General Prestige Class : Chimeric Champion of Garl Glittergold

by Anna Serfass, Dragon #329

Chimeric champions epitomize gnome ingenuity and trickery. They specialize in illusion and the art of item creation. Such gnomes are usually fun-loving tricksters with active imaginations. Believing that the world is only what you make of it, they spread their arts among the gnome community and to others they consider deserving.

Chimeric champions are most often clerics or multiclassed cleric/bards, cleric/sorcerers, or cleric/wizards (often cleric/illusionists). Druids and rangers are rarely attracted to this prestige class, lacking the necessary resources to focus on alchemy and item creation. Other classes almost never follow this path.

NPC chimeric champions are extremely devoted to preserving gnome ways of life. They protect their communities with their magic and take it upon themselves to keep the mood light and morale high. They are usually the first to greet new visitors to the community.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Chimeric Champion of Garl Glittergold, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:

Class Skills

The chimeric champion of Carl Glittergold's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Profession, and Spellcraft.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the chimeric champion of Gari Glittergold prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Chimeric champions gain no new proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day: Whenever a chimeric champion level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class she belonged to before adding the prestige class. She does not however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or rebuking undead, improved animal companions, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of chimeric champion to the level of whatever divine spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly. If the character had more than one divine spellcasting class before she became a chimeric champion, she must decide to which class she adds each level of chimeric champion for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Sense Illusion (Ex): A chimeric champion is extraordinarily sensitive to the presence of illusion magic. She is entitled to an immediate Will save merely by coming within 10 feet of any illusion (figment) spell or effect if the spell allows a saving throw She is not required to study or interact with it. If the chimeric champion fails this save, she receives another save when studying or interacting with the figment as normal.

Scribe Illusion (Su): A chimeric champion can create scrolls as if she had access to all arcane spells from the illusion school. Any spell scribed in this way can be of a spell level up to one level lower than the maximum divine spell level she can cast. A chimeric champion does not have to prepare the spell to scribe the scroll. Instead, she must leave one spell slot (of the appropriate level) open when scribing a scroll not on her spell list. She must still provide all the normal material components or focuses if needed. Any scroll made in this way is usable by the chimeric champion as if the spell was on her spell list. For example, a 7th-level cleric/ 1st-level chimeric champion casts spells as an 8th-level cleric. She is capable of casting 4th-level spells, so she can scribe any one arcane illusion spell of 3rd level or lower.

Brew Illusion (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a chimeric champion can create potions as if the had access to all arcane spells from the illusion school. Any potion brewed in this way can be of a spell level up to one level lower than the maximum divine spell level she can cast. A chimeric champion does not have to prepare the spell to brew the potion. Instead, she must leave one spell slot (of the appropriate level) open when brewing a potion not on her spell list. She must still provide all the normal material components or focuses if needed. For example, a 7th-level cleric/3rd-level chimeric champion casts spells as a 10th-level cleric. She is capable of casting 5th-level or lower spells, so she can brew a potion from one arcane illusion spell of 4th level or lower.

Boon of Illusion (Sp): Staffing at 5th level, a chimeric champion becomes so familiar with illusion magic that she gains the ability to cast an arcane spell of the illusion school once per day as a spell-like ability. Upon reaching 5th level, the champion selects one 1st-level arcane illusion spell to gain as a spell-like ability. Once this spell is selected, the choice cannot be changed. Note that this spell selection does not take up any of the chimeric champion's existing spell slots.

At 7th level, the chimeric champion's powers of illusion grow stronger, as she gains access to more powerful illusion magic. She now selects an additional 1st-level arcane illusion spell to gain as a spell-like ability. In addition, the champion may also select one arcane illusion spell of 2nd level and add it to her list of spell-like abilities. She can use these three spell-like abilities each once per day.

Finally, at 9th level, the chimeric champions knowledge of illusion magic reaches its peak. She chooses an additional 2nd-level arcane illusion spell to cast as a spell-like ability, and she also chooses one 3rd-level arcane illusion spell to cast as a spell-like ability. Each of these new abilities can be used once per day.

Each of these spell-like abilities is used as if by a caster of the chimeric champion's character level. The save DC for any of these spell-like abilities is 10 + the chimeric champion's class level + Cha modifier.

Imbue Illusion (Su): Beginning at 9th level, a chimeric champion can create magic items of any type for which she has the appropriate item creation feat that require arcane spells from the illusion school. She can create an item that requires a spell up to one level lower than the maximum divine spell level she can cast. She must meet all other requirements for the item. Any item made in this way requiring spell trigger activation is usable by the chimeric champion as if the spell was on her spell list. For example, a 7th-level cleric/9th-level chimeric champion casts spells as a 16th-level cleric. She is capable of casting 8th or lower-level spells, so she can use any one arcane illusion spell of 7th or lower level that she does not ordinarily have access to for the purpose of creating a magic item.

Although the spell chosen comes from the arcane spell list, items that generate spell effects (such as wands) are considered to produce divine magic.

Shadow Axe of Glittergold (Sp): At 10th level, the chimeric champion can summon a glowing, floating battleaxe to fight for her twice per day as a standard action. This axe remains in existence for 10 rounds once summoned. The axe acts as a Mordenkainen's sword spell except it takes the shape of a battleaxe composed of pure force. Also, the axe's attack bonus is equal to the chimeric champions caster level + her Wisdom modifier (as opposed to her Intelligence or Charisma modifier), with the additional +3 enhancement bonus described in the Mordenkainen's sword spell. The axe deals 4d6+3 points of force damage, with a threat range of 20 and a critical multiplier of x3.

The shadow axe is not entirely like Mordenkainen's sword, however. It is actually a shadow effect. A creature struck by the battleaxe can make a Will save (DC 10 + the champions class level + her Wisdom modifier) to disbelieve the effect. Success indicates the target of the axe's attack takes only half damage.

Chimeric ChampionHit Die: d8
CLBABFortRefWillSpecialSpells
1st+0+2+0+2Sense illusion, scribe illusion+1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd+1+3+0+3-+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd+2+3+1+3Brew illusion+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th+3+4+1+4-+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th+3+4+1+4Boon of illusion+1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th+4+5+2+5-+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th+5+5+2+5Boon of illusion+1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th+6+6+2+6-+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th+6+6+3+6Boon of illusion, imbue illusion+1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th+7+7+3+7Shadow axe of Glittergold+1 level of existing spellcasting class

Source: Dragon #328

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