Underdark Prestige Class : Cavelord
A passion for the narrow, dim ways of the world burns in the breast of the cavelord. Born with an ache to learn about the roots of the mountains, the sunless seas, and the hidden ways filled with darkness that will never be illuminated, the cavelord roams the tunnel and cave systems of the Underdark. He takes it upon himself to protect the Realms Below, uprooting foul and disruptive things as he comes upon them.
The class calls to druids, rangers, barbarians, and others with a love for untrammeled places of the deep earth because of the knowledge and Underdark lore it offers. Characters with spellcasting or psionic abilities, however, may choose to take only a few levels of cavelord, lest they give up too much spell power.
Cavelords spend all their time in the depths, seeking yet deeper caverns and more ancient wonders hidden in darkness. Thus, they are rarely encountered except by parties plumbing the most hidden depths of the earth.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Cavelord, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Knowledge (Underdark local) 8 ranks, Search 2 ranks, Spot 2 ranks, Survival 4 ranks.
- Feats: Track.
Class Skills
The cavelord's class skills are Balance, Climb, Craft (any), Handle Animal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Underdark local), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are features of the cavelord prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Cavelords are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with all types of shields except tower shields.
Tunnelrunner: At 1st level, a cavelord gains Tunnelrunner as a bonus feat.
Cave Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a cavelord can move at normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty on the Survival check, as long as those tracks are confined to a cave or tunnel environment.
Lesser Cavesense (Ex): Gifted with a mystical connection to the Underdark, the cavelord gains a superior form of darkvision with a 120-foot range when he reaches 2nd level. He also gains a +4 competence bonus on any Listen checks made in a subterranean setting.
Tunnelswimmer (Su): A cavelord is at home in the subterranean waters that pervade the Underdark. Upon reaching 4th level, he can hold his breath three times longer than normal before he is at risk of drowning (a number of rounds equal to six times his Constitution score for a typical humanoid character). The cavelord also gains a swim speed of 30 feet.
Strength of Stones (Su): At 5th level, a cavelord gains the ability to invoke the strength of the earth. Once per day as a free action, he can gain an insight bonus to Strength equal to his cavelord level that lasts for 1 minute.
Greater Cavesense (Ex): When a cavelord reaches 7th level, his mystical connection to the Underdark increases, granting him the tremorsense ability with a 30-foot range.
Changestones (Sp): At 8th level, a cavelord gains the ability to use changestones once per day (caster level 14th).
Bones of the Earth (Su): When a cavelord reaches 10th level, the earth recognizes him as its own and protects him from death. If the cavelord takes damage that would reduce him to -10 or fewer hit points while in a cave, tunnel, or other Underdark environment, he may attempt a Fortitude save (DC 5 + damage dealt). If the save is successful, the cavelord instantly turns to stone, as if subject to the flesh to stonespell, before death can claim him. (This ability also works if unstaunched bleeding would cause the cavelord's hit points to drop to -10 or below. The DC for the Fortitude save in this case is 6.) His stone form becomes fixed in place as if it were a natural feature of the cavern. Twenty-four hours later, the earth looses its healing grip, and the cavelord becomes flesh again. He awakens with 1 hit point and no prepared spells or power points. Any significant damage done to his stony form (such as breaking off the head, or shattering the body) kills the cavelord.
| Cavelord | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Tunnelrunner |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Cave tracker, lesser cavesense |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | - |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Tunnelswimmer |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Strength of stones |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | - |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Greater cavesense |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Changestones 1/Day |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +6 | +3 | - |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Bones of the earth |
Source: Underdark