Diabolist (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Some face damnation willingly, selling their souls to gain arcane power. Born without natural affinity for magic, they gain this affinity by literally dealing with the devil. Seeking to control the awesome might of the infernal legions and twist the very powers of Hell to their whims, these blasphemous spellcasters jeopardize their immortal souls for mastery over devilkind.

Class Information

This is a prestige class archetype.

Prestige Class: diabolist.

Build Classes: sorcerer

The diabolist is a sorcerer with an artificial, hellish bloodline.

Role: A diabolist casts spells rivalling the best sorcerers, and also draw directly upon the powers of hell to aid his cause.

Alignment: Lawful evil, lawful neutral, or neutral evil only. Though some tread the path of the diabolist to enslave the forces of Hell and turn them towards goals other than corruption, only the most stalwart of diabolists can resist the temptations of the Pit. Regardless of whatever grim path leads spellcasters to seek power over the diabolical, their destination is nearly always the same-- an eternity of damnation in the depths of Hell.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

The diabolist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Diabolists have all the class features or sorcerers, except as noted.

Channel Hellfire

A diabolist can alter spells that deal energy damage to instead deal hellfire damage. She can do this as a free action a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Spells altered to use hellfire gain the lawful and evil descriptors.

Hellfire is treated as normal fire, but deals half fire damage and half damage from unholy energy. Damage dealt by hellfire is known as hellfire damage. Evil-aligned creatures and creatures with the evil subtype take no damage from the unholy energy, but good-aligned beings and those with the good subtype take double the normal damage from it. Creatures under the effects of spells like protection from evil are unaffected by this unholy energy, though they may still take fire damage.

This replaces bloodline arcana.

Damned

When a diabolist is killed, her soul is instantly sent to Hell. Any character attempting to resurrect her must succeed at a caster level check equal to 10 + ½ the diabolist's level or her spell fails. That character cannot attempt to resurrect the diabolist again until the following day, though other characters can attempt as they please.

Infernal Familiar

The diabolist gains a familiar identical to that of a wizard's arcane bond feature. A diabolist may not bond with an object, and the familiar is always lawful evil in alignment and black and/or crimson in color. This replaces the bloodline power gained at 1st level.

Bonus Spells

A diabolist gains bonus spells as he advances in level. At 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter, a diabolist learns an additional spell from the list below. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known. These spells cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels. This replaces all bloodline spells.

Burning hands (3rd), scorching ray (5th), suggestion (7th), charm monster (9th), dominate person (11th), planar binding (devils and creatures with the fiendish template only) (13th), limited wish (15th), power word stun (17th), meteor swarm (19th).

Infernal Charisma

At 3rd level a diabolist gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma skills and checks made when interacting with devils and on checks made to research specific devils' true names or sigils. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and to +6 at 14th level. This replaces the bloodline power gained at level 3.

Imp Companion

At 7th level, the diabolist gains the Improved Familiar feat but must choose an imp. This imp has the ability to assume the shape of the animal the diabolist had before gaining this ability at will. This works as beast shape II but with no change in ability scores. This replaces the bloodline feat gained at level 7.

Infernal Transport (Sp)

At 9th level, a diabolist can transport herself through Hell in a burst of brimstone. She may use this ability twice per day as per dimension door, or expend both uses to travel as if using teleport. She cannot use this ability to enter or leave areas warded against evil creatures. This replaces the bloodline power gained at level 9.

Hellish Soul

At 10th level, a diabolist has been deemed useful enough to the cause of Hell to be allowed a brief respite from damnation. If killed by any means outside of the will of Asmodeus, the archdevils, or another influential force in Hell, the diabolist can be resurrected as normal.

Augment Summoning

At 13th level, a diabolist gains the Augment Summoning feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already knows this feat, she can choose any other feat she qualifies for instead. This replaces the bloodline feat gained at level 13.

Hellfire Ray (Sp)

At 15th level, a diabolist may use hellfire ray three times per day. This replaces the bloodline power gained at level 15.

Sacred Summons

At 19th level, a diabolist gains the Sacred Summons feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already knows this feat, she can choose any other feat she qualifies for instead. This replaces the bloodline feat gained at level 19.

Master Conjurer

At 20th level, when a diabolist calls a devil whose name she knows, she may cast the calling spell as a standard action and bargain with it as a move action. She adds half her Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate modifier on the bargaining Charisma check (if any). This replaces the bloodline power gained at level 20.

Table: Diabolist

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Channel hellfire, damned, eschew materials, infernal familiar	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3		4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Bonus spell, infernal charisma +2	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4		6	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus spell	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5		6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus spell, imp companion	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Infernal charisma +4	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Bonus spell, infernal transport	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Hellish soul	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus spell	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Augment Summoning, bonus spell	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Infernal charisma +6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Bonus spell , hellfire ray	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Bonus spell	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Bonus spell, Sacred Summons	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Master conjurer	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6

Summary of Lost Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Bloodline Arcana
• Bloodline Feats (All)
• Bloodline Powers (All)
• Bloodline Spells (All)