Esotericist

**Esotericist (**鬼蜮觋)

Prime Requisites: WIS, CHA

Requirements: WIS 9, CHA 9

Hit Dice: d4

Maximum Level: 14

A loremaster seeks knowledge; a esotericist seeks power, and stops at nothing in this pursuit. He will make alliances with dark beings, pursue forbidden lore, and even sacrifice his own humanity for the sake of eldritch and worldly might. Many esotericists seek to plumb the secrets of dusty tombs, forgotten crypts, and hidden sanctums, but few do so for heroic motives. These practices are reviled and condemned in Lawful society, so esotericists in these societies often pursue twin existences, manipulating and charming their way into positions of public authority while leading dark cults in the shadows, manipulating their followers to achieve the esotericists' own ends. More sinister societies may respect or revere esotericists, and many openly assume positions of power in those civilizations.

**Weapons and Armor:** An esotericist's greatest strengths are of manipulation and subversion, advancing their own position through skillful flattery, gilded lies, and discreet spells; they typically consider physical combat beneath them, and undergo little training in it. At first level, esotericists hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws only two points every six levels of experience (i.e. the same progression as mages), though they advance in saving throws by two points every four levels (i.e. as clerics). They may only fight with daggers, darts, clubs, or slings. They are unable to use shields, fight with two weapons or two-handed weapons, or wear any kind of armor. For these reasons, esotericists tend to avoid personally fighting, and many esotericists prefer their party members or minions to take the lion's share of risk in personal combat.

**Class Features:**

* **1st Level:Ensnaring Aura** - An esotericist learns how to project his powers in a way that causes awe in those that share his presence. He gains a +2 bonus to reaction rolls to impress and intimidate people he encounters. If this bonus results in a total of 12 or more, the subjects act as if *charmed* while in his presence.

* **2nd Level: Divine Spellcasting** - Starting at 2nd level, esotericists are able to cast divine spells using the spell list below, and may engage in magical research and item creation as clerics. They may use any magical items usable by clerics.
* **2nd Level: Quiet Magic -** An esotericist knows how to cast their spells with minimal words and gestures so as to avoid being detected with their manipulations. A successful proficiency throw to hear noise is required to hear them cast spells. Full gagging is necessary to prevent them from working magic.
* **3rd Level***:* **Secrets of the Dark Arts** - The esotericist unlocks advanced secrets of the necromantic arts, increasing his power over death. He may control undead as a Chaotic cleric of one half his class level (round up). If the esotericist casts spells that require a saving throw versus Death, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on the save. When the esotericist casts necromancy spells, the spell effects are calculated as if he were two levels higher than his actual caster level. The esotericist may conduct necromantic research as if he were two class levels higher. If the esotericist takes the Black Lore of Zahar proficiency, he may control undead as a Chaotic cleric of 2/3 his class level, and the saving throw penalty for targets of his Death spells increases to -3.
* **5th Level: Research Spells, Scribe Scrolls, and Brew Potions**
* **5th Level: Utter Domination** - Esotericists' dominating personalities enforce total obedience upon those close to them. An esotericist’s henchmen have base morale scores of +4 and no longer make morale rolls upon suffering calamities. (Unlike the Command proficiency or Battlefield Prowess power, this power does not affect mercenaries).
* **5th Level: Diplomacy and Protocol** - An esotericist's adroit use of flattery, sophistry, and lying provides a +2 bonus on all reaction rolls when they attempt to parley with intelligent creatures (as per the Diplomacy proficiency).
* **6th Level: Arcane Craft Lore** - A esotericist's studies into alternative magics allow him to fuse his creation of magical items with arcane secrets. He gains a +1 bonus to magical research throws. Additionally, he is able to use arcane scrolls and potions to supply the spell(s) used for a magic item's desired effect, though the scrolls and potions are consumed in the creation attempt.
* **6th Level: Mastery of Charms and Illusions** - When the esotericist casts charm or illusion spells, the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. Targets of his charm spells suffer a -2 penalty to their saving throw, as do those who attempt to disbelieve his illusions.
* **7th Level:** **Grip on Mortality** - The esotericist's bargains with chaotic gods to delay the grip of death allow him to reroll on the Tampering with Mortality table if an undesired result is rolled when he casts Restore Life and Limb, or if that spell is cast on him. The second roll must be kept, even if less desired than the previous roll.
* **9th Level: Craft Permanent Magic Items, Create Necromantic Servants, and Become Undead**
* **9th Level: Scion of Chaos** - Powerful esotericists are marked by Chaos, gaining a +2 bonus to reaction rolls when encountering intelligent chaotic monsters. Intelligent chaotic monsters suffer a -2 penalty to saving throws against any charm spells cast by an esotericist.
* **9th Level: Girding the Help -** An esotericist is adept at creating magic items that empower his minions to carry out his commands. He gains a +1 to magical research throws, and is able to make magical weapon and armor types that he cannot personally wield.
* **9th Level: After the Flesh** - The esotericist makes preparations to sacrifice his own humanity in pursuit of eldrich might. If transformed into intelligent undead, a esotericist retains their class abilities and any racial powers. Once transformed, the esotericist may continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, even past level 14.
* **9th Level: Build Chaos Citadel** (Fortified Church) - The esotericist may buy or build his chaos citadel at half the normal price due to calling in favors from those he has influenced, and by getting patronage from those eager to secure his occult intervention. Once a chaos citadel is established, the esotericist’s reputation will spread and he will attract 5d6x10 0th level soldiers armed with various weapons, plus another 1d6 chaotic divine spellcasters of 1st-3rd level of the same tradition to serve his cult. The esotericist’s followers are completely loyal (morale +4), and need not be paid wages. Esotericist’s chaos citadels are otherwise identical to cleric’s fortified temples, as detailed in the **Campaign** chapter of the ***ACKS*** Rulebook.
* **11th Level: Learn and Cast Divine Rituals,** **Build Constructs**
* **11th Level: Ritual Visions** - With the esotericist's rise in power, chaos beings send him visions containing the echoes of mighty rituals worked in ages past so that he might enact great destruction and ruin upon mortal realms.The esotericist is able to learn and cast ritual magic at half the usual base time and cost.

**Esotericist Level Progression**

 1250
 2500
 5000
 10000
 20000
 40000
 80000
 180000
 280000
 380000
 480000
 580000
 680000

**Esotericist Attack and Saving Throws**

& Paralysis
Death
Breath
Wands
 3-4
 5-6
 7-8
 9
 10
 11-12
 13-14

**Divine Spell Progression**

Spell Level
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10
 11
 12
 13
 14

**Class Proficiency List** (select one at 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th Levels)

Alchemy, Apostasy, Arcane Dabbling, Battle Magic, Beast Friendship, Black Lore of Zahar, Bribery, Contemplation, Diplomacy, Divine Blessing, Divine Health, Eavesdropping, Elven Bloodline, Familiar, Knowledge, Hedge Wizardry, Intimidation, Laying on Hands, Leadership, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Prestidigitation, Prophesy, Second Sight, Sensing Evil, Sensing Power, Unflappable Casting, Village Wisdom

**Divine Spell List**

**1st:** Cause Fear, Cause Light Wounds\*, Command Word, Darkness, Detect Danger, Detect Magic, Detect Good\*, Detect Poison, Faerie Fire, Protection from Good\*, Read Languages, Shield

**2nd:** Augury, Bane\*, Chameleon, Choking Grip, Hold Person, Holy Chant, Necromantic Potence, Silence 15' Radius, Silent Step, Sleep, Undetectable Charm\*, Ventriloquism

**3rd:** Alter Self, Bestow Curse\*, Cause Disease\*, Charm Person, ESP, Glyph of Warding, Hypnotic Pattern, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force, Speak with Dead, Undetectable Curse\*

**4th:** Animate Dead, Clairaudience, Control Undead, Dispel Magic, Divination, Hold Monster, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Nondetection, Poison\*, Skinchange, Telepathy, Tongues\*

**5th:** Charm Monster, Confusion, Command Person, Commune, Dimension Door, Fear, Finger of Death\*, Quest\*, Scry, Spectral Force, True Seeing, Wizard Eye

*spells marked with \* are reversible*

**Esotericist Templates**

(*Equipment as matching 3d6 roll on Warlock Templates table, without spellbook or familiar, ACKS Player's Companion, p. 72)*

Esotericist notes: The vulture familiar is treated as a hawk.