Grim Reaper Class

Contents
Contents
Pending Ideas to Explore/Think about
Description
Class Skills
Progression Table
Class Features
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Reaper Form (Su)
Well of Souls (Ex)
Bolster Essence (Sp)
Reaper Power (Varies)
Deathwatch (Su)
Gentle Touch (Su)
Fear the Reaper (Sp)
Part of The Order (Ex)
Spell Resistance (Ex)
Master of Death (Su)
Laid to Rest (Su)
Duty Calls (Ex)
One with Duty (Ex)
True Reaper Power (Varies)

Pending Ideas to Explore/Think about

● Things to use Soul Points for that aren’t reaper powers
○ Etherealness?
○ something else?
● Aura of Death?
○ For sensing, like an aura of good, not just an aura that kills things
Description
Death is not a promise, nor is it a law, it is an axiom, an unavoidable truth. All living things will
eventually die, and each soul has its time to return to the realm of the dead, however, not all
souls answer this call. Be they souls that died under unfortunate terms, souls that are held
in-place such that they cannot leave, or if the being is now undead, all are under the dominion of
Grim Reapers. Reapers are mortal agents selected by gods of death to maintain the order of the
world by seeking out souls like these, as well as other souls whose time has come. Some
Reapers are selected based need, others on belief, but all share one thing in common: they are
all deserving of the title “Reaper” for none escape their blade once they are loosed.

Role: Reapers are bound by duty to maintain the order of life and death and are granted great
power to do this. Outside of combat, have an insight that allows them to pursue their goals with
a soft hand, avoiding fighting with possible. In combat however, there are few who would be
able to say with confidence that they could stop a reaper from continuing with their task.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d10

Starting Wealth: 3d6 X 10 gp (average 105 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an
outfit worth 10gp or less

Class Skills
The grim reaper’s class skills are:
Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha),
Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive
(Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int Modifier

Progression Table
Base Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Special
Bonus Save Save Save
Reaper Form, Well of Souls,
1st +1 +0 +0 +2
Bolster Essence
2nd +2 +0 +0 +3 Reaper Power, Deathwatch
3rd +3 +1 +1 +3 Fear the Reaper
Reaper Form +2, Reaper
4th +4 +1 +1 +4
Power
5th +5 +1 +1 +4 Part of the Order
6th +6/+1 +2 +2 +5 Reaper Power

7th +7/+2 +2 +2 +5 Spell Resistance 15

Reaper Form +3, Reaper

8th +8/+3 +2 +2 +6
Power
9th +9/+4 +3 +3 +6 Bolster Essence Improvement
Reaper Power, Spell
10th +10/+5 +3 +3 +7
Resistance 18
11th +11/+6/+1 +3 +3 +7 Master of Death
Reaper Form +4, Reaper
12th +12/+7/+2 +4 +4 +8
Power
13th +13/+8/+3 +4 +4 +8 Spell Resistance 21
14th +14/+9/+4 +4 +4 +9 Reaper Power
15th +15/+10/+5 +5 +5 +9 Laid to Rest
Reaper Form +5, Reaper
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +10
Power, Spell Resistance 24
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 One with Duty
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 Reaper Power
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Spell Resistance 27
Reaper Form +6, True Reaper
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12
Power
Class Features

Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Grim reapers are proficient with All simple and martial weapons, as well as light & medium
armour.

Reaper Form (Su)

Starting at 1st level, a grim reaper can call upon the powers gifted to them by the God of Death,
granting the power to bring their foes to their end. The reaper gains a fearsome visage, not
unlike classical depictions of grim reapers, though with the exact looks varying from reaper to
reaper. A grim reaper can enter this form for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + their
Wisdom modifier. At each level after 1st the grim reaper can maintain this form for 2 additional
rounds.

Temporary increases to Wisdom, such as those gained from spells like Owl’s Wisdom do not
increase the total number of rounds that a grim reaper can maintain this form.

A grim reaper can enter or leave this form as a free action, and is Nauseated for 2 times the
number of rounds spent in Reaper Form. The total number of rounds reaper form per day is
renewed after resting for 8 hours, these hours do not need to be consecutive. If a grim reaper
falls unconscious, their reaper form immediately ends, placing the reaper in the peril of death
themselves.

A Reaper may re-enter Reaper Form during the time they are Nauseated and they will lose the
Nauseated condition while in Reaper form, but doing so will immediately reduce the remaining
number of Reaper Form they have by half (i.e. similar to using 2 rounds of reaper form per
round). After leaving Reaper form under these conditions, the Reaper is Dazed for 2 times the
number of rounds spent in Reaper form the second time. The Reaper may not use Reaper form
again until they rest for 8 consecutive hours.

While in their reaper form, grim reapers gain a +1 competence bonus to their base-attack
bonus, as well as to their AC. This value increases at 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter (+2
at level 4, +3 at level 8, +4 at level 12, +5 at level 16, and +6 at level 20)

Well of Souls (Ex)

Starting at 1st level, the grim reaper is given a mystical holy symbol of the God of Death known
as a Well of Souls. This symbol is a marker of the grim reaper’s status, serves as a source of
power for the reaper, and also serves as a portal for any souls gathered by the reaper to make
their journey to the realm of the dead. The Well of Souls is also the means for Grim Reapers to
receive and communication from the God of the Dead regarding souls that they need to collect.

The Well of Souls is constantly on the Reaper’s person and requires no conscious effort on their
part to have it stay with them. If the Well of Souls is taken off the Reaper’s person, it returns to
the Reaper within 5 seconds via dimensional travel. However, a Reaper may consciously
choose to keep the Well of Souls off of their person for another to look at (or some other
reason). This requires a Concentration check using their number of Reaper levels as their
caster level.

The Well of Souls absorbs any free souls that are adjacent (within 5 feet) to it. Free souls are
souls that are not bound to a body any more (such as when a creature dies).

The Well of Souls also grants Grim Reapers a number of Soul Points equal to their Wisdom
modifier. Souls points can be used to fuel This number of Soul Points may go up or down during
the course of a day, but may not go any higher than the Reaper’s Wisdom modifier. A Reaper
regains all of their Soul Points after they spend 8 hours resting; These hours do not need to be
consecutive. A Reaper also regains Soul Points in the following ways

Confirming a Critical Hit on a creature with a soul: Each time the reaper confirms a critical
hit on a creature with a soul in the heat of combat, they regain 1 Soul Point. Confirming a critical
hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the
reaper’s character level does not restore a Soul Point.
Killing Blow against a creature that has a soul: When the reaper reduces a creature with a
soul to 0 or fewer hit points while in the heat of combat, they regain 1 Soul Point. Destroying an
unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing
a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the reaper’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points
does not restore any Soul Points.

Bolster Essence (Sp)

The grim reaper laughs at the premise of dying, but is no fool, and is cautious anyway. As a
standard action, a grim reaper may expend 1 Soul Point to gain temporary Hit points as per the
spell False Life, with their Grim Reaper level being their caster level.

At 9th level this ability improves to replicate the effects of Greater False Life.

Reaper Power (Varies)

Reaper Powers
Deathwatch (Su)
Grim reapers are tasked with maintaining the balance of life and death, and as such, have more
insight into it than any other mortal possibly could.

Starting at 2nd level, the grim reaper can, at will, choose to activate deathwatch, as per the
spell. The range of this spell is limited only by the reaper’s own ability to see. The grim reaper
can end this effect as a free action.

This ability improves at levels 7th, and 15th

At 7th level, the grim reaper, when observing a creature via their Deathwatch ability, can also
gain a sense for how near a creature’s time to perish is (though not their own). This time is
approximate, and may change based on the machinations of greater being such as gods, and
as such, the reaper is expected to respect the creatures fated time to die if possible.

At 13th level, the grim reaper gains further understanding of the inner workings of life and death,
and is able to see the Threads of Fate which bind creatures together. As a standard action, a
grim reaper can target creature in view, and may make a DC 20 Perception to learn the identity
of the creature who will make the largest impact in the target creature’s existence that is
remaining. (i.e. if observing a construct, in the future, the construct may be freed from servitude
by a mage this would likely be the largest impact event in the future of the construct. The grim
reaper could learn the identity of the mage if the check were successful).

Gentle Touch (Su)

A grim reaper’s duty is not to kill, but to gather souls that have strayed from their path, it just so
happens that killing is necessary in many cases.

When the grim reaper makes an attack that would lower the creature to negative hit points or
cause it to start dying, the reaper will gain momentary insight as to whether it is the creature’s
time to die or not. At this time, the reaper can instead spare the creature, and it to become
unconscious with 0 hit points.

If the reaper spares a victim in this way, and it wasn’t their time to die, the reaper has made
carried out their duty and the Well of Souls gains Soul Points as if it had absorbed the creature’s
soul without actually absorbing the soul in addition to gaining 1 more soul point for carrying out
their duty. This effect can only be gained from a given creature one time in this way; if the
creature is later killed, and its soul absorbed by the Well of Souls, no further Soul Points are
gained.
Fear the Reaper (Sp)
Reapers are fearsome foes to be sure, only a fool would not fear collectors of souls at least a
bit. Starting at 3rd level a Grim Reaper may spend 1 Soul Point and a standard action to spread
fear through their enemies. All creatures within 30 ft must make a Will saving throw with a DC
equal to 10 + ¼ Reaper’s level + Reaper’s Wisdom modifier. If they fail the save, the creature is
shaken until out of eyesight of the Reaper. Whether the creatures make the save or not, the
Reaper gains a circumstance bonus of ½ their Reaper level (minimum 1) to any intimidate
checks made for 1 minute.

Part of The Order (Ex)

The grim reaper is thoroughly entrenched in The Order of preserving life and death. This grants
the reaper incredible insight to the inner workings of The Order, as well as into life & death itself.
The grim reaper adds ½ (rounded up) of their reaper levels to all Knowledge (religion), and Heal
checks.

Spell Resistance (Ex)

At 7th level, a reaper gains Spell Resistance 15 against spells cast by enemies. At level 10 and
every 3 Reaper levels thereafter, this increases by 3, to a maximum of 27

Master of Death (Su)

Reapers can die, but not easily. At 11th level, the Grim Reaper becomes immune to death
effects.

Laid to Rest (Su)

Starting at 15th level, when a creature dies at the hands of a Grim Reaper, the creature is
considered to have died from a death effect, and can only be brought back to life with True
Resurrection, Miracle, or Wish.

At 17th level, when a creature dies at the hands of a Grim Reaper, the creature is considered to
have died from a death effect, and may not be returned to life under any means short of the
intervention of a deity.

Duty Calls (Ex)

Even great reapers can be defeated, though normally at great cost. However, they have an
important ally on their side: the God of Death. Starting at 19th level, if a Grim Reaper is killed,
their body immediately turns to ash, and their spirit is whisked away by the God of Death itself.
The Grim Reaper will then be returned to life in a place of their choosing 1d10 days later, but not
without cost.

The God of Death does not intervene lightly, and while Reapers of this strength are rare, there is
always time to wait. Thus, the Reaper will be given a task to make up for the time and energy
needed to preserve its soul. Frequently this task will be to handle a particularly troublesome
soul, or to recruit a new Reaper in penance. The Grim Reaper will be given a relatively short
amount of time to complete this task (DM’s discretion), and, if not completed successfully, the
Grim Reaper will permanently lose 4 levels as the toll.

One with Duty (Ex)

At 17th level, a reaper is no longer Nauseated when leaving Reaper form.

True Reaper Power (Varies)

At 20th level, a Grim Reaper gains power that shows their status among the servants of the god
of the dead, as well as a title defining their abilities.
A Grim Reaper gains a True Reaper Power.