Dreamguards are warriors of the waking world, defending us from the nightmares that lurk in the minds of the fearful and seek to gain entrance into this world from the outer realms. In exchange for a wish they become the guardians of the mortal plane from outsiders.

Dreamguards are as rare as they are mysterious and walk as much in the waking world as in the dreaming one. When they awaken their power the dreamscape, where anything is possible, asserts itself into the real world around them. They are the sworn defenders of the mortal plane, the fount of their power, from those who would harm it.

The source of a dreamguard’s power is the mortal plane itself. They are sought out in dreams by the manifestation of its will and if they accept the terrible burden of being a dreamguard, they are granted a wish by the mortal plane as a form of payment. This is essentially the mortal plane allowing them to slightly disturb it in exchange for a greater good in the long run.

Hit Dice: D10.

Role: Dreamguards are front line fighters with the power to punish outsiders and summoned creatures. They have several unique abilities relating to dreaming, illusions, and seeing the future that they can use to provide great value to their parties. They are primarily martial characters though they need a high Charisma to take full advantage of some of their class features.

Alignment: Any. Though dreamguards tend to overwhelmingly be of Good alignment (particularly Chaotic Good) they are not exclusively so. Those known as “nightmareguards” are of evil alignment and often have some cruel vengeance to enact upon outsiders. Some undertake the oath simply to gain the benefit of the wishes they are granted for service. Nightmareguards often clash with dreamguards over the proper way to do things and more than one dream duel has occured on the dreamscape between two or more dreamguards of various alignments.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills: The dreamguard’s class skills are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Table: The Dreamguard

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Slumber Duration
1st	+1	+0	+0	+2	Binding wish, guardian of the realm, vivid dreams	-
2nd	+2	+0	+0	+3	World egg	-
3rd	+3	+1	+1	+3	Lucid dreamer, slumber	1d4
4th	+4	+1	+1	+4	Dream shepard	1d4
5th	+5	+1	+1	+4	Effective dreams (1)	1d4
6th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+5	Dreamstep	1d4
7th	+7/+2	+2	+2	+5	Lucid dreamer	1d6
8th	+8/+3	+2	+2	+6	Dreamscape dueling	1d6
9th	+9/+4	+3	+3	+6	Effective dreams (2)	1d6
10th	+10/+5	+3	+3	+7	Dreamshaper	1d6
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+3	+7	Sandman’s breath	2d4
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+4	+8	Slumber	2d4
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+4	+8	Effective dreams (3)	2d4
14th	+14/+9/+4	+4	+4	+9	Dreamshaper	2d4
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+5	+9	Lucid dreamer	2d6
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+10	Repose riposte	2d6
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Effective dreams (4)	2d6
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Repose riposte	2d6
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Lucid dreamer	1 minute
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Morpheus	1 minute

The following are the class features of the dreamguard.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The dreamguard is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (excluding tower shields).

Binding Wish

At 1st level, the dreamguard gains a wish (as per the spell wish) as a sort of payment for becoming a dreamguard. If they accept this wish they are bound in three ways:

• The character must remain a dreamguard until at least 5th level (They cannot select a different class).
• They cannot willingly leave the mortal plane. If they do so they lose access to all dreamguard class features other than weapon and armor proficiencies until they return to the mortal plane and get at least 8 hours of rest.
• If they don’t use a world egg at least once a month, they die (see the world egg class feature).

Guardian of the Realm (Su)

As protector of the waking world the dreamguard can transform themselves into a “Guardian of the Realm” form, granting them powers in the mortal realm that a dreamer might experience. While in this form their body burns with a rainbow aura that resembles fire but is immaterial to the touch. A dreamguard can enter this state as a swift action and, starting at 1st level, a dreamguard can be in this state for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + their Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st, they can be in this state for 2 additional rounds.

While in this form the dreamguard gains an insight bonus on attack and damage rolls equal to 1/2 their dreamguard level (minimum +1) against all outsiders and summoned creature, automatically bypassing and DR that creature might have. Outsiders and summoned creatures destroyed by a dreamguard are not sent back to their home realm but destroyed outright. An outsider or summoned creature slain by a dreamguard becomes a world egg if they posed a reasonable threat to the dreamguard (typically within a few CRs of the dreamguard’s level).

Additionally, while in this state all terrain within 100 feet are subject to the effects similar to that of hallucinatory terrain centered on the dreamguard. If a creature starts their turn in the radius of this they may make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 dreamguard level + Charisma modifier) to resist its effect. Allies and enemies alike are impacted by this fantastic and dreamlike world that is subject to the designs of the dreamguard.

Vivid Dreams (Su)

Starting at 1st level, so long as the dreamguard gets 8 hours of rest, every night they have a dream that gives them a powerful vision. This takes one of two forms, as decided by the GM:

• They will receive a glimpse that something that will happen in the next 24 hours. This bit of information amounts to a sentence or two of dialogue, a face, a name, etc. It’s often couched in a lot of metaphorical and dream-like imagery.
• They gain a view of a place far from where they are that is important to their current quest, goal, or mission (or at least something useful) as if they were using the scrying spell.

World Egg (Su)

Any time a dreamguard kills an enemy outsider or creature summoned by an enemy a dreamguard gains an object known as a “world egg”. A world egg is a concentrated form of their energy that forms into a small, ornate, solid, egg.

Starting at 2nd level, any time a dreamguard is reduced to 0 (or less) hit points a world egg on their person is consumed and the damage taken by the dreamguard is lessened by an amount equal to 1d8 + 1/2 dreamguard level (to a maximum of 0 damage taken). Regardless of the number of world eggs a dreamguard has, only one world egg can be used per day in this fashion.

Alternatively, a dreamguard can consume a world egg to recover 2 additional rounds in their guardian of the realm state (this cannot bring them over their maximum).

Dreamguards can buy, sell, and trade world eggs and sometimes use them to brag about powerful enemies they have slain. The kind of creature a world egg used to be can be determined with a DC 15 Knowledge (planes) check. A world egg can be bought for 250 GP and can be sold for half as much. A world egg can be consumed for no benefit other than fulfilling their Binding Wish class feature as a move action.

Lucid Dreamer (Ex)

At 3rd level, the dreamguard gains a +1/3rd dreamguard level (minimum +1) on all saves against sleep effects. At 7th level this extends to all mind-affecting effects and renders them immune to sleep effects (though they may choose to lower this immunity as a free action). Additionally, at 7th level they can cause themselves to instantly fall asleep as a swift action, regardless of what is going on around them. While doing so, they may impart an effective dream upon themselves.

At 15th level, a dreamguard becomes immune to all mind-affecting effects.

At 19th level, all allies adjacent to the dreamguard are immune to sleep effects, except for sleep effects that originate from the dreamguard themselves.

Slumber (Su)

At 3rd level, a dreamguard can touch a creature and cause it to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 level + Charisma modifier) or fall asleep for 1d4 rounds. The duration of this effect increases as the dreamguard grows in power. See Table: The Dreamguard for the duration at each level.

At 12th level, a dreamguard can do this as part of another melee attack. If the creature fails their Will save, they fall asleep after damage is dealt.

Dream Shepard

At 4th level, a dreamguard is aware of the presence or absence of sleeping creatures within 1 mile of them. They are aware of the approximate location of a specific dreamer if they spend a move action to do so and may instantly ascertain if any creature they can perceive is asleep. The dreamguard gains no other information about the creature from this. This also allow the dreamguard to automatically defect if a creature is sleeping or not.

Effective Dreams

Starting at 5th level, whenever a dreamguard puts a creature to sleep they may give that creature a specific kind of dream. Alternatively, the dreamguard may impart this with a swift action by touching a willing, sleeping, creature. Finally, a dreamguard may select one effective dream to give themselves while they sleep if they fall asleep naturally.

The dreamguard learns their first these “effective dreams” at 5th level and learns one additional one at 9th level and every 4 levels thereafter. A creature can only have 1 effective dream active on them at a time. A new effective dream replaces any older one. If an effective dream has a save the DC is 10 + 1/2 dreamguard level + Charisma modifier.

• Deep Sleep: The creature does not dream but instead has a comatose experience. The creature gains the deep sleep condition rather than the asleep condition. The dreamguard must be at least 9th level to select this effective dream.
• Fitful Sleep: When the creature awakens they are fatigued for the same duration they were asleep.
• Guarded Slumber: The creature gains the effect of an alarm spell centered on them while they sleep.
• Hypnotic Dream: The dream has a hypno-induced command. This function as per the spell suggestion though it only begins after the creature awakens.
• Message: The dreamguard imparts a message of their own design to the creature. This can include visuals, sounds, and even written text but the creature is fully aware that is is a dream.
• Pleasant Dreams: The dreamguard imparts a pleasing vision, so that the creature awakens in a more pliable mood. Upon awakening, the creature becomes friendly to the first creature it sees, as if by charm person.
• Restful Sleep: The creature gains regeneration equal to 1/2 the dreamguard’s level while asleep. A given creature cannot recover more than the dreamguard’s level in HP per day in this fashion from a given dreamguard.
• Sleep Paralysis: The creature is paralyzed while sleeping.
• Vanish: If placed on an outsider or summoned creature the dreamguard uses the power of the dreamforce to erode the connection between our world and an outer plane. The creature must make a save each round or be subject to a banishment spell.
• Waking Dream: Creature continues to act as though not asleep but is confused (as per the confusion spell). The creature still counts as asleep, though not helpless, and will have no memory of their actions when they “awake”.

New Conditions: Drowsy, Asleep, & Deep Sleep

Drowsy (New): A drowsy creature is shaken and has a -4 penalty on all saves against sleep effects.

• Asleep (Clarification): According to the sleep spell: “Sleeping creatures are helpless. Slapping or wounding awakens an affected creature, but normal noise does not. Awakening a creature is a standard action (an application of the aid another action). Sleep does not target unconscious creatures, constructs, or undead creatures.” Additionally, the Perception skill implies that sleeping creatures have a -10 penalty on Perception checks.
• Deep Sleep (New): A character who is deeply sleeping is asleep and cannot be awakened by any means until the end of the effect.

Sidebar: Why Would You Use Sleep Paralysis?
Unchivalrous nightmareguards like to inflict that sort of effective dream before engaging in dreamscape dueling (see the dreamscape duel class feature).

Dreamstep

At 6th level, as a full round action a dreamguard can flicker out of existence, turning into a thought and emerging as a multi-color etheal plasma from the mouth of a sleeping creature within 1 mile before instantly re-solidifying. They must be aware of the approximate location of this creature. If there is not a safe space adjacent to the dreamer the dreamstep attempt automatically fails. Dreamstepping automatically ends the dreamguard’s turn. After using this class feature the dreamguard is fatigued for 1 minute and must wait 10 hours - 1 hour per level until they use it again. At 10th level a dreamguard can use this ability once per minute and are only fatigued for 1 round.

Dreamscape Dueling

At 8th level, a dreamguard can enter the mind of an unconscious creature and duel them in a one on one battle. Setting this up takes 1 minute of contact between the dreamguard and their target. Then the foe gets Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 dreamguard level + Charisma modifier). Once they have done this the dreamguard enters the dream of their victim and the two may fight. Both combatants are represented exactly how they are in the real world and anything that happens to them in the dream happens in real life (even consuming item uses and the like). While in this dreamscape (or if someone is in their dreamscape) a dreamguard gains a 1/2 dreamguard level insight bonus on all attacks and damage rolls against their target.

Dreamscape dueling is the preferred method for dreamguards to fight in.

Dreamshaper (Su)

Dreaming renders the world mutable to the designs of a dreamguard and others with a strong connection of dreams. When everyone else goes to sleep for a night of rest, a dreamguard’s work is just beginning. By shaping their dreams they can incorporate events from the preceding day and change them by using lucid dreaming techniques; reshaping their own memories of the events. Upon awakening the world is changed, retroactively always having followed a version of events closer to what happened in the dreamguard’s dream.

At 10th level, after sleeping for 8 hours, the dreamguard can make a “dreamshaping” check. They roll 1d20 + 1/2 their dreamshaper level + their Charisma modifier and consult Table 4-2: Dreamshaping to determine the DC. Typically this allows them to treat one d20 roll that was successful as being successful or vice versa. The GM then decides how the rest of the day would have played out had that roll been changed while attempting to keep the story as similar as possible to what actually happened.

At 14th level a dreamguard gains a +4 insight bonus on dreamshaping checks.

Use the rules below to form the appropriate DC for the check.

Table: Dreamshaping

Change	DC
Change a failed d20 roll you or an ally made to a success	Original DC (or other relevant value)
Change a successful d20 roll someone else made to a failure	Make an opposed roll against whatever the d20 roll was.
Make a single extra full attack	Target’s AC (or other relevant defensive value)
Converse with a target for up to 1 minute	20
Obtain an item you had that was lost, broken, or stolen	(Item’s price in GM/1,000) + 15 (Minimum 1 GP)
Take a full round action at some point during the day	10
Deprive another creature you encountered of taking one turn’s worth of actions that they took.	15

Deeper Rules

• A GM may rule that an event was too impactful to be changed and always has authority over how things transpired.
• The more impactful changed event (i.e “how much the story has to change”) the higher the DC. No or almost no change in the story means no change in the DC. A minor change (some GP was won, objects were destroyed, some social situation played out differently, etc) adds 2-4 to the DC, a substantial change (someone didn’t die who did, an extra object was achieved, notable fame was gained) adds 6-8 to the DC, and massive changes (the king is not killed, a battle that was lost was won or at least a draw, etc) add 10-12 to the DC.
• No experience is ever awarded for dreamshaping.
• Now new information is gained via dreamshaping. You only know what you knew during that day. This means that, while you may converse with someone, your recognition of what they actually said in response to you is hazy and nonsensical, though you get the gist of it.
• Gods and creatures with a CR 3 or more greater than yours are unaffected by your dreamshaping.
• Despite being a dream, you are still limited to your normal capacities while dreamshaping.
• Dreams are self-centered and thus you are largely only change your own impact on a situation (you may rally the troops better but you don’t control the troops in your dreams).
• Any dream in which you die or would die automatically fails.
• On principle, treat any creature or object you attempt to change as if dreamshaping was a spell, they were unwilling targets, and your dreamshaping check is your attempt to effect them with it. This means you can use it on things like unattended mundane objects, dead bodies, and the environment are prime targets are easier targets than strong creatures.

Sandman’s Breath (Su)

At 11th level, a dreamguard can crush a world egg and scatter the dust. This causes all creatures within a 30 foot cone to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 dreamguard level + Charisma modifier) or fall asleep. While using this the dreamguard can select 1 effective dream to give to anyone who fails the save.

Repose Riposte (Su)

At 16th level, when a creature successfully damages the dreamguard while they are using their guardian of the realm ability as an immediate action the dreamguard can expend 1 world egg on their person to cause that creature to immediately make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 level + Charisma modifier) or fall asleep. The dreamguard can impart an effective dream onto that creature if they wish.

At 18th level the dreamguard does not need to consume a world egg to do use this class feature, though it takes an immediate action.

Morpheus (Su)

At 20th level, the dreamguard can enter into their guardian of the realm state at will (without a rounds per day limit). In addition, any enemy creature who ends their turn within 10 feet of the dreamguard must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 level + Charisma modifier) or fall asleep (ala the slumber class feature).