Soul Warden
Source Undead Slayer's Handbook pg. 30
Bygone products of an ancient war, soul wardens are an enigma of themselves. The original soul wardens were a specially trained cadre of anti-necromantic commandos in the Nexian army during the Age of Destiny. They rose to prominence during the height of Nex’s war against the undead kingdom of Geb. The wizards’ conflict came to a close during the Age of Enthronement with the undeath of Geb and the disappearance of Nex, and soul wardens fell into obscurity as those armies effectively dissolved. Now, the only soul wardens who tread Golarion are those individuals who unofficially claim the title by mastering the millennia-old secrets of these forgotten warriors.
Requirements
To qualify for this prestige class, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Alignment: Any nonevil.
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks.
Spells: Ability to cast command undead or consecrate.
Class Skills
The Soul Warden's class skills are Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Features
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Spells Per Day
1st +0 +0 +0 +1 Channel damage 1d6, focus item +1 level of spellcasting class
2nd +1 +1 +1 +1 Channel casting, corpse whisperer +1 level of spellcasting class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +2 Bonus feat, channel damage 2d6 +1 level of spellcasting class
4th +2 +1 +1 +2 Channel casting, harvest +1 level of spellcasting class
5th +2 +2 +2 +3 Channel damage 3d6, undead imposition +1 level of spellcasting class
6th +3 +2 +2 +3 Bonus feat, channel casting +1 level of spellcasting class
7th +3 +2 +2 +4 Channel damage 4d6, negative energy ward +1 level of spellcasting class
8th +4 +3 +3 +4 Channel casting, necrotic resistance +1 level of spellcasting class
9th +4 +3 +3 +5 Bonus feat, channel damage 5d6 +1 level of spellcasting class
10th +5 +3 +3 +5 Channel casting, life shell +1 level of spellcasting class
The following are class features of the soul warden.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Soul wardens gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day: At the indicated levels, a soul warden gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he’s a spontaneous caster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If he had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a soul warden, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Channel Damage (Su): At 1st level, a soul warden gains the power to harm undead with positive energy. This ability functions exactly like a cleric’s ability to channel positive energy to deal damage to undead (but not to heal living creatures), and counts as channel energy for the purposes of qualifying for feats or determining effects that rely on channel energy. A soul warden uses his class level as his effective cleric level when channeling damage. He can channel damage a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. Soul warden levels stack with levels in any class that grants channel energy for the purpose of determining the number of damage dice his channel energy ability deals to undead (if any).
Focus Item: A soul warden focuses his powers through an object called a focus item. A soul warden must be able to present his focus item to channel damage or to cast spells that require a divine focus. Common focus items include amulets, bells, holy symbols, and staves.
Channel Casting (Su): At 2nd level, a soul warden can expend a use of his channel damage ability to spontaneously cast from a select group of spells. At 4th level and every 2 levels thereafter, a soul warden gains access to a number of additional spells he can cast in this manner. The spells a soul warden can cast with this ability (and the soul warden level necessary to cast such spells) are listed below.
Level Spells
2nd Decompose corpseUM, detect undead, hide from undead, sanctify corpse
4th Command undead, necromantic burden (see page 27)
6th Disrupting weapon, halt undead, searing light
8th Death ward, undeath inversion (see page 27), wall of fire
10th Breath of life, heal, undeath to death
Starting at 3rd level, a soul warden adds his channel casting spells gained from the previous level to the class spell list of a class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. The spell level is equal to half the soul warden level necessary to channel cast the spell. For example, a 3rdlevel spell warden who also has levels in sorcerer adds the decompose corpseUM, detect undead, hide from undead, and sanctify corpse to his sorcerer spell list, treating them as 1st-level sorcerer spells (since half of 2nd level is 1st level).
Corpse Whisperer (Ex): At 2nd level, a soul warden adds half his soul warden level on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks against undead creatures, including checks to assume control of undead creatures via feats like Command Undead or spells like control undead.
Bonus Feats: At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, a soul warden gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be chosen from the following: Channel Smite, Ectoplasmic SpellAPG, Greater Channel SmiteUC, Quick ChannelUM, Threnodic SpellUM, Turn Undead, and Undead Master. The soul warden must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus feat.
Harvest (Su): At 4th level, whenever a soul warden destroys an undead creature using channel positive energy, channel damage, or a spell with an instantaneous duration, he regains a use of channel damage. A soul warden can regain only one use of channel damage per round, and can regain a number of uses of channel damage per day up to his class level. A soul warden cannot use this to exceed his maximum number of uses of channel damage per day.
Undead Imposition (Su): At 5th level, as a standard action a soul warden may expend one use of channel damage to control an undead creature within 30 feet. The target can negate this effect with a successful Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the soul warden’s level + the soul warden’s Cha modifier). Failure means the creature falls under the soul warden’s control, obeying his commands to the best of its ability for a number of rounds equal to the soul warden’s class level. This ability is otherwise identical to control undead.
Negative Energy Ward (Su): At 7th level, once per day a soul warden can ward a 15-foot-radius area centered on himself to protect it against undead incursions. Any undead creatures with fewer Hit Dice than his caster level cannot enter the warded area. Undead with Hit Dice greater than or equal to the soul warden’s caster level must attempt a Will save (DC = 10 + soul warden’s level) when entering the area. An undead that succeeds at its save is unharmed, and is immune to the soul warden’s negative energy ward for 24 hours. Failure means the creature takes 3d6 points of positive energy damage when it enters the area and it becomes staggered for 1d4 rounds. Once placed, a negative energy ward cannot be moved. The ward lasts 1 minute per soul warden level.
Necrotic Resistance (Su): At 8th level, a soul warden becomes resistant to ability drain and negative levels. Whenever a soul warden is targeted by an effect that would result in ability drain or impose negative levels, he takes 1 point of ability drain fewer and gains 1 negative level fewer than he normally would (to a minimum of 0). At 10th level, he takes 2 fewer points of ability drain and gains 2 fewer negative levels than he normally would.
Life Shell (Sp): At 10th level, a soul warden can create a dome of energy that repels undead creatures. This ability functions identically to antilife shell, except it hedges out only undead creatures and not creatures of any other type. Living creatures within the affected area gain fast healing 1 for the duration of the effect. A soul warden can activate this spell-like ability for up to 10 minutes per day. The duration need not be consecutive, but it must be expended in 1-minute increments.
