Nefarious Convoker (Summoner/Antipaladin)

Among the ranks of summoners are those who focus on outsiders from the lower planes, all of whom are strong-willed, dangerous, and evil. The hierarchy of the lower planes consists of those who rule, and those who are ruled–from the great demon lords and powerful archdevils, down to the lowliest of fiends who serve as minions, food, and fodder. It is from among the lowest ranks of demons, daemons, and devils that the fiend-touched nefarious convoker focuses his summonings. Through manipulation and a promise of greater strength and power, the nefarious convoker binds these minor fiends to his service–an opportunity that they cannot afford to refuse. In return for their rise in power, these fiends serve the nefarious convoker as protectors, informants, and tools through which to carry out his devious plans or perform brutal tasks to further his sphere and influence. (Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Summoner.

Secondary Class: Antipaladin.

Alignment: Any evil.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The nefarious convoker may select three antipaladin skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal summoner class skills. The nefarious convoker gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The nefarious convoker is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. The nefarious convoker is also proficient with light armor. A nefarious convoker can cast arcane spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a nefarious convoker wearing medium or heavy armor, or using a shield, incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass nefarious convoker still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: The nefarious convoker casts arcane spells drawn from both the summoner and antipaladin spell list. The nefarious convoker otherwise learns and casts spells as a summoner equal to his nefarious convoker level.

Aura of Evil (Su): At 1st level, a nefarious convoker gains the antipaladin’s aura of evil ability. This ability replaces his fiendish companion’s reduction in Hit Dice.

Dark Mark (Ex): At 1st level, a nefarious convoker bears the sign of his fiendish corruption as a dark, tattoo-like brand somewhere on his body. Once per day, a nefarious convoker can call upon the profane power of this mark to power a spell as he casts it. Doing so causes the spell to gain the chaotic or lawful (depending upon his alignment) and evil descriptors, and causes the spell not to be expended as it is cast, allowing the nefarious convoker to cast the spell again at a later point in the day. This ability replaces summon monster I, summon monster II, and summon monster III.

Touch of Corruption (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a nefarious convoker’s pervasive corruption manifests itself. He gains the antipaladin’s touch of corruption, and causes 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage every four levels beyond 3rd, to a maximum of 5d6 at 19th level. A nefarious convoker cannot use his touch of corruption to heal undead, but he may use it to heal his fiendish companion. The nefarious convoker can use this ability three times per day. This ability replaces shield ally and gate.

Fiendish Companion: At 4th level, a nefarious convoker gains the ability to summon to his side a powerful outsider called a fiendish companion. The fiendish companion forms a link with the nefarious convoker, who, forever after summons an aspect of the same creature. The nefarious convoker can summon either a cacodaemon (neutral evil), imp (lawful evil), or quasit (chaotic evil), according to his alignment. A fiendish companion has the same alignment as the nefarious convoker that calls it and can speak all of his languages. A fiendish companion otherwise functions as and replaces the summoner’s eidolon.

Aura of Cowardice (Su): At 5th level, a nefarious convoker gains the antipaladin’s aura of cowardice ability. This ability replaces transposition.

Energumen (Su): Starting at 8th level, a nefarious convoker can open his soul to a fiendish spirit of the appropriate alignment as a free action, once per day. This spirit possesses the nefarious convoker for a number of rounds equal to his nefarious convoker level, granting him darkvision 60 feet, a +1 natural armor bonus, and a +2 profane bonus to one ability score of his choice. When the energumen ends, the nefarious convoker becomes confused for a number of rounds equal to his nefarious convoker level as the fiendish spirit has its way with his mind. At the start of each round of confusion, the nefarious convoker can make a DC 25 Will save to end the confusion effect immediately. Energumen is a possession effect, and is negated by protection from evil (or protection from chaos/law according to his alignment). A nefarious convoker can prevent or end the confusion side effect by having one of these spells cast upon him when (or before) the energumen ends, but being affected by such a spell before the energumen has run its course also causes the benefits granted to end prematurely.

At 12th level, a nefarious convoker receives all the benefits granted at 8th level, and gains two claw attacks that deal 1d4 damage, resistance to fire 5, and a +4 bonus on all saving throws against poison. In addition, his profane bonus to the ability of his choice increases to +4.

At 16th level, a nefarious convoker receives all the benefits granted at 8th and 12th level, and gains a resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and immunity to poison. In addition, the nefarious convoker can use this ability twice per day. This ability replaces aspect, merge forms, and greater aspect.

Summon Fiend (Sp): Starting at 9th level, a nefarious convoker can cast summon monster V as a spell-like ability once per day. Drawing upon this ability uses up the same power as the nefarious convoker uses to call his fiendish companion. As a result, he can only use this ability when his fiendish companion is not summoned. The nefarious convoker can use summon monster V to conjure the following evil outsiders according to his alignment: Lawful Evil–one bearded devil,1d3 hell hounds, or 1d4+1 fiendish leopards; Neutral Evil–one ceustodaemon*, 1d3 dire apes, or 1d4+1 fiendish crocodiles; Chaotic Evil–one babau, 1d3 fiendish boars, or 1d4+1 dretch.

At 13th level, the nefarious convoker can use summon monster VII to conjure the following evil outsiders according to his alignment: Lawful Evil–one bone devil,1d3 erinyes, or 1d4+1 bearded devils; Neutral Evil–one leukodaemon*, 1d3 hydrodaemons*, or 1d4+1 ceustodaemons*; Chaotic Evil–one vrock, 1d3 succubi, or 1d4+1 babau.

At 17th level, the nefarious convoker can use summon monster IX to conjure the following evil outsiders according to his alignment: Lawful Evil–one ice devil,1d3 barbed devils, or 1d4+1 bone devils; Neutral Evil–one thanadaemon*, 1d3 meladaemon, or 1d4+1 leukodaemon; Chaotic Evil–one glabrezu, 1d3 hezrous, or 1d4+1 vrocks.

Summon fiend functions like the summoner’s summon monster ability, but only allows the nefarious convoker to summon fiendish creatures according to his alignment (as indicated above). This ability replaces summon monster IV, summon monster V, summon monster VI, summon monster VII, summon monster VIII and summon monster IX. (*Bestiary 2)

Aura of Despair (Su): At 10th level, a nefarious convoker gains the antipaladin’s aura of despair ability. This ability replaces greater shield ally.

Fiendish Apotheosis (Ex): At 20th level, the nefarious convoker transforms into a unique fiendish creature. The nefarious convoker permanently gains all the benefits of his energumen abilities, but his natural armor bonus increases to +2, resistances to acid, cold and fire increase to 10, he gains immunity to poison, and a +2 profane bonus to a second ability of his choice. In addition, the nefarious convoker grows bat-like wings granting him a fly speed of 30 feet with good maneuverability, he gains damage reduction 10/good and cold iron, and his natural weapons as well as any weapon he wields are treated as evil (and chaotic or lawful according to his alignment) for the purpose of resolving damage reduction. This ability replaces twin eidolon.

Table: Nefarious Convoker

Table: Nefarious Convoker Spells Known