Peacock Sage (3.5e Prestige Class)

“The difference between pretty and beautiful is pretty is temporal, whereas beautiful is eternal.”

Peacock Sage

“	Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.	”
—Maryanne Williamson

Mother Nature's secrets are seldom unraveled easily, but for those persistent enough to seek the font of beauty incarnate, the results can be extraordinary.

Becoming a Peacock Sage

Arcane spellcasters who become peacock sages are almost invariably looking for power. An expanded knowledge and an expanded set of abilities is a logical way to increase one's own power, but there are other reasons, too. Some become peacock sages out of vanity. Others do the same in search of enlightenment, although the former is more common. Most of those who become peacock sages are sorcerers, although the occasional wizard, often an enchanter, will delve down this road as well. The primary attribute for a peacock mage depends on her class background; for sorcerers it is Charisma; for wizards it is Intelligence.

Entry Requirements

Abilities:	Charisma 14+
Skills:	Knowledge (Nature): 6 ranks
Spellcasting:	Ability to cast fifth level arcane spells.

Table: The Peacock Sage

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Favored Spells, Iridescence, Plumage	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Omniscient Gaze	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Piercing Stare	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Hera's Favored	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Peafowl's Prescience	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Orbs of Argus	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Panoramic Sight	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Quetzalcoatl	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Occam's Razor	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Prism Prowess
Class Skills (3 + Int modifier per level) Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Knowledge: Local (Int), Knowledge: Nature )Int), Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis).

Table: The Epic Peacock Sage

Level	Special
11th
12th
13th	Bonus Feat
14th
15th
16th	Bonus Feat
17th
18th
19th	Bonus Feat
20th

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the peacock sage.

Spellcasting: At second level and each level thereafter except tenth, the peacock sage gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class levels. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If she had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a peacock sage, she must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Favored Spells: To spontaneously cast a favored spell, the peacock sage must have a Charisma or Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell's level, as well as having a peacock sage level equal to the spell's level. Once these prerequisites are met, a peacock sage may spontaneous cast any favored spell she knows as a standard action by expending a spell slot of equal value. Metamagic feats can be applied to favored spells without increasing their casting times beyond their normal values. Furthermore, the peacock mage casts all favored spells with a +2 bonus to caster level, as well as a +2 boost to save DCs. Note that a sorcerer adds these spells to her spells known list (where they do not count against the sorcerer's normal number of spells known), whereas the wizard gains the ability to case them spontaneously, like a good-aligned cleric with cure spells.

Favored Spells—color spray, hypnotic pattern, rainbow pattern, prismatic spray, prismatic wall, scintillating pattern, prismatic sphere

Iridescence (Su): Beginning at first level, when the peacock sage's plumage is active, she is constantly under the effects of a blur spell. This ability may be repressed and reactivated as a free action, separate from the peacock sage's control of her plumage.

Plumage (Su): A first level peacock sage may manifest a magical cloak composed of peacock feathers, hereafter referred to as plumage. Having her plumage out grants the peacock sage a +1 competence bonus on Search and Spot checks and a -1 penalty to Hide checks for each class level she has. A peacock sage may choose to flare her plumage as a standard action. Creatures looking directly at a peacock sage's flared plumage must make a Will Save (DC 10 + peacock sage level + the peacock sage's Intelligence or Charisma modifier) or become fascinated as long as the plumage remains flared. Creatures that break free of this effect must make a new save on each of their turns to resist becoming enraptured again. While her plumage is flared, the peacock sage takes double the usual Hide penalties associated with having her plumage manifested. Creatures may avert their eyes or wear a blindfold in an attempt to avoid this effect. The peacock sage may un-flare her plumage as a free action. While the plumage is manifested, a peacock sage cannot avert her eyes to avoid gaze attacks. The peacock sage's plumage has the same vulnerabilities to light that a robe of eyes does, although she is entitled to a Reflex save to dismiss her plumage and avoid the effect if she has an immediate action available. The peacock sage may manifest or dismiss her plumage as an immediate action. A peacock sage's plumage does not count against her eight magic item limit, although a manifested plumage supersedes any pre-existing shoulder slot item, nullifying that item's magic until one of the two items is removed.

Omniscient Gaze (Su): At second level, the peacock sage may dismiss her plumage to cast prying eyes at a caster level equal to her highest spellcasting level. The peacock sage cannot manifest her plumage after using this ability until the duration for prying eyes is up or until all of the eyes return to her, but may otherwise use this ability at will as a standard action. This effective level of this ability to equal to the peacock sage's total arcane spellcasting class levels, not her caster level.

Piercing Stare (Su): At third level, the peacock sage's plumage gains darkvision and the ability to see invisible and ethereal within a range of 20 feet, plus an additional 10 feet per class level.

Hera's Favored (Su): When her plumage is manifested, a fourth level peacock sage gains a Charisma bonus equal to half her peacock sage class level rounded down.

Peafowl's Prescience (Su): A fifth level peacock sage with a manifested plumage retains her Dexterity modifier to Armor Class (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed, although she still loses her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class if she is immobilized.

Orbs of Argus (Su): This ability functions like omniscient gaze, although instead of prying eyes the Orbs of Argus allow the peacock sage to use greater prying eyes.

Panoramic Sight (Su): Starting at seventh level, a peacock sage's can no longer be flanked when her plumage is manifested.

Quetzalcoatl (Su): An eighth level peacock sage may rip one of the feathers from her plumage in order to summon a couatl, as per summon monster ix. Using this ability causes the peacock sage's plumage to be treated as the plumage of a peacock sage one level below her own. Removed feathers regenerate at a rate of one per twenty four period.

Occam's Razor (Su): The plumage of a ninth level peacock sage discerns truth where falsehoods lie. The peacock sage's plumage grants her true seeing, as per the spell, within a range of a 60 feet.

Prism Prowess: When the peacock sage casts prismatic spray, she rolls a d10 instead of a d8. Treat rolls of eight or nine as if the peacock sage had rolled an eight; on a roll of ten the peacock sage's target is hit by three of the color effects of the spell. On a roll of ten, ignore subsequent rolls of eight or greater.

The epic peacock sage gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic peacock sage feats) every three levels after tenth.

Epic Peacock Sage Bonus Feat List: Additional Magic Item Space, Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Bonus Domain, Energy Resistance, Enhance Spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Extended Life Span, Fast Healing, Great Charisma, Great Intelligence, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Spell Opportunity, Spell Stowaway, Spellcasting Harrier, Spontaneous Spell.

Playing a Peacock Sage

Combat: A peacock sage usually specializes in monster removal or battlefield control, and can frequently do a bit of both.

Advancement: Becoming a peacock sage is an attractive option for sorcerer's and other Charisma-based spellcasters due to the boosts it can give, and it is also a logical step for many an enchanter. Because of it's relatively steep entry requirements (and therefore late entry), it is more of a complementary class than a class that is complemented by others, although anything that helps a wizard or sorcerer survive is likely to prove useful to a peacock sage. Still, since caster level (and the implications therein) is the primary goal of most spellcasters, sorcerer (or wizard )10/peacock sage 10 (or perhaps 9) is typically what is considered optimal, although other spellcasting-enhancing prestige classes are viable alternatives to more levels of sorcerer/wizard.

Resources: Peacock sages are often, but not always, somewhat narcissistic, and as such are not very forthcoming when it comes to aiding one another. There is no formal organization for peacock sages, and even informal organizations are unlikely. A peacock sage might go her entire lifetime without encountering another of the same vocation, since the secrets of becoming a peacock sage are usually discovered by the individual and most peacock sages are self-taught.

Peacock Sages in the World

“	We live only to discover beauty. All else is a form of waiting.	”
—Kahlil Gibran

NPC Reactions: Peacock sages tend to provoke feelings of awe, often accompanied by feelings of inferiority, jealously, or lust, depending on the exact nature of the NPC.

Peacock Sage Lore

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

Knowledge (Arcana)

DC	Result
11	Peacock sages have plumages that grant the majority of their abilities.
16	A peacock sage is more proficient with pattern and prismatic spell effects.
21	A peacock sage's plumage improves her senses.
26	A peacock sage's plumage is vulnerable to the same spells that negatively impact a robe of eyes.

Peacock Sages in the Game

Adaptation: Any suitably flashy animal can take the place of a peacock, although it might be difficult to replicate both the flashiness and the eye motif that comprise the core of the peacock sage's class abilities. It might also be possible to adjust the class to the point where it is a viable option for bards as well, perhaps by treating favored spells of seventh level and above as sixth level bard spells. The same could be doable for clerics as well.

Sample Encounter: Josette Laren, a self-absorbed, hubristic peacock sage, plans to seduce the kings of two rivalrous countries and manipulate them into fighting a war over her, all so she can see how many men will die in the pair's attempts to possess her.

EL 17:

Josette Laren

CR 17

	Female Human Sorcerer 9, Peacock Sage 6/Blackguard 2
	NE Medium Humanoid
Init/Senses	+8/Listen -1, Spot +14 (darkvision, see invisibility, see ethereal)
Languages	Celestial, Common, Sylvan
AC	23, touch 18, flat-footed 23 (+5 armor, +4 deflection, +4 Dex)
hp	118 (17 HD)
Resist	blur, ring of mind shielding, spell resistance 18
Fort/Ref/Will	+24/+21/+23
Speed	30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee	+1 returning dagger +10 (1d4+2/19-20 ×2) or
Melee	FAA: +1 returning dagger +10/+5 (1d4+2/19-20 ×2)
Ranged	+1 returning dagger +13 (1d4/19-20 ×2)
Base Atk/Grp	+9/+10
Special Actions	smite good (1/day), Summon Familiar
Sorcerer Spells Known	(CL 14): 7th (4/day)—greater teleport 6th (6/day)—greater dispel magic, true seeing, 5th (8/day)—dominate person, feeblemind, wall of force 4th (8/day)—greater invisibility, stoneskin, polymorph, rainbow pattern (DC 25), resilient sphere 3rd (8/day)—blink, fly, hold person, major image 2nd (8/day)—glitterdust, gust of wind, hypnotic pattern (DC 23), pyrotechnics, scorching ray, web 1st (9/day)—charm person, color spray (DC 22), feather fall, grease, protection from good, ray of enfeeblement 0 (6/day)—arcane mark, daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, message, prestidigitation, read magic, touch of fatigue
Spell-Like Abilities	(CL 15th): at will—detect good (CL 2), greater prying eyes
Abilities	Str 13, Dex 14 (18), Con 18, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 26 (29)
SQ	+2 on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance, aura of evil, dark blessing, plumage, poison use, robe of eyes vulnerabilities
Feats	Cleave, Combat Casting, Heighten Spell, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Leadership, Power Attack
Skills	Bluff + 14, Concentration +19, Decipher Script +7, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +16, Heal +4, Hide +8, Knowledge: Arcana +7, Knowledge: Nature +8, Knowledge: Religion +4, Search +14, Spellcraft +19, Spot +14
Possessions	dust of sneezing and choking, gloves of dexterity +4, ring of mind shielding, ring of protection +4, evil robe of the archmagi, rod of extend metamagic (least), rod of quicken metamagic (least)

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