ARTIFICIAL SPIRITS An artificial spirits is a small fragment of tama and willpower pulled from the Akashic Records (via the Artificial Spirit feat). An artificial spirit appears as a incorporeal mote of light about the size of a human hand. Complete statistics for the artificial spirit can be found in
The Monsters.
The process of creating an artificial spirit binds some of the creator's tama into the spirit, linking the two together on a fundamental level. That's why, for example, a technician can use a personal range technique on her artificial spirit even though normally she can use such a technique only on herself.
An artificial spirit grants special abilities to its owner, as shown on the Artificial Spirit Special Ability table below. These special abilities and bonuses apply only when the owner and the artificial spirit are within 1 mile of each other.
Artificial spirit abilities are based on the owner's technician level.
An artificial spirit can understand moji, the language of the Akashic Records, in addition to all languages spoken by its owner. Artificial spirits cannot speak.
Artificial Spirit Basics: Use the statistics for an artificial spirit as given in
The Monsters, but make the following changes.
Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use its owner's level or the artificial spirit's normal HD total, whichever is higher.
Hit Points: An artificial spirit has one-half its owner's total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice.
Saving Throws: An artificial spirit uses its owner's base saving throw bonuses on saves, though it uses its own ability modifiers and doesn't enjoy any other bonuses its owner might have (from magic items or feats, for example).
Skills: For each skill in which either the owner or the artificial spirit has ranks, use either the artificial spirit's normal skill ranks or the owner's skill ranks, whichever are better. In either case, the artificial spirit uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of an artificial spirit's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the artificial spirit's ability to use.
Owner Level | | Deflect. Adj. | | Int Adj. | | Special |
1st-2nd | | +0 | | +0 | | Alertness, role, share techniques, telepathic link |
3rd-4th | | +1 | | +1 | | Deliver touch techniques |
5th-6th | | +2 | | +2 | | Speak with spirits |
7th-8th | | +3 | | +3 | | --- |
9th-10th | | +4 | | +4 | | Guiding Spirit |
11th-12th | | +5 | | +5 | | --- |
13th-14th | | +6 | | +6 | | Technique resistance |
15th-16th | | +7 | | +7 | | Sight link |
17th-18th | | +8 | | +8 | | --- |
19th-20th | | +9 | | +9 | | --- |
Artificial Spirit Ability Descriptions: All artificial spirits have special abilities (or impart abilities to their owners) depending on the level of the owner, as shown on the table above. The abilities on the table are cumulative.
Deflection Adj. (Ex): This number noted here is an improvement to the artificial spirit's deflection bonus (normally +3).
Intelligence Adj. (Ex): This number noted here is an improvement to the artificial spirit's Intelligence score. Artificial spirits are as smart as people (though not necessarily as smart as smart people).
Alertness (Ex): The presence of an artificial spirit sharpens its owner's senses. While an artificial spirit within arm's reach (adjacent to or in the same square as its owner), its owner gains the Alertness feat.
Role (Ex): Every artificial spirit is created to fill a particular role. See Artificial Spirit Roles, below.
Share Techniques (Su): At the owner's option, she can have any technique (but not any technique-like ability) she uses on herself also affect her artificial spirit. The artificial spirit must be within 5 feet of him at the time of the usage to receive the benefit. If the technique has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the artificial spirit if it moves farther than 5 feet away, and will not affect the artificial spirit again, even if it returns to its owner before the duration expires. Additionally, the owner can use a technique with a target of "You" on her artificial spirit (as a touch range technique) instead of on herself. The owner and artificial spirit cannot share techniques if the technique normally does not affect creatures of the artificial spirit's type (construct).
Telepathic Link (Su): The owner has a telepathic link with her artificial spirit out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The owner cannot see through the artificial spirit's senses, but the two of them can communicate telepathically. For instance, an artificial spirit placed in a distant room could relay the activities occurring in that room.
Because of the telepathic link between an artificial spirit and its owner, the owner has the same connection to an item or place that the artificial spirit does. For instance, if her artificial spirit has seen a room, the owner can teleport into that room as if she has seen it too.
Deliver Touch Techniques (Su): If the owner is 3rd level or higher, her artificial spirit can deliver touch techniques for her. If the owner and artificial spirit are in contact at the time the owner uses a touch technique, she can designate her artificial spirit as the "toucher." The artificial spirit can then deliver the touch technique just as the owner could, using the owner's normal attack bonus. As usual, if the owner uses another technique before the touch is delivered, the touch technique dissipates.
Speak With Spirits (Ex): If the owner is 5th level or higher, the artificial spirit can communicate telepathically with other artificial spirits within 30 feet.
Guiding Spirit (Su): If the owner is 9th level or higher, the artificial spirit can maintain a technique that is maintained through concentration. If the owner and artificial spirit are in contact at the time the owner uses a technique that is maintained through concentration, she can designate her artificial spirit as the "concentrator." If necessary to maintain the technique, the artificial spirit makes Concentration checks for the owner, using the owner's normal Concentration modifier. The artificial spirit does not have to make Concentration checks for circumstances such as the owner taking damage. An artificial spirit can only concentrate on one technique at a time.
Technique Resistance (Ex): If the owner is 13th level or higher, the artificial spirit gains technique resistance equal to the owner's level + 5.
Sight Link (Su): If the owner is 15th level or higher, the owner can use the artificial spirit's vision as if it were her own. While the owner is using the artificial spirit's vision, she cannot use her own. The owner can switch from seeing through the artificial spirit's eyes or her own as a free action.
Artificial Spirit Roles: Each artificial spirit has a role, chosen by its owner at the time of its creation. An artificial spirit's role is typically chosen either to augment the owner's talents, or to make up for an area the owner lacks in.
Both artificial spirit and owner gain the benefits of an artificial spirit's role.
Role | | Benefit |
Actor | | +3 bonus on Disguise checks |
Artist | | +3 bonus on Craft checks |
Boss | | +3 bonus on Concentration checks |
Bully | | +3 bonus on Intimidate checks |
Loner | | +3 bonus on Hide checks |
Politician | | +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks |
Professor | | +3 bonus on checks involving any one Knowledge skill owner already knows; once chosen, this does not vary |
Psychiatrist | | +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks |
Straight Man | | +3 bonus on Bluff checks |
Survivalist | | +3 bonus on Survival checks |
Thief | | +3 bonus on Move Silently checks |