Blackguard
A Blackguard epitomizes evil. They are nothing short of a mortal fiend, a black knight with the foulest sort of reputation. Many refer to Blackguards as anti-paladins due to their completely evil nature. No one class makes the best Blackguard, all that is required is a willingness to serve the forces of darkness. - Hit Die: d10.
| Type | Prestige class |
| Hit die | d10 |
| Skill points | 2 + Intelligence modifier per level |
| Attack bonus | full - 1 per level, +20 by level 20 |
| Strong saves | Fortitude |
| Spellcasting | Prepared |
| Alignment | Any evil |
| Primary ability | Constitution |
| Maximum level | 30 |
How it works
- While Divine Might is up, every hit you land carries smite damage, sized by your weapon against your own frame rather than by your level, and doubled against outsiders.
- A pure Blackguard smites the neutral as well as the good.
- If you hold both smites, the one backed by more levels is the one that fires; on a tie your own alignment decides, and a neutral character with both smites neither.
Requirements
| Alignment | Any evil |
| Skill | Hide, 5 ranks |
| Feat | Cleave |
| Attack bonus | +6 |
What you gain, level by level
| Level | Gain |
|---|---|
| 1 | Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy), Shield Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency (martial), Weapon Proficiency (simple), Use Poison |
| 2 | Smite Good (1 + (your Blackguard levels / 10) a day, and 3 more with Extra Smiting), Dark Blessing |
| 3 | Turn Undead |
| 4 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+1d6) |
| 5 | Summon Fiend (1 + (your Blackguard levels / 30) a day, and 1 more with Epic Fiendish Servant) |
| 7 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+2d6) |
| 10 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+3d6) |
| 11 | Epic Blackguard, +1 Charisma |
| 13 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+4d6), bonus feat (and again every 3 levels to 28) |
| 16 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+5d6) |
| 19 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+6d6) |
| 20 | +1 Charisma |
| 22 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+7d6) |
| 25 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+8d6) |
| 28 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+9d6) |
| 30 | +2 Charisma |
| 31 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+10d6) |
| 34 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+11d6) |
| 37 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+12d6) |
| 40 | Sneak Attack, Blackguard (+13d6) |
Spells
Spells are prepared in advance and spent as they are cast. The casting ability is Wisdom.
How a save is worked out, and what a slot is actually spent on, are on Magic.
Spells a day, by spell level. A level that is not listed has the same allowance as the last one listed above it.
| Level | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| 3 | - | 1 | 0 | - | - |
| 4 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 5 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | - |
| 6 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 7 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Bonus feat choices
A bonus feat is granted at the levels marked in the table above, and can be spent on any of the following.
Only as a bonus feat, never in place of an ordinary one: Epic Fiendish Servant.
As a bonus feat or as an ordinary feat: Armor Skin, Devastating Critical (any of 40), Divine Shield of Steel, Epic Prowess, Epic Reputation, Epic Spell Focus (any of 8), Epic Toughness (any of 10), Epic Weapon Focus (any of 40), Great Smiting (any of 10), Greater Spell Focus (any of 8), Improved Combat Casting, Improved Sneak Attack (any of 10), Overwhelming Critical (any of 40), Perfect Health, Planar Turning.
Class skills
One point per rank instead of two: Concentration, Craft: Harvesting, Craft: Mastery, Craft: Speed, Discipline, Heal, Intimidate, Lore, Parry, Persuade, Ride, Taunt.