Bound Spellcaster (from the Demon Hunter's Handbook)
Luck Die: d2.
Requirements
To become a bound spellcaster, one must meet the following criteria:
- Skills: Knowledge: the Planes 10+ ranks, Spellcraft 10+ ranks.
- Feats: Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Spell Penetration.
- Base Will Save: +5.
- Spellcasting: Able to cast 4th-level arcane spells including dimensional anchor, lesser planar binding, and magic circle against evil.
- Alignment: Any nonevil.
- Special: Must destroy a dæmon, demon, or devil in single combat using nothing but spells and magic items you have personally created.
- The bound spellcaster's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Knowledge: Religion (Int), Knowledge: the Planes (Int), Profession: Any (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
- Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
- Skill Points at each level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.
All of the following are class features of the bound spellcaster prestige class.
- Base Attack Bonus: Poor. A bound spellcaster gains +½ base attack bonus per class level.
- Base Fortitude Save Bonus: Poor. A bound spellcaster gains a +½ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.
- Base Reflex Save Bonus: Poor. A bound spellcaster gains +1⁄3 base Reflex save bonus per class level.
- Base Will Save Bonus: Good. A bound spellcaster gains +½ base Will save bonus per class level.
- Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Bound spellcasters gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor, or shield. Armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble, and double the normal armor check penalty applies to Swim checks.
- Spells: A bound spellcaster continues training in spellcasting to supplement their study of dæmons, demons and devils. When an odd numbered bound spellcaster level is gained (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th) and also at 10th level, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, bard or assassin abilities, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting.
If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class that granted access to arcane spells before she became an bound spellcaster, she must decide to which class she adds each odd-numbered level of bound spellcaster for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known. - Assume Demon Flesh (Ex): In an effort to gain both understanding of and power over fiends of all sorts, the bound spellcaster summons the essence of a powerful dæmon, demon, or devil and through a blasphemous ritual of the darkest sort, strips its spirits flesh and binds it to its own. In so doing, he gains the strength that only the pure, corrupt essence of the beasts of the lower planes can bring, but also dooms his soul to a slow, relentless spiral down into darkness and squalor.
To perform this ritual, the bound spellcaster must summon and bind a lower planar being of at least half his own caster level in Hit Dice. To do this, he must prepare a magic circle against evil, summon the creature with some variation of the planar binding spell, and then imprison it with a dimensional anchor. Assuming this is done correctly, the caster can attempt to force the bound outsider to merge with his own body, and subsume its spirit into his own. Since this is not a standard service the demon can be bound to, the bound spellcaster must force the issue using a charisma check as per the lesser planar binding spell; the check cannot be modified by promises of reward, as no demon would ever willingly risk having its spirit effectively destroyed. even for the few scant centuries a mortal spellcaster might be expected to live. Instead, the bound spellcaster can increase his chances of successfully binding the outsider by collecting items of personal value to it, such as a sacrificial knife used by a cultist who worshiped it, or by seeking out and discovering its true name. The bonus received depends upon the importance of items used; a sacrificial knife might be worth +1 to the check, while knowledge of the outsider's true name would grant a +6 bonus. The total bonus to the caster's check can never rise above +6. Should the caster fail to compel the demon, he can try again, as per the rules for lesser planar binding spell, gaining the same bonuses, if applicable, from the artifacts he possesses.
Assuming the bound spellcaster is successful in compelling the outsider, then it is immediately destroyed, its spirit flesh torn from its bones and absorbed into the caster. The caster is immediately and irrevocably transformed, his body taking on vestigial signs of demonic taint; he sprouts short horns, his tongue forks, his teeth extend slightly, he exudes the slight stench of brimstone and burning flesh, and a light dusting of dark scales erupts from his body.
At this point, the bound spellcaster begins to transform into a half-fiend, gaining some of the powers of the template. At 1st level, he gains the following:
- +1 bonus to natural armor class.
- He gains the spell-like abilities of a half-fiend with Hit Dice equal to his caster level (these abilities improve as the bound spellcaster increases in level).
- Darkvision to 30 feet.
- +2 to saves against poison.
- Acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5.
- +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, and +2 Intelligence.
- Soiled Purity (Ex): When a bound spellcaster devours the spirit flesh of a demon, its corruption permanently stains his soul, leading him one step closer to the path of evil and the ways of an evil outsider. His alignment shifts one step towards evil.
- Demonic Ally (Ex): As the bound spellcaster is transformed by his dealings with the lower planes, so too is the familiar that serves him. When the character takes on his 1st level as a bound spellcaster, his familiar gains the fiendish template. The template is applied as normal save that the fiendish familiar gains the ability to smite evil once per day rather than good. In addition, the familiar gains the ability to speak any and all lower planar languages. The bound spellcaster may add his bound spellcaster levels to the levels of other arcane classes that grant a familiar for the purpose of determining his familiar's abilities.
The transformation the familiar undergoes is more that spiritual, as his outside visage shifts and morphs to a more demonic form. The familiar develops crimson scales or smooth skin covered in small, grotesque boils. His eyes blaze with cold fire, and steam rises from his paws whenever they make contact with the mortal plane. When the familiar gains the ability to speak, his voice becomes a low hiss, reverberating and echoing with a dozen unnatural tones. Not matter its size, the familiar takes on a hulking appearance, more massive and imposing than any natural animal of its type. - Shatter Corruption's Strength (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the bound spellcaster's spiritual connection to evil outsiders allows him the ability to overcome their supernatural resistance to mortal spells. He gains a +1 profane bonus to his caster checks to pierce the spell resistance of evil outsiders, and adds a +1 profane bonus to the spell save DCs of all spells cast against evil outsiders.
At 5thth level, the bound spellcaster's profane bonuses to both piercing spell resistance and the DCs of his spell increase to +2, and at 8th level, they increase to +3. - Up the Darkling Path (Ex): At 3rd level, the bound spellcaster's spirit soaks up more of the evil outsider's corrupt power, further transforming the character's body and soul. He gains the following new abilities from the half-fiend template:
- He gains a claw and bite attack, as per the description of the half-fiend template.
- He gains the ability to perform a spell smite. One per day, he can add a bonus equal to his caster level to the damage inflicted by any spell. This bonus applied only to spell cast against evil outsiders.
- He gains damage reduction 5/+1.
- He gains +2 Constitution and +2 Charisma
- Darkened Spirit (Ex): When the bound spellcaster reaches 4th level, the slumbering spirit of the evil outsider within him stirs, poisoning his eternal soul. The bound spellcaster's alignment shifts one step on the law-chaos axis towards the alignment of the evil outsider he bound. If the bound spellcaster's alignment is already the same as the outsider's then nothing happens.
- Improved Binding (Ex): The bound spellcaster understands how to bind and control summoned evil outsiders. Beginning at 6th level, he gains a bonus equal to his bound spellcaster class level to all Charisma checks made to compel evil outsiders to perform a service, as per the lesser planar binding spell. In addition, he can draw a diagram to make his magic circle against evil more secure (as per the spell description) in only one round, and need not make a Spellcraft check when doing so.
- Fury of Hell (Ex): By 7th level, the bound spellcaster's spirit has almost fully consumed the demon bound within he body. He gains the following abilities from the half-fiend template, which stack with those he already possesses:
- His claw and bite attacks are considered magic weapons.
- He gains immunity to poison.
- He gains bat wings, allowing him to fly at his base speed with average maneuverability.
- He gains spell resistance equal to 10 plus is caster level.
- His darkvision increases to 60 feet.
- His damage reduction increases to 10/+1.
- Blackened Soul (Ex): At 8th level, the bound spellcaster has become thoroughly corrupted by the evil outsider's will. His alignment shifts one more step towards evil. An evil bound spellcaster does not necessarily abandon his role as a demon hunter, but he becomes infinitely more cruel in his methods.
- Dark Ascendance (Ex): At 10th level, the bound spellcaster's spirit shreds the defenses of the evil outsider within him, and he undergoes a dark apotheosis. He gains all the following attributes from the half-fiend template, and is now a full half-fiend:
- His type changes to outsider, though he does not recalculate his Hit Dice, Base Attack Bonus, or Base Saves. He is considered a native outsider.
- His resistance to acid, cold, electricity, and fire all increase to 10.
- His total caster level is now equal to his bound spellcaster level plus his previous arcane caster levels, but only for the purpose of determining his spell resistance, his ability to spell smite, and his access to the half-fiend's spell-like abilities.
- He gains an additional +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, and +2 Intelligence.
Bound Spellcaster
| Level | Special | Spells per Day |
| 1st | Assume Demon Flesh, Soiled Purity, Demonic Ally | +1 level of existing arcane spellcating class |
| 2nd | Shatter Corruption's Strength +1 | - |
| 3rd | Up the Darkling Path | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 4th | Darkened Spirit | - |
| 5th | Shatter Corrpution's Path +2 | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 6th | Improved Binding | - |
| 7th | Fury of Hell | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 8th | Shatter Corruption's Strength +3 | - |
| 9th | Blackened Soul | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 10th | Dark Ascendance | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
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