Min/Max Boards

Preface

This is a concept that I've had in mind for a while. It's not for any specific game -- yet. But some day I might be able to play again, instead of running. This is a build to hedge that happy day.

Sovereign Speaker is a class from Faiths of Eberron which adds 9 Domains over 9 levels, and advances spellcasting by 7 levels. Getting in requires 8 ranks of Knowledge (religion) and one feat: Worldly Focus (from Faiths of Eberron).

Divine Crusader is a class from Complete Divine which gives you 9 levels of spells in 10 class levels, but your spell list is one Domain. Getting in requires BAB +7, 2 ranks of Knowledge (religion), and one feat: Weapon Focus in your patron's weapon.

According to Faiths of Eberron, the Sovereign Host can be treated as a single patron, and as such the Sovereign Host has favored weapon: longsword.


Build Skeleton

The character must be Neutral Good to gain and retain Divine Crusader spellcasting, and since this is practical optimization that limits the prefix and postfix classes to choices which are compatible with NG alignment.

(any full-BAB) 7 / Divine Crusader 1 / Sovereign Speaker 9 / (2:3 caster advancing PrC)

Ability scores: Divine Crusader casts from Charisma, so that's going to be important. Mono-dependence on Charisma would be pretty sweet.

The 7-level prefix and 3-level postfix are the main areas where I want input.

Domain selection is another significant area.

Character race may be strongly limited by the postfix (see below).


Prefix Discussion

The obvious choice seems to be Crusader, which is strong in its own right and has Knowledge (religion) as a class skill. Seven levels in Crusader gives one level 4 Maneuver, Cha to Will, an arbitrary Smite 1/day, and access to White Raven Tactics.

Duskblade is interesting. It looks like Arcane Channel, Spell Power, and Quick Casting would also apply to our Divine Crusader spells. The Int casting requirement is a negative, but that's balanced by access to Knowledge (religion) and a generally good skill list. At level 7 we'd be able to cast level 2 Duskblade spells in Medium armor with a Heavy shield. Having a decent Int is nice for skills at all levels, but with a low point-buy this might not be viable. Still, if you can boost Int + Cha + Con, and have enough Dex or Str left over to hit things occasionally, this might be the best of all.

Warblade has some Intelligence perks, but ignoring them isn't a big downside, and if we can get even +2 Int that's not bad. Huge HD, Iron Heart Surge, and White Raven Tactics... not a bad package. Not as good as Crusader's Charisma synergy, but not bad. Possibly better Con(centration) synergy, in fact, since that investment will benefit Diamond Mind early, and benefit casting late-game.

Paladin would have great Charisma synergy, at least for 4 levels, but our NG alignment requirement seems to prohibit its use.

Oddly enough Battle Dancer (from Dragon Compendium) might have been usable, since it has some Charisma synergy and all we actually need is full BAB -- but again our NG alignment requirement seems to prohibit its use.

Ranger is usually a good choice, and with the Education feat (Eberron Campaign Setting) we'd have access to the skills we need. Mystic Ranger might be viable with an Elf, or with a few Crusader levels, for Longsword proficiency -- or if we actually spent a feat on Longsword Proficiency, but that thought hurts my soul.

Barbarian (+Education) is a fun image. With flaws, we could squeeze in Barbarian 4 / Fist of the Forest 3 and be the smelliest wandering prophet.

Swashbuckler 3 (+Education, or +Crusader) might be interesting, if you have enough Dexterity & Intelligence to make use of the bonuses.

Fighter is a class that exists. Yep. We could get some feats. Or, with the Thug + Sneak Attack variants, it's even a decent value for 7 levels, but still demands the Education feat. Still, Sneak Attack +4d6 isn't terrible.

Half-Orc Paragon is full BAB, and so is the follow up Orc Paragon. That's potentially 6 levels of base-class avoidance altogether, and up to +4 Strength, but I don't find them to be particularly compelling. Dwarf Paragon is also full BAB with +2 Con, but I think it's also not particularly compelling. Maybe I'm spoiled by high point-buys.

Anything else viable?

What early-access PrCs could fit in?


Postfix Discussion

At level 17, we take Sovereign Speaker 9. That leaves us with 8/10 advancement of Divine Crusader casting, so we want 2 more levels of spellcasting advancement, plus whatever else we can get. We have access to 10 Domains at this point, and 8th level spells.

I see two different yet compelling choices:

Heir of Siberys (from Eberron Campaign Setting) - One of the most iconic Eberron classes, and a perfect fit. The spell granted keys off your race, so your race choice is severely limited to the so-called "dragonmarked races". Human is generally best, having access to Mark of Making and Mark of Storm -- but Half-Orc, Half-Elf, Elf, and Dwarf are all potentially viable.

These Siberys Dragonmarks are strong in terms of raw power, plus they're politically significant.

Requires one feat (Heroic Spirit) and 15 ranks in any two skills.


Uncanny Trickster (from Complete Scoundrel) - This can advance Sovereign Speaker, which advances spellcasting and bonus Domain access. We would end up with a total of 12 Domains at level 20. Plus, we get 3 bonus skill tricks (yawn), and we can pick 3 skill tricks that work 2/encounter instead of 1/encounter -- this latter ability is solid, since Swift action Concentration is strong for a high-level primary caster.

Domain abilities can be strong, and adding another up to 18 spells to our list is potentially the best use of these 3 levels.

Requires 4 skill tricks, which probably means a decent Int will be rewarded.


Each of these are 3/4 BAB, which leaves us with BAB +16.75 at level 20, which is a nice way to enter Epic.

But those are just two obvious capstone classes. What else could go here?


Domain Choices

So, which Domains to pick?

Sovereign Speaker has an odd requirement that you can't have more than 2 Domains from any specific deity. This means that Domains which are common to several gods are toxic -- for example, if you take the Good domain which is common to 6 gods, you're now limited to at most 1 other Domain from each of those gods.

Luckily, most Domains are exclusive to only one god. The Domains to treat carefully are:
- Good (6 gods: Arwal, Baldorei, Dol Arrah, Dol Dorn, Olidrah, Onatar)
- Law (3 gods: Aureon, Baldorei, Dol Arrah)
- Creation (2 gods: Arwal, Onatar)
- War (2 gods: Dol Arrah, Dol Dorn)

All other Domains are free & clear, and the list is a doozy -- the full list is discussed here: http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=3429


Help me rate them, and pick an order.


Summing Up

This is a character who goes from being a nobody with a dead-end job ("Full BAB? Feh, peasant.") to being an incredibly powerful spellcaster, and possibly a politically significant player in one of the major Dragonmarked Houses.

The major support for the concept is just 10 character levels in the middle of the class build, leaving a lot of room for customization at both ends.

There are a lot of free feat slots, too.


Please help me figure out all the potential specifics.

Thanks!

Spellwurm (Magic of Eberron, p.156) looks like it might be good for early entry.

The trick: Versatile Spellcaster feat allows a 1st level spontaneous caster to cast a 2nd level spell, and Spellwurm give a 2nd level spell known (blur).

I think this is pretty solid, rules-wise, and requires no Dragon Magazine access.

== == ==

What about other symbiotes?

I see the Mind Leech in the Fiend Folio which casts as a level 10 Sorcerer -- but it doesn't look like that counts as the host casting, so I think it's not useful for meeting prereqs.

Are there others which grant (Sp) (or other caster level), which does count as the host's casting?

I wanted to comment on this handbook: http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=474

... but I can't find any commentary thread, and I don't have permission to create one. So I'm making this thread instead.

Here's the trick:

Primal Scholar (Secrets of Xen'drik, p.127) is a 5-level PrC that has a class feature choice Secret of Power, which allows you to spend an Action Point as a free action to recover a number of spell levels equal to your Primal Scholar class level.

Unfettered Heroism (Races of Eberron, p.190) is a level 5 spell that gives you 1 bonus Action Point each round for 1/level rounds; if unspent, the bonus action point disappears right before a new one is given.


The Eberron-canon way to use this trick is simply:
- Take all 5 levels of Primal Scholar, and choose Secret of Power as one of your Ancient Secrets. You can do this by level character level 12.
- Learn Unfettered Heroism.

Round 1: cast unfettered heroism; use your bonus AP as a free action to immediately recover the 5th level spell slot.
Round 2: cast any combination of spells with spell-slots level 5 and under; use your bonus AP as a free action to recover up to 5 levels of them. This may mean quickened magic missile + fireball, and you only recover quickened magic missile this round. You can regain the fireball any time later today, and you can do this an unlimited number of times per day.


= = =

We can do this earlier than 12th level, of course, by mixing in other setting material. For example:

Wizard 5 / Incantatrix 3 / Primal Scholar 2 (character level 10) with Secret of Power can use her Incantatrix 3 feature to cast Persistent Unfettered Heroism once, and then use the day-log bonus Action Points to recover all level 1 and 2 spells all day.

There's good synergy between Incantatrix and Primal Scholar, so after you take all 5 levels of Primal Scholar (for freely recovering up to 5th level spells all day) you'll probably want to finish out Incantatrix, too -- and then proceed into Epic Incantatrix.

= = =

We can break it more horribly, too:

Wizard 5 / (filler 2) / Primal Scholar 5 / Legacy Champion 8 is effectively an 11th level Primal Scholar. That means you can spend an Action Point to recover an expended 11th level spell. You don't have those at level 20, but you will soon. Oh yes you will. If you finish out Legacy Champion (to get 20th level casting), then at character level 22 you can recover expended 13th level spells.

After that, you can take 3 levels of Supernatural Trickster gets you up to 15th level spells, but maybe you'd prefer to take Epic class levels for a while first, so you actually have some spell slots higher than 9th level.

Dragonmarked Sorcerer [General]
You possess greater magical versatility than most of those who share your dragonmark.

Prerequisite: Member of appropriate dragonmarked race and house, does not possess an existing dragonmark, sorcerer level 1st.

Benefit: Add all sorcerer spells from your dragonmarked house's least, lesser, and greater dragonmarks to your list of known spells, even if you are too low of level to cast them yet (you cannot cast these spells until you are of the appropriate level to do so). You also gain a physical dragonmark, although this does not provide you with spell-like abilities. Initially, this resembles the least dragonmark of your house. When you gain the ability to cast a spell replicating the power of a lesser or greater dragonmark, your mark changes to the appropriate shape and size.

Special: Once you take this feat, you may not take Aberrant Dragonmark, Greater Dragonmark, Least Dragonmark, Lesser Dragonmark, nor may you take this feat if you already have one of these.

=====

Does / should this count as a Dragonmark for the purpose of taking feats like Mark of the Dauntless?

Does / should this count as a Dragonmark for the purpose of prohibiting entry to Heir of Siberys?

Kleptologue

The kleptologue is a re-write of the spellthief, aimed at campaigns where magic is not rare, where psionics are present (but uncommon), and where the magic-psionics transparency rules are in effect. This seems to be a common set of campaign world choices.

Play this class if you want:
- To be a Rogue with some unusual magical tricks.
- To frustrate and hamstring enemy spellcasters.
- To apply teamwork and creativity to multiply the power of your party's primary casters.
- To use your knowledge about the monsters of the world to remove their defenses and help your team shine.

Advice for DMs:
- Remember that a Psionic manifester can never spend more power points per power than her Manifester Level, which is at most her character level. Augmentations for even a 1st level power will eventually go up to 20, but she can't spend 20 points on a power until her character is level 20.
- Remember that dispel magic works on Psionic powers, just like dispel psionics works on Magic spells.
- If the above rules are followed, then Psionics is balanced along side Magic.
- Psionics is probably weird to most NPCs, but no weirder than a Warlock, a Binder, a Totemist, or a Dragonborn.


"Since when do Wizard whisper in fear of these so-called 'Kleptologues'? What do my mighty brothers and sisters of the Art have to fear from some upstart with strange powers? They are mere thieves, and like the thieves before them, they shall fall to the puissance of our considerable defenses."

Kleptologues are thieves first and foremost. Their psionic powers are strange to many, even the most learned sages, and their ability to steal magical powers is rightly feared by the mighty.

Here are some roleplaying ideas:

Driven by Envy: You are jealous of the power of primary spellcasters (Clerics, Wizards, and Druids). You worked hard to hone your physical skills, but you were never good enough to compete with them. The stress of your situation triggered your latent psychic abilities, and you realized that even if you couldn't be what you had always wanted to be, you could at least steal it from those who could. You see the world as a zero-sum game: for one person to win, another must lose. You aim to win, and damn the bodies you must step over to get there.

Grasping at Beauty: You paid another silver, and sat down to watch the Illusionist's show. But somehow, the show wasn't the same as it was last year. Before, you had wondered at the marvelously strange creatures and images. This time, you were seeing something else, something under the images, a structure of ineffable beauty. You tried to tell your brother about it, but he couldn't see anything past the barmaid's bosom. So you crept under the benches and over to the most beautiful structure of all. You reached out for it, and ... it was the gnome who had been putting on the show, and you'd taken his invisibility spell for yourself.

Every Coin Counts: You need an edge, see? There's nobody gonna give you half a nocked nickle if you can't prove that you got an edge. My edge? Sure, I'll tell ya. Ain't no loss spilling that pint. My edge is that I can steal a coin from your purse, or steal a spell from your soul. I can hit a bull's eye with a dart, and I can pull the dart back with my mind. I've learned every trick a second-story man can take from these streets, and then I took that knowledge up the Griff Mountains, where I had to duck griffons to get to the monastery. Stayed there a year, I reckon. They beat the vice out of my body, and they beat their weird powers into my head, but I'm not a monk, see? I'm a thief. So my powers are all my own, original, get me? That year at the monastery was the hardest thing I ever done, but it got me my edge.


HD: d6

Starting GP: 4d4 x 10

Skills (6 + Int): Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Info (Cha), Knowledge (local, psionics) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Perception (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Speak Language, Stealth (Dex), and Use Psi Device (Cha).

Table 1: The Kleptologue

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Class Features	PP/day	Powers Known	Max Power Level
1st	+0	0	0	2	Sneak Attack +1d6, Steal Effect, Trapfinding	0*	2	1st
2nd	+1	0	0	3	Detect Psionics, Steal Spell or Power	1	3
3rd	+2	1	1	3	Steal Energy Resistance 10	3	4
4th	+3	1	1	4	Steal Spell-Like Ability	5	5	2nd
5th	+3	1	1	4	Sneak Attack +2d6	7	6
6th	+4	2	2	5	Discover Powers and Spells	11	7
7th	+5	2	2	5	Absorb Effect	15	8	3rd
8th	+6/+1	2	2	6	Special Ability	19	9
9th	+6/+1	3	3	6	Sneak Attack +3d6	23	10
10th	+7/+2	3	3	7	Steal Spell Resistance	27	11	4th
11th	+8/+3	3	3	7	Steal Energy Resistance 20	35	12
12th	+9/+4	4	4	8	Special Ability	43	13
13th	+9/+4	4	4	8	Sneak Attack +4d6	51	14	5th
14th	+10/+5	4	4	9	—	59	15
15th	+11/+6/+1	5	5	9	Steal Insight	67	16
16th	+12/+7/+2	5	5	10	Special Ability	79	17	6th
17th	+12/+7/+2	5	5	10	Sneak Attack +5d6	91	18
18th	+13/+8/+3	6	6	11	Steal Energy Resistance 30	103	19
19th	+14/+9/+4	6	6	11	Steal Energy Immunity	115	20
20th	+15/+10/+5	6	6	12	Special Ability	127	21

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Kleptologues are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor but not with shields. Because of her intense mental and physical training, a kleptologue can cast stolen arcane spells while wearing light armor without incurring any arcane spell failure chance. However, a kleptologue wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure as normal (PHB p.123).

Power Points/Day: A kleptologue's ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Kleptologue. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). Her race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A 1st-level kleptologue gains no power points for her class level, but she gains bonus power points (if she is entitled to any), and can manifest either of the powers she knows with those power points.

Powers Known: A kleptologue begins play knowing two kleptologue powers of her choice. Each time she achieves a new level, she unlocks the knowledge of a new power.

Choose the powers known from the kleptologue power list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a kleptologue to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A kleptologue can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than her manifester level.

The total number of powers a kleptologue can manifest in a day is limited only by her available power points: those which she gains from her class and abilities, and those which she steals from her foes.

A kleptologue simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in her mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night's sleep each day to regain all her spent power points.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against kleptologue powers is 10 + the power's level + the kleptologue's Intelligence modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A kleptologue begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As she attains higher levels, she may gain the ability to master more complex powers. To learn or manifest a power, a kleptologue must have a Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power's level.

Sneak Attack (Ex): A kleptologue deals an extra 1d6 points of damage when flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. It increases to 2d6 points at 5th level, 3d6 points at 9th level, 4d6 points at 13th level, and 5d6 points at 17th level. See the rogue class feature (PHB p.50). If a kleptologue gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses on damage stack.

Trapfinding (Ex): A kleptologue can use the Search skill to locate traps with a DC higher than 20, and she can use Disable Device to bypass a trap or disarm magic traps. See the rogue class feature (PHB p.50).

Steal Spell Effect (Su): A kleptologue can siphon an active spell effect from another creature. A kleptologue who hits an opponent with a sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead gain the effect of a single spell or power affecting the target. If the target is willing, a kleptologue can steal a spell effect with a touch as a standard action.

The kleptologue can choose which power or spell effect to steal; otherwise, the DM determines the stolen effect randomly. If a kleptologue tries to steal an effect that isn't present, the stolen effect is determined randomly from among those currently affecting the target. A kleptologue can't steal an effect if its caster or manifester level exceeds her class level + her Intelligence modifier.

Upon stealing an effect, a kleptologue gains the stolen effect (and the original creature loses that effect) for 1 minute per class level (or until the effect's duration expires, whichever comes first). If the effect's duration hasn't expired by this time, the effect returns to the creature that originally benefited from it.

A kleptologue can steal the effect of a power or spell only if the spell could be cast on her by the original caster or manifester. For example, a kleptologue couldn't gain the effect of an animal growth spell (unless the kleptologue is of the animal type) or the effect of a shield spell (since that spell's range is personal). If a kleptologue tries to steal the effect of a power or spell which can't apply to her, the effect is still suppressed on the original target of the spell for 1 minute per kleptologue class level.

This ability does not work on spell effects that are immune to dispel psionics (such as bestow curse).

Detect Psionics (Sp): A kleptologue of 2nd level or higher can use detect psionics a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence bonus, if any (minimum 1). Her manifester level is equal to her kleptologue class level.

Steal Power or Spell (Su): A kleptologue of 2nd level can siphon psionic powers and spell energy away from her target and use either herself. A kleptologue who hits an opponent with a successful sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead steal a psionic power and power points, or a prepared spell, or the potential to cast a specific known spell, from her target. If the target is willing, a kleptologue can steal a spell or power with a touch as a standard action.

The target of a steal power or spell attack loses one 0-level or 1st-level spell from memory if he prepares spells ahead of time, or one 0-level or 1st-level spell slot if he is a spontaneous caster, or one 1st level power and one power point if he is a manifester. A spontaneous caster also loses the ability to cast the stolen spell for 1 minute, and a manifester loses the ability to manifest that power for 1 minute. If the target has no power points, and no spells prepared (or has no remaining spell slots, if he is a spontaneous caster), this ability has no effect. A kleptologue can choose which power or spell to steal; otherwise, the DM determines the prize randomly. If a kleptologue tries to steal a power or spell that isn't available, the stolen power or spell (or spell slot) is determined randomly from among those the target has available.

For example, a 1st-level kleptologue who uses this ability against a 1st-level sorcerer could choose to steal magic missile. Assuming the sorcerer knew that spell, a successful steal spell attack would eliminate one 1st-level spell slot and temporarily prevent him from casting magic missile. If the same kleptologue stole magic missile from a wizard who had it prepared, the wizard would lose one prepared magic missile spell (but wouldn't lose any other magic missile spells he might also have prepared).

After stealing a power or spell, a kleptologue can cast the spell herself on a subsequent turn. Treat the spell as if it were cast by the original owner of the spell for the purpose of determining caster level, save DC, and so forth. A kleptologue can cast this spell even if she doesn't have the minimum ability score normally required to cast a spell of that level. The kleptologue must supply the same components (including verbal, somatic, material, XP, and any focus) required for the stolen spell. Alternatively, a kleptologue can convert the stolen spell power into temporary power points, to fuel any kleptologue power that she knows (effectively, this gives the kleptologue free power points). Stolen spells and temporary power points must be used within one hour of theft; after that, the stolen power fades away with no effect.

A kleptologue can steal powers and spells up to to one-half her manifester level (rounded down). Thus, at 4th level, she can steal powers and spells of up to 2nd level, and for every two levels gained after 4th, the maximum power and spell level stolen increases by one (up to a maximum of 9th-level powers and spells at 18th level). Whenever she steals a psionic power, she also steals enough power points to manifest that power without augmentation. (There are feats which can increase this baseline.)

When a stolen spell is converted into temporary power points, it is converted into the minimum number of power points that would be necessary to manifest an unaugmented power of that spell's level. Thus, a magic missile spell stolen from a 9th level wizard could either be saved as 9 spell levels, or cast as a 9th level spell (creating 5 magic missiles), or converted into a single temporary power point.

At any one time, a kleptologue can possess a maximum number of stolen power points plus stolen spell levels equal to her manifester level (treat 0-level spells as 1/2 level for this purpose). For instance, a 4th-level kleptologue can have two stolen 2nd-level spells, or one 2nd-level spell and 2 stolen power points, or any other combination of power points and spell levels totaling four. If she steals power points or a spell that would cause her to exceed this limit, she must choose to lose stolen spells sufficient to reduce her total number of stolen spell levels to no more than her maximum.

A kleptologue can't apply metamagic feats or other effects to the stolen spell unless the specific spell stolen was prepared with such an effect. For example, a kleptologue of 6th level or higher could steal a wizard's empowered magic missile, but only if she specifically chose to steal empowered magic missile. If she chose to steal an unmodified magic missile, she couldn't steal an empowered magic missile, a silent magic missile, or any other metamagic form of the spell. A kleptologue couldn't steal an empowered magic missile from a sorcerer, since the sorcerer applies metamagic effects upon casting and thus he has no prepared empowered magic missile spell. (Since powers are never prepared, this is only relevant when stealing spells.)

This ability works only against spells and psionic powers. It has no effect on psi-like or spell-like abilities (but see the steal spell-like ability class feature, below).

Steal Energy Resistance (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a kleptologue can siphon off some or all of a target's resistance to an energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). A kleptologue who hits an opponent with a successful sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead temporarily gain resistance 10 to an energy type to which her target is resistant or immune. If the target is willing, a kleptologue can steal energy resistance with a touch as a standard action.

Simultaneously, the target creature's resistance to that energy type is reduced by 10 (to a minimum of 0). A creature with immunity to an energy type retains that immunity (but see the steal energy immunity class feature, below).

If the target has more than one type of resistance to energy, a kleptologue can choose which kind to steal; otherwise, the DM determines the stolen resistance randomly from among those possessed by the target. If a kleptologue chooses to steal a type of resistance that the target doesn't possess, the stolen type of resistance is determined randomly from those possessed by the target.

The resistance a kleptologue gains from using this ability lasts for 1 minute. If the resistance is derived from a temporary effect (such as a spell), the stolen resistance disappears when the effect expires.

A kleptologue can use this ability multiple times, but its effects do not stack unless they apply to different types of energy. For example, throughout a long combat, a kleptologue might use this ability to gain resistance to fire and resistance to cold, but she could not use it twice on a creature that is resistant to fire to gain twice as much resistance to fire (nor to reduce the creature's resistance to fire by twice as much).

At 11th level, the maximum resistance she can steal increases to 20.

At 18th level, the maximum resistance she can steal increases to 30.

Steal Psi-Like or Spell-Like Ability (Su): At 4th level and higher, a kleptologue can use a sneak attack to temporarily steal a creature's psi-like or spell-like ability. A kleptologue who hits an opponent with a sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead gain one use of one of the target's spell-like abilities. If the target is willing, a kleptologue can steal a spell-like ability with a touch as a standard action.

This psi-like or spell-like ability can originate from the target's class, race, template, or any other source, and can be of any level up to the maximum level power that th kleptologue could know (as indicated on the table). A kleptologue can select a specific spell-like ability to steal; otherwise, the DM chooses the ability at random. If the ability has a limited number of uses per day, the target must have at least one such use left, or the kleptologue can't steal the ability. If the target can't use its ability at the present time (such as a summoned demon's summon ability), the kleptologue can't steal it.

A kleptologue can use a stolen psi-like or spell-like ability once. For all purposes (caster level, save DC, and so on), treat the spell-like ability as if it were being used by the original possessor of the ability. A kleptologue must use the stolen spell-like ability within 1 minute of acquiring it, or it is lost harmlessly. Until the kleptologue uses the ability (or until the minute elapses), the target cannot use the stolen ability.

Discover Powers and Spells (Ex): A kleptologue of 6th level or higher who steals a power from a manifester or a spell from a spellcaster with her steal power or spell ability automatically learns the names of all other spells prepared, spells known, or powers known by the target that are of the same spell level as the stolen power or spell. This knowledge allows the kleptologue to better choose what to steal on subsequent attacks.

For example, a 13th-level kleptologue who steals disintegrate from an enemy sorcerer would also discover the names of all other 6th-level spells known by that sorcerer.

Absorb Effect (Su): Beginning at 7th level, if a kleptologue's power resistance negates a spell targeting her, or if she makes a successful save against a power or spell that targets her, she can use an Immediate action to attempt to absorb the energy for later use. This ability affects only spells that have the kleptologue as a target, not effect or area spells. A kleptologue can't absorb a power or spell of a higher level than she could steal with her steal power or spell ability (see above).

To absorb a spell that targets her, a kleptologue must succeed on a manifester level check against a DC of 10 + (the spell's caster level or power's manifester level). Failure indicates that the spell has its normal effect -- which might be nothing, since she did already make her save. Success means that the spellthief suffers no effect from the spell and can cast the spell later (or convert its energy into temporary power points) as if she had stolen the spell with her steal power or spell ability. Her normal limit of total spell levels stolen still applies.

Special Ability: On attaining 8th level, and at every four levels thereafter (12th, 16th, and 20th), a kleptologue gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options:

• Evasion (Ex): As the Rogue class ability.
  
  
• Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the kleptologue can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the kleptologue's attack of opportunity for that round. Even a kleptologue with the Combat Reflexes feat can't use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
  
  
• Skill Mastery (Ex): The kleptologue becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A kleptologue may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
  
  
• Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the kleptologue's ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a kleptologue with slippery mind is affected by a telepathy power, or an enchantment spell or effect, and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
  
  
• Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The kleptologue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If she already has uncanny dodge from a different source, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
  
  
• Feat: A kleptologue may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.
  

Steal Power or Spell Resistance (Su): Beginning at 10th level, a kleptologue can use a sneak attack to temporarily steal some or all of a creature's power or spell resistance. A kleptologue who hits an opponent with a sneak attack can choose to forgo 3d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead reduce the target's power or spell resistance by 5. The kleptologue also gains power resistance equal to 5 + her manifester level (up to a maximum value equal to the original power or spell resistance of the target). If the target is willing, a kleptologue can steal power or spell resistance with a touch as a standard action.

The stolen power or spell resistance benefits the kleptologue for a number of rounds equal to the kleptologue's Intelligence modifier (minimum 1 round) and then returns to the target creature. If the power or spell resistance is derived from a temporary effect (such as a spell), the stolen resistance disappears when the effect elapses. A kleptologue can't use this ability on the same creature again until the creature's stolen resistance returns.

Steal Energy Immunity (Su): At 19th level, a kleptologue can steal the very fire from an elemental. A kleptologue who hits an opponent with a successful sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 4d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead temporarily gain immunity to an energy type to which her target is immune. If the target is willing, a kleptologue can steal energy immunity with a touch as a standard action.

Simultaneously, the target creature's immunity to that energy type is suppressed.

If the target has more than one type of immunity to energy, a kleptologue can choose which kind to steal; otherwise, the DM determines the stolen immunity randomly from among those possessed by the target. If a kleptologue chooses to steal a type of immunity that the target doesn't possess, the stolen type is determined randomly.

The immunity a kleptologue gains from using this ability lasts for 1 minute. If the immunity is derived from a temporary effect (such as a spell), the stolen immunity disappears when the effect expires.

A kleptologue cannot use this ability again until the minute expires, or until she voluntarily relinquieses the immunity (as a free action).


=====

Kleptologue Powers

Assassin's Eyes
Clairsentience
Level: Kleptologue 2
Display: Auditory
Manifesting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Power Points: 3

You focus your attention on your target, and the weaknesses in his defenses become obvious. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +4 insight bonus to attacks, and your attacks deal +1d6 sneak attack damage.

Augment: For every 2 additional power points you spend, the insight bonus to attacks increases by +1. For every additional 6 power points you spend, the sneak attack bonus increases by +1d6.


Disruptive Strike
Psychokinesis
Level: Kleptologue 1
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Power Points: 1

You charge your melee attacks with disruptive psionic energy. Until the start of your next turn, your attacks can inflict precision damage on the undead (including sneak attack, critical hits, and so on).

Augment: If you spend 2 additional power points, you can also inflict precision damage on plants and oozes. If you spend 4 additional power points, you can also inflict precision damage on constructs and elementals.


Far Strike
Psychoportation [Teleportation]
Level: Kleptologue 2
Display: Olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Power Points: 3

As you swing your blade, you momentarily teleport the energy of your attack at your foe's body. As part of this power, make a single melee attack against a creature within range. You can use a weapon or a natural attack. Only the energy of the attack is transmitted -- you do not physically strike your opponent, so your weapon is not subject to detrimental effects that would trigger on contact (such as might happen to a steel sword that was used to strike a rust monster).

Augment: For every additional 4 power points you spend, you can make an additional attack against the same creature at your full attack bonus.


Kleptologue Power List

Level 1

Astral Traveler: Enable yourself or another to join an astral caravan-enabled trip.
Attraction^A: Subject has an attraction you specify.
Biofeedback^A: Gain DR 2/-.
Bolt^A: You create a few enhanced short-lived bolts, arrows, or bullets.
Burst: Gain +10ft. to speed this round.
Call to Mind: Gain additional Knowledge check with +4 competence bonus.
Catfall^A: Instantly save yourself from a fall.
Chameleon: Gain +10 enhancement bonus on Hide checks.
Compression^A: You grow smaller.
Conceal Thoughts: You conceal your motives.
Control Flames^A: Take control of nearby open flame.
Control Light: Adjust ambient light levels.
Create Sound: Create the sound you desire.
Deceleration^A: Target’s speed is halved.
Déjà Vu^A: Your target repeats his last action.
Demoralize^A: Enemies become shaken.
Detect Psionics: You detect the presence of psionics.
Distract: Subject gets -4 on Listen, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
Disruptive Strike^A: Inflict precision damage on undead for 1 round; augment to affect plants, oozes, constructs, and elementals.
Elfsight: Gain low-light vision, +2 bonus on Search and Spot checks, and notice secret doors.
Empathy^A: You know the subject’s surface emotions.
Empty Mind^A: Gain +2 on Will saves until your next action.
Entangling Ectoplasm: You entangle a foe in sticky goo.
Far Hand^A: Move small objects at a limited distance.
Float: Buoy yourself in water or other liquid.
Force Screen^A: Invisible disc provides +4 shield bonus to AC.
Hammer^A: Melee touch attack deals 1d8/round.
Inertial Armor^A: Tangible field of force provides you with +4 armor bonus to AC.
My Light^A: Your eyes emit 20-ft. cone of light.
Precognition, Defensive^A: Gain +1 insight bonus to AC and saving throws.
Precognition, Offensive^A: Gain +1 insight bonus on your attack rolls.
Prescience, Offensive^A: Gain +2 insight bonus on your damage rolls.
Skate: Subject slides skillfully along the ground.
Stomp^A: Subjects fall prone and take 1d4 nonlethal damage.
Synesthete: You receive one kind of sense when another sense is stimulated.
Thicken Skin^A: Gain +1 enhancement bonus to your AC for 10 min./level.
Telempathic Projection: Alter the subject’s mood.
Vigor^A: Gain 5 temporary hit points.


Level 2

Animal Affinity^A: Gain +4 enhancement to one ability.
Assassin's Eyes^A: Gain +4 to attacks, and deal additional sneak attack damage for 1 round.
Body Adjustment^A: Heal 1d12 damage.
Body Equilibrium: You can walk on nonsolid surfaces.
Body Purification^A: Restore 2 points of ability damage.
Cloud Mind: You erase knowledge of your presence from target’s mind.
Concealing Amorpha: Quasi-real membrane grants you concealment.
Darkvision, Psionic: See 60 ft. in total darkness.
Detect Hostile Intent: You can detect hostile creatures within 30 ft. of you.
Dimension Swap^A: You and an ally switch positions.
Ego Whip^A: Deal 1d4 Cha damage and daze for 1 round.
Empathic Transfer^A: Transfer another’s wounds to yourself.
Energy Adaptation, Specified^A: Gain resistance 10 to one energy type.
Far Strike^A: Make a melee attack at range.
Feat Leech^A: Borrow another's psionic or metapsionic feats.
Hustle: Instantly gain a move action.
Id Insinuation^A: Swift tendrils of thought disrupt and confuse your target.
Inflict Pain^A: Telepathic stab gives your foe -4 on attack rolls, or -2 if he makes the save.
Levitate, Psionic: Subject moves up and down at your direction.
Prowess: Instantly gain another attack of opportunity.
Psionic Scent: Gain the scent ability.
Sense Link, Forced: Sense what subject senses.
Share Pain: Willing subject takes some of your damage.
Strength of My Enemy^A: Siphon away your enemy’s strength and grow stronger.
Sustenance: You can go without food and water for one day.
Thought Shield^A: Gain PR 13 against mind-affecting powers.
Tongues, Psionic: You can communicate with intelligent creatures.
Wall Walker: Grants ability to walk on walls and ceilings.


Level 3

Concealing Amorpha, Greater: Quasi-real membrane grants you total concealment.
Danger Sense^A: Gain +4 bonus against traps.
Dimension Slide^A: Teleports you very short distance.
Dismiss Ectoplasm: Dissipates ectoplasmic targets and effects.
Dispel Psionics^A: Cancels psionic powers and effects.
Ectoplasmic Form: You gain benefits of being insubstantial and can fly slowly.
Empathic Feedback^A: When you are hit in melee, your attacker takes damage.
Empathic Transfer, Hostile^A: Your touch transfers your hurt to another.
Escape Detection: You become difficult to detect with clairsentience powers.
Evade Burst^A: You take no damage from a burst on a successful Reflex save.
Graft Weapon: Your hand is replaced seamlessly by your weapon.
Keen Edge, Psionic: Doubles normal weapon’s threat range.
Mental Barrier^A: Gain +4 deflection bonus to AC until your next action.
Share Pain, Forced^A: Unwilling subject takes some of your damage.
Solicit Psicrystal^A: Your psicrystal takes over your concentration power.
Telekinetic Force^A: Move an object with the sustained force of your mind.
Telekinetic Thrust^A: Hurl objects with the force of your mind.
Time Hop^A: Subject hops forward in time 1 round/level.
Touchsight^A: Your telekinetic field tells you where everything is.
Ubiquitous Vision: You have all-around vision.


Level 4

Aura Sight^A: Reveals creatures, objects, powers, or spells of selected alignment axis.
Correspond: Hold mental conversation with another creature at any distance.
Dimension Door, Psionic: Teleports you short distance.
Energy Adaptation^A: Your body converts energy to harmless light.
Freedom of Movement, Psionic: You cannot be held or otherwise rendered immobile.
Inertial Barrier: Gain DR 5/-.
Power Leech: Drain 1d6 power points/round while you maintain concentration; you gain 1/round.
Psychic Reformation^X: Subject can choose skills, feats, and powers anew for previous levels.
Psychic Vampire: Touch attack drains 2 power points/level from foe.
Steadfast Perception: Gain immunity to illusory effects, +6 bonus on Spot and Search checks.
Telekinetic Maneuver^A: Telekinetically bull rush, disarm, grapple, or trip your target.
Trace Teleport^A: Learn destination of subject’s teleport.
Wall of Ectoplasm: You create a protective barrier.


Level 5

Adapt Body: Your body automatically adapts to hostile environments.
Leech Field^A: Leech power points each time you make a saving throw.
Plane Shift, Psionic: Travel to other planes.
Second Chance: Gain a reroll.
Shatter Mind Blank: Cancels target’s mind blank effect.
Teleport, Psionic: Instantly transports you as far as 100 miles/level.
Tower of Iron Will^A: Grant PR 19 against mind-affecting powers to all creatures within 10 ft. until your next turn.
True Seeing, Psionic: See all things as they really are.


Level 6

Aura Alteration^A: Repairs psyche or makes subject seem to be something it is not.
Cloud Mind, Mass: Erase knowledge of your presence from the minds of one creature/level.
Contingency, Psionic^X: Sets trigger condition for another power.
Co-opt Concentration: Take control of foe’s concentration power.
Dispelling Buffer: You are buffered from one dispel psionics effect.
Mind Blank, Personal: You are immune to scrying and mental effects.
Null Psionics Field: Create a field where psionic power does not function.
Temporal Acceleration^A: Your time frame accelerates for 1 round.


=====

EDIT: Formatting, plus some new powers to fill in some gaps in the power list.

Magic of Incarnum has always struck me as cool, but depressingly under-powered.

Someone somewhere suggested treating Meldshaper Level like Initiator Level and thereby give half-level increases for multiclass characters. (That also seems to solve the issue of Meldshaper Level for Feat-granted Soulmelds.)

But it seems like that is not quite enough. The Incarnum user also needs a way to buff save DCs and damage totals -- which could be accomplished by raising the Essentia ceiling.

I tried to merge these ideas, and came up with this:

---

Meldshaper Level (per class): Levels in that class + PrC levels that increase that class + 1/2 all other levels

Essentia Ceiling: 1/2 Meldshaper level (rounded down), or 1, whichever is higher

For example, the Essentia ceiling for a pure Meldshaper vs. a pure non-Meldshaper would look like this:

Level	Meldshaper	Other
1	1	1
2	1	1
3	1	1
4	2	1
5	2	1
6	3	1
7	3	1
8	4	2
9	4	2
10	5	2
11	5	2
12	6	3
13	6	3
14	7	3
15	7	3
16	8	4
17	8	4
18	9	4
19	9	4
20	10	5

... obviously with multi-classing there'd be plenty of variation in between. Like, a Soulcaster might end up with 2 Totemist levels + 10 Soulcaster levels + 8 other levels => ML 16, Essentia ceiling 8.

---

So, my questions are:

1/ What would this break?

2/ What MoI houserules have you tried in your game? How'd they work?

Is there a way to add the [Death] descriptor to an arbitrary spell?

Or, more generally, is there a way to add an arbitrary descriptor to an arbitrary spell?

Copying over from the WotC forums in anticipation of their imminent demise.

- - -

Hi guys. Here's something I thought I'd share: a nice use for a multi-class feat and some good Paragon Path synergy. It uses a Dwarf Warlock to quickly make a passable melee 2nd at Heroic tier, and at Paragon level able to hold his own against a Fighter in melee without sacrificing much as a Warlock.

Update:
- StarKiller_'s Hexforged -- a solid Warforged variant that kicks much posterior.
- The integral components: Build Skeleton.
- Hexhealer variant by MwaO.
- Accounted for July's rules update; added equipment section.

- - -


Original Build (through Paragon tier):

Stumpy MacHexhammer -- Dwarf Warlock (infernal pact)
Str: 16
Con: 18 (16 +2)
Dex: 10
Int: 12
Wis: 14 (12 +2)
Cha: 8

Level 1:
At-Will: Infernal pact = Eldritch Blast + Hellish Rebuke. No choices there.
Encounter: Vampiric Embrace is nice. It's a Will attack, and gives us 5+Int temporary HP.
Daily: Armor of Agathys. 10+Int temporary HP, and for the rest of the encounter, all enemies who start adjacent to us take 1d6+Con cold damage (or 2d6+Con with curse).
Feat: Chainmail Proficiency, so we can survive enemies starting adjacent to us.

Level 2:
Feat: Toughness, so we're slightly less squishy.
Utility power: Ethereal Stride. We're still kinda squishy.

Level 3:
Encounter: Fiery Bolt. It's a nice, fast way to clear minions away from a primary target, so you can curse the BBEG quickly.

Level 4: Con +1, Str +1
Feat: Dwarven Weapon Training (+2 damage with your warhammer). We could have taken this at 2nd level, but I'm a chicken.

Level 5:
Daily: Hunger of Hadar. "Sustain minor" is unappealing, but we are pretty sturdy by now, and not afraid of a charge attack, nor of being mobbed by minions (thanks to Armor of Agathys) -- thus, we can afford to regularly spend our Move action on a Curse.

Level 6:
Feat: Fighter multi-class feat (which is mostly useless in itself). We'll take the one-handed attack version, since we'll want our other hand free for an implement.
Utility power: Shroud of Black Steel seems most fitting. Gish buff! (However, note that Fey Switch is downright dirty if you've got your Armor of Agathys active, and your ally was surrounded by minions. Consider Fey Switch if you have a squishy Rogue who tends to get into trouble.)

Level 7:
Encounter: Howl of Doom! Our first Close power. Yay! This power is sweet if used in conjunction with a Wizard-made "zone of nastiness", and unlike the Wizard, you're tough enough to deliver it in person.

Level 8: +1 Str (-> 18), +1 Con (-> 20)
Free feat. Don't pay much attention to it, we're retraining this one at 11th level.

Level 9:
Daily: Summons of Khirad. I'd previously been in favor of the Iron Spike of Dis, because it deals half damage on a miss (and half + curse is still decent), but the ability to move a foe adjacent to you while you have your Armor of Agathys up is juicy. Unlike most Warlocks, you often enjoy standing toe-to-toe with a foe, so the opportunity to smack someone with your hammer is appealing too.

Level 10:
Feat: Wintertouched.
Utility power: Shielding Shades or Warlock's Leap. Both are good.
Retrain: Fiery Bolt (attack 3) -> Frigid Darkness (attack 3)

Level 11:
Feat: Hammer Rhythm (deal Con damage on a miss).
Enter Iron Vanguard paragon path (heal Con damage when we drop a foe; interrupt to spend an Action Point to act if we are dropped to zero).
Paragon Encounter: Frontline Surge. Str vs. AC, 2[w]+Str, and push the bugger one square, and we can Shift into into his old square, and if we do then our allies can shift as well.
Retrain: our 8th level Heroic feat into Lasting Frost*.
Equipment: You must now buy a Frost Warhammer. You should already own a Rod of Corruption.

Level 12:
Feat: Dwarven Durability (+2 healing surges; surges give you +5 healing).
Utility: Inexorable Shift. We can shift into any adjacent square, and if there was a critter there, we get to push him (no attack or save).
Retrain: Dwarven Weapon Training -> Scale Armor Proficency**.

*) Previously I'd had Twofold Curse as our 11th level feat, and it remains excellent, but the idea of Armor of Agythis + Summons of Khirad + a Frost Warhammer... makes me feel warm inside. In place of Twofold Curse, you should own and be familiar with the use of a Rod of Corruption, my favorite Rod in the whole game. NOTE: Armor of Agythis isn't an attack, so it can't impose cold vulnerability. However, it can sure as Hell be used to exploit cold vulnerability.

**) I'm counting on our +2d6 Curse to make up the damage, though the Frost trick won't hurt either. We'll probably take Weapon Focus (hammers) near Epic, just to be sure.

At 11th level, our basic attack deals Con damage on a miss, which is equivalent to a Fighter at-will (since our Con is higher than our Str). We have one (or two with power swap) Str vs. AC encounter powers that deal multiple Warhammer dice. We have one Close encounter power for crowd control, and of course we have many Warlock ranged attacks.

With our Curse, we deal 1d10+2d6+Str on a melee hit, and on a miss we still deal Con damage. We can benefit from items like Bracers of Mighty Striking, since we're mostly going to be making melee basic attacks.

Moreover, whenever we drop a foe, we get 5 hit points healed, and if that foe was cursed, we also get 11 temporary hit points. With Twofold Curse and Howl of Doom, we could drop two enemies in one round easy for 10 hit points and 11 temporary. That's staying power. Basically, if there are minions around, we can harvest them and heal up.

There's even more Con synergy between Iron Vanguard and Infernal Warlock. The 16th level ability ("Deal Con damage when you push a foe or knock a foe prone") is gold alongside the Iron Vanguard's regular powers (all of which push), and it makes Bull Rush a useful tactic against high-AC, low-Fortitude foes (though there are fewer of those than you'd expect). Con damage on a push makes Howl of Doom competitive with high-level powers, making me want to keep it alongside Spiteful Darts at high level.

Anyway, we're now getting to the point where we have to replace old stuff to get new stuff.

- - -

Level 12 Snapshot
Str: 19 (16 +3 level)
Con: 21 (16 +2 racial +3 level)
Dex: 11 (10 +1 level)
Int: 13 (12 +1 level)
Wis: 15 (12 +2 racial +1 level)
Cha: 9 (8 +1 level)

HP: 103 (12 +21 Con +60 level +10 feat); Bloodied 51; Surge 30 hp (25 +5 Con); Surges/Day: 13 (6 +5 Con +2 feat), plus one from Armor

Defenses:
- AC 26 (10 +6 level +10 armor)
- Fort 24 (10 +6 level +5 Con +3 item)
- Reflex 21 (10 +6 level +1 Int +3 item +1 class)
- Will 22 (10 +6 level +2 Wis +3 item +1 class)

Feats: Chainmail, Toughness, Dwarven Weapon Training -> Scale Armor, Fighter multi-class feat, Wintertouched, (whatever) -> Lasting Frost, Hammer Rhythm, Dwarven Durability


Magic Items:
- Frost Hammer +2 (8th level)
- Amulet of Protection +3 (11th level)
- Dwarven Scale Armor +3 (12th level)
- Rod of Corruption +3 (13th level)

Attacks: +2d6 Curse damage
Basic:
Frost Warhammer +14 vs. AC (6 level +4 Str +2 prof +2 weapon), hit 1d10 +6; miss 5 damage
Eldritch Blast +14 vs. Reflex (6 level +5 Con +3 impl), hit 1d10 +8

At-Will:

Hellish Rebuke: +14 vs. Reflex, damage 1d6 +8 fire

Encounter:
L1 - Vampiric Embrace: +14 vs. Will, hit 2d8 +8 necrotic
L3 - Frigid Darkness: +14 vs. Fort, hit 2d8 +8 cold +combat advantage
L7 - Howl of Doom: +14 vs. Fort, hit 2d6 +8 thunder +push 2 squares
Paragon - Frontline Surge: +14 vs. AC, hit 2d10 +6 +push +shift (+allies shift)

Daily:
L1 - Armor of Agathys (special), damage 1d4+5
L5 - Hunger of Hadar: 1-burst Zone, hit 2d10 necrotic and LoS; sustain attack +14 vs. Fort, damage 1d6 +8 necrotic
L9 - Summons of Khirad: +14 vs. Will, hit 2d10 +8 psychic and teleport; sustain minor teleport

Utility Powers:
L2 - Ethereal Stride (encounter)
L6 - Shroud of Black Steel (daily)
L10 - Shielding Shades (daily)
Paragon - Inexorable Shift (encounter)

- - -


Level 13:
Encounter: Vampiric Embrace -> Coldfire Vortex (yay cold synergy)

Level 14: +1 Str (-> 20), +1 Con (-> 22)
Feat: Plate Armor Proficiency

Level 15:
Daily: Hunger of Hadar -> Tendrils of Thuban (cold synergy, Zone immobilizes)

Level 16:
Paragon: Push or trip a foe = deal Con damage (6 points).
Feat: Plate Armor Specialization
Utility: Cloak of Shadow or Infuriating Elusiveness. Either way, nice mobility.

Level 17:
Frigid Darkness -> Warlock's Bargain. At last, a way to spend our copious temporary HP! Sadly, we won't be keeping this power for long.

Level 18: +1 Str (-> 21), +1 Con (-> 23)
Feat: Encounter Power Swap (Warlock's Bargain -> Vorpal Tornado). Now let me explain the awesome that is Vorpal Tornado. You get a Str vs. AC against all foes in a Close burst 1, and your hit deals 1[w]+Str +push +knockdown. Iron Vanguard deals Con damage on a push or a knockdown. So really, you're dealing 1[w] +Curse +Str +2Con, and your foes are prone and 1 square away from you. Together with Howl of Doom, we have two area Encounter powers that push. We can lay down a lot of damage when we're surrounded.

Level 19:
Daily: Armor of Agathys -> Minions of Mlbolge. Anyone who enters a square adjacent to you is pushed 3 squares and takes 2d10 fire damage, +implement bonus (keyword), +Con bonus (Trample the Fallen). That's a minimum of 2d10 +10. You don't even have to sustain it! You just need to keep replenishing your reservoir of temporary hit points.

Level 20:
Feat: Twofold Curse
Paragon Daily: Indomitable Strength. Str vs. AC, 4[w] +Str damage +push +knockdown +dazed, AND you get to spend a healing surge.

- - -

Equipment
Necessary:

• Rod of Corruption. This is my favorite magic item for a Warlock who plans to use his Pact Boon frequently.
  
• Armor: Duh. Get good armor. Preferably Dwarf armor, since extra Free action healing is tanky.
  
• Bracers of Mighty Striking: You're only going to be making melee basic attacks, so the extra damage is tasty.
  
• Weapon: Less important than your Armor & Rod. Can be up to 5 levels below you without impacting your awesomeness too much. Luckily Frost weapons are relatively cheap. (Compared to Flaming, for example -- why do they hate Tieflings? Oh well, not your problem.) If you are not taking the Lasting Frost route, look into a Relentless weapon (Dragon 365, Bazaar column) once you hit 16th level, and you'll probably have the most brutal critical hits possible before Vorpal at level 30.
  

Nice to Have:

• Winged Boots: If you're 15th level or higher, it's hard to find a better pair of boots, particularly since falling damage got so nasty.
  
• Cloak of Survival: Dwarves don't worry much about poison damage, so survival is superior to health IMHO.
  
• Belt of Vigor: You have a lot of healing surges. This is a good item for you.
  
• Rod of the Dragon's Heart: (Dragon 365, Bazaar column) Juicy, but highly situational. Since it's an Immediate power, you can't trigger it yourself, and it requires that your foes be clumped up. When it works, it can heal you a chunk of damage, but don't expect it to be useful every day.
  
• Flask of the Dragon's Breath: (Dragon 365, Bazaar column) Hey look, a cheap area attack. It appears the attack is either a Minor or a free action, but this may just be poor writing.
  

- - -

For Epic Destiny, I'm thinking Eternal Seeker, so we can get a couple more Str vs. AC powers. There's nothing bad about Demigod, though.

What are your thoughts? I'm sure there's still room for improvement!

Thanks, -- N

Nifft's Binder

Class Features
As a Binder, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per binder level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per binder level after 1st

Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None

Saving Throws: Constitution
Skills: Choose any two from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Persuasion, and Religion

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
* (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
* (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
* (a) a scholar's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
* Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers


Cantrips and Spells Known
The Binder base class does not provide any spells or cantrips directly. Instead, you gain access to cantrips and spells when you bind one or more vestiges, or when you gain a feature from a subclass. Spells provided by vestiges are considered known to you for as long as the vestige is bound.

When you finish a long rest, you can bind as many of your known vestiges as you have Vestige Slots. You can't bind the same vestige in two different slots, but you can leave a slot open if you wish.

When you finish a short rest, you can expel one of your current vestiges and bind another in its place.

If you leave a vestige slot unbound, you can take five minutes to bind any unbound vestige you know.

Spell Slots
The Binder table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your known spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.

For example, when you are 5th level, you have three 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell thunderwave, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell.

Spellcasting Ability
Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your binder pact spells, since you channel your spells through your own body and soul. You use your Constitution whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

In addition, you use your Constitution modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a binder pact spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier


Arcane Archetype
Anima Magus - You are an academic type, delving deep into the secrets offered by vestiges.
Blood Bound - Your connection to the arcane realms is etched into your body.
Knight of the Sacred Seal - You are a puissant warrior-mage.


Expert Negotiator
Choose two of the following skills: Deception, Intimidation, Insight, or Persuasion.
- If you are not proficient in the skill, you gain proficiency.
- If you are proficient in the skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for checks made with the skill.


Pact Tradition
Goetic - Your research expands your access to powers low and high: you may bind certain fiends and celestials.
Hermetic - The arcane vestiges you bind have taught you many arcane secrets, some of which you remember even when the vestiges leave.
Primal - Your research into the ancient magic of soul-binding gives you insight into the natural order, and you learn to bind certain natural entities to your will.


Pact Mastery
You can use your action to expel one of your bound vestiges and bind any other unbound vestige that you know. You can't expel a suppressed vestige. You can't use this ability again until you have completed a short rest or a long rest.
If you have no remaining spell slots when you roll initiative, then you immediately recover one expended spell slot.

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Spell Slots	Spell Level	Vestige Slots	Vestiges Known
1st	+2	Arcane Archetype, Pact Magic	1	1st	1	2
2nd	+2	Expert Negotiator	2	1st	1	3
3rd	+2	Pact Tradition	2	2nd	1	3
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	2	2nd	1	3
5th	+3	Extra Attack	2	3rd	2	4
6th	+3	Pact Tradition Feature	2	3rd	2	4
7th	+3	—	2	4th	2	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	2	4th	2	5
9th	+4	—	2	5th	2	5
10th	+4	Pact Tradition Feature	2	5th	2	5
11th	+4	Archetype Aspect	3	5th	3	6
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	3	5th	3	6
13th	+5	Archetype Aspect	3	5th	3	6
14th	+5	Pact Tradition Feature	3	5th	3	7
15th	+5	Archetype Aspect	3	5th	3	7
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	3	5th	3	7
17th	+6	Archetype Aspect	4	5th	4	8
18th	+6	Pact Tradition Feature	4	5th	4	8
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	4	5th	4	8
20th	+6	Pact Master	4	5th	4	8

Important Note
This is currently only mechanics. There is flavor for each Vestige, but typing them out is a lot of work, and right now I'm mostly interested in getting feedback on mechanics only.

Thanks!

Arcane Archetypes

Anima Magus
1 - You gain proficiency on Intelligence saving throws.
1 - You learn two Cantrips from the Wizard's list, which you cast as Binder spells.
1 - Book of Seals: You store your known pact seals in a tome, not unlike a Wizard's spell book.
1 - Ritualist: You can inscribe magical rituals in your Book of Seals. Choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class's spell list. The spells appear in the book and don't count against the number of spells you know. With your Book of Seals in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can't cast the spells except as rituals, unless you've learned them by some other means. You can also cast any binder spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your Book of Seals. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell's level is equal to or less than half your binder level (rounded up) and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

11 - Exploit Vestige: As a bonus action, you can suppress all benefits of one of your bound vestiges in order to regain all your expended spell slots. You lose all benefits of the suppressed vestige, but it still occupies a vestige slot until you take a short rest or a long rest. You can't use this ability again until you have completed a long rest.
11 - Unlock the ultimate power of one Vestige you know.

13 - Unlock the ultimate power of one Vestige you know.
15 - Unlock the ultimate power of one Vestige you know.
17 - Unlock the ultimate power of one Vestige you know.


Blood Bound
1 - You gain proficiency on Charisma saving throws.
1 - Scar Seal Soul Shield: You store your known pact seals as scars carved into your body. Whenever you use a spell slot to cast a spell provided by a bound vestige, that vestige's scar-seal pulses, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your Binder level plus your Constitution modifier.

1 - Bloodcasting: If your current hit points are above half of your maximum hit points, you can use a bonus action to reduce your current hit points to half your maximum hit points, and recover one of your expended Binder spell slots. You can't use this ability again until you've completed a short rest or a long rest.

11 - Blood Fury: You may add your Constitution modifier to the damage of any Binder cantrip you cast.
13 - When you use your Bloodcasting ability, you regain two expended spell slots instead of one.
15 - Armor of Scars: You gain a +1 bonus to armor class.
17 - Unlock the ultimate power of one Vestige you know.


Knight of the Sacred Seal
1 - You gain proficiency on Strength saving throws.
1 - You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. You etch your known pact seals into your arms and armor, stitch them into your garments and tabard — perhaps visibly, perhaps in places only you can find.
11 - Unlock the ultimate power of one Vestige you know.
13 - Your weapons attacks deal +1d4 extra Force damage.
15 - Clear Mind: You can't be frightened. Additionally, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
17 - Magic Resistance: You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.


Pact Traditions

Tradition Spells:
Cantrips and spells learned through a Tradition are always considered prepared, and you cast these spells as Binder spells, just like any spells provided by a Vestige.


Goetic Tradition
3 - Spirits of Light and Dark: You learn one language from the following list: Celestial, Infernal, or Abyssal. You immediately learn one Celestial or Fiendish spirit. This spirit does not count against your limit of known vestiges. From now on, whenever you can learn a new vestige, you may choose instead to learn a new Celestial or Fiendish spirit. You can bind spirits that you know as though they were vestiges, and all of your class abilities which reference vestiges also apply to spirits.

6 - You learn the spell Magic Circle. You may either learn one new Celestial or Fiendish spirit, or gain an additional spell slot.

10 - You learn the spell Planar Binding. You have advantage on all Charisma checks targeting Celestials or Fiends.

14 - Outsider Wings: You gain the ability to sprout a pair of feathery or bat-like wings from your back, like those of a celestial or fiend, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn. You can’t manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.

18 - Unlock the ultimate power of one spirit you know, or learn one Celestial or Fiendish spirit.


Hermetic Tradition
3 - Learn one Cantrip and two spells of a level you can cast from the Wizard spell list.

6 - You gain an additional spell slot, and learn one more spell from the Wizard spell list of any level you can cast.

10 - You learn two more spells from the Wizard spell list of any level you can cast.

14 - You learn one spell from any spell list of any level you can cast.

18 - You gain an additional spell slot, and all of your spell slots are 6th level instead of 5th level. You learn one spell from any spell list of any level you can cast.



Primal Tradition
3 - Primal Spirits: You can speak, read, and write Sylvan and Primordial. You immediately learn one Elemental or Fey spirit. This spirit does not count against your limit of known vestiges. From now on, whenever you can learn a new vestige, you may choose instead to learn a new Elemental or Fey spirit. You can bind spirits that you know as though they were vestiges, and all of your class abilities which reference vestiges also apply to spirits.

6 - You learn one cantrip from the Bard or Druid lists. Whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with Fey or Elementals, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.

10 - You learn the spells Conjure Woodland Beings and Conjure Minor Elementals.

14 - Primal Attendant: When you complete a short rest or a long rest, you can summon an Elemental or Fey of CR 1/2 or lower to serve you. You may attempt to lure a specific type of creature, but the DM decides what actually shows up based on the local environment. The attendant obeys your commands until you complete your next rest, or until you dismiss it, or until it is slain (its body disappears, including everything it's carrying).

18 - Unlock the ultimate power of one spirit you know, or learn one Elemental or Fey spirit.







Vestiges

Note: When you gain "vestigial knowledge", that usually means you gain Proficiency in a skill. If you already had Proficiency in that skill, you instead gain Advantage on that skill's checks.


Andromalius
Inherent:
- You gain Sneak Attack +1d6, as the Rogue class feature.
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Wisdom (Insight) checks.
- Cantrip: Mage Hand
- Spell: Tasha's Hideous Laughter
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Locate Object, See Invisibility
* Binder level 5: Your Sneak Attack improves to +2d6.
* Binder level 7: You always know when a creature is lying to you. You automatically notice when a creature makes an opposed Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against you.
* Binder level 9: Your Sneak Attack improves to +3d6.
Ultimate:
+ Your Sneak Attack improves to +5d6, and you always see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible.


Buer
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Medicine), and Wisdom (Survival) checks, including checks to track a creature.
- Spell: Healing Word
- Fast Recovery: If you have less than half of your maximum hit points when you roll initiative, increase your hit points to half of your maximum.
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Hunter's Mark.
* Binder level 5: You and all allies within 30 ft. have advantage on saves against poison and disease. When you bind Buer during a short rest, you or any of your allies who are below half maximum hit points are healed to half maximum hit points. This healing occurs before you or your ally spend any hit dice.
* Binder level 7: Spell: Aura of Purity
* Binder level 9: Spell: Mass Cure Wounds
Ultimate:
+ Fast Healing: At the start of your turn, if you have at least 1 hit point, you are healed for 5 hit points.


Dantalion
Inherent:
- You gain advantage on all Intelligence skill checks, and proficiency on Intelligence saving throws.
- Spells: Comprehend Languages, Sanctuary
- Cantrip: Guidance
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Detect Thoughts, Misty Step
* Binder level 5: Spells: Sending, Tongues
* Binder level 7: Spells: Compulsion, Locate Creature
* Binder level 9: Spells: Modify Memory, Legend Lore
Ultimate:
+ You can cast any one of Dantalion's spells (as a 5th level spell) as a bonus action without spending a spell slot or any components. You can't use this ability again until you complete a short rest or a long rest.


Dhalver-Nar
Inherent:
- You gain proficiency on Wisdom saving throws.
- You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage.
- Spell: Dissonant Whispers
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Blindness / Deafness
* Binder level 5: Spell: Fear
* Binder level 7: You gain immunity to madness, insanity, and confusion effects.
* Binder level 9: Baleful Sympathy: As an action, you can spend a spell slot to designate one opponent you can see within 120 ft. as your sympathetic shield. If the target makes an Intelligence save, then the ability fails, and you can't target that creature with Baleful Sympathy until you've completed a long rest. If the target fails the save, then you take only half damage from all effects that deal hit point damage, and the target suffers the rest. This effect ends immediately if the target has no hit points or moves beyond range (120 ft.), or if you use Baleful Sympathy to designate a different target.
Ultimate:
+ You can activate Baleful Sympathy without spending a spell slot.


Eligor
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks. You gain advantage on any check made to ride or control a mount.
- You gain proficiency with medium and heavy armor, and on Strength saving throws.
- Spell: Chromatic Orb
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Branding Smite, Find Steed (note that the steed leaves when you unbind Eligor)
* Binder level 5: Spell: Elemental Weapon
* Binder level 7: Spell: Dimension Door
* Binder level 9: Spell: Dispel Good and Evil
Ultimate:
+ You gain a +1 bonus to your armor class.


Halphax
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Intelligence (Investigation) and Intelligence (History) checks.
- Cantrip: Mending
- Spells: Sanctuary, Unseen Servant
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Find Traps, Warding Bond
* Binder level 5: Spells: Leomund's Tiny Hut, Wind Wall
* Binder level 7: Spells: Stoneskin, Wall of Fire
* Binder level 9: Spells: Wall of Force, Wall of Stone
Ultimate:
+ You know Wall of Ice or Wall of Thorns. You can cast one of these spells without using a spell slot or any components. You can't use this ability until you've completed a short rest or a long rest.


Haures
Inherent:
- Inaccessible Mind: You can't be charmed, and you have resistance to Psychic damage.
- Cantrip: Minor Illusion
- Spell: Sleep
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Phantasmal Force; additionally, when you move, you become partially ethereal. You ignore difficult terrain, you can move through opponents as though they were difficult terrain, and attacks against you during your movement have disadvantage.
* Binder level 5: Spell: Major Image
* Binder level 7: Spell: Phantasmal Killer
* Binder level 9: Spell: Mislead; additionally, your thoughts can't be read.
Ultimate:
+ Inaccessible Mind: You gain the benefit of Mind Blank, which can't be dispelled.


Karsus
Inherent:
- You gain proficiency on Charisma saving throws.
- You can cast Detect Magic at will without using a spell slot or any components.
- Spells: Identify, False Life
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Silence
* Binder level 5: Spells: Counterspell, Dispel Magic
* Binder level 7: Heavy Magic: When you cast a spell from a magic item, increase the spell's save DC by +2.
* Binder level 9: Karsus's Will: If you are attuned to a magic item which can cast a spell, you can cast that spell using one of your spell slots, so long as the spell is 5th level or below. Spells cast in this way benefit from Heavy Magic, and may also gain some benefit from being cast using a 5th level spell slot.
Ultimate:
+ You can attune two additional magic items.


Focalor
Inherent:
- You can breathe underwater.
- You gain proficiency on Dexterity saving throws.
- Spell: Thunderwave
- Cantrip: Ray of Frost
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Aura of Sadness: Adjacent enemies can't use the Disengage action.
* Binder level 5: Spell: Call Lightning
* Binder level 7: Spell: Control Water
* Binder level 9: Aura of Sadness: Adjacent enemies also suffer disadvantage on attacks and skill checks.
Ultimate:
+ Aura of Sadness: Adjacent enemies also suffer disadvantage on all saving throws.


Marchosias
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- You gain proficiency with poisoner's kits.
- Cantrip: Poison Spray
- Spell: Hellish Rebuke
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Invisibility
* Binder level 5: Spell: Gaseous Form
* Binder level 7: When an enemy fails its saving throw against your Poison Spray cantrip, it is poisoned until the end of your next turn.
* Binder level 9: You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.
Ultimate:
+ You can cast Gaseous Form at-will as a 5th level spell without expending a spell slot or any components.


Naberius
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
- You gain proficiency with disguise kits.
- Spell: Disguise Self
- Cantrip: Vicious Mockery
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Command
* Binder level 5: You gain vestigial knowledge on Charisma (Deception) checks.
* Binder level 7: Spell: Suggestion
* Binder level 9: You can cast the spell Disguise Self at-will as a 5th level spell without using a spell slot or any components.
Ultimate:
+ You can cast Suggestion at-will as a 5th level spell without using a spell slot or any components, but only against targets who are not already under one of your Suggestions. If a target saves against your Suggestion, you must pay a spell slot to make another attempt, or you must complete a long rest before you can try again without spending a spell slot.


Otiax
Inherent:
- Air Claws: You can use the air around yourself to make melee attacks up to 10 ft. away. You can use these air claws to make attacks of opportunity. Your air claws deal 2d6 damage.
- You gain proficiency with thieve's tools.
- Cantrip: Thaumaturgy
- Spells: Fog Cloud, Jump
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Gust of Wind, Knock
* Binder level 5: Misty Shield: You can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on any melee attack that occurs within 10 ft. of you.
* Binder level 7: Spells: Freedom of Movement, Dimension Door
* Binder level 9: Spell: Passwall; Also, your air claws deal 2d10 damage.
Ultimate:
+ You know the spells Teleport and Plane Shift. You can wrap the warped winds of Otiax around yourself and cast one of these spells without using a spell slot or any components. You can't use this ability again until you've completed a short rest or a long rest.


Orthos
Inherent:
- Cantrip: Message
- Displacement: Your image is displaced, and attack rolls against you have Disadvantage until you are hit by an attack, which ends your displacement. You can use an action to regain displacement.
- Whirlwind Breath: You can expend a spell slot to exhale a 30 foot cone of cutting wind. Each creature in the cone suffers 2d6/slot level magical slashing damage, or half on a successful Dexterity save. Additionally, each creature must make a Strength saving throw, or be pushed back 10 feet per spell slot level.
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Gust of Wind
* Binder level 5: Spell: Wind Wall
* Binder level 7: Spell: Greater Invisibility
* Binder level 9: You can regain displacement as a bonus action. Your Whirlwind Breath cone is 60 feet long.
Ultimate:
+ You gain Blindsight out to 30 feet, you automatically regain displacement at the start of your turn without using an action, and your Whirlwind Breath deals 2d10/spell slot level magical slashing damage.


Ronove
Inherent:
- Iron Fists: You gain proficiency on unarmed attacks, and your unarmed attacks deal 1d4 damage. You may use either your Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage.
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
- Spells: Feather Fall, Longstrider
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: See Invisibility, Spider Climb
* Binder level 5: Deflect Missile: You can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your binder level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free.
* Binder level 7: Spell: Dimension Door
* Binder level 9: Your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 damage, and your unarmed strikes count as a magical weapon.
Ultimate:
+ Your unarmed attacks deal 1d8 damage, and you can use your bonus action to make two extra unarmed attacks.


Savnok
Inherent:
- You gain proficiency with medium and heavy armor.
- Call Armor: You can use your action to summon a suit of half-plate or plate armor which appears on your body. The armor accommodates any anatomical oddities you may possess. If you become unconscious or use a bonus action to dismiss the armor, it disappears. If you try to take off the armor, it likewise disappears. If the armor is destroyed, all its pieces disappear. You can summon a new suit as an action.
- Spell: Shield
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Misty Step
* Binder level 5: Spell: Beacon of Hope
* Binder level 7: Move Ally: You can use your reaction or a bonus action to switch places with an ally you can see within 30 feet. This is a teleportation effect. You can't use this ability again until you hit an enemy in melee or roll initiative.
* Binder level 9: Spell: Circle of Power
Ultimate:
+ Fortification: While wearing your Called Armor, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.


Shax
Inherent:
- You gain resistance to lightning damage.
- Cantrip: Shocking Grasp
- Spell: Create or Destroy Water
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: You gain a swim speed equal to your base speed. You have proficiency and advantage on Athletics checks made to Swim. Also, when you hit with Shocking Grasp, you deal an additional +1d6 thunder damage.
* Binder level 5: Spell: Protection from Energy
* Binder level 7: Spell: Freedom of Movement
* Binder level 9: You gain resistance to thunder damage. Also, when you hit with Shocking Grasp, you deal an additional +1d6 thunder damage (for a total of +2d6 thunder damage).
Ultimate:
+ You gain immunity to lightning and thunder damage. All of your weapon attacks deal either +1d8 lighting damage or +1d8 thunder damage, as you choose when you attack.


Zagan
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Strength (Athletics) checks.
- Keen Senses: You can identify creatures by scent like a hound, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) checks which rely on hearing or smell.
- Snake Bane: You have advantage on all attack rolls targeting reptilian foes, including snakes, dragons, and yuan-ti.
- Spell: Animal Friendship
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Enlarge/Reduce
* Binder level 5: Spell: Fear
* Binder level 7: Spell: Compulsion
* Binder level 9: Snake Bane: When you hit a reptilian foe with a melee weapon attack, you deal +1d6 damage.
Ultimate:
+ You can expend a spell slot to Wild Shape into a tiny viper, a medium giant poisonous snake, a huge constrictor snake, or a large yuan-ti abomination. In the yuan-ti abomination form you cast spells. In all other ways, this functions as the Druid class feature.
+ Snake Bane: When you hit a reptilian foe with a melee weapon attack, you deal another +1d6 damage (total +2d6).





Bright Spirits

Note: If you bind a Fiend, you cannot bind a Celestial, and vice-versa.


Amon, the Horned Void [Fiend]
Inherent:
- You gain resistance to fire damage.
- You gain darkvision 60 ft.
- You can use your action to grow horns. The horns last while Amon is bound, or until you use an action to dismiss them. You can use your horns as a melee weapon which deals 1d10 piercing damage.
- Spell: Hellish Rebuke
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spit Fire: You can exhale a 30 foot line of fire which deals 4d6 fire damage (Dexterity save for half). You can't use this ability again until you either hit a foe with your horns in melee, or roll initiative.
* Binder level 5: Spells: Fly, Tongues
* Binder level 7: Your Spit Fire deals 6d6 fire damage in a 60 foot line, and your melee attacks deal double damage to objects or structures.
* Binder level 9: Goring Charge: On your turn, if you move at least 15 feet in a straight line before making a melee attack, your first attack this turn with your horns deals double damage.
Ultimate:
+ Your horns deal 2d10 damage. Your Spit Fire deals 8d6 in a 60 foot line, and you can expend a spell slot when you use Spit Fire to increase the damage to 12d6 fire in a 120 foot line.


Ashardalon, Pyre of the Unborn [Fiend]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Intelligence (History) checks.
- You gain resistance to fire damage.
- Ashardalon's Vigor: When you drop a foe with a melee attack, you gain a temporary spell slot at your highest spell slot level which you can only use to cast False Life. This temporary spell slot lasts until the end of your next turn.
- Spell: False Life, Identify
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Enhance Ability, Locate Object
* Binder level 5: Ashardalon's Presence: When you strike a foe with a melee attack, you can use a bonus action to make the target frightened (Charisma save negates).
* Binder level 7: When you strike a foe who is frightened with a melee weapon attack, you deal +1d8 fire damage.
* Binder level 9: Hoard Gullet: You gain access to a specialized bag of holding which is connected to your mouth. This extra dimensional space is roughly 2 feet in diameter and 4 feet deep, and can accommodate items which you can fit through your mouth. Your gullet can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 64 cubic feet. If you suppress or expel Ashardalon, you immediately vomit forth your gullet's contents into your space.
Ultimate:
+ When you cast False Life, you gain double the usual temporary hit points. When you strike a foe who is frightened with a melee weapon attack, you deal +1d8 necrotic damage.


Astaroth, the Unjustly Fallen [Celestial]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Deception) checks.
- Spells: Bane, Detect Poison and Disease
- Cantrips: Guidance, Mending
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Suggestion
* Binder level 5: Spell: Stinking Cloud
* Binder level 7: Spell: Fabricate
* Binder level 9: Spell: Creation
Ultimate:
+ Unwholesome Stench: When you strike a foe in melee, you can use a bonus action to force that foe to make a Constitution save or be nauseated until the end of its next turn. When a foe strikes you in melee, you can use your reaction to force that foe to make a Constitution save or be nauseated until the end of its next turn. This ability has no effect on foes who are immune to poison.



Balam, the Bitter Angel [Celestial]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Intelligence (Religion) checks.
- Icy Glare: You can use a bonus action to force one creature within 30 feet who can see you to make a Charisma save or suffer 2d6 cold damage.
- Spell: Guiding Bolt
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Moonbeam
* Binder level 5: Spell: Crusader's Mantle
* Binder level 7: Spell: Ice Storm
* Binder level 9: Your Icy Glare damage increases to 3d6.
Ultimate:
+ Your Icy Glare damage increases to 4d6, and the effect targets all enemies within 60 feet who can see you.


Bel, Door of the Pit [Fiend]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Charisma (Intimidate) checks.
- Spells: Detect Magic, Heroism
- Cantrip: Thorn Whip
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Your Thorn Whip deals an additional +1d6 fire damage.
* Binder level 5: Spells: Fear, Fireball
* Binder level 7: Spells: Fire Shield, Wall of Fire
* Binder level 9: Spell: Hold Monster; Also, when you cast Thorn Whip, you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
Ultimate:
+ You gain the effect of True Seeing, which can't be dispelled. Your Thorn Whip deals an additional +1d6 fire damage (total +2d6).


Geryon, the Twice-Betrayed [Fiend]
Inherent:
- Devil Sight: You can see perfectly well in normal or magical darkness.
- All-Around Vision: You gain vestigial knowledge on Wisdom (Perception) checks, but you suffer disadvantage against saving throws vs. gaze effects.
- Cantrip: Acid Splash
- Spell: Ray of Sickness
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Darkness, Ray of Enfeeblement
* Binder level 5: Uncanny Dodge: When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.
* Binder level 7: Spells: Blight, Ice Storm
* Binder level 9: Swift Flight: Immediately after you spend a spell slot to cast a spell, you can use a bonus action to fly 60 ft.
Ultimate:
+ Geryon's Gaze: You can use a bonus action to inflict 4d6 acid damage on every opponent within 30 ft. who can see you.



Primus, the One and the Prime [Celestial]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Strength (Athletics) checks.
- Cantrips: Chill Touch, Sacred Flame
- Spells: Color Spray, Command
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Blind Justice: If a creature succeeds on a saving throw against a spell you cast, that creature can't see or hear you for 1d4 turns.
* Binder level 5: Primus's Order: When you bind Primus, roll a d20 and record the result. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with this roll. You must choose to do so before the roll. Each roll can be used only once. If unused, a roll goes away when you begin a short rest or a long rest.
* Binder level 7: Spells: Compulsion, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere
* Binder level 9: Spells: Banishing Smite, Destructive Wave
Ultimate:
+ You gain the effect of True Seeing, which can't be dispelled. You can read and write any language.



Prospero, the Eldest Imp [Fiend]
Let your indulgence set me free.
Inherent:
- You gain proficiency on Dexterity saving throws.
- You gain resistance to poison damage and you can't be poisoned.
- Spells: Bane, Detect Magic
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Alter Self, Invisibility
* Binder level 5: When you hit with a melee attack on your turn, you can use a bonus action to poison your target. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target fails the save, it takes 3d6 poison damage and is poisoned until the end of your next turn. If it succeeds, it takes half damage and is not poisoned.
* Binder level 7: Spell: Polymorph
* Binder level 9: Spell: Cloudkill
Ultimate:
+ You gain immunity to poison damage. You can cast Alter Self or Invisibility at-will without spending a spell slot or using any components.



Quezel-Couatl, the Argent Flame [Celestial]
Inherent:
- You are immune to scrying and to any effect that would sense your emotions, read your thoughts, or detect your location.
- Cantrip: Sacred Flame
- Spells: Bless, Detect Good and Evil
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Detect Thoughts, Lesser Restoration
* Binder level 5: Spells: Fly, Mass Healing Word
* Binder level 7: You gain resistance to radiant and psychic damage.
* Binder level 9: Spells: Greater Restoration, Scrying
Ultimate:
+ Argent Phoenix: You can use your reaction to discorporate in a burst of brilliant flame. All enemies within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. The enemies suffer 5d10 fire damage and 5d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You appear at the beginning of your next turn anywhere within 30 feet of your previous location. If you use this ability in reaction to an attack, the attack misses you. You can't use this ability again until you've taken a short rest or a long rest.



Tenebrous, the Shadow Tyrant [Fiend]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
- You gain darkvision 120 feet, and magical darkness does not impede your darkvision.
- Cantrip: Chill Touch
- Spells: Bane, Dissonant Whispers
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Darkness, Ray of Enfeeblement
* Binder level 5: Spells: Animate Dead, Speak with Dead
* Binder level 7: Flicker: You can use your reaction to teleport yourself up to 60 feet into an area of dim light or darkness. If you use this ability in reaction to an attack, the attack misses you. You can't use this ability again until you've taken a short rest or a long rest.
* Binder level 9: You gain immunity to necrotic damage.
Ultimate:
+ When you are in dim light or darkness, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
+ You can momentarily switch places with your own shadow. As a bonus action, you can end the Grappled, Prone, or Restrained condition on yourself.



Green Spirits


Aym, the Avaricious Azer [Elemental, Fire]
Inherent:
- You gain proficiency on Strength saving throws.
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Strength (Athletics) checks.
- Beard and Crown of Fire: As a bonus action, you can ring your face with flame. These flames don't harm you or your equipment. The flames provide illumination like a torch, and make stealth impossible. Any foe who strikes you in melee suffers 5 (1d10) fire damage as your beard lashes out in retaliation.
- Spell: Burning Hands
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Flame Blade, Flaming Sphere
* Binder level 5: You gain resistance to fire damage.
* Binder level 7: While your Beard and Crown of Fire is active, all of your melee attacks deal +1d4 fire damage.
* Binder level 9: Spells: Conjure Elemental, Flame Strike
Ultimate:
+ You gain immunity to fire damage. While your Beard and Crown of Fire is active, foes who strike you in melee suffer 15 (3d10) fire damage.



Agates, the Truth Betrayed [Elemental, Earth, Air]
Inherent:
- You cannot be frightened.
- Earthshaking Strike: If you move at least 10 feet before hitting an opponent, or if you score a critical melee weapon hit, then your opponent and all other foes within 10 feet of you who aren't flying must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Spell: Thunderwave
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Gust of Wind, Shatter
* Binder level 5: Spells: Fly, Tongues
* Binder level 7: Spells: Conjure Minor Elementals, Stone Shape
* Binder level 9: Spells: Conjure Elemental, Wall of Stone
Ultimate:
+ Earth and Air Mastery: If you are touching the ground, all flying creatures suffer disadvantage when attacking you. If you are flying, all land-bound creatures suffer disadvantage when attacking you.



Chupoclops, the Phase Weaver [Fey]
Inherent:
- When you hit with a melee attack, you can use a bonus action to inflict the poisoned or frightened condition on the target until the end of your next turn. The target can make an Intelligence saving throw to avoid the condition.
- Spell: Jump
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Misty Step, Web
* Binder level 5: Spells: Blink, Fear
* Binder level 7: Aura of Dread: Whenever a frightened enemy starts its turn within 10 feet of you, that enemy takes 1d10 psychic damage.
* Binder level 9: Soulsense: You notice and locate living creatures within 10 feet of you, as though through Blindsight. You also sense each living creature's type and whether its current hit points are more or less than yours.
Ultimate:
+ You can see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you. Also, you can cast Blink at-will, without spending a spell slot or using any components. While you are under the effect of Blink, you can use a bonus action at the beginning of your turn to decide if you are corporeal or incorporeal, instead of rolling.



Desharis, the Sewer Spriggan [Fey]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Intelligence (Investigation) checks. You can add your proficiency bonus on Charisma checks to fit into a crowd, discover key topics of conversation, and anything relating to gossip or rumors.
- Enemy of the Wild: Once per turn when you make a weapon attack on your turn against an animal, elemental, fey, or plant, you may add a +2 bonus to your attack or damage roll. You can decide to add the bonus after you know the result of the attack roll.
- Spells: Charm Person, Grease
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Calm Emotions, Enlarge/Reduce
* Binder level 5: Spells: Tongues
* Binder level 7: Infinite Doors: You gain the ability to step from one exterior doorway into another. When you are in or adjacent to an exterior doorway, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 100 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in or adjacent to an exterior doorway. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.
* Binder level 9: Spell: Animate Objects
Ultimate:
+ The once-per-turn bonus provided by Enemy of the Wild increases to +4.
+ The distance you can travel with Infinite Doors increases to 500 feet, and you don't need to be able to see your destination, but if you can't your destination, it must be a place you have previously visited.
+ You can turn an exterior doorway into a one-way gate which connects to any other exterior doorway you know for one minute. You and your allies can use the one-way gate to travel. You can't use this ability again until you've taken a short rest or a long rest.



Helios, the Fallen Sun [Elemental, Fire]
Inherent:
- You gain resistance to radiant damage.
- Cantrip: Fire Bolt
- Spell: Searing Smite
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spell: Heat Metal
* Binder level 5: Your Fire Bolt cantrip inflicts an additional +1d8 radiant damage.
* Binder level 7: Spell: Fire Shield
* Binder level 9: Fire Echo: Whenever you hit an enemy with a melee weapon attack, a different enemy adjacent to you suffers fire damage equal to your Constitution bonus.
Ultimate:
+ Your Fire Bolt cantrip inflicts an additional +1d8 radiant damage (total +2d8). You gain immunity to radiant damage.



Leraje, Herald of the Wild [Fey]
Inherent:
- You gain proficiency on Dexterity saving throws.
- You gain low-light vision.
- You gain proficiency with longbows.
- Spell: Ensnaring Strike
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Ricochet: When you hit with a ranged weapon attack using a longbow or shortbow, you can deal damage equal to your Dexterity modifier to one other enemy within 30 ft. of the original target.
* Binder level 5: Spells: Conjure Barrage, Lightning Arrow
* Binder level 7: Spells: Grasping Vine, Hallucinatory Terrain
* Binder level 9: Spells: Conjure Volley, Swift Quiver
Ultimate:
+ You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls for ranged weapon attacks made with a longbow or shortbow, and a +2 bonus to Ricochet damage.



Melisseus, the Titan of Honey [Elemental, Plant]
Inherent:
- You gain vestigial knowledge on Charisma (Perform) checks, and you gain proficiency on any skill check to prepare food.
- Dance of the Bee: When you move on your turn, creatures making opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage.
- Spells: Cure Wounds, Purify Food and Drink
Advanced:
* Binder level 3: Spells: Enthrall, Lesser Restoration
* Binder level 5: Spells: Create Food and Water, Remove Curse
* Binder level 7: Honey Must Flow: You cannot be restrained or slowed by magic without your consent.
* Binder level 9: Spell: Insect Plague
Ultimate:
+ You can use your action to conjure a giant bee or a swarm of bees (as though you cast the Conjure Animals spell to conjure a swarm of wasps or a giant wasp, respectively) but you don't need to spend a spell slot or use any components. Just like the spell, if your concentration is broken, the swarm disperses.

BLINDSIGHT

A monster with blindsight can perceive its surroundings without relying on sight, within a specific radius.

Creatures without eyes, such as grimlocks and gray oozes, typically have this special sense, as do creatures with echolocation or heightened senses, such as bats and true dragons.

If a monster is naturally blind, it has a parenthetical note to this effect, indicating that the radius of its blindsight defines the maximum range of its perception.

This is a very general ability. It's used to represent a variety of monster senses, including echolocation and unnaturally accurate scent. Unfortunately, it's a bit over-general, and it's not clear how it actually works under a variety of conditions.

Similar abilities, for reference:

DARKVISION
A monster with darkvision can see in the dark within a specific radius. (...)

TREMORSENSE
A monster with tremorsense can detect and pinpoint the origin of vibrations within a specific radius (...)

TRUESIGHT
A monster with truesight can, out to a specific range, see in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures (...)

Darkvision is pretty clear. It allows you to see in the dark out to a certain range. You're limited to whatever information sight could provide. Darkvision works through a window or wall of force or even a mirror, allowing a spy to peek around a corner with a mirror just as she could under lighted conditions.

Truesight is similarly clear. It's a type of sight, and it penetrates a bunch of deceptive or inhibitory effects which target sight.

Blindsight, in spite of its name, does not provide sight. It allows a creature to perceive its surroundings without relying on sight.

What we MUST assume:
- Blindsight is precise enough to allow a monster to be effective in combat. The text doesn't actually say if Blindsight permits a creature to target enemies precisely, but it must mean that, or it would not be relevant for monsters.
- Blindsight is precise enough to allow a monster to navigate at its full speed.
- Blindsight is precise enough to allow a monster to cook, eat, mate, and maintain its weapons or gear.
- Blindsight seems to penetrate some substances, such as water, just as easily as it penetrates air. There are no special notes on
- Blindsight does not automatically counter Stealth. Doesn't say if it does or doesn't, but monsters with Blindsight do have Perception scores, so it's reasonable to assume they must roll Perception. This is a welcome change from how Blindsight worked in 3.x D&D.


Open questions: (This is basically the stuff that I'm interested in discussing in this thread.)
- Does Blindsight work like vision through transparent or invisible barriers? (Wall of Force, a glass window, etc.)
- How about thin, porous barriers? (A paper wall, a cloth tent, etc.)
- Can Blindsight see around corners? Not using a mirror, presumably, but instead using acoustic reverberations or scent or whatever.
- How about over walls or hedges? An open-top stone or hedge maze could be very challenging against the right opponent(s).


Other notes:
- Bats are explicitly using only echolocation.
- Darkmantles are explicitly using only echolocation.
- Grimlocks can use either hearing or scent as Blindsight vectors. Both are equally effective without the other.
- Other creatures, including Dragons and Half-Dragons, can use Blindsight with no particular vector.
- Firebeetles have Blindsight, which is weird, because their biology expends energy to create light.
- Crabs have Blindsight, which I did not expect. Now I kinda want a crab familiar.