Stratovarius
2015-10-04, 02:55 PM
The material here is adapted from or based on Dark Sun 3.5, and something I got interested in after building the Walker in the Wastes class mentioned below.
Preserving and Defiling
Magic-users using preserving and defiling drains energy from the surrounding soil. The method used labels these magic-users as defilers or preservers. Preservers have the selfcontrol to gather energy without destroying plants, but the strength of their magic suffers as a result. Those who do not, or who feel no remorse about the damage caused, become defilers. Defilers leave behind sterile soil and infertile ash when they cast spells, slowly changing the world they inhabit into a barren wasteland. Such is the price of power.
Preserving and defiling is a cast mechanic that originally appeared in Dark Sun, where magic-users slowly turned the world into a barren desert in their pursuit of greater glory, but it is something that can be dropped onto any caster with ease. When using this ruleset, a magic-user chooses wether to be a preserver or defiler at character creation. In Dark Sun, this choice is only applied to arcane casters, but depending on the setting can be applied to any class. Walker in the Wastes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?447143-Walker-in-the-Wastes-Base) is a defiling divine class, for instance.
Preserving
Preservers are those casters who have decided to protect the land, to take only what they need and nothing more. This can be for many reasons, be they noble, selfish, or otherwise, but universally preservers recognize the need to protect the plant life that fuels their magics. To a preserver, power might be just as important as to a defiler, but they can see the to the future, beyond a time when a momentary abuse of power strips away possibilities and options. Unlike defilers, a preserver can be of any alignment, for choosing to preserve the land in no way determines the strength or desires of a preserver's soul.
When casting a spell as a preserver, a magic-user leaves behind a circle of wilted, but not destroyed, plant life as he draws energy from the surrounding flora. The radius of this wilting is 5 ft. x spell slot level expended. While this loss of life energy does not kill the plants, if a preserver continues to draw on the same terrain repeatedly, he will eventually draw enough energy to turn the area to ash, much like a defiler. If a square is used to provide energy for more than three spells in a 24 hour period, the plant life in that square collapses to ash as if it had been defiled. This does not count as a use of defiling. Terrain types affect magic depending on the amount of plant life available. Barren and desolate terrains weaken spells, while fertile and abundant terrains boost spells. Spell save DCs and caster level checks are affected as indicated in Table 1: Terrain Modifiers. In addition, preservers take a -2 penalty to caster level and spell DCs, for their magic is inherently weaker than that of defilers. Magic-users cannot draw energy to cast spells from inside an area that has been defiled. Any attempt to do so means the spell fails. Likewise, any attempt to cast a spell in a completely lifeless area (such as flying too high above the ground) will cause the spell to fail from lack of energy.
Defiling
The choice to defile is a voluntary one, one most often undertaken because it is the quickest and easiest route to power. Certainly, in a straight contest, a defiler will always succeed versus a preserver. But magical power such as that wielded by a defiler comes at a cost, both to the land and to the soul. Defilers cannot be good, and indeed are almost always evil, for to wield their magics they must voluntarily inflict pain and suffering upon those around them, often including their own allies.
When casting a spell using defiling, a magic-user leaves behind an ashen circle of destroyed plant life. The radius is 5 ft. x spell slot level expended. Creatures except the magic-user caught within the defiling radius at casting time experience pain and suffer a 1 penalty to all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for 1 round. Plant creatures also suffer 4 hp damage x spell level of the slot expended. Terrain types affect magic depending on the amount of plant life available. Barren and desolate terrains weaken spells, while fertile and abundant terrains boost spells. Spell save DCs and caster level checks are affected as indicated in Table 1: Terrain Modifiers. Magic-users cannot draw energy to cast spells from inside an area that has already been defiled. Any attempt to do so means the spell fails. Likewise, any attempt to cast a spell in a completely lifeless area (such as flying too high above the ground) will cause the spell to fail from lack of energy.
Corruption & Atonement
At any time, a preserver can choose to cast a spell by defiling. This is usually done in a moment of extreme need, when the penalty to caster level from casting a spell via preserving makes taking the risk of defiling acceptable. It should be noted that this is an evil act, as the preserver is willfully killing plant life and causing pain to living creatures when such is not necessary. It is this wanton disregard for the health of the ecosystem and the needs of those who live there that makes almost all defilers eventually fall to evil.
Any preservers who defile must roll a Will save DC 10 + spell level + amount of times previously defiled. Failing this save, they become defilers. Preservers succeeding the save lose their preserver status and become tainted. Tainted preservers are not defilers, but risk becoming so. Tainted preservers may seek redemption from a druid. The druid, if willing and able, can cast a conversion spell on the tainted preserver, restoring her preserver status (reset the number of times defiled to zero). The preserver loses 100 XP per spellcaster level. Defilers can also seek redemption, but lose 1000 XP per spellcaster level. Usually the defiler must undertake a quest or otherwise demonstrate a true willingness to redeem herself before the druid casts the conversion spell.
Repairing the land damaged by defiling requires the intercession of a nature priest or a druid. The means by which they can reinvigorate flora burnt to ash is by investing the drained terrain with magical energy drawn from another source through the use of the rejuvenate spell, detailed below.
Table 1: Terrain Modifiers
Terrain Type Examples DC Modifier Caster Level Modifier
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifeless Air, obsidian planes, negative energy plane Spell Fails Spell Fails
Desolate Salt flats, glaciers 2 2
Barren Boulder fields, stony barrens, scrublands, taiga 1 1
Infertile Cities, rocky badlands, stony barrens, scrubland +0 +0
Fertile Verdant plains, savannahs, swamps, mud flats +1 +1
Abundant Forests, oceans, gardens +2 +2
Spells
Conversion
Abjuration
Level: Drd 5
Components: V, S, M, F, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
This spell removes the burden of acts of defiling from a magic-user. The magic-user seeking atonement must be truly repentant and desirous of setting right their destruction of plant life. If the subject defiled while under some sort of magical or psionic compulsion or was otherwise unwilling, conversion operates normally at no cost to you. However, if the defiling was deliberate and willful, you must expend personal energy to cleanse the subject. This costs the caster 500 experience points to expunge the subjects taint of defiling. Naturally, many casters first assign the subject some sort of quest (via geas/quest) or similar penance to make sure the creature is truly repentant before casting conversion on its behalf. The caster must be at least one level higher that the subject. Conversion may be cast for one of several purposes, depending on being cast on a preserver or a defiler:
Preserver: This removes all taint of defiling from the spellcaster. Thus, the Will save DC to resist falling to the path of the defiler is now reset to 10 + level of spell cast by defiling.
Defiler: A repentant defiler becomes a preserver and can cast spells without damaging plant life.
XP Cost: When cast for the benefit of a creature whose guilt was the result of deliberate acts, the cost to you is 500 XP. If the subject is a defiler, this cost is doubled.
Material Component: Burning incense.
Focus: Rare plants and herbs worth at least 500 Gp.
Rejuvenate
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Circle of ground extending out to range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
Ash and dust is whirled up into the air and takes on a bright green glow, resembling that of fireflies. As they fall on the sterile land, the ground feels soft and moist once more. You grant the ability to support vegetation to an area of ground. In the case of ground made sterile by defiler magic, rejuvenate dispels the grounds sterility, making it immediately capable of supporting vegetation. A circle of ground extending out from you is enriched and moistened, and a blanket of fine grass appears instantly. The soil and grass are not magical, however, and are subject to normal weather conditions. However, the grass will survive for at least a week, even in the worst of weather. The spell may also be cast on any ground short of solid rock. If cast on an area that can already support plant life, rejuvenate increases the grounds fertility as the enrichment effect of the spell plant growth, and the range is a half mile.
Material Component: A seed (any kind) and a drop of water.
Raze Feats
Raze feats are feats that require the spellcaster to be a defiler, and can only be applied when defiling. Multiple raze feats can be applied simultaneously. For example, a defiler who has Distance Raze, Destructive Raze and Fast Raze can benefit from all of them when casting a single spell. A wizards bonus feats can be used to acquire Raze feats if the wizard fulfills the feat prerequisites.
Agonizing Radius
Your defiling techniques are particularly painful.
Benefits: The penalties for being caught within your defiling radius increase by one (i.e. from 1 to 2).
Controlled Raze
You increase your defiling radius and may specify unaffected squares.
Benefits: Your defiling radius increases by 5 feet. You can specify one 5 ft. square per 5 ft. radius of your defiling circle that is unaffected by your energy gathering. Creatures in unaffected squares do not suffer the adverse effects of being caught in the defiling circle, nor is vegetation in that square turned to ash.
Distance Raze
You can gather energy for spells at a distance.
Benefits: You can move the center of your defiling circle (on the ground) up to 10 feet per caster level, in effect moving the entire circle of defiling.
Normal: Your defiling circle is centered on you.
Desiccating Raze
Your defiling techniques suck the moisture out of the living, as well as from plants
Benefits: Creature that would take a penalty from your defiling also takes 1d4 desiccation damage per point of penalty.
Destructive Raze
You can focus the energy you absorb from plants to increase the damage your spells inflict.
Benefits: Add +1 to damage per damage die inflicted by your spells when defiling.
Efficient Raze
You can gather energy more efficiently, utilizing the maximum energy potential of a given terrain.
Benefits: Treat the terrain you gather energy in as one category better when you defile. E.g. a spell cast in barren terrain (1 spell save DC and 1 penalty to caster level checks) is treated as if cast in infertile terrain (no spell save modifier and no penalty to caster level checks). In abundant terrain the bonuses to spell save DCs and spell checks are increased by an additional +1.
Exterminating Raze
Your defiling techniques are particularly damaging to plant creatures.
Benefits: Plant creatures caught in your defiling radius suffer 8 points of damage per spell level.
Normal: Plant creatures caught in your defiling radius suffer 4 points of damage per spell level
Fast Raze
You can gather energy faster.
Benefits: When defiling, you can spend a move action to gain a +1 caster level bonus. Spells with a normal casting time of 1 round or longer require an extra round to be cast in this manner. Your defiling radius increases by 5 ft. when using Fast Raze.
Sickening Raze
Your defilement makes others sick.
Prerequisites: Agonizing Radius.
Benefits: Creatures within your defiling radius become sickened in addition to any other penalties for 1 round.
Conservation Feats
Conservation feats are feats that require the spellcaster to be a preserver, and can only be applied when preserving. Multiple conservation feats can be applied simultaneously. A wizards bonus feats can be used to acquire conservation feats if the wizard fulfills the feat prerequisites.
Efficient Gathering
You can gather energy more efficiently, utilizing the maximum energy potential of a given terrain.
Benefits: Treat the terrain you gather energy in as one category better when you preserve. E.g. a spell cast in barren terrain is treated as if cast in infertile terrain.
Powerful Gathering
You can gather energy from a larger area.
Benefits: When preserving, you can spend a move action to gain a +1 caster level bonus. Spells with a normal casting time of 1 round or longer require an extra round to be cast in this manner. Your preserving radius increases by 10 ft. when using Powerful Gathering.
Distant Gathering
You can gather energy for spells at a distance.
Benefits: You can move the center of your preserving circle (on the ground) up to 10 feet per caster level, in effect moving the entire circle of preserving.
Normal: Your preserving circle is centered on you.
Parasite
Parasites are casters who have learned how to drain energy from living creatures, including themselves, instead of plantlife. They can come from both preserver and defiler stock, but they are never good, for draining energy from the living has long since robbed them of the capability for remorse or pity.
Parasite
"Pain, both your own and that of others, is a threshold you must overcome."
Gorgatohr, Human Parasite
Parasites are magic-users who have discovered how to utilize the life force of animals, intelligent beings, and even themselves, to power their magic. This is not without consequences, for Parasites cause animals and people to be nervous in their presence. To command their magics and cannibalize their own bodies, a Parasite needs physical stamina. Some sages claim the methods used by Parasites are similar to that of the ritual magic wielded by martyrs, however the only similarity is the use of life force from living beings to power spells. Parasites are but dabblers in their field compared to the depth of sacrifice a martyr undergoes.
Becoming a Parasite
Parasites can be found anywhere. Some are loners, practicing their art in secrecy, while others seek employment and safety in organizations and groups that ask few questions.
Table 1: The Parasite
Hit Die: d4
Level BAB Ref Fort Will Special Abilities Casting
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Tainted Aura, Life-draining +1 Casting
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Cannibalize +1 Casting
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Twinned Power +1 Casting
Class skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Requirements:
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana, religion, or nature) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.
Feats: Great Fortitude.
Spells: Able to cast 2nd level spells.
Alignment: Nongood.
Class Features
Text
Casting: The Parasite increases all casting features as if the character had gained a level in the appropriate class at each indicated level.
Tainted Aura: The Parasite is tainted by her magical ways in such a manner that it is noticeable. People feel uncomfortable and wary when she is present and animals whimper when she approaches. The Parasite suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Handle Animal checks for every level of Parasite gained. She receives a similar circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks. The tainted aura has a range of 5 feet per Parasite level.
Life-draining (Ex): Living beings caught in the Parasites defiling or preserving radius suffer 2 points of damage per level of the spell being cast, but plant life (aside from plant creatures) are unaffected. Plant creatures take double the damage from life-draining.
Cannibalize (Ex): The Parasite can cannibalize her own life force to power her spells. When casting a spell, a Parasite can choose to cannibalize herself instead of draw energy from her preserving or defiling radius. She takes 1d8+1 damage per spell level of the spell cast. This damage ignores temporary hit points and any means of damage prevention or redirection, but does not cause a concentration check during casting. This requires no extra actions as part of casting a spell.
Twinned Power (Ex): By both cannibalizing herself and draining energy from the land around her, a Parasite can boost her spells to heights other casters could never manage. While casting a spell, the Parasite can increase her caster level by one in exchange for 1d8 points of damage, or by two in exchange for 3d8 points of damage, or by three in exchange for 5d8 points of damage. This damage ignores temporary hit points and any means of damage prevention or redirection, but does not cause a concentration check during casting. This requires no extra actions as part of casting a spell.
Preserving and Defiling
Magic-users using preserving and defiling drains energy from the surrounding soil. The method used labels these magic-users as defilers or preservers. Preservers have the selfcontrol to gather energy without destroying plants, but the strength of their magic suffers as a result. Those who do not, or who feel no remorse about the damage caused, become defilers. Defilers leave behind sterile soil and infertile ash when they cast spells, slowly changing the world they inhabit into a barren wasteland. Such is the price of power.
Preserving and defiling is a cast mechanic that originally appeared in Dark Sun, where magic-users slowly turned the world into a barren desert in their pursuit of greater glory, but it is something that can be dropped onto any caster with ease. When using this ruleset, a magic-user chooses wether to be a preserver or defiler at character creation. In Dark Sun, this choice is only applied to arcane casters, but depending on the setting can be applied to any class. Walker in the Wastes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?447143-Walker-in-the-Wastes-Base) is a defiling divine class, for instance.
Preserving
Preservers are those casters who have decided to protect the land, to take only what they need and nothing more. This can be for many reasons, be they noble, selfish, or otherwise, but universally preservers recognize the need to protect the plant life that fuels their magics. To a preserver, power might be just as important as to a defiler, but they can see the to the future, beyond a time when a momentary abuse of power strips away possibilities and options. Unlike defilers, a preserver can be of any alignment, for choosing to preserve the land in no way determines the strength or desires of a preserver's soul.
When casting a spell as a preserver, a magic-user leaves behind a circle of wilted, but not destroyed, plant life as he draws energy from the surrounding flora. The radius of this wilting is 5 ft. x spell slot level expended. While this loss of life energy does not kill the plants, if a preserver continues to draw on the same terrain repeatedly, he will eventually draw enough energy to turn the area to ash, much like a defiler. If a square is used to provide energy for more than three spells in a 24 hour period, the plant life in that square collapses to ash as if it had been defiled. This does not count as a use of defiling. Terrain types affect magic depending on the amount of plant life available. Barren and desolate terrains weaken spells, while fertile and abundant terrains boost spells. Spell save DCs and caster level checks are affected as indicated in Table 1: Terrain Modifiers. In addition, preservers take a -2 penalty to caster level and spell DCs, for their magic is inherently weaker than that of defilers. Magic-users cannot draw energy to cast spells from inside an area that has been defiled. Any attempt to do so means the spell fails. Likewise, any attempt to cast a spell in a completely lifeless area (such as flying too high above the ground) will cause the spell to fail from lack of energy.
Defiling
The choice to defile is a voluntary one, one most often undertaken because it is the quickest and easiest route to power. Certainly, in a straight contest, a defiler will always succeed versus a preserver. But magical power such as that wielded by a defiler comes at a cost, both to the land and to the soul. Defilers cannot be good, and indeed are almost always evil, for to wield their magics they must voluntarily inflict pain and suffering upon those around them, often including their own allies.
When casting a spell using defiling, a magic-user leaves behind an ashen circle of destroyed plant life. The radius is 5 ft. x spell slot level expended. Creatures except the magic-user caught within the defiling radius at casting time experience pain and suffer a 1 penalty to all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for 1 round. Plant creatures also suffer 4 hp damage x spell level of the slot expended. Terrain types affect magic depending on the amount of plant life available. Barren and desolate terrains weaken spells, while fertile and abundant terrains boost spells. Spell save DCs and caster level checks are affected as indicated in Table 1: Terrain Modifiers. Magic-users cannot draw energy to cast spells from inside an area that has already been defiled. Any attempt to do so means the spell fails. Likewise, any attempt to cast a spell in a completely lifeless area (such as flying too high above the ground) will cause the spell to fail from lack of energy.
Corruption & Atonement
At any time, a preserver can choose to cast a spell by defiling. This is usually done in a moment of extreme need, when the penalty to caster level from casting a spell via preserving makes taking the risk of defiling acceptable. It should be noted that this is an evil act, as the preserver is willfully killing plant life and causing pain to living creatures when such is not necessary. It is this wanton disregard for the health of the ecosystem and the needs of those who live there that makes almost all defilers eventually fall to evil.
Any preservers who defile must roll a Will save DC 10 + spell level + amount of times previously defiled. Failing this save, they become defilers. Preservers succeeding the save lose their preserver status and become tainted. Tainted preservers are not defilers, but risk becoming so. Tainted preservers may seek redemption from a druid. The druid, if willing and able, can cast a conversion spell on the tainted preserver, restoring her preserver status (reset the number of times defiled to zero). The preserver loses 100 XP per spellcaster level. Defilers can also seek redemption, but lose 1000 XP per spellcaster level. Usually the defiler must undertake a quest or otherwise demonstrate a true willingness to redeem herself before the druid casts the conversion spell.
Repairing the land damaged by defiling requires the intercession of a nature priest or a druid. The means by which they can reinvigorate flora burnt to ash is by investing the drained terrain with magical energy drawn from another source through the use of the rejuvenate spell, detailed below.
Table 1: Terrain Modifiers
Terrain Type Examples DC Modifier Caster Level Modifier
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifeless Air, obsidian planes, negative energy plane Spell Fails Spell Fails
Desolate Salt flats, glaciers 2 2
Barren Boulder fields, stony barrens, scrublands, taiga 1 1
Infertile Cities, rocky badlands, stony barrens, scrubland +0 +0
Fertile Verdant plains, savannahs, swamps, mud flats +1 +1
Abundant Forests, oceans, gardens +2 +2
Spells
Conversion
Abjuration
Level: Drd 5
Components: V, S, M, F, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
This spell removes the burden of acts of defiling from a magic-user. The magic-user seeking atonement must be truly repentant and desirous of setting right their destruction of plant life. If the subject defiled while under some sort of magical or psionic compulsion or was otherwise unwilling, conversion operates normally at no cost to you. However, if the defiling was deliberate and willful, you must expend personal energy to cleanse the subject. This costs the caster 500 experience points to expunge the subjects taint of defiling. Naturally, many casters first assign the subject some sort of quest (via geas/quest) or similar penance to make sure the creature is truly repentant before casting conversion on its behalf. The caster must be at least one level higher that the subject. Conversion may be cast for one of several purposes, depending on being cast on a preserver or a defiler:
Preserver: This removes all taint of defiling from the spellcaster. Thus, the Will save DC to resist falling to the path of the defiler is now reset to 10 + level of spell cast by defiling.
Defiler: A repentant defiler becomes a preserver and can cast spells without damaging plant life.
XP Cost: When cast for the benefit of a creature whose guilt was the result of deliberate acts, the cost to you is 500 XP. If the subject is a defiler, this cost is doubled.
Material Component: Burning incense.
Focus: Rare plants and herbs worth at least 500 Gp.
Rejuvenate
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Circle of ground extending out to range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
Ash and dust is whirled up into the air and takes on a bright green glow, resembling that of fireflies. As they fall on the sterile land, the ground feels soft and moist once more. You grant the ability to support vegetation to an area of ground. In the case of ground made sterile by defiler magic, rejuvenate dispels the grounds sterility, making it immediately capable of supporting vegetation. A circle of ground extending out from you is enriched and moistened, and a blanket of fine grass appears instantly. The soil and grass are not magical, however, and are subject to normal weather conditions. However, the grass will survive for at least a week, even in the worst of weather. The spell may also be cast on any ground short of solid rock. If cast on an area that can already support plant life, rejuvenate increases the grounds fertility as the enrichment effect of the spell plant growth, and the range is a half mile.
Material Component: A seed (any kind) and a drop of water.
Raze Feats
Raze feats are feats that require the spellcaster to be a defiler, and can only be applied when defiling. Multiple raze feats can be applied simultaneously. For example, a defiler who has Distance Raze, Destructive Raze and Fast Raze can benefit from all of them when casting a single spell. A wizards bonus feats can be used to acquire Raze feats if the wizard fulfills the feat prerequisites.
Agonizing Radius
Your defiling techniques are particularly painful.
Benefits: The penalties for being caught within your defiling radius increase by one (i.e. from 1 to 2).
Controlled Raze
You increase your defiling radius and may specify unaffected squares.
Benefits: Your defiling radius increases by 5 feet. You can specify one 5 ft. square per 5 ft. radius of your defiling circle that is unaffected by your energy gathering. Creatures in unaffected squares do not suffer the adverse effects of being caught in the defiling circle, nor is vegetation in that square turned to ash.
Distance Raze
You can gather energy for spells at a distance.
Benefits: You can move the center of your defiling circle (on the ground) up to 10 feet per caster level, in effect moving the entire circle of defiling.
Normal: Your defiling circle is centered on you.
Desiccating Raze
Your defiling techniques suck the moisture out of the living, as well as from plants
Benefits: Creature that would take a penalty from your defiling also takes 1d4 desiccation damage per point of penalty.
Destructive Raze
You can focus the energy you absorb from plants to increase the damage your spells inflict.
Benefits: Add +1 to damage per damage die inflicted by your spells when defiling.
Efficient Raze
You can gather energy more efficiently, utilizing the maximum energy potential of a given terrain.
Benefits: Treat the terrain you gather energy in as one category better when you defile. E.g. a spell cast in barren terrain (1 spell save DC and 1 penalty to caster level checks) is treated as if cast in infertile terrain (no spell save modifier and no penalty to caster level checks). In abundant terrain the bonuses to spell save DCs and spell checks are increased by an additional +1.
Exterminating Raze
Your defiling techniques are particularly damaging to plant creatures.
Benefits: Plant creatures caught in your defiling radius suffer 8 points of damage per spell level.
Normal: Plant creatures caught in your defiling radius suffer 4 points of damage per spell level
Fast Raze
You can gather energy faster.
Benefits: When defiling, you can spend a move action to gain a +1 caster level bonus. Spells with a normal casting time of 1 round or longer require an extra round to be cast in this manner. Your defiling radius increases by 5 ft. when using Fast Raze.
Sickening Raze
Your defilement makes others sick.
Prerequisites: Agonizing Radius.
Benefits: Creatures within your defiling radius become sickened in addition to any other penalties for 1 round.
Conservation Feats
Conservation feats are feats that require the spellcaster to be a preserver, and can only be applied when preserving. Multiple conservation feats can be applied simultaneously. A wizards bonus feats can be used to acquire conservation feats if the wizard fulfills the feat prerequisites.
Efficient Gathering
You can gather energy more efficiently, utilizing the maximum energy potential of a given terrain.
Benefits: Treat the terrain you gather energy in as one category better when you preserve. E.g. a spell cast in barren terrain is treated as if cast in infertile terrain.
Powerful Gathering
You can gather energy from a larger area.
Benefits: When preserving, you can spend a move action to gain a +1 caster level bonus. Spells with a normal casting time of 1 round or longer require an extra round to be cast in this manner. Your preserving radius increases by 10 ft. when using Powerful Gathering.
Distant Gathering
You can gather energy for spells at a distance.
Benefits: You can move the center of your preserving circle (on the ground) up to 10 feet per caster level, in effect moving the entire circle of preserving.
Normal: Your preserving circle is centered on you.
Parasite
Parasites are casters who have learned how to drain energy from living creatures, including themselves, instead of plantlife. They can come from both preserver and defiler stock, but they are never good, for draining energy from the living has long since robbed them of the capability for remorse or pity.
Parasite
"Pain, both your own and that of others, is a threshold you must overcome."
Gorgatohr, Human Parasite
Parasites are magic-users who have discovered how to utilize the life force of animals, intelligent beings, and even themselves, to power their magic. This is not without consequences, for Parasites cause animals and people to be nervous in their presence. To command their magics and cannibalize their own bodies, a Parasite needs physical stamina. Some sages claim the methods used by Parasites are similar to that of the ritual magic wielded by martyrs, however the only similarity is the use of life force from living beings to power spells. Parasites are but dabblers in their field compared to the depth of sacrifice a martyr undergoes.
Becoming a Parasite
Parasites can be found anywhere. Some are loners, practicing their art in secrecy, while others seek employment and safety in organizations and groups that ask few questions.
Table 1: The Parasite
Hit Die: d4
Level BAB Ref Fort Will Special Abilities Casting
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Tainted Aura, Life-draining +1 Casting
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Cannibalize +1 Casting
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Twinned Power +1 Casting
Class skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Requirements:
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana, religion, or nature) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.
Feats: Great Fortitude.
Spells: Able to cast 2nd level spells.
Alignment: Nongood.
Class Features
Text
Casting: The Parasite increases all casting features as if the character had gained a level in the appropriate class at each indicated level.
Tainted Aura: The Parasite is tainted by her magical ways in such a manner that it is noticeable. People feel uncomfortable and wary when she is present and animals whimper when she approaches. The Parasite suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Handle Animal checks for every level of Parasite gained. She receives a similar circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks. The tainted aura has a range of 5 feet per Parasite level.
Life-draining (Ex): Living beings caught in the Parasites defiling or preserving radius suffer 2 points of damage per level of the spell being cast, but plant life (aside from plant creatures) are unaffected. Plant creatures take double the damage from life-draining.
Cannibalize (Ex): The Parasite can cannibalize her own life force to power her spells. When casting a spell, a Parasite can choose to cannibalize herself instead of draw energy from her preserving or defiling radius. She takes 1d8+1 damage per spell level of the spell cast. This damage ignores temporary hit points and any means of damage prevention or redirection, but does not cause a concentration check during casting. This requires no extra actions as part of casting a spell.
Twinned Power (Ex): By both cannibalizing herself and draining energy from the land around her, a Parasite can boost her spells to heights other casters could never manage. While casting a spell, the Parasite can increase her caster level by one in exchange for 1d8 points of damage, or by two in exchange for 3d8 points of damage, or by three in exchange for 5d8 points of damage. This damage ignores temporary hit points and any means of damage prevention or redirection, but does not cause a concentration check during casting. This requires no extra actions as part of casting a spell.