General Prestige Class : Defiant
Even among the zealous Athar, a special few are regarded with awe and respect for their dedication to the cause. These individuals, called defiants, once worshiped divine beings for power but turned from the path. They now take the teaching of the Athar to heart in a way that grants them tremendous powers against those who claim to wield divine might.
Clerics who are not affiliated with a particular deity make good defiants, as do druids, monks, rangers, and other individuals who live their lives in passionate dedication to a set of beliefs. Paladins and clerics who lose faith in their patron deities may become defiants, particularly if they have come to question the validity of their former benefactor's claim to the title of "god."
As NPCs, defiants work to shake the populace's belief the gods. They take any opportunity to prove that the deities that most people worship are actually only mortals with access to incredible powers. They disrupt religious ceremonies, engage in activities that draw divinity into question, and harangue well-known servants of the gods.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Defiant, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks
- Base Will Save Bonus: +5
- Special: Defiants cannot worship any deity or have one as a patron. Any character who has any connection to a god, demigod, or other divine entity must renounce that connection before taking a level in this prestige class. A paladin or cleric of a specific god cannot become defiant until the character renounces all belief and faith in the deity, becoming an ex-cleric or ex-paladin and losing all spells and class features except for armor and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. This restriction does not affect clerics who worship a cause or a nonpersonified source of divine magic.
Class Skills
The defiant's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Profession, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the defiant prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Defiants gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spell Resistance (Su): A defiant gains spell resistance equal to 15 + class level against all divine mind-affecting spells. He cannot voluntarily lower this spell resistance. This benefit does not stack with other sources of spell resistance. When a defiant is the target of a divine mind-affecting spell, he uses his highest spell resistance value.
Divine Resistance (Su): At 2nd level and higher, a defiant adds his Charisma modifier (if positive) to his saving throws against divine spells.
Divine Damage Immunity (Su): At 3rd level, a defiant gains immunity to damage from divine power, such as that dealt by a flame strike spell.
Divine Cancellation (Ex): At 4th level, a defiant learns how to counterspell divine spells without casting a spell. The defiant must ready an action to counterspell (as normal), but need not identify the spell with Spellcraft. Treat this ability as if the defiant were using dispel magic to counter the spell, at a caster level of 5 + the defiant's class level. A defiant can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Aligned Strike (Su): A defiant of 5th level or higher can, with a touch, align a weapon or natural weapon so that it is treated as of a specific alignment for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The defiant can choose any alignment (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful), even if that alignment opposes his own. He may not use this ability on any weapon that already has an alignment. He can use this ability once per day at 5th level and twice per day at 10th level. Each use lasts for a number of minutes equal to his class level.
Divine Prevention (Su): Once per day, a defiant of 6th level or higher can use a standard action to bestow temporary spell resistance (15 + class level) upon a single target. The spell resistance affects only the next divine spell targeted at the subject, even a beneficial spell such as bless or cure light wounds. If the target has not used the spell resistance within 24 hours, it fades. If the target is unwilling, the defiant must make a successful touch attack as a standard action. If the attack succeeds, the target must attempt a Will saving throw (DC 10 + defiant's class level + defiant's Cha modifier). If the saving throw fails, the spell resistance takes effect.
Nondetection (Su): At 7th level, a defiant gains the continuous benefit of a nondetection spell as though cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the defiant's class level. The DC of any attempt to break through the effect is equal to 15 + the defiant's class level. A defiant can choose to suppress this ability. Suppressing or reestablishing it is a free action.
Divine Retribution (Su): Ar 8th level, a defiant expands the versatility of his divine cancellation ability. If he successfully counters a divine spell, the defiant may cause the spell to rebound at the original caster instead of causing it to fail. This ability can be used only against divine spells that target the defiant, not spells that affect an area or those that target another creature.
Divine Interference (Su): At 9th level, a defiant's connection to the Great Unknown becomes so strong that he generates a field that interferes with all divine spellcasting. Any spellcaster within 30 feet of the defiant must succeed on a Concentration check (DC i~ + defiant's class level + spell level) in order to successfully cast a divine spell. If the check fails, the spell fails and is lost. A defiant cannot choose to suppress this ability.
Divine Disavowal (Su): At 10th level, a defiant's spell resistance extends to cover all divine spells. He cannot voluntarily lower this spell resistance. This benefit does not stack with other sources of spell resistance. When a defiant is the target of a divine spell, he uses his highest spell resistance value.
| Defiant | Hit Die: d8 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Spell resistance |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Divine resistance |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Divine damage immunity |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Divine cancellation |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Aligned strike |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Divine prevention |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Nondetection |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Divine retribution |
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Divine interference |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Divine disavowal |
Fallen Clerics
Clerics who have turned away from their deities make the best defiants. They have heard the lies, and even believed them for a time, which makes them extremely effective at speaking out against their previous beliefs. A cleric who worshiped a specific deity (as opposed to an alignment, cause, or philosophy) before taking a level in the defiant prestige class can immediately exchange up to nine of his cleric class levels in exchange for an equal number of defiant levels. For example, a 7th-level cleric/1st-level fighter who takes a level of defiant can exchange all his cleric levels for defiant levels, becoming a 1st-level fighter/8th-level defiant. His skill ranks remain the same (even though his class skill list changes), and future skill points gained are spent using only the character's current class skill lists. This is likely a profitable trade for an ex-cleric, since he has given up his cleric class features in order to qualify for the defiant class.
In addition, the character gains extra benefits based on the number of cleric levels traded in. These benefits are cumulative.
One or More levels: The defiant can heal his own wounds as a supernatural ability. Each day, he can heal a number of points of damage equal to his defiant class level his Cha modifier, and he can spread this healing out among several uses.
Three or More levels: The defiant can imbue himself with enhanced strength, health, insight, or force of personality three times per day as a supernatural ability. He gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma for a number of minutes equal to his defiant class level.
Five or More levels: Once per day, the defiant can grant himself the supernatural ability to speak and understand the language of any intelligent creature. This ability lasts for 1 hour and otherwise functions like the tongues spell.
Seven or More levels: The defiant can use dismissal as a spell-like ability twice per day.
Nine or More levels: The defiant can use plane shift as a spell-like ability three times per day.
Ex-Defiants
Being a defiant means believing in and practicing a strict policy of non-worship. A true defiant will never do any of the following:
- Use the name of any deity as part of an oath or curse. (The Athar do sometimes use the term "Great Unknown" in this manner.)
- Use a holy symbol or holy water for any purpose. (This includes symbols of any deity or water of any alignment.)
- Read or quote from any holy books.
- Be the willing subject of a spell cast by a cleric, paladin, or other divine spellcaster who claims to draw her power from any specific deity.
Performing these actions, or other similar activities, causes the defiant to lose all special abilities granted by this prestige class. He cannot thereafter gain levels as a defiant until he atones (see the atonement spell description, bearing in mind that the atonement must be cast by an active Athar in the name of the Great Unknown).
Source: Planar Handbook