View source for Adversary of Faith (3.5e Class)

{{author
|author_name=Eiji-kun
|date_created=2-27-19
|adopter=
|date_adopted= 
|status=Complete
|editing=Mechanical changes on Talk
|balance=Very High
}}
{{3.5e Class Data
|summary=The un-cleric, they oppose the gods yet they themselves draw upon the "power of mortals" in opposition to the gods.
|length=20
|minlevel=0
|bab=Moderate
|fort=Good
|ref=Poor
|will=Good
|ability=Prepared Divine Spellcasting
|progression=Full
|align=lg, ng, cg, ln, n, cn, le, ne, ce
}}

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==Adversary of Faith==

He is known in many pantheons as the adversary, the opposer.  He is the dark god amongst the light, he who opposes the divine.  And in these pantheons he has common traits of being dangerous, being chained away, and yet also bringing enlightenment to mortals and seducing them away from the gods and their dogma.  He is known by many names... Sertrous, Prometheus, the Dark God, the Serpent, the Morningstar... but he is always out to dismantle the religions of the world.  Those which follow him are the adversaries of faith wherever it shows.

===Making an Adversary of Faith===

'''Abilities:''' While clerics use Wisdom to hear the whispers of the gods, the Adversary uses [[Charisma]] to dominate the discussion, tempt the heart, and demand strength through a will for power.  As for any one sent upon the field [[Constitution]] and [[Dexterity]] are needed to survive, and they may desire other ability scores to cover any weaknesses or take advantage of their moderate BAB.

'''Races:''' Any.

'''Alignment:''' Any, through the inherently antagonistic nature tends to make them more chaotic and/or more evil than most.

'''Starting Gold:''' 5d4&times;10 gp (125 gp).

'''[[SRD:Race Descriptions#Starting Age|Starting Age]]:''' As [[fighter]].

{| class="zebra d20"
|+
<div>{{Anchor|Table: The Adversary of Faith}}</div>
Hit Die: d8
|-
! rowspan="2" | Level
! rowspan="2" | [[BAB|Base<br/>Attack Bonus]]
! colspan="3" | [[SRD:Saving Throw|Saving Throw]]s
! rowspan="2" | Special
! colspan="10" | [[#Spells|Spells per Day]]
|-
! [[SRD:Saving Throw#Fortitude|Fort]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Reflex|Ref]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Will|Will]]
! 0 || 1<sup>st</sup> || 2<sup>nd</sup> || 3<sup>rd</sup> || 4<sup>th</sup> || 5<sup>th</sup> || 6<sup>th</sup> || 7<sup>th</sup> || 8<sup>th</sup> || 9<sup>th</sup>
|-
|1st||class="left" | +0 || +2 || +0 || +2
| class="left" | Denial of Faith, Enemy of Faith, Ideal, Shun Divinity
|3||1||—||—||—||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|2nd||class="left" | +1 || +3 || +0 || +3
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|4||2||—||—||—||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|3rd||class="left" | +2 || +3 || +1 || +3
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 4
|4||2||1||—||—||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|4th||class="left" | +3 || +4 || +1 || +4
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|5||3||2||—||—||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|5th||class="left" | +3 || +4 || +1 || +4
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 6
|5||3||2||1||—||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|6th||class="left" | +4 || +5 || +2 || +5
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|5||3||3||2||—||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|7th||class="left" | +5 || +5 || +2 || +5
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 8
|6||4||3||2||1||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|8th||class="left" | +6 || +6 || +2 || +6
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|6||4||3||3||2||—||—||—||—||—
|-
|9th||class="left" | +6 || +6 || +3 || +6
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 10
|6||4||4||3||2||1||—||—||—||—
|-
|10th||class="left" | +7 || +7 || +3 || +7
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|6||4||4||3||3||2||—||—||—||—
|-
|11th||class="left" | +8 || +7 || +3 || +7
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 12
|6||5||4||4||3||2||1||—||—||—
|-
|12th||class="left" | +9 || +8 || +4 || +8
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|6||5||4||4||3||3||2||—||—||—
|-
|13th||class="left" | +9 || +8 || +4 || +8
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 14
|6||5||5||4||4||3||2||1||—||—
|-
|14th||class="left" | +10 || +9 || +4 || +9
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|6||5||5||4||4||3||3||2||—||—
|-
|15th||class="left" | +11 || +9 || +5 || +9
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 16
|6||5||5||5||4||4||3||2||1||—
|-
|16th||class="left" | +12 || +10 || +5 || +10
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|6||5||5||5||4||4||3||3||2||—
|-
|17th||class="left" | +12 || +10 || +5 || +10
| class="left" | Divine Resistance 18
|6||5||5||5||5||4||4||3||2||1
|-
|18th||class="left" | +13 || +11 || +6 || +11
| class="left" | Denial of Faith
|6||5||5||5||5||4||4||3||3||2
|-
|19th||class="left" | +14 || +11 || +6 || +11
| class="left" | Break Divinity, Divine Resistance 20
|6||5||5||5||5||5||4||3||3||3
|-
|20th||class="left" | +15 || +12 || +6 || +12
| class="left" | Beyond Divinity, Denial of Faith
|6||5||5||5||5||5||4||4||4||4
|- class="noalt"
| colspan="42" class="skill" |
'''Class Skills ([[Skill Points::4]] + [[SRD:Intelligence|Int]] modifier per level, &times;4 at 1st level)'''<br/>
{{3.5e Skills|
Bluff, 
Concentration, 
Craft, 
Decipher Script, 
Diplomacy, 
Disguise, 
Gather Information, 
Intimidate, 
Knowledge (arcana) (history) (local) (nature) (religion) (the planes), 
Listen, 
Perform, 
Profession, 
Sense Motive, 
Speak Language, 
Spellcraft, 
Spot, 
Use Magic Device}}

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the Adversary of Faith.

'''Weapon and Armor Proficiency:''' Adversaries of Faith are proficient in all simple weapons, light and medium armor, and shields (but not tower shields).

'''{{Anchor|Spells}}:''' Adversaries of faith, perhaps ironically, cast divine spells as a [[cleric]].  Like a cleric, an adversary must choose and prepare her spells in advance. Unlike a cleric, an adversary cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells.  They also have no use for holy or unholy symbols and ignore the divine focus requirement of any spell.  Adversaries of faith choose their spells from the [[cleric]] spell list, but cannot cast any spells with an alignment component (so they could use ''[[SRD:Summon Monster I|summon monster]]'' but could not summon an aligned outsider).  They can still cast corrupt<sup>BoVD</sup> spells.  In return they add the following spells to their spells known list:

1st&mdash;''[[SRD:Charm Person|charm person]]''

2nd&mdash;''[[SRD:Misdirection|misdirection]]''

3rd&mdash;''[[SRD:Nondetection|nondetection]]'', ''[[SRD:Suggestion|suggestion]]''

4th&mdash;''[[SRD:Charm Monster|charm monster]]'', ''[[SRD:Crushing Despair|crushing despair]]'', ''[[Emotional Switch (3.5e Spell)|emotional switch]]'', ''[[Insidious Suggestion (3.5e Spell)|insidious suggestion]]'', ''[[Objection! (3.5e Spell)|objection!]]''

5th&mdash;''[[Mass Charm Person (3.5e Spell)|mass charm person]]'', ''[[SRD:Mind Fog|mind fog]]''

6th&mdash;''[[Insidious Domination (3.5e Spell)|insidious domination]]'', ''[[SRD:Mass Suggestion|mass suggestion]]'', ''[[Ur Charm Person (3.5e Spell)|ur charm person]]''

7th&mdash;''[[Encroaching Doubt (3.5e Spell)|encroaching doubt]]''

8th&mdash;''[[SRD:Demand|demand]]'', ''[[SRD:Mass Charm Monster|mass charm monster]]''

9th&mdash;''[[Sleeper Agent (3.5e Spell)|sleeper agent]]''

'''{{Anchor|Denial of Faith}}:''' At 1st, 2nd, and every even level beyond the adversary of faith picks up a talent they use to combat the spread of religion and the powers of the gods, be it through discourse or force.  Choose from the list below.  You can only select each once unless specified otherwise, and the saving throw for any is 10 + 1/2 level + [[Charisma]] modifier.

''{{Anchor|Anathemic Secrecy}} {{Ex}}:'' All forms of divination from a divine caster automatically fail when targeting the adversary of faith, and any information regarding them.  ''Minimum level 10th.''

''{{Anchor|Cast Doubt}} {{Su}}:'' At will as a standard action you can cast doubt upon a divine spellcaster within 60 ft.  They must make a [[Will]] save or gain a 50% spell failure chance for their divine spells.  They can dismiss the doubt as a standard action of their own to reassure themselves and in doing so render them immune for 1 minute to further attempts to cast doubt.  This is a language-dependant mind-affecting effect.

''{{Anchor|Defile Shrine/Symbol}} {{Su}}:'' Calling upon your own supernatural forces you can make a sunder check as an attack action against any one shrine or holy/unholy symbol within 30 ft, using your [[Charisma]] in place of strength for [[Strength]] checks and damage with your weapon damage or a base damage of 1d12, whichever is higher.  Tables crack, holy symbols melt, and holy books burst into ash and smoke.  Hardness applies but damage is never reduced before hardness.

''{{Anchor|Dispel Divine}} {{Sp}}:'' You gain the effect of ''[[SRD:Greater Dispel Magic|greater dispel magic]]'' as a spell-like ability, except it works only on divine spells.  You expend a use of Shun Divinity to use it.  Regardless how many Shun Divinity attempts you have remaining, if you cast a ''dispel'' spell normally you gain a +2 bonus on your check against divine spells.  ''Minimum level 6th.''

''{{Anchor|Divine Resistance}} {{Su}}:'' The adversary of faith gains spell resistance 10 + level against any divine spells, as well as the spells and spell-like abilities of creatures of the outsider type.  However, you cannot willingly lower your spell resistance against these effects.

''{{Anchor|Domain of Ideals}}:'' The adversary of faith gains +1 extra spell slot per level, but only for filling with spells from their ideal(s).  These are functionally domain spell slots.  You may select this again at level 8 and every 8 levels beyond (16th, 24th, etc).

''{{Anchor|Extra Ideal}}:'' An adversary of faith gains an additional ideal to choose from.  They can choose one spell per level from any of their ideals which they spontaneously cast from, and change it up each time they level.  You may take this ability a second time again at 6 HD and every 5 HD beyond (11th, 16th, 21st, etc).

''{{Anchor|Follow My Example}} {{Ex}}:'' With your silver tongue and a swift action you can command allies within 100 ft to "follow your example".  If your allies perform the same action as you within 1 round such as "attack this opponent" or "climb this wall", they gain a +2 bonus on their check and may use it even untrained.  ''Minimum level 2nd.''

''{{Anchor|Forbidden Magic}}:'' Your spells from this class suffer from the [[Witchcraft (3.5e Flaw)|Witchcraft]] flaw with no benefit.  However you gain a bonus to Intimidate checks of 1 + the spell level against any who witness you cast a spell, or twice that result against the particularly pious.  This bonus lasts until the end of the encounter or 1 minute.

''{{Anchor|Iconoclast}}:'' Whenever you destroy a religious symbol or religious magic item it leaves behind energies which you can use as an optional part of spellcasting with a value of gold equal to the destroyed object.  This energy can substitute for any material cost or 1/5th the experience cost of any spell you cast.  For example if you destroy a magic holy goblet worth 4000 gp, you have 4000 gp in "material components" or up to 800 xp in components.  This energy remains part of you until expended.

''{{Anchor|Improved Shun}}:'' You Shun Divinity as a creature of your level +3.

''{{Anchor|Mocking Tongue}} {{Ex}}:'' Whenever a creature attempts to sway another with words via normal skill checks such as bluff and diplomacy, or supernatural or spell based language-dependant effects within 60 ft, you may counter it as an immediate action with an opposing bluff, diplomacy, or intimidate check (for skills) or opposed caster level check (for spells, treat supernatural abilities as having a caster level equal to the opponent's CR).  If you meet or beat their result you cancel the effects it would have had.  This can counter bardic music if it involves speach or singing.  This is a language-dependant effect.

''{{Anchor|Oblivion}}:'' If you make a finishing blow on a creature, or you touch them 1 round after death, you can deny the afterlife for the creature.  Their soul ceases to be, rendering them unable to be revived unless ''[[SRD:Limited Wish|limited wish]]'', ''[[SRD:Miracle|miracle]]'', or ''[[SRD:Wish|wish]]'' is cast to bring them back from non-existance.  Creatures that respawn from death such as a [[SRD:Lich|lich]] continue to do so, but it takes twice as long for them to return.

''{{Anchor|One of You}} {{Ex}}:'' You gain a +6 bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks made to disguise and act as a member of a faith.  You may use Bluff or Disguise as a Use Magic Device check to access magic items and other abilities that require a certain faith.  While disguised, your Enemy of Faith class feature is suppressed.

''{{Anchor|Smite Religion}} {{Ex}}:'' You gain the ''smite evil'' ability of a [[paladin]] of your level, except it applies against divine casters.  However you now gain an Aura of Alignment as a [[cleric]], affected by Enemy of Faith.

''{{Anchor|Soul Untouched by the Divine}} {{Su}}:'' You are immune to being slain by deities and by non-native outsiders.  Damage can only bring you to -9 hp and stable, and any [Death] effects also bring you to -9 hp.  This doesn't stop any other effect from killing you such as an environmental fire, or their non-outsider cohort, or you hurting yourself, and of course it does not prevent capture.  ''Minimum level 10th.''

''{{Anchor|Trust Me Alone}} {{Su}}:'' At will as a standard action you can request one or more willing creatures within 100 ft to trust you, up to your [[Charisma]] modifier at any one time.  These creatures gain a +3 bonus on [[Will]] saves, and twice that against mind-affecting effects.  In addition if any fail a save against a mind affect you can have them reroll with a standard action.  However creatures affected by this ability take the bonus as a penalty against your own abilities.  For example they would take a -6 penalty against a ''[[SRD:Suggestion|suggestion]]'' spell by you.

''{{Anchor|Ur-Soul}}:'' The adversary of faith gains [[Ur-Soul (3.5e Feat)|Ur-Soul]] as a bonus feat.  Their Enemy of Faith no longer applies unless they breach Ur-Soul as normal.

'''{{Anchor|Enemy of Faith}}:''' There is a downside about making enemies of religion; everyone hates you.  You always take minimum benefit from helpful divine spells with variables such as from cure spells.  You also count as the worst possible alignment for any alignment-based effects regardless of your actual alignment, and ping as the worst possible alignment for detection spells and effects.

Non-native outsiders instictively feel there is something off with you, and start out as one step more unfriendly than normal.

'''{{Anchor|Ideal}}:''' Adversaries of faith gain a single domain as a cleric refered to as their ideal.  While they only have access to one domain, they may cast the spells of that domain spontaneously in the same say clerics spontaneously cast ''cure'' or ''inflict'' spells.

If the adversary of faith obtains more than one ideal they need to choose which spell per level from which ideal spell list they can cast spontaneously.  They can always prepare the spell normally otherwise.  Any ability which would grant you a domain can instead grant you a new ideal.

'''{{Anchor|Shun Divinity}} {{Su}}:''' Rather than turning undead, adversaries of faith shun the divine.  They gain a number of shun divinity attempts equal to 3 + their [[Charisma]] modifier per day, and count it as turn undead for pre-requisites and effects which modify it.  Shunning divinity is a standard action with vocal components.  Non-native outsiders within 30 ft with HD equal or greater than your level must make a [[Will]] save or be [[At Bay (3.5e Condition)|At Bay]] from you for as long as they can see you and 1 round after, save negates.  Those with less HD than your level save against being [[SRD:Dismissal|dismissed]] back to their home plane, or At Bay for 1 round on a successful save.

The DC for this ability is 10 + 1/2 level + [[Charisma]] modifier.

'''{{Anchor|Divine Resistance}} {{Ex}}:''' The 3rd level adversary of faith resists the will and acts of the gods.  They gain divine resistance 4 which applies against divine, holy, or unholy damage or any supernatural effect directly caused by a deity.  It increases by 2 points at 5th and every two levels beyond.

'''{{Anchor|Break Divinity}} {{Su}}:''' The 19th level adversary of faith is so compelling that even the agents of the gods fall before them.  Creatures with HD equal or greater than you level now save against being dismissed, with being At Bay for 1 round on a successful save.  Creatures with HD less than your level may still be dismissed, or be At Bay for as long as they see you + 1 round on a successful save.  
However instead of dismissing these creatures with less HD than your level you can choose to break them.  They are [[SRD:Dazed|dazed]] for 1d4 rounds as they reject themselves and at the end they become an unbound outsider.  They lose any alignment subtypes, lose the Extraplanar subtype, and reject any philosophy in favor for your own.  However you are under no control of these creatures, nor does it imply a change in alignment, merely what causes they fight for.  You can use subsequent social skill checks to sway it as normal.

This is considered a horrific act by most outsiders if they discover what was done.  The "original" is considered dead as the new creature is made out of your own belief and ideals, but the original cannot be revived until this version is slain.  Treat it as if the creature had been raised as undead.  Spells and effects which can revive the dead even with an undead copy present work on this ability.

'''{{Anchor|Beyond Divinity}}:''' The strongest of the adversaries of faith, often called Anathema, Anti-Savior, and other epithets.  At 20th level the adversary of faith may choose to be immune to any divine spell and to the salient effects and divine powers of the gods themselves.  This gives them no particular ability to defeat gods, just immunity to their direct meddling.  This renders you able to be immune to a ''[[SRD:Miracle|miracle]]'' spell affecting yourself.

====Ex-Adversaries of Faith====

Technically if the Adversary of Faith becomes devoted to the gods, they would not be very good at being an adversary and thus would be unable to continue leveling or obtain spells for this class.  They can trade adversary levels for cleric or paladin, or vice versa, upon converting.

Faith in Sertrous or any other "opposer" is actually not required.  Though most use these beings as figureheads of how they obtain divine power, in truth the power is "the power of humanity" that they draw upon as their "faith".

====Human Adversary of Faith Starting Package====

'''Weapons:''' Heavy Mace.

'''Skill Selection:''' Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + [[Int]] modifier.

{| class="zebra d20"
|-
! class="left" | Skill || Ranks || Ability || Armor<br/>Check<br/>Penalty
|- class=
| class="left" | Bluff || 4 || [[Cha]] || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Concentration || 4 || [[Con]] || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Diplomacy || 4 || [[Cha]] || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Knowledge Religion || 4 || [[Int]] || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Spellcraft || 4 || [[Int]] || &mdash;
|}

'''Feat:''' [[SRD:Improved Initiative|Improved Initiative]].

'''Bonus Feats:''' [[SRD:Spell Focus|Spell Focus (Enchantment)]].

'''Gear:''' Chain Shirt, Heavy Wooden Shield.

'''Gold:''' 6 gp.

===Campaign Information===

====Playing a Adversary of Faith====

'''Religion:''' Adversaries oppose religions, believing the gods to be little more than opportunistic parasites feeding on humanities beliefs while suppressing their true potential.  

'''Other Classes:''' Your sympathy for what amounts to the devil in various pantheons also causes a stir, regardless how much faith you actually give to such entities.  Needless to say clerics and paladins are not fond of you, even from evil deities.

'''Combat:''' You're a sort of cleric, but instead turning undead and handling divine matters you generally handle social encounters and countering other divine casters.

'''Advancement:''' Ironically any class suitable for a cleric can work with an adversary of faith.

====Adversaries of Faith in the World====

{{quote|Why do the people serve your foolish gods when they could gain the same power through their own will?|orig=Sertrous, Demon Prince of Heretics}}

'''Daily Life:''' Nothing stops an adversary of faith from living a normal life.  However, they often do not mix well surrounded by the religious and divine and their antagonistic natures drive them away.

'''Organizations:''' Being heretics in what are often religious dominated lands, most adversaries must walk the path alone.  Even if they find a group of like minded beings, their motives and beliefs, if you can call them that, can vary and unity is not garaunteed.

'''NPC Reactions:''' For the common ignorant man, if they do not confuse you for a cleric they may find your presence heretical and terrible.  Its said your power merely draws from demonic beings and betrayers, and your words are hollow.  How true that it depends on the campaign.

====Adversary of Faith Lore====

Characters with ranks in Knowledge Religion can research Adversaries of Faith to learn more about them.  When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ Knowledge Religion
! DC || class="left" | Result
|- 
| 10 || class="left" | Adversaries of faith are heretics.  They claim the gods should not be worshiped and man alone has divine power within them after all.  They can cast spells, but it is sure to come from a blasphemous source.
|- 
| 15 || class="left" | Adversaries of faith often come with a silver tongue to deceive and stray away those of faith.  You'll never see one entreating upon the servants of the divine in a friendly manner.
|- 
| 20 || class="left" | Powerful adversaries of faith are said to be able to break the wills of outsiders, giving them a new and terrible purpose to oppose the gods.
|- 
| 30 || class="left" | Those that achieve this level of success can research specific adversaries, which religions they particularly oppose, whereabouts, and other lore.
|}

====Adversaries of Faith in the Game====

'''Adaptation:''' As a sort of Ur-Priest, they make a fine base class example of the un-cleric.

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{{3.5e Base Classes Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
[[Category:Class]]
[[Category:Base Class]]
{{Navboxes}}
Article Balance	Very High +
Author	Eiji-kun +
Base Attack Bonus Progression	Moderate +
Class Ability	Prepared Divine Spellcasting +
Class Ability Progression	Full +
Fortitude Save Progression	Good +
Identifier	3.5e Class +
Length	20 +
Minimum Level	0 +
Rated By	The-Marksman +
Rating	Rating Pending +
Reflex Save Progression	Poor +
Skill	Bluff +, Concentration +, Craft +, Decipher Script +, Diplomacy +, Disguise +, Gather Information +, Intimidate +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Perform +, Profession +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spellcraft +, Spot + and Use Magic Device +
Skill Points	4 +
Summary	The un-cleric, they oppose the gods yet they themselves draw upon the "power of mortals" in opposition to the gods. +
Title	Adversary of Faith +
Will Save Progression	Good +