Blighter

Blighters bring desolation wherever they tread.

**Alignment:** Any nongood

**Special:** The character must be an ex-druid previously capable of casting 3rd-level druid spells, Profession skill must be *herbalist*.

#### Class Features

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Blighters gain no weapon or armor proficiencies.

**Spells per Day:** Since blighters are ex-druids, they lose their druid spellcasting abilities. However, they gain access to new, more destructive spells. At each blighter level, the character gains spells per day according to Table 2-3. She must choose her spells from the blighter spell list. The blighter’s caster level is equal to her blighter level plus her druid level.

To cast a blighter spell, a blighter must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so a blighter with a Wisdom of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Blighter bonus spells are based on Wisdom, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the blighter’s Wisdom modifier. When the blighter gets 0 spells per day of a given level (for instance 2nd-level spells for a 2nd-level blighter), she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Wisdom score for that spell level. A blighter has access to any spell on the list and can freely choose which to prepare, just as a druid. A blighter prepares and casts spells just as a druid does (though a blighter cannot spontaneously cast *summon* spells).

The blighter gains access to her daily spells through *deforestation* (see below). If she goes more than 24 hours without deforesting a wooded area, she cannot cast spells until she does so.

The default divine focus for any spell cast by a blighter is a desiccated sprig of holly or mistletoe. Any material component for a blighter’s spell must have been dead for at least a day before use.

**Deforestation (Sp):** A blighter can kill all nonsentient plant life within a radius of 20 feet per blighter level as a full-round action once per day. If a potentially affected plant is under the control of another (such as a druid’s *liveoak* or a dryad’s home tree), the controller can make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + blighter level + blighter’s Wis modifier) to keep it alive. Affected plants immediately cease photosynthesis, root tapping, and all other methods of sustenance. Like picked flowers, they appear vibrant for several hours, but within a day, they turn brown and wither. Except for plants selected by a controller, nothing can grow in a deforested area until it has a *hallow* spell cast upon it and it is reseeded.

Deforestation enables a blighter to cast her daily allotment of spells. This ability works in any terrain, but deforesting a sandy desert, ice floe, or other environment with only sparse vegetation does not empower the character to cast spells.

**Blightfire (Su):** Starting at 2nd level, as a standard action, a blighter can unleash a scorching blast of fire. This effect deals 5d6 points of fire damage to all creatures within 10 feet (Reflex half; save DC is 10 + blighter’s class level + blighter’s Wis modifier) and ignites flammable objects it touches. Blighters delight in starting wildfires and often use this ability to do so.

**Sustenance (Ex):** At 2nd level and higher, a blighter no longer needs food or water to survive.

**Undead Wild Shape (Sp):** At 3rd level, the blighter gains a version of the wild shape ability. *Undead wild shape* functions like the druid’s wild shape ability, except that the blighter adds the skeleton template to the animal form he chooses to transform into. The blighter’s animal form is altered as follows:

— Type changes to undead.

— Natural armor bonus is +0 (Tiny animal), +1 (Small), +2 (Medium or Large), or +3 (Huge).

— +2 Dexterity, no Constitution score.

— Immunity to cold.

— Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning.

The blighter gains one extra use per day of this ability at every even blighter level after 3rd. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large skeletal animal at 5th level and a Huge skeletal animal at 9th level.

**Speak with Dead Animal (Sp):** Starting at 4th level, a blighter can converse with dead animals. This ability functions like a *speak with dead* spell cast by a cleric of a level equal to the total of the character’s druid and blighter levels, except that it affects only corpses of animal creatures. It is usable once per day.

**Contagious Touch (Su):** At 5th level and higher, a blighter can produce an effect like that of a *contagious touch* spell once per day. She gains one extra use per day of this ability for every two additional blighter levels she acquires.

**Animate Dead Animal (Sp):** This ability, gained at 6th level, functions like an *animate dead* spell, except that it affects only corpses of animal creatures and requires no material component. It is usable once per day.

**Unbond (Sp):** Beginning at 8th level, a blighter can temporarily separate a bonded animal or magical beast (such as an animal companion, familiar, or mount) from its master once per day. The target creature must be within 40 feet of both its master and the blighter. If the master fails a Will save (DC 10 + blighter level + blighter’s Wis modifier), the bond terminates as if the servitor had died, though this does not cause experience loss in the case of a familiar. Normally hostile creatures attack their masters but are otherwise unaffected. The bond returns after 1 minute per blighter level, restoring all benefits. Alternatively, the master can regain the servitor through the normal methods of acquisition.

**Plague (Su):** At 10th level and higher, a blighter can spread disease over a large area. This ability functions like the contagious touch ability, except that no attack roll is required and it affects all targets the blighter designates within a 20-foot radius. Plague is usable once per day.