Holy Imposter (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Holy imposters have a gift for disguising their arcane magic as god-given divine magic, and in the use of divine scrolls, staves, and wands. They roam the lands as prophets of the new faith, using their power to convince the unfaithful of their misplaced loyalties in other gods and governments and to defeat those that oppose them.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype. The holy imposter is a sorcerer that fakes divine magic.

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

Build Classes: Sorcerer.

Role: The holy imposter brings a message to the masses. She can sway onlookers in her favor and discredit divine authority.

Alignment: Any non-good. The holy imposter come into their power naturally, often through service to other charismatic charlatans. The church hierarchy tries to control all holy imposters, tempting them with the riches a church career offers.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

The holy imposter's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (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

These are all the class features of the holy imposter.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Holy imposters are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a holy imposter's gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail (see Arcane Spells and Armor).

Table: Holy Imposter Spells Known

Level	Spells Known
	Zero	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	5	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	6	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	7	4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	7	5	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	8	5	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
9th	8	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
10th	9	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
11th	9	5	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
12th	9	5	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	—	—	—
14th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
15th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	—	—
16th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
17th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
18th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	1
19th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	2
20th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	3

Spells

A holy imposter casts arcane spells drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a holy imposter must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a holy imposter's spell is 10 + the spell level + the holy imposter's Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a holy imposter can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Holy Imposter. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).

A holy imposter's selection of spells is extremely limited. A holy imposter begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of her choice. At each new holy imposter level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Holy Imposter Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a holy imposter knows is not affected by her Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Holy imposter Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the holy imposter/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the holy imposter has gained some understanding of through study.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered holy imposter level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a holy imposter can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the holy imposter loses the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. A holy imposter may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric a holy imposter need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level.

Cantrips

Holy imposters learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Holy imposter Spells Known under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.

Domain

A holy imposter may select one of the following domains: Charm, Evil, Law, or Trickery. A holy imposter gains the granted powers of that domain, using her arcane spellcaster level as her cleric level and her Charisma modifier in place of her Wisdom modifier. She does not gain any domain spells from this domain.

At 10th level, a holy imposter may select a second domain from those listed above and may use the granted powers of that domain as well.

False Casting

A holy imposter gains False Casting as a bonus feat, ignoring the prerequisites.

When a holy imposter 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 holy imposter is casting a spell. If an onlooker attempts a Spellcraft check to identify the “casting,” her check is opposed by the holy imposter's Bluff check. If she succeeds, she realizes the deception. If she fails, she believes the holy imposter cast the spell. Regardless of the result of that opposed check, she 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.

Master of Lies (Ex)

At 2nd level, a holy imposter adds half her class level to any Bluff check made as part of a lie or deception. In addition, whenever she is subject to a spell or special ability that can discern whether or not she is telling the truth, she is automatically aware of such magic. She is not immune to such spells or abilities, but she can choose to remain silent or avoid answering questions.

False Channel (Su)

Starting at 3rd level, a holy imposter can channel positive energy to heal living creatures like a cleric, healing 1d6 points of damage, plus 1d6 points of damage for every four holy imposter levels after 3rd. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. The hit points healed by this ability are treated as temporary hit points, and last for 10 minutes per holy imposter level. These hit points do not stack with themselves (although they do stack with those from cure spells cast using the first, second, and third ritual class feature). False channel cannot give more temporary hit points than the target has lost. 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.

First Ritual (Su)

At 4th level, a holy imposter adds aid, bless and cure light wounds to her spell list and known spells as 2nd-level spells. Whenever she casts cure light wounds using this ability, the hit points healed are instead treated as temporary hit points that last 10 minutes per class level, although the subject of the spell does not notice this difference. Temporary hit points do not stack and the target cannot gain more temporary hit points this way than she has taken damage.

In addition, whenever a holy imposter uses False Casting to cast a 0- or 1st-level spell on the cleric spell list, she receives a +10 circumstance bonus on any opposed Bluff check made when casting the spell.

Second Ritual (Su)

At 6th level, a holy imposter adds cure moderate wounds, remove disease and spiritual weapon to her spell list and known spells as 3rd-level spells. As with the first ritual, any hit points gained from cure moderate wounds are temporary hit points. Finally, whenever a holy imposter uses False Casting to cast a 2nd- or 3rd-level spell on the cleric spell list, she receives a +10 circumstance bonus on any opposed Bluff check made when casting the spell.

Third Ritual (Su)

At 8th level, a holy imposter adds cure serious wounds and prayer to her spell list and known spells as 4th-level spells. As with the first ritual, any hit points gained from cure serious wounds are temporary hit points. Finally, whenever a holy imposter uses False Casting to cast a 4th- or 5th-level spell on the cleric spell list, she receives a +10 circumstance bonus on any opposed Bluff check made when casting the spell.

Replacement Channel (Su)

At 9th level, the holy imposter can use her own magic to power spell completion and spell trigger items that uses divine spells. She expends a holy imposter spell slot that is at least 1 level higher than the level of the spell she’s trying to activate, then makes a Use Magic Device check. If she succeeds, the item’s spell occurs and the item or charge is not expended. If she fails, nothing happens. Whether she succeeds or fails, her spell slot is expended.

Conversion (Su)

At 14th level, whenever a holy imposter 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.

True Pretender (Su)

At 20th level, a holy imposter attains true power. Whenever she uses false channel, she 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 she can use, she acts as though all cleric spells were on her spell list. This makes it so that she does not need to make a Use Magic Device skill check when using such items, but she must still make Bluff skill checks when using False Casting with such spells.

Table: Holy Imposter

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	Cantrips, domain, False Casting	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Master of lies	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	False channel 1d6,	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	First ritual	6	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4		6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Second ritual	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	False channel 2d6,	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Third ritual	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Replacement channel	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	False Domain (second)	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	False channel 3d6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Conversion	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	False channel 4d6	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		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	False channel 5d6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	True pretender	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6