Maledictions

A malefactor’s most potent power lies with the ability to place her own misfortune upon others. These powers are called maledictions. At 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the malefactor gains one malediction of her choice. When using a malediction, the malefactor may choose to spend 1 or more Strife in order to activate the malediction's Dread Escalation.

Apt Curse (Sp): The target of this malediction must make a Will save or suffer a 50% chance of taking no action each round the malediction is in effect. Otherwise, the target may act normally.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): The duration increases to permanent, and the save DC increases by 2.

Backdraft (Su): This malediction targets creatures with breath weapons, causing them to accidentally inhale or swallow a portion of the noxious energy produced. A creature under the effect of backdraft takes nonlethal damage equal to their Constitution modifier and is sickened for one round each time they use their breath weapon. A Fort save negates the effect.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): In addition to the malediction’s typical effect, creatures under the effect of backdraft are nauseated for one round after using their breath weapon, as they cough and choke on their own destructive emissions.

Baleful Glare (Su): You subject a spellcaster to the evil eye. If your target fails a Will save, it suffers a -2 penalty to caster level checks, caster level checks, saving throws, and skill checks.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Whenever your target attempts to cast a spell or spell-like ability while under the effects of baleful glare, they must make a Fortitude save or take damage equal to 1d6 + your Charisma modifier.

Blind Spot (Su): With this malediction, you may create a hiding place where none is otherwise practical. By targeting a creature or group of creatures, you can cause a single 5-foot square to be concealed from their sight, no matter which way the affected creatures turn. Both the square and the target(s) must be within range of the malediction, but until the duration of the malediction elapses, any medium or smaller creature standing in the Blind Spot is considered to have total concealment versus any creatures affected by this malediction. A Will save negates these effects, and any creature attacked from within a Blind Spot is entitled to a new save. Only one Blind Spot can be established at a time, but a number of creatures equal to 1/2 your malefactor level (minimum 1) can be affected with a single casting.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): Blind Spot can be increased in size, to a 10 foot square, and can conceal Large or smaller creatures within the area.

Blood for Blood (Sp): You tie your life to that of your target, causing it to take 25% of any damage it deals to you if it fails a Fortitude save. This damage cannot be reduced or avoided in any way.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): If you are reduced to 0 or fewer Hit Points while this malediction is active, your target must succeed at a Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round.

Breach (Su): Whenever you make a Strength check to break, bend, lift, or otherwise remove a door, gate, portcullis, grating, or similar manmade nonmagical barrier, your Strength Check gains a bonus equal to your Malefactor level, plus your Charisma modifier.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): Magical barricades created by spell effects can be targeted. In addition, you can make the Strength check to breach obstructions out to the normal range of your Maledictions.

Curse Weapon (Sp): With this malediction, a malefactor may suppress the enhancement of, or even curse a magic weapon. Attended weapons are entitled to a Will save to resist the effect. You may remove enhancement bonuses or special abilities up to a +2 value, effectively cursing the weapon with -2 worth of penalties. Special abilities without a an enhancement value cannot be targeted. An item that is reduced below +0 becomes cursed and any negative enhancement bonuses become penalties.

Dread Escalation: For each point of strife invested in the escalation, an additional -1 of penalties can be applied, up to a total of -5.

Eye of the Storm (Su): This malediction reduces the effectiveness of damaging area effect spells and effects, such as breath weapons. For the duration of this malediction, the target makes a Will save each time he uses an area effect that causes hit point damage, if he fails the save, each die of damage is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): In the case of a failed save, in addition to the normal effect, the damaging effect is expressed in dice one size smaller than normal.

Dolt’s Grace (Sp): The target of this malediction must make a Fortitude save or suffer a -5 profane penalty to skill checks for the duration of the effect.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): The penalty increases to -10, and the save DC increases by 2.

Face Stealer (Sp): The target of this malediction suffers a -2 penalty to its Charisma, and you gain the benefits of a disguise self spell, causing you to take on the appearance of your target. Fortitude negates.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): If your target dies while under the effects of this malediction, its face becomes permanently featureless, imposing a -10 circumstance penalty on attempts to identify the body.

Flickerlight (Sp): This malediction causes light sources to fail at a critical moment. Flickerlight causes nonmagical light sources to dwindle, giving off no more radiance than a candle for the duration of the effect, as if suddenly blown by an errant wind. The malefactor can target a number of light sources equal to her level plus her Charisma modifier with a single manifestation of this malediction. A Will save negates the effect, but unattended light sources are not entitled to a save. Flickerlight can target typical torches, braziers, lanterns, even campfires and alchemical light sources such as sunrods, or luminous patches of fungus. Bonfires or similar exceptionally large beacons are unaffected.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): Magical light sources can be targeted. Magical items are always entitled to a save, although unattended magical items take a -4 penalty on this save.

Frailty (Su): A creature targeted by frailty must make a Fortitude save or find his natural defenses faltering. Creatures with damage reduction bypassed by adamantine, bludgeoning, chaos, cold iron, law, magic, piercing, silver or slashing weapons suffer a penalty to their DR, which thus prevents less damage for the duration of the malediction. This penalty is equal to 1/2 the malefactor’s level. Damage prevented cannot be reduced to below zero in this manner.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Creatures with DR/-, DR/ good, or DR/evil can be targeted.

Fray (Su): This subtle malediction breaks down and destroys fibrous materials like cloth, ropes, webs, and vines. Attended objects and magical effects are entitled to a Fortitude save to resist the effect. Otherwise, the targeted object (or 5 foot square of fibrous material) takes 5 points of damage per round, bypassing DR, for the duration of the effect.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): The malediction’s destructive energy can be expended in a single round, in the form of an attempt to burst, shred, or break the obstruction. This works similarly to the area effect function of a shatter spell (centered anywhere within the malediction’s range), only targeting fibrous materials.

Glued Boots (Su): You foul the movements of the target of this malediction, preventing them from taking 5ft-steps or using the withdraw action.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): You also steal a portion of the target's speed, halving their movement speed and granting you a 15ft enhancement bonus to your base land speed for the duration.

Hazard (Su): You cause a hazardous condition to affect the target, dealing 1d6 points of damage per four class levels (minimum 1d6; Reflex halves). This damage can be something the target is resistant to but the creature is never immune to the damage type chosen and it could even result in multiple types.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): If the target fails its Reflex save, it is also blinded, confused, deafened, or staggered (your choice) for 1d4 rounds.

Inadvertent Ignition (Sp): The target of this malediction becomes unnaturally flammable, as if he was coated in a thin film of grease. Whenever a creature under the effect of this malediction takes damage due to a fire effect, he must make a Reflex save, or catch on fire, taking 1d6 points of fire damage each round for the duration of Inadvertent Ignition. Once a target has ignited in this manner, the effects of Inadvertent Ignition end, although they may be targeted again. This flame is not supernatural in nature, and can be extinguished as normal.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Targets under the effect of inadvertent ignition risk immolating themselves each time they use a spell, spell-like effect, or supernatural effect that deals fire damage. Whenever a target uses such an ability under the effect of inadvertent ignition, they must make an additional Reflex save, or become engulfed in flames dealing damage equal to 1/2 the damage the spell or effect normally caused by the ability (in the case of spells like scorching ray, which produce multiple rays, the damage is equal to 1/2 the damage caused by a single ray). Effects like Evasion have no effect on this damage, and the target remains aflame, taking 1d6 points of fire damage per round, as normal for inadvertent ignition.

Jinx (Su): You alter the laws of probability so that any time the target is missed by an attack, there is a 20% chance that it actually hits (Will negates).

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): The hit chance improves to 50%.

Lightning Rod (Sp): Upon invoking this malediction, the malefactor becomes supernaturally attractive to spells and effects that deal electricity damage. For the duration of the effect, any creature that attempts to use an electrical attack that takes the form of a line must make a Will save, or place the malefactor within the area of effect, if possible. The malefactor is treated as having evasion versus electrical effects for the duration of this malediction, and if she makes a successful Reflex save, the line of effect terminates at the malefactor’s square, regardless of its normal range.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Rather than the line of effect terminating in the malefactor’s square with a successful Reflex save, the malefactor can divert any remaining area of the attack, in any direction she chooses, even directing it back at the point of origin.

Leaden Arms (Sp): The target of this malediction must make a Fortitude save or suffer a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, this penalty increases by -1.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): The target becomes unable to make any attacks of opportunity for the duration of the effect.

Misplacement (Su): Unluck spirits infest a target’s clothing and carried equipment, rearranging items, filling pockets with tangled thread, wedging debris into scabbards, and otherwise making it difficult to draw items quickly. A creature affected by this malediction must use a standard action to draw any item, even if extraordinary or magical effects would normally speed this action. A Will save negates this effect.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): In addition to requiring a standard action, drawing an item now requires a Strength check (DC equal to 11+ malefactor’s Charisma modifier) for weapons drawn from a scabbard, or Dexterity check (at the same DC) for items drawn from pouches, belts or other containers.

Mutinous Summons (Su): A creature that fails a Will save versus mutinous summons uses summoning spells or effects at great risk. Whenever a creature under the effect of this malediction uses a spell or spell-like effect of the summoning subschool, each creature he summons has a 50% chance of arriving uncontrolled by the caster (and remaining that way for the duration of the summoning effect). The malefactor likewise has no control over the mutinous creature - it is simply free to act as its alignment dictates.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): Summoned creatures not controlled by the caster are instead controlled by the manifester of mutinous summons.

Mystic Isolation (Su): You cut your target off from their allies' power, granting them spell resistance equal to 5 + your malefactor level if they fail a Will save. This spell resistance only functions against spells and abilities that originate from their allies. Your target can suppress this spell resistance for one round as a standard action.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): The granted spell resistance increases to 15 + your malefactor level.

Oafstep (Su): You cause a single foe to suddenly lose his footing. Choose a target. They are subjected to a trip combat maneuver using the malefactor's level + her Charisma modifier.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): The target hits the ground with such tremendous force that he is nauseated for one round.

Rumble (Sp): This malediction creates an ominous, low oscillation within stone and earth to the extent of its range, taking the form of an emanation from the malefactor. Within this area, creatures of the animal or vermin type become edgy and jittery, and must make a Fortitude save once per round, or move twenty feet (or their base speed, whichever is slower). On any round where the creature is damaged, it automatically succeeds on this save. This is a sonic effect.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): This malediction can also affect magical beasts or aberrations with 6 INT or less.

Squirming Grip (Su): Choose an object held by a target. They are subjected to a disarm combat maneuver using the malefactor's level + her Charisma modifier.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): The dropped object bounces and skitters 1d4 x 10 ft. in a direction chosen by the malefactor. If the object then enters the malefactor’s square, she can catch it as a free action, if she has a hand free.

Taboo (Sp): With an imperious warning, a malefactor can decree a single creature within the range of this malediction to be taboo. Creatures that attempt to make a melee attack against, touch, or pass through the square occupied by a Taboo creature must make a Will save or become stunned for one round. A malefactor can also make a Large or smaller unattended object taboo. The malefactor can only have one taboo active at a given time. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Creatures that fail their saves against a Dread Taboo are blinded and deafened in addition to being stunned.

Tumorous Healing (Su): This malediction causes rapidly healed flesh to take on a swollen and debilitating aspect. Whenever a creature affected by this malediction is targeted by fast healing, regeneration, spells of the healing subschool, or positive channeled energy, the healed flesh swells and crawls across the body in a revolting manner. Creatures subjected to this effect become confused for one round each time they are subjected to rapid healing, for the duration of the malediction. This is a transmutation effect. Fortitude negates. An opponent gains a new saving throw each round if affected for multiple consecutive rounds.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): An affected creature obsessively hacks at their crawling, alien flesh, treating results of 51-100 on the confusion chart as “Deals 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand.”

Ungainly Lunge (Su): The target of this malediction must make a Will save or be unable to make 5-foot steps for the duration of the effect.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): Once per round, if the affected creature fails a Reflex save, or makes a missed melee attack, he provokes an attack of opportunity.

Unwilling Bodyguard (Sp): A creature targeted with this malediction must make a Will save or become irresistibly attractive to ranged attacks. While this malediction is in effect, any ranged weapon attacks (but not magical ranged touch attacks, such as rays) that target the malefactor and miss instead target the afflicted enemy, using the same modifiers as the original attack, as long as the enemy is within the malefactor's aura of misfortune. A malefactor can only have one creature under the effects of unwilling bodyguard at a time.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): If the creature affected by this malediction is within the malefactor's aura of misfortune, the malefactor is treated as having cover from ranged attacks.

Wild Shot (Sp): A creature under the effect of wild shot makes ranged attacks at great risk. When an affected creature attempts to make a ranged attack with a projectile or thrown weapon, the trajectory of their missile seems to bend, wobble and otherwise misbehave. Projectiles and thrown weapons divert from their original targets as if they were grenade-like weapons. If diverted to an occupied square, that creature is instead targeted at the original attack bonus. Once a creature has fallen victim to wild shot, the effect ceases at the end of their turn, although they may be targeted again as normal. Will negates.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Wild shot can also affect rays and other magically produced ranged attacks.

Wracking Echo (Sp): A creature that fails a Fortitude save versus wracking echo must immediately make an additional save versus a single poison or disease he is currently suffering the effects of (chosen randomly). If the target of this malediction fails the save, he suffers the effect of the poison or disease as normal. If he succeeds, this success does not count as a successful save for the purposes of fighting off the affliction.

Dread Escalation (1 Strife): When a creature makes his additional save versus the poison or disease he is afflicted by, the Fortitude DC equals the malefactor’s malediction DC, unless the original DC is higher.

Wyrmbane Curse (Su): Choose an energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). If your target fails a Fortitude save, it becomes vulnerable (+50%) to the chosen energy type.

Dread Escalation (2 Strife): Negative and positive energy can be chosen. In addition, on a failed save, your target lowers any resistance it has to the chosen energy type by an amount equal to your malefactor level. If the creature is immune to the chosen energy type, this is instead downgraded to resistance 30.