Hellish Harmonist (3.5e Prestige Class)

Hellish Harmonist

“	You must have a devil in you to succeed in the arts.	”
—Voltaire

Good art can inspire and intrigue even the greatest of beings. Great art draws in the lowest. Devils of all kinds find a twisted beauty in the workings of talented artists and their ability to shape the minds and emotions of their audience, and some actively seek to shape their own favorites into instruments of their own will. These unfortunate souls hand-picked by devils are given the chance to obtain immense power and prestige, though at a terrible cost, one often not known to those make the deal.

Becoming a Hellish Harmonist

Hellish harmonists aren't typically aware that they are starting down the path to becoming an instrument of the Nine Hells. Instead, most simply believe that they have garnered the support of powerful wizards or sorcerers. The truth isn't made clear until they have traveled far past the point of no return. Because of this, devils often target good aligned bards with the intent of dragging them into evil. On the rare chance that a bard actively pursues this path knowing full well the cost, their patron will often take a more direct hand in shaping them.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Non-Chaotic.
Skills:	Knowledge (Planes) 6 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 6 ranks, Perform (Strings) 8 ranks, Perform (Oratory) 8 ranks
Feats:	Melodic Casting
Special:	Bardic music ability
Special:	Must have gained the notice of a powerful lawful-evil outsider, typically a Pit Fiend

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 Hellish Harmonist

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 Devilish Summons	+1 bard level
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Devil's Advocate +2	+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 Insidious Wit, Devil's Advocate +4	+1 bard level
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5		+1 bard level
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6		+1 bard level
9th	+6	+3	+6	+6	Devil's Advocate +8	+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 Hellish Harmonist.

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): A hellish harmonist continues to collect odds bits of lore and information that bards acquire. You can add your hellish harmonist 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 hellish harmonist'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 a hellish harmonist song expends one daily use of the character's bardic music ability unless otherwise noted in the song description. A hellish harmonist adds her class level to her bard level to determine her number of daily uses of bardic music.

Song of Devilish Summons(Su): A hellish harmonist 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 1d3 imps or 1d4 lemures. The summoned creatures act 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 an erinyes. With 16 ranks, she can summon an ice devil. With 19 ranks, she can summon a horned devil.

Song of Insidious Wit(Su): A hellish harmonist of 6th level or higher with at least 14 ranks in a Perform skill can weave her words ins such a way to temporarily unhinge the mind of a target creature within 30 feet. The target is entitled a Will save (DC 10 + hellish harmonist level + Cha modifier) to ignore the effect. On a failed save, the target is rendered insane, as the spell. This lasts as long as she holds concentration on it and 5 rounds after. This is a mind-affecting abiity.

Song of Patron's Favor(Su): A hellish harmonist 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.

Devil's Advocate (Ex): At level 3, through repeated debate and negotiation with their patron, a hellish harmonist becomes more talented at twisting words to their advantage. They gain a +2 profane bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and a Perform skill of their choice. These bonuses increase at level 6 and level 9, as listed on the chart.

Ex-Hellish Harmonists

Once started on this track, it is remarkably difficult to step off of it. The patron devil is extremely reluctant to let go of the artist they have spent time and effort grooming. They will employ whatever methods neccessary to kept their subject in line, be it subtle manipulations or direct threats. Should a hellish harmonist manage to leave their patron with soul intact, they will forever face constant pressure to return to the class and again fall under the devil's sway. This class can only be left once. Should a member of this class leave and return, they must progress through the full 10 levels before they can take a level in a different class.

Playing a Hellish Harmonist

Combat:

Advancement:

Resources:

Hellish Harmonists in the World

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NPC Reactions:

Hellish Harmonist 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	.

Hellish Harmonists in the Game

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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