LM weapons. She may suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

Dark Anima (Ex): A Gravelord of 2nd level or higher has partially assimilated undeath and is imbued with negative energy. She gain negative energy resistance 10 and reduce any negative level she take by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Additionally she may consume an undead she has created, summoned or taken control of as a standard action, as long as the undead is within 30 feet of her. The undead take 10 damage per character level of the gravelord, if this damage destroy the undead the gravelord regain a number of hit point equal twice the undead's CR. If the damage isn't enough to destroy the undead, and it was either created or controlled it automatically break free from the control of the gravelord.

Evolved Summons (Su): A 3rd level Gravelord is able to imbue a summoned undead with a truly vile spirit, any undead she summon with the summon undead^LM or through the Master of Shrouds feat gain the Evolved Undead^LM template, although with no spell-like abilities.

Call of the Grave (Su): A 4th level Gravelord is able to apply the Corpse Creature^BoVD or Bone Creature^BoVD to any non-undead creature she summons, effectively summoning them as undead. This replace the Celestial or Fiendish template granted to a summoned creature if it would gain it.

Dark Soul (Ex): A 5th level Gravelord has attuned herself with the power of death, becoming something of a mix between dead and living. She cease to age and is is healed by negative energy as if she were an undead. She also become immune to negative level, energy drain and ability damage and drain inflicted by an undead touch. She cannot be turned into an undead against her will. However the gravelord is still a living creature, albeit one very much in tune with the power of undeath.

Undead Legion (Ex): Once a gravelord attain 5th level, whenever she use a summon undead spell or the Master of Shrouds feat to summon one or more undead creatures, she summon one extra creature of the same kind.

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