Pact Magic Exclusive Prestige Class : Witch Slayer
"An insidious group, these binders. They are dangerous and unpredictable, and they pose a significant risk to the divine order." -Sybelan, Seropaenean Witch Slayer
Witch slayers devote themselves to capturing and destroying those who share their souls with other entities. Not content with hunting only binders and other practitioners of pact magic, they seek out and destroy anyone who gives up command of his soul. To a witch slayer, it doesn't matter whether the target is a possessed wizard or a virtuous binder; anyone who harbors two souls in the same vessel is an abomination. Though they are often found in the employ of organizations that oppose binders and demonologists, witch slayers serve many different kinds of masters, so long as the pay is worth the risk
The ranger class offers a good selection of class features that complement those gained from the witch slayer prestige class. However, both of the skills required for entry into the class are cross-class skills for a ranger. Fighters and paladins often become witch slayers as well, and paladins have no problem meeting the skill requirements. Clerics and wizards can make excellent witch slayers, but the class is not popular among spellcasters because it lacks a spellcasting progression.
The key ability for a witch slayer is Charisma because various class features - including the smite ability - depend on it. Wisdom is also important because it improves both Will saves and awareness skills.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Witch Slayer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks
- Base Attack Bonus: +5
- Special: Must have fought a binder or possessed creature
Class Skills
The witch slayer's class skills are Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, and Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
As a witch slayer, you gain abilities that help you fight supernatural agents possessing other beings.
Smite Spirit Sharer (Su): Once per day per witch slayer level, you can smite a binder with a bound vestige or any creature possessed by another (by means of malevolence, a dual mind, or any similar ability) with a normal melee attack. You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to your attack roll and deal 1 extra point of damage per witch slayer level. If you accidentally smite a creature that is not either possessed or bound to a vestige, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
Mettle (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, you can shrug off magical effects that could harm you. If you make a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce (rather than negate) a spell or other magical effect, the magic has no effect on you at all. Any spell that is normally negated by a successful saving throw is unaffected by this ability.
Locate Possession (Su): By the time you attain 3rd level, you have attuned your senses to discern the presence of possessing forces. By concentrating for a full round, you can determine the presence or absence of any possessing mind within a 60-foot cone. By concentrating for a second full round, you can determine the location of the possessed creature or object. A possessing creature whose Hit Dice are higher than your character level can attempt a Will saving throw (DC 10 + your witch slayer level + your Cha modifier) to avoid detection. An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw has immunity to your locate possession ability for 24 hours.
Slippery Mind (Ex): At 4th level, you gain the special rogue ability slippery mind.
Momentary Disjunction (Su): At 5th level, you can temporarily disable the spellcasting, spell-like, and supernatural abilities of a single creature within 30 feet as a swift action. If the target fails a Will saving throw (DC 20+ your Cha modifier), it cannot use spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities of any kind, as if affected by an antimagic field, for 1 round. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.
Multiclass Note: A paladin who becomes a witch slayer can continue advancing as a paladin.
| Witch Slayer | Hit Die: d8 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Smite spirit sharer |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Mettle |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Locate possession |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Slippery mind |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Momentary disjunction |
Source: Tome of Magic