Unearthed Arcana

LEGENDARY WEAPONS

In every case, the scion prestige class associated with a particular weapon defines which of its abilities the wielder is eligible to benefit from. The descriptions of sample legendary weapons later in this section detail the specific abilities of each weapon. Thus, every scion is different, even with only four variations of the prestige class to choose from.

SCIONS

Battle Scion: This prestige class is for the wielders of legendary weapons made for the hands of fighters, barbarians, rangers, monks, and the occasional paladin.

Faith Scion: This prestige class is meant for characters who wield legendary weapons of divine power for clerics, druids, and paladins.

Spell Scion: This class is for characters who wield legendary weapons designed for use by arcane spellcasters, such as wizards, sorcerers, and sometimes bards.

Swift Scion: This class is for those who wield legendary weapons that make use of or improve the wielder’s stealth, speed, or dexterity (in the general sense). Rogues are excellent candidates for this class, as are bards, rangers, and the occasional monk.

Rules and Restrictions

In addition to meeting the prerequisites for the appropriate prestige class (which are dictated by the weapons themselves), a character wishing to adopt a scion class must also abide by certain other rules and restrictions.

Weapon Specialization: A scion who does not meet the fighter level prerequisite for the Weapon Specialization feat may still select that feat, but only for the type of weapon (such as martial or exotic) that his legendary weapon is.

A scion who qualifies for the appropriate Weapon Specialization feat normally (that is, who has all the normal prerequisites for the feat) may select and apply the feat to any type of weapon.

Losing a Legendary Weapon: Legendary weapons should never become permanently lost, for fate has a way of bringing them back to their rightful wielders. On a more practical level, the loss of a legendary weapon means that the character who has invested levels in the associated prestige class is denied most of the class’s special abilities until the weapon is regained, because the abilities are specifically tied to the weapon. Thus, as the GM, you must try to ensure that the weapon and its wielder do not stay separated for long — unless, of course, the purpose of the adventure is to recover the weapon. In most cases, the weapon should turn up at the end of an encounter, or should be near enough at hand that the wielder need only make a reasonable effort to reclaim it.

Destroying a Legendary Weapon: Each legendary weapon has its own hardness and hit points. Treat the item as if it had a greater hardness and more hit points based on its maximum possible enhancement bonus, even if the wielder has not yet qualified to benefit from that high a bonus.

That said, under ordinary circumstances, legendary weapons do not break: Any attempt to sunder such an item automatically fails, and the weapon is treated as having immunity to all effects that could otherwise destroy it (such as a disintegrate spell, a dragon’s breath weapon, and so on).

If an attacker is foolish enough to attempt to sunder a legendary weapon, the combatants should still make the opposed attack rolls, however. If the scion wins, the scion may immediately deal damage to the attacker’s weapon as though the scion had initiated the attack.

The only exception to this rule is if the person attacking the legendary weapon is herself wielding a legendary weapon. In this case, the attacker may deal damage to the defender’s weapon if she wins the opposed attack roll. However, the defender also immediately makes his own sunder attempt against the attacker’s legendary weapon. If the defender wins this second opposed roll, he may deal damage to the attacker’s weapon — even if his own weapon was damaged or destroyed by the attacker.

Repairing a broken legendary weapon should never be easy. It should be the result of an epic quest, perhaps involving aid from other planes, arduous rituals, and perilous voyages.

Gaining Additional Legendary Weapons: If the wielder of a legendary weapon somehow gains another legendary weapon linked to the same scion prestige class, she may only use the weapon as would a character with no levels in the weapon’s associated prestige class, and she may not transfer the benefits of her scion levels to the new weapon. If she were to acquire a weapon linked to a different scion prestige class, she could begin advancing levels in the scion prestige class for that weapon, assuming that she meets the requirements.

The level of commitment that a legendary weapon demands from its wielder does not allow her to split her attention between two or more such weapons simultaneously. Thus, the owner of two legendary weapons must choose which commitment she wishes to focus on with each new character level, by virtue of her prestige class selection.

Ex-Scions: A wielder who no longer meets the prerequisites of his scion prestige class loses the ability to access the special abilities of his legendary weapon (as noted in the sample weapons below) that correspond to actual scion levels. He retains the basic features of the prestige class as given in its description (base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and even spellcaster levels, when appropriate), but the weapon supplies only the magical abilities it would grant to any wielder. Likewise, a scion who no longer possesses his legendary weapon (because of loss, destruction, theft, or some other reason) loses all the benefits that the weapon granted (though he still retains the basic features of the class). An ex-scion may not progress in the prestige class until he corrects the problem, either by once again meeting the requirements of the class or by regaining the weapon.

This restriction does not prevent a scion from taking levels in another class, or from using the abilities already gained as a scion while he does so. Unless the new class in some way violates the scion prerequisites (such as by requiring a different alignment), or the weapon’s description specifies penalties for advancing in another class, then the only drawback to pursuing a different class is that the scion is not gaining new powers from the weapon.

BATTLE SCION

No two battle scions are identical, by virtue of the weapons that grant them access to this prestige class. One scion might wield an heirloom weapon that provides him with the abilities needed to uphold the family’s honor. Another could be the scourge of an evil temple, using his legendary sword to prove that might does indeed make right. Yet another could be wielding an axe, hammer, or staff dedicated to his profession, or to his race, with abilities that draw on the strengths thereof.

For all the powers his sword grants him, a battle scion isn’t terribly different from any other fighter, barbarian, ranger, or paladin who uses his share of the treasure to upgrade his favorite weapon every so often. What really sets him apart is the fact that his weapon is leading him toward a particular destiny, if only by shaping his future advancement choices.

Hit Die: d10.

Requirements

Class Skills

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Bonus Feats: At 1st level, a battle scion receives a bonus feat. Thereafter, he gains an additional bonus feat at 4th, 7th, and 10th level. These bonus feats must be drawn from the fighter bonus feat list. A battle scion must still meet all prerequisites to take a bonus feat.

Drakeblade

Requirements: Any character can wield Drakeblade as a +2 bastard sword and also gain the benefit of the bravery special ability described below. A battle scion who wields Drakeblade gains additional special abilities if the character fulfills the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +9.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks.

Feats: Improved Critical (bastard sword), Iron Will.

Attributes: Drakeblade has the following attributes.

Hardness/Hit Points: 20/55.

Caster Level: 15th.

Value: To any character other than a battle scion who meets the above requirements, Drakeblade appears to be worth as much as a Medium +2 bastard sword that grants the bravery special ability (market price 14,335 gp).

Special Abilities: Drakeblade provides a number of special abilities to its wielder, depending on the character’s class level in the battle scion prestige class.

Initial Abilities: When first acquired, Drakeblade functions as a +2 bastard sword. Anyone who wields it, whether a battle scion or not, also benefits from the bravery ability (see below).

Bravery (Ex): The wielder of Drakeblade has immunity to a dragon’s frightful presence ability. All allies within 30 feet of the wielder gain a +4 morale bonus on saves against the frightful presence of dragons.

Bane (Dragons) (Su): When wielded by a battle scion, Drakeblade gains the bane (dragons) special ability. Its enhancement bonus is treated as 2 points higher when attacking a dragon, and it deals an extra 2d6 points of damage on a successful strike against a dragon.

Resistance to Energy (Su): Once per day, when a battle scion of 2nd level or higher wielding Drakeblade is dealt at least 1 point of damage from any type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic), the scion gains resistance 10 to that form of energy for 1 hour thereafter (including against the damage that activated the ability). For example, if the scion were engulfed in a fireball, the resistance would immediately take effect, reducing the damage taken by the fireball (and any other source of fire damage for the next hour) by 10 points.

Once the energy type is determined, it cannot be changed for the current use of the ability. If two or more types of energy strike the scion simultaneously, he may select the energy type against which his resistance protects.

When a battle scion attains 5th level, the resistance granted by this ability increases to 20 points. At 8th level, it increases to 30 points.

Intimidating Presence (Ex): A battle scion of 4th level or higher wielding Drakeblade may add his class level as a bonus on Intimidate checks made against dragons (or one-half his class level as a bonus on Intimidate checks made against nondragons).

Dodge Bonus> (Ex): At 7th level and higher, a battle scion wielding Drakeblade gains a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against creatures at least two size categories larger than himself.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A battle scion of 9th level or higher wielding Drakeblade can unsettle foes with his mere presence. This ability takes effect automatically whenever the scion attacks or charges. Creatures within a radius of 60 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer Hit Dice than the scion’s character level.

A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + class level + scion’s Cha modifier) remains immune to that scion’s frightful presence for one day. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Even dragons can be affected by the scion’s frightful presence.

FAITH SCION

A divinely influenced legendary weapon should be rare and unique. Certainly no deity would create multiple copies of one weapon as a matter of course, and few religious orders can afford to do so. Thus, each weapon should grant different abilities, except in special cases. For example, duplicate weapons might be created especially to combat the enemies of a church, or perhaps to destroy (or create) undead. A divine legendary sword of an order devoted to healing might even be less a weapon than an instrument for easing the suffering of others.

A faith scion usually has high status within his religious order. His possession of a legendary weapon implies that he has the favor of his deity, or that he is more in tune with nature than others of his order, in the case of a druid. Depending on the alignment of his deity, though, his ownership of the weapon could be construed as an invitation to try to take it from him.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

Class Skills

Domains and Class Skills: A cleric who gains additional class skills from his domain can treat those skills as class skills for the faith scion class.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each faith scion level, a character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a faith scion, the player must decide to which class to add each faith scion level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Special Abilities: Faith scion levels stack with other class levels for determining the effectiveness of the following abilities: animal companions, lay on hands, special mount, turn or rebuke undead, wild shape (including additional daily uses or increased range of sizes or creature types), and wild empathy. For instance, a 5th-level druid/6th-level faith scion could assume wild shape four times per day (including Tiny creatures), and would add 11 (plus Cha modifier) to his wild empathy checks. His animal companion would be treated as that of an 11th-level druid.

Hammer of the Dwarffather

Requirements: Any character can wield the Hammer of the Dwarffather as a +2 adamantine warhammer and also gain the benefit of the Craft bonus and lore of souls special ability described below. A faith scion who wields the Hammer of the Dwarffather gains additional special abilities if the character fulfills the following criteria.

Race: Dwarf.

Alignment: Lawful good.

Base Attack Bonus: +7.

Skills: Craft (armorsmithing) or Craft (weaponsmithing) 10 ranks.

Feats: Armor Proficiency (heavy), Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (warhammer).

Spells: Ability to cast protection from evil as a divine spell.

Restrictions: Should the wielder of the Hammer of the Dwarffather become an alignment other than lawful good, or attack a lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good-aligned dwarf, he loses all special abilities granted by the faith scion prestige class. To regain these abilities, the scion must receive an atonement spell from a dwarf cleric.

Maintenance: A wielder of the Hammer of the Dwarffather must strike the hammer against an anvil at least once every seven days. Failure to perform this task reduces the hammer’s enhancement bonus by 1. Multiple failures are not cumulative (that is, if the hammer goes two weeks without striking an anvil, the reduction does not increase to 2).

Attributes: The Hammer of the Dwarffather has the following attributes.

Hardness/Hit Points: 30/76.

Caster Level: 15th.

Value: To any character other than a faith scion who meets the above requirements, the Hammer of the Dwarffather appears to be worth as much as a Medium +2 adamantine warhammer that grants the Craft bonus and lore of all souls special ability (market price 21,812 gp).

Special Abilities: The Hammer of the Dwarffather provides a number of special abilities to its wielder, depending on the character’s class level in the faith scion prestige class (see the table below).

Initial Abilities: When first acquired, the Hammer of the Dwarffather functions as a +2 adamantine warhammer. Anyone who wields it, whether a faith scion or not, also benefits from the Craft bonus and lore of souls ability (see below).

Craft Bonus (Ex): The owner of the Hammer of the Dwarffather gains a +5 insight bonus on all Craft checks related to stone or metal.

This bonus increases by an additional +1 for every faith scion class level gained, including 1st level.

Lore of Souls (Su): Three times per day, the owner of the Hammer of the Dwarffather can use a full-round action to consult the knowledge of his dwarven ancestors. This gives the character a bonus on any one Knowledge check (made as part of the action) equal to his faith scion level (if any) + his Wisdom bonus (if any). (At the GM’s discretion, if the Knowledge check is directly related to dwarvenkind, the bonus granted by the character’s faith scion level is doubled.) The check is treated as a trained skill check, even if the character has no ranks in that Knowledge skill.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a faith scion wielding the Hammer of the Dwarffather may smite evil with an attack. The attack may be a melee attack or a ranged attack, but must be delivered by the Hammer of the Dwarffather. The wielder adds 4 to his attack roll and deals 2 extra points of damage per faith scion level. If the wielder accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

A wielder may use this ability twice per day at 5th level and three times per day at 9th level.

Fortitude of Souls (Su): A faith scion of 2nd level or higher wielding the Hammer of the Dwarffather derives endurance from the support of his ancestors, gaining a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. At 6th level, the bonus increases to +4, and at 8th level to +6.

Throw and Return (Su): Three times per day, a faith scion of 3rd level or higher wielding the Hammer of the Dwarffather can treat the weapon as a throwing returning weapon. Activating this ability is a free action, and it lasts for 1 round.

SPELL SCION

Wielding an arcane legendary weapon is a great responsibility because the weapon contains so much magical power. Arcane spellcasters who recognize a particular weapon usually afford the wielder more respect — or perhaps fear — than they might another of their ilk who was not so equipped.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

Class Skills

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each spell scion level, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a spell scion, the player must decide to which class to add each spell scion level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Kaiein, the Blazing Staff

Requirements: Any character can wield Kaiein as a +1 flaming/+1 flaming quarterstaff and also gain the benefit of the resistance to fire special ability described below. A spell scion who wields Kaiein gains additional special abilities if the character fulfills the following criteria.

Alignment: Any nonlawful.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks.

Feats: Empower Spell.

Spells: Ability to cast 4th-level arcane spells, including at least three spells with the fire descriptor.

Special: Must have been reduced to -1 or less hit points on at least one occasion from a hit that dealt fire damage.

Restrictions: If Kaiein is grasped by a creature with vulnerability to cold, the weapon’s flame goes out temporarily. This renders all the staff’s special abilities (except for its enhancement bonus) inactive. The creature grasping the staff takes 1 point of fire damage in every round when the weapon remains grasped.

Maintenance: Kaiein must be kept in a warm environment to remain at full power. If the staff spends at least 1 hour in an area where the temperature is below 50°F, its flame goes out temporarily. This renders all the staff’s special abilities (except for its enhancement bonus) inactive. This loss of special abilities can be postponed by dealing at least 5 points of fire damage to Kaiein every hour. (Damage dealt to the staff "counts" for this purpose even if the staff actually takes no damage, such as because of its hardness.)

Attributes: Kaiein has the following attributes.

Hardness/Hit Points: 14/45.

Caster Level: 15th.

Value: To any character other than a spell scion who meets the above requirements, Kaiein appears to be worth as much as a Medium +1 flaming/+1 flaming quarterstaff that grants the resistance to fire ability (market price 24,600 gp).

Special Abilities: Kaiein provides the following special abilities to its wielder, depending on the character’s class level in the spell scion prestige class (see the table below).

Initial Abilities: When first acquired, Kaiein functions as a +1 flaming/ +1 flaming quarterstaff. Anyone who wields it, whether a spell scion or not, also benefits from the resistance to fire ability (see below).

Resistance to Fire (Ex): The wielder of the staff gains resistance to fire 5, even if she has no levels in the spell scion class.

A spell scion who wields the staff gains resistance to fire 10. At 4th level, the resistance improves to 20, and at 7th level to 30. This resistance does not stack with any other resistance to fire the wielder may have.

Empowered Spells (Su): Three times per day, a spell scion wielding Kaiein can empower (as the Empower Spell feat) any arcane spell she casts that has the fire descriptor. She may apply this effect to any spell whose level is equal to or less than her spell scion level, and may even apply it to spell-like abilities cast by the staff itself. Activating this power is a free action and has no effect on the spell’s level or its casting time.

Recall Spell (Su): As a free action, a spell scion of 2nd level or higher can recall any arcane spell she has just cast, as long as that spell has the fire descriptor, up to a maximum spell level equal to her spell scion level. She either restores that spell to her list of prepared spells (if she prepares spells) or regains that spell slot (if she does not prepare spells). She may only recall a spell cast in the same round that she uses this ability.

This ability can be used once per day at 2nd level, twice per day at 5th level, and three times per day at 8th level.

Fire Shield (Sp): Once per day, when wielded by a spell scion of 3rd level or higher, Kaiein can wreathe the wielder in a warm fire shield of blue flames.

Enhancement Bonus (Ex): When Kaiein is wielded by a spell scion of 5th level or higher, the staff’s enhancement bonus improves from +1/+1 to +2/+2. The bonus increases to +3/+3 when the wielder attains 9th level as a spell scion.

Plane Shift (Sp): Once per day, Kaiein can transport a spell scion of 6th level or higher to the Elemental Plane of Fire, just as if it had cast plane shift. Additional willing characters can accompany the scion, as described in the plane shift spell. The effect is more accurate than normal for plane shift, delivering the scion 5 to 500 yards (not miles) from her intended destination. The spell scion must have her own method of return, since Kaiein provides no return trip.

Immunity to Fire (Ex): At 10th level, a spell scion wielding Kaiein gains immunity to fire.

SWIFT SCION

Swift scions wield their weapons for a wide variety of purposes. A rogue may use it to supplement her income, while a monk might merely seek to master its use. A bard could draw upon the power of her weapon’s rich history to enhance her music, while a ranger might use it as part of the hunt. Of all legendary weapons, the ones associated with the swift scion class are the most focused in their application. Each tends to favor rogues, monks, rangers, or bards specifically, rather than a broad range of classes as the other legendary weapons do.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

To qualify to become a swift scion, a character must fulfill the criteria given in her particular weapon’s entry. (For an example, see >Nightphantom, below.)

Class Skills

The swift scion’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following are class features of the swift scion prestige class. A legendary weapon associated with the class provides a unique set of additional special abilities, which are detailed in the weapon’s description. (For an example, see Nightphantom, below.) These abilities accrue in addition to those already noted on Table: The Swift Scion. However, because those abilities are functions of the weapon rather than the wielder, they are lost if the legendary weapon that granted them is lost. The features mentioned on Table: The Swift Scion are retained even if the weapon is lost.

Bonus Class Skill: At 1st level, 5th level, and 9th level, a swift scion may choose an additional class skill from the following list: Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha). Once designated, that skill is considered a class skill for the swift scion prestige class.

Bonus Special Ability: At 2nd level, 6th level, and 10th level, a swift scion may choose an additional special ability from the following list. She may select the same ability more than once if desired, and the effects stack where appropriate.

Arcane Spells per Day/Spells Known: A swift scion may gain a number of new spells per day and spells known (if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a swift scion, the player must decide to which class to add each swift scion level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Bardic Music: A swift scion may choose to gain an extra two daily uses of the bardic music ability, provided that she already has the ability. She doesn’t gain any new bardic music abilities, nor do her existing bardic music abilities improve in effectiveness.

Fast Movement (Ex): If a swift scion has an enhancement bonus to her speed from a class feature, she may choose to increase this enhancement bonus by 10 feet. This enhancement bonus follows the same rules as her existing enhancement bonus to speed (for instance, a monk who selects this feature only benefits from the enhancement bonus when wearing no armor).

Improved Bardic Knowledge: A swift scion can choose to gain a +4 bonus on bardic knowledge checks. (If the character doesn’t have the bardic knowledge class feature, this benefit has no effect.)

Improved Evasion (Ex): A swift scion may choose to gain the improved evasion ability, provided that she already has the evasion ability.

Improved Favored Enemy: If a swift scion has at least one favored enemy, the bonus gained on damage rolls and certain skill checks against any one favored enemy improves by +2. The character doesn’t gain any additional favored enemies by selecting this ability.

Improved Unarmed Damage: If a swift scion has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, she may choose to increase the damage dealt by her unarmed strikes. Treat this as if the character’s monk level had increased by four. For instance, a 6th-level monk/2nd-level swift scion who selects this ability would increase her unarmed strike damage from 1d8 to 1d10. (If the character has no monk levels, she gains unarmed damage as a 4th-level monk.)

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): If a swift scion has the uncanny dodge class feature, she may select improved uncanny dodge. Her swift scion levels stack with her levels in other classes that grant uncanny dodge to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Sneak Attack: If a swift scion has the sneak attack ability, she may choose to increase the extra damage it deals by 2d6 points.

Swift Tracker (Ex): If a swift scion has the Track feat, she may select this special ability. A swift scion with this ability can move at her normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. She takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Trap Sense: If a swift scion has the trap sense ability, she can take this special ability to increase her bonus on Reflex saves and to AC against traps by 1.

Nightphantom

Requirements: Any character can wield Nightphantom as a +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus) and also gain the benefit of the stealth special ability described below. A swift scion who wields Nightphantom gains additional special abilities if the character fulfills the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +6.

Skills: Hide 10 ranks, Move Silently 10 ranks.

Feats: Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Stealthy.

Special: The wielder must be of Small size.

Restrictions: Nightphantom does not grant its stealth ability to a wielder who is not of Small size, though its enhancement bonus is still effective.

Attributes: Nightphantom has the following attributes.

Hardness/Hit Points: 15/55.

Caster Level: 15th.

Value: To any character other than a swift scion who meets the above requirements, Nightphantom appears to be worth as much as a Small +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus) that grants the stealth ability (market price 10,525 gp).

Special Abilities: Nightphantom provides a number of special abilities to its wielder, depending on the character’s class level in the swift scion prestige class (see the table below).

Initial Abilities: When it is first acquired, Nightphantom functions as a +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus). Any Small character who wields it, whether a swift scion or not, also benefits from the stealth ability (see below).

Stealth (Su): The wielder of Nightphantom may use her Wisdom bonus (if any) as a bonus on her Hide and Move Silently checks.

Invisibility (Sp): A swift scion wielding Nightphantom can become invisible once per day as a free action. The effect lasts for 1 round per class level.

For a swift scion of 6th level or higher, the invisibility granted by this power is the equivalent of greater invisibility. The duration remains 1 round per class level.

Ghost Touch (Su): When Nightphantom is wielded by a swift scion of 2nd level or higher, any arrow fired from the bow can damage incorporeal creatures as if it had the ghost touch special ability.

Ephemeral Presence (Su): A swift scion of 3rd level or higher bearing Nightphantom leaves no trail and cannot be tracked.

At 8th level, a swift scion bearing the weapon no longer gives off a scent. Creatures with the scent ability cannot detect her presence by means of that ability, nor can she be tracked by scent.

Enhancement Bonus (Ex): When Nightphantom is wielded by a swift scion of 4th level or higher, the bow’s enhancement bonus improves from +2 to +3. The bonus increases to +4 at 7th level and +5 at 10th level.

Dreamstrike Arrows (Su): Three times per day (but no more than once per round), a swift scion of 5th level or higher can fire a special arrow from Nightphantom. The arrow strikes as a touch attack (ignoring armor, shield, and natural armor bonuses to AC). The arrow deals only half the normal damage, but the damage dealt is Wisdom damage, not hit point damage. Bonus damage dice, if any, do not apply to the damage dealt by a dreamstrike arrow.

Etherealness (Su): At 9th level or higher, a swift scion bearing Nightphantom can become ethereal for up to 10 rounds per day (which need not be spent all at one time) Activating this power, or deactivating it to become material, is a standard action.

ITEM FAMILIARS

To utilize these rules, the character must choose the following new feat.

Item Familiar [General]

Prerequisite: A character must be at least 3rd level to take this feat.

Benefit: By establishing a link to a particular item, you enable that item to gain power as you gain levels. The exact nature of the item and the powers are described in the following text.

Special: If you ever lose the chosen item (have it removed from your possession for a continuous period of more than one day per level) or if the item is destroyed, you automatically lose 200 XP per level as well as all benefits derived from possessing the linked item (plus any resources you put into the item). If you recover the item, you regain these XP. You may replace a lost or destroyed item familiar after you have advanced one level, as if you were gaining an item familiar for the first time.

Types Of Item Familiars

In order to be an item familiar, a magic item must:

• Have a price of at least 2,000 gp.
• Be usable by the character (if it is a weapon, the character must be proficient with the appropriate category of weapon).
• Have a permanent magical effect that the character can (and knows how to) use.

Keep in mind that the item only needs to meet the basics of this criteria. The magic item may have functions the character cannot currently use, and once the item is linked to the character he can separate from it for short periods of time without any harm.

Intelligent Items

BONDING TO AN ITEM FAMILIAR

Once the character has become bonded to the magic item, the item may gain additional powers or intelligence. The character can also begin investing abilities into the item, using the item familiar to improve his own capabilities.

Use Table: Item Familiar Abilities to determine what, if any, abilities the item familiar gains based on its owner’s character level.

Invest Life Energy

When a character chooses to invest his life energy into his item familiar, his current XP total and all future XP awards increase by 10%. However, if the character loses the item, he loses all bonus XP gained, plus an additional 200 XP per character level.

For example, Boredflak, a 6th-level character with 19,000 XP, chooses to invest his item familiar, a ring, with some of his life energy. He adds 1,900 XP (10% of 19,000) to his XP total, so he now has 20,900 XP. If he goes on an adventure and earns another 1,000 XP, he actually gains 1,100 XP (1,000 + 10% of 1,000), increasing his total to 22,000 XP, which makes him a 7th-level character.

If he then loses the ring, he would lose the 2,000 XP gained from the investiture (the 1,900 XP he received originally plus the bonus 100 XP he earned later), plus an additional 1,400 XP (200 XP per level), for a total loss of 3,400 XP. This loss would reduce his XP total to 18,600 and his character level to 6th.

Invest Skill Ranks

If the character loses the item familiar, is separated from it for one day per level (see the Item Familiar feat description), or if the item familiar is destroyed, these skill points and the bonuses related to them are lost.

For example, Boredflak has just achieved 7th character level, and he takes a level of wizard. Because of his high Intelligence score, he gains 7 skill points. He assigns 1 skill point to each of the following skills:

• Concentration
• Decipher Script*
• Knowledge (arcana)*
• Knowledge (dungeoneering)*
• Knowledge (nobility and royalty)*
• Knowledge (the planes)*
• Spellcraft*

He uses an asterisk to note that 1 rank for each of six skills resides in his ring. Since that adds up to a total of 6 skill ranks in the ring, he gains two +1 bonuses he can apply to any skill. He decides to assign both bonuses (a total of +2) to his Concentration skill. Boredflak only has 1 rank in the cross-class skill Spot. If he had desired, he could have applied a single +1 bonus to that skill, but not both.

Invest Spell Slots

If a spellcaster does not have a spell slot two levels lower than the highest spell level he can cast (if he can cast only 0- and 1st-level spells), he cannot use this option.

As with all other investiture options, if the item familiar is lost or destroyed, so are both spell slots.

For example, as a 7th-level wizard, Boredflak can cast 4th-level spells. He chooses to invest one 4th-level spell slot in his ring. The ring gains an additional 2nd-level spell slot, which Boredflak can use as long as he has the ring in his possession. When Boredflak attains 9th level, the spell slot assigned to the ring automatically becomes a 5th-level spell slot, and the bonus slot becomes a 3rd-level spell slot instead of a 2nd-level one.

Sapience

Senses

Communication

Special Ability

Armor, Shield, or Weapon Special Ability: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains an ability equivalent to a +1 bonus (as found on Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities, or Table: Ranged Weapon Special Abilities), such as the light fortification, bashing, or defending special ability. This ability contributes to the overall enhancement bonus of the item and its value but does not cost the master of the familiar any gold pieces or time. This ability may be used in conjunction with the normal rules for improving an existing magic item (see Improving an Item Familiar, and Adding New Abilities). A character may select this special ability multiple times, each time enabling his familiar to gain a different ability equivalent to a +1 bonus.

Prerequisite: The item familiar must be a type of magic armor, a magic shield, or a magic weapon.

Cantrips/Orisons: An item familiar empowered with this special ability can cast 0-level spells. The familiar may cast any spell invested in it as a standard action (or longer, as defined by the spell’s casting time) as long as the spell does not have an expensive material component or an XP component. The item familiar need not provide any verbal or somatic components, and it need not provide any material components that cost less than 1 gp. It has access to all the 0-level spells from any single class spell list of the master’s choice (taking into account any alignment restrictions against casting spells of a certain class or alignment subtype). It can cast a number of 0-level spells per day as if it were a sorcerer of the master’s character level (though the master does not have to be a spellcaster). The item familiar uses its own ability scores to determine spell save DCs but can cast its 0-level spells only on its master’s order. The master may use a free action on his turn to issue these orders, or he may give a number of contingency orders (such as "If I fall unconscious, cast cure minor wounds on me") equal to one more than his Charisma modifier (minimum one).

Greater Power: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains any single greater power listed on the Intelligent Item Greater Powers table. The item uses this power as described, at the master’s command. A character may select this special ability multiple times, each time applying it to a different greater power.

Prerequisite: An item must have at least one lesser power for every greater power it is given. The master must spend the amount of gold pieces given in the Base Price Modifier column of the Intelligent Item Greater Powers table to purchase the greater power. The process of empowering an item in this way takes 24 hours.

Greater Senses: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains blindsense out to 30 feet.

Prerequisite: The item familiar must already have the improved senses special ability.

Improved Senses: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains darkvision out to 60 feet.

Increased Sapience: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains +4 to any single ability score and +2 to its other two scores. The item can now communicate telepathically in a recognizable language with the master out to 120 feet and can speak audibly in Common. It can speak, read, and understand one additional language per point of Intelligence bonus. A character may select this special ability multiple times, each time improving all three of the item’s ability scores and increasing the number of languages it can speak, read, and understand.

Lesser Power: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains any single lesser power listed on the Intelligent Item Lesser Powers table. The item uses this power as described, at the master’s command. A character may select this special ability multiple times, each time applying it to a different lesser power.

Prerequisite: The master must spend the amount of gold pieces given in the Base Price Modifier column of the Intelligent Item Lesser Powers table to purchase the lesser power. The process of empowering an item in this way takes 24 hours.

Special Purpose and Dedicated Power: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains a special purpose and a dedicated power chosen by its master (see the Intelligent Item Purpose and Special Purpose Item Dedicated Powers tables).

An item familiar usually displays more flexibility in how it carries out its special purpose than a standard intelligent item, especially if its purpose conflicts with its master. However, if a master (especially one who gave the item a special purpose in the first place) consistently acts against the item’s special purpose, the item has even more leverage for keeping the "master" in line. An item familiar can temporarily sever the link between item and master, essentially shutting down access to any abilities invested in the item plus all its normal magical abilities, as if the item had been lost or destroyed. The item only reestablishes the link if it is convinced the master is committed to helping it fulfill its special purpose.

No item familiar may have more than one special purpose and one dedicated power.

Prerequisite: The master must spend the amount of gold pieces given in the Base Price Modifier column of the Special Purpose Item Dedicated Powers table to purchase the dedicated power. The process of empowering an item in this way takes 24 hours.

Spell Use: An item familiar empowered with this ability may cast any spell invested in it as a standard action (or longer, as defined by the spell’s duration) as long as it does not have an expensive material component or an XP component. The item familiar need not provide any verbal or somatic components, and it need not provide any material components that cost less than 1 gp. The item familiar must meet the ability score prerequisites for the spell but casts the spell at the master’s level. The item familiar may cast the spell only on the master’s order (as described in Cantrips/ Orisons, above). If an item familiar casts an invested spell, it is as if the master cast it for purposes of spells per day and preparation.

Prerequisite: The item must have an invested spell slot of the appropriate spell level, and the master must have the ability to cast 3rd-level spells.

ITEM FAMILIAR ALIGNMENT

If an item familiar changes to an alignment that would preclude it using some of its powers not tied to a special purpose, the change in alignment takes place, no severing of the link occurs, and the item cannot use those powers until its alignment becomes compatible again. For example, if a neutral good rod has the ability to cast druid cantrips and the rod becomes lawful good, it loses that ability. If a holy avenger item familiar becomes nonlawful, it loses all the abilities it had for being a holy avenger but remains a +2 cold iron longsword and retains its other item familiar abilities.

Improving An Item Familiar

This type of improvement has nothing to do with the master’s character level, though it may affect the item’s eventual Ego score.

INHERITING AN ITEM FAMILIAR

When a character finds or somehow comes into possession of another character’s item familiar, two results can occur.

An Ego Contest Ensues: An item familiar normally resists being picked up and used by another character. If the item familiar has an Ego score, it automatically tries to resist being wielded by anyone other than its linked master, even if the link has been severed (possibly because the master is dead). The rules for Ego conflicts can be found under Items against Characters. Normally, an intelligent item resists its owner only when a conflict of personality or purpose ensues. An item familiar assumes that any use of it by someone other than its linked (or previously linked) master is a conflict, and so it resists every time the new owner attempts to make use of it.

If the new owner wins the Ego contest, he can wield the item safely for 1 hour but cannot access any of the abilities the item familiar gained through its link (such as invested XP, skill ranks, or spell slots, or any special abilities it has that aren’t simply a feature of the magic item). An item familiar may talk to its new owner (if it has that capability), but it feels at best unfriendly and could be extraordinarily hostile. If an item familiar’s alignment matches that of its new owner, the item familiar may become less hostile over time but always forces Ego contests when possible.

The New Owner Can Attempt a Link: The new owner can attempt to link to the item by selecting the Item Familiar feat (assuming he meets the prerequisite). What occurs next depends on his character level compared to the character level of the highest-level previous owner.

New Owner Is Same or Higher Level: The link succeeds. The new owner gains all the benefits of the abilities of the item familiar, and the item familiar’s alignment changes to match that of its new master. If the item familiar had invested skill ranks and/or spell slots, those investments become accessible to the new owner, adding to his totals. If the item familiar has spell slots, the new master can access them only if he could already cast spells of the appropriate levels.

New Owner Is Lower Level: The link partially succeeds. The alignment of the item familiar changes to match that of its new master, and the new owner can use all the item familiar’s special abilities and powers. However, the new master cannot benefit from any invested skill ranks or spell slots until his character level equals or exceeds that of the item familiar’s highest-level previous owner.

True Inheritance

AWAKENING POWERS AND ABILITIES

The GM may wish to mix and match awakening abilities with allowing characters to choose new abilities for their familiars. This system can support both concepts.