Sacerdote (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

The sacredote is a divine spellcaster class that is powerful and versatile enough to compete with arcane casters like the wizard. Specialized in theology and divine magic, they are less practical than clerics and have no weapon training. Sacredotes cast cleric spells and have a huge number of spells per day from a wide variety of domains. Sacredotes use magic in combat and can channel their spells into devastating manifestations of divine wrath.

Class Information

Sacredotes are focused miracle workers, completely absorbed with service to their patron or creed. This makes them very powerful spellcasters. Sacredotes cast cleric spells and have a huge number of spells per day from a wide variety of domains. Unlike regular clerics, sacredotes are not warriors. They work towards their goals by invoking miracles rather than by physical action, and can channel their spells into devastating manifestations of divine wrath. Their mastery of domain spells exceeds even that of clerics, letting them delve deeply into the specific powers of their faith. A sacredote focuses on serving their patron(s) to the exclusion of everything else, and seek perfection in their studies and observances rather than to impress the faithful.

Background

Sacredotes generally come from families of clergy or gentry. They are students of divine knowledge, delving both deep and widely into the mysteries of their faith. The sacredote is an educated class and starting age is in the oldest category.

Religion

Sacredotes tend to worship organized, civilized gods of lawful alignment, working their way up through the hierarchy of the church. Many work as priests, teachers, or religious academics. Some serve entire pantheons of gods, or have their own views of the divine that they try to propagate. Yet others serve spirits or other less-than-divine patrons, often several at once.

Alignment

A sacredote's alignment must not be opposed to that of his deity. That is, he may not be good if his patron is evil, he may not be lawful if his patron is chaotic, or vice-verso. A sacredote often serves a pantheon or several deities, and must have an alignment not opposed to any of them. Sacredotes tend toward lawful and neutral alignments, having studied many ethical viewpoints but making none of them their own. Chaotic religions rarely have sacredotes, but they are not impossible.

A sacredote that changes to a non-allowed alignment loses any domains they are no longer allowed. The sacredote must do without these abilities for one full level, but can then choose replacements allowed by his new alignment.

Adventurers

Each adventuring sacredote has his own reasons. Those who are part of a church may be sent into the world on various missions, those who strike out on their own might be banished for their free-thinking ways or forced to support themselves. Either way, sacredotes easily fit into most adventuring parties, their wide repertoire of spells and powers making them useful spellcasters and good support for all other classes.

Relations

Sacredotes are very high-brow and theoretical. They tend to find physical tasks demeaning, and look down their noses at the physical classes - while still appreciating the service and security they provide, they would never dirty their own hands with physical labor or exercise. This and their theoretical approach to alignment and faith often puts them at odds with clerics and oracles, who feel they have a practical understanding of the divine as opposed to the sacredotes' theology. On the other hand, sacredotes can also clash with wizards and other academic classes, competing for academic credibility. Still, everybody realizes that cooperation is of primary importance, rivalries are usually saved for classrooms and debates.

Abilities

A sacredote needs a high wisdom score for his spells and Intelligence for channeling and skills. A healthy Constitution gives a measure of security.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

The sacredote's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the sacredote.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Sacredotes are proficient with the club, dagger, and quarterstaff but not with any type of armor or shield. A sacredote with one single patron is also proficient in the patron's favored weapon. A sacredote that wears armor or uses a shield risks arcane spell failure even on divine spells from the sacredote class, see advanced spells below.

Spells

A sacredote casts divine spells, which are drawn from the cleric spell list and from clerical domains. His cleric spells and domain spells make up two different spell lists, and a sacredote prepares spells from each category separately. His alignment may restrict him from casting certain spells opposed to his moral or ethical beliefs; see chaotic, evil, good, and lawful spells, below. A sacredote must choose and prepare his spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a sacredote must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sacredote's spell is 10 + the spell level + the sacredote's Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a sacredote can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Sacredote. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. A sacredote prepares this many cleric spells each day and this many domain spells each day; in effect, the sacredote has two sets of spells and receives Wisdom bonuses to both.

Example: A third level sacredote with a Wisdom of 14 can prepare three first-level spells and two second-level cleric spells, and the same number of domain spells from among those listed for his domains.

Sacredotes meditate for their spells. Each sacredote must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a sacredote can prepare spells. A sacredote may prepare and cast any spell on the cleric and domain spell lists respectively, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must prepare the proper type of spell in cleric and domain slots and choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

Advanced Spellcasting

Sacredotes studying the divine do not adapt their spells to practical use the way most divine spellcasters do. Their study of the divine is deeply theoretical and has just as exacting requirements as arcane spells. This includes somatic components. When casting divine spells with somatic components while wearing armor, a sacredote is subject to arcane spell failure just like an arcane caster.

Sacredote spells are harder to learn than normal divine spells. A prestige class that improves the casting of arcane spells works for a sacredote, but a prestige class that improves only divine spells does not.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells

A sacredote can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own or his deity’s (if he has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaotic, evil, good, and lawful descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Domains

A sacredote's deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him. Some sacredotes serve an entire pantheon or have no patron at all. Whatever the source of their powers, sacredotes have access to clerical domains, even more so than clerics.

Sacredotes study the divine in unique ways, achieving both a breath and depth unavailable to clerics. Beside divine spells from the cleric list, they also have access to a number of domains and a separate (but equal) daily limit on domain spells they can prepare. Combine all the spells granted by the sacredote's domains; these become his domain spell list. In addition, all sacredotes know mage armor as a 1st level domain spell.

A sacredote with a patron learns to use all the domains belonging to his deity. Some gods give more domains than others. A sacredote who serves a monotheistic deity, a dualistic deity, or a pantheon can only receive five domains in this way, selected among those available to the gods of his pantheon. A sacredote striking out on his own, with no patron or pantheon to guide him, has any four domains of his choice.

To pick an alignment domain, the sacredote must share that alignment.

Each domain gives the sacredote access to a domain spell at each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up. The sacredote gets no granted powers from his domains.

List of domains and subdomains.

Orisons

Sacredotes can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level cleric spells, each day, as noted on Table: Sacredote under "Spells per day". These spells are treated like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. A sacredote has no level zero domain spells.

Bonus Languages

A sacredote's bonus language options include Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal (the languages of good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil outsiders, respectively). These choices are in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of his race.

Channel Spells (Su)

A sacredote can release a wave of harmful energy by channeling the power of his spells through his divine focus.

Channel spells always inflicts damage, and deals damage to any kind of target; living, unliving, undead, or object. This damage is not subject to energy resistance and death ward offers no protection. It does full damage to incorporeal creatures. The type of energy channeled varies by alignment, and matters mostly for channeling feats. A good sacredote channels positive energy. An evil sacredote channels negative energy. A neutral sacredote can channel either positive or negative energy as he chooses, deciding which to use each time he uses the ability.

To use this ability, the sacredote spends a standard action and sacrifices a sacredote spell of level one or higher. Orisons cannot be channeled. This can be a cleric or domain spell and is expended as if it was cast, but has no effects besides powering the channel spells ability. The amount of damage dealt is 1d6 points per level of spell. At level 2 and each even level thereafter add another d6 damage, to a maximum of 10d6 additional damage at level 20.

Channel spells can take two forms, a burst or a ray.

A burst affects all creatures in a 30-foot radius centered on the sacredote. Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + the level of the spell channeled + the sacredote's Wisdom modifier.

As an alternative, the sacredote can convert the energy into a ray with medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level). This is a ranged touch attack that only affects a single target, but there is no saving throw for half damage. The sacredote can choose to use his Intelligence bonus instead of his Dexterity bonus on attack rolls with these channeled spell rays.

It is possible to use channeling feats with the channel spells ability. This counts as the cleric's channel energy ability of the same type (positive or negative), but always to inflict damage. Channeling feat abilities that allow saving throws still do so when used as rays and the DC this save is the same as above. A successful save against a ray does not reduce the damage, it only changes the effect of the channeling feat.

A sacredote must be able to present his divine focus to use this ability.

Bonus Feats

At level 3 and every 4 levels thereafter (at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level) a sacredote gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, he can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or a channeling feat. The sacredote must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums. These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels.

Manifestations

At 5th level, the sacredote learns to manifest his channeled spells ability in new ways. Select one of the following manifestations at 5th level. Every four levels after 5th (level 9, 13, 17) add another manifestation. Unless otherwise noted, a particular manifestation can only be selected once and cannot be changed once it has been decided.

• A ray with long range (400 ft. + 40 ft/level) affecting a single target.
• A split ray, affecting two targets at short range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 caster levels). Roll to hit each target separately. This cannot strike the same target twice.
• A 60 ft. line. This manifestation can be selected several times, each additional time adds 60 ft. to the line.
• A 20 ft. spread, centered on a point within medium range (100 ft + 10 ft./level). This manifestation can be selected twice, the second time it gets long range (400 ft. + 40 ft/level).
• A cylindrical spread (15-ft. radius, 10-ft. high per level) within medium range (100 ft + 10 ft./level). This manifestation can be selected twice, the second time it gets long range (400 ft. + 40 ft/level).
• A snake shape that can expand into a number of continuous squares equal to half your level; the snake shape can have any form and begins in a square next to you.

All manifestations that are area effects allow a saving throw in the same manner as the basic burst.

Table: Sacredote

Level

Base Attack Bonus

Fort Save

Reflex Save

Will Save

Special

Spells per Day

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

1st

+0

+0

+0

+2

Advanced spellcasting, channel spells, domains, orisons

3

1+1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2nd

+1

+0

+0

+3

Channel spells +1d6

4

2+2

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

3rd

+1

+1

+1

+3

Bonus feat

4

2+2

1+1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

4th

+2

+1

+1

+4

Channel spells +2d6

5

3+3

2+2

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5th

+2

+1

+1

+4

Manifestation

5

3+3

2+2

1+1

—

—

—

—

—

—

6th

+3

+2

+2

+5

Channel spells +3d6

5

3+3

3+3

2+2

—

—

—

—

—

—

7th

+3

+2

+2

+5

Bonus feat

6

4+4

3+3

2+2

1+1

—

—

—

—

—

8th

+4

+2

+2

+6

Channel spells +4d6

6

4+4

3+3

3+3

2+2

—

—

—

—

—

9th

+4

+3

+3

+6

Manifestation

6

4+4

4+4

3+3

2+2

1+1

—

—

—

—

10th

+5

+3

+3

+7

Channel spells +5d6

6

4+4

4+4

3+3

3+3

2+2

—

—

—

—

11th

+5

+3

+3

+7

Bonus feat

6

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

2+2

1+1

—

—

—

12th

+6/+1

+4

+4

+8

Channel spells +6d6

6

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

3+3

2+2

—

—

—

13th

+6/+1

+4

+4

+8

Manifestation

6

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

2+2

1+1

—

—

14th

+7/+2

+4

+4

+9

Channel spells +7d6

6

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

3+3

2+2

—

—

15th

+7/+2

+5

+5

+9

Bonus feat

6

5+5

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

2+2

1+1

—

16th

+8/+3

+5

+5

+10

Channel spells +8d6

6

5+5

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

3+3

2+2

—

17th

+8/+3

+5

+5

+10

Manifestation

6

5+5

5+5

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

2+2

1+1

18th

+9/+4

+6

+6

+11

Channel spells +9d6

6

5+5

5+5

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

3+3

2+2

19th

+9/+4

+6

+6

+11

Bonus feat

6

5+5

5+5

5+5

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

3+3

3+3

20th

+10/+5

+6

+6

+12

Channel spells +10d6

6

5+5

5+5

5+5

5+5

5+5

4+4

4+4

4+4

4+4

In addition to the stated number of spells per day for 1st- through 9th-level spells, a sacredote gets an equal number of domain spells for each spell level, starting at 1st. The "x+x" in the entries on this table represents these extra spells. Bonus spells the sacredote may receive for having a high intelligence score apply to both regular spells and domain spells separately and is thus applied twice.

See Also

• Domains - List of complete domains and subdomains

Earlier Versions

Theurge - Spells Domains

• Astral Magician^VS
• Ecclesiastic Druid
• Cloistered Theurge
• Crusading Preacher
• Druidic Teurge
• Healing Theurge
• Spirit Theurge

External Links

Spellcasting Guides

• Animate Dead
• Overcoming Arcane Spell Failure
• Polymorph Guide - Wild Shape Guide useful to all polymorphers.
• Polyharmony Guide - Futher polymoph guidance.
• Shadow Conjuration - Shadow Evocation
• Summoning guide
• Summon Monster
• Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat

The text in this article is Open Game Content. It is covered by the Open Game License v1.0a, rather than the Action copyright. To distinguish it, these items will have this notice. If you see any page that contains OGL material and does not show this license statement, please contact one of the Action administrators. Please note that images used in article may have different copyright than the text.