Starchild (3.5e Racial Class)

Starchild

Arvandor is a beautiful realm of endless forests and striking mountains. It also has the most beautiful starlit sky of any of the planes. These stars are brimming with magical power and light. They carry within them all things that are loved by the elves. Music, art, magic, dance, elegant swordplay, all of these swirl in the depths of these stars. Araleth Letheranil, the young Elven god of Starlight, created a way to bless the lives of mortals with these Stars. He, or an Eladrin from the Court of the Stars or another Elven deity infuse these into those whom they see as having great potential to fight evil. Or as a gift to the children of those who have done great deeds to the Court of the Stars or the Elven people. This is nearly almost always done when the child is an infant, but this need not be the case. Upon their 12th birthday an emissary from Araleth Letheranil will visit them and explain the great gift they have been given. They also impress upon the Starchild an expectation of great deeds. A Starchild is a member of their parents' race and have all the abilities normally granted to them.

Starchildren tend to spend a great deal of time learning music, dance, swordplay and smithing. Araleth Letheranil isn't picky about who the recipients of the star worships, but it is usually a deity of light. Many a human worshiper of Pelor or Selune has been blest with a star. The goal is to spread light to the dark corners of the world and root out the evil that hides there. The messenger's race and creed are of little importance in such a quest, so long as they have a pure heart. In addition to their families deities, a Starchild may often worship Eilistraee if they are a girl or Araleth Letheranil if they are a boy. Corellon Larethian and Sehanine Moonbow are also often worshiped. They also tend to respect Morwel, the queen of the Court of the Stars. But this is more a matter of a faithful subject to a monarch and not a matter of worship to a god. A Starchild may enter this class at any point after they receive their star, but once entered, they may not leave until they finish the class.

Racial Traits

• Abilities of parents' race
• Child of Arvandor: Though Starchildren hail from many racial backgrounds and outlooks on life, the star fused with their soul gives them some otherworldly traits. A Starchild has the Chaotic, Elf, Extraplanar and Good subtypes. Regardless of their race and alignment, a Starchild also counts as a chaotic elf for item usage and what classes and feats are available to them. A Starchild who is sent to their home plane, such as with the banishment spell, has a 25% chance of being sent to Arvandor and a 75% chance of being sent to the Material Plane.
• Arvandor's Grace: A Starchild spends four hours in the Elven Trance at night and needs no other sleep. Upon finishing puberty, a Starchild ageing also slows to 50% of their race.
• Pure Spellcasting: A Starchild's magic is more primal and pure then magic used by other spell casters. It comes directly from their star. As such it functions differently. No matter where they get there spells from, they have a single set of spells known and spells per day. So a Starchild who takes levels in any full spellcasting class (including bard) that uses spontaneous casting increases the same level of spells known and spells per day. In the case of druid and cleric, they can use the alternate spontaneous spell casting rules in complete arcane. Adding domain spells or summon nature's ally to their spells known. In the case of spontaneous casters who know all their spells, such as the Beguiler and Warmage, they don't add the spells to their spells known automatically, but they can choose to learn them for their regular new spells known.
• Favored Class: Sorcerer
• Automatic language: Common and Elven, Bonus language: Sylvan and Celestial

Class Features

Weapon and Armor

• All simple weapons.
• No armor or shields.

Class Skills

Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft (any), Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana, The Planes), Listen, Perform (any), Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device

Table: Starchild

Level	Hit Dice	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Skill Points	CR	Special
1st	1d6	0	0	+2	+2	6 + Int mod x 4	1	+2 Int, Watched by the Stars, Glowing Aura, Soulfire, Spellcasting, Bladesong-Proficency
2nd	1d6	0	0	+2	+2	-	1	+2 Str, Animal Companion, Nimbus of Light, Bladesong-Dancing Starlight
3rd	2d6	+1	0	+3	+3	6 + Int mod	1	Aura of Glory, Star Song, Bladesong-Blade Casting
4th	2d6	+1	0	+3	+3	-	2	+2 Dex, +2 Cha, Memory of Starlight, Bladesong-Weapon Focus
5th	3d6	+2	+1	+3	+3	6 + Int mod	2	Combat Casting, Starfire
6th	3d6	+2	+1	+3	+3	-	3	+2 Con, +2 Wis, Bladesong-Duskblade, Star Forge
7th	4d6	+3	+1	+4	+4	6 + Int mod	3	Holy Radiance
8th	4d6	+3	+1	+4	+4	-	4	+2 Wis, +2 Cha, Bladesong-Spell Combat
9th	4d6	+3	+1	+4	+4	-	4	+2 Dex, +2 Con, Elemental Traits, Fly Speed, Nova Blast

Watched by the Stars

The Court of the Stars and elven deities take a great interest in those they have blessed. They are particularly mindful of those who may abuse their powers for evil. A Starchild who willingly commits an evil act or becomes evil loses all supernatural class features as well as their spellcasting until they properly atone. The also take great care that the star is returned upon the Starchild's death. Powerful magic is bound in the star, and evil wizards and the ilk try many strategies to acquire them for their sorceries. The star also marks the Starchild as an enemy to those who do evil deeds in the darkness. Priestesses of Lolth and Shar in particular hunt them down. As such Starchildren often hide their natures from those they don't trust. Even going so far as to keep a candle burning at night. If a Star does fall into the wrong hands, other Starchildren or a follower of a light related deity might be tasked with its recovery. If the star is recovered, it might be given to a member of the company as a reward.

Glowing Aura (Ex)

A Starchild radiates an aura similar to a Cleric of chaotic good alignment equal to their HD. In addition the Starchild's soul glows faintly. This provides shadowy illumination to five feet. Good creatures nearby feel a general sense of warmth and peace, whilst evil creatures feel a sense of unease. In addition to making them a light source in dark places, this also announces the Starchild's presence. Giving them a penalty to hide checks equal to their charisma modifier as the person tries to locate the source of the feelings. Hiding in complete darkness is nearly impossible unless they cover all their skin. Since spells like invisibility don't conceal light, such spells are also of little use. The Starchild appears as a glowing orb where their heart is and there is a general outline of their shape as the stardust in their blood also glows. Spells such as Mirror Image and Blur function normally. This glow, as well as that from their Nimbus of Light and Holy Radiance pierces even magical darkness. A Starchild's soul burns with the light of the star in their breast. When they cast a spell or use their Starfire abilities, their eyes glow with the color of this star (any color of the rainbow). Any spell they cast and their Starfire also shines as a torch in this color.

Soulfire

Stardust from the Starchild's star flows through their veins. This gives them the Fire Subtype and immunity to being blinded or dazzled from bright effects. They never take any harm from exposure to excessive positive energy. It also makes them less vulnerable to negative energy. Any source of negative energy, such as from an inflict spell, deals non lethal damage.

Spellcasting

A Starchild casts spells as a Sorcerer with a caster level equal to their racial HD plus any levels of Sorcerer they may have. They can learn any spell from the Sorcerer spell list plus the Fire, Healing, Sun, and Glory domains. They can't cast spells with the cold, darkness, evil, death or necromancy descriptors, even if the get those spells from a different source. Rather than getting their spells from the weave, the magic comes directly from their connection with their star. Their star slowly regains its magic overnight and the Starchild is ready to cast spells in the morning.

The Starchild adds the following spells to their Spells known. Use the indicated spell level. 1. Divine Favor, 2. Stars of Arvandor. 3. Moon blade, 4. Celestial Brilliance, 5. Flame Strike, 6. Bolt of Glory, 7. Sunbeam, 8. Starmantle, 9. Sunburst.

Bladesong-Proficency

The Starchild is proficient with a single slashing sword. Most choose the Longsword but the Scimitar and Elven Court Sword are also common. Starchildren who worship a deity with a specific sword as their favored weapon, or who have a sword specific to their region usually pick that. For example, a Starchild who worships Eilistraee might pick the Bastard Sword. This weapon becomes so familiar to them that they can use it as an extension of their own hand. Any class feature with the word Bladesong in it requires them to be wielding the sword to use.

Animal Companion

The Starchild is gifted a companion to aid them in their efforts. This functions as the Druid class feature except it is from the forests of Arvandor and it has the Celestial Creature template. It's racial features are changed accordingly. Use the Starfire's total caster level as their effective Druid level.

Aura of Glory (SU)

The Starchild radiates calm. They are immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of them gain a morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects equal to the Starchild's Charisma bonus.

Nimbus of Light (Su)

The Starchild receives the Nimbus of Light feat as a bonus feat. The feat functions as follows. A Starchild can cloak them-self in a radiant light that marks them as a servant of the purest ideals. All who look upon them know without a doubt that they are a champion of good and are favored by the power of the Upper Planes. The nimbus may take the form of a cloud surrounding their entire body, or it may appear as beams of light around their head. Good creatures automatically recognize the radiance surrounding them as a sign of their purity and devotion to the powers of good. They gain a +2 circumstance bonus on all Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks made when interacting with good creatures. Their radiance sheds light as a common lamp: bright light to a radius of 5 feet and shadowy illumination to 10 feet. They can extinguish this radiance at will and reactivate it again as a free action.

Bladesong-Dancing Starlight (EX)

When wielding their Bladesong weapon and wearing no armor, a Starchild gains a sacred bonus to AC equal to there Charisma bonus (if any).

Star Song

A Starchild can use music to help cast their spells in palace of a material component or spell focus. This functions like the eschew materials feat except they can use their own inner essence in place of expensive components. For material components with a cost, the Starchild must spend 1 xp per 10 gold pieces of the components cost.

Bladesong-Blade Casting

A Starchild is extremely familiar with their Bladesong weapon. It feels as natural in their hand as their hand itself and are treated as empty handed for feats and abilities that require them to be. For example they could trace the somatic components of spells with their blades, use the deflect arrows feat to knock shafts out of the air or even use them as a special monk weapon.

Memory of Starlight

A Starchild has a perfect knowledge of the night sky. By glancing up at the night sky, a Starchild instantly knows which direction north is, what time of night and the season, and how far from the equator they are. Any form of star navigation can be made perfectly by a Starchild without the aid of any tool. Araleth Letheranil frequently places signs in the stars, and a Starchild is aware of these changes, though not necessarily what they mean. Interpreting them requires a knowledge religion check.

Bladesong Weapon Focus

The Starchild receives the Weapon Focus for their Bladesong weapon as a bonus feat.

Combat Casting

The Starchild gains Combat Casting as a bonus feat.

Starfire (Su)

At will as a spell like ability, a Starchild can tap into their star's fire. They can either shoot this as a ray with a range of 60 ft, deliver it as a touch attack or deliver it with a unarmed strike or natural weapon. If the touch attack misses, the charge is held as normal. The Starfire deals 1d6 damage per 2 HD of fire damage (maximum 5d6). Half of the damage is sacred and isn't subject to energy resistance. The sacred nature of the Starfire is especially damaging to undead, evil outsiders and any creature vulnerable to sunlight, dealing 1d8 damage instead of 1d6.

Bladesong-Duskblade

A Starchild learns how to channel their spells through their Bladesong Weapon the same way Duskblades do. They can use a standard action to cast any touch spell they know (including their starfire) and deliver the spell through their weapon with a melee attack. Casting a spell in this manner does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action or less. If the melee attack is successful, the attack deals damage normally; then the effect of the spell is resolved. If they attack misses, the spell is held in the blade for up to 10 minutes before it dissipates. Both the weapon and the spell share a critical threat modifier of 19-20 x2. Regardless of the weapon or spells normal range.

Star Forge (Su)

A Starchild can use their Starfire to forge any weapon made of metal they are proficient with. They hold the weapon in their hand while forging and the heat travels into the blade evenly. They must heat the weapon in a forge as normal, but because they don't have to wait for the blade to reheat in the forge, they double the progress made when making their craft check. Weapons created in this fashion are good aligned and deal 1 additional sacred damage to evil creatures and undead.

Holy Radiance (Su)

The Starchild receives the Holy Radiance feat as a bonus feat and functions as follows. At will, as a free action, a Starchild can empower the radiance surrounding them from Nimbus of Light into a blazing glow that sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius (and shadowy illumination out to 20 feet). Undead within 10 feet of them take 1d4 points of damage per round they remain within their halo.

Bladesong-Spell Combat

The Starchild learns to meld blade and spell in perfect harmony. As a full round action, they can replace the first attack in a full attack action with a spell that requires one standard action or less to cast. They can then use any other attacks they get from another source, such as a high base attack bonus, two weapon fighting, or the haste spell. If the spell is a touch attack, they can use their Duskblade ability to strike as part of the first attack.

Elemental Traits

A Starchild has fused with their completely. The stardust in their veins has also merged with their organs. Fortifying them and assisting in their functions. A Starchild gains immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning and is immune to extra damage from sneak attacks.

Fly Speed

A Starchild gains a fly speed of 20 ft with perfect maneuverability.

Nova Blast

A Starchild can release a blast of glorious starlight from their body. This functions as the fireball spell centered on themselves, with their hd as their caster level. Half of the damage is sacred and isn't subject to energy resistance. The sacred nature of the Nova Blast is especially damaging to undead, evil outsiders and any creature vulnerable to sunlight, dealing 1d8 damage instead of 1d6. A Starchild can choose not to hit any characters who are adjacent to them. A Starchild can use their blast once every 1d4 rounds up to a total number of times equal to their constitution modifier.

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