View source for Disciple of Athe (3.5e Prestige Class)

==Disciple of Athe==

{{quote
|I have proofs in Morradin, he created the hammer for the dwarves. Look at the shape of the grip, perfect for goo' dwarven hands!
|orig=Rayar Comfortable-Anvil, Cleric of Morradin
|src=debating a disciple of Athe
}}

The Great Wheel is perhaps the greatest troll of all. As disbelief in the Gods rose in enlightened society, so did [[Athe (3.5e Deity)|Athe]], Goddess of Atheism and Rational Thinking. Athe shouln't exist, but she does. She totally collects the souls of atheists, agnostics, and even anti-theists (kicking and screaming usually) and brings them to her realm in the Outland (it's a pretty cool place though). As she rose, so did her disciples, using fabled debating techniques and reason to defeat their foes (and divine magic, but you're not supposed to say that). 

Her only golden rule: "Don't be a dick."

You'd be amazed to know how many of her disciples fail to follow it.

===Becoming a Disciple of Athe===

{{3.5e Prestige Class Prereqs
|alignment=Any Non-Evil
|skills=[[SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge]] (Religion) 7 ranks
|feats=
|spellcasting=
|patron=[[Athe (3.5e Deity)|Athe]]
|domains=[[Atheism (3.5e Cleric Domain)|Atheism]]
|special=
}}

{{3.5e Class Simple
|prestige=true
|classname=Disciple of Athe
|hitdie=8
|length=3
|bab=Moderate
|fort=Good
|ref=Poor
|will=Good
|specialhead1= rowspan="2" {{!}} Spellcasting
|special1=[[#Continued Advancement|Continued Advancement]], [[#Debate|Debate]] (''Reasonable Explanation'') {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class. 
|special2=[[#Debate|Debate]] (''Rational Comeback'', ''The Gods just don't Exist''), [[#Improved Disbelief|Improved Disbelief]] {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class. 
|special3=[[#Blessing of Athe|Blessing of Athe]], [[#Debate|Debate]] (''Disprove Supernatural'', ''Just Enjoy your Life'') {{!!}} +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class. 
|skillpoints=4
|skills= 
Bluff,
Craft, 
Decipher Script, 
Diplomacy,
Knowledge, 
Listen,
Perform,
Profession, 
Search, 
Sense Motive, 
Speak Language, 
Spellcraft, 
Spot}}

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the Disciple of Athe.

'''{{Anchor|Spellcasting}}:''' At each new level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a Disciple of Athe, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

'''{{Anchor|Continued Advancement}}:''' Levels in disciple of Athe stack with levels of other appropriate classes for the purpose of turning or rebuking undead, and for all level-dependent domain granted powers. If you play pathfinder, they also stack with oracle levels to determine your mysteries and curse-related abilities.

'''{{Anchor|Debate}}:''' At 1st level, a disciple of Athe learns the holy art of debating. She may use debate a number of times per day equal to her effective cleric level, and the DC of her debate abilities are DC 10 + 1/2 HD + the disciple's [[intelligence]] or [[charisma]] modifier. It otherwise behaves much like [[SRD:Bard|bardic music]], usually requiring a standard action to start and most can be maintained as a swift action each round. Each of the disciple of Athe's abilities require a minimum class level and a minimum rank in [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (Oratory). 

The disciple of Athe can exclude any creature from her debate ability as a free action usable outside of her turn. If the disciple of Athe is dealt damage, she must make a concentration check; failure indicates she lost her train of thought and the debate ends. 

Unlike bardic music, a creature can spend a move action during its turn to debate back, making its own arguments, making either a [[SRD:Diplomacy|diplomacy]], [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory), or [[SRD:Knowledge Skill|knowledge]] (religion) check opposed by your [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) check; if they succeed, they are immune to the effect of your debate for 1 round and all creatures who can hear them receive a +2 bonus on their saving throw against your debate abilities for 1 round.

''{{Anchor|Reasonable Explanation}} {{Ex}}:'' A 1st level disciple of Athe with at least 8 ranks in [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) can explain a 'supernatural' phenomena simply as a ''quite extraordinary'' but ultimately natural phenomena. Each creature who listens to you debating must make a [[will]] saving throw, and on a failure, they treat any spells, spell-like, and supernatural abilities targeted at them as extraordinary abilities for the round (do not recalculate the DC of such abilities). 

''{{Anchor|Rational Comeback}} {{Ex}}:'' A 2nd level disciple of Athe with at least 9 ranks in [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) can use rationality to defeat the arguments of other creatures. Whenever a creature uses [[SRD:Bluff Skill|bluff]], [[SRD:Diplomacy Skill|diplomacy]], [[SRD:Intimidate Skill|intimidate]], or [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (Oratory) to either debate with you (see above), preach, or affirm a deity or dogma, you may make a [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) check as an immediate action opposed by their own check. If you succeed, their attempt automatically fails and everyone who could hear both sides of the debate has their attitude towards your interlocutor worsen by one step, but no lower than Unfriendly.

''{{Anchor|The Gods just don't Exist}} {{Su}}:'' A 2nd level disciple of Athe with at least 9 ranks in [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) can make a good case about the lack of existence of any 'deities' and their power illusion. Each creature who hears the disciple of Athe debate must make a [[will]] save, on a failure, a creature suffers a 50% divine spell failure chance as their beliefs falter and gains the disciple of Athe's spell resistance against divine spells. This effect lasts for as long as the disciple of Athe is debating and 5 rounds afterward.  

''{{Anchor|Disprove Supernatural}} {{Su}}:''  A 3rd level disciple of Athe with at least 10 ranks in [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) can show there is a extraordinary explanation behind everything. When she initiates this debate and each round she maintains it, she chooses a single magical effect she is aware of within 60 ft. of her and attempts to dispel it as per [[SRD:Greater Dispel Magic|''greater dispel magic'']]. Each successive round she tries to dispel the same effect, she gains a cumulative +1 bonus (up to a maximum of +5). 

''{{Anchor|Just Enjoy your Life}} {{Ex}}:'' A 3rd level disciple of Athe with at least 10 ranks in [[SRD:Perform Skill|perform]] (oratory) can use reasonable arguments and make plausible conclusions to utterly break the will of a creature to fight. When she first initiates this debate and each round she maintains it, every creature who can hear her must make a [[will]] save or take a single [[Daunt (3.5e Creature Ability)|daunt]] level.  

'''{{Anchor|Improved Disbelief}} {{Ex}}:''' At 2nd level, the disciple of Athe's spell resistance granted by the [[Atheism (3.5e Cleric Domain)|atheism]] domain increases by 5. It increases by an additional 3 points if you gain the [[Defiler of Temples (3.5e Prestige Class)|defiler of temples]]'s divine spell resistance.

'''{{Anchor|Blessing of Athe}} {{Su}}:''' At 3rd level, whenever the disciple of Athe starts a debate, she automatically falls under a [[SRD:Sanctuary|''sanctuary'']] effect which lasts for as long as she debates. This effect breaks as normal if the disciple of Athe attacks or acts like a dick. 



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{{3.5e Prestige Classes Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
[[Category:Class]]
[[Category:Prestige Class]]
{{Navboxes}}
Article Balance	Very High +
Author	Leziad +
Base Attack Bonus Progression	Moderate +
Class Ability	Divine Spellcasting +
Class Ability Progression	Full +
Fortitude Save Progression	Good +
Identifier	3.5e Prestige Class +
Length	3 +
Minimum Level	5 +
Rating	Unrated +
Reflex Save Progression	Poor +
Skill	Bluff +, Craft +, Decipher Script +, Diplomacy +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Perform +, Profession +, Search +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spellcraft + and Spot +
Skill Points	4 +
Summary	A cleric of atheism, and its Goddess, Athe. No, really. +
Title	Disciple of Athe +
Will Save Progression	Good +