Base Requirements

• Races: Any
• Sub-Classes: Any
• Ability Requirements: Stamina 13, Knowledge 14
• Alignments: Any
• Starting Cash: By class

Weapon Proficiencies

• Weapon Slots: By class
• Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: Any one bludgeoning weapon allowed by class
• Required Weapon Proficiencies: none
• Allowed Weapons: By class
• Allowed Armors: By class

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

• Non-weapon Slots: By class
• Available Categories: By class
• Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Ancient History, Blind-Fighting, Necrology
• Required Proficiencies: Religion
• Recommended Proficiencies: Alertness, Ancient Languages, Occult Lore, Endurance, Healing, Herbalism, Hunting, Literacy, Local History, Netherworld Knowledge, Persuasion, Set Snares, Spellcraft, Spirit Lore, Survival, Tracking
• Forbidden Proficiencies: All Larceny Proficiencies

Overview: In the darkest night, as the undead things creep forth to terrorize the unsuspecting populace, who rises to protect the commoner and noble alike from the vile monsters? Common clerics and fighters are good enough when they have a present threat to fight, but when you need to hunt down and eradicate undead, there is only one person to consider: the Deathslayer.

The deathslayer devotes his life to the destruction of undead, striving always to rid the world of the abominable existence. He has great understanding of these creatures which are neither fully living nor entirely dead. The deathslater’s militant opposition to all forms of undead frequently places him in direct conflict with necromancers, who delight in creating zombies, skeletons, ghouls, and other undying monstrosities.

As deathslayers gain power and experience, they eventually seek increasingly dangerous undead-such as ghosts, vampires, or liches. Not surprisingly, few survive for long in their chosen profession. Ultimately, nothing prevents the deathslayer from adopting the same loathsome practices as his enemies.

Description: Most deathslayers have a grim, determined look—the result of the grisly nature of their work. These characters have lost the any enjoyment of life, for they have become obsessed with death and the undead.

Deathslayers dress however they want, but every deathslayer carries the common items necessary for this trade. Most of them carry backpacks containing at least a mirror, two vials of holy water (if not more), several sharpened stakes, holy symbols, tinder for torches, and so forth. For weapons, if their class allows, they carry at least two silver weapons, one each of piercing and bludgeoning type, as well as ordinary weapons.

Role-Playing: The deathslayer is the defender of all living things from the threat of the undead. He lives to hunt down and eradicate undead, as they are a perversion of the natural flow of life. He travels from place to place, protecting his charges from attacks as well as investigating rumors of any mysterious events that may provide a clue as to the location of his next hunt. Deathslayers tend to be highly motivated, energetic warriors who rely on their wits as well as their brawn. The undead are in many cases intelligent and unforgiving, and one wrong slip could lead to death…or worse. The deathslayer is usually driven and brave. He devotes his life to tracking and eliminating creatures that cause many to quake in fear.

At some time in their lives, almost all deathslayers have experienced a terrifying attack by some form of undead, either directed against them personally or a loved one or family member. Indeed, the vast majority of deathslayers are driven by strikingly similar motives: an overpowering desire for revenge, mixed with righteous indignation, and a good dose of moral superiority.

Of course, the deathslayer need not have any sense of morality, or even be entirely sane. After all, the deathslayer’s most common enemy is undead. Who needs to be merciful, kind, or sane when habitually dealing with such abominations. The only real moral dilemma in a deathslayer’s life arises when undead are attended by a living master or other living monsters.

Special Abilities:

• The deathslayer is specially trained to defend himself against undead of all kinds. He gains a +2 bonus to AC against attacks made by undead creatures, and a +1 bonus on all saving throws against attacks made by the undead.
• Many undead radiate auras that cause the normal adventurer or commoner to flee in horror or fright. The deathslayer is immune to this effect generated by creatures of the same level/hit dice or lower.
• Deathslayers have the ability to detect undead as the 1st-level wizard spell with a base 50’ radius. This increases at a rate of 5’ per level. One round of concentration is required to activate this ability. The deathslayer can determine direction and distance to the undead, but not the exact type of undead. The effect lasts for one round, and can be used three times per day.
• Deathslayers who are wizards (including spellcasting rogues) gain access to the Deathslayer’s Path as a bonus path. This does not count against the normal limit on the number of paths known. These characters may learn and cast the spells from that path regardless of any normal limitations on their allowed schools of magic (such as from specialization).
• At the start of his career, a deathslayer chooses a single type of undead against which to focus his efforts. Typical choices include mummies, spectres, ghosts, vampires, or liches (lesser, more easily dispatched undead make for unchallenging nemeses). This choice is permanent and cannot be changed. The deathslayer gains the following benefits when fighting his chosen enemy:
  • Mental Fortitude: The deathslayer gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against mental attacks (such as charm or fear) caused by the Enemy.
  • Battle Prowess: The deathslayer gains a +2 bonus on all attack rolls and damage rolls against the Enemy (including spells that require a touch attack and spell damage).
  • Spell Prowess: The Enemy suffers a -2 penalty on saving throws against the deathslayer’s spells.
• Kelemvor, the god of the dead, despises undead and grants gifts even to deathslayers who do not worship him. As long as the deathslayer maintains respect for Kelemvor and doesn’t do anything to damage his standing with him, he receives the following priest spells as he advances in level. He may cast these spells once per day each.
  • 4th level: Invisibility to Undead
  • 6th level: Cure Disease
  • 8th level: Negative Plane Protection
  • 10th level: Dispel Evil
• Starting at 9th level, the deathslayer treats any weapon he wields as a +1 magical weapon when determining what undead creatures can be harmed with it. The weapon gains no other magical properties, does not grant attack or damage bonuses, and does not gain the ability to harm creatures other than undead that require magical weapons to hit.
• A Paladin who becomes a Deathslayer is less restricted by his vow of non-violence than other Paladins. His vow of nonviolence does not apply to the specific type of undead which he opposes. This exception only applies to that specific category of undead, a Paladin Deathslayer who opposes Mummies is not free to attack a Vampire. The Deathslayer must accurately identify the creature as belonging to his hated class of undead (usually via a successful Necrology check) before he may engage in violence against it. As always, the Deathslayer is free to destroy any non-sentient undead, as is any Paladin.

Special Disadvantages:

• Deathslayers are so dedicated to their craft that they seldom learn skills of interaction, trickery, or legerdemain, as such do not work against the dead. Regardless of class, they must always pay an additional slot to learn any proficiency from the Larceny group. Likewise they may not purchase any Larceny proficiencies at 1st level.
• The deathslayer never relents in the pursuit of the enemy. He is fanatically driven, as if by a gaes or compulsion, on an endless quest to seek out and destroy undead. In combat, a deathslayer will always seek out and destroy undead in preference over living targets. A deathslayer who willingly ignores this responsibility (such as targeting a living necromancer rather than the skeletons he controls) forgoes any experience he would have gained for the encounter.
• While greatly appreciated by the populace they serve, deathslayers are also regarded with extreme caution and fear. The mere sight of a known deathslayer can cause a panic in people as they wonder what foul creature brings him to their community. For this reason, deathslayers suffer a -3 to reaction roles from non-adventuring NPCs who know of their profession.
• The special attack forms of many undead are another concern for deathslayers. Aging 10 years, losing levels of experience, and the chance to wind up as one of the undead are all occupational hazards for this kit. The penalty for failure or carelessness requires those choosing this kit to have a strong motivation.

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