General Prestige Class : Master of Chains
The master of chains is a combatant specializing in the use of chains - specifically the spiked chain - as a weapon. They usually have a sinister aura about them, and are never completely good. They use chains as tools of terror and intimidation as much as weapons. Along with their use of chains, they are good with locks as well.
Fighters are best equipped to become masters of chains, although rogues, rangers, and barbarians make excellent members of this rare, frightening group as well.
A master of chains often creates a lair underground filled with chains on the ground and hanging from the ceiling. Whole rooms of rattling chains suspended from above create an unnerving and dangerous setting for their foes. Members of this prestige class usually do not work together, although a master of chains gladly teams up with those of other classes for mutual benefit. Due to their similar affinities, these individuals often ally themselves with the outsiders known as kytons.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Master of Chains, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any non-good.
- Skills: Escape Artist 6 ranks, Open Lock 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks.
- Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Weapon Focus (spiked chain), Weapon Specialization (spiked chain).
- Ability Score: Int 13+ (required for Expertise).
Class Skills
The master of chains' class skills are Balance, Climb, Craft (metalworking), Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, and Open Lock.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The master of chains is proficient with no weapons, and no type of armor or shield.
Scare: By rattling his chains as a standard action, the master can induce fear in a creature as the spell of the same name, using his class level as the caster level (see the Player's Handbook). The master can use this extraordinary ability only once per day
Climb Fighting: If master of chains is climbing on a rope or a chain, he suffers no penalty to attacks and foes gain no bonus to attack him, rather than the master of chains losing his Dexterity modifier while climbing and his enemy gaining a +2 on attack rolls against the master of chains. If the master of chains is hanging from a chain that has the ability to swing more than five feet, he can use that to his advantage and gain a +2 dodge AC bonus.
Superior Weapon Focus: Stacking on top of any existing Weapon Focus bonus, this ability grants a master of chains an additional +1 to attack rolls with a spiked chain.
Chain Bind: At 4th level, the master of chains can use his weapon and a quick application of a lock (the whole process requiring a full-round action) to bind a single Small, Medium, or Large creature. This should be treated as an attack with a net, except that the Escape Artist check to escape has a DC of 25, and the burst DC is 30. A chain at least 10 feet long is required to accomplish this. If it is a spiked chain, the entangled creature suffers 1 point of damage per round while entangled unless they remain motionless.
Chain Armor: At 5th level, a master of chains can wrap himself in chains (as long as he has at least 20 feet of chain) to provide him with a +5 armor bonus to AC. For him, there is only a -2 maneuver penalty, no max Dex modifier, and a 30% arcane spell failure chance. Speed is nor affected.
Double Chain: At 5th level, the master of chains can choose to use a spiked chain as a double weapon instead of a weapon with reach. (Each round, he can switch how he uses it.)
Extra Lash: At 6th level, a master of chains inflicts an additional +1d6 points of damage with a spiked chain, slashing the foe with extra slack in the chain. He must use the full attack action to use this ability
Deflect Attacks: As a move-equivalent action, a 6th-level master of chains can use a spinning chain to provide a +4 deflection AC bonus against all attacks coming in from a chosen 180-degree arc. This is an extraordinary ability
Superior Weapon Specialization: Stacking on top of any existing weapon specialization bonus, this adds an additional +2 to all damage rolls made with a chain or spiked chain.
Superior Spiked Chain: At 8th level, the master of chains can modify his spiked chain so that it leaves cruel barbs behind in the targets it strikes. Using the chain in this way causes victims to bleed 1 hit point per round until a successful Heal check is used to bind the wounds (DC 15) or until magical healing is applied to them. It costs 25 gp to modify a chain in this manner, and 10 gp to add new spikes once the modified chain has been used five times. (After five uses, the modified chain can be used as a normal spiked chain.) Only 8th level and above masters of chains can make and use these specially modified weapons properly - in anyone else's hands they are simply spiked chains.
Swinging Attack: At 9th level, as a full-round action, the master of chains can wrap the end of his chain around an overhead object (something that can sustain his weight) and swing at any target within 10 feet. The foe so attacked is treated as flat-footed and the master gains a +2 attack bonus and inflicts +3d6 damage with this single attack (only one attack is allowed).
Chain Mastery: As a supernatural ability, the master of chains can animate a chain (as the spell animate rope, but with chains) of up to 50 feet in length for 10 rounds. The master of chains can use this ability three times per day plus a number of times equal to his Charisma bonus.
| Master of Chains | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Scare |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Climb fighting |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Superior Weapon Focus |
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Chain bind |
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Chain armor, double chain |
| 6th | +6 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Deflect attacks |
| 7th | +7 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Superior Weapon Specialization |
| 8th | +8 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Superior barbed chain |
| 9th | +9 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Swinging attack |
| 10th | +10 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Chain mastery |
Source: Sword and Fist