Class Archetype · Beta

Channeler

Some casters rely on the gods, others the arcane energy, and still others tap the elements themselves. A channeler relies on no one but herself; for she is her own power source, fueling her spells with her own life force. This is both a blessing and a curse — she is able to generate a level of power that is normally unheard of for such an inexperienced caster, yet this power comes with the ability to kill oneself while using it.

Unlike other spellcasters, a channeler does not rely on intellect or force of personality. Her physical fortitude — the raw resilience required to serve as a living vessel for such volatile energy — defines her limit solely. Instead of having a set limit of power each day, the channeler draws energy from the world around her, or burns her own vitality as fuel.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills

The channeler's class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Progression

Spells Known

Numbers in parentheses — such as (1B) — indicate that the channeler knows spells of this level but has no spell slots for them. These spells can only be cast by accepting the listed amount of Burn via the Overchannel ability. Orange entries require burn to cast.

Class Features

The following are class features of the channeler.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Channelers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a channeler's gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail (see Arcane Spells and Armor).

Spells

A channeler casts arcane spells drawn primarily from the channeler/wizard spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it in advance. To learn or cast a spell, a channeler must have a Constitution score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a channeler's spell is 10 + the spell level + the channeler's Constitution modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a channeler can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the Class Progression table. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Constitution score. Unlike most classes, channelers can benefit from bonus spells above their current highest known spell level. If the channeler has a bonus spell per day available when attempting an Overchannel, the burn cost may be reduced by 1.

A channeler's selection of spells is extremely limited. She begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of her choice. At each new channeler level, she gains one or more new spells as indicated on the Spells Known table. These new spells can be common spells chosen from the channeler/wizard spell list, or unusual spells the channeler has gained some understanding of through study.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered channeler level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a channeler can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. A channeler may swap only a single spell at any given level and must choose whether to swap at the same time she gains new spells known for the level.

Bloodline

Each channeler has a source of magic somewhere in her heritage that grants her spells, bonus feats, an additional class skill, and other special abilities. This source can represent a blood relation or an extreme event involving a creature somewhere in the family's past. Regardless of the source, this influence manifests in a number of ways as the channeler gains levels. A channeler must pick one bloodline upon taking her first level of channeler. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

At 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter, a channeler learns an additional spell derived from her bloodline. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on the Spells Known table and cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels.

At 7th level, and every six levels thereafter, a channeler receives one bonus feat chosen from a list specific to each bloodline. The channeler must meet the prerequisites for these bonus feats. Unless otherwise noted, most channelers are assumed to have the arcane bloodline.

Cantrips

Channelers learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on the Spells Known table. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.

Arcane Burn (Ex)

At 1st level, a channeler can overexert herself to channel a more powerful spell than she can normally cast, pushing past the limit of what is safe for her body by accepting burn. For each point of burn she accepts, a channeler takes 1 point of nonlethal damage per character level. This damage cannot be healed by any means other than getting a full night's rest, which removes all burn and associated nonlethal damage. Nonlethal damage from burn cannot be reduced or redirected, and a channeler incapable of taking nonlethal damage cannot accept burn.

A channeler can accept only 1 point of burn per round. This limit rises to 2 points of burn at 3rd level, and rises by 1 additional point every 3 levels thereafter. A channeler cannot choose to accept burn if it would put her total number of points of burn higher than 3 + her Constitution modifier (though she can be forced to accept more burn from a source outside her control). A channeler who has accepted burn never benefits from abilities that allow her to ignore or alter the effects she receives from nonlethal damage.

Overchannel (Su)

At 1st level, channelers have the ability to overchannel arcane energy beyond that of normal casters.

Overchannel (1st level): By accepting 1 point of burn, she may cast a spell when she has no remaining spell slots for the day.

Extended Overchannel (3rd level): By accepting 2 points of burn, she may cast a spell that she does not have a slot for — one spell level higher than she can normally cast.

Deadly Overchannel (5th level): She can accept 3 points of burn to cast a spell two levels higher than she normally has access to. The damage received from this burn is unhealable lethal damage in addition to the nonlethal damage normally received. The character becomes sickened for a number of rounds equal to the spell level cast. Depending on her level, she may not be able to accept much burn without using powers or abilities to soak it.

If the channeler has a bonus spell per day available when attempting an Overchannel, the burn cost may be reduced by 1.

Gather Power (Su)

At 2nd level, if she has both hands free, a channeler can gather energy as a move action. Gathering power creates an extremely loud, visible display in a 20-foot radius centered on the channeler as energy swirls around her. Gathering power this way allows the channeler to reduce the total burn cost she uses in the same round by 1 point.

The channeler can instead gather power for 1 full round to reduce the total burn cost used on her next turn by 2 points (minimum 1 point). If she does so, she can also gather power as a move action during her next turn to reduce the burn cost by a total of 3 points.

If the channeler takes damage during or after gathering power and before using the spell that releases it, she must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 10 + damage taken + effective spell level) or lose the energy in a wild torrent, forcing her to accept burn equal to the number of points by which gathering power would have reduced the burn cost. This ability can never reduce the burn cost to 0 points.

Eschew Materials

A channeler gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at 2nd level. Her ability to gather energy replaces the need for some material components. In addition to the benefit granted by the feat, she may add her channeler level to the maximum gp value it affects.

Benefit: The channeler can cast any spell with a material component costing 1 gp + her channeler level in gp or less without needing that component. Spellcasting still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the spell requires a material component that costs more, she must have the component on hand as normal.

Arcane Overflow (Ex)

At 4th level, a channeler's body surges with energy whenever she accepts burn, causing her to glow with a nimbus or experience some other thematic effect. She receives a deflection bonus to AC equal to the total number of points of burn she currently has, to a maximum bonus of +1 for every 3 channeler levels she possesses. She also receives a bonus on damage rolls with spells equal to double this deflection bonus. The channeler can suppress the visual effects of arcane overflow by concentrating for 1 full round, but doing so suppresses all other benefits until the next time she casts a spell.

At 6th level: Whenever she has at least 2 points of burn, the channeler gains spell resistance equal to 6 + 2 per point of burn.

At 8th level: Whenever she has at least 3 points of burn, the channeler gains a +2 bonus to her effective caster level.

At 11th level: Whenever she has at least 5 points of burn, these bonuses increase to +4 to her effective caster level and her spell DCs increase by 1.

At 16th level: Whenever she has at least 7 points of burn, these bonuses increase to +6 to her effective caster level, her spell DCs increase by 2, and she gains a +2 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance.

Arcane Metamagic Infusion (Su)

At 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 18th levels, the channeler learns an Arcane Metamagic Infusion. These act like metamagic feats but may only be used to modify channeler spells. She may choose any from the table below.

Metamagic Infusion Specialization (Ex)

At 5th level, whenever a channeler uses one or more Arcane Metamagic Infusions with a spell, she reduces the combined burn cost of those infusions by 1 (minimum 0). She reduces the burn cost by 1 additional point at 10th, 15th, and 20th levels.

Internal Buffer (Su)

At 6th level, a channeler's study of her body and the arcane forces that course through it allows her to form an internal buffer to store extra energy. The buffer starts empty and does not replenish each day. The channeler can accept 1 point of burn to add 1 point to the buffer as a full-round action, to a maximum of 1 point total. This maximum increases to 2 points at 11th level and to 3 points at 16th level.

Once the channeler adds points to her buffer, they remain indefinitely until she spends them. When she would otherwise accept burn, she can spend 1 point from her buffer to avoid accepting 1 point of burn. She cannot spend more than 1 point from her buffer in this way for a single spell. Points spent from the internal buffer do not activate Arcane Overflow or add to its effects. Similarly, this buffer can be used to exceed the normal limit on points of burn accepted in a single turn.

Supercharge (Su)

At 12th level, when using gather power as a move action, a channeler can reduce the total burn cost of a single spell by 2 points instead of 1. When using gather power for 1 full round, she can reduce the burn cost of a spell by 3 points instead of 2.

Metamagic Infusion Master (Su)

At 19th level, a channeler chooses one type of Arcane Metamagic Infusion, such as Empower or Quicken. She reduces the burn cost of that infusion by 1 point (minimum 0).

Awakening (Su)

At 20th level, the channeler awakens to her true potential, becoming a fountain of arcane energy. As an immediate action, she can enter an Awakened state, raising her current burn to maximum. While Awakened, she removes 1 point of burn per round until she reaches zero burn. During this state she cannot gain burn for any reason.

In addition to the normal benefits received from Arcane Overflow, she gains the following for the duration of the Awakened state:

Metamagic Mastery: All spells cast can be modified by multiple Arcane Metamagic Infusions with a total burn cost no greater than the channeler's Constitution modifier. Casting these spells causes no burn.

Fast Healing: She gains fast healing equal to double her total current burn each round. This healing can heal the nonlethal damage suffered from the burn caused by Awakening.