Sacred Illuminary (Paladin/Alchemist)

(Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Paladin.

Secondary Class: Alchemist.

Alignment: Any good.

Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The sacred illuminary may select three alchemist skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal paladin class skills. The sacred illuminary gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The sacred illuminary is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, plus bombs. The sacred illuminary is also proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.

Alchemy (Su): At 1st level, a sacred illuminary gains the alchemist’s alchemy ability, except that she can only create mundane alchemical items, bombs, and extracts, not mutagens.

Sunstrike (Su): Once per day per sacred illuminary level, a sacred illuminary can draw upon the power of the radiant sun. As a swift action, he treats his melee or ranged attacks until the beginning of his next turn (whether armed or unarmed) as magical with a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls, as well as on combat maneuver checks. This bonus also applies to his CMD if he or his target is standing in direct sunlight or a spell of equivalent effect (such as the daylight spell). This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter.

In addition, whenever a sacred illuminary makes a successful sunstrike attack, he can choose to emit a searing radiance in a 5 foot-radius burst equivalent to that of sunlight, as a free action. Creatures in the burst are blinded for 1 minute unless they succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the sacred illuminary level + the sacred illuminary’s Charisma modifier). This is a light effect. Undead, fungi, molds, oozes, slimes, and creatures to which sunlight is harmful or unnatural take +2 damage per level of the sacred illuminary. Undead that are harmed by sunlight and that fail their saves against the sunstrike are staggered for 1 round. This ability replaces smite evil.

Phosphorous Bombs (Su): At 2nd level, a studious illuminary gains the alchemist’s bomb ability, except that the studious illuminary uses his Charisma modifier to determine the number of bombs per day he can create, and their saving throws. Phosphorous is an alchemical material that radiates a searing white light that harms undead and other creatures. Against undead, phosphorous bombs deal 1d8 points of damage, plus 1d8 points of damage at 4th level and every three levels thereafter instead of 1d6. Against all other creatures, phosphorous bombs deal 1d4 points of force damage, plus 1d4 points of force damage at 4th level and every three levels thereafter.

In addition, creatures that take a direct hit from a phosphorous bomb are blinded for 1 round unless they succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the sacred illuminary’s level + the sacred illuminary’s Charisma modifier). Creatures in the splash area that fail their saves against the bomb are dazzled for 1 round. This is a light effect. This ability replaces lay on hands.

Discovery (Su): At 3rd level, a sacred illuminary gains the alchemist’s discovery and may select a discovery at 3rd level and every six levels thereafter. The sacred illuminary can choose from the following discoveries: Blinding bomb, Breath Weapon Bomb (fire only), Combine Extracts*, Delayed Bomb*, Dilution*, Elixir of Life*, Enhance Potion*, Eternal Potion*, Explosive Bomb*, Explosive Missile†, Extend Potion*, Fast Bombs*, Precise Bombs*, Sticky Bomb*, Strafe Bomb‡, Sunlight Bomb‡, and Underwater Demolition††. This ability replaces mercy. (*Advanced Player’s Guide, ‡Ultimate Magic, ††Advanced Race Guide)

Channel Positive Energy (Su): This is exactly like the paladin ability of the same name, except that channeling positive energy consumes 2 uses of his sunstrike ability.

Extracts: Beginning at 4th level, a sacred illuminary prepares extracts like an alchemist, drawn from the sacred illuminary formulae list. However, unlike an alchemist, the sacred illuminary does not keep a formula book. Instead, she must choose her formulae in advance, just as a paladin does her spells. He can then prepare an extract of any formula she has selected for that day. To prepare a formula, a sacred illuminary must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the formula level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sacred illuminary’s extract is 10 + the extract level + the sacred illuminary’s Charisma modifier. Like an alchemist, a sacred illuminary can prepare only a certain number of extracts of each formula level per day, as shown on Table: Sacred Illuminary. He also receives bonus spells extracts per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: Sacred Illuminary indicates that he gets 0 extracts per day of a given formula level, he gains only the bonus extracts he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level. A sacred illuminary otherwise prepares his extracts as an alchemist equal to his sacred illuminary level –3. This ability replaces the paladin’s spellcasting ability.

Divine Bond (Su): This is exactly like the paladin’s ability of the same name, except that the sacred illuminary forms a bond between his bombs and the radiant power of the sun. As a free action, a sacred illuminary of 5th level or higher can spend one use of his sunstrike ability to add it to his phosphorous bombs, creating a sunstrike bomb. The bomb is considered magical and gains the same bonus on attack and damage rolls and combat maneuvers as sunstrike. The sacred illuminary may also have his bomb emit the sunstrike’s searing radiance upon detonation, but must choose for it to do so at the beginning of his turn. This sunstrike effect remains until the bomb is used.

At 8th level, a sacred illuminary can spend two uses of his sunstrike ability to create a sunstrike bomb infused with positive energy. Each bomb explodes in a 30-foot burst of energy that deals an amount of damage equal to his channel positive energy ability (instead of his normal bomb damage). The bomb also functions as a sunstrike bomb.

At 11th level, a sacred illuminary can spend two uses of his sunstrike ability to create bombs with one of the following light effects. Only the described effect is triggered when the bomb is detonated, replacing the normal phosphorous bomb effects, including damage.

Disruption: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot radius burst of red light. Enemies in the burst take 4d8 points of damage and become shaken for 1d4 rounds. A successful Will saving throw halves the damage and negates the shaken effect. Any undead in the burst take 8d8 points of damage and must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or be destroyed.

Enlightenment: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of blue light. This reveals hidden and invisible creatures within the burst to all. The light outlines such creatures for 1 round per sacred illuminary level, imposing a –20 penalty on Stealth checks on those creatures.

Healing: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of green light. Allies in the burst regain a number of hit points equal to 3d8 + the sacred illuminary’s Charisma modifier.

Purity: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of white light. This allows each ally within the burst to attempt a saving throw against a single effect that allows a saving throw with a +2 sacred bonus on the roll.

At 14th level, a sacred illuminary adds the following light effects to the list of those that can be selected. Each of these effects consume three uses of his sunstrike ability.

Penetration: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of violet light. This reduces the spell resistance of enemies within the burst by 5 for 1 round per sacred illuminary level.

Protection: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of amber light. This grants allies in the burst a +2 sacred bonus to AC and CMD, and a +4 bonus to AC against critical confirmation attack rolls for 1 round per caster level.

Resiliency: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of golden light. This grants allies within the burst DR 5/magic or DR 5/evil for 1 round per sacred illuminary level.

Resistance: The bomb erupts in a 5-foot burst of copper light. This grants allies within the burst energy resistance 5 against acid, cold, fire, or electricity, (as chosen by the sacred illuminary) for 1 round per sacred illuminary level.

At 17th level, a sacred illuminary can spend four uses of his sunstrike ability to create a bomb infused with the power of the sun itself. When the bomb detonates, it releases this energy in the form of a 10-foot radius burst of searing sunlight that deals 1d8 points of damage per caster level against undead and creatures susceptible to sunlight (maximum 15d8), but only deals 1d4 points of damage per caster level against all other creatures (maximum 15d4). A successful Reflex saving throw halves the damage. This effect is similar to the flame strike spell.

Aura of Life (Su): At 8th level, the sacred illuminary gains a +4 morale bonus on saves against attacks that grant negative levels and saves to overcome negative levels. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +2 morale bonus on these saves. This ability functions only while the sacred illuminary conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead. This ability replaces aura of resolve.

Aura of Radiance (Su): At 11th level, a sacred illuminary can expend two uses of his sunstrike ability to grant it to all allies within 10 feet, using his bonuses. Allies must use this sunstrike ability by the start of the sacred illuminary’s next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. Evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability. This ability replace aura of justice.

Holy Eradicator (Su): At 20th level, a sacred illuminary becomes a conduit for the power of his god. His DR increases to 10/evil, the radius of the his suntrike’s radiance increases to 10 feet, the number of minutes a creature is blinded increases to 2, the damage that undead and creatures to which sunlight is harmful or unnatural take increases to +4, and the number of rounds an undead that fails his save is staggered for increases to 2.

In addition, a sacred illuminary can focus the power of the sun into the ultimate destructive force against undead. Once per day, the sacred illuminary can spend six uses of his sunstrike ability to cause a globe of searing radiance to explode silently from a point that he selects. Drawing the sun’s energies to create this effect requires a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. This effect functions as the sunburst spell with a caster level equal to the sacred illuminary’s level. This ability replaces holy champion.

Table: Sacred Illuminary