Doomringer

Requirements

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Skills: Concentration (12 ranks)

Special: Be able to cast chaos magic spells

Summary

Doomringers are the nefarious underbelly of Chaos Mages. They understand the damage that the chaos can cause so the go through a ritual to bond to a corpse and use that as a sort of repository or sink for the chaos damaging that instead of themselves. In itself it doesn't seem that insidious but they need more corpses, oh they always need another to keep on their way of life. They eventually can start to repair the corpse and even stay alive through this sinister connection.

Role: Spell DPS

Characteristics: Chaos mages who transfer the backlash of chaos to a bonded corpse

Source: Encyclopedia Arcane: Chaos Magic

Game Rule Information

The Doomringer has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Charisma for casting, Constitution to maximize the amount of damage you can transfer, Dexterity to be elusive and evasive.

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Hit Die: d4

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Doomringer's class skills are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Coppersmith)(Int), Heal (Wis), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Doomringer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Doomringer is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with.

Corpse Pact: Upon taking the first level of the doomringer prestige class the character learns the secret of making a Corpse Pact. This requires enchanting a pair of copper bells with the mixed blood of the doomringer and the corpse, then infusing the bells with a rush of raw chaos in a ritual that lasts for 1d4 hours. The ritual forms a chaotic link between the doomringer and the corpse, which allows the doomringer to avoid much of the damage that would normally be caused by manipulating chaos magic. Only one corpse may be bonded in this way at any one time.

At any time the doomringer would suffer damage from either a casting attempt or backlash, one-half of the hit point damage is transferred to the corpse instead. The bonded corpse has a number of hit points equal to 1d4 times the level of doomringer at the time the bond was created. If the doomringer gains a level after bonding with the corpse, it does not gain new hit points. Once a corpse's hit points are depleted it is destroyed - the powers of chaos have demolished the corpse and the spirit it contained, leaving behind nothing but foul smelling slime. If a doomringer is forced to take a step on one of the Paths of Chaos, the corpse is immediately destroyed but the doomringer themself does not advance on the path.

The bells both the doomringer and the corpse wear will emit a spectral ringing for 1 round for every five points of damage or part of suffered by the corpse. If the corpse is destroyed because the doomringer is forced along a step on the Paths of Chaos, the ringing will sound for a full five rounds. The bell can be heard by anyone within 50 feet and cannot be silenced or muffled in anyway.

Once a corpse has been demolished by the force of chaos, the doomringer suffers double damage from any chaotic backlash or spellcasting strain until a new corpse has been bonded. The power of the Corpse Pact becomes a crutch and without it the doomringer is in grave danger

Preserve Corpse: At 2nd level the doomringer has learned enough about the dead to repair the damage dealt to their bonded corpse. Once per day the doomringer can restore 1d6 points of damage to the corpse infusing a fraction of his life essence back into the dead body.

Blood Shunt: The ability to bond with corpses is more powerful at 3rd level allowing the doomringer to not only transfer damage from the chaos but the effects of any injury they suffer. The rate of transfer is not fast but it can be enough to spare the mage's life in extreme circumstances. Doomringers with this ability can transfer one hit point of damage to the corpse for every four hit points of damage they suffer from an attack or other source. The doomringer must decide immediately upon suffering an attack whether or not to transfer any damage to the bonded corpse. Doomringers do not suffer double damage from such sources if their corpse is destroyed - this applies only to damage from chaos spell casting or backlashes.

Walking Death: By 4th level the doomringer can forestall his own death by drawing upon the spirit within his bonded corpse. If a doomringer falls below zero hit points but has not yet reached -10 hit points, the imprisoned spirit can allow them to remain conscious (though weak). Every round the character remains in negative hit points their corpse suffers 1d4 points of damage if the corpse is destroyed while being used in this manner the doomringer immediately dies.

While using this ability the doomringer is limited to taking partial actions. The will to live is present but there is very little left for other activities.

Avatar of Death: Mastery of the doomringer bond occurs at this level, allowing the doomringer to more efficiently channel damage done to them through their chaotic bond. All damage dealt to the doomringer from a either a chaotic spell casting or backlashes may be entirely transferred to their bonded corpse. In addition, one half damage from any other damage can be transferred if the doomringer so wishes.

Table 1-1: Doomringer Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Corpse pact
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Preserve corpse
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Blood shunt
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Walking death
5th	+2	+2	+2	+4	Avatar of death