Twilight Guard (Wizard/Paladin)
Wizards are champions of magical might, knowledge, and arcane lore. While many revel in their learning, there are those who seek to guard and protect that knowledge from fell hands. The twilight guard is a defender of arcane knowledge and learning who champions their god against the misuse and abuse of magic. As such, they seek out magical abominations, such as demon summoners, evil outsiders, and other tyrants of magic and prevent them from destroying life and warping the magical energies of the world. Twilight guards walk the line between light and darkness in their endeavors to remove those who taint the sanctity of magic and learning so that others may enjoy and benefit from it. (Original Concept by JohathonWilder)
Primary Class: Wizard.
Secondary Class: Paladin.
Alignment: Any good.
Hit Dice: d8.
Bonus Skills and Ranks: The twilight guard selects three paladin skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal wizard class skills. The twilight guard gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The twilight guard is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, and with shields (except tower shields). A twilight guard can cast twilight guard spells while wearing light armor and using a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a twilight guard wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass twilight guard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spellcasting: A twilight guard casts arcane spells drawn from the twilight guard spell list. A twilight guard must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the twilight guard must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a twilight guard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the twilight guard’s Intelligence modifier.
A twilight guard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Twilight Guard. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.
A twilight guard may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the twilight guard decides which spells to prepare.
Spellbooks: A twilight guard must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read magic, which all magi can prepare from memory. A twilight guard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level twilight guard spells plus three 1st-level twilight guard spells of his choice. The twilight guard also selects a number of additional 1st-level twilight guard spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new twilight guard level, he gains two new twilight guard spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new twilight guard level) for his spellbook. At any time, a twilight guard can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.
A twilight guard can learn spells from a wizard’s spellbook, just as a wizard can from a twilight guard’s spellbook. The spells learned must be on the twilight guard spell list, as normal. An alchemist can learn formulae from a twilight guard’s spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. A twilight guard cannot learn spells from an alchemist.
Arcane Aura (Su): A twilight guardian has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the power of his deity, and his level (see detect magic for details). A twilight guard can also draw upon his arcane aura to form a special bond (see Arcane Bond), and as he gains experience, create additional magical effects with his aura (see Emanations below).
Arcane Bond (Su): At 1st level, twilight guards form a powerful bond with an object or a suit of armor. A bonded object is an item a twilight guard can use to cast additional spells or to serve as a magical item. Bonded armor can be enhanced to grant greater defensive capabilities. Once a twilight guard makes this choice, it is permanent and cannot be changed.
Twilight guards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while weapons must be held in one hand. If a twilight guard attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell's level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly.
A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the twilight guard has in his spellbook and is capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the twilight guard, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the twilight guard's level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities.
A twilight guard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required Item Creation Feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a twilight guard with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat). If the bonded object is an amulet it loses its magic abilities when its last charge is consumed (if it has charges), but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new amulet. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the twilight guard who owns it. If a bonded object's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.
If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the twilight guard prepares his spells. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per twilight guard level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. A twilight guard can designate an existing magic item as his bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.
The second option is to form a close bond with her armor. This armor is always masterwork quality, and is not made of any special material. As a standard action, a twilight guard can enhance his armor by drawing upon his arcane aura.
At 1st level, a twilight guard can draw upon his arcane aura as a swift action to enhance his armor for a number of minutes per day equal to half twilight guard’s level + his Intelligence modifier. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. When activated, he grants his armor a +1 enhancement bonus. For every four levels beyond 1st, the armor gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the armor, stacking with existing armor bonuses to a maximum of +5 at 17th level.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following armor properties: champion, ghost touch, heavy fortification, invulnerability, light fortification, moderate fortification, spell resistance (13, 15, 17, or 19).
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost. In addition, the bonuses can be consumed at the listed amount to add any of the following armor properties: energy resistance for +3 bonus, improved energy resistance for +5 bonus, or righteous for +4 bonus. These bonuses are added to any properties the armor already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the armor is not magical, at least a +1enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties are determined when the ability is activated and cannot be changed until the next time the twilight guard uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the armor is worn by anyone other than the twilight guard.
A twilight guard can only enhance one suit of armor in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. This ability alters the wizard’s standard arcane bond.
Cantrips: A twilight guard can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Twilight guard under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Detect Magic (Sp): At will, a twilight guard can use detect magic, as the spell. A twilight guard can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is magical, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the twilight guard does not detect magic in any other object or individual within range. This ability and arcane smite replace arcane school.
Arcane Smite (Su): At 2nd level, a twilight guard can call upon the power of his deity to aid him in his struggle against evil and corrupt spellcasters. Once per day as a swift action, the twilight guard chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is an evil arcane spellcaster (a creature with levels in an arcane spellcasting class or has spell-like abilities), the twilight guard adds his Intelligence bonus (if any) to his attack rolls and adds his twilight guard level to all damage rolls made against the target of his smite. If the target of arcane smite is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature that casts spells or has spell-like abilities (like a lich), the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the twilight guard possesses. Regardless of the target, arcane smite attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
In addition, while arcane smite is in effect, the twilight guard gains a deflection bonus equal to his Charisma modifier (if any) to his AC against attacks made by the target of the arcane smite. If the twilight guard targets a creature that is not an evil arcane spellcaster, the arcane smite is wasted with no effect.
The arcane smite effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the twilight guard rests and regains his uses of this ability. At 6th level, and at every four levels thereafter, the twilight guard may make an arcane smite one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Twilight Guard, to a maximum of five times per day at 18th level. This ability is treated as smite evil for the purpose of feat, ability, and weapon or armor special ability selection.
Emanation (Su): At 3rd level, a twilight guard is trained to use his arcane aura to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. At 3rd level, and every four levels thereafter, a twilight guard can select one emanation. Each day he can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to his twilight level + his Intelligence modifier. Each round, the twilight guard can produce any one of the types of emanations that he has mastered. An emanation has a saving throw DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the twilight guard’s level + his Intelligence modifier.
At 3rd level, the twilight guard can select from the following initial emanations.
Arcane Strike: The twilight guard enhances his allies’ weapons with magical energy. Each ally’s weapon within 10 feet deals +1 damage and is treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. For every five caster levels the twilight guard possesses, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
Disruptive: The twilight guard makes it difficult for enemy spellcasters to safely cast spells. All enemy spellcasters within 30 feet that are threatened by a twilight guard’s ally increase the DC to cast spells defensively by +2. At 7th level, the DC to cast spells defensively increases by +4.
Failure Reduction: The twilight guard reduces the arcane spell failure of spells. Each ally within 10 feet that casts arcane spells reduces their arcane spell failure by 10% (minimum 0%). This improves to 20% at 7th level, and 30% at 11th level.
Safeguard: The twilight guard reduces the damage dealt by enemy spellcasters. Each ally within 10 feet takes 1 point of damage less per damage die less from offensive area spells cast by enemy spellcasters. This increases to 2 points of damage per damage die at 11th level, and 3 points of damage per damage die at 19th level.
Save Reduction: The twilight guard reduces the saving throws of his enemies. All enemies within 30 feet take a –1 penalty to their saving throws. This penalty increases to –2 at 9th level, and –3 at 15th level.
At 7th level, a twilight guard adds the following emanations to the list of those that can be selected.
Bestow Property: The twilight guard selects one active special armor property from his arcane bond. Each ally within 10 feet that is wearing armor is treated as having that special property. The twilight guard must have chosen the armor arcane bond to select this emanation.
Bond Blessing: The twilight guard selects one active special armor property from his arcane bond. Each ally within 10 feet that is wearing armor is treated as having that special property. The twilight guard must have chosen the bonded item arcane bond to select this emanation.
Counterspell: The twilight guard can counter enemy spells. Each ally within 10 feet is protected by a single counterspell dispel magic effect while this emanation is in effect. Once a creature has benefited from the counterspell emanation, it cannot benefit from that twilight guard’s metamagic emanation again for 24 hours. This emanation functions as a greater dispel magic counterspell effect at 13th level.
Energy Reduction: The twilight guard reduces the resistance to one energy type of all enemy’s within 30 feet by 5 (minimum 0). If the twilight guard is aware of the creatures’ energy resistances (through Knowledge checks or other interactions with such creatures), he may choose the energy resistance type affected by this emanation. Otherwise, one random type of energy resistance that the creature possesses is reduced (the twilight guard is aware what type of energy resistance was affected. This emanation can be chosen three times. The energy resistance of all enemies within the emanation is reduced by 10 at 13th level, and by 15 at 19th level.
Metamagic: The twilight guard selects one metamagic feat he knows. Each ally within 10 feet can cast one spell as if it had been prepared (or cast) using the feat. Spontaneous and prepared spellcasters must expend a prepared or unused spell slot of the appropriate level to cast the spell. Once a creature has benefited from the metamagic emanation, it cannot benefit from that twilight guard’s metamagic emanation again for 24 hours.
Power Reduction: The twilight guard reduces the caster level of all enemy spellcasters within 30 feet by 1. A successful Will save negates the effect. If a creature leaves and re-enters the emanation, the creature must make another Will save to negate the effect. The enemy’s caster level is reduced by 2 at 13th level, and by 3 at 19th level.
Saving Grace: The twilight guard improves the saving throws of his allies. Each ally within 10 feet gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. This bonus increases by +4 at 13th level.
Spellbreaker: The twilight guard can cause threatened enemy spellcaster to provoke attacks of opportunity. When an enemy spellcaster within 30 feet fails his check to cast defensively when threatened by a twilight guard’s ally, the enemy spellcaster provokes attacks of opportunity from the ally.
At 11th level, a twilight guard adds the following emanations to the list of those that can be selected.
Arcane Blast: The twilight guard can convert any spell into an attack. As part of activating this emanation, the twilight guar can sacrifice a prepared spell of 1st level or higher and transform it into an arcane attack that deals 2d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every level of the spell sacrificed. Each ally within 10 feet deals additional damage on their first successful attack. The twilight guard must designate how much additional damage each ally deals, up to his combined total. For example, if a twilight guard with 4 allies within 10 feet sacrifices a 6th level spell, he can designate each ally to deal 2d6 points of additional damage on their next successful attack. This emanation lasts for 1 minute.
Arcane Shield: The twilight guard can convert his spell into defense. As part of activating this emanation, the twilight guard can sacrifice a prepared spell of 1st level or higher. Each ally within 10 feet gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to the level of the spell. 0-level spells may not be sacrificed in this manner. This emanation only lasts for 1 round and expends 1 minute of his emanation ability.
Protection from Energy: The twilight guard can protect his allies from energy attacks. Each ally within 10 feet gains temporary immunity to all types of energy. When a total of 10 points of energy damage per twilight guard level of energy damage (to a maximum of 200 points) is absorbed, the emanation ends. Once a creature has benefited from the metamagic emanation, it cannot benefit from that twilight guard’s metamagic emanation again for 24 hours.
Spell Power: The twilight guard increases the caster level of ally spellcasters. Each ally within 10 feet that casts arcane spells can increase the caster level of a single spell by 1. The ally’s caster level is increased by 2 at 15th level, and by 3 at 19th level. Once a creature has benefited from the spell power emanation, it cannot benefit from that twilight guard’s spell power emanation again for 24 hours.
At 15th level, a twilight guard adds the following emanations to the list of those that can be selected.
Arms of Faith: The twilight guard enhances the weapons of his allies. Each ally within 10 feet that makes an attack against an enemy treats their weapons as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Arms of Justice: The twilight guard grants one use of his arcane smite ability to all allies within 10 feet, using his bonuses. Allies must use this arcane smite ability by the start of the twilight guard’s next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this emanation expends 2 minutes of this ability.
Antimagic: The twilight guard creates an antimagic field that affects all allies within 10 feet while the emanation is maintained.
Righteous Defense: The twilight guard grants all allies within 10 feet DR 5/evil and magic. At 19th level, this increases to DR 10/evil and magic.
Activating and deactivating an emanation is a swift action. The maximum number of allies or enemies affected by a chosen emanation is equal to the twilight guard’s Intelligence modifier. This ability only functions while the twilight guard is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead. This ability, invocations, second emanation, spellcrasher smite, third emanation, and none shall pass replace the wizard’s 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-level spells.
Invocations (Su): At 4th level, a twilight guard learns to cast spell while smiting his enemies. A twilight guard gains one invocation spell slot for each level of twilight guard spell he can cast, from 1st on up. Each day, a twilight guard can prepare one of the spells from his spellbook in that slot. He can select a spell modified by a metamagic feat to prepare in his invocation slots, but it uses up a higher-level spell slot, as normal. Whenever the twilight guard makes a successful melee attack against the target of his arcane smite, he can cast an invocation spell against the target as a swift action.
Bonus Feats: This is exactly like the wizard ability of the same name, except that the twilight guard gains a bonus feat at 5t level and every four levels thereafter. These feats must be selected from those listed as combat, item creation, or metamagic feats. He must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal. This alters the wizard’s bonus feats.
Second Emanation (Ex): At 8th level, whenever a twilight guard uses his emanation ability, he selects two different emanations instead of one. This only consumes one round of his emanation ability. As a swift action, he can change one of these emanations to another type each round.
Spellcrasher Smite (Su): At 12th level, a twilight guard can make a single melee attack against the target of his arcane smite, using his highest attack bonus, once per day. If the attack is successful, the target take arcane smite damage as normal and is subject to a lesser spellcrasher spell. At 15th level, the target is subject to a spellcrasher spell. At 18th level, the target is subject to a greater spellcrash spell. A twilight guard can use this ability one additional time per day at 16th and 20th level.
Third Emanation (Ex): At 16th level, whenever a twilight guard uses her emanation ability, he selects three different emanations, instead of just two. This only consumes one round of his emanation ability. As a swift action, he can change one of these emanations to another type each round.
None Shall Pass (Su): At 20th level, a twilight guard can stand against the most powerful of spellcasting creatures. Once per day as a swift action, whenever the twilight guard uses his arcane smite ability, he can expend six rounds of his emanation ability to transform himself into a fighting machine. He gains a number of temporary hit points equal to his level + his Intelligence score, and his base attack bonus is equal to his twilight level (but he gains no additional attacks per round). While under the effects of this transformation, a twilight guard can’t cast spells (even from magic items), but can use his invocation spells against the target of his arcane smite as normal. This effect remains until the target of the arcane smite is dead or the next time the twilight guard rests and regains his uses of his arcane smite ability. Should the twilight guard be slain while under the effects of this ability, he is resurrected (as the resurrection spell) one day later, at which time he gains the half-celestial template, but loses the ability to transform himself.
In addition, if the target of his arcane smite is an outsider and he successfully strikes an evil outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using his twilight guard level as the caster level (his weapon automatically counts as an object that the subject hates). After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack is resolved, the arcane smite immediately ends.
TWILIGHT GUARD SPELL LIST
Twilight guards gain access to the following spells.
0th-Level Twilight Guard Spells—arcane mark, daze, detect magic, detect poison, enhance diplomacy, guidance, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, read magic, resistance.
1st-Level Twilight Guard Spells—adjuring step, alarm, alter winds, ant haul, bed of iron, bless water, bless weapon ,body capacitance, break, bungle, burning hands, challenge evil, charm person, compel hostility, detect secret doors, detect the faithful, detect undead, detect undead, diagnose disease, divine favor, emblazon crest, endure elements, enlarge person, expeditious retreat, feather fall, firebelly, force quiet, grace, gravity bow, grease, haze of dreams, hold portal, identify, iron beard, keep watch, knight’s calling, know the enemy, lighten object, linebreaker, longshot, magic weapon, memorize page, memory lapse, mirror strike, moment of greatness, mount, obscuring mist, peacebond, protection from chaos/evil/law, rally point, reduce person, sanctify corpse, shield of fortification, shield, shock shield, sleep, stone fist, stunning barrier, sunder breaker, swift girding, touch of gracelessness, true strike, unbreakable heart, unerring weapon, unprepared combatant, word of resolve.
2nd-Level Twilight Guard Spells—abeyance, acid arrow, air step, angelic aspect (lesser), arcane disruption, arcane lock, arrow eruption, badger’s ferocity, bear’s endurance, bestow insight, bestow weapon proficiency, blessing of courage and life, book ward, bull’s strength, burst of radiance, cat’s grace, certain grip, compassionate ally, corruption resistance, darkvision, daze monster, death from below, delay disease, delay pain, delay poison, disrupt link, eagle’s splendor, endure elements (communal), escaping ward, fire of entanglement, fox’s cunning, ghostbane dirge, glide, hidden knowledge, holy shield, honeyed tongue, instant armor, instant weapon, knock, levitate, light lance, locate object, make whole, masterwork transformation, mount (communal), owl’s wisdom, protection from arrows, protection from chaos/evil/law (communal), reloading hands, remove paralysis, resist energy, restoration (lesser), returning weapon, sacred space, see invisibility, shield other, spell gauge, spider climb, steal size, strong wings, tactical acumen, touch of mercy, tremor blast, warding weapon, whispering wind, vestment of the champion, zone of truth.
3rd-Level Twilight Guard Spells—ablative barrier, ablative sphere, air breathing, archon’s aura, armor lock, blade of bright victory, blast barrier, blinding ray, blink, burrow, burst of speed, cloak of winds, dispel magic, darkvision (communal), daybreak arrow, daylight, deadly juggernaut, deep slumber, divine illumination, divine transfer, elemental aura, explosive runes, fire of judgment, flame arrow, fly, fractions of heal and harm, gaseous form, haste, heart of the metal, heroism, hold person, holy whisper, keen edge, magic circle against chaos/evil/law, magic weapon (greater), mantle of calm, marks of forbiddance, monstrous physique I, nondetection, pain strike, paladin’s sacrifice, paragon surge, prayer, protection from arrows (communal), protection from energy, remove blindness/deafness, resist energy (communal), returning weapon (communal), sepia snake sigil, shield companion, shrink item, slow, stunning barrier (greater), suggestion, tiny hut, tongues, versatile weapon, water breathing, wrathful mantle.
4th-Level Twilight Guard Spells—antithetical constraint, blaze of glory, charm monster, confusion, crusader’s edge, darkvision (greater), daze (mass), death ward, dimension door, dimensional anchor, discern lies, elemental body I, fire of vengeance, fire shield, firefall, geas (lesser), ghostbane dirge (mass), globe of invulnerability (lesser), guardian of faith, make whole (greater), malfunction, mnemonic enhancer, monstrous physique II, neutralize poison, protection from energy (communal), remove curse, resilient reservoir, ride the waves, sanctify armor, secure shelter, shield of fortification (greater), shout, spellcrash (lesser), stone shape, stoneskin, wall of fire, wall of ice, ward shield.
5th-Level Twilight Guard Spells—angelic aspect, apparent master, archon’s trumpet, baleful polymorph, break enchantment, burst of glory, constricting coil, contact other plane, dismissal, dominate person, elemental body II, fabricate, feeblemind, fickle winds, hold monster, hungry earth, interposing hand, king’s castle, legend lore, life buble, lighten object (mass), mage’s faithful hound, mage’s private sanctum, mark of justice, mind fog, monstrous physique III, overland flight, pain strike (mass), passwall, permanency, planar adaptation, planar binding (lesser), planeslayer’s call, polymorph, rapid repair, reprobation, resounding blow, restoration, runic overlord, sanctify weapons, sending, shield of dawn, siphon magic, spell absorption, spellsteal, stay the hand, symbol of sleep, telekinesis, telepathic bond, teleport, transmute mud to rock, transmute rock to mud, wall of force, wall of light, wall of stone, wreath of blades.
6th-Level Twilight Guard Spells—analyze dweomer, antimagic field, battlemind link, bear’s endurance (mass), bull’s strength (mass), cat’s grace (mass), chains of light, cloak of dreams, control water, dimensional blade, disintegrate, dispel magic (greater), eagle’s splendor (mass), eaglesoul, elemental body III, expend, flesh to stone, fluid form, forceful hand, form of the dragon I, fox’s cunning (mass), geas/quest, globe of invulnerability, guards and wards, heroism (greater), holy sword. mage’s lubrication, mage’s sword, monstrous physique IV, move earth, owl’s wisdom (mass), repulsion, sacrificial oath, serenity, spell turning, spellcrash, stone to flesh, suggestion (mass), symbol of persuasion, symbol of sealing, teleport (greater), transformation, true seeing, undeath ward, vision, wall of iron.
Table: Twilight Guard