Femme Fatales are beautiful and charming women,
often found among the courtesans and mistresses frequented by the
nobility. They are most frequently cold and calculating creatures driven
by a quest for personal power, whether they wear the crown themselves or
direct the course of events from the shadows. Typically, they will seek
out the most powerful and wealthy man they can find, seduce him, drain
him of cash and gifts, then abandon him for a
more promising target.
“She danced away with a saucy laugh and an
even saucier roll of her hips. Mayhap his purse could stand one more
night.”
---Robert Jordan, CONAN THE UNCONQUERED
Hardly a Conan story exists that does not
feature a Femme Fatale. They are powerful movers and shakers behind the
scenes of any civilized society. Their lust for power often leads them
along the road of theassassin, poisoner, sorcerer or thief if they
cannot become nobles themselves. An alarming number of Femme Fatales,
often ex-paramours of sinister sorcerers, possess enough ill-gotten
arcane knowledge to have the Dabbler feat, and these are the most
dangerous seductresses of all.
Variant Femme Fatale: Priestesses of
demon gods and fertility goddesses (such as Derketo and Ishtar) all make
flavorful variants over the more common variety, as do obsessive,
psychotic stalkers who aren't so much fixated on obtaining wide personal
power as in complete domination over a single target.
Femme Fatales, Race and Favoured Class:
Any female from any civilized (non-nomadic) race should be able to take
Femme Fatale as her favoured class; they exist in cities everywhere.
Most femme fatales in Hyboria are exotic beauties from the decadent
foreign lands of Khitai, Shem (the western city-states), Stygia, Vendhya,
or Zamora; however, many Nemedian and Zingaran femme fatales exist.
Male Version: This class can easily be
adapted to males, if desired. For another take on male seducers, see the
“Lothario” PrC in The Quintessential Human and Ultimate
Prestige Classes, Vol. 2, both by Mongoose Publishing.
Abilities: A high Charisma is most
important to a Femme Fatale. High scores in Dexterity (for a high dodge,
initiative, and finesse attack), Intelligence (for skill points) and
Wisdom are also useful.
Abbreviation: Fem
HD: d6
Starting Equipment: 100 + 10d6 sp
Skill Points At 1st level: (8 + Int mod)
x4
Skill Points At Each Additional Level: 8
+ Int mod
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff
(Cha), Craft (Int), Craft (Herbalism) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise
(Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha),
Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge
(Local or Nobility), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha),
Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex),
Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).
___________________________________________
Level 1: Art of Seduction +2, Charismatic
Defense, Sneak Attack Style, Sneak Attack +1d6/+1d8. Base Attack +0,
Base Dodge +0, Base Parry +0, Magic Attack +0, Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2.
Level 2: Dance of Desire 1/day, Fervent
Kiss 1/day. Base Attack +1, Base Dodge +1, Base Parry +0, Magic Attack
+0, Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3.
Level 3: Black Widow, Passion, Sneak
Attack +2d6/+2d8. Base Attack +2, Base Dodge +1, Base Parry +1, Magic
Attack +1, Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3.
Level 4: Art of Seduction +4, Dance of
Desire 2/day.
Base Attack +3, Base Dodge +2, Base Parry +1,
Magic Attack +1, Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4.
Level 5: Fervent Kiss 2/day, Sneak Attack
+3d6/+3d8. Base Attack +3, Base Dodge +2, Base Parry +2, Magic Attack
+2, Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4.
Level 6: Bonus Feat, Sneak Attack Style.
Base Attack +4, Base Dodge +3, Base Parry +2, Magic Attack +2, Fort +2,
Ref +5, Will +5.
Level 7: Dance of Desire 3/day, Evasion,
Sneak Attack +4d6/4d8. Base Attack +5, Base Dodge +3, Base Parry +3,
Magic Attack +3, Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5.
Level 8: Art of Seduction +6, Fervent
Kiss 3/day. Base Attack +6/+1, Base Dodge +4, Base Parry +3, Magic
Attack +3, Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6.
Level 9: Mobility, Sneak Attack
+5d6/+5d8. Base Attack +6/+1, Base Dodge +4, Base Parry +4, Magic Attack
+4, Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6.
Level 10: Bonus Feat, Dance of Desire
4/day. Base Attack +7/+2, Base Dodge +5, Base Parry +4, Magic Attack +4,
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +7.
Level 11: Fervent Kiss 4/day, Sneak
Attack +6d6/+6d8. Base Attack +8/+3, Base Dodge +5, Base Parry +5, Magic
Attack +5, Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +7.
Level 12: Art of Seduction +8, Sneak
Attack Style. Base Attack +9/+4, Base Dodge +6, Base Parry +5, Magic
Attack +5, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8.
Level 13: Dance of Desire 5/day, Sneak
Attack +7d6/+7d8. Base Attack +9/+4, Base Dodge +6, Base Parry +6, Magic
Attack +6, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8.
Level 14: Bonus Feat, Fervent Kiss 5/day.
Base Attack +10/+5, Base Dodge +7, Base Parry +6, Magic Attack +6, Fort
+4, Ref +9, Will +9.
Level 15: Sneak Attack +8d6/+8d8. Base
Attack +11/+6/+1, Base Dodge +7, Base Parry +7, Magic Attack +7, Fort
+5, Ref +9, Will +9.
Level 16: Art of Seduction +10. Base
Attack +11/+6/+1, Base Dodge +8, Base Parry +7, Magic Attack +7, Fort
+5, Ref +10, Will +10.
Level 17: Dance of Desire 6/day, Sneak
Attack +9d6/+9d8. Base Attack +12/+7/+2, Base Dodge +8, Base Parry +8,
Magic Attack +8, Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +10.
Level 18: Bonus Feat, Fervent Kiss 6/day,
Sneak Attack Style. Base Attack +13/+8/+3, Base Dodge +9, Base Parry +8,
Magic Attack +8, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +11.
Level 19: Sneak Attack +10d6/+10d8. Base
Attack +14/+9/+4, Base Dodge +9, Base Parry +9, Magic Attack +9, Fort
+6, Ref +11, Will +11.
Level 20: Art of Seduction +12. Base
Attack +15/+10/+5, Base Dodge +10, Base Parry +9, Magic Attack +9, Fort
+6, Ref +12, Will +12.
___________________________________________
CLASS FEATURES:
Weapon & Armor Proficiency: A Femme
Fatale is proficient with all simple weapons, poniards and whips. They
are not proficient with any armour or shields.
Art of Seduction: The femme fatale
receives a +2 bonus at first level to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, and Perform skill checks against those attracted to her
gender when wearing light or no armour. This bonus increases by +2 every
fourth level (+4 at 4th level, +6 at 8th level, +8 at 12th level, etc.).
Charismatic Defense: The femme fatale
uses her Charisma modifier as a bonus to her Dodge DV and saving throws
at all times vs. those attracted to her gender when wearing no armour.
This bonus is reduced by 50% if light armour and negated completely by
medium or heavy armor.
Sneak Attack Style: As Thief.
Sneak Attack: As Thief.
Dance of Desire: A Femme Fatale with
three or more ranks in Perform (Dance) can, with a successful skill
check, cause all those within 30 feet of her who are attracted to her
gender (and not otherwise distracted, such as in combat) to become
fascinated with her. The targets to be fascinated are allowed
a Will save (DC equals 10 + her Perform: Dance skill modifier). Those
fascinated receive a -4 penalty to Listen and Spot checks so long as she
keeps dancing. Should a target make its save, she cannot attempt to
fascinate that same target again for 24 hours. If she has six or
more ranks in Perform (Dance), the fascinated audience's penalty
to Listen and Spot checks is further increased to -6; if she has ten or
more ranks in Perform (Dance) the fascinated audience's penalty
to Listen and Spot checks is further increased to -8. The femme fatale
must be wearing no armor to use dance of desire. At 2nd level, she can
use this ability once per day; this increases to twice per day at 4th
level, and by one use every third level thereafter (3/day at 7th, 4/day
at 10th, etc.).
Fervent Kiss: Once per day, a Femme
Fatale can use her fervent kiss class feature against a person
attracted to her gender to achieve one of the following
effects of her choice: 1) To stabilize a dying individual;
this works like an automatic success of the Heal
skill; 2) impart a +1 morale bonus to an individal's
attack, damage, skill checks and saving throws for a
number of hours equal to her Charisma modifier; or 3)
receive a +1 bonus to her next Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather
Information or Sense Motive skill check against
the target of her kiss. The femme fatale must be
wearing no armor or light armor to use fervent kiss. Her
use of this class feature increases to twice per day at
5th level, and by one more use every third level
thereafter
(3/day at 8th level, 4/day at 11th level, etc.).
Black Widow: The femme fatale gains the
Poison Use
feat for free (and ignores the prerequisites) at
3rd
level.
Passion: At 3rd level, a femme fatale can
make someone attracted to her gender into her thrall
through sexual intercourse. She must make a Perform
check opposed by her victim's Will save (DC 10 + her
Perform modifier). If she succeeds, the target
becomes her thrall. In order to attack, disobey, or lie
to the femme fatale, the thrall must make a Will save
(DC 10
+ Femme Fatale's class level + Femme Fatale's
Charisma modifier). A thrall has a -4 penalty to
saves against a femme fatale's Charisma based skills,
spells and spell-like abilities.
If a femme fatale is attacked or obviously in
danger, her thrall gets a +2 to attack and damage rolls
made while defending her. A femme fatale may hold one
person in thrall at 3rd level and a second at
5th level. A person cannot be enthralled by two femme
fatales at the same time.
Bonus Feat: At 6th level, and every four
levels thereafter (10th, 14th, and 18th) the femme
fatale may choose any a bonus feat from this list:
Alertness, Beauteous Visage, Charming, Commanding Voice,
Courtesan, Dangerous Beauty, Dodge,
Fleet-Footed, Gossip Network, Light-Footed, Improved
Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Negotiator, No
Honour, Patience, Performer, Persuasive, Priest (she
ignores the prerequisites), Seductive, Skill Focus,
Sleep
Mastery, Sneak Subdual, Stealthy.
Evasion: At 7th level, the femme fatale
gains Evasion.
If exposed to any effect that allows a Reflex
saving throw for half damage, the femme fatale takes no
damage wioth a successful saving throw. Evasion
can only be ud if she is wearing light or no armour.
If the femme fatale already has Evasion as a class
feature
from some other class, she instead gains
Alertness.
Mobility: At 9th level, the femme fatale
gains a +4
dodge bonus to Defence Value against attacks of opportunity caused when she moves out of or
within a threatened area. If the femme fatale already has
Mobility from some other class, she instead
gains Fleet-Footed.
___________________________________________
NEW FEATS
APPEARANCE: ABOVE AVERAGE (General)
Physically, you are more appealing to others.
This can take the form of something blatant, such as a
perfectly sculpted face, or something more subtle, like a
pair of radiant or unusually colored eyes.
Prerequisites: Cha 11+.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff
(non-combat), Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.
Special: You may only take this feat at
first level.
BEAUTEOUS VISAGE (General)
You are supernaturally attractive.
Prerequisite: Charisma 18+.
Benefit: You are becoming beyond the ken
of mortals, with a face that could launch a thousand ships
or break ten thousand hearts. Barring obvious
hostility, all NPC attitudes from those attracted to your
gender are automatically raised by two levels and a
Charisma check can potentially raise them even more, but cannot lower it.
Special: This feat can only be taken at
1st level unless you are a Scholar with a Corruption score of 7+.
CHARMING (General feat)
You are extremely charming, clever and witty.
Prerequisite: Cha 13+.
Benefit: Your Charisma is considered to
be two points higher than normal for determining your ability
modifier to all Charisma-based skills against
those attracted to your gender.
Special: Your Charisma increase granted
by this feat only counts towards your magic attack modifier
vs. those attracted to your gender.
CHARISMATIC DEFENSE (General)
Your exquisite body distracts your enemies in
combat.
Prerequisite: Cha 13+.
Benefit: You use your Charisma modifier
as a bonus to your Dodge DV and saving throws at all times vs.
those attracted to your gender when you are wearing no
armor. This bonus is reduced by 50% if you are
wearing light armor and negated completely by
wearing medium or heavy armor. This feat
provides an mechanic for the scanty style of battle dress
popular among sword & sorcery archetypes such as
chainmail bikini heroines and loincloth wearing
barbarians.
COMMANDING VOICE (General)
Your voice is beautiful and confident.
Prerequisite: Cha 13+.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Bluff
and Diplomacy checks that involve speaking, and to
Perform checks that involve speaking, singing or
reciting verse.
COURTESAN (General)
Clever, witty, and well-educated, courtesans
advise, seduce and entertain clients on every level.
They also learn to manipulate others to their advantage.
Benefit: The following are always
considered class skills for you, regardless of class: Bluff,
Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform. You receive a
+1 bonus to each skill (Bluff bonus in non-combat
only).
DANGEROUS BEAUTY (General)
You have a certain something about you that
compels others to lust after you, regardless of the
danger.
Prerequisites: Charisma 15+, Appearance:
Above Average.
Benefit: Targets lose the benefit of
their Wisdom bonus against all of your Charisma based skill
checks.
Special: This penalty applies to any Will
saves against spells cast by you from the Hypnotism sorcery
style.
GOSSIP NETWORK (General)
You have a reliable network of friends, lovers
and/or contacts among a certain group or unique
location.
Prerequisite: Cha 13+.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Gather
Informationand Intimidate checks within a particular city
or among a certain organization.
Special: The group or location selected
can be changed after six months spent with a new group
or in a new location.
SEDUCTIVE (General)
Your seductive manner allows you to manipulate
those attracted to you like mere puppets on a
string.
Prerequisites: Cha 13+, Appearance: Above
Average.
Benefit: You begin the day with a number
of Seduction points equal to your Charisma
modifier. Any time you make a Charisma based skill check
to influence or impress someone attracted to your
gender, you may spend a Seduction point to add a +1d6
bonus to your roll. Additionally, before an opponent
makes a Charisma-based skill check or Sense Motive roll
against you (or someone you are trying to
bluff,. persuade, or seduce), you may spend a Seduction
point to incur a -1d6 penalty to your opponent’s
roll. Unspent Seduction points are lost at the end of
the day.
Special: You may take this feat up to
three times; each time, it increases the size of the die (d6 to
d8, d8 to 2d6) and you gain an additional Seduction point.
SIGN OF THE WHORE (General)
Your birth was strongly influenced by the whore,
the sign of temptation. Your birthright became an
uncanny knack to manipulate others.
Benefit: Once per day, you may make a
Bluff (Seduction) skill check as a free action to
overwhelm a target attracted to your gender with your
seductive presence. If the target fails to make a Will
save with a DC equal to your skill check result, you gain a
+10 bonus on your next Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, Intimidate or Perform check against
him.
Special: This feat may only be taken at
first level.
VIXEN (General)
You naturally know how to use your beauty and
seductive manner to manipulate others.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff
checks out of combat against those attracted to your gender.
Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Perform are
always considered class skills for you.
Special: This feat can only be taken at
first level.
___________________________________________
NEW EQUIPMENT
Clothing, Serving Wench: .5 sp (5 cp). A
cheap muslin outfit covering little more than trull’s
garb. It advertises the wearer’s lowly profession
plainly, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to female
Disguise checks to impersonate a serving wench.
Clothing, Trull: 2 sp. This scanty attire
consists of a colorful, diaphanous silk loincloth and a
suggestive, low-riding belt to attach it to. Red is the
usual color of the silk, as red is the color asociated with
whores and avoided by other women. This has led to trulls
being referred to as “red silk girls” in many cities.
Trull’s clothing advertises the wearer’s profession
plainly, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to female
Disguise checks to impersonate a trull.
Clothing, Courtesan: 20 sp. This
revealing but comparitively expensive attire consists of thin
golden breast plates (not to be confused with
breastplate armor; the plates are mere coverings that
emphasize rather than disguise) which are connected by a
tiny golden chain, a bejewelled golden belt, and a gold-embroidered diaphanous silk loin cloth.
Courtesan’s clothing advertises the wearer’s profession plainly but with more taste and
ostentation than trull’s clothing, granting a +2
circumstance bonus to female Disguise checks to impersonate a
courtesan. Daring noblewomen in decadent lands such as
Zamora sometimes cannot be told apart from their
courtesan counterparts, leading to embarrassing and deadly
mistakes.
Dress, Daring: 20-50 sp. A female wearing
this exquisitely made, daringly slit silk garment
gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy and
Gather Information checks against those attracted to
the wearer’s gender. Dresses of this type are worn
by courtesans and lusty noblewomen; styles, color,
cut and embroidery vary wildly, but all reveal more
than they conceal. A female wearing one gains a +2
circumstance modifier to Disguise checks made to
impersonate a courtesan or noblewoman on the
prowl.
Female Make-Up Kit: 5 sp. Kohl for the
eyes, powder, rouge, garish red lip coloring, all
cheap. A woman who wears this is often said to get her
beauty from a "paint pot" and may be implied to have
little beauty of her own as natural, at least by
jealous competitors. It is frequently worn by tavern
trulls and streetwalkers to call attention to their eyes
and profession. The price is for a one month supply.
It provides a +1 circumstance penalty to the
disguise skill of any female trying to pose as a cheap
trull.
Female Make-Up Kit, Deluxe: 50 sp. This
is the kind used by many concubines, courtesans or noble
ladies, being composed of excellent quality materials.
The price is for a one month supply. It provides a
+1 bonus to disguise checks for females trying to pose as
courtesans or nobles, and a +1 bonus to all
Charisma-based skill checks between the female
wearing it and those attracted to her gender.
Female Make-Up Kit, Masterwork: 150 sp.
This kit is composed of only the rarest and most
expensive beauty enhancers available throughout the known
world. Only the richest concubines, courtesans
and noble ladies can afford it. The price is for a
one month supply. It provides a +2 circumstance bonus to
disguise checks for females trying to pose as
high-ranking courtesans or nobles, and a +2
bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks between the
female wearing it and those attracted to her gender.
Jewelry, Arm Ring: 10-50 sp. This is a
gold band designed to fit around the upper arm snugly. Arm
bands vary in design from the plain but
masculine ring favored by many warriors, to the ornate,
slithering serpents favored by Stygian noblewomen. Costs
vary according to the intricacy and ornamentation;
certainly more expensive versions exist, but are not
commonly encountered.
Jewelry, Anklet: 5-20 sp. This is a
flimsy gold chain worn around the ankle favored by courtesans. The
varying cost accounts for different levels of
quality in the metal and design. More expensive versions
(often set with gems) exist for up to 100 sp.
Jewelry, Bracelet: 2 sp-200sp. Worn
around the wrists, these clink and clash together or
against other objects, creating a -2 penalty to Move Silently
checks. Neck versions are rumored to exist in the Black
Kingdoms where some tribes use multiple rings to
stretch their women’s necks out over time.
Jewelry, Necklace: 4 sp-400 sp. Whether
plain or set with gems, these flashy items are designed to
draw attention to the wearer’s neck and chest. Costs
vary according to the intricacy and ornamentation;
certainly more expensive versions exist, but are not
commonly encountered.
Jewelry, Ring: 2-200 sp. Available in
many different designs and with many ornamentations, in
different quality levels. Versions exist for the ears,
fingers, nose, toes, and other body parts. More expensive
rings exist but are not commonly encountered. Signet
rings feature an upraised family crest or other
readily identifiable symbol and are used to seal
important documents in wax as a form of proof that the
document comes with authority. Signet rings
typically cost 10 sp.
Perfume, Common: 5 sp. These are the
strong, cheap perfumes used by dancers and trulls everywhere.
Each bottle holds approximately 30 applications. Each
application provides a +1 bonus to
Charisma-based skill checks and a +4 bonus to rolls to locate
you by scent and the perfume has a duration of 1d4+1
hours. Wearing more than one application at a time does
not improve the bonus to Charisma-based skill
checks, but does increase the duration by 1d4+1 hours and
the bonus to locate you by scent to +8.
Perfume, Fancy: 50 sp. These are
expensive local perfumes representing the best commonly
available, and are worn by courtesans and noble ladies
alike. Each bottle holds approximately 30 applications.
Each application provides a +2 bonus to
Charisma-based skill checks and a +6 bonus to rolls by others
to locate you by scent and the perfume has a duration of
1d4+1 hours. Wearing more than one application at a
time does not improve the bonus to Charisma-based
skill checks, but does increase the duration by 1d4+1
hours and the bonus to locate you by scent to +10.
Perfume, Exotic: 150 sp. These are the
rarest, most exquisite lotus blossom fragrances imported from
Stygia, Vendhya and Khitai. Each bottle is a
minor work of art in and of itself and holds
approximately 30 applications. Each application provides a +4
bonus to Charisma-based skill checks and a +10 bonus to
rolls by others to locate you by scent and the perfume
has a duration of 1d4+1 hours. Wearing more than one
application at a time does not improve the bonus
to Charisma-based skill checks, but does increase
the duration by 1d4+1 hours and the bonus to locate
you by scent to +12.
___________________________________________
NEW MAGIC ITEMS:
Necklace of Fire: Although exact details
of the legend vary, all versions of the tale say a sorcerer
laid a spell on this necklace for a queen, and a woman who
wears it becomes irresistible.
“Thirteen rubies, each as big as the first
joint of a man’s thumb, each set on a moonstone-crusted
seashell in gold. Now, that’s worth stealing.”
---Robert Jordan, CONAN THE UNCONQUERED
Any female who wears the necklace of fire
receives a +10 bonus to all Charisma based skill checks
against those attracted to her gender.
Cost: 10,000 sp.
