Dissident of Dawn (Apath)
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Whenever religions splinter, whenever the faithful turn against each other or when a faith is persecuted, there are those who take their faith underground. The dissident of dawn is one such group, trying to heal a schism in the sun religion.
Class Information
This is a prestige class archetype.
Prestige Class: dissident of dawn.
Build Classes: cleric
The dissident of dawn is a sun cleric who has been forced to hide his religious allegiance.
Role: A dissident of dawn is like a cleric only he is able to work under the noses of hostile observers. It is excellent as a support class in an intrude campaign.
Alignment: Like a cleric, a dissident of dawn can have an alignment no more than one step removed from the alignment of the patron. The dissident of dawn has gone underground, but continues the work of his faith-in whatever way he considers right. A dissident of dawn has a certain lassitude in obeying the forms of religion, but must remain devout in belief. In fact, most dissidents of dawn are fare more stringent with their beliefs that the deity actually requires. Many are extremists with very little tolerance for differences of opinion, a few are working to heal the schisms and conflicts within the faith.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The dissident of dawn's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Stealth (Dex).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The dissident of dawn has all cleric class features, except as noted.
Armor and Weapon Proficiency
Dissidents of dawn are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor and shields (except tower shields). They are also proficient with the favored weapon of their deity.
Sun Domain
A dissident of dawn has the Sun domain and no others. If his deity grants a subdomain of the sun domain, he can choose that. Otherwise, this is the same as the cleric ability of the same name.
Divine Deception (Ex)
A Dissident of dawn adds a sacred bonus equal to 1/2 his level on Bluff or Sense Motive checks to send, interpret, or intercept coded messages, and increases the DC of Spellcraft checks made to identify his spells by the same amount. He also adds the following spells to his spell list:
- illusion of calm
- rope trick
- nondetection
- detect scrying
- mage's private sanctum
- veil
- mage's magnificent mansion
- screen
- communal mind blank
In addition, the duration of these spells doubles when they target worshipers of the same faith (including the caster). This does not affect the level of the spell or its casting time, and does not stack with feats or effects such as Extend Spell.
Channel Energy (Su)
This is the same as the cleric ability, except the dissident of dawn only channels positive energy, and only to harm undead. An dissident of dawn with an evil patron would instead channel negative energy to harm living creatures.
Eschew Materials
A Dissident of dawn gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat, and he can ignore any divine focus (holy symbol) components for his spells.
| Condition | Penalty |
| During combat | –5 |
| Spell has a range of personal | –0 |
| Spell has a range of touch | –5 |
| Spell has a range longer than touch | –10 |
| Spell has a visible, audible, or otherwise observable effect |
–Spell level ×2 |
| Spell has an observable effect that clearly emanates from the caster |
Automatic failure |
Secret Caster (Ex)
At 2nd level, a Dissident of dawn can disguise his spellcasting with a Bluff check (for spells with verbal components), opposed by the observer's Sense Motive check, and/or a Sleight of Hand check (for spells with somatic components), opposed by the observer's Perception check. Depending on the situation, the Dissident of dawn's Bluff and/or Sleight of Hand check is modified according to the following table.
Casting a spell in this fashion increases its casting time to a full-round action (if normally a standard action or less), or doubles the casting time of spells with a casting time longer than a full-round action. A spell cast in this way does not provoke attacks of opportunity from observers that fail to recognize it for what it is. For spells with both verbal and somatic components, the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity from observers unless they fail both their Sense Motive and Perception checks.
Schismatic Apostle (Ex)
At 3rd level, a Dissident of dawn adds a +1 bonus to the DC of mind-affecting effects used against followers of the same faith, and one opposing faith.
Burning Blade (Su)
At 4th level, a Dissident of dawn can expend one use of channel energy as a swift action to grant a scimitar he touches the flaming weapon special ability for 1 round per 1d6 points of damage the channeled energy would normally cause. If a worshiper of the same faith wields the scimitar and strikes another worshiper of the same faith, as a free action the wielder may choose to make all damage from the attack nonlethal, as if wielding a weapon with the merciful weapon special ability. An inquisitor may instead choose to expend one use of his judgment ability to imbue the scimitar with the flaming weapon special ability for a number of rounds equal to his caster level, or may use this ability in place of his bane ability.
At 8th level, this power grants the touched scimitar the flaming burst weapon special ability instead.
Shift Blame (Su)
At 6th level, when a Dissident of dawn provokes an attack of opportunity, he can attempt to deceive the creature making the attack of opportunity into believing the provoking action was performed by another creature as long as it is adjacent to the Dissident of dawn and also threatened by the attacker. Doing so requires a Bluff check opposed by the attacker's Sense Motive check. The attacker gains a bonus equal to its base attack bonus on this Sense Motive check. If the Bluff check is successful, the attack of opportunity instead targets an adjacent creature chosen by the Dissident of dawn.
Morning Light (Su)
At 9th level, a Dissident of dawn can spend a full-round action reciting the litany of wisdom while expending two uses of channel energy. This grants each ally within 15 feet of him a new saving throw against any one ongoing condition or effect that allows a save. This does not affect instantaneous or permanent effects or effects that do not allow a saving throw. Allies that worship the same god (including the Dissident of dawn) can instead attempt a new saving throw against every ongoing condition or effect that allows a save.
Flight of the Phoenix (Su)
At 10th level, when a Dissident of dawn is killed his body is engulfed in a column of holy fire equivalent to a flame strike at his caster level. At the beginning of his next turn, his spirit returns in the form of a phoenix that fights as he directs for up to 1 minute and then disappears. This phoenix is not considered called or summoned. The Dissident of dawn is reborn (as resurrection) 1d4 rounds after it disappears in a random location within 1 mile, with his gear intact but with two permanent negative levels. If the phoenix is killed before it disappears, the Dissident of dawn cannot be reborn via this ability, though other methods of raising him still work.
Table: Dissident of Dawn
| 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 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Aura, channel energy 1d6, divine deception, orisons, spontaneous casting, Sun domain | 3 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Eschew Materials | 4 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Channel energy 2d6 | 4 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Secret caster | 4 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Channel energy 3d6 | 4 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Schismatic apostle | 4 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Channel energy 4d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | 4 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Channel energy 4d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Burning blade (flaming) | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Channel energy 6d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Shift blame | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Channel energy 7d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Burning blade (flaming burst) | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Channel energy 8d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Morning light | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Channel energy 9d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Channel energy 10d6 | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Flight of the phoenix | 4 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 |
Ex-Dissidents of Dawn
A dissident of dawn who grossly violates the code of conduct required by her god loses all spells and class features, except for armor and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. She cannot thereafter gain levels as a dissident of dawn until she atones for her deeds (see the atonement spell description).
Summary of Lost Class Abilities
These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:
- Channel energy
- Domains
Alternate Dissidents
The dissident of dawn is worshipper of the sun god, but other religions can have dissidents. All that changes is the domain given, the effects of channelling, the burning blade ability at level 4, and the flight of the phoenix ability at level 20. Dissidents of different faiths would call the morning light ability by different names, but the benefit remains the same. Here are some examples of different dissidents by domain.
Dissident of Darkness
Channeling: Only to heal or harm undead.
4th level ability: Blade ofDarkness: The blade does negative energy damage.
20th Level Ability: Column is of darkness, does negative energy damage, and the dissident is reborn as an ankou.
Dissident of Death
Channeling: Only to heal undead.
4th level ability: Blade of Death: The blade does negative energy damage.
20th Level Ability: Wrath of the Dybbuk Column is of negative energy, the dissident is reborn as a dybbuk.
Dissident of Destruction
Channeling: Only to negative energy to harm the living or positive energy to harm undead.
4th level ability: Screaming Blade: The blade does sonic damage.
20th Level Ability: Return to Destroy Column is of sonic energy, the dissident is reborn as a plasma ooze.
Dissident of Healing
Channeling: Only to heal the living.
4th level ability: Blade of Searing Blood: The blade does acid damage.
20th Level Ability: Glorious Return Column is of acid, the dissident is reborn as a emperor kirin.
Dissident of Repose
Channeling: Only to harm undead.
4th level ability: Blade of Pale Luminence: The blade does positive energy damage.
20th Level Ability: Eternal Duty Column is of searing positive energy, the dissident is reborn as a Memetim psychopomp.
Dissident of Strength
Channeling: Only to heal or harm living creatures.
4th level ability: Cold Iron Blade: The blade does physical magical cold iron slashing damage.
20th Level Ability: Life is Power Column is of fire, the dissident is reborn as a ypotryll.
Dissident of Weather
Channeling: Alter winds effect in 30 ft. radius instead of normal channeling.
4th level ability: Lightning Blade: The blade does electricity damage.
20th Level Ability: Storm's Revenge Column is of cold, the dissident is reborn as a akhlut.