Hekhmani (Cursed Being/Warrior)

Posted by EarthDragon on 23 December 2016.

The hekhmani balances talents in combat and arcane spell-casting. At lower levels, the hekhmani relies on melee ability augmented with their special power to curse their enemies. As they gain experience, the hekhmani becomes capable of casting a limited number of spells, while their curse ability becomes more potent and they gain the ability to warp normal laws of probability. Hekhmani can also draw upon the service of a familiar to further augment their abilities.

  Adventures

Hekhmani adventure for personal gain, whether that gain is power, prestige, wealth, or all of the above. Some have deeper motives, but they tend to be the few rather the norm.

  Alignment

The style of the hekhmani tends to be selfish, sometimes even cruel, though it is by no means limited to evil characters. Still, the friendliest of hekhmani are neutral, at best. They may be tyrannical or free-minded, disciplined or creative, and thus have no particular bent toward law or chaos.

  Background

Like that of a selusid, the power of a hekhmani often displays itself at a young age, frequently in the form of unexplained accidents or other incidents of bad luck experienced by those around a budding hekhmani. Though the hekhmani is ultimately a self-taught character, many receive rudimentary training from another arcane spell caster, such as an older hekhmani or a san-li, before setting off on their own. Unlike selusid, hekhmani share a unique bond. Though two hekhmani who meet in a tavern won’t necessarily strike up a lasting friendship, it is rare for two hekhmani to oppose one another unless great personal gain is on the line.

  Races

Any of the common races are open to the character class, with roughly equal likelihoods of becoming a hekhmani. All cultures and races have traditions of people among them who bring bad luck to those around them for no apparent reason.

  Other Classes

Hekhmani tend to get along best with other classes whose members look out for themselves before others, including rokagu, phaedim, forreska and ravenna. They avoid characters dedicated to good and high minded ideals and sometimes feel jealous of the selusid’s rather unique talents and of san-li’s greater magical ability (though they frown on all the book-learning).

  Role

Though a capable melee combatant, the hekhmani relies on opportunistic used of spells and special abilities to augment that role in the group. A hekhmani with proper skills selection can make a fine leader for a group comfortably with their style.

  Game Rule Information

  Abilities

Charisma controls many of the hekhmani’s special powers, including spell casting. Strength is important because of its role in combat. Dexterity and Constitution both contribute to long-term survival.

  Alignment

Any non-good.

  Vitality Points

d10.

  Class Skills

Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int).

  Skill Points at 1st Level

(2 + Int modifier) x 4.

  Skill Points at Each Additional Level

2 + Int modifier.

  Class Features

All of the following are class features of the hekhmani.

  Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Hekhmani are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light or medium armour, but not shields of any type. Because the somatic components for their spells are simple, they can cast these spells in light or medium armour with no penalty. Heavier armour, or the use of shields, completely disrupts their spell casting abilities. A multi-class hekhmani who can cast arcane spells outside their hekhmani class is still subject to armour penalties for casting arcane spells in light armour and heavier in the other class.

  Hekhmani Curse (Su)

Once per encounter, the hekhmani can unleash a curse upon a foe. The target must be visible to the hekhmani and within 60 feet. The target of the curse takes a -2 penalty to attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 hour thereafter. A successful Will save (DC 10 + ½ hekhmani class level + hekhmani’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. At every four levels beyond 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th), the hekhmani gains the ability to use the curse once more per encounter (maximum 5 per encounter). Multiple curses do not stack, and any foe that resists the curse cannot be affected by that hekhmani’s curse for another 24 hours.

  Arcane Resistance (Su)

At 2nd level, a hekhmani gains a bonus equal to their Charisma bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

  Mettle (Ex)

At 3rd level, a hekhmani can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If they make a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), they instead completely negate the effect. An unconscious or sleeping character does not get this benefit.

  Familiar

Beginning at 4th level, a hekhmani can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials costing 100gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion ad servant. The character chooses the kind of familiar obtained and, as the character advances in level, the familiar also increases in power. The hekhmani is treated as a san-li of 3 levels lower than their class level for the purpose of determining the familiar’s powers and abilities, as per the PHB. If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the character, the hekhmani must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. If the save fails, the character loses 200 experience points, if the save is passed, the character loses 100 experience points. However, the character’s experience points can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day. A character with more than one class that grants a familiar can only have one familiar at a time.

  Spells

Beginning at 4th level, the character gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the hekhmani spell list. The character can cast any spell known without preparing it first, just as other casters can. To learn or cast a spell, the character must have a Charisma score equal to 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against the character’s spells is 10 + the spell level + the character’s Charisma modifier. The number of spells cast per day is limited by the number of spell points the character has at any given level due to their class and any bonus spell points granted by their Charisma score. When allocating bonus spell points, if the character possesses more than one class that uses the same ability score as the basis for casting spells, then they only get one set of bonus points. If the character has spell casting classes which are based on different ability scores, then bonus spell points are awarded for each qualifying ability score, but must be applied to and tracked with the spell points of the class(es) associated with that particular ability. Thus, if the character casts spells based on Charisma and Intelligence in two separate classes, then they get bonus points for both abilities, but points allocated for high Charisma can only be applied to spells from the class or classes based on Charisma, and similarly, Intelligence-based bonus points may only be used by the Intelligence-based spell casting class or classes. If the character can cast spells from two classes based on Charisma, however, only one set of bonus points is granted, but they may be used by spells of either class. The hekhmani’s selection of spells is extremely limited and the character begins play knowing no spells until they attain a level at which they can cast spells or a level where they are permitted to learn spells of a particular level (as per the table below). The number of spells of each level known is also limited, as per the table. At any given level from 12th level onward, the character may swap out a spell of any level that they know (of two levels lower than the highest level spell they know) for another spell of the same level. Thus, if the character finds that certain spells are not being used as often, they can modify their spell list as they advance. However, only one spell of each level may be swapped at any given level gain. The character’s caster level is equal to their hekhmani class level minus 3.

  Bonus Feat

At 4th level, and every 4th level thereafter, the hekhmani gains a bonus feat, which must be selected from the following list: Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment, necromancy, or transmutation only), Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus (enchantment, necromancy, or transmutation only), Spell Penetration.

  Greater Hekhmani’s Curse (Su)

When a hekhmani attains 7th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hekhmani’s curse becomes -4 instead of -2.

  Aura of Unluck (Su)

Once per day, a hekhmani of 12th level or higher can create a baleful aura of misfortune. Any melee or ranged attack made against the hekhmani while this aura of unluck is active has a 20% miss chance (similar to the effects of concealment). Activating the aura is a swift action and the aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the hekhmani’s Cha modifier (if any). At 16th level and higher, this can be activated twice per day. At 20th level, this can be activated three times per day.

  Dire Hekhmani’s Curse (Su)

When a hekhmani attains 19th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hekhmani’s curse becomes -6 instead of -4.

  Ex-Members

A hekhmani who becomes good aligned loses all their hekhmani spells and supernatural powers. Their familiar becomes a normal animal and leaves service as soon as possible. The character may no longer progress as a hekhmani, but retains all other benefits of the class (armour and weapon use, feats, extraordinary abilities).

* Base attack bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

** Save bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

*** Number of Spell Points per day, numbers of spells known, and maximum spell level does not increase past 20th level. Spell casters above 20th level gain access to Epic Level spells.