Blackguard

<color=Gold>**Blackguard**</color>

The Black Guard epitomizes evil. Consorting with demons and devils and serving dark deities, the Black Guard is hated and feared by all. The Black Guard has many options available to him--sending forth dark minions and servants to do his bidding, attacking with stealth and honorless guile, or straightforward smiting of the forces of good that stand in his way. Therefore, almost any class is suited to take the Black Guard class.

<color=Gold>Requirements:</color>

**Alignment:** Any evil.

<color=Gold>Class Features:</color>

- **Hit Die:** d10.

-**Base Attack Bonus:** High.

- **High Saves:** Fortitude.

- **Weapon Proficiencies:** Simple and martial weapons.

- **Armor Proficiencies:** All types of armor (light, medium, and heavy) and shields (except for tower shields).

- **Skill Points:** 2 + Int modifier.

- **Class Skills:** Bluff, Concentration, Craft Alchemy, Craft Armor, Craft Trap, Craft Weapon, Diplomacy, Heal, Intimidate, Lore, Parry, Taunt, and Spot.

- **Bonus Feat:** At 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th, 20th, 23rd, 26th, and 29th levels you gain 1 bonus feat: Blind Fight, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Divine Might, Divine Shield, Dodge, Feint, Extra Turning, Extra Smiting, Extra Turning I/II/III, Improved Combat Expertise, Improved Critical (Any), Power Attack, Improved Power Attack, Weapon Proficiency (exotic). Epic Feats: Armor Skin, Epic Damage Reduction, Epic Divine Might, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Expose Weakness, Great Strength, and Great Smiting.

<Color=red>Blackguard Aura's:</Color>
Like Bard's, Blackguard's can activate aura's that grant themselves and their party boons. The aura's must be activated and only one can be active at a time.

Aura of Blood - At 12th level, The Blackguard can radiates an aura that grants themselves and their party +1 attack bonus and +1 saving throws. This increases to +2 at 18th level, and +3 at 24th level.

Aura of Vengeance - Beginning at 15th level, the Blackguard radiates a malign aura that causes enemies that strike yourself and your party members in melee to take magical damage.

Aura of Depravity - Beginning at 21st level, the Blackguard radiates a malign aura that grants yourself and your party the effect of persistent Battletide.

- **Poison Use:** At 1st level, Blackguards are skilled in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

- **Dark Blessing:** At 2nd level, the Black Guard adds his Charisma bonus to all saving throws up to a maximum of their class lvl / 2.

- **Turn Undead:** At 3rd level, the Black Guard gains the ability to rebuke or destroy undead as a Black Guard of his class level.

- **Plague Bringer:** At 3rd level, a Blackguard gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases (such as mummy rot and lycanthropy). A Blackguard can contract diseases and spread them to others, but he is otherwise immune to their effects.

- **Sneak Attack:** At 4th level, the Black Guard gains the sneak attack ability. This ability functions exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. You gain an additional 1d6 sneak attack every 4 levels after and one additional at 30th level.

- **Smite Good:** At 5th level, once every five minutes, a Black Guard of 5th level or higher may attempt to smite a good-aligned enemy with one normal melee attack. The Black Guard adds their Charisma bonus to the attack roll and adds 1 extra point of damage per class level. Every five levels afterword the cooldown is reduced by 30 seconds.

- **Lay on Hands:** Beginning at 5th level, a Black Guard with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds by touch. She can heal herself and her party a total number of hit points of damage equal to her levels in Black Guard \* 10. This ability has a 5 minute cooldown.

- **Evasion:** At 6th level, the Black Guard gains the Evasion feat. Whenever a Reflex save is allowed for half damage, the character instead takes no damage if he succeeds at the save.

- **Channel Negative Energy:** At 6th level, a Blackguard can cast Heal as a spell-like feat once per day. At 9th level and every three levels after that, the Black Guard can cast Channel Negative Energy once more time per day. There is a 45 second cooldown between activations.

- **Corrupt Weapon:** At 9th level, once per day a Blackguard can corrupt their weapon, which is the opposing counterpart of the Paladin spell holy sword. The weapon gains +1 enhancement (increases by +1 for every 2 levels after up to a maximum of +5 at lvl 17), 2d6 magical damage against good opponents, and an additional 1 negative damage for every 3 levels of Blackguard. This spell lasts for one hour.

- **Aura of Despair:** - At 10th level, the Blackguard radiates a malign aura that causes enemies within 10 feet of him to take a -2 penalty on all saving throws and -1 attack bonus.

- **Undead Cohort:** At 13th-level the Black Guard can summon a loyal undead cohort twice per day that scales off their stats. The higher the levels in Blackguard, the stronger the creature is, and how much better the scaling is. At 20th level this becomes an Epic Strength cohort. The creature lasts for 30 minutes.

- **Mass Deathward:** At 15th level, a Blackguard can cast Mass Deathward as a spell-like ability once per day at a caster level equal to their levels in Black Guard class.

- **Improved Evasion:** At 16th level, the Blackguard gains the Improved Evasion feat. Whenever a Reflex save is allowed for half damage, characters with this feat instead take no damage if they succeed at the save. Even if they fail the save, they take only half damage.

- **Unholy Champion:** At 20th level, your Corrupt Weapon also grants the Demi-Lich Touch property as well (25% chance on hit for an additional 2d10 negative damage and 1d3 leeching). You also gain DR 10/good.

- **Spells:** Blackguards now gets a number of spellbook feats that cast spells:

Dark Might - Beginning at 10th level, the Blackguard may cast Mass Bull's Strength as a spell-like ability, twice per day as a spellcaster of level at a duration equal to 1 minutes per level of Blackguard. The bonus starts at +4 Strength, and increases to +6 at 15th level, +8 at 20th level, and +10 at 25th level.

Dark Tenacity - Beginning at 13th level, the Blackguard may cast Mass Bear's Endurance as a spell-like ability, twice per day as a spellcaster of level at a duration equal to 1 minutes per level of Blackguard. The bonus starts at +4 Constitution, and increases to +6 at 18th level, +8 at 23rd level and +10 at 28th level.

Dark Raiment - Beggining at 15th level, the Blackguard may cast Dark Raiment once per day granting their target +8 armor AC, damage reduction 10/adamantine, SR 10 + levels in Blackguard. This lasts 1 minute/levels in Blackguard.

Dark Legion - At 17th level, the Blackguard may cast once per day the spell Dark Legion which shields their party in a nimbus of dark energy. They gain +2 dodge AC bonus, +2 regeneration, and +1 attack bonus. This lasts 1 minute/levels in Blackguard.

Infernal Legions - Beginning at 19th level, the Blackguard may cast Gate twice per day as a spellcaster of level equal to her Blackguard level. This summon scales as with other summons, using Blackguard level as caster level.