The Plague Doctor (3.5 Base Class)

[Circle of Life]

Plague Doctor

" 'Do no harm'? What kind of hack would take an oath like that?"


Image is "Birds of a Feather" by canadian-rainwater of deviantArt.

Hit Dice: d8
Starting Age: Moderate
Starting Gold: 5d4x10

Class Skills
The Plague Doctor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int

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

1st|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Blood Toxins (1st tier), Insightful Healing, Medical Specialization, Surgical Precision +1d6

2nd|

+1

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Adrenaline Surge

3rd|

+2

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Surgical Precision +2d6

4th|

+3

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Blood Toxins (2nd tier), Disease Immunity

5th|

+3

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Medical Specialization, Surgical Precision +3d6

6th|

+4

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Blood Toxins (3rd tier), Poison Immunity

7th|

+5

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Surgical Precision +4d6

8th|

+6/+1

|

+6

|

+2

|

+6

|Blood Toxins (4th tier), Inviolate Body

9th|

+6/+1

|

+6

|

+3

|

+6

|Surgical Precision +5d6

10th|

+7/+2

|

+7

|

+3

|

+7

|Blood Toxins (5th tier), Medical Specialization, Surgeon's Composure

11th|

+8/+3

|

+7

|

+3

|

+7

|Surgical Precision +6d6

12th|

+9/+4

|

+8

|

+4

|

+8

|Blood Toxins (6th tier), Fear Not the Reaper

13th|

+9/+4

|

+8

|

+4

|

+8

|Surgical Precision +7d6

14th|

+10/+5

|

+9

|

+4

|

+9

|Blood Toxins (7th tier), Last Ditch Healing

15th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+9

|

+5

|

+9

|Medical Specialization, Surgical Precision +8d6

16th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+10

|

+5

|

+10

|Blood Toxins (8th tier), Improved Inviolate Body

17th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+10

|

+5

|

+10

|Surgical Precision +9d6

18th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+11

|

+6

|

+11

|Blood Toxins (9th tier), Spurn the Reaper

19th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+11

|

+6

|

+11

|Surgical Precision +10d6

20th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+12

|

+6

|

+12

|Blood Toxins (10th tier), Indomitability Brew, Medical Specialization
[/table]

Class Features The following are all class features of the Plague Doctor.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Plague Doctors are proficient with all simple weapons and one martial weapon of their choice, and with the scalpel and combat syringe. Plague Doctors are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Blood Toxins (Ex): A Plague Doctor is adept at using toxins of all sorts in combat. He gains the Poison Use ability, and so is never at risk of poisoning himself when applying poison to a weapon. He may apply poison to a weapon as a move action, rather than as a standard action.

Additionally, the Plague Doctor gains the ability to brew many rapidly advancing toxins that function as diseases. A Plague Doctor possesses knowledge of all blood toxins of a tier he has unlocked, as shown on the table above. Unless otherwise noted, a blood toxin is an extraordinarily advanced disease, dealing the indicated damage at the beginning of each round until the target succeeds on Fortitude save or the disease runs its course, and has a saving throw DC of 10 + the tier of the disease + the Plague Doctor's Intelligence modifier. If the toxin applies a different effect than damage, the effect persists for one round for each failed save unless otherwise noted.

The Plague Doctor may apply blood toxins to his weapons as he would apply poisons; the toxins function as an injury-type infection unless otherwise noted.

Creating a blood toxin requires a craft (poisonmaking) check that takes one hour per dose of the toxin to be made, and consumes appropriate materials of a value listed in the entry for each toxin.

Blood Toxins:

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1st tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Eye of Light|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|10 gp|14
Slime Cascade|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|15 gp|16
Trembling Chills|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|10 gp|14
Volcanic Pox|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|12 gp|15
Winter Heart|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|20 gp|17[/table]

Eye of Light: This toxin affects the connections between a creature's eyes and its mind, dazzling it. On a failed save, the target of this toxin begins to see spots, which rapidly brighten into painful points of light. The target is initially treated as being dazzled, but each failed save increases the penalty to attack rolls, Spot checks, and Search checks by an additional point as the toxin forces the target's eyes to dilate further and further.

Slime Cascade: A particularly disturbing toxin to be on the receiving end of, slime cascade instantly causes the afflicted creature's mouth to begin producing vast quantities of thick slime. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the affected creature must spend a move action to clear its mouth of the slime or begin suffocating, as if it were drowning. Creatures that do not need to breathe are immune to the suffocation effect of this toxin.

Trembling Chills: A creature infected with this toxin loses its ability to sense warmth, instantly feeling as though it were bathed in ice. Creatures without immunity to cold damage take a -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, skills checks and ability checks while the toxin remains in effect.

Volcanic Pox: This toxin causes coin-sized pustules to rapidly bubble up across the creature's flesh, bursting a moment later. Each round the toxin remains in effect, the creature takes 1d12 damage as its body explodes bit by bit.

Winter Heart: A tame toxin by some standards, winter heart can still prove quite deadly if allowed to run its course. Each round that the toxin remains in effect, the afflicted creature takes 1d2 Constitution damage.

2nd tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Acidic Lesions|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|45 gp|19
Electric Necrosis|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|45 gp|19
Ghostly Abscess|1 minute|5 minutes|1 minute|55 gp|20
Horrible Bile|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|50 gp|20
Incandescent Veins|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|55 gp|21[/table]

Acidic Lesions: As the name implies, this toxin causes open sores to spring up across the unfortunate victim's body, which secrete a thin acid that sears the flesh around each lesion. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the victim takes 2d6 acid damage and 1 point of Constitution damage.

Electric Necrosis: A creature afflicted with electric necrosis instantly begins to experience sharp subdermal electrical jolts as its body releases stored bioelectricity at a thousand times the normal rate. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the afflicted creature takes 2d6 electric damage. Each time the afflicted creature takes damage from this toxin, its base movement speed decreases by 5 feet, to a minimum of 5 feet. A creature with its movement speed so impeded only recovers when all damage dealt to it by this toxin has been healed.

Ghostly Abscess: A slower toxin than many, ghostly abscess is appropriately more powerful than toxins of similar potency. The toxin derives its name from the transparent gray covering that spreads over the afflicted portion of the victim's body, which appears as a spectral copy of dissolved organs when the disease runs its course. Each minute that this toxin remains in effect, the afflicted creature takes 1d6 points of Constitution damage.

Horrible Bile: A creature afflicted with this toxin immediately begins vomiting a combination of toxin-enhanced stomach acid whatever else might be in its stomach at the time. The first failed save against this toxin sickens the creature for one round; the second nauseates for one round; subsequent failed saves nauseate and deal 1 point of Constitution damage each.

Incandescent Veins: Sabotaging the body's natural defenses, this toxin causes the victim to experience something akin to a high fever, only much, much stronger. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the victim takes 2d6 fire damage; resistance to fire does not protect from this damage, though immunity does. If the victim fails two consecutive saves against this toxin, it immediately falls unconscious until the toxin runs its course or is removed.

3rd tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Acid Belly|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|70 gp|22
Blood Blindness|1 round|3 rounds|1 round|70 gp|22
Rampant Decay|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|75 gp|23
Searing Agony|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|70 gp|23
Wayfarer's Bane|1 round|5 minutes|1 minute|80 gp|23[/table]

Acid Belly: A toxin renowned primarily for being exceptionally painful, acid belly rapidly dissolves portions of the afflicted creature's stomach lining, causing digestive fluids to spill out into the surrounding portions of the creature's body, mixing with the toxin as they go. Each round this toxin remains in effect, the afflicted foe takes 4d6 acid damage. For each round after the first that this toxin remains in effect, the afflicted creature takes 1 point of Constitution damage.

Blood Blindness: By disrupting the normal flow of blood to the afflicted creature's eyes, this toxin temporarily causes the victim's vision to fade to a murky black. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the afflicted creature is blinded for one round. If the toxin runs its full course, the sudden resurgence of blood flow to the eyes bursts several critical bits of ocular anatomy, permanently blinding the creature until they receive the effects of a remove blindness spell or similar magic. Sightless creatures are immune to the effects of blood blindness.

Rampant Decay: An extremely high-profile toxin, rampant decay causes large sections of the afflicted creature's flesh to experience rapid necrosis, blackening and releasing a foul odor. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the victim takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage.

Searing Agony: Similar to the incandescent veins toxin, but much more potent, searing agony deals 4d6 points of fire damage each round that it remains in effect; resistance to fire does not apply to this damage, though immunity does. Each time the afflicted creature takes damage from this toxin, it is rendered helpless for one round from the agony of feeling liquid fire in every vein of its body.

Wayfarer's Bane: A curious toxin in that it deals no damage of any kind, wayfarer's bane can nonetheless be equally disruptive. Each time a creature fails a save against this toxin, it experiences extreme disorientation for one minute. While disoriented, the creature has a 50% chance to be rooted in place from vertigo whenever it tries to move in any fashion, including charging and 5-foot steps.

4th tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Blinding Rage|1 round|3 rounds|1 round|225gp|26
Madness Fugue|1 round|1 minute|2 rounds|200 gp|24
Mutagenic Venom|None|Instant|Special|150 gp|24
Spitting Boils|1 round|1 minute|2 rounds|200 gp|24
Wasted Limbs|1 round|3 minutes|1 minute|225 gp|26[/table]

Blinding Rage: It is surprisingly simple to force a creature to experience indiscriminate rage with the proper serum. Blinding rage does just that, overstimulating the portion of an afflicted creature's mind that feels anger, while numbing every other emotion away to nearly nothing. Each round that this toxin remains in effect, the afflicted creature mindlessly attacks the nearest creature to the best of its ability, full-attacking if possible, or charging if not; if neither of these options are available, the creature moves as fast as it is able until it can make attacks through whatever means it possesses.

Madness Fugue: Similarly to the blinding rage toxin, madness fugue numbs away all reason and thought from an afflicted creature, causing it to act wildly. Each time the afflicted creature fails a save against this toxin, it is confused (as the spell) for two rounds.

Mutagenic Venom: An exceptionally subtle toxin, this serum is incomplete on its own. As part of the creation process, the Plague Doctor mixes in a poison of his choice of any type, including inhaled poisons. This combined serum is then mixed into another of his toxins, to create a single dose of a double-layered toxin.

While combined with the second toxin, mutagenic venom lies completely inert. Once the toxin to which it is attached is finished, whether by running its course, being overcome by the victim's body, or removed by a remove disease spell or similar, mutagenic venom flares to life, instantly subjecting the victim to the effects of the attached poison. Mutagenic venom is not removed by an initial application of remove disease, heal, or similar magic, only the toxin to which it is attached. A wish or miracle spell can remove both mutagenic venom and the toxin to which it is attached without triggering the effects of mutagenic venom, however.

The poison mixed into the mutagenic venom uses either its normal save or that of the mutagenic venom, whichever is higher.

Spitting Boils: A gruesomely effective toxin, spitting boils causes palm-sized pustules to erupt across the afflicted creature's entire body, which spurt jets of toxin-laced pus at irregular intervals. Each time the afflicted creature fails its save, it takes 1d4 Constitution damage and the boils across its body erupt immediately and at the beginning of the next round, infecting all creatures within 10 feet of the victim unless they succeed on a Reflex save at the same DC as the toxin. A creature infected with spitting boils cannot be infected again while the toxin remains active, though it may be infected again after the disease has run its course.

Wasted Limbs: Brutally effective against those who rely on physical might to accomplish their goals, this toxin both dissolves muscle and wearies the body at the same time. Each round that the victim succumbs to this toxin, it takes 1d6 strength damage. If the victim fails a second save or more in a row, it is exhausted for one round in addition to taking the strength damage.

5th tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Delayed Assassin|1 round|Special|1 minute|350 gp|27
Flesheater|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|400 gp|28
Prismatic Death|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|400 gp|28
Rapid Palsy|1 round|3 rounds|1 round|450 gp|29
Stinking Miasma|1 round|5 minutes|1 minute|350 gp|27[/table]

6th tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Death's Knocking|1 day|Special|1 day|650 gp|30
Mutagenic Catalyser|None|Instant|Special|550 gp|30
Prototype Scythe Virus|1 round|1 day|Special|800 gp|31
Wrack and Ruin|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|750 gp|32[/table]

Death's Knocking: A victim infected with this toxin initially experiences nothing but a faint knocking sound; the sound has no negative effect, but is the first sign of the blood vessels in the target's brain contracting. A day later, the target hears another, louder knock, this one accompanied by intense pain as the blood vessels in his head spasm, knocking him unconscious for 24 hours. This process repeats again each day, until the victim fails three saves in a row, at which point the blood vessels in the victim's brain explode, killing him instantly. Unlike most toxins, death's knocking requires two consecutive successful saves to dispel. It is also exceptionally resilient; remove disease, heal and similar spells merely revert the disease to its incubation period. A second application of disease removing magic during the time of incubation is necessary to completely eliminate the toxin.

Mutagenic Catalyser: This toxin functions as an advanced strain of mutagenic venom, with the same effects, except that the Plague Doctor may choose to use either a poison or one of his other toxins when making a dose of mutagenic catalyser.

Prototype Scythe Virus: A highly conspicuous toxin, this potent concoction has a delayed effect, but is far more virulent than most toxins of a comparable potency. After infection the subject breaks out in a large, itchy rash and develops a persistent, wracking cough. The toxin has no immediate effect, instead building in the victim's body for a full day. Any creature that touches the victim in this time is instantly subjected to the effects of the toxin; these secondary victims make their own save against the toxin, and if they fail they continue the cycle. After one day, the true power of the toxin takes effect, ripping through the immune system of the host with massive virulence, dealing 3d6 Constitution damage. The prototype scythe virus is an incomplete attempt at creating a true plague however, and cannot reduce a creature's Constitution score below 1.

Wrack and Ruin: With each failed save, the victim of this potent toxin spasms violently as every muscle in their body experiences tearing agony. The disorientation of the intense pain imposes a -5 penalty to skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and caster level checks for one round on each failed save.

7th tier toxins

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Assassin's Grin|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|950 gp|33
Dance of Agony|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|950 gp|33
Pyre's Touch|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|1,000 gp|34
Jaundiced Torture|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|1,100 gp|35[/table]

8th tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Blackwing Rot|1 round|3 rounds|1 round|1,450 gp|36
Mutagenic Pestilence|None|Instant|Special|1,500 gp|37
Scythe Virus Alpha|1 round|1day|Special|1,750 gp|38[/table]

Blackwing Rot: The target of this toxin is filled with a joint-seeking corrosion, though the joint in question depends on the place of injection. On the first failed save the target's skin begins to blacken as they are filled with an internal corruption, dealing 1d6 Constitution damage. On a second failed save the corruption is intensified and localized, focusing on a single major joint; in addition to taking another 1d6 Constitution damage, one of the creature's limbs rots away from the inside, bone and flesh alike turning into a foul sludge. Roll 1d4 to determine which of the target's limbs (left and right arms, left and right legs) is destroyed. If the target has more than four limbs, use an appropriately higher-sided die, though a very large number of limbs may mean that the target is not notably inconvenienced by this effect of the toxin. If the victim loses a leg, their base speed is reduced to 5 feet, and always provokes attacks of opportunity for any movement made. If the victim fails a third consecutive save, the corruption shoots through their body, dissolving organs, bone, and flesh with equal impunity, reducing the victim's entire body to a pile of sludge.

Mutagenic Pestilence: This toxin functions as an advanced strain of mutagenic catalyser, except that in addition to its normal effects, the mutagenic pestilence toxim mimics the toxin to which it was attached. When Mutagenic Pestilence activates the target is subjected to the origional toxin again as well as the new, secondary toxin.

Scythe Virus Alpha: A more sophisticated version of the prototype scythe virus, this potent concoction also has a delayed effect, but is even more virulent than its predecessor. Unlike the prototype, a victim of this toxin shows no more symptoms of infection than a slight fever and a sniffle, less even than a common cold. The toxin has no immediate effect, instead building in the victim's body for a full day. Any creature that touches the victim in this time is instantly subjected to the effects of the toxin; these secondary victims make their own save against the toxin, and if they fail they continue the cycle. Unlike the prototype, others may also be infected by breathing the same air as the victim in an enclosed space, or eating after them. After one day, the true power of the toxin takes effect, ripping through the immune system of the host with massive virulence, dealing 3d6 Constitution damage. The alpha scythe virus, while more powerful than it's prototype, shares one key flaw of the former's design, carrying with it the inability to reduce a creature's Constitution below 1.

9th tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Angel of Death|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|2,750 gp|40
Ceramic Necrosis|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|2,500 gp|39
Internal Decomposition|1 round|5 rounds|1 round|2,500 gp|39[/table]

Angel of Death: On a failed save, the target of this toxin feels not pain but incredible weakness as their vitality is drained, taking 2d6 Constitution damage. The victim's skin becomes gray and tight, and their body becomes gaunt and hairless as they rapidly waste away. The body of a victim that dies while this toxin is active, whether by the Constitution damage or other means, curls upon itself, their hands clenched before them, appearing to all the world as a petitioner seeking his final judgment. With death the effects of the toxin fade, restoring the original palor of the creature. However, the toxin does not leave the body, instead remaining behind as an undetectable contact poison (Initial damage 3d6 con, secondary damage death) on the skin of the victim. This poison lasts for up to a week after the original victim's death, or until the body receives the effects of a remove poison spell or similar magic.

Ceramic Necrosis: This insidious toxin seeps into the target's bloodstream painfully, calcifying veins as it goes, sinking down the body until it reaches the bones of the victim's legs. Each failed save against this toxin dissolves the bones of the victim, and the residue is spread through his veins and out of his pores before hardening, giving his skin an ivory luster.A creature that fails a save against this toxin has their base land speed halved, as well as any movement speeds that relying on their legs, and takes 2d6 Dexterity damage. This movement speed returns to normal only when the Dexterity damage is healed entirely. If his Dexterity drops to 0 the target is considered ceramic as per the Flesh to Glass spell, as his skin and blood network is entirely coated with hardened bone.

Internal Decomposition: A horribly complex toxin, internal decomposition is nevertheless brutally simple in its execution. As the name implies, the toxin causes the victim's organs to rapidly decompose, turning into so much fetid waste. Each round that the toxin remains in effect, the victim takes 1d6 points of Constitution drain.

10th tier toxins:

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{table=head]Toxin Name|Incubation Period|Duration|Effect Interval|Creation Cost|Craft DC
Final Hour|1 round|Special|1 round|5,950 gp|41
Mutagenic Neurotoxin|None|Instant|Special|6,000 gp|42
Scythe Virus Omega|1 round|1 week|Special|10,000 gp|45[/table]

Mutagenic Neurotoxin: Like the other toxins in the mutagenic line, mutagenic neurotoxin must be attached to a second toxin to have any effect. The toxin functions like other mutagenic toxins, except that it functions as its own standalone toxin, flaring to life when the attached toxin is removed or runs its course. When mutagenic neurotoxin is activated, each and every synapse and blood vessel in the victim's brain comes under attack from a viral assault; if the victims succeeds on its save, it takes 1d6 Intelligence damage. If they fail, their brain is immediately disintegrated within their skulls, killing them instantly.

Scythe Virus Omega: The pinnacle of disease and poison, the scythe virus omega can kill entire populations with none knowing how or why. The initial target displays no symptoms on a failed save; indeed, they may even feel a bit livelier than before they were infected. For the next week however, anyone that touches them, breathes the same air as them in an enclosed space, or eats after them must save against the toxin or become infected themselves and begin the process anew. After a week inside the target the toxin takes effect, shattering their immune system and internal cycles, dealing 4d6 Constitution damage. The scythe virus omega overcomes the inherent flaws in the scythe virus line, gaining the capability to reduce Constitution scores to 0.

Insightful Healing (Ex): A Plague Doctor may use either his Intelligence or Wisdom modifier as the key ability for the Heal skill, whichever is higher.

Medical Specialization (Ex): At 1st level, and again at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, a Plague Doctor chooses one of the following specializations, gaining the appropriate ability. Once chosen, the choice of specialization is permanent.

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Anatomy
“Every body has its weak points, even those made of metal or without working organs. A cut wire here, a slashed tendon there... in the hands of a master, it really amounts to the same thing in the end.”

You gain the ability to apply Surgical Precision damage to constructs, plants, and undead, though the base dice are reduced to d4s. Additionally, you may ignore the effect of light fortification on your foes, and halve the effect of medium and heavy fortification against your attacks.

Anatomy, advanced
Prerequisites: Plague Doctor level 5th, Anatomy
Further study into the makeup of creatures has revealed surprising secrets. Everything has a critical component, even those previously thought to be comprised of gel or pure liquid fire.

You gain the ability to apply Surgical Precision damage to elementals and oozes, though the base dice are reduced to d4s. Additionally, you may ignore the effect of medium fortification and quarter the effect of heavy fortification against your attacks.

Biology
Prerequisites: Plague Doctor level 5th
"If it can bleed, even if it bleeds sap or trickles of pure evil, you can work with that. It takes some tinkering, but in the end, everything can be compared to your own body in one way or another."

You gain the ability to bypass any immunity to poison or disease that comes from a creature's type or race, with the exception of constructs and undead. Creatures with a racial bonus to saves against poison or disease do not gain this bonus against your poisons or diseases.

Combat Medic
“The first rule of battlefield triage: attend to the most injured whom you can save first, then move on to those with lesser injuries after. Only when the last stitch has been knotted off, the last burn slathered with salve, do you allow yourself to mourn for those that you could not save.”

As a standard action, you may touch an ally and make a Heal check. You heal a number of hitpoints equal to your Heal check -10, minimum of 1 point. You may make multiple Heal checks for the same creature. This healing is little more than first aid however, and is limited to an amount equal to the healed creature's hit dice plus the your Intelligence modifier per encounter. Further healing requires additional measures beyond the scope of this ability.

Combat Surgeon
Prerequisites: Plague Doctor level 5th, Combat Medic
“A suture there, a quick touch of a cauterizing rod there. That should stop the worst of the bleeding. It's not pretty, but then, this isn't exactly a physician's healing bed. One can only expect so much when having their insides pieced back together while you duck beneath fireballs exploding overhead.”

Your Combat Medic ability improves, allowing you to heal up to twice the healed creature's hit dice plus double your Intelligence modifier per encounter. Additionally, you may stabilize a touched dying creature as a swift action, as the First Aid option of the Heal skill, but without making a Heal check.

Combat Savior
Prerequisites: Plague Doctor level 10th, Combat Surgeon
“In your hands you hold both life and death. One wrong cut, one misplaced suture, and your patient's entire life might fall away. One mistake could turn this whole surgery into a disaster. It's a good thing you don't make mistakes.”

Your Combat Medic ability improves further, allowing you to heal up to three times the healed creature's hit dice plus triple your Intelligence modifier per encounter. Additionally, you no longer take a -10 penalty on your Heal check when determining the number of hitpoints healed by this ability, and creatures you heal in this way also gain Fast Healing equal to your Intelligence modifier for 3 rounds. The hitpoints healed by this Fast Healing count against the total amount you can heal with this ability per encounter, and cannot exceed this amount.

Neurology
Prerequisites: Restorative Brews, Plague Doctor level 5th
“Ah, paralysis. Quite a nasty case, too. Oh, never fear, I've treated far worse than this before. Leave it to me; I'll have your friend right as rain in no time.”

As a standard action, you may make a Heal check on a touched creature to attempt to remove any one of the following conditions currently affecting the creature: dazed, exhausted, fatigued, paralyzed, and stunned. The Difficulty Class to remove a condition in this fashion is equal to 10 + the DC of the save against the original effect. If the effect did not allow a save, the DC of the Heal check is 10 + the HD of the originating creature. You cannot remove self-inflicted conditions in this fashion, such as a creature that has exhausted itself through prolonged forced marching.

Placebo Effect
Prerequisites: Plague Doctor level 5th
“You're quite right. That was not, in fact, real medicine. The mind is a powerful tool however, and can often trick your body into thinking it was healed, when in reality the strength to heal came from within. And look, you're living proof of that.”

Whenever you fail a Heal check, you may immediately roll a second Heal check at a -5 penalty. If the second Heal check achieves the DC of the task, you succeed on the check despite the initial failure.

Preventative Medicine
“No, look – yes, I realize you're not bleeding right now, but – damnations, do you not see the claws on that thing? When it takes a swipe at your gut, you're going to be glad I had the forethought to give you something to slow your bleeding, mark my words.”

By spending one full minute assessing a touched creature, you may grant it temporary hitpoints equal to your class level. These temporary hitpoints do not stack with other sources of temporary hitpoints, and you may not grant a creature more temporary hitpoints than twice your class level each day. Temporary hitpoints granted by this ability persist for one hour or until consumed.

Restorative Brews
“A pinch of whitefern, a sprinkle of cureall, a touch of queensleaf... Mash it all together and boil for ten minutes. It'll taste vile going down, but it's sovereign for curing the effects of the white shakes.”

You gain the ability to create rejuvenative potions out of seemingly mundane herbs and plants. By mixing just the right concoction in a vial or similar and allowing it to steep for at least an hour, you can create a potion that restores a number of points of ability damage equal to your Intelligence modifier to a score of your choice, determined at the time of making. Creating each of these potions requires at least ten minutes of dedicated effort, and no creature may benefit from more than one per day, even if the two potions are made to restore different damaged ability scores. Once made, a potion of this type remains potent for 48 hours, at which point it becomes nothing more than ill-tasting liquid.

Spirituality
Prerequisites: Plague Doctor level 10th, Neurology
“Chi, life force, the soul, the link between mind and body... call it what you will. At the end of the day, this metaphysical thing is every bit as important to keep healthy as the body itself. Some will call you crazy for trying to heal something you can't see or feel, but they don't know what you know.”

As a standard action, you may make a Heal check on a touched creature to attempt to remove 1d4 negative levels. The Difficulty Class of this check is equal to 10 + the highest DC of effects that applied negative levels to the creature. If the effect did not allow a save, the DC of the Heal check is equal to 10 + the highest HD of the originating creatures who applied negative levels.

You may only remove a number of negative levels per creature equal to your Intelligence modifier per day.

Toxicology
"Some people study toxins to better understand how to rid the world of disease. Some study them to learn how to use those same toxins for their personal gain. Which one are you?"

You gain a +4 competence bonus on all Craft (Poisonmaking) checks, and the save DC of any poison or blood toxin you use increases by 2.

Surgical Precision (Ex): As a swift action, a Plague Doctor may make a Heal check against any creature he can see, with a Difficulty Class of 10 + the creature's hit dice. If successful, he deals an additional 1d6 damage with all attacks made against the creature until the start of his next turn. At 3rd level and every two levels thereafter, this damage increases by an additional 1d6 points.

Damage from surgical precision is precision damage, and as such does not function against creatures immune to sneak attacks or similar forms of precision damage.

Adrenaline Surge (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the Plague Doctor learns to create a concoction of common herbs and plant bits that would otherwise be of no appreciable value. Creating each of these brews requires at least ten minutes of devoted effort. By storing the concoction in a vial or similar container for at least an hour, the Plague Doctor may create a nonmagical potion that enhances the strength and reflexes of the imbiber for a short duration. Once made, a potion of this type remains potent for 48 hours, after which it becomes so much useless liquid.

Immediately upon drinking the potion, the user gains a +4 morale bonus to strength, and a +2 morale bonus to Reflex saves and Initiative checks. These effects last for a number of rounds equal to the Plague Doctor's Intelligence modifier, after which the user is fatigued for an equal number of minutes. The effects of this potion do not stack with those of a Barbarian's rage or other, similar effects.

Disease Immunity (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the Plague Doctor gains immunity to all diseases, except for supernatural or magical diseases. Against diseases he is not immune to, the Plague Doctor gains a bonus to his save equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Poison Immunity (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, the Plague Doctor gains immunity to all poisons and venoms, whether magical or mundane.

Inviolate Body (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, the Plague Doctor may resist even magical and unnatural attacks with great fortitude. Whenever he succeeds on a Fortitude save against an effect with a saving throw entry such as “fortitude half” or “fortitude partial”, he instead suffers no ill effect whatsoever.

Surgeon's Composure (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, the Plague Doctor gains immunity to effects that would forcibly alter his emotions, such as despair, fear or rage effects, unless he wishes to succumb to them. For example, he would be immune to the crushing despair and fear spells, but could choose whether or not to be affected by a rage spell or similar. The Plague Doctor may still benefit normally from morale bonuses.

Fear Not the Reaper (Ex): Beginning at 12th level, the Plague Doctor gains a bonus on saves against death effects equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Last Ditch Healing (Ex): Beginning at 14th level, the Plague Doctor may bring dying creatures back to life in a seemingly miraculous display of medical skill. As a standard action, the Plague Doctor may attempt a Heal check on a touched creature that died within a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier. The Difficulty Class of this check varies based on how the creature died.

• Hitpoint damage: The Plague Doctor must succeed on a Heal check with a DC of 20 + the number of hitpoints below -10 the creature has fallen. Creatures that bled to death due to not stabilizing are normally only at -10, unless their bodies have taken further damage in the interim.
• Constitution damage: The Plague Doctor must succeed on a Heal check with a DC of 20 + the HD of the creature to be revived. Success restores the creature's Constitution score to 10, unless it was naturally lower, in which case it is restored to that number. The creature's Constitution score can be further restored through normal means.
• Death effects: The Plague Doctor must succeed on a Heal check with a DC of 10 + the DC of the effect that slew the creature to be revived.

In any case, on a successful check the creature is restored to life at -1 hitpoints and stable. The shock of this sudden restoration of life imposes two temporary negative levels on the revived creature, which never risk becoming permanent but cannot be removed by any means short of a wish or miracle spell, or until the creature rests for at least eight hours, at which point they vanish.

If the Plague Doctor fails the check, he may not attempt another check against the same instance of death; the specific cause of death is beyond his ability to heal in this case (though he may make future checks on the same creature, if it is resurrected through other means).

Improved Inviolate Body (Ex): Beginning at 16th level, while the Plague Doctor still suffers no ill effect on a successful save against an effect with a saving throw entry such as “fortitude half” or “fortitude partial”, henceforth he takes only the lesser effect even on a failed save.

Spurn the Reaper (Ex): Beginning at 18th level, the Plague Doctor's mastery over life and death grants him total immunity to effects that would slay him outright, including all death effects and effects that kill instantly but are not explicitly death effects, such as a holy word spell with a caster level ten higher than the Plague Doctor's hit dice.

Indomitability Brew (Ex): At 20th level, the Plague Doctor's mastery of his craft reaches its zenith. His extensive knowledge of anatomy and herbal concoctions allows him to craft a potent brew out of a combination of seemingly worthless plants and herbs. Creating each of these brews requires at least ten minutes of devoted effort. By storing the concoction in a vial or similar container for at least an hour, the Plague Doctor may create a nonmagical potion that grants the imbiber resilience beyond mortal limits. Once made, a potion of this type remains potent for 48 hours, after which it becomes so much useless liquid.

Upon drinking the potion, the user gains immunity to any hitpoint damage that would reduce his hitpoints below 1, no matter the amount. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Plague Doctor's Intelligence modifier, after which the user is exhausted for an equal number of hours.

An exhausted creature cannot benefit from the effects on an indomitability brew, nor can a creature immune to exhaustion.


New Exotic Light Weapons

{table=head]Weapon|Cost|Dmg (S)| Dmg (M)| Critical | Range Increment | Weight|Type
Combat Syringe|100 gp|1d2|1d3|x4|

-

|1 lb| Piercing
Scalpel|60 gp|1d3|1d4|18-20/x3|

-

| ½ lb. | Piercing or slashing[/table]

Combat Syringe
Nearly five times the weight of a standard syringe, a combat syringe is designed to hold up to the rigors of battle. A long steel needle is attached to a thick glass tube, which is in turn fitted with a plunger on a steel rod. A combat syringe can hold up to three doses of poison, though the seal on the plunger is typically insufficient to contain gaseous poisons, such as most inhaled poisons. Any other type of poison may be delivered through a combat syringe however, including ingested poisons. On a successful hit with a combat syringe, the wielder may choose to release a single dose of the poison within, though the attack must deal at least one point of damage to the struck creature to pierce its flesh and release the poison. Only one kind of poison may be held in a combat syringe at one time; mixing multiple poisons ruins all of the poisons involved.

A combat syringe may be refilled with poison by spending up to three consecutive full-round actions, one for each dose of poison to be added.

Scalpel
Simple in its design, this surgical tool is nonetheless extremely difficult to use in combat. A scalpel consists of a tiny, razor-sharp blade attached to a short steel grip. The blade of a scalpel extends barely a few inches past the fingers of a medium-sized wielder, making it difficult to see in the chaos of a fight and granting a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff checks made to feint while wielding it. Additionally, the minute size of a scalpel grants a +2 bonus to Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal it on their body.

In the hands of a proficient wielder, a scalpel can also be used as a tool for simple surgeries. A character proficient with scalpels counts a scalpel as a masterwork Heal tool, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to Heal checks.

New Feats

Extra Specialization
Prerequisite: Plague Doctor level 1st
Benefit: You gain access to an additional Medical Specialization for which you meet the prerequisites. You may select this feat multiple times, gaining access to an additional specialization each time.
Normal: A Plague Doctor without this feat gains a Medical Specialization at 1st and 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter.

Plague Lord
Prerequisite: Plague Doctor level 6th, Toxicology Medical Specialization
Benefit: The cost to create blood toxins is reduced by half, and the save DC of any blood toxin you use is increased by 1.

[Circle of Life]

There it is, the Plague Doctor. I make no claims to any historical or game accuracy with the title or picture, they were simply fitting for the concept in mind.

Blood Toxins are currently missing while I tweak the list to reflect my latest batch of updates to the class. Despite being an integral part of the class, I still think this is ready to accept general critiques. Obviously the list of blood toxins will follow as soon as it is ready.

Suggestions for additional Medical Specializations are welcome.

[RaggedAngel]

I want to know where the quote for this class came from, because it's bloody brilliant.

This is an excellent mixture of a healer and a precision striker; the ability to make Heal checks to hurt people is wonderful, and it finally makes the skill something that's useful after level 3 or so. It's also nice seeing a non-spellcasting, non-divine class that can heal not only hit points, but ability damage and level drain.

I think it could use a few more skills per level, being a skill-based class, especially since Heal and Craft (Poisonmaking) are essentially required skills to play the class to it's fullest, but since it's not a trapmonkey and it's Int focused 4/level is okay.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Blood Toxins, and I trust that they won't be as overpriced and terrible as most poisons in D&D are.

[Circle of Life]

I want to know where the quote for this class came from, because it's bloody brilliant.

About twenty seconds of me staring at the picture and thinking really hard.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Blood Toxins, and I trust that they won't be as overpriced and terrible as most poisons in D&D are.

Absolutely not. You can look forward to such pleasures as Assassin's Grin, which causes you to laugh maniacally until you keel over dead; Prismatic Death, dealing escalating levels of random damage types; Delayed Assassin, which gives no sign that the creature has even been afflicted until it fails enough saves, at which point it dies; Wrack and Ruin, which damages a foe and reduces its effectiveness at pretty much everything for a short while; Internal Decomposition, which does pretty much what it sounds like; and Final Hour, which, as is appropriate for a 20th level effect, forces save after save against suck or death.

Those are just a few of the nearly fifty new diseases I have at present.

Oh, and I feel I should mention Spitting Boils. Three guesses as to what it does.

[RaggedAngel]

Absolutely not. You can look forward to such pleasures as Assassin's Grin, which causes you to laugh maniacally until you keel over dead; Prismatic Death, dealing escalating levels of random damage types; Delayed Assassin, which gives no sign that the creature has even been afflicted until it fails enough saves, at which point it dies; Wrack and Ruin, which damages a foe and reduces its effectiveness at pretty much everything for a short while; Internal Decomposition, which does pretty much what it sounds like; and Final Hour, which, as is appropriate for a 20th level effect, forces save after save against suck or death.

Dear god, man. I was expecting like twenty or thirty, with 3/4th's of them being scaled up versions of lower-level ones.

I suppose that's the last time I'll underestimate your devotion to poison, Circle. You are truly the lord of all that is virulent.

I do have a question about the Blood Toxins, though I know you're going to explain them eventually; how many saves are we talking about, before the toxin wears off? 5? 10? 100?

Oh, and I feel I should mention Spitting Boils. Three guesses as to what it does.

Makes you smell like roses? Gives you a massage? Plays you a jaunty tune?

[Circle of Life]

I do have a question about the Blood Toxins, though I know you're going to explain them eventually; how many saves are we talking about, before the toxin wears off? 5? 10? 100?

Generally speaking, a blood toxin has a duration of five rounds, and a forces a save on each of those rounds. A successful save negates the effects of the toxin and eliminates the need for future saves. Certain toxins have their effects drawn out longer, such as a save each minute or each hour, or are extremely resistant, with successful saves only forcing the toxin back one step on the lethality gauge, and multiple successful saves in a row needed to eliminate the toxin entirely.

[Matar]

This is a freaking awesome idea.

Question: Are there going to be any abilities to cause, say, a giant plague outbreak? Because that'd be awesome.

Also, you NEED a zombie virus for this class. Something to turn others into raving madmen who attack anything and everything that isn't a Zombie like them.

[Circle of Life]

This is a freaking awesome idea.

Thank you muchly.

Question: Are there going to be any abilities to cause, say, a giant plague outbreak? Because that'd be awesome.

Spitting Boils can rapidly spread in a small area, such as a war camp or a crowded village. Scythe Omega Virus is pretty much a city-killer if applied strategically enough.

Also, you NEED a zombie virus for this class. Something to turn others into raving madmen who attack anything and everything that isn't a Zombie like them.

Well, there's Blinding Rage, which causes creatures to attack the nearest creature regardless of allegiance (and eventually blinds, obviously), and Uncontrollable Tremors, which makes you attack at random, but no zombie strain as of yet. I was hoping to stay within the bounds of Extraordinary effects (...loosely, anyway). Maybe a PrC in the future?

[Domriso]

Purely epic. I love the idea, and I look forward to the plethora of terrible diseases. We need more of them.

[GuyFawkes]

Very nice. Very flavorful. The class is very consistent, and balanced, based on what little I know about balance. Well done!

One comment though, on the Surgical Precision ability. At higher levels, it is not very hard to have autosuccess on your heal checks, so it's like having at least 10d6 of damage on crittable enemies, and 10d4 on noncrittable ones (if you take anatomy and advanced anatomy). Now I don't know if it's broke or anything at that level, or if it was really intended, but I thought I'd just point it out.

[Circle of Life]

It's absolutely intended. The amount of resources necessary to auto-succeed on Heal checks for Surgical Precision is roughly equivalent to what a Rogue would have to invest to sneak attack non-crittable enemies (Truedeath Crystal, Demolition Crystal, Wands of Xstrike, take your pick), and he can do it mostly without expending actions.

Damage is also a pretty poor way of dealing with things at higher levels, so I'd be surprised if savvy Plague Doctors invested in their Surgical Precision ability over optimizing the effects of their blood toxins. Speaking of which, there should be a slew of poison and toxin-related Medical Specializations released tomorrow. For now, sleep.

[Ilorin Lorati]

I'm no expert on class balance, but I giggled maniacally at just about every class ability that I read. I... think... that's a good thing?

[TechnOkami]

So. Bloody. Happy. I don't care if this class is under or overpowered, it's awesome.

[RaggedAngel]

So. Bloody. Happy. I don't care if this class is under or overpowered, it's awesome.

While it's decently strong for a noncaster, especially with prudent use of the soon-to-be here Blood Toxins, it's certainly not overpowered. Compared to a Wizard, or Cleric, or even a well-made Dread Necromancer even a very well optimized Plague Doctor would seem quite tame.

Which is good, really, when you consider the crap you can pull with fullcasters. I think this class does a good job of being in the 3-4 range, tier-wise, and that's a great place to be.

[nonsi]

Man, this one feels like a close friend that was always here, hiding, waiting to be discovered.

Great concept. Can't wait for the final touch to see how it adds up, but so far the execution seems decent (and Blood Toxins seem promising).

[Eurus]

Blood toxins never "go stale", then? Sounds fine, since they have a gp cost, just wondering. Also, can a Plague Doctor give doses of blood toxins to his party members, to apply to their own weapons? It'd be a pretty nice toy to paint the archer's arrows with, heh.

[GFawkes]

This is just me, but this class seems like a brilliant merging of TF2's Medic and Assassin's Creed.

I hereby give you one internet.

[Circle of Life]

Blood toxins added. Several are missing, namely the 5th and 7th tier toxins and Final Hour. The missing toxins will follow when I can drum up the will to look at that text document again.

Edit: Biology and Toxicology medical specializations added.

[radmelon]

I adore this class. A great combination of flavor, mechanics, and originality. I've been looking for a heal-skill-based healer, and of all that I've found, this may be the best. Faved.

[Matar]

Shouldn't this class gain a way to bypass disease immunity? Would really suck to fight something immune to them. And most things at higher levels are.

Also, what about the damage on Surgical Precision? Anything not immune to crits will be taking an extra 10d6 damage per hit. That seems a bit much, doesn't it?

Also, and I need to say this again, awesome.

[Circle of Life]

Shouldn't this class gain a way to bypass disease immunity? Would really suck to fight something immune to them. And most things at higher levels are.

That would be exactly what the Biology specialization does, actually.

Also, what about the damage on Surgical Precision? Anything not immune to crits will be taking an extra 10d6 damage per hit. That seems a bit much, doesn't it?

A properly geared Rogue does the same thing with every attack ever, basically. That doesn't make the Rogue a good class. 10d6 bonus damage averages out to 35 extra damage on each attack that hits at level 20, from a medium-BAB class with no special methods of making attacks easier to land. So really, no, that doesn't seem to be a bit much. If anything, I'd buff surgical precision if not for the existence of the blood toxins.

[TechnOkami]

I honestly don't know if I'm right in saying this, but... does anyone else think the GP price scales too high too quickly?

[mootoall]

This goes right on the same page as the Xenoalchemist in my bookmarked good homebrew section. You should be proud.

[Circle of Life]

I honestly don't know if I'm right in saying this, but... does anyone else think the GP price scales too high too quickly?

I actually curtailed the logical progression of the gp costs to avoid going overboard. My initial projections were an average dose costing (1/10th WBL for a given level/12) for the first level at which the tier is unlocked.

Consider that the WBL for a 20th level character is over seven hundred thousand gp (closer to eight hundred thousand actually). Now, obviously the vast, vast majority of that goes to gear and such, but even so, doesn't that put the costs into perspective?

This goes right on the same page as the Xenoalchemist in my bookmarked good homebrew section. You should be proud.

[mootoall]

My only complaint *would* have been the fact that Medical Specializations come very slowly and there aren't enough of them, but then you had to sneak in that feat at the bottom there that renders that complaint moot

[TechnOkami]

I actually curtailed the logical progression of the gp costs to avoid going overboard. My initial projections were an average dose costing (1/10th WBL for a given level/12) for the first level at which the tier is unlocked.

Consider that the WBL for a 20th level character is over seven hundred thousand gp (closer to eight hundred thousand actually). Now, obviously the vast, vast majority of that goes to gear and such, but even so, doesn't that put the costs into perspective?

That makes sense. Ok, I think I'll stop my fretting over it.

[Garryl]

This is good. Great flavor, nice abilities (and with the flavor baked into them to boot), and well written. The only significant issue I found is with the Inviolate Body and Improved Inviolate Body abilities. They don't actually say what their limitations are. Nowhere does it say that it only works on Fortitude saves (it should explicitly say so), it only implies it.

I have to go make a Medic/Plague Doctor ACF, PrC, or something now. Is that alright if I do that?

[C_Lee_B]

I love the class. A player will be playing it in a campaign I'm running. I like the use of the heal skill, as someone already mentioned. Very helpful, especially for a character who was set on an Anima mage in a tier 3-4 campaign.

[Eurus]

Oh, is there a limit on how many Indomitability Brews a doctor can have prepared at once?

[Circle of Life]

Oh, is there a limit on how many Indomitability Brews a doctor can have prepared at once?

Ten minutes of dedicated crafting each, and they only last for 48 hours, so a theoretical upper limit of 288 for a Warforged Plague Doctor who crafts each and every minute of every day.