Cultist (Alt NPC Class)

Many of my games involve secretive groups that skulk in the night going about their nefarious agendas. There was no obvious class that represented these mysterious types the way I thought they could be played, the Adept had too many spells, both rogue or cleric were too powerful as the low-rung cult member, so I did what I usually do - create my own.

This cultist NPC class is designed for use in either Pathfinder, d20 or 3.X games.

Cultist (NPC Class)

Cult members live duplicitous lives, a public one whereby they work and socialize with fellow citizens and another secret one on specific times of the year. Members may not know each other personally, only code words or hand signals to identify each other. Cultists need not worship a god or other entity, some may simply have esoteric knowledge that enables them to cast their boons and rituals. Only ten levels are listed, if they are going to be higher than this use a PC class to represent the individual NPC. since cultists need to participate with large groups of like-minded followers, they do not make a good PC class.

Alignment: Any

Hit Dice: d6

Skill Ranks: 4 + Int modifier.

The adept's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Str), Knowledge (arcane, history or religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), stealth (Dex) and Survival (Wis).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The cultist is proficient in the use of all simple weapons and with light armor, but not with any type of shield.

Features

Shared Knowledge: Something that all members either believe or know to be true. This is the key motivation of the cult as it defines their goal and their beliefs. Some examples could be knowing of a sleeping god and wanting to awaken it, to imprison an ageless agent of chaos to wreck havoc, or a doorway that can open to another world during specific rituals.

Boon: A boon is a supernatural effect that the wielder can enact once a day. Most have specific listing based on their cult's devotion or focus. 

Rituals: While spells cannot be cast by individuals but groups of cultists create ritual that matches or mimics a spell from a clerical domain or a wizard schools / spell type. Rituals take much longer to cast, taking a minimum of one minute per spell level of uninterrupted chanting. They need a ritual focus, which can be either a ceremonial act, a leader,a place or time. Depending upon the power level of the ritual a certain number of cultists need to be involved. Only one cultist need to have the power to initiate a ritual, all the others must simply have shared knowledge to help participate in the chanting (or other) ritual. There are rumours of much more powerful rituals needing even greater time and members to perform.

Ritual 1st Rank- Mimic a 3rd level or lower spell from any spell list. Must have a minimum of 5 members, only one person need to have the ritual as part of their level abilities, but must still be at least first level cultist or member of any spell-casting class. The casting takes ten uninterrupted minutes per spell level to complete. Cultists usually cannot participate in more than one ritual every week.

Ritual 2nd Rank- Same as Ritual level 1, except can mimic a 5th level or lower spell, 15 cultists or spell casters must be present, and requires twenty uninterrupted minutes per spell level.

Ritual 3rd Rank - Same as Ritual level 1, except it can mimic a 7th level or lower spell, 50 cultists or spell casters present, and requires an hour uninterrupted minutes per spell level.

Sample Cults

Here are three samples of potential cults that you can use. These cults do not have set boons or rituals, as it is left up to the story to determine. No two cults even if focused on the same goal will perfectly mirror each other. While some cults work together, many work against other groups having the same goal. Most cult groups are worried about their own local practices to benefit their individual members. The boons are not described as these are just suggestions as to what you can do.

Cult of the Snake: As the snake sheds its skin so too can you grow out of yours, becoming more than what you once were.

This is a transformation cult that believes in literally becoming something else. While this may not sound horrible, the cult kidnaps subjects to perfect their pseudo-ritualized science. Their lairs are often in sewers or other dark locations close enough to populated areas to experiment on. Nagas or snake-men despise this group, yet many have found their way in commanding these gangs. There are small networks of Snake cultists, and most know only those in their immediate cell.

Potential Boons: Snake-skin, Change bones, change one arm to a snake, control snakes, summon snakes, regeneration, snake transformation

Cult of the Dead: The dead await until they called to serve.

This group believe they control the undead to serve as needed. Few clerics even ones that serve the dark ones are in this cult, perhaps because they know the potential danger. Theirs is a mysterious cult of learning about the dead, the practices, and their resting places. Their lairs are often in crypts or graveyards. Unlike other cults, they usually have a constant presence in evil churches, but rarely as the priests. Lichs desire to control these groups, they rarely do as the dead-cult wants control not to be controlled. Members of the cult of dead generally respect each other and give aid when one of their members are in need.

Potential Boons: Charisma bonus on undead reaction, peace-pact with undead, bonus on necromantic spells, Command Undead at 1/2 their level as cleric, undead followers

Dark Dreamers: There are dark, unimaginable, mysterious things that will arise when the time is right to destroy our enemies!

In a few places, sleeping, trapped or forgotten about bizarre entities that wait to be called out of their slumber. Some dark dreamers wish for power or wealth, some to command these creatures, others simply desire chaos and destruction. Cult members always work together in areas where these creatures are rumoured to exist, but while they hear the ethereal summoning none truly know where these beings hide.
While the two previously mentioned cults may have schemes that take a year or two, many dark dreamers wait a lifetime for a chance at accomplishing their great ritual of awakening. Some legends abound of non-cult members being tricked into becoming a part of this cult or joining along with the rituals.

Potential Boons: detect wealth, detect sources of magic, dream-travel, change to a shadow-form, interpret dream messages, send dream messages, awaken the dream beasts, control the dream beasts.