Death Achievements
Personally, I really like achievement feats: the idea that you have to accomplish something in order to claim the benefit is really appealing to me. Since achievement feats can have some unusual story-based prerequisites, as a designer, these feats give you some room to play that you just don’t have with traditional feats. So as long as we’re diving off the edge anyway, why not go really crazy with some feats that require you to have died!? Well, there’s no good reason I can see. At first, the following feats might seem like a losing proposition, but they can also serve as a reward for keeping a character around, even though it costs a little extra and usually comes with some negative levels. So sit back, enjoy, and get ready for some feats to die for.
Chained to the Wheel
You have died and been reborn so often that you have become stuck in an endless cycle of death and reincarnation.
Prerequisite: You must have died and been returned to life by a reincarnate spell at least 3 separate times, with a new body each time.
Benefits: When you die and are returned back to life by a spell, you never suffer any ability drain, damage (including ability damage), or negative levels as a result of the effect that brought you back to life. Instead, upon being returned to life, you are reborn in a new body, just as if you had been affected with a reincarnate spell.
Death By Dragons
You have perished under the flames of dragon breath, but, like a phoenix, have risen from the ashes.
Prerequisite: You must have died by receiving damage from a true dragon’s breath weapon or natural attack.
Benefits: Your death has left you marked by dragons and you share a special connection with the beast that slew you. You gain a +2 bonus on Reflex saving throws against breath weapons. Additionally, you gain 10 points of energy resistance of the same type as the energy produced by the breath weapon of the dragon that killed you. If the dragon that slew you did not possess a breath weapon, then you gain 10 points of fire resistance.
Death Denied
You have died and come back to life so often that you can find your way back without magical assistance.
Prerequisite: You must have died and been returned to life on at least 10 separate occasions.
Benefits: When you die, if your body is mostly intact and all together, then you may choose to find your way back to life. This process takes 2d20+10 hours while your soul wanders the afterlife on the way back to your body. Your body must remain intact and well preserved in order to return to it. At the conclusion of this wait period, you are returned to life as with the spell raise dead.
Eyes of the Assassin
You have lived and died by the edge of the knife, and now that you are back, you have an eye for the assassin’s blade.
Prerequisite: You must have been killed by an attack that dealt at least 10 points of precision-based damage on at least 3 separate occasions.
Benefits: You are exceedingly aware of especially lethal blows and can potentially react to them in order to avoid the assault. Whenever you would be subjected to a critical hit or an attack that deals precision-based damage, you can attempt a Reflex save (DC= 10 + the attacking character’s base attack bonus + the ability score modifier modifying the attack roll), which, if successful, negates the extra damage dealt by a critical hit or precision damage. Additionally, for the purposes of uncanny dodge, you are treated as though you possessed 4 more rogue levels than you actually do.
Fell Curse
Touched by evil, your life force is forever and inescapably cursed.
Prerequisite: You must have died as a result of having a number of negative levels equal to your Hit Dice.
Benefits: Your life force is infused with a potent curse. Whenever you would gain one or more negative levels, you gain an additional negative level. However, when you perish, you pass your curse on to another as vengeance. Whenever you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by another character, that character gains 1 permanent negative level. If you are actually killed by another character, that character gains 2 permanent negative levels, instead, and gains this feat as a bonus feat. A successful Will save negates this effect (DC = 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Charisma modifier).
Foe of Heavens
You were smote down by the fury of the gods, but have since returned, now resistant to their interfering touch.
Prerequisite: You must have died as the result of a divine spell or a smite attack.
Benefits: You gain spell resistance equal to 10 + your Hit Dice. This spell resistance only applies against divine spells, and you cannot be willingly affected by a divine spell. If a divine spell fails to overcome your spell resistance by 5 or more, then the spell is turned back on its caster as though by a spell turning effect.
Renewed Body
Your new body is full of strength and vigor.
Prerequisite: You must have died and had your body destroyed utterly, as with a disintegrate spell or similar effect.
Benefits: You gain a permanent +2 enhancement bonus to the physical ability score of your choice. Additionally, whenever you would be affected by a poison or disease, you may make an additional Fortitude save to resist acquiring the affliction.
Shining Soul
Returned to existence by a divine miracle, your soul burns brighter than most.
Prerequisite: Your soul must have been lost, destroyed, or imprisoned after death, then returned to existence with a wish or miracle spell.
Benefits: Your shining soul is exceptionally resilient to attack. You gain a +8 bonus on saving throws against death effects. Additionally, once per day, if you would be reduced to fewer than 0 hit points, you may call upon the strength of your soul in order to be reduced to 0 hit points, instead. Finally, you automatically stabilize if you are dying.
Wave Touched
Your experience drowning has left you marked as a creature of the waters, constantly hearing the ocean’s call.
Prerequisite: You must have died as a result of drowning in a natural body of water.
Benefits: You gain a swim speed equal to 1/2 your land speed and can take 10 on Swim checks even while in a stressful or dangerous situation. Additionally, you can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to your Constitution score before you need to begin making Constitution checks.