The Revised Harrowed [3.5 Base Class, PEACH]

[Lord_Gareth]

The Harrowed

“Trapping the beast within you does not make you a monster, child. Knowing when to unleash it – that is what makes you human.”Jozan, to Aryllia, a Harrowed.

Sorcerers are born with raw magic flooding their veins. Bards tap into the strange and whimsical powers in music, where clerics draw powers down from gods and druids up from the earth itself. For these individuals, power is a blessing.

For the Harrowed, it is a curse.

The Harrowed are unfortunates that, for whatever reason, have found themselves trapped in an unending battle for their souls. Hurled back into the realms of the living from those of the dead, each Harrowed struggles with a being trapped within them, fighting for control of their bodies, their souls, and their sanity. The fact that they can steal a measure of this monster’s power is bitter comfort to most Harrowed, who know that their control over their abilities is fickle at best.

Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability to a Harrowed, as it increases their Will save and therefore their control over themselves and their abilities. Charisma increases the save DCs of their powers, and Dexterity is essential for accurate use of their Shadowmental Touch. Many Harrowed find Intelligence to be a useful ability, especially those of a more careful, investigative bent.

Role: A Harrowed serves as a ranged damager and supernatural investigator for her party. Where some spells fail – or simply have yet to be invented – a Harrowed can hound clues to the ground using supernatural senses, the spirits of the deceased, and even by tracking the mystic resonances left behind by her quarry. Depending on her selection of feats, a Harrowed may serve in myriad other ways to an adventuring party, limited only by their tolerance and her inventiveness.

Background: Most Harrowed wake up some place in the wilderness or on the outskirts of civilization with no memory of who they are or how they came to be there. Many of these Harrowed will take the names of objects, equipment, kindly strangers, or even concepts as their own. It is worth noting that these Harrowed almost instinctually realize what they are and take steps to master themselves almost immediately. A few Harrowed are instead born like normal members of their race and raised from childhood. Those that aren’t promptly slain for being “unholy witch children” typically manifest their powers around the ages of three to five, struggling early and often with the monster within. They typically leave their homes early in order to protect those around them – or are forced out when the community either exiles them or lays in ashes at their feet.

Harrowed enjoy a peculiar kind of immortality – whenever they would be permanently slain, they reincarnate once again, going through the same cycle of struggle and destruction over and over again. So far, no one has caught on to this pattern, though some extremely old Harrowed are beginning to catch snatches of memories that they have never lived – and investigating thoroughly.

Organization: None. Each Harrowed is a wholly unique case, and they are typically so rare as to be nearly unheard of. One Harrowed encountering another may be surprised, angry, pleased, or just about any conceivable reaction, really. It’s worth noting that the name “Harrowed” is typically applied to them only by beings who truly understand their predicament – ancient celestials, the eldest of fiends, and over-deities. Others may call the Harrowed witches, fiends, or even sorcerers; no universally accepted name for them exists.

Alignment: Any. Many Harrowed tend towards good, and/or lawful alignments due to the instinctive “fight” reaction associated with their monster, but quite a few turn to evil, either having become corrupted from within or hoping that their base debaucheries will appease the dark force within them.

Races: Harrowed hail from almost any race, though each race only possesses a meager handful at most. Curiously enough, non-mortal races – that is, those incapable of dying of old age, such as planetouched, most outsiders, or sentient constructs – never produce Harrowed, and members of these races cannot gain levels in the Harrowed class. Many Harrowed are human, probably due to that race’s prodigious breeding rate, but some of the oldest living Harrowed are elves.

Religion: Harrowed tend to reject religion out of spite; to them, the gods are weaklings at best and sadistic tormentors at worst, unworthy of worship or even consideration. Some Harrowed even blame the gods for their condition; of these, a few turn to religion in the vain hope that their patron deity will lift their curse.

Other Classes: Harrowed often possess a deep-seated resentment for classes that either possess innate magical power (such as sorcerers) or who gain it from a higher force (such as clerics or druids). Harrowed tend to express this by being snappy and short-tempered around these individuals, and biting, sarcastic remarks (“Why don’t you just snap your fingers and magic it away, then?”) are very common. Harrowed tend to be more tolerant of those who earned their power through sacrifice or study (such as wizards or paladins), but they only truly feel at ease around non-magical classes such as barbarians, rogues, fighters, and monks. This isn’t to say that the Harrowed is completely open to these individuals – how can they really understand the Harrowed, after all? – but they do find forming relationships with them to be much easier and far less tense.

Adaptation: Many details of the Harrowed condition have been left intentionally vague so that the Dungeon Master may more easily work them into their world (but see one possible example below). Mechanically speaking, the Harrowed can be adapted quite easily, usually by altering their Shadowmental Touch class feature, or by removing or introducing feat lines.

Hit Die: D8.

Starting Gold: 3d4 x 10 gold.

Class Features

Class Skills: The Harrowed’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All skills, chosen individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skill Points Per Level After First: 4 + Intelligence Modifier

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|The Monster Within, Shadowmental Touch (1d6), Bonus Harrowed Feat

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Two-World Eyes (Darkvision)

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Shadowmental Touch (2d6)

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Death Sight

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Shadowmental Mantle, Shadowmental Touch (3d6), Bonus Harrowed Feat

6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Shadowmental Touch (Melee)

7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Glimpse the Soul, Shadowmental Touch (4d6)

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+2|
+6|Dark Whispers

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+3|
+6|Bestial Resilience 10, Shadowmental Touch (5d6)

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+3|
+7|Two-World Eyes (Detect Magic), Bonus Harrowed Feat

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+3|
+7|Shadowmental Touch (6d6)

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|Read the Soul, Scent the Occult

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|Shadowmental Touch (7d6)

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+4|
+9|Shadowmental Touch (Unholy Infusion)

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+9|Evil Eye, Shadowmental Touch (8d6), Bonus Harrowed Feat

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|Two-World Eyes (Magical Darkness), Sense the Unseen

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|Shadowmental Touch (9d6)

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+11|Bestial Resilience 20

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Shadowmental Touch (10d6)

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Shadowmental Fury, Bonus Harrowed Feat[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Harrowed are proficient with all simple weapons, one martial weapon of their choice, and light armor.

The Monster Within (Su): The Harrowed shares her body and soul with a being of elemental power, dark purpose, and terrible will, constantly fighting it for control of her body and mind. Though the Harrowed can draw upon some of the beast’s power, in doing so she risks losing control; whenever the Harrowed uses one of her activated supernatural abilities from this class (as well as certain Harrowed feats – see feat descriptions for details), she must make a Will save (DC = 10 + the class level needed to use the ability) or lose control of her body to the monster for one round per character level (the ability is still activated as intended; that is, Shadowmental Touch still attacks it target, Shadowmental Mantles still activate, et cetera). The Harrowed may not choose to fail this save. If they succeed at the saving throw, they do not need to save again for that particular ability (or feat) for a number of rounds equal to their Charisma modifier.

The monster within the Harrowed is highly intelligent and invariably Chaotic Evil, but it knows it only has a limited amount of time in which to enjoy its freedom. While acts of murder, rape, destruction and betrayal are not out of line with the monster’s behavior, it is equally likely to party hard, kiss a random barmaid, gorge itself on fine food, and other indulgent behaviors. While the Harrowed is possessed in this manner, her player should treat her alignment as Chaotic Evil (if her player cannot be trusted to portray this, the DM is encouraged to treat her as an NPC for the duration). Generally speaking, the monster does not form long-term plans, unable to think past the next point of escape and freedom.

It is worth noting that the monster prefers its body to be free and unencumbered, the better to cater to its whimsical nature. The Harrowed may wear light armor without penalty, but medium armor imposes a -4 penalty to Will saves against the monster, while heavy armor imposes a -8 penalty. The Harrowed suffers no such penalties for being encumbered, but it is highly likely that the monster will shed any offending items – such as backpacks – when it takes control.

Attempts to remove the monster from the Harrowed inevitably fail – spells fizzle out, powerful artifacts come to naught, and even greater deities strive in vain as their powers fail again and again. This trait is universal amongst Harrowed, and is a source of extreme speculation among those sages familiar with the Harrowed’s condition.

There is, however, a minor benefit to the monster’s presence in the Harrowed’s mind and body, beyond the power that the Harrowed can steal from it – the beast’s foul will bolsters the Harrowed’s own, providing them with a +4 bonus to will saves vs. mind-affecting abilities, as well as soul-displacement effects such as Trap the Soul and Magic Jar.

Shadowmental Touch (Su): The simplest expression of her power, the Harrowed can tap into the monster within, siphoning off a measure of its anger, its hatred, and its essence and unleashing it as a ranged touch attack (max range 60 feet). At first level, the Harrowed’s player chooses one of the following elements. This choice, once made, cannot be changed.

Hellfire: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with unholy, chaotic flame. Her beast is likely to be destructive, violent, and impatient, like a malevolent wildfire. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two class levels (starting at level one), half of which is fire and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to any kind of resistance. Hellfire can ignite objects and beings on fire as though it were alchemist’s fire; a being who fails a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) ignites in unholy flame, lasting for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s class level or until they douse themselves in water or succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) to put it out.

Frigid Hate: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with creeping, slithering cold, unfeeling and unforgiving. It is likely to be methodical, sadistic, and cunning. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two class levels (starting at level one), half of which is cold and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Creatures struck by Frigid Hate must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, reflex saves, and dexterity-based skill checks for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s class level. Frigid Hate may freeze five cubic feet of liquid per d6 of damage it deals, provided that said liquid is not a living being (thus, a Harrowed could freeze a pond, but not a water elemental).

Caustic Fury: The Harrowed’s beast is a spiteful, acidic thing, suffused with the worst elements of the earth beneath her feet. It is likely to be patient, unforgiving, and implacable. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two class levels (starting at level one), half of which is acid and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Caustic fury clings to its victims, forcing them succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer half of the damage dealt (rounded down) the following round at the beginning of the Harrowed’s turn.

Thunderous Rage: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with rotting wind and sickly lightning. It is likely to be devious, fickle, and tempestuous. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two class levels (starting at level one), half of which is electricity and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Shadowmental Touch is accompanied by a raging thunderclap, forcing all those within five feet of the victim to succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be deafened for 1d4+1 rounds (this is a sonic effect).

Dark Will: The Harrowed’s beast is not infused with any particular element, but is instead possessed of a terrible will that manifests as a physical force. It is likely to be arrogant, stubborn, and incredibly forceful. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two class levels (starting at level one), half of which is force damage and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. A creature struck by the Harrowed’s Dark Will must succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be pushed back five feet per ten damage dealt by the attack (rounded up) in any direction of the Harrowed’s choosing (in a straight line) as well as being knocked prone (success indicates that they are merely moved five feet in any direction of their choosing). This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Activating Shadowmental Touch is a standard action. Regardless of the element chosen, a Harrowed is immune to the damage and effects of her own Shadowmental Touch, though not those of other Harrowed, even those who have chosen the same element. Activating Shadowmental Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within)

At sixth level, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may infuse her melee weapon with her Shadowmental Touch, dealing Shadowmental Touch damage in addition to weapon damage for a single attack, as well as triggering the secondary effects of her Shadowmental Touch. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. If the Harrowed misses, the attack is not wasted, and remains imbued in her weapon until she strikes a being or object, dismisses the effect as a free action, or fails to use it within a number of rounds equal to her charisma modifier. Infusing her weapon provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), though striking with her weapon thereafter does not.

At fourteenth level, once per encounter as a standard action, the Harrowed may forgo making a normal Shadowmental Touch attack and instead lash out with a ray of pure unholy energy. This attack deals the same damage as her Shadowmental Touch, though the source is pure unholy energy, not subject to any form of resistance. A being struck by this attack must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or gain 1d4 negative levels. Good-aligned beings suffer a -2 penalty to this save. Using this ability in place of a normal Shadowmental Touch does not trigger the Shadowmental Touch’s secondary effects. Using this ability in place of her Shadowmental Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within).

Bonus Harrowed Feat (Ex): At first level, and again at fifth level and every five levels thereafter, the Harrowed may choose a bonus feat from among those labeled as Harrowed feats. She must still meet all prerequisites for the feat.

Two-World Eyes (Su): The energies of the beast within infuse the Harrowed, seeping into her senses and allowing her to sense those energies that are similar to it. Starting at second level, the Harrowed’s senses sharpen in a mostly mundane way; she gains darkvision out to a range of sixty feet (or her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet). Darkvision is exactly like normal vision, except that it is in black-and-white only, and the Harrowed can function just fine with no light at all.

Starting at tenth level, the Harrowed can see magical auras and manifestations; she benefits from a constant detect magic effect. Additionally, the Harrowed can sense those beings whose nature, like her beast’s, is formed of the fundamental blocks of creation; she automatically detects any creatures with the elemental type (or the air, cold, earth, fire, or water subtypes) within her field of vision, as though she enjoyed the benefits of a true seeing spell. The Harrowed automatically knows if the creature she perceives possesses the elemental type, as well as if it possesses any of the aforementioned subtypes.

Starting at sixteenth level, the Harrowed’s darkvision functions even in magical darkness, and her supernatural perception sharpens to incredible acuity; the Harrowed detects all beings with the elemental type, the outsider type, or the air, cold, earth, extraplanar, fire, or water subtypes as though she possesses blindsight out to sixty feet, but only with regard to those beings (when those beings are within that range, she may also perceive her surroundings in this manner, but not beings without the aforementioned types or subtypes). Nothing short of an antimagic field (or similar effects) may foil this perception.

A blind or otherwise visually-impaired Harrowed still benefits from these abilities, but her sense of sight is limited only to the supernatural sense granted by this ability; that is, at second level, a blind Harrowed may still “see” magical auras, at tenth level the Harrowed may still “see” beings with the proper types and subtypes, and at tenth level the Harrowed benefits from blindsight with regards to those beings with the proper types and subtypes, but she is still blind with regard to those beings and effects that do not fit those criteria.

Upon acquiring this ability, the Harrowed’s eyes change to a deep, clearly inhuman color, such as blood red, dark violet, or even a kaleidoscopic rainbow of colors. Many Harrowed develop catlike slits for pupils, or other, stranger shapes. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch often changes color to match that of her eyes.

Death Sight (Su): As a Harrowed’s power grows, she becomes more sensitive to resonances from the lands of the dead. Starting at fourth level, the Harrowed develops a sort of second sight relating to the dead; when she sees a corpse, no matter how old it is, she can instantly tell how long it has been dead, and what, in general, killed it (examples might include poison, lacerations, magical fire, and divine punishment). Additionally, if the corpse has been dead less than a number of days equal to the Harrowed’s class level, she may converse with it as though using speak with dead as a cleric of her class level. A Harrowed may only use this ability once on any given corpse.

The Harrowed may use this ability to determine if a corpse is or is not undead, and by what means (infection, spell, transformative process, et cetera) it joined the ranks of the unliving.

Using Death Sight to speak with dead provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), though the Harrowed enjoys a +2 bonus to this save.

Shadowmental Mantle (Su): As the Harrowed’s stolen power grows, her body becomes more and more suffused with the dark elemental energies of the monster within her. With an act of will, she may force these energies from her skin, becoming wreathed in a protective layer of Shadowmental energy. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does no provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may activate this ability. While this ability is active, she becomes shrouded in a raging manifestation of her Shadowmental energy. Any being striking her in melee with a natural or non-reach manufactured weapon takes Shadowmental Touch damage on their first successful attack, as well as suffering the secondary effect of the Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch. Additionally, while her Shadowmental Mantle is active, the Harrowed has DR X/- against projectile attacks, where X is equal to her class level. This damage reduction counts against conjured projectiles (such as acid arrows), but not against rays or force effects (such as magic missiles).

Using Shadowmental Mantle provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.

After gaining this ability, the Harrowed’s footprints flicker and gutter with weak Shadowmental energy, adding a +5 circumstance bonus to those attempting to track her (with obvious exceptions made for common sense, such as cold energy in the arctic tundra), even when the ability is not active.


Glimpse the Soul (Su): The Harrowed’s senses continue to expand past the mundane, giving her glimpses of the auras that all beings with souls possess. Starting at level seven, she may concentrate and scrutinize these auras in order to gain information about their bearers. As a full-round action, the Harrowed may observe any being with a soul (including elementals, outsiders, and intelligent constructs) and make a sense motive check (DC = the creatures hit dice + its wisdom modifier). If she succeeds, the Harrowed may learn one of the following: one component of the creature’s alignment (good-evil, law-chaos), its current mood, its relative intelligence (in general terms; “animal intelligence” “stupid” “clever” and “brilliant” would all be appropriate readings), or if it is currently bearing any objects containing trapped souls. The Harrowed may attempt this check more than once on any given creature in a day, but each time she does, the DC increases by five.

Using Glimpse the Soul provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), though the Harrowed enjoys a +2 bonus to this save.

Dark Whispers (Ex): A Harrowed can, in a limited fashion, project their mind and afflict others with the dark whispers and desires of the monster within. Starting at level eight, twice per encounter, the Harrowed may activate this ability as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Harrowed designates a victim, who immediately begins hearing insidious, whispering, demanding voices in his head, forcing him to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or go insane for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier. While insane, the victim suffers a -6 penalty to wisdom and is unable to tell friend from foe, lashing out violently against the nearest available victims. Victims who succeed at the will save are immune to further uses of this ability – by any Harrowed – for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Harrowed are immune to the effects of Dark Whispers.

Activating this ability provokes a will save (see The Monster Within).

Bestial Resilience (Su): As her Shadowmental energy continues to infuse her body, the Harrowed begins to develop a tolerance for it. At level nine, the Harrowed gains resistance 10 to whatever form of damage her Shadowmental Touch deals (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or force). At level 18, this improves to resistance 20.

Read the Soul (Su): Starting at level twelve, as a full-round action, the Harrowed can lock onto the aura of any intelligent being within her view. Activating this ability is a standard action, and while she concentrates on that being, the Harrowed may tell any of the following: if that being lies, if it activates a supernatural or spell-like ability, if it changes alignment (but not what alignment it changes to), or if it becomes possessed. A Harrowed may only read one aura at a time this way, and concentrating on the task takes a standard action each round to maintain.

Activating Read the Soul provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and maintaining it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) every other round, though the Harrowed enjoys a +2 bonus to these saves.

Scent the Occult (Su): As the Harrowed infuses more of herself with the stolen power of her beast, its senses continue to bleed through into her own. At level twelve, her sense of smell sharpens and takes on a supernatural edge, allowing her to hound down magic by scent. This functions almost identically to the scent special quality, with the exception that she may only detect magical beings (that is, beings with supernatural or spell-like abilities, or those beings capable of casting spells, or beings created by magic, such as certain undead and constructs) and effects this way. A Harrowed may track the movement of these beings and effects by scent, as well as being able to distinguish the type of magic she is dealing with (arcane or divine) and its source (inherent, learned, or granted).

Note that a Harrowed can only track where a spell or effect has been; she could, for example, follow the path of a programmed image, but she could not trace it back to its caster unless the image happened to pass near there.

A Harrowed can identify spells or magical items by scent, but doing so imposes a -8 penalty on the appropriate Knowledge (Arcana) or Spellcraft roll.

Evil Eye (Su): Temporarily shifting her soul from behind her eyes, a Harrowed of level fifteen or higher can allow her beast to glare out into the world, inflicting its hate and rage on unfortunate victims. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may glare at her foe as a gaze attack. Her victim must succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -6 profane penalty to all ability scores, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Activating the Evil Eye provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and the Harrowed suffers a -2 penalty to this save.

Sense the Unseen (Su): The most profound sharpening of her senses, a Harrowed of level sixteen or higher gains the ability to see even invisible or ethereal creatures. The Harrowed sees these creatures as though they were not invisible, though ethereal creatures appear somewhat transparent and hazy. A Harrowed may also sense the presence of nearby creatures on the Plane of Shadow, though she may only detect whether any such creatures are present within a forty foot radius of her, and not their exact type or location. Likewise, the Harrowed may sense the presence of incorporeal creatures within forty feet of her, but not their exact type or location.

Shadowmental Fury (Su): At level twenty, the Harrowed has mastered the most destructive and potent of her powers. By tapping into her own rage and fury and magnifying it with that of her beast, she becomes a beacon of dark elemental energy, creating and releasing it at a prodigious rate. When she activates her Shadowmental Fury, the Harrowed can make her Shadowmental Touch attacks as attack actions; that is, she may make as many Shadowmental Touch attacks as her base attack bonus allows. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier.

Activating Shadowmental Fury provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and the Harrowed suffers a -4 penalty to this save.

Multiclass Harrowed: Nothing prohibits a Harrowed from multiclassing. However, those wishing to play as a Harrowed must begin play as a member of the class; Harrowed are born, not made, and those not afflicted from the day of their birth have no hope of becoming so, even if they wished to.

[Lord_Gareth]

Harrowed Feats

Harrowed feats pertain directly to the monster within, representing pacts made with it, changes influenced by it, and techniques for refining and using its power. All Harrowed develop at least some of these techniques (as represented by their bonus feats), but many choose to develop their supernatural power almost exclusively. Unless otherwise noted, all abilities granted by these feats are supernatural in nature.

General Harrowed Feats
Bestial Senses [Harrowed]
Your senses have developed to keenness rare even among the Harrowed.
Prerequisites: Two-World Eyes, Alertness, Wisdom 16+
Benefit: When you acquire this feat, add Listen, Search, and Spot to your list of class skills. These three skills are always considered class skills for you. At level six, you gain a +2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot as your mundane senses grow more keen. At level twelve, you gain the Scent special quality. You gain a +2 racial bonus to Survival checks made to track by scent; your sense of smell is sharp, able to distinguish even fine odors from one another. At level eighteen, you gain blindsense out to twenty feet. This blindsense is dependant on your senses of hearing and smell, and has its range cut in half if one of these senses is negated, and is eliminated entirely if both senses are negated.

The benefits of this feat are extraordinary abilities, not supernatural ones.

Butchery Pact [Harrowed]
You’ve cut a dark deal with your beast; so long as you show no mercy and no pity, it leaves you (mostly) well enough alone.
Prerequisites: Non-good alignment, Dark Deal
Benefit: Whenever you kill an intelligent being, you gain a +4 profane bonus to will saves made vs. your monster (see The Monster Within) for the next hour. Furthermore, once per day for every four Harrowed levels you possess (minimum once per day), you may heal yourself by devouring the flesh of one of your victims. If you eat at least two pounds of meat from an intelligent being that you slew personally, you regain hit points equal to that being’s hit dice. You cannot exceed your maximum hit points in this manner; any extra is wasted.
Special: In order to uphold this deal with your monster, you must show no mercy, and no pity to any beings around you; you cannot accept surrenders, give to charity, share when it would not benefit you, or other such acts. Should you ever act in a merciful or charitable way, you immediately lose the benefits of this feat until you sacrifice a loved one or valuable friend in the name of your monster and consume at least two pounds of their flesh.

Dark Deal [Harrowed]
You’ve forged a dark deal with the beast within for leniency.
Prerequisites: The Monster Within, Intelligence 15+
Benefit: Your monster is less likely to violently lash out against your friends and loved ones, or to publicly commit crimes which it knows could lead to your incarceration or execution. While this has no mechanical effect, both you and the Dungeon Master are encouraged to keep the monster’s change in behavior in mind when it takes control.
Special: Taking this feat opens up a selection of other feats.

Dark Willed Enhancement [Harrowed]
The force of your will can manipulate your environment in limited ways.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Dark Will) 4d6, Iron Will
Benefit: You may adapt your Shadowmental Touch into a limited form of telekinesis. At the beginning of your turn each round, choose one of the following effects: +2 force bonus to armor class, +4 force bonus to jump checks, +2 force bonus to attack and damage rolls, or a +5 force bonus to your base land speed. Your choice, once made, affects you until the beginning of your next turn, at which point you may choose a new effect or continue the old one. If you choose to have one of these effects active, you suffer a -2 penalty to will saves as you struggle to keep your beast in check.

Dark Will Mastery [Harrowed]
You can force your beast into truly devastating acts of kinetic manipulation.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Dark Will) 8d6, Dark Willed Enhancement
Benefit: You strike your enemies with overwhelming force; those who fail their save against your Shadowmental Touch’s secondary effect are pushed ten feet in any one direction of your choosing per ten damage dealt. This movement does provoke attacks of opportunity, and should your victim be halted by an obstacle (such as a chair, the wall, or another creature), they and the obstacle both take 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per five feet that they had left to move. A living creature is entitled to a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) avoid getting hit by a creature or object moving in this manner (thus not taking any damage and allowing the unfortunate creature or object to continue moving). Lastly, you are immune to force effects.

These effects cannot be applied to a Shadowmental Touch enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Hellfire Conflagration [Harrowed]
Your unholy flames burn ever brighter, spreading and consuming.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Hellfire) 4d6, Weapon Focus (Shadowmental Touch)
Benefit: A creature ignited by your Shadowmental Touch receives twice your class level in damage per round, half of which is fire, and half of which stems from pure unholy energy and is not subject to resistance. Furthermore, other beings or objects touching them must succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or ignite as well.

These effects cannot be applied to a Shadowmental Touch that has been enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.
Normal: A creature ignited by your Shadowmental Touch receives 1d6 points of damage each round, half of which is fire and half of which stems from pure unholy energy and is not subject to resistance.

Hellfire Inferno [Harrowed]
Your Hellfire is a raging inferno, consuming all in its path.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (8d6), Shadowmental Sweep, Hellfire Conflagration
Benefit: Three times per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may empower your next Shadowmental Touch attack, increasing its primary and secondary damage by one-half. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may maximize your next Shadowmental Touch attack, causing it to deal maximum damage and increasing the save DC of its secondary effect by four. Lastly, you are immune to fire damage.

One Shadowmental Touch attack cannot be both empowered and maximized.

These effects cannot be applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack that has been enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability

Howling Rage [Harrowed]
The thunderclaps of your rage are so loud as to crack bones and shatter skulls.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Thunderous Rage) 4d6, Lightning Reflexes
Benefit: Your Shadowmental Touch is accompanied by an extremely loud thunderclap; those within five feet of your victim must succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be struck by a wall of sound that deals 1d4 points of sonic damage per two Harrowed class levels (round down). You are immune to this damage, but not that of other Harrowed with this feat.

These effects may not be applied to a Shadowmental Touch enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Nightmare Mind [Harrowed]
Your beast is particularly close to your mind, and it savages those who dare disturb it.
Prerequisites: Dark Whispers, Iron Will
Benefit: Whenever you are successfully targeted by a compulsion effect (such as suggestion spell) or an unwanted telepathic intrusion (such as dominate person), you may force the originator of the ability to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or receive 1d4 points of intelligence and wisdom damage. Sentient magical items are susceptible to this damage, though artifacts are not. Additionally, you are instantly aware of who has attempted to violate your mind and, if they are within twenty feet per class level of you, their exact location.

Whenever you chose to activate Nightmare Mind, it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at DC 18.

Piercing Energy [Harrowed]
Your Shadowmental energy is especially potent.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch 4d6, two or more Harrowed feats
Benefit: Your supernatural abilities and feats ignore an amount of energy resistance equal to your Harrowed class level. Creatures immune to energy damage remain immune.

Rob the Beast [Harrowed]
You have stolen additional power from your beast, allowing you to use an ability more often.
Prerequisites: The Monster Within, one or more Harrowed feats
Benefit: Choose a Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat that has limited uses per day or per encounter. You gain an additional use of that ability.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time, you gain an additional use of a different ability or feat.

Screaming Rage [Harrowed]
The screams of the damned accompany your thunderous rage, driving them mad.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Thunderous Rage) 8d6, Howling Rage
Benefit: Those who fail their reflex save against your Howling Rage feat must succeed at an additional will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be afflicted as though by a confusion spell for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Furthermore, twice per encounter, you may make a particularly devastating Shadowmental Touch that strikes its victims blind as well as deaf if they fail their save against the secondary effect. Lastly, you are immune to electricity damage.

These effects may not be applied to a Shadowmental Touch enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Shadowmental Armor [Harrowed]
The unholy energy coursing through you protects your body and your equipment
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Mantle, Bestial Resilience, Great Fortitude
Benefit: You gain a +4 deflection bonus to armor class. Additionally, your Bestial Resilience ability applies to your equipment and any object or structure you touch (for example, a Harrowed with Shadowmental Touch (Hellfire) and Bestial Resilience 10 who stands in a tavern confers ten points of fire resistance to the tavern itself, but not the other objects within it).

Shadowmental Dispelling [Harrowed]
Your Shadowmental energy can devour enchantments.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (5d6), Knowledge (Arcana) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks
Benefit: Once per encounter per four class levels (round down), you may replace your Shadowmental Touch’s normal secondary effect with a dispel magic effect. This effect is identical to a targeted dispel magic spell cast by a cleric of your class level, targeting the victim of your Shadowmental Touch attack.

Shadowmental Endowment [Harrowed]
Shadowmental energy infuses every fiber of your being, bleeding it from your very pores.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (8d6), Shadowmental Infusion, Shadowmental Enhancement
Benefit: Your natural and melee weapons deal an additional 3d6 points of damage (this replaces the enhancement from Shadowmental Enhancement) with each strike, half of which is the energy chosen for your Shadowmental Touch ability, and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit.

Additionally, whenever you infuse your natural or melee weapon with your Shadowmental Touch, it lasts for an additional strike and your natural or melee weapon gains the keen enhancement (this is in addition to the enhancement bonus from Shadowmental Enhancement).

Shadowmental Enhancement [Harrowed]
You are a veritable beacon of Shadowmental energy, channeling it into every strike.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (5d6), Shadowmental Infusion
Benefit: Your natural and melee weapons deal an additional 2d6 points of damage (this replaces the enhancement from Shadowmental Infusion) with each strike, half of which is the energy chosen for your Shadowmental Touch ability, and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit.

Additionally, whenever you infuse your natural or melee weapon with your Shadowmental Touch, it gains an enhancement bonus equal to ¼ your Harrowed levels (minimum +1, maximum +5).

Shadowmental Infusion [Harrowed]
You are a living generator of Shadowmental energy, and it infuses your attacks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Mantle, Shadowmental Touch (Melee)
Benefit: Your natural and melee weapons are infused with Shadowmental energy, dealing an additional 1d6 points of damage with each strike, half of which is the energy chosen for your Shadowmental Touch ability, and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit.

Shadowmental Ring [Harrowed]
You can throw up a defensive ring of Shadowmental energy.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Mantle, Shadowmental Touch (4d6), Improved Initiative
Benefit: Twice per encounter, as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may summon ring of Shadowmental Energy that occupies every square adjacent to you. This ring is five feet high, but only a few inches thick. Creatures in the ring’s area at the time of its creation are shunted five feet back, but are otherwise unharmed (unless an obstacle prevents their movement, in which case they take damage as normal). Creatures trapped within or passing through the ring take damage as though you had struck them with your Shadowmental Touch (Reflex save DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier for half damage), except that the secondary effects of your Shadowmental Touch do not trigger. While within your Shadowmental Ring, you have partial concealment (20%).

You are immune to damage from your own Shadowmental Ring, but not from that of other Harrowed with this feat.

Activating your Shadowmental Ring provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at DC 17.

Shadowmental Sniper [Harrowed]
While you can’t channel your Shadowmental energy into melee attacks, you are exceptionally accurate with your blasts.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch 3d6, Point Blank Shot
Benefit: The range of your Shadowmental Touch ability increases to 120 feet, and your Shadowmental Touch attacks receive no penalty for firing into melee. You never risk accidentally hitting the wrong target when firing a Shadowmental Touch into a grapple.
Special: When you take this feat, you lose the ability to channel your Shadowmental Touch into melee attacks, and may not use it as a prerequisite for other feats.

Shadowmental Sweep [Harrowed]
You’ve learned to shape your Shadowmental Touch into devastating area attacks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (3d6), Spellcraft 8 ranks
Benefit: When making a Shadowmental Touch attack, you may choose to manifest it as a 10 foot per class level cone, or a ten foot wide by ten foot per class level long line. Creatures in the area of your cones and lines receive a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) for half damage, but the effects of this feat are otherwise identical to your Shadowmental Touch, including its secondary effects and any enhancements you may have received from spells or items.

A Harrowed of the appropriate level may use this feat in conjunction with their Unholy Infusion class feature.

Toxic Fury [Harrowed]
Your acid is venomous, seeping into your victims’ veins and sapping their strength.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Caustic Fury) 4d6, Great Fortitude
Benefit: Those struck by your Shadowmental Touch must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -4 profane penalty to strength, dexterity, or constitution (your choice) for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier (penalties of the same type do not stack).

These effects may not applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Trickster’s Bargain [Harrowed]
You’ve cut a deal with your monster; if you sow chaos, it lets you (mostly) be.
Prerequisites: Non-lawful alignment, Dark Deal
Benefit: Whenever you deceive someone, play a practical joke, or undermine order in a community, you gain a +4 profane bonus to will saves vs. your monster (see The Monster Within) for an hour. Furthermore, you can bounce your Shadowmental Touch off of walls, bend it around cover, and otherwise manipulate its movement; you cover (except for total cover) and concealment (except for total concealment) when making Shadowmental Touch attacks.
Special: To meet the terms of this deal, you must act in a manner which undermines order. While you needn’t necessarily do this all the time, you must, on a regular basis, lie, cheat, steal, play pranks, question authority, challenge traditions, and engage in other behaviors with undermine whatever established order is closest at hand. Should you ever act in a manner which encourages or aids order, you immediately lose all benefits from this feat until you tell – and then later reveal – a meaningful lie to a friend or loved one – a lie that would forever alter your relationship with this person if discovered.

Unholy Frost [Harrowed]
The chill of your Shadowmental Touch is like the unholy chill of the grave.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Frigid Hate) 8d6, Unnatural Chill
Benefit: You may, in place of its normal secondary effect, infuse your Shadowmental Touch with negative energy. If you strike your target, they must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or gain 2d4 negative levels. A creature already suffering from negative levels is immune to this ability. Additionally, you may choose to sacrifice the effects of your Unnatural Chill feat to inflict a -6 profane penalty to your victim’s strength and dexterity scores for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. You must declare these decisions before your Shadowmental Touch attack is made. Lastly, you are immune to cold damage.

These effects may not be applied to a Shadowmental Touch enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Unholy Power [Harrowed]
One of your supernatural abilities is extremely potent.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (1d6)
Benefit: Choose a Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat that requires its target(s) to make a saving throw. The save DC(s) of that class feature or feat increases by 2. The effects of this feat do not stack with the Ability Focus feat.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time, a different Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat’s save DC(s) go up.

Unnatural Chill [Harrowed]
Your beast’s frigid hatred stops your enemies in their tracks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Frigid Hate) 4d6, Great Fortitude
Benefit: Those struck by your Shadowmental Touch must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be afflicted as if by a slow spell for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Once per encounter, you may instead choose to force a victim struck by your Shadowmental Touch to succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be paralyzed by icy cold for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier.

These effects cannot be applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack that has been enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Virulent Loathing [Harrowed]
Your venom eats away at your victims’ minds as well as their bodies.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Caustic Fury) 8d6, Toxic Fury
Benefit: Those struck by your Shadowmental Touch must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer 1d4 points of ability damage in intelligence, wisdom, or charisma (your choice). A creature with 4 or less points of intelligence, wisdom, or charisma may not suffer further damage to that ability score through from this ability. Additionally, you are immune to acid damage.

These effects may not be applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Weapon Focus (Shadowmental Touch) [Harrowed]
You are exceptionally accurate with your Shadowmental Touch attacks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (1d6)
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls when using your Shadowmental Touch attack.

The effects of this feat are an extraordinary, rather than supernatural, ability.

[Lord_Gareth]

Reserved for Additional Fluff and Prestige Classes

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

The Monster Within (Su): The Harrowed shares her body and soul with a being of elemental power, dark purpose, and terrible will, constantly fighting it for control of her body and mind. Though the Harrowed can draw upon some of the beast’s power, in doing so she risks losing control; whenever the Harrowed uses one of her activated supernatural abilities from this class (as well as certain Harrowed feats – see feat descriptions for details), she must make a Will save (DC = 10 + the class level needed to use the ability) or lose control of her body to the monster for one round per character level (the ability is still activated as intended; that is, Shadowmental Touch still attacks it target, Shadowmental Mantles still activate, et cetera). The Harrowed may not choose to fail this save. If they succeed at the saving throw, they do not need to save again for that particular ability (or feat) for a number of rounds equal to their Charisma modifier.

Good. Somehow I missed the "they do not need to save again" part. I like what this ability has become.


Shadowmental Touch

Good. I'm glad you changed the secondary effects.


Dark Will: The Harrowed’s beast is not infused with any particular element, but is instead possessed of a terrible will that manifests as a physical force. It is likely to be arrogant, stubborn, and incredibly forceful. The Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two class levels (starting at level one), half of which is electricity and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. A creature struck by the Harrowed’s Dark Will must succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be pushed back five feet per ten damage dealt by the attack (rounded up) in any direction of the Harrowed’s choosing (in a straight line) as well as being knocked prone (success indicates that they are merely moved five feet in any direction of their choosing). This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Hmmm...first off, electricity damage seems strange for this power. Was that a typo? Secondly, I'll have to wait and see how much damage (on average) Shadowmental Touch deals before I can make the call. I think it may be alright though.


At sixth level, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may infuse her melee weapon with her Shadowmental Touch, dealing Shadowmental Touch damage in addition to weapon damage for a single attack. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. If the Harrowed misses, the attack is not wasted, and remains imbued in her weapon until she strikes a being or object, dismisses the effect as a free action, or fails to use it within a number of rounds equal to her charisma modifier. Infusing her weapon provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), though striking with her weapon thereafter does not.

At fourteenth level, once per encounter, the Harrowed may forgo making a normal Shadowmental Touch attack and instead lash out with a ray of pure unholy energy. This attack deals the same damage as her Shadowmental Touch, though the source is pure unholy energy, not subject to any form of resistance. A being struck by this attack must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or gain 1d4 negative levels. Good-aligned beings suffer a -2 penalty to this save. Using this ability in place of her Shadowmental Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within).

Do these abilities also trigger the secondary effects (the save-or-blank effects)? If so, explicitly say so. If not, explicitly say so. It's very ambiguous now.


Two-World Eyes (Su)

Nice. However, given the trend towards increasing power, I'd swap Darkvision with Detect Magic, keeping the rest exactly as it is (so once you can detect magic you can spot elementals, and so forth).


Death Sight (Su): As a Harrowed’s power grows, she becomes more sensitive to resonances from the lands of the dead. Starting at fourth level, the Harrowed develops a sort of second sight relating to the dead; when she sees a corpse, no matter how old it is, she can instantly tell how long it has been dead, and what, in general, killed it (examples might include poison, lacerations, magical fire, and divine punishment). Additionally, if the corpse has been dead less than a number of days equal to the Harrowed’s class level, she may converse with it as though using speak with dead as a cleric of her class level. A Harrowed may only use this ability once on any given corpse.

The Harrowed may use this ability to determine if a corpse is or is not undead, and by what means (infection, spell, transformative process, et cetera) it joined the ranks of the unliving.

Using Death Sight to speak with dead provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) with a +2 bonus.

Nice. However I'd change the last sentence to read "Using Death Sight to speak with the dead provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within). The Harrowed receives a +2 bonus to this save."

Otherwise it could possibly be interpreted as a +2 to the DC.


Shadowmental Mantle (Su): As the Harrowed’s stolen power grows, her body becomes more and more suffused with the dark elemental energies of the monster within her. With an act of will, she may force these energies from her skin, becoming wreathed in a protective layer of Shadowmental energy. As a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may activate this ability once per encounter. While this ability is active, she becomes shrouded in a raging manifestation of her Shadowmental energy. Any being striking her in melee with a natural or non-reach manufactured weapon takes Shadowmental Touch damage on their first successful attack, as well as suffering the secondary effect of the Harrowed’s Shadowmental Touch. Additionally, while her Shadowmental Mantle is active, the Harrowed has DR X/- against projectile attacks, where X is equal to her class level. This damage reduction counts against conjured projectiles (such as acid arrows), but not against rays or force effects (such as magic missiles).

After gaining this ability, the Harrowed’s footprints flicker and gutter with weak Shadowmental energy, adding a +5 circumstance bonus to those attempting to track her (with obvious exceptions made for common sense, such as cold energy in the arctic tundra).

Using Shadowmental Mantle provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.

Cool. Although the wording is "Once per encounter, as a Swift action, the Harrowed may..." The duration should be listed after the first paragraph.

Switch the second and third paragraphs...otherwise it could be interpreted that the bonus to tracking only is in effect when Shadowmental Mantle is, which isn't (I believe) your intent.


Glimpse the Soul (Su): The Harrowed’s senses continue to expand past the mundane, giving her glimpses of the auras that all beings with souls possess. Starting at level seven, she may concentrate and scrutinize these auras in order to gain information about their bearers. As a full-round action, the Harrowed may observe any being with a soul (including elementals, outsiders, and intelligent constructs) and make a sense motive check (DC = the creatures hit dice + its wisdom modifier). If she succeeds, the Harrowed may learn one of the following: one component of the creature’s alignment (good-evil, law-chaos), its current mood, its relative intelligence (in general terms; “animal intelligence” “stupid” “clever” and “brilliant” would all be appropriate readings), or if it is currently bearing any objects containing trapped souls. The Harrowed may attempt this check more than once on any given creature in a day, but each time she does, the DC increases by five.

Using Glimpse the Soul provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) with a +2 bonus.

I'm liking this semi-spiritual flavor...sort of a primal beast sniffing out other spirits. That said, change the wording on that saving throw bonus like I mentioned earlier.


Dark Whispers (Ex): While not possessed of true memories of her past, a Harrowed of level eight or higher can piece together fragments of old knowledge and skills from tattered memories and the tantalizing whispers of her beast. She gains an insight bonus to knowledge checks equal to half her class level. The Harrowed may make knowledge checks untrained, but uses only her intelligence modifier for such checks; they do not benefit from her insight bonus.

This one seems a little odd...I figured the beast as more primal than this. I'm not sure I like this ability. It certainly works, but I think the flavor clashes.


Bestial Resilience (Su): As her Shadowmental energy continues to infuse her body, the Harrowed begins to develop a tolerance for it. At level nine, the Harrowed gains energy resistance 10 to whatever type of damage her Shadowmental Touch deals. At level eighteen, this increases to energy resistance 20.

If that one touch is supposed to deal Force damage, you'll need to change the wording a little to allow for Force resistance.


Read the Soul (Su): Starting at level twelve, as a full-round action, the Harrowed can lock onto the aura of any intelligent being within her view. While she concentrates on that being, she may tell any of the following: if that being lies, if it activates a supernatural or spell-like ability, if it changes alignment (but not what alignment it changes to), or if it becomes possessed. A Harrowed may only read one aura at a time this way, and concentrating on the task takes a standard action each round to maintain. Activating Read the Soul provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and maintaining it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) every other round, with a +4 bonus.

Nice. I'd originally thought it was to powerful (lie detection with no save), but with that clause about maintaining it I see that it's not.


Scent the Occult (Su): As the Harrowed infuses more of herself with the stolen power of her beast, its senses continue to bleed through into her own. At level twelve, her sense of smell sharpens and takes on a supernatural edge, allowing her to hound down magic by scent. This functions almost identically to the scent special quality, with the exception that she may only detect magical beings and effects this way. A Harrowed may track the movement of these beings and effects by scent, as well as being able to distinguish the type of magic she is dealing with (arcane or divine) and its source (inherent, learned, or granted).

Note that a Harrowed can only track where a spell or effect has been; she could, for example, follow the path of a programmed image, but she could not trace it back to its caster unless the image happened to pass near there.

A Harrowed can identify spells or magical items by scent, but doing so imposes a -8 penalty on the appropriate Knowledge (Arcana) or Spellcraft roll.

Very flavorful...although I'd almost like the Harrowed to also be able to smell undead (incorporeal and otherwise). Finally, you'll need to specify "magical being." Is it Outsiders, Elementals, and Undead? Creatures with Spell-like abilities? What exactly is a magical being?


Evil Eye (Su): Temporarily shifting her soul from behind her eyes, a Harrowed of level fifteen or higher can allow her beast to glare out into the world, inflicting its hate and rage on unfortunate victims. Once per encounter, the Harrowed may glare at her foe as a gaze attack. Her victim must succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -2 profane penalty to all ability scores, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier. This is a mind-affecting effect. Activating the Evil Eye provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at a -2 penalty.

A little weak for this level, honestly. Greater Bestow Curse can drop a -8 to ALL ACTIONS at the same level...I'd say you could probably pull up to a -6 with this ability. And specify...is it a Swift action, or a Standard action?


Sense the Unseen (Su): The most profound sharpening of her senses, a Harrowed of level sixteen or higher gains the ability to see even invisible or ethereal creatures. The Harrowed sees these creatures as though they were not invisible, though ethereal creatures appear somewhat transparent and hazy. A Harrowed may also sense the presence of nearby creatures on the Plane of Shadow, though she may only detect whether any such creatures are present within a forty foot radius of her, and not their exact type or location. Likewise, the Harrowed may sense the presence of incorporeal creatures within forty feet of her, but not their exact type or location.

Cool. Sort of a limited True Seeing effect. I like it.


Shadowmental Fury (Su): At level twenty, the Harrowed has mastered the most destructive and potent of her powers. By tapping into her own rage and fury and magnifying it with that of her beast, she becomes a beacon of dark elemental energy, creating and releasing it at a prodigious rate. When she activates her Shadowmental Fury, the Harrowed can make her Shadowmental Touch attacks as attack actions; that is, she may make as many Shadowmental Touch attacks as her base attack bonus allows. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier. Activating Shadowmental Fury provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at a -4 penalty.

Gah! A very powerful ability...but probably level appropriate. All in all, a good Capstone effect...

Though it does make certain Shadowmental Touches (those with effects that stack) far better...perhaps an ability that simply maximizes damage, or blankets an entire area might be better here, simply to maintain that balance.

All in all a very nice revision...although at this time your table needs correcting (it's rather empty, although you may have fixed it by now). I look forward to seeing the rest of this (feats and so forth).

[Anxe]

I'm liking the revision too! Got some questions for you though.

1. What happens to the Beast when a Harrowed dies? Does it jump into a another new body? Does the Harrowed's soul travel along with the Beast?
Nevermind. Found the answer in the fluff.

2. What happens when a soul trap effect successfully targets the Harrowed? Are the Harrowed and the Beast's souls both trapped in the gem? If this is true why isn't a higher value of gem than 1,000 per HD of the Harrowed required to trap a beast of ubergodly power?

3. Does Thunderous Rage deafen the Harrowed as well if she is within range?
And I found the answer to this one too.

Also something caught my eye in the Races section. "The oldest living Harrowed are elves." Well of course they are. Is there a mortal race with a longer life span? That should be reworded or just cut.

Okay. Finished reading it. Love the new sense stuff. I'm looking forward to the feats.

[Cieyrin]

Holy detection abilities, Batman! So many! @_@
Not there's a problem w/ that, I suppose but there's certainly less attack powers now than there was. I suppose they became mostly feats, like you mentioned with the claws. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

As Djinn's already mentioned, Bestial Resistance is kinda funky with Dark Will type Harrowed. Do they gain resistance to force damage (a rarity, that) or does something else occur that isn't implicitly stated?

@Anxe: Based on the old fluff, Harrowed are cages for their Beasts, for all intents and purposes one being, thus they don't get any other bonuses to resist Soul Trapping with bonus hit dice other than those already stated. The class doesn't grant any additional hit dice, other than by leveling, so there are not further ones to be trapped thusly. It's kinda like being permanently possessed, as it were, by another being. They don't gain any of the benefits of the spirit's (Their Beast, in this case) hit dice or other abilities, besides what they gain from leveling as a Harrowed, so Soul Trap type effects aren't any less effective, other than as already stated.

As for longer lived mortal races, there are, in fact, longer lived races of the mortal sort, an example of which are dragons. While a Harrowed dragon would be an interesting and scary prospect, I'm sure they probably exist. Lord Gareth's example is just talking about the standard races and is just some fluff for the masses.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Owrtho]

This one seems a little odd...I figured the beast as more primal than this. I'm not sure I like this ability. It certainly works, but I think the flavor clashes.

I never really got the idea that the beast was primal myself (Mind I haven't read the fluff hear yet but I'm assuming its mostly the same as the original version). I thought of it more like, well its hard to say, but I suppose the closest I can think of off hand is a more powerful evil conscience. It has strong insight, power, etc. but is of a decidedly evil bent and tends to work in a rather shortsighted fashion rather than looking at the big picture. It will try to act more toward its immediate satisfaction and often trouble the harrowed by giving bad (depending on your perspective) advice and try to get you to act in a less than good manner for its amusement. And in some cases it might take to tormenting you personally (whether through messing with your thought process or giving you tantalizing bits of information hinting at more, igniting your interest, only to refuse to tell you anything else, or just making you think of things you would rather not think of). Thats not to say that the beast can't act in a primal fashion, but I tend to see that being more of a way to entertain itself than actually being its nature.

I'll point out though that I might be entirely off on all that. For a more definitive answer you'd have to go to Lord_Gareth.

Also, I really like the new class. It keeps the feel of the old one while cleaning it up and making it work better. I'd say more, but I'll do so later when I have more time.

Owrtho

[Lord_Gareth]

Certain abilities have been edited for wording or power level.

To answer some concerns:

1. A Harrowed that manages to lose their soul takes their Beast with them, and it is, rather understandably, just a little infuriated at this prospect. Expect epic retribution.

2. Many attack options have, in fact, become feats. Fun times ^_^

3. I begin work on feats TODAY. Weee! I should have them posted sometime tomorrow.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Certain abilities have been edited for wording or power level.

Changes look good, although I'm still a little wary of Shadowmental Fury. Still, innocent until proven guilty.


3. I begin work on feats TODAY. Weee! I should have them posted sometime tomorrow.

I look forward to seeing them.

...Also, is it a bad thing that I've already got a file on my desktop labeled "Harrowed Prestige Classes," and that I already have some ideas for how to fill it?

*goes off to see about the mechanics for the Unchained Berserker*

[Lord_Gareth]

Just remember Djinn, no releasing the plane-devouring abominations. That is all.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Just remember Djinn, no releasing the plane-devouring abominations. That is all.

I wasn't going to release it, per say. Perhaps allow a Barbarian's rage to cause the Harrowed to enter a frenzy alongside the Beast, channeling more and more of its monstrous and otherworldly qualities, but release it? Nah...

But using it to your advantage could lead to some interesting classes. A Beguiler/Harrowed Primal Illusionist might conjure up images instilled with the mind-tearing fury of the contained monster. A Psion/Harrowed Feral Psyker could simply channel the brute force of the Beast to other people along psychic connections. The possibilities are endless. :smallbiggrin:

[Owrtho]

Those second two ideas sorta sound like the harrowed PRC I already main and posted (there's a link in the old thread). And come to think of it I likely need to make a few revisions to it.

Also, just a request, but could the table be moved down to between the Skill Points Per Level After First and the Weapon and Armor Proficiency? That tends to be the usual place for it after all the more fluff based stuff so you can easily compare where the abilities line up without having to go all the way back to the top.

Thank you,
Owrtho

[Anxe]

Ooo! Maybe some Ascetic and Devoted feats could be made like in Complete Adventurer. Those were cool.

[Lord_Gareth]

General feats have been added! I have not yet begun work on the Soul or Beast Within feats.

At the moment, a low-level Harrowed still suffers from a lack of options. I'd love to have some ideas from everyone!

The table will be moved shortly.

[Cieyrin]

@Djinn: I think a more appropriate mix for Feral Psyker would be Harrowed/Wilder. As for the Unchained Berserker, that just makes me think of Naruto, perhaps a little too much.

@Lord_Gareth: I look forward to the feats and I'd love to see the Shadowmental Wings return as Touch of the Fire-Crow, should it do so, as I always found it a more flavorful and ungeneric name.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Lord_Gareth]

@Lord_Gareth: I look forward to the feats and I'd love to see the Shadowmental Wings return as Touch of the Fire-Crow, should it do so, as I always found it a more flavorful and ungeneric name.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

Feats are up. I'm uncertain as to if - or where - Shadowmental Wings will re-appear, but the reason I changed the name is that the Harrowed are no longer a one-element shindig like they were before.

*Eagerly awaits reviews of the feats*

[Cieyrin]

Featwise, I'm fairly impressed. Each of the energy types are suitably represented with feat chains that will definitely make you seriously consider what energy type to go for. Old favorites like Shadowmental Sweep and Shadowmental Sniper return, though Sniper feels like it had bits of Precise and Improved Precise Shot stuffed into it. New shadowmental feats for the taking as well, like I love the new Shadowmental Armor feat, especially when combined with a Dark Will Harrowed with their feat chain. =3

My only question is if this is just the initial crop and that some of the other feats will make the leap in the revision, as well as old class features, such as the claws and the various Soul feats. I could honestly see the various Soul feats expanding to 5 level PRCs, possibly. Guess I'll just have to wait and see. I just want to see MOAR! =D

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Karma Guard]

The only one that really stands out to me is Dark Deal.

It's basically an empty feat, even if it opens up more of them. Even Sacred Vow has a tiny token bonus, even if it's a stepping stone to VoP and others.

Some sort of small bonus, like a + to some sort of saves or some other tiny mechanical benefit, would make it feel like less of a "waste".

Sacred Vow, for example, gives you +2 to Diplomacy. Why not a +2 to Intimidate or something similar?

[Owrtho]

Well first, I'd note i would also like to see the shadowmental wings return. That aside, if you want to give more low level options, maybe make a feat that augments the shadowmental touch to make it able to deal fear. Something like:

Beast's Caress [Harrowed]
You may cause those you hit with your shadowmental touch to feel the presence of the beast.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch, The Monster Within
Benefit: When using shadowmental touch, you may choose to not deal the unholy energy (decided before the damage is rolled). Instead, the target must make a will save (DC 10 + how much unholy damage would have been dealt + Charisma modifier), or become Shaken. If they fail the will save by more than 5, they become frightened instead. If they would fail by more than 10, they become panicked instead. For every time this is used on a target, it gains a cumulative +1 bonus to the will save against future uses.

This can be applied to a Shadowmental Touch enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability, in which case no damage is dealt and the will save is equal to the damage that would be dealt.

Note that I'm assuming that Unholy Infusion is the ability gained at level 14 to make all the shadowmental touch unholy damage as it is nowhere stated what it is. Also there could be later feats to enhance this one doing things like making you able to use phantasmal killer once per encounter on a target that fails the save (might require that you use Unholy Infusion) with the note that if the phantasm looks like the beast and if it is turned on you, it won't kill you but make you loose control to the beast for awhile.

Owrtho

[Anxe]

The only one that really stands out to me is Dark Deal.

It's basically an empty feat, even if it opens up more of them. Even Sacred Vow has a tiny token bonus, even if it's a stepping stone to VoP and others.

Some sort of small bonus, like a + to some sort of saves or some other tiny mechanical benefit, would make it feel like less of a "waste".

Sacred Vow, for example, gives you +2 to Diplomacy. Why not a +2 to Intimidate or something similar?

How about Dark Deal allows a second will save with a -4 penalty if the Beast is going to commit a crime or hurt a friend? That will save would just stop that action though, not the current control of the Beast.

And a sidenote. That's a lot of beef to eat for Butchery Pact. Unless the meat is consumed magically to heal the Harrowed it's going to result in a very chubby character.

Why does Shadowmental Enhancement not give magical bonuses beyond +5? The Harrowed would be epic level if they got an epic bonus. It makes sense to me if it keeps going.

What's the duration on Shadowmental Ring? And shouldn't it have a higher DC against the Beast?

Shadowmental Sweep. What you've made here is a feat that there is no reason the Harrowed wouldn't take it. Rather like Natural Spell for a Druid. I think it should have a limit on how many times it can be used per day or encounter. Or have more prerequisites.

Trickster's Bargain has a typo. Between "you" and "cover" in the last sentence of the benefits section it should say ignore.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Bestial Senses [Harrowed]
Your senses have developed to keenness rare even among the Harrowed.
Prerequisites: Two-World Eyes, Alertness, Wisdom 16+
Benefit: When you acquire this feat, add Listen, Search, and Spot to your list of class skills. These three skills are always considered class skills for you. At level six, you gain a +2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot as your mundane senses grow more keen. At level twelve, you gain the Scent special quality. You gain a +2 racial bonus to Survival checks made to track by scent; your sense of smell is sharp, able to distinguish even fine odors from one another. At level eighteen, you gain blindsense out to twenty feet. This blindsense is dependant on your senses of hearing and smell, and has its range cut in half if one of these senses is negated, and is eliminated entirely if both senses are negated.

VERY powerful for a single feat. A little to powerful, actually. Adding Spot, Search, and Listen to your skills and offering a +2 Racial bonus to Listen and Spot is feat material. Giving Scent and offering a +2 racial bonus to Survival checks to track by scent is feat material. Giving blindsense is high level feat material. So I'd consider this to be 3 separate feats, not 1. Add to that the fact that feats rarely (actually never, with the exception of Vow of Poverty) offer different abilities at different levels, and we've got a problem.



Butchery Pact [Harrowed]
You’ve cut a dark deal with your beast; so long as you show no mercy and no pity, it leaves you (mostly) well enough alone.
Prerequisites: Non-good alignment, Dark Deal
Benefit: Whenever you kill an intelligent being, you gain a +4 profane bonus to will saves made vs. your monster (see The Monster Within) for the next hour. Furthermore, once per day for every four Harrowed levels you possess (minimum once per day), you may heal yourself by devouring the flesh of one of your victims. If you eat at least two pounds of meat from an intelligent being that you slew personally, you regain hit points equal to that being’s hit dice. You cannot exceed your maximum hit points in this manner; any extra is wasted.
Special: In order to uphold this deal with your monster, you must show no mercy, and no pity to any beings around you; you cannot accept surrenders, give to charity, share when it would not benefit you, or other such acts. Should you ever act in a merciful or charitable way, you immediately lose the benefits of this feat until you sacrifice a loved one or valuable friend in the name of your monster and consume at least two pounds of their flesh.

Nice. :smallbiggrin:

Only problem is that it seems a step down from Dark Deal in terms of control, which carries no such clause...seems like your deal is weakened somewhat...


Dark Deal [Harrowed]
You’ve forged a dark deal with the beast within for leniency.
Prerequisites: The Monster Within, Intelligence 15+
Benefit: Your monster is less likely to violently lash out against your friends and loved ones, or to publicly commit crimes which it knows could lead to your incarceration or execution. While this has no mechanical effect, both you and the Dungeon Master are encouraged to keep the monster’s change in behavior in mind when it takes control.
Special: Taking this feat opens up a selection of other feats.

No mechanical effect? Really? That needs to change rapidly. Perhaps Dark Deal cuts the time the beast is in control down to 1/2 your level...

Also, I'd think Charisma would be required, rather than Intelligence, to persuade the monster. I'd also recommend that because otherwise (with the class already requiring a good Wisdom, good Charisma, good Dexterity, and decent Constitution) few, if any, characters will have the In 15+ required.


Dark Willed Enhancement [Harrowed]
The force of your will can manipulate your environment in limited ways.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Dark Will) 4d6, Iron Will
Benefit: You may adapt your Shadowmental Touch into a limited form of telekinesis. At the beginning of your turn each round, choose one of the following effects: +2 force bonus to armor class, +4 force bonus to jump checks, +2 force bonus to attack and damage rolls, or a +5 force bonus to your base land speed. Your choice, once made, affects you until the beginning of your next turn, at which point you may choose a new effect or continue the old one. If you choose to have one of these effects active, you suffer a -2 penalty to will saves as you struggle to keep your beast in check.

Nice. Perhaps a little powerful (I'd have to run numbers to check, with I'm loathe to do at the moment), but I'd say it's probably good. I am, however, tempted to make the Force bonus solely to damage...otherwise this is stepping a little heavily on the Fighter's Weapon Focus line...only functioning as four feats all by itself. I'd make it the following: a +1 Force bonus to armor class, a +5 Force bonus to Jump, a +2 Force bonus to damage, or a +5 Force bonus to base land speed. The variety it offers makes this, in my mind, balanced...although the AC could rise to +2, and the damage could rise as high as +3.

That said, I'd like to see this changed to be more in line with the other enhancement abilities...those don't offer a wide range of choices, so I don't think this should either.


Dark Will Mastery [Harrowed]
You can force your beast into truly devastating acts of kinetic manipulation.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Dark Will) 8d6, Dark Willed Enhancement
Benefit: You strike your enemies with overwhelming force; those who fail their save against your Shadowmental Touch’s secondary effect are pushed ten feet in any one direction of your choosing per ten damage dealt. This movement does provoke attacks of opportunity, and should your victim be halted by an obstacle (such as a chair, the wall, or another creature), they and the obstacle both take 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per five feet that they had left to move. A living creature is entitled to a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) avoid getting hit by a creature or object moving in this manner (thus not taking any damage and allowing the unfortunate creature or object to continue moving). Lastly, you are immune to force effects.

A little to strong...this makes Dark Will into an incredibly powerful attack, which, with Shadowmental Fury around, is a bad thing. If my opponent is next to a wall, my Shadowmental touch deals an average of 38 base damage, pushes them 30 feet (which it can't, dealing them 6d6 extra damage and knocking them prone)...with Shadowmental Fury this is 3/round. Plus immunity to Force effects? No, no, and no. I'd already way of the incredible amount of pushing that Dark Will is capable of by itself (and knocking them prone is just icing on the already delicious cake). This feat needs a rewrite.


Hellfire Conflagration [Harrowed]
Your unholy flames burn ever brighter, spreading and consuming.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Hellfire) 4d6, Weapon Focus (Shadowmental Touch)
Benefit: A creature ignited by your Shadowmental Touch receives twice your class level in damage per round, half of which is fire, and half of which stems from pure unholy energy and is not subject to resistance. Furthermore, other beings or objects touching them must succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or ignite as well.

Wait...damage rises from 1d6 to (Class level x 2)? The reflex save to put out the flame is already high enough that it's practically either a continuous effect or an action waster...this makes Hellfire Conflagration to much of an action waster for your enemy. What if it simply raised the fire damage to 2d6 and caused your Hellfire Conflagration to also ignite all enemies adjacent to the target?

And why Weapon Focus?


Hellfire Inferno [Harrowed]
Your Hellfire is a raging inferno, consuming all in its path.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (8d6), Shadowmental Sweep, Hellfire Conflagration
Benefit: Three times per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may empower your next Shadowmental Touch attack, increasing its primary and secondary damage by one-half. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may maximize your next Shadowmental Touch attack, causing it to deal maximum damage and increasing the save DC of its secondary effect by four. Lastly, you are immune to fire damage.

You really love this overly strong feats...this is a better Sudden Empowerment, a better (somewhat) Sudden Maximize...a HUGE save DC increase on an already powerful ability...AND IMMUNITY TO ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ENERGY TYPES. Another rewrite for the books, I'm afraid.


Howling Rage [Harrowed]
The thunderclaps of your rage are so loud as to crack bones and shatter skulls.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Thunderous Rage) 4d6, Lightning Reflexes
Benefit: Your Shadowmental Touch is accompanied by an extremely loud thunderclap; those within five feet of your victim must succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be struck by a wall of sound that deals 1d4 points of sonic damage per two Harrowed class levels (round down). You are immune to this damage, but not that of other Harrowed with this feat.

See, this is nice. Extra damage, no deafening, and a save permitted. I like this one.


Nightmare Mind [Harrowed]
Your beast is particularly close to your mind, and it savages those who dare disturb it.
Prerequisites: Dark Whispers, Iron Will
Benefit: Whenever you are successfully targeted by a compulsion effect (such as suggestion spell) or an unwanted telepathic intrusion (such as dominate person), you may force the originator of the ability to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or receive 1d4 points of intelligence and wisdom damage. Sentient magical items are susceptible to this damage, though artifacts are not. Additionally, you are instantly aware of who has attempted to violate your mind and, if they are within twenty feet per class level of you, their exact location.

Whenever you chose to activate Nightmare Mind, it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at DC 18.

Nice. And not to powerful, either. Part of me is thinking about making it a 1 in 24 hours deal, as they might brace for it a second time, but I'm not sure that's necessary.


Piercing Energy [Harrowed]
Your Shadowmental energy is especially potent.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch 4d6, two or more Harrowed feats
Benefit: Your supernatural abilities and feats ignore an amount of energy resistance equal to your Harrowed class level. Creatures immune to energy damage remain immune.

Nice. Approved.


Rob the Beast [Harrowed]
You have stolen additional power from your beast, allowing you to use an ability more often.
Prerequisites: The Monster Within, one or more Harrowed feats
Benefit: Choose a Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat that has limited uses per day or per encounter. You gain an additional use of that ability.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time, you gain an additional use of a different ability or feat.

I'm tempted to say no, as all the class features that this could apply to are incredibly powerful in their own right, and I'm not confident handing out extra uses. Shadowmental Mantle for most of an encounter, every encounter? No thanks...


Screaming Rage [Harrowed]
The screams of the damned accompany your thunderous rage, driving them mad.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Thunderous Rage) 8d6, Howling Rage
Benefit: Those who fail their reflex save against your Howling Rage feat must succeed at an additional will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be afflicted as though by a confusion spell for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Furthermore, twice per encounter, you may make a particularly devastating Shadowmental Touch that strikes its victims blind as well as deaf if they fail their save against the secondary effect. Lastly, you are immune to electricity damage.

All of these are overpowered. The first effect alone is incredibly devastating, and I wouldn't allow it as a feat. The second effect is alright...if it were the only effect. Immunity to Electricity damage just tops it off as overpowered. Another rewrite, I'm afraid.


Shadowmental Armor [Harrowed]
The unholy energy coursing through you protects your body and your equipment
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Mantle, Bestial Resilience, Great Fortitude
Benefit: You gain a +4 deflection bonus to armor class. Additionally, your Bestial Resilience ability applies to your equipment and any object or structure you touch (for example, a Harrowed with Shadowmental Touch (Hellfire) and Bestial Resilience 10 who stands in a tavern confers ten points of fire resistance to the tavern itself, but not the other objects within it).

Nice. The +4 Deflection may be a bit much for a single feat though...actually, it is, seeing as you can get this at 6th level. At that early a junction, a +1 is more appropriate, maybe rising to +3 when you use Shadowmental Mantle.


Shadowmental Dispelling [Harrowed]
Your Shadowmental energy can devour enchantments.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (5d6), Knowledge (Arcana) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks
Benefit: Once per encounter per four class levels (round down), you may replace your Shadowmental Touch’s normal secondary effect with a dispel magic effect. This effect is identical to a targeted dispel magic spell cast by a cleric of your class level, targeting the victim of your Shadowmental Touch attack.

Cool. This works. I think a more standard feat format would have it be 1/encounter or 3/encounter...think about trying that. Feats don't normally build in power this way.


Shadowmental Endowment [Harrowed]
Shadowmental energy infuses every fiber of your being, bleeding it from your very pores.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (8d6), Shadowmental Infusion, Shadowmental Enhancement
Benefit: Your natural and melee weapons deal an additional 3d6 points of damage (this replaces the enhancement from Shadowmental Enhancement) with each strike, half of which is the energy chosen for your Shadowmental Touch ability, and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit.

Additionally, whenever you infuse your natural or melee weapon with your Shadowmental Touch, it lasts for an additional strike and your natural or melee weapon gains the keen enhancement (this is in addition to the enhancement bonus from Shadowmental Enhancement).

Well, the first part is nice. The second is a little to strong...multiple Shadowmental attacks in a single round has the potential to be overpowering, given their strong secondary effects.


Shadowmental Enhancement [Harrowed]
You are a veritable beacon of Shadowmental energy, channeling it into every strike.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (5d6), Shadowmental Infusion
Benefit: Your natural and melee weapons deal an additional 2d6 points of damage (this replaces the enhancement from Shadowmental Infusion) with each strike, half of which is the energy chosen for your Shadowmental Touch ability, and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit.

Additionally, whenever you infuse your natural or melee weapon with your Shadowmental Touch, it gains an enhancement bonus equal to ¼ your Harrowed levels (minimum +1, maximum +5).

Shadowmental Infusion [Harrowed]
You are a living generator of Shadowmental energy, and it infuses your attacks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Mantle, Shadowmental Touch (Melee)
Benefit: Your natural and melee weapons are infused with Shadowmental energy, dealing an additional 1d6 points of damage with each strike, half of which is the energy chosen for your Shadowmental Touch ability, and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit.

Cool. Both pass.


Shadowmental Ring [Harrowed]
You can throw up a defensive ring of Shadowmental energy.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Mantle, Shadowmental Touch (4d6), Improved Initiative
Benefit: Twice per encounter, as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may summon ring of Shadowmental Energy that occupies every square adjacent to you. This ring is five feet high, but only a few inches thick. Creatures in the ring’s area at the time of its creation are shunted five feet back, but are otherwise unharmed (unless an obstacle prevents their movement, in which case they take damage as normal). Creatures trapped within or passing through the ring take damage as though you had struck them with your Shadowmental Touch (Reflex save DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier for half damage), except that the secondary effects of your Shadowmental Touch do not trigger. While within your Shadowmental Ring, you have partial concealment (20%).

Gah? This, 2/encounter, at level 9? On top of Shadowmental Mantle, an already strong ability? No. I'd be alright with Concealment, or with causing those adjacent to you, say, 2d6 damage of you Shadowmental Touch's kind if they start their turn next to you, or even with both those effects at once. That ability might simply add on to your Shadowmental Mantle (which I'm starting to think should just be 1/encounter). This is a little to good. You also have no duration listed...


Shadowmental Sniper [Harrowed]
While you can’t channel your Shadowmental energy into melee attacks, you are exceptionally accurate with your blasts.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch 3d6, Point Blank Shot
Benefit: The range of your Shadowmental Touch ability increases to 120 feet, and your Shadowmental Touch attacks receive no penalty for firing into melee. You never risk accidentally hitting the wrong target when firing a Shadowmental Touch into a grapple.
Special: When you take this feat, you lose the ability to channel your Shadowmental Touch into melee attacks, and may not use it as a prerequisite for other feats.

Cool. Precise shot, but better...but also limited to one attack. I like it.


Shadowmental Sweep [Harrowed]
You’ve learned to shape your Shadowmental Touch into devastating area attacks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (3d6), Spellcraft 8 ranks
Benefit: When making a Shadowmental Touch attack, you may choose to manifest it as a 10 foot per class level cone, or a ten foot wide by ten foot per class level long line. Creatures in the area of your cones and lines receive a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) for half damage, but the effects of this feat are otherwise identical to your Shadowmental Touch, including its secondary effects and any enhancements you may have received from spells or items.

A Harrowed of the appropriate level may use this feat in conjunction with their Unholy Infusion class feature.

Umm...Shadowmental Touch has a set range. Give this ability a set range as well. I suggest a 30ft Cone or an 120 foot line (5 ft wide). That's in line with a Warlock's blast shapes, which is, I think, appropriate.


Toxic Fury [Harrowed]
Your acid is venomous, seeping into your victims’ veins and sapping their strength.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Caustic Fury) 4d6, Great Fortitude
Benefit: Those struck by your Shadowmental Touch must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -4 profane penalty to strength, dexterity, or constitution (your choice) for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier (penalties of the same type do not stack).

These effects may not applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Quite strong, but I think this it might pass. :smallbiggrin:


Trickster’s Bargain [Harrowed]
You’ve cut a deal with your monster; if you sow chaos, it lets you (mostly) be.
Prerequisites: Non-lawful alignment, Dark Deal
Benefit: Whenever you deceive someone, play a practical joke, or undermine order in a community, you gain a +4 profane bonus to will saves vs. your monster (see The Monster Within) for an hour. Furthermore, you can bounce your Shadowmental Touch off of walls, bend it around cover, and otherwise manipulate its movement; you cover (except for total cover) and concealment (except for total concealment) when making Shadowmental Touch attacks.
Special: To meet the terms of this deal, you must act in a manner which undermines order. While you needn’t necessarily do this all the time, you must, on a regular basis, lie, cheat, steal, play pranks, question authority, challenge traditions, and engage in other behaviors with undermine whatever established order is closest at hand. Should you ever act in a manner which encourages or aids order, you immediately lose all benefits from this feat until you tell – and then later reveal – a meaningful lie to a friend or loved one – a lie that would forever alter your relationship with this person if discovered.

Practical jokes and deceiving are really easy to accomplish: just something to think about.

The rest looks okay...provided that you can only ignore cover, and that that "bounce it around walls" doesn't mean I can take a 90 degree shot around a wall at someone I see through a window.


Unholy Frost [Harrowed]
The chill of your Shadowmental Touch is like the unholy chill of the grave.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Frigid Hate) 8d6, Unnatural Chill
Benefit: You may, in place of its normal secondary effect, infuse your Shadowmental Touch with negative energy. If you strike your target, they must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or gain 2d4 negative levels. A creature already suffering from negative levels is immune to this ability. Additionally, you may choose to sacrifice the effects of your Unnatural Chill feat to inflict a -6 profane penalty to your victim’s strength and dexterity scores for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. You must declare these decisions before your Shadowmental Touch attack is made. Lastly, you are immune to cold damage.

Cut the negative levels down to 1d4 and you have the most balanced and closest-to-acceptable capstone feat yet. Still a little strong though.


Unholy Power [Harrowed]
One of your supernatural abilities is extremely potent.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (1d6)
Benefit: Choose a Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat that requires its target(s) to make a saving throw. The save DC(s) of that class feature or feat increases by 2. The effects of this feat do not stack with the Ability Focus feat.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time, a different Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat’s save DC(s) go up.

Hmmm...given the huge amount of effects you can stick on a Shadowmental Touch, I'm wary...


Unnatural Chill [Harrowed]
Your beast’s frigid hatred stops your enemies in their tracks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Frigid Hate) 4d6, Great Fortitude
Benefit: Those struck by your Shadowmental Touch must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be afflicted as if by a slow spell for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Once per encounter, you may instead choose to force a victim struck by your Shadowmental Touch to succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be paralyzed by icy cold for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier.

These effects cannot be applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack that has been enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Okay...but I don't like the Paralyzed effect. That's a save-or-die, practically. Make it immobilized instead. Also, I'm starting to think that all this save-stacking is a bad idea...these should make a touch more potent, true...but multiple stacking at-will save-or-sucks will make this class overpowered.


Virulent Loathing [Harrowed]
Your venom eats away at your victims’ minds as well as their bodies.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (Caustic Fury) 8d6, Toxic Fury
Benefit: Those struck by your Shadowmental Touch must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer 1d4 points of ability damage in intelligence, wisdom, or charisma (your choice). A creature with 4 or less points of intelligence, wisdom, or charisma may not suffer further damage to that ability score through from this ability. Additionally, you are immune to acid damage.

These effects may not be applied to a Shadowmental Touch attack enhanced with the Unholy Infusion ability.

Al. The most balanced one yet. Good man! :smallbiggrin:


Weapon Focus (Shadowmental Touch) [Harrowed]
You are exceptionally accurate with your Shadowmental Touch attacks.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch (1d6)
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls when using your Shadowmental Touch attack.

The effects of this feat are an extraordinary, rather than supernatural, ability.

Interesting. Is this just to say that you can take Weapon Focus as a Harrowed feat? I have no problem here.


All in all you err on the side of to much power. Many of these need a huge rewrite, although the ideas are pretty good. If you want to give rewriting them a shot, feel free...if not, I may whip up a few alternate versions and present them to you.

Also, I just realized. Dark Will is a strange name for something dealing Force damage...why not negative energy damage, turn Dark Will into a horrible, mind-sapping ability that eventually snags the Ability damage and Energy drain effects, and then focus the other aspects more? Maybe then add in Primal Rage as an attack choice, manifesting as the Beast's roar and dealing Sonic damage (and specializing in fear)?

[Owrtho]

Djinn_In_Tonic makes some good points. I myself don't have issues with the immunities to the different damage types, but thinking on it, for balance purposes, they could be given vulnerability to the opposing damage type. The issue there is that while cold and fire are easy, lightning, acid, and force are harder. While lightning could be said to be weak to earth (and thus acid damage), it doesn't make much sense to do the reverse (except maybe just to do it). Meanwhile the force has no real opposite, though this could be taken care of by making it instead give a penalty to all Will saves against the beast.
Also, Djinn_In_Tonic is right, Dark Will doesn't make much sense for the name of the force damage, it should be changed back to Crushing Will, and it would be nice to add in a few more elements.
Also, the way the pacts work where you can't do anything that is not in correlation with the pact (butchery - hurting others, trickery - tricking other), seems rather annoying. Even if it cancels out you current bonus it shouldn't require you to go out of your way to hurt someone close to you to regain the ability. For example the butchery pack should just require that you butcher people, not that your mean. You should be able to be a perfectly nice and compassionate person outside of your horrible mutilation of those who you fight. After all, thats why its a pact, you made a deal that the beast doesn't trouble you if you horribly butcher people, so you shouldn't be bothered in the other aspects of your life. Sure accepting a surrender might cancel any current boosts to will saves you have unless you also cut off a limb just because, but you shouldn't have to be evil to benefit.

Owrtho

[Anxe]

I don't agree with Djinn in Tonic on how powerful the feats are. None of those gives the Harrowed more power than a wizard. That's my baseline for overpowered.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

I don't agree with Djinn in Tonic on how powerful the feats are. None of those gives the Harrowed more power than a wizard. That's my baseline for overpowered.

But, overall, this is a poor baseline. Almost every other class (Tier 1 excepted) is significantly less powerful, and most classes should fall in line with the Tier 2 or 3 classes, so that a single character or class doesn't render the others useless. Without the changes I suggested (especially in the case of the multiple saves for an At-Will ability), the Harrowed will become an incredibly potent class that, quite frankly, will most likely overpower all but the optimized Tier 1 classes (since the Tier 1 classes unoptimized don't always live up to their amazing potential).

Unless you're redoing every class, you don't balance to the highest point...you balance to the average, and hope you get it right. The Wizard didn't...the Harrowed still can.

It's currently most like the Warlock in style, although maybe closer to a Swordsage in power and versatility. We can't let it get to far past that point, as it's currently resting at a very nice balance, in my mind.

[Lord_Gareth]

If you'd like to submit some revision ideas, Djinn, I'd love to see them. Don't touch Bestial Senses, though; I'm going to make them a feat tree based off of The Beast Without, available to any animal type.

By the by, the Soul feats will likely need a little scaling back, but keep in mind that you only get the one.

[DragoonWraith]

This is awesome; I'm building a Harrowed (http://www.thetangledweb.net/forums/profiler/view_char.php?cid=27961) for The Mystery of Redwater Bend (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118712).

I would say that a lot of the Feat requirements are kind of redundant, because they require multiple class features that you have no choice but to take. Like, the Piercing one, "two Harrowed feats and 4d6 Shadowmental Damage" - you've already got two Harrowed bonus feats by the time you get 4d6 Shadowmental damage.

I also feel like you could play up the "supernatural hunter/paranormal investigator" a little more in the feats. You get something along those lines on many of the even levels, but for characters who want to focus on those (like mine), you have Bestial Senses (which my character couldn't take, but the Wis 16 requirement is reasonable, I just used Force of Personality to let me dump Wis), and that's about it.

Other than that, this is awesome, keep up the good work.

[Lord_Gareth]

Some of the feat requirements are the way they are because of PrCing or multiclassing possibilities - you can have Shadowmental Touch 4d6 and not, say, Scent the Occult.

[DragoonWraith]

Ahhh, I see. OK. Since the PrC's aren't there yet, I didn't know that. Makes sense.

Does the DC against the Monster Within go up for Shadowmental Touch every two levels, too? If so... that's rough. At level 7 (+5 base) with +4 from Cha (Force of Personality) and +2 from Iron Will, I have a +11 to Will saves... and a DC 17 Will save to make to prevent the Beast taking over, every time I use Shadowmental Touch. 1-6 on the die results in in 7 rounds of no control. By 19... I'll have +11 base, +5 from Cha, and the same +2 from Iron Will, for +19 total, while I'll have a DC 29 save to make. 50% chance of losing control for several minutes for using the class's main ability?

Even if Shadowmental Touch doesn't, Shadowmental Fury is a DC 30 Will save with a +17 to Will. +19 if you start with 20 in Wis. Either way, a better than 50% chance of failing.

Basically, the DC gets +2 for every +1 to Will, so you have a harder and harder time making the save. Which is... Truenamer-ish? Granted, the powers are much better than much of Truenaming, but it's a rough design. And boosting saves isn't trivial the way, ya know, boosting skill checks or whatever is.

Thoughts?

[Owrtho]

Ahhh, I see. OK. Since the PrC's aren't there yet, I didn't know that. Makes sense.

I made and posted one a while back, though I still need to update it for the revised harrowed. I'm hanging off on doing so till most of the feats are up though (it can be found in one the Wisp fire guide link in my sig).

Owrtho

[lesser_minion]

Ahhh, I see. OK. Since the PrC's aren't there yet, I didn't know that. Makes sense.

Does the DC against the Monster Within go up for Shadowmental Touch every two levels, too? If so... that's rough. At level 7 (+5 base) with +4 from Cha (Force of Personality) and +2 from Iron Will, I have a +11 to Will saves... and a DC 17 Will save to make to prevent the Beast taking over, every time I use Shadowmental Touch. 1-6 on the die results in in 7 rounds of no control. By 19... I'll have +11 base, +5 from Cha, and the same +2 from Iron Will, for +19 total, while I'll have a DC 29 save to make. 50% chance of losing control for several minutes for using the class's main ability?

Even if Shadowmental Touch doesn't, Shadowmental Fury is a DC 30 Will save with a +17 to Will. +19 if you start with 20 in Wis. Either way, a better than 50% chance of failing.

Basically, the DC gets +2 for every +1 to Will, so you have a harder and harder time making the save. Which is... Truenamer-ish? Granted, the powers are much better than much of Truenaming, but it's a rough design. And boosting saves isn't trivial the way, ya know, boosting skill checks or whatever is.

Thoughts?

It isn't quite that bad - you can freely use a class feature for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier once you've used it safely once.

Saying that, it might be better to change the mechanic to something more like the Ritualist (gain points of <rage/fury/hate/anger/evil/shadow> each time she uses one of her powers; after so many points she must spend standard actions to keep control/suffers some other appropriate penalty; removing points of Rage requires a Will save, or lose control completely for a short time).

[DragoonWraith]

That sounds pretty solid.

On the other hand, I have found that it's not too difficult to get Will saves up. The Unnatural Will feat could be used to great effect here, since you get Wis and Cha to Will saves.

You might actually consider giving Harrowed Unnatural Will as a bonus feat, just so you can plan the DCs around them having it. It requires Iron Will (always a good choice for Harrowed anyway), but you could waive that so as to still leave Iron Will optional.

Considering auto-failure on a 1, it doesn't seem unreasonable to have a reasonably built Harrowed best the DC on all but a 1. Maybe the DC should be 10+½ Level at which the ability was obtained?

[Cieyrin]

Also you're not considering other bonus types for your saves, like your cozy, cozy cloak of resistance +5, which any Harrowed worth their salt will be after in some variety to bolster their Will save to hold their own against the Beast's predations. There are other items as well, such as a Pale Green Ioun stone for a competance bonus to saves, a Luckstone for a luck bonus to saves and so on, not to mention the sheer amount of spells that can probably offer you other bonuses as well. Just with the above, that's +7 on top of your previously mentioned save bonuses, so, at the high end of things, +24 to Will saves, make that DC 30 paltry.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Lord_Gareth]

Bump, ya'll ^_^

[Tobi_goodboy]

wow. just wow. im totally using this--although i'm not knowledgeable (sp?) enough about D&D to really contribute anything to this other than my support...

sorry.

[Owrtho]

Also, I'd suggest you update it with some of the changes you mentioned you planned if you want more feedback.

Owrtho

[Temet Nosce]

Impressive. This may be the best written homebrew class I've seen. The only area which I noticed in a quick read through that seemed a bit absurd were the feats that require Dark Deal to acquire (Butchery Pact and the like). They seem absurdly underpowered for what they ask. Feats are supposed to grant a benefit, not a loss (and lets be honest, the ability to heal from cannibalism while fun and flavorful is not particularly useful unless normal magic is disallowed). For Butchery Pact you might turn it into some kind of bonus maintained so long as they continue to kill and cannibalize. Instead of regaining HP equal to their HD, perhaps it grants fast healing equal to their HD for a day? Powerful, but that particular set of feats are rather nasty.

[Lord_Gareth]

Still taking suggestions and advice! For that matter, I'm waiting on Djinn's feat ideas >.< Love ya'll!

[DragoonWraith]

I actually thought of this class when I read about Realms of Chaos's Xenotheurgy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122103) magic system. I'd consider some kind of Xenotheurgic variant of the Harrowed, implementing some of the disturbances. I think it would fit with the class really well.

[Dante & Vergil]

The class is pretty cool, but I can't help but feel that the idea for this came from Deadlands. Did it?

[Lord_Gareth]

Yes and no. The original draft of the Harrowed came when I was talking to a friend who was a fan of the Deadlands world/system. I made it up as I went along, refined it, and eventually turned it into this draft, which is about as related to Deadlands as Shadowrun is. That answer your question?

[Dante & Vergil]

Yeah, that does answer my question. Sorry for the late reply.

[Mulletmanalive]

I was a little confused for a second, but then i shook off my Deadlands assumptions and found this an interesting class.

I've not read everything about the class, i'll probably try to alter its flavour if i do: I'm just wondering about the 'Devil Witch Children' comment in the first line. Perhaps, horrifyingly, a character who begins at 1st level could sacrifice their normal race and Harrowed Bonus Feat to begin as an Unholy Scion from Heroes of Horror?

Maybe gaining their father as an enemy of repute...

Woops, slipped back into deadlands again.

Are Harrowed in this case vessels like the Deadlands harrowed or are they more like a prison for the beast within?

[Lord_Gareth]

The Harrowed are distinctly prisons; the Beast Within is never meant to be released. Which is a good time to remind everyone:

NO RELEASING THE PLANE-DEVOURING ABOMINATIONS.

That is all.

[Mulletmanalive]

There's a crime a demon can commit to find itself forcibly bound into a human baby? Dude...

Then again, were we talking about Manitous, like as not, they'd enjoy it.

[Lord_Gareth]

The Beast is not synonomous with "demon" unless you wish it to be. However, sample crimes may include:

1. Being a plane devouring abomination.
2. Threatening reality.
3. Devouring planes while maintaining one's status as an abomination.
4. Being a Lovecraftian horror of epic proportions.
5. Abominably considering alternate dimensions to be one-course meals.

[Mulletmanalive]

Fair enough.

My friend wanted to play an actual Harrowed, a la Deadlands but thought the deadlands d20 sucked. So we gave him both Unholy Scion and Gravetouched Ghoul and let him get on with it. Oddly, he didn't seem to care about the +4 level adjustment...

If the vessel is killed, does the critter buy it too [like Bijuu in Naruto] or are they released like 40k Bloodthirsters?

[Primal Fury]

The Harrowed are distinctly prisons; the Beast Within is never meant to be released. Which is a good time to remind everyone:

NO RELEASING THE PLANE-DEVOURING ABOMINATIONS.

That is all.

Awwwww. C'mon. Their such cute-'n-cuddly abominations. Pwetty Pwease? :smallfrown:

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

The Harrowed are distinctly prisons; the Beast Within is never meant to be released. Which is a good time to remind everyone:

NO RELEASING THE PLANE-DEVOURING ABOMINATIONS.

That is all.

Define "releasing." The Harrowed PrC that I've got on my desktop in a state of half-completion is a Harrowed/Barbarian PrC that sort of...well...uses his rage to allow a bit of that beast to surface for a short time. Is that strictly a bad idea?

[Cieyrin]

Define "releasing." The Harrowed PrC that I've got on my desktop in a state of half-completion is a Harrowed/Barbarian PrC that sort of...well...uses his rage to allow a bit of that beast to surface for a short time. Is that strictly a bad idea?

From Gareth's fluff, I wouldn't say that's out of the question, as you're loosening the chains rather than cutting it loose. That's at least my interpretation from following the class through 2 incarnations.

[DragoonWraith]

Oooh, how about a Binder/Harrowed PrC where the two fight for control over you?

[Lord_Gareth]

Define "releasing." The Harrowed PrC that I've got on my desktop in a state of half-completion is a Harrowed/Barbarian PrC that sort of...well...uses his rage to allow a bit of that beast to surface for a short time. Is that strictly a bad idea?

I'd have to see it before I made any personal decisions, but keep in mind that many of my feat/PrC ideas involve such things as, y'know, permanent physical alterations and elemental infusions. Not to mention the Dark Whispers class feature. Railing against the bars of its prison? Screaming for freedom? Definitely a good idea. Just no letting it OUT.

[ErrantX]

I'd have to see it before I made any personal decisions, but keep in mind that many of my feat/PrC ideas involve such things as, y'know, permanent physical alterations and elemental infusions. Not to mention the Dark Whispers class feature. Railing against the bars of its prison? Screaming for freedom? Definitely a good idea. Just no letting it OUT.

You see, that's where I have to disagree with you, I like the idea of letting it out as an ability for a Prestige class or something. I think that it'd be totally alright in the right sort of class/situation. We've disagreed on this before, though.

-X

[Mulletmanalive]

A bit of the creature's imprint on reality sounds fine: Naruto/Kyuubii style, but I think it was summed up well as "Plane eating eldritch abomination"

That and letting the critter out doesn't sound like something that can be reversed to me...

[Lord_Gareth]

You see, that's where I have to disagree with you, I like the idea of letting it out as an ability for a Prestige class or something. I think that it'd be totally alright in the right sort of class/situation. We've disagreed on this before, though.

-X

Errant, allow me to break down the proper scope of this:

- Game starts at level one with the primary objective of releasing the Beast.
- Forty to fifty levels of hard research, delving into ancient tombs, communing with ancient and terrible evils and wresting forth secrets that even the gods should not know.
- Monster is released. Congratulations! You have just released something so powerful as to be statless, and the only person capable of dealing with it has just become a level fifty commoner.
- ????
- Profit!

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

That's all flavor, Gareth. I'll admit...if I ran one of these in one of my games, the flavor would be almost exactly the same save for one thing: the beast would not have this "more-than-godly" power. I actually find it a little strange that a mere mortal shell can imprison something of world-destroying power, nevermind actually harness such power and retain control over it without going completely insane.

I have to say that ErrantX's way of looking at it is reasonable. Perhaps not what you intended, but still reasonable.

[Lord_Gareth]

Well, I'd left the fluff behind the monsters vague on purpose, but there's plenty of statless beings running around D&D. Hell, I did try to get Tribble to stat 'em out once, but I never got a reply from him. As for how they stay imprisoned, I have one word that you should be familiar with: primals.
I could write it up, if anyone cares...

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Well, I'd left the fluff behind the monsters vague on purpose, but there's plenty of statless beings running around D&D. Hell, I did try to get Tribble to stat 'em out once, but I never got a reply from him. As for how they stay imprisoned, I have one word that you should be familiar with: primals.
I could write it up, if anyone cares...

Hmmm...I'm not to shabby at monsters myself. Care to toss me a write-up of the concept?

[Lord_Gareth]

Sure thing; I'll send it unto you tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I'd still love to see the Unchained Berserker whenever you've got it ready. Peace ya'll!

[Drackhyo]

I really want to play a Sharakim Hallowed now... I LOVE the idea and the abilities seem quite flavorful and unique. Only thing that put me off a bit is the confusion between the table and the descriptions. I'd like to know wich one takes precedence. (detect magic is at level 2 in the tablle and at level 10-ish in the description)

[DragoonWraith]

Thought I should mention: I'm playing a Harrowed in a game, The Things That Lie Beyond (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141332) (OOC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141094)), and I wrote a Prestige Class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145547) for a Harrowed/True Xenotheurge. I'd love your input.

[Lord_Gareth]

Alright folks, I am officially taking feat ideas from anyone who'll toss 'em at me; revisions, additions, whatever. As already stated, I'd love to see Harrowed PrCs!

Working on making the description match the table now.

[radmelon]

This class looks good. I've been reading the original Harrowed base class, and only recently noticed the revised version. :smallannoyed:
Anyways, Djinn's original comments on the feats seem accurate. For feats, are you going to recreate the feline and lupine soul feats? I really like the flavor.

[Scholar23]

perso:smallamused:naly i enjoyed this class and wish you luck with any fruther tempering

[radmelon]

Are updates coming?
<Hello?>

[Kilbourne]

I am bumping for updates, pretty please!

[Owrtho]

Well, I expect you got here through the link in Lord_Gareth's sig. Mainly as this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167195) is the most current version of the class, and he has yet to update the link to direct there.

Owrtho

[Kilbourne]

Very helpful, thank you.

[Zeb The Troll]

Troll Patrol: Past the expiration date. Locked.