Encyclopaedia Arcane: Drow Magic
| Author | Patrick Younts |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2004 |
| OGL Section 15 | eadm |
This section contains “Mature Content”
The material below is designated as Open Game Content.
The following new feats are designed with the peculiarities and focuses of drow magic in mind. While they are intended for use by dark elf arcanists of all sorts, these feats can also be adapted for use by drow clerics and druids. This chapter also includes feats which are also intended for use with ceremony magic. As such these feats are well suited for adaptation to the ceremony masters of other races.
New Feats
The new feats presented below can be taken by any drow arcane spellcaster who meets the prerequisites. With the Game Master’s permission, they can also be selected for non-drow spellcasters.
Awakener
You are especially skilled at directing the energy of black ceremonies for summoning and dismissing effects.
Prerequisites: Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom 15+.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to all sub-checks and final DC checks made to complete ceremonies which generate summoning or dismissal effects.
Special: The bonus from Awaken stacks with that gained from the Master of Ceremonies feat.
Black Avatar of Vengeance
You are especially skilled at directing the energy of black ceremonies in destructive ways.
Prerequisites: Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom 15+.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to all sub-checks and final DC checks made to complete ceremonies which create destruction or death effects.
Special: The bonus from Black Avatar of Vengeance stacks with that gained from the Master of Ceremonies feat.
Bringer of Great Change
You are especially skilled at directing the energy of black ceremonies in ways which fundamentally transform the target.
Prerequisites: Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom 15+.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to all sub-checks and final DC checks made to complete ceremonies which create transformative effects.
Special: The bonus from Bringer of Great Change stacks with that gained from the Master of Ceremonies feat
Dark Allies
Your commitment to the Dark Mother of Spiders and to her holy work is clear to all and lesser beings flock to your service.
Prerequisites: Leadership.
Benefits: You gain a +2 profane bonus to your leadership score and attract a second cohort, who may be of a level equal to your first cohort’s character levels –2. This new cohort will always be of your alignment and will be a fanatical worshiper of the Dark Mother.
Dark Mother’s Favour
You have earned the Dark Mother of Spider’s favour and she has gifted you with an understanding of her ways which other spellcasters cannot match.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 5th level spells, ability to cast favoured path spells.
Benefits: You gain access to, and knowledge of, all the spells of a new favoured path. These spells can be prepared as normal, or can be cast spontaneously, as per the normal rules for spontaneous favoured path casting (see The Drow Dark Weaver, pg. 10). This feat does not give access to the path’s special ability.
Death Collector
You can substitute organs and flesh for inexpensive spell components.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast arcane spells.
Benefits: You can substitute organs and flesh for spell components of less than 10 gold pieces in value. The flesh or organs must be at least equal in size to an average human heart and must be harvested from living beings, or from beings who have been dead less than one day, as the spiritual power inherent in the flesh is depleted after that point. Organs remain suitable for use for one full week. If you harvest organs from a being slain as part of a black ceremony, then the save DCs of your spells are increased by +1. A single humanoid body can be used to harvest material worth (50 gp x the HD of the creature).
Special: The spiritual energy which empowers the bits of flesh detritus you harvest is always consumed in the casting of a spell, meaning that the organ used is always rendered useless after a single casting, even when used to power spells which do not normally destroy components.
Executioner’s Smile
You draw great strength and joy from the act of striking the killing blow in a black ceremony.
Prerequisites: Cha 13+, access to one or more favoured paths
Benefits: For a number of days equal to your Charisma modifier following the successful completion of a black ceremony which involved the ritual sacrifice of a living being, you cast all favoured path spells at +1 caster level. Should you ritually sacrifice a being in a black ceremony which fails for any reason, you do not gain the bonus. Should you perform another ceremony while enjoying the benefits of this feat, the caster level benefits do not stack but the durations do overlap, meaning the amount of time you will receive the caster level bonus is increased by your Charisma bonus.
Special: You can select this feat twice. The second time it is selected, the number of days you receive the caster level bonus is equal to the sum of your Charisma and Intelligence modifiers.
Improved Poison Focus
Your ability to focus the harmful effects of poison into absolute clarity of thought are approaching supernatural levels.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, Poison Focus.
Benefits: When you are injected with poison, you gain a bonus to your Intelligence equal to 2 + one half the ability score damage inflicted, to a maximum circumstance bonus equal to 2 + Int bonus. You also gain a flat +2 circumstance bonus to Intelligence when exposed to poison which does not inflict ability score damage. Finally, you are now immune to those poisons which cause ability score damage to Intelligence. As before, the bonuses last one day from the time of initial exposure and the bonuses can only be gained once per day.
Special: The bonus to Intelligence received as a result of poison inflicted damage ends immediately if the damage is healed by magical or non-magical healing of any sort.
Master of Ceremonies
You understand that versatility and diligence are the keys to successfully performing black ceremonies and are practised in the use of all your skills.
Prerequisites: Int 13+.
Benefits: You gain a +2 competence bonus to all skill checks when attempting a final skill check to complete a black ceremony or when attempting any ceremony sub-check. This bonus applies to any and all skills used in any black ceremony, but applies only during ceremonies.
Special: You can select this feat twice, with the second selection increasing the bonus to a total of +4.
Nurturer and Punisher
You are especially skilled at directing the energy of black ceremonies in ways that bolster or weaken beings, objects and concepts.
Prerequisites: Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom 15+.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to all sub-checks and final DC checks made to complete ceremonies which create bolstering or weakening effects.
Special: The bonus from Nurturer and Punisher stacks with that gained from the Master of Ceremonies feat.
Poison Focus
Poison is holy to the Dark Mother of Spiders and you have learned to harness its destructive abilities for your own ends, sharpening both your mind and your spellcasting skills.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, ability to cast arcane magic.
Benefits: By intentionally subjecting yourself to the effects of poison, you focus your will and gain a sharper clarity. You gain a circumstance bonus to your Intelligence score equal to one half the ability damage inflicted as a result of the poison, to a maximum equal to your unmodified Intelligence bonus. This feat’s benefits do not take effect when you are affected by a poison which damages your Intelligence score, nor does it apply to poisons which do not inflict ability score damage. The increase to your Intelligence score lasts for one full day from the time of initial damage, with bonuses gained as a result of suffering permanent ability score damage still fading after one day. Poison focus applies only to the first poison damage received each day.
Special: The bonus to Intelligence received as a result of poison inflicted ability score damage ends immediately if the character’s ability score damage is healed by magical or non-magical healing of any sort.
Poison Mark
Your familiar bears the mark and favour of the Dark Mother of Spiders, allowing it to transmit poison with a melee attack.
Prerequisites: Must be bonded to a familiar, or have ability to attract a familiar as a class ability.
Benefits: Three times a day, your familiar can deliver a powerful poison with a success melee attack. The poison deals 1d4 points of initial Constitution damage, with another 1d4 points of secondary Constitution damage one minute later. A Fortitude save is allowed to resist the effect; the DC of the save is equal to 10 + one half your caster level. If your familiar already possesses a poison attack, then the save DC of the attack is increased by +4.
Power of Blood
The Dark Mother of Spiders thrives on violence and the shedding of blood and looks with favour upon those who wield spell and blade with equal skill.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, ability to cast arcane spells.
Benefits: You do not need to perform the somatic or verbal components of a spell in any round immediately following one in which you successfully struck and damaged a living creature in melee combat. Successful attacks against undead and constructs are not considered for the purposes of this feat, only attacks against living creatures.
Sharp Fangs
Your spells are like the sharpest of spider fangs, piercing through spiritual flesh with ease.
Prerequisites: Power of Blood.
Benefits: When casting a spell against an opponent you have successfully struck and damaged in melee combat in the previous round, you gain a +2 bonus to pierce their spell resistance. The benefits of this feat stack with those gained from the Spell Penetration feat and other, similar feats.
Special: This feat can be selected a second time. The second time it is selected, the ability to pierce spell resistance applies for two rounds after you have successfully struck the target in melee combat.
Swift and Terrible Fangs
The spider is merciless is its destruction of the weak. So are you.
Prerequisites: Power of Blood.
Benefits: When casting a spell against an opponent you have successfully struck and damaged in melee combat in the previous round, the save DC of the spell is increased by +2. The benefits of this feat stack with those gained from the Spell Focus feat and other, similar feats.
Special: This feat can be selected a second time. The second time it is selected, the increased save DC applies for two rounds after you have successfully struck the target in melee combat.
Unshakeable Devotion
You are so devoted to a particular god that you cannot be dissuaded from his service.
Prerequisite: Must have sworn devotion to a single god, or related family of gods (greater god and servitor assistants, for example).
Benefit: When working in direct service of your god, you receive a +2 sacred or profane bonus to all saves to resist spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural powers or substances, such as certain drugs, which control your mind. Likewise, you gain a +2 sacred or profane bonus to all Sense Motive checks which involve one or more parties attempting to dissuade you from your chosen godly duties.
Womb of Night
Your spells are especially potent when cast at night and you are believed to enjoy the favour of the Dark Mother of Spiders.
Prerequisites: Access to one or more favoured paths, ability to cast 2nd level arcane spells.
Benefits: During the hours between sunset and sunrise, or when shrouded in complete, non-magical darkness, your favoured path spells are cast at +1 caster level. To receive the benefits of this feat, only you need be in darkness, meaning you do not lose the bonus if your intended victims are lit, or if they are carrying torches or lanterns.
Special: You can select this feat a second time. Should you choose to do so, then you cast all favoured path spells at +2 caster levels when shrouded in complete darkness. However, you cast all favoured paths spells at –1 caster level when not completely shrouded by darkness.
