Many clerics pray to or make evil bargains with fiendish powers, devoting body and soul to the insane plans and wicked aims of their despicable deities. But these mortal clerics are often just shallow beings searching for quick power or the caress of true and final oblivion—few truly grasp the full scope of the entities they worship. Daemonic vessels, through their fiendish heritage, share an innate connection with their deity, and that connection grants them understanding and power.
The daemonic vessel is an archetype of the cleric class, available only to kindred clerics.
Alignment
Must be of an evil alignment.
Channel Evil (Su)
At 1st level, a daemonic vessel, rather than channeling holy or shadow energy, instead channels the pure evil power of her deity. This ability is similar to channeling shadow energy, but instead of healing undead and dealing damage to living creatures, this blast of evil energy automatically heals evil creatures and debilitates good creatures within its burst.
Channeling this evil causes a burst that affects all creatures in a 30-foot radius centered on the daemonic vessel. In the case of evil creatures, the amount of damage healed is equal to 1d4 points of damage and increases by 1d4 at every two levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 10d4 at 19th level). Good creatures in the burst receive a Will saving throw to negate this damage. Good creatures that fail their saving throws are sickened for 1d4 rounds. Good creatures with a number of Hit Dice less than or equal to the daemonic vessel’s cleric level – 5 that fail their saving throws are nauseated for 1 round and then sickened for 1d4 rounds instead. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + half of the cleric’s level + her Charisma modifier. Neutral creatures are unaffected by this burst of evil energy.
A daemonic vessel may channel this energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. Doing so is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. A daemonic vessel can choose whether or not to include herself in this effect. A daemonic vessel must present her unholy symbol as the divine focus for this ability.
For the purposes of feats that affect channel energy, this ability counts as channeling shadow energy. If the feat changes the way the daemonic vessel channels or deals damage with her channeling, use the amount of damage this ability heals evil creatures to determine the damage-dealing potential of the affected ability. For instance, if a 6th-level daemonic vessel takes the Channel Smite feat, her channeling deals an additional 3d4 points of damage to living creatures on a successful hit (though they may save to negate the damage).
This ability replaces channel energy.
Fiendish Familiar (Su)
At 4th level, a daemonic vessel’s deity rewards her with a fiendish servant. The daemonic vessel gains an imp, quasit, or cacodaemon familiar. This ability is identical to the Familiar feat and the Improved Familiar feat.
This tiny fiend acts like a perverse, manifest moral compass. In addition, when the daemonic vessel uses her channel evil ability, its burst can be centered on the familiar instead, as long as that familiar is within 30 feet and line of sight. A daemonic vessel’s familiar tends to be fawning and subservient to the daemonic vessel. Should her familiar die, the daemonic vessel’s deity replaces the familiar with an identical one within 1 week, without the need for a special ritual. Furthermore, the fiendish familiar gains the following special abilities beyond the standard familiar special abilities.
- Fiendish Augury (Sp): At 4th level, the daemonic vessel can ask the familiar whether a particular course of action will bring good or bad results for her in the immediate future. This ability acts like the augury spell, with a caster level equal to the daemonic vessel’s level, with the familiar acting as the mouthpiece for the spell. This ability can be used once per day.
- Fiendish Divination (Sp): At 9th level, the daemonic vessel can use a more powerful form of divination to gain intelligence from her deity through her fiendish familiar. This ability acts like the divination spell, with a caster level equal to the daemonic vessel’s level; the familiar acts as the mouthpiece for the spell. This ability can be used once per day.
- Extra Divination (Sp): At 14th level, the daemonic vessel can gain intelligence from her deity more often each day. She can use fiendish divination up to 3 times per day.
This ability replaces blessing of the faithful.
