"Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust." (3.5 PrC, PEACH)

[Noctis Vigil]

The Dire Disintegrater

Prerequisites:
Spellcasting: Able to cast Disintegrate
Feats: Arcane Thesis (Disintegrate)
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 15 Ranks
Special: Must have destroyed something of famous significance using the spell Disintegrate and taken full credit for the act (note: full credit does not equate to full responsibility). Something of famous significance would be anything that regularly draws others to the area to see it, such as a natural wonder or an impressive statue of a king.

Class Skills: As Wizard
Hit Die: D4

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Expert Eradicator|
-

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Ranged Razer|+1 level of spellcasting

3rd|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+3|Perfect Pulverizer|+1 level of spellcasting

4th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Daunting Destroyer|+1 level of spellcasting

5th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Awesome Annihilator|+1 level of spellcasting[/table]

Proficiencies: A Dire Disintegrater gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Spellcasting: At each level except 1st, a Dire Disintegrater gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class in which he could cast Disintigrate to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as the bonus feat sometimes gained by a Wizard). If he had more than one spellcasting class in which he could cast Disintegrate before becoming a Dire Disintegrater, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Expert Eradicator: A Dire Disintegrater knows how to get the most out of the Disintegrate spell. He gets +1 to hit and on the save DC on that spell per class level.

Ranged Razer: A Dire Disintegrater can shoot far further than the average Wizard can. When casting Disintegrate, increase the spell's range to long at no extra cost.

Perfect Pulverizer: A Dire Disintegrater knows how to deal more pain with each punch. Whenever he casts Disintegrate, foes who make a successful Fortitude save now take half damage. Foes with Mettle still take 5D6 damage on a successful save as well.

Daunting Destroyer: A Dire Disintegrater has great potential for destruction. The spell Disintegrate no longer has a damage cap for him.

Awesome Annihilator: A Dire Disintegrater has limitless destructive capabilities. He may cast Disintegrate as a spell-like ability at will, so long as he has an uncast 6th level spell slot.


I don't really expect to get any, but I'll ask for PEACH anyways. Who knows, I may get pleasantly surprised.

[ArkenBrony]

Your class is cool, I've always liked prestige classes based on a single spell, although my one criticism is that 5 levels to get unlimited uses of one of the best offensive spells is kind of overpowered, I think an ability that let you cast it as a spell of any level or something

[Noctis Vigil]

Hmm. I don't think it's over-powered, for two reasons:

1.) He's losing a caster level from the class.

2.) The earliest he can get it is level 17 (18 for Clerics).

Level 17/18 is pretty high. He also doesn't get 9th level spells until level 18 (19 for Sorcerers). By the time at-will disintegration is available, most will be casting Gate and Time Stop.

I can see your point, though. Should I make him lose a second caster level?

[Kane0]

Ooh, just looking at this makes me feel evil with how much i want to take it and just spray disintegrates at anything i please.:smallamused:



Special: Must have destroyed something of famous significance using the spell Disintegrate and taken full credit for the act (note: full credit does not equate to full responsibility). Something of famous significance would be anything that regularly draws others to the area to see it, such as a natural wonder or an impressive statue of a king.


Brilliant :smallbiggrin:



Expert Eradicator: A Dire Disintegrater knows how to get the most out of the Disintegrate spell. He gets +1 to hit and on the save DC on that spell per class level.


That seems a bit too much, especially at level one. A +2 to hit and DC would be good, but a +5 seems a bit high. What about giving disintegrate the DC equal to a spell of the highest spell level you know, or +2, whichever is higher.
Also, this seems to be a little too good for level 1, maybe make this the second or third level ability, and make the extended range level 1?
EDIT: Also to go with the range increase, a nice benefit might be removing the material component.



Ranged Razer: A Dire Disintegrater can shoot far further than the average Wizard can. When casting Disintegrate, increase the spell's range to long at no extra cost.


No problems with this.



Perfect Pulverizer: A Dire Disintegrater knows how to deal more pain with each punch. Whenever he casts Disintegrate, foes who make a successful Fortitude save now take half damage.


Sounds good. Maybe even include a clause regarding Mettle? I dont know if it would be too much to negate Mettle completely but it would be a real bummer to have them do absolutely nothing.



Daunting Destroyer: A Dire Disintegrater has great potential for destruction. The spell Disintegrate no longer has a damage cap for him.


Sweet, just be careful of split ray though.



Awesome Annihilator: A Dire Disintegrater has limitless destructive capabilities. He may cast Disintegrate at will.


Seems a bit too much, especially when you think of disintegrating doors and other obstacles. Maybe once per hour?


This seems like a cool class, especially since half caster classes can still get in.

[Noctis Vigil]

I'm not sure what you dislike about Expert Eradicator, Kane0. It's a +1 to hit and +1 to the save DC of Disintegrate at level one. You don't get the +5 all at once. +5 to DC makes the DC for Disintegrate equal 10 + 6 (spell level) + caster ability mod + 5, or 21+ability mod. I don't see that as too much of an issue, since you're taking 5 levels to get that bonus. +5 to hit isn't too big a deal either, since a Wizard15/Dire Disintegrater5 only has a BAB of +9, meaning he only gets a total of +14 to hit with after the bonus.

As for suggestions to override Mettle...I'm a little leery about stuff like that. It becomes an arms race to see who gets the bigger power: the one with the unstoppable force or the one with the unbreakable wall? I suppose I could state that those with Mettle who succeed at a Fortitude save still take 5D6 as per the original spell description, but no more than that.

I don't really like the idea of 1/hour. Maybe 1/day/character level? That gives him a lot of uses, but lets him space them out as needed for added flexibility.

[Kane0]

I'm not sure what you dislike about Expert Eradicator, Kane0. It's a +1 to hit and +1 to the save DC of Disintegrate at level one. You don't get the +5 all at once. +5 to DC makes the DC for Disintegrate equal 10 + 6 (spell level) + caster ability mod + 5, or 21+ability mod. I don't see that as too much of an issue, since you're taking 5 levels to get that bonus. +5 to hit isn't too big a deal either, since a Wizard15/Dire Disintegrater5 only has a BAB of +9, meaning he only gets a total of +14 to hit with after the bonus.


Fair points all, and i have no problem with the + to hit, but i cant help but think that you could boost that DC even higher with spell focus and other things. Making it the equivalent DC of a 9th level spell was what i was getting at with DC equal to that of your highest spell level known, and i added the +2 for half casters, who get 6th level spells as their highest level known. Im really looking at it from a half caster point of view, so what im thinking is likely a little skewed.



As for suggestions to override Mettle...I'm a little leery about stuff like that. It becomes an arms race to see who gets the bigger power: the one with the unstoppable force or the one with the unbreakable wall? I suppose I could state that those with Mettle who succeed at a Fortitude save still take 5D6 as per the original spell description, but no more than that.


Unfortunately true, and i dont know how balanced mettle really is, so i cant say much on it. Id wager youd be a better judge then i :smallsmile:



I don't really like the idea of 1/hour. Maybe 1/day/character level? That gives him a lot of uses, but lets him space them out as needed for added flexibility.

True, and good idea. Or maybe just give him the at will as long as he still has it prepared/ready. Infinite disintegrates couldn't be much worse than gates, druid gods and time stops i guess. Its just that most want to tone all that down, not bring up their content to match.

[Noctis Vigil]

I got it. He can use Disintegrate at will, provided he still has an unspent 6th level spell slot available. So if he casts all his 6th level spells for the day, he loses the ability to Disintegrate at will, even if he has higher level spell slots still available.

As for partial casters...are there any of those that get Disintegrate as a spell? I can't think of any off the top of my head...

As for Mettle, I'm unsure how balanced it is myself, as it's never actually seen use in a game I've played/run (we usually ban ToB).

[Tacitus]

I'd say instead of infinite disintegrates, give them a disintegrate-like reserve feat, of a sort. 2d6 damage per highest spell level they have available as a standard action out to short range that otherwise functions in all ways as the spell for purposes of class features.

[Kane0]

I got it. He can use Disintegrate at will, provided he still has an unspent 6th level spell slot available. So if he casts all his 6th level spells for the day, he loses the ability to Disintegrate at will, even if he has higher level spell slots still available.


Perfect, though you may want to extend that to any spell level he has disintegrate prepared in as well as 6th. So if he wants to use all his 6th level spells on other things he can still get infinite disintegrates with a 7th level spell slot using disintegrate (essentially giving up that 7th level slot for the disintegrating goodness.)



As for partial casters...are there any of those that get Disintegrate as a spell? I can't think of any off the top of my head...


Neither can I in 3.5 but theres brews out there that do (like my gish). Also the Pathfinder Magus.



As for Mettle, I'm unsure how balanced it is myself, as it's never actually seen use in a game I've played/run (we usually ban ToB).

Me neither, but i've seen it in complete warrior as well.

[Noctis Vigil]

No, I'm limiting it to "has a 6th level slot unspent". He doesn't need to have Disintegrate prepared (that would be redundant), but he has to have a slot of that level. That makes it powerful, but if he burns slots for utility, makes the power go away for the day. A good limiter, in my opinion.

[Arbitrarious]

I'd say instead of infinite disintegrates, give them a disintegrate-like reserve feat, of a sort. 2d6 damage per highest spell level they have available as a standard action out to short range that otherwise functions in all ways as the spell for purposes of class features.


That's just an awesome idea for a reserve feat period. I always thought there should be more of those.

[Cieyrin]

No, I'm limiting it to "has a 6th level slot unspent". He doesn't need to have Disintegrate prepared (that would be redundant), but he has to have a slot of that level. That makes it powerful, but if he burns slots for utility, makes the power go away for the day. A good limiter, in my opinion.

I'd do one of two things, personally: 1) Like the Wayfinder Guide, get an extra slot just for Disintegrate or 2) Be able to spontaneously convert any 6th level or higher spell to Disintegrate. It's semi-limiting but it gets the job done. Either way, I don't really see Sorcerers going for the last level, since they can convert any of their spell slots to Disintegrate, anyways.

[gooddragon1]

1> I think you might mean 5d6 on a successful save with mettle.
2> I think allowing disintegrate to scale without a cap might be nice.

[Noctis Vigil]

@Cieyrin: I think I'll leave it as-is for now; I want him to be able to cast the spell till the cows come home, then turn the cows to dust. One slot just wouldn't cut it, and I'd like to make it so the spell doesn't directly use a slot. Does that make sense?

@gooddragon1:
1.) :smalleek: Thank you for catching that!
2.)See the level 4 ability:

Daunting Destroyer: A Dire Disintegrater has great potential for destruction. The spell Disintegrate no longer has a damage cap for him.

[Kane0]

Out of curiosity: Does the dust made from disintegrating someone count as the dust used as the material spell component?

[Cieyrin]

@Cieyrin: I think I'll leave it as-is for now; I want him to be able to cast the spell till the cows come home, then turn the cows to dust. One slot just wouldn't cut it, and I'd like to make it so the spell doesn't directly use a slot. Does that make sense?

If that's the way you really want to go, I'd tag it as a spell-like ability.


Out of curiosity: Does the dust made from disintegrating someone count as the dust used as the material spell component?

I don't see why not.

[Noctis Vigil]

Out of curiosity: Does the dust made from disintegrating someone count as the dust used as the material spell component?

This gives me an idea for a spell. Thanks!


If that's the way you really want to go, I'd tag it as a spell-like ability.

Done. Thanks for your help/input!