Spiritbound Shaman (Shaman/Magus)

Some shamans acquire their companion spirits in the form of weapons instead of animals. Most prevalent of them are the spiritbound shaman. More combative than their other kin, spiritbound shamans have an affinity to shoot and cast spells simultaneously. Strongly attached to their patron spirits, they forsake the binding of wandering ones. (Original Concept by Noro)

Primary Class: Shaman.

Secondary Class: Magus.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The spiritbound shaman may select three magus skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal shaman class skills. The spiritbound shaman gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The spiritbound shaman is proficient with all simple weapons, and with light and medium armor. The spiritbound shaman is also proficient with the favored ranged weapon of her chosen spirit.

Spellcasting: A spiritbound shaman casts divine spells drawn from the spiritbound shaman spell list. A spiritbound shaman otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a shaman of her spiritbound shaman level. She also gains bonus spells for a high Wisdom.

Hex: This is exactly like the shaman ability of the same name. At 4th level or higher, whenever the spirit boundshaman gains a hex, she can choose one of the following magus arcana that she qualifies for instead of a hex: arcane accuracy, critical strike, dispelling strike, pool strike (with her spirit weapon instead of an unarmed attack).

Ranged Spell Combat (Su): At 1st level, a spiritbound shaman gains the magus spell combat ability, except that the spiritbound shaman can only use this ability with a ranged weapon (including her spirit weapon). If a spell requires an attack roll, she must use far spellstrike to deliver the spell. This ability and spirit weapon replace spirit animal, wandering spirit, and wandering hex.

Spirit Weapon (Su): At 1st level, a spiritbound shaman forms a close bond with a ranged weapon tied to her chosen spirit. This weapon is bound to her chosen spirit and is her conduit to the spirit world, guiding her along the path to enlightenment. The spirit weapon also aids a shaman by granting her a special ability. A shaman must commune with her spirit weapon each day to prepare her spells. While the spirit weapon does not store the spells like a witch's familiar does, the spirit weapon serves as her conduit to divine power. If a spiritbound shaman's spirit weapon is destroyed, she cannot prepare new spells or use her spirit magic class feature until the spirit weapon is replaced.

A spiritbound shaman may choose any ranged weapon that she is proficient with as her spirit weapon, including her spirit’s favored ranged weapon. The following is a list of each spirit’s favored ranged weapon: battle (longbow or shortbow), bone (throwing axe), flame (chakram), heavens (starknife), life (bola), lore (halfling sling-staff), nature (thorn bow), stone (light hammer), waves (trident), wind (boomerang).

By communing with the incredible powers of her spirit, the spiritbound shaman forges a cherished bond with one specific ranged weapon—known as a spirit weapon. A spirit weapon is a weapon chosen by a spiritbound shaman to serve as a conduit, allowing her to more fully access the magic of her spirit on a daily basis. The spiritbound shaman's spirit weapon also grants her special powers. This ability uses the same rules as the bladebound magus archetype’s black blade class feature and is treated as a familiar, except as noted below.

A spiritbound shaman uses her level as her effective magus level when determining the abilities of her spirit weapon. A spiritbound shaman can select any ranged weapon that she is proficient with to serve as her spirit weapon, although her spirit weapon is augmented by the power of her chosen spirit. Once selected, the spirit weapon cannot be changed. Although a spiritbound shaman's spirit weapon uses the statistics of a specific weapon, it is treated as an outsider with the native subtype for the purposes of spells and abilities that affect it.

Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack with spiritbound shaman levels for the purpose of determining any spirit weapon abilities that depend on the spiritbound shaman's level. If a spiritbound shaman possesses such levels in other classes, her spirit weapon always uses the spiritbound shaman rules for spirit weapons, not those used by familiars of other classes (such as witches, wizards, or sorcerers with the arcane bloodline). If the spiritbound shaman has witch levels, her spirit weapon also serves as the conduit to her patron and stores her witch spells. The spiritbound shaman's spirit weapon is treated as a magical weapon for the purposes of all spells, effects, and abilities that affect weapons.

At 1st level, a spiritbound shaman gains the magus’ arcane pool ability except that the number of points in her pool is equal to 1/3 her level (minimum 1) plus her Wisdom modifier.

A spiritbound shaman’s spirit weapon also gains the following ability according to her chosen spirit.

• Battle: The spirit weapon looks like a fiercer version of its type. It increases its critical threat range by 1 and its range by 10 feet.

• Bones: The spirit weapon gives off a ghostly glow and seems nearly transparent. While the spirit weapon is held, the spiritbound shaman is under the constant effects of blur, with a caster level equal to the spiritbound shaman's level.

• Flame: The spirit weapon is surrounded by a nimbus of flame that gives off light like a candle. This nimbus is warm to the touch, but doesn't cause any damage. The spirit weapon is immune to fire damage, but is vulnerable to cold damage.

• Heavens: The spirit weapon’s surface accurately reflects the stars that would be visible in the night sky, no matter where the spirit weapon is or the time of day. Due to this, it can be used as a star map. In addition, while the spirit weapon is held, the spiritbound shaman gains a fly speed of 5 feet. While the spiritbound shaman is flying, a small nimbus of light surrounds her.

• Life: The spirit weapon always appears to be especially vibrant and like new. The weapon is warded from normal damage and decay. A metallic weapon cannot rust and a wooden weapon cannot rot or warp, even by magical or supernatural means. The weapon grants a +2 bonus to the weapon’s break DC and to the spiritbound shaman’s combat maneuver defense against sunder maneuvers made against the spirit weapon.

• Lore: The spirit weapon grants the spiritbound shaman a +2 bonus on Initiative checks and a +4 bonus on Stealth checks.

• Mammoth: The spirit weapon is larger and more savage in appearance than an ordinary weapon of its kind. It deals damage as a weapon one size category larger than normal (Small as Medium, Medium as Large, and so on).

• Nature: The spirit weapon looks feral (moss-covered, thorns, etc.) and appears to be in perfect condition. While the spirit weapon is held, the spiritbound shaman can move through any sort of undergrowth or natural difficult terrain at its normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. If the spiritbound shaman has a fly speed, she can ignore the penalty on Fly skill checks for winds up to windstorm strength, but only while the weapon is in hand.

• Stone: The spirit weapon looks as though it's made out of earth and stone, with tiny gemstones embedded in its surface. The spirit weapon gains DR 5/adamantine.

• Waves: The spirit weapon appears to constantly distort, much as a pond's surface ripples when drops of water fall gently into it. While the spirit weapon is held, the spiritbound shaman gains Mobility as a bonus feat. The spiritbound shaman doesn't need to meet the prerequisites for this feat. In addition, the spiritbound shaman can breathe underwater, but only while the weapon is in hand.

• Wind: The spirit weapon crackles with electrical energy when it is wielded, giving off light like a candle. This electricity deals no damage to the weapon or the spiritbound shaman or any creature that touches the weapon. While the spirit weapon is held, the spiritbound shaman gains electricity resistance 10.

At 3rd level, and at subsequent levels, a spiritbound shaman's spirit weapon gains the statistics and abilities of a Black Blade, as described in the bladebound magus archetype description (see the Bladebound magus archetype in Ultimate Magic). These abilities affect the spirit weapon and grant it special abilities that can aid it in serving the spiritbound shaman and the spirit it represents and is connected to. A spirit weapon gains all the additional statistics and abilities of a black blade, except as noted hereafter.

Spirit Weapon Strike (Sp): At 3rd level, as a free action, the spiritbound shaman can spend a point from the spirit weapon’s arcane pool to grant the spirit weapon a +1 bonus on damage rolls for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, this ability gives the spirit weapon another +1 on damage rolls. She can add any of the following weapon properties: corrosive, corrosive burst, dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, thundering. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. This ability replaces the black blade strike ability.

Transfer Hex Power (Su): At 13th level, once per day, the spiritbound shaman can attempt to siphon points from his spirit bow’s arcane pool to activate a limited use hex. Doing so takes a full-round action and the spiritbound shaman must succeed at a Will saving throw with a DC equal to the spirit weapon’s ego. If the spiritbound shaman succeeds, she regains one daily use of a hex or may use a hex on the same creature a second time within 24 hours for every point she saps from her spirit weapon. If she fails the saving throw, the spiritbound shaman becomes fatigued (but can try again). If she is fatigued, she becomes exhausted instead. She cannot use this ability if she is exhausted. This ability replaces the black blade’s transfer arcana ability.

Life Drinker (Su): The spiritbound shaman can regain all daily uses of one hex when using the life drinking black blade ability.

Far Spellstrike (Su): At 3rd level or higher, whenever a spiritbound shaman casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the spiritbound shaman’s spell list or uses a hex, she can deliver the spell or hex through her spirit weapon she is wielding as ranged attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a spiritbound shaman can make one free ranged attack with her spirit weapon (at her highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell or activating the hex. If successful, this ranged attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell or hex. This attack uses the spirit weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier. This ability replaces the deliver touch spells ability granted by the spirit class feature.

NEW HEXES

The following new hexes are restricted to the Spiritbound Shaman multiclass archetype.

Long Range (Ex): The spiritbound shaman can deliver touch spells that feature a touch attack as ranged touch spells. She can use a touch attack spell that targets more than one creature, but she makes only one ranged touch attack to deliver one of these touch effects; additional touch attacks from that spell are wasted and have no effect. These spells can be used with the spirit spellstrike class feature.

Spirit Hex (Su): The spiritbound shaman can use the following as determined by her chosen spirit by making a successful attack roll with her spirit weapon. Once a creature has been the target of a spirit hex, regardless of whether or not the save is made or the attack is successful, that creature is immune to that spiritbound shaman’s spirit hex for 24 hours.

• Battle: The spiritbound shaman can use the gunslinger’s deadshot deed. When using this hex, the spiritbound shaman’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a gunslinger of her spiritbound shaman level.

• Bones: The target of the spiritbound shaman’s attack must make a Fortitude saving throw or breaks one random limb.

• Flame: The target of the spiritbound shaman’s attack must make a successful Reflex saving throw or catch on fire, taking fire damage equal to half the spiritbound shaman’s level (minimum 1) for 1 d4 rounds.

• Heavens: The spiritbound shaman resolves all ranged attacks made with her spirit weapon as ranged touch attacks until the beginning of her next turn.

• Life: The target of the spiritbound shaman’s attack must make a Fortitude saving throw or be stunned for 1d4 rounds.

• Lore: The spiritbound shaman’s ranged attacks made with her spirit weapon ignore partial or full cover and miss chance from spells (such as blur or displacement) until the beginning of her next turn.

• Mammoth: The target of the spiritbound shaman’s attack must make a successful Will saving throw. If the save fails, the taget’s weight is multiplied by 8 and it is slowed (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds.

• Nature: The target of the spiritbound shaman’s attack must make a successful Reflex saving throw or become entangled for a number of rounds equal to half the spiritbound shaman’s level (minimu 1).

• Stone: The spiritbound shaman may attempt a ranged sunder against the target's armor or an item in the target's possession. She gains a bonus to her combat maneuver bonus on the sunder attempt equal to half her spiritbound shaman level (minimum +1).

• Waves: The target of the spiritbound shaman’s attack must make a Fortitude save or take 1d4 points of Dexterity damage for a number of rounds equal to 3+ the spiritbound shaman’s Charisma modifier (Minimum 0).

• Wind: The spiritbound shaman ignores all concealment and weather penalties to her attack rolls made against the target with her spirit weapon. Each attack roll is resolved as if the target was one range interval closer for long-distance shooting.

SPIRITBOUND SHAMAN SPELL LIST

The spiritbound shaman gains the following spells.

0-Level Spells–acid splash, create water, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, guidance, know direction, light, mending, ray of frost, resistance, stabilize, touch of fatigue, virtue.

1st-Level Spells–burning hands, calm animals, cause fear, charm animal, chill touch, comprehend languages, corrosive touch, cure light wounds, dancing lantern, detect animals or plants, detect undead, discern next of kin, endure elements, entangle, frostbite, gentle breeze, heightened awareness, hex vulnerability, hex ward, hydraulic push, inflict light wounds, magic missile, magic weapon, obscuring mist, pass without trace, produce flame, ray of enfeeblement, sense spirit magic, shocking grasp, stone shield, thorn javelin, wave shield.

2nd-Level Spells–acid arrow, animal messenger, animate dead (lesser), barkskin, bear's endurance, beastspeak, bull's strength, burning gaze, cure moderate wounds, darkness, defensive shock, delay poison, eagle eye, elemental touch, fire breath, flame blade, focused scrutiny, fog cloud, ghostbane dirge, imbue with elemental might, inflict moderate wounds, levitate, life pact, owl's wisdom, remove paralysis, resist energy, restoration (lesser), scorching ray, shatter, sickening entanglement, spiritual weapon, tree shape, warp wood, wood shape.

3rd-Level Spells–animate dead, aqueous orb, aura sight, beast shape I, blindness/deafness, call lightning, clairvoyance/clairaudience, cloak of winds, cure serious wounds, daylight, dispel magic, flame arrow, fly, font of spirit magic, hex glyph, inflict serious wounds, mindlocked messenger, protection from energy, ray of exhaustion, remove curse, searing light, sleet storm, speak with dead, speak with haunt, stench of prey, stone shape, stricken heart, thorny entanglement, vampiric touch, ward of the season, water breathing, wind wall.

4th-Level Spells–air geyser, anti-incorporeal shell, ball lightning, beast shape II, command plants, cure critical wounds, dragon's breath, dimensional anchor, dismissal, divination, earth glide, false life (greater), fire shield, firefall, ice storm, imbue with spell ability, inflict critical wounds, magic weapon (greater), neutralize poison, persistent vigor, poison, repel vermin, ride the waves, sands of time, slowing mud, spike stones, spit venom, thorn body, tongues, wall of ice.

5th-Level Spells–acidic spray, baleful polymorph, beast shape III, break enchantment, call lightning storm, commune, commune with nature, control winds, cure light wounds (mass), deafening song bolt, enervation, feast on fear, flame strike, geyser, ghostbane dirge (mass), hex glyph (greater), inflict light wounds (mass), insect plague, overland flight, rest eternal, stoneskin, true seeing, wall of fire, wall of thorns.

6th-Level Spells–antilife shell, awaken, banishment, bear's endurance (mass), bull's strength (mass), cat's grace (mass), chain lightning, cone of cold, create undead, cure moderate wounds (mass), disintegrate, dispel magic (greater), find the path, fire seeds, flesh to stone, inflict moderate wounds (mass), slay living, snake staff, stone to flesh, wall of stone.

7th-Level Spells–animate plants, contagious flame, creeping doom, cure serious wounds (mass), harm, heal, ice body, inflict serious wounds (mass), liveoak, regenerate, restoration (greater), stone tell, sunbeam, transport via plants, vision, vortex, wind walk.

8th-Level Spells–animal shapes, blood mist, cure critical wounds (mass), destruction, discern location, earthquake, fire storm, horrid wilting, inflict critical wounds (mass), stormbolts, sunburst, whirlwind.

9th-Level Spells–elemental swarm, energy drain, etherealness, heal (mass), polar midnight, polar ray, storm of vengeance, tsunami, wail of the banshee, winds of vengeance.

Table: Spiritbound Shaman