Death Hand (3.5e Prestige Class)

Death Hand

“	Insert the text of the quote here, without quotation marks.	”
—<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->

The Death Hand is a feral terror in combat. He uses an undisciplined yet deadly style of martial arts that focuses on brute strength and rending opponents. She is obsessed with dismembering enemies and slicing and smashing through waves of lesser beings. His bloody appearance intimidates his enemies, and his greatest asset is his ability to enter destructive trances known as "Killing Sprees" during combat.

Becoming a Death Hand

Barbarians, Fighters, and Ex-Paladins make excellent Death Hands as they embrace melee combat and have abilities to complement it. Some Clerics who worship evil or chaotic deities can become death hands, combining evil divine magic and deadly melee combat. Some Rangers can also be Death Hands, but they typically prefer stealth. Members of other classes rarely desire to give up spellcasting or stealth in favor of the Death Hand's martial prowess.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Chaotic Evil.
Base Attack Bonus:	+8 .
Feats:	Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Power Attack.

Table: The Death Hand

Hit Die: d12

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Unarmed Strike, Death Attack
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Killing Spree (Death Knell)
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Cleave
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Damage Reduction 1/-
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Killing Spree (Magic Fang)
6th	+6	+5	+2	+2	Great Cleave
7th	+7	+5	+2	+2
8th	+8	+6	+2	+2	Damage Reduction 2/-
9th	+9	+6	+3	+3	Supreme Cleave
10th	+10	+7	+3	+3	Killing Spree (Lethal Strike)
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Climb, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Spot, Swim, Tumble.

Table: The Epic <-class name->

Level	Special
11th	Bonus Feat
12th	Damage Reduction 3/-
13th
14th
15th	Bonus Feat
16th	Damage Reduction 4/-
17th
18th
19th	Bonus Feat
20th	Damage Reduction 5/-

Class Features

Proficiencies: A Death Hand is proficient with unarmed strikes, gauntlets, and bladed gauntlets. He is proficient with light and medium armor, and no shields.

Unarmed Strike (Ex): A Death Hand can issue unarmed strikes as a monk of her level. Death Hand levels and Ex-Monk levels stack for determining damage. Gauntlets and Bladed Gauntlets do not deal extra damage, but may be enchanted separately.

Death Attack (Ex): A Death Hand can issue a death attack against an enemy that he has grappled with for at least 1 full round (he must have initiated the grapple). He makes a single unarmed strike, and if it hits, the target must attempt a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Death Hand's HD + Death Hand's Strength Modifier) or die instantly.

Killing Spree (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a Death Hand gains dark power from killing on the battlefield. Whenever she slays an enemy, she gains +1d8 temporary hp and +2 temporary Strength. This bonus lasts for a number of minutes equal to her Death Hand level. He gains this bonus for each enemy killed within this time period. Additionally, while spreeing, coup de grace is a swift action.

At 5th level, in addition to the hp and strength, the Death Hand gains a +1 profane bonus to attack and damage per enemy killed during a killing spree, to a maximum of +5.

At 10th level, after killing one enemy, killing becomes a fluid action for the Death Hand. Any critical hits instantly become death attacks (fort save or die).

Cleave (Ex): At 3rd level, the Death Hand gains Cleave as a bonus feat. If she already knows this, she can select any other feat from the fighter bonus feat list. The same goes for Great Cleave at 6th level and Supreme Cleave at 9th level (Supreme Cleave allows a 5 ft. step between killing blows).

Damage Reduction (Ex): At 4th level, the Death Hand grows accustomed to combat and can bear heavy damage. He gains damage reduction 1/-. This stacks with and like a Barbarian's damage reduction. This increases to 2/- at 8th level.

The epic Death Hand gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Death Hand feats) every 4 levels after level 7.

Epic Death Hand Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction, Dire Charge, Epic Endurance, Epic Fortitude, Epic Speed, Exceptional Deflection, Fast Healing, Great Constitution, Great Dexterity, Great Strength, Infinite Deflection, Keen Strike, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Legendary Wrestler, Overwhelming Critical, Devastating Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, Vorpal Strike.

Ex-Death Hands

Death Hands who forgo an opportunity to slay a weak enemy, or who act lawfully or good, can no longer continue as Death Hands. They lose the ability to make death attacks or enter killing sprees, but keep all other class benefits. They may either atone, or slay one-hundred living creatures to restore their status as Death Hands.

Campaign Information

Playing a Death Hand

Combat: You are the forefront of melee combat. You are in your element when facing large forces of lesser enemies -- your killing sprees and cleaving abilities allow you to cut through massive forces efficiently.

Advancement: Death Hands typically focus on their killing abilities, but gaining levels in Barbarian or Fighter can give more options to the single-minded Death Hand.

Resources: Scarce. Fellow Death Hands regard each other as rivals and as enemies.

Death Hands in the World

“

<-Some quote from a character of this class->

”

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world->

NPC Reactions: Most NPCs fear Death Hands as ruthless, cold-blooded killers.

Death Hand Lore

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-insert prestige class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
11	<-not so common knowledge->.
16	<-rare information->.
21	<-very rare information->.
26	<-information so obscure that members of this class might not even know it->.

Death Hands in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play->

Adaptation: <-Fitting this class in your campaign->

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPC of this class->

EL whatever: <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter->

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