THE DABBLER
Whether by choice or nature, every warlock has an affinity for one of the
obscure, secret branches of witchcraft – called the Arts. While many ultimately
pursue their Art in a relevant prestige class, some warlocks prefer to dabble
in numerous Arts, exploring the secret pathways and backroads of witchcraft.
Unlike his primary Art, which comes naturally to the warlock, dabbling in
additional Arts often requires research and exploration – consulting witches
who practice specific Arts, hunting down clues in dusty tomes and secret
diaries, etc.
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a dabbler (Dab), a character must fulfill all the
following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 3 and Spellcraft 7
Special: The character must have the Dabble class feature and already
Dabble in one arcane Art (now called his primary Art), such as Black Magic or
Pentacles. He must be able to cast without preparation at least two spells from
this Art.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Dabblers have the following game statistics.
Base Attack Bonus: Low (as a loremaster)
Hit Die: d4
Saves: High Will
Class Skills: The dabbler’s class skills are Alchemy (Int),
Concentration (Con), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Religion), Scry
(Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha). Skill Points: 4 +
Intelligence modifier per level
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the dabbler.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Dabblers gain no additional weapon or
armor proficiencies.
1 Dabble, Little Trick
2 Dabble, Dilettante’s Grasp, Spellcasting [Spellcasting +1]
3 Dabble, Lore
4 Dabble, Occult Secret, [Spellcasting +1]
5 Dabble, Drink from the Pool
Dabble: At each level, the dabbler begins to dabble in any single Art
that his alignment allows, automatically gaining the Art’s associated Power.
The listed spells are added to the spell list of whatever arcane class met the
casting without preparation requirement of this prestige class. (If he had more
than one qualifying class, he must choose the one to benefit, a decision that
cannot be later changed.) He can never dabble in more than one additional Art
per level, such as by taking a level of Dabbler and the Dabble feat at the same
time. The Arcane Arts of Witchcraft are:
- Black Magic: Also known as the Dark Art, Bone Magic, and
Voodoo, Black Magic is a vile branch of witchcraft devoted to death and
pain. Only dabblers of Evil alignment practice Black Magic. Power:
Poison Apples: The dabbler can handle poisons with no chance of
poisoning himself and receives a +2 to all Craft (Poisonmaking) checks. Spells:
0 inflict minor wounds, 1 ray of enfeeblement, 2 command undead, 3
vampiric touch, 4 wall of evil, 5 animate dead, 6 circle of death, 7
whirlwind of bones, 8 unholy aura, 9 despoil
- Cat Magic: Indifferent yet curious, cats are revered as
mystical creatures, and their essence tapped for arcane power. Only
dabblers with a Neutral component to their alignment practice Cat Magic. Power:
Tongue of the Cat: Three times per day, the dabbler can communicate
with felines as if casting speak with animals. Spells: 0
footpad’s grace, 1 claws of the beast, 2 cat’s grace, 3 embrace of the
wild (felines), 4 mass darkvision, 5 summon nature’s ally V (tiger/lion),
6 wail of doom, 7 bite of the weretiger, 8 summon monster VIII
(androsphinx), 9 summon monster IX (rakshasa/lammasu)
- Crystals: Many dabblers harness the hidden mystical
power inherent to crystals, shards, and gems, using these items for both
their magical potential and natural beauty. Only those of Nonevil
alignment dabble with Crystals. Power: Spellcrystal:
Once per day, the dabbler can cast one spell as if affected by the Eschew
Materials, Silent Spell, or Still Spell feat without taking up the higher
slot, as long as he possess a crystal (from a diamond to worthless
quartz). Spells: 0 resistance, 1 color spray, 2 gembomb,
3 diamondsteel, 4 Simbul’s spell matrix, 5 wall of stone (quartz), 6
Dhulark’s glasstrike, 7 prismatic spray, 8 gemjump (works on any gem), 9
soul bind
- Curses: The curse already plays a major role in
mainstream witchcraft, yet there are even deeper pools of cruelty and
venom to explore, new ways to exact vengeance and ruin. Only Nongood
dabblers deal in Curses. Power: Profanity: Once per
day, the dabbler can cast one spell with a Verbal component as if affected
by the Eschew Materials or Still Spell feat without taking up the higher
slot. Spells: 0 darkseed, 1 bestow wound, 2 curse of ill
fortune, 3 evil eye, 4 blight, 5 unhallow, 6 pox, 7 blasphemy, 8 greater
planar binding, 9 eternity of torture
- Demonology: Summoning spells are rare in mainstream
witchcraft. Some, however, dabble in Demonology, the forbidden form of
summoning, coercing, and imploring demons, devils, and other fiends to do
their bidding. Only Nongood dabblers practice the Infernal Art. Power:
The dabbler speaks Abyssal and Infernal as bonus languages. Spells:
0 fire eyes, 1 summon monster I (evil outsiders), 2 demoncall,
3 summon monster III (evil outsiders), 4 hellfire, 5 summon monster V
(evil outsiders), 6 fiendform, 7 summon monster VII (evil outsiders), 8
death pact, 9 summon monster IX (evil outsiders). Prestige
Class: Demon Witch.
- Dreams: Dreams are powerful manifestations of
subconscious fears and desires. Some dabblers tap that imaginary world for
arcane power. Only the Chaotic can dabble in Dreams. Power:
The dabbler adds his Charisma modifier to all Will saves to disbelieve
Illusions and avoid sleep effects. Spells: 0 dawn,
1 lullaby, 2 detect thoughts, 3 dream, 4 phantasmal killer, 5 seeming, 6
illusory pit, 7 limited wish, 8 dream image, 9 astral projection
- Fairy Magic: Some dabblers tap Fey for arcane inspiration,
drawing upon these nature spirits to augment their own magic. Only
Nonlawful dabblers practice Fairy Magic, a favorite Art of elves. Power:
The dabbler speaks Sylvan and either Aquan, Auran, Elven, or Terran as
bonus languages. Spells: 0 daze animal, 1 faerie fire, 2
animal messenger, 3 nondetection, 4 freedom of movement, 5 commune with
nature, 6 summon nature’s ally VI (unicorn), 7 limited wish, 8 command
plants, 9 summon nature’s ally IX (pixie)
- Folk Magic: Mysterious but earthy, spiritual yet
vengeful, gypsies are the primarily dabblers in Folk Magic, a hodgepodge
Art also practiced by fortunetellers, peasant herbalists, witch doctors,
and other Nonlawful spellcasters. Power: The dabbler gains
two of the following as class skills: Bluff, Knowledge (Local), Perform,
or Sleight of Hand [Pick Pocket]. Spells: 0 foraging
charm, 1 cheat, 2 fog cloud, 3 speak with dead, 4 locate creature, 5 bite
of the werewolf, 6 legend lore, 7 mandragora, 8 refuge, 9 power word kill
- Incantations: Incantations are chants and recitations that
evoke magic, or arcane rhymes and mystical poems. Due to the structure and
precision required by the Spoken Art, dabblers in Incantations must be
Nonchaotic. Power: Speakspell: Once per day, the
dabbler can cast one spell as if affected by the Eschew Materials or Still
Spell feat without taking up the higher spell slot. Spells: 0
yell, 1 protection from chaos/evil/good/law, 2 shatter, 3 prayer, 4
recitation, 5 lesser planar binding, 6 word of recall, 7 power word stun,
8 speak with anything, 9 wish
- Mirrors: Some dabblers find power in mirrors, in their
reversed worlds and revealed truths. Others simply find power in their own
image – a vanity that fuels their ambitions. Only the Nonchaotic (those
who “will not shatter”) dabble in Mirrors. Power:
Self-Image: When he successfully makes a Will save against an
Enchantment that normally inflicts a partial effect with a successful
save, the dabbler suffers no effect at all. Spells: 0
mirror, 1 entropic shield, 2 mirror image, 3 mirror sending, 4 locate
creature, 5 Dhulark’s glasstrike, 6 translocation trick, 7 spell turning,
8 clone, 9 lookingglass
- Mist Magic: Slowly creeping fogs and eerily quiet clouds:
Some dabblers draw on the essence of mist for arcane inspiration. Only
dabblers with a Neutral component to their alignment practice Mist Magic. Power:
Fogfoot: Once per day for 10 minutes, the dabbler can pass without
trace through any environment. Spells: 0 fire eyes, 1
feather fall, 2 fog cloud, 3 gaseous form, 4 bottle of smoke, 5 cloudkill,
6 wind walk, 7 etherealness, 8 incendiary cloud, 9 summon monster IX
(elder air elemental). Prestige Class: Mistress of Mist.
- Moon Magic: Tapping the energies of the moon, the night,
and darkness, dabblers who practice Moon Magic, also known as the Pale
Circle and the Night Arts, must have a Neutral component to their
alignment. Power: The dabbler gains low-light vision;
if he already possesses this ability, he can now see three times as far
(instead of twice as far) as a creature without it. Spells: 0
no light, 1 net of shadows, 2 moonbeam, 3 moon blade, 4 shadow
conjuration, 5 moon path, 6 bite of the wereboar, 7 shadow walk, 8 dream
image, 9 summon monster IX (night hag). Prestige Class:
Sister of the Moon.
- Numerology: Some dabblers hold that numbers have power,
that destinies are borne and empires crumble at their hidden meanings and
powerful sequences. Only Nonchaotic dabblers practice Numerology. Power:
Numerate: Once per day, the dabbler can cast any single spell as if
affected by the Enlarge Spell or Extend Spell feat without taking up the
higher spell slot. Spells: 0 easy math, 1 enlarge, 2
mirror image, 3 slow, 4 restoration, 5 spell resistance, 6 mass haste, 7
simulacrum, 8 project multiple images, 9 time stop
- Pentacles: The pentacle, the five-pointed star at the heart
of magic circle spells, is a powerful symbol in witchcraft. Some
dabblers, however, recognize additional power in this particular rune.
Dabblers in Pentacles must be Nonchaotic. Power: The
dabbler gains the Spell Thematics feat affecting the Pentacles Dabble
spell list; the illusory manifestation always includes images of
pentacles. Spells: 0 arcane mark, 1 shield, 2 hypnotic
pattern, 3 glyph of warding, 4 wall of fire (ring), 5 healing circle, 6
circle of death, 7 antimagic aura, 8 symbol, 9 teleportation circle
- Secrets: Some dabblers further explore the magic of
mystery by dabbling in Secrets. Knowledge is only as secret as the resolve
of those who know it; as such, only the Nonchaotic dabble in Secrets. Power:
The dabbler gains two of the following as class skills: Bluff, Disguise,
Hide, or Listen. Spells: 0 detect secret doors, 1
sanctuary, 2 detect thoughts, 3 nondetection, 4 modify memory, 5 true
seeing, 6 legend lore, 7 mass invisibility, 8 antipathy, 9 stalking spell
- Seduction: Some dabblers find power in their own
personal magnetism, in deception and temptation. Only Nongood dabblers
practice the Art of Seduction. Power: The dabbler gains two
of the following as class skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or
Handle Animal. Spells: 0 mirror, 1 heartache, 2 entice
gift, 3 tongues, 4 locate creature, 5 dominate person, 6 kiss of death, 7
mass charm, 8 sympathy, 9 dominate monster
- Serpent Magic: This often sinister Art, also known as the
Serpentine Way, draws on the essence of snakes for arcane power. Only
Nongood dabblers practice Serpent Magic. Power: The dabbler
receives the Resist Poison feat for free. Spells: 0
inflict minor wounds, 1 animate rope, 2 summon monster II (viper), 3 sepia
snake sigil, 4 gutsnake, 5 kiss of death, 6 summon monster VI (viper), 7
vipergout, 8 summon monster VIII (lillend/salamander), 9 summon monster IX
(couatl)
- Spider Magic: Also known as Arachnomancy or the Drow Art,
Spider Magic draws on the essence of the spider for arcane power. Only
Evil dabblers, most commonly drow warlocks, practice Spider Magic. Power:
The dabbler receives the Resist Poison feat for free. Spells: 0
inflict minor wounds, 1 spider climb, 2 web, 3 spider poison, 4 giant
vermin, 5 spiderform, 6 spider curse, 7 summon monster VII (bebelith), 8
cocoon, 9 spider shapes
- Spirit Magic: Some dabblers tap the unseen world for power,
holding sway over spirits and souls. Only Evil and Good dabblers can
practice Spirit Magic. Power: Strong Spirit: The
dabbler is immune to fear. Spells: 0 ghostharp, 1 spirit
worm, 2 detect thoughts, 3 speak with dead, 4 phantasmal killer, 5
spiritwall, 6 reincarnate, 7 summon monster VII (djinni/belker), 8 astral
projection, 9 soul bind
- White Magic: White Magic is the magic of light and life,
goodness and beauty, and is dabbled in exclusively by the Good. Power:
Gentle Touch: The dabbler can heal 2hps per level per day; otherwise
as a paladin’s Lay Hands ability. Spells: 0 disrupt
undead, 1 bless, 2 calm emotions, 3 negative plane protection, 4 primal lightning,
5 dispel evil, 6 heal, 7 sunbeam, 8 crown of glory, 9 prismatic sphere
- Winter Magic: Nature’s deadly pall, winter is a powerful
expression of death and nature for some, one worth further exploration.
Only Nongood dabblers practice Winter Magic. Power: The
dabbler receives Cold resistance 5. Spells: 0 ray of
frost, 1 chill touch, 2 chill metal, 3 slow, 4 wall of ice, 5 cone of
cold, 6 summon monster VI (large ice paraelemental), 7 simulacrum, 8 icy
claw, 9 Zajimarn’s avalanche. Prestige Class: Winter Warlock.
Should the dabbler
change alignment to one that violates his Art’s restriction, he loses his
granted Power and access to the related Dabble spell list, although spells
known are not affected. For example, a neutral evil dabbler in Black Magic,
Fairy Magic, and Moon Magic would lose access to Moon Magic by becoming chaotic
evil, and lose access to both Fairy Magic and Moon Magic by becoming lawful
evil – although he would still enjoy the benefits of dabbling in Black Magic.
Once his alignment again agrees with his Art, his Power and spell access
return.
For a list of each spell’s source, see the witch core class.
Little Trick: Whenever the dabbler gains access to a new Art through the
Dabble class feature, he gains the associated cantrip as a bonus Spell Known;
Spells Per Day are unaffected. A dabbler choosing White Magic, for example,
would immediately gain disrupt undead as a bonus Spell Known. If he
already knows the cantrip for a chosen Art, this class feature has no effect.
Dilettante’s Grasp (2nd level): The dabbler’s exploration of the various
strains of magic grants him a knack for understanding all things magical. He
adds his Dabbler level as a competence bonus to all Knowledge (Arcana) and Use
Magic Device checks.
Spellcasting (2nd/4th level): At the indicated levels, the dabbler gains
a spellcasting level as if he had also gained a level in whatever class met the
casting without preparation requirement of this prestige class.
Lore (3rd level): The dabbler’s research into magic grants him
familiarity with odd nuggets of knowledge and obscure facts. He can make Bardic
Knowledge checks.
Occult Secret (4th level): The dabbler’s insight into the blurred lines
and flexible mechanics of magic allows him to manipulate his own spells. He
chooses any Metamagic feat as a bonus feat.
Drink From the Pool (5th level): At 5th level, the dabbler gains a bonus
Spell Known drawn from any Art in which he dabbles and of any spell level he
can already cast. This is in addition to the cantrip learned as a Little Trick.
His Spells Per Day are unaffected.