Main» Supreme Nexus

Among those who wield magic in all its forms—clerics receiving their spells from their gods, wizards who learn to carefully manipulate the arcane through symbols and words, sorcerers through whom magic flows like their own blood—there are some who, like the philosophers of old, seek to find the truth behind the guises which magical power assumes. They approach the mastery of arcane power from different angles, realizing finally that the chasms of concept which divide the various forms of spellcasting are illusory, and that the flows of magic are open for direct taking, if only one has the clarity of mind to see them. Those who have this vision are rare indeed, and they go by many names: heretic, madman, demon; but such a being may properly be known as a supreme nexus, for at the height of his power his very form becomes a conduit for raw energy, and the manifestation of this incredible power is a sight unparalleled.

Hit Die

d4.

Requirements

To qualify to become a supreme nexus, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: Concentration 15 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks, Spellcraft 15 ranks.
Feats: Advanced Learning, Transcendent Learning, any metamagic feat.
Spells: Able to prepare 7th level arcane spells or 7th level divine spells.
Special: Must have levels of at least two spellcasting level progressions.

Class Skills

The supreme nexus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level

4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the supreme nexus prestige class.

Weapons and Armor Proficiency

Supreme nexi gain no proficiency in any weapons or armor.

Spells and Caster Level

Levels in the supreme nexus prestige class do not advance spell progression in any of the character's base classes, though they do count as levels in a spellcasting class for the purpose of the Transcendent Learning feat to determine caster level.

Special Ability

At every level except 5th, a supreme nexus gains a special ability of his choice from among the following:

Gift of Insight (Su)

Having achieved transcendent understanding of magical reality, a supreme nexus can temporarily bestow a fragment of this understanding upon a willing subject. The supreme nexus may grant a willing subject the ability to use any spell he can cast as a single-use spell-like ability. The subject uses its hit dice as the ability's caster level, and its own Wisdom modifier for determining any save DC (even if the supreme nexus normally uses another primary spellcasting ability). The supreme nexus must cast the spell in the process of the transfer, providing all the normal necessary components, though the spell effect does not actually occur until the subject triggers it. The subject makes all of the choices about the spell's effect (such as target, area, etc.) when he triggers the granted spell-like ability. Transferring a spell in this way takes as much time as casting the spell normally would; the transfer lasts anywhere from 24 hours to one week (chosen at the time of transfer). The subject loses the spell-like ability (thus ending the transfer) after using it once.

Transferring a spell in this way causes the supreme nexus to temporarily lose the use of a spell slot of the same level as the transferred spell; the spell slot returns after the transfer expires. A supreme nexus may only transfer a number of spells equal to his supreme nexus level at any given time; once this limit has been reached, some or all of the existing transfers must expire before more spells may be transferred.

True Perception (Su)

When a supreme nexus chooses this class ability, he gains the ability to behold magical auras and spell effects unaided. He permanently gains the benefits of the greater arcane sight spell.
In perceiving magical effects directly, the supreme nexus gains greater understanding of their workings; and he learns to anticipate changes in magic auras and effects almost before they happen. He gains the ability to counterspell any spell that targets him or includes him within its effect, as an immediate action. The supreme nexus must be able to perceive the spell being cast, and correctly identify it with a Spellcraft check; he may then attempt to counterspell it. If he has the spell in question available, the supreme nexus may use it to counter the opponent's spell; otherwise, he may expend an available spell slot to make a special opposed caster level check for the counterspell attempt. The spell slot to be expended must be of the same or higher level than the spell to be countered. Successfully using this ability causes the supreme nexus to forfeit his next standard action, leaving him with only a move action on his next turn. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to the character's supreme nexus level. (Note: immediate actions may not be taken when flatfooted.)

Metamagic Feat

A supreme nexus can choose a metamagic feat in place of one of the special abilities described here if desired.

Spell Power

This special ability increases a supreme nexus' effective caster level by 1 for purposes of determining level-dependent spell variables (such as damage or range) and for caster level checks. This ability can be selected more than once, and changes to effective caster level are cumulative.

Spell-Like Ability

A supreme nexus who selects this special ability can use one of his spell slots to permanently prepare one of his spells as a spell-like ability that can be used twice per day. The supreme nexus does not use any components when casting the spell, although a spell that costs XP to cast still does so, and a spell with a costly material component instead costs him 10 times that amount in XP.
The spell normally uses a spell slot of the spell’s level (or higher, if the supreme nexus chooses to permanently attach a metamagic feat to the spell chosen). The supreme nexus can use an available higher-level spell slot to use the spell-like ability more than twice per day. Allocating a slot three levels higher allows him to cast the spell four times per day, and a slot six levels higher lets him cast it six times per day. If selected more than one time as a special ability, this ability can apply to the same spell (increasing the number of times per day it can be used) or to a different spell.

Arcane Transference (Ex)

When you select this ability, you add spells from your arcane casting class's spell list to your divine casting class's spell list. You may add a number of spells such that the combined total of the spells' levels does not exceed your levels in the target casting class plus your levels in any class that improves your caster level in that class (such as hierophant or supreme nexus).

Nexus Transformation

When a supreme nexus achieves this level of understanding and power, the very essence of his being transforms into a pure focus point of arcane energy flows. His type changes to aberration, and he gains the augmented subtype for his previous type. The supreme nexus retains his existing hit dice, saves, and attack bonuses.

Additionally, the presence of the supreme nexus manifests in the Shadow Realm? whenever he is on any plane with which that realm is coexistent. Any creatures that pass within a 500-mile radius of the supreme nexus using shadow walk or similar effects feel their path drawn to him, just as it would be drawn to the presence of powerful artifacts or the oldest of true dragons.

Furthermore, if he wishes, the supreme nexus can transfer his physical presence to the Shadow Realm directly. At will, as a full-round action, he may enter that realm, appearing in the shadow-counterpart of the Material Plane location he began from. Note that traveling in the Shadow Realm without the isolating protection of the path created by the shadow walk spell is dangerous, especially so because the shadowy world's inhabitants can sense the presence of a supreme nexus at a great distance. Returning to the Material Plane is also a full-round action.

This transformation grants the supreme nexus one final capability. He gains the supernatural ability to draw power from creatures around him, using it to power his spells. As a standard action, he may select up to five creatures within a 120 foot radius around himself, and channel their innate psychic energy into himself. Creatures without an Intelligence score (such as golems or mindless undead) cannot be the subjects of this power. The target creatures may choose to resist this effect with a level + Charisma bonus check, opposed by the supreme nexus' caster level check.

If successful, this power has several effects. First, the supreme nexus gains a number of temporary hit points per affected creature equal to that creature's hit dice, and each affected creature takes nonlethal damage equal to its hit dice. These temporary hit points do not subject the supreme nexus to the usual dangers of exceeding one's normal maximum hit point total. Second, the supreme nexus gains a number of temporary available spell levels equal to one for every three hit dice of the affected creatures; for the duration of this power's effect, he may use these spell levels as if they constituted spell slots. For spells from spontaneous casting classes, the supreme nexus may simply cast any spell he knows, using these temporary spell levels as if they were unused spell slots. For spells from prepared casting classes, the supreme nexus may cast any spell he has prepared (or prepared that day and used up), expending the temporary spell levels in lieu of his normal spell slots. Thirdly, the supreme nexus temporarily gains the Heighten Spell feat if he did not have it, and for the duration of this effect may spontaneously apply it to any spell he casts.

All of these effects last for one minute. After that, the stolen energy dissipates, the temporary hit points and spell levels are lost, and the strain of containing such raw magical power takes its toll. The supreme nexus takes 2 points of Constitution damage for every creature from whom he drew power (up to 10 points of Con damage if he channeled power from the maximum of five creatures at once).

The supreme nexus may draw power from up to five creatures per day.