General Prestige Class : Mystic Keeper of Corellon Larethian
by Anna Serfass, Dragon #329
Corellon Larethian's teachings focus on protecting the elven race through magic and warfare. Mystic keepers uphold these principles, devoting themselves to the preservation and advancement of elven life and art. They often travel the world, defending elves wherever they find them and spreading elven culture where it is needed.
Most mystic keepers of Corellon Larethian begin as clerics or rangers. Paladins are attracted to this class as well, although many find that the devotion required of a paladin is difficult enough. Multiclass cleric/fighters are also common. Cleric/sorcerers and cleric/wizards are rarely mystic keepers, finding the class's focus a bit too martial, but a few can be found among their numbers.
NPC mystic keepers are often travelers and can be found almost anywhere elves flourish. They commonly serve as advisors and magic-wielding warriors within elven realms.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Mystic Keeper of Corellon Larethian, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Race: Elf or half-elf
- Skills: Concentration 10 ranks, Perform (dance) 2 ranks
- Feats: Still Spell, Weapon Finesse.
- Base Attack Bonus: +5
- Spells: Able to cast divine spells.
- Patron Deity: Corellon Larethian.
Class Skills
The mystic keeper of Corellon Larethian's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Perform, Profession, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the mystic keeper of Corellon Larethian prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mystic keepers gain no new proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day: At 2nd level, and every even level thereafter, a mystic keeper gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He 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 he adds half the level of mystic keeper 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 he became a mystic keeper, he must decide to which class he adds each even-numbered level of mystic keeper for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Sacred Arcana: Upon adopting the mystic keeper class, the character gains access to the Magic domain. The mystic keeper gains the granted power associated with the domain, and can choose spells in that domain as his daily domain spells. A character with the Magic domain can use spell completion and spell trigger items as a wizard of one half his divine caster level.
Intuition (Ex): While wielding a longsword, a mystic keeper gains preternatural defensive skills in combat. At 2nd level, he gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level and to +3 at 10th level. The mystic keeper loses this dodge bonus when fighting in heavy armor. A condition that causes the mystic keeper to lose his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class also makes him lose this dodge bonus.
Divine Instrument (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a mystic keeper can imbue his longsword with any prepared spell of 1st level or lower that specifies a target other than you. When the mystic keeper reaches 7th level, the imbued spell can be 3rd level or lower. The spell must be cast normally, which provokes an attack of opportunity. Imbuing a weapon requires the expenditure of a spell's normal material components or XP costs, and the longsword must be in hand to be imbued. Thus, a mystic keeper wielding a longsword in one hand and a heavy shield in the other could not activate this ability, just as he could not cast a spell.
A weapon imbued with a spell can hold the charge for up to 1 hour, after which time it dissipates harmlessly. Any time the mystic keeper deals damage with the imbued weapon, the mystic keeper can immediately expend the spell on the struck creature as a free action. (This special ability is an exception to the general rule that casting a spell from an item takes at least as long as casting that spell normally.) The target receives a saving throw and benefits from spell resistance normally (if applicable). The spell affects only the creature struck, even if it could target multiple creatures. If the attack misses, the spell cannot be discharged. A sword cannot hold more than one spell at a time in this manner. This ability cannot be used on a sword with the spell storing ability.
This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to one-half the mystic keeper's class level.
Protective Ward (Su): At 4th level, a mystic keeper can generate a protective ward for 1 hour as the granted power of the Protection domain, adding his divine spellcaster levels to his mystic keeper level to determine the resistance bonus. If the mystic keeper already has this granted power, he adds his mystic keeper levels as stated above and can use this ability one extra time per day. At 8th level, a mystic keeper can use this ability an additional two times per day.
Sacred Force: At 5th level, a mystic keeper chooses one divine spell of 4th level or lower from one of Corellon Larethian's domains (Chaos, Good, Protection, and War). This becomes a spell-like ability that he can use once per day in addition to his normal spells. The mystic keeper does not use any components when casting the spell, although a spell that costs XP still does so and a spell with a costly material component instead costs him 5 times that amount in XP. This spell cannot be changed once chosen.
Spell Reflection (Su): At 9th level, a mystic keeper can reflect spells with his deity's favored weapon. Once per day as a standard action, when the mystic keeper is wielding a longsword, he can reflect a spell back at the caster. This works much the same as spell turning, but the mystic keeper can reflect only one spell, regardless of its level. The mystic keeper must choose the spell to be reflected before the spell's effect is resolved and before he makes a saving throw against the spell, should one be required. If he attempts to reflect a spell that cannot be reflected (an effect or area spell, or one with a range of touch), the attempt is ignored. If the spell is reflected back at a caster who also has a spell turning effect, the spell once again rebounds to the mystic keeper who is then affected by the spell normally.
| Mystic Keeper of Corellon Larethian | Hit Die: d8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Sacred arcana | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Intuition +1 | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Divine instrument | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Protective ward 1/day | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Sacred force | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Divine instrument | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Intuition +2 | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Protective ward 3/day | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Spell reflection | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Intuition +3 | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
Source: Dragon #328