Dream Lord (3.5e Prestige Class)

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Author: Franken Kesey (talk) Date Created: 7/23/12 Status: Zechariah Editing: Clarity edits only please

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5 7

"None" is not in the list (Good, Moderate, Poor, Other) of allowed values for the "Base Attack Bonus Progression" property.

Poor Poor Other Class Ability=Spontaneous Spellcasting |Class Ability=Alternate Magic |Class Ability=Other Other

Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral. Lawful Evil, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Evil

A dream sage pulling in its victims.

Dream Sage

“	What you intend to do to that hapless person over there is pure evil! Why don't you help her friends out, and turn on your master? It is the only way towards righteousness. Oh, and philanthropy gives you great respect - why don't you try with your new friends over there.	”
—Iris, Sentient Illusion Dream Sage

The masters of sleep and distillers of fear; dream sage are the Warriors of Morality, supplanting their own ideas on what is right and wrong. While suggestive by nature, most dream sage are in fact advents of good, punishing evildoers through nightmares or other forms of suffering.

Dream Sage are great for when you’re in town, and can usually give you a better relation with people. But they are also very powerful on the field of battle, controlling the body or mind of their enemies. In combat, most sage either force their enemies to sleep – fighting them in a more controlled atmosphere – or give key monsters lessons in Fear.

A sage is generally weaker in the company of another sage (sage have many abilities to negate each other). Yet on occasion, some sages will form alliances to change morality in larger areas.

Becoming a Dream Sage

Wisdom is the major ability of this class – if it is not ridiculous, you may want to rethink your character creation. Intelligence and charisma are useful for skills; constitution enhances one’s concentration skill; strength and dexterity are useful for the typical reasons, but neither modifies class abilities.

Bards are perhaps to quickest to think of ranking in this class; yet a Wizard, Sorcerer, or Cleric based sage is always going to be more powerful. Witch, Sylvan Occultist, Paladins, High Priest, Blackguards, Bishops, and Assassins are also solid base class to have levels in before taking this prestige class. Some dream sage have been known to advance in Tormentor, Stranger with the Burning Eyes, Soulbinder, Seer of the Tempest, Schismsoul, Overmind, Hierophant, Celestial Beacon, or Barrister of the Nine after taking this class.

While any race can become a dream sage, this path is mostly made up of Succedaneum, Sentient Illusions, Mousa, Microforged Conglomerate, Eldritch Horror, Archon Hounds, and Aasimars.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Cannot be True Neutral (must have some convictions).
Skills:	10 ranks in concentration, 7 ranks in a social skill (bluff, diplomacy, or intimidate) and knowledge (religion), and 4 ranks in craft (alchemy) and use magic device.
Spellcasting:	Must be able to cast deep slumber and one 3rd-level illusion.
Spellcasting:	Five spellcasting levels in one class.
Feat:	Iron Will.
Special:	Training from a dream sage.

Table: The Dream Sage

Hit Die: d4

Level	Wisdom Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th
1st	+2	+0	+0	+2	Dream Pool, Sending, Smite the Immoral 1/day	6	5	3	—	—
2nd	+3	+0	+0	+4	Craft (Sedative)	6	6	4	—	—
3rd	+4	+1	+1	+5	Crystal of Dreams, Smite the Immoral 2/day	6	6	5	3	—
4th	+5	+1	+1	+7	Crown of Dreams	6	6	6	4	—
5th	+6	+1	+1	+8	Throne of Dreams, Smite the Immoral 3/day	6	6	6	5	3
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level). Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft(Alchemy) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(Arcana, Local, Nobility and royalty, Psionics, Religion) (Int), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None) Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dream sages are proficient with tridents, throwing axes, light hammers, light crossbows, javelins, darts, daggers, and light armor, but not with shields.

Spells: A sage casts divine spells, which are drawn from the sage spell list. They can cast any spell they know without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a sage must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sage’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the sage’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a sage can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Dream Sage. In addition, they receive bonus spells per day if they have a high Wisdom score.

A sage’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A sage begins play knowing three 3rd-level spells, two 4th-level spells, and one 5th-level spells of your choice. At each new sage level, you gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Dream Sage Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a sage knows is not affected by a high Wisdom score; the numbers on Table: Dream Sage Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sage spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sage has gained some understanding of by study. The sage can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

At 3rd and 5th level, a sage can choose to learn a new spell in place of one they already know. In effect, the sage “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level sage spell the sage can cast. A sage may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that they gain new spells known for the level.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a sage need not prepare their spells in advance. They can cast any spell they know at any time, assuming they have not yet used up their spells per day for that spell level. They do not have to decide ahead of time which spells to cast.

Table: Dream Sage Spells Known

Level	Spells Known
	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th
1st	3	2	1	—	—
2nd	5	4	3	—	—
3rd	5	4	3	1	—
4th	6	6	5	3	—
5th	6	6	5	3	2

Dream Pool: Manipulating a dream requires a sage’s dream pool, which is equal to their Wisdom Modifier+Character Level+10. The final modifier increases by 10 at 3rd and 5th level (for a total of 30). Most of the abilities herein tax the dream pool (limiting the maximum points in the pool), while the completion of a sending recharges the dream pool (after the sending is complete). The result is that one may have a slightly lower dream pool at the beginning of a sending, but regain the dream points afterwards. (Some abilities have “DP” as a modifier; this is a dream point.)

When asleep, a sage may attempt to recharge their dream pool with a DC 35 autohypnosis check (instead of waiting for the natural recharge).

Sending: A sage’s keystone abilities relate to manipulating dreams. A sage dream has some marked differences from an ordinary dream. First, physical and magical effects and items do not transfer into the real world; only mental effects and divine interventions can carry over. The dreams induced by this class are lucid, not faltering to memory lapses of an ordinary dream. A subject of a sending must, of course, be sleeping on the same plane as the sage, and the sage must know the dreamer’s full name and exact position (if more than one with the same name is at the same location, it will only affect the one desired). For details on the logistics of sendings see Into the Dream below.

A sending cannot affect those who are immune to sleep effects, are sleepless, or mindless. A sending is not an alignment based effect; but, break enchantment can dispel a sending, if the caster beats the sage’s opposed will save after casting.

A sending cannot be done more than once every two sessions!

Smite the Immoral (Su): Based on their personal convictions, a sage may select one alignment that they are resolute to fight against. This must be a two-part alignment, that is not be their own (but can have part of their own (i.e. a LE sage could select LG). Any creature in this alignment is forthwith considered Immoral (a modifier noted in a few of the below features).

A sage may attempt to smite an Immoral with one normal melee attack, once per day (+1/day at 3rd and 5th level). Sage add their Wisdom bonus to their attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per sage level. If the sage accidentally smites a creature that is not in an Immoral, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

Smite the Immoral does stack with other smite abilities when both requirements are met.

Wisdom Bonus: Sages do not receive a BAB from this class; instead, they get a wisdom bonus. The bonuses above denote total wisdom gained from this class (does not stack with itself).

Craft (Sedative): At 2nd level, a sage becomes learned in the many manners to medically induce sleep. The below effects force sleep with greater intensity than most are able to; this allows one to put creatures that are immune to sleep or are sleepless into a deep meditation (which is treated the same as sleep for the purposes of this page). However, creatures that are mindless are still immune to the below effects. The spell dispel magic can remove a sedative.

A sage may now give sendings to those who are immune to sleep effects or are sleepless (when put to sleep by a sedative). But, mindless creatures are still immune to dreams.

Sleep Incense (Ex): At 2nd level, as a move action, a sage may cause 2HD/DP to fall asleep (opposed will save negates), on inhalation, for 5 minutes/DP; this has an area effect of 25’. A sage is immune to this effect, and may produce enough antidote for one ally for every level in this class (5 at 5th). This taxes the dream pool (by 1 per 2HD put to sleep), and may be done three times per day.

Sleep Tranquilizer (Ex): At 3rd level, as a standard action, a sage may cause 4HD/DP to fall asleep (opposed will save negates), on injury (treat as poison), for 10 minutes/DP. This taxes the dream pool (by 1 per 4HD put to sleep), and may be done twice per day.

Sleep Disorder (Ex): At 4th level, as a full-round action, a sage may cause 3HD/DP (opposed will save negates) to suffer a permanent narcolepsy-like disorder, on ingestion. This may be done only to one helpless creature. Thereafter the victim has a 10% chance to forcefully fall asleep every hour (roll at the beginning of an encounter). The victim still treats the other 90% of its life as normal. The victim may be awoken with a standard action (from an ally), or when dealt lethal damage (from an enemy). This taxes the dream pool (by 1 per 3HD put to sleep), and may be done once per day.

Crystal of Dreams (Ex): Dream sages possess a crystal ball that allows them to find their subjects much more easily. A sage may find a creature within one mile per DP expended that they have either seen up close, or have a personal article of. The crystal is foiled by mislead, polymorph and lead. This taxes the dream pool (by 1 per DP used), and may be done four times per day.

Crown of Dreams (Ex): After much study and experiment on teleporting to subjects (to instill a dream), sages can manufacture a crown of dreams. The sage may teleport to any dreaming creature that he/she has found with the Crystal of Dreams in the last month. This is always considered a success. A sage cannot bring other creatures or more than a medium load, and the sage is instantly transported back one hour later (one can teleport back prematurely). This has no range, but can only be done to creatures that are in the same plane. This taxes the dream pool (by 7DP), and may be done three times per day.

Throne of Dreams (Ex): The abilities of the throne activate whenever an Immoral the sage has given a sending to does an action that is strongly against the sage's alignment. This action must be major; for example: base thievery, brawling, vandalism, forgery, dishonesty, and the like are not criminal enough to be detected by the throne of a Lawful Neutral sage. The sage learns who did the action, where it was done, and may mentally see the scene play out at anytime thereafter – not interrupting the sage if preoccupied, and the sage may pane through different parts. However, a sage does not receive info on interrelated parties (i.e. partners in crime) or details on why it was done (just the confirmable facts). The sage must be on the throne during the action for it to be activated. This does not tax the dream pool, and is an at will ability (that does not need to be activated).

The throne’s main ability is imparting curses on ones Immoral. A sage may curse an Immoral (that exists somewhere on the same plane) that the throne has made the sage aware of in the last month. (A sage may not curse Immortals who they know to have done a major action but did not find out about through the throne.) The Immoral must roll an opposed Will save or be cursed by either: Cackle Fever, Cicada Rabies, Mindfire, or Moon Madness (sage’s choice). This is instead of the typical DC check. Abilities that change a subject physically (disguise, change shape, etc. – but not anti-divination) hide them from being detected for uses of only this part of the feature. This taxes the dream pool (by 2 per HD of the cursed creature), and may be done once per day.

A curse can be removed from an Immoral with an opposing dispel (chaos, evil, good, law).

The throne can be teleported when using the crown (for no extra cost); when doing so, most restrictions of the crown apply, the exceptions being: a sage may remain for up to eight hours; and the weight limit changes to a volume limit of eight cubic feet.

The throne only appears when the sage wishes it (making it unnecessary for a barbarian or horse to always carry it around). The sage chooses its shape and material composition at 5th level; this cannot be changed. It takes a full-round action to materialize or dematerialize the throne.

Into the Dream

“	Infect the hearts and minds of your enemies and you will turn your enemies into friends.	”
—Valentine, Microforged Conglomerate Dream Sage

A dream can be broken down into five parts: 1) creating the dream (this is when you set up the environment, features and creatures of the dream); 2) will save against the subject(s); 3) subjects’ tactical stage (a 1-10 minute period where the dreamer(s) act); 4) sage’s tactical stage (a 2-12 minute period where the sage activates the dream); 5) subjects’ tactical response (a 1-2 minute period where the dreamer(s) react).

While most sages use sendings to find allies, stow confusion, or turn enemies, some sages are inclined to cast sendings on their own party members. Should a sage wish to do so, they can never create a dream that only involves other players; they must always engage at least one NPC or plot-related character into the dream (so as to always include the GM)!

Stage 1

The sage first sets up the dream.

Environment: the environment is decided and paid for in the first stage, as the first part of the first stage.

• No Environments: a sage can place the dream in a blank environment, covered in complete whiteness, for no price to the dream pool (making the dream less believable).
• Basic Environments: a sage may select one of the following as the dream’s main environment for 2 dream points: desert, forest, hilly plains, or mountain.
• Advanced Environments: a sage may select one of the following as the dream’s main environment for 5 dream points: aquatic, dungeon, marsh, or ruin.

Features: the features are decided and paid for in the first stage, as the second part of the first stage. (A drawn map will help a lot.)

• Basic Features: basic features cost 2 dream points each. They include: campfire, 2d3 flora (non-rare), hut, rope bridge, and trail.
• Moderate Features: moderate features cost 5 dream points each. They include: Cottage, Flora(rare), Small Pool, Statue, Strong Bridge, Trap, and Wall.
• Greater Features: greater features cost 8 dream points each. They include: Lava River, Mansion, Maze, Tower, and the ability to control weather (treat like the spell).

Creatures: the creatures are decided and paid for in the first stage, as the final part of the first stage.

• Simple Creatures: basic creatures cost 2 dream points per CR. They include: Animal, Elemental, Giant, Humanoid, Ooze, and Vermin.
• Moderate Creatures: moderate creatures cost 4 dream points per CR. They include: Aberration, Construct, Dragon, Monstrous Humanoid, and Plant.
• Complex Creatures: complex creatures cost 6 dream points per CR. They include: Fey, Magical Beast, Outsider, and Undead. If a creature has multiple types, the cost depends on the most advanced type.

Stage 2

To enter a dream, the sage must beat the subjects' will save by at least five points (this is called the initial will save). (And, of course, the subject must be sleeping.) When a sage succeeds at the initial will save, they may decide to add more subjects to the dream. To add subjects, the sage must succeed against the subjects’ will, with 5 points added to the DC for every subject after the first. On failure, the sage brings in all previous successes and begins the dream’s third stage.

Stage 3

The 3rd stage is composed of the subjects’ actions, simply with an alternative GM. The subjects get a pathfinder round to handle the dream as they wish (more likely than not, they will not know that they are dreaming). After the round completes, it transfers to the dream sage’s turn.

Stage 4

In the fourth stage, the sage may act in an avatar form (they could have interacted with the subject(s) via creatures, traps, and features in the previous round). The avatar is generically of their type and class, but equipment of any sort (that the sage has seen) can be added to their person at no cost. The sage has a pathfinder round and an action round that may be used in this period.

Avatar:

• Creature Type: At 4th level, a sage can change their avatar’s features into a different individual of their species, by selecting their species; or a different species from the following list: Animal, Elemental, Giant, Humanoid, Ooze, or Vermin at the cost of 5 dream points. This lasts for the duration of the dream. The sage gains ½ of all the creature’s special abilities (sage’s choice); noting that the dream is of the sage’s creation, this cannot be seen through via true seeing or the like on the part of the subjects. At 7th level, a sage may additionally change into one of the following types, at the cost of 7 dream points: Aberration, Construct, Dragon, Monstrous Humanoid, or Plant. At 10th level, a sage may additionally change into one of the following types, at the cost of 10 dream points: Fey, Magical Beast, Outsider, or Undead.

Stage 5

The 5th stage is composed of the subjects’ action round, (a response to the sages’ rounds). After the completion of stage five, the dreamers awaken to where they were before the dream, with full memory of what occurred therein.

A dream should consist of a 4-24 minute period (depending on party) in game time (not real time) - not taking up the whole session. Remember that it cannot be done more than once every two sessions.

Ex-Dream Sage

There is no such thing as an ex-sage; once one goes down this road, they are forever marked.

Dream Sage Lore

“	I know what you're thinking, I know how to twist you and turn you; but what I do not know is, why you fight back.	”
—Webster, Ortal Dream Sage

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can research sages to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Religion)

DC	Result
8	Dream sages are very charming and diplomatic.
16	Many fear the manipulative powers of sages... or at least until they meet one. Becoming cooed into how benign and victimized sages really are.
24	Dream sages can enter into others’ dreams.
32	Dream sage are Moral Warriors, redefining the principles of their enemies.
40	Specific info on a dream sage.

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