Alignment: Wormhunters can be of any alignment.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a wormhunter, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Special: Must have at some point suffered a minimum of 4 points of Intelligence damage from a worm of Kyuss. These 4 points of Intelligence damage need not have occurred as a result of a single worm.
Special: The character must meet two of the following five criteria.
+7 Base attack bonus
Able to cast 4th-level divine spells.
Knowledge (religion) 7 ranks.
Base Fortitude save +4
Sneak attack +4d6
Special: Must have read through a copy of the Apostolic Scrolls.
Class Skills
The wormhunter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
WORMHUNTER
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +1 +0 +1 Gift of the worm 1, kyussbane
2nd +1 +1 +1 +1 Detect minion, wormscarred
3rd +2 +2 +1 +2 Gift of the worm 2
4th +3 +2 +1 +2 Wormeaten
5th +3 +3 +2 +3 Gift of the worm 3
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the wormhunter prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A wormhunter does not gain any proficiency with weapons or armor.
Gift of the Worm (Ex): By consuming a Kyuss worm, a wormhunter gains insight into the nature of Kyuss and his minions. Alternatively, the wormhunter can allow a Kyuss worm to burrow into his body – this deals the standard 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds until the worm reaches the brain. At this point (or immediately, if the wormhunter voluntarily consumes the worm), the wormhunter’s body absorbs the worm. This immediately kills the worm (and prevents any Intelligence damage).
Immediately thereafter, the wormhunter absorbs the latent knowledge and power contained within the worm and magnifies it, using it to augment his own abilities. He immediately selects one of the Gifts of the Worm listed below. The benefit granted is permanent. Unfortunately, the influx of knowledge also damages the wormhunter’s mind in some way. He must also select one form of madness from those listed below. This madness cannot be cured by magic, as it becomes as fundamental a part of the wormhunter’s being as the gift granted.
A wormhunter gains a second gift at 3rd level, and a third at 5th level. He must secure a new Kyuss worm for each gift. Normally, a Kyuss worm dies after it leaves a spawn and doesn’t immediately attach to a host, but alchemists have discovered that these worms can be stored in a state of dormancy inside a potion of gentle repose. Usually, these worms are stored for nefarious purposes, but a wormhunter can take advantage of them to activate one of his gifts. A preserved Kyuss worm costs 1,800 gp (this includes the cost of the potion of gentle repose), but is usually considered an illegal (at worst) or controlled (at best) commodity, and as such probably requires at least a DC 25 Diplomacy check to track down a seller. Even then, Kyuss worms are generally not for sale in any settlement smaller than a large town.
Once a wormhunter selects a gift and its attendant form of madness, he cannot later change that gift or madness. Likewise, he cannot select a gift or madness more than once.
Kyussbane (Ex): A wormhunter is particularly skilled at fighting against the minions of Kyuss. He gains a bonus on all weapon damage rolls and checks to overcome spell resistance made against these creatures equal to his wormhunter level.
Detect Minion (Sp): If the wormhunter concentrates, he can sense the proximity of minions of Kyuss via a subtle tingling in his scars. This functions as the spell detect undead, but it only detects minions of Kyuss (be they undead or living). A wormhunter may use this ability at will.
Wormscarred (Su): At 2nd level, the wormhunter’s body begins to develop patches of scarring. These scars are as much physical scars left from being infested by Kyuss worms as they are manifestations of the wormhunter’s growing taint and lurking madness. The wormscarred wormhunter is immune to disease and gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against poison.
Wormeaten (Su): At 4th level, a wormhunter’s body carries the taint of Kyuss. This taint is detectable as a faint magic aura. It grants the wormhunter a +4 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Disguise checks made against or opposed by undead creatures, as other undead are strangely comforted and lulled by the taint. The character also gains a +2 bonus on saving throws made against attacks or spells from any minion of Kyuss. A wormeaten wormhunter need never fear infestation by Kyuss worms again – these worms interpret the taint as indication that the character is already a spawn of Kyuss, and do not attempt to infest him. Wormeaten wormhunters are immune to fear effects generated by the minions of Kyuss.
A wormeaten wormhunter takes a -2 penalty on all Bluff and Diplomacy checks made against living creatures (save for those made against other wormhunters), since the taint is somewhat unsettling to the living.
GIFTS OF THE WORM
The touch of Kyuss blesses each wormhunter with a unique variety of abilities.
Cannibalization: One of your ability scores increases by 1 point, but at a cost – you must reduce two other ability scores by 1 point (or one other ability score by 2 points).
Increased Spellcasting: Choose a spellcasting class to whic you belonged before you gained this Gift of the Worm. You gain new spells per day as if you had also gained a number of levels in this spellcasting class equal to the number of Gifts of the Worm you currently possess (including this one). You do not gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you gain additional Gifts of the Worm at a later date, the number of spellcasting levels granted by increased spellcasting does not increase.
Regained Lore: You gain a number of bonus feats equal to the number of Gifts of the Worm you currently possess (including this one). If you gain additional Gifts of the Worm at a later date, the number of bonus feats granted by regained lore does not increase.
Sinister Smite: You must have already selected the Spiritual Conduit gift and be able to channel energy in order to select this gift. Inflict wounds spells now function as if empowered and maximized when cast on you. Your body’s ability to conduct negative energy grows to an extent that you gain the ability to channel negative energy in sudden bursts of power when you strike a particularly solid blow against a living creature. Whenever you deal sneak attack damage or score a critical hit on a living creature, you also deal 2 points of Strength damage to that creature.
Smite Undead: You must have already selected the Spiritual Conduit gift and be able to channel energy in order to select this gift. Cure wounds spells now function as if empowered and maximized when cast on you. Your body’s ability to conduct positive energy grows to an extent that you gain the ability to channel positive energy in sudden bursts of power when you strike a particularly solid blow against undead. Whenever you deal sneak attack damage or score a critical hit on an undead creature, you also deal 2 points of Strength damage to that creature.
Spiritual Conduit: The worms have made your body more conductive to the type of energy you have chosen. All cure wounds and all inflict wounds spells cast on you function as if empowered. If you have the ability to channel energy, your effective level increases by an amount equal to the number of Gifts of the Worm you currently possess (including this one). If you gain additional Gifts of the Worm at a later date, the number of effective levels granted by spiritual conduit does not increase.
MADNESS OF THE WORM
Even as his might empowers the wormhunter, the touch of Kyuss leaves no mortal mind unscarred.
Hypersomnia: You have extreme difficulty staying awake. You suffer a constant -2 penalty on all Wisdom-based skill checks. Additionally, whenever you are engaged in a repetitive activity (such as using Craft or Profession checks), you must make a DC 10 Will save (up to once per hour) to avoid falling asleep for an hour.
Insomnia: You have extreme difficulty falling asleep. Each time you try to rest, you must make a DC 20 Will save. Failure indicates that your sleep wasn’t restful and you awaken fatigued.
Paranoia: You are convinced that the world and all that dwells within are out to do you harm. You cannot take the aid another action, nor can you ever receive bonuses on your own checks from an aid another action. You also take a -2 penalty on Bluff and Diplomacy checks.
Schizophrenia: You periodically lose your grip on reality and have difficulty at times telling the difference between what is real and what is hallucination. These constant hallucinations can cause you to appear erratic, chaotic, and unpredictable. You take a -2 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks. If you ever roll a natural 1 when making any Charisma-based check, you must make a DC 15 Will save to avoid becoming confused for 1d4 rounds.
Terataphobia: A monstrous phobia is an irrational fear of a type of monster. Select one monster type from the list of ranger favored enemies on page 64 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. You now take a -2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and Will saving throws made against these monsters. If you possess immunity to fear from some other source, your immunity to fear effects do not apply to fear attacks generated by monsters from this category.
Tic Disorder: You have developed nervous, often violent spasms. These spasms cause a constant -1 penalty on all Reflex saving throws and Dexterity-based skill checks.