All of the gods have champions, be them paragons of good or evil, chaos or law. The Maligner is a champion of Ravis. They seek spread lies and deceit across the face of Draconspire to further his coming darkness and advance their personal station within the hierarchy of the Shadow Sanctum. 

 

                Adventures: Maligners relish the power that Ravis has gifted them, and they take almost any chance they can to position themselves in a way that grants them an edge over others. Most adventurers think hard and long before fully accepting a Maligner into their group. A Maligner almost certainly would consider it an obligation to join any group opposed to Glitanius.

 

                Characteristics: A malefactor to the core. Maligners are in it for two things, the favor of Ravis and themselves. Maligners have been known to turn on their own church members to advance their rank within the Shadow Sanctum. Whether for personal gain, sport, or evil as an ideal a Maligner will do whatever it takes with little regard to society or tradition.

 

                Alignment Restriction: Maligners are evil, in fact to be a Maligner you must be of evil alignment. Should a Maligner's alignment ever shift from evil they lose access to all supernatural, spell like and spell casting ability until their alignment returns to evil.

 

                Religion: All Maligners pay homage to the god Ravis. All Maligners have an affiliation with the church of Ravis, the Shadow Sanctum. See The Shadow Sanctum organization for more details and to calculate your starting affiliation score.

 

                Background: Maligners at some point in their life feel a calling to service. Sometimes the calling comes after some great hatred, loss, betrayal or victimization. No matter how the path takes them to Ravis the Shadow Sanctum accepts them, trains them, and hones them into the fine instrument of evil that is the Maligner.

 

                Races: The most desperate and vile of areas produce Maligners. These are usually human lands, urban areas or border towns with high levels of conflict. Not surprisingly, the champions of Ravis have an amazing ability to slither into most racial communities.

 

                Other Classes: Maligners do not like anyone that cannot help them do what they desire. Clerics of Ravis are usually welcome allies, until it serves to replace them. They will never associate with good party members, and deal with them only with the utmost of caution or when attempting to undermine them.

 

Game Rule Information

 

Maligners have the following game statistics.

 

                Abilities: As a martial class the Maligner benefits well from a high Strength and Constitution score. Most of the Maligner’s skills and abilities focus on Charisma, and their spell casting depends on a decent Charisma score.

 

                Alignment: Evil (any)

 

                Hit Die: d10

 

Class Skills

The Maligner’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge Religion (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex) Sense Motive (Wis), Spell craft (Int) and Stealth (Dex).

 

                Skill Points per level: 2 + Int modifier

 

The Maligner 

Level

Base Attack

Fort Save

Ref Save

Will Save

Special

Spells per Day

1st/2nd/3rd/4th

1

+1

+2

+0

+2

Aura of Evil, Detect Good,

Smite Good 1/Day

None

2

+2

+3

+0

+3

Unholy Resilience, Touch of Corruption

None

3

+3

+3

+1

+3

Poison Use, Cruelty

None

4

+4

+4

+1

+4

Channel Energy, Smite Good 2/Day

0/-/-/-

5

+5

+4

+1

+4

Fiendish Boon

1/-/-/-

6

+6

+5

+2

+5

Cruelty

1/-/-/-

7

+7

+5

+2

+5

Smite Good 3/Day

1/0/-/-

8

+8

+6

+2

+6

Shadow Servant

1/1/-/-

9

+9

+6

+3

+6

Cruelty

2/1/-/-

10

+10

+7

+3

+7

Smite Good 4/Day

2/1/0/-

11

+11

+7

+3

+7

Tempered in Lies

2/1/1/-

12

+12

+8

+4

+8

Cruelty

2/2/1/-

13

+13

+8

+4

+8

Smite Good 5/Day

3/2/1/0

14

+14

+9

+4

+9

Aura of Sin

3/2/1/1

15

+15

+9

+5

+9

Cruelty

3/2/2/1

16

+16

+10

+5

+10

Smite Good 6/Day

3/3/2/1

17

+17

+10

+5

+10

Aura of Depravity

4/3/2/1

18

+18

+11

+6

+11

Cruelty

4/3/2/2

19

+19

+11

+6

+11

Smite Good 7/Day

4/3/3/2

20

+20

+12

+6

+12

Champion of Ravis

4/4/3/3

 

Class Features

The Following is a list of class features for the Maligner class.

 

Starting Wealth: 5D6 x 10 (175) 

 

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Maligners are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

 

Aura of Evil  (Ex): The power of a Maligner’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to their Maligner level, just like the aura of a cleric of Ravis.

 

Detect Good (Sp): At will, a Maligner can use detect good as a spell like ability. This ability functions just like the Paladins detect evil class feature.

 

Smite Good (Su): One per day, a Maligner can call out to the powers of evil to aid them in their struggle against good. As a swift action, the Maligner chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is good, the Maligner adds their charisma bonus (if any) to their attack rolls and adds their Maligner level to all damage rolls made against the target of their smite. If the target of the smite is an good outsider with the good subtype or a good aligned dragon, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per Maligner level. Regardless of the target, smite attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature may possess.

 

In addition, while smite good is in effect, the Maligner gains a deflection bonus equal to their charisma modifier (if any) to their AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the Maligner targets a creature that is not good, the smite is wasted and has no effect.

 

The smite good effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the Maligner rests and regains their uses of this ability. At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the Maligner may smite good one additional time per day to a maximum of 7 times per day at 19th level.

 

Unholy Resilience (Su): At 2nd level, a Maigner gains a bonus equal to their Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

 

Touch of Corruption (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a Maligner can surround their hands with fiendish flames. Each day they can use this ability a number of times equal to half their Maligner level plus their Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, and a touch attack, a Maligner can deal 1d6 hit points of unholy damage for every two Maligner levels they possess. Using this ability is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Maligner only needs one free hand to use this ability. 

 

Alternatively, a Maligner can use this ability to heal evil creatures, restoring 1d6 points of hit points for every two levels of Maligner. This ability is modified by any feat, spell or effect that specifically works with the lay on hands paladin class feature. For example, the extra Lay on Hands feat grants the Maligner 2 additional uses of the Touch of Corruption ability.

 

Poison Use (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a Maligner becomes trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a weapon. See page 557 of the Core Rulebook.

 

Cruelty (Su):

At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, an Maligner can select one cruelty. Each cruelty adds an effect to the Maligner’s touch of corruption ability. Whenever the Maligner uses touch of corruption to deal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effect from one of the cruelties possessed by the Maligner. This choice is made when the touch is used. The target receives a fortitude save to avoid this cruelty. If the save is successful, the target takes the damage as normal, but not the effects of the cruelty. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Maligner’s level + the Maligner’s charisma modifier.

 

At 3rd level, the Maligner can select from the following initial cruelties.

 

  • Fatigued: The target is fatigued. 
  • Shaken: The target is shaken for 1 round per level of the Maligner.
  • Sickened: The target is sickened for 1 round per level of the Maligner.

 

At 6th level, an Maligner adds the following cruelties to the list of those that can be selected.

 

  • Dazed: The target is dazed for 1 round. 
  • Diseased: The target contracts a disease, as if the Maligner had cast contagion, using his Maligner level as their caster level. 
  • Staggered: The target is staggered for 1 round per two levels of the Maligner.  

 

At 9th level, an Maligner adds the following cruelties to the list of those that can be selected.

 

  • Cursed: The target is cursed, as if the Maligner had cast bestow curse, using their Maligner level as their caster level. 
  • Exhausted: The target is exhausted. The Maligner must have the fatigue cruelty before selecting this cruelty. 
  • Frightened: The target is frightened for 1 round per two levels of the Maligner. The Maligner must have the shaken cruelty before selecting this cruelty. 
  • Nauseated: The target is nauseated for 1 round per three levels of the Maligner. The Maligner must have the sickened cruelty before selecting this cruelty. 
  • Poisoned: The target is poisoned, as if the Maligner had cast poison, using the Maligner’s level as their caster level.

 

At 12th level, an Maligner adds the following cruelties to the list of those that can be selected.

 

  • Blinded: The target is blinded for 1 round per level of the Maligner. 
  • Deafened: The target is deafened for 1 round per level of the Maligner. 
  • Paralyzed: The target is paralyzed for 1 round. 
  • Stunned: The target is stunned for 1 round per four levels of the Maligner.

 

These abilities are not cumulative. For example, a 12th-level Maligner’s touch of corruption ability deals 6d6 points of damage and might also cause the target to become fatigued, dazed, poisoned, or diseased. Once a cruelty is chosen, it can’t be changed.

 

Channel Negative Energy (Su): When a Maligner reaches 4th level, they gain the supernatural ability to channel negative energy like a Cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of their corruption ability. A Maligner uses their level as their effective Cleric level when channeling positive energy. This is a Charisma-based ability.

 

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a Maligner gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the Maligner spell list (see below). A Maligner must choose and prepare spells in advance like a Cleric.

 

To prepare or cast a spell, a Maligner must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against the Maligner’s spell is 10 + the level of the spell + the Maligner’s Charisma modifier.

 

Like other spell casters, a Maligner can only cast a certain number of spells of each level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given in the table above. In addition, a Maligner receives bonus spells per day if they have a high Charisma score. When the above table indicates that a Maligner gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, they gain only the bonus spells they would be entitled to based on their Charisma score for that spell level.

 

A Maligner must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain their daily allotment of spells. A Maligner may prepare and cast any spell on the Maligner spell list, provided that they can cast spells of that level, but they must choose which spells to prepare during the daily meditation.

 

Through 3rd level, a Maligner has no caster level. At 4th level and higher a Maligner’s caster level is equal to all class levels in the Maligner class -3.

 

Fiendish Boon (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a Maligner forms a divine bond with Ravis. This bond can take one of two forms.
The first bond allows the Maligner to enhance their weapon as a standard action. When called, a Fiendish Boon enhances the weapon, causing it to shed unholy light as a torch for 1 minute per Maligner level. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 bonus.
For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: unholy, wounding, flaming, flaming burst, keen, speed, vicious and vorpal. These bonuses do not stack with any properties the weapon already has. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other abilities can be added. The fiendish spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the Maligner, but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the Maligner. A Maligner can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.
If a weapon bearing a fiendish spirit is destroyed, the Maligner loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until they gain a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the Maligner takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second bond allows a Maligner to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve them in her crusade against good. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium Maligner) or a warpony (for a Small Maligner).
Once per day, as a full-round action, a Maligner may magically call their mount from the fiendish plane of Shadow’s Den in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the Maligner’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the Maligner and remains for 2 hours per Maligner level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the Maligner may release a particular mount from service.
Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.
 

At 11th level, the mount gains the fiendish template (see the Pathfinder Bestiary) and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it. At 15th level the mount gains spell resistance equal to the Maligner’s level +11.
Should the Maligner’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying.
The Maligner may not summon another mount for 30 days or until they gain a Maligner level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this 30-day period, the Maligner takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

 

Shadow Servant: At 8th level the Maligner may summon a Shadow once per day, see page 245 of the Pathfinder Beastiary. This Shadow performs a requested task for the Maligner which must not last more than 1 hour per 2 levels the Maligner possesses. The Shadow will not fight for the Maligner, but will perform any other mission the Maligner may request. Typically a Maligner will use these Shadows to spy, scout or deliver a message.

 

Tempered in Lies (Su): At 11th level the Maligner sheds an aura which lends to their allies dishonesty. Any ally within 20 feet (including the Maligner) gains a bonus to all bluff checks made equal to half Maligner's class levels rounded down.

 

Aura of Sin (Su): At 14th level, the Maligner’s weapons are treated as evil aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Any attack made against an enemy within 10 feet of them is treated as evil aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
This ability functions while the Maligner is conscious, but not if they are unconscious or dead.

 

Aura of Depravity (Su): At 17th level, a Maligner gains DR 5/good. Each enemy within 10 feet takes a -4 penalty on saving throws against compulsion effects. This ability functions while the Maligner is conscious, but not if they are unconscious or dead.

 

Champion of Ravis (Su): At 20th level, a Maligner becomes a conduit for the power of Ravis Their DR increases to 10/good. Whenever they use smite good against an good outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using their Maligner level as the caster level (their weapon and holy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). In addition, whenever they channel negative energy, they channel the maximum possible amount. This works even with the Touch of Corruption ability.

 

Code of Conduct: A Maligner must be of evil alignment and loses all class features except proficiencies if they willingly and altruistically commit good acts. This does not mean that an Maligner cannot take actions someone else might qualify as good, only that such actions must always be in service of their own dark ends. An Maligner’s code requires that he place his own interests and desires above all else, as well as impose lies, take advantage whenever possible, and punish the weak, provided such actions don’t interfere with their goals. 

 

Associates: While he may adventure with evil, chaotic, lawful or neutral allies, an Maligner avoids working with good characters or with anyone who consistently attempts to do good deeds. Under exceptional circumstances, an Maligner can ally with good associates, but only to defeat them from within and bring ruin to their ranks. An Maligner does not need an atonement spell during such an unusual alliance as long as their nefarious goals are met in the end—evil cares only about results. A Maligner may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are evil.

 

Ex - Maligner 

A Maligner who ceases to be evil, who willfully commits an good act, or who violates the code of conduct loses all Maligner spells and class features (including the fiendish boon, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). They may not progress any further in levels as an Maligner. They regain their abilities and advancement potential if they atones for their violations (see the atonement spell), as appropriate.  

 

Maligner Spell List: 

Level 1: Bane, Cause Fear, Command, Curse Water, Death Knell, Detect Poison, Disguise Self, Doom, Inflict Light Wounds, Magic Weapon, Protection from Good, Read Magic, Summon Monster I (Evil Creatures Only). Level 2: Blindness/Deafness, Bull’s Strength, Corruption Resistance, Darkness, Darkvision, Desecrate, Eagle’s Splendor, Hold Person, Invisibility, Scare, Silence, Summon Monster II (Evil Creatures Only), Undetectable Alignment Level 3: Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Contagion, Deeper Darkness, Defile Armor, Dispel Magic, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Magic Circle Against Good, Magic Weapon (Greater), Nondetection, Summon Monster III (Evil Creatures Only), Vampiric Touch Level 4: Dispel Good, Fear, Inflict Serious Wounds, Invisibility (Greater), Poison, Resounding Blow, Slay Living, Summon Monster III (Evil Creatures Only). Unholy Sword (as holy sword except evil aligned)