Look, I'm wearing a Leonal as a breastplate, so shut up about your prissy little magical weapon.The Monstrous ArmigerHD: d8
Skills: The Monstrous Armiger’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, the Planes, Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points per Level: 6+int
Skill Points at 1st Level: 4*(6+int)
Starting Wealth: As Druid.
Starting Age: As Druid
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Armor Emulation | Prepared Supernatural Abilities |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Monstrous Armor, Bound Spirit | I | 1 |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Monstrous Strike 1d6 | I | 1 |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Monstrous Armiger +1 | II | 1 |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Monstrous Weapon +1 | II | 1 |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Monstrous Strike 2d6 | III | 2 |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Shape of the Creature 1/day | III | 2 |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Monstrous Armiger +2 | IV | 2 |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Monstrous Strike 3d6, Monstrous Weapon +2 | IV | 2 |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Shape of the Creature 2/day | V | 3 |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Bonus Feat | V | 3 |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Monstrous Strike 4d6, Monstrous Armiger +3 | VI | 3 |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Shape of the Creature 3/day, Monstrous Weapon +3 | VI | 3 |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Bonus Feat | VII | 4 |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Monstrous Strike 5d6 | VII | 4 |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Shape of the Creature 4/day, Monstrous Armiger +4 | VIII | 4 |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Bonus Feat, Monstrous Weapon +4 | VIII | 4 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Monstrous Strike 6d6 | IX | 5 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Shape of the Creature 5/day | IX | 5 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Monstrous Armiger +5, Bonus Feat | IX | 5 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Monstrous Strike 7d6, Monstrous Weapon +5 | IX | 5 |
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Monstrous Armiger is proficient in all simple and martial weapons, as well as their Monstrous Armor.
Monstrous Armor [Su]: A Monstrous Armiger is a highly trained warrior, taught how to draw the energies of extraplanar creatures and bind them into a form of armor.
They may, in a 15 minute ritual each morning, draw a single extraplanar creature, as if by using a Summon Monster spell of a level equal to what is indicated in the Armor Emulation column; however, unlike other summoners, they are not restricted by alignment. They then bind this creature into a armored shell, creating a suit of armor far more powerful than those used by other mortals. This armor looks like any other armor of the same category, except for the fact that it looks like it had been modeled after the creature aesthetically.
Monstrous Armor grants the following benefits:
-The armor is treated as if it were Light armor if the summoned creature would be smaller than you, Medium armor if the creature would be your size, or Heavy if the creature would be your size.
-The armor grants an Armor bonus to AC equal to the Natural Armor bonus of the summoned creature.
-The armor's wearer gains the summoned creature's natural weapons, which deal damage based off of the wearer's size, rather than that of the summoned creature; they are proficient in these natural weapons.
-The wearer gains all the Ex abilities of the summoned creature.
-The wearer is treated as if they have the Slight Build ability if the creature would be smaller than the wearer, or the Powerful Build ability if the creature was larger.
-The wearer gains the creature's Strength modifier as a bonus to their Strength.
-The Maximum Dexterity Bonus of the armor is equal to the Dexterity modifier of the summoned creature.
-The wearer gains a number of Temporary hit points equal to the HP of the summoned creature.
-The armor has an enhancement bonus equal to the highest Summon Monster level that the wearer can access for the purpose of this ability (Maximum +5). In addition, the Natural Weapons from this armor gain a bonus equal to the highest Summon Monster level the wearer can access for the purpose of this ability (Maximum +5).
However, this armor has several drawbacks. Firstly, it may never be magically enhanced by any means except further progression of this ability; any magic used to attempt to enhance this armor, or the natural weapons that are added through the use of this ability automatically fails. In addition, the wearer has an Armor Class Penalty equal to the Summon Monster level of the summoned creature, and has an Arcane Spell Failure chance equal to the armor class penalty times 5%.
This armor may be "removed" in a process that takes one minute; afterwards, the Monstrous Armiger may bind another creature into their armor. The binding process still takes 15 minutes to perform.
Finally, this ability counts as being able to cast every single level of the Summon Monster chain of up to the level listed in Armor Emulation for the purpose of qualifying for feats and prestige classes; in addition, any prestige class level that advances arcane spellcasting or spellcasting level stacks with levels in this class for the purpose of what the highest level of Summon Monster this ability can use.
Bound Spirit (Su): A Monstrous Armiger has a great bond to their armor, and consequently to the creature bound within.
At 1st level, a Monstrous Armiger gains a number of Bind Points equal to 1/2 their class level+their Wisdom modifier. These may be spent on any of the following as a standard action:
-A single point may be spent to use any spell-like ability that the bound creature may have; they may not use any one Spell-like ability more often than the original creature. The caster level for the spell-like abilities is equal to the Monstrous Armiger's class level+1/2 their levels in other classes, and the save DC is based off of their Wisdom.
-A single point may be spent to recover the Supernatural abilities that they have bound through this ability; they may not recover a supernatural ability if that would allow them to use that supernatural ability more often per day than the summoned creature would be able to.
-A single point may be spent to gain the movement speeds of the summoned creature for one minute/class level.
-A single point may be spent to gain the subtypes of the bound creature for one minute/class level.
In addition, this ability allows them to bind a number of supernatural abilities possessed by the summoned creature equal to the amount specified on the above table; any feature of the supernatural ability that are based off of HD are instead based off of their Monstrous Armiger level+1/2 their other class levels, and the save DCs are based off of Wisdom.
Any ability that specifies an alignment, or an effect that differs by alignment (for example, a
Smite ability, or a supernatural ability that duplicates
Holy Word), the effect uses the alignment opposed to the Monstrous Armiger's alignment instead.
Any supernatural ability that is constantly in effect is instead activated as a Swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity; the effect then lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Monstrous Armiger's class level.
This process of binding a supernatural ability is part of the process of binding armor, and thus all supernatural abilities are lost upon unbinding the armor; a supernatural ability may be bound multiple times through this ability, even if that would exceed the uses per day of that supernatural ability.
However, all such bound supernatural abilities count for the purpose of whether or not a particular spell like ability may be refreshed through spending Bind Points.
All points in their Bind Pool are recovered at the beginning of the day.
Monstrous Strike (Ex) A Monstrous Armiger is taught to be utterly vicious in their assaults, sparing no effort in harming their foes.
After 2nd level, every attack made with a natural weapon by the Monstrous Armiger adds their Monstrous Strike damage to its damage.
This damage is not precision damage, and thus deals its full effect to any creature that is immune to critical hits.
This damage qualifies for prestige classes and feats as if it were an equal number of Sneak Attack dice, and is modified by any feat or class feature that modifies Sneak Attack damage as if it were an equal number of Sneak Attack damage (for example, they may sacrifice Monstrous Strike dice to apply Ambush feats to their attacks.)
Monstrous Armiger (Su): By far one of their more low key, yet powerful abilities, this is the namesake ability of a Monstrous Armiger.
At 3rd level, a Monstrous Armiger may trade points of the enhancement bonus gained through Monstrous Armor for an equal number of +1 Armor special abilities. This choice is made when binding their armor, and cannot be changed until the armor is unbound and then rebound.
At 7th level, and every 4th level thereafter, the cost of the Armor special abilities they are able to bind increases by an additional +1.
Monstrous Weapon (Su): While more visible than the Monstrous Armiger ability, it is arguable if this feature is any stronger than the other ability.
At 4th level, a Monstrous Armiger may trade points of the enhancement bonus gained through Monstrous Armor for an equal number of +1 Weapon special abilities. This choice is made when binding their armor, and cannot be changed until the armor is unbound and then rebound. This choice is made for all of their Natural Weapons simultaneously, and all of the Natural Weapons must have the same Weapon special abilities applied.
At 8th level, and every 4th level thereafter, the cost of the Weapon special abilities they are able to bind increases by an additional +1.
Shape of the Creature (Su): Once someone has attuned themselves to a creature enough, they become capable of taking that creature's form.
At 6th level, a Monstrous Armiger may take the form of the creature that they bound into their armor; treat this as if they used the Wild Shape class feature, but they may only take the form of the creature they had bound, and it only lasts for 1 minute/class level. When under the effects of this class feature, a Monstrous Armiger loses all benefits of their Monstrous Armor class feature except for the enhancement bonuses to their Natural Weapons and the armor, the Temporary Hit Points, and any Armor/Weapon Special Abilities gained through Monstrous Armiger/Weapon.
This class feature is treated as Wild Shape for the purpose of prerequisites and any class features or feats that modify Wild Shape. In addition, any class that advances Wild Shape may instead progress this ability at an equal rate.
At 9th level and every 3 levels thereafter, a Monstrous Armiger gains an additional use of this ability per day.
Bonus Feats (Ex): At 10th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, a Monstrous Armiger gains any feat they qualify for as a bonus feat; in addition, they may ignore the type restrictions on any Monstrous feat taken through this ability, as long as they would otherwise qualify for it. If the feat they choose designates a certain natural weapon, they may change which natural weapon(s) that they feat applies to whenever they bind their armor.
So, yeah, I've been musing about this class for a while now; a fairly versatile class that can fit in the role of "tank", and will draw fire because it is fairly dangerous; sure, you start out only being able to use a Smite attack with their Bound Supernatural abilities, but that eventually changes to include such neat stuff as a roar that emulates Holy Word/Dictum/Word of Chaos/Blasphemy.
It should be fairly simple to change this over to someone more druidy by simply replacing all references to Summon Monster with Summon Nature's Ally, and all references to Arcane with Divine.
Oh, and by the way, this guy does get splat support; any book that adds new monsters to the list is fair game, as well as swapping off the Celestial and Fiendish templates with Anarchic or Axiomatic. Vivacious and Entropic are fair game as well.
Alright, I have one question; should I add a note that any feat or class feature that affects summoned creatures should also apply to Monstrous Armor, so that for example a Monstrous Armiger that goes Alienist can get Pseudonatural armor, or they can get more temporary hit points from class features/feats that maximize the HP of a summoned creature?
