| Must be able to use one of the following: [[SRD:Bard#Bardic Music|bardic music]], [[Minstrel (3.5e Class)#Virtuous Performance|virtuous performances]], [[Painter (3.5e Class)#Art Pieces|Art Pieces]], or [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX|VFX]]. If qualifying via bardic music or virtuous performances, see "Spellcasting". If qualifying via bardic dance, see "Maneuvers". If qualifying via Art Pieces, must know at least one [[Painter (3.5e Class)#Masterpieces|masterpiece]]. If qualifying via VFX, must know [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Zoom|VFX Zoom]].

A [[Dancer (3.5e Class)|dancer]] who takes levels in Art Flow User gets to apply all Art Flow User levels that are not multiples of 4 towards the effectiveness and development of [[Dancer (3.5e Class)#Bardic Dance|bardic dances]], and every odd-numbered Art Flow User level towards advancement of maneuvers (initiator level, maximum number of readied maneuvers, number of maneuvers known, number of maneuvers readied into a dance, number of stances known, and max maneuver level). Levels of Art Flow User do not contribute to any other class features of the dancer. A [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)|Viewtiful Warrior]] who takes levels in Art Flow User gets to apply odd-numbered Art Flow User levels towards the dodge bonus of [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#Viewtiful Dodge|Viewtiful Dodge]], the size of his or her VFX pool (specifically following the Viewtiful Warrior’s progression), his or her VFX recharge rate (also specifically following the Viewtiful Warrior’s progression), and formulaic level-dependent variables of VFX powers (such as the speed bonus of [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Mach Speed|VFX Mach Speed]]), but not to any other Viewtiful Warrior class features (like [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#Unarmed Mastery|unarmed strikes]], [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#Stunning Fist|Stunning]] [[SRD:Stunning Fist|Stunning Fist]], or [[Ukemi (3.5e Feat)|Ukemi]]). Art Flow User levels also don’t contribute to the development of new VFX powers or new or advanced features of existing VFX powers (such as [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Slow|VFX Slow]] slowdown, [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Mach Speed|Mach Speed]] clones, or [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Replay|Replay]] critical hits). (There are some who consider [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX|VFX]] a way to tap into the Art Flow, even though VFX empirically has more in common with psionic powers and Viewtiful Warriors who don’t awaken to the Art Flow are hurt just as badly by it as anyone else.) {{underbar|That’s pretty weaksauce!|The Viewtiful Warrior only gets to be an entryway class for the Art Flow User at all because [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX|VFX]] is explicitly based on common movie-making cinematic tricks, such as [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Slow|slow motion]], [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Mach Speed|fast-forward]], [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Replay|repeat cuts]], and [[Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#VFX Zoom|zooming in]]. Movies do qualify as a form of art, so VFX has enough of a connection to the Art Flow that excluding it didn’t seem logical. That said, the connection is tenuous enough (and [[Talk:Viewtiful Warrior (3.5e Class)#Ratings|the Viewtiful Warrior is so borderline-overpowered on its own]]) that it was necessary to make the power boost of a Viewtiful Warrior becoming an Art Flow User as horizontal as possible, within the realm of sensibility. Hence, the Art Flow can bestow some extra VFX, make it recharge a little faster, and make the abilities a little stronger (and of course, being able to fly is enough of an agility boost that I could justify advancing the progression of Viewtiful Dodge as well), but doing anything more would just be too much. VFX isn’t the point of the Art Flow or those who tap into it, it’s more of a fringe territory, and I wanted the mechanics to reflect this.}}

'''''{{Anchor|Paint Shot}}'' {{Sp}}:''' As a standard action, an Art Flow User can launch an orb of raw essence from the Art Flow (an energy that greatly resembles paint) which deals 1d6 damage per [[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]] as a ranged touch attack (its caster level is equal to the Art Flow User's class level, and its range increment is 60 feet). In addition to the damage, a ''paint shot'' seeps into the skin of its victim, which is... not good for them in the slightest; it is [[SRD:Poison|poisonous]], dealing 1 [[Strength]], 1 [[Dexterity]], and 1 [[Constitution]] [[SRD:Ability Score Loss#Ability Damage|damage]] unless the victim succeeds on a [[Fortitude]] save (save [[DC]] is [[Charisma]]-based). Since the essence of the Art Flow is poisonous, a creature that fails its Fortitude save is poisoned and must make another Fortitude save 1 minute later or take the same ability damage again. A creature killed by ''paint shot'' (including if its [[Strength]], [[Dexterity]], or [[Constitution]] is reduced to 0) becomes a terrifyingly "realistic" statue, as if affected by ''[[SRD:Flesh to Stone|flesh to stone]]'' (except that they do not actually [[SRD:Petrified|turn to stone]] – they are simply chemically and supernaturally mummified, and indeed, while [[SRD:Stone to Flesh|''stone to flesh'']] is unable to restore a creature who has succumbed to such a fate, any form of revival, including [[SRD:Raise Dead|''raise dead'']], works normally, clearing the Art Flow from the subject's system). The Art Flow is a supernatural poison, so resistance or immunity to mundane poisons is useless against it. Unlike an [[#Invocations|artistic essence]], if an Art Flow User strikes a creature with multiple ''paint shots'' in a round, that creature has to make a separate Fortitude save for each one (and a separate secondary save for each primary save it fails). [[SRD:Spell Resistance|Spell resistance]] applies to each shot separately. Creatures with the <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Special:SearchByProperty/Subtype/Water|Water]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> or <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Special:SearchByProperty/Subtype/Cold|Cold]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> subtype take half damage from a ''paint shot'', gain a +4 bonus to their Fortitude saves against it, and gain a +6 bonus to their spell resistance against it if they have spell resistance. Creatures that have both the [Water] and [Cold] subtypes or are composed entirely of water or ice, such as [[SRD:Water Elemental|water elementals]], take only ⅓ of the damage from a ''paint shot'', gain a +8 bonus to their spell resistance against it (if they have spell resistance), and cannot be poisoned by it at all, even if such a creature is not already immune to poison, nor will it be pseudo-petrified if killed by the ''paint shot''. Creatures that have both the [Water] and [Cold] subtypes ''and'' are composed entirely of water or ice take only ¼ of the damage from a ''paint shot'', gain a +10 bonus to their spell resistance against it (if they have spell resistance), and cannot be poisoned by it at all, even if such a creature is not already immune to poison, nor will it be pseudo-petrified if killed by the ''paint shot''. Art Flow Users also cannot be poisoned or pseudo-petrified by a ''paint shot'', and take half damage from it. An Art Flow User can use <i>''Paint Shot</i> '' if he or she is soaked or immersed in water, encased in ice, or enveloped in steam up to at least his or her waist, but its damage is cut in half (which stacks with any scenarios described above which cut the damage) and its save DC is reduced by 4; it doesn’t regain full strength until the Art Flow User is completely dry. ''Paint Shot'' counts as ''eldritch blast'' for the purpose of prerequisites.

As an Art Flow User gains levels, the concentration of energy from the Art Flow within his or her ''paint shot'' increases, making the [[SRD:Ability Score Loss#Ability Damage|ability damage ]] more severe. At 3rd, 8th, 13th, and every 5 levels afterwards, the Dexterity damage (both primary and secondary) increases by 1. At 4th, 9th, 14th, and every 5 levels afterward, the Constitution damage (both primary and secondary) increases by 1. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and every 5 levels afterwards, the Strength damage (both primary and secondary) increases by 1.

Least &mdash; ''beguiling influence''²<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''earthen grasp''<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''eldritch spear''^{2, 4}<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''hideous blow''<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''leaps and bounds''²<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>,

Lesser &mdash; ''charm''²<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''eldritch chain''²<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''fell flight''³<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''flee the scene''<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>,

Greater &mdash; (''chilling tentacles''<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref> variant), ''eldritch cone''^{2, 5}<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''repelling blast''²<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, [[Super Smash Blast (3.5e Invocation)|''<u>super Smash</u> blast'']]²,

Master &mdash; ''eldritch doom''²<ref name="ca">[[Publication:Complete Arcane|Complete Arcane]]</ref>, ''[[Painter's Soul (3.5e Invocation)|''painter's soul'']]'',

#This invocation can be cast even if the Art Flow User is wet. If the invocation is somehow reduced in effectiveness when wet, it will be pointed out in a second footnote(if official) or in the invocation's description (if homebrew).<!-- #2 -->

#This invocation changes the paint shot's range increment to 200 150 feet (rather than the default 60feet, or the flat 250 feet of the warlock version). If the Art Flow User is wet, the range increment instead becomes 100 90 feet. <!-- #4 -->#If the Art Flow User is wet, the range of the cone becomes 25 feet. <!-- #5 -->

'''Combat:''' The Art Flow User is a great example of a [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GradualGrinder Gradual Grinder]. Its offensive abilities have a hard time measuring up with other invocation-wielding classes, just by virtue of having 10 fewer levels to work withif nothing else. However, the poison damage from multiple ''paint shots'' can add up very easily, particularly if augmented with invocations, and strip the Art Flow User's enemies of the ability to fight with any degree of competence over time, until an ability score hits 0 and they're killed outright. Meanwhile, the Art Flow User's regeneration makes them outrageously difficult to kill all by itself, and depending on their invocations, they can use their powers to block attacks. Against foes who are immune to supernatural poisons, or who have the [Water] or [Cold] subtypes, an Art Flow User has a ''much'' harder time, and would probably be best off hiding behind his/her party members and creating minions to serve as distractions and/or extra firepower(though given that Art Flow User is a prestige class, most Art Flow Users have ''something'' to fall back on if their artistic abilities are rendered irrelevant and [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScrewThisImOuttaHere running away] is a suboptimal or infeasible solution).

{{quote|How many times do I have to tell you – murder is '''''not''''' art!!!!|orig=[[Luigifan(3.5e NPC)|Luigifan]], human [[Dungeon Master (3.5e Class)|dungeon master]]|src=losing his patience with Bill Stuffner for the umpteenth time}}

<!-- <Art Flow Users are elite craftsmen, artisans, and performers, empowered by the essence of art itself to create masterpieces lesser artists couldn't even dream of making. Their ability to travel through the Art Flow makes it easy for them to seek out new artistic venues whenever they feel their work in a given area is done for the moment, but they do tend to revisit places they're especially fond of on a semi-Where characters of frequent basis (this class fit in goes double for the performers, whose art is by its very nature a d20 worldtransient, immaterial thing).-> -->

<!--'''Organizations:''' <-Info on what, where, whenArt Flow Users tend to be found in the same sorts of organizations that would host lesser artists, such as bardic colleges. The Art Flow User's skill and how characters of this class congregate and assemble.power do tend to lead him or her to a high->ranking position within these organizations.

'''NPC Reactions:''' <-How NPCs react Art Flow Users are treated with awe by the general population, which is helped by most Art Flow Users loving nothing more than creating new marvels for the public to PCs of this class->enjoy. REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "That said, the more... IN THE WORLD" SECTION -->''psychotic'' Art Flow Users are rightfully feared, given how hard it is to put an Art Flow User down.

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering) or , Knowledge (the planes), or Knowledge (theatrics) can research Art Flow Users to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.