Abyssal Artist (3.5e Prestige Class)

Abyssal Artist

“	“An true artist is a creature driven by demons. He doesn't know why they choose him and he's usually too busy to wonder why.”	”

It has been said that the hearts of true artists are forever plagued by their personal demons. For some, those demons are far more literal. Singers, dancers, magnificent orators and composers extrodinaire all may find themselves drawing the attention of powerful beings from far beyond the material plane. Those fateful few are granted a truly unique opportunity: to be granted immense power and prestige in exchange for entertaining their otherwordly patrons.

Mighty creatures of evil and chaos, typically Balors but occasionally Slaadi, often choose to call upon those whose artistry reflects an inner turmoil and suffering They prey upon the inherent madness that fuels their art, the abilities granted giving them power in order to fully drive them into insanity. Many fall. The ones who endure the torments become legends.

Becoming an Abyssal Artist

Traditionally, abyssal artists don't follow this path by choice. Rather, they are chosen by dark forces that have been impressed by either their talents or their spirits. Most bards who take levels in this class do so as it is often the only option other than falling to madness.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Non-Lawful.
Skills:	Knowledge (Planes) 6 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 6 ranks, Perform (Dance) 8 ranks, Perform (Oratory) 8 ranks
Feats:	Melodic Casting
Special:	Bardic music ability
Special:	Must have gained the notice of a powerful chaotic outsider, typically a Balor

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level)
Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (architechure and engineering), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (psionics), Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Perform, Profession, Search, Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device.

Table: The Abyssal Artist

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Music	+1 bard level
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Song of Demonic Calling	+1 bard level
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Fiendish Endurance (Resistance 10, +1)	+1 bard level
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4		+1 bard level
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4		+1 bard level
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Song of Panicked Wrath, Fiendish Endurance (Resistance 20)	+1 bard level
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5		+1 bard level
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6		+1 bard level
9th	+6	+3	+6	+6	Fiendish Endurance (Resistance 30)	+1 bard level
10th	+7	+3	+7	+7	Song of Patron's Favor	+1 bard level

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Abyssal Artist.

Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in the bard class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

Bardic Knowledge (Ex): An abyssal artist continues to collect odds bits of lore and information that bards acquire. You can add your abyssal artist level to your bard levels when making a bardic knowledge check. In addition, abyssal artists have unique and exclusive dealings with extraplanar creatures. When making a bardic knowledge check that involves their patron's home plane, you gain a +4 bonus on the check.

Bardic Music: The influence of the abyssal artist's patron drives them to further pursue their bardic repertoire. These effects function just as the bardic music effects described in the Player's Handbook. Each use of an abyssal artist song expends one daily use of the character's bardic music ability unless otherwise noted in the song description. An abyssal artist adds her class level to her bard level to determine her number of daily uses of bardic music.

Song of Demonic Calling(Su): An abyssal artist of 2nd level or higher with at least 10 ranks in a perform skill can perform with such fervor and skill that a servant of their patron is called forth to witness it. As a full round action, she can expend a daily use of bardic music to summon 1d4 dretches or 1d4 quasits. The summoned creature acts immediately on her turn and follows her orders to the best of its ability. The creature remains on the material plane so long as she maintains concentration on her bardic music. As her ranks in Perform increase, more powerful creatures can find themselves captivated. With 13 ranks, she can instead summon a succubus. With 16 ranks, she can summon a hezrou. With 19 ranks, she can summon a glabrezu.

Song of Panicked Wrath(Su): An abyssal artist of 6th level or higher with at least 14 ranks in a Perform skill can incite a sensation of fearful barbarism in herself or a target creature within 30 feet. The target is entitled a Will save (DC 10 + Abyssal artist level + Cha modifier) to ignore the effect. On a failed save, the target rages as a barbarian of 1/2 the abyssal artist's HD. This functions identically to the barbarian class feature and lasts as long as she holds concentration on it and 1 round after. Using this ability requires a standard action and expends a daily use of bardic music.

Song of Patron's Favor(Su): An abyssal artist of 10th level with at least 18 ranks in a Perform skill has impressed their patron enough to be granted access to their patron's own power. By expending 3 daily uses of bardic music, she can emulate a spell-like ability possessed by her patron. The ability emulated follows the same daily use restrictions as the creature possessing the ability. The caster level and save DCs are calculated as though they were being cast by the abyssal artist. Use of this ability does not impact the patron's abilities in any way.

Fiendish Endurance (Ex): At level 3, through repeated contact and support from an otherworldly patron, abyssal artists gains resistance 10 of their choice to either fire or lightning. In addition, they gain an extra hit point per HD, in the same manner as having a high Constitution score. The extra hit points are calculated for each HD the creature currently has and each HD they gain going forward. The resistance increases at level 6 and level 9, as listed on the chart.

Ex-Abyssal Artists

Playing an Abyssal Artist

Combat:

Advancement:

Resources:

Abyssal Artists in the World

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NPC Reactions:

Abyssal Artist Lore

Characters with ranks in can research to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC	Result
11	.
16	.
21	.
26	.

Abyssal Artists in the Game

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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