View source for Rider of the Storm (3.5e Prestige Class)

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the Rider of the Storm.

'''{{Anchor|Spellcasting}}:''' At every even-numbered rider of the storm level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a rider of the storm, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

'''{{Anchor|Mount Attributes}}:''' Levels in rider of the storm stack with levels in classes that grant a rideable companion (such as [[SRD:Paladin#The Paladin's Mount|a paladin mount]] or an [[SRD:Druid#The Druid's Animal Companion|animal companion]]) to determine the Hit Dice, ability scores, special abilities, and other characteristics of the companion mount. They do not stack with respect to other class features, such as [[SRD:Paladin#Lay on Hands|lay on hands]] or [[SRD:Druid#Wild Shape|wild shape]]. (They do partially stack in regards to [[#Spellcasting|spellcasting]] — see above.)

'''{{Anchor|The Way of the Horse}}:''' A paladin who becomes a rider of the storm is essentially still the same person they were before; they just got some electrical and weather-related abilities thrown into the package they already got. A [[SRD:Paladin|paladin]] who takes levels in rider of the storm can continue taking levels in paladin afterwards, entirely bypassing [[SRD:Paladin#Ex-Paladins|the paladin's usual multiclassing restriction]].

'''{{Anchor|Storm-Charged}} {{Ex}}:''' A rider of the storm is one with the rage of the sky, and has [[SRD:Resistance to Energy|electricity resistance]] equal to 3 × his class level. His mount also gains this same electricity resistance. Furthermore, the rider of the storm and his mount both gain [[Energy Anti-Resistance (3.5e Creature Ability)|electricity anti-resistance]] equal to 3 × his class level, though this anti-resistance cannot overcome immunity or absorption.

'''''{{Anchor|Electric Blast}}'' {{Sp}}:''' A rider of the storm is capable of launching an electric blast from his hands. This functions like a warlock's ''eldritch blast''<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, except it does 1d6 electric damage per [[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]]. Its caster level is equal to the rider of the storm's class level, but if he is currently riding his mount, the caster level becomes twice his class level instead. The range increment of an ''electric blast'' is 60 feet. The spell level is equal to the rider of the storm's class level (minimum 1st, maximum 9th). The save DC (for effects that care what its save DC would be if it allowed or warranted one) is [[Wisdom]]-based.{{underbar|Where are the invocations?|The design of this class was… tumultuous. Originally, the ''call lightning'' spell-like ability was obtained at first level, and its progression was scaled accordingly. Then I decided that I wanted to give the rider of the storm a more reliable attack, so I pushed the spell-like abilities up to make room. However, this class was always meant to focus on riding a mount around in the sky, throwing about lightning, thunder, torrential rain, and roaring wind — I didn't even consider invocations until I decided to add the ''electric blast'', and if I add them now, it'll make the class substantially more powerful. I'll probably have to drop most of the existing spell-like abilities, drop the partial spellcasting progression, heighten the prerequisites to raise the minimum level, and/or raise the balance point. So, despite having a warlock-like ability, I'm not sure if adding invocations to this class is worthwhile.}}

'''{{Anchor|Storm Horse}} {{Su}}:''' The rider of the storm's mount is empowered by the rider to take on the mobility of the storm. In addition to electricity resistance, it gains a [[SRD:Fly|fly]] speed equal to its base land speed, with poor maneuverability. Its fly speed improves by 5 feet at every odd-numbered rider of the storm level after 1st, and its maneuverability is improved by one grade every 3 class levels after 1st (up to perfect maneuverability at 10th level). If the rider of the storm's mount can already fly, it uses its own maneuverability grade and/or fly speed if they are better; in the latter case, its existing fly speed improves by 10 feet at every odd-numbered class level instead. The mount only benefits from this feature when the rider of the storm is riding it.

*''{{Anchor|Distant Storm Horse}} {{Su}}:'' When the rider of the storm reaches level 6, his bond with his mount has grown to the point where it can benefit from his mastery of storms even when he's not riding it, though it still needs him to be nearby. The rider of the storm's mount retains its ability to [[SRD:Fly|fly]] as long as it is within 100 feet of the rider of the storm + 5 feet per 2 class levels, though if he isn't riding it, it flies at ¾ speed (rounded down to the nearest interval of 5 feet) and one maneuverability grade lower unless it already had the ability to fly without him (in which case its fly speed improvement is reduced to +5 feet per odd-numbered class level). If it's farther away than that, it flies without any benefit from [[#Storm Horse|Storm Horse]] (which may very well mean that it can't fly at all, and if it's in midair, [[SRD:Falling|it'll fall and get hurt]]).

*''{{Anchor|Independent Storm Horse}} {{Su}}:'' When the rider of the storm reaches level 10, the bond between mount and master has grown so strong that the mount has little need of its master to run on the air itself. While it is within 100 feet of the rider of the storm + 5 feet per 2 class levels but not being ridden by him, it flies at ⅞ speed (rounded down to the nearest interval of 5 feet), unless it already had the ability to fly without him (in which case its fly speed improvement is reduced to +5 feet per odd-numbered class level). Even if it is farther away than that, it still flies at ¾ speed (rounded down to the nearest interval of 5 feet) and one maneuverability grade lower unless it already had the ability to fly without him (in which case its fly speed improvement is reduced to +5 feet per 3 class levels).

'''{{Anchor|Storm Breath}} {{Su}}:''' The rider of the storm's mount is empowered to utilize several [[SRD:Breath Weapon|breath weapons]] harnessing the fury of unruly weather. It gains two breath weapons at 1st level and two more at every 3 class levels afterwards (4th, 7th, and 10th). The save DC for each of these breath weapons is 10 + ½ the mount's HD + the mount's [[Constitution]] modifier. If the rider of the storm is riding the mount, it may instead use the rider of the storm's class levels up to 10th + ½ the rider of the storm's class levels after 10th if that value is higher than ½ the mount's HD, and it may use the rider of the storm's [[Wisdom]] modifier if that value is higher than the mount's Constitution modifier. Furthermore, if the mount is not being ridden by the rider of the storm, the breath weapons' range is reduced to ¾ (rounded down to the nearest interval of 5 feet), and the save DC is reduced by 1. All of the breath weapons are used as a standard action and share the same cooldown timer — one breath weapon may be used every 1d4 rounds.
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Lightning)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 1st level, the rider of the storm's mount can breathe a line of lightning, stretching out 80 feet + 5 feet per 2 class levels and dealing 2d6 electric damage + 1d6 for every 2 HD the mount has + 1d6 for every 2 class levels (only add the rider of the storm's class levels if the rider of the storm is riding the mount). Creatures caught in the line are entitled to a Reflex save for half damage.
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Wind)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 1st level, the rider of the storm's mount can breathe a violent blast of wind that forces creatures and objects back. All creatures and objects not rooted to the ground in a cone stretching out 120 feet + 5 feet per class level are pushed backwards 100 feet + 5 feet per 2 class levels − 10 feet per size category above Tiny, with a Fortitude save to halve the pushback distance (rounding down to the nearest 5-foot interval), but no farther than the edge of the cone. Any creature or object colliding with another creature or object in this way takes 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it had left to travel (this damage is taken by both entities involved in the collision). Creatures that were pushed back more than 60 feet or collided with something fall [[SRD:Prone|prone]] at the end of their forced movement.
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Thunder)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 4th level, the rider of the storm's mount can bellow so loudly that the sheer intensity of the sound injures anyone nearby. The breath affects a burst with a radius of 40 feet + 5 feet per 3 class levels, centered on the mount, and all creatures and objects in the burst other than the rider of the storm and the mount take 2d4 sonic damage + 1d4 for every 2 HD the mount has + 1d4 for every 2 class levels (only add the rider of the storm's class levels if the rider of the storm is riding the mount) and are [[SRD:Deafened|deafened]] for 1 minute. A successful Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the deafness.
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Rain)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 4th level, the rider of the storm's mouth can spit out a barrage of water droplets with such force that they actually injure creatures and objects that they strike, though since it's just rain hitting especially hard, decent armor can go a long way towards minimizing the damage. The torrent of violent rain affects a cone stretching out 60 feet + 5 feet per 2 class levels and deals damage equal to 4 × mount’s HD × rider of the storm's class level (if the rider of the storm is riding the mount); this damage is treated as half piercing and half bludgeoning, and all of it is also considered a <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Special:SearchByProperty/Descriptor/Water|Water]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> effect. [[SRD:Damage Reduction|Damage reduction]] and hardness apply normally against this damage; in fact, since the damage is inflicted not as one gigantic blow, but several tiny ones, any damage reduction or hardness is treated as being 3 times its actual value for reducing the damage (and furthermore, since it is actually several attacks each hitting for minor damage, no matter how much damage this attack deals, it can never invoke [[SRD:Loss of Hit Points#Massive Damage|the massive damage clause]]). All affected creatures and objects also reduce the damage taken by their AC. (Creatures that are [[SRD:Flat-footed|flat-footed]] or otherwise denied Dexterity and Dodge bonuses to AC don’t get to use their Dexterity or dodge bonuses to AC to reduce this attack’s damage.) Creatures and objects caught in the cone are entitled to a Reflex save for half damage (damage is halved after damage reduction, hardness, and AC are applied).
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Mud)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 7th level, the rider of the storm's mount can let loose a torrent of mist and wind. This mist does not directly affect creatures, but instead destabilizes any materials softer than stone, causing the ground to become soggy and slippery. All squares within a 300-foot cone (plus 20 feet per class level) become difficult terrain, soft enough that creatures on the terrain can sink in it as if it was quicksand (to a depth of 50 feet), and creatures in the area of effect are blown back 20 feet and (if on the ground) buried up to their ankles unless they succeed on a Fortitude save. (A creature pushed into a wall or other creature this way neither takes damage nor deals damage to whatever it collided with, as it is not pushed at a sufficient velocity to cause damage.)
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Hail)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 7th level, the rider of the storm's mount can spit up a barrage of hailstones in a cone stretching out 60 feet + 5 feet per 3 levels. The barrage of hail deals 1d6 damage + 1d6 for every 2 HD the mount has + 1d6 for every 2 class levels (only add the rider of the storm's class levels if the rider of the storm is riding the mount); half of this damage is cold and the other half is bludgeoning. Creatures caught in the cone are entitled to a Reflex save for half damage.
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Debris)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 10th level, the rider of the storm's mount can emit a breath of such force that it picks creatures and objects up off the ground and flings them away, potentially at each other. This operates like the violent thrust function of [[E=mc^2 (3.5e Spell)|''e=mc<sup>2</sup>'']], caster level equal to the mount's HD (or the mount's HD + the rider of the storm's class level if the rider of the storm is riding the mount), though it is a supernatural ability, not a spell-like ability; it lacks a spell level (its save DC is instead calculated as described under the general [[#Storm Breath|Storm Breath]] entry) and it does not provoke [[SRD:Attacks of Opportunity|attacks of opportunity]]. Additionally, creatures and objects in the area of effect are entitled to a Fortitude save, not a Will save, to avoid being flung away.
*''{{Anchor|Storm Breath (Storm Cloud)}} {{Su}}:'' Starting from 10th level, the rider of the storm's mount can conjure electrically-charged clouds with its breath. It creates a bank of fog, as [[SRD:Fog Cloud|''fog cloud'']], anywhere within Medium range. This bank of fog lasts for a number of rounds equal to the mount's HD (or the mount's HD plus the rider of the storm's class level if the rider of the storm is riding the mount) and is electrically charged; when the cloud appears, it deals 4d8 electric damage + 1d8 damage for every 2 HD the mount has + 1d8 for every 2 class levels (only add the rider of the storm's class levels if the rider of the storm is riding the mount) to all creatures inside of it, and then deals that damage again every round on the rider of the storm's initiative count. Creatures shocked by the cloud are entitled to a Reflex save for half damage.

'''''{{Anchor|Call Lightning}}'' {{Sp}}:''' A rider of the storm has command over the forces of the sky. From level 2 onward, he may cast [[SRD:Call Lightning|''call lightning'']] as a spell-like ability once per 4 hours. The number of hours that must pass between uses decreases by 1 for every class level past 2nd, up to once per hour at 5th level. At 6th level, he becomes able to use ''call lightning'' at will. The save DC of the ability is Wisdom-based, and the caster level is equal to his class level on foot, or his class level × 2 while riding his mount.

'''{{Anchor|Tornado Cloak}} {{Su}}:''' Starting from 2nd level, as an [[SRD:Immediate Actions|immediate action]], a rider of the storm can conjure up a shroud of high-speed winds to cover him like a cloak. This shroud acts like a full-body suit of armor (but without an [[SRD:Armor Check Penalty|armor check penalty]]), granting the rider of the storm (and his mount, should he be riding it) a deflection bonus to [[AC]] equal to his class level &times;2 by literally blowing incoming attacks off-course. However, this attack interference goes both ways; the tornado cloak blows the rider of the storm's attacks off-course, too, causing him to take a &minus;8 penalty to [[SRD:Attack Roll|attack rolls]] and a &minus;2 penalty to damage rolls with physical attacks, and it's also rather loud, causing him to take a &minus;6 penalty to [[SRD:Move Silently Skill|Move Silently]] checks. He also automatically fails to confirm [[SRD:Standard Actions#Critical Hits|critical hits]] (even when performing a [[SRD:Full-Round Actions#Coup de Grace|coup de grace]]) or perform other precision-based attacks (such as [[SRD:Rogue#Sneak Attack|sneak attacks]]) while his tornado cloak is active (regardless of whether his attack is physical or magical), as the roaring winds surrounding him make it impossible for him to strike with the degree of precision required to score a critical hit. The tornado cloak can be deactivated as an immediate action.

While the tornado cloak does offer a massive deflection bonus to AC, especially at higher levels (where it can get flat-out ridiculous), that is literally ''all'' it does. It offers ''no'' protection from attacks that don't require attack rolls, such as a dragon's [[SRD:Breath Weapon|breath weapon]]. Use it wisely.

*'''{{Anchor|Tornado Cloak Swish}} {{Su}}:''' At 6th level, the rider of the storm has fine-tuned his control over the weather to the point where he can subvert the limitations of his tornado cloak. The penalty to attack rolls is reduced to &minus;6 and the penalty to physical damage rolls is eliminated entirely.

*'''{{Anchor|Tornado Cloak Sweep}} {{Su}}:''' At 10th level, the rider of the storm becomes still better at working around his tornado cloak's drawbacks. The penalty to attack rolls is reduced to &minus;4, and the rider of the storm can strike with enough precision to score [[SRD:Standard Actions#Critical Hits|critical hits]] ''some'' of the time; if he threatens a critical hit with his tornado cloak active, he is allowed to confirm it, but there is a 50% chance that the critical hit will not actually be a critical hit (rolled after and separately from [[SRD:Fortification|fortification]]). Other precision-based attacks, such as [[SRD:Rogue#Sneak Attack|sneak attacks]], also suffer from a 50% failure chance while the tornado cloak is active (but that's still better than the 100% failure rate they had before!).

'''''{{Anchor|Call Lightning Storm}}'' {{Sp}}:''' At 6th level, the rider of the storm gains the ability to cast [[SRD:Call Lightning Storm|''call lightning storm'']] as a spell-like ability once per 4 hours. The number of hours that must pass between uses decreases by 1 for every class level past 6th, up to once per hour at 9th level. At 10th level, he becomes able to use ''call lightning storm'' at will. The save DC of the ability is Wisdom-based, and the caster level is equal to his class level on foot, or his class level × 2 while riding his mount.

'''''{{Anchor|Storm of Vengeance}}'' {{Sp}}:''' At 10th level, the rider of the storm gains the ability to cast [[SRD:Storm of Vengeance|''storm of vengeance'']] as a spell-like ability once every 4 hours. The number of hours that must pass between uses decreases by 1 for every class level past 10th, up to once per hour at 14th level. At 15th level, he becomes able to use ''storm of vengeance'' at will. The save DCs are Wisdom-based, and the caster level is equal to his class level on foot, or his class level × 2 while riding his mount.

'''{{Anchor|Bonus Feats}}:''' <- any bonus feats gained in pre-epic levels->.

The epic rider of the storm gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic rider of the storm feats) every 3 levels after 10th.  

''Epic Rider of the Storm Bonus Feat List:'' [[SRD:Legendary Rider|Legendary Rider]].

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===Campaign Information===
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====Playing a rider of the storm====

'''Combat:''' <-Typical role in combat->

'''Advancement:''' <-Typical advancement options for characters with this class.  Include desirable multiclass options->

'''Resources:''' <-What kind of assistance members of this class can expect from each other, including possible organizations.->
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====Riders of the Storm in the World====

{{quote|<-Some quote from a character of this class->|4=<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->}}

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world->

'''NPC Reactions:''' <-How NPCs react to characters of this class->
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====Rider of the Storm Lore====

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research riders of the storm to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ <-the appropriate skills->
! DC || class="left" | Result
|-
| 11 || class="left" | <-not so common knowledge->.
|-
| 16 || class="left" | <-rare information->.
|-
| 21 || class="left" | <-very rare information->.
|- 
| 26 || class="left" | <-information so obscure that members of this class might not even know it->.
|}
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<!-- REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... IN THE GAME" SECTION
====<-pluralized class name-> in the Game====

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play->

'''Adaptation:''' <-Fitting this class in your campaign->

'''Sample Encounter:''' <-DM placement for NPC of this class->

''EL <- whatever ->:'' <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block.  The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter->
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<references/>

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Article Balance	High +
Author	Luigifan18 +
Base Attack Bonus Progression	Good +
Class Ability	Other +
Class Ability Progression	Other +
Fortitude Save Progression	Good +
Identifier	3.5e Prestige Class +
Length	10 +
Minimum Level	6 +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Reflex Save Progression	Good +
Skill	Balance +, Climb +, Concentration +, Craft +, Disguise +, Handle Animal +, Hide +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Perform +, Ride +, Sense Motive + and Survival +
Skill Points	4 +
Summary	A horseman who harnesses the power of storms to vanquish his enemies. +
Title	Rider of the Storm +
Will Save Progression	Poor +