Faerûnian Prestige Class : Coiled Cabalist
Standing apart from the priests of Sseth but careful never to draw their collective ire by openly opposing them, the members of the Coiled Cabal pursue the arcane arts largely in secrecy. The creed of this shadowy organization holds that true power can be obtained through mastery of magic that has nothing to do with gods. After all, magic has worked well as a weapon for the puny humans, so there's no reason that it shouldn't also be part of the vrael olo arsenal.
Cabalists work in oumkathuss - small groups of no more than a dozen individuals. Each oumkathuss reports to up to three overhoods, who in turn report to higher-ranking overhoods within a hidden hierarchy. Rank in the Coiled Cabal is not closely tied to level or magical mastery, but it is linked to achievements. A typical member is a sorcerer or wizard with enough experience and prestige to have attracted half a dozen apprentices.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Coiled Cabalist, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Race: Yuan-ti.
- Alignment: Any evil (usually chaotic evil).
- Skills: Concentration 9 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks
- Base Attack Bonus: +7.
- Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.
Class Skills
The coiled cabalist's class skills are Concentration, Craft (any), Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Profession, Sense Motive, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the coiled cabalist prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Coiled cabalists gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor, or shield.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new coiled cabalist level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class granted him access to 3rd-level spells before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, bard or assassin abilities, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that he adds the level of coiled cabalist to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class granted him access to 3rd-level spells, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class that granted access to 3rd-level spells before he became a coiled cabalist, he must decide to which class he adds each level of coiled cabalist for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Handfang (Sp): At 1st level, a coiled cabalist can use handfang (caster level equals arcane caster level) once per day. The Fortitude save DC for the poison is 10 + coiled cabalist level + coiled cabalist's Cha modifier.
| Coiled Cabalist Level | Handfang Effect | Save* |
| 1st | Venom | Fortitude negates (initial and secondary) |
| 3rd | 1d4+1 points of acid damage | None |
| 5th | Paralysis for 1d4 rounds | Fortitude negates |
| 7th | Unconsciousness for 1d6 hours or until the victim takes damage | Fortitude negates |
| 9th | 4d4 points of damage | Fortitude half |
| *The save DC for all effects is 10 + coiled cabalist level + coiled cabalist's Cha modifier. | ||
As he advances in the prestige class, the coiled cabalist can use his handfang ability to deliver venom altered by his magical knowledge to produce other effects instead of poison, according to the table above.
Spell Turning (Sp): Three times per day, a 2nd-level coiled cabalist can produce an effect identical to that of the spell turning spell (caster level equals character level), except that he can turn back only 1d4 spell levels per round. The number of spell levels he can turn back per round increases to 1d4+2 at 6th level and to 1d4+4 at 10th level.
| Coiled Cabalist | Hit Die: d8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Handfang (venom) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Spell turning (1d4) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | 4-1 | +3 | Handfang (acid) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | - | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Handfang (paralysis) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Spell turning (1d4+2) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +1 | Handfang (unconsciousness) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | - | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Handfang (damage) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Spell turning (1d4+4) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
Source: Serpent Kingdoms