Bane of Infidels

Requirements

Alignment: Any nongood

Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 6 ranks

Feats: Iron Will, Leadership

Spells: Able to cast 3rd-level divine spells.

Summary

The bane of infidels is the leader of a xenophobic tribe. He wants nothing to do with the outside world because the way his people do things is the way they have always done them, and the way they always will. Alone among his compatriots, the bane of infidels sees the possibilities of the outside world, but he considers progress dangerous. Allowing his people to advance would surely endanger them and imperil his leadership. Since visitors bring danger of change, they must die—and what better way than as sacrifices in the name of his tribe’s religion?

The act of sacrifice empowers and rewards the bane of infidels and his tribe. Usually, visitors and conquered foes serve as sacrifices, though in a pinch a criminal will do (or even an innocent, though this a risky move).

Though he is often ruthless, the bane of infidels is nonetheless respected by the members of his tribe, to whom he provides healing, guardianship, and unwavering direction in return for absolute loyalty. Druids are the most likely characters to embrace this lifestyle, though clerics, high-level rangers, and adepts can also adopt this prestige class. The tribe of a bane of infidels often includes fighters, rangers, barbarians, bards, and sorcerers, but other classes may not be as welcome.

Role: Spell DPS

Characteristics: Culty druids, that create pyres and conduct sacrifices for power.

Source: Masters of the Wild

Game Rule Information

The Bane of Infidels has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Wisdom is your key ability score for this class as you need it for casting, and your pyre. You also need charisma for when you sacrifice people or your followers will just leave you

Alignment: Any Nongood

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Bane of Infidels's class skills are Animal Empathy (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (any) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (any) (Wis), Search (Int), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis)

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

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Bane of Infidels.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Bane of Infidels is proficient with whatever they were proficient with prior to taking levels in this class

Spells per Day/ Spells Known: At each bane of infidels level, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (additional wild shape options, metamagic or item creation feats, or the like), if the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a bane of infidels, the player must decide to which class to add each level for determining spells per day and spells known.

Energumen Sp: Beginning at 1st level, the character may bestow a low-powered form of barbarian rage in any follower who is an adherent of the same religion The follower gains a +2 bonus to both Strength and Constitution, as well as a +1 morale bonus on Will saves. In all other respects, this effect is like barbarian rage. Energumen is usable once per day per bane of infidels level.

Pyre Sp: At 1st level, the bane of infidels may cause a 5-foot-square area to burst into flame. Anyone in that area must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 10 + bane of infidels level + Wisdom bonus of bane of infidels) or suffer 1d4 points of damage per bane of infidels level. This ability is usable once per day.

Hearth Protection Sp: At 2nd level, the bane of infidels may perform an 8-hour ritual to designate an area with a radius of up to 5 feet per bane of infidels level as a hearth. This area then functions as a permanent Zone of Truth, though the bane of infidels is immune to that effect. The character may have only one hearth at a time.

Sacrifice Su: Beginning at 2nd level, the bane of infidels may sacrifice any humanoid by killing it with a coup de grace in his hearth. This ritual increases his effective caster level for all spells by +2 for 1 hour. If the bane of infidels sacrifices a follower, he must make a Diplomacy check (DC 20). Failure indicates that all his remaining followers desert; success means he retains their loyalty. This effect does not stack with the bonuses gained from major sacrifice or mass sacrifice (see below). Sacrifice is usable once per day.

Secrets of Stone Sp: At 3rd level, the bane of infidels gains the ability to discern the affected spell and necessary sacrifice of any standing stone within 100 feet of him as a free action.

Standing stones are massive stone obelisk increases a druid’s ability to cast a single spell when in contact with it. The creator chooses a druid spell for the stone to affect and a specific sacrifice (such as a cow or a pile of gems) that activates it. Thereafter, any druid can use the meld into stone spell to merge with the standing stone and discover those two pieces of information. Once she has done so, she can activate the standing stone for herself only by making the designated sacrifice. From that point forward, whenever the druid is in contact with the activated stone, she casts that spell as if it were affected by the feats Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, and Extend Spell. Because each standing stone affects only one spell, these items are typically arranged in circles with no more than 30 feet between any adjacent pair, so that a druid may move to a new stone to cast a new spell each round.

Detect Loyalty Sp: At 4th level, the bane of infidels may examine a follower for faithfulness. If that individual has grossly violated the code of conduct that the bane of infidels has established or otherwise acted in a manner opposed to the latter's purposes and directions in the last 24 hours, the bane of infidels discovers it (no save, but spell resistance applies) and gains a +5 circumstance bonus on his Diplomacy check when sacrificing that follower. Using detect loyalty does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Major Sacrifice Sp: This ability, gained at 5th level, is like sacrifice, except that the bane of infidels can increase his effective caster level for all spells by +4 for 1 hour by sacrificing a sentient creature with 5 or more Hit Dice. This effect does not stack with that of sacrifice or mass sacrifice.

Wicker Man Sp: At 6th level, the bane of infidels learns to create a sacrificial totem trap. This ability produces the same effect as the wall of thorns spell, except as follows. The thorny briars form a humanoid shape 10 feet square, with a height equal to 10 feet per bane of infidels level. Anyone in that area when the wicker man appears gets a Reflex save (DC 10 + bane of infidels level + Wisdom bonus of bane of infidels) to avoid being caught in its body at a point halfway up its height. The pyre and bonfire abilities of the bane of infidels count as magical fire for purposes of igniting the wicker man and do their normal damage to everyone trapped inside each round until the wicker man burns away (per the wall of thorns spell) or they escape. This ability is usable once per day.

Bonfire Sp: This ability, gained at 7th level, functions like pyre, except that it affects a 10-foot-square area.

Antipathy Field Sp: At 8th level, the bane of infidels may protect his hearth with an antipathy field once per day. This functions like an antipathy spell, except that the target is the entire area of the hearth and the duration is 24 hours.

Mass Energumen Sp: This ability (gained at 9th level) functions like energumen (above), except that it affects up to ten followers at once.

Mass Sacrifice Sp: At 10th level, the bane of infidels can increase his effective caster level by +2 (up to a maximum of +10) for each humanoid sacrificed within 10 rounds. This ability is otherwise like sacrifice. Its effect does not stack with that of sacrifice or major sacrifice.

Table 1-1: Bane of Infidels Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spellcasting
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	Energumen, pyre	+1 level of existing class
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Hearth protection, sacrifice	+1 level of existing class
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Secrets of stone	+1 level of existing class
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Detect loyalty	+1 level of existing class
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Major sacrifice	+1 level of existing class
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	Wicker man	+1 level of existing class
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Bonfire	+1 level of existing class
8th	+6	+6	+2	+6	Antipathy field	+1 level of existing class
9th	+6	+6	+3	+6	Mass energumen	+1 level of existing class
10th	+7	+7	+3	+7	Mass sacrifice	+1 level of existing class