Vicious Conniver (Investigator/Antipaladin)

Brutal and cruel, yet possessed of a devilish charm that others cannot deny, these scoundrels take what they want in a selfish pursuit of their own pleasures with a callous disregard for others. Vicious connivers possess an insatiable love for schemes and a keen mind that has been twisted by dark influences. They take perverse pleasure in bringing pain or even death to others, often prolonging such acts for their own enjoyment. (Original Concept by JonathonWilder)

Primary Class: Investigator.

Secondary Class: Antipaladin.

Alignment: Any nongood.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The vicious conniver may select three antipaladin skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal invesitgator class skills. The vicious conniver gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The vicious conniver is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the dart gun, hand crossbow, sap, sawtooth sabre, short sword, switchblade, and sword cane. He is also proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.

Agony (Ex): A vicious conniver is beyond knowledgeable and skilled in the art of invasive medicine, possessing a broad understanding of anatomy, surgery, and pain that far surpasses the abilities of others. A vicious conniver typically uses these powers to torture those who are injured, whether friend or foe, but can also use these flashes of insight to better understand their physical conditions.

A vicious conniver has the ability to prolong condition, pain, and injury-related skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant comprehension of physiology and anatomy. The vicious conniver has an agony pool equal to 1/2 his astute physician level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). A vicious conniver's agony pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night's sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of agony from his pool to add 1d6 to a Heal check meant to prevent recovery, torture, cause deep hurting, prevent fast healing, or erode willpower, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. A vicious conniver can only use agony once per check or roll. The vicious conniver can use agony on any Heal (only those listed above), Knowledge (nature), or Survival skill checks without expending a use of agony, provided he's trained in the skill.

Agony can also be used on nonlethal attack rolls and saving throws against physical injuries and conditions, at the cost of expending two uses of agony each time from the vicious conniver's pool. In the case of saving throws, using agony is an immediate action rather than a free action.

Alternatively, a vicious conniver can reduce the effectiveness of any beneficial Heal checks made to help another creature. At the cost of expending two uses of agony, the vicious conniver can touch an injured or dying creature. Any Heal checks made to render first aid, stabilize, or otherwise help the creature survive its injuries takes a 1d6 penalty to the skill check. This penalty lasts a number of rounds equal to the vicious conniver. This ability replaces inspiration.

Dark Alchemy (Su): This is exactly like the investigator ability of the same name, except