Mephit Paragon
Yesterday, we revealed a mephit player race, but some of you may have noticed that something seemed to be missing. If you’ve been wracking your brains trying to figure out what, the wait is finally over, as today’s article promises to fill that void. I’m talking, of course, about elemental power.
Just like the four races presented in The Traveler’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire, our mephit race comes with a 20-level base class designed to allow players to unlock increasingly powerful abilities of mephit paragons, and it’s probably no surprise that it focuses on elemental powers, with each mephit choosing a single elemental infusion, similar to a sorcerer’s bloodline. Sadly, our word count doesn’t allow me to cover elemental infusions for all of the existing types of mephits (I’ve stretched it pretty far today, as it is), but I can provide the two which seem the most relevant at the moment, and with the recent release of The Traveler’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire, there can be no doubt that that is fire and magma mephits.
As a final note before we get started, in order to get the most out of this class, you’ll need access to some fire feats. Now, there’s over 50 fire feats in The Traveler’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire, but to get started, you may want to take a peek at the ones available for free in the preview version of that book, the Tourist’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire.
New Base Class
Mephit Paragon
Unlocking the powers of the elements, mephit paragons possess potent magical abilities, and are infused with raw elemental energy. In addition to being able to expel their element as a breath weapon, and being able to summon creatures associated with their element, mephit paragons gain access to a wide variety of elemental powers and are competent spellcasters in their own right.
Role: Mephit paragons are able to provide much of the same utility provided by dedicated spellcasters, while still focusing on dealing damage. Elementally-aligned, mephit paragons excel against those who are weak to their element, and while they face an upward battle against those who are resistant or immune to their chosen element, they possess enough flexibility to meaningfully combat such opponents.
Prerequisite: Only characters of the mephit race can gain levels in the mephit paragon class.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Starting Wealth: 4d6 x 10 (average 140 gp).
Class Skills
A mephit paragon’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device.
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The following are the class features of the mephit paragon.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mephit paragons are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor. A mephit paragon can cast mephit paragon spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other spellcaster, a mephit paragon wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass mephit paragon still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spells: A mephit paragon casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level. A mephit paragon’s highest level of spells is 6th. Spells from the sorcerer/wizard list of 7th level and above are not on the mephit paragon class spell list, and a mephit paragon cannot use spell completion or spell trigger magic items of such spells (without making a successful Use Magic Device check).
To learn or cast a spell, a mephit paragon must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a mephit paragon’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the mephit paragon’s Charisma modifier.
A mephit paragon can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level each day. His base daily allotment is given on Table: Mephit Paragon. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
A mephit paragon’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A mephit paragon begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the mephit paragon’s choice. At each new mephit paragon level, he gains one or more new spells as indicated on Table: Mephit Paragon Spells Known. Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a mephit paragon knows is not affected by his Charisma score. The numbers on Table: Mephit Paragon Spells Known are fixed.
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third mephit paragon level thereafter, a mephit paragon can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the mephit paragon “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 one level lower than the highest-level mephit paragon spell he can cast. A mephit paragon may swap out a single spell at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time he gains new spells known for the level.
Spells with certain elemental descriptors are more difficult for a mephit paragon to cast, based on his elemental infusion.
Cantrips: A mephit paragon learns a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Mephit Paragon Spells Known under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they may be cast any number of times per day. Cantrips prepared using other spell slots, due to metamagic feats, for example, consume spell slots as normal.
Elemental Infusion: Each mephit paragon is infused with the power of a single elemental or quasi-elemental force, such as air, dust, earth, fire, ice, magma, ooze, salt, steam, or water. This elemental infusion grants the mephit paragon additional spells known and powers, as well as determining the type of damage inflicted by its breath weapon, the type of creatures it can summon, and the types of feats it can take as bonus feats.
At 1st level, a mephit paragon gains a special ability determined by his elemental infusion. At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, he gains an additional special ability determined by his elemental infusion.
At 4th level, and every three levels thereafter, the mephit paragon learns an additional spell, derived from his elemental infusion. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Mephit Paragon Spells Known. These spells cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels.
Breath Weapon (Ex): As a standard action, a mephit paragon can unleash a torrent of elemental energy from his mouth, inflicting 1d6 points of damage to each creature in a 15-foot cone. The type of damage is determined by the mephit’s elemental infusion, as well as any additional effects that may apply to creatures affected by the breath weapon. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the mephit paragon’s class level + the mephit paragon’s Constitution modifier) halves this damage. A mephit paragon can use his breath weapon a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Constitution modifier.
At 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter, the damage inflicted by the mephit paragon’s breath weapon increases by 1d6 (to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level).
Elemental Summons (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, as a standard action, a mephit paragon can summon one or more creatures based on its elemental infusion. The exact type of creature summoned depends on the mephit paragon’s level and infused element, and each elemental infusion has a table detailing what is available. This summons is more of a request than a command, and the mephit paragon can never be certain whether anything will answer the summons: each time the ability is used, the chance that one or more creatures are summoned is equal to 50% + 1% per class level. If the mephit paragon prefers, he can choose to summon a creature from a lower-level entry on his elemental infusion’s table. If he does so, the chance of successfully summoning the creature increases by 20%. Creatures summoned in this way remain for 1 minute, and serve the mephit paragon as though they had been summoned with summon monster I. At 2nd level, a mephit paragon can use this ability once per day. At 8th level, and every six levels thereafter, the mephit paragon can use this ability one additional time per day.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, a mephit paragon gains a single bonus feat of his choice for which he qualifies. These bonus feats are restricted by the mephit paragon’s infused element. At 6th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the mephit paragon gains an additional bonus feat in this manner.
Breath Enhancement (Ex): At 4th level, and every six levels thereafter, a mephit paragon’s breath weapon becomes more potent. The mephit paragon can choose a breath enhancement from the following list. Each time he uses his breath weapon, the mephit paragon may choose to apply a single breath enhancement he possesses.
Focused Breath: The mephit paragon spits a ball of elemental energy at a single target, rather than breathing it out as a cone. The mephit paragon must make a ranged touch attack to hit the target, which has a range increment of 10 feet and a maximum range of 60 feet. If the attack hits, the target takes full damage from the breath weapon (no save). If the breath weapon has a secondary effect that depends on the result of a saving throw (such as causing the target to catch on fire if she fails her saving throw), the target is still entitled to a saving throw to resist that effect.
Intense Breath: The mephit paragon’s breath weapon deals 1 additional point of damage per damage die.
Linear Breath: The mephit paragon’s breath weapon takes the form of a 60-foot line, instead of a 15-foot cone.
Potent Breath: The saving throw DC to resist the mephit paragon’s breath weapon increases by +2.
Shaped Breath: The mephit paragon can choose any number of creatures within the area of its breath weapon and exclude them from the effect.
Widened Breath: The mephit paragon’s breath weapon takes the form of a 30-foot cone, instead of a 15-foot cone.
Dual Breath (Ex): Beginning at 14th level, whenever a mephit paragon uses his breath weapon, he can apply the effects of two breath enhancements he possesses, rather than applying one. The mephit paragon cannot apply more than one of the following breath enhancements to a single breath weapon: focused breath, linear breath, and widened breath.
Elemental Infusions
The following are two elemental infusions for the mephit paragon class.
Fire
Some mephits embody fickle flames, which are both a source of light and warmth, and also a potent force of destruction. These mephits are capricious and mischievous, and love little more than to watch the sparkling dance of a fresh-set fire, regardless of exactly what it is that they burn.
Bonus Spells: snapdragon fireworksUM (4th), scorching ray (7th), fireball (10th), fire shield (13th), wall of fire (16th), fire storm (19th).
Spellcasting Modifiers: Fire mephit paragons cannot cast spells with the cold or water descriptors. A fire mephit paragon can cast spells with the acid, air, earth, and electricity descriptors, but must use two spell slots of the appropriate spell level to cast that spell, similar to a wizard casting a spell from an opposed school.
Bonus Feats: Fire mephit paragons can select any feat with the fire descriptor for which they meet the prerequisites. For more information about the fire descriptor, see The Traveler’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Breath Weapon: A fire mephit paragon's breath weapon deals fire damage. Any creature that fails its saving throw to resist a fire mephit paragon’s breath weapon catches on fire, suffering 1d6 points of fire damage per round until the flames are put out. At 7th level, and every six levels thereafter, this damage increases by 1d6.
Elemental Summons: A fire mephit paragon can summon the following creatures.
Elemental Powers: Fire mephit paragons harness the power of fire, consuming all they come into contact with a voracious hunger.
Ignition Bolt (Su): As a standard action, a fire mephit paragon can fire a ray of flame at a single creature or object within 60 feet. Treat this as a ranged touch attack. If the attack hits, it deals an amount of fire damage equal to 1d6 + 1 per two class levels the fire mephit paragon possesses. Additionally, if the ray strikes an object whose hardness is less than the fire mephit paragon’s class level, the object lights on fire, suffering 1d6 points of fire damage per round, which ignores hardness, until the flames are put out (through normal methods), or until 1 minute has passed, at which point the flames die on their own. Objects which catch fire in this way deal fire damage to creatures and objects they come into contact with, and may potentially start new fires, which persist after a minute has passed. The fire mephit paragon can use this ability 3 times per day.
Flametouched (Ex): Fire mephit paragons are at one with flames, and immune to the ravages of heat. Beginning at 4th level, a fire mephit paragon gains the fire subtype, rendering him immune to fire damage, but vulnerable to cold damage, suffering half again (150%) as much cold damage as he otherwise would.
Smokefriend (Ex): At 8th level, a fire mephit paragon can see through smoke and ash as though it were not there, and such things do not impede its vision. Similarly, the fire mephit paragon can breathe smoke as though it were clean air, and is unaffected by the normal consequences of breathing smoke.
Healed by the Hearth (Ex): Beginning at 12th level, a fire mephit paragon is healed by flames. At the end of the fire mephit paragon’s turn each round, if he came into contact with any flame since the end of his last turn, he regains 2 hit points. Any healing in excess of his maximum hit points is wasted.
Burn (Ex): At 16th level, a fire mephit paragon’s body becomes so hot that creatures and objects he touches are damaged by the heat. He gains the burn universal monster ability, inflicting 1d6 points of fire damage. If he already has burn from another source (such as the Lesser Burning Body feat, from The Traveler’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire), the damage inflicted by his burn ability instead increases by 1d6. The fire mephit paragon can suppress or resume this ability as a standard action.
Inferno (Sp): At 20th level, a fire mephit paragon can create a raging inferno, surrounding itself with flames to a distance of 30 feet. Each creature that enters this area or begins its turn within it suffers 10d6 points of fire damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the fire mephit paragon’s class level + the fire mephit paragon’s Charisma modifier) halves this damage. The flames move with the fire mephit paragon.
Magma
Some mephits are attuned to the power of molten rock, and the intense heat and flame that can melt anything. Strong as surging floes of lava, and unpredictable as erupting volcanoes, these mephits are a force to be reckoned with.
Bonus Spells: firebellyISG(4th), flaming sphere (7th), fireball (10th), fire shield (13th), fire snakeAPG (16th), contagious flameAPG (19th).
Spellcasting Modifiers: Magma mephit paragons cannot cast spells with the cold or water descriptors. A magma mephit paragon can cast spells with the air or electricity descriptor, but must use two spell slots of the appropriate spell level to cast that spell, similar to a wizard casting a spell from an opposed school.
Bonus Feats: Magma mephit paragons can select any feat with the fire descriptor for which they meet the prerequisites. For more information about the fire descriptor, see The Traveler’s Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Breath Weapon: The area of a magma mephit paragon’s breath weapon is filled with a pool of lava. Entering a square filled with this lava inflicts a number of points of fire damage equal to 1/2 the magma mephit paragon’s class level, and any creature that ends its turn in the lava suffers this damage as well. Finally, the lava imposes a –4 penalty on Acrobatics checks made within its area. The lava cools and hardens to stone after 1d4 rounds.
Elemental Summons: A magma mephit paragon can summon the following creatures.
Elemental Powers: Magma mephit paragons harness the power of magma, prone to long periods of dormancy punctuated by explosive bursts of incredible force.
Heat Metal (Sp): A magma mephit paragon can cause metal objects to become incredibly hot. This functions as the spell heat metal, except that it targets only a single object, and the duration depends on the magma mephit paragon’s level. The number of rounds that the object remains hot or warm is the same as the spell, but the number of rounds that the object is searing is equal to 1/2 the magma mephit paragon’s class level, rounded down (minimum 0). Additionally, while the object is searing, its hardness is reduced by an amount equal to the magma mephit paragon’s Charisma modifier, as it nears the point of melting. The magma mephit paragon can use this ability 3 times per day.
Flametouched (Ex): Magma mephit paragons are at one with flames, and immune to the ravages of heat. Beginning at 4th level, a magma mephit paragon gains the fire subtype, rendering him immune to fire damage, but vulnerable to cold damage, suffering half again (150%) as much cold damage as he otherwise would.
Lava Lungs (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a magma mephit paragon is able to swim through lava and magma as easily as a fish in water. He gains a swim speed of 60 feet, but only in magma or lava, and he can breathe and see through magma and lava as though they were air.
Magmatic Healing (Ex): Beginning at 12th level, a magma mephit paragon is healed by magma. At the end of the magma mephit’s turn each round, if he came into contact with any source of lava or magma since the end of his last turn, he regains 2 hit points. Any healing in excess of his maximum hit points is wasted.
Magma Form (Sp): At 16th level, a magma mephit paragon can transform himself into a pool of magma. This functions as the spell fluid formAPG, except that the magma mephit paragon also gains a slam attack that deals 5d6 points of fire damage. Additionally, any creature that strikes the magma mephit paragon with a natural attack or unarmed strike while he is affected in this way suffers 5d6 points of fire damage. The magma mephit paragon’s caster level for this effect is equal to his class level. The magma mephit paragon can use this ability 3 times per day.
Eruption (Sp): At 20th level, a magma mephit paragon can cause a violent eruption of lava, forming a pillar of lava with a 20-foot radius that is 40 feet high. Creatures within the pillar suffer 20d6 points of fire damage and fall prone. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the magma mephit paragon’s class level + the magma mephit paragon’s Charisma modifier) halves the damage and negates the prone condition. Lava remains in the affected area for 2d4 rounds before cooling, dealing 2d6 points of fire damage to any creature that enters the area or begins its turn within it, and rendering the area difficult terrain.