Shulassakar Transcendent

Shulassakar class — see Classes for the full list.

Possibly unfinished

This class has no templates in the source document, and newer Transcendent material exists in ACKSBERRON MASTER RULES\IN PROGRESS\. Check with the judge before playing one.

Shulassakar are a race of humanoids reminiscent of feathered serpents. While many of their race can pass for human at a glance, with only forked tongues and serpentine eyes to give away their nature, those born with the most snakelike bodies are called “transcendent” and they are truly awe-inspiring to behold.

Shulassakar Transcendent Level Progression / Spell Progression

Experience	Title	Level	Hit Dice	Damage Bonus	Attack Bonus	1	2	3	4	5
0	Colubrid Catechist	1	1d8	+1	+0	1	-	-	-	-
3,450	Adder Acolyte	2	2d8	+1	+1	2	-	-	-	-
6,900	Diapsid Priest	3	3d8	+2	+2	2	1	-	-	-
12,800	Constricting Curate	4	4d8	+2	+3	2	2	-	-	-
25,600	Ophidian Vicar	5	5d8	+2	+4	2	2	1	-	-
51,200	Scaly Rector	6	6d8	+3	+5	2	2	2	-	-
100,000	Serpentine Prelate	7	7d8	+3	+6	3	2	2	1	-
200,000	Asp Bishop	8	8d8	+3	+7	3	3	2	2	-
355,000	Transcendent*	9*	9d8*	+4	+8	3	3	3	2	1

Transcendent Saving Throws

Level	Paralysis	Death	Blast	Implement	Spells
1	11+	12+	13+	14+	15+
2-3	10+	11+	12+	13+	14+
4	9+	10+	11+	12+	13+
5-6	8+	9+	10+	11+	12+
7	7+	8+	9+	10+	11+
8-9	6+	7+	8+	9+	10+

*Level 9 is available only to those Transcendents with the “Blessed Spirit” ability.

Combat Characteristics

Transcendents are terrible foes, capable of monstrous attacks.

Combat Proficiencies: Transcendents are proficient with swords, daggers, spears, and polearms, as well as all missile weapons. They are proficient with very light, light, and medium armor. They are proficient with the dual weapon, two-handed weapon, and weapon-and-shield fighting styles.

Combat Progression: Transcendents advance in attack throws as monsters (i.e., by one point per level) and in saving throws as fighters, by two points every three levels. They can cleave after felling a foe up to once per round per class level. They deal +1 damage with all missile and melee attacks, increasing to +2 at 3^rd level, +3 at 6^th level, and +4 at 9^th

Starting Class Powers

Divine Magic: By invoking or praying to the Binding Flame, transcendents can manifest their power in the form of divine spells. The number and levels of spells the transcendent can cast in a single day are listed on the Transcendent Spell Progression table. The transcendent’s spell selection is limited to the spells in the order’s repertoire.

Scaly Hide: The transcendent’s hardened scales serve as a form of natural armor. The character gains a +2 bonus to AC which stacks with bonuses from Dexterity and armor worn. The character’s unencumbered exploration speed is reduced to 90’, however.

Transcendent Blessings: Each transcendent begins play with a body form, a greater blessing, and a lesser blessing randomly determined on the tables outlined below.

Transcendent Blessings

As noted above, each shulassakar transcendent begins play with one of the following body forms, one greater blessing, and one lesser blessing, each determined by rolling on the appropriate table.

1d4	Body Form
1	Coils
2	Plumage
3	Crawling Choir
4	Divergent

Body Forms

Coiler

A transcendent with the Coiler body form has a thick serpentine tail in lieu of legs. This form grants them the following class powers:

Adhesive Climber: The character can climb utterly unimpeded across vertical surfaces and to hang upside down from ceilings. He can climb at his combat movement rate. He can attack with a tiny, small, or medium weapon, cast spells, and defend himself normally, but cannot charge or run while climbing.

Expert Wrestler: The character suffers only a -2 penalty (instead of the usual -4) to their attack throws when attempting a wrestling special maneuver, and the target suffers a -2 penalty on their Paralysis save to resist being wrestled. If the character also takes the Combat Trickery (wrestling) maneuver, these benefits stack – the character suffers no penalty to his attack throws and his target suffers a -4 penalty on their saving throw to resist.

Natural Swimmer: The character can swim with an exploration speed of 60’ (combat speed of 20’) and never needs to make swimming proficiency throws in normal circumstances. If swimming in particularly dangerous circumstances, the character gains a +8 bonus to all swimming proficiency throws.

Crawling Choir

A transcendent with the Crawling Choir body form appear to be formed of a writhing mass of snakes. The character’s hands appear to be snake-heads, with potent bite force. This body form grants the transcendent the following class powers:

Animal Reflexes: The additional sensory organs provided by the bonus snake-heads allow for rapid reactions to danger. The character gains a +1 bonus to avoid surprise and a +1 bonus to initiative (except when casting spells)

Contortionism: The character is extremely flexible, able to squeeze or fold his body in ways that would be impossible for humans, such as squeezing between bars or escaping chains and restraints. He gains a +4 bonus to Paralysis saving throws to escape being grabbed, restrained, stuck, or wrestled. He can make a proficiency throw each round to escape from shackles or to slip between the bars of a portcullis. At 1^st level the character must make a proficiency throw of 18+ to succeed. The target number reduces by 1 per level. If the throw fails, the character remains shackled. If it succeeds, he slips free of his bonds. This is the equivalent of the Contortionism proficiency.

Fangs Without End: The character gains an attack routine of two lesser bite attacks and one major bite attack. Each lesser bite deals 1d3-1 damage, and the major bite deals 1d6-1 damage. The damage for each is adjusted for the character’s strength and class damage bonus as normal.

Divergent

A transcendent with this body type has an extra pair of arms, allowing them to hold and manipulate many objects simultaneously. The body form grants the following class powers:

Acidic Spit: The transcendent with the Divergent body type can spit acid as a combat action. The character may target opponents at a range of up to 30’. The character makes a ranged attack throw. On a hit, the targeted character takes 1d8 mundane acidic damage. On a miss, roll for scatter as with burning oil. Creatures within 5’ of the impact point must save versus Blast or take 1d3 acidic damage.

Climbing: The transcendent with the Divergent body form can climb walls and other surfaces as a thief of the same level.

Four Arms: The transcendent with the Divergent body form has four limbs available for manipulating objects and wielding weapons and can fight with all four at once. The character can wield as many as four small one-handed weapons (such as hand axes and short swords), one per hand; three small-one handed weapons and possibly one shield; two small-one handed weapons and one or two shields; one two-handed medium or large weapon in one pair of hands and a shield or weapon in a third hand, or a pair of weapons or shields in the other hands; or a pair of two-handed medium or large weapons. The character cannot wield more than 2 shields at any one time, however.

The new fighting styles available to the character, and the benefits gained from Fighting Style Specialization proficiency, are shown on the accompanying table. The character can also use the ordinary fighting styles available to two-limbed characters (e.g. two weapon fighting). Note that the character only has one attack in his attack routine, regardless of how many weapons he carries. If the character is equipped with magic weapons or shields, he can benefit from, at most, the magic attack bonus of two weapons, the magic damage bonus of one weapon, and the magic AC bonus of one shield.

Four-Armed Fighting Styles

Fighting Style	Base Bonus	Fighting Style Specialization Proficiency
1 small weapon & 2 shields	+2 AC (from 2 shields)	Additional +1 AC
2 small weapons & 1 shield	+1 to attack throws, +1 AC (from shield)	Additional +1 AC
2 small weapons & 2 shields	+1 to attack throws, +2 AC (from 2 shields)	Additional +1 AC
3 small weapons	+2 to attack throws	Additional +1 to attack throws
3 small weapons & shield	+2 to attack throws, +1 AC (from shield)	Additional +1 to attack throws
4 small weapons	+2 to attack throws, +1 to damage	Additional +1 to attack throws
1 medium/large weapon & 1 shield	+1 to AC (from shield), deal 1d8 or 1d10 damage with weapon	Additional +1 to AC
1 medium/large weapon & 2 shields	+2 to AC (from 2 shields), deal 1d8 or 1d10 damage with weapon	Additional +1 to damage rolls
1 md/lg weapon, 1 small weapon, 1 shield	+1 to attack throws, +1 AC (from shield), deal 1d8 or 1d10 damage with weapon	Additional +1 to damage rolls
2 medium/large weapons	+1 to attack throws, +1 to damage rolls, deal 1d8 or 1d10 damage with weapon	Additional +1 to damage rolls

Plumage

A transcendent with the Plumage body form has feathery, iridescent wings. This form grants them the following class power:

Winged Flight: The character can fly with an exploration speed of 30’ (combat speed 10’). If the character flies continuously for a full turn (10 rounds), they risk becoming winded as per the running rules.

1d8	Greater Blessing
1	Armored Scales
2	Impervious Scales
3	Inspire Hope
4	Lightless Vision
5	Rebuke Undead
6	Stalwart Soul
7	Mysterious Ways I
8	Mysterious Ways II

Greater Blessings

Armored Scales: The transcendent with this blessing is granted thick scales capable of deflecting harm. The character’s natural armor from scaly hide is increased by an additional +2, but their base exploration speed is reduced to 60’. This ability stacks with the Lesser Blessing of the same name.

Impervious Scales: The transcendent with this blessing is nigh-impervious to harm, reducing damage from mundane sources by two points per die. This ability stacks with the Lesser Blessing of the same name.

Max HP	Temp HP Gained
1 – 3	1d2
4 – 9	1d3
10 – 16	1d4
17 – 23	1d6
24 – 29	1d8
30 – 36	1d10
37 – 49	2d6
50 – 63	2d8
64 – 76	2d10
77 – 89	2d12
90 – 110	3d10
111 – 140	4d10
141 – 170	5d10
171+	6d10, plus 1d10 per 30 hp past 170

Inspire Hope: The transcendent with this blessing is a beacon of hope to the faithful. By proudly invoking litanies to the Binding Flame, the transcendent can brighten even the darkest moments. Inspiring hope requires a few moments of oration (one round) and grants up to 30 of the character’s allies within 30’ a pool of temporary hit points. The number of hit points gained by each ally is determined on the adjoining table based on the transcendent’s or the ally’s max hit points (whichever is lower). These temporary hit points last for one turn (10minutes), until lost to damage, or until the transcendent inspires hope on the ally again, whichever comes first. The transcendent can inspire hope once per day per class level.

Lightless Vision: The transcendent with this blessing has lightless vision to a range of 45’. If the character also has the shadowy senses Lesser Blessing, the range extends to 90’.

Rebuke Undead: The transcendent with this blessing can rebuke undead as a cleric of the same level.

Stalwart Soul: The transcendent with this blessing is immune to aging, disease, enervation, and fear effects caused by undead. Even if slain by infectious undead, the character will never rise in undeath. The character’s remains cannot be made into an undead by necromantic magic.

Mysterious Ways I: The transcendent does not gain a Greater Blessing at 1^st level. At 6^h level, and again at 8^th level, the character rolls again on this table. If the result is either another “Mysterious Ways” or a Greater Blessing the character already has, the character chooses any Greater Blessing he does not already possess.

Mysterious Ways II: The transcendent does not gain a Greater Blessing at 1^st level. Instead, the character rolls a second time on the Lesser Blessings table. Additionally, when the character reaches 7^th level, he rolls again on this table. If either roll results in “Mysterious Ways” or blessing the character already has, the character chooses a blessing from that table he does not already possess.

1d20	Lesser Blessing
1	Armored Scales
2	Aura of Protection
3	Blessed Spirit
4	Commanding Presence
5	Commune With the Flame
6	Destined
7	Fearless
8	Fiery Cauterization
9	Fiery Resistance
10	Fiery Spirit
11	Fire in the Blood
12	Inspire Courage
13	Inspire Dread
14	Impervious Scales
15	Quick to Act
16	Shadowy Senses
17	Undead Slaying
18	Wakefulness
19	Mysterious Ways II
20	Mysterious Ways III

Lesser Blessings

Armored Scales: The transcendent with this blessing is granted thick scales capable of deflecting harm. The character’s natural armor from scaly hide is increased by an additional +1, but their base exploration speed is reduced to 60’. This ability stacks with the Lesser Blessing of the same name.

Aura of Protection: The transcendent with this blessing is granted protection from evil forces. The character gains a +1 to AC and saving throws against attacks and spells made by evil characters. For these purposes, evil is defined as any character of differing alignment who also has hostile intentions towards the transcendent.

Blessed Spirit: The transcendent with this blessing is marked with a silvery flamelike pattern in their scales. The character’s maximum level is increased to 9.

Commanding Presence: The transcendent with this blessing gains a +1 bonus on reaction rolls to impress or intimidate others. If this bonus results in a total of 12 or more, the subjects act as if bewitched while in his presence. Once a subject leaves his presence, the bewitchment ends. If he interacted with the subject with finesse and tact, limiting any requests to the bounds of reason, the subject might be unaware that he was even bewitched. However, if he makes dangerous or unusual demands of the subject to which he would not ordinarily agree, the subject will deduce he was bewitched once the effect ends. This power is equivalent to the Mystic Aura proficiency.

Commune With the Flame: The transcendent with this blessing can commune as the spell once per week, in a ritual that takes 1 turn to perform, during which time the character is “out of body” and completely helpless. Once per year, on the anniversary of Tira Miron’s sacrifice to bind Bel-Shalor, the character may ask twice the normal number of questions.

Destined: The transcendent with this blessing gains two fate points. These fate points can be recovered at a rate of one per month spent in contemplation at a pinnacle of good.

Fearless: The transcendent with this blessing is stalwart in the face of horror. They are immune to all forms of fear, both magical and mundane.

Fiery Cauterization: The transcendent with this blessing is able to heal wounds with a touch, once per day. The recipient heals 2 hp per class level of the transcendent. This ability is equivalent to the Laying on Hands proficiency, and the transcendent can gain additional uses by taking that proficiency.

Fiery Resistance: The transcendent with this blessing is immune to mundane fire damage and automatically succeeds on saving throws against such effects. Additionally, they are resistant to extraordinary fire damage and gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against such effects.

Spirit of the Flame: The transcendent with this blessing leads their followers to great heights. Any hirelings who worship the Binding Flame gain +1 to morale whenever the character is present.

Fire in the Blood: The transcendent with this blessing gains +1 hp to their current level’s hp roll (typically 1^st). They are immune to the diseases caused by undead and gain a +1 bonus to saving throws versus Blasts or Spells.

Inspire Courage: The transcendent with this blessing can improve the effectiveness of their allies. Inspiring courage requires a few moments of oration before a battle (one round) and makes up to 30 of the character’s allies within a 50’ radius inspired. An inspired creature gains a +1 bonus to attack throws, armor class, morale rolls (for monsters or NPCs allied with the caster), and saving throws against magical fear. The bonus lasts for 10 minutes (1 turn). The character can inspire courage once per day per class level and cannot inspire courage on characters who are already engaged in combat.

Inspire Dread: The transcendent with this blessing can cause fear in his foes. Inspiring dread requires a few moments of oration (one round) and causes up to 30 of the character’s opponents within a 50’ radius to become shaken. A shaken creature suffers a -1 penalty to attack throws, armor class, morale rolls (for monsters or NPCs allied with the caster), and saving throws against magical fear. The penalty lasts for 10 minutes (1 turn). The character can only attempt to inspire dread once per day per class level. Opponents receive a Paralysis saving throw to resist the effect.

Impervious Scales: The transcendent with this blessing is nigh-impervious to harm, reducing damage from mundane sources by one point per die. This ability stacks with the Greater Blessing of the same name.

Quick to Act: The transcendent with this blessing acts with the speed of flame. The character gains a +1 to initiative in all circumstances.

Shadowy Senses: The transcendent with this blessing gains shadowy senses, as the thief ability of the same name, out to a range of 30’. If the character also has the lightless vision Greater Blessing, the range of that ability is instead increased to 90’.

Undead Slaying: The transcendent with this blessing is especially adept at rooting out the undead. He gains a +1 bonus to attack throws against them and can identify the abilities and weaknesses of undead based on their appearance or manifestation on a proficiency throw of 11+.

Wakefulness: The transcendent with this blessing rests by calmly meditating rather than sleeping. He is immune to magical sleep. He can keep watch while meditating without penalty, allowing party members to rest. The character must still receive 8 hours of rest in order to recover spells each day. This is equivalent to the Wakefulness proficiency.

Mysterious Ways III: The transcendent does not gain a Lesser Blessing at 1^st level. Instead, when the character reaches 6^th level and again at 8^th level, the character rolls again on the Lesser Blessing table. On a result of “Mysterious Ways” or a Lesser Blessing the character already has, the character instead chooses any Lesser Blessing they do not already possess.

Mysterious Ways IV: The transcendent does not gain a Lesser Blessing at 1^st level. Instead, when the character reaches 7^th level, they roll on the Greater Blessings table. On a result of “Mysterious Ways” or on a Greater Blessing the character already has, they instead choose any Greater Blessing they do not already possess.

Additional Class Powers

Minor Magical Research (5^th): The transcendent can scribe scrolls and brew potions.

Major Magical Research (9^th): The transcendent can create permanent magic items, such as weapons, rings, and staffs.

Fire Temple (9^th level): At 9^th level (Transcendent), the transcendent can construct or inherit a fire temple, and begin to attract 5d6 x 10 0^th level worshippers of the Flame-Which-Binds, as well as 1d6 1^st to 3^rd level clerics, flamekeepers, or transcendents of the same faith. They are completely loyal (+4 morale) so long as the character remains devoted to his faith, and while these followers must be provided food and lodging while in the character’s service, they need not be paid wages. The fire temple is otherwise similar to the cleric’s fortified church, as described in Campaigns.

Racial Traits

Antivenom: Shulassakar of the transcendent and flametouched castes are immune to mundane poisonous damage and automatically succeeds on saving throws against any poisons except those that cause instant death. They are resistant to extraordinary poisonous damage and gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against poisons with the effect of instant death. Additionally, the character can cast neutralize poison once per week.

Private Tongue: Shulassakar have a private language of hisses and body motions that is difficult for other races to hear or even recognize as speech.

Serpentine Appearance: The transcendent’s serpentine features provoke an intense response. The character suffers a -3 penalty to reaction rolls with most humanoids but instead receives a +3 bonus to reaction rolls with devotees of the Binding Flame, all snakes, and many birds.

Spell Abilities: All Shulassakar can cast remove fear once per hour, and bewitch beast once per 8 hours, as the spells of the same name, without expending any spell slots or having the spells in a repertoire.

Snakeform: A Shulassakar can shapechange into the form of a silvery, feathered pit-viper once per day per character level. Note that changing back also consumes a use of this ability, so a 1^st level character must wait one day before changing back!