Pale Master
Necromancy is usually a poor choice for arcane spellcasters. Those who really want to master the deathless arts almost always pursue divine means. However, an alternative exists for those who desire power over undead, without losing too much of their arcane power. Enter the pale master, who draws on a font of special lore that provides a macabre power all its own.
Requirements
Alignment: Any Non-Good
Special: 3 levels in an Arcane spellcasting class (Wizard, Sorcerer, or Bard)
Hit Die: d6
Proficiencies: Pale Masters gain no additional proficiencies
Skill Points: 2 + INT
Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Forgery, Heal, Hide, Knowledge (all), Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Persuade, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Level progression
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP range | AC bonus | Undead summon | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Bone Skin (+2AC) | 3-6 | +2 | ||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Animate Dead | 6-12 | +2 | Greater Mummy | |
| 3rd | +1 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Darkvision | 9-18 | +2 | ||
| 4th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Summon Undead, Bone Skin (+2AC) | 12-24 | +4 | Abyssal Ghoul | |
| 5th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Deathless Vigor (+3HP) | 18-33 | +4 | ||
| 6th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Undead Graft, Deathless Vigor (+3HP) | 24-42 | +4 | Doom Knight, Vampire Warrior | |
| 7th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Tough As Bone, Deathless Vigor (+3HP) | 30-51 | +4 | ||
| 8th | +4 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Undead Graft II, Bone Skin (+2AC), Deathless Vigor (+3HP) | 36-60 | +6 | Vampire Mage | |
| 9th | +4 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Summon Greater Undead, Deathless Vigor (+3HP) | 42-69 | +6 | Nightwalker | |
| 10th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Deathless Master Touch, Deathless Mastery, Deathless Vigor (+3HP) | 48-78 | +6 | Skeletal Knight, Cursed Warrior, Bloated Abomination | |
Animate Dead
Level 2: Greater Mummy
Level 6: Doom Knight
Level 10: Skeletal Knight
Summon Undead
Level 4: Abyssal Ghoul
Level 6: Vampire Warrior
Level 8: Vampire Mage
Level 10: Cursed Warrior
Summon Greater Undead
Level 9: Nightwalker
Level 10: Bloated Abomination
Undead Graft
Grants a +4 STR bonus. This has to be granted by a DM, who then will give the Palemaster a token that functions as proof that the PM received the adjustment.
Bonus spells
Upon reaching pale master levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in his highest caster class (bard, sorcerer, or wizard). He does not learn any new spells through this ability, but for wizards it can allow higher-level spells to be learned through other means (i.e. from scrolls or later leveling as a wizard).
Epic pale master
The pale master's bond with the undead continues to grow, as she becomes the epic pale master.
Hit die: d6
Skill points: 2 + int modifier
Bonus feats: The epic pale master gains a bonus feat every three levels (i.e., at levels 13, 16, and 19).
Available Epic bonus feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, epic energy resistance, epic spell focus, epic spell penetration, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, improved combat casting
Bonus spells: The character continues to gain additional spells per day in his highest caster class at every odd pale master level, up to the maximum spells per day (at caster class level 20).
Epic pale master level progression
| Lvl | Feats | HP range | AC Bonus | Undead Summon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th | 51-84 | +6 | |||
| 12th | bone skin (+2AC) | 54-90 | +8 | vampire rogue | |
| 13th | bonus feat | 57-96 | +8 | ||
| 14th | 60-102 | +8 | greater bodak | ||
| 15th | deathless vigor (+5HP) | 68-113 | +8 | ||
| 16th | bonus feat, bone skin (+2AC) | 71-119 | +10 | ghoul king | |
| 17th | 74-125 | +10 | |||
| 18th | 77-131 | +10 | vampire mage | ||
| 19th | bonus feat | 80-137 | +10 | ||
| 20th | bone skin (+2AC), deathless vigor (+5HP) | 88-148 | +12 | skeleton blackguard |
Special
Boneskin: AC improves by +2 for every four levels past level 8.
Undead graft: Can use this supernatural attack an additional time per day for every 3 epic levels gained.
Deathless vigor: Every five epic levels an additional +5 permanent hit points are gained.