Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Incarnum in Pathfinder
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="paradox42" data-source="post: 6137418" data-attributes="member: 29746"><p><strong>The Current Version of the Totemist</strong></p><p></p><p>This is the most current version of the Totemist in my rules files, including two Archetypes for it. Everything in this post is as yet untested in actual play, though hopefully it's not far off the balance mark (and proves to be fun when used). The Spirit Guide is, of course, the Totemist's answer to the Radiant Incarnate. The Monstershaper came out of me noticing the fact that the Foundationist (which depends upon its Pattern Chakra in a manner quite similar to the Totemist depending upon its Totem Chakra) really wants to combine many soulmelds on that Chakra at once; the Monstershaper therefore creates a Totemist that is closer to the Foundationist mechanically. It is possible that the Monstershaper should actually be the core version of the Totemist, and the version set out below an Archetype instead; however, this is what I have at present so it's what I'm posting.</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Skills:</strong> The Totemist's class skills are: Craft (any) (INT), Fly (DEX), Handle Animal (CHA), Knowledge (Arcana, Nature, Planes) (INT), Perception (WIS), Profession (any) (WIS), Ride (DEX), Spellcraft (INT), Survival (WIS), and Swim (STR)</p><p></p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>Class<br /> Level</td><td>Base Attack<br /> Bonus</td><td>Fortitude<br /> Save</td><td>Reflex<br /> Save</td><td>Will<br /> Save</td><td>Special</td><td>Soulmelds</td><td>Essentia</td><td>Chakra<br /> Binds</td></tr><tr><td>1st<br /> </td><td>+0</td><td>+2</td><td>+2</td><td>+0</td><td>Wild Empathy, Totem Chakra Bind</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2nd</td><td>+1</td><td>+3</td><td>+3</td><td>+0</td><td>Chakra Bind (Crown), Totem Chakra Bind (+1 capacity)</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>3rd</td><td>+2</td><td>+3</td><td>+3</td><td>+1</td><td>Totem's Protection</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>4th</td><td>+3</td><td>+4</td><td>+4</td><td>+1</td><td>Totem's Empathy</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>5th</td><td>+3</td><td>+4</td><td>+4</td><td>+1</td><td>Chakra Binds (Feet, Hands)</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>6th</td><td>+4</td><td>+5</td><td>+5</td><td>+2</td><td>Totem Chakra Bind (+1 Meldshaper Level)</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>7th</td><td>+5</td><td>+5</td><td>+5</td><td>+2</td><td>Improved Totem's Empathy</td><td>5</td><td>7</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>8th</td><td>+6/+1</td><td>+6</td><td>+6</td><td>+2</td><td>Rebind Totem Soulmeld 1/day</td><td>5</td><td>7</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>9th</td><td>+6/+1</td><td>+6</td><td>+6</td><td>+3</td><td>Chakra Binds (Arms, Brow, Shoulders)</td><td>5</td><td>8</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>10th</td><td>+7/+2</td><td>+7</td><td>+7</td><td>+3</td><td>Totem's Lore, Totem Shape</td><td>6</td><td>11</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>11th</td><td>+8/+3</td><td>+7</td><td>+7</td><td>+3</td><td>Totem Chakra Bind (Double Bind)</td><td>6</td><td>12</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>12th</td><td>+9/+4</td><td>+8</td><td>+8</td><td>+4</td><td>Rebind Totem Soulmeld 2/day</td><td>6</td><td>13</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>13th</td><td>+9/+4</td><td>+8</td><td>+8</td><td>+4</td><td>Greater Totem's Empathy</td><td>7</td><td>14</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>14th</td><td>+10/+5</td><td>+9</td><td>+9</td><td>+4</td><td>Chakra Binds (Throat, Waist), Greater Totem Shape</td><td>7</td><td>15</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>15th</td><td>+11/+6/+1</td><td>+9</td><td>+9</td><td>+5</td><td>Totem Chakra Bind (+2 capacity)</td><td>7</td><td>18</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>16th</td><td>+12/+7/+2</td><td>+10</td><td>+10</td><td>+5</td><td>Rebind Totem Soulmeld 3/day</td><td>8</td><td>19</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>17th</td><td>+12/+7/+2</td><td>+10</td><td>+10</td><td>+5</td><td>Chakra Bind (Heart)</td><td>8</td><td>20</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>18th</td><td>+13/+8/+3</td><td>+11</td><td>+11</td><td>+6</td><td>Master Totem Shape</td><td>8</td><td>22</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>19th</td><td>+14/+9/+4</td><td>+11</td><td>+11</td><td>+6</td><td>Perfect Totem's Empathy</td><td>9</td><td>24</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>20th</td><td>+15/+10/+5</td><td>+12</td><td>+12</td><td>+6</td><td>Rebind Totem Soulmeld 4/day, Totem Embodiment<br /> </td><td>9</td><td>28</td><td>6</td></tr></table><p></p><p> Totemists have class abilities as described in MoI, except for the (admittedly extensive) changes noted below. </p><p></p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Wild Empathy (Ex):</strong> A Totemist can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Totemist rolls 1d20 and adds his or her Totemist level and CHA modifier to determine the Wild Empathy check result.<br /> The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.<br /> To use Wild Empathy, the Totemist and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.<br /> A Totemist can also use this ability to influence a Magical Beast with an INT score of 1 or 2, but takes a –4 penalty on the check. However, unlike other classes with the Wild Empathy ability, a Totemist can gain a bonus to offset this penalty: if the character is specifically trying to influence a Magical Beast associated with the soulmeld that he or she has bound to his or her Totem chakra (for example, the character has a <em>Basilisk Mask</em> bound to the Totem, and tries to use Wild Empathy on a Basilisk), he or she gains a +4 bonus on the Wild Empathy check (and thus effectively takes no penalty).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Totem's Protection (Su):</strong> At 3rd level, the Totemist can use his or her connection with the souls of beasts to gain protection against the special attacks and powers of those same beasts. He or she gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the Extraordinary, Psi-Like, Supernatural, and Spell-Like abilities of Magical Beasts.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Totem's Empathy (Ex):</strong> At 4th level, the Totemist gains a +4 on Wild Empathy checks made to influence the attitude of a beast associated with any of his or her shaped soulmelds, not just the one bound to the Totem chakra. If the beast is specifically the one associated with the soulmeld bound to the Totemist's Totem chakra, then the character receives a further +4 bonus, granting him or her (in most cases) a total +4 bonus rather than the usual -4 penalty associated with trying to influence a Magical Beast.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Improved Totem's Empathy (Ex):</strong> At 7th level, the Totemist gains a +4 bonus on Wild Empathy checks made to influence the attitude of any Magical Beast, regardless of which soulmelds he or she has shaped. He or she still gains a +4 bonus if the beast is associated with the soulmeld bound to the Totem chakra.<br /> Furthermore, the Totemist is no longer limited to influencing creatures with an INT score of 1 or 2 with Wild Empathy checks; any creature of the Animal or Magical Beast type is a legal target for his Wild Empathy from 7th level onward. If the Totemist uses Wild Empathy on a creature with an INT score above 2, it is treated as a Diplomacy check in every way, including allowing for the possibility of the Totemist using the Aid Another action to help an ally's Diplomacy check on the same target, or an ally using Diplomacy to Aid the Totemist's Wild Empathy check.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Totem's Lore (Su):</strong> At 10th level, a Totemist can use his or her connection with the souls of nature to learn things about creatures with some connection to it, even if he or she has no appropriate Knowledge ranks. As a standard action, the Totemist can target a creature of the Animal, Dragon, Magical Beast, or Ooze type within 30 feet to learn about its abilities and weaknesses. With a successful ranged touch attack, the character gains information as if he made the appropriate Knowledge skill check with a result equal to 20 + his or her Totemist level + his or her WIS modifier. The character may also target creatures which are templated versions of creatures of an appropriate type, even if the template changes the creature type to a disallowed type (for example, a Half-Dragon Lich would be a legal target, even though it is of the Undead creature type, because it was type Dragon before it became a Lich).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Totem Shape (Su):</strong> Also at 10th level, a Totemist gains the ability to literally merge with the souls woven into the soulmeld bound to his or her Totem Chakra, actually becoming the associated beast (at least in form). This works like the spell <em>Beast Shape IV</em>, except that the character can only become a Magical Beast of size Tiny to Large, and can only transform into the creature associated with the soulmeld bound to his or her Totem Chakra (if there is no soulmeld bound to the Totem Chakra, or the soulmeld bound to Totem is not associated with a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large creature of the Magical Beast type, then this ability cannot be used).<br /> The Totemist can use the alternate form for up to 1 minute/level per day. These minutes need not be used consecutively; for example, a 10th-level Totemist can spend 2 minutes as the Totem creature, then transform back to normal form, and still have 8 minutes of Totem Shape time left that day. Transforming either from normal form to beast form, or vice versa, is a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The character need not wait a full minute after transforming into beast form before turning back, but any fractional minutes used are rounded up when counting against total duration for any given day. The total number of minutes of Totem Shape per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, though these hours do not need to be consecutive.<br /> While in the form of his or her Totem creature, the Totemist still has all soulmelds shaped, and retains access to all of their abilities (including Chakra Binds) wherever appropriate, including the ability to change essentia investments each round. One exception to this is that, if a soulmeld grants the character a natural attack (such as Claws) which the character's Totem form <em>also</em> has, then the attacks do not stack; instead, only the more damaging one is used (although special effects besides basic damage, such as energy damage or the ability to Rend, are combined if possible). For example, if the Totemist has <em>Behir Gorget</em> bound to Totem and transforms into a Behir, he or she loses the 1d8 Bite attack and instead gains a Bite dealing 2d6 damage. However, this Bite not only has the Grab ability that a normal Behir would have, but also deals 1d4 Electricity damage per point of essentia invested in the <em>Gorget</em> on top of its normal damage.<br /> Whether or not the creature of the Totem Form can typically speak, a Totemist in Totem Shape cannot use Wild Empathy, cast spells or use spell-like abilities that are not a part of the standard Totem creature's repertoire, or use his or her normal equipment (it is melded into the new form as standard for Polymorph effects). Also, since this ability is so tightly linked to the Totem Chakra, the Totemist is unable to voluntarily unshape the soulmeld bound to it, or unbind it, or use the Rebind Totem Soulmeld class ability, or otherwise change the soulmeld bound to the Totem Chakra while in the alternate form. The soulmeld bound to the character's Totem can still be unshaped by special effects or abilities, such as an Incarnum Dragon's Consume Soulmeld ability, and if it is then the Totemist is forced to spend his or her next round transforming back to normal form.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Greater Totem's Empathy (Su):</strong> At 13th level, the souls of beasts are such a part of the Totemist that animals and beasts of any kind become loath to attack the character.<br /> The character is now allowed to use Wild Empathy not only on Animals and Magical Beasts, but also upon Oozes- even Oozes which have no INT score. If the Totemist tries to influence an Ooze, he or she takes a -4 penalty on the check, and Oozes typically start with an attitude of Unfriendly (if intelligent) or Hostile (if unintelligent).<br /> Creatures of the Animal type are now more inclined to respect the Totemist, and automatically begin encounters with the character one step friendlier than the standard (i.e. domesticated animals start as Friendly, while wild animals start as Indifferent).<br /> Finally, the Totemist is able to make any Wild Empathy check with just one full-round action, in contrast to the usual required time of 1 minute.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Greater Totem Shape:</strong> At 14th level, the Totemist's Totem Shape ability improves, allowing him or her to assume the form of a creature associated with any soulmeld he or she has shaped- not just the one bound to the Totem Chakra. Furthermore, the character is also allowed to assume the form of a creature of Diminutive or Huge size, as long as it is of the Magical Beast type (ability score adjustments for Diminutive are the same as Tiny, while adjustments for size Huge are the same as Large). The Totemist is not allowed to switch directly from one beast form to another, without first switching back to normal form (and thus expending 1 minute of the total daily duration).<br /> While in alternate form, the Totemist is free to unshape/reshape/unbind/rebind all soulmelds <em>except</em> the one associated with the character's present form; for example, if the Totemist has <em>Girallon Arms</em> bound to Arms, but is using an <em>Ankheg Breastplate</em> bound to his or her Totem, then he or she is allowed to change the <em>Breastplate</em> (even using Rebind Totem Soulmeld, if desired) while in Girallon form, but is <strong>not</strong> allowed to rebind the <em>Girallon Arms</em> to Totem, or otherwise alter the status of the <em>Arms</em> without first switching back to normal form.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Master Totem Shape:</strong> At 18th level the Totem Shape ability improves again, allowing the Totemist to switch from one possible alternate form to another without first resuming his or her normal form. Thus, a Totemist with <em>Ankheg Breastplate</em>, <em>Brass Mane</em>, <em>Displacer Mantle</em>, and <em>Landshark Boots</em> shaped could spend a round transforming into a Bulette, spend two rounds in that form, use round 4 to turn into a Dragonne, take round 5 to fly up to a ledge, use round 6 to turn into an Ankheg, and spend rounds 7-9 burrowing into the hillside- all while only using up 1 minute of Totem Shape duration.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Perfect Totem's Empathy (Su):</strong> At 19th level, the Totemist's Wild Empathy ability improves one more time. The character is now allowed to use Wild Empathy on creatures of the Animal, Dragon, Magical Beast, or Ooze types, regardless of the target's INT score (or lack thereof). The character is also able to target creatures of other types, as long as those creatures are templated versions of base creatures with an appropriate type (for example, a Manticore Skeleton would be an allowed target, because the skeleton was once a Manticore- a Magical Beast).<br /> A Wild Empathy check can now be made with a standard action.<br /> The Totemist takes no penalty on the Wild Empathy check for any creature type, but a creature without an INT score is more difficult to influence and thus the character takes a -4 penalty to influence those. Creatures of the Animal type, as well as Dragons and Magical Beasts with INT scores above 2, treat the character with greater respect than normal, and begin encounters one step friendlier than they otherwise would have (for Animals, this does not change from the effect of Greater Totem's Empathy, above, but it now affects other types of creatures as well).<br /> This ability to connect with the souls of beasts is so powerful that the Totemist is even able to affect summoned creatures, as long as they are of appropriate types. If the Totemist desires, he or she can try to break the bond between a summoned creature and its master, as long as the creature is of an appropriate creature type. This special check is not a standard Wild Empathy check, but is instead an attempt to overcome the master's control over the target creature; the Totemist makes a roll of 1d20 + his or her Totemist level + his or her CHA modifier against a DC of (11 + the spell's caster level).<br /> If the check is successful, the master loses all control over the summoned creature, which is now free to act as it pleases; the typical starting attitude of a freed summoned creature is Unfriendly towards its master or any allies of that caster, Friendly toward the Totemist who freed it, and Indifferent to any allies of the Totemist. The master is no longer allowed to dismiss the spell, if he or she originally cast it, nor even to end it by any means other than resorting to use of <em>Dispel Magic</em> or <em>Dismissal</em> (or other such spell) on the summoned creature, and in the latter case must make a Dispel check just as if trying to dispel another caster's spell rather than one of his or her own.<br /> Once a summoned creature is freed from the control of its master, the Totemist is allowed to attempt to influence it further using a Wild Empathy check as normal.</li> </ul><p><strong>Starting Age:</strong> Totemists start at Trained age.</p><p><strong>Starting Gold:</strong> Totemist characters start with 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70).</p><p></p><p>[h=4]<u>Archetypes</u>[/h] <strong>Monstershaper:</strong> </p><p> Although most Totemists explore their connections to the various souls of beasts one at a time, some prefer to use their powers to transform themselves into "perfect monsters" which partake of desirable powers from some creatures without also having any of their weaknesses. To accomplish this, these "Monstershaping" Totemists spend considerable time and energy discovering how to bind the powers of multiple beast-souls to their Totems simultaneously. This allows them to gain the powers of multiple beast-souls at once, though it also tends to make their powers less stable and concentrated than those of standard Totemists (in particular, they never gain the ability to increase the effective meldshaper level of soulmelds bound to Totem- though this is not the only power they never develop).</p><p></p><p></p><p> <strong>Class Features:</strong></p><p>All of the following are class features of the Monstershaper.</p><p></p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Double Chakra (Totem) (Ex):</strong> At 6th level, a Monstershaper gains Double Chakra (Totem) as a bonus feat. If the character already has Double Chakra (Totem), then he or she gains no benefit from this class feature.<br /> This ability replaces the +1 meldshaper level granted to the Totem-bound soulmeld, which other Totemists gain at 6th level. A Monstershaper never gains the meldshaper level boost gained by other Totemists.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Triple Chakra (Totem) (Ex):</strong> At 12th level, a Monstershaper gains a unique ability to have three soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Totem chakra simultaneously.<br /> This ability replaces the extra use of the Rebind Totem Soulmeld ability that other Totemists gain at 12th level. From this point forward, a Monstershaper has one less daily use of the Rebind Totem Soulmeld ability.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Quadruple Chakra (Totem) (Ex):</strong> At 18th level, the Monstershaper can have four soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Totem chakra at the same time.<br /> This ability replaces Master Totem Shape.</li> </ul><p> <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Spirit Guide:</strong> </p><p></p><p> Most Totemists are happy to explore their own connection to the souls of beasts, and commune with nature on their own, but some (typically, members of tribes living in wild areas beyond the bounds of "civilization" as such) instead use their powers to help others commune with beasts the way they can. Rather than using their meldshaping powers to enhance only themselves, these Totemists spend time helping others discover and use their own totems. Because of this latter role, these Totemists are called Spirit Guides, though it is notable that they more often guide helpful spirits to allies, rather than the reverse. They give up some ability to meldshape in exchange for this specialty, but those who benefit from their unique guidance and help rarely (if ever) fault them for that weakness. </p><p></p><p> <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Class Features:</strong></p><p>All of the following are class features of the Spirit Guide Totemist.</p><p></p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Meldshaping:</strong> A Spirit Guide has a soulmeld limit one less than normal- thus, a 5th-level Spirit Guide can shape at most 3 soulmelds, rather than 4. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the standard Totemist Meldshaping class feature.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Infused Soulmeld (Su):</strong> A Spirit Guide Totemist helps other willing sentient creatures by sculpting soulmelds around them- empowering them with abilities much like those the Spirit Guide is able to gift to himself or herself via more conventional meldshaping craft.<br /> As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a Spirit Guide Totemist may transfer any one soulmeld he or she has shaped onto another willing creature by touch, as long as the creature receiving the soulmeld has the appropriate chakra unoccupied by any soulmeld or magic item (for example, a <em>Girallon Arms</em> could not be transferred to a creature with another soulmeld already occupying its Arms Chakra). If a soulmeld can occupy more than one chakra (for example, <em>Dread Carapace</em> can occupy Arms, Feet, or Heart), then the soulmeld must be set to occupy the same chakra that the Spirit Guide had it occupying on himself or herself; that is, the chakra cannot be changed in transit. The Spirit Guide must invest 1 point of essentia into the chosen soulmeld as it is transferred, or the soulmeld immediately unshapes; this essentia stays invested in the soulmeld but does not provide either the soulmeld's new wearer nor the Spirit Guide who originally shaped it with any of the standard benefits that soulmeld would normally grant from essentia investment- the essentia is instead being used to keep the soulmeld intact on its new wearer.<br /> If the creature receiving the soulmeld has an essentia pool of its own, it may invest essentia into the transferred soulmeld as if it had shaped the soulmeld itself; the essentia invested by the Spirit Guide to keep it intact upon its new wearer does not count in any way against the soulmeld's essentia capacity for investment. If the new wearer has the ability to bind a soulmeld to the chakra the transferred soulmeld occupies, then it may Bind the transferred soulmeld to that chakra using the normal rules for reshaping and rebinding soulmelds. The transferred soulmeld does not count against the new wearer's limits on soulmelds shaped, if it has any such limits, but it <em>does</em> count as being a soulmeld occupying the appropriate chakra- so a creature gifted with an <em>Girallon Arms</em> could not, for example, spend 15 minutes shaping an <em>Armguards of Disruption</em> on itself unless it had the Double Chakra (Arms) feat. If the new wearer becomes unconscious or dead for any reason, the transferred soulmeld immediately unshapes, and the essentia the Spirit Guide invested into it to keep it intact is divested as though the Spirit Guide had done it himself or herself (see below).<br /> The Spirit Guide is <em>not</em> able to invest essentia into the soulmeld, after it is transferred; for all intents and purposes, the soulmeld is considered unshaped from the perspective of the Spirit Guide as soon as the transfer is completed. The Spirit Guide may, in fact, shape a new soulmeld to replace the one just transferred; this uses the normal rules for shaping individual soulmelds. The only thing the Spirit Guide must do while the transferred soulmeld remains shaped is keep the 1 point of essentia invested in it; as soon as the Spirit Guide divests that essentia from the transferred soulmeld for any reason, the soulmeld immediately unshapes.<br /> This ability replaces Wild Empathy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Totem Guidance (Su):</strong> Beginning at 4th level, a Spirit Guide Totemist has the ability to specifically bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Totem Chakra of its new wearer, during the transfer. This does not harm the creature to whom the soulmeld is transferred, and grants that creature the full benefits of the Totem Chakra Bind for the transferred soulmeld as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. Because the soulmeld is being bound to the other creature's Totem by a third party, it does not naturally stay bound the way a normal soulmeld would; the Spirit Guide must carefully keep watch upon the soulmeld to be sure it does not spontaneously unbind itself, and can therefore only bind one transferred soulmeld to its new wearer's Totem Chakra this way at any given time.<br /> If the Spirit Guide wishes, he or she can allow the transferred soulmeld to unbind (without actually unshaping it or divesting the essentia being used to keep it intact upon the new wearer), and free up this "Transferred Totem slot" for another soulmeld. Soulmelds which have already been transferred to other creatures cannot be bound to their new wearers' Totems this way; the binding must be done during the actual transfer itself- but if the Spirit Guide is not currently maintaining a Totem-bound transferred soulmeld, then he or she is free to bind a new soulmeld that he or she transfers to its new wearer's Totem during that transfer process.<br /> At 13th level, the Spirit Guide becomes familiar enough with maintaining Totem-bound soulmelds on other creatures that he or she is able to maintain two such Totem binds at once.<br /> This ability replaces Totem's Empathy, Greater Totem's Empathy, and Totem Transformation.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Share Totem's Protection (Su):</strong> At 7th level, the same spirits which grant the Spirit Guide Totemist the Totem's Protection ability (+4 on saves against Extraordinary, Psi-Like, Supernatural or Spell-Like abilities of Magical Beasts) will listen to the character if he or she asks them to help another creature. As an immediate action, the Spirit Guide can grant the bonus on saving throws to an ally within 30 feet, or to any ally currently wearing a soulmeld which was transferred by the Spirit Guide (using Infused Soulmeld) regardless of distance. The ally gains this bonus for 1 round, and the Spirit Guide loses the bonus for 1 round. The Spirit Guide may use this ability any number of times per day, but may only grant another creature the bonus if he or she is currently under the protection of the bonus himself or herself- that is, no more than one creature (including the Spirit Guide) can benefit from the Totem's Protection at any one time.<br /> This ability replaces Improved Totem's Empathy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Greater Totem Guidance (Su):</strong> At 19th level, a Spirit Guide Totemist gains the ability to not only bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Totem Chakra of its new wearer, but also to the Chakra that the soulmeld actually occupies, as though the new wearer had the "Double Bind" ability of the Totem Chakra Bind gained by Totemists at 11th level. This grants the creature the full benefits (for the transferred soulmeld) of both the Totem Chakra Bind and the Chakra Bind ability for the occupied chakra, for as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. The Spirit Guide is able to double-bind any transferred soulmeld that he or she binds to its new wearer's Totem at all, with this ability, so the character is able to maintain two at once. This ability functions regardless of whether or not the soulmeld's new wearer has the appropriate chakra open for binding- by this point the Spirit Guide is experienced enough at manipulating soul energy that the target's own meldshaping prowess (or lack thereof) is irrelevant to the process.<br /> This ability replaces Perfect Totem's Empathy.</li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="paradox42, post: 6137418, member: 29746"] [b]The Current Version of the Totemist[/b] This is the most current version of the Totemist in my rules files, including two Archetypes for it. Everything in this post is as yet untested in actual play, though hopefully it's not far off the balance mark (and proves to be fun when used). The Spirit Guide is, of course, the Totemist's answer to the Radiant Incarnate. The Monstershaper came out of me noticing the fact that the Foundationist (which depends upon its Pattern Chakra in a manner quite similar to the Totemist depending upon its Totem Chakra) really wants to combine many soulmelds on that Chakra at once; the Monstershaper therefore creates a Totemist that is closer to the Foundationist mechanically. It is possible that the Monstershaper should actually be the core version of the Totemist, and the version set out below an Archetype instead; however, this is what I have at present so it's what I'm posting. [B]Class Skills:[/B] The Totemist's class skills are: Craft (any) (INT), Fly (DEX), Handle Animal (CHA), Knowledge (Arcana, Nature, Planes) (INT), Perception (WIS), Profession (any) (WIS), Ride (DEX), Spellcraft (INT), Survival (WIS), and Swim (STR) [TABLE="class: grid, width: 100%"] [TR] [TD]Class Level[/TD] [TD]Base Attack Bonus[/TD] [TD]Fortitude Save[/TD] [TD]Reflex Save[/TD] [TD]Will Save[/TD] [TD]Special[/TD] [TD]Soulmelds[/TD] [TD]Essentia[/TD] [TD]Chakra Binds[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]1st [/TD] [TD]+0[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+0[/TD] [TD]Wild Empathy, Totem Chakra Bind[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2nd[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+0[/TD] [TD]Chakra Bind (Crown), Totem Chakra Bind (+1 capacity)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]3rd[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]Totem's Protection[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]4th[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]Totem's Empathy[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]5th[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+1[/TD] [TD]Chakra Binds (Feet, Hands)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]6th[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]Totem Chakra Bind (+1 Meldshaper Level)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]7th[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]Improved Totem's Empathy[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]8th[/TD] [TD]+6/+1[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]+2[/TD] [TD]Rebind Totem Soulmeld 1/day[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]9th[/TD] [TD]+6/+1[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]Chakra Binds (Arms, Brow, Shoulders)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]10th[/TD] [TD]+7/+2[/TD] [TD]+7[/TD] [TD]+7[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]Totem's Lore, Totem Shape[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]11[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]11th[/TD] [TD]+8/+3[/TD] [TD]+7[/TD] [TD]+7[/TD] [TD]+3[/TD] [TD]Totem Chakra Bind (Double Bind)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]12[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]12th[/TD] [TD]+9/+4[/TD] [TD]+8[/TD] [TD]+8[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]Rebind Totem Soulmeld 2/day[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]13[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]13th[/TD] [TD]+9/+4[/TD] [TD]+8[/TD] [TD]+8[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]Greater Totem's Empathy[/TD] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: center"]14[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]14th[/TD] [TD]+10/+5[/TD] [TD]+9[/TD] [TD]+9[/TD] [TD]+4[/TD] [TD]Chakra Binds (Throat, Waist), Greater Totem Shape[/TD] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: center"]15[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]15th[/TD] [TD]+11/+6/+1[/TD] [TD]+9[/TD] [TD]+9[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]Totem Chakra Bind (+2 capacity)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: center"]18[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]16th[/TD] [TD]+12/+7/+2[/TD] [TD]+10[/TD] [TD]+10[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]Rebind Totem Soulmeld 3/day[/TD] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: center"]19[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]17th[/TD] [TD]+12/+7/+2[/TD] [TD]+10[/TD] [TD]+10[/TD] [TD]+5[/TD] [TD]Chakra Bind (Heart)[/TD] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: center"]20[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]18th[/TD] [TD]+13/+8/+3[/TD] [TD]+11[/TD] [TD]+11[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]Master Totem Shape[/TD] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: center"]22[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]19th[/TD] [TD]+14/+9/+4[/TD] [TD]+11[/TD] [TD]+11[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]Perfect Totem's Empathy[/TD] [TD="align: center"]9[/TD] [TD="align: center"]24[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]20th[/TD] [TD]+15/+10/+5[/TD] [TD]+12[/TD] [TD]+12[/TD] [TD]+6[/TD] [TD]Rebind Totem Soulmeld 4/day, Totem Embodiment [/TD] [TD="align: center"]9[/TD] [TD="align: center"]28[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Totemists have class abilities as described in MoI, except for the (admittedly extensive) changes noted below. [LIST] [*][B]Wild Empathy (Ex):[/B] A Totemist can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Totemist rolls 1d20 and adds his or her Totemist level and CHA modifier to determine the Wild Empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use Wild Empathy, the Totemist and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. A Totemist can also use this ability to influence a Magical Beast with an INT score of 1 or 2, but takes a –4 penalty on the check. However, unlike other classes with the Wild Empathy ability, a Totemist can gain a bonus to offset this penalty: if the character is specifically trying to influence a Magical Beast associated with the soulmeld that he or she has bound to his or her Totem chakra (for example, the character has a [I]Basilisk Mask[/I] bound to the Totem, and tries to use Wild Empathy on a Basilisk), he or she gains a +4 bonus on the Wild Empathy check (and thus effectively takes no penalty). [*][B]Totem's Protection (Su):[/B] At 3rd level, the Totemist can use his or her connection with the souls of beasts to gain protection against the special attacks and powers of those same beasts. He or she gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the Extraordinary, Psi-Like, Supernatural, and Spell-Like abilities of Magical Beasts. [*][B]Totem's Empathy (Ex):[/B] At 4th level, the Totemist gains a +4 on Wild Empathy checks made to influence the attitude of a beast associated with any of his or her shaped soulmelds, not just the one bound to the Totem chakra. If the beast is specifically the one associated with the soulmeld bound to the Totemist's Totem chakra, then the character receives a further +4 bonus, granting him or her (in most cases) a total +4 bonus rather than the usual -4 penalty associated with trying to influence a Magical Beast. [*][B]Improved Totem's Empathy (Ex):[/B] At 7th level, the Totemist gains a +4 bonus on Wild Empathy checks made to influence the attitude of any Magical Beast, regardless of which soulmelds he or she has shaped. He or she still gains a +4 bonus if the beast is associated with the soulmeld bound to the Totem chakra. Furthermore, the Totemist is no longer limited to influencing creatures with an INT score of 1 or 2 with Wild Empathy checks; any creature of the Animal or Magical Beast type is a legal target for his Wild Empathy from 7th level onward. If the Totemist uses Wild Empathy on a creature with an INT score above 2, it is treated as a Diplomacy check in every way, including allowing for the possibility of the Totemist using the Aid Another action to help an ally's Diplomacy check on the same target, or an ally using Diplomacy to Aid the Totemist's Wild Empathy check. [*][B]Totem's Lore (Su):[/B] At 10th level, a Totemist can use his or her connection with the souls of nature to learn things about creatures with some connection to it, even if he or she has no appropriate Knowledge ranks. As a standard action, the Totemist can target a creature of the Animal, Dragon, Magical Beast, or Ooze type within 30 feet to learn about its abilities and weaknesses. With a successful ranged touch attack, the character gains information as if he made the appropriate Knowledge skill check with a result equal to 20 + his or her Totemist level + his or her WIS modifier. The character may also target creatures which are templated versions of creatures of an appropriate type, even if the template changes the creature type to a disallowed type (for example, a Half-Dragon Lich would be a legal target, even though it is of the Undead creature type, because it was type Dragon before it became a Lich). [*][B]Totem Shape (Su):[/B] Also at 10th level, a Totemist gains the ability to literally merge with the souls woven into the soulmeld bound to his or her Totem Chakra, actually becoming the associated beast (at least in form). This works like the spell [I]Beast Shape IV[/I], except that the character can only become a Magical Beast of size Tiny to Large, and can only transform into the creature associated with the soulmeld bound to his or her Totem Chakra (if there is no soulmeld bound to the Totem Chakra, or the soulmeld bound to Totem is not associated with a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large creature of the Magical Beast type, then this ability cannot be used). The Totemist can use the alternate form for up to 1 minute/level per day. These minutes need not be used consecutively; for example, a 10th-level Totemist can spend 2 minutes as the Totem creature, then transform back to normal form, and still have 8 minutes of Totem Shape time left that day. Transforming either from normal form to beast form, or vice versa, is a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The character need not wait a full minute after transforming into beast form before turning back, but any fractional minutes used are rounded up when counting against total duration for any given day. The total number of minutes of Totem Shape per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, though these hours do not need to be consecutive. While in the form of his or her Totem creature, the Totemist still has all soulmelds shaped, and retains access to all of their abilities (including Chakra Binds) wherever appropriate, including the ability to change essentia investments each round. One exception to this is that, if a soulmeld grants the character a natural attack (such as Claws) which the character's Totem form [I]also[/I] has, then the attacks do not stack; instead, only the more damaging one is used (although special effects besides basic damage, such as energy damage or the ability to Rend, are combined if possible). For example, if the Totemist has [I]Behir Gorget[/I] bound to Totem and transforms into a Behir, he or she loses the 1d8 Bite attack and instead gains a Bite dealing 2d6 damage. However, this Bite not only has the Grab ability that a normal Behir would have, but also deals 1d4 Electricity damage per point of essentia invested in the [I]Gorget[/I] on top of its normal damage. Whether or not the creature of the Totem Form can typically speak, a Totemist in Totem Shape cannot use Wild Empathy, cast spells or use spell-like abilities that are not a part of the standard Totem creature's repertoire, or use his or her normal equipment (it is melded into the new form as standard for Polymorph effects). Also, since this ability is so tightly linked to the Totem Chakra, the Totemist is unable to voluntarily unshape the soulmeld bound to it, or unbind it, or use the Rebind Totem Soulmeld class ability, or otherwise change the soulmeld bound to the Totem Chakra while in the alternate form. The soulmeld bound to the character's Totem can still be unshaped by special effects or abilities, such as an Incarnum Dragon's Consume Soulmeld ability, and if it is then the Totemist is forced to spend his or her next round transforming back to normal form. [*][B]Greater Totem's Empathy (Su):[/B] At 13th level, the souls of beasts are such a part of the Totemist that animals and beasts of any kind become loath to attack the character. The character is now allowed to use Wild Empathy not only on Animals and Magical Beasts, but also upon Oozes- even Oozes which have no INT score. If the Totemist tries to influence an Ooze, he or she takes a -4 penalty on the check, and Oozes typically start with an attitude of Unfriendly (if intelligent) or Hostile (if unintelligent). Creatures of the Animal type are now more inclined to respect the Totemist, and automatically begin encounters with the character one step friendlier than the standard (i.e. domesticated animals start as Friendly, while wild animals start as Indifferent). Finally, the Totemist is able to make any Wild Empathy check with just one full-round action, in contrast to the usual required time of 1 minute. [*][B]Greater Totem Shape:[/B] At 14th level, the Totemist's Totem Shape ability improves, allowing him or her to assume the form of a creature associated with any soulmeld he or she has shaped- not just the one bound to the Totem Chakra. Furthermore, the character is also allowed to assume the form of a creature of Diminutive or Huge size, as long as it is of the Magical Beast type (ability score adjustments for Diminutive are the same as Tiny, while adjustments for size Huge are the same as Large). The Totemist is not allowed to switch directly from one beast form to another, without first switching back to normal form (and thus expending 1 minute of the total daily duration). While in alternate form, the Totemist is free to unshape/reshape/unbind/rebind all soulmelds [I]except[/I] the one associated with the character's present form; for example, if the Totemist has [I]Girallon Arms[/I] bound to Arms, but is using an [I]Ankheg Breastplate[/I] bound to his or her Totem, then he or she is allowed to change the [I]Breastplate[/I] (even using Rebind Totem Soulmeld, if desired) while in Girallon form, but is [B]not[/B] allowed to rebind the [I]Girallon Arms[/I] to Totem, or otherwise alter the status of the [I]Arms[/I] without first switching back to normal form. [*][B]Master Totem Shape:[/B] At 18th level the Totem Shape ability improves again, allowing the Totemist to switch from one possible alternate form to another without first resuming his or her normal form. Thus, a Totemist with [I]Ankheg Breastplate[/I], [I]Brass Mane[/I], [I]Displacer Mantle[/I], and [I]Landshark Boots[/I] shaped could spend a round transforming into a Bulette, spend two rounds in that form, use round 4 to turn into a Dragonne, take round 5 to fly up to a ledge, use round 6 to turn into an Ankheg, and spend rounds 7-9 burrowing into the hillside- all while only using up 1 minute of Totem Shape duration. [*][B]Perfect Totem's Empathy (Su):[/B] At 19th level, the Totemist's Wild Empathy ability improves one more time. The character is now allowed to use Wild Empathy on creatures of the Animal, Dragon, Magical Beast, or Ooze types, regardless of the target's INT score (or lack thereof). The character is also able to target creatures of other types, as long as those creatures are templated versions of base creatures with an appropriate type (for example, a Manticore Skeleton would be an allowed target, because the skeleton was once a Manticore- a Magical Beast). A Wild Empathy check can now be made with a standard action. The Totemist takes no penalty on the Wild Empathy check for any creature type, but a creature without an INT score is more difficult to influence and thus the character takes a -4 penalty to influence those. Creatures of the Animal type, as well as Dragons and Magical Beasts with INT scores above 2, treat the character with greater respect than normal, and begin encounters one step friendlier than they otherwise would have (for Animals, this does not change from the effect of Greater Totem's Empathy, above, but it now affects other types of creatures as well). This ability to connect with the souls of beasts is so powerful that the Totemist is even able to affect summoned creatures, as long as they are of appropriate types. If the Totemist desires, he or she can try to break the bond between a summoned creature and its master, as long as the creature is of an appropriate creature type. This special check is not a standard Wild Empathy check, but is instead an attempt to overcome the master's control over the target creature; the Totemist makes a roll of 1d20 + his or her Totemist level + his or her CHA modifier against a DC of (11 + the spell's caster level). If the check is successful, the master loses all control over the summoned creature, which is now free to act as it pleases; the typical starting attitude of a freed summoned creature is Unfriendly towards its master or any allies of that caster, Friendly toward the Totemist who freed it, and Indifferent to any allies of the Totemist. The master is no longer allowed to dismiss the spell, if he or she originally cast it, nor even to end it by any means other than resorting to use of [I]Dispel Magic[/I] or [I]Dismissal[/I] (or other such spell) on the summoned creature, and in the latter case must make a Dispel check just as if trying to dispel another caster's spell rather than one of his or her own. Once a summoned creature is freed from the control of its master, the Totemist is allowed to attempt to influence it further using a Wild Empathy check as normal. [/LIST] [B]Starting Age:[/B] Totemists start at Trained age. [B]Starting Gold:[/B] Totemist characters start with 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70). [h=4][U]Archetypes[/U][/h] [B]Monstershaper:[/B] Although most Totemists explore their connections to the various souls of beasts one at a time, some prefer to use their powers to transform themselves into "perfect monsters" which partake of desirable powers from some creatures without also having any of their weaknesses. To accomplish this, these "Monstershaping" Totemists spend considerable time and energy discovering how to bind the powers of multiple beast-souls to their Totems simultaneously. This allows them to gain the powers of multiple beast-souls at once, though it also tends to make their powers less stable and concentrated than those of standard Totemists (in particular, they never gain the ability to increase the effective meldshaper level of soulmelds bound to Totem- though this is not the only power they never develop). [B]Class Features:[/B] All of the following are class features of the Monstershaper. [LIST] [*][B]Double Chakra (Totem) (Ex):[/B] At 6th level, a Monstershaper gains Double Chakra (Totem) as a bonus feat. If the character already has Double Chakra (Totem), then he or she gains no benefit from this class feature. This ability replaces the +1 meldshaper level granted to the Totem-bound soulmeld, which other Totemists gain at 6th level. A Monstershaper never gains the meldshaper level boost gained by other Totemists. [*][B]Triple Chakra (Totem) (Ex):[/B] At 12th level, a Monstershaper gains a unique ability to have three soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Totem chakra simultaneously. This ability replaces the extra use of the Rebind Totem Soulmeld ability that other Totemists gain at 12th level. From this point forward, a Monstershaper has one less daily use of the Rebind Totem Soulmeld ability. [*][B]Quadruple Chakra (Totem) (Ex):[/B] At 18th level, the Monstershaper can have four soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Totem chakra at the same time. This ability replaces Master Totem Shape. [/LIST] [B] Spirit Guide:[/B] Most Totemists are happy to explore their own connection to the souls of beasts, and commune with nature on their own, but some (typically, members of tribes living in wild areas beyond the bounds of "civilization" as such) instead use their powers to help others commune with beasts the way they can. Rather than using their meldshaping powers to enhance only themselves, these Totemists spend time helping others discover and use their own totems. Because of this latter role, these Totemists are called Spirit Guides, though it is notable that they more often guide helpful spirits to allies, rather than the reverse. They give up some ability to meldshape in exchange for this specialty, but those who benefit from their unique guidance and help rarely (if ever) fault them for that weakness. [B] Class Features:[/B] All of the following are class features of the Spirit Guide Totemist. [LIST] [*][B]Meldshaping:[/B] A Spirit Guide has a soulmeld limit one less than normal- thus, a 5th-level Spirit Guide can shape at most 3 soulmelds, rather than 4. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the standard Totemist Meldshaping class feature. [*][B]Infused Soulmeld (Su):[/B] A Spirit Guide Totemist helps other willing sentient creatures by sculpting soulmelds around them- empowering them with abilities much like those the Spirit Guide is able to gift to himself or herself via more conventional meldshaping craft. As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a Spirit Guide Totemist may transfer any one soulmeld he or she has shaped onto another willing creature by touch, as long as the creature receiving the soulmeld has the appropriate chakra unoccupied by any soulmeld or magic item (for example, a [I]Girallon Arms[/I] could not be transferred to a creature with another soulmeld already occupying its Arms Chakra). If a soulmeld can occupy more than one chakra (for example, [I]Dread Carapace[/I] can occupy Arms, Feet, or Heart), then the soulmeld must be set to occupy the same chakra that the Spirit Guide had it occupying on himself or herself; that is, the chakra cannot be changed in transit. The Spirit Guide must invest 1 point of essentia into the chosen soulmeld as it is transferred, or the soulmeld immediately unshapes; this essentia stays invested in the soulmeld but does not provide either the soulmeld's new wearer nor the Spirit Guide who originally shaped it with any of the standard benefits that soulmeld would normally grant from essentia investment- the essentia is instead being used to keep the soulmeld intact on its new wearer. If the creature receiving the soulmeld has an essentia pool of its own, it may invest essentia into the transferred soulmeld as if it had shaped the soulmeld itself; the essentia invested by the Spirit Guide to keep it intact upon its new wearer does not count in any way against the soulmeld's essentia capacity for investment. If the new wearer has the ability to bind a soulmeld to the chakra the transferred soulmeld occupies, then it may Bind the transferred soulmeld to that chakra using the normal rules for reshaping and rebinding soulmelds. The transferred soulmeld does not count against the new wearer's limits on soulmelds shaped, if it has any such limits, but it [I]does[/I] count as being a soulmeld occupying the appropriate chakra- so a creature gifted with an [I]Girallon Arms[/I] could not, for example, spend 15 minutes shaping an [I]Armguards of Disruption[/I] on itself unless it had the Double Chakra (Arms) feat. If the new wearer becomes unconscious or dead for any reason, the transferred soulmeld immediately unshapes, and the essentia the Spirit Guide invested into it to keep it intact is divested as though the Spirit Guide had done it himself or herself (see below). The Spirit Guide is [I]not[/I] able to invest essentia into the soulmeld, after it is transferred; for all intents and purposes, the soulmeld is considered unshaped from the perspective of the Spirit Guide as soon as the transfer is completed. The Spirit Guide may, in fact, shape a new soulmeld to replace the one just transferred; this uses the normal rules for shaping individual soulmelds. The only thing the Spirit Guide must do while the transferred soulmeld remains shaped is keep the 1 point of essentia invested in it; as soon as the Spirit Guide divests that essentia from the transferred soulmeld for any reason, the soulmeld immediately unshapes. This ability replaces Wild Empathy. [*][B]Totem Guidance (Su):[/B] Beginning at 4th level, a Spirit Guide Totemist has the ability to specifically bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Totem Chakra of its new wearer, during the transfer. This does not harm the creature to whom the soulmeld is transferred, and grants that creature the full benefits of the Totem Chakra Bind for the transferred soulmeld as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. Because the soulmeld is being bound to the other creature's Totem by a third party, it does not naturally stay bound the way a normal soulmeld would; the Spirit Guide must carefully keep watch upon the soulmeld to be sure it does not spontaneously unbind itself, and can therefore only bind one transferred soulmeld to its new wearer's Totem Chakra this way at any given time. If the Spirit Guide wishes, he or she can allow the transferred soulmeld to unbind (without actually unshaping it or divesting the essentia being used to keep it intact upon the new wearer), and free up this "Transferred Totem slot" for another soulmeld. Soulmelds which have already been transferred to other creatures cannot be bound to their new wearers' Totems this way; the binding must be done during the actual transfer itself- but if the Spirit Guide is not currently maintaining a Totem-bound transferred soulmeld, then he or she is free to bind a new soulmeld that he or she transfers to its new wearer's Totem during that transfer process. At 13th level, the Spirit Guide becomes familiar enough with maintaining Totem-bound soulmelds on other creatures that he or she is able to maintain two such Totem binds at once. This ability replaces Totem's Empathy, Greater Totem's Empathy, and Totem Transformation. [*][B]Share Totem's Protection (Su):[/B] At 7th level, the same spirits which grant the Spirit Guide Totemist the Totem's Protection ability (+4 on saves against Extraordinary, Psi-Like, Supernatural or Spell-Like abilities of Magical Beasts) will listen to the character if he or she asks them to help another creature. As an immediate action, the Spirit Guide can grant the bonus on saving throws to an ally within 30 feet, or to any ally currently wearing a soulmeld which was transferred by the Spirit Guide (using Infused Soulmeld) regardless of distance. The ally gains this bonus for 1 round, and the Spirit Guide loses the bonus for 1 round. The Spirit Guide may use this ability any number of times per day, but may only grant another creature the bonus if he or she is currently under the protection of the bonus himself or herself- that is, no more than one creature (including the Spirit Guide) can benefit from the Totem's Protection at any one time. This ability replaces Improved Totem's Empathy. [*][B]Greater Totem Guidance (Su):[/B] At 19th level, a Spirit Guide Totemist gains the ability to not only bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Totem Chakra of its new wearer, but also to the Chakra that the soulmeld actually occupies, as though the new wearer had the "Double Bind" ability of the Totem Chakra Bind gained by Totemists at 11th level. This grants the creature the full benefits (for the transferred soulmeld) of both the Totem Chakra Bind and the Chakra Bind ability for the occupied chakra, for as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. The Spirit Guide is able to double-bind any transferred soulmeld that he or she binds to its new wearer's Totem at all, with this ability, so the character is able to maintain two at once. This ability functions regardless of whether or not the soulmeld's new wearer has the appropriate chakra open for binding- by this point the Spirit Guide is experienced enough at manipulating soul energy that the target's own meldshaping prowess (or lack thereof) is irrelevant to the process. This ability replaces Perfect Totem's Empathy. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Incarnum in Pathfinder
Top