Some face damnation willingly.  Seeking to control the awesome might of the infernal legions and twist the very powers of Hell to their whims, these blasphemous spellcasters jeopardize their immortal souls for mastery over devilkind.  While those who already worship evil forces might come to control these profane powers and through their vile faiths, sinister arcanists too might learn the names, signs, and incantations to bind devils from heretical tomes and communion with the damned.  Though some tread the path of the diabolist to enslave the forces of Hell and turn them towards goals other than corruption, only the most stalwart of diabolists can resist the temptations of the Pit.  Regardless of whatever grim path leads spellcasters to seek power over the diabolical, their destination is nearly always the same-- an eternity of damnation in the depths of Hell.

Class Details

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

To qualify to become a diabolist, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment: Lawful neutral, lawful evil, or neutral evil.

Language: Infernal

Skills: Knowledge (planes) 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks

Special: Must have conjured a devil using lesser planar ally or lesser planar binding (or a similar spell) and successfully coaxed the fiend into performing a task longer than 1 day.

Class Skills

The diabolist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Diabolist

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+1	Damned, imp companion, infernal Charisma +2	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+1	+1	+1	Channel hellfire, infernal bargain	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+2	Augment summoning, heresy +2	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+2	Infernal Charisma +4	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+2	+2	+2	+3	Hellish soul	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+3	Infernal transport	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+4	Infernal Charisma +6	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th	+4	+3	+3	+4	Hellfire ray	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+5	Heresy +4	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+5	Master conjurer	+1 level of existing spellcasting class

Class Features

All of the following are Class Features of the diabolist prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Diabolists gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day

When a new diabolist level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a diabolist, she must decide to which class she adds each level of diabolist for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Damned

When a diabolist is killed, her soul is instantly sent to Hell.  Any character attempting to resurrect her must succeed at a caster level check equal to 10 + the diabolist's level or her spell fails.  That character cannot attempt to resurrect the diabolist again until the following day, though other characters can attempt as they please.

Imp Companion

A diabolist forms a close bond with a particular imp, similar to a druid's bond with an animal companion.  The imp is loyal to the diabolist (though ultimately loyal to Hell).  The imp companion's abilities, feats, Hit Dice, and skills advance as the diabolist advances in level (see sidebar).  If the imp is slain or the diabolist release it from her service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring a 24-hour ritual to conjure and bind the new imp to herself.

Infernal Charisma

A diabolist gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma checks made when interacting with devils.  This bonus increases to +4 at 4th level and to +6 at 7th level.

Channel Hellfire

At 2nd level, a diabolist can alter spells that deal energy damage to instead deal hellfire damage.  She can do this as a free action a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1).  Spells altered to use hellfire gain the lawful and evil descriptors.

Infernal Bargain

At 2nd level, a diabolist making use of planar ally (or a similar spell) can make an opposed Charisma check against a called (but not summoned) devil.  If she succeeds, the devil reduces the price it demands to serve by half.

Augment Summoning

At 3rd level, a diabolist gains the Augment Summoning feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Heresy

Also at 3rd level, a diabolist gains a +2 bonus on all checks made to research specific devils' true names or sigils.  This bonus increases to +4 at 9th level.

Hellish Soul

At 5th level, a diabolist has been deemed useful enough to the cause of Hell to be allowed a brief respite from damnation.  If killed by any means outside of the will of Asmodeus, the archdevils, or another influential force in Hell, the diabolist can be resurrected as normal.

Infernal Transport (Sp)

At 6th level, a diabolist can transport herself through Hell in a burst of brimstone.  She may use this ability twice per day as per dimension door, or expend both uses to travel as if using teleport.  She cannot use this ability to enter or leave areas warded against evil creatures.

Hellfire Ray (Sp)

At 8th level, a diabolist may use hellfire ray twice per day.

Master Conjurer

At 10th level, when a diabolist calls a devil whose name she knows, she may cast the calling spell as a standard action and bargain with it as a move action.  She adds half her Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate modifier on the bargaining Charisma check (if any).

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The Imp Companion

A diabolist's imp increases in power as the diabolist gains levels according to Table: Animal Companion Base Statistics, with  the following changes.

Class Level

This is the diabolist's class level plus her highest caster level.  This does not stack with class levels that grant an animal companion.

HD

An imp has 10-sided (d10) Hit Dice.

BAB

This is the imp's base attack bonus. Imps do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus.

Saving Throws

An imp has good Reflex and Will saves.

Skills

Multiply the listed value by 3 to determine the imp's skill ranks.  If the imp increases its Intelligence to 14 or higher, it gains bonus skill ranks as normal.  Imps can have ranks in any skill; its class skills are Acrobatics, Bluff, Craft, Fly, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (planes), Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Stealth.  An imp cannot have more ranks in a skill than it has Hit Dice.

Feats

An imp may select any feat for which it qualifies.

Bonus Tricks

This indicates when an imp gains its choice of another alternate form, spell-like ability, or telepathy.

Alternate Form: An imp with this ability may choose one additional Tiny, Small, or Medium animal form as if using beast shape II.  Each time the imp selects this ability, it gains a new alternate form.

Spell-Like Ability: An imp companion might also choose any one of the following spells to add to its list of at-will spell-like abilities: bleed, deathwatch, detect evil, detect law, doom, ghost sound, mage hand, message, open/close, or prestidigitation.  Alternatively, it may choose to add any one of the following spells to its list of 1/day spell-like abilities: curse water, floating disk, grease, hold portal, identify, silent image, unseen servant, or ventriloquism.

Telepathy: The imp gains telepathy with a range of 50 feet, allowing it to communicate with any intelligent creature.

Link (Su)

The diabolist has an empathic link with her imp to a 1 mile distance. The diabolist can communicate emphatically with the imp, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link's limited nature, only general emotions can be shared. The diabolist has the same connection to an item or place that her imp does.

Share Spells

The diabolist may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her imp (as a touch spell) instead of on herself. A diabolist may cast spells on her imp even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the imp's type (outsider).