New Prestige: Elemental Ascendant

Description: "Elemental ascendants, or twilight ascendants, are a new type of elementals introduced in after the Shattering of Azeroth. They are Twilight's Hammer cultists that have been twisted into elemental beings via 'ascension'. The Twilight Cultists hope that they will one day become elemental ascendants. The ascension process seems to involve draining something from other elementals."

Elemental Ascendants in the World: These twisted aberrations can be seen throughout many Twilight camps and bases. Usually, they roam where elemental activity may be, or simply spreading chaos in the world to help usher the Hour of Twilight. As only the worthy survive the ascension process, these dangerous fanatics will do anything to carry out the command of their Old God masters, taking them wherever their masters bid them to be.

Hit Dice: D8

Requirements Race: Any. Affiliation: Must be Chaotic Evil, as the character must be willing to enslave and dominate the elemental forces. They must also be affiliated with the Twilight Hammer. (Independent, neutral aligned Ascendants may become possible as defects after Deathwing's defeat, similar to an Independent Lich.) Must be able to cast 3rd level (arcane or divine) spells or runes. Skills: Intimidate 8 ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks. Feats: Endurance. Special: Must have enslaved and drained an elemental and survived the ascension process. The type of elemental determines the type of Ascendant the character becomes. (Fire, Water, Air and Earth.)

Class Skills

The Elemental Ascendant's class skills (and key ability for each) are Intimidate (Cha), Concentration (Sta), Spellcraft (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Spot (Spt), Listen (Spt), Survival (Spt), and Craft (Int). See WoW RPG, Chapter 5: Skills for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at each level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Elemental Ascendants gain no additional armor or weapon proficiencies in weapons or armor.

Spells/Rune Slots per Day: When a new odd-numbered Elemental Ascendant level is gained, the character gains new spells slots per day as if he had also gained a level in the spellcasting/runecasting class in which he could cast 3rd-level spells or runes before he added the Elemental Ascendant level. He does not gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one spellcasting/runecasting class in which he could cast 3rd-level spells or runes before he became an Elemental Ascendant, he must decide to which class he adds each level of Elemental Ascendant for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Twisted Transformation: At 1st level, the character undergoes a horrifying transformation that warps his very soul. His body becomes charred and corrupt with a dark visage, permanently becoming an Elemental Ascendant based on the type of elemental the character drained for the ascension process. In this permanently transformed state, the character loses all armor proficiencies, and cannot regain those proficiencies by any means. He loses the ability to equip gear on the head, ears, body, feet, hands and wrists, as well as any racial equipment slots he may have had before, are also gone. However, he may still equip items on the neck, as well as rings and cloaks. In return for these sacrifices, the Elemental Ascendant gains +10 Natural Armor, damage reduction 3/-, +5 morale bonus to all saving throws and Regeneration 1. He is immune to sneak attack and critical hits, immune to drowning, immune to diseases and poisons, and gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for free. He is also no longer a humanoid, gaining the outsider and elemental subtypes. Spells such as Hold Person (that affects humanoids) do not work on the Elemental Ascendant. However, shamans using Turn/Rebuke Elemental for example, will affect the Ascendant normally. They are also vulnerable to banishment spells.

Should the Elemental Ascendant somehow lose his form permanently and return to his previous, original humanoid form (via Miracle, Wish or True Resurrection), then he loses all class features until he does the ascension process again.

Based on the type of Ascendant the character becomes, they gain the following extra benefits :

Fire Ascendant: Immunity to Fire, +2 Strength, +1d6 fire damage on all unarmed attacks. All spells with energy type components (fire, sonic, cold, electric, acid), are automatically given the fire subtype instead. Suffers double damage from cold sources. Pools of water are exceptionally dangerous, and if a Fire Ascendant is submerged in it, it's treated as if the character was fully submerged in a hazardous pool or pit.

Water or Ice Ascendant: Immunity to Cold, +2 Spirit, +1d6 Cold damage on all unarmed attacks. All spells with energy type components (fire, sonic, cold, electric, acid), are automatically given the cold subtype instead. Suffers double damage from fire sources.

Air Ascendant: Immunity to Electricity, Immunity to Sonic, +2 Agility, +1d3 Electricity and +1d3 Sonic damage on all unarmed attacks. All spells with energy type components (fire, sonic, cold, electric, acid), are automatically given the electric or sonic subtype instead (The Ascendant may decide). Suffers double damage from physical sources.

Earth Ascendant: Immunity to Acid, +2 Stamina, +1d6 Physical damage on all unarmed attacks. All spells with energy type components (fire, sonic, cold, electric, acid), are automatically given the acid subtype instead. Suffers double damage from sonic sources.

Note that if an Ascendant Type somehow gains immunity to their opposing element (Such as a Fire Ascendant gaining Mark of Ultimate Ice), then they will suffer only normal damage instead of doubled from their opposing element.

Ascended Mastery: At every even-numbered Elemental Ascendant level (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and at 10th), the Elemental Ascendant continues to develop as he draws ever closer to harnessing the core of his element. The following benefits are gained at the indicated levels :

Fire Ascendant: +2 Strength, Regeneration 1, +1 Natural Armor (For a total of +10 Strength, Regeneration 5 and +5 Natural Armor at 10th Level from this class feature).

Water or Ice Ascendant: +2 Spirit and Regeneration 2 (For a total of +10 Spirit and Regeneration 10 at 10th Level from this class feature).

Air Ascendant: +2 Agility and +2 Dodge bonus to AC (For a total of +10 Agility and +10 Dodge AC at 10th Level from this class feature).

Earth Ascendant: +2 Stamina and Damage Reduction 3/- (For a total of +10 Stamina and Damage Reduction 15/- at 10th Level from this class feature).

These bonuses will stack with the initial benefits from the Twisted Transformation class feature.

Secrets of the Old Gods: At 5th and 10th level, the Elemental Ascendant will become gifted with twisted, dark blessings from the Old Gods (Such as C'thun, N'zoth, etc), and the damage from some of these abilities are reflected upon the Ascendant's type. The following supernatural abilities may be taken at the indicated levels :

Twisted Aura (Su): As a free action, the Elemental Ascendant may amplify all of his melee attacks with twisting force, dealing an additional 1d10 (Ascendant Type) damage with every strike, and deals 1d8 (Ascendant Type) damage to anything that hits him with a melee attack. This ability can be activated at will. This ability can be taken more than once, increasing the extra elemental damage dealt to 2d10, and enemies take 2d8 damage instead.

Retributive Nuke (Su): As a standard action, the Elemental Ascendant may invoke an orb of destructive power within himself that lasts for 5 rounds. If he is hit while the orb is present by any melee attack, then the orb will discharge in a hellish display of unspeakable fury, erupting from the Ascendant to blast all enemies within 60 ft for 20d6 + Charisma modifier as Ascendant Type damage. Opponents may make a reflex save (DC= 10 + Elemental Ascendant Level + Charisma modifier) for half damage. If the Ascendant is not struck in melee within the 5 rounds of the orb's presence, then it will disperse without any effect. He cannot use more than one orb if another is already in effect for the duration. The Elemental Ascendant may use this ability up to 2 times + Charisma modifier per day.

Stare of Insanity (Su): As a standard action, the Elemental Ascendant may look upon a target with the madness of the Old Gods. The target chosen must make a will save (DC = 10 + Elemental Ascendant Level + Charisma modifier) or be paralyzed in incomprehensible shock for 3 rounds. If the 3 rounds are up before the paralysis is removed (such as break enchantment, remove curse, wish or miracle spells), then the target will be struck by his own mind seeping with insanity, causing him to ignite and suffer 20d6 + Charisma modifier as Ascendant Type damage. A second will save can be done to negate this damage effect (DC = 10 + Elemental Ascendant Level + Charisma Modifier). If the Elemental Ascendant uses this ability on a target already paralyzed by his power, then the duration will simply reset. The Elemental Ascendant may use this ability up to 2 times + Charisma modifier per day.

Twisted Renewal (Su): Once per day, as a free action, the Elemental Ascendant can call upon the corruption of the Old Gods to restore his horrifying form. He gains Fast Healing equal to 10 + Elemental Ascendant Level + Charisma modifier for 5 rounds. This ability can be taken more than once, allowing an extra use of it per day.

Ascended Resilience (Su): Once per day, as a free action, the Elemental Ascendant can invoke his dark soul with further taint from the Old Gods. When this is done, he will automatically succeed on the next fortitude, reflex or will save against him as if he had rolled a natural 20. This power lasts for 10 rounds + Charisma modifier, and will discharge after the next hostile effect that requires a save is done against him. If no saves are done against the Elemental Ascendant within the duration, then the power will simply disperse with no effect or benefit. This ability can be taken more than once, allowing an extra use of it per day.

Herald of the Old Gods: At 10th Level, the Elemental Ascendant reaches the pinnacle of his corrupt transformation. His body cackles with the elemental aura of his type, and he becomes a truly terrifying sight to behold. He becomes immune to all mind-affecting effects, immune to all sudden death effects (both magical and mundane, including Coup De Grace), and immune to ability score damage.