Elemental Lord Prestige Class:
This prestige class replaces the Elemental Savant prestige class from Tome & Blood. The actual version of the class taken depends upon the element chosen, which depends in part upon the type of character taking the class, as different O.A. character classes have different types of elements...
AIR: Wind Lord -- Air Shugenjas only!
EARTH: Stone Lord -- Earth Shugenjas, Shamans with Stone Domain, Sorcerers with Spell Focus (Earth), and Wu Jens with Elemental Mastery (Earth)
FIRE: Flame Lord -- Fire Shugenjas, Shamans with Flame Domain, Sorcerers with Spell Focus (Fire), and Wu Jens with Elemental Mastery (Fire)
WATER: Wave Lord -- Water Shugenjas, Shamans with River Domain, Sorcerers with Spell Focus (Water), and Wu Jens with Elemental Mastery (Water)
METAL: Iron Lord -- Shamans with Metal Domain, Sorcerers with Spell Focus (Metal), and Wu Jens with Elemental Mastery (Metal)
WOOD: Bark Lord -- Shamans with Wood Domain, Sorcerers with Spell Focus (Wood), and Wu Jens with Elemental Mastery (Wood)
Other Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (Spirits) 8 ranks
Special: Able to cast at least one spell of the chosen element of 3rd level or higher, and must have made prior peaceful contact with a spirit of the chosen element. An Elemental Lord of 10th level qualifies for this purpose, as do normal elementals, sentient items of metal, and nature spirits tied to trees...
Hit Die: d4
Class Skills:
Alchemy (INT), Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Handle Animal (CHA),
Knowledge (all skills, taken individually)(INT), Profession (WIS),
Scry (INT, exclusive), Speak language (all languages cost 1 skill
point to learn instead of 2), and Spellcraft (INT).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + INT modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: No new proficiency gained...
Lvl BAB Fo Re Wi Special Spells Per Day --- --- --- --- --- --------------------------- ------------------- 1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Transition I, Elemental SR +1 level of primary 2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Elemental Focus +1 +1 level of primary 3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Elemental Penetration +1 +1 level of primary 4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Transition II +1 level of primary 5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Elemental Focus +2 +1 level of primary 6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Elemental Penetration +2 +1 level of primary 7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Transition III +1 level of primary 8 +4 +2 +2 +6 Elemental Focus +3 +1 level of primary 9 +4 +3 +3 +6 Elemental Penetration +3 +1 level of primary 10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Elemental PerfectionSpells Per Day: At each level except 10th, the Elemental Lord gains an additional level of spellcasting ability added to the class which served to qualify the character for the prestige class. In the unlikely situation where the character had more than one such class, the character must choose when taking the prestige class which class he is using to qualify.
Transition: As the Elemental Lord gains levels, his mortal, natural form begins a transition towards becoming an elemental spirit, gaining certain elemental qualities along the way, as follows:
I: At 1st level, the character becomes immune to magical sleep effects.
II: At 4th level, the character becomes immune to paralysis, and gains the Darkvision ability, 60' range.
III: At 7th level, the character becomes immune to poison and stunning.
Elemental SR: At 1st level, the character gains spell resistance (SR) against spells and spell-like effects of his chosen element, and the SR gradually increases -- Elemental SR = 15 + Elemental Lord class level. This spell resistance does not stack with any other SR. See the DMG, p.81-83.
Elemental Focus: Beginning at 2nd level, the Elemental Lord gains the bonus indicated to the save DC for all spells of the chosen element he casts, and gains the same bonus to his own saves against such spells. This bonus stacks with other such bonuses gained from feats, class abilities, etc.
Elemental Penetration: Beginning at 3rd level, the Elemental Lord gains the indicated bonus as a competence bonus to his caster level checks to overcome a creature's SR rating, with spells of the chosen element.
Elemental Perfection: At 10th level, the Elemental Lord has finished his transition to an elemental spirit, achieving perfection in his new form. This has several effects, most common to all Elemental Lords, with each also gaining one ability specific to his chosen element. These changes are:
1) His type changes to elemental and he gains the spirit subtype. Spells which target humanoids no longer affect him, but spells which target elementals or spirits do. In addition, he counts as a conjured/summoned creature whose home plane is the Spirit World, and is affected accordingly by various Protection, Magic Circle, and Dispel spells, among others, His physical appearance changes in some way to reflect this change, and his nature can be discerned by anyone with Knowledge (Spirits) skill (DC 20).
2) His anatomy changes in a way which makes him immune to critical hits. (This is a culmination of the gradual changes which have led to various immunities already received.) However, he does still have a clear front and back, and thus may still be flanked.
3) He gains a +2 circumstance bonus on all CHA-based skills whenever dealing with other elemental spirits of the chosen element, and with other Elemental Lords of the chosen element, but suffers a -2 circumstance penalty whenever dealing with such creatures of the opposite element. (Air opposes Earth, Fire opposes Water, and Metal opposes Wood.)
4) Once per day, the Elemental Lord may use the spell Plane Shift as a spell-like ability, between the Material World and the Spirit World only. If used to send an unwilling creature to the other world, Will negates, and the spell DC = 16 + CHA modifier.
5) The Elemental Lord gains additional mastery over his chosen element, depending on that particular element, as follows, as a supernatural ability:
Wind Mastery: Airborne creatures, and all missile attacks, suffer a -1 circumstance penalty to attack and damage rolls against a Wind Lord.
Stone Mastery: A Stone Lord gains a +1 circumstance bonus to melee attack and damage rolls if both he and his foe are touching the ground, or a brick or stone floor. If his foe is airborne or waterborne instead, he suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to melee attack and damage rolls as long as he remains landbound.
Flame Mastery: A Flame Lord gains immunity to fire, but takes double damage from cold effects on a failed save; he has the fire subtype.
Wave Mastery: A Wave Lord gains a +1 circumstance bonus to melee attack and damage rolls if both he and his foe are in contact with water. If his foe is airborne or landbound instead, he suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to melee attack and damage rolls as long as he remains waterborne.
Iron Mastery: An Iron Lord gains damage reduction 2/- against attacks from metal weapons and metal spells and spell-like abilities, similar to the Metal Domain's granted power of Metal Ward; this damage reduction is cumulative with other types of damage reduction.
Bark Mastery: A Bark Lord gains a +3 natural armor bonus to AC as per the Bark Skin spell; this bonus does not stack with any other natural armor bonus the character may have.
6) The Elemental Lord may Rebuke/Command elemental spirits of his chosen element, at the 10th level of ability. This ability is identical to the ability of evil Shamans to Rebuke/Command undead, except for the type of creatures affected, and is usable 3 + CHA modifier times per day.
Elemental Lords are rare indeed, but powerful in their own element, and may arise from the ranks of any spellcasting class, though NPC Adepts who become Elemental Lords are almost unheard of. Most become intrigued with the power of the elements early on, and study one or more elements assiduously -- it is no surprise that the majority of Elemental Lords began their careers as Shugenja or Wu Jen, but a few Sorcerers do discover a natural talent for the magic of a particular element, and a few Shamans ally themselves with one or more elemental spirits, and follow that spirit's path eventually. Because an Elemental Lord does not change his appearance too significantly even upon ascension to elemental perfection, most continue to be treated as though they were still of their primary spellcasting class, which they have indeed continued to progress in as far as gaining and casting spells is concerned. Thus it is that many great heroes of the past may be chronicled as mighty Shugenja or Wu Jen, yet in reality, their greatness had much to do with their power as an Elemental Lord, in addition to their normal spell ability.
Elemental Lords seldom seek personal political power, preferring to continue the study of their chosen element unhindered by politics and intrigue, but they may put aside their studies for emergencies, or to aid those they know as friends -- or exact vengeance on those who have become their enemies.
An Elemental Lord who has achieved perfection often spends most of his time in the Spirit World, where he will not age while pursuing his studies, and thus few Elemental Lords of 10th level will be found in the Material World.