Keening Soul (Witch/Bard)

(Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary: Witch.

Secondary: Bard.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The keening soul selects six bard skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal witch class skills. The keening soul gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The keening soul is proficient with all simple weapons, but not with armor or shields.

Bardic Performance: At 1st level, a keening soul gains the bard’s bardic performance ability. A keening soul gains the following bardic performances and must use Perform (sing) with these performances. Bardic performance, distraction, fascinate, and scary voice replace the witch’s hex gained at 1st level. 

Distraction (Su): At 1st level, a keening soul gains the bard’s distraction performance.

Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a keening soul gains the bard’s fascinate performance.

Scary Voice (Su): At 1st level, a keening soul can use her performance to instill fear in his enemies, reducing their resilience against fear. To be affected, an enemy must be able to perceive the keening soul’s performance. An affected enemy takes a –1 penalty on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six keening soul levels thereafter, this penalty increases by 1, to a maximum of –4 at 17th level. Scary voice is a mind-affecting ability. Scary voice can use audible or visual components. The keening soul must choose which component to use when starting her performance. 

Moaning Spirit (Su): At 3rd level, a keening soul can use her performance to cause herself to appear translucent like a ghost and emit a frightening moan. While moaning soul is in effect, any enemy with 30 feet that hears and sees the keening soul must make a successful Will save or become shaken. At 7th level, if the target fails its Will safe, he must make a second Will save the following round or becomes frightened. Moaning soul uses audible and visual components. 

Dirge of Doom (Su): At 9th level, a keening soul gains the bard’s dirge of doom performance. 

Terrifying Keen (Su): At 11th level, a keening soul can spend 4 rounds of her performance to emit a terrifying howl. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear the keening soul perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the keening soul’s level + the keening soul’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the target is frightened for 1d6 rounds. If a creature’s saving throw fails, it is panicked. Terrifying keen is a mind-effecting death effect that relies on audible and visual components. 

Deadly Wail (Su): At 20th level, a keening soul can spend 6 rounds of performance to take on the appearance of a deadly banshee and emit a terrible, soul-chilling scream that possibly kills a single creature that hears it. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear the keening soul perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the keening soul’s level + the keening soul’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the target is frightened for 1d4 rounds, and the keening soul cannot use deadly wail on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature’s saving throw fails, it dies. Deadly wail is a mind-effecting death effect that relies on audible and visual components.

Hex: The cackle, charm, discord, feral speech, and unnerve beasts hexes complement the keening soul.

Spellcasting: A keening soul casts arcane spells drawn from the bard and witch spell lists. Only witch spells of 6th level and lower and bard spells are considered to be part of the keening soul spell list. If a spell appears on both the witch and bard spell lists, the keening soul uses the lower of the two spell levels listed for the spell. The keening soul also adds the following witch spells to her list of 6th level spells: chain lightning, dimensional bounce, hunger for flesh (mass), greater teleport, vision of doom, wave of exhaustion. A keening soul otherwise prepares, learns, and casts spells as a witch of her keening soul level. A keening soul cannot use spell completion or spell trigger magic items (without making a successful Use Magic Device check) of witch spells of 7th level or higher, unless they are on her spell list.

Like other spellcasters, a keening soul can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Keening Soul. In addition, she also receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score.

Major Hex: The delicious fright and nightmares major hexes complement the keening soul.

Grand Hex: The death curse and dire prophecy grand hexes complement the keening soul.

Table: Keening Soul