Thrasher of the Thunderbat (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: Eiji-kun (talk) Date Created: 3-28-19 Status: Complete Editing: Mechanical changes on Talk

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Bards who follow the demon lord of music, they gain various powers of bats, lightning, and heavy metal. 10 5 Moderate Poor Good Good Bardic Music Full

Thrasher of the Thunderbat

“	Stormclouds overhead! Heavy metal thunder! Bats take to the skies! Steel and bone will sunder!	”
—Bonefire, Tiefling Thrasher of the Thunderbat, Lyrics from the song "Born to be Vile".

The thrasher of the thunderbat is not your typical demon worshiping cultist. They are an adherent of Nemain, a demon lord upon her layer of the Abyss known as Mousagetes the Garden of Sensation. Said to be a ascended succubus, a fairy, a vampire, a fallen goddess of creativity, or a combination of any and all of these, this dark muse inspires others to creativity, artistic expression, beauty, seduction, music, emotion, insanity, bats, storms, and the draining of life. In particular she is known for her musical talents which has gotten her a cult following, the thrashers who worship her through the wild heavy metal music associated with her. Those closest to their muse are not merely musicians, they have their sounds augmented by the powers of the abyss.

Embrace the power of the thunderbat, become the sound that shall crack the planes asunder!

Becoming a Thrasher of the Thunderbat

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Any non-lawful. Good creatures can parley with these abyssal forces, but they often fall to temptation becoming neutral or evil.
Skills:	Knowledge The Planes 8 ranks, Perform 8 ranks.
Special:	Bardic music, must have a bat familiar.

Table: The Thrasher of the Thunderbat

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Bardic Music (Flashing Bolts of Hell), Bardic Music Progression, Bat Transformation, Improved Bat Familiar, Weaponize Instrument	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Command Bats, Switch Hitter	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Cloaked in Bats, Swarm Call, Swarm Transformation	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bardic Music (Waves of Crashing Thunder)	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Electrobat Transformation	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Abyssal Accompaniment	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Bardic Music (Aversion to the Vile), Swarm Evasion	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6	Stage of Chaos	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th	+6	+3	+6	+6	Unlimited Transformation	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th	+7	+3	+7	+7	Bardic Music (Heavy Metal Thunder), Dual Song, Immunity to Electricity, Soul of Music	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level.) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all knowledge skills taken seperately) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Bardic Music: The thrasher of the thunderbat gains a few new bardic musics away from the typical bardic studies. They largely focus on evocation and destruction rather than buffing allies. The saving throw for any abilities is DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Charisma modifier.

Flashing Bolts of Hell "(Su)": Every round this music plays, you summon bolts of electricity which fly at your opponents. You can make a ranged touch attack out to 90 ft, dealing 1d6 points of electricity damage per 2 HD to a single creature (maximum 10d6 at 20th). In addition you gain an additional bolt at 4th, 7th, and 10th level (maximum 4 bolts), but each bolt must be aimed at a seperate creature.

Waves of Crashing Thunder "(Su)": At 4th level you gain a new song. When you play this song, you summon the effect of wall of fire for as long as you play except it deals electricity damage. Each round you can reapply the positioning of the wall. If you have any bats via Command Bats or Swarm Call (or you yourself are in bat form) not only are you immune to the wall but it grants the effect of haste for 1 round after passing through the wall, and an extra +1d6 electricity damage on attacks for 1 round.

Aversion to the Vile "(Su)": At 7th level you gain a song to repel your enemies. Shockwaves of sound push your enemies away, acting as repulsion for the round, and those who fail the saving throw are also deafened for 1 round. At your choice, you can shatter objects and crystaline creatures in the area as well. Your allies are immune to this effect, however everyone immune or not takes a -20 penalty on Listen checks due to the noise.

Heavy Metal Thunder "(Su)": At 10th level, the final song calls upon the power of the legendary "heavy metal thunder" which Nemain herself is said to weild. You require exposure to the sky above as a projectile falls from heaven on your opponent. Treat this as meteor swarm but you only gain one projectile that deals 2d6 piercing, with a 6d6 sonic explosion. While not impressive on its own, each round you concentrate adds an additional projectile up to 4 projectiles. In addition this counts as a siege weapon, making is deadly against fortifications for as long as your bardic musics persist. Combined with the power of duel song it is deadly indeed.

Bardic Music Progression: The thrasher of the thunderbat adds their prestige class level to their bard level to determine bardic musics per day and the strength of existing bardic music abilities such as inspire courage. It does not grant any new additional bardic musics you haven't learned.

Bat Transformation (Su): With the expendature with a daily use of bardic music, the thrasher of the thunderbat can transform into a fiendish bat as a standard action, as if using alter self. You can persist in this transformed state for as long as you like, reverting as a move action.

Improved Bat Familiar: Your bat familiar gains an improved scaling on its familiar bonuses. This table replaces the usual bonuses of a familiar. See the table below for details.

Weaponize Instrument (Sp): Using the abyssal knowledge of Nemain, you may fuse weapon and instrument as a single fiendish whole. This is a standard action with Instantaenous duration, fusing any two objects of roughly similar size sich as a battleaxe and a guitar, a harp and a bow, or drums and a shield. It can be used as either an instrument or a weapon switching between forms seemlessly or even at the same time. They often also take on wicked fiendish appearances, but this has no effect on alignment or enhancement. The effect is instant, but using it on a fused weapon can unfuse it, allowing you to change out what weapon is attached to your favorite guitar, or vice versa.

Command Bats (Su): At 2nd level you can use the power of Nemian the Thunderbat to command any bat or bat like creature (but not creatures simply polymorphed into a bat). By expending a bardic music attempt you can make any qualifying creatures in a 10 ft radius burst out to Close range make a Will save, or fall under the effect of dominate monster (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Charisma modifer). Creatures with Int 3 or higher get a new saving throw each day to escape your command. You can have a number of HD of creatures equal to twice your own character level at any one time. Releasing control is a free action.

In addition, you are under the constant effect of speak with animals (bats only).

Switch Hitter (Ex): Playing your song is great, but your bloodlust demands you also get to part of the action. You can cease concentration on any of your bardic music attempts and still retain the effect. As long as you resume concentration 1 round later, you are treated as never breaking concentration. If you make an attack roll in any round after you have concentrated on your music, you gain a +2 profane bonus on attack and damage for 1 round. If you use or concentrate on bardic music any round after making an attack roll, you instead gain a +2 profane bonus on any numerical bonuses or damage granted by your bardic music. For example, you can attack, then play inspire courage +2 next round boosted up to +4 for 1 round, then attack with a +2 attack and damage (and +2 inspire courage), then back to inspire courage +4, and so on and so forth.

If you are using a Pathfinder bard, since you can already concentrate on music as a free action you instead simply do not consume a round of bardic music for a round when you switch, allowing you to spend only once every other round.

Cloaked in Bats (Su): The 3rd level thrasher of the thunderbat can don or remove any object on their body as a move action without provoking attacks of opportunity. The item explodes into a shower of tiny bats that harmlessly swarm around the thrasher and persist until returned to item form. This also can apply to donning armor and clothing. Batshaped items are harmless and deal no damage. If struck with 25 hp or greater area effect damage the swarm is briefly destroyed, but they reappear 1 round later with no harm to the item.

If your armor or clothing is transformed into bats, they can carry you. You gain a fly speed of 20 ft (perfect), while often selectively and tastefully censoring your body. Be careful not to lose your swarm while in mid air.

Swarm Call (Sp): As a standard action by expending a use of bardic music, the 3rd level thrasher of the thunderbat can summon a bat swarm to aid them. Treat this as summon swarm (bats only) except they can, and do, follow your commands and last 1 round/level.

Swarm Transformation (Su): At 3rd level, the thrasher of the thunderbat can transform into a fiendish bat swarm, in the same way as Bat Transformation. If killed in swarm form they do not die, but instead re-appear in their square with 1 hp or 1 ability point in an ability score remaining. You cannot enter swarm transformation if you only have 1 hp remaining.

Electrobat Transformation (Su): The 5th level thrasher of the thunderbat no longer deals with mere fiendish bats, but now deal with electrobats. Your bat summons, bat transformations, and your familiar now come with Shocking Burst for free on all your attacks, and creatures attempting to grapple you or your bats take 1d6 electricity damage each round.

Abyssal Accompaniment (Su): As a 1 round action once per day, you can summon assistance from Mousagetes the Garden of Sensation to gain a selection of backup players, singers, and dancers of the fiendish variety. They effectively take up a 10 ft square which counts as difficult terrain. The backup players cannot attack, but they can concentrate on your bardic music for you allowing you to disregard your music for as long as you need before taking it back over. It consumes your duration as normal while they are playing. They can also Aid Another your perform checks. They have the same Perform score as you do. You cannot also use bardic music while your abyssal accompaniment is using bardic music.

The assistance remains for 1 hour or until dismissed. They can be attacked and destroyed. They are counted as a swarm of evil outsiders with the following abilities: AC 15 (+5 natural), DR 10/good, SR 15, 10 hp per class level (up to 100 hp), standard demon immunities and resistances, and a movement speed of 5 ft. They count as a 10 HD creature for the purpose of interacting with spells and effects. They take normal damage from weapon attacks.

Swarm Evasion (Su): If not already in swarm form, the 7th level thrasher of the thunderbat can briefly assume swarm form to escape a dangerous situation. As an immediate action they can move 15 ft, evading any damage. However if they do so, they cannot use swarm evasion or their swarm transformation for 1 minute afterward. This ability consumes a use of bardic music.

Stage of Chaos (Su): As a 1 round action the 8th level thrasher of the thunderbat can conjure a demonic stage underneath them, a raised platform up to 5 ft up and up to a 20 ft square in size. Any bardic music performed while on this stage benefits from a +4 profane bonus to Perform checks, and a +2 profane bonus to any sonic, language dependant, or bardic music ability used on it. As long as you remain on the square you and your allies benefit from DR 4/good. You may use this ability at will, but you may only have one stage at a time. A new stage dismisses the old one.

Unlimited Transformation: Your bat transformation, swarm transformation, and swarm evasion abilities no longer consume bardic music attempts.

Dual Song: At 10th level the thrasher of the thunderbat gains the power to sing two songs at once. You may use any bardic music ability granted by this class, as well as one bardic music ability not granted by this class (such as inspire courage) as a full round action. You consume a bardic music attempt for each song playing.

If you transfer your dual song to your abyssal accompaniment, you must spend a move action each round to maintain their harmony.

Immunity to Electricity (Ex): The 10th level thrasher of the thunderbat becomes immune to electricity.

Soul of Music: In the event the 10th level thrasher of the thunderbat dies, their soul is safe for instead of passing on or being stolen, it instead embeds itself into the thrasher's own instrument. Their instrument retains their soul which briefly acts like an Intelligent item with your mental ability scores. You are unable to use any class features but you can see and communicate normally as a living instrument. You can also play yourself without assistance. Your instrument counts as your body for the purpose of resurrection.

Improved Bat Familiar Table

Master Class Level	Natural Armor Adj.	Int	Special
1st-2nd	+1	6	Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic Link
3rd-4th	+2	7	Deliver Touch Spells
5th-6th	+3	8	Reach Bite, Revival, Speak with Master
7th-8th	+4	9	Electrobolt, Speak with Animals of Its Kind
9th-10th	+5	10	Dire Bat (1/day), Drain Bite
11th-12th	+6	11	Immunity to Electricity, Spell Resistance
13th-14th	+7	12	Scry on Familiar
15th-16th	+8	13	Dire Bat (at will)
17th-18th	+9	14	Improved Electrobolt
19th-20th	+10	15	Absorb Electricity

Reach Bite (Ex): Your bat familiar gains a bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage. It also gains a 5 ft reach, though it does not threaten out to this area. This allows it to attack without needing to enter an opponents square.

Revival: If your bat familiar dies, it can be returned to life in an 8 hour ritual free of charge.

Electrobolt (Su): Your bat familiar gains a ray attack out to 60 ft as a standard action. It deals 1d10 points of electricity damage.

Dire Bat (Su): Once per day, your bat familiar can assume the form of a dire bat for 1 hour. At 15th level and beyond, this may be used at will.

Drain Bite (Ex): Your bat familiar's bite attacks (in normal or dire form) against a blood-bearing creature restore the bat's hp equal to the damage dealt.

Improved Electrobolt (Su): The electrobolt ability improves, now extending out to 120 ft and dealing 2d10 damage.

Absorb Electricity (Ex): The bat familiar absorbs 1/2 the damage any electricity damage would deal as healing.

Ex-Thrasher of the Thunderbats

Nothing actually happens other than being unable to level in the class. A reformed lawful good thrasher may still draw on the power of Nemain. If such is wise is another matter.

Campaign Information

Playing a Thrasher of the Thunderbat

Combat: You are a bard who isn't afraid to get down and dirty in the middle of combat. Switching between attacks and playing songs, you keep your opponents on their toes with various attacks. You act effectively as an evoker-heavy gish.

Advancement: As you are still a bard, bard prestige classes (or just bard itself) is a fine place to go after this prestige class.

Resources: Being associated with a particular demon, anyone else who associates with this demon is likely to be a friend, or at least a friendly rival band.

Thrasher of the Thunderbats in the World

“	Dance for me, dance for your mistress!	”
—Nemain, Demon Lord

NPC Reactions: You're popular with the youth, but older generations think you're the devil's music. Silly elders, you're the demons music, not the devils.

Thrasher of the Thunderbat Lore

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

Knowledge The Planes

DC	Result
10	Thrashers are bards who follow the path of Nemain, a dark muse of music. They are associated with harsh loud music, and likewise their music follows a more destructive path.
15	Able to switch seamlessly between melee and magic, the thrasher is dangerous at any range. They are able to harness the power of bats as well, transforming into bats or summoning them for minions.
20	Powerful thrashers can conjure assistance for their songs and eventually play two songs at once. Its not like your music can get any more discordant anyway.
30	Those that reach this level of success can research specific thrashers of the thunderbats, their whereabouts, preferred songs, motives, or even some information about Nemain herself.

Thrasher of the Thunderbats in the Game

Adaptation: While associated with a demon, it's not intergral and so the alignment restriction is flexible.

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