Faerûnian Prestige Class : Halruaan Magehound
Magehounds are Halruaa's inquisitors. Conceived in the country's earliest days as a means of preventing the kind of tragedy Karsus brought upon the Netherese, magehounds are tasked with keeping renegade practitioners in check. They test the Jordaini for magical ability, track down criminal wizards, and enforce Halruaa's most important laws - those governing the use of magic. Everyone fears magehounds to some degree, for they are considered above the normal laws of the land. They answer only to the Council of Elders, and even those wizards are not immune to a magehound's wrath.
Typically, only wizards or clerics have the insight, temperament, and dedication to become a Halruaan magehound. Occasionally, sorcerers become magehounds, and they are, in some ways, considered more appropriate for the task because of their perverse (by Halruaan standards) arcane nature.
The job of Halruaan magehounds is often lonely. Arcane spellcasters shun their company, and rarely do these inquisitors gather in force unless their prey is particularly powerful or difficult to capture. More often, a magehound has associates to assist her in the hunt. These companions provide skills and abilities that compliment the magehound's own, making her task that much easier.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Halruaan Magehound, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Concentration 5 ranks, Gather Information 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.
- Feats: Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes.
- Spells: Ability to cast 4th-level arcane or divine spells. Ability to cast at least three spells that require Fortitude saves and at least three spells that require Reflex saves. (A spell that deals damage but allows no saving throw can substitute for any of these required spells.)
- Patron Deity: Azuth
- Region: Halruaa
Class Skills
The Halruaan magehound's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Search, Sense Motive, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Halruaan magehound prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Halruaan magehound gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells Per Day/Spells Known: At each level except 4th and 8th, a Halruaan magehound gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If she had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Halruaan magehound, she must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Improved Saves (Ex): The Halruaan magehound learns to improve her resistance to the very sorts of spells she uses against others. At 1st level, she gains a +1 resistance bonus on her saves against spells and spell-like abilities. This bonus increases by +1 every two levels above 1st, to a maximum of +5 at 9th level.
Arcane Sensitivity (Sp): The Halruaan magehound develops a keen awareness of the presence of arcane magic in any living creature. She can use arcane sensitivity at will as a wizard whose level is equal to her Halruaan magehound level plus her highest spellcaster level.
Spell Resistance (Ex): The Halruaan magehound develops resistance to magic. At 4th level, she gains a spell resistance equal to 15 + her Halruaan magehound level.
Antimagic Field (Sp): The Halruaan magehound develops a powerful tool to thwart the mages she is hunting. At 10th level, the magehound can use antimagic field once per day as a wizard whose level is equal to her Halruaan magehound level plus her highest spellcaster level.
| Halruaan Magehound | Hit Die: d4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells per Day/Spells Known |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Improved spell saves (+1), arcane sensitivity | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | - | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Improved spell saves (+2) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Spell resistance | - |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Improved spell saves (+3) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | - | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Improved-spell saves (+4) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | - | - |
| 9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Improved spell saves (+5) | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Antimagic aura | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
Source: Shining South