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Heroes of Horror Excerpt

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HeroesofHorrorExcerpt
ByJamesWyatt,AriMarmell,C.A.Suleiman AddafrissonoffeartoyourgamewithHeroesofHorror.Thissupplementgoesover thetechniquesofterrorwithinD&DandcanbecomeavaluableresourcetobothDMs andplayerswhopreferamorechillingsidetotheiradventures.HeroesofHorror provideseverythingplayersandDungeonMastersneedtoplayandrunahorror orientedcampaignorintegrateelementsofcreepinessandtensionintotheirexisting campaigns.Playerscandevelopheroesorantiheroesusingnewfeats,newspells, newbaseclassesandprestigeclasses,andnewmagicitems.Thebookpresentsnew mechanicsfordifferenttypesofhorror,includingrulesfordreadandtaintedcharacters, aswellasplentyofnewhorrificmonstersandadventureseeds.Differenttypesand genresofhorrorarediscussedindetail.Oursneakpeekgivesyoualookatvillains,the archivistclass,deformityfeats,summonundeadspells,andthecadavergolem. ContentsandIntroduction VillainsinaHorrorGame(fromChapter2:DreadAdventures) Archivist(fromChapter5:HeroesandAntiheroes) DeformityFeats(fromChapter5:HeroesandAntiheroes) SummonUndeadSpells(fromChapter5:HeroesandAntiheroes) CadaverGolem(fromChapter6:CreaturesoftheNight)

Archivist
"Youcaneithersellmethecursedstele,oryoucanwaitforitsoriginal ownertocomeforit.Thechoiceisyours." AnselmoDurod,proctorabbotoftheHallowedDoctrine Anarchivistisawielderofdivinemagic,similartoaclericonlyinthe typeandnatureofthemagicathiscommand.Indeed,thearchivisthas moreincommonwiththewizardthanhedoeswiththestandard servantofthedivine,duetothescholarlywayinwhichhecollectsand maintainshisspellselection.Archivistsseekoutesotericsourcesof divinelore,whereverthosesourcesmightbe,securingthosesecrets forthemselvesandtheirfellowscholars. MakinganArchivist Thearchivistisamoreacademicprofessionthantheclericorpaladin buthardierandmoreworldlythantheaveragecloisteredwizard.Due totheexploratoryandoftendangerousnatureoftheirwork,archivists developtechniquesforsafeguardingthemselvesandtheiralliesfrom thefoultaintthatsooftensurroundsandaccompaniesthelostor forbiddenloretheyseek.Archivistsarethusexceptionalsupport characters,bolsteringtheeffortsofthosewhoaidthemintheir scholarlypursuits. Abilities:Themostimportantcharacteristicforanarchivistisakeen Intelligence.Thatintellectmustalsobetemperedwithahighdegreeof Wisdom,duetothefinelinethearchivistmustwalkinstudyingevil withoutbeingcorruptedbyit.AstrongConstitutionisalsohighly prizedfordealingwiththerigorsofthearchivist'smissions. Races:Elvestendtomakethebestarchivists,duebothtotheir longevityandtotheirnaturalproclivityformagic.Humansandgnomes canbedrawntotheclassaswell,oftenbecomingthemostambitious AnselmoDurod,archivist ofseekers.Dwarvesmakefinearchivistsbuttendtoviewtheentire professionasalittletoomorallygrayfortheirliking.Halflingsandhalforcsrarelytakeupthemantleofthe archivist.
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Alignment:Charactersofanyalignmentcanbecomearchivists,buttheclassdoesrequiresomemeasureof academicdetachment.Asaresult,archivistsofanethicallylawfulbentarequitecommon. ClassFeatures Thearchivist'sclassfeaturesallservetofurtherhisoverallpurpose,whichistoseekoutmystical,divinelore fromstrangeandforbiddensources,andtogainbothunderstandingandmasterythereof. WeaponandArmorProficiency:Archivistsareproficientwithallsimpleweaponsandwithlightandmedium armor,butnotwithshields. Spellcasting:Anarchivistcastsdivinespells,drawnprimarilyfromtheclericspelllistalthoughhecan eventuallyuncover,learn,andpreparenonclericdivinespellsspells.Unlikeclerics,archivistspreparespells fromaprayerbook,acollectionofcopieddivinespells.Tolearn,prepare,orcastaspell,anarchivistmusthave anIntelligencescoreequaltoatleast10+thespelllevel.TheDifficultyClassforasavingthrowagainstan archivist'sspellis10+thespelllevel+thearchivist'sIntmodifier. Table51:TheArchivistHitDie:d6 Base Class Attack Fort Ref Will Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th +0 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6/+1 +6/+1 +7/+2 +7/+2 +8/+3 +8/+3 +9/+4 +9/+4 +10/+5 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12 +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 Darkknowledge(tactics)3/day,ScribeScroll Loremastery Darkknowledge4/day Stillmind Darkknowledge(puissance) Darkknowledge5/day Loremastery Darkknowledge(foe) Darkknowledge6/day Bonusfeat Darkknowledge(dreadsecret) Darkknowledge7/day Loremastery Darkknowledge(foreknowledge) Darkknowledge8/day Spellcasting 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 2 4 3 4 3 2 4 4 3 4 4 3 2 4 4 4 3 4 5 4 3 2 4 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 4 5 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 5 4 3 2 4 5 5 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 5 5 4 3 2 4 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 2 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 2 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

+10 +10 Loremastery +11 Darkknowledge9/day +11 +12 Bonusfeat

ClassSkills(4+Intmodifierperlevel):Concentration,Craft,DecipherScript,Diplomacy,GatherInformation, Heal,Knowledge(allskills,takenindividually),Profession,Search,andSpellcraft. Likeotherspellcasters,anarchivistcancastonlyacertainnumberofspellsofeachlevelperday.Hisbase dailyallotmentisgiveninTable51:TheArchivist.Inaddition,hereceivesbonusspellsperdayifhehasa highWisdomscore(seeTable11onpage8ofthePlayer'sHandbook).Hemustchooseandpreparehis spellsaheadoftimebygettingagoodnight'ssleepandthenspending1hourstudyinghisprayerbook.The archivistdecideswhichspellstopreparewhilestudying. Prayerbook:Unlikeacleric,anarchivistdoesnotreceivehisdailyspellcomplementfromwhateverdeityor cosmicforceheworships.Rather,hemustseekoutandcollectnewspellsmuchasawizarddoes,butfrom suchesotericsourcesasholytablets,ancientsteles,orothermagicalscriptures.Hecannotprepareanyspell notrecordedinhisprayerbookexceptforreadmagic,whicharchivistscanpreparefrommemory.
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Anarchivistbeginsplaywithaprayerbookcontainingall0levelclericspellsplusthree1stlevelclericspellsof theplayer'schoice.ForeachpointofIntelligencebonusthearchivisthas,theprayerbookhasanadditional1st levelclericspell.Ateachnewclasslevel,thearchivistgainstwonewclericspellsforhisprayerbookthesecan beofanyspelllevelorlevelsthathecancast(basedonhisnewarchivistlevel).Atanytime,anarchivistcan alsoaddspellsfoundonscrollscontainingdivinespellstohisprayerbook,buthemustmakeanyrollsand spendthetimerequired(seeAddingSpellstoaWizard'sSpellbookonpage178ofthePlayer'sHandbook). Thearchivistcanlearnandthuspreparenonclericaldivinespellsinthisfashionbutthetwofreespellshe gainsforadvancinginclasslevelmustbeselectedfromtheclericspelllist. DarkKnowledge:Threetimesperday,anarchivistcandrawuponhisexpansiveknowledgeofmonsters, grantinghisalliesbenefitsagainstthecreaturestheyface.Doingthiscountsasamoveaction.Thesecretsof darkknowledgepertainonlytoaberrations,elementals,magicalbeasts,outsiders,orundead. Anarchivistunlocksnewdarkknowledgeabilitiesashislevelincreasesandcanalsocalluponhisdark knowledgemoreoften,gainingoneadditionaldailyuseforeverythreearchivistlevels(4/dayat3rdlevel, 5/dayat6thlevel,andsoforth). UsingdarkknowledgerequiresaKnowledgecheckofatypeappropriatetothecreaturefaced.AKnowledge (arcana)checkrevealssecretsofmagicalbeasts,Knowledge(dungeoneering)pertainstoaberrations, Knowledge(religion)coversundead,andKnowledge(theplanes)appliestooutsidersandelementals.The DCofthecheckis15.Mostofthearchivist'sdarkknowledgeabilitiesincreaseineffectivenessifhesucceeds onhisKnowledgecheckby10ormore.Darkknowledgecanonlybeusedonceagainstanygivencreature. Thearchivist'sdarkknowledgecanaffectasinglecreatureorallcreaturesofthesamerace,dependingonthe effectused.Atargetcreaturemustbewithin60feet,andthearchivistmustbeawareofthecreature'spresence, althoughheneednothavealineofsighttoit.Theeffectsofdarkknowledgelastfor1minute,unlessstated otherwise. Tactics:Thearchivistknowsthegeneralcombatbehaviorsofcreaturesofthatrace,grantinghisalliesa+1 bonusonattackrollsmadeagainstthem.Forexample,anarchivistconfrontedbycorruptioneaters*who succeededonhisKnowledge(dungeoneering)checkwouldgranthisalliestheattackbonusagainstallthe corruptioneaterstheyfoughtinthatencounter.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby10or more,thenthisbonusincreasesto+2.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby20ormore,then thisbonusincreasesto+3. *Newmonsterdescribedonpage144. Puissance:Startingat5thlevel,thearchivistcanusehisdarkknowledgetohelphisalliesfightoffthe corruptinginfluenceofothercreatures.Allieswithin60feetofthearchivistgaina+1bonusonsavingthrows againsttheaffectedcreature'sabilities.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby10ormore,this bonusincreasesto+2.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby20ormore,thisbonusincreasesto +3. Foe:Startingat8thlevel,anarchivistcandirecthisalliestoattackvitalspotsofhisenemies.Onasuccessful Knowledgecheck,hegrantsthemabonustoweapondamagerollsmadeagainstthetargetcreaturesequalto 1d6pointsofdamage.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby10ormore,thenthisbonus increasesto2d6.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby20ormore,thenthisbonusincreasesto 3d6. DreadSecret:Byspeakingaloudadreadsecretofthetargetcreature,anarchivistof11thlevelorhighercan dazzleatargetcreaturefor1round.Unlikeotherdarkknowledge,thisabilitycanbeusedonlyagainstasingle creature.IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby10ormore,thenthetargetisdazedfor1round. IfthearchivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby20ormore,thenthetargetisstunnedfor1round(ifthe targetisimmunetobeingstunnedbutnotimmunetobeingdazed,suchasmostundead,thenthearchivistcan choosetodazethetargetinsteadofstunningit). Foreknowledge:Startingat14thlevel,anarchivistcanbetterpreparehisalliesfortheattacksoftheaffected creature,makingitharderforthecreaturetolandblowsandsuccessfullydealdamage.Allieswithin30feetof thearchivistgaina+1insightbonustoArmorClassthatappliestoattacksbytheaffectedcreatureonly.Ifthe archivistsucceedsonhisKnowledgecheckby10ormore,thisbonusincreasesto+2.Ifthearchivistsucceeds onhisKnowledgecheckby20ormore,thisbonusincreasesto+3. ScribeScroll:ArchivistsgainScribeScrollasabonusfeat. LoreMastery:Uponreaching2ndlevel,anarchivistgainsa+2bonusonallDecipherScriptchecksandonall checksofanyoneKnowledgeskillofhischoice.Oncethischoiceismade,itcannotbechanged.At7th,13th, and17thlevel,thearchivistcanchooseanadditionalKnowledgeskillonwhichtogainthe+2bonus.
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StillMind(Ex):Startingat4thlevel,anarchivistgainsa+2bonusonsavingthrowsagainstspellsandeffects fromtheschoolofenchantment,duetohisrigorousfocusandintensementaldiscipline. BonusFeat:Whenanarchivistreaches10thlevel,andagainat20thlevel,hecanselectafreefeatfromthe followinglist:SkillFocus(anyKnowledgeskill),SpellFocus,anymetamagicfeat,oranyitemcreationfeat. PlayinganArchivist Asanarchivist,youtravelinsearchofnewandunusualmagicofadivinenature.Sinceyourunderstandingof magicrevolvesaroundthewrittenword,youprizemagicalwritingsofanykindandwilltravelfartoinvestigate anewlyuncovered(oryettobediscovered)holyscriptureormysticalrecitation.Generallyspeaking,you aren'tquiteasstuffyastheaveragewizard,givenyourbreadthofexperienceandhighWisdomscore,but neitherareyouachestthumpingchampionofthegods.Thesecretsyouuncoveraretheirownreward,and yourconfidenceinyourselfandinthejobyoudoismorerewardingthantheemptygratitudeofsomegroupor hierarchy. Religion Whilemostarchivistsarereligious,itisfundamentallytheirwaytoputmorestockinthepowerofthedivine thaninthedivineitself.Archivistsexistforvirtuallyeveryknowndeity.Somehuntdownthesecretsofagespast toexaltthegreatergloryoftheirdeity,whileothersseekonlytosafeguardsacredlorefromfallingintothe wronghands.Stillothersseeverylittleconnectionbetweentheirpersonaldevotionandtheworktheydo, asidefromperceivingtheircontinuedsuccessasevidenceoftheirgod'sfavor. OtherClasses Archiviststendtofarewellinthecompanyofwizards,whoappreciatethescholarlyapproachtheytaketo magicalstudy.Bythesametoken,however,theyhaveamercurialrelationshipwithstandardclerics.Some priesthoodsviewarchivistsasanessentialarmoftheirgod'sfollowing,whileothersseethemaslittlemore thanshamelessthieveswhoseektodespoilorabusesacredtexts.Manydruidslookaskanceattheirspells' beingcastbythosewhodonotfollowdruidicteachings.Archivistsoftentravelinthecompanyofbardsor rogues(anothermarkagainstthemintheeyesofsomenarrowmindedpriests),whosharetheirinterestinold loreandtherecoveryoflonglosttreasure. Combat Archivistsarenotespeciallypotentfrontlinefightersandwilloftenhangbackwiththewizardswhencombat arises.Theyaresturdierandusuallybetterarmoredthantheirarcanecounterparts,however,andboldlystride intocombatwhennecessary(forexample,whenitmeansdefendingonewhoisweakeroreasiertohit). Archivistsareespeciallyeffectiveinpartiesthatcontainotherdivinecastersorbards.Givenpreparationtime, anarchivistcanusehismagictobolsterpartymembers,includingtheclerics,sothatwhencombatbegins,the clericscanwadeintobattlewiththefighters,leavingthearchivistsfreetoheal. IfPCsarelikelytofacefoeswhohavesecretweaknesses,therecanbeanenormousbenefitinrecruitingan archivist.Anarchivistcanoftenprovideinformationaboutafoe'sweaknessesthatspellsthedifference betweenfailureandsuccessagainstthatadversary. Advancement Itisoftensaidthatarchivistsareborn,notmade.Manywhoembracethisclassdosooutofagenuinethirstfor learning,oftenaccompaniedbyareverenceoradmirationfordivinepower.Somepeoplewhoendupwalking thepathofthearchivistbeganasapprenticewizardsorjuniorclericsbutsoonfeltthecalltoseekhidden knowledge. Manyarchivistsarearchivistsforlifethemorehiddenloretheyuncover,themoretheyfeeltheystillhaveto learn.Othersmulticlasstocomplementtheirabilities,sometimesvalidatingtheirpursuitsintheeyesofa churchhierarchybytakinglevelsinclericorevenpaladin.Lessfrequently,anarchivist'shungerforlore causeshimtobranchoutintothearcanearts,splittinghisstudiesbetweendivineexplorationandwizardry. Thearchivistisalsoanexceptionallyversatileclassforthepurposesofprerequisites,actingasanatural gatewayclassformanyprestigeclasses.

ContentsandIntroduction VillainsinaHorrorGame(fromChapter2:DreadAdventures) Archivist(fromChapter5:HeroesandAntiheroes) DeformityFeats(fromChapter5:HeroesandAntiheroes)

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SummonUndeadSpells(fromChapter5:HeroesandAntiheroes) CadaverGolem(fromChapter6:CreaturesoftheNight)

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