Adept (3.5e Prestige Class)

Adept

“	With training and hard work, even Ratnoct can become fluffy kitten!	”
—Ratnoct, Half-Orc Barbarian

Becoming an Adept

An epic character usually chooses to become an Adept for one of two reasons. The first reason someone will choose this class is that they want to strengthen and refine abilities that they already have. The second reason a character may choose this class is that it gives them the ability to branch out and add new abilities to their character that can open up doors to other classes or even just add more fun to their travels.

Entry Requirements

Race:	Any.
Skills:	Any 3 at 15 ranks.
Feats:	Any epic.
Spellcasting:	Able to cast any level arcane or divine spells.

Table: The Adept

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+0	+0	Bonus Feat, Training I	+1 to caster level
2nd	+1	+3	+1	+1	Training I	+1 existing spellcasting level
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+1	Training I	+1 existing spellcasting level
4th	+3	+4	+1	+1	Bonus Feat, Training I	+1 to caster level
5th	+3	+4	+2	+2	Training II	+1 existing spellcasting level
6th	+4	+5	+2	+2	Training II	+1 existing spellcasting level
7th	+5	+5	+2	+2	Bonus Feat, Training II	+1 to caster level
8th	+6	+6	+3	+3	Training II	+1 existing spellcasting level
9th	+6	+6	+3	+3	Training III	+1 existing spellcasting level
10th	+7	+7	+3	+3	Bonus Feat, Training IV	+1 to caster level
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level) Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge(any), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, and Tumble.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Adept.

Spellcasting: At each level except 1, 4, 7, and 10 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 a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an Adept, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known. Special: On levels 1, 4, 7, and 10 the Adept's caster level still continues to increase by 1 level even though he does not learn any new spells.

Bonus Feat: At levels 1, 4, 7, and 10, the Adept may choose a feat for which they have met the pre-requisites.

Training I: At 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th levels the Adept completes a training that will give him one of the abilities listed below. Each ability may be selected multiple times.

Accuracy Focus: (Ex) Ability to cause damage means nothing if you cannot hit what you are aiming at. For you the goal is to make certain that your attack lands right where it is supposed to. The Adept gains a +2 on attack rolls.

Armor Focus: (Ex) You focus your training on toughing your skin and learning the strength to take a hit. You gain a bonus to natural armor of +2 that stacks with existing natural armor received from a feat, race, or class ability.

Creature Focus 1: (Su) Animals have always fascinated you, and you have a great desire to be able to see the world through different eyes. The Adept learns or gains one use per day of the Wild Shape ability (see Druid). If the Adept has no other class that gives him Wild Shape, then the type of creature he can change into is limited to small or medium animals (Non-magical animals). The Adept must have either come in contact with or devoted at least 24 hours to studying the animal type before he can take its form. The length of time an Adept can spend in wild shape is based on his Adept level. If the Adept who chooses this ability has the Wild Shape ability from another class, the levels of Adept stack to determine what type of creature he can Wild Shape into as well as how long he can spend in the form.

Damage Focus: (Ex) Damage has been your drive. The more damage you do, the better you will do in your quests. The Adept gains 1d6 sneak attack/skirmish damage. This damage stacks with any other class that also deals sneak attack/skirmish damage.

Energy Focus: (Ex) You spent a lot of time researching and testing yourself against specific magical energies to gain an understanding and defense against that specific type of energy. The Adept gains energy resistance 10 against an energy type of his choice: Electricity, cold, fire, acid, or sonic. While this resistance does stack with a resistance to the same energy type that the Adept may have received from a feat, class, or race ability, it does not stack with temporary effects or magical items.

Health Focus: (Ex) Nothing is more important to you than your health. You gain fast healing 3, or your existing fast healing increases by 3. While this ability does stack with feats, class, and race abilities that do the same, it does not stack with magical items.

Knowledge Focus: (Ex) Knowledge is power, and you strive to expand that power. The Adept gains a +2 bonus on all skill checks based on Intelligence.

Rage Focus: (Ex) You have great anger, but you are determined to focus it into something beneficial. The Adept learns or gains 1 use per day of the rage class feature (see Barbarian).

Speed Focus: (Ex) You have trained hard at becoming faster. Speed gives you so many options. Going to the rescue of a comrade, reaching the enemy first for a swift attack, even a successful retreat relies on your speed. Speed Focus increases all forms of the Adept's speed by 10ft. This bonus stacks with other bonuses that the Adept may have gained from other feats, class, and race abilities.

Spell Focus: (Ex) Magic is your life, and the more magic you can do, the more secure your future is. You gain either one new spell known or one new spell per day up to the highest spell slot that you can currently cast. For the option of new spell known, the spell chosen must be in the list of spells that your class is able to cast.

Undead Focus: (Su) You have had enough of the undead. You just want to see them bow down or flee from you. The Adept gains one turn/rebuke attempt per day (see Cleric). If the Adept does not have the turn/rebuke ability from another class, the Adept class level is what is used to determine your damage. If the Adept has another class that gives the turn/rebuke dead ability the levels stack.

Training II: At 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th levels the Adept completes a training that will give him one of the abilities listed below. Each ability may be selected multiple times.

Ability Focus: (Ex) Almost everything you do is based on a core set of abilities, and you feel that bettering yourself in these core elements is key to your success. The Adept gains a +2 to any one ability score. Special: While this Training can be taken multiple times, it can only be taken twice with the same stat. (Maximum +4 to ability.)

Creature Focus 2: (Su) Can only be taken if Creature Focus 1 was taken in Training I. The ability to see through the eyes of an animal has only increased your desire to see life through the eyes of more animals. The Adept gains one additional use per day of the Wild Shape ability. If the Adept has no other class that gives him Wild Shape, then the type of creature he can change into is limited to tiny, small, medium, or large animals (Non-magical animals). The Adept must have either come in contact with or devoted at least 24 hours to studying the animal type before he can take its form. The length of time an Adept can spend in wild shape is based on his Adept level. If the Adept who chooses this ability has the Wild Shape ability from another class, the levels of Adept stack to determine what type of creature he can Wild Shape into as well as how long he can spend in the form.

Magic Focus: (Su) You have been training hard to force every bit of magic out of a spell that you can. The Adept chooses one spell or spell-like ability that either deals or heals hit point damage and adds 2 more dice to the roll even if that puts the total number of dice over the spell's maximum limit. Example: If the Adept chooses lightning bolt and is a 8th level caster he would deal 10d6 damage. Once the Adept reaches 10th caster level, the damage would max out at 12d6 instead of the spell's original max of 10d6. This ability cannot be trained for spells that do not deal or heal hitpoint damage. Spells that deal or heal ability score damage are not increased.

Saving Throw Focus: (Ex) You feel as if you cannot let your guard down for a moment. Tragic things happen if you are not guarded against poisons, mind affecting threats, and projectiles hurling towards you. You spend time training your body and mind to resist such affects. The Adept gains +3 to either his Fortitude, Reflex, or Will save.

Sensory Focus: (Ex) You spent time in the dark just listening to what was around you, straining your senses to learn how to view the world beyond using just your sight. The Adept gains Blindsight out to 30 feet. If the Adept already has blindsight through a feat, class, or race ability, this training instead can choose between his current blindsight equaling 30ft or increases his current blindsight out by an additional 15 feet.

Spell-like Ability Focus 1: (Sp) Through studying the spell and the different types of spellcaster's who use the spell, you have learned how to cast a single spell as a spell-like ability. The Adepts learns one of the following spells as a spell like ability: Cure Critical Wounds, Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility, Good Hope, Dispel Magic, True Strike, Fireball, Dimension Door, or Status. the Adept's caster level of this spell is equal to his character level. The save for this spell is equal to 10 + 1/2 his character level + his Wisdom Modifier. He can cast the spell a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Spell/Special Ability DC Focus: (Ex) When your fighting style depends on spells and special abilities, it becomes very frustrating when your target can just shrug them off. The Adept gains +2 to the DC of his spells, spell-like abilities, and other abilities (Such as a monk's stunning fist) that require a saving throw. This bonus stacks with other bonuses that the Adept may have gained from other feats, class, and race abilities.

Spell Resistance Focus: (Ex) Spells are the bane of a battle. You never know just what will be thrown at you. You have thrown yourself into training to completely resist the effects of some spells. The Adept gains +4 to spell resistance. This bonus stacks with other bonuses that the Adept may have gained from other feats, class, and race abilities.

Stealth Focus: (Ex) Stealth and surprise can turn an outmatched battle into an easy win. The Adept Gains the Hide in Plain Sight ability. He can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, an Adept with this training can hide himself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Training III: At 9th level the Adept completes a training that will give him one of the abilities listed below.

Charismatic Damage Reduction Focus: (Ex) Either through fear or through distraction, people have a hard time causing you damage. You have spent a lot of time focusing on your appearance and how you can use it to help you in a fight. The Adept gains damage reduction equal to his Charisma modifier added to his (or one of his) current damage reduction. If the Adept does not have damage reduction from another source, than he gains Damage Reduction against ones of the following: Evil, Good, Law, or Chaos. The type chosen must be in opposite of the Adept's alignment. (A neutral good would have damage reduction against evil.) A completely neutral character may choose on of any of the four types.

Dexterous Grapple Focus: (Ex) Strength is all well and good, but when holding down an opponent, you also have to be flexible to be able to avoid being attacked or having them slip through your grasp. You have trained to be able to move along with your opponent or slip away from someone who is trying to hold you down. The Adept adds his Dexterity modifier to grapple checks. This ability, however, does not stack with any other ability that adds Dexterity to grapple checks.

Intelligent Save Focus: (Ex) Half the battle when saving against an attack is knowing where to jump, and when not to breathe. Your training has taught you to think quickly in the midst of trouble. The Adept's Intelligence modifier is added to his saves. This works similarly to a Paladin's Divine Grace class feature and can stack with it. This ability, however, does not stack with any ability that adds Intelligence to saving throws.

Spell-like Ability Focus 2: (Sp) Can only be taken if Spell-like Ability Focus 1 was taken in Training II. You have trained even further with your spell-like abilities until it takes almost no effort to cast them. The spell-like ability or one of the spell-like abilities that the Adept currently knows can now be treated as if it had the quicken feat attached to it. The spell-like ability this applies to does not have to be one that he chose from this class, but it can only be quickened a maximum times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier. Once the spell to be quickened is chosen, it cannot be changed or retrained.

Supernatural Spell Focus: (Su) You have trained so hard and learned everything you could about a specific spell to make it harder to resist. The Adept chooses one spell he currently knows. He is permanently able to cast that spell as a supernatural ability once a day. This ability can not be retrained into another spell. Casting it as a supernatural ability does not take away from his spells per day. If an Adept later retrains that spell out of his known spells, he still retains it as a supernatural ability once per day. Metamagic feats do not apply to the Supernatural spell learned. For example, a wizard may learn fireball as his supernatural ability, but he cannot learn quickened fireball as a supernatural ability. The DC of the supernatural ability is 10 + the character level + the relevant ability modifier of the original spellcasting class.

Wise Armor Focus: (Ex) Through sparring, training, and true battles you have become street smart when it comes to avoiding blows. The Adept can add his Wisdom modifier to his AC. The bonus also applies to Touch and Flatfooted. AC. This ability does not stack with other abilities that add Wisdom to AC.

Training IV: At 10th level the Adept completes a training that will give him one of the abilities listed below.

Creature Focus 3: (Ex) Can only be taken if Creature Focus 1 was taken in Training I and Creature Focus 2 was taken in Training II. You have studied the act of turning into an animal so thoroughly that you are able to permanently bring an aspect of an animal to your actual body. The Adept chooses one of the following permanent abilities:

Wings: The Adept grows a permanent pair of wings granting him a fly speed equal to double his base land speed with good maneuverability.

Extra Arms: A new pair of arms grow on the Adept. If this brings the Adept to a total of 3 or more arms, he qualifies for the Multiweapon Fighting feat and other feats that require 3 or more limbs.

Owl Eyes: The eyes of the Adept take on a golden color. The Adept gains Low Light Vision and as well as 60 foot Dark Vision. the Adept also gains a bonus to spot and search of +10. If the Adept has Dark Vision already, he can choose to have his current forms of vision to equal 60 feet or extend out 15 feet more than it currently is. If the adept already has Low Light Vision, he instead gains Keen Senses* (See below)

Tail: The Adept grows a tail which can act as another limb (Not qualifying him for Multiweapon Fighting or similar feats) that can hold an item or be used to hang from a pole or branch. If used to trip an opponent, the tail gives the Adept +10 bonus to the trip checks. The Adept also gains +10 to all balance checks and to grapple checks.

Chameleon Appearance The Adept can change the color of her eyes, hair, and skin to better blend in with the locals or to make a disguise more believable. The Adept gains a +20 to disguise checks. The Adept also gains a +10 to diplomacy and bluff checks when this ability is used in conjunction with blending in and conversing with the local populace. Finally, the Adept gains a permanent +2 to his Charisma score.

Gills: The Adept gains three lines on each side of the neck that, on dry land, appear as nothing more than tattoos. When the adept is in water, however, these markings open up to be what are obviously gills. The Adept can move, attack, and breathe freely in water. His swim speed is equal to his highest base speed (walking, flying...). The Adept gains a +8 bonus to his Swim check and has the ability to take 10 on Swim checks even when he is rushed or threatened.

Energy Immunity Focus: (Ex) You have spent so much time building up you defenses against a certain type of energy that you have become immune to its effects. The Adept can choose one of the following energies to gain immunity to: Electricity, cold, fire, acid, or sonic. The energy type chosen does not have to be one he has a resistance to.

Immunity Focus: (Ex) You are one with your body and mind. You have trained to be able to instantly throw off the effect of a normally very unpleasant condition. The Adept is immune to one of the following conditions: blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, frightened, nauseated, panicked, paralyzed, poisoned, shaken, sickened, or stunned. The immunity is applied regardless of if the condition is magically or naturally caused.

Negative Energy Immunity Focus: (Ex) You have spent time around the undead either in battle or in peaceful times. Because you have spent so much time amount the dead, you no longer fear their touch. The Adept is immune to Negative Energy and Death Effects.

• *Keen Senses (Ex): Your senses dramatically improve. You can see four times as well as a human can in shadowy illumination, and twice as well as a human can see in normal light. If you can already see farther than a human but not as well as indicated above, your vision extends to this improved distance. If you already have improved vision that matches or exceeds this distance, your vision does not improve.

Special: If continuing in this class past the first 10 levels, take note that while you can choose an ability from Training I and Training II multiple times, Training III and Training IV abilities may only be chosen once.

Table: The Epic Adept

Level	Special
11th	Training I
12th	Training I
13th	Bonus Feat, Training I
14th	Training I
15th	Training II
16th	Bonus Feat, Training II
17th	Training II
18th	Training II
19th	Bonus Feat, Training III
20th	Training IV

Ex-Adepts

Playing an Adept

Combat:

Advancement:

Resources:

Adepts in the World

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NPC Reactions:

Adept 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	.

Adepts in the Game

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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