Prestige Classes

PRIME UNDERDARK GUIDE

Traveling in the Underdark is dangerous, especially for those unaccustomed to its labyrinthine passages. Wise travelers try to hire a skilled guide who not only knows how to overcome the physical challenges, but also can help them over the social and cultural hurdles they are sure to face. Bards, rangers, and rogues have skills and interests that are well suited for this prestige class. Many characters dabble in the class, but few pursue it long enough to gain all that it offers. It’s not unusual for a rogue to take some levels in prime Underdark guide just so that she can better aid her companions in their travels through the Realms Below. Prime Underdark guides are usually found in the company of adventuring parties or merchant caravans. With their environmental and diplomatic expertise, they can greatly enhance the odds of survival in the Underdark for both themselves and their clients.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

To qualify to become a prime Underdark guide, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Any nonevil.

Skills: Balance 2 ranks, Climb 8 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks, Gather Information 5 ranks, Knowledge (Underdark local) 5 ranks, Survival 5 ranks, Use Rope 2 ranks.

Feats: Alertness, Track.

Special: Must know at least four languages.

Class Skills

The prime Underdark guide's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography, local, nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Prime Underdark Guide

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the prime Underdark guide prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Prime Underdark guides gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells: Beginning at 1st level, a prime Underdark guide gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, the prime Underdark guide must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so a character with an Intelligence score of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Prime Underdark guide bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the prime Underdark guide’s Intelligence modifier. When the prime Underdark guide gets 0 spells per day of a given level (for instance, 0 1st-level spells at 1st level), she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to for that spell level based on her Intelligence score. A prime Underdark guide without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of that level. The prime Underdark guide’s spell list appears below.

A prime Underdark guide prepares and casts spells just as a wizard does. She keeps her spells in a spellbook and must study them each morning. She can add to her spellbook by copying spells from wizards or from other prime Underdark guides.

Aid Another Nearby (Ex): A prime Underdark guide need not be adjacent to another creature to use the aid another action for certain purposes. Beginning at 1st level, she can aid another at a distance of up to 30 feet on Balance, Climb, Jump, Survival, Swim, and Use Rope checks, as long as her ally can see or hear her.

Bonus Language: Since prime Underdark guides travel among many different races, they tend to pick up other languages with great facility. At 1st level and every other level thereafter, a prime Underdark guide gains one bonus language of her choice. (She cannot choose secret languages as bonus languages with this ability.)

Aid Group (Ex): A prime Underdark guide is accustomed to managing and helping large groups of people. Beginning at 2nd level, she can assist one creature per prime Underdark guide level on Balance, Climb, Jump, Survival, Swim, and Use Rope checks whenever she uses the aid another action. All creatures she is so aiding must be within 30 feet of her.

Danger Sense (Ex): A prime Underdark guide possesses an uncanny intuition that warns her of impending danger. At 2nd level, she gains a +2 insight bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps or natural hazards, a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks made by traps or natural hazards, and a +2 insight bonus on Spot checks made to spot creatures at the beginning of an encounter (see the Encounter Distance rules in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). At 4th level, these bonuses increase to +4, and at 8th level, they increase to +6.

Underdark Lore: A prime Underdark guide is especially adept at gathering knowledge. At 2nd level, she gains the ability to recall legends or information about various topics. This ability works like bardic knowledge (see the bard class entry in the Player’s Handbook), except that the prime Underdark guide’s bonus for an Underdark lore check is her character level + her Intelligence modifier. This ability applies only to information pertaining to the Underdark.

Underdark Traveler (Ex): A prime Underdark guide is familiar with the culture and etiquette of many Underdark societies. At 2nd level, she receives a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, and Sense Motive checks made against members of Underdark races. This bonus increases to +3 at 5th level, to +4 at 7th level, and to +5 at 9th level.

Danger Warning (Su): When the prime Underdark guide reaches 3rd level, her danger sense becomes so acute that nearby companions become similarly sensitive. As a standard action, the prime Underdark guide can select one ally per class level within 30 feet to share her danger sense. Each of these designated allies gains a +1 insight bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps or natural hazards, a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks made by traps or natural hazards, and a +1 insight bonus on Spot checks made to spot creatures at the beginning of an encounter (see the Encounter Distance rules in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level and to +3 at 10th level. Each creature so designated retains the benefit until it moves out of range or until the prime Underdark guide designates a different set of allies to receive the benefit.

Prime Underdark Guide Spell List

Prime Underdark guides choose their spells from the following list:

1st Level: alarm, change self, create water, detect magic, endure elements, expeditious retreat, feather fall, jump, light, purify food and drink, resist energy, spider climb, stick.

2nd Level: bull’s strength, burrow, cat’s grace, eagle’s splendor, darkvision, owl’s wisdom, pass without trace, protection from energy, reflective disguise.

3rd Level: amorphous form, create food and water, daylight, deeper darkness, shadow mask, suggestion.

4th Level: deeper darkvision, dimension door, freedom of movement, good hope, mass burrow, mass darkvision, mass reflective disguise, sending.

1 New spell described in Underdark.

2 Spell from the FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Setting.