General Prestige Class : Purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine
The holy warriors and miracle-workers known as purifiers of the Hallowed Doctrine represent the primary line of defense between the spreading horror and malevolence that is taint and the innocent people - and possibly even gods themselves - who would suffer if it goes unchecked. Although no less devoted and faithful than the clerics and paladins from which most of them come, purifiers of the Hallowed Doctrine consider themselves servants not of gods but of the spiritual well-being of the world itself. They wield divine energies in ways nobody else can, and they stand stalwart against the greatest corruption and depravity that evil itself has to offer. Few followers of the Hallowed Doctrine live to old age - only those willing to sacrifice their own lives for the sake of those around them ever take up the purifier's mantle; many are the innocent lives and souls spared a horrible fate by the purifiers' efforts.
The path of the cleric is the most direct route toward becoming a purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine. The faith required of that class, the call to service, and the ability to channel positive energies all grant a purifier the tools needed to succeed in pursuing the Hallowed Doctrine. Paladins also step easily into the role of the purifier, although some find it difficult to narrow their focus from battling all varieties of evil to focusing primarily on taint and tainted creatures. Charisma (for the manipulation of positive energy and use with interpersonal skills) and Wisdom (for spell use and Will saves) are key abilities for purifiers. Constitution is also important for resisting corruption.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any good alignment or true neutral
- Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks
- Feats: Pure Soul,
- Special: Ability to turn undead
Class Skills
The purifier's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Profession, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Purifiers of the Hallowed Doctrine gain spellcasting ability more slowly than do clerics, but they grow ever more potent at resisting and even nullifying taint, battling tainted creatures, and protecting those around them. They also gain lesser abilities against evil creatures in general.
Tainted Creatures: For purposes of your special abilities, a tainted creature includes any creature with a corruption or depravity score of 1 or more, any creature with a tainted feat, and any creature that has the ability to bestow corruption or depravity on another creature.
Spellcasting: At every odd-numbered level, you gain new spell levels and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class you belonged to before you added the prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other class benefit a character of that class would have gained. Determine spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
If you had more than one divine spellcasting class before you became a purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine, you must decide to which class to add each level of purifier for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Aura of Purity (Ex): You radiate an aura of holiness, making it difficult for you to hide your true nature. Tainted creatures need only succeed on a Spot check (DC 20 minus your purifier class level) to recognize you for what you are (or at least as a threat).
Detect Taint (Sp): At will, you can use detect taint.
Turn Undead (Su): Your purifier class levels stack with any cleric or paladin levels you might have for purposes of turning undead.
Lay on Hands (Su): Starting at 2nd level, you can lay on hands as a paladin of your class level. If you also have paladin levels, these levels stack.
Smite Taint (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, you can smite tainted creatures as a paladin smites evil. If you have another smite ability, such as a paladin's ability to smite evil, you can choose as need dictates to use that power to smite taint instead of the power's original target.
You gain additional uses of this power at higher levels (2/day at 6th level and 3/day at 9th level).
Aura of Sanctity (Su): Starting at 4th level, all allies within 10 feet of you gain a +2 sacred bonus on saves made to resist acquiring taint.
This bonus rises to +4 when you reach 10th level.
Turn Tainted (Su): At 5th level, you can turn any tainted creature as though it were an undead equal to the creatures HD +4.
Purify Soul (Su): Beginning at 6th level, you can cure a living being of 1 point of corruption or depravity by touching that individual and spending a use of your turn undead ability. Unwilling creatures can attempt saving throws to resist: This is a Fortitude save if you are trying to cure them of corruption and a Will save if you are trying to cure them of depravity. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + your purifier class level + your Charisma modifier. This ability cannot remove so much corruption or depravity that it would move the target creature down to a lower taint category. Creatures who are innately tainted (that is, creatures whose monster entries in this or another book describe them as possessing corruption or depravity scores, tainted feats, or the ability to bestow taint) are unaffected.
At 8th level, your purifying touch improves and henceforward cures 2 points of corruption or depravity per touch; at 10th level this improves still further to cure 3 points per touch.
Cleansing Flame (Su): Starting at 7th level, three times per day you can cast any offensive spell against a tainted creature as though it were maximized (as per the metamagic fear), without preparing in advance to do so and without increasing the effective spell slot of the spell. The spell functions as maximized only against tainted creatures; against any other creature in its area it functions normally.
Shield of Purity (Su): At 8th level, you can surround yourself and your companions with a shield of holy energy. This effect covers up to a 10-foot radius around you. Any creature with even a single point of taint cannot enter this area, and all within gain a +6 sacred bonus on saves against spells or magical attacks made by tainted creatures from a distance. This effect requires you to spend a use of your turn undead ability to activate and lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
| Purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine | Hit Die: d8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Aura of purity, detect taint, turn undead | +1 level of existing divine class |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Lay on hands | - |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Smite taint 1/day | +1 level of existing divine class |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Aura of sanctity +2 | - |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Turn tainted | +1 level of existing divine class |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Purify soul 1 pt/touch, smite taint 2/day | - |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | cleansing flame | +1 level of existing divine class |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Purify soul 2 pt/touch, shield of purity | - |
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Smite taint 3/day | +1 level of existing divine class |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Aura of sanctity +4, purify soul 3 pt/touch | - |
Purifier Of The Hallowed Doctrine Lore
Characters with Knowledge (religion) can research the purifiers to learn more about them.
- DC 10: Purifiers are members of a religious organization called the Covenant of the Hallowed Doctrine. They span many churches, priesthoods, and communities and are devoted to ridding the world of taint and similar evils. They organize themselves in groups called monasteries.
- DC 15: The purifiers are reasonable spellcasters, but their most potent abilities are focused specifically against taint and tainted creatures. They're capable of driving off or destroying such creatures through sheer faith, and they can channel positive energy in ways other divine casters cannot.
- DC 20: Purifiers are fanatical in their battle against taint. Although they can offer their companions protections nobody else can, they can also put those companions in danger due to their single-mindedness. You should never expect a purifier to compromise or bargain in the face of tainted creatures.
- DC 30: At this level of success, characters can learn specific names and details of purifiers and Covenant members in your campaign, including histories and past exploits, as well as current duties and locations.
A DC 20 Gather Information, Knowledge (local), or bardic knowledge check will enable a character to locate a local member of the Covenant, should she need to contact one. If the character is actively seeking aid in thwarting a taint-based threat, and makes this fact known, she gains a +5 circumstance bonus to the check. The PC also gains this +5 circumstance bonus if she is herself a purifier or member of the Covenant. If both these things are true, the circumstance bonus is +8.
Source: Heroes of Horror