General Prestige Class : Seeker of the Song
Beyond magic, beyond sound, beyond good or evil, lies music so profound and powerful that even deities quake at its sound. This primal music - of unknown origin and with no limit to its power - is incomprehensible to the mortal ear. To some who hear a fragment of this music, it becomes beauty incarnate, and they devote their lives to its discovery. These seekers wield the power of music in ways that amaze even the most skilled bards.
United only by their quest, seekers of the song have incredibly diverse goals and motivations. Some black-hearted seekers know that this primal music is power, and they lust after it in hopes of turning it against their many enemies. Others search for the music to bring joy and peace. Most have more moderate aspirations and seek the music because it moves them. Regardless of their goals, seekers of the song rarely work against one another - each hoping that another seeker will uncover another piece of the primal music and share it with the rest.
The song never leaves a seeker, and its power can have strange effects on their souls. Some retire from society, seeking the silence of distant monasteries or mountaintops from which to better concentrate on the music they once heard. Others remain unchanged to outward appearances, yet the music remains in the back of their minds at all times. Some talk to any who will listen about the importance and beauty of the primal music, while others cannot seem to find the words to express what this music means to them or to the world.
Every seeker of the song must have at least one bard level, but beyond that, their stories and careers differ wildly. Many begin their adventuring careers as bards, drawn to music from their earliest days. Others come to the class after adventuring as fighters, rogues, clerics, or members of other classes for most of their careers, with little idea that the primal music will become their chosen path. Although at least a few seekers emerge from every class, few wizards or sorcerers take up the pursuit; members of these classes are more likely to devote themselves to traditional spellcasting rather than the strange pull of the primal music.
Adaptation: The seeker of the song prestige class presents a powerful new set of bardic abilities, going far beyond the basic bardic music ability presented in the Player's Handbook. Many campaigns can benefit from exploring this facet of the game, but a DM might not want to introduce the idea of primal music into a campaign's cosmology. In this case, the seekers of the song might become the disciples of a distant bardic college. The college is extreme in the eyes of other bards: They discard the notion of bards as wanderers and gatherers of diverse skills, and instead focus on music as a force of magic to the exclusion of all else.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Seeker of the Song, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 13 ranks, Perform (any one) 13 ranks.
- Feats: Skill Focus (Perform [any one]).
Class Skills
The seeker of the song's class skills are Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Perform, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Spot, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the seeker of the song prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Seekers of the song gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Rapture of the Song (Su): A seeker of the song is so in tune with the power of the primal music that she gains special insight, physical fortitude, and resistance to magic while in the throes of her song. A seeker gains a +2 insight bonus to Armor Class whenever she uses her bardic music ability, seeker music, or a similar ability.
At 4th level and higher, a seeker also gains a +2 insight bonus on saving throws whenever she uses her bardic music ability, seeker music, or a similar ability.
At 7th level and higher, a seeker also gains damage reduction 2/- whenever she uses her bardic music ability, seeker music, or a similar ability.
At 10th level, a seeker gains these abilities and also acts as though affected by a freedom of movement spell whenever she uses her bardic music ability, seeker music, or a similar ability.
Seeker Music: A seeker of the song can use music or poetics to produce magical effects. Seeker music follows the same rules as bardic music (see Bard). Each use of seeker music costs one daily use of bardic music to activate. Seeker of the song levels stack with bard levels for purposes of determining how many daily uses of bardic music and seeker music the character has.
Some seeker music effects include a secondary effect, called a refrain. In any round when a seeker concentrates on a seeker music effect and expends another use of bardic music, she can activate the refrain associated with that seeker music effect. Using a refrain is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The original effects of the song do not end; the seeker can maintain the song and activate the refrain simultaneously.
Burning Melody (Su): A seeker of the song with 14 or more ranks in a Perform skill can gather a glimmer of the power of the primal music and gain some control over fire through this music. While a seeker sings this song, she and all of her allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain resistance to fire 15. An ally benefits from this effect for as long as it can hear the seeker sing.
Burning Melody, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her burning melody, a seeker shoots a 30-foot cone of fire from her fingertips. The cone deals 6d6 points of fire damage to creatures in its area. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + the seeker's ranks in the Perform skill) halves the damage.
Song of Unmaking (Su): At 2nd level and higher, a seeker with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can turn a fragment of the primal music's power against constructs. She can expend a use of bardic music and make a Perform check to deal 1d8 points of damage per seeker level to all constructs within a 30-foot burst of the seeker (no save).
Dirge of Frozen Loss (Sp): A seeker of the song of 3rd level or higher with 16 or more ranks in a Perform skill can gather the power of the primal music to gain control over cold energy through this music. While a seeker sings this song, she and all of her allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain resistance to cold 15. An ally benefits from this effect for as long as it can hear the seeker sing.
Dirge of Frozen Loss, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her dirge of frozen loss, a seeker shoots a 60-foot line of cold energy from her fingertips. The line deals 10d6 points of cold damage to any creature it hits and causes any creature damaged by it to become fatigued. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + the seeker's ranks in the Perform skill) halves the damage and negates the fatigue.
Song of Life (Sp): A seeker of the song of 4th level or higher with 17 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use fragments of the primal music to protect and heal her allies. While a seeker sings this song, she and all of her allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain immunity to poison and disease. An ally benefits from this effect for as long as it can hear the seeker sing.
Song of Life, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her song of life, a seeker can make a Perform check to heal a living creature of an amount of hit point damage equal to the check result (up to the creature's full normal hit point total). She must touch the affected ally to use this ability. The touch is a standard action, although activating the refrain is still a swift action. The refrain has no effect on undead or nonliving creatures.
Anthem of Thunder and Pain (Sp): A seeker of the song of 5th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can gather the power of the primal music and gain some control over electrical energy through this music. While a seeker sings this song, she and all of her allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain resistance to electricity 15. An ally benefits from this effect for as long as it can hear the seeker sing.
Anthem of Thunder and Pain, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her anthem of thunder and pain, a seeker shoots a ray of electricity from her fingertips. The ray has a range of 20 feet and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. The ray deals 10d6 points of electricity damage to a creature it hits. The seeker can then cause the electricity to arc to additional foes, all of whom must be within 20 feet of the first creature struck. Each secondary ray requires another ranged touch attack to hit and deals half as much damage as the initial ray. A seeker can create one secondary ray for every three seeker class levels (one when the song becomes available at 5th level, two at 6th level, and three at 9th level). No creature can be affected by more than one arc in a single round.
Hymn of Spelldeath (Sp): A seeker of the song of 6th level or higher with 19 or more ranks in a Perform skill can turn the power of the primal music against magic effects. Any creature that can hear the seeker perform must make a Concentration check opposed by the seeker's Perform check in order to cast a spell. If the Concentration check fails, the spell is lost and has no effect. If the Concentration check succeeds, the spell is cast as normal. A hymn of spelldeath is a mind-affecting ability.
Hymn of Spelldeath, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her hymn of spelldeath, a seeker can attempt to dispel magic. This ability works just like the area version of dispel magic, except the effect is centered on the seeker. At her option, a seeker can exclude herself and her allies from this effect, but the effect must still be centered on her. The seeker makes a level check just as if she were a spellcaster using the dispel magic spell, using the total of her bard levels and seeker of the song levels as her modifier for the check.
Ballad of Agony Reborn (Sp): A seeker of the song of 7th level or higher with 20 or more ranks in a Perform skill can gather the power of the primal music to gain control over acid energy through this music. While a seeker sings this song, she and all of her allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain resistance to acid 15. An ally benefits from this effect for as long as it can hear the seeker sing.
Ballad of Agony Reborn, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her ballad of agony reborn, a seeker shoots a ray of acid from her fingertips. The ray has a range of 60 feet and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. The ray deals 10d6 points of acid damage to a creature it hits, and another 10d6 points of acid damage 1 round later.
Aria of Everywhere (Sp): A seeker of the song of 8th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can pull the power of the primal music into herself and move short distances instantaneously. She can expend a use of bardic music or seeker music to instantly transport herself to any other spot within 25 feet + 5 feet/level. This ability otherwise functions as the dimension door spell, except that the seeker can't bring along additional creatures with this ability.
Dirge of Songdeath (Su): A seeker of the song of 9th level or higher with 22 or more ranks in a Perform skill can gather the power of the primal music to gain control over sonic energy through this music. While a seeker sings this song, she and all of her allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain resistance to sonic 15. An ally benefits from this effect for as long as it can hear the seeker sing.
In addition, as long as the seeker is singing a dirge of songdeath, other creatures within 30 feet cannot easily use bardic music, seeker music, or similar abilities. To use such an ability, a creature within the area must make a Perform check opposed by the seeker's Perform check. If the check is successful, the creature can use the ability as desired. If the check fails, the ability has no effect, but a daily use of the music ability must be expended normally.
Dirge of Songdeath, Refrain: When she uses the refrain with her hymn of spelldeath, a seeker shoots a ray of sonic energy from her fingertips. The ray has a range of 60 feet and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. The ray deals 15d6 points of sonic damage to a creature it hits.
Note of Solitude (Su): Upon reaching 10th level, a seeker of the song with 23 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use the power of the primal music to temporarily sever some creatures' tie with other planes. Extraplanar creatures within 60 feet of a seeker who activates this ability must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + the seeker's ranks in the Perform skill). Creatures affected by this ability get a bonus on this saving throw equal to their Hit Dice. Any creature that fails this saving throw is instantly sent to its home plane. Unlike other musical abilities and affects, a note of solitude has a duration of instantaneous and cannot be maintained, though the seeker can activate it again on subsequent rounds by spending additional uses of bardic music or seeker music.
Combine Songs (Ex): A seeker of the song of 2nd level or higher can combine two types of bardic music or seeker music to provide the benefits of both. The seeker chooses two music abilities and activates both using the same standard action. If either or both require concentration, the seeker can maintain concentration on both by using one standard action each round to concentrate. The normal stacking rules for bonus types apply to music abilities combined with this ability.
Subvocalize (Ex): At 5th level and higher, a seeker of the song can begin a new bardic music or seeker music song as a swift action. A seeker can use this ability only if he already has one (and only one) bardic music or seeker music ability already active. A seeker can use this ability in conjunction with the combine songs ability to start a second song and then maintain both as a standard action each round (as per the combine songs ability).
| Seeker of the Song | Hit Die: d6 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Seeker Music |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Rapture of the song (+2 AC), seeker music | Burning melody |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Combine songs | Song of unmaking |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | - | Dirge of frozen loss |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Rapture of the song (+2 saves) | Song of life |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Subvocalize | Anthem of thunder and pain |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | - | Hymn of spell death |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Rapture of the song (DR 2/-) | Ballad of agony reborn |
| 8th | +6 | +2 | +2 | +6 | - | Aria of everywhere |
| 9th | +6 | +3 | +3 | +6 | - | Dirge of songdeath |
| 10th | +7 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Rapture of the song (freedom of movement) | Hymn of revealing |
Ex-Seekers of the Song
Like a member of any other prestige class, a seeker of the song can take levels in other classes after entering the seeker of the song class, but seekers of the song face a special restriction. A seeker of the song who gains a level in any other class after having gained his first seeker level can never again raise her seeker of the song level, though she retains the seeker abilities she has already earned. The path of the seeker demands constant attention and devotion. If a character adopts this prestige class, she must pursue it to the exclusion of all other careers. Once she has turned from the path, she can never return.
Source: Complete Arcane