What is your opinion of this???

[Sykyrys]

I have the mechanics down, but it's in need of flavor text. I kinda envision them as undead lords of a sort. The live in the earth in old ruins and eat adventur...er...corpses. They have have a close relationship with earth, metal, and stone. Their appearance is kinda like statuary.



Nekrolith



[Insert Flavor Text]



Entry Requirements: To qualify to become a nekrolith, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:
- Race: Any undead.
- Alignment: Any evil.
- Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 24 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 24 ranks, Move Silently 2 ranks.
- Feats: Defiler Magic, Epic Spellcasting, Great Fortitude, Improved Toughness, any two metamagic feats, and any two metapsionic feats.
- Spells: Able to cast 9th level divine spells and manifest 6th level psionic powers.
- Special: Able to rebuke undead.
- Special: Must have a crypt, necropolis, or similar resting place.
- Special: Must meet Underdweller and Underwalker prerequisites.
- Special: Must perform a ritual that requires a sacrifice of no less than 1,000 HD of living creatures and 50,000 gp.


The Nekrolith Hit Dice: d12

Level Special Spells per Day
1st Metamorphosis, nekrolith magic, Underdweller +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
2nd Rebuke undead, turn immunity +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
3rd Underwalker +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
4th - +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
5th Bite, stone's hue +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
6th Nekrolith sense +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
7th Frightful presence +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
8th Bonus feat +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
9th Resistance +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
10th Nekrolith power +1 level of existing divine or manifester class
Class Skills (2 + Intelligence modifier per level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft (armorsmithing, blacksmithing, calligraphy, gemcutting, locksmithing, pottery, sculpting, stonemasonry, trapmaking, and weaponsmithing), Decipher Script, Disable Device, Disguise, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge, Listen, Move Silently, Psicraft, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, or Tumble.


Class Features: All of the following are class features of the nekrolith prestige class:


Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The nekrolith gains no new weapon or armor proficiency.


Metamorphosis: Upon beginning the transformation process, the nekrolith's nails harden and become razor-sharp. The nekrolith gains two claw attacks as primary natural attacks. The nekrolith's claw attacks deal the same amount of damage as those of an average creature of the same size. He also gains the earth and evil subtypes, a +1 natural armor bonus per 2 nekrolith levels, damage reduction +1/ - per 2 nekrolith levels, and a +1 racial bonus per nekrolith level on Disguise checks when impersonating statuary.


Nekrolith Magic (Su): By combining his knowledge of divine magic and psionics, a nekrolith learns how to use the life energy of those around him to aid his epic spellcasting. When casting an epic spell with the backlash mitigating factor the nekrolith can drain up to 10 hit points from one living creature per nekrolith level as a free action. The creatures drained must be within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 spellcaster levels). If the spell takes more than 1 round to cast, the nekrolith may select different creatures to drain each round. The total number of hit points drained in this manner cannot exceed the amount of backlash damage dealt to the nekrolith by the epic spell.
A living creature drained in this manner must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + nekrolith class level + Constitution modifier) or permanently loses the drained hit points (its hit point total permanently drops by 10 hit points, to a minimum of 1 hp per HD). If the 10 points of damage kills a creature and it is brought back to life it automatically loses at least 1 level, regardless of the spell used to return it to life. If the spell used to return it to life normally penalizes the recipient 1 level a creature killed by this ability loses 2 levels instead.


Spells per Day/Powers Known: At 1st level and every nekrolith level thereafter, the nekrolith gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) or new power points (and powers known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in an divine spellcasting or manifesting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. If already an epic spellcaster, the character gains only the benefit noted under the Spells or Powers entry for that epic class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic, metapsionic, or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). At each level that grants this ability, the character must decide to which class he adds the new level for the purpose of determining spells per day and caster level or power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.


Underdweller: At 1st level, the nekrolith gains Underdweller as a bonus feat.


Rebuke Undead (Su): Nekrolith class levels stack with levels of all other classes that grant the ability to rebuke undead for the purpose of determining the character's effective cleric level for rebuking. See Turn or Rebuke Undead, page 159 of the Player’s Handbook.


Turn Immunity (Ex): At 2nd level, as long as it is within it's crypt, necropolis, or similar resting place, a nekrolith is immune to turning or rebuking attempts. It can still be bolstered as normal.


Underwalker: At 3rd level, the nekrolith gains Underwalker as a bonus feat.


Bite: At 5th level, the nekrolith's teeth harden and become razor-sharp. He gains a bite attack as a secondary natural attack. The nekrolith's bite attack deals the same amount of damage as that of an average creature of the same size.


Stone's Hue (Su): When within 5 feet of a stone or earth wall, a nekrolith can take on the coloration of the stone and may seem to blend into the surface of the wall. As long as the nekrolith is within 5 feet of the wall, he gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks and can successfully hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.


Nekrolith Sense (Su): While it is within it's crypt, necropolis, or similar resting place, a nekrolith of 6th level or higher, automatically knows the precise location of all intruders within it's resting place. This ability is similar to blindsense, except that it functions without regard to line of effect and it's effect extends to every portion of it's resting place.


Frightful Presence (Ex): At 7th level, the nekrolith gains the frightful presence ability. This ability has a radius of 30 feet per nekrolith level and affects creatures with fewer HD than the nekrolith. A creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 character level + Charisma modifier) becomes immune to that nekrolith's frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or fewer HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds.


Bonus Feat: At 8th level, the nekrolith gains a bonus epic feat from the following list (see the Epic Level Handbook for descriptions): Armor Skin, Automatic Metamagic Capacity, Automatic Metapsionic Capacity, Damage Reduction, Divine Augmentation*, Epic Fortitude, Epic Psionic Focus, Epic Skill Focus (Knowledge [psionics]), Epic Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Fast Healing, Great Dexterity, Great Intelligence, Great Strength, Great Wisdom, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Spell Resistance, Metamagic Freedom, Metapsionic Freedom, Metamixture*, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Power Knowledge, Spell Knowledge. *New feat, see below.


Resistance (Su): At 9th level, the nekrolith gains power resistance and spell resistance equal to 10 + it's character level.


Nekrolith Power (Su): While it is within it's crypt, necropolis, or similar resting place, a 10th level nekrolith can call upon the spirits of the dead to gain insight from them. This ability requires only a free action to activate, and grants the nekrolith an insight bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws equal to it's Charisma modifier (minimum +1). A nekrolith can use this ability once per day, and it's effects last for 10 minutes.




Ex-Nekroliths


An epic spell is required to raise a nekrolith. If a nekrolith is raised, he loses all levels in nekrolith.

 

[Pssthpok]

my opinion?

honestly?

the font is godawful.

 

[Sykyrys]

my opinion?

honestly?

the font is godawful.

Aside from that. I'm curious to see what everyone thinks.

N/b/4, I'm unfamiliar with HTML, so if someone wants to insert a table code for me I'd be much obliged.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Ahoy there Sykyrys!

Welcome to ENWorld and the Eternity Publishing Forums.

I'm generally not a 3.5E follower any longer, but I'll give my opinion anyway.

I really like the monster concept, but I am not sure how well that concept translates to a Prestige Class. I mean if it lives in the Earth and in Old Ruins its probably not going to make for a great adventurer.

Also I'd just go with the name Necrolith, when you swop a 'c' for a 'k' it always puts me in mind of a sci-fi game.

Mechanically its okay, but not great, and it really falls apart with the last power which I think is way too overpowered (Nekrolith Power).

Its been a while since I even contemplated designing a 3.5E Prestige Class, but I think you probably want to re-envision the whole thing from the ground up.

I'd either change it to a monster (retaining the tie to old ruins) or I would adapt it (for a Prestige Class) to be a sort of area controller (thats 4E parlance). Imagine if you will, the Nekrolith spirit can possess the nearby ruins/earth/terrain. Maybe it would have some special abilities based upon haunting, cursing (while on its 'turf') or otherwise atttacking those who set foot within the area it protects/possesses. Maybe its movement powers allow it to teleport to any area within its control (the radius of that control could increase by 10ft. per Prestige Class Level (starting from 60 feet. maybe?).

Just some thoughts off the top of my head of course.

 

[Kerrick]

What UK said. I'll elaborate a bit, since I'm more familiar with 3.5 mechanics than he is (no offense, Krusty ).

I'm not sure what the Underwalker/Underdweller feats are, but you might as well make them prereqs, instead of bonus feats.

You've got a great concept here - UK's ideas are really cool, and I could easily make a badass monster from those and your concept. Check this out - it's a transformational PrC I made called the Eater of Flesh - basically a cannibal mage who gains power from eating the flesh of the fallen, who undergoes a slow transformation into a ghoul lord. Or the Lich Knight PrC, an evil paladin who bonds to a weapon and walks the path to becoming a lich knight (and his weapon is his phylactery).

That's pretty much what you seem to be aiming for. I've also got the wealthwight, a low-power undead that is bound to (and gains strength from) his hoard. The problem is that a class/monster/whatever that's bound to an area won't make a very good PC, even if he can actually move beyond that area - if he gains most of his power from it, he won't be very effective elsewhere.

My suggestion? Make it either a template or a straight-up high-level undead. UK's ideas bring to mind the bloody bones, an undead that appeared in a 1E tournament module. The bloody bones was summoned and bound to protect an area, but couldn't leave it; it had 1d4 minions, each of which granted it an extra HD, and it could teleport anywhere in the bound area.

What you've got is some kind of earth spirit (which is cool - I have a thing for earth/stone related things for some reason). But, you need a reason for its existence: Why is it there, and what is its purpose? It's undead, obviously, but why? Is it a being that deliberately binds itself to an area to protect it (and how)? Is it someone who died defening an area in life and rises in undeath to continue its watch? Can someone be bound unwillingly? Are they good, evil, or just don't give a crap about living beings in general? Why is this thing earth-related?

That should give you some idea of what kind of powers you want (well, that and the expected power level). It's centered around earth and stone, so I'd give it powers like meld into stone, tremorsense, maybe a petrifying touch (but not a gaze), the ability to become a statue (in this form, it cannot be detected, turned/destroyed, or otherwise affected by anything that would normally affect undead), the ability to possess and/or control statues (possession would be especially powerful, since it could just keep jumping its spirit to a new one, making it very hard to kill), set off an earthquake when it dies (there's an undead from Scandinavian myth that does this).

Cursing could be useful, depending on the creature's raison d'etre, as could teleportation (depends if the thing is truly bound to that area, or if it can leave but loses power - in the first case, I'd go for it; in the second, I wouldn't). And, of course, no earth-based undead being would be complete without an assortment of earth-based spells (yeah, they're not epic, but they might give you some ideas).

If you're still stuck on the whole PrC idea (which could be done), check this out - it's an essay I wrote awhile back on constructing PrCs, basically a dummy's guide.

 

[Kerrick]

I was on a roll yesterday doing design work, and I got some inspiration about this last night, so I sat down this morning and hacked together a template. I haven't bothered to check the ECL yet - I want to finalize the abilities first - but I'm guessing it would be around +10.




Necrolith

Occasionally, powerful spellcasters are sealed away - killing them proves no solution, as they have clones or resurrection magics handy - or are entombed alive as punishment for overwhelmingly evil acts. These spellcasters, through the power of their magic and will, can rise as necroliths.

The spellcaster in question can be walled up in a building, trapped in a sarcophagus, or buried alive, but simply sealing him away does not allow to become a necrolith - he must be trapped there via magic circle vs. evil, dimensional anchor, and wish in a ritual that involves five or more casters. This method prevents the target's escape via any means possible - even wish or divine intervention. In order for the ritual to take place, the target must be placed in a specially-warded space no more than twice his size (so a Medium creature can be entombed in a space up to 10 feet square), bound there via magic circle and dimensional anchor, then the space sealed. The space itself is often warded with a repulsion, glyphs, and other protections that keep others from accidentally or deliberately breaking into it, but in a necrolith's case, this serves as protection (see below).

The tomb often has a small hole for air, to prevent the victim from suffocating to death; he can last for days or even weeks before succumbing to thirst or hunger, all the while descending into madness. When the victim finally does die, his sheer power, rage, and willpower, along with the strong magical influences around him, enable him to return as a powerful undead. It draws energy from the presence of the stone all around it, granting it great power over earth and stone. Even though it remains sealed in its tomb, it gains the ability to sense all that goes on around it through its contact with the earth itself, and even to manipulate its surroundings. Necroliths can be sealed up in any stone building - a large tomb, castle, even a dungeon - but most are placed in a mausoleum or tomb in a necropolis (all the better to avoid someone finding them).

Very rarely, a spellcaster will willingly seal himself away in order to become a guardian, often over a necropolis or large tomb. This process is identical to the one listed above, except that this type of necrolith is chaotic neutral, not chaotic evil; it takes action only against those who intrude on its demesne or take actions that it deems sacrilegious or harmful to the area it guards.

Once it fully comes into its powers, a necrolith affects a sphere of influence equal to 20 feet per HD/level. Even if it is free from its tomb, it cannot leave this area (and cannot be made to leave - the wards prevent any force, even gods, from removing it), as it is centered on the tomb itself. All abilities listed below apply within, this area, but immediately cease at the edge (with the exception of its petrifying touch, which is permanent).

Few have ever seen a necrolith "in the flesh," as it is often far too powerful to let anyone breach its tomb, but those who have seen one say it resembles a lich - a mummified form with grayish skin and glowing red eyes, clad in whatever it was wearing when it was cast into its tomb (which can vary from rich robes to tattered rags to nothing at all). Its skin is hard as stone, however, it is immensely strong, and it deals powerful blows with its rock-hard fists.

Creating a Necrolith

"Necrolith" is an acquired/inherited template that can be added to any living corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature") that has at least 20 spellcasting levels.
A necrolith uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The base creature's type changes to undead. Size remains unchanged

Hit Dice: Increase all current and future HD to d12s.

Speed: Same as the base creature.

Armor Class: The base creature gains a +10 bonus to natural armor.

Attack: A necrolith has a slam attack that it can use once per round. If the base creature can use weapons, the necrolith retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A necrolith fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A necrolith armed with a weapon uses its touch or a weapon, as it desires.

Full Attack: A necrolith fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a touch as a natural secondary attack, provided it has a way to make that attack (either a free hand or a natural weapon that it can use as a secondary attack).

Damage: A necrolith without natural weapons has a touch attack that uses negative energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to living creatures; a Will save (DC 10 + ½ necrolith's HD + necrolith's Cha modifier) halves the damage. A necrolith with natural weapons can use its touch attack or its natural weaponry, as it prefers. If it chooses the latter, it deals 1d8+5 points of extra damage on one natural weapon attack.

Special Attacks: A necrolith retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains those listed below.

Control Earth (Su): Through its bond with earth and stone, a necrolith can control the earth anywhere within its sphere of influence. This can take many forms - turning earth to quicksand or stone to mud as the soften earth and stone or transmute rock to mud spells; creating stone hands that reach forth to grab or pummel targets; or even sealing off exits. It can only affect up to 100 cubic feet per HD/class level, and cannot create or destroy material - it can only manipulate what is already there. This ability requires concentration - a necrolith that is controlling the earth loses its tremorsense ability, cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities, or employ other actions.

Control Undead (Su): While a necrolith cannot leave its tomb, it can exert its influence over up to 10 HD of undead per HD/class level in its sphere of influence (see above).

Damage Reduction: The necrolith's skin is hard as stone, granting it DR 20/bludgeoning and magic. Piercing and slashing weapons deal only half damage to a necrolith (calculated before DR is applied).

Earthquake (Su): If a necrolith is slain (its actual form, not a stone clone), a massive earthquake (as the spell) shakes the area it controls 2d4 rounds later.

Fear Aura (Su): Necroliths are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 10 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the necrolith must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell from a sorcerer of the necrolith's level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same necrolith's aura for 24 hours.

Spells (Sp): A necrolith retains all spellcasting ability it had in life, except for spells that enable travel to other planes of existence. If it is freed from its tomb, it can use dimension door and teleport spells to move anywhere in its area of influence, but no farther, and it cannot use any spell to pass beyond the bounds of its tomb while it remains trapped. Due to the special circumstances of a necrolith's entrapment, it can only cast the spells it had prepared on the day it was entombed and cannot exchange them for others unless it is freed. It automatically regains any spells it used on any given day the next day, as if it were a sorcerer.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A necrolith gains the following spell-like abilities from its bond with the stone: At will - meld into stone* soften earth and stone, spike stones, statue, stone shape, stone tell; 3/day - transmute mud to rock, transmute rock to mud, wall of stone; 1/day - earthquake, flesh to stone. *This ability is usable only if the necrolith is freed from its tomb.

Special Qualities: A necrolith retains all the special qualities of the base creature and those listed below.

Stone Bond (Su): A necrolith has tremorsense that applies throughout its sphere of influence. Additionally, it can take a full-round action to concentrate and locate a specific being if it is in contact with stone or earth - either the ground itself or a stone object that is in contact with the ground. It cannot locate creatures that are in the air or in water, or on objects that are not in contact with the ground.

Stone Clone (Su): Once per round, as a full-round action, a necrolith can create a copy of itself from earth and stone. This "stone clone" is effectively a projected image - it has half the hit points of the original and is treated as a construct, but is animated by negative energy. It takes damage from positive energy effects as if it were undead, but cannot be turned; it otherwise has all the characteristics of a construct. A necrolith can extend its senses to see and hear through the clone, though its range is limited to 60 feet (this is effectively blindsight - the necrolith can sense the presence of invisible creatures if they are touching stone, but not ethereal ones), and can cast any spells or spell-like abilities through it as well. A necrolith's ability is such that it can manifest and control up to three stone clones, each of which can take actions while the necrolith maintains its stone bond ability.

A stone clone can make a slam attack as the necrolith, but it does not have the petrifying touch ability; it has a +6 natural armor bonus and +4 profane bonus to AC (so a Medium clone is AC 20). A clone that is destroyed, or that is dismissed by the necrolith collapses into a pile of dirt and rocks. Stone clones can use meld into stone and statue at will, and often appear from walls or floors to attack intruders, or pose as inert statuary that suddenly comes to life.

Saves: Same as the base creature.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Int +4, Wis +6, Cha +8. Being undead, a necrolith has no Con score.
Skills: Necroliths have a +4 bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats: Same as the base creature.
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
ECL: Same as the base creature +??
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class.

The Necrolith's Tomb

A necrolith's tomb is always well-hidden and guarded with powerful wards - repulsion and forbiddance are common, along with veil, multiple walls of stone and/or force, greater glyphs of warding, and other effects designed to deter those who would seek to free the necrolith. Due to the rituals employed, no force - even divine - can enable a creature to move into or out of a sealed tomb. The tomb of an necrolith sealed against its will radiates powerful evil in a 50-foot radius; this area is treated as a sink of evil (see the unhallow spell) and animals will not enter it willingly. Many necroliths, if freed, will seal themselves back up into their tomb if freed, after they deal with their would-be rescuers - they gain little by being freed, and they can only be slain by destroying their physical form.