View source for Witness of the Cosmos (3.5e Prestige Class)

===Becoming a Witness of the Cosmos===

{{3.5e Prestige Class Prereqs
|skills=[[SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge]] (Religion) 17 Ranks, [[SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge]] (The Planes) 17 Ranks  
|feats=[[Dark Knowledge (3.5e Feat)|Dark Knowledge]], [[Forbidden Knowledge (3.5e Feat)|Forbidden Knowledge]], [[Scholar of the Indigo Sigil (3.5e Feat)|Scholar of the Indigo Sigil]] 
|spellcasting=Must be able to cast 7th level divine spells.
|patron=
|special=Must have made peaceful contact and studied a creature of the aberration type, outsider with the augmented aberration subtype, creatures with the abomination subtype, outsider native to the far realm, obyrith, or elder evil with a CR of 21 or higher. 
}}

{{3.5e Class Simple
|prestige=true
|classname=Witness of the Cosmos
|hitdie=8
|length=5
|bab=Moderate
|fort=Poor
|ref=Poor
|will=Good
|specialhead1= rowspan="2" {{!}} Spellcasting
|special1=[[#Dark Spellcaster|Dark Spellcaster]], [[#Rites of Contact|Rites of Contact]] {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 
|special2=[[#Blessing from the Heavens|Blessing from the Heavens]], [[#Rites of the Ill Intents|Rites of Ill Intents]] {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 
|special3=[[#Blessing from the Heavens|Blessing from the Heavens]], [[#Damaged Mind|Damaged Mind]], [[#Rites of Everlasting Life|Rites of Everlasting Life]] {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 
|special4=[[#Blessing from the Heavens|Blessing from the Heavens]], [[#Rites of Deep Contact|Rites of Deep Contact]] {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 
|special5=[[#Blessing from the Heavens|Blessing from the Heavens]], [[#Cardinal of Horror|Cardinal of Horror]], [[#Rites of Ascension|Rites of Ascension]] {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 
|skillpoints=4 
|skills=Bluff,
Craft, 
Decipher Script,
Disguise,  
Diplomacy, 
Heal,
Hide,
Intimidate,
Knowledge, 
Listen,
Move Silently, 
Profession, 
Search, 
Sense Motive, 
Speak Language, 
Spellcraft, 
Spot}}

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the Witness of the Cosmos.

'''{{Anchor|Spellcasting}}:''' At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a Witness of the Cosmos, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

'''{{Anchor|Dark Spellcaster}}:''' A Witness of the Cosmos halves the insight or madness cost of any [[Dark Insight Spells (3.5e Variant Rule)|dark insight spells]] she casts (to a minimum of 1).

'''{{Anchor|Rites of Contact}}:''' A Witness of the Cosmos learns how to communicate with the dark powers from beyond; she gains a secret sign language which is understood by all creatures of the aberration type, outsiders with the augmented aberration subtype, creatures with the abomination subtype, outsiders native to the Far Realm, obyriths, and elder evils. As a result of attempting to contact nightmarish beings, the Witness of the Cosmos adds twice her class level to the amount of [[Mindbreak (3.5e Variant Rule)|madness]] she requires before she [[Mindbreak (3.5e Variant Rule)|mindbreaks]].

'''{{Anchor|Blessing from the Heavens}}:''' A 2nd level Witness of the Cosmos receives powerful blessings and gifts from their patron; at 2nd level and each class level thereafter, the Witness of the Cosmos receives a single [deformity] or [vile] feat she meets the prerequisites of as a bonus feat.

'''{{Anchor|Rites of Ill Intents}}:''' A 2nd-level Witness of the Cosmos learns the Rites of Ill Intents, which allow her to hide her secrets. Whenever the witness wears a mask or obscures her face with headgear, she hides any deformities and eldritch features she has (ignoring the penalty of deformity feats she has and preventing her from being found out; in effect, she maintains humanoid appearance) and falls under the effect of [[SRD:Nondetection|''nondetection'']] with a caster level equal to her character levels plus twice her class levels, making it particularly difficult to pierce.

'''{{Anchor|Damaged Mind}} {{Ex}}:''' A 3rd level Witness of the Cosmos becomes immune to [compulsion] effects, [fear] effects, and pain effects. When a Witness of the Cosmos [[Mindbreak (3.5e Variant Rule)|mindbreaks]], she always loses 20% of her hit points, no matter her [[Dark Insight (3.5e Variant Rule)|dark insight]], and instead of being [[SRD:Dazed|dazed]], instead starts laughing manically for 1 round as per [[SRD:Hideous Laughter|''hideous laughter'']]. 

'''{{Anchor|Rite of Everlasting Life}}:''' A 3rd level Witness of the Cosmos learns a powerful forbidden ritual allowing her to gain everlasting life. Performing the rites require a [[Dark Sacrifice (3.5e Variant Rule)|dark sacrifice]] that yields a greater effect (DC 40) but grants everlasting lifespan to the witness. The witness reverts to being a young adult as per a [[Aging Overhaul (3.5e Variant Rule)|partial physical rejuvenation]] and ceases physically aging. The witness also becomes immune to any effect that would age him further.

'''{{Anchor|Rites of Deep Contact}}:''' A 4th level Witness of the Cosmos learns how to properly contact the nightmarish powers from beyond. Once per day she may attempt to communicate with a nightmarish power from beyond, replicating the effect of [[Commune with Spirits (3.5e Spell)|''commune with universe'']]; however, each question automatically causes the Witness to gain 1 point of [[Dark Insight (3.5e Variant Rule)|Dark Insight]] and inflicts 1d6 points of [[Mindbreak (3.5e Variant Rule)|madness]]. 

'''{{Anchor|Cardinal of Horror}}:''' A 5th-level Witness of the Cosmos possesses great power over the Elder beings of this world; she no longer suffers [[Mindbreak (3.5e Variant Rule)|madness]] from sources with a lower CR than herself and she can attempt to control [[SRD:Aberration Type|aberrations]] and creatures with the augmented aberration subtype as a standard action; this ability behaves as per [[SRD:Dominate Monster|''dominate monster'']]. If the creature makes its saving throw, it is immune to this ability for 24 hours.

'''{{Anchor|Rites of Ascension}}:''' A 5th level witness learns the Rites of Ascension, a terrible ritual which allows the Witness of the Cosmos to become a God. The rite must be performed during the overwhelming sign of an Elder Evil to be effective and is extremely difficult to perform, requiring 1 hour of work with a DC 40 [[Dark Insight (3.5e Variant Rule)|dark insight]] + [[intelligence]] modifier check. The ritual also requires 3 days of preparation, after whcih the rite must be performed within 24 hours. As a result, Witnesses of the Cosmos who know the rite often attempt to bring an Elder Evil into the world. 

If successful, the witness dies and is reborn after the Elder Evil has passed (or on another world if the Elder Evil destroyed the world), gaining both the Half-Farspawn<sup>[[Publication:Lords of Madness|LoM]]</sup> and [[Godspark (3.5e Template)|Godspark]] template with no level adjustment. When taking levels in [[God (3.5e Prestige Class)|God]], the witness does not need to perform any tasks of ascension to increase her divine ranks.


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{{3.5e Prestige Classes Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
[[Category:Class]]
[[Category:Prestige Class]]
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Article Balance	Very High +
Author	Leziad +
Base Attack Bonus Progression	Moderate +
Class Ability	Divine Spellcasting +, Prepared Divine Spellcasting + and Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting +
Class Ability Progression	Full +
Fortitude Save Progression	Poor +
Identifier	3.5e Prestige Class +
Length	5 +
Minimum Level	15 +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Reflex Save Progression	Poor +
Skill	Bluff +, Craft +, Decipher Script +, Disguise +, Diplomacy +, Heal +, Hide +, Intimidate +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Move Silently +, Profession +, Search +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spellcraft + and Spot +
Skill Points	4 +
Summary	A highly learned student of elder evils and other eldritch beings. +
Title	Witness of the Cosmos +
Will Save Progression	Good +