Despot

Hit Die: d10.

The despot can be a local thug who demands protection money from struggling businesses, or she can be the tyrannical ruler of an oppressed nation. In both cases, she profits and thrives from the oppression of those under her net of cruelty and domination. Yet for all her inability to empathize with the hurts and distress of those she stands upon for her own personal empowerment, the despot is not without a rigid form of law and warped honor. She and her minions protect those she rules from other forces. Indeed, in a region besieged with armies of goblinoids, rampaging giants, or ravenous hordes of undead, the local inhabitants might find the rule of a despot preferable.

The despot is always lawful evil, and strives to build an organization of thugs and police to enforce her laws and ideals. Deities of tyranny and oppression often have enforcer followers. Although rare, it is not heard of for enforces to serve despots as police, especially in regions where the despot’s rule is less destructive than the threats to her domain. Most often, despots are served by lower level despots who strive to serve their master as best they can until they find a chance or method to depose and replace their ruler.

The despots’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill)Bluff(Cha),Concentration (Con), Craft(Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int),Profession(Wis), Search (Int), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

All of the following are class features of the despot.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Despot are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Law (Ex): The power of a despot’s aura of evil (see the detect law spell) is equal to her despot level

Detect Chaos (Sp): At will, a despot can use detect chaos, as the spell.

Smite Chaos (Su): Once per day, a despot may attempt to smite chaos with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per despot level. If the despot accidentally smites a creature that is not chaotic, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the despot may smite chaos one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The despot, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Divine Grace (Ex): At 2nd level, a despot gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Slippery Mind (Ex): The despot has a powerful sense of self and free will, and her mind fights much harder against magical control that most other minds. If a despot is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt the saving throw again 1 round later to break free of the effect. Failing this second saving throw does not grant the despot further saving throws against the enchantment.

Aura of Fear (Su): Beginning at 3^rd level, an unholy warrior exudes an almost palpable aura of menace and evil. Each enemy within 10’ of him suffers a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. The unholy warrior himself is deadened to the emotion of fear, and is immune to all fear effects. This ability functions while the unholy warrior is conscious but not if she is unconscious or dead. An unholy warrior can suppress or active this ability as a free action

Oppression (Sp): When a despot reaches 4^th level, she gains the supernatural ability to oppress other living creatures by speaking to them and channeling negative energy into the power of her voice. This is a language dependent, mind effecting ability.

When a despot tries to oppress, she makes a turning check (d20+ cha mod) as if she were a cleric of three levels lower turning undead. The result of the check indicates how many targets within 60’ (who must be able to understand the despot’s words) are potentially affected and the turning damage indicates the total Hit Dice of targets affected. Creatures with chaotic alignments are affected first, and creatures with lawful alignment are affected last. Within the alignment spectrum, closer creatures are affected first.

A target that is oppressed becomes sickened with guilt and depression (-2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks) for 1 minute.

If the despot has twice as many levels (or more) than any creature that is oppressed that creature is instead nauseated (can only take a single move action each turn) for 1 minute.

A despot can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her charisma modifier.

Spells: As per paladin with unique spell list dependant on class.

Leadership (Ex): Upon reaching 5^th level, a despot gains the Leadership feat as a bonus feat. Despots gain a +1 bonus to their leadership score.

Mark of Justice (Sp): At 7th level, a despot can cast mark of Justice, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability an additional an additional time each week every additional four levels, to a maximum of 4 times a week at 19^th level. Caster level is equal to the despot class level.

Code of Conduct: A despot must be of lawful evil alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits a chaotic act (such as breaking a vow or betraying an ally). She must work at all times to expand and grow her domain, either by virtue of the Leadership fear or by strong arming those less fortunate and powerful than herself. She is allowed to abuse her sovereignty in any way she sees fit to further her own personal strength and glory, but she must protect and defend her subjects from harm from other forces. Likewise, she must not overburden her subjects so that they cannot support her.

Associates: A despot adventures only with characters of a non-chaotic alignment and remains suspicious and wary of those who are not lawful. She will never knowingly associate with chaotic characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral cord. This includes remaining in a group in which she is not equal to or superior to the highest level member. A despot can adventure or associate with those of equal level, although doing so makes her more uncomfortable and irritable than normal. A despot may only accept henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful evil.

Despots choose their spells from the following list:

2^nd level: Bull’s Strength, Eagle’s Splendor, enthrall, fox’s cunning, hold person, resist energy, status, zone of truth

3^rd level: Crushing despair, cure moderate wounds, discern lies, helping hand, lesser geas, magic circle against chaos, magic circle against good, praye,r suggestion

4^th level: Break enchantment, charm monster, cure serious wounds, dispel chaos, dispel good, dominate person, geas/quest, greater command, hold monster.