THE ANCIENT (DRAFT)
Hit Die: d6
Alignment: Any
Skill Points: 6 + Int
Requirements:
Level: 21st caster or crafter class; ability to case arcane, divine, or psionic spells
Skills: Knowledge (Crafting) 25 ranks, Spellcraft 25 ranks, Use Magic Device 25 ranks
Feats: 5 Item Creation Feats; candidate must have made at leasthree 3 magic items.
Special: Character transformation into an Ancient involves finding an artifact-level item and working through disassembling the artifact, learning how it works, and reassembling it back into working order.
Class Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Class Features
Spells per Day
1st
+0
+0
+1
+2
Ancient Identify; Bonus Feat; Ancient Creation; Ability Enhancement; Efficiency I; Magic Item Master
+1 level of existing spell casting class
2nd
+1
+0
+1
+2
Dweomer Transfer; Cannibalize; Optimization I; Item Affinity
+1 level of existing spell casting class
3rd
+1
+0
+2
+3
Magic Item Hardening; Make Whole; Improved Permanency; Item Alteration;
+1 level of existing spell casting class
4th
+2
+1
+2
+3
Suppress Requirement; Fundamental Breakdown; Bonus Epic Feat; Magic Item Cloud
+1 level of existing spell casting class
5th
+2
+1
+3
+4
Overcharge I; Immune to Curses; Improved Recharge; Magic Item Grand Master
+1 level of existing spell casting class
6th
+3
+1
+3
+4
Optimization II; Ancient Item Familiar; Magic Item Cloud
+1 level of existing spell casting class
7th
+3
+2
+4
+5
Magic Item Body; Item Regeneration; Bonus Epic Feat
+1 level of existing spell casting class
8th
+4
+2
+4
+5
Item Absorption; Ancient Resistance; Indisputable Possession;
+1 level of existing spell casting class
9th
+4
+2
+5
+6
Disrupt Item; Compression I; Magic Item Supreme Master
+1 level of existing spell casting class
10th
+5
+3
+5
+6
Ancient Phylactery; Bonus Epic Feat;
+1 level of existing spell casting class
Class Features/Abilities:
All the following are class features of the Ancient prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The ancient gains no proficiency in any weapon or armor but retains proficiencies from before their transformation.
Ability Enhancement: The newly formed ancient gains a +6 Intelligence and +6 Wisdom Ancient bonus from the character transformation process.
Magic Item Cloud: As an Ancient enters battle, the Ancients magic items immediate spring to life, flying around him like a cloud, gaining a sort of pseudo-sentience. At first level, the Ancient can command one magic item as a free action; the item will follow basic instructions the Ancient asks them to perform. Instructing a flying shield to protect his back, instructing a wand to fire on a position on the battlefield, etc. These items have a quasi-background intelligence for their creator but are not considered intelligent items.
Cannibalize: An ancient understands the mechanics of magic items so well that they suffer no penalty or loss when salvaging a magic item for parts; the Ancient retains the complete gold piece value and experience used in the creation of the item during the cannibalization process.
Ancient Identify: An ancient gains the ability to discern all the spells and magical properties present in a magic item. Natively, you learn its functions, how to activate it, how many charges it has left, caster level, spell effects cast upon the item, etc… (all aspects, attributes, and characteristics of the item being examined. An Ancient always succeeds at this check; for Artifact+ level items, an Ancient can make a knowledge check with a bonus equal to his Ancient Level + Int Modifier + 10.
Optimization I: An Ancient has mastery of metamagic when applied to channeling its effects through magic items. A metamagic feat level increase upon a spell is reduced by one when applying a metamagic feat to create or use a magic item. This may be applied to single or multiple feats (i.e. feat chain)
Optimization II: An Ancient has mastery of metamagic when applied to channeling its effects through magic items. A metamagic feats level increase upon a spell is reduced by two when applying a metamagic feat for the purpose of creating or using a magic item. This may be applied to single or multiple feats (i.e. feat chain).
Ignore Level Limits: When an Ancient picks up a magic item that’s spell affect uses the Ancient level, not the level limit imposed on the magic item.
Ancient Creation: An ancient gain the ability to create Epic and Artifact class items. This power allows an ancient to create a magic item at 80,000gp/daytime and 1/4 the gp cost it would normally take for any ordinary caster. To meet an item’s prerequisites, an Ancient’s effective caster level equals his Ancient Class Level +6.
Magic Item Master: Any pre-epic magic item found or made by the Ancient works to optimized efficiency, while in the hands of the Ancient, it operates at the Ancients class level +2. Additionally, a pre-epic Ancient could only activate a spell-triggered item once per standard action or twice if duel-wielding wands; an Ancient with Magic Item Master can activate and perform three spell-triggered actions per standard action.
Magic Item Grand Master: Any pre-epic magic item found or made by the Ancient works to optimized efficiency, while in the hands of the Ancient, it operates at the Ancients class level +4. Like Magic Item Master, an Ancient with Magic Item Grand Master can activate perform four spell triggered actions per standard action – not to exceed their maximum number of attacks per their BAB (Base Attack Bonus).
Magic Item Supreme Master: Any pre-epic magic item found or made by the Ancient works to optimized efficiency, while in the hands of the Ancient, it operates at the Ancients class level +8. As Magic Item Master/Grand Master, an Ancient with Magic Item Supreme Master can activate as many spells triggered actions equal to the maximum number of attacks the character has in a standard action.
Fundamental Breakdown: An Ancient, upon examination of a magic item, can learn the type and quantity of ingredients and the process for creating the examined magic item. The Ancient will discover through this process the formula for creating any magic items, including other Ancient Items and Artifact class items. (He may know how to make it but not have the components to make it.)
Dweomer Transfer: An Ancient gains the ability to transfer enchantments from one item to another. An example of this is an Ancient could transfer the bonus from a +4 sword to a normal mace, turning it into a mace +4 and a nonmagical sword. In order to do this, the ancient must cast enchant an item on the item that the enchantments are being sent to. Thus, the item must be of high quality. Then, the ancient may transfer the enchantments. This power has allowed ancients to make a variety of strange new magic items.
Make Whole: This functions as mending, except that it repairs 1d6 points of damage per level when cast on a magic item, object, or construct creature (maximum 5d6). Make whole can fix destroyed magic items (at 0 hit points or less) and restore the magic properties of the item if your caster level is at least twice that of the item. Items with charges (such as wands) and single-use items (such as potions and scrolls) cannot be repaired this way. When Make Whole is used on a construct creature, the spell bypasses any immunity to magic as if the spell did not allow spell resistance.
Immune to Curses: Ancients become immune to curses. Cursed items and similar things simply are not activated when used by an ancient. Thus, an ancient could wear a necklace of strangulation without being affected by it. In addition, ancients become 18% resistant to the curses or other ill effects normally laid on artifacts. This resistance increases by 1% per level after 18th allowing them to experiment with the functions of artifacts without as much danger as most others would have.
Magic Item Hardening: At this level, an ancient gain the ability to permanently seal a magic item. This is a more powerful version of the permanency spell. An item that has been sealed with this power cannot be opened or re-enchanted. Any attempt to do so will either fail or destroy the item. The advantage to sealing an item like this is that they cannot be destroyed by area-of-effect spells or effects such as Mordenkainen’s disjunction and cannot be temporarily disabled by dispel magic or other similar effects.
Magic Item Body: At this level, an ancient can enchant his own body as if he were a magic item. All enchantments are treated as being at the level of the ancient, regardless of what level he was when they were originally placed. Many Ancients at this level enchant themselves as a receptacle, allowing them to draw power out and cast spells as if they were a normal mage.
Efficiency I (2x): An Ancient can operate his magic items with such efficiency and optimization that any magic item continuous, spell-triggered, or otherwise operates at a magnification level of 2x in all aspects of damage, range, area of effect, duration, etc…
Overcharging I(3x): At this level, an Ancient can use multiple charges from items such as wands, staves, and rods (spell trigger items). This allows them to use several functions of an item simultaneously or to magnify the power of one function. When combined with Efficiency I + OverCharging I an Ancient can achieve a 3x affect, or can release 3 different affects from say a staff.
Compression I (4x): At this level, an ancient learns to concentrate and compress enchantments. An ancient can use this ability to enchant an item that could not normally be enchanted due to lack of quality. The effective cost of such an item can be as little as half of what would normally be needed for the desired enchantments. Additionally, this power can be used to magnify an item’s enchantments by doubling its powers’ strength. When combined with Efficiency I + Over Charging I + Compression I, an Ancient can achieve a 4x effect or can release 4 different affects from an item.
Suppress Requirement: Improved form of the Artificer suppress requirement, altering a magic item that has specific requirements. A requirement may be a certain class feature, race, ability score, alignment, or other restriction to function to its fullest potential, so that it no longer carries that requirement. You must make a Use Magic Device check sufficient to emulate the requirement as if you were attempting to use the item yourself. If you succeed, the requirement is suppressed for the day.
Item Alteration: You alter an item that provides a certain type of bonus so that it provides a different type of bonus to the same value or roll. For example, you could change a ring of protection +1 so that it provided a natural armor bonus to Armor Class instead of a deflection bonus, or you could change a cloak of resistance so that it provided a circumstance bonus on saves instead of a resistance bonus. Additionally, the Ancient can choose to alter the items enchantment ability to an alternate but equal value. Switching a flaming sword, to a frost sword as an example.
Item Absorption: An ancient gain the ability to absorb energy from magic items such as potions, scrolls, rings, rods, wands, staffs, etc… Absorbing potions directly into their systems allow ancients to (drink) any number of potions without ever having to check a potions compatibility with those already used. Absorbing scrolls allow ancients to cast the spell on the scroll instantaneously at their own level rather than the scrolls. Additionally, absorbed spells have no chance for spell failure when cast. Additionally, this energy can be converted to power the Ancients energy reserve. When combining the Class Abilities: Item Absorption + Magic Item Body an Ancient can replicate the effects of a merged magic item, for as long as he wishes to hold that active enchantment.
Ancient Permanency: An ancient gain the ability to cast and improved permanency without cost to XP, or Gold.
Improved Recharge: An ancient becomes exceptional at recharging magical items with their magic. This requires 1 turn per charge restored but doesn’t require the Ancients focus or concentration. With this ability ancients can recharge items even without the proper spells. Note that this does not work on items that are not rechargeable or that require higher-level magic then the ancient can currently cast.
Indisputable Possession: Any item an Ancient creates has a bond forged between you and the object. If that item ever leaves your possession, you can call it back to your hand as a move action. Additionally, the item if stolen and wrestled away from the Ancient and is used against the Ancient in any attempt, fails to work against its creator in any form offensively, utility, healing, or defensively. The bond is severed if the item is destroyed.
Disrupt Item: An ancient can scramble the enchantments on a magic item by touching it. When touched the item must immediately make a saving throw vs. disintegration. If it fails, its magic is rendered inert, and the item essentially becomes nonmagical. An ancient with this power can repair the item restoring it’s powers given 1d4+1 turns. The power can be used greatly during combat; the ancient need only make an attack roll against ac. 10 minus any modifiers for dexterity to hit the item. Partly concealed items, such as a sheathed dagger, can incur an ac. bonus of -1 to –5 at the DM’s discretion. Items that are completely concealed, such as those in a character’s backpack, cannot be targeted. This ability extends to constructs.
Ancient Resistance: Any spell effects generated from a magic item, an Ancient has a natural resistance to their effects; based upon their deep knowledge of the items design and its use, the Ancient gets a +8 to save against effects generated from magic items, this includes constructs. If a spell effect from a magic item doesn’t normally provide a saving throw, the Ancient still receives one. (at DM’s discretion).
Ancient Item Familiar: Similar to the Item Familiar mechanic for normal casters, this class ability opens up a more powerful version, based upon Ancient abilities. This familiar is always a favored weapon, staff, or something created by the Ancient.
Item Regeneration: The ancient can make magic items which are not only more durable but that regenerate, mending both the item itself as well as its enchantments. An item so constructed gets a second saving throw against any attacks that should have destroyed it. If this saving throw is made, the item is damaged but will repair itself within a week to become fully functional again. If regeneration is required rather than simply mending itself (whether it be physical or magical), then 1d4 weeks will be required depending on how much is needed.
Ancient Phylactery: This is the ability to make a magic item a phylactery. The phylactery must be of the highest quality available and hand-crafted by the Ancient. This item holds a portion of the ancient’s life force resulting in the loss of 1d10 hit points when made. These hit points will not return unless the item is completely destroyed. As long as the item is intact, the ancient will not bleed to death and will regain 1 hit point each day until his body reaches 1 hit point, at which time he will awaken.
Creation Genesis: Through this difficult process, Ancients have discovered how to store pieces of their life force in gems; these creation gems allow the Ancients to create significantly more powerful magic items (Ancient items) with significantly less or no expensive material components. This process takes a lot out of an Ancient and some recovery time.
