Paraclete (3.5e Prestige Class)

Paraclete

“	I care not what insane mortals or witless gods say; by my mind and magic, I will end all that is wrong in the world, even if it destroys me!	”
—Unknown, Reported to be a speech delivered to a cleric of Nerull

Paracletes are arcane casters who want to make a difference in the world. They gain abilities from their overwhelming desire to change the world in the way that they desire. A paraclete can use these abilities the way that they see fit; some offer wise council, some wage war against gods and demons, none of them sit back and do nothing. A paraclete is not a single ideology or a set of ideologies, but what an arcane caster who believes in any ideology becomes. A paraclete is able to use vir realized arcane power to utilize the same source of power that clerics do.

Becoming a Paraclete

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Any other than TN
Skills:	Spellcraft 9 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks.
Feats:	1 feat that has an alignment requirement.
Spellcasting:	Able to cast arcane spells.

Table: The Paraclete

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Aura	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Detect Opposition	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Divine Spell access	—
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (nature) (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the paraclete.

Spellcasting: At each level except 5th, a paraclete 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 arcane spellcasting class before becoming a paraclete, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Aura (Ex): This ability functions as the Paladin's Aura of Good, except that the aura the paraclete emits is aligned with her primary alignment instead of good. The paraclete's primary alignment is the one that coincides with her feat's alignment requirement.

Code of Conduct: A paraclete makes a code of conduct based on her alignment. This code of conduct must include the prohibition of shifting from her primary alignment factor (the one dependent on the feat she used to become a paraclete).

Detect Opposition (Sp): This ability functions as the paladin's detect evil ability, except that it functions against against targets whose alignments are opposed to the paraclete's alignment instead of against evil creatures, mimicking detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, or detect law as appropriate. The paraclete knows which alignment aspects that creatures possess in opposition to it's own when detected through this ability.

Divine Spell Access: A 5th-level paraclete can learn and cast spells from the cleric list, even if they don’t appear on the lists of any spellcasting class she has. Such spells are cast as divine spells if they don’t appear on the sorcerer/wizard or bard spell lists. This class feature grants access to the spells, but not extra spells per day. The 5th-level paraclete can likewise read scrolls with cleric spells on them and use wands and staffs that contain cleric spells.

Ex-Paracletes

A paraclete who violates her code of conduct loses her aura, detect opposition ability and divine spell access including the ability to use divine spells already learned and researched, and may not gain any paraclete levels until such time that she atones.

Playing a Paraclete

Combat: A paraclete often plays the same role as their base class with additional supplemental healing.

Advancement: Since the last level of paraclete does not advance caster level, it's a good idea to invest a feat in Practiced Spellcaster.

Resources: Paracletes are usually too rare and varied to have a dedicated organization, but they can often expect assistance from ally religions.

Paracletes in the World

“	The wisdom you seek is not here, but I may offer you a cure for your ailment.	”
—Ralseph, Bookshroom Paraclete

Characters of this class often act as sages, giving advice to those who ask for it, and steering them down the right path, healers, wandering the land and aiding the sick and poor, or lend their (often considerable) arcane might to their chosen cause. Regardless of what any individual does, they are rare, as most arcane casters are neutral.

NPC Reactions: How people react to paracletes entirely depends on how they present themselves. For some you can only tell that they are paracletes when viewing their aura. Other paracletes can be identified by sight alone; a halo a white robe, or both can give it away rather well. A good paraclete is often welcomed by good and neutral people, as they often heal the sick.

Paraclete Lore

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

Knowledge (religion)

DC	Result
11	Paracletes always have a strong aura.
16	Paracletes have a detect alignment ability.
21	Paracletes can cast any cleric spell.
26	Paracletes can potentially learn any divine spell through spell research.

Paracletes in the Game

Paracletes are usually healers or crusaders. They do works for their cause, whether good or ill, and whether the causes belongs to a church or them alone.

Adaptation: The paraclete is a little bit of cleric and paladin given to a sorcerer or wizard. and as such can play a similar role.

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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