The holy liberator is a holy warrior, a distant cousin of the paladin, who is dedicated to overthrowing tyranny wherever it may be found. These champions of freedom and equality are strong-willed, independent-minded, and virtuous. They particularly direct their efforts against lawful evil societies (dictatorships or plutocracies), slaveholders and slave traders, and powerful, corrupt governments, but they also recognize the possibility for tyranny even in a state of anarchy (where strong individuals may impose their will on people weaker than they).
Members of all classes—with the prominent exception of monks—are often drawn to the holy liberator prestige class. Chaotic good fighters and rangers are natural holy liberators, augmenting their already significant combat abilities with the holy powers of the prestige class. Many clerics are also drawn to become holy liberators—particularly chaotic clerics of Pelor and certain clerics of Kord. Many rogues also adopt the holy liberator class, working with stealth and steel for the cause of freedom.
NPC holy liberators are usually loners, though they may organize rebellious forces in a tyrannical nation. They often have powerful celestial allies, from celestial animals to ghaele eladrins, assisting their cause, but tend to work in a loose network rather than a structured or close association. Just as holy liberators rarely accept orders from anyone, they are loath to give them, choosing to form alliances and friendships rather than manipulate minions or servants.
Adaptation: In your campaign, holy liberators may wander the planes seeking out slavers to destroy, or they may be the sponsors of a rebellion against a particularly harsh government. Holy liberators can act much like guerillas, training and exhorting the local populace to resist tyrannical rule.
Hit Die: d10.
To qualify to become a holy liberator, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Chaotic good.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks.
Feat: Iron Will.
The holy liberator’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells per Day | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day | 0 | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Remove fatigue | 1 | — | — | — | ||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Aura of resolve | 1 | 0 | — | — | ||||||
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Break enchantment 1/week, divine grace | 1 | 1 | — | — | ||||||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Smite evil 2/day | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | ||||||
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Celestial companion | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | ||||||
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Break enchantment 2/week | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +2 | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Smite evil 3/day | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||||||
All of the following are class features of the holy liberator prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Holy liberators are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.
Spells per Day: A holy liberator has the ability to cast a small number of divine spells from the holy liberator spell list. To cast a spell, the holy liberator must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so a holy liberator with a Wisdom of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Holy liberator bonus spells are based on Wisdom, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the holy liberator’s Wisdom modifier. When the holy liberator gets 0 spells of a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 1st level, he gets only bonus spells. (A holy liberator without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of that level.)
A holy liberator prepares and casts spells just as a cleric does (though the liberator cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells).
Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a holy liberator’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to his class level plus his cleric level, if any.
Detect Evil (Sp): The holy liberator can use detect evil as a spell-like ability at will.
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a holy liberator may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma modifier (if positive) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per class level. For example, a 9th-level holy liberator armed with a longsword would deal 1d8+9 points of damage, plus any additional bonuses for high Strength or magical effects that normally apply. If the holy liberator accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect but it is still used up for that day. At 5th level, the holy liberator may smite evil twice per day, and at 10th level three times per day.
Remove Fatigue (Su): A holy liberator of 2nd level or higher can eliminate fatigue in any creature he touches. Using this ability is a standard action; the holy liberator may use it a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
Aura of Resolve (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the holy liberator gains immunity to all charm and compulsion effects. His mind is his own, and no other creature can control his thoughts or actions. Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm or compulsion effects. This ability functions while the holy liberator is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.
Divine Grace (Su): A holy liberator of 4th level or higher applies his Charisma modifier (if positive) as a bonus on all saving throws.
Break Enchantment (Sp): Beginning at 4th level, a holy liberator can use break enchantment once per week. He can use this ability twice per week at 8th level.
Celestial Companion (Sp): Upon reaching 6th level, a holy liberator gains the service of a celestial companion (a cat, eagle, hawk, warhorse, owl, pony, riding dog, or wolf) to serve him in his struggle against tyranny (see sidebar). The creature has the celestial template. This creature may willingly act as a guardian (such as a hawk), a helper (such as a cat), or a mount (such as a horse).
Once per day, as a full-round action, a holy liberator may magically call his companion from the celestial realms in which it resides. The companion immediately appears adjacent to the holy liberator and remains for 2 hours per holy liberator level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The companion is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the holy liberator may release a particular companion from service (if it has grown too old to join her struggle, for instance). Each time the companion is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The companion also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed (including barding, saddle, and the like for mounts). Calling the companion is a conjuration (calling) effect.
Should the holy liberator’s companion die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The liberator may not call another companion for thirty days or until he gains a liberator level, whichever comes first, even if the companion is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the liberator takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Treat the companion as a special mount for the purpose of spells that specifically affect a paladin’s special mount (such as heal mount).
Code of Conduct: Holy liberators must be of chaotic good alignment and lose all special class abilities if they ever willingly commit an act of evil. True to their alignment, holy liberators have no more formalized code of conduct than that.
It is not altogether uncommon for paladins to slip away from the unswerving path of law in their overriding quest for good and become holy liberators. For the most part, the ex-paladin who adopts the holy liberator class does not regain any of his lost paladin abilities. However, the character’s paladin levels stack with holy liberator levels for the purpose of determining caster level for holy liberator spells and for determining the power of his smite evil ability.
Shallas the Headstrong: Male half-elf fighter 7/holy liberator 6; CR 13; Medium humanoid (elf); HD 7d10+7 plus 6d10+6; hp 84; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 [7amr], touch 10, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +13; Grp +17; Atk +20 melee (1d8+10/17–20, +2 longsword); Full Atk +20/+15/+20 melee (1d8+10/17–20, +2 longsword); SA smite evil 2/day; SQ aura of good, detect evil, remove fatigue 5/day, aura of resolve, divine grace, break enchantment 1/week, celestial companion; AL CG; SV Fort +16, Ref +9, Will +11; Str 18, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14.
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +8, Jump +12, Sense Motive +12; Cleave, Combat Expertise, Improved Critical (longsword), Improved Disarm, Iron Will, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword).
Spells Prepared (2/1; save DC 11 + spell level): 1st—bless weapon, divine favor; 2nd—heroism.
Smite Evil (Su): Shallas can attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. He adds +2 to his attack roll and deals 6 extra points of damage. Smiting a creature that is not evil has no effect but uses the ability for that day.
Aura of Good (Ex): Shallas’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to that of a 6th-level cleric.
Remove Fatigue (Su): Touch eliminates fatigue as a standard action.
Aura of Resolve (Ex): Shallas is immune to charm and compulsion effects. Allies within 10 feet gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm or compulsion effects.
Detect Evil (Sp): At will, as the spell of the same name.
Divine Grace (Su): Shallas gains a bonus on saving throws equal to his Charisma bonus (already added above).
Break Enchantment (Sp): As the spell of the same name, 1/week.
Celestial Companion (Sp): Shallas has a celestial eagle as his companion. It functions as an eagle with the celestial template, 4 extra Hit Dice, +3 natural armor, +2 Dexterity, 7 Int, improved evasion, and +10 ft. speed. Shallas has an empathic link with the eagle and can share spells and saving throws with it. He can call it from the celestial realms once per day for up to 12 hours. The eagle can speak to Shallas.
Possessions: +2 mithral chainmail, cloak of protection +3, +2 longsword, gauntlets of ogre power +2, bracers of health +2.
Source: Complete Divine, page 45.