Ascetics
are hermits, dervishes, and monks who trade civilization for the wastelands and
lock themselves away from others in the Realm of Men. Rather than a monastic
life, an ascetic leads a solitary life, where he prays, fasts, studies and
fights evil spirits and the restless dead with his bare hands.
Having traded away worldliness
for holiness has its benefits. The ascetic is empowered by God with the
abilities necessary to live such a lonesome and militant life.
Ascetics never retain wealth,
being limited to that which they can lift off the ground while at full health.
They may never own more than six magic items.
Their godly life demands that they are always Lawful. If an ascetic loses his Lawful alignment for any reason, he loses all granted powers until he regains it.
Solitary creatures, Ascetics will never take on more than a single Retainer regardless of their CHA score, and will never marry.
The Ascetic’s Class Abilities:
Arms and Armor: An ascetic never wears armor nor uses a shield, although he may wear a helmet. He may use the following weapons: the staff, club, crossbow, dagger, hatchet, spear and pole arm.
Attack and Save:
Ascetics attack and save as Clerics of the same level.
Armor of Michael: Ascetics gain a natural +1 to their
AC at first level and then +1 per level.
Touch
of Jacob: Ascetics
may strike any target with their bare hands and feet for 1d6 +STR modifier
damage (minimum 1.) They may use these bare attacks or any weapon they hold to
deal damage to any target, including intangible targets such as ghosts and
gaseous-form vampires.
Special Immunity:
Ascetics have the same immunities to touch attacks as Elves do.
Metabolic Mastery: Normally,
a figure will begin to die after three weeks without food, three days without
water, and three minutes without air. Ascetics can bear an additional time
period before beginning to die at first level and then one more at each odd
level (5 at level 3, 4 at level 5, 5 and level 7 and so forth.) In the case of
food and water, they are unaffected until these extra periods have expired.
Keen
Senses: Ascetics
hear noise on 1-2 on d6 like demi-men do, instead of the normal 1 on d6.
Silent
Step:
Ascetics hide and sneak at an additional +1 range (up to 1-4 on d6) while
wearing no armor.
Spell-Like Abilities: The following abilities are granted by their steadfast loyalty to God. They are automatic but are suppressed by any ability which suppresses magic, and are subject to Dispel Magic counterspelling.
- At second level, he can reveal a trap in an area as the Guided Foot spell, once per day.
- At third level, he can command a lock to open, as a Knock spell, once per day.
- At fourth level, he may Save vs. Spell against any spell or spell-like ability that only targets them. This is in addition to any save afforded otherwise.
- At fifth level, the ascetic can see in the dark like a demi-man.
- At sixth level, the ascetic can turn ethereal for one Turn per day.
- At seventh level, the ascetic gains immunity to poison and gains an additional bonus Save against Poison-class attacks.
Strongholds:
Ascetics do not establish abbeys like a cleric does,
nor castles, nor towers. Rather, an ascetic will create a small fortification
large enough only for him and a few others, in which to lock himself away from
the world. At 9th level and higher, like-minded acolytes will build
their own encampments nearby (within the same hex) but will not be subjects of
the ascetic.
Forge Lore:
starting at level 9, ascetics can create wands, staves, wands and rings using
the same rules as Magic-Users do. They may not create other kinds of magic
items.
