Vizard Shinigami (3.5e Prestige Class)
Vizard Shinigami
Vizard Shinigami are Death Gods who have died and came back to life through magical means. When a Shinigami dies, sometimes he encounters the dark side of himself which he has to deal with. While most Shinigamis fail to do so when something as rare as that happens and their dark side consumes them making them frightful undead themselves, those who are able to control their dark side and come back from the dead gain the ability to tap into their "evil" self gaining certain advantages in battle that in some cases foes might find overwhelming.
Becoming a Vizard Shinigami
Not every Shinigami may qualify as a Vizard Shinigami. A shinigami must go through the process of death, and fight their 'Hollowed' self. Even if they do qualify, this may not be a good thing, as many Shinigami that have gone down this path have lost themselves to their darkness and were put down.
| Alignment: | Any |
|---|---|
| Base Attack Bonus: | +5. |
| Race: | Any. |
| Class: | Previous levels of any Shinigami type. |
| Skills: | Knowledge (the planes) 5 ranks. |
| Feats: | Power Attack and Weapon Focus (Zanpaktou). |
| Special: |
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | +2 Weapon, Vizard Mask (least), Focus Mind +1, 40 speed bonus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +2 | +1 | +2 | Cero | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +2 | +1 | +2 | Vizard Mask (lesser) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +3 | +2 | +3 | Focus Mind +2, +60ft speed bonus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +3 | +2 | +3 | +3 Weapon, Vizard Mask (normal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6 | +4 | +3 | +4 | +80ft speed bonus, Gran Rey Cero | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7 | +4 | +3 | +4 | Material Essence, Focus Mind +3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8 | +5 | +4 | +5 | +100ft speed bonus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9 | +5 | +4 | +5 | +4 Weapon, Vizard Mask (greater) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10 | +6 | +5 | +6 | Vizard Mask Mastery, Focus Mind +4, +150ft speed bonus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
Focus Mind (Ex): A Vizard Shinigami of 1st level can focus his mind in order to suppress his sinister sides desires and maintain control over himself when using his Vizard Mask ability. A Vizard Shinigami gains +1 sacred bonus to his Will save at level 1 and this bonus increases every three levels by 1 (+2 at 4th, +3 at 7th and +4 at 10th level).
Weapon Enchantment Bonus (Su): A Vizard Shinigami continues to enchant his weapon normally like a Shinigami does.
Vizard Mask (Su): A Vizard Shinigami's sign is his mask. All Vizard Shinigami take strength from a mask that is bound to their soul and represents the darkest side of themselves aiding them in combat. As a Vizard Shinigami advances in levels he becomes more dominant over the dark side of himself or vise versa if his alignment is evil. A mask appears on the Vizard Shinigami's face appearing like the front side of a human skull most of the time. The Vizard Shinigami is not able to fully control his dark side thus he has a 25% chance of his dark side gaining control and get him in a state of frenzy (A successful DC 10 + Vizard Shinigami class level Will save negates the frenzy* effect).
Vizard Mask (least) : A Vizard Shinigami of level 1 may draw power from his dark side gaining +6 sacred bonus to his Str & +6 sacred bonus to his Con plus DR 5/positive while the Mask is active. In addition he deals +1d6 negative energy damage to his opponents. Vizard Mask lasts rounds equal to the character's Vizard Shinigami class level. Activating this ability is a swift action and the chance for the Shinigami to enter the frenzy state which his dark side gains control is 25%.
Vizard Mask (lesser) : As least Vizard Mask but the Shinigami gains +8 sacred bonus to his Str & +8 sacred bonus to his Con plus DR 10/positive and deals +2d6 negative energy damage. Activating this ability is a swift action and the chance for the Shinigami to enter the frenzy state which his dark side gains control is now 20%.
Vizard Mask (normal) : As lesser Vizard Mask but the Shinigami gains +12 sacred bonus to his Str & +12 sacred bonus to his Con plus DR 15/positive and deals +3d6 negative energy damage and the Shinigami may get a hold of his Mask allowing him to successfully wear it for rounds equal to his effective character level + Wis modifier. Activating this ability is a swift action and the chance for the Shinigami to enter the frenzy state which his dark side gains control is now 20%.
Vizard Mask (greater) : As normal Vizard Mask but at this point the Shinigami has the upper hand against his dark side allowing him to maximize his fighting potential even more. The Shinigami gains +16 sacred bonus to his Str & +16 sacred bonus to his Con plus DR 20/positive and deals +4d6 negative energy damage. Activating this ability is a swift action and the chance for the Shinigami to enter the frenzy state which his dark side gains control is now 15%.
Vizard Mask Mastery (Su): Upon reaching level 10 a Vizard Shinigami has merged victorious from the continuous fight within him against his dark side and may now use its full potential during battle by sustaining his Vizard Mask for as long as he's above 20 hit points and the negative damage dealt from his dark side now is equal to 1d6 per Vizard Shinigami class level. Activating Vizard Mask ability becomes an immediate action and the chance for the Shinigami to enter the frenzy state which his dark side gains control is now 10%.
- Frenzy: When a Vizard Shinigami takes damage that drops him to less than one-quarter of his normal hit points, he has a chance to enter a state of frenzy. While in frenzy the Vizard Shinigami loses control over his body while his sinister side gains it. The Vizard Shinigami will use his most powerful attacks without regard to his allies. He immediately dons his mask and will maintain it until the shinigami regains control. If no enemies remain he will continue to attack his allies until knocked out or he successfully regains control. While the sinister side has control the ignores the effects of being below 0 hit points (he will still die if reduced below -10 hit points).
In order for the Vizard Shinigami to regain control over himself he must succeed on a Will save DC 10 + Vizard Shinigami Class level. Each round the Vizard Shinigami that has failed his Will save to regain control over his body is entitled a new will save.
Cero (Sp): At level 2 the Vizard Shinigami gains the ability to use a devastating attack that deals 1d12 + Wis modifier in a line shaped beam of negative energy. This attack is considered a ranged touch attack (range equals 10 ft. per effective character level). This attack improves along with the Shinigami Masks and gains +1d12 per Mask. (Lesser +2d12, Normal +3d12, Greater +4d12)
Upon reaching level 10 a Vizard Shinigami may now use the Cero ability at its maximum potential. Activating this ability is causing a line beam of negative energy to emerge out of the Shinigami's blade as a frightful ranged touch attack (range equals 10 ft. per effective character level) of negative energy that deals 10d12 + Wis modifier to anyone it hits. A Vizard Shinigami may use this ability times per day equal to his Vizard Shinigami class level.
A Cero is capable of critically hit opponents and the multiplier in case of a critical strike is the Vizard Shinigami's Wis modifier - 1. (example: If a Vizard Shinigami with a wisdom score of 14 scores a critical hit with Cero the critical multiplier would be 10d12 x 1 = 10d12). Cero can be used by a Vizard Shinigami once every 1d4 rounds.
Material Essence (Ex): The shinigami has come so far in his training, he can now jump from the Material Plane to being incorporeal as a move or part of a move action. His entire body becomes incorporeal so there is no body left helpless on the Material Plane. When in this form, he has the ability to float and air walk at his normal speed as if he was on the ground. He can effect both the Material and Incorporeal Plane when in this form. A Shinigami can only maintain this form for a total hours per day equal to his Shinigami class levels.
Gran Rey Cero: At level 6 the Vizard gains the ability to fire a cero at twice its power and choose to have the attack be a line or a cone( is half the line distance). the vizard may only use this cero once every 1d8 rounds.
Playing a Vizard Shinigami
Combat: The Vizard Shinigami is an all out offensive character which would definitely attack and vanquish anyone who would oppose a threat to him. Much like a barbarian, a Vizard Shinigami is based on his brute Strength to overcome and defeat his opponents.
Advancement: As described above, Shinigami may become Vizard Shinigami after an encounter with their dark side during their death. A Vizard Shinigami prestige class would perfectly work with a multiclass Shinigami/Barbarian or Shinigami/Fighter to maximize its potential.
Resources: Shinigami are a secretive lot indeed thus only a few people know about them. When a Shinigami becomes a Vizard Shinigami he often becomes an outcast from Gotei 13 (the Shinigami 13 Protection Squads based in Sigil) and is more like a freelancer that continues the fight with the undead on his own and aids Gotei 13 whenever possible even if he is an outcast. Shinigami are people with high sense of duty and they know that they must continue their fight to protect the material plane no matter the cost.
Vizard Shinigami in the World
Outcasts, hybrids that an eternal war rages within them and even if they do manage to tame their sinister side they cannot rest cause extraplanar horrors roam free threatening the material plane.
| “ | I'll show you the real way to use a Bankai! | ” |
Vizard Shinigami are a secretive lot, exiled from their kin cause of their sinister side, Vizard Shinigami form groups between themselves and as the Gotei 13 they try to keep the material plane safe from harm. Most normal people have never heard, or seen a Vizard Shinigami. But without them and the Gotei 13 extraplanar horrors would surely reach out and consume them all.
Sidestory of the Vizard Exile: The Gotei 13 thinks the Vizard Shinigami as bombs ready to explode anytime, meaning that their sinister side might come out victorious anytime from the eternal struggle within them and thus they exiled the Vizard Shinigami from Sigil. Good Vizard Shinigami still work with the Gotei 13 tho in several cases and help in every way they can while neutral Vizard Shinigami are lonely characters mostly. Evil Vizard Shinigami seek revenge upon Gotei 13 cause they think themselves as superior than normal Shinigami and they believe that the reason they got exiled was their superiority.
Daily Life: The Vizard Shinigami can never rest, in a continuous battle with his sinister side and always on the look out for demons who threaten the world from beyond this dimension. Like an outcast vigilante, even if they are outcasts from their kin they still have a duty, and must always be on alert.
Notable NPC's: Ichigo is a Vizard Shinigami, who is completely freelance. He is said to have a sinister side which seems unfitting of the otherwise good-minded hero.
Organizations: On the neutral and good outer planes, and specifically within the Outlands and the city of Sigil, the Shinigami are organized travelers who look out for dangerous demonic invasion attempts and terrible haunting of souls who refuse to pass on. Here the counsel of Seireitei is ruled over by 13 captains in control of 13 squads, each specialized by their Bankai and fighting style.
NPC Reactions: Like Shinigami, Vizard Shinigami look more like fighters in the eyes of a commoner and its highly unlikely that someone would ever imagine what they are. Most people think of them as fighters, clerics or sometimes even paladins.
Vizard Shinigami Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) or Knowledge Religion can research about Vizard Shinigami to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs. A character may be allowed a knowledge check about Vizard Shinigami only if he meets the following requirements: Have met a Vizard Shinigami during his lifespan knowing that the man/woman he met was a Vizard Shinigami. Been in Sigil and heard about the Vizard Shinigami there. Research about Shinigami and roll a knowledge check of 30 or higher.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 30 | A Vizard Shinigami hunts ghosts and other incorporeal and extraplanar beings with their powerful weapon often using strange Masks. |
| 35 | A Vizard Shinigami Mask is the source of his power and the reflection of his sinister side manifested. |
| 40 | All Vizard Shinigami are outcasts of Gotei 13 and live lonely lives, sometimes found in groups of 3 or more trying to help each other and defeat extra planar foes. A Vizard Shinigami prefer brute force to defeat any opponent with the help of their sinister side through their Mask to achieve victory. |
| 45 | All Vizard Shinigami use a Mask that is the reflection of their Sinister side but if they do not manage to control it they get consumed by it. A character that has achieved a knowledge check of 45 or higher may know specific information about Vizard Shinigami across the planes and even about deceased Vizard Shinigami. |
Vizard Shinigami in the Game
Vizard Shinigami's are outcasts, and thus are neutral. Those which fall until evil lose their self to their sinister side which gains control over their body and might even become demons themselves. They are best in campaigns against incoporeal enemies, but do just fine in the material plane since they rely on brute force to vanquish any foe.
Adaptation: A Vizard Shinigami may take the position of any melee character like fighter, paladin or barbarian since they got a good Hit Die and they do moderate damage.
Sample Encounter: The adventurers enter a haunted forest which residents are evil spirits seemed to be controlled by someone. Anyone would suspect its the work of an evil necromancer but they soon find out that an evil Vizard Shinigami is behind the undead creature army and they discover that his plan is to take revenge on the Gotei 13 for sending him in exile thus he's gathering an army. The location where the group finds the Vizard Shinigami is a huge oak tree somewhere in the middle of the forest that instead of leaves it has slain Shinigami all over it as trophies of the evil Vizard.
EL whatever: Normally characters around level 20 would be an equal match for a Vizard Shinigami. Characters such as Warblades, Crusaders, Swordsages, Spellthiefs and Casters are great against a Vizard Shinigami while Fighters, Rogues and Barbarians have a serious disadvantage.
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