Ancient

Ancient

A Base Class for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

An ancient is someone whose old soul who seeks to awaken themselves to greater magical understanding through ritual and magical practices. There is a pervasive belief that we are all rusted souls, continually reincarnated time after time. Ancients are masters of past-life regression and those who use such skills awaken the composite voice of generations that have come before are privy to some of the universe’s earliest secrets. This affords them access to a very raw and powerful, but highly ritualistic, form of early magic that none but them truly understand.

As an ancient grows the horde of ancient voices in their mind, they are required to impose floodgates to stem the tide of knowledge through self-discipline. Those who fail become catatonic, lost in the ocean of information- a single soul adrift in the vastness of the sum total of experiences of tens of thousands of lives. Even the most disciplined mind cannot suffer this kind of spiritual assault for very long and they are eventually prematurely aged as they unlock deeper and deeper experiences.

At first the ancient is privy only to the experiences, vague concepts and inspirations, of some of their previous lives (typically similar humanoids or the odd animal). However, as they learn to tap deeper into the recesses of their soul they find memories of times when they were other things like single cell organisms or outsiders. Maybe their soul contains the odd shard of a dead god or a powerful aberrant creature so strange they it flips the ancient’s world view on their head.

Slowly but surely an ancient ceases to be an individual and begins to become an amalgam personality of all the forms they had in the past. This composite personality is older and wiser than any who have come before it and tends looks upon the world in an aloof and detached fashion. They no longer see divisions like station, profession, religion, nationality, gender, species, or any other social construct as valid. When you have been a human, a dwarf, an elf, a zebra, and amoeba how can you be racist?

Hit Dice: D6.

Role: Ancients can provide a number of useful 24 hour buff spells known as rituals to their allies, though only one at a time. An ancient’s spells have long durations but even longer casting times so much of an ancient’s turn is spent casting spells, though they have a number of ways to more quickly cast these powerful spells.

Alignment: Any Lawful

Ancients are subject to a constant barrage of information and sensations from the millions of lives their souls has experienced. They require strict discipline to keep these things in check and those who fail to do so are lost to the madness it can invoke- dissolving into the host within their soul and remaining lost forever. Ancients who lose the Lawful aspect of their alignment are unable to cast spells. If they gain a Chaotic alignment, they are rendered catatonic. While in this catatonic state (which is the same as sleeping) an ancient can attempt a Will save (DC 15 + 1/2 ancient level) once per day to start to regain control of their mind and separate their individually from the rest of the being within them. They require 5 successful saves to shift their alignment back to neutral (on the Chaotic / Lawful axis). An atonement spell counts as 3 successful saves per casting.

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 ancient’s class skills are Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table #-1: The Ancient

## Class Features

The following are the class features of the ancient.

## Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

The ancient is proficient with all simple weapons but with no other weapon or armor. Armor interferes with an ancient’s gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.

## Cycle of Rebirth (Sp):

Each time an ancient gains a new level, he may voluntarily reincarnate. While he may elect not to do this, if he does he is subject to a race change as described in the reincarnate spell. The ancient need not be dead, he simply performs a small ritual that takes 1 hour and has no material components. An ancient who reincarnates in this fashion does not take any negative levels or lose any spells.

While performing this ritual he may select one race on the chart as his prefered race. Once he had completed the ritual he may roll a d% prior to the one used to determine his race via the reincarnate spell). If he rolls higher than 75% - 10 per ancient level, he is his prefered race (rather than rolling on the chart in the reincarnate spell). If he gets lower than this value, he rolls as per normal. The ancient may also choose the gender of his new form.

As he progresses in level he may request more exotic, though not more powerful, races as his prefered race (even if it is not on the chart). This is subject to his GMs approval and is typically a race of equal or less racial points (see The Pathfinder Race Guide for more information).

If the ancient does not wish to be any of the races on the list or finds that the list in reincarnate is not a good representation of races in the setting- he may create a more exotic or appropriate list that is subject to his GM’s approval (or the GM may create one).

## Sea of Voices (Su):

Though a mastery of past-life regression, an ancient’s mind is flooded by a sea of voices speaking a thousand languages and offering a million insights. Only through mental discipline bordering on self-hypnosis can a ancient filter out the irrelevant ones. As a free action an ancient may grant himself insights from the myriad voices in their mind. After activating this he treats one skill as a class skill with a number of ranks in it equal to his ancient level for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom modifier. An ancient can do this a number of times per day equal to his ancient level.

## Spells:

An ancient casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the ancient spell list . He can cast any spell from the ancient spell list without preparing it ahead of time (though spells on the ancient spell list typically have a very long casting time). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an ancient’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the ancient’s Wisdom modifier.

Metamagics reduce the effective caster level of a ancient's spell rather than increase the spell level (and spell slot required). For every 1 level that a spell would increase a spell's level, decrease the effective caster level of the ancient by 2. Ancient spells cannot be used to create spell completion magic items, such as scrolls, potions, and wands.

Unlike other casters, spells cast by an ancient do not have a set spell level. For effects that determine the level of a spell (such as counter-spelling, saves, etc), spells cast by an ancient are assumed to be of a spell level equal to 1/2 their ancient level.

Ancients use chronological points to cast spells. Once every hour, on the hour, an ancient gains 1 chronological point. 1 chronological point can be used to cast any of the ancient’s spells. At 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter they gain 1 extra chronological point every hour to a maximum of 7 chronological points per hour at 19th level (as indicated on Table #-1: The Ancient). An ancient may hold a maximum of 5x his class level in chronological points at any given time. An ancient gains chronological points even while unconscious, incapacitated, mindless, or sleeping, but not while he is dead.

## Manifestation:

At 2nd level an ancient can cause a surge of raw magical energy that allows them to bypass the long rituals normally associated with their spells. Once per day an ancient can cast a spell for their spell list as a standard action rather than with it’s listed casting time. If the spell is a ritual, the creature it is cast upon does not need to partake in the verbal or somatic components as well (only the ancient).

At 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter he may do this one additional time per day to a maximum of 7 times per day at 20th level.

## Ritualist:

At 3rd level an ancient can shift one active ritual they have cast on an ally within 30 feet of them to another ritual they know (example ritual of protection could be come ritual of empowerment) though the duration remains the same (only the bonus changes).

At 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter he may do this one additional time per day to a maximum of 6 times per day at 18th level.

## Weight of Ages (Su):

At 3rd level, an ancient can cause a cause a creature who meets their glowing eyes to be stunned. As a move action an ancient can grant himself a gaze attack with a 30 foot radius until the start of their next turn. Any enemy creature who meets their gaze experiences some of the mentals pressures the ancient is under from the torrents of pasts lives awakened within it. The creature must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 ancient level + Wisdom modifier) or be staggered until the end of their next turn. This is a mind-affecting effect. An ancient may do this a number of times per day equal to their ancient level.

## Ancient Secrets:

At 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter, an ancient becomes privy to a secret from the uncounted lives below. While many of the things he learns are mundane there are rare gems of insight that change the way he casts his spells or otherwise manifests his power.

* Improved Ritual of Resistance: Creatures who benefit from your ritual of resistance also are treated as if they had the evasion class feature of the monk (see Chapter 3 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook) or the stalwart class feature of the Inquisitor (see Chapter X of the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide). The choice of evasion or stalwart is chosen by the ancient casting the improved ritual.
* Improved Ritual of Protection: Creatures who benefit from your ritual of protection also have a 20% miss chance against incoming attacks.
* Improved Ritual of Empowerment: Creatures who benefit from your ritual of empowerment also re-roll any failed critical confirmation rolls.
* Improved Ritual of Flourishing Life: Creatures who benefit from your ritual of flourishing life also may spend a move action to heal themselves 2 hp x the ancient’s level. A creature may not benefit from this healing more than a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier.
* Improved Ritual of Skill: Creatures who benefit from your ritual of skill also roll twice and take the better result on the associated skill.
* Improved Ritual of Retribution: Creatures who benefit from your ritual of retribution also cause their attackers to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 ancient level + Wisdom modifier) after the first attack they make against the creature benefiting from this ritual during a round. If the attacker fails the save they are shaken until the end of the attacker’s next turn.
* Improved Ritual of Sight: When the ancient casts ritual of sight they also benefit from the effects of the spell as if it had been cast on themselves. The choice between detect magic and deathwatch may be made independently for both the caster and initial recipient of the spell’s benefits.
* Improved Old Soul: When you cast the old soul spell the DC of the Spellcraft check is reduced to 15 and the DC of the associated Will save is 2 higher.
* Improved Storm of Change: When you cast the storm of change spell you may select it’s effect rather than rolling randomly to determine it.
* Improved Ancient Fury: When you cast the ancient fury spell you add your Wisdom modifier to your damage roll and gain a bonus equal to 1/5 your ancient level on attack rolls made with this spell.
* Improved Fountain of Youth: When you cast the fountain of healing spell allies are healed for an extra 2 hit points per caster level (total of 7) and the casting time for this spell is reduced to 30 minutes.
* Improved Sphere of Safety: When you cast the sphere of safety spell, the entire area is camouflaged. Creatures and their belongings, including the campfire, within the sphere are rendered invisible to all creatures outside the sphere. In addition, creatures who rest for 8 hours are nourished as if they ate a wonderful meal.
* Improved Magical Rupture: When you cast the magical rupture spell, it turns from a 30 foot cone to a 60 foot cone. Alternatively you can cause this to be a 90 foot line. In addition, you may exclude a number of creatures from the area of this effect equal to your Wisdom modifier.
* Master Ritualist: Select one ritual. You may cast this ritual as a full round action (rather than in 1 minute). This may be selected multiple times. Each time you take it, it applies to a different ritual. In addition, you may “invert” this ritual. This causes the bonus applied by this spell to become a penalty to a target when cast inverted. An inverted ritual does not require the caster to use verbal or somatic components and allows for a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + Wisdom modifier) to negate the effect as well as spell resistance.
* Primal Magic Shell: You gain a feintly visible sphere that surrounds your person. It can be detected with a DC 20 Perception check. You gain spell resistance 10 + your caster level. This only applies against arcane spells.
* Lord of Age: The DC of your spell is considered to be 2 higher for creatures of a younger age category.
* Menagerie of Souls: For every level of ancient you have, select 1 subtype. You have memories of life as a creature of this type from one or more of your past lives that you have explored in depth. When making Knowledge checks to identify creatures of this subtype, add 1/2 your ancient level as an insight bonus. You gain a bonus on attack rolls against a creature of this subtype equal to 1/4 your ancient level.
* Soul Speech (Ex/Sp): You gain 1 bonus language per level of ancient you possess. In addition, you gain the ability to use telepathic bond as a spell like ability a number of times a day equal to your Wisdom modifier.
* Youthful Vitality: Reduce any penalties you incur from age categories by half (minimum -1).
* Past Life Possession (Su): You allow your own consciousness to be overtaken by one of your past lives and you will remain possessed for 1d6 rounds. At the end of this duration, roll 1d4. If you roll a 1, you are continued to be possessed for another 1d6 rounds. This repeats until you do not roll a 1 on the 1d4 roll. It is a swift action to allow yourself to become possessed by one of your past lives. While this other personality is in charge you can grant yourself one of the following benefits:

* 1. +1/2 ancient level insight bonus on attack rolls and a +2 on damage rolls with melee weapons.
	2. +1/4  ancient level insight bonus on 3 skills of your choice.
	3. Gain a +4 bonus to a mental ability score of your choice.

However, while in this possessed state you are not in control of yourself. When you become possessed roll 1d10 to determine the alignment of the past life possessing you:

1. Lawful Good

2. Neutral Good

3. Chaotic Good

4. Lawful Neutral

5. Neutral

6. Chaotic Neutral

7. Lawful Evil

8. Neutral Evil

9. Chaotic Evil

10. The same as yours

Each turn you must make either a Diplomacy, Intimidate, or caster level check (DC 20) to convince the past life possessing you to do what you wish. If not, the GM decides what the possessing past life will do. While this is typically not dangerous towards the party or to the ancient himself- it doesn’t always have to be helpful. If the ancient selected the attack roll bonus, the past life was a warrior who seeks thrilling and challenging combat. If the ancient selected the skill bonus, the past life was obsessed with this and will dedicate at least a move or standard action towards using one of the skills. If the character selected the mental ability score bonus they will attempt to dedicate at least a move or standard action towards using a skills associated with that ability score.

## Premature Aging (Ex/Pn):

Starting at 5th level the ancient begins to feel the effects of the burden of all those past lives in his head. His individuality starts to degrade and the spiritual stress on his soul begins to age him. He ages 1 age category at 5th level and 1 additional age category every 5 levels thereafter as influences from tens of thousands of previous forms begin to merge into their psyche. If, at 5th level, he is not of middle age, he became middle aged as a result of this class feature. If at any point this class feature would cause him to be become older than venerable, he instead becomes “ancient”. If at any point this class feature would cause him to be become older than ancient, this class feature has no effect.

In addition, an ancient can never die from old age or be aged magically.

### Statistical Adjustments for Aging

Young\* to Middle Aged:

* Bonus:+1 to Int, Wis, and Cha
* Penalty: -1 to Str, Dex, and Con

Middle Aged to Old

* Penalty: -2 to Str, Dex, and Con

Old to Venerable

* Penalty: -3 to Str, Dex, and Con

Venerable to Ancient

* Bonus:+2 to Int, Wis, and Cha
* Penalty: -1 to Str, Dex, and Con

* Any age category younger than middle aged.

Note: The bonus and penalties stack. By ancient a character has a total of -7 to Str, Dex, and Con and +3 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

## Eternal Youth (Ex):

At 10th level, reduce any penalties you incur from age categories by half (minimum -1). If the ancient has the youthful vitality secret he never suffers any penalties associated with age categories.

## Great Old One (Ex):

At 20th level, an ancient recoveries chronological points every 10 minutes rather than every hour. In addition, if you are not already of the ancient age category you gain the benefits of being of ancient age even if you are not yet old enough to be considered such.

## Table #-2: Ancient Favored Class Bonus

It should be noted that once selected, the ancient gain the favored class bonus of the race he was when he first took levels in the ancient class, not his current race.

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