Faerûnian Prestige Class : Morninglord of Lathander
The Church of Lathander is well known and highly respected across Faerûn. A large part of that respect comes from Lathander's elite priests, who are known as the morninglords. Morninglords are, in many ways, the epitome of the classical cleric archetype - they are kindly healers and advisors, stalwart protectors, and implacable foes of the undead. Because morninglords believe it is their duty to bring Lathander's light to all the dark places of the world, they often travel the breadth of Faerûn, preaching the glories of their god to any who will listen and smiting his foes wherever they appear.
Clerics comprise the majority of morninglord candidates, but paladins of Lathander frequently hear the calling as well. Multiclass fighters, and more rarely rangers, sometimes join the ranks of the morninglords as well, but other classes are very rare.
Paladins of Lathander can freely multiclass as morninglords of Lathander.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Morninglord of Lathander, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any good
- Skills: Craft (any) 4 ranks, Diplomacy 7 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Perform (any) 2 ranks.
- Feats: Improved Turning,
- Spells: Able to cast 3rd-level divine spells, one of which must be daylight.
- Patron Deity: Lathander
Class Skills
The morninglord of Lathander's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Perform, Profession, and SpellCraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the morninglord of Lathander prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Morninglords of Lathander gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor, or shield. Armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble, and double the normal armor check penalty applies to Swim checks.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new morninglord of Lathander level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class granted her access to 3rd-level spells before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or rebuking undead, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that she adds the level of morninglord of Lathander to the level of whatever other divine spellcasting class granted her access to 3rd-level spells, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class that granted access to 3rd-level spells before she became a morninglord of Lathander, she must decide to which class she adds each level of morninglord for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Bane of the Restless (Ex): The character's morninglord of Lathander levels stack with her levels in any other class that grants the ability to turn undead for the purpose of turning.
Lathander's Light (Su): Whenever a morninglord casts a spell with the light descriptor, its area is doubled.
Creative Fire (Ex): Morninglords are creative, expressive people, much like their god. At 2nd level, the character gains a bonus equal to her morninglord of Lathander level on all Craft and Perform checks.
Daylight (Sp): At 3rd level, the morninglord of Lathander may use daylight once per day (caster level equals morninglord of Lathander's divine caster level).
Searing Ray (Sp): A 4th level, a morninglord of Lathander may use searing ray once per day (caster level equals morninglord of Lathander's divine caster level). If this ability is used against undead, the damage increases as if the Empower Spell feat had been applied.
Greater Turning (Su): Once per day, a morninglord of at least 5th level may use greater turning. This ability functions like the granted power of the Sun domain. At 9th level, she may use this ability twice per day. If the morninglord of Lathander already has access to the Sun domain, she gains an extra use per day of greater turning at 5th level and at 9th level.
Blessing of Dawn (Su): The sight of the morning sun is an inspirational vision for all morninglords. Beginning at 6th level, a morninglord of Lathander gains a +2 morale bonus on Will saves from sunrise until noon. This ability is in effect only while she can see the sun; the effect is suppressed any time she is deprived of the sight of it during this period.
Maximize Turning (Su): Once per day, a morninglord of at least 7th level can automatically achieve the maximum possible result on a turning damage roll.
Rejuvenation of the Morn (Su): Dawn is a powerful symbol of rebirth and renewal. Once per tenday, a morninglord of at least 8th level may spend one uninterrupted hour before dawn praying to Lathander. As soon as the sun rises after this prayer ritual, she gains one benefit of her choice from the following list.
- Healing up to full normal hit points (self only).
- Removal of any poisons or diseases (self only). This effect does not restore ability damage or ability drain caused by poison or disease.
- Full restoration of ability damage due to one poison or disease.
If the morninglord's prayers are interrupted for even a single round, the attempt is ruined, and she must wait a full tenday to try again.
Aura of Radiance (Su): When the morninglord of Lathander reaches 10th level, the light of Lathander shines perpetually upon her. No matter how dark it is, the morninglord sees as though the conditions were identical to the outdoors at sunrise. This ability functions like darkvision out to 60 feet, except that the morninglord sees in color. The morninglord also gains a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells with the darkness descriptor and a +2 sacred bonus to Armor Class against attacks from undead creatures.
| Morninglord of Lathander | Hit Die: d10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells per Day |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Bane of the restless, Lathander's light | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Creative fire | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Daylight | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Searing ray | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Greater turning 1/day | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Blessing of dawn | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Maximized turning | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Rejuvenation of morn | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Greater turning 2/day | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Aura of radiance | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
Epic Morninglord of Lathander
Shining with the rosy light of dawn, the epic morninglord of Lathander is a ray of hope in a dark and dangerous world.
Much like clerics, epic morninglords should concentrate on improving their spellcasting, their turning ability, and their healing talents. Because they are highly creative people, many epic morninglords take Epic Skill Focus (Craft or Perform).
An epic morninglord should improve her Wisdom for spellcasting and her Charisma for turning.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Spells: The epic morninglord of Lathander's caster level increases by 1 for every level higher than 10th. Her spells per day and spells known do not increase after 10th level unless the sum of the class levels contributing to her caster level equals 20 or less.
Greater Turning: The epic morninglord of Lathander gains one additional use per day of this ability for every four levels higher than 9th. Thus, she can use it three times per day at 13th level and four times per day at 17th level.
Bonus Feats: The epic morninglord of Lathander gains a bonus feat, selected from the list below, for every three levels higher than 10th. She must meet any prerequisites for a feat in order to select it.
Epic Morninglord of Lathander Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Bonus Domain, Chosen Weapon Specialization, Divine Spell Penetration, Enhance Spell, Epic Counterspell, Epic Devotion, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Ignore Material Components, Improved Alignment-Based Casting, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Permanent Emanation, Planar Turning, Positive Energy Aura, Spectral Strike, Spell Stowaway, Spell Opportunity, Spontaneous Domain Access, Spontaneous Spell, Tenacious Magic.
| Epic Morninglord of Lathander | Hit Die: d10 |
|---|---|
| CL | Special |
| 11th | - |
| 12th | - |
| 13th | Greater turning 3/day, bonus feat |
| 14th | - |
| 15th | - |
| 16th | Bonus feat |
| 17th | Greater turning 4/day |
| 18th | - |
| 19th | Bonus feat |
| 20th | - |
Source: Player's Guide to Faerûn