Malefactor
Description
The chaotic evil malefactor works for his god by causing devastation and havoc at all opportunities. Few have the cruelty and dedication that it takes to walk the malefactor's path, but those few are rewarded with the power to conquer, to harm, and to smite. In a land of scheming wizards, unholy priests, bloodthirsty dragons, and infernal fiends, the malefactor is a beacon of darkness to be especially feared.
Characteristics: Divine power strengthens the malefactor and gives him special powers. It wards off harm, protects him from disease, lets him harm others, and guards his heart against fear. The malefactor can use this power to destroy good. Even the least experienced malefactor can detect good, and more experienced malefactors can smite good foes and rebuke undead. In addition, this power draws a mighty steed to the malefactor and imbues that mount with strength, menace, and dark magics.
Alignment: Malefactors must be chaotic evil, and they lose their divine powers if they deviate from that alignment. Additionally, malefactors swear to follow a code of conduct that is in line with chaos and evil.
Religion: Malefactors need not devote themselves to a single deity – devotion to the spread of dismay is enough. Those malefactors devoted to a god are meticulous in observing religious duties and are received (if feared) in every associated temple.
Background: No one ever chooses to be a malefactor. Becoming a malefactor is answering a call. Most malefactors answer the call and begin training as adolescents. Typically, they learn their skills from evil clerics or fighters in a temple setting, and finally set off on their own to further the causes of evil.
Races: Humans, with their ambitious souls, make feared malefactors. Half-orcs, who often have human ambition, may also find themselves called into service as malefactors. Orcs and other humanoids of a chaotic evil bent may hear the call.
Among the more cultured humanoids, malefactors are almost unheard of. But even a dwarf, staunch defender of structure and purity, may fall from grace given the right circumstances.
Other Classes: Even though malefactors are in some ways set apart from others, they occasionally team up with those whose skills and capabilities complement their own.
They work well with evil clerics and fighters, and they include others who are hard-working, depraved, and dedicated to the cause of evil. While they cannot abide good acts by their companions, they are otherwise prepared to work with a variety of people quite different from themselves. Charismatic, conniving, and rightfully feared, the malefactor often takes a leadership role even if serving another.
Role: The malefactor's chief role is as a melee combatant, and his high Charisma opens up leadership opportunities.
Game Rule Information
Malefactors have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma enhances a malefactor's self-protective capabilities and undead rebuking ability. Strength is important for a malefactor because of its role in combat. A Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful malefactor spells, and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast any malefactor spells at all.
Alignment: Lawful evil.
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills: The malefactor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Nobility And Royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the malefactor.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Malefactors are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Evil (Ex): The power of a malefactor's aura of evil (see the Detect Evil spell) is equal to his malefactor level, just like the aura of a cleric of an evil deity.
Detect Good (Sp): At will, a malefactor can use Detect Good, as the spell.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, a malefactor may attempt to smite good with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per malefactor level. For example, a 13th-level malefactor armed with a longsword would deal 1d8+13 points of damage, plus any additional bonuses for high Strength or magical affects that would normally apply. If the malefactor accidentally smites a creature that is not good, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the malefactor may smite good one additional time per day, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.
Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a malefactor gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
Deadly Touch (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a malefactor with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can cause wounds with a successful touch attack. Each day he can deal a total number of hit points of damage equal to his malefactor level × his Charisma bonus. An opponent subjected to this attack can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin level + malefactor’s Cha modifier) to halve the damage dealt. A malefactor may choose to divide his deadly touch among multiple recipients, and he doesn't have to use it all at once.
Alternatively, a malefactor can use any or all of this power to cure damage to undead creatures, just as an Inflict Wounds spell does. Using deadly touch is a standard action.
Aura of Dismay (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a malefactor radiates a malign aura that causes enemies within 10 feet of her to take a –1 penalty to Armour Class – whether the malefactor is targeting them or not. This ability functions while the malefactor is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.
Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a malefactor gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases (such as mummy rot and lycanthropy).
Rebuke Undead (Su): When a malefactor reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to rebuke undead. He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. He rebukes undead as an evil cleric of three levels lower would.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a malefactor gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells (the same type of spells available to the cleric, druid, and ranger), which are drawn from the malefactor spell list. A malefactor must choose and prepare his spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a malefactor must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, Wis 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a malefactor's spell is 10 + the spell level + the malefactor's Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a malefactor can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the accompanying table. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. When the spells per day table indicates that the malefactor gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (for instance, 1st-level spells for a 4th-level malefactor), he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level The malefactor does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
A malefactor prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure or inflict spell in its place. A malefactor may prepare and cast any spell on the malefactor spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a malefactor has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his malefactor level.
Special Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a malefactor gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve him in his crusade against good. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium malefactor) or a warpony (for a Small malefactor).
Once per day, as a full-round action, a malefactor may magically call his mount from the infernal realms in which it resides. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the malefactor and remains for 2 hours per malefactor level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action.
The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the malefactor may release a particular mount from service (if it has grown too old to join his crusade, for instance). Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed, including barding, saddle, saddlebags, and the like. Calling a mount is a Conjuration (Calling) effect equal to a spell level 1/3 the malefactor level.
Should the malefactor's mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The malefactor may not summon another mount for thirty days or until he gains a malefactor level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the malefactor takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Cause Disease (Sp): At 6th level, a malefactor can inflict disease with his touch (as the Contagion spell), once per week. He can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).
Code of Conduct: A malefactor must be of neutral evil alignment and loses all class abilities if he ever willingly commits a good act. Additionally, a malefactor's code requires that he disrespect all authority figures who have not proven their physical superiority to him, refuse help to those in need, and sow destruction and death at all opportunities.
Associates: While he may adventure with characters of any evil or neutral alignment, a malefactor will never knowingly associate with good characters unless it specifically serves his needs, nor will he continue an association with someone who consistently offends his moral code. A malefactor may only accept henchmen, followers and cohorts who are chaotic evil.
Ex-Malefactors
A malefactor who ceases to be chaotic evil, who willfully commits a good act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all malefactor spells and abilities (including the service of the malefactor's mount, but not weapon, armour, and shield proficiencies). He may not progress any farther in levels as a malefactor. He regains his abilities and advancement potential if he atones for his violations, as appropriate.
Like a member of any other class, a malefactor may be a multiclass character, but multiclass malefactors face a special restriction. A malefactor who gains a level in any class other than malefactor may never again raise his malefactor level, though he retains all his malefactor abilities.
The path of the malefactor requires a constant heart. If a character adopts this class, he must pursue it to the exclusion of all other careers. Once he has turned off the path, he may never return.
Level Progression
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Spells Per Day
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Starting Packages
Race: Human.
Armor: Scale mail (+4 AC, armor check penalty –4, speed 20 ft., 30 lb.).
Heavy wooden shield (+2 AC, armor check penalty –2, 10 lb.).
Weapons: Longsword (1d8, crit 19–20/×2, 4 lb., one-handed, slashing).
Shortbow (1d6, crit ×3, range inc. 60 ft., 2 lb., piercing).
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 3 + Int modifier.
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Feat: Weapon Focus (longsword).
Bonus Feat: Improved Initiative.
Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack, flint and steel. Hooded lantern, three pints of oil. Quiver with 20 arrows. Wooden holy symbol.
Gold: 6d4 gp.
