General Prestige Class : Dungeon Lord
It is said that the lich knows every stone in his infernal hold, and that any who dare to enter provoke his wrath. He can stroll through traps that would crush any other, and glide through the darkness while calling out doom. That dungeon is his domain, his home, and there is no way to defeat him in its halls. - From the tale of Virdangast, dungeon lord
Some creatures become so familiar with their home that they can navigate it with their eyes closed and are attuned to the smallest change. Intruders tread on dangerous ground, facing a foe with a significant edge. When the home is a dungeon, the result is a dungeon lord. Undisputed masters of their environment; dungeon lords possess a supernatural awareness of their home and a fierce desire to crush those who dare to invade it.
Although the entry requirements for the dungeon lord prestige class are relatively simple, aspirants must have complete familiarity with one entire, specific dungeon environment. This requirement excludes most adventurers from the class and opens it up to creatures that actually live in the dungeon. Although the abilities of a dungeon lord do not add to a creature's spellcasting progression or other typical class features, they grant impressive powers in relation to dungeons, making this prestige class ideal for a number of monsters.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Dungeon Lord, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Race: Must be an aberration, dragon, fey, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, outsider, or undead. Alternatively, humanoids of the goblinoid and kobold subtype can enter this class.
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Special: Intelligence 10 or higher.
Special: Ability to cast spells, or any spell-like or supernatural ability.
Special: Complete familiarity with the chosen dungeon environment and knowledge of the contents of every chamber (including other inhabitants, doors, traps, hidden objects, and all magical and mechanical effects).
Class Skills
The dungeon lord's class skills are Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Spot, Swim, and Use Rope.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
A dungeon lord's abilities depend on the specific dungeon environment, which must have a clearly defined area (such as an entire dungeon complex or one particularly large level). You can be familiar with only one dungeon at a time. If you are forced to leave your dungeon, none of the class abilities provided by this prestige class will function. Should you be driven out of your dungeon permanently, you can designate another. Typically, the level of familiarity needed requires at least two months of study and exploration, but it can take much longer, at the DM's discretion.
Dungeon Mastery (Ex): Your familiarity with the dungeon is so complete that you know its entire layout by memory. While inside your dungeon, you can move at normal speed when unable to see and when crossing difficult terrain. You can move through any trap in the dungeon without triggering it, unless you choose to set it off. You automatically notice any difference to any chamber in your dungeon (such as a chair that is out of place, a bookshelf that has been reorganized, or an area of dust that has been disturbed). You also receive a +8 bonus on Survival checks made to track creatures in your dungeon.
In addition, you can open or close any door or secret door in your dungeon as a free action.
Horde Lord (Ex): You share your knowledge of the dungeon with the minions you command. Your allies gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls while you live and they are within the dungeon. When you attain 5th level, the bonus increases to +2.
Dungeon Step (Su): At 2nd level, you gain the ability to use dimension door to travel to any location in your dungeon. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). You cannot take others with you when you use this ability. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your Hit Dice.
Complete Awareness (Su): At 3rd level, you gain complete awareness of your dungeon. You can use clairvoyance/clairaudience at will to view any chamber in the dungeon. In addition, you receive a mental alarm, as the alarm spell, whenever anyone enters the dungeon. This alarm tells you the location at which the intruder entered, but it gives no other details. Your caster level for these effects is equal to your Hit Dice.
Dungeon Minions (Ex): At 3rd level, you share your mastery of the dungeon with your allies. They can open and close doors and secret doors in the dungeon as free actions. They ignore difficult terrain within the dungeon that is caused by persistent, enduring features, such as rubble, cracks in the floor, and so forth. A newly introduced obstacle, such as an overturned cartload of apples, does not fall into this category.
Animate Objects (Sp): Beginning at 4th level, you can cause the dungeon itself to rise up against intruders. Once per day, you can cast animate objects on any object in the dungeon. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your Hit Dice.
Dungeon Defender (Ex): At 5th level, you become the unquestioned master of your dungeon. You defend it with the righteous fury of one whose cherished home is threatened. When you face intruders within your dungeon, you gain immunity to fear effects, and you gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and checks. In addition, the DC of the save against any spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability you use increases by 1.
Leadership: At 5th level, you gain Leadership as a bonus feat. If you already have the feat, you gain a +4 bonus to your Leadership score.
| Dungeon Lord | Hit Die: d8 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Dungeon mastery, horde lord +1 |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Dungeon step |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Complete awareness, dungeon minions |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Animate objects |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Dungeon defender, horde lord +2, Leadership |
Dungeon Lord Lore
Characters who have the bardic knowledge ability or ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering) can research dungeon lords to learn more about them. When a character succeeds on a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. Lore about a specific dungeon lord can be learned only with a Knowledge check appropriate to that type of creature (such as Knowledge [the planes] for an outsider).
- DC 10: Some creatures dwell in a dungeon for so that they become intimately familiar with all its details. These creatures are known as dungeon lords.
- DC 15: Dungeon lords are masters of their environment. Their strong connection to their dungeons allows the to know when anything is out of place.
- DC 20: Powerful dungeon lords can sense intruder: turn the dungeon to attack them. Outside the dungeon though, their abilities are greatly diminished.
- DC 25: A dungeon lord can move about its lair a will and spy on intruders. Reckless explorers should prepare to face a mighty foe who knows everything about them and can strike at any time.
Source: Dungeonscape