Pale Theoligian Preview - Base Class (Patreon)

The following is a free preview of the first ten levels of the Pale Theologian base class! In the following weeks additional free previews will be released, providing everything you need to play a Pale Theologian to tenth level!

The Pale Theologian

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6

Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills: The pale theologian’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A pale theologian is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor.

Spell Casting

At 1st level, the pale theologian decides whether their magic is derived from an arcane source or a divine source. Once chosen, the pale theologian’s source of magic cannot be changed.

Pale theologians who choose arcane as their source of magic suffer from arcane spell failure, and use Intelligence to determine their spellcasting abilities. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, an arcane pale theologian must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level. The saving throw DC against a pale theologian’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the pale theologian’s Intelligence modifier.

Pale theologians who choose the divine as their source of magic use Wisdom to determine their spellcasting abilities. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a divine pale theologian must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level. The saving throw DC against a pale theologian’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the pale theologian’s Wisdom modifier.

Pale theologian’s combine the teachings of both arcane and divine magic to gain mastery over death, blending the two schools into a single form of magic. Pale theologian’s cast spells drawn from both the cleric and wizard spell lists, with a number of restrictions based on the source of their magic.

Arcane pale theologian’s treat all non-necromancy school wizard spells of 1st level or higher as 1 spell level higher. They treat all non-necromancy school cleric spells of 1st level or higher as 2 spell levels higher. For example; an arcane pale theologian would treat a 1st level evocation spell as 2nd level if it is a wizard spell, or 3rd level if it is a cleric spell.

Divine pale theologian’s treat all non-necromancy school cleric spells of 1st level or higher as 1 spell level higher. They treat all non-necromancy school wizard spells of 1st level or higher as 2 spell levels higher. For example; a divine pale theologian would treat a 1st level evocation spell as 2nd level if it is a cleric spell, or 3rd level if it is a wizard spell.

If a spell appears on both the cleric and wizard lists of differing spell levels, the pale theologian uses the lower of the two spell levels after adjusting their level above.

A pale theologian can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Pale Theologian under “Spells per Day.” In addition, they receive bonus spells per day if they have a high spellcasting ability score; Intelligence for arcane, Wisdom for divine.

A pale theologian may know any number of spells, but the number they can prepare each day is limited. At 1st level, they can prepare four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells each day. At each new pale theologian level, the number of spells they can prepare each day increases, adding new spell levels as indicated on Table: Pale Theologian Spells Prepared. Unlike the number of spells they can cast per day, the number of spells a pale theologian can prepare each day is not affected by their spellcasting ability score. Feats and other effects that modify the number of spells known by a spellcaster instead affect the number of spells a pale theologian can prepare.

A pale theologian must choose and prepare their spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying their spellbook. While studying, the pale theologian decides what spells to prepare and refreshes their available spell slots for the day.

Like a sorcerer, the pale theologian can choose to apply any metamagic feats they know to a prepared spell as they cast it, with the same increase in casting time. However, they may also prepare a spell with any metamagic feats they know and cast it without increasing casting time like a wizard. They cannot combine these options—a spell prepared with metamagic feats cannot be further modified with another metamagic feat at the time of casting.

Spellbook

Pale theologians combine the study of divine and arcane magics to fuel their powers, containing their findings and unique methods of casting spells in a specially prepared tome called a spellbook. A pale theologian must study their spellbook each day to prepare their spells. They can’t prepare any spell not recorded in their spellbook, except for read magic (which all pale theologians can prepare from memory).

A pale theologian begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard and cleric spells plus three 1st-level spells of their choice. The pale theological also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to their spellcasting ability modifier (Intelligence for arcane, Wisdom for divine) to add to the spellbook. At each new pale theologian level, they gain two new spells of any spell level or levels that they can cast (based on their new pale theologian level) for their spellbook.

A pale theologian can also add additional spells to their spellbook. They can add cleric and wizard spells found as scrolls to their spellbook, and add spells found in another pale theologian’s or wizard’s spellbook to their own. This follows the same rules as a wizard copying spells to their spellbook.

A pale theologian can also add cleric spells to their spellbook through the aid of another cleric. A divine caster can preach the working of a cleric spell to the pale theologian while they copy the teaching into their spellbook. This process is similar to them copying a spell from another caster’s spellbook to their own, but it requires a divine spellcaster with the desired spell prepared to be present for the entire duration, and then for them to expend the spell at the end of the required time. This process requires the same expense in gold pieces as copying a spell from a wizard spellbook. Hiring a divine spellcaster to teach you a spell usually costs the amount to purchase the spell to be cast for you, often with an additional cost based on the time required.

Pale theologian’s can also research their spells independently, as a wizard. When they do so, the spell counts as an arcane spell on the wizard spell list.

Cantrips

Pale theologians can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day as noted on Table: Pale Theologian Spells Prepared. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume spell slots. As with their other spells, these spells are not expended when cast.

Necromantic Origination

Pale theologians treat the following spells as necromancy spells of the listed level, rather than their normal school and level, when determining their spell list: stabilize (0 level), cure light wounds (1st level), remove sicknessUM (1st level),  cure moderate wounds (2nd level), lesser restoration (2nd level), remove paralysis (2nd level), cure serious wounds (3rd level), remove blindness/deafness (3rd level), remove curse (3rd level), remove disease (3rd level), symbol of healingUM (3rd level), cure critical wounds (4th level), restoration (4th level), mass cure light wounds (5th level), pillar of lifeAPG (5th level), raise dead (5th level), mass cure light wounds (6th level), heal (6th level), greater restoration (7th level), mass cure serious wounds (7th level), resurrection (7th level), mass cure critical wounds (8th level), mass heal (9th level), true resurrection (9th level).

Spells affected by this ability retain any descriptors they possess, and their effects do not change. For example, a cure light wounds cast by a pale theologian would be treated as a 1st level necromancy spell with the healing descriptor, and it would still heal living creatures and harm undead creatures.

Spontaneous Casting

Pale theologians can convert their magical power directly into necromantic power, allowing them to cast a number of spells spontaneously using their spell slots. Whenever the pale theologian rests and regains their spell slots, they can choose to either harness the power of healing magics, or harming magics. Until the next time they regain their spell slots, they can spontaneously cast a number of spells based on their choice. If these spells require an expensive material component, the pale theologian is required to provide it as normal for casting the spell.

If they chose healing magics, they can spend any of their spell slots to cast one of the following spells of equal to or lower level than the spent spell slot: all cure spells (a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name), lesser restoration, restoration, remove disease, neutralize poison, remove curse, greater restoration, heal, mass heal.

If they chose harming magics, they can spend any of their spell slots to cast a one of the following spells of equal to or lower level than the spent spell slot: all inflict spells (an inflict spell is any spell with “inflict” in its name), contagion, greater contagion, poison, bestow curse, enervation, major curse, harm, mass harm.

The pale theologian can cast the spells they selected from memory and can prepare them using their normal allotment of spells prepared without the need of their spellbook.

Theology Points (Su)

A pale theologian has learned to tap into a reservoir of power which they can pull from to fuel the powers of the pale. This pool contains a number of points per day equal to their Charisma modifier (minimum 1). At each level after 1st, the pale theologian gains an additional 1 theology point. Theology points can be spent to fuel any of the pale theologian’s class features that require their expenditure.

Pale Imbuement (Su)

At 1st level, the pale theologian learns to imbue their pale magics within a corpse to raise it as an undead creature, or within a living or undead creature to bolster their attunement to the pale and to restore their wounds. They choose one of the following abilities at 1st level. Once this ability has been chosen, it cannot be changed:

Imbue with the Pale: The pale theologian can touch a single creature and imbue it with powers of the pale as a swift action by spending 1 theology point. Living creatures gain the ability to be healed by negative energy as well as positive energy, and undead creatures gain the ability to be healed by positive energy as well as negative energy. Additionally, the affected creature is treated as both a living and undead creature for all effects. Undead are treated as if they were a creature of the type they were in life in addition to being an undead creature (an elf zombie would count as both an undead creature and a humanoid with the elf subtype, for example). If an effect would both positively affect a living creature and negatively affect an undead creature (or vice versa) they benefit and suffer from both effects, unless the effect is caused by positive or negative energy, in which case they would only gain the positive benefit. An unwilling creature receives a Will saving throw to negate this effect (DC 10 + 1/2 the pale theologian’s level + their Charisma modifier).

The effects of this ability persist for 1 minute per class level, though the pale theologian can end the effect early by touching the target again as a swift action. Creatures who are neither living nor undead (such as constructs) cannot be affected by this ability.

At 3rd level, the effects of this ability persist for 10 minutes per class level. At 5th level, this ability may be used on (and removed from) creatures within Close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 class levels), rather than only touch range, and the pale theologian may apply this ability as a move action. At 7th level, the effects of this ability persist for 1 hour per class level. At 9th level, the range of this ability increases to Medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per class level). At 11th level, the effects of this ability persist for 1 day per 5 class levels, and they may apply this ability as a swift action.

Additionally, the pale theologian can rapidly imbue a creature with pale energies to restore their wounded form. The pale theologian can touch a living or undead creature as a standard action and spend 1 theology point to immediately restore 1d8 + their Charisma modifier points of damage to the touched creature. This healing increases by an additional 1d8 at 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter.

Imbue with Unlife: At 1st level, the pale theologian can touch a single corpse as a standard action and spend 1 theology point to animate it as lesser animate dead.

When using this ability, the pale theologian can choose to cast it without the need of expensive material components, but when they do so the created undead has a number of restrictions: the undead’s duration is reduced to 1 minute per class level, and the pale theologian can only have a single undead creature created using this ability active at a time. When the duration of this ability expires, or the pale theologian created a second undead using this ability, the magic leaves the corpse, halting its animation. This does not destroy the corpse, allowing it to be animated again. When doing so, it has the same amount of hit points as when the effects of this ability ended. This created undead still counts against the pool of undead you can control using animate dead.

At 3rd level, undead created without material components now have a duration of 10 minutes per class level. At 5th level, this ability functions as animate dead. At 7th level, undead created without material components now have a duration of 1 hour per class level. At 9th level, the pale theologian can now control two undead created without material components at a time. At 11th level, undead created without material components now have a duration of 2 hours per class level.

Preserve Corpse (Su)

At 1st level, the pale theologian can touch a corpse as a standard action and spend 1 theology point to preserve it for 24 hours, extending the time limit on raising it from the dead. During these 24 hours the corpse does not rot, and does not smell.

Secrets of the Pale

At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a secret of the pale reveals itself to the pale theologian, allowing them to obtain powers and abilities unheard of to those who only dabble in the powers of life or death.

Pale Corruptions

Constant exposure to the pale arts of life and death permanently mars the body of the pale theologian, corrupting it into a state of not quite life and not quite undeath.

At 3rd level, the pale theologian gains their first corruption from the list below. They gain additional pale corruptions at their stated level. If a corruption requires a saving throw, it has a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 their pale theologian level + their Charisma modifier.

Pale Attunement (Ex): At 3rd level, the pale theologian's body has been attuned to the powers of death, causing their body to react to both positive and negative energy. The pale theologian is healed by both positive and negative energy. They are treated as both a living and undead creature for all effects. If an effect would both positively effect a living creature and negatively effect an undead creature (or vice versa) they benefit and suffer from both effects, unless the effect is caused by positive or negative energy, in which case they would only gain the positive benefit. The pale theologian also gains an increase to their Channel Resistance equal to their Charisma modifier (minimum +1), allowing them to better fight off abilities that would affect their undead nature.

As a swift action, the pale theologian can spend 1 theology point to suppress the energy of life or death within them for 1 hour, allowing them to only be treated as a living creature (healed fully by positive energy, damaged by negative) or only treated as an undead creature (healed fully by negative energy, damaged by positive) for effects that affect living or undead creatures. They can choose to suppress or un-suppress this effect as a free action, but the duration continues to expire while it is suppressed. Once per turn as a free action while this ability is active they can choose to change whether they are suppressing life energy or death energy.

Pale Gaze (Ex and Su): At 7th level, the pale theologian’s connection to the pale further corrupts their body, causing their eyes to glow with a baleful radiance, alerting others to their nature and granting them sight much like an undead creature. The pale theologian gains Darkvision 60 feet, or 120 feet if they already possessed natural Darkvision. This Darkvision is an extraordinary effect.

As a standard action they can focus their vision, allowing them to see pale energies. Until the end of their next turn, the pale theologian can determine whether creatures and corpses they can see within Close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 pale theologian levels) of them are alive, undead, or neither alive nor undead within Close range of them. They can also detect the general health of living and undead creatures while using this ability, determining whether they are wounded (see below) and if they are affected by a disease or poison. When the pale theologian activated this ability, they may spend 1 theology point to extend its duration to 1 minute. At the end of this duration, they can spend another theology point to extend its duration another minute. If a creature’s true nature is being obscured by an illusion or transmutation effect, the pale theologian gains a free Will save or Perception check against the illusion or disguise the first time they perceive it with this ability. This ability is a supernatural effect.

When detecting the health of living or undead creatures the pale theologian determines the creature’s general condition as determined below.

• Normal: Has at least 90% of their full normal Hit Points remaining.
• Fair: 30% - 90% of their full normal Hit Points remaining.
• Poor: Less than 30% of their full normal Hit Points remaining.
• Weak: 0 or fewer Hit Points remaining.

Rites of Warding (Su)

At 5th level, the pale theologian has learned rites that grant them unique methods of defending themselves against undead creatures and the effects of life and death magic. The pale theologian gains a +1 competence bonus on AC and CMD against undead, on saving throws against the extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities of undead creatures, and on saving throws against death effects, and effects that deal with positive or negative energy. These bonuses increase by an additional +1 at 10th, 15th, and 20th level.

Rites of Rest (Su)

At 9th level, the pale theologian can bestow special funerary rites to a slain creature that prevents them from being raised from the dead or reanimated as an undead creature. Performing these rites requires the slain creature’s corpse to be within their reach for 1 minute, and an expenditure of 1 point from their theology pool. When performed, anyone who attempts to raise the creature from the dead, or attempts to make an undead from the creature’s corpse, must make a caster level check with a DC of 10 + the pale theologian’s caster level. If they fail this check their attempt fails, and they cannot attempt to raise or reanimate the corpse again for 24 hours.

If this ability is used against the corpse of an undead creature who cannot be destroyed by conventional means (such as a bloody skeleton) with a number of hit dice equal to or lower than the pale theologian’s class level, that undead is destroyed permanently. This ability can only be used in this way against undead whose physical bodies restore themselves, and cannot be used against creatures like a ghost or a lich. Particularly powerful creatures may be immune or resistant to this function of the ability, at the GM’s discretion.