Stoic of Mephistopheles

The path of discipline is the path to knowledge, and thus the path to power.

Absolute power, therefore, requires absolute discipline, and brings with it absolute knowledge. The stoic of Mephistopheles pursues such knowledge single-mindedly, never allowing such nuisances as morals or emotions to get in the way. Fear cripples, love weakens, anger is naught but a loss of control, and empathy… empathy is nothing more than a hindrance. In time, the pursuit of knowledge and power leads the stoic to become as cold hearted as his master.

Some knowledge is flawed. If knowledge cannot lead to dominion, to control, to ever more power, it is pointless. Sometimes, though, a little creative thinking can lead the stoic to some corrupted use for such knowledge.

Understanding how much an individual will sacrifice for a loved one, for instance, appears to have little benefit until the loved one is used as a bargaining chip of great worth. The desire for happiness that plagues so many mortals is but another insignificant bit of life, until the stoic develops a drug to mimic the feeling, thus ensnaring the unwary soul.

Both wizards and sorcerers gravitate to the stoic of Mephistopheles prestige class, with wizards being the most common initiates. Some ex-bards also become stoics, spurning forever the chaos of their former employ.

Stoics of Mephistopheles can be found as advisers to leaders of great power, if they are not great leaders themselves. They prefer populated places, although they tend to remain aloof from company. Some can be found in wizard academies, cold-hearted scholars lauded for their brilliant discoveries, though questioned for their methods. Still, their intellectual associates often call the work of the stoic “a necessary evil,” or “for the greater good.” The stoic knows these phrases to be lies and justifications, but does not stop them from spreading. After all, why should he care?

Hit Die: d4

Requirements

To qualify to become a stoic of Mephistopheles, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Skills: Concentration 12 ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks

Feats: Devotee of Darkness (Mephistopheles), Iron Will, Spell Focus (any)

Special: Stoics of Mephistopheles must have made peaceful contact with a greater devil (at least CR 15). The devil then instructs the would-be stoic on the process to submit to the will of Mephistopheles, the Lord of the Eighth.

The Stoic of Mephistopheles
Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spellcasting
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Stoic sage	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2	+1	+0	+0	+3		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Cold shoulder	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4	+2	+1	+1	+4		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Cold heart	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6	+3	+2	+2	+5		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	Cold mind	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8	+4	+2	+2	+6		+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9	+4	+3	+3	+6	Cold soul	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Contempt for corruption	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

Class Skills

The stoic of Mephistopheles’ class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Appraise (Intelligence), Concentration (Constitution), Craft (any) (Intelligence), Gather Information (Charisma), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession (any) (Wisdom), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Speak Language (none), Spellcraft (Intelligence) and Use Magic Device (Charisma).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the stoic of Mephistopheles prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Stoics of Mephistopheles gain no proficiency with weapons or armor.

Spells per day: At first level and each level thereafter, the stoic of Mephistopheles gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (metamagic or item creation feats, hit points beyond those he receives from the prestige class, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a stoic of Mephistopheles, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Stoic Sage (Ex): The stoic of Mephistopheles is disciplined in his spellcasting efforts. He gains a +1 competence bonus on Concentration checks at 1st level. This bonus increases by +1 every second level thereafter (i.e. +2 at 3rd level, +3 at 5th level, etc). This bonus only applies to Concentration checks made in relation to casting or maintaining a spell or spell-like ability. This discipline also extends to his research.

The Stoic chooses any three Knowledge skills, and is thereafter able to ‘max-out’ the skill six ranks higher than usual (i.e. maximum ranks in the chosen skills will be equal to class levels +9). Alternatively, the stoic can max out his skill ranks in the Spellcraft skill alone six ranks higher than usual (i.e. the bonus is applied to either three Knowledge skills or Spellcraft, not both, and not a combination of the two).

Cold Shoulder (Su): At 3rd level, the stoic becomes forever immune to the following spells: antipathy, crushing despair, fear, greater heroism, heroism, hideous laughter, rage, and sympathy. At the DM’s option, other spells with similar functions (i.e. Emotion-based spells) could also be added to the list of stoic immunities. Furthermore, the stoic is no longer affected by morale bonuses or penalties of any sort

Cold Heart (Ex): A 5th level stoic has disciplined his body so much that he forever after gains cold resistance 10.

Cold Mind (Su): A 7th level stoic has become cold and inhuman in every aspect of his thought process. He gains Spell Resistance equal to his class level + 21 against enchantments and mind-influencing spells and effects.

Cold Soul (Ex): At 9th level, the stoic of Mephistopheles has become impassionate in every fiber of his being. He can automatically cast any spell with an energy descriptor so that it is instead cast as a spell with the cold descriptor; the stoic need not prepare the spell beforehand (in the case of wizards), and the casting time is unaffected. Additionally, spells with the cold descriptor are cast as if the stoic were one level higher, and the save DC increases by +1. The stoic also gains cold immunity.

Contempt for Corruption (Su): The corrupt knowledge with which the stoic acquaints himself on a regular basis no longer has any effect on him. If a spell has a corruption cost, he no longer pays that cost.

Example Stoic of Mephistopheles

Maester Silac the Knower, High Sage of Saxony, is one of the most highly sought after men of knowledge in the north. Silac is a sage dedicated to the study of high arcana, forbidden magic, artifacts, and the inner planes. He pays incredible fees for adventurers to travel to dangerous places to bring back items long thought destroyed or to confirm legends. What most do not know is that Silac is seeking the means to merge the powers of lichdom and those of the diabolical.

He often offers incorrect information to those seeking his aid in order to prompt them to go to places they otherwise wouldn’t. He is often called to the court of the Grand Marshall where he is highly respected, if not particularly liked. He does not perceive himself as evil, but has no compunction against killing those that get in his way or learn too much about his goals. He sold his soul to Mephistopheles to improve his odds.

Silac speaks 5 languages.

Cold Mind (Su): Silac has become cold and inhuman in every aspect of his thought process. He has Spell Resistance 30 against enchantments and mind-influencing spells and effects.

Cold Shoulder (Su): Silac is immune to the following spells: antipathy, crushing despair, fear, greater heroism, heroism, hideous laughter, rage, and sympathy. Furthermore, Silac is no longer affected by morale bonuses or penalties of any sort.

Cold Soul (Ex): Silac is dispassionate in every fiber of his being. He can alter an arcane spell when cast so that it utilizes cold energy rather than the one it normally uses. This ability can only alter a spell with the acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic descriptor. Silac decides whether to alter the spell’s energy type when he begins casting, and the spell’s casting time is unaffected. Additionally, spells with the cold descriptor are cast as if Silac were one level higher, and the save DC increases by +1.

Devotee of Darkness: Once per day, Silac can call upon the aid of Mephistopheles, granting him a +3 profane bonus to any one roll. Against chaotic or good foes, Silac gains a +1 profane bonus to Armor Class, and once per day can gain a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against a spell with the chaotic or good descriptor. He also gains Spell Resistance 18 against chaotic and good spells and spell-like abilities.

Whenever dealing with a higher-ranking servant of Mephistopheles (or the Lord of Loss himself), Silac takes a –2 penalty on attacks, checks, and other rolls, a –-3 penalty to Armor Class, and a -6 penalty to saving throws. In addition, no Spell Resistance Silac obtains is ever effective against such creatures.

Stoic Sage (Ex): Silac is disciplined in his spellcasting efforts. He gains a +5 competence bonus on Concentration checks made in relation to casting or maintaining a spell or spell-like ability. This discipline also extends to his research. Silac’s maximum ranks in Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (history), and Knowledge (the planes) are equal to his level +9 rather than his level +3.

Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (4/10/10/6/6/5/5/4/4/2; save DC 18 + spell level):

1. – Detect Magic, mage hand, message, read magic;
2. – alarm, cause fear, Charm Person, chill touch, feather fall, identify, magic missile, obscuring mist, shield, True Strike;
3. – alter self, blindness/deafness, blur, detect thoughts, invisibility, misdirection, protection from arrows, see invisibility, shatter, whispering wind;
4. – deep slumber, Dispel magic, fly, gaseous form, Nondetection, tongues;
5. – bestow curse, dimension door, enervation, ice storm, scrying, wall of ice;
6. – cloudkill, dominate person, telekinesis, teleport, True Strike (quickened);
7. – Analyze Dweomer, chain lightning, freezing sphere, legend lore, true seeing;
8. – finger of death, fireball (maximized), greater teleport, spell turning;
9. – cone of cold (maximized), horrid wilting, polar ray, power word stun;
10. – power word kill, time stop.

Spellbook 1:

1. – acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue;
2. – cause fear, Charm Person, comprehend languages, endure elements, feather fall, magic missile, obscuring mist, shield, True Strike;
3. – detect thoughts, protection from arrows, see invisibility, whispering wind;
4. – deep slumber, fly, gaseous form, tongues;
5. – bestow curse, dimension door, enervation, scrying;
6. – cone of cold, permanency, telekinesis, teleport;
7. – Analyze Dweomer, legend lore.

Pages

Pages Used: 96/100

Spellbook 2:

• 6th – contingency, true seeing;
• 7th – delayed blast fireball, greater teleport, plane shift, spell turning;
• 8th – discern location, mind blank, polar ray, protection from spells;
• 9th – power word kill, mage’s disjunction, time stop.

Pages Used: 99/100

Spellbook 3:

• 1st – alarm, chill touch, identify, mage armor;
• 2nd – alter self, invisibility;
• 3rd – Dispel magic, Nondetection;
• 6th – chain lightning, freezing sphere;
• 7th – finger of death, Forcecage, limited wish;
• 8th – greater Prying Eyes, mass charm monster, power word stun;
• 9th – energy drain, meteor swarm, wish.

Pages

Pages Used: 98/100

Spellbook 4:

• 2nd – blindness/deafness, blur, misdirection, shatter;
• 3rd – clairaudience/clairvoyance, fireball, lightning bolt;
• 4th – ice storm, wall of ice;
• 5th – cloudkill, dominate person, feeblemind, mind fog;
• 8th –horrid wilting, moment of prescience;
• 9th – dominate monster.

Pages Used: 70/100

Epic Stoic of Mephistopheles

The epic stoic of Mephistopheles is a cold and heartless figure who will go to any lengths for knowledge and arcane might.

Like an epic wizard, the epic stoic should take feats that will improve his spellcasting ability, like Epic Spellcasting or Improved Metamagic, along with metamagic feats. Feats like Improved Cold Mind and Improved Cold Soul can expand on some of the stoic’s more unique class abilities.

An epic stoic will typically focus on Intelligence to the exclusion of all other scores – a higher Intelligence gives him more spells per day, makes his spells more difficult to resist, and gives him more skill points to allocate on Knowledge skills.

Hit Die: d4.

The Epic Stoic of Mephistopheles
Class Level	Special	Spellcasting
11		+1 level of existing spellcasting class
12		+1 level of existing spellcasting class
13	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
14		+1 level of existing spellcasting class
15		+1 level of existing spellcasting class
16	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
17		+1 level of existing spellcasting class
18		+1 level of existing spellcasting class
19	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
20		+1 level of existing spellcasting class

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features

Spells per Day: The epic stoic of Mephistopheles’ caster level increases by 1 per level gained above 10th. The epic stoic of Mephistopheles continues to gain new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) at each new level, up to the maximum spells per day and spells known of the arcane spellcasting class to which the stoic of Mephistopheles belonged before adding the prestige class.

Epic Feats: An epic stoic of Mephistopheles gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic stoic bonus feats) every 3 levels beyond 10th.

Epic Stoic of Mephistopheles Bonus Feats: Additional Magic Item Space, Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Enhance spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Epic Will, Ignore Material Components, Improved Cold Mind, Improved Cold Soul, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Permanent Emanation, Polyglot, Spell Opportunity, Spell Stowaway, Tenacious Magic.

Faust Example Epic Stoic of Mephistopheles