False Priest (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

False priests are experts at disguising their arcane magic as god-given divine magic, and in the use of divine scrolls, staves, and wands. They roam the lands spreading word of the power of their false god, and using that power to convince the unfaithful of their misplaced loyalties in other gods and governments.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype. The false priest is a sorcerer that fakes divine magic.

Prestige Class: Razmiran priest from Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige, along with the False Casting from Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic.

Build Classes: Witch.

Role: The false priest protelyses for her false religion and basks in the adoration and wealth the faithful provide.

Alignment: Any non-good. A devotee who wishes to become a false priest must undergo a ritual, blessing the priest and judging his purity. Those who are found worthy emerge from this process as absolute believers, while those deemed inadequate are never seen again. A new false priest finds himself on a quick path to power, prestige, and wealth, as the hierarchy of the church treats most priests as superiors. Indeed, many false priests find themselves quickly rising in rank to become possessors of even greater power in short order.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

The false priest's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

A flase priest has all the witch's class features except as noted here.

Arcane Bond

This is the same as the wizard's arcane bond class feature. If she selects a familiar, it works as a witch's familiar. If she selects a bonded item she has the additional option to pick a divine focus as a bonded item and uses a bonded item just like a witch uses a familiar to prepare spells and can cast any spell contained in the item once per day, like a wizard does. This replaces witch's familiar.

Domain

A false priest may select one of the following domains: Charm, Evil, Law, or Trickery. A false priest gains the granted powers of that domain, using his class level as his cleric level and his Intelligence modifier in place of his Wisdom modifier. He does not gain any domain spells from this domain.

At 10th level, a false priest may select a second domain from those listed above and may use the granted powers of that domain as well. This replaces patron spells and the level 10 hexe.

False Casting

A false priest gains False Casting as a bonus feat, ignoring the prerequisites.

When a false priest uses a magic item or a spell-like ability to create a magical effect, she may add additional magic-seeming words and hand gestures to trick onlookers into believing she cast the spell herself. If using an item that is recognizable as a magical implement (such as a wand or ring), she can trick viewers into thinking she is just using the item as a focus component. Onlookers who have no ranks in Spellcraft have no knowledge of what is genuine spellcasting, and automatically believe the false priest is casting a spell. If an onlooker attempts a Spellcraft check to identify the “casting,” his check is opposed by the false priest's Bluff check. If he succeeds, he realizes the deception. If he fails, he believes the false priest cast the spell. Regardless of the result of that opposed check, he uses the result of that Spellcraft check to identify the “spell” cast, except the DC is 20 + the spell’s level instead of 15 + the spell’s level.

Whenever a false priest uses False Casting to cast a spell on the cleric spell list of a spell level she can ordinarily cast, she receives a +10 circumstance bonus on the Bluff check made when casting the spell. This replaces the level 1 hex and grand hex.

Master of Lies (Ex)

At 2nd level, a false priest adds half his class level to any Bluff check. In addition, whenever he is subject to a spell or special ability that can discern whether or not he is telling the truth, he is automatically aware of such magic. He is not immune to such spells or abilities, but he can choose to remain silent or avoid answering questions. This replaces the level 2 hex.

False Channel (Su)

Starting at 4th level, a false priest can channel positive energy to heal living creatures like a cleric, healing 1d6 points of damage, plus 1d6 points of damage for every four false priest levels after 4th. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. The hit points healed by this ability are treated as temporary hit points, and last for 10 minutes per false priest level. These hit points do not stack with themselves. False channel cannot give more temporary hit points than the target has taken damage. This ability does not count for the purposes of meeting any prerequisites that call for the ability to channel energy. This ability cannot be used to harm undead creatures and replaces the hexes at level 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20.

False Piety (Ex)

At 6th level a false priest adds half his witch level to Use Magic Device checks to activate spell trigger and spell completion items that use divine spells. She also gains False Focus as a bonus feat. This replaces the level 6 hex.

Replacement Channel (Su)

At 9th level, the false priest can use his own magic to power spell completion and spell trigger items that uses divine spells. He expends a false priest spell slot that is at least 1 level higher than the level of the spell he’s trying to activate, then makes a Use Magic Device check. If he succeeds, the item’s spell occurs and the item or charge is not expended. If he fails, nothing happens. Whether he succeeds or fails, his spell slot is expended. This replaces major hex.

Conversion (Su)

At 14th level, whenever a false priest heals himself using false channel, the effect heals damage instead of granting temporary hit points. This has no effect on others in the area of effect and replaces the level 14 hex.

True Pretender (Su)

At 18th level, a false priest attains true power. Whenever he uses false channel, he can spend two uses of that ability to heal damage to all living creatures in the area, instead of granting temporary hit points. In addition, when determining what spell trigger and spell completion magic items he can use, he acts as though all cleric spells were on his spell list. This makes it so that he does not need to make a Use Magic Device skill check when using such items, but he must still make Bluff skill checks when using False Casting with such spells. This replaces the level 18 hex.

Table: False Priest

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Arcane bond, cantrips, domain, false casting	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Master of lies	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3		4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	False channel 1d6	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4		4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	False piety	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5		4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	False channel 2d6	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Replacement channel	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Domain	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7		4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	False channel 3d6	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Conversion	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9		4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	False channel 4d6	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	True pretender	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	12	False channel 5d6	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4