Spellbinder (3.5e Class)

Spellbinder
A spontaneous arcane caster with lots of spells known.

Making a Spellbinder
Alignment: Any.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Spellbinder.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A spellbinder is proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a spellbinder’s gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.

He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a spellbinder must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a spellbinder’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the spellbinder’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a spellbinder can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Spellbinder. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score.

The spellbinder’s selection of spells is slightly limited. A spellbinder begins play knowing eight 0-level spells of your choice. At each new spellbinder level, he gains more new spells, as indicated on Table: Spellbinder Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a spellbinder knows is not affected by his Wisdom score; the numbers on Table: Spellbinder Spells Known are fixed.)

As noted above, a spellbinder need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level. If the spell’s components include DF, the spell instead requires an arcane focus.

Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 25 gp. The item to be made into an arcane focus must be held in the spellbinder’s hand(s) during the ritual. The spellbinder can use his arcane focus as if it were a divine focus, for arcane spells which have the DF component. Other characters, even other spellbinders, cannot use it for this purpose. A character may have only one arcane focus at a time, even a character with more than one class that grants an arcane focus. A destroyed or dismissed arcane focus cannot be replaced for 24 hours.

In effect, the spellbinder “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be of a level spellbinder spell the spellbinder can cast. Each attempt to swap a spell takes 10 minutes.

To attempt to swap a spell, the spellbinder must either examine a magic item which has that spell as a prerequisite, or have the assistance of a creature who can cast the spell or use it as a spell-like ability. No matter what the spell’s source, the spellbinder must spend 10 minutes studying the spell. At the end of that time, he must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). If the check succeeds, the spellbinder understands the spell and can swap it as described above. The process leaves the item or creature that was learned from unharmed.

If the check fails, the spellbinder does not understand the spell. She cannot attempt to learn that spell again until a day has passed.

At each such opportunity, he can choose a metamagic feat or an item creation feat. The spellbinder must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The spellbinder is not limited to the categories of item creation feats and metamagic feats when choosing these feats.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every third spellbinder level after that (7th, 10th, and so on), a spellbinder can choose to learn a new mystic style in place of one he already knows. In effect, the spellbinder “loses” the old mystic style in exchange for the new one.

Each mystic style provides at least one special ability.

Each mystic style gives the spellbinder a knack with certain spells. A knack provides a +2 competence bonus to any Concentration check while casting or maintaining spells which the caster has a knack for, a +2 competence bonus to Spellcraft checks to identify a spell which to caster has the knack for, or to identify the effect of a spell which the caster has a knack for, and a +2 competence bonus to Use Magic Device checks to use an item built from a spell which the user has a knack for, or to use an item built from multiple spells, all of which the user has a knack for.

Most mystic styles allow the spellbinder to more readily make certain objects into arcane focuses. When making the specified object into an arcane focus, the spellbinder only needs 1 gp worth of magical materials, rather than the usual 25 gp. The mystic styles are described below.



(Su): At 3rd level, a spellbinder who has identified a spell or other magical effect using Spellcraft can gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against that effect. This requires an immediate action and stays in effect for the duration of the identified effect. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, and by an additional +1 per additional level.



At 12th level, it is reduced by two, and at 18th level, by three.



(Ex): Upon attaining 10th level, a spellbinder no longer takes penalties to her ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that she has already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the spellbinder still dies of old age when her time is up.

 (Su): Starting at 14th level, a spellbinder adds his Wisdom bonus to dispel checks.

 (Ex):  A spellbinder of 16th level or higher can speak with any living creature.



Mystic Styles
Animal Friend . May not be chosen at 1st level.

Animal Companion:  The spellbinder gains an animal companion as a ranger of the same level Knack List:

. All druidic spells of the Enhantment school.

. All druidic spells of the Transmutation school.

. All druidic spells of the Conjuration (calling) (summoning), and (teleport) subschools.

Preferred arcane focus: holly & mistletoe

Dominator

Sap will: (Su)  The spellbinder’s magic is laced with despair. When a spell’s target fails a saving throw or chooses not to save, unless the spellbinder chooses otherwise at the time of casting, the target has a -1 penalty to any Will saves for the duration of the spell. This ability does not affect whether the spell in question is harmless.

Knack List: 

. All spells of the Enchantment school.

. All spells of the pattern and phantasm subschools.

. All spells with the fear and/or mind-affecting descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: whip

DustWalker

Turn Undead:  The spellbinder can turn undead as an good cleric of the same level, using his spellbinder’s staff in place of a holy symbol. If the spellbinder also has turn undead form another source, the abilities stack. The spellbinder’s form of this ability is not affected by alignment or relationship with deity.

Knack List: 

. All clerical spells of the Evocation school.

. All clerical spells of the Transmutation school.

Preferred arcane focus: hourglass

Dynamancer

Energy Conversion: When the spellbinder casts a spell with an energy descriptor, he may choose one energy type. For that casting, the spell has that descriptor in place of any energy descriptor(s) it might have, and any energy damage inflicted is of the chosen form of energy instead of its normal energy type.

Charge Up: When the spellbinder casts a spell with an energy descriptor, all his speed ratings, whether inherent or acquired, are faster by 10 feet.

Knack List: 

. All cleric, druid, and sorcerer spells with the acid, cold, electricity, fire, and/or sonic descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: torch

Enigma

Whim of Iron: When a spellbinder fails a save against a mind-affecting effect, he may immediately make a second saving throw as if making another saving throw against the effect. If he succeeds, he is confused for the duration of the spell in place of its normal effects.

Knack List: 

. All cleric, druid, and sorcerer spells of the Abjuration school.

. All cleric, druid, and sorcerer spells of the teleport subschool.

Preferred arcane focus: signet ring

Grim Harvester

Rebuke Undead: The spellbinder can rebuke undead as an evil cleric of the same level, using his spellbinder’s staff in place of a holy symbol. If the spellbinder also has rebuke undead form another source, the abilities stack. The spellbinder’s form of this ability is not affected by alignment or relationship with deity.

Knack List: 

. All cleric, druid, and sorcerer spells of the Necromancy school.

. All cleric, druid, and sorcerer spells with the cold, darkness, and/or death descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: scythe

Guardian

Reassuring Bravery:  The spellbinder is immune to fear, and each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus against fear effects. This ability functions while the spellbinder is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.

Knack List: 

. All spells of the Abjuration school.

. All spells of the healing subschool.

. All spells with the force descriptor.

Preferred arcane focus: amulet

Healer

Heal Thyself:  As a spell-like ability, the spellbinder can cast a form of contingency which only applies to Conjuration (healing) spells.

Knack List: 

All spells of the healing subschool.

. All spells with the water descriptos.

Preferred arcane focus: healer’s kit

Hedge Wizard

Summon Familiar:  A spellbinder with this special ability can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorcerer can.

Knack List: 

. All spells on the adept spell list.

Preferred arcane focus: drum

Herald . May not be chosen at 1st level.

Special Mount (Su):  A spellbinder with this special ability can summon a mount in exactly the same manner as a paladin can. The mount is the same alignment as the spellbinder, and from an appropriate plane, but is otherwise the same as a paladin's mount.

Knack List: 

. All spells of the calling, summoning and teleport subschools.

. All spells with the air, electricity, sonic and/or water descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: horn

Priest Mage

Infuse With Divine Power:  When casting a spell, the priest mage may choose whether to cast it as an arcane spell or a divine spell. .

Knack List: 

. All domain spells of the priest mage’s patron deity’s domains.

Preferred arcane focus: holy symbol (of patron deity)

Seer

Lore:  The spellbinder knows relevant information as the bard ability bardic knowledge, using the spellbinder’s spellbinder level in place of her bard level. If the spellbinder also has bardic knowledge, the abilities stack.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon: Seers gain this ability at 2nd, rather than 16th, level.

Knack List: 

. All spells of the Divination school.

. All spells with the language-dependant and/or light descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: mirror

Shadowcaster

Know the Darkness:  The shadowcaster has both darkvision and low-light vision. Furthermore, if the shadowcaster has either or both of these from another source, she gains a +2 insight bonus to Spot checks made while benefiting from the relevant vision.

Knack List: 

. All spells of the figment, glamer, shadow and teleport subschools.

. All spells with the darkness and/or force descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: umbrella

Shapeshifter

Shapeshift:  A shapeshifter has the ability to turn herself into a specific type of animal and back again once per day. She must choose from the list below. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.

A shapeshifter loses her ability to speak while in shifted form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

The available forms are: Badger (animal), Bat (animal), Camel (animal), Cat (animal), Crocodile (animal), Dog (animal), Dog, riding (animal), Eagle (animal), Hawk (animal), Horse, light or heavy (animal), Lizard (animal), Owl (animal), Pony (animal), Porpoise (animal), Rat (animal), Raven (animal), Shark, Medium (animal), Snake, Tiny, Small or Medium viper (animal), Snake, Large viper (animal), Squid (animal), Toad (animal), Weasel (animal), Wolf (animal).

Choosing crocodile, porpoise, shark, or squid as one's shifted form is only recommended for naval or aquatic campaigns.

Knack List: 

. All spells Transmutation school that lack descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: wand

Smithmage

Routine Item Creation:  A smithmage can create some magic items in a given year without expending personal energy. The smithmage can gain item creation points which, when spending XP on item creation, substitute for XP on a 1 for 1 basis. The ceremony to gain these points has verbal and somatic components, and takes an hour or uninterrupted time. It can only be performed if a year has passed or the smithmage has gained a level since the last time he performed this ritual. The ritual produces 50*level item creation points per each time he performs it.

Knack List: 

. All spells Evocation school that lack descriptors.

. All spells of the creation subschool that lack descriptors.

. All spells with the acid, earth, and/or fire descriptors.

Preferred arcane focus: artisan’s tools

Trickster

Nothing Up My Sleeves: When casting spells, the spellbinder does not require any divine focus, focus or material component whose gold piece value is less than 25 times the spellbinder’s class level. There is no spell slot penalty for this ability

Knack List: 

All spells.