Witchborn Binder

(Magic of Incarnum variant, p. 162)

Elite agents within the Vigilant Servants, a society whose members make it their business to frustrate the plans of the witchborn, witchborn binders are incarnum-wielding mage-hunters who can use the power of soul energy to create shields, traps, and shackles.

Requirements

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks , Search 4 ranks , Sense Motive 2 ranks , Survival 2 ranks , Use Rope 2 ranks

Feats: Alertness , Track

Meldshaping: Meldshaper level 6th.
Special: May not possess any arcane spellcasting class levels.


Hit die

d6

Skill points

4 + Int

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no new proficiencies with weapons, armor, or shields.

Meldshaping: At each witchborn binder level indicated on Table 6—10, you increase your meldshaper level, the number of soulmelds you can shape, the number of chakra binds you can create, and your essentia pool as if you had gained a level in the meldshaping class to which you belonged prior to gaining the witchborn binder level. You do not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of chakra binds. If you had more than one meldshaping class before becoming a witch born binder, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining your essentia pool, meldshaper level, and the number of soulmelds and chakra binds available.

Detect Magic (Sp): Beginning at 1st level, you can use detect magic at will. See the spell, page 219 of the Player's Handbook.

Meldshield: Beginning at 1st level, you can use your essentia to protect yourself against magical attacks. You gain an insight bonus equal to the essentia invested in this ability on all saving throws against spells and spelllike abilities.

Royal Purse: To finance your missions, you can draw out a sum of money equal to your witchborn binder level times 500 in gold pieces from the royal treasury (see Resources, page 165). You can also withdraw or promise larger sums, but you must be prepared to explain your liberty with the ruler's gold if you do so, and you might be required to make restitution to the treasury if your explanation is found wanting. You can withdraw these funds from any place where royal money is held—a government vault, a garrison's paychest, or the like—and you can issue IOUs in the monarch's name.

You can utilize this privilege only once at each witchborn binder level from 1st to 9th. Any unused draws for a given level are lost as soon as you attain a new one. Upon reaching 10th level, you can use this ability once per year for the rest of your career.

Dispelling Orb (Su): At 2nd level, you learn to shape a small orb of incarnum and hurl it at any target within 30 feet as a standard action. If you succeed on a ranged touch attack, the dispelling orb functions as a targeted dispel magic spell (caster level equals your meldshaper level). For every point of essentia you invest in the orb, you gain a +1 insight bonus on any dispel checks you make with it. After the attack is resolved, the invested essentia returns to your essentia pool and can be reinvested as normal.

Essentia: At 2nd level and again at 6th level, you gain 1 extra point of essentia.

Mage Shackles (Su): Beginning at 4th level, as a standard action you can shape a set of shackles from incarnum. With a successful melee touch attack, you can use these shackles to bind a creature capable of arcane spellcasting or using spell-like abilities, as long as it is within one size category of you. You must overcome any spell resistance the target creature might have with a successful caster level check, using your meldshaper level as your caster level, or the attack fails. Once so bound, the target creature is considered entangled by the mage shackles and is also effectively barred from planar movement, as if affected by a dimensional anchor spell. In addition, the affected creature must succeed on a caster level check (DC 10 + your meldshaper level + essentia invested in the mage shackles) to cast an arcane spell or use any spell-like ability.

The mage shackles cannot be damaged or broken except by an effect that unshapes a soulmeld, but a bound creature can escape from them as if they were masterwork manacles (Escape Artist DC 35). A creature incapable of casting arcane spells or using spell-like abilities is unaffected by the mage shackles.

You can use this ability as often as you desire, though you can have only one set of mage shackles shaped at any time, since shaping a second set causes the first to disappear. After 24 hours, your mage shackles automatically unshape unless you remain within 1 mile of the shackled creature. Otherwise, they remain shaped until you choose to unshape them (a free action). No one except you can use the mage shackles you shape—they simply refuse to function at anyone else's command.

Word of Abrogation (Sp): Beginning at 6th level, you can use your command of incarnum to counterspell your enemies. To do so, you must first ready an action. If any creature within 60 feet of you casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, you can attempt to negate the effect as an immediate action with a caster level check (DC 11 + the enemy creature's caster level), using your meldshaper level as your caster level. You gain a +1 bonus on the check for every point of essentia you invest in this ability. You can abrogate only one spell or spell-like effect with each use of this ability, so if you are facing multiple spellcasters, you must decide which one to target with your word of abrogation and wait until your chosen target takes its turn.

Spiritflay (Su): Beginning at 8th level, you can catch a tiny bit of an arcane spellcaster's soulstuff between your hands and mangle it. You can use this attack against any arcane spellcaster or creature with spell-like abilities that is within 60 feet of you. The target creature must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + your witchborn binder level + your Con modifier) or take 1d8 points of damage per point of essentia you invest in the ability, and also be nauseated for 1 round. A successful Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the nausea. A creature that has no arcane spells prepared, no arcane spell slots unused, and no spell-like abilities available is immune to this attack.

Grim Integument (Su): At 10th level, you can shape a coffinlike shroud of incarnum around a foe up to 30 feet away as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Your foe can attempt a Ref lex save (DC 10 + invested essentia + your Con modifier) to escape the grim integument before it forms around him. If the target creature has spell resistance, you must make a caster level check to overcome it, using your meldshaper level as your caster level. A successful saving throw renders the target immune to your grim integument for 24 hours.

Once the grim integument forms, the subject is rooted to the spot and unable to move, with its arms bound to its sides. It can still speak and use spell-like abilities, psionics, or spells requiring only verbal components, but each time it attempts to use an arcane spell or spell-like ability, it takes 1d6 points of damage per point of essentia invested in the grim integument. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + invested essentia + Con modifier) halves this damage. Any damage the creature takes from this effect has the normal chance to disrupt its spell or spell-like ability. Because the grim integument is opaque, it provides total cover and total concealment for the creature inside, but also prevents any one from seeing in or out. The grim integument provides an unlimited supply of breathable air to its victim.

Unlike most creations of incarnum, the grim integument can be physically damaged. The creature inside can burst it open with a successful Strength check (DC 20 + invested essentia), or it can be destroyed by damage in the same way as any object. For every point of essentia invested in this ability, the grim integument has hardness 10 and 20 hit points. Furthermore, any effect that unshapes a soulmeld destroys a grim integument. If it is destroyed or unshaped by another, any essentia invested in it is lost for 24 hours, and you become fatigued. Otherwise, the grim integument persists for as long as you remain within 30 feet of the subject.

You can voluntarily unshape the grim integument as a fullround action. If you do so, or if the creature inside escapes without destroying the grim integument, the incarnum shroud fades away into nothingness, but you suffer no loss of essentia or fatigue.

You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier (minimum once per day).

Advancement

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Meldshaping
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Detect magic, meldshield, royal purse 1/level +1 level of existing meldshaping class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Dispelling orb, essentia +1
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 +1 level of existing meldshaping class
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Mage shackles
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 +1 level of existing meldshaping class
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 Word of abrogation, essentia +1
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 +1 level of existing meldshaping class
8th +6 +2 +2 +6 Spiritflay
9th +6 +3 +3 +6 +1 level of existing meldshaping class
10th +7 +3 +3 +7 Grim integument, royal purse 1/year +1 level of existing meldshaping class

Class skills

Skill name Key ability Trained only Armor check penalty
Concentration CON no no
Craft INT no no
Escape Artist DEX no yes
Knowledge (arcana) INT yes no
Knowledge (religion) INT yes no
Listen WIS no no
Profession WIS yes no
Ride DEX no no
Search INT no no
Sense Motive WIS no no
Spellcraft INT yes no
Spot WIS no no
Survival WIS no no
Use Rope DEX no no

Spells for Witchborn Binder