Shabti (13 RP)

Death is more terrifying for those who have the best of life. Many rulers obsess over their mortality, the most brazen turning to the mystical arts, pouring their fears into splendid vessels, fashioning simulacra of themselves to bear the scourge of their god’s judgment. In the mortal world, these icons are nothing but gold with a ruler’s face and name, but in death, they are shabti.

Existing as something between mortal souls, fabricated beings, and true children of the planes, shabti are immortal facsimiles of death-obsessed nobles. They serve out the sentences of their mortal twins, whether it be an infinity of torture or an eternity wandering the planes. Most never emerge from such trials, but some manage to find their own paths upon the planes.

Shabti typically look like idealized humans with perfect physiques and flawless features. They usually stand just over 6 feet tall and weigh between 150 and 210 pounds.

Racial Traits

Liberated shabti often explore the planes, seeking to replace their false memories with unique experiences. Shabti are defined by their class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice.

All shabti have the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Shabti have powerful bodies and presences to match. They gain +2 Constitution and +2 Charisma.
  • Type: Shabti are outsiders with the native subtype.
  • Size: Shabti are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Speed: Shabti have a base speed of 30 feet.
  • Languages: Shabti begin play speaking Common. Those with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
  • Darkvision: Shabti can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
  • Immortal (1 RP): Shabti do not age naturally and cannot die of old age. While some might come into being at age categories other than adulthood, they never leave their original age category. Spells and effects that cause aging affect a shabti as normal.
  • Immune to Undeath (1 RP): Shabti can’t become undead. Spells and abilities that would transform a shabti into an undead creature have no effect.
  • Resist Level Drain (1 RP): A shabti takes no penalties from energy drain effects, though he can still be killed if he accrues more negative levels than he has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels a shabti takes are automatically removed without the need for an additional saving throw.
  • Past Life Knowledge (2 RP): Shabti remember bits of their past lives. As a result, they treat all Knowledge skills as class skills.
  • Shattered Soul (–1 RP): Shabti who are killed are exceptionally difficult to return to life. Those who attempt to return a shabti to life using raise dead, resurrection, or similar spells must succeed at a caster level check equal to 10 + the shabti’s Hit Dice. If this check fails, the spell fails and the caster can’t return the shabti to life for the next 24 hours (though the caster can try again after this period).
  • Spell-Like Ability (3 RP): Shabti can use suggestion once per day as a spell-like ability, with the caster level equal to the shabti’s class level.

Alternate Racial Traits

  • Blank Slate: Some shabti are bereft of memories of their past lives but can accomplish great improvisations. Shabti with this racial trait can, once per day as a free action, treat any skill as though they had a number of ranks equal to half of their character levels for one skill check (minimum 1 rank). This racial trait replaces past life knowledge.
  • Facsimile: A few shabti are made with such skill they are nearly perfect copies of a mortal. Shabti with this racial trait appear to be human, save perhaps for minor features like unusual skin color. They count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes (such as humanoid-affecting spells like charm person). This racial trait replaces immune to undeath and alters the native subtype.
  • Pharaonic Will: Rather than working to influence others, some shabti focus inward. Once per day as an immediate action after failing a save against a charm, compulsion, or fear effect, a shabti with this racial trait can reroll the save with a +2 racial bonus. This racial trait replaces spell-like ability.
  • Soul Sympathy: Crafted to suffer punishments intended for their masters, some shabti can use this mortal connection to serve as reciprocal conduits. As an immediate action after being afflicted by temporary negative levels, a shabti with this racial trait can force the creature that inflicted the negative levels to suffer the same cumulative penalties, hit point loss, and caster level reduction. The shabti can use this ability only on an enemy within 60 feet and can share penalties with only one creature at a time. The shabti can sever this link as a free action. This racial trait replaces resist level drain.

Favored Class Options

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Adventure Path #84: Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh © 2014, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Mike Shel, with Tyler Beck, Adam Daigle, F. Wesley Schneider, and Amber E. Scott.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Creighton Broadhurst, Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Joe Homes, James Jacobs, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, Thom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Wes Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Mike Shel, James L. Sutter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.

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