Midnight Paragon (3.5e Prestige Class)

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Author: Risek (talk)
Date Created: December 28th, 2008
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"Shadowcasting" is not in the list (Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting, Arcane Spellcasting, Divine Spellcasting, Prepared Spellcasting, Spontaneous Spellcasting, Alternate Magic, Psionics, ...) of allowed values for the "Class Ability" property.



Midnight Paragon[edit]

...there are of course those rare few who have learned to flush their powers with great amounts of shadow, twisting them far beyond those of the average shadow manipulator....
—taken from the Codex Opacare, a treatise on shadow magic

While most shadowcasters are concerned about broadening their knowledge of the various paths of shadow magic, there are a few who desire complete and utter mastery of a small handful of those paths. Midnight paragons, as these shadowcasters are called, are often compared to archmages, since they represent a similar specialization of magic.

Becoming a Midnight Paragon[edit]

Since access to higher-level mysteries is required, you are better off staying with the shadowcaster class, right up until you take levels in midnight paragon.

Entry Requirements
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks, Spellcraft 15 ranks
Feats: Path Focus ToM (any path)
Shadowcasting: Able to cast 7th level mysteries.

Table: The Midnight Paragon

Hit Die: d6

Level Base
Attack Bonus
Saving Throws Special Mysteries
Fort Ref Will
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Secrets of the Greater Paths +1 level of existing mystery-using class
2nd +0 +3 +0 +3 Secrets of the Greater Paths +1 level of existing mystery-using class
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Secrets of the Greater Paths +1 level of existing mystery-using class
4th +1 +4 +1 +4 Secrets of the Greater Paths +1 level of existing mystery-using class
5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Secrets of the Greater Paths +1 level of existing mystery-using class

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level)
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int)

Class Features[edit]

All of the following are class features of the midnight paragon.

Mysteries: At every level, you gain new mysteries and an increase in caster level as if you had also attained a level in a shadowcasting 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.

Secrets of the Greater Paths: A midnight paragon is known for his studies in the deeper, darker sides of shadow magic, teaching him to enhance certain paths greatly. At every level, the midnight paragon may choose an ability from the list below and apply it to a path that he has taken the Path Focus feat for. Each ability may be taken multiple times, but each time it must be applied to a different path, unless otherwise noted.

Secret of Night: When a midnight paragon chooses this option, his caster level for all the mysteries in the chosen path increases by +2.

Secret of Everlasting Shadow: When a midnight paragon chooses this option, the duration (if it does not have a fixed duration, such as instantaneous) for all the mysteries in the chosen path increases by a number of rounds or minutes equal to his Charisma modifier.

Secret of Destructive Dark: When a midnight paragon chooses this option, the hit point or nonlethal damage dealt by all the mysteries in the chosen path increases by a number of points equal to his Charisma modifier.

Secret of Pervasive Shadow When a midnight paragon chooses this option, all of the mysteries in in the chosen path change from being a spell to a spell-like ability or a spell-like ability to a supernatural ability; however, this does not grant them additional uses per day.

Secret of Recurring Night: When a midnight paragon chooses this option, his uses per day of all the mysteries in the chosen path double. If, as the midnight paragon gains more levels in a shadowcasting class, he gains additional uses per day of these mysteries, that number is instead doubled.

Secret of Shadow Sculpting: When a midnight paragon chooses this option, he may, once per day for each mystery, alter the range of all mysteries in the chosen paths up or down one step, as noted on the table. The midnight paragon may take this multiple times for the same path, each time gaining an additional use per day per mystery.

Table:Secret of Shadow Sculpting[edit]

Personal
Touch
Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)

Campaign Information[edit]

Playing a Midnight Paragon[edit]

Combat: Your tactics in combat largely depend on the paths you specialize in, for example: a paragon who has focused mainly on the Ebon Walls path is likely to spend much of his time entrapping his foes, whereas an Elemental Shadows-specialist would be more inclined to create hordes of animated objects or to blast the hell out of his foes with offensive magic.

Advancement: Consider taking feats that improve your chosen paths, such as Greater Path Focus, Nocturnal Caster, or Path Mastery [1]. Items such as Orbs of Shadows can also come in handy for gaining additional uses of your path.

Resources: Most midnight paragons see others of their kind just as other mystery-users, unless of course they happen to specialize in the same paths, in which case they might become bitter enemies. Among the Nightshade Covenant, there is a well-known tale about the drow Elis Makaan and the shadow lich Islithros, two midnight paragons of the Heart and Soul path who fought an internal war that lasted nearly two centuries before a party of assassins destroyed them both.

Midnight Paragons in the World[edit]

You misunderstood me, it's not about you or your friends, or even me; it's about the magic
—Anakra Selt, a midnight paragon of the Breath of Twilight path

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world->

NPC Reactions: <-How NPCs react to characters of this class->

Midnight Paragon Lore[edit]

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

Knowledge (Arcana)
DC Result
11 Midnight paragons are unusually strong shadowcasters.
16 Midnight paragons are often likened to archmages, since their ability to manipulate shadows is similar to the way archmages manipulate spells.
21 A midnight paragon's study of shadow magic is so thorough, they can twist their mysteries far beyond anything a normal shadowcaster might do.
26 Characters who get this result can know the names and locations of specific midnight paragons and items related to them.

Midnight Paragons in the Game[edit]

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play->

Adaptation: <-Fitting this class in your campaign->


Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewClassesPrestige Classes

Allowed AlignmentsLawful Good +, Lawful Neutral +, Lawful Evil +, Neutral Good +, Neutral +, Neutral Evil +, Chaotic Good +, Chaotic Neutral + and Chaotic Evil +
Article BalanceHigh +
AuthorRisek +
Base Attack Bonus ProgressionPoor +
Class Ability ProgressionFull +
Fortitude Save ProgressionGood +
Identifier3.5e Prestige Class +
Length5 +
Minimum Level10 +
RatingUndiscussed +
Reflex Save ProgressionPoor +
SummaryA pure manifestation of shadow, the midnight paragon is a shadowcaster who has learned to alter the shadow to empower his mysteries. +
TitleMidnight Paragon +
Will Save ProgressionGood +