Al-Qadim Prestige Class : Barber
In the Land of Fate, the barber is traditionally a healer, a groom, and much more. A master of prattle and gossip, she primps and preens her clients while gleaning information of all kinds. At times subtle and at others flamboyant, the barber is without doubt a true performer. She is a skilled healer and alchemist capable of concocting aromatic colognes and deadly poisons. Barbers are known to be the intimates of both royalty and peasantry, and their close contact with those in power makes them the envy of many.
The path of the barber tends to be most attractive to bards and rogues, since they often focus on the necessary social skills. More than a few assassins have also taken up the razor, and barbers occasionally turn to the blood trade as well. After all, who would be in a better position to slice the throat of a noble or merchant than the person shaving him? Sorcerers and wizards rarely pursue this path, since it does nothing to augment their spellcasting abilities.
NPC barbers are most often encountered while plying their trade. They can serve as sources of information for PCs, or as spies for the opposition. Occasionally, they even appear as masterminds of schemes foul or fair within the Land of Fate.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Barber, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Bluff 5 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks, Disguise 5 ranks, Gather Information 8 ranks, Heal 2 ranks, Profession (barber) 2 ranks.
- Feats: Investigator or Negotiator.
- Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Class Skills
The barber's class skills are Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disguise, Forgery, Gather Information, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Listen, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, and Spot.
Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the barber prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Barbers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Gentle Touch (Ex): The touch of the barber is the hallmark of her trade. At 1st level, she learns to calm her clients with a caress that is soothing yet not intrusive. Whenever a barber can make physical contact with a creature of Intelligence 3 or higher, the barber doubles her Charisma bonus when making Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Perform checks against that creature. A barber also gains a +2 bonus on any Sleight of Hand checks made against a person she's touching.
Craft Tonics (Ex): In their mundane jobs, barbers must make hair tonics, lotions, and shaving creams. They are able to apply this talent to such a degree that they can use the Craft (alchemy) skill even if they don't have any spellcasting abilities.
Poison Use: Barbers are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
Save Bonus against Poison: Barbers train with poisons and slowly grow more resistant to their effects. At 2nd level, barbers gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against poisons. This bonus increases at every additional barber level.
Charm Person (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a barber's tongue is sharper than her blade. A barber of this level or higher may use charm person as a spell-like ability. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Charisma bonus (at least once per day). If the barber touches the target when using this ability, the save DC increases by +2.
Chameleon (Ex): The barber can fall into the role of whatever disguise she may adopt, and can aid those whom she disguises to act more believably in their adopted roles. The barber receives a +2 morale bonus on Disguise checks to act in character. Furthermore, anyone wearing a disguise the barber creates also gains a +2 morale bonus on Disguise checks to act in character, as the barber ably details how to act when in the disguise.
Potent Tonics (Su): By 4th level, the barber's poison mastery has reached its peak. She knows how to brew more potent poisons and also how to properly apply them for maximum effect. Damage-dealing poisons the barber creates and applies deal additional damage equal to i point per die rolled. Thus, a poison that normally deals 3d6 points of Constitution damage instead deals 3d6+3 points of Constitution damage when created and applied by the barber. A damage dealing poison that only deals point of ability damage deals 2 points of damage instead. Poisons with non-damaging effects have their durations increased by 1 additional die. Thus, paralysis from a potent tonic poison lasts for 3d6 minutes and unconsciousness lasts for 2d3 hours, instead of the normal 2d6 minutes or 1d3 hours, respectively. This ability does not work with poisons the barber uses that she didn't create, nor for others who might use a poison she creates.
Suggestion (Sp): At 5th level, a barber's guile and wordcraft is so strong she can ably coerce others. A barber of this level or higher may use the spell suggestion as a spell-like ability. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (at least once per day). If the barber touches the target when using this ability, the save DC increases by +2.
| Barber | Hit Die: d8 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Gentle touch, craft tonics, poison use |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Charm person, +1 save against poison |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Chameleon, +2 save against poison |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Potent tonics, +3 save against poison |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Suggestion, +4 save against poison |
Source: Dragon #321