Epic Prestige Class : Soulreaver
by James Jacobs, Dragon #297
Although the majority of those who belong to the Shadow Shoal are nothing more than powerful, epic-level assassins, there are a select few who are chosen by the Lord of the Shadow Shoal to become his chosen killers. These purely evil masters of slaughter are contacted in their dreams by Lascer and offered the secrets of the soulreaver; those who accept the offer wake with terrible new powers, while those who do not accept wake just long enough to scream before dying of some unknowable terror. Soulreavers quickly rise to positions of power and leadership in the Shadow Shoal as they use their new-found abilities to assassinate any who might stand in their way. Once a soulreaver has established himself in a position of power, his life is rarely comfortable. Lascer does not grant the lore of the soulreaver lightly or without reason; those to whom he offers this knowledge can expect to be called upon regularly in dreams to perform tasks and slayings for the Lord of the Shadow Shoal.
Soulreavers must be proficient assassins. Lascer often looks favorably upon those who are particularly skilled at arcane magic and at the various assassin skills. Most soulreavers are bards, rogues, sorcerers, or wizards, but monks, fighters, and rangers are not uncommon. Barbarians are generally too coarse to pique Lascer's interest, and clerics and druids are often passed over because their devotions lie elsewhere. Paladins are unable to become soulreavers, although blackguard/assassins can make particularly deadly additions to the Shadow Shoal.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Soulreaver, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any evil
- Skills: Disguise: 12 ranks, Hide: 24 ranks, Knowledge (arcana): 12 ranks, Move Silently: 24 ranks.
- Feats: Improved Critical, Epic Spellcasting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, and Two-Weapon Fighting.
- Special: The character must be able to cast 4th-level assassin spells.
Before becoming a soulreaver, the character must have been contacted by Lascer in a dream. This requires that the prospective soulreaver has already fulfilled all other feats and has successfully assassinated no less than ten targets in a single day; all of these assassinated victims must be at least CR 15. Once these prerequisites have all been met, there is a non-cumulative 1% chance each year that the prospective soulreaver is contacted by Lascer and offered the terrible secrets of the soulreaver's ways. If the prospective soulreaver is already a member of the Shadow Shoal, the chance of being contacted by Lascer rise to a 75% chance per year. If the prospective soulreaver agrees to become one of the chosen slayers of Lascer, he awakens and may take his first level of soulreaver at any point thereafter when he gains enough experience points to gain a level. If the prospective soulreaver refuses the offer or otherwise offends Lascer, he must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 57) or be slain upon awakening.
Class Skills
The soulreaver's class skills are Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcane), Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device, and Use Rope.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are features of the soulreaver prestige class.
Sneak Attack: The soulreaver's sneak attack damage increases by +1d6 every 2 levels.
Improved Assassin Spells: Once an assassin becomes a soulreaver, he may choose to prepare improved assassin spells in any available Improved Spellcasting slots. These improved spells are treated as normal assassin spells as regards to the DC to save or the methods of preparation; all improved assassin spells are based on Intelligence and are arcane spells. These spells may be chosen from the list below:
- 5th Level - ethereal jaunt, nightmare, slay living, teleport
- 6th Level - circle of death, etherealness, harm, mislead
- 7th Level - destruction, finger of death, shadow walk, teleport without error
- 8th Level - mind blank, power word kill, screen, trap the soul
- 9th Level - imprisonment, soul bind, wail of the banshee, weird
Double Death (Ex): At 2nd level, the soulreaver may declare one death attack per day to be a double death attack. When the assassin makes the death attack, the victim must make two saving throws to survive rather than just one. Every ten levels after 2nd (at 12th, 22nd, and so on), the soulreaver can make a double death attack an additional time each day.
Bonus Feats: The soulreaver gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic assassin feats) every 4 levels.
Vampiric Death (Su): At 6th level, the soulreaver may declare a single death attack to be a vampiric death attack, up to once per day. If the death attack successfully slays the victim, the assassin absorbs a tiny portion of the departing soul's life energies and gains a +6 profane bonus to his Strength and Constitution and +6d6 temporary hit points for the next hour. Every ten levels after 6th (at 16th, 26th, and so on), the soulreaver may make a vampiric death attack one additional time each day. This cannot be combined with the double death ability.
Sudden Death (Ex): At 10th level, the soulreaver can draw upon the unholy energies of his imprisoned master to strike with blinding speed with a death attack. This death attack is a full-round action, but it does not require the assassin to spend 3 rounds studying his victim; the attack must still be a sneak attack, however. Every ten levels thereafter (20th, 30th, and so on), the soulreaver may make a sudden death attack an additional time each day.
| Soulreaver | Hit Die: d6 |
|---|---|
| CL | Special |
| 1st | Sneak attack +1d6, improved assassin spells and Double death 1/day |
| 3rd | Sneak attack +2d6 |
| 4th | Bonus feat |
| 5th | Sneak attack +3d6 |
| 6th | Vampiric death |
| 7th | Sneak attack +4d6 |
| 8th | Bonus feat |
| 9th | Sneak attack +5d6 |
| 10th | Sudden death 1/day |
Source: Epic Level Handbook