Consolidated Binder Handbook (3.5e Guide)/Introduction

The Binder’s Role

“	Though there are only a limited number of vestiges currently available, and the binder may only bind a small number of them at once (up to four at a time by level 20), the Binder is one of the most versatile classes to date. Based on what vestiges the Binder chooses to make pacts with that day, the Binder can fill many different roles within a group. By combining different vestiges and their granted abilities, the Binder can choose to either further specialize in his chosen role in the party, or create a unique combination of abilities not possessed by any standard class. One of the great strengths of Pact Magic is that, unlike spells, the special abilities granted by vestiges are not limited to a certain number of uses per day. Though each vestige does not grant a large number of abilities, a Binder who can make pacts with multiple vestiges can obtain a wide variety of abilities. Many of the more powerful abilities are only available once every five rounds, so a wise binder will make sure he has other abilities or items at his disposal between uses. The highest level vestiges allow access to some very strange and powerful combinations of abilities. Though not naturally as formidable in combat as the warrior classes, the Binder has medium BAB, d8 HD, and Good Fort and Will Saves. In addition to their vestige granted abilities and pact augmentations, a Binder can be a potent combatant if he or she chooses to be. Despite having a low number of skills points (2+Int per level), the Binder's bonus feats in addition to skill bonuses grants by many of the vestiges will allow the Binder to be very potent in the skills he chooses to pursue.	”
—Gerdreg

In addition to this, I'd say, right from the start, Binders are RIDICULOUSLY complicated: if you haven't read the entire class, all the vestiges, and at least the first 3 posts to this thread, you will probably not play one to its entire potential. Even then, if you are an inexperienced player, STAY AWAY FROM THIS CLASS! Play a Rogue, instead, and max out Use-Magic Device for when you want to get tricky.

Play a Binder when:

• The healing, the arcane, and the trapfinding roles are covered (Binders aren't very efficient at these roles, though they can be decent secondary healers or arcanists. Trapfinding works well with Able Learner and moderate Int);
• You want to cover the party face role (Binders are GREAT at this!);
• You are playing gestalt rules, and want something cool on one side;
• You are going to be dealing with a campaign full of outsiders (all Binder abilities are Su: SR doesn't apply).

Introduction to Pact Magic

If you're at all familiar with magic of incarnum this system should be very intuitive. The flavor is almost the same even. Basically, you gain the ability to make "pacts" with vestiges (invulnerable souls that are neither dead nor alive) and gain special abilities via these pacts. Here's the general procedure:

Draw the vestige's seal: takes 1 minute and a "markable" surface. No checks are required to make this seal. Provokes an AoO. The drawn seal needs to be used w/in 1 minute of making, or doesn’t work. Call out the vestige's name, must be able to speak for this to work. Binding requires 1 minute more, or 1 full-round action at -10 to your check.

Make the binding check: (1d20 + effective binder level + cha modifier)

You get the benefits regardless of whether you made a bad pact or a good pact, but if you made a bad pact you have a certain role-playing restriction that you must obey, or else suffer a cumulative -1 on all your d20 rolls until you can remove the vestige.

There are two methods of speeding the process up: Vestige Phylactery (item) and Rapid Pact Making (feat). Rapid Pact Making doesn't work if you don't use Expel Vestige (feat), but the Phylactery performs the functions of both items in 1 round. Also, RAW, Rapid Pact Making doesn't remove the necessity to draw the seal (this was surely an oversight: this section of the book is full of inconsistencies; talk with your DM). The Vestige Phylactery is the way to go, but it costs 15k gp, so it's a mid-to-high level item (Astaroth gives you the ability to make it, though, which is nice). You bind a vestige ahead of time to use it in combat, or leave it empty, and bind a vestige into it as needed. In other words, it's not very practical to switch vestiges in the middle of the day, which decreases binders' flexibility a little when compared to the Incarnate or Factotum.