Class Archetype · Beta

The Zealot

The most terrifying thing a faith can produce is not a doubter. It is a true believer with nothing left to lose. The Zealot began where all clergy begin — on her knees, in prayer, in service. But service became obsession, and obsession became something her god never sanctioned. Her oath shattered. Her god’s power flickered and dimmed. But her belief did not. That belief has curdled into something her deity never intended and cannot control — a conviction so absolute it no longer needs divine sanction to fuel it. She still wears the holy symbol. She still speaks the prayers. The power she once begged for on bended knee she now seizes with open hands, forged from the unshakeable certainty that she is right. She names blasphemers. She marks the unworthy. She purifies by fire and terror. She is the church’s darkest secret: what happens when the faith survives the fall from grace. Her god may have abandoned her. She has not noticed.

Becoming a Zealot

Entry Requirements

Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks.

Feats: Must have one of the following: Intimidating Prowess, Leadership, or Persuasive.

Spellcasting: Able to prepare and cast 1st-level divine spells.

Special: Druids, Inquisitors, and Paladins only. Must have broken an oath to your faith while spreading it.

Alignment: Any (see Conviction)

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

The Zealot's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Stealth (Dex).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Progression

The Conv. Penalty column shows the level penalty applied to the Zealot's Conviction class. The Conv. Bonus column shows the bonus granted by Strength of Conviction (gained at 4th level), equal to half the Zealot's class level rounded down.

Class Features

The following are class features of the Zealot.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The Zealot gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Conviction (Su)

She believes in herself so strongly that her belief becomes the fuel for her once-lost powers. At 1st level, Conviction grants powers depending on what she was before becoming a Zealot. She gains the benefit of permanent Undetectable Alignment and always appears to have the alignment of her god.

If she was previously a class of faith (Druid, Inquisitor, or Paladin), she gains access to all previously lost powers and abilities as if she were 3 levels lower in that class. She does not regain the ability to cast spells through this ability. As she progresses in Zealot levels, the penalty to her effective class level is reduced by 1 for every 4 Zealot levels, to a minimum of 0 at 12th level.

Silver Tongue (Ex)

At 1st level, when making a Diplomacy check against someone of her faith, the Zealot adds her Zealot level to the check and may shift her target's attitude two steps rather than one. When making a Diplomacy check against someone not of her faith, she adds half her Zealot level (rounded down) to the check instead.

Power of Conviction (Su)

At 2nd level, the power of the Zealot's conviction is now so great that her spellcasting no longer depends on divine favor. If lost, she regains the ability to cast spells, now using her Charisma modifier in place of her original spellcasting ability modifier. To prepare or cast a spell, the Zealot must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against one of her spells is 10 + the spell level + her Charisma modifier.

Strength of Conviction (Su)

At 4th level, the class affected by her Conviction now adds half her Zealot level (rounded down) to her effective class level when determining her access to powers and abilities granted by that class. This bonus is cumulative with the Conviction class level and is reflected in the Conv. Bonus column of the class table.

Detect Blasphemy (Su)

At 5th level, the Zealot gains the ability to name someone a Blasphemer. As a swift action, she may call out a target as a Blasphemer a number of times per day equal to half her Zealot level + her Charisma modifier. Once named, the Blasphemer is considered evil for the purpose of determining the effects of the Zealot's spells and abilities. A Blasphemer remains affected until she is dead or until the Zealot rests and regains the uses of this ability.

Mark of the Purifier (Su)

At 9th level, the act of calling out a Blasphemer places a curse upon the target. The Will DC for a saving throw against this curse is equal to 10 + the Zealot's level + her Charisma modifier. The curse causes the target to appear to have an alignment of the Zealot's choosing, and the target is affected by all spells and abilities as if she were of that alignment.

True Conviction (Su)

At 13th level, the Zealot no longer needs to call out a target for her spells and abilities to treat them as a Blasphemer — her intent alone is sufficient. When she does use her Detect Blasphemy ability to formally call out a Blasphemer, she automatically confirms all critical threats against that target.

Zealot's Doctrine (Su)

At 14th level, the Zealot chooses one of the following Doctrines, gaining its first benefit immediately. Her chosen Doctrine reflects her ultimate conviction — the truth she has decided the world must accept. At 15th level (Doctrine Fulfilled), she gains the Doctrine's second benefit.

Doctrine of Ruin

14th Level: When the Zealot calls out a Blasphemer, the target must make a Will save (DC 10 + Zealot level + Charisma modifier) or be permanently Shaken while the Zealot lives. This condition cannot be removed by any magic short of a Miracle or Wish.

15th Level: Any creature the Zealot has marked as a Blasphemer who dies within 1 mile of her cannot be raised, resurrected, or reincarnated unless the Zealot is also dead or personally permits it.

Doctrine of the Martyr

14th Level: Three times per day, as an immediate action when reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, the Zealot may refuse to fall. She immediately stabilizes at 1 hit point. Every creature that witnesses this must make a Will save (DC 10 + Zealot level + Charisma modifier) or be Shaken for 1 minute.

15th Level: If the Zealot is killed, her body rises as a powerful undead retaining all class features after 1d4 rounds, unless her body is completely destroyed or the killing blow was dealt by a cleric or paladin of her original deity.

Doctrine of Self

14th Level: The Zealot becomes her own divine source. Once per day, she may cast any spell from her spell list as a spell-like ability with no components required.

15th Level: She is immune to all divine-origin mind-affecting effects, including fear, compulsion, charm, and morale effects originating from clerics and paladins. No god can touch her mind.

Doctrine of the Congregation

14th Level: The Zealot's Silver Tongue ability now works on all creatures regardless of faith, shifting attitude two steps and adding her full Zealot level to the Diplomacy check.

15th Level: She may formally induct up to her Charisma modifier in converted creatures as her Congregation. She may mark any Congregation member as a Blasphemer as a free action at any time. If the Zealot is killed, each Congregation member is immediately filled with murderous grief — they gain the effects of Rage and must attack her killer for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier, with no saving throw.