Atomic Adept

The splitting of the atom is a test by which the might of nations is judged. Magical practitioners who have learned to manipulate nuclear energy are known as atomic adepts and they are feared for their mastery of such a verboten power. Atomic energy is a cruel mistress, powerful and seductive but deadly to those who court her.

**HIT DICE: D8**

All things “atomic” are typically the purview of science fiction rather than traditional fantasy
setting. This class assumes that nuclear energy can be tapped into by magical means. Adding
this element to your game can impart a new thematic aspect to your game. Is your game a
post-apocalyptic wasteland? Do you have a high-tech magocracy where magic is a stand in
for military power? If so an atomic adept will fit right in. However, that being said, an atomic

**ROLE:** Atomic adepts are masters of inflicting debilitating status effects and come with
a suite of radioactive spells to back them up. Their attacks blight areas, leaving them
radioactive for hours afterwards. They also retain the ability to wear up to heavy armor,
making them able to survive on the front line. Atomic adepts work on the principle of risk vs
reward. They gain radiation, flirting with oblivion when they cast spells or use class features,
and always risk a critical meltdown that can kill them if they are not careful!

**ALIGNMENT:** Any

**STARTING WEALTH:** 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp.). In addition, each character begins play with
an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

**CLASS SKILLS:** The atomic adept’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Heal (Wis),
Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and
Use Magic Device (Cha).

**SKILL RANKS** **PER LEVEL: 4 + INT MODIFIER.**

### **CLASS FEATURES**

The following are the class features of the atomic adept.

### **WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY**

The atomic adept is proficient with all simple weapons and with all armor
(heavy, light, and medium) but not with any shields. An atomic adept does
not suffer arcane spell failure chance in light armor.

### **RADIATION**

The atomic adept uses a new mechanic known as radiation.
Whenever they cast a spell or use a class feature that
causes radiation damage it inflicts “rads” on both the target
of the ability and the caster, although typically the caster
receives a lower dose. The amount is specified in the spell or
ability. Rads do not decrease naturally, though magic may be
employed to reduce a creature’s rad count. The total number
of rads a target has is called a “rad count”. If the rad count
of a creature reaches a certain level it is inflicted with some
negative conditions (see Table 2-2: Radiation Effects).

COUNT
 200-499
 500-999
 1000-1999
 2000-2999
 3000+
For every 100 rads over 3000 the DC is improved by 1.

\*Negative levels caused by this are temporary rather than permanent negative levels.

### **REDUCING RADS**

The following spells have the following impact on the rad count of a creature.

* *Cure Disease:* Removes 100 x caster level of rads per casting.

* Neutralize Poison: Removes 500 x caster level of rads per casting.

* *Delay Poison:* Removes all ill effects of rads for the duration of the spell but does not reduce the rad count.

* *Poison Immunity:* A creature that is immune to poison cannot gain rads.

* *Detect Poison and Deathwatch:* This spell tells the caster how many rads the target has.

* *Rest:* You drop a number of rads per day equal to the amount healed from bed rest.

### **RESISTING RADS**

A creature with a combined armor and shield bonus to their AC of 3 or greater or a natural
armor bonus of 4 or greater takes half the normal dose of rads from an attack. This
reduction can also reduce rads normally imparted to the caster.

### **NUCLEAR STRIKE (SP)**

As a standard action an atomic adept can let loose a ray of atomic energy
to vaporize a target within 30 feet (+ 5 feet per atomic adept level after 1st
level). A nuclear strike inflicts 1d6 radiation damage at 1st level - this damage
increases by an additional 1d6 at every odd level thereafter to a maximum of
10d6 at 19th level. This is a ray attack and additionally inflicts a number of
rads on the target equal to x2 the atomic adept’s level. The atomic adept also
receives a number of rads equal to his atomic adept level. An atomic adept
may safely perform a nuclear strike once per day per atomic adept level +1
additional time per day equal to his Intelligence modifier. Each time thereafter
he takes x2 his atomic adept level in rads in place of the normal amount.

Attacks that deal damage due to radiation deal negative energy damage that does
not heal undead. It may be referred to as radiation damage, though this is simply
shorthand to state that it is negative energy damage with those specific qualities.

### **SPELLS**

An atomic adept casts arcane spells drawn from the atomic adept’s spell list. An atomic
adept can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time and he knows all spells
an atomic adept of his level has access to.

An atomic adept can cast as many atomic adept spells as he wishes per day. Casting a spell
inflicts 10 x spell level in rads on him, unless otherwise stated. The rads are inflicted before a
spell goes off.

Every time an atomic adept casts a spell he rolls a d100 and adds the spell level to the
roll. If the result is ever 100 or higher, he goes into “meltdown” (see below). If the result is
less than 100, the spell is cast without issue, but he adds the spell’s level to the “meltdown
modifier”. He always adds his meltdown modifier to the d100 rolls he makes to cast spells. His
meltdown modifier resets when he goes into a meltdown or when he rests for 8 hours.

If he ever goes into a meltdown, his spell fails and he suffers a nuclear strike (as if cast by
himself) and gains 10 x his atomic adept level in rads. In addition, he creates an irradiated
zone with a radius of 20 feet centered on him. Creatures who enter the irradiated zone
gain 20 rads per round at the start of their turn. A zone remains irradiated for 2 hours per
atomic adept level.

To cast a spell, the atomic adept must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the
spell level. An atomic adept knows any spell on his spell list that he can cast. The Difficulty
Class for a saving throw against an atomic adept’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the atomic
adept’s Intelligence modifier.

### **ATOMIC TALENTS**

Starting at 2nd level and every even level thereafter, the atomic adept gains an atomic
talent.

(Atomic Talents can be found here)

### **ALPHA RADIATION**

At 3rd level, the atomic adept’s radiation pierces through thicker armor. Only a combined
armor and shield bonus of 4 or greater or a natural armor bonus of 5 or greater reduce rads
by half if cast by an atomic adept of 3rd level or higher. This affects the caster’s rad gain as
well.

### **BETA RADIATION**

At 6th level, the atomic adept’s radiation pierces through thicker armor. Only a combined
armor and shield bonus of 6 or greater or a natural armor bonus of 7 or greater reduce rads
by half if cast by an atomic adept of 6th level or higher. This affects the caster’s rad gain as
well.

### **GAMMA RADIATION**

At 9th level, the atomic adept’s radiation pierces through thicker armor. Only a combined
armor and shield bonus of 9 or greater or a natural armor bonus of 10 or greater reduce
rads by half if cast by an atomic adept of 9th level or higher. This affects the caster’s rad
gain as well.

### **DOOMSDAY (SU)**

At 20th level, when an atomic adept goes critical he may chose to instead cause a doomsday
explosion. This is an atomic detonation that causes 2d6 damage per atomic adept level to
all creatures and objects within 1 mile per atomic level. Creatures destroyed by this are
disintegrated (as per the disintegrate spell). This leaves an irradiated zone equal to half the
size of the explosion. Creatures in this irradiated zone take a number of rads equal to the
atomic adept’s level per round.