Prestige Classes

The Quintessential Kobold

Author	Shannon Kalvar
Publisher	Mongoose Publishing
Publish date	2004
OGL Section 15	qkob

The material below is designated as Open Game Content

Awakener

All kobolds believe in their ‘magical heritage’. They accept that even the least of them has within himself the potential to spontaneously wield arcane forces greater than anything the elven wizards could imagine. Magic boils in their veins, a legacy of power that will one day help them rise to greatness.

An awakener knows this to be true. He knows the terrible arcane might inherent in the kobold people. He has tasted it, felt the red rush of it over his hands. For an awakener seeks out the keys to unlock that power. With each barrier that falls he sees more and more of the possibilities dormant in his people.

Most awakeners stumble into their profession by accident. Like most kobold magicians they start out by studying the power of blood to supplement their developing arcane power. Over time this study becomes an obsession. From there it is a short step onto the path of the awakener, where the blood becomes all. Once an the path, an awakener might seek out others of his own kind to exchange knowledge. More often he hoards his new-found wisdom. This is fortunate for the free people of the world. A cabal of awakeners, sharing power and supporting one another, would present a serious threat to other races.

The awakener’s strengthened ability to activate and raise the power of magical blood gives him a unique commodity for trade. He can provide other kobolds, which may not have quite enough magic to become sorcerers, with a taste of arcane power. The awakener can also revoke that taste at his whim. A particularly hardened awakener operates much like a drug dealer, giving the wretched a little taste of glory before snatching it from them. The price for continued access steadily climbs until the addict would sell his soul for another moment of power.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

To qualify to become an awakener the character must fulfil all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Non-good
Skills: Knowledge (Arcane) 8 ranks
Feats: Blood of Power
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 2nd level arcane spells

Class Skills

The awakener’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

The Awakener

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per day
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Blood Gift	+1 existing class level
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Power of the Blood
3	+1	+1	+1	+3		+1 existing class level
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Blood Light
5	+2	+1	+1	+4		+1 existing class level
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Secrets Whispered in Silence
7	+3	+2	+2	+5		+1 existing class level
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	Raising Red Fire
9	+4	+3	+3	+6		+1 existing class level
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Conflux of the Heart

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the awakener.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An awakener gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies. Like all arcane spellcasters the awakener suffers from the possibility of spell failure while wearing armour.

Spells per Day: The awakener’s magical power continues to grow as he gains levels. Thus when every odd numbered awakener level is gained the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in the arcane spell casting class he belonged to before he became an awakener. He does not gain any other benefits that a caster of that class would have gained (improved saves, bonus feats, etc.) This essentially means that he adds one half (rounded up) of his awakener levels to the level of one of his arcane spell casting classes. For example Eric a 9th level wizard/4th level awakener casts spells as an 11th level wizard.

Blood Gift (Ex): At 1st level the awakener gains the ability to ‘neutrally’ activate blood a number of times per day equal to his awakener class level. This produces a pure effect, untouched by the taint of any other power.

Power of the Blood (Ex): At 2nd level the awakener subtracts ½ his awakener level from the hit point cost (minimum one) to activate blood or raise power. This effect is cumulative with the effect of items or spells that reduce the hit point cost of either action.

Blood Light (Sp): At 4th level the awakener can, as a standard action, see through the eyes of a creature currently under the influence of blood he has raised (see Blood of Power chapter). The target must be within 1 mile per character level of the awakener. If the target is unwilling he may make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the awakener’s character level + the awakener’s Cha modifier) at a –4 penalty. Maintaining this effect requires concentration. While under the influence of blood light the target’s eyes glow bright red.

Secrets Whispered in Silence (Sp): At 6th level the awakener can, as a standard action, speak into the mind of a creature currently under the influence of blood he has raised. The target must be within 1 mile per character level of the awakener. If the target is unwilling he may make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the awakener’s character level + the awakener’s Cha modifier) at a –4 penalty. Maintaining this effect requires concentration. While under the influence of secrets whispered in silence the target’s eyes glow bright red.

Raising Red Fire (Ex): At 8th level the awakener masters the many powers of blood magic. All of the effects he grants by activating blood or raising power have their DC to resist increased by +2 and their effect increased by 1½ times. Variable and numeric effects are both effected by this ability. Any target under the influence of blood activated by an awakener with this ability has a faint red aura visible to the naked eye.

Conflux of the Heart (Ex): At 10th level the awakener learns to blur the boundaries between the various powers of blood magic. He can use arcane spells as a channel to awaken either positive or negative energy tainted effects in living targets.

Brother of Dragons

Popular ballads paint the kobolds as either skulking sorcerers or hapless rogues. They claim that all kobolds flee from open battle. Some kobolds even believe these tales about themselves until someone shows them otherwise.

A brother of dragons usually starts out life as a dreamer and a warrior. When he hears the stories of dragons told around the kobold hearth-fi res the would-be brother dreams of the day when he might wield such power. He trains diligently with the hopes that someday, somehow he can awaken his own draconic strength.

Over time this desire to awaken draconic strength wanes. The would-be brother walks the path of arms, not magic. He masters the use of weapons. He learns the riddle of steel and the song of war. Eventually the brother learns that his power lies in destruction, not in magic or knowledge.

Once he comes to this realisation other brothers of dragons seek him out. They provide him with an opportunity; he can learn the secrets of their arts or continue along his lonely path. If he survives the test, their power will become his own. If he fails, then his death will not be mourned. Few demonstrate the strength of mind, body and spirit required to master the ultimate techniques.

A brother of dragons serves as a protector and champion for the village in which he resides. Other kobolds turn to him in times of trouble hoping for succour. They also realise that the brother’s first loyalty lays with his own kind and his second with the art of war itself…everyone else comes a distant third.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a brother of dragons the character must fulfi l all of the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Knowledge (arcane) 5 ranks
Special: Must survive a test given to him by a group of five other brothers of dragons who among them must know all five of the dragon styles.

Class Skills

The brother of dragons class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

The Brother of the Dragons

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+0	+0	1st Dragon Style
2	+2	+3	+0	+0	Refined Dragon Style
3	+3	+3	+1	+1
4	+4	+4	+1	+1	2nd Dragon Style, Refined Dragon Style
5	+5	+4	+1	+1
6	+6	+5	+2	+2	Refined Dragon Style
7	+7	+5	+2	+2	3rd Dragon Style
8	+8	+6	+2	+2	Refined Dragon Style
9	+9	+6	+3	+3
10	+10	+7	+3	+3	4th Dragon Style, Refined Dragon Style

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the brother of dragons.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A brother of dragons is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. A brother of dragons is also proficient with light armour, medium armour and shields. Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 lbs. of armour and equipment carried.

Dragon Style (Ex): At 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th levels the brother of dragons may choose one of the following combat styles. He gains the bonuses for knowing the style regardless of what weapon or combat manoeuvres he chooses. Style bonuses apply to both melee and ranged combat. However, damage bonuses may only be applied if the target is within 30 feet of the brother of dragons.

Black Dragon Style: An initiate of the black dragon style learns to use cover as an offensive weapon, creating openings where none previously existed. He gains +2 to attack and damage rolls when he has any form of concealment. The black dragon stylist also gains a +2 bonus to Swim skill checks.

Blue Dragon Style: An initiate of the blue dragon style learns to use terrain to his advantage. He does not suffer from hampered movement in any environment that he has studied for more than one hour. Furthermore he gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls against any target that has suffered hampered movement during the preceding round.

Green Dragon Style: An initiate of the green dragon style learns to use sudden attacks and impossible speed to his advantage. He gains a +2 bonus to his Initiative check and does +2 damage to any target that has a lower Initiative result than his own. The green dragon stylist always acts before any other character at his initiative point, even if someone has readied an action to respond to his action.

Red Dragon Style: An initiate of the red dragon style learns to use intimidation to back up physical force. He gains a +2 bonus to his Intimidation checks and may Intimidation to demoralise an opponent as a free action once per round. If he successfully demoralises a foe he gains a +2 bonus to all damage rolls against the target that round.

White Dragon Style: An initiate of the white dragon style learns how to cause others to react from instinct rather than intellect. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sense Motive checks. He gains the Improved
Feint feat even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat. Furthermore if the brother successfully feints in combat his target becomes flatfooted for the entire round.

Refined dragon style (Ex): At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th levels the brother of dragons refines his existing combat styles. He may add +1 to the bonuses granted him by any single style that he knows.

Commander of the Damned

Most kobolds realise that they are fundamentally alone in the universe. No one will help them. No one cares what happens to them. Powerful forces will use them as sword-fodder until nothing remains… unless the kobold discovers an edge.

A kobold with an edge might be able to bargain with someone greater than he. He might be able to strike a deal with powers that could help him to rise above the common lot. His new friends could stand beside him as equals. Or maybe even servants. Then the downtrodden could become the master!

Such thoughts fill the mind of a creature that would become a commander of the damned. He spends the first years of his career searching desperately for someway to improve his lot in life. The would-be commander tries the path of magic, hoping that somehow his power will make a difference. Unfortunately it does not. A kobold magician is still a kobold, still a pawn in the scheme of the greater powers.

Until one day the kobold manages to call up something with enough power to strike a bargain. Then he calls up another, and another, and another. Eventually the commander of the damned finds himself tangled in a web of bargains that extend all the way into the depths of hell.

Every time he tugs at the web a host of ‘servants’ issue forth; but some day he will have to pay the ultimate price. Commanders of the damned generally lord their power over other kobolds. They take over a tribe, turning the various members as sacrifices for their servants. In return for accepting a predator in their midst the tribe gains a powerful protector and the eventual satisfaction of seeing the commander dragged off into the abyss.

Hit Die: d4

Requirements

To qualify to become a commander of the damned the character must fulfil all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any evil
Skills: Knowledge (planes) 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 3rd level arcane spells of the conjuration school
Special: Must be able to speak Abyssal or Infernal

Class Skills

The commander of the damned’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcane or the planes, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

The Commander of the Damned

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per day
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Invocation of Darkness +1, Sworn to the Night	+1 existing class level
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Invocation of Darkness +2, Rite of the Sorcerer
3	+1	+1	+1	+3		+1 existing class level
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Invocation of Darkness +3
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Circle of Blood	+1 existing class level
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Invocation of Darkness +4
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	The Great Bargain	+1 existing class level
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	Invocation of Darkness +5
9	+4	+3	+3	+6		+1 existing class level
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Invocation of Darkness +6, The Final Price

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the commander of the damned.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A commander of the damned gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies. Like all arcane spellcasters the awakener suffers from the possibility of spell failure while wearing armour.

Spells per Day: The commander of the damned’s magical power continues to grow as he gains levels. Thus when every odd numbered commander of the damned level is gained the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spell casting class he belonged to before he became a commander of the damned. He does not gain any other benefi ts that a caster of that class would have gained (improved saves, bonus feats, etc.) This essentially means that he adds one half (rounded up) of his commander of the damned levels to the level of one of his arcane spell casting classes. For example Argyle a 7th level sorcerer/8th level commander of the damned casts spells as an 11th level sorcerer.

Invocation of darkness (Su): At 1st level the commander of the damned develops his signature ability. He may add +1 to the number of lower level creatures summoned by any of the summon monster spells. Thus when casting a summon monster III spell he could summon one creature off of the 3rd level list, 1d3+1 creatures from the 2nd level list, or 1d4+2 from the 1st level list. This bonus increases as the commander of the damned extends his knowledge of dark magic: it becomes +2 at 2nd level, +3 at 4th, +4 at 6th, +5 at 8th and +6 at 10th.

Sworn to the Night (Ex): At 1st level the commander of the damned must choose one alignment (lawful evil, neutral evil or chaotic evil). His class abilities only affect summoning spells that call up creatures with that alignment. The commander may not choose an alignment in conflict with his own. Thus, a lawful evil commander could choose to apply his class abilities to either lawful evil or neutral evil summonings, but not to chaotic evil. Once sworn to the night the commander cannot change his allegiance.

Rite of the Sorcerer (Ex): At 2nd level the commander learns the hideous blood rites that strengthen creatures of evil. By sacrificing 2 hit points per level of the spell cast, the commander maximises the hit points of the creatures summoned. For example, if a 4th level commander casts summon monster V he may expend 10 hit points to cause all of the summoned creatures to have maximum hit points. Using this ability increases the casting time of the summon monster spells to two rounds.

Circle of Blood (Ex): At 5th level the commander of the damned masters the art of binding summoned creatures. By sacrificing 2 hit points per level of the spell cast the commander causes the duration of any summon monster spell to extend indefi nitely. He may choose to end the spell at any time. While the spell is in effect he cannot regain the hit points invested to keep the magic active. When the spell ends he may heal the damage normally.

The Great Bargain (Sp): At 7th level the commander seals a fearsome pact with his ‘servants’. In return for further magical knowledge he gives them the ability to draw off of his own life force in times of need. Any creature bound in a circle of blood by the commander may, as a standard action, draw hit points from the commander. Each hit point drawn from the commander heals the servant four hit points. The commander may deny the servant access by making a Will save (DC 14 + servant’s Cha modifier).

The Final Price (Su): At 10th level the commander faces the ultimate truth of his own damnation. In a last ditch effort to stave off the inevitable he learns how to channel the life force of other creatures into his ‘servants’. Whenever the commander personally kills a target he gains a number of ‘hit points’ equal to the target’s character level or Hit Dice. These hit points replace his own when called upon by his servants though the great bargain.

Commander of the People

Kobolds are weak, divided and leaderless. Their so-called chieftains pursue paths of personal gain to the detriment of their followers. The time of the great clans came to an end when the four great founders passed away into legend. Living in the past cannot solve the problems of the present.

For the commander of the people now is not the time to retreat into stories. The past may illuminate the present, but it does not determine it. In order for the kobold people to rise above their miserable lot they must fi nd unity of purpose. This unity can only come from a person with vision and an unshakeable belief in the worthiness of his own cause.

To become a commander of the people the kobold must survive martial training and exposure to outside cultures. He also needs to see fi rst hand the weakness of the current clan system. Finally, the commander must somehow come to the belief that, despite all of the odds stacked against them, the kobold people as a whole can thrive by working together. He spends the rest of his days learning how to lead his people to that brighter future.

A kobold village blessed with a commander of the people tends to have a clean and prosperous look to it. Its inhabitants move about their business with vigour, secure in the knowledge that what they do means something. The commander provides his community with vision and purpose that communicates itself into everything it does.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a commander of the people the character must fulfi l all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Non-evil
Skills: Diplomacy 8 ranks, Knowledge (history) 8 ranks
Special: Must be proficient with all martial weapons

Class Skills

The commander of the people’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (history) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int) and Swim (Str). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

Commander of the People

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Hope for the Hopeless
2	+2	+3	+0	+0
3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Courage for the Coward
4	+4	+4	+1	+1
5	+5	+4	+1	+1	Honour for the Rogue
6	+6	+5	+2	+2
7	+7	+5	+2	+2	Wisdom for the Fool
8	+8	+6	+2	+2
9	+9	+6	+3	+3	Strength for the Weak
10	+10	+7	+3	+3	Power for the People

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the commander of the people.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A commander of the people is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. A commander of the people is also proficient with all types of armour and shields. Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armour and equipment carried.

Hope for the Hopeless (Ex): At 1st level the commander of the people’s hopeful outlook helps to boost the spirit of everyone around him. Any friendly character within 60 feet of the commander may make a second save at the original DC to resist any effect that applies a morale penalty. The friendly character must be able to see the commander for this ability to function.

Courage for the Coward (Ex): At 3rd level the commander hones his courageous spirit into a weapon. The commander gains a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls against any creature that has a frightful presence or other innate ability to generate fear. All of his allies within a 60 foot radius who are within line of sight gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls against the same targets. This bonus lasts as long as the commander remains in sight and conscious.

Honour for the Rogue (Ex): At 5th level the commander’s belief in the innate potential of others causes them to try to live up to his expectations. All of the commander’s allies within a 60 foot radius who are within line of sight gain a +1 morale bonus to their AC. This bonus lasts as long as the commander remains in sight and conscious. The commander himself gains a +2 morale bonus to Diplomacy rolls.

Wisdom for the Fool (Ex): At 7th level the commander’s wisdom becomes almost legendary. A number of times per day equal to his commander level he may ‘offer advice’ to any single person within 30 feet as a standard action. This person receives a morale bonus on all saves, attack rolls and skill checks equal to the commander’s Wisdom modifier for the next hour.

Strength for the Weak (Ex): At 9th level the commander’s presence inspires everyone around him. All of the commander’s allies within 60 feet who are within line of sight and have a racial penalty to Strength gain a +2 morale bonus to their Dexterity. This bonus lasts as long as the commander remains in sight and conscious.

Power for the People (Ex): At 10th level the commander’s presence on the fi eld of battle can decisively turn the engagement. All of the commander’s allies within 60 feet gain a bonus equal to the commander’s Charisma modifier to attack and damage rolls against any target that either gains a dodge bonus against them or who has a racial bonus to attack rolls targeting them. This bonus lasts as long as the commander remains in sight and conscious.

Dragon Maker

All kobolds hope to someday transform into a mighty dragon. For most this dream remains the stuff of fantasy, an illusion they cling to for comfort. For an inventive handful, especially from Matthias’ Clan, the dream can become a reality. Through diligent training these rare kobolds learn how to get the most out of the ‘Great Matthias’s’ many tools.

A dragon maker comes from the brightest and most dedicated of the kobold folk. His early exposure to one of the many ‘dragon tools’ gives him a taste for draconic power. This taste in turn fuels his curiosity. First he learns how to use as many of the tools as possible, giving himself the ability to fl y, to breath fi re and to inspire terror in those around him. Then he starts to tinker with the traditional designs to make them even more effective.

Once he beings tinkering the other dragon makers start to take notice. The budding dragon maker will eventually be invited to one of the great yearly competitions held in secret places far from unfriendly eyes. There the dragon makers examine the latest innovations in emulating dragons through technology. They also compete with one another in a wide variety of contests to prove their skills. The Matthites consider receiving an invitation to one of these events to be a great honour; to actually win a competition grants the winner status equal to that of a tribal chieftain.

A community with a dragon maker has ready access to finely crafted draconic tools. Even the weakest of the tribe will have a trick or two. The warriors will almost certainly have draconic weapons, while the tribe’s chieftain may have draconic weapons, armour and a handful of nasty tricks to play on those who oppose him. In some cases the dragon maker shares the fruits of his research freely. In others he will barter his goods for services and even servitude from his fellows.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

To qualify to become a dragon maker the character must fulfil all of the following criteria.
Skills: Craft (Draconic Tools) 9 ranks
Special: Proficient with at least two exotic dragon weapons

Class Skills

The dragon maker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

The Dragon Maker

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Master of the Dragon’s Heart +2, Maximise Draconic Weapons (1)
2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Enhance Draconic Weapons (1)
3	+1	+1	+3	+1	Master of the Dragon’s Heart +4, Maximise Draconic Weapons (2)
4	+2	+1	+4	+1	Enhance Draconic Weapons (2)
5	+2	+1	+4	+1	Mind of the Dragon, Master of the Dragon’s Heart +6, Maximise Draconic Weapons (3)

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the dragon maker.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A dragon maker is proficient with all exotic dragon weapons. A dragon maker gains no proficiency with any armour or shields. Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armour and equipment carried.

Master of the Dragon’s Heart: At 1st level the dragon maker may add a +2 bonus to his Craft (Draconic Tools) skill checks. He also adds a +2 circumstance bonus to any skill check required to safely use a Draconic Tool. At 3rd level these bonuses increase to +4. At 5th level they increase to +6.

Maximise Draconic Weapons: At 1st level the dragon maker masters the use of draconic weapons. One time per day, after making a successful attack, he may choose to inflict maximum damage with a draconic weapon. This ability only affects the base damage done by the weapon, not the bonus damage resulting from a successful critical hit or any special damage inflicted by the attack (i.e. sneak attack damage). At 3rd level the dragon maker can maximise an attack twice per day. At 5th level he can maximise an attack up to three times per day.

Enhance Draconic Weapons: At 2nd level the dragon maker becomes particularly adept at striking with draconic weapons. The threat range of any draconic weapon he uses expands by 1 (so that a threat range of 19-20 becomes 18-20). This ability does not stack with other abilities that increase threat range. At 4th level the dragon maker expands the threat range of all draconic weapons he wields by 2.

Mind of the Dragon (Ex): At 5th level the dragon maker attains an almost mystical level of perfection with his draconic tools. He can take 10 on any skill check required to successfully use or avoid damage while using a draconic tool or weapon.

Dragon Shadow

Many of the other races comment that, for as small and pathetic a people as they are kobolds seem to be more inclined to pursue power than subtlety. They laugh openly about the little people’s efforts to become powerful magicians and respected warriors. Why, when they have such an obvious calling to the shadows, should they waste their time like that?

The kobold that will eventually walk the path of the dragon shadow takes this mockery to heart. He looks with contempt at his fellow kobolds with their mysticism and their whirling gadgets. He sees the foolishness in thinking that someone who is less than two feet tall can go blade to blade with a stout human warrior. Instead he chooses to find comfort in the darkness, where all creatures are equal. In the shadows survival depends more on speed than strength; speed that the kobold wields in abundance.

In the shadows he finds other kobolds who came before. Dwelling on the fringes of their own society, these kobolds live in the ‘shadow of the dragon’. They take what they need from kobold and surface dweller alike. They search for their own truth, a truth that does not always involve mysticism or magic.

In that search, a handful discover something wonderful; there is truth in the legends about kobolds having draconic blood. Away from the misinterpretations and pressures of the clans, the dragon shadow develops a unique perspective on and access to his racial heritage.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

To qualify to become a dragon shadow the character must fulfil all of the following criteria.
Skills: Hide 12 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks
Feats: Deft Hands, Stealthy

Class Skills

The dragon shadow’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Locks (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex) and Use Rope (Dex). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier

The Dragon Shadow

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak Attack +1d6, talon of shadows
2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Quick Craft Poison
3	+2	+1	+3	+1
4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Shadow Wing (50 ft.), Sneak Attack +2d6
5	+3	+1	+4	+1
6	+4	+2	+5	+2	Shadow Wing (100 ft.)
7	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +3d6
8	+6	+2	+6	+2	Shadow Wing (150 ft.)
9	+6	+3	+6	+3	Dragon’s Gaze
10	+7	+3	+7	+3	Shadow Wing (200 ft.), Sneak Attack +4d6, Whisper of the Dragon

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the dragon shadow.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A dragon shadow gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies.

Sneak Attack (Ex): This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every third level (1st, 4th, 7th and 10th). If the dragon shadow gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses on damage stack.

Talon of Shadows (Ex): At 1st level the dragon shadow learns the fi rst secret that the shadows have to teach; how to destroy the things that others hold dear. The dragon shadow adds his sneak attack damage to any attack against an unprotected object and may add his sneak attack damage to a sunder attack if he would ordinarily get that damage when attacking the target.

Quick Craft Poison (Ex): At 2nd level the dragon shadow learns how to transform his own blood and other fl uids into deadly poisons. When making poisons he may count daily progress in terms of silver pieces per day rather than copper pieces.

Shadow Wing (Su): At 4th level the dragon shadow’s freedom from the hindrances of his own culture starts to pay off. He develops the uncanny ability to glide without recourse to tools. For every 10 feet in height he drops he can cover 50 feet horizontally. This ratio increases to 10/100 feet at 6th level, 10/150 feet at 8th level, and 10/200 feet at 10th level. When the dragon shadow finally lands he must make a Tumble check or take damage as if he fell the entire vertical distance. The DC is 5 + 2 for every 10 feet of vertical travel.

Dragon’s Gaze (Su): At 9th level the dragon shadow doubles his darkvision range. He can also see though magical darkness and gains a +4 on Survival rolls to track living creatures if the tracks are less than one hour old.

Whisper of the Dragon (Ex): At 10th level the dragon shadow can spit poison as though he had a ‘dragon breather: black’ (see Kobold Tools) in his throat. He is automatically proficient with this weapon, and has double the normal range increment: 40 feet rather than 20 feet Additionally the dragon shadow does not need to make a Concentration check to avoid poisoning himself.

Dragon’s Child

The great Sigrun told her people that through proper discipline they could tap into the primal forces of creation, reclaiming their divine birthright. These disciplines, according to the great founder, will teach the kobold to first ascend to the heights once know by his forefathers, then move onward to the peaks stolen from them by the dragons themselves.

A kobold that will eventually become a dragon’s child believes this story with an absolute, unshakeable faith. He practices the beginning exercises every day. He mediates long into the night. When others grumble about a lack of food or play to relieve the tedium, he concentrates on his goal. Over time this single-minded dedication begins to pay off. He can move faster and strike harder than his fellows. His scales take on a golden sheen as his ‘inner dragon’ comes forth.

Eventually his dedication brings him to the attention of one of the dragon’s children, kobolds who are far along Sigrun’s path. One of these masters will approach the learner with an offer of aid. If the prospective dragon child refuses the offer he is deemed worthy of the great secrets. If he accepts it the master walks away, vowing to return only when the seeker is sure enough of his purpose to hold to his own course.

A dragon’s child serves his community as a living personification of what kobolds can become. His presence reminds others that they too can strive for perfection… and achieve it.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a dragon’s child the character must fulfil all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any lawful
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks
Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (grapple)

Class Skills

The dragon’s child class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

The Dragon’s Child

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+2	+2	+2	Hardening the Scales +1
2	+1	+3	+3	+3	The Eyes that See
3	+2	+3	+3	+3	Hardening the Scales +2
4	+3	+4	+4	+4	The Heart that Hears
5	+3	+4	+4	+4	Hardening the Scales +3
6	+4	+5	+5	+5	The Mind that Knows
7	+5	+5	+5	+5	Hardening the Scales +4
8	+6	+6	+6	+6	The Spirit that Guides
9	+6	+6	+6	+6	Hardening the Scales +5
10	+7	+7	+7	+7	Ascendant Spirit

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the dragon’s child.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A dragon’s child gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies.

Hardening the Scales (Ex): At 1st level the dragon’s child begins the process of hardening his outer body so that his inner self can emerge. He gains a +1 natural armour bonus. This bonus increases every two levels (+2 at 3rd, +3 at 5th, +4 at 7th, +5 at 9th). The bonus does stack with the kobold’s racial natural armour bonus, if applicable.

The Eyes That See (Sp): At 2nd level the dragon’s child can unleash the ‘spirit of his inner dragon’ in an offensive manner. In order to use this ability the dragon child targets one intelligent creature in a 60 foot range within line of sight. The target and the dragon’s child make a contested Concentration skill check. The character that fails the check is dazed for 1d4+1 rounds.

The Heart that Hears (Ex): At 4th level the dragon’s child develops a clear inner ‘vision’ of the world around him. He may substitute Spot for Search in any Search check, may detect a secret door or trap by passing within 5 feet of it, and gains tremorsense to 5 feet.

The Mind that Knows (Ex): At 6th level the dragon’s child gains access to the innermost thoughts of those he can see. This ability is not telepathy, but rather a keenly focused intuition about that individual’s motivation and potential actions. As a standard action the kobold may make a Sense Motive check contested by the target’s Bluff. If the kobold succeeds he gains a permanent +4 insight bonus to attacks directed at the target and on any skill check contested with the target. At the Game Master’s option the dragon’s child may also gain some discrete information about the target’s immediate intentions.
This ability can only be used on a specifi c target once per day.

The Spirit that Guides (Sp): At 8th level the dragon’s child develops an intense spiritual awareness of the world. He can use the following abilities at will: detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law and detect magic. Unlike the spells of the same name the dragon’s child does not need line of sight on a target to use this ability and can (after three rounds of concentration) localise an invisible creature.

Ascendant Spirit (Su): At 10th level the dragon’s child taps into the deepest reaches of the kobold’s racial power. His creature type changes from humanoid to dragon. He stops ageing and cannot be affected by spells targeting humanoid creatures. Furthermore he develops a frightful presence with a radius of 240 feet. This presence affects any creature with fewer HD than the dragon’s child has character levels. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ dragon’s child’s character level + dragon’s child’s Cha modifier) remains immune to the child’s presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons are immune to this effect.

Master of the Pit

Despite what everyone says the kobolds are not the lowest of the low. Spiders, scorpions, centipedes and other vermin do, in fact, usually rate lower in the grand scheme of things. Some kobolds take advantage of this, tormenting the vermin as they are tormented. A kobold that would become a master of the pit does not take this easy route. Instead he looks down at his feet and sees a wealth of possibilities. In the scuttling horde he finds allies in his long fight, and friends who can assist him against an uncaring world. As he grows and matures his ability to communicate with these foul creatures borders on the miraculous. Eventually he starts to deal with larger and larger versions of his little fi ends, until fi nally he works with creatures so large that they dwarf human houses.

There are no organisations or groups that train a prospective master of the pit. Each must learn his mastery on his own, taking risks with dangerous creatures that might turn on him at any moment. If he survives he advances. If he fails then he becomes food for his friends.

A kobold tribe with a master of the pit in residence gains an uneasy alliance with some of the most dangerous creatures imaginable. Although they may lose the occasional pup or elder, most tribes consider the danger worth the reward. Having a host of giant spiders appear in the middle of a conflict with local farmers turns the tides of battle quite nicely.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

To qualify to become a master of the pit the character must fulfil all of the following criteria.
Alignment: At least one neutral component
Skills: Handle Animal 9 ranks, Survival 9 ranks
Spellcasting: Ability to cast conjuration spells

Class Skills

The master of the pit’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Speak Language (Int) and Spellcraft (Int). See SRD for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

The Master of the Pit

Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per day
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Spider’s Gambit, Vermin Empathy	+1 existing class level
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Vermin Friend
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Inherit trick – Build	+1 existing class level
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Master of the Pit
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Inherit trick – Consume	+1 existing class level
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bind Vermin
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	Inherit trick – Heel	+1 existing class level
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	Bloody Venom
9	+4	+3	+3	+6	Inherit trick – Attack	+1 existing class level
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Lord of the Pit

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the master of the pit.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A master of the pit gains no new weapon or armour proficiencies.

Spells per Day: The master of the pit’s magical power continues to grow as he gains levels. Thus when every odd numbered master of the pit level is gained the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in the arcane or divine spell casting class he belonged to before he became a master of the pit. He does not gain any other benefi ts that a caster of that class would have gained (improved saves, bonus feats, etc.) This essentially means that he adds one half (rounded up) of his master of the pit levels to the level of one of his arcane or divine spell casting classes. For example, Gunther, a 6th level cleric/8th level master of the pit casts spells as a 10th level cleric.

Spider’s Gambit (Su): At 1st level the master of the pit may summon vermin with summon monster or summon nature’s ally spells. Vermin summoned in this fashion gain a +1 bonus Armour Class.

Vermin Empathy (Ex): At 1st level the master of the pit gains vermin empathy, an ability similar to wild empathy but targeting vermin. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person (see SRD). The master of the pit rolls 1d20 and adds his master of the pit level and his Charisma modifier to determine the vermin empathy check result. If the character has levels in a class that grants wild empathy he may add his levels in that class to his master of the pit levels for this roll. If the character can already use wild empathy on vermin then he gains a further +2 bonus to his vermin empathy roll.

Vermin Friend (Ex): At 2nd level the master has extended his intrinsic empathy with vermin to the point where they will not attack unless provoked. If the master attacks vermin it will fight back, but otherwise vermin never react in anything worse than a neutral manner.

Inherit trick (Ex): Starting a 3rd level when the master of the pit makes an Animal Handling skill check to handle or push vermin, all of his vermin are considered to know a small set of tricks. At 3rd level all of his vermin ‘know’ the build trick in addition to any other tricks they may know. At 5th they ‘learn’ consume, at 7th heel and at 9th attack. The master does not have to push them to get them to perform these tricks, regardless of their level of intelligence or training.

Master of the Pit (Ex): At 4th level the master continues to extend his empathy with the lowest of all creatures. He can handle (using Animal Handling) multiple vermin at once, up to ½ his master of the pit level.

Bind Vermin (Ex): At 6th level the master of the pit’s empathy has developed to the point where using vermin empathy is a free action. Furthermore he can handle vermin as a free action, or push them as a move action.

Bloody Venom (Ex): At 8th level the master of the pit becomes immune to venom. Not only is he immune, but his blood has actually become quite dangerous to other creatures. Any creature striking the master of the pit with a melee attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ the master of the pit’s character level + the master of the pit’s Con modifier) or suffer from a 1 Con poison damage + 1d4 Con after 10 rounds.

Lord of the Pit (Su): At 10th level the master of the pit gains the ability to command vermin using the same rules, as a cleric turns undead. The master of the pit may perform this action a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.