Zelldrow

The Zelldrow are a race/prestige class in the Dungeons & Dragons setting of Ravenloft. Introduced in the Ravenloft Gazetteer V, the Zelldrow are a direct answer to 3.5 removing the "monsters don't work like PCs" ruleset of AD&D, which had thus indirectly negated the existence of the Huldrow, a breed of Shadow Fey whose defining trait was "Arak who worship the Spider Queen". This unique prestige class simultaneously grants the user the ability to wield Cleric spells and transforms their race; first into a drow-like being, and then into a drider-equivalent.

To enter the Zelldrow class, a mortal being must meet the following requirements - a Shadow Fey only needs to be Chaotic Evil and to worship the Spider Queen.

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Base Attack Bonus: +4

Skills: 4 ranks each in Bluff, Hide and Move Silently

Special: Must be inducted into the cult via an unholy ceremony that culminates in the inductee killing an intelligent being.

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Forgery, Innuendo, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot, Tumble, Use Rope - a Zelldrow with the Trickery domain also treats Disguise and Hide as class skills.

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: All simple weapons, hand crossbow, rapier, short sword, sap, light armor, medium armor, all shields except Tower Shield

Base Attack Bonus: +0, increases to +1 at 2nd level, +2 at 3rd level, +3 at 4th level, +4 at 6th level, +5 at 7th level, +6/+1 at 8th level, and +7/+2 at 10th level

Fort Save: +2, increases to +3 at 2nd level, +4 at 4th level, +5 at 6th level, +6 at 8th level and +7 at 10th level

Ref Save: +0, increases to +1 at 3rd level, +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th level

Will Save: +2, increases to +3 at 2nd level, +4 at 4th level, +5 at 6th level, +6 at 8th level and +7 at 10th level

Breed (Ex): Any Shadow Fey that worships the Spider Queen must take 1 level in Zelldrow immediately, which transforms them into a new Breed. They lose all Breed abilities except spells, alternate form, immunities and special weaknesses. Their size changes to Medium and they take the form of an elf-like humanoid figure with pitch black skin, bone white hair, and midnight blue fingernails & eyes. A zelldrow takes 1d6 damage per round when exposed to sunlight, which is decreased by -1 (minimum of 1 damage per round) when in shaded areas. The book is ambiguous on how this trait affects humanoids, but it's reasonable to believe that humanoid zelldrow also take the zelldrow form and the sunlight vulnerability.

Aura (Ex): A zelldrow's aura has the same signs of Chaos and Evil as a Cleric of level equivalent to their total Hit Dice.

Spells: Zelldrow can cast divine spells taken from the Cleric list. They gain +1 level of spellcasting ability per level in Zelldrow, with bonus spells for high Wisdom scores; characters who were clerics before benefit from this increase in spells, but do not add zelldrow levels for other cleric features, such as rebuking undead. A Zelldrow can choose two Cleric Domains from the following list: Animal, Evil, Greed, Pain and Trickery, gaining the appropriate domain spells.

Spontaneous Casting: Zelldrow can convert memorized spells into Inflict spells of the same level, just like a Cleric.

Spell-Like Abilities: A zelldrow gains the following spell-like abilities at 1st level: dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire. At 7th level, they also gain addiction, cheat, detect magic and levitate. Finally, at 9th level, they gain charm person, discern lies, sadism and suggestion. All spell-like abilities gained from levels in zelldrow can be used 1/day, with caster level equal to a Sorcerer of level equivalent to the zelldrow's total Hit Dice.

Unnerving Gaze (Su): At 1st level, a zelldrow gains a mind-affecting gaze attack with a range of 30 feet. Opponents struck by it must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 zelldrow's Hit Dice + zelldrow's Cha modifier) or be Shaked for 2d4 rounds.

Poison Use (Ex): At 2nd level, a zelldrow never risks poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon.

Spell Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, a zelldrow gains Spell Resistance 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha modifier.

Truth Seeker (Ex): At 3rd level, any magic that a zelldrow uses to detect falsehoods, such as discern lies, gains a +4 profane bonus to its DC.

Poison Resistance (Ex): At 4th level, a zelldrow gains a +2 racial bonus to saves vs. poison and drugs. At 5th level, it is completely immune to poison from vermin and cannot become addicted to drugs.

Jaded (Ex): At 6th level, a zelldrow gains Jaded as a bonus feat.

Spider Climb (Su): At 6th level, a zelldrow can invoke a supernatural ability version of the spider climb spell on itself 3 times per day.

Alternate Form (Su): At 7th level, a zelldrow can shapeshift into a monstrous spider of any size between Diminutive and Large. Shapeshifting is done with a standard action, and fuctions as a Polymorph spell, except without restoring hit points.

Deceiver (Ex): At 8th level, a zelldrow gains an unchangeable +4 bonus to its choice of two skills from the following list: Bluff, Hide, Intimidate or Move Silently.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 8th level, a zelldrow gains the Uncanny Dodge ability, or Improved Uncanny Dodge if it already possessed that ability.

Transformation (Ex): At 10th level, a zelldrow transforms into a drider like creature, gaining a centauresque form in which its original upper torso now replaces the head of a giant spider. This grants the zelldrow the following traits:

Climb speed 15 feet

+8 racial bonus to Climb checks

Can always take 10 on climb checks

Poison (Ex): A transformed zelldrow possesses a poisonous bite attack, with its poison having the following stats; Injury, Fortitude DC 1 + 1/2 zelldrow's Hit Dice + Zeldrow's Con Modifier, 1d6 Str/1d6 Str.

Web (Ex): A transformed zelldrow has the Web ability, as per a monstrous spider, except it can only fling its web 4 times per day and it creates 10ft sheets of webbing.