User:Ubergeek63/Sandbox

Summary::Access to planar natures, energies, alignments, and knowledge through permanent links Length::20 Minimum Level::1 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Poor Fortitude Save Progression::Poor Reflex Save Progression::Poor Will Save Progression::Good Class Ability:: Alternate Magic Class Ability Progression::Full

Allowed Alignments::Lawful Good Allowed Alignments::Lawful Neutral Allowed Alignments::Lawful Evil Allowed Alignments::Neutral Good Allowed Alignments::Neutral Allowed Alignments::Neutral Evil Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Good Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Neutral Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Evil

Planar Summoner
The Planar Summoner is a relic of ancient times, predating the power struggles of the gods and of mortals learning the intricacies of magic. He is both more and less than other casters, having in hand the precursors of most magics but not the intricacies. A jack of all trades, at higher levels the he might combine arcanist, healer and necromancer abilities all the while hiding his alignment behind a mask of one of the planes he has chosen to link to.

While his is the rarest of all classes, being all but abandoned for the focused magic specializations, it could also be considered the most common being more natural than the magic of the druid or fey, for all creatures have links. Their alignment plane is the "moral compass" that guides their actions and their trip at death while a familial link lets the woman "know" her lost husband still lives.

Making a Planar Summoner
Even though he is a bit of a chameleon at higher levels, at low level a Planar Summoner has only his native plane, alignment plane and one other to summon from. He needs an opposing alignment or an elemental plane for an effective attack. His is the only casting class that does not require a minimum stat due to the exclusive use of the most fundamental planar characteristics, albeit at only 1/4 caster lvl.

Abilities: The Summoner's effects duplicate normal spells in appearance but are actually directly summoned from their planar links.

Races: Any, planar bloodline tendency.

Alignment: Any, neutral tendency

Starting Gold: <-starting gold; YdZ->&times;10 gp (<-average starting gold. This calculated by multiplying the number of die rolls by the die size plus one and multiplying the result by 5 [Y × (Z + 1) × 5].-> gp).

Starting Age: Simple

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Planar Summoner.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Planar Summoners are proficient with one weapon of their choice which they practice to enhance disguises (may be changed at the start any lvl, but they lose proficiency for that lvl) and with light armor.



To duplicate a spell, a Planar Summoner must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Planar Summoner’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Planar Summoner's Charisma modifier. This does not include general effects.

 : A link is established between the Summoner and a plane. He may also form links to as many people, places and things as the he desires. Each link requires a 10 minute ritual to establish and serves as a source/destination for effects. A Planar Summoner is automatically linked to his native plane and the plane of his alignment (most often the Outlands as Summoners tend to be neutral). He gets one additional planes at first level and one more every 3 levels thereafter. Each Planar Link accept his native plane duplicates his normal skill point total on checks related to that plane, it's type or subtype. His native plane link extends the range of touch spells to ranged touch as well as allowing him to summon stored items. Links are not be inherently evil even if to an evil plane, but how any link is used may be.

'''Any give Planar Link can eventually be used at full caster level a number of times equal to his Charisma modifier per day but can be used at the 1/2 caster level at will as long as he has one link use left to that plane. The number of uses increases from one to the charisma modifier by one per character level. In the rare situation that a summoner has exhausted all uses of a plane, the link functions at 1/4 caster level'''

A Planar Summoner MAY take the same plane as many times as he wants to, increasing his daily usage and his effective skill points for checks related to that plane.

 : As a Druid's Animal Companion with a planar template from a linked plane applied.  :The Planar Summoner cane sense the presence of outsiders, gates, portals and links and their plane of origin at 30'. He can use any portal or gate by making a spellcraft check (Typical keyed portal - DC30, Portal sealed by a spell - DC20 + the caster's level, Portal created by a deity - DC50). If the Planar Summoner has a link to the opposing plane the same check may be used to disrupt the portal instead.

 : Planar Summoners excel at crafting items that have planar effects associated with them. It takes a Summoner half the time, money and experience points to create an item and the appropriate planar link is used in place of the spell component of magic item crafting. (a Decanter of Endless Water has SRD:Control_Water and CL9 as requirements with a cost of 9000GP and 360XP would require CL9 and a link to the Elemental Plane of Water with a cost 4500GP and 180XP instead). Other casting classes get a +10 circumstance bonus for use item checks do to it's archaic nature.

 : Alloy allows the Planar summoner to combine planar "elements" in the same round. While it gets it's name from metallurgy, it is actually far more. To a Summoner an element could be sentience, a soul, stone, iron, fire, etc. It takes 2 planar links to make a simple alloy, even if the elements come from the same plane. It takes 3 planar links to make complex alloys or special materials. When applying crafting skills when summoning alloys the DC is multiplied by the number of planar links used.

Aura (Ex): A Summoner can choose to have an aura as a cleric of his level corresponding any of his linked planes. Changing auras is a full round action. This completely hides his true alignment from all but direct intervention of a deity. The aura gives a +4 on checks, a -4 for the opposing ones, and survivability (a fire aura would protect from fire, allowing direct physical contact with a native of that plane and innate Improved Evasion to fire based attacks).

Playing a Planar Summoner
Religion: Planar Summoners are taught right from the beginning of their training "be wary of religions because religions WILL distrust you.   Even if they don't now, they WILL!". Indeed the intimate contact that the Summoner enjoys with opposed alignment planes, and the inhabitants of those planes, tends to not sit well their practitioners. For this reason Planar Summoners tend to not follow a particular god, having a much better understanding of mechanics of the god/mortal relationship than any other class, and could be thought of as worshiping the very planes they are linked to.

Other Classes: "It's not me, it's them!" Planar Summoners often hide their true class to avoid the distrust and jealousy that it arouses. They often settle into a "public persona", the class that they present to the public, by fourth level when they get their second planar link. The exceptions to this are the covert classes, like spies and assassins, which respect them for their ability to pass detect alignment and to keep it up 24/7. Defiants, on the other hand, actively seeks out Summoners as healers since Summoners are not actually divine casters even though they duplicate many typically divine functions.

Combat: At 4rth lvl a neutral Planar Summoner do a 4d6 alignment energy burst (8d6 vs Chaotic Evil), Steal an opponent's weapon, a 4d6 fireball, and then a 4d6 positive energy burst on consecutive rounds if he has those links (alignment, native, fire, positive), though this could completely tap a low charisma summoner. At 10th level, with 3 additional planes to draw from, the Planar Summoner can potentially pass for most caster classes in a pinch.

Advancement: The most obvious multiclass option is to take a fighter level for the attack bonus, armor proficiency and an extra feat. Suitable prestige classes include Wild Soul, Elemental Savant, Pale Master and Sacred Purifier, all of which advance casting at almost if not every level while providing some abilities and immunities.

Planar Summoner Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Religion, The planes) can research Planar Summoners to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Planar Summoners in the Game
As a PC a Planar summoner can fill most magic roles, though standoffish as a cleric. With appropriate skills he can be weapon smith, armorer or sculptor, applying his skills as he summons the raw materials from other planes to create usable items. NPCs encountered will generally only be seen artisans of exceptional skill and station in their chosen media (with their natural skills augmented by planar links).

Adaptation: The easiest balance change is to change how often the summoner gets new planar links. Instead of a set "spell book" a player could add one additional spell when he levels for each of his links at his current caster level up to 1 spell per plane per level. Some literature and classes attribute magic implicitly to the various planes, to the Planar summoner the links and effects are explicit.

At the GM's discretion, 'alloy' might be used to create a different attack: at half lvl from earth and fire to create lava for half DMG and quarter DMG for four rounds for instance.

Sample Encounter: An armor/weapon smith known for making steel that does not rust and is rumored to stand up to rust monster attacks. He lives the life of a noble as nobles, priests, and kings seek his work and pay well for it, though he seems to spend a LOT of time cavorting. Displayed prominently in his shop is a life size bronze statue, itself very detailed and well done, wearing the most exquisite plate armor you have ever seen.

EL 5: He is actually an average charisma (no link uses) Planar Summoner who was introduced to it by an adventuring ancestor. Now, at 12th level he has 3 links to the plane of earth, one to the neutral plane, one plane of shadow, and 13 skill points in craft(sculpture, weapon smithing, armor smithing) for an effective skill of 52. Locals leave him be, even the thieves and assassins guilds prefer to not cross him knowing all to well that he can defend himself and would rather be on his good side for when they need his more peculiar armor.

Planar Effects
Planar Effects duplicate common spell effects to help conceal the true nature of the class (and for ease of game play). For raw damage planes do no damage against similarly aligned creatures and double against opposite aligned creatures (fire vs water, good vs evil, positive vs negative). These damage adjustments begin once you have made enough friends on that plane (when you get your next plane).

General
The Planar Summoner is considered an arcane caster for qualifying for feats and PrCs

Lvl 1 - Energy Touch: A ranged touch attack that calls an orb of planar energy (elemental or alignment) to appear at the target and does not allow a saving throw. The orb does 1d6/CL of damage to an opponent within range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level). Can also be used at 1d3 and 50' range cantrip level.

Lvl 2 - Summoning: Summoning from any linked plane. Duration: 10 rounds/level

&mdash;Summon Monster,Summon Nature's Ally, Summon Undead (SpC pg215), etc as the spell cast by a the normal class but only from linked planes.

&mdash;Summon an Item that has been linked to of up to 50lbs, and up to 2KGP of value per CL. If not previously linked an object in sight can be summoned with a ranged touch, at -4 if worn (as a pin, or on a belt), at -8 if held, and at -16 if in use as a shield or sword).

&mdash;Summon raw matter is limited to a 5 foot square by 1 inch thick stone slab per CL, four times that for energy (fire, alignment, positive, etc). This has the effect of Wall of Fire, Wall of Iron, and Wall of Stone spells at higher levels while still having some use at lower levels.

Lvl 3 - Planar Zone: The Planar Summoner can imbue and area with the nature of any plane that he is linked to. This gives +1 bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws and to each hit die (if summoned) on like aligned creatures and a similar penalty to opposed ones for every 4 caster levels when in an alignment zone).

Lvl 4 - Energy Burst: Treat as a Fireball made of energy (elemental or alignment) that appears at the target that allows a reflex save for 1/2 damage.

Lvl 5 - Align Arms & Armor: Imbues weapons or armor with the planar energy or alignment of any plane the Summoner is linked to. For most planes the bonus is double against opposed alignments or energies and gets DR for armor and a d6 for weapons (as bane) per plus but goes away for matching alignments. Effect lasts for 1 hour per class level. See Specific planes for alternate effects.

Lvl 10 - Planar Portal: Links used for travel in either direction with no error if the destination is linked, otherwise standard Teleport errors apply. While on other planes the link to his native plane has the effect of a permanent Planar Bubble as well as being able to cast it on 1 creature/4CL.

Lvl 13 Spiritual Channeling (Only alignment planes)

Positive
Life, Health, and Regeneration

Access to the Positive Energy Plane qualifies as Divine casting as a cleric for qualifying for feats and PrCs

Most positive plane "attacks" act as cure wounds for most creatures. A positive plane aura allows the Summoner to Turn Undead as a cleric of his caster level.

Lvl 1 - Lesser Restoration

Lvl 3 - Gentle Repose

Lvl 5 - Revigorize

Lvl 7 - Restoration

Lvl 9 - Disrupting Weapon

Lvl 11 - Raise Dead: Additionally requires link to the living character and his alignment plane. No other action possible this round.

Lvl 13 - Greater Restoration

Lvl 15 - Regenerate

Lvl 17 - Create Life A Planar Summoner knows better than to believe he is actually creating life. He summons a petitioner from an alignment plane that he is linked to (normally his own) for sentience and life from the positive plane and combine it with the prepared biomass.  Other than being able to create a creature with an opposed alignment that is potentially hostile to him, this functions as the spell.

Negative
Death, Disease, and Decay

Access to the Negative Energy Plane qualifies as Divine casting as a cleric for qualifying for feats and PrCs.

Attacks cause HP drain instead of normal damage and can only be healed with by a Heal, Limited Wish, or better spells, direct contact with the Positive Energy Plane either directly, through a Summoner's link, or through natural healing. The negative plane aura allows the Summoner to Rebuke Undead undead as a cleric of his caster level.

Lvl 2 - Ray of Enfeeblement

Lvl 3 - Command Undead

Lvl 4 - Ghoul Touch

Lvl 5 - Vampiric Touch

Lvl 6 - Animate dead

Lvl 7 - Enervation

Lvl 9 - Touch of Vecna

Lvl 11 - Create_Undead

Lvl 13 - Greater Consumptive Field

Lvl 14 - Destruction

Lvl 15 - Create Greater Undead

Lvl 16 - Evil Within

Lvl 17 - Energy Drain

Shadow
Darkness, Shadows, Illusion

Shadow armor gives 10% concealment miss chance per plus and adds to hide in shadows while Shadow weapons drop AC starting with dex bonus point for point due to concealment in anything but full sun. The bonus is +1/4CL.

Lvl 1 - silent image

Lvl 3 - shadow spray

Lvl 4 - phantasmal assailant

Lvl 5 - Shadow Binding

Lvl 7 - Shadow Conjuration

Lvl 9 - Shadow Evocation

Lvl 11 - Project Image

Lvl 13 - Simulacrum

Lvl 15 - Greater Shadow Evocation

Lvl 17 - Shades

Ethereal
Phase Shift, Invisibility, True Site

Armor and weapons armor become gain the ghost touch enhancement: Armor or Weapon with the double bonus against ethereal or phase shifted etc opponents. As an aura, the Ethereal Plane grants the summoner True Seeing as well as his personal armor and weapons being ghost touch at that time.

Lvl 5 - Clairaudience/Clairvoyance

Lvl 9 - True Seeing

Lvl 11 - Genesis The Planar Summoner does not need to cast from the Ethereal plane nor does the plane created need to be connected with anything though the summoner has an automatic link to it. He gets no aura or spell effects regardless of what he makes the planar characteristics to be.

Lvl 17 - Eye of the Gods

Lvl 18 - Foresight

Temporal Energy
Time, Aging

Temporal energy aura make the Summoner immune to aging effects.

Lvl 1 - Expeditious Retreat

Lvl 3 - Arrow Storm

Lvl 5 - Slow

Lvl 7 - Rotfinger

Lvl 9 - Outlast the Ages

Lvl 15 - Turn Back the Pendulum

Lvl 17 - Time Stop